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I 





DATE DUE 





























































































STANFORD UNIVERSITY UBRARIES 

STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 

94305 



MUSIC LIBRAF 

STANfORD UNIVERSITY 1 



) 



DWIGHT 




JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



9 





aper ai %xi anb JTiterate. 



JOHN S. DWIGHT, EDITOR. 



VOLUME XIII 



BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY OLIVER DITSON AND CO., 277 WASHINGTON ST. 

1859. 



,.„■ ;> 1 u 1976 



rAU 



V 



ni')^ 



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 XIII & XIV 



Abnmi, Letter from DaaoM MalacU, . 



Ml. ZemthD, 

A New Friim Donna,. I8» 

A New ValentliM. Hadune Bwtnt 331 

A New Acqaaintance, (Brown Papeta) IBS 

A Plw for Ae lUnlt end for Fun, 396 

A Woid ft«m the Fn>Aewn, I6a 

AoMricsa Beaut;, KM 

American Votcae, 18 

Anpi, Uadama d' 45 

An Imperial Pitch Fork, tl6 

An Impt«MWe Fnoerel. Ami JmnxU 94 

Aptoinmaj, Letter (nmi, Ul 

Aroe, Dr. lOS; Ui Jodlth, IIS 

Araoelt, Had 3M 

Art Hauera, 1 OS 

ArtiM'« Beeeptioni, MS 

Aitiati and A|(eni*, tbeir Bslationa to the PreH,.lU 
Atbenanm Exhilutton. . . .M, 4«, M, 61, 19, ST, 

M. 130,117 

Andiencee and Critica MS 

An Veniin. (oT Motan), i 3S 

B«bcod'> Pictam, SSt 

Badi'i Hniic, Kevival of, lU 

Barh, J. S., The Work* of, 879 

Balle'a Satanella, A4fl 

Ballet Utwatnie. M. A. Veona, 



INDEX. 



Conftrence on Stngtog In Schoota,. S99 

CoDgiegadonal Singing, SOS 

Cooper, H.C », 4S, 107 

CoKEKaroHDaHCB : 

Bangor, (Me) <M, 371 

Barirn 71, 79,35, 166, !«4, 9», 119,368, ITT 

384, 198, 304, 307, 384, 366, 867, 371, 380, 387 

397,415. 
BrooklTii,. ..33, 40, tl,8E, 94,110, 181,106,331 

19S, 307, 887. 

Chicago, III) 64,376 

Cincinnati I SO, 1»S, 376, 4IS 

Doberan 103 

Farmington, (Conn.), 106 

Florence...... IB, B3 

Hartfbrd, ... lift, S4«,-361 , SS4, 303, 307, 347, 375 

405. 

Havana 341 

HoIIt Bank, (S. C), 81S 

Legfaam, 198 

LoaUrille, (Kt.) M 

Marion, (Ala.) 157 

Milan, S3, 63 

Mew Haren, 104 

New Tarfc,..T,8, IE, 31, 19,40, S4,IJ4, 135, 133 

157, 169, 175, ISl, ISO, 197, 107, HI, 131, 137 

146, 355, 1TB, 383, 194, SOT, 319, 3]S, 340, 34T 

399,881,387,397,415. 



..331 



B«Mtie« of (he Inlian Opar«, 

Beaatf, The Seue of, lov 

Beecbw, (H. W.) on Organ Plajring, 885 

Beethoven, (Carl van J, death or, 63 

Beetharen, L. ran, 380 

Moonli^tSonata, (LiMt), 11; AtnNanecdoCe 
of, 163; Snnpbonj in A.,1T3; Foar Letters 
of, to Carl C&emT, 194; AddEiiotuI Rtnlnli- 
•oenec* of, 834; Skeidiorhii lift, by Maefiir- 
ran, 895, 409, 411 ; Ninth Sjmphonf, Hotiret 

and Themea oT, 408, 409, 4ID, 414 

Birmi;ighain Featiral 111,175,106,116,114 

BiKaccianti, Mad 351, 898 

Book! for the New Year, 319 

Boeio, MwiBme 180,163; In Beaton 189 

Boilon Pn <Iic Libranr, 311 

Boilon Public Schoob, FetdTal of, 143, 160 



Hi I 



Ml.. 



Ca ieer e e , Lonti de 

Chromatic Scale, 

Chorch Hn^ 

Colkae Htuic .'. . .94, 

OoUoo, Had 

Common Mtuic 

CoHcnnra ih Bdiioii : 

Addaide Philllpi 

A PriTate Cmctrt. 37, 

Biacaedanti and Hiai Uaj, 

Brigade Band , 

Compiimeataij Conceit u> Angnit Friee 

Complimentarjr to Biicaccianti 

Complimentar; to Joaeph Tniikle 

Oerman Trio 6 

Gennanta Band , 

Handel and Hajdn Sode», 13,10,130, 

Hiawatha, (Sioe^l'a), 



Uendelnobn Qaintetie Clnb. ...14, 879, 194,3! 
841, 858, S7S, 390, 406. 

Hiia Abbj ^r 

Hi*. B. A. Wentwortb, 1 

Oreheilral Union,. . . .6, 14, 3t, 366, 873, 390, V. 

Orpheoi Otee Clnb, t, 359, 31 

Boot't Ha^aken, 31 

8l Cadlia Soclet7, 1 

ZMiahn'i Philharaunia,. ..387, 343, 359, 366,31 



«.)... 



..157 



Rockland, (He.), 

Home 8, 16 

Salen, (Mau.) 3B7 

Balem, { N. C,(, 1 76 

dpringAeld, (Haia.), 150 

St. Louii, (Uo.) 104 

WorcoMer 89, 1 88, 375 

Covent OardcD, New Opera Honae, 76 

Cramer.John, (AtheoMQtn), 58 

Dirin*, H. (tenore), . T 

I>ehn,(8. W.), 61,70,64,959,168 

Delepiem Children, (VioliniaU) 78 



;;::;«.ffi 

■Hi, Kn, at 



...act 



Diai7, From mj, (New Seiiei),. .5, 15, IT, 38, 44,61 
68, »», 184. 

Don Giorannl arranged forHario, 169 

Don Joan, The Story of, (Bn)¥m paper*).. .897, 305 

Dr. Fanaina in France 878 

Drama, The 14, 83, 31 

EiehbcTg, Jnlint, 167, 314 

Eiiflald, Theo. 314 ; Letter tnm, 859 

Encore Nnitance, TIm. Paitck 36 

Engliih Opera, (The Cooper trovpe),... 307 

EKott, Ldct, 390 

Far, Hiu Har]>, »** 

Femi, The Siiten 386 

FeitiTali, (Gennan), 888 

Field John,. 388, 330 

I^ne Alt*, 366 

Florence, A Letter aboot, 47 

Flotow, Friediich ron, 3*3 

Fonnea, CaTl,...I3, 80,45; onLcporallo, 398 

Foar pant of Mnaic, 5 

Fnni, Robert, Letter about,. 



1858-1859 



Gatviai, The, and Da Fonia^ 35 

Oaiaier, (Had) 8 

Gaiianign Marietta, 376 

Oerman and Italian Opera, 84 

Qenoau Litn CanMeratioD, The. Pmtdt, 51 

German mnde, ISO, 134 

German Student Celebration In Hew Tork, ITI 

OUnka, Hichael too, and Mnticio Ruaia, 115 

Goddard, Hiu Arabella, 811,138 

Oouood, New H«M bf, (Atbenwun), 41 

.Ouilmctte, Dr., 107 



HaleT7'i New Open^ 

Handel and Hajdn Sodetj, (43d Annual Bfeet- 

ins of), 78, oa 

Handel, Character and Oeniu* of, 133, 341, 149, S5S 

3«Ti Fonrlt«caTeredFiec«aliT,..ail; Honn- 

ment at Halle, 135; Mcwiah, — OitiKmai 

Performance 817 

Harvard Hosical Aaaodation, Annual Meeting. .348 



357. 
Harwood, Mr».^ 



nnrwoQu, mn.^ ..... ,, ,,... 80 

Healed Term, The,- 109 

Heine, Henri, about Muaic and Htuidant,... 105, 188 
I3». 137, 145, 193, l«l. 

Hetefonl Feilliral 800 

Honlej, WilHam, (AlbenMu) 131 

Iloamcr, Hin Harriot, 195 

Houaehold Book of Poetry, —(I>ana'i) 109 

How certain Optra* come to b* compoiad, 165 

How People liilen to Hunic 147 

How the book* wereiecnred 357 

Hugnenoti, The, in New Orleana, 301 

Hugnenoti, The, S14, 314, 819 

HjmnorPraiio, (Mendeliaohn'a) Anal7il«irf,..3, 10 

Illiterate Uuic 141, 146 

InfHDCj, the Beit Age lor Singing, 91 

In Memoriam, (John Lange) 193 

Jarael In Egvpt, 3T3, 3T4, 391 ;,..HacfBnvn'i 

Anal7>i( n, 359, 363 

Italian Opera, 133, ISO, 301, 309, 316, 394, 413 

Joachim in London, 76 



.. 69 

Lange, John 393, 395 

Learning to alng, Jenny Liind'i letten, 3 

Leedi Fenival ITS, 911, 114 

Letlle'a Judith 178 

Ludadi Lammetmoor, Sll 

Lncie^ Borgia, 198 

Halapropoa Stage luddent, 304 

Uareriek, Has....... 836,859 

Hario ai Don Juan, 181 

HarioandDon Gloranni, 181 

Martha, 336 

Marx, A Glance at the preient itaie of Un^,.. .849 
Hau Hniic, — (New H**t by Goanod,). 



Hay, Mix Juliana, 843,851, 35* 

Mendeliiohn, Characteriatici of, (Dr. Zopfl) 18 

HendeUiohn ComeniorBtion 896 

Mendeliaohn,. .A«w fbrtifw. (CvrU-.B. 8. W. 34 
MendeliH>hn Quintette Ciub, Nine Ytfxt Work. TT 

Meyerbeer i Bo«hii 331 

Mini, A new ImproTiMitrice in Italy, 163 

Mitteliteiiiiacbe* Unrieal Peatlral, is» 

Hoian and the Uagic FluM 876 

Hoiart In Ttmna 858 

Moiart judged by Lamartine 148 

Moiart, Honument at Vlenita, to, 400 

Hoian'i Magic FInte 157, 365, 873 

Moiart'l None di Figaro 300,306,309 

Moaait't Pfaino Forte Woiki, 801 

Mn. Smith and Eliiabeth, (Brown Paper*) lis 

Mniard'i Honrtar Coucerla In New To^,..l4, 36 
45, 135. 

Mu*icinBo*ton,..ltsTf«woftbe8eaMMi, 3» 

Among the Blind, 68 



Miuic And Mnaicsl Tbsici in HuTina, 

- At the N. E. Inslitnlion for the Blind,. 

- Board of Tnde, Tho, 

- Dealers in Coundl, 

- In New Orl8»n>, 13! 

- InNewYoA, 

- In Rnui* 

- In Ihfl Public School! 

- On the Common 

- Power of, Tlie 

- Show « SjdonhMn, Pmdi, 1S6 

Moaiol ArtiiCa, Salariei of, 

- ■■ ■ ..TheHngaanoH,. 



- ConTe 



. 13 



- FmUv&I in Nbv York, 

- Form, 1*0 

- Keji*, Chancten of.-lTB, Ml, 33T, £67, 390 

- Knii^k-KnBCil>,..S. W., 313 

- LeKiiUlon, 394 

- LibrariM, A. W, T., as7 

- Miuic .* 138 

- OrthodoKV, (from (he Oermin of Mnd- 
ame Kiiikel, S3, 73, SI, Sg, 97 

- Pitch. 179 

- Rclronpe ., 132 

- WorW, (London,) 21 

Moaic Abroad : 

- - - - a* 

81, Mi, aw 



i, in, KM, ITa,SH,8IT, us, 3Ga, 381. BSl 



...MO, zn.ani, «a 



171. IBS, aia, «n, as, au, aai, « 
P«Ka'i,''. **... 



ID WITH TB18 VOLDMB : 

>riiirPnrir,-l^niilnrlii)VoL.lSND.' 
ir-pirt Sooiii, Tti* tonil fflrdi. Sar>- 



Wwn^,— CtafM of Wlgrimn. " TunnbiUtm," Bo. 18. 
aiodi.— Omt li tbt Oloii. (aalo and Chanu). No. IS. 
IkinliDtU,— LDcrsIa Bar«U, I Plmio-Kirts Solol, Ho, ao. 
Uoun.— Tbi PnliaarTiieDiliblp. No. 21. 
Airnd Jul).— Soni; vllbonl vnivli. No. M. 
Schobnl.—Mlriuii'i Sana or TitDiD[ih, (Solo 4Bd Cbo.) Vol. 
11. No. 3. 
MrsiCAL Chit-Ch*t : 
T. 14, 23, 81, OT. M, K, SB, B9, 7B. 87, 05, lOS. 111. IIB, 127 
ISl, IW. ler, 174. IBS. IRl, IW. 917. 214, 323, 331, 2SD, 247 
364. MS, 171, 379. 287, 29S, BOB, Bll, BIB. 327, 3SB, :M, S61 
Va. 897. 888, 391, 89S. 407, 41£. 

MUBICAI. KeVIKW^ 

CoaiilDlothsOuiioD, llnl. (Dnnl), 110 

No-Mullr, !\!y.'.'.".V.'.'.'.*.'.'.'7B;'i4,'»ii871,'a88,'»IS 

Schi'log, JunnliaSonttH,.., 186 

all SoDgi bj BmUr Bnaa, 110 

SoDglbjr rnsda Bonlt, 17G 

Til* Cbanb tad Homo, 110 

Tuekinoui'i Catliadnl Ohuiti 311 

Nationalitiea in Maaie 329 

Nmiva Arnerion ^fn»ic 110 

Ke PLiu Ultfa, and Plui Ullra 75 



Nenkomm, (Siciarannd), death of, 46, 

New Musical Initmment, The Barvton, i 

New Orleans Prima Donna,. ! 

New Play at the Howard Atheneeom. 1 

New York Arademi, A Small flare-up in, 1 

New York Mendelssohn Union 1 

New York Mnsicul FcbUtbI in 1 

New York. Opera in 1 

New York Piiilharmonk Sociolj S 

Nightinjroie, The, 1 

Northall, Julia, 

Enloicinie, 1 

Ode to the Atknlic Cable. (Emenon,) 1 

Old Dooke ! 

Old Hundred, 44, 1 

Old Piecei. Grtlry. the Brotfaar of Gniue, ! 

Opera Companiea in Now York S 

Opora Company on iu IraTeli, ; 

Opera, EntrUsh '. 

Openi in Rnelilh 1 

Opera in Now Orleani, i 

Opcrv, Italian S2S, 130,301,309,336,394,4 

Opera of ihe Futn™, r 

Opera off the Stifcc, (Slrakosch troape) ! 

Opera Manatrement in Italy 

Opera Sinf^er in a Bad Scrape, : 

Opera, The ; 

Opening; of Now Opera Houae in London, 

Operatic Prospccta, 1 

Oratorio", The, 13, 

Orchestration 

Organic difficultj 1 

Orcan Grindera, Considorationa touching, 1 

OnlibichelT, Death of, 

On r Music PSK«<. An Italian Opera ! 1 

Oui New Arrongemeat, 

Pacini's Sappho, 1 

Paitiello and his Worka, i 

PalBBlrina 110, 119 

Palermo, October Music in, 314 

Patriotic Tunea in Schools S9! 

Pedalier. 

Perabo, (Master Emit), 

Permanent Diapason 183 

Philister'g Reminiacence, The, 9 

Philadelphia Musical Fnnd Sodetj, 108 

Piano with Pedal Obligato ISS 

Pici-oiomini ISO, 204, IIB, 949, 147, BBS 

Piccolomini Matinee ; 

Pierian Sodnlily and Harrard Glee Clnb,. 

Pimboni, (tromhoniat), 15 

Pootrr of the Puritans. "Kingiley," 39! 

Privs'w Concert, A 37 

P-atm Tunes for the Market, 164 

Public Lihmrv. Music for, 114 

Publisher Wanted. (Itev. Hahakkoh Lot,.}. 
I'nnrh and the Organ Grinders 

A IMrirs. )San FrartriXB RifT'/fr,... 

ItHlllDTBn. Fnnn^ MkloTifl RMymDud,. 

Chlldxn. LowrtHow '..','.'..'.,',',.','.,... 

CotlOM Bon*. J 8. Aduni ,.,. 

Echo. {frmn ths OotvihTi.l 0, T. B,.-.,- 

FlftjudFinian. AUaiuir 

Iliinlot at th« BoMan. ABonlic JUenMJv, 

Hinin tDtho AlUntleCsblo, 

I bsc Ih< Toln. O SarlDf, Cbai. Klngiltj, 

La Chnlalrir*. AUiBilir MnnlAhi.. 

Legend ofthaOnHS of at- Francds. Trorator 

Notamber— Ap^'' Ailmtic AfoarjUy, 

Oda- R. ^- EintTaon,. .-.-,.- 

Oda an ttioilflith DtFrHratt. tba RltlarUn 

Od( Ib tha Cold. J. S. Aduu.. 

poaniaat IbaBonrFeitlTtl 

floiig. ({JoTTnaik of Fr. KaglM.j, 

Tlw All Hun lloraaftm. RmtnoB 

Tlw BlatlianiUh. Fannj MalolJO EaynMIIld, 

Tbi Charge of (ha Ujtht Kid Brigado, 

Tba^DolBfioUofMuile .' 

The lUddiD Spiiog. Ftnnj Ualooa Bajmoad,. 



d, fttoa tit* Crajon ). . 



a. vr. Bgli 
, (Tn)T»»or), 



Qaeen'f Heart, The. (Newplaj),.. 

Rakemann, Louis 

Rosa Bonhear, 

Bosaini, A new biography of, 

Rossini's Barbiete, ■ 

Rossini's Stabat Mater 

Rossini's Sumtner Residence, 



Roskin 



lEduc 



1 in Art,. 



Sanctua, The, from the German of Eoffinsn,. .49, ST 

Sans-Souci. The Theatre in L 

Snrette, the founder of the Conservatoire at Parii. S3 

Salter, GusWve a, 15 

Schobart, C.F.D. 135 

Schumann, Robl., from Wasilcwsky's Biography, 15 

The last vears of, 4" 

on Mendelssohn. 33, 4 

Musical Life Maxims. 1 

Serva Psdrona, La. SI 

Signer Ricco Rocco IB- 

Siiipnlar Mcnuil Phenomenon, T 

Sponliniin Berlin, 177, 187 

Statues and Piano Fortes, ~ 

Slocpel's Hiawatha .333, 334, 338, 350, 354 

Swedish National Sini^ers 151 

Symphony, The best place for, SSO 

Tnmberlik'a debut in Paris., 62, 163 

Thslherg and Vieuntcmps 

ThalbetE and Vieuxtempa in Toronto, 

ThftTor. A. W.. 118, 

The'Biack Opera, 107 

The Bobolink 

The Cable day at Trinity, 194 

The Country and Mosiciaaa "" 

The First Piano Fone, 

Thj Great Event, 

The Tenor. 

The Voicaless, 

The Wairh Dog ronaed again 

Titions, Mad'lle Ill, 

Tomaschelt, 369, 885 

Trenkle, Joneph 163, 343, 3S9, 407 

Trouhleaofa Turkish Music Muter ~" 

Trovntopera. 

Truth ahoat Bluaic and Moiictana, 67, 161, 170 

179,331. 

Tuning, Prof, de Morgan on, 196 

Uniform Diapason. Pandi ise 

VBnua,M.A. 

Verdi's Aroldo 

Vordi-iom on the Decline, 

Violin Mnsic 

Violins and Poems 

Violinist. Fcmalo 

Virtuosi of the Piano Forte, The 

Voices, On the wear and tear of, ' 345 

Wagner, R., Programme to the Ninth Symphony 

of Beethoren 409 

Warner's Lohengrin ITS, 163,191 

Ward's. Dr. Opera, 

Welsh Bar<la, Meeting of, at Llangollen, S9T 

Welsh Music 78 

What docs it mcnn ? Coleridge, 11 

What is Clnssiral Mniic ! 363, 3S6, 354 

Wioniawpki, Henri 

Wild Music in Irfindon 155 

Wilhoist. Mad. Cora de, 

William Tell in New York, 

Winthrop, B. C, Remarks of, at School Fostival,. 147 



Yankee Doodle,.. 



..133 



Zelter 

Zorlina and her Songs. OnlibichofT, 333 

2errahn'a Programmes, 3B7 




Wg|t'5 



|0uriial 





uSii^ 



Whole No. 313. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 1858. 



Vol. Xin. No. 1. 



Breath of Spring. 

[Song from the Qcniwn of Elohendorf.] 

O'er the garden, hoar the voices ! 

Birds of passage on their flight ! 
Spring is coming, earth rejoices. 

Grass is springing all the night. 

Shouting now, and now nigh weeping, 

Feel I that it cannot be ! 
Wonders of the Past come creeping 

With the moonlight in to me. 

And the moon, the stars, they tell it, 

Dreamy forests lisp the sign. 
Nightingales in sweet notes swell it : 

" She is thine, is only thine ! " J. S. D. 



The Poet's Work. 

To set this age to Music — the great work 

Before the Poet now — I do believe 

When it is fully sung, its great complaint, 

Its hope, its yearning, told to earth and heaven, 

Oar tronbled age shall pass, as doth a day 

That leaves the west all crimson with the promise 

Of the diviner morrow, which even then 

Is harrying up the world's great side with light. 

Father ! if I should live to see that mom. 

Let me go upward, like a lark, to sing 

One song in the dawning ! 

Alexander Smith, 



Tor Dw]ght^t Joonud of Hmlc. 

The Phili8ter*8 BeminiBcenoe. 

(from ovb of brown's private kote books.) 

A right pleasant week of this delicious 
September weather have I spent here in old 
Frankfort on the Main. I have renewed my 
acquaintance with all the interesting places 
mentioned in "Hyperion," and have gaped, 
stared, approved and disapproved, in all due 
regard to red-covered Murray — equal to any 
London cockney of the first water. I have 
heard Roger in La Dame Manche — he sing- 
ing in French and the others in German — 
a pleasing and effective arrangement — but 
what a singer and actor he ! And yesterday 
afternoon the " Caecilia Verein " gave Han- 
del's " Messiah." A fine chorus that, and the 
solos good; but Handel's music never pro- 
duces its full effect upon me, as performed in 
Germany, either owing to its translated text, 
or to the fact that they have not the traditions, 
or, what seems more probable, that the great 
composer had caught a certain English spirit, 
which his continental performers cannot feel, 
and consequently cannot express. 

After the concert I rambled for an hour 
in the beautiful public grounds, which now 
occupy the site of the ancient fortifications of 
the old imperial city, and then returned to 
" mine inn," to take " mine ease." In the 
public room, sitting at a table by the window, 
I sipped my "schoppen" of Mosel, as lazy 
and comfortable and careless and easy as the 



finest old Philister of them all. Why not? 
Must I keep up my American hurry and 
fidget and worry and fuss, and not be con- 
tented without making myself as miserable 
in a quiet German inn, as in our national 
caravansaries? Gott hewahr^ ! By and by 
comes in a tall, stout, rosy-faced old gentleman, 
who glances round the room, nods to two or 
three individuals, and then with a pleasant 
Gttten Abend! takes a chair at my table, and 
calls for his "Schoppen Wein" Before 
taking his pinch, he passes me his snuff-box. 
Of course I return his politeness by taking a 
pinch myself and sneeze some six times in 
consequence. And then we chat as if we 
were old acquaintances. 

Some time I must write a eulogy upon 
Philister life in these quiet little German 
inns, with their jolly old habitues playing 
dominoes and " sixty-six," smoking their long 
pipes, and sipping their wine — but not now. 

Now comes in a little, black-eyed, nervous 
old fellow, whom the jolly old landlord receives 
as an honored guest, and who, after disposing 
of his thin overcoat, and giving his order for 
a cutlet and a Schoppen Frodheimer, comes 
up and shakes hands with my stout gentle- 
man. 

" Good evening, Herr Bok," says the little 
man. 

" Good evening, Herr Rechnungsrath," re- 
turns tlie other. " So you have come down 
from Melheim to hear the oratorio." 

"Always, when they sing Handel — my 

idol, you know." 

" Ah, a heavenly performance 1 " says Herr 
Bok. 

" Very good, very good, but the contralto 

singer wanted feeling. I shall never hear 
true feeling in that part again ! " and the little 
man drank off his glass, sighed, nodded his 
head like a porcelain mandarin, and pursed 
up his lips as who should say " there is noth- 
ing more to be said about it " — then suddenly 
turned to me; "Miglander, mein fferrf" 
"No, Sir," said I. "French perhaps?" 
« No, Sir." « Not a Russian ? " No, Sir, 
an American." "So-o-o-o-o! Long here?" 
" In Germany, some time." " You find our 
language rather difficult — not so?" "Yes, 
rather," then again to Herr Bok, as if no 
such person as I were in existence — " No, I 
shall never hear true feeling in that part 
again ! never ! never ! never ! " 

His cutlet came, and the little man devoted 
himself for the next half hour to his supper, 
chatting in the mean time upon all sorts of 
topics, changing them in the most abrupt 
manner, and keeping me in a constant query. 



whether the little man was all right in the 
attic. 

The waiter cleared the table, brought 
another Schoppen, the little man lighted his 
pipe, smoked in silence a few minutes, and 
then addressed me again : 

" No, I shall never hear that part with real 
feeling again! Shall I tell you the story, 
Herr Amerikaner ? " 

"It will give me great pleasure, Mein 
Herr," said I. 

"You have heard of Thibaut?" 

"Thibaut, the great civil law professor, 
over here at Heidelberg? Yes." 

"Perhaps you may have heard of his 
work on < the Purity of the Tone- Art ?' " 

" Yes, I have it, and Nageli's replies to it, 
also." 

"Nageli me no Nageli's," said he, "Thi- 
baut*s book, that is a book ! It set us all to 
singing the ' Messiah.' Ach, du lieher Gott ! 
I was a young man then, and had studied 
with him and sung in the chorus in his house. 
When the book came out I was already in 
Melheim, and it made such a sensation that 
we formed a singing union for the study of 
Handel's music, and took up the 'Messiah.' 
There was the choir of the Cathedral, and 
the * Men's Vocal Union,' and the best boy 
altos of the Gymnasium and all the best 
amateur singers of the town. We had a 
hundred voices, good. In time it was thor- 
oughly rehearsed and we prepared to sing it 
in public We had a good soprano, a good 
tenor, and as to the bass solos, I took them 
myself — in those days I could sing a little 
myself. Nicht wahr, Herr Bok ? " 

Herr Bok nodded a very strong affirma- 
tive. 

The little man hummed a few bars of 
"Why do the nations" and then, shaking his 
head with such a comical expression of sor- 
row that I could hardly keep my countenance, 
continued : 

" But where to find a contralto for those 
soul-touching solos ? Where to find a voice 
full, deep, and overflowing with pathos and 
sympathy, that could discourse adequately of 
the soiTows of the Son of Man ! I went to 
Heidelberg. I wrote to Frankfort, but in 
vain. I was in despair. I saw no way but 
to give those numbers to one of our boys, 
which would have secured a technically cor^ 
rect performance, but one as cold and unsym- 
pathetic as correct The directors of the 
Society were very well satisfied with this 
arrangement, but it grated harshly upon my 
feelings. But there was no help for it. 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



" Well, we engaged a dii-ector and an orches- 
tra and appointed the daj of performance, 
some four weeks later. 

'< Mean time legal business called me to a 
domain upon the Neckar, a day's journey from 
Melheim, and detained me there several days. 
The first night I dreamed that the day of 
performance had come, and that all went well, 
the boy contralto and all, until at the close of 
the chorus, ' Behold the Lamb of God,' the 
conductor looked about in vain for the boy 
who was to sing the next air. I could see 
myself standing at the head of the basses, in 
an excitement increasing every moment, and 
spreading through the chorus and orchestra, 
and extending to the audience below. Then 
the fentastic confusion of a dreadful dream 
followed, of which I remember nothing dis- 
tinctly, and then I found myself unaccountably 
standing in the open air. I was upon Calvary 
weeping, as a female form, in a nun's dress, 
pointed to a cross and sang in accents of 
superhuman sorrow: 'He was despised and 
rejected of men!' As I awoke it seemed to 
me that I heard a faint echo of these tones 
dying away upon the midnight air. 

^The next night the dream in substance 
returned, but I awoke with the first note of 
the nun, and heaixl distinctly through the 
open casement the voice I had so vainly 
sought — full, mellow, touching — chanting 
an evening hymn to the Virgin. As midnight 
struck the voice ceased. 

"The next day I could hardly attend to my 
business. The voice haunted me. I scanned 
the faces of my hostess and her two grown-up 
daughters; two young women upon a visit 
from Frankfort ; the governess of the younger 
children. Neither of them could be the singer. 
I talked about the family, but could hear of 
no member whom I had not seen. At table 
I turned the conversation upon music and in the 
evening we had a family concert All took part. 
Poh! mere dilettantism — and yet good 
enough. I could have enjoyed it under ordi- 
nary circumstances. That voice was not 
there. 

"That evening I sat at my window, and 
waited for the evening hymn. Five minutes 
to twelve — and I heard it sweetly swelling, 
soft and clear. I leaned out of the window, 
but could by no effort decide whence it came. 
It seemed to fioat downward to me, as from 
the heavens, pure, divine, holy. Was it of 
earth? I grew superstitious. 

"The next day at table I made the proposed 
performance of the 'Messiah' the topic of 
conversation, and my host and his family, who 
had read Thibaut's work, decided at once to 
visit Melheim upon the occasion. I had thus 
an opportunity to speak of our difficulty in 
regard to the alto solos, and keeping the un- 
known songstress of the night in view, I 
described the person we needed. I did not 
speak of what I had heard directly, but saw 
no evidence that my description had called up 



any associations in the mind of any one pres- 
ent. It was very mysterious. The family 
was Roman Catholic in faith, and the priest 
of the village dined with tliem this day. I 
found him an affable, agreeable man, a lover 
of music and particularly interested in that of 
the church. 

"Towards evening I walked with him to a 
height, whence we had a glorious view of the 
Neckar valley. In the course of our conver- 
sation I related to him my dream, and how 
I had been wrought upon by the voice. 

"'Did you only dream this?' asked he. 

"'The next night and the next it was no 
dream,' said I. 

"We walked on some time in silence. 

"'But about this Oratorio — under whose 
auspices ? the object of it and so forth,' said 
he, at length. 

"'It is to be given in the cathedral, under 
the patronage of the Bishop and reverend 
clergy, and the proceeds are to go to the con- 
vent of Marienwalde,' I replied. 

" ' Here is the best point of view for this 
part of the valley,' said he, changmg the 
conversation. 

" When we parted upon our return, as he 
bade me good-night, he said : ' And you think 
that voice such as you need ? ' 

" ' Indeed I do — I never heard the like ! ' 

"That night I heard no evening hymn. 

" Upon reaching Melheim three days later, 
I found a letter from my priest, containing a 
request that I should send him a copy of the 
' Messiah, if one could be obtained, with the 
remark: *£s Ut vieUeicht dock Rath zu ichaf- 
fen ' — there may possibly, after all, be a way. 
I sent him one by the next post 

(Concliuion naxt WMk). 



Mnsic and Miuioal Taste in Havana. 

LETTEB FROM SIGKOB TAOLIATICO TO A FRENCH 
FRIKVD IM CUBA. 

(Tnnal&Ud fl>r th« Philadelphia ETenlng Bulletin from the 
Goarrler dee Etate-Unit). 

Havana, Feb. 25. — My dear V.: — We 
have often conversed during the present sea- 
son of the Havana Italian Opera, and you have 
seemed to attach some value to my observar 
tions, rather, I fancy, from the recollection of 
the days when we were chums at the college 
of Henry IV., than on account of my personal 
importance in this theatre. Allow me, in 
leaving here, to give you my impressions with 
the candor of which you know that I am 
possessed. 

I have, during my stay in your fine coun- 
try, written a dozen letters that I design for 
publication. I will send you what I have 
written from Paris or from London. In the 
mean time, I will give you a summary, as 
brief as possible, of all in those letters that 
touches the question of Art 

You have often smilingly asked me : "What 
do you think of our Italian theatre ? " My 
dear V., you know Mrs. Glass's receipt for a 
potted hare : " The indispensable thing is first 
a theatre/* 

"But," say you, "the great Tacon thea- 
tre?" Well, the Tacon tlieatre is an im- 



mense building, which might do admirably 
for a ballet or a Mry spectacle, but never, 
never for hearing singing, and especially Ital- 
ian singing. Built in violation of all the best 
known rules of acoustics, without any regard 
for dx*aughts of air, (I appeal for this to the 
musicians of the orchestra, whose cigar smoke 
darkened the foot-lights and choked the sing- 
ers, during rehearsals) ; open to every wind, 
to every noise, to every smell ; not far from a 
railroad whose American engines, with a most 
unmelodious scre-aming, add new effects to 
Verdi*s harmonies; finally, covered with a 
kind of zinc roof, wliich, on rainy days, makes 
cymbals entbely useless in the orchestra, the 
great Tacon tlieatre has not even a retiring 
room (for the singers that would be a luxury !) 
which, communicating with the orchestra, 
would allow the musicians to tune their in- 
struments at the beginning and between the 
acts of the opera. 

Tou caU this a theatre for Italian opera ? 
I do not speak of the stage— that sanctum 
impenetrabUe of every theatre that respects 
itself, to which, in Paris and St Petersburg, 
no one is admitted except by a permit of the 
Minister. Here the stage is a mere tobacco- 
shop. Smoking is prohibited in the lobbies 
of the theatre; but behind the scenes one 
may smoke in the eouUtses in the very faces 
of the singers, who may have taken, during 
the day, every precaution to keep their voices 
clear and their lips fresh ; so that Lucrezia, 
or the Favorite of King Alphonso, or the 
niece of the very noble Don Ruiz Gomez de 
Silva, have to sweep up, with their velvet or 
satin robes, the saliva of Messieurs the sub- 
scribers. The chorister smokes, the machi- 
nist smokes, the soldier on guard smokes, 
dressers, sweepers, servants, black and white 
— all smoke. Is there any need of all this, 
to remind us poor artists that our art, our 
ambition, our glory, everything, is only smoke ? 
We know it well enough, without having to 
pay so dear for it 

An Italian theatre requires, moreover, an 
orchestra and a chorus. I know your opin- 
ion, and the press has been unanimous in 
regard to the orchestra and chorus of this 
season. I have, therefore, no hesitation in 
testifying to their worthlessness. But by 
what right can you demand at Havana an 
orchestra and a chorus? Have you ever 
done anything to procure them? You do 
not pretend that Maretzek, or any other direc- 
tor, should bring you from Europe or the 
United States, twenty-four choristers, and as 
many first-class musicians for the orchestra, 
whidi are necessary to put your theatre on a 
level with other establishments of the kind? 
We have often laughed, I assure you, when 
your joumab have anathematized the first 
performance of La Favorita, on account of 
the general effect and the scenic appointments. 
Do you know that, to pix)duce this work in 
Paris, six months of rehearsals were required, 
with the orchestra and chorus of the Grand 
Opera ? Do you know, that in London, for 
two months, our chorus have been rehearsing 
every day the works that we are to produce 
next summer ? You say the mise en scene is 
deplorable. And whose fault is it? Did not 
Maretzek have to pay $550 for the right of 
not having in Norma a view of the Rue de la 
Paix, with the Vendome column in the back- 
ground, and in Maria dx Rohan a Pompadour 
chamber and ornaments, in JEmani a portrait 
nailed to the wall, so that the bandit was 
obliged to hide himself in the ante-chamber — 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL S, 1858. 



in a word, pitiable appointments and disgust- 
ing! j dirty ! 

When, llavanese, jou shall ha^e estab- 
lished by a private subscription — ^which is the 
easiest thing in the world with your pecu- 
niary resources — a conservatoiy of Music, 
where you can train vocal and instrumental 
performers ; a Philharmonic Society, such as 
are found now-a-days in the small cities of 
Italy, France, Enghwd, and Gennany ; a So- 
ciety which will promote a taste for music in 
all classes ; when you shall bring out at your 
monthly concerts and in a grand annual fes- 
tival, the productions of the great masters ; 
when, in a word, you shall know, otherwise 
than by name, the works of Beethoven, Mo- 
zart, Haydn, Handel, Clierubini, Spohr, Men- 
delssohn, dec, &C., then you will have a right 
to be hard to please, and to demand of foreign 
managers, to whom you furnish resources 
found in your own country, a perfect per- 
formance ; then, but then only, you will have 
the right to call your country a musical coun- 
try. Why, you have not even a quartet 
soii^ in Havana! You have not a single 
house where people meet for music, or where 
artists are received! You know, my dear 
v., how much the art of music at home owes 
to the salons of your countrywoman, the 
Countess Merlin, to the Rocliefoucaults, the 
Caz^ the Orfilas, the Cremieux, the Girar- 
dins, and others, among whom the greatest 
artists of all kinds were the peers of the 
greatest names of France. 

To return to the theatre. You have a 
queer word in your island, which shocked me 
a good deal at first It is the word trabajar 
(to work), applied to the profession of a 
singer. ** When do you work ? " people would 
ask me. '' Do you work in La Sonnctrnbula f " 
*'How well Mad. Gaxzaniga worked last 
evening in La Tramata/" This word, I 
soon learned, was perfectly appropriate to 
those who sang at the Tacon Theatre. 

You are right The art of singing, here, is 
not the most ideal, the most perfect expression 
of the feelings of the souL It is work, work 
for the throat, the lungs, the arms, the legs, 
the whole muscular system. There is only 
one way to sing at the Tacon Theatre, it is to 
scream. Cantor es gridar! And this will 
explain the success of every singer who, con- 
senting to sacrifice his artistic convictions, 
seeks to produce effects, for example, by that 
eternal holding of the dominant on which he 
seems to hang with his whole strength, to &11 
afterwards, with all his weight, on the tonic. 
Every where else this is a mark of bad taste ; 
but in Havana it excites frenzies of applause, 
especially if the thing is accompanied by a 
blow of the fist in the air, or by several rapid 
slaps with the open hand on the chest ; (prob- 
ably a sign of mea culpa /) This is sublime, 
according to Havana taste. 

(Conelwlon Mzt wMk.) 



Learniiig to Sing— Jenny land's Letter. 

Yielding to the tnggestion of our " Diarist," in his 
remarks, a few weeks since, on voices and on going 
abroad to caltivate them, we reprint the following let- 
ter of Mme. Goldschmidt from an old volume of oar 
Joomal. It was written in foller explanation of a 
note of advice accompanying her donation of a thou- 
sand dollars to the ftind for sending Miss Adelaide 
Fhillippe abroad to studj under Garcia and other 
masters. 

" If I might be permitted to offer a suggestion in 

regard to Miss , it would be a recommendation 

to her not to go to Italy, as she has been advised by 
some fiiends to do. Mj humble opinion is, that the 



recently adopted method of Italian singing is not the 
most natural and healthy. The proof thereof is, that 
wo see only a ibw singers in our aa3rs that know how 
to preserve their voice, having once been in Italy and 
there scquiitxl the habit of forcing more sound out of 
their Inngs than nature intended thoy should. 

" I never went to Italy myself for that very reason. 
After having beard all Uie modem Italian singers, I 
was well convinced that my voice never would have 
been able to preserve its natnral elasticity and its 
character of high soprano, had I undertaken to adopt 
the same forced style of singing as is now-a-days 
almost unavoidable in Italy by the fieqnent perform- 
ances of Signor Verdi's operas. . . . His music 
is the most dxmgerous for aU singing artists, and ti-ill 
oontinno so to Ix) until the artists themselves will bet- 
ter understand their own interests, as well as that of 
the beauty of the art of singing, and refuse to sacri- 
fice tliemselves to a composer, who by no means 
understands tho exquisite beauty of tlie real Itnlian 
singing, that cannot be surpassed by any other 
nation." 

" Miss will find both in London and in Paris 

masters fully qualified to instruct her in all that is 
deemed requisite \ and in the former dtr now lives 
the most distinguished singing master, Mr. Emanuel 
Garcia, who is in my opinion eminently qualified to 
understand and to develope her voice and talent. 

" A gear's residence in Xondon or Paris wiU enable 
her to judge of the progress which she has made, and 
also the proprietr of afterwards spending six months 
or one year in Gwmany, ihB land of rial mtaie, in 
which the true artist only can acquire the genuine 
stamp of Art. G^many offers perhaps less excel- 
lence for the singer, as a singer ; for the German 
language is vcnr hard to pronounce and often changes 
the character of the sound ; for instance : the quality 
of tone in singing out tho Italian word, Dolore, and 
the identic German word, SchmerXt will be found 

anite different in its result, and infinitely in favor of 
le former. Bu^— to wish lo become a good artist, 
with a good artistical conscience, and not know Ger- 
manjf and its musical masters, would indeed be as 
great a loss for the artist, as it would to tho public, 
before whom he ought to wish to give a right impres- 
sion. 

" I know what Germany is to an artist, and, with 
all my veneration for the tnu Italian singing school, 
I reaUy believe that, unless I had taken the German 
music as the ground-work, my whole knowledge of 
Italian singing would never have satisfied roe, and my 
musical Acuities would have been undeveloped an& 
unfi-uitful. 

" What I therefore wish most earnestly to impress 
upon Mils 's mind is, that she would try to com- 
bine liaiian song and German nwnc, the one being as 
necessary as the other ;-~that she would try to avoid 
fttUe pathos, as the same law exists, to its fullest ex- 
tent, m Art as in life ; — that she be true to herself, try 
to find out the beauty of truth, as well in the simplest 
song as in the most difficult aria ; — and the great 
secret will bo her's, — ^the most powerful protector 
against envy and malice will be on her side." 



AN AL YSI S 

or 

Mendelssohn*! Symphony-Cantata: 

"a htmk of praxsi." 
Wiltttn ftv ths London Soend HMmonlo Soeto^, 

BT e. A. HUQtkVUaS. 

[The ftrar-handrsdth SDnivnMiy of tho Invention of Print- 
ing vms oolebrAtad thronghoat Qennanj ; but In Lolpxig Mpe- 
dally. tho gnat book Duurkoi, It wm regardad m an ooeMion of 
poeuUarly iocaI intereit, and ■olemnfaed, accordingly, by tho 
Inangamtion of a ttatno of Oattombeig, to irium thii most 
Important Invention to the worid It doe, and by a grand Mual- 
oal Peetiral. Mendelaeohn waa at tfale timo In the foil wnlth 
of Us great popularity In Leipiig, ftilfllUng hla oflloe of diree- 
tor of tho Oewandhaas eoneerte, and oxerdring a more exton- 
rive and boudMal Inflnonoe upon hla art thaUf perhaps, any 
one man, by hto peieonal exertions, hai done In the whole 
progreai of Ita hlstoqr> Upon him derolTed the conduct and 
the entfao arrangement of the FeetlTal ; and Airther, what 
waa of attU greater Taloe, sinoe It haa given a perpetoal Inter- 
eet to thla oceaalon, to write some original eompoationa appro- 
priate to the celebration. Theae conalated of aomo choral 
plocea, which were performed In the open air at the ceremony 
of unooTering the ^ta t oe, a n d of the Hi/mno/Pram (LoAge- 
aongK one of the nobleet of his worka, which waa produced at 
St. Thomaa' Church on tho 26fch of Jane, 1S40,— a day in 
whkb the aniveraal Inteteat la eren enhanced by Ita aasooiap 
Uon with thla Immortal maaterpleoe. 

The deaign nf thla work la quite tndlTldnal ; one la apt. In- 
deed, to aaaoclate it with the Choral Symphony of BeethoTon, 
but, from a moot Important diatinotion between the two, 
erroneoualy,— the dlattnctlon that BeethOTen adda roicee to 
the Inatrumental resonroea of the orebeatra In the final more- 
ment of a woric conatructed othcrwlae upon the uaual modal 
of hla grand Inatrumental compoelUona ; while in the Hvm^ 
of Prattti the Tooal motementa are the larger proportion of the 
oompoeltlon, and, however connected In unity of purpoee and 
clceenem of anccearion, each, aa regarda ita Ideaa and their 
derelopment, complete- In itaelf, and Independent of the raat. 
It entirely ftaUUa ita daAnition, being oqusUy a Symphony 



and a Oanlala, and the purpose of this combination of the 
pnnd forma of Inatrumental and Toeal ccmpoeltlon la ahown 
in the manner In whkh the two dlrialona oi Vb» work reflect 
and ao enibrce the aentlment of each other]. 

I. Tm STMPHoirr. — The most important form 
of musical construction is embodied in the first move- 
ment of a erond instrumental composition, — grand, 
from the diaracter of the ideas and die extent of 
their development, — ^whether this be for an orchestra, 
or for one or more solo instruments. • • • * 

The movement, — a distinctly self-complete portion 
of a work, — is divided into a nrst pai-t and a second 
part. This division is sometimes defined by a per- 
roct cadence, and even bv a momentary silence; 
sometimes it is only roarlccd by the course of the 
modulations and tho conduct of the ideas. The first 
part simply announces the ide:is; the second part 
comi^rises their development tlirough such vaiieties of 
artistic elaborations as the inuH^ination and skill of • 
the writer mnv yield, and character of the composi- 
tion exact, — tJie recapitulation of their oripnal sim- 
ple announcement, — ^and a Coda, which is a summing 
up of the whole, to enforce the chief ideas upon our 
recollection. The first part comprises two principal 
subjects, each of which, however, is frequentlv com- 
posed of several com})Iete melodic phrases ; the sec- 
ond subject is distinguuthed from the first by the train 
of ideas of which it consists, being first introduced in 
a different key from the first subject. In movements 
In a major key, this is generally the key most nearly 
related to that in which the movement begins and 
ends, namely, the fifth of the original key ; in move- 
ments in a minor key, the second subject is intro- 
duced in some closely relative key, the selection of 
which is more various than in movements in a major 
key. Save this one important modulation which ixs- 
tin^niishes the second from tlie first subject, tfiere is 
little change of key in the first part. In the second 
part, on the contrary, where the working of these 
subjects takes place, die modulations are more fro- 

Snent, much more extraneous, and much more sud- 
cn ; and the several phrases, instead of being pre- 
sented in their original completeness and simplicity, 
are broken into fragments and complicatoa with 
every available variety of contrapuntivl and harmonic 
treatment. In the recapitulation of the first part 
which succeeds to this course of development, the 
composer, for the first time, returns to the original 
kev of the movement with the resumption of the first 
subject. The matter of the first part is, generally, 
here much condensed, and the second subject pre- 
sented in the original key of the movement, in which 
the whole concludes. Thus, to illustrate the whole 
by a familiar analogy, this form is like that of a dis- 
course, which first demonstrates the simple qualities 
of the subjects of which it treats, then shows us the 
different effects that may be produced by their vari- 
ous combination and separation, and finally, liaving 
proved the extent of their resources, lays them again 
before us in their elemental simplici^. 

(1.) Maestoso eon Moto, Allegro. — The brief in- 
troductory Maestoso is jpreludial'to the principid de- 
sign which is embodied in the Allegro, and, although 
the important idea herein presented forms a promin- 
ent feature in die chief movement, the plan I have 
described is complete in diis, independenUy of what 
precedes it. 

The noble theme with which the work opens must 
always be regarded in connection with the words to 
which it is subsequently set, and, thus considered, we 
feel diat in being employed as the initial phrase, it 
forms, as it were, a motto' that proclaims at once the 
artistic and the poetical purpose of the composition : 



^^^^- 




All that hath Ulb and brf«th« pnOae ye the Lord! 

The very jgrand, imposing, and quite individual 
effect of tins dignified opening, announces the earn- 
estness and joyous enthusiasm that characterises the 
oomposition. The responses between the brass in- 
struments in unison and the rest of the orehestra in 
harmony, upon the successive phrases of this intro- 
ductorv theme, and the combination of their power in 
majestic force at its conclusion, maintain tiie gran- 
deur of the commencement throughout the short 
opening movement. 

The Allegro breaks out of its imposing prelude 
with this passionately joyous subject : 




if W^^«= I ^^ 







DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



I shall not attempt to define the gloving emotions 
this rapturous movement embodies, which would be 
to presume upon my own specuUtions, and to divest 
the music ot that vagueness which is almost the 
greatest of its wonderful charms. Let me only sub- 
mit that my individual impression of the composer's 
possible pui-pose is, a feeling of overflowing nappi- 
ness stimulated by the act of offering homage to Ube 
Great Principle of creation, the Author of nature and 
of the power to admire — if not to comprehend his 
works ; the universal summons to "All that have life 
and breath" reechoes round and round the eternal 
vaults of space, and now it wakens that loving sym- 
pathy for others' sufferings which is the worthiest 
offering at the shrine of mercv ; now, prompts a 
wondering delight at all the goodness and the great- 
ness of which wo are the constant witnesses and tlie 
partakers. The theme of the Introduction recurs as 
a second section oi the first or tonic Subject, when it 
is decorated by the addition of a florid counterpoint 
(or independent melodv), of semiquavers, which, 
being successively played above and oelow the Sub- 
ject, displays as much ardstic skill in the composer 
as it produces brilliant and exciting effect. The 
almost singular length of this goii^us movement, 
which is overflowing with ideas as it is grand in pro- 
portions, justifies a transient digression from the xey 
of F, the fifth of the original tonic, to give peculiar 
effect to the first entry of the second Subject : 




since, in a composition of this rare magnitude, 
broader contrasts are required, and therefore wider 
latitude in respect of modulation is admissible, than 
in movements in which the same form is condensed 
within conciser limits. The value of tliis transient 
digression is enhanced by the beautiful effect of the 
return to the key of F for the repetition of the same 
idea, equal to diat of the modulation into A flat for 
its first introduction. Another prominent feature of 
the second Subject rises upon the close of this : 




^^m^m 



:ir&c. 



and the series of passages that grow out of it com- 
pletes the First Part. 

The commencement of the Second Part will be 
recognized by another recuri'cnce of the initial phrase, 
which now assumes a somewhat different character, 
from the important difference of its contrapuntal 
treatment. Here, then, begins the elaboration of the 
ideas presented in die First Part, but the imagination 
of the composer is so paramount tliroughout as to 
disguise all appearance of labor in the spontaneous 
effect of impulsive production. The tlieme subse- 
quently assigned to toe chorus, with which the work 
opens, is a prominent feature throughout tliis emin- 
ently interesting portion of the composition, always 
surprising and equally delighting us by the novel and 
unexpected manner of its introduction. It is again 
and again relieved by the lovely melodv with which 
the second Subject begins, with its truly loving ex- 
pression ; and this breaks upon us, in one situation, 
particularly, with a beauty or effect that has scarcely 
a parallcl,-^I mean whero tlie gradual dving away of 
the orchestra in responsive iterations of a fragment 
of the initial phrase, leaves only the clarionet sustain- 
ing some truly pathetic notes in the lowest part of its 
compass, and its exquisite pathos, the single mourn- 
ful expression throughout tlie movement, dissolves in 
the smiling geniality of the heavenly strain thus 
felicitously introduced. 

The recapitulation of the First Part is introduced 
with electrifying effect by the fourfold repetition of a 
somewhat rare and very powerful harmony, to which 
a long crescendo has been the irresistibly exciting cli- 
max. The now familiar ideas are then brought 
before us with such variety of treatment, as imparts 
to them, even yet, a new interest; and the Coda, 
which commences like the Second Part, reinforces 
with ever-growing fervor the summons to universal 
nature to join in the song of praise. This forms a 

Sand and very gradual climax, which leads up to 
e resumption of the majestic tempo of tiie Intro- 
duction, wnen the initial phrase is again given in its 
unisonous simplicity; and so the movement con- 
cludes, as it opens, with the noble dignity of its chief 
theme yet enhanced by the opposition of its original 
broad simplicity to the effect of the complicate ehib- 
orations or which it has been made the Subject 

It is not quite peculiar to Mendelssohn to connect 
the movements or a grand instrumental work, but he 
has done so to a greater extent than Beethoven, the 
only composer that preceded him in this exception 



from the general practice ; and we have in the pres- 
ent work an admirable example of his obvious dei*ign 
to increase the efiect of unity in the several divisions 
of a composition, and so to aggrandize tiie character 
of die whole. The few notes in the stvle of recita- 
tive, for the clarionet, form an ostensible link l>etwecu 
the first and principal movement, and the one which 
succeeds it, leading us, by gentle gradation, from 
the feeling of devout gladness which marks the for- 
mer, to the expression of worldly thoughts of worldly 
passion which distinguish that which is to come. 
The unity of feeling which pervades the entire work 
is the less definite but more important chain of con- 
nection between its several portions, and of this it 
will be to treat as occasion may prompt. 

(2.) AUeffretto offitato. — This movement is, more or 
less, analueous with the Scherzo and Trio of the 
majority of instrumental works, — a class of composi- 
tion in which Mendelssohn prccminendy excelled, 
and to which he has given more variety and more 
importance bodi of form and of expression than any 
other master. It is characterized by a loftier senti- 
ment and a more serious eamesmess than, perhaps, 
in any other example of the same description of 
movement ; but, while it is distinguished by these in- 
dividualities, it is, by many general essentials, still 
identified with its class. 

What we may regard as the Scherzo (I use the 
term, purely in its technical meaning, for tlie sake of 
assisting diose who are &miliar with it as a musical 
definition to comprehend the structure of the present 
movement, — the Scherzo is an epitome of the form 
which is embodied in proportions of almost unequalled 
grandeur in the foregoing Allegro. It is one con- 
tinuous stream of song, divided, in alternate phrases, 
between a combination of string and one of wind in- 
struments : the exquisite dialogue consists at first of 
complete rhythmical periods for each, but its re- 
sponses are brought closer togedier as the movement 
proceeds. Unbroken as is the flow of this passionate 
melody, its several ideas are sufficiently distinct for 
us to signalize the principal features in the plan, as, 
for example, the chief Subject will be recognized by 
diis opening phrase : 



^Pi^ig^ 



E 



I&c.z 



and the second subject, however it may seem to grow 
out of the other, is a distinct train of thought, begin- 
ning— 



'VioUn. 



p-miii 



^ 



wx. 



,-f- 






Oboe. 



The First Part (according to the general practice, 
from which the first movement of the present work is 
an exception) is repeated, — an arrangement that 
serves to impress the ideas upon our attention, and 
thus enables us the better to trace their development 
in the elaborations of the Second Part. 

What is analogous with the Trio in the usual dis- 
tribution of an instrumental work, — an episodical por- 
tion of the movement which forms an alternative with 
the Scherzo, — consists of a 'Choral or Hymn-tune for 
a complete choir of wind-instruments, widi interludes 
between its several strains composed of fragments of 
what I must still distinguish as the Scherzo, for the 
rest of the orchestra. This Choral commences the 
same as one of the innumerable collection harmo- 
nized by Bach, "Das wait Gott Vaier md Gott Sohn,** 
— a hymn of Thanksgiving to the Trinity, — but varies 
from that after die first strain ; whether it be another 
tradition of the same tune, or the composition of 
Mendelssohn designedly or accidentally founded upon 
it, I am unable to ascertain ; the contrapuntists who 
have chosen any of these primitive melodies of the 
Lutheran Church as themes for elaboration, have 
always exercised such apparent discretion as to die 
rhythmical arrangement, even as to the intervals, and 
as to the employment of the whole or only a portion 
of the Choral, that, according to such precedent, the 
former of my suppositions may be correct. It com- 
mences thus : 






sie^^tii^ 



^pjii^iEga;^ 



and the interludes, according to the frequent prac- 
tice in Lutheran Churches, are introduced at each 
double bar. The phrase so prominent throughout 
the first movement, which is subsequendy set to the 
words, "All that have life and breath, sing to the 
Lord," is introduced in several of the strains as an 
inner part of the harmony. 

(To be oontiBued). 



BOSTON, APRIL 3, 1858. 



Our New Arrangement 

To-day our Journal, on its seventh birth- 
day, greets its readers in a new dress, having 
outgrown the old. We are emancipated from 
the cai'es of business and clerkship. Under 
the auspices of our new publishers, who 
assume those cares, we are now free to give 
our undivided thought to our own proper and 
congenial work of simply editing a musical 
paper. We ofiTer you henceforth both hands 
full, no longer needing one hand to hold up 
the other. We give sixteen pages, the old 
eight pages forming now an unbroken whole 
of reading matter, with a cliance now and tlien 
to overflow into the extra advertising sheet, 
which enfolds the reading columns and serves 
to wail them, as the seed-down the seed, to 
many places where their thoughts may lodge 
and possibly take root. 

We also bring you, and intend to bring 
you every week, four pages of good music 
That we are in earnest when we say good 
music, judge by the specimen herewith pre- 
sented. Of this we speak more fully in 
another place. 

These additions we are enabled to make 
by shifting the business responsibilities of the 
Journal from our own upon the broader 
shoulders of our new publishers. To this 
consummation we have long looked forward. 
For six years we have sustained this Jour- 
nal, without any business agency, with small 
capital and smaller c6mpensation, simply in 
the hope, that one day, when it should have 
eamied for itself a character and developed 
from itself the all-essential and intrinsic ele- 
ment of success, — when it should have proved 
itself worthy to live, by at least a^ certain 
tough tenacity of life, — that then the other 
element, the '* business man," would come to 
meet it and conduct it into larger fields of 
usefulness. If this union shall fulfil its prom- 
ise, it will place us in the position we have 
always sought: 1) to make a much better 
paper ; 2) to circulate it far more widely. 

The new arrangement gives us room for 
more variety of matter ; gives us time (free 
from the cares which hitherto have oflen 
forced us to make shift to fill our columns in 
the easiest way) — time to prepare the matter 
much more thoroughly and serve it up in 
forms more sure to catch and interest varie- 
ties of readers, — time to be shorty (in which 
desirable feature, however, to-day's number is 
a failure, simply for the want of time, in hur- 
rying out of the old house into the new). 
We hope it will give us leisure to think and 
study, and do more justice to important topics, 
hitherto too often of necessity evaded or post- 
poned; — leisure to lay hold of and secure a 
few of our own darling editorial ideals, the 
ghosts of which unrealized have too long 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 1858. 



haunted and unnerved us. Could we sat- 
isfy oursehes, we should not fear but we 
would satisfy our readers ! Above all, or we 
arc much mistaken, it will give us, with new 
means, new independence. We shall be freer 
than ever — if that were possible — to utter 
our own thought. On this point it is perhaps 
fit that we should dwell a moment. We need 
not rc-state the objects for which this journal 
was estabUshed, farther than to say, that: 
recognizing Art, particularly Music, as a most 
important element in the national and social 
life of a free people, — as " a true conservative 
clement, in which Liberty and Order are both 
fully typed and made beautifully perfect in 
each other;" and recognizing the fact, that 
Music has become so much a feature in the 
earnest life and culture of advanced American 
society, entering into many of our schemes of 
education, and descending in some form, often 
too trivial and vulgar, into all amusements, — 
seeing this, we felt moved, according to the 
humble measure of our abilities, to try to 
supply an organ of true criticism and a weekly 
bulletin of news and progress in this most 
popular and influential, but least thoughtfully 
considei*ed, of the Fine Arts. The execution 
of our design may have been feeble, as it has 
certainly been fragmentary and cramped for 
want of time and means. The half of our 
programme still has stood as but a sign of 
what we wished and meant to do, in — happier 
circumstances. Our strength lay meanwhile 
in our love and reverence for Truth as the 
first principle of Beauty, in our sincere and 
independent utterance, from a single sense 
of loyalty to Art, coupled only with a fervent 
wish to make Art better understood and loved. 
Many shortK!omings therefore have been par- 
doned to the true aspiration, and our work 
has never lacked at least the encouragement 
of sympathies which every one must value. 
Now then, we have not held on to this treas- 
ure six years, waiting for a publisher to give 
it currency, only to drop it in the dust the 
moment we have found him. Six years ago, 
in the first number of this paper^ in announc- 
ing our purposes, we said : 

The tone of our criticisms will, we hope, be found 
impartial, independent, catholic, conciliatory; aloof 
from personal cliques and fends ; cordial to all good 
things, but not too eager to chime in with any poio- 
erfid private interett of publisher, professor, concert 
giver, manager, &c. This paper would make itself 
the "Oigan" of no school or class, but simply an 
organ of what we have called the musical movement 
in this country; of the growing love of deep and 
genuine music. It will insist much on the claims of 
" Classical " music, and point out its beauties and its 
meanings — not with a pedantic partiality, but because 
the enduring needs so often to be held up in contrast 
with the ephemeral. But it will also aim to recognize 
what good there is in styles more simple, popular, or 
modem ; will give him who is '' ilian in his tastes an 

equal hearing with him who is German; and wiU 
print the articles of those opposed to the paitialities 
or the opinions of the editor, provided they be written 
briefly, in good temper and to the point. 

All this we now re-affirm, and, to avoid 
any misapprehension, with especial emphasis 



upon the words Italicized. This Journal, in 
its editorial and critical columns, is not to be 
the organ of any, even its own Publishers' 
mere private interests. We are happy to say 
tliat our publishers have too much public 
spirit and too far-sighted and intelligent a 
notion of their business interests, not to coin- 
cide with us in this view of our mutual rela- 
tion. They publish music, good, bad, and 
indifferent, suited to all tastes and capacities, 
as all publishers must, and in vast quantities, 
making the larger sales of what is cheap and 
popular pay for the costlier issues of what is 
artistically best and classical As is the 
demand, such must be the supply: is but 
the law of all trade. In the proper col- 
umns of the paper they will advertise these 
wares, setting forth the claims of each kind 
severally in their own way. We are not 
bound to praise whatever they announce, nor 
to witlihold recognition of such good things 
as may come from other houses. Small good 
would our connection do our publishers' an- 
nouncements, should we forfeit our own inde- 
pendent title to respect for candor and right 
judgment. Poorly should we serve them, 
labelled as their bond slave. Their interest 
prompts them to couple the announcements 
of their vast music business with a respectable 
and high-toned Journal, fit to be looked to as 
some authority in Art. Our interest, and the 
interest of our readers and of Art, consults 
itself in the fact that wherever these announce- 
ments of new music go, our Journal shall 
go with them, reaching hosts of readers inac- 
cessible before. 

With the music-seller the first consideration 
of course, is quantity; with the critic and 
true friend of Art, it is quality. The former 
labors to supply the widest possible demand ; 
the latter to educate that demand up to some 
degree of fineness and intelligence. The 
seller would as gladly sell a thousand copies 
of Beethoven's Sonatas, or of Bach's. Fugues, 
as he would the same number of the most 
popular and cl&p-trap variations'; Mendels- 
sohn and Chopin, Strakosch and Wallace, it 
is the same to him ; he will as cheerfully send 
forth thousand upon thousand of the songs of 
Mozart, Schubert, Franz, Rossini, if you want 
them, as he will Anvil Choruses or Negro 
Melodies. It is the business of the critic, 
and it shall still be of this journal, to stimulate 
more frequent calls for music of the better 
class, to educate the taste of purchasers, — not 
forgetting, however, that many kinds of music 
are most useful in their way, to many, after 
they have grown hacknied and insignificant 
to more experienced tastes. Fortunately our 
publishers, and others too, have on their lists 
multitudes of works and pieces, which every 
friend of Music would rejoice to have sup- 
plant the miserable trash by which the art is 
now represented, to the exclusion of good 
models, in towns and seminaries throughout 
the land. Mere popularity or fashion is what 



oftentimes determines purchasers; and the 
journalist can safely grant the popularity of 
what his own taste cannot recommend. We 
shall announce and spread before you aU 
kinds, that are decent; but shall give you 
honest counsel as to what we think you y(ould 
do best to buy and study. 

On other points of editorial policy and 
purpose we have left ourselves no room to 
speak. We can but let the paper speak for 
itself from week to week, only suggesting 
that a single number must not be taken for a 
specimen of all that we intend to do, and 
that the present number has been made up 
with much haste and in advance of date, amid 
the distraction of settling a thousand details 
of the hew arrangement 



FouB Pages of Music. — Oar Jom-nal is en- 
riched by the addition of fonr pages in each number 
of good music, — good in a true artistic sense. 
We shall not publish trash, but music worthy to 
be preserved and studied. It may not be confined 
to any one style or character ; we may give sometimes 
vocal, sometimes piano music ; sometimes a part-song 
by Mendelssohn, for instance ; or a choice song, duet, 
quartet, or chorus from an opera ; perhaps tlie cho- 
ruses of " William Tell," welcome alike to German 
and Italian tastes. Sometimes periiaps a Chorale or 
two by old Sebastian Bach, as models of true church 
harmony. It is hardly well to commit ourselves at 
once to any one kind ; we must learn by experience. 
At all events the musical reader will receive in the 
course of the year over two hundred pages of really 
valuable music. These pages may be detached from 
the paper and preserved; and each piece will be 
paged separately. 

To-day we make a good beginning. Our selection 
is of the sterling kind, a composition which will pro- 
bably be new to nearly all our readers. We take 
into view the mnltitude of choral societies and clubs, 
which have sprung up in so many of our cities and 
large towns. Many of these require for social prac- 
tice or for public performance, pieces of less formidap 
ble .length than oratorios. Of these there are rich 
stores, unpublished and almost unknown here. There 
are Cantatas, Psalms by Mendelssohn and others, 
admirably adapted to the purpose. And how desira- 
ble that these societies should spend their hours upon 
the study of good music, instead of wasting them 
upon the pretentious crudities of every country sing- 
ing master turned composer ! We have selected for 
our first piece, a beautiful Hymn by Mendelssohn, 
for a chorus of mixed voices with Soprano solo. It 
will occupy twenty pages, and be completed in five 
numbers. It is not difficult, save in a passage or two . 
It requires, to be sure, a sweet, sympathetic soprano 
to do justice to the song port : but is not one such 
voice tlie pride of almost every musical society or 
circle ? The opening solo : " Hear my prayer," is 
beautiful. With the change to a more animated 
movement, there are choral responses in unison. 
Afterwards the chorus parts divide into more contra- 
puntal and complex harmony; and finally another 
solo, one of the loveliest melodies of Mendelssohn, 
to the words : " O for the wings of a dove," accom- 
panied by chorus pianissimo with exquisite effect. 



From my Diary. (New Series, No. L) 

March 27. As a certain " oracular presence " 
spoken of by " Malacconcio " in Dwioht's Joukkal 
of to-day, will not soon shine upon the audience of 
the Plymouth church in Brooklyn, I will endeavor to 
maximize certain principles, which seem to me to lie 
at the foundation of church music, and which would 
be the basis of any opinion that might be formed of 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the good or ill sacceu of the experiment in the said 
church. 

1. The best is hardly too good for the Deity, — 
whether in religion or art, 

2. Art is, or should be, the handmaid of religion ; 
tliis principle is recognized in the poetry (hymnology), 
in th^ abominable architectural experiments, in the 
attempts at fresco painting, &c., which we find in the 
meeting-houses of all denominations. 

S. Music is of all arts that which oppeals most 
strongly and universally to the feelings. Go into a 
cathedral abroad, where painting, sculpture, architec- 
ture, and music all address themselves to the hearts 
of prince and peasant alike, and see the effect of the 
KyrU Eleison upon the multitude ! 

4. Music has a two-fold object in the service of the 
church ; to attain which it should be on the one part 
of the highest artistic excellence possible, on the other 
of the simplest character. The one object is to excite 
and deepen emotion ; the odier to be tlie medium for 
giving vent to it. 

5. Hence, as the church pays high salaries for a 
man of high culture to occupy the pulpit, so it 
should not be sparing of inducements to suitable per- 
sons to engage in cultivating the musical talent, 
which it has at command within itself, — it being the 
duty, the religious duty of all to whom God has 
given a talent for music to employ it in his service. 
Every church embracing a hundred families ought to 
have a choir of 40 to 50 voices, and employ a must- 
dan — a lover of sacred music and not a mere piano- 
forte teacher — to instruct and lead it. 

6. Hence, too, (to attain the second object), there 
should be a selection of simple melodies, good music 
for the congregation to sing. These melodies must 
be slow, and of dignified and grand movement — as 
these alone are possible where the number of singers 
is large. This is proved by the experience, not of 
church congregations, but the more valuable experi- 
ence of choral societies and operatic choruses. 

7. " If meat maketh my brother to offend, I will 
eat no more meat." If I enter a church and hear semi- 
negro melodies sung as described by " Molacconcio," 
the tendency within me is to " swear a prayer or two " 
— like the soldier in Borneo and Juliet — and as this 
is my infirmity, not my fault, I feel that the church 
had better dispense with that kind of " meat." How 
I have suffered in some places of worship ! 

8. If a really grand organ — not one with all kinds 
of fancy stops by any means — is played by an or- 
ganist and not by a piani:4t ; and if a choir of two or 
three dozen voices — trained as they would be if en- 
goged to sing at a shilling concert, and not as if tluy 
had only to sing prcUses to the Most High, which is 
generally not thought to require much skill — sing 
two or three devotional anthems, and the congregar 
tion unite and sing old " York," or " Barby," or 
some such solid grand tune, which moves of itself 
like a tide — then I find an approach to what I call 
true music for the church. For this end I labor. 



Concerts. 

Orpheus Glee Club. The concerts of our Ger- 
man Miinnerchor have left come of the pleasantest 
impressions of the winter. They seemed too quickly 
over, and the announcement of another, a Sacred 
Concert, for last Sunday evening, was hailed by many 
with great pleasure. The Lowell Institute hall proved 
just the place for an " Orpheus " concert, light, cheer- 
ful, commodious and excellent for sound. The audi- 
ence was but moderately large, owing in part perhaps 

to the fact that many persons who are much interest- 
ed in the " Orpheus," have other engagements upon 
Sunday evenings. Could not the concert bo repeated 
on sonie other evening ? It was every way worthy of 
it ; the programme very choice and rare, the singing 
excellent, and Mr. Dbesel's piano accompaniments 
perfect, always rightly suggestive, meeting the inten- 
tions of the music, and never too prominent. As we 
run over our prognunme we find a pleasant reminder 
in every number. 



1. Lutbor't Chonl: Bhu/est* Bwg ist umtr Gott. 
Nobly harmonized for male voices. Sung with 

pure intonation and fine blending of die thirty voicxis, 
the first verse strong, the second soft, and so on alter- 
nately, a full pause lietween, the effect was grand and 
solemn : — worth cords of our common psalmody ! 

2. Ave rermn eorjnu. Moaart. 

A rich, full, serene, and satisfying strain of har- 
mony. Sung by voices so well blended, and with 
such well graduated force, it seemed like the spontan- 
eous and perfect product of a religious moment. We 
can well l>elieTe Mozart's own account of his manner 
ot composing, where he says his works came to him 
as wholes. It sounds still bettor as we have lately 
heard it by mixed voices. 

8. Duet: TM omtut Angdi. ByOlordanl. 

In the chaste stvle of Italian melody of the lost 
century, and very pleasing. Betuitifully sung Jiy Mii4s 
DoANE and her teacher, the accomplished conductor 
of the Orpheus, Mr. Ivbeissmakk. 
4. Ciaamna : For the Violin. By Bach. 

Mr. Julius EiCHnsRO, a grave and thoughtful 
looking young man, from New York, recently from 
Germany, who took the first violin prize at Brussels, 
proved himself a solid cloasical musician, by the selec- 
tion of such a piece, and by his firm, pure, expressive 
rendering. The Ciaconna, or CTiaconne, like most of 
the old musical forms, was a dance, an Italian dance 
in 3-4 measure. Here we have a quaint theme, logi- 
cally pnrsued and treated at great length, the violin 
of itself pla3ring several real parts, and exhibiting 
many of the modem feats, arpeggios, &c. of the in- 
strument. It is no mere show piece, but has mean- 
ing and consistency. We found it more interesting 
than the concert fiintasias of the Paganini school. 
How lovely the cantabile melody into which the 
movement melts towards the end! Mendelssohn's 
piano accompaniments are just enough — reverent 
and sparing. 

6. KyrU. By IIaMlln|cr. 

Beethoven's old friend and publisher, Tobias Hoss- 
linger. A fine, impressive Kyrit for male voices. 

6. Aria for Sopnmo: "My heart •v«r iUtlifal,*'->-wlth violon- 
cello acoompanimont, by Bach. 

This was charming ; — a wholesome, hearty, sun- 
shiny gush of melody, like a brook nmning out of 
the woods in Mav. Can any thing be fresher than 
some of these old thin^ by Bach ? Miss Doane's 
bright voice and style lust suited it, and Mr. Juno- 
xicKEL played the 'cello part with great taste. 

7. Prayer, by Weber. 

Komer's " Prayer before Battle ; " a solemn and 
inspiring part-song. 

Part !>econd. 1. Pnlm xxm. *' The Loird Is my Shepherd." 
Schubert. 

Kxceedinglv beautiful. Full of marvellously fine 

modulations, m the true vein of Schubert ; and finely 

sung. 

2. The Chapel {Da* Kinhlein). Becker. 

An ingenious part song, in which the low ba«ses 
imitate the lioommg of a bell, answered in the Kfth 
alx>ve by others, while the musing melody proceeds 
in the upper parts. 

8. Recitative and Quintet, ftom 43d PMalm. Mendelasohn. 
Another fine selection, only less interesting tlian 

the Schubert. 

4. Elegy at a Graveyard, for violoncello. lAndnn. 

A somewhat sentimental melody, played very feel- 
ingly by Mr. Jungnickel, who drew his sweetest tones. 

6. Part-Song : '' ThU la the Lord's own day." Kreutier. 

6. Violin Sonata (compoaed In 1718). Tartini. 

We must thank Mr. Eichberg for making us ac- 
quainted, by his masterly rendering, ^ith two such 
fine old works. The Sonata of Tartini's time had 
not the modem Sonata structure (of the first move- 
ment). It is mora like a Suite, or succession of well 
contrasted pieces. There was beanty and quaintness 
in this, and room for a plenty of execution. It is the 
identical " Devil's Sonata," of which the story runs, 
that the old master dreamed one night that Satan 
came into his room and played a wonderful trill, 
which he has here reproduced. But if this Sonata be 
** Satanic," whali shall we say of the whole modem 
school ? 

7. Dca FelMnknutx. Kreutaer. 

A part-song, the sounds whereof have faded out in 
our remembrance of too many good things. 

Other Concerts during the week we have not been 

able to attend. There has been one by Miss Abbt 

Fat, the brilliant singer, for the benefit of an inva- 
lid ; one by the German Trio, the programme of 
which consisted of three Violin Quartets, by Beet- 
hoven, Mozai-t, and Haydn ; and the Wednesday 
Afremoon Concert of the Orchestral Uxioy, of 
which the leading feature was Mozart's " Jupiter 
Symphony. 



tf 



Miuioal Eeview. 

Bobrrt Frahz. — The growing interest in the 
Songs of this gifted German, — a composer of geniiv), 
if we have one in our day, and a thorough bred musi- 
cian — is one of die good signs about us. Introdnccd 
hero one or two at a time in small concerts and in 
private circles a few years since, by one of onr resi- 
dent artists, who would deserve our gratitude if hut 
for this alone, diey won a very few very deep admi- 
rers. But dieir beauty has gone on conquering. 
They figure now quite often in the lists of new 
reprints. A half dozen of them were ventnrcd, and 
found fiivor, some diroe yean ago. During the past 
year a set of Six Songs for Mixed Voices — part-sougi 
— ^wero reprinted, with English and German words, by 
Ditson & Co. They were of the freshest productions 

of Franz. What oonld bo finer for little Clubs, that 
love music of a refined character, to sing ? Each is 
troly a song, setting free the heart melody of a little 
poem, but a song moving in four-part harmony fine 
enough for Bach. One is a happy, buoyant "Blay 
Song"; one a minor ballad, or people's song, a 
(quaint, sad plea for pity in the cold, for love in isola- 
tion: Ee ist ein Schnee gefaUen, *'At Parting" is 
equally sweet and tender. One sings of the mystical 
awakening of life in Spring. One sings some uearty 
verses by Martin Ludier, whose pious heart takes a 
cheerful hint from the singing of the birds; and the 
sixth invites you to a " Mommg Walk." 

As to the Songs for single voice, each widi its ex- 
quisite and rare piano accompaniment, Franz bids 
fiiir to rival Schubert in prodnctiveness. Already 
we have Ofnis 30, and each opus contains at least six 
songs. And the wonder is, they are cdl good ; each 
with a channing individuality, a genuine Tittle poetic 
fiower of melody. He always chooses verses that 
have poetry in them, and he always seizes the essence 
of the poem in his music. Twelve of these songs — 
twelve of the simplest and loveliest — ^have just been 
selected and published, with German and English 
words, by Russell & Richardson. As specimens of 
musical engraving, with their re-production of the 
graceful German vignette, we have had no nearer 
approach to European excellence. But the songs 
themselves will reward any pains to leara them, and 
can never lose their interest. Wo can only name 
their titles : 

1. "On a thorn bu-^h blooms a rosebud." 2. 
"Parting." 3. "The Woods." 4. "Evening." 5. 
" Summer." 6. " Spring of Love." 7. " Vow the 
Shades are falling." 8. "O welcome, fair wood." 
9. " The Churchyard." 10. " Forth from the depths 
of sadness." 11." Hungarian Song." 12. " Mother, 
oh sing me to rest" (Mrs. Hemans). 

NovELLo's pQBLiCATioKS. — Mossrs. Webb & 

Allen, successors in New York to J. A. Novello, send 

us beautiful and cheap octavo editions of Rossiki's 

Stabat Mater, and of Sfohr's Oratorio : " The Last 

Judgment," uniform with Novello's other oratorios. 

The scarlet cloth, gilt binding is exceedingly tasteful. 
Of the musical contents there is no need to speak. 

They send us also in the same form, blue and gold, 
and in large mtLsic tj-pe, " Eighty-One Part-Songs and 
Choruses, in progressive order /or dut cultivation of Part- 
singina, with Instructions, ^. hy Naeoeli & Pfeif- 
fer.'^ Translated from the Gorman by Sabilla 
KovELLO. These songs are of a simple, popular 
character, yet not hacknied. The authors have done 
a great work in Germany for music among the 
masses. 

Method for the Piako-Forte. One is more 
frightened than encouraged by the multitude of musi- 
cal instraction books in these times. When we see 
the hosts of them that crowd the shelves and cata- 
logues of our own publishers (Ditson & Co.) alone, 
not to speak of die others, we can only wonder what 
can be tne need of a tenth part of them. But now 
and then there is a sterling book among them, a 
" Method " which is a method, which sums ly all that 
needs be known, and marks out a course of practice 
philosophically sure to lead one in the right direction, 
by such stops that each step gives new power to take 
onother. ouch is a book of which we have l)efore ex- 
pressed our high appreciation : " Mueller's Metltod 
for the Piano-Forte, revised 6tf Julius Kkorr," trans- 
lated from the German by G. A. Schmitt. Knorr, 
who is perhaps the most sound and thorough of all 
method-writers, using Muller's work as a foundation, 
has in fact made it his own book, and enriched it 
with all that is needful for the mastery of the new 
resources of the instmment. 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, APRIL 3, 1858. 



ChilrChat 

In the confusion of making up a first nnmher, we 
have miscalculated our space, and arc obliged to cut 
off several articles with the odious " to bo continued/' 
to omit many letters, and after all leave ourselves 
almost no room for itema of news and smaller mat- 
ters. Verj reluctantly we must leave over a sum- 
mary of the Dramatic Season, which has been 
prepared for us. We have quite a number of com- 
munications, too, upon the Brooklyn " Congregational 
Singing" controversy, which wo shall examine at 
earliest leisure. 

The Handel and Haydn Society have definitely 
announced their programme of four nights of Orato- 
rio, with the aid of Formes, Madame D'Ahgri, and 
Mr. Pbrrino, of the Ullman operatic trou])e. To- 
night the feast commences with " Elijah," in wliich 
every one who heard Formes in tlie sublime part of 
the prophet some woeks since, will wish to hear him 
again. The choruses and orchestral accompaniments 
have been re-rehearsed and will go even bettor than 
before. To-morrow evening will come the "Mes- 
siali; " it will be worth while to hear Formes in the 
great bass songs, and D'Angri's rich contralto in: 
"He was despised." Next Saturday, April 10th, 
Mendelssohn's " Hymn of Praise " will be given for 
tlie first time in Boston, followed by a miscellaneous 
selection, in which Formes will sing ; and for the 
fourtlunight, " The Creation." Of our own singers, 
Mrs. LoiTG, Mrs. Wentwortr, and Mrs. Harwood 
are to take prominent part. For the better apprecia- 
tion of the " Hymn of Praise " we have commenced 
copying an interesting analjrsis upon another page, 
and hope to complete it next Saturday, in season for 
the peiformance. Formes is not to appear here in 
Opera, nor shall we have the company with which he 
has been connected. Maretzek's troupe aro ex- 
pected at the Boston Theatre in a few weeks. .... 
The St. Cecilia Choral Society will give another 
concert at the Trcmont Temple on the evening of 
Easter Monday, (April 5), Mr. J. Falkekstein con- 
ductor. The programme contains Weber's " Jubilee " 
overture ; Chorals by Bach and Mendelssohn ; a Hymn 
by Mozart in praise of St. Cecilia ; a tenor solo from 
"El^ah"; several part-songs by Mendelssohn, &c. 
Part second ia made up of lighter varieties. . . . 
The MENDEL880HN QuiKTETTB Club have tlicir 
Annual Benefit Concert next Tuesday evening. It 
will be the last public opportunity of hearing them 
this season, and the lovers of the fine Chamber Music 
of Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, &c., must not 
miss it. Mrs. Loira will sing " Ahf perfido ! " 

For most that passes musically in New York one 
has only to consult one of Mr. Manager UU man's 
operatic advertisements. From one this week we 
learn, that after '' fulfilling the pleasing duty imposed 
on him by the charter of the institution " in bringing 
out an American o])era (Fry's "Leonora"), the sear 
son at the Academy would positively close last 
Thursday night with the " Huguenots ; " that Mme. 
Laoranoe, after a brilliant career of three years in 
America, will now return to Europe; that Herr 
Formes would moke his Ust appearance in tlie 
"Messiah" last Tuesday night; that Musard's 
concerts will commence next Wednesday (for which 
aro : " Wanted, thirty colored waiters, to wear livery 
dresses and pass round ice-creams, twenty young 
ladies of prepossessing appearance to pour tea and 
coffee, and twenty boys in fancy uniforms to sell the 
evening papen at the concerts Musard"!); — tliat 
Thalbero has returned from the South, and will 
give a Matinde this day (in the Academy) with Miss 
Milnbr, Mr. Cooper, the Aiolinist, and an orchestra. 
— Paul Juliex has been giving a farewell concert 
before leaving for Brazil. We hear that the Ninth 
Symphony is to be played as a first part in one of the 
Musard concerts I 

The New Orleans Picayune, remarking upon the 



great glorification over the recent production of the 

" Huguenots " in New York, says : 

'* Now, ao flir from Ita bdng tbe truth thattb* " Huguenots" 
hM been ^ twenty yoart rroHlng the Atlantic.' the fiict Is that 
this opera, produced by Meyerbeer. In Pari*, In the year 1886, 
wMi brought out at tbe Theatre d'Orleane, the French opera 
honae in tbla city, in 1839, with CalT6, Hcmann, Bailly and 
Curto in the four leading parte, and baa been performed, on 
the boards of that thoatn. as a stock piece every year since. 
Nor has it been only performed onee In New Yo». In the 
year 186U, Salvi, Uarinl. Bosio and Steflknone appeared in It at 
the Astor Place Opera House ; and in 1845. the French opera 
troupe from our Theatre d'Orleans, under tite management of 
Mr. Davlfc, gave it, in handsome style, at the Paik Theatre, in 
that clty.*» 

New Orleans, it seems, is the only American city 

in which opera may be called a fixed institution. 

The same writer says : 

" During the last three months, there have been p e rform ed, 
and well performed, at our opera house, the following works : 
Rosrini's ' Moisc,* (*Moe« in Egltto,') Meyerbeer's * Prophite,* 
' Huguenots,' < Etolle dn Nord,' and ' Robert le DUble ^ Ver- 
di's 'Jerusalem,' (* Lombard!,') '£mani,'and 'Troyatore'; 
nal«vy's 'Jnive' ('.Jewess,') *Chariee VI.' and <Relne de 
Chypre ' (' Queen of Cyprus ') ; Adolph Adam's * Si j'etais roi ' 
and ' Chalet ' ; Orisar's ' Amour* du DIable ' ; Donizetti's 
' Favorite,' > Lucia' and 'FUle du Regiment '; BelUni's * Nor- 
ma' and ' Sonnambula,' Auber's 'Crown Dismonda'; and 
others, making more than twenty grand and comic oMras, and 
all of them flnt oloas, with the exception of one. What can 
the Philadelphia and New York Academies of Music show to 
compete with this programme? 

M. OuLiBicHEFV, the celebrated Russian amateur 
and audior of the Life and Works of Mozart, the 
History of Music before Mozart, (to which works the 
readers of this Journal in years past have been fre- 
quently indebted), and of a strangely unapprecintive 
work on Beethoven, died on February 3d, at Nijni 
Novgorod, in Russia, where he for many years resided. 

Haydn's " Seasons " has been brought out in New 
York by the Liedertafd. . . . Handel's " Messiah " 
was performed a week or two ago in Gorham, Me., 
under the direction of Mr. A. S. Edwards. " I know 
that my Redeemer'' was sung "in a style that would 
gratify any audience" by Mrs. Edwards. The 
" Messiah " was performed also in Springfield, Mass. 
on Friday evening, Mareh 1 9th. . . . Mrs. Emxa A. 
Wentworth, our sweet singer, is about to recreate 
herself during the summer months in Europe. We 
wish her joy. 

Italian Opera finds it quite as hard to effect a per- 
manent lodgement in Philadelphia as elsewhere, in 
spite of the great boasts and rejoicings over the open- 
ing of their Academy last year. ** Our Opera," as 
the Philadelphians called die Gazzaniga and Brignoli 
troupe, now on its return to its fond home, meets 
with but moderate encouragement, and one of the 
newspapers there confirms the private reports that 
the operatic furor in Philadelphia proves to be but a 
" fashionable excitement " and a " sham/' The bust 
of last year's favorite, Gazzaniga, adorns die foyer of 
the Academy, and La Favorita sings to an3rthing but 
crowded houses. . . . Mile. Vestvali, with her 
opera troupe, has been reaping laurels and dollars in 
Havana, and is expected soon in New Orleans. . . . 
While Mme. Frezzolini is concertizing in New 
O deans, the Parisian journals are lamenting her 
death and giving biographical sketches of her. 
. . . Think of a tenor, 103 years old I That was the 
Age of M. Darius, who died a few weeks since in 
Rouen. He sang the De Profundis at the funeral of 
Louis XV. 

The London Musical World copies an article with 

the following heading : " A Yankee Athenian View 

of Thalberg; (from 'Harper's Boston Weekly')." 

What a careful man must that editor be ! Copying 

from the " Journal of the Civilizers " and fastening 

the matter upon Boston shoulders! . . . Mr. Satter, 

the pianist, seems resolved to make himself a hero, 

and such a man finds hero-worshippers. One of tlie 

papers says "he has composed three operas, five 
svmphonies, six piano sonatas, two (piano i) quartets, 
three trios for piano, some string quartets (as many 
as Fry, we wonder ?), and about one hundred solos for 
the piano." It may l)e added, he has also written his 
own life, reviewed his own works, and defined his 
own position in the " Music of the Future," and he is 
still a very young man. . . . Berlioz is said to be 
busy over a grand serious opera, the libretto of which, 
written by himself, is derived from the Iliad. 



A New Chakt Book. — Messrs: Ditson & Co. 
have in press and neariy ready a Collection of 
Chants, selected cliicfiy from the choir books of the 
English Cathedrals. One of the leading features is 
the introduction of a new system of Chanting, whereby 
not only choirs, but Congregations, may readily 
learn to perform this part of the service. 

Competent judges have pronounced this Collection 
to be by far the best that has ever been prepared, and 
the publisher is desirous that all oiganists and leaden 
of choirs should examine the work. 

This work will also contain the Canticles of the 
English Prayer Book, so that it will be available in 
the Canadas and British Provinces in North America. 




insial €mtsm)intt 



...,1,11.1.1. „.. i«^. ^x> „ ^ , „ ..^i^^,,,^,,,. ...,. „ ^^.^.,.„ „ . y.^,..^,...,^^..^,,^ 

WILLIAM HENRT PEY^S "LBONORA." 
New York, March 30. — The event of last even- 
ing at the New York Academy of Music cannot fail 
to interest every American musician and amateur. 
It was the first great movement of encouragement to 
American Art ever made by an operatic manager. 
It is reasonable to hope that the attention which has 
always been denied to our native music, may be be- 
stowed upon it from this time forward. 

Leaving this consideration for the present, let us 
speak briefly, very briefly, of the performance, and of 
the work performed. " Leonora " is not a new opera. 
It was written in the eariy part of 1845, and was first 
produced at the Chestnut street Theatre, in Philadel- 
phia, the composer's native city. The English ver- 
sion proved most successful. A few years after, Mr. 
Fry procured an Italian translation, in the hope of 
seeing it produced abroad, which hope was not real- 
ized, as foreign managers would not even look at it. 
It has remained in obscurity since the time of its 
original performance, known only to a few amateurs 
through the published piano-forte arrangement, which 
aroused no especial desire to become more intimately 
acquainted with it. In huA, the lack of melodic 
originality never failed at once to strike all who 
examined it. But its performance by artists of the 
highest talents, and the remarkable efiects which the 
superior orchestral accompaniments reveal, show that 
it has been too hastily judged. "Leonora" cannot 
be pronounced a great work. It cannot rank with 
those of Weber, nor yet with those of Donizetti. 
And the undeniable resemblances between many of 
its passages and portions of Bellini's operas, make 
it impossible to say that it is superior to the lyrical 
dramas of that composer. On the other hand, it cer- 
tainly rivals in interest any of Bellini's operas, and 
surpasses them all in wealth of instrumentation. 
Respecting the resemblances of melodic ideas, it must 
be admitted that they exist in profusion; but to 
charge the composer with intentional plagiarism 
would be unjustifiable. And there aro not a few 
melodies, bright and beaming, for which Mr. Fry is 
nowhere indebted, except to his own invention, and 
which have a vittvlity and freshness delightful to hear. 
Compared with the three or four last operas of Verdi, 
"Leonora" is most agreeable and pleasant to the 
ear — on the whole, a work which may be enjoyed 
more than once, and which truly leaves a sunny, 
cheerful impression upon the artistic sense. 

The representation last night was excellent, in 
view of the few and hurried rehearsals. Mr. Aw- 
SCHUTZ worked like a hero, enthusiastically and un- 
tiringly. The artists all played and sang with a 
will. The audience, unhappily, owing to the cus- 
tomary abstinence from public amusements which 
is observed during Passion Week, was meagre. Still 
the tiinmph was most positive. The composer was 
five times called to the front of the stage, and induced 
to utter a few words of acknowledgment. The suc- 
cess would have justified a number of repetitions, but 
only one was given. Should " Leonora " be pro- 
duced in Boston, you will hear a work teeming with 
fiowing and graceful, if not novel, melody, marked by 
great dramatic expression — one to be regarded with 
genuine satisfaction as the first of American lyrical 
dramas. ^ * 



8 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



New York, March 26. — Wo are overwhelmed 
with mnsic JQSt at present : — opera four times a week ; 
concerts of all kinds and at all times of the day, and 
a similar prospect in view for some time to come. 
Yesterday I had the honor of "assisting" (in the 
French sense) at two interesting occa^^ions of the 
kind. In the one case, Fainting lent a friendly hand 
to her sister-Muse. There stands in one of our quiet 
side-streets, a large handsome building which is divi- 
ded into studios for artists, and also contains, if I am 
not mistaken, dwelling accommodations for such of 
these sons and daughters of genius as wish to reside 
there. The studios are expressly built for such — 
spacious and lofty, with the light falling from above. 
Two of these are inhabited by a couple of sister- 
artists, who issued invitations for yesterday afternoon 
to a private matinee to be given by Mr. Satter at 
their rooms. It was a charming gathering, particu- 
larly so from its chief element consisting of ladies, 
the sterner sex being represented merely by an Art- 
loving Reverend Father, and sundry amateur and 
artist followers of the two Muses. Mr. Satter showed 
himself in a variety of styles. The concert opened 
with the TannMuser Overture, of which his arrange- 
ment is even more astonishing than that of the 
"William Tell," which he gave us subsequently. 
Liszt's " Hungarian Bhapsody" was also splendidly 
rendered ; but in a more delicate, dreamy composition, 
which was not familiar to me, and which was more 
like what every other virtuoso plays, Mr. Satter's orig- 
inalify was lost for a while. In Weber's "Invitation 
to the Dance," too, he took too many liberties with 
time and the pianos and fortes. At the end, when 
only a few listeners remained, he acceded to their 
request for something by Chopin, by playing the sec- 
ond Ballade very finely. I learned on this occasion 
that Mr. Satter intends remaining in New York. 

Last evening a Musical Soirde (of annual recur- 
rence) was given by "the Congregation of Grace 
Church " for the benefit of Mrs. Bodbtein, formerly 
Miss Julia Northall, who has for years been the 
Soprano of the Cliurch. It was a strictly private 
afifoir, not having been adverted at all, and all the 
tickets (at $2) having been disposed of by private 
distribution. It was quite a satisfactory concert — 
highly so, indeed, in its vocal parts. Mrs. Bodstein, 
with her sweet, innocent face, looking not a whit 
older than she nsed to many years ago, sang as 
charmingly as ever, several pieces of various styles. 
They were an aria by E. Millet, a talented resi- 
dent composer; an English Ballad by Bellcham- 
ber ; and an Easter Antliem, composed expressly for 
her by Torrente. Besides these, she sang, with Ma- 
dame D'Akori, the duet from the StaJbai Mater, very 
finely. The great contralto also appeared to best 
advantage in the Rondo from Cenerentala and Han- 
del's " He was despised." The instrumental perfor- 
mers were Messrs. Appt and 6. W. Morgan, 
who played together a duet from Don Giovanni by 
Wolff and Vieuxtemps, and each a solo. Having 
heard the duet this winter from Thalberg and Vieux- 
temps, I could not much enjoy an inferior rendering 
of it, nor were the soli particularly attractive. 

To-night Mr. Satter gives his second concert ; the 
" Huguenots " are also given for the last time, and 
apropos of that, I most give you the newest instance 
of Ullman's ingenuity. This performance is inten- 
ded for Formes' benefit ; but as " artists generally 
sing or perform some extra piece at their benefit, and 
the length of the ' Huguenots ' will not admit of this, 
' Martha ' is to be given as a Matinde Opera to-mor- 
row, as a part of to-night's performance " and mark 
this — " every one who buys a ticket (.with or without 
reserved seat) for to-night, will also receive one for 
the Matinee." Unheard of generosity 1 So to-mor- 
row we are to have Formes for the last time in opera 
and in one of his best parts. 



Bomb, Feb. 13. — I am much perturbed in spirit 
about my hobby. I fear Verdi has fallen into a 
state of premature dotage. 

I base this fearful theory upon undeniable facts, 
and though I hope I am deceived, it is my duty as 
jrour correspondent to let you know the result of my 
observations, no matter how unfavorable they may be 
to my own cherished hobby. I know my duty and 
with Spartan resolution I fulfil it. 

In the first place, it is very certain that Verdi's late 
operas have been little else than failures. His Simone 
Boccaneffra, which he wrote for Venice, was produced 
in Rome a few weeks ago, but was an utter Jiasco, 
though it is said he had in it completely altered his 
style, quite cut the acquaintance of brass, and that of 
the fifteen melodies of the opera, he wrote fifteen in 
the minor key. The manager soon withdrew this 
work and produced another — Verdi's very latest — 
an opera called Aroldo, composed for the present car- 
nival season at Parma, and now dragging its slow 
length along in that city, as well as in Rome. 

Immediately afler having devoured St Peters, and 
the Forum and the Coliseum, and the Temple of An- 
toninus, together with the arches of Titus and Septi- 
mus Severus, and not a few obelisks, I found time to 
glance at the musical prospects offered to me in 
Rome. There I saw a placard announcing Aroido to 
be performed at the Teatro Apollo ; of course I y^nt 
to the Teatro Apollo. It is a fine large building, 
standing on the banks of the Tiber, almost opposite 
Hadrian's tomb, alias the Castle of St. Angelo, and 
within sight of St Peters. On entering, the visitor 
finds himself in a large square vestibule, adorned 
with marble busts, and furnished with a rusticated 
fountain of real water. From this a wide staircase 
leads into an elliptical Foyer, where over the door we 
road the names of Carolus and Alexander Torlonia, 
the well-known Roman bankers, to whom this theatre 
belongs. It is only opened for operatic performances 
and only for some two or three months of the year. 
The interior of the house is spacious and that is al>out 
all that can be said Of it, for it certainly is far from 
handsome. The prevailing hue b a Quakerish-drab, 
and as the building is lighted by only one attenuated 
chandelier, the effect during a peribrmance is rather 
depressing than otherwise. 

The opera was Avoldo, and I prepared myself for a 
treat ; for the man that wrote Erncmi, and my own 
namesake Trovatore, I thought could not but produce 
something good. The opera opened well. There is 
quite a lengthy overture, in which a sweet, delicate 
theme, performed by the comet, is followed by a cab- 
aletta ; then there is a crescendo movement, the orig- 
inal subjects are repeated, and indeed the entire over- 
ture seems to be modelled after those of Rossini. In 
the first act, I remember but one thing that is striking 
— an andante air, for tenor — the same which is 
played by the comet in the overture. In the second 
act is a curious rather than pleasing concerted piece, 
sung without accompaniment. In the third act a 
very weak imitation of the Miserere in tlie Trovatore, 
and the fourth act, a tolerable finale concerted piece. 
But with this pennyworth of bread there is a most 
intolerable deal of sack in the shape of unmelodious 
melodies, unmeaning concerted pieces, and dismal 
recitative. The first act is the best, and in addition 
to the tenor air above alluded to, contains a rather 
good duet for baritone and soprano ; but the subse- 
quent acts are very weak and the opera increases in 
heaviness as it draws near the close. This is some- 
thing nnusual for Verdi, who generally works his 
operas up to a suitable climax and preserves his best 
morceaux for the final act. The tenor part is by far 
most prominent, and the soprano has not a single air 
worth mentioning. The baritone has one good air, 
and the basso has none at all, good or bad. I do not 
give any account of this plot, for it is to me both a 
stumbling block and foolishness, especially in the 
scene where a tribe of Scottish warriors appear armed 



witli huge Turkish yataghans ; neither do I mention 
the names of the artists, for they were so mediocre as 
not to bo worth mentioning. The audience was very 
cold indeed, and I was forced to confess that Aroido 
from which I had anticipated so much, was a very 
poor affair, wholly unworthy of the author of Auila, 
Traviata, Trovatore or Rhjoleito — and judging from 
the depreciatory opinions Dwigkfs Journal has ex- 
pressed in regard to these (especially poor JUgoletto, 
on which it has poured out whole vials of condemna- 
tion and satire), its opinion of Aroido will not be very 
exalted, when told that Rignletto is to Aroido what 
Don Giovanni is to RigolHlo! It seems as if Verdi 
had received an order to write an opera, and wrote 
one to order, but without putting his soul into the 
work ; and when the heavy, spiritless affair was fin- 
ished, ho called it Aroido, and sold it to the good folks 
of Parma, who have been most terribly taken in 
thereby. 

Another evening I attended the Teatro Valle, a 
theatre somewhat smaller and handsomer than the 
Apollo. The opera was the Stmnamhula, with Mad- 
ame Gassier as Amina. This lady is a favorite in 
England, both in opera and in Jullien's concerts. 
She has excellent execution and a powerful but not 
melodious voice. In person she is large, unwieldy 
and Alboni-Iike, with Italian features and dark eyes, 
would do admiralily for a Lucrezia Boigia or Scmira- 
mide, but is wholly unfitted for the character of 
Amina. Otherwise, the opera was execrably per- 
formed. The chorus of about seven women and 
about a dozen men was forlorn, the basso so bad that 
the beautiful solo, Vt ravviso, was omitted ; and the 
tenor, though much better, was not up to the mark. 
As is usual, the lovely duet. Son gdoso del xeffiro, was 
omitted. This exquisite gem, one of the most beau- 
tiful morceaux in the opera, has been sung in Amer- 
ica by Sontag and Pozzolini only. Even La Grange 
omits it, and this omission is the only thing that 
makes her Amina inferior to that of poor Sontag. 
But in Rome they sing another extract in Sonnambula 
that is invariably omitted in America ; it is a very 
pretty little quartet in five flats, sung in the last act by 
the characters of Lisa, the Count, Teresa, and Elvino. 

On the whole, operatic mnsic at Rome — where the 
most successful opera ever known, the Trovatore, was 
first produced — is at a very low ebb. The singers, 
with the exceptions of Madame Gassier at the Valle, 
and Signor Goldohi (who docs not take part in 
Aroido) at the Apollo, are all very medioa^. The 
choruses and scenery are at both theatres shocking. 
At the same time the prices of admission are very 
high for Italy, being at the former theatre 35 cents, 
and at the latter 50 cents to the parquette ; there are 
no elevated and democratic accommodations for the 
"gods." These prices are, however, much higher 
now, it being Carnival time, than in the other months ; 
in other seasons the admittance to the Valle is but 20 
cents. Both theatres are nightly crowded, and though 
Madame Gassier draws forth applause, the audience 
are generally so cold, that it is fair to presume that 
the music in Rome during the present season is not 
what the Romans are accustomed to, and their cold- 
ness is attributable to reminiscences of other days. 

Perhaps the only thing in which I am disappointed 
in Italv is in its music, and the musical cultivation of 
its inhabitants. It is trae that even the smallest 
towns have opera-houses, but the style of performance 
is poor. Then, like many other people, I had 
expected that in Italy, mnsic was in the domestic 
circle brought to almost professional perfection, and 
that every other young man was a Mario, and almost 
every young woman a Grisi. But I find myselt 
much mistaken. As a general thing there appears to 
be no more real taste for music here than in the 
United States ; certainly there are not half or a quar- 
ter as many piano fortes or hand organs in proportion 
to the population, if that is to be taken as any index. 

Trovator. 




toigbt's |0uriial 





Whole No. 314. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1858. 



Vol. Xm. No. 2. 



[ThflM two Uttle pieces are from " Andromeda and other 
Poems," a new Tolume by Chaujdi KufOSLKT, Just published 
by neknor & Flekls.] 

I hear fhy Voice, Spring! 

I hear thy voice, O Spring I 
Its flute-like tones are floating through the air. 
Winning my soul, with their wild ravishing. 

From earth's heart weary care. 

Divinely sweet thy song — 
But 3ret methinks, as near the groves I pass, 
Low sighs on viewless wings are borne along. 

Tears gem the springing grass. 

For whore are they, the young, 
The loved, the beautiful, who, when thy voice 
A year agone along these valleys rung. 

Did hear tlieo and rejoice ! 

Thou seek'st for them in vain — 
No more they'll greet thee in thy joyous round ; 
Calmly they sleep beneath the murmuring main. 

Or moulder in the ground. 

Yet peace, my heart — be still ! 
l/ook upward to yon azure sky and know. 
To heavenlier music now their bosoms thrill. 

Where balmier breezes blow. 

For them hath bloom'd a spring. 
Whose flowers perennial deck a holier sod. 
Whoso music is the song that scraplis sing, 

Whose light, the smile of God I 



A Farewell 

My fairest child, I have no song to give you. 

No lark could pipe to skies so dull and gray ; 
Yet ere we part, one lesson I can leave you 
For every day. 

Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever ; 
Do noble things, not dream them, all day long ; 
And so make life, death, and that vast forever 
One grand, sweet song. 



For Dwlght^s Joornal of Mnsle. 

The Fhilister's Beminisoenoe. 

(fsom ohb of brown's private notb books.) 

[Concluded.] 

^ Our rehearsals went on, a boy as usual 
taking the alto solos. At one of them, a 
week before the performance, I caught a 
glimpse of my priest, as he was passing out 
of the hall, but was unable to find him after- 
ward. A note next morning informed me 
that the singer would be present Our con- 
ductor had much to say of the necessity of 
her appearance at least at the final rehearsal, 
and I wrote to the priest to that effect 
'Fear not,' was his answer; 'she needs no 
rehearsals, let your orchestra be firm, all will 
go rightly.' 

'* The time of the performance came. It 
was a delightful afternoon, and the huge 
church was filled. A temporary platform 
had been added to the organ gallery, where 
our forces were mustered. All was ready, 
except our promised solo singer. The com- 
mittee of the Society was at its wits' end. 



No one knew what to make of it I was 
upon thorns. Five, ten, fifteen minutes 
passed. The conductor called the boy soloist 
to his side and took his place. He waved 
his baton, and the first performance of Han- 
del's immortal Oratorio in that part of the 
land began. Overture, recitative, air, chorus 
and so on followed in order, and the vast au- 
dience felt them as a new revelation of the 
power and grandeur, the beauty and heavenly 
serenity of sacred music In cities where the 
high mass is sung Sabbath after Sabbath by 
an adequate choir, the taste even of the peas- 
ant is insensibly cultivated to the extent of 
appreciating, even at first hearing, music which 
otherwise would be beyond his reach. But 
for an audience like that which filled the edi- 
fice now, in the habit of hearing the masses 
of Mozart, Haydn, and the other great com- 
posers, who have written for our church, the 
'Messiah' was an (esthetic and intellectual 
treat of the highest order. 

''We rose to sing the chorus, ' And he shall 
purify,' and still our expected singer had not 
appeared. But before we closed a form glided 
down the platform to the conductor's side. It 
was a young woman, at the most, nineteen 
years of age, tall and of exquisite proportions, 
a fisice not perfect in its features, but rendered 
inexpressibly beautiful — though very pale — 
by its rapt and holy expression, which spoke 
even more plainly than the dress and the 
small crucifix at her side of a life of devotion 
and religious contemplation. Her appearance 
seemed as unearthly to me as the tones of 
her voice had sounded at midnight upon the 
domain. A single timid glance around her 
and upon the conductor, and from that moment 
she seemed, though with us, not of us. The 
chorus closed, and silence — that awful silence 
of a multitude, which finds expression in Art 
only in the pianimmo of an immense choral 
force — ensued for a moment Every eye in 
the vast audience, every eye in the choir, 
was fixed upon that statue-like figure, as the 
momentary stillness was broken by the soft 
introductory chord of the organ, and the 
divine promise: 'Behold, a virgin shall con- 
ceive, and bear a Son!' was recited in tones 
so clear and distinct, though not loud, as to 
penetrate into every nook and comer, fioating 
away among the arches and vaultings of the 
cathedral. Each tone spoke of confidence 
mounting up to the certainty of perfect faith 
— was pervaded by the very spirit of ancient 
prophecy. And what divine joy, what glori- 
ous triumph, in every tone of the air which 
followed: 'Oh, thou that tellest good tidings!' 



"As she went on, a faint flush began to 
overspread her pale cheeks. The spirit of 
the music was mastering her. It was evident 
enough that this was all new to her, and 
wrought upon her, down to the very depths 
of her nature. 

" She closed her air, took the seat provided 
for her, bowed her head, and hid her face. 
But when we rose to sing the chorus, 'For 
unto us,' that climax hardly equalled in all 
music, she rose suddenly, stepped to the ranks 
of the altos, and with streaming eye and 
quivering lip, gave vent to the emotion which 
was fast overcoming her, by joining in with 
her noble voice. From this moment she 
joined in all the choruses, with a firmness and 
decision which added infinitely to the success 
of our performance. It was wonderfiiL 
When and where had she acquired such mu- 
sical knowledge as enabled her to sing thus 
without rehearsal, — a stranger among stran- 
gers? We never knew! 

" Tliere were at length a few minutes of in- 
termission. She sat as in a dream. No one 
ventured to speak to her. She was as of 
another world; and for the time being her 
very existence was but in this mighty music. 

" And now came the chorus so sad, so sor- 
rowful: 'Behold the Lamb of God!' In 
this she sang not, but stood with her eyes 
fixed upon the great crucifix suspended near 
the grand altar. Her emotions were becom- 
ing so powerful, her excitement so intense, 
that I left my place at the head of the basses, 
and drew near, fearing, I knew hardly what, 
almost expecting to see her drop — or even 
vanish from our view — for my imagination 
was wrought up to a wondrous degree, and 
the excitement caused by this music almost 
overcame my common sense — and she began 
to seem to me a being not of earth. 

" ' He was despised and rejected of men ; a 
man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.' 

" No, mein Herr, I cannot describe it ! She 
felt the agony she described. She could but 
with the utmost difficulty command her voice. 
The tears rolled down her pale cheeks. Sobs 
almost choked the tones. Her emotion was 
infectious and spread through the choir and 
through tlie church. The air was given 
entire ; the second part, which is usually 
omitted, as well as the first Before its close 
tears were streaming from all eyes. She, 
herself, had acquired self-command as she 
went on, but the heart-piercing pathos of her 
voice lost not a jot or a tittle of its power. 
With the last note she gave way. We caught 
her as she sank back, and conveyed her to 



10 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the room behind the organ. The priest was 
already there, and a couple of nuns, to whose 
care we resigned her. No, no, I shall never 
hear true feeling in that part again I" 

Here the little man ceased, and swallowed 
rapidlj two glasses of wine. 

"But, Herr Rechnungsrath," said I, "what 
became of her?" 

"Mein Herr," said he, "there was a mys- 
tery there. When we finished our perform- 
ance, we found no one in the room back of 
the organ, nor has any one of us ever heard 
a single syllable in relation to her." 



Mnsio and Musical Taste in Hayaaa. 

LBTTBB raOX 8IONOR TAOLIAFXCO TO A FBENCH 
FBIBKD IN CUBA. 

(Txmoalatod fbr the Philadelphia Ereoiog BnlleUn from Um 

Coairier dcs Etatt-Unli). 

[Concluded.] 

"But," say you, "the great Marty com- 
pany." When you say these words you pro- 
duce in me all the effect of those old grum- 
blers of the first Empire, who, when reading 
the reports from the Crimea, never failed to 
exclaim, "Ah, the Old Guard! Where is 
the grand army ? " The artists of this great 
company have been our friends and comrades 
of the theatre, at London or St. Petersburg, 
before they dreamed of coming to Havana, 
where, it is true, they had their greatest suc^ 
cess, but where also they terminated their 
career, with one exception, and (between our- 
selves), without getting rich, for their ward- 
robes, lefl in pledge in your hands, alone saved 
them from the Moro Castle, the Clichy of the 
Antilles. 

" Il» ne chantent pltu,** as Marcel says in 
the Huguenots, and the exception I have 
made proves the rule in the Tacon Theatre. 
In fact, I have read all the papers of the 
time, and I have found that Mme. Bosio was 
daily accused of sparing her voice, of singing 
carelessly, of being cold, in a word, of not 
working as hard as her associates. Mme. 
Bosio is now the first cantatrice of Europe. 
She is, said lately one of your friends, the 
only one of the "great company" who under- 
stood the Tacon Theatre — the theatre still 
full of their voices. That does not surprise 
me, I answered ; they left their voices here ! 

I would next speak to you of the press and 
the public, (this is hard for me, who owe them 
nothing but praise) ; of the public, whose 
judgment is always sovereign, if not infallible ; 
of tlie press, whose duty it is first to express 
the impressions of the public, and then (and 
it is its most important mission) to enlighten 
it, to guide it, to instruct it, to teach it, to 
regulate its sympathies, so that Art may not 
fall into the hands of parties that cannot fail 
to arise in a country like yours, far removed 
from the great centres of light, progress, and 
civilization. I have certainly read ail that 
haf) been written in the journals upon the 
Italic Opera, during the season, and I can- 
didly declare there are not two lines from 
which an artist could derive benefit, or which 
could in the least degree assbt the public in 
forming their opinion. 

One paper, in the beginning, with a very 
slightly disguised opposition to Maretzek*s 
undertaking, hazarded some technical musical 
words, confounding style with method, blaming 
one artist for altering, and another for trans- 
posing his airs, without troubling itself about 



the voices, the proprieties, nor even the tradi- 
tions of the great operas of Europe. This, 
happily, did not l&st long; the critic soon 
found himself at the end of his vocabulary, 
and then began what we call the "proof 
before letters," the criticism before perfonn- 
ance. Here is a specimen : " On such a day, 
such an opera will be given. Why does such 
an artist sing in it, and why not another? 
We should like to know, Mr. Manager, how 
many rehearsab you are going to have. Ah, 
ah, eight years ago we heard the same opera 
given by the great company. Take care, 
caramba ! for we shall be there, we, the Cids 
of criticism, the Don Quixotes of the Feuil- 
leton!" 

But of rational appreciation there is none ; 
of analysis of the good points of this artist 
or the defects of that one, n6ne. No, I am 
mistaken. A certain Sergeant of my acquain- 
tance was blamed for having, in VElitir 
d^Amore^ kicked away a piece of bread which 
annoyed him on the stage, without regard for 
the public! But this poor Sergeant had tight 
panUloons, and an accident might happen to 
him so easily. To go higher : Ronconi was 
to be the star of the season. What is the 
amount of the criticism on this artist? In 
Maria di Bokariy they have proved as clear 
as day that it is always imprudent for husbands 
to look through key-holes ; also that in seizing 
a woman by the liair, there is danger of pull- 
ing off her head-dress. We have read all 
these things ! In L*Minr cTAmore he has 
been advised not to embrace the Notary, as 
he does when he has to say " T*abbraccio, e ti 
saluiOf uficial (Tamor/* These are observa- 
tions full of delicacy and propriety, when 
they relate to two of the grandest creations of 
that great artist, called Ronconi. Poor Ron- 
coni ! has he not been advised by a journal — 
I will spare it the shame of naming it — ^to 
engage himself in the comic troupe, to take 
the place of Ruiz, the clown and buffoon of 
the place? O glory! That the greatest 
dramatic genius of the time, the actor whose 
name is inscribed by London critics next ailer 
that of Rachel on the list of celebrities of 
the stage, should come to Havana, to be 
disposed of in this way ! Habent ma fata, 
histri<me» I 

I have told you that, under such circum- 
stances, parties are inevitable, especially with 
an ignorant and foolish public * So we have 
had them this season here, where, instead of 
a public — " ViUustrado publico" as the bills 
say — we have had two parties ; where instead 
of an Italian troupe, we have had two prima 
donnas eclipsing all the rest ; vehement, fanat- 
ical, insane parties, and prima donnas, much 
amazed, I am sure, at the excess of honor or 
of indignity offered them. One evening I 
asked one of these rude partisans the cause 
of this inexplicable worship of an idol who 
was certainly far from redconing perfection 
among her divine attributes. He answered 
me, "I love Grog, because I hate Magog." 
" And you hate Magog ? " " Because I love 
Grog ! " I asked no more. 

What idolatries have we not witnessed? 
You recollect, my dear V., the temple ringing 
with frantic hurrahs, the seats shaking under 
the blows of the knights of the chandelier 
(the claqueurs) the bouquets strewing the 
stage (they were swept away at each fall of 
the curtain to serve for furQier tiiumphs in 
succeeding acts); the crowns of arti^cial 
flowers, of gold or tinsel acorns, with which 
the goddess had to cover her heated brow ; 



the doves — ^that emblem of peace ever since 
the flood — carrying ui tiieir claws the symbols 
of discord, the colors of the parties; and 
finally the sonnets, the caricatures, the jour- 
nals, the papers, large and small, rough or 
satined, of every form, of every color — ^this 
was the ordinary ceremony. 

But on the great days, the benefits, the an- 
cient Saturnalia were revived in all their splen- 
dor. After having exhibited the goddess in 
a glory, surrounded by little loves, in a blaze 
of Bengal lights, amid a shower of scraps of 
gold paper, the adepts condacted her to her 
chariot, and the march of the ox Apis began. 
Nothing was wanting, neither the yelling of 
the crowd, nor the torches waving in the dark 
night, nor the boys hanging to the trees, the 
windows, everywhere, and crying, " Long live 
the Goddess ! Death to her rival ! " At last 
and above all, the inexpressible zizi-houmboum 
of two military bands, playing two different 
airs at the same time, (what airs ! what music !) 
accompanied and completed this tropical mas- 
querade. 

"What!" they will exclaim in Europe, 
" all that for a scale well done, a note finely 
given, or a trill skillfully executed ? " Well, 
well, voice, singing, talent had nothing to do 
with this matter. People had first to amuse 
themselves, to belong to a party, to pretend 
to be connoisseurs, and as, at the end of the 
account, the result was no small amount of 
golden ounces and Spanish quadruples, for 
the manager and the artists, everybody found 
the fun charming. 

But pour V amour de Dieu ! my dear V., 
ask me no more what I think of your Italian 
Opera. Come and see Ronconi and me in 
London, next summer. We will show you 
the Royal Italian Opera; and you shall see 
for yourself, as we used to say at college, 
quod erat demonstrandum. Bring us some 
cigars I Yours, D. Tagliafico. 

AN AL YSI S 

Mendelssohn's Symphony-Cantata: 

"a HTMir or rsAiSB." 
(Condnded from tut wmk.) 

The resamption of the Schono presents, not, as is 
most fiwfiiently the costom, an entire repetition Da 
Capo of this portion of the movement, bat only a 
recapitulation of its principal ideas, and these much 
modified in their effect by their varied arrangement 
and different opposition to each other. 

It mnst, surely, have been the purpose to represent 
in this movement the influence or paiwion opposed by 
the promptinf^ of religion,—- the secret voice of con- 
science urging, almost imperceptibly, the often-re- 
peated suinmons whidi is the chief theme of the 
entire work, — ^the earthly feelings contending to resist 
its admonition, but these, soothed by the benign effect 
of devotion, gently sink into the sleep of nnoonscions- 
ness. 

(3). Adagio rdiqioso. The expression of this heav- 
enly stream of melody is one of pure religions fervor, 
and even where its tranquil beauty is chequered by a 
transient agitation, we have, as is shown by the sub- 
sequent application of the same thought, but the ren- 
dering of an intenser excitement from the same feel- 
ing, — not an interruption of it. 

The plan of the movement is much simpler than 
of either of the foregoing. The principal melody : 




which is one of singular extent, and to which the 
peculiar richness of £e orchestral distribution imparts 
a warmth of color all glowing with enthusiasm, — ^this 
melody is relieved by an Epirode composed of broken, 
declamatory phrases, and so best suited technically to 
contrast Uie continuous cantabile of the chief Subject, 
and it is introduced and accompanied by a figure 
which I quote: 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL S, 1858. 



11 







for tho piirpom of idcntifyinjr it at its recarronoe in 
another situittion, and of jiiHtifjinfif than my specula- 
tion as to tho expression of tlie wliole passage. Tho 
chief mclod J is resumed with a ▼oricd and ▼err novel 
orrhostml treatment, and it is now prolonged into a 
Cofhi, tlio exqutfite Ixsanty of which is consonant 
with tho character of tlie entire movement, impress- 
int; US with a sense of peace around, and oonlent 
within, and devotion to the source from whence all 
comfort springs. 

n. THE VOCAL PORTION. 

(4). C3kiifMC->All men^all things, all that hat* lift sad brwtb, 
dog to th« Lovd. HalMiOiLh! 

We now enter upon the vocal portion of the com- 
position, which is connected with the eanally import- 
ant series of instrumental movements tiiat mtiodnce 
it, not only hy the unity of feeling that pervades the 
whole, but by tiie further development m the course 
of it of some of the ideas that have been announced 
in tho prelndial portion of the work. This opening 
Chorus is incomplete in itself, commencing as it does 
in the key of the previous Adaipo, from which, bv a 
gradual course of modulation, it proceeds into that 
in which the work begins and concindes, in which the 
voices enter with a magnificent peal of harmony that 
seems to he the song of all nature united in one com- 
mon acclamation. The figure that accompanies tho 
Episode in the preceding Adagio is resumed at tho 
commencement of this movement, and continues with 
prominent effect through the sustained harmony of 
the voices, and the expression of that passage is tnus, 
I suppose, connected with tho present idea. Pres- 
ently all motion ceases, and the voices, quite unac- 
companied, break forth into the theme with which 
the work opens, which has been anticipated in fi^- 
mentary responses by the most powerful instruments 
throughout the course of modulations that connects 
the Chorus with the Adagio, and of which the words 
now define the meaning, with an effect of imposmg 
grandeur that music cannot surpass. 

(5). Pndss tiM Lord wltli Into and baitp, In Jorftil long nUT 
Blm, and IH all floii magnliy His might and lOt i^ory. 

This Chorus is continuous of the preceding, but I 
distinguish it for the soke of better drawing attention 
to the new character that is here assumed, and of de- 
scribing the technical structure of the present move- 
ment. This embodies a multitudinous joy, to the 
expression of which its fogal element greatly con- 
tributes ; for this element, however dependent upon 
scholarship for its successful manifestation, and how- 
ever, on this account, frequently employed as a mere 
display of tedinical facility, is in itself essentially 
dnunatic, and embodies tKe idea of multitudinous 
excitement more efficiently than almost an^ other 
principle of musical development ; in exemplification 
of which, I need but cite the derisive Chorus, " He 
trusted in God," in the MeaBiah, and several of the 
most effective choruses in Israel m Egypt. The form 
of passage with which tho movement opens, and 
which accompanies the chief Subject throngnout, was, 
obviously, suggested to the composer by the first 
phrase A the text, who reflects this suggestion upon 
the audience through the brilliancy of effect and glad- 
ness of spirit that is thus especially imparted to the 
whole movement. 

I have spoken of the fugal element (namely, of the 
successive entry of the several parts with tae same 
snbiect, and of the continual elaboration of this in 
their constant responses), as conspicuous in the com- 
position of this movement, which is not, however, a 
strict fugue fulfilling all the exactions of scholastic 
canon ; but if on this account less erudite, it is none 
the less eflbctiye. The principal Subject : 




-^•15 -^-•^- ^-tT^- 






.t.- 



Prate tha Lord with lata and tiarpt^ Joyttel aongozlol Him! 

is developed at considerable length, and then relieved 
by the introduction of a second Subject: 

And tot all lUsh magnUy^Bb might and Hto glory! 

which is subsequently worked in combination with 
the former. A passage of remarkable prominence is 
where the tenor voices alone have the first three notes 
of tho chief theme, to which the rest of the choir 
respond in full harmony; the broad simplicity of 
which, and the consequent power, are eminently 
appropriate to the grandeur of the sentiment. Burst- 
ing, as though with nnrestninable transport, through 



the tumult of these many-tongned rejoicings, the 
glorious summons with which the work opens is 
again proclaimed with magnificent solemnity, en- 
forced by unisonous accompaniment of the voices 
with the lirnss instruments ; and its expression, thus 
modified, seems to approve while it commands the 
universal act of homage; with this well-timed and 
eminently eflTective recurrence of the initial phrase, 
the Chorus is completed. 

(6). Solo and Annt-dflnM.— Prate thon tho Lord, my 
spirit, and my inmost Mnl prate His graat loving kindnoot. 

Prate thou tlie Lord, my spirit, and fbrgofe thou not all 
Hii benefits. 

Still continuous of the foregoing movement, this 
exquisite piece of nposeful beauty presents, under a 
very different aspect, the same purpose— of acknowl- 
edging the omnipresent influence of the Fountain 
of Life. Opposed to the massive solidity of all 
that hns preceded, the brightness of the effect of 
the single soprano voice (alternated with the re- 
sponses of the female chorus, and supported by the 
pKBculiarly delicate pulsations of the accompaniment 
of iterated chords) tias here an expression so intense, 
yet so tranquil — so fervid, yet so peao^ul, — as may 
well be supposed the outpouring of a soul thrilling 
with the sense of jprateful love — of love of which its 
own happy tranquillity is at once the cause and the 
conseqnence. Let me distinguish one incident of 
especial merit in this piece, and one that is particu- 
larly characteristic of Mendelssohn; this is tho re- 
sumption, after a cadence in the fifth of the original 
key, of the opening theme : 




V 



=1 



Praise thou the Lord 



^ 



•?- 



:::.:t:i: 



:nlkc.: 



rit. 



my spi 

which is introduced with charming effect by a short 
sequence upon its first phrase with the choral voices, 
which the solo felicitously interrupts by ropeating the 
phrase a third higher (which brings it into the origi- 
nal key), instead of a second hjgher, which has boon 
the interval at which its successive anticipations have 
appeared in the sequence. 

(7). HeeiCoftee.— Sing ye prate, all ye redeemed of the Lord, 
redeemed flnm the hand of the foOi tttm yoor dleftnaMt. flrom 
d«ep afllletlon ; who iat In the ahadow of death and darsneen, 
all ye that cried In hroahto nnto the Lord, aing ye prate, glte 
ye thanks, proclaim aloud His goodneas. 

Air. — Bm ooonleth all your sorrows In the time of need ; He 
eomftnte the bers a re d with His regajrd. BIng ye prate, i^ve 
ye thftnks, proclaim aloud ffis goodness. 

CHofM.— All ye that cried unto the Lord In distress and 
deep aiUctlon. Ha oonnteth all your sorrows in the time of 



This series of three movements brings us back to 
the feeling rendered in the second of the instrumental 
portions of the work, — an identity the more conspicu- 
ous by the return here to the key of the AUegratto 
Agitato; but, though the feeling be identical, the 
sense of our temporal associations, which, while it 
endures, is paramount, there is this marked differ- 
ence in the expression — ^that the instrumental move- 
ment embodies the workings of present passion ; and 
the throe vocal pieces, tho sorrowing languor of the 
bruised heart, tniat still aches from memory of a grief 
of which the immediate action is post. This is pre- 
sented in the pensive melanclioly that touches our 
sympathy rather than stimulates our enthusiasm. 

Tne first phrase of the Recitative : 



i^i=!= 



Sing ye praise, 

is important, as announcing the purport of these three 
pieces — ^"In tlie memory of your affliction sing 
praises " — and this is rendered in the accents of grief 
as poured firom a sincere heart, in which to recollect 
is to feel anew. This phrase recurs immediately 
before the dose of the Recitative, and again, near the 
end of the plaintive Air that succeeds ; and there 
appears to me to be a deep meaning in its repeated 
recurrence, especially in a composition of Mendels- 
sohn, who never trifled with his resources, and never 
wrote without a purpose. 

The melodious smoothness and the expressive sad- 
ness of the Air make their own comment ; and the 
same remark applies to the Chorus, which, in an 
entirely different train of ideas, but with completely 
the same expression, is a ftirther development of the 
sentiment of the Solo. Mendelssohn has been emin- 
ently successful in this cantabile style of choral 
writing, in which he has been much imitated, but 
never surpassed; the emplojrment of a prominent 
figure continuously dirougliout tlie accompaniment, 
as in the present case, is also one of his peculiarities : 
such general characteristics make this Chorus one of 
a class, its association with which cannot but en- 
hance its effbct by the charming recollections it 
awakens, while its individual merits will always 



make it interesting independently of every associa- 
tion. 

(8). Duet and Chana.—T waited for the Lord, He hieUned 
nnto me, He beard my complaint ; bleasea are tbqr that 
hope and trust in the Lord. 

Let me not dilate by attempting to describe the 
charm of tliis exquisite piece. The lovely mdody of 
the opening Solo is, aner the short choral refivin, 
repeated by the second voice agaiiMt a counter-mel- 
ody of the first voice, that is twined about it with as 
much grace as ingenuity ; after a repetition of the 
choral refrain, which is, according to the constant 
practice of Mendelssohn, enhanced in its effect l>y a 
striking variation of the harmony, the principal mel- 
ody is assigned to the male voices of the chorus, and, 
with this rich, sonorous tone, it forms a groundwork 
upon which is construoted another series of counter- 

{mrases for the two hqVo voices ; in the Coda, a diff- 
erent cotntniuttion is 'vti^e of the solo voices with 
the chorus, ai)j< the flhof Cadence is formed with 
singular beafi^1iy4he entsy of the male voices of the 
chorus with theilnf phrase q( th^ melody, which has 
been succcssivel^«an;^<^lpated, ijr atv>ther part of the 
scale, by each of thiT wk> voices 

(9). iitV.— The sorrows of death had elos^ all^Mtmnd me,and 
hell's dark tinrors had cot hgid upon mc \Mk trouble and 
deep heaviness : bnt salth Vtt^ Lord ■" CoAiva^ from the 
dead, and awake thou that sleefl^, f htf ng tBe^ salvslkm." 

The restless pertnrbatioits of W heaft torn by 
fdfliction are strikingly embodied hi t|ie wild agita- 
tion of this impassioned Air; and t(Xc hopeful fervor 
of the second theme expresses the etpe^ftdnt faith in 
the Divine promise. 

(10). Rccilaftw.— We called through the darknem, ** Watch- 
man, will the night lOon pass ? " The watchman only said, 
*' Though the morning will come, the night will come also." 
Ask ye, inquire ye, if ye will, loqnirD ve, return again, ask, 
" Watchman, will the night soon pass ? " 

The wonderfully dramatic setting of this short> 
very important text, is one of the most remarkable 
instances the art presents of its power to enforce the 
significancy of verbal expression, giving to this an in- 
tensity and a depth wholly beyond the scope of spoken 
language. 

The thrilling phrase for the orchestra, rendered 
especially poignant by the peculiar instrumental com- 
bination employed to give it eflTect, represents a keen 
sense of anguish, the agony of which seems to wring 
the words of the enquiry fi:om a spirit so broken as to 
be incapable of hope in a reply : 




Watchman, will the night soon passt 



The repetition of this passage makes us feel still more 
intensely the longing for relief-— the despair of its at- 
tainment BO livingly embodied. The four words of 
description are very felicitously distinguished ftom 
the context in the setting ; and the troublous anxiety 
of the Watchman's answer eminently realises the 
different emotion of one who witnesses but may not 
solace another's woe, from that of one stricken with 
afiliction who cannot be comforted. The transposi- 
tion of the entire passage to a note higher wonder- 
fully augments, if it change not its expression. A 
new pang seems to rend the heart — a new impulse 
of impatience to prompt an exclamation uttered from 
the very depth of despair ; the Watchman's reply, by 
the modification of minor into major, and ny the 
acceleration of the motion of the accompaniment, 
bears now the purport of an increased concern in the 
woe that there is an increased sense of inability to 
console. Another repetition of tho passage, trans- 
posed yet to a note higher, represents the sufferer 
Docome reckless from the long protraction of a tor- 
ment which, like dropping water, accumulates power 
by its continuance. This repetition is interrupted by 
a passage of still more exciting intensity ; and, his 
power of suffering exhausted, — ^his heart at the point 
of breaking, tlie afiSicted one seems to be utterly 
prostrated by his weight of woe. 

(11.) Solo and Chonu.—Th9 night is departing, the day Is 
approachinir, therelbre let ns cast off the works of darkness, 
and let us gird on the armor of U|^t. The day Is approaching, 
the night Ls departing. 

Now it is as though the profound darkness were 
rent, and a stream of Heaven s own radiance piercing 
the cleft, struck, electrically, life and faith into dio 
withered heart, which was at once qnickencd with a 
new vitality by its genial warmth and brightness. 
Such is the effect of the soprano Solo that, quite un- 
accompanied, and in a key which is, however rela- 
tive, totally unexpected, breaks in upon the unre- 
solved dissonance with which the tenor ceases : 




/ 



/ 



The night is de-part - ing, de • part|-8ling, 



12 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUTIC. 



This announces the chief Subject of the very grand 
Chorus, that, with the utmost possible force of voices 
and instruments, and with equal power of ideas, 
repeats, as with the tongue of an universe, the glori- 
ous truth revealed from Heaven. The triumphant 
jubilation that characterizes this magnificent jpiece, 
penetrates the feelings of ever^ listener, and fills a 
vast throng with sudi enthusiastic gladness as snrings 
from the consciousness of patriotic success or the act 
of poetic creation. 

A felicitous illustration of the text occurs where 
the words " Let us gird on the armor of light ! 
first introduced; and this inspiring summons — 



are 



& 



^EBi:-. 



is echoed from side to side, of the orchestra, as if 
passed from rank to rank oCT/C-oiighty Ji^st, unanim- 
ous in a noble cause, and >^tind bun tbe*»ppointcd 
signal to set free the ai^^ Within «tnCim. A most 
spirited fugue that constil^t^ the,i4»perfBnt Episode 
which relieves the.-dvcsf theme;4t\c8^tructed upon 
the fbllowing subji^CI 




Le^oi 8^ «n Vb» annor, the armor of light ; 



All who Jkear it'aiiqt exult in the grand expression 
of sincerity fl&fd reliance conveyed in the concluding 
passage, Wkjpri* tne unaccompanied voices declaim 
with maj^MtU:r*Sr^th the opening words. 

12. CSCi^— Let all men pralM the Lord, 
In worship lowlj bending, 
On Hifl meet Holy Word, 
Bedeem^d from woe depending, fce. 

"Nnn danket Alle Gott," is one of the most gene- 
rally familiar of Ae very many Hymn tunes of the 
Lutheran Church which were adopted into it by its 
founder, and, with the verses to which they are sung, 
that also date from the time of the Reformation, have 
been in constant use as a portion of the Service, from 
that period to the present. We in England have not 
the advantage of those among whom these ChoiiUs 
are habitually familiar, to be able instantly to associ- 
ate them, as we should our National Anthem, or the 
Hundredth Psalm, with the words with which they 
are always connected, and to recognize in them, 
accordingly, the illustration of some particular senti- 
ment wherever they may be performed, either sepa- 
rately, or, as in ihe present instance, in the course of 
an extensive composition. The theme is, to us, new 
as the treatment with which it is presented to us, and 
we hear and we judge both together, finding in them 
what interest we may, apart from all associations 
beyond the present work. Mendelssohn followed the 
example of^the great Bach, which was founded on 
still earlier precSient, of incorporating these vener- 
able tunes, as themes for elaboration in his works ; 
and we may well understand, if we cannot experi- 
ence, the peculiar interest they must excite, and the 
peculiar ideas they must suggest, when heard in such 
situations by those who know them with a lifis-long 
intimacy. The preceding piece announces the glad 
tidings of the Redemption ; the present embodies, in 
phrases so well known that all the hearers to whom 
the work was originally addressed might join in them, 
the acknowledgments of a grateful world. 

The first stanza is harmonized in simple counter- 
point for the four voices, without any accompani- 
ment, — an effect so pure and so sympathetic, that it 
must always be the nest possible rendering of a calm, 
devotional feeling. The second stanza is given as a 
Plain Song to all the voices in unison, and its broad 
simplicity supports the florid counterpoint of the or- 
chestra, whiui here derives additional effect from the 
other stanza having been sung entirelpr without in- 
struments. This latter method of treating the theme 
is especially ecclesiastical, it having been the ancient 
custom for the " Church Part," or Plain Song, to be 
sung by the body of the people, while the organ, or 
sometimes a select choir, accompanied them with 
such variety or complication of counterpoint as the 
skill or fancy of the composer prompted him to con- 
struct upon It. 

■ 18. Duel.— My eong shall bo alway Thy merey, singing Thy 
pntae. ThoQ only God ; my tongue ever speak tho goodness 
Thou hast done unto me. 

I wander in night and foulest darkness, and mine enemies 
stand threatening around ; yet called I upon the Name of the 
Lord, and Ho redeemed me with watchful goodness. 

The charming fluency of the melody, and the soft 
richness of the instrumentation, give a character of 
repose to the first sentence of this Duet, that shows 
the words as springing from a soul at peace wiUi all 
around,— « song of tiiankfulness poured forth in the 
calm spirit of contentment. The more troubled 
character assumed at the entry of the soprano voice 
on the words " I wander," indicates ratiier reoolleo- 



tions of grief than present suffering, from which the 
confidence of tiie declaration, " Yet called I," when 
the two voices are first brought together, and the 
gcntie sweetness of the succeeding passage, "And lie 
redeemed me," bring us back to the sense of tranquil 
security which is tiie prominent expression of the 
piece. The resumption of the opening melody by 
the soprano voice, while the tenor has a counter-mel- 
ody, is one of tiie chief effects in the Duet. 

14. CJkonu.^Ye natiomi, oiler to the Lord i^oiy and ml^t. 
Te monarrhs, ofler to the Lord glory and n^ght. 
Thou heaven, oOer to the Lord glory and mfght. 
The whole earth, offer to the Lord glory and might. 

The misety past, the Redemption accomplished, 
the general song of thanks and the personal feeling 
of gratitude openly and secretiy offered at the Heav- 
enly mercy-seat, the universe is called upon to glorify 
the Lord, from whom proc^Kl alike the punishment 
and the pardon. This purpose is embodied with a 
dignity worthy of the theme ; the grand declamatory 
Subject, of a class with some of tlie noblest of Han- 
ders— 



:^^ 



H^^^^^ 




Ye nations, of • fer to the 



^^^i^^i^fe- 



Lord, of - fer to the Lord glory and might 

is so accompanied at its announcement, that the 
voices, being ouite independent of the orchestra, give 
clear and empnatic enunciation to the comprehensive 
summons, which thus readies alike the outer sense 
and the inward feeling of multitudinous nations, 
thunder-voiced and irresistible. The several vocal 
parts enter successively with the same Subject, but 
each with a different ciivision of the text, implying 
that the four great embassies, to the Nations,' the 
Monarchs, the Heavens, and the Earth, spread them- 
selves through the infinity of space, circulating tiieir 
message from sphere to sphere, and filling ue un- 
iathomed realms with the one grand utterance of the 
one great feeling. 

16. O give thanks to the Lord, praise Him all ye people, and 
ever praue His Holy Name. 
Sing ye the Unrd, and evmr praise His Holy Name. 

The imitative form of the preceding movement 
now ceases. An orchestral passage, in which an ex- 
traordinary and most astonishing effect of breadth is 
attained by the pi'ogression of the parts in long scales 
of measured notes by contrary motion, introduces the 
ponderously massive harmony of the voices with pro- 
digious majesty ; the universe has reverberated with 
tiie awful summons, the universe has obeyed, and ail 
created powers join in the Hymn of Praise. 

We have then a clever fugue upon this Subject, the 
aim of which appears to be, artistically, to give solid- 
ity to the composition by the exercise of the pro- 
foundest scholastic resources,— dramatically, to give 
tiio effect of multitude, and so of vastncws, as an 
appropriate rendering of the text. 

16. AU that have life and breath, sing to the Lonl. 

Finally, the initial phrase— that which, as a motto, 
first announced in a grand epitome the entire design 
of the work — now announces the design to be ful- 
filled, and declares the heart^xpanding solemnity of 
offering pniise to be accomplished. The mind that 
could produce was all-competent to approve the 
greatness of this noble masterpiece, and this repeti- 
tion of lus chief idea seems like his setting his seal 
upon tiie work, which stamped it as worthy of the 
tiieme, worthy of tiie art, and worthy of tiie composer. 

London, Jan. 1857. G. A. Macfarrbn. 



Beethoven's " Moon-light'* Sonata— liszt 

[We translate the following Tnm. the Voyagt Musical en 
AJUemagne tt en ItdH* of Hacroa Bsiuos, Paris, 1814.] 

There is a work of Beethoven, known by the 
name of the Sonata in C Sharp minor , the Adagio of 
which is one of those poesies which human language 
knows not how to designate. Its means of action 
are very simple ,* the left hand softly lays out large 
chords of a sad and solemn cliaracter, and of such 
length as to allow the vibrations of the piano gradu- 
ally to die away upon each one ; above tnfs, the lower 
fingers of the right hand keep up an obstinate arpeg- 
gio accompaniment, of which tne form never varies 
from the first measure to the last; while the other 
fingers render audible a sort of lamentation, the mel- 
odic efflorescence of this sombre harmony. 

One day, some seven or eight years ago, Liszt, in 
executing this Adagio before a little circle of which 
I made one, took it into his head to alter and denat- 
uralize it, after the manner usually adopted then to 
win the applause of the fashionable public : instead 



of holding out those long notes in the bass, instead of 
the severe uniformity of riiythm and of movement 
just alluded to, bo introduced trillB and tremolos, he 
hurried and retarded tiie measure, disturbing tiins by 
fMMsionate accents the calmness of tiiis sadness, and 
making thunders groan in this cloudless sky, which 
should be only sombercd by the sun's departure. . . . 
I most confess, I suffered cruelly, more even than I 
ever suffered hearing our unfortanate cantatriri em- 
broider the grand monologue in FrfyachiUz; for to 
this torture was added the chagrin of seeing such an 
artist indulge in a trick that ordinarily belongs only 
to mediocrity. But what was to be done abont it'l 
Liszt was then like a child who, without complaining 
picks himself up fiiom a fidl which wo pretend not to 
perceive, and wno would cry were you to offer him 
yonr hand. He has risen up proudly : for several 
years past especially it is no longer he who pnrBues 
success, but success which is out of breath in follow- 
ing him ; the roles are exchanged. Let us return to 
our Sonata. 

Recently one of those men of heart and soul, whom 
artists are so happy to encounter, had assembled a few 
friends ; I was of the number. Liszt arrived in the 
evening, and, — finding a discussion p>ing on about 
the value of a piece <>f Weber's, to which the public, 
whether because it was poorly executed, or from some 
other reason, had in a recent concert given bnt a cold 
reception, — seated himself at the piano to answer in 
his manner to the antagonists of Weber. The argu- 
ment appeared unanswerable, and all were obliged to 
confess uiat a work of genius had been misapprecia- 
ted. Just as he had finished, the lamp which lighted 
the apartment appeared on the point of going out : 
one or the company went to revive it. 

Do no such thing, said I ; if he will play the 

Adagio of Beethoven in C sharp minor, this twilight 
will not be amiss. 

•——With all my heart, said Liszt; bnt extinguish 
the light entirely, cover up the fire, let the darkness 
be complete. 

Then, in the midst of those deep shades, after a 
moment for collecting our thoughts, the noble elegy, 
the same which he had formerly so strangely disfig- 
ured, rose in its sublime simplicity ; not a note, not 
an accent were added to the notes and accents of the 
author. It was the shade of Beethoven, evoked by 
the virtuoso, whose grand voice we were hearing. 
Each of us shuddered in silence, and after tiie last 
chord we were silent still we wept. 



" What dobs it mean ? " is often asked of a fine 
piece of music without words. The truth is, the 
meaning of music lies hidden in those deeper and 
more mysterious regions of the human soul's every 
day experience, which it is as vain to ignore as it is 
impossible to render into the distinct tones of thought. 
Music is deeper than speech, and makes its appeal to 
that within us that is deeper than thoughts of the 
understanding. Music expresses that part of our 
best and deeper consciousness, which needs precisely 
such a fluid, sympathetic language as its tones alone 
afford. Music begins where words leave off; by it 
our inmost, spiritual natures commune with each 
other. Hence the loftiest poetry, the most inspired 
and subtle charm of conversation, in short that magi- 
cal something that distinguishes the utterances of 
genius in its high hour, in whatsoever form, is an 
approximation to music and sets the finest chords to 
vibrating within us in something the same way. The 
effect of music could hardly be described more accu- 
rately than in the very terms in which tiie higher 
ranges of Coleridge's conversation are described by 
his nephew, in the preface to the "Table Talk." 
For example : 

I have seen him at times when yon could not incar- 
nate him, — ^when ho shook aside your petty questions 
or doubts, and burst with some impatience through 
the obstacles of common conversation. Then, escaped 
from the fiesh, he would soar upwards into an atmos- 
phere almost too rare to breatne, bnt which seemed 
proper to him, and there he would float at ease. Like 
enough, what Coleridge then said, his subtiest listener 
would not understand as a man understands a news- 
paper ; but upon such a listener there would steal an 
mnuence, and an impression, and a sympathy ; there 
would be a gradual attempering of his body and spir- 
it, till his total being vibrated with one pulse alone, 
and thought became merged in contemplation ; — 

And so, his senses gradually wrapt 
In a half sleep, he'd dream of better vwlds. 
And dreaming hoar thee still. singing laxfc, 

Ids ! 



ig no 
That saogest Uke an aogel in the doa^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1858. 



13 



American Voicei.— Miuieal Conventions. 

Mr. Dwioiit. — The " Diarist " has, in your lajit 
iftsue, touched upon a topic which has often recurred 
to my own mind, and without doubt to many others 
also. All who have based their judp^ment upon 
observation, instead of thoup^htlessly adopting the 
popular notion, must long ago have been aware of 
the abundance of good voices with which our 
land is blessed. If, indeed, it bo, that any lands are 
more favorable than others to tlie production of rare 
voices, ours must be among tlio number, for the really 
fine Mezzo Sopranos (voices), which are to be found 
in our towns and villages, would suffice to supply 
half the world with great singers, if they were accom- 
panied by that gift of the spirit, which alone am 
make a true artist. Nor is this endowment entirely 
wanting among us. The experience of nearly every 
country Music Teacher will furnish at least one ex- 
ample of a rare voice combined with equally rare 
mental endowments. Very few, however, even of 
tlie most gifted, have ever reached a higher state of 
advancement than to sing the anthems (so called) 
inserted in the back part of psolm-tune books, which 
usually differ from the psalm-tunes only in containing 

more measures and in venturing a note or two higher 
in the treble parts. 

As to the causes and means of cure of this great 
deficiency in the development of our musical resources 
the Diarist offers some suggestions, with which I 
must partly agree and partly differ. First, the cause : 
tliis 1 take to be, mainly, the poor character of the 
Sacred Music which obtains tliroughout the land. 
Wlien it is considered that in almost everr town or 
village in New England a " Singing School " gathers 
together each winter die musical people of the place, 
for the purpose of " Sol-Fa-ing through the last 
psalm-tune book of the favorite "Professor," the 
great influence exerted by this class of music in vitia- 
ting the taste, and in deadening that susceptibility to 
the influence of reallv good music, which is natural 
to the community, will be apparent. 

The Diarist, looking around for something to im- 
prove this state of things, fixes upon Musical Con- 
ventions as likely to help him. Having been con- 
nected with a great many of these affairs, in several 
different States and under the management of many 
different Professors, I can speak with some certainty 
concerning their objects and influence. They are, in 
fact, only gigantic Singing Schools, where the Pro- 
fessor gets paid for advertising his own books, and at 
which country people are educated up to the standard 
of such master-pieces as the Oratorios of " Absalom" 
and the " Captivity and Restoration," or the equally 
classical " Cantatas," with names apparently bor- 
rowed fh>m the backs of cheap yellow-covered books. 

Let it not be thought that I have mis-stated the 
object of the managers of these Conventions. I know 
of more than one instance, where the inhabitants of 
country towns have engaged two celebrated manufac- 
turers of the psalm-tune nostrum, from diflferent 
States, to hold a Convention together, and where each 
of the Doctors of Music brought his o\vn pile or 
psalm-books, his own bundle of glee-books, and his 
own Oratorio or Cantata, and alternated with his 
rival in displaying their merite, while the gathered 
multitude or singers, who had spent lime and money 
in the endeavor to satisfy the thirst of tlieir natures 
for mtMic, are forced to follow the rival Professors, in 
their contradictory precepts, exchanging each book 
for its rival as the Professors alternate in command. 

Once, in a small town, the centre of a county, the 
calling of a similar Convention fell into the hands of 
persons who desired, as does the " Diarist," to make 
It conduce to the musical benefit of its meml)ers. 
Thev pursued the very plan proposed by the " Dia- 
rist '^' ; tliey procured and practised for some time 
Itrevious to the Convention, good classical music, and 
ooked earnestly forward to the time when the pre- 
ceptor should assist them to feel the greatness and 
give life to the beauties of those noble choruses from 
"Samson" ; but tlie day arrived, and with the Professor 
came the Professor's 'books, and these occupied the 
van, the body, and the rear of the Convention's time, 
leaving poor Classics to come in as baggage. 

Surely, Mr. Diarist, such Conventions will hardly 
aid the great work in which we ore both engaged. 

Phi. 

Answek to the Above. — Why did the people 
in that said country town engage "Professors ? 
Why did they not send for a Conductor f Send for a 
man like Zerrahn, or Eckhart. or Southanl to direct 
the work the^ had in hand ? Enough good conduct- 
ors may be found. Diakist. 



Jfoigjt's |0nrnal d Pnsk 

BOSTON, APRIL. lO, 1858. 



The Oratorios. 
The earnest efforts of the Handel and 
Haydn Society to give us four more Oratorio 
programmes, with the invaluable aid of Herr 
Formes, and other artists associated with 
him in New York, have so far been rewarded 
by large, but not by any means overflowing 
audiences. The " Elijali," on Saturday even- 
ing, it was our misfortune personally to lose, 
illness preventing our attendance. But all 
accounts agree in representing that the great 
basso, suffering from a cold and the fatigue of 
recent labors, did not give the part of the 
prophet with the same spirit as on his former 
visit ; that the choral performance, too, was 
in many parts less effectively inspired; but 
that some of the choruses and all of the 
quartets went better than ever here, and that 
Mme. D'Angri was much admired in the 
contralto (or mezzo soprano) songs, especially 
in the "Angel Trio," which, as sung this 
time by Mrs. Long, Mrs. Harwood and 
herself, made even a finer impression than as 

sung before by boys. 

The "Messiah," on Sunday evening, we 
did hear, and would not for much have missed 
it. Formes, of course, was the great special 
attraction. He is one of those very few 
singers, who possess the higher qualities of 
the artist in so eminent a degree, who has so 
much of the soul and inspiration of tlie music 
in him, and who conveys it with so much 
truth of feeling, so much power of intellect, 
and such commanding force of voice and per- 
sonal magnetism, that it detracts very little 
from him that he is open to various points of 
technical criticism in detail. In spite of the 
fact that his intonation is not always true (as 
is the case with many ponderous bass voices) ; 
in spite of what we must deem his worst 
fault, the tendency to too much portamento, 
and in spite of still remaining signs of hoarse- 
ness, he delivered the great bass solos of the 
"Messiah" that night with a power and 
grandeur of expression, which we have scarce- 
ly heard approached before. His mere mas- 
tery of the music, to speak of nothing more, 
his executive command of the Handelian pas- 
sages, his power of phrasing, emphasis, and 
light and shade, were very perfect ; and the 
grand voice, furnishing such large and palpa- 
ble tone-substance, was all tlie shaping, plas- 
tic art could want. But then, too, there was 
the informing mind, the equal of which we 
have not had in any singer except Jenny 
Lind. There was the imaginative, vitalizing 
consciousness of what he sang, which colored 
and attempered each note as the sentiment, 
the spirit of the part required. How remark- 
able this in the great descriptive recitative 
and air : For, behold, darkness shall cover the 
earth; The people that walked in darkness, 
Sfc. / Much is due to the composer ; but, in 
the change from the sombre tone of darkness 
to the phrase : have seen a great light, how 
wonderfully his tones brightened ! how vivid, 
lustrous was the entliusiasm of that passage ! 
And there was a whole-souled energy about 
all such passages. Being truly imaginative 
with him, they could not be overdone. In 



his first recitative : Thus saith the Lord, he 
did " shake the heavens and the earth " with 
a power to make one tremble ; the chaste and 
solemn beauty of: J^ut who mag abide, and 
the tremendous prestissimo of: For he is like 
a refiner's fire, were in admirable contrast ; 
the latter more perfect than his rendering of 
the similar air in "Elijali." Whg do the 
nations rage was executed to a cliarm, and 
wonderfully effective ; there were strong calls 
for its repetition. The song of the "Last 
Trumpet," too, though we think it too mere a 
show-piece for so sublime an oratorio, we 
never heard so well given ; in the first notes 
of the introductory recitative : Behold, I tell 
you a mystery I we had another exemplifica- 
tion of this singer's fine imaginative coloring 
of a note. We have now heard Formes in 
" Elijah," the " Creation," and the " Messiah," 
and our impression is that in the bass songs 
of the last his grand voice and talent find the 
grandest scope. 

Mr. Perring's tenor sounded sweeter and 
purer than ever in his opening piece : Com- 
fort ye, my people. His execution throughout 
was smooth, artistic, chaste, expressive,— 
allowing something of course for the com- 
monplace cadenzas of all English singers. 
His voice is not robust, not great; but in 
such music we have rarely heard a more de- 
lightful artist. Thy rebuke, &c were given 
with true and beautiful expression. 

We cannot sympathize with all the admira- 
tion felt by some for Mme. D'Angri's large 
tones and dramatic stvle in the contralto airs 
of the " Messiah." The voice is large, and 
also rich ; but to our ear not free from a cer- 
tain something unrefined. Her execution, of 
the Rossini passages especially, is admirable ; 
but here, in the pathetic, but chaste melody 
of: He was despised, there was a dramatic 
overdoing of the matter, a sobbing and gasp- 
ing between the phrases, that seemed far 
more like cold stage common-places, than 
like real emotion. It was false art, in that it 
went on the principle of acting out the sor- 
rows, which the song was only intended calm- 
ly to narrate. In thou that tellest, her 
large tones lent peculiar effect. 

Mrs. Long was remarkably successful in 
the great song of faith : / know that my lie- 
detiner liveth. In the angel announcements : 
Tfhere toere shepherds, S^c, the time was cer- 
tainly too slow ; the wings (in the violin fig- 
ures) moved very languidly ; otherwise we 
have never heard this singer to better advan- 
tage on the whole. The same of Mrs. Went- 
WORTH ; in spite of that certain childishness 
of voice, which goes with its rare purity and 
sweetness, she conveys the beauty and the 
consolation of such strains as : He shall feed 
his flock, and But thou didst not leave, in a 
way that wins deep entrance to the feelings 
of all listeners. No one was more heartily 
applauded. 

The effect of the choruses, and the ensem- 
ble generally, was of more than average ex- 
cellence, though not the best we can remem- 
ber. The contralto part was much too feebly 
represented, in res[)ect of numbers, in propor- 
tion to the rest. The " Hallelujah," however, 
never impressed us more. Some of the 
choruses showed the veiy careful drill under 
which Mr. Conductor Zerrahn has lately put 
his forces. But a noteworthy featui*e, to be 
counted to the advantage of this performance, 
was the introduction and effective rendering 
of certain very important pieces commonly 
omitted. Such were the exceedingly beauti- 



14 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ful consecutive choruses: Surely he hath 
home our griefs and And with his stripes ; the 
hipfhest poetic as well as contrapuntal charm 
is found in the latter. After these choruses, 
the real force and quaintness of: AU we like 
sheepy is for the first time felt. Another 
praiseworthy restoration was that of the an- 
swering quartet and choinis sentences : For 
as by man came deaths tn Christ shall nU he 
made cdive^ &c. The quartets were finely 
given by the four principal singers, and the 
choral antithesis on the last clause told su- 
perbly. 

The Drama. 

The present season will be remembered by mana- 
gers throughont the conntry as the most disastroas 
ever known. Tbe sudden exhaustion in the public 
funds came so unexpectedly that no provision could 
bo made to lessen its effect upon the tlieatrical world. 
Ample and liberal arrangements for a season of unu- 
sual brilliancy had been made by certain managers in 
the three Northern cities. New plans were laid, new 
enterprises decided upon. The expected increase in 
expenses was to be met by a triple combination of 
leading theatres in Boston, New York and Philadel- 
phia, according to which attractive novelties were to 
bo presented alternately before the public of each city. 
Everything promised well, but before the season was 
fairly on its way, the financial pressure cast a shadow 
over all, especially darkening the prospects of those 
who live by the provision of public amusement. The 
entire winter was one of managerial discontent; 
whether in the rapidly reviving interest in gaieties 
there is in store for them a " glorious summer," is 
yet to be seen. 

In Boston matters have been the same as else' 
where ; neither better nor worse. The Boston 
Theatre has been the most afHicted of our places of 
popular resort — if, indeed, that can be called a place 
of popular resort which for so long appeared to be 
sedulonsly shunned by the public. The season 
opened at the appointed time, with a company cer- 
tainly above the average. Various attractions were 
brought forward in rapid succession. Mr. Edwin 
Booth appeared in tlie second week. In tho fifth 
Mr. Charles Matliews came, and added much to his 
own fame, but nothing to the fortunes of the tlicatre. 
Two months passed away, each successive week wit- 
nessing a steady depletion of the treasury. The 
beautiful ballet troupe was introduced in the tenth 
week. Then, indeed, the oudienccs began to increase, 
but not sufficiently to counter-balance the enormons 
expenses at that time. After the departure of the 

ballet troupe, a month of dreary desolation ensued. 
Miss Heron, in the eighteenth week, proved a consid- 
erable attraction, but it was reserved for the Ravels, 
in the twentieth week, to awaken an interest thus far 
unseen. For nine weeks they filled the theatre, yet, 
unfortunately, so great are the regular expenses of 
the establishment, the additional outlays requircd for 
their visit prevented even then any pecuniary advan- 
tage on the side where it was most needed. One 
advantage, however, was gained ; — that of passing 
without positive loss through the most dangerous 
period of the year. After the Ravels, came Mr. 
Edwin Booth again, who succeeded in attracting 
for two weeks larjrcr audiences, perhaps, than could 
have been secured by any other indivirlnal performer 
at that time. From our hasty jjummary we gladly 
step aside a moment to pluck an humble flower and 
throw it in the path of this young and brilliant trage- 
dian. Of all the hosts of aspiniiits for hiatrionic 
fame who at this day tread the boards, he alone seems 
destined to attain a splendid eminence. Even now, 
when but just entered upon the tangled path of his 
profession, he justly claims a position so far above all 
other American actors, tliat only one or two can be 
named with him. In the personation of Shake- 
speare's characters, which most powerfully test an 
actor's abilities, Mr. Booth's genius carries him noblv 
through. The Shakespearian temple is hot defiled, 
but adorned, when he enters it. Two more years of 
such ranid advancement in his art as he hos shown 
during tne past two, and he will surely stand in the 
front rank of living tragedians. 



The present attraction at the theatre is the curious 
specimen of Mr. Bourcicault's " contemporaneous 
drama," "Jessie Brown, or the Relief of Lncknow" 
a scries of effectively constructed scenes selected 
from the events of the Indian war. The chief merit 
of this ])lay is the adniirablo manner in which it is 
put upon the stage, the scenery and appointments f:ir 
exceeding in magnificence anything ever Ixjfore seen 
in this city. It has attracted large audiences at tho 
Boston Theatre, which now bids fair at least to incur 
no loss for the remainder of the season. 

The Boston Museum has sailed steadily through 
the financial tempest, not unscathed, indeed, but with 
perhaps less difficultv tlian any tlicatre in the North. 
There is a wonderfullv firm and capable hand at the 
managerial helm. Mr. Kimball, it would seem, has 
found that philosopher's stone which ensures fixed 
fortune even in his dubious vocation. There are rea- 
sons, which appear on examination, for his unvaiTing 
success. At anodier time tho examination shall bo 
made. 

The Howard Athenseum — it is singular, by the 
way, that two of our theatres should seek to conceal 
themselves under an assumed name — has been 
closed the winter long, with the exception of a ridi- 
culous attempt at a season of a few weeks, of which 
the less said the better. It has recently opened with 
the brightest auspices, under the management of Mr. 
and Mrs. Banx>w. As now conducted, the Howard 
deserves to prosper. The company is remarkably 
complete, and equal to almost any requirements, as 
has been sliown. The plan adopted by Mr. Barrow, 
— a new one, and one which will probably carry suc- 
cess with it, — we must touch upon hereafter. 

These are the only theatrical reminiscences of tho 
season worth alluding to. Tliere have been at the 
National Theatre some representations alike disgrace- 
ful to the stage and to the city which peimits them. 
These have recentlv given place to a circus exhibi- 
tion, and it is said that the control of the theatre has 
just been assumed by a gentleman who will endeavor 
to redeem its character. The task is a severe one, 
but is worth attempting. 

Concerts. — Since our last there hare been ttereral concerts, 
nineflfl has prevented our attending any of them except the 
annual Benefit of the Mendelssobit (Imvrnn Club, which, 
we are sorry to say, had but thin andienee, althongh both pro- 
gramme and performance were of a very high order. We hope 
to speak more at length of It next week. The others have been 
that of the St. Cecuja Socibtt, on Saturday evening; the 
Wednesday Afternoon Concert, at the Muric Hall, of which the 
larger features were Becthoren's G minor Symphony, and tho 
Tunnhaiiser Overture; and a private fti«well entertainment 
given by Mrs. E. A. Wbittworth, to some of her friends, at 
Chickering's, more especially in compliment to the members of 
the society worshipping at King's Chapel. This we were very 
sorry to lose. Mrs. Wentworth sails for Europe in the Tander. 
but, from New York, to-day. 



Musical Cliit-Cliat. 

This evening the Handel and Haydn Societt 

give the third of their grand Oratorio performances. 

The first part will be miscellaneous, gi'ving a chance 

to hear the glorious organ of Herr Formes in three 

famous bass songs, to-wt : In dtesen hfilifjen Hallen^ 
from the Zavherjfiote ; Schubert's " Wanderer," and 
an air from Figaro. Mr. Cooper's admirable violin- 
ism also will be heard. For tho second part we are 
to have, for the first time, Mendelssohn's sublime 
" Hymn of Prnise," of which the fii-st half is an or- 
chestral Symphony in three noble movements, and 
the second' half grand choruses and orchestra, with 
splendid solos for tenor and sopranos. Tho hearer 
siiould prepare himself by reading the analysis com- 
menced in our last, and concluded in this week's 
paper. To-morrow evening, the " Citation " will be 
again performed, giving another opportunity to hear 
the famous low D of Formes. Mrs. Long, Mrs. 
Harwood and Mr. Perring take the other parts. 
, . . The Germania Military Band, whose 
new organization in the much desired forni of a roerf 
Band) of thirty instniments, we heralded with joy a 
few weeks since, announce a first Concert at tlio 
Music Hall for next Satunlay evening. Let every 
one, who has grown weary of the age of brass, attend 
and lend his countenance to this good movement. . 
. . The eleventh and last but one of the Afternoon 
Concerts of the Orchestral Union will take place 
next "Wednesday. 

"We heard some rare music on the morning of 

Good Friday, at the house of a gentleman in this 

city, who provides a refined pleasure for himself and 

his friends by private quartet performances of classi- 
cal music once a week the winter through. To this 
end he employs four of our best resident artists : 



Mcs.sr8. EcKnARDT, WuLF Fries, SnitrLTZE and 
SrcK, who compose as perfect a quartet as we have 
listened to in Boston. On this orrasion we had a ' 
Fugue by Mozart ; a religious Andante out of one 
of Beethoven's latest Quartets ("m mnr/o AyrZ/ro"), 
profoundlv lx;autiful and solemn ; He wax dfxpiiwd^ 
and Brhatil and me if thetf he nnif fsorrntr^ from Han- 
del's " Messiah," the air lacing most foclinjrly sung in 
the one by the viola, in the other by the 'cello ; and 
finally the introduction, and all the seven Sonatas of 
that famous old work, Haydn's " Seven last wonls on 
the Cross." These were all slow, pravo movements, 
but appropriate to the day, and for tlic most part 
very l>eautiful. 

The London Mmical World devotes three or four 

columns to us again — part complimentarj', and part 

friendly warning against German critics ; thereby 

hangs a queue {in German^ Zopjff"). We shall 

consider the matter at due length. . . . They have 
found out that the mother of Lablache was Irish. 
. . . AVliat wonderful instruction books are written 
now-a-davs for musical bctrinners ! We opened one 
and found tlie " Anvil Chorus " arranged for flute 
solo ! 

The music-lovers in Salem, in Providence, in Wor- 
cester, &c., have enjoyed in turn the splendors of tho 
Formes constellation this week, in the interim bc~ 

tween the Oratorios in Boston. . . . Last Tuos' 
day evening the young ladies of the " Mendelssohn 
Musical In.stitute,'' in Pittsficld, Ma.<s., gave a Soiree, 
under the direction of their zealous principal, Mr. 
Edward B. Oliver. In the programme we notice 
five Sonatas : (in E b, by Hummel ; in D, by 15ect- 
iioven ; Op. 36, by Clementi ; in C, by Kuhlau ; and 
Fantasia and Sonata, by Mozart) ; a* Song without 
Wonls, by Mendelssohn ; a Fanta.«5ia (" Winter's 
Tale ") by Oesten ; Polonaise, by Weber ; and Songs 
by Mendelssohn, Schubert, Abt, Kalliwoila, and 
Meyerl)eer. Certainly an example worthy to be held 
up to all seminaries where music is professed ! We 
hear that the performance reflected preat credit on 
both teachers and pnpils. . . . We read of our 
whilom tenor, Mr. Artiiurson, as giving a third 
Soirdo Mnsicale in Montreal, assisted by amateur 
pupils ; tlio selections were " from the oldest masters." 

The "MuSARD Monster Concerts" at the New 
Tork Academy of Music commence on Monday eve- 
ning, to be continued every evening for ono month. 
Ullman blows his biggest trumpets in the newspapers. 

They will be the " grandest, completest, most colossal" 
concerts ever known on this side the ocean. He has 
found his twenty liveried waiters, his " prepos-sessing" 
Naiads of exhaustless tea and coflfee fountains, his 
twenty boys in fancy uniforms to sell the evening 
papers ; he also invites you to the light of '* twenty- 
five monster candelabras," to the downy ease of "one 
hundred sofas," and what not. Then the orchestra 
numbers one hundred and twenty instntments ! includ- 
ing " 60 fii-st-rate violins, 30 contra liasses and 'cellos, 
9 trombones and 20 drums ! " besides the usual wind 
and brtLss. Such is the outfit for one of Musard's 
" Monster Quadrilles." We are nothing if not mon- 
strous in these days. There is to be a " Comic Cattle 
Show Quadrille "and an " Explosion of the Malakoff 
Quadrille." Musard brinps with him famous solo- 
players fi-om Paris ; and Thalberg, D'Anori, &c., 
are' to take part in the opening. To be sure, this is 
Musard Jih, and not Musard the founder of thi's nice 
and quiet little classical stylo of concert that wears 
his name. Tho fatlier laid down the baton in '42, 
and since then the present Musard has reigned in 
Paris, and is the only Musard known to the Parisian 
of to-flay ; — all this has Mr. Ullman taken pains to 
prove at a whole column's length by documents in 
the newspapers, silencing malicious nints about tho 
identity of his lion. They do sav, however, that the 
real Musard concert hails from Bohemia; perhaps all 
our readers are not so well booked up in Geojrrnphy 
as to be aware that Bohemia is in Paris. . . . Ullman 
has already sent up the signal balloon of his next 
grand ascent : He ha«« cngajjed London Lumley with 
all his troupe, including Piccolonini, and the new 
tenor Giuglini, to come over here next autumn. . . 
The " Hutchinson Family," ro-organized, are giving 
more of their " heai-ty, homely," popular concerts in 
New York, at Mozart Hall. . . . Bach's triple Con- 
certo is to Iks played at Messrs. Mason & Thomas's 
Matinee to-dav by the three pianists, Scharfenberg, 
TiMM and William Mason. . . . The "Haydn 
Quartet " is the name of a new Club for Chamber 
Mupic, formed in Brooklyn, under the lead of The- 
odore Hagen. 

In Philadelphia, Maretzek's Opera troupe con- 
cluded their first subscription series on Monday and 
Wednesday nights, with VElisir dAmore and iMcia^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1858. 



15 



the principal ports being sustained by Laoranok, 

Gassieu, Brignoli, Gaspakoni and Assoni. The 

small niidicnccs thus far have been ascribed in port 

to the want of novelty ; but an immense subscription 
was anticipated for the new scries of ten nights, which 
was to commence last evening, witli / Puritaniy the 
great baritone Konconi at last appealing as Sir 
George Wauton. " William Tell " is to be given on 
Monday : this we really envy the I'liiladelphians. 
The Propfiete, " North ^tar," " Huguenots, &c., are 
expected to follow. Otlicr meml)ers of the troupe 
are Gazzanioa, Adelaidb Piiillips, D'Angri, 
Amodio, &c. FUzfferald says : " tlie Brignoli of to- 
day is as superior to the Brignoli of 1855, aa Formes 
is to the average of hassi." . . . Mr. Sentz'b 
orchestra, at their " Germania Rehearsals," have 
reached the point of giving a Symphony entire ; they 
have played Mozart's " Jupiter," in C. . . . The 
" Ilannonia Sacred Music Society " gave their thir- 
tieth concert (second of the season) last Monday 
evening, assisted by Mr. Frazeb, the tenor. The 
programme was miscellaneous. 

A Philadelphia paper gives us the information that 
" Mr. UUman is negotiating for the Howard Athe- 
naeum, Boston, with a view of giving a series of 

Italian operas, with Lagrange, D'Angri, Formes, 
Gassier, &o." Yet these same artists are just now 
s:iiling under the Marctzek colors. There is a rumor, 
also, that the two high and mighty powers have 
joined hands and resolved to cut Boston altogether ! 

Master Paine, a young pianist, has been gratifying 

the musical people of Portland, Mo. with a series of 

concerts (to the end, we infer, of bridging tlie way to 

a higher Musical education in Europe.) The last 
time he was assisted bv the Orchestral Union, under 
Mr. KoTzscHMAR, W two bands, Miss Jenny 
TwiTCiEELL, the singer, and several instrumental 
solists. 

From my Diary. (New Series, No. 2.) 

April 6. — I met a gentleman on Sunday, who told 
me of the desire expressed by one of our best patrons 
of all good music, a gentleman of the highest cul- 
ture, for something similar to the historical concerts 
of Dresden, Berlin, and London. It is not a new 
suggestion, as the volumes of Dwight's Journal will 
testify. I know of but one attempt to give a concert 
of this class in Boston, viz., that given by Mr. Cutler 
with the choir of the Church of the Advent, last 
year, and which was not so successful in a pecuniary 
point of view, as to invite its repetition. There is 
one way in which something might bo effected, and 
the lovers of solid, old church music gratified — but 
is it practicable ? 

Let us draw a fancy sketch. 

The Handel & Haydn Society, through its govern- 
ment, organizes an adequate orchestra and takes 
upon itself the risk of undertaking a series of con- 
certs similar to those of the " Gcwandhaus " in 
Leipzig, or of tlie " Stemsche Gesangverein," in 
Berlin. The public comes forward liberally and 
agrees to furnish means for a fair trial of the experi- 
ment — that is, so many tickets ore subscribed for as 
will ensure the society against loss. 

The Society agrees on its part to give a series of 
ten Symphony Concerts on alternate Saturday even- 
ings, and a certain number of performances of Ora- 
torios in the course of the season. At each of the 
Symphony Concerts a portion of the Society — so 
many aa have the time and musical taste to induce 
them to join this extra choir — will perfoim cantatas 
and choral music of various styles and eras. Under 
some such arrangement there M'ould be ample oppor- 
tunity for the production of specimens of tlie works 
of Palestrina, Durante, Leo, Lasso, and tfieir contem- 
poraries. Extracts from the secular works of Han- 
del, Bach, Gluck, and Hasse, could occasionally bo 
given ; indeed two or three performances migh't be 
modelled upon the London " Ancient Concerts " — 
for so many years a leading feature in the music of 
that citv. 

Smitli — like X in Algebra — a name denoting an 
unknown individual, intends to leave two or three 
hundred thousands by-and-by in trust for the support 
of concerts and good music generally, as Lowell left 
funds for the lecturing institute. L^'ntil Smith does 
this, I fear we shall hear no Palestrina or Lotti music, 
uidess the fancy sketch above becomes a reality. 



glttsital Cornspnhntt 

New York, April 6. — Mr. Satter has given 
two more concerts, for which the programmes were 
rather more mixed than was accordant with good 
taste. At the first, he played, alone, the Tannhaaser 
Overture, astonishing anew even tliose who had heard 
it before. His rendering of two or three of Mend- 
elssohn's " Songs without Words " was not particu- 
larly satisfactory; the spirit was wanting, and the 
pcrformamce of the " Spring Song," with which he 
answered an encore, could bear no comparison with 
that of more than one other artist. Bach's " Triple 
Concerto " was marred in its effect by the prepon- 
derance of the pianos over the string-quartet ; the 
pianos were again some of Steinway's noisy ones, 
and did not go well together. Messrs. Goldbeck 
and Ptchowski assisted Mr. Satter at these instru- 
ments, while Messrs. Mollenhauer, Noll, Eis- 
FELD and Bergner played the quartet accompani- 
ment. Mr. Mollenhauer gave us two of his tricksy 
and elaborate violin solos, of which one grows heartily 
tired by degrees ; and Miss Andem, with her fine, 
clear, though cold voice, and indifferent manner, was 
tlie vocalist of the evening. The last number of the 
programme was a Grande paraphrase des Iluguenois^ 
played and composed by Mr. Satter, which abounded 
in difficulties, but was rather deficient in beauty. It 
called forth, nevertheless, a storm of applause and a 
vehement encore. To this Mr. Satter replied with 
— tell it not in Gath ! — nothing more nor less than 
" Yankee Doodle " I An ingenious representation of 
it, to be sure, with a very natural imitation of the 
drum and fife, &c. — but " how are the mighty 
fallen " I Bach and " Yankee Doodle " in the same 
ranks ! Mr. Sattcr's second concert was similar in 
quality. 

Saturday before last the Academy was crowded io 
overflowing, and chiefly with ladies, in honor of the 
last operatic performance of Carl Formes, who 
sang for the first and only time at a Mating. The 
pretty little opera of " Martha " was performed, 
with the usual merits and defects, and the same cast 
as earlier in the winter, except that Mme. Johannsen 
made the heroine, instead of Lagrange, and, though 
her voice is fresher, was inferior in her acting. 
Mason's Mating, which took place at the same time 
presented a very attractive programme. A quartet 
(in D) by Mozart; Schumann's Andante and Varia- 
tions for two pianos (in which Mr. Timm assisted 
Mr. Mason) ; a Scherzo and Trio from a Quartet by 
Cherubini; and the Andante and Variations from 
Schubert's posthumous Quatuor. The performance 
of these compositions was very fine ; in fact, this 
quartet party are fast coming up to that of the Eis- 
feld, and if the latter often play as carelessly as they 
did in the Schumann Quartet at their last concert 
(which I forgot to mention), die former may soon be 
beyond them. 

m 

Monday and Wednesday night Fry's " Leonora " 
was given. By a glimpse which I caught of the 
Journal (my copy has not yet reached me,) I see that 
you have had a notice of it; not having read it 
through, I do not know how far it enters into details. 
I will say, therefore, what I have heard, that the opera 
is full of pleasing melodies, but also full of reminis- 
cences ; and that it is almost as impossible to execute 
as tlie Stabat Mater of the same composer. As a 
specimen, I was told that in one of the choruses the 
Sopranos have to commence on the high C ! 

On Thursday " the Huguenots " was given for the 
lost time, and with that performance the opera closed, 
to make room for Mons. Mcsard and his concerts. 
This gentleman, by the by, is the innocent cause of a 
deal of trouble to poor Mr. Ullman. The adver- 
tisements in our daily papers will give you sufficient 
information on that score, however. There were two 
attractive concerts on Tuesday night, though it was 
not hard to choose between them. At the one Paul 



JuLiEN made his farewell appearance. Owing to the 
counter attraction, he had but a slim audience ; but, 
according to all accounts, those who heard him were 
delighted. The otlier was the performance of the 
" Messiah," at the Academy. This did not equal 
the one on Christmas night. Formes, it is true, 
was equally good, and Caradori even better, but the 
tenor was far inferior to Mr. Perring, and Mme. 
d'AKGRi ratlier risked the reputation she had acquired 
quired as a singer of sacred music. The dioruses 
were below criticism. An enlivening scene occurred 
during the evening ; the " trumpet aria " was vocifer- 
ously encored — but Mr. Anschutz attempted to 
proceed with the following chorus. But the audience 
were not to be cheated out of their pleasure, they 

drowned the orchestra completely with tumult. Mr. 
Anschutz, after several endeavors to go on, trnned 
to die audience and said in an excited tone : " Gentel- 
men and ladies 1 it is nevare de costome to repeat de 
sackred moosic 1 " But the " gentelmen and ladies " 
did not care for the " costome, and noisily called for 
the trumpet aria. Mr. Anschiitz listened a while, 
growing more and more wrathy, and finally fiung 
down his baton and walked off the stage. At this 
there was some consternation, particularly as some of 
the solo singers and chorists followed. But die storm 
broke out anew, and raged with increased fury. 
Formes sat still, the while, laughing in his sleeve, and 
evidently enjoying the scene. At length a gentleman 
appeared : probably the president of the Harmonic 
Society, and addressed the audience in the politest 
terms, saving that they were always happv to repeat 
any number which pleased the audience, but that in 
this case, they must beg the indulgence of the latter, 
as the trumpet accompaniment to the aria in question 
was so difficult that it was impossible for the perfor- 
mer to go through it again. This speech was duly 
applauded, Mr. Anschiitis re-appearea, resumed his 
baton, and the oratorio proceeded, I rejoice to say, 
without further interruption. 

What say you to this specimen of the manners of 
our public 1 I must confess that I have been almost 
ashamed to give it you I Such demonstrations, too, 
BO particularly inappropriate to the character of the 
music that was being performed ! In Europe a very 
good rule exists, of not even allowing applause at 
oratorios — much less encores. People who come to 
hear sacred music are expected to behave quietly. I 
am very glad that Mr. Anschiitz carried his point in 
this case. — t — 

Florence, Italt, Feb., 1858. — In Florence, as 
I have observed in a previous letter, the great ma- 
jority of the performing musicians are very young 
men and boys ; and these chiefly make up the orches- 
tras. The pay given is very trifling — only a few 
pauls a night — and the rehearsals are not paid for at 
all. The musicians forming the military bands ore 
also young men, and very many of these performed 
on their respective wind instruments in the various 
orchestras during die evenings. The best musicians 
in the city, solo performers especially, are attached to 
the court ; but the pay of even the most eminent docs 
not amount to over eight dollars a month ; for the 
rest, they eke out a subsistence by giving lessons and 
performing at private concerts, at the houses of the 
wealthy Florentines and strangers. The operatic 
singers also are paid very small salaries, but it is 
always the custom for die prima donna, and tenor, to 
have regularly signed contracts, professing to engage 
their services for the season at certain high rates. 
These serve a purpose similar to the " characther " of 
an Irish servant girl, and are only used to exhibit to 
any manager wanting their service elsewhere, while in 
reality their salary is probably but one-half of that 
named in the contract. 

Florence is particularly noted in the musical cir- 
cles as being productive of performers of eminence on 
wind instruments. The best Florentine flutist has 
recendy been appointed flutist to the Emperor of 
Russia. There is one Pimboni here, who does 
wonders, nay miracles, upon the trombone, perform- 
ing the most florid and difficult variations, and pro- 
ducing tones as delicate as those of the flute. On dit 
that Jullien has declared that should he engage Pim- 
boni, his auditors would never want to listen to any one 
else. This Pimboni has a brother, Pimboni number 



16 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



two, who is a Titan upon the clarionet The best 
French horn is Signor Paoli, who is attached to the 
Tuscan court, and is acknowledged on all sides to be 
the first maettro on his instrument in Italj. His 
Florentine friends assert that he is superior to Yi- 
TisR. From a personal acquaintance with Signor 
Paoli, I can attest his merits as a remarkable and 
expressive performer, and his Method for the Horn, 
published by Ricordi of Milan, proves that ho knows 
how to write about his instrument as well as to play 
on it. 

Though Verdi is the ascendant musical star here, 
as in all Italy, yet he does not entirely eclipse the old 
masters. The Florentine Philharmonic Society fre- 
quently produce the works of Beethoven, Mozart, 
and Haydn; and the chamber quartets of classical 
writers are often performed at the private concerts 
frequently given hero by prominent music-teachers 
and their pupils. The most successful piano-forte 
teacher here in Italian Florence, is Prof. Krauss, a 
German gentleman whose acquaintance I had the 
pleasure of making. He has been a resident of Flor- 
ence eighteen years, during ten of which ho has offi- 
ciated as organist of the English church ; but his 
instrument is a very inferior one, not at all calculated 
to exhibit the real ability of the performer. 

Of church music in Florence little can bo said. 
On the high festivals of the church, the services ot 
operatic artists are obtained, but on ordinary occa- 
sions, the music is inferior. There are no eminent 
organists and no really good organs. Enter a Flor- 
entine church, and you will hear some rambling, 
florid performances, upon an organ with a sharp, 
cutting tone, but wholly devoid of tliat solemn gran- 
deur, which we generally associate with this Milton 
of instruments, and which in the English cathedrals 
is found in its most glorious development. The 
oigans in tliis city are (with the exception of that in 
the English church), destitute of swell-pedals, and no 
really beautiful effects can bo produced. As to fugue- 
playing, it seems to be almost unknown. 

Trotator. 



Home, March 8. — Of course during Lent, all 
operatic performances are abandoned and Rome 
becomes as utterly unmusical a place as you need 
wish to see. There have been a few concerts given 
by the tenor Gardoni, the soprano Gassier, and 
some others of the opera company. The price of 
tickets was $1.50, and the programme consisted of a 
few operatic seloctions. These concerts have been 
given at the residences of some of the Italian nobility, 
and to all intents and purposes may be considered as 
private soirees. 

Indeed, I havo been very much surprised to see 
how little real musical taste tliero seems to be in 
Rome — a hand organ is a rarity — there are but two 
or three music stores in the city — pianofortes are not 
in as many families as in an American city of the 
same size, and there is little to show me that I am in 
the land of music — the very home of Apollo. 
Sometimes I hear a few jolly young men in the eve- 
ning roaring one or two staves of Trovaiore or 
Norma, but as this is perhaps the only music they 
have ever heard, their performance exliibits no more 
real love for music than the untutored efforts of some 
New York or Boston rowdy, who staggers home, 
singing " Nelly Bly " or " Root, Hog, or die " ! 

Luckily people don't como to Rome to hear music. 
It is the eye rather than the ear that is to be gratified 
in tho Imperial City ; and where there are so many to 
see, one can endure very easily tho absence of all 
orchestral or vocal harmonies. 

Among my daily strolls amid the Art galleries of 
Rome, I very frequently include the gallery of busts 
of distinguished Italians in the Capitol. There, in 
some half a dozen rooms, are all the great men of 
modem Italy — for the old fogeys of classic times, 
there is a separate gallery. 



Among these fine busts I particularly remember of 
musical men, Paesiello, with a grand, statesmanlike 
head — Cimarosa, common-place and pug-nosed — 
Zingarelli, with a head like Webster. Of artists, 
sculptors and architects, there are Fra Angclioo, with 
a sweet, benign face, full of love and kindness — Fra 
Bartolomeo, much the same kind of features, but 
more dignified — Pemgino, with smiling lips and 
long waving hair — Giotto, deep and reflective — Da 
Vince and Benvcnuto Cellini, looking singularly 
alike with their quaint caps and long beards — Andrea 
del Sarto, young, romantic and beautiful, such as 
might have been tho sleeping Endymion — Rafael, 
looking as Rafael alone looks — Domenichino, who, 
instead of being the devout old man one would seem 
to expect after seeing such a work as his " Commu' 
nion of St. Jerome" is young and graceful, looking 
like Charles the I. — Brunelleschi, old and ugly — 
Lorenzo Gliiberti, heavy and ponderous, not at all 
as if he could descend to minute and laborious detail, 
as manifested in his ftimous doors at tho Florence 
Baptistery — Antonio Raimondo of Bologna, from 
whom Ary SchefTer seems to have taken the model 
for his heads of Christ in his Consolator and other 
pictures. Of writers there are Metastasio, with a 
hooked nose, looking more like an avaricious old 
miser than a poet — Alfieri, deep and determined — 
Dante, as Dante alone looks, he and Rafael being 
each a type of peculiar beauty — Goldoni, fat-faced 
and funny, the very ideal of a comedy writer. Per- 
haps, all things considered, the handsomest man of 
all was Pietro da Cortona, a painter of merit, if not 
of the first rank. Micliael Angcio is old and wrin- 
kled, but there is a Miltonic grandeur about his fea- 
tures. It is singular tliat amid tliis collection, so few 
musicians should be found. 

Perhaps the most impressive time to see St. Peters 

is near snnset, when the setting sun sends in his rays 

so that they quite illuminate tho interior of that 

*' —— wondrooB dome 
To which Diana** marrel waa a cdl." 

During Lent the musical services held at Vespers on 
Friday and Sunday evenings are peculiarly attractive. 
These services take place in one of the side chapels, 
and a short time before the hour of commencing, you 
see fat, oily men of Grod, dressed in violet and white, 
and red and black, waddle slowly in and take their 
accustomed seats. Tho musicians are in a gallery, 
and of course tlicy are the real attraction. Tho music 
performed, though florid and Italian, is not operatic. 
Paesiello, Zingarelli, Cherubini supply the repertoire 
rather than Bellini, Verdi or Rossint. The organ 
stands in a niche, behind the singers' gallery. 

At theso vespers I hear frequently the castratt, 
peculiar, I believe, to Rome. Their voice is that of 
a rich mezzo-soprano, but the effect would be better 
were the performers invisible, as it seems radier out 
of place to see a stalwart man performing the roulades 
and flourishes generally considered tho exclusive 
property of a prima donna. They also make use of 
boys in this choir as in the English Cathedrals, and 
tlie lads sing like Cherubim and Seraphim. One in 
particular I remember, whose wild, quaint voice is 
hoard with a startling effect amid the melancholy 
movements of a minor Miserere. He sings with ex- 
quisite taste, and I have heard him perform a solo — 
tlie Stabat Mater dolorosa — in a manner that has 
brought tears to the eyes of many of tlio listeners 
present. 

It is beautiful to see how night g^dually settles in 
St. Peter's, while tho lights that are burning night 
and day around the altar seem to grow brighter, and 
Canova's kneeling statue of Pius VI., that occupies 
the most sacred spot in the church, seems like some 
ghost haunting the place it loved when an inhabitant 
of earth. The people strolling about St. Peter's 
seem smaller at this time than ever, and when the 
custodian warns them that the chureh is to be closed 
for the night, every one departs with a feeling of 



regret, unwilling to leave a spot, that, at all times 
glorious and attractive, is at this hour doubly enchan- 
ting. 

Oftentimes, I am undecided whether to spend tlie 
vesper hour of Friday evenings at St. Peter's or at 
the Coliseum : for at each of tliese places^ tiiat only 
resemble each other in the circumstance of being both 
now devoted to tho worship of tho same God, tlio 
services on these occasions are deeply iutcrcsting. It 
is difficult to decide which is the most imposing, tho 
rich harmonics of the Papal choir at St. Peter's or 
the simple chant of the multitude, as they leave tlio 
old Roman ruin, following tho uplifted croks, and 
singing a simple and oft-raitcratod strain, in which 
tlie words " Santa crooe " are alono clearly distin- 
guishable. Both of these scenes are peculiar to 
Rome. Trovator. 



DEaCRITIYE U8T OP THE 

PaMUhedi Uj 0« DIsmm Sc €•• 



TOCAL, WITH PIAKO ACCOMPANIMENT. 

Motliers of New England — ^Ballad. J, Ilayna, 25 
A flmple melody. tMteftUly mtigei. 

Ill go with thee to thy Island Home— Song. 25 

OiM of stz plaintlT* sbiipi— pretty. 

Childhood's Home— Song. E, C. Bigdow. 25 

DcMTiptlve of home acenei. Quite euy. 

My Happy Fireside— Song and Chorus. Avenf. 25 
A new RoiiK by the luocenful compoeer of ^^iIm 
Fairy DeU," " Come tiJce a aoU," fte. 

The Storm King. F. Laurence. 25 

A bold and spirited eong. well ealealated fat Con- 
oertfl, and Intended for a baritone voice. 

Father and Mother. J. //. McNaugkion. 25 

A capital eong for the home circle. 

Come to me, dearest. L. 0. Emenon. 25 

A decided lore song, fbll of sentiment, pathos and 
tenderness; the words an beantiAil, and the 
music appropriate. 

Throe little kittens lost their mittens. Fozy. 35 

A charming and amusing song or daett for die 
young, wiUi a spirited Tignette representing the 
kittens and their mother, io two tableaux. This 
song has been perfonned at children's concerts 
with great ancoess. 

Willie and I. S. B. Ball 30 

A fliTorite Sunday School Song, with a pleasing illus- 
tration repreec^ntlng a boy and girt on their way to 
Sabbath School. The words and music are excel- 
lent. This song has been repeatedly sung at Sun- 
day School CouTentkxQS, Monthly Concerts, fce. 
Quite easy. 

Marion Lee — ^Ballad. //. G. Thompton. 30 

Every one has heard, and few but have admired the 
song of '' Lilly Dole." This ballad is by the same 
author, and In the same sweet and pathetic vein. 

Lord God of Abraham — ^from Oratorio of Elijah. 25 
One of the noble songs performed by Herr Fonnes in 
that Oratorio. 

The Hunter's Lament, and Spring is coming. 
Two Songs composed by A. Kocpper, 25 

Graceful compositions, and every way adapted for 
the parlor. 

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC FOB PIANO. 

Bnnte Beihe — ^Mazurka, Minuett, Scherzo, and 
Dance. F. Liszt. 25 

Somewhat dlflleult, but very dedrable. 

La Campanella. Taubert, 50 

Rhapsodie. F. Spindler, 30 

March de la Koine. J. Aacher. 40 

Not veiT difflcult, but brilliant, showy and efliactiTe 

—a class of music not easy to find. No one will 

rsgret adding either of the abovt to their stock. 

Florentine Polka. Godfroid. 25 

Souvenir d'Affection. S. F. A, 25 

Six Cords of Wood Polka. C. Mayer, Jr, 25 

Laura Polka. C. Miszner, 25 

Waverley Schottisch. C, Gustave Fitxe, 25 

Starlight " " 25 

Sparrow Waltz. Louise A. Denton, 25 






Linnet " " 25 

Josephine Waltz. F. Lawffjvth, 25 

These pieces are easy, pleasing and of a popular'elass. 

Battle March of IMests in "Athalia," for eight 
hands on two pianos, arranged by A. Dom. 60 
One of a Series published for the convenience of Semi- 
naries and Classes in Bf usio. 

Home again — ^varied. Chas. Grebe, 50 

Dearest spot on earth to me is home — varied. " 50 
Late arrangements of the ever sucoassfnl and 
agr eea ble Grobe. The brilliancy and originality of 
the variations will make them as sucocssAil as his 
*' Shells ct Ocean," the popularity of which has 
never been excelled. 




Writ's |0iiriial 





Whole No. 315. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1858. Vol. XIH. No. 3. 



For Dwi^t's Joanud of Miule. 

ECHO. 

From the G«nnan of Mimistoir. 
Forever thine ! Though waste and moantain Bever, 

And stormy brine 1 
By lephjrs fanned, or deserts scorched, forerer, 

Foreyer thine I 

Where marble halls, in gorgeous Instre gleaming, 

By torch-light shino, 
Where siWery moons in shepherd-yales are beaming. 

Forever thine ! 

' When, with inverted torch, kind Death releases 

This heart of mine, 
Then shall it sonnd till life's last throbbing ceases : 

Forever thine I C. T. B. 



Robert Sehimiaim's Musical Life-Mazixiif. 

[Th« following maTtmi, or aphorinns, (whieh we trantUted 
flom Che Oermaii a few yean elooe), embodj tbe whole ereed 
and praotical phlloeophy of that true artist, and ehould en- 
grave theniaelTae vpon the mind of ereiy one irho mnent to 
make himself an artist in the qihere of sound. Tbe composer 
designed them as an appendix to tbe flnt edition of his piano- 
tete instruction book, called the Jiigwidaftmw, ot " Album 
SftrTonth."-^.s.i».] 

L The cultivation of Hearing is the most 
important matter. Take pains earlj to dis- 
tinguish Tones and Keys by the ear. The 
bell, the window-pane, the cuckoo-— ask your- 
self what tones they each giye out. 

IL You should sedulously practice Scales 
and other finger exercises. But there are 
many persons who imagine they have accom- 
plished everything, when they have spent 
many hours each day for years in mere 
mechanical exercise. It is about as if one 
should busy himself daily with repeating the 
A-B-C as fiskst as possible and always filter 
and faster. Use your time better. 

III. "Dumb piano-fortes," so called, or 
key-boards without sound, have been invented. 
Try them long enough to see that they are 
good for nothing. You cannot learn to speak 
from the dumb. 

IV. Play in time ! The playing of many 
virtuosos is like the gait of a drunkard. 
Make not such your models. 

y. Learn betimes the fimdamental laws of 
Harmony. 

VI. Be not frightened by the words, 7%«- 
Ofy, TTuMTouffh^Bass, Counterpoint, Ac. ; they 
will meet you friendlily if you meet them so. 

VTL Never dilly-dally about a piece of 
music, but attack it briskly, and never play 
it only half through ! 

VHI. Dragging and hurrying are equally 
great faults. 

IX. When you are playing, never trouble 
yourself about who is listening. 

X. Always play as if a master heard you. 

XI. Strive to play easy pieces well and 
beautifully ; it is better than to render harder 
pieces only indifferently well 

XH. Always insist on having your instru- 
ment purely tuned. 

XnL You must not only be able to play 
your little pieces with the fingers ; you must 
hum them over without a piano. Sharpen 
your imagination so that you may ta in your 



mind not only the Melody of a composition, 
but ah>o the Harmony belonging to it. 

XIV. Accustom yourself, even though you 
have but little voice, to sing at sight without 
the aid of an instrument. The sharpness of 
your hearing will continually improve by that 
means. But if you are the possessor of a 
rich voice, lose not a moment's time, but cul- 
tivate it, and consider it the fairest gifl which 
heaven has lent you. 

XV. You must carry it so far that you can 
understand a piece of music upon paper. 

XVI. If any one lays a composition before 
you for the first time, for you to play, first 
read it over. 

XVIL Have you done your musical day's 
work, and do you feel exhausted ? Then do 
not constrain yourself to further labor. Bet- 
ter rest, than work with no spirit, no fresh- 
ness. 

XVHL Play nothing, as you grow older, 
which is merely fashionable. Time is pre- 
cious. One must have a hundred human 
lives, if he would acquaint himself with all 
that is good. 

XIX. In every period there have been 
bad compositions, and fools who have praised 
them. 

XX. A player may cram his memory with 
finger-passages ; they all in time grow com- 
monplace and must be changed. Only where 
such facility serves higher ends, is it of any 
worth. 

XXI. You must not circulate poor compo- 
sitions ; nor even listen to them, if you are 
not obliged to. 

XXII. Try not to acquire facility in the 
so-called Bravura. Try in a composition to 
bring out the impression which the composer 
had in his mind ; more than this attempt not ; 
more than this is caricature. 

XXIU. Consider it a monstrosity to alter, 
or to leave out anything, or to introduce any 
new-fangled ornaments in pieces by a good 
composer. That is the greatest outrage you 
can do to Art 

XXrV. In the selection of your pieces for 
study, oak advice of older players ; that will 
save you much time. 

XXV. You must gradually make acquain- 
tance with all the more important works of 
all the important masters. 

XXVI. Be not led astray by the brilliant 
popularity of the so-called great virtuosi. 
Think more of the applause of artists, than 
of that of the multitude. 

XXVn. £very fashion grows unfashiona- 
ble again ; if you persist in it for years, you 
find yourself a ridiculous coxcomb in the eyes 
of everybody. 

XXVin. It is more injury than profit to 
you to play a great deal before company. 
Have a regard to other people; but never 
play anything which, in your inmost soul, you 
are ashamed of. 

XXIX. Omit no opportunity, however, to 
play with others, in Duos, Trios, &c It 
makes your playing fiuent, spirited, and easy. 
Accompany a singer, when you can. 

XXX. If all would play first violin, we 



could get no orchestra together. Respect 
each musician, therefore, in his place. 

XXXI. Love your instrument, but do not 
have the vanity to think it the highest and 
only one. Consider that there are others 
quite as fine. Remember, too, that there are 
singers, that the highest manifestations in 
Music are through chorus and orchestra com- 
bined, 

XXXn. As you progress, have more to 
do with scores, than with virtuosi. 

XXXni. Practise industriously the Fugues 
of good masters, above all those of John 
Sebastian Bach. Make the '^Well-tem- 
pered Clavichord " your daily bread. Then 
you will surely be a thorough musician. 

XXXIV. Seek among your associates, 
those who know more than you. 

XXXV. For recreation wom your musical 
studies, read the poets frequently. Walk also 
in the open air. 

XXXVI. Much may be learned from sing- 
ers, male and female ; but do not believe in 
them for everything. 

' XXXVn. Behind the mountains there 
live people, too. Be modest; as yet you 
have discovered and thought nothing which 
others have not thought and discovered before 
you. And even if you have done so, regard 
it as a gifl from above, which you have got 
to share with others. 

XXXVHL The study of the histoir of 
Music, supported by the actual hearing of the 
master compositions of the different epochs, 
is the shortest way to cure you of self-esteem 
and vanity. 

XXXIX. A fine book on Music is Thi- 
BAUT Ueber Beinheit der Tonkunst, (**0n 
Purity in Musical Art") Read it often as 
you grow older. 

XL. If you pass a church and hear the 
organ playing, go in and listen. If it happens 
that you have to occupy the organist's seat 
yourself, try your little fingers, and be 
amazed before this onmipotence of Music 

XLI. Improve every opportunity of prac- 
tising upon the organ ; there is no instrument 
which takes such speedy revenge upon the 
impure and the slovenly in composition, or in 
playing, as the organ. 

XLII. Sing frequently in choruses, espe- 
cially in the middle parts. This makes you 
musicaL 

XLm. What is it to be musical f You 
are not so, if, with eyes fiutened anxiously 
upon the notes, you play a piece through 
painfully to the end. You are not so, if, 
when some one turns over two pages at once, 
you stick and cannot go on. But you fire 
musical, if, in a new piece, you anticipate 
pretty nearly what is coming, and in an old 
piece, know it by heart ; in a word, if you 
have Music, not in your fingers only, but in 
your head aud heart 

XLIV. But how does one become musical f 
Dear child, the main thing, a sharp ear and 
a quick power of comprehension, comes, as 
in all things, from above. But the talent 
may be improved and elevated. This you 
may do, not by shutting yourself up all day 



18 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



like a hermit, practising mechanical studies ; 
but by live, many-sided musical intercourse ; 
and especially by constant familiarity with 
orchestra and chorus. 

XLV. Listen attentively to all Songs of 
the People ; they are mines of most beautiful 
melodies, and open for you glimpses into the 
character of different nations. 

XL VI. Exercise yourself early in reading 
music in the old cleffs. Otherwise, many 
treasures of the past will be locked against 
you. 

XLVII. Reflect early on tlie tone and 
character of different instruments ; try to im- 
press the peculiar coloring of each upon your 
ear. 

XL VIII. Do not neglect to hear good 
Operas. 

XLIX. Reverence the Old, but meet the 
New also with a warm heart Cherish no 
prejudice against names unknown to you. 

L. In judging of a composition, distinguish 
whether it belongs to the artistic category, or 
only aims at dilettantish entertainment. Stand 
up for those of the first sort ; but do not 
worry yourself about the others. 

LI. "Melody" is the watchword of the 
Dilettanti, and certainly there is no music 
without melody. But understand well what 
they mean by it ; nothing passes for a melody 
with them, but one that is easily compre- 
hended, or rhythmically pleasing. But there 
are other melodies of a different stamp ; open 
a volume of Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven, 
and you see them in a thousand various 
styles. It is to be hoped that you will soon 
weary of the poverty and monotony of the 
modem Italian oper^ melodies. 



(From the London Musical World, March 18). 

Dr. Zopff '8 Characteristics of Mendelssohn. 

Dr. Hermann Zopff (of Berlin) has made another 
contribation to Dwioht's Journal of Music. This 
time our Boston contemporary is not favonred with 
" characteristics " of anybody except of Dr. Zoptf 
himself. We have inserted the article in another 
colamn, where such of our readers as feel disposed to 
chop logic with so muddy an essayist may read the 
Zopffian defence of the ZopflSnn paradoxes. Dr. 
Zopif endeavors to substantiate hisporiition not only 
in respect of Mendelssohn, but of Weber. As, how- 
ever, we have not seen his " characteristics " of the 
last-named composer, nor the reply of one of Mr. 
Dwight's co-laborers, we have nothing to say to 
either ; but what we have advanced on many occa- 
sions with regard to Mendelssohn wo are inclined to 
maintain, notwithstanding Dr. ZopfT and his fellow 
sophists in Berlin, Leipsic, Weimar, and Hanover. 

l)r. ZopfT seems to belong to a class now unhappily 
spread throughout the lengui and breadth of Germa- 
ny (a symbol of the decline of Art in that once 
favored country) — the closs of " (Esthetic " reviewers. 
The profound reasoning of the Teutonic metaphysi- 
cians, while it has led shrewd men to diint, has 
induced shallow men to aim at a show of reasoning. 
No subject, even the most simple, can now be dis- 
cussed apart from a host of speculations altogether 
irrelevant. Let any candid inc^uircr, tor example, 
read attentively the " Characteristics of Mendelssohn," 
published in Dwight's Journal, by Dr. Zopff, and 
try to reconcile the presumed shortcomings of that 
great musician with the reasons assigned for them. 
The candid inquirer will find insinuations that go to 
establish nothing, and personal anecdotes that might 
just as well have accounted for Shakspearo's dramas, 
Bacon's philosophy, or Mr. Albert Smith's Ascent of 
Mont Blanc, as for Mendelssohn's musical idiosyn- 
cracy. Whether true or false, they arc all equally 
worthless in the consideration of 'such a problem. 
His agreeable manners, attractive extenor, and 
remarkable accomplishments rendered Mendelssohn 
a favorite in society ; and this is made the basis of 
some half dozen foolish conclusions, with respect to 
what his music might have been had he himself been 
otherwise. Just as well may we accept the not less 
intrinsically absurd, but infinitely more diverting 
arguments of Herr Wagner about Jews and Jewish 
music. Because Herr Wagner, when a musical idea 
comes to him (by some rare and happy chance), is 



at a loss what to do with it, those who are able to 
arrange their thoughts in order, and make them tlic 
germ of a symmetrical whole, are likened to Hebrews 
fending their money out to usury. But this definition 
of tlie " genial madman " has at least the merit of 
being humorous ; while the arguments and deduc- 
tions of Dr. Zopff and his tribe are just as conmiou- 
place as they are disingenuous. 

It is arraigned as a weakness in Mendelssohn tliat, 
aware of his inferiority to tlie great masters, he 
leaned upon them for support and looked up to them 
as models, instead of asserting his own independence. 
The sophistry of this charge is glaring. Examined 
from any point of view it must fall to the ground. 
If Mendelssohn vxu inferior, and knew it, surely his 
acknowledgment of the fact and his consequent pblii-y 
was rather a strength than a weakness. Hypocrisy 
and conceit, effrontery and shallow pretence, are 
vices, not virtues— otherwise the modem Aesthetic 
criticism of musical Germany, instead of being con- 
temptible, would deser^'e and command res))ect. But, 
in sober trutli, Mendelssohn was conscious of no such 
inferiority. He wrote just as much from the heart as 
Bectlioven himself, or any of the grandest musicians ; 
and the proof lies in the striking individuality of all 
his compositions, from the pianoforte quartet in B 
minor to the fragments of his unfinished Christus. 
No musician was ever fuller of steal or stronger of 
faith than Mendelssohn. No musician ever worked 
with greater enthusiasm, or took greater pains to 
perfect his conceptions. A more conscientious laborer 
in the field of Art, a more religious worshipper of its 
divinity, never lived. The attempt to paint Mendels- 
sohn as a carpet-knight is so supremely ridiculous, 
that it can only Ix; excused on the assumption of utter 
ignorance both of the man and the artist. 

We hove not at hand Dr. Zonff 'a Characteristics 
(transfeiTcd from the pages of Mr. Dwight to our 
own) ; and we do not think the trouble of looking 
out the nuinl)ers that contain tliem would he well 
bestowed. We have still some consciousness of tlie 
qualms experienced from tlieir first perusal ; and, as 
the bnrnt child dreads the fire, wo have no intention 
of risking similar inconvenience. Some few of the 
mere facts, apart from " aesthetics," we retain. For 
instance — "l)ecausc Beethoven wrote the Choral 
Symphony, Mendelssohn composed the Lohgesang." 
As well might it be said that, because Bach wrote 
The Passion, Handel composed The Messiah; or 
because Handel wrote The Messiah, Haydn composed 
The Creation ; or because Mozart wrote Davidde Pen- 
itente, Beethoven composed the Mount of Olives. 
There is no more in common between the Choral 
Symphony and the Lcibgesang than between the Jupiter 
and the C minor. Notliing can be more dissimilar in 
style and in execution than the two first-mentioned 
works. When Haydn had written his first symphony, 
did he contemplate that no one henceforth should 
compose a symphony after the model he had perfected ? 
— ^and when Beethoven put the finishing touch to his 
stupendous " No. 9," did he for an instant imagine 
tliat from tliat time onward the chorus should never 
again be united witfi the orchestra in a grand sym- 
phonic composition ? From thU point of view, nev- 
ertheless, does Dr. Zopff regard the Lobgesang—on<^ 
of the most wonderful of mu.'^ical creations, and 
the more wonderful inasmuch as it does not contain 
one single phrase from end to end that bears the 
slightest resemblance to anything in the Ninth Sym- 
phony. Jn short, it is impossible to account for the 
mental aberration that could suggest to our critic the 
notion of comparing them. Again, if we remember 
rightly, it was laid to the cliarge of Mendelssohn tliat, 
in consequence of somebody's suggestion, he omitted 
clarionets from various compositions for the Church 
— as instruments of too sofl and voluptuous a cliarac- 
ter for sacred music ! 

And of such-like rubbish consist the technical criti- 
cisms adduced to illustrate tlie general opinion which 
Dr. ZopfT, with an sesthetic dulness truly national, 
attempts to establish in reference to Mendelssohn. 
The mere thought that the man who composed Elijah 
should be amenable to such a ti'ibunal, is enough to 
create despair for music in the country of his birth. 
We are no friends to any restrictions on the expres- 
sion of opinion ; but we must say that if libels on the 
great dead were scrutinized with as jealous an eye by 
public opinion as liliels on living despots by public 
governments, such men as Dr. Zopff would have a 
better chance of meeting their deserts. AVhen, after 
all this splutter and m)th, the writer, alluding to 
Mendelssonn's expression of grief and despondency 
in music, quotes a stupid criticism,* in which it is 
disadvantageously compared with that of Beethoven 
and Schumann, the cup of disgust is filled to over- 
flow. Only the critic who could name Beetlioven and 

• On the TloUn concerto, which wm Ktated to have been 
performed, with eTident dlnpleMure by Herr Joseph Joachim — 
a man lo intellectually superior to Mendehnohn, and sneh a 
hater of the '' converaaslone ityle ! " 



Schumann (a vigorous giant and a puling school-boy) 
in a brcatli, would have been guilty of the nonsense 
that characterizes in almost every sentence tlie essays 
published in Dwight's Journal of Music, under 
the title of " Characteristics of Mendelssofin. When, 
however, the same writer {riile his last address to our 
confiding Yankee brother), appeals in support of his 
own opinions to the " collective verdict oi our great- 
est critics — of a Marx, a Schumann, and a Kell- 
STAB (!) " — ^wo are less astonished at his madness. 
AVho that has any knowledge of German muf^ical 
literature, can be unaware of the narrow-mindedness 
of Herr Marx ; of the jealousy which, in spite of a 
not nnamiable nature, the impotent Schumann enter- 
tained for his puissant contemporary, whose mere 
presence at Leipsic tongue-tied the Jesuits ; ond of 
the utter incompetency of Ilerr Kellstab to criticize 
an art with whicn his own criticisms prove him to bo 
so superficially acquainted ? Our sophist must have 
been in a sorry plight when he found himself impelled 
to invite the aid of such champions ; and we are hnppy 
to leave him with tlie conviction that Mendelssohn 
will nfhk with Bach, Ilandel, Haydn, Mozart, and 
Beethoven, as one of the greatest of musicians, in 
spite of the shower of " Zopffs " at this time infesting 
'* Vaterland," and playing (without being aware of it) 
the game of Dr. Liszt, Herr Richard Wagner, and 
the musical Sepoys. 

P.S. — We may express our regret, in a postscriptum , 
that so intelligent and enthusiastic a music-lover as 
Mr. Dwight (who wrote the analvsis of Elijah, 
quoted in the Musical World) should be against, in- 
stead of with, us in this discussion. If Mr. Dwight 
will explain the meaning of a single argument in the 
rhapsody of Dr. Zopff, we shall be happy to salute 
him. Meanwhile we cannot refrain from calling his 
attention to the premonitory inscription on the door 
of Trimalchio (Nero), recorded in the Satyricon of Pe 
tronius — "Cave Canem." This warning was common 
among the Komans ; and we regard Americans and 
Englishmen as equally citizens of modem Rome — 
which means moucm civilization. For the sake of 
music, Mr. Dwight, beware of modem German criti- 
cism, for the most part nothing better Uian a mixture 
of rhapsody, sophistication, paradox, and fables. 
" Cave Canem," 



Fry's Leonora'*— What the Critics say of it 

(From the Oooiler and Enquirer). 

Having produced a work of the merit of " Leo* 
nora," which we believe was written about seventeen 
years ago, Mr. Fry had a moral right to expect other 
treatment than that which he has met with. He had 
not a right to expect his work to be praised because 
it was written by an American ; but he had a right to 
a hearing in the metropolis of the United States, and 
to run his risk of condemnation. We do not advo- 
cate the performance, even on a stage less distin- 
guished than that of the Academy of Music, of any 
and every composition that may be produced by 
youthful Yankees in their lyric phrensies ; but an 
hour's examination of such a score as that of Mr. 
Fry's " Leonora," would have convinced any compe- 
tent and unprejudiced musician that, although not a 
work of the first class, even in.it8 school, it gave full 
warrant to the composer to appeal to tiie public for 
their judgment upon its merits. 

It IS needless to speak of the plot of the opera, for 
it is that of " Claude Melnottc," altered so as to suit 
the capacity of the lyric stage to express simple emo- 
tions only ; and having its plot, it has all of that 
drama that is worth having. Of the music, we have 
not the space to speak in critical detail. It is written 
altogether in the school of the modem Italian compo- 
sers ; and although its composer is an American, is 
as much an Italian opera as La Sonnambula and 
Lucia aro Italian, or Fiddio and Oberon are German 
operas — the latter, by the way, having been written 
to English words. The treatment throughont^^f 
the voice Ixith in the solo parts and in the choruses — 
of the orchestra, — the free and fluent melodies, not 
often strongly marked in figure, and advancing 
always to a climax, — the neglect of contrapuntal 
effect, even in the concerted pieces, — and the direc- 
tion of the composer's efforts solely to the dramatic 
expression of ^e sentiment of each scene, mark it as 
a work of tliat declamatory school which came into 
existence when Bellini wrote Tu Vedrai in // Pirata, 

The music is marked by an easy melodic flow 
throughout. The composer's thoughts ara not only 
gi-aceful in themselves, but he passes from one to the 
other with that freedom from constraint which only 
accompanies either great power or skill acquired by 
long experience. The last, however, Mr. Fry had 
not when this opera was written ; for it must be borne 
in mind that this is his first dramatic work ; and in 
this fact we find not only the reason but the justifica- 
tion of the resemblance which certain parts of it bear 
to well-known passages in Norma, La Sonnambula 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1858. 



19 



and / Pvritant, Theso re^cmblancefl are not in mel- 
ody — tlioro is not a melodic plagiarism in the opera — 
they are resemblances of rhythm only ; but tlicy are so 
strong as to bring np at once and vividlv tlio passages 
built upon these rhythms by the preceding composer. 

(From the Evening Post). 

To illustrate a drama like this cflectively is a task 
worthy of anv composer, and it is no slight praise to 
say that Mr. ]^y's music moved step by step with the 
story, takin<^ its peculiar coloring as the scene was 
gay or grave, patnctic or pasjtionate, and embodying 
with conscientious care the sentiment of each passage. 
Its chief characteristic is the abundance of graceful, 
flowing melodies, which, without being very striking, 
are free from insipidity, and never oftcnd the car by 
eccentricities or exaggerated strainings for effect. 
The almost prodigal liberality with which these are 
distributed over the work, attests tlie fertility of in- 
vention of a YOung and untried author, whose entliu- 
siasm carries him triumphantly over difficulties which 
would be encountered more cautiously and jlerhaps 
less successfullv bv an older comuoser. This facility, 
however, entails tlie liability to imitate, perhaps un- 
consciously, the ideas or style of others ; and it is not 
remarkable that " Leonora," written in the author's 
vonth, and when he was fascinated by the l)eauties of 
Bellini or Donizetti, should possess manv points of 
resemblance to these composers. It would Ix; diffi- 
cult to point to a first opera which has not been open 
to the first criticism ; and Mr. Fry, in showing the 
Influence which Ik^Uini and Donizetti have excrte<l 
upon him, docs precisely what they in their turn, and 
a long lino of oUier illustrious composers, have illus- 
trated in their earlier works. It cannot, however, but 
be regretted that, after so successful a commencement 
in tlie career of an opera composer, he should have 
stopped short and given no further evidence of his 
powers. 

(From the Daily Times.) 

" Leonora " is Mr. Fry's first operatic effort for the 
public, and, like all first works, it contains much that 
is admirable, and much that might be better. Its 

Srincipal characteristic is melody. The fertility of 
f r. Fry's invention is in this resi-iect remarkable, and 
it is the more remarkable from the fact that he does 
not seek his inspiration in the shady and sentimental 
groves of the minor scale, like most young composers, 
but in the broad and healthful uplands of the major 
mode. The best melodies of the opera, orchestral 
and vocal, are in the long-breathed, deep-chested ma- 
jor. The exceptions to this general rule are, we 
should suppose, intentional, as in the drinking .song 
** King Death," where sackcloth and ashes and a 
touch of brimstone arc needed, and in the opening af 
the second act, where sentimentalism and an oboe are 
necessary, and elsewhere as occasion demanded. But 
the prevadent coloring of Mr. Frv's sentimentality is 
manly, it does not remind you o( the greenliorn who 
trembles when he speaks to a ladv, and sits down on 
his bat in a perspiring tremor. I^hat the literature 
of the day (especiallv dramatic literature) lacks, tliis 
Opera supplies and illustrates — ^namcly, abandon. It 
goes from one idea to anotlicr without looking back, 
and is as hearty, and elastic, and joyful, and satisfied 
at the beginning of the fourth act as at the commence- 
ment of the first. This of course shows an immensely 
fertile invention, which, as in the case of Rossini, sul)- 
sequent productions may tame down considerably. 
Prodigality of idea is certainly an indication of gen- 
ius, and with other indiscretions, belongs to youth. 
But what an infinite relief it is to be clothed in melody 
after being dry-rubbed with mere sound, as in the 
case of some modem composers, who like many lite- 
rateurs think that nothing can be good unless it is 
finnikin and exhausted and polii«hed. 

A frank acknowledgment of the superabundant 
merit of one of the first essentials of opera leads us 
naturally to the contemplation of a fault which is 
sometimes unpleasantly apparent in Mr. Fry's work. 
This is a certain suggestivcness in the opening bars 
of some of the melodies, which carries our mcmorv to 
past pleasures affoi-ded by other composers. Tlius, 
in the second and third acts there are undoubted rem- 
iniscences of Bellini and of Donizetti, and an old 
Landler has not been quite forgotten in the finale to 
the first act. The resemblances are only momentar}-, 
and evidently not wilful ; but it is one of the phenom- 
ena of music that if you but touch tlie memory of 
a tune it bring^ forth all that it has ever retained. 
There is nothing remarkable, therefore, that such 
resemblances provoked the ire of those shallow critics 
who look upon theu: vocation as a privileged growl, 
and who are never critical if not severe. 

Another defect which belongs to youth, is the ex- 
cessive use of brass in thft orchestra and — we might 
add— elsewhere. Mr. Fry " goes it " with his three 
trombones and his Bombardone, as if those instni- 
ments breathed the elixir of life. Not a note in the 



score has been changed since the time when it was 
first played in Philadelphia ; and we who have heard 
in New York some of Mr. Fry's recent symphonies, 
have an opportunity of judging how much he has im- 
proved by subduing this excessive vitality. Apart 
from .the brass instruments, the orchestration is 
remarkable for its fluency, for its fullness, and for its 
progress. Albrechtslicrgcr somewhere says, that the 
indispensable requisites for a worthy theatrical com- 
poser, aro a proved experience of dramatic effect in 
rhetorical declamation, a lively fancy in musical 
painting, practical knowledge of vocal and instru- 
mental effect, and a judicious employment of all law- 
ful aids. In each respect Mr. Fry is equal to the 
emergency suggested by the fine old theorist ; his 
declamation is dramatic (our only objection being 
that it is sometimes too dramatic) ; his fancy luxuriant 
to a degree ; his knowledge (theoretical, rather than 
practical, we judge), of vocal and instrumental effect, 
good ; and his employment of lawful aids (and un- 
lawful aids, sometimes) sufficient to satisfy the critical 
part of the audience and please tlie multitude. Still, 
as wo have said, his instrumentation is loud, and 
brassy, and in some cases unconventional to the point of 
inconsistency, as in the romance and iffia of Marianna 
in the third act, whero the drum and tlie cymbals aro 
employed in the accompaniment of the contralto 
voice. We aro aware toat the piece is a Moorish 
piece, and that the instruments are " characteristic." 
But truth never sounded more unpleasantly than in 
this case. We call particular attention to the melody 
of this romanza, and of the duct which follows. 
They are the only additions Mr. Fry has made to the 
opera, and show once more how astonishing is his 
supply of melody. 

(From the Express.) 

Our impressions of " Leonora " are of a mixed 
character. The opera seems to us a study in the 
school of Bellini. It is full of delicious, sweet music, 
but constantly recalls the Sonnambitla and Norma, It 
is marked by skill in instrumentation, the secret of 
which the composer seems effectually to have probed. 
It has many flowing melodies, many pretty effects, 
much tliat should encourage its author to renewed ef- 
forts ; but, like all early endeavors, it is full of remi- 
niscences. It tantalizes the hearer by much that 
reminds him of other music. This is the case not 
only in the treatment of particular situations in the 
development of character and the expr^^sion of pas- 
sion, but also in the very airs of tlie opera. Many of 
those are not imitations, but really adaptations. Still 
there is much that is original, or that at least indicates 
a promise of originality — much tliat one might imag- 
ine could be developed into character. The peculiar- 
ities which most strongly distinguish his production 
aro sweetness of melodv and lack of dramatic char- 
acterization. All tlie diameters sing the same sort of 
music — a love pa<;sage or a burst of storm v passion is 
treated much in the same style. One feels the need 
of relief from the monotony of sweets. 

We cannot now attempt to analyze the opera, but 
must content ourselves with saying that it progresses 
in merit from the opening scene to tlio close. The 
fli-st act did not strike us at all favorably : the second 
was vastly better, especially in the instrumental por- 
tion, but constantly recalled Bellini, and in the finale 
resembles a piece from Guillaume Tell. The third 
act contains more originality, the music for Marianna 
especially being more individualized and more spirited 
than any in the opera. The finale of tliis act, how- 
ever, could not but remind one again of the first act 
of SonnambulOf while the concluding song of the opera 
is also an imitation (unconscious it may be) of tlie 
" Ah, non giunge." 

Were Mr. Fry now to write an opera, he would 
probably relv more on his own strength — ^he would 
know when Ke was composing, and when he was re- 
membering. We hope some day to chronicle the 
pnxluction and succcsa of his second work, which 
will probably be one brimful of melody, exquisitely 
sweet and tender — that shall evince complete mastery 
of all the resources of instrumentation (which have 
received a great development since " Leonora " was 
written) ; and, beside these, we trust, be marked by 
stronger individualization of the characters, by greater 
contrasts in the effects, and an entire reliance upon tts 
author's own abilities. 



is poorly shaped and put together, and what is still 
worse, worked closely after Uie most common pat- 
tern. 

At the time when Mr. Fry composed this opera, 
Donizetti and Bellini were tlie most popuhur com- 
posers for the stage, and evidently he wrote under 
their influence. He ends his phrases just as they do, 
and unfortunately he also commences like them. 
There seems to be no attempt on his part to be inde- 
pendent from the hackneyed style of the Italians then 
in vogue, no attempt to mix the common ingredients 
of a very common dish in such a way that they may 
not seem too common — a most surprising fact. 

We have learnt to esteem Mr. Fry in his literary 
pursuits for the very opposite qualities he displays in 
his music. In the former, he seems to have a way of 
his own, which, perhafM, is seldom novel, but which 
always excites our interest by the lively, spirited, and 
intelfectual manner in which tliey are aone. Shortly, 
Mr. Fry, as homme de lettres^ presents to us a strong- 
minded individuality, while the music to his opera has 
not a fathom of individuality whatever. The cause of 
this anomaly is easily accounted for ; it stares us in 
the face from almost every piece of the opera. Mr. 
Fry knows his own langna^ thoroughly, but has no 
command over that of music. If Mr. Fry under- 
stands how to manage haimony, orchestration, and 
all the technical requisites for writing an opera, as 
well as the language he speaks and writes, he would 
have produced a far different work, a real opera with 
quartets, trios, duos, choruses, and ensembles, and not 
one with a quantity of ballads and a few attempts at 
four-part songs. He would have clothed his music 
with an orchestration which can be called such, and 
not a quantity of brass sounds which evidently were 
put on after the opera was flnished. The whole or- 
clicstration of Leonora is somewhat like a picture in 
which trees and houses are daubed in red, and the 
people make a very green appearance. We can not 
hcln thinking if the intelligent author should read 
such a work in a literary book, he would be little 
satisfied with it himself; and if he recognized it as 
his own offspring, he would consider it as one of the 
wexiknesses of his vouth, and think best to put it in 
oblivion forever. Why it has not been done in this 
instance, we can not understand ; for the m.u8ician 
Fry of our days must be so much superior to the one 
who wrote this opera, that he can but regret its repro- 
duction. 

We have until now avoided to speak of the merits 
of the work with regard to melody, because it is not a 
very pleasant task to tell a man whose literary ideas 
we respect and have often made our delight, that he 
bores us with the poverty of his musical ones. We 
expected, at least occasionally, that brilliancy and 
originality of ideas which characterize the writings of 
Mr. Fry, but in vain. Those of the melodies which 
are not a close imitation of Bellini's, arc such as to 

J»roduce on a cultivated mind an impression little 
iavorable. He evidently aims in his opera, at popu- 
larity ; but the means he employs are not worthy of 
his taste and talents. 

The question is now : Whether there is any thing in 
Leonora which indicates a vocation on the part of its 
author for this kind of composition? We believe 
there is. He seems to have what we should call the 
feeling for dramatic eflFects, which, if sustained by 
science, is of the greatest avail to any composer of 
operas. Mr. Fry can be passionate and inspired ; he 
seems to be one of those men— of whom our country 
is perhaps richer than any other — who attempt every 
thing grand and beautiral ; but whether he has, on 
the musical field, the power to finish his attempts suc- 
cessfully, can only bo decided when he favors us with 
another opera of 'more recent composition. Leonora 
make us rear he has not. 



(From the Musical Reriew). 

We understand that this opera was produced for 
the first time some twelve years ago. Perhaps it was 
written several years previous to that time, so that we 
may fairly conclude Mr. Frj* was, at the time of com- 
posing it, very young. We should not bo surprised if 
it was his first essay at composition on a large scale, 
for it bears all' the characteristics of such a work. 
The inexperienced hand can be traced not only in the 
choruses and ensemble-pieces, but in the phrasing of 
most of the songs of the operas Almost every thing 



To these critical authorities we may add others 

hereafter. At present we give a delicious ofiset 

to them in the testimony of one who claims to be 

a " layman " only in the art of music. The genuine, 

fresh impressions of persons of soul and insight, are 

not without their value even in matters of Art where 

they have small experience. Our fiiend is certainly 

original and out-spoken. For a curious reason, he 

went to hear Fry's first opera ; it was also his first 

opera, — ^the first he ever heard. He went with strong 

Carlylian prepossessions against marrying music with 

the drama, and he came away confirmed, of course. 

Fry may feel happy tliat his music touched at least 

one listener, — one who is no fool, we can tell him, — 

and that, in spite of scenery and action, by its pure 

influence as music. 

New York, April 5, 1858. 
Now, my dear Dwight, don't you envy me ? I 
have been to the opera for the first time in my life. 



20 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



It was quite a new sensation ; I think I must have 
had a mora vivid impression of things than it would 
have been possible for you to have. When I say, I 
was at the opera for the first time in my life on the 
3 1st ult., I would not have you understand that I had 
never heard music ; but I have sought oratorios and 
concerts in preference to operas, because X never 
could conceive that action and scenery could do 
aught else than spoil the mu8ic. 

Sut I made an exception for Leonora, from the 
intense curiosity which I have had for twelve years to 
hear Wm. H. Fry's music. Twelve years ago I 
pronounced upon his daguerreotype, not knowing 
nor even suspecting whose it was, that it was the 
daguerreotvpe of a great musical composer. I want- 
ed to hear his music, and judge for myself how cor- 
rect my verdict on bis da^crreotype was. So I 
went to the Academy, and listened with most atten- 
tive ears. I was delighted, I was deeply moved. 
Whether the music is a reminiscence of Bellini's or 
original with Fry, I will not attempt to decide ; for I 
have never heard anything but brief extracts from 
Bellini, and have a poor musical memory ; but the 
music of Leonora is certainly beautiful, and exqui- 
sitely adapted in its expression to the sentiment of 
the words. I repeatedly found the music giving me 
a much better conception of the scene than the mere 
words of the libretto could do; frequently antici- 
pating the words, or giving the feelings of the specta- 
tors rather than of the actors. 

On rottuming home, I sat down to the piano with 
the piano-forte edition of the opera, and was sorry to 
find that I had not heard the wtiole ; that in bringing 
it out in New York thev had omitted manv passages, 
and among them the beautiful song of tne wedding 
morning, and the sweet tenor mel^y, " Oh, blame 
her not." 

But, my dear Dwight, will it shock your sense of 
propriety, and lower me forever in your esteem, if I 
tell you that I think the scenerv, costumes, and act- 
ing, a most intensely childish piece of work ? The 
only use in it, as far as I could see, was to amuse 
those who could not feel the music ; and to prevent 
those that could feel the music from feeling it so 
deeply as to be painful. When my eyes wore cast 
down upon the libretto, the music would thrill through 
me, ana move me to tears ; but I found instant relief 
when I raised my eyes to the stage, and saw men and 
women dressed out in such a profusion of paraqueet 
colors and glittering spangles, strutting about, and 
assnming such fantastic attitudes. It seemed to roe 
on a par with flashing gunpowder, and throwing peas 
against the window during the ** hailstone chorus." 
I feel confident that I should enjoy a " rehearsal " of 
the opera, without costume or scenery, incomparably 
more than I could enjoy the " performance " of it ; 
and I am the more confident of it from my enjoyment 
of Rossini's " Moses in Egypt," when given by your 
Handel and Haydn Society* as an oratorio. 

Prttanis. 



BOSTON, APRIL 17, 1858. 

The Oratorios. 

Saturday Evening, April 10th. — The 
third of the four performances given by the 
Handel and Haydn Society, with the aid 
of Carl Formes, &c, filled the Music Hall 
with a most eager audience, and gave the 
highest satisfaction. But for one or two 
selections, and too mucli encoring, it might 
be called in all respects a model concert. 
The first part of the programme was miscel- 
laneous, as follows : 

1. Overture : " Leonora." (No. 3,) Beethoven. 

8. Aria from the " Magic Flute/' Mozart 

Carl Formes. 

3. Grand Aria : " Faust," 

Miss Annie Milner. 

3. The Wanderer, 

Carl Formes. 

5. My Sister Dear, 

Ernest Ferring. 

6. Fantasia on Airs from "Lucrezia Borgia," with 

Orchestral accompaniment, Cooper. 

H. C. Cooper. 

7. Aria from " Le Nozze di Figaro," Mozart. 



Spohr. 

Schubert. 

Auber. 



Carl Formes. 



We are sure of real soul's satisfaction and 
comfort, of being filled and lifled up and 
strengthened, whenever we can hear such 
music as the Leonora overture. Its human 
tenderness goes to the very heart, while its 
earnestness and vigor and consistency make 
one feel stronger. Mr. Zerrahn's orchestra 
played it with spirit and expression ; but it 
needed a much larger body of strings for 
full effect of the heroic passages, especially 
the great violin crescendo near the end. 

We know not when we have listened with 
so much delight to the grand organ of Carl 
Formes, as in that deep song of peace, the 
great bass air : In dtesen heitgen ffcdlen, from 
the ^ Zauberfiote ; — a song which shows the 
consummate ^genius of Mozart, — simple, 
massive, perfect in its melodic form, and set 
in frame-work of exquisite orchestration. 
How holy and serene its whole expression ; 
how strengthening and tranquillizing to the 
soul passion-tossed ! A true initiation into the 
temple where peace reigns! The musical 
sweetness, together with large volume, of the 
singer's higher tones, in the opening of the 
strain, and the majestic, ponderous movement 
of his low tones in that genuine sub-bass 
passage which leads down in the end to E 
below the staff, were alike satisfying — un- 
equalled in sublimity and beauty. There 
was far more music, more melodic continuity, 
in these low tones of Formes, than in that 
^ double D ** business which so astonishes the 
multitude in his songs in the "Creation." 
Schubert's "Wanderer" of course required 
only a piano-forte accompaniment, which was 
played by Mr. Ferring. It was sung with 
great tenderness and great energy of feeling, 
and warmed up the audience to enthusiastic 
demonstrations. Formes, responding, seated 
himself at the piano and sang a simple Grer- 
man ballad of much beauty. His rendering 
of the famous Non piu andrai, from " Figa- 
ro," the prototype of more than one famous 
buffo air, revealed his rare powers as a dra- 
matic comic singer, and aggravated the regret 
which all feel at not hearing Formes on the 
operatic stage. This also had to be repeated. 

Miss MiLXER has some of the most pleas- 
ing and sterling qualities of a good singer, — 
a voice (soprano), naturally clear and rich, 
though somewhat worn, an artistic style, and 
an unaffected manner ; but she did not seem 
in her best voice that night ; nor was her se- 
lection a very happy one. Like so much of 
Spohr's music, the air from " Faust," with all 
its sentimentality and all its difficult bravura, 
is unquickening. We would have preferred 
Mr. Ferring also in a less sweetish melody 
than " My sister dear," although it suits so 
sweet a tenor. It touched the multitude, 
however, whose applause was answered by an 
English song of his own about " the maids of 
merry England." 

Mr. Cooper is so consummate an artist 
with his violin, that it is a pleasure to hear him 



play anything ; in the merest show-piece, there 
would still be the finest beauty of tone, a 
purity of intonation not to be surpassed, a 
grace and symmetry of form and phrasing, a 
perfectness of style, with everywhere chance 
touches of expression, which ensure at least a 
refined pleasure. His " Borgia " variations 
were ingenious and well instrumented, and 
his execution of them all that could be asked. 
But in such a concert, for the one hearing of 
such an artist, a part at least of the Concerto 
by Mendelssohn, which he has played before 
so admirably, or of the Concerto by Beet- 
hoven, would have seemed more worthy. 

We hasten to Fart Second, the first per- 
formance in Boston of one of Mendelssohn's 
larger works, the Symphony-Cantata : Lobge* 
sang, or " Hymn of Fraise." It also is one 
of his very greatest works, alike as orchestral 
Symphony, or Oratorio ; and it is of a much 
more enjoyable length than most Oratorios, 
occupying not much more than one hour in 
the performance. We doubt if any large 
work of sacred music, given by the Handel 
and Haydn Society, has made a finer impres- 
sion as a whole upon the audience. From 
the first notes of the Symphony, where the 
leading theme (still ringing in onr ears) is 
startlingly commenced by hoarse trombones, 
to its last return as a clincher to the " high 
argument " in the grand final chorus, there is 
not one weak spot in it Tliere is wonderful 
unity in its successively developed move- 
ments. The inspiration sustains itself through- 
out ; the happy design goes on realizing it- 
self with brighter and brighter glory to the 
end ; the pregnant theme : All that have life 
and breath, &c., opens up beauties and splen- 
dors that never disappoint. 

The Sjrmphony was finely played. The 
Allegro movement, with its broad, rejoicing, 
flowing theme, was new to this audience, 
and quite fulfilled the promise of Mr. Mac- 
farren's description (copied in our last two 
numbers). The lovely Allegretto, alternating 
its phrases afterwards with the rich, bracing 
Choral of the wind instruments, has been long 
a favorite in our concerts. And the Adagio 
Religioso was not wholly new to us ; but its 
beauty of form and sentiment were only half 
divined, until we heard it this time as a 
lovely member of a vital whole. There is no 
pause between the three movements ; and in 
the same way the Symphony leads, by empha- 
tic iterations of a bold figure (first heard in an 
episode of the Adagio), into the majestic 
opening chorus: All men, all things, sing to 
the Lord; with which solemn prelude the 
fervent Allegro : Praise the Lord with lute 
and harp starts off with still kindling energy, 
only to find the burden of its song at last in 
that opening trombone theme. Beautiful is 
the soprano solo into which it leads, and beau- 
tifully did Mrs. Har wood's clear and fresh 
voice give it, while soprani and alti, in aerial 
chorus, rained soft light through the thrilled 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1858. 



21 



and tremulous air (with the accompaniment 
in iterated notes). 

Mr. Pbrring's tenor was hardlj so effect^ 
ive as one* could wish in the tenor recitative : 
Sing ye praise; but the air was sweetly 
sung. The chorus in G minor : AU ye that 
cried in deep affliction, &c., with continuous 
figure of triplets in the accompaniment, is 
one of those exquisitely soft and soothing 
choruses peculiar to Mendelssohn, and was 
rendered with great delicacy. One of the 
most admirable numbers is the duet (for so- 
pranos), with chorus : I waited for the Lord, 
which Mr. Macfarren has described so truly, 
and which was finely rendered on all hands. 
Miss Adams has a soprano voice of remark- 
able beauty, power and freshness; she is very 
young, but seems to have the gifts which 
under proper culture ought to make a capital 
singer. The voice of Mrs. Harwood blended 
finely with it ; the themes are worked up, or 
rather grow, to admirable climax with the re- 
peated entrance of the chorus ; particularly 
fine is that part where the tenors and basses 
soflly take up the original melody as an ac- 
companiment to the soli. 

For the very dramatic and intensely inter- 
esting passage : Watchman, will the night soon 
pass, a more robust tenor, in fact a great 
tenor, seemed required ; yet the scene made 
its impression, and dazzlingly splendid was 
the transition into the major of the key (the 
triumphant key of D), into the uncontainable 
rapture of the chorus : 77ie night is depart- 
ing, — the sublimest moment of the whole 
composition. What an infiux of new life and 
heroic resolution in the strong and nervous 
little fugue there : let us gird on the armor 
of Light ! And how vividly the imagination 
is excited at the conclusion, as those long loud 
calls, from one party of voices to another, 
echo away through the vast vaults of the 
night! 

But perhaps the old German Choral, which 
follows, is not less sublime, sung in chaste, 
four-part harmony, without accompaniment, 
in the first verse ; and in the second verse 
buoyed up upon a rich undulating sea of 
violin figural harmony. The duet : My song 
shall alway be thy mercy, was finely sung by 
Mrs. Harwood and Mr. Perring, and the 
great chorus : Te nations, ye monarchs, &c, 
calling on all to offer glory to the Lord, is 
wrought up to a sublime conclusion, with the 
re-afiirming of the first text and key-note of 
the whole : AU that has life and breath sing 
to the Lord. HaUelujah / 

The success of the Lobgesang was so com- 
plete, and it is so practicable, not requiring 
any foreign talent for its execution, that we 
sincerely hope the Handel and Haydn Society 
will give us one or more repetitions of it. 



Sunday evening. — " The Creation." 
Haydn's sweet, melodious, spring-like music 
made the usual impression — charming and 



refreshing sense and soul at first, but cloying 
by monotonous excess of sweet towards the 
end- As we have said before, we never could 
tell whether the last chorus was well sung or 
not ; with the sense wearied by so much pre- 
ceding sweetness, we always had a dull, con- 
fused impression of it. We are quite sure, 
however, that it is not a great chorus — not to 
be mentioned with the last in the ^ Messiah " 
— and a great falling off, both this and all 
the last choruses, from the sublime height 
reached in The Heavens are telling. The 
performance generally was a fine one, chorus 
and orchestra doing their best Formes 
sang this time the part of Adam, which he 
did not before ; and this was much the truest, 
smoothest and most satisfactory half of his 
performance. In the descriptive airs and re- 
citatives of Raphael he was more than 
usually false in intonation ; nor was his 
descent to the great low D (which so 
excites the many) at all musical or con- 
tinuous ; it seemed a hard g}'mnastic effort ; 
the huge boulder of tone did not roll down 
easily, but met with more resistance than 
was necessary to dignified composure of 
movement. And then the slide or portamento, 
particularly downward, is not an agreeable 
habit of the voice. Yet it would be folly to 
deny that the great qualities of Formes, his 
power and genius as a singer, stamped them- 
selves upon the performance. In the raptu- 
rous thanks-giving part of one of those Trios 
he sang with an inspiring fervor. It is great- 
hearted singing. 

Mrs. LoNO surpassed herself in the air : 
With verdure clad, and more especially in On 
mighty pens, giving a somewhat original and, 
we thought, felicitous version of the dove 
cooings. Mrs. Harwood, as Eve, in the 
duets with Formes, sustained herself finely ; 
and Mr. Perring's tenor was melodious and 
musically modulated as usuaL 



The Lordoh Musical Wobld is often quoted 
in our columns, and we owe it thanks. The London 
Musical World copies many of our articles and hon- 
orably gives us credit. The London Musical World 
is al8o fond of complimenting us. It is pleased with 
our appreciation of its idol, Mendelssohn, and cop- 
ied our poor analysis of " El^ah." But the London 
Musical World cannot bear any sort of criticism upon 
its idol, or any limitation, or question, in the estima- 
ting of his genius. It hates the new men — Schu- 
mann, as well as Liszt and Wagner. The " Music 
of the Future " is a bugbear which almost threatens 
to drive it out of its sane senses. It has several 
times taken an angry pull at the long and respectable 
qtieue of Dr. Zopff's communications on the subject 
of Mendelssohn, to which we have given place. And 
now it pulls away again, and to more compliment 
adds friendly warning for our own especial benefit, 
raising the cry of " mad dog " against modem Ger- 
man musical criticism. 

We give the article upon another page. We shall 
not enter into the general question of the musical 
supremacy of Mendelssohn, nor that of the " Music 
of the Future." All we have now to say is simply 
this. 

1. We are 'not "against" you in thb discussion. 



Our editorial policy is perhaps different from yours ; 
but we believe in the entertaining of questions which 
will and must arise until such time as they shall 
either get settled or prove themselves beyond solution. 
We like to give both sides a hearing. Do not so 
hastily assume that we endorse the views of every 
writer to whom we give the hospitality of our col- 
umns. The controversy lies between the Berlin critic 
and the London editor; ire are not answerable for it, 
farther than to allow fair play. 

2. We are not in the least danger of wandering 
away where the wholesome light and warmth of the 
great suns of the musical system shall not reach us. 
We cannot cast off the influence of Bach and Han- 
del, Beethoven and Moxart, even with this fleshly 
tabernacle. *" 

That we admire and love the music of Mendelssohn 
we need not assert That very piece about " Elijah," 
past editorials without number, this day's paper, with 
our impressions of the Lobgesang, bear witness to 
our love. But Mendelssohn is not our especial idol. 
We, and many others, feel that somehow he is not 
quite as great, or not great in just the same sense as 
Handel, Beethoven or Mozart. The cause and mean- 
ing of tliis feeling, this very common and sincere ex- 
perience, it is surely worth while to investigate. They 
who have had it longest, and stood nearest to the 
music and the man, are the Germans. The Ger- 
mans, too, (of course with differences and excep- 
tions), are the world's wisest critics in all things ar- 
tistic and sesthetic. Doubtless some of them attempt 
too high a flight and fall to the ground. Dr. Zopff is 
an intelligent musician, writes fairly and in earnest, 
if not very (pearly in respect of style. Whether ho 
be right or wh>ng in his suggestions, we do not deter- 
mine. But Ive believe there are enough grains of 
reason in thefn, and that they find enough sympathy 
in other minds, to make them worthy of a hearinip. 
In the matter of Catholicity and fairness, we do think 
the Berlin critic has the advantage of our London 
Mentor. 

3. Again, we think that one of the most im- 
portant and useful functions of criticism is that of 
measuring acknowledged ^raf men by the highest, 
even an absolute standard. The question of genius 
in the highest sense, of creative imagination, is one 
that is fairly raised even of many of the world's shin- 
ing lights. This is a nobler function than that of 
criticizing littie men, of showing up the false and 
the foolish. It may seem to partial admirers, like 
our English friend, to be equally a negative, fault- 
finding kind of criticism ; but it is not ; it is an at- 
tempt at honest, candid, severe appreciation by the 
highest standard. What if it result in the conviction 
tiiat Spenser is inferior to Shakespeare, Haydn to 
Mozart, Mendelssohn to Beethoven? — is this dis- 
paraging to either of them ? 

4. We must protest against this English habit of 
classing Schumann in the same category of condem- 
nation with Richard Wagner, Liszt and Berlioz. 
Schumann, in tiie first place, was a man of musical 
ideas, of musical inspirations, of some imaginative 
and creative faculty, whether Uie latter are or not. 
He has left Songs that are full of melody, fine origi- 
nal creations. His earlier piano pieces, with all their 
freakish and fantastical varieties of form and subject, 
abound in beauties and felicitous conceits. His Sym- 
phonies are no " puling school-boy's " work. They 
have ideas in them, and show a vigorous treatment. 
And this leads us to say, in the second place, that 
Schumann's Symphonies, &c., are built essentially 
upon the same classic form of the four movements 
with those of Beetiioven ; they are exceptional only 
in now and then an episode, and do by no means set 
tiie conventional structure at defiance, like the works 
of Wagner, who renounces all allegiance to existing 
models. There is one and the same principle of 
unity (we mean of form) in the Symphonies of Mo- 
zart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Sdm- 



22 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



mann. By the Wagnerian " Music of the Future " 

standard, Schumann is conservative, a preserver and 

continnator, not a ruthless " Sepoy " and destroyer of 

the forms in which Art has instinctively and by its 
own innate law grown up. For our part, we must 
say that tlic same reasons, apart from the individuality 
of the men, lead us to admire tlie works of Beethoven 
and Mendelssohn and Schumann. 

5. Then, as to critical capacity and soundness, we 
may ask who has written bettor about music in our 
day than Robert Schumann. Read his Maxims, 
which wo have placed on our first page ; the man 
who gives us these out of his own life and practice, must 
bo a sound thinker and teacher, and a true artist. 
Does he not tell the student to make the Preludes and 
Fugues of Bach his daily bread ? Does that sound 
like a " Sepoy's " creed 1 What different advice 
would your own Mendelssohn have given 1 There 
is one of those maxims, which we beg leave respect- 
fully to commend to the especial consideration of the 
London Musical World. It is this : 

" Reverence the Old, but meet the New also with a 
warm heart. Cherish no prejudice against names un- 
known to you." 

6. Finally, we do not think it worth while to bo 
frightened by the cry of mod dog. 



The Drama. 

The course of solid, satisfying good old English 
comedy fare, which Mrs. Barrow has of late been 
supplying at the Howard Athenosum, was last Tues- 
day set aside, to moke room for tlie spicier and more 
stimulating food of the modem drama. Each diet 
has its devotees, and in a well regulated theatrical 
table d'hote each should be represented. The play 
produced last Tuesday evening, although announced 
as the work of a gentleman of this city, Mr. Oliver 
S. Leland, proves to be, like most of the attempts 
of our countrvmen in the same field, a mere transla- 
tion from a French drama of established fame. Mr. 
Leland, however, has acted more audaciously than 
any of his predecessors, having claimed more, while 
performing less. Few translators have, like him, 
publicly proclaimed their title to authorship, and few 
nave reproduced so literally and exactly as he has 
done, the plays in imitation of which their pieces 
were constructed. The " Beatrice " of Mr. Inland 
is simply and solely the " Lady Tartuffe " of Madame 
de Girardin. Every one familiar with the works of 
this distinguished authoress knows this comedy — ^her 
masterpiece, perhaps. There is not a more elegantly 
written, nor hardly a more effective drama m the 
French language. Faithfully translated, it of course 
retains its effectiveness ; and its own merits, together 
with the excellence of its performance at the Howard, 
secured it a complete success. The acting through- 
out was good, and that of Mrs. Ban'ow,in the part of 
Beatrice, especially to be commended. The piece 
was put upon the' stage in superb style, for wnich, 
as well as for the enterprise flisplayed in bringing 
out what was supposed to be an Amei'icon play, the 
management shall be thanked. 

Mr. Barry's magnificent preparation of the Indian 
drama, " Jessie Brown," has been unavailing. For 
the past two weeks the Boston Theatro has displayed 
the several attractions of a highly effective phiv, a 
most charming little actress to personate the leading 
part, and scenic illustrations of Eastern grandeur on a 
scale of splendor hitherto unseen in tliis country. 
But " Jessie Brown " has failed thus far to pay its 
way. Why, no man can tell, for certainly there 
never was a piece brought out in this city better cal- 
culated to catch the popular fancy. 

The Museum has prospered well, with one of its 
amusing fairy spectacles — one of those in which 
nonsense and absurdity are so boldlv promulgated, 
that they become delightful ; es{)ecially when sus- 
tained by such shows and pageantry as the Museum 
affords. 

Mr. Thorne's attempt to regenerate the National 
Theatre has resulted dtsastrouiily to him, and he will 
probably soon relinquish his charge. 

Musical GMt-Chat 

The Concert to be given at the Music Hall this 

evening, by the Germaxia Band, is one well worthy 

of attention. If successful, it may lead to a much 
needed reform in the whole system of our Band 
music. Bands of mere brass have long since come 
to be a weariness, a nuisance. Who has not longed 
for a return to the good old days of clarinets and 
bassoons and French horns, mingled with the harsher 
martial instruments, and lending finer outline, light 
and shade, and contrast of color, to the music ? The 
Germania Band, composed of German and of native 
players, has now increased its numbers so that it can 



furnish a Reed band of 35 instruments, or an Orches- 
tra of 40, as well as the usual brass band of 18. 
To-night they give the first public exhibition of tlieir 
powers ; and" it behooves all who care that our street 
music should be mtis/c, and not noise, — all who desire 
a provision for good summer evening music on the 
Common, or Promenade Concerts in the Music Hall, 
to lend their countenance and their material aid to 
this experiment. Let the Music Hall be crowded. 
. . We would remind all the world " and the rest 
of mankind," that next Wednesday will be the last 
of the Afternoon Orchestral Concerts — ^probably the 
last chance this year of hearing a good Symphony, or 
an Orchestra at all, except in theatres. Last Wed- 
nesAiy we had Havdn's " Surprise " Symphony, 
Overture to " Martha.'" Duet from " Tell," Schubert's 
fjob der Thranaif and a capitally well played solo on 
the French Horn, by Mr. Trojsi. . . ' . Boston 
has lost a most valuable and leading member of its 
musical world in the person of Mr. Charles Fraw- 
CI8 CiiiCKERiirG, who has removed to New York, — 
the great piano-making business of Chickering & 
Sons requiring that a partner of the firm should rep- 
resent it there. Mr. CJhickcring has opened large and 
elegant warorooms upon Broadway (comer of ITourth 
Street), which must soon become a pleasant resort 
of all musical people. In Mr. C. our Handel and 
Haydn Society lose the most efficient President, per- 
haps, they ever had. To him we are indebted for 
the noble Festival last May. It will be hard to fill 
his place. . . . That important depot of fine, 
cheap English editions of the best Sacred Music, No- 
vello's Sacred Music Store, (now under the charge of 
Mr. Novello's enterprising successors, Messrs. Webb 
& Allen), has been removed from its old stand in 
Broadway, to finer quarters at No. 6, Astor Place. 
There is no better place to find good editions of Ora- 
torio, Organ, Mass, English Service, ond all kinds of 
approved sacred music. 

Our friend, Richard Willis, of tlie New York 
Musical World, has met with a severe affliction. We 

read in the Tritmne, April 12 : 

The funenl of Mrs. Richard Storrs TTilUx, which took plare 
at the Epiiicopal Churrh in Twenty-ninth street, was iMgely 
attended by a distinguished and sympathiiing company. 
Among the mourners were the bereaved husband, the parents, 
N. P. Willis, Esq., Mr. and Mrs. Parton, and others. The ser- 
rioes were elaborate. The ch<^ sang; Mrs. Dodstein, too, 
gave some of Uandel's strains in a most touching style; and 
the pastor of the church, beside the regular reading, delivered 
a discourse in which he properly portrayed the numerous ex- 
cellencies of the deeeajRd. and alluded to her church member- 
ship and Christian devotednem in a manner that flooded many 
eves with team. He also happily introduced the eminent con- 
U-ibutions of Mr. R. S. Willis to the sacred services of his 
church. Mrs. Willis died In child-birth, and leaves three 
young children, and a wide circle of friends and acqualntancet 
to mourn her loss. 

Wo have received a marked copy of the Philadel- 
phia Daily Argus, of which the heart of the matter is 

this: 

irAWTROMCE ScHOTTiscBi. — We have sent to Mr. Dwight, this 
week, a copy of our Scbottische, and would like to have his 
editorial opinion thereupon. — Mwicat Critic. 

For the Schottische we return respectful aq^nowl- 

edgement, but no opinion ; — the truth is, we don't 

dance. 

RoKCONi has at last made his debut at the Phila- 
delphia Academy, on Monday, in Maria di Bohan, 
and with immense success. The Bulletin says r 

Ronooni is small of stature, not handaomo in fkce or figure, 
and his ordinary gait and motions are neither graceflil nor dig- 
nifled. Hk> voice is rather harsh in quality, and not very pow- 
erful ; he Tocallaes with no great skill, and he often begins an 
air slightly below the pitch. *'IIe is not worth hearing, then," 
many wUl say ; but we answer that, with all these glaring im- 
perfections, ho is the most extraordinary and impressive per- 
former that has ever appeared on the American lyric stage,and 
this appearad to be the unanimous sentiment laat evening. 

• • • • But the grandeur of his performance was all con- 
centrated in the third act, beginning with the discovery of the 
supposed treachery of his wife. Then, the outburst of passion 
was wonderful to witness. Face and figure seemed to dilate, 
and the dignity of his presence to fill the stage. The voice, 
too, seemed inspired by the aroused genius, and every word 
was uttered with an intensity of heartfelt meaning that thrilled 
through every one. In the next scene, when with savage irony 
he taunts his wife, he was eren greater. Every nerve seemed 
to thrill with intense vitality ; every motion and every look 
was a study, and no one thought of Ronconi, his figure or his 
voice, but became absorbed in the passion of Chevreusf. The 
discovery of ChaJais gave occasion fbr another wonderful dis- 
play, and the catastrophe was grand beyond doecription. 

The Mozart Society, in Worcester, Mass., gave a 

Concert on Fast evening, consisting of selections from 

the Oratorios. . . . Fast Dav in Manchester, 
N. H., last week, was relieved by the Concert of Mr. 
G. W. Strattok, assisted by Mrs. Bradley (soprano), 
Mr. C. R. Adams (tenor), Mr. Gartner (violinist), 
and Mr. Baumbach (pianist), from tliis city. One 
half of the programme was miscellaneous ; the other 
consisted ot selections from Mr. Stratton's opera, 
"The Buccaneer." . . . The 2rat€tf«r, speaking 



of the songs sung by Formes last Saturday evening, 
gives us this remarkable information : 

The programme was arranged with particular reference to ao 
exhibition, (ao fkr as could be had) of his ven»tllity in various 
styles of music, and In tha various languages; the one being 
in French ; another in Oennan ; and still another in the IaUb ; 
in all of which he seemed perfectly at home. 

The learned critic wonld oblige us further, if ho 
would inform us which of the songs was sung in 
French, and which in Latin ! Thcv were : " In die- 
sen heil 'gen Uallen " / " Der WanJeror ", and " Non 
piu andrai". 




nsiral Cornspnhnte. 



W^*MMM«'NAMA^MM^M^^^NMMn«M«AA^^M^WMWW*tf««WW^«^^««M««^^M««^mMtf*ri*»«««#»AM^V«A^MAM^ 



New York, April 14. — It is consoling to know 
that Mu0ard'0 grand concerts, with their Express 
Galops, tlicir "boni/s^'mouton" Quadrilles, their " Ba- 
taille des Zouaves" their gongs, their liveried waiters 
and uniformed newsboys, kc., &c., have not entirely 
crushed to earth more modest entertainments. To 
be sure, Mr. Ullm an does his best to leave no room 
in the public mind for aught else. His advertise- 
ments divide the daily papers with those of the New 
York Ledger; and, not satisfied with the circulation 
thus given to them, he resorts to still other means. 
Not long ago a thick letter was handed in, with : 
" Tvjo cents to pay." As there was no ftamp on the 
missive, the demand seemed suspicions. The envel- 
ope was found to contain the sum of all the adver- 
tisements relating to Mitsard and his concerts, which 
had ever appeared in our papers — neatly printed in 
pamphlet form. On looking for the messenger at the 
front door, there stood a small urehin, about eighteen 
inches high, with a handle of similar notes in his 
hand. He was asked : '* Why do you ask two cents 
for this ? " Ans. (in a piping voice) : " For profit ! " 
" How 's that 1 " " For taking 'em round I " No 
doubt he made considerable ** profit " in the end, for 
many people would give the two cents without think- 
ing, or looking to see that they gave them for what 
they can read every day in the newspapers. And 
that this was no mere speculation of the boy, but one 
of Ullman's modi operandi, was proved by the foct 
of his name being stamped on the envelope. 

But, as I said before, there is still some room left 
for something better. Mason's, and Eisfeld's 
concerts have again followed each other in rapid suc- 
cession during the past week. The former, on Sat- 
urday morning, was one of the best of the scries, if 
not as a whole, yet in some of its points. There 
were again, as at some of the previous ones, only throo 
pieces on the programme ; but two of these, Beet- 
hoven's Kreutxcr Sonata and Bacli's Triple Con- 
certo, were gems of the first water. The third, though 
the first in order, was the second Quartet of Schu- 
mann, Op. 42, which pleased me infinitely less than 
the No. 1 , which we have heard at Mason's and Eis- 
fcld's this winter. It is much more in Schumann's 
far-fetched, over-strained vein than the other. The 
Sonata was admirably played by Messrs. Mason and 
Thomas, and was glorious as ever. The rendering 
of the Concerto, ns a whole, was so infinitely superior 
to that nt Sattcr's concert, tliat the composition 
seemed like a totally different one. On that occasion 
I could not recognize it at all as the same piece I had 
heard at Mason's Matinde two yean before : this 
time it made precisely the same impression on me as 
at the first hearing. This may have been partly 
owing to the different arrangement of the instruments 
— at Satter's concert tliey were scattered over ^he 
whole platform, and the string instruments placed 
beside the pianos, while at Mason's they were in front, 
which caused a much better blending of the tones, — 
and to the double-bass, omitted nt Satter's, which 
marked the time more definitely ; but above and be- 
yond all, to the very excellent performance of the 
three pianists, Messrs. Timh, ^ciiarfendero, and 
Mason, who interpreted so thoroughly the spirit of 
tlie great composer. They played as if they had one 
body and one soul, and the notes were so mar^-ellous- 
ly intertwined, that it was almost impossible to dis- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1858. 



23 



tinguish one piano from tho otliers. It is a strange, 
quaint composition — bringing up beforo tho mind 
gorgeous pageants of stately lords and ladies in pow- 
der, starch, and stiff brocade, witli their straight-laced 
deportment, measured tread, and yet, withal, trans- 
ccndant manly or dclicato beauty, which no ungrace- 
ful forms of fashion can conceal. 

[We muBt leare tho lenuinder of this letter till next week 
— B».] 

Brooklyn, N. Y., March 31. — The fourth and 
last concert of tho Philharmonic Society took place 
on Saturday evening last. The audience was all that 
could be desired. The Programme was as follows : 

FABT I. 

Symphony —In C, Op. 5, Niels W. Oade. 

Soena — *' Wie nahte mir der Scblummer," .... Weber. 

Madame Johannsen. 

Bomaua for Comet a Piston T. £l»feld. 

Mr. Schreiber. 

PABT n. 
OTertnre— " Meeiesstllle und gluckllche Fahrt," (Calm at Sea 

and Prosperoui Voyage,") Mendeliwohn. 

Aria—" Eriiani InTolaml ! " Verdi. 

Madame Johannmn. 
Nocturne Melodlqoe — *' Vreneh Horn," . . W. Lawrence. 

Mr. H. SchmlU. 
Orertnre — ^TannhaUaer, R. Wagner. 

Tho Symphony, it seems to me, will not bear a 
favorable comparison with those of Mendelssohn, to 
. say nothing of those of the older Masters. I think, 
however, no one can hear this Symphony without 
being mora than pleased. Its thoughts may not bo 
of the Titanic kind, or as " huge as high Olympus," 
but it possesses merit enough to render it always a 
favorite with those who love the simple and beautiful. 

The composer seems to waste his energies, or 
rather he is too lavish in the use of his material on 
the start. Take, for instance, the third movement. 
Andante Grazioao. The first theme of this movement 
is perfectly charming, but the remaining two-thirds 
fail to satisfy the expectations raised while listening 
to the first, so that it is somewhat difficult to tell at 
the close whether you are entirely pleased or not. 
The whole Symphony partakes of this character, but 
it is more apparent in this movement tlian in the 
others. 

In the vocal part, tho arrangements were much 
more satisfactory than at either of the previous con- 
certs. JoHAKKBEN sang the Scena from Der Frei- 
Bchatz exceedingly well. The audience were evident- 
ly not expecting so satisfactory a performance, and 
the applause was earnest and hearty. She cannot be 
called a great singer, but one who will always please, 
and with many she will be a great favorite. 

Emanif involami requires what Johannsen docs not 
possess, but what Lagrange does possess to a greater 
degree of perfection than any other artist we have had 
with us, a facility of vocal execution capable of per- 
forming all sorts of impossibilities. The audience, 
however, were so well satisfied with the singing of it 
by Johannsen, as to ask for a repetition. If contrast 
ia something to be desired in making up a programme, 
we had it in two vocal pieces. But measured by the 
rule of good taste, and the *' eternal fitness of things," 
I think it would hardly " pass muster." Tills selec- 
tion from Verdi's Emani seemed to me much 
like a display of fire-works on a beautiful moonlight 
night, and, as a matter of course, the pyrotechnics 
must suffer most by the comparison. 

The Romanza and Nocturne ^fdodique were both 
admirably done and gave much pleasure. 

Tho Overture, " Calm at sea and prosperous voy- 
age," was very much admired, and I am sure the 
composer himself would have been perfectly satisfied 
with the manner in which it was played, under the 
able and judicious management of Mr. Eisfeld. 
This gentleman still grows in public favor, and, at 
least with us, has no superior as a conductor. 

The Overture to Tannkauser is certainly the 
most wonderful, and also, to me, incomprehensible 
musical composition I have ever heard. I presume 
it was well phiyed; at all events the Orchestra 
worked hard. 



The "Philharmonic Society of Brooklyn," finds 
itself at the close of its first season out of debt, with 
music on hand for which they have paid $400. But 
it must be remembered, this has not been accom- 
plished by having, as is' the case in New York, the 
gratuitous services of all tho solo performers, both 
vocal and instrumental; on tlie other hand, our Soci- 
ety has paid everybody, always a fair, and in some 
cases an exorbitant price for their services. While 
much of the success of this first season of our new 
Society is due to tho good taste and enterprise of our 
citizens, much is also due to individual effort. Many 
of our more public-spirited citizens have aided both 
with their tissue and money to sustain and carry on 
this series of concerts. The President of the Soci- 
ety, Luther B. Wyman, Esq., and the Secretary, 
Professor Raymond of tho Polytechnic Institute, 
havo botli been unceasing and untiring in their efforts 
to carry them through successfully. 

Bellini. 



Louisville, March 20. — On tho 17th inst. we 
had the second concert of the season, of our new Or- 
chestral Association, " The Louisville Musical Fund 
Society." 

Tho Programme could not fail to draw a choice 
audience to the hall of the Masonic Temple, which 
was well filled. In the performance of the following 
pieces, I found even an improvement in the orches- 
tral parts as regards precision and accurateness. 

PABT I. 

1. Wedding March, Mendelsrohn. 

2. Scena — *' Come per me, Sereno," Bellini. 

3. OTerture — Fanchon, Himmel. 

4. Quartet— BeUaFiglia dell'amore, from A'^oZe/l^, . Verdi. 

Mines Collier and Scheidler. 

Mefljqrs. Dolflnger and Mason. 

6. Quintet^For Piano, Violin, Vlola^ 'Cello and Contra Bam, 

Beethoven. 
Messrs. ZoUer and Jaeger. 
6. Orertnre— APEspagnoll, Kuffner. 

PAET n. 

1. Orerture — Sophonisha^ Paer. 

2. Scena— D'amor suU all Rosee, fhrni // Trovatortf . Verdi. 

Miss Colliero and Mr. Dolflnger. 

8. EUte Waltzes, ^ . . Lanner. 

4. Aria — from La Favorita. , Donizetti. 

Mons. Corradi ColUerc. 
6. Solo—" Dolce Concento," Variations for the Bird Flageolet, 

Nicholson. 
William Ratel. 
6. Najaden PoIk»— By request— Full Orchestra, . . Oung'l. 

The grand Wedding March, by Mendelssohn, 
lost something of its charm by the brass instruments 
and drums drowning the string instruments. I had 
to admire Miss Scheidler's execution in Bellini's 
Come per me, and was struck with the accompaniment 
of the full orchestra on account of its softness and 
precision. I did not expect this from so young an 
orchestra, and great credit is due to the Director. 
The overture to Fanchon, by Himmel, pleased me 
less. The time was taken too slow. The beautiful 
quartet by Verdi went off very pleasingly. Mr. 
Mabom'b place was filled by Mr. Colliers. 

It was one of the happiest sights to behold in 
Beethoven's quartet a whole family of artists per- 
forming: the father and three sons. There was 
nothing wanting in the execution, though the posi- 
tion taken by the performers was not the most suit- 
able, and by it a good deal of the efllect was lost. 
Mr. Jaeger was splendidly at his place ; he handles 
his instrument with an ease and tenderness and power 
but rarely heard. I understand he is going to favor 
us in the next concert with a solo oa the basso. I 
would, however, under all circumstances, advise the 
managers to procure for similar occasions a grand 
piano, as the square piano, good as it may be, is not 
sufficient to fill the largo hall. 

Kuffner's and Paer's overtures could not go better; 
unity, good tune and vigor in all the movements pre- 
vailed. Verdi's Scena from 11 Trouatore was again 
repeated; Miss Colliere and Mr. Dolfinger 
just suit this piece, it seems as if it were written for 
them. I love to hear Mr. Dolfinger's beautiful tenor, 
and he is a decided favorite of tho music lovers here. 

The Aria from La Favorita, Donizetti, was ren- 
dered by Mr. Colliere with perfection; in fact, ho 



cannot sing otherwise ; hence his appearance in our 
concerts is always highly welcome and appreciated. 

The Solo on the bird flageolet by Nicholson was 
a beautiful intermezzo. The insignificant instrument 
created at first sight a general merriment amongst 
the audience, but tho attention was soon riveted by 
the really masterly execution of our Mr. Katel, the 
Vice President of the Society. He had to repeat it. 

The Najaden Polka was a happy selection for the 
finale ; the audience severally left the hall with happy 
and grateful feelings. Anontmocs. 



Pescia, Italy, March 18. — Of course you have 
never heard of Pescia before. How could you ! I 
have not written to you of it ere this, and am not I 
tho Great Original Discoverer, the very Christopher 
Columbus of Pescia 1 

The way of it was this. Having returned from 
Rome to Florence, I was waiting in the latter city for 
letters, and one day, an idea struck me — I would 
take a walk I I would walk to Lucca, I would in- 
vade the heart of Tuscany armed with a passport, an 
Italian dictionary, and a little book to read as I 
strolled along. I would walk, 1)ear in mind. I would 
not go in the rail-car nor in the diligence. Nothing 
would induce me to ride. I would not ride even 
were I offered a free ticket wherever I wanted to go. 
I would not ride, even were tho Railway Directors to 
come to me in a body ; no, not if they were to get 
down before me on their two eyes ; no, not if they 
were to implore me with tears in their knees I So, 
having made this Spartan resolution, I started from 
Florence one delicious morning in March, when the 
balmy zephyr and warbling birds, and azure sky, 
&c., &c. 

Gradually tho dome and campanile of the Cathe- 
dral disappeared, and then I began to come in sight 
of a town ; so it was all the way. No sooner did I 
get clear of one town than I plunged into another, 
and so to my vexation had no opportunity of prac- 
tising vocal music on the route without being over- 
heard and creating an intrusive sensation. That 
evening I stopped at Pistoja, a little town where they 
are famous for making diurch organs. I know you 
are dying to hear my learned and acute critical re- 
marks about the pictures in the Cathedral, but never- 
theless I shall not gratify your laudable curiosity. 
Suffice that the next day at noon I left Pistoja. 

It was all very nice — the very nicest thing in the 
world — this walking, but somehow or other I was 
horribly tired when about five miles from Pescia; 
when I was witliin two miles of the town I was still 
more fatigued, especially as no Pescia was anywhere 
to be seen. Indeed the position of the town is such, 
that you cannot see it till you are actually before its 
very gates. 

It lies closely hidden in the gorge of a mountain 
pass, with a wild mountain stream running through 
its centre, said stream being about ten montlis of tho 
year almost dry, and the other two presenting the 
appearance of an impetuous river. Its wide, gravelly 
bod is spanned by two bridges and divides tho little 
town in two unequal parts, tlie smaller being chiefly 
noticeable for its Cathedral, and the larger for the 
noble, wide street, favorite promenade, market-place, 
and rendezvous of the people of Pescia. Tho other 
streets are moreover unexceptionably clean, and the 
houses neat, and a few really splendid. 

But its natural features are the chief charm of Pes- 
cia. Standing upon one of the bridges and looking 
up the river at the rows of fine tall houses that line 
its bank, the spectator is at once reminded of Nice, 
that beautiful place of resort which everybody so well 
knows. The hillsides are covered witli terraced 
groves of olives, through which at intervals are seen 
the towers of isolated churches and convents, which 
nestle here and there amid the soft, misty green foli- 
age. Sometimes an Italian pine is discerned, rising 
majestically above the olives. In the distance, a 



24 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



monntain, whose top is covered with buow, teems to 
heighten, by the contrast of its icy coldness, the 
warm, Inxnrions life of the valley below. 

There are, of coarse, any amount of people in Pes- 
da. There are swarms of priests, in their long cloaks 
and black hats, taking solemn exercise upon the 
pretty road that runs along the river bank. If you 
are there at the proper time — say five o'clock in die 
afternoon — yon may see the good bishop of Pescia, 
who belongs to one of the glorious company of fiit, 
oily men of God, and is accompanied by an emaci- 
ated priest (he is a poor relation, I guess), and a 
stout servant carrying a cloak. The emaciated priest 
reminds me of an inquiry I have long wished to send 
to the Editor of '* Notes and Queries." It is this : 
Why are poor relations always lean 1 Or no 1 not 
that, for that question answers itself, but rather this : 
Has anybody ever read, or seen, or heard of a fat 
poor relation 1 

As no creature out of Tuscany ever heard of Pes- 
cia before, and as I may fairly claim to be the first 
illustrious traveller who has visited it and extended 
its fame to the New World, I deem it no egotism to 
entitle myself. The Renowned Original Discoverer 
and Modem Christopher Columbus of Pescia. Per- 
haps in so doing I may slightly transcend the strict 
bounds of propriety, but in the words of Mrs. Micaw- 
ber, that I am mainly right both my reason and my 
judgment alike forbid me to doubt. 

As I write, I sit upon the terrace of the inn which 
overlooks the river and affords a fine view of the 
olive colored hills. My heart and head are full of 
Pesda, and yet at the same time the hamming of 
some passer-by reminds me of the opera I heard the 
other night in Florence— the Traviata, or VtoUtta, 
as it is called in Italy. It was performed at the Per- 
gola by a tolerable company, with one Carozzi Zucchi 
as prima donna, a fresh, noisy singer, who takes the 
part much better than the much over^rated Piccolo- 
mini, yet not near so well as our own Gazzaniga. 
The opera was superbly put upon the stage, the 
scenery being unsurpassed. Since my previous visit 
to Florence they had produced here Verdi's unfortu- 
nate AroldOf of which I have previously had occasion 
to speak. The opera was performed just four times, 
which, according to the Florentine critics, was just 
four times oftener than it deserved. Indeed the fate 
of this opera is appalling. It has failed everywhere. 
At Parma it was played the oftenest, because it was 
written for the theatre there, and the good people felt 
a desire to deal gently with the poor thing. The 
Italian press unite in condemning it strongly, and the 
Impresarios who produced it at their various theatres 
have been obliged to fall back upon Traviata and 
JVovcUare. The latter is now being played with great 
success in Leaning Tower Pisa, with Limberti (whose 
excellent performance I have alluded to in speaking 
of Pacini's opera, Elua Velaaco), one of the best 
tenors of Italy in the chief role. Talking about Tro- 
vaion, at once brings me back to first principles and 
Pescia. They are a musical people here, diough not 
able to have an opera. To-day I took breakfast at 
the " Trovatore Eating House," and last night heard 
a serenade given to somebody in the next street The 
selection was the Muertre scene of the favorite opera 
— a lugubrious choice, it must be confessed, but the 
effect of the solemn strains breaking upon the still- 
ness of the night was very beautiful. 

Ah I but Pescia, a lovely spot at all times, assumes 
an almost magic beauty towards sunset. It is a rare 
pleasure to sit, as I do now upon the balcony over- 
hanging the river, and see the golden sunlight falling 
upon the olive groves, and gilding the half hidden 
fronts of the mountain convents. It has left the val- 
ley below, and is gradually fading away from the 
lower parts of the mountains. At the same time the 
bells from the numerous convents commence an har- 
monious chiming, which mingles with the occasional 
whistle of the distant locomotive. One can see the 



smoke of a huge factory not far off, while near by are 
the slight wires of the telegraph. It is Italy, with all 
its beauty and romance, wedded to New England, with 
all its practical arts and sciences. 

I do not wait for the golden colors to fade away 
into the dim gray twilight, but leaving the balcony, 
go to tlie front of the house which looks out upon the 
noble wide street I have before mentioned. It is not 
long, but still forms a beautiful promenade, and at 
this time is crowded with die great majority of the 
inhabitants of Pescia, strolling citlicr singly, in 
couples, or in groups, simply CDJoving the delicious 
coolness of the hour, and the animated aspect of the 
scene. At one end stands a little church ; they call 
it La Madonna della Piazza. The whole scene is 
lively and brilliant, and it only needs the music to 
remind one of die masquerade in Emam, 

1 do not know whether you have in Boston a Geo- 
graphical or Historical Society, but if yon are so for- 
tunate, I trust the learned body vrill invite me to de- 
liver before them the elaborate paper that I am pre 
paring, entided : " Narrative of an Exploring Expedi- 
tion into Pescia ; with Statistics as to the Population 
thereof, their Modes of Dress, of Living and Eating. 
By Trovator, Esq." If yon have not an Historical 
or Geographical Society, I can easily inform you 
what ingredients are necessary for its composition, 
and trust there is enough public spirit in Boston to 
act upon my hints and immediately form one. Here 
are the dramatit penona, carefully gathered from that 
of corresponding societies in New York : 

Xl«t«ii laige gvDtleman with (old fpeetaelM. 

Fire Uitle dapper men with ditto, ditto. 

Nineteen nepeetable old fogiee with graj h»lr. 

n?e bftld gentlemen. 

Three young men with white eiaTati. 

Six Orthodox Clergymen. 

Seren sleepy men. 

Two young mlMes, who giggle. 

Six Utenry ledies, who wear coitoerew cnrli. 

Six literary ladies, who do mot wear eorkserew cnrli, and who 
wHI not speak to the other six Utetaxy ladies. 

One or two eminent traveUors who hare explored Oommnnl- 
paw, or some snch terra mcognila^ and ars prepared with 
" papers ** to read. 

A lean gentleman to act as Secretary. 

A fkt gentleman to act as Chairman. 

A dimly lighted room, and some writing materials for the 
Secretary, and a glass of water tot the speaker. 

Four newspaper reporters, who ars mneh bored by the whole 
aflair. 

Some sandwiches and mustard in aa a4)aoent room. 

I need not assure yon, that before such an intellect- 
ual body, it would give me great pleasure to read my 
Narrative of the Exploring Expedition into Pescia. 
Of course my services would be gratuitous, and I 
should only ask to be made an Honorary Member of 
the Society, and to have a lion's share of the sand- 
wiches. The newspaper reporters should not either 
be allowed to go away sandwich-less, on the night 
when I read my valuable and instructive paper. I 
take this method, through the columns of your excel- 
lent journal, to make known my desires. 

To-morrow I leave Pescia, perhaps forever, and in 
so doing will bid farewell to one of the loveliest spots 
God and man ever united to create. However I have 
one consolation. I can boldly face the CaraPadrona 
once more. When I left Florence, I told that estim- 
able lady I was going to walk to Lucca. " Bless 
you I " she cried, ** what do you walk for f" 1 really 
could not answer ; it certainly was not to save time or 
money, for walking required more of either than 
going by railway would have done, and so I had to 
make a miserable shift by saying I wanted to " see 
the country." But now on returning I can proudly 
speak of Pescia. Had I not walked I should never 
have discovered Pescia, and consequentiy should 
never have been able to add to my name the proud 
title R.O.D. and M.C.C. of P , Renowned Origi- 
nal Discoverer and Modem Christopher Columbus of 
Pescia. 

Yours ever, Txovatob. 



Sgenal ggluts. 

DESCBIPTIVB LIST OF TUB 

PaUUh«4 ¥7 O. DitMa it €•• 



YOCAL, WITH PIAKO ACCOVPAWIMBlfT. 

Daisy Bell, Song and Chorus. L. b. Emerson. 25 
Pretty mnale, to words by Geo. M. Sowe, Bsq. 

Jessie Brown, or the Highland Bescue. Words 
bv CarpftU^. Masic by Jtjhn Bloddey. 90 

^is famous inddent at tlie rolfef of Lucknow is heiw 
treated ia a truly dramatio style by poet and oom- 



My native Land 's my Home. Dr, J. Edyneg. 25 
A pleasing, sentimental strain. 

Onr Carrie. Quartet and Harp. 25 

Yery easy ; a true ChUdx«n*s Song ,witli a little eboras 
tor three vetoes. 



Prayer for Rain. From Mendelssohn's *' Elijah." 40 

This Tery dnmatfe and ezdting namber of the Ot^ 

. torio, eonsbtlog of Solos by B^jsh (Bess), and a 

Boy (Hesso Soprano), with responses bv the Choros, 

has acquired new interest lately by the singing of 

Caml Foi 



La Pens^ (A Thought). 



Winged Messenger (LiebetbaUchaft). A, Fata, 25 
One of Fesca^s most melodioas airs. Only moderately 



dUBeult. for Mesao Soprano or Baritone. 

On the Road to Brighton. A Sleighine Sonpp, 
with Chorus. miarru. 30 

Will ye no come back again. Scotch Ballad. 

F.Dvn, 80 
Simple and quaint, In the true Scotch vsln. 

The Sea Gull. Words by Manf HmoiU, H. W.P, 25 
A Teiy poetic rendering of s eashore Impressions. 
Music In the same spirit. 

I think of thee. Ballad. J. P. Haqgariy. 25 

An effccttng Song tot the Parlor. Not dlflloalt. 

IKSTBUXBITTAL MUSIC BOB PIANO. 

Hungarian Air, by David. Transcribed by Lisxt. 25 
This Is a gem tot those who are ftmd of the strange 
mixture of eztraragant mirth and wailing senti- 
mentality which preTalls in the national music of 
Hungary. 

Le Soupir (The Sigh). Sckad. 25 

A pudntlTe melody, principally for the left hand. 
Bather easy throughout. 

Valse,^^gante. A. Loetchom, 25 

A TeiT nice little eomposition. Hie author has care- 
ftiliy arolded all hacknled phrasee, and Imparted to 
It a ehann for musicians as well as amateurs. 

Bote of Castille Quadrilles. J, G. CaUcoit. 80 

Spirited and InrlmfU of melodic gems ihim BaUe's 
last, and many say best, Opera. 

AuBordduLac. Idylle. W. Kuhe. 25 

This charming compoeer has here laid out a siBple 
melody of but sixteen bars, made highly efEBctlTe 
hj an ever^hanging accompaniment upon the note 
of the domlpant, quickly repeated in the higher 
octares, with fkvqnent crossing of hands. H^ly 
suggestiTe of a quiet, blue lake In rursl seclusion, 
with a faint stroke of a distant bell now and then. 



J. Blumenihal. 25 



A dreamy. medltatlTe composition of a quiet flow. 
Bather diUhmlt. 

Papo Schottisch. Peter FttxgtrM. 25 

Spirit Waltz. G. H. Mitcheli, Jr. 10 

Love Spell Qalop. Jot. Weber. 25 

Tantalizing Polka. R. Herxog. 25 

Seraphinen Landler (Redowa). C. Strauss. 25 

Clarissa Polka. J Ettling. 25 

Leviathan Waltz. C. A. Ingraham. 25 

Rippling Wave Waltz. J. W. Turner. 25 

The aboTc form a good eoileotioo of sfanple Banee 
Music, well arranged. 

Gems from La TraviaUif arranged for two per- 
formers by R. Nordmanwea. 25 

Three numbers of this Series have been Issued, ris. : 
**IM Piorenaa U mar," "Be miel bollentl,"and 
*' Ah forse lul." The name of the airanfesr Is a 
sufllcient guarantee for the excellence ot these 
arrangements. 

Homage to Verdi. Fantasia on airs from his 
principal Operas, for four performers on two 
pianos, by Duroc. 1.25 

This piece Is excellently adapted to be p erformed at 
Bxhibitions. In Seminaries, ke. It requires four 
players of not more than middling amllty. The 
melodies, which are introduced, are of Terdrs best, 
and cannot but highly please the manyfHends, 
that this eminently suceessftil compoeer has made 
everywhere . 

Darting Nelly Gray. Varied by Chas. Grobe. 50 

This Song of unlTersal popularity appears here for 
the first time In an armngement for the piano. 
Surely, there could not hare been found a oetter. 
hand for such armngement than that of Charies 
Grobe ! 




toijit's 




0urtial 





u5ii> 



Whole No. 31G. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 4. 



TraniilAted ftw this Jonrnal. 

Eobert Schtunann. 

(From Wasibucwsky^s Dngraphy.) 

Robert Schumann was a little above 
middle height, and slightly inclined to corpu- 
lency. In his healthful days there was in 
his bearing something elevated, noble, full of 
dignity and calmness ; his gait on the contrary 
was usually slow, cautious, and a little indo- 
lent and shuffling.* Accordingly his eye 
was mostly sunk, half closed, and only lighted 
up in conversation with near friends, but then 
in the most agreeable and kindly manner. 
His countenance made a pleasant and good- 
hearted impression, without justifying the 
epithet of beautiful, — indeed one could scarcely 
speak of an intellectual physiognomy; the 
fine-cut mouth, commonly protruded a little 
and puckered up as if to whistle, was, next 
to the eye, the most attractive feature of his 
full, round, rather fresh colored countenance. 
Over his short nose rose a high, freely spring- 
ing, arched brow, remarkably expanded in 
breadth about the temples. Above all, his 
head, covered with dark brown, full and 
rather long hair, had something downright, 
altogether strong, and one might say four- 
cornered about it 

His physiognomy had, with a certain shut- 
up cast of features, for the most part a uni- 
formly mild, benevolent expression. The 
rich soul's life did not mirror itself there so 
vividly, as in sanguine natures. When Schu- 
mann wore the friendly mien, which was not, 
to be sore, too often, he could exert a fascina- 
ting influence on those about him. 

While standing — long standing easily fa- 
tigued him — he held either bdth hands behind 
his back, or at any rate one hand, while with 
the other he musingly brushed his hair one 
side, or stroked his mouth or chin. If he sat 
or lay unoccupied, he often let the upraised 
fingers of both hands play with one another. 

The manner of his intercourse with others 
was very simple. He spoke but little or not 
at all, even when questions were asked him, 
or at least only in broken utterances, which 
constantly betrayed his activity of thought 
when any subject interested him. There was 
nothing conscious or affected in this. His 
manner of speaking seemed very much like 
** talking to himself " ; the more so, since he used 
his organ only feebly and without much tone. 
About the ordinary, every-day affairs and 
phenomena of life, he never cared to talk at 
all; and about weighty subjects, such as 



* In tiM house, when Sehoinann finr the moet part wore felt 
fhoee, he somethneB wmlked on Up-toe, without any outward 
occadon. I can fpeak, of conree, only of the last years of his 
life, daring which I knew him Intimately. 



deeply interested him, he only expressed him- 
self reluctantly and rarely. One had to wait 
the favorable moment with him, and then 
again one might stay hours with him, w^ithout 
really getting into conversation. But from 
his silence, to any person, one could not infer 
any antipathy or sympathy on his part. It 
was simply a characteristic trait with him, 
one that developed itself quite early. t Yet 
he often, by his persistent silence, offended 
persons who did not know him intimately, or 
who thought they knew him too well to need 
to notice this peculiarity. 

In meeting strange and uncongenial per- 
sons, Schumann's social forms may frequently 
have been somewhat repulsive. Especially 
was he very easily offended by a certain un- 
called for "confidential cordiality" and for- 
wardness. He certainly cannot be entirely 
acquitted of humors and a certain peevishness, 
especially during the last years of his life, 
which were clouded by continual inward suf- 
ferings. But the kernel of his nature always 
was so excellent and noble, that the impeach- 
able sides of his personality were scarcely to 
be taken into the account. He felt and 
showed himself in the best humor in the more 
private friendly circle, with a cigar J and a 
good glass of beer or wine, of which latter 
he preferred Champagne, being in the habit 
of remarking: ^'Tliis strikes sparks out of 
the soul ! " 

In the family circle Schumann was seldom 
accessible ; but if one enjoyed this preference 
he felt the most beneficent impression. He 
loved his children not less than his wife, 
although he possessed not the gift of occupy- 
ing himself deeply and for hours together 
with them. 

The outward life, which Schumann led 
during his last years, was very uniform and 
extremely regular. In the forenoon, until 
about 12 o'clock, he worked. Then he usu- 
ally took a walk, accompanied by his wife 
and some near acquaintance.! At 1 o'clock 

t Kapellmeister Doaw communicates the following oxperl- 
'«nce : *' When I saw Schumann again for the first time after a 
long abeence In the year 1843, there was music at his house (on 
his wlfii-s birthday). Among those present was Mendelssohn. 
We had scarcely time to exchange two words, for new parties 
kept otfioiing congratulations. As I took leave, Schumann 
said to me In a mournful tone : ■ Ah, we hate not been able to 
have any conrersation.' I consoled both him and me by allud- 
ing to the next meeting, and said, smiling : ' Then we will 
have a good spell of silence! * * 0,' replied he, blushing, and 
in a low tone, * then you hare not forgotten mc? ' " 

t Schumann smoked very fine and strong cigars, which he 
playftiUy called " little devils." 

$ If, on the way, he met his children, he vrould stop awhile, 
pull out his lorgnette and look at them a moment, saying in a 
fHendly tone: " Now, you little dears!" then he would resume 
his former mien, and proceed upon lUs way as if nothing had 
occurred. 



he dined, and then, after a short recreation, 
worked till 5 or 6. After that, he visited, 
commonly, some public place, or a private 
club, of which he was a member, to read 
the newspapers and drink a glass of beer or 
wine. At 8 o'clock he commonly went home 
to supper. 

Tea parties, so called, and evening parties 
Schumann visited but seldom and exception- 
ally. On the other hand, he occasionally 
received a certain circle of acquaintances and 
friends of Art in his house. At such times, 
when he found himself in a good mood, he 
could be a very agreeable host ; indeed there 
were single instances during his DUsseldorf 
life, when he showed himself uncommonly 
cheerful and good-humored. Once, in fact, 
after they had Iiad music and supper, he pro- 
posed a general dance, in which, to the joyftil 
surprise of all present, he took a lively part 
himself. 

In professional affairs Schumann was severe 
and conscientious, although he almost never 
gave way to expressions of violence or pas- 
sion, and if he did, he soon spoke again in 
a conciliatory and conciliated tone. This 
happened, when he had once been peevish 
towards one he esteemed, which he immedi- 
ately felt and tried to make all right again. 
When there was difference of opinion, he 
commonly kept silent ; but this was always 
a sure sign of his unproclaimed opposition, 
on the ground of which he simply acted as 
he thought right. To all malignity and 
coarseness of feeling he was inexorably stem, 
and where it had once manifested itself to 
him, he was evermore irreconcilable. 

Of Schumann's way of meeting his com- 
panions in Art (musicians and critics espe- 
cially) I have already spoken in the course 
of this work ; in this respect he was a model. 
There was no ti-ace of jealousy or envy in 
him. He joyfully and warmly recognized what 
wiis great, significant, and talented, particu- 
larly when he felt himself addressed by kin- 
dred elements. In the latter case he showed 
too, — what must strike one in his thoroughly 
Gennan tendency and way of thinking — an 
enthusiastic sympathy for foreign Art, although 
he was completely on his guard against the 
more recent dramatic music of France and 
Italy, and with regard to the latter never 
attained to a correct appreciation, based upon 
objective intuition. During his last years he 
sometimes expressed less interest for some 
great masters of the past, particularly for the 
art of Haydn and Mozart. Indeed he in- 
dulged occasionally in disparaging words about 



26 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



certain works of these composers, in which 
he naturally was misunderstood by most ; for 
the principal, immediate cause of such ex- 
pressions was his sickness, ahhough it is not 
to be doubted that, with advancing years, his 
habit of spinning in his own ideal world, gain- 
ing more and more the upperliand in him, 
had a certain share in it. 

In the departed, the Art-world of our time 
has lost one of its most highly and richly 
endowed creative minds, — one of its most 
consecrated priests. His life is alike valuable 
and instructive for the history of Art. Val- 
uable through its restless striving for the 
highest, for the noblest, and the results which 
he attained, — instructive through the errors, 
with which he too, as more or less every 
earth-bom being, had to pay his tribute to 
the Finite. But blessed is the man who has 
so striven and so eiTed, as he has done ! 

^m^ 

OrohestratioiL 

Wm. H. Fry, in the New York Tribune, \\Titing 
of the Milsard concerts, gives the following dcsmption 
of the instruments that compose the modem Orches- 
tra. 

The public cannot understand that great hfical 
gift of heaven, the orchestra — ^that second sun of 
poetry and lustre — without study. They must po 
and go again if they would appreciate its colors. Let 
the student of it, after lie has mastered the more ob- 
vious melodies,* or that which relates to form and 
idea— look to the coloring — the orchestration — and 
see what beauty and variety there are for every one 
who has taste, and a religious — we use the word ad- 
visedly — feeling for Art. First take the flute. That 
has a special tem])er and quality. The sound is divi- 
ded into two parts — the lower register is full and 
heartfelt, the upper volatile and brilliant. Then next 
in orchestral order, among the instruments, is the 
hautboy, a reed instrument. This recalls at a mo- 
ment's notice all that Greek, Koman, Israelite or 
medieval poet has sung of herds and shepherds. 
The primitive sadness of expression ; the loneliness ; 
the melancholy ; the simplicity of an eclogue are all 
therein. Corydon and Phillis and their lovers, none 
too happy, arc there told by a few notes. Now come 
tlie clarionets, breathing of gallantry and war ; and 
of love, but of that of courts and camps. This noble 
instrument sweeps through a wide T&np;e ; the lower 
tier of notes being supernatural ; the middle having 
a vital connection with that great index of tlie soul, 
the human voice ; and the upper a bird-like sway and 
perch as pure as brilliant. Now come the tnmipets : 
symbol of battle and jjlorj' ; but whose sonority, and 
variety of notes in the scale, is mora made use of 
than formerly, when a few imjKsrious notes told its 
whole stoiy. The horn — the mellow horn — ^sylvan 
echo : the imapo of the chase, of manlv sports, and 
health and joy following in their train. !Kut the honi 
as now j)lnyed jrivcs the woes of that saddest of sad 
great stories, Edj;ar's blasted love. Witness the last 
act of Lucia; for the intenscst wife-tlcvotion, look at 
the use made of them in the soprano air of Fidelio. 
Following in orchestitd order are the troml)one8. 
This is the most terrible and ghastly of instruments. 
Its quiet tones in the lower rejrioiis are in musical 
literature what the calm despair of Othello is after 
Desdemona is dead, and the end of the dreariest tale 
ever told approaches. In their loud prowess they 
are terrible, and are competently used by Mozart to 
paint the supernatural in Don Giovanniy where the 
statue speaks as hell yawns. There is yet a lower 
deep, in the ophicleide, or bass buj;le, an instnunent 
in the hands of its master now performing at the 
Academy, having a colossal sentiment not elsewhere 
found. To this may also bo added the whole range 
of Saxe-homs — the terrible de|)ths of the bom- 
bardone — which come out fo vastly in the massacre 
scenes of the Huguenots, where, especially in the 
duet of Raoul and Valentine, we have as grand paint- 
ing as ever came from Shakespeare, Milton, or — never 
mind painters — people quarrel so about their rank. 
The pcrcu.ssion instruments, the battle-preaching side- 
drums, the exultant cut-throat or jubilee, (as the case 
may be) cymbals ; the various temi>ered kettle-<lnims 
— ^these we may not dwell upon, but come to the violin 
family. The violin is the king of instruments. Full 



two hundred years ago it was perfected in that great 
homo of the 'l)eautiful — that mother of the Arts — 
Italy ; and by an a|)pix)priiitc parallelism, the highest 
executive and {loetic tinish in violin ])crformanco of 
it has came out of the same land ; Paganini exhaust- 
ing wonder and admiration, and rc-forniing die school 
not only of the violin, but of othci-s — the [)iano, harp, 
and all other instmments following more or less in 
the wide Held of renovatc<l virtuosoism oj)ened by 
that great musical son of the South. The beautv of 
the violin consists in the fart that it can more deli- 
cately approach the sounds of youth and love— of the 
divine utterances of the voice as it comes from God, 
unsoiled by the lust, crime, coarse ambition, or aught 
of those deflections from natural sanctity, whose im- 
ages people the abode of the damned, and give rise to 
the ecstasies of the Apocalyjise, die Inferno, and the 
I'aradise Lost. Fully viewed, tlio violin is the most 
wonderful of all inventions, because it is most human 
— most soul-like. Under the hands of a great master 
it has the eloquence of poetry without the perfidy of 
misdirected eloquence. It expresses passionately 
every shade of emodon ; love, grief, joy, lightness, 
weariness, hope, religion even. But it cannot be un- 
derstood by flippant unbelievers. Of the same color, 
only deeper and more sentimental, is the violoncello, 
which is intensely elegiac, and refuses in the depths 
of expression to be odierwise than prophetic of that 
ti'agcdy which underlies our being, and tells that man 
is cut down as the flower, and passes away as the 
Autumn's leaf. The genius of Bottesini lent to that 

sub-cellar of harmony, die double-bass, a new life. 

***«**««* 

The composer is enabled to treat all these instru- 
ments by a certain mechanical means. He takes 
music-paper with many lines or staves upon it, and 
places the instruments in this order— each one either 
filling out a measure with some sounds or resting the 
while ; two flutes, two oboes, two clarionets, t^'o bas- 
soons, two trumpets, four horns, four trombones and 
tubas ; instruments of percussion, and stringed instru- 
ments, the latter (more or less numerously doubled In 
practice) being the first violin, second violin, tenor 
violin, violoncello, and double bass. So ranged one 
under the other, lines at right angles, scored down 
from top to bottom, divide oft' the measures, and the 
leader of the orchestra at a glance can obsci-ve what 
each and every instrument is doing, and detect the 
slightest deflection from exactitude of inflection or 
expression. Each perfonner in the orchestra has 
only the notes of his own part, with such cues as 
may enable him " to attack die notes at the proper 
moment after rests. 



Mnsard in New York. 

(From tho Courier and Enquirer, April 13). 

Monsieur Musabd was complimented by the assem- 
bling of a large audience at die Academy o^ Music last 
evening in spite of the rain. Tlie house presented a 
ver}' fine ap])earance, and Mr. Uluian had kept his 
promises, as he always has done, to the best of his abil- 
ity. There were the "Monster Orchestra" in the 
"Octagonal Concert Room," the " Sounding Board," 
the "Twenty-Five Monster Candelabi"as ;" there were 
the "Waiters in Livery," each with a sheaf of gratuitous 
fans in his bond large enough to till Ceres' cornucopia ; 
and there were " the Evening Papers sold at the 
usual prices by Young Gentlemen in Uniform." We 
lx?g our readers to notice tiie delicate distincdon 
between waiters in liverv, and young gentlemen in 
unifonn. But to Mr. Mtsard and his music. 

Mr. MusAKi* is of all the conductors that we have 
had the most unexceptionable in manner and appear- 
ance. He wields the baton with graceful ease and 
power, and without the slightest taint of affectation, 
indeed his manner is so simple and to the purpose 
that it is no manner at all: he stands l)efore his audi- 
ence simply a well bred gentleman discharging his 
office to the l)est of his ability, and without a thought 
of the impression he is to produce, except through 
his orchestra : and this is the peifection of manner 
in n conductor, or in any one. And Mr. Mcsai^d 
also conducts well. His forces are well under his 
control ; his power appearing in die most striking 
manner in his acceleration and retardation of time by 
imperceptible degrees. His orchestra is a very fine 
one ; well balanced ; having fine solo players for the 
principal wind instmments, and a body of strings 
superior in volume and quality of tone to that of any 
orchestra that we have had. His comet player, (who, 
by the way, we opine has not voyaged far of late,) is 
a' very accomplished artist, with a pure tone com- 
plete!}' under his control, and remarkable executive 
ability. In the Rondo Cilestine, he ])layed the melody 
and the variations almost entirely through with re- 
peated notes by double tongueing. The repetition 
was very distinct and accurate ; but we must own 
that the effect was not worth the effort. The beauty 
of the trumpet is its clear, penetrating tone ; and it 



gains nothing by playing music which should be writ- 
ten for die violin, ii'or instruments as for men, ntum 
cui'quc. 

Of Mr. Mithard's music and of his orchestral 
effects we cannot speak highly ; the former lacks 
melodic ideas ; the latter originality and diaracter. 
We heard nothing new lost evening : and nothing old 
presented with the charm of a new rendering. Mon- 
sieur JuLLiEN was a vulgar humbug ; but he was a 
great conductor — n man almost of genius in his way : 
Mr. Musard appears to be a well bred gentleman, 
an accomplished musician, and a good conductor — 
nothing more. The evening passed off pleasantly, 
Mr. TiiALnERO adding the charm of his ever equable 
talent ; and Madame D'Anori Ijeing quite radiant in 
a rosy robo which gave her the look of an cnormona 
bouquet. 

Mr. Fry's Opera. 

Mr. Dwioiit : — The complaints of American 
composers, that they do not receive fair criticism from 
their countrymen, certainly appear to be in some 
measim; justified when wo read such thoughtless and 
indifferent comments as the following, on Mr. Frt's 
opera of" Leonora," from the letter of one of your 
New York correspondents : 

Monday and Wednesday night Fry's " Leonora " 
was given. By a glimpse which I caught of die 
Journal (my copy has not yet reached me), I sec that 
you have had a nodcc of it ; not having read it 
through, I do not know how far it enters into details. 
I will say, therefore, what I have heard, that the opera 
is full of pleasing melodies, but also full of reminis- 
cences ; and that it is almost as impossible to execute 
as the Stabat Mater of the same composer. As a 
specimen, I was told that in one of the choruses die 
Sopranos have to commence on the high C ! 

Now if an^-thing is to be recorded about a work of 
this character, the first grand opera ever produced by 
an American, it should be something better than 
second-hand reports and manifestly unfair rumors. 
Your correspondent has not heard " Leonora," evi- 
dently knows nothing of it. Wliy, then, reproduce 
the stale objecdons which liavo so long been circu- 
lated, and yet give no ciurency to tho many expres- 
sions of approval which have greeted the work? 
Permit me, as one quite familiar with " Leonora," to 
say that, although the " reminiscences " do exist, the 
"impossibilities of execution" are all fabulous. 
There is not a passage of extreme difficulty through- 
out the opera ; and, as the Stabat Mater is spoken of, I 
may mention that the difficulties in the performance 
of that work were most of them created by the ill will 
of musicians and conductors. The absurd statement 
diat one of the choruses of " Leonora " commences 
on the high C for the sopranos, is not wordi contnir 
dicting. Yours truly, E. H. H. 



J^ine %xU, 



0^^^^0»^^^*^*^^^^^^^ ^0m* 



M#«M^iMM«NAMM^tf^^^^«MAM^iMAMMM^V%MAA^MA^rf«A^V*«%rfVM«AMf 



For Dwlght*ii Jounml of Haste. 

The AthensBtun ExhibitioiL 
I. 

The dtle of " Bridsh Art Collection " as applied to 
the pictures now on exhibition at the Athensum Gal- 
lery has a somewhat limited meaning. Instead of 
the impartial and complete representative exhibition 
of the best Art of the Old and New English Schools 
of Fainting, which it was the rumored design of the 
directors of this enterprise to furnish us, we have a 
collection incomplete, numerically and artistically, 
and evincing a decided partiality for representative 
excellence in die New School. 

This explanation of the surprise which many per- 
sons experience at the character of tho exhibition, is 
based partly upon internal evidence fumii^hed by the 
pictures themselves, and partly upon a merely verbal 
familiarity with the masters in English Art whose 
names do not appear in the catalogue. 

It is to be regretted that the collection was not 
originally formed upon a more exclusiye basis, and 
allowed to comprehend only the truly best works of 
the various schools of English Art. Many of the 
artists of this country, who have not been abroad and 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1858. 



27 



have a very limited acquaintance with other than 
native Art, entertain a thcorcticjil preference for the 
unpretentious, solid and forcible painting of the 
French School, as opposed to the obtrusive, shufflin<v, 
and weak manner which is supposed to characterize 
the Old School of the Enj^lish : and since the manner 
or method may be said to constitute the costume of 
the bodv of Art, it would have been a source of 
much gratification and perhaps more profit to them 
to see English Art in its best clothes. A second 
provocation to regret is furnished in the losses which 
the collection has suffered since its arrival in this 
country; losses for which the recent importations 
offer us inadequate compensation. 

HoLMAN Hurt's " Light of the World," embody- 
ing more than any other picture in tiie collection* 
perhaps, the intense thought and severe power of the 
New School ; the best works of Hughes ; the five 
pictures by Turker, illustrating four distinct periods 
of his career ; Wm. Hunt's, of the Water Color So- 
ciety ; J. D. Harding's, and many others of nearly 
equal importance have been picked off by purchase 
or sent back to England. Thus denuded of its chief 
attractions, it has come to us. 

Let us not complain, but gratefully ** keep what 
we *ve got, and catch what we can " of the good 
things that have escaped re-shipment and the Iil)eral 
appropriations of New York and Philadelphia. Mean- 
time, let us see what we have got worth the keeping, 
and from this learn the better what to catch hereafter. 
Before entering upon the search, however, I wish 
to make a confession of a partial blindness concerning 
the nature, capabilities, and limitations of Art, from 
which I suffer in common with many other guessers, 
both great and small, who, riding upon its circumfer- 
ence, never catch more than a glimpse of the axis on 
which it turns, or the law of its revolution. 

Every great Art-instinct is a law unto itself, and its 
fortunate possessor measures his life in simple self^ 
obedience. Men of weak instincts are affiliated by 
the stronger, and become mediums of inspiration at 
second-hand. The great man and his media form 
what is called a School of Art. A little time of peace 
and united worship, and heresies creep in. Excom- 
municated by tlie law of individual integrity and the 
canons of the school, the heretics in turn become ex' 
pounders of the new-bom and only true faith. Tims 
Art moves, progressively or otherwise ; its vitality 
dependent upon perfect individualism. 

What Art is from individual stand-points we are 
allowed to see ; the stand-point from which it can be 
truly scanned and measured has not yet been found. 
To the popular apprehension, Art is a kaleidoscope, 
of which artists are the bead-shakers, knowing not 
what forms will be assumed nor the law of their 
changes. A few years ago, Mr. Ruskin, the mos^ 
ardent and strong-eyed explorer the world has ever 
seen, discovered that Art was only rightly to be seen 
from a nut-shell. He accordingly procured one of 
ample dimensions, fitted up its interior to suit his 
convenience, mounted therein a powerful periscopic 
lens, and commenced his explorations. The horizon 
of true Art very soon began to sensibly diminish, and 
whole schools of " shallow absurdities " were revealed 
under every movement of his glass. People caught 
the infection of his bold daring, and '* true " and 
" false Art " became familiar words. Inspired with 
the new principle of faith by the remarkable energy 
and genius of Mr. Buskin, some young men of Eng- 
land practically declared themselves in open revolu- 
tion. With " Truth, and God's work as it really is " 
for a motto — nobler to the mind and heart of man 
than any for many years befoi-e uttered by the high 
priests of Art — it is not strange that Pre-Raphaclitism 
should have made some progress. The leaders of 
this revolution, now called great, would have risen to 
greatness in any faith. That they should not have 

achieved great deeds under the qtuckcning influence 
of this fresh, virgin faith, would furnish tlic only oc- 
casion for surprise. 



Meanwhile, Mr. Buskin continues his obscn'ations. 
Day by day the boundaries of true Art diminish as 
her long-considered high priests arc dragged from 
their altars, and with all their possessions cast out 
, forcvcrmore unto conventional inanity and falsehood. 
Driven to the extreme apparent limit of compression, 
nothing remains to be done but to determine Troth's 
meridional position and to compute its exact ai'ca. 
At every adjustment of his glass for the final observa- 
tion, Mr. Buskin discovers a sliglit wavering in those 
lines which should l>e limned with as firm and clear a 
stroke as marks tlie hill-tops against an evening sky. 
He reluctantly increases the angle of his observations 
to include the.se oscillations. With a single conces- 
sion his control is lost. His " trutli of Art," com- 
pressed beyond bearing, breaks out in open rebel- 
lion, and recaptures those very places it had recently 
so helplessly abandoned. Notliing daunted, Mr. 
Buskin continues to sweep tlie horizon of Art with 
his fearful lens. 

Seeking truth with a faith tliat will not be denied, 
he finds it floating in the way of his vision whichever 
way he turns ; but until he can lay bare the heart and 
soul of man, and proclaim the absolute law of their 
being, truth of Art will evade his pursuit. 

Yet Mr. Buskin's labors have not been in vain. 
He has taught us of tlie fulness of a diviner beautv in 
nature than we had ever before known ; he has opened 
to us familiar intercourse with an inspiring, vitalizing 
Art-genius in himself, which makes us nearly cease to 
regret that he has yet found no absolute. Of the fact 
tliat he has not yet written the indestructible law of 
Art, the world is fast becoming conscious, albeit, with 
a daily increasing sense of indebtedness to him, which 
nothing but a universal faith in the noble dignity of 
Art can ever cancel. 

We have then no absolute principles of Art-criticism. 
Men bend the art of a picture to meet the demands of 
their own nature, and just in proportion to the con- 
centrated power of their Art-instincts, their rules of 
criticism are limited and despotic. 

This said, I hardly need caution the reader against 
giving a too ready credence to the criticisms, general 
and particnhu', which I propose offering upon tlie 
character of this exliibition. Every lover of Art had 
best heed his own intuitions and follow their lead to 
the end. If his faith bo genuine and pure, his errors 
will not embitter his experience ; and as in the spon- 
taneity of his experience lies its verity and almost 
only relish, let him cultivate a self-trust which no 
arrogance shall poison nor false reverence betray. 

Mesos. 



My Diary. No. 3. 

April IQ. — The great satisfaction, amounting to 
enthusiasm, which I have heard expressed by many 
persons, with the Concert of last Saturday evening, 
recalls an idea already several times presented, but 
which it is to be hoped may bear being tlirust for- 
ward once more. " Line upon lino and precept upon 
precept," you know. 

It is encouraging to find, here and there, one who 
does not look upon the "idea" as entirely visionary, 
and who would join in carrying it into operation ; 
and with such encouragement, I once more broach 
the subject of an annual series of orehestral and vocal 
concerts combined, after the manner of the Boston 
Academy concerts of former years, though upon a 
grander scale, to correspond with the increased de- 
mands of our musical public. 

1. Is it not high time that the lovers of orchestral 
music should combine to secure beyond a perad venture 
their annual symphonic feasts ? that at a point, where 
within easy reach of the concert room there is a popu- 
lation of some 300,000 persons, there should be an 
adequate and thoroughly organized orchestra, for the 
performance of the grandest symphonies ? That this 
orchestra should be placed upon a permanent basis, 
and its conductor relieved from the anxieties and 



labors and risks of undertaking as a private specula- 
tion its scries of concerts ? That after some twenty- 
five years of symphonic music, we should cease to be 
satisfied with half rehearsed performances by half an 
orchestra i All honor to the men who have taken 
the burden upon tlicir shoulders during the last few 
years, and infinite thanks for what they have given 
us ; but is it not time to afford them the means of 
giving us more and better? Musicians, no more 
than lawyers, physicians, or merchants, can afford to 
give away their time ; but make the time spent in 
rehearsal e^inivalent to the same time spent in lesson 
giving, and they would gladly study a symphony of 
Mozart, Haydn or Beethoven until all the finest 
effects and most delicate points of expression should 
come out. Beethoven wrote for sixty-four instru- 
ments ; this number we ought to have and could 
easily obtain, would the public will it. Let it speak 
the creative word and call such an orchestra into 
existence. 

2. There is a strong love for choral music in our 
community. Except in England, nowhere in the 
world do grand choral porformances draw such audi- 
ences as in Boston. This may seem a strange state- 
ment to many, who remember the number of empty 
seats in the Music Hall at the oratorios this winter — 
but it is true. I have heard " Samson " in Germany, 
when the audience was less in number than the per- 
formers ! But there are multitudes of people who 
gladly hear a choral performance of half an hour to 
an hour in length, but weary of an entire oratorio. 
For this class appropriate music should be given 
somewhere, as on Saturday evening the Lobgesang was 
given, to their great enjoyment. But while catering 
for their tastes, we should at the same time be doing 
a work of the highest importance to the progress of 
music and musical taste ; for some of the sublimest 
and most beautiful ideas of the greatest composers 
are to be found in works, whidi would occupy but a 
small part of an evening's performance. 

3. It is also high time that some means should bo 
afforded, especially to musical students, to judge of 
various styles and eras of music by hearing specimens 
of them adequately performed. Ninety-nine out oi 
every hundred are obliged to take upon trust, that 
Bach, his predece88ors,contemporaries and immediate 
successors, really wrote interesting, pleasing, and 
beautiful music, as well as that, which for its learning 
appeals principally to the scientific musician for ap- 
preciation. In fact, much music two hundred years 
old is as fresh and comprehensible by the ordinary 
hearer as a melody by Rossini or Bellini. It would 
afford a promiscuous audience as mucli pleasure, 
afler once becoming a little familiar. What delicious 
works the old Italian composers wrote for the female 
choirs of nunneries ! And all this is a sealed book 
to us — it would be like giving an audience a new 
musical sense to produce some specimens of it. Had 
we any school, society, or association of any kind, to 
give us historical concerts, or concerts of ancient 
music, I would not urge the point ; but tlio field is 
open, and three or four specimens of old vocal mas- 
ters in the course of a season, would be a decided at- 
traction to our symphon}' concerts. 

4. But what music could a choral body obtain, 
were it disposed to aid in carrying out the " idea ? " 
The psalms, hymns, motets and cantatas, sacred 
and secular — some even comic — of Bach, amount 
to hundreds in number. I am not familiar enough 
with his works to select from them, but there are mu- 
sicians in Boston, who are. Ope or two of his motets 
in eight parts would not be bad to hear. 

Of Handel we never hear his stupendous " Dettin- 
gcn Te Deum," Funeral Anthem, "Alexander's 
Feast," nor " Acis and Galatea." True, no one but 
Formes could sing Polyphemus in the last named 
work, but perhaps he might bo obtained. Who 
knows? 

Who among as has beard any of Mozart's splen- 



28 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



did cantatas and motets ? The Ne palvis et civis 
superlfB? Splendente Tef Davidde penitent f "Lonl, 
before thy throne ? " " Lord, look down upon me ? " 
" God ! to Thee be praise and honor ? " and so forth. 

Then from Haydn we would gladly hear " The 
Seven Words," " Insana et vana; curce" " The 
Storm," or one of his sacred cantatas, the very titles 
to which are unknown here, but which, with fall or- 
chestral score, were long since published at Leipzig. 

Beethoven will give us his Vienna cantata with an 
adapted text, " Praise of Music," the piano-forte fan- 
tasia with orchestra and chorus, the music to the 
" Ruins of Athens," the " Calm at sea and prosper- 
ous voyage," the " Song of Sacrifice (soprano solo, 
chorus and orchestra), the Terzetto : " Treninte^ empi 
tretnate! " the " Christ on the Mount of Olives." 

Mendelssohn embarrasses us with his richness. Of 
course the fragments " Christus " and " Lorelei *' 
would want a place upon one or two programmes. 
Of his works not known here, I may mention as 
suited to our plan, Op. 39, three motets for treble 
voices, composed for a convent at Rouen ; Op. 78, 
three realms for chorus of 8 parts ; Op. 51, the 14th 
Psalm for chorus in 8 parts with orchestra ; Cantata 
from Schiller's poem " To the Sons of Art," male 
voices, quartet and chorus, and brass instruments — 
and quantities more ! 

Schubert offers a fine variety from which to select, 
and some readers will rememl>er a Ix;autiful specimen 
of his works sung at a private concert recently. 
Another of his works which would be very attractive 
is the Psalm 2.3d for two soprani and two alti. 

But, sufficient of this — perhaps too much. 

5. The plan, as before explained, would be to or- 
ganize a series of ten concerts, at each of which a 
symphony, and a psalm, cantata or other choral per- 
formance, would be the two leading features, tlic rest 
of the programme to be filled by miscellaneous music, 
orchestral and choral, solo, instrumental and vocal. 
A generous -sulyscription on the part of the public 
would enable the directors to make them the grand 
concerts of the winter, and to employ whatever re 
markable solo singers or instrumentists should visit 
America. 

6. To whom can we look as the proper " powers 
that be " to put a plan of this nature and extent in 
execution ? My own thoughts turn to that Society 
which established chaml)er concerts as an annual 
necessity with us : the Har^-ard Musical Association, 
in connection with our old and well-known Handel 
and Haydn Society, and perhaps the Music Hall As- 
sociation. It is of equal importance to all these 
bodies, and to the individuals composing them, that a 
really effective orchestra should be established upon 
a firm basis, and the musical taste and knowledge of 
the public should be cultivated still higher than at 
present. Can these three bodies, whose existence 
was originally based upon the idea of improvement 
and progress, devise a better school ? 

I am not ignorant that the entire chorus of the 
Handel and Haydn could seldom be obtained for 
Saturday night concerts; but I feel very confident 
that voices to the number of 150 or 200 could bo ob- 
tained, and that so many members would gladly 
avail themselves of the opportunity thus presented of 
studying new music and extending their acquaintance 
with the great masters in their compositions of less 
extent than complete oratorios. They would gladly 
renew their acquaintance with Rossini's Stabat Mater 
and Mozart's Requiem, which are not too long for the 
second part of a concert, provided a symphony like 
Beethoven's first or one of Haydn's were played in 
the first. 

It does seem to me that the public would sustain 
an enterprise of this kind, for it is a case where indi- 
vidual emolument is not an object, — where the pro- 
ceeds, if by a possibility there should be any above 
the expenses, would go for the advancement of the 
art, and one in which the initiative would be taken by 
men and associations in which it could confide. 



Next year, April 30th, is the centennial anniver- 
sary of the death of Handel. It is to be hojK^d that 
the Society called by his name will pay due observ- 
ance to the day. How fine a record in tlie Art his- 
torv of Boston would l)0 the successful issue of the 
plan herein proposed, the season closing with a festi- 
val equal or superior to that of which the recollection 
is so pleasing. 

These obscr>'ations, though crude an<l hastily writ- 
ten, are the result of long tlionglit and much conver- 
sation with others, and of a belief that " tlie plot is a 
good plot.' 



tt 



April 16. — A contrast — last Sunday evening, 
Haydn's " Creation " in Boston, sung liy a chorus of 
two or three hundred, with orchestra. Formes, Per- 
ring, and two of the best Boston Soprani ; last even- 
ing, the same work, sung by a country choir of fifty- 
one or two members, with organ, and amateurs for tlie 
solos. 

To be more particular. The choir of the Congre- 
gational church in HoUiston, foiTuerly under the 
charge of our friend BuUard, numbers some sixty 
members, and has been in the habit of practi^jing and 
singing in public occasionally, music of a higher 
order and more difficult than their ordinary psalmody, 
and at length has been able to achieve an entire work 
by a great master. At present their conductor is 
Mr. W. L. Payson ; — the organist, quite a young 
man for so severe a task, is Mr. Geo. E. "Wliiting. 
The gentlemen and ladies who sang the solos, with 
tlie exception of a tenor from Worcester, and a Imss 
from another society, are all members of the choir, 
and, as I understand, not one of them a professioiuU 
musician or singer. 

These performers labored under certain disadvan- 
tages, which would have ruined thqir attempt had 
they not, through long practice, learned in some meas- 
ure to accommodate themselves to them. First, the 
form of the church in which they sang is bad for mu- 
sic ; it is quite large — long, broad, but too low. A 
broad gallery runs along the sides, and this, with the 
space allotted to the singers, is far too much elevated 
from the floor. It must be a hard place to sing in 
when empty, as at rehearsals ; now imagine the place 
densely packed, even to the passageways, and it is 
obvious that all reverberation, all resonance will be 
at once killod ; the tone-waves are instantly absorbed. 
Then the organ, which is quite a large one for the 
place — one of Holbrook's — roaches up close to the 
ceiling, and has a screen front lined with three or four 
thicknesses of mosquito netting ; consequently the 
organ pipes speak somewhat as a choir of women 
would sing with their veils drawn over their faces. 
Several persons asked me how I liked tlie instrument. 
I could only say, that I did not know, for I had not 
heard it. I should not feel competent to judge of 
Formes if he sang ynxh a thick veil over his face. 
Of course there vras no flood of tone pervading the 
choir and carrying them along with it, keeping every- 
thing in harmonious blending of voices, and the choir 
had to look out for itself, letting the organ — in a 
measure — go its own way. 

Well ; I was surprised and gratified at the success 
of the performance. If it had been done positively 
in a bad manner, or in such a way as to prove that 
the work was entirely beyond their powers, I would 
have passed over it in silence; but it was so well 
done, as to be worthy of some kind notice of tlie 
points, wherein at a second performance, there may be 
an improvement made, and I notice them the more, 
in the hope of giving some valuable hints to other of 
our country choira and singing societies! 

The chorus singing was remarkably prompt, and 
energetic in taking up the difficult parts. In their 
zeal and good will, however, the tenor, — which was 
rather too strong for other parts as heard where I sat, 
— ^hurried the time a little, and foreed the choruses 
into too rapid a movement at the close. There was also 



observable, in the general eflfect, a sort of thinness of 
voice, which may lie owing either to the defective 
room or to the fact tliat the individual singers have 
not paid due attention to vocalization ; for no number 
of their voices combined can result in producing a 
full, round volume of tone. 

As to the soloists, no great Formes-<l'Angri-likc 
exhibitions of singing were expected ; nor was one 
disposed to draw invidious comparisons. It wa^ 
upon them tliat the disadvantages of the place of the 
performance told the most. The want of resonance 
in the room aflfected tlie pitch in a few cases quite 
unfavorably ; but I can think of no means by which, 
at a second performance, the evil could be remedied, 
except, peHiaps, by accompan3'ing the Soprano airs 
with a qiuurtet of stringed instruments, or by a good 
pianoforte ; — possibly, taking away the veil firom the 
organ's face might be a gain. In the style of perfor- 
mance there might be some improvement ; particu- 
larly in recitative — the most difficult branch of the 
vocal art. At the best concerts, and from the finest 
singers, one hears more airs well sung, than recita- 
tives well recited. The tendency always is to sing 
them. They are not to be sung — but to be recited — 
declaimed — the time, the accent, emphasis and 
mainly the cadence — all are left to the taste and 
feeling of tlie singer. The composer gives him only 
the pitch and general directions as to the use of his 
voice ; all the niceties u|)on which the recitative de- 
pends for its beauty, tlie vocalist must supply. For 
the nonce, the singer must become en orator. He 
must study his text, and if any feeling is expressed in 
it, he must find it out, and devise means of expressing 
it. One may take a certain passage very slow and it 
will sound well ; another the same passage fast, and 
it will sound well, provided in each case the vocalist 
has a feeling and sense of his text. , No rules can be 
given. Of all our singers, now in Boston, I like Mr. 
Wetherbee best in recitative, and would suggest that 
Holliston send him a pupil or two. The general cul- 
ture of the voice under a good instructor would soon 
remove the few faults which were noticable in the 
performance of the airs. 

So much of critical notice, which is written in the 
kindest spirit ; for, if there be any one thing for which 
this writer has labored more than another, it is to urge 
on the time when in our country towns and villages, 
the magnificent music of Handel, Haydn, and Mozart 
shall drive away negro songs, sentimental ditties, and 
all sorts of mere trash, and t he country choir shall 
begin to share in the pleasure with which the oratorio 
societies of our large cities work upon the " Messiah," 
"Elijah," "Cr«arion," "Samson," Mozart's "Re- 
quiem " and tlieir like. To the Holliston choir, indi- 
vidually and collectively, Grod speed 1 



Pnsital Corrtspnbentt. 



MtfWMtf^MV^tfWN^VM^tfW^^NMMAMM^M^Mf^MAA^^AM^V^MA^W^MAMMAMAMMMM^ 



ntf^W^tf^AMAAMA^^ 



Philadelphia, April 20. — Since Monday, 12th 
instant, our present opera season has been convales- 
cent. Our " right-angled village," (for which harm- 
lessly facetious goubriquet, see the New York Herald 
of any date,) has been thrilled with a triple sensation 
in the production of " Maria di Rohan," the debut 
of RoNCONi, and the first performance in this city of 
Wm. Tell." Your last number contained an admir- 
ably judicious critique upon Ronconi's Chevreuse in 
Maria di Rohan, clipped from the evening Bulletin, 
for the most part an excellent and reliable musical 
authority in this latitude. 

In fact, Ronconi's transcendant histrionic achieve- 
ments have taken the public and the press willing 
captives ; and while the accomplished connoisseur 
ignores his invariably false intonation, and the many 
other defects of his voice, he bows in homage to the 
flashing of that diminutive gray eye, which, in every 
impassioned scene, seems lighted with the inward 
fires of a pent-up volcano, or the concentration into 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, APRIL 24, 1858. 



29 



a fo€as of all tho latent passions of the human 
heart. 

Well, we did have " Wm. Tell " last night, after 
many broken vows on the part of our manager, who, 
as Jules Janin said of a Prima Donna who owed' him 
a bonus for a flattering feailleton, " is very promis- 
ing." The great ckefd *oeu}re of the immortal Ros- 
sini has l)ccn put upon the stage in a style of almost 
nnapproachahle splendor, and with a cast rarely 
equalled in this country. The latter was as follows : 
Gessler, Amudio ; Matilda, La Grange ; William 
Tell, RoNCONi ; Jemmy, (Tell's Son,) Carioli ; 
Melchthnl, tlie Pastor, Mueller; Arnold!, Bot- 
TARDi, (Tenor,) Walter Furst, Gasparoni. 

Max Marbtzkk (handsome Max, — so says tho 
City Item) conducted tho orchestra in a vigorous, but 
slightly flurried and noisy manner, as he invariably 
docs. The spirited overture called forth a spontane- 
ous encore of tho most flattering description ; when 
Max, in his obeisance, had turned his immaculate 
white cravat for the sixth time to the gaxo of tho im- 
mense audience, the elegant drop curtain arose upon 
an enchanting Alpine scene, in which Toll's cottage 
occupied tlie fore, and a charming lake at the foot of 
tho Alpii, the back-ground. A night view, in tho 
second act, which, at first sombre with the shadows 
of darkness, is eventually illuminated with the rays 
of " Pale Cynthia," as she arises majestically amid 
tlio mountain peaks, tlirowing her mellow flood of 
light glimmcringly upon die waters, enhanced to a 
marked degree the grandeur of tho scene wherein the 
inhabitants of the Cantons assembled to swear dire 
vengeance against their oppressors. 

Another magnificent stage effect is the '' Lake of 
the three Cantons and Mountain Gorge," in the final 
act. Tho troubled waters in tho foreground, and the 
frowning mountains girding the shores, constitute an 
indescribably grand nocturnal picture, occasionally 
lighted up for an instant by vivid flashes of lightning, 
or rendered fearful by very formidable thunder, man- 
ufactured by harmless " supcs " lictween the flats. 
Then approaches the boat with Gessler, (Amodio, 
whose Falstaffian proportions seem to imperil naviga- 
tion still more, and threaten to " swamp " the fragile 
bark at each turn of the oar) and Toll, who leaps 
upon a rock, and with an unerring kick sends the 
boat and his arch-enemy to perdition, with an arrow, 
by way of a pointed souvenir, probing the vitals of 
the latter. All this constitutes a superb tableau ! 

The music was not rendered with that precision and 
correctness which would have ensured a "bravo" 
from Rossini ; the prompter usually fills the most im- 
portant role upon the representation of a newly stud- 
ied opera. Nevertheless, some of the massive archi- 
tectural choruses, in which " Tell " alx>unds, were 
very acceptably rendered ; one more rehearsal will 
enable the vocalists to do ample justico to them upon 
the second representation. 

Ronconi vocalized his portion of tlie score with the 
same unsteadiness of intonation, which has character- 
ised him on each night of Maria di Rohan. He rarely 
pitches the opening note of an aria or recitative per- 
fectly, and slurs over many passages in very bad 
style. 

Nothing, however, can equal his intense paroxysms 
of paternal emotion, when, overjoyed at the steady 
aim, which has safely and successfully pierced the 
apple, he falls half-swooning into the arms of his 
compatriots. In this scene, the great Ronconi draws 
the most callous stoic irresistibly into the plot, and 
forces him to share with him his paternal emotions. 
It is a masterly histrionic achievement, which causes 
one to forget, while the magic spell lasts, the imper- 
fections of the singer in the perfection of the actor. 
The Tell of Konooni was a magnificent delineation 
throngbottt. 

Bottardi, the Tenor, combines with a well cultiva- 
ted taste and finished school of vocalization, a voice, 
which, howbeit pore and sympathetic in its middle 



register, becomes, in its higher notes, a sharp suigical 
instrument which inflicts an incision upon the tympa- 
num of the opera habitue^. 

Mme. La Grange rendered her unimportant part in 
a somewhat indifliercnt manner ; but then she distin- 
guished herself so nobly in the great part of Maria 
{Maria di Rohan) last week, that one may readily 
overlook an occasional shortcoming. Carioli's voice 
and figure made up tadmirably for a delineation of 
Tell's son. Amodio looked like an overfed alderman, 
but sang and acted his limited role very judiciously. 
The house was crowded, and " William Tell " will 

probably enjoy a successful run. 

Manrico. 



[Concluded.] 

New York, April 14. -^ At Eisfeld's concert, 
last evening, we had the long-wished-for posthumous 
Quatuor of Schubert. This composition is so ex- 
tremely diflScuIt, that it is seldom ventured upon ; 
but how well does it repay any unusual exertion 1 
It would have been quite satisfactorily rendered last 
night, had the first violin been a little less harsh. It 
is Schubert-like in style throughout — full of strange 
harmonics, staitling modulations, wild, wicrd, yet ex- 
quisite melodies — but the crown of the whole is the 
Andante, with its simple, almost monotonous melody, 
which modulates in only a very few notes, yet con- 
tains in them a world of expressive beauty, of touch- 
ing tenderness, and its variations, so different from 
each other, and each a gem in itself. The second 
quartet was Beethoven's No. 6 of Op. 18; a most 
lovely one, which, however, does not quite equal, in 
my opinion, its immediate predecessor. No. 5. Still, 
this was beautiful enough to make me feel, as I do 
whenever I listen to anything of Beethoven's : " this 
is the music, after all ! " The trio was again in the 
hands of Mr. Satter ; but was not as happy a selec- 
tion as at the last Soir<^, being his own composition, 
descriptive of Byron's Sardanapalus." Still, it was 
interesting to listen to it, as it is to any such work by 
a young talented composer, and there seemed to be 
many very fine parts in it, though others did not 
please me at all. Tho romance is indeed, beautiful, 
and original both in the melody and in the working 
up and harmonization ; and in the last part of the 
finale, the theme of the first movement is finelv en- 
riched and wrought out. The whole thing affords a 
fine opportunity for the display of Mr. Satter's vari- 
ous powers as a performer. Such volumes of sound 
issue from beneath the fingers of no other. I could 
not find, I must confess, much connection between 
the composition and the poem on which it pretends 
to be based, nor am I much the wiser after reading 
Mr. Satter's letter of last year, in which he explains 
the origin of his work. 

Miss Hattie Andbx, in Dove tone, from Mo- 
zart's "Figaro," surpasses herself. I have never 
heard her sing, nor her voice sound, better. In 
Kiicken's " Jewish Maiden," she was not so satis- 
factory. 

Our musical season, though lengthened out more 
than usual, is fast drawing to a close. The last Phil- 
harmonic on the 24th inst., and Eisfeld's sixth on the 
4th of May, will probably end the list. Mason's last 
is announced for next Saturday, and it is said that 
Vieuxtemps will take part in it. In due time, I shall 
endeavor to give you a little summing up of the mu- 
sical advantages we have enjoyed this winter. 



B. Hiunllton. 



Worcester, Mass., April 17. — The "Mozart 
Society " gave a concert at our beautiful Mechanics' 
Hall, on the evening of Fast Day, with the following 
programme: 

PABT I. 

1. Chorus.— From the Mtssiah: "And the Klory of the Lord." 

2. Air.— *' *' (Mrs. Allen) *'Como unto Him." 
8. Chorus.— " " "All we like aheep." 

4. Air.— " " (Mre. Field). " I know that mv 

[Bedeemsr Ureth.^* 



5. nymn-tune.— "Night." 

6. Quartet.—" Oh, how \owe\j Is Zion ! " 

7. ChorUB.— From the Messiah: " Their sound Is |{oneout." 

PAST n. 

1. Chorus.- From the Cretaion, "Awmke the harp ! " 

2. Air— " " (Mrs. Allen). "With verdnre clad." 

8. Holy ! Holy ! Holy ! Bartmansky. 
4. Air and ChoruB. — From the CVnirion. (Mm. Field). "The 

[nrnrrellons worlc." 
6. Hymn-tnne. — "An down in the sunlen retreats." J. Lange. 

6. Duet and Chorus.— From the Crration. 

(Mn. Field and Mr. Hamilton). 

7. Chorus. — " Hoeanna." J. Lange. 

The audience was too small to express the grati- 
tude due from the citizens of Worcester to a Society 
whose weekly rehearsals, through a long famine of 
concerts, had prepared a series of choruses from the 
best oratorios of Handel and Haydn. The second 
chorus from the " Messiah " was received with a 
marked applause, which the more spiritual theme of 
the first one had failed to elicit. This may have been 
owing to the power that imitation in music always 
has of affecting many who are insensible to higher 
Art. Yet the imitation, in this instance, and the con- 
sequent emotion of tho audience, can by no means be 
called low. When Handel has attempted, in " Israel 
in Egypt," to express the hopping of frogs by pas- 
sages broken in time ; and, in " Joshua," " by the 
harmony of one long-extended chord, to impress upon 
the imagination of his hearers the idea of the great 
luminary of the universe arrested in his course ; or, 
in other words, to make them hear the sun stand 
still," it has been questioned whether there is not a 
descent from his native sphere of genius. But in this 
chorus : "All we like sheep have gone astray ; we 
have turned every one to his own way," although the 
composition is equally imitative, there is a great, 
pervading truth. The singers are themselves the 
men and women for whom the prophet spoke. 
Through them, the art of the composer becomes, in 
the simplest sense, a revelation of nature. And 
thoughtful listeners can hardly smile at the repeated 
"aatray — astray," remembering that they, too, are 
numbered with the "AU we" 

The Evening Hymn : " The day is past and gone," 
with its dream-like repetition, showed, perhaps more 
clearly than an}thing else, tho perfect unity of the 
great choir and the thorough discipline that has pro- 
duced it. A sacred lyric by Thomas Moore : "As 
down in the sunless retreats of the ocean," followed, 
with a deeper thrill. If the hall had seemed a temple 
before, it was then filled with smaller sanctuaries, in 
each of which a soul might respond to the harmony 
with its own secret prayer. 

Mrs. Field, well known previously to the friends 
of music in this dty, sang with even more than her 
usual power. A defective articulation is one of those 
faults in her style which practice has not yet removed. 
Her rich and full voice is well adapted to spirited 
compositions. She was twice encored ; first in the 
chonis : " The marvellous work," &c., and aAerwards 
in the Duet : " By Thee with bliss," &c., with Mr. 
Hamilton, the conductor of the Society. It is diffi- 
cult, in connection with a single concert, to give any- 
thing like a just acknowledgment of Mr. Hamilton's 
efficiency. 

There are singers from whom the loudest applause 
of the concert-room is instinctively withheld, as if it 
were too rude an offering. The sweetness and purity 
of Mrs. Allek's voice ensure the more delicate trib- 
ute of a grateful and tender remembrance, that will 
always welcome her reiippearance with a smile. In 
any city, we may find church-windows of stained 
glass, through which tho sunlight falls in gaudy 
patches. When a lost art shall be restored, the 
churches will have a more " religious light," trans- 
mitted, but not colored, by the many-tinted panes. 
Truth, in musical execution, seems to be such a faith- 
ful rendering of the composer's thought as will pre- 
clude any coloring from the performer. Those who 
have heard Mrs. Allen will appreciate her best, when 
they reflect that she has the power, while she is sing- 
ing, of making them fbi^t her, and realize only the 
music in whidi she forgets herself. Likda. 



30 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Alabama, Mabch, 1858. — From the land of 
negroes and magnolias, quite oat of the world of 
Music, here, on the banks of the Alabama, I will give 
you a line from my present location, amid springs, 
rivers, caves, " tumble-down " buildings, fine gardens, 
deserted dwellings, and things generally antique. 
But I must forbear to speak of the beautiful land- 
scape, since I would present a picture of tlie state of 
Music, from general observation and experience, in 
this section. 

The bill of a late Soiree Musicale was good, but all 
thought seemed centred on the expected comic Finale 
— sung and acted, to suit popular taste, according to 
previous custom. It was partially arrange<l for the 
occasion, and the music was pronounced charming ! 
Let me add a few sentences that fell on my ear as the 
crowd passed from the hall. " Was not that a beau- 
tiful piece, and so well cuied by all ? " " We ought 
to have more of such music — it takes." *' I wish 
the Glee Class would sing ' Jordan am a hard road '"\ 
(Have never heard the melody, and must plead igno- 
rance of its merits.) Then a teacher of Psalmody 
ventures to express his opinion, that I am " on the 
right track, now," and that I've been giving them 
" too much of this high-fallutin music " ! The same 
gentleman declined singing the bass solo in the chorus 
" Oh, Hail us, ye free ! " from Ernani, on the ground 
of its being devoid of melody ; also, from being una- 
ble to ascertain the key into which it modulated, or to 
locate " Do," for a starting point ! I am here re- 
minded of an anecdote, which I remember to have 
read somewhere, of the late De I^egnis, who was 
astonished and enraged at the presumption of one 
who had written a volume of music without ever 
having heard an Opera ! At a Concert, in October 
last, where a solo from // Barbiere appeared on tlio 
programme, from my position in a side-room, during 
the intervals of performance, I heard a lady inquire 
if " Una voce poco /a" was Dutch ! After this, I 
persuaded the violinist to omit a fine solo, in which I 
was to accompany him on the piano, and give some 
familiar air in its place. I find here several fine pian- 
ists, who, with others, can appreciate good music, 
vocal or instrumental ; but they join with the crowd 
in desiring " something that w^ill take " — an expres- 
sion I hear often, of late. 

If concerts in seminaries are to be given as popular 
entertainments, in place of exhibitions of the skill and 
improvement of the pupils, I would respectfully sug- 
gest the composing and arranging of pieces for such 
occasions, accompanied with stage directions, cos- 
tumes, &c. Will you not select a theme for such, 
worthy the farcical nature of the subject and sugges- 
tion ? C. 

BOSTON, APRIL. Q4, 1858. 



Music in Boston— Review of the SeasoiL 

Our Concerts are over. This week has given 
us the last sound of orchestral S\nnphony, and the 
last Chamber Concert ; the Oratorios had already 
made a glorious finale in that festival of four 
nights, with Formes, and we now can only look 
back on the musical season of 1857-8. It is 
quite common to hear it called a \ery unmusical 
season for Boston ; the conmiercial " panic " with 
which it entered prepossessed most minds with 
the idea that Concerts were impossible, that 
neither Opera nor Orchestra would " pay," that 
good music was to be calmly and heroically re- 
nounced as a luxury which the times could not 
afiford. Opera, to be sure, we have not had at 
all, — no other year could that be said since 
Boston was first bitten by the sweet, delirious 
poison of Italian Opera. But this privation has 



not been without its compensations. To say we 
have not had any Opera, amounts practically in 
these times simply to saying that wc have not 
had another round of repetitions of Venli's Tro- 
vatore^ Traviata^ and the like. A good Opera, 
with a repertoire of the best, were a ])rivilege 
indeed ; but surely we can well affonl to let the 
Trovatore stimulants lie by until our jaded senses 
shall have recovered some fresh tone. Such 
Opera as we might conceive of, as we sometimes 
read of, would be glorious; but such Opera as 
we are likely to get (judging from past experience) 
requires not much philosophy to do without. Yet 
we must envy our New York and Philadelphia 
friends their " Huguenote," and " Don Giovanni," 
and " William Tell," and " L* Italiana in Algicri," 
with such singers as Formes and Ronconi and 
Lagrange and D'Angri. 

But our consolation is, that the absence of 
Opera, and of all the exciting, showy, fashiona- 
ble sort of musical entertainments has lefl the 
field free for music of a more quiet, sterling and 
soul-satisfying character. After all, the best 
measure of the value of a musical season is, not 
the number of brilliant and exciting occasions, 
not the great crowds and furores^ not the thous- 
ands of dollars spent and made, — but it is rather 
the amount or quality' of good sterling music that 
has been heard. What a true music-lover covets 
most is opportunities of hearing and appreciating 
the best compositions of the men of genius. A 
season in which Beethoven, Bach, Handel, Moz- 
art, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Rossini, Weber, 
Chopin, Schumann, &c., have been largely re- 
presented, is a season to be contemplated with 
some satisfaction. Judged by this criterion, the 
past musical winter with us has not been so 
poverty-stricken. Counting up the fine classical 
compositions, that have been publicly f)erformed 
in Boston during the last six months, we may 
even feel rich. Here is the list, as near complete 
as we could make it, though it doubtless lacks 
some items. It is by no means so formidable a 
list as we were able to present some four or five 
years ago ; but it is pretty solid ; it shows that we 
have had considerable good music — we that are 
fortunate enough to find music in some forms 
besides the Opera — and it is interesting to 
analyze in several points of view : — 

1. — Symphonies for Orbitestra. 

Beethoven: No. 1, in C; 2, in D; 3, {Eroica), 
in E flat ; 4, in B flat; 5, in C minor; 7, in A ; 8, 
(the Allegretto only). 

Mozart : in E flat {played tivice) ; in C ("Jupiter") 
twice ; in G minor. 

Haydn : in D ; in E flat ; " Surprise." 

Mendelssohn : in A major (" Italian ") ; Lobge- 
sang." 

Spohr : " Die Weihe der Tone." 

2. — Concertos. 
Beethoven : Piano, with Orchestra, in G. 
Mendelssohn : Piano with Orchestra, in D minor ; 
Violin with Orchestra. 

3. — Overtures. 
Beethoven : Leonora, No. 3, in C, (twice.) 
Mozart : Nozze di Figaro, (twice). 
BossiNi : William Tell, (twice). 
AVeber : Frevschiitz, (twice) ; Oberon. 
ScHiTMANN : i'cst'Overture. 
Spotir : Je»sonda. 
Kalliwoda : Concert Overture. 

4. — VioLTN Quintets. 

Mozart : No. 4, in D, (diree times) ; 5, in G mi- 
nor, (twice) ; in B flat, (twice). 

Beethoven : No. 1, in E flat; 2, in C. 

Mendelssohn : in A, op. 18 ; in B flat, No. 2 of 
op. 87. 

Spohr : in C minor (widi piano), op. 53. 

5. — Violin Quartets. 
Haydn : Quartet in B flat, (twice) ; in D ; in C, 
No. 45 ; in G ; in D minor. No. 76. 



Mozart : No. 2, in D minor ; 3, in B flat ; 4, in 
E flat; 6, in C. 

Beetiiovkx : No. 6, op. 18, in Bflat; 1, of op. 
59, in F, (twice) ; 2, of op. 59, in E minor, (thriH) 
times) ; 3, of op. 59, in C. 

SrniiBEKT : in J) minor. 

Mkndklkhoiin : in A minor, op. 13; in I), op. 
44 ; in E minor, op. 44 ; in E flat, op. 44 ; I'ostliu- 
mous. 

BuniNSTEiN : No. 3, op. 17, in C. 

6. — Trios for Piano with Violin, &c. 

Beethoven : Trio in B flat, op. 97, (twice) ; in 
E flat, op. 1, no. 1 ; in G, op. 1, no. 2 ; in C minor, 
op. 1, no. 3, (three times). 

Mozart : in E flat, (with clarinet and violin). 

Schubert : in E flat, op. 100. 

Fesca : in E flat, op. 12. 

7. — For Piano-Fortb Solo. 

Beethoven : Sonata in C sharp minor, ("Moon- 
light"). 

Chopin : Ballade in A flat ; Two Nocturnes. 

Mendelssohn: Capriccio; Andante with var., 
op. 82. 

Mozart: Sonata for two pianos; Sonata with 
violin ; Fantasia ; Rondo from Concerto ; " Jupiter" 
Symphonv, (arranged); Minuettoin E flat, (nrran.); 
"Zaubcrriote" Overture, (arranged); "Figaro" 
Overture, (arranged). 

8. — Violin Solo. 
J. S. Bach : Ciaconna. 
Tartini : Sonata. 

9. — Oratorios, Cantatas, &c. 

Handel: Mcssiali, (t>vice). 

Haydn : Creation, (twice). 

Mendelssohn: Elijali, (twice); Hymn of Praise, 
(Lobgesany)\ Cliristus, (fragment); Lauda Zion; 
Psalms 43d and 95th, (portions) ; Athalia, (por- 
tions) ; Hymn, " Hear my Prayer," Ps. 55. 

Bach : Motet, No. 5 ; Cruciflxus, from Mass in 
B ; Cnntata, No. — . 

Mozart : Ave verum corpus, (3 times). 

Schubert : " Miriam " Cantata ; Psalm, " The 
Lord is my Shepherd ". 

Hauptmann : Sacred Song, with chorus. 

10. — Part-Sonos, Choruses, &c. 

Mendelssohn ; Wandcrlicd ; Wasserfahrt ; Turk- 
ish drinking Song ; Choruses from (Edipus and An- 
tigone. 

Mozart : " O Isis und Osiris ". 

Gluck: Choruses from ^rmtdin. 

F. Hiler: Soprano and Chorus : " Lebenslust". 

Weber : Kumer's Battle Prayer. 

Bobert Franz : Several Part-Songs. 

Lenz, Kreutzer, Marschner, &c.,&c., (Ditto). 

11. — Songs, Duets, &c. 

Bach: Air for Soprano, with 'cello; "My heart 
ever faithful," &c. 

Mozart : Duet from Cosi fan tutte ; Trio (tenors 
and bass) from the Seraglio ; " Deh vieni, non tar- 
dar" ; Serenade, from Don Juan ; " Deh per questo," 
from Titus ; " Parto, ben mio" (do.) ; Duet, " Cmdel 
perclw^," from Figaro; "Non mi dir" (Don Juan); 
" Dove sono " (Figaro) ; " In diesen heilgen Hallen " ; 
" Non piu andrai". 

Beethoven : Recit. and Air, " Ahscheulicher," 
from Fidelio; Tcrzet " Trcmate empi"; Scena, 
" Ah pcrfido ! " ; " Adelaide ". 

Weber : Trio, with chorus, from Eurycmthe; Scena 
and Prayer from Fret/sckiUz, 

Cherubini : Ave Maria. 

Spohr ; * Das hcimliche Lied " ; " Die Rose " ; 
Cavatina from Famt. 

Schubert: "Die Barcarolle"; "Der Wan- 
derer " : " Hark ! the Lark ! " 

R. Franz : " Waldfahrt " ; " In Walde " ; " Er 
ist gekommen ". 

Mendelssohn : " Zuleika." 

Rossini: Romanza from Tdl; "Mira la bianca 
luna," (duet) ; Cavatina from Donna del Lago, &c. 

The above list is limited to works of masters, 
works which it is customary to term classical. 
Of course it would be more pains than profit to 
count up all the lighter tilings that have been 
given, from clap-trap songs and variations, to the 
hacknied concert extracts ("gems") from Italian 
Operas. Yet, strange to say, and happily as 
strange, the Concerts of the winter have really 
given an unusually small proportion of this sort of 
miscellany. Especially has this been the case 
with songs. Our prima donnas and tenores of 
the concert room have, in far the majority of 
cases, had the good sense to select such -pieces 
as are named above; singers feel the public 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1858. 



31 



pubc quite carefully, aud therefore we regard 
this as a good sign of improving taste. Partly 
let us thank " hard times " for that ; they liave 
shut out the fashionable, showy sort of "monster" 
concerts, such as demoralize us musically, and 
confuse the taste, exciting more than nourishing 
or refining; what concerts we have had, were 
of the quiet kind, in answer to the constant, rea- 
sonable demand of genuine music-lovers ; and the 
complexion of the programmes corresponded. 

Again, we must remark, the list, although a 
rich one, is equally remarkable for its deficiencies. 
Many things one misses there, which he would 
hardly think could have failed to figure in the 
winter's programme of so musical a city. The 
list of overtures is meagre. One department, 
which has often been the richest, is almost entire- 
ly unrepresented; that of classical piano-forte 
music. We have not had the usual supply of 
Chopin. Of Beethoven but one Sonata ! On 
the other hand, the pianists have been doing us 
the best kind of service in concerted music, such 
as Trios, Quartets and Concertos. In fact, it is in 
quiet classical Chamber Concerts, that we have 
been strongest, — thanks principally to the perse- 
vering nine years' labors of our Mendelssohn 
Quintette Club. 

We count up well in Symphonies, compared 
with other cities ; especially in those of Beethoven. 
We have had seven of the nine ; but we still 
wait in vain for a full hearing of that climax of 
" Joy " and Genius, the Ninth, ever since that first 
inspiring taste of it which the Grermanians and 
the Handel and Haydn Society gave us in 
1853. Nor have we had Schubert's glorious one 
this season. The reason appears in a still more 
painful, general confession : We have not had 
the orchestra for such things. So far " Panic " 
had the best of it ; our orchestra had to be put 
on an economical footing ; it was late before the 
machinery began to move at all, and then only by 
the energy and courage of one man, our excel- 
lent conductor Carl Zerrahn, to whom we 
owe all our orchestral feasts this winter; the 
orchestra was small, the rehearsals few, the re- 
muneration extremely moderate at that, and the 
only wonder is, that in such times, with such 
small means, we have yet been enabled to hear 
so many noble SjTnphonies, and most of them so 
well performed. Boston is still without a perma- 
nent grand Orchestra, still without a sure and 
regular provision for orchestral Concerts of the 
first class. How long shall this be ? We refer 
the reader for the present to some pertinent sug- 
gestions in another column by our " Diarist." 

About the Oratorio, and some other points in 
this connexion, we have yet to speak. 



The Drama. 

There is little to be recorded this week. The 
Howard Athenaeum continues its career of almost 
unmeasured success and, what is better, continues to 
merit it. The week has been devoted to revivals of 
the best old English comedies, played with remark- 
able perfection, and set ujwn the stage witli excellent 
taste. The Boston Theatre, while putting forth 
strong attractions, has yet failed to receive its reward. 
Miss llobcrtson, always delightftil and charming, has 
given a series of her most popular personations, in 
ml of which she has been ably supported by Mr. 
Bourcicault, Mr. Gilbert, and others. But the cloud 
that darkened the fortunes of the theatre during the 
opening weeks of the season, seems, since the depart- 
lue of the Ravels, to have rested more heavily than 
ever upon it. The Museum prospers with its pleas- 
ant piece of pageantry, and the National Theatre is 
closed. 



Concerts of thb Week. — The Germania 

Band had their Concert Saturday evening. Though 

the exhibition showed that that there is talent enough 

among our musicians to make up a complete band, 

it was not so successful as we had expected. There 

were half a dozen good clarinets, with oboes, flutes, 

bassoons, French horns, a couple each ; but even 

these, although well played, were but a trifle against 

such a "power" of brass. There should be less 

of the noisy, more of the softening element. — 

Then again the programme was not such as fairly 

showed the qualities of a band. They played scarcely 

any marches; but overtures, &c., proper for an 

orchestra, throwng away the orchestra they had upon 

Quadrille medleys a la JuUien. The Germania can 

and will do better. Proportion is the thing required. 

Wcdnesdav brought with it the last of the twelve 
Afternoon Concerts of the Orchestral Union. 
There was a great audience. It was a rare pleasure, 
after a long interval, to hear again Mendelssohn's 
Symphonv in A major, fiiU of impressions of his young 
days in Italy, with its ardent, fresh, exhilarating 
Alletpv ; the musing, twilight, old cathedral mood of 
its Andante con moto ; its perfectly summer-like, blue- 
skied, genial, Mozart-like Scherzo ; its fine delirious 
finale in form of the Saltarello and Tarantella dances 
of the land. The orchestra was short of 'cellos ; yet 
they made shift to play the " Tell " overture quite 
well. 

The German Trio gave the last of their six con- 
certs at Chickering's, that evening, with this pro- 
gramme : 

Part 1. Trio in 0, op. 1, No. 2. for Piano, Violin, and Violon- 
cello, BecthoTBn. Part 2. Song, "Adelaide." Beethoven; 
Concerto for Violin, op. 44, De Beriot; a. Ballad, ''Then 
you ^11 remember me," Balfe ; h. Sonf^, " Lore, mv Mary, dwells 
with thee." Gartner; Fantasle Brilliante for Violin and Piano, 
(Themes from William Tell). Do Beriot and Osborne. Part 3. 
Trio, op. 12, for Piano, Violin, and Violoncello, Fesca. 

The performers were Messrs. Gaertner, Hause, 

and WcLP Fries, (Herr JuNGNiCKELand his 'cello 

having become absorbed, for the nonce, in Musard's 

orchestra, at New York.) The audience was large and 
highly pleased. Mr. C. B. Adams sang the Adelodda 
very tastefully. 



Mnsical Ghit-Chat 

A deliphtful private concert by an amateur Club, 
in compliment to their director, Otto Dresel, took 
place nt Chickering's last Monday evening. We 
shall have more to say of it. . . . A letter from 
New York, and many more things, must lay over till 
next week. . . . An admirer of Rink's organ 
music writes us in distress to And a portrait of the 
man ; he thinks he surely must be in our " Athens ". 
Not to our knowledge. Wo never saw Rink's por- 
trait ; perhaps he was one of those eccentric individ- 
uals who would not be taken and could not be caught. 
. . . The Atlantic Monthly for May has an admi- 
rable article upon the early life of Beethoven, 
drawn from original sources. It is from the pen of 
Mr. A. W. Thayer (our "Diarist"), who knows 
more of that great master's history than any other 
man. This sample warrants the best anticipations of 
Mr. Thayer's Biography of Beethoven, which has 
been so long in preparation. 

The new phase of the Musard kaleidoscope, this 
week, has been a couple of " Berlioz Nights," at 
which the overtures Le Franc JageSy Carnival Romainj 
^r., were played hy the monster orchestra. (Ullman 
announces his intention to import Beriios, and talks 
of his works as popular and all the rage in Europe ! 
That is a joke. ) Another shake of the monster mu- 
sical kaleidoscope, and we have, on Sundav evening, 
an Oratorio and Sacred Concert. " Elijah," too, is 
in rehearsal, and Fonncs, D'Angri, the Liederkranz, 
&c., are engaged. . . . The N. Y. Mendelssohn 
Union performed Reinthalcr's new oratorio : "Jephtha 
and his Daughter " this week. . . . Messrs. U. 
C. & C. F. Hill gave a soiree last night at Dod- 
worth's to exhibit their new invention of a " Key- 
Harp," played like a piano. 

We have the first number of a new Philadelphia 
paper, called the Sunday Topic, which seems to dip 
largely into music, as well as literature. It gives a 
classified list of all the operatic performances in the 
Academy of Music there, from its opening (Feb. 25, 
1857) till April 14, 1858. It includes 30 different 
operas, aud 102 representations. La Traviata takes 
the lead, 13 times. The Trovatore comes next, 10 
times ; then Liicrezia Borgia, 8 times ; Linda, 6 
times ; Fiddio, 4 times ; Lucia, Ernani, II Barbierr, 
V Elisir, each 4 times ; FreyschtUz, Don Juan, V Ital- 
iana, &c., &c., 2 each. 



Mme. Castellan has arrived in London. . . . 
Mme. Pauline Viardot Garcia has arrived in 
Paris, after her triumphs in Berlin. . . . Mr. 
Charles Salaman delivered a lecture on Beethoven 
lately, to a select cirele, at his house in London. . . 
We are sorry to learn that Mr. August Fries, one 
of our most esteemed musicians, and leader of the 
Mendelssohn Quintette Club during the whole nine 
years of its existence, is soon to leave, having; an ex- 
cellent position offered him in Ben^en, Norway, 
where music is much cultivated. Mr. Fries wdl 
leave a host of friends in Boston and its musical 
dependencies. We wish him God speed, if he must ^. 
By the way it has occurred to us that, it would oe 
interesting and well worth while to count up all the 
valuable works of instrumental chamber music with 
which the Quintette Club have, first and last, made 
their circle of listeners acquainted. Perhaps we shall 
present a list. 




London. — They love solid programmes in Lon- 
don — good music and a great deal at a time. For 
instance here is the programme of Mr. John Hul- 
lah's sixth and last Orchestral Concert, at Saint 
Martin's Hall, selected wholly from the works of 
Beetlioven : 

Part I.— Overture: "Men of Promefchena;" Air: "The 
Call of the Quail; " Air: " In questa tomb*; " Choral Fan- 
tasia (piano, MIm Arabella Ooddard) ; Trio : " Tremate, empi :" 
Orerture (In E), Fldello. 

Part n. — The Choral Symphony. 

Miss Arabella Goddard's first Soir^ (second 
series) for April 14th, is quite as remarkable for 

weight of programme : 

Part I. — Sonata In B flat, Pianoforte and Violin (Ho. 18), 
Mosirt (MisB Arabella Ooddard and H. Sainton); Grand Sonata 
In D mnjor (Op. 106), the hut Pianoforte Sonata compoeed bj 
Hummel) Hummel (Pianoforte. Miss Arabella Goddard); Fuga 
Scherzaado. and Fuga, in A minor— No. 16 from book 9. and 
No. 2 from book 4 of F. C. Griepenkerrs " Complete Collection 
of the Pianoforte Works of J. S. Bach " — (repeated by deaire) 
J. S. Bach (Pianoforte, Blisa Arabella Goddard) 

Part TI. — Sonata in A major (Op. 101 ), Beethoren (Piano- 
forte, Hias Arabella Goddard); Grand Quartet in F minor 
(No. 2). Pianoforte, Violin, Viola, and Violoncello. Mendelaaohn 
(Miss Arabella Goddard, M. Sainton, Herr Goffrie, and Sig. 
Piatti). 

There was a long list of Oratorios produced in the 
last weeks of March. It includes " Israel in Egypt," 
by Hullah's upper Singing School ; " Samson/' the 
"Lobgesang," and Mozart's "Requiem," by the 
Sacred Harmonic Society ; the " Messiah," by Hul- 
lah ; and, the great event of all, Bach's " Passion " 
music (according to St. Matthew), by the Bach So- 
ciety, whose members, under their enthusiastic cliief. 
Prof. Sterndale Bennett, have spent five years 
in studying it. It is said to have cost Mendelssohn 
very nearly as much trouble at Leipzig. 

Passion week was full of music in London. Be- 
sides the Oratorios, &<;., above named, a series of five 
Concerts were commenced at Drury Lane, under the 
auspices of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. Harrison. 
The first part of the first programme contained the 
** Pastoral Symphony ;" Mozart's Piano Concerto, in 
C (by Miss Goddard), Mendelssohn's Ruy Bias over- 
ture, airs, scenas, &c., by Bossini, Webber, and 
Mozart ; the second part, selections from TrovaJbart. 

The Royal Italian Opera, at the new theatre, Covent 
Garden, is announced to open May 15. Mr. Lam- 
ley, too, has issued his prospectus : 

The listof pr/j/ia donnas includes Mcsdames Alboni, 
Ortalani, Spezia and Piccolomini — besides Made- 
moiselle Titiens, or Titjens, from Vienna. 

Her Majesty's Theatre opens directly after Easter, 
and the Huguenots will he the first opera. 

The list of male singers is the same as last year, 
Signor Corsi alone is missing. A Signer Mattioli 
(barytone) is the only novelty. The tenors are Sig- 
nore Giup:lini, Bclart and Mercuriali ; the baritones, 
Signors Benevanto, Belletti, Aldi^hieri and Castelli ; 
the basses, Signors Rossi and Vialetti. 

Signor Bonetti retains his post as conductor, bui 
Signor Arditi remains on the establishment. 

Paris. — We gather the following items from the 

Paris correspondence of tlie London Musical World 

of March 27. 

La Magicienne, after eight month's preparation, has 
been produced at the Imperial Opera m a style of 
lavish magnificence. Their Majesties " assisted " at 
the peiformanco, and die theatre was crowded to suf- 



32 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



focation. The success of the opera, however, was 
very equivocal, and I do not think there is much 
chance of this new production of M. M. UaMvy and 
St. Georges surpassing (if equalling) that of the Jmf 
Errant, For my own part I never remember sitting 
out a more duU performance. The book is one of 
the silliest ever wntteu. The old legend of Melnsino 
might have been turned to much Mtter purpose. I 
have no patience to relate the story, which is un- 
worthy or M. St. Georges even in his weakest 
moments. The music is by no means the best M. 
Hal^vy has written ; nor could I trace those extraordi- 
nary licauties which his admirers detected, in the fifth 
act. The " interpreters " were Mad. Borghi-Mamo, 
Mad. Lautcrs-Gueymard, Mdlle. Delisle, MM. Gucy- 
mard, Bonnehde, and Belval. In the ballet Mdlle. 
Zina Richard was the principal dancer. At the end 
of this very heavy and glittenng performance I sighed 
for the days when such operas as La MuettedePortici, 
Guillaume Tell, and Robot le IXaUe were produced in 
rapid succession I 

At tiie Italiens, Prince Joseph Poniatowski's opera 
buffa, called Don Deaiderio, was produced on tlie 10th 
inst. The excessive lightness (not to say triviality) of 
this music, though somewhat monotonous at the Im- 
perial Italian Opera, made itself regretted on the fol- 
lowing evening at the Imperial French Opera. 
Mario, Mdlle. Donatelli, Zucchini, and Corsi did 
their utmost for the principal parts. 

M. Litolif has given his concert in the aaVe Herz 
with enormous success. He repeated his " concerto- 
symphony" (No. 4), and both the plaving and the com- 
position pleased more than ever. M. Berlioz (who 
admires tne Brunswick orchestra) praises M. Litolif 's 
music to the skies. My opinion (with deference to 
MM. Beriioz and Fdtis, who do not always a^rrcej is 
that M. Litolif 's music by no means comes up to wliat 
they have said of it. As a player, I find that, with im- 
mense fire and energy, he does not combine clearness 
and accuracy. The overture entitled Le Chant des 
Gudfes, and the " llluairationt " of Fattst were inter- 
esting in diiierent degrees, the first in a much less 
degree than the last. However, M. Litolff left the 
concert room, his brow covered with laurels. How 
long the present vogue for him may last depends 
upon Parisian caprice, which, even as caprice, is won- 
derfully capricious. 

M. Rubinstein has already given his first concert, 
and although his placing produced just the same sen- 
sation as last year, his music seemed to please less. 

Tambcriik is to make his first appearance at the 
Italian Opera on the 28th instant. The opera 
selected for this event is Otello. Grisi is to be 
the Desdemona ; Corsi, lago ; and Belart, Rodf rigo. 
M. Calzado has, I am told, made another valuable 
acauisition for next season, in the shape of Signor 
Galvani, who made aJUuco some years ago at the 
Roval Italian Opera. Apropos of pianists, M. Ro- 
senhain gives a concert for tne benefit of a German 
charity to-day, at which he is to play the adayio from 
an earlv concerto of Beethoven — a not very classical 
proceeding by the way, for so classical a musician. 
M. Alexandre Billet has announced a concert for the 
9th prox, in Pleyel's Rooms : and M. Henri Wien- 
iawski, the violinist, who has just arrived, has also 
indicated his intention of astonishing the Parisian 
connoisseurs. I have not heard whether he is accom- 
panied by his brother, the pianist. The violinists 
here, though not quite so numerous as the pianists, 
are still in flocks. Among the most remarkable is 
Signor Sivori, who gives a concert on tlie 29tli (Mon- 
day), at which perhaps M. Wieniawski mav be in- 
clined to take a lesson. Madame Vanden Heuvel- 
Duprez is engaged for eight months at Marseilles ; 
so umt there is no chance of seeing her again at the 
Op^ra-Comique for a considerable period. She has 
already appeared in Lea LHamants de la Churonne and 
tlie Etoile au Nord with great success. 



Leipzig. — At the seventeenth of the Gewandhaus 
concerts, (Feb. 11), Mme Viardot Garcia's singing 
caused the greatest enthusiasm. One of the Grerman 
critics speaks of her as " perhaps the greatest singer 
just now in the world " . . . " the only one who 
still represents the glory of the older Italian school." 
She sang a sccna with chorus from Gluck's Or/eo ; an 
aria from the opera Brittanicua, by Graun ; Rossini's 
Non piu meata ; two Spanish songs, and a Mazurka 
by Chopin. At the last Gewandhaus concert the in- 
troduction and. finale of the first act of Wagner's 
Lohengrin, and the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven 
were brought out. 



Vienna. — Schumann's " Paradise and the Peri," 
much abused by the English, much admired by Jenny 



Lind, who brought it out in England, was pcrformc<l 
here last month for the first time by the Philharmonic 
Society, and well received. For the Italian opera 
season at the Court tlieatre, Mme. Steffanone, Miss 
Elise Hcnsler, and the buflib Zudni are engaged. 

M. Roger, the tenor, has been singing in the Hwpie- 
nota and in the Propheie with great success at the 
Kam'thor Theatre, the prima donna being Mdlle. 
Tietjcns, who has Ixjcn engaged bv Mj. Lumlcy. M. 
Colasanti, the ophiclidist, one oi^ M. Jullicn's many 
discoveries, who was reported dead, is performing on 
his instrument with great liveliness. The llclmsber- 
gcr Soirees have recommenced. One of Schumann's 
quartets was played nt the first. At a Soiree of the 
Mannergesang-Verein, several pieces from Schubert's 
opera of Fierahraa, including tlie overture, a duct for 
tenor and bass with chorus of male voices, and a 
acena for soprano, also w^ith male voices, were per- 
formed. Tne Chant dea eaprita a»r lea eavx, by the 
same composer, and some pieces of M. Berlioz, were 
also played, and tlie whole concert excited more than 
ordinar}' interest. 

Beklin. — On the 10th of March the three hun- 
drcth representation of Der Freyachvtz was given at 
the Royid Opera. It was first produced on the 15th 
of June, 1822. Between that date and 1836 the part 
of Agatha was sung 91 times by Frau Seidler ; that 
of Caspar, 112 times by Herr Blume, and that of 
Max 96 times by Herr Stumer. Taubert has com- 
posed music for a commemoration fete, in honor of 
the sculptor Rauch, which was to take place on the 
30th. 

Munich, March 2. The AUgemeine Zeitung says : 
" The concert of yesterday, which followed immedi- 
ately upon Wagner's Lohengrin, may be regarded as 
a lofty Song without Words, with the refrain : What 
need of a Music of the Future, when that of the 
sacred Past was made for all eternity! We had 
Beethoven's Sin/onia Eroica; a Paaaacaglia by J. S. 
Bach ; an Andante aria from Mozart's // Re Paatore, 
and Mendelssohn's " Midsummer Night's Dream " 
overture ! " 

Bonn. — Sebastian Bach's Paasiona-Muaik (accor- 
ding to the Grospel of St. John) was performed on 
the nth ult., by the Gesang-verein, under the direc- 
tion of Albert Dietrich. 

CoLOONB. — The programme of the sixth Gesell- 
Bchafts-Concert consisted of the "Spring" and " Sum- 
mer " from Haydn's " Seasons," and Beethoven's 
Sjrmphony in A. Of the seventh concert this was 

the programme : 

Part I.— 1. Symphony In G minor, by L. Spohr; 2. **lkn- 
tnm ego," fbr chorot uid orchwtn, by Cherabini j 8. Concerto 
In G minor, tat the pianoforte, by Mendelssohn, performed by 
Herr Alex. Dreyshock. Past II.— 4. Orerture ('' Nftchruf an 
• • *")hy Joachim; 6. Spinneriied und EJtapsodU^ hj A. 
Dr^shock; 6. Hymn, for chorus and orchestm. by O. F. Han- 
del; 7. CotuerUtiUk, by C. M. Ton Weber, played by A. Drey- 
schoek. 

The Lower Rhine Muaih-Zeitung is enthusiastic 
about the playing of Dreyschock. 

Bordeaux. — Spontini's Femand Cortex has been 
produced wiUi great success. The widow of the cele- 
Drated composer was present at the first representa- 
tion. For tne sake of strong contrast tlie next opera 
is to be Verdi's Trouvere, the French version or his 
Trovatore, 

Naples. — The directors of the San Carlo have 
summoned Verdi before the tribunal of commerce 
for refusing to allow his new opera (to the same book 
as Auber's Guatave IIL), to be produced, with certain 
changes which the political atmosphere of this patri- 
uchally governed state rendered inevitable. 

Goth A. — Just as Dr. Liszt at Weimar doses the 
inhabitants with Wagner, so does the Duke of Saxe 
Cobourg-Gotha regale his liege subjects with music 
from his own pen. His third or fourth opera, Diana 
von &)lange, is terminated, and though the first per- 
formance was originally intended to oe given for the 
benefit of the Parisians, it is understood that the pop- 
ulation of Gotha will have the privilege of inaugura- 
ting its career. 

St. Petebbbuhqh. — Madame Bosio and Signor 
Tamberlik are both reengaged for three consecutive 
years at the Imperial Italian Opera here. 



PESCniPTIVK LIST OF TUB 



Vooal, with Piano Aooompaniment. 

Minnie Moore. J. L. Ihttton. 25 

A Ballad In thai fiiri>«t and exprMvIre ctyle of which 

'^ whisper what thou feelc>*t " U the prototype. 

To Chloo in Sickness (English and German 
words). Stemdale Unmctt. 35 

A touching w>n|; in B minor, quite worthy of the rr- 
nown it* author enjoyc of being the moat claarical 
amongst England's modem musical writers. 

The Hindoo Maiden (Eng. and German words). 

Lowa Iliith. 25 
A simple f^tory with a pathetic Refrain. It tells of a 
young Hindoo girl, forsaken by her lorcr, who has 
returned to his home in Kurope. The poor girl still 
fondly clings to his memory. She sees other friends 
depart for England, and prays them to find him out 
and tell htm how she still lores him. No answer 
comes. She pines away and dies, still fidthful to the 
last. Mesao Soprano. 

When the bright waves are dn.shing. Duct. 

Mra. Sullivan. 25 
A nlee little duet for equal vdees. 

My Home is a cave by the dark sea-shoro (Song 
of the wild Poet). M'Naughton. 25 

Poem and Music breathes a bold, fbee spirit; quite 
original. 

Annie Lylc (Song and Chorus). //. S. Thompaon, 25 
A simple, smoothly-flowing Melody ; easy and pretty. 

The Lake (Eng. and Fr. worrls). Niedermeyer. 25 
This is a celebrated Tenor Song. After a long, pns- 
sionate outburst of grief, caused br reminiscences 
of happy days, now gone forcTer. which are called 
forth oy the sight of an Italian lake, the mood of the 
Singer relapses into a quiet reverie, not entirely de- 
Toid of sunshine. This rcTsrio takes the form of • 
lorely Romania in 9^ time. An excellent Concert 
Song. 

Oh, worship not the Besutifnl (Song). Dumham, 25 
A shnple Song for the Fireside — quite pretty. 

Soft skies of sunny Italy (Song). Cherry. 25 

This faTorite composer sings here of Italy's aaure sky, 
with such a sunnv glow and warmth of feeling, as If 
be was drifting slowly through the water«treets of 
Venice, reposing on the couch of a gondola, and 
■haded by proud palaces, Improrising, aa only Ital- 
ians can. 

The Young Recruit. Kiicken. 25 

A youth relates to his sweetheart his dreams of Aitura 
military glo^. A march-like melody, (tall of riirae- 
Ity, easy to jeam and sing br heart. This Is the 
Song of the day in Oennany and England. It is 
enjoyed in erery possible shape and arrangement. 
In England Jatty Trefb had to sing It on sixty eon- 
■ecutire nights, and was encored erety night. 

List to the gay Castanet ('' Rose of Castille)." 25 
Another pretty Song from this Opera, the melody hap- 
pily expressire of Spanish coquetry and stately 



Initmmental Muaio for Piano. 
Le Galopin. V. Buach, 25 

A spirited Impromptu In the form of a Galop. 

Flying Ooud Schottische. LT Albert. 25 

Lovetear Landler (Redowa). C. Strauaa. 25 

Always Cheerful (Galop). P. Baper. 25 

Kve Step Walti, Valae a cinq tempa, (in } and 2| 
alternately). Conner, 25 

Excellent danee moilo of moderate ditBciilty. 
Lancer's Polka. A. Scard. 25 

A beautlAil, spirited and ftselnating eomposlOon. 

La Montngnarde (Mazurka de Salon). Aacher, 40 
This *' Mountain Girl " Is a little gem, bold and hand- 
some, dashing, yet tender. Aacher has written 
nothing of late that can compare with this unpre- 
tentious little piece In point of freshness, originality 
and beauty of melody. Nor Is it at all difllcult. The 
mountain-echo Introduced will be found of charm- 
ing effect. 

Books. 

Practical (A) Text Book of Mrsic, as con- 
nected with the Art of Playing tlie Piano Forte. 
By Edward B. Oliver. Price 38 cents. 

This Tolume is the production of • thoroughly edu- 
cated and sklllftal teacher, one who has, in the exer- 
cise of his professional duties, been much at a loss 
for a suitable book on the Art of playing the Piano- 
Forte, as an assistant In communicating much In- 
struction that is most Talnable and important, and 
who therelbre has been led, in endeavoring to sup- 
ply his own wants, to prepare this Tolume. It will 
nc found to contsJn those essentials of a musical 
knowledge, which every student of the Piano, or of 
any instrument, must possess, as the conditions of 
Intelligent practice; they are presented with an 
admirable consistency and clearness. Among the 
mnltitudei of attempts to state the rudiments 
of music In a popular form, it is, Indeed, sel- 
dom that we find so much real thought and Judg- 
ment brought to the task. The matter is thorough- 
ly digested, and the topics placed in their true rela- 
tions. The definitions are philosophical, precise, and 
satislhctory. It is not a book of Exercises, a 
''School." or '^Method,*' for the Piano-Forte; but 
It conreys, in the form of question and answer, a 
rery convenient and intelligent solution of those 
theoretic questions which arise to pusle ererj 
young beginner in the practice of the Art. 




Wg|t'5 




mul 





ViSXt* 



Whole No. 317. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1858. 



Vol. Xm. No. 5. 



Schumann on Mendelsaolin. 

[Scattered through the four Tolomet of Robert Schumann'i 
collected writings about mudc aiid muriciana, are Tarious brief 
xeTluwe and notioea of woriu by Mkndklssohk, soon after thofr 
flret publication, which appeared in the I«ipsig Neue Zeit- 
te/ui/t /tir Musik. They are interesting as showing the fteeh 
impresrioQ osade by the works of one great composer upon 
the mind of another, who was fiMt rising into prominence. 
Especially Is their penradlng tone of sincere, eordial admira- 
tion worthy of notice, In connection with the charge of " jeal- 
ojuj '' of Mendelsaohn'*8 great Ikme so often brought against 
him by the Aoti-Schnmannitee of London. (See arttele from 
the Muneal Wwrld, copied In this Journal, April 17.) For this 
and other reamns we haT* thought these bits of criticism 
worth translating. We gire herendth a flaw of them, and shall 
continue them hereafter.— Sd.] 

Or. 56. Symphokt ("Italian/') iw A major 

The Symphony by Mendelssohn Bartholdy has 
been most eagerly expected by all who have thus 
far followed with a sympathetic interest the shin- 
ing path of this rare star. They looked forward 
to it as in some sense his first achievement in the 
symphonic field ; for what was actually his first 
Symphony, in C minor, falls almost within the 
artist's earliest period of youth ; his second (the 
" Scotch/* in A minor), which he wrote for the 
Philharmonic Society in London, has not yet 
been made known thi*ough the press (1843); and 
finally the Symphony-Cantata, Lobgesang, cannot 
be regarded as a pure instrumental work. Thus 
in the rich wreath of his creations there was only 
wanting (with the exception of the Opera) the 
Symphony: in all other kinds he had already 
shown himself firuitful. 

We know it by third hand, that the beginnings 
of the new Symphony date back to an earlier 
period, that of Mendelssohn's sojourn in Rome ; 
it was resumed and finished only very recently. 
This is certainly interesting to know, in estimat- 
ing its quite singular character. As when fix>m 
some old book laid aside we suddenly pull out a 
yellowed leaf, which reminds us of a vanished 
time, that now comes up again in all its bright- 
ness, until we forget the present, so may fair 
recollections have played around the imagination 
of the master, when he found once more in his 
papers melodies once sung in beautiful Italy, so 
that, consciously or unconsciously, at last sprang up 
this gentle tone-picture, which, like the descrip- 
tion of the Italian journey in Jean Paul's "Utan," 
can make one for a while forget his sorrow that 
he has not seen that blessed land. For that the 
whole Symphony is pervaded by a peculiar 
peoples* 8-tone^ hi^ many times been said; only a 
wholly unimaginative man can fail to mark this. It 
is its peculiarly charming color, then, that* secures 
to this Symphony of Mendelssohn, as well as to 
that of Franz Schubert, an especial place in 
symphonic literature. The traditional instru- 
mental pathos, the usual massive breadth you do 
not find in it, — nothing that looks like bidding 
against Beethoven ; it comes much nearer, and 
especially in character, to that one by Schubert, 
with the distinction that, whereas the latter inti- 
mates to us a wild and gipsey sort of people's life, 
Mendelssohn's transports us to beneath Italian 
skies. And this is equivalent to saying, that a more 
gracefid, polished manner dwells in the new work, 



while to Schubert's on the other hand, we must 
accord other excellencies, especially that of a 
richer power of invention. 

In its ground-plan the Sjmphony of Mendels- 
sohn is distinguished by the internal connection 
of all its four movements ; even the melodic con- 
duct of the main theme is a kindred one in all the 
four ; one will discover this on the first hasty com- 
parison. Thus more than any other Symphony 
it forms a closely involved whole ; character, key, 
rhythm, vary but little in the different move- 
ments. The composer himself too wishes, as he 
says in a prefatory remark, that the four move- 
ments should be played one after another without 
long interruption. 

As to the purely musical part of the composi- 
tion, no one can doubt that it is masterly. In 
beauty and delicacy of structure, as a whole and 
in the connecting members singly, it takes a place 
beside his overtures ; nor is it less rich in charm- 
ing instrumental effects. How finely M. knows 
how to reproduce an earlier thought, and to adorn 
a repetition, so that the old shall meet us as it were 
newly transfigured ; how rich and interesting the 
detail, without any overloading or Philister-ish 
pedantry of learning, — of this every page of the 
score gives us new proofs. 

The effect of the Symphony upon the public 
will depend in part upon the greater or less vir- 
tuosity of the orchestra. This to be sure is always 
the case, but doubly so here, where there is less 
question of masses, than of refined delicacy of 
single instruments. Above all it requires gentle 
blowers. The Scherzo is most irresistible in its 
effect ; a more genial one has scarcely been writ- 
ten in recent times ; the instruments talk in it 
like men. 

The piano-forte arrangement is by the com- 
poser himself, and certainly the truest transcript 
tl\at could be conceived of. Still it gives you an 
idea of only half the charm of the orchestral 
effects. 

The conclusion of the whole Symphony will 
call forth contradictory opinions ; many will ex- 
pect it in the character of the last movement, 
whereas he, rounding the whole off as if in a 
circle, reminds us of the commencement of the 
first We find it only poetic ; it is like the even- 
ing corresponding to a lovely morning. 

Or. 30. Six SoNOS without Words. 
(Second Set.) 
Who has not in some twilight hour sat at the 
Clavier (a Fluegel seems too grand and courtiy) 
and in the midst of his phantasvren sung to it un- 
consciously a soft melody ? Now should one chance 
to bind the accompaniment with the melody in 
the hands alone, especially were he a Mendels- 
sohn, there would result the most beautiful Songs 
without Words. It would be still easier, were 
one to compose a text, then strike away the words 
and so give it to the world — although that is not 
just the right thing, but a kind of deception, — 
one might by this means test the power of music 
to express feelings, and give an opportunity to 
the poet, whose words have been suppressed, to 



put a new text to the composition of his own 
song. Should the new words chime with thdg^ld, 
it would be one more proof in favor of the cer- 
tainty of musical expression. 

But to our Songs! Clear as sun-light is the 
face with which they meet you. The first, in 
beauty and purity of feeling, comes verj- near the 
one in £ major in the first set ; only there it 
gushes more immediately from the first spring. 
Florestan said : " Whoever has sung such, may 
yet expect long Hfe, both in this world and afler 
death ; I think, to me it is the most dear of all." 
The second Song suggests to me the ^* Hunter's 
Evening Song (Jdgers Ahendlied) of Goethe : 
Im Felde schleich *ich still und wUd^ Sfc. ; in deli- 
cate and airy structure it reaches that of the 
poet The third seems to be less significant, and 
almost like a roundelay in one of Lafontaine's 
family scenes ; still it is real unadulterated wine, 
that passes round the table, if it is not the heavi- 
est and rarest The fourth I find extremely 
lovely ; a little sad and introverted, but hope and 
home speak in the distance. * * * The next has 
something undecided in its character, even in the 
form and rhythm, and its effect is corresponding. 
The last, a Venetian Barcarole, soflly and gently 
concludes the whole. And thus shall you enjoy 
anew the gifts of this noble spirit ! 

Tmo FOR Piano, Violin and 'Cello. 

This is the master Trio of the present day, as 
those of Beethoven in B fiat and D, and that of 
Schubert in E flat, were of their day. A truly 
beautiful composition, which will delight our chil- 
dren and our children's children years to come. 
The storm of these last years is beginning gradu- 
ally to subside, and, we confess, has cast up many 
a pearl upon the shore. Mendelssohn, although 
less driven by it than the rest, still remains a son 
of the time, and has had to struggle, has had to 
hear continually the prating of some narrow 
writers, about how ** the period of full bloom in 
Music lies behind us," and has sununoned up his 
energies, so that we well may say : he is the Mo- 
zart of the nineteenth century, the most luminous 
musician, who sees the clearest through the con- 
tradictions of the age, and is the first to reconcile 
them. And he will not be the last artist either. 
After Mozart came a Beethoven ; upon the new 
Mozart a new Beethoven will follow; perhaps 
indeed he is already bom. 

What shall I say about this Trio, which every 
one, who has heard it, has not said already? 
Happiest they, who have heard it played by the 
creator himself ! For though there may be bolder 
virtuosos, it is scarcely possible that any other can 
reproduce the works of Mendelssohn with such 
enchanting freshness as himself. Yet let this not 
deter any one from also playing the Trio ; it has 
in fact, compared with others, Schubert's Trio for 
example, fewer difficulties; although these in 
works of Art of the first rank are always in pro- 
portion to the effect, increasing as that increases. 
That the Trio is not one for pianists only, that 
others too may take it up with spirit, and find 



34 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



their pleasure and reward in it, needs hardly to 
be said. Let the new work exert its influence, 
then, on all sides, as it must, and be to us a new 
proof of the artistic energy of its creator, which 
now seems to stand at almost its height of 
bloom. 

Op. 35. Preludes and Fugues fob the Piaxo- 

FORTE. 

(A. hot-brained fellow (he is now in Paris) d&-. 
fined the idea of a Fugue pretty much as fol- 
fows : " It is a piece of music, in which one part 
starts off before the others — (/w^w from fugere) 
— and the hearer before all;" for which reason 
he himself, whenever fugues occurred in concerts, 
would begin to talk aloud and not unfrequently 
to jeer at them. In fact, though, he understood 
little of the matter and resembled very much the 
fox in the fable ; that is, he could not make a 
fugue himself, much as he secretly desired it 
How differently indeed it is defined by those who 
can ! by cantors, finished students of music, &c. 
According to these " Beethoven never wrote, and 
never could write a fugue ; and even Bach him- 
self took liberties, at which one can but shrug 
his shoulders ; Marpurg alone gives the best in- 
troduction," and so on. 

Finally, how differently think others — I for 
instance, who can revel hours together in the 
fugues of Beethoven, of Bach and Handel, and 
who have therefore always maintained that, with 
the exception of watery, luke-warm, miserable, 
patch-work affairs, there was no one any longer 
who could write fugues in our day, until at last I 
was somewhat silenced by these fugues of Men- 
delssohn. But ordinary writers of fugues by rule 
and pattern will deceive themselves if they expect 
to find applied here certain of their excellent old 
arts, their imitcUiones per augtnentationem duplicem, 
triplicem^ or their cancricantes motu contrario, &c. 
And equally deceived will be the romantic high- 
fliers, if they hope to find here phGenixes un- 
dreamed of, soaring from the ashes of an antique 
form. But if these persons have a sense for 
sound and natural music, they will get it in these 
fugues. I will not indulge in blind praise, and I 
know well enough, that Bach has made, in fact 
created fugues of quite another sort But were 
he to rise now from his grave, he would -r~ at first 
perhaps storm away both right and left over the 
state of music in general ; but then too he would 
certainly rejoice, that there are yet individuals 
who at least pluck flowers in the field, where he 
has planted such gigantic oak forests. 

In a word, these Fugues have much that is 
Sebastian-ic, and might deceive the most sharp- 
sighted critic, were it not for the melody, the 
finer blending, by which you recognize the mod- 
cm period, and here and there those little touches, 
so peculiar to Mendelssohn, and which betray 
him among hundreds as the author. Whether 
the reviewers find it so or not, it is certain that 
the composer wrote them not for pastime, but to 
direct the attention of piano-players once more 
to that old master form, to accustom them again 
to it . That he chose the right means for this, in 
that he avoided all those unhappy, good-for-noth- 
ing artifices and imitaiiones, and gave more prom- 
inence to the melodic element, the cantilena^ 
while still holding fast to the Bach form, looks 
altogether like him. But whether this form 
might not perhaps be altered to advantage, with- 
out thereby losing the essential character of the 



Fugue, is a question, at whose answer many a 
one will yet try his hand. Alrcatly Beethoven 
tugged at it somewhat ; but he had occupation 
enough of another sort, and was too loftily en- 
gaged in building out the cupoLis of so many 
other domes, to find time for laying the comer 
stone of a new Fugue edifice. Rcicha also made 
the attempt; but evidently his creative power 
fell short of his good intention ; yet his often 
curious ideas are not to be entirely overlooked. 
At all events that always is the best fugue, which 
the public takes — for some sort of a Strauss 
waltz ; in other words, in which the artificial root^ 
work is covered up, like that of a flower, so that 
we only see the flower. Thus it once actually 
happened that a man, who otherwise was not a 
bad connoisseur in music, took one of Bach's 
fugues for an Etude of Chopin, to the honor of 
both ; and so might many a maiden take the last 
part of, say the second of these Mendelssohn 
fugues (in the first part she might be puzzled by 
the entrance of the voices) to be a song without 
words, and in the grace and softness of the forms 
forget the ceremonial place where, and the ab- 
horred name under which it had been put 
before her. In short, there are not only Fugues, 
which are wrought out with the head and accord- 
ing to the receipt, but there are Fugues which 
arc musical pieces, sprung from the soul and 
executed in poetic fashion. But as the Fugue 
affords an equally happy organ both for the dig- 
nified, and for the bright and merry, this collection 
contains some too in that short, rapid style, in which 
Bach flung forth so many with a master hand* 
Every one will find them out ; these especially 
reveal the facile, genial artist, who plays with his 
chains as with flowery garlands. 

A few words of the Preludes. Perhaps the 
most of them, like many to be sure of Bach's, 
stand in no original connection with the Fugues, 
and seem to have been prefixed to them after- 
wards. The majority of players will prefer them 
to the Fugues, since their eflect is complete, even 
when tliey are played separately ; the first espec- 
ially siezes you at the outset and hurries you 
along with it to the conclusion. The rest one 
may examine for himself. The work speaks for 
itself, even without the name of the composer. 



Mendelssolin. 

From the Now York Musical World. 

Mendelssohn was a man of small frame, 
delicate and fragile-looking; yet possessing that 
distinguishing peculiarity of the Hebrew race — 
a sinewy elasticity and a power of endurance 
which you would hardly suppose possible. His 
head appeared to have Seen set upon the wrong 
shoulders — it seemed, in a certain sense, to con- 
tradict his body. Not that the head was dispro- 
portionately large ; but its striking nobility was a 
standing reprocf to the pedestal on which it 
rested. His eye possessed a peculiarity, which 
has been ascribed to the eye of Sir Walter Scott 
— a ray of light seemed often to proceed from its 
pupil to your own, as from a star. But yet, in 
the eyes of Mendelssohn there was none of that 
rapt dreaminess, so often seen among men of 
genius in Art The gaze was rather external 
than internal — the eye had more outwardness 
than inwardness of expression. Indeed this cor- 
responded ver)' much with the character of Men- 
delssohn ; who, although an inward man, was also 
an outward one — and although a great artist, 
was also something of a courtier and diplomatist. 
In his glut, Mendelssohn was somewhat loose and 
shambhng ; he had a flinging motion of the limbs 
and a supple-jointedness, which, coupled with 
other little peculiarities of carriage, determined 



him — acconling to popular German tradition — 
as of Oriental origin. But this listlcssness of 
bearing seemed to disappear entirely the moment 
he sat down to a piano-forte, or organ, and came 
into artistic action. Then, like a full-blooded 
Arabian courser, he showed his points — you had 
before you a noble creature. AH awkwardness 
disappeared : he was Mendelssohn — and no 
longer a son of Mendel. 

Mcndclsiiohn married into a Gentile family — 
that of a wealthy banker of Frankfort The lady 
of his love was as Ixiautiful as she was high-bred 
and refined. She bore him children of remarka- 
ble personal charms. One boy, particularly, I 
was never weary of gazing at, for his extreme 
comeliness. He had his father's eye and his 
mother's elegance and grace of figure. I used 
to watch father and son, as hand in hand they 
sauntered around the charming gardens of Frank- 
fort, and silently applaud the father of such a son 

— the son of such a father. 

Mendelssohn was too much a celebrity to be 
suffered to rest long in one place, and he became 
very much a citizen of the world and a traveller. 
But from all his wanderings, his steps seemed to 
return oftenest to Frankfort, the home of his wife. 
Here on his arrival, he was frequently serenaded 
by the Liederkranz of the city. The house he 
occupied was on the bank of the river Main ; 
and beneath his windows — illumined by colored 
transparencies, or the light of a summer moon — 
the minstrels were wont to gather. Then were 
poured forth, from hundreds of manly throats, 
those tones of welcome, or those songs of Father- 
land (chief among which were Mendelssohn's 
own compositions) that thrilled to their very 
depths the souls of the listeners. Mendelssohn 
usually stood at the window above, waving his 
thanks or addressing his friends. I shall never 
forget one serenade which was given him from 
the smooth breast of the river. Starting some 
distance up the stream, at a point from which the 
music was but faintly audible, the serenaders 
floated down in their barges, bearing beautiful 
colored transparencies, disappearing for a moment 
beneath the lofty arches of the bridge which 
spans the river, and then picturesquely reap- 
pearing, the music now swelling grandly as they 
neared the house and wafting to the ears of the 
master those profound, smooth harmonies which 
only a German choms, aided by the softening 
effect of tone passing over water, is capable of 
producing. 

On occasion of such visits to Frankfort, Men- 
delssohn was often persuaded by his friends to 
gratify them by his organ-playing. He generally 
selected for this purpose the organ in St Cather- 
ine's church — a quaint old edifice on the Zeil — 
although the organ in St. Paul's is a far larger 
and better one; this advantage being counter- 
balanced, however, by the structure of the edi- 
fice, which, handsome to the eye (the same, by the 
way, in which the celebrated Grerman Parliament 
was held during the revolution), was ofiensive to 
the ear, by reason of its bewildering echoes. 

I once heard Mendelssohn in St Catherine's, 
when he performed in company with Adolphe 
Hesse — the celebrated organist of Breslau, and 
pupil of Rink. On this, as on other occasions, 
Mendelssohn played mostly Bach, for whom, of 
all the old masters, his reverence seemed deepest 
It is mentioned as quite a triumph of Mendels- 
sohn's critical acumen, that he discovered a posi- 
tive, downright, consecutive fifth in Bach, wnich 
had been lying perdu ever since the death of the 
old master, unobserved of any of those who had 
so sedulously and critically studied him. 

The C^ciiien Verein of Frankfort — a kind of 
N. Y. Harmonic Society, or Mendelssohn Union 

— was one of his favorite places of resort. After 
the rehearsal, he would occasionally play for his 
friends ; sometimes giving them a sonata of Beet- 
hoven — and always by heart. The allegros and 

iwestos of these sonatas were dashingly and bril- 
iantly executed, his high-stmng nervous organi- 
zation seeming to exult in a conquest of whatever 
mechanical difficulties they might present He 
bounded rejoicingly on, like a courser put upon 
his mettle ; but, aniid all the heat of the course, 
he never forgot a certain significant interpretation 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1858. 



35 



of the music — an intelligent and, in some re- 
spects, peculiar phrasing of the text. Even the 
niusieally uninitiated can understand tliat a dif- 
ference in the collocation of notes might pro- 
duce a marked difference in the significance 
of music — tlie effect being the same as, in literar 
ture, a change of punctuation ; or, in rhetorical 
delivery, a difference in the breathing places, or 
pauses. Beethoven's allegros were better render- 
ed by Mendelssohn than by any one else I ever 
had the fortune to hear. 

The andantes, or more emotional movements, 
were, to my own ear, less satisfactory, from a cer^ 
tain classic polish and — if I may so express it — 
half reserve of style. Perhaps Mendelssohn fclt^ 
as others have felt, that in the matter of feeling, 
Beethoven had been somewhat overdone. Like 
persons who would seek deeper si^ificance than 
really exists in the child-like simplicities of sacred 
text, so artists, in their morbidly intense manner 
of rendering the master, had fallen into affected 
depths of pathos. I would not do Mendelssohn 
the wrong, however, of representing him as really 
lacking in feeling. The neart was tliere ; but it 
was the heart seen through a polite conventional- 
ism of amber — like the insect, perfectly recog- 
nizable, but not too exposed to the common view 
and the touch. 

Mendelssohn would occasionally extemporize, 
also, for his friends of the Cdcilien Verein, His 
improvisation was highly imaginative and master- 
ly. The theme was usually wrought upon in 
counterpoint style, with occasional dashes into a 
brilliant freie fantasie. The Cdcilien Verein, by 
the way, gave annual performances of oratorio 
appropriate to the season, similar to those pven 
in New York. On Good Friday, Bach's sublime 
oratorio of The Passion was always sung. Why 
has this masterpiece never been produced here ? 
It ought to be as regularly and religiously given 
as the Messiah, If we celebrate the birth of the 
Messiah, we should also celebrate his death. I 
was once seated next Mendelssohn when the 
Verein was rehearsing Bach's works. He seemed 
entirely absorbed in the music — a silent move- 
ment, only, drawing attention now and then to 
the wonderful harmonic effects produced by the 
intertwining of such a mass of independent melo- 
dies. The last chord of this master-piece, uttered 
to the word Ruhe (rest), seems to drop the k)u1, 
like a weary child from the arms of its nurse, into 
a profound slumber, from which it would never 
more be awakened. 

Mendelssohn's influence in Leipzig; upon the 
scholars of the Conservatory was always very 
salutary. He was in the habit of breaking in 
upon the usual routine of study and opening new 
vistas upon them of the world of music. When 
accidentally present during an exercise, he would 
sometimes assume the task of teaching himself, 
and, with crayon in hand, give some invaluable 
hint in the treatment of orchestral instruments, 
or elicit knowledge from the pupils themselves, 
by asking them to accompany a given passage 
with horns or other less obvious instruments ; thus 
breaking in upon the ordinary routine of the day. 
This letting in of a little fresh air upon the mind, 
in teaching, is an excellent device, the uses of 
which Mendelssohn seemed well to understand. 

There existed, at tliis period in Leipzig, a club 
of amateur ladies and gentlemen who met to sing 
part-songs. Mendelssonn and Hauptmann both 
contributed largely to the compositions used on 
such occasions. llauptmann, wiiosc name is not 
as familiar as it should be on this side of the 
water, is Cantor of the Thomas Schule of Leipzig 
— a post originally filled by grand old Sebastian 
Bach himself. This school is a kind of seminary 
for young men mostly intended for the ministry, 
and all of whom receive a musical education ; 
they rendering, by express stipulation, musical 
services in the churches during this scholastic 
period. Once a week they perform motets in 
the St Thomas Church adjoining the seminary, 
sometimes accompanied by orchestra. It is a very 
ancient and admirable institution. At the time 
the office of Cantor was vacated by the death of 
the previous incumbent, both Mendelssohn and 
Hauptmann were candidates for the position; 
and 1 have been told that Mendelssohn felt, some- 



what, his non-appointment to an office which he 
would really have liked to fill. Hauptmann, 
however, is admirably qualified for the position. 

The last I ever saw of Mendelssohn was during 
the summer alluded to in a late article on Freilig- 
rath, in the Taunus .mountains, at the small spas 
Soden and Kronthal. Notwithstanding his great 
pre-occupation, partly with his own genius and 
musical productiveness; partly with his engage- 
ments to visit England or to conduct great festi- 
vals; partly to receive the incessant individual 
homage offered him, which he was not always 
able to parry, he was ever ready to see and serve, 
if he could, a true student of Art. Like all great 
masters, however, he had a holy aversion to mere 
dabblers in Art and those who were but in the 
A B C of progress. And what could he do for 
such ? The schoolmaster was what they needed 
— not the finished artist ; their time for the latter 
had not come. And this, let me passingly say, 
is the great mistake our countrymen are con- 
stantly making who go abroad to study musical 
art. They go before they are ready togo. The 
preliminary schoolmaster is neglected. The schol- 
astic part of Art can at the present day be as 
well pursued in this country as in any part of 
Europe. Our artists should not go abroad to 
learn their A B C's. It is an expensive way of 
learning the alphabet, — both as to time and 
money. Let them learn all they can here, first 
— and by " all " I mean harmony, counterpoint, 
form, instrumentation ; they might then profitably 
go abroad to exercise themselves in composition, 
and to hear music. In a word, let them learn 
the science of music at home — but pursue the Art 
under the guidance of a great master, if they will, 
abroad. Most celebrated men in Art are accessi- 
ble in this way. They are willing to give one 
lessons, in the sense of examining compositions — 
but not in the sense of teaching the first rudi- 
ments of the Art Nor let our Art-students think 
that the Conservatories of Music are the only 
desirable thing. They are desirable for those 
whose means are limited — ^they are the common 
schools of Art. But Hauptmann himself onc% 
told me, that — Professor as he was in the Leipzig 
Conservatoxy — he was glad that he toas not put 
through a Conservatory course. The idea being, 
that, in Art, it is not always well to shape a mind 
by the square and compass ; but it is better to 
adapt the course to the individual mind, in order 
not to interfere with its originality, or check its 
independent development. Mendelssohn would, 
and did, examine and advise, in case compositions 
were submitted to him, and his suggestions and 
his counsel were as invaluable as they were ever 
readily rendei*ed. 

A singular circumstance, to me, at this time, 
was the approbation which he expressed of cei^ 
tain Ethiopian melodies — some of those earliest 
in use in America — which his friend Hoffmann 
von Fallersleben had persuaded me one day to 
put on paper for him, in order that he might 
write a series of songs to them for German emi- 
grants to America. Hoffmann — ^much to my as- 
tonishment and chagrin — submitted these one day 
to the classic eyes of Mendelssohn : — an act of 
innocent audacity of which it seemed to me none 
but a poet, ignorant of musical valuations, and cer- 
tainly never a musician, would ever have been 
guilty. We often undervalue trifles, however, 
and Mendelssohn's opinion of these little baga- 
telles (like that, subsequently, of other German 
ma<?ters) taught me quite a lesson as to an over- 
fastidiousness in Art-matters, and a too dignified 
standard of judgment. R. S. W. 



The Garcias and Da Ponte. 

[From an AddreM before the New York Ilintorical Society, 
Not. 17, 1857, by Dr. J. W. Francis.] 

Were my individual feelings to be consulted, (saj's 
Dr. Francis), I would fain dwell at some length on 
the introduction of the Garcia Italian Opera troupe 
in this city, as an historical occurrence in intellectual 
projnress of permanent interest. It was destined to 
create new feelings, to awaken new sentiments in the 
circle of refined and social life, and its mission, I be- 
lieve, is accomplished. The opera, whatever may 
be the disputes touching its origin, was known to bo 
the ofispring of genius. It had universal approval 
as an exalted mental recreation to recommend it ; its 



novelty here secured prompt attention to its claims, 
and its troupe of artists who honored us witli their 
entr^ were considered the recognized professors of the 
highest order in the art. It captivated the eye, it 
charmed the ear, it awakened the profoundest emo- 
tions of the heart. It paralyzed all further eulogi- 
ums on the casual song-singing heretofore interspersed 
in the English comedy, and rendered the popular airs 
of the drama which had possession of the feelings, 
the lifeless materials of childish ignorance. Some- 
thing, perhaps, was to be ascribed to fashionable 
emotion, for this immediate popular ascendancy. For 
this advantageous accession to the resources of mental 
gratification, we were indebted to the taste and refine- 
ment of Dominick Lynch, the liberality of the man- 
ager of the Park Theatre, Stephen Price, and the 
distinguished reputation of the Venetian, Lorenzo 
Da Ponte. Lynch, a native of New York, was the ac- 
knowledged head of the fashionable and festive board, 
a gentleman of Uie ton, and a melodist of great pow- 
ers and of exquisite taste ; he had long striven to 
enhance the character of our music ; he was the mas- 
ter of English song, but he felt, from his close culti- 
vation of music, and his knowledge of the genius of 
his countrymen, that much was wanting, and that 
more could be accomplished, and he sought out, while 
in Europe, an Italian troupe, which his persuasive elo- 
quence, and the liberal spirit of Price, led to embark for 
our shores, where they arrived in November, 1825. 
The old Italian poet and composer of the libretto of 
" Don Giovanni " and " Le Nozze di Figaro," the 
Of^soclate of Mozart, was hero in this city to greet 
them, and on the night of the 29th of October, 1825, 
at the Park Theatre, wc listened to " H Barbiere di 
Scviglia," of the matchless Rossini. 

More was realized by the immense multitude who 
filled the house than had been anticipated, and tlio 
opera ended with a universal shout of bravoj hravis- 
simo. The city rcvcrlKjratcd the acclamations. The 
indomitable energy of Gnrcia, aided by his melodious 
strains and his cxhaustless powers — the bcwitchinjj 
talents of his daughter, the Signorina Garcia, with 
her artistic faculties as an actress, and her flights of 
inspiration, the novelty of her conception and her 
captivating person — proved that a galaxy of genius 
in a novel vocation nnkno^-n to the New World de- 
manded now its patronage. To tlieso primarv per- 
sonages, as making up the roll, were added Angri- 
sani, whose base seemed as the peal of the noted organ 
at Haerlem ; Rosich, a buffo of great resources ; Cre- 
velli, a promising rf«fcuton/e; the younger Garcia, witli 
Signora Garcia, and Madam Barbiere, wth her ca- 
pacious tcnor,C?) constituting a musical phalanx which 
neither London nor Paris could surpass, nay, at that 
time could not equal. From the moment that first 
night's entertainment closed, I looked upon the songs 
of Phillips, (which had made Coleman, the editor, 
music-mad,) the melodies of Moore, and even the 
ballads of Scotland, as shorn of their popularity, and 
even now I tliink myself not much in en'or in holding 
to the same opinion. The Italian opera is an elabo- 
ration of many thoughts, of intelligence extensive 
and various ; while it assimilates itself by its harmo- 
nious construction and entirety, it becomes effective 
by external imprcs.sion and rational combination. It 
blends instruction with delight ; if it does not make 
heroes, it at least leads captive the noblest attributes 
of humanity; and, had a larp:er forethought and 
wiser government watched over its destinies, it might 
still exist, in its attractive displays, as a permanent 
institution in this enlightened and libeml metropolis. 
I must add a few words on that great maestro^ 
Garcia. It is tnie, that his vast reputation is secured 
for the future by his biographer ; he was a successful 
teacher, a composer of many operas, and his merits 
as a performer arc fresh in 'the recollections of the 
operatic world ; but it is sometimes profitable to cast 
a backward glance over what we have lost. He -was 
a native of Seville, reared in Spanish music, and, in 
fulfilling his part in that role with enthusiasm, was 
summoned in 1809 to Paris, where he was the first 
Spanish musician thatappeared in that capital. Garat, 
on hearing; him, exclaimed: " The Andalusian purity 
of the man makes me all alive." Prince Murat 
chose him as first tenor of his own chapel in 1812, 
at Naples. Catalani obtained him for her first tenor, 
1816, in Paris. Here Rossini saw him, and arranged 
afi^airs so that he appeared in the " Barber of Seville," 
of which he was the original renrescntative. He vis- 
ited En jf land in 1817, where his wonderful powers 
were still higher extolled, from his Othello and his 
Don Juan. In Paris, our New York friend, Lynch, 
found him, and profiered inducements for him to visit 
America. Here his combined qualities as singer and 
actor have never been equalled ; his Othello, for 
force, just discrimination, and exprc8.<ion, astounding 
the beholder, and filling the house witii raptures. His 
career in Mexico followed ; and, sad to relate, while 
on his return to Vera Cruz, he was beset by banditti j 
I stripped of his clothing, and plundered of his one 



36 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



thousand ounces of gold, (about seventoen thousand 
dollars of our money), the results of his severe earn- 
ings. Penniless, he Hnally reached Paris, to resume 
his professional labors, llis spirits failed him not, 
but his musical powers were on the wane, and, bein^ 
the first to detect the decline of his great talents, and 
too honest to pass a counterfeit note, he left the ope- 
ratic boards, and died June 2, 1832, aped fifty-eight. 

From the sixth year of his age, and through life, 
Garcia was the arbiter of his o^vn fortunes. He may 
be pronounced the restorer of Mozart, and the promul- 
gator of Rossini's matchless works. His daughter, 
afterwards Madame Malibran, eclipsed even the tal- 
ents of her father ; and her abilities are still a popu- 
lar topic of conversation. She had the rare gift of 
possessing the contralto and the soprano. Her ardor, 
DOth as actress and as singer, exhibited almost a frantic 
•nthufliasm. Animated by the lofty consciousness of 
genius, the novelty of her conceptions, her vivid pic- 
tures, her inexhaustible spirits, had, in no predecessor 
in her calling, ever been equalled. She had no Fari- 
nelli for an instructor, but the tremendous energy, not 
to say severity, of her father, brought out the facul- 
ties of her voice to the wonder of all who heard her. 
She may be said to have been consumed by the fire 
of her own genius. Her " Una Voce," and other 
airs, reached the highest point of instrumentation, 
according to the opinion of the most astute judges. 
She has been followed by no imitator, because none 
could approach her. Recentljr, with Alboni and 
Jenny Lind, we have had a partial echo of her. Per- 
haps her ravishing person served to swell the tide of 
puolic approbation of her ravishing voice. She en- 
chained eyes and ears. Her earlier (not her earliest) 
eflforts were first appreciated at the Park Theatre, and 
the predictions there uttered of her ultimate victories, 
were fully verified on her return to England. So far 
American appreciation did honor to the then state of 
musical culture with tlie New Yorkers. 

In my medical capacity I became well acquainted 
with the Garcia troupe. They possessed good consti- 
tutions, and took little physic. But what I would 
aim at in the few remarks I have yet to make, is, to 
show that those who are not artists little know the 
toil demanded for eminent success in the musical 
world. Some twelve or sixteen hours' daily labor 
may secure a medical man from want in this city of 
great expenses and moderate fees ; more than that 
time may earnestly be devoted for many years to 
secure the fame of a great opera singer. It 80cme<l 
to me that the troupe were never idle. They had not 
crossed the Atlantic twenty-four hours ere they were 
at their notes and their instruments ; and wfion we 
add their public labors at the theatre, more than half 
of the twenty-four hours were consumed in tiieir pur- 
suit. A President of the United States or a Lord 
Chancellor methinks might be easier reared than a 
Malibran. I dismiss all allusion to nature's gifts and 
peculiar aptitudes. It is assumed that brains are de- 
manded in all intellectual business. The simplicity 
of life, and the prescribed temperance of these mu- 
sical people, was another lesson taught me. How 
many things are attended to lest the voice may suf- 
fer ! A taste of claret, a glass of lemonade, eau 
sucr^Cf were all the drinks tolerated, and scarcely a 
particle of animal food until the opera was over, 
when, at midnight, a comfortable supper refrcshwl 
their exhausted spirits, and gave repose to their limbs. 
The youth who aims at distinction in physic, in law, 
or in divinity, and who is at all cursed wiui indolence, 
might profit' by studying the lives of these masters in 
song, as the naturalist philosophizes with the habits 
of file bee. 

Many of this assembly, and particularly the ladies 
who now grace this audience, must well remember 
their old teacher, Signor Lorenzo Da Ponte, so long 
a professor of Italian literature in Columbia College, 
the stately nonagenarian whose white locks so richly 
ornamented his classical front and his graceful and 
elegant person. He falls within the compass of this 
imperfect address from his " lonely consnicuity," for 
the taste he cherished and the in()ustry lie displayed 
in the cultivation of Italian letters — more than »wo 
thousand scholars having been initiated in the lan- 
guage of Italy by him ; and he is still more inter- 
woven with our theme by his enthusiastic efforts to 
establish the Italian opera with us. He was upwards 
of sixty years of age upon his arrival in America, 
but enjoyed sturdy manhood. His credentials to 
consideration challenged tlie esteem of the philoso- 
pher, the poet, and the man of letters. His long and 
eventful life deserves an ample record. His own 
" Memoirs " in part supply our wants, and the sketch 
of his life by one of ttie members of our Historical 
Society, Samuel Ward, is a grateful tribute to his 
character, from the pen of an accomplished scholar 
and competent judge of his peculiar merits. I en- 
joyed the acquaintance of Da Ponte some twenty 
years. Kelly, in his remininiscences, has given us 
some idea of"^ his early personal appearance, and his 



fanciful costume at the London opera. But his glor^ 
ond inward consolation had not been attained until 
the Garcia trwtpe triumphed at New York, as erst at 
Vienna, in " Don Giovanni." The languo^^e of Italy 
and her music were deeply rooted in his lieart. It 
was a day of lofty thouglitfor the old patriarch, says 
his American biographer, when. came among us Gar- 
cia, with his lovely daughter, then in the morning of 
her renown ; Rosich, the inimitable btiffo ; Angrisani, 
with his tomb note ; and Madame Barbierc, all led 
by our lamented Almaviva, (Dominick Lynch, Esq.) 
I must refer to the able articles on the introduction of 
the opera, written by a philosophical critic in the 
" New York Kevicw and Athcnosum Magazine," for 
December, 1825. They constitute a record of the 
social progress of tliis city that cannot be overlooked. 
Da Ponte died in New York in August, 1838, at 
ninety years. His remains were followed to the grave 
by many of our most dtstingtiLshed citizens, among 
whom were the venerable Clement C. Moore, the 
Hon. G. C. Verplanck, Pietro Maroncclli, tlie fellow- 
prisoner of Sylvio Pellico, etc. That his long life 
created no wasting infirmity of mind, was shown in 
a striking manner by his publication of a portion of 
the poet Hillhousc's " Haaad," not long ncforc his 
final illness, and which he beautifully rendered in 
Italian with scholastic fidelity. The day before his 
death he honored me with a series of verses in his 
native tongue, partly, I concluded, in token of grati- 
tude, and partly to evince to his friends that, though 
speech had nigh left him, his mind w^as still entire, 
lie died firm in the Catholic faith, and was buried in 
the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Second Avenue. 

Vicissitudes had made Da Ponte a great observer 
of life. His intimate associations with Mozart, the 
countenance and encouragement he received from 
Joseph II., his acquaintance with Mctastasio, the 
lyric poet and ^vriter of operas and dramas in Italy,* 
are prominent among the events of his earlier career, 
at which time he established his reputation as a melo- 
dramist. It was easy to perceive, after a short inter- 
view with him, that iiis capacious intellect was filled 
with bookish wisdom. He had recitals at command 
for the diversion of society in which he chanced to be. 
He loved his beautiful Italy, and was prolific in praise 
of her authors. He extolled Caldani and Scarpa, 
and had many charming stories concerning the great 
illustrator of sound and morbid anatomy, Moi^agni. 
Da Ponte attended the lost course of instruction im- 
parted by that pre-eminent philosopher, who had then 
been professor some sixty years. On that memorable 
occasion, when Morgagni was to meet his class for 
the last time, he summoned his cara s/xwa, Signora 
Morgagni, a lady of noble family, and his surviving 
children, some ten out of fifteen whom she had 
blessed him with, and, forming with them a group 
around his person, he pronounced a benediction on 
the University and on his class, and then appealed to 
his venerable wife for the fidelity of his domestic life, 
and to his children as the tokens of her love and 
affection. He was now in his ninetieth year. Da 
Ponte said he was never more in earnest, never more 

Cowerful, never more eloquent. Padua then lost the 
rightest teacher of anatomical knowledge the world 
possessed, and the University a name in its possession 
nigh above all others, which commanded the admira- 
tion of the cultivators of real science wherever the 
dignity and utility of medicine was appreciated. I 
am aware I liave trespassed beyond my proper limits 
in this notice, but it was diflicult to do otherwise. 
Perhaps at this very day, casting a look over the 
many schools of medicine established in this land, 
there is not an individual oft^ner mentioned in the 
courses of practical instruction, on certain branches, 
than Morgagni, though now dead more than two 
generations. I wished to draw a moral from the 
story, cheering to the devoted student in his severe 
toils to qualify him for medical responsibility. Mor- 
gagni, besides great professional acquisitions, was a 
master of elegant literature, an antiquarian of re- 
search, a proficient in historical lore. The learned 
associations of every order in Europe enrolled him 
as a member. His numerous writings, full of origi- 
nal discoveries, are compressed in five huge folios, 
and are consulted as a treasury of established facts 
on a thousand subjects. To his responsible duties, 
involving life and rleath, he superadded for more than 
sixty years, his University teachings, and died at 
ninety with his mental faculties entire. How was 
the miracle wrought ? In the pressure of herculean 
labors, if ennui ever dared to approach, an Italian 
lyric of Metastasio was all-sufiicicnt for relief. By 
prt)per frugality he secured property ; by a regular 
life he preserved health ; by system and devotion he 
secured his immortal renown. 

Thus much may suffice as an historical record of 
the introduction of the Italian Opera in New York, 
and, consequently in the United States. 

* Metastasio came to Vienna In 1729, 20 yean before Da 
Ponte was bom. He died there In 1782. 



An Impressive FaneraL 

From the Home Journal. 

The funeral of Mrs. Kichard Storrb Willis, 
(wife of the Editor c^ the Muncal Worlds) which 
took place on Sunday, the eleventh instant, at the 
Episcopal Church in Twenty-ninth Street, was, and 
from many combining: circumstances, unusually im- 
pressive. Kesidinf? opposite the vicarape, and direct- 
ing the music of tlie church, Mr. Willis with his 
family held almost the same relation to its sacrc<l 
associations as the family of the pastor. The funeral 
was separate from the usual service of the afternoon ; 
but, as the body was borne across the street, and 
received at the entrance with the playin^^ of a solemn 
dirpe and with the reciting of the initiatory passage 
of the borial ceremony, the two naves of the beautiful 
structure were densely crowded with friends and 
mourners. The coffin was deposited before the 
chancel, and then commenced the singing of one of 
the most affcctinglv beautiful chants it has ever been 
our privilege to Kear. It was composed by Mr. 
Willis on the occasion of the death of the mother of 
the clergyman who was now to perform the ser- 
vice, and " had been sung before, only on that one 
occasion. But, in addition to this touching interest, 
it was sung by one who was a personal friend of the 
deceased, and who, as a singer of sacred music, is 
probal)ly without an equal. Julia Bodestcin's voice, 
coming, as it alwa^^s seems to do, through tears, was 
intensified, in the singing of this chant, to a weeping 
agony of sweetness almost snpcmatoral. To the 
nnntterablo grief of the mourner it seemed, for that 
moment, to reach and lend an utterance 1 The rapt 
and tearful singer sang with her heart as well as with 
her wonderful skill, and there was a spell in it, it is 
not too mnch to say, which might well make the 
Angel of Death look back with sorrow on his 
victim. 

Dr. HouoiiTOir, the clei^grman, departed from his 
usual custom by coming forward to the railing of the 
chancel and introducing the servioo with a brief 
address over the body. The young mother who lay 
before him had been one of the purest and loveliest 
of his flock. She waa one of those rare complete- 
nesses of character for whom their share of happiness 
in this world seems just enough. In the last tiour of 
her life she expressed her thanks to God, that, as a 
wife and a mother, she had been as entirely blest as 
she could conceive it possible to be. Simple from 
her exceeding purity, bcanutiful in person and of man- 
ners made most winning by her ntter unconsciousness 
and disinterestedness, she waa too natural to seem to 
the common eye the exception that she really was. 
And, to these qualities alluding delicately, Mr. 
Houghton paid full tribute to the dead as one of the 
children of his flock. It was an address of subdued 
and touching tenderness, and marked throughout with 
exceeding judgment and good taste. 

The service over and the handful of earth thrown 
upon the coffin, the body was borne to the hearse, 
attended by the wardens of the dmrch as pall-bear- 
ers ; and tne funeral procession then went upon its 
way to Greenwood. Mrs. Willis was there laid in 
the family vault of her father, Mr. Cames. She 
leaves three children, the youngest of whom is but 
three weeks old — a puerperal fever, consequent upon 
its birth, having been the occasion of her most sud- 
den and unexpected death. 



The Encore Vnisance. 

(From Punch.) 
Certainly in one respect, at any rate, we agree with 
a contemporary that the new S§t. James's Hall has 
been 

" — most promisingly opened, and the ocea«ton garo betok- 
enment and sign of a new era in our mndcal entertaimnentii." 

The respect which we refer to is that on the night 
of the Inauguration Concert the programme was 
gone through without there being an encore. As far 
as our experience enables us to judge, this fact is un- 
paralleled in concerts now-a-nights ; and on this ac- 
count alone, if for no other reason, the opening of the 
Hall deserves a special mention in our world-read 
columns. A performance of such promise reflects a 
like credit upon all who took a part in it, whether vo- 
cally or instrumentally, or indeed auricularly.^ The 
audience did their parts as well as band and singers, 
and the result was a success beyond the wildest hopes 
of the well-wishers of the hall. To inaugurate a 
conoert-room without suffering an encore is an 
achievement such as even the most sanguine would 
have hardly dared to dream of; and every one of 
those who had a hand or voice or ear in it, we heart- 
ily congratulate upon the triumph they have won. 

Encores are not solely matters of bad taste. They 
result from greediness more even than from igno- 
rance. People have a tendency to try and get as 
much as they are able for their money, and are espe- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1858. 



37 



ciallf delighted if thoy mft inanajro to get mmething 
more tlian what they've paid for. Yonr shop-huntress 
is charmed with half-an-oance of over-weifijlit, or an 
inch or two of ribbon more than has been chared 
her ; and persons who contrive to swindle an encore 
are g^tiiicd by thinking that thcv'vc got a something 
given in, and arc apt to pride tJtcmsolves upon their 
sharpness in so doing. Now it may do these people 
good to take this ill conceit out of them ; and the 
best cure for their cheating is to show their fancied 
sharpness only proves them to be flats. It may be 
a.<(snmcd that the getters up of concerts know pretty 
well the money's worth of what they have to offer ; 
and make allowance in their estimates for the chance 
of being a.sked to give a trifle over-measure. Cater- 
ers of music, in drawing up their programmes, reckon 
tlic encores ns a part of tlio performance, and so 
shorten their selection, in order to make room for 
them. They have to pay their artistes for a fixed 
amount of work, and of course must keep tlic quan- 
tity within tlic stipulated limits. 

Iflorr Splittsckull, is engaged to sing four songs per 
night, and as he's sure to be encored, he is announced 
to sing two only. Herr Splittscknll knows the cur- 
rent value of his notes, and of course will not part 
with tliom without their anreons equivalent. He is 
not a whit more likely to give a song in fjmtis, than 
a pastry-cook would be to let the buvcr of a Bath-bun 
take another without paving for it. In persisting 
therefore to encore the llerr, the public m reality 
gains worse tlian nothing. It gets two songs sung 
twice over, instead of four distinct and fresh ones. 
It thinks to cheat the Ilcrr, whilt in fact it cheats 
itself, getting two stale buns and paying for two new 
ones ; and the verdict wo should bring in would be, 
served it right. 

We perfectly agree with our contemporary aforesaid 
that— 

" Mr. Owen Jones hns shown both tavte And skill In the In* 
ternal decoration ; And the St. JAmee's HaII mAy be pronoun- 
ced by fitr the moet complete And highly oniAinented concert- 
room In London." 

Nevertheless, as there is nothing which Punch could 
not improve, if allowed to take his way with it, we 
think if Mr. Owen Jones had consulted us before- 
hand, we could have suggested an amendment in the 
way of decoration which might have pleased the au- 
dience as well as the spectators. We should have 
proposed that on the walls and ceiling of the hall, and 
especially conspicuous upon the orchestra and organ, 
the word's should be enrolled — 



ft 



NO ENCORES ALLOWED. 



ff 



All caterers of concerts should take this as their 
motto, and emblazon it on all their programmes and 
admission tickets ; and eflicient M. C's should attend 
at the performances, to take care that the rule Iw 
strictly carried out. Anybody wilfully demanding 
an encore, or aiding and abettmg any swindler who 
might do so, should be taken up and sentenced to at- 
tend the House of Commons every evening for a 
week, to cure him of his wish to hear the same 
things over twice. If this tremendous punishment 
were vigorously enforced, we think that the Encore 
Nuisance would speedily be checked ; and Mr. Punch 
and other sensible and rightly thinking persons might 
find it possible to go to concert-rooms in peace, with- 
out their having nightly to do battle witli the fools 
who clamor for encores. 



5iiiig|l's Innrnal of IRnsk 

BOSTON, MAY 1, 1858. 



A Private Concert 
A good thing is not the less a good thing 
because it is done in a corner, nor is its influ- 
ence naught Indeed it is but manly, it is 
but Christian to believe that real influence for 
good in the long nm is more proportioned to 
the quality, than to the publicity of any act ; 
that the high purpose and true spirit are 
worth more than the great display ; that the 
true thing on a small scale is better than the 
questionable and vulgar thing on the grandest ; 
that a grain of gold outweighs a lump of cop- 
per. Such faith as tliis — for truly it requires 
Fcnth — ^is indispensable to the artist. There 
can be no real progress in musical or other 
Art without it One must still have faith, 



patience to measure his success by the intrin- 
sic excellence, the truthfulness of his perform- 
ance, and not by the outward recognition of 
the world. The best things, those that have 
won fame worth having for their authors, 
were never done from the immediate motive 
of display, and would have miscarried and be- 
come superflcial, false, and empty things, had 
they been dragged at once before a general 
audience. The artist, the public benefactor 
in Art, is he whose works, whose life still 
preach, for those who can receive, the highest 
and the truest, the ideal beauty, and who docs 
not care to keep himself before the public 
The popularizers, the great caterers for public 
amusements more or less artistic, the concert- 
giving speculators, and so forth, doubtless do 
good in their way ; but the tendency of all 
this grand display would be to drag Art down, 
to bring all to the level of the lowcvst tastes 
and idlest listeners, were it not counteracted 
quietly by those who labor in more private 
spheres to make the highest music loved for its 
own sake. 

In music it is eminently true, that one hears 
the best in private circles. It is almost im- 
possible that a great concert should be thor- 
oughly pervaded by an artistic tone ; the gold 
it gives you always must have some alloy ; the 
programme must be made up, like a newspa- 
per, for too many and too multifarious tastes ; 
you are inspired by listening to a noble piece, 
and then are nidely disenchanted by some- 
thing that is vulgar ; or, if the XQUsic be all 
of the best, there will be something to disturb 
you in the audience, something unmusical in 
the mere glare and glitter and distractions of 
the " well-filled, fashionable house." Good 
things are i)ossible in private, which could not 
otherwise be realized at all. And it is to be 
counted among the best signs of musical im- 
provement in our community, that, whether 
the opera and concert managers drive a thrifty 
trade or not, there is much excellent music 
organized in private circles. We have fre- 
quently alluded to the Quartet and Quintet 
parties, by the Mendelssohn Quintet and other 
Clubs, in private houses, where audiences of 
thirty, fifly, it may be a hundred, all true list- 
eners, — if not sympathetic, yet at least respect- 
ful,— -come into closer contact with the inspira- 
tions of Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, &c., 
than is often possible in concert rooms. 

But we have been led into this train of 
remarks especially at this time by the occur- 
rence of another of the private concerts (the 
fourth this season) of that fine amateur club 
of singers, who have for several winters been 
engaged in the practice of some of the choic- 
est and least known choral compositions, with 
solos, by Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schu- 
bert, Schumann, Franz, &c., under the se- 
verely careful and instructive training of per- 
haps the most competent musician in the 
country for tliat work, Mr. Otto Dresel. 
This gentleman devotes himself heart and 



soul, like a self-sacrificing artist, to the ren- 
dering of this one thing perfect in its way, 
(not that it is all he does, by any means), and 
his efforts are rewarded by the remarkable 
degree of unity, precision, delicacy and ex- 
pression of the singing of this choir of twenty- 
five or thirty voices, and by the eagerness 
with which every opportunity to witness it is 
seized upon. Of course delighted listeners 
have wished that many more, that all the 
world in fact might hear it too, and get a new 
idea of what is truly excellent in music. But 
this in the nature of the case was impossible. 
The concert referred to, however, was almost 
an exception. It was a subscription concert 
given by the Club in compliment to Mr. 
Dresel, and the Chickering saloon was over- 
flowing. The programme, of the same general 
character as those of former evenings when 
the club have invited their friends, was very 
rich and rare ; to-wit : — 

PAXS I. 

1. Cmclflxns fttmi the Qnnd Mass bj J. 8. Bach. 

2. Oratorio of Chriiitiu, M«adelB«ohn. 

Recitative : Trio for male voiced—" Say, where Is be 

born, the King of Judea, for we have seen his star 

and are come to adore him." 
Chorus : ** There shall a Star from Jacob come forth 

and dash in pieces Princes and Nations," and Cho- 
rale. 
Keeltatlre : Chorus—** This man hare we found per- 

Tertlng all the nation, and forbidding to render 

tribute to Cflpsar." 
RecltatWe : Chorus—*' He stirreth up Um Jews bj 

teaching them." 
Recitative: Chorus— *' Away with Jesus, and giT» 

Barabbas to us." 
ReciUtlTe: Chorus— •* Crudiy him." 
Recitative; Chorus—** We have a sacred Law; guilty 

bv that Law let him suffer." 
Reciutiro : Chorus—'* Daughters of SQon, weep for 

yourselves and your children." 
8. AveVerum. Moart. 

4. Chorus: **Come let us sing,"— ** For the Lord is a 

mighty Ood,"-^h>m 95th Psalm, Mendelssohn. 

5. Morning Song, Robert Frans. 

PART n. 

6. Hymn (flrom Psalm 56.) for Soprano Solo and Chorus, 

Andante : '* Ilear my prayer." Mendelssohn. 

Allegro: **The enemy cries!" 
Finale: *' for the wings of a dove! " 

7. Duet and Trio for Treble Vcrfces, with Chorus, tmn 

** Athalie," Mendelssohn. 

8. Two Choruses flram ** Armlda," Qluck. 

** Songs of love In the grove sings the nightingale," 
** Great is the glory when laurels we gather." 

9. Volkslied and Hunting Song, Mendelssohn. 

That Orucifixusy from the great Mass by 
Bach, was the most tenderly, profoundly sol- 
emn music that we ever heard. The whole 
audience seemed breathless for some moments 
after the sounds had ceased. The voices rose 
and swelled and died away together, beauti- 
fully blended, in the successive waves of rich 
and mournful harmony. But we could not 
describe or analyze ; music had done its 
perfect work ; such strains are simply feli. 
This brief taste much increased the desire we 
have long felt to hear the Mass in B minor com- 
plete. The fragments left by Mendelssohn of 
his unfinished " Christus " were sung by the 
same choir, in the same place, a year or two 
ago. We thought then, and still think, that 
this third Oratorio, judging from the frag- 
ments, would have been the greatest of the 
three. At all events we have had nothing in 
this kind of music so intensely, thrillingly 
dramatic (leaving Bach*s " Passion" music 
out of the account). The first fragment, con- 
sisting of the Trio of male voices (the three 
Magi), and chorus, is full of religious hope 
and wonder. The sympathetic, human tone of 
the narrative recitatives, by a tenor voice. 



38 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



contrasted against the angrj bit3 of choral 
responses : " Crucify, crucify," &c., and "We 
have a sacred law/' &c., seemed almost too 
painfully tragic. But the mournful chorus: 
" Daughters of Zion, weep," &c., one of the 
most beautiful that Mendelssohn has written, 
commencing with soprani and aid alone, is 
like the sweet relief of tears. The rendering 
of the whole was faithful and effective, and 
greatly helped out by the conductor's piano- 
forte accompaniment. 

Mozart's Ave verum corpus is a model of 
pure, simple, flowing, perfectly blended relig- 
ious harmony, in which no one voice or part 
stands out before another ; and we never 
heard a purer specimen of choir singing, — all 
so true and smooth and balanced, and as it 
were instinctively regardful of all points of 
light and shade. We print the music in this 
number, and commend it to the study of all 
choirs. 

" Come, let us sing," by Mendelssohn, is a 
bright and quickening chorus, fully rendering 
the spirit of the words, whose cheerful call 
sounds out from one set of voices afler an- 
other, till the harmony is complete. The 
" Morning Song," by Franz, is one of the six 
" Songs for Mixed Voices," to which we allu- 
ded a few weeks since as having been repub- 
lished by Messrs. Ditson & Co. They should 
be known in every circle of part-singers, or 
" Glee Clubs." 

" Hear my prayer " (soprano with chorus) 
will be recognized as the beautiful piece of 
music which we have been printing for the 
benefit of our subscribers, and which is con- 
cluded in this number. We only wish that 
all the musical societies and choirs, who take 
it up, could have heard it so admirably ren- 
dered as it was that evening. There was a 
soprano of a sweet, pure, sympathetic quality, 
for which the solo (" O for the wings of a 
dove!" &c.), might seem almost to have 
been written ; the first choral responses (in 
unison) were prompt and decided; and the 
pianissimo of the choral accompaniment to 
the melody, growing softer and sofler at the 
close, gave just the right idea of how it should 
be sung. The pieces from " Athalie," (music 
to Racine's tragedy), are of much the same 
character, a duet of soprani, and then a trio of 
soprani and alto, each with chorus ; sung by 
voices admirably suited to the music. How 
refreshing (in these days of overstrained and 
morbid pathos, of Verdi and the like) were 
those spontaneous, natural, simple, yet inim- 
itable strains from Gluck, with their quaint, 
antique accompaniment — the first a warbling 
of whole forests full of birds, the last a swell- 
ing, joyous song of victory ! The two little 
part-songs, by Mendelssohn, the first grave, 
the other wild and full of life, one of his most 
imaginative and striking, were finely sung, 
of course without accompaniment. 

Now we have not alluded to this interesting 
Concert to excite the envy of those who had 



not the good fortune to be present. We sim- 
ply point to it as an example, worthy to be 
imitated if not emulated ; an example of what 
good things may be done by little social clubs 
of earnest music-lovers, who have voices, and 
some skill in reading music, by meeting in this 
way for practice of such sterling kinds of 
music, calling to their aid the most high-toned 
and competent professor they can find for 
teacher and conductor, and — ^for this is the 
condition absolute of all success — trusting him 
to the extent of letting him be perfect 
" autocrat " in the whole matter. Such circles 
will find good material for practice in the 
compositions we are publishing from week to 
week in this Journal. Let every member of 
a Club subscribe, and each will have a copy of 
a goodly number of such pieces in the course 
of the year. 

From My Diary. No. 4. 

April 27. — The Boston Quintet Club gave a con- 
cert at Framingham, last evening, which however, to 
my disappointment, I could not attend. The pro- 
gramme vms excellent, made up from Mozart, Schu- 
bert, Haydn, Ac. A Verdi trio was omitted and 
something else given instead. Two acquaintances 
who attended, speak in highest terms of the concert, 
and report that the audience, though small, was greatly 
interested in the music, and evidently appreciative 
and discriminating. One of my friends remarked 
*' that the men played as if they loved their music ! " 

In looking back through the years during which 
the said Club has wrought in this field of chamber 
music, and comparing the state of things then and 
now, one sees that progress has been made. At 
first a small and rather variable audience gave the 
club its support in Boston. Now Chickering's room 
fills at their regular performances, and the club is 
called into many of the other cities and larger towns 
about. Wherever they go, they leave an abiding 
impression upon some minds that there is something 
in music above and beyond a mere tune or melody ; 
they enlarge the ideas of those who hear them, and 
plant seed which will in time produce fruit. The 
musical public certainly owes a debt of gratitude to 
the men, who have with fo much perseverance, labored 
on, often at sacrifice and under discouragement, devo- 
ting themselves to a conscientious study and perfor- 
mance of works often of great difficulty, when others 
would have met the wishes of an audience as well. 
In looking over the " annals " of the club one is sur- 
prised at the great variety and the almost invariably 
high character of their programmes ; and it is only 
by such a review that one can form any adequate 
conception of the amount of laborious study which 
must have been devoted to this music, by men who 
at the same time had regular duties to perform as 
members of orchestras and as teachers. 

Has the pecuniary reward been at all in proportion 
to the labor ? Doubtful. The conviction forces itself 
upon the mind of any one who will look back, that 
nothing but a tme love of Art — a really artistic 
spirit — could have kept this club so long together, 
and made it really one of our musical ** institutions." 

The announcement is a painful one, that he who 
has so long been at the head of the Quintette, and 
whose energy and perseverance must have been 
powerful elements in its success, leaves us for a resi- 
dence where the position of the practical musician is 
other and better than here. But what has the musi- 
cian here to look forward to f In other countries, 
where aid id not considered beneath the dignity of 
Government, and city authorities consider it their 
duty to use some of the funds, which, in America, 
are appropriated to fireworks, or the pockets of infa- 



mous officiaU, for the iupport of good music, who- 
ever can by his talents gain admittance into tiie 
orchestra, is sure of receiving an annual stipend and 
of having something secure, when his active dajrs are 
over. Thus Leipzig, Cologne, Dusscldorf, Frank- 
fort, Mayence and other cities, not one of which hag 
a hundred thousand inhaliitants, each has its fine 
orchestra, its club for chamber music, its city music 
director, and guards all against want, without com- 
pelling dicm to overtask their brains, and when 
superannuated sending them to the almshouse. But 
hero no such provision is made either by the public 
or by any private foundation ; it is no cause of sur- 
prise then that the overtasked artist should gladly 
accept an offer of a position, which at the same time 
insures him a less laborious life and a more certain 
future. Wherever August Fries goes, God speed 
him 1 There are many who will miss his form and 
face at the Orchestral and Quintette Concerts. 



Music is this Number. — The beautful Hymn : 
" Hear my Prayer," by Mendelssohn, which has oc- 
cupied the last four numbers of the Journal, ends 
to-day, two pages short of our music printer's first 
calculation. We find ourselves therefore obliged to 
fill the two remaining pages at short notice. Fortu- 
nately, our publishers' rich stock of plates affords us 
just the very piece we want, of just two pages, that 
Ave verum, by Mozart, above referred to in the notice 
of a private concert. It "is a leaf from Mr. Werner's 
capital collection of Masses and shorter pieces for the 
choirs of Catholic Churches, called " The Memo- 
rare," and is a specimen of many good things that 
may be found there, useful not for Catholics alone. 
We do not, to be sure, like the cross-grained look oc- 
casioned by the shape of the page ; but the leaf is 
easily severed from its mate, so that the Mendelssohn 
HjTun can be stitched togetlicr by itself, or kept to 
be bound up hereafter with other pieces of like char- 
acter which we shall publish. The loose leaf con- 
taining the entire Ave verum corpus^ will serve clubs 
and choirs for practice, and (better still) perhaps 
induce them to seek more such treasures in the "Me- 
morare." 

Rellstab, the German critic, tells us that this Ave 
verum was composed during Mozart's stay in Pots- 
dam and Berlin, in 1789, and gives the following in- 
teresting particulars about its origin : 

" Mozart was invited to dine with the father of our 
present oldest and most worthy piano-forte tcachei, 
Tiirrschmid, also known as the excellent homist of 
the royal orchestra. The conversation turned upon 
church music, and its use in sustaining the services of 
the church, and Mozart spoke with great animation 
for its employment in the manner of the Catholic 
Church. He suddenly sprang up, called for music 
paper, and seated himself at a table to ^Tite ; the 
conversation at once ceased, in order not to disturb 
him, but he called out good-naturedly in his Austrian 
dialect : " Talk away, that don't disturb me, only no 
one mui?t sing or utter even a single tone." _ And so 
in the midst of the conversation, he wrote in an in- 
credible sliort time that wonderful piece of music, 
which he handed to the company with the words : 
" There you have something tliat will suit your 
church!" 



Musical Chi1>Ghat 

This is May Day I May it be a bright one. At 
all events it will be bright enough in the Music 
Hall ; trust the Warren Street Chapel folks for that, 
who there hold festival, with flowers and dances, with 
music in the form of reed band,bras8 band, and orches- 
tra by the newly re-organized Germania Band. . . 
Our School Committee have under consideration an 
order establishing an annual musical festival of the 
elder children of the public schools. This measure, 

if carried out in the spirit which we know to be in- 
tended, will do much to lend unity of method and 
true value to what is called the musical department 
in our common school education. We shall have 
more to say of it in due time. . . . The Mozart 
Society, in Worcester, Mass., gave this week a " ten 
cent concert " in Mechanics' Hall. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1858. 



39 



We nsk attention to the announcement of the music 
store of our neighbors, Messrs. Kitssbll & Fuller, 
the successors of the well known firm of Russell & 
Richardson. Mr. Nathan Richardson has been com- 
pelled bj poor health to withdraw from the business, 
and is now in Smyrna. His interest has been pur- 
chased by Messrs. Russell & Fuller, who have abund- 
ant capital and knowledge of the business, and whose 
stock in trade includes that of Geo. P. Reed & Co., 
and of Richardson's " Exchan{;:e,'' with the additions 
of the late firm. We conjptitulate our friends on this 
arrangement, which places on a solid basis one of the 
most complete and tasteful music depots in the coun- 
try. Their publications are very numerous, and 
generally models of good style. The store itself is 
an attractive place, truly a musical "Exchange," 
where artists and music-lovers will meet with every 
courteous attention, and doubtless find whatever they 
may want. 

The New York Philharmonic Society gave its last 
Concert for the season on Saturday evening, when 
were performed Mendelssohn's " Scotch " Symphony, 
the overture to TcinnAauser, and an overture by Schu- 
mann. Miss Annie Milner was the vocalist, and 
Mr. CooPEB played a Concerto by Spohr. . . . 
The Misses Heron, of Philadelphia, have joined an 
Italian Opera troupe, of which Sig. Morelli is the im- 
presario, and which is to give performances in Carac- 
cas, Rio Janeiro, and other parts of South America. 
Miss AoNBS Heron is the soprano; Miss Fannt 
Heron, the contralto ; Sig. Giannoni, the tenor ; 
MoRBLLi, the baritone; and Rocco, the basso. . . 
Salyi, the tenor, has become stage manager at 
Madrid. 

The "musical man" of the Philadelphia Evening 
Journal wields a witty pen; witness the following 
very graphic hit-off of Manager Ullman's style of 
advertisements : 

Suppose that Mr. Ullman is producing "William 
Tell." The " Amusements " column of this journal 
is entirely taken up with the announcement of the 
" colossal " event. Mr. Ullman assumes all sorts of 
attitudes towards the public, He prostrates himself 
before them. Tears are in his eyes, his lip quivers, 
and his whole frame is convulsed with sobs, as he 
refers to the pure and splendid character he has sus- 
tained in past time and asks to be informed whether 
he has done anything not to descr^'e their endorse- 
ment of his " William Tell " on this occasion. 

He woos most tenderly. He represents himself to 
be devoured by respect and love for this discrimina- 
ting Philadelphia public, and seductively presses his 
claims to a place in its affections. He pictures "Wil- 
liam TeU." He paints, in sparkling and goi^geous 
hues, the music and action, and the apparel of the 
stage. He dwells upon Ronconi. He swells with 
pride as he points to the magnificent European fame 
of Ronconi's William Tell. He hints at the pro- 
bable slovenliness and disrespect with which any 
other manager but Ullman would have produced 
Rossini's master-piece. He enumerates the gentlemen 
of the orchestra, the choristers, the costumcrs, the 
carpenters. 

He makes his " William Tell " a matter of con- 
science and duty with the community. With a sub- 
lime burst of eloquence ho closes his appeal, not, 
however, before he has depicted, in graphic and agita- 
ting terms, the perils of not procuring seats early, and 
laid down a strict code of laws for cabmen, policemen, 
and the city authorities generally. 

Here is a chance for American composers ; they do 
not shrink from any thing ; suppose they carry the 
war now into the enemy's own countr}', — compete 
with Italy on her own ground. We have a circular 
from the Tmperiale e Rtiole Accademia ddle Mle Arti 
of Florence, offering prizes for the best production on 
a given subject in each of the Fine Arts : Painting, 
Sculpture, Architecture, Design, Engraving, and 
finally in Music. The subject for the latter is " the 
Canticle of Zachnria: Bmedictiu Dominus Detts h- 
raely for four voices, with fulf orchestral accompani- 
ment. The style must be ecclesiastical, in the Sixth 

Tone, with responses in the different vocal or instru- 
mental parts ; it must close with a Fugue with two 
subjects on Gloria Patn\ &c. The works must be 
sent in by the 15th of August. 



Acconling to tlie New York TimeSy " The poor 
fiddlers had a hard time of it on Saturday — almost 
twelve hours of constant sawing. At ten o'clock in 
the morning the final rehearsal of the Philharmonic 
society ; and at three o'clock the Musard Matinde ; 
at eight tlie concert of the Philharmonic Society. 
What an opportunity for the purveyor of lager beer," 
&c. Of the two Berlioz nights the same writer bajs : 
" Berlioz's Classical pieces were listened to atten- 
tively by five or six august audiences, and it was per- 
haps owing to the intensity of their veneration that 
they failed to applaud." 

On Tuesday evening the American singer. Miss 
Juliana Mat, was added to the attractions of the 
thirteenth Musard Concert. Thalbero and Vieux- 
TEMPs' engagement at the same will "positively 
close " this week. On Tuesday was a " Grand Beet- 
hoven night," when were performed the Fifth Sym- 
phony ; the overtures Namens/eier and " King Ste- 
phen " (both wholly new in this country, with the 
exception that the last was once performed in Bos- 
ton); the violin Concerto (by Vieuxtemps), and the 
Allegro of the E flat Concerto for piano (Thalbei^); 
followed by promenading and Musard-ing. Under 
the auspices of the same great Ullman-Musard insti- 
tution, too, the first Sacred Concert has been given, 
including Mozart's " Requiem," a Symphony, and 
smaller selections. Thursday evening was the first 
night of the Oratorio " Elijah," with Formes, Cara- 
dori, &c., and the N. Y. Harmonic Society. Mean- 
while " in active preparation, the Washington Quad- 
rilles, Inf 500 performers (!) and the Electric Tele- 
graph Quadrilles :" in short a great deal of eveiy 
thing. 

The Athenaum mentions the death of the sister of 
Mrs. Hbmans, Mrs. Owen, who set to music (aa 
Miss Brown) many of the lyrics of the poetess. 
She waa an accomplished woman and possessed a 
good deal of musical talent. . . . The Courrier- 
Franco-Itdlien states the astounding fiict (which goes 
ringing through the newspapers in every land), that 
Rossini has just vritten a new melody, or NottuvnOy 
for the violoncello, which he has presented to M. 
Servais, the famous solo-player. . . . The New 
York Courier and Enquirer (whose literary and Art 
criticisms are always well considered), in noticing 
with just praise the last number of the Atlantic 
Monthly, says : " If any one can point out in a simi- 
lar English publication of the present day papers 
equal to those on Intellectual Character, and Beet- 
hoven's Childhood and Youth, and the Autocrat of 
the Breakfast Table's discursive dissertation on Old 
Age, we should be glad to avail ourselves of his 
superior knowledge." By the way, the writer on 
Beethoven desires us to point out some typographical 
errors, whidi crept in, owning to his absence : In what 
is said of B.'s teacher, Pfeiffer, " chorist " should be 
Oboist ; and the chivalrous " ballad," which he is said 
to have composed, should be ballet. 

The Atheneum speaks of a couple of new operas 
founded upon English novels : 

" Scott's * Quentin Durward,' done into an opera 

book by MM. Cormon and Carr^, — ^this set to music 

by M Gavaert, — ^has been just produced at he Opater 

Comique of Paris with elaborate splendor ; and with 

the advantage of such a consummate actor as M. 

Couderc in the principal character. But, so far as 

we can tnist the Gazette Musiaile, the drama is found 

too serious, and (which we can believe, recollecting 

former compositions by M. Gcvaert) the music is 

" brought in guilty" of heaviness and want of style. 

We have never augured a better issue for an opera 

founded on a subject which, however romantic it be, 

is also grim in the quality of its principal figure. 

There is no making a prima donna out of a Mary 

Tudor, — no fitting a Lovis Onze with music by any 
one less subtle than M. Meyerbeer. What shall we 
not see next set as an opera ? ' Clarissa Harlowe,' 
we perceive, has be^n taken in hand for the Vienna 
Italian season by M. Perelli." 



A circular has been sent round in London indica^ 

ting some of the objects of a proposed new musical 

Society. It is therein proposed that the Society shall 

give during each year : 

" I . Grand Orchestral Concerts of the highest class. 
2. Chamber Concerts, Instnimental and Vocal, in- 
cluding Quartetts, Glees, Madrigals, &c. 3. Illus- 
trated Lectures on subjects relating to the History 
and Art of Music. 4. We all propose to publish a 
Periodical, which shall contain Literary matter — 
Historical, Btographical, and Critical — in connexion 
with Music. 5. To hold Conversazioni of the Mem- 
bers, at which Papers on Musical subjects shall be 
read. 6. To have Trials of New Compositions, and 
to give Commissions to Composers." 

" M. d'Ortigne's feuilleton on ' Don Bmschino,' 
(says the Athenaeum) gives us a new reading of Sig^ 
nor Rossini's indolence, worth adding to the treasury 
of odd stories and smart sayings to which the com- 
poser's life and works have given occasion. The 
fatal facility of Donizetti is well known, — and such 
an anecdote being in circulation (for those who be- 
lieve it) as his having put on paper his best act, — 
the fourth act of ' La Favorita,' — in a single night. 
It may have been on this occasion, — at all events, it 
was in the case of his bringing some prodigious qium- 
tity of unexpected music to rehearsal at a fisw hours' 
notice, — that some one complimented the fluent meat' 
tro on the feat, and asked whether it was true that 
Signor Rossini had written ' H Barbiere ' in fourteen 
days. ' Thereabouts,' was Donizetti's reply, * for you 
know he is «o lazy.' " 

Susical Carrespnhnct. 

Philadelphia, April 27. — "William TeU" 
drew three very fine audiences last week, and while 
all true connoisseurs recognized in its noble choms- 
ses, its admirably wrought concerted pieces, and the 
more than ordinarily elaborated orchestration, the 
grandest of our Italian Operas, Miss Flora McFlim- 
sey and her white-kidded cavalier attendant vowed 
the chef d*ceuvre of Rossini a "perfect drag," and 
sighed for the Gran Dio of Verdi. 

Hereupon, the anxious impressario offered, for last 
night, the following immense combination : 

1. The 4th act of T^ovatore^ with GAnARiOA, Bbiormj, 
AuoDio, and oar own (yoar own — pardon me !) Adxlaxob Pbot 
UPS, who, by the way. rapidly improves. 

2. The 2nd act of iSm'iani, with La OaAHOi, Rohooni, an 4. 
Gaspaeori. 

8. The 8d act of Thnriata, with Oasiarioa, AMOBiOf and 

BUOROU. 

4. The 8d act of|Afarta di RohoHf with La Gsaroi, Rorcori, 

and BOTTAEDI. 

Certes, this was an immense propitiation to Mis 
Flora for the^ux pas of having served up " TeU " 
three times for supper last week; and it filled the 
Opera House from parquet to dome. Not that alone, 
but it aroused a wild, Havana enthusiasm, during 
which the adored Gazzaniga especially received an 
ovation, the like of which was a sensation even to 
that blas^ individual, " the oldest inhabitant." La 
Grange, too, encountered a spontaneous outburst of 
applause, which clearly evidenced to what an extent 
her finished style of vocalization is appreciated by all 
true lovers of music. 

The Adonis of the Opera, Brignoli, drew down 
upon himself two thousand black lenses, for the ladies 
stare boldly, and sigh sentimentally, whenever he 
" goes on.'' As for Amodio, his welcome consisted 
in a genial round of applause, which meant some- 
thing akin to the following : " We don't go wild 
about you. Fat Boy, but we appreciate you withal." 
Ronconi's Due dc Chevrcuse capped the climax to 
one of the most successful Opera representations ever 
oficrcd to an American public, and sent the vast au- 
dience to their couches to dream of the most magni- 
ficent histrionic achievement of the lyric stage. To- 
morrow night, (Wednesday,) this nintchless doctor is 
to enjoy a benefit, for which he offers Linda di Cha- 
mounir, and the second act of l/Elisire cTAmore, with 
himself in the fine rules of Antonio and Dr. Dulca- 
mara ; the latter being \m first appearance here in a 
buffo character. Thereupou a new season, with the 
same artists, and additional novelties, is to be an 
nounced. 



40 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



» 



The perfbrmanoe last night nambered the 106th, 
since the opening of the Academy in February of 
1857, — an average of two operas per week for the 
year. The N. Y. Tribune has noticed this fact in a 
most complimentary manner. 

The Musical Fund Hall was the scene, last Tues- 
day evening, of a complimentary Concert, tendered 
to Philip Rohr, Editor of the " Deutsche Musikal- 
ische Zeitung" and leader of the " Musical Union." 
He was assisted by Messrs. Frazer, Thunder, 
RuDOLPHSBN, Taylor, Mrs. Shbppard, Miss Faas, 
and others, who persereringly stru)^led through a 
lengthy programme, despite a merciless storm, and 
an nnremnnerating audience. 

Sattbr is coming. At least there are an immense 
number of dull-red posters, gracing the brick walls 
and fences of the aty, which bear in black letters, 
of considerable dimensions, the name of " Gustav 
Satter," and which are unquestionably the avant 
couriers of the pianist, whom some of his admirers 
beseech us to consider equal to Lissst; and as far 
superior to Thalbo^as "Tell" is to "Traviata." 
Nautverronal Manrico. 



Nbw York, April 19. — Our concerts seem to 
rise in quality as they decrease in number. Masoit'b 
last Matinee, on Saturday, was an entertainment 
such as we rarely hear anywhersi The five names 
on the programme were taken from among the high- 
est in Tone-Art. Beethoven, Handel, and Bach, 
represented different phases of the old school ; Men- 
delssohn and Schumann its more modem development. 
The " Music of the Future " was left untouched. And 
various as was the character of the composers who 
bore these names, so unlike, too, were their works 
which were laid before us hero. Each was a fair 
type of its creator. First came Beethoven's Quartet, 
op. 95, No. 11, generally considered, I believe, one of 
his less comprehensible ones. It was, however, so 
well interpreted by the excellence of its performance, 
that it belied its reputation on this occasion at least. 
The quick passages were played with a clearness and 
energy, and the slow, serious ones with a pathos, ful- 
ness, and depth of feeling, which made it difficult 
to believe that the performers were the same who 
" scratched " off this very piece in a most heart and 
ear rending manner two years ago. The same may 
be said, too, of Schumann's beautiful Quintet, in 
which Mr. Mason's uncommonly spirited and expres- 
sive playing was most worthily accompanied by 
the stringed instruments. The solemn, mournful 
march was particularly beautiful. The two remain- 
ing numbers of the programme were solos by Messrs. 
Mason and Thomas. The former gave us a Fugue 
in E minor, by Handel, — tlie same, I think, which he 
played repeatedly just after his return from Europe, 
but now infinitely superior in its rendering — and a 
most characteristic Bxmdo Capriccioso by Mendelssohn 
—sparkling, fairy-like, and then again flowing on in 
lovely melody— a mixture of the " Midsummer Night's 
Dream " style and that of the Songs without Words. 
This was loudly encored, in ansMrer to which demon- 
stration the pianist gave us his pretty, rippling little 
" Silver Spring." 

Decidedly the most wonderful performance of the 
concert was Mr. Thomas's playing of the celebrated 
ChaconnCy by Bach. This young artist (and very 
young he is, although the stamp of genius matures his 
almost boyish face) bids fair to rise high in the mu- 
sical world. Jlis tone is pure and full, his command 
of his instrument very great, and his interpretation of 
the music he plays most faithful and artistic. The 
Chaconne is a strange composition, which must be 
heard often to be thoroughly appreciated ; though 
even in first listening to it, you discover enough to 
wish to know it better. It is extremely difficult, and 
must be very fS&tiguing for the performer. It is intri- 
cate, and has no reguhir forms or themes to assist the 
memory ; and yet young Thomas played the whole 
unfalteringly, ¥rithout notes, and consequently with 
all the more freedom and abandon. His mechanism, 
too, gave proof of untiring industry in practice ; but 
more than all, his evident enjoyment of what ho was 



playing, and his thorough entering into the spirit of 
the music, showed the tme artist in him. His choice 
of pieces also betokens real Art-love and reverence : 
he never plays any but good music. Such men are 
and ought to be the Missionaries of Art in tliis coun- 
try. Few of them visit it ; bat in proportion as their 
numbers increase, and they keep steadily on their 
path, without letting necessity, or flattery, or thirst 
for fame turn them flrom it, tlieir own tme creed will 
spread and gain influence. Will the day ever come 
when Humbug succmnbs to true Art in our land ! 
This was once a hopeless quest i> ., but of late years 
a faint light has begun to appear. Trac, it breaks but 
slowly, very slowly, and the rays of the rising sun 
are still dimmed and thickened by the clouds which 
they shall finally disperse ; but there is at least hope 
of fair weather. Of these sun-rays Mason's concerts 
are among the most effective ; and we owe him and 
his fellow-laborers a vast debt of gratitude for their 
winter's work. Every one of these quiet, unpretend- 
ing concerts has brought us something new, and 
nothing but what was good ; and though at first the 
little hall was but scantily filled, the end of the scries 
found it BO crowded that a large room will be needed 
in its place next winter, when we hope that the ground 
now broken, will be fartlicr tilled. 

Brooklyn, N. Y., April 27. — Your compositor 
takes it upon himself to make nonsense out of one 
part of my last letter. "For " time and money," it 
was printed " tissue and money." 

Having made a good beginning by establishing a 
good and efficient " Philharmonic Society " in tliis 
"city of churches," we now propose to follow on 
with a " Harmonic Society," which is already organ- 
ized and in working order. It is made up out of two 
small societies, one of which is the " Harmonic So- 
ciety," a small vocal body, organized some two years 
ago, but which has never made much progress ; and 
the other, a small band of twenty instramental pci^ 
formers under Mr. Carl Prox. These two, united 
in one, under Mr. Prox as conductor, and styled the 
" Brooklyn Harmonic Society," propose to give two 
Concerts during the month of May, and the follow- 
ing are among the things to be performed : 

Symphony In C, No. 1, Beethonen. 

Orertare "Maglo Flate," Monrt. 

Terwtto from "Tltiu,'* Momrt. 

Buter Morning, CheTalier Nenkomm. 

Caatatft far Solo, Cboru ftod Orebestm. * 

In addition to the regular Orchestra belonging to 
the Society, some dozen instruments or more will be 
added from New York for these Concerts, and by the 
beginning of the next winter's season we shall have 
all we want as regular members of the Society. 

Luther B. Wtman, Esq., the President of the 
" Philharmonic," was unanimously elected President 
of this new society, and of course no better selection 
could have been made. Mr. Wyman is to Brookljm 
in musical matters what your lamented Chickkrino 
was to Boston. 

I regret exceedingly to learn that there is a feeling 
of jealousy on the part of the New York Philhar- 
monic Society towards our Brooklyn Philharmonic, 
and a Resolution, I am told, is already pending be- 
fore that Society to prevent the conductor or mem- 
bers of the N. Y. Society from taking any part in a 
similar Society out of New York. I do not believe 
such a resolution can pass, but if it does, depend upon 
it the New York Society will be the one most to 
suffer by it. 

For the benefit of those who have taken any in- 
terest in the Brooklyn Congregational Singing dis- 
cussion, I cut the following from Mason's Musical 
Review and Gazette: "At the Plymouth Church 
(Beecher's) we find congregational singing prevailing 
with an efiect beyond the power of description." 

Bellini. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 



Vooal, with Piano Aooompaniment. 

Fly away o'er the Deep. Quartet and Solo. 

Thomjrson. 25 
Thill Qnaxtet hus % rmrf fln* elfeet wtm nang by 
w«Il blended Toicei. It b followed by % plaintire 
Solo for Soprano or Tmior Toke, tSCer which the 
Quartet !■ rep e a t ed. 

You need na come courting o' me. Wriqhton. S5 
In happy imitation of the peculiar stgrle o^ Soot- 
land's little national Mogi. 

My Father's a Drunkard. Song. E, F. C. S5 

Describing the eriU of Intemperance. 

The two Riven. German and English words. 

Franz Keiser. S5 
A weU-snstalned, pathetie melodj. 

Rouse, Brothers, Rouse. RuateU, 25 

Stirring music to a poem, by Ckaries BSdekay. 

The RcAson Wliy. Mac/arren, 25 

Playftil and pretty. A Song Ibr the parlor. 

Tell me, ye Winged Winds. Song with invisiltle 
Chorus. Thompson. 30 

This well-known poem has received a very efbctive 
musical treatment at the hands of this ftrorite 
Song writer. 

Under a Hed^. Song. T. German Reed. 25 

For fHends of the benuties of nature, and partlca- 
larly the lofere of flowers. 

Instramental Musio for Piano. 

The Dripping Well. Characteristic piece. 

Gollmich. 30 
This piece, when neatly played^ wltti a light, crisp 
touch, sounds quite charming. You see the little 
sparkling dropn triclde down, now slow, and now 
fiuiter, as if following some little caprloe of their 
own. 

Polka, Mazurka Brillantc. F. Aht. 40 

It is very seldom that this CompoKr, whose proper 
calling seems to be the Field of Siong, writes for 
the Pmno. If he does, however, his cIcTemess and 

fslished taste do not show to lem advantage. This 
oika Mazurica is firesh and sparkling, and should 
be a welcome addition to a Lady's Music Portfolio. 

Auld Lang Sync. Varied. Charles Grobc. 50 

A very fine arrangement and Tariations, showing 
forth this familiar melody in all its simple beauty. 

Lucknow Quadrille, founded on popular Scotch 
airs. 7*. Comer. 30 

It will be unnecessary to eommend this Quadrille to 
any one who has seem the pe r formance of" Jessie's 
Dream on the Fall of Lucknow.*' Toothers we will 
remark that Mr. Comer has colled the Oems of 
Caledonia and wrought them into a graceful Bo- 
quet, for the beneflt of all loven of dance music. 

Avonia Waltz. J. W. Turner. 25 

A. B. 10 

ly Albert. 15 

Rockrivcr Waltz. D. N. Hood. 25 

Dance Music, well adapted for its purpose. 

Le Jenne Artiste. F. Beyer, each 50 

This is a collection of very brilliant Fantasias, com- 
posed expressly for ihr advanced pupils, whose 
bands cannot yet rsach an Octave. Three number* 
Issued, vis. : No. 1 on ^* Lucia," No. 2 on a Favorite 
Tyrolean air. and No 8 on a Melody in BelUni^ 
" Romeo and Juliet." These an the only Comp<^ 
sitions of this kind extant. TeaclierB, therstors, 
will do well to keep them In mind. 

The Fall of Delhi. Characteristic March. 

Glover. 25 
Pretty March, with bits of In^Dan melodj. 

Yaillanoe. Polka militaire. Varied. 

Charies Grobe. 50 
The beauty of this much admired Polka Is hat en- 
hanced by this arrangement. 

Books. 

The New Germania. A collection of the most 
favorite Operatic Airs, Marches, Polkas, Waltzes, 
Quadrilles, and Melodies of the day. Arranged in 
an easy and familiar style for four, five, and six 
instruments. By B. A. Burditt. Price, $1 .25 

A very desirable oollecUoa of instrumental music; 
one that the musical community have long requir- 
ed, and one for which the thousands of small bands 
and amateur clubs throughout the country will be 
very ttiankflil. Hie Melodise are of that class 
which the grsat mass of the people, both as per- 
formers and listeners, at once adopt as their own 
and stamp as ^'fkvorites." They are very finely 
arranged, and, as the title indicates, In a style easy, 
fluniliar and acceptable to %11. Mr. Burditt has 
been long and favorably known as the leader of one 
of the beet Bands in this city, and as a composer 
and arranger of this class of music. His long ex- 
perience has enabled him to determine correctly as 
to what was wanted in a collection of this kind, and 
how it was wanted ; he has therefore acted under- 
standingly in the preparadon of this volume. 



Speedwell March. 
Fair Star Waltz. 




toiij|t'5 




uxul 





ViSXt^ 



Whole Na 318. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1858. 



Vol. Xm. No. 6. 



Schumann on MendelsBolm. 

(OonUnaed.) 

Otestube to tub Legend of the Fair 

Mklusina. 

[FIrft hmrd in the Ldprig Conoerti In December, 1885.] 

Nothinjir troubles many persons more, than the 
impossibility of deciding, which of the overtures 
of Mendelssohn is really the most beautiful, the 
best. Even about tlie earlier ones the question 
was difficult enough, — ^and now a fourth appears. 
Florestan therefore divides the parties into Mid- 
summei^NightVDreamers (by far the strongest), 
Fingallers (not the weakest, especially in the 
other sex), and so on. That of the Melusinists 
may indeed be called the smallest, since at this 
time the overture has been heard nowhere in 
Germany, except in Leipzig; and England, 
where the Philharmonic Society first brought it 
out as their own property, could only be called 
in as a corps du reserve. 

There are works of so fine a spiritual structure, 
that bearish criticism stands before them quite 
abashed and only ofiers compliments. This was 
the case with the '* Midsummer-Night's-Dream ** 
overture (at least I do not remember to have 
read any but poetical reviews of it) ; and it is 
now again the case with the overture to " The 
Fair Melusina." 

We think that, to understand it, no one needs 
to read the long-spun, although very richly imag- 
inative tale of Heck, but at the most simply to 
know, that the charming Melusina was inflamed 
with violent love for the handsome knight Lusig- 
nan, and married him under the promise that he 
would leave her certain days in the year alone. 
One day it breaks upon Lusignan, that Melusina 
is a mermaid — half woman and half fish. The 
matter has been variously worked up, in words, 
as well as in tones. But one must not seek in 
this, any more than in the overture to Shaks- 
peare's " Mdsummer-NightVDream," to trace 
any such coarse historical thread.* True to his 
poetic manner of conceiving every subject. Men- 
delssohn here sketches only the characters of the 
husband and the wife, of the proud, knightly 
Lusignan and the enticing, self-surrendering 
Melusina; but it is as if the waves of the sea. 
came over their embraces and overwhelmed and 
parted them again. And here may every listener 
perchance feel revived in him those pleasant 
images, with which the youthful fancy so delights 
to linger, those legends of a life deep down be- 
neath the waves, full of shooting fishes with gold 
scales, full of pearls in open shells, full of 
buri^ treasures, which the sea has taken from 
man, full of emerald castles towering one above 
another, &c. This, it seems to us, is what distin- 
guishes this overture fh)m the earlier ones : that 
it as it were narrates these sort of things right on, 
quite in the manner of the legend, and does not 
itself live thenh Hence at first sight, superfici- 
ally regarded, it seems somewhat cold and dumb ; 



• A eoiioae penon onoe Mked Hendebiohn, what the Orer- 
tan to Me ln i lm meuit peenlkrly. M. qnlokly uitwered: 



but how tilings live and weave there in the deep, 
admits of clearer expression through music, than 
through words ; wherefore the overture (we must 
confess) is better, by far, than this description 
of it. 

"What we find to say of the musical composi- 
tion, after twice hearing and a few occasional 
peeps into the score, limits itself to wliat is under- 
stood of course, — that it is written by one who 
is a master in the handling of form and of mater- 
ial. The whole bo«;ins and ends with a majncal 
wave figure, which now and then emerges in the 
course of the piece, and which has the effect, be- 
fore alluded to, as if one were suddenly trans- 
ported from the battle place of violent human 
passions out into the vast, earth-embracing ele- 
ment of water, particularly from the point where 
it modulates from A flat through G to C. The 
rhythm of the knightly theme in F minor would 
gain in pride and consequence by a still slower 
tempo. Tenderly and caressingly still sounds 
to us the melody in A flat, behind which we 
descry the head of Melusina. Of single instru- 
mental efiects we still hear the beautiful B flat 
of the trumpet (near the beginning), which forms 
the seventh to the chord; — a tone out of tlie 
primeval time. 

At first we supposed the overture written in 
six-eight measure, owing perhaps to^ the too quick 
tempo of the first performance, which took place 
without the presence of the composer. The six- 
four measure, which we then saw in the score, 
has, to be sure, a less impassioned and a more fan- 
tastic look, and keeps the player at all events 
more quiet ; yet it always seems to us too broad, 
too extended. To many this perhaps seems in- 
significant ; yet it rests upon a feeling not to be 
suppressed, which in this case I can only utter, but 
not prove its justice. Whether written so or so, 
the overture remains as it is. 



u 



ft 



Op. 33. Three Capriccios. 

It often seems as if this artist, whom chance 
already at his baptism called by the right name 
(Felix), broke certain bars, nay chords out of 
his ** Midsummer-Night's-Di*eam," and expanded 
them and worked them up again into single 
works, somewhat as a painter works up his Ma^ 
donna for all sorts of angels' heads. In that 
*< Dream" for once the artist's dearest wishes 
flowed together to their goal : it is the result of 
his whole being — and how significant and beau- 
tiful it is, we all know. 

Two of the above Caprices might belong to an 
earlier period ; the mid<Jle one alone seems re- 
cent. The others, too, could have been written 
by other masters ; but in this middle one stands 
upon every page as in great letters : F. M. B. ; 
above all I love this one and hold it to be a Gen- 
ius, which has secretly stolen upon the earth. 
Here is no straining and storming ; no spectre 
haunts, and never a fairy teases; everywhere 
you tread upon firm ground, upon flowery, Ger- 
man ground ; it is like a Walt's summer flight 
over the country, fitxn Jean PauL And though 



I am almost convinced that no one can play this 
piece with such inimitable grace as the com]X)&er, 
and see some reason in tlie opinion of Eusebius, 
that " he (the composer) might with this music 
make the most loving maiden for some moments 
false," yet this transparent, shimmering vein, tliis 
opaline color, this finest play of features cannot 
be entirely suppressed by any one. 

How different from this are the other Capric- 
cios ! Tliey seem in no way related to the middle 
one. In the last especially there is a certain sup- 
pressed, speechless rage, which becomes tolerably 
subdued towards tlie end, but then breaks out 
an^ain to heart's content. Whv? who can tell! 
one is at times even wild, not about this or that, 
but as if he would like with ^^ a most gentle fist " 
to dash right and left into the world in general, 
and dash himself out of existence, should this 
humor not be tolerated. The Caprice may aflect 
others differently ; this is the way tliat it affects me. 
But on the other hand we shall all agree about 
the first of the three, in the feeling of a gentler 
sadness, asking and receiving comfort from the 
music into which it plunges. More we reveal not ; 
let the next look of the reader fly to the book 
itself. 



Mass Music— New Mass by Oonnod. 

From the London Athennnm, (H. V. Choblit.) 

Solemn Mass^ for Soliy Chorus^ Orchestra and 
Organ OUigato — [3/ax.«e Solennelle^ ^r.] By 
Charles Gounod- (Paris, Lebeau). We are 
acquainted with no monograph on " The Mass " 
which treats the Roman Catholic Church Service 
as affording sc'ope for the musician. Yet a more 
fertile subject could hanlly be propounded: — 
even to a writer who avoided th^ traditional and 
canonical sides of the question, and who did not 
presume to decide how many genuflexions at the 
altar — accompanied or not by certain voices in 
choir or orchestra — are (because they tcere) to be 
provided for, as matters of first and last impor- 
tance. Such an essayist, supposing him neither 
Ambrosian nor Gregorian, would have to becin 
with a pausing pause at Palestrina, who by bis 
**Missa Papie Marcelli" replaced the school of 
church pedants, and who carried unaccompanied 
choral Service-music to a perfection which no suc- 
cessor has reached. Later must come an appreci- 
ation of the dilution or difference of style, in Kom- 
ish Service-music, wrought by the permission of 
rhythmical melody, of individual display, and of 
orchestral admixture in the Church ; or, to put it 
otherwise, by the admission there of operatic ma- 
terials. The writer would presently arrive at the 
Claris, Colonnas, Erbas, and other writers in 
church vogue when Handel was in Italy. It 
would be impossible for him to pass such an ex- 
ample of out-lying divination or dramatic force as 
is displayed in the Roman Catholic music of 
Sebastian Bach — a composer who has been pro- 
nounced by the Separatists in their jargon as the 
Protestant writer of Service-music, — a Xutheran 
living in a far country-, — ^within the limits of a 
homelier (not narrower) creed, — beyond the 
spells of Italian vocal seduction ; and yet who 
was capable of producing the loftiest contempo- 
rary work df its class. Such is Bach's mass in B 
minor. Parts of this " Credo " could not be 
exceeded, though in other passages of this Con- 
fession of Roman Catholic faith, it is curious to 
observe how the Protestant writer availed himself 
of modem Romish example to produce merely 



42 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



sweet sounds and delicious melodies, without any 
relation to the text, save such as could be csta1>- 
lished by a herald discussing a canting motto. An 
apologist of this order miglit possibly, by stretch 
of ingenuity, defend Sebastian's si'tting of the 
" et unnm sanctam et aposlnliram crciesiatn.," to the 
pastoral melody with which it is mated; but by 
no one less far-fetched could the mood of the mu- 
sicicin, as intei-preting a text, be defen<lod. Nev- 
ertheless, allowing for these specks, alH»rrations, 
puerilities, as may be, this Mass by old Protestant 
Bach towers among other Roman Catholic orches- 
tral Masses written during the first half of the 
eighteenth century. Nor can we recall any sjx?- 
cimen by Italian writer of corresponding or later 
date, which so notably stands its ground. Tune- 
able and gracious Motets and Sacred Songs have 
been given out in plenty — fragments as admirable 
as Pergolesi's well-known '* Gloria " (the (Uoria of 
Glorias for Christmas time, in right of its cheerful 
and pastoral lx»auty) ; but a single Southern 
grand ^lass of the period (except in the form of 
a Requiem^) which lives, does not occur to us. 

The first name among the newer people who 
conciliated instinimental and choral writing, with 
something like an equal balance, written in the 
Mass-books, to be remembered, is that of Ilavdn : 
whose Catholic Service-music, taken as a whole, 
rises higher in strain than Mozart's. It is true 
that at times llaydn gave way to his cheerfulness 
of temper more than befits the text, that some of 
his " KyrieR " are anything but supplicatory, — 
that more than one ^^ Benedlctiis** by nim could be 
cited in a tone approaching hilarity, — yet there is 
hardly one Service in which the consummate 
melodist and man of science does not rise in some 
one movement or phrase to the height of the 
words ; and Haydn's third or " Imperial Mass," as 
it is called, has a glow and a charm which, in 
spite of our severer judgment, arc irresistible. 
With Haydn's Masses, those by Mozart arc gene- 
rally coupled, though somewhat unfairly — because 
to the disadvantage of the more modem and 
greater composer. Setting aade liis ** Requiem " 
and his " Ave Verum " (that hymn of hymns 
most exquisite), in no place does Mozart seem to 
us to have been so little present to himself, so ht- 
tle master of his art, as he was in the Catholic 
church. He could not write what was otherwise 
than melodious. He had at his fingers' ends — as 
a plaything — all the science and tradition which 
his predecessors had accumulated ; — ^but whether 
his compelled service in the family of the Prince 
Archbishop had given him a distaste for the 
Church, or whether his predilections propelled 
him towards the stage, let others say — certain it 
is, that his Masses are (for ^fozart) theatrical, 
mundane, slight, inexpressive, — ranking low — the 
stature of their writer considered, and without 
question inferior to productions for the same pur- 
poses by Hununel, Cherubini, and Beethoven. 

The masses of the last two composers claim a 
few words. The first are admirable in the balance 
of power which they exhibit — ^sedate, superb, 
stately : often expressive, without any sacrifice of 
voices to orchestra or of orchestra to voices. The 
very dryness — to repeat an epithet employed by 
us before — which characterizes Cherubini, in part 
ascribable perhaps to the influences of German 
study and r rench residence over not the most 
genial of Italian natures, — gives to his Masses 
that certain dignity which belongs to the utter- 
ances of those who are reserved and chary of 
displaying emotion. He is often august, — seldom 
warm, — more rarely still tender. No science is 
obtruded, but we feel that science has been there. 
The brain of understanding, as well as the heart 
of love, are in his prayer and in his praise. With 
reference to more technical considerations, it may 
be remarked that the peculiar richness of Cheru- 
bini's orchestral arrangements eminently fitted 
him to write full Servi<'es for the Church. Sus- 
tained and complete fullness like his, without 
heaviness (such as mav he found in the full writ- 
ingof Dr. Spohr) — his brilliancy, without strident 
acuteness (such as wears out the ear in the music 
of Dr. Marschner, Lindpaintner, and certain 
French composers) — eminently fitted Cherubini 
for any Temple in which the pomp should not 
oppress nor the glory pierce too keenly. We 



have elsewhere spoken of the transcendent solem- 
nity of his Funeral Mass. On former occasions, 
too, we have endeavored to range aright the two 
Catholic Services left us by Beethoven — the last, 
however, a Service of which no us<» could possibly 
be made. Among all existing Masses, Beetho- 
ven's first, in C, ranks perha])s the highest : for 
the manner in which it is sustained throughout, 
for its nobility of design, and for its completeness 
of execution. Yet, it is the work of Beethoven 
which has found the fewest commentators. M. 
Berlioz, with true Fivnch insoucitincfj dismisses it 
as a sort of pasficcioy into which music written for 
other uses luul been inwrought. MM. Lenz and 
Oulibicheff are too violently partizan on the gold 
and the pewfer sides of the shield, respectively, to 
have troubled them.«H3lves to analyze a whole 
which gives no space for dithyrambics concerning 
" styles," — ^nor outlet for that mystical jargon to 
which the mathematical rejoinder is common- 
place sarcasm. This Mass in C seems to have 
crept forth from Beethoven's desk, little thought 
of, little prized, — no object of its maker's own 
rhapsodies nor of the study of his pupils, — to have 
been made, in short, with less consciousness than 
distinguished Beethoven generally when he was 
making any work of importance. Is it for this 
very reason that it is one of Beethoven's highest 
works ? that the strain which is observable m all 
his later productions is nowhere to be recognized? 
It would be useless to speculate how far the self- 
effacement enjoined by Catholicism, — how far the 
indifference of a stubborn man of genius (who 
could only conform when he was indifferent) have 
contributed to the natural beauty and the devo- 
tional propriety of this work, This Mass remains, 
and its fame, we fancy, may grow — when time 
shall have swept away the haze, and the cobweb, 
and the false light, which in days of the early 
present are sure to gather round the memory of 
the dead. 

Though the matter for remark seems to grow 
under the eye, while we are offering remarks, — we 
must restrain ourselves simply to point out, that, 
besides the pure Italian, and Italian-German, and 
pure German school of Mass writers, there has 
Iwen, ever since the days when pilgrimages to Val 
de Grace were made, a school of French Catholic 
Church composers, distinct and national. Let us 
name but two recent writers — Gossec and Le- 
sueur : — the one dry and scholastic ; the other, 
grand, dull, and a little sickly, but both as far 
from Italy or Germany as are the Churches of 
Saint-Eustache or Saint-Sulpice from the Cathe- 
drals of Cologne and Bamberg, Magdeburg, Rat- 
isbon, or from the sacred buildings of Venice, 
Ravenna, Pisa, or Rome. 

The above slight outlines could be doubled in 
number, and filled up by any amount of examples 
required. From such mere indications, as tney 
offer, however, it will be gathered that "The 
Mass" has been considered susceptible of every 
variety of musical treatment, in spite of the 
attempt from time to time to establish certain 
forms as final and canonical. Man's genius will 
have its play when it is laid on the altar — let the 
purists and disciplinarians say what thev will, con- 
cerning chosen herbs as orthodox, or elect chords 
as not to be transgressed without overleaping the 
boundaries which separate sanctity from propriety. 
^Michael Angelo will have his Church of Stinta 
Maria degli Angeli, as well as Erwin von Stein- 
bach his Strasburgr spire. So, to come to our 
point, this French Mass, with its novelties, is reli- 
gious music of the loftiest tone ; though its author 
follows in the wake of none of the great compo- 
sers ; and though, therefore, he must abide to 
be ill spoken of, for awhile, by those who can 
only endure certain works, or certain authors, or 
a certain period : who can pray under the dome 
of St. ^Mark's, but not beneath the dome of St. 
Peter's ; who can sigh in unison to the " Lachry- 
mosa " of ^lozart's '* Requiem," while thev are 
shocked past consolation by the opening of kossi- 
ni's " Stabat." A solemnly devout spirit breathes 
through this Mass, but the "conventionalities" 
have not trammelled M. Gounod. He appears to 
have treated the text of the Service at once spir- 
itually and scenically, (and that the rite, when 
performed on a grand scale, is scenic, none will 



deny). AMiilc there is not a bar from first to last 
which can be complained of as secular in its ex- 
citements and a.ssociations, a taste for what is 
ornate and picturesque is present everywhere, 
{)oiiiting out the scene of tlie Mass to be some 
vast temple, and its occupation one of those grand 
festivals when praise rather than prayer is the 
mood of the hour. The work is grand in design, 
simple in detail, rich in color, exquisite in finish, 
alwavs pompous, never sevens ; neither Italian 
nor (jrcrman in its tone and sty-le, but as French 
as the Gothic of La Sainte Cha|>elle, or as the 
j)ulpit elorpience of Massillon, or as the finest 
cloister-picture by Philippe de Champagne; a 
new national h\Tnn, in short, to be laid together 
with those of f^alestrina, Mozart, Cherubini, and 
Beethoven. 

Let us specify the peculiarities which mark the 
country ot this Mass. The mH arc a trio of 
voices, not a quartet ; our neighlwrs, till the other 
day, having hardly possessed such a commodity as 
an alto voice (their " haut-contre " in no respect 
representing this). The harp is a necessity in the 
score ; the bassoons are in quartet, not m duet, 
as with us. For the disregard of an uniform to- 
nality in all the movements, prece<lent may be 
offered in Mozart's and Beethoven's Masses. On 
the other hand, M. Grounod's administration of 
the organ is masterly ; the vocal parts are written 
in that part of everj'body's voice where ever}'body 
sings best — and the instrumentation is ingenious 
widiout being super-refine<l. The " Gloria" con- 
tains the greatest innovation, though the concep- 
tion of what may be called a celestial treatment 
of the wonls was anticipated in " The Messiah." 
M. Grounod opens this division of liis Hymn with 
a sincrle soprano voice, supported by a choms, 
breathing, not uttering woras, and these aided by 
a tremolando of violins, a few harp-chords, and a 
delicate wind instrument or two ; reserving the 
full burst of jubilation for the phrase " Laudamus 
te." The subsequent passage for the soU^ " Dora- 
inus Deus," is both powerful and elegant. In the 
" Credo," by way, it may be presumed, of giving 
an effect of recitation, the principal clauses are 
pi'^en out in large unisonal phrases — M. Gounod 
having thrown the weight of his contrapuntal sci- 
ence into the orchestra, which at once diversifiefl 
and supports the cantilena of the voices, by a 
phrase not less muscular but more rapid in motion 
and susceptible of being heightened and enriched 
at every return of the theme. The effect of cli- 
max thus obtained is singularly vigorons and legi- 
timate. Very ample, serene and lofty is the 
close, in which the movement finishes on the 
words, "Et vitam venturi seculi," where the 
aerial commencement of the Ghria is reproduced 
with an intense depth of glory added to its lumi- 
nous coloring. Another novelty in the " Credo" 
to be signalized, is the manner in which the verse 
" Et Incamatus " is set — ^to be breathed pianissimo 
almost without accompaniment, a few chromatic 
progressions addinf; a tone of mj-stery and awe to 
the recitation. The usual practice has been to 
treat this verse with great intricacy ; but we are 
here shown how the desired result may be obtained 
by a totally opposite mode of procedure. 

The "Credo" is followed by a short, instru- 
mental offertorium in A flat ; felicitous as a speci- 
men of melody and harmony, drawn out by that 
thorough use of the powers of the stringed quar- 
tet, to which imperfectly taught musicians can 
never attain. Then succeed the " Sanctus " and 
" Benedictus," which have been already heard in 
London. The former, to our thinking, contains 
one of tlie noblest solos for a tenor voice in the 
library of religious music. There has been some 
change in the instrumentation of both movements. 
After this comes a rich and flowing " Agnus Dei," 
— lastly, the " Dominum salvum fac," (to bring 
home the Mass to the key of G, in which it be- 
gan), which is as ingeniously presented for the 
army and the people, with obstinate intrusions of 
characteristic instrumentation, as though M. Mey- 
erbeer had done it The best of such settings is 
a mere tour de force^ and one, under any circum- 
stances, which appears more difficult of accom- 
plishment than it is. 

In conclusion, we commend M. Gounod's " Mass" 
to the care of all who in music have open minds 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1858. 



43 



For Dwight^s Journal of Miuie. 

Awfiil Annonneement 

A Gijrnntic Musical Festival, on a scale of unpre- 
cedented pretentiousness, and unmitigated impudence, 
will lie piven in this village on Wedncpdsiy eveninp, 
the 32d instant, under the entire direction, and sole 
Conductorship of Major General, Brigadier Lieuten- 
ant Colonel, the Captain Dooemall, Esq., standing 
Professor of rafts, steamboats, law, music and Brass, 
and the Managing Committee being fully sensible of 
the fact, " that it is better to perform good music 
hndly^ than not at all," have secured for this purpose, 
at an " A%vful Sacrifice," with the most recU^ss pro- 
digality, and without the slightest regard to either 
cost, or propriety, the following Imminent Talent : 
Professor English, with a name, and a reputation. 
Dingleby Dabbler, Esq. ; Wilful Dauntless, Esq. ; 

A. Barytone, Esq. 
Low Donbledee, Esq. ; Primo Subbasso ; Profondo 
Orphicleido (positively his first appearance). 
The Managing Committee having made extensive 
and costly arrangements for the speedy issuing of the 
Programmes, most respectfully announce that they 
will be in readiness for delivery at our Music Shop, 
on Wednesday morning the d2d instant, (only) be- 
tween the hours of 12, and 10 minutes past, and at 
(hat time the Clergy, heads of Families, and Family 
circles will be taken in, but no paper money, on any 
consideration. 

Among the experiments announced in the Pro- 
gramme, are the following : 

Mr. Dauntless will attempt the performance of a diffi- 
cult Song, and be frustrated on the Piano-forte by 
Mr. Dabbler. 
Mr. Barytone will practice (to no purpose) a very 
difficult Recitative and Air, accompanied by cir- 
cumstances beyond his control — Circumstances, 
Mr. Dabbler. 

Immense Attraction. 

In order to test the acoustic properties of the Hall, 
Mr. Doubledee has consented to sing his celebrated 
variations, on the well known air " Oft in the Stilly 
Night," accompanied by the boys outside, and at the 
conclusion he will slowly^ down to the doul^ Bfloi» 
and after holding it with a gradual crescendo for 
eighteen bars, he will sit down. N. B. — If this 
piece should be redemanded by the audience, Mr. 
Doubledee will sing " Deeper and Deeper Still." 

The appearance of the last English Pianist in his 
world-renowned Phantasmagoria, entitled "Gremon- 
ticoskiontigon," (for the 9386th time.) introducing 
such a wonderful imitation of the Drum and Fife, 
that the audience will collectively march out of the 
Hall. N. B. A silver cup of the value of $60, will 
be given to any pen>on remaining in the Hall at the 
close of this performance. No words can adequately 
convey the slightest conception of the enormous and 
/nV/Az/ii/ difficulties contained in the " Gemonticos- 
kiontigon," but the audience will find that Professor 
English will meet, and vanquish them with an ease 
which staggers credulity, bewilders the imagination, 
and baffles description. 

N. B. — No one should fail to Ikj present at this 
performance, " xchose wish it is to promote the general 
welfare of the Arts and Sciences in their purity.** 

Professor English has kindly consented to teach 
the Drum and Fife businecs, to a very limited num- 
ber of pupils. Terms, $1 .00 for thirty lessons, pay- 
ment invariably in advance. Parsons, Lawyers, 
Fanners, and Tinkers, traded with, but most posit- 
ivdy no paper money taken. 

The following striking notices are extracted from 
newspapers, books, and other sources, proving be- 
yond the shadow of a doubt, that He is no ordinary 
musician : 

" He is the greatest Pianist of modem times." — 
London Court Journal. 

" Everywhere shines conspicuously his comprehen- 
sive knowledge of all the secrets of great piano-forte 



playing, his execution is prodigious, his style fault- 
less, and his compositions marvels of high classical 
art." — London Times. 

"In the performance of compositions embracing 
every known difficulty he is without a rival, and in 
the bringing out of the Canto fermo, with the pro- 
digious thunder of both wrists, the auditor staggers 
into the belief of impossibilities." — Berlin Musical 
World. 

Who would dare to question such an authority as 
this? 

" He is a most a splendid Organist." — Greenland 
Currier. 

The Managing Committee have the honor to inform 
the musical public, that they are in treaty with the 
Mcssra. Broadwoods of Boston, for the extensive use of 
FOUR of their incomparable Piano-fortes, each of 
them containing a high pressure Sheriff's attachment. 
These instruments will contain the double patented, 
grand diagonal sided, top and bottom inverted repeat- 
ing action, with magnijicently rounded scales, and 
heavily embossed strings, inlaid with the richest mother 
of pearl, ivory, and sandal wood. Roman arch rest 
brace, patent Corrugated Treble, Alto, Tenor, and 
Bass sounding boards (warranted unfathomable) 
douUe side nuts, round cornered all over, witii Jive 
square toed, bow legs, carved kUe in the autumn, in- 
cluding a patent double inverted cast iron Suspension 
Bridge, with side lights back and front and thoroughly 
macadamized in all directions ^vith the most expensive, 
and richest variety of the choicest metals. 

At the conclusion of the Concert, these Piano-fortes 
will be offered at private sale. Each of them cost 
$500, reduced price $75.00. No paper money taken, 
on any consideration. 

An intermission of two hours between the First and 
Second parts, during which " The New Band," (con- 
sisting of nine distinct Amateurs) will practice an 
endless variety of new and difficult music. 

Special Notice — The Managing Committee hav- 
ing learned from a local newspaper, that the sur- 
rounding towns abound with musical talent, they have 
determined to enter into immediate negotiations for 
die engagement of 250 of these unknown Professors 
and Artists, with the intention of bringing before the 
public, (and without any previous rehearsal,) the fol- 
lowing Classical Works : 

Bach's " Passion " music. 

Joe Hinks's Anthem — " My friends, I am going 
a long and tedious journey." 

Handel's (Dettingen Te Deum). 

A selection of t^-cnty-eight tunes from the " Pious 
Triangle," a new work for Choirs, Congregations and 
Family Circles, price S5.00 per dozen. 

Beethoven's (Grand Mass in D). 

The whole to conclude with Ebenezcr Psalm- 
Smiter's arrangement of the Old Hundroth Psalm 
Tunc, led off by Consider Meckins, and joined in by 
the audience ** With one consent." 



The Last Tears of Robert SchninaiiiL 

From the Biography of Wasiclewsky. 

The svmptoms of disease which had shown them- 
selves already in the year 1 852, were augmented by 
additional ones in 1853. Especially wos it the so- 
called moving of the tables which put Schumann in 
real ecstacics, and in the full sense of the word, moved 
his senses.* He wrote about it to Ferdinand Ilillcr, 
April 25th, 1853 : 

" Yesterday, for the first time, we have been mov- 
ing tables. A strange power ! Imagine : I asked 
him, how the rhythm was of tlie two first measures of 
the Symphony in C minor, (Beethoven's ?) He hesi- 



• When I Tl8it«d him in May. 1868, 1 found him lyinp: on the 
w>ik, reading a book. Asking him what it was, he answered 
with emphasis : '^ Don't you linow about the spiritual mani- 
festations?" " Well, well," I said, smilingly. But then his 
eyes, usually half-cloeed, became laise and ghastly, and with a 
mysterious expression he almost whispered, in a slow manner : 
" The tables know eTeiy thing." When I saw this fearftil seri- 
ousness, I acquiesced in his strange opinion. Then he called 
in his second daughter, and commenced to experiment with 
her, upon a small table. The whole scene frightened me very 
mvu^.— Author of the Biography. 



tated with the answer longer than usual ; bat at last 
he began : 

•^ .^ / / I J I 

but first a little .«;lowly. But when I told him th"^' 
the tempo was quicker, he hastened to beat the righ^ 
time. I also asked him whether he could tell me the 
number of which I thought ? He said, quite right, 
' Three ! ' All of us were filled with astonishment." 
And also, under April 29th : " We have repeated our 
experiments ; nothing but wonders ! " 

At this time he suffered also occasionally from de- 
lusions of hearing, by saying that he heard a certain 
tone, which in reality nobody but he could hear. 
One of his acquaintances meeting him in a public 
place one night, at Dusseldorif, saw him putting down 
the newspaper, exclaiming : " I cannot rei^ any 
longer; I hear continually, A." However, as these 
symptoms went off again, no particular notice was 
taken of them. 

That Schumann suffered conatantlv, may be seen 
from a letter he wrote in July, 1853, in which he said : 
** I have not pot back my full strength, and have to 
avoid all greater works of a fatiguing character." It 
was for this reason that he could only partly share the 
conducting the musical festival at Dasseldorff, 1853, 
by leading only the first concert (in which he had 
once more a decided triumph with his Symphony in 
D minor) and two numbers on the third dav. 

The end of the year 1853 brought for (Schumann 
t\vo events of joy, the last he had in his life. The 
first refers to his acquaintance with Johannes Brahms, 
whom he introduced in the columns of his former 
newspaper, Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, as the mu- 
sical Messiah of the coming age ; and the second was 
his journey with his wife through Holland, which, 
according to all the statements in the papers, as well 
as of eye-witnesses, was like a " triumphal proces- 
sion." * 

At the end of December, Schumann returned from 
this journey to Dusseldorf, 1853, where that fearful 
event soon happened which took him forever away 
from the world and from Art. With exception of a 
short excursion to Hanover, Schumann lived very 
retired in the months of Januai7 and February, 1854, 
the last time which he spent 'with his family. Be- 
sides the inditing of the Gesammelte Schriften, which 
he prepared for publication, he occupied himself with 
a literar}' work which he called, " Garden of Poets." 
The leading idea was to collect every thing which had 
been said by the principal poets of all ages about 
music. He* had contemplated tliis work in former 
years, and for this purpose also collected the sayings 
of Jean Paul and Shakspeare. He was about to con- 
tinue the work with regard to the Bible, and the 
Greek and Latin classics, when the old symptoms of 
his disease appeared with renewed vehemence, and 
rose to such a height as to darken his intellect for- 
ever. 

First the old delusion<« of hearing came Imck. 
Schumann thought a tone was pursuing him con- 
stantly, and which developed itself by and by into 
hannonics and entire compositions. At last he heard 
also voices of spirits, which spoke to him sometimes 
mildly, occasionally in a tone of reproach, and which 
during the last fortnight of bin stay nt Dusseldorf 
took every night's rest from him. One night he sud- 
denly left his bed, and oi^ked for n light, saying that 
Schubert and Mendelssohn hod sent him a theme, 
which he had to write down immediately : wliich he 
did, in spite of nil the remonstrances of his wife. 
Upon this theme ho even composed five variations for 
piano-forte, during his Xdcat sickness. Tlien suddenly 
he wanted to go to a medical n^^ylum, to be entirely 
with a doctor; for " I can not get cured at home,'' 
he said, with full conviction. In such a moment he 
ordered a carriage, arranged his papers, his composi- 
tions, and made himself ready to leave. He saw 
quite clearly what was the matter with him ; and espe- 
cially when he felt appn^aching scenes of excitement, 
he begged to stay away from them. 

His wife tried constantly to draw away his mind 
from the phantoms of his imagination ; but as soon 
as she succeeded to do so with one, another made its 
appearance. He also repeatedly exclaimed that he was 
a sinner, and did not deserve the love of the people. 
And so it went on until at last the anguish of his 
soul drove him to despair. 

It was February 27th, 1 854. when about noon Schu- 
mann received the visit of his doctor, Mr. Hasencle- 
ver, and his brother artist, Albert Dietrich. They 
sat down together. During the conversation Schu- 
mann left the room without saying a word. They 
thought he would return ; but wHen a long time hall 
elapsed, his wife went to look for him. lie could not 
be found in the house. The friends hurried into the 
street to find him — in vain. He had quietly, without 
his hat, gone to the bridge of the Rhine, and tried, 
through a plunge into the river, to free himself from 
his life of torment. Some boatmen present rowed 



44 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



after him, nnd took him out of the water. Thev said 
afterwards, that Schumann liejrjjed them earnestly to 
let him die, and that he made a second trial to plnnffc 
into the water. His life won saved, hut what a life ! 
Passers-by recojrnizcd the master, and took care of his 
removal to his home. His wife, herself greatly suf- 
fering, was fortunately prevented from seeing him. 
A second medical attendant was called, for his case 
became so dangerous that he had to be constantly 
watched. 

Then at last ho was removed near Bonn, to the care 
of Dr. Richarz, at Enderick. Hero he staid until the 
latter part of July, 1856. During this time he re- 
ceived, with the consent of his doctor, the visits of 
Bettina, Amim, Joachim, find Brahms, which, how- 
ever, had to lie avoided at last, liccauso they were 
always followed by a state of great excitement. 
Witll his wife he was for some time in correspond- 
ence ; she did not see him except just before his neath, 
which was about four o'clock in the afternoon of July 
29th, 1856.— iV. Y. Musical Review. 



From My Diary. No. 5. 

April 28. — A tj-pographical error in the notice of 
the Concert at Holliston, makes me say, speaking of 
the choir there, that no number of tkdr voices can 
make a full, round volume of tone. Thin — thin 
voices — gentlemen ; — it was the statement of a gen- 
eral fact, not a special " cut." 

The trouble is — and it is one which I notice al- 
most everywhere, and which is the result of the stylo 
of tunes now in vogue — that most of our choirs sing 
in a sort of a sentimental, nasal, half-whining man- 
ner, 08 if they could not sustain a note above B or 
C. — Whereas they should sing solid chorals and 
slow flowing melodies, which of themselves would 
bring out the voice. The same person who calls her 
companion an eighth of a mile away across the fields 
in firm, full tone upon E or F, will just hint at a note 
on D in the thinnest, flimsiest voice imaginable, when 
she undertakes to sing. 

Let her get some chorals by Bach and practice 

them, and learn to hold a long breath, and sing with 
force and vigor. 



April 30. — I cut the following from the Beport of 

the School Committee of the town of Holliston, in 

this State: Messrs. O. B. Bullard, S. G. Bumap, and 

A. N. Miller. 

Music m lA« Sehoot-rwtm. — Nwirly eveiy teneber employed 
the post ynr had Honie knoweUIce of miwic. and introduced 
tiioi^ng into the w;hool-rooni. This in a healthy excrciw for 
youth, and where proper attention is (d^en to the mode of 
practice, tend* to improve the voice for reading and Rpealcing. 
This should he a general excrrlK for all the scholars who wish 
to join in it, and not as in some instances we notico<I. where a 
few of the best singcm only were selected out to do all the i(ing- 
Ing. We noticed that tenchers ftfquently selectefl munic for 
their pupils which was too difficult, and beyond the caivicity 
of the majority to loam. Rut the worst evil connected with 
the singing in our schools, for a few years past, has been the 
formation of a corrupt tnste in the pupils, by Introducing 
ncgro-melodies and hackneyed street songs, and permitting 
every music-book agent who comes along, to peddle his tni.«>b 
in the school-room. The effect of learning such music in the 
school-room, is to destroy the pupils^ taste fbr mufdc as a sci- 
ence. And we find that In proportion to the number, there 
are fewer youth who now acquire, or hare any desire to ac- 
quire, a knowledge of the elements of music, than there were 
five or ten years since. Music should be taught in our public 
schools OS a science, and not used wholly as an amjat^ment for 
the scholars. Brery grammar and district school-room should 
be furnished with a music blackboard ; that the teacher may 
hate an opportunity whenever time will permit, of introducing 
general 'elementary exercises, which would be valuable to the 
pupils as a discipline of the mind. If no other oliject was sought. 
We would suggest to the next school committee, that they pro- 
wrilM the singing books to be used, In their list of text-books. 
Among the t«Mrhers who have been the more successful and 
judicious in teaching their pupils to sing during the past year, 
we would name the teacher of the Primary School No. 4. and 
the teacher of the Intermediate School No. 8. In those 
schools nearly every scholar learned to sing. 

This appears to me to contain sound doctrine and 
gives one a very favorable impression of the gentle- 
men who compose the committee. 

Whether music should Iks taught as a "science" 
exactly, in common schools, I am not prepared to 
say ; but that every pupil, whose ears are not defect- 
ive to sounds, as some eyes are to colors, should l)e- 
fore reaching the age of twelve years bo able to read 
common tunes as easily as the words set to them, I 
have long been convinced. The mere reading of simple 
music is as easy a tiling as to learn the reading of 
articulate speech. Let some half a dozen things bo 
firmly fixed in the memory — the letters of the staflT, 



the use of the clefs and signatures, and the compara- 
tive duration of notes and rests — which might cer- 
tainly be effected with far less labor than the four 
simple rules of arithmetic, and then nothing but prac- 
tice even under ordinary teachers is necessary, to en- 
able the pupil to go on without let or hindrance as 
far as his opportunities and capacity allow. But un- 
luckily I generally find that just these things are 
neglected, and the time of teacher and pupil is taken 
up in learning songs and feeble choruses by rote, to 
sing at the school examination. Why not omit the 
cardinal rules of arithmetic, and teach the pupils a set 
of problems by rote, in proportion, interest, and frac- 
tions, to show off upon, before the school commit- 
tee? 

What great difHculty hinders any teacher from 
drawing eleven parallel lines upon the blackboard, and 
having the pupils learn to distinguish lines and spaces 
by the letters of the alphabet ? The lowest one shall 
be G, and of course the highest will bo F. Would 
it be a difficult thing then for the teacher to make the 
pupil comprehend that, when music is written upon 
the lower five lines and spaces, it is for deep men's 
voices, and then these lines are designated by the F, or 
bass clcff, and when upon the upper five, that they are 
distinguished by tlie G clcfT, and tlie music is for high 
voices ? 

Under every system of instruction lies the practice 
of the scales as the chief comer stone. Now, what 
difficulty is there in showing the pupil that so far as 
his singing of simple tunes is concerned, the signa- 
tures at the beginning of them are mere indications 
of pitch, and are used to tell him upon what letter is 
the One or Do^ of the scale ? I<ct the list of signa- 
tures l)c learned by him as he would learn a lesson in 

■I 

punctuation, grammar or arithmetic. It is a good 
exercise of the memory. And now for aught I can 
see, you can begin with regular practice in singing 
simple tunes of equal rhythm. Were I a teacher, 
while I should not neglect the regular processes of the 
musical gospel according to Festalozzi, I should cer- 
tainly have a lesson at regular intervals in the ** old 
fashioned way of teaching "just indicated. 



April 30. — ^What is the use of printing the results 
of long-continued studies and researches ? Of trying 
to correct errors in history, especially in such small 
matters as questions relating to Art ? 

For instance, the authorship of the celebrated tune 
which we call " Old Hundred," has been a mooted 
question since Hawkins and Bumey wrote, but all 
trustworthy authorities agree that it was in print as 
early as 1561-2. It has been the subject of discus- 
sion in the Harmonicon, and other musical periodi- 
cals, until recently many articles have appeared upon 
it in the London Notes and Queries. Rev. Mr. 
Havergal has written a history of it which has reach- 
ed the second edition, and he shows it to have been 
in print as early as 1660. I have in two or three 
communications to Dwight's Journal of Music stated 
that I have seen the tune in a psalter of 1559, and 
more recently an Englishman announces (see Dwight's 
Journal a few months since) that he has it in one of 
1556. Yet, after all diis, the Boston Joamal of this 
morning gravely gives us this it^m : 

^' A correspondent of the Athenieum thinks he has at last 
found the author of *01d Hundred.' This has been a vexed 
question for years. He claima the authorship for one J. Dow- 
land or Ilowland, who waB born in 1562, and died in 1615." 

All Dowland did was to harmonize it for Ilavens- 
croft, when the tune had already been in use half a 
century. 

May 3.— A friend has handed me a slip from the 
Boston Joumaly containing a notice of a monument 
recently erected in Mount Auburn Cemetery, to Miss 
E. W. Bruce, of Cambridgeport, who was placed 
there last autumn. The following description is 
copied from it : 



The monument consists of a pIfnCh, iMse, die and cap, the 
whole fomdng a small Grecian Temple, about Ave feet In heiglit. 
and of pure dastdc form. In front of the die Is a deep niche j 
in which is inserted a tablet of statuary marble; on this Cablet 
is sculptuTud, in baa relief, a figure symbolising the Genius of 
Mu«ic plaving on the lyre, with the fiice turned heavenward as 
if in the act of devotion. A mass of drapery Iklls in rich and 
gRweful folds over it. It is a thing of griiiit branty of soul 
rather than of sense, and forma the iiriucipal object of Uie 
monument. 

Miss Bruce was one of the rarest instances of highly 
refined taste, and great artistic culture, gained with 
no more advantages than arc within the reach of us 
all here at homo, that I liave known. The instinctive 
love of the bcofitiful was in her case very strong, and 
gave her an unerring perception of the true, whether 
in painting, sculpture, literature or music. Her stud- 
ies, however, were devoted to the last, and tlioogh it 
was adopted as a profession, and each day brought its 
wear}'ing round of the teacher's duties, her interest 
and delight in the divine art never flagged. Beet- 
hoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Chopin, — their works 
were her delight and constant study — her standards of 
comparison ; and yet she was so catholic in taste, that 
wliatcver was good of its kind, the simplest song, or 
the most profound orchestral work, found in her ready 
appreciation, and just acknowledgement of its merit. 
Her facility in reading music at sight was very un- 
common, and during the yean that I knew her, I 
never saw her at fault but once, and that was — of all 
things in the world — ^upon an arrangement of Han- 
del's overture to the " Messiah." 

It was an old arrangement of the last century, and 
so very much opposed to the present stylo, that, to 
her infinite amusement, she was forced to stop after a 
few bars, to study out the means of reprodncing with 
her skilful fingers, the thin looking score before her. 
In a moment she caught the secret and henceforth 
there was no difficulty. 

No member of the musical association, to which 
for several years she belonged, will ever foiget the 
])erfect ease with which she played our accompani- 
ments, or how much her steadiness in the time and 
rhythm conduced to our success in the cantatas, 
choruses, and other music, which was studied. 

But she began young, studied with judicious teach- 
ers, and laid a solid foundation, so that afterwards 
every step was forward. She had nothing to unlearn 
While acquiring and perfecting her technical know- 
ledge of the piano-forte, she at the same time neglected 
no opportunity to add to her knowledge of musical 
literature ; to gain higher and broader views of the 
art ; to penetrate into the very heart of music. I 
had the pleasure of first calling her attention to the 
musical essays in the Ilarinnger, and remember well 
the intense delight with which* she read them. It was 
not more what she knew of music, than what she 
knew about it, that made her superior. She was in- 
deed a rare proof of the value of general musical 
culture to the teacher. She was one, who showed her 
love of the beautiful in everything. Not only in art 
and literature ; it was equally visible in her love of 
flowers and her enjoyment of fine scenery. 

Sometimes she expressed her feelings in composi- 
tion, but from a rare modesty — in her case too great 
— none but her intimate friends ever heard her own 
music, either vocal or for the piano-forte. 

All who knew Elizabeth Bruce will rejoice to learn 
that the respect and love of friends for her, has been 
shown in the neat and a])propriate monument above 
described, and will agree that they are few, who, en- 
gaged constantly in the laborious profession of teach- 
mg, have attained so high a culture in their art, or by 
their decease have lef^ so great a vacancy in the circle 
in which they moved. 



gfoigjt's loMrnal jf ©Hsit 



BOSTON, MAY 8, 1858. 



in New York. 

From our Correspondent. 
On Friday of last week, I attended a matinee 
(in so far private as it had not been advertised, 
and the tickets were sold by private circulation) 
given by a Mr. von Breuxino. I was curious 
to know whether this gentleman stood in any con- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1858. 



45 



ncction with Beotlioven*s Breuninf^s — but could 
not gain any satisfactory information on that 
point. All that I could Icam about him was that 
he had l)con an amateur — had occupied some 
official position at the Court of Wflrtomberjj, I 
think, but, havin<;, for some reason, emijjratcd to 
this country, wished to give lessons, and took this 
method of makin^; himself known. His playinp, 
without bein^ij remarkable in any way, jjavc token 
of a thorough understanding of music, and of 
steady practice and study. He gave us tran- 
scriptions of his own of the March from the Pro- 
phe'te and that from Tannhduser (the latter for 
two pianos, one of which was played by Mr. 
Schakfenberg) ; a Concert Waltz, also by him- 
self, and the first movement of a Trio by Fesca, 
wiA Messrs. Thomas and Bergmann. The 
remainder of the programme wa^t divided between 
a Signor Alaimo, Mme. Johansex, and, the 
que of the whole, Vieuxtemps. This latter 
played, nothing of great value, a fantasia or 
Emani, and Variations on " Willie we have 
missed you," — ^but how did he play these ! He 
turns everything to gold by liis touch. The little 
simple popular air, which had always seemed com- 
mon-place before, acquired plaintive pathos under 
his hands which might immortalize it Of Signor 
Alaimo the least smd the better. I could not un- 
derstand why he should sing in public, or, indeed, 
in private either. Mme. Johannsen being indis- 
posed, Caradori appeared in her place at very 
short notice, and sang an anh from TorqucUo 
Tasso very finely. 

On Saturday was our last Philharmonic. Tlie 
" poor fiddlers" did indeed " have a hard time of 
it " that day — and it was surprising how they 
could play as well as they did in Uie evening. 
Mendelssohn's " Scotch " S}nnphony, a composi- 
tion by Schumann, and the Tannhailser Over- 
ture were the orchestral pieces. Of the first and 
third I can tell you nothing new; you know 
them better than I do! I wish, however, that 
you could have heard how magnificent the Tann- 
hauser sounded in the amphitheatre. It came up 
to us there in a perfect ocean of sound. Schu- 
mann's composition, though called an Overture, 
was, in fact, a short Symphony, consisting of three 
movements, an Overture, Scherzo, and Finale. 
I liked it much — finding it full of freshness and 
sprightliness, with some quite new instrumental 
effects, and original combinations. It fell rather 
dead upon tlie audience, however. The soloists 
were Mr. Cooper, the riolinist^ and Miss Mil- 
ner, (or rather, as it is said, Mrs. Cooper.) The 
latter was hoarse, and sang an indifferent English 
song instead of the Non mi dir, from " Don Gio- 
vanni." She also sang in a duct by Pacini, for 
voice and violin. Mr. Cooper, whom I heard for 
the first time, played very beautifully a Con- 
certo by Spohr. He has an exceedingly pure 
and tender stroke, and very great skill and power 
of expression ; one cannot mistake the artist in 
him, even though he is not quite a Vieuxtemps. 
The difference was obvious in one respect. The 
composition which he played was, like many of 
Spohr's, very dry and heavy, and rather drew Mr. 
Cooper, with all his excellencies, down to its level. 
With Vieuxtemps the contrary- would have been 
the case. He would have raised the music to 
Aw level, and by infusing a spirit of his own into 
it, (without, however, sacrificing the characteristics 
of the composer) would have given it the interest 
it lacked. I 



^liss Braixerd gave a concert at Dodworth's 
this^'week, which, though the programme as a 
whole did not promise much, gave me a great 
deal of pleasure, because it was in most respects 
so thoroujrhlv successful. The audience was nu- 
merous and select, the fair henrfciante in excel- 
lent voice and looks, and her assistants evidentlv 
desirous of doing their best I could only have 
wished that Mr. Aptommas's harp had been in 
better tune in the first piece, and that he had 
altogether a better idea of harmony and compo- 
sition. I enclose the programme : 

1. Aria. " Roberto DcTereux.'' Doniaettl; Mr. "W. H. Cook*. 

2. i*o|o — ITnrp, Favorite Mflodicn, Aptoinma« ; Mr. Aptomiiuu*. 

3. " AnirclB ever brijrht and fhir." Ilandcl: Miw Brainerd. 4. 
Gmnd Fantaiiia. " Emani." Rnttcr: GunUy Sattcr. 5. Aria, 
*' Do' m\c\ bolonti uplntl," Vcrdl; Mr. Cooke. 6. Song of the 
Pace. Mevorliecr: Mlw Brainerd. 

7. Cnmtlna, «'D'Ainor null 'all rosw," (Trovaton*.) VcrtU; 
Mlw Brainerd. 8. Solo— Harp. Grand FantAnia, AptommaK; 
Mr. AptODimaa. 9. Ballad, *' Ray my heart can this be lore," 
words by WaL«on. muxie bv Wallace; Mlna Brainerd. 10. Solo 
-rPlano. a " Etude in Ab," 6 " Lw bellw dc New York," Value, 
Ratter: Mr. Satter. 11. Song. "The Serenade," Schubert; 
Mr. OnoVe. 12. Ballad, " The Ilarp that once through Tara'a 
haJls,*' Mooro; Miss Brainerd. 

Miss Brainerd succeeded best, I think, in the 
two Italian arias ; Handel's exquisite song, which 
suited her voice admirably, dragged a little. Both 
the song by Wallace, which is hardly interesting 
enough for a concert piece, and Moore's beautiful 
melody was sung very well ; the latter with a 
simplicity that proved Miss Brainerd to have the 
right feeling for such music. It is by no means 
an ea.«iy task to sing a Volkslied well. Mr. Sat- 
TER astonished his audience, as usual ; and was 
naturally encored both times. I, for one, liked 
his second pieces better than the first ones, for 
afker No. 4, he gave us the charming little Minuet 
from Mozart's E flat Symphony, and after No. 10, 
a beautiful transcription of Weber's " last Waltz." 
One of the most enjoyable features of the even- 
ing was the singing of Mr. CooK|(. This young 
gentleman has an exceedingly sweet, pure tenor 
voice, and knows how to manage it. He sings, 
too, with great earnestness and simplicity. Good 
tenors are so rare now-a-days, that the advent of 
a new one must be hailed with joy. 'Mr. Cooke, 
with a very little more experience, will rank 
among the first of our native singers. A wag- 
gish friend even suggested the pos.sibility of his 
appearing some day on the stage, with his name 
Italianized to Signor Cooki(e) ! 

On Saturday ice enjoyed a privilege which has 
been yours twice already ; tee heard Formes in 
" Elijah." I am sorr}' to say, however, that this 
same privilege did not seem to be adequately 
appreciated by our public, for the Academy was 
not by any means full. Yet the ardor of the 
singers did not seem at all damped by this cir- 
cumstance, but rather increased. The choruses 
were remarkably good— ;/br the Harmonic Society 
— and manifested a verj' uncommon degree of 
spirit And what can I say of Formes, but sub- 
scribe entirely to your high eulogium of his ren- 
dering of the Prophet's part. He was often out 
of tune, it is true ; but as vou sav, his manv other 
excellencies make one forget that defect How 
completely he merges himself in his part — what 
awful seriousness in his denunciation — what 
touching pathos in " It is enough ! " Truly, it 
was a great perfonnance, such as leaves its im- 
pression for a life-time. !Madamc d'Axgri stands 
next in the ranks. In her two arias she was 
wonderful. Particularly in "Woe unto them." 
In " O, rest in the Lord," there was ])erhaps not 
quite enough of the simple, trusting spirit of sub- 
mission which the words and music so thoroughly 
express. I am sorry to say, however, that she 



rather marred the " Angel Trio " by falling 
somewhat out of time. Miss Milner took the 
Soprano in the first part, and Madame Caradori 
in the second, while the Tenor was divided in 
the same way, between Messrs. Perrixg and 
SiMPSOX. The voices of the two ladies are both 
rather unsympathetic, and not suited to music 
so expressive as that of "Elijah;" the tenors 
were happier in this respect. Mr. Simpson, par- 
ticularly, has a very beautiful voice, sweet, yet 
powerful, and perfectly clear. He sings, too, 
with a great deal of feeling, only occasionally 
not quite in time. Altogether, though the per- 
formance was by no means perfect^ it was suffi- 
ciently free from fault to give me very great 
enjoyment. 

Musard's Concerts will continue nightly. For 
this week two new attractions are held out 
"Formes as a Concert-singer" (t. e. in two songs 
per night), and the " Gotham Quadrille," of 
which I subjoin the analysis : 

GOTHAM : 
OE THB KLBCmiC TELMRAPH QDADEILU, 

On popular Amnrican air*, 
WITH BRILLIANT SOLOS AND VARIATIONS, 
conclndinK with a COMIC POTPOURRI, eomprbing the IbUow- 
inff Klectiona : 

Introdttction— "Star Spangled Banner,^' "Willie m have 
miiwed you," Qundrillc. 
Ut Figure—" Ellen Bayno,' " Yankee Doodle." 
2d Figure—" We 11 hare a little dance to-nigbt, boys." 
8d Figure—" Oh, my loTe is a nailor." 
4th Figure— "Jenny with the light brown hair." 
6th Figure— " Kin me quirk,'* "Willie we bare mined you." 
The Quadrille will conclude with a grand finale, called tha 
FItv Seta, on the mont popular airs : followed by the 
ELECTRIC TELFXJRAPH POTPOURRI, 
in which will l>e introduced the following airs: " You will Re- 
member Mr," (Bohemian Girl); "Lucy Long," march. (Le 
Prophet),' Choruii, (Norma); " Cachuca," with castagnettes) ; 
" Dipencatore," (riolonccllo; " Prima Donna waits," (trumpet) ; 
"On Yonder Rock Reclining," (Fra Diavolo): "Carnival of 
Venice," "Bride Polka," " Son tag Polka," " Choral," " Hu- 
guenots," (oph(>clelde ; "II Balen," (TroTatoro); "Bobbing 
Around," "Arkansas Trayellor," (flageolet); "Lore Not," 
(maiTh) : " Highland FUng," '* Oh, Susannah," " Grace, Rob- 
ert," (comet); "Kiss me Quick," "Cattle Show Quadrille," 
" Anvil Chorus," (T.ovatore) : "Express Train Gallop," " Death 
March." (Saul); Quartet, (Lucia di Lammermoor); "Jim 
Crow," " St. Patrick's Dav." *' Home, Sweet Home." To coo- 
elude with " Yankee Doodle." 

One would think that Fonnes might feel rather 
ashamed of his company. On Saturday a " Grand 
Presentation Matinde " will take place, " at which 
every lady will be presented with a copy of the 
Express Train Gallop, arranged for the Piano." 
What an inducement ! Surely, " Humbug is 
great, and Ullman is his prophet ! " This same 
Ullman, however, docs not succeed as well in 
making himself popular in other ways as by the 
attractions he holds out to the public. I give 
you an instance, which I have from the best 
authority. It has always been the rule, since the 
Philharmonic Society has leased the Academy 
from Ullman, that their rent for each concert 
should be paid in the intermission. Last Satur^ 
day they were informed that the rent must be 
paid before the opening of the doors, and not by 
check, but in cash. Tliis was found rather incon- 
venient, but the Treasurer nevertheless managed 
to be at the Academy in good time with the 
money in his pocket. As he had ladies with him, 
he could not leave them to go to the back door, 
but the Impresario, appearing to tak'e it for grant- 
ed that the raonev would not be forthcomin»r, 
kept the doors firmly closed, and a great portion 
of the audience shivering before them in the 
cold damp night, until nearly a quarter of eight, 
when he probably could no longer re.«ist the con- 
viction that he was not going to be cheated. 
Various complaints of the delay sul)sequently 
appeared in the dailies, but they were all directed 
against the Philharmonic Society, and as none of 
them has been answered, it is but just that the 
true circumstances of the case should be known. 



46 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Beauties of the Italian Opera. 

We speak of the Italian Opera as here administer- 
ed. We mean the wonld-bc institution, not the art; 
its management and not its music. Opera in this 
country is not an institution, but a speculation ; and 
though the speculators, first and Inst, have given us 
some really high and memorable pleasures, and many 
are indebted to them for a new sense of harmony and 
beauty, still it is too plain that they have looked upon 
us as a gullible and simple mce, and humbugged us to 
their heart's content. The system has been beautifully 
illustrated during the past week in Philadelphia. 
That city prided itself upon its patronage of Opera; 
it doted upon the Opera ; it built a superb Academy 
a year ago, wherein it inaugurated a " good time 
coming" — an eternal summer — of Italian Opera, 
with brilliant ovations, extolling Gazzaniga to the 
skies and crowning her their lyric Queen, enjoying 
over an hundred performances during the year, glori- 
fying Max — " our Max," and our Opera Company, 
and welcoming them eagerly back from Havana this 
Spring for another round of triumphs. A brief flush, 
and the novelty of the thing was gone ; disappointment, 
thin houses ; and on Saturday night the grand Italian 
Opera season came to a sudden and disgraceful end. 
Max, " glorious Max," the handsome, the " Napole- 
onic " Max ingloriously ./Ittf / The Bulletin explains 
the matter thus : 

It hu been a fleii-«on of dbappolntoieiitii, broken promfnee 
and fUlures, with only a few redeeming features on which the 
pubUc can look iMck with mtisfliction. One of these was the 
appearance of Stgnor Ronconi, and another was the production 
of WiUienn TeU. It was a treat to see Ronconi, even though 
he doe* sing dreadfully out of tune ; and it was a treat to hear 
William Tdi, even though It was badly perfbnned. On the 
other 8ide of the account there is a great deal to say ; flnt. wan 
the unpleasant quarrel with Signor T^liafico. and the loss ot 
that excellent artist, and his wife— the best and mntt useful of 
second ladies that has sung in this country. The places of 
neither of these members of the company hare been adequately 
flUed since thdr departure. Next we had a repetition of old 
operas, of which the public luui grown weary, especially as 
they had been promised new operas. The only ft«sh pieces 
brought out were William TeU, Don Fastptale and Macria di 
Rohan, the flnt having been presented in a slovenly, imperfect 
manner, and with an inadequate cast; the second requiring no 
great preparation, as there Is but one chorus, and the burden 
of the piece rested on Mme. Lagrange and Signor Ronconi, and 
the third being still easier of production. There were promises 
matle of 3^ Huguenots^ Le ProphHf^ VEtoiU du Nord. and 
other great works, not one of which was ever fulfilled. The 

Subtle were diaapfminted, also. In having few opportunities of 
earing Mme. Oasianlga, who was sent off with a few others 
to sing in smaller cities. There were quarrels inside and out- 
side of the opera house; complaints of fkilnres to pay salaries 
to artists, &e. On Thursday evening, after some day-light 
scenes of which report speaks, but which we do not choose to 
mention, the leader of the orchestra, Slg. Torriani, placed there 
br Mr. Varetzek, deserted his post after the first act of La 
Favoritn. in the evident expectation that the opera, in which 
Mme. Gaanniga and Si^or Rrignoll were singing, would hnvo 
to be fitopped. This des'ign fiiilcd, as another person was got 
for the post and the opera was finished satL«fiictorily. On 
Saturday evening, when this Signor Torriani showed himself in 
the vestibule of the Academy, he was driven out, amid the 
jeers of one or two hundred gentlemen who discovered him. 
There was some talk of pursuing the same course with Mr. 
Maretzek, if he had remained in the house. 

Such was the fifth act of Italian Opera in Phila- 
delphia. It was followed (or preceded) by a farce, 
which came off in the same Academy of Music, under 
the title of " Grand Mnsical Festival," given in the 
name of the Pennsylvania " Musical Institute," at 
which all the Italian Opera singers sang, by way of 
prelude to a grand lattery dlstrihiUion of prizes — S2.000 
worth of musical instruments — among the purchasers 
of tickets to the entertainment. As we have been 
speaking of musical specidations, as opposed to musi- 
cal Art, we may fitly conclude with this sublime ex- 
ample of the art of humbug. This high-sounding 
" Mnsical Institute," it seems, is simply a lottery, got 
up by a music-dealer, Mr. E. L. Walker, for the 
readier disposal of his stock in trade. By some 
j:trangc process the legislature of Pensylvania were 
persuaded to regard the scheme as an educational in- 
stitution, ond granted it (or him) an act of incorpo- 
mtion, whereby an annual lottery, or "Gift Concert," 
for the private interest of an individual, but gilded 
over with the fiction of an educational and public 
object, goes on with the sanction of the State! 
Kvervbodv knows this: there is no concealment; we 
simply state the facts ; they certainly require no com- 
ment. 



Mniioal Chit<!Sliat 

Wo are now ready to supply orders for Bound 
Volumes of the last year of the Journal of Music, as 
well as the earlier volumes. . . . We heartily 
rejoice in the announcement of what is but an act of 
justice on the part of the musical public of Boston, 
a Complimentai'y Concert to Mr. August Frieb, 
before he leaves us to reside in Europe. Who has 
claims upon us, if not he who for nine years has ho 
steadfastly and so ably persisted in the long thankless 
task of creating an audience for classical chaml)cr 
music ? . . . . Mr. Carl Gaertner informs us that 
he, too, is going to Europe (shall we lose all our best 
violinists — few enough at best?) and that he will 
give a concert on the 22d inst., in the Music Hall, 
assisted by Mrs. Long, Mr. Adams, Mr. Carl 
Hause, and an orchestra under Zerraiin. . . . 
Among ballad singers and song writers, who have 
enjoyed popularity in this country, no one seems to 
sustain himself so long and so fresh as Mr. Demp- 
ster. Our publishers, who are his publishers (see 
advertising columns), can vouch for that. His songs 
are always in demand, and he still makes his singing 
circuits, year after year, from State to State, with all 
the regularity of tlie U. S. Courts. Just now we 
hear of him gathering his own charmdd circles in 
Utica and Buffalo, and other cities of the Empire 
State. . . . Mnsical " Conventions " are early 
in the field tliis season. We read of one on the 6th 
ult., at Ann Arbor, Michigan, conducted by Mr. C. 
M. Cady ; another at Washington, which soared 
above all " sectional " distinctions, rejoicing in the 
name of "National," "American," or what not, 
Mr. Bradbury being the presiding genius and pa- 
triot. Another hus been held, apparently with great 
success, in Bridgton, N. J., under the well-known 
teacher of this city, Mr. B. F. Baker. The class 
assembled and the local press are warm in his praises. 
It is true that these " Conventions " are contrivances, 
too often, to sell new music-books ; yet we believe 

that thev have done much good ; they have excited 
interest in music where there was none before, discus- 
sions of the best mode of teaching, &c., and, mingled 
with much tiush, have generally given thousands of 
people a hearing of much better music than they 
would otherwise have heard ; and even set them to 
practising choruses from the " Messiah," &c. 

The Chevalier Sigismukd Neukomx, composer 
of the oratorio of " David," &c., died at Paris on the 
the 3d of April, at the age of eighty-one. . . . 
GrsTAV Satter (" the most eminent of European 
pianists" [!J, according to a Philadelphia paper), and 
Mme. Johannsen, announce their first concert in 
that city. The Philadelphia Harmonic Society gave 
their last concert this week, with selections from the 
" Creation " and " Elijah," overture to " Tell," airs 
and choruses from Linda, Robert, Maaanidlo, &c. 

It were wordi the journey to hear Don Giovanni per- 
formed with such a cast as is said to be in contempla- 
tion at the Royal Italian Opera, London. Mario, 
for a novelty, is to take Don Giovanni; Tamberlik, 
Don Ottavio; Grisi, Donna Anna; Bosio (!^ 
Zcrlina; Marai, Donna Elvira; Formes, LepD- 
rello; RoNcoxi, Masetto; and Tagliafico, the 
Commandant. . . . Tamberlik, the tenor, has 
made his debut at the Grand Opera in Rossini's 
Ote//o, and has taken Paris by assault with a C sharp 
in alt, as Duprez did before him with his C natural 
(or Ut de poitrine), in "Tell." The safe delivery of 
such a note seems more to the Parisians than all the 
music of those operas. A foreign paper says : " In 
stead of saying * Rossini's Gillanme Tdl,* it has been 
tlie habit among elevated Parisians to say, ' Rossini's' 
Ut de poitrine;* it will now become equally the vogue, 
instead of ' Rossini's Otello,* to say ' Rossini's Ui 
dit&e.' " 

LoxDON. — The first of a series of six concerts 
was given early last month by the Vocal Association 
under the direction of Mr. Benedict. The pro- 
gramme was purely Mendelssohn. 

The Opera season at her Majesty's Theatre opened 
on the 13th ult., with the Huguenots, Mr. Lumley is 



proveri)ial for good luck in finding singers just at the 
critical moment. This time it is not clear tlmt he 
has found another Lind ; hut his new German so- 
prano, Mile. Titiens, created a new sensation in the 
part of Valentine. Her success was immense. The 
other principals were Sigs. Bclletti, Aldighicri, Giu- 
glini, Vialetti, Mile. Ortolani, and a new contralto, 
Mme. Lucioni Landi, (not destined, it is thought, to 
eclipse Alboni or Dididc). 

Mr. Gye, announces that he will open the Royal 
Italian Opera on the 15th of May. His company 
will be one of the strongest ever collected. It will 
include Grisi, Bosio, Morai, and Victoria Balfe, so- 
pranos; Didice, contralto; Mario, Tamberlik, Neri 
Beraldi, and Gardoni, tenors; Ronconi, Polononi, 
and Graziani, baritones ; Formes, Tagliafico, and 
Zelgcr, basses. 

The first Philharmonic Concert of the season was 
given April 12. The Programme included two 
Symphonies : Mozart's in D, and Beethoven's in A ; 
two Concertos : Bennett's for piano, in F minor, 
played by Mr. W. G. Cusins, and F. David's for 
violin, in E, played by Mr. Sainton ; two overtures : 
Athalie and Freyschutz; and arias by Mozart, Stra- 
della and Rossini, sung by Castellan and Miss Dolby. 
Stemdale Bennett was conductor. 



Jine %xis. 



jts-LTirifit'yvwij-M'xj'dt^ir^^if ~ \ — — — — ^- — ^ - — » ^^^ » » ,^,^^^ -^— — — — — — — 



^i^^^f^m0^^^0*0^^t^^ 



For Ihri(;ht*s Journal of Music. 

The Athenflenin Exhibition, 
n. 

OIL PICTURES. 

In the third chapter of the fourth volume of " Mod- 
em Painters," Mr. Ruskin, in treating of the relation 
of color to form, uses the following words : " If color 
be introduced at all, it is necessary that, whatever 
else may be wrong, that should he right ; just as, 
though the music of a song may not be so essential 
to its influence as the meaning of the words, yet if 
the music be given at all, it must be right, or its dis- 
cord will spoil the words ; and it would be better, of 
the two, that the words should he indistinct, than the 
notes false. Hence, as I have said elsewhere, the 
business of a painter is to paint. If he cannot color, 
he is no painter, though he may do every thing else." 

Now, in what the absolute right of color consists, 
I shall shirk the labor and responsibility of determin- 
ing at present ; but will offer as an approximate defi- 
nition : a use which constitutes it an integral, nobly 
expressive and indipensable element in the painter's 
Art. 

Bearing in mind the simple axiom " that tiie busi- 
ness of a painter is to paint" — to use color rightly, 
within the meaning of the definition above given, 
this exhibition as a whole does not embody a large 
amount of genuine Art. The want of good color is 
indeed its characteristic deficiency. 

Of Color that is non-essential, of agreeable color 
%vrongly used, of crude, harsh, and repulsive color 
there is no lack ; but the truly noble power of color 
finds few interpreters. Technically, a want of so- 
lidity and texture, and the artistic want of a high 
imaginative or clear power of color, in the examples 
of the old School, are quite sufficient to confinn our 
received impressions concerning it — whilst the pre- 
vailing dryness, unhealthy coldness of the flesh tones, 
and want of true freshness and geniality in the color 
of some of the (so-called) Pre-Rophaelites, are quali- 
ties certainly calculated to excite some distrust of 
their influence as representatives of the new school. 
Were it not for the water colors and a few of the oil 
paintings, I should hesitate about applying to these 
pictures a principle of criticism perfectly applicable 
to our own. 

In the Fejee Islands tattooing is an expression of 
the highest Art instinct. What to us seems barbarous 
and ugly, to the native, is beautiful and true Art ; and 
but for the exceptions noticed, I should incline to con- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1858. 



47 



sider whatever in tlic color of this exhibition seems 
liarsh and discordant to us, as peculiar to the English 
ideal of excellence and only properly to be judged 
by it. These exceptions however establish the [esthet- 
ic affinities existing between the English people and 
our own, and I here appeal to them to giro currency 
to what, but for them, might seem ill-considered and 
unjust. Let us follow the pictures in the general 
order of their merit, beginning at the lowest. 

Nos. 132, 146, 153, 158, 159, 165, and 175, form a 
group of what may be comprehensively termed "non- 
sense " pictures — pictures of very little value to their 
respective painters or the public, and a disgrace to 
the Exhibition. Nob. 131, 137,140, 142, 168 and 
174, effectually conceal their agrceableness of sub- 
ject or skillful drawing by color that is either ex- 
pressionless or repulsive. The figures, in " The 
First Ride," No. 95 — "Children crossing the 
Brook," 196, are pleasantly grouped and contain 
considerable richness of color, perhaps somewhat 
enhanced in value by the expressionless back ground 
of the one and the positively offensive character of 
the other. Nos. 86, 97 and 164, are three pictures 
by Wm. Davis, mainly noticeable from their peculiar 
manipulation and confused expression of purpose, 
albeit the gray evening sky and flush of reflected 
light in the distance of No. 97, are very purely felt 
and effectively wrought. 

In the " Fern Case," No. 89, Wm. Gale exhibits 
a nice sense of expression, very careful drawing and 
modelling, nearly neutralized in their effect by the 
offensive flesh-tones and generally inharmonious 
color. It would seem unnecessary that the author of 
the sunny little " Wood-Gatherer," No. 109, should 
have rendered such color as abounds in the " Fern 
Case " and No. 131. "A Hastings Fishing Boat," 
No. 87, by John Thorpe, is a quiet English coast 
scene, simply arranged and characterized by a deli- 
cate feeling for color and breadth of effect. In No. 
99 the delicacy sinks to vapidity. 

No. 176, " An Old Mill," is a rich, suggestive sub- 
ject, freely drawn and basely colored. With only an 
average excellence in color this picture would form 
one of the small loadstones of the Exhibition. 

" The Nest," No. 96, is a very successful realiz- 
ation of the Artist's perception of form and power of 
color. Under the limitation of an imperfect sense of the 
subtle gradations of color this is very complete — 
wrought in love, I doubt not, and approximately 
true ; it is also clear, dean and agreeable. The re- 
finement of line and drowsiness of atmosphere in the 
"Siesta," No 102, snccessfully struggle through a 
veil of color which is not true enough to be agreea- 
ble, nor false enough to be repulsive. 

" White Cliff," No. 134, contains a very happy 
rendering of picturesque cloud-forms and warm va- 
pory sun-light — and but for the weak conventional- 
ism of the foreground and a little crudcness in the 
sky tones, Mr. Gray would have furnished us with a 
good picture. The " Old English Market Town," 139, 
afibrds a clear and unpretentious statement of " things 
as they really are" at "Hexham," the locality of 
this scene. It is a misfortune to the young lady sit- 
ting at the window, that she should have lived so un- 
picturcsquely ugly, and a still greater one that Mr. 
Scott should have found her there just at the time he 
wanted to commence his picture. With this exception, 
the arrangement is exceedingly good and well treated. 
What with its solidity, directness and simplicity of 
rendering, and withal a pervading sense of a cheerful, 
homely beauty, this is one of the sterling pictures. 

In tlie " Mistletoe Bough," No. 160, the simple 
pathos of the familiar story of Ginevra finds no ade- 
quate expression. The Ginevra of this picture is 
merely a " lay figure," employed to display an elab- 
orate costume, and in this capacity does very good 

service. The background, drapery, and other acces- 
sories, evincing a more than average perception of 
color, need only a modification of Uieir hardness to 
render them quite admirable. 



Amongst the pleasant pictures by Edmund Eagles, 
"The Mother's Treasure," No. 121, and "The 
Thread of Life," are good examples of what artists 
loam to do at Bome. The recipe by which pictures 
are made in tlie modem Italian school appears to be 
as infallible as the one followed in the family of " Mr. 
Dusseldorf." It would be curious to know how 
broad an immortality the figures in these pictures 
have secured in the exercise of their vocation as pro- 
fessional models to the artists residing at Rome ; as 
also whether each one serves exclusively in a peculiar 
line of character or commands the entire range of 
dramatic expression. In meaninglessness of conception 
Mr. Eagles has not deviated from the practice of the 
school. He has given us some pretty tableaux how- 
ever, and made picturesqueness of costume the ma- 
terial out of whidi ho has wrought a full, warm and 
rich tone of color. If we are to have " costume " 
pictures, these furnish good types of excellence, both 
in design and execution, and would well repay the 
study of some of the other exhibitors who, with a 
more pretentious purpose, reach a less worthy result. 
The color is solid, always agreeable, and the best of 
its kind in the exhibition. 

Mesos. 
(To be continued). 



A Letter about Florence. 

Barberino, (Tuscany,) March 25, 1858. — 
Would you not like to have a little harmless enthoosy- 
moosy about Florence? That charming city, the 
home of Galileo, Michael Angelo, the Venus de 
Medici, Niobe and La Mia Cara Padrona f I feel 
convinced that nothing would you swallow with more 
angelic docility than a little harmless enthoosy-moosy 
about dear delightful Florence. 

The greatest difficulty is to know where to begin ; 
there is so much to admire that I am fairly distracted 
with the contending claims of the different churches, 
the various palaces, the picture galleries, the gardens 
and the suburbs ; and were it not for the Campanile, 
which is something so unique that it at once attracts 
attention, even amid all these splendors, I should 
really be at a loss. 

The first few weeks I was in Florence I went every 
day to the Campanile to feast my eyes upon Giotto's 
wondrous work ; for, though somewhat altered by 
succeeding architects, the plan was his, and he is 
fairly entitled to the credit. You can scarcely con- 
ceive the exquisite beauty of this tower, clothed as it 
is in its rich garb of van-colored marble. And then 
but a few steps from this, are others of the most 
famous Art wonders of Florence — the well known 
bronze doors by Ghiberti, that lead into the Baptistery 
(or Cliurch as it also is) of San Giovanni. 

Do not dread that I am going to attempt a de- 
scription of these objects, familiar already to every 
one, from engravings and books of travels. I am 
only indulging in a little enthoosy-moosy, you know, 
and mean only to allude to them ; yet I must speak 
a little of these doors. They are, in spite of their 
high appreciation by Michael Angelo, somewhat de- 
cried by modem artists, who think that Ghiberti in 
his relievos attempted too much and intruded upon 
the domain of pmnting, instead of confining him- 
self solely to the legitimate effects of sculpture. 
Westmacott, the sculptor, in some lectures, he has 
just delivered in London, explains the defects of the 
work so plainly and forcibly, that I will quote his 
remarks : 

" The error in these compositions," says Westma- 
cott, " is that they are arranged on the principles of 
Painting and not of Sculpture. They exhibit a vari- 
ety of planes, groups or foreground figures, other 
groups and objects retiring in the background, and 
le whole intermingled with landscape, mountains, 
trees, cattle and omer objects. You will at once 
perceive how much interest is lost by tlie confusion 
caused by the crowding of so many small parts to- 
gether ; and next how each portion of the composi- 



tion is injured by the overpowering force of the part or 
object near it, especially in the foreground figures. 
The effects produced by the attempts to represent 
miles of distance by distinct objects in several planes, 
when the whole distance from the foreground to the 
remotest perspective is scarcely an inch, are most 
anomalous and unsatisfactory. In Painting, where 
there is no difference at all in surface, between fore- 
ground and background, no disappointment or dis- 
satisfaction is felt, because the painter can supply the 
illusion of atmosphere by color; but in Sculpture, trees 
cast their dark shadows against the clouds ; figures 
reduced in siz^ with the view of making them appear 
more distant, are, for want of atmosphere, as distinct 
and clear as foreground objects ; and though they 
may be intended to be represented as at miles off, 
tiiey may and indeed do throw their shadows on and 
over Iho objects nearest to the front plane of the com- 
position." 

Whenever I stand before these gates, I cannot help 
thinking of the mighty procession of great men, 
headed by Michael Angelo, who have marched be- 
fore them and given them their meed of admiration. 
Artists, sculptors, architects and poets have all ad- 
mired the gates of Ghiberti, and the Campanile of 
Giotto. As when before the Ihfing Gladiator and the 
ApoUo Bdvidere yon think that here, not many years 
ago stood Byron, so before these works of Florentine 
Art,the mind recalls that glorious company of mighty 
men who, each in their turn, have stood before these 
wondrous doors. Yet the last time I visited them I 
could raise little enthoosy-moosy, because of the un- 
poetic objects by which they were surrounded. You 
know that the Place in front of the Cathedral and 
Baptistery is given over to hucksters of every kind. 
The steps of the Cathedral,which bearaBronelleschi's 
wondrous dome, accommodates vast mass meetings 
of earthen pots, — the Campanile of Giotto is sur- 
rounded by venders of old brass — second-hand bod- 
steads most do congregate about the Baptistery, and 
I actually had to force a passage, wading ankle deep 
in gridirons, to approach 

fhoee doors bo marrellottely wrought 

That they might ierve to be tiie gates of Heaven. 

Just to think of the Ufflzii Gallery, and to remem- 
ber that many long years will elapse before I see it 
again, is enough of itself to set me crazy. There is 
the 7W6una, that marvellous chamber that contains 
so many gems of Art! I will say nothing of the 
Venus de Medici^ or of the Venuses of Titian ; every 
body knows what they are, and for my part they did 
not afford me near as much pleasure as one compara- 
tively unnoticed picture of Guercino — a sleeping 
Endymion. It represents nothing but a boy sitting 
against a rock, with his head supported by his arm. 
His eyes are closed. A staff leans against the rock, 
and were it not for the crescent moon above, he would 
be taken for a St. John^ rather than an Endymion. 
But such a beautiful face ! It is of the kind that 
Guercino alone can paint. Of course my words can 
give you no idea of its angelic beauty, and I can only 
say that it is equal to the boy face of Guercino's San 
SdKutian at the Capitol in Home. If you have never 
seen that either, I can do nothing further to make 
you comprehend the beauty of this Endymion, and 
my advice is for you to sell all your goods and chat- 
tels, and go right away to Florence. If you can't 
afford to ride in the Diligence or rail-car, walk! run, 
crawl — get there some way — I don't care how — 
only get there, and then go right to the Tribuna and 
tell me whether you have ever seen a more lovely 
picture than the Endymion of Guercino. 

Now I hold it to bo an undeniable fact, that the 
easiest thing in the world for a traveller to write about 
is a picture-gallery, and nothing offers such a tempta- 
tion to the scribbling tourist as the Uffizii. A travel- 
ler who will visit one of these glorious galleries and 
not write about it, is a miracle of abstemiousness. 
Your genuine scribbling tourist, although he knows 
nothing at all about paintings, will never let such an 
opportunity pass without indulging in a series of 
wise and owlish criticisms, and the less he knows 
upon the subject, the more he will write, and the more 



48 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the folks who read will be pleased with his remarks, 
and when they lay down the book or paper will say, 
like Sir Leicesf^r Dedlock, *< The man that wrote 
that article has a well-balanced mind." So, if so 
many people who know nothing of the subject may 
scrawl about paintings, why may not I ? And why 
may not some poor deluded creature read my re- 
marks and give me too, the credit of having a well- 
balanced mind ? 

There is the St, John of Bafael in th» Tribuna ; but 
of that I shall not speak ; nor of the Holy Family of 
Michael Angelo. I would like to dilate a little about 
the Madonna and child of Correggio, but a more fit- 
ting tribute to its merits than any I could frame, is 
in the fact, that at present there are over three hun- 
dred applications registered from different artists for 
permission to copy it I 

If one wants a contrast from this lovely little pic 
ture, he can find it by stepping into the next room 
and examining that awful Head of Medusa by Cara- 
vaggio. It is in every respect a startling production. 
Instead of being painted on an ordinary plane of 
canvass, it appears upon a convex, almost hemispheri- 
cal surface, making the subject stand out the more 
vividly. The mouth is open, as if you could hear the 
shriek of desperate agony ; the eyes are awful with 
their look of malice and revenge, as yet unweakened 
by the horrors of death. It is such a picture that you 
dream about it at night. It is a picture that haunts 
you. Vasari tells a stoiy of some artist who painted 
a picture in a church at Perugia, in which he intro- 
duced the devl, and he called up before his mind 
such a vivid idea of Satan, that the evil spirit he him- 
self had conjured overcame him, and he went crazy, 
haunted by the dreadful picture he himself had 
painted. This Medusa is capable of producing such 
an effect. 

Then there is the better known Medusa's Head, by 
Leonardo da Vinci, ¥rith its cold slimy snakes, that 
make you dread to approach it, and with the toads 
and lizards and other reptiles creeping about. But 
there is a great difference between the Medusa of Da 
Vinci and that of Caravaggio. In the former, it is 
a dead relic of past horrors — in the latter it is still 
gifted with life, though but a bodiless head ; it actually 
seems too wicked to die. 

Then, from these frightful objects what a relief to 
turn to the beautiful little cabinet pictures of Albano. 
I remember a lovely one — a Repose on the Flight into 
Egypt. Angels have accompanied the Holy Family, 
and as they rest, one is ofiering flowers to the Infant 
Jesus — another is flying with a water-jug under his 
arm to fill it at a neighboring spring, while three 
little cherubs ore hovering above. The cherubs of 
Albano are perfect, and in none of his works do they 
appear more lovely than in one principal picture, 
which at once arrests the attention of the visitor. It 
is a circular picture, and represents a Christ-child, 
arrayed in simple drapery, standing with his hands 
upraised and his face upturned, as if praying for 
strength to fulfil his mighty destiny of suffering. 
Little angels and cherubs are floating around through 
the air. Some with their tiny strength are vainly 
trying to push down a cross that, rooted in the 
ground, resists their efforts ; others are examining the 
instruments of " His Passion ; " one is looking with 
sympathizing grief and wonder at the nails — one is 
grasping tha hammer — one upholding the spear — 
one has the scourge — while another, hovering above, 
upholds the crown of thorns over the bead of the 
Christ-child, on whom the Heavenly Father is looking 
with love and compassion. 

# * # * 

During my stay at Florence, I went to FtesoM, 
where Galileo gazed at the stars. I was especially 
induced to make this visit by having once heard a 
powerful and interesting account of it given by an 
acquaintance at a " little music " and tea conversa- 
zione. It was a vivid description and I envied the 



writer who had enjoyed the reality, until one day I 
learned fh)m his own lips that he had never been there ! 
Then I became pensive at the thought of the dupli- 
city of mankind, and might have become a hypochon- 
driac, had I not been consoled by remembering that 
after all, this was but anotlier argument in favor of 
my well-known and stupendous theory, viz, namely, 
to wit : that every living human creature is more or 
less of a humbug, and generally more. Nevertheless 
I had a delightful visit to Fiesold, and enjoyed espe- 
cially the view from the little mountain city of the 
Campagna of Florence, the same view which Sogers 
so beautifully describes : 

let US from the top of Fieiol6, 

Whence Galileo's glass by night observed 
The phases of the moon, look round below 
On Amo's vale, where the dove-oolored steer 
Is ploughing up and down among the vines. 
While many a careless note is flung around 
miing the air with sweetness, — and on tiiee, 
Beautiftil Florence, all within thy walls. 
Thy groTes and gardens, pinnaoles and towers 
Drawn to our feet. 

To make an instantaneous leap over any required 
amount of time or space is one of the undeniable pre- 
rogatives of novelists, and people afflicted with 
enthoosy-moosy. So you will at once accompany 
me as I fly from the heights of Fiesol^ and alight in 
the Cascine. 

Of course vou now what the Cascine is. You are 
perfectly aware that it is the fashionable resort of all 
Florence every fair afternoon, and that it extends for 
miles along the Amo ; but still if you have never 
been there you can form little idea of its exquisite 
beauty. Long drives on the smoothest of roads, em- 
bowered in trees, offer every inducement to those who 
wish to ride, while the pedestrian finds a still greater 
delight in strolling along the wide path that skirts 
the river's bank. There is always a perpetual ver- 
dure in the Cascine, for even in mid winter, when the 
trees are denuded of leaves, the creeping vines that 
flourish at that season, and that cover their trunks 
and their lower boughs with the emerald drapery, 
quite make up the deficiency. Then the sunsets from 
the Cascine I ^h ! how glorious they are ! I have 
seen a great many sunsets, — I have seen the sun set 
from the Pincian Hill of Rome, over the Calton Hill 
of Edinburg, — behind the mighty banks of the Sa- 
gucnay, and behind the mountains of New Hamp- 
shire, but never have I seen more richly glorious sun- 
sets than from the Cascine of Florence. On the 
opposite side of the Amo are long rows of poplars, 
at tills season denuded of foliage, and their long slen- 
der trunks seem like the bars of some enormous cage, 
behind which the captive sun is slowly dying. What 
a pleasure it is at that sweet hour, to stroll away from 
the gay crowds that throng the most frequented part 
of the Cascine, and wander along tlie river's bank, 
listen to the ringing of the convent bell, and yield 
oneself entirely to the mild, pensive influence of the 
scene. That poet, who has so sweetly sung of 
Italy, Rogers, beautifully describes such an hour 
and such a scene : 

But lo ! the sun is setting ; earth and sky 
One blase of glory — what we see but now 
As tho' it were not, tho' it had not been ! 
He lingers yet; and, lessening to a point. 
Shines like the eye of Heaten; then withdraws ! 
And from the senith to the utmost skirts, 
All is celestial red ! the hour is come 
When they that sail along the distant seas 
Languish for home, and they that in the mom 
Said to sweet friends, " fkrewell," melt as at parting; 
When, Jost gone forth, the pilgrim. If he hears 
As now we hear it — echoing round the hill, 
The bell that seems to mourn the dying day, 
Slackens his pace and sighs, and those he loved, 
Lores more than ever. 

Well, at last I have left Florence — perhaps, for- 
ever — and though I meant to say something about 
my poor dear Casa Padrona, I will let it pass and 
dream awhile about this loved and lost Florence. 

Trovator. 



Spetial Itetins. 



DBSCRIPTIVB LIST OF THE 

PnUialied br O. Dltaoa & Co. 

Vocal. 

Silver Spring Pebbles. Song and Chorus. 

L. 0. Emerson. 25 
Full of Pathos. The poetry by G. M. Dowe, Big. 

Bonny Jem of Aberdeen. Scotch song. 25 

Pretty, simple and taking ; jost the kind of song to 
make a " hit " at a Concert. 

The Happy Hour of Meeting. Song. Ihnizftti. 25 
An Inspiring song In tho Tempo of a Polaeea,thorough- 
ly operatic in style. 

Sweet Spring. Ballad. Wrifj^ton. 25 

A gnod song with which to greet the joyous season. 
Pretty and fresh. 

Spirit Voice of Bell Brandon. J. B. Benrdslee. 25 
This is an answer and companion to the popular song 
of *' Boll Brandon," and, once known, will appear 
to the friends of the latter an indispensable sequel. 

Jessie's Dream, or the Relief of Lucknow. 

J. BlorUey. 40 
The Ihncy of the composer seems to hsTe been taken 
BO much with this dramatic stoiy, that one HIuk- 
tration of his able pen did not satisfy him. This 
version is of a more dramatic turn than the other, 
being tnterRpencd with Highland Marches as inter- 
ludes, indicating the adTance of tho stout friends 
of the brave lass. 40,000 cap\m of the ig» cH^h edit- 
ion have been sold. 



25 



JuUien. 25 



Xnatruxneiital Mnalo for Piano. 

Return of Spring. Mazurka. WhiUemere. 

A very melodious little Mazurka, which will prove a 
welcome addition to the library of the lovers of 
light music. Rather easy. 

Fife Polka. 

Excellent Ibr the Ball-room. 

Good Bye, Sweetheart. Quick March. Rimhavk. 30 
A yerf fine March of but modoiate difBculty. In the 
Trio, '^ Home, Sweet Home " is introduced with 
ehazming effect. 

For Brass Bands. 

Sultana Polka, by D* Albert. Anangcd bv 

^urdift. 1.00 
This Is the Polka now in vogue. It makes a splendid 
Quick March as well as a highly pleasing Concert or 
Serenading piece. The arrangement needs no re- 
commendation. It will be remembered, that Mr. 
Burditt is the arranger of that fine series of pieces 
for Brass Bands, printed on cards, called, " Ditson's 
BrssB Band Mu.«lc," and as such is ikvorably known 
to almost every Brass Band in tiie country. 

Books. 

Western Bell, (The). A collection of Glees* 
Quartets, and Choruses. By Edward A. Perkins 
and Frederick H. Pease. 
An advertisement of this new and elegant volume of 
vocal munic will be found in this number of the 
'* Journal." Few books, if sny, of this class have 
emanated from the American preM, which we can so 
fVilly and honestly recommend to the musical ama- 
teur. The charge that has been often, and with 
good reason, brought against collections of Qlee and 
Choruses, that they were merely old matter In a 
new form, will never srise in Judnnent upon this, 
for it boars on every page that fresh and original 
look that will commend it to the ftvor of all who 
are seeking for something new in this direction. 
It is not anno eoOertion of Qlees but a eoUection of 
new Glees, the poetry and music, for the most 
part having been written expressly for the work, 
and never before published. Its typography and 
binding are an advance on previous Qlee Books ■— 
the former being the result of new type, and the 
latter exceedingly neat and tssty. A handsomer 
book in its general appearance, or a more meritor- 
ious one in its contents has not appeared for a cen- 
tury past and may not for some time to come. 

Golden Harp (The). A collection of Hymns, 
Tunes, and Choruses, for the use of Sabbath 
Schools, Social Gatherings, Pic-nics, and the Home 
Circle. Bv L. 0. Emerson, author of the " Golden 
Wreath," kc, &c. Price, 25 

Upwards of Thirty Thousand Copies of the " Golden 
Wreath " have been sold rince its introduction to 
the public about Atteen. months since. This un- 
usu^Iy large sale has been on account of the great 
number, variety, and popularity of the pieces it 
contains for Public Schools and the Home Circle, 
and the peculiar adaptation of its lessons and exer- 
cises to the wants of teachers and scholars. The 
present work Is designed to occupy another field, 
and to flimish for reUjgious instruction and exercise 
equally as excellent a oompilation of words and 
music as is supplied by the former for secular use. 
The special attention of Clergymen, Sabbath School 
Superintendents, Teachers and Parents of all de- 
nominations will command for the '* Golden Harp '' 
but one opinion in regard to it as the result of au 
admirable plan well carried out. 




toiij|t'5 




uxul 





ViSXt^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1858. 



Whole No. 319. 



Vol. Xm. No. 7. 



The Sanctns. 

From the Gemuui of E. T. A. nopnfARN. 

The Doctor thoughtfully shook his head. " So/' 
said the Chapel-master, impetuously, as he sprang 
from the seat, "Bettina's catarrh is actually to 
prove serious ? " 

The Doctor tapped the floor three or four times 
quite softly, with nis Spanish cane, took out his 
snuff box and replaced it without sniffing ; looked 
upward fixedly as if counting the rosettes on the 
curtain, and coughed harshly, without speaking a 
word. 

Then burst forth the Chanel-master, half be- 
side himself,ibr he understood this pantomime of 
the Doctor, as clearly as if he had uttered in liv- 
ing words : — A bad, bad case — I know not how 
to counsel or advise. I am as completelv frus- 
trated in my attempts as that Doctor in Gil Bias 
of Santillana. 

*• Speak it out plainly ! *' cried he, angrily. 
'* Do you mean to say that this simple hoarseness, 
which Bettina brouj^ht upon herself by the care- 
less manner in which sne WTapi>ed her shawl 
around her, as she left the churcn, is to cost the 
young girl her life ?** 

*^ Not exactly/' said the Doctor, while he again 
took out his snuff box, this time actually sniffin«: ; 
" but the probability is that during her whole life 
she will never sing another note." 

The Chapel-master clenched both hands in his 
hair, till the powder flew all around him, and ran 
up and down the room crying, as if mad : 

*^ Never sing again ? never sing again ? Bettina 
never sing again ? Give up all her magnificent 
canzonets — her wonderful Boleros and Seguidil- 
las, that stream from her lips like sounding flower 
fragrance ? Never again hear from her a pious 
Affnus or consoling Benedictusf Oh I oh! no 
Miserere, that purified my soul from ever}' earthly 
strain, from all wicked thoughts, and opened upon 
me a whole rich world of pure spiritual themes ? 
You lie ! Doctor, you lie ! Satan tempts you to 
deceive me. The church organist, who has felt 
for me the most bitter envy, since I brought out 
that astonishing Qui toUiSj which has delighted 
the world, has bribed you to this. You seek to 
plunge me in despair, that I may throw my new 
mass into the Are ; out if he thought the plan would 
succeed, you shall find to the contrary. Here — 
here I swear it, Bettiua's solo (and he struck the 
marble table till every thing on it rattled,) shall 
be as magnificent as ever ; she shall sing again 
her high notes, as clear as a bell." 

The Chapel-master seized his hat and was 
((oing out, but the Doctor held him back, saying, 
in a soft, low voice : " I honor your praiseworthy 
enthusiasm, most esteemed friend, but I really do 
not exaggerate the case, neither do I know the 
organist, and this is simply the fact. Since Bet- 
tina sang the solos in the Gloria and Credo, in 
the mass, in the Catholic Church, she has been 
troubled with the self-same hoarseness, and has 
even at times lost her voice still more, so defying 
both mv art and me, that, as I said before, I fear 
she will never sing again." 

" Well, then," said the Chapel-master, resign- 
ing himself to his despair, " give her opium — 
opium, and continue to give it to her until she 
sinks gently in the arms of death ; then will she 
sing no more, for she will live no more. She 
lives only when she sings ; she exists but in song. 
Most worthy Doctor, do me the favor to poison 
h€r — the sooner the better. I have connections 
in the criminal college ; I studied with the Presi- 
dent, in Halle ; he was a great bugler — we blew 
together the Bizinien, in the night time, with an 
obligato chorus of little dogs and cats chuning in. 
No harm shall hap|)en to you on account of 
this honorable murder; but poison her — poison 
her." 



" He," said the Doctor, interrupting the sput- 
tering Chapel-master, "is alrea^ly advancea in 
years and nas woni his hair powdered for a long 
timt, and though distinguished for music, con- 
cerning this matter would be a coward. Such a 
sinful murder and death-blow is not so lightly 
spoken of. But sit down quietly in this comfort- 
aole arm-chair, and listen to what I have to say 
to you." 

The Chapel-master answered in a whining 
voice: "What shall I hear now?" at the same 
time, however, taking the seat. 

"Bettina's case," continued the Doctor, "is 
indeed singular and remarkable. In speaking, 
she has the full use of her organs ; one can hardly 
think it a common dLoease of the throat, for she 
can give out very clearly some musical tones ; 
but the moment she attempts a high note, an in- 
comprehensible something seizes her, which, 
though neither sticking, pricking, nor scratching, 
nor anything else which is afHrmative, proves a 
diseased principle, so tliat every attempted tone, 
besides being impure and thick, is short and 
husky, and suddenly vanishes. Bettina herself 
compares her situation to that of one in a dream, 
who, with the fullest conviction of power to fly, 
vainly strives to move at all. This morbid, nega- 
tive condition mocks my art, and renders all the 
usual remedies unavailing. The foe that I have 
to encounter, like a bodiless apparition, evades all 
my blows. In that point. Chapel-master, you are 
right, for Bettina's whole existence is in sons ; 
one can only think of this little bird of Paradise 
as singing. It is through her imagination, which 
continually incites her, that her sqpg, and with it 
herself, is sinking away ; and I am very nearly 
convinced, that her ill health is owing to this 
continued meptal excitement, which renders my 
art useless. She is, as she acknowledge!*, of a 
very sensitive nature, and I have thought, for this 
month past, like a ship-wrecked person, who now 
snatches at that splinter, now at this, and grasp- 
ing at every means, yet after a while becomes 
dismayed, that Bettina's whole illness is more 
psychical than physical." 

" Right, Doctor," broke in the wandering En- 
thusia^ who all this time had been sitting silently 
in the comer, rubbing his hands together. " This 
once you have hit the right point, most excellent 
physician ! Bettina's diseased state is the physi- 
cal efiect of a spiritual cause, but on that account 
all the worse and more dangerous. I, I alone, 
gentlemen, can explain it all to you." 

" What shall I hear now ? " again said the 
Chapel-master, in the same whining voice as be- 
fore ; and the Doctor drew his chair nearer to 
the Enthusiast, and gazed upon him with a sin- 
gular smile on his face. The wandering Enthu- 
siast glanced upward, and commenced, without 
looking at the Doctor or Chapel-master. 

" Chapel-master, I have seen a many-colored 
butterfly who had engaged himself between the 
strings of your double clavichord. As the little 
creature fluttered delightedly up and down, he 
struck with his bright winglets now the upper, 
now the lower strings, which breathed so softly, 
so gently, that only the acutest and most accus- 
tomed ear could distinguish the tone and accord, 
till at last the fragile thing appeared to swim in 
the oscillations, as on soft heaving waves, which 
seemed to be produced by him. But it happened, 
that a more strongly touched string vibrated, as 
if irritated by the wings of the merr}* fluttcrer, 
so that wounded, it scatterad around its variegat- 
ed flower dust. Yet still the butterfly continued 
to flit about, with its joyous murmur and song, 
till, the string wounding it more and more sharply, 
it at length silently sank into the aperture of the 
sounding board." 



"What would you have that say to me?" 
asked the Chapel-master. 

" Fiat applicatio, dear sir," said the Doctor. 

" I did not intend a special application," said 
the Enthusiast. " I actually heard the above- 
mentioned butterfly play upon the Chapel- 
master's clavichord. I only wished to convey in 
general an idea that then came to me, and so 
tolerably introduce what I would say of Bettina's 
illness. You know the whole, but look at it as 
an allegor}' written in the Album of a wandering 
virtuoso. It seems to me as if nature had sur- 
rounded us with a clavichord of a thousand 
strings, upon whose strings we play, believing its 
tones and chords to be voluntarily produced, and 
are often wounded to death without knowing that 
an unharmoniously touched string has given us 
the fatal blow." 

" Very obscure ! " said the Chapel-master. 

" Oh ! " cried the Doctor, laughing, " only pati- 
ence. He will sit upon his hobby-horse, and take 
a gallop through the world of forebodings, 
dreams, spiritual influences, s^-mpathies, idiosyn- 
cracies, &c., till he arrives at the station of mag- 
netism, where he will dismount and take break- 
fast." 

" Peace, peace, my wise Doctor," said the wan- 
dering Enthusiast. " Revile not things that you, 
struggle against them &s you will, must yet ac- 
knowledge with hurailitv, and highly respect 
Have you not yourself said that Bettina's illness 
was produced by a spiritual cause — or, rather, is 
only a spiritual disease ? " 

" But what has Bettina to do with the unfor- 
tunate butterfly ? " broke in the Doctor. 

" If one," continued the Enthusiast, " would 
attempt to sift it, dividing all to a nicety, weigh- 
ing each little grain, it would be a labor that 
would extend itself most tediously. Let the but- 
terfly rest in the Chapel-master's clavichord. 
And besides, say yourself. Chapel-master, is it 
not a genuine misfortune that most holy music 
has become an integral part of our conversation ? 
This glorious gift will be dragged down into com- 
mon, ever}'-day life. Instead of dwelling, as be- 
fore, in the holy distance, even in the wondrous 
Heaven-realm, tones and melodies have straved 
down to us, till we have the whole matter fairly 
by the hand, and know exactly how many cups 
of tea the Soprano, how many glasses of wine 
the Bass mu.st drink, in order to come to the 
necessary' exaltation. I know well that it aids 
a club, who, seized with the true spirit of music, 
practise together with earnest devotion. But 
each miserable, ornamented, overloaded, . . . 
Pshaw ! I will not vex myself. Wlien I was hero 
la.st year, Bettina was exactly in the same con- 
dition. She was, as one may say, bewitched — 
she could do nothing i^ithout tea. It became a 
necessar}' ingredient of a Spani.sh romance, an 
Italian canzonet, or even the little French love- 
song, Sourent Vamour^ &c., which she so oflen 
sang. I feared, indeed, that the poor child would 
drown herself and her glorious talent in the sea 
of tea-water that she poured down. It hap- 
pened not so ; but the catastrophe draws near." 

" What catastrophe ? " cried, at once, the Doc- 
tor and the Chapel-master. 

" See, dear sir," continued the Enthusiast, "the 
poor Bettina is entirely, as one may say, enchant- 
ed, or bewitched ; and, ha«l «s it is for me to 
confess it, I acknowledge that 1 — I, alone, am the 
wizani who has accomplished this bad work ; and 
now, like a dabbler in magic, cannot undo what 
I have done." 

" Nonsense ! nonsense ! and we sit here, with 
the utmost patience, and allow ourselves to be 
mystified by the irony of this miscreant," ex- 
claimed the Doctor, springing up. 



50 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



" To the Devil with you 1 " cried the Doctor. 
" The catastrophe ! the catastrophe ! " 

" Quietlv, gentlemen, quietly," said the Enthu- 
siast. " Now comes a matter of fact, that I can 
vouch for, holdinc; my witchcraft as a jest, not- 
withstanding, which sometimes falls heavily on 
my heart — that I, unaccjuainted with Bettina, 
without wish or intention, may have exercised 
over her this power, by means of spiritual influ- 
ences. In the manner of a conductor, I mean, 
as in the electric circle, where the shock passes 
from one to the other, without any volition of 
their own." 

" Heyday ! " cried the Doctor, ** see how the 
hobbv-horse bears away its gallant rider." 

" 6ut the story, the storj*," said the Doctor. 

" You have already mentioned, Chapel-master," 
continued the Enthusiast, *^ that Bettma, the last 
time she lost her voice, had been singing in the 
Catholic Church. You remembered tliat this 
happened on Easter day, last year. You were 
dressed in your dark robes of honor, and led that 
glorious mass of Haydn's in D flat. A young, 
gracefully dressed maiden sang the Soprano, and 
yet did not sing it wholly ; near her stood Betti- 
na, who, with a wonderfully strong, full voice, 
poured forth the Solo. You know that I myself 
sang the Tenor. The Sanctus had commenced. 
A thrill of the deepest devotion vibrated through 
me. A disturbance behind me caused me sud- 
denly to turn round, and I saw, to my great 
astonishment, Bettina seeking to press through 
the rows of musicians and singers, to leave the 
choir. * Are vou goin^ V ' asked I. • It is hijfh 
time,' she replied very kindly, * that I should re- 
pair to the cnurch of , where I have promised 

to sinv in a cantata, and I must also practise two 
duets before noon, that I must execute this even- 
ing, one at the tea-party at , and the other 

at the little supper at . Shall you be there ! 

There will be two choruses from Handel's 
* Messiah,' and the first Finale to * Figaro's Wed- 
ding.' 

" As we spoke, the full accord of the Sanctus 
sounded forth, and the frankincense rolled in blue 
clouds through the roof of the church. * Know 
you not,' said I, ' that it is sinful ? that one does 
not go unpunished, who leaves the church during 
the Sanctus ? You will never sing again in the 
church.' I said it in joke, and knew not how 
savagely my words sounded. She turned pale 
and left the church in silence. From that mo- 
ment she lost her voice." 

During all this time, the Doctor sat with his 
chin resting on the head of his cane. He remain- 
ed silent, but the Chapel-master exclaimed, 
" Wonderful indeed ! very wonderful ! " 

" Indeed," continued the Enthusiast, " at that 
time I had no especial meaning in my words, and 
I did not connect Bettina's loss of voice with the 
occurrence in the church in the slightest degree. 
But now, since I returned here, and learned from 
you, Doctor, that Bettina had ever since suffered 
from this miserable illness, it at once reminded 
me of a story which I read many years ago in an 
old book, which I will relate to you, for it is a 
graceful and touching tale." 

" Tell it," cried the Chapel-master ; ** one may 
find a good subject for a fine opera therein." 

"Do you know. Chapel-master," said the Doc- 
tor, "if*^you can set dreams, forebodings, and 
magnetic cases, to music, you may be greatly 
helped, for so the story will turn out" 

Without waiting for the Chapel-master to an- 
swer, the wandering Enthusiast cleared his throat, 
and with loud voice bej^an : 

" The camp of Ferdinand and Isabella of 
Arragon spresid itself out to a vast extent before 
the walls of Granada." 

" Lord of Heaven and Earth ! " burst forth the 
Doctor, interrupting the story-teller — " beginning 
there it would not end for nine days and nine 
nights, and I must sit here and let my pati- 
ents suffer. To the devil with your Moorish tale ! 
1 have read Gonsalvo of Cordova and listened to 
Bettina's Seguidillas — but tliis Basta — all that 
it's fit for, is ... . Adieu." 

The Doctor quickly sprang out at the door, but 
the Chapel-master remained quietly sitting, whilst 
he said: 



" It will be a talc about the wars of the Moors 
and Spaniards, as I observe ; about which I have 
languished to compose something. Wars, tumults, 
romances, processions, cymbals, chorals, drums, 
and kettle-drums — ah, yes, kettle-tlrums — these 
can all be introduced. Go on, most worthy En- 
thusiast ; who knows what valuable seed-oom this 
wished for story may cast into my mind, and what 
giant flowers may sj>ring therefrom?" 

" You are now Chanel-master," answered the 
Enthusiast " It would be too much like the 
opera, thence it would happen that rational peo- 
ple, whom the music would afi*ect like a strong 
dram, though one now and then might enjoy it in 
small doses, as a cordial, would pronounce you 
mad. But I will tell it you, and you may fear- 
lessly act upon it at your pleasure — occasionally 
throwing in accords." 

The writer feels him.self obliged, before copy- 
ing the story of the Enthusiast, to say to the 
worthy reader, that for brevity's sake, when he 
would point out where the Chapel-master comes 
in, with his accords, instead of writing — " Here 
speaks the Chapel-master," he will simply say — 
The Chapel-master. 

" The camp of Ferdinand and Isabella of 
Arragon spread itself out to a vast extent before 
the walls of Granada. Vainly hoping for succor, 
and daily shut in more and more closely, the 
faint-hearted Boabdil was discouraged. He was 
bitterly hated by the people, who in mockery 
called him the Little King, and found only a 
momentar}' confidence in offerings of the most 
bloodthirsty cruelty. Ever in the degree in 
which cowardice and despair seized on the inhab- 
itants and anny of Granada, faith in victory and 
delight in battle filled the Spanish camp. There 
was no need of attack. Ferdinand contented 
himself with besieging the walls, and repulsing 
the attacks of the besieged. These little skir- 
mishes appeared more like joyous tournaments, 
than severe battles; and afler them they col- 
lected the dead, and celebrated their decease, 
with all the pageantry of the church service, as 
if for holy martyrs. Isabella lived retired in the 
camp, where she had caused to be erected, in the 
midst, a high wooden building, with many towers, 
from the summit of which waved the banner of 
the cross. It was arranged within as a monastery 
and a church, where the Benedictine nuns daily 
held divine service. The Queen with her fol- 
lowers, accompanied by her riders, came each 
morning to hear the mass which the confessor 
read, and the nuns sang together in the choir. 
It happened one morning that Isabella noticed a 
voice, that, with wonderful bell-like clearness, 
drowned all the others. The song was listened 
to, as the desponding warbler listens to the night- 
ingale, who. Princess of the woods, surpassed all 
the other tribes. And there was something so 
foreign in the pronunciation, so peculiar in the 
whole style, that it was evident the singer was 
unaccustomed to church music, and perhaps now 
sang in a mass for the first time in her life. 
Isabella seemed greatly surprised, and observed 
that her followers were seized with the same 
astonishment She at once anticipated that some 
strange adventure was going on, for the brave 
General Aguillar, who had joined her train, 
caught her eye. Kneeling in the orator}', his 
eves were fixed upon the choir, with an expres- 
sion of most fervent, intense aspiration. As the 
mass was ended, Isabella went to the chamber of 
Donna ^laria, the Prioress, and inquired about 
the strange singer. * Will you, O Queen,' said 
Donna Maria, * call to mind that for a month 
past, whilst Don Aguillar has sought to overthrow 
the outworks and conquer Granada, that the 
walls, surrounded by a magnificent terrace, have 
served as a place of pleasure. Each night the 
wanton song of the heathen, from that enticing 
svren voice, sounded over into our camp, and 
Don Aguillar was the more zealous, therefore, to 
destroy this nept of sin. Already were the works 
taken, already were the women, imprisoned dur- 
ing the battle, carried away, when an unexpect- 
ed reinforcement, notwithstanding a brave de- 
fence, overpowered him, and drove him back into 
the camp. The enemy ventured not to follow 
him; therefore the prisoners and all the rich 



booty remained his. Among the female prison- 
ers, there was one, whose inconsolable grief, 
whose despair, excited the attention of Don 
Aguillar. 

** * He approached the veiled one, with friendly 
words, but m her grief she had no speech but 
music. She took a cithern, suspcnaed by a 
golden band from her neck, and played thereon 
a romance that moaned in profound sighs, heart- 
rending tones, the separation from the beloved, 
from all life's joys. Aguillar, deeply impressed 
by the wonderAil tones, concluded to send back 
the prisoner to Granada. She prostrated herself 
before him, whilst she threw back her veil. 
Aguillar cried out, *■ Art thou not Zulema, the 
light of song in Granada ? ' It was indeed Zule- 
ma, whom Aguillar had seen when Ambassador 
at Boabdil's Court, whose wonderful music had 
sunk deep in his breast * I give you your free- 
dom,' saia the General. But the worthy father 
Agostino Sanchez, who marched forward, cross 
in hand, exclaimed, * Rememberest thou, my lord, 
that when thou settest this prisoner free, tliou 
doest her great injustice ; for thou retumest her 
to idolatr}', when, perhaps, with us the grace of 
God may enlighten her, and she may be received 
into the bosom of the Mother Church.' AguilUr 
answered, * she shall remain with us a month, and 
then, if the Spirit of the Lord prevails not with 
her, she shall return to Granada.' And so it hap- 
pened, O ! Queen, that Zulema was received by 
us into the Convent. At first she yielded entire- 
ly to her inconsolable grief; but soon wild and 
mournful music was heani, and then heart-touch- 
ing romances, which filled the whole convent, and 
over all, the outgushing of her clear, bell-like 
voice. It happened one night, that we sang 
together in the church, after midnight, the won- 
derfully beautifiil Ora, which that hijrh master of 
song, Ferrera, had taught In the bright light I 
observed Zulema standing in the open dooi^way 
of the choir, quiet and thoughtful, gazing upon 
us with earnest look. As we in couples left the 
choir, Zulema knelt and sang before an image of 
the Virgin. Since that day she has sung no 
romances, but remained still in inward contem- 
plation. Soon she sought to recall, upon her 
deep voiced cithern, the chorals which we sang 
in the church, and then would sing them in a 
low, gentle voice, seeking to remember the words 
of our hymns, and pronouncing them with strange 
beauty in her foreign tongue. I marked well 
that the spirit of the Lord, in mild, confiding tones, 
spoke to her in music ; and that her heart was open 
to His grace. Therefore I sent to her the sister 
Emanuela, mistress of the choir, that she might 
fan the glimmering torch to a flame ; and thus it 
happened, that in holy song the faith of the 
Church has been enkindled in her. Zulema has 
not yet been received through holy baptism into 
the bosom of the Church ; but we shall permit 
her to join our choir, and so devote her wonderfiil 
voice to the glory of religion.' The Queen now 
understood what passed in Aguillar's mind, when 
he yielded to Father Agostino's remonstrance, 
and did not send Zulema back to Granada, but 
placed her in the convent, and rejoiced greatly 
at her converaon to the true faith. In a few 
days, Zulema was baptized, and took the name 
of Julia. The Queen herself, the Marquis of 
Cadiz, Henry of Gusman, and the Generals 
Mendoza aixi Villena, were the witnesses of this 
holy act 

[Conelniiion nextw«ek.] 



From the.Boston Courier. 

An Ancient Song: 

Recently dlseorcred and modemiied by % member of the 
Percy Society, and now flnt made public. 

I. 

I know a little impresario. 

And a multum in panro is he. 
If you eyer should meet him, prepare ye, oh, 
To behold " the industrious flea." 
Sing heigh, my jolly Jolly Yule-man, ! 
Sing ho, my jolly Jolly Yule-man, I 
For he's rough and he's bluff, and he's ever so tougb« 
And if that's not enough, 
He's a most astonishingly cool man, ! 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1858. 



51 



n. 

nis friends they call htm a Napoleon,* 
And he reignK otrf muniral Oothnm. 
Ilif* wimlom and wit they reckon itolely on- 
Ill* cncmlen — he's nuro to oTerthrow them. 
Sinj; heigh, my Jolly Jolly Yule*man, 0! 
Sini; ho. my Jolly jolly Yule-man, 0! 
For he*8 shy and he's sly, and he's ever so spry, 
And he's got Ruch an eye ; 
Ile^B a mofft astonishingly cool man, 0! 

in. 

He valkn in the glittering Academy, 

And be watches the fine people enter. 
And he mutters — " Thew gay crowds foroshadoir me 
That mine is no profitless renture." 
Sing heigh, my Jolly Jolly Tule-man, 0! 
Sing ho, my Jolly Jolly Tule-man, 0! 
For he smirks and he Jerks, and he's fnll of his quirka, 
And his wise head he perks ; 
He's a most astonishingly cool man, 0! 

IV. 
When buaineas falb of, he seises his pen, 

And comes out with a stunning bulletin. 
Then be stands like a crafty old fox in his den, 
TO watch for the caah and to pull it in. 
Sing heigh, my Jolly jolly Yule-man, 0! 
Sing ho, my jolly jolly Yule-man, ! 
For he winks and ho blinks, as he hears the sweet chinks, 
And complacently thinks 
He's a most astonishingly cool man, 0! 

V. 
Ho laughs at the ninnies who riish to and fro 

In the mazefi of ninidral factions. 
For he knows Tcry well how to manage it so 
As to profit by all their mad actions. 
Sing heigh, my Jolly jolly Yule-man, 01 
Sing ho, my Jolly jolly Yule-raan, ! 
For his foes he can pone, so he turns up his nose, 
And erery way shows, 
Ho's a most astonishingly cool man, 0! 

VI. 
8o he proapera and thrives with hia operas gay, 

And his concerts so flishlonable; 
And he ne'er finds himself— whate'er be may say — 
To make out his caah unable. 
Sing heigh, my JoUy jolly Ynlo-man, 0! 
Sing ho, my jolly Jolly Yule-man, t ! 
For he knows all the throws, and just how the wind blows, 
And with it he goes — 
He's a most astonishingly cool man, ! 

* The antiquity of the song is so great that some portions 
are very dlfllcult to decipher. Thus it is Tery nearly impossi- 
ble to determine whether this line terminates *' a Napoleon,' 
or " an ApoUyon." 

t There is some doubt about the orth<^^phy of this word. 
" Yule" is an ancient term for a fcfltival day, more especially 
Christmas. It is supposed that "Yule-man" signifies, in thi 
case, one who has to do with fcstlTals and shows. In one or 
two placea in the manuaeript it is spelt " Ule-man," and in 
others " Ullman." It haa been deemed best, howerer, to adopt 
a anifoim style. 



Halevy^s New Opera, "La Magicienne." 



Correspondence of the New Orleans Picayune. 

Paris, March 21, 1858. — Hal<5vy has given 
ua his new opera, after six months' rehearsals — 
changes innumerable — forty thousand dollars of 
expenditure — (such are the conditions precedent 
to the execution of a grand opera ; it is no won- 
der they appear only once in two years !) We 
have had a surfeit of " properties ; " tastes of hell 
and glimpses of hell — genii, spirit«i, naiads, syrens, 
butterflies, gnomes, ^amanders, devils, pages, 
hinds, swains, nobles, vassals, heralds, chessmen, 
feudal castles and gothic cathedrals — brimstone 
and electric light — nude girls and vested priests 
— rivers and lakes — moonlight nijrht.** and amber 
sunrises — the " Child's Own Book " and the " Ara- 
bian Nights " rolliMl into five hours — ^in fine, forty 
thousand dollars of " properties;" for that is all — 
the music is but the Vauxhall slice of ham be- 
tween two great hunches of bread ; it is the mere 
pretext, the " talking of guns," which introduces 
a fairy piece from the Porte Saint Martin to the 
Grand Opera. It is evident that the new man- 
agers of the Opera are homeopathista of music, 
and relegate the old-fashioned allopathic mode 
of giving little scenery and much music to the 
Italian opera. They hold with the manager M. 
Hector Berlioz recendy described ; him who said, 



** The best music is that which in opera spoils 
nothing." 

** I mu.st, however, analyze the "book" (which 
is by M. de Saint GeorgCvS) for you. The title of 
the opera is La Magicicnne^ and although the 
" book " is not an adaptation of the old legend of 
Mclusina, it is founded upon it. According to 
the legend, Melu.«ina married Raimondin, Count 
de Forct, one of the founders of the family of 
Lusignan. She pos.«*essed great beauty and fasci- 
nating grace, but during the night she was half 
woman and half serpent. In their marriage con- 
tract was a clause providing that the husband 
should be satisfied to love his wife only during the 
day, but that he should never see her at night. 
The indiscreet husband, however, did not keep 
his promises, and he saw her during the transfor- 
mation; she gave a terrible scream and never 
appeared more. When the cm-tain rises on the 
new opera, it discovers the young Countess 
Blanche de Poitou in the hall of her castle, sur- 
rounded by her ladies and servants. Iler betroth- 
ed, Rene, who had long been absent on a crusade, 
is about returning, for the crusade is ended. A 
mysterious stranger, who has entered to crave 
hospitalitv, tells her that he met Ren^ encamped 
in a neigfiboring forest. The second scene shows 
us (and it is beautifully gotten up) this forest 
lighted up by one of those Neapolitan moons 
which are indeed "but daylight sick." Fairies 
and genii sport in their unhallowed games, for 
there is Molusina's, the Magician's, court. Rend 
in seen sleeping under a small tent. Melusina, 
who has fallen in love with him, in love like the 
panther " who strikes his claws into his female's 
loins when in the transports of his love," bends 
over the sleeper and sends him a dream in which 
he sees her in all her brilliant beauty. Ilis heart 
thrills at the si^ht. Blanche fades away from his 
memory, and Melusina occupies the heart she 
once possessed. lie wakes, and the sprites fade 
away into thin air. 

The sta^e represents in the second act a sub- 
terranean hall in Lusignan's castle, in the Oriental 
style, and adorned in a rich cabalistic manner, 
befitting Melusina's residence. She is seen con- 
sulting an old black art manuscript. Melusina 
was seduced by Stello, a famous necromancer, 
who revealed to her a portion of his infernal 
science, but retaining enough to enable him to 
exercise an absolute power over her. She is tired 
of this slaver}', and ashamed of the love she had 
for a moment for Stello, and pores over the book 
to procure some secret mode of breaking his spell. 
She is interrupted by the opening of the massy 
wall — Stello enters, and the Avail closes again. 
lie knows her love for Rend, and threatens her 
with his torments if she does not abandon it. 
She flies away while he is menacing her. Now 
we sec Rend in the castle of Blanche's father ; 
the latter presents Rene to everybody as his son- 
in-law ; his return is celebrated by dances, in the 
midst of which meek priests enter, bearing a 
tripod filled with burning incense, and followed 
by a veiled woman, who is called the Samnian 
sybil, but who is in reality Melusina. She comes 
to prevent the marriage of Rend and Blanche : 
" I our bride deceives you," says she to him ; 
" meet me at midnight in the castle garden and 
you shall see with your own eyes." 

" In the third act Melusina and Rene meet in 
the garden ; he recognizes in her the beauty of 
his dreams, and swears eternal fidelity to her if 
she proves Blanche false. " Look ! " says she. 
He looks and sees a handsome page singing under 
Blanche's windows ; the magician raises a phan- 
tom which appears on the balcony, make^ signs 
to the page, throws him a bouquet; it seems 
Blanche, and Rene believes ; while the open win- 
dow of a chapel discloses to tlie spectator the real 
Blanche on her knees at prayer, praying for her 
own Rend, while he takes Melusina's hand and 
swears love to her. 

Day breaks. A troop of peasants appear bear- 
ing a May-pole ; they erect it and dance rustic 
measures around it. Blanche and Rend arc left 
together; he reproaches her for her frailty in 
unmeasured terms, when her father enters and 
sees her kneeling with disheveled hair at Rend's 
feet ; the latter openly accuses her. Blanche, 



fearing her father's anger for Rend, confesses her 
guilt, and declares her intention of retiring to a 
convent. Melusina, who is afraid that Rend will 
relent at the sight of all this grief, causes a vio- 
lent tempest and carries him off" amid terrible 
peals of thunder, vivid flashes of lightning and 
the hissing of fast falling rain. 

The fourth act opens with the palace of Melu- 
sina, which is resplendent with light and precious 
stones, and golden plate. Rend has forgotten 
Blanche. But Stello bursts through these palace 
rocks, which close behind him ; Rend asks who is 
this intruder; they exchange bitter words and 
draw their swords, but Rend's sword drops firom 
his hand (what is ordinary steel to a magician's 
wand?) and Stello spares his life that he may 
tell him his new mistress is Melusina, that Blanche 
is pure, that his senses were juggled by the per- 
fidious Melusina when he took a phantom for his 
true-love, that at day-break Melusina assumes a 
form beyond expression horrible; as he speaks 
the sun rises, a greenish light like the color which 
mantles the loathsome, stagnant pool, or the livery 
of the frog, steals over her. Rend curses her, 
myriads of devils rise on all sides to join in his 
malediction. 

A picturesque valley appears with the fifth act; 
it is filled with ruined altars, cnunbling, ivv- 
crowned abbeys and venerable convent walls. 
Blanche appears, followed by her servants. 
Melusina enters ; she is a repentant woman, and 
seeks Blanche to obtain her pardon for all the 
wrongs she had done her. Blanche infuses to 
pai'don her, but hearing that the now undeceived 
Rend still loves her, she determines to aban- 
don her resolution of entering the convent. — 
Melusina in her despair turns her mind to the 
cloister, but here Stello appears, and claims her j 
as hell's property; Blanche retii-es, praying for 
Melusina as she goes into tlie convent where her 
father and Rend await her. Trumpets are heard 
in the bowels of the earth, and on every side 
spring from the firm soil demons and imps, who 
strive to drag Melusina down to their bottomless 
pit. The prayers of Rend, Blanche and her father 
are heard in the convent praying for Melusina. 
Tlie damned gnash their teeth and wail in agony 
at being so foiled ; Melusina cries " I believe ! I 
am a Christian ! " Hell's pensioners retire in dis- 
mav, buried in a convulsion of nature which, 
amid loud peals of thunder and the quaking of 
the earth and lurid flames, swallows them up ; 
while in the distance a beautiftil landscape, bath- 
ed in soft light, appears; a village procession 
advances to meet Blanche and Rend. On the 
other side Melusina expires in the arms of an 
abbess, the heavens open, a radiant cross is seen, 
angels fly up and down in the effulgence which 
pours from the realms of bliss, and Melusina's 
soul ascends to heaven. 

Mr. Berlioz says: "The leading qualities of 
the score of La Magkienne are strength and 
grandeur. It contains none of those combinations 
which require from the auditor a sort of laborious 
analysis, which is always fatiguing. All is clear 
and simple." AI. Fiorentino expresses a still more 
favorable opinion : " The author of La Juive^ la 
Reine de Chypre, Charles F/., and so many other 
profound and popular operas, has written a master 
score. The last act is, everjbody agrees, a chef 
(Vaiuvre ; M. Haldvy has never been more happily 
inspired." 

While the opinions of judges are .so favorable 
they also hold tliat it is impossible to execute this 
opera in any theatre except the two or three 
grand opera' houses of Europe. M. Haldvy — 
like every other -composer who writes for the 
grand opera — ^has been obliged to cut his piece 
a great deal to please the " property man " and 
the ballet master, and the chances are, the re«- 
dmim of music will not please, unless framed in 
as much car\'ed gold as wncn it first appeared. 

Gamma. 

^■» — 

(From Punch.) 

The German Liszt Gonfederation. 

There seems to be in the continental papers a grand 
Germanic confederation to praise Liszt. It is toujours 
Liszt, as with the Ghost in Hamlet, It is the mle, 
apparently, with all Teutonic editors, if there happens 
to he a crack, or a small cranny, in their paper, that 



52 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



wants filling; up, to dab in, inTariablv, a bit of LiBzt. 
This prevalence of the same commodity, that German 
editors resort to as often as their wits are wool^rather- 
ing, reminds one of an invalid's room. The constant 
look, and monotonous sound of the thing begins to 
weary one. 

However, we are not indisposed to believe all the 
magnificent things that are neing perpetually ding- 
donged in honor of ^ this wonderful Kapellmeister. 
On the contrary, we* are most anxious to open our 
oars wide to every stunning peal of praise that his fol- 
lowers are daily ringing m commemoration of his 
victorious merits. It is one glorious privilege, at- 
tached to the happy fact of being a musician, that the 
homage addressed to him is always of tbe most su- 
perlative kind. There are no pigmies in the art; 
they are all giants. What a musician of the most 
gigantic proportions is Wagner I what a Titan of 
music is Liiszt l The old Titans, we believe, tried to 
take Heaven by means of ladders. But tliese stupen- 
dous Titans of the fiddle and the piano-forte are in 
the habit of running up monster scales to Heaven, 
and bringing down with them on the tips of their 
fingers all the melody and music that is stored there 
in the keeping of the angels. At least, this is what 
their mad pupils tell you, and what we are consequently 
bound to believe. 'The Future, too, sings to them, 
years in advance of other mortals ; and so quick are 
they of hearing, that, like Fine-ear, who was a mem- 
ber of Fortttnio*8 celebrated band, they have only to 
put their ears to the ground, and thev will near 
sounds such as no one else can hear. In this way, 
they listen to operas ten, fifteen, fifty years before the 
rest of the world ; but it pains us to state that these 
favored giants, with their ordUes in a future world, 
are rather apt to get angry, because the world is weak 
enough to prefer good music of the present day to 
bad music that would be popular half-arcentury hence. 
When we arp fifty years older, pertiaps we shall know 
better. 

We will now take up again the golden thread that 
we had dropped for a few sentences, of our great ad- 
miration for Liszt. To prove how credulous we are 
in his noble favor, and only too ready to believe every 
incredible thing that is drivelled about him, we have 
written, and with no small amount of pleasure, the 
following startling paragraphs, all of which bear 
record to his surpassing genius. We present them 
cordially to the German editors, and they are at lib- 
erty to use every one of them : — 

'* Lint wean out a pUno vrmj day. If It w«re not Ibr his 
ooltfMd fortane, ha would not be able to do tblii.'* 

" At the coronation of the Bmperor of Ruaaia, Alexander 
walked before Liiit ; the gifted young composer was so hurt at 
this, that he got up Instantly and left the church. He has 
nefer forgiten the Insult to the present day.*' 

"It Is a libel to say that Llsst^s hair is two yards long. It 
is true ttiat It is of such a length that, on state occasions, a 
beautiful young Oi'ifln walks with conscious pride behind 
him, and Is enabled to hold It up, as a page docs the train of a 
lady's drees. The fkct is that, not being able to endure the 
ewi'sMm of the hair-cutter's scimors, he does not hare his hair 
cut oftener than once erery fifteen years. The dbct of that 
operation on his sensiUre nature is such that he cries for 
weeks afterwards. Howerer, if his hair is a yard and a half 
long, It is to the ftill as much as it Is ; but then when I saw it, 
it was only In its sUth year." 

" To show how nice he is in his dbtlnctions, he calls himself 
the Raphael of music, and Wagner the Michael Angelo." 

*' He will not endure the slightest affront paid to his art. 
One day the Grand Duke of Qroesblunderboshen accidentally 
put his hat upon the lid of his piano. It was his cherished 
piano— the one that he would allow no one to toueh but him- 
self. Instantly Llsxt seliod hold of the recreant ehapeau^ and 
with a flrensy that almost made his long hair stand bolt upright 
he flung it out of window. The next day he had the piano (it 
was made of sandal-wood, ornamented with turquoise*, and 
standing on spiral legs of malachite) chopped up for Ikgots for 
the poor. Notwithstanding the most abject apologies, he 
would never psormit the Grand Duke to enter into his presence 
again." 

" As a proof of the wonderfiil spell he exercises over all lis- 
teners, we may mention the following well-authenticated fact : 
One night he was playing on the balcony of the GoUene Qans 
at Prague. An immense crowd was collected below — all 
Prague, In fact. With the greatest good-nature, he played for 
several hours, though the weather was intensely cold. The 
mob se em ed neTer to tiro of Ustenlng to him. What was the 
lamentable consequence? The next morning, throe pensants, 
nineteen market-women, a Field-Bfarshal, and a dog, were 
found froaen to death on the spot ! 'Since then, not all the 
entreaties in the worid will erer induce Lisst to play for more 
tlian half-an-hour at a time," 

• 

lisst's influence over the fliir sex is too well known to be 
doubted by any one. Ladies have disguised themselyes as 
water-carriers, as porters, even as chimney-sweeps, to sain ad- 
mission into his divine presence. Sometimee he is obliged to 
have the police pnll the women away from his house, before he 
has been able to get in at the street door. On each finger, 
Lisst has a valuable ring— each ring was the gift of an em- 
press, a queen, or a crowned princess. He will not take any 
more rings now. He will give as many as you like— but he's 
too proud to receive an obligation from any one. It was from 
BerttOB, we think, that be once took a pot of beer ; but the 
Gxand Dowager Duchess Flybbhithijibtfiski, had to go on her 
knees to get lisst to accept of her a pearl that was almost as 
big as a swanks egg ! It was valued at several thousands of 
pounds, but fanprudently he sat upon it one day, and smashed 
ui Bs baa an Imr^"— ■ box of love-letten: th^ are from 



countesses, washerwomen, poetesses, little school-pupils, act- 
resses, even from beirgar-girls. AppreciHting the spirit that 
dictates the homage of thorn all, he has deigned to receive 6iff«t.«- 
doux frt>m the poorest, or the highest, or the most degraded ! 
Well, before Lisxt sits down to composK^. he dips his hands into 
this trunk full of letters, and allows them to remain there for 
at least half-an-hour, steeped up to his elbows. In the electric 
current of the tender epistles. He savs it permeates his fingers 
to the very tips with the purest inspiration! He calls it his 
fountain of Jouvence— his Egeria of love.^' 

" Lisit has made more money, perhaps, than any one else in 
the world. To show what little value he places upon wmlth, 
he has been known to throw big handf^ls of gold into the pit 
of the Opera. It has been calculated that if all the princely 
sums he has received in exchanire for the exerrise of his snb- 
lime talents, were changed into gold Napoleons, and placed idde 
by side, thst they would make an auriferous pavement round 
the circumference of the globe more than sufficiently wide to 
allow a couple of Saloon Omnlbusses to drive about upon it. 
Change the same enormous sums into £h bank notes, and vou 
could paste the Wall of China all over with them, and in addi- 
tion, have several park-pallngs to spars. It is certainly stu- 
pendous ! " 

We have scarcely done laughing at the humor of 
the above, when we receive the following report 
about the great pianist, which possibly is quite as 
much an invention of the enemy : 

Lisn A Horrx.— A year ago It was reported that the great 
pianist, Usxt. had become a monk ; but the report prored un- 
true. We find it now repeated circumstantially. The Uoyd 
of Pesth, in one of its latest issues, contains a paragr^h which 
the Philadelphia Bulletin translates as follows : 

^* The celebrated pianist, Francis Lisst, was last Sunday sol- 
emnly received into the brotherhood of the Order of St. Fran- 
cis d'Assisee, at Pesth. A mass was said at noon in the church 
of the Franciscan Fathers, and then Rccker^s vocal mass was 
performed by the members of a singing society and others, ad- 
mirers of Lisst. After the mass, those attending it repaired to 
the refectory, where Lisst, wearing the Portuguese Order of 
Christ, entered and took a place of honor reserved for him, 
after which a prayer was offered. A priest of the Order then 
pTveented Lisst the document of reception, from the Provin- 
cial Father at Presburg, and made him an address In Latin, 
in which he spoke of the new brother's great merits as an 
artist and a man. After several addresses by different church 
dignitaries, by Baron Auguss, Tice President of the govern- 
ment of Buda, and otheia, Uie ceremony was followed by a 
dinner." 



i» 



Tamberlik's Bebnt in Paris. 

Correspondence of the Boston Traveller. 

Paris, April 8. — We have had the appear- 
ance of M. Tamberlik before a Paris audience. 
He trembled, believe it, when he saw that many- 
headed monster, the public, filling the Italian Opera 
house, for he was afraid that his reputation might re- 
ceive a blow which would wound it for many a long 
day. Success hangs by so slight a thread ! An ill- 
digestion, an importunate dun, a scolding wife, the 
cloudy sky ; who can number all the gossamer lines 
on which fame hangs ? No wonder tlie veteran trem- 
bled, for who could vaticinate the humor of that audi- 
ence, disposed to be critical, earlier to offend than to 
please, (what can please the palled, whose most ex 
quisite sensation is the consciousness of being not of- 
fended !) The theatre was crammed, for who knew 
the issue of that evening, and what a pleasure it 
would have been to be able to say, I was there I I 
saw that Tamberlik, of such boasted fame at London, 
St. Petersburg, Rio, fail, signally fail, prove worse 
than our third-rate tenors. The curtain rose, and M. 
Tamberlik appeared, trembling like an aspen leaf. 
Grisi was there too, but (oh, for the tuste of a Paris 
audience !) The whole object of the curiosity of the 
evening, was to know if he could give the ut diexe (or 
re hernial ;) if he failed in this note, he would have beei^ 
hissed, though he had been perfect in every other par 
ticular. So the first act went off lamely enough ; M 
Tamberlik was greatly applauded. Mme. Grisi (who 
was furious in consequence of mistakes Emilia made) 
sang and acted admirably. 

Between this and the next act, the late comers 
poured into their places, afraid they were after the tif . 
Has he given it ? Not yet. Thafik Heaven, I pay 
a hundred francs for my seat to-night, and I wais 
afraid I might miss that note rarer than a black swan, 
the trf de poitrine, Vt de poUrhte, Monsieur! why that 
is what Duprez gave in his palmv days, while Tam 
berlik give an \d dieze. Hush I fiush I gentlemen, it 
you please, says another person, he is going to give 
an admirable re. Tou could have heard a pin drop 
as the curtain rose on the second act. The audience 
seemed changed to marble statues. The duo between 
lago (Corsi) and Otello (Tamberlik) was listened to 
with breathless curiosity, which soon became impa- 
tience, when the audience found the note so long in 
coming. Nobody breathed, afraid lest his respiration 
might make him lose the note. Here is the famous 
strettaf whispered the old opera goers. Tamberlik sang 
with poignant grief and ferocious vengeance : 
Horro ma vendleato, 
8i dopo Id morro. 

But be gave no dolt He came near being hissed 
. . bat s&aorbed in his part, sure of himself, he ad- 
vanced to the footlights, and beginning his phrue 



with tenfold energy and fary he gave the famous ui 
dieze— 'HO scream— -no doubtful forced sound — but a 
full, round, equal, silvery, irreproachably accurate and 
of rare, power. The oy^rti- house shook to its founda- 
tions, the orchestra ana pit rose and cheered. The 
boxes ap|>laudcd. Yon remember to have seen Web- 
ster in Faneuil Hall : " If those pictures could speak 
. . . . Ido hear them speak ! " and Boston hurrali 
itself hoarse ! Such was the scene the other night 
at the Italian Opera after Tamberlik gave his ui 
dieze. 




A novel musical instniment, calked a Key Harp, is 
attracting attention. Its external construction is 
nearly like that of a piano, with a similar arrange- 
ment'ot keys and pedals, but its musical principle is 
entirely different. The mystery of the invention is 
understood to consist in the adjustment of tuning 
forks of various pitches (answering to the keys) over 
cavities of sonorous metal, which, if struck, would 
give out correspondmg sounds. The tuning forks are 
vibrated by strokes of the keys, and tlie result is a 
sweet, mellow tone, very mncli like that of a music- 
box or a harp. If the volume of the sound can be 
doubled (which it is claimed can bo done bv an addi- 
tional mechanical contrivance) the Key llarp may 
yet share household honors with the piano. 

uwsX Cornsponhnre. 

Brookltn, N. y., May U. — The first Concert 
of the "Brooklyn Harmonic Society" comes off to- 
morrow night at the Polytechnic Institute, and the 
Rehearsals so hx augur well for the success of the 
very excellent programme, which is as follows : 

rktet I 

1. Symphony In C, Beethoven. 

2. Forest Binlllng, Air for Soprano. Horn Obllgato, Laehncr. 

Miss Marie Elina Couran. 

8. Teraetto fVom Titus, Moort. 

6. Oberon*s Magic Horn. Fantasia Ibr Plano-farte, with Or^ 
ehestral accompaniment by Hummel. 

1. Allegro energice; 2. lArgfaetto eantabile; 8. Tempo dl 
Marria; 4. Tempesto di Mare (Tempest on the sea); 6. AUa- 
greito con moto. 

Mr. J(>hn Suekeri. 

PAR n 

6. Overture— Magic Flute, Monrt. 
6. Baster Morning Oant»ta, Neukomm. 

Much praise is due Mr. Prox, for the eneigy and 
perseverance he has given to the best interest of this 
new Society and other matters connected with the 
promotion and growth of a good, healthy, and genu- 
ine musical taste among us. Miss Couban, the 
Soprano soloist of the Society, possesses an excellent 
voice and sings with much feeling and taste. 

With close application and careful study under 
good teach<^, Miss Couran ¥rill rank among our 
best Concert singers. 

The "Brooklyn Philharmonic Society" propose 
giving, in conjunction with the Horticultural Society, 
a Floral and Musical entertainment at the Athenieum, 
about tbe first of June. 

The particulars I cannot give yon as they are not 
yet decided upon. It is designed however to be an 
unique and elegant affair, combining the highest en- 
joyment of the loveliest and purest products of 
nature, with the greatest and noblest production of 
Art. 

Madame Rumour says we are to have Opera at the 
Academy again in New York next week, with GkZ- 
ZANIOA as principal attraction. The Philadelphia 
company at Burton's are meeting with fair success. 
LaGrakoe and Ronconi are the proprietors as well 
as the principal attraction. I prefer not to speak of 
Ronconi till I have seen him in ** III Barhiere," on 
Wednesday, when he plays Figaro. In the mean- 
time I would commend to the attention of your 
readers, the characteristic but admirable notice in the 
Dribune of this morning, by Mr. Fry, of Signior 
Ronconi, and the performance last night at Burton's 
of Elisir d'Amore, It is much to be regretted that 
Mr. Fry so seldom gives us notices of this kind both 
of the artists and the operas performed. 

The MuSARD Concerts are a very bad failure. 
The whole thing has fallen flat. The audiences are 
never large, and sometimes they are quite meagre. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1858. 



53 



The enthusiasm was neyer above blood-heat and often 
down at Zero. Mons. Musard is always intensely 
P'arcfttl, never in earnest, for fear it mi^ht be val;;ar. 
The bidics think him " such a love of a man/' and 
Mons. thinks the " American pooblcek don't know 
good mooseck." 

Mr. XJllmann is losinj:^ money every nijirht. This 
is really too bad, for the Concerts arc certainly well 
worth attending. Mr. Ullman must come oat 
with anotlier " card to the public." Give us a little 
more "grape " and " canister/' Mr. Ullman ; there's 
nothing like it. 

We are to have this week, " Two Sacred Oratorios 
(nnder the immediate patronage of the most distin- 
guished clergymen of New York and Brooklyn)." 

What a sad and deplorable state of things, when 
our "most distinguished clergymen" allow them- 
selves to be used in countenancing the production of 
such heathenish works as those by Handel, Haydn 
and Mendelssohn I Bbllini. 



PHiLXDBLPHrA, Mat 5. — RoHCOVi is unquestion- 
ably the most versatile actor on the lyric stage. His 
Dr. Dulcamara, in L'Elitirt ^Amore^ was a perfect 
masterpiece of comic delineation, — the most laughter- 
provoking, quaint, and life-like picture of the charla- 
tan imaginable. The elegant audience, which gen- 
erally regards an open display of risibility to bo a 
sure index of an unsophisticated mind, was forced, 
noieM vofengf into constant paroxysms of mirth by the 
vagaries of this Burton of the lyric boards. We 
have never known even an approximation to him. 

The Opera season closed with La Grange's ben- 
efit, last Saturday evening. It came to a most un- 
pleasant termination. Pecuniary difficulties, intrigues, 
plots and counterplots, quarrels, and many other con- 
comitant features of this peculiar and sensitive insti- 
tution hurried it to a finale somewhat premature. 
The chtftTOrchfiftre and a subaltern of his had ren- 
dered themselves obnoxious to a lai*ge body of the 
regular habitues of the Opera house ; to such an ex- 
tent, in fact, that the promenaders of the lobby hissed 
and hooted the twain from the precincts, on Saturday 
night. All this created a vast deal of excitement, 
during which disclosures of the most extraordinary 
character, with regard to the management of the in- 
ternal economy of the Academy, sped through the 
saloon and streets of the city, upon the wings of 
rumor. How well authenticated these were I know 
not ; but, if true, they would furnish sufficient in- 
trigue for a " yallow-ki vered " novel. Gazzanig a was 
to have been rejoiced by a monster complimentary 
benefit on Monday night last, but the cruel Fates, or 
rather the complicated troubles at Broad and Locust, 
have cheated her out of the high honor, the wreaths, 
and the profits. 

Satter announces his first Concert for next Tues- 
day evening, at the Musical Fund Hall. He comes 
to Philadelphia at a most inauspicious moment, when 
a long Opera season has drawn heavily upon the ex- 
chequer of individual connoisseurs, and when the 
fond mamma and her aspiring daughter, deeming the 
winter season over, commence to direct their whole 
thoughts upon the coming watering-place dissipa- 
tions. His audiences may prove sufficiently select, 
appreciative, and enthusiastic, but tliey can scarcely 
be remunerative. Still, Mme. Johakn sen, his canta- 
trice, may draw the Germans forth. 

The Harmonia Sacred Music Society announces 
its final Concert of the season for to-morrow night 
(9th inst.) A most excellent programme, (compris- 
ing choruses from the " Elijah " and the " Crea- 
tion," together with many fine sacred and secular 
Solos) has been prepared. This popular society has 
contributed greatly to the dissemination of a taste for 
classical music here. " High Art " seems to be its 
watchword ; and although, in a desire to please all of 
its snbscriben, light ballads and other works, not 
ttricdy up to an elevated itandard, are allowed to 



appear upon its programmes, still infinite credit U 
due to its persevering efforts to render the works of 
Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and otiier kindred spirits, 
appreciated by the masses at largo. 

The soprano of to-morrow night is to be Mrs. 
Kmilt Beed (a Bostonian, I believe) who has been 
here for some time, and who recently acquitted her- 
self nobly in a performance of the " Creation " by 
our Handel and Haydn Society. Manrico. 



Milan, April 18. — I have recently been poking 
about — excuse the inelegance of the term, but it is so 
eminently expressive of my style of travelling — I 
have been poking about a part of Italy not often 
visited by travelers — the Adriatic coast. I have 
made a discovery, to wit, that this Oriental side of 
Italy is the most musical part of this land of song. 

In the course of my pokings, I visited a number of 
curious old towns, among them Rimini, where they 
have a theatre that surpasses anything in even Paris 
itself. It was only erected last year, is replete with 
all the modem improvements, and, as a piece of ar- 
chitecture, is a handsome embellishment to the inter- 
esting old town. The architect is immortalized by 
having his name placed in large letters over the por- 
tal, accompanied with a complimentary Latin inscrip- 
tion. When the theatre was finished, Verdi was en- 
gaged to write an opera for the opening night, and in 
response to the call, the enchapter waved his wand, 
and forth came that poor, mis-shapen thing, Anido, 
In a previous letter I mentioned that this opera was 
first produced in Parma; but it appears I was 
wrong, and as ihe error is one of such colossal impor- 
tance, I hasten to make a retraction. Verdi wrote 
Aroldo " to order," for the splendid new theatre of 
Rimini, which, though a village of but about 12,000 
inhabitants, possesses a finer opera house than Boston, 
with all its musical taste, can boast of. 

Having written his opera and personally presided 
at its production at Rimini, the good^ people of the 
place, and the city authorities and everybody else put 
their heads together, and besides paying the lucky 
Verdi handsomely for Aroldo, they decided to com- 
pliment him with a special testimonial of their 
regard. So a number of handsome lithograph por- 
traits of the Maestro were struck off with a suitable 
inscription beneath, stating the circumstances of the 
case, and copies of this portrait may be found in 
almost every shop window on the Adriatic coast, from 
Ravenna to Ancona. This is a frequent compliment 
in Italy. When a Prima Donna has a benefit, her 
admirers have a portrait printed of the lady, with 
some such inscription as this : " To the egregious and 
talentc<l Signora So and So, on the occasion of her 
benefit at such a place. An humble testimonial of 
regard from admiring friends." Then follows the 
date. 

At Pesaro, which you know perfectly well is on 
the Adriatic coast, about 25 miles from Rimini, was 
bom RoRSiNi, and I therefore looked about this lively 
and good-sized town with special interest. It is not 
a very agreeable place. It has no railroads and no 
steamboats, and it is no wonder that Rossini deserts 
it for the more genial Paris. In fact he decidedly 
tnubi his birthplace, and has not visited it for some 
time. I must say that he enjoys at Pesaro the unen- 
viable reputation of being rich and stingy. A num- 
ber of his relatives still live there, engaged in various 
pursuits. In his youth he was wild and wanted to go 
to sea. However he became a composer and thus 
immortal, for which interesting and novel information 
I am indebted to the landlord of the inn I stopped at. 

Yet after all, Rossini is the greatest man Pesaro 
ever brought forth, and the Pesarosc arc perfectly 
well aware of it. A few years ago they placed his 
statue in the public square, where you may now be- 
hold him grasping the inevitable roll of music and 
looking upwards as if strack with a sudden idea. 
There are few, if any musicians, who have been so 



fortunate as Rossini. AU over the civilized world he 
is spoken of with the most enthusiastic admiration. 
At Paris his society is courted by the most intelligent 
and aristocratic classes, and it would be the same in 
whatever country he lived. He gets the credit of 
saying a great many more clever things than he really 
does say, and newspaper folks are continually making 
him the hero of apocryphal anecdotes. Yet, at the 
same time, in the midst of all his popularity, it may 
be fairly asked whether he has not already seen its 
decline — whether his music is not already more talked 
about than listened to. 

The fact is my hawk eye has been scanning with 
acute attention the operatic campaign in Italy for the 
past six months, and only two of Rossini's numerous 
operas have been in that time produced in all this 
country — that is, if I may depend upon the fiiithful- 
ness of said hawk eye. His Otello was produced in 
some little town, the name of which I now forget, 
while his BarUert was the chief attraction of the 
musical season at Rome. The latter opera seems to 
be immortal, but it is the only one of Rossini's nu- 
merous works that is now really popular here. Wil- 
liam. Tell has been hitherto a great favorite in Milan, 
but this last season it only drew thin, unpaying houses 
to La Scala. The Gazxa Ladra, both the French 
and Italian musical press unite in condemning as ut- 
terly old fogeyish and as an opera which, having 
lived an honorable and respectable existence, should 
now be allowed to quietly depart this life. I think 
there can be no doubt tliat the genuine popularity of 
Rossini's music is on the wane in Italy at least — 
though if such glorious works as Tell and Semiramiite 
do not enjoy a hundred years of healthy life, what 
operatic music can ? 

At the same time Bellini seems to be as popular as 

ever. Not only are the three favorites, Normaf Pttri- 

tani, and Sonnan^idaf still frequently produced, but 

his other operas, not so well known in America — 

Pirata, Montecchi e Capuletti, and La Straniera — are 

also occasionally produced. Last night I heanl at 
tlie theatre Santa Radcgonda, in this city, his Beatrice 
di Tenda, a lovely little opera, worthy of the compo- 
ser of SonnanMa. 

There is at present a rising composer in Italv, who 
promises to become a star of the first magnitucle. It 
IS Ferrari, whose opera, L'ultimi giomi di Suli^ has 
had a success, which is however quite eclipsed by die 
groat enthusiasm created by his new work, Pi/)ele\ 
This PipeU is a comic opera, full of life and spirit, 
and abounding in striking melodies. There is a bur- 
lesque oatii scene, which seems to bo a musical parody 
upon tiie grand oath-scene in William Tell. There 
is a drunken scene which nightly draws an encore, 
though |x;rhapA more on account of the acting than 
the music. There is a grand trio for male voices, 
with any amount of brilliant airs for the prima donna, 
concluding with a spirited bravura finale a /a yfazurka. 
This opera is now meeting with great success all over 
Italy, and it is very probable it will cross the water 
and lie heard ere long in America. 

La Scala is closed at present, and I was disap- 
pointed in not being able to get a glimpse at tiie 
interior of this famous theatre. The owners of La 
Scala also have a smaller theatre here, La Cannobia, 
which ser\'es as a substitute for the larger, tiic latter 
being open only in winter. At the Cannobia the 
operas for the spring season arc Rossini's Barbiere, 
and Bellini's Sonnambula, There will be this spring 
tiircc opera houses open in Milan. 

Trovator. 



Florence, April !.*>. — Compared with the fre- 
quent opportunities of listening to good music which 
you enjoy in Boston, we temi>orary Florentines are 
but poorly situated. Nevertheless, now and then a 
matindc, or a soir6e, private or public, enables us to 
realize that there is otiicr than Verdi's music in the 
world, and that Beethoven and his compeers are not 
unsubstantial realities, formed of the " stuff which 
dreams are made of." Of this class were two even- 
ing concerts given by " II maestro Maolioni, (a well- 
known composer, and piano-forte teacher here), at the 
first of which we had the C minor Trio of Beethoven, 
very well played by Maketti, Casoeti and Sbolci. 
Manetti, with a slightly too Italian tendency to the 



54 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



1 



Beeking of expression by such illegitimate means as 
" ad libitum " rallentandos and accderandoa afford, has 
a feeling for classical music, a good pianist. Cas- 
orti is a pupil of De Beriot, and resident at Turin ; 
while Sboici is the best violoncellist in Florence ; a 
first rate player for expression and execution, and 
conversant with the works of the great masters. We 
had some very good singing at this and the second 
soir^, and at both pleasing compositions for Piano, 
Harmonium and strings of Maglioni's, entitled " Ser- 
enade," "Hymn to Flora," &c., &c., somewhat too full 
of Italian cadences and climaxes to suit a German- 
ized ear. Maglioni's best work is a Cantata, called 
" Manfred," which judging from inspection of the 
printed Piano and Voice score, is of no ordinary 
merit. At his second soir^ he produced with Chorus, 
Meyerbeer's new Pater AWer, which being very well 
sung, and a striking composition, produced great 
effect, and wasencored. Atthc houscof Gioracchini, 
(the Violin Professor at the Accademia dellc Belle 
Arti) we have had matinbes of even a higher 
quality. At the second one, which took place a week 
ago, the Signora Sacerdote played Mendelssohn's 
D minor Trio with Gioracchini and Sboici, admira^ 
bly well — and afterwards Weber's G minor Trio for 
Piano, Flute, and 'Cello. We had also the first move- 
ment of a Concerto by De Bcriot, for two Violins, in 
which the parts were tripled, by Gioracchini and five 
of his scholars — ^thcir unity of style, bowing and exe- 
cution showed what a very excellent master Giorac- 
chini must be to have such pupils in the difficult art 
of Violin playing. At the first mating the 3d Trio 
of May seder was veiy well played, and the Abbate 
Federighi, an excellent Baritone singer, sang among 
other things, Schubert's "Adieu," (which is not 
Schubert's, I am aware) with great effect. 

The crowning glory of our musical performances 
took place last week under the direction of Maestro 
Sbolci, the father of the Violoncellist, at the Acca- 
demia delle Belle Arti. It consisted of Marcello's 
magnificent version of the 50th Psalm, a Miserere for 
Alto, Tenor, Bass, and Chonis, one of the noblest 
compositions it has ever been my lot to listen to. 
Once before I had the pleasure of hearing one of Mar- 
cello's Psalms, at the Paris Conser^'atoire : I deli 
immensi narrano la Gloria d'Iddio. I have also fre- 
quently examined the printed collection of his works, 
and now that the opportunity has been again offered 
to me of listening to one of these truly Ilandclian 
compositions, my previous impressions have been 
strengthened, and I can only wonder that Choral So- 
cieties do not more frequently address themselves to 
this unexplored mine of beauty and grandeur. Ex- 
cepting in the works of Handel, I know nothing in 
music, judging from a single hearing, that can at all 
compare with the Chonis upon the words of the 1 8th 
verse: L'immenm tua pieta dehfachesplendej Signer ^ so- 
pra Sionne, onde le mure vieg<jiam di Gerusfdemma innal- 
zarisi. Remember, too, that there were no Violins 
or wind instniments in the Orchestra, which was 
formed of 12 Altos, 4 Cellos, and 4 Double Basses, 
and in the Chonis about 30 Contralti — 9 youths of 
both sexes, about 20 Tenors and 30 Basses ; and yet 
our modem roasters with all the resources of orches- 
tration, and vast bodies of voices and instruments at 
their command, cannot, and do not approach the maj- 
esty and dignity and seeming body of true sonority 
which Marccllo attained with such comparatively 
feeble means. It occurred to me a few evenings since, 
as I sat witli my fingers in my ears, behind a Bra^s 
Band who were thundering forth Verdi at the Pergola, 
that Torture by Sound had been forgotten by the 
Inquisition, and neglected by Dante in his enumera- 
tion of the sufferings of the wicked in the Inferno. 

How intense such sufferings may be, I had full op- 
portunity of imagining during the quarter of an hour 
which preceded the entrance of a celebrated Impro- 
visatrice upon the stage — a certain Signora Milla, 
who astonished and delighted a very large audience 



for two hours and a half by her wonderful facility in 

improvising upon given subjects. No matter whether 

the audience furnished her with rhymes for a sonnet, 

or left her free to find her lines as she saw fit, she 

poured forth with equal readiness verse after vense, 
seeming like one possessed by a spirit, pacing the 
stage, rapt in thought ; with fixed eyes, and hur- 
ried pantomime ; nowgrasping, now losing the thread, 
and then when the moment came uttering her stanzas 
with great eloquence and without the slightest hesita- 
tion. But I have wandered far from Marccllo and 
the SoirtJe given by the so called " Society for the 
Study of Classical Music," which that evening num- 
bered its 241st performance. No tickets are sold, 
and so secretly do they carry on their praise-worthy 
exertions in the production of good music, that of 
many persons whom I knew in Florence, old resi- 
dents here, and eager to hear good music, not one 
had ever heard of the existence of such a society or 
tlie fact that such Concerts ever took place. The Con- 
cert concluded with the 2d Trio of Mayseder beauti- 
fully played by Sboici, his sister, and a violinist 
named Bruni — and the Salutaris of Rossini, for 
four voices, which was extremely well sung, without 
accompaniment. The Florentines evidently have a 
passion for Mayseder, who serves as a sort of middle 
ground and resting place, between Italian and Ger- 
man music, sufficiently " cantabile " to make them 
feel at home. 

Some weeks ago, a Mass by a Florentine Maestro 
named Mabellini was performed by the Philhar- 
monic Society. This I did not hear, having supposed 
it to be an evening ahead of what it turned out to be, 
a morning performance. I was assured, however, 
by a competent judge that I did not lose a great deal, 
l^he Philharmonic is an almost dead, and rapidly ex- 
piring body. Concerts are rarely given, and the 
standard of'^ selection for programme of performances 
becomes every year poorer. An effort was lately made 
by the brother of Maestro Biaoi, leader of tne Per- 
gola Orchestra, to obtain subscribers for a series of 
Classical Chamber Concerts, at which the best Flor- 
entine Artists should perform, and the whole be con- 
ducted on the most economical principles, in regard 
to cheapness of admission, but so little interest was 
excited in the undertaking, that it speedily fell 
through. The materials for a good Orchestra are 
abundant in Florence, and interest in, and knowledge 
of, the best music is shown in the conversation of 
many artists with whom I have conversed here. But 
the public is uneducated, and cares not to be musi- 
cally instnicted, so that it is probable the musicians 
will be left as now, to earn their livelihood bv giving 
lessons, and wearing out their real appreciation of 
good music by nightly performances of Verdi's 
operas at the theatres. That Verdi's reign is nearly 
over, may be predicated from the total failure of his 
last three or four operas in the principal cities of 
Italy. During the spring season we are promised 
" William Tell " at the Pergola, and a better 
" troupe." Certainly it could hardly be worse than 
tliat which sang during the Carnival. 

I should not forget to mention the performances of 
the sisters, Ferni — violinists of great talent, who 
gave some ten or twelve concerts at the Opera House. 
Both excellent artists ; the younger plays with re- 
markable power and purity of tone ; her executive 
skill is of the highest kincl. Like tlio MilanoUo's, 
these talented sisters will doubtless gain a world-wide 
reputation. Among the distinguished musicians of 
Florence is a certain Maestro Giorgetti, admirable 
violinist, and composer of some very beautiful quar- 
tets I am assured. He is a paralytic, and having 
lost the use of his limbs never leaves his chaml)er, so 
that I know him only by his reputation. There is 
also a German, Maestro Kraush, who gives soircbs 
at which his pupils perform ; ho being a well known 
piano-forte teacKcr. 

One of the best players of Chopin I have ever 
heard is a celebrated amateur piani<it, a lady long 
resident in Paris, where her husband held a high 
diplomatic position. She has great powers of exe- 
cution and exquisite delicacy of touch. Some years 
since, she ployed Mendclssofin's Pinno-fortc Concerto 
at a concert given for the benefit of the poor, and, I 
am told, with great eflTcct. 

In the last number of the " Armotn'n" a very good 
musical journal juiblishcd twice n month in Florence, 
I see it announced that Sig. Slwlci's Society for the 
study of clas-sicttl mu«5ic, is rehearsing the celebrated 
moss, "Aeterna Christ! " and the Salutaris of Pal- 
cstrina. " These two scores," says tlie Armonia, 
" have been given to tlie Society hy his Excellency 
the Duca S. Clemenct, one of the few noblemen in 
Florence who patronize and ])romote music." 

The Society has been in existence now about six 
years. Its members pay two pauls a month ; meet 
2br practice once a week, and propose to give at least 
four public performances a year. F. 



5foig|t*s |0nrnal d Pnsit 



BOSTON, MAY 15, 1858. 



Music in this Numrer. — Conclusion of the 
beautiful Duet for Soprani, with Chorus : " I wait- 
ed for the Lord," from Mendelssohn's " Hymn of 
Praise." 



Complimentary Concert to Angnst Fries. 

Illness balked our strong desire and purpose to be 
present at the Concert given by the Mendelssohn 
Quintette Club, Tuesday evening, by way of a Fare- 
well to their esteemed leader, who for nine yean has 
BO ably borne the first violin in the long list of classi- 
cal Quartets and Quintets, of which wc owe oar 
knowledge to the Club, and who therefore will ever 
be associated witli many of our purest and most edi- 
fying pleasures. The evening was most stormy, but 
tlie Chickering saloon was full of music-lovers, eager 
to express their gratitude to Mr. Fries, as well as to 
secure the last feast for this season of choice cham- 
ber music. We did not need to be told that it proved 
an occasion of great interest. All speak highly of 
the performance, which gave fine opportunity to 
listen once more to Fries's violin in favorite strains 
in which it used to be peculiarly impressive ; and the 
programme was capital, as follows: 

1. Quintet io C, op. 29, BwthoTen. 

Allegro Moderato— Adagio. 

2. Aria from Lo none di Fif^ro— " Forg\ unor," HonrC. 

Hn. J. H. Long. 

8. Kreutwr Sonata, Ibr Piano and Ylolin, in A, op. 47, 
Beethoven. 

Hems. Parker and A. Fries. 



4. Meditation on Baeh'i Prelude in C, with YloUn obUgato, 
(by requeat,) Oounod. 

Aufnut Frlee. 
6. Redtative and Aria from " Omano," L. H. Soothard. 

Hn. J. H. Long. 

6. Ottetto Ibr four Tlollns, two Altoe and two Tloloneellos, 
In E flat, op. 20, HendelfMhn. 

Wo would fain have heard once more that Octet 
of Mendelssohn, which we believe was never played 
but once before in Boston. We still remember the 
vigorous, strongly-wrought Allegro, with its bold 
theme springing through wide intervals and peremp- 
tory octaves ; and especially the fairy flutter of the 
Scherzo, one of the happiest yields of that vein of 
his young peculiar fancy. 

And so August Fries goes from ns, — not over- 
strong in bodily health, afVer so many years of eon- 
cert-giving and no little drudging to maintain a 
position wherefrom to labor as an artist in the cause 
of high and noble music, — to a new home in Nor- 
way, where the musician's services are not forgotten 
in the rendering, and where there is some forethought 
for the artist's comfort in the future. When will that 
reasonable state of things exist here ? We wish him 
plenty of occupation — not too much — and such as 
suits his taste, with due appreciation and reward, with 
length of days and happiness. The Club, meanwhile, 
has lived too long and too well to die, and doubtless 
will find one to fill the old leader's place acceptably, 
and give for years to come these Chamber Concerts 
which they have taught ns to feel to l>e a necessity, 
as well as a luxnr}*. We have not forgotten onr de- 
sign of giving a list of the fine Quartets, Quintets, 
Trios, &c., which this Club has first and last brought 
to our ears, — perhaps the worthy Secretary of the 
Club will help us. 



The Board of Music Trade. — We have been 
desired to call the attention of publishers, and others 
interested, to the annual meeting of the Board, which 
\vill take place at Cincinnati on the second of June. 
It promises to be an nnusnnlly interesting gathering 
of the craft. For some time have the Cincinnati, 
Louisville and St. Louis members been engaged in 
active preparations to return the hospitalities extend- 
ed to them by their Eastern brethren, who are antici- 
pating a rare pleasure in this first meeting of the Board 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1858. 



55 



west of tho Alleghanies. The Louisville members have 
offered their services as escort on a general excursion 
to the Mammoth Cave. Who would not be a music 
publbher ! Should they take composers with them (as 
is not unlikely^, what a harvest of unsunned inspira> 
tions we shall have ! What Mammoth Cave songs 
and fantasias, what Torch-light Tone-pictures, " Star 
Chamber" waltzes and Stalactite polkas, what Blind 
Fish Reveries and Meditations 1 

This association was formed a few years since for 
mutual protection and better unity of operation 
among those engaged in this country in the now 
formidably largo business of music publishing. It 
establishes a unitary scale of prices, generally lower 
than the public were before accustomed to ; and it 
prevents unwise and unnecessary reprinting upon 
one anodier, so that a publisher is no longer discour- 
aged from reprinting any steriing work by the fear 
of rival editions. So we (tho musical public) get 
access to many good things, which otherwise tlie 
fears begot of competition would have kept from us, 
deterring all from publishing. 

In these ways tho association has proved extremely 
beneficial, and has done away with much of the 
asperity that commonly exists between rivals in 
trade. Mr. Horace Waters, the last who took stand 
in opposition to the Board, has abandoned his ** re- 
duced prices/' and applied for admission as a mem- 
ber. 

An "Association of Music Teachers'' (of the 
Western and South Western States), — a sort of 
league for fancied mutual protection against music- 
publishers — is to meet in the same city at about the 
same time, and it is confidently hoped the diflliculties 
between the two bodies will bo amicably settled. 



Musical Chit-Gliat 

This evening the old Brigade Band of Boston give 
a concert in the Music Hall, in which they will ap- 
pear both as a Reed Band of twenty-five instruments, 
and a Brass Band of eighteen. Their selections will 
be of the right kind, proper band music, marches 
and quicksteps, with some operatic arrangements ; 
and the well known skill of this oldest band in the 
Union (with what ravished sense we used to follow 
them when we were a boy — before this vulgar and 
degenerate age of brass!) gives earnest of a fine con- 
cert of its kind. We rejoice to see other Bands fol- 
lowing the example of the Germania in this good di- 
rection of a return to clarinets and oboes, and bas- 
soons and French-horns : but pray take care to have 
enough of them, for this noisy, bullying and unregen- 
erato Sax family requires a deal of softening and sub- 
duing, if not snubbing into utter silence sometimes. 
. . . . Mrs. Harwood has been singing with 
^dat in a couple of Concerts given at Portland by 
Mr. KoTzscHMAR. . . . Mrs. J. H. Long offers 
her services as a teacher of singing. She has the 
art herself, in an eminent degree, and judging from 
the zeal and the intelligence she always shows, the 

art also wo doubt not of imparting art 

Many of our readers are familiar with the beautiful 
editions of Thalbbro's Fantasias, Etudes, Barcar- 
oles, &G., published by our worthy neighbors, Messrs. 
Hussell & Fuller (late Russell & Richardson); here 
is a pleasant note they have received from the com- 
poser : 

Niw Tou, Apan, 28, 1868. 

Otimxmir — T accept with pleanure the copy of your beau- 
tlftilly bound edition of my Piano amngement«. I find 
them to be very correctly scored, and equal, if not niperior, 
in all reroeets, to any yet pabUahed, either in the United 
Btatea or Europe. 

Yours. Very Respectfully, 8. TsALBBta. 

Hems. Ruasell k Richardson, Boston. 

A fragment of the wreck of the late Philadelphia 

troupe, headed by Roncoivi and Lagrange, are 

giving three performances this week at Burton's in 

New York, assisted bv Tibbrini, Coletti, &c. 
The first piece was VElisir d'Amore ; tlie second // 
Barbiere. The Courier and Enquirer says : " Ronco- 
ni's Dr. Dulcamara was as real and consistent a cre- 
ation as ever came from the pencil of a painter or 



the pen of a dramatic poet." Ronconi sails for Eu- 
rope on tho 19th ; — and we shall not see " the first 
of lyric actors ! " . . . At tho New York Acade- 
my they have had a Musard " Mendelssohn night," 
and performances of the "Messiah" and "Elijah," (for 
the benefit of tho clergy, &c., during Anniversary 
week), by tho Harmonia Society, with D'Angri, 
Formes, &c. ... In Philadelphia, Mme. Gaz- 
ZANiGA, justly a great favorite, had a complimentary 
benefit concert at the Academy on Wednesday eve- 
ning ; Mr. Satter gave his first concert on Tuesday 
at Sie Musical Fund Hall; and the Handel and 
Haydn Society, on the same night, at their lai^t con- 
cert, gave Mendelssohn's " Hymn of Praise," cho- 
ruses from the " Messiah," glees, solos, and the over- 
tures to /2uy Bias and FelsenmvJde. ( Our Philadel- 
phia letter, with interesting account of the Harmonia 
Society, unfortunately, is just too late for this week 
— but it Mdll keep.) 

Carl Gaertner gives a Concert in the Music 
Hall, next Saturday evening, previous to his depar- 
ture for Europe. He will be aided by a full orches- 
tra, conducted by Zbrrahx, and by Mrs. Long and 
Mr. Adams, vocalists. Mr. G. himself will play 
two violin Concertos with orchestra, viz. : Beet- 
hoven's in D, and Hummel's in A. . . . Mr. G. 
W. Stratton, who has done so much to create a 
taste for the higher kind of music in Manchester, N. 
H., and whose talents as a composer, conductor of 
orchestras, teacher of piano, &c., are highly esteem- 
ed, has made arrangements to give lessons two days 
in the week in Boston (see card in another column). 
Mr. S. is an earnest and industrious musician, and 
his services are worth seeking. 

Handel's " Messiah " was performed on April 12th 
and May 4th at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Buffalo, N. Y. 
for the benefit of the Magdalen Asylum. . . . 
Alfred Jaell, in his capacity of Court pianist, at 
Hanover, played last month in the last two Sympho- 
ny concerts given by the Ducal Chapel at Brunswick. 
In the first, he played Weber's Concertstiickj and a 
couple of salon pieces of his own ; in the second a 
Concerto by Mendelssohn, two of his own transcrip- 
tions, and a Waltz by Chopin. He caused great en- 
thusiasm and was presented by the Chapel with a 
laurel crown. 

In Chicago two sets of orchestral Concerts have 
been going on, and both well patronized. One is 
Mrs. Mozart's, with the great Western Band (!) as 
orchestra, on Saturday afternoons; the other Wed- 
nesday afternoons, by Julius Ungbr's Orchestra, 
with Mrs. Bostwick as vocalist. This "fast" young 
Western city, too, has caught the contagion (merely 
cutaneous) of " Old Folks' Concerts," in which some 
of the " first citizens " sing " Coronation," "Lenox," 
&c., in " scoop-shovel bonnets, wigs and knee buck- 
les," for tlie benefit of certain industrial schools. The 
Chicago " Musical Union " are to perform the " Crea- 
tion" about tho middle of this month, aided by 
Mesdamos Bostwick and Mozart, and an orchestra. 
The Opera Alessandro Stradella was lately given in 
the same city, to a full house, under the direction of 
Julius linger ; the Church Record can only sav of it 
that " some parts were no worse than others.' . . 
The " Messiah " is said to have been creditably per- 
formed by a local society in Davenport, Iowa, Mr. 
and Mrs. Mozart singing the principal solos. 

Bettina vok Arkim, who has been ill all winter, 
is recovering her strength. Her youngest daughter, 
Gisela, has just published several tragedies, one of 
which, " Michael Angelo," is said to be very fine. 
She is said to combine the talents of both parents. 
. . . Mozart's early opera, " Belmont and Costan- 
za " (Emfuhrung aus dem Serail) has been produced, 
as a novelty, at the Royal Opera in Berlin. Our in- 
formant, who was present, writes that this opera is so 
different from its author's late works, that one learns 
by it to know Mozart from a wholly new side. The 
whole flows on with wondrous grace and witehery, 
brilliant as a many-colored butterfly. A young Eng- 
lishwoman sings finely in it." The same writer 
speaks of Liszt as sitting quietly in Weimar, but says 
not a word of his having joined tlic Franciscan order, 
as the newspapers report. 



Jean Babtistb Crambr, tlie oldest of contempo- 
rary pianists and composers for the piano, died at 
London, April 9th, at the advanced age of eighty- 
eight. He was a German, but came to England at a 
very earlv age, and accomplished the greater part of 
his artistic career in London, where his lessons were 
more in request than those of any other professor. 
Joseph Haydn was among his early friends. No 
composer has written more copiously for the piano- 
forte than Cramer. 

Mlle. Colson, the popular prima donna of tho 
French opera at New Orleans, has been engaged for 
a year by Mr. Strako6ch,and will appear next season 
in Italian opera, together with tne basso, Junca. 
. . . Mr. Strakosch, accompanied by Mdlle. 
Frezzolini, Mme. Strakosch, and one or two 
other singers, has been giving operatic representations 
at St. Louis, with a piano for ozt^estraand no chorus. 
They are now in Chicago. 



iht %tU. 



For Dwight's Journal of Mn«io. 

The AtheiLflBiun ExhibitioiL 

III. OIL pictures. ■ (continued). 

The " Long Engagement," No. 178, is a queer 
compound of good feeling and bad judgment. The 
ugliness of the picture is, I doubt not, a part of the 
artist's conception. 

Believing that the expression of the drying up of 
hope and tho " sickening of the heart " consequent 
upon a too long engagement, would be enforced in 
the lines of the face by tho addition of analogous 
qualities of color, he has perfectly embodied his be- 
lief. The general result is, that its only real merit, 
subtlety of expression, passes for naught. 

" Nuggets," 179, by Mrs. Anderson, is a very happy 
pondering of a child at play out of doors, without the 
usual accompaniments of artificial arrangement and 
insipidity of expression. But for a breaking off 
in the background and a want of aerial gradation, 
the unity of this picture would be quite complete. 
As it is, in clearness of drawing, delicacy of expres- 
sion, truth of color and play of sunlight, it is notice- 
able amongst its fellows and is a real " nugget." 

" Sketches of Character," Nos. 188 and 189, are 
two heads in grey tints, by James Hayllar, evincing 
a remarkable feeling for lines of character, and a gen- 
eral power of form, which are less eflfectively displayed 
in the more elaborate works numbered 122 and 187. 
The suggestiveness of the sketehes fills a higher place 
than the realization of the larger pictures. 

"An English Village Church," No. 112, by A. 
McCallum, occupies a medium position between the 
savorless generalization of tho Old and the intense 
realization of the New School. Of solidity, truth 
and refinement of color there is a little lack, and yet 
it combines in more than the usual degree merit in 
all these. Its marked excellence consists in a genial 
representation of the external aspect of Nature by 
simple and unafifected imitation. Its companion, No. 
11 5, is much less meritorious. 

The clownish dissimulation cf " Bottom enacting 
Fyramus, No. 197, is a very suggestive reflex of the 
strange humor which Shakspeare has made to consti- 
tute a generic part of the beautiful Midsummer 
Night's Dream. The dyspeptic looking Hamlet, No. 
198, does not reach tho rank of a respectable walking 
gentleman, and is manifestly weak enough to meet 
Goethe's idea, that, " Shakspeare's intention was to 
exhibit the effects of a great - action, imposed as a 
duty upon a mind too feeble for its accomplishment. 
As here presented, Osric is almost the better man, 
albeit he is a fop in the very essence. This character 
Mr. Marks has rightly understood and admirably 
rendered, although with an exaggeration of the facial 
expression which weakens tho conception, and carries 
it close upon the borders of caricature. In exuber- 
ant richness, solid force, and unobtrusive rendering 
of color, these pictures evidence rare powers of per- 
ception and genuine realization. 

The collection contains but three portraits in color, 
neither of which is a complete example of what a 



56 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



good portrait should be. No. 166, by John Robert- 
son, is broadly- treated, freely and forcibly drawn, 
well modelled and nnaffocted in expression. It has 
a negative merit in the general tone of color, bat is 
afflicted by the prevailing hardness, and lacks beauty 
and truth of texture in the flesh. 

The portrait of Hiram Powers, No. 135, by H. 
, W. Phillips, like the preceding, is admirably, though 
more delicately drawn, and with its direct, genial 
earnestness of expression, refinement and agrecablo- 
ness of tone, and approximate excellence in the flesh 
qualitjf, forms one of the good features of the exhi- 
bition. In No. 120, Mr. Phillips presents us with a 
masked portrait of " Charles Kean as Louis XI.," 
which, as is usual in such essays, combines a diluted 
expression of each, but embodies tlie integrity of 
neither character : at least, such, in view of its merely 
theatrical intenseness and utter want of true dramatic 
force, is the testimony of the picture. 

In No. 94, James Sant exhibits a duplicate head of 
his favorite type, mad^ familiar to us through the 
engravings of the infant "Samuel," "Early Dawn," 
&c.. Replete with sweet aspirations and feminine 
delicacy, the face is a pleasant one to see and is 
drawn with marked knowledge and refinement of 
touch. A feeling for harmonious combinations in 
subdued tones of color, lends a charm to the picture, 
which the already too familiar and ubiquitous hard- 
ness constantly denies. 

" Bywell Tower," No. 125, by James Peel, displays 
considerable knowledge of effect and power of exe- 
cution, surrendered to the service of false generaliza 
tion and muddy impurity. 

That men having hearts to love or eyes to see^ 
nature, can thus wilfully distort their vision and de- 
base their love, involves a problem that it would be 
difficult to solve. The expression of light, and near 
approach to tenderness of color in some parts of the 
sky, only serve to render more conspicuous the de- 
liberate falseness with which the body of the picture 
is painted. 

" The Hypaethral Temple," No. 129j, by Frank 
Dillon, is painted with breadth and force, and marked 
solidity in the architecture. From a clear, permeable 
sky, the light spreads itself over the distance, slants 
through the open areas of the temple, and glistens 
along the fallen blocks of stone in the foreground, 
with a glowing flash that but few other pictures here 
equal. There is a tendency to generalization in the 
shadow running down the slope near the Temple, and 
a noticeable petrifaction in the trees and figures. But 
better stony flesh in these accessories, than fleshy 
stone in the shoulder of a mountain. Again, let us 
thank Mr. Dillon for solidity and light. 

"Black Agnes," No. 150, is a specimen of the 
mock-heroic class, in which a want of real motive 
endeavors to conceal itself in the attitudinized expres- 
sion of an assumed one. 

In No. 172, Charles Lucy presents some admirably 
painted draperies, with historical accessories in the 
form of the " Royal Captives of CariHbrooke." In 
No. 155, he offers us an illustration of Tennyson's 
" Dora," telling Ae story sincerely, and with consid- 
erable power. The chief merit of the picture, how- 
ever, lies in its solidity and clear strength of color. 

The dull monotony of the color throughout the 
lower part of " The Wood Yard," No. 104, unre- 
lieved by a single touch of reflected light from the 
glowing sky, nearly neutralizes the great breadth 
with which it is painted, as also the effect it was in- 
tended to represent. In the " Monarch Oak," No. 
150J, Mr. Anthony displays the same breadth of 
treatment with greater variety and strength of color, 
and power of effect. The foliage of the tree lacks 
care in drawing and truth of color, and the whole 
tree is wanting in that noble dignity of expression 
which, it would seem, should especially characterize 
such a "Monarch." In the color-massing of the 
ferns in the fore-ground, and in leading the eye along 



over their bending tops out into the flecky light of 
the middle distance, he evinces a mastery of the 
means of Art, which is doubtless often more success- 
fully exercised than in either of these pictures. 

The "Last Supper," No. 149, furnishes an ex- 
ample of the lamentable mistake men make in think- 
ing that an illustration of a scriptural subject neces- 
sarily constitutes a religious picture. The knowled):ro 
of form and power of expression evinced in this pic- 
ture, would be quite adequate for the limning of 
" Shakspeare and his friends," but I can scarcely 
conceive of its exciting the religi(>us sympathy, or 
warming the faith of the most impressible of de- 
votees. 

John Cross, No. 141, buries the " Princes in the 
Tower of London," amidst a goodly array of bodies 
with well drawn legs and arms, encased in garments 
of a pleasing hue, and all grouped about with a most 
histrionic force and beauty of effect. When will 
artists learn to heed the fiict, that, by their directness 
and simplicity of narrative, their sympathy with or 
conception of a story is gauged ? 

No. 101, by J. Linnell, is another of the pseudo- 
religious pictures which attracts yon by its partial 
beauty of color and dexterous manipulation, and 
tires you in less time than it takes to become fairly 
introduced to a genuine work of Art. 

" The Bowlers," No. 151, by George Harvey, is a 
very spirited representation of field sport. Genially 
conceived, and drawn with much nerve and truth of 
action, it would prove a very attractive picture but for 
its hardness, (a neariy constant quantity in the col- 
lection), and the dreary waste of unmeaning color 
that is extended over the entire scene. 

Inversely to their superficial areas, would form a 
nearly reliable formula by which to determine the 
pleasure-yielding power of the works in this Exhi- 
bition. 

" Instollation of Capt. Rock," No. 124, by D. Mac- 
Itse, is full of material, so arranged that the less shall 
b^ greater, and the greater, less. Unity of purpose 
in such a crowd is hardly to be expected, and yet 
without it, the picture glistens with points that serve 
only to dull each other. 

" Mountain Scenery," No. 117, by J. W. Oakes, 
forms one of the most noticeable features in the cen- 
tral room. Catching your eye with its sparkling, 
glittering spray, it leads you up over the frolicking 
rapids and tiny leaps of a pure mountain stream — 
tangles you awhile in its eddies and then leads off 
again to the hills. Intercepted in your flight by a 
thicket of wood that stands across the stream, you 
raise your eyes and meet — ^not the grim, gray walls 
of the mountain slopes exposed in all their rugged, 
massive grandeur, or softened and subdued by curv- 
ing waves of solemn green and gray, flowing from 
cresl to crest — ^nor yet a filmy veil of God's pure 
ether fioating there in tenderest blue — ^nothing of this 
— nothing of anything -that nature loves or is, but yon 
are left to wander about amongst hills without sub- 
stance or beauty, under a sky more solid than the 
hills, and reeking with a crude dissonance of color 
that shuts out tlie light and drives you back to the 
stream. The drawing of this picture is vigorous 
throughout, parts of it painted with rare knowledge 
and beauty, and even the distance has a remote sugges- 
tiveness of natural subtleness of color which the grasp 
of form and hue shown in the rendering of the water, 
foreground rocks, and tufts of herbage, should have 
made real and true ; as here presented however, it is 
only snggestiveness, and that, very remote. Its fel- 
low, No. 123, has all the crudity without the merit of 
this, and is upon the whole flippant, false, and repul- 
sive. 

In the next article I shall endeavor to present the 
leading characteristics of the old and new Schools 
as embodied in this collection. Mssos. 

NoTS.— For " ftbflolute riffht of color " in tb« beginning of 
the second paragraph of last weeks' article, read absolutelff 
right uu^ fcc. 



Sjtrial Stfftittfi. 

DESCBIPTIVB LIST OF THE 

ZLI.A. rr £1 s o? :NffXJSio, 

PablUkedl hr O. Ditaaa «& €•• 



Vocal, with Piano. 

The Prayer of the Orphan, (La precc dell' Or- 

fana.) Meroadante, SO 

Thin la the last and Jnntly moat celehratMl nvmber of 
the well known little Cydua of Romancea. called 
*' A Summer at Romnto,'^ In which the genlnfl of 
Mercadante, enlivened by the charms of thai Para- 
diw on earth, outatrfpR ^tara of far ^rmtrr ma|tni- 
tude. All lovon of Italian aong will hid a Mr 
witlcome to thia Romanaa, finely rendered into Eng- 
lish by JI&. Barker. 

The Herd-Bells. Dnet. F. Gumbert. S5 

The flmt of a antes of eight duets, written especially 
Ibr little Iblka. quite eaay and rrrj pleaalng, al- 
thouf:b not at all common-place. The want of eom- 
poaitiona of Jnat thIa kind haa long been felt. 

Down among the Lilies. Trio for female voices. 

Glover. 50 

In Olorer'a beat vein, with soloe far each of the three 
Toicea. Particularly recommended to the attention 
of Teaehera in Bemlnarlea. 

Sanday, Peart of Days. TT. West, S5 

The Soldiers' Dream of Home. Perkins. S5 

A touching aal^t treated with IMing and akIU. 

Ont in the Cold. Emerson. 25 

A narratire of the stem conflict between the the poor 
and unhoused little beggar-child, and stem, grim 
king winter, kindling a flra of sympathy in every 
hearer's heart. 

Be Merry to Night. Cherry. 25 

Lively and sprightly. An exoellent Song In a gay 
company. 

Inatromental Xnalo for Fiaao. 

Reverie. Gorfa. 30 

Dreams of serene blias. Smooth flow of ideas, with* 
out agitation ; great eloquence in form and exprea- 
slon. It requires some skill to p e r fo rm it well, but 
will repay the paina taken. 

When the Swallows Homeward Fly. Arranccd 

for four hands. Mvllen. 80 

A simple transcription, which conflnca itaelf to the 

melody, throwing !n onW such alterations as must 

■erre to hold out the melody itaelf more prominent. 

Overture, William Tell, for four performers on 
two Pianos. Arranped by G. M. Schmidt. 1.75 
This Iksclnating and brilliant Orertnre of the cele- 
brated " Maestro." which pleases erery taste, no 
matter whether classical or profhne. i^ here adapted 
with admirable skill and prnprietv to the reaourcea 
of two Pianos and four pairs of skilfnl hands. — 
Hardly a better piece could be selected fbr an Exhi- 
bition than this Orerture with Its mysterioua 
opening, the storm followlnir. the Swiss melodice, 
so happily arranged and varied, and after all this, 
the sparkling, dashing finale. 

Ever be Happy. Rondo. Le Ducque. 25 

Country Charms. Rondo. Le Ducque. 25 

Merry Cotton Field. Rondo. Le Ducque. 25 

InstractiTe Rondos fbr puplla In the second or third 
Quarter. 

Virginia Galop. Busch. 25 

Flint Harmonia Club Polka. Mrs. Beed. 25 

Fairy Bird Polka. C. H. MitcheU, Jr. 25 

Kiss Polka. Jullien. 25 

Night Bell Galop. D" Albert. 10 

A ft«ah supply of Daaoa Mnalo; good and not dUB- 
eult. 

Books. 

Callcott's MuaiCAL Gbamxar. In four 
Parts. I. Notation; II. Melody; III. Har- 
monv ; IV. Rhvthm. By Dr. J. W. Callrott. 

Cloth, 75 
This la a new edition of one of the most Taluable and 
indispenaable companions to teachers and aeholara 
extant. Sereral years since a number of publica- 
tions made their appearance in this county, bar- 
ing for their ol^t, the refinement of the publle 
taste aa it was related to the science of music. Of 
these none has had a more unlrersal influence than 
this Musical Grammar. The general character 
which it has sustained for correctness among the 
best Judges, and the high estimation In which It 
oontlnuea to be hoM. baa Induced the publisher to 
present a new and improrod edition. He has been 
carefbl to preaerre its original accuracy, by obtain- 
ing a careful revision and examination of the work 
by a gentleman eminent for judgment and taste in 
the science in which it treata. The author has en- 
deaTored to present in a small rolume the leading 
principles of pinctieal music. From ttio analogy 
which exists between music and language, the au- 
thor has presumed to adopt a clasalfleatlon first 
suggeated by the German theorlats. An examlnap 
tion of the book will conTlnca any one of ita groat 
T»lne to all persona who would thoroughly and 
■elentiflcally eultlrate a musical taata. 




toifl|t'5 lournal 




(y\j^ 'W'^ -V/V -f 



Whole No. 320. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1858. 



Vol. Xm. No. 8. 



(From the Atlantic Monthly, for Juno.) 

La Gantatrice. 

By day, at a hi«»h oak desk I sUind, 
And trace in a Icdj^cr line by line ; 

But at five o'clock von dial's hand 
Opens tlio cage wherein I pine ; 

And as faintly tlic stroke from the belfry peals 

Down through the timnder of hoofs and wheels, 

I wonder if ever a monarch focis 
Such royal joy as mine ! 

Beatrice is dressed and her carriage waits ; 

I know she has heard tliat signal-chime ; 
And my strong heart leaps and palpitates. 

As lightly the winding stair I climb 
To her fragnmt room, where the winter's gloom 
Is changed by the heliotrope's perfume, 
And die curtained sanset's crimson bloom, 
To love's own summer prime. 

She meets me there, so strangely fair 
That my soul aches with a happy pain ; — 

A pressure, a touch of her true lips, such 
As a seraph might give and take again ; 

A hurried wliisper, " Adieu ! adien ! 

They wait for me while I stay for you 1 " 

And a parting smile of her blue eyes through 
The glimmering carriage-pane. 

Then thoughts of the past come crowding fast 

On a blissful track of love and sighs ; — 
Oh, well I toiled, and these poor hands soiled. 

That her song might bloom in Italian skies! — 
The pains and fears of those lonely years. 
The nights of longing and hope and tears, — 
Her heart's sweet debt, and the long arrears 
Of love in those faithful eyes ! 

night 1 be friendly to her and me ! — 
To box and pit and gallery swarm 

The expectant throngs ; — I am there to see ; — 

And now she is bending her radiant form 
To the clapping crowd;— I am thrilled and proud; 
My dim eyes look through a misty cloud, 
And my joy mounts up on the plaudits loud. 
Like a sea-bird on a storm I 

She has waved her hand ; the noisy rush 
Of apphiuse sinks down ; and siiverly 

Her voice glides forth on the quivering hush. 
Like the white-robed moon on a tremulous sea ! 

And wherever her shining influence calls, 

1 swing on the billow that swells and falls,— 
I know no more, — ^till the very walls 

Seem shouting with jubilee I 

Oh, little she cares for the fop who airs 
His glove and glass, or the gay array 
Of fans and perfumes, of jewels and plumes. 

Where wealth and pleasure have met to pay 
Their nightly homage to her sweet song ; 
' But over the bravas clear and strong. 
Over all the flaunting and fluttering throng, 
She smiles my soul away I 

Why am I happy ? why am I proud ? 

Oh, can it be true she is all my own? 

I make my way through the ignorant crowd ; 

I know, I know where my love hath flown. 
Again we meet ; I am here at her feet, 
And with kindling kisses and promises sweet, 
Her glowing, victorious lips repeat 
That they sing for me alone ! 



The Sanctos. 

From the Oorman of E. T. A. HomcAHsr. 
(Concluded.) 

One would have believed that Julia's song 
would ever have risen higher and truer, in pro- 
clainiing the glory of her faith; and so it actually 
happened for a short time. But soon Emanuela 
remarked that Julia otlen departed from the 
choral, in a strange manner, intermingling foreign 
tones. Often suddenly would break the hollow 
sound of a deep voiced cithern through the choir. 
The tone was like the resounding of -the storm, 
rushing through its strings. Then Julia would be- 
come restless, and it frequently happened that slie 
would introduce a Moorii>h word into the Latin 
hymn. Emanuela warned the novice steadfastly 
to withstand the foe; but inconsiderately Julia 
heeded this not, and to the anguish of the Sisters, 
often sang, when even the earnest, holy chorals of 
the old Ferrera were sounding, light Aloorish love 
songs to tlic cithern, which she had newly attuned. 
— Wonderfully sounded then the tones of the 
cithern, that oflen rushed through the choir high 
and sharp, similar to the shrill whistling of the 
little Moorish flute." 

The Chapel-Master. ^^ Flauti piccoli — The 
octave flute. But, dear sir, there is yet nothing, 
really nothing for the Opera, No exposition, 
and that is the main point, — though the deep and 
high voice of Uie cithern has touched me. Do 
you not believe that the Devil is a Tenor ? He 
IS as false as the Devil, and therefore does every- 
thing that is falsetto." 

The Enthusiast. " God in -^Heaven ! vou 
grow wittier every day, Chapel-master, but 
you are right Leave to the acvilish principle 
all over-high, unnatural whistlings, pipmgs, &c. 
But to return to the tale, that grows ever more 
dlflicult to me, for I run the danger everv mo- 
ment of jumping away at the very right point. 

" It happened one day that the Queen, accom- 
panied by the noble generals of the camp, went 
towards the church, to hear the mass, as usual. 
A miserable tattered beg^rar lay by the gate, 
whom the halberdiers sought to remove, but he 
half raised himself, then threw himself down, 
howling, 90 near the Queen that he touched her 
in his mil. Aguillar sprang angrily before her 
and kicked the beggar from her path, who turn- 
ed, and half raising his body criecl : * Trample on 
the snake, — trample on the snake, and he will 
sting you, it may be, to death ; ' then touching 
the strings of his cithern, which was concealed 
beneath his rags, it sent forth a shrill, wailing, 
piping sound, that seized all with an unearthly 
terror, and drove them back. The hdberdiers 
removed the loathsome apparition, saying : * The 
wretch is a prisoner, a frantic Moor, who by his 
mad jokes and his wonderful cithern-playing 
amuses the soldiers in the camp.* The Queen 
went on, and the mass began. The sisters in the 
choir sounded the Sanctus, but as Julia with 
powerful voice burst forth : Pleni sunt cceli gloria 
tua, there wailed through the church a shrill tone 
from the cithern, and Julia suddenly closing the 
book sought to leave the choir. 
" * What would'st thou do ? ' asked Emanuela. 
" * Oh,' said Julia, * hearest thou not the mighty 
tone of the Master ? there by him, with him, 
must I sing ! ' and she turned towards the door, 
but Emanuela spoke with deep, earnest, haughty 
voice : 

" ' Sinner, wouldst thou profane the service of 
the Lord, that thou takest his praise upon thy 
lips, whilst worldly thoughts are in thy heart ? 
Wouldst thou fly from hence? Broken is the 
power of song in thee ; silent are the wonderful 
tones in thy breast, which the Lord enkindled in 
thee.' 



" At Emanuela's words, as struck by lightning, 
Julia sank to the floor. 

" As the nuns were assembled at night time, to 
sing the Om, a tliick smoke suddenly fllled the 
whole church. Soon the flames hissed and crack- 
led tlirough the walls of the wing of the building, 
and reached the convent. W'ith much difficulty 
the nuns succeeded in saving their lives. Trum- 
pets and horns pealed through the camp, arous- 
ing the soldiers from their first sleep ; General 
Aguillar, with singed hair and half-burnt clothes, 
left the convent where he had vainly sought to 
rescue the missing Julia, of whom no trace could 
be found. The soldiers fruitlessly combated 
against the fire, which, upheaving itself higher 
and higher, and spreading far and wide, seized 
upon all within Its reach, and in a short time the 
wliole of Isabella's rich, beautiful camp lay in 
ashes. The Moors, in full confidence that the 
misfortunes of the Christians would give them 
the victory, ventured with a considerable force 
upon an attack. But never was there more bril- 
liant repulse than that by the Spaniards, who, led 
on by the triumphant tones of the trumpets, re- 
turned crowned with victorv to their fortifica- 
tions, where Queen Isabella ascended the throne 
which had been erected in the open air, and gave 
orders that on the site of the burnt camp, a new 
city should at once be built, thus showing to the 
Moors in Granada that the siege would never be 
raised." 

The Chapel-Master. " If one were only 
pennitted to introduce spiritual subjects into the 

Theatre Alreadv have I brought mvself 

into difficulty with the dear public, for introduc- 
ing here and there a bit of choral ; else would 
tins Julia be no bad part. What do j*ou think of 
the double style, in which they can intermingle, 
first the romance, then church music? Some 
charming little Moorish and Spanish songs I have 
already prepared ; also the besieging march of 
the Spaniarns, which is not bad, and I have con- 
trived to melo-dramatize tlie commandment of the 
Queen ; but how to arrange tlie whole together, 
Heaven only knows ! But go on with the stor}'. 
W^e must hear again fi"om Julia ; it is to be hoped 
that she was not burnt" 

The Enthusiast. " Did you know, Chapel- 
master, that that city which the Spaniards, though 
environed by the Moors, built in twenty-one 
days, is still standing, and is called Santa Fe ? 
But whilst I turn upon you such an unceasing 
flood of words, I am losing the solemn tone, which 
alone befits so solemn a subject. I wish vou 
would plav to us from Palestrina's Responsorien, 
that now lies open upon the desk of the Piano." 
The Chapel-master complied with his request, 
and when he had finished, the Enthusiast went 
on: 

" The Moors did not cease to annoy the Span- 
iards, in manifold ways, during the building of 
the city ; despair drove them to acts of astonish- 
ing boldness, and the contest went on more 
earnestly than ever. One day, Aguillar, with 
the Spanish outrposts, attacked a Moorish squad- 
ron, and drove tiiem back to the walls of Gra- 
nada. He turned back with his troops, and halt- 
ing near the first fortification, in a m^Ttle wood, 
sent on his followers, and resigned himself to his 
earnest thoughts and sad recollections. Julia 
stood livingly before his mind's eye. Often, dur- 
ing the battle, had he heard her voice resounding ; 
now complaining, now lamenting, and, even at 
this very moment^ it seemed to him that there 
rustled a strange song — half Moorish love tale, 
half Christian church music — ^through the dark 
myrtles. Then there rushed suddenly forward 
a Moorish rider, in silver armor, on a light Arab- 
ian steed, into the wood, and immediately there 
whistled a spear close to Aguillar's head. He 



8pran<r with drawn sword upon hu foe, as the 
second spear flew, and remained phmged deep in 
his horse's breast, who, smarting with pain and 
anguish, reared himself on high, so that Aguillar, 
to avoid a heavy fall, was obliged to swing him- 
self quickly from his side. The Moor raised him- 
self, and struck with his crescent blade at Aguil- 
lar's uncovered head. But he dexterously par- 
ried this death blow, and returned it so power- 
fully, that the Moor barely saved himselr, as he 
almost fell from the horse. In the same moment 
he pressed his horse close upon Aguillar, so that 
he could not give a second blow, and rising, drew 
his dagger ; but before he could plunge it into 
his enemy, Aguillar, with great strength, had 
seized him, drawn him from his horse, and dashed 
him ringing to the ground. He knelt upon the 
Moor's Dreast, and, grasping with his left hand 
his ri^ht arm so forcibly, that he remainc<l motion- 
less, drew his dagger. Already had he raised his 
arm to plunge it in the Moor's throat, when he 
sighed out deeply, * Zulema ! * — Chilled to a 
statue, Aguillar Jiad no power to fulfil his inten- 
tion. 

" * Wretch ! ' exclaimed he, * what name did 
you utter ? * 

" * Strike ! * cried the Moor, * you kill one who 
has sworn death and destruction to you. Yes ! 
know, treacherous Christian, know that it is 
Hichem, the last of the race of Alhamar, from 
whom you stole Zulema. Know that that tat- 
tered beggar, who with the demeanor of a maniac, 
sneaked around in your camp, was Hichem. 
Know that I succeeded, in that gloomy prison, 
in which you consigned me to the liglit of my 
own thoughts, to set it on fire, to set it on fire, 
and to rescue Zulema.' 

** * Zulema — Julia lives ! ' cried Aguillar. 

" Then laughed out the Moor, shrilly, in fiend- 
like scorn — * Yes, she lives ; but your bloody, 
thorn-crowned idol has with execrable magic sur- 
rounded her, and all the fragrant, glowing bloom 
of life is enveloped in the pall of the frantic 
women, that you call the bndes of your deity. 
Know that all music in her breast, breathed upon 
by the poisonous breath of the Saminus, is dead. 
All the pleasure of life is gone from me, with 
Zulema's sweet songs; therefore lull me — kill 
me, that I may take no revenge on you. You 
have already robbed me of more than life.' 
Aguillar relaxed his hold upon Hichem, and 
raised himself slowly, taking up his sword from 
the ground. * Hichem,' said he, * Zulema, that in 
holy baptism has taken the name of Julia, be- 
came my captive m honorable, open warfare. 
Enlightened oy the grace of God, sne renounced 
Mahomet's contemptible service, and what you, 
traitorous Moor, call the bad magic of an idol, 
was a temptation of the devil, which she could 
not withstand. Do you call Zulema your belov- 
ed! so is Julia, converted to the true faith, 
the mistress of my thoughts and of my heart ; 
and for the glory of the true faith will I meet 
you in open battle. Choose your own weapon, 
and meet me according to your own custom.' 

" Quickly Hichem seized his sword and target, 
and when Aguillar released his hold, he stag- 
gered back, roaring aloud, then threw himself 
upon his horse, which had remained standing near 
him, and sprang away at a full gallop — Aguillar 
knew not how to understand it, but in a moment 
the worthy old man, Agostino Sanchez, stood be- 
hind him and said with a smile, * Did I frighten 
Hichem, or the Lord who dwells in me, and 
whose love he scorns ? ' 

"Aguillar repeated to him all that he had 
heard concerning Julia, and they both recalled 
the prophetic words of Emanuela, as Julia, seduc- 
ed by Hichem's cithern, all devotion dying within 
her, left the church during the Sanctus." 

The Ciiapel-master. — "I think no more 
about the opera, but how shall I set to music the 
conflict between the Moorish Hichem, in his silver 
armor, and the General Aguillar. How can one 
make them sally forth better than Mozart has 
done it in Don Giovanni ? You know, however, 
in the first place . . . . " 

The Wandering Knthusiast. — " Silence, 
Chapel-master. I must now bring this long tale 
to a close. StiU, various things occurred, and it 



is necessary to collect all your thoughts ; the more 
so that I still think of Bettina, who puzzles me 
not a little. I cannot escape from tne thought 
that she has heard mv Spanish tale, and it seems 
to me as if she must \)e listiming outside of that 
door. Tliis thought, however, must be all pure 
fancy. But to go on : 

" Continually beaten in all the skirmishes ; 
pressed by daily, hourly increasing famine, the 
Moors at last found themselves necessitated to 
capitulate ; and in festive pomp, amid the thunder 
of the artillery, Ferdinand and Isabella marched 
into Granada. The priests had consecrated the 
great mosque as a catnedral, and thither marched 
the troops, to thank the God of Hosts, in the 
devout Te Detim laudamus of the solemn mass, 
for the glorious victory over the followers of 
Mahomet, tbe false prophet. It is impossible to 
tell the difficulty of suppressing the ever newly 
outbursting rage of the Moors, and to restrain 
the divisions of troops, who from the darkest 
streets skilfully attacked the already excited pro- 
cession, as it wound along the main road. As 
Aguillar, at the head of a division of foot, march- 
ed alono^ the highway, toward the cathedral, 
where the mass had already commenced, he felt 
himself suddenly wounded in the lefl shoulder by 
an arrow. At tne same moment a band of Moors 
started from a duskv arcade, and attacked the 
Christians with despairing rage. Hichem, at the 
head, rushed upon Aguillar, who, but slightly 
hurt, hardly felt the pain of his wound, and dex- 
trously parried the powerful blow, at the same 
time striking Hichem dead at his feet The 
Spaniards pressed franticly on the treacherous 
Moors, who soon fled, shrieking, and took shelter 
in a stone building, whose doors they quickly 
closed. The Spaniards stormed the house, and 
they rained arrows upon them from the windows. 
Aguillar ordered firebrands thrown in upon them. 
Already the flames streamed from the roof, when, 
above the thunder of the artillery, a wonderful 
voice sounded from the burning building, Sanctns 
— Sanchts DoininuSy Detu Sabaoth. * Julia ! 
Julia!' cried Aguillar, in inconsolable anmiish. 
At this moment the door opened, and Julia, in 
the dress of the Benedictine nuns, stepped forth, 
singing with strong voice, Sanctus — Sanclus Domi- 
nuSy Deus Sabaoth! Behind her followed the 
Moors, in a bending attitude, with their hands 
crossed upon their breasts. The Spaniards, as- 
tonished, fell back, and between their ranks Julia 
marched on with the Moors towards the cathe- 
dral, singing as she went, Benedicttis qui venit in 
nomine Domini. Involuntarily, as when an angel 
descends from Heaven to announce the blessings 
of the Lord, all the people bowed the knee. 
Stepping quickly, with eyes directed to Heaven, 
Julia stood before the high altar, between Ferdi- 
nand and Isabella, singing the mass, and perform- 
ing the holy ceremonies with fervent devotion. 
As the last sound of the Dona nobis pacem died 
out, Julia sank lifeless in the arms of the Queen. 
All the Moors who followed her, converted to the 
true faith, were baptized that very day." 

As the Enthusiast ended his tale, the Doctor 
entered with much bustle, striking his cane upon 
the floor, and crying angrily : " There you still 
sit, telling your m^, fantastic stories, without 
regard to those in the vicinity, and making peo- 
ple sick." 

** Tell me what has happened, my dear sir," 
cried the Chapel-master, quite terrified. 

" I understand it perfectly," said the Enthu- 
siast, very composedly. ** It is nothing more nor 
less than that Bettina has heard our conversa- 
tion. She went into the cabinet there, and knows 
all." 

" You have," sputtered the Doctor, " by your 
lying tale, vou frantic Enthusiast, poisoned her 
sensitive mind — ruined her with your foolish 
trash; but I will be even with you for this 
deed." 

** Honored Doctor," said the Enthusiast to the 
enraged man, " you grow warm, and do not think 
that Bettina's mental disease demands a mental 
remedy, and that perhaps my story . . . . " 

" Enough, enough," replied the Doctor, very 
temperately. "I already Know what you would 
say." 



** It is good for nothing for an opera, but it pro- 
duced some strange sounding accords." So mur- 
mured the Chapel-master, whilst he seized his 
hat, and his friends followed. 

When, three months after, the wandering En- 
thusiast, who had cured Bettina, who, with mag- 
nificpntly clear voice, had sung Pergolesi's Stabai 
Mater, (though not in a chureli, but in a large 
sized room,) full of joy and ecstatic rapture, 
kissed her hand, she said : ** You are not quite a 
wizard, but sometimes of a nature a little per- 
verse." 

"Like all enthusiasts," added the Chapel- 
master. 



John Cramer. 

(From tbe London Ath«n«iiin, April 24.) 

The longevity of musicians has been anew 
brought before us this week : — since we must reg- 
ister the death of John Baptibt Cramer, aged 
eighty-nine. It is twenty years or more since he 
took public leave of professional life. He was one 
of the Manheim Cramers — a family well known in 
the annals of music — was bom in the Rhine town, 
which then had a considerable musical importance 
— came early to England, where his father was in 
hijjh repute as a violin-player — completed under 
Clementi the piano-forte Indies which he had 
begun under denser and Schroeter — profited by 
the science of Abel — ^travelled the Continent for 
some few years as a show pianist in request — and 
about the year 1791 fixe^l himself in London; 
thenceforward chiefly devoting his time and talent 
to this country. It is not too much to say that 
during a large portion of Cramer's residence here 
he was idolized for certain qualities in his playing 
— for smoothness of touch and elegance or finger 
— ^to a degree beyond what seems to us just, — 
since his delicacy and taste were not accompanied 
by that animation which is required to rescue 
music, let it be ever so sweet and tender, from 
insipidity. Hence, from the moment when the 
incomparable hands of Hummel were heard on a 
piano in England, unprejudiced persons became 
aware that he possessed the beauty which had 
been claimed for John Cramer, and, in addition, 
masterly solidity and fluency of execution. The 
amount of music published by John Cramer dur- 
ing his long life was enormous — ^a la^re portion of 
it in the 8tricte>st forms of composition. More 
than a hundred Sonatas bear his signature ; seve- 
ral Concertos, kc. ; besides these, a huge mass of 
lighter and ephemeral music, flung: out for the 
profit of shops and the use of schools, and of 
classical works, edited with an amount of license 
which seems now inconceivable in one vaunted 
to be so impeccable as a purist* But of all this 
vast heap of music, mucn of which was correctly 
made, one work alone remuns, and, we fancy, 
will remain ; we allude to the well-known " Piano 
forte Studies ; " which no more recent productions 
of the kind have superseded, and through which 
(as through a (rate) every pianist has gone at 
some stage of his career. Of this we were re- 
minded the last time we ever heard Cramer play- 
On the occasion of M. Liszt's first visit to Eng- 
land, a party had been anranged to bring together 
the veteran and the "young lion." Before the 
latter appeared, John Cramer, whose chariu to 
his successors was but slender, moved to and fro 
in the room, dropping all manner of smooth little 
sarcasms, in that ^'^ ^ood-oid-timei" tone of con- 
scious virtue, which is the easiest form of criticism. 
When the new-comer entered, all crowded round 
him to ask him to play, — Cramer among the 
most honeyed and complimentary of the crowd. 
"Yes," said M. Liszt; "I will play a duet with 
you." Down the two sat to HummeVs four-handed 
Sonata in A flat Anything more excellent 
than the manner with which M. Liszt, as secondo, 
subdued his force and and assimilated his style to 



• Thongb th« matter hM been already adverted to In the 
Atketurtnn. we moiit here again iiutaace John Cramer** edi- 
tions of Hoaart'i pianoftMrte Coneertog. In theae every gnee 
which might have been thrown out flir onoe, bnt which oogfat 
to hare been Tarled ad injhutum by ereiy competent grace- 
player,— an eoolly ineorpoimted with the text, without word 
or aign to tell whieh was Cramer, whieh was Moaart. Tet be 
long paaiwd te a model in all matten of tradition and obaer* 
Tanoe. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1858. 



59 



that of hi« partner we never heard. "When the 
duet was done, M. Linzt must play alone. This 
he did — ^but how ? — for an hour he played, and 
by memor}% one study of John Cramer's after 
another, — with a force, a delicacy, and a purity 
of style, not to be surpasse<l. Never was ungen- 
erous old man more gracefully rebuked ; because 
the rebuke was unconsciously administered by its 
giver. Till very lately, John Cramer might be 
seen at most concerts, sitting in somewhat cynical 
judgment on the doings of a younger generation, 
talking, as from Olympus^ of former wholesome 
days,— ndays when the Symphony of Beethoven 
in B flat was denounced, at its trial by our Phil- 
harmonic orchestra, as something too shocking for 
ears pure and polite to endure I To complete the 
picture, we may add, that John Cramer is said 
to have been a nandsome man in his youth — that 
his manners had the polish of one conversant 
with good society — and that, as was only just, his 
long life of professional exertions had secured 
him a modest competency, in the enjoyment of 
which he grew old. 

(From the London Musical World, April 24.) 

John Cramer died on the evening of Friday 
the 16th instant, and was interred at Brompton 
Cemetery, on the morning of Thursday last Ho 
had reached the advanced age of eighty-eight, 
and till within a year or two of his decease was 
in all the vigor oi health and the fullest enjoy- 
ment of his faculties. 

Cramer was a celebrity both of the eighteenth 
and nineteenth centuries. In early youth he had 
attained the highest rank as a pianist, and his 
fame spread everj'where. In the course of his 
long career he was esteemed a worthy rival and 
associate of Clementi, Woclfl, Steibelt, John 
Field, Dussek, Hummel, Ferdinand Ries, Mos- 
cheles, and other eminent " virtuosi"* who made 
the a^e in which they lived, and wrote and 
played, an age as famous for pianists as the By- 
ronic age for poets. From Clementi's counsels, 
and the study and practice of dementi's works, 
Cramer derived that faultless mechanism for 
which he was distinguished. His peculiar style of 
playing (especially in the performance of adagios) 
may, however, be traced to Dussek, who was his 
model in composition. Certainly, a greater genius 
than Clementi, Dussek, nevertheless, was not to 
be compared witli the renowned Italian as a mu- 
sician of acquirement ; and it was easier to imitate 
Dussek's strongly defined manner than dementi's 
marvellous ingenuity. Although one of the most 
prolific composers that ever lived, Cramer was by 
no means learned. The number of his published 
works is prodigious, and still more remarlcable the 
fact that they are now almost all forgotten. The 
reason of this is evident. Not one of them bears 
the stamp of genius. Cramer had no genius ; he 
possessed that extraordinary faculty which is so 
often mistaken for genius at first sight, but which 
is as remote from it as mere oratorical fluency 
from the godlike gift of poesy. Those who have 
access to his woAs can verify by reference the 
truth of our assertion. They were made for the 
hour. His concertos and sonatas — ^in short, his 
important compositions without exception — exam- 
ined from the point at which musical taste has 
now arrived, are like ancient dresses and decora- 
tions, that may have shone and sparkled in their 
day, but are now worn and faded, and if handled 
at all roughly will fall to pieces. A concerto of 
Cramer can no more bear looking at in the pres- 
ent tune Uian a quartet of his historically illustri- 
ous patron, Prince Ferdinand of Prussia, whose 
death, by the way, inspired the genial Dussek 
with an effusion of such deep feeling, and glow- 
ingly imaginative beauty, as could never at any 
time have proceeded from Cramer.f 

Cramer passed the greater part of his life in 
England, but his fame, both as a manist and com- 
poser for the piano-forte, was European. He 
was ac(]^uainted with almost all the contemporary 
celebriUes. The date of his birth is interesting, 
from the fiict that Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven 
were all living — Haydn in the prime of life, Mo- 



zart, a very voung man, already in the vigor of 
production, Beethoven, the future giant, m his 
cradle. Cramer knew Havdn intimately, and 
frequently profited by his advice. It may, there- 
fore, be said of him that he was nursed in the 
lap of music. How it was that in such a nursery 
the boy grew up to be little better than a first- 
class virtuoso^ it is not for us to say. Suflice it, 
Cramer was a meteor, dazzling in its course, but, 
once departed, lost in utter darkness — 

** Drunk up by thinty nothing." 

But let us be just One work of Cramer's is, 
in all probability, destined to immortal honors. 
His Studio per il Piano (familiarly known as 
Cramer's Studies) is the most valuable bequest in 
its way that was ever made to the world of pian- 
ists. Professors and amateurs have alike profited 
by the study of this admirable guide, and will 
continue to profit by it so long as the pianoforte 
holds its place among musicad instruments. In 
the face of similar works from some of the great- 
est of composers, it continues to maintain its rank 
and has every chance of going down to jxwterity 
with the Clavier bien Tempere of John Sebastian 
Bach, and tht Gradus ad Parnassum of Clementi, 
with which, although of course it can bear no 
comparison in a certain elevated sense, it has an 
evident affinity. Just as the fu^es of Clementi, 
Bach, and Handel form the nund, the exercises 
of Cramer train the fingers of the student. But 
this is not all the praise to which the Studio is 
entitled. It consists of beautiful and finely writ- 
ten music from end to end ; and upon this one 
production must rest the future fame of Jean 
Baptiste Cramer. 



•To mj nothing of the giant, BeethoTen, who stood aloof 
ftom and f nrpaassd them all. 

t Bkgy on the ]>eath of Pxinoe Ferdinand, op. 61. 



The Chevalier Neukomm. 

(From the London Athennnm, April 17.) 

Adopting the significance given to the word 
by Douglass Jerrold, Music has lost few *^ men of 
character " more peculiar than the Chevalier Si- 
gismond Neukomm, — ^who died in Paris the other 
day, at the patriarchal age of eighty — in appear- 
ance even older. He was a Salzbui^her by 
birth, — was carefully educated by his father, — 
was taught much that he knew of music, first by 
Michael Haydn, afterwards by the greater Joseph, 
who treated him with almost paternal kindness. 
Early in life, at the age when so many a genius 
in his art has been strugglina; for brezui and op- 
portunity, he seemed tranquilly to enter on the 
field of occupation for which he was best fitted. 
For some years he held musical appointments in 
Russia, — afterwards he became aomiciled with 
that Archimage of statecraft, M. Talleyrand. 
While thus situated he composed a Requiem for 
Lotiis Seize, which was performed at the Congress 
of Vienna. Later he figured in the society of 
the Duke of Luxembourg, at the court of Don 
Pedro in the Brazils. There he remained for 
some four years, and on returning to the Old 
World, made " the Grand Tour," as it used to 
be called, — lighting some thirty years since on 
England. In this country he t(>ok an instant 
root and gained a transient popularity which it is 
now cunous to recall. His Oratorio, "Mount 
Sinai," (produced at a festival at Derby), — his 
" David," written for Birmingham, — his Psalms, 
his sacred music and his pieces for the organ, — 
poured out with a correct fluency which became 
almost oppressive, — have all passed into the shad- 
ow from which there is small chance of their be- 
ing recalled. If his English Songs, which he 
wrote by fifties, (for every voice, for every singer, 
for every principal instrumentalist to accompany) 
be somewnat better recollected, — it must be be- 
cause in a large number of them he had the good 
fortune to be associated with our delightful and 

fenial lyric poet known as Barry Cornwall. We 
ardly know such a mass of well made music in 
which there are so few bars that deserve to live. 
What is published, however, bears a small propor- 
tion to what was produced. The ebbing of the 
tide of popularity did not seem to discourage the 
Chevalier i^eukonmi, nor to slacken the sinews of 
his industry. He continued to write and to accu- 
mulate manuscript till a very late period of his 
life. It will not surpiise us if we near that he 



has also left literary memoirs. The portrait will 
be musically complete if we add that the Cheva- 
lier was fond of plajing on the organ, — though in 
no respect extraordinary in point of fancy or of 
execution. Nor do his compositions for that in- 
strument rise to any high amount of value, though 
they are grave and respectable. 

As a man of the world — parcel diplomate, 
parcel man of science, pai-cel Ac^for toayounger 
generation — the Chevalier Neukomm had a place 
of his own in society. For, in spite of a gentle 
selfishness, under which every one conversant with 
him suffered, he maintained during the last thirty 
years a home of many homes in the houses of 
distinguished and gift«d people belonging to many 
different worlds — ^passing from one to another — 
tarrying as lon^ (and sometimes it was very long) 
as it pfeased him, with a steady suavity, against 
which it was hard to protest. Wherever he came, 
hours must be altered — ^habits adopted to gratify 
him — some system of diet or of aoctoring must 
be practised as he preached it: — yet his company 
was admitted to be a recompense for such exac* 
tions. He was found equaole and pleasant as 
a household companion, ii not striking as a talker, 
— he was thought instructive by women, affable 
by children. He avoided rather than sought the 
society of artists — kept aloof fix)m the interests of 
the world from which he had drawn his full 
share of praise and glory — and quietly demeaned 
himself, as though, his own participation in its 
bustle being ended, there was nothing left in it to 
care for. As regards ease and companionship in 
the decline of life, his object was thoroughly accom- 
plished, — but he cannot be numbered among the 
musicians or the men who will be laro^ely missed 
or deeply regretted now that his round of mortal 
vifflts has ended. 



Eonconi in New York. 

(From the Courier and Snqolrsr.) 

Italian Opera. — Barton's theatre was not so well 
filled as it should have been last evening, on occasion 
of the first appearance of Signor Konconi. Bat the 
audience was appreciative and was well interspersed 
with persons or some distinction, although it could 
hardly be called either fashionable or brilliant. The 
task of criticism upon the performance is a brief one : 
for the opera L'Eusire d*Amore is known by heart to 
all opera goers, and of Madame de La Grange and 
Signor TTBBRrKi there is nothing new to be said. 
The former looked very well last evening, and acted 
charmingly ; but her singing was hardly worthy of 
her reputation. As to Signor Ronconi, he is an ar- 
tist from crown to solo, and his power is, and evi- 
dently has ever been, for more in his mental than in 
his vocal facalties. Not that his voice is gone, or was 
always poor. It never could have been a great 
voice, it is trne ; but report among critical people has 
underrated him in tliis regard. We were prepared to 
find the wreck of a third-rate organ, we found one 
of the second rank in tolerable preservation. It lacks 
power when heard with the orchestra and against 
another voice in loud passages ; but alone it is sono- 
rous, and of more agreeable quality than buffo voices 
nsaatly are. But it is chiefly in impersonation and 
in expression that Ronconi is great. His Dr. Dul- 
camara was OS real and consistent a creation as ever 
came from the pencil of a painter or the pen of a 
dramatic poet. It is impossible that Signor Ronconi 
can be an intellectually vulgar man ; and yet every 
movement of his body expressed intcllcctaal vulgan- 
ty. The low cunning and grovelling humor by 
which the charlatan imposes upon the ignorant peas 
ant, and keeps him in a merry, receptive mood could 
not bo better assumed than by this eminent artist. 
All was done, too, with a quiet mastery of art and 
instinctive knowledge of the " not too much," which 
marks skill of the highest order. The picture was 
finished to the mimitcst detail ; even the wafking and 
the snuff-taking had its own peculiar character ; and 
humor lurked in the slightest inflections of the voice. 
The performance was a very fine one, and was well 
received. 



(From the Tribune, May 11-) 

For reasons not nccc.<wary to analyze, the Italian 
Comic Opera has never been popularin this country. 
Our people, who exhibit at present a distaste amoant- 
ing almost to dislike for spoken tragedy in its severest 
form, witliout the interjection of comedy, have — by 
what seems an illogical contrariety — ^an admiration 
for serious or tragic opera of the Italian school. Ac- 
cordingly, to call together an audience of full remu- 



60 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



nerating size to hear an Italian comic opera is almost 
an impossibility, such is the indifference for that 
school of art. ' Only the reputation of Sij^nor Kon- 
coni attracted the moderately good house of Inst 
night. If not great as to numbers, it was instinctively 
ready to enjoy the actor, being composed largely of 
connoisseurs. 

To judge properly of an Italian actor representing 
an Italian cnaracter of real life, we should for the 
nonce make Italians of ourselves. We must take 
into consideration the superior vivacity of the people 
— iheir rapid face play — their numerous gesticulations 
— their southern vehemence. If added to this, the 
eccentricities of the person portrayed heighten these 
traits, we must all the more rcmemlxir tliat southern 
fire is not northern phlegm. This is a general rule 
for safe criticism. But the powers of the actor may 
be so great as to cause the spectator to forget latitude 
and longitude, temperament and nationality, in the 
intense vividness and truthfulness of his portraitures. 
We know nothing here of the Quack Doctor ambu- 
lant as he flourishes, and above all as he flourished 
in Europe. The great Baron Spolasco has (or had) 
an office, and his rig and turnout were simply anti- 
genuine and out of place. But in Europe, where the 
peasantry of certain countries believe in any nonsense, 
— and the greater the nonsense the more intense the 
belief, as a matter of course — the Quack l)ottor is 
an enormous fact. His wa^n or gig, and his horse 
or donkev ; his liveried assistant ; his big drum and 
trumpet ;\nB pitch-plasters, tooth-tweezers, love-potions 
and miracle-mongerings, are all displayed in the open 
air. In some of the " old-women's remedies " he has, 
unquestionably, skill, which the simple logic of his 
customers applies to all his professions and preten- 
sions. 

To say that Signor Ronconi was in every detail 
the head of that school of quack-doctors on the stage, 
is saying very little. The supreme merit of his action 
was that he caused the spectator to overlook the spe- 
ciality of the character in the splendid histrionic re- 
sources, the comic uiiiversalism ne exhibited at every 
turn. His costume was sufficiently charlatanish but 
not over-pronounced ; his representation vulgar, but 
not impertinently so; his triumphant aside chuck- 
lings over his success ; his facial discharges of fun, 
in which every muscle was harmonious Italian jocu- 
larity — are all studies. His voice is worn and hard, 
and yet, by the force of liis method, which is perfec- 
tion, ho manages it, and in some mere hints of the 
mock-heroic he gave a faint impression of his graver 
powers. His enunciation of the most rapid phraseol- 
ogy, as to distinctness and meaning, cannot be sur- 
passed. Great as are his powers, he leaves the im- 
pression of much greater tilings unexpressed. His 
force is genius and not talent — it is a spring and not 
a reservoir. If he repeat a passage under an encore 
he varies it so as to give a new painting ; and one 
feels sure that he could go on doing so doing without 
deti^iment to the effect. What constitutes the great- 
est wonder in regard to Ronconi is, that he has a 
voice rasping and ungracious, a figure not command- 
ing, a face not handsome ; an eye not dark or myste- 
rious ; and yet notwitiistanding, in addition to all this 
in comedy, he is the Edmund Kean among his coun- 
trymen in the lyrical tragedy. The mobility of the 
face is simply intensified ; the quality of the electrical 
man simply altered ; and the smile becomes the tear. 
By the same rule all the most passionate dramatic 
writers in plays or out of them aj*e the wittiest. 



pttsit ^brcaJj. 



j^^^^^^^^M^^^^^^^iM^^*^*^^*^*^^ 



Xrtrt.Aj'U"U~H~^'V i ~ ~ ~ * »^»i— »»,^ — » , »^» ^ », i — , - ^ — ^— ^ »^-^— , — ^ , — 1 ^ m^m» m »»»»^. 



London. 

RoTAL Italian Opera. — The new Theatre 
at Covent Grarden, tinder Mr. Gye*s management, 
was announced to open May 15, with Lts Hugue- 
nots. The list of artists is the same as last year, 
with the addition of the tenor, Tamberlik, who 
is to sing in Zampa. Other pieces mentioned as 
forthcoming are: Don Giovanni^ with Mario, tenor, 
as the Don — for which there has been precedent in 
the cases of Garcia, Donzelli, Braham, if not other 

tenors , Mercadante's Giuatnento, and Flotow's 

Martha. 

Her Majesty's Theatre. — The Athenceum of 

April 24, says : 

** Three repremntationa of ' Lea Huguenots > have strength- 
ened our conviction of the excellence of the upper notes of 
Mdlle. Titicns' roice. Alt(^*ther, it may be described as rang- 
ing with the Toic«8 of Mesdamies Jenny Ncy and Stdcld Ueiue- 
fetter ; a stout soprano, able to abide *' tear '' as well as '^ wear'' 
on its top notes. The lower register holds out less bravely, 
and the lady on acquaintance proves more rcnmrkable as a 
voice than as a singer; hmiliarity with her public having de- 



veloped certain tricks of style, which do not stand in stead of 
vocal completoncBs. Among the latter ary the di."^po^•ition to 
spoak (not to 8«iiij?) recltntivc, to which a gnatcr predorcsMOr, 
Madame Schroe«ler-IX'vricnt, could never nn-oncile u«. and a 
largo amount of make-believe execution. The new lady at- 
tempts to shake without commanding a shake; and though 
she executes one acale-pfi««ipc elTer lively — the de-vent fh>m C 
in all iu her duet with itilnrcr/— elncwhere, in pbicc of real exe- 
cution, she exhibits the same sort of evasion as vexes us in the 
singing of llerr Formes and llorr lleichanlt, and which (in 
fact) amounts to the Oerman idea of •' how to get through." 
So did not formerly— so do not now— the greait singers sing. 
But Mdlle. Titlens has time enough before her to add to her 
accompli-^hments what she has not, and to correct what is 

amiss. On Tuesday, Mdlle. Piccolomini appeared as Norina 

in* Don Posquale.' The houfe was thinly attended. The lady 
did her best to warm her audience, — forced her voice. — thus 
snng con>idembly out of tune,— and dashed through the part 
with a vehement animation, which told of a struggle to main- 
tain a declining popularity. Ilad any one about her under- 
stood her position, thiM need not have been. Of Signor Ilowsi's 
Don Pasqtiate—ar any one's Don PasquaU—we will not speak 
in the year of Lablache's death. Let us turn to something 
more welcome — to M. R^lnrt's real success as Ernesto, lie is a 
thorough, honest musical artist; sings in tune — in time — 
attacks his note to the second— and legitimately carries his 
public by a manly fervor and reality, which are full of relish. 

Sadler's Wells Theatre. — The last opera 

Produced here has been " Lucrczia Borgia," in wliich 
f adame Euderssohn, a lady, we Ixjlieve more famil- 
iar with the concert-room than the stage, has made her 
appearance as Lucrczia. Of her acting, we cannot 
yet say much in praise, but her voice is so full, and 
her style so well adapted to the lyric boards, that we 
believe she may find it her interest to pursue the path 
into which she has diverged. Her singing is indica- 
tive of great natural ix)wer8, that only require a little 
judicious training to be largely developed. Mi»»s 
Fanny Huddart was the Orsini, and gave the famous 
Brindisi whh great heartiness and spirit. Mr. Bor- 
rani steadily upheld the minor importance of Al- 
phonpo, and Mr. Millard nerseveringly reduced 
Gcnnaro to the smallest possible pretensions. This 
gentleman is not likely to attain any prominent posi- 
tion as the tenor of the lyric stage, though he may 
prove of advantage to. the concert-room. — TimeSf 
April 25. 

New Philharmonic Concerts. — The first of 
the seventh season took place, April 1 9, in the new 
St. James's Hall, which building, it is now said, 
owes its origin to the founder and supporters of the 
New Philharmonic. The programme was as fol- 
lows : 

Overture (Egmont). Beethoven. 

Duet, •' If such thy will'' (Mount of Olives), Bladame Bor- 
chardt and Mr. Tenant, B»«thoven. 

Concerto, in E flat, pianoforte and Orchestra — Allegro— An- 
(lante— Rondo Allegro — Miss Arabella Go<ldard, Beethoven. 

Aria, *^ Ah, qual furor" (Fidelio), Bladame Castellan, Beet- 
hoven. 

Symphonv in C minor, All^ro con Brio— Andant»— Scheno, 
March Finale, Beethoven. 

Overture (Frei.«chUtx). TVcbcr. 

Aria, "Delia Kosa" (Bianca o Faliero), Madame Castellan, 
Rossini. 

Aria, "Oh, quelle nuit," "!-« moindro broit " (Le Domino 
Noir). Madame Borchardt. Aub«T. 

Aria, '' luce di quest' anima," Madame Castellan, Doni- 
setti. 

Overture (Masaniello) Auber. 

The Times says the vocal performances were not 
brilHant; but the instrumental parts are highly 
praised, especially Miss Goddard's playing of the 
Concerto. The ordicstra, of sixty performers, was 
conducted by Dr. Wylde, who is now considered to 
represent the " Society " in his own person. 

Oratorio. Handel's " Samson " was performed, 

April 21 St, by Mr. HuUah's First Upper Singing 

School. 

The principal singers were Miss Banks, Miss Fanny Rowland, 
Miss Palmer, Mr. Sims Reeves. Mr. W. Evans, Mr. Santley, 
and Mr. Thomas. The singing was not all first-rate. Miss 
Palmer spoils a nice talent by exaggeration of style and forcing 
the lower notes. Mr. Sims Reeves sang as grandly as ever, and 
created an immense elfcct in " Why does the Ood of Israel 
sleep ? "—one of his very finest efforts— and in the duct, *• Go, 
coward, go," with Mr. Thomas. The last-named gentleman 
was loudly and universally applauded in the air, ^' Honor and 
arms." The Uall wu crowded in every part. 

Crystal Palace. — The directors have issued 
their summer prospectus — a " document of porten- 
tous significance, replete with a variety of promises : " 

" The season opens on tlie first of May, with a 
grand musical, floricultural, and artistical display. 
A series of monster concerts follows, and the public 
is called upon to be joyful for peat choral demon- 
strations of National School Children, combinations 
of choirs, on a large scale, firom remote provinces, 
gigantic entertainments by the children of the Tonic 
Sol-Fa Association, Titanic performances of the 
Handel Metropolitan Festival Chorus, with all the 
means and appliances of the Sacred Harmonic So- 
ciety, first-class concerts, vocal and instrumental. 



under tlie direction of Mr. Manns, others by Mr. 
Henry I^slie's choir and the celebrated band of the 
Garde Nationale of Paris, three Grand Horticultural 
and Floricultural Fetes, Vivo Shows of Poultry," 
&c., &c. 

The people hear a great deal of good music, mixed 
up with what is hacknied and indifferent, at the Sa- 
turday Crystal Palace Concerts. Here are some of 
the programmes : 

Apnl 8. 
Overture. " Coriolan." Beethoven. 
Aria, " Non piu andrai," Mr. Thomas ; Monrt. 
Concerto Dramatique, Violin, M. llera^nyi; S|)ohr. 
Aria, '' Batti, batti." Madame Castellan; Mozart. 
Symphony in D; Haydn. 

Song, *• The tribute of a tear," Mr. Thomas; I/vier. 
Aria, " Ah, non cretlca," Ma<1nmc Castellan ; Bellini. 
Violin Solo, •' Cameval do Venise," M. Reminyl. 
Overture. *' The Siege of Roeholle;" Balfe. 

April 10. 

Overture, '^ Die Tcstalinn;" Spontini. 

Cavatina (Donna Carita), Madlle. Ventaldi ; Mereadante. 

Fantasia, pluio-forta (on a German melody), Ilerr Theodors 
Mauss; Mauss. 

Recitative and aria, " Dove Bono," Madame Castellan ; Mo- 
nrt. 

Symphony, No. 6 (Psstoral): Beethoven. 

Rataplan. Mdlle. Ventaldi; Malibran. 

Solo, flute " Blue bells of Scotland," Mr. Svendsen; Arta. 

Aria, '' luce di quest' anima," Madame Castellan; Donl- 
setti. 

Gipsy March, " Preclosa;" Weber. 

April 17. 

Overture (Demetrius); Cusins. 

Scena, *' Non Temer," Madame Borchardt: Momrt. 

Introduction and Rondo, piano-forte, " Le Retour & Lon- 
drcs," BIr. W. G. Cuslns; Hummel. 

Scena, " Ah, si. ben mio," Mr. Geoige Perren ; Verdi. 

Symphony in (Jupiter); Mosart. 

Air, " Ah quelle nuit," Madame Borchardt ; Auber. 

Piano-forte solo, Fantasia Etude, '' Perles dHBeum," Mr. W. 
G. Cuslns; KulLnk. 

Ballad, '' In this old chsir," Mr. George Perren; Balfc. 

Overture (Ruy Bias); Mendelssohn. 

Cologne. The eighth Ge.«»ell8chaft»-Concert took 
place in the large Giirzenicli room, on Tuesday, the 
23<l of March, 1858. The programme waa as fol- 
lows : 

1. Spontini, overture to Olympia ; 2. B. Klein, alto aria from 
the oratorio of David (sung by a female amateur): 8. L. Spohr, 
7th concerto for the violin in E minor, executed by Ucrr Otto 
von Kojigslttw; 4. P. Hlller, '• 0, weint um sie," firom Byron, 
for alto solo, chorus and orchestra. 

6. L. van Beethoven, Pastoral Symphony; 6. Nottumo for 
the violin, by Ernst; 7. Tarantella for the violin, by Vieux- 
temps (Ilerr 0. von Ktfnigsldw); 8. C. M. von Weber, Overture 
to Der FreisckiUz. 

VIB5ICA.— On the 22d and 23<1 March, Liszt's solemn mast 
was performed, in the Redouten-Saal. under the direction of 
the author, by the chorus anil orchestra of the Imperial Opera 
house and a great number of the pupibi of the Conservatory. 
Some of his very warm admirers offered him, during his stay 
here, a conductor's desk of chased silver. __ This handsome 
piece of furniture does not weigh less than 76 kilograms, and 
IS a real mastcrjiiece of finished workmanship. According to a 
computation, which we ha\e every reason to believe ex«ct. it ia 
worth more than 15,000 francs. M. Roger is still pursuing hia 
successful career at the K4nithncr-Thor Theater. The follow- 
ing are a few p:irticulars, but little known, concerning the early 
life of this celebrated singer. M . Roger held a completely sub- 
ordinate jKisition in a commercial estiblishment. He was re- 
ceived in the house of a ln4ly. a widow, of a certiin sge. who, 
having hcnrd him sing, was struck by his voice and advised 
him to take lessons, which might enable him to procure sn en- 
gagement as chorister at the Opera. As Wo^r was not able to 
afford, out of his moderate salary, the npccs««nry twenty francs 
a month, the widow advanced them, and. sfter a certain pe- 
riod, the young virtuoso wss engaged as a chorister. After mi- 
grating, without any marked succe-JS, to the Opera-Comique, 
he returned to the theatre at which he had first appeared, and 
it was not long, thanks to his talent and a proper feeling of am- 
bition, before he obtained the first place. Out of gratitude, 
he married the widow, who was the cause of his elevation, and 
who, treating him more as her child than her husband, takes 
the most touching care of him. Roger has been heard and ad- 
mired in most of the capitals of Europe, and, though the Paris 
Opera-house mav, perhaps, be rather too large for his voice, ia 
greatly esteemed and liked, «peciaUy by the ladka.— Ifti- 
morist. 

(From Ia France Musicale, Mareh 27.) 

NAnxs.— Since the month of October, when the w1nt«r sea- 
son commenced, the following opera." hsve been played in suc- 
cession:— / Lombardi. 11 Trovatorf, Violrtta. La Trartata, 
Matilde di Turenna (J>* Vfpres), JJoneUo^ RigoUtto, LaaM 
Miller^ and J Due Foseari. The amount received for these 
works, compared with that received for the Vf stale ^ [ Puritani, 
and Linda, is an eloquent testimony of the preference evinced 
by the public for Verdi ^s compositions. 

The management of the theatre here, wishing to dve the 
Illustrious composer a mark of their gratitude, have brought 
an action to recover special damages from him. Why? Be- 
cause he would not write an opera to a fearfriUy mutilated 
libretto. 

Signor Jacova?«l (the manager of the theatre at Rome) was 
here for three days, during which period he was clever enourii 
to come to terms with Signor Verdi about a new opera. The 
composer signed the engagement, on condition that Frasehini, 
the tenor, and a contralto should be engaged. Signor Jaoo- 
vacci engaged Frasehini the same day, and then set out tor a 
contralto. By this time he must have found one. This is a 
good reason for our managera. Rome has chiseled them out of 
the composer and their best artist. Long deliberations and 
longer correspondence were required to engage Signor Verdi at 
Naples. To engage him for Rome, Signor Jacovaccl needed 
only five minutes and a signature at the bottom of a letter. 
Luckily, the pubUc protest loudly against such Ikulta on ths 
part of managers. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1858. 



61 



While on the mhJeet, T ennnot pMN over In ■Ueore the bill- 
llant oTftfcion offisrad to Verdi, a Ibw dayi idnre, by the pupils 
of the OonnemitoTy of If uric. IDn Royal IHghnen the Prince 
of Syrariue lutTlnfc ezprnMod a deaire to hear aome pleeeR of 
claMical mufflo well executed, the pupilii of the coUepie per- 
formed, under Mereadante^a direction, Beethovon** aymphony 
in E flat, and Moaart'i ZatUmJtbU. The audience connlAted of 
our BioAt distlnmiiehcfl munlciana and of menibem of the moat 
fliahionahle circlea. The peribrmance waa irreproaehahle. — 
After the above aelortion, the OTwturea to Stifcllo and the 
Ytpraa SIcUiennM were played. At the conelnirion of the 
eoneert, Verdi Tiaited the archlTca of the OonMrmtory, the 
ChcTaller Klorimo, the Icceper of thom. doing the honora. 
The illnatrioua rlaitor examined auoceaalTely the manuacripta 
of the moat celebrated oompoaera, and, among Uiem, thoae of 
ScarUttl. Cimarora, Piccinl, Jomelll, Paealcllo, fcc. On hia 
arrival at the Conaenratorr he waa received by the principal 
profeaaora of the arhool. Tlic puplla greeted him with a triple 
round of cheer*. 8lgnor Mernadante went to meet liim, and 
the pupils again eheoed the two eelebiated oompoeers. 






W«MMM«MWW« 



For Dwight'a Journal of Muaie. 

The AthensBum ExhibitioiL 

IT. OIL PICTUKKS. (cOlTTIlfUED). 

The varioQS efforts mtde to engraft the "fi^nnd 
■tjle" of Italian Art npon Enj^lish stock during the lat- 
ter half of the last centnry, were succeeded bj a resalt 
whose inflnence has been perpetuated to the present 
day. Previous to the time of Reynolds, English Art, 
(in painting) had no recognized existence. For two 
hundred yean before, men of "taste" in England, 
of whatcrer rank, virtually anticipating the idea of 
"British incapacity for Arts," as subsequently pro- 
mulgated by Winckelman and others, had been con- 
tent to measure their interest in Art by the importa- 
tion and employment of inferior Dutch and Italian 
painters, and the nearly utter neglect of all those 
whose misfortune it was to be native-bom. Regard- 
ing painting as only a higher class of decorative up- 
holstety, it b not strange that practical skill should 
have been sought in those countries, where natur- 
al aptitude seemed to be an inheritance, and the 
principles of working were thoroughly understood. 

Holbein, Vandyke, and a few others, form notable 
exceptions to the mean average ability of these tm- 
portationSf and George the Second's subscription of 
one guinea to Hognrth's print of the "March to 
Finchlcy," is not unfairly illustrative of the kind of 
piitronagc which was extended to the native artists of 
that period. 

Meantime, the purpo^ and power of demonstrating 
the fact that Art could be produced on English soil 
and by English hands, was gradually maturing, and 
ultimately found utterance in Reynolds and his con- 
temporaries. 

The Art they sought to secure a recognition of, 
was not indigenous however. England must bo 
planted with an exotic. Her native shrubs were 
coarse growing plants and must bo exterminated. 
Artists must lend themselves to Uie propagation of 
the noble tree from over the sea. 

The government and the people of England were 
only called upon to acknowledge and encourage the 
ability of England to supply her own Art needs, and, 
since these needs, howsoever palpable, were purely ex- 
trinsic, and could be fed without impairing the dignity 
and solidity of the state, this appeal, so strongly 
urged, was readily responded to. 

True, at that time England had nothing to express 
which requued the medium of " great" Art to give it 
voice. Her life was devoted to the formation of politi- 
cal states and the consolidation of wealth ; yet, as an 
aooompaniment and proof of the highest civilization, 
patronage of Art was necessary, and there seems to 
have been a peculiar fitness in offering to a commer- 
cial people, as a bait for their countenance and sup- 
port, the establishment of that Art which had shed 
•nch lustre over the commercial renown of Italy. 

In considering this subject of adoption and accli- 
mation, however, some fatal errors were committed — 
errors natural and inevitable to the " common sense " 
of the English mind, which, Emerson says, consists 
in a " perception of all the conditions of our earthly 



existence, of laws that can be stated, and of laws that 
cannot be stated, or that are learned only by practice 
in which allowance for friction is made." 

Proceeding by induction, Mr. Reynolds and his 
fellows sought to analyze the causes which had con- 
duced to the perfect ripening of this perfect fruit of 
Italian Art 

In rendering their decision, due allowance was 
made for the diffusion of Art culture in Italy, and the 
fostering care of munificent patrons. Beyond, there 
was the ennobling influence of lofty and sublime sub- 
jects, which, together with the patronage, (itself a 
sufficient incentive to great efforts,) was deemed an 
adequate cause to the production of these transcendent 
results. 

The true significance of the Art whose spirit itself 
created, and was not created by, the long line of 
noble worshippers that moved in one unbroken col- 
umn from Cimabue to Raphael — the Art that was 
bom out of the great religious heart of the age, and 
grew into divinest stature whilst accomplishing its 
appointed mission, and, when its work was finished — 
the highest spiritual reach attained — died utterly out, 
never again to be revived save by that power which 
first called it into being, — the great Catholic Art ; 
whose mighty pulse had quickened with the religious 
devotion of three centuries, was not rightly under- 
stood by those men who thought to renew its life in 
the cold Protestant heart of England. 

Religious enthusiasm as a motor in Italian Art, 
was not indeed entirely overlooked ; but it was so 
slightly valued that its non-existence in England was 
not considered as a radical defect in the condition 
necessary to ensure success in the proposed trans- 
ference. 

Regarding the subject mainly from the stand-point 
of " common sense," Art was merely a superinduction 
upon civilization, the worth of which, as an exponent 
of the highest social and political culture, could not 
be overrated, but which, as a manifestation of the 
essential individual, or national life, d^rved little 
consideration in the polity of a commonwealth. Its 
real value tlien, lay in its form of expression, rather 
than in the idea expressed. Hence, the scions to be 
engrafted upon the stock of English civilization and 
" common sense," were to be cut from the decadence 
of Art, when power of thought and intensity of feel- 
ing were superseded by technical skill, rather than 
from its culmination, in whicli perfect knowledge 
was lost in its spiritual sublimity. 

Had tliere Ixjcn any real need of noble Art in Eng- 
land, it might have been supplied without drawing 
upon Italy for inspiration. The heart that cries in 
strong yearning answers itself. Hogarth had a mis- 
sion and he performed it, quite in his own, self- 
asserting way. He stood nearly alone however. There 
was no path leading to him, and beyond, is untrodden 
grass. Doubtless his work was so completely done, 
he needs no follower. 

Had there been a real want. Art would have sprang 
up to give itself utterance. It might have been ' ' 
feeble, and homely, but integrity would have made 
it strong, and beauty would have been bom unto it 
out of the soul of fiiitli. 

The want expressed was purely external however, 
and it naturally sought artificial means of supply. 
The stock chosen for the experiment of inoculation, 
was young, and full of life. 

The " Royal Academy " — tlien only a few years 
frt>m the seed, and destined to bear the representative 
fruit of English Art,-— was headed in, and the im- 
ported scion inserted. With very little care the graft 
" set," and English Art thenceforward had a " local 
habitation and a name." 

Occasionally the native stock threw out new buds 
below the point of inoculation, which, thriving, bore 
fruit that smelt of English soil. It waa not in the 
'* grand style," however, nor did it often secure the 
endorsement of the "Academy" seal. 



A new climate and new treatment wrought a 
marked change in the quality of the engrafted Ait. 
The difference between its native and adopted condit- 
ions, was too great to allow a preservation of other 
than the most superficial duuacteristics ; yet this Art, 
such as it was, however we name it, pure or hybrid, 
during many yean was presumed to represent the 
highest Art culture possible to England. 

Suppose then, retracing our steps, we superinduce 
the meretricious seventeenth century art of Italy upon 
honest, fact-loving England, to meet a denumd which 
escapes inspection because, to the apprehension of 
English "common sense," it has nothing to do with 
trath or morals — a demand created solely by a thirst 
for culture and the power which comes of it — add 
thereto a large quota of that universal cleverness 
which is said to characterize the trae son 6f Albion ; 
and the result is the " Old School " of English Art ; 
its leading characteristics, pretentiousness, superficial- 
ness, falseness, and an ostentatious cleverness which 
seeks to cover all its defects. 

Follow down the stream of patronage — English 
trath unwittingly aiding and abetting English lies, 
until the national " common sense " revolts, and, de- 
manding trath for trath in all things else, finds it 
a condition that can also be met in Art, and you have 
the motive which underlies the Art of the "New 
School — lies leading characteristic — uncompromising 
fidelity to trath. 

Now, since it is written, that " everything English 
is a fusion of distant and antagonistic elements" — 
that England is a " country of extremes," and that 
"nothing can be praised in it without damning ex- 
ceptions, and nothing denounced without salvos of 
praise," I shall take further occasion to mark the 
just exceptions to the general ruling of this article, 
and award the duo measure of pniii«o in some addit- 
ional detailed criticisms which I propose to make. 

MsBoa. 
(To be continued.) 



From My Diary. No. 7. 

May 17. I hear a sad piece of news from Berlin, 
that S. W. Dchn (pronounced Dane) is dead ! 

He received a university education, I think, at 
I^ipzig, and studied Law, but like so many thus edu- 
cated in Germany lie afterwards devoted himself to 
music. His student life fell in the era when duelling 
was so mnch in vogue, and a wound in the arm, re- 
ceived in a duel, put an end to his pianoforte playing, 
after which he made the violoncello his instniment. 
For many years he played in the orchestra, I think I 
have heard him say, both in Leipzig and Berlin. 

One day speaking of some point in the score of 
Don Juan, he remarked that he had played in seuaity 
Jive performances of that work. He was also for sev- 
eral veors one of the directors of the fiunous " Dom 
Choir " at Berlin, and much of the perfection of that 
remarkable choir of boys and men is due to the train- 
ing he gave it in tlie music of the old Italian church 
compo.<:ers. Fifteen or twenty years ago he was ap- 
pointed Librarian of the musical department of the 
Royal Library, with the title of Professor, a place for 
which he was qualified to the very highest degree. 

Dehn's knowledge of musical bibliography was 
altogether beyond that of any other man living, not 
excepting F^tis of Brassells, or Becker of Leipzig. 
He had a special love for it, had chai^ of the finest 
musical library in the world, and had travelled exten- 
sively through central and southern Europe, at the 
expense of the Prussian govemment, for the express 
object of collecting music and musical works, of his- 
torical or artistic value. His articles in the " Cae- 
dlia," the last lialf dozen volumes of which he edited, 
prove his immense and minute eradition. For many 
years F^tis has been in correspondence with him, and 
the new edition of the " Biographies des Musiciens " 
will owe much, very much, to the communications of 
Dohn. 



62 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



He had an extraordinary memory and was the 
living encydopcedia for all of us, who used to fro- 
qnent the Royal Library. One day a gentleman 
came in and asked whemer the " Herr Professor " 
could direct him to some passafi^e in a work, which 
had escaped his memory, but which he (Dehn) had 
shown him some fifteen years before. He then related 
the substance of the extract as he recollected it. 

Dehn thought a moment. " I think/' said he, 
"you will find it in a small thin octavo on that shelf, 
(pointing up) and about such a page — ^naming it — at 
tlie top of tne page ; but I have never opened the 
book smce that time. Let me see." He climbed the 
steps to the shelf indicated, took down the book, 
opened it to the page — and there was the passage I 
He was one of the very first of living contrapuntists, 
and his knowledge of the old Italian and German 
church composers was wonderful He had read more 
of Bach's works than any man living and had made 
it a special object for many years to make the collec- 
tion m the Royal Library complete. But, although 
a Bachist in the extreme, Rossini was the hero of 
this century to him, after Beethoven. He knew Ros- 
sini personally and some of his reminiscences of him 
I sent long ago to Dwieht's Journal. 

Several of the first of the rising musicians of Ger- 
many have been his pupils. Rubinstein, for instance, 
and one, now in St Petersburg — ^whose name has 
escaped me, — but who has struck out a path of his 
own in vocal composition as original, perhaps, as 
Schubert himself. His pupils, of whom I knew sev- 
eral, idolized him. He made them do their own 
work. He gave an hour to them in the morning at 
his house, and they might come every morning; if 
they chose. He said bat little to them about their 
exercises, but a word from him was often better 
than a lecture from another roan. His course with 
them was similar to that of Albrechtsbergcr, as illus- 
trated in the work known as " Beethoven's Studies." 
'• Come down to the Library," he would say, " and I 
will give you something to copy." You would 
see sometimes half a doxen young men einplov- 
ed at the table, one copying a fugue by Bach, 
another a movement of a trio by Boedioven, a tliird 
something from Mozart, and so on. As foou as pos- 
sible he set his pupils upon canon and fugue — for if 
they once had mastered those the rest was easy, if 
they had ideas — ^if not, why waste their time upon 
music ? A pupil hands in nis fugue ; he has perhaps 
introduced a pet idea and tliinks wonders of it. Dehn, 
as Channing used to do to our college tliemes — 
glances over the exercises and draw his pencil tlirough 
the pet idea, with the enquiry possibly, " what is all 
that for t " 

He was short, abrupt and most plainly spoken in 
his address ; overflowing with anecdote, and possessed 
of the keenest sense of the ridiculous. Sometimes 
when in the humor for talking, every pen would be 
laid aside and the large rooiu of the librniy would 
ring with shouts of laughter, as he heaped anecdote 
upon anecdote of the men whom he had known 
in his younger days and whose names stand high in 
musical history — men who knowing only music, nat- 
urally enough presented queer and grotesque phases 
of character away from it. 

His contempt for the ** music of the future " equal- 
led that of Cnorley himself, and was based upon a 
profound knowledge of the art through all its mod- 
em developments. Of all men whom I have hap- 
Ced to meet at home and abroad Professor Dehn 
impressed me most by the vast extent and the mi- 
nute accuracy of his knowledge upon all musical 
topics. 

His manual of harmony and counterpoint, judging 
from my own limited knowledge of the subject, and 
from what the students of music in Berlin used to 
tell me, is the best yet written. Besides this he pub- 
lished a translation of a work upon Orlando Lasso, 
enriched by notes and additions, which make it a 
model for works of the kind. 

Dehn was a tall, finely formed, rather large man, 
with a decidedly handsome face, and the kindest 
smile ! He must have been about sixty-two years of 
age. He leaves a wife much younger than Kimself, 
and two children, a son and a daughter some ten or 
twelve years of age. 

He was a most valuable acquaintance to me and it 
will be a sad day indeed, when I enter that library 
again and find a stranger at his desk 1 



A number of Vienna authors and artists gave a 
dinner to the Nestor of Austrian poets, Herr Castelli, 
-~ on his seventy-eighth birthday, on the 2d of March. 
All the partakers appeared in the peasant costume of 
the different provinces of Austria; and the table- 
music, — in keeping with the characters of a peasant 
meeting, — consisted solely in performances on the 
national instrument of the Cither. 



Jfoig|t*s |0ttrnal d Stnsk 



BOSTON, MAY 33, 1858. 

Music ik this Number. — To-day, by way of 
variety, we give a couple of the famous Part-Songs, 
by Mendelssohn. They are leaves from the entire 
book full of the same, published by Messrs. Ditson & 
Co., with the German words translated by our towns- 
man, Mr. J. C. D. Parker. There can be no 
pleasanter practice for Glee Clubs, Singing societies, 
Liedertafel, &c. ; and the social musical example of 
the Germans must be followed more and more in our 
own country. The first selection is for mixed voices, 
a bright and joyous thing, full of birds and the exhil- 
aration of the woods. It should be studied till it 
goes with perfect ease, precision, lightness, and al- 
most sings itself; it is by no means easy to sing as it 
should be sung. The Serenade is for male voices 
only, easy enough to sing " after a fashion," but very 
difficult to sing well ; the choir that shall fully master 
it, will be master of the highest art in singing, that of 
the pure, sustained, perfectly blended cantahile style. 

So far we have given enough of Mendelssohn to 
satisfy even our London Mentor. Next week we 
shall commence a beautiful piece by Franz Schubert, 
for four female voices. 



Music in the Public Schools. 

In the report of the doings of our School Commit- 
tee, in tlie papers last week, we notice the adoption of 
the following order : 

Ordntd. That (far ihl« year the nsnal Khool featlTal at 
fianevil Hall ba mmpended, and in plara therpof that thnr be 
glren at the Husk Hall, on the da? of the exhibitiona of the 
grammar whooli, a mnnlral exhibition by the membern of the 
public aehoolii, In connection vlth the ceremony of the intro- 
duction of the medal scholam to the Mayor, addrowen and the 
preecntatlon of bouqaet*!. end that a committee of five be ap- 
pointed to make the neceemry arrangements therefor. 

So far so good. The annual "scramble" (as it 
has been called) in Fancuil Ilall on medal day is vir- 
tually transformed for this year into a musical festival. 
It will take place in the latter part of July. We no- 
tice further in the same report that a proposition to 
establish an annual musical festival, to consist of 
singing by the older pupils of the grammar schools, 
was tabled — we trust only for tlie present. Should 
next Jnljr's experiment succeed, as under proper man- 
agement it may, it will be found worth repenting year 
after year upon a larger scale and more matured 
plan ; it naturally will pass into an institution. And 
there are several reasons why we hope it may. 

To be sure, our past experience of musical school 
exhibitions has been dreary and nnprofitable. Spare 
us from more such attempts as we have heard at chil- 
dren's singing en nuuse by the thousand ! We had a 
specimen when Thalberg played to the children, and 
the children sought to return the compliment by 
shouting and drawling through a hacknied melody. 
This certainly is not the thing we want, nor what is 
contemplated by the movers of this measure. The 
time, too, is short for preparing any thing much bet- 
ter. Yet something better can, and we have reason 
to believe, will be done. Let anyone read an account 
of the Charity Children's Anniversary, at St. Paul's, 
in London (Berlioz witnessed and described it — see 
Vol. Vn. page 146 of this Journal,) and he will see 
what good results are possible from a right, unitary 
training of multitudes of young voices to sing in uni- 
son. 

In the first place there should be unity of method 
in the singing exercises throughout all the schools. 
The best plan should be found and uniformly prac- 
tised. To train separate masses of children in twenty 
different schools so that they shall sing even the 
plainest chant or choral well when brought together, 
is to train them thoroughly and truly ; the discipline 
must be exact as clock-work in each separate body, 



or they can never chime together as a whole. There- 
fore, we look upon this earnest attempt to prepare 
the children for the festival in question, as a measure 
naturally involving and necessitating the adoption of 
some real, bond JuU, unitary mode of teaching the 
first rudiments of vocal music in our schools. Of 
course the first experiment can but bo most imperfect ; 
it will be unfair to expect too much from it ; but it is 
placed in such hands, that we know the best use will 
be made of such poor opportunity as Is afforded. 
Much depends on right selection of the pieces to be 
sung. Away with trivial, infantile, sentimental and 
mock-patriotic songs. Something simple, solemn, 
slow, appropriate to a thousand voices — some grand 
old chants or chorals, something religions and yet 
strong and cheerful, sung in sustained full tones, that 
swell up grandly from a multitude, — and not light, 
sing-song measures, without time or measure — is ob 
viously the true material for such exercises. Then 
let the great organ fill the pauses, let a master hand 
conduct tlie whole, and we may got something some- 
what suggestive of the sublime, instead of the ridicu- 
lous. 

Besides, the practice of such tunes, of long, sus- 
tained, open notes, does really train both voice and 
ear, and lays the true foundation of the power of 
singing. 

We believe in having music taught in all our 
schools. We cannot go as far as some, who would 
have music taught there as a tcienee. A child's mind 
should not be burdened with indigestible abstrac- 
tions ; for facts and applications it has natural appe- 
tite and aptitude, but not for rules and prindples. 
Colbum's First Lessons in AriUimetic taught us the 
true secret here. A child may learn micsic, learn to 
sing, without learning the musical science. Let him 
learn the names of the notes, the intervals of the 
scale, &c., and liow to read a simple piece ; but this 
is not the acienref it is only the A B C of music ; a 
brief convenient routine, which one learns as ho does 
the names of the streets and how to find his way about 
in them. The great thing is to form the ear, to ex- 
ercise the voice, to cultivate the inborn sense of 
rhythm, tune and harmony, and make all more or 
less susceptible to the refining, elevating influence of 
music, and able in some slight and simple way to 
lend a voice in its production. This may be done, 
in some schools has been done, for eJl ; special apti- 
tude of course is limited to few, and will need special 
culture. 

Now singing lessons were introduced into the pub- 
lic schools of Boston twenty years ago ; and stated 
hours have been devoted to them ever since. Public 
opinion has not to be converted to the favoring of 
music in the schools. For twenty years it has exist- 
ed there ; it is an institution. But what a feeble, 
half-alive and heterogeneous institution for the most 
part it is 1 How the thing is trifled with ! Jifere 
routine, pastime (although that is better than nothing), 
and no real teaching ! What want of method and 
of unity among teachers ! If we are agreed to have 
music recognized and taught at all, is it not best to 
have it taught in earnest ? K a thing is worth doing, 
is it not worth doing well f It never will and never 
can be done well until there shall be one method and 
one mind presiding over all the music teaching in the 
schools. There should be one inspiring and controll- 
ing genius in the matter ; one competent, live man, 
who has it in him, who has enthusiasm, knowledge, 
tact and power of influencing others ; and for him it 
should be an office of dignity and trust, publicly 
valued as we value all high functions, to infiise true 
life and order into what it now is but a joke to call 
the musical department of our public schools. As 
tending, remotely, but, if rightly managed, surely, 
to this end, we hail the proposed school festival with 
satisfaction, and deem it worthy of more notice than 
we are here able to bestow upon it. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAT 22, 1858. 



63 



Concert of the Boston Brigade Band. -~ 
This oicleflt of our military bands, originally organ- 
ized as a Rccd Band in 1821, bat converted to '' 3 
noisier fashion of tho Brass Bands in 1849, returned 
last Saturday evening for the first time publicly to 
the good old style, much to the delight of as many 
people OB the Music Hall could hold. We confess we 
really enjoyed the first part of the entertainment. — 
It was a pleasure we have not had from bands for 
many years, to hear a couple of those inspiriting old 
quicksteps by Walsch, so much in vogue some twenty 
years ago, with such a faithful reproduction of tho 
old impression of the Band, that did so delight and 
stimulate the musical sense of Boston boys in that 
day. Those marches had more music and more 
metal in them, after all, than the mongrel operatic 
affairs now-a-days arranged for brass. They sounded 
finely ; the brass instruments, full numerous enough, 
were carefully subdued and blended richly with the 
half-dozen clarinets, the bassoons, the four French 
horns and octave flute. Such a bond is not intolera- 
ble in the Music Hall, and is capable of some rich 
and delicate effects. Auber's military Overture to 
Ze Sermentf an overture well suited to such instru- 
ments, was quite clearly, nicely rendered for the open- 
ing piece. There was also a medley of Scotch Airs, 
cleverly strung togctlicr by Mr. Burditt, which was 
rapturously encored. 

We did not stay to hear the alM)nis8 portion of 
the programme, the waltzes, Galopados, &c., nor the 
Potpourri descriptive of a battle. Such claptrap is 
indeed too childish, and a degradation of the art of 
music. But what we did hear was enough to satisfy 
us of the complete success of this experiment of a 
return to the reed band system, and warrant pleasant 
expectations of summer evening promenade concerts, 
which will have something of the refined charm of 
music, and not merely minister to a barbarian love of 
noise, — music for civilized humanity, and net for 
mere gamins or rowdies. 



Miudcal Chitchat 

Mr. Carl Gabrtnbr, one of the ablest violinists 

who has lived among us, and whom, in our present 

poverty in that sort of talent, we can ill afford to lose, 

gives his farewell concert in the Music Hall, tliis eve- 

mng. Mr. G., with small remuneration, has provided 

many feasts of classical music for the music-lovers of 
Boston, and should not go awav from us without 
some token that his talent and his labors are appre- 
ciated. He offers us to-night an orchestra, led by 
Zerrahn, accompanied bv which he will play Beetho- 
ven's grand Concerto for dke violin, and a Fantasia by 
Vieuxtemps. Mr. Hause will pla^ Hummel's Piano 
Concerto m A; Mrs. Long will smg the scena from 
the FreytchStz; and Bir. Adams will sing an Italian 
patriotic song, composed for Orsini. Indeed the 
second part oi the programme appears to be wholly 
patriotic. 

Among the passengers for Europe by the Guropa 
from this port on Wednesday, were Mme. De La- 
orange and Si^. Ronconi ; so all the rumors of an 
opera companv mcluding them to open next week at 
the Boston Theatre, are at fault. Of Lagrange tJie 
Courier dea Etats Unit says : 

BngBeementa come after her here, and M. Oaleoiti hu 
craned the ocean to make ofien to her that reMmble the wed- 
ding glfta of a Iklry^s god-child. It Is eaaily neo, fh>m the 
terme of the contnet, that It zelatet to a country where dia- 
monds are raised. What other country, indeed, than Bnudl 
would give her prima donna sixty thousand dollan a Tear. 
traveUing expenses for ten persons, the use of a ftimuhed 
country house outside the gates of Itio Janeiro, including the 
senice of the stables, liferies, &o., and all guarantied by the 
gOTernment? And fifty thousand ftancs ]^d in adranceat 
Paris ! and no more Ullman to submit to ! Rio Janeiro is far 
off, it may be said; but then 9120,000 in two years, without 
eountiag the diances of more! 

There is rumor of the importation to this country 
next Fall of Lumloy's entire London Company — 
not by Ullman, but by Bamum I 

In Philadelphia, Satter and Mme. Johannsen 
have given four concerts, productive of few dollars, 
but a most exuberant crop of newspaper eulogiums. 
Mme. Gazzaniga's benefit at the Academy of Music 
was a splendid tribute. Parts of Lucrenia, Traviata 
and Favorita were performed ; the orchestra was the 



" Germanic," led by Carl Sbntz. Sig. Amodio 

also had a benefit on Monday ; Gazzaniga, Brignoli, 

&c., assisting. The Philadelphia papers are full of 
one CiiARLES Groiib, who, it seems, has composed 
his Opus 1,000 (!), in honor of which a banquet has 
been given him by his publishers, Messrs. Lee and 
Walker, and Beck & Lawton. He is evidently a 
man whom publishers delight in. 

Deaths of musical notorieties abound in Europe 

these last weeks. Besides those of Cramer and 

NsuKOHM, and Professor Dehn, of Berlin, noticed 

in preceding columns, we read that Carl van Beet- 
hoven, nephew and heir of the great composer, died 
at Vienna about the middle of April ; and also in the 
same city, a well-known musician and publisher, 
whose name is much associated with that of Beet- 
hoven, Anton Diadelli. He composed the so- 
called Diabelli waltz, which served Beethoven for a 
theme for thirty-three variations, which together form 
one of the most original, imaginative and masterlv 
of his piano works. . . . Among the recent arri- 
vals of musical artists in London we notice those of 
Joachim, the violinist, engaged for the new Philhar- 
monic Concerts; Mme. Szavardy (Wilhelmina 
Cladss), the pianist; Mme. Gassier, and Mile. 
Victoire Balfe, who was to sing in Dublin. . . . 
Ole Bull is reported at Vienna, intending to give 
some concerts there. . . . Thalberg and Vieux- 
temps seem to have a wondciful faculty of develop- 
ing strange eloquence in musical critics who live in 
the remote outskirts of music-dom. We gave a cu- 
rious leaf from their experience in the South West. 
They have been more recently in Canada, and the 
Courier culls for us the following rare bits from a To- 
ronto paper : 

** As usual. Thnlbenc was gigantic In harmonies, and superb 
in oridnaiity. His Fantasia on themes from ' Masanlello ' was 
absolutely orerpowering. Nothing could exceed his execution 
or equal his pathos. Like that of Danae, every heart appeared 
undone by the golden shower of his fingers. Strong men wept 
at his Sprayer,' and were foolish enourii to smUe at their 
own weakness when he mored off into the Allegro Hoderato. 
Tn his dolce passages he held a nightingale in his right hand, 
and an .£olian Harp in his left, while his fortissimos were har- 
monious thunders hurled about him in every direction." 

Now Vieuxtemps, your turn : 

" When he commenced his perfbrmanoe the theme was going 
on smoothly, but how beautifully was it accompanied. Now a 
trio^now a quartet, and all enveloped in an exquteite tremo- 
lo that quickened your pulses till the sensation became almost 
agonidng. His Fantasia, firom * Lucia * was entrancing. Hie 
* Fra Poco^ has nerer been outdone in the world, and nerer can 
be so long as there are only fbur strings on the Tiolin. His im- 
passioned rendering of the dying scene made it as palpable to 
our senses as if we had the whole Opera before us. Every 
eadenoe, every modulation, every aooellerando, every delicious 
note WHS sung instead of played, and those who were conver 
sant with the libretto felt the whole power of his genius over- 
shadowing them. His tiarmonles were little diamond points- 
that actually glittered belbre you, and the sweep of his bow 
won tnm every part of the instrument he touched, such a 
stream of melody, or such a torrent of liarmony, as to totally 
sweep you away." 



nsual Carmpnhnre. 




MM^lMMAMM^IMM«NMMAMMMAMAMnAMMAMMn^^«^*MMM^^«MM««M««* 



kM««tfM«#^tf*MA^ 



Milan, April 18. — Under La Scala is the 
famous music establishment of Ricordi, the great 
music-monopolist of Italy. He owns almost all the 
popular modem operas, and enjojrs in Italy at least, 
the exclusive right of their publication. His store is 
quite a museum of artistic portraits ; for almost every 
opera singer in Italy has a lithograph of himself, 
either paid for by himself or his admirers. Mr. Carlo 
Jacopi, of New York, figures among the goodly com- 
pany. In looking over the list of Rioordi's publica- 
tions, I was struck with the great number of operas 
that have been produced and published, and yet 
whose names are utterly unknown in the United 
States. One of the most fecund of Italian composers, 
Mercadante, is only known to us by name, for few 
opera-goers in America can say they have ever heard 
any of his works. Pacini, is another grand compo- 
ser, who deserves to be made familiar to an American 
audience ; his Elisa VdascOj of which I have spoken 
in a previous letter, is an opera that could not be oth- 
erwise than successful, and I noticed on the list nearly 
a dozen others, from the same pen. As to Verdi, 
the number of his operas, of which we do not even 
know the names, is perfectly amazing, and it is the 
same with Donizetti. Then there are the two Rioci, 
who enjoy a certain popularity, and there are many 

other unknown composers, who have not yet obtained 
fiime and probably never will. For instance, how 
many of your readers are familiar with the music of 
Fontana, Foroni, Gabrielli, Galli, Malipiero, Fappa- 



lardo, Fedrotti, Fistilli, Fuzone, Sanelli, Schober- 
lechner, Speranza, Vera, Altavilla, Aspa, Baroni, 
Bona, Boniforti, Butera, Buzzi, Buzzola, Cagnoni, 
Capecelatro, Coccia, Coppola, Corbi and Fioravantal 
Tet every individual here mentioned has written a 
half a dozen operas at least, and the majority of 
them may be found in the immense stock of Ricordi. 
I might go on for a oolunm with other names of the 
unknown musicians of Italy. 

In one of the musical papers here, I noticed the 
other day amid the list of artisti disponsibiUf the name 
of Anna de la Grange, who will, in June, return 
from America. If this be true, you are about to lose 
a prima donna, who, it is no exaggeration to say, has 
obtained in the United States a more general and 
solid popularity than any other that has visited our 
country. 

I understand that almost every musical artist of 
note in Italy is looking forward to a pilgrimage to 
America. I was a short time ago, in my pokings on 
the Adriatic coast, at a little town called Fano, 
whence comes Giuolini, the popular tenor of Lum- 
ley's troupe ; there I heard that this excellent tenor 
liad sailed or was on the point of sailing for America, 
and his friends in Fano were expecting him to return 
to Italy staggering under the weight of gold and pre- 
cious stones he was to collect in the American El 
Dorado. By the way Lumley is in Italy, doing what 
I have been doing — poking about — only his pokings 
have a more definite object than mine. He is hunting 
up rare musical novelties, — great tenors and won- 
drous soprani, who have hitherto been wasting their 
sweetness upon the desert air of the provincial towns 
of Italy ; it was in a similar foray that he discovered 
that great musical nugget, Giuolini, who owes to 
the London manager the opportunity of being heard 
in a northern capital, and thus obtaining the fiune he 
now enjoys. 

The musical people here entertain the most exag- 
gerated notions about the prospect offered for opera 
singers in the United States, though they are singu- 
larly apt to confound New York wiUi Buenoi Ayres, 
and Rio Janeiro, and the city of Cuba — these places 
having a European fame for their devotion to Italian 
music. At the same time, the Italians (of course I 
do not include the traveled and better educated 
classes) seem to think that in America, as we are not 
accustomed to the best of music, any second-rate 
prima donna has only to open her month there, to be 
pelted with gold dollars and diamond bracelets. It 
was under the influence of some such delusion that a 
kind Italian friend suggested to me the propriety of 
espousing some handsome young comprimaria, and 
taking her to America, where she would make my 
fortune and her own by singing to the natives, who 
in accordance with their usual custom would imme- 
diately shower her with gold. With that striking 
prudence and sagacity which I so frequently manifest, 
I at once remarked, that perhaps there would be some 
di£Bculty in finding sudi a valuable lady. " Not at 
all, caro mio," replied my fiiend, "every woman in 
Italy can sing a little, and as there are just eight 
times as many women as men in the country, any 
young man, especially a stranger from America, can 
get eight wives, at least, if he wants them." Those 
are the very identical Mormonish and heathenish 
words of my good friend, as translated with singular 

fidelity, fi:om the original Italian, by 

Troyator. 



Philadelphia, Mat II. — The Concert of the 
Harmonia Sacred Music Society, last week, proved 
a perfect godsend to those who, conscientiously op- 
posed to the Italian Opera, have languished for a 
musical entertainment ever since the Lyric perform- 
ances ^t the Academy rendered it precarious to risk a 
plain Concert. 

The Harmonia rejoices in the prestige of a long 
established name, an energetically managed business 
department, and an excellent corps of amateur chor- 



64 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



isten and soloists. Its Conceits havo been assidu- 
ously (perhaps hitherto detrimentally to the interests 
of its exchequer) directed to the dissemination of 
high>art compositions, merely inserting in its pro- 
grammes operatic and balladic trifles, at times, in 
order to appease the grumbling legion whicii demands 
Stephen Glover or Verdi. 

Some years since its department of active, per- 
forming members was very extended and imposing, 
comprising witliin its limits many of the best ama- 
teurs and Professors of the city. Other societies, 
however, sprang into existence, and the Harmonia 
lost quite a number of its vocalists, who clustered 
around another nucleus and formed the present Han- 
del and Haydn. Nevertheless, its enei^cs have 
remained unimpaired, nudgr^ its wasting physiquef 
and its rehearsals are rigorously, punctually, and ar- 
tistically accomplished, each week. 

Leopold Mbiokbn, Mus. Doct., Sodetatia Har- 
monia graiiA, conducts this association with signal 
ability. His musical and literary attainments are of 
a very high order, both having been permanently 
established, one year since, by the triumphant produc- 
tion of an oratorio, " the Deluge," which, in its main 
features, conclusively proved that a Frenchman may 
attain to classic distinction after all. 

Michael H. Cross, the Organist of the Society, 
is endowed with brilliant talents, and as a Concert- 
Organ performer stands the peer of the proudest 
names in the country. Seat him before the noble 
instrument with a request for "Wm. Tell," the 
" Crown Diamonds," or, if yon prefer it, a Fugue 
fi:om Bach ; and you will not fail to marvel at the 
fine orchestral effects, the brilliancy of execution, and 
the steadfastness of tone, which your request has 
evoked. But this accomplished concert-performer 
assumes a difierent guise in the sanctuary. His vol- 
untaries lack the ideal, and his accompaniments are 
boisterous. 

Mrs. Emilt Reed, a Bostonian, I believe, gener- 
ally " leads off" upon the bills as tlie principal So- 
prano at present. Her voice is a pure soprano, of 
considerable compass, and a fair degree of power, 
which, however, frequently appears to disadvantage 
through incorrect intonation, howbeit that her uniform 
appreciation of subject and strict regard to time evince 
nnmistakeable evidence of close application. 

Some of the finest choruses from the " Elijah " 
and the " Creation " graced the programme of last 
week, and were enthusiastically received by the intel- 
lectual audience assembled, in spite of a serious draw- 
back to their striking effects, in the lack of an ade- 
quate corps of bassos. Eh I bien — Mendelssohn 
and Haydn were not present ; and the public here is 
not super-critical. 

A novelty of this entertainment consisted in the 
dAut of a youthful Soprano. Verily she flashed 
upon us like a dazzJing meteor I Her voice, what 
with immense power, extraordinary compass, and 
singular purity, warmed into new enthusiasm an au- 
dience which, the length of the programme had 
driven into somewhat of listlessness. Mark me, most 
worthy Journal, that lady Canonymous by request of 
her doting friends) must make a wide spread sensa- 
tion. 

A few words concerning the German Orchestra, 
and then adieu. The Germanians perform every 
Saturday afternoon, Overtures, Symphonies, and 
Strauss Waltzes before an immense array of crinoline 
belles, who " most do congregate " at the Musical 
Fund Hall at the hour appointed, and there drink in 
the inspirations of the great maestros for 12^ cents; 
to say nothing of the opportunity thus affonled for 
displaying spring bonnets, straw-colored kids, and the 
latest importations of Levy & Co. Sextz, whilom 
drummer in ordinary to tlie quondam " Germania," 
and now leader of the orchestra above mentioned, 
directs the movements of this body of musicians with 
fascinating grace and judicious ability. His popular- 



ity with the fair frequenters of these fashionable 
rehearsals (Ullman would dub them Matindcs) is 
unbounded. Sentz, h. la Toots, patronizes eminent 
but "doothid ex])enthif" tailors. These Gcrmnnin 
Rehearsals, as tlicy arc termed, have become a flxcd 
institution with us. 

Satteb gave his introductory concert lost night. 
Circumstances prevented me from hearing him ; bat 
he is represented to have taken the city by stoi-m. I 
shall hear him to-morrow night. Au Revoir ! 

Mamrico. 



Chicago, III., Mat 12. — We had the " Crea- 
tion " last evening. The " Mnsical Union " num- 
bered on this occasion about ninety singers, and was 
supported by tlie " Great Western Band." Mrs. 
BosTwicK and Mrs. Mozart were the solobts. 
The Tenor and Bass parts were sung by members of 
the Society. Mr. Lumbard has a beautiful and rich 
bass voice, and though he has not much style, his 
performance was very acceptable. The tenor was 
rather weak. The Chorus was well balanced but 
wanted training. It was, however, the flrst attempt 
of this Society at a large work. Our materials are 
very good, much better than yon would expect to 
find in Chicago. But their Conductor — ! I ! — 
alas I is a country singing school teacher. We en- 
joyed quietly a very capital joke. The gas remained 
turned down when the audience was gathering, and 
was to be turned on at the word Ught in the opening 
chorus. This was the great idea of the Conductor. 
The leader of the Band, a thorough musician, how- 
ever, got hold of the secret and ordered his band not 
to commence at all until the gas was turned on. So 
on the stage they come. All is ready. The Con' 
ductor gives a sign and is about commence his first 
beat, when the players inform him they cannot see. 
Conductor tries again. Orchestra can't see. Con- 
ductor, very much disappointed, gives order to turn 
on the gas. Light. Performance begins. All sen- 
sible people delighted at seeing this trickery defeated. 

The audience filled the hall to overflowing, and the 
Concert will soon be repeated. A. M. 



Bangor, Me., April 80. — The " Choral Society* 
of our city, gave a Concert on Fast Day evening, 
which we think worthy a brief chronicling in your 
admirable paper. Their programme was a selection 
of solos, tunes, trios, choruses, &c., from Haydn's 
" Creation," which has been their study during the 
past winter. These were all rendered in a manner 
highly creditable to the society, and gratifying to their 
audience. 

To instance a few of the more prominent individ- 
ual performances : those beautiful solos, " The Mar- 
vellous work " and " With verdure clad," were very 
happily rendered by Mrs. Forbes and Mrs. Car- 
rell, respectively. " Rolling in foaming billows," 
was given in noble style by Mr. Warren, and " In 
splendor bright," by Mr. Burbank. Mr. J. W. 
Merrill sang the favorite air, " Now vanish before 
tHe holy beams," with remarkable distinctness of 
enunciation, and discriminating taste and skill. Mrs. 
Brown sang in several trios, sustaining a long and 
difficult soprano with entire success. " The Lord is 
great," was given in splendid style, by this lady with 
Messrs. Merrill and Warren (three members of the ad- 
mirable Quartet Choir of St. John's Episcopal Church 
in this city), as well as " On thee each living soul 
awaits," where she sang with Messrs. Guild and 
Wilder. Mr. Wilder and Mrs. Crowell gave the 
Duet " Graceful consort," very brilliantly. 

The choruses throughout indicate careful training 
on the part of the clioir, and were very effective. 
The organ was well played, thcugh not a superior 
instrument, by Mr. Tracy. 

We rejoice in the existence of this society, and its 
influence over the musical development of our city. 
Its aims are high, and its spirit a noble one. 



Special '$aixtts. 

de8crii*tive*list of the 
PaUislied br O. DiUon 4t €•• 



Vocal, with Piano. 

Unhappy Love, (L'amor funcsto). DtmhettL 30 
DouiscttPi celcbmted Biiiitonc Song, which ban proTrd 
ft taking concert piece iiumy a time. Our lloeton 
concert-goers of lant winter can beiur toitiniony to 
this. It in a lovely Itomania for a line ▼oice, dther 
Baritone or Mczio Soprano. The En^Lih Terdou 
b by Th. T. Barlior. 

Winnie Bell. Spng and Chorus. Ujifon, 25 

Light and melodioofl, with a good and efloctire 
choriM. Of quite a popular ca>t. Will find, hosta 
of frlondi. 

I've got a Little Bible. Sunday School Song. 

S. B. Btdl 25 
A nice little ballad for the young, eren for the 
roung. Thif ought to become a hooaehold 



mi 

Love's Letter Box. Song. Wrighton. 50 

This ia a charming song, by the oomponer of *' The 
Dearest Spot on Barth to me is Home." The title- 
page ifl adorned by a beaatUtal colored lithograph, 
reprofienUng a dark -eyed young beauty, who juet 
iupe a vmail envelope into an aperture, which a 
•olemn, old oaktree opportunely oflen Ibr a ** Lot- 
er's Letter-box." 

The Longest Day will have an End. Song. 

Anrw Ticknor, 25 
Ihia Song of the popular English authoress will 
prove anite a treasure to those, who, in expectation 
of good things to come on the morrow, oomplsin 
of ^' Long, long weary days." 



Inatrtunental Xucio for Piano. 

La Traviata (Revue melodique), for two per- 
formers. B^MT. 60 
An excellent Four hand Anmngemeot of all the ran- 
pal Melodies in this Opera, in the form of a f an- 
Of medium dlfflcolty. 



Spinnlied. Impromptu. Litto/ff'. 50 

A pleasant Melody, In the style of those impresMve 
** people's airs," which Mendelssohn and others 
hare already w> happily imitated, sustained by the 
left hand, while the right keeps up a constant whirl 
of Arpeggio passages, ImitatiDg the noise of a spin- 
ning-wheel, when in rapid motion. This pieciB of 
the eminent young composer, whom the flwtidious 
Parisians have made tlie lion of the musical season, 
and whose worlcs have been Introduced into this 
country bv tiie genial interpretation ot Madame 
Graever Johnson, must become a &voiite with good 
players. 



Musard's Grand March. 
Hymeneal March. 
Polka de Grand. 
Surprise Party Polka. 

Pretty and plessing in their line. 



Ingraham. 25 

G. D. Smith, 25 

Baldwin. 35 

Avery, 25 

Neither of them 



olfns any difllonlty to a player of common ability. 

For Brass Bands. 

Shells of Ocean and Silver Lake Waltz, arrang- 
ed for a Brass Band of fourteen or a less num- 
ber of instruments by Burditt. 1.00 

This is a new number of ** Ditson^s Band Muste," 
printed neatly on cards. 

Books. 

Moore's Irish Melodibb, with symphonies and ac- 
companiments, by Sir John Stwemony and charac- 
teristic words by Thomas Moore, With a portrait. 
Price, $1.50; ip cloth, $2.50; cloth, full gilt, 
$3.00. 

In a very neat, convenient, and durable form we 
have in this Tolume the fine old Melodies of Ire- 
land wedded to the charming ballads which have, 
more than any other of his works, Immortalised 
the name of Moore, and made it a flunilisr house- 
hold word throughout the civilised world. There 
has been, and sJways will be, a peculisr charm 
about the music and the poetry of this work, and 
though tbe expression in reference to a new book, 
has become somewhat haeknied that " no library 
is complete without it," we may venture to say, 
that, used in connection with this elegant edition 
of ** Moore's Melodies." it will come to each of our 
readers as a very truthful declaration. There are 
many editions of these Melodies published In ttiis 
countr}-, but this is the only one in which the words 
are accompanied by the music, and here we may 
mention that with Moore the words and the music 
were one. *' So Intimately," says an English writer, 
*' were they united in his mind,that the sight of the 
songs crowded together in one volume unaccom- 
panied by music notes inflicted upon him positive 
pain." 




toiglt's 




0ttrital 





u5iv^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAT 29, 1858. 



Whole No. 321. 



Vol. Xm. No. 9. 



To the Moon. 

From Ooiroi. 
Fillcst hill and valo again, 

Still, with softcninj; lijo^ht I 
Loosest from tho world's cold chain 

All my soul to-night I 

Sproodcst round me, far and nigh. 

Soothingly, thy smile ; 
For tliee, as from friendship's eye, 

Sorrow shrinks the while. 

Erery echo thrills my heart — 

Glad and gloomy mood, 
Joy and sorrow both have port 

In my solitude. 

River, river, glide along I 
I am sad, alas 1 

Fleeting things are lore and song- 
Even so they pass I 

I have had and I have lost 

What I long for yet ; 
Ah 1 why will wo, to our cost, 

Simple joys forget f 

River, river, glide along. 

Without stop or stay ! 
Murmur, whisper to my song 

In melodious play,— 

Whether on a winter's night 

Rise thy swollen floods, 
Or in spring thou hast delight 

Watering the young buds. 

Happy he, who, hating none. 
Leaves the world's dull noise, 

And, with trusty friend alone, 
Quietly enjoys 

What, forever unexpressed, 
Hid from common sight. 
Through the mazes of the breast 



Softly steals by night I 



J. S. D. 



[Tnuulatod fyr this Joomal.] 

Miudcal Orthodoxy. 

From the German of Mme. JoujlWKA. KnnciL. 

^ Better after all not try to learn the F minor 
Sonata," said Ida, rising wearily from the piano- 
forte, and afler a pause adding : ^' In fact it does 
go* well enough, and my old master, severe as he 
was, would have been satisfied with it. What 
I still feel to be wanting in my performance of 
it, I fear will not be brought out by farther prac- 
tice. The incomprehensible fantastic element, 
which pervades the first Allegro, the desperate 
dalliance with agony in the Adagio, this laughter 
upon the verge of destruction in the finale, all 
this I expressed better at first But wliile I have 
been laboring to polish the rapid passages, and 
have acquired a smoother and more elegant exe- 
cution, I have become unable to return again to 
the grand style. I play the Sonata now with 
great precision, but quite without soul, — and 
this is fatal." 

"But you take up everything with a too 
pedantic severity," answered an old lady, who 
sat listening on the sofa, " and labor to infuse into 



the music what no human being could detect in 
the hearing." 

The pianist had early been left an orphan, and 
had found a home with certain distant relatives. 
A wise guardian had appropriated the greater 
portion of her small fortune to the cultivation of 
her uncommon talents for music. She was now 
of age and independent, and had spent what re- 
mained in the purchase of an Erard grand 
piano-forte. Hardly so much had been left as 
sufficed to pay her expenses to the place which 
she had chosen for her future abode, and to 
set up her exceedingly simple house-keeping 
there. 

She had no wish to engage in travelling and 
concert giving, her musical tastes being too 
strongly opposed to those of the public ; nor 
could her retiring disposition have borne the 
thousand little discouragements, which no one 
can escape, who, unknowing and unknown, seeks 
this mode of gaining a subsistence among strang- 
ers. She chose rather to labor for the means of 
living as a music teacher in some large town, 
hoping, while bearing the cross of lesson-giving 
to beginners, to gain sufificient to enable her to 
reach that high place in Art, which was not pos- 
sible in the small, retired place which was her 
home. 

At present she was the guest of a friend of her 
deceased mother. The old lady was the wife of 
Bailiff Werl in Waldheim, a small town in a 
narrow valley, about an hour's walk from the 
capital. Here she was to remain until she should 
find a suitable place of abode and a few pupils in 
the city. Frau Werl kindly went to town with 
her diuly to make the needful visits and inquiries, 
and took thereby, unluckily a great many use- 
less steps. 

Her reception by most of her fellow-musicians 
was forbidding, or at least seemed so to Ida. 
Having from childhood been accustomed to un- 
restrained intercourse with relatives and friends, 
the manners and forms of the great city appear- 
ed to her indescribably cold, and the brevity, 
with which musical notabilities replied to her 
inquiries, positively frightened her. Most com- 
forted her with : ** Thidgs would go well enough 
by-and-by, if she could only wait until people 
discovered what she could do;" but nobody 
troubled himself to aid her in showing what she 
could do, although in her case every thing depend- 
ed upon its being done as soon as possible. 

Not far from the Waldheim bailiff's house was 
the villa of Count Selvar, which he occupied 
every year from opening spring until the storms 
of November. The Bailiff and his wife were 
always welcome there, and the Count never met 
them without urging them to come more fre- 
quentiy ; for Frau Werl visited there only when 
the bad weather cut off the constant stre^un 
of visitors from the higher classes, who, during 
the summer months, filled the saloons and the 
garden. For the sake of Ida, however, she now 
overcame her repugnance to fashionable society. 
At the villa music was a passion, and should the 



family once become interested in Ida, she would 
almost of necessity be introduced into the first 
families of the city. 

Frau Werl explained her plan and warned 
Ida by all means to play none of Sebastian 
Bach's fugues, as that would spoil everything. 

" Why should i not do my very best ? " said 
Ida. " I know of nothing which so keeps alive 
the attention as a fugue. I can only compare 
the movement of the parts to the everlasting 
courses of the stars. The strange embellishments 
so interwoven with each other in the preludes, on 
the other hand, remind me of the curious mosses 
and mosaics which I have sometimes seen." 

Frau Werl described to the young Bach-enthu- 
siast her own experience of the musical taste of 
the higher classes, and was in the end fortunate 
enough to persuade her to practice anew certain 
of the compositions of Hummel and Carl Maria 
von Weber, which may very well be said to form 
the boundary lines between the learned and 
trivial styles in music. About the hour of tea 
she went over with Ida. " The company to-day 
is at the end of the garden under the new tent," 
said the servant. 

" That is also one of the fancies of the Count," 
said Frau Werl, as they passed down the garden, 
" to be always laying out new pleasure-grounds ; 
and it must be confessed that he has a good deal 
of taste." 

Ida had never seen so delightful a spot as this, 
where the elegant and fanciful were well com- 
bined. Small fruit and flower gardens, and 
promenades regularly laid out, had always been 
her abhorrence, — the wild forest the only place 
in which she could walk with pleasure. Here, 
for the first time, the rich poetry of the world of 
plants, carefully arranged in picturesque groups, 
met her eye. The snow-white and beautifully pro- 
portioned villa was projected against a back- 
ground of lofty dark green lindens. From the 
hall on the garden side one stepped into a broad 
circle of aloes and orange trees in blossom. The 
park, spreading full a mile on either side of a 
small brook, extended to the village, which ap- 
peared to be a part of the domun. 

Ida and her protectress passed along through 
arcades of clematis and wild vine, by beautiful 
beds of flowers, fountains and groups of flowering 
shrubs, to the tent, where a company of gentle- 
men and ladies were apparently too much en- 
grossed in their light conversation, to heed the 
modest figures of the approaching strangers. 
The Count was at the time in a distant part of 
the garden, doing the honors to another group of 
his viators. His sister, who received them, gave 
the elder lady a place by her side and entered 
politely into jconversation with Ida, but upon the 
approach of each new carriage was obliged to leave 
them ; and thus they were seldom free from that 
oppressive feeling — loneliness in a crowd. True, 
the lady of the house was thoughtful enough to 
turn to them as often as possible, but all had a 
claim upon her attention. No others present 
would condescend to trouble themselves about 



66 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



persons evidently lower in the social scale than 
the circles in which they moved. Friend talked 
with friend, and acquaintance with acquaintance, 
but no one took notice of the two women, who, 
after half an hour's talk with each other upon 
the beauty of the scene around them, embraced 
the first favorable opportunity to retire. 

Again in the garden, Ida breathed freely once 
more, and was upon the point of expressing her 
determination never to breathe that close and 
oppressive atmosphere again, when a man, whom 
she took for the head gartlener, hastily crossed a 
bridge directly before them, without however 
happening to notice the two women. He wore 
a cool summer dress of gray stuff and a large 
straw hat pressed deeply down over his brow. 

" What a striking and bcciutiful face is that!" 
said Ida, " I thought such were only to be seen in 
museums of antiquities, not in actual life." 

"Oh, that is the Count," said Frau Werl, 
laughing : " Well he is indeed an antique, if he 
does dress like a young, romantic painter." 

To Ida's utter astonishment she learned that 
the gentleman, who she supposed had hardly 
passed his fortieth year, was at least eight-and- 
fifly. He was one of those rare instances of 
lasting manly beauty, which even in age can exert 
a magic influence. Though in youth slender and 
thin to a remarkable degree, he, as he advanced 
in years, had gained a fullness of person consist- 
ent with great strength, but which never passed 
beyond the limit of perfect proportion. His pro- 
file, with full Roman nose, gracefully rounded lips 
and slightly protruding chin, was truly majestic. 
Though deep blue or black eyes usually in age 
lose somewhat of their lustre, his, of a dark gray, 
had gained a sort of intellectual clearness, which 
gave to his glance a quality peculiarly fascinating 
and irresistible. 

" AVhat an immeasurable advantage is a beau- 
tiful face," sighed Ida. " I give this man full credit 
for an appreciation of all that is good and beauti- 
ful, simply because he looks so intellectual. — 
Were I beautiful or had I anything at all impos- 
ing in my appearance or manners, surely some 
one in that circle, w^hich I have just left with 
such a feeling of oppression, would have spoken 
to me ; as it is, it has occurred to no one, that a 
soul dwells behind this pale face, in this uninvit- 
ing form." 

Some days later came a friendly invitation to 
the Werls and their guest to spend a quiet even- 
ing with Count Selvar and his family. 

" Thank God, it rains," said Frau Werl, "there 
will be no one there ! " 

And so it proved. No one came except the 
married daughter of the Count and her husband. 
The Bailiff, a jo\ial old fellow, whose company 
Selvar highly relished, made the Count acquaint- 
ed with Ida's situation and wishes, while she was 
deep in a discussion of the merits of Bellini and 
Donizetti, with the young Countess. Like most 
aristocratic ladies, the latter loved these two com- 
posers beyond all bounds, considering everything 
from their pens magnifiquey superhe^ &c. 

Ida on the other hand insisted upon great 
poverty of idea as characterizing the modern 
Italian style of composition. She spoke of their 
ever-recurring insipid melodies, sweet but with- 
out character, and equally unfitted for the ex- 
pression of the highest rapture or the deepest 
anguish of the soul ; of the piling up of instru- 
mentation in passages meant to be forcible, which 



invariably prove to be affected and ridiculous, 
and show their nakedness, when parodied ever 
so slightly ; of the monotonous march rhythm ; 
of the harmony, which is always within the circle 
of two or three keys, as if in a tread mill, and 
of the utter nothingness of their accompaniments 
and interludes. 

" And yet this music throws all the world into 
ecstacies," said the Countess : " people hear and 
sing it with delight day after day, while at an 
Oratorio by Bach or Handel, they go to sleep 
from very weariness." 

"'Whoever can weary of those masters," re- 
turned Ida, " to him I give no credit for any 
artistic sense and feeling. Tliere is perhaps an 
indolence of thought in many persons of much 
real natural feeling for music, which entices 
them to give themselves up with half an ear and 
half their soul to the mere sensual gratification 
of a pleasing melody, without stopping to think 
whether it belong to the true and noble in Art 
If vou would once take the trouble, Madame 
Countess, to follow carefully each separate part 
in one of Bach's Fugues, or to study a Sonata by 
Beethoven so thoroughly as to feel its infinite 
depths, you could never again, after such a spiri- 
tual delight, turn back to that empty juggle with 
tones." 

The Countess laughed and would like to know, 
why she should go through with a laborious course 
of study, when the lighter music, which she un- 
derstood at once without difficulty, sounded just 
as pleasantly ? " This may all be very well for 
the learned, who understand what you call coun- 
terpoint," added she. " We are contented with 
a melody, which lies upon the surface and is made 
no clearer by the bass and the middle parts. 
Artistic elaboration is only a disadvantage, since 
it renders the beautiful less apparent It Is cer- 
tainly a proof of a finer taste, that the Italians 
compose in a style so elegant and simple." 

The Count at this moment hinted that the 
company would derive more pleasure from music 
itself than from discussions upon it, and offered 
Ida his arm to conduct her to the piano-forte. 
She chose Hummel's fantasia in £, a piece, which 
stands upon the farthest limit of that territory, 
which a performer familiar with Sebastian Bach 
never leaves, and which on the other hand 
abounds in beauties sufficient to attract even a 
Bellini fanatic. 

Ida's peculiar excellence as a pianist was in the 
great variety of light and shade, which she threw 
into her playing. If she occasionally found a 
rival, who surpassed her in mere mechanical exe- 
cution, she was inimitable in the interest which 
she could throw into a piece of music, by the free 
unfolding of her own individual conception of 
it ; now it seemed like a drama, now like a pic- 
ture, and yet she never passed the limits of the 
composer's design. As she became excited, her 
fingers were winged, her cheeks flushed, her 
black eyes sparkled. 

Selvar watched her closely during her per- 
formance and wondered at the change in those 
features, which had before seemed so ordinarv. 
With great tact, he so worded the usual flatteries 
paid to a performer, that they seemed more like 
his opinion soberly addressed to the company, 
than mere compliments. 

" Can your mouth sing like your fingers ? " he 
asked. 

" Singing is not my forte," said Ida, " though I 



delight in songs, whose texts appeal to my feel- 
ings ; but I can execute them well only when I 
am alone ; in presence of others it seems laying 
bare the secrets of the heart, to sing with ex- 
pression. 

" That is a very unartist-like feeling. I should 
not have thought it of you." 

After much hesitation, which in her case arose 
from real modesty, Ida sang in a full, deep contral- 
to voice several beautiful popular songs of various 
nations, which were new to the company. Selvar 
was thoroughly charmed ; and his natural enthu- 
siasm, not calmed in the least by the lapse of 
years, led him into expressions of delight, which 
had their full effect upon the singer. Tlie fire 
of her soul, hitherto hidden, broke forth in songs, 
now tender, now joyous, now despondent, now 
playful, and flash after flash of various sentiment 
aroused the remains of similar emotions in the 
heart of her listener. Inexhaustible was her 
store of, insatiable his appetite for her songs. In 
time the rest of the company were surfeited. At 
first they had joined in the desiro for more ; then 
withdrew from the cabinet in which the piano- 
forte stood, into the next room, to chat without 
disturbing the music. There the lamps were 
lighted. But the Count forbade lights in the 
music-room, a.s a hindrance to the pure influence 
of song. The moon alone glanced in at the open 
window, which looked out upon the garden, 
through the branches of orange trees, and the 
gentle sounds of the waterfall came lightly dash- 
ing, splashing to the ever delicious and magical 
song of Goethe : 

" Fullest wieder Bnieh vnd Thai 
Still mit NebelgUiu." • 

Ida at last arose, fearing that Frau Werl might 
chide her for withdrawincr too much from the com- 
pany. As she passed through the door the Count 
suddenly seized her hand, pressed it to his heart, 
called her " a dear, precious friend," and told her 
in flattering terms, how she had conjured up the 
most delicious dreams out of the chaos of the 
past, and that to her voice seemed to be given 
a magical power over his soul, which he could 
not explain. 

At the supper table Ida was absent-minded 
and ill at ease. Her thoughts seemed to her too 
feeble and worthless to be addressed to him. 
Her wit and humor deserted her, when she 
looked up into his piereing eyes and beheld them 
fastened upon her with deep and earnest expres- 
sion. From her childhood Ida's intereourse had 
been only with very common-place people, her 
guardian and music teacher the only exceptions. 
The young men of her native place were mostly 
merchant's clerks or were fitting themselves to 
become agriculturists. As she now called to 
remembrance the few who had once seemed to 
her men of higher cultivation, and in whose com- 
pany she had found pleasure, men whose atten- 
tions had even excited some slight emotion 
in her breast, she felt humbled and ashamed at 
her want of perception. How graceful was 
every motion, how calm the dehberate tones of 
this really cultivated and refined man ; with what 
a strange feeling of reverence was she impressed 
by his air of native dignity 1 

And this man of royal presence had pressed 
her hand to his heart — had called her his dear 
and precious friend. He felt drawn toward her 
as she to him ; so she at least believed, with feel- 

* Sm translation of th« poem : " To th« Moon," above. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAT 29, 1858. 



67 



ings of min^rled awe and delight Utterly inex- 
perienced tn the arts of dissembling^ it did not 
occur to her to hide her fi'clin^js. At home she 
was taciturn, ofltimes sitting long silent, and 
looking vacantly towards the white house; but 
when the Count appeared her face would flush, 
and her agitation rise to the point of trembling, 
when he called upon her. Fran Wcrl soon saw 
through her and set herself zealously at work to 
cure her of such an unnatural piece of folly, for 
such appeared to her the passion of a young girl 
for a man, who, with whatever profusion of ami- 
able qualities, was fast drawing near to old age. 

She told Ida a multitude of love stories, of 
which he, according to conmion report, had been 
the hero, both during the life of the Countess and 
afler her decease, and warned her against attach- 
ing too much value to his attentions, and thus 
exposing herself to ridicule. Iler ever recurring 
topic at their meals, in which the Bailiff joined 
her, though perhaps less harshly, was, *' Selvar is 
a male coquette, and all the more dangerous be- 
cause he is himself susceptible. But his passion 
lasts only until he has made a deep and lasting 
impres^on ; then, his vanity being satisfied, he is 
once more just as coldly polite and complimentary 
as before. And what is there which does not 
attract him ? Beauty, talents, elegance, unaffec- 
ted simplicity — in short, whatever is remarkable. 
That which exerts the most lasting influence upon 
him is a cool, witty, acute understanding. ^Vhen 
he is surrounded by companions who do not call 
out his higher qualities, it is not unusual with him 
to condescend to pay special attention to talent 
in a calico dress." 

Of all this Ida naturally believed not one word 
and saw in it only the evidence of some private 
end on the part of her friends. In fact, the pic- 
ture was hardly as true as it was well meant 
There was heart in that passion for the lofly and 
intellectual, even down to external graces and 
accomplishments, which moved Selvar in his in- 
tercourse with women. True, there was a spice 
of vanity with a fashionable disregard to conse- 
(juences among the motives of his conduct, but 
this was not all , nor were his engaging qualities 
mere external show. 

(To be continued.) 



Trath about Music and Musicians. 

OV MODERK GERMAN OPERA MUSIC. 
TnosUted flrom Che German by &adiila Notillo. 

I must now answer you on a subject mentioned in 
your first letter, — tlie melancholy fact, that in Ger- 
many, at the present epoch, so many operas aro writ- 
ten which api)ear, only to disappear. 

Were a statistic register to be laid before us of the 
prodigious mortality among new-bom operas in Ger- 
many, we should bo seized with piteous norror. Has 
the musical climate of Germany deteriorated, or do 
composers but bring forth weaklings into existence ? 

I must declare myself without reserve, to be of the 
latter opinion, and will at once indicate to you four 
causes why no opera can succeed, until tliesobe obvi- 
ated. The first of these causes is, that many of our 
present composers, especially the most fn^tcdof them, 
pay no attention to Schiller s maxim : " He who has 
satisfied his own times, has lived for ali times." They 
forget or i^ore that they should, above everything, 
write for their contemporaries — they anticipate futu- 
rity and hope for fame by creating for posterity, and 
by establishing a " music of the future " (for the 
PRESENT 1 ! 1). Many of these gentlemen, notwith- 
standing the intelligence they possess, cannot perceive 
that they attempt that in which it is impossible they 
should succeed ; for, allowing that a period should 
arrive, in which operas like theirs might really please, 
it is evident that mey cannot please at present, as we 
do not exist in futurity, and are not npe for enjoy- 
ments ultimately possible. 

We desire not and cannot prevent our compo- 



sers beatifying posterity with their music, but it 
were uurely expedient that those who compose for 
" the future " should let their " operas for the fumre " 
rest quietly in their desks until rescued thence by 
posterity ; thus they would save themselves the trou- 
ble of fretting at the ignorant public " of the present," 
and save this same public from much weariness. 
And then, what are tno composers to do, who will 
exist in the future ? Shall they, too, write, not for 
their own times, but for a further future 1 Or do 
those gentlemen who rave ohont the " opera of the 
future," believe thut notliing better than these, then: 
works, can possibly arise! Notwithstanding the 
large portion of vanity possessed by some, I cannot 
ima^ne them capable of such insanity. 

A remarkable fiict is, that precisely those individu- 
als who dream about the opera as 'it should be and 
must he in the futurc, are always zealous politicians, 
and constantly use .«urh phrnscs as : " We should 
live, heart and hand, for the present time," and "We 
should well understand the prevalent spirit of the 
age," &c. They therefore sin doubly,— firstly in act 
injj contrary to their own words, and secondly in not 
8atisf3rinfr the musical requirements of their own 
times. Succeeding apes will take care of themselves, 
and ho who has created a beauteous work will please 
posterity as well as contemporaries. 

A second cause is the want of good opera texts. 
Earlier opera-composers required less care in the 
choice of a libretto, because, if the music pleased, a 
public was very indulgent as to the faults of its text ; 
m later days, an audience is mnch more exacting; on 
this point, especially since some French poets have 
produced excellent opera texts. So much is this the 
case, that success is more likely to attend an opera 
with good text but indifferent music, than an opera 
with bad text and good music. Besides the desire 
for good opera texts, public taste now also expects 
more from bin^rs, since some of these, such as Wild 
and Schrodter-Devrient, who were distinj[niished dra- 
matic artists, gave proof that good singin*? and great 
acting might well lie combined. Formerly, the poor, 
dear German public suffered any wooden, awkward 
fellow to succeed on the stage had he but a fine 
voice ; now, however, a composer must consider the 
acting powers of each singer. Lortzing once refused 
a capital libretto {Donna Diana), because he believed 
that no singers could be found who conld act it ! 
(See the biography of DUringer.) 

These increased pretensions on the part of the 
public have greatly increased the difficulties of an 
already onerous task, — ^that of writing a good opera 
text, — and this especially to our Germans, who, m a 
rule, possess more talent for lyric than for dramatic 
poetry, while the contrary is the ease with French 
authors. 

In a<l iition to this want of dramatic talent, most 
German authors are utterly ignorant of the rules by 
which a dmma shoidd be governed. Therefore, they 
fantastically write down their pieces ; they do not cal- 
culate eflect with due consirlcration, without which, 
no well-organized, developed, and impressive work 
can be produced. 

Even a gigantic genius like Shakespeare might not 
create a drama without careful calculation, study, 
and rumination. It would he far more easy to create 
a piece by intellectual calculation without innate lyri- 
cal talent than vice-versft. Examine onr dramatic 
lilerature, and yon will readily find confirmations of 
this assertion, without my pointing them out by 
name. The history of literature shows us that all 
tnily great dramatists tested their pltos a thousand 
fold, as great generals have jiondered their plans of 
battle, or great chess-plavers their stratagems. And 
lastly, we know that all f'rench dramatic Avriters zeal- 
ously study the technicalities of their art, which our 
authors, with utter misprision of duty, treat wiUi con- 
tempt, or even consider a defect. 

A third cause is, that our modem German compo- 
sers give too little consideration, in their operas, to 
singers, and to the art of song ; and, on the contrary, 
employ a singer only as an instrument, — nay, not 
even as a solo-instrument, but as a ripieno member of 
the orchestra. The natural result of this perversity 
is, that, in the first place, all singers view such operas 
with displeasure and repugnance, for which they 
cannot be blamed ; why should they undertake the 
I difficult tosk of leaniing a long part, when they can 
foresee that they will receive no acknowledgement 
from the public in reward of their trouble ? Whence 
should they derive ardor, when an audience sits before 
them, cold, indifferent, or even disgusted ? 

The public does not enter a theatre merely for the 
sake or a composer and his caprices. It requires 
not only to hear music, or to be entertained by dra- 
matic action ; it seeks also the eximious charm which 
lies in expressive sowj. Why does the Italian opera 
hold its place in every conntiy 1 What was, and is, 
the irresistible attraction it exerts over the public ? 



SoMf, in the first place, and then the comprehensible 
melodies which the Italians, wisely enough, never 
disdain. 

Our modem German composers, on the contrary, 
despise singers ; they despise the public longing for 
beautiful, pre-eininent melody, and thus they are justly 
recompensed when, in their turn, they are despised 
by the public, and their operas gain no success. 

Look through the scores of our masters — Weigl, 
Winter, Mozart, Weber ; — they wrote for singers, and 
for the public. Keckon the arias, scenas, &c., &c., 
out of different operas, which are oftenest executed 
at concerts, or sung in public and private meetings, — 
they are the most melodious. Count up the opera- 
parts which singers perform by preference, — in which 
they produce their greatest effect, — and which they 
thereiore select as their Star-performance (Gastrollen) 
characters ; — they are those in which song is prevailing, 
— in which singers may display to advantage their 
voice and vocal art. 

Let all those desist from operatic composition who 
are incapable of writing such {Gattrollen) parts, or 
who cannot create a melody which shall find its way 
to street-organs. Yes, however strange this axiom 
may sound, I maintain its trutli ; and this brings me 
to a fourth cause, perhaps the most important one, 
why our operas so seldom succeed. Existing German 
composers kan no perception qfsimplej poptdar mdody : 
they will not, or cannot create such. And yet, without 
contradiction, simjile melody, completely entmsted to 
song, should be and ever remain the pre-eminent ele- 
ment of operatic music. 

Melody may be constructed, and has been con- 
stmctcd, in three diffcrant manners. 

Istly — The declamation of woitls by a performer 
may bie imitated by heightening and lowering vocal 
tones, — by retarding or harrying their progression in 
conjunction witli certain syllables or words, — and by 
observing the different duration of pauses indicated 
by punctuation in the text. Meloily, constructed on 
tliese principles, will be conscientiously adapted to its 
words, but readily becomes stitf and dry, and, in 
rcalirv. is onlv a musical and regnlarlv measured de- 
clamation of a poem. 

2ndly — Single syllables, words, or verees, may be 
less taken into consideration than the sense thereof, 
and the sentiment expressed through them ; the poet 
is not followed minutely line for line, but the whole 
musical piece represents the whole poem. 

Si^ly. — The only aim may be, to caress the ear, 
little or no importonce Ixiing attached to words, sense, 
or character in a piece ; the care of rendering such a 
vocal work expressive and pleasing being incumbent 
entirely on a singer. 

In the first-named manner of forming melody, in- 
tellect is conspicuously active. 

The third manner is often employed by modem 
Italians and French, — but no one can wonder that 
this leads to a display of the most unnatural contra- 
diction and the most outrageous incompatibility ; sor- 
rowful, conflicting, or wild passions being portniyed 
in dance-rhythms : yet these lovely melodies enchant 
the ear with* sweet magic tones, and meet with approval 
from those who desire melody only, — those who either 
cannot rightly judge whether music express what, in 
such circumstances, it should express, or who blind 
themselves on this point, and merely desire to luxuri- 
ate in the rich flow of a tonal stream. 

Only the second manner of constracting melody, 
in which intellect and feeling are active in combina- 
tion, will always remain the best and most worthy of 
Art. Mozart,'in this, serves as an unsurpassed mod- 
el ; his melodies fulfil all the conditions which may 
and ought to be exacted, and they please both unini- 
tiated and initiated, for they are at once ti'ue, beauti- 
ful, and intelligible, — ^they are to poetry what color is 
to drawing. 

In most of our modem German operas, we too 
often merely hear a medley of tones, instead of a 
connected melody ; for even when our present compo- 
sers produce a melody, they seldom give it entirely to 
the voice-part, but dismember it, and take portions of 
it out of the singer's mouth, as it were, and entrast 
these scraps to instraments ; besides this, they over- 
charge a melody with harmony and modulation, — ac- 
company almost every note by a different chord, — 
modulate into a frcsli key in each bar, — and thus, 
especially if depicting simple sentiments, sin against 
true expression, destroy artistic unity, and confuse 
the pcreeptions of their listeners. 

When they really entrust a voice-part with an en- 
tire melody, they ovcnvhelm and suffocate it by full 
accompaniment of instrumental masses, which they 
constract above or beneath it. We should, with jus- 
tice, laugh at any painter who should paint sunlight 
or bright moonlight, and tlien cover the whole land- 
scape widi thick, dark colors ; but similar folly is too 
constantly committed by our modem opera compo- 
sers ; they daub their melodies with thick tone-color 



68 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



nntil they disappear. . It is nothing uncommon for an 
aria, for instance, which excites little or no effect 
when performed in its opera, to please when accom- 
panied on the pianoforte. This is easily explained . 
— ^the melody is then relieved of its superfluous instru- 
mentation, and gains its appropriate importance. 

Furthermore, the modems construct too small mel- 
odies, — unconnected melodious sentences, — undevel- 
oped melody-seeds. A continuous melody of eight 
bars duration appears to them a too " habitual " crea- 
tion, — a too clear and simple— abomination. And as 
to writing a second section, to give symmetry to the 
whole ! — if ever they be visited by melodious inspira- 
tion, they quickly shake it from them, in order to 
plunge again mto their scientific hurly-burly. Verily 
they are infanticides ; for no sooner have they been 
delivered of a melody, than they strangle or smother 
it. They resemble, not the nightingale, but the 
stormy petrel, who feels most at ease amidst howling 
winds and roaring waves. 

On this account, they entrust all expression of vio- 
lent pusion to their darling orchestra, which, under 
their spiritual direction, storms and rages, puffs and 
blows, roars and surges, until the voice of a singer is 
completely overpoweied and drowned ; — we hear him 
no longer, — ^we merely see how he desperately strides 
about uie stage, and, like a speaker on the hustings, 
straininp^ly endeavors to gain a hearing above uie 
wild noise of assembled multitudes. Singers are now 
no longer enabled to produce those powerful, exciting 
and pathetic effects, which the varied human voice is 
capable of affording in passionate situations. A 
whole host of horns, trumpets, trombones, drums, 
kettle-drums, piccolo-flutes, &c., &c., are arrayed in 
the battle-field against him. 

Many of my readers have doubtless heard the great 
Schrodter-Devrient in Fidetio, and -remember tlie pri- 
son-scene, in which, while the orchestra remains dead- 
silent, she thunders forth: "First kill his wife!" 
Every one who has heard this will feel a thrill at even 
the recollection of the extraordinary emotion these 
few words called forth in his soul. Notwithstanding, 
however, that such convincing facts stand before 
them, our modems believe that they forward the 
" progress " of operatic composition by trying to de- 
pict strong passions in their perverse fashion. 

In operatic music, passion can only be faithfully and 
appropriately expressed by the human voice, I will ad- 
mit that, in order to support or to add to eflect, an 
orchestra may burst fortn during the pauses in song, 
but must subdue its thunders whenever the human 
voice sings. Unfortnnately^, no opera composer has 
thorouB^hly attended to this law, — ^not even Mozart, 
at all times. 

I could quote many wondrously beautiful exam- 
ples, besides the one already mentioned, in which 
nighest passion is expressed by the voice, while or- 
chestral power is subdued ; for instance, the song of 
Simon and his brothers, in the first act of Mdhul's 
Joseph in Egypt^ — in which Simon utters his remorse 
and despair while his brothers endeavor to tranquilize 
and console him. 

In addition to all that I have already adduced, 
modem opera-composers do not understand how to 
characterize persons and situations. We generally 
hear, in new operas, not the personss of tne piece, 
but the vanity and errors of the composer. For eacli 
piece they employ the same instramentation (almost 
always the fall orchestra), the same rhythms, Uie 
same harmonies, &c., &c. A painter who introduces 
all colors into every picture, and into each part of 
his picture, is at best a dauber, but no artist. If our 
modems would only examine the opcra^scoros of our 
great Mozart 1 In them, each part is different from 
all otliers, and individually characteristic, — a self-con- 
tained, living impersonation. Let them, above all, 
study the Zauberjtdtef in order to Icara tlie means by 
which a true musician can elevate each personage 
into — a character ! 



Opera Management in Italy. — The London 
Musical World is publishing a series of articles from 
its Milan Correspondent on " The Theatres in Italy," 
from which we take the oUowing : 

It is, in the>flrst place, necessary to state that all the 
engagements for the theatres in Italy are made by a 
set of men who swarm in the capital cities, and are 
called ayenti teairali. These "theatrical agents," 
with few exceptions, are the " footpads " upon the 
artists' road, with regard to male singers, they sell 
engagements to tlie highest bidder in the shape of 
"commission," independent of fitness or ability, 
which keeps the poor, and perhaps more talented, 
singer out of the field. The female artist, it is noto- 
rious (and these gentlemen make no secret of die 
" mysteries " of their profession), too commonly pur- 
chases the honor of being on Mr. A. or Mr. B.'s list 
by sacrifices that shall be nameless. 



An Italian impresario is generally a jack-of-all- 
trades, — ^now an hotel-keeper, now a pastry-cook, now 
a bankrupt, now starting up again, and exclaiming, 
like Tate Wilkinson to Tony Lebran the actor, "Cus- 
a-6od, Tony, I'm a manager \" Sometimes ho is a 
man of little judgment, but no money ; at others with 
a little money, but no judgment, in the first case, 
he borrows the " needful " of some friend, who is a 
" damn'd unconscionable dog," and charges him awful 
interest, keeping him completely under his thumb ; 
in the second, he is sure to be surrounded by a set of 
intriguing charlatans connected with the theatre, 
who, under the pretext of devotion to his interests, 
swindle him right and left, and, when his means are 
exhausted, shake him off, and call him " asino ! " A 
practice prevails in Italy when an impresario takes a 
tbentre, great or small, of " going round with the 
hat " — the contributors to the " hiat " being for the 
most part the same persons from season to season. 
These chiefly consist of respectable tradesmen or per- 
sons in the city or town who are fond of music, and 
form the only intelligent and honest part of the " di- 
rection " of the theatre ; for as such their contribu- 
tion entitles tliem to he considered. They are enti- 
tled " Socios." Thus we have Manager rlo. 1, Mr. 
Impresario, in his own person ; Manngers No. 2, the 
Socios ; and Managers No. 3, the " Direction," or, 
as it is designated in several theatres, "the Noble Di- 
rection I " This improper power behind the throne — 
the more improper because irresponsible — ^is a fatal 
stumbling-block in the progress of the lyric art, and 
highly injurious to the interests of the honorable 
artists, as well as rainous to managers. " The Noble 
Direction " is omnipotent. The operas to be per- 
formed, the singers to be engaged, must eventually 
meet with its high and mighty approval. Its mem- 
bers are Uie Solons — the Meccenases (I feel tempted 
to write the Midases) of the theatres. 

And of what materials, you will naturally ask, is 
this enlightened hody composed ! In the first place, 
of such of the aristocracy as hold shares or interest 
in the theatre ; next, of some of the Govemmcnt ofii- 
cials (the theatres in Italy being under their surveil- 
lance); and, lastly, of two or three conceited " dilet- 
tanti. The first rarely take an active part, and are 
to be commended for tfieir good sense ; the second 
are generally passive, except on important occasions ; 
but the last are always thrasting themselves forward, 
as if to prove that " a little learning js a dangerous 
thing." The period for the exercise of this despotic 
power is generally reserved for the gran prova (last 
rehearsal), when, according to the unwholesome regu- 
lations of Italian theatres, the direction may " pro- 
test " any of the artists ; and against such decision 
neither manager nor artist has any appeal. Thus, if 
the manager has engaged a singer who does not bow 
down and worship Mr. Director, or has refused to 
engage the prima donna of his recommendation (and 
the " actives " have always some " chhre amie " at 
hand) — ^no matter the talent of the artist — ^no matter 
liowever satisfied the manager and disinterested 
judges may be of their ability — ^the moment for the 
gratification of vanity, spite, or malevolence has 
arrived, and the singer is " protested ; " the theatre 
must be closed until another singer is " up " in the 
part, and if the " protested " artist be a debutante, or 
even young in the profession, a serious, a fatal, an 
irrecoverable blow is infiicted. We well know that 
the ability of judging may exist separately from the 
power of execution. An amateur may not be an 
artist, though an artist should always be an amateur ; 
and it therefore behoves the dilettanti to exhibit some 
show of modesty — some evidence of education — ^when 
they take upon tnemselves to issue fiats against profes- 
sional artists, the result of whidi may be to deprive 
them of their means of support, and to blast their 
prospects of fame and emolument, for which they 
nave anxiously laboured during years of laborious 
study. 

Opera in New Orleans. — The Picayune of 

May 16, after alluding to the financial gloom of the 

past season, thus proceeds to tell how well the French 

Opera has weathered the storm : 

Such was the prestige with which M. Boudonsqui^ 
opened the Orleans opera season of 1857-8. He will 
doubtless, long remember it. With the resolution 
wliich alone adiieves snccess under such circumstan-* 
ces, he persevered. Further trials fell upon him, 
through sickness in his company. These, too, he 
combatted. And now, at the close of the season, 
thanks to the soundness of the basis on which our 
commerce and financial business stand, to the elasti- 
city of character which is so marked an attribute of 
our community, and to his judicious management, he 
is able to look back upon his course and to contem- 
plate its result with decided satisfaction, with far more 
than he could have reasonably expected at the outset, 
if not with all that we might wish him. 



His company was one of which New Orleans has 
occasion to be proud. In M'me Colson and M'llo 
Bourgeois he presented two artistes of high merit, in 
both lyric and dramatic phases. Throughout the 
season they have been admired with enthnriasm, and at 
its close retire with every mark of appreciation that a 
generous public has known how to confer upon them. 
And they have been well supported by a company, a 
choir, an orchestra, and scenic accessories, fully wor- 
thy of tlicm and of the world-wide reputation of the 
Orleans theatre. 

The great varie^ of operas which have been given 
during the season is worthy of es|Xicial note. What 
that is excellent has it not comprised 1 Wo have had 
the chefs d^auvres of all the greatest masters. " La 
Juive,^' " Kobert le Diable," " Les Huguenots," "Le 
Trovatore," "La Favorite," "Le Proph^e," "Er- 
nani," " GuilUume Tell," " Charles VI." " Si JTStais 
Koi," " Les Mousqnetaires," " Los Diamants de la 
Couronne," " Jagnarita," " La Fille dn Regiment," 
" Les Amours du Diable," " Le Caid," " Le Tab- 
leau Parlant," " L'ltalienne en Algocrs," and others, 
all given, too, to the complete satisfiM^on of kuge 
and critical audiences. 

In addition to these wo have had the Frezzolini 
concerts, which were among the prime ibttures of the 
season, and the numerous and always well received 
vaudevilles and other pieces of an exoeUent com- 
pany. 

For such snccess as this, M. Boudousqui^, it will 
not be questioned, merits all commendation, and we 
have pleasure, for our part, in according it to him. 
The subscribers to the support of his enterprise have 
been honorably and handsomely considered, and the 
general public afforded a bonnteousness and excel- 
knce of entertainment which must have equalled all 
desires. The result will, of course, be the continu- 
ance of that patronage and appreciation of the Or- 
leans theatre which it has ever stood alone id com- 
manding throughout the continent. 

M. Boudousquid will soon leave on his usual an- 
nual trip to £nropc, to secure for next season such 
artistes as will again charm and edify, inspire and 
cultivate us. 



Music Among the Blind. 

We take the following from the Thbwi^t report of 
the anniversary exhibition of the New York Insti- 
tution for the Blind, which took place last we^ : 

" Then won about 160 pupili on ttie itife, of wbom aboat 
80 w«n males. They wen arranged on the atage in tten, tbe 
yonngcat In the hack-ground. Tbe young women wen, for the 
most part, attticd In white and bine, and pme n ted an appear* 
ance of UDlfimnl^ in coetnme that wu not discorerabie oo 
tbe part of the young men. The band, compoMd of flfleen 
Mind boys, ooeupled one eomer of the itnge, and on one comer 
WM a laiige pile of brooms, baskets, mala and other utilitarian 
products of the industry of the pnpQs of the Institution. 
The teachers, of whom an cleTcn blind graduates of the 
school, occupied the ftont rows. Probably three qnartsn of 
the audience wen ladlee, and many went away, being utterly 
unable to obtain seats In any part of the bouse. 

The ezerekies began with an Introductory piece trf ttie band. 
The perlbrmanees of thew musicians, which wen mterspexeed 
throughout tbe exercises, wen most credltirf>le and excited 
much laudatory comment in the auditory. Tbe oourae of 
musical instruction giTen, is thorough, and Is especially in- 
sisted on in the ease of all who develop the slightest talent in 
that direction. It is cstsemed by those most IkmlUar with 
the education of the blind, that the study of music is, of all 
others, caleulatsd to aOnd them the purest and most intense 
gntlflcation. 

Then is little in itspursuit to remind them of their great 
misfbrtunes, and it is not only a great solace to all who make 
any proficleney in it, but in many cases it has proved a means 
of obtaining a eomJbrtable lirelibood, when special eseellenee 
has been attained. So all the pupils study music, and then 
an now 64 of them under instruction in -roeal music, 88 an 
practising jdano-forte music, and the 15 youths beftwe men- 
tioned, who oompoee the band, have rsgular Instruction in the 
art of blending the harsh toJccs of the clarionets, bogles, 
horns, drums and other curious inventions, into a "eoneora 
of sweet sounds." Mon than 91,400 doUan have been ex- 
pended during tlM last twelve months in the Musical depart- 
ment, for salaries of teachers, musSoal instmments, fte., and 
the attainment of the scholars, as yesterday diown, are proof 
unquestionable tliat the money has been well Invested. Then 
wen a number of solos, duets and choruses sung by the 
vocal proflciMits, admirably and with applause. 



From My Diary. Nad. 

Mat 9th. — Reading a Gennan paper over "a' 
bissel Kiis," and a " Seidel," I find an anecdote of 
which this is the substance : 

Scene. Hall of the Gewandhans at Leipzig. 

Dramatis person®. Excitable gentleman and a 
very sober, phlegmatic individual. 

Occasion. Concert by Clara Schumann. 

Excitable gentleman becomes almost beside him- 
self in his rapture, and is " fidgetted " to the ex- 
tremity of endurance by the phlegmatic individual, 
who hears Clara S. pky piece after piece cold as an 
icicle. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1858. 



69 



E:^t Gent, (Who after a splendid performance of 
a piece bj Chopin, can endure it no longer). I aay, 
Sir, do you not like her playing ? 

Phlfg, Ind. Why, yes, I like it very well. 

Ex't Gad, Why the deril, then, Sir, don't you 
applaud ? 

Phlcg. Ind. I—? Applaud ? Oh, I am her hus- 
band. 

JVbie. (By J. TeUowplnih). Phuiey that man's pheeUnkfl. 

BOSTON, MAY QO, 1858. 

Music in thia Number. — We commence 
to-day a Psalm: The Lord is my Shepherd, for 
four female voices, by Franz Schubert. It 
will occupy ten pages. Music in three and four 
parts for soprano and contralto voices is a deside- 
ratum, especially in female seminaries ; and the 
want has been too commonly supplied with easy, 
sentimental trash, for Uck of better. Here is a 
more difficult, but a profoundly beautiful compo- 
sition, which will reward study ; one of the inna- 
merable works left to the world, in all forms, — for 
church, for orchestra, for the opera, for the piano, 
&c., besides the hundreds of wonderful songs and 
ballads by which he is chiefly known, by perhaps 
the greatest musical genius, after Beethoven, of 
this century. Schubert died in 1828, before he 
had attained his thirty-second year ! 

The Psalm may be sung by one or many voices 
on each part It is also available for four men's 
voices (two tenors and two basses) ; although it 
would be better, in that case, to transpose it a 
half-tone lower. It was so sung at a recent 
sacred ccmcert by the German ** Orpheus," in 
this city. 



Madame Johanna EinkeL 

The interesting talc of musical life, commenced 
on our first page, will naturally awaken a desire 
to know something of the author ; which will be 
gratified by pcruang the following letter from the 
translator, in whom the reader will recognize an 
old friend. 

Mt.Dbar Dwight. — In one of the early vol* 
nmesof 'Dickens's Household Words' there is a sketch 
of Prof. Kinkel of Bonn, which no doubt many of 
your subscribers have read. He was Lecturer in the 
nniversity of that city upon Art in the Middle Ages, 
and drew, perhaps, laiger audiences than any other 
of the professors. In the spring of 1849 he became 
compromised in one of the attempted revolutionary 
movements, went Up the Rhine to Baden, joined in the 
insurrection there, was taken prisoner by the Rus- 
sians, condemned to hard labor in prison for life, and 
finally shut up in the prison at Spandau, near Berlin. 
Charles Schurs, who last fall was republican candi- 
date for the office of Lieut. Governor of Wisconsin, 
at the risk of his life, succeeded in freeing Kinkel firom 
his confinement and they escaped to England. 

When I first went to Germany, in 1849, 1 resided 
at Bonn. I reached that city, just after Kinkel's 
flight to Baden, and very soon after my arrival had 
the good fortune to become acquainted with his wife, 
who spoke English well, and who felt a particular 
interest in all Americans at that period of revolutidki- 
ary feelmg in Europe. 

Madame Kinkel is a woman of uncommon powers 
of mind, energetic, persevering, courageous, of very 
high culture and full of poetry and love for Art 
She was the daughter of the principal — for more than 
fifty years— of the Gymnasium at Bonn, devoted her- 
self to music, and after a very unfortunate marriage at 
Cologne, which resulted in a separation and divorce. 



she returned ^ her fiither's house, and devoted her- 
self to teaching the piano-forte as a profession. She 
was both a very uncommon player, technically con- 
sidered, and a very thorough musician scientifically. 
She was so highly recommended by Mendelssohn 
in England, tliat in several cases English families 
came to Bonn to reside, that the daughters might 
have the benefit of her instructions. 

While living thus very retired and devoting herself 
to the duties of her profession, Kinkel became pro- 
fessor, and made her acquaintance at a literary dub. 
The acquaintance ripened into friendship, the friend- 
ship into love, unconsciously on both sides. The in- 
cident which revealed their feelings to themselves and 
to each other would be laughed at, if introduced in a 
" Brown paper " as the catastrophe of a story — true, 
nevertheless. 

The professor and the lady were crossing the Rhine 
one evening, when suddenly a steamboat came 
sweeping round, and, owing to some mistake or 
want of care on the part of their oarsman, struck 
the small boat in which they were and overset it. It 
was dark, the current of the " rushing Rhine" was 
very swift at that point, and the chances were nearly 
all against their rescue. At that moment of immi- 
nent peril, they clasped each other, a kiss told all, 
and they sank. Kinkel was a powerful swimmer, 
and as they arose to the surface, the small boat hap- 
pily was within his reach, and they escaped, after- 
wards to marry and live happily, as the stories have 
it ; and, excepting the three or four years of agony 
consequent upon the part he took in the attempts at 
revolution in 1848-9, they have lived so ever since. 

The sketch in Household Words pictures their con- 
dition during the happy years they spent together in 
Clemensmhe, — an old palace of the Electors at 
Cologne, just back of Bonn, now the college of Nat- 
ural History. 

In 1849, after Kinkers departure to Baden, his 
wife edited the Bonner iSeitung, a liberal paper, estab- 
lished by her husband, devoted to the interests and 
elevation of the laboring classes. She is a fine 
writer, reminding me both in her editorial writings 
and in her tales and sketches of our Mrs. Child. 
Her mental characteristics appear to me very similar. 
At all events, she has labored for the popular cause 
in Germany as Mrs. Child has, in the cause of the 
slave here, and I feel in reading the works of both, 
as I felt in hearing tliem converse, that the same 
spirit rules two minds of singular resemblance. 

During those hnppy days at Clemensmhe, Mrs. 
Kinkel labored energetically in the cause of music. 
You will find in one of the last volumes of the Leip- 
ziger MusikcUische Zaiung^ — I diink that for 1847 — 
a notice of a concert in Bonn, at which a choir of 
young ladies appeared under her direction, who had 
been instructed by her. 

In the first volume of your Journal of Music there 
is a humorous sketch translated from a volume of 
tales and sketches written partly by the Professor, 
partly by her. 

I send you with this, another, which I have long 
thought worth translating, not so much perhaps for 
the sake of " the story," which has nothing particu- 
larly '' thrilling ** to recommend it, but because of its 
exquisitely natural pictures of life in Germany, of its 
conversations upon musical topics, and of tlie great 
amount of matter drawn from the authoress's own 
experience. 

In all that relates to the piano-forte Mrs. Kinkel has 
a right to speak with authority. When her husband 
was in Berlin, as member of the national parliament, 
she was invited to give a concert, which she did with 
extraordinary success, and was recognized in that 
musical capital as one of the great female pianists. 
Subsequent events, however, of a political nature de- 
stroyed her propects at home, at the same time draw- 
ing her attention from Art. 

My greatest treat, during my stay in Bonn, in 1849, 



was listening to her performance of Beethoven's 
Sonatas. It was my first introduction to them as 
played by an adequate performer, and I felt then how 
few there are, who can join to their mere execution 
that high poetic conception of the soul within them, 
which makes them speak to the listener as no other 
music does. She asked me one day if there was any 
particular Sonata which I should choose to hear. I 
mentioned one — ^I forget which now— and her reply 
made a great impression upon me. 

" So far as the mere execution of the score goes," 
said she, in substance, " I can play it ; but for some 
time past I have been studying the Sonatas in order, 
and searching out their hidden meaning, their pecu- 
liarities of thought and expression, and have not yet 
come to that one. I should prefer therefore to play 
an earlier one, — one of those of which I have gained 
this kind of mastery." 

Of an the women, whom I have heard play, she 
approaches nearest to Clara Schumann, in power and 
delicacy of touch, and in the faculty of making Beet- 
hoven talk to us through his works. Chopin, too, 
she plays exquisitely. 

Soon after her husband's escape to England, she 
joined him with her beautiful children, where I saw 
them all apparently as happy as exiles' can well be. 

Her position in society has not been one to demand 
or allow of her becoming known as a public per- 
former ; though doubtless she might have made a 
name. She has published several compositions, but 
her mind was too much occupied with other things 
during the period of the revolutionary troubles, to 
allow her at that time to devote herself to art. 
Whether since her residence in England she has added 
to the list of her works, I am not informed. 

A. W. T. 



Musical Chit-Chat 

The Mendelssohn Quintette Club have happily 
secured Mr. William Schultzb for their leading 
violinist, in place of August Fries, who is to sail 
for Europe in the Hamburg steamer from New York, 
on Tuesday next. Mr. Fries will pass a month or 
so in his native town in Holstein, before taking up 
his residence in Bergen, Norway. We had the some- 
what melancholy pleasure of listening to the feeling 
tones of his violin, perhaps for the last time, a few 
evenings since, with a small farewell party of music- 
lovers, at a friend's house. The glorious old Quintet 
by Beethoven (in C), a Quartet by Mozart, and one 
of the Mendelssohn Trios (our host assisting as 
pianist), were played with an unction which the Club 
has rarely surpassed, and which only deepened the 
regret at losing August Fries. All will rejoice, how- 
ever, that the Quintette Club will still hold together, 
and that so fine and gentlemanly an artist as Mr. 
Schultze is found to fill the place of leader. It cer- 
tainly is a rare thing, and a pleasant one, at least in 
this country, for even so small a company of musi- 
cians to keep together for nine years. May the har- 
monious union still survive for nine times nine I Our 
list of classical works performed in Boston by tliis 
Club will be forthcoming, probably, next week. 

We could not attend Carl Gaertner's farewell 
concert, which drew, we understand, about six hun- 
dred people to the Music Hall. Mr. Gacrtner played 
the first movement of Beethoven's violin Concerto, 
and Mr. Hause the first movement of the piano-forte 
Concerto in A, by Hummel. . . . The great 
festival of Pentecost was kept in the Catholic churches 
of this city last Sunday (Whitsunday). At the Ca- 
thedral in Franklin Street, Pontifical High Mass was 
celebrated by the Bishop of the Diocese. Haydn's 
first Mass, with orchestra, was finely executed by the 
cathedral choir, under the direction of Mr. Werner ; 
also Cherubini's soprano solo, Ave Maria, and Neu- 
komm's Veni Sonde Spiritus, in the intervals of the 
mass. 



70 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



There are no (sonnda of music from New York ; 
the concerts are orer, and the operatic singing birds 
have fiown away in all directions, or are silent. No 
more portentoas Uiiman manifestos in the newspapers ; 
the Mosard announcements have grown shorter and 
shorter — beautifully less by degrees — till they have 
ceased altogether. The rumor was that Musard was 
to be transpUinted this week to Philadelphia. But 
what more encouragement there ? The splendid and 
much talked of Academy of Music has come to a 
still stand ; the opera has failed; the manager (Mr. 
Marshall) has resigned, and the only comfort of the 
chagrined enthusiasts, who were proclaiming Phila^ 
delphia the lyric centre of the world, lies in the fact 
that the same black cloud has settled down upon 
New York. . . . Herr Formes sang in New 
York last week, at a Mating Musicale, for the inaug- 
uration of the Nursery and Child's Hospital on Fifty- 
first street. . . . SignorinaFELiciTAVESTVALi 
has been singing in New Orleans. . . . Thal- 
BERG, ViEUXTKMPS, JcLiANA Mat, and Mme. 
Caradori gave concerts last week in Cleveland and 
Pittsburg, and with Mme. D'Anqri in Cincinnati. 

There is a paragraph going the rounds about 
Beethoven's song, Adelaide, to the effect that this 
composition was saved for posterity by Herr Barth. 
singer in the Imperial Chapel. He chanced to call, 
one day, on Beethoven, and the latter gave him a 
paper, saying, " There, I wrote that to-day ; there 
happens to bo a fire in the stove, and in it shall go." 
Barth read the composition, and afterwards tried it 
over. Beethoven listened attentively, and then ob- 
served, " My dear old fellow, we will not bum it." 

Our ever cheerful and obliging townsman, Mr. 
Nathan Richardson, late of the " Musical £x 
change," who has been spending a season in Smjrma 
for his health, arrived home a few days since. His 
many friends will rejoice to learn that the change of 
climate has been beneficial and that he is confident of 
his recovery. . . . The New York ''Mendels- 
sohn Union " announce their third concert, for next 
Thursday evening at their Hall in the Cooper Insti- 
tute. They will perform Mendelssohn's 95th Psalm: 
" Come, let us sing," and Rossini's Stabat Mater ; 
the solos by members of the Society, to wit : Mrs. 
A. C. Crump, Miss M. E. Hawley, Mr. Perring, Mr. 
Wemeke and Mr. H. Frost ; pianist, Mr. H. Bcrge ; 
and Conductor, Mr. G. W. Morgan, the distinguished 
organist. 

A young American, who has been for some time 
enjoying the musical instructions of Prof. Dehn, of 
the Royal Library in Berlin, (to whose memory so 
warm a tribute was paid last week by our "Diarist,") 
sends us the following particulars of his decease : 

"Prof. Dehn died on the 14th of April. He was 
fifty-eight years of age and in the full force of life; 
his death was most unexpected, the cause being apo- 
plexy. The funeral took place on the 16th, and was 
attended by a large number of his friends and pupils. 
As the cofiin was let down into the grave, two Chorals 
were sung by a fine choir, one by Bach : Jesus meine 
Zurersichtf and the other by Mendelssohn : Es itt 
bestimnU in Gottes Rath (here known as " The parting 
hour)." He is sincerely mourned by all who knew 
him, and his loss will be severely felt in the musical 
world, more especially by the musicians of Berlin ; 
as he was a theorist of the sharpest insight, familiar 
with most of die music of all ages and all composers, 
and always ready with his advice to all who sought 
it." 

The war against hand-oi^ans which agitated our 
last Massachusetts Legislature, finds an echo in the 
British Parliament. Lord Westmeath has brought 
in a bill to punish any person " who shall within the 
limits of the Metropolitan Police District, or within 
the City of London, or the Liberties thereof, sound 
or play upon, or cause to be played upon, any barrel 
organ or hand organ, or any musical instrument 



whatsoever, in any thoroughfare, sqnav, street, alley, 
arcade, or mews ; but an exception is made in favor 
of bands in the service of the Sovereign." 

It will be good news to the sons and friends of 
Harvard University, that a fine large Organ for the 
new Chapel has been contracted for, to be built in the 
most durable and thorough manner, by Messrs. Sim- 
mons & Wiilcox, of this city. The appropriation 
was liberal; but the Treasurer of the College, in 
giving the order, has exceeded it considerably upon 
his own responsibility, from a laudable desire to have 
the thing done as it should be. . . . Mr. Carl 
Gaertner is soon to give a concert in Bangor, Me. 

The Triennial Musical Festival at Birmingham, 
comes round tliis year. It will commence on Tues- 
day evening, Aug. 31, with Mendelssohn's "Elijah," 
written expressly for the Birmingham Festival of 
1846. On Wednesday morning will be given M. 
Costa's oratorio of " Eli," written expressly for the 
last great festival. On Thursday, as usual the " Mes- 
siah," and on Friday morning, Henry Leslie's new 
oratorio, " Judith," composed for this occasioju. will 
be brought out, under his own auspices. As this is 
only a short oratorio, the same morning will be occu- 
pied with Beethoven's grand " Mass " in C, and 
Mendelssohn's cantata, "Laudato Sion." At the 
evening concert, in addition to the finest symphonies 
and overtures by the greatest masters there will be 
various novelties introduced, including Costa's new 
cantata, written on the occasion of the marriage of the 
Princess Royal. Handel's serenata, " Acis and Ga- 
latea," with additional band parts, and re-arranged 
by M. Costa, will form a prominent feature of one of 
the evening concerts. The principal vocalists engag- 
ed, or likely to be engaged, are : Mme. C. Novello, 
Mme. Rudersorff, Mme. Caradori Allan, Mme. 
Yiardot Garcia, Miss Dolby, Mr. Sims Reeves, Sig- 
ner Giuglini, Herr Formes, Mr. Weiss, and Signor 
Belletti. Mr. Stimson will preside at the organ, and 
Signor Costa will conduct. 



London. 



— — ^* ■■■MMM^^ii , . .M^ »^ ^■a.afcj^jfc^^ ».».— » ^» ».— — »— » | -.,- , »^ , - , ,» ,, » ,, .. , ,- ,, .> , ^p^j> ^g -^-^^.|j^^ 



It 



Her Majesty's Theatre. — The "great event 
in expectation in the firet week of this month was the 
wonderful novelty of Verdi's Trovntore, with Mile. 
TiTJENS (Titiens, the English spell it) as Leonora, 
and Alboni as Azucena. The German prima donna 
does not disappoint, as she goes on; witness the 
Times of May 2 : 

Each repetition of " The Huguenots " has strength- 
ened and confirmed the opinions of the sanguine and 
the wavering, with regard to the exalted position in 
which Mdlle. Titiens is placed by her triumphant debut 
amongst us. The more the extent of her powers and 
the really sterling quality of her claims upon general 
admiration are observed and acknowledged, the deep- 
er becomes the impression that we have no mere ephem- 
eral favorite of the hour to speak of, but one, who, 
year after year, will maintain that high rank among 
ner sister vocalists that will compel her supremacy to 
be recognized, and who, with successive representa- 
tions, will win new laurels from a public ever ready 
to do homage to a legitimate successor — ^happily. Art 
spurns all salic laws — to the throne belonging to the 
queen of song. There is no fear of her powers soon 
fiiding, for, as the novel-writers say when they take 
die census of their heroines, four-iind-twcnty summers 
only have passed over her head, and, already, with 
youth and freshness on her side, she has started on 
her career of fame. At once she has shot upwards to 
a sphere, where she shines a star of the first magni- 
tude, and where her rays may be looked for through 
the telescope of futurity, to brighten many a night 
with scintillations of undiminished brilliancy. It is 
something pleasant to find, season afler season, our 
early intimacy with a vocalist growing np into a sort 
of friendship' across the footlights, which yields at 
every recurrence of our meeting a warmer and still 
more genial gratification. Just such a pleasure we 
look to Madlle. Titiens to afford us for many enjoy- 
able years to come, and as a particular favor — asked 
on behalf of the public at large — ^would only request 
that the intenrals between the departures and the ar- 



rivals may he made ns brief as possible. It would be 
injustice to Signor Giuglini, to omit ocknowlcd^nnent 
of the manner in which, by his performance of Ruoul, 
he has so ably seconded the exertions of the lady. His 
enerjry and passion are not confined merely to the vo- 
cal utterances of the cliaracter ; but arc entitled to Iks 
pmised for their expasition histrionically. Were 
Meyerbeer himself to be the arbiter of the amount of 
credit to be awanlcd to the management, for the way 
in which this grand lyric tragedy has been bronght 
fonvanl, we have no fear of Mr. Lumley being dis- 
satisfied with his decision. 

The same critic says of the succeeding opera : 

Since our last, Donizetti's pretty and popular opera 
of " La Figliu del Rcggimento has been played, 
with the vivacious Piccolohini as the heroine, Maria, 
and her fresh and sparkling style is far better dis- 
played in this than in the rSie of Norma, in which she 
made her dtftntt for the season. The vivanditre has 
only had in Jenny Lind, a representative that could 
be compared with her. Signor Bbllktti sang the 
music of Sulpizio with marked character and expres- 
sion, and the Tokio of Signor Belart was a very 
commendable performance. He is steadily working 
his way into high favor. 

Vocal Association.— The third concert was 
given on Friday evening, last week. On this occa^ 
sion Mr. Benedict dispensed with an orchestra, but 
commenced, nevertheless, with Mendelssohn's Ottetto, 
very finely executed by eight accomplished players, 
witn Mr. H. Blagrove leading, but not heard as dis- 
tinctly as might have been desired by the admirers of 
Mendelssohn. The choir was assisted by the Vocal 
Union, and sang several glees and part-songs, among 
which the most favorably received was Mr. Benedict's 
Wreath f a most graceful and efiective composition. 
Madame Castellan, Mdlle. Finoli, Miss Messent, and 
Mr. Tennant were the vocalists. 

The novelty of the evening was the violin perfor- 
mance of Mdlle. Gabriele Wendheim, a young lady, 
who, whatever may be her capabilities, is ill -od vised 
to exhibit them in public at present, since, in the me- 
chanical part of her art, she has almost everytliing to 
leom. — Musical World, May 8. 

Sacred Harmonic Societt. — The performance 
of Mendelssohn's music to Athalie, and Rossini's 
Stabat Mater, in conjunction, attracted one of the 
largest audiences we have seen at Exeter HaJl. 
These two works together, so difierent in style and 
yet both so masteriy, now constitute one of the most 
attractive entertainments of the Sacred Harmonic 
Society. The performance of Athalie on Wednesday 
evening was not perfect, though occasionally very 
grand-— the overture and march of tlie Levites, for 
instance, being magnificently played, The solo sing- 
ers were Madame Clara Novello, Miss F. Rowland, 
and Miss Dolby. In the Stabat Mater, the principal 
singers were, Madame Clara Novello, Miss Dolby, 
Mr. Sims Reeves, and Mr. Weiss. Mr. Reeves, m 
obedience to the vociferous demand of the audience, 
was compelled to repeat the air, " Cujus Animam," 
which he sang superbly. Generally speaking, the 
execution of Rossini's work left as much to bo desired 
as that of Mendelssohn's. — Ibid. 

PHiLHABJfOirtc SociRT.— The eecond eonoert, wh chiefly In- 
teresting from its introducing Herr Joachim to a London 
audience after an abdonce of feveral yean. When last amongit 
us he was quite a youth, and was then a most extnumlinary 
executant. He has since labored diligently and earnestly, and 
now possesses a breadth of style, and a fliicility in the accom- 
plishment of the greatest difBculties, which place him In the 
first rank of violinists. His performance of Beethoven^s eon^ 
certo on this occasion was a marvellous treat. His other piece, 
Tartini's Sonata in G minor, was an exhibition less artistic 
than extraordinary. The "* Trillo " movement is stated to have 
been '' communicated " to the composer by Sheitan ( Auld Hor- 
nie) in a dream, and it is therefore called the " Trillo del Dia- 
volo." 

The symphonies were Mendelssohn^s Italian (com p osed Ibr 
this society) and Beethoven^s Pastoral, and they were most 
worthily rendered. The vocal musi; was by Madanie Castellan 
and Signor Bellettl. The lady sang out of tune, as is now cus- 
tomary Mrith her. The gentleman sang well and delightfully, 
as is his wont.— Jlfiu. Giizette^ May 1. 

Nbw PHOBAaacoKic. — The second concert took place on Mon- 
day evening, in St. Jameses Hall. The programme was a good 
one, and not the less interesting from the fact of the first part 
being entirely devoted to Moart, after the example set by U. 
Julien. 

Overture, "buberflSle;" Hoxart. 
Aria, ** Parto mio ben," Miss Louisa Pyne ; Honrt. 
Concerto, in D major (No. 20) piano-forte, Bignor AndreoU; 
Hoiart. 
Aria, " Tedrai carino," Hiss Louisa Pyne; Moart. 
Symphony In in E flat ; Mosart. 

Overture, " Coriolanus:" Beethoren. 

Air, with variations, " Sul margtne d'nn rio," Bfadame Lem- 
mens Sherrington ; Moiart. 

Solo, piano-forte, Signor AndreoU 

Scena, ** Prendi per me," Uadame Lemmens Sh«nington; 
I>e Beriot. 

Overture, (Ruler of the Sphlts) Weber. 
Conduetoc^-Dr. Wylde. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAT 29, 1858. 



71 



Euji -s Musical Union. -~ The following was the progtmmmo 
of the second Mating at St. James's Hall : 

Quartet, D minor; Moxart. 

Daet, B flat. Op. 45, piano-forte and Tioloncdlo; MendelA- 
■ohn. 

Quintet. C major. Op. 29; BocthOTen. 

Song, *^ Dos Schilfer's Lied," with piano-forte and yiolonoello 
accompaniment; Meyerbeer. 

Solo, Tiolin. Chaoonne; Bach. 

Song, " Morgengruss;" Mendelssohn. 

Solo, pianoforte; Fumagalli. 

The executants were Herr Joachim, Herr GofMe, Messrs. H. 
and K. BlafrroTc, Signor Piatti, Signor AndreoU, Herr Relchardt, 
and IleiT W. Oani. 

Cbtstal Palack.— The Concert of the 17th nit., presented 
no very peculiar feature, if we may except a fhsalc on the part 
of Madame Borchardt, who positiTcly sat down at the piano- 
forte and accompanied henvlf in Moiart's "Non tomer." 
With a good orchestra and conductor at hand, this was a piece 
of actual impertinence. The Symphony was Moiart's Jupiter, 
which was Tery well played, and the overtures were Demetrius 
(Cualus) and Mendelssohn's brilliant Avy Bias. Mr. Cusins 

Slayed HummePs lUtour k Londres and Kullak's Perles d' 
)cume, and Mr. Oeorgo Perren sang Terdi's *' Ah si b«n mio," 
and^Inthisoldchsir." 

After the concert Mr. James Coward performed a selection of 
music on the laige oigan. 

Miss A&ABILLA OoDDAU>*s CoKCBTS. — The enthusiasm of 
the London critics about this lady's playing of classical piano 
music does not in the least abate. The programme of her 
second solrte was remaxlukble for its historic interest, as fol- 
lows: 

Sonata duo in A, piano-forte and violonoello (Op. 82); W. S. 
Bennett. 

Grand sonata In F, piano-forte, "Ne Plus Ultra;" Woolfl. 

Preludia con fu|^ in A minor, piano-forte, & la Tarantella 
(by denre): J. S. Bach. 

Qrnnd sonata in A fiat, piano-forte, " Plus Ultra" (Op. 71) 
Duasek. 

Grand quartet in B minor, piano-forte, rioUn, riola, and 
lioloncello; Mendelssohn. 

The Musical Gazette (May 1) says of this concert: 

The executants were Miss Arabella Ctoddard, M Sainton, 
Herr Goffrie, and Signor Pinttl. — artists of different countries, 

{ret affording a remarkable instance, by their magnificent play- 
ng, of the unirersality of the language of muste. Their per- 
formance of Mendelssohn's quartet was exceedingly brilliant, 
and Dr. Bennett's duo was a great treat. The last movement 
of this sonata is a very fine specimen of writing, and is won- 
derfully cffecUTe. Ot Miss Ooddard-s solos wo preferred the 
sonata of Woelfl. Our preference was given on musical 
grounds; in^ point of execution It would be difflcult to find 
anything approaching a lUult with this extraordinary pianist, 
though we adhere to the opinion we had more than once ex- 
pressed with reji^ard to the excessive speed at which she takes 
many movements. 

The sonata of Woelfl, pompously styled, " Ne plus ultra." 
under the idea that the extreme of dlfllculty had been reached, 
is remarkably beautiful. The difficulties — amongst which may 
be specifled some desperately uncomfortable passages in thirds 
for both hands — though they in all probability occupy plenty 
of attention on the part of the executant, do not impress tlie 
auditor to so great an extent as might be imagined, the music 
being of the highest order. There is a breadth, dignity, and 
clearness about the alUgro moderato (the second movement) 
that entitles it to a place amongst the greatest works of its 
elass. The variations on ** Life let us cherish," with which 
the sonata concludes, are not uniformly interesting, and one 
or two might be exci8<Mi with advantage, but some of them 
are veir elegantly written, and they are invariably musical, in 
spite of the technical difllcultlee with which they are made to 
bristle. A VMiation in the minor {arpeggios distributed be- 
tween tiie hands) and an octave variation were splendidly play- 
ed, and met with the most hearty applause. The former waa 
a singular displav of equality of touch, and the latter a re- 
marluible exhibition of power and elasticity of wrist. 

DuBsek's sonata is, on the whole, not to calculated to please. 
Consummate musicianship is evident in the first two move- 
ments, but the remaining twain far surpass them In distinct- 
ness of theme and clearness of treatment. As to the title, or 
nickname, *^ Pius ultra," gi^cn to it by Dussek's publisher, 
simply because it was con^dered more difficult than Woelfl 's 
" Ive pius^" we deem it great nonsense. It reminds us of the 
opposition cobbler, who, seeing " Mens eonsa'a recti" inscribed 
upon his rival's shop front, forthwith employed a painter to 
indicate that at his establishment both " Mens and toomens 
eonseia recti " could be obtained by a liberal and discerning 
public. 

At the third (and last) soirei'^ Miss (Soddard is to play Beet- 
hoven's op. 106. Talk of '' Ne plus ultras "—! 

LuPKiG. — The Gewandhaus Concerts of the season past ftir- 
nish a rich list of artists and of works performed. Twenty- 
one Symphonies have been played, including 7 by Beethoven ; 
8 bySchuoMnn; 2 each by Gade, Haydn, and Mozart; one 
each by Mendelssohn, Riets, Schubert, Rubinstein, WUrst. 
Of Overtures we find twenty-nine, vis. : 7 by Beethoven ; 5 by 
Mendelssohn; 8 each by Cherubini and Wel)er; 2 each by Mo- 
nrt, Reineeko and Riets; 1 each by Bennett, Ehlert, Handel, 
Schumann, Spontini. To these add an orchestral work called 
" Overture, Scheno and Finale," op. 52, by Schumann ; the 
Seheno and Wedding March firom Mendelssohn's *' Mldsum- 
mer-Nlght's>Drettm ;" and the following grand choral perform- 
ances : the 95th Psalm by Mendelssohn ; Finale ftom LoreUy^ 
and chorus: Yerleik wns Frieden, by the same; the 187th 
Psalm, by Richter; Solos and Choruses from the ** Messiah;" 
the oratorio " Jephtha and his Daughter," by Reinthaler; In- 
troduction and Finale lh>m first act of Wagner's Lo/iengrin ; 
Naehtgesang im Walde (night song in the forest), for men's 
voices, with accompaniment of four horns, by Schubert; Scena 
with chorus and aria ttom Oluck's *' Orpheus and Euiydice;" 
and the Notth Stmphokt of Bbethovih. 

The list includes seven new compodtions performed for the 
first time, vis. : ReinthaJer's Oratorio, J(g)/Uha und seiiM Jbdk- 



ter; Symphony, No. 6, in O minor, by Gade; Symphony InF 
minor, by Rubinstein; Symphony In D minor, by R. WUrst; 
** Hafiz " Overture, by Louis Ehlert ; Overture to the tragedy 
SophoniMie, by Reinlcke; 187th Psalm, by Richter. 

Among ttie vocalists who have appeared are found the names 
of Jenny Und-Goldschmidt, Pauline Tiardot Garcia, Emilia 
Kroll ftom Dresden, Rosa Mandl, Jenny Meyer from Berlin, 
Ida KrUger from Schwerin, Marie Carl from Gotha, Caroline 
Lehmann fkrom Copenhagen, Malvine Strahl and Francisca 
Wiirst from Berlin ; Herr Krause tntn. Berlin, Behr of Leip- 
dg, Otto and Sabbath from the Domchor In Berlin. 

In seven concerts there haye been Piano-forte performances; 
Tiolin do. in eight concerts; Violoncello do. in four; and Clar- 
inet, Oboe and Ophicieid in one each. The following instru- 
mental artists have appeared : Hans von Buelow, Louis Bras* 
sin, Otto Goldsehmidty E. Pauer, Fred. Breunung, Alfred Jaell^ 
Fred. Laub, Frilulein Bordy, Joseph Joachim, Antonio Baa- 
cini, G. Haubold, Loop. Damroech, R. Drcyschock, F. David, 
Alfred Piatti, F. Grdtanacher, B. lAudgraf, F. Diethe, V. 
Colosanti (Ophicleidist). The " Singakademie," the " Pauliner 
Qesangverein " and the *' Thomaner Chor," have united their 
forces to give efliect to the choral performances. 

The many friends of Herr Robert B. Papperitx, one of the 
professors in the Leipsig Conservatorium, will be pleased to 
know that the University of Jena has lately conferred upon 
him the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 

Mme. Viardot Garcia (Bfalibran's sister) seems to have ex- 
cited as much enthusiasm in Leipzig as she did in Cologne. 
She has been singing at the Stadt Theatre in 11 Barbiere^ Le 
Prophdte, La Sonnambula, Norma and Don Juan. The Thea- 
tre is always full at double prices. The AUgemeine Tkeater- 
Ckronik says of her: "All that we can possibly imagine in 
the Art of singing, united with the highest intelligence, and 
the most poetic sentiment, can alone produce a liosina like 
that of this celebrated and everywhere popular artist," and 
uses equally superlative language about her Fides. 




CoLOOKi. — ^The thirty-sixth Lower Rhenish Musical Festival 
was to be held here on Whlt-Sunday and the two following 
days. The principal singers were Miles. Krall and Jenny 
Meyer, Herren Schneider and Stepan. Sig. Sivori, Herren 
Ferdinand Hiller, Franck and Breunung were to appear at the 
third, or Artists' Concert. 

Philadelphia, Mat 25. — Ullman has been ob- 
served, within the past few days, threading the streets 
of this city, noiselessly, even as the serpent glides 
among the blades of grass in a country clover patch. 
Simultaneous with the advent of this wandering Jew, 
there have been perceptible in the ponderous bulk 
windows of certain hatters, Musard caps, — frightful 
slouches, which are offered to snobs at the very low 
price of 37^ cents. Thus Musard seems to be semi- 
officially announced. He comes without doubt, as 
usually, to make good in the Quaker City, the losses 
sustained in the soi-disant metropolis. Delusive ex- 
pectation ! We are not &mous for a patronage of 
empiricism here, even though at times we good- 
naturedly resuscitate the fortunes of opera com- 
panies. 

Gazzanioa has sailed for Europe in order to ful- 
fil a lucrative engagement in Madrid. She has borne 
with her the everlasting regrets of, and numerous 
substantial mementos from the young men in striped 
opera caps and lustrous patent leathers, who were 
wont to patronize the flower venders liberally for her 
sake, who voted her " weally chawming " in Linda, 
and who now sigh pensively as they contemplate the 
hard marble features of her bust, which, by the way, 
might be taken for Juno, Calliope, Lucy Stone, or 
any otlier remarkable feminine, — so little docs it 
liken unto the adored Gazzaniga. 

One of our critics, he of the Pennsylvanian, a 
Lecompton, administration journal in this vicinity, 
has undertaken to pen an analytical critique upon the 
merits and demerits of this popular cantatrice, allege 
ing that the interests of Art now demand that candid 
expression of opinion, which, if broached during her 
reign at the Opera House, would have constituted an 
act of ungallantry to her sex, and a positive detriment 
to her interests. He then " pitches *' into medias res 
without further ado ; but manages to be-fog and cloud 
his article to such an extent with technical terms, 
that not six, forsooth, of the great unwashed, anter- 



rifled Democracy, who read that journal, would com- 

prelMud five lines of his critique. 

Such words as poriamento, metuif canto spianato, 

&c., must prove more unintelligible than Choctaw to 
that class of men, whose rarest accomplishment per- 
haps is a lusty cheer for President Buchanan. 

The erudite critic of the Pennsylvanian in reality 
desires to depreciate Madame Gazzaniga in every par- 
ticular, denying her even aught of sympathetic quality 
in voice, — the veiy feature upon which all other 
reviewers, and their followers, seemed unanimous, 
and which infused additional warmth into her impas- 
sioned style of acting. This is very wrong ! Mme. 
Gazzaniga is probably the best Italian actress upon 
the lyric boards; and her voice, fresh, pure, flexible, 
and sufficiently powerful, has been unequalled in this 
country fcr its power of producing striking dramatic 
effects. ' ih& Pennsylvanian however was correct in 
rating her vocalization at an inferior standard. 

Alexander Henry, our recently elected Mayor, has 
indignantly stamped his foot upon certain Sacred 
Concerts^ which have for some time been in progress 
at the City Museum, a minor Theatre in Callowhill 
Street. These entertainments were in fact German 
theatricals, in which li^ht farces, vaudevilles, ope- 
ratic trifles, &c., were ingeniously sandwiched be- 
tween oratorio choruses. 

For a long time no obstacles were interposed^ to 
these irreverent proceedings ; democratic officials wink 
in a singularly amiable and indulgent manner, when 
an immense array of votes may to jeopardized by a 
contrary course of action. 

Presto! change ; a new city government takes the 
reins, and the Germans find tliemselves doomed to 
chew the cud of bitter disappointment, and to waste 
terrible anathenuis over an imaginary infringement of 
their rights. 

It remains to be seen, whether, as in the reign of 
Judge Conrad, the curbelone opera will also be abol- 
ished. I allude to the Italian Organ Grinder and his 
profession ; for these, too, seem to flourish most suc- 
cessfully under democratic rule. Let the olive-com- 
plexioned interpreter of music to the million, and his 
monkey, take heed ! Yesterday (Whitmondayj was 
a grand holiday with the Germans, who enjoyed it, 
as tliey alone are able, at Lemon Hill, with dances, 
gymnastics, and music, of course. Some of tlie So- 
cieties performed the second act of " L'Elisir d'Amore" 
under the branches of the noble oaks, which grace the 
banks of our romantic Schuylkill. Rivers of Lager 
Beer flowed upon this occasion ; and the fun contin- 
ued unal)atcd unto a late hour. Doubtless, many of 
the participants, when they reached their domicils and 
thought of the labor and toil of the morrow, felt im- 
pelled to exclaim, " Sic transit gloria Monday." 

Manrico. 



Berliit, April 30. — We live here now upon 
tradition. Of new things there is very little that is 
good or interesting ; and that little our Court theatre 
keeps back from us. We might utterly despair, did 
not our Royal Kapellmeisters treat us regularly every 
season to a new Kapellmeister opera. We live here 
simply and solely still upon tradition ; i. e. our old 
classical (and frequently unclassical) operas celebrate 
upon our stage the jubilees of their two or three hun- 
dredth performance — operas long since forgotten, 
often actually grown obsolete. Operas are hunted 
up, and our burning thirst is allayed by the narratives 
of our grey old reviewers, telling us how finely all 
tliese operas were presented in those days. This may 
be called living upon other people's recollections. 

Even our pcrfonnances of Chamber music grow 
continually more traditional and frosty, except that 
once in a while one of the heaven-storming " musi- 
cians of the Future," (represnted here by Hanb 
vox Buelow, &c.,) hurls at our heads concep- 
tions of Bach and Beethoven, such as cut short 
all desire for a repetition with the few minds that 
have kept themselves still pure and unsophisticated. 
Moreover concert-giving in Berlin, with but rare ex- 
ceptions, has become a dear satisfaction. Only the 
very fewest undertakers cover their expenses ; but 
whoever among them conceives the desperate idea of 
giving music with an orchestra, may sink deeper and 
deeper into debt year after year. At any rate I warn 
every one against the undertaking, who is not backed 
by one of the authorities ; for amid the flood of 
charity concerts only those pay, which are given for 
a patriotic object ; in such cases the police helps to 



72 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



dispose of tickots, and not a few take tickets simply 
that they may be thought patriotic. Never was this 
decline of our noble Art more sensibly felt than dar- 
ing this past winter of commercial panic. The 
shock was violent and nniversal. Whatever stood 
not on a firm foundation fell, — artistic no less than 
commercial enterprises — and much that was truly 
good withal, even before it had time to develope 
itself; for instance several musical schools, scarce 
founded, many singing societies, and so forth. 

The last operatic representation of the past year 
was Cherubini's Wassertrafftr (Les Deux Joume<^s), 
which since the year 1800 has remained the ornament 
of every opera repertoire. For the first time Frl. 
WiPPERy sang the Countess ; the first Terzet was 
a model of purity and correctness ; for the delivery 
of recitative and of impassioned passages this young 
and talented lady must moderate her exertion, if she 
would not impair the beauty of her fresh, natural, 
sonorous voice. Herr Wolff was new in the part of 
Anton, which he gave very satisfactorily ; and Frl. 
Baldamus, who appeared upon the stage for the 
first time, as the bridesmaid, showed a fine voice, as 
well as great timidity, in her little solo. 

In Meyerbeer's Bebert le Diable, Frl. Baub appear- 
ed as Alice in the place of Frl. Wippem. She exe- 
cuted her task with great certainty, like one accus- 
tomed to the stage, although the co-operation of the 
whole upper part of her body, the rocking and 
coquetting of her head, had an ungraceful and dis- 
turbing effect. 

Frl. Wippem, on the contrary, aflfords the charm 
of womanly modesty and a wonderfully beautiful, 
sonorous voice, with an indescribable charm in the 
highest register. In the second act Isabella (Frau 
Herrenduro-Tuczbk) reigned almost exclusively. 
The embellishments flowed easily and naturally, the 
ttaccaJti light and bright, the trills as if from the 
throat of a nightingale. The agreeable impression 
was enhanced still more by the graceful bearing and 
movement of the singer. Herr Hoffuamk as 
Robert vividly reminded us of the necessity of en- 
gaging a tenor ; he seems unable to cure himself of 
the habit of singing out of tune, by which the artistic 
Terzet a capeUa was disturbed. Herr Salomon 
sang Bertram finely all through, only not quite 
demoniacal enough. The piece was mounted with 
right royal splendor. In the "Huguenots" the 
deficiencies of mise en tc€ne were very prominent in 
the charming second act. Frau Koebter began her 
triumphs as Valentine with tlie duet of the third act ; 
Herr Formes (Theodore) shared them with her; 
more moderation in the use of his fine vocal powers 
cannot be too often recommended to him. Herr 
Radwaner was highly clever in the part of Nevers, 
while Herr Bost fell far short of previous perform- 
ances by Herr Fricke. 

The marriage of Prince Frederic William was 
celebrated by a festival prologue, a people's hymn, 
and Weber's Euryanthe. The performance of this 
noble work was pervaded by a truly festal unction ; 
only disturbed by one passing dissonance caused by 
the wrong entrance of a trumpet on the stage. We 
prize this opera very highly, and its significant dra- 
matic worth will rise in contrast widi the so-called 
Zukunfts works ("music of the future") which lean 
more or less upon this. Its defects spring directly 
from Weber's plan of making all dramatically effec- 
tive by every means, however extraordinary, that 
come to hand ; to such means of effect he has sacri- 
ficed somewhat of his spontaneous feeling in some 
parts of this work. And tliese very parts are the 
most edifying and beautiful, when his originality 
breaks through in spite of all. Almost too great 
care is lavished upon tone-paintings ; yet the woods 
are lovelier and greener in the FreyschHU, and love 
is tenderer and more fragrant in Oberon. Enryanthe 
herself stands out most beautiful as the darling figure 
of the composer ; yet the oth^r persons possess each 



a characteristic interest. The not very grateful part 
of Eglantine found in Johaitka Wagner, so long 
as she had not to wage a fruitless struggle with the 
highest register of the voice, a masterly dramatic 
impersonation, which was recognized with storms of 
applause. Frau Koebter touched all by her sin- 
cerity and naturalness. Points of true lustre were 
her two arias, as well as the duet, in which, however, 
simple directness of feeling is sacrificed to effect. 
Formes (Treo.) and Kraube were knightly figures. 
The latter was remarkably good in the great solo 
scene of Lysiart. The royal Kapelle played with 
fire; the beauty of the bassoons, flutes and horns 
being especially noticeable. 

Mozart's ever young opera, Bdmont and Costanza 
(the " Seraglio"), was brought out, newly studied, 
after being withdrawn for fourteen years. A strange- 
ly settled popular belief regards this as the first opera 
of the master, whereas it is his fourteenth ; but there 
is a naive truth of feeling at the bottom of this be- 
lief; for as the preceding works were but experiments 
of a genial mental process working itself clear ; as 
even in the earlier Idommeo the objects of the Mozart- 
ean art stand unbound by any inward necessity, and 
the power of science is in conflict with free feeling, 
so in Belmont the most inspiring youthful freshness 
reigns decidedly, even although the desire to show a 
masterly dexterity in form occasionally, in his youth- 
ful exuberance, extends the quartet and the great 
aria of Costanza beyond measure. Since Mozart's 
genius first attained to perfect ripeness in this opera, 
so that he was capable of following it np with a 
Figaro and Don Juan, we may justly call it his first 
opera. And in fact we have mingled here a wonder- 
ful gift of dramatic comprehension with characteristic 
declamation ; and it is interesting to follow Mozart's 
struggle to get free from the traditional, without ever 
quite succeeding. Yet the work still shines in the 
fullest luxuriance of youthful power, like the creation 
of a tender youthful feeling, such as an artist pro- 
duces only once ; and Weber is right when he says : 
" Of operas like Fifforo and Don Juan the world was . 
justifled in expecting several from Mozart; but an 
Entfuhrung out dem Serail he could not with the 
best will write again." We have been too long 
accustomed to regard a first performance only as a 
general rehearsal, not to pardon the waverings of 
singers, choruses and orchestra. Our veteran singing 
master, Zibbche, as Osntin, reminded us of earlier 
grand epochs and received well-deserved storms of 
applause. Herr Wolff's comic humor predomi- 
nates too much over his singing, whereby the splen- 
did Moorish Romanza of Pedrillo suffered particu- 
larly. The high range of the female parts lay 
unfortunately beyond the compass of Mme. Eocster 
and Frl. Baur, and constrained them to the shrillest 
and most unpleasant exertions. 

Auber's Fra Diavcio was produced hero before a 
full house. The youthfully fresh work is executed 
with delicate strokes ; all is fiilly rounded off, en- 
closed in characteristic national traits of a wild rob- 
ber life. In the overture the trumpet solo wanted 
purity and finish, and we strangely missed the always 
effective tongued passages so finely executed by every 
military trumpeter. The introduction fiowed by 
tamely, and the following numbers were without 
effect, and the curtain would have fallen mournfully 
upon the first act, had not the Kapelle kindled up in 
the finale. But we were compensated by the second 
act, thanks to the distinguished performance of Frau 
Herrendurg-Tuczeck. There was something 
really touching in the naivete and innocence of the 
scene in Zerlina's chamber. And finally Herr 
Formes warmed up and sang his last air admirably, 
although quite after the model of Roger. Herr 
Krueoer, also, won applause by his finely sung 
romanza, and the scenically fine concluding act came 
to a satisfactory end. 

More next week. ff. 



PESCRIPTITB LIST OF THE 

TEST XyfllTJSIC, 
Pablbhed by O. DitMM 9l €•• 

Vocal, with Piano. 

Luisella. Song. Italian and English worrls. 

Ficrimo, 25 

Mary Dolan. Ballad. AfcNatigkUm. 26 

Simple ftnd plenninff, with a merry, lanchlng taneto 
it, that ■peaks of bappy timos. 

Faded Flowers. Song. WiUing, S5 

A flong in the German atyla. 

In dreams I see my mother. Song and chorus. 

G. F. Root. 25 

The lateit fWmi the pen of thb plfted and popnlar 
eomponer. The lovers of idmple melody will And It 
dlfllealt to Rhow another aong at once wo nnpretentious 
and fkaeinating. 

Bring the maid. Bufib Duct. "Rose of CastUle,'* 60 

Thia excellent Opera enppllos an often felt want of 
concerted pieces <br pecallar comhinations of Toicai. 
There !* In it a eplendid Trio for male Toices, a langh- 
Infc Trio for metso-noprano and two baritones; and 
here we have a very effective comk: Duet for two basses. 
All of these wfU, ere long, become staadanl pieces of 
the cone^t-room. 

I've oft been very near thee. Ballad. 

L, B. Wetherbee, 25 
A parlor song, sentimental and melodious. 

Fly, Bird of Hope. German and English words. 

Kucken, 25 

TUs Is a lovely song, which ftstens itself vnaTolda- 
bly upon the mind of the hearer ; «Btt«rBaUy known 
Olid popular in Gennaay. 

Znstmmental Muaio for Piano. 

Coquette Polka of D'AIbert, for Four Hands, by 

T, BiutU. 55 

An arrangement of this fliTorite Polka for two play- 
ers—intended for beginners. 

A Uttle more Cider, too, for Four Hands, by 

T. Biudl, 25 
Kuy and well set 

March in " Moisc/' for Fluta and Piano, by 

R. Dreader, 25 

Oh Nanny, for Flute and Piano. R. Dreuler, 25 

Both of these arrangements will be quite welcome to 
all amateur players. 

Surprise Party Polka. Avery, 26 

A sprightly Uttle Polka, evidently eoncdved in those 
good spirits, which snrpruers and surprised ones eaa- 
not help arriving at, alter the eontents of baskets and 
pockets have been dispoeed of and the room been 
cleared of chairs and taoles. 

P^tit Fantasy. Henry Schwing. 30 

Introduction and two simple Tariations and Finale, 
on a well known little German air. May be used with 
great advantsge in the course of instruction. 

Booka. 

The Operatic Albdx : A collection of Music in 
Parts, for Ladies' voices, intended particularly for 
Seminaries, High Schools, Musical Classes, and 
^e Social Circle. By E. Ives, Jr. Price 67 cts. 

This Collection is designed to supply a deficiency 
which must have been felt by all who are engaged In 
teaching Singing in Boarding Schools. Female Acade- 
mies, or Ladies^ Classes in any condltfon— vis : A6me 
of an elevated eJuwocter^ ameerttd for Female voieetf 
admitting of several voices on each part. This, too, has 
been a denderatum in the social circle, musical parties, 
&o.— for, while there is rarely one among amateurs 
who can perform a solo tolerably well, there are many 
who could Join effectively in a chorus. This would, 
at least, give a pleasing variety to the performances of 
a private soirit ; besides, it would allow those ladies, 
who possess too much of commendable delicacy to ren- 
der themselves ridiculous by attempting to perform 
alone, to take an active part m the recreations of the 
party. 

The pieces although, in general, composed as cho- 
ruses for ladies, (tori di donne,) that is, for an indefi- 
nite number of voices on each part, may be sung with 
pleasing effect if each part is sustained by only a sin- 
gle voice. And, although written for soprano or fe- 
male voices, they may be sung bv male voices alone, 
or by male and female voices combined. In the seleo- 
tions ttom Operas, and other musical compositions, 
the original music is given without mutilation. When 
the subject of the orii^nal libretto was such as to bo 
considered destitute of intereet when abstracted from 
the entire work, other words have been adapted— tsk- 
ing great pains that the sentiment should conlbrm to 
the character of the music. The pieces, wliile making 
the best exercises for singing in parts, will be found 
the most beautiful of all musical compoaitions->the 
most of them in their line, perfect gems. 




Wg|t'5 




0uriial 





Whole No. 322. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1858. 



Vol. Xm. No. 10. 



[TmnslatBd for thb Journal.] 

Musical Orthodoxy. 

From the German of Hme. Jooanna Kihul. 
(Continued from page 67.) 

Tho BailiiT availed himself of every possible 
pretext to refuse the now frcquent invitations 
to the house of the Count, but it was not in his 
power to prevent Selvar calling so much the 
oftener, and seating himself with all the ease in 
the world by Ida at the piano-forte. Nor was it 
possible for Frau Werl always to perform tlie 
duty, as she considered it, of never leaving them 
alone, that, as she said, " the old roud might not 
completely turn the head of the inexperienced 
girL" He found but too many unguarded mo- 
ments in which to kindle new sparks in the soul 
of Ida, and which in her loneliness she would 
cherish for days together. 

Her first care now was to withdraw from the 
tyranny of her protectress, whose constant abuse 
of Selvar had become insupportable, and she 
expressed her determination to begin her career 
as teacher. She took rooms in the city, and, 
being now an object of interest in the fashiona- 
ble world, on account of the well-known pai'tial- 
ity of the Count for her, she had pupils at once 
from all quarters. And so began a new course 
of life, to which Ida found it exceedingly difficult 
to become reconciled. Every one possessed of 
muAcal talents above the average, who engages 
in teaching, must begin by passing through a 
period of doubt and despair. Those leisure hours 
formerly devoted to the study of the works of the 
great masters, were now filled by pupils for the 
most part without musical talent, who must needs 
stumble through difficult compositions far beyond 
their capacity. She found herself losing the 
power of persisting in that moderation and steady 
routine, which are all important to music teachers 
in restraining them from teaching more at a lesson, 
from a mistaken idea of duty, than the pupil can 
understand in the hour. But there was a deeper 
trouble ; all her feelings were drawn in another 
direction, and she would become conscious of 
having allowed a pupil thoughtlessly to play on, 
while she in her day dreams was with her friends 
over yonder in Waldheim ; then she would start 
conscience-stricken and try to make up for it by 
double attention and care. And in the midst of 
her toil to do this, her thoughts would again be 
far away from her duties. And so she would come 
home weary and worn, and throw herself upon 
the sola, that she might think of him undisturbed. 
Then would awaken again the desire of study, and 
the few hours of day which remained she would 
devote with incredible zeal and perseverance 
to her improvement But everything gave way, 
when she heard the carriage of the Count ap- 
proach to take her to Waldheim. She had no 
power to refuse such invitations, although the 
acceptance of them always left a weight upon 
her souL 

Notwithstanding the terms upon which she 
now stood with her old protectress, she felt bound 



always to call upon her before going to the villa ; 
and Frau Werl could not refrain from inflicting 
upon the young artist, who had withdrawn her- 
self from her guardianship^ a warning or a sar- 
casm, sufficient to embitter the whole evening. 
Ida seldom had the consolation of a private, con- 
fidential conversation with Selvar ; the watcliful 
eyes of the young Countess, his daughter, pre- 
vented this. The family of the Count were accus- 
tomed to his transient passions for this or that 
fashionable lady, and looked upon them as mat- 
ters of no importance. But this case threatened 
serious results, inasmuch as his feelings were re- 
turned with all the strength of youthful passion. 
Anxiety on this account was however needless ; 
for pleasing and flattering as little coquetries 
were to the Count, he was by no means at his 
ease when he thought of Ida's utter want of self- 
command and knowledge of the world. There 
was always danger of her betraying her feelings 
towards him in the presence of others, who would 
find in this a topic for tlie exercise of their wits, 
although he himself never passed the proper 
limit. He was therefore at all times sparing of 
expressions of affection, giving way to his im- 
pulses only when ho was sure of having time 
sufficient to calm the excitement of Ida. 

To this end music was the best means. Ida's 
soul panted for spiritual refreshing afler bearing 
all day long with the ignorance or stupidity of 
her pupils. Her favorite songs had now become 
the language of love. Selvar felt it, when she 
in the enthusiasm of her song seemed struggling 
to lay her very soul at his feet. There was noth- 
ing frivolous in her playing with tones. Although 
she chose nothing but the very noblest which the 
art possesses in the passionate style, for the ex- 
pression of her feelings, yet she seemed to add 
dignity and poetry to what she sang. 

It came therefore like a thunder shock upon 
her when Selvar one day proposed to her to learn 
a set of variations by Herz upon a theme from 
Rossini, which he had heard at a concert, and 
which had quite captivated him. 

The young Countess, noticing Ida's confusion, 
exclaimed : ^ People will at length become weary 
of this tiresome Beethoven, and your list of 
pieces would be greatly improved by a little 
variety." 

Ida, with her usual abruptness, spoke out her 
contempt for the whole circle of variation-making, 
and declared that Herz's place was at the lowest 
grade of Art, and in fact, properly considered, 
he and his like were not worthy to be ranked 
with artists. 

The Count undertook to soften her. **My 
friend," said he, *^ you are too extreme in your 
opinions. One should be just to all. I listen with 
delight to Beethoven, but Bossini gives me equal 
pleasure. You could do me no greater kindness, 
than for my gratification to study modem Italian 
music, with a zeal equal to that with which I 
have until now followed you through the laby- 
rinth of the Gennan classics." 

Ida was for a moment at a loss ; then asked : 



" Is that not saying, * if you will approve the bad, 
we will tolerate the good ? ' " 

** The greatest talents lose in value, when the 
artist loses in discretion," exclaimed the young 
Countess angrily. 

A look of displeasure from her father stopped 
her. Ida's remark had touched him also, but he 
chose to look upon it as arising from her want of 
social culture, long since forgiven in her — a fail- 
ing which he hoped gradually, by his influence 
and example, to correct. 

Ida's eyes filled with tears. Selvar invited her 
to a walk in the garden. The cool days of au- 
tumn had already come, and the yellow leaves 
which strewed the ground, reminded them of the 
near approach of the time, when the family 
usually returned to the city. Tlie Count told 
Ida to consider his house there that of a father, 
at the same time pressing her arm to his breast 
with a tenderness somewhat beyond that of a 
father. Ida had already silently determined, as 
the strongest proof of affection in her power, to 
study the hated variations, however opposed such 
a sacrifice mirrht be to her musical faith. She 
eased her conscience with the reflection : " Who 
knows whether this style of music has not its own 
magical power, which remains concealed from 
those only, who will not give themselves up to 
it with cliild-like faith and trust ? I have never 
had the patience to play a piece of the kind to 
the end, always throwing tliem aside after the 
first page or two ; a single affectXHl, inflated pas- 
sage has been sufficient to destroy the eflect of a 
really pleasant melody — one which possibly was 
not quite without soul. Just so unjust have I 
been hitherto, in giving no man fashionably 
dressed credit for much intellect." 

To this course of thought Selvar unconsciously 
added some remarks, which strengthened Ida in 
her tolerant resolutions. " You have often," said 
he, " proved to me in your beautiful enthusiasm, 
that your Gluck, Handel, and other idols, lay 
open to us in tones, the holiest feelings of the 
human breast — the highest destiny of mortal 
man. But how few are they who have had 
experience of the grand and sublime, or are 
capable even of understanding them ! How far 
from the sphere of our sympathies is an Armida^ 
onAlceste! These beings of the poetic world 
have hardly a point in conmion with us, and we 
must raise ourselves by force into a liigher sphere 
of feeling, than is possible for us evening after 
evening at the tea-table. Shall we, men of fash- 
ionable life, with our pains and afflictions of the 
SaloHf which in fact, often are not less than those 
caused by real calamity — shall we find no toler^ 
ance in supporting the Art, which is the expres- 
sion of our sorrows ? As cultivated manners and 
elegance of address prevent rude outbursts of 
passion, so Bossini and his school veil in brilliant 
roulades and divisions, their deeper expressions 
of wo, which unadorned might move us even to 
pain." 

At home, Ida began the Variations, and in two 
days had fully proved how much easier it is to 



74 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



risk life for a beloved one, than to bear day after 
day the disgust and repugnance of such a labor ; 
a Siicrifiee, of wliich lie, for whom it is made with 
bleeding heart, has no conception. 

While for the most part, musical works of real 
merit throw few merely technical dillicultiea in 
the Avay of the practised player, and he at once 
feels and enjoys the spirit which animates them, 
his enjoyment inci*easing with each repetition, 
precisely the opposite is true of the modern 
fashionable mudic. A superficial, trivial melod}*, 
which one instantly learns by rote, must be prac- 
tised day after day Avith unwearvins: attention, 
because the absurd leaps and embellishments, 
which are thrown about it, must bo brought out 
with lightning speed. One of the more difficult 
of those modern concert pieces will cost a 
virtuoso of the fii'st rank a month of hard 

labor. 

At the third variation, Ida gave up in despair. 

She sat at her pianoforte, shedding hot teara of 
vexation, at the vow she had made to conquer 
this task. Her few hours of leisure passed rapid- 
ly away, and little progress made in the rapidity 
or purity of her execution. Tliis mere noise lay 
too far out of her sphere ; she would rather liave 
imdcrtaken to play all Sebastian Bach's " Well- 
tempered Clavichord " at sight 

Moreover she saw in the distance the danger 

impending, that this one demand upon her would 
not be all, but that the more perfectly she suc- 
ceeded in this, so much the more pressing would 
be the call uiK)n her for all the Rondo brilliantSy 
Fantasias sur des Thhnes fauoris, and the entire 
catalogue of perfmned music which loaded the 
shelves of Schott and Sons, at Mayence. Iler 
faithful Erard Grand seemed profaned and, after 
first hurling Henri Herz into a comer, and then 
frightened at thus treating a gift from the be- 
loved one, picking it up and laying it with a kiss 
gently upon the table, she opened the " Fantasie 
Chromatique " as an expiation of the sin. A 
thought suddenly occurred : ** This sacrifice cannot 
be made, nor can it be demanded of me. If all 
my time were at my disposal, as formerly, I might 
give a few hours daily to this monster music, and 
recruit myself afterward with the best. But 
giving six lessons daily and sj^ending most of my 
evenings at AValdheim, my mind would suffer if 
robbed of my few hours of leisure. He will be 
able to understand me, when I explain how this 
Henri Herz is wearing my very life out. The 
other request I can comply witH, and learn the 
Italian operas." 

She sent at once for a set of Bellini's arias, 
and undertook to sing them in the modern prima 
donna style. She could hanlly help laughing at 
herself; it seemed so like trj'ing on a masc^uerade 
dress. 

" How can Selvar tliink that such caricatures 
really speak the language of love and grief! 
Such music is nothing but affectation and false- 
hood, and what else can one think of the fash- 
ionable woes of these salon butterflies, when they 
say, * this is our language ! ' And Alceste, Iphi- 
genia are no longer to be understood! What 
then is there which is forever and to all <yenera- 
tions revealed, if not the sacred w^orkings of 
parental, connubial and fraternal love, for which 
Gluck invented the truest and simplest languawe ? 

o o 

The pride and resignation of Armida, do they 
not live anew in every heart in which, after long 
and doubtful struggle, the love of the beautful 
gains the victory ? 



•CO' 
»» 



" Ach, wer vertilgt ihn wohl von des Daseins 
Spur," began she, and soon became so absorbed 
in the part of Armida as not to hear the knock 
ujwn her door, and suddenly Selvar stood beside 
her. It was hi^ first visit to her in her own 
i-ooms; but now that lie was coming to town for 
the winter^ ho had come to offer her rooms in his 
own house, whore, as he said, under the protec- 
tion of his family, she could live more respect- 
ably, than so alone among strangerp. 

However delightful the thought to Ida of dwell- 
ing with him under one roof, however delicious 
the dream of more intimate relations with him — 
how or what was not clear to her — still she had 
an indefinite aversion to accepting anything at 
his hand, which could jwssibly be felt as a gift. 
The gifts of heart and mind she could return in 
kind ; but how return Uie ostentatious hospitality 
of the rich, except by prostituting her talents in 
their Salons ? For him would she gladly at all 
times exert her powers, when he felt wearied with 
the shallow pleasures of the world, hoping in her 
child-like innocence, and laboring, to draw him 
from the hollow world of fashion into the sacred 
temple of our higher nature, as music seemed to 
her. 

Afler having decidedly refused Selvar'a invi- 
tation, she unfolded clearly and distinctly all the 
thoughts which had been rising in her mind upon 
good and bad music during the day. She pro- 
duced examples in turn from Gluck and Bellini, 
playing and singing them, and felt that now or 
never was the time to convince him. But instead 
of producing conviction, she changed the current 
of his feelings towanls her, her persistence in a 
matter, which to him seemed by no means of 
such importance, striking him as in the highest 
degree unamiable. His understanding felt fully 
the force of the examples which she had pro- 
duced in favor of her opinions and tastes, but he 
considered her position as completely one-sided, 
in granting to but a chosen few the merit of hav- 
ing lived up to the demands of real Art. Still 
more than by her inexhaustible fund of songs, 
had he been taken captive by the unrestrained 
affection, which flashed upon him from the dark 
eyes and the blushes of her youthful cheeks. 
For many long years he had awakened no such 
unaffected passion, and in the soul of a girl so 
innocent and pure. Now, that he found it im- 
possible for her to make so small a sacrifice for 
him, one which he sought merely as a mark of 
politeness and friendship, he began to doubt the 
goodness of her disposition and her capacity for 
social culture. Secretly vexed, but with his 
usual politeness, he closed the interview, kissed 
her hand and departed, just as Frau Werl en- 
tered the door. 

The preparations for the Count's return to the 
city had not escaped her, and she felt it her duty 
to warn her former charge once again of the 
double danger now impending. 

" So, so," she began, " the Herr tJount is al- 
ready quite at home here." 

" He has been here for the first time," returned 
Ida. 

"AVell, as you visit him daily, he need not 
trouble himself to come to vou." 

"You introduced me yourself to his sister," 
returned Ida, " and know that I owe my present 
position here entirely to his family ; how can I do 
otherwise than offer a grateful heart to those 
who have treated me as their own child ? " 



" And who are taking just as much pains now 
to deprive you of this position. Do you think 
that scrupulous mothers will long employ you as 
teacher of their daughters, when your intimacy 
with Count Solvar has become the jest of fash- 
ionable circles ? " 

" How can any view with suspicion my rela- 
tions with this truly paternal friend ? " 

" A fine paternal friend ho, whose attentions 
to you are precisely those which be has paid to 
a long succession of actresses and coquettes be- 
fore vou." 

" So it seems from your point of view. I how- 
ever am conrinced that his fine understanding 
would restrain him from more than the usual 
gallantries towards unworthy persons. As to 
myself I have long felt certain of his real sym- 
pathy." 

" Now this just shows how you are blinded by 
your nonsensical passion — you profess to under- 
stand him better after a few months' acquaint- 
ance, than we who have had our eyes upon him 
half a lifetime. I am fully convinced that his 
vanity is engaged in an unwarrantable sport with 
your feelings." 

" At this very moment he has given me a proof 
of the contrary," said Ida coldly. 

"What," cried Frau Werl, eageriy, "has he 
really offered you his hand ? " 

Ida started and became pale and red by 
turns. 

" God forbid ! what an insane idea ! " said she, 
pressing her hands to her eyes. " How can you 
utter such a word ? The most distant thought of 
such a thing never entered my mind ! " 

"Ah, indeed! tlie same grand talk as ever! 
The only rational end of love is marriage. Ex- 
cept with that in view, any girl of ordinary pru- 
dence would put an end to the acquaintance 
before she had injured her reputation. But 
come, let us hear what your excellent, wise and 
paternal friend has been devising to-day for your 
advantage." 

Ida with perfect freedom repeated Selvar*8 
proposition, which Frau Werl received with a 
hearty laugh. 

" This then is the great mark of esteem, which 
you have just had from him. I will spare you 
the recital of what the public would say, should 
you accept his proposition. But do you not see 
the selfishness of this on his part, in making you 
the family musicienne — to play the pianoforte, 
when dull visitors are present, and so fill up the 
chasms in the conversation ; to amuse the family, 
when not disposed to go out ; on birth days to set 
simple melodies to the verses of amateur poets, 
and to bring home the melodies of the new opera 
from the theatre, and sing them over at sup- 
per?" 

" A man of Selvar's culture needs no such 
pastime. Besides, all that the city has of Art is 
at his command. What should induce him to 
choose me as the object of his favor, except the 
feelings of his own noble, benevolent heart ? " 

" And just herein is the danger, that a spark 
is actually kindled in his inflammable old heart 
You have but a poor understanding of the advan- 
tages of your position, and cool his ardor by meet- 
ing him half-way, instead of fanning the flame. 
I ought to have had such a chance when I was 
young ; I would have managed afiairs quite dif- 
ferently. It is with Selvar as with most men. 
If we turn away from them, they pursue us ; if 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1858. 



75 



they 8CC our hearts wanning toward them, theirs 
grow cold. As soon as you saw yourself becom- 
ing indispensable to the Count, you should have 
withdrawn from him, and especially have stayed 
away when his invitations were most urgent. 
And so at last the thought would have entered 
his mind : ' What should hinder me from makin<; 
the evening of life as cheerful as possible ! ' and 
finally would have cast all other considerations to 
the winds in his desire to unite you to him for- 
ever. But now, what need is there of \i\9 bring- 
ing upon himself the dis5«tisfaction of his family 
and the ridicule of people of his own station, to 
win a heart, which, regardless of terms, throws 
itself at his feet ? " 

" What an utterly unworthy part you would 
have me play ! " cried Ida with indignation. 
" You would then recommend to me as a virtue 
the very selfishness which you condemn in men ! 
No, rather be despised, be the laughing-stock of 
the world, than coldly calculate in such a mat- 
ter?" 

** Judge as you will as to that; but in one 
point — your reputation — be on your guard. 
This is my last — and it is good advice." 

(To be continued.) 



'*He Plus Ultra," and "Plus Ultra." 

The |::rcatcst curiosity was excited nt the recent 
solr^ti of Mis« Arabella Goddard by the fact of Woclfl's 
Ac Pitts Ultra nnd Dussck's Plus Ultra being botli 
included in her programme. Each of these sonatas 
possesses extraordinary merit, and each is a genuine 
example of its composer's manner. The whole sou! 
of Dussck Can endiusiastic miu$irian if thcro ever 
was one) is evident, as we have more than once in- 
sisted, in the Plus Ultm, which is more crowded with 
perfectly original ideas than perhaps any other com- 
position for piano-forte solus not included in tiie reper- 
tory of the unequalled Beethoven. The genius of 
Woclfl was of a loss ardent and poetical turn. Never- 
theless, ho was a master, and die alUgro of his sonata 
is OS symmetrically planned and ns skillfull v carried 
out as though it hnd fallen from the pen o^ Mozart 
himself. The variations on '* Life let us cherish," so 
unlike in character to what precedes them, demand u 
word or two of explanation. 

In Woclfl's time (which was the early tune of Beet- 
hoven — ^the time of Dussck and Sleibclt, and our un- 
fortunate En<;Ush Pinto) there was a numlwr of com- 
posers of the Abbd Gclinck and Von Esch tribe, 
who wrote piano-forte works for display with as little 
regard for tnie musical l)cauty as certain modem ivV- 
<uosi who need not be designated by name. They en- 
joyed, too, like their successors, a degree of popu- 
larity far beyond their deserts, to the detriment of 
more earnest laborers in the field of art. Tiieir com- 
positions were on every piano-forte, and their influ- 
ence was highly prejudicial to the taste of amateur 
pciformers, besides offering facilities for cliarlatans to 
exhibit their flimsy talent at the expense of their bet- 
ters, who would neither stoop to write, nor consent to 
promulgate, such empty tours de force. Joseph Woclfl, 
one of the sturdiest upholders of music in its purity, 
was naturally among those most indignant at tfie 
progress made by players, composers, and teachers, 
whom he knew to be nothing better than impostors. 
Each fashionable professor paraded one or two airs 
with variations which, havinj? composed himself and 
got into his fingere, he would force on the attention 
of his pupils. By these means the sonatas and other 
works of the iBirca't masters gradually became neglect- 
ed ; the music of Mozart, Clememi, and Dussck — 
still more that of Bach and Handel — went iuto dis- 
use, and Steibelt himself, one of the sterling men of 
his time, began to minister to the fashion of the hour, 
and, gifted with just as much fluency as f^nius, rival- 
led the Von Eschs of the day, contrary to the rei«.l 
musical instincts of his nature'. (At this' period, Beet- 
hoven was producing his earlier comix)sitions in rapid 
succession, and by the irresistible example of his 
piano-forte sonatas sustaining the good cause in ano- 
ther part of Europe.) Woelfl, in vain opposinr]^ the 
strong side of popular caprice, at last hit upon an 
expciiient which he thought might somehow mend the 
matter, and help to bring al)out a better state of things. 
Inwardly eonscious that he could write display-pieces 
with a great deal more facilitv than any of the pre- 
tenders who were fast destroying the taste for pure 
and healthy masic, and perform them with an equal 



superiority, he resolved to give the fashionable world 
a test of his ability. His fame was European, and 
he enjoyed the most distinguished position as a teach- 
er. Thus his influence was considerable, and he had 
only to feij^n adherence to the prevalent style to swamp 
all his competitors. The Ac Plus Ultra was the 
fruit of his new resolve. Unable, however, to yield 
so pracefullv to the breeze as his suppler conte!n]>o- 
rary, Daniel Steibelt, our more vijrorous and unlicnd- 
inp: musician began his new work with a stately adagio, 
followed by an allt^ro solidly built on those princi- 
ples which are the foundation of art, and with which 
art itself must perish. Having thus proved that ho 
was still Joseph Woelfi, ho immediately set about the 
rest, which was at once to propitiate the fidse idol of 
the period and arrest the triumphs of its worshippers. 
A short andante, the air " Life let us cherish," and 
the variations constructed ui)on it, constituted the rest 
of the sonata. 

These variations alone would show Woclfl to be a 
genius, since, thouj^h the offsprinjr of a momentar)' 
caprice, they arc a pro[»hccy of Henry Herz, who 
formed his style upon them, and reproduced them in a 
hundred shapes, until lie had exhausted ail that could 
bo squeezed out of them. When he abandoned the 
variations of Woelfl, Herz was no longer Herz, but 
one of the thousand pimntoms of Sigismund Thal- 
benr. 

Well — the publisher of Woelfl 's music, a bit of a 
dilettante himself, was tcmfied when he planccd at the 
manuscript. He miplit have exclaimed, " Awast ! " 
and so have fore-shatlowed a molceule of the cosmos 
of Dickens, as Woclfl had foreshadowed the entire 
cosmos of Herz. Not so lucky, however, as to immor- 
talize himself by an intcijecti'on, all the publisher said 
was — " Why, who the deuce can play it? " " I vill 
it May," replied Woelfl, in Handelian English. ** Yes, 
but you won't buy the copies. No one but yourself, 
or Dussek, can play the allegro — nnd I doubt'if cither 
of you can master the varianons." Woelfl sat down 
to the instrument (a cracked old hnri)sichord) nnd 
convinced the worthy publisher of his error. Not 
onlv was he convinced, but enchanted. " But what 
shall we call it ? " he inquire<l. " Call it Ne Plus 
Ultra," said Woelfi, rubbing his hands with innate 
satisfaction. " Now shall we sec if Herr Von Esch 
vill more blav, or Herr Bomdcmbo* make de varia 
tion.'' And Ne plus Ultrawaa consigned to the hands 
of the publisher. 

The effect produced by the new sonata, and espe- 
cially by the variatiouK, which (as '\¥oelfi had sus- 
pected) were soon separated from the allegro, and 
published alone, was extraordinary. The work was 
eagerly bought, and, to tlic confusion of several pro- 
fessors of high repute, whose incompetency had pre- 
viously escaped detection, was placed l»cfore them bv 
their i)Ui)ils, with a very urgent request to hear it 
played. All sorts of shifts and evasions were resorted 
to in order to avoid going through such an ordeal ; 
but in vain. Woelfl performed the A^e Plus Ultra at 
a concert, and with such brilliant success, that it be- 
came the fashionable piece from that moment. Not 
only did he by these means obtsiin what he had con- 
templated, in the di<eomfiture of those shallow prac- 
titioners who had endciivored to depreciate his worth, 
but what he had not contemplated, the transfer of 
their pupils. True to his art, however, ho would 
never consent to pive lessons on the variations until 
the allef/ro had been studied. " Dat is good — " he 
would sny — " it will hel]) to digest de variation." 

Dussek died in 1812. Plus Ultra was his 71st 
" opus" His last great work, L' Invocation, num- 
bers Op. 77. 

The Sonata Op. 71, in France, where it was origi- 
nally published, bears the title of Le Retour a Paris. 
Just iKjfore it was hent to Enjjland, a Sonata by 
Woelfl had appeared, under the name of Xc Plus 
Ultra, intended to convey thiit difficulty could po no 
further; but Duusek's London publisher, judpng 
that the lietour a Paris was even more difficult than 
Woelfl's Sonata, rechristened it Phts Ultra, with a 
dedication on the title page to Ne Plus Ultra. 

Plus Ultra, however, is not merely difficult ; it is 
a grand and imaginative composition,* and one of the 
very few works produced at the commencement of 
the present centurj' which foreshadowed the immen- 
sity of Beethoven.— /^«rfo/i Musical World. 

* Bomtempo. 



The Tenor. 

From the Sunday Topic. (Philadelphia). 

The Cezars of Russia, the Sahil»s of India, the King 
Bombas of Naples, or the SpeillKJi-g Emperors of Au- 
stria, all the most renowned tyrants of the world, arc 
nothing, compared to the desjwt of tlio world of art 
and music, the tyrant Tenor. He reigns supreme. 
Managers give him any terms ho wants, prima donnas 



smile at him, ladies fall in love \iith him, all men 
envy him and no opera can l)e sung without him. 
Substitutes for prima donnas, baritones and bassos can 
be had, orehestras can be improvised, chonises j^th- 
ered from all quarters, leaders even can be found, but 
stop the tenor's voice and all is up. The wheels and 
works of a clockfaro all in vain without a pendulum ; 
the tenor is the pendulum that sets the opera in motion. 

Your Italian tenor comes from no one knows where ; 
some lazy scapegrace of a fellow who has slept in 
some corner all dav out of the wav of all work, and 
who lies all night under tlic vhies sinking to the stara 
in the blue vault above him. After he reaches celeb- 
rity an origin is made for him, parents arise, adven- 
tures are invented, and even ancestors looked up. But 
when he l)egins, he is nobody, lie has a fine leg, a 
good broad chest, large rolling eyes — features so hand- 
some that the imagination invests them with a mind, 
and a self complacency that nothing can destroy. 

Behold him as he comes now, at the rehearsal. 
Everybody has been waiting, everybody's aria has 
been wrested from its projx?r place, rehearsed and 
re-rehearsed. The call boy, even the niggeritore, (the 
prom))ter) has l)ceii sent to see what keeps tlie tenor. 

The leader sits with suspended Imton — the orehes- 
tra is ready char^red to start, the chorus walks up and 
down, is assembled in (n)><si])ping, discontented groups, 
the prima donna laughs and talks with her admirera, 
slyly enjoying the discomliturc of the impresario who 
wotild'nt wait for her, and fined her when she staid at 
home to nurse her poodle. Now there is a gentle 
murmur behind the scenes, a few stray carpenters are 
seen at the wings, the niggeritore rushes do^\ll to his 

f)lace and his vartition, nodding siji^ificantly to the 
eader, the leaaer gives a silent curse and an audible 
sigh, there is a gentle nistlinp: amongst the fiddlers 
and the flutes, and leihurcly, l)landly, with the air of 
unconscious innocence, the tenor is seen descending 
from the upper flat. The leader tups on tlie tin, 
cnvih goes the orehcstra, and the ritoniel (meant 
on the evening to receive the applause and allow the 
tenor to take his attitude,) is played emphatically 
through. The tenor mean-dine stands silent and 
immovable, his hands in the pockets of his paletot, 
his eves raided in contemplative mood to the light — 
his cliandelier. When the orchestral ])art is through 
and the musicians sit with su.'ipended bow, the leader, 
with up-lifted baton, the nigt/eritore pronounces nith 
audible em])hasis the Ocielo, which usually commences 
a tenor ana, tlie tenor draws his hands from his 
pockets and nodding to the leader savs in the most 
a])i)ealing tone : " Non canto I* aria. ^* (I cant sing 
the cavatina.) *' Why the devil didn't he say that 
l)cfore," mutters the leader, and thejirompter, as they 
tui-n over the leaves of this score. Whv \ What, a 
tenor jrivc himself trouble! A tenor excite himself so 
far as to speak through a noisy orchestra. Cospetto! 
That is really absurd to think of. Finally when it is 
decided what he will sing, off starts the orchestra, 
down comes the basso, who ferociously begins after a 
blast of tnimpcts and a flourish of drums : " II mio 
rivale," proceeding in a tremendous voire seconded bv 
the orchestra and vi«^rously prompfcd by the niggeri- 
tore, to abuse the tenor in e flat. He gesticulates too, 
and stamps and looks tremendous, 'i'lie tenor, how- 
ever, nothinrr moved, keeps his hands in his pockets, 
his eyes fixed on the upj)er gallery and his back 
towards the bas^o. When he Ptoi>s, the flutes and 
cornets, together w ith a jiizzicato on the fiddles, aided 
by a never ending melanclioly drawl on the violincello, 
take uj) the melo<ly, aiul a sort of murmuring like 
the chirping of .some new fied'^'d bird is heaid to pro- 
ceed from beneath the tenor's thick moustache. Then 
comes another l>elIow from the ba<:.-:o, an insane UUti 
prestissimo from the orchestra, a desjierate outstretch- 
ing of arm from the leader, a confined jabbering of 
" felicita, fclicita," from the promi)ter and the basso, 
and the duet is rehearsed. In the finale the tenor 
never sin^s, he stands between the scconda donna and 
the baritone and watches curiously the puffing of the 
wind instruments, unconscious of all around him and 
as though his only mission then and diei-e, were to 
study how they playwl. 

Now comes the duet with the prima donna. She 
comes down gaily, joyously, smiling to the leader as 
she approaches. The tenor, at last, now draws one 
hand from his pocket aiul just touches his hat, to 
which salutation she replies by a sidewavs bow, and 
untying the strings of her bonnet, starts like a night- 
ingale let loose. At ever}' point she puts an extra 
flourish, which she knows tnc tenor cannot imitate; 
but he heeds her not, ho hears her not ; calmly and 
pently, ever murmuringly as before, joins in. But 
stop ! There comes a note so hiph, the muscles in 
the ]>rima donna's throat swell out like cords beneath 
it. Now the tenor sings a piena vo<e that is his pet 
note ; he gives it foith, he swells it, diminii^hes it, 
swells it again ; the prima donna nearly chokes ; the 
leader counts three bars instead of one, and makes 
spasmodic efforts with his baton ; the tenor goes im- 



76 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



perturbably on, until he thinks the lungs, the patience, 
and temper of all around him tLte exhausted, when 
he gracefully sinks into an inaudible tonic. The 
prima donna turns away, and is enveloped in a cloud 
of baritones, bassos, an^ admirers, who constitution- 
ally hate the primo tenore, while the triumphant 
tenor, bearing his honors meekly, receives a cum-drop 
from the seconda donna, who, detesting the prima 
donna, has a violent enthusiasm for the grand primore. 
Now comes the catastrophe of the opera. Every- 
body has got into the desired imbroglio, orchestra, 
chorus, basso, baritone are all working away at the 
treraendons dramatic tableau and orchestral concate- 
nation ; but the tenor, standing in the midst, has still 
his hands in his paletot pockets, still he murmurs on, 
whilst his large, languishing e^'cs, gazing curiously 
around, seem to wonder wluit the row's about. At 
last the prima donna, trembling, shrieking, stabbed 
by the baritone, cursed by the basso, falls into his 

X. The tenor waking, as from slumber, sdiig- 
totters, stammers, and as she catches at his 
shoulder not to fall, politely begs her pardon for 
standing in her way. 

But Uie aria, Now everybody's gone, excepting 
the seconda donna ; she lingers still. Won't the tenor 
rehearse it now ? " Non posso " and he hems he's 
very tired — seconda donna brings a cliair — he doesn't 
know how it begins — the prompter shouts "Mio 
bene." Then he doesn't recollect the notes — ^the 
leader passes him the scor&— ^he tenor hems again — ' 
then playfully, and to himself, he murmurs *'Mio 
bene,' upon which the fiddles take it up — the leader 
nods his nead, and thinks thev are all off at last — ^but 
the tenor sticks at " adorata immagine," and coughs, 
lets fall the score, . and, followed by the gum drops 
and the pitying seconda donna, resumes tlie ]M)ckct of 
his paletot, declares the climate will destroy him, 
swears he's ** giu di voce ; " that his throat is sore, 
that his head aches, and that he's feverish, and so dis- 
appears. The leader bangs the baton on the desk ; 
anathemas, both loud and deep, are perpetrated in 
every dialect of Italian, in every patois of German ; 
the prompter shrugs his shoulders, and a rehearsal is 
summoned for to-morrow morning, expressly that the 
tenor may sing his aria, and show his power. 

Gliding past the box office, pink-tinted notes, mys- 
terious jewel cases; and bouquets are thrust into his 
hands. The moustache curls disdainfully, the tenor- 
lips murmur " questo povere donne," Uhese poor wo- 
men,) and complacently he displays his correspond- 
ence to his satellites. Tlien he passes on, and may 
be seen wandering gently down the sunny side of the 
street, modestly pretending not to see the blushes and 
admiring eyes that follow his approach, nor understand 
the " Isn't he handsome ? " — " Hasn't he sweet mous- 
tachios ? " — " Ain't he got lovely eyes ? " repeated 
aloud by deluded damsels, under the conviction that 
he don't speak English. 

Your primo tenore, however, is not of an inflam- 
mable nature. Mozart was right not to make Don 
Giovanni a tenor ; no Don Juan could ever have a 
tenor voice, his exploits would destroy it. Your 
tenor loves himself, loves his voice, takes care of it, 
nurses it, worships it. He receives presents, never 
gives them ; allows himself to be admired, himself 
admiring no one. He is extravagant in dress alone, 
eschews all other expenses, and generally is rich. 
Self being his idol, he provides for the old age of the 
wonderful primo tenore as though it were another, 
not himself. He is not si)ecially courageous, it would 
be such a pity to deprive the world of such a voice. 
He generally marries some woman a great deal older 
than himself, who adores him, flatters him, is his 
slave. He would hate a young and pretty wife, she 
would detract from the importance of a primo tenore. 
From the primo basso he shrinks as from a polar 
bear ; he pities the baritone for not having a tenor 
voice, and hates the prima donna as one rival beauty 
does another. The tenor loves the tenor, and takes 
care of him ; the public adore the tenor, and spoil 
him, so that between them, the happiest being, the 
most self-satisfied on earth, the most despotic in the 
world, is tlic primo tenore of a modern Italian 

Opera. 

New Opera House at Covent Garden. 

A London paper gives the following description of 
this new and splendid opera house, erected on the 
site of Covent Garden theatre, which, it will be recol- 
lected, was destroyed by fire some two years ago. 
The new house was expected to open on the 15th 
instant : 

It is externally one huge structure nearly one hun- 
dred feet high, by one hundred and twenty-two feet 
broad, and no less than two hundred and forty feet 
long, about one fifth larger than the late theatre, and 
about the some size as the celebrated La Scala of 



Milan, hitherto the ]ai7<:e8t in the world. The four 
outer walls of the building ^re constructed on the 
cellular principle, which is now in different ways 
getting BO much into vogue in works of great 
strength. Each wall is apparently about twenty-four 
feet thick, tliough it is m reality composed of two 
walls, the outer of three feet thickness and tlie inner 
two feet, with transverse walls also two feet tliick at 
intervals of twenty feet apait, and running up be- 
tween tlicm from top to bottom. These, with 
wrouglit-iron tie rods holding both inner and outer 
walls together, give immense strength and lightness 
to the whole. 

The roof is composed of nine great lattice girders 
of wrought iron, each of which is ninety feet long by 
eighteen inches broad, and nine feet six inches deep. 
These, each of them weighing eighteen tons, and 
equal to a dead strain of three hundred, are placed at 
intervals of twenty feet apart, and floored between at 
the bottom, while on them rests a ridge and furrow 
roof of glass and iron. Thus, between each pair of 
girders are spacious rooms ninety feet long by twenty 
wide, and about fourteen high, which are to be used 
as carpenters' workshops, storeroom, &c. To these 
girders will be hung the ornamental dome-shaped 
ceiling, which will be covered with traceries and 
mouldings in white and gold of the most elaborate 
design. The whole dome, a beautiful feature in Ital- 
ian architecture, apparently rests on four arches — 
three forming the front ancl side galleries, and one 
over the proscenium. The latter has been construct- 
ed with special reference to its acoustic properties, 
and will be crossed with a network of gold tracery on 
a white ground, corresponding with £e style of the 
ceiling. The painting room will be the largest in 
the world and will be supplied with machinery to roll 
the largest panorama canvas up or down, right or 
left. 

The shape of the old building was like a horse 
shoe. The present one approaches more nearly the 
shape of the old Greek theatre, a perfect semi-circle 
with the sides prolonged. There are to be only three 
tiers of boxes — ^tho pit, ground and upper tier, with 
thirty-six boxes in each, nine feet six inches high. 
They are to be hung with rose-colored silk, and the 
architectural features of the house will be enriched 
^-ith the most massive decorations in white and gold. 
The Queen's box will be on the right hand side of 
the house, and will have a private entrance and stair- 
case from Hart street, and a beautifully decorated 
ante-room attached to it. The Duke of Bedford has 
similar accommodations, on a more limited scale. 
The grand entrance is to be in Bow street, where, of 
course, there is a " colonnade, where tender beauty 
waiting for her coach protrudes her glovelcss hand 
and feels the shower." This entrance forms a kind 
of basement story to the grand portico which rises 
over it, and from which the entrance porch is separa- 
ted by a roof. 

The Corinthian portico will be the finest ever built 
for any modem theatre. Its extreme width will be 
82 feet, by 84 feet high. All its columns will be of 
solid Rtone, 37 feet high, by 3 feet 8 inches in diame- 
ter. Flnxham's exquisite sculptures were fortunately 
saved almost uninjured from the ruins of the old 
theatre, and these have been incorporated by Mr. 
Barry into the details of the new portico. The 
figures of Tragedy and Comedy will be placed in 
niches on either side, while the bas-reliefs represent- 
ing ancient and modem dramatic art will be over the 
crush-room windows. 

Partly in connection with the opersrhouse is here- 
after to be built a grand floral arcade, 30 feet wide 
by 60 feet high, and 240 feet long, ranning along the 
entire length of the building, from Bow Street to 
Covent Garden. This building will be of glass and 
iron, light and elegant in form, appearance and decor- 
ation as suits the purpose for which it will be used, 
where only flowers will be sold. On the great nights 
of the operatic season this will be lighted up, and 
remain open as a promenade for the audience, two or 
three entrances being provided which will admit at 
once from the theatre to the arcade. 



Joachim in London. 

From the Times, May 1. 

The reception accorded to Herr Joseph Joachim 
showed that the audience had not forgotten him, 
while his own performance proclaimed how well he 
deserved to be remembered. Beethoven's Concerto 
was tlie first piece Herr Joachim ever played in Eng- 
land (in 1844, at the Philharmonic Concerts, when 
only 13 years of age). He was then a boy of remark- 
able genius, of whom the musical world in general, 
and Mendelssohn, his friend and counsellor, in par- 
ticular, prophesied extraordinary things. The hoy 
has now ripened into the man, and all that was 
anticiplited from his precocious talents has been 



realized. A grander, chaster, more consnmmate 
delivery of Beethoven's Concerto was probably never 
heard. Not a liberty was taken with the text, for 
Herr Joachim is one of those artists who lose sight 
of themselves in the master they are interpreting. 
Yet, not a point was overiooked ; not a passage in- 
tended to he either subordinate or promised, but was 
made doubly effective by this conscientious adherence 
to the antlior. To a tone of rich quality and un- 
wonted power Herr Joachim unites an unsurpassable 
mastery of the instrument and a comnumd of ex- 
pression apparently tnexhanatible. But more than 
m his fine tone and faultless mechanism, more than 
in his laige manner of phrasing, the exquisite finish 
with which ho rounds off every period, and tlie secret 
he possesses so entirely of graduating the intensity of 
sound, real lovers of music delighted in the noble 
simplicity, the supreme disregard of egotistical dis- 
play, with which Herr Joachim performed, from first 
to last, this masterpiece of one of the most genial, 
gifted, and thoroughly earnest of musicians. The 
general impression elicited was one of admiration for 
the beauties of the work— every one thought of Beet- 
hoven, and this was doubtless what hiis youn^ and 
ardent disciple wished. But at the termination of 
each movement — and, above all, when the last note 
of the rondo had been played — a recognition of die 
incomparable merits of the performer vented itself in 
cheers and plaudits that appeared as if they would 
never cease. Herr Joachim was recalled with unani- 
mity ; and then the enthusiasm of his hearen was 
manifested with redoubled vehemence. Never was 

fenuine desert hailed with more genuine sincerity, 
n the famous but somewhat monotonous j«u d'aprit 
of Tartini the same sterling qualities were remark- 
able in the executant. The same excitement, how- 
ever, was not created — ^which merely proved that the 
Philharmonic audience were able to comprehend the 
difference between Beethoven and Tartini — between 
pure music, in short, and that which, assuming the 
name and attributes of music, is a mere pretext for 
the exhibition of manipulative ingenuity. The best 
part of Tartini's sonata is the theme. This is really 
melodious, and was played wiUi exquisite feeling by 
Herr Joachim. The rest, including the triUo del 
Diavoio — which tradition affirms to have been com- 
municated to the Italian violinist in a dream by no 
less a personage than his Satanic Majesty— although 
overloaded with difficulties only to be mastered by a 
'' virtuoso " of the fint rank, is far more medianical 
than musical. We would rather have listened to 
Herr Joachim in a composition ot his own. 



From flie AthenKum, May 1. 

A grander example of violin playing was, probably, 
never presented in the Hanover Square Rooms than 
Herr Joachim's rendering of Beetlioven's Concerto at 
the Second Philharmonic Concert on Monday. — 
Surely there is nothing more superb in Concerto 
music than the opening Allegro, — ^but the amplitude 
of its melodies, and the excessive technical difficulty 
of its passages demand no common dignity of mina, 
certainty ot finger, and perhaps, most of all, that 
rare gift — solidity in measurement of phrases — per- 
tinence without affectation in accent, which one great 
artist in twenty does not possess. Thus calling to 
mind the great violinists who have successively treat- 
ed Beethoven's Concerto as " a bow of Ulysses," we 
remember none who can be placed so high as Herr 
Joachim in his particular allegro. His cadenza, too, 
was more than usually masterly ; elaborate, yet what 
a cadenza should be—fireakish, and not as it is too 
of^en made, an exereise at heavier composition thrust 
Ho was received with deserved entnusiasm. 



m. 



A Singular Mental Phenomenon. 

Hector Berlioz, in a recent musical criticism makes 

the following curious statement : 

"When I entered the concert-room I was the dupe 
of a singular illusion. Wienilawski was executing the 
fint part of a grand concerto for the violin. Struck 
instantly by the beauty of the form of the piece, by the 
noble style and the scientific lucidity of the instrumen- 
tation, the adagio which followed raised my admira- 
tion to a still higher pitch, and I said to myself, ' Where 
in the deuce has this young fellow aoquured such a tal- 
ent of composition ? He writes like a master, like a 
great master. Really it is extraordinary. I don't 
understand it Hang me I must not go up to the artist's 
dressing room to compliment him and shake him by 
the hand,' — ^when all at once he gave the final theme, 
and I recognized Mendelssohn's concerto for the violin, 
which I have led more than once for Sivori, at London, 
and which for the last half-hour I had been attributing 
to Wienilawski. A similar error would not always 
produce a similar result. Many people would be prone 
to look on a masteivpiece as detestable, if the master- 
piece, instead of beanng the name of its illustrious an- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1858. 



77 



thor, was attributed to an obscnro composer. Others, 
and this occurs still more frcqaently, would become 
furious if it wns proved to them that thoy had uncon- 
scioii>ily applauded tlic work of a master to whom they 
hafl systcmaticiUly declared war. 

I had in my box, by the side of me, a young Ameri- 
can musician who has just come from Naples, where, 
he told mo, he had never heard Beethoven's name 
mentioned. This sonata (Beethoven's sonata for pi- 
ano and violin, dedicated to Kreutzer,) made a strong 
impression on him, and astonished him exceedingly. 
The varied andante and the finale delighted him, rav 
ished him. But on the other hand, after having list- 
ened with painful attention to the piece, he said to mo, 
< That is ftne,isn'tit ? Yon think that fine V * Yes, in- 
deed,' replied I, ' it is beautiful, grand, new, admirable 
in every respect' ' Well I must confess to you I do 
not understand it' He was both annoyed and ashamed 
to make this confession. This is a strange phenom- 
enon, which may be observed in persons most happily 
endowed by nature, but whose musical education is 
incomplete. While they cannot possibly divine why 
some pieces are inaccessible to them, they do not un- 
derstand them ; that is, they do not appteciate the lead- 
ing idea, nor its development, expression, accent, dis- 
position, melodious beauty, harmonic richness nor col- 
oring. They hear nothing ; so far as those pieces are 
concerned, they are deaf. Nay, as the^ do not hear 
that which abounds it it, they often thmk they hear 
what is not in it One of the^e people said, speaking 
of the theme of an adagio, that ' it was vague and cov- 
ered by the accompaniment.' ' Do yon like this song V 
said I to him, after singing a phrase of slow melody. 
' Oh I it is admirable, and of a perfect clearness of out- 
line; that is the music for me. ' 'See here — ^hcre is 
the score ; do you recognize that adagio whose theme 
you found' vague ; ' convince yoturself my dear f.llow, 
by your own eyes, that the accompaniments cannot 
cover it, since it is exhibited without accompaniment.* 
Another person reproached the composer of a song 
for marring the melody by a rude, hard, ill-prepared, 
misplaced modulation. ' You would oblige me very 
much, ' replied the composer, ' if yon would indicate to 
me the modulation yon mean ; here is the score — ^look 
for it> and point it out to me.' The amateur looked 
in vain ; the niece was in £ flat from one end to the 
other, and dia not modiJatn. 

" I instance here merely erroneous ideas produced 
by false impressions on impartial well-disposed audi- 
tors, desirous of liking and admiring what they hear. 
From these examples, some idea may be formed of the 
aberrations and hallucinations of prejudiced, spiteful, 
rancorous system-mongers. If these people were to 
be made to listen to penect accord of re major, and then 
to be told that the accord was from the score of a 
composer they dislike, ' Enough, enoneh. No more 
for God's sake. You make our ears bleed i' They 
are really madmen. I do not know whether in the arts 
belonging to drawing this race of maniacs has been 
discovert — ^men to whom red is green, white is black, 
black is white, rivers of water are flames of fire, trees 
houses, and they themselves Jupiter." 



Jfeig^t's lonrnal of Pttsic 

BOSTON, JUNE 5, 1858. 

Music in this Number. — Continuation of 
Schubert's Psahn: **The Lord is my Shep- 
herd,* for two Soprano and two Contralto 
yoices. 



MenddMohn Quintette dub— -Nine Tears* 

Work. 

We fulfil our promise of recording here a list 
of the Classical Chamber Compositions, by the 
best masters, which have beeii presented to Bos- 
ton ears by the Mendelssohn Quintette Club, 
during the nine years since the Club was organ- 
ized. The record is significant, and must be 
valuable to the lovers of violin Quartet and 
Quintet music hereabouts for reference. It shows 
in fact, in a sort of tabular view, the history of 
the growing taste for this kind of music in our 
community. The love of such music is the surest 
index of a love of music pure and for itself; 
that is, of musical Art reduced to its essentials, 
relying on its intrinsic charm and virtue, devoid 
of all mere external tricks of effect, — muac so 



constructed that, if there be not worth and beauty 
in the design, in the ideas themselves, there is 
nothing like orchestral coloring or mere power of 
mass, to cover up its nakedness or weakness. It 
cannot be supposed that the multitude an3rwhere 
or ever will appreciate such music. But Quartet 
parties in all musical conmiunities form the seledr 
est pleasures of the circles that are most music- 
ally cultivated. In our young, busy country 
such a taste is but of recent growth. In this 
city the nine years' concerts of the Quintette 
Club, stand (as we have said) for nearly its whole 
history; for, with the exception of the two 
courses of Chamber Concerts given under the 
patronage of the " Harvard Musical Association," 
in Mr. Cliickering's ware-rooms, in the winters of 
1844 and 1846, we remember very little of the 
sort, in public, prior to the first season of the Men- 
delssohn Quintette Club. 

Our list includes only the performances of the 
Club in Boston, and in their public concerts, 
leaving out of the account their numerous con- 
certs in the surrounding towns, and their frequent 
performances before private circles and in private 
houses. 

As our object is to show how much of the 
famous gallery of masters in this department has 
been, as it were, lighted up for us and brought 
directly before us by the labors of the Club, we 
have been less particular about completeness in 
the latter portion of our list, which includes 
works by new or less important European names, 
and contributions by several of our own native 
or resident artists, members or close associates of 
the Club ; yet we add what we can recall of 
these as matters of inter^ To each work we 
add, as nearly as could be ascertained, the num- 
ber of times that it has been performed. But it 
is to be considered that in these latter years 
many of the most important items of the list 
have also been brought repeatedly to our hearing 
by other parties, who have followed the example 
of the Quintette Club. We commence in the 
order of historical succession : 

J. S. Bach. 
Concerto for three Pianos, &c., in D minor,*.. 2 times. 

Sonata, No. 2, for Violin and Piano, 2 " 

Chaconne, 1 " 

Various Preludes and Fugues, 3 *' 

Hatdn. 
Quartets, Nos. 39, 45, 63, 66. 67, 60, 70, 72, 

73,78, (each) 2 " 

" Nos. 75 & 77 " 8 " 

" " Seven Last Words," 1 " 

Trios : Piano, yiolin and 'cello 3 " 

MOZABT. 

Quintet, No. 1, in C minor, 3 " 

No. 2, in C, 4 " 

" No. 3, in D, 4 " 

*• No. 4, in G minor, 5 ** 

" No. 5, in E flat 6 " 

" No. 6, in B flat, 2 " 

" with Clarinet, 10 " 

" in G minor, arranged for Piano and 

Quartet, 4 " 

Quartet, No. 1, in G, 4 " 

No. 2, in D minor, 5 " 

" No. 3, in B flat, 4 " 

" No. 4, inEflat 6 " 

" No. 5, in A, 3 " 

No. 6, inC, 4 " 

" No. 7, inD, 2 " 

" No. 8, inF, 4 " 

" No. 9, in B flat, 1 " 

" No. 10, in D 2 " 

Sextet, for Strings and Horns, 2 " 

" Musical Joke," for the same, 3 ** 

Trios, for Piano and Strings, 4 " 

BSETHOVBir. 

Qnintet,in E flat, op: 4, 8 " 

" in C, op. 29, 10 " 

" in £ flat, op. 20 (arranged from 

Scptuor) 7 " 



Sextet, for Strings and two Horns, in £ flat, 

op. 82, 2 times. 

" arranged as Quintet, 3 ** 

Quartet, in F, op. 18, No. 1, 4 " 

" in G, op. 18, No. 2, 3 " 

•' in D, op. 18, No. 3, 2 " 

" in C minor, op. 18, No. 4, 1 " 

" in A, op. 18, No. 5, 6 " 

" in B flat, op. 18, No. 6, 7 " 

" inF,op. 69(Ra80umoff8kyset)No.l, 4 " 

" in E minor, op. 59, (do.) No.2, 2 " 

" in Cop. 59, (do.) No.3, 4 " 

" in E flat, op. 74, 1 " 

" with Piano, an*, from Quintet op. 1 6, 4 " 
Trio, (PUno. Violin and 'Cello), op. l,No. 1, 

inEflat, 4 " 

" " " op. 1, No. 2, in G 4 " 

" " " op. 1, No. 3, in C minor. .4 " 

«' " " op. 11, in B flat .4 " 

" " " op. 70, No. 1, in D 4 " 

" " ** op. 70, No. 2, in E flat 3 " 

" " " op. 97, in B flat 3 " 

Concerto (Piano), in C minor, op. 37 1 " 

" (VioUn), in D, op. 61 2 " 

Sonata (Piano and Violin), in A, op. 47, 

"Kreutzer" 4 " 

Sonato (Piano and Violin), in F op. 24 2 " 

" (Piano and 'Cello), m G minor, op. 6. . 2 " 

" (Piano Solo), op. 13, " Pathetiqne "..2 " 

" " « op.57,"Appassionata".2 " 

HUMMXLL. 

Trio (Piano and strings), in E, op. 83 3 " 

" " " inEflat, op. 93... 2 " 

" " " inEflatmmor....l " 

Concerto (Piano, &c.), in A minor 3 " 

" " in E major 2 " 

Chesubihi. 

Quartet, in E flat 4 " 

MOSCHELES. 

Sonata (Piano and 'Cello) 2 " 

" Homage kHaendel" (2 Pianos) 1 " 

Feed. Kies. 

Quintet (Piano and Strings), in B minor. . . .2 " 

Schubert. 

Quartet, in D minor 3 " 

in A minor 2 " 

Trio (Piano and Strings), in E flat 3 *' 

«< « « inG 1 " 

Wkbee. 

Quintet (with Clarinet) 4 " 

Trio (Piano, Flute and 'Cello) 2 " 

" Concert-Stueck " (Piano and Accomp.) . . .2 " 

Spohb. 

Quintet, No. 6, in E minor , 4 '* 

" No. 4, in A minor 2 " 

(with Piano) 2 " 

Concerto (Qarinct) 2 " 

Ohsxjow. 
Quintets, Nos. 8, 15, 16, 18, 32, 33, 34, 38, 

(each) 2 " 

Sonata (Piano, 4 hands) 2 " 

Mendelssohn. 

Quintet, in A, op. 18 12 " 

in B flat, op. 87 10 " 

Quartet, in E flat, op. 12 4 " 

" in A minor, op. 13 3 " 

" in D op. 44 6 " 

" in E minor 5 " 

inEflat 4 " 

" in E, op. 81, (Posthumous) 3 " 

" in F minor, op. 80, " 3 " 

Quartet (with Piano), m C minor, op. 1 1 " 

" " inF minor, op. 2 4 " 

" " in B minor, op. 3 3 " 

Trio (Piano and Strings) in D minor 7 " 

" " " in C minor 4 " 

Ottetto (Strings) 3 " 

Sonata (Piano and 'Cello), in F 3 " 

" " " in B flat 4 " 

« «' " inD 4 " 

" (Piano and Violin) in F minor 1 " 

" (for Organ) in F 1 " 

Variations, in X) (Piano and 'Cello) 3 " 

Cappriccios (Piano) 4 " 

Schumann. 

Quintet (with Piano) in E flat, op. 52 5 " 

Quartet, in F, op. 44, No. 2 1 " 

in A, op. 44, No. 3 2 " 

Romanzas (Piano and Clarinet) 3 *' 

Chopin. 

Concerto, in E 2 " 

Polacca (Piano and 'Cello) 3 " 

Nottumes, Etudes, Polonaises, &c., &c 

Gadb. 

Quintet, in E minor, op. 8 2 " 

Sonata (Piano and Violin) 1 " 



78 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Kalliwoda. 
Trio and Quartet, in G S times. 

Lachiver, V. 

Quintet, in C 3 " 

Veit. 
Quintet, No. 5 2 " 

COSTXCELLO. 

Trio (Piano, Clarinet and 'Cello) 2 " 

Ceubbl. 

Concerto and Quartet (for Clarinet) 3 " 

Feed. David. 
Concerto (Violin) 1 " 

GOUVT. 

Trio, in E, op. 8 1 " 

Beahms. 
Trio (Piano and Strings), in B, op. 8 2 " 

RUBIHSTEIN. 

Quartet, in C minor, op. 17, No. 1 3 " 

" in F, op. 17, No. 2 1 " 

" .in C, op. 17, No. 3 1 " 

T. Rtah. 

Quintet, in F 3 " 

Quartet, in D, No. 2 2 " 

C. C. Pebkins. 

Quintet, in D 2 " 

Quartet 4 " 

Quartet (with Piano), in B flat 2 " 

J. C. D. Parker. 

Quartet, No. 2 2 " 



Miuical Beview. 

MMm. Bussiu Ain> Fuiua tend vi a large pU« of thdr 
ft«sh«ft pabUcatloiu, among which, for the preeent, our aiten* 
tloa Is aUneted to the Ibllowlng minor compositloDs for the 
piano: 

1. Deux Maorchay Op. 56, by FxaDDrAKD HoLiE. No. 1. 
Marcia Oioeom; No. 2, Mania Sekerxasa. 

2. Sertnadtj Op. 20, by Ajraom Huona; pp. 7. 
8. Berfnuej Op. 88, by JuuH Bqcuia«»; pp. 6. 

4. F*Hs4* Lugtibrt: Nootwna, Op. 60, by B. A. L. Goor; 
pp.7. 

1. Anytiiing from the pen of Ferd. Hiller, ooorainmate 
mosician and artiit a4 he is, if not in the high eenae a creatiTe 
genini, oommands reepeot. The flrtt of then little marehee is 
eharmingj original and taH of lifb and playful grace, as its 
name indicates. The second we do not like quite so well; it 
is tekerxo-ith rather in ftnrm than in spirit; yet it Is gracefVil 
and pretty. 

2. The other three names are entirely new to us. The Sen' 
nad€ is a sweet oantabile Andante, in A flat, six-dgfat mea- 
sure, a very tender melody that sings itself almost to satiety, 
with a chaste, refined accompaniment. 

8. Mr. I^hard^s little Bn^ense, or cradle song, is the gem 
of the collection, one of the loreliest and purest little mor- 
'oeaux that we have seen of late. The melody is beautiful, 
and seems spontaneously erolTed from the slumbrous, dreamy 
chord figure of the aooompaniment. It partakes of the re- 
finement and delieaey, but not of the difficulty of Chopin's 
wonderftil Ber^etae. 

4. Mr. Coop's Pens4e Lugubn is lugubrious indeed. The 
principal theme, in B flat minor, wUch begins and ends the 
piece. Lb restless and despairing, not without interest as music. 
A more resigned sort of xoMjat subject, a kind of reed instru- 
ment episode, breaks the monotony of grief sgreeably. The 
Intensest marks of expression are scattered along the page, 
sueh as addolcnUissifnoj con dispenxiotUt ftc. 

AndcMie EUgiaque^ for the Piano. Op. 46. By H. A. Wollik- 
■4un. pp. 14. (New York : C. Breusing.) 
Hero is a more elaborate effort ; one of the cleverest and most 
graeefld fruits of the modem rirtuoeo planism, d la Thalberg, 
and really worthy to be compared with Thalberg. Without 
anything that appeals to us like genius, it yet breathes a fine 
musical fteling ; the motiTe is clearly, consistently developed, 
and the piece abounds In delicate graeee of detail and embel- 
lishment. It will add to the reputation which the author has 
already won by many efforts given to the world through the 
publisher. 



From recent publications of 0. Ditsoh k Co., we pick, for 
the present, almost at a venture, these : 

7h CUoe in Sickne$$ : One of Six Bongs, to English and 
Oerman words, by WniUM SnurDAU Bikhitt. pp. 6. Ben- 
nett is the foremost of the clsss of Germanised English com- 
posers, who have foltowed, fluoinated, in the shining path of 
Mendfilar^hn , These songs, written originally to Oerman words, 
(a pnctiee common at this day with many young English com- 
posers), and in Oerman style, of aooompaniment, ftc, are 
among his earlier works. ** To Chloe" Is a song of wild and 



tender pathoe, and great beauty ; easily singable. The beauty, 
however, resides mainly in the piano part, which is quite easy. 

Shcr V Ocean : Tenettino for three equal|female voices, by J 
CoHOoiri. pp. 7. The woU-known SxerdMe, Vocalises, frc, 
by this master are models of pure, flowing, graceful Italian 
melody; and so is this Trio. It is, like operatic trios, woven 
of three individual melodic parts, with imitations, &c., and 
occasional solo or duet. Words French and English. A beau- 
tiful piece for young ladies' voices. It Is one from a set of 
twenty-five pieces drawn from Ikmous authors and arranged 
by Concone, for three and four female voices, which will ap- 
pear here in their turn. 

The Reason Why: Ballad, by 0. A. MacFaubc. A pretty 
titfle, bright, artistically conceived. 

La Prtee del Or/ana. (The Prayer of the Orphan), Ro- 
manm, by Mimadatb : being one 'of " Wayside Flowers of 
France and Italy," translated and adapted by T. T. Babub. 
A pleasing Italian melody, with considoiable operatic pathos. 



Musical Chit-Chat 

The Hah DEL and Hatdh Socxbtt held its forty- 
third annual meeting in Chickering's rooms last 
Monday evening. From the Advertiser and the 
Courier wo glean the following account of the pro- 
ceedings : 

Thomas E. Chlckerlng was unanimously elected a member 
of the Society. 

John 8. Farlow, Esq., chairman of the finance committee, 
read the Treesurer's annual report. The receipts tor the year 
have amounted to 94596 20, and the expenditures to 86288 07, 
leering a balance due to the Treasurer of t64d 87. All bills 
have been paid, and there is now no claim agslnst the society. 
The report was accepted. 

The report of the Librarian was then presented. Tho library 
is in about the same condition as last year. The donation by 
the President of the fUll orchestral and vocal scores of ^' Israel 
in Egypt," and Mendelssohn's " Hymn of praise," is acknow- 
ledged. 

The Secretary then read his annual report. It gives an in- 
teresting account of the organlzati<»i of the society and of 
some of its first concerts, and reviews the past seeson, showing 
a small profit therefrom. 

The meeting then proceeded to ballot Ibr a board of oflkers 
for the ensuing year, and the following Ust was elected : 

President, Thomas E. Chickering; Vice-President, Oeorge 
Hews; Secretary, Loring B. Barnes; Treasurer, Matthew S. 
Parker; librarian, Edward Faxon; Dlroctori, John S. Farlow, 
James P. Draper, Theron J. Dale, Oeorge H. Chlckerlng, 
Oren J. Faxon, John A. Nowell, Qoovgt Fisher, and H. L. 
Uazleton. 

A committee of three was appointed to notify Mr. Chickering 
of his election. 

A vote of thanks was passed to the late Preeldent, Charies 
F. Chickering, for his exertions and liberality on behalf of the 
society. 

After the business of the evening had been transacted, some 
remarks were made by Mr. Alexander W. Thajer, urging the 
Society to take Into consideration the propriety and expediency 
of commemorating the centennial anniversary of Handel's 
birth, wlilch occurs next April, by a grand festival, worthy of 
such an occssion. Mr. Thayer also presented briefly the argu- 
ments which he has so often expressed earnestly and ably in 
print, showing what advantages would result from a combina- 
tion of musical societies in this city for the purpose of securing 
a permanent adequate orchestral force, and how that end 
might probably be accomplished. His observations were listen- 
ed to with Interast, and will, it is to be hoped, help to bring 
about the desired etTect. 

Two more Military Band Concerts this week : on 
Wednesday Hall's Brass Bakd appeared at tho 
Music Hall, after the Protean fashion set by other 
bands, in the three forms of Brass Band, Reed Band, 
and Orchestra; they played Overtures, Quicksteps, 
Waltzes, Solos, &c., and had the vocal assistance of 
the popular contralto, Miss Jenhie Twichell. 
This evening the Bbigade Band play again in the 
same hall, oflTeiing a programme selected from the 
marches, quicksteps, melodies, &c., which were popu- 
lar from thirty to fifty years ago. . . .We are sorry to 
learn that our accomplished soprano singer, Mrs. 
J. H. Long, intends soon to leave us and make New 
York her place of residence. This lady gave a con- 
cert of vocal and instrumental music at Lyceum 
Hall, in Cambridge, last Wednesday evening, assist- 
ed by the Mendelssohn Quintette Club, with Mr. 
ScHULTZB for leader, and by Mr. B. J. Lako, the 
pianist. 



Mr. August Fries and Mr. Franz Kielblock, 
one of the most intelligent mnsidans of our city, 
sailed in the Hamburg steamer, from New York, on 
Tuesday. The latter gentleman will return to his 
pupils here in the autumn. . . . Among the 
Americans registered in Fans daring the last month 
we see die name of our sweet singer, Mrs. E. A 
Wentworth. . . . Mme. de Wxlhorbt has 
failed to obtain an operatic engagement in £urope ; 
and another American prima doona, Miss Ward, 
(Mme. Guerrabblla), after singing at two or three 
concerts in Paris, and giving one herself, became 
discouraged, and will soon return to the United 
States. . . . The Lucr Estcott opera troupe 
closed at the Limerick theatre. May 10, and pro- 
ceeded thence to Cork, Plymouth, &c. 

Mr. Barnum announces that the great operatic 
project will be carried out, provided 800 season sub- 
scribers are obtained in New York at the eeonomi- 
cal little price of $5,00 per night, before the 1 0th of 
June, — "othenffi§e positively not" We are aftaid it 
will be otherwise. The plan is to import Lumley's 
entire Opera and Ballet Troupe, oonsitting of one 
hundred and forty-eight persons, for forty-eight per- 
formances, to be given, one half in the New York 

Academy, and the rest in Philadelphia and Boston. 
The days of Rubini, Tamburini, Lnblache and Grisi 
are gone ; but Lumley has Miles. Titjens and Pioco- 
lomini and Sigs. Giuglini and Bclart, and a dansense, 
MUe. Pocchiiii, who is said to "excel Taglioni in 
grace and Cento in voluptuousness of form." 

They have Opera again in New York, at tlie Acad- 
emy. Maretzek conducts ; Gazzaniga, Brigno- 
LI, Amodio and Gasparoni are the singers. The 
course opened on Monday evening, with La Favorita, 
in which Gazzaniga was " great " in tlie last Acf, fol- 
lowed on Wednesday by La Traviaia. ... A 
meeting of " aU tlie instrumental musicians in New 
York is called to make arrangements for carrying 
out a project, already resolved upon, of a great Mu- 
sical Festival this summer. What a noise there will 
be I ... A concert was given this week by I>r. 
GuiLUETTB, consisting of a new Cantata by Mr. 
George Henrt Curtis, entitled the ** Forest Mel- 
ody," the words being selected from the poem of 
Bryant. . . . Mr. Bruno Wollenhauft, a 
brother of the pianist, has returned to New York, 
after some years of study under David, in Leipzig, 
and the eminent violinists in Paris ; his violin-playing 
Ims been highly praised in Germany. 

The Paris correspondent of the Philadelphia Btd' 
letin speaks oi two Liliputian virtuosos, who will 
probably be brought to America : 

The precocious little violinists, Jules and Juliette 

Delepidrre, the boy seven and the girl six years of 
age, are truly little marvels, and when we see these 
two mere babes— such little creatures, indeed, that in 
order to be seen they are placed on a table — perform- 
ing with exquisite taste and extraordinary skill the 
most difficult pieces, we are tcmjited to believe them 
fairies. The little girl is by fiu" the most wonderful 
and takes tlie lead evidently. She is not one of those 
old-visaged, old-talking young ones that are such 
terrible bores. When not playing she has tlie fea- 
tures, the voice, the grace of her age. When the 
instrument is placed in her hands there is a sud- 
den change, tlie countenance lo^es its childish ex- 
pression, the large dark eyes dilate, and this is no 
exaggeration, there is a look of inspiration in those 
intelligent features that is seen but in privileged 
beings, even amon^ great artists. There is in the 
same family a little three-year-old chit that mani- 
fests the same predilection for art, though still too 
young to be taught theoretically. On inquiry of the 
father, who is a chef d'orchestre, as to whjr Juliette 
had been taught the violin instead of the piano, the 
reply was that it was the express choice of tlie child. 
Having heard a young girl play the violin, the little 
thing, then four years old, insisted with her father to 
be taught that instrument. Deeming it a babv|s 
ftuicy, he placed his own in her hnndii, when, to his 
amazement, she handled it in the most masterly fash- 
ion, drawing sounds — not squeaky like tliose of a be- 
ginner, but sweet and melodious. It was then thought 
advisable to take advantage of the vocation so clearly 
proved. Juliette Delepierre brings to mind the gifted 
young Milanolos who, in ten years, realized by their 
talent on the violin, a fortune of tuo million francs, 
whidi one sister only survives to enjoy. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1858. 



79 




usual Correspithnte. 



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PiiiijiDXLpHiA, Jons 1 . — Masical matters in the 
Quftkor Cit J, daring; the past week, have been " flat, 
stale, and nnprolltable/' The " Hondel and Haydn/' 
and the " Harmonia Sacred (?) Mavic Societies/' 
hare given their farewell concerts, and are now en- 
gaged in rehearsing for the fall campaign. The first 
named society designs prodadng Mendelssohn's 
" Hymn of Praise," some time daring the coming 
winter. 

Our fiiTorite " Germaoia " gave their last pablic 
'* Rehearsal " on Saturday afternoon, closing the sea- 
son with the following programme : 

L OTwtnra, Shipvrcek of the Mednaa: Rciarfgor. 



1. orertnra. BblpvrwK or um Meanaa: noaagor. 

2. VloloM^ Solo, by PrkMr, alkntaalA on a Umom of Han- 



5. Walta, Idaala: Lanmr. 
4. AUigretto, from Sod Byaphony In A : 

6. Duo IbrComoU: Mendaliiaohn. 
& OTwtnre, TaanhaUaar: Wafner. 

7. PkkpoGkolQuadriUM: Cuaeot. 

Query, Why does the " miwwacnlons " and adored 
SxHTS allow his patrons to go away under the awful 
impressions that may be suggested by the Pickpocket 
QuadriUei^ 

Wagner's Overture to TaamhaiMer was performed 
for the second time in Philadelphia, it having been 
played here once, by the old " Gennania," several 
yean since. 

The " dear public," whom it is difficult above all 
things to convmce that Fidelio is a sli^t improve- 
ment on La TraviatOj a surfeit of which we have 
barely survived, voted the TaunhaSaer a "horwid 
bore." There is no disffuisiag the fact, that we are 
totally unprepared for me " music ot the future ; " 
being so mr behind that we may utterly despair of 
overtaking it ; unless, indeed, Art will remain sta- 
tionary for Qt least a century. It is, however, refresh- 
ing to note the growing taste, in our musical circles, 
for the works of die two greatest of the new compo- 
sers, Wagner and Schumann ; as well as for the de- 
funct "old fogies/' Beethoven and Mosart All 
praise to die Qermania for its fostering influence. 
zour talented townsman (1), Gubtayk Sattek, has 
won golden opinions here. His rendition of the 
classical composers, and versatility of genius amount 
CI marveilU; notwithstanding the opinions of a few 
^uosi critics to the contrary. 

The Academy of Music opened on Monday even- 
ing, with Mcsard's large and magnificent orchestza, 

— consisting of two soloists, the balance resident 
musicians. In order to demonstrate the important 
difference between a French and American locomo- 
tive, as well as to consult "local truth/' (" is mighty, 
ic") he has had a machine oonstmcted in this coun- 
try, with which he produces as sdmmn^ effects as his 
predecessor, Jullien. Vive la Mustard 1 Vive la 
Hnmbogl Voilk tout M. 

BxKLiir, Apsxl so. {Concluded from last weeL) 

— For a gala performance, at the reception of the 
Princess Victoria, Spontini's VeetaU was selected, a 
work full of geniality, running over with foncy, and, 
at the same time, of true feeling. True, the coun- 
terpoint and carriage of the voices are sometimes 
fimlty ; but this is atoned for by his noble melody 
and fullness of originality. In the instrumentation 
life, even excitement reigns; hence that powerful 
manning of the instruments, that rich figuring of the 
stringed orchestra, especially the violins, that frequent 
coming in of the wind instruments, employed in a 
singulariy original and beautiful manner in the resol- 
ving sevenths at the approach of Licinius, when the 
resonance of the instruments has an effect upon the 
voice as if it lost itself in wide, ringing spaces. The 
character-drawing is based on that of Gluck, and 
there is a remarkable correspondence existing between 
Spontini's Julia, Amaaily and Olympia on the one 
side, and his Licinius, Ck>rtez and Cassander on the 
other. Mme. Kobstkb sang the part of Julia in the 
lyrical moments admirably; only the elegiac expres- 
sion in the aria of the third act was too weakly ren- 
dered. She is too romantic for Spontini's plastic 
quality, and in impassioned bursts one wants more 
energy of expression. But in Fri. Waonbb'b High 
Priestess that plastic element was wonderfully mani- 
fest ; and she produced a sublime and deep efiect by 



her by-play even in scenes where she has almost no 
part in the dialogue. Her singing, too, except in the 
highest passages, was full of noble and worthy ex- 
pression. Herr Formes (Licinius) and Kraubs 
(Cinna) sang Uieir duet with a &;reat deal of fire; 
the latter forced his voice too mucSi. HeiT Frickb, 
as High Priest, made his fine organ tell with fnll 
efiect. Kapellmeister Taubert's conducting was 
trulj worthv of acknowledgement, but bears no com- 
parison with Spontini's own. 

With the aid of that intellectual artiiit, Paulxkb 
ViARDOT Garcia, was produced Rossini's " Barber 
of Seville," that work so sparkling and gushing with 
humor, created in the very champagne foam and ef- 
fervesence of utmost oxhilaraHon. Mme. Viardot's 
happy talent for this lively stvle of music also, pre- 
sented on exceedingly stimulating and for the most port 
correct picture as a whole, altliouch sometimes degen 
crating (for our German notion) into too eccentric 
forms of passion, while the applause that was given 
to the certainty and clearness with which she over- 
came all difficult passages and intervab, seemed as if 
it never would end. Herr Wolff's voice, wei^ and 
thin, and more adapted to the parUmdo, nevertheless 
mastered his embellishments and trills with ease. In 
the voice of Herr Krausb (Figaro) the requisite vol- 
ubility was missed ; his solo number was an incessant 
conflict with the tempo, which he was hardly able to 
follow. Herr Bost, as Bartolo, amused by his often 
too broad comedy. 

On the 10th of March Der Freyttchmx had its three 
hundredth representation on our suge — but witiiout 
any parade, and indeed feebly cast. Much better was 
the Don Juan^ which soon followed, in which Frl. 
Trxetsch, especially, surprised all as Elvira, and, 
after the difficult aria, transported the house to a tem- 
pest of applause. She is now the freshest and most 
natural of our voices, although a habit of cutting off 
the single tones too short has an unpleasant effect and 
hinders a brood outpouring of ue feeling. Frl. 
Baubb, on the contrary, as %erlina, stands far below 
her charming predecessor, Mme. Hbrbbububo. Al- 
though she evidentiy strove to satisfy, yet she has 
much to con<^uer in the way of pure intonation and 
distinct enunciation, and she ought above all, to cease 
indulging in arbitrair and not beautiful changes of 
the text, especially when they bring her into conflict 
with the orchestra. The chorus was much better 
than hitherto, its falling off being ascribable to poor 
pay and consequent discontent. 

After an interval of eight years, Mehnl's " Joseph 
in Egypt" has been revived. The composer, al- 
though neither a creator of a new direction, nor a 
reformer in the older school, yet occupies a place, an 
important place of his own, between Gr^try and 
Gluck. Favored by the so-called Gallomania of the 
time in which he wrote, most of his operas penetrated 
into all the countries of Europe, and oy their true and 
unaffected expression became favorites with the pub- 
lic. The music of " Joseph" breathes a truly patri- 
archal life, coupled with a sort of childlike piety. 
The passional expression, as well as the sustaining 
of the characters, shows an affecting truth, great 
knowledge of the theatre, and dear perception of 
what is necessary to the whole. No superfluous 
sound tickles the ear, all works by truth, and the wise 
use of instruments shows the practised composer, 
who can reach such fine effects with such small 
means. His treatment of the song part is still higher 
to be prized, and it is only to be remtted, that the 
epic declamatory element (espedally m the German 
translation) is out of correspondence with the almost 
too lyric music, at least of the two favorite couplet- 
romonsas. The ensembles and choruses are often 
highly efiective and at the same time astonishingly 
simple in their contrapuntal structure ; the choruses 
of the brothers, as well as the three-voiced morning 
hymn, introduced by trombones, and only supported 
by the trichord or the fundamental tone in the orches- 
tra, until the male and female (^oruses unite in the 
simplest canon, are such as no deeply appreciative 
hearer ever can forget The orchestra, kept through- 
out in a subordinate and merely accompanying posi- 
tion, rises to more importance only in the three over- 
tures, of which the most exalted one in C minor, 
with its plastic ending in C major, has a value by it- 
self. No means were spar^ to heighten the effect. 
The part of Joseph is suited at least as a whole to 
Herr Krubobb; action and sonff were hearty, he 
spake more distinctiy than formenv, and it is to be 
hoped that he will also get rid of his unartist-like 
tremolo ; in the second act a more affecting expression 
was to be wished. Frl. Baldamub, a pupil of Rell- 
stob, and of the Opera Academy, gave the part of 
Benjamin; she invested it with a childlike charm and 
justified good hopes. Herr HoFFMAxirgave Simeon 
with a well-thonght and often touching expression ; 
Herr Frickb, Jacob, satisfactorily, in spite of the 
high range of the music. ' The choruses went well. 



only in the second finale the entrance of the soprani 
and tenors made disturbance. The Kapelle accom- 

Sanied too passively ; the passages in thirds in the 
cry music of the tmrd entr'-att were actually spoiled 
by the clarinets. 

One of our weakest performances was that of the 
0q[)heu8f by Gluck. This grandly conceived work 
was dragged through in such a tame and unenergetic 
manner, mat it would have utterly fallen through, 
had not the strong dramatic spirit of the Waqhbr, 
as Orpheus, saved it. The Eurydice, in the hands of 
that useful toubrette actress, Tbibtsch — impossible 
to feel enthusiasm for such an Eurydice ! And so 
too the most powerful passages in tiie chomses and 
orchestra were often completely at odds ; the climaxes 
of the declamation (in wnich no one after Bach is so 
great, so true, so sure as Glnck), already weakened 
by the trivial translation, were nearly lost in the 
bnngling delivery ; above all, was the whole work 
lamed by an uncertainty of the ensemble, such as 
should only be possible in a first rehearsal. Besides 
all this, with an incomprehensible efirontery, choruses 
were inserted out of other operas, the soul-full and 
transporting Tenet in the third act was omitted, the 
temm were altered, &c., &c. Such experiences make 
us feel as if in our distracted times aU deep and sin- 
cere interest, all capacity for a deep, true comprehen- 
sion of the dassical were wanting ; as if we knew 
nothing of such high and noble chanctert as Olnck 
has represented. 

It remains to speak of the Oratorios, Symphony 
Concerts, &c. ff 



jfine %tU. 



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■MM^MMAMMMMMMMMMMaWMMMMMMMMM^^ 



for Dtrlghfi Jonmml of Musle. 

The Athenauii EihibitloiL 

y. OIL piCTUBXB. (cohtinuxd). 

With a view to keeping vividly in mind the leading 
principle of criticism thus far and yet to be applied 
to the pictures of this collection, in resuming the spe- 
cial notices, I will re-state the essential part of the 
paragraph concerning the value of color in relation to 
form, which was quoted finom Buskin in the second 
article of tiiis series, supplying an omission therein 
made ; and will also add a few words firom the same 
author, illustrating the power of rendering natural 
form, which is contained in a true knowledge, and 
power of natural color. 

He says that, manifestly, " the business of a painter 
is to paint. If he can color, he is a painter, though 
he can do nothing else." Continuing, he writes, 
"but it is, in fact, impossible, if he can color, but 
that he should be able to do more ; for a fiuthful 
study of color will -always give power over form, 
though the most intense study of form will give no 
power over color. The man who can see all the 
grejrs, and reds, and purples in a peach, will paint the 
peach rightiy round, and rightiy altogether ; but the 
man who has only studied its roundness, may not see 
its purples and greys, and if he does not, will never 
get it to look like a peach ; so that great power over 
color is always a sign of lai^ general Ar^intellect." 

That a painter should understand the right use of 
color, would seem to be a prime condition in bis art, 
too palpable to reqnue urging here ; but when we 
consider that exoeUenoe in color is the rarest attain- 
ment in art, — so rare indeed, that all the great oolor- 
iste who have ever lived are chiefly remembered as 
such, and could be named in asingle breath, ^ we find 
ample grounds for the conclusion that painters have 
not always understood their business, nor allowed the 
claims of color, as an element of ihejini importance 
in Art, whenever it is introduced at all, to be foirly 
heard. 

I shall therefore insist, that the man who has no 
true perception or control of color, or who uses it 
without loving or honoring it, and in utter disregard 
of the law of its harmonies, has cleariy no right to 
use it at all ; and in making other than a right use of 
it, does so at the peril of degrading or wholly con- 
cealing the real value which his work may otherwise 
possess. Such a man may be an artist, but he is ob- 
viously no painter. 

But to proceed with the pictures. In the " Mid- 
wood Shade," No. 113, Mr. Redgrave presents a veiy 



80 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



sacoeasfhl treatment of a beautiful subject, simple in 
its character, and yet one that is rarely rendered with 
adequate truth of fiseling, or power of expression. 
The woods furnish themes richly suggestiTe of sen* 
sational experiences that are nowhere to be met ex- 
cept in their deep shade or open glades, and it is 
much to be regretted that characteristic interpretations 
of them are so seldom attempted. Of the manage- 
ment of the one chosen by Mr. Redgrare, there is 
little but praise to be said. The sunny cheer pouring 
in a gentle stream of light from a tender, cloud-mottled 
sky, down into the shady heart of the scene through 
an opening in the tree tops ; or trickling through the 
meshes of the leaves and shooting in golden veins 
across the cool, moist meadow ; the noble trees rear- 
ing their tall, grey stems with solid dignity of bear- 
ing, decked in the rich garniture of lichens and 
mosses ; the firm, delicate drawing of the foliage, re- 
vealing the method which nature delights to display 
even in her most mazy confusion, are so many simple 
tones, by a happy combination and arrangement of 
which Mr. Bedgrave has produced one of the mani- 
fold delightful songs which may be sung of the 
woods. With a little more tenderness and true fresh- 
ness of color in the greens, this picture would answer 
all the requirements of a complete picture ; it is now 
the most trufy beautiful landscape in the oil collec- 
tion. 

Nos. 116, 161^, and 154, by Edward Armitage, are 
characteristic examples of the kind of Art to which 
the Royal Academy has long stood as sponsor, and 
which has always received its warmest benedictions. 
An heroic or religious afiectation in the choice of 
subject ; a substitution of invention, or academic 
rules of composition for imaginative conception — 
demonstrating a want of true sympathy with the 
subject, or the feebleness of the artist — an inane 
subordination of particular to general facts, with a 
view to sustaining their assumed character of noble 
idealisation ; the rareness of great power, or refined 
perception of color ; (since neither comes without in- 
tegprity of purpose;) an obtrusive, trickish, "master- 
ly " style of handling, are almost unfailing accompa- 
niments of the art which had its birth in external 
pressure rather than in internal need, and which for 
one hundred years has been exultingly called the 
" high art " of England. There is so much to con- 
demn and so little to admire in these pictures, that I 
will simply say, notwithstanding the large dramatic 
power shown in the " Sampson," they are the worst 
examples of their class in the exhibition. 

Frederick Leighton exhibits three pictures, Nos. 
127, 129, and 180, which also evince an unhealthy 
ambition in choice of theme, but in the treatment of 
which he displajrs an originality of conception and 
power of painting, that only increase our regret that 
he has not given his ability to the illustration of a 
more congenial class of subjects. I assume that this 
ia not congenial — notwithstanding the fact of his se- 
lection — because it is nearly impossible that the 
modem mind can have any real cognate sympathies 
with the nature-worship of die Art-producing Greeks. 

Our worship is necessarily pantheistic. We make 
no separate, personified embodiments of its different 
phases, as recognized aud enjoyed by us ; the in- 
dwelling spirit of the sea, is tlie same as that which 
haunts the woods and hills — one and universal ; and 
in our warmest invocation we but breathe the simple 
word " Nature," and its echo reverberates throughout 
all space. We may take intellectual cognizance of 
the state of the Greek consciousness through the me- 
dium of its external manifestations, as in its mytholo- 
gy, art and literature ; or, perhaps, arrive at a certain 
factitious communion with the Hellenic spirit, by 
some such diluent process of poetical superinductiou 
as characterizes Keats's ''Endjrmion" ; but that perfect 
comprehension and absorption of its essence, necessary 
to a vital reproduction of its ideal embodiments, is 
well nigh impossible to us of the present day. The 



" Orpheus and Eurydice," No. 180, gives a promise 
of largeness of design, and power of individual char- 
acterization, which neither of Mr. Leighton's other 
works, painted at a later date, at all fulfils. Although 
essentially constructed upon tlio principles of modem 
harmony, wo receive through its action some glim- 
mering sense of feebly-strack Greek tetrachords with 
tlie immutable fates standing at cither extreme. 

As a conception, " Pan," No. 129, is fully equal in 
intellectual vapidity to the average standard of mod- 
em " classical ideals." The personified type of the 
universe, through Mr. Lcighton's interpretation, Ixy 
comes a fruit-sucking, jolly, good-natured rustic, who 
goes about tending sheep for a belly-full of fruit per 
day. 

The "Venus and Cupid," No. 127, is another 
name possessing an intellectual significance amount- 
ing to zero. Tliere is a long reach between tlie 
" Venus of Milo " and this of Mr. Leighton's, which 
is partially accounted for, perhaps, by the fact that 
the " Venus Pandemos " is tlie only one recognized 
in our modem mythology. As a theme for exercising 
his power of color, Mr. Leighton is right in choosing 
the flesh of a beautiful woman ; but in thinking that, 
in order to re-produce the Greek, ideal Venus — per- 
h^ the " Venus Urania" — it is only required to 
paint a pretty, insipid woman, without drapery, he is 
wholly wrong, and, considering the breadth of his 
artistic scope, deserves to be righted. Accept this 
picture, however, simply as a work of color, and, in 
this sense, no similar effort which has been exhibited 
here during many years, (speaking only from my 
own observation) bears any comparison with it. 

In this latitude, such of us as have had no oppor- 
tunities of foreign study, dass the works of Stuart 
and AUston as types of the highest excellence in the 
qualities of trae flesh painting. Mr. Leighton's 
" Venus " in no wise dims the beauty of these works, 
as, considering the very different key-tone of his flesh 
and the character of its modulations, he does not in- 
deed fairly enter into competition with them ; but he 
has here displayed a closeness of perception and a 
mastery of expression in this most difficult walk of 
art, which must ultimately give him a place among 
the " great colorists." 

It is a satisfaction to be enabled to say, that this 
picture is not only the greatest work of color in the 
collection, but that it repays all our study, (as color,) 
and fully justifies our warmest admiration. 

" Prince Henry assuming his Father's crown," No. 
128, by J. C. Horsley, is another, and the last of the 
" heroic " class of art-embodiments contained in this 
department of the exhibition, and which, like the oth- 
ers of its kind, although in a less degree, exposes 
itself to attack by a palpable forcing of a feeble con- 
ception beyond its natural stature. Breadth of can- 
vass will never supply a deficiency in breadth of 
ideas. The royal aspirations of the " Prince" could 
as well be expressed in an area of one square foot, as 
in this, of twenty. The stretching of the noble heir 
into colossal stature in order that he may corporeally 
typify his intellectual ambition, is perfectly in accor- 
dance with the dominant principle of the " old school " 
theories, but does not engage any motive of genuine 
Art. 

The " Prince " has a large, " rolling eye " but the 
"fine frenzy" which it betokens, would, in time, I 
think, prove too much for the frail body that sup- 
ports it ; which, at the waist, for want of solid paint- 
ing, good modelling, and space in the backgix)und, 
looks as if it were crushed flat against the wall of the 
apartment. 

The accessories are the real objects of interest, 
some of which are painted with rare skill ; but this 
subordination of a weak expression of central ideas 
to a skilful, thoughtful rendering of unimportant de- 
tails, is not the kind of subordination which should 
characterze " high art." Mbbos. 

(To be conttnoad.) 



Spenal Sotirts. 



DBSCBIPTIVK LIST OF TRB 

TEST ^yCTJSIC, 
PHbll»he4 by O. DIsmm Sc €•• 

Vocal, with Plane. 
VOCAL BEAUTIES 



or TBI 



cc 



99 



TIlia Opan mm written fhr the pcHhmiMiecii of tho 
" Pyne Opera Troupe," by Hoibt Balpb. It ban been 
reeeived with gntit fliTor ilirooghoat En^lAnd, bdni; 
peiibnued with dintinKaliihcd nuroew at tho roceiit 
niarriaj^ fbttiTolB of tho Princew Royal. The Ibllow- 
ing wIcctioM roinprl»e nearly the whole work, aa<l, 
aa a whole, poaaen thoaa qualltiea which have won 
for them conalderable popularity In thlN countiy. and 
which will be graitly incnaiwd »y the pcrfbrmanoo of 
the Opora in the United Btatea, wliSeh wiU take place 
at an eariy day. 

I'm but a simple peasant maid. 20 

Gonyent Cell. 20 

Theae two limple ballada poa ao a a much beauty, and 
will be found auperlor to pcerloua opcistie baUnda of 
Baiib'a compoaition. 

List to the gay Castanet. 20 

Bzuberaat with the aplrit of life and gayeiy. the 
leaat difflcnlt of the aerfeii. It ia the flrat in Che Opnea 
and ia aung Miaa Suaan Pyne. 

Yes, I'll obey. 3cherato. 40 

Brilliant rariationa for the Tofce with highly aflto- 
tlTe echo paaaogea; the braTura aoog of Uiaa Lonka 
Pyne. The whole to be aeeompanled ad UUttan by a 
Chorua. 

Hark, the Clarion Sounding. SO 

A martial aong in Bolero time, written for Baritone 
Toice in the Opera. Many will admire it more than 
Donizetti'a celebrated " On to the Field." 

Her gentle voice express 'd no guile. 20 

'Twas rank and form that tempted thee. 20 

Really exquiaite ballada in the atylo of that celebiap 
ted aong. '* Then you 'U remember me," made unlver- 
aally popular by the charming execution of Mr. Hani- 



aon. 



Your pardon, Senors. 

A channing duetino,*aa performed by Loulaa and 
Suaan Pyne. In the performance of the Opera this la 
a rapturoualy encored and ia loTariably looked for with 



60 



Though Fortune darkly o'er me frowns. 20 

Written for a contralto or baaa Toioe, and wlU, like 
the ftmoua Romania of the aame oompoaer, *' Tlie 
Ueart bowM down," find many admlrera. 

The Muleteer's Song. 20 



A ehaneterlatie aong; lifely, bold and adreniimNia, 
for tenor Toloe. 



20 



Love's the greatest plague in life. 

A humoroua aong, rather eaqr of perfonnaaee. 

I'm not the queen. Laughing Trio. 40 

Prerioua to thia but one laughing Trio baa been 
written, and thia will be found to meet a moat dedded 
welcome among thoaa who fkTor the unique in muainl 
compoaition. 

O, were I queen of Spain. 40 

A very brilliant and dUHcnlt aong, with many deli- 
cately flnivhed paangea, which will make it a fkTorite 
concert piece with accunpliahed female rocalbta. 

The Queen my presence doth require. 75 

Duet for Bopimno and baaa voieea. 

Wine, wine, the magician thou art. 75 

The celebrated baechaaial Trio, aa exeeuted by the 
principal male charactera in the Opera. 

Keep thy heart for me. 20 

Ah, fitr more than my crown. ) 25 

O happy, joyous day. ) 25 

Bung by M laa Loulaa Pyna. 

Dost thou fear me ? Duet. 75 

A very fine duet, of highly dramatic coloring, for 
soprano and tenor, tnaklng both volcea not a little, but 
hardly dilBeult to thoaa veaaed in Italian Opeia Muaio. 

O joyous happy day. Aria. 40 

The aong with which the Queen of Caatille weloomea 
the day of her wedding. Loulao Pyne'a Bravura Song 
in the opera. 

In every feature like th^ Queen. Quartet. 65 

Por aopxano and duee male voieaa, (baritone and 
two baaaea. 

Sooka. 

Hohmafn's Psactical Couksx iir Sxhoino. 
Translated from the tifth German Edition. Part 
Thtrd. Exercises and Songs ibr Upper Classes. 
Price, 15 cents. 

Thia graduated aeriea haa attained awidepopufaurlty^, 
particularly in the public achoola of the Weat. The 
attention of teachera la directed to them aa books 
aapedally adapted to thebr profearion. 




toifllt's 




mmi 





Wholb No. 323. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1858. Vol. Xnt No. 11. 



[Truulatad for this JoonuU.] 

Mntieal Orthodoxy. 

From tlM (Hnrnuui of Uiim. Jobakita Kxseel. 
(Oonttnoed from page 76). 

With these words Frau Werl departed, leaTing 
Ida in a state of exquisite mental anguisL For 
that evening she was incapable of thought or 
reflection. The rude assault upon her most 
sacred feelings had cast a shadow over the purity 
of her souL A feeling of shame oppressed her, 
as if she, and not Frau Werl, had spoken of this 
marriage. The variations which she had vowed 
to let no other studies interrupt, were doubly 
loathsome; her favorite compositions could not 
comfint her, for they had been the cause of their 
strife ; and, alas, the last refuge of her wounded 
heart I — to call up his image in her imagination 
and dream of Atm, was tidken away from her. 
She had felt fully the cddness and formal polite- 
ness of his leave-taking that day. A barrier had 
been nused between them, and however gladly 
she would have seen him again, that she might 
tear it away, the cruel language of Frau Werl 
had made it impossible for her to enter Selvar's 
house without constraint and embarrassment 

Thus passed several days, until a note fiom the 
Count informed her that he was confined to the 
house by illness, and longed once more for her 
company. The next moment she was on her 
way to him. Finding several persons at the tea- 
table, she determined to be upon her guard and 
watch closely the feelings of the others toward 
her. 

She could not deny to herself, that some among 
them glanced at each other, with contemptuous 
smiles, whenever her eye timidly and for a mo- 
ment sought the &ce of the Count; that others 
drew back from her, politely indeed, but evident- 
ly enough to wound her feelings ; that it cost the 
young Countess an effort to restrain within due 
limits her antipathy to a person, who seemed to 
lesson the space she occupied in her father's 
heart; and that — bitterest of all — he was evi- 
dently more fearful of laying himself open to 
ridicule than of wounding her feelings. And 
deeply it pained lier, that he no longer was so 
fitfcinated with her, and so careless of all else, as 
during those first memorable evenings at Wald- 

Every evening made the chasm between them 
wider, fat Ida lost her vivacity by degrees, and 
became dull and gloomy in society. So her 
presence became rather a burden than a pleasure 
to the Count At home she wept over the beau- 
tiAil dream, never to return. At one moment 
she despaired of regaining Selvar^s affection, 
and at another would cherish the hope of again 
finding the charm, which should again enkindle 
it Sometimes she would vow never to see him 
more; then life would become a burden, and 
soon she would again yield to the attraction 
which brought her into his dangerous presence. 

However strong her determination to appear 
joyous and at ease, she was sure to find herself 



watching with saddened heart for some, even the 
slightest mark of love, of the glow of passion 
from his mouth. But, alas for her ! his eye re- 
mained ever clear and friendly, his voice mild 
and kind as that of a father, but it never trem- 
bled or faltered. Was Ida occasionally over- 
powered by recollections of the past, did some 
songs call tears into her eyes, the words of 
which Selvar had once tenderly to her ear alone 
repeated, as expressive of his feelings towards 
her, — he became at once coldly polite, and 
turned the conversation upon indifferent topics. 

Her anguish consumed her. He was as irre- 
sistibly charming and loveable as ever to her, 
and she could not give up his society. That she 
no longer pleased him as fonnerly, appeared per- 
fectly natural and she blamed him not She felt 
the great change in herself; and was conscious, 
that a girl dispirited, broken by weeping and 
unable to rule herself, must of necessity be a 
tedious companion to such a man as the Count 
Her professional duties became as wearying and 
wearing as the pangs of her unlucky affection. 
Formerly she had borne patiently with a succes- 
sion of ear^plitting lessons, strengthened by the 
thought of tiie delightful evening, which was to 
rewu^ the labors of the day. Now every false 
chord of her pupUs grated with double harsh- 
ness upon her excited nerves.* In one of her 
lessons, during which a girl, utterly destitute of 
musical ear, persisted in striking with the right 
hand a major third to a minor chord in the left, 
it wrought her up, in her excited condition, to 
the thought of suicide. On her way home, she 
murmured to herself: **Why should one live, 
when she has nothing to look forward to from 
youth to age, but the constant hearing of false 
notes — and nothing else ? " 

And Selvar ? He was conscious of having 
made a fiaJse step, in trusting to his power of 
freeing himself from a flirtation with a country- 
bred girl with the same ease as, for instance, one 
with the wife of the French Ambassador. How 
deeply the arrow had pierced her, with all the 
wealth of his experience in love affairs, he had 
no means of judging. He had supposed, that so 
soon as he himself had regained the proper limits, 
he should have no difficulty by a constant, kindly 
and soothing demeanor towards her, in reducing 
her strong passion to the measure of a sort of 
filial affection. That he, the old master, like the 
magician's apprentice, had raised a power he 
could not quell, made him almost angry with Ida, 
whose sad and melancholy looks he would gladly 
have escaped. 

So passed the winter, and in March the Count's 
fiunily returned to Waldheim. Selvar himself 
went upon a journey of some weeks with his 
daughter and her husband. His sister remained 
alone in the country to see to the improvements 
which he had undertaken in house and garden. 
She was an elderly woman, kind, amiable and 
motherly, and had most eamestiy advised Ida 
to take a short vacation from her labors. Most 
of these weeks Ida spent at the villa, and felt 



her heart, though still suffering, lighter and her- 
self refreshed. The good lady soothed her so 
gently, and probed the wound so kindly; she 
knew how to excuse, to admonish and to be 
silent, according to the necessity of the case. 
She had the rare talent to comfort without awak- 
ening false hopes and without destroying that 
last pleasure of those whose affections are mis- 
placed, — the occasional sinking into dreamy 
revery. 

Ida accompanied her through the wide-spread, 
lonely garden, in which still lay here and there 
patches of the winter's snow. To-day the first 
warm breath of the South refieshed her. A bunch 
of violets just blossomed met her eye, and like 
an electric shock came the thought : " Fhim this 
moment must all, all be changed I " 

What — was not that the carriage, which at 
this moment she heard entering the court? Yes 
— he returns! Her heart flamed again — she 
started towards the carriage, then restrained 
herself and held fiut upon the arm of the old 
lady, to conquer her excitement, during their 
calmer greetings. A second carriage followed. 
From the first alighted the young Countess, who 
greeted Ida with a peculiar and slightiy sarcastic 
smile, and then whispered a few words to her 
husband, who turned upon her a look of ironical 
curiosity. Selvar sprang from the other carriage, 
busy and lightiy as a youth, and gave his hand to 
a beautiful woman some eightrand-twenty years 
of age, whom he presented to his nster as their 
guest Then he welcomed Ida, and in a friendly 
tone added: *'Tou owe me thanks; for I bring 
into your neighborhood the singer of our time, 
she, whom you have so often wished to hear. We 
were for a time in the same hotel, and I obtained 
a star engagement for her here ; and for the pre- 
sent she will remain with us to rest fit)m the 
labors of the winter. Here, Madame Fioretta," 
added he, turning to the stranger, " allow me to 
present to you a female KapeUmeister." 

The songstress answered Ida's greeting very 
slightly and turned her discourse again imme- 
diately to the gentiemen. She had a foil share 
of the ill-manners usual to the heroines of the 
theatre in their intercourse with women. She 
had eye and ear in company for men alone, and 
this, not merely because she expected to find a 
higher and deeper cultivation in them; not at 
all she conversed with the stupidest man 
rather than with the most refined and educated 
woman. 

Madame Fioretta, after nnging several scenes 
in which Ida accompanied, and at her request 
transposed at once into other keys, must have 
been convinced that hers was an artistic nature 
every way equal at least to herself. 

Tet she deigned her no word, never appealed 
to her judgment, still less took any notice of it, 
when, in the stream of her discourse, Ida ventur- 
ed upon an opinion, and suddenly abashed, left 
half her remark unspoken. With the exception 
of Ida all were delighted with the contest of 
wits, which Madame Fioretta at the table kept up 



82 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



with the Coant, and which sparkled like fireworks. 
She was witty and possessed of both a cool heart 
and head. The Count could not conceal his 
pleasure in the lively and confident manner of 
the Italian, and Ida saw how night closed in be- 
fore her eyes ever darker and glooouer, until at 
last came the hour which left her at liberty. 

The next morning she could not be prevuled 
upon to remain ; and at last the carriage was put 
at her disposal to convey her to the city. The 
Fioretta, who liked not to accompany herself, 
being in the habit of gesticulating when singing, 
joined seriously with die family in urgent invita- 
tions to Ida, to repeat her visits soon and often. 
She promised this and was disposed to force her- 
self to do so, rather than admit to herself the real 
ground of her unwillingness to comply. 

Filled with doubts as to the real state of her 
own heart, and almost incapable of connected 
thought, she was rambling outside the city the 
next afternoon, among the gardens and country 
seats, which were scattered along the road to Wald- 
heim. It was already twilight when she came in 
sight of the lofty white house. In doubt whether 
to turn, she stood still for a time, then moved 
finrward again, and so at length came out upon 
the bank of the brook, which separated her 
firom the garden, at a spot where she could see 
the windows of the music room. These were all 
ablaze with lights ; she could distinguish in the 
stillness of the night the well-known voices, and 
soon, after an unskilful prelude which betrayed 
the hand of the young Countess, began one of 
the Count's favorite airs from Rossini, which he 
had more than once in vain besought Ida to sing. 
Madame floretta's execution of it was enough to 
make one love the entire Italian schooL The 
long, sustained tones of the Adagio, in the deepest 
register of her voice, trembled and swelled firom 
the most delicious tenderness to most extraordi- 
nary power. Like the chime of a peal of crystal 
bells burst in the Rondo, and its close which lay 
in the highest Soprano, enabled the singer to 
unfold the full richness of her noble organ. 
There was no lofty soul in the performance, 
nothing but a sensuous enchantment, which, how- 
ever, might for the moment well have dazzled 
and carried away the most vigorous * classicist' 

Ida knew the state of Selvar's feelings at that 

moment as well as if she had been present ; just 

what he would say, and the expression of face with 

which he would drink eveiy tone from the singer's 

lips. She leaned upon the railing and let her 

tears fall into the brook. How gladly would she 

have plunged in herself! The water rippled 

merrily on, yonder she heard another ritomello 

— she could listen no longer; she turned hastily 

and hurried back through the darkness to the 

city. 

At the close of an inexpressibly bitter night, 
with the first rays of the morning sun came the 
determination which at length saved her. She 
arose and made all necessary preparations for a 
journey — whither she knew not. Not until she 
had sent notes to her pupils dismissing them, and 
thus rendering a change of purpose impossible, 
did she open files of musical periodicals from 
various cities and select as her future abode that 
in which classical music was especially in vogue. 
The difficult task of visiting Wsudheim could not 
be omitted. First, she took her leave of Fran 
Werl, who was good-hearted enough this time to 
refi^n from all sarcastic remarks ; expressing her 
fears, however, that Ida in a strange city, with- 
out recommendations and alone, would luurdly 



meet success. 



(To 1m eoBttnoed.) 



Tff^^nflf^l and Hftydn 8ooi0tj. 

Sxckktart's Rbfobt for 1858, (Mat 31.) 

On the 80th of March, 1815, a meeting was held 

at Mr. Graupner's Hall, Franklin Street, in conse- 

qnence of invitations imacd, and signed by Gottlieb 

Granpner, Thos. Smith Webb, and Asa Feabody, in 

words as follows : 

Bonoir, Mabob M, 1816. 

*' fta : — Tou ure reqiiMted to attand a OMttiiig of tb* iiria- 
dpal perfbraMn of flaored Moale, tnm th« wvonl ehoin in 
town, on Tbnnday vrening, the 80lh Imt., at 7 o'clock, at 
Mr. Granpnor's Hall, Fnaklln Street, ^ the pnrpoee of 
coniiderlDff the ezpedieney and pnetleablHty of fitrmiDg a 
■odety to eoneist of a aalectlon from the eererd cholm, ftireal- 
ti?ating and improving a eoneet taete in the peHbmanee of 
Saered Mnelc ; and aleo to introdnee Into more geneial pneCke 
the worka of Handel, Haydn, and other eminent eompoooi." 

There were but sixteen persons present at the 
meeting ; among whom, however, we find the names 
of several who have alwajrs acted a conspicuous part 
in the afiairs of the Society, since its first formation ; 
and who are still with us. John Dodd, and the two 
Parkers — one the father of our excellent organist at 
the present time, the other our much esteemed Treas- 
urer — >are, however, the only ones left as of that devo- 
ted band ; though others soon united themselves, and 
are still among the most active of our memben. 

The names of forty-four are attached to the book 
of signatures, under the head of *' original members ; " 
while a large number were soon after added ; so that 
by the close of the first year, the names of something 
over one hundred were appended to the list. 

At the first meeting of this association, on the thir- 
tieth of March, Mattliew S. Parker was chosen derk, 
and after some discussion as to the best course to be 
pursued in furtherance of the enterprise, a committee 
was chosen, consisting of Messrs. Webb, Peabody, 
Winchester, Withington, and S. H. Parker, for draft- 
ing regulations and framing a constitution for the 
government of the Society, when the name " Handel 
and Haydn Society " was adopted, and the regulations 
signed by thirty-one members, they being all that were 
present. 

This, Gentlemen, was the origin of the Handel and 
Haydn Society; a meeting of which is this night 
convened for the forty-third annual choice of offlcen . 

At the first choice of officers, which soon followed, 
Thomas Smith Webb was chosen President, and 
Matthew S. Parker, Secretary. 

At a subsequent meeting — it having been stated 
by the President that money would be required to 
meet the necessary expenses incurred^ a loan of 
three doUan from each person present was made; 
amounting to fifty-four dollars. Whether this money 
was ever refunded, does not appear. 

The Society was then iairiy launched ; but she had 
little motive power, though firequent meetings were 
held through the summer for rdiearsals; until Feb. 
9, 1816, when an act of incorporation was obtained 
fipom the Legislature ; Caleb Strong, Governor. 

The first public performance of this Society took 
place at the Stone Chapel, on the evening of Christ- 
mas, Dec. 25, 1815, when selections ftom the " Crear 
tion," "Messiah," and other works of this dass, 
were sung, closing with the Hallelujah Chorus. The 
performance was received with such fiivorand sub- 
stantial encouragement, as to induce a repetition on 
the 18th of Januury following; and among other 
things of interest which transpired in connection with 
this concert, was a letter addressed to the Managers 
of the Boston Theatre, setting forth their intention of 
giving an Oratorio, (as it was termed), and requesting 
the Managers of the Theatre to close their house on 
that night, that the Society might have the benefit of 
an orchestra ; but as some Star was to make his or 
her appearance on that evening, the request was not 
complied with. After, however, some negotiation, 
three gentlemen of the orchestra were allowed to 
leave; and it appears that that number constitnted 
the entire orchestra for the concert. 



This, then, is die early history of our much loved 
Society ; and who is there among us, that does not 
look with pride on the evidence of our age, in the 
silvered heads of many of our associates. May they 
long remain among us, to share our labors and enjoy- 
ments! 

Mr. President and Gentlemen, the season Just 
closed has been a peculiar one, in consequence of the 
financial troubles which completely overshadowed the 
country, and seemed to threaten an association like 
ours with certain loss, whichever way we chose to 
turn. To meet for rehearsals only, was positive ex- 
pense, for an oiganist and conductor, as well as a hall 
to meet in, were indispensable ; and public perform- 
ances offered small hope of realizing sufficient to 
meet expenses. To do nothing was entirely out of 
the question, for good reasons; so the rehearsals 
were commenced at about the usual time, and contin. 
ned until Christmas, when the Society volunteered 
the performance of the '' Messiah " for the charity 
fund of the Boston Provident Association. 

Six other per for mances were given during the sea- 
son, all of which were remunerative, through onr 
connection with Mr. Ullman,and the celebrated artists 
of his troupe ; so that, after eommendng the Season 
under the most disheartening drcnmstances that may 
well be conceived of; during the panic that then pre- 
vailed to such an extent as to direaten certain destruc- 
tion to a large miyority of kindred enterprises ; we 
do not consider it as boasting to say, that we have 
passed through the season with credit to ourselves, 
and added something like five hundred dollars to our 
treasury, and with every bill paid. 

We have had presented to us, by our late President, 
during the season, the entire Oratorios of " Israel in 
Egypt," and Mendelssohn's " Hymn of Praise," both 
widi orchestral parts ; and have p erformed the latter, 
to the general acceptance of an appreciative public. 
"Eiyah" has been given twice, the "Messiah" 
twice, and the " Creation " twice. 

Our Society stands this day far in advance of all 
other similar associations in this oountry, as to profi- 
ciency in high Art, and for the general excellence of its 
performances ; and if we are to believe the somewhat 
fiattering assertions of those foreign artists who have, 
ftt>m time to time, been associated with us, we are 
but little, if any, inferior to those of Europe, and 
there are but one or two societies, even there, of 
greater age. 

This Society has, from its first organisation, labored 
to produce nothing but music of the highest order, 
and with what success its labocs have been crowned, 
we have the most ample proof. 

And now, gentlemen, it remains witii you and our 
lady associates to say, whether we shall rest on our 
hard-earned laurels, and content ourselves with the 
high position which we have attained, or whether we 
shall press on to a higher state of Art culture, and a 
more intimate acquaintance with the works of the 
great masters. 

There are rich mines of wealth yet unexplored by 
us, and let us, one and all, resolve lo lend our undi- 
vided support to the new Government, now about to 
be chosen, in whatever may be thought by that Gov- 
ernment to be for the best interests of the Society. 



Oponing of fhe New Opera Hoiud in 

LondoiL 

froin tho London Ttan« of Ifaj nth. 

The grand event of the past week has been the long 
and anxionslv-expected opening of the new theatre in 
Bow street, for the first performance of the 12th sear 
son of the Royal Italian Opera. This important 
ceremony took place on Satnrdav night. Up to the 
last few days it was very generally regarded as im- 
possible to get the buildine ready for the accommo- 
dation of tlie public at the time announced ; but 
" qui veut pent " was Mr. Gye's motto ; and, not for 
the first time, he kept expbdt faith. Eariv in the 
evening a line of private carriages and vehicles of 
hnmUer pretensions stretched uninteRupted ftom 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1858. 



83 



Leic«9ter-8quare to Bow street. The streets acyacent 
to the theatre were crowded with lookers on, and 
these incidents, enlianccd hj randry evidences of pre- 
paration to commemorate Her Mi^Jesty's birtbaAy, 
which was pabliclj kept on Saturday, imparted a 
sort of festival air to the whole. The nrst aspect of 
the exterior of the theatre was by no means inviting. 
A mat deal seemed wanting to cncoorage the ho- 
liei that any representation wonld take place witliin 
its walls in less than an hour. But incredulity was 
ooickly dissipated. Tlie doors were thrown open at 
tne appointed time, and tlie crowd rushed in. The 
pit ana galleries were soon filled ; but tlie boxes and 
stalls were approached more cautiously; and even 
when the performance began (at about 25 minutes to 
9| not more than three-fourths of them were occu- 
pied. One by one, however, the authorised tenants 
claimed their rights ; and before the first scene had 
terminatod, the house was thronged by as brilliant an 
audience as ever assembled in a theatre. 

The first view of the interior was somewhat disap- 
pointing. It did not seem so vast as had been antici- 
pated. But the eye was deceived by the height of 
the oeiline, the oomparadve simplicity of the decora- 
tions, and the fact of there being only three grand 
tiers of boxes, in place of the four which constituted 
the okl theatre. Little by little, as the eye familiar- 
ized itself with the scene, tlie proportions of the 
house appeared to widen ; the great chandelier, sus- 
pended Irom the centre of the ceiling, seemed to 
recede ftirther and furtlier from the gase of those in 
the area ; and to tlie inhabitants of the pit the dimen- 
sions of the proscenium became gradually more 
capacious, till the conviction was at last realized that 
one of the largest and 'one of the most magnificent 
theatres in Europe had been erected within the amas- 
ingly brief period of six months. 

The interval between 8 o'clock and the rising of 
the curtain was by no means an interval of dullness, 
since it was absorbed by an examination of every- 
thing worth notice, and scarcely half the topics thus 
suggested had been discussed, when applause, that 
grew n4>idly into tumultuous cheering, announced 
the arrival of Mr. Costa, whoso unexampled popu- 
larity as a conductor owes its first origin to his con- 
nection with our Italian operas. The cheering was 
repeated again and again, until the audience were 
exnansted, and another interval ocnurod. At length 
the wished for moment came. The short instru- 
mental prelude wliich in the HugutnoU usurps the 
place of overture at once satisfied connoisseurs that 
not onlv the chief of the orchestra but the men over 
whom ne ruled were the same as formerly. It was a 
treat to hear this noble band of instrumentalists once 
pgain complete. About the acoustic properties of 
the new buildinff, while already disposed to think 
highly, we shall reserve our opinion until further 
experience warrants us in advancing it without hesi- 
tation. When the curtain rose, and the hall of Count 
Nevies, with its lofty windows in the background, 
and its imaginary gardens outside, once more reveal- 
ed itself, the audience again broke out into api)lanse. 
There sat Signor Tagliafico, looking every inch a 
Count ; while the piercing tones of Signor Soldi, 
Uie most zealous of tenors, ever and anon made 
themselves audible amid the clang and tumult of the 
orchestra. Soon an enthusiastic shout of recognition 
welcomed the approach of Raoul de Nangis, in whose 
familiar costume Signor Mario had not appeared 
since 1855, and whose apparition almost suggested 
the idea of the ghost of the Huguenot nobleman glid- 
ing fipom the ruins of old Co vent-garden. The air, 
" Vergin divina " (with the viola accompaniment in 
the orchestra), given by Mario in his most expressive 
manner, set another point at iwt which is now and 
then one of considerable anxiety at the beginning of 
the operatic " season : " Mario was " in good voice," 
as the phrase goes, and evidently intent upon smging 
his veiy best Herr Formes (we presume) not hav- 
ing returned from America, M. Zelger took the part 
of Marcel, with which he is thoroughly conversant, 
since he personated the character in 1846, when the 
HuguencU was first produced in this country by the 
Brussels company at Drury-lane Theatre— K>ne of the 
earliest undertakings of Mr. Delafield, to whom the 
public were indebted for its subsequent representation 
on the Italian boards. M. Zelger was warmly re- 
ceived, and his voice told well in the chorale, the 
subject of which Meyerbeer borrowed from the Lu- 
theran collection, and Mendelssohn made the basis 
of his syinphony of The Reformation. " FifT, paff," 
too, in whidi the furious Huguenot devotes the monks 
and their shrines to perdition, was heard with inter- 
est. Another sensation was created by the appear- 
ance of Mademoiselle Nantier Didi^. who, as 
Urbano, the Queen's page, received a hearty wel- 
come, and sang the well-known *' Kobil donna" with 
her accustomed devemess. In the second scene of 
the first act, the painter's art is exhibited even to 
graater advaiitage than in the first. Mademoiselle 



Marai, the Queen (announced by Mr. Pratten's ad- 
mirable finte solo), robust as she 'has grown, had not 
been forgotten by the audience ; but she and all else 
were sp^ily eclipsed when the great public favorite 
of ... . and twenty vears was seen to descend into 
the garden from, the broad flight of steps to the right. 
The Valentine of the occasion was hailed with that 
genuine British enthusiasm which a British audience 
has never withheld from Glulia Grisi, the still unri- 
valled quality of whose middle tones was made 
apparent in the first vocal phrase she had to utter. 
Ihen came the trio for female voices, in which, as 
usual, Madame Tagliafico took part ; then the chorus 
and dance of bathers, which was not remarkable; 
then the air composed by Meyerbeer expressly for 
Alboni, " No, no, no," which Mademoiselle Nantier 
sings effectively, though not so effectively as Alboni ; 
then the appearance of Itaoul with tlie bandage over 
his eyes, and the duet with Margarite, which Mario, 
by voice and mien and action, endows with so chival- 
rous and romantic a character ; and, lastly, i^MfinaU 
where tlie oath of allegiance is taken by Catholic and 
Huguenot, while Marcel mutters bigotry and hatred ; 
where Raoul rejects the hand of valentine, St. Bris 
and Ncvers invoking vengeance ; and the sclieme by 
means of which Maigarite de Yalois hopes to bring 
about a reconciliation between the opposing parties 
falls to the ground. All these incioents were por- 
trayed with Uio accustomed life and vigor. 

The second (third) act did not commence so well, 
althongli the scene of the Prk ctux Clerct was striking. 
The " Rntaplan " miglit have gone more smoothly ; 
nor did the ballet (somewhat lengthened) afford much 
amusement. To crown all, the Chief of the night 
watch sang the old French tune of the ** eouvrefeu *' 
which seems to enjoy a traditional right to be out of 
tune — more out of tune than the audience could put 
up with. The rest, however, made amends. In the 
duet where Valentine reveals herself to Marcel, Grisi, 
(ever noted for redeeming the short-comings of others 
by additional efibrts on her own part,) adiieved one 
of her greatest successes. Her delivery of the 
phrase- 

** Una donna Hsreello eh« Psdam, 
E cbtt mooa per mItat anoi dl— " 



was equal to any of her happiest moments. As if to 
emulate so gooa an example, Mario was magnificent 
in the duel septet, and gave the famous "Si, noi 
sprezsiamo " in such a manner as to call forth an 
enthusiastic " encore," which Mr. Costa as prudently 
as obstinately resisted. The voice of Mano cannot 
stand such exertion with impunity, even witli the aid 
of transposition. The remainder of the finale — ^in- 
duding the quarrel between the Huguenots.and Car 
tholics, interrupted by the entrance of the Queen on 
horseback, the arrival of Nevers in a gorgeously 
constructed barge, filled with musidans, knights, 
pages, and ladies of honor, to take away Valentine 
and his bride, and the inddental festivities, contrast- 
ed with the fierce menaces of tlie hostile parties — 
was uniformly effective; and as the curtain fell the 
stage presented one of those striking, various, ani- 
mated pictures to which the public had been accus- 
tomed of old by the Ro^*al Italian Opera. The third 
(fourth) act, the dramatic masterpiece of Meyerbeer, 
may be dismissed in few words. The scene of the 
plot (St Bris, Signor Folonini) was hardly so im- 
pressive as we have known it, and the chorus of the 
Benediction of the Swords, for a wonder, escaped its 
time-honored " encore." Haste of preparation had, 
no doubt, much to do with this ; but the prindpal 
cause was the lateness of the hour, midnight having 
struck before the monks promised eternal beatitude 
to the authors of the Hugnenot massacre. Had the 
audience, nevertheless, been ever so impatient, they 
could hardly have failed to be enraptured with the 
splendid duet between Valentine and Raoul, which 
has made the Huguenot$ immortal, and in which Grisi 
and Biario, with indomitable ardor, succeeded in re- 
viving the glories of the past. We have seldom 
witnessed a more enthusiastic demonstration than 
that which greeted the two admirable performers at 
the end of uiis striking manifestation ot their power, 
to describe which at length would be going over old 
ground to no purpose. Suffice it, this was the 
triumph of the evening, and here, unexpectedly, the 
opera terminated. 

After the duet, Mr. A. Harris came forward, and 
liinting at the encroachment on the Sabbath, left it to 
the discretion of the audience whether they would 
hear the national anthem at once, or insist upon the 
last act of the opera being proceeded with. This led 
to a " row," which was hardly warranted. The gal- 
leries were for the last act ; the stalls and boxes for 
the anthem ; and for a long time neither could pre- 
vail. Mr. Harris re-appeared, and invoked the good 
feeling of the audience, on the plea that faith had 
been kept with regard to opening the theatre, and 
thatfocn an achievement merited some indulgence 



in return. This appeal was answered by volleys of 
applause from the "ayes," and strong opposition 
from the " noes." The curtain went up, nowever, 
and the national anthem was sun^ by Madame Grisi 
and tlie whole company in the midst of a discredita- 
ble uproar. 

Thus ended, at half an hour past midnight, the 
first performance in the new theatre, which we can- 
not but regard as one of the most extraordinary feats 
ever accomplished. 

• ■• ■ ■ 

Sarrette, the Tonnder of the ConBervatoire 

at Parii. 

The Revue et Gazette Muaieale lately published an 
account of the funeral of a most venerable and dis- 
tingtiished member of the musical profession in Faris, 
M. Sarratto, the founder and earliest director of the 
Conservatoire. The venerable professor considerably 
outlived the allotted span, and had completed his 
ninety-second year ere he expired. Most of the pre- 
sent professors of the institution of which*he was the 
founder, among whom were Auher, Halevy, and 
Ambroise Thomas, attended tlie monrnfU ceremony, 
which took place ii^ the Church of Bonne NouvelM. 
During the service the orchestra of the opera, durected 
by M. Girard, executed a number of pieces by Cher- 
ubini and Beethoven ; a Pius Jettu, hj M. Fanseron, 
was also sung. The funeral procession then set out 
for the cemetery of Montmartre, where M. Edonard 
Monnais, Imperial Commissary, delivered the follow- 
ing oration : 

" It is in the name of the Conservatorium that I 
am come to bid farewdl to the eminent man who was 
its creator, and who, for a space of twenty years, 
governed it with so firm and so skilful a hand. 

" I shall not attempt to trace a biography ; ndUier 
the time nor the place will allow it. I will only recall 
to mind that Bernard Sarrette was born at Bordeaux 
on the S7th of November, 1765, and that to him was 
granted die privilege of growing old without any 
sensible detenoration of his uncommon Qualities. 

** The man who distinguished himself oy rendering 
a great service to musical art in France was not him- 
self a mnsidan ; but his mind was endowed with 
those natural gifts which in the application of a happy 
idea, are often of greater value than a special educa^ 
tion. Entrusted, m the first instance, with the organ- 
isation of the music of the Garde Nationale of Fans, 
associated subsequently with our celebrated Gossec 
for the formation of that school of military music 
which sent musicians to the fourteen armies of the re-, 
public, he discovered in that very sdiool the germ of 
a much vaster and more important institution. 

One day, in 1794, a petition was addressed to the 
National Convention advocating the interests of the 
musical art, then threatened with destruction, if the 
State did not rescue it b^ throwing open to it a public 
asylum, an ark in the umversal deluge ; and the Con- 
servatorium was created under the tutelage of five in- 
spectors, and five great artisu, Gossec, Grdtr^, Mehul, 
Lesueur, and Chorubini. Sarrette was associated with 
them in the capadty of a demonstrator. The title of 
director was conferred on him shortly afterwards. 

" Up to that time France had no doubt possessed 
both a music and musicians of her own ; she had en- 
gendered master pieces, but she was without a school. 
FVom die foundation of the Conservatorium dates in 
reality the French school, for from that moment there 
arose a fixed doctrine, a regular system of instruction, 
a set of methods composeid by the most renowned 
masters. In a word, there was a French art, long 
disputed but eventually recognized by rival nadons, 
who in the present day pay homage to our composers 
by borrowing their, works ; to our professors bjjr com- 
ing to seek instrucrion from them ; to our artists by 
receiving them with favor, oflen even by conferring 
on them signal triumphs. 

"In forming the Conservatorium, Sarrette had 
met with support from the sympathy of influendal 
men of his dme, from the community of opinion 
which united a great number of them. 

" The empire discerned all that was generous and 
fruitful in the thought and in the work. It adopted 
the institution, still in its infancy, extended, raised, 
enriched it as an establishment destined to confer 
honor on the country. 

'* By a fatal transition in another epoch and under 
another reqime, what had been a protection was become 
a peril. Sarrette was banished from the school of 
which he had been the fether ; the verr existence of 
the school was seriously compromised and its tide 
abolished, soon to reappear, it is true, and inaugurate 
a new era. 

" Subsequendy to 1815, Sarrette ceased to have 
any connection with the Conservatorium, and re- 
mained a mere spectator of its divers fortunes. 
What, nevertheless, must have been his secret joy — ^I 
am bold to say his legitimate pride-— at seeing his 
creation surrive him in some sort, and grown to suffi- 



84 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



dent strength to dispense with his help 1 What wm 
his consolation when, among his saooessors in the di- 
rection of the Consenratorium, he oonld reckon Cher- 
nUni, one of the Ave inspectors designated by himself, 
and M. Anber. the popil of the great master, the 
illnstrions chief of the French school. 

" Let ns coneratnlate ourselves that his excellency 
the BCinister of State has recently ordered, in a decree 
of a sort he has made ns iamiliar with, that a marble 
bnst of Sarrette shall be placed in one of the princi- 
pal apjBrtmentB of Uie sdiool. 

" This decision coming, at so opportune a moment, 
mnst have oflercd to the old man, jost reaching the 
term of his noble life, the most touching of rewards, 
and et the same time Ihe pledge of an immortal re- 
metaibranoe, which commences this day, and will 
henc^orward hover over this tomb." 

To these words, which did justice only to the pub- 
lic man, M. SaniBon added a few more, rendering 
homage to the qualities of the private citixen. M. 
Samson was a pupU of the Conservatoire at tfad time 
Sarrette was its director, as were M. M. Tulou, Vogt, 
Panaeron, Halew, Leboure, Prunnier, Gu^rin, the 
two Duvemoys, Moreau-Sainti, Benoisl^ Taslin, and 
Kokken, who were also present at the funeral. 

He and idl these had continued on terms of friend- 
ship with their former chief, and he, better than any 
other, oonld speak of the difficulties wliich Sarrette 
had encountered in seeking to unite into one school 
the teaching of declamation and of music. Political 
events might despoil Sarrette of the title so justly due 
to him, but oonla not touch the attachment and grati- 
tude of those who had shared his labors. Catel, the 
celebrated composer, bequeathed his little fortune to 
him. This trait aptly completes his eulogium, and 
should not be fbigotten by his biographers. 



German roles, FuUUo, will require no recital of her 
successful conquest of its almost insurmountable dif- 
ficulties. 



Oerman and Italian Opera. 

The difference in point of musical structure be- 
tween such a work as Beethoven's Fidelio and the 
common run of sweet, melodious Italian operas, is 
well stated by a writer in the Philadelphia Sunday 
Topic, in the course of a somewhat too unqualified 
eulogium upon the singing of Mme. JoHAKirsxir. 
Ho says : 

Beethoven's matchless music, alike with aU the 
compositions of the vigorous, legitimate German 
school, was written with an unwavering attention to 
correct flowing rhythm, and to precise time and 
measure. The instrumentation does not present an 
everlasting harping upon a few chords and their rela- 
ive positions, but seems more like an ever-varying 
kaleidesoope of harmonic combinations, each one of 
which serves to complete the sympathy of the whole. 
To an imaginative and reflecting mind, this instru- 
mentation dons the guise of a profoundly written 
drama, per ss, in whiA even the humblest instrument 
engagea in the dialogue serves to portray certain pas- 
sions or emotions. In order, therefore, to preserve 
entire the beautiful net-work of melodic and harmonifi 
phrases, it becomes absolutely necessary that the 
prima dcmna should adhere inflexibly to the perfect 
rhythm and prescribed time, in no instance allowing 
her individual caprices to tempt her to distort these 
into languishing, sustained notes, after the fashion of 
the Italians. Mark well— herein does the cantatricB 
fix>m ItiJy boast an advantage over her sister from 
Germany. The former has the time in her own 
hands, hastening or retarding the same to suit her 
physical and vocal abilities. 

She may, with permission of the cKef ^orchatrej 
commence an alUgrdta cavatina, andante, or a forte 
passage totto voce, thus treasuring her voice and ener- 
gies K>r tthe climax ; and enabhug her to bring the 
full force of these to bear upon one mnd nmSade ; 
for Uie orchestral accompaniments to uie majority of 
Italian operas prove singnlarly accommodating in 
this respect. The adored Gazziniga has been known 
to avail herself, not unfrequently, of the unlimited 
license afforded by this peculiaritpr of the Italian 
school ; it lay within the power o/^ her leader to re- 
tard, to modulate, or to transpose ad libitum, without 
destroying the effect of the accompaniment. 

Not so, however, in the miehty works of the solid 
German school. The prima donna cannot obtain the 
slightest concessions from the director without mar- 
ring the structure of the splendid fabric. She, 
therefbre, finds her enexgies taxed to the utmost 
throughout ; and while her mind is exercised to its 
utmost capacity, in her effbrts to sing the cadences 
and movements precisely at the place and in the time 
indicated by tiie counterpoint of the composition, it 
is simultaneously taxed with the elaborate delineation 
of, and identification with, a character, intended, if 
properly enacted, to arouse the svmpathies of the 
audience to an intense degree. Those who beheld 
and heard Mme. Johannsen in that severest of all 



Lablachb's Absbkcb of Mikd. — ^When last at 
Naples he was sent for to the palace, entered the wait- 
ing room, and, till called in to his majesty, conversed 
with the courtiers in attendance. Having a cold in 
his head, he reauested permission to keep on his hat 
Getting into full discourse, he was suddenly startled 
by tiie gendeman in waiting crying out, ** His maj- 
esty demands the presence of Signer Lablache." In 
his eagerness to obey the royal summons he forgot 
the hat be had on his head, and, snatching up another 
thus entered the king's cabinet Being received 
with a most hearty laugh, Lablache was confounded, 
but at length recovered himself, and respectfully 
asked his majesty what had excited his hilarity. 
"My dear Lablache," replied the king, "pray tell 
me which of the two hats you have got witn vou is 
your own, that on your head, or that in your hand ? 
Or, perhaps you have brought both as a measure of 
precaution, in case you should leave one behind you." 
" Ah ! maledeUa,*' replied Lablache, with an air of 
ludicrous distress, on discovering his eiourderie, "two 
hats are, indeed, too many for a man who has no 
head." 



it 



The late Profbtt or Behn. 

StBOFRiBD WiLHBUC DjEHK was bom on the 
25th Febmaiy, 1800, at Altona, in Holstein, where 
he went to school until he was thirteen years old. 
He manifested a remarkable instinct for music from 
his verjr infancr ; he did not cultivate the art, how- 
ever, with the idea of becoming a professional musi- 
cian, but obtained a place as keeper, under the aus- 
pices of M. Schenk, in the service of the Adminis- 
tration of Woods and Forests for the Duchy of Hol- 
stein. 

We shall not follow him in the rough and often 
perilous existence his duties obliged him to lead, and 
which his naturally strong constitution assisted him 
in supporting. Having bwn wounded while hunting, 
he left the service, and resumed his studies. In con- 
formity with his father's wish, he followed the law 
lectures at the University of Leipsic, in order to pre- 
pare himself for a diplomatic career. In 18S4, he 
went to Berlin, and was attached to Uie Swedish Em- 
bassy, but unfbrtunate events changed his destiny ; 
his father died, after losing all his fortune, and young 
Dehn was left without resources. It was then that 
the musical art, which had hitherto been only an 
amusement, l)ecame the means of saving him. An 
eminent artist, Bernard Klein, whose talent is not yet 
snfflcientlv appreciated, gave him some lessons — 
eighteon in all ; and these were sufficient to enable 
the ex-diplomatist to exerdse with success the pro- 
fessor's calling. 

From this moment, Dehn devoted himself entirely 
to teaching the theory of music, and had numerous 
pupils. Klein died some few jears afterwards, and 
Denn was, so to speak, his heir and successor in a 
profound knowledge of musical literature and tfieory. 
\yith a degree of obstinate perseverance, of which 
we meet but a few examples, he sounded the depths 
of the science, and was not long in taking his rank 
among the mnsical celebrities of the day ; in fact, 
composers and executants, of the greatest talent, 
studied under him. Among others, we may name 
the celebrated Russian composer, Glinka, who studied 
counterpoint with him, and always returned, even 
after long intervals, for fresh lessons. 

From the 24th March, 1842, Dehn was Conserva- 
tor of the musical division of the Royal Library at 
Berlin. It would be superfluous for us* to enumerate 
the services he rendered in this situation ; we shall, 
perhaps, never find any one to replace him. He made 
several journeys to Vienna, Munich, Venice, and 
other parts of Italy : while on these excursions, which 
were of g^reat use to the Royal Library, he was con- 
stantly searching for rare editions, buying manu- 
scripts, and effecting exchanges. In the years 1851, 
1852, and 1854, especially, he was charged to visit 
Breslan and Silesia, and was successful in all his 
joumevs. 

Without entering into a detailed account of his lap 
bors, we will content ourselves with sa3ring that he 
punned them to the end with indefatigable seal, and 
that age had in no degree impaired his eneigy. The 
very day a fit of apoplexy tore him so suddenlv fix>m 
his wife and two cnildren, he had gone to the libraiy 
as usual. 

Among the many persons who followed his mortal 
remains, were celebrities of all kinds, especially mu- 
sicians, almost all of whom, after being his pupils, 
are now eminent masters. 

Dr. Jonas pronounced the funeral oration. The 
members of the Domchor executed a chorale, and a 
Lied by Biendelssohn. — Bevue et Gazette Mueieale, 



Br. Ward'f Opera. 

This new English opera entitled "Flora, or the 

Gipsy's Frolic" has had four representations at 
the house of Dr. Ward on University Place. The 
principal characters were taken by lady and gentle- 
men amateun, and their performances gave great 
satisfaction to the numerous guests present on each 
occasion. This opera, original with the Doctor, is a 
decided success, and most of the songs and duets are 
very pleasing in their character. We shall publish 
one or more of them in The Musical World (or the 
benefit of our readen. 

We hope this opera will be produced at some place 
of amusement where the public can have an oppor- 
tunity of judging of its merits. The argument is as 
follows : 

Popinjay, a village innkeeper, on the occasion of 
his daughter's birthday, invites his friends and neigh- 
bon to a rustic fete; during which Count Ernest, 
who is on his way to visit tte Lady Flora after his 
return from the wan, stops awhile at the village to 
rest his horse ; and is induced bjr the beauty of the 
queen of the fete, and the solicitations of the host, to 
join the merry-making. The gipsy girt is admitted 
to tell the fortunes, and promote the j^loasures of the 
guests. She is a shrewd and mischievous, but not 
malicious creature ; and soon perceives among the 
various ingredients of which the fMrty is composed, 
much fitting material for the exercise of her wit and 
love of frolic. She accordingly sets them severally 
by the ears, by working upon the vanity of Dame 
Popinjay to bore her husband for new finery— by ex- 
citing the coquetry of Annette to endeavor to attract 
the attention of the Count, to the met discomfit- 
ure of Claude, her rustic lover— and lastly, by draw- 
ing the attention of the highly-sensitive Lady Flora 
to this seemuig infidelity of her lover, while rambling 
tefe-o-Ms with the village queen— all this necessarily 
produces a state of embromUement, which terminates 
thefintact. 

In the second act the men are discovered seekiBg 
consolation in wine for the estrangement of theh- sev- 
end mates ; and the gipsy, having had her firolic, be- 
gins to feel some remorse at the extent to which the 
contending parties have carried their controvereies, 
and resolves to reconcile those whom so lately she 
had playifully sought to divide. She indncee Claude, 
the village minstrel, to soften his coquetish mistress 
with a serenade, and warns her of the danger of driv- 
ing her lover to the wars by her nnkindness. She 
persuades Dame Popiiyev that she will more surely 
succeed in her wishes with her husband by ceasing to 
annoy him with her importunities ; and finally, in the 
third act, bribes the farrier to lame the Lady Flora's 
horse, so that she is obliged to leave the (Aase, and 
dismount at the village in the neighborhood of the 
Count ; where she solemnly warns her that her lover, 
though guilty of a little pardonable gallantry, is not 
unfaithful to her ; and sluewdlv recommends that his 
fidelity be tested by exposing him once more to tiie 
fascinations of the village belle, who is priry to the 
scheme. Marie, die conjidante, urges the justice of 
this course ; and the lady, after a highly exciting 
struggle with her pride, finally consento to the plot ; 
which results in the complete vindication of the 
Count, and his reconciliation with the lad^. Their 
happiness soon contagiously affects the rustic lovers ; 
and brings on a state of general good feeling, to the 
great satisfaction of the gipsy, who is discovered, in. 
3ie end, to be one of Popiiyay's children, who was 
stolen away in her infancy by a band of roving gip- 
sies that chanced to pass that way.— iVl Y, Musical 
World, 



gtnsual €tixxnpnhntt 

nMJxnn njtjxxijisui j'jmvv wuvinr\siJLf^Liu~ ^ s-j.rr \ r \ ns\- \ m ...■-— -»-i****»»* ■■■■»■■ ■^ 



, New Tork, Jums 7. — Some yean ago, an ope- 
ratic enterprise was started in New Tork, by a num- 
ber of Italian singen, on a sort of mutual benefit 
system, the performers themselves being directly in- 
terested in the concern, by investing their services, 
instead of receiving r^ular salaries, as is customary. 
The company thus formed appeared at Niblo's, and 
though it soon became divided against itself, and fell, 
yet during its brief existence it managed to give some 
superb lyric representations. The singers, knowing 
that the profits and their portion thereof depended 
entirely upon their own attractiveness, spared no 
efforts to please the public, and first-class artists un- 
dertook roles, that under other drcumstances they 
would have indignantly refused. Bosio, for mstance, 
sang Adalgisa to the Norma of Rose da Vries, and 
the basso and baritone quite threw themselves away. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1858. 



85 



Something like this WO haye now at the Academy 
of Mnsic The well-known artists Oassakioa, 
Bbionoli, Axodio, Miss Phillipps, Gaspakoki, 
and Gassibr ha^e ciystallized into a tronpe, and, 
are giving operas in the most snperb style. The sea- 
son opened last Monday evening, with La Favorita. 
This is quite a new role for Gazzaniga, she having 
performed it for the first time, during her recent visit 
to Havana. She does it well, bnt not lemaikably so. 
The aria : Ah I mtb Fernando, and the final duet, were 
the only points she made, though her acting, espe- 
cially in the last act, was worthy of all praise. Brig- 
noli sang sweetly in his role of Fernando. Amodio 
was very good in his part of the King ; while Gaspa- 
roni as Baltasar was exceedingly bad. On Wednes- 
day and Friday evenings. La Dramata was given. 
This is, as you know, Gaszaniga's greatest role, and, 
as I have before had occasion to observe, she renders 
it much more effectively than the much vaunted Fic- 
oolomini. Saturday afternoon, was presented // Bar- 
ftiare, with Miss PhiUipps, Brignoli, Gassier and Gas- 
paroni in the cast. To-night we have Trovaiore, It 
is rumored that two operas new to American audien- 
oes^Donizetti's " Martyrs," and Veidi's " Sicilian 
Vespers" will be produced. The former of these is 
now very popular all over southern Europe, whUe 
the latter under a different title is a great favorite at 
Naples, and is the only successful opera that Verdi 
has recently produced. 

Mr. Ulbnann started suddenly for Europe on Sat- 
urday, bent upon some operatic enterprise, and ac- 
cording to rumor Mr. Bamum will very soon follow 
him, on a similar errand. The subscriptions for Bar- 
nam's great Lumley enterprise come in but slowly. 
Folks do not see why they should pay five dollars a 
night to hear artists, who do not surpass those whom 
they can now hear for a dollar ; for, with the excep- 
tion of GiuoLiNi, the tenor, the Lumley troupe is 
inferior to Biaretzek's. Piccoloxih i is very young, 
and very beautiful, and very impassioned, but in the 
peculiar roles in which she is supposed to excel, she 
is surpassed by Mme. Gazsaniga. As to the idea of 
bringing over the thurd-dass singers of the troupe, 
the members of the chorus and orchestra, it is simply 
absurd, for they offer ho peculiar attractions over 
those we have here. Now, I have noticed that operar 
singera are just the same all over the world — ^at least 
such limited portions of it, as I have seen. There is 
always a gaunt man with long legs who takes the 
lead — there is always a little short man with dark 
hair and complexion, who sings with painful earnest- 
ness and a redundancy of gesticulation — tl^ere is 
always a large fitt woman with an expression of hanh 
feicr, and a low-necked dress — there is always a sharp- 
nosed woman with cork-screw curls — ^there are always 
a number of meaningless automaton-like characters 
who are quite eclipsed in the mind of the beholder, 
by the proprietors of the long legs, dark complexion, 
low-necked dress and cork-screw curls. In orches- 
tras I notice that the violoncello is invariably played 
by a fat gentleman with a bald head and spectacles — 
Aat the flutist has a long nose, and a generally con- 
sumptive appearance — that the men who flonrish 
trumpets brare, are mild, queer, self-possessed people, 
and always drive one wild with fear lest they should 

fidl to strike up at the right moment— for, they are 
always so self-possessed, that they whisper or gaze at 
the audience until the very moment that it is time for 
them to sound their instruments, and then quietly 
grasp their ponderous machines, and give a blast 
k>ud enough to wake the dead, with as much non- 
chalance as an elderW fro^, lazily croaking after 
nightfall upon the surface ofa slimy pond. 

The musicians of New York intend to hold a grand 
"Festival "at the Academy of Music on the 27th 
inst., when Beethoven's "Choral Symphony" will 
be performed — Carl Forxeb, and other eminent vo 
calists will assist The orchestra wiU consist of over 
800 performers ; Bbistow, Marbtzbk, Bsroxank, 
and Ah 8CHUT2 will act as conductors. On the fol- 
lowing day there will be a musical pio-nic at Jones's 
Wood in the upper part of the city. 

Trotator. 



Brookltk, N. T., Juhb 8. — The only musical 
event with us of any note for the week past, was the 
production of a Cantata, by Gborob Hbnrt 
Cdrtis, entitled " Forest Melody." The composer 
of the Music is an American of some pretentions and 
no little merit. The words are selected from among 
the fugitive poetry of Wiixiax Cullbn Brtamt, 
and arranged with much taste and good judgment 

It was composed some five years ago, and not, as 
Mr. Fry of the TVUnme has it, fir Dr. Chas. Guil- 
XBTTB, who has now brought it out in a very credit- 
able manner. It is not as yet published, but I hope 
it may be, as there are some excellent things in it, 
and in time they would become popular. The ac- 
companiment is somewhat difficult and showy in 
style, but some of the melodies are truly elegant and 

eraceful. The Baritone part is exceedingly well 
done. The opening Recitative and Aria of the Pre- 
lude : " Song of the Stars," is deserving of especial 
mention ; also the " Hunter's Serenade,' and : " The 
Mav sun sheds an amber light." These were sung 
bv Dr. GuiLMBTTB with excellent taste and very 
enbctively. I think Dr. Guilmette the most accom- 

flishod and finished male vocalist we have among^ us. 
can see a marked improvement in his singing since 
I heard him At your great Festival in May, 1857. 

The most e£lective Soprano song is : " Dost thou 
idly ask to hear," whidi was sunc by BCiss Brain- 
BBD in her usual happy style. This song, I am sure, 
would be much admired if accessible to amateurs, 
and I hope it may be published. 

The most noticeable faults are, too much same- 
ness and repetition in the duets and choruses. With 
a little judicious use of the scissors in this respect, 
" Forest Melody " will gradually win its way into at 
least a moderate popularity. 

At the Academy in New York they are having a 
very successful season of Italian Opera, under the 
auspices of " Mme. Gazzakioa & Co.," as it is 
printed on the tickets. It was the intention to give 
about five weeks, and so far their success has been 
ouite equal to their expectations. The principal ar- 
tists have united their forces under the leadership of 
Marbtzbk, and the management of Bir. W. H. 
Painb, and everything works smoothly so far. The 
Operas are announceawithout an^ flourish of trum- 
pets or " Cards to the Public," with whidi that very 
venerable, but generally very sensible individual, the 
" Public," is thoroughly disgusted. 

Mr. Ullman is reported to have left " very sud- 
denly " for Europe. I hope ho will return a wiser 
and a better man, for it is not impossible to make a 
very excellent manager vft out of even Mr. Ull- 
man. Some think Mr. tUman more reckless than 
enterprising, but then you know it is very easy to be 
enterprising and operate on the largest scale possible 
when some one else is obliged to pay the bills ; when 
vou have much to gain by success and little to lose 
by a failure. 

The Mating of last Saturday was well attended, 
the Opera being 11 Barbtere, and the cast excellent, 
your Boston ravorite, Miss.Adblaidb Phillippb, 
for the first time in New York at least, singing the 
role of Bosina. I am not competent to speak crit- 
ically of tills performance of Miss Phillips, as I am 
too much an admirer of both her acting and singing 
to speak impartially. Next to Bosio, who sans this 
role in New York some four years ago, and who is 
the best Rosina we have ever had in this country, 
MissPhUUps certainly is entided to stand. There 
were several drawbacks to the performance on Satur- 
day. In the first place a Mating is a ver^ nice place 
to while away a leisure hour, so convement to just 
drop in if you are out shopping, such a charming 
place for a little innocent flimng, and all that sort of 
thing ; but it is not the place or the occasion for ar- 
tists to do their best The artists are no more to 
blame than the audience, or the audience than the 
.artists; it is an understood thing on both sides. 
Brignoli is altogether too cumbrous and heavy 
for an Almaviva. Although he sings the music (as 
he can sing every thing when he pleases) charmingly, 
there is no vivacity or spirit in him. Why don't he 
enter into his profession in earnest, as though he 
loved it, or give it up 1 

The Orchestra was not so good as usual,— was sev- 
eral times at variance with the Chorus, tiiough not 
always wrong. All these obstacles were in the way 
of an easy rendering of the role of Rosina, but they 
did not prevent Miss Phillipps from not only doing the 
part exceedingly well, but also winning much well- 
deserved applause. 

In the "Music Lesson" Scene, the Finale to 
CindereUa was introduced: ** Nm piu Metta^irifh 
much effect. This seems admirablv adapted to be 
sung in this place if anything is ; but I somewhat 



auestion the propriety of singmg anything not put 
tiere by the composer. Miss Pullipps does not ap- 
pear to so good advantage in the Non piu Metta, for 



the reason that we have heard the great Alboni so 
many times sing it as no one else can sing it. 

I think Gasbibr's Burber the best we have ever 
had. His by-plav and fUlin^ up of the part is most 
admirable, while his singing is equal to our old favor- 
ite, Badiali. 

Axodio took the part of Don Bassilio, and it is 
simply saying what anv one would know without its 
being said, that he did the part admirablv. 

Last night Drovatore was given, with Miss Phillipps 
as the Gipsy Mother. How any one can prefer Yest- 
vali in this part to Miss Phillipps, is a mystery to me. 

We are to have, so the advertisements in the daily 

gapers say, a " Grand Musical Festival " which I 
ope will not turn out a grand humbug, but I must 
say the chances are that way. Bbllikx. 



Bbrlib, Mat 1. — Stem's Singing Society have 
woven another bright flower into theur crown of glory 
by the production of Handel's " Israel in Egypt" 
This composition is without a rival in its religious 
majesty, in its depth of Old Testament feeling, 
in its tenderness and variety, and yet again in 
its proud simplicity in the treatment of biblical 
wisdom and of miracles. This is especially true of 
the choruses, which in their victorious might and 
splendor, often exert a magical effect. They are exe- 
cuted tiiroughout with fine shading and technical per- 
fection. The singers, supported by Leibig's Ka> 
pelle (orchestra), reproduced succeesfVilly the old 
Handelian spurit and the deep musical life of the mas- 
ter in his fond tone-painting. The solos are fiir infe- 
rior to tiiese choruses ; stiff and monotonous in their 
recitative forms, they will not graciously conform 
themselves to our melodiously accustomed ears. Yet 
the delivery of Frl. Jbxkt Mbter and of Frl. von 
Hbiliobnstbdt must be mentioned with approba^ 
tion. The performance was a contribution to the 
welcome of the newly married Princess Victoria, 
who was present with her husband. Various mu- 
sical efforts were made in honor of her reception ; 
mere occasional pieces, for the most part, of too little 
artistic importance to be named here. For instance, 
in the splendid rooms of the Ritter-saal, the picture 
gallery and the White Hall in the royal palace, which 
opened the long series of court festivities given in 
honor of the reception of the Princess, torch-dances 
by Count Bedem, by Spontini and Meyerbeer, were 
performed by two hundred musicians, under the 
general military director Wieprbght. Moreover, 
Herren Mubckb, Billbrt and Tchirch had their 
Geiongvertme sing festal hymns to the newly married 
pair at the castie ; the Opera Academy, in the concert 
hall of the royal theatre, performed a grand National 
Hymn, written by Bbllstab and composed by Dr. 
ZOPPF, &c. 

In the subscription concerts of the royal Dom- 
Choir the most interesting things have been : the per- 
formance of Palestrina's Pope Marcellus mass, which 
saved music from being banished from the Church by 
the Council of Trent ; and Mozart's genial F minor 
Fantasia, vecy skilfully arranged by Kullak for two 
hands, and played with a sure hand by his pupil, 
Papbndick. 

The most important Trio soir^ were those of Her- 
ren von Bublow, Laub and Wohlbbs. The pro- 
grammes were made particularly interesting by Suites 
and Fantasias, by J. S. Bach, for piano, or viola, or 
violoncello ; among which the superb Fantatie Chnh 
maiiqve was performed with a bravura that carried all 
before it, although somewhat too wildly and not 
thoughtfully enough, by Liszt's wonderful pupil, the 
fifteen year old Tausiq; ahio by Beethoven's last 
Trio, which firequentiy stands near the direction of 
** the future ; " and finally by works in this direction, 
such as Lisst's charming Fantasia for two pianos, 
played with great bravura by Herren Eroix and von 
Bublow. 

In the Symphony Concerts of the Boyal Kapelle, 
besides the more £iivorite symphonies, which it still 



86 



DWIGHT'S JOtTRNAL OF MUSIC 



reprodooes in the broad beaten track of stereotyped 
excellence of performance, we hare had Hajdn's 
variations on the Austrian people's song, and Men- 
delssohn's Octet, played by all the big and little fid- 
Ues of the orchestra. But such a magnifying of the 
mass of sound was a mistake in the case of Haydn's 
tender Quartet ; such expenditure of outward means 
is out of all proportion to the lovely simplicity of its 
Intrinsic meaning. On the contrary, the Mendels- 
lohn work, so saturated with voluptuous euphony, 
makes an advantageous impression in this form. By 
several instruments on each part the sound becomes 
fuller and milder, and little impurities of intonation 
ire smoothed out The first movement is the most 
significant ; the Scheno moves in the domain of his 
irell-known fairy romance, into which some turns, 
too, of the rather stiff and heavy finale make excor- 
nons. 

The mentorious Symphony Concerts of Libbio 
begin to call forth competition in various quarters ; 
especially the Soir^ of Thadbwalt. It is an ex- 
tremely refreshing sign, that the more cultivated mid- 
dle classes no longer frequent any cafi concert, where 
diey cannot for their S^ groschen ^three-pence) hear 
at least a Symphony of Beethoven, Haydn or Mo- 
lart. ff. 

S^ig^t's loBrnal of "^mt. 

BOSTON. JUNE 13, 1858. 

Musio IK THIS Nuxbbr. — 1. Conclustou of 
Schubbbt's Psalm, for four female voices : " The 
Lord is my Shepherd." 

S. Having a couple of pages left open, we fill them 
frith one of the fine old Lutheran Chobals, as har- 
monized in two different ways by John Sbbastiak 
Bach. A third arrangement of the same may be 
found among the " Twdw German ChoraU, as har- 
momzed 6y Bach," published a year or two since by 
Oliver Ditson & Co. The last German collection of 
Bach's Chorals (200 in number), gives this choral 
harmonixed in no less than six difiterent ways, show- 
ing that it was a special favorite with that inimitable 
master of the art of sacred composition. 

We would once more call the attention of church 
choirs, choral societies, of all studentsof the art of com- 
position in four parts, and of all lovers of religious mu- 
Bic in its highest purity and beauty,— the perfect blend- 
ing of what is finest in Art with what is most devout 
and true in sentiment — ^to the inestimable value of 
Bach's Chorals. They ought to be a fundamental 
text-book with all societies of singers of truly sacred 
music. They can be sung by choirs of any number 
of voices, from a single quartet to an oratorio chorus 
of hundreds. Our music schools and " Institutes " 
ihould use them for models in teaching composition ; 
our choirs should sing them on the Sabbath ; our 
Handel and Haydn Societies should impress their 
beauty, their depth of tenderness, and grandeur on 
the general ear and feeling, by singing one or more 
of them with a grand mass of voices in their concerts ; 
our publishers should reprint them by the score and 
by the hundred. We are sure, that, so soon as some 
of them shall have' been heard a few times in the 
oratorio festivals and concerts, diere will be such 
demand for the twelve already published here with 
English words, as to induce the publishers to issne a 
hundred of them in cheap form. We contribute our 
mite toward exciting snch an interest, by furnishing 
this specimen to our subscribers. 

The peculiar metre of the old German hymns ren- 
ders these Chorals for the most part unavailable for 
coupling with .the hymns read from the hymn-books 
in our Congegational service. But we have before 
suggested several excellent uses which may and 
should be made of them, and wo here repeat the sug- 
geatkm. We point to Bach's Chorals as the best cor- 



rective to the vulgar, flat and soulless psahn-book 
epidemic, under which our whole land groans. 

1. Th«j maj be ninf m Toloiituj pieoei Ibr opmlog or 
doring of Mrrieo, Ite., hy ehoin ; and Vbny rait oqwUy wall 
tha lavgaat or tha amallait (atanpla quartet) ehoir ; profidad 
they be ezeoutad with the ntmoat pradakm and tnia fteUac 
bj good, well-trained Toieaa. 

2. Tbay nay be vaed with admirable eflbet In alternation 
with oongregatlraial linglng ; a Terw of the latter, with organ 
aecompanlment, In itroog. homelj nnlion, followed bj a v«ne 
of the fonner, by tiaSned Toieaa, without aeeonpanlment, the 
lame hymn ratpondlng aa It were fhm a more ipiritoal height, 
glorllled In the fine hannonlea and modalationa of Bach ; for aa 
he baa treated them, yon haTe ttie rdigiona enenee of the mnaie 
ezpreaMd, and poilfled thm all that li low and eonunon. 

5. For gnat Choral or Oratorio Soeletlea, to be rang In their 
more miaeeUaneona aaered eoneerta, or at Uie baglnnlog and 
ending of a peifonnanoa. Nothing haa made a finer impraa- 
sion in aneh eoneerta here than two of theee mn» Chorale, 
dmilariy treated by Mendelaaohn In hia *' 8t. Paul." When 
perfoetly rang by a great maaa of Toieea, aa onr MendalaNhn 
Choral Boelety gare them, the elleet li anblime. 

4. In little prlrale musieal clnba and eirelea thoy will aflord 
the Tory beet aort of praetlea. 

6. FOr organiiti and pianiatfi to be need ahnply aa Inatra- 
mental pieoea, their purity and marrellona beavty and algnlfl- 
eanee of harmony must eommend them. There ia more reli^ 
iona latliAietion in Jnat i^aylng them on the piano, than in 
Itotaning to moat of the moalo to be heard In any of onr 
ehnrehea. The way in whleh eaeh of the fonr parte, andeaeh 
note In eaeh, ao perfoetly aarvea the end of the great whole, li 
In itadf a type of pvra derotlon. 

6. But their moat important lerriee will be to mnaieal 
aehoola and elaaaaa. Aa modela In the art of four-part eompo- 
altlon, wItUn the diori form of a ehoral or pmlm-tnne a n art 
at whleh ao many tiy their handa in onr day— th^ will be in- 
Talnable: The haimonliing of ehoiala, with Baeh for a model, 
iamade the Ibundatlon of all ezardiea In eompoaltion hy Marx 
and the other maateri In the Germaa aehoola. 



(( 



Mniio Deakn in CoiindL 

The music publishers have been in council. The 
kings of the earth" (the world musical) "take 
counsel together " — against whom or against what 
we know not ; we do not believe they mean to set 
themselves, in the long run, against the Art, or the 
Art's anointed, the artists and true priests of Art. 
Our Journal has chiefly to do with the artists and 
not wiUi the (money) ** kings " in the world musical; 
but now that the makers of music seem to be doing 
nothing, it may not be uninteresting to hear some- 
thing of that very active, cheerful, tiiriving and re* 
spectable dass of men, our music sellers. One of 
their number sends us here a daguerreotype of them 
in full Board assembled, a life-sketch of their figures, 
their counsels and their humors. We see their faces, 
smiling or excited, their grave and queer proceed- 
ings, their looks and gestures in debate ; but what 
they are debating we see not; it is not for us to pen- 
etrate the mysteries of kings in council. Look and 
be thankfhl. 

AirnvAL Hnrora or na Boabd or Muno Tsabi. ~ On the 
morning of Wedneeday, June 2d, there oonrened. In the apeol- 
oua and elegant " Oenta* Drawing Room," of the Bpeneer 
HouM, hi the " Quera aty of the Weat," the fourth annual 
meeting of the Board of Muaie Trade. The attendance waa 
vary large, and the Tarioua delibemtioQa oharaetertMd by a 
dignity, good-foUowahlp, and apliit of eoneeeelon, whleh eri- 
denced to a aatlafoetory degree, the entmu tanHmU aziating 
between the membera, Indlridually and ooUeettrely. 

From the "modem Athena" there came Meana. .Ditaon, 
Ruaeell, and the witty Tolman; the " Anpire City " contribu- 
ted the plaeid, unmdBed Pond, and the wide-awake, nerrooaly- 
energetle Hall ; the ^'Quaker City " delegated Meana. Bohmidtt 
Beck, and the Jolly, rubiennd, Teutonic Lee ; from the " Monu- 
ment City " appeared that early muaical pioneer in Baltimore, 
Geo. Willig, Jr., and the enterpriafaig McCaffrey ; Cincinnati 
wheeled Into line a hoet of Peters; Lonlarille graced the 
meeting with the chiTalrons Vanlds, (Puer formoeua !) and the 
thoughtfully Teneimble Cragg ; Bt. Louli augmented the Weat- 
em foroea with that aecompliahed mualcian, and ahrewd Muaie 
Dealer, Chariea Balmer; while CleTeUnd deputiaed the courte- 
ous Bcainerd to represent its intereata. 

The Prssldent of the Board, Mr. Olirer Dlteon, of Boston, 

hariog called the meeting to order, Inaugurated the proceed- 
inga with a masterly report and retroepeetlTe rerlew of the 
praninent erenta of the peat year, preeenting tlierain Tarlous 



Tsluable memorabitia Ibr ftiture reforence, and sugnating 
dlreta eaeaUent meaaurse for the guidance of the Aasosiation. 



Then foUowed the Beeretaiy'a report, whleh, together with 
that of the PrsiidsBt, waa nnanlniously and cordial^ rseelTod 
and approrad. 



Hsfaopon the buaineai proooedad in the 
aeribed by the formula, eetabllsbed In the ** Articles of 
elation." Numerous appiicatlODa for Bcmberahip were reeelTed, 
and proper legislation thereupon foUowed ; anecessftiUy, how- ■ 
erer. In but one instance, — that of Mr. L. A. A. Schmidt, of 
Philadelphia, whoae clahna to an eleetion were proren beyond 
a earil, and whoae antecedenta Interpoeed no omeetlon. One 
member of the Board, wlio had rsndered biaBself ^leeially ob- 
noxloua br a flagrant and persistent TiolatloQ of the spirit and 
letter of the Aaeoclation was unanimously declared " no longer 
a member of the Board." Up to this Juncture there seemed 
to ezlrt the moat perfoet unanimity upon every meaaurs pro- 
posed: when pre$to/ change. In the twinkling of an eye, did 
the weat stand aniagoniatle to the Beat, in a fnrloua argument 
which proved at once exciting, and calculated to eUeit the 
pariiamentary abllitiee of tlie entire Board. 

A Weetem member demanded oertaii 
Bast, which seemed totsllr Incompatible with tlie peounlaiy 
Intersate of the latter. Tiie meeaurs waa reforred to a com- 
mittee of flf« Mettsmloha, who perapired fearfully, after din- 
ner, in ftitile attampta to concoct a aatUfoctory com pr omise. 
Bameetty did these labor amid the Aimea of '' Neptonee," 
and the efli M f se ei ng atlmulua of "Longwortfa'a sparkling 
CMawba;" until flnallT a member cried Btireka! and preeent- 
ed a saemin^y palatable report. The Board, however, ignored 
the saase m toto^ and by tUa unfortunate conm of procedure, 
opened anew a diaeuasion, which drew forth a variety of tur- 
bulent speeches, and prokMo^ed the session into the ** wee ama' 
hours o* the night." W. C. Petere, the muaical Neetor of the 
Weat, proved an eloquent champion of Ha alloged rights. 
Upon hla left, eat PanUa, of Loulavilla, who disptoyed aU the 
abUltlas of a collected and deep-thoughted lawyer, aaaivhlug 
the reeorda for prscedent, and expounding the conatitntlon 
with the aeuBMB of a Webeter. Meears. Cragg and Balmer, 
too, vmHantly protected the flanke of the weeten Army, 
Jealoudy meeting every attempt of the oppealtioB to fttee its 
centre. 

Rot a whit lem aturdOy wars the interseti of the Baat repre- 
sented. ItsforceewereledbytheonergetleJameaP. HaU, the 
Acblllee of the Music Trade, vulnemble only in the one point 
of agood heart, which impale him frequently to aaerttce hla 
own cherished Ideaa in a spirit of concession to his friends. 
Hina Achlllee eroee, and declared himaelf wUUng to accede to 
the densanda of the Weet, with the prowae that the latter 
ahould yield a certain impovtant point to the Beat. Unfortu- 
nate to the hat degree!— for the Baatem members, after 
stoutly aasertlng thsir poeiUve InabiUty to yield the point 
without much detriment to their Intereets, thua virtually ad- 
mitted that it waa possible. When Achilles thus abowed hla 
heel, the Weetem forcee, by another well directed charge, in 
wUdi tboy were aided by seveial member s from the BaaVwho 
actually had a lurking intereat in the anceem of the West, 
turned the fortune of the day. 

The other busfawm of the Board waa aoon d e s p a t rbad. Aa 
eleetion for ofltoers for the enaulng year rsaulted In the unanl- 
mooe choice of Geo. Willig, Jr., for Prsaldent ; Jamee F. BbU. 
Tke-Preeident: and Jamee N. Beck, Secretary. The Board 
then a4)oumed to m»et at the OUmor Bouae, Baltfanote, on 
the first Wedneeday of June. 18Bd. 

Heiwupon foUowed the infonnal ftetiritiM; the "foasia of 
rsaaon and the flows of eoul." Prominent among theee, might 
be instanced the preeentatton of a pair of elegant diamond 
atnda to Mr. Oliver Dlteon, the esteemed President of the 
Board. James P. Hall, In behalf of his follow members, ten- 
dered the gift in a felicitous speech, which wea acknowledged 
by the recipient In a pertinent and foreeftd manner. 

Mr. BeqJ. Webb, of Louisville, In whom exists the very aool 
of geniality and quaint humor, had aulferod to an ahuming 
extent from the intensity of the sun's mys. by rsaaon of the con- 
tmeted margin of hisc&pean, aadting tana the deepeet sym- 
pathy. To relieve hla distress, an ample t m n b n r o^ with a rim 
fit Ibr a race couiee, was disembowellea from the dead stock of 
an extensive Cinctnaati hatter, and pr eaen t ed to him. The 
preeentatlon waa alike Impreeslve and humorous. Deecribing 
the are of a circle etood the members of the Board ; la tha 
centre, the unoonedona Webb, lair ladles, too, graced the 
occasion with Ihsclnating smilsa and ample crinoline, good- 
humoredly kerinf when Mr. Jemea F. Hall addreaeed the 
centre figurs of the group, and in a eharaeteriatie e p eee h 
stated the objects of the impromptu convocation. The free 
of Mr. Webb wouki have ftimlshed an admirable study fera 
Baphael, at the moment when the speaker drew from behind 
a luge rocking chair, the gift, and plaeed the saase upon the 
head of ita recipient. The humorous character of the sui^ 

Else evoked a heerty tough : and the Innate qualntnen. which 
ports to every action of Mr. Webb, ao mueh geniality and 
aeet, expanded with the criais; indeed hla rsipansa would 
have Imparted additional pith to the pagee of a Pfekwlck. 

Three and a half miles from the " Queen City," upon a com- 
manding hillock, overlooking the mMJfiMc Ohio, stands the 
Gothic cottage of Mr. W. C. Peters, the Nestor of the Western 
muski bnainea. The human imagination could aoaroely pic- 
ture a more Ikscioatingly romantic and lovely landscape than 
that wliich surrounds this beauteoue eonntiy seat. To the 
right, ensconced among thaHilla, Is seen dooinnatl, like a dia- 
mond rtodding the placid boeom of the noble river ; while to 
the left, aa for aa tne eye can reach, doee the aame uu^Uo 
strsam pursue ite winding eourae among the hillS( enrlehiag 
the Miami valloy. Immediately around the cottage, multl- 
tudee of aliruba and flowere aoant the air with refreehlng 
aroma, while the Interior denotee. In Ite economy, the flue 
teates of an educated man, who arnkl a Paradiae Uke thie, 
whilee away hla otwm xm dignitmu in the peacsfal pleasurss 
of Art and the unalloved entjOTmente of domestio bappinem. 
The membere of the Board eqjoyed a charming viait to this 
intersstlng spot, on the afternoon of June 8d, and the " Lord 
of the Manor" received them with ftmtemal afiection, being 
materially and courteously assisted in these oflkee of klndnem 
by his hospitable coneort and accomplished daughter. 

All in all, the members of the Board met with a moat enthu- 
siastic and cardial reception at the hands of their weetem con- 
JMru. Pure, unadulterated native wlnee caused the tidee of 
wit and sentiment to ebb and flow with rsgalarity. Dealcra 
fraternised and exchanged their Ideea of business with happy 
accord; exchangee of Gataloguea were propoeed and substan- 
tially carried out; and finely, there ensued a aatlabetofy 
smoothing of many little eddlee which had tended to raflle the 
relations of individual members during the past yt 



A large ta^yuitj of the pertfcipanta left dndanatl on 
Thursday nij^t and Friday morning for their homes; others 
started on the aame days for a pleaauro exeurrion to the Mam- 
moth Gave, Kentucky, and thua ended the fourth annual eon- 
voeatkm of the Board of Muaie Trade, bonntiftilly fraught 
with benefldal rssnlts to all Its participants, and tending la aa 
eminent degree to devdop thorn resources of tiade, which 
aoerua flram unity of pnrpoae and of aetloii. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1868. 



87 



ittisit ^btoaii. 



Tiffnilftw. 

Tlwpivgraiiuneof tl)c thiid Philhjikhohid Cov- 
CIKT, H*j 10, indndod for Symphoniei, Beolborai'i 
fniKsandHftjdo'aNo. 11. H. HalU pUjed BcM- 
hoTMi'a grcM Pirao-foite Concrato in B flu ; uid 
Spohr'a Mth Violut CodmRo ni pUjed hj H«n 
Bott — Spohr'* fiiToiiU papil. Hmc CUn Norallo 
ung l&ndelnobn'i luliin Scout ; It^Hia, and tlui 
BoTMU* : &nVt FvrU, fhnn " WUIiun TeU "; MiM 
LuceUsi ung ui aria by Winter : Paga Jm. Tba 
OT«rtiu«ta Obenn eknedilMfeMt SteiWUlt BeniMtt 
WM conductor. For tha fonrth concert Joachim mi 
»«ngagad, to play Maiid«luobn'i Tiotin ConMTto 
and » SooMa by Bach. 

Hu HAjnaTT'a Thsatx*. — After aarenl ftr- 
fonnaneca of lbs Tranata and the TVaeatort — mat- 
Wn of cooiM in all Italian opera* — and anodter rep- 
Miiion of tba " Hngnenoti," eune the Bnt night of 
Am Giosamu, Hay 1 1 , when there ma greax cortoa- 
ity 10 iritneaa HUe Ti^ena in ■ new pan. The Ht- 
Aai World aaya ; 




■■1. lb* tDdni brine la liit'ii^iilv 

fnoilll nitniriOD, wd Uh matgrwiMi aijuiiL tirl 
in*, iHtiii BoHilmgiiili oBond. Wit Tii:'>r 
talfUVat^ignlFiiamt:) Id Um U«»:^" -t 

DnaiB * — via vaEthf u Houit " — bsro- ■ ■ ^ - 
liaiiB«ia>at«. 
Htdllt. Ptniloateil'i teUia li u Unlj ud butl 




11 Boriun waa anon to be perfermed, with Alboni 
aa Borink, and Sig. Belait, for the lint time in Eng- 
land, aa AlmaTira. 

ITor an account of the opening of the Boyal Italian 
Open, in tbe new Corent Garden Tbeatre, see page 
81. 

Then ia Hilt a ihird Italiin Open in lUI blait 
{Trnvtian, S^.) In London. A aerisa of opena at 
^y-hooae piicea commenced at Dnuy Lane, May 
10. MUe. Salfini Donatelti ia tbe name of tba 
yoDDg lady who pUyed Leonon; Hme. Bemardi 
wna gipaeying aa Aincena, with Hr. Charlea Brabam 
aa Hanrieo. Sig. Bidiau (oar old friend 1) w*« 
Co«nt dl Lnna; an Engliab cridcaaya of him: "He 
haa been a good alnger, and b etill an eneigetic ao- 
Mr." Hme. Gaaaier waa to appear in the 'SaHnam- 
Mo, with Hr. George Fetren a* ElTino. TVavwCa 




, MM. S^lsa ud PIMIl, wliD plijid iktrkOli 
mMa put! Ib tfaoMHtba^ Blwii*irt< Mo In C 
IMbHtngadMa BiBBn: bnt W tendact «u. 
•■dlif. ahMr nsB bMialfi ledn*, ib* nat cf tbi 
w^vnoua* w wift id wtkoilT of Hto pIfeBotirl* fti to f manoM. 
Tbt piieH ■•» SfliaaOu'i Baeh'i " r*iiliM* Chmudasa " 
■wl fccn* la Dmlaor. aril " 

Bad "PiKHMdH 4*08 



Hiaa AmAuixA Oodsabs'i Soixna. — Thia 
lemailuUe young ioterpreter of cluaical pUao 
ma^ — the pride of tbe Engliab wor^d <^ mnaie — 
bad tbe fbllowing piogmoune at her laat concert : 

lliTMta, ihao*m« and TMoaaaUotOp. lTJ,lil> AnbtUa 
Osddatd uuf Mr. HonOp OUn.— IUiid*LiBlin. 

OiaaJmitu tai BiBlBar(Ui*l*il Kmikt* MDpii**d brff*- 
barh Of. n, rteiatoto, Mia lf*Ml* Soddud-Vatw. 



Bbwr liMiwanj knmra aa " Tba CaM rafiu)" 
PnlBda ud Facn* Ib major—" Clailtr Um lupiK " 
ran* ln'l>lfiiw-"XiUU|iud VtDflf'MSnacluM- 
■wlidl plna) pl*w)«>na. Himk. Ooddu4--MtndaliHiliB. 

Sonata In B Oat. pluufeiM ud iloUn, Hlaa AnbtUa Ood- 
dudaadW aUntOB. 

«t* la B ■>! (Op. IM), 



A Natiohal Scrooi. Chokal FBiTiTAi. took 
place in the Cryital Palace, Hay », and atKacted 
nearly twenty iboaaand people. Tbe choma eon- 
aiat«d of from four to flre Ehonaand Toicea, aelected 
from die diildrea and teachen of the national and 
endowed icboola of London and Tidnity, nnder the 
dit«ction of Hr. O. W, Martin. The fbUowing pro- 
gramme waa giren : 




of the Toealiata. 



Clnb.' 
•t present.. 



Huioftl Chitchat 

We attended Wedtteaday erefaing a moat agreeable 

concert, giTen to a moat crowded and anthnaiaatie 

audience, In Cambridge, by atndenta of the College, 

neabeT«of the old "Pier^ Sodality "and "Olee 

It ahowed vaat improvement in tbe College 

ice oar daf ; bulwehaTeonlyoow to mention 

Cxxi. PoRKia has contr.icted with 

aing at fortr cooeem in the Western 

dliea, for tbe anog anm of ten thousand dollars 

PuzEOLim returaa to Paria, where atie ia engaged 

for tbe enaning leaaon Wo bear that we are artn- 

ally to have a course of Trmaiart j- Co., at the Boa- 
ton Tbeatre in a week or two JBHvr Lird they 

•ay haa twinned — a roong Jenny and a TOunB Otto 

at a birth The Mnaard Concerta In Philadelphia 

are divided of late into two parts : a Mnaard Concert 
and a Pobmes Concert; In one of tbem FortnM 
•Ujt In dimm taTjn AOn, the " Wanderer," and 
" The Bay of Kacsy." 

Tbe "Country Sintfvg-Sdiool Teadiw," aa a 
correapondent in our Journal, for Hay 3tt, dealgnatea 
the conductor of a recent peribnnance of tbe '- Ore- 
_.,__ „ In Chicago, ni., lama oatto be the Editor of 



the CAi 



luogo tfnncal Bantio, Hr. C. M. Cadt, a gen- 

I wbo deTotea hinudf to the work of popular 

and with a 



h«l . _ 

othia Beniae he aliudei to the letter of oar coirea- 
pondent, tbna : 

Tb* UK patteBasnaodb* Oiatcria <( tils Onuimihj 
tho CUiua llaAal DiiloB,H*dar mdlwtlaa.haaMMid 
nnr Mnds aa o^^partanttj M p^ as ■ nili^ ofeiMBpUiBnt*, 
bnt Boa* of tbaa sMoa (0 nil sa «a* vsld to na bT ■ Mm*- 
po^dtB(frontUad^,vboH Mta'appian In tb* kit nun- 
bn- of Cwwkl'j Jtumat af JBwit, (aa *io*U*Bl npn- hj tha 
nj). Alter taldm* ItitBitMT, and tb*pw«w»|u- 
nllT,h**uUlBa, "BnttUOoDdnelorlll-alM! liasoon- 
liT aii«liv-Ssh*al Taibv," W* ban arnt a »t dsai o( 

iililaH J^bor U trrliif to nmnl oanMssBdoBla (nm udIt- 

« to u ih* pnti '^fntytad Mbsr ■»■ 

an la a tltla that n hal pnnd of. «i b* r 

ruiftblB|,r*qnlnB ~ — .-.-_..-- 




Btnclnc-ScbDol ^aobar. 

This ia ail aonnd and aenalble, and we mnat aar 
we like its apirit. Bnt how about the Oaa LigU 
joke! ICitrikesua "A.M."la<J jron theiel . . . , 
Speaking of Chicago, we learn that the "Muaical 
laatitate " l> holding ihoe in annual aeaaion of six 
weeks, cloaing June 36. Heesrs. BnADBinii and C. 
H. Cadt are tbe principal teachera, and conraoof 
daily exerdaes in the art of teaching, in Harmony, 
niltiTatlDn of the toico, Church Hnaic, Chonu and 
Glee Singing, Ac., goonbeforeaclaaa of earnest and 
intelligent ladies and gentlemen.. -Tbo Blinola State 
Nomul UniTeraity, located at Bloominffton, seta an 
example wbidi older Univenities would do well to 
follow. Mualc is there treated as a regnlai study, 
and ■ certain pioflcien^ therein ' 
gradualiou. 



At tbe meeting of the Boerd of Music Trade, des- 
seribed ahore, Uie Ptesidenl gare a renew <^ the 
bnaineaa of tbe toade during tin past year, abowing 
that thougb it baa been a moat diaaatrous year in the 



due to Ae oigaaiiMioii of tbe Board, li^ had die ■ 
calamity OTertaken tbem before the oiMOisatian, bnt 
few, ifany woaldbaTeinrriTedtheshod. TbeBoard 
DOW cODsiats of twenty-tbne members, one of the 
number reaiding in Canada. 

A subscriber In Miltswood, Chalford, Oloneerter- 
ahire, England, la informed that hia non-receipt of the 
Journal of Music aince the end of Mardi wna owing 
to an orersight in the ctqiying of onr mall-book at 
that tiae. Tbe miaaing numben went by the lait 
steamer. We are vcsy aony Ibr the accident, but 
are almost Rcondied to it unce it makea oa aoquaiu 
ted with 10 deroted a reader, through the medium 
of a gntifyipg note, of which we take tiie libar^ to 
copy a fow sentencee : 

~ ~ ~«ilkte jon InOaiiB* 




Jfht ^rt«. 



The AtiunBnm SzhibitloiL 

I' 



The seeming anomaly involTed in two avowedly 
aniagoniatic forms of Art, co-existent in a country 
where a eentnl unity of pnrpoae is diacemible In all 
its modM of intellectual and religion* manifestatkn*, 
I bare ende»Tored to explain, by referring its canse 
to a national, ingrained, yet short-aigbted 1ot« of 
truth, that was content to wear Art as a gaudy 
ODwn npon its head, so long as it was thought to be 
the insignia of a prond birth-right merely — bearing 
no teelimoDy concerning the moral Tirtnee, or Inter- 
nal characto' of the wearer — and wliidi, when it 
learned diat what was written apon the crown was 
iuactibed In the name of the people, and attested 
tbeir nobleness or barronneaa of heart, turned, and in 
mere eelf-consbtency, dcTotad itself to the encourage- 
ment and derelopement of die new fbrm of Art 
whose motto was alao " love of tmlb," and whose 
profossed aim it was, to carry Integrity of pnrpoae 
into Art, and make pictures embodiments of Uring 
prindplca. 

The distinction here made, between the moral in- 
anity of the Old, and (he momi niality of the New 
School of English Art, eonsidea^ In reftnoce to 
thchr respectiTe, eonsniiiis, actnaling motWes, I bare 
no present disposition to qnalify ; bat since I have 
denied- the existence of any well-eetabliahed lAmittt 
piindples of truth of An, and yet, in presenting a 
snmmary of the leading chancteristlct of tbe different 
adiools, haye affirmed the " falseness " of tbe one, 
and the " nncompromisiug fidelity fo truth " of the 
other, with a brevi^ so naked diat there seemed no 
pUce for die concealment of a doubt, and which *U« 
so tu debamd tbe truth of my opinion ita right, and 
complete ntteranre, that as b^bie suggested, aimple, 
ereu-handed jnatioe might well demor, and more an 
aneat of judgment, it may be well to pause awhile, 
here in the angle botweeo die widely diraiging lines 
of tiiese two distinct phases cf ArtJinlIng, — where 
thdr true planes of extension may be moat dearly 
seen, — and, before going forward upon tlie track of 
the new Art reriral, look Inquiringly, bade over the 



88 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



waj traTened in making tha path of the old one, to 
see if there were no important featarea orer-looked, 
or wrongly judged, and if there were not also other 
underlying motives besides the religions one, pertain- 
ing to this Art in its revired, or original state, which 
might be interpreted as forming possible fractions of 
an absolute goreming principle in Art, but which 
were so dimlj apprehended, that their profound truth 
was unwittingly warped into an expression of the 
"shallow folsehoods" which Bfr. Ruskin has been 
the first to proclaim, and which his humbler followers 
are constantly re-asserting. 

Is it not possible that the actuating motive which 
gave birth to the specific object of Mr. Buskin's 
execrations — the Claude ideal of landsc^M — involv- 
ed a principle lying nearer the abtoluU centre of Art 
than the so-called truth of modem Pre-Kaphaelit- 
ismt 

Is it not true, that the religious Art of Raphael, 
which has also been heartily anathematised from the 
Rnskinian altar, contains the same principle put to 
its noblest use 1 

Is it not possible that the principle of subordination 
here exercised — subordination of external fact to 
internal truth — body to spirit, where a complete 
expression of the two is impossible without jarring 
dissonance, — is not only right, but positively de- 
mands a recognised position amongst the leading 
verities of all noble Art % 

If it 60 true, that those qualities in the landsa^ 
Art of Claude, or the more exalted religious Art 
precedhig it,^which excite Mr. Ruskin's particular 
irreverence and contempt, are, howsoever feebly ex- 
pressed, symbols of a nobler and more philosophic 
ideal in Art than now anywhere exists, it would 
seem that, in his desire to secure a universal emfet- 
non of devotion to truth in Art for truth's sake, — as 
manifested in his special advocacy of the Pre-Ra- 
phaelite mctivei, and his denunciation of those ot 
Claude and Raphael, ^- Mr. Ruskin has sacrificed 
that immanent truth which, working through its age 
to make a permanent record of its animating spirit, 
took small heed of its superficial requirements, and 
was at once a cause and result of genuine inspiration, 
for that which mirrors itself in every trivial act of 
external life, and offers the semblance of truth which 
plays upon its surface, as an adequate substitute for 
the veritable soul of absolute Art. 

Assuming the truth of this position, then it had 
only been necessary for the founders of the Old 
School of English Art, to have possessed an intel- 
lectual grasp of the true principle of subordination, 
as comprehensive as its animating spirit in the heart 
of Italian Art was pure and sincere, to have trans- 
mitted to us, at least, a body more sound than that 
which contains the nerveless pictures that form its 
representative feature in this exhibition. 

I cannot say that they did not possess and evince 
such a grasp in their works, but if they did, in the 
travail of a century, it has lost the vigor of health, 
and presents itself now in a wretched, enfeebled con- 
dition. StiU, tiiat it is at all visible here, (if not 
worn as a lying mask,) should be admitted in evi- 
dence of a purity of motive in the Art wliich I have 
denominated as false, without at the same time ad- 
mitting that it might be unconsciously so. 

Let us now leave this debatable ground however, 
and move on into the domain of Art where " truth " 
is the only countersign of admission, without which, 
no Art, howsoever mighty in the state, can come 
within its walls, but giving which, the humblest are 
warmly welcomed and passed into the inner courts. 
Meanwhile, we will retain our somewhat uncertain 
grasp upon the well-seeming principle we have travel- 
led so fkr back to secure in its pristine integrity, lest 
in our stroll through the new kingdom, we may dis- 
cover some needs which this can partially serve, and 
which, without it, might give us greater perplexity 
and discomfort 



We have noticed that Fre-Raphaelitism hangs its 
" banner of truth upon the outward walls.'' When 
wo are within them, I will strive to discover what 
floats above the keep of the citadel, after noting the 
various objects lying about its base. 

"A Fishing Harbor in tiie West," No. 144, is a 
severely drawn, cold, unattractive picture by W. W. 
Fenn, who gives the intended motive in some plea- 
sant lines from W. Allingham. The picture contains 
no sunny cheer, but, on the contrary, is dull, dreary, 
and hard; yet if a tiioughtfol rendering of one of 
nature's ungenial moods in studied, prosaic literal- 
ness be worthy of praise, there is something very 
admirable in this picture. 

Nos. 9S and 161, are two pictures of very unequal 
merit by W. J. Webbe, the first of which demands 
no especial notice. The *' Twilight," however, firom 
its peculiar composition and decision of color, and 
also, as we soon learn, fh>m its successful treatment, 
forms one of the prominent features of the collection. 
The beautifully graduated light in the sky, which is 
doubtless somewhat enhanced in its effbct by the 
opposition of the dark, ugly, mass of rock that is 
thrown boldly against it — the faint reflected flash of 
light glimmering over the middle distance, the pecu- 
liar, twilight mystery, pertaining to the dimly out- 
lined forms of the foreground objects, are rendered 
with marked power and truth of fiBeling. 

" Trudging Homeward," No. ISS, by T. Campbell, 
Jr., fomishes a striking illustration of the utter ab- 
negation of beauty, and the worship of painfol ugli- 
ness. The picture certainly attests an emphatic 
power of expression on the part of tiie author ; but 
the firequent presentation of such unaspiring sadness, 
such mere earth-clogged, body weariness, which only 
murmurs of tired limbs, would prove of very doubt- 
M utility in the mission of true Art. For the rest, 
the power of painting in some parts of the picture, 
howsoever limited, forcibly suggests, that tiie empty 
grotesqueness of form and utter want of dear per- 
ception shown in other portions, are either prooft of 
a very strange humor or deliberate affectation; to 
which latter opinion I incline, since the same incon- 
gruity is observable in many other works here, and 
serves a very significant purpose which Browning 
has clearly drawn in the following lines from " Fra 
Lippo Lippi : " 

** Thus, yoltow dOM Ibr white 
When what you put fkv 7«llafw*f timjillj blaek, 
And U17 aort of »Mi>nfat looks IntanM 
WhMi aU iMddM ilMlf BMaaa and looks Bsacht.» 



The two pictures, more properly called toorhi, by 
T. W. Inchbold, are the most unsatisfoctory elabora- 
tions which could well be produced. " Noon Day on 
the Lake of Thun," No. 15S, might as well be called 
"black midnight" for aught that it truly reveals of 
the qualities of beauty in Nature, pertaining to this, 
or any other similar scene. 

No. Ill contains some pleasanUy harmoniaed color 
in the tree trunks, charming mazy traceries produced 
by elaborate ramifications of branches and twigs 
relieved against an intensely blue sky ; but "an earn- 
est of the Spring" it does not give. 

Spring is full of sap. The Heart of the earth, 
gathering strength through the winter sleep of her 
children, is wanned in the sun's vernal rays, and 
pours its rich blood through all tiie arteries of the 
vegetable kingdom. There is no place for arteries 
beneath the shell of this beantifol mosaic. 

"Bad News from SebasUpol " furnishes the theme 
for a painful, domestic story, which is simply and 
effectively told in No. 98 by F. B. Barwell. There 
is need of vital, breathing color in the flesh, and bet- 
ter modelling of parts, especially the young girl's 
arm, which is thrown across, or rather awkwardly 
hangt from her mother's lap. The action of the 
picture is dear, earnest, and natural, and also, power- 
fully dramatic. Mssoa. 

(To bo eoBttnuod.) 



3pth\ %niuts, 

DBSGRIPTXTS LIVT OF THB 

PMMIake4 hr O. Dica^a iL €•• 

Vooal, with Piaao. 

Gentie Hattie. Song and Choros. C, St, John. S5 

A vary happy olfort. Thli If a foof Ibr the many ; 
an mty, graoofU molody, MUmed by an ofloethne 
elionis, ondlBg In loof and lokaBly iwdliiiff eborda. 

Lniie Lee U fuU of mischief. Ghoer. 25 

Starlight NeU. Ghver, » 

ThtmB aio tho two piotCiMt "iMfatelloi" vlileli 
tha IbrtUo pen of tho ororacraeablo Olorer taaa of late 
pntfcrth; the latter being evMentty twin-dater l» the 
alnady moeh funff ballad, ** Uttle Gipoey Jane." 

The Spanish Muleteer. Barriaon MtHard. 25 

A flPMh, vlgorooi sons Ibr baritone voloe, to all ap- 
peatanoee oaught fteih from the lipe of eome hardy 
moontiineerf leliUNly aaantering down with hla 
anfanale on the veife of a piedplee, eraeldnf hii whip 
and not oering Ibr anybody. It is a tivoKlte eoneert 
■ong of the eoBipoeer's. 

Excelsior. Duet Balfi. 60 

The author has hera, In an eUbocatt duet Ibr tenor 
and baa, brooght oat all the beaatko of thle eele- 
brated poem, and left no neani unemployed to fbrd- 
bly fanprmi the ftacy of the heaier. 

Through the fields I trip at morning. Domxdti. S5 

■reiybody ftmOter wKh the gema of Italian opera 
wDl, in thia ballad, at onee neognim the ohaTming 
melody in the doet between Adina and the Doctor 
]>akamans(laetaetofBldrd'Amore). It need only 
be added, that the adaptetloo to ft^lfah worda It ez- 
eeUont, in order to Inaure the thanks of many ringM, 
to whom this piece la thoa made aeoeerible. 

British Grenadiers. S5 

Come haste to the wedding. CaBooU. 25 

Two more of a aeriee of fboMma old b^lah aonga. 

Stand up for Jesus. Z. 0. J^meraon. 25 

The abore worda were the last exhortation of the late 
Rer. Dr. Tyng of Philadelphia, and imn the fulnlect of a 
highly tooehlng poem, to wliieh the popular co m poeer 
has Joined an impreaaiva malnty. 

Oh, sweet the spring widi its meiry ring. 

Hub^inmm. 25 

A adrthlViI, pretty tone, which eapedaUy yoong . 
Iblka will rallah very moeh, and qniokly alng by hmrt. 
To those who haTe fteqoented the late eonoerti of the 
ftmlly, Itwffl be an old Ibvorlto, gladly vetooaaed In 
print. 

Books. 

A CoMPLBTs Method fob thb Guitas: con- 
taining the Elementary Principles of Music, 
and a New, Original, and Progressive Mode of 
acquiring a rapid Mastery of the Instrumenty 
interspersed with a pleasing yariety of popular 
Songs and National Melodies. ByOttoFeder. 
Bound in Clotii. Price, $2,50. 

This wni be ftmnd a Talnable acquisition to the 
meani employed by teaehen, and a fuperior method 
of hnpartlng a oorreet, artiatic ooorm of inatmetion ; 
while to icholan it wHI profe valuable and attnedTe 
in iU plain, piogremlTe keaona, capitil esamplm and 
eaeiolaea, and ita Jodieiooa mleetlon and arrangement 
of etery leqnlalte Inftwmation t>r the acqnivement of 
a knowledge of Gaitar playing. Boglnnlng at the 
earileat point— at the vaiy alphabet of the art, it ad- 
iranoca atep by atep, and undentandingly, to the 
elanioel eompoaitlona of the **gv>at maatera." To 
penona about oommenclng the atndy of the GoltaTf 
wo wonld oonunend a pemaal of ttila new and admir- 
able work, and even old playeca will And wy moeh 
in it inatrootlTe and naefUl In the-pxaotloe of their 
proftealon. The atyle of Its bfaiding la aome adTanee 
on that naoally adopted by pubUahen of workaof the 
kind. It la bound In cloth, handaomely emboaaed, ' 
lettered, and flnldied Tery neatly. 




Whole No. 324. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1858. Vol. Xm. No. 12. 



June. 

Skies of clocpest azure, 

Dance of mountain streams^ 
OliUcring in the brightness 

Of the noontide beams, 
Scent of apple blossoms 

Filling all the air, 
Cowslips in the meadow, 

Violets eyerywhore : 
Floods of golden sunshine. 

Trailing robes of green, 
Gayer than the garments 

Of the proudest queen : 
Seas of crimson clover, 

Choirs of singing birds. 
And tlie blessed charm of 

Happy children's words : 
Soft, melodious whisperings 

In tlie tasseled trees, 
Joy of tell-tale breezes, 

Hum of honey bees : 
Unrestrained resplendonoe. 

Universal dieer. 
Beauty all unbounded 

Tell us June is here : 
June : of bloom the fairest ; 
Jane : of song the rarest 

Of the changeful year. 

Chicago Journal, 



fTnuulated for thia Joomal.] 

Mnsical Orthodoxy. 

from the Oerman of Ifma. Jobahma KnnoL. 
(ContlDaad from page 82). 

That made no impression upon her ; she thought 
to herself: '< What is it to bear the trials of life 
to one for whom life itself has lost its charm ? " 

In her longing to see Selvar again, she half 
forgot that it was for the last time. She found 
him and his sister alone, but awaiting company. 
Ida had no wish to see any strange face after she 
had long looked upon that, which in her opinion 
was the most beautiful upon earth, and had im- 
pressed it forever upon her memory. She told 
in few words the reason of her visit, to their utter 
astonishment They declared her. resolution too 
hastily made, and an act of the greatest eccen- 
tricity ; they could hardly believe her in earnest, 
and demanded some satisfactory reason for that 
step. The real reason she could not give, and a 
false one she would not ; so instead of an answer 
to their questions she thanked them from her 
heart for all the kindness she had received from 
them, and tore herself hastily away. 

When Selvar called at her lodgings early next 
morning, he was told that she had left the place 
in the night mail coach. "She was a strange 
girl," thought he ;" it is a pity that she had not 
a little more of cool prudence ; and yet upon the 
whole her present step is not so unwise, if she 
really is unable to accomodate herself to her 
true position." 

Late in the summer Selvar^s sister and Fran 
Werl met accidentally when walking. The ques- 
tion rose at once to the lips of both: " Have you 
any news from our friend Ida ? " 

The Countess had oft»n had a slight anxiety 



as to the effect of what had passed upon Ida's 
mind ; on the other hand Frau Werl feared more 
for her outward circumstances, and spake at 
length on this topic, with the good lady to whose 
mind the idea of want had never occurred. 
Shocked at such a possibility, the Countess be- 
sought her brother to take some step to ascertain 
the condidon of the girl. Selvar recalled to 
mind a young musician, who had once been the 
teacher of his daughter, and who was now a 
member of the orchestra in the city to which Ida 
had removed, and wrote requesting him to seek 
her out and acquaint him with her present cir- 
cumstances and prospect 



Sohling, a young concert-master, sat with sev- 
eral comrades in a public garden, and the talk 
was upon professional matters. One of them, 
who was also teacher of the piano-forte, was just 
then telling anecdotes of his pupils. 

"The Baroness," continued he, "invited me 
the other day to one of her musical soirdes, and 
I played a few Etudes of Chopin. * Bring me 
these studies to-morrow,' said she, * I should like 
to play them through.' I answered her plainly : 
' They are too difficult, Frau Baroness, you could 
not possibly play them.' She would not listen to 
me and persisted in trying tlie No^Il, in E flat, 
with those inhuman intervals. As she went on, 
obstinate as grim death, striking one chord after 
another, all equally false, I sat by in speechless 
despair. By-and-by she asked me to correct her 
with perfect freedom. So I began, next bar, to 
criticize every note, for all were wrong. * Well,' 
said she, quite at her ease, * go on, go on.' And 
so she continued alternating her ' go on, go on,' 
with * come, help me a little, and show me my 
mistakes.' At last we got through, and her hus- 
band, who had sat by shaking his head, exclaimed : 
' Mais, e'est un diable de compositeur, ce Chopin 
U!'" 

" I wish some one would explain," said Sohling, 
"what under heaven has given this woman a 
reputation in the musical world of being a con- 
noisseur in the Art ? " 

" Well," answered the other, " only the upper 
classes believe it, who never heard her play. 
But she gives her opinion of others with an in- 
credible assurance." 

" UnluckDy for her," returned Sohling, " she 
can impose upon no one who understands the 
matter ; since the time when the memory of man 
runnetli not to the contrary, she has had but two 
phrases to use. When a songstress is praised, 
the Baroness remarl^ : * TMiat a pity she has 
no idea of portamento ! ' And if the talk is about 
a pianist, she comes out with : " How can any 
one call his playing good? He has a very bad 
touch.'^ On the other hand, when some begin- 
ner makes her first appearance, she remarks: 
* Yes, she cannot do much yet, but she has a 
natural portamento, which many a great singer 
wants ; ' or : * Let people say what they will about 
this man's pla3dng; in my opinion he has a capi- 
tal touch, and that is the great thing after all.' " 



" I saw a good specimen of this sort of judg- 
ment to-day," said a third. " I have been giving 
a young English girl lessons, who heretofore has 
learned nothing but waltzes. Of course I put a 
proper instruction book into her hands, and after- 
ward I found she had been complaining bitterly 
to her mother, that the new teacher had given 
her nothing but * ugly pieces.' But when I play- 
ed them correctly, the mother exclaimed : * See, 
child, the ugliest piece becomes good, when thor- 
oughly practised and well played.' When I got 
•there to-day, I found the entire family at the piano 
forte, and the last Etude open upon it * This,' 
cried the mother to me as I approached, * is really 
too bad, — to put such an ugly piece as this into 
the hands of the poor creature ! ' All had tried 
it, and the elder Misses, who were considered 
viituosos, had unanimously abandoned it as being 
' most ugly.' I sat down and began the piece, 
which had nothing but natural and pleasing 
chords, when suddenly mother and all three 
daughters burst gut : * The treble-key, the treble- 
key, oh dear, the treble-key ! ' The old gentle- 
man came up, examined the music for a moment, 
and shook his fat sides, while he joined in a deep 
bass voice with < O ho, the treble-key ; ho, ho, ho, 
the treble-key!' The effect of his slowly de- 
livered words, combined with the cackling of the 
women, was like that of a cantus firmus from a 
bass horn with violins playing in figured counter- 
point ; and so they went on for a long time re- 
peating * the treble-key, yes, indeed, the treble- 
key ! ' There I stood as if I had popped into a 
mad-house, not knowing what to make of it all, 
until at last one of the girls explained to me, 
that the G cleff, in England, is very commonly 
called the ' treble-key,' and that they all over- 
looked the fact that, in this Etude, this cleff was 
also given to the left hand. No wonder then 
that they had produced a demoniac harmony." 

" Such ridiculous scenes and follies," said 
another, "give us now and then something to 
laugh at ; but after all, in fact, a piano-forte teacher 
is a suffering individual. Beginners upon a 
bowed or wind instrument can only play one 
false note at a time, while upon the piano-forte 
they give us whole handfuls of them. One is 
ashamed of himself, for hearing such a mishand- 
ling of the ears, just for the sake of that some- 
thing, which the Fhilisters call existence." 

" And just now, it is all the rage among these 
abominable dilettants to play piano-forte, nothing 
but piano-forte," said a Harpist " All the piano- 
forte teachers are prospering in this city, while 
I might hang my harp upon the willows of Baby- 
lon, if it was not called occasionally by the 
orchestra from its hiding place into the light!" 

" I do not know about its being so very easy 
for the piano-forte teachers to gain success," 
returned the first speaker. " When I came here 
I had to use up all that I had formerly saved, 
and finally to sell my most valuable time for a 
ridiculous price, until I became the fashion ; 
though since then, it is true, things have gone 
well enough. Nobody will try the experiment 



90 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



of an unknown teacher ; people say, ' Let us first 
find out if his method is good.' Old, established 
teachers, too, have more of tlie confidence of 
parents and guardians, though known to sit 
lasily by their pupils, than any younger one, 
however zealous and yet in general the latter 
are much the most industrious and conscientious 
teachev." 

**I wonder whether Fraulein Ida Femhoper 
hat obtained any pupils, whose laconic advertise- 
ment in the InteUiffenz-biatt made us so much 
sport," said the Chopin player. 

** I have heard nothing of her since,** replied 
the other. *' What a piece of presumption for 
an entirely unknown girl, pupil of an unknown 
teacher, and a native of some little country place, 
to come here seeking pupils I " 

8ohling's attention had been caught by the 
name, and exclaimed : " Think of it ; a letter 
came to-day from my old employer, Selvar, which 
recommends this Ida Femhoper to me as a 
genius. I am not much disposed, in fact, to be- 
come god-father to one of these Herz and Kalk- 
brenner virtuosos, as I suppose she is, but I must 
pay her a visit, as I was of old under many 
obligations to the Selvar family. Does any body 
know where the girl lives ? " 

The Chopin-player answered : " I should never 
have thought of the person again, had I not hap- 
pened to read her name again to-day." So say- 
ing,he drew an old Intelligenz-blcUi from his pocket, 
in which cigars had been rolled, and handed it to 
Sohling, pointing to her address. 

She lived in a distant and retired quarter of 
the city. When Sohling reached the house, he 
was directed through two courts, and the rear 
house, to a small garden house standing in the 
midst of a bleaching green. An old washer- 
woman with an assistant were there at work, 
and the numerous and various utensils for their 
business, which stood about the small building, 
caused the concert-master to have strong doubts 
whether a sister in his Art could dwell there. 

Just as he was turning away, supposing, that 
some other person of the same name must live 
there, a few powerful chords upon a very fine 
instrument struck his ear, — an extemporaneous 
prelude to a Toccata by Scarlatti. He stopped 
and listened, and found the execution of the 
difficult work fiiultless. As soon as it was ended 
he entered the house and found Ida in a low 
room, whose windows were shaded by a vine. 
The room had only the most necessary articles 
of furniture, and its white-washed walls contrast- 
ed curiously with the splendid Erard instrument 
Ida appeared out of health and somewhat care- 
less of her personal appearance, and upon the 
whole, by no means interesting at first sight. 

When the concert-master mentioned Selvar^s 
name, a fever-like red suffused her cheeks, and 
she was so much disconcerted that he hardly 
knew how to continue the conversation. He 
thought however that their common profession 
might furnish a topic, and enquired, what she 
played of Mendelssohn and Chopin ? She had 
never struck a note of their music. The operas 
of Spohr, Weber, Spontini, were all strangers to 
her. In her native place there was no theatre, 
and in the city where she had been living only 
the most modem operas were given. But she 
had studied in piano-forte scores such works as 
the experience of a generation had decided to 
be unsurpassed. The newest work, which she 
was familiar with was — ^* Fidelio." 



Sohling turned over the music, which lay about, 
findhig none but names of the first rank, but 
down only to a certain era. Of living composers, 
not one was represented. 

" Wliat a wealth of enjoyment is in store for 
you," said he, ** when you come to study the fine 
works of our contemporaries ! With such a 
foundation m yours, you will comprehend more 
easily than another, how honorably our present 
great masters are following out the path to which 
these immortal men gave direction." 

Ida smiled bitterly : ** You do not suppose that 
an ear, which has been foimed upon these im- 
mortal tones, can ever find pleasure in such 
ephemeral music," said she. 

Sohling gave her an ironical look. Her eyes 
foil before his ; for it occurred to her, that thus 
far she had never deigned to the works of either 
of the masters, whom he had named, any serious 
study. Sohling had met too many persons of 
Ida's mode of thought, to be vexed at her. He 
had, at the most, like every cultivated musician 
of wide-spread knowledge, a smile for the narrow 
prejudices of that small commumty, which may 
well be called the musical PieUsts. Half of this 
class consists of those who are too indolent to 
keep up with the progress of the Art They 
stop at a certain point and remain there, obsti- 
nately declaring it the highest, and looking 
proudly downward upon the present, never hum- 
bly looking up. The other half consists of young 
persons of little or no experience, like Ida. Such 
blindly assert as their own, the obstinate opinions 
of a teacher, who gave up learning at the begin- 
ning of the century ; or they allow themselves to 
be ruled by the views of some head of a family, 
who only in youth had any real feeling for music, 
and now behold want of life and spirit not in 
themselves, but in the iHt>ductions of the day. 
Sohling, knowing that such views of Art are as 
obstinate and difficult to cure, as any fixed ideas, 
changed the conversation and adced; "Have 
you succeeded in getting pupils?" Ida answered 
in the negative, and he continued : '* That is 
very likely owing to your living so much out of 
the way. We artists are unfortunately forced for 
success in our profession to depend upon the 
favor of the better classes, and must comply with 
their demands upon us, however much these 
demands may seem to us as mere prejudices. If 
you had lodgings in the fashionable part of the 
town, in some elegant house — " 

«* I did begin so," interrupted Ida, " but at that 
time I had4ost all the energy and spirit necessary 
to take the first steps toward becoming known. 
I stayed at home and had not courage to seek 
patrons. After waiting some months in vain, I 
saw the necessity of economy, and so I have 
hired this room of my washei^woman." 

Sohling reflected for a moment, and continued : 
" If you will grant me your confidence, I will 
look out better lodgings for you, and procure you 
at least a moderate amount of emplo}inent" 

Ida said nothing. She 'was ashamed to con- 
fess, that she had that very day changed her last 
gold -piece, and that the prospect now was that 
she must soon pawn her Erard, and after that 
seek that comfort of which love-sick youftg peo- 
ple are apt to think so highly, — death, as the 
best course when no flowery path stretches away 

before one. Happily, nature has ordered all so 
wisely, that it is lust this necessity, which fastens 
man with such iron fetters to his despised ex- 
istence. 



Soliling no farther questioned the oddity, who 
aroused in him rather a feeling of curionty than 
of pleasure. He amply requested Ida to allow 
him to call agsun so soon as he slionld have it in 
his power to propose some reasonable plan for 
support Upon leaving her ho went at once to 
a female painter of his acquaintance, who had 
just lost a sister, and proposed to her in her lone- 
liness to take Ida under her protoction. She 
was ready to do this, and immediately vinted 
Ida to offer her friendship. Ida's natural unwil- 
lingness to place herself under obligations to any 
person, together with the consciousness of the 
gloomy, discordant state of her feelings, caused 
her long to refuse the kindness offered ; but the 
representations of Sohling, that her presence 
would be a benefit to the painter and aid her in 
bearing the sorrow of her recent loss, prevailed ; 
for she felt that this would be the place for her. 
She was, like the night, not for the joyful, but 
loving and gently comforting for those in sor- 
row. 

Her new fiiends took pains to introduce Ida 
into such families as agreed with her in her ex- 
clusive tastes, or at all events pretended to, for 
the sake of being considered superfine critics. 
There were some even, who thought her hardly 
orthodox enough, because she placed Mozart and 
Beethoven in rank with Bach and Handel ; but 
most patronized her, because she would play to 
them with unwearied politeness almost the entire 
classic repertoire of the last century by heart 

By degrees, too, at the same time, Ida was 
learning the h3rpocrisy of this sort of people, who 
swore by names, but never had caught the spirit 
of their idols. One day, vexed at the contempt- 
uous terms in which an old professor spoke of 
Beethoven, whom he had known personally be- 
fore he became fiunous, she revenged herself by 
mystifying him. She played an air fitxn one of 
Handel's foigotten operas, as a work by Beet- 
hoven, and one by the latter as fitxn Handel ; 
the first the critic declared a pece of romantic 
fog ; to the other he remarked : ** Ah, so could 
Handel only write ! " 

When she told Sohling of the joke, he replied 
drily : ** You could be mystified precisely so, if 
any one would play certain passages fixxm our 
best recent works as being by Mozart and Beet- 
hoven." 

Ida declared this impossible, and Sohling 
threatened to try it some day. The punter, 
however, thought it a better means for him to tiy 
whether Ida was in fiict less prejudiced than the 
old professor, by playing to her some of the best 
new compostions without concealing the names 
of their authors. Ida promiied not to shut 
her heart against what was really good and 
to honestly prove the music before deciding 
against it 

Again, her faith had been somewhat shaken 

by criticisms, which Sohling had brought and 

read to her from journals printed when Mozart 

and Beethoven were just coming upon the stage. 

She heard them accused of superficiality, want 

of musical idea, and a striving after originality ; 

yet, the delightful Mozart, clear as sunlight, was 

said to find delight in ear-piercing dissonances, 

heaped together without taste or beauty, and 

deceased composers of ^he third and fourUi rank 
held up to the hero as models of simple and 
noble style. 

" Is n't it precisely as if one were reading some 
Beethoven fuade in his assaults upon our living 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1858. 



91 



composen of to-day?" asked Sohlingf as Ida 
looked with astonishment at each old yellow 
sheet Ida replied that there was this difTcrence, 
namely, that the Beethoven fanatic had better 
grounds for his opinions, and asked, whether 
there was a single name among the living worthy 
to be placed by the side of tJiose heroes, whom 
alone she reverenced ? 

Sohling replied tliat he was far from denying 
that the nx — Bach, Handel, Gluck, Haydn, 
Mozart, and Beethoven — had thus far achieved 
the highest ; that in their creations, the great by 
far exceeded the insignificant "But," added 
he, " this adnussion by no means precludes the 
idea that they all in certain points have been 
surpassed by others. I find it perfectly right, 
that you place '^ Don Juan " much higher than — 
** Oberon,** for instance ; but absolutely ridiculous 
when you go so far in your regard for Mozart 
as to study carefully the bravaur airs of Con- 
stance or the Queen of the night, and, at tlie 
same time, think it beneath you to cast a glance 
upon the part of Rezia. Do you not look upon 
it as a solemn duty to learn all the variations of 
Beethoven — yes, even those utterly unbearable 
ones upon ** God save the King " — and yet de- 
scribe Mendelssohn's Lieder ohne Worte as mean 
and insignificant ? The flat and insipid humorous 
pieces by Bach and Mozfurt, such as variations 
upon ^ Liesel and the Coffee," or " Beloved Man- 
del where is Bandel," you look upon as tonching 
relics. Good ; but suppose any living composer 
had had the childish innocence to publish any- 
thing of the sort, you would have thought to 
yourself: * Well, that piece is sufficient to show 
what that man is ! ' and you would never again 
have opened a piece of music that bore his name 
upon the dtle page." 

Ida laughed. *' That would be just like con- 
demning some great man because he had hap- 
pened to make a flat joke over his bottle of 
wine." 

^ Not that exactly ; but I should condemn his 
admirers if they should repeat the joke as an 
oracle for a whole century and put it above all 
the wisdom of everybody else. All that the 
great masters demand of us is that we, so far as 
we really understand their works, should judge 
them, both in their defects and excellencies, with 
justice and real insight But your blind and 
stupid admirers are just the persons who, if they 
do not in many cases prevent all progress in Art, 
yet always retard and delay it Why, even from 
the Operas of Mozart, giant steps to what is bet- 
ter and greater are posable, though perhaps they 
kave not yet been taken. Still, the attempts that 
have been made are sufficient to prove that we 
are upon the right path. Don Juan and Figaro 
I am willing to let stand as exceptions. I would 
not venture to suppose that a single number in 
tbose works could have been better conceived 
and written by any other composer. But all his 
other operas have weak passages, and certain 
numbers of them are far surpassed by analogous 
passages in the works of Spohr and Weber." 

He seated himself at the piano-forte and play- 
ed the short soldier choruses in Cosi fan TtUte 
and Idomeneus, and demanded of Ida her con- 
scientious opinion, whether that in Jesaonda was 
not nobler and more full of life. She had to 
confess it He went on and called upon her to 
compare the song of the three boys in the Magic 
Flute with the analogous chorus of Elves in 



Oberon. Then he gave passages from the sacred 
works of Haydn and Mozart, with others from 
Mendelssohn. He grouped some of the best 
passages from Spontini with similar ones from 
Gluck, and Ida was forced to admit that at least 
they could bear comparison. The two women 
listened unweariedly until late in the night to 
the long succession of examples which he played 
them, and after his departure, Ida seated herself 
at her instrument to reproduce the finest of the 
melodies from memory. 

A mere Dilettant can, it is true, find food 
enough to last his lifetime in the works of six com- 
posers. But though these be the most select, the 
soul of one who lives and breathes in tones finally 
exhausts them. The thirst for that which is new 
and fresh will arise, and only allows one, who has 
been reared upon the very best, to separate from 
the new that which is false or conunon-place. 
Such a one can find delight only in that which 
is noble and worthy to take rank with the models 
upon which the taste was formed. 

Ida's understanding was too clear, her soul too 
susceptible to the beautiful, not to be soon con- 
vinced by the experienced musician that the 
spirit of song had not merely alighted upon a few 
chosen individuals, within a short space of time, 
to make of them an unchangeable constellation 
to shine down through an eternal night, but that 
it is poured out like a fiery stream through all 
ages, here appearing as a fiame, there as a mere 
spark ; and that wherever it appears, is kindled 
and beams forth as a pure light, it should not 
be trodden upon and extinguished. 

'*But you do condemn the modem Italians 
and their imitators?" asked Ida at her next 
visit from Sohling. 

'* Tes, because they represent the false side of 
Art ; an<l just on the same ground I reject Moz- 
art's air of Sextus, in which a most delicious 
rondo is joined to a text full of * despair and 
the pains of hell.' Abstracted from the text^ 
however, one is delighted in this Kondo with 
the ravishing unity of melody, harmony and 
rhytlun, while the Italians produce little more 
than an insipid, flighty melody. Our flute player 
compares it to water-soup, with a few globules of 
fat swimming on its surface." 

" The comparison is right enough, but rather 

severe," said the paiuter. ** We should rather 

call the melody of the modem Italian school a 

coquettish woman, capable of nothing but light 

conversation, while our German music gives 

weight to all the parts, vocal and instrumental, 

like the conversation of a company of cultivated 

People." 

Ooneluiioii next iradc.- 



In&iicy the Best Age for Singixig. 

[Tran Da. UAnfSss*f *• MnaloaadBducatioii."] 

The earliest age, that of six or bcvcd years, is the 
most appropriate for learning to sing ; voice and ear, 
so obedient to external impressions, are rapidly de- 
veloped and improved, defects corrected, and musical 
cnpaDilities awakened. Experience of many years, 
and observation of every day's occurrence, have 
taught, that a considerable proportion of the numer- 
ous children with whom we have met, could atjirst 
neither sound a single note, nor distinguish one from 
another ; all without exception, have acquired ear 
and voice, and some of them have even become supe- 
rior in both to their apparently more gifted compan- 
ions ; in others, the very weak or indifferent voices 
have in a short time become pleasing, strong, clear, 
and extended. 

Children, from five to six years of age, some of 
them unacquainted with the letters of the alphabet, 
have learnt to read music, to a considerable ex- 



tent, in uninon and parts, and to sing, with aston- 
ishing precision, imitations and fugues of Holler, 
Hink, Fiichs, Tdcmnn, and other greot masters. So 
thoroughly acquainted have they Iwcome with th 
pitch of sonnd, that, without the least hesitation, the 
name the notes of which melodious phrases are com- 
posed, as soon as sung or played ; and it is remark- 
able, that in this exenise the youngest, and those 
who had at first to contend with the createst difficul- 
ties, appeared tlie most acute and ready. 

This improvement is more or less rapid. Some 
children having no ear at fint, liecome awakened to 
the distinction of sound in a few days, some in a few 
weeks, and others after months only. 

After having seen in a thousand instances, what 
interest, what intense pleasure children, we might 
say infants, take in tlieir little singing lessons, after 
we have seen the astonishing progress they make, 
we are convinced that, through the medium of such 
early instiiiction, mufticnl dispositions may be awak- 
enccl in a surprising degree. Thus a taste, a true ap- 
preciation of this beautiful, innocent, and delightful 
art may be created at a very earlv period, and its 
charming effects extended over a whole existence. 

We have seen children whom their parents be- 
lieved to be totally devoid of any taste or faculty for 
music, attend sinning classes with the most unex- 
pected success. Their interest in music grow, and 
with it their knowledge and their voice. With sev- 
eral children, a few weeks practice sufficed to change 
the entire character of their voices, which, though at 
first weak and indifferent, and of almost no extent, 
became strong, extended, clear, and, in some cases, 
of even a fine quality. Such instances are best cal- 
culated to dispel the prejudices existing against mu- 
sical instruction at an early age. 

It would be useless, however, to expect such results 
fh)m individiul tuition. We know by experience, 
that when children are brought together, they imper- 
ceptibly impart cheerfulness, and stimulate each other 
to exertion and activity ; thus, the influence of sing- 
infr upon the ear and voice, and in the health and 
morals of the pupils, will he increased tenfold, when 
aided by the participation of numbers in this pleasu- 
rable exercise; the delicate and ner^^ous child will 
Rsin Strang^ and confidence, and the slow and indo- 
lent be roused. Imitation, that powerful spring of 
human action — the example of their little compan- 
ions, their progress, and even their mistakes — ^fnmish 
the teacher with the means of making his lessons 
more interesting and snccessful, than he could ever 
render them by individual tnition, however great his 
zeal or talent. And so wc find, that the children take 
that intense interest in their lessons which, at their aee, 
is in general only bestowed on play ; o.t honie, the 
influence of sin^ring extends itself to their habits and 
dispositions, and consequently to their moral char- 
actcr 

With regard to young persons, comparativelv less 
advantages are to be expected than irom^ children. 
The nerves and muscles to be exercised in sinking 
have no longer the same elasticity ; the voice and ear 
are less flexible ; and the teacher has lost that crear 
tive power, which he possessed in so high a degree 
during the period of infancy. Then he could awaken 
musical faculties, form an ear, call forth a voice, in- 
spire a love for music, and break through every ob- 
stacle. If we consider, besides this, that young per- 
sons are overwhelmed with varied studies, and cannot 
have tiieir thoughts so concentrated upon this branch 
of instruction, we mav say, with certainty, that those 
who have not learned the elements of vocal music 
before their 10th or 12th year, have lost the most fa- 
vavorahle period of their life— a loss which nothing 
but zeal and perseverance, and particular musical tal- 
ent, can redeem. Throughout life, the difference 
between a musician from infancv, and one from ma- 
ture ajre, will be visible at a glance. The latter mav 
possess musical knowledge and taste ; the former will 
possess botli, with deeper musical feeling, more power, 
and greater certainty of jndjrment. In the one, music 
will be an acquirement ; in tlie other, a feeling, anew 
sense intcrwov<»n with the constitution, a second na- 
ture. With children, the teacher has a power of cre- 
ation ; with adults, he is dependent on circumstan- 
ces ; he educates in the one case, in the other he has 
to amend the defects of education. The errors and 
prejudices in repard to vocal instruction are so great, 
that in general it is begun only when it should cease, 
and when the greatest care oi^ the teacher alone can 
avert fatal consequences. It must, however, be evi- 
dent to every intelligent mother, that when the voice 
changes its scale and character, and assumes another 
for life, it is no time to begin to sing ; on the contrary, 
this is the time not to sing, or to do it with great care, 
avoiding every violent exertion ; then a voice may 
be destroyed, not in infancy, when eveiy trial is gain, 
every exercise is strength. 

Besides the physical difficulties, another, not less 
prejudicial, presents itself; and this is, the defective 



92 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



musical education which youngs ladies have previ- 
ously received in the tedioas and mechanical study of 
the piano. Instead of learning the poetic part of 
mnsic and its higher bearings, the pupils in general 
pass year after ^ear in the drudgery of seeking me- 
chanical perfection, hardly even acquiring tlie exte- 
rior form, and never looking below the surface for a 
thought or the connection of ideas. If, in learning 
mnsic, it is not the object to learn its meaning, to un- 
derstand and enjoy the deeper sense hidden under the 
beauty of the form, it is scarcely worth the trouble, 
and certainly deserves not, as a more fashion, the 
sacrifice of so much labor, and bo many of the most 
interesting mpments and best years of life. 

Singing is the foundation of all musical education, 
and ought to precede the study of any instniment. 
In singing classes, children learn to read at sight, and 
ate made acquainted with the general elements of the 
art, before their attention is called to the mechanical 
part of it Thus prepared, they appreciate and enjoy 
the study of an instrument, instead of finding it, as 
is usually the case, tedious and interminable. Years 
of piano-forte instruction may be spared in following 
this more rational plan, universally recognized and 
adopted in Germany, with such practical advan- 
tage. 

In order to remedy, as far as possible, this kind of 
mosiod education, adults will have to begin from the 
commencement, and pass, though more rapidly than 
children, over the elementary parts. Notwithstand- 
ing the obstacles wliich scarcity of time for practice, 
and more hardened natural or^ns, oppose, tney may 
still attain a considerable facility in reading in parts ; 
the voice may he cultivated, rendered more flexible, 
and above all, more expressive. The principal ob- 
ject of the teacher must be to draw the attention to 
the more poetical part of music ; to explain the va- 
riety of form, the difference of character and style^ 
and the consequent expression in the performance of 
solo compositions. Thus he may still succeed in 
imparting, as far as practicable, a thorough knowl- 
edge of Its theory and practice ; and, at the same 
time, cultivate the taste and judgment that^ are so in- 
dispensable for understanding and enjoying works of 
art. A deeper feeling of the beauties of music, and 
a more intellectual penetration of its value, will result 
from the study of the works of great masters ; more 
serious compositions will thus cain an attraction and 
a charm, wnich they did not before possess. Thus 
we place an elevating element of thought in the room 
of a trivial and unmeaning amusement, with which 
so many hitherto have alone been acquainted, and to 
which they have almost exclusively devoted their time 
and attention. But whatever \k the result at that 
age, it is unquestionable that all these pur])OBes will 
be better and more effectually attained oy those who 
have been brought up from their infaney with music, 
who have known it as the companion ol* their youth, 
and to whom it has necessarily become a study, full 
of interest and attraction, as delightful and consoling 
as it will be inexhaustible. 

Before we approach the examination of the moral 
influence of music, we conclude by recapitulating the 
principal heads in the preceding remarks : 

Is^ The earliest period of life is the best for the 
cultivation of the musical faculties. The musical 
organs are then easily developed, and defects, cor- 
rected. 

2d, Instead of being prejudicial to health, singing 
has been found a powerful means of strengthening 
the lungs, throat, and chest. 

3J, Singing is tlie foundation of all musical edu- 
cation ; it ought to precede the learning of any instru- 
ment. 

The Power of Music. 

ThftlberY?, on a trip to Niagara shortly after his 
arrival in this country, stopped at a Temperance Hotel, 
in Albany, and upon demanding some champagne, 
what was his astonishment on seeing the round eyes 
of the Irish waiter open in astonishment. 

" I want some champagne," wildly reiterated the 
great instrumentalist. 

** Faix 1 and is it champagne yon are afther asking 
for ? " stammered forth the Hibernian. 

" Certainly ! " 
By my sowl, then, ye can't have it." 
And why?" inquired Thalbeig, in astonish- 
ment. 

" The likes of it, including whisky punch, is not 
to be had in this hotel." 

For a moment the thirsty musician was aghast 

" What can I have, then ? " 

" Wather, tay and coffee." 

" Go and send me the proprietor," said Thalberg, 
" I will speak with him." 

" Ye may spake till the day of doom, bnt ye'U 
find it of no use," was Pat's muttered observation, 
as he quitted the room. 



<f 



« 



In a few moments the landlord entered the apart- 
ment. His lips were closely sot together and a frown 
was on his brow. He was evidently astonished that 
the foreigner should persist in his wish to contravene 
the rules of the establishment Meanwhile Thalberg 
had occupied himself in opening a piano that stood 
in the room. It was not of the newest class, but was 
toIeral)ly in tune. As the proprietor of the Tempe- 
rance hotel entered the chamber he began to play. 
First the frown gradnallv vanished ftvm the brow of 
the landlord — ^then his lips unclof<cd, and finally re- 
laxed into a smile. When the artist hail concluded, 
he waited for a word, bnt none came. Without turn- 
ing round, he said to himself — 

" The man is obstinate. I must try him with some- 
thing else." 

He accordingly began his " Tarantella." 

Ere it was half finished be heard the rattling of 
bottles and glasses on the tables, and wheeled round. 
Pat had reentered the apartment wiUi bottles of 
champagne. 

" I thought it was not allowed," said Thalberg. 

" Faif h ! and hell give ye a dozen if ye like it 
He says a man who can knock music out of a piano 
in yer way may get dhrunk every night if he chooses 
to. So tRere ft is for ye." 



Mr. Punch and fhe Organ Orinden. 

Mr. Disraeli expressed his great grief for the want 
of a popular tax. We fancy that we can help him to 
one that will be universally popular. Let him tax 
all the Italian Boys and Street Musicians. By this 
means he will either put down a nuisance, or contrib- 
ute largely to the revenue. Mr. Disraeli's reputation 
must gain from either contingency. On the one 
hand, there is glory to himself— on the other, profit 
to the nation. 

The plan is practicable enongh. In Germany, 
every turbaned tambourine girl, every bare-legged 
white-mice carrier is taxed. The tax, we believe, is 
about a thaler ; or at the utmost, three thalers a year. 
But in England, considering more money is ground 
out of the people by these musical torturers, we 
would have the tax much larger. We would fix it 
at One Sovereign. This is dirt cheap, when we take 
into consideration the number of knockers that are 
tied up throughout the year in the streets of London 
alone. 

Hawkers pay for a license. Then why shouldn't 
organ carriers* 1 They are only hawkers of mnsic ; 
and why, in the outrnged name of Handel, should 
they be more favored than any other class of hawk- 
ers — ^the Duke of St. Albans, as being a Royal 
Hawker, perhaps excepted. 

Only consider the flood of revenue tliat wonld 
come pouring in from this newly opened Pactolus. 
We should say that, speaking within bounds, there 
must be some ten thousand organ boys and men in 
this monster metropolis, and about twenty thousand 
more ninning at)out the country, persecuting all the 
harmless villas on the highway 'that haven't the pro- 
tection of a dog or a policeman. This makes a clear 
addition of £30,000 a year to the revenue. Then 
there are the bands of music that infest Regent Street 
and haunt the Haymarket at all hours of ^e day and 
night, choosing always some popular public fiouse 
for the station where to establish their Perambulating 
Philharmonic Concert. These wandering sons of 
Orpheus go about in gangs of four or five untutored 
Koenigs and Paganinis. The Chancellor of the Ex- 
chequer, if he has an ear that leans that way, will be 
sure to meet with them in all the populous neighbor- 
hoods, wherever there is a great consumption of 
spirits and beer. 

As a general rule, it may be laid down with safety, 
and defiance of contradiction, that the poorer tllie 
neighborhood, the more musical it is. The Waterloo 
and Westminster Roads, the Ratcliffe, Hijrhway, Tot- 
tenham Court Road, the New Cut, St Giles', and all 
the elegant thoroughfares that blaze of a night with 
the monster lamps of the publicans, are rife with dis- 
cord. Every member of these bands should be made 
to pay his annual sovereign for the amount of deaf- 
ness ne contributes to the ears of her Majesty's per- 
seaited subjects. 

The same " sovereign remedy" should also be ap- 
plied to the hordes of Germans, who, of late years, 
nave invaded England in such numerous bands. The 
impost would not onlj diminish the noise, which, un- 
der the name of music, they make in this country, 
but might also have the salutary effect of keeping 
them away from our shores altogether. 

For the benefit of our talented Chancellor, we beg 
to append a rough calculation which we have made 
of tne musical standing army, that has hitherto been 
supported in England. We now vote that this army 
be disbanded, (no pun intended !) and that not a 
blessed flute or opnicleide be allowed to blow a sin- 
gle note until ho has previously paid a sovereign for 



the blowing of it. We wouldn't even allow Herr 
Von Joel to come to any of his " larks " until he has 
previously paid for his whistle. Hitherto the pa- 
tience of the public has been taxed by these perform- 
ers. We wonld now reverse the rule, and let the 
performers themselves be tuxed for playing (and play- 
ing so vilely) on the patience of the public. 

10.000 Orftan Italian men and boy*, (In town,) £10,000 

an.n00 ditto, ditto, (dotted over ttie eonntry.) 20.0i'-0 

2.000 OiKan Gennan women, (attending raecs, fre.,) 2,000 
2,000 Tambourine Gennan girls, (to accompany the 

Nune.) 2.000 

6,000 Banditti of five mlilanly perlbrmeri, (£1 each,) 80,000 
2,600 ditto of three ditto, (at £1 each,) 7^ 

1.800 Gennan Banda of 10 peribnnefa, (at lOa. each,) 0.000 
2,800 Bain>ipe Plajcra, (not leM than £6 each,) ll,fiOO 

80 Clarinet Playem, (at £1 each,) ... 80 

16 Hone Oisans, (at £10 per oivu><-too moderate,) UO 

Grand total, .... £92,180 
Here then would he a clear annnal gain of Ninety- 
Two Thousand Pounds to the Revenue I We have 
no doubt that it wonld exceed that amount, for onr 
calculation has been estimated rather nndcr, than 
above, the truth ; besides, our arrangement for the 
scale of payments has been dictated by the mild voice 
of charity such as the torturers themselves are scarcely 
deserving of. For insunco, we maintain that £5 for 
a bag-pipe player is, considering the excruciating 
cruelty of the torture, ridiculously cheap ; and that a 
small tax of £10 a-year for a horse-oigan is infinitely 
below the amount of mischief it canses every year. 

However, here is a pretty little sum of X92,000 a 
year, which we beg to make a present of to onr dear 
'Chancellor of the Exchequer in return for the by-no- 
roeans bad Budget he has just thrown into onr laps. 
No one will feel the loss of the above sum. It is 
merely a tax upon one of the nuisances of society. 
If the nuisance is not suppressed by the tax, then the 
revenue gains annually so much by the non-suppres- 
sion. If it is suppressed, then society gains by the 
suppression to an amount which only aurists and 
medical men can calculate. Every person, who has 
escaped deafness, will be grateful to the Chancellor 
of die Exdtequer. Every wife who comes in for a 
less share of her husband's irritability, now that one 
of the most prolific canses of it has been removed, 
will bless the name of Bevjamik Disraeli as that 
of a domestic benefactor, who has brought peace and 
quietness into a honsehold, in which there growled 
and grunted nothing bnt discord before I 

Postcript. — The above sum might be increased at 
least twofold— that is to say, XI 84,000— by bringing 
under the operations of the' tax all the ballad-singers, 
the street psalm-sinjrers, the sailor-singers, the firozen- 
out gardeners, the false news-criers, and the Manches- 
ter weavers, who have " got no work to do." Let 
Dixzy look to it. 



Jfint %xU. 



Lnfxru-u wvrwrw v" ---■■- -—"■******" * ■*^^^" 



For Bwlchra Journal of Mnale. 

The Athensom Ezbibiticm. 

TII. OIL PICTURES. (COHTIHUED). 

The natural element in the landscape by Mrs. 
Blackburn, No. 100, and catalogued, " Scene on the 
Coast of Ayrshire," is curiously involved in an illus- 
tration of the " curse " of labor that was pronoonced 
upon the primeval Adam, and has ever been the 
normal inheritance of all his tainted seed. It b diffi- 
cult to discover any vital pertinency in the applicar. 
tion of the scriptural texts inscribed upon the frame 
of this picture, to this, or any other work of Art. 
Labor is no curse to ns, bnt on the contrary is a 
rational blessing ; an essential medium for the expres- 
sion of every form of life, and an absolute condition 
of our being. The picture is forcibly painted, and, 
had it been wrought as a simple expression of the 
scene which gives it a name, would have given ns 
better cause to congratulate Mrs. Blackburn upon 
the blessedness of her labor, than It now affords. 

" Middlemas's interview with his unknown Par- 
ents," is the somewhat unpromising theme of a vividly 
drawn picture by W. L. Windus, No. 143. BIr. 
Windus evinces considerable clear mastery, and some 
slovenly treatment of color — the latter in the back- 
ground and principal shadows — and a power of 
discriminating, and directness in realizing varied 
dramatic expression, which render this a very attract- 
ive picture, and might effectiyely be far more nobly 
employed. 

This and the precedmg picture I have daaaed 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1858. 



93 



among tho works of tho New School, although 
neither bear more than partial evidence of legiti- 
macy. 

The next is an acknowledged child of " truth/' 
bat hardly an honor to the family. 

An uninteresting bantling in a yellow flannel night* 
gown, is the most definite description I can make of 
Arthur Hughes's " Two-and half years Old," No. 
108. It is certainly to be regretted, that this alone, 
of all the works by Mr. Hughes originally contained 
in tlie collection, should have come to us. Faith in 
tiio excellence of his Art were of much easier attain- 
ment in the absence, than in tho presence of this pic- 
ture, which does not possess a single quality that 
should entitle it to rank amongst works of Art. 

In somewhat different terms must I record my 
impressions of the externally gloomy, unattractive 
picture by R. W. Chapman, No. 136, bearing the 
nnsuggcstive title of "The Lollard discovered." 
The story is one of religious persecution, and in the 
choice of time, place, and incident, Mr. Chapman 
evinces a rare comprehension of the subtler forms of 
dramatic Art. In the opposition of the calm repose 
of the young girl, who is quietly working her way 
into the heart of the proscribed book — to her the 
book of Life — all unconscious of impending danger, 
to tho threatening aspect of the harsh, bony-featured 
woman in the back-ground, who, in smothered wrath, 
mutters her imprecations upon all heretics as she 
takes the proffered price of her fidelity, and the young 
girl's betrayal, there is a clear fore-shadowing of 
physical torture and death whicli is none tho less 
powerful because her sufferings have not yet com- 
menced. The picture docs not ply its chief strength 
hero however, but brings us back to a contemplation 
of the serene joy of spiritual life, which softens the 
hard lines in the yonng girl's face, and invests them 
with an exalted beauty. 

Tho drawing is very carefully considered, and 
surely, howsoever delicately rendered, throughout; 
and I should have no blemish to record, but for the 
chilling coldness of tlie flesh, and the general heavi- 
ness and opacity of color, which, whether wilfiil or 
not, is too marked to be allowed to pass unnoticed. 
It is possible that this is only another illustration of 
the fallacious tlieory entertained by Scheffer and 
others, that an expression of spiritual exaltation can 
best be produced by the sacriflce of those qualities of 
physical beauty pertaining to true, healthy color of 
flesh, and a substitution of pipe-clay as the true 
spiritual pigment. 

Browning significantly asks : 

" Whj eao't a painter lift each ftmt In torn, 
Left Ibot and right foot, go a doable step, 
Hake his flesh Uker and his loal moro like, 
Both In their order? " 

That Mr. Chapman has not moved thus, is too 
painfully evident, and the moro to be regretted as 
his grasp of the higher phases of human experience 
is strong and clear. What he has done, that is 
nobly worth the doing, is contained in the honest 
representation of a genuine soul earnest in its own 
redemption. Comprehensively recognizing its sted- 
fastness of purpose, and the sometime silent force of 
its manifestations, he has realized it to us with such 
simple directness, that the motive of his picture be- 
comes our own, and we too, bend forward to the 
search of a truth that shall newly inform our being, 
and set us in the path of the absolute life. 

There is no other picture in this collection, of 
equal dignity of subject, possessing such perfect unity 
of conception, and completeness of realization. 

" The Eve of St. Agnes," No. 107, by Wm. Hol- 
man Hunt, is a late copy of an earlier picture, which 
from the fresh fame of the author, who, Mr. Ruskin 
says, has produced works "that have never been 
rivalled, in some respects never approached at any 
other period of Art/' rather than from any warranty 
of that fame which this work contains, forms one of 
the most interesting features in the exhibition. If 



this is an unaltered copy of tlio original picture, it 
can bear no adequate testimony of Mr. Hunt's pres- 
ent power, as that was painted ten years ago, when, 
if report speaks truly, the artist was not "of age." 

In itself considered, it is not a strictly just inter- 
pretation. The Art that has oppressed the spniwling 
porter with a drunken sleep and invested the " wake- 
ful blood-hound " with such potency of expression, 
loses its charm when we turn to the " fair Miadeline" 
who, strongly asserting a verity of neither body nor 
soul, is yet Uie most tenderly beautiful creation of 
Keats's imagination. 

The scope of Mr. Hunt's conception is confined 
to the mere physical fact and circumstance of the 
elopement. He disregards all emotion save that of fear 
of detection, and, for a contrast of artificial senti- 
ment, of dull gloom to bright cheer, he introduces 
tho brilliant hall of the " bloated wassailers " (who, 
if I read rightly, are, ere this, dead asleep), instead 
setting his strongest light in the enrapt hope of 
the young lovers, and opposing that to the pitiless 
storm of " flaw blown sleet," out into which they 
fled " ages long ago," and a weird echo of whose 
flight came back as a spell of night-mare upon the 
house that night, haunting it with strange forms, 
palsying the aged Angela, and sending the Beads- 
man to an unrcmembered grave. 

The color of the picture challenges some attention 
for its originality, as also admiration for its partial 
beauty, especially in the back-ground and draperies, 
where tho play and quality of hue has considerable 
fascination. 

John Brett exhibits "an Azalea," No. 195, in the 
lap of a child, who, for aught I know, is herself the 
intended Azalea. In either case, whether we sub- 
ordinate tho Azalea to the child, or the child to tho 
Azalea (both being perfectly compatible with any 
apparent purpose in the picture) the result is equally 
uninteresting. The "truth" of this picture is very 
hard to the senses, and excites some regret that tho 
author had not indulged in a little agreeable pre- 
varication, or more freely exercised the faculty that 
wrought the cool, pleasant greens, and white hawthorn 
blooms of the back-ground. 

" The Glacier of Rosenlaui " by the same, wears 
upon its face a challenge to the closest scrutiny, in 
its presentation of particular and immediate " truth " 
of form, color, and substance ; which, in a general 
sense, means, accuracy of linear projection ; a care- 
ful rendering of local tints, and a faithful distinction 
between bodies of different textures ; and it has, I 
believe, been said, by a person qualifled to judge, to 
well sustain such an examination, and, as an accurate 
portraiture of the geological characteristics of the 
scene, to be wholly reliable. 

Admitting this, (with some minor reservations,) 
does it necessarily follow that the truth of this pic- 
ture constitutes the essential truth of Art 1 

Is it not possible that it may perfectly serve the 
demands of science without in any noble sense meet- 
ing those of Art? 

In so far as tho delineation of particular truths 
pertaining to any scene, may be made to vitalize 
our impressions of it, it is right and needful, but if 
these are realized at the expense of the higher, gen- 
eral truths, the result is an abnegation of all ariistic 
truth. 

I do not complain that Mr. Brett has wrought the 
detail of his picture with microscopic fidelity ; that 
he has patiently carved every indentation, and fol- 
lowed every structural or accidental line of the geo- 
logical formation in its minutest curves ; but, that in 
doing this, he has apparently fulfilled the object of 
his labor, and made no visible record of those bodi- 
less, immaterialqualities common to all Nature, with- 
out which, a picture can have no verity either of 
representative or imitative Art. Thus, supposing 
the cliff, forming the prominent feature of the pic* 
ture, to possess an altitude of 1700 feet above the 



mean level of the foreground, what possible sense of 
such formidable height does Mr. Brett convey to us ; 
or, of the half of it ? It is said, that, from the point 
of view here chosen, the eye traverses over the sur- 
face of the glacier through many miles of space ; is 
this realized to us as fully as the ice-worn moraine 
that lies strewn about the foreground ? 

Is there any adequate expression of those qualities 
of sublimity which constitute the animating soul of 
all such scenes ? Turner's vignette illustration of 
the " Alps at day-break " in Rogers's Poems, affords 
ample proof that an expression of space may be 
given fully answering the requisites of sublimity, 
within the most limited compass ; bat to Mr. Brett 
the power has not been given to break down the 
walls of confinement, and open to our range illimita- 
ble areas of spac^, light, and air. The remarkable 
purity of pigment, the solidity of tho rock painting, 
(a quality which also fatally envelopes everything 
else,) and some beautiful rendering of form, in light, 
and shadow, in tho fore-ground, serve to make this a 
work of much interest ; yet I again uige the com- 
plaint, that it does not tell us that Nature is sub- 
lime, or Art noble. 

No. 184, "An English Autumn Afternoon," by 
Ford Maddox Brown. 

Nothing can be more fiital to our enjoyment of a 
picture, tlian the presence of qualities calculated to 
excite a distrust in the sincerity of the artist's motive, 
and mode of working. In turning from the " Lear " 
to this landscape, there seems to be a greater disparity 
in the power of drawing manifested in the two pic- 
tures, than a more familiar knowledge of one than 
of the other class of subjects which Mr. Brown may 
possess, can possibly account for. A man who can 
truly draw tho action of the human figure, ought 
surely to be able to indicate the habit of a tree with 
something approaching to general dignity and truth 
of expression in the masses, even though he fail in 
rendering the delicacy and grace of the detail of 
leafage. It is scarcely to be credited that Mr. Brown 
can have exercised the integrity of his perception, 
and power of realizing natural form, in producing 
such senselessness in the massing and detail of foli- 
age, as characterizes the fore-ground of this work. 
The confusion of parts extending from the immediate 
fore-ground out to the open fields of tho middle di^ 
tance, is utterly incomprehensible. Although we 
may not be able to rightly estimate the distances of 
a landscape, especially in close masses of foliage, yet 
the law of gradation obtains here as in open meadows, 
and we have an intellectual consciousness of space 
that cannot be disregarded in actual transcription, 
without virtual falsehood. 

The one great merit observable in this work is that 
of a veracious solidity, a firmness of material quali- 
ties which inspires us with a pleasant sense of confi- 
dence in its reality ; but, in spite of the additional 
quality of a partial beauty of repose, and a feeling 
of drowsy, autumnal quiet, pervading the scene, it 
subordinates noble to ignoble truth, and lacks those 
qualities of aerial truth and refined power of color, 
which such a subject especially demands. 

Mesos. 
Conelufllon next week. 



Sfoig^fs Innrnal nf Pnsit 



BOSTON, JUNE 19, 1858. 

Music IN THIS Number. — This time we give 
something for a pair of hands, lest we should seem 
to have forgotten tliat there are those who only play, 
as well as those who only sing. Our selections are 
from Mozart — not, it is true, composed for tlie Piano, 
but arranged for it. Perhaps the great worth of the 
Piano — one available to those who have but moder- 
ate skill compared to " pianists " properly so colled, 
lies in its power of translating, or sketching to us 



94 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the essential features of great compositions in all 
fonns, somewhat as an engraving represents a paint- 
ing. If yon hear an opera, or a symphony perform- 
ed by an orchestra, a piano-forte arrangement helps 
the memory to recall it. And even of a work you 
never heard it will convey yon some idea, at least of 
its essential genius. To our own mind a peculiar 
pleasure always is associated with Mozart's Don Gio- 
vanni, from the fact that we first became acquainted 
and enamored with its music through a mere piano- 
forte arrangement, long before we ever heard more 
than an air or two of the opera sung< And now 
those of our readers, who may have .some little skill 
upon the instrument, especially if they have^ heard 
the opera performed, will find some satisfaction, we 
doubt not, in playing over the two short extracts we 
have made here from the Piano-forte arrangement of 
the entire Opera, as published by Messrs. Ditson & 
Co. 

The first is the Quartet in the first act, where poor, 
deserted Elvira seeks her betrayer, and appeals to 
Donna Anna and Ottavio : Non tijidar, misera, &c. 
. . .. te vuol tradir ancor (Trust him not, O wretched 
lady ; he has betrayed me, he would also betray you). 
It has been said of it : 

In this wonderftil Qaartet each voloe-part Is a character, a 
melody of a distinct geniot, and all wrought into a perfect 
nnitjr. ElTtra wanu Anna and Ottario against confiding in 
this generoos looking Don, whose aid they hare unwittingly 
bespoken in their search for the murderer of the first scene 
(naming himselO; I>on Juan declares that she is crasy and 
not to be minded; the others are divided between pity for 
her and respect for sneh a gentleman ; and all these stnuids 
are twisted into one of the finest concerted pieces in 411 opera. 
It Is one of those peculiar triumphs of opera, which make it 
so much more dramatic than the spoken drama; for here you 
haTe four characters expressing themselTes at once, with entire 
unity of effect, yet with the distinctest IndWiduallty. The 
mtksio makes you instantly clidrroyant to the whole of them ; 
you do not have to wait for one after the other to speak ; there 
Is a sort of song-transparency of all at once; the common 
chord of all their indiTldualities Is struck. 

Another writer (Oulibicheff) points attention to 
this striking and beautiful peculiarity in its struc- 
ture: 

The clause contained in the two last measures of this solo, 
U vual tradir aneor, Is the principal motiv^ which must chiefly 
engage the imagination and the ear. It becomes the obUgcUo 
termination of other and very different verbal clauses; and 
since the orchestra repeats It every time, new songs begin at 
this repetition, which thus servos for melody and accompani- 
ment, for the end and the connection of the different voices of 

the Quartet And so it ends with the motive clause of 

the beginniog. The flute and clarinet impress it once more 
pianissimo upon the ear, by two chords played pizzicato. Tb 
vuol tradir ancor. Hoed well Elvira's counsel; she gives it to 
you at her bitter cost. 

The second selection is a portion of the serenade 
scene, where Elvira appears at her window, in the 
beginning of the second act. The music in itself is 
exquisite ; we have not room to describe the dramatic 
relations. 



College Music. 

A Concert under (or almost under) the classic 
elms of Harvard, of music vocal and instrumental, 
performed exclusively by students, is a new thing 
under the sun. We had barely room to say lost 
week that wc had attended such a concert, given by 
the old " Pierian Sociality " and " Ilanurd Glee 
Club," in the Lyceum Hall at Cambridge. We had 
too many pleasant memories connected with the old 
Sodality, to be able to resist the courteous invitation 
tendered us in person by the president, upon whose 
violoncello bass all the harmonious elements now 
pivot. It was a diflfercnt affair in our day — a quar- 
ter of a century ago. Then we were little better than 
a flute club (every music-smitten collegian played tlie 
German flute as ardently as Mr. Swiveller),— a cloy- 
ing concentration of mere sweetness, — ^relieved how- 
ever by a couple of brave French horns, a basset 
horn and trombone, and sometimes a bass viol as we 
called it, and a clarionet ; well that the latter ceased 



its exhaustive draft upon the lungs in good season, 
or we should not be here to write about it 1 The 
gentlemanly and artistic violin was not then known 
in college. Wo had perhaps a dozen members. 
Music enjoyed no general recognition in the college 
system. The club existed but by suflTcrance ; and 
consequently its members did not always feel that 
they were put upon their good behavior. There were 
some Willi times ; but there were periods of splendor, 
as well as of eclipse in its history. More than once, 
since that time, it has almost died out ; then again 
some genuine enthusiast or two revived it. 

There is a somewhat better stnte of things in col- 
lege now. Music is at least beginning to be recog- 
nised. The government have gone so far as to ap- 
point an instructor in sacred mu^^ic, and pnt tlie 
chapel choir in proper training ; although we do not 
leam that said instructor has to do with cither of the 
clubfl above named. But certain it is that Mosic is 
far more appreciated among the leading minds at 
Harvard than it ever was before. The mupical pro- 
gress of the community about the college of course 
exerts an influence there ; and some effect un- 
doubtedly is due to the organization among Cam- 
bridge graduates, some twenty yearn since, of the 
" Har>'ard Musical Association," which sprang im- 
mediately from the old " Sodality." Be this as it 
may, the concert on Wednesday evening gave evi- 
dence of a higher musical culture among the students 
than past experience led us to expect. The vocal selec- 
tions were mostly of a high order ; and the instru- 
mental pieces, although belonging to the category of 
" light " music, were such as the occasion and mate- 
rials required, and showed good skill and taste in 

treatment. Here is the programme : 

1. Nord Stem Quadrilles ; Strauss. 

2. Serpna<le: Elsenhofer — Rhine Wine Song : Mendelssohn. 
8. In Terra Solo. (Don Sebostiano; Donisettl. 

4. Integer Vitse. 
6. TiOve; Cherubinl. 

6. Huntsmen^s Farewell : Mendelssohn. 

7. Anielie Waltses ; Lumbye. 



8. Wecker Aolka. (Ballet of Faust.) 

9. Serenade ; Baker. 

10. Seftette. (Cnr and Zimmerman); Lorhdng. 

11. Drinking Song: Mendelssohn. 

12. Cavalier Song : Boott. 

13. Pot-Pouri. (Martha -A Flotow. 

14. CoUeire Songs. — Fair Harvnnl. with words bv Rev. Dr. 

Oilman. Written for our Bi-Centennial in 1880. 

The " Pierians " are no longer a mere flute club ; 
they numberefl upon this occasion three good violins 
(forming the left wing) ; a 'cello Cworthily presiding 
in the centre, as we said before, with steady and con- 
trolling dignity) ; two flutes plus one comet, for the 
right wing ; the whole flanked by a Grand Piano 
played by four hands :— just a nii« little orchestra 
for the graceful Strauss and Lunbyo waltzes. These 
were played with a precision, delicacy and spirit, 
which showed skill enough to master higher kinds of 
music, with the addition of a few more instruments. 
It is a good sign that collegians have begun to nilti- 
vate the piano and violin. It must of itself lead to 
study of the more classical schools of music. When 
the favor in which music is at length regarded by the 
Academic " powers that be," shall ripen into actual 
provision for music among the other recognized " hu- 
manities," when the Professorship of Music shall be 
founded, there is no telling with what ardor students 
will devote themselves to Beethoven and Mendels- 
sohn and Bach and Mozart. 

Sometliing in this right direction might be seen 
alrendy in the performances of the " Glee Club," 
composed of sixteen voices, who sang the Mendels- 
sohn part-songs, the Latin chonis, &c., wholly with- 
out accompaniment, with admirable blending, light 
and shade, &c.,^Hinite up to the standard of our Ger- 
man " Orpheus/' as we thought, and more uniformly 
in good tune. The Cherubinl Quartet was a beauti- 
ful composition, and so finely sung as to be impera- 
tively encored. So in fact were more than half the 
pieces. It was a most excitable, enthusiastic and re- 
sponsive audience ; neither the students, nor the en- 
thusiastic fair (who with them naturally constitute as 



good a mutual admiration society as you will find) 
appeared to have the least respect for Mr. Pnnch's 
diatribes against the " encore swindle." 

Well, it was a pleasant evening ; Uke a realizing 
in one's children some oi the fruitless aspirations of 
his own youth. A gratifying .<ivmptom, too, that the 
young men in Collqje, who were wont to waste them- 
selves in low and sentiual indnltrcnces, are learning to 
find that genial excitement which their natures crave 
in purer and more wholsome channels. Glee clubs 
and boat dubs arc good alike for body and for sonl. 



Mnsical Beview. 

ERaATOH. In our last mess of reviews the types made us 
call Bennett^B '* To Chloe" a **song of wOd and tender 
pathos," Instead of mild ^ as we wrote it. 

From the piles of new sheet muric at our elbow we select the 

following compositions for the Piano-lhrte, as worthy of somo 

notice. 

(Pimusaxn bt 0. Dirsov & Co.) 

1. PosChumons Works of CaoPiH . ImM Maznrka (Op. 68, 
No. 8); pp. 6. 

2. Le Soypir { Sehnen mid F^agtn). J. Scrad ; pp. 6. 

8. Soirits d* Parif, by J. EaanAlD) Op. 87; No. 4. Noetmnu; 
pp. 6. 
4. PfoctwTHfy Op. 31. A. nnnfBo; pp. 6. 

1. There is no question of the genuineness of ttiis title. 
The unfinished Mazurka fs really the last inspiration of Chopin, 
*' thrown on paper but a little before his death." and when he 
was too weak to try it orer on the piano. It fs a work of 
touching interest, full of delicate, sad beauty, with a eertafa 
irfck and dreary feeling aAcr finer and more spiritual modula- 
tions, almost, them onr scale afTords. Kzqulsftely beautfftil, 
and Chopln-Iike. If somewhat morbid. Unflnbhed as it Is, It 
is a musical relic to be rererently cherlsbed. 

2. We descend Into a more common sphere, and yet cne not 
without refinement. The numerous clerer little works now 
pQbUiihed under the names of Nocturne, Berceuse, ftc., &c., 
are so much alike In style, In ftellng and fai merit, that one 
can hardly find words for each separatriy. Le Soupir Is a kind 
of pleading and pathetic bass solo, TloI<HicelIo*Iike, answered 
in the treble, and worked np In approved Italfam Open ityls; 
quite pleasing. 

8. Egghard's Nortume Is In the nsaal six-olghl xiiythm, a 
musing melody arcompaiiied by an arpeggio figure rising 
through ttie interrals of two or tbiee octaTes. 

4. The Nocturne by Ileisberg shows the Inflnence of Chopin, 
in rhythmical outline, a certain fineness of detail, &c., — the 
form without the inspiration. Yet a pleasing piece for young 
pianists. 



Vrom MI99RS. Roisell asd Foixia we have : 

1. A Prelude for Piano, by SnAsriAH Bach ; good of cooim 
In erery high artistic sense. A light little allegro, in G minor, 
three-eight measure; one of those fhncics In which the old 
Leipsic Cantor struck a vein much worked in later times by 
Mendelssohn. It is a piece of 7 pages, capital ezerelse for 
light and Independent play of all tlie fingers. 

2. Etude by FxR». Huxn; pp.2. An Andante eonetprtsmonty 
embodying a stnnge rhythmical peculiarity, which may pvip 
ale for a while ; butthe piece b worth mastering, 

8. Nocturne. F. HAaaoasr; pp. 6. 

4. Les FeuiUes V Autemne : Jtfyttf , by G. MAkcaiUOV,' pp. 6. 
A reiy simple, InofliBttslTe CantabUe Andante; good praetkoin 
the Ugttto style. 



ju tj^j ' rf^r^o r t rw~ t nrtc\ n i qm ^tw^ ^r^r»i^»^ri g^^>^»»<.ft^^^i»^<h i rmrfinr N r M or ^ o r* fnniirir>o rv> rw'v^ Tinoririrvvvvv'ii'iiir 

LondozL 

Hbb Majesty's Theatre. — {From the Musical 
Worid, May 23.) 

The second performance of Don Oromnni confirmed aB 
that hail been previously said in fiYor of Mndlle. Titlens' Don- 
na Anna. // Troratore was repented on SuturUay, and the 
Huguenots, on Tue/«day ; Madlle Poechini appearing as usual 
in the new ballet, Fleur des Champs. 

The first performance of // Bmbiere, witti Albool as Roslna, 
took place on Wednesday, the Derby Day, and, in consequence 
the house was by no means fhll. XcTerthelewi. those who did 
attend were repaid by some of the most ezqni>-1te singing erer 
heard. How Alboni executed Rossini's music we newl not in- 
sist. Enough that she enchanted her hearers from the first 
note of the performance to the last. '* Una Toce -' and ** Dun- 
que io son " were both fonltless, and Rode's air, introduced 
in the lesson scene, created the same sensation as of old, and 
the last Tariation was tnmultuously encored. 

If only good singing were required, Slgnor Belletti would be 
one of the rery best of Figaros; and as much may be said of 
Slgnor Belart in Count AlmaTlra. Both hare wonderfhl flu- 
ency. We nerer heard the duet ** Air idea dl quel metallo " 
more perfectly dellTercd. Equally good was the trio, **Ah! 
qual colpo," by Alboni, Signors Belart and Belletti, the last 
moTement of which—** QtU, Stti '-—was followed by the loud 
est applause. 

We cannot praise the Dr. Bartolo of Slgnor Rosri, although 
he sang the reproach to Roslna well; nor the BasUlo of SlgiMir 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1858. 



95 



Vlaletfci, whom voice i)« antipathetic to Romdni's mniiic. Mad. 
Ohioni dcMrrea a word of cnmniendation for her reading of the 
quaint air. ''Cerca Moglie," which, oevertheiow, she Rpoil«3d 
by an in-judj(ed cadence at the end. 

The second act of Ln Figlia Ibllowed. with Madlle. Piccolo- 
mini, 8i|?nor Bclart and Sit;nor Vinletti; and the entertain* 
ments concluded with the diTertlsisenient, (Mhto. 

On Thur^Uy Don Giovanni waa giron for the third time, 
with FUur tt^f' Champs. 

IdMt evening 11 Trovatort with Fleur-des- Champs. 

3lay 29. — On Saturday the Trariata wa« given, togoiher 
with the dirertiMfment^ Fleur-dea- Champs. 

On Tuesday, Don Gf oraaMi, with Fleur-des- Chanqu, 

On Thursday, // Trovatore with Cdlisto. 

To night the Nozze de Figaro will be produced, with Ifadile. 
Tidenn as the Countess ; Madlle Piccolomini, Susanna; 
iladdlle. Ortolani, Chorubino ; Slguor Beneventano, Count Al- 
maviva : Slgnor Belletti, Figaro : Signor Belart, BasiUo ; Slgnor 
CitiitclU, Antonio; and Signer Komi, Bartolo. Madlle. Marie 
Taglioni makes her first appearance this season in a new ballet, 
entitled La Rein* des Sondes : so that the performances will 
be more than usually attmctive. 

Terdl's Opera, Luisa Milter, Is in active preparation for 
Madlle. Piccolomini, and will be produced on Tufsday, June 
8th. 

A morning perlbrmance takes place on Monday, when Don 
Giovanni will be given, with a ballet, la which filadlles. Poe- 
chlni and Marie Taglioni will appear. 

New Philharmokic Societt. — At the third 
concert the first part of the programme was all from 
MendelBsohn : viz. Overture : " Fingal's Cave " : 
Aria : Infelice (sang by Mme. Castellan) ; Piano 
Concerto in G minor, played from memory by Mme. 
Szarvady ( Wilhelmina Clansa) ; Daet from the Lob- 
getang (Castellan and Hen* Reichart); Air: "If 
with all your heart " ; and Symphony in A. The 
second part contained Beethoven's ovciture to "King 
Stephen " and Weber's to " Prcciosa " ; Rode's Va- 
liations, sang ; Piano Solos from Chopin, &c. 

RoTAL Italian Opera. — Mme. Bosio made 
her first appearance for the season, May 22, in La 
TravkUa ; Sig. Gardoni was the Alfredo, Graziani the 
elder Germont ; Polonini, Ttigliafico and Zclger in 
the sabordinate parts. Bosio was in splendid voice 
and sang with all her asaal brilliancy, while in acting 
she is said to have made a great advance. The Hw- 
gwnota was to follow, for the sixth time this season. 
RoKCOKi and Formes were expected in a few days 
— vainly in the case of Formes, if the report of his 
Strakosch engagement in oar Western States be true. 

The foarth Philharmonic Concert was " one of 
the most magnificent concerts ever given." Two 
Symphonies : Mozart's in G minor, and Beethoven's 
in F, No. 8 ; two overtures : Spohr's to Jeuonda, and 
Cherabini's to Faniska ; tlien Joachim again, who 
played Mendelssohn's Concerto, and Bach's Sonata, 
with fagne, for Violin solo ; and then for a singer. 
Miss Louisa Pyne, who sang Vedrai Carino, and an 
air by Pacini. 

usual €QXinpn)intt, 

Philadelphia, June 15. — Since the memorable 
period when that ancient fogy, William Penn, held 
famous treaty with the Indians, under the wide- 
spreading oak from the site whereof now radiate the 
bastling streets of Kensington, there has not been 
known a stagnation in musical matters, like the pres- 
ent. Not so much as a mocking-bird chirping from 
the window of a spinster. Musard (do you recollect 
my prediction?) has incontinently "caved;" the 
Germania no longer charms the senses of the beau 
numde at the Musical Fund Hall; and the Music 
Stores liken unto those "banquet halls deserted," 
whereof discourseth the inspired poet. There is, in 
point of fact, nothing left us but Lager Beer, and the 
subterranean concerts, which have made beverage 
popular. When these caravanserais were first estab- 
lished, they were patronized exclusively by phleg- 
matic Germans, who loved to chat away the fleeting 
hours of the night over a genial mug of beer, and 
to discuss sagely the politics of the Vaterland. 

Soon after, however, "Young America" conceived 
a passion for a snug t@te4i-tdte at the small square 
tables, entered the territory a laJiUibuster, and absorb- 
ed every square inch of ground. When the Falstaf- 
fian proprietors marked the change, they shaped their 
ends accordingly, and altered the character of their 
nightly concerts. 




Ilcrr Backcnbart, tlic violinist, and Frau Sauer- 
bicr, vocalist, received their passports, and their 
places were tendered to Gumbo Chaff and Paddy 
Miles. Thus, too, Sdinbcrt and Abt gave way to 
Stephen C. Foster and Samuel Lover. Some nights 
since, I entered one of these subterranean Concert 
Halls, to gratify a pre-conceived curiosity. The 
fumes of segor smoke, whiskey and beer filled the 
long, narrow saloon to suffocation, and cost me a 
fit of coughing as I descended the steps. Far off at 
the other end, enshrouded in a dense halo, (upon a 
rickety platform stood a female,) singing, " T'were 
vain to tell thee all I feci." Heaven save the mark 1 
Here was " God's best gift to man " vocalizing to a 
congregation of heterogenous reprobates, who passed 
from tongue to tongue the most palpable obscenities 
within her very hearing. 

Blush with me for human nature, most worthy 
journal I Then followed Paddy Miles, who chaunted 
forth a refrain about a certain " broth of a boy, and his 
love for one Mistress Gollogher" and swung a formida- 
ble shillelagh around his brick-top head every time the 
chorus joined in. Hereupon a sallow Italian, redolent 
of maccaroni and tobacco, mounted the platform and 
performed the stereot^'ped " Carnival of Venice," 
with five new variations. This artist enjoyed a wild 
encore, and when, to oblige his critical audience, he 
struck suddenly into " Yankee Doodle," the con- 
fusion became so intense as to cause all the beer mugs 
to vibrate upon the tables. After all this followed a 
farce, with diminutive scenery, but I did not remain, 
for I was well nigh stifled. 

This sort of musical entertainment is all which 
remains to us since the collapse of Mons. Musard 
and his Philadelphia Orchestra. Let those whose 
tastes prove sufficiently depraved, patronize these un- 
dercurrents to legitimate amusements. 

Formes has sung four times during the past week. 
His rendition of such morccaux as In diesen Ifeiligen 
HalUn, and the Wanderer, by Schubert, should have 
rescued Musard; but the inordinate heat of the 
weather and the extraordinary stupidity of every 
feature of the concerts with which the name of the 
great Basso was not coupled, rendered salvation im- 
possible. Manrico. 



Brooklyn, N. Y., June 15. — The Grand Floral 
and Musical Entertainment spoken of some months 
ago, is announced to come off on the 24th June, at 

the Athenieum The Summer Exhibition of the 

Brooklyn Horticultural Society will take place on 
the 22d and 23d, and the " Grand Floral Promenade 
Concert," as it is announced, on the following even- 
ing. Hall's Seventh Regiment Band are to " do " 
the music for the occasion. This is the largest, and 
by many it is considered die best Military Band in 
the country, but " comparisons are oderous," and it 
is quite unnecessary to say anything on that point, 
as either the Seventh Regiment or our own Dods- 
worth's Band will do in case of emergency. 

The following is the Programme, as announced : 

1. Overture— La flUe da Beglment, String Band; Donlxettl. 

2. Aria— From Robert Le Diable, String Band; Meyerbeer. 

8. Choni»— From Templar and J udin, Militarj Band ; Marsch- 

ner. 
4. Duet— Fr(Hn William Tell, String Bond ; Bonial. 
6. Orerture— Stradella. String Band ; Flotow. 

6. Ario^From Belliaarlo, MUitary Band ; OoniaettL 

7. Prayer— From William Tell,— iSolo for Oboe, 

Clarinet and Comet ;) Rosvini. 

8. Daet — Lucia di Lammermoor, String Band j Donlaettl. 

9. ChoruD— Tannhaueer, Military Band; R. Wagner. 

10. Grand Floral Festival March, Military Band; Brannes. 

The Committee of Arrangements is composed of 
about seventy of our most enterprising and wealthy 
citizens. The " Flora McFlimsey's " are in ecstasies ; 
such a splendid opportunity to show that new *' love 
of a hat " and that superb " one hundred dollar robe " 
just from Stuart's." The affairpromises to be some- 
thing well worth seeing. No expense or labor will 
be spared to render it an occasion worthy to be re- 
membered. The committee in their announcement 
say : " The Floral Designs, Statuary, and other Dec- 



orations, will surpass anything of the kind which has 
ever been attempted here." 

In New York, at the Academy, the Opera goes on 
swimmingly, showing how much better it is to have 
all the principal artists interested in the pecuniary 
success of so large an enterprise as an opera, than to 
pay them a certain sum in any event, leaving the 
result to be worked out by other parties who are in- 
terested only in its pecuniary success. Whenever 
we have had Italian Opera given on this plan, it has 
been more snccessful than in any other way. It may 
be impracticable, because of the impossibility in the 
way of getting a sufficient number of artists to unite 
on such common ground. But this objection remov- 
ed, the chances of success are ten to one in favor of 
the plan now in operation at the Academy. 

A gentleman who has just arrived from London 
says that Mr. George Loder will visit America 
this fall, with an English Opera company; Mrs. 
LucT EsTCOTT, Soprano, Henrt Squires, Ten- 
ore, &c. From the flattering accounts received here 
of the success of Mrs. Escott and Mr. Squires since 
their first appearance in Italy some three years ago, 
their return to us is looked for with no little interest. 

Bellini. 



Muiioal ChiMSiat 

Boston Music Hall Association. — The an- 
nual meeting of this association was held at the Music 
Hall on Wednesday of last week, the President, J. 
B. Upham, Esq., in the chair. From the annual re- 
port of the Treasurer, it appears that the total re- 
ceipts for the year have amounted to $5,864 15, and 
the total expenditures to $7,458 24, leaving a balance 
of $1,405 91. The following Board of Directors 
was elected for the ensuing year : J. B. Upham, J. 
M. Fesscnden, George Derby, H. W. Pickering, 
Eben Dale, E. D. Brigham, and J. P. Putnam. 

The Atlantic Monthly for July is bright and early 
in our hands, and ready for delivery this day. The 
sight of it is always good as good music to the soul. 
The contents of the new number seem as rich and 
individual as ever, the "Autocrat" included. We 
have yet, in duty to ourselves, to pay our respects 
to the Magazine of our times in full. 

The following remarks of the New York Musical 
Review about the popular nonsense of " Old Folks' 
Music," are pertinent and true : 

A Mr. Kendall, of Fulton, N. Y., is so much interest 
ed in " Old Folks' Music" (so-caUed) that he invites a 
gathering of all such as desire " to sing some of those 
good old tunes and words which so often cheered and 
animated the hearts of the Pilgrim Fathers and Moth- 
ers amid the toils, sufferings, and privations through 
which they were called to pass in the early settlement 
of our country." Now wnile we would by no means 
insist that Mr. Kendall should possess sufficient taste to 
perceive that the so-called " old folks' music" is not 
" good old tunes," we do claim that he has no right to 
be so ignorant of history as to couple this trash with 
the Pilgrim Fathers. Had he ventured upon saluting 
their jears with any such stuff, the chances are that the 
" toils, sufferings, and privations" would have been on 
his side, as he would undoubtedly have made a close 
acquaintance with the whipping-post. The Pilgrim 
Fathers set their faces resolutely against any trifling 
with or burlesquing of religious matters. No, Mr. 
Kendall, a very little reading of the musical history of 
the country would have taught you that your " good 
old tunes date no further back than the commence- 
ment of the Revolutionary War ; a very good and 
patriotic time indeed, but certainly not very musical. 
William Billings, the arch " fuguer" of them all, bom 
in 1749, and publishing his first lK)ok in 1770, was for 
all we know, a very estimable man, as he certainly 
was a warm patriot ; but he knew about as much of 
the laws of harmony and musical composition, as did 
Moelzel's automaton trumpeter, or as does that street- 
organ which is grinding out Casta Diva ns we write. 
But wo did not intend to disparage Mr. Billings, when 
we commenced, who after all only followed some very 
bad examples set him from over the water, just about 
that time ; we only wish to enter our decided protest 
against the further continuance of any such anachron- 
ism as the coupling ot continental harmony or old 
folk's music, whetlier in or out of costume, with the 
Pilgrim Fathers. 



96 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



The " Barber of Seville/' in English, has lately 
been performed at Louisville, K7. ; Miss Durakd 
doing the Rosina, and Miss Hodson, a deep contralto, 
the tenor part of Almaviva ! . . . . Mozart's i^ozze di 
Figaro, after an interval of twenty years, has been 
bronght out at the Theatre Lyriquc in Paris, and with 

immense success It is stated that the Emperor 

Alexander has decreed the establishment' of nineteen 
theatres in the principal towns of Great Russia, of 
four in Little Russia, four in the Baltic Provinces, 
five in Kasan, three in Astrakan, five in Southern 
Russian, eight in Western Russia, Finland and Sibe- 
ria, five in Poland, and others in groat towns where 
none already exist They are to receive government 
subventions, and perform chiefly operas, in which 
foreigners and natives may figure An unpub- 
lished one-act " Opera Buffo," by Donizetti, called 
Rita, has been discovered, and pronounced authentic 
by a learned committee of musical Frenchmen. 

The Natick (Mass.) Observer gives us a "notice" 
which we copy, in the hope that its suggestions may 
have influence in other places. Natick has done 
nobly, and has already sent the twenty 8uh8criber$ 
aimed at in the notice. Any town which has one 
live and active friend of music in it, may and ought 
to do as much for the support of a musical paper, 
and thereby for the promotion of its own musical 
culture : 

This papaTf originally oitabUshed bj John S. Dwli^t, at fhe 
nrgttot rcqueit of mMaj of the liMullng miuieal people of Bos- 
ton and its Tfelnity, who had long known that gentleman^f pe- 
culiar fltneea for the poaitlon of editor of a musical periodical, 
la now in Its seventh year. At the beginning of the present 
▼olume, Its publication was assumed by the well-known firm 
of " Ditaon k. Co.," leaving Mr. Dwight fipoe to devote aU his 
time and eneigles to the editorial department. It will be seen 
that for the purpose of extending the sphere of its UMfhlness, 
Mr. Ditson oflfora it to clubs of twenty subscribers for the small 
sum of 926, or $1,26 each! 

Considering that eight pages of reading matter and four of 
music are given in each ntunber, it is evident that the mere 
cost of printing cannot be covered iby the subscription. We 
ean assure our readers that no Ar^Joumal In the worid Is 
offered so cheaply as this. 

An effort Is now making to form a club in Natick, of at least 
twenty subscribers, and we hope most sincerely, that it will 
prove successful. At the end of the year each subscriber will 
have some four hundred quarto pages of musical nntdlng, and 
more than two hundred pages of music, so paged that each 
may be bound separately. 

It may be interesting to many, to know that our townsman, 
A. W. Thayer, expects to be in Europe before the summer is 
over, and that he will correspond with the paper, giving his 
Impressions of music and art in the countries which he will 
visit. Among the topics, which will be the suljects of his 
letters, are, Operas, Oratorios, Concerts, the performances of 
the most celebrated Bands of the Prussian and Austrian army, 
muslo as taught In schools, and the like. 

It may be thought that the music which Is published in the 
Journal is too difficult for us, in the country. Difficulty is a 
merely relative term ; that which at first seems unconquerable 
soon becomes easy, by proper practice, and we should think 
very meanly of our Natick Musical Association, if we doubted 
Its ability, under any competent leader, to sing after adequate 
rshoanals, the beautifbl works by Mendelssohn and Schubert, 
which have already graced the columns of this volume of the 
Journal of Music. 

We look forward to the time when singing sodeUes in our 
various towns, shall have an annual ftstival ; one year here 
perhaps, another in Holliston, or Milford, fcc, as the case may 
he, upon which occasions these beautiful works would form 
the most attractive foatures, alter the grand Oratorio, which 
of eourse is above all. 

P. S. — those who wish to subscribe for the Journal spoken of 
above, can leave their names at this office. 

The Germans in New York are building a new 
theatre in the Bowery; the German importers are 
a wealthy and well-educated class, and able, no doubt, 
to support another opera house. . . . We read that 
the libretto of a new opera, from the pen of a highly 
accomplished New York lady, has just been com- 
pleted, founded on incidents taken from the history 
and peculiar religious customs of Hindostan, and to 
be entitled " Lack^mi." The only feature of the 
work as a musical composition, apart from tlie merits 
of the libretto, will consist in the adaptation and use 



of the choicest morceaux of the great roasters, Ros- 
sini, Bellini, and others, systematically arranged and 
dove-tailed, so as to resemble a continuous work. 

One of the Paris letter-writers says of Mario : 
" He has refused to sign an engagement witli the 
Italian Opera for the next season. His reason, as 
given in a letter to one of his friends in Paris, is that 
here his expenses are enormous. He says tliat his 
salary for the seven months of last season was one 
hundred and five thousand francs, and that he spent 
one hundred and thirty-Jive thousand! If the due of 
Candia spends as much for other articles of the toilet 
as he does for kid gloves, of which it is said he puts 
on several new pairs every day, never wearing one 
pair twice, there is no doubt his expenses are what he 
states. He is now in his villa of Florence, where he 
has collected treasures of art that do honor to his 
taste." 

The Association of Amateurs and Musicians of 
Rhenish Prussia were to hold their S6th grand annual 
festival at Cologne, on the 23d, 24t]i and 25th of 
May. The performances were to take place in the 
newly-restored Giirsenich hall. There were to be 
286 female and 233 male singers, and 148 instrumen- 
tal performers — in all 667. Ferdinand Hiller was 
to be the director, and an oratorio of his, called Saul, 
was to be produced, together with works of Bach, 
Gluck, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and others. . . . 
The grand musical festival of the Swiss Confedera- 
tion is to be held this year in Zurich, where they are 
constructing an immense hall to accommodate 4000 
singers and 6000 auditors. 

In the kst act of Henry Till., at the Boston The- 
atre last week, while the dying scene of Queen Cath- 
arine was so strikingly represented by Miss Cush- 
XAK, Handel's sacred song : " Angels ever bright 
and fair " was sung behind the scenes by Mrs. Hab- 
wooD, and in a highly artistic and expressive manner 
which delighted everybody. . . . The music- 
lovers hereabouts will be very glad to learn that Mrs. 
J. H. Long will not leave Boston for tlie present, nor 
is there any probability that she will do so in another 
season. . . . Mrs. E. A. Wbntworth was by 
last accounts in Rome. . . . Intelligence has 
been received from Caraccas, that Signora Agrilsb 
Natale (known in Philadelphia as Miss Agnesb 
Heron) had made a successful debut in Italian opera 
in the Trovatore. The part of the Gypsey was sung 
Mme. Aldini ; of Count di Luna by Morelli ; of 
Manrico by Giakkoki, and of Fernando by Rocoo. 
Miss Fannt Herok (Signora Francesa Natale) was 
to appear in La Figlia dd Reggimento and the Traviata, 
and the two sisters in Linda. 

The Grand Musical Festival, in which nearly all 
the instrumental performers in New York are con- 
cerned, is announced to take place at the Academy of 
Music on the 27th inst. Among the participants will 
be the members of the PhUharmonic Society, the 
Italian Opera, the orchestra of the city theatres, the 
various bands, &c., forming an orchestra of over 
three hundred performers. Beethoven's " Choral 
Symphony" will be performed, Carl Anschutz 
conducting, and Mmes. Caradori and Zimmerhakn, 
Herr Formes and Mr. Simpson sustaining the vo- 
cal solos, with a chorus of 300 singers. This will be 
followed on the next day by a Pic-nic, Concert and 
Ball. The proceeds to be devoted to purposes of 
charity. . . . The opera advertisement in the 
New York papers states that Mme. Gazzaniga is 
engaged at Madrid, which will " prevent the continu- 
ation of the summer season beyond the 30tli inst," 
and furthermore that " she is admitted by the entire 
press, &c., &c., to be <Ae greatest dramatic lyric artiste 
that has yet visited America." From the same inter- 
esting card we get the comforting assurance that // 
Trovatore would be performed " most positively the 
last time " on Monday, June 14. 



Spetial Itniitts, 

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OP TUB 

TEST 3^d:XJSIO, 
PaMlaliedl bv O. DIcmb 9t €•• 

Vocal, with Piano. 

Battle of Lexington. Song. L. Heath, 30 

The thrilling Poem of Olirer Wendell Holmefi, which 
beuv this DMiie, hue already won for itmlfa hijrh piare 
•moDff the youDK and rifpnrovi fnrowth which we call 
our own national literature. It needed the hand of 
the mnrician to Introduce it to the Ilotnee and Hearta 
of the People. The Compowr of the ** Grave of Bona- 
parte " haa taken the taxk upon himnelf. If a melody 
of a hifchly impreealTe ehararter, warminfc from atera 
aimpliclty into dramatic Are and pathoN. fitting exactly 
to the poem throughout, can inaure ancoeai, then Yas 
Bong will be a Household Song ere long. ' 

Thy name I softly murmur. (Immortelle.) Kucken 25 

With BngliRh and German worda. A Lotb Song, 
tender and paudonate in tumi. One of Kueken^ 
beat. 

Clemie Gay. JJ. Aug, Pond. 25 

Childhood's happy home. H. Aug. Postd. 25 

Simple aonga for the young, well anaoged. 

Instrmnental. 

Chopin's Last Mazurka. , 25 

Although not the beet of tlie '* Poethttmoua worfci" 
of thia iienffltiTe muMeal mind, it in one of the mont 
ehararterlatic, and a dear relic of the maater whoae 
tide of life waa already ebbing low, when he penned 
this Masurlca. He had never atrength enough afler- 
warda. to tiy it on the piano. It la oTen, through a 
melancholy whim of the dying compoeer, "Senxa 
Fine."— Other of Chopin's poatbumoua worfci wOl fol- 
low. 

La Saison de Londres. Yalse brilliante. Tedesco. 25 

This compoaition bears the stamp of decided origi- 
Inality. and has a melodious flow ind spirits, which ia 
not excelled by any of the more youthful worlu of the 
now Teteran composer. As a '* Yalse de Salon " it 
answer* all purposes. It Is brilliant, melodSoua and 
piquant. 

Qmner, 25 

H. Aug. Pond. 25 

Gen. Havelock's Grand Triumphal March. 

JuHien. 25 



Evergreen Polka. 
Kippling Schottisch. 



Sleigh BeU WalU. 
Peach blow Schottisch. 



Bricker. 25 

H. Aug. Pond. 25 

Overture " 2^mpa " for Four Performers on two 

Pianos, arranged by Lattenburg. 1,50 

lias long been eagerly looked for and will prove a 
valuable addition to the worka of a similar kind already 
issued. Tia., Orertures Tell and Fra Diavolo. 

Mazurka ^dgante. Ltfibure-Wdy. 25 

A Terr graceAal late eo mp oa i tion of ihe foTorite au- 
thor. Bather eaqr. 

Showers of Gold. Reverie Romance from Balfe's 

" Bohemian Giri." King. 30 

This is a foaclnating arrangement or Transcription 
of that exquisite little melody of Balfe*s, to the words: 
** I dreamt tiiat I dwelt in marble halla." The arrangia* 
•ment is in the foTorite Tremolo style and done with so 
much nicety and taste, that this may Justly be consid- 
erod the ''Pearl of Tnmoios." Moderately dlffleult 



Books. 

Owe Huhdrbd Songs of Scotlaitd, Music and 
Words. 50 

This collection embracea all the popular Scotch Mel. 
odies, with poetry by Robert Bums, Allan Ramsay, 
James Hagg^ Walter Seott, Robert Ticnnahitt. and oth- 
ers, and is the most complete cmnpilation of the kind 
published. Scottish airs possess little claim to techni- 
cal art; but are decidedly characteristic, and unlike 
the compoeltions of any other countiy. There is a 
tone of quaint humor, and a touching, yet agreeable, 
melancholy in most of them, and they eloquently ex- 
press the rarying emotions of the human mind; 
whether of tendemeas, joy, grief, love, or hate. What 
comes from the heart generally goes to the heart, and 
many of them originated in the lore of the chielk, 
the return of some wanderer, the birth of an heir, the 
settlement of a quarrel, or the inspirations of the som- 
hre and majestic scenery of the mountains. They ex- 
hibit a strong lore of paatoral life, and a fine apprecia- 
tion of whatever was simple and beautlAil In nature. 

The native words, which were originally sung to the 
ancient melodiea, have long faded away and many un- 
meaning verses, which up to the end of the last cen- 
tury possessed some of the finest melodies, have been 
supplanted by new and appropriate words. The 
versea which are now moat popular are ehiofly the pro- 
duction of a comparatively modem period, and. in 
connection with the Melodiea, are presented in this 
volume in a neat, convenient and durable form, and at 
a price oonfoimable to the means of all. 




Wg|t'5 



|0ttrttal 





uSii^ 



Whole Na 325. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 13. 



Dream Land. 

From the pages of an English Magulae, where it appeared 
anonjrmooaly : 

Where sullen rivers weep 
Their waves into the ilccp, 
She sleeps ft charmed sleep, 

Awake her not. 
Led by a single star 
Slic came from verj far. 
To seek where sliadows ore 

Iler pleasant lot. 

She left the rosy mom, 
She left the fields of com, 
For twilight cold and lorn, 

And water springs. 
Through sleep as through a veil, 
She sees the sky look pale. 
And hears die nightingale, 

That sadly sings. 

Rest, rest, a perfect rest. 
Shed over brow and breast ; 
Her face is towards tlio west, 

The purple land. 
She cannot see the grain 
liipcning on hill and plain ; 
She cannot see the rain 

Upon her hand. 

Rest, rest for evermore 
Upon a mossy shore, 
Best, rest, that shall endure, 

Till time shall cease ; — 
Sleep tliat no pain shall wake. 
Night that no mom shall break, 
Till joy shall overtake 

Her perfect peace. 



[Tnuulated tat this Journal.] 

Mofical Orthodoxy. 

From the German of Hme. Johahha KoruL. 
(Coneluded tnm pefe 91.) 

Similar conversations, based upon the music 
which they performed together, took place be- 
tween Sohling and the two women two or three 
times a week. Ida's quickness of understanding, 
which &st developed itself as she overcame her 
prejudices more and more, interested Sohling 
greatly. Her witty vein re-appeared, though 
somewhat chastened by her secret sorrow. But 
this was to her advantage, for her natural excitar 
bility, far too great, needed a restraint By 
degrees with internal peace returned her bloom, 
and she was compelled to acknowledge to her- 
self that she was no longer so very miserable, 
though, with the obstinacy of girls of her age, 
she would never be happy again I 

The piunter, a woman of wide culture, had 
very soon seen that Ida had but little education 
except in music. Her questions, when they had 
been together in the picture gallery, or when 
any book of high character had &Uen into her 
hands, showed how little she had read and how 
little, her mind always occupied by tones, she had 
noticed what was around her. She might pass 
a remarkable building or a statue a hundred 
times, and yet carry off no definite idea of ito 
separate features in her memory. 



In a conversation with Ida, the painter has 
spoken of it as one of Sohling's highest rocom- 
mendations, that he was not a mere mechanical 
musician, adding : 

*' Oye leanis so much from him, because he is 
not confined to mero technical methods of ex- 
plaining himself to unmusical people, as others 
are, but because through his manifold culture, a 
thousand analogies are at his conmiand, and he 
is cUfiblcd to find, in the case of each individual, 
right point of approach to his understanding. 
For example if you knew as much about the 
ancients as he does, you would be far better able 
to place your idol Gluck in the proper light be- 
fore the musical laity. Ko man of culture, who 
had read Sophocles, would remain in love with 
operatic music of a low order, if you were able 
to show him a dramatic truth and force in music 
equal to that in the Greek drama." 

At an exhibition, would the painter stand with 
delight before a capital old picture, which from 
its darkened colors seemed to Ida gloomy and 
tedious to look upon, and to which she by far 
preferred a young noble, painted in the style of 
the older Diisseldorf school. ^ And yet," said 
the painter, ^* you are offended because the musi- 
cally uninformed .hear Donizetti rather than 
Sebastian Bach ! Here you have the spirit of 
each as he would have shown it in color ! " 

A year of such intercounMT was sufficient to 
awaken in Ida the liveliest desire for mental im- 
provement She felt it her duty to give not a 
single hour more to bcr profession, than was 
necessary to supply her necessities. The rest of 
her time was devoted to study. She entered 
into and breathed the atmosphere of the great 
poets of her fatherland, and with the clear in- 
sight into artistic form aa displayed in language, 
grew up in her the comprehension and apprecia- 
ion of the lyrical in music, of the epic elements 
of the Symphony. Her mind opened itself to 
color and form, and as she became familiar with 
history, her fancy found new life and nourish- 
ment in old national poetry. 

By this time, Sohling began to find himself as 
much quickened and intellectually excited by 
conversation with her, and as much indebted to 
the activity of her mind for new ideas, as she 
had been formerly to his. lie began to prefer 
her company to all other, although not the slight- 
est spark of passion for her had entered his heart. 
He never experienced, when with her, anything of 
that dreamy state, so favorable to love. Her 
mind was too active to allow a young man oppoi^ 
tunity to say to himself: ** Here art thou late at 
night with a pretty girl alone 1 " 

Twilight often came without notice from them, 
and instead of lamps shone the moon and stars 
into the roonL The lindens in blossom out on the 
public square sent their fi-agrance into the room 
and the fountains plashed pleasantly below. But 
still no feeling of tenderness found place, which 
might be the bridge from heart to heart There 
were no moments of silence, and a thousand 
topics remained untouched when they parted. 



The habit of being so much together had long 
since banished the stiff forms of north German 
society from their intercourse ; their relations to 
each other were much the same as those of two 
friends of the same sex, who have no secrets 
from each other, not even in matters of the 
heart 

Sohling had oflen wondered at her sudden 
change of the conversation, when he happened to 
speak of Selvar's family. Her emotion during 
his first visit and her refusal to add a note to his 
letter to Selvar, again recurred to his memory. 
At a later period it had occurred to him that 
possibly there might be some love affair in the 
case, but he never dreamed of the real person, 
believing, as young men generally do — even 
such as are not particularly vain — that a man 
can only be dangerous to the peace of a girl 
when in his best years, say from twenty to 
thirty. 

He had therefore spoken freely of the "old 
Count" and told anecdotes of him, which so far as 
he knew were perfectly harmless, and which yet 
tore open the hardly cicatrized wounds in his 
listener's heart 

On such an occasion at length, when Ida could 
no longer hide her tears, she had made the young 
man the confident of her secret Her heart 
opened to him, like a raging volcano, and the 
current of passionate agony spread over the 
flowery garden picture, which Sohling had paint- 
ed to himself of her life and labors. * 

Such love to a frosty gray-headed man was 
beyond his comprehension ; still he was interested 
in the power and truth with which she described 
her emotions, so different fix>m anything he had 
ever heard from the women of the great city. Ida 
felt ashamed of herself tlie next hour for having 
thus laid bare the secret of her heart ; but her 
shame was overbalanced by her secret pleasure 
at having at length found one, with whom she 
could speak freely, who also had once lived in 
Selvar's family. She labored hard to save her 
recollections of the Count from that inevitable 
fading away, which is sure to overtake at last a 
love, which has its seat mainly in the fancy, and 
is separated from its object 

Sohling had a sinular dark point in his past 
history, and returned Ida's confidence by relating 
it He had been in love with a beautiful pupil 
of rank, who was endowed with a magnificent 
voice and real talent Just returned from a 
Parisian school, the young coquette had taken 
pleasure in playing over the part with the music- 
teacher, which she in the winter hoped to perform 
at Court The mother had no objection to the 
girl's having a little practice in love-making with 
so harmless an individual, in order to be the bet- 
ter prepared and not seem too awkward and at a 
loss, when more serious cases should arise. 

Sohling thought himself for a long time the 
first love of a pure maiden soul ; with bitter self- 
denial, he ruled his feelings in her presence, feel- 
ing the utter hopelessness of his wishes. But 
the little coquette knew well how, by her appar^ 



ent simplicity, to lead him to some new expression 
of his passion, until at length the kindness of the 
girl and the cnhimess of the mother really de- 
ceived him into the idea of the poitsibility of 
obtaining her. AAer he had thus been kept 
along for some months, the innocent child mar^ 
ried an old miser, whose ugliness of person was 
only exceede<l by his stupidity. 

Sohling was not so weak, as to cherish his 
passion ; his heart was so suddenly cooled that 
he lived on for some years, without engaging in 
any new adventure. 

The two artist*! 'now went calmly on their 
course of life together, with full assurance of 
safety in this respect ; he, because he had become 
too indifferent to women to fall in love again ; she, 
because her lasting sorrow for Selvar was a 
talisman, which defended her heart as with triple 
mail. Neitjier of them thought to inquire, why 
an evening passed in other society, even in the 
most intellectual, seemed to them both far 
emptier and less enjoyable, than a quiet inter- 
view in. the dwelling of the painter. If Ida was 
not present at a concert, he directed with not 
half his usual ambition ; if she waited in vain for 
him at the usual hour, she lost her composure and 
could find no rest either at her piano-forte or 
book. 

A long cherished wish of Sohling was unex- 
pectedly fulfilled. In a small, but very refined 
city, a music director was wanted, who at the 
same time should have charge of a fine theatre, 
and conduct an excellent musical association. 
Sohling applied for the place and obtained it 
over several men of high merit. 

He hastened with the news to Ida, who turned 
pale and became of a sudden very sad and mel- 
ancholy. The painter expressed her surprise in 
words. She wished him success, at the same 
time, honestly complaining of the solitude, wliich 
his removal, from the city would bring upon 
her. 

Sohling was ashamed of himself, that in his 
joy he had quite overlooked this. His heart was 
warm and faithful. He now felt what pain would 
necessarily accompany his farewell. " And worst 
of all, you will miss her ! " said something within 
him as he glanced at Ida, whose eyes fell beneath 
his gaze. She had never seemed to him so love- 
able as in this quiet, retiring sorrow. His heart 
beat restlessly; he sighed and thought what a 
blind and foolish stroke of fortune it was that 
she had not rather loved him than Selvar ! 

It was necessary for him to hasten his depar- 
ture, and he could give but passing moments to 
his friends. After each of these Ida's state of 
mind was more and more an enigma to herself. 
She felt oppressed; in his society she lost the 
power of conversation, and he appeared to suffer 
from some unknown cause of melancholy. The 
last evening had come. " Sing me once more," 
said he, ^* one of Beethoven's Scottish sonss. 
You know my favorite : * Enchantress, fare- 
well!'" 

The look which he gave her, was something to 
Ida strange, and one from which she at the mo- 
ment shrank. The sweet melody melted her 
heart. He was indeed her friend, her brother, 
who now was to depart; he, before whom her 
stormy nature was all revealed, and who had 
allowed her to look down into the depths of 
his own mild and peaceful heart. She began the 
song ; but from the depths of nature came the 
fast-flowing tears, and at the passage : 



" nur ein &irtllch Hen 
Dns Liobe will brcehen, 
Yersteht meine Qual, cLiu Ich dkh nicht mehr aeh — " 

her eyes grew dark, not another tone would 
come ; she suddenly ceased and turned her head 
away. " Heavens ! is it possible," said her heart, 
** I love him, and him alone ! " 

Sohling sat for a time beside her in silence, 
then rose and gently spoke her name. She 
regained her composure, and rising looked him 
again in the face. He tried in vain to speak the 
harsh, sad word, " farewell ! " — it would not pass 
his lips. Forgetting himself entirely, he threw 
his arms about her, her head rested for a moment 
upon his breast, then followed a single kiss. She 
struggled to free herself, he held her fast, pressed 
her stonnily to his bosom, and at length found 
words : " I cannot leave thee, Ida, I am wretched, 
for I love thee, thee only, and knew it not" 

Ida could not speak. For some moments she 
stood with his head resting upon her shoulder, 
then withdrew, and placing her hand in his, said 
all in a look. 

Sohling's departure was necessarily deferred 
for some days ; for the problem of affection which 
they had just solved gave them more topics for 
conversation, than even music in their earlier 
intercourse, and topics, which they discussed as 
unweariedly as their Christmas gifts in childhood. 
For a time. Art — yes, all the world was forgot- 
ten, until the painter reminded them that greater 
preparations were necessary for a married pair's 
house-keeping than for that of a bachelor. For- 
tunate for them that she took this task upon 
herself, for they were just then too far above all 
the prose of life to be able to engage in details 
of business. 



Ten years had passed since Ida's flight from 
Waldheim. Selvar's sister had been dead some 
years, and he was very much altered in person, 
if not in his tastes. His daughter and her hus- 
band, who was a Russo-German, had been oblig- 
ed to obey the Czar's mandate at last, and return 
to their domain. Thus Selvar, who had no female 
relative to do the honors of his house, was left 
lonely at home. He made up for the stillness, 
which now reigned in Waldheim, in part by 
frequent journeys. 

Tliis summer he had even tired of the theatre ; 
there was no new play, no ibteresting " star." 
So he made up his mind to visit his daughter. 
Upon his journey he stopped one day to rest 
himself in a city in central Germany, which 
lay in a lonely part of the country, and, as 
the new buildings showed, was rapidly increas- 
ing. 

** Is there a theatre here ? " he asked the land- 
lord. 

"Not to-day," was the answer ; " but instead of 
a play there is a concert" 

"I should have preferred a play," said the 
Count, " but I must use up the evening in some 
way. Get me a ticket" 

Selvar, arriving rather late, had to content 
himself with a seat in the most distant part of 
the hall. Casting his eye over the progranune, 
the name Sohling caught his notice. " That 
name is surely an old acquaintance," thought he. 
"Ah, yes; I wrote him once about poor Ida. 
Well, well," with a sigh, " I am no longer guilty 
of that sort of thing." 

The symphony began, capitally led by Sohling. 
Among the upper chiases the idea seems to pre- 



vail, that a symphony is hardly an integral part 
of a concert ; but rather a prelude to it The 
women especially pay about as much attention to 
it as to the drums in a wild beast show. They 
however are fond of the full orchestra, inasmuch 
as it covers up the remarks they exchange with 
their neighbors, upon the style and*dre6s of other 
auditors. Here, however, the public showed 
that it knew something more of good manners. 
At the fii'st attempt of Selvar, who was not free 
from this mark of quality, to engage his neigh- 
bor in conversation, he received for answer but a 
courtly motion of the head, and tlie persons sit- 
ting before him turned round with looks of aston- 
ishment 

Now, amid a tumult of applause, Ida advanced 
upon the stage. In spite of his eye-glass the 
Count did not recognize her. The change is 
immense which takes place in women, who early 
in life have been hindered from a natural physi- 
cal development by too excitable a tempera- 
ment, joined with an overwrought intellect If, 
however, a period of rest and happiness comes at 
the right time, such a belated 'spring works 
greater wonders, tlian even the regular delay of 
life. 

She ran over the keys of the piano-forte light- 
ly, and as if she would join these first chords 
with what was to follow, she insensibly glided 
from them into the key of the enchanting Not- 
tumo of Chopin, which she was now for the first 
time to produce before her audience. Like the 
gentle tones of bells heard from the depths of 
some submerged city, in the stillness of a roseate 
evening, so magically do those undreamed of 
melodies penetrate into the secret recesses of the 
soul. It is, as if the voices of night were revealed 
in this music, voices which seem in the solitude 
of the forest calling to us from the stars or from 
ocean's depths. 

Still, the number is snudl to whom the power 
is given of exorcizing these tones. He that with 
prosaic soul can only play notes, can never solve 
the problem, and only disgusts the listener. Ida 
knew how to breath expression into her fingers, 
here to raise a tone into light, and there to leave 
one in the shade, as the picture might demand. 

In this peculiarity of touch, which revealed the 
artist's full conunand of the strings, and threw a 
warm and everchanging life into the dead metal, 
Selvar first recognized her, and again the dream 
of those days came clearly before his imagination. 
He fastened his eyes upon her until the picture 
thus recalled melted into the actual features of 
the performer before him. 

The restless eye had become gentle and peace- 
ful ; the sharp features and pale cheeks of the 
past now bloomed in soft and pleasing freshness. 
Her form seemed larger, for she had at last over- 
come her carelessness of mien. 

During the intermission Selvar noted the ease 
with which Ida kept up a lively conversation 
with the crowd of friends who surrounded her. 
These were not merely fops, such as are in gen- 
eral exclusively drawn to tlie female artist or 
singer, but people of various ages. With the 
women, too, she seemed to be upon terms of high 
respect and sympathy. She herself was full of 
life and spirit, and was evidently at ease and 
happy in the society about her. 

A new composition by Selvar called Ida out 
again at the close of the concert It was a piece 
for female voices, with accompaniment for piano- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1858. 



99 



forte and solo instruments, which required 
thorough musicians. The text was exceedingly 
delicate and pretty, describing a dance of Elves 
in the moonlight upon the corollas of May 
flowers, until dispersed by the rising sun and its 
accompanying forest sounds and songs of* the 
sky-lark. Tlie neatness and .beauty of the com- 
position were rivalled by the nicety of the per^ 
formance. A semi-circle of rosy young girls 
with clear bell-like voices sang the parts of the 
Elves and Larks. Ida conducted tlie choinis 
with hardly a motion, a look suflicing, for she 
had herself, as Sclvar was told by a neighbor, 
taught them. 

*' She is in her right place,** thought he, as he 
left the hall and noticed the hearty kindness in 
which the singers and their directress separated. 
He hesitated whether to approach and greet her; 
but was restrained by a singufer feeling as he 
saw her radiant with joy leaning upon Sohling's 
aim. It seemed to him written upon the faces 
of both, that each thankctl the other for the 
success which had ' crowned their efforts, — that 
their every breatli was grateful joy. 

Returned to the hotel, Selvar opened the win- 
dow and leaned out to enjoy the cool night air. 
A carriage drove up to tJie house opposite, and 
he thought himself, by the bright gas light, able 
to distinguish the form of Ida, as a woman has- 
tened into the door. Just then the room above 
was fighted ; and certainly it was she who enter- 
ed, clad in a silk dress ot white with light blue 
«lripes, with her raven locks falling down her 
cheeks. He could no longer restrain his desire 
to hear her voice once' more, and sent his card 
over with the inquiry whether, at so late an 
hour, he might venture to make a short call. 
The servant returned with an invitation. 

Sohling and Ida received him with unaffected 
heartiness, though the cheeks of the latter showed 
for the moment a decided increase of color. 
Selvar felt instantly tlie right chord to touch; 
and by exprcsaons of the heartiest sympathy in 
their success, concealed the feelings, which tlie 
contrast with his own solitary home called up. 
The conversation was soon interrupted by a pair 
of rosy-cheeked children, who appeared roguish- 
ly listening at the door, and who would pay no 
atteatioa to the father's command to go to 
their beds, until they had another kiss from 
mama. 

Ida rose smiling, but before she reached the 

door, the little monkeys had rushed to her in their 

nightgowns, and were climbing into her arms. 
At length reduced to silence, they gave the hand to 
the strange gentleman, asking Sohling : ** Is this 
the grandpapa who is coming to see us this sum- 
mer i " At the same moment the youngest, in 
the next room, began to cry after its mother. To 
secure peace Ida was obliged to take it into her 
lap, where in a few minutes it was again fast 
asleep. 

With this picture in his mind, Selvar departed. 
She belonged now to a sphere in which Le had 
no longer part nor parcel. "■ And yet," said he, 
as he passed over the threshold, ** she once loved 



fw 



When Sohling and Ida were again alone, she 
asked: 

**' Did it arouse no emotion in you to meet that 
man, whom I loved before you ? " 

He laughed and pressed a kiss upon her fore- 
head, saying : *< Ougnt I not rather to thank him 
who taught you so to love? The untempered 
flame of your wild heart would have been too 
much for me, and certainly the irrational first 
love of an unripened nature could never have 
made me so happy." 



From My Diary. Ho. 9. 

JuKB II. — I had occasion to-day to make some 
remarks upon musical matters ot a schpol where 
young persons are fitting to become teachers ; and 
among the several points which were touched upon, 
were these : 

The most noticeable difference between young wo- 
men well educated hero and their sifters in Europe — 
speaking of those who may be ranked together in the 
degree of intellectual attainment — is the want of 
artistic culture on the part of the Americails. The 
number, of even our most carefully educated pirls, 
who have ever racn good specimens of architecture, 
sculpture, and painting, is .very small ; and I very 
rarely meet one out of the city, whose conceptions of 
the beauty of music are founded upon ony thing be- 
yond the psalm tune and thanksgiving anthem of the 
parish meeting houiw, and on occasional concert by 
some set of "Family Vocalists." In Europe, the 
sense of the beautiful is developed by familiarity with 
galleries, fine old churches and palaces, and, espe- 
cially in Catholic cities, by the fine music of the 
church. True, these are not foand everywhere, but 
it is a part of ednc4ition that the young girl have op- 
portunities to spend some time in the " gieat city," 
whatever it be that is nearest. 

This difference shows itself in the writings of Eu- 
ropean and American women, it seems to me, very 
clearly. 

From the very nature of the cose, few of us can 
obtain this artistic culture, in any direction, save that 
of music. Here it is possible to do something. 
Hence I go heart and soul into any plan by which 
music shall be made a study in all schools, and espe- 
cially in those, where the future school teacher is pre- 
paring for that responsible position. True, I would 
go farther and have in every such school a few fine 
engravings from the works of great painters, a few 
specimens of sculpture and so on, if that were possi- 
ble ; but for the present, wo must be glad to have 
music in some manner recognized as of value. 

Now, how to make it a means of artistic culture ? 
The answer is very simple. By the practise of good 
music. Good music is that which contains feeling, 
emotion, sentiment, elegantly expressed in musical 
tones. The analogy between poetry and music is 
very close. Evei*ybody — at all events, almost all 
persons, — can arrange words so as to make them 
jingle. Wimess the " poet's comer " in the newspa- 
pers. But is this poetry ? Usaally not. 

So too, their name is Legion, who can take such 
poelfy, and find musical notes to it, and sell them as 
songs and tunes. But as mere jingle in words is not 
poetry, so mere' rhythmical collections of notes are 
not music The child is omused by hearing nonsen- 
sical articulate sounds strung together so os to make 
rhythm and rhyme — Mother Goose's Melodies, for 
example ; so he is amused by " tooting " upon the 
stalk of a pumpkin leaf. As he grows older he de- 
mands something better thon 

** Hickory, dickory, dock, 
The mouse ran up the clock, '^ 

to satisfy his poetic feeling ; and so in music his ear 
demands something more than his pumpkin trumpet. 
The sense of melody awakens, and he demands a 
tune. By and by, he finds no pleasure in jingling 
words unless they contain the divine spark, which is 
struck out of the brain and heart of the true poet. 
Just so in music. Twopenny polkas, waltzes, and 
songs only weary and disgust, and as his taste grows 
apace, volumes of such stuff are not worth so much 
to him as some choral or simple song, which sprang 
from the composer's heart. A shelf full of yellow 
covered novels is not so much wortli to him as a son- 
net or song by Milton or Shakspeare, — by any true 
poet, though his name be not among those of the 
giants. 

Let us bring out this point in another way. 

The idea of a being of higher nature than man 



takin«r such delight in the beauty of a child as to 
steal him, living or dead, from his parents, is as old 
,as the story of Jupiter and Ganymede. Shakspeare 
uses it in " A Midsummer Night's Dream." It is com- 
mon enough. Now there is a certain poetic concep- 
tion of this idea, which probably his offered itself to 
thousands of minds, in some vogue, indistinct man- 
ner, but which was seized, and held for the first time 
by one, who, to the power of conception, added the 
mastery of language and the poetic art, when Goethe 
wrote his ballad the " Erl-king." A certain indescrib- 
able feeling of horror is therein expressed. The 
feeling is aroused at once in the mind of every poetic 
reader. A musician reads it. lie feels it, and as 
his mode of conveying his sentiments is by musical 
tones, he endeavors to transinte the sentiment ex- 
pressed in Goethe's words into his language of tones. 
The attempt has been made by a multitude of com- 
posers. One succeeded — Franz Schubert. As I 
heard the once great operatic singer, Schroeder-Dovri- 
ent, whose voice is now mostly gone, sing it, I &irly 
shuddered, and so did the entire audience. You 
could have heard a pin drop. Goethe's ballad is 
poetry ; Schubert's composition of it is music. Both 
express most powerfully the same poetic conception. 
An inference to be drawn from all this then is, that 
in the mere succession and combination of musical 
tones, without relation to words, we may look for 
sentiment and feeling — and indeed that sentiments 
and feelings may be so conveyed tliat the composer's 
intent shall be understood at once by the hearer. 
The power of tones — of mere intonation — as a 
means of expression was illustrated first, in respect 
to articulate speech, by reading passages from Shaks- 
peare and the " Erl-king " in German ; and then 
in music by singing several melodies to the syllable 
la, calling upon the auditors to decide upon the senti- 
ment expressed. The result justified tlie remarks 
uiK)n tliis topic by a correspondent of Dwight's Jour- 
nal (F. H.) a few years since. 

But, it is said, granting all you would claim in 
regard to good music, of what practical use wotdd it 
be to us who are fitting to become teachers, and 
whoso only object in music is to acquire so much 
knowledge as will enable us to teach simple songs 
and tunes to children ? I may ask in return of what 
use is it to you to spend time in studying the art of 
reading Shakspeare and Milton ? Why pursue studies 
in all directions, far beyond what most of yon will 
ever be called upon to teach ? You answer that the 
more you know of natural philosophy, the liigher 
your attainments in mathematics, history, polite liter- 
ature, in science and letters generally, the better 
you will be fitted to teach the elements of them all. 
In this you are right. I say, too, that it would be no 
mora absurd for you to spend your whole course 
upon the a, b, c's of reading, arithmetic, history, 
geography, grammar, and so on, than for you to do 
the same thing in music. The mere reading of simple 
tunes should be as easy to nine-tenths of the scholars 
of any school sncH as this, and in as short a space of 
time, as the reading of words of one or two syllables 
to the classes of a children's school. Any common 
psalm tune, in any key, ought to offer no difficulty by 
the tliird or fourth week, provided thirty minutes a 
day were devoted to practise. I am speaking merely 
of reading music — how to write down tunes in vari- 
ous keys, and all the whys and wherefores thereto 
belonging, with the entire tlieory of notation — all 
this is a different affair. I should not begin with a 
child, whom I would teach to read, by some seventy- 
five or a hundred lessons in the rules of grammar and 
rhetoric. I would have him learn his letters. This 
is a, and that is b ; and a, b, spell ab. Nothing, yet 
awhile, about nouns and pronouns, and verbs and ar- 
ticles. The child must fix in his memory the forms 
of the letters and a few other things, and then all 
that is needed is practise. The singer learns some 
half a dozen things about the staff; the deffs, the 



100 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



length of notes, and scales, &c., and then all he wants 
is practise. This idea of mystifying the matter until 
the pupil is discouraged and gives up learning to sing 
in despair, is one which is fatal to all progix»s. All 
that the singer wants is to feel what tones the notes 
represent and to learn then to express them. Let 
him learn to read simple music, and all the theory 
will be explainable to him afterward, in a very few 
lessons. 

The old way of learning a strange language was 
to put the pupil into the grammar and keep him 
there. Take a boy from the Latin Grammar School 
in Boston and he will repeat yon the whole of An- 
drew's and Stoddard's Latin Grammar — but what 
does he know about Latin f A boy who has been in 
a German Gymnasium six months can use what he 
knows, and ask for something to eat and drink and 
wherewithal to wear in Latin. 

What I want to see is something practical in the 
musical instruction in schools — to see all who have 
musical powers beyond the Mother Goose's Meloclies 
of music, really making the divine art a moans of 
artistic culture — a means of developing an innate 
sense of the beautiful. 



Juke 15. — So strong an impression is seldom 
made upon my fency by songs, as was done by some, 
which I heard in a private circle lost winter — songs 
composed with no view to publication — mere at- 
tempts by a young lady to express in tones, in the 
simplest manner, her conceptions of the sentiments of 
certain stanzas in Dwight's Journal and other publi- 
cations, which had touched her feelings with peculiar 
force. In this they seemed to me remarkably suc- 
cessful, and strains from them haunted me for weeks. I 
joined others in urging their publication ; for, although 
they very probably might prove " caviare to the 
general," we could but think *that many may find 
them appealing to their feelings as they did to ours. 

Six of them lie before me neatly engraved in a 
single book : ** Spring Night," text, a translation by 
J. S. Dwight; " The World goes up, and the World 
goes down," text by Charles Kingsley ; " Oh, heavy, 
heavy day," text by W. W. Story ; " Love took me 
softly by the hand," text 6y W. R. Cassells ; " Cra- 
dle Hymn," Latin words, with translation by Cole- 
ridge ; and " Good night, my heart," text by W. W. 
Caldwell. 

The music is by a sister of that noble yonng wo- 
man. Miss Bruce, to whose memory some paragraplis 
of this " Diary " were devoted a few weeks since. 

I know not what the professed critic will say to 
them ; but they possess a delicate, touching beauty, 
which I am sure will appeal to certain friends, who 
will read this paragraph, as it has done to mo. 



The Virtaofi of the Piano Forte. 

(From the Lond«m Haaleal World, June 6.) 

There is an evident and we believe insuperable 
antagonism between the modem style of pianoforte- 
playm^, inculcated by the so-called " virtuosi " (who 
might be more appropriately denominated ** viziosi "), 
and that which still enjoys the very modest title of 
" legitimate." The difference between the two is so 
marked that no one can possibly over-look it. It is 
the difference between the Ambigu-Comique and the 
The&tre-Francais, the Trovatore and Don Giovannif 
Mr. Disraeli and Mr. Thackeray, Mr Hicks and Mr. 
Macready. It is the difference'between tragedy and 
melodrama, common sense and bombast, poetry and 
rhodomontade. The question, however, is, can the two 
be reconciled i Can the professor of the one style 
either stoop or raise bimselr to the level of the other ? 
In one respect we think not. We are quite sure that 
Mr. Disraeli is utterly incapable of writing a book 
like The Neuxomes, and that Mr. Hicks could never 
have made even a tolerable Hnmlet ; but we are 
almost as certain that Mr. Macready, if inclined to 
amuse himself that way, could out-Hicks Hicks; 
while that Mr. Thackeray, when in the vein, can beat 
Mr. Disraeli on his own ground, is triumphantly shown 
in his Codling^, which we have always regarded as 
the literary masterpiece of the present Chancellor of 
the Exchequer. 



The snme argument applies to the opposite scho<)ls 
of pianoforte-playing. The works of the fantasia- 
mongers are bv no means impracticable to the fingers 
(the mind having noticing to say in the matter) of a 
pianist well " up " in the compOKitio!i8 of the classi- 
cal masters. But vice vena docs not follow, as a 
matter of course. There have been numberless 
proofs to the contrary. 

" Cette musiquo wa/w "—exclaimed M. ^t, fum- 
bling over a prelude of Mendclst»ohn's — " cette mu- 
siquc naive, aprcs tout, n'est pns trop facile. Fich- 

tre ! " M. 1 spoke from hw heart, and very soon 

suiting the action to the word, abandoned the prelude 
together* with the intention of astonishing the English 
public after the special manner of " virtuoei " gener- 
ally. He returned to his fantasias, and commended 
"cette mitetque naive" to the prince of darkness. 

M. d do r, a vcir fire-eater among " virtuosi,** 

Iteing invited to a musical party at the house of a 
distinguished amateur, since deceased, was assigned, 
for his share in the programme, one of the sonatas of 
Dnssek.* Nevertheless, having labored hard for 
more than a week, he gave it np in despair. " This 
is not piano-forte music " {** Celle-ci n'est pas <5crite 
pour le piano "), he insisted : and, shutting up the 
Dook, was speedily lost in arpeggios, chromatic 
scales ascending and descending, showers of octaves, 
and crossing of hands, thumbing the while some un- 
happy opera-tune, which had to make itself heard 
amidst all this smothering, smashing, and belaboring.! 
*• Voila un mor9eau vtfritablcmcnt dcrit jx)ur piano 1 " 
— said the virtuoso, ofter a last sweep from one ex- 
tremity of the key-board to the other, with both 
hands in contrary directions. Tlie "distinguished 
amateur," however, m'os of a different opinion. He 
resided in Queen's square, and preferred Bach's ;>^- 
ruque to M. Liszt*8cheveluret — tftc head-dress of mod- 
ern virtuosity, the first duty of which is to ape the 
liighly gifted man from the least healthy part of 
whose idiosyncracy it sprang. The " distinguished " 
amateur would not hear of anything being substituted 
for Dussck's sonata ; and Ste'mdale Bennett, or some 
other non-virtuoeOf played it at sight. 

There are those, however, among the " virtuosi " 
who are more capable, if not more willing to play 
legitimate music as it should be played. Somebody 
asked Herr Castle — a devoted worshipper of Staudigl 
the singer — whether Staudigl could speak Italian. 
"I don't know, exactlv "— n^plied Herr Castle — 
" but he could if he would." So the " virtuosi," to 
whom we are now alluding, "could" if they 
" would." But, alas 1 they won't. When they come 
across real music they are puzzled how to handle it. 
To bestow any amount of study upon it would be to 
step from a pedestal of their own imagining down to 
the standing point of their (presumed) inferion. 
At first, it appears so easy, that they feel inclined to 
spread out the close harmonies into vaporous arpeg- 
gios, to double the passages in the bass, and to intro- 
duce subjects of their oym — one for each thumb— 
with an eye (or rather a thumli) to richness and vari- 
ety. A genuine " virtnoso " (a " lion " proper) can- 
not (or will not) understand twenty-four bura of 
pianoforte music in which the entiie key-hoard has 
not been once or twice gaIlo])ed over. The "jett 
»err€" — where all the fingers are constantly employed 
(as in the fugues of Bach) — is as unwelcome to them 
as "terreaterre" dancing to the chorcgraph whose 
vocation is to cut capers half-way between floor and 
ceiling. They cannot (or will not) keep their fingers 
quiet. To " virtuosi " repose is nauseous — ^unless it 
he tlie repose indispensanlo to a winded acrobat. 
Thus they do injustice to their own executive powers 
and to the music set before them — ^by obtruding the 
former and caricaturing the latter. 

A remarkable instance in illustration of the point 
in hand occurred the other night, when a " virtuoso " 
of the first water had to do with a concerto of Mozart. 
We do not mean Sig. Andreoli, but a " virtuoso " of 
such water that it is unnecessary to designate him by 
name. A " lion " in the most leonine sense of the 
term, he treated the concerto of Mozart just as the 
monarch of the forest, hungry and truculent, is in the 
habit of treating the unlucky beast that falls to his 
prey. He seized it, shook it, worried it, tore it in 
pieces, and then devoured it, limb by limb. Long 
intervals of roaring diversified his repast. These 
roarings were " cadenzas." After having swallowed 
as much of the concerto as extended to the point 
d*orgtte of the first movement, his appetite being in 
some measure assuaged, the lion roar^ vociferously, 
and so long, that many adverse to Mr. Owt:n Jones' 

* Op. 61. The Elecf on Che death of Prince Ferdinand. 

t The drawlnff-rooni window was open. Mr. Thackeray was 
most likely pening near the honne. At any rate, not long af- 
ter, wo read the ftunons description of ^' Such a getting np- 
stain," with rariatlons. 

} Let it not be sappoeed that we include Friar Lint among 
the ^* Tirtnosi " proper. Hearen Ibrbld we should hold him in 
such light esteem. 



idea of acoustics, admitted lliat, at all events, a 
" lion " could be heard from the " recess " in St. 
James's Hall. Having thus roared, our " lion's " ap- 
petite revived, and he ate up the slow movement as if 
It had been the wing of a partridge. (Never did 
slow movement so suddenly vanish.! Still ravenous, 
however, he pounced upon the finale — ^iK'hich having 
stripped to the queue {" coda "), he re-roared, as before. 
The queue was then disposed of, and noUiing left of 
the concerto. 

We remember, many yean past, we used to go to 
Exeter Change, to see the lions fed, watching the 
movements of those noble and voracious quadrupeds 
and listening to their roor with rapt attention. All 
our early impressions were revived on the present oc- 
casion ; and we made a solemn vow to attend when- 
ever and wherever the same " lion " should l»e adver- 
tised to devour another concerto. (He— the some 
" lion " — is to feed upon Weber's Concertstuck on 
Monday, in the Hanover-sqnaro Booms. — Printer*s 
DevU.) 

On the other hand this lion," like Staudigl the 
singer, " coidd " speak Italian *' if he would " — in 
other words, " roar you like an^r sucking-dove." But 
it goes against the grain with him ; and we are sorry 
for it, since he is Ao ordinary " lion.'' 



tt 



A Xaas by RoMmL 

(From Le Ovlde Mnsieal.) 

About throe vears ago, Castil-Blaso was present at 
a rehearsal of the Donna del logo at the Italian Opera, 
Paris. On hearing the first few bars, of tlie quartet 
in A flat, " Cmdclc sospetto" <C, A, E) he perceived 
that the melody was perfectly adapted to the " Qid 
tollis peccata mundi" of the " Gloria ;" this discovery, 
which was the effect of chance, caused him to reflect, 
and, the next day, he set about the task of producing, 
with various pieces from the operas of the same com- 
poser, an entire mass, subsequently called lio$$ini*s 
Mass. 

A few months afterwards the sc3iro was completed, 
and, one fine spring day in the vear 1849, a man 
remarkable for nis corpulency, and advanced in ago, 
suddenly accosted Casiil-BlasB, and tapping him on 
the shoulder, said : — 

** Halloa 1 old boy, you are pelting along at a fine 
rate, ujion my word*!" 

"Ah ! is it you, Signor maestro ilhstrismm&f Excuae 
me, I am half blind." 

" Give me vour arm and let ns air our hundred and 
forty springs in the midst of these specidators of the 
Opera ; but, that we may be unobserved, and not taken 
for two professional stock-brokers, let us walk adagio, 
and talk sotto voce. Well, tell me — yon are always 
doing something or other — ^what are yon doing now 1" 

" What am I doing ? — Oh ! you want to flatter me, 
maestro / I am doing nothing, but I am doing something 
better, perhaps ; for I am doing quite the contrary ; I 
am undoing, transfiguring, transplanting, transferring, 
trans- 



«» 



He was about to continue, when the crowd of stock- 
brokers became so compact as to drive them from the 
Boulevard du Gand to the Rue LepelletJer. 

From the beginning of this conversation yon have, 
no doubt, divined, gentle reader, that the interlocutor 
of Castil-Blaze was no other than the illustrious author 
of Guillaume TeU. 

" You want to know what I Am doing V* resumed the 
great musical arranger. 

" Yes, 1 do 1" 

Well, I am writing, or, rather, I have just written 



n 



"Goon— what?" 

" A mass by Kossini.' 

" Always caustic and faeetiooB I WiD yoa nerer 
change ?" 

" Do not fancy, matBtro, that my task was an easy 
one ! Try it yourself. It is rather difficult even to 
parody an air, although it is allowable to twist and 
turn a piacere the new words you are arranging to any 
given music. But to adapt the immutable words of 
the mass to melodies whicn hare to be preserved in all 
tlieir purity ; to maintain a perfect accordance of feel- 
ing, colouring and expression between the scattered 
materials you collect, and to maintain this accordance 
to such an extent as to make people believe these 
transplanted compositions wera written lor the words 
to which they are wedded, hie opus, hie labor est. It' 
WHS thus that Gluck arranged his French operas, 
But no matter. I have surmounted this difficulty, and 
mjf ifour maw is terminated." 

" Upon my honour, my dear fellow, you are an ex- 
traordinary man 1" 

There they were, the one f Rossini) addressing his 
questions in Latin, and the other (Cestil-Blase) reply- 
ing in Italian. 

" Let ns hear," said the first. " By what did you 
manage to represent the ' Credo'—' Credo in unum 
Denm, etc. V *' 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1858. 



101 



" * Ecco ridente in ciclo 



tf 



a 



You have treated it, at any rate, as a chorus." 

** Of coni-M, waA not that its original form in Aure- 
liano in PcUmira f" 

** Bravo ! excellent ! I never fancied I had composed 
so majestic and wcU accentuated a ' Credo.' And the 
' Kyric ?' " 

" ' Santo Imon,' the religious chorus from Otidlo." 

♦"Christeelcisonr" 

" The canon quintet from liose.** 

" The IncArnatus ?' " 

" Ktnctta's prayer." 

" Tho'CniciHxusr" 

" The ' Chosnr des Tfen^hrcs' from Moae," 

" Let us go from the solemn and sad to the gay. 
How have you managed with the ' Curasancto spiritu, 
et vitam Tcntnri seculi ? ' It is there that composers 
introduce their fugues, full of vivacity and sometimes, 
of hrilliant folly." 

" I availed myself of the animated gtretli of the 
quintets from La Cenartntala and the finale of Semira- 
mide." 

•' Well done." 
Allow me to submit to you the manuscript of your 



4t 



Lass. 



»» 



4( 



No, I will see it when it is engraved. It is really 
an astonishing feat successfully accomplished. I will 
answer for its success ; perhaps you still wanted tliis 
triumph." 

The conversation had hecome so animated that 
CastiUBlaie, without observing it, had passed from the 
soUo voce to the mezxo forte ^ from the mezzo forte to the 
forie piano f and from tiic forte piano to t]\e fortissimo, so 
that all t\iefarniente, nil the ** lions" and the loungers 
on the Bottclvard du Gand had gathered round tliem, 
and were saying to each otlicr, " What is tlie matter V 

" They are two fellows who have been done for on 
the Bourse, and are singing their De Profundis ! " re- 
plied one. 

" They are two shareholders of M. Mii^," replied 
a second. 

"The one is a thief nnd the other a madman," re- 
plied a third, " who have just been seized under the 
periiityle of the Op^ra and are alx>ut to be conveyed to 
Charcnton and the Conciergerte respectively." 

** They are — ^they are— they are— etc." 

In fact, I do not know what might not have been 
asserted, had not one of the two pedestrians — tlie one 
who fears public meetings and railroads — ^harangued 
the crowd, which kept increasing. 

** Signori Framcesi" he said, " do not put a wrong 
interpretation on our conduct. The State is not in 
danger ; make yourselves easy on that score. As for 
me, t am that stupid musician who cannot do anything 
more. I am no longer any one. Bat this venerable 
patriarch is Castil-Blase ; respect him ! He is my 
second father ; it is he who translated me into French, 
into Provencal, into Latin, and inducted me into the 
possession of a new erapira. This is not all. The 
villain now wants to take me to Paradise. I am not 
much frightened at this, for I presume he is in no hurry 
to set out himselfl* Make way, therefore, and let him 
pass, and if, in return for your kindness you get noth- 
ing from me, you will, perhaps, deign to accept from 
him a Mass Inf Rossini /" 

Since this meeting, and in spite of all the obstacles 
raised against it, Rossini's Mass has been brilliantly 
successfal among musicians. The score has every- 
where had a large sale, and some choral societies have 
execated iL I am well aware that some sticklers for 
all matters of art relating to sacred music, have blamed 
the author for haviag dared to undertake and carry out 
such a piece of eccentricity, or rather such a wonder- 
ful feat. But are they gratified in so doing ? For my 
part, I thiuk they are not 

• OuOl-BkM died at Park, Deoember lltb, 1867- 

Londoi. 

Hbk IfAJBSTT's Theatre. — Mozait's NozTedi 
Figarom^ produced May 29, with Mdlle. Piccolomini 
as Susanna, not well up to the mark, according to the 
critics. Mile. Titieus, as the CounteM Alniaviva, 
was pronounced " not very far off perfection " and to 
" have it in her power to reach that goal." Belletti 
was masteriy, of course, in Non piu andrai and all 
F^aro's music Sig. Belait was Don Basilio, and 
the subordinate parts were carefully done. Our old 
friend, Sig. Ardita, conducted. After repetitions of 
Figaro, and ro-repeCition of the Huguenots, Verdi's 
Laita Milier was to be presented for the first time in 
England : Piccolomini, Alboni, Beneventano, Giug- 
lini, &«., in the principal parts. 




Royal Italian Opera. — Grisi has sung and 
acted Lucrexia Borgia in a manner " worthy of her 
best days." The Gennoro was not Mario, but Sig. 
Neri-Baraldi. Bonconi made his first appearance for 
the season as Dnke Alfonso. He is reported to have 
sung more out of tune than ever, but his masterly 
acting disarmed criticism. Nantier Didi^ was admi- 
rable as Maffeo Orsini. The Londoners have enjoyed 
that exquisite treat vouchsafed to us one memorable 
Saturday afternoon, in the Boston Theatre, with a 

handful of audience — namely, the hearing Mario 
warble through the delicious tenor melodies of Rossi- 
ni's " Barber." Bosio, Ronconi, Tagliaticq, and 
Zelger took the otiicr parts. 

New Puilharmokic. — The fonrth concert, and 
Inst but one, was less like a Philharmonic concert, 
old or new, than any of its predecessors. Instead of 
one symphony we had none. In revenge, however, 
Uiero was the ottet for wind instruments, capitally 
performed by Messrs. Barret and Crozier (olx)Cfij, 
Ijnzarus nnd Maycock (clarionets), Hausser and An- 
derson (bassoons), C. Harper and Standcn (horns) — 
one of Mouurt's least elaborate but most genuine 
compositions. 

The first part of the concert was wholly engrossed 
by Moxart ; and a nobler specimen of dramatic or- 
chestral preludes could hardly ha\'e been presented 
than the overture to Idometjen, which was executed by 
the band (diminished by some 30 ?) under Dr. Wylde, 
with point and vigor. The first part terminated as 
strangely as it began auspicionsly. The finest of 
all Moxart's piano-forte concertos, and one of the 
finest ever composed, was allotted to Hcrr Rubin- 
stein, who executed the solo part in snch a manner 
as to surprise die initiated and to bewilder the laity. 
Herr Rubinstein attacked the concerto much in the 
same manner, "mutatis mutandis" as the fiirions 
Pdlissier, in the Crimean war, may have rushed with 
his hosts upon that devoted Malakoflf of which he 
is now the titular Duke. The Concerto of Mozart 
was the Malakoff of Marshal Rubinstein, and his 
furious hosts were his ten fingers— ten *' divisions " 
as irresistible in their strength as in their impetuosity. 
Herr Rubinstein rushed at the concerto, and " took " 
it even quicker than the French general took the 
Muscovite stronghold. Possibly Herr Rubinstein, 
being Rnssian bom, and considering the task he had 
in hand was that of overwhelming a foe,«rather than 
of caressing a friend, was determined to profit by the 
example of the Crimean campaign. In the course 
of caphiring the concerto, moreover, Herr Rubin- 
stein, doubtless to perplex and deceive the enemy, 
let off a series of fierce canonades in the form of 
" cadenzas," which were wholly irrelevant, both to 
the concerto and the capture thereof. Had Mozart 

been alive to hear these " cadenzas " he would 

ft importe. 

The rest of the first part consisted of vocal music, 
sung by Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Messent, and Herr 
Pischek. 

In the second part there were some more vocal 
pieces, by the first and last named singers, among 
which mKy be mentioned especially a melodious and 
expressive air, " For spirits when tliey please," from 
Dr. Wylde's Paradise Lost, given with the utmost 
feeling and correctness by Miss Louisa Pyne. There 
was also a very long and very dreary violoncello 
concertino by Kummer, the prolixity of which even 
the admiral>le execution, fine quality of tone, and 
thoroughly legitimate style, of Mr. Horatio Chipp 
could not conceal. Moreover, Herr Rubinstein ap- 
peared a second time, and peribrmed a prelude and 
fugue of his own composition, the chief object of 
which appeared to us to prove that John Sebastian 
Bach's idea of fugue was much more severe (and 
much more musical) than that of Herr Rubinstein. 

This decidedly original, but scarcely more than 
semi-interesting, concert terminated with Beethoven's 
overture to Prometheus, to listen to which, after the 
prelude and fugue just mentioned, was like issuing 
forth into the open air and lieholding the sun in the 
heavens after a week's detention in the black hole of 
Calcutta. — Musical World. 

Amateur Musical Society. — The last concert 
of the season was given on Monday evening, at the 
Hanover-square Rooms, to a very large and fashion- 
able audience. The programme was as follows : 

Symphony, No. 11; Haydn. 

Song, '' Adelaide." Mr. B. Gordon Cleather; Beoihoven. 

Sehsetion (Lea Huguenotxy, eoloa for oboe and cornet^- 
platon, Mr. A. Pollock and Mr. H. E. Tatham; Meyerbeer. 

LMU «' OrUner l^dhang Kehr^eln,^) Mr. B. Gordon CLeatber; 
H.' Baser. 

Concerto, in G minor, plaaolbTte, Angelina : MendelMohn. 

Hecit, '< Fler Teatro di Morte," aria, *' Bitorno alio iltoxie," 
MIm Palmer; Handel. 

Overture (Don GloTannl) ; Moiart. 

Bong, ** The Three fishers,^' MIn Palmer; HuUah. 

Overture (Der Freiachiiti); Weber. 



The symphony was excellently played, clearly 
showing that the music of Haydn is that which is 
best suited to the amateur orchestra. 

The star of the evening was the far-famed pianist, 
Angelina, who, in her performance of Mendelssohn's 
concerto, proved her right to be styled something 
more than " Queen of Amateurs." It was, indeed, 
a very fine reading of the work, showinp^ that mind 
as well as fingers had been employed in its study. 

Chablrs Halle's Recitals. — The second took 
place on Wednesday afternoon (the 27th ult.) at M. 
Halld's residence, and the rooms were just as incon- 
veniently crowded as at the first. The programme 
was again one of the highest interest, commencing, as 
as before, with an early sonata of Beethoven — the 
second in op. 2, dedicated to Haydn at a time when 
the young and vigorous giant was already restive 
under the prim conservatism of his master, the great- 
est of musical tories. This sonata (in A major) is 
much too seldom heard. All the movements were 
finely executed by M. Hall<^the scherzo, especially, 
being one of the neatest and most sparkling perform- 
ances we can call to mind. Not less eminentl^y suc- 
cessful was Bach's yery interesting Partita m G, 
which followed. M. Hall^ has studied the works of 
this great master profoundly, nnd always interprets 
him in the right spirit. Haydn's delicious little 
sonata in E minor was a rare treat, and the more 
welcome since it has never before been publicly given 
our time. The great and poetical Op. 109 of 



in 



Beethoven cannot be played too oflen. New beauties 
reveal themselves at each new hearing. 

Nos. 11, 14, and 18 from M. Stephen Heller's 
NuiLs Blanches, the second of Mendelssohn's caprices. 
Op. 33 (dedicated to M. Klingemann), the nocturne 
in F minor, and the Berceuse, of Chopin, were the 
last things in the programme. Mendelssohn's Ca- 
price, a graceful and exquisite composition, we prefer 
a little slower. The pieces of Heller and Chopin 
were rendered to perfection. The amateurs of classi- 
cal piano-forte music (and classical piano-forte oUnf- 
ing) will be pleased to know that M. Halle has 
announced a series of chamber-concerts in Willis's 
Rooms, assisted by Herr Joachim, M. Sainton, and 
Signor Fiatti. — Aiusical World. 

Chamber Concerts, &c. — This is the height of 

the London musical season, and there seems to be no 

limit to tlie number and variety of soirees of classical 

piano and quartet concerts. Besides those of M. 

Halld, of Mme. Szarvady, and of Miss Goddard, of 

which we have copied notices in full, there is '' Ella's 

"Musical Union," M. Aguilar's Mating, Mdlle. 

Speyer's " Piano Recital," &c., whose doings in one 

week are summed up hy the Athenceum as follows : 

In the irorld of more minute (not necessarily lewer) muide, 
the number of entertainmrnta leaTcn no choice for the chroni- 
cler save enumeration, with a paming word or two on matters 
of special interest. — Signor Biletta's Matinie^ yesterdaj weA, 
was principallv deroted to his own compositiona. There were 
many interesting things at the first Mattn^ of Miss DoUnf and 
Mr. Stoper:—9k fine song, *' Dolce corde," by Moaart, which 
was unfSunillar to ns, — and an elegant romance '^ Broken Tows,' 
by M. Berger, to both of which the lady did AiU Justice. 
Amongiit other music, Mr. Sloper gare two now compositions 
of his own. of which we may speak elgewhere, and (what was 
no less welcome to us) three of the highly-finished '' character- 
istic studies " of his master — Professor Moscheles. We are aat- 
iafled that the excellent intellectual mufie of this writer will 
revive in popularity. The other artists who appeared were H. 
Sainton. Signor Piatti and Mr. Santley. To name this young 
einger, is already equivalent to speaking of rapid progress and 
merited success. At Mr. BUtgrott^s third Quartet Concert It 
was interesting to hear the Quartet in A minor by Herr David, 
of Leipsic, — the work, obviously, of a man of sense and of sci- 
ence, if not one of those creations of Ikncv and spirit to which 
we can return again and again. Some or Mr. Blagrove^s own 
studies, too, were a novelty which we were glad to meet,— and 
not lees so his clever pupil, Mr. Isaac, who takes the second 
violin in his quartet, and plays with discretion as well as feel- 
ing. 

Nor is this by any means all the note-worthy music of the 
week. There has been Herr Pauer^s Second &rr<<0, at which 
Herr Joachim (who is wanted everywhere) aasisted him, and 
Mias Kemble (another rising, beeause real, artist) Joined Madame 
Pauer in the vocal music,— a meeting of the Reunion des Arts, 
— another concert of the Voctd Associatif)n; and a Soiree by 
Miss B. Corfield, who comes out as pupil of Prof. Bennett. 
As such, we are pretty sure to hear more of her. 

Vocal Association. — The fourth Concert took 
place May 21. Joachim played Baeh's Chaconne, 
with Mendelssohn's piano accompaniment played by 
Mr. Benedict ; Herr Pischek sang airs by Mozart and 
Schumann ; Mme. Liza Haynes sang the romance 
and prayer from Otello ; Miss Susan Goddard (pupil 
of Benedict) played Mendelssohn's Sonata in B flat, 
with Mr. Chipp, violoncellist ; and the Vocal Asso- 
ciation, with tlie " Orpheus Glee Union," sang sev- 
eral part-songs, a motet by Hauptmann, and Maren- 
eio's madrigal : " Fair May Queen." Mr. Best 
played on the grand otgan Bach's Prelude and Grand 
Fugue in G. 



102 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



t 



'. 



Crystal Palace Concerts. — Tho second pro- 
gramme was as follows : 

Paxt I.— Orerture (Leonora) BcethOTen. Ari* " Qoando 
Miro,'' MiM Dolby ; Moart. Song '' Mad Tom,'' Mr. Weira ; 
Purcell. Solo for Flute, Mr. Svenfiden : Boehni. Aria '■ Ganta 
Diva,'' Miffi Louim Pyne ; Bellini. Aria "Dalla 9ua pace," 
Mr. Sims ReeTcs ; Mosart. March llongroise : BerlkM. 

Part II. — Orerture (Der Freyscliutz) ; Weber. Part Song 
'* Are Maria ,*' H. Smart. Duet "■ Serbami ognor,'' Mian Louisa 
Pyue and Miss Dolby ; Rossini. Song for four Totces ^' To 
May Morning ;*' II. Leiilie. Aria ''Oh, 'tis a glorious sight," 
Mr. Sims Reeres : Weber Glee " The Cloud-oapt Towers : " 
Sterena. '' Rule Britannia/' Mr, Leslie's Choir; Arne. Bal- 
lad '' The Tribute of a Tear,*' Mr. WcL^s ; Loder. Bacchana- 
lian Chorus from ''Immanuel;" H. Leslie. Conductor, Mr. 
A. Manns. 

Herr Molique, the classical violinist and com- 
poser, has given a concert with the following pro- 
gramme : 

Part I.— Overture (La Clcmena di Tito ;) Mosart. Recita- 
tive and Air (Crociato in Eptto), Miss LascMlcs ; Bleyerbeer. 
Tiolin Concerto, Op. 88, Herr Molique ; Spohr. Recitative 
and Air, " voi dell' Erebo," Mr. Santley : Handel. Recita- 
tiTe and Air (Faust ). Madame Ruderi^dorff; Spohr. Pianoforte 
Concerto (MS., first time of performance), Hdlle. Anna Mo- 
lique ; Molique. 

Part II. — Concert Overture (MS., flr^t time of performance) 
Molique. Recitative and Air (Idomenco), MIm Kemble ; Mo- 
sart. Concerto for the Concertina, Sig. Regondi ; Molique. 
Bolero, Madame Rnder^dorff; itandegger. Duet (Torquato 
Taaso)^ Mi.<w Kemble and Mr. Santley ; Donizetti. Fandango 
for the Violin. Herr Molique. Overture (Prometheus) ; Beet- 
hoven. 

Conductors of the Orchestra, Herr Molique and Herr Mann*. 



(From the Neiderrheinlsche Musik Zeitnng.) 

Cologxe. — The d6th Niedcrrheinisches Musical 
Festival was celebrated with great splendor in Whit- 
sun week, on thc^dd, 24th and 25th of May, nnder 
the direction of Ferdinand Hiller. The ' various 
works wero more imposingly and admirably success- 
ful, on account of tiie number and excellence of the 
members of the choruses and orchestra (amounting 
to 682 persons) than they had ever been on any pre- 
vious occasion, a re^«ult in a great measure attributa- 
ble to the place in which the Festival was held, and 
which aflFord.s a depth and breadth for the arrange- 
ment of the artist.^, such as is to be met witii nowhere 
else, besides leaving nothing to be desired in an 
acoustical point of view. All present were, more- 
over, unanimous in the opinion that it would be 
impossible to And such a cliorus anywhere else ; in 
fact, it worked so steadilv and with such magniticent 
power in Hiller's Sauff Mendelssohn's Walpurgis 
Nacht, and, more especially, in the " Credo " from 
J. S. Bach's high Mass in B minor, that the entire 
audience was seized with a feeling of delight and 
astonishment, particularly when the sopranos took 
up the theme and soared into the regions of the two- 
lined / sharp, y, and a. The choruses, therefore, 
obtained the loudest and most protracted applause. 
The next place is due to the orchestra, for its mag- 
nificent performance of Beethoven's Sin/onia Eroiru, 
everv movement of which was received with tumnl- 
tuous applause ; nay, persons were not wanting who 
declared that the execution of the symphony was the 
most perfect musical treat of all the three evenings. 

The solo singers, Fmulein Krall (soprano), from 
Dresden ; Fraulein Jennv Mej'er (mezzo-soprano), 
from Berlin ; Herr Schnefder (tenor), from Frankfort- 
on-the-Maine ; Herr Stepan (bass), from Mannheim ; 
and Herr Abigcr (bass), from the Stadttheater, Co- 
logne, were, on the whole, satisfactory, and, in cer- 
tam points, very desening of applause, but in no 
wise distinguished for virtuosity or European celeb- 
rity. 

Paris. — Germany' has ceased to retain M. Roger, the cele- 
brated tenor, who returned to the native fields of his artistie 
triumphs last week, and re-appeared on Wednesday at the 
Grand'OpeFa in his original part of John of Leyden, The re- 
ception of this flivortte artist after his suceesses in classic Ger- 
many was wanned by the two-fold motives of congratulation 
and welcome. Madlle. Artot, (pupil of Mad. Viardot,) the new 
representative of Fides, produced a very satis&ctory impres- 
sion. 

The Thtetro-Fran^is will shortly close, that the building in 
which that establishment abides may be restored. 

A new opera, it is said, by M. Limnander, will be prodnced 
at the Op^ra-Comiqne on the Isi of August, and the new tenor 
M. Montanbry, Is to make his debut therein. 

At the Thtetre-Lyrique there has been a revival of " Oasti- 
belsa," an Opera by M. Aim4 Maillart, 0)1ginally produced t«>n 
years ago, for the opening of the National Opera, under the 
management of Adolphe Adam, and M- Mlrecour. The prin- 
cipal parts were sung by Madlle. Borghese and M. Michot. Sa- 
bina, the heroine, was originally cast to Madlle Chdrie Cou- 
rand, now Madame Adolphe Adam. The ** Noces de Figaro " 
will continue its run on alternate nights with ** Oastibelaa ; '' 
and BO great has been its success, that the direct<y, M. Cttr- 
valho, haa decided to prolong the seaffon a moi^th. 



BOSTON, JUNE 20, 1858. 

Music in this Number. — We commence 
this week a couple of extracts from Mendels- 
sohn's Lauda Sioriy an extended composition to 
the Latin words of one of the old Roman Cath- 
olic hjTnns, From the eight pieces of which the 
work consists, we have selected No. 8, Soprano 
Solo and Choras, and No. 4, Quartet The latter 
will appear next week. The Solo and Chorus 
should pass directly into the Quartet, whose key 
is prepared by the modulation of the last bars ot 
the accompaniment ; if it is sung separately, it 
should end before the tmison passage of tenors 
and basses. The Quartet will be found complete 
in itself. 



Chnrch Music. 

The old question, what is the best use to be 
made of music as an element in public worship, still 
comes back upon us. We have several times endea- 
vored to convey our ideas, and have given hints 
which we thought practical. If there is truth in 
them, they will bear repeating ; and we will en- 
deavor briefly to re-state them now. We limit 
the problem, for the present, to the prevailing 
so-called Congregational modes of worship, leav- 
ing aside those forms and ** services " o£ music 
which are dictated by the peculiar creed and dis- 
cipline of sects. 

The present evil lies in the overwhelming de- 
luge of stale, soulless and unprofitable psalmody ; 
in the perpetual multiplication of mere psalm- 
tunes, a multiplication yielding no new fruit, no 
live additions to our stock of sacred song, but 
only everlasting variations, purely mechanical, 
upon one short form, whose capabilities were long 
ago exhausted. The cause lies in the two de- 
mands, for simplicity and for novelty. Now wc 
believe in an immense reduction and thinning 
out, instead of the further multiplication, of these 
monstrous and absurd crops of weeds. We think 
a few plain old tunes, or chorals, of the most 
solid, time-tried and familiar, such as aliy or nearly 
all may learn to sing, to be far more edifying 
than this perpetual striving after variety and 
novelty, and never finding it. Three things seem 
to us to include what is really practicable and 
really desirable for music in most of our worship- 
ping assemblies. 

1. As the simplest thing, and the foundation 
of the whole, and as a direct act of religious 
utterance through music in which all may take 
part, we would have in every service at least one 
plain Choral, — simple, grand, time-hallowed, 
familiar, sung in unison or harmony by all of the 
congregation who can sing. These should be 
few ; since repetition here is no monotony j a 
worshipping assembly joins in "Old Hundred," 
with the same ever new interest and fervor, that 
a social circle breaks up with the joining hands 
and ." Auld Lang Sync." Musical novelty or 
variety is not the object here ; but the renewal 
of an inspiring and time-hallowed custom. Hence 
we have said that a dozen good old tunes are bet- 
ter than books-full of new psalmody ; not meaning 
to condemn all the new things in this shape, of 
course; but simply to suggest that an essential 
charm and virtue of this branch of religious 
music reades in the very fact that the tunes sung 
arc few, familiar, pft-repeated, and fraught with 



venerable a.ssoeiations. Tlie older these chorals 
the better ; for then the sound thereof links tho 
present with the earliest centuries of Christianity, 
and inspires a feeling of the identity and oneness 
of Humanity throughout all the stages of its de- 
velopment in history. In the snnplicity and 
grandeur of the thing would consist iti ever- 
renewed novelty. 

2. Music of a more artistic quality, designed to 
influence our hearts and minds, to meet and 
sympathize with our hosier aspirations and emo- 
tions, and conspire with our good thoughts as 
Nature's beauty and sublimity conspire with 
them ; music in which the unskilled many cannot 
take part, as a direct and outward act, but in 
which competent persons minister to deep and 
real wants of all. First, under this head, comes 
singing by a small trained choir, of artists — ar- 
tists at least m spirit and in feeling, in general 
cultnre and refinement, — of pieces of a more 
artistic character, whose beauty and deep senti- 
ment should penetrate the souls of Kstencrs. For 
this what better than extracts from the masses of 
Mozart and others? We might also mention 
many admirable motets, hymns by Marcello, 
quartets, trios, &c., from Mendelssohn's ** Elijah,'' 
or " St. Paul," or from his admirable psalms — 
such pieces as we have lately printed in this 
journal; — much of the old Church of England 
service, &c., &c. There is no lack of good com- 
positions for the purpose, if choirs will but culti- 
vate acquaintance with them, instead of ringing 
everlasting changes on the short form of a psalm- 
tune. Psalm-tunes and waltzes are subject to 
the same fatality in regard to indefinite molti- 
plication; beyond a certain nunber thej will 
sound all alike. 

Above all, we would repeat our recommenda- 
tioii of the Chorals of Bach. These unite the 
soul and essence of the plain-song of the pecple, 
with the perfection of artistic treatment. Bach 
has so admirably harmonized these old tunes for 
four voices, that they have, when well performed, 
a beauty and a meaning that is iDexfaaustible and 
always fresh. These should be sung by a trained 
choir, the larger the better ; but their beauty is 
intrinsic, in the harmoDy itself, and not dependent 
upon mere mass for eflect, so that a simple Quax^ 
tet choir may sing them to advantage. Study 
the specimens we gave two weeks i^Ou 

S. Organ voluntaries, fugues, &c., of the high- 
est and noblest kind : — monc, which shall pei^ 
vade the place as with a h<^er atmosphere, 
mingling with the soul's silent, heavenly occupa- 
tion, charming the thoughts upward, as bj a sort 
of spiral Jacob's Ladder of the Fugue, to faearen- 
lier and purer states, to rapt and full eommniiion 
with the Infinite. This, if it be (me organ 
music, ministers to th^ reUgious sentiment in the 
same way that the chcnr does ; and better,' since 
such music is more in)perK]iial, less narrowed by 
the idea of persoos singiDg, or of thoughts and 
statements sung. Pure instrumental music al- 
ways gains upon the preferences of those in whom 
a real love of music is awakened. Of com-se an 
orchestra might render a iike service, were it not 
attended with such difficulties a? to make it im- 
practicable, except in the case of great religious 
festivals ; of which our oratorios suggest a type. 



Master Ernst Pbrabo. — We have several 
times alluded, during the past two years, to the extra- 
ordinary musics^ talent of this boy, now twelve and 
a half years old. About a year ago we spoke of an 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1858. 



103 



* 



effort being made in Boston to raise by sabscription 
the means of sending him to Germany for proper 
edacation. Owing to liard times and to the sudden 
removal of the family to the West, that effort failed. 
But it is now taken up again irt real earnest by our 
friend Scharpenberg and other artists, amateurs 
and music dealers in New York, who feel, and very 
properly, a certain artistic pride and common sense of 
responsibility in such a case, as if it concerned us all 
that such rare powers should have tlie best chance of 
a true development secured to them. These gentle- 
men call upon the friends of music here in Boston 
and elsewhere to help them. What their plan is may 
be seen by the following Circular: 

A number of artists and amateurs of music, of the cities of 
New York and Boston, haTing careAilly examined the above- 
named lad, and being conrlnced that, on aceonnt of his remaik- 
able and quite unnsnal talent for music, he Is a fit object for 
their particular regard and interest, it Is proposed that this 
boy, now twelve and a half years old, should be sent to Oer^ 
many for the period of five years, there to be thoroughly edu- 
cated, first in those branches requisite to give him a general 
culture, refinement of taste and artistic tendencies, and after- 
wards specifically In the vsrious bianches of the art he has 
chosen for his future proftssion. 

In order to carry out this plan, it is suggested : 

1st. TluiK all persons, who may fieel interssted in this under- 
taking, should subscribe, for the period of fire years, a certain 
•am, to be paid annually, during the month of June. 

2d. That, when a minimum amount, say 9260 annually, is 
signed, all the oontribntors have a meeting, at which they shall 
appoint three trustworthy and in erery way eflklent men, 
whoee duty It shall be to carry into effect the plan suggested, 
with such modifications as may seem best to their judgment, 
and into whose hands the amounts subscribed are to be paid 
at the time specified. This committee of three will be required 
to make annually a report, stating what has been aocomplished 
during the jMist year, and fUmishing such inftnrmation as may 
have been received from the various teachers of the boy, fcc. 

All those, especially artists and amateurs, who may be induced 
to Ikvor this ol^ect, are requested to affix to this circular their 
•ignatuM and residence, together with the sum subscribed. 

A copy of tlie subscription list, with the above 
heading, is in our hands, and it will give us great 
pleasure, as it will to Messrs. Scharfcnberg & Luis, 
in New York, to add thereto tlie names of any friends 
who wish to help on this good work for Art. Most of 
the leading artists, pianists, music-publishers, &c., in 
New York have already signed it. Their subscriptions 
range from $5,00 to $15,00 per annum for the five 
years. Nearly half of the required sum remains yet 
to be raised. We can truly say we never met a case 
of youthful talent, which appeared to us so well to 
warrant general interest and outlay for its full and 
proper education. The boy possesses uncommon 
general intelligence ; a frank, ingenuous, affectionate 
nature ; and his passion for the tone-art is most gen- 
nine. At the age of eleven we heard him play on 
the piano difficult fugues of Bach (of which he 
knew a score or two by heart). Sonatas, &c., with ac- 
curacy and expression. lie played a prelude and 
fugue by Mendelssohn a/ sight ; ho had no slight mas- 
tery also of the organ and tlie yioltn, and he com- 
posed things that indicated more than ordinary inven- 
tive faculty. Poverty has stood in the way not only 
of tnie musical culture, but also of that general 
schooling and those social influences under which an 
artist should grow up. We trust the friends of music 
now will see to it that he shall lack these benefits no 
longer. It is all-important that whatever is done, 

should be done quickly. 



» 



} 



Moflical GhitrChat 

The musical clubs of Cambridge students (" Pie- 
rian Sodality" and ''Harvard Glee Club"), gave 
another concert at Lyceum Hall, on Wednesday eve- 
ning, and with no falling off of audience or enthusi- 
asm. The instrumental pieces were the "Amelie 
Waltzes" by Lnmbye, the Brindisi from Traviata, 
a Pot-pourri from Martha^ and the Andante move- 
ment of a Trio for Piano, Violin and 'Cello, by Fesca; 
all of which were nicely played. The Club sang 
Mendelssohn's " Songs of Home," " Drinking Song," 



and "FanjwoU"; "Good-night," by Kiicken 
" Serenade," by Eisenhofer, and other par^songs, also 
the Ode of Horace: Integer vitie, ^., and another 
Latin song, to German music, even better than before. 
The Trio "Lift thine eyes," from "Flyah," and 
other Trios and Quartets, were nicely sung by male 
voices. The object of the concert was to raise funds 
for tlie purchase of a musical library and other per- 
manent conveniences of the two clubs ; which shows 
that the spirit of musical improvement is revived in 
earnest among the undergraduates of Harvard. 

Our military bands are preparing to celebrate the 
morning of the Fourth of July on the Common in 
grand Jullienesque style. The four principal brass 
bands are to join forces, and discourse divers medleys 
of national airs, with aid of gun-powder percussives, 
as arranged for the occasion by Mr. Burditt of the 
Brigade Band. 

" StelU," of the Worcester Palladium, directs at- 
tention to a feature of our journal, which surely ought 
to mak^it indispensable to every circle of cultivators 
ot good music in all our towns and cities. Such a 
list of musical pieces of the highest order, which, 
wo furnish in the course of a couple of months, 
should be of itself sufficient advertisement. Hear 
" Stella : " 

The contents of the music pages of Dwight's Journal 
of Music are a new surprise to us week after week. 
Look at the list since the recent commencement of a 
new volume : Solo and Chorus, " Hear mv Prayer," 
by Mendelssohn ; " I wait for the Lord," irom Men- 
dels>M)hn's " Hymn of Praise ; " Mozart's " Ave 
Verum ; " two of Mendelssohn's Four-part Songs ; 
a beautiful psalm for female voices by Schubert ; and, 
in lost week's paper a clioral by Bacn, which we trust 
may be to many an incentive to further study of 
these old Lutheran chorals of which we know so 
little. Why will not some of our well-trained choirs, 
like that under Mr. Allen's direction at the Church 
of the Unity, seize vigorous hold of some of these 
great compositions, and take a sure' step towards 
showing how " poor and little worth " most of our 
church music has become ; how great, how sublime 
four-part composition is, and how sadly it has been 
perverted. 

The abstract of the Treasurer*! report of the late 
meeting of the Music Hall Association, copied by us 
last week from the daily papers, contained an error 
in figures, which placed the balance on the wrong 
side. The receipts for the year should have been 
stated as $8,864 15, instead of $5,864 15. From 
this deduct the total expenditures, $7,457 24, and it 
leaves a clear gain for the year of $1,406 91 . . . .The 
musical societies of Portland, Me., talk of celebrat- 
ing the first arrival at that port of the great steam- 
ship ** Leviathan," by a musical festival, occupying 
it may be several days. The " Creation," choruses 
of Handel, &c., will be performed. Of course they 
must have Formes or some other mighty basso to 
sing : ** The Lord created great whales. . . .Mrs. J. H. 
Long, Mr. W. Schultze, and Mr. B. J. Lano, 
gave a subscription concert in Newburyport on 
Thursday evening last, (June 17th.). . . .Mrs. Long 
and Blr. Lang, in connection with local talent, give 
a Sacred Concert in Lynn, at one of the churches in 
that city on Sunday evening next, on the occasion 
of the opening of a new organ. 

Messrs. Russell & Fuller have just published an 
admirable medium-sized photograph portrait of Beet- 
hoven, taken from the large lithograph copy of the 
picture in the Royal Library in Berlin. Our " Diar- 
ist," who is familiar with that Library, and who knoMrs 
everything about Beethoven, tells us : ** Schindler 
assured me repeatedly that that portrait was alto- 
gether the best, and I have heard the same from 
many other persons. The small lithograph of the 
some is the one which has the best reputation in 
Germany. Of course during my stay abroad, I 
made every effort to find out what picture gave the 
most correct idea of Beethoven — the man. This is, 



as is evident to every one, not flattered, not idealized. 
It accords very perfectly with Schindler's description 
of his personal appearance, and in my judgment, 
the photograph in question gives one a better idea of 
how the man actually looked, at about the age of 
forty-eight or fifty, than any other picture of the same 
size whatever." Our own impression accords with 
this ; we have always found the lithograph referred to 
the most satisfactoiy of all the portraits of Beet- 
hoven ; and yet the present photograph seems SiCtu- 
ally to surpass it. 

There is a plan on foot to furnish New York ^th 
what it sadly needs, a first class music hall. The 
plan is thus described: "A number of capitalists 
have secured fifteen lots of ground fronting on West 
Fourteenth street, and of sufficient depth to admit of 
a Urge structure. On these lots will be erected dur- 
ing the present summer a magnificent Concert Hall, 
capable of seating 8,000 persons, and opening on 
extensive conservatories, thereby affording prome- 
nade accommodation for 8,0(T0 more. Located in 
one of the healthiest and breeziest streets of the city, 
and with nothing to interfere with a perfect system of 
ventilation, the hall will be delightfhlly cool in sum- 
mer, and when the frost comes and external Nature 
is nipped and bare, it will afibrd all the pleasures of 
a winter garden, with blooming fiowers and budding 
exotics to relieve the eye, instead of straight lines to 
weary it." 

A patent has been secured by Mr. Gustav Schuer- 
mann, of Newgate Street, London, for printing music 
by a process entirely different firom the common 
mode of printing in type. Among the advantages 
affirmed to be gained by the new method, are a sav- 
ing of seventy-five per cent in the expense of com- 
position and correction; greater durability of tjTje 
and less expense in its manufacture ; transposition of 
keys easy of effecting, with but slight alteration in 
the type; facility for ornamental music printing; 
and greater beonty, clearness and sharpness in the 
impressions. 

Both Herr Formes and Herr Thalberg have 
been suddenly stopped in their Western Concert 
tours ; the basso by an attack of bronchitis, which 
has led him to seek repose and cure at Dr. Munde's 
Water Cure establishment near Northampton, Mass. 
The pianist is called home by private circumstances 
to Europe. Formes is evidently out of favor with 
the London Athencmnif which says : " All lovers of 
good singing will rejoice to hear that he prefers 
America to the Old Country, and has broken his 
engagement. But his behavior mokes the search for 
a basso pTofond9\ to replace him, imperative ; since, 
in this respect, the Covent Garden Company, as it 
stands, is incontestably weak.". .. .The Mozart In- 
stitution at Frankfort is said to have purcliased a 
property, at a high price, near the Eschenheimer 
Gate, for the purpose of establishing there a conser- 
vatory and a music school. 

The New York Mendelssohh Union, at their 
fourth concert, on Thursday evening, brought out a 
couple of famous works, which we believe were 
never before publicly performed in this country: 
namely, Mendelssohn's " Athalie," and Beethoven's 
" Ruins of Athens." . . . • The great musical 
Festival, with the " Choral Symphony," &c., will 
commence to-morrow at the Academy of Music. 
. . . The Italian Opera performances have ac- 
quired new interest this week, by taking up Pacini's 
opera of " Saffo," which was performed in Boston 
many years ago by the first Havana troupe, when 
Tedesco was in her prime, and never before or since 
unless we ore mistaken, in this country. This time 
Gazzanioa takes the part of Saffo ; Adelaide 
Phillipfb, CUmene ; Brignoli, Phaon ; Gassier , 
Alcandro. 



104 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



St. Louis, Mo., June 12. — Ab a norcl as well 
as amusing style of criticism, I send yon tho follow- 
ing from the Columbia Mirror (Tennessee) : 

*' Thalderg and Vieuxtemps. These distin- 
IBHiished individuals are now in Nashville, giving:; 
high-pressure concerts and selling tickets, when con- 
venient, at two dollars a-piccc. A stage-load and a 
half or two stage-loads of ladies and gentlemen went 
down from this place to hear them. Thalbero is 
said to be death, in its most horrid shape, on the 
piano, and it is probably true ; while Vieuxtexi^s 
18 represented as a Hddler of considerable skill, con- 
sidering his opportunities, which he no doubt is. Wc 
haven't heard either of them since they were qnite 
small ; and unless they come out here and reduce the 
price of tickets to their value — say about sixty-two 
and-a-half cents per dozen — ^it is 'possible tliat we 
shan't hear them any more. "When wo rido forty 
miles, at an expense of at least ten dollars, extras 
not included, to hear a couple of itinerant Dntoh- 
meu torture a brace of unoffending instruments 
into fits, until the very spirit of music howls in sym- 
pathy, iif somebody will have the kindness to cave in 
our head with a brick-bat, we'll feel greatly obliged 
to him. 

But seriously. Thalbero and Vieuxtemps have 
never done us any harm that we know of, and w^e 
don't suppose tticy intend to. Wo wouldn't much 
mind hearing their music, for no doubt it is very 
nearly, if not quite, as good as that of the common 
run of Dutchmen, which, as the latter will tell you, 
is saying a good deal." 

These artists gave two concerts here this week 
to good houses, considering tho very unfavorable 
weather. Mme. D'Angri (the only new attraction) 
created a very favorable impression — excepting with 
the everlasting "Kataplan," which would not go 
down with the St. Louis public. Thalbero and 
Vieuxtemps out-did themselves. 

Both played beautifully, and their duets were per- 
fection. They left a more favorable impression tlian 
on their former visits. Perrino (the Tenor) was the 
general favorite, being encored almost in everything 
he sang. The duets between Madame D'Angri and 
himself were really gems, and alone worth the 
price of admission. Taking it altogetlier, our gener- 
ally cold audiences were more delighted with those 
concerts than any we have had for some time, and 
we hope these artists will soon visit us again. 

Formes, under the auspices of ^traxosch, will 
be here on the second and third of July. He will do 
well here, — the German element especially will turn 
out in full force. 



New Haven, Corn., June 16. — The " City of 
Elms," as I think I have mentioned once before, can 
by no means lay claim to the title of a musical 
place. Yet the meaning of the word " concert " is 
well enough known here, to make the attendance of 
such an entertainment a requisite of fashion. Conse- 
quently, when sundry small advertisements in the 
daily papers and large placards around the streets, 
have duly announced the forthcoming event, and the 
auspicious night has arrived, students and school-girls 
(tlie chief components of society in this place) may 
be seen flocking in pairs, like doves to their windows, 
to Brewster's Hall. This latter is a very pretty, 
chaste-looking room, containing an organ, and capa- 
ble of seating, by exact calculation, six hundred and 
twenty-eight persons, minus hoops. My first intro- 
duction to it was on the occasion of a concert given 
a few nights ago by your Germania Band, who, hav- 
ing been engaged for tho Wooden Spoon Exhibition, 
took the opportunity lo make themselves more gene- 
rally heard. As I invariably have to buy a few 
months' ruralizing with the almost total loss of all 
musical enjoyment during the summer, I was glad of 
a chance to hear melody and harmony of any kind, 
and BO, though tlie programme was of the lightest 
character, I took possession of one of the 628 seats. 
There were about twenty performers, who seemed to 
have two sets of instruments with them, which formed, 
respectively, a full brass band and a small orchestra. 
The effect of die former, in that miniature music ball, 
would have satisfied even friend " Trovator " ; I could 



not but think of him when my ears were nearly split- 
ting with the first march, and heartily wished him in 
my place. Nevertheless, the bntfs instruments were 
very finely played ; much better than most of the 
others, of which several, too, were sadly out of tune. 
Besides sundry waltzes, galops, and polkas, among 
which I noticed Musard's newest, the Champagne 
Galop, Cuckoo. Polka, we had an Overture or two, 
one by Reissiger, and the second, nol that* to " Stra- 
dclla," as was put down in the programme, but some 
other, unknown to me. Sundry pot-pourris and 
arrangements filled up the programme, one of tlie 
former jumbling together, in a most unmerciful man- 
ner, the Kussian National Hymn, Wait for tlie Wag- 
on, Old Folks at Home, Hail Columbia, God save 
the Queen, etc., ending, of course, with " Yankee 
Doodle bedevilled." Altogether, the ordering of tlie 
programme showed no great deference for the public 
taste of this city, and nowhere was this more manifest 
than in the two solos; the one for Comet4-Piston, 
played by Mr. Eichler, t^e other, for Violoncello, by 
W. Fries. W. Eichler's performance, I ngret to 
say, did not make one forget Konig — and some of 
tlie solo-bits for the same instrument in the enscmbl« 
pieces were far better played. The piece, however 
must be acknowledged to be entirely novel — Varia- 
tions on the last new air, i. e., " the Merry Swiss 
Bov." When Mr. Frics's tuni came, I was all ex- 
pectation, having heard so much of tliis gentleman 
through your Journal, that I was glad to judge of 
him for myself. I did not expect any very profound 
composition under the circumstances, and when he 
played a charming Swiss-sounding introduction, (and 
very beautifully) thought that I should perhaps hear 
Prodi's " Alpcn horn," or something similar. Judge 
of my astonishment, when the " Merry Swiss Boy " 
again fell upon my car ! I confess that I was not a 
little indignant, and still consider this mode of pro- 
ceeding rather an insult to the New Haven public. 
What if, as was doubtless tho case, half the audience 
did not notice anything unusual — is this the way to 
educate tho public, to further tlio cause of good mu- 
sic ? It was bad enough to give one set of variations 
on so trite a subject — though tho latter arrangement 
was really an artistic one — but to bring it up twice in 
one concert, that was going rather too far. I have 
heard the hope expressed that this band will not come 
again till they have learnt to play some now pieces. 
If tlie general taste for music is not very much 
developed here, there is still a small ''Band of 
Brothers, '' who plod quietly but cmceasingly on their 
way, s<toking to improve themselves by constant prac- 
tice, and others by letting them occasionally hear the 
result of tlieir efforts. Several " Soir^ Musicales " 
have been given, at private houses, this winter, the 
programme of one of which is worth copying : 

Wedding March, (for four hands). MeDdelBiohii. 

Adelaide. (Vocal). 

Yarlationii for Violin and Piano. 

Jubilee Overture, (for 8 handd). 

Duet from Puritani, (Vocal) 

Concerto for Violin and Piano. 

II Segpoto, (Vocal). 

Uaaaniello, (8 hands). 

The good has certainly the preponderance here. 

A small singing club, too, has been steadily practising 

Oratorio music for some months; they have taken 

" Elijah," and are now studying "St. Paul." All these 

are refreshing signs of an earnest striving for the 

good cause, and as another, I may add that I have 

met with quite a number of very attentive readers of 
the " Journal." 

From the pretty village of Farmington comes the 
rumor that some Quartet concerts will again be given 
there this summer, by the same performers as hereto- 
fore. Not quite the same, either, for I much fear 
that Mr. Mosenthal, who is only just recovering from 
a dangerous illness in New York, will not yet be able 
to join his companions by that time. 

I was not a little surprised to see " Trovator's " last 
letter dated from New York. Has he acted upon his 
Mormon Italian friend's suggestion, and brought over 
the eight caniatrice to make his fortune for him ? I 
should not tliink, however, tliat this was the best 
season for such an enterprise. — f •— 



^pthl liotirts. 

DKBCRIPTIYE LIST OF THE 

PablUhed by O. Dicaoa Sc €•• 



Beethoven. 
DeBerlot. 

Weber. 

BeUinl. 
De Beriot. 
Doniaetti. 

Aub«r. 



Vocal, with Piano. 
Selections from "Tub Buccaneer," Grand 
Tragic Opera. G. W. Straiion. 

Like as the flowrct, 25 

Flora, art thou yet true, 25 

Ye winds of heaven, 25 

O, let my heart Ihj free, 25 

The fiiir lame which thi^ new Amcrknn Operm haa 
won alrmdy. nftvr the pcrftimianre of only a wanty 
■election flrnm itn Tocal beautiefi before a aelert fcw, 
elaliiiM the full attention of all nimtir lorers for tbef 
latiue*, which are to be followed by other*. Klcrtud and 
arranged by the author. Thow nanicd about are Msne 
of the more simple, ballad-like portiona of tho Opera, 
but fttill Aill of rwl dramatic patboa and HuiAcientiy 
elaborate to excite the interest of the cultivated voeal- 
lat. 

Mountains of Life. Quartette. J. G. Clarke. 25 

An excellent Quartette for the Chnivh aa well aa Ibr 
the home circle, on Sabbath evening*. 

Little Dorritt's Love, Marfarren. 25 

Simple and unpretentious, bnt heartfcit and tovch- 
ittg. 

My Little Sue, Ludm U, Parish, 25 

Oraeeftal and pretty. 
Kitty alone and I. Song and Chorus. Thompton. 25 
Bridal Mom. Ballad. J. L. Ifatton. 25 

A beautiful parlor song, llgbt and gay in style, In- 
troducing the jO} oos tinkle of the wcd^ng bells in the 
arcompanlmeut, thus imparting an aliy and plctor- 
esque eliaractcr to the whole. 

There is an lalc, a bonny isle. Song. Kirk. 20 

A new edition of this lovely little ballad, which has 
long been troasnrod as a real gem by the few who 
were aware of its existence. Once known, it will 
become a universal Ikvorite. 

Wait till I put on my bonnet. Song. Minasi. 30 

Easy and pretty, with a handsomely Illnstrated titla 
page. 

Instrumental. 

Bombardone Mazurka. H. Aug. Pond. 25 

For a Mararka, which does not require mneh execu- 
tion in the player and still sounds full and brillbmt, 
which captivates the ear of the many, and gracefully 
accompanies the steps In this characteristic dance, 
this composition Is exactly ** the thing.^' 

Cradle Song, by Ktickcn, transcribed by Oettm. 40 

A fine arrangement which ftally developes the beauty 
of the well known air of Kuckan's. 

French Polka. D' Albert. 50 

Sprightly and light. Kxcellent dance music. The 
title page has a nkeness of the imperial prinoa of 
France, in colon, done true to life. 

Fantasia on Airs from Mozart's Operas. For 
three Performers on One Pianoforte. Czemif. 1,25 

This veteran among the writen of piano music for 
the advance of pupils, has hardly written anything 
more indispensable to the Judicious teacher tluui his 
series of conoertant FantasiM for three players on one 
piano, which are calculated even more than duets to 
deTcldp the sense of riiythm In the pupil, and teach 
him that firmness and equality in time, which many a 
ready player Is so sadly wanting. Hie series, called 
the *' Three Amateun.'' of which this Fantasia Is a 
number, Is intended for playen of some address. The 
other numbers, which are already published, comprise 
Fantasias on Ain from Norma, on Airs from Donisettrs 
Operas, on Irish and on Scotch Ain. Independent of 
this set, but of the same diflleulty, there Is a set of six 
operatic Orertures, arranged also for six hands, vis : 
Tancredi, Fra DIavolo, Freischuta, Don Oioranni, 
Barbiere, and Figaro, all of which are published. 

Alicia Schottisch. A. Mayer. 25 

Forget me not Waltz. A. Mayer. 25 

Peach blow Schottisch. Pond. 25 

Books. 

A New and Scientific Self-Instructing 
School for the Violin, on an entirelv dif- 
ferent Method from any work of the kind nere- 
toforo offered to the Public in this Country, 
intended for Beginners, Amateurs, Business 
Players, and Teachers. In Three Parts, Com- 
plete in one volume. By Geoi^ Saunders. 75 

This work contains a large amount of valuable in- 
struction for all grades of rioUnists, and, while It fur- 
nishes the rudiments of a thorough knowledge of Vio- 
lin playing to those Just commencing their studies in 
this branch of music, it also Imparts numerous hints 
and Acts of groat practical importance to advanced 
playen The music comprises nearly two handred 
popular tunes, thirteen sets of cotillons, and a good 
variety of Contra, Spanish, and Fancy dances, with 
proper figures appended. 




toig|t'5 



|0urual 





u5tr^ 



Whole No. 326. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1858. 



Vol. Xm. No. 14. 



To W. J. H., while playing on kifl Flute. 

A little poem by 8. T. CoLiaiDGK. not found in bin collected 
works, but pnwerved and published by bis friend, Mr. Juscpb 
Cottle. 

Hash ! ye clamorous cares ! be mute. 

Again, dear harmonist, again. 
Through the hollow of thy flute 

Brcatiie that passion-warblcd strain : 

Till memory each form shall bring, 
The loveliest of her shadowy throng ; 

And hope, tliat soars on skylaric wing, 
Carol wild her gladdest song ! 

O skiird with magic spell to roll 
The thrilling tones, that concentrate the soul ! 
Breathe through thy flute those tender notes again, 

While near thee sits the chaste-cvcd maiden mild. 
And bid her raise the poet's kindred strain 

In soft, impassioned voice, correctly wild. 

In freedom's undivided dell, 

Where toil and health, with mellow 'd love shall 
dwell. 
Far from folly, far from men, 
In the rude, romantic glen, 
Up the cliff, and through the glade. 
Wand 'ring with the dear>loved maid, 
I shall listen to the lay, 
And ponder on thee, fur away. 



(Traatlated for' thii Journal.) 

Henri Heine about ICouc and ICnaicians. 

1. EOBSINl'S 8TAUAT MATUR. 

PAais, middle of April, 1842. 
Arriving one fine day, at noon, last summer, in 
Cette, I saw a procession pass along the quay, 
before which spreads the Mediterranean sea; 
and never shall I forget that sight In front 
marched the brotherhoods in their red, white 
and black attire ; the penitents with their cowls 
drawn over their head, in which were two 
holes through which the eyes looked spectrally ; 
in their hands burning wax-lights or banners of 
the cross. Then came the different orders of 
monks. Also a crowd of laitv, women and 
men, pale, broken forms, devoutly staggering 
along, with a touching, sorrowful sing-song. I 
had often met such in my childhood on the 
Rhine, and I cannot deny, that those tones 
awakened in me a certain sadness, a sort of 
home-sickness. But what I never had seen be- 
fore, and what seemed to be a Spanish custom, 
was the troop of children, who represented the 
Passion. A little fellow, costumed in the way 
the Saviour is usually depicted, the crown of 
thorns upon his head, whose fine golden hair 
flowed down mournfully long in waves, came 
panting along, bent under the load of an immense 
great wooden cross; upon his forehead were 
brightly painted drops of blood, and marks of 
wounds upon his hands and naked feet At his 
side walked a little girl clad all in black, who, as 
the Mother of sorrows, bore several swords 
with gilded handles on her breast and seemed 
almost dissolved in tears — an image of the deep- 
est affliction. Other little boys, who walked be- 
hind, represented the apostles, and among them 
Judas, with red hair and a purse in his hand. A 



couple of little fellows, too, were helmcted and 
clad in armor like Iloman lancers, and swung 
their sabres. Several children bore the habit:$ ol' 
religious orders and church ornaments: little 
Cai)uchins, little Jesuits, little bishops with mitre 
and crooked staff, the cunningest and dearest 
little nuns, certainly not one of them over six 
years old. And strange to say, there were 
among them also some children dressed as Amor- 
ettes, with silken wings and golden quivers ; and 
immediately about the little Savior tottered two 
much smaller ones, at the most four-yearold little 
creatures, in the old Frankish shepherd's garb, 
with little ribboned hats and staffs, dainty things 
to kiss, as marchpane dolls: they represented 
probably the shepherds, who stood at the manger 
of the Christ-child. But would any one believe 
it, that this spectacle excited in the soul of the 
beholder the most seriously devout feelings ; and 
the effect was all the more touching, that it was 
little innocent children, who were enacting the 
tragedy of the grandest, most colossal martyr- 
dom ! This was no aping of the matter in his- 
toric grandiose style, no wry-mouthed pietistic 
mummery, no Berlin make-believe of faith : this 
was the most naive expression of the profoundest 
thought; and the condescending child-like form 
was just what saved the sense of the symbol from 
operating with an annihilating power upon our 
mind, or from annihilating itself. That sense 
indeed is so immensely mournful and sublime, 
that it exceeds and over^leaps the most heroic- 
grandiose and most pathetically exalted mode of 
representation. Hence the greatest artists, both 
in painting and in music, have thrown the charm 
of as many flowers as possible over the exceeding 
terrors of the Passion, and mitigated its bloody 

earnestness by playful tenderness and this is 

what Rossini did, when he composed his Stabat 
Mater, 

The Stahat of Rossini was the notable event of 
the past season ; talk about it is still the order of 
the day, and even the strictures passed on the 
great master, from the North German point of 
view, attest quite strikingly the originality and 
depth of his genius. The treatment is too secu- 
lar, too sensual, too frivolous for the spiritual 
subject ; it is too light, too agreeable, too enter- 
taining, — such are the comments groaned out 
by certain heavy, tedious critics, who, if they do 
not purposely affect an exceeding spirituality, 
yet certainly torment themselves with very nar- 
row and erroneous notions about sacred music. 
With musicians, as with painters, there previuls a 
totally false view about the treatment of Christian 
subjects. 

The latter believe, that the truly Christian 
must be represented in subtile, meagre contours, 
as lean and colorless as possible ; the drawings of 
Overbeck are their ideals in this respect. To 
refute this delusion by substantial fact, I simply 
call attention to the pictures of saints of the 
Spanish school ; here fullness of color and of 
contour predominate ; and yet no one will deny, 
that these Spanish pictures breathe the most un- 



diluted Christianity, and their creators certainly 
were not less drunk with faith, than the famed 
masters who, in Rome, have gone over to Catho- 
licism in oixler that they may be able to paint 
with more immediate fervor. It is not this out- 
ward aridness and paleness that is the sign of the 
truly Christian in Art ; but it is a certain inward 
exaltation, which cannot be got by baptism nor 
by study, whether in music or in ])ainting ; and 
so I find the Stahat of Rossini really more Chris- 
tian than the Paulus, the oratorio of Felix Mcn- 
delssohn-Bartholdy, which is held up by tlio 
opponents of Rossini as a model of true Christian 
Art 

Heaven forbid, that I should say this to dis- 
parage so meritorious a master as the composer 
of the PaultM ; and least of all could it enter the 
hea<l of the writer of these pages, to pick flaws 
in the Christianitv of that oratorio, because Felix 
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was bom a Jew. But I 
cannot help alluding to the fact, that at the age 
when Herr Mendelssohn commenced Christianity 
in Berlin (he was first baptized in his thirteenth 
year), Rossini had already left it and had plung- 
ed completely into the worldliness of operatic 
music. Now, when he has abandoned this again 
and di'camed himself back into the Catholic re- 
collections of his childhood, into the times when 
he sang as choir boy in the cathedral at Pesaro, 
or sen'cd as acolyte at mass — now, when the 
old organ tones again thrill in his memory and 
he has seized the pen to write a Stabat Mater : 
now he docs not need to first construct the spirit 
of Christianity by any scientific process, still less 
to be a slavish copier of Handel or Sebastian 
Bach ; he only needs to call up once more from 
his soul those earliest sounds of childhood, and, 
wonderful indeed! these tones, with all their 
earnestness and depth of sorrow, powerfully as 
they sob forth and bleed forth the intensest 
anguish, yet retain something child-like in Uieir 
expression and remind me of the representation 
of the Passion by children, which I saw at 
Cette. 

Nay, I involuntarily thought of this little pious 
mununery, when I heard the performance of Ros- 
sini's Stabat for the first time ; the sublime, prodi- 
gious martyrdom was here represented, but in 
the most naive tones of childhood ; the fearful 
plaints of the Mater dolorosa resounded, but as if 
out of an innocent little maiden's throat ; along 
with the crape of blackest mourning rustled the 
wings of all the Amorettes of loveliness; the 
horrors of the crucifixion were mitigated as it 
were by toying pastoral play ; and the feeling of 
infinity breathed over and encompassed all, like 
the blue heavens, that shone down upon the pro- 
cession of Cette ; like tlie blue sea, along whose 
shore it moved on singing and resounding ! Such 
is the perpetual graciousness of Rossini, his inde- 
structible mildness, which no impresario and no 
music-dealer could seriously disturb or even cloud. 
Whatever mean and base tricks may have been 
played him in bis life, we find no trace of gall in 
any of his muncal productions. Like that spring 



106 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



of Arethiisa, which preserved its original sweet- 
ness, although it had passed through the bitter 
watei*s of the sea, so, too, IloM.-*ini'8 heart kept its- 
melodious loveliness and sweetness, although it 
had drunk pi*ctty deeply out of all the wormwood 
cups of this world. 

As I have saitl, the Stabat of the irreat maestro 
was this year the prominent musical event. 
About the first execution, which set the tone for 
all the rest, I need not sijeak ; enough, that the 
Italians sang. The hall of the Italiin Opera 
seemed the fore-court of heaven ; there sobbed 
holy nightingales «ind flowed the fashionablest 
tears. The journal La France MusicaUy too, in 
its concerts, gave? the greatest part of the Stabaty 
and, of coui-se, with immense acceptance. Jn 
these concerts we heard also the Paul us of Felix 
Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who by this very prox- 
hnity, claimed our attention and of himself pro- 
voked comparison with Rossini. AVith the mass 
of the public this comparison was by no means 
advantageous to our young countryman ; it was 
like comparing the Appennines of Italy with the 
Templower mountain near Berlin. But the Tem- 
plower mountain has its merits none the less, and 
it wins the respect of the multitude by the fact 
that it has a cross upon its summit. *' Under this 
sign thou shalt concjuer." Surely not in France, 
the land of infidelity, where Ilerr Mendelssohn 
has always made fiasco. 11*. was the sacrificed 
lamb of the season, while Rossini was the musical 
lion, whose sweet roar still resounds. It is said 
here, that HeiT Felix ^lendelssohn will come to 
Paris in these days. So much is certain : bv 
much expenditure and diplomatic labora, M. Leon 
Fillet has got so far as to order a libretto to be 
prepared by Scribe, which Herr ^lendelssohn is 
to compose for the Grand Opera. AVill our 
young counti'jinan come out successful from this 
task ? I know not. His artistic gift is great ; 
yet it has very considerable gaps and limits. I 
find in respect of talent a great resemblance be- 
tween Uerr Felix Mendelssohn and Mile. Rachel 
Felix, the tragic artist. Peculiar to them both is 
a great, severe, most serious earnestness ; a deci- 
ded, almost importunate leaning upon classic 
models; the finest cind most intellectual calcula- 
tion, shaqiness of understamling, and finally an 
entire want of naivete. But is there such a thinsr 
in Art as genial originality without naivete ? The 
case has never vet occurred. 



Whitsuntide Festiyal at Cologne. 

(From the London Athenvum, May 19.) 

How near to, how far from, Ix>nd4in is the City of 
the Three Kings ! — distant nineteen and a half hours 
only hv the aid of steam, which hurries one through 
the fiefds of Belgium, ju-t now fat with high green 
com, — down the valley of the Vesdre, yellow with 
the voung onk-shoots, — and ncrogs the plain on the 
brinV of the Rhine, from which the fruit-blossom has 
hardly faded. How remote is the look of the flour- 
ishing old Catholic city, and arc the ways of its 
rough, but thoroughly conliul people! But neither 
London nor England has such a concert-hall, with its 
appliances, to show ns the old Gunsenich Hall at Co- 
logne is now, in its altered stote. That antique 
chamber has liccn rai«ed to almost double its former 
height. This rendered necessarj' the aliolition of one 
characteristic feature — the row of pillars which divi- 
ded the room lengthwise ; since PrudeiT's self could 
not have dreamed of heightening these.' Everithing 
has been done in the be»t po<>ihle taste. The hall, 
taking the form of a nave, with shallow side aisles, 
is pillared with onk, and has an elu borate wooden 
roof in the style of that of Westminster Hall. 
Strange to say, it is none the worse as a room to 
sing and play in for all its arches, ond recesses, and 
pendants, and beams, and traceries, — thus proving 
once again that resonance does not go by receipt, but 



by chance. Hard hy, an accessor}' Gothic building 
has been erected. This luis ennhlcd the architect to 
plan a pair of capital enniuuTs with two separate 
staircases and a series of Kuiallcr rh:inil>crs, which, 
licsidcs being jiieturescpic, are invaluable on all fes- 
tive occasions. The new work, within and without, 
is alike -olid and in ^ood kee|iin>:. The lighting of 
the hall is, by (layli;rht, sulhcieiit ; by nij;ht, splendid, 
thanks to its six st:itely cIunuK'lieiT^ in the fantastic 
(lennan style. It will an-onimodate on the ground- 
fl(H)r some lifteeti hnndred persons with ease. In 
^liort, a more niagnifiirnt and thoroughly character- 
istic contx.'rt-hall luuld not he imagined, "nor, it may 
Ihj jusserted, exists in Europe. — Its roc's ef^f; is an 
oi-gan, — but tliis, it may bo hoi)ed, will be presently 
added. 

The programme of this year's Cologne Festival and 
the names of the solo artists have already been given 
in the Athenttum. The orchestra was an excellent 
one — numltcriug 150 performers, who plnye<l Beet- 
hoven's " Eroicu " Symphony and the " Bad Weath- 
ers" prelude to Mendelssohn's " W^alpurgis Night,' 
as those works can. only Ikj played in Germany, with 
the relish given only by nationality, and with which 
no stranger can intermeddle. The chorus — 500 
strong — was a very fine one, as regards its dcliciously 
fresh soprani and basses, — the fJti l»eing more tone- 
less and the tenors weaker than the other two voices. 
Some want of effect — some slight uncertainties of 
attack — mav lie ascril>ed to the jrreat breadth of the 
orchestra and the ])lncing of many of the chonis in 
the side aisles, but this an-angement could easily be 
remedied another time. On the whole, however, the 
chorus offered no great matter for envv to the Eng- 
lish visitor, save, perhaps, in that zeal which can only 
Ixjlong to those who sinj: tojjether more rarely than 
our over\vorked thousands do. — Herr Hiller is an ex- 
cellent conductor, with a sli;;ht tendency to heavi- 
ness, a skilful, without being too skilful, disciplinarian 
at rehearsals. On him, too, as a composer, a special 
interest has centred this year by the grand perform* 
anee (Its secon<l) of his new oratorio, '* Saul." 

It is no li;.'ht task for any man to treat anew a 
subject treated by Handel. In^renious and something 
more as is the " Jephtha" of Herr Heinthaler, he has 
to fight against such immoitalities as " Deeper and 
deeper still," " The smiling dawn," " Happy they," 
and *' Farewell, ye limpid springs." — So again, 
though the * Saul*' of Handel is neglected for the 
present among Ilnnders oratorios, it has pages, com- 
oinations, and scones whieh, in music, willonly die 
when liar's madness dies in Tragedy, or Portia's 
noble grxice in Drama. lJavid*s song, with which the 
madness of Saul is beguiled ; the Ctionises (how dif- 
ferent !) " Envy, eldest-born of Hell," on its ground 
bass ; and '* Welcome, mighty kings," with its chime; 
— the wondrous invocation of the lIV/cA o/ Evdor 
(which cries aloud for Madame Viardot to disinter 
it) — and that noblest of dirges "In sweetest har- 
mony," ofier terrible stumbling-blocks to any new 
a.spirant; l)ecau.se they remind the world (as has been 
elsewhere said) that Handel was always greatest in 
the greatest scenes, — and in this was tfic greatest of 
artists. Sometimes careless— often unscrupulous — 
always rapid — incomplete (as the jargon is)— lie is 
never weak when strength was wanted — never insuf- 
ficient nor inexpressive when the strongest emotions 
and passions, which *' Music can raise or quell," came 
under his ken. Hence, did we write music, we 
should dread to venture on Handel's ground. Others 
— Handel's countrymen especially — seem to have less 
misgiving ; perhaps becau.se they know these immor- 
tal works less than we English do ; perhaps because 
they do not consider any musical • Macheths * or 
' Othellos ' as final. So be it. They are right in so 
far as they can assert themselves j and we must en- 
deavour to take their view. 

Herr Hillcr, however, has hardly had a fair chance 
in his attempt to re-set ' Saul.' ifis poet, Herr Hart- 
mann, does not seem to have appreciated the difficulty 
of this striking Biblical episode as subject for a long 
musical work, in its want of prominent female inter- 
est. In Handel's case this was met by giving to 
Michal a large allowance of that soijeggio music 
which now would hardly pass, were there even a new 
Handel to make it interesting — and by writing the 

f)art of David for a mezzo-soprano voice. Here we 
lave no equivalent for the.«ie devices, and the conse- 
quence is undue preponderance of masculine tone. 
A like disproportion (in spite of the beauties prodig- 
ally lavished over every bar of the opera) hangs to 
a certain degree as a dead weight on ' Guillaume 
Tell.' Herr Hiller, we aixi sure^ will take it for no 
disparagement to bo told that he is less able to dis- 
pense with aids and suggestions than Signor Rossini. 
If his oratorio ^ound too long, it may be owing to 
his want of due scrutiny before he began to write, 
not becimse he has failed' to write well, and to write 
— though an eclectic — in a way of his own. To 
analyze either the book or tlie music of so elaborate 



a work in detail is here impossible. Enough to say, 
that the former is divided into three parts. — Part the 
first incliulcs the King's jealousy and madness,- the 
spell of David's harp, — the avowal of Michal's love 
for him, — David's expulsion, — and Samuel's pro- 
phecy. Part the second, ami lon;re>t, shows us 
David among the shepherds, — Samuers anointing of 
him. — Saul at battle, in the cave at Ziklajir, — Samuers 
deaih, — and " ihe improvement on this," to use the 
phra>e of our old divines. I'art the third brings os 
on the dan<rerous ;:round of Kndor and its witchcraft, 
— the battle on Gilboa, — David's lament for Saul 
and Jonathan (more dangerous ground still,) and his 
reception as king of Israel. The small part origi- 
nally destined for Jonathan has been retrenclied to 
nothing since the first performance, and the weight of 
the work lies on the insane monarch and the Psalm- 
ist-King of Israel. 

Both these two men have been well characterized 
in music by Herr Hillcr: — David, hy a flow of sweet 
and pious melody, to which the harp, fitly, mostly 
bears company ; Saul, by that lurid and imperious 
music with which it seems not hard to Ht a bass 
voice. Michal is treated with less decision, — ^tho 
case being one in which the musician must color 
the character, not the character inspire the musician. 
I'he weird woman of Endor does not make us forget 
Handel's air adverted to ; but a truly ghostly tone is 
thrown over the apparition of Saniuel by a phrase 
repeated to monotony, and scored with lugubrious 
instruments. 

The oratorio is strong and various in its ehonuses, 
— some half-score of which are capital ; bold in idea, 
vigorous in construction, and massive in force of 
soutid. In particular may be mentioned two very 
delicate choruses for female voices alone in the flrst 
Part : — ^then, one af^er David has been saved from 
the King's javelin, — a du'erful and stout shepherd 
chonis, following his consecration by Samuel, — 
another, of David's followers when Saul is found 
sleeping, which is dramatic,— one, very delicious in 
nine-ei|;ht (Uerr Hiller seems more than usually fond 
of triple rhythms), — and the grand chonis closing 
the second Part, the close of which is pompons and 
laige. In the third Part, one of the most remarka- 
ble features is the music to the battle on Gilboa, 
which is watched by women. Here the instrumenta- 
tion is rich, the stir perpetual, and the use of merely 
the shrill female voices through a long and rapid 
movement heavily scored amounts to a new effect. 
David's lament, too, is one of the best numbers of 
the work, which winds up with a ' Hallelujah ' in a 
new form. This last, however, would gain in bright- 
ness, were the solo^ to which the chorus replies, trans- 
ferred from the tenor to the soprano voice. Through- 
out the oratorio the instrumentation is highly colored, 
solid (not excluding picturesque cfl'ect), and masterly. 
The style, to sum up, is modern, without being pro- 
fane — clrnmatic, but nowhere theatrical. There are 
few or no fugues ; their absence, however, is obviously 
caused by no deficiency in contrapuntal science, 
neither by want of power to originate those clear and 
tract able phrases on which alone fugues can be snc- 
ces.sfully built. 

Herr Hiller's * Saul ' oflTers difficulties to the per- 
foi-mers. On the whole, it was well performed. As 
meriting praise, the orchestra comes first, which went 
through its duty with true Gennan fer\-or. In the 
chorus, the bell-clear soprano voices predominated so 
largely above the other three parts of the quartet 
that the beauty of their sound, whieh at first seemed 
channing, became importunate as the performance 
went on. The part of David gives us occasion to 
mention the pood progress made by Herr Schneider. 
Six years ago, when we ventured to prophesy on his 
capabilities, he was second tenor in the Leipsic thea- 
tre, and was there little regarded, because othcn 
bawled more loudly than he. His voice, always a 
sweet one, has gained volume without losing sweet- 
ness, — his expression is good, without that sickliness 
which too mauy of his tenor countrymen mistake for 
sentiment. He is the most pleasing artist of his class 
in Germany that we know of, and as steady in his 
music as pleasing. Herr Stepan, the bass, did his 
best as Saul, — and worked out Fome of the scenes 
with fair dramatic trnth, laudably, the while, clear of 
exaggeration. Mdlle. Krall, the' Michal, sang better 
than hhe did when in London. Mdlle. Jenny Meyer, 
from Berlin, was the mtzzo-soprano^ her voice being 
hardly deep enough in quality to be called a contralto. 
This young lady lias a future' before her, if she choose 
to take it. She* is young, — pleasing in appearance, 
and with a certain 'refinement of manner promi»ing 
intelligeni-e. Her voice, too, is tuneable and full, 
without extraordinary power, — a voice* worth first- 
class training. This,' we imagine, it has hardly yet 
received, to judge from the manner in which certain 
of her notes are arrived ut, not attacked,— ^i defeat 
easily to be cured in one so young, but which, if it 
be not amended, may bring her into the category ot 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1858. 



107 



impa.ssionc<l hulie*^, who sij;^, or scrcnm, or soh, but 
• cunnot siiifj. Mdlle. Mover doi's not seem at present 
to commnnd mnch execution — hut she docs not at- 
tempt miii'h ; nnd her feelinj; i< true and intelli;;cnt. 
A< a new comer she cannot fail to imprcss every 
hearer hopefully. 

Tlic iHOffminme of the peoond days's concert wa-* a 
mi«:nifi<'cnt one. It w:ih woll worth the fati;^uc of a 
fli;;ht to Colo^ine in the miiUt of our Rea^^on to hear 
the ' Credo ' of the Mass in n minor, hy Sebastian 
B;ich, so excellently sung — in itself amounting to a 
complete work ; and in ii* choruses, *• Et incarna- 
tus " and *' Et resurrcxit," ri'injr hi;^hcr than its 
composer anywhere rose in hi» pi-eferred ' Pa-«sions- 
Mu^ik.' The * Credo,* however, would jjnin by the 
oniis-^ion of the sofo clauses. There is little music 
in l>cinn^ more dryly mechanical than the duet for two 
female voices, '* Qui propter." There is no solo, by 
the most fiivolous modern Italian composer, in whicli 
the music bears less relation to the words, than the 
Ion*; and tormented finxtortifp, " Et in Spiritum Sanc- 
tum," for a bass voice. Hard labor wa.s it for the 
sinj^ers to force tlicir way throu;4:h these utterly inex- 
pressive pieces , and a slij^ht pause suflicicn't to de- 
Uich chorus from chorus, would be more welcome 
than any attempt to execute what, at best, is unmean- 
ing, and therefore inelFective. The second item was 
a selection of scen6s from the second and third acts 
of Gluck^s 'Armida.' Grander concert-music for a 
festival could not bi^ devised than Armida's ' Invoca- 
tion to Hate,' and licr an<<wer, chorused by her at- 
tendant fiends, — nor lovelier airs for singers of the 
highest quality than Armidu's soliloquy or Rinnldo's 
enchantment in the faery garden (which last, by the 
way, was very well rendered bv Herr Schneicler). 
Never could rapturous applause have been better de- 
served : — so noble, indeed, was the effect that our 
conductora and festival committees may Ix: justifiably 
nrgcd to try something of the kind, (jluck's music, 
be it noted, demands a powerful and brilliant force of 
stringed instruments, as Avell as of chorus : — better, 
therefore, not attempt it at all than to give it on a 
small scjile. It is fresco- Art in opera, — but richer in 
color and more seductive in beauty than any fi^csco- 
painting in being. The rest of this superb' concert 
was m;\de up of the ' Sinfonia Eroica' and the 'Wal- 
pnrgis Night.' 

The third, or Artists' Concert, though commanding 
the largest crowd, is habitually the least interesting 
one to the English stranger, who is familiar with bet- 
ter things than the best which these German commit- 
tees, with their limited means and low prices of ad- 
mission, can compass. On the miscellaneous selec- 
tio 1 at Cologne, there is no need to dwell : the artists 
whor are unfamiliar to London having been already 
spoken of. 

The Festival, let it be repeated, was well worth 
the labor of a visit : interesting in the comparisons 
naturally excited, — pleasant as bringing together old 
friends, and as affording an opportunity of making 
new ones ; and made especially cheerful by the ready 
courtesy of all concerned in its management Surli- 
ness himself could hardly find himself a stranger or 
solitary on such an occasion. With regard to the 
professional criticisms and bickerings and rivalries 
which came to the surface, — possibly inevitable, in a 
country made up of small independent musical prin- 
cipalities, — what shall be snid, save that they form as 
constant a feature in a Whitsuntide Hhine Festival 
as the garlands which hang the roof-tree, or the J/a/- 
trank in \t» tipsy looking-glass-barrels — insidious bev- 
erage ! — of which one drinks twice, to repent the 
whole day after. German unity is a strange thing ; 
but, in music at least, its dislocation is perhaps after 
all an affair of argument rather than of o]jinion, — of 
talk for talking's sake rather than of active di.ssent 
and discord. The " ifs " and the " buts,"— the whis- 
perings in comers, — the onslaughts across the sup- 
per-taMc.^^id not prevent this ^Festival at Cologne 
from being numerously attended and cordially en- 
joyed — as, m truth, it well deserved to be — by every 
one present at it 



The Black Opera. 

(From the N. Y. Tribune, June 30, 1856.) 
If the lyricism of Ster<ichorns or of Anacrcon 
he regard e(l as an embodiment of the characteristic 
sentiments of the ancients ; if the genius of Alcaeus 
and of Sappho perpetuated the mysterious music of 
the olden f.me, unvoiced before — why may not the 
banjoism of a Congo, an Ethiopian or a George 
Christy, aspire to an equality with the musical and 
poetical delineators of all nationalities 1 It may in- 
dt-ed be urged that the banjo is not a.s classical an 
instrument as the lyre of the ancients — that the met- 
rical compositions of the colored race and their imi- 
tators fall a trifle beneath the standard of excellence 
at which custom has rated the poets of antiquity — 
that the use of the jaw-bone and bellows, of MecKan- 



ics' Hall notorietv, cannot !« countenanced bv the 
votaries of if^thetic pursuits. All this may be urged 
by the erudite stickler for conventionalities and ac- 
cepted by others of his class, but the world will go 
on Iwlicving, as it now believes, that tinrhfulue^s to 
nature is the viralitv of Art ; that music is onlv true 
to its high mission when it expounds the subtle ]>hi- 
losophy of the soul, the lungu ige of the heart, the 
mysterv of the senses, with the infinite emotions, pas- 
sions, t^ioughts, which wnsritutc the nature of man ; 
and that whether the instrument which «ub.serves this 
purpose chances to be a lyre or a banjo, or whether 
the peo|)le whoso lives and emotions are thus perpet- 
uated l)c the highest or the h)WC'<t type of the Imman 
f imily, the result is still the same, differing only in 
the standard of its influence and the character wfn'ch 
that influence assumes. Absurd as mav seem neyro 
minstrelsy to the refined musician, it is nevertheless 
beyond doubt that it expi'cs>c3 the peculiar character- 
istics of the negro as truly as the groat masters of 
Italy represent their more .spiritual and profound na- 
tionalitv. And althou;^h the melodv of " Lonji-tailed 
Blue " may not possess the intellectual properties of 
an arm bv Bellini, vet it will contain as much tnilh 
to the humanity of which it assumes to be the expo- 
nent, and quire as much enthusiasm will be manifested 
by its listeners. 

Whether the black opera originated in Numidia, or 
on the banks of the Nile, history nor tradition saith 
not. Its first appearance in " good society " may be 
set down to 1822, when, in a drama produced at 
Drurv-lanc Theatre, in London, Dihdin introduced 
the character of a negro, who, in the conrse of the 
piece, sang a ballad, of wliich we give one stanza : 

<' Ribal King he make f^reat Rtrife, 
Qumho dad, him life to onve. 
Sell pickaniny. crown and wife. 
And poor Gumbo for a flluve! 
Cruel ilns of dam ole King, 
But Qumbo dry him t«ar, and Hng 
Diogle, jingle, tangaro." 

The " dingle, jingle, tangaro " is the only portion 
of this comjKjsition which smacks of originality ; the 
rest was tame and vapid, but suited to the audience 
for which it was intended. About the same time 
O'Kecfe, in the operetta of Paul and Virginia, bor- 
rowed the idea of a colored solo, and gave a very 
passing and characteristic melody. Subsequently, 
Carney Bums, the clown of a circus company per- 
fonniug at the Park Theatre, sang, between the acts, 
a composition wnich he termed *' Gumbo Chaff." 
Its popularity was immediate, and the eccentric Car- 
ney instantly became an object of considerable im- 
portance ; but the appearance, during the same season, 
of an illustrious comjietitor for the palm of negro 
lyricism caused his star to fade and gradually disap- 
pear. It was at this epoch that Mr. T. 1). Kice 
made his debut in a dramatic sketch entitled "Jim 
Crow," and from that moment evervlwdv was " doinj: 
just so, and contirmed " doing just so " for months, 
and even years afterward. Never was there such an 
excitement in the musical or dramatic world ; nothing 
was talked of, nothing written of, and nothing 
dreamed of, but " Jim Crow." The most sober citi- 
zens liegan to "wheel alK)ut, and tuni alwut, and 
jump Jim Crow." It seemed as though the entire 
population had been bitten by the tarantula ; in the 
parlor, in the kitchen, in the shop and in the street, 
Jim Crow monopolized public attention. It mu-it 
have been a species of insanitv, though of a gentle 
and pleasing kind, for it made liearts liL'hter, and 
merrier, and happier : it sipoothed away frowns and 
wrinkles, and replaced them with smiles. Its effects 
were visible alike on youth and age. 

The success of Mr. Kice called out numerous imi- 
tators. " Sittiu* on a rail," " Getting up stairs," 
"Long-tailed blue," "Zip Coon," etc., succeeded 
each other raptdly, and for the time being, Negro 
Minstrelsy wjis the ruling power. " Goosey Gander," 
and " Old Dan Tucker " came aftcrward^md who 
is there that cannot recollect the enthusinsjn with 
which the first appeanmce of " Dandy Jim " was 
hailed ? How often that colored gentleman came 
from " Caroline," it wotild be impossible to estimate, 
but we supjx)sc it would bear comparison with the 
number of occasions on which the ancient and vene- 
rable darkey was made to sing " Carry mo back to 
old Virginny." The homeliness, the truthfulness of 
these compositions, established their popularity. 
There was nothing fjictitious in them; they filled a 
void in public amusement, which was beginning to be 
sensibly experienced, and from their very naturalness 
appeale<l to the sympathy of the multitude. Partic- 
ularly was this the case with the younger portion of 
our |K}pulation, most of whom have grown up to be 
men and women .«ince then. For if the songs were 
of a humorous character, it was humor of a positive, 
gushing kind — boisterous fun, just suited to the nnttiro 
of youth, and not without its effect upon the risibili- 
ties of the oldest; or if the air was a saddened one, 



there was a pathos in its mournful simplicity, quite as 
impressive as any waves of melody which ever gushed 
from the soul of a composer. Who has not often 
observed the tear of sensibility moistening the cheek 
of youth, while listening to the primitive strains of 
" Uncle Ned " — that poor old colored gentleman, 
who has gone " where the good darkies go i " Ah, 
tho«e tears constituted one of the blessings of that 
youth, which has now departed. Sorrow and (disap- 
pointment have doubtless weighed heavily upon 
many a heart since that spring of life jmssed away, 
with its smiles and tears. We can no longer smile 
at " Lucy Nciil," nor weep at the pathetic srory of 
"Uncle l%dward." And, in the meantime, has there 
been no change in the ftelings of the true originators 
of this music — the negroes themselves { Are the 
great mass of those held to labor on Southern plan- 
tations the same careless, brutalized nue.thevwere 
twenty years ago ( We believe not. Let the South- 
ern traveler of to-day compare notes with one who 
went over the ground even ten years ago, and he will 
find a striking change in the mental characteiistics of 
this unhappy jieople. The gay laugh and cheerful 
song are not heard with former frequency ; there is 
less of that noisy exul)erance which not long since 
was rcganled as a trait in the African disposition. 
The old, unmeaning compositions of the plantation 
have f.dlen into di>use, and if they sing now there is 
memory in their songs. Plaintive and slow, the sad 
soul of* the slave throws into his music all that gush- 
ing anguish of spirit which he dare not other^'ise 
express. And vet the careless reviewer of events, 
observing not the causes or consequences, mourns 
what he terms the decadence of national negro min- 
strelsy ! 

The " Virginia Minstrels " was the first organized 
band of performers that appeared in public. This 
comprised the following individuals, wiio have since 
enjoyed considerable notoriety in their vocation : 
Dan Emmett, Wliitlock, Pclham, Frank Brower, 
E. P. Christy and George Christy. The Company 
afterward changed their appellation to "Christy's 
Minstrels." Tlie first performance they gave was in 
Watcf Street, Buffalo, 1842. Being very successful 
in the new experiment, they traveled through the 
West and South, where George Christy acquired that 
intimate knowledge of negro character which has 
since made his performances so acceptable. It was in 
Lexington, Kentucky, that he first saw the jaw-bone 
and Ik'Uows accompaniment introduced by a juverrile 
specimen of the African race, and he was tlie first 
who used these doubtfully melodious instruments in 
the concert-room. E. P. Christy was among the first 
to harmonize songs for public performance. We can 
well remember when the well-known ditty of " Lucy 
Long " made its appearance, and with what success 
its author, night after night, informed the audience 
that be had — 

•' Ju«t come out .ifoixj you 

To Mngr a little Ronj;: 
I playn it on the hnnjo. 
And they call it Lucy Lon{f.*' 

Among the most successful writers of Negro Songs 
may be mentioned Mr. Silas Steele, Cool White, 
Stephen C. Foster, and George Washington Dixon. 
The last named individual is well known to Gotham- 
ites, both for his musical and literary proclivities. 
He was one of the earliest votaries of the colored 
opera, and his muse Avas among the first employed in 
its l)eha]f. While performing at the Park Tlieatrehe 
introduced the " Ching-n-ring Chaw," which after- 
ward liecame so popular : 

" Hroder. let \w leabc Dncm Innd for llcttec, 
Bar we bo r»M*eIbe pran as La ¥s\} et-tc : 
Make a mishty iihow, vthen we land rit>m steamship, 
I he like Munro, you like Louifl Phiilippe. 
On diit equal rod, who no want to poe, 
Dar we feel no rod, dar wo hab no foe, 
Dar wc lib fo fine, wid our ca^ch and hos-se, 
And ebery time we dine, hab one. two. tree, four coiu»e. 

ChinK-a-rinprer, rirp, rhinjr. rhing, 

IIo n dinp. n-dinp. kiim darkce; 

Chinpcr rinpor. flnp rhinp chaw, 

Ho, ah, ding kum darkce.'' 

This has the ringing sound of tnie metal. A long 
re!=idence injhe South doubtless furnished the mate- 
rial for many of the productions of the eiratic Dixon, 
whoso life was fo checkered and full of incident. 
The *' Coal Black Rose *' was another of his popular 
melodies ; 

" Lul»1y Rope, Sr^mbo cum. 
Don't you hear the banjo— turn, turn, turn, 
Lubly Rose, Sambo cnm, 
DonH you hear the banjo— turn, turn. turn. 
Oh, no»e. dc Co.il.Rlack Kokc. 
I wL^h 1 mav be burnt if I don't lik" Ro«e. 

Oh, Ro«». &c." 

This was a duet, sung by the author and a Mr. Lei- 
cester, and always with the most happy effect. Christy 
composed the next musical popularitv, *' The " Yaller 
Girls." which was followed by (Charley White's 
" Bowery Girls." The rivalry existing l>et'ween these 
mnsical belles was excessive ; but the public hnally 



108 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



decided in favor of the *' Bowerv Girlp," and from that 
time forth the nnmbcr of occasions upon which thcv 
were asked if thcv purposed " <ronung out to-night,** 
would l)e impo<isihlu to cnumcnitc. 

The first couipany of Minstrels estahlishrd in this 
City was that under the management of ]Mr, E. I*. 
Christy, in 1846. Their performances were «2^ven at 
Palmo's Opera-Honso — now Burton's Theatre! Find- 
ing their f>opnhiritv on the increa.<e, and seeing a 
grospect of establisfiing themselves permanently in the 
[ctropolis, they shortly afterward removed to ^i[echnn- 
ics* Hall, which they have since occupied. It is 
scarcely necessaiy to speak of the success which 
attended the txperiment. In the year 1852 the 
nnmbcr of concerts given by this Company was sixty- 
nine, and the receipts amounted to $1 ,848 ; in 1853, the 
number of concerts given was 312, and the amount of 
receipts was $47,972. The intermediate years corres- 
ponded in success with the last. Mr. E. P. Christy 
retired from the busiucss in the possession of a fortune, 
leaving it to Ixj cmTied on by George Christy in 
connection with Mr. Ilenrj' Wood. George had long 
been popular with the New- York public, and his career 
bids mir to be as successful in a linancial point of view 
as that of his predecessor. 

The Buckley Family were among the pioneers of 
negro minstrelsy. Their first a])pearance was in the 
Tremont Temple, Boston, in 1842, under the name of 
" Congo Meloctists," and proved immensely successful. 
Sidisequently they tnivefled through the South and 
West, and in 1846 visited England, M'liere they per- 
formed successively at Diiirv-hine and the Princess's 
Theatres. Ketuniing to Kew-York, they located 
themselves in the Chinese AssemMv Rooms, where 
tliey have since continued to produce fjurlescpie operas, 
and become veiy popular with our citizens. The 
Bucklcvs consist ufJanies Bnckley, tlic father, and three 
sons — ftichard, George Swaine and Frederick. Win- 
nemore wan formerly a member of this comjmny, and 
early contributed to its success. They arc at pi-escnt 
assistetl by persons of considerable taste and skill, and 
the entertainments which they nightly present attract 
numerous and respectable audiences. 

There are at present a great many companies of 
negro minstrels performing through the country, the 
most celebrated of which are Christy's, Buckley's, 
White's, Ordway's, Campbell's, Peel's, Kunkle's, and 
the Empire Band. In fact minstrelsy has Inscome a 
permanent institution in our society, and will undoubt- 
edly maintain its position for many yeara to come. 
There is some truth in the assertion that the music has 
deteriorated. We find that Miss Nancyism of vulgar- 
ity assuming a place in the concert room among the 
votaries of burnt cork, bones, and banjos. The sickly 
sentimentality which has of late characterized the pro- 
ductions of tlie majority of these companies, as well as 
the wholesale plagiarism of music now systematically 
pursued, has had the effect of injuring tlie claims of 
minstrelsy to originalitv. liCt ns hope that this will 
not bo longer tolerated hy the directors of the colored 
opera. Instead of adapting trashy words to some 
defunct Scotch or German melody, let the aspirants 
after this species of lyric fame mingle with its origina- 
tors and draw inspiration from a tour through the 
South and West. There is plenty of mnterial to work 
upon ; and there is certainly no scarcity of room for 
improvement. 



The PhiladelpMa Musical Fund Society. 

[From Fitigenld'fl City Item.] 

This old and honored association occupies a distin- 
guished place among tlie multifarious institutions for 
which Philadelphia is widely famed. Few of our 
citizens, it is probable, know what the Musical Fund 
Society actually is ; what its end and aim are ; or 
what 18 the precise nature of the work it is doing. 
Eveiybody is aware that the Society has a building 
devoted to its objects, with a grand saloon which has 
always l)cen. and is at thii day, the most favorite mii- 
Bicalhall in the citv. It has been pronounced by fas- 
tidious musicians tlie most perfect saloon, in an acous- 
tic sense, on the continent, and artists have fre- 
quently asserted that Euroi)e can boast of very few 
superv>r to it. Its ."simple, refined elegance^ and its 
comfortable accommodations have endeared it to the 
people above all other pul>lic saloons. Everybody, 
too, is aware that the Musical Fund Society giro an- 
nually a series of concerts, which are among our 
most popular and fashionable entertainments. In- 
deed, they constitute one of our few purely local mu- 
sical attiMCtions. 

The Musical Fund Society was instituted on Feb. 
29th, 1820, and finally incorporated on Fei). 22d, 
1823, so that it has now attained the hale and hearty 
age of thirty-five years. The essential objects of the 
corporation are the relief of old, feeble, invalided, or 
incapacitated musicians and their families, and the 
caltivatioo of skill, and difTuaioD of taste, in music. 



The members of the Society are divided into two 
classes. One is styled the class of amnteui-s. No 
pceuniary relief is gmntcd from the corporate funds, 
unless the applicant for the same shall have been a 
inemlxjr of tlie class of professors during at Iea.st 
threc.years immediatelv prece<ling his or her applica- 
tion, or unless the applicant is the widow or cnild of 
a deceased meinl>er to whom, at the time of his or 
her decease, relief mijrht have Inien granted. The 
Society has the power to confer academic degrees in 
music, also to establish schools for musical culture. 
The corporation is governed by a Board of twenty- 
four directors, who hold office* for a tcnn of three 
years, and are divided into three classe«*, eight direct- 
ors serving for each year, This board elect annu- 
ally, on the second Tuesday in May, from their own 
nnmbcr, a President and Vice-Prc?*ident, a TrcHsurcr 
and Secretary, and such other ofliccrs as the Hoani 
or the Coi7>oration mav decide upon. Four Stand- 
ing Committees are also yearly appointed by the 
Board of Directors, viz : a (Tommittcc of Admission, 
a Committee of the Fund, a Committee of I^'lief, 
and a Committee of Music. Their titles indicate, 
clearly enough, the dtitics and ofTices of these com- 
mittees. Every professional member of the Society 
is subject to an annual contribution of ten dollars. 

If any professional member is in needy ciirnm- 
stances, and is disabled by age, sickness, or accident, 
from attending to his business, his case is* carefully 
examined into by the Committee of Relief, who re- 
port the circumstnnccs to the Board of Directors, 
who grant to the distressed memlier a certain weekly 
allowance. If a mcmher dies, his widow or children, 
if left destitute, are granted a like weekly allowance. 
If a poor member is attacked by sickness, an investi- 
gation into the case is made and the advice nnd at- 
tendance of one of the regular physicians of the So- 
ciety (of whom there are two, duly nppointed,) are 
procured for him. and pecuniju'y nssistance is also 
rendered, if required. In case of the death of a 
member in needy circumstances, the funeral expenses 
are defrayed by the Society ; if the wife or child of a 
poor member dies, similar relief is given. 

Tims, it will be seen, the Musical Fund Society is 
fulfilling a most charitable, humane, and beautiful 
mission. The vicissitudes of a professional mnxi- 
cian's life, in this country, are far greater and more 
fearful than the pnblic, who get the benefit of his 
genius and labor*, have any adequate conception of. 
It is extremely hard for an artist to obtain, even by 
the most diligent toil and unswerving effort, n decent 
subsistence for himself and those who are dependent 
upon him. If overtaken by ngc, sickness, or calam- 
ity of any description, his situation is indeed pitiable 
and melancholy. Without the merciful assistance of 
some such noble and benign agency as the Musical 
Fund Society, he must stan-c, beg, or die a misera- 
ble death, leaving the family he has to the chance kind- 
ness and protection of sL world that is not especially 
notorious for sympathy and generosity. There is a 
" fate of genius," although stupid creatures, with a 
painfully cheerful and contented disposition, will not 
see it nor try to avert it. 

The Musical Fund society have expended during 
the term of their existence, nearly thitiy thousand 
dollars in relief of decayed musicians, their widows 
and orphan children, louring the past few years the 
relief extended has amounted to over Jifteen hundred 
dollars jter annum. Surely an institution that accom- 
plishes such a large and glorious work as this, should 
have the cordial support of the commnnity of which 
it is such a shining ornament. 



Violins and Poems. 

Among the many fine things with which the 
" Autocrat of the Breakfast Tabic " continually re- 
gales the readers of the Atlantic Morahly, is the fol- 
lowing about three good things which grow more 
good by use : 

You don't know what I mean by the <7r^ii ^ate? 
Well, then, I will tell yon. Certain things are good 
for nothing until they have been kept a long while ; 
and some are good for nothing until they have l)een 
long kept and wid. Of the first, wine is the illustri- 
ous and immortal example. Of those which mast 
1k5 kept and used I will name three, — meerschaum 
pipes, violins, and poems. The meerschaum is but a 
poor affair until it has burned a thousand offerings to 
the cloud-compelling deities. It comes to us without 
complexion or flavor, — born of the sea-foam, like 
Aphrodite, but colorless as ftallida Mors herself. 
The fire is lighted in its central shrine, and gradually 
the juices which the broad leaves of the Great Vege- 
table had sucked up from an acre and curdled into a 
drachm are diffused through its thirsting pores. 
First a discoloration, then a stain, and at last a rich, 
glowing, umber tint spreading over the whole sur- 
face. Nature true to ner old brown autumnal hue, 



yon see, — as true in the fire of the mecrachanm as in 
the sunshine of OcioIkt! And then ttie cnmnlative 
wealth of its fragrant reminiscences ! he M'ho inhales 
its va|)or8 takes a tliou«iand whiffs in a single breath ; 
and one cannot touch it whhout awsikeiiing the old 
joys that hang around it, as the fsmell of flowers 
clings to tlie dresses of the daughtcn of the house of 
Farina ! 

****** 

Violins, too, — ^the swoct old Amati! — the divine 
Straduarius ! Played on by ancient niofulrm onTi! 
the bow-hand lost its power and the flying fingers 
stirt'ened. Bequeathed to the passionate yonng cn- 
thusiiist, mIio made it whisper his hidden' love, and 
cry his inarticulstte longing-^, and screi«m his mitoM 
a;:onies, and wail his inoi o:onou8 despair. Pas-^ed 
from his dying hand to the cold rirtuaxo^ who let it 
slumber hi its case for n generation, till, when his 
hoard was bioken np, it came forth onco more and 
nnle the stormy symphonies of royal orchestras, l»c- 
neath the rushing low of their lord and leader. Into 
lof'cly prisons with improridcnt artists ; into con- 
vents from which arose, day and night, the holy 
hymns with which its tones were hiendt d ; and hack 
again to orgies in which it learned to howl and langh 
as if a legion of devils were shut np in it ; then 
again to the gentle diietfante who calmed it down 
with easy niclo<lie8 antil it answered him softly as in 
the days of the old utaestros. And so given into ovr 
hands, its pores all full of mntic ; stained like the 
meerKchaum, through and through, with the concen- 
trated hue and sweetness of all the harmonies that 
have kindlerl and faded on its strings. 

Now I tell you a poem most lie kept emd «W, like 
a meerschaam, or a violin. A poem is jnst as porons 
as the meerschaum ; — the more porous it is, the bet- 
ter. I mean to Sjty that a geimine poem is capable 
of absorbing an indefinite afnoant of the essence of 
our own humanity, — its tenderness, its heroism^ its 
regrets, its aspirations, so as to he gradually stained 
through with a divine secondary color derived from 
ourselves. So yon see it mast take time to bring the 
sentiment of a jwem into harmony with oar nature, 
by staining ourselves through every thoaglit aii4 
imi^e our being can penetrate. 

Then again as to the mere mnsic of a new poem ; 
why, who can expect anything more from that ihao 
from the music of a violin fresh from the naker's 
hands ? Now you know very well that there are no 
less than fif^y-eight diflferem pieces in a violin. These 
pieces are strangers to each other, and it takes a ccb- 
tury, more or less, to make them thoroughly acqaaint- 
ed. At last they learn to vibrate in harmony, an4 
the instrument becomes an organic whole, as if it 
were a great seed-capsule that had grown from a 
garden-l>cd in Cremona, or elsewhere. Besides, the 
wood is juicy and full of sap for fifty yean or so, bat 
at the end of fifty or a hundred more gets tolerably 
dry and comparatively resonant. 

Don't yon see that all this m jnst as tr«e of a poera ? 
Counting each word as a piece, there are more pieces 
in an aven\gc copy of verses than in a violin. The 
poet has foreed all' these words together, anil fastened 
them, and they doift nnderstaud it at fir?t. Bat let 
the poem be repeated aloud and murmored over in 
the mind's muffled whisper often enough, and at 
length the parts become knit together in such abso- 
lute solidarity that you coold not change a syllable 
without the whole world's crying o«t against yo« for 
meddling with the harmonions fabric. Observe, too, 
how the drying process takes place in the stuff of a 
poera jnst 'as in that in a violin. Here is a Tyndese 
fiddle that is just coming to its hundredth birthday, — 
(Pedro Klavss, Tyroli, fecit. 1760,) — the sap is pretty 
well out of it. And here is tbe song of an old poet 
whom Neiera cheated : 

" NoK «fat, et coelo ftilccbat Lana Mivn^ 
Inter minMm siden, 
Cui ta mnfnorwB nttni«n lasara daomm 
la verba jnnlws mm. J' 

Don't yoa perceive the sonoromsncss of these old 
dead Latin phrases ? Now I tell yoa that ever^ word 
fresh from tne dictionary brings with it a certain suc- 
culence ; and though I cannot e:(pect the sheets of 
the **• Pactolian," in which, as 1 told yon, I some- 
times print my verses, t0 get so dry as the crisp 
papyrus tliat held those words of Horatins Flaccus, 
yet you may be sore, that, while the sheets are damp, 
and while the lines hold their sap, yon can't fairly 
judge of my p(*rformance9, and thst, if made of the 
true stuff, they will ring better after a while. 



Opera in Kew York— Padm*s "Sappho.'* 

From th* Sanday Alias, Jan* 27. 

The production of the " Sapplio " of Pacini, dur- 
ing the past week, is decidedly a great event in the 
musical annals of this country. It was performed in 
this city a few years ago, at* the old Park theati'e, 
with Tedesco in the role of the Grecian poetess, and 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1858. 



109 



th« rilrer-Toiced Lorini m nia3n, her lover. The 
present cast tX the Academy is ns follows : 

^Ho Sipra. Ounnlga 

Ciiuieno BliM PhlUippt 

Piiaon 8lf(nor BriicnoU 

Alcftndro SiRnor G>ui»i«r 

Dfrcv ...... ffl|n^' Mom 

IppU 8if(nor Bimtloi 

LyaUnachufl . • . Signor Muoller 

The " Sappho " of Pacrini is dcwsrvodly the pot of 
the Neapolitans and Sicilians. The mnsic U hijrhly 
classic — iierhaps too much w for the present atmos- 
phere of New York, hut 8till mclodion^ and intclli- 
gihle. Wliy such a mnster-|>icco nhonld have Inin 
ncfrlcctcd for ro many venn in to un a mvRtcry. In 
a dramatic point of view, it in full of hrilliant points 
and situiitions, nyinirinir the lii;;hcst cxcn-iw. of dra- 
matic i«kill. Kf iidamc Gax'/jini{<::i many ycani a<ro set 
Naples in n famrc over her rendition of' the unfortu- 
nate heroine. The nu<lieuces at the Academy wore 
similarly excrcim^d durin<; the pcwt week. One could 
lienr, all over the hoime, wlii-:nerin^s ahont its great- 
ness nnd suhliinity. The orcfiostra and chonis, hav- 
infi; hi^cn strenj^thoned, acquitted thom^elvoM for the 
iir<t time this scaron with decided ahility. Mux 
threw his whole .«onl into his haton, and interpreted 
the mnsic in a Ktyle thnt would hiivc ple^iscd Pacini 
himself. We hope this opera will hecome a perma- 
nent institution in this city, For the information of 
such of our readers as have not heard it, we subjoin 
the following synopsis : 

Act T.— During tb« gsnMS of the 42d Olympiad, th« popa- 
laeo •xrlted by Saflb'N dennndatlonA of the inhumanltv of 
compellinf hopelew lomrx to Imp fhwi the Leucadin rock, dritv 
Aloandro. the high privet of Apollo, from the dreuii. Inceniu 
ed and outrascd, he plotN rerenge, and meeting with Phnon, 
who ifl loved by Siiffo, he iitfmuliite* hl« vRbctSone Ibr hli* own 
dnughter, Climene, anil exciter hla jealousy of Alcens. a former 
follower of HaA>. Haflb appear*, and eooo regnim her fbrmer 
sway over the fickle lover, but u »he in called to receire the 
laorei crown from AlceuR the Ihrgets her lore in her pride, 
aad caraleaily call* oa Phaon to follow her Phaon^s jealouiiy 
!• again aroused : l»e npbraida and fpurus her as she clings 
suppliant to his ki.era. 

Act 2.— Climene, attiring for her nuptials with Phaon, re- 
eelre* Siiffo, who ha» vainly sought her lover, and now. in 
dt^nir. eomes to Climene to beg her intercession with Alhtn- 
dm that she offer a ■ irriflre to appeaiv the wmth of Apollo. 
Ctimene teteive* her with kindness and as a lister, and invites 
her lo be prewnt at her coming nnpUals. Saflb objects to her 
mean appearanca, bnt Climene orders her damsels to gtve to 
Salfe her best attire, and proceeds to the temple. Saflb soon 
follows in gorgeous apparel, erowned with a laurel wreath, 
and finds in Cliuiene's husband her truant lover. Alcandro 
orders her to leave tlie temple; sh4 is about to do so and calls 
on Phaon to follow her, but hearing that he is slraady married, 
la rage she overturns the hymenisl altar, and is driven with 
eurses fti>m the temple. 

Acr S.— Broken-spirited and bowed down by the celestial 
malediction, she supplicates the high priest of Ajiollo to permit 
her to take the fatal lesp to appease her unrequited love. 
The priest consults the oracle, which is favorable, and while 
nreparifg herself for tho fatal sacrifice, Alcandro learns from 
Lysimachus and an amulet she wears about her i eck, that 
8afl6 Is Us own kMt daughter to Climene. He endeavors to 
ft«e her from the fital decree, but the god Is obdnmte; in an 
Inspired ftensy she sings a nuptial song; the voice of Phaon 
riealls her to herself; she leads him to Climene, and rushes to 

e lunge from the fatal reck— Phaon In vein attempting to fol- 
>w her. 

While Brignoli is fair, and Mi«8 Phillips good, in 
this opera, Gazzaniga and Gassier were positively 
great. We expected as much from the lady, and 
were prepni«d to liear a careful rendition from the 
haritone ; but the latter did more than we expected. 
He absolutely sarpiised and daszled ns. The aria 
" Di sua voce," in the first act, wa< given mngnifl- 
eentty. The House fairly trembled with spontaneous 
applause. The duetto, " Compnnta e snpplica," 
with Gaaiaaigu in the third act, was equally well 
rendered, while the solo, " Oh Smania," was abso- 
lutely thrilling. Never before did we hear the rich 
reedy, cultivated voice and artistic method of Gassier 
ia such advantage. We consider him an invaluable 
acquisition to any troop, and we regret tliat he is 
about to leave us next month. Since he has been 
h«e he has improved very much in action, and no 
doubt will reiip new laurels on his return to Europe. 
Madame Gazzaniga, by her example, seems to have 
infused new life into all the artists except Brignoli, 
who is, without exception, the worst actor on the 
Italian stage. 

Miss Phil1ipp4 filled the pleasing roUt of Climene, 
aud made a decided success. Pacini seems to have 
wisely and equally distributed the weight of his 
music among the lour principal singers, so that each 
one has a fair share of the work to do. The air, 
" n cor non basta," in the second act, is a little gem 
for the contralto, and the duet, "Di qnai soavi," 
with Gazzaniga, received an enthusiastic encore. 
The pizzicato of the violins nd the accompaniment 
of ttie harp, made this duet one of tho most pleasing 
we ever heanl. In fact, Mis-* PhllUpps in this opera, ' 
as in " II Trovatore," is entitled to a high position 
both as an actress and singer. From the fire that 
sparkles in her eye, and the intelligence that beams 
in her face, we predict all sorts of gisod ladk for her 



in the future. We are proud of our American prima 
donna, and hereby nominate her queen of the young 
contraltos. 

Brignoli is incorrigible. Ho shonid be made to 
wear trousers full of thistles, to keep him awake. 
The role of Phaon, though somewhat threadhiire, is 
still full of drnmaric interest. The rofc of Violctta, 
in the ** Traviata," is equally threadlmre ; but in the 
hand:* of Gazzaniga, it becomes abtiolutcly great 
Phaon can \)e made a magnificent role for dramatic 
intensity, bnt Brignoli (who appears to detest tlie 
character,) sings it like a stick. Where and how he 
will end, if he persi}<ts in niirsuing this sleepy course, 
Heaven only knows. The arin " A mitignr le 
sm »nic," in tlie first act, was deficient in fire, and 
vciy bad in the upper notes. Ho has lately acquired 
a trick of singing high notes as if from the roof of 
bin mouth — a mode very easy of execution, bnt tend- 
ing in the end to what might he called naKality. 
" Mai piu, mni piu divisi," in the third act, was we'll 
sung, and is aNo a little gem in itn way. Brignoli 
can sing divinely, if ho chooses. Ho is enormously 
fat, but " vidth and visdom," in his case, do not come 
together. His repose on the stage is death-like, and 
enough to throw a cold chill over the inipassionefl 
Gazzaniga. The costume in this opera seem made up 
from " Norma " and " Scmiramide " ; and Brignoli's, 
in particular, is ahominnhle. 

Of Gazzaniga, what can we say 1 If we had swal- 
lowed forty dictionaries, in ns many different lan- 
guages, we' should still be unable to do her justice. 
Her face is childlike and full of expressive simplicity 
with the sweetest (looking— for wo cannot, alas ! 
vonch personally for its saccharine qualities,) sort of 
a nr.outn imaginable, that utters sounds of joy or woo 
in the most wonderful manner. From tho beginning 
to tho end of this opera, her performance was a tri- 
umph. She carried the entire weight, almost, like 
Atlas of old, upon her own shoulders. The duet, in 
Uie second act. with Mi^is Phillipps. was tender and 
liewitching. Of Pacini, it may M-ell bo said that he 
does not overtask the voices of his principal singers. 
Everything is written. within an easy compass, unlike 
Venll and other composers of a more recent and 
florid school. The *' Ai mortali O crudo," in the 
second act, was magnificent. Madame Gnzzaniga's 
lower notes have a wild, wailing tone about them, at 
times, that appeals strangely to the heart. The trio, 
*' Al seno mi stringi," in the third act, with Alcan- 
dro and Climene, was admirably given. The nuptial 
song, " Teco dall' are pronube,*' withjiarp accompa- 
niment, and the finale, "L'ama ognor qua," were 
truly grand. Her acting throughout was superb. 
This opera demands so much intense action, that we 
fear, in other hands, it would prove a failure. It so 
proved in London, when first produced there, and 
was withdrawn after the second representation . Here, 
Madame Gazzaniga has made it a great success. Mr. 
Gye shonid have secured her for Co vent Garden, and 
pitted her against the reputed formidable Piccolomini, 
of Lnmley*s troupe. liondon wonld be swept, as if 
by a tornado, at the rivalry of two such actresses. 

The libretto of this opera was written by an Italian 
poet named Cammarano, and4ilthou<;h fnll'of dmmatic 
points and situations, is equally full of historical blun- 
ders. For example, Saffo is represented as delivering 
an oration against an alleged barbarous custom of 
causing unfortunate lovers to leap from the rock of 
I»ncadia, a ceremony belonging in some way to the 
temple of Apollo, of 'which Alcandro is high priest. 
Infiamed by her words, the populace thnist the priest 
firom the circus and at this point the play h^ns. 
According to the poet Menander, SaflTo herself is said 
to have been theirs/! to try such a violent remedy for 
her unrequited passion. It was clearly the liasty 
suicidal impulse of the moment, for no custom then 
existed compelling hapless lovers to take such a leap. 
But a custom did prevail at that time of throwing down 
a criminal every year on the festival of Apollo. In 
order to bre:ik his fall birds were attached to him and 
if he readied the water alive, boots were stationed to 
pick him up, after which he was allowed to depart 
unmolested firom the territory of I^ucadia. Tlie l)cst 
scholars now agree that the leap, if taken at all, was 
taken by a courtesan of the same name, a native of 
Eresos, m the same island (Lesbos.) Antipater, of 
Sidon, in an episrrnm asserts, that Saflfb, of Mytilcne, 
(the poetess,) died in the usual course of nature and 
was buried in her native island. It appears moreover 
that she was a res|)ectable married woman, the wife of 
one Cercolna, a wealthy gentleman of Andros, by whom 
she had a daughter named Cleis. History is silent as 
to whether she had a sister, and in all her productions 
no allusion whatever is made to the youth called Phaon. 
It is certain that the suicide was a'volnntary one, nnd 
not commanded by the gods or the priests of Apollo. 
The rock itself exists to this day, nnd is situated in the 
modem Santa Maurn, an island lying on the west 
coast of Greece, while Lesbos, now the modem 
Mytilene, lies off the west coast of Asia Minor, many 



hundred leagues distant. The Italian author of the 
libretto of tlie opera in question, evidently drew 
lai^ly on his imagination for his facts, after tlie tisnal 
fashion of poets. History aside, the plot is clever 
and well worked out, and affords great scope for an 
exhibition of dramatic talent in the four principal roles. 
We fear tliat this opera will be shelved ofier the 
departure of Gazzaniga, unless indeed some equally 
clever actress makes her appearance here under the 
auspices of Ullman next fall. Pacini is a Sicilian by 
birth, at present residing in Florence. His works are 
bnt little known out of Italy. We do not consider 
him a copyist of Kossini, nor can we detect any 
resemblance of style or melody. The genius of the 
latter has so completely covered the whole ground of 
Italian mnsic, tliat oUier composers are frequently 
accused of pilfering, or imitating. 



gfeig^fs lonrnal of S^^nsk 

BOSTON, JULY 8, 1868. 

Music iir this Number. — Quartet, for four 
voices, from Mxvdelssohn'b Lauda Sion. In per- 
forming the whole work, this Quartet follows without 
pause the Soprano Solo and Chorus, which wo gave 
last week. It is complete, however, in itself. The 
concluding pages will be given next week. 



The "Heated Term.'* 

" Ths Haavflns an w Bna abovs ns." 

Journalists of all kinds and parties just now are 
perspiringly eloquent upon one topic — the hot 
weather. It seems (nay it is), we are in the 
midst of one ot those fever crises, which our old 
earth has to undergo more than once ever)' sum 
mer, and for which some learned Yankee cousin 
of the Moon, Clerk of the Weather by the 
general consent, has invented the name ** heated 
term." It is a teim, whose meaning may be felt, 
if not so clear to intellectual ken. 

The ** heated term" is not an unfit topic, 
either, for a journal of music. Indeed it is the 
very topic — and, in the present surcease of all 
quiet, temperate, unfevcrish music, the only topic 
lefl us. It has its precise musical correspondence : 
to-wit. Brass, When that fearfullest of dog-stars 
rages, — the lurid evil star of Brass Bands — 
with unescapable peculiar virulence, we are in 
one of the " heated terms" of the musical season. 
At such times the fine ear, the fine-strung musical 
nature has to sufier for its sensitiveness. Then 
the unprotected sense and nerve-imagination 
are entirely at the mercy of all sorts of vexing, 
stinging, torturing, mosquito-ish, as well as noisy, 
brassy, Calithumpian persecutors. The ever* 
lasting bray of hoarse and screamy and discord- 
ant brass seems the most apt and natural accom- 
paniment of all the vulgar noises, heats and 
smells of crowded, dirty city streets, in a hot day 
after the blessed height of Midsummer. 

That there may be music of brass instniments, 
which is music, we do not deny ; used in their 
right place, in right proportions, and especially 
for music properly adapted to them, they oflen 
fill a noble function. But as we have to hear 
them, grown so cheap and vulgar, blating 
" harsh discords " or most maudlin pathos out of 
the windows of every dirty beer-shop, — band 
blowing against band, with hideous cacophony, 
at all the four or thrice four comers of the squares 
where rowdies most do congregate (we cannot 
pass the dear old house where we were bom, on 
any pleasant evening, without literally exper- 
iencing this very nuisance), — as this intensely 
brassy, ** heated term" does actually exist in 
every city and in every town, perpetual accom- 



110 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



paniment of every show and place of entertain- 
ment, dogging you and shouldering you (in an au- 
ricular sense) in a style most insolent and rufEan- 
like, you cannot help exclaiming that " the heavens 
are as brass above us ! " Verily it is the age of 
brass. And the worst side of it is the moral 
side. There is a natural affinity, a pre-establish- 
ed, diabolic harmony between rowdiness and 
brass music. Where rowdiness is rife, there do 
the Sax-horns bray the loudest Their effect 
upon the musical sense, as well as on the moral, is 
to trample under foot and crush out all the tender 
germs of finer feeling. No delicacy of taste can 
long exist amid such crazing tumult. The music, 
which we hear o' nights, amid the glare of gas, 
is vulgar, coarse, illiterate music. Its whole ex- 
pression, tendency and influence are just the 
opposite of all that is refining, humanizing, and 
exalting. 

The ordinary brass bands, the poorer and 
more common class we mean, are a ten-fold 
greater nuisance than the hand-organs. These 
do delight small children, and awaken some 
germs of a sense of melody ; but brass bands 
crush out every germ, and substitute the brutal 
love of noise for that of music. 

The culmination of this " heated term," under 
which we now ply a languid pen, is close at hand : 
— the Nation's Jubilee, the ** glorious Fourth ; " 
and this in music is a great Pentecost of brass. 
By all the powers of Brass, in league with Gun- 
powder, we publish and proclaim our patriotism. 
^Vith the unthinking multitude the first attribute 
of patriotism is the war-like spirit ; and war-like 
music is pre-eminently brass. The military brass 
band sets the key to all the music of our national 
rejoicings. Witness the ** stunning " programme 
of the Grand Military Concert, which is to lift 
the patriotic souls of thousands upon wings of 
glor>', Monday Morning, upon Boston Common. 
We chronicle it in tliis our musical weather 
record, as one would the memorable thunder 
storm or great tornado of the season : 

A Grand Military Concert will take place on the 
Common, commencing precisely at 8 o'clock, a. m., 
and concluding at 9. 

The music will bo performed by the Brigade Band, 
Boston Brass Band, Metropolitan Band, and Ger- 
manja Milittiry Band, forming one Grand Band of 
eighty Musicians, under the direction of B. A. Bur- 
ditt, of the Brigade Band. The Concert will com- 
mence with three grand chords, each chord being 
accompanied by one of the guns of the Light Artii- 
Icrv, Capt. Nims, which will be followed by the 
following programme of pieces : 

1 . Yankee Doodle, in Grand Chorus, with solo varia- 
tions by the leaders of each band, viz: £. H. 
Weston, Brigade Band; D. C. Hall, Boston 
Brass Band ; B. F. Uichardson, Metropolitan 
Band ; Antoine Heinicke, Germania Military 
Band. 

2. Wood Up, with variations and solo performances. 

3. Washington's March. 

4. Verdi's Celebrated Anvil Chorus, with eight 
anvils. 

5. Star Spangled Banner. 

6. God Save the Queen. 

7. Marseilles Hymn. 

8. Kassinn National Hymn. 

9. The Turkish Song of Peace. 

10. Hnil Columbia, in which the fruns of the Light 
Artillery will ppenk in unison with the bauds, 
giving repeated salvos to heighten the effect of 
America 8 National Air. 

Tlie Concert will conclude at nine o'clock, a. x., 
and, owing to the subsequent engagements of the 
bands, no piece can be repeated. 

Verily, in the words of a contemporary, " the 
music of Vulcan and Jupiter Tonans will be 
mingled with the vibrations of brass and sheep- 
flkin, in a manner that would have tickled the 



cockles of old John Adams's heart to have heard 
it!" 

Now all this of itself is very well. Let the 
prophetic wish of old John Adams be respected, 
and let. the nation make a great boy of itself, in 
the frenzy of its joy on such occasions, to its 
heart's content; and let the old tunes, homely 
though they be, which are associated with our 
country's pride, repeat themselves through what- 
soever lungs oi brass. Noise is the order of the 
day ; and music, to be heard, must needs be of 
the noisiest. Moreover, there are good musicians 
in our principal brass bands ; men who desire, as 
well as we, a music of less coarse, monotonous 
material, with pleasant contrast of reed instru- 
ments with brass. But the bands live by military 
employment, chiefly from single companies ; and 
economy requires that the instruments be few 
and loud enough to make their way through all 
the mingled noises of the street. The bands 
play well. All we regret is, that such demon- 
strations set the tone to all the coarser elements 
below them ; they give the cue to thousands of 
base imitators everywhere in cities and in villa- 
ges, who in the summer season make night 
hideous with the brutalizing, irritating discords 
which have formed the theme of this discourse 
upon the weather. 



Raview. 

Tk* Chath and Hemt : a eoUeetion. of Sacred Music. 8eleci> 
ed and adapted by Oioaai LiAca. (Boaton : OUtct Utmm 
k Co.) pp. 282. 

Thlf Is not a " Pnhn Book," bat a eoUeetlon, and a Tcrj 
choice one, of pfccee of seTeral pages each in length, selected 
Ibr the most part from the works of the best e)af sical masters, 
mostly Oennan, with a goodly number from the English 
school, and a sprinkling of clerer contributions from the com- 
piler's own pen, as well as by other well-known musicians in 
New York. Here an fine Olorias, Sanctujtes, ftc, ttom the 
Masses of Mosart and Haydn ; choruses, quartets, trius, solos, 
ttma Mendelssohn, Handel, Beethoreu, Weber, 8pohr and 
others; Te Deums, Jubilates, Chants, Anthems, fttmi Orlando 
Oibbons, Boyce, Crotch, Jackson and other masten of English 
serrico music : all arranged to English words, and makiog a 
collection which we think must become extremely usefril in all 
choirs and musical circlet, who want good music of more 
length and interest than mere psalmody- Mr. Leach is an 
Englishman who has for some years resided in New York, and a 
brother of Mr. 8. W. Leach, one of the most tasteful and artis- 
tie of the oratorio singers. In the perfbrmance of his task he 
had the aid of that excellent musician, Mr. H. C. Tm . In 
his modest Prsfkce he savs : 

The sereral pieces compriring this collection were mostly 
prepared during eight years, while the music of the ** Cburch 
or THB Messiah," New York, was under the direction of the 
editor. They were intended to supply immediate wants, with 
no idea of publication; baring, howerer, been ftvqnenUy re- 

a nested to print them, after a careful rerision, he now gires 
lem to the public, in the hope, not only that a conftned 
want in the Chunk will be supplied, but that they will proTe 
a source of pleasure and instruction in the Home, and excite 
a desire for a mora intimate knowledge of the sublime works 
from whence there gems have been chmly taken. 

In selecting and adapting the words, it was not deemed sufli- 
eient that they should be merely lyrical, but that they should 
al«o suit the spirit of the mur ic, and be at the same time of a 
character acceptable to all clasfes of Christians. This book 
therelbre may not in any sense be rpgarded ss sectarian. In 
the good time coming, it is belicTed that all churches will 
unite in the bonds of brotheriy loTe and Christian charity, to 
worship the one UniTersal Parent of mankind. 



Six SMg«, fty Bmilt C. Brucb. 1. '* Spritig Nfght ; " 2. " Tlu 
World goes up and the World goes down ; " 8. *^ OI, knuj, 
heavy tfoy;-' 4. " Love took me sofUy hytke hand;" 6. 
'* Cradle Hymn;" 6. " Good ntght^ my heart." (Russell 
It Fuller). 

Here, in a rery taetefnl and inriting little brochure, we hate 
some modest Spring flowers of a young girl's musical life. 
They are fresh, simple melodies, genuine and full of feeling. 
In the accompaniments they show taste and inrentlon, as well 
as inexperience. Some of them are pretty sure to win their 
way, and all of them are better worth than many songs of 
more pretension, largely sold in those days. The '^Cradle 
Hymn," to Latin words, with translation by Coleridge, Is the 
simplest and perhaps the most perfect of them. No. 2 has a 
fignifleant accompaniment. No. 6 has striking beauty ; but 
the translation of the German poem is unfortunate. 



Come into tke garden ^ Maud: Song for Meao-Soprano roicc, 
by Otto Brxbcl. (Russell It Fuller). 

Of all the settings to music of Tennyson's most musical 
Tcrses, this is by fer the tie^t. It conveys, in a somewhat dra- 
matic strain of melody, the delicate poetry* and posxion of the 
words, and hfis points where all the soul-wsrmth of a rich 
Toice may pour itwlf forth. The accompaniment is stiangely 
beautiful but difficult. 



ff^ We send tluM nnmbcr of the " Journal " to the 
subDcrihen of the " Chicago Musical Rkview," 
which pnpcr has l)ccn discontinued, and shall bo 
pleased to place the names of those who receive it 
on our books as permanent salwcribcrs to " Dwtght's 
Jotgmal," allowing; to all such the amount they majr 
have paid on tljc •* Review," covering an/ period be- 
yond the first of July. 



usttal Corresponbtnte. 




AMAA^^iAMMMAMtf«MMA^^tf«^hA^^rf«#V«M«Nrf«A#««W^WW^ 



A#«rfM««M««««M**««MM*^ 



Bbookltn, N. Y., Juhb 29. — Tlie Grand Floral 
Promenade Concert, the programme of which I sent 
yon in my last letter, came off as announced, on 
Thursday evening last. Although the tiicrmometcr 
had ranged in the neighborhood of 90 " in the 
shade " all day, there was a cool, rcfresliing breeie 
from the boy in tlie evening, and tlio arrangements 
were so well made and so admirably executed by the 
committee, that there was but little discomfort ielt by 
the large and gay company. While there was the 
largest liberty granted as to dress, many elegant 
toilets were to be seen, some of which would have 
been quite creditable to an occasion more preten- 
tions than a Promenade Concert in the "city of 
churches." 

The decorations were arranged with excellent taste 
and were both elaborate and expensive, costing up- 
wards of $1 ,000, which of coui-se does not include 
the flowers, and much labor which was gratuitous. 
At one end of the room was the stage, occupied by 
the band, with the following decorations : 

Three arches of eveigreen and flowers ; under the 
centre arch a statue of Flora, on each side a female 
figure, holding a shield : one bearing the inscription, 
"Philharmonic Society," the other, "Horticultural 
Society." 

Over the centre arch, the " American Eagle,'* and 
on each side papier^mach^ cupids, literally in a " bed 
of roses." On the stage also was a foil sised Harp 
made of a great variety of roses, which was very 
much admired. 

In the centre of the room was an octagon Floral 
Temple, surmounted by a cupola, terminating under 
tke chandelier. In the centre of this Temple was 
the Floral design, which received the f^st prize at 
the exhibition. 

On the other end of the room is the gallery, form- 
ing a half circle, on which were the statues of the 
Gardener, Fisher Boy, Hunting Girl and Cornucopia, 
surmounted with arches of evergreens and flowers, 
above which were smaller statues of Bacchus, a Bac- 
chante, Dancing Girl and Flora. 

The sides of tlie room were hung with wreaths, 
festoons, gilt frame mirrors, &c. 

This brief outline gives but a fliint idea of the 
truly elegant and tasteful appearance of the room. 
The committee did everything they promised and 
more too. The music wos from Noll's, and not 
from HaIVs Seventh Regiment Band, as your com- 
positor printed it from my last letter. It would be 
quite superfluous to say that the music was excellent, 
as this band never gives us anything that k) sot ex- 
cellent. They are not only a body of musicians tliat 
do credit to our city, but we have reason to be, as we 
ore, proud of them. 

At the Academy in New York the Opera closes to- 
morrow (Wednesday) night, for the summer. This 
season, under the management of W.H. Paine, Esq., 
has been highly successful, everything considered. 

The production of *' Sappho " has created no little 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1858. 



Ill 



intercut in our little niasical world, and the critics 
have thought it worthy their attention, so that editor- 
ial ink haa flowed freely on the merits and demerits 
of this oi)cra. The verdict both of the public and 
the critics, is in its favor. The merits of this opera, 
however, are so diflTcrent from its contemporaries, 
that it can only he brought in contrast, rather than in 
comparison with them. 

The critics, however, have made one valuable dis- 
covery durinp: the late season at the Academy. They 
have finally discovered that Miss Adelaide Phil- 
lips, a young lady who has formerly lived in a 
remote, and out of the way place called Boston, and 
who is most highly esteemed and respected by the 
good people of the said out of the way place, — I say, 
the critics of Gotham have discovered that this young 
lady is really a fine artist. One says : " As to execu- 
tion, Madame Gazzanioa may learn a good deal 
from her." Another— the Daiiy Time§, says : " The 
second act opens with a delicious and quaintly ac- 
companied choms, for female voices, followed by a 
fine scena and aria for the contralto, ( ClimeMy played 
by Miss Adelaide Phillipps,} which was rendered 
in an almost faultless manner." 

The Grand Musical Festival, notwithstanding the 
unsufTerably hot weather, has been quite successful, 
but not having attended, I cannot speak from per- 
sonal observation. Bellini. 



MuBical Ghit-Ghat 

What a man of the right sort may do towards ele- 
vating the taste for music in any town, which has a fair 
share of materials, is shown by the example of Mr. 
B. D. Allen in Worcester, Mass. This gentleman 
gave another of his truly classical Soirdes, last week, 
at his Music Rooms. The programme was of the 
highest order. " Stella," of the Palladium, says 
of it: 

The Grand Battle March of Pifettt In Athalie, opened the 
programme, and waa finely played by the Mecvn. Allen, Mrs. 
Allen, and a Utile mlM of tender year*, who, in her laurel- 
erown teemed a prientcM of the dlrlne art to whfeh she devotee 
hemelf with an ardor which tempta one to ace in her Rome 
future Clara Schumann. The Hymn by Mendelneohn, '' Hear 
my Prayer,'^ waa effectnallv unng ; Mn. Allen's pure soprano 
rendering the solo Teiy truthfully, notwithstanding the hoarre- 
neas ttom which she sulfered ; and a strong, rich chorus doing 
Justice to the highly-dramatic allegro and finale. Beethoven's 
Sonata in F minor formed the third number ; and. much as 
we had antictpated its perfonnance, Mr. Allen's playing left 
nothing to be desired. In Its allegro and prestissimo there waa 
" the wild witchery of Beethoren'S strains," while the adagio 
waa rich in beauty of form and expression. Ah! these Sona- 
tas of the great maater ! Perfection, truly ! Mr. Sumner, a 
highly culuvated singer, has a -pun and sympathetic tenor 
which we could have chosen to have heard In something better 
worthy of him than Stradella's •' Pity, Saviour ! '' which 
had more tweetness than beauty or depth. Five piano duets 
by Schumann added to the list of pictures of happy child-life 
which Mr. Allen has before given us. They were the Joyous 
*' Birthday Marph." the laughable '' Bears' Dance," the '*Oar- 
den Melody,"— redolent of aephyrs and flowers and the oddly 
pretty conceit, ''Hide and Seek.' Himmers Veni Creator 
S^iritus was given with telling efliect ; Mr. A. 8. Allen taking 
the solo, and the chorus doing well their part. Pht5V9 Fugi- 
tives, performed by Memrs. Burt and Allen, (violin and piano), 
would have challenged strictest criticism. Mr. fiurt brings 
tnm his violin a singularly pure, round tone, and plays witiial 
moat feelingly. Ho is a true artist. Mr. Allen's piano-solos — 
including an exceedingly pretty Masurka of his own composi- 
tion, one of the ever-beautiful Songs without Words, No. 19, 
and the rich Ktude in A flat, of Chopin's, were among the moat 
enjoyable of the evening's performances. Mrs. Allen sang one 
of the moet enlivening of the songs of Robert Frani ; and the 
quartet clo^pd all with the grand I^tin Hvmn of Chembini, 
" Veni Jau, amor mio. "—inspiring and sublime. 

The Gtand Musical Festival, Pic-nic, &c., in New 
York, came off as announced on Sunday and Mon- 
day last. The concert at the Academy was slimly 
attended, partly owing to tlie intense heat, and partly 
because it was Snnday ; the numbers on the stage 
almost rivalled those in the auditorium. The news- 
paper critics seem to have been so entirely possessed 
by the great topic of tlie "heated term," that they 
have hardly anything to say about the concert, — 
although there was an immense orchestra, some 
1400 singers, and Beethoven's "Choral STMPHOif t" 
was brought ont in full ! Fry, in the Tribune, says, 
however : " It is not saying too much that, as a whole 
it would be diiBcull to find a better execution of this 
great work in Europe ; and what was wanting in the 
crowd, was compensated for in the close attention 
and appreciation rendered it by the amateurs present. 



If 



Verily the thermometer has much to answer for, 
when an opera called Saffo, or even a hacknied Tra- 
rtVito, can call forth whole columns of comment in 
all the new.3paper8, while such an event as the Ninth 
Symphony is barely mentioned 1 

On Monday the Grand liural Festival and Musical 
Pic-nic took place at Jones's Woods, between sixty- 
sixth and seventy-first streets. The Times says : 

About 9 o'clock, A. M. the members of the various societies, 
who were to take part in the proceedings, the Arion and Har- 
monia Bunds, the Llcdcrkronx, Mosartvcretn, AUciremrine 
Sangerbund, &c., aMiembled at the Metropolitan Rooms in 
Ilester-streeC, and afterwards paraded Broadway and other 
streets, accompanied by two immense military bands, and sev- 
eral military companies. The di.«plav was very eflective, the 
gon^eous banners belonging to the " bunds " attracting spe- 
cial attention. At the time when the festival was at Its height 
there wrre not less than twenty-eicht or thirty thousand per- 
sons prc^nt, and locomotion almost became impossible, so 
dense was the crowd. The shade nfforded by the trees was 
very partial, and the intense heat (the thermometer standing 
st 90 dcg. in the coolest place) detracted greatly fWmi the gen- 
eral pleasure. Wherever sny shade could be procured the 
ground was pncked with human beings, too heated to stir — the 
women and children being especially wilted. . . . Poles and 
stands had been erected for gymnastic exhibitions, but no one 
patronised them. The athletks sports of the ** Turners" are 
not suited for a torrid atmosphere. 

To say that lager bier waa consumed in greater quantities 
than on any previous German festival that we can remember, 
is to give no idea of the immense demand which was made for 
it. and which at iaat exceeded the supply, although 1.800 kens 
were ordered for the occaf>lon, which, ss each keg contains 120 
glasses, wns equal to 156,000 pints of that beverage. Light 
wines, soda water and lemonade were also in great request. 

An immense stand, capable of holding several hundred pei^ 
sons, was erected under the shade of some fine trees, near the 
^ntre of the grounds, where the concert commenced at 2 
o'clock. This stand and its vicinity were crowded so densely 
that the noise made by those who were rushing to get in, and 
others, who. nearly flilntlng from the heat and preasure, were 
struggling to get out, often rendered the sound of the music 
inandlble st a very inconsiderable distance. To- those who 
were fortunate enough to get within comfortable hearing dis- 
^ tanoe the effect of so many instruments was very fine. 

There were, according to the programme, 1,400 
singers, belonging to to the Arion, Harmonia, Lied- 
erkranz and Allgemeine Siingerbund Societies ; 300 
instrumental players in the orchestra, and 300 in the 
bands in the procession, making 2,000 performers in 
all. The various pieces were given under different 
conductors, namely : Messrs. Akschittz, Bristow, 
RiETZBL, Bbrgmann, Noll and Wbber. After 
the " Star-Spangled Banner," a speech was made by 
Mr. Wm. Henrt Fry, which called forth repeated 
cheers. Ho spoke of the precarious position of the 
musician, especially in " hard times," of the noble 
charitable object of the Festival, which he hailed as 
the beginning and " basis of a great and enduring 
benevolent Association, which shall provide for the 
sick, the unfortunate, the aged and the suffering of 
the musical profession '* in New York. All accounts 
agree that this great gathering was characterized by 
the usual temperance, good order and friendly cour- 
tesy of Germans upon such occasions. There was 
also a good disposition shown to Americanize the 
^ing as much as possible; a fair proportion of 
Americans pilrticipated. 

Our Berlin correspondent told us some months 
since of a concert, at which the programme was 
made up exclusively of compositions by kings, 
princesses, duchesses, and other titled personages, 
from " Old Fritz " to the present powers that be. 
The AthentBum tells us of another case more recent, 
and comments as follows : 

Amateur composition — ^no scandal against ladies 
and gentlemen who employ their leisure gracefully — 
is (in ninety-nine cases out of the hundred) — amateur 
composition — showing that its makers have heard 
that 

A little learning ia a dangerous thing, 

and thus dispense with any. May we " of the herd" 
venture a step further, and dare to whisper that royal 
amateur composition is a still more delicate ware 1 
How should it be otherwise 1 Can we look for fugues 
from the great ones of the earth, — and where is the 
musical professor who would dare to point ont a 
third case of " consecutive fifths " in Prince Ch€n*» 
madrigal or King Cophetua'i quartet ? Theirs are pro- 
ductions too aufrust and genteel to beer the liizht of 
every-da^ publicity, or to be exposed to audiences 
who are justified in resenting a stolen tune or a cor- 
rupt sequence. We have been led to these venturesome 
speculations by meeting in the foreign journals with 
traces of an exquisite piece of courtiership just enacted 
at Berlin by Herr Theodor Formes, the tenor. He 



has been giving, it is said, a concert, in which tiie 
nroyramme was mnde up of music by Frederick Wil- 
liam the Third and Frederick the Great of Pmsfsia 
(the latter sovercitm's music, we know, was washed 
clean" — ^to use Voltaire's phrase — by Qnantz,) — 
Prince Louis-Fenlinand of Prussia, — the Duke of 
Snxe-Cohoui^-Gothn, the Hereditary Princess of 
Wiirtembcrg, formerly the Grand Duchess Olga of 
Russia, — the Princess Anna of Pm^tia, — our own 
Prince Consort, — and the King of Hanover. Had 
the concert-giver gone more largely into the matter, 
he might have treated us to some ancient fragments 
from " Talestri," by the Dowager-Electross of Saxo- 
ny, praised by Bnrney. Had he stndied the interna- 
tional relatione ^f Europe, he should have wound up 
witb-*^Partant inta la Syrie," to do honor to the 
Fflen<5h. Alliance. 

Th\fflt^tff(Ued iV^ir» gives us a brief sketch of the 
antecedeflfS of Mdlle. XitAnb, or Titjekb, the 
new prima depntf A Her Miuesiy^ Theatre : 

This lady, now the brighfe«t el»^ of the musical 
stage, is a native of Hamburg, bof of Hungarian ex- 
traction, and descended of a noble ftimijy. She waa 
bom in 1834. and is thun in her twen()r-fourth year. 
Like most great musical ac^sts, she shdwed a dispo- 
sition for the art at an early a^e, and, after havmg 
received instructions from an eminet^t Italian master, 
she appeared on the Hamburg stag^ at iifteen. Her 
outlet in life was romantic. A youn^ man of con- 
siderable fortune fell in love with her and sought her 
hand ; but her unconquerable attacliment to the stage 
led her to reject his addresses. Her guardian (her 
father was then dead) used all his authority and in- 
fluence to get her to withdraw from the stage, and a 
sort of compromise was made that she should do so 
for twelve months at all events, to return to the stage 
at the end of that time, should her inclination for it 
continue unabated. At the end of nine months her 
love of her art prevailed : she returned to the stage, 
sacrificing to it her domestic prospects. While per- 
forming at Hamhuiig she was seen and heard by the 
Director of the Opera at Frankfbrt-on-the-Maine, who 
immediately engoged her. At Frankfort she appear 
ed in the great parts which have since rendered her 
famous. Her growing celebrity attracted the atten- 
tion of the director of the Imperial Theati« at 
Vienna, with whom she entered into an engagement 
for three years, of which one year is yet to nin, her 
present visit to London being on a cong^ for a limited 
time. At Vienna she soon rose to the height of pub- 
lic favor, and was on the point of renewing her 
engagement with the direction of the Imperial Thea- 
tre, when Mr. Lumley, arriving at Vienna at a criti- 
cal time, was enabled to make her a more eligible 
proposal, and to secure her for Her Majesty 's Thear 
tre. 

The great parts in which she has gained her re- 
nown are Valentine, in the " Huguenots " ; Norma, 
Lucrezia Borgia; Donna Anna, in " Don Giovanni " ; 
the Countess, in "Figaro " ; Leonora, in " Fidelio " ; 
and Leonora, in the " Trovatore," in which last she has 
appeared during the present week ; so that it may be 
seen that her "line" is tragedy, or the class of 
comedy which is akin to tragedy. We add, with 
great pleasure, that Mdlle. Titiens is not less amiable 
as a woman than illustrious as an artist. Her man- 
nero are singularly engaging. 

Uhland, the venerable poet of the Schwarzwald, 
celebrated his seventy-first birthday on the 26th April, 
in Tiibingen. He yttA feted with serenades bronght 
by the Student's Liederta/el, one of %he best in Germa- 
ny, which has been directed for the last twenty-seven 
yean by Dr. Silchcr. 




nsit Jhroair. 



%rfWMW*MMSVIMAM# ^^t0^0»0^f^^t0t^*0^m0^m0^t0^t0^0^t0t0'^i^<^^^^^^^^^^^^^f*0^0*0^0<0*0^0^0^>0*0t0^0^0*0*^^f^ 



The success of Le Noxxe at the Th^fttre Lyrique is 
described by French ear-witnesses to have been real ; 
so much so, indeed, as to make the management con- 
template mounting Don Jwtn. Where the hero is to 
be found, save it m in M. Battaille, we have no con- 
ception. The Gazette MusicaU announces that the 
" Fnust " of M. Gounod is in rehearsal. The state 
of the Grand Op^ra meanwhile is described, on com- 
petent testimony, as going from bad to worse. " No 
music, no voic<», no discipline," were the words used 
the o:her day in regard to it by a great German com- 
ductor, who, like ourselves, recollects the palmy 
days of that theatre. Signor Tamberiik, it is now 
said, hesitates as to the loan of his C sharp ; and, we 
think, wisely. Meanwhile, the Paris correspondent 
of the Illustrated fjondon News announces a discov- 
ery of its kind and in its world as precious as the 



112 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



g:reat gold nugeet or tho " Koh-i-noor." Thii is a 
new tenor, one Ml. Lebat, with an upper note more 
in his voice (what do we say ?— -one— two-^hree— 
there is no limit to promise on similar occasions) 
than Signor Tamberlik himself. M. Lebat is an- 
nounced as a professor of rhetoric ; but it is under- 
taken for him that after a year's training he shall be 
ready to succeed to the crown and sceptre of Nonrrit, 
MM. Dnpres and Roger. Great is the pleasure in 
hoping,— greater still m believing^— but experience is 
apt to be troublesome on such occasions. We hare 
not forgotten the similar promises made for the Rouen 
cooper, M. Poultier, before he was " brought out," — 
nor the sensation excited by the protematural voice 
of M. Effort some years later. A w«6d is not to be 
cultivated into a hot-house flower vithTrt the comj^ass 
of a twelvemonth, neither is a sifi^f «|iMilified to cope 
with the difficulties of the GrttitJ O/tera of f^ads to 
be improvised under a fen ioo^ths^ trai«ilQ^ by sing- 
ing master and ballet master. In Italv, We know, 
such things can take place. Thece^-^^j^^rco, who in 
January was bawling Wiind his cobbler's bench or 
MUordo'B equina^ may towaMs August be seen fig- 
uring on the.sng« as a ta^ftt robMo in one of Signor 
Verdi's opcEMts. This, Hov^^f, (and it is well), will 
hardly do for ^France. ^ 

Signor Rossini MgaiRl Was ever the retreat of 
g^t roan so p^r^ntHy public in its privacy ? A 
silly book — half comance, half biography— about 
him has been published bv Herr Oettinger, under pre- 
tence of superi<lr knowledge, confidence— containmg, 
in short, that sort of story, which is told the most 
minutely by those who have none to tell. Signor 
Rossini has condescended to advertise the silly book 
by assuring the public that he never had anything to 
do with Herr Oettinger. 

The Whitsuntide news from Paris, where the sea- 
son may be said now to have ended, is not exciting. 
M. Elwart's " St«. Cecile Moss," written for Boi^ 
deaux, is to be executed at the Church of St. Vin- 
cent de Paul, on the 10th of June. M. Oscar Comet- 
tant has completed a Symphony on the story of 
'* India in an uproar." Give us the good old foolish 
** Battle of Prague " in proference ! Madame Pauline 
du Chambge, an amateur whose romances held for 
years a place and a publicity of their own in French 
vocal music, has died lately at a very advanced age. 
— iiMoueum, June 5. 

8wed«it 

Lindblad, the composer of many of the sweetest 
and truest songs of oar day, Csome of which Jenny 
Lind sang), and a real musician, but (as Chorley 
says) " a talent ice-bound in a remote land," has pro- 
duced a new Symphony, and a Cantata called 
" Dreams." 

Germany. 

The name of Bach seems coming forward in Ger- 
many just now, — not merely in the disinterment and 
revival of compositions by Sebastian the Great, but 
also as represented hy the works of Bach's children. 
The St Cocilian Society of Carisruhe, executed at its 
fourth concert ' The Israelites in the Desert,' by P. 
Emmanuel Bach, of Berlin, arranged and re-scored 
by M. H. Giehne. This Emmanuel was the most 
worthy son of a worthy sire, because no servile imita- 
tor of his manner ; as all must feel who have gone 
through his ' Art of Playing the Pianoforte.' In this 
the amount of prophecy of what has been falsely con- 
sidered modem discovery is remarkable. Emmanuel 
Bach wrote voluminously in every style, and musical 
readers may recollect the visit paid to him at Hamburg 
by fiumey, who was one of his warmest admirers, ana 
who thought he was too much neglected in Germany. 
The few compositions by Emmanuel Bach which we 
have heard have loft an impression of grace and ab- 
sence of stiffness (without poverty in the matter of 
science) which would make a hearme of some of his 
important music interesting. The ouier day, too, we 
observe that a Concerto by Friedemann Bach was 
brought forward at a concert given by the Society of 
Artists-Musicians at Berlin. 

M. Ole Bull the original. — ^who seems to try and 
tire of every country in turn, having lefi his Norwe- 

gian colony in America, where he was understood to 
ave settled himself after the fashion of Shelley's 
" for ever," — ^has turned up, violin in hand, at Vi- 
enna. So far as we can understand, hii playing has 
pleased less than ti did when its eccentricities were 
young. — iicAsuceiim. 

London. 

OiUTOEios. — Handel's Judas Maocabceus was 
performed June 5, at St. James's Hall, in aid of the 
funds of the Royal General Annuity Society. 

In order to give the fullest effect to the rendering 
of this great work of Handel, the services of Ma- 



dame Shorrinprton Lemroens, Madame Weiss, Miss 
Dolby, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Weiss, and Mr. Wil- 
bye Cooper had been secured, and to tlieso eminent 
vocalists were added the bnnd and chorus of the Vo- 
cal Association, numbering four hundred i^erformcrs, 
the conductonhip being confided to the experienced 
chsrtre of Mr. Benedict. Under the^e circumstances, 
it is hardly necessary to add, the oratorio was most 
efficiently executed, and the fashionable assembla^re 
attractecf, evidently appreciated to the full the rich 
musical treat accorded them. The opening chorus, 
" Mourn, ye affiicted," was sung with a precision and 
unitv of tone that at once spoke well for the tniining 
of the lai-gc body of voices that had been collected 
together, and Mr. WeiM, who was in remarkably fine 
voice, gave the recitative and air, "Arm, arm, yc 
brave," in his best style. Mr. Sims Reeves infused 
the fine recitative and air, " Call forth thy powers, 
my soul," with the force and expression of tne true 
artiste, and, in the second part, rendered " Sound an 
alarm," magnificently. Madame Weins attempted 
to sing the air, " Oh Liberty," but, being unwell, 
could not proceed, and Mi^v Dolby and Madame 
Sherrinjirton Lemmcns sang for her. Tho latter was 
most efficiently heard in the third part, " So shall the 
lute and harp awake ; " and the familiar trio and 
choru4, " See the conquering hero comes." was, as 
usual, the means of fully ronning the nisponsive en- 
thusiasm of the audience. — Times. 

The usual monthly concert of the Ctecilian Society 
took place on Tacsday evening, 25th ult., the perfor- 
mance consisting of tiandel's oratorio Esther newly 
arranged with additional accompaniments, by Mr. 
George Perry. Tlie vocaliKts were Miw Annie Cox, 
Miss Boden, Mr. J. W. Morgan, Mr. Beard well, who' 
in their respective parts were much applauded. The 
band and chorus were on the ususal efficient scale, 
conducted bv Mr. J. G. Board man. Handel's Jsrad 
in Egifpt will be repeated on the 15th iust. — Mus, 
GtueUe, June 5. 

Chamdbr Concerts. — The fourth performance 
of Ella's Musical Union, at St. James's Hall, May 
SO, exhibited a brilliant assemblage of talent. Be- 
sides Rulxinstein at the piano, Joochim for the violin, 
and Piatti for tho violoncello, we had Messrs. Bla- 
grore (viola), Howell (contra basso), Barrett (oboe), 
Lazarus (clarinet), Hausser (bassoon), and C. Har- 
per (horn). The Quintet in £ flat (Mozart) was ad- 
mirably played by the representatives for the piano, 
oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn, and Beethoven's 
Septet in E fiat, deserved the enthusiastic eulogies 
received. The Grand Sonata (A minor) of Beetho- 
ven's, for piano and violin, was rendered most ample 
justice to, bv Rubcnstein and Joachim. In the **Tit- 
ania," Schubert's violoncello solo, Signor Katti prov- 
ed himself a perfect master of the infltrument, and 
the exertionn, indeed, of the instrumentalists received 
a large and liberal acknowledgment. — Times. 

Miss Dollt and Mr. Lindsat Sloper gave 

their second concert at Willis's Rooms. Miss Dolby 

made the present concert prominently distinguished 
by her magnificent rendering of Purcell's song of 
" Mad Bess," which, though less known than its 
companion, ** Mad Tom," to the general public, is 
not less remarkable for its vigorous originality, and 
broad, bold treatment of the harmonv. Her voice 
rang out in the fine declamatory recitatives with a 
fulness and roundness of tone which no amount of 
the Italian inanities with which our native vocalists 
are so fond of satiating their audiences, could devel- 
ope or render appreciated. Mr. Lindsay Sloper, by 
his faultless execution of MendelsKohn's prelude and 
fugue in E minor, and some delightful selections 
from some clever compositions of his own, fully sus- 
tained his reputation, of being one of the most ac- 
complished pianoforte executants we possess. In 
Beethoven's Sonau (Op. 102), for piano and violon- 
cello, he was ably assisted by Signor Piatti, and in 
Haydn's trio in G major, by Mr. Heniy Blsigrove's 
support in addition. — Ibid. 

Birmingham Triennial Festival. — This great 
musical event is already exciting general interest. 
The committee of management have fixed Tuesday, 
the 31st of August, and the three following days, for 
holding the festival. The Earl of Dartmouth has 
accepted the office of president ; and the proceeds 
arising from the meeting aro to be applied, as on all 
former occasions, to the benefit of the General Hos- 
pital. This will be the twenty-seventh celebration of 
the Birmingham Festival, which, from small begin- 
nings, threc-ouarters of a century ago, has grown 
into an unrivalled musical position, and is lookeid for- 
ward to by all interested in the progress of music as 
the most refined undertaking of a similar nature 
throughout Europe. The preparations for the forth- 
coming festival will be on a scale of grandeur and 
importance befitting the occasion. 



DBSCRIPTITB LIST OF THE 

P«blUli«4 br O. Dltaoa St C«. 



Tooal, with Ptaao. 



Tho Wanderer. 



Schubert. SO 



A saw edition of thin colebnted wtmg, earofUly m- 
viaed Aod eorreotwl, with Ocmum wordsadded. 

Come into the Garden, Maud. John BlockUi/. 35 

One mora nnuieal trMtmont of Tennyion's exqnl- 
ilU " flwnuule.** Lov«n of Tooal If uale wUl find It 
■OBMirbai diflkuU tomako thoirehoko from the tbreo 
mrnntMiieott of BaUb's BloeUoy's, tad J. C. D. Psr- 

kv*s. 

Bow, row, homeward we go. SporU. 80 

A eharmfnc evoning Song on the vatcr when the 
Boon la up sad s light hneie Jnat rippling the ellvMrj 
iea The title pnge has a <ae lithograph, rapweeat- 
ing Rhine boats, at nlghtlUl, maUag tot the shora. 

Day is past. Song and Chorus. E, R, 25 

Be what you seem to be. Song. Montgomery. 25 

Gather Flowers in the Spring* Song. Uime. 25 

A rover I've been in realms afar. Song. Hailon. 25 

True heart's constancy. Song. " 25 

Ever of thee. Ballad. Feiey Hall. 25 

A Bouquet of light, pleasing Parior sonfi, hj good 
BogUah anthon. 

Away with care. Ballad. Avery. 25 

A pratty eong, with melody eo Joyous, that, cnee 
soundMi, it wlU be sura to ehase away the ioctowi, 
whooe ramoval it advlaes. 

Keep thy heart young. Song and Chorus. Parish. 25 

Banish those clouds of care. Song. Marquis. 25 
rraeh, light, and spirited. 

Homes of England. National Song. Blockley, 25 

A strain of a p ompous, stately eharaeter, of mu«h 
musleal merit, and altogettier well calculated to please 
thoee who an interested la the snhjeot. 

Oh, tell me what transport (Un moto di gioja.) 

Monrt. 25 

One of the Series of Mosart*8 Songs in Dr. WeBlqr*s 
adaptation to Bnglish wofds. These adaptations of 
Wesley's an made with the otgeet in view of slfBetlng 
a complete transplantation of the best of llfoaart*s 
open ain from the stsge to the parior and flrasMe. 
Any allusions to incidents of the {day occurring in the 
text have been erased, and only the general character 
of each indlTidnal piece has in every Instance been 
scrupulously maintained. In this respect they inm 
a valuable selection for the amateur, who In the text 
will with pleasura ftel and recognise a floe and musical 
taste, Instead of being bond by a mora bungling tnas- 
latlon. 

Books. 

Sbmihabt Class Book of Musxo.— Designed 

for Seminaries, High Schools, Private Classes, 

&c., containing Elementary Instructions, Tocal 

Exercises, Solfeggios, and a Copious Selection 

of Secular and Sacred Songs, Duets and Trios. 

By E. L. White and T. Bissell. 60 

An Improved edition of this valuable work has been 
Issued, In which the suggestions of those well quaUflsd 
to Judge of what Is wanted in our Seminaries and Bl^ 
Schools ban been acted upon, and the result Is a vol- 
ume of music with suitable instructions. In ereiy par^ 
tieular adapted to the use of thon for whom H is in- 
tended. The Blomeotary Studies an simple, and ar- 
ranged with a view to a progressive, thorough attain- 
ment of the Art of Yooal If usle. The Solfoggtos an 
mostly taken from the best masten. and an arranged 
for two or three Soprano TOices. The Songs, Duets, and 
Trios an partly original, and psxtly selected ft'om the 
beet compndtlons of the day. The Songs and moot of 
the Bnets have a piano aeoompanlBMnt^ and the Trios 
may be sung by two Sopranos and a Base. Tho seleo- 
tion of words has been made with much good taste, 
and tho volume elosss with a choiee cpHeetton of saered 
pieees. 




toijit's 




0urttal 





uSti^ 



Whole No. 327. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1858. 



Vol. Xm. No. 15. 



Tha Orehaid. 

(from Um Gnjron for July.) 
They shall not paM, tho bloasonu of sweet Maj, 

Till I have sang how sweet they were to me. 
Their gentle breath perfumed the buoyant day, 

And won me like an odor-loring bee. 

We turned aside and climbed the orchard wall, 
And pasted beneath the spreading apple troes. 

Where every bough and bloom was musical 
With the deep murmur of rejoicing bees. 

We dimbed the rock, the orchard trees abore ; 

Bek>w us breathed one snowy bank of bloom. 
One soft, low hum of industry and love. 

One laige embracing air of rich perfiune. 

The bustle of that insect multitude 
Harmed not the issue of the perfect flower : 

But here was room for all, and all was good, 
Even the calm musings of that idle hour. 

And ever as that fragrance floated up, 
And ever as the blossoms scattered down. 

We like the bees drank firom Spring's brimming cup. 
And hived a honey which was all our own. . 

For budding Kay to us a blossom is. 
Where we can gather food for futnre hours. 

Storing our hearts with those dear memories 
That fiur outlast the time of bees and flowers. 

C. P. C. 



Spin 



Jiing. 



AsBADi Ann Psooria, (DMight«r of Bany Gocmrall.) 
All yesterday I was spinning, 

Sitting alone in the sun ; 
And the dream that I spun was so lengthy. 
It lasted tall day was done. 

I heeded not doud or shadow 

That flitted over the hill, 
Or the humming-bees, or the swallows. 

Or the trickling of the rill. 

I took the threads for my spinning. 

All of blue summer air. 
And a flickering ray of sunlight 

Was woven in here and there. 

The shadows grew longer and longer. 

The evening wind passed by. 
And the purple splendor of sunset 

Was flooding the western sky. 

But I could not leave my spinning. 
For so fiur my dream had grown, 

I heeded not, hour by hour, 
How the silent day had flown. 

At last the grey shadows fell round me. 
And the night came daric and chill. 

And I rose and ran down the valley, 
And left it aU on the hiU. 

I went up the hill this morning 
To the place where my spinning lay. 

There was nothing bat glistening dewdrops 
Bemained of my dream to-day. 



I. 



Xn. Smith and EUsabeih. 

(Ikom tU ** BiowA Pipan.") 

** How that woman has changed ! " was the 
remark I made to myself after my first call 
since my return to Hildale upon Mrs. Smith, the 
mighty Mn. Smith, the blustering Mn. Novein- 



ber Smith — her that was Lily Jones. It was 
not that she had descended into the vale of years, 
as some one expresses it — that her more than 
three'ecore years had recorded themselves legibly 
upon her strong form and features; there was 
nothing note-worthy in that Nor had my re- 
mark reference to the apparent social position in 
which I found her. True, she lives in one of the 
best houses in the village — that one with the 
front built upon the pine-plank-Farthenon-pedi- 
ment-principle, which has usurped the place of 
the old Foster House, down the street ; whereas, 
she and Smith began their married life in die little 
red house, with hardly room enough to turn in, 
especially upon washing days when, in addition 
to the cooking stove and Smith's cobbler's bench, 
she had her tubs and kettles about. She receiv- 
ed me with rather more dignity and ease of 
manner than I expected ; but, knowing the adapt- 
ability of the American character to change in 
social position, I was in no degree surprised at 
it The utter absence of caste feeling in our 
northern states, arising from our republican institu- 
tions and democratic habits of thought and feel- 
ing, is at the bottom of this ; and the humble, 
uneducated mechanic, as he rises gradually in 
political life and social position, generally finds 
means to attain the necessaiy culture to do him- 
self credit, however prominently he may stand 
out above the general level of the public. . The 
awkward country youth, unable to speak a half a 
dozen consecutive phrases grammatically, and 
not knowing what to do with his hat or his hands 
in the presence of the village 'squire and his 
family, will in time do the honors of a chief 
magistrate's parlor gracefiilly, and command the 
respect and even admiration of Ibtening Senates. 
With the women thu adaptability is still greater, 
and the coarseness of the uneducated country 
girl — when not in the grain, and an essential part 
of her character — will in time give place to dig- 
nity and ease, and often, even to elegance of 
manner. 

My earliest recollections of Lily Jones are of 
a tall, masculine young woman, a loud, decided 
talker, a boisterous laugher, one whose manners 
were pervaded with an indescribable something, 
which filled my little, fluttering self with an in- 
definite feeling of fear — I see now that it was but 
the natural, involuntary shrinking of an extreme- 
ly sensitive child, used only to kind and gentle 
words at home, from a rude and strong nature — 
the instinctive drawing back of the sensitive 
plant from contact with one whose caresses even 
might crush. 

Later, I remember her as the hard-featured, 
strong-minded woman, the notable house-wife, 
ruling her house-hold. Smith, and all, with auto- 
cratic sway — the terror of school-mistresses in 
general, and Susan Bedloe in particular. Smith, 

in those days, was a non-entity, and his obedience 
and deference to his wife's opinion upon all sub- 
jects, was a standing joke in the neighborhood. 
** I asked Mr. Smith, and Mrs. Smith, says she," 
was the inevitable introduction to all his ex- 
pressions of opinion. 



I smiled the other Sunday, as he came into 
church, smoothing his top-knot down over his 
weazen, dried-apple face, just as he used to thir^' 
years ago, and ushered his wife into Pew No. 2, 
with precisely the same motions as into the cheap 
corner pew, they occupied in their day of small 
things. 

Mrs. Smith is a representative of a class of 
women peculiar, I take it, to our country, but 
common enough here. I suppose every New 
England village has its Lily Jones. I imagine, 
too, that in no country so many men are made — 
and ruined, too, for that matter — by their wives. 
When young, she was ambitious, but not belong- 
ing to the Deacon Jones family, over the river, 
she had to depend upon herself entirely for any 
rise in life. Marriage was an indispensable start- 
ing point It was necessay as the falcrum upon 
which to plant the lever. But the spring-time of 
life was gone, the summer was passing, and Lily 
Jones, was Lily Jones sdll. 

So she took Smith the cobbler ; he certainly 
never took her. When the girls, her intimates, 
rallied her, she laughed with them. ** True," she 
would say, '* Smith isn't a very good man, but he 
is a great deal better than nothing, and I guess 
we shall hoe our row as well as the best of you, 
and come out ahead of some of you — we'll 



see. 



n 



Smith was, in the language of the old ladies, 
" a good sort of a man enough, but shifUess.'' 
He was weak and easily led; rather liked to 
loiter about the tavern ; was apt to keep his cus- 
tomers waiting; would promise everything and 
perform when he felt so disposed. 

Lily put a stop to all this, and was shrewd 
enough to do it without hen-pecking and tail- 
ing him. She taught him to think her a sort of 
vicarious over-ruling Providence, especially pro- 
vided for him. She to<^ entire charge of the 
domestic economy, saved the cents as well as the 
dollars, and when the small farm of the Fosters 
came into the market, she ordered her husband 
to buy it " Where is the money to come from ? " 
asked Smith. " Bid it off," said she, *' the money 
will come," and it did. 

This was the first great step. Once fixed in 
the Foster house, Mr. Smith developed new 
qualities. What butter she made ! How fresh 
Uie eggs always were which she sold to the inn- 
keeper or sent to market! Her husband was 
elevated to a shop of his own, and took an ap- 
prentice or two, and she began to be one of the 
* powers that be' in the village. 

In process of time the manufacture of shoes 

for distant markets grew up in the neighboring 

towns, and Smith the cobbler became Smith the 

manu&cturer, — in a small way, it is true, — but 

it was no small step onward and upward. Coarse 

and unrefined his wife remained in feeling and 

manners, and her remarks were often the cause 
of general merriment among the oeople of Hil- 
dale, but she would live respectably, and while 
practising the closest econony, no one ever 
accused ner of meanness. There was even a 
certain generosity in her character — ^which iome- 

■ ■ • • «r , .. . I ■ •'T-.J. ' i'tf i 



114 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



times exhibited itseli* in the queerest manner. 
But what a bhisterer I Truly, Mrs. Xorember 
Smith ! 

A time came when the old Foatcr-housc was 
too plain for her, and as pine-plank Parthenon's, 
were just then the exquisite ideal of our carpen- 
ters and architects (so<'alled), she had one erect- 
ed on the site of the old dwelling, a foot wider 
and higher than the Doctor's, which, until then, 
was considered the finest house in the village, 
and into this she came with new furnitun;, and I 
do not know what all ; remarking that now she 
was fixed to her satisfaction, for not one of her 
old friends could show a better place to live and 

die in than she. 

I was far away, when the grand culminating 

point in the rise of the Smiths was reached, and 

could hardly trust my eyes as I read in a Boston 

paper, in the list of representatives chosen to the 

Massachusetts Great and General Court : 

"Hildale,Jabez Smith, Esq., Whig." But so 
it was. 

What did surprise and puzzle me, as I left the 

house at the close of my call, was the strong im- 
pression left upon my mind, that Mrs. Smith was* 
a beautiful instance of mild, gentle, calm and 
serene age. Can a leopard change his spots? 
thought I. Had her life been one of trial and 
misfortune, bearing her down until she was com- 
pelled to look beyond eai*th for comfort, to lean 
upon an invisible arm for support ; had long-con- 
tinued ill-healtli broken her strong spirit, or had 
any great misfortune fallen upon lier with crush- 
ing weight, the change in her would have caused 
no surprise. But nothing of the kind had o(;cur- 
red. Not only was she enjoying the fruits of her 
good judgment and economy, but she had settled 
her " Dolphus and Dorindy " — two ill-condition- 
ed, buUet-headed abominations of my boyhood, 
reared upon strong scolding and " clips 'side o* 
the head," but now very respectable young peo- 
ple — in life, the one as a *^ shoe boss,'' in the 
other village ; the other as wife of the principal 
village merchant, and they were ** getting on 
famously." 

What could have wrought the change ? 

Walking by the river the other day, I came to 
the rock whence the people in the neighboring 
houses cast all their rubbish into the water. The 
last spot where one would look for anything beauti- 
ful ; yet, rising from this bottom, its roots fastened 
among potsherds, old tin vessels, bones and 
stones, I saw a beautiful water-lily floating and 
expanding its petals upon the dark water to 
catch the morning sunbeams, and exhaling its 
delicious fragrance to the frogs and turtles. This 
is no phenomenon ; but I can never cease to won- 
der, when in a family, like the Smiths, I find a 
delicate, gentle, refined being in strange contrast 
to all the rest — a single fragrant flower, in a bed 
of mulleins and thistles. 

Elizabeth Smith is such a flower. She is our 
prettiest girl, and does not seem to know it It 
is one of the joys of my life now to chat with 
her ; nor do I weary of hearing her mother talk 
of her by the hour, with tears in her eyes. 
Lizzy, as the neighbors call her, is the phenome- 
non, but there is no mystery to me now in the 
change in her mother. 

The appearance of Elizabeth, after an interreg- 
num of some eight years from the birth of 
Dorinda, was as much a surprise to the Smiths 
as to the neighbors. She was a weak, puny in- 
fant, and claimed a degree of attention from thQ 



mother, which was uncalled for bv the two 
robiLst, muscular little animals, abounding in life 
and dirt and temper, which had preceded her. 
As she grow apace, she was a delicate little crea- 
ture, quiet and still, who by her odd ways, as 
Mrs. Smith called them, oiVtimcs put her mother 
completely at fault 

" I declare, I don't know what to make of the 
child," said she to me, " I might cuff and clip the 
other children all day long, and no damage done ; 
but this little chit, looking up at mc so timidly 
with her half frightened blue eves, when she had 
done anything out of the way, — I was actually 
afraid to touch her. It seemed to me, a box upon 
the ears would dissipate her like a .suds-bubble. 
When but two or three vcars old, she would 
shrink and quail at my loud, har^h tones of voice, 
and look so pitiful, that I could never find it in 
my heart to scold her for anything." 

Mrs. Hayncs, who lives next door, has told me 
of the interest with which she marked the singu- 
lar relations between the mother and child, and 
the struggle in the former between the instincts 
of maternal aflection and her imperious nature, 
strengthened as it was by the habits of all her 
life. The presence of the child operated at all 
times as a restraint upon her ; and yet it annoyed 
her, that the good-natured, kind simplicity of her 
husband caused the little one early to prefer his 
cai'es and caresses to her own. Though oft-times 
a relief to her to be free from the timid, shrinking 
glance of those little eyes, it nevertheless morti- 
fied her to see the endent delight, with which 
the child made herself ready to " go away with 
father." 

Though feeble, and a constant source of anxiety 
to the parents physically, the child possessed a 
sharp and quick little intellect, which was really 
out of the common way. As she grew older she 
became naturally habituated to her mother's 
ways, and it became a question as^ to their final 
effect upon her character. There was a craving 
within her for something, which neither father 
nor mother could give. Her nature required 
something kindred to it, and this want was sup- 
plied, when at the age ot four years she was sent, 
as her brother and sister had been, to Susan Bed- 
loe's school. Susan's warm heart, so rich in all 
refinement and affection, opened to the child its 
modest portals, and she entered in and dwelt 
thei*e. The change in the child during the first 
year was so striking as to attract the notice of all 
who knew her. Her eye gained a new expres- 
sion, losing much of its timidity and a certain 
restlessness, which was strange in one so young. 
The small, childish intellect was no longer occu- 
pied so exclusively, with the rough and fearfiil 
caresses and torments wantonly inflicted by her 
brother and sister, who, being incapable of con- 
ceiving her extreme sensitiveness, often caused 
the child to cry at really well meant efforts to 
contribute to her amusement Her neat little 
figure and features filled out and became very 
graceful and pretty. But between mother and 
daughter still remained that invisible wall of 
separation, the natural dividing line between 
two natures so diverse in character. The stront;- 
minded autocratic woman felt it and struggled 
against it more and more. It became a settled 
though secret sorrow with her, that Lizzie's eye 
should speak to Susan or the widow Bedloe in a 
language so different firom that which it addressed 
to her own nfother. As I said, there was deep 



down in the heart of tlie rough Lilly Jones, now 
Mrs. Smith, a fund of kindness and sympathy, 
but crusted over by long habits of independence, 
and by the ncccjwity which she had felt of fight- 
ing her own way in life. How, oh how could 
she open this fund to her child ? How form« a 
magnetic connection between their hearts ? How 
conquer that expression in the child's face ? 
When would Lizzy look into her eyes with that 
confident, fearless, innocent love which now she 
only bestowed upon her fiither and her teacher ? 
Well, she could only wait and hope. 

One of Susan's daily exercises with her scholars 
was in singing. She taught them the sweetest 
melodies then in vogue, and her exquisite taste 
was not without influence in giving a ti'ue direc- 
tion to the tastes of many of the young people of 
our village, who, in those days, were little child- 
ren under her care. 

To Lizzy Smith, who at home had heard no 
attempt at music which had not grated harshly 
ujion her ear, child as she was, the sweet voice of 
her teacher, singing the beautiful melodies which 
were formerly the staple ot our psalmody, was as 
a voice from heaven. It may be different with 
others, but with me the culminating points in the 
grandest pei'formances of vocal and instrumental 
music, in the Oratorios of Handel and Bach, the 
church services of Mozart and Haydn, the operas 
of Mozart and Gluck, the symphonies and cham- 
ber music of Beethoven, are those, in which I 
am once more filled full to overflowing, and am 
affected most nearly as I was, in earliest childhood 
by the Soprano voice singing Effingham or 
New Sabbath, Mear, Hamilton, Eaton, or Der- 
went in the Handel and Haydn Collection. 
When Susan sang, her little pupil was in bliss. 
It wrought upon her so powerfully at first as 
sometimes to cause fits of weeping, almost hys- 
terical ; and of all enjoyments the highest was 
soon that of sitting nestled to the kind breast of 
Widow Bedloe and listening to her and her daugh- 
ter singing. Thus a year passed away. Susan 
Bedloe died and was buried, and a terrible void 
was left in the child's existence ; but the event 
brought about that for which the heart of Mrs. 
Smith had so long yearned. 

*' It was not long after the funeral," said she 
to me, — ^^ may have been three or four weeks per- 
haps, — at any rate, it was the evening after the 
head-stone was placed, that I missed Lizzy, then 
just five years old. I sent out Dolph and Dor- 
indy to find her and finally went myself. After 
hunting all over the village, one of the children 
told me she had seen her by the burying-ground 
gate. Now, would you believe it ? I found her 
at Susan Bedloe's grave, spelling out : * Blessed 
are the pure in heart for they shall see God,' 
and singing meanwhile : ' Sister thou wast mild 
and lovely.' 

** Years afore, if one of the other children had 
caused me so much trouble, I should have cuffed 
its ears soundly, and brought them home in a 
hurry. But I tell you, when I saw that, and 
heard that little voice singing so pretty — and it 
all came over me how poor Widow Bedloe must 
feel, all alone as she was now, with her boys 
away in the world, and her only daughter lying 
there under the sods, I broke right down. It seem- 
ed to me then, my Lizzy would be another Susan 
Bedloe, and I thought to myself, why should she 
and I not be of one heart and one mind as Susan 
and her mother had been ? In this melted mood 



*•— — 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1858. 



115 



I seemed to see myself in a new light, and felt 
how different I was from the widow, and how 
little sympathy there could be between the na- 
tures of my child and myself. So without speak- 
ing to her I went into the burying-ground and 
sat down on tlie grass by her. The dear little 
thing was too busy with her own thoughts to be 
startled by my coming ; keeping her finger upon 
the letter, she stopped singing, and looking up, 
quietly asked : 

"*Ma, why did they bury school-mistress 
here?' 

'* ' Because, poor school-mistress was dead.' 
said I. 

^' ' And Lizzy -^ she go to school to her no 
more ?' 

** * Na She has gone away, never to come 
back.' 

" » What, Lizzy baby, do now? Wholl love 
her now and sing to her 1 ' 

*' * I can't sing to my baby ; but I can love her 
so much ! Oh, why should my little Lizzy love 
the school-mistress more than her mama ? ' 

** At that mom*ent I had such a yearning tender- 
ness for the child, — I do believe I was the bigger 
baby of the two, — how I longed to have her 
come of her own accorrl to my arms ! I believe 
in magnetism myself; for a.M she looked, she read 
mv feelinfre. Her hand left the cold stone : her 
little face changed in its expression, she forgot 
Susan Bedloe ; the old timid look gave place to 
one of loving trust; she crept up to me, and 
without a word seated herself on my knees, and 
nestled herself like a lamb upon my bomm, with 
her little cheek against mine, her little ai*ms 
about my neck. And such a feeling of sweet 
joy and delight sank down into my heart — it 
was a new experience — it was new life. And 
so I carried her home, the precious treasure. 
And after she had eaten her bowl of bread and 
milk, and I put her in her little bed, she kissed 
me as never before, and gently whispered, ' dear 
good mama ! ' I felt that, I tell you ! 

** Widow Bedloe did not last long, you know, 
after Susan's death, but she never wanted anv- 
thing I could give her, nor anything I could do 
for her." 

And so mother and daughter became of one 
heart and one soul. 

Still, it was a question, what the result would be 
in the case of a child of such a peculiar tempera- 
ment. The influence ot the mother must in the 
end prove stronger upon the child, than the 
child's upon her, although tlie delicacy of little 
Lizzy's health continued to act as a restraint upon 
the strength and force of Mrs. Smith's natural 
impulses. 

The return of Mrs. Johnson, our music-teacher, 
to the village was most fortunate for the child. 
Her high artistic culture, her wealth of genius 
and refiqement, rendered her peculiarly fitted 
to the task of developing the germs of good in 
Lizzy. 

With her the young girl could satisfy her 
craving for the beautiful in art, literature and 
music. When twelve years of age a piano-forte 
appeared in Mrs. Smith's parlor, and thenceforth 
music exerted its holy and refining influence upon 
the family. It is wonderful, what depths of ex- 
pression, what an all soul-satisfying language lies 
in tones, to people of a certain mental constitution. 
Elizabeth Smith, through her feeble and sickly 
childhood, had suffered unappeasable yearnings 



for something — she knew not what, excepting- in 
so far as the melodies of Susan Bedloe and her 
mother had revealed it to her. 

Now under tlie care of Mrs. Johnson, who soon 
came to love her as her own daughter, and soon 
had the place in her heart once held by Susan, 
she passed rapidly through the mere drudgery of 
overcoming the mechanical difficulties of the in- 
strument, and began to find in music that for 
which she so long had such indefinite longings. 

Her brother and sister married and moved 
away, and thenceforward she was the ruling 
spirit in the house. She grew apace. Her 
health became confirmed. Her form rounded 
out into the most perfect proportions. Her fea- 
tures became veiy beautiful, and through them 
shone the exquisite spirit within, lending tliem 
an exceeding radiance. 

Now, at the age of nineteen, she comprises in 
her character more excellences, tlian any other I 
have known, save perhaps one. 

She is all that Mrs. Johnson ever hoped to 
make her in her tastes and mental culture — all 
that her mother can ask as a housewife. At this 
very time, while keeping up her music and draw- 
ing, her knowledge of books and her study of 
German, slie lias entire control of the <lome»tic 
duties of the farm ; and I believe she took more 
pride in the fine butter and chee«e she sent ine 
the other day, than in her exquisite performance 
of Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 20, which I often 
ask her to play. 

No, Elizabeth, it is no mystery to me now, that 
your mother, as she sits in the front-room sewing, 
knitting or leading her Bible, is such a sweet 
picture of calm, gentle, serene age. 



Michael Von Glinlia, and Mnsic in Ensua. 

(Traiuilated from thoNiederrheinische Mi»ik-Zoitung). 

Michael vox Glinka was lx)m, of rich nnd nohlo 
parents, in the year 1804, near SmolenHk. The 
peculiar melodies of his native country — melodies for 
which he conceived a great iifliection in his enrliest 
childhood, and which exercised an important influence 
on his tnlent and artistic elfort — floated round hU 
cradle. Wc do not know who was his first musical 
instnictor ; he wns eighteen when he took piano-forte 
Ie»Bon8 from Field, in Moscow. It was to this mnstcr 
of the good old school time he owed the elegant and 
expressive style for which he was distinguished in his 
early years. 

Favored by birth and fortune, Glinka at first cultiva- 
ted music simply as an amusement. His happy talent 
suggested meiodies and songs, in which a fine artistic 
feeling was apparent. DiltUanti spread them abroad, 
and mnsic-sellers soon hastened to publish them. 
Adolf llensclt used some m themes for pianofuito 
pieces. Glinka, also, wrote so vend smaller pieces for 
the piano; they were very successful, especially when he 
played them himself. 

After a somewhat long residence in Warsaw, which 
he left in consequence of tlie events of 1830, ho obtain- 
ed permission from government to go to Italy. He 
remained several months in Vienna, and then pro- 
ceeded to Venice, where, a^o, he stayed some time. 
In Milan he published Italian camKoncrs, pieces de 
salon foi: the piano and stringed instruments, on themes 
from Bellini and Donizetti ; a septuor (serenade) for 
piano, harp, horn, hoitsoon, viol, violoncello, and 
double-bass, on motives from Anna Boletia ; an origi- 
nal sextet for piano, two violins, viol, violoncello, and 
douMe-hass, and several variations and dances. 

The year 1833 was spent by Glinka in Naples, 
where he delighted the saloons by hit^ pianoforte plav- 
ing and songs, which were sunic' by Ivanofl, then in 
tlie full possession of his magnificent tenor voice. 

In the year 1835, Glinka was once more in St. Peters- 
burgh. A great alteration had taken place in him. 
He had previously cultivated music simply as an 
amusement, but he now looked on it as a serious pnr- 
suit. He felt his inwanl vocation as an artist. The 
warm desire to prove this vocation to his native coun- 
try by a grand composition, induced him to take the 
resolutionofwriting an opera. He natnraly selected 
a Russian subject, lAjeJor the Czar, at which he work- 



ed several years with industrv and love. In 1839 the 
opera was* produced in St. Petersburg, ond enthusi- 
astically received ; in fact public opinion instantly 
raised tlie author to the rank of the most celebratecl 
compoers. The Imperial Court had interested itself 
in the production of this national work, and nothing 
was neglected to put it on the st;ige in the most bril- 
liant manner. Tlie natural son of Field, Leonof, a 
tenor and an excellent musician, a lady, Mad. Step- 
anowa, edncatcd in France, nnd known in Paris under 
the name of Vcrtcuil, and the bass Petrof, sang in the 
opera. The chorusJcs and orchestra were good, and 
the whole was directed by Signer Cavos, a talented 
Italian musician. 

This opera was followed hv a second, a grand opera 
in 5 acts, Russian andLudmiUay adapted for the stage, 
from a j)0cm by Puschkin, founded on the earlier his- 
tory of the Grand Prince of Kiew. It was verv well 
received, although it did not achieve the extraoniinary 
snccess of the first, a success principally caused by tlie 
libretto and the story. His countrymen were, however, 
unanimously of opinion that the two scores rendered 
Michael Glinka the greatest liussian composer of the 
time. 

After the success of these works, Glinka again ob- 
tained permission to travel abroad. Ho went to Spain, 
and, on hi.n way thither, visited Paris, in the year 1845. 
He was forty jears of age, but known to no one, 
with the exception of a few virtuosi, whe had been in 
Itussia. He gave a concert, with full band, in the 
Salle Herz. He could not raise a chonis. This was 
greatly to be regretted, since the choruses play a very 
prominent part in his operas, and he was compelled to 
limit himself to the performance of a Sckerzoiii the form 
of a waltz, grand Cracoviennc, a fantastic mareh from 
Ruftslan and Lmimilhf and a few songs. Haumann, 
aTid Ix'opold von Meyer, also, played at his concert. 
The public then hctu'd, .at a concert given by H. 
Berlioz, a nmdo from the opera of £//<• Jw the Czar, 
sung by Mad. Solowsowa ( \ ei-teuil), and a grand piece 
of ballet-music from Lvdmilla. The Result did not 
come up to the composer's expectations. The Rus- 
sian words, and the want of u progromme to explain 
the various situations, prevented the public fi"om uu- 
dei-standing them. In addition to this, the romantic 
and, it nmst be owned, somewhat monotonous charac- 
ter of the music did not ]>lease the French ; and, as they 
had just read in Custine's book on Hussia, that " the 
national opera of llussia is a hoirible drama in a 
magniHccnt house," the general public felt bored, 
while musicians objected to certain peculiarities, and 
reproached the composer for having introduced pieces 
of such small proportions to a Parisian audience. 

Althongli a kind notice appeared in thoGazettB 
Mitsictdr, Glinka was deten-cd by hici little success 
from further efforts. He lef^ Paris, and retained all 
his life a very unflivorable opinion of the judgment 
of the French in musical matters. 

In the summer of 1845, Glinka went to Spain. In 
July, he was at Valladolid, and in ()ctol)er, reached 
Madrid. The principal object of his sojourn in the 
Pyrenean peninsular was to collect national melodies. 
As a man of the world, who despised none of the en- 
joyments of life, he felt very comfortable in Spain, and 
spent several yeara there in the dolce far niente style. 
His friends considered him lost for art. He resided 
for a very long time in Madrid ; then in Andalusia, and 
at last, in Cadiz. He did not return to Russia till the 
year 1852. 

He now seemed to pluck up courage once more, 
and be desirous of devoting himself afresh to the kind 
of activity for which his inclinations natarally fitted 
him, especially as the Kmperor l)estowed on him the 
management of the Imperial Chapel, and the opera. 
This post induced him to busy himself with sacred 
music amongst which there is a mass with a full hand. 
He was putting the last touch to this, when death over- 
took him in Berlin, on thff 15th February, 1857. He 
was iust 53 years of age. 

His decease is to be regretted, as far as the progress 
of music in Russia is concerned. Whatever may bo 
the verdict ot posterity on the two great works which 
were the foundation of his fame among his countrymen, 
it cannot, at any rate, be denied that his music posses- 
ses a highly peculiar character, different from that of 
the Italian, (jcnnan, and French schools of any period. 
Had it been developed by his successors, it might 
have become a separate artistic form. 

Music, as an art, has, indeed, enjoyed only an exotic 
existence in Russia during the eighteenth and the first 
quarter of the ninteenth century, A Russian mmiician, 
Dimitri Slcpanowitsch Bortnianski, edncatcd in Italy, 
had, It is true, about 1769, founded a peculiar and 
beautiful kind of vocal sacred music, when he re- 
oi'ganizcd the Imperial vocal chapel, c&tablished in the 
reign of Czar Alexis Michailowitsch. Foreign artists 
and connoisseurs who have heard tlie singing of tliis 
chapel, as.<ert, as is well-known, that it is impossible to 
hear anything more beantiftil, as well for the quality, 



J 



116 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



the wondeifal compass of the voices and delicacy of 
execQtion, as for me noble, serioos and impressive 
character of the compositions. Bat to this alone, and 
to the charming national melodies in the provinces, was 
all Russian music properly so-called, limited. In the 
reign of the Empress Elisabeth, an Italian company 
was invited to St. Petersburg, the Venetian, Galupni, 
being the director and court composer. Catherine 1^ 
retained this company, and, at various times, had 
Paesiello, Sarti, and Cimarosa in her service. Sarti, 
who, from his long stay in the country, had become, to 
a certain extent a Russian — ^he possessed a number of 
estates and serfs, which the Empress and Prince Pofr- 
emlum had given him, and spoke Russian fluently — 
was the first who ever composed an opera and a Tb 
Deum to a Russian text. But the music was Italian 
and notfiing more. 

After the death of Paul I., the Italian opera was 
abolished, and Alexander I. summoned to St. Peters- 
burg a colony of French artists, amongst whom were 
Bo'ieldieu, Rode, Baillot, and Lamare, the excellent 
violoncellist. French comic opera took the place of 
Italian opera. Bo'ieldieu directed it, and wrote, also, 
new works for the theatre. Clementi and his pupil, 
Field, the pianists, also, were in St. Petersbur]^ at the 
same period. Before the arrival of these anists, the 
public of St. Petersburg; and Moscow were acquainted 
only with Pleyel's muitic. Baillot and Lamare intro- 
duced the quartets of Haydn and Mozart, for whom the 
educated aristocracy were most enthusiostic. The tra- 
ditions of this epoch were continued by Counts Mat- 
thias and Michael Wielhorski, Messrs Lwoff, Semonof, 
Amatoff, and other amateurs. After Bo'ieldicu's de- 
parture, Steibelt succeeded him as director of the 
French opera. He wrote for it Cendrillon and Sarffinea, 
and toucned up his scores, Borneo et Juliette, and La 
Princesse de Babiflone. He died in the vear 1823, just 
as he was completing a new opera : Tne Judgment of 
Midas. 

Thus both dramatic and instrumental music, up to 
about 1825, existed in Russia only as something im- 
por*iod from abroad. It was then that the spirit of 
creation first awoke in the breasts of a few distinguish- 
ed lovers of art. Count Michael Wielhoi-ski wrote 
auortets and svmphonies ; General Alexis Lwofi, 
irector of the Imperial chapel, and a very talented 
violin player and composer, wrote, in addition to 
several smaller pieces, and a hymn, which has become 
the national hymn, two operas : Bianca e Gualiiero and 
Undine, and a Stabat Mater, which is much prized. 
At the same time. Glinka's talent began to make its 
way, while Werstowski produced his opera. The Grave 
o/Askold. 

A little later, Dargomyski, who, like his artistic 
colleagues, belonged to the upper classes, and was 
distinguished as a pianist, published several Russian 
songs, most of which were very popular. In the year 
1848, his opera, JCemeralda, was produced in the 
national theatre. It is a well-written work, in which 
we find concerted pieces conceived in a really artistic 
spirit. Since then, two other operas by him have been 
brought out, but I do not know the scoi^ea . Dargomy- 
ski is now 44 years of age. His music differs essen- 
tially from Glinka's by its structure, which is more 
certain and better adapted to the general forms of art 
at the present day. It is, also, more dramatic and 
passionate, but less original and less Russian than 
Glinka's Life for the Czar, 

It is well kkown that, in Anton Rubinstein, a new 
instance of talent hos now sprung up. His original 
position in society was different fron^ that of his noble 
predecessors. He would have been compelled to be- 
come a soldier, and in all probability, have been lost 
to art, had not the protection of the Grand Princeess 
Helen assured his destiny. As long since as 1841, he 
excited, as a boy, admiration by his pianoforte playing, 
and we all know that, at present, he is one of the heroes 
of that instrument. Rubinstein has already written 
for the voice, the piano, and the orchestra. Two 
operas by him have also been produced, but diey 
are youthful efforts, and to be looked upon rather as 
essays than aught else. [He has composed, likewise, 
an oratorio.] May he not go astraj on his path, and 
exaggerate certain tendencies, which appear promi- 
nently in his works of the present period 1 

On the whole, Glinka seems to have comprehended, 
better than his artistic contemporaries and immediate 
successors, the secret of imparting a national character 
to Russian music. The cnoice of his melodies and 
rhythms, die peculiar forms and harmonious passages, 
to which he is partial, give his works an impression of 
originality, ana that is their principal merit. 



''Natxvb Ambricak Music." — Here is a des- 
cription of the real genuine unadulterated article, 
and with no " Professor" work about it : 

This morning, about daylight, an old Sioux was 
shot while fishing in the Minnesota river. The en- 
campment was soon aroused ; the braves, some forty 



in number, ran down to the river, the squaws and 
children into the city. A few Chippewas showed 
themselves on the north side of the river, and the Sioux 
went to u neighboring furry and crossed. After an 
hour's skirmish, tlie Qiippewas retreated, bearing off 
a number of their band, and leaving four dead on die 
fleld^^ne a chief. The Sioux cut off the heads of 
their fallen enemies, and ratnmed to their encamp- 
ment to scalp them at their leitiure. Nine Sioux were 
killed, one or two have died during the day, and sev- 
eral are severely wounded. It is thought the Chip- 
pewas will not give it up so, as there is a large party 
of them. 

The body of the chief was cut to pieces, thrown 
on the fire and burned 1 After one of the heads was 
scalped, a squaw, who had lost a relative in the battle 
took a club and pounded it to a jelly. 

The " scalp," as taken by the Sioux, includes not 
only the part of the head covered with hair, but the 
skin of the forehead and cheeks to the comers of the 
mouth. This is stretched in a hoop about two feet 
in diameter, the ornaments of the ears sdll in them, 
and those of the hair or neck fastened in the centre of 
the scalp. A pole is fastened across, so that it is car- 
ried like a banner. The pole, hoop and the flesh side 
of the scalp are painted with vermilion ; the skin, 
where not covered with hair, is painted blue or some 
other color. 

After a great deal of ceremony in dressing the 
dance begins. A procession of squaws carries the 
scalp around the encampment, singing and shouting, 
the men, meanwhile, beating rude drums made oi 
powder kegs, and making a noise with ratdes and 
every other way they can. 

After a while the men stand in a row with dieir 
music, the scalp is set up and the dance begins. The 
squaws arrange themselves in ranks of three or fbur 
together, standing so as to form ungents to a circle, 
about twelve feet in diameter, (the scalp in the centre.) 

The drumming begins, and the squaws, by a " half 
hitch, half jump," go round backwards. 

The music, if it may be so called, is in "double 
time," a light stroke and a heavy one alteinately, 
about fortv measures to a minute; the "step" is 
taken at the heavy or accented stroke. Every one 
that can get something to beat with, does so. The dme 
is kept very exactly. The singing or yelling, for it 
is both, is very violent, occasionally a few words in 
connection are chanted, but generally the only articu- 
late sounds are ho yo, ho yo, the first syllable a violent 
explosive. The tunes are better than the ihusic; 
they are frequently so regular in their construction, 
as to create surprise. I have heard intervals struck 
truly and repeatedly by the souaws that I have heard 
practised choirs drill upon for hours, beside the oi^gan, 
and then prononnce them difficult. One tune they 
have begins as high as the voice can reach, and de- 
scends by " diminished thirds " to the low bass tones, 
and then rises by a similar succession. 

They sing until they are tired, and then break off 
with a kind of bark, like a dog. Some of the squaws 
fi"e(|uently accompany the singing with a harsh, gut- 
tural " squak," like the note of a wild goose, in the 
same manner as a "la la" accompaniment in some 
of our glee books. The most surprising part of all 
is that it is kept np so long. I have noticed the 
threats of the men swelled out, the veins turgid, and 
the eyes look as if starting from their sockets — but 
still mey kept on. 

These dances aro continued night after night, all 
night, for months. 



A Dirge. 

From the Sui Vnnetoeo Baeifio. 

Is there a ringer in the town can ring a solemn 

chime? 
Let him come toll earth's happiest soul out of diis 

realm of time. 

Ring minute bells 1 their tone best tells how now 

goes life's employ. 
For, straitened here on the bare bier, lies the qneen- 

child of joy. 

Toll all this day while Christians pray for hearts now 

crushed with sorrow I 
Toll all this night that has no light, till Fhoepor 

brings the morrow 1 

Earth, sea and sky I your minstrelsy must marshal 

for this hour, 
Sweet Phosphor too shall chant a tme tad diige in 

Memnon's tower. 



My heart will burst, my brnu be cursed 

ness and grow wiM, 

If by yon v.iult the pageant halt, to leave tfiis Messed 
child. 

Now ton a kneD, and toO h well, with Bajeaty oT 

tone, 

For in that train rides Isabel, wida then, and yet 

alone. 

Ah dreadfal wand in Asiad's hand, this day whal 

haat thou done ! 

But whj complain before his Slain ?--4fae Jhcaof Pate 
IS stone. 

Stay for one moment, bellman ! !o, they kneel upon 

her sod ^ 
" Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, the spirit to its God." 

My blood is chill with agooy, my heart with angnisk 
torn. 

As I behold to what a cold couch Isabel is borne. 

Oh dreadful wand in Aarael's hand, this day what 

hast thou done ! 
My tears like rain fall on diy slain ; dion hast no 

mercy — none. 

Ton, sad bells, still, and let them fill die night with 

solemn strain ; 
This mountain billow has given her pillow, and 

thereon sleeps the slain. 

Ton minute bells, their tone best tells how aow goea 

life's employ, 
Entombed here we leave the dear, dear, dead 

child of joy. 
Sam Fnmdico, Afril, 1858. 



A V0W Biography €f Bofdai 

It has, at the present day, become the custom net 
to wait till celebrated men have ceased to exist, in 
order to write their biogrsphy. There would be hut 
little objectionable in sach a course, if books of this 
kind conuined merely what was suitable and becom- 
ing, and if the writers were alwi^s tmthful and well 
informed. 



She was the merriest one in mirth, yet truest to a 

task, 
For the same oil sustained her toil that fired her in 

the masque. 

Lifo was a constant sense of joy, inspired we know 

not how. 
There was no dond could ever shrond the halo on 

her brow. 

Her sunny hair spread on the ah*, she danced life's 

daily round, 
E'en in her duty she was Beauty — she was Motion 

abound. 

The dreaded wand in Aarael's hand has touched her , 

— ah, how stiU I 
She is His slain, none may complain ; there's foith, 

but there's no wiU. 

Ah I wild gaaelle named Isabel I bow leaden now 

those eyes 1 
Whose shooting light starred every night, tho^ dark 

as Egypt's skiee. 

Pealmiiratebelb! their tone best tellf bow now goes 

life's employ, 

For fipozen here on this Mack bier lies the qnecu-ckfld 
of joy. 

They bear her hence I Ho beareftl whence new 

moves yon eboo plnme 1 

Win ye to^y widi such airay osv LUh oT life 
entomb 1 

Up the long street with mnfled fiset m^'eetie manM 
the train, 

Ob my heart bleeds I the veiy steeds seem ceoacioue 

of the pain. 



•*«■ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1858. 



117 



Trnthful bio;^niphi<M are not, however, now-a^n^s 
the moi»t numcroofl, but, Instead of them, the bio- 
oraphie-i^datnt (*' the puff bio;pnphical ") and the 
bidgraphie-pnmphlet " the biO{craphy piiniphlctical '') 
flouriah. Men of real merit do not need to have 
recourse to the former ; unfortunately, it often hiip- 
pens that they cannot escape the latter; and the 
greater the ceiehriry a man po^nesscs, the more is he 
exposed to see his acts and words travestied. 

liossini hnd no need of the puff-biof;raphical ; his 
pnuMS were written by all who, throughout the world 
and for nearly half a century, have never ceased ap- 
planding so many delicious master-pieces of his. As 
for the biography-pamphletical, he has had to undonio 
it on more than one occasion, and only a short time 
since one was printed, in which sentiments and even 
«cts of the moHt revolting coarseness were attributed 
to the most polite and wcll-hrcd of mcn^one who 
possesses in the highest degree the senw of propriety, 
ouch kinds of productions may be allowed to pass 
unnoticed ; they never enjoyed a very extensive influ- 
ence, the pamphleteers not reflecting that, by endeav- 
oring to run down men of recognized merit, they 
would only bring themselves into disrepute, supposing 
thev had not long done so already. 

'Jthe book of which I am about to speak is, without 
being precisely a pamphlet, more audaciouslv con- 
ceived than all the pamphleu in the world, and I do 
not think it possible to adduce an example of another 
such publication, not exactly for what it contains, as 
on account of the manner m which its contents are 
presented to the public. 

In the first place, we must inform our readers that 
the first edition of the work, written in German, and, 
up to the present time, utterly unknown in France, 
dates from fourteen years back. It has just been 
translated into French^ with the address of Brussels 
and Leipsic, under the following title : " £. M. 
(ETTINGRR. Rmini : rhommt H VartittB. Tra- 
duU dt CalUmand, aofc VautorissUion de fauteur^ par 
P. Boiffr.'* It forms three small volumes in 18mo., 
and opens with an introductory letter, beginning as 
follows, to Joacchimo Rossini : — 

" Do you remember, glorious wa^sfro, a young Ger- 
man, who in the month of April, 1830, was presented 
to yon in JPatis by M. Custil-Blaze, and who brought 
you — illuttrusiwM Dh ddla muaica — a whole heap of 
afifectioiimte remembrances, a little green velvet cap, 
and a letter of recommendation, on rose-colored 

paper, from the Signora L. M i, of Munich. Do 

yo« remember diis young man, who soon inspired 
you with such a feehng of friendship that you gave 
nim a room in your house, a place in your box, and 
something of which he was much more proud, namely 
« little comer in your heart ? At that time, he who 
writes these lines hod the honor of sitting every day 
hj your side, before the crackling firo on your 
hearth," &c 

M. (Ettinger continues by informing Rossini that 
lie can only gain by being exhibited <u he reaUltf is, 
without rsuge and without veil. 

Afber such a declaration, addressed to the very per- 
son of whom the author is about to speak, who would 
not feel inclined to accept for gospel all that is asser- 
ted in the work 1 Unfortunatelv, there is a little ob- 
stacle to this. To M. GSttinger^s Interrogation, Ros- 
sini will not reply in the words of the epigram — 

" M» fdiy sll m Vn aouvfont, U ne m^en touTiont gatoe," 

for Ae excellent reason that he recollects nothing at 
ail about the whole matter. He never received the 
introductory letter, the German work, nor the French 
translation of it. He only heard of all these a few 
days since ; before that period he knew nothing ot 
M. (Ettin^rer. 

Will it Se said that this is a piece of forgetfulness 
on the part of Rossini, and that, having known so 
many people, in different countries, he has forgotten 
the anthor of the letter and the work ? In the first 
place, we must bear in mind that Rossini possesses a 
memory that astonishes all those who come in contact 
with him ; he recollects persons he has not seen for 
thirty years, and rememoers the times and circum- 
•tances of his meeting them. But, even supposing 
he did not possess this precious gif^, what man, in tbe 
foil enjoyme^it of his faculties, would ever entirely 
and absolutely forpet a peivon who had lived on terms 
of intimacy with him, who had lodged in his hou'te, 
and who had brought him a letter an<l a green vdvet 
cap from a lady, foi^otten like everything else con- 
nected with the master ? No one, assuredly, will be 
able to believe such a thing. 

The whole story is simply a plan employed by M. 
<Ettinger to sell his book, though I consider a man 
must be very daring to adopt such a course, at the 
risk of being almost inevitably convicted of being an 
impostor. 

And now, what is the value of the book itself? 
Most certainly it is nothing immense ; it is a produc- 
tion in which, as M. CEttinger confesses elaewnere, he 



mixed up fiction with fact, by inventing certain ad- 
ventures of the most ordinary de<:cription, with which 
he connects Rosf^ini's s<yourn in Naples, nnd in which 
he makes him figure. M. (Ettinger depicts in them 
the manners and customs of the Neapolitans after a 
fiishion that proves ho has not the slightest acquain- 
tance with them. 

This circumstauce is of no importance as far as 
our subject is concerned ; but what is of great impor- 
tance is that, in facts purely historical, or, at least, 
given us as such, M. CEttinger is no better informed. 
Nor is this all. He expresses himself with regard to 
Rossini's first wife (Isabelle Colbrand) in a manner 
the most offensiye and unbecoming to the composer 
to whom he dared to write his introductory letter. 
Nor does he treat the second any better, a lady whose 
kindness, amiabilitjr^ talent, and above all, devotion 
to her hnsbond, are known to us all. 

As for Rossini himself, he is made to write letters 
and express opinions, which certainly never entered 
his head, and I would have the reader mark that I am 
not now speaking of the romantic portion of the 
book, but of that which is given us as hietorical. M. 
(Ettinger, while pretending to exhibit Rossini to us 
without a veil, muflles the composer in a sort of igno- 
ble costume, which, as I can gtiarantee, does not fit 
him in the least, and which M. (Ettinger might well 
keep for himself. 

But do we find any new information, or any exam- 
ple of interesting appreciation ? Not the slightest. 
Everything under this head is borrowed from Carpa- 
ni, or Beyle (Stendhal), another impostor, who gave 
himself out as a friend of the mae»ti-o, and pretended 
he hod lent him a coat.* 

All that relates to the general history of music is 
no better treated. I will not abuse the reader's pa- 
tience, but will content myself with one specimen. 
M. (Ettinger introduces on the stage Guinault talk- 
talking to Ramcan, to whom he has brought a part 
of tbe Gazette de Hollande for him to set to music ; 
now Rameau was five years old when Guinault died. 
Moreover, the names of the composers mentioned, 
and tolerably well known, are given incorrectly, etc. 

Well, this book has remained utterly unknown in 
France since the first edition, published fourteen 
years ago. It then went through two other editions, 
without the composer who was the subject of it being 
informed of its existence, and without any one crying 
out against it. At present, M. Royer, deceived like 
every one else, has translated it, and will, no doubt, 
find a great many readers. 

Rossini always cared very little fof what was said 
about him, and, in a certain sense, he was very right. 
In the present case, however, it appeared necessary 
that one who did not bring him green velvet caps, or 
letters from ladies in Munich, on rose-colored paper, but 
whom he is kind enough to honor with his friendship, 
should protest for him, and not allow matters to go 
further. 

Otherwise, what would be the resnit 1 In thirty or 
forty years* time, M. (Ettinger's book would be every- 
where onoted as an authentic and irrefutable testimony ; 
it would be said to emanate directly from Rossini, 
whom the author knew intimately, and, consequently 
to present the public with the most exact portrait 
ever traced of the composer of GuiUanme Tm. Tlie 
lines tlie reader has just perused will, I hope, be a 
sufiicicnt protestation, and not be without their effect 

AOBIEK DE LE FaGE. 

* Rosrinl happening to be taking a walk in London one day 
with Mad. Paat^'s husband, an indiTidnal bowa and turns to- 
wards them. Roswini does not moTe, thinking the salutation 
is addrened to his Mend. The latter, who really knew the 
person, returned his politeness, and then obeerves to Roaslnl : 
*' How is it, maestro, you say nothing to your Mend, who, 
when in Italy. lent you a coat fbr some cerpmonj or other? '^ 
" My Mend — In Italy — lent me a coat I Why, I never knew 
him or even saw him. In all my bom days ! " Beyle related 
the fiict in a Yit de Rossini. Beyle, as we know, who was af- 
terwards an author of some talent, commenced his career by 
giving himself out sa the author of the Lettres .fur Huydn^ a 
transition of the Ibydines ot Giuseppe Carpani. 



BOSTON, JULY lO, 1858. 

Mcsic Tx THI0 NuMBBK. — Conclusion of the 
Quartet, following Solo and Chorus, ffom the Lauda 
Sion, hj Mendelsaohn. 



The Kiuioal FeitiTal at Hew York. 

Mr. Editor : — I supposed that your regular 
correspondents in New York would furnish you 
with a fUll report of the Festival of June 28th, 
at the Academy of Music, but as they have not 
done 80, and as it was an occaaioii quite too re- 



markable to be passed over in your Journal, I 
will give you my recollectiona of its principal 
features. It seems to have been an efibrt on th<^ 
part of the Grermans to introduce a new element 
into theur annual summer meeting. In addition 
to the usual picnic with singing and playing upon 
brass instrmnents, in the open air, they deter- 
mined to unite for the performance of the most 
classic compositions, and to bring together for this 
purpose all the best musicians employed in the 
different theatres and other orchestras of the city. 
This was most successfully accomplished, and the 
result was a union of some 250 mnncians, thor- 
oughly in earnest and devoted to the best perfor- 
mance of the highest forms of muacal art. The 
indifierence of the general public was evidently 
of little consequence to them. They were ab- 
sorbed in the work they had' imdertaken and 
were determined to execute it to their own satis- 
faction. This earnestness and esprit du corps was 
one of the most delightful features of the occa- 
sion. You felt, as one of the audience, " fit, though 
few," very much obliged to them for allowing you 
to participate in the good time they were having. 
The empty benches of the Academy could only 
be accounted for by the excessive heat of the 
weather, making people instinctively avoid gas- 
light and crowds, and by the fact that the perfor- 
mance was on Sunday evening. The lower part 
of the theatre was barely sprinkled with auditors; 
but up above, the galleries seemed fairly boiling 
over with a happy crowd of Germans, hanging 
upon the railings, and displaying costumes of 
fantastic colors and shapes, and whose enthusiasm 
was in perfect correspondence with the tempera- 
ture. 

The orchestra occupied the entire stage, except 
a small space in front reserved for the singers. 
They lormed a compact mass of 60 or 70 feet 
square. This disposition of the instruments was 
as bad as possible for the audience, since the open 
spaces at the sides and overhead absorbed a great 
part of the sound and prevented its being thrown 
into the body of the theatre. 

Tlie concert opened with the Oberon overture. 
The conductor, Axschutz, a tiiin, nervous, and 
odd looking person, quickly crossed the stage with 
the slightest possible obeisance to the audience ; 
and, with a vigorous rap upon his desk, the music 
began. After the introduction by the horns, a 
piano passage is taken up by the strings, imd 
then we felt the wonderful force and beauty of 
this unrivalled orchestra, the more impressive 
that it did not at once burst upon us with all its 
power. Tliere was indeed a fullness and richness 
similar to the open diapasons of a great organ, 
but of far greater expressiveness ; an effort, in 
short, which only such a body of strings can pos- 
sibly produce. Anschiitz held them well and 
firmly in hand, and the precinon of their move- 
ment was quite equal to what we are accustomed 
to in our orchestra of thirty or forty players. 
The overture was vociferously cheered, and re- 
peated. 

Then we had a male chorus from the " Magic 
Flute,** sung with spirit and exactness, and (like 
all the German Clubs) the crescendo and dimin- 
uendo of a great accordeon, and with the true 
national coarseness of tone. Then two move- 
ments from one of Schumann's Symphonies, led 
by Mr. Beromakn. The ** music of the future" 
was well and fairly given, but the audience of the 
present seemed to hear it without pleasure. like 



r^r- 



118 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the pictures of the Pre-Raphaelitcs, it interested 
by its strangeness; and by a sort of ugly fascina- 
tion, but the charm of beauty was wanting.* 

How bright the contrast when chorus and or- 
chestra took up ^* the Heavens are telling/' It 
was like sailing into smooth water after being 
tossed about in the chopping sea of the German 
Ocean. 

Maretzek, conducting the march from tlie 
** Prophet,'' was in his element Its flowing 
rhythm and thundering harmonies carried all 
before it. 

Of the great feature of the Festival, that for 
which they must have labored long and well, the 
immortal Ndith Symphony, I will only say that 
it was nobly given. Every player and singer 
entered heartily into the spirit of the work. 
The wonderful depth and beauty of the third 
movement was most fully brought out. The 
chorus, though not large, was carefully drilled 
and sang with confidence. Even those difficult 
Soprano passages were well got over, without 
making the throats of the audience ache by sym- 
pathy. 

Indeed, notwithstanding the fearful tempera- 
ture in which all this was done, there was neither 
fatigue nor discomfort, but interest unflagging to 
the end. 

Finally, Herr Anschiitz, who indeed proved 
himself a conductor of great excellence, and to 
whom the successful issue of the aflair was mainly 
due, was cheered and pelted with flowers by his 
compatriots, and the Festival was over. May it 
be repeated in future years ! X. 

* When we heerd that — not exutly Sjmphony — but 
"Overture, Scheno and Finale'* (if we recollect the pro- 
gramme rightly), we did not think iti fascination vgly. — 
Bdztoe. 



Obituary, not Enl<^:uti& 

We copied last week, under the title of " The 
Black Opera,'' from an old number of the Tribune^ 
a sketch historical, and rather eulogistic, of the rise 
and growth of "Negro Minstrelsy." In the New 
York Musical Review fDcc. 7, 18.'>4) we read, with 
greater pleasure, its " Obituary," which, to make the 
record of this curious antediluvian and Saurian period 
in our country's musical development complete, we 
also copy. 

Negro Minstrelsy is dead. Draw around its sable 
bier in tearful groups, ye lovers of Ethiopian absurdi- 
ties. Ye grave men in city and village who have 
sought relief from the cares of the day in Sambo's 
antics and grimaces ; yo fast young men and delicate 
maidens who have perfumed his haunts with Jockey 
Club and Eau de Colognef come, yield the tribute of a 
tear to departed burnt cork and curled horsehair. 
What I Not one among the thousands wiio have 
compromised their respectability for an hour of his 
jibes and jocularities to follow him to the grave ? 
Alas ! not one I The gay crowd ignore his corpse, 
and pass by on the other side. They have, in the 
day of his popularitv, retailed his jokes, entertained 
their friends with his trashy if not vul|;ar effusions, 
and vitiated public taste by patronizing his plantation 
caricatures to the neglect of wholesome, improving 
musical entertainments ; but now, not even the pea- 
nut bovs in the Bowery will admit that they ever 
affected the banjo or the bones. 

Negro Minstrelsy^ we repeat, is dead. By this we 
mean that the characteristic " Ethiopian Melodies " 
have ceased to sell, and that, though troops of sing- 
ers continue to blacken their faces, they no longer 
rely upon African platitudes as an attraction. Hence- 
forth they must depend npon dramatic effect — the 
performance of burlesque operas, etc. This heintr 
the case, it seems a fit opportunity to pass in rapid 
review the rise, progress, and subsidence of the '' ne- 
gro music " mania that has within a few years past 
exerted so wide-spread and deleterious* an influence 
upon the musical taste of this country'. 

About thirty years ago. Way back of Albany ^ by 
MiCAH ULlwkivb, and other songs of a similar char- 



acter, gained considerable popularity at the Chatham 
Theatre, in this city. The melodies were simple, and 
united to the low do^ercl words that might very n.it- 
unilly be the effusion of an iilitcmtc but wide-awake 
and funny negro, were very coptivating to the vulvar. 
In 1831 'or 1832, a celebrated clown, Dan Rice, 
made a great sensation omonpf the Bowery boys by 
his performance of the well-known negro Ronpr, Jim 
Ovw, at the Bowery Theatre. This may, in f»ict, bo 
considered the inauj^uration of negro sonie^s. Master 
Diamond soon followed in Jim along Josey; and 
these songs, spawned in the very lowest puddles of 
society, at length found their way, like the frogs of 
Egypt, into places of admitted rei>pectability. On so 
dark a subject it can hardly be expcctecf that we 
should bo quite precise in reference to dates ; but, as 
near as we can ascertain, conceited negro music was 
first performed in this city by Dumboltott's Ethiopian 
SerenaderSf at Palme's, about ten or twelve years 
since. In 1842, Christy began with a similar style 
of music in a dance-house in Buffalo, so low in its 
character that it was several times indicted for being 
a disorderly house. After travelling about the coun- 
try', and coming occasionally to Now York, ho at 
length settled here, where he has since made a fortune. 
DutiAolton's Serenaders popularized Jlosa Lee, Dearest 
Mae, Mary Diane, etc., a species of compoi^ition moro 
nearly bordering upon respectability than the charac- 
teristic negro-songs by which they had been preceded. 

DusfBOLTONS troupe went to Europe in 1845, 
where their African caricatures met with great favor. 
In 1846, Christy's Minstrels commenced in New York 
with such pieces as Carry Me Back to Old Virginia, 
Stop that Knocking, etc. .Negro minstrelsy now be- 
came the ra^ nil over the country. Troupes of 
" serenndcrs," who blacked their faces and made buf- 
foons of themselves, reaped a golden harvest, while 
the true artist, the educated and refined musician was 
starving. Success invested even Iwnes and burnt cork 
with an air of respectability. Fashion Rent her co- 
horts to mingle with the unwashed million at the 
shrine of Gumbo, and negro sheet-music had immense 
sales, being found upon almost every piano in the 
land, grave deacons smiling at its performance, and 
sentimental Misses pronouncing it "sweet." We 
have often felt comforted by the numerous and con- 
vincinj; proofs, that " honesty is the best policy " 
The friends of music have equal cause to rejoice in 
the evidence deduced from the history of negro music, 
that it is most profitable to gratify tho tastes of the 
resijectablo. Tnis accounts for the bleaching process 
that has steadily been ^inj? on in this style of music, 
observable in the gradual rejection of the plantation 
dialect, and the adoption of sentiments and poetic 
forms of expression, characteristic rather of the intel- 
ligent Cauciisian. This becomes quite apparent when 
we compare Jim Crow, Susanna, and other early 
effusions of the Ethiopian muse, with the later and 
more popular productions. Old Folks at Home, My 
Old Kentucky Home, Hazel Dell, etc. The truth is, 
genuine ** ne^ro music " is no longer written ; ond if 
it were written, it could not be sold. People have 
grown tired of its burlesques upon a degraded race, 
of its vulgarity, its silhness, and its insipidity. 
Henceforth they will be satisfied only with somethinj; 
worthy of being called music. Takinfc advantage of 
this change in public sentiment, Buckley's Min- 
strels, Wood's, and Chhistt's, have within eighteen 
months commenced tho performance of burlesque 
operas, and introduced travesties upon ** spirit knock- 
ing," " women's rights lectures," etc., all indicating 
that their chief reliance is upon good music, as far as 
music goes, and beyond that, upon scenic and dra- 
matic effects. Tho music they sing is Italian, Ger- 
man, English, or American, 'the mere fact that they 
continue to blacken their faces alters not its character 

A word in reference to the cause of the negro mu- 
sical mania and its effects upon the musical interests 
of this country, and we have done. Its remains may 
then be wrapped in their cerements and toted off to 
the grave as soon as possible. The success of negro 
minstrelsv was not an accident, nor yet again a mere 
mania, ^ero are philosophical reasons why it suc- 
ceeded and why its day is now over. Its chief ele- 
ments of popularity were : 

1 . Its burlesque of the negro character. There is 
among all classes of the American people a keen ap- 
preciation of humor. This feature of negro min- 
strelsy, together with the interlarded jokes, connn- 
dnims, etc., appealed to this love of fun, and at the 
same time afforded amusement, where amusements 
were scarce. The humor of Ethiopian caricatures 
having been exhausted and the jokes become stale, 
this element has lost its novelty and ceased to be an 
attraction. 

2. The music was adapted to the popular taste, 
the melody being simple, flowing, and easily caught 
by the musical ear, while the harmony was of the 
commonest kind, being confined to the use of two 
chords, tho tonic and dominant. Such common 



chords sung in tune, (as companies constantly practi- 
cing together could hardly help singing,) united with 
simple mcloilics and the rhythmic effects produced by 
the tamborine, banjo, bones, etc., made up an cnter- 
taiment, so far as the music went, jiut$ton a level with 
tlio popular appreciation. We say such music " teas 
adapted to the i)opulur taste." Wo arc glad to say it 
is so no longer. The American people are just 
emerging from musical childhoo<l — putting owav 
childish things — and are no more to be pleaded with 
such puerilities. Hence the resort of '* minstrels" to 
music of a higher order. 
3. These entertainments have always been cheap, 



thus bringing them within reach of the million. W e 
commend this feature to the attention of concert-giv- 
ers generally. 

Of the geueral effects of the rage for negro music 
npon tlie tastes and musical interests of this country, 
we think there can be but one opinion. It has de- 
graded Art, diverted attention and patronage from 
worthy and elevating concerts, and made many a true 
musiaan feel that the only road to success was 
through tho purlieus of buffoonery and badinage. It 
must he admitted, however, that its effect is not whoTI v 
bad. Tho burlesques and comiciilities connected Vith 
those entertainments have drawn in many of the low 
and vulgar, who have first carried away with them 
and hummed and whistled and sung the simple airs 
they have there heard, vntil at last they have come to 
demand music worthy of the name. In our general 
detestation of its musical platitudes and insipidities, 
let us rejoice that, from the laws of the Iiuman mind, 
it codld not exert an influence wholly evil. 

No event within the last half centnr}' has been 
fraught with more unmii^takeable evidence of the pro- 
gress of music in this country, than the demise of this 
hybrid between a Bowery clown and St. Cecilia. 
Wo exult over its fall and take courage for American 
Art. Let Negiv Minstrelsy be now borne to its grave 
amid popular rejoicings, the ringing of bells, and the 
booming of cannon. Let his winding sheet he the 
unsold copies of Uncle Ned, and let there be buried 
with him, as tlie emblems of his departed power, the 
Banjo and the Bones. 



Chicago ICasical Seview. 



lUring uranfed with tfae Uanxs. HlgB^iw, Brothers, of 
Chicago, 111., to supply the sabaeriberB to the " Chieago Mnai- 
cal Reriew " with our Jonmal, monthly, andl the temlnatlon 
of thdr enbeerlpUon, we eommenee the agreeable duty with 
the present number. We had expected to plaee this card 
under the raledlctory notice of Ur. Cadt, the editor of that 
paper; but the document has not arrived; eit'i^r the malls 
have behaTed badly, or Mr. C. has been un»bl« to write in 
time. Before sending the next number we trust to hear from 
him. 

We shall be happy to supply the intermediate and hack 
numbers of our Journal to thoae subscribers to the Chicago 
paper, who care enough for it to pay the balance of the sub- 
scription price. Many will be glad enough to do this, if only 
for the sake of getting more than firagments of the choica 
pieces of music that go with our Journal. 



Kosical Chit-Chat 

We had to fill up a large part of our space this 
week with old selections, already in type, in order 
that tho printers might gain time and have their 
"Independence." This has abridged the editorial 
matter, and crowded out the conclusion of our friend's 
fine criticisms on the English painting, besides a 
" Diary," letters from New York, &c. 

Our "Diarist," Mr. Alexander W. Thatbs, 
sailed from New York on Wednesday, in the good 
ship " Athena," for Bremen, via London. He will 
devote the coming year, in Gerfanany — principally in 
Berlin and Vienna — to the completion of his long 
expected Life of Beethoven. In the meantime look 
out for some interesting correspondence ft'om him in 

these pages We had the pleasant surprise a few 

days since of shaking hands with our Boston tenore, 
Harrison Millard, who had just returned from 
London, looking none the worse for wholesome Eng- 
lish air and fare .... We are to have a renewal of the 
" Promenade Concerts " in the Boston Music Hall, 
commencing next Monday evening, and continuing 
on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. The Brig- 
ade Band, the Germania Band, and Gilmore's Salem 
Band will play in turn. We hope it will not be all 
brass I .... Of the great monster brass band demon- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1858 



119 



stration on the morning of the Fifth, the Courier 
reports: 

Thirty or finrty thoatand p«opltt araembled upon the grMt 
hill of tb« Comiuoii, and perhaps ten thoujiand more around 
the enclosed space in which the inuBirLius were stiitioned. Of 
all tbcK. pofwibly thc'teiitb part were al>le to hear the music. 
A concert in the open air must always be a (kiluro, when at- 
tempted on any lanco scale. What are eighty pt^rforniers iu 
the vast infii it'ude of space ? For the few within hearing, the 
concert was intcTesting. the concluding piece peculiarly xo, as 
developing certain possibl titles of effects novel and stupendous, 
by the introduction of cannon. The idea is not new, llandel 
having ronteinplated it in his time ; but no opportunity of ob- 
serving the result has ever before been afforded here. We niav 
observe in this connection that the uiUhicians played *^HnJl 
Coluuibia in ttie usual hurried, slap-dash manner. It is to be 
hoped thoy wi.l discover the absurdity of doing no some time. 
** Ilxil CoIuuibia '* rapidly played is nothiug— properly har- 
monised and rolled fbrth in stately meaKure, it is grand. The 
rest of the concert amounted to nothing particular. ** Yankee 
Doodle" was perpetrated, with extensive solo operations by 
leaders of the different bands; '' Wood Up '- was again exhum- 
ed from the ob<^curity in which it ought to be permitted for- 
ever to rest ; ** Washington's March " was murdered ; ** The Anvil 
Chorus*' was pounded out on eight diseased anvils; *'The 
Star Spangled lianner " came next, to afford a sufficient pro- 
text for the sudden unfolding of the stars and stripes from a 
temporary flagstaff; then '* Uod Save the Queen," for a similar 
purpose respecting the development of the Union Jack; after- 
wards ** La Marseillaise," to accompany the unfolding of the 
tri-eolor: in turn, ''The KusKian National Iljmn," with a 
spread of bunting supposed to represent the Romanoff cn»ign ; 
subsequently '' The Turkish March,"~-that same old Turkish 
March — on the strength of which the crescent was revealed 
firomaflflh flag-pole;— ultimately ''Hail Columbia," herein- 
before spoken of. 

A most valuable addition to oar American library 
of classical Piano-forte music has just been made in 
the publication, by Messrs. Ditson and Co., of Moz- 
art's Sonatas, nineteen in number, beautifully 
engraved and bound up in one splendid volume; 
price, $6.00 The Promenade Concerts in Phila- 
delphia, by Sentz's Gennania Orchestra, go on, but 
are said to have been so far a failure ])ccuniari1y. . . . 
In Mr. Bexkdict's annual concert in London tlie 
great feature was the performance, for the first time 
in England, of Peigolese's Operetta, La Serva Par 
drona, composed about the year, 1730. 

The Worcaster Palladium compiles " A Mirror of 
the times," out of chance reflections in the poets of 
various notorieties and features of the day ; some of 
them are musical, for instance : 

Jenny Lind. 

" The angels sang in heaven when she was bom." 

A Certain Concert Singer. 

*' To hear him, you'd believe 
An ass was praedalng recitative." 

Byron. 

Carl Formes. 

" That tall man, a giant in bulk and in height, 

Mot an inch of his body is flme ft<om delight ; 

Can he keep himself still, if he would? oh, not he '. 

The mosie stirs in him like wind through a tree." 

Wontswarth. 
Verdi*$ Anvil Chorus, 
" This must be music." said he, *' of tliespearm, 
For I'm blest if each note of it doesn't run through one!" 

Tka Fudge FUmilff. 

Bra$8 Mutcic. 

" Twang out, my fiddle ! shake the twigs ! 

And make her danee attendance ; 
Blow flute, and stir the stiff-set spxigi. 

And schirrous roots and tendons. 
Tis vain ! In such a brassy age 

I could not more a thistle ; 
The very sparrows in the hedge 

Scarce answer to my whistle. 
Oh ! had I lived when song was great, 

And legs of trees were limber, 
And ta'en my fiddle to the gate, 

And fiddled in the timber ! " 

Ttnitytcn, 

The Opera at the New York Academy closed last 
week. Gazzakioa goes to £urope ; and so do Brig- 
KOLi, Amodio and Gassier. Mme. Gassier, a 
singer of some fame, will return with her husband in 

the autumn Signor Perelli's opera, " Clarissa 

Harlowe " has been produced, under his own superin- 
tendence, at the Imperial Theatre in Vienna. A let; 
ter to the London Times, dated Vienna, June 13th, 
says : " Signor Perelli's opera, Clarissa Harlowe, has 
proved a failure, although the music was well sung. 
Almost the only good tilings in the opera were ' bor- 
rowed ' from Donizetti and Verdi." Mile. Tixi- 

ENS, the prima donna at Her Majesty's Theatre, who 
belongs to the Imperial Theatre at Vienna, has been 
unable to get an extension of her leave of absence, 
and her engagement in London was to close on the 
26th of June. Of course this makes it very improb- 
able that Lumley and Bamum can bring her to the 
United States next fall. 



A Choral and Orchestral Concert was given in 
Hartford, Ct., last Monday week, undpr the direc- 
tion of Mr. Henrt Wilson, assisted by J.G. Bar- 
KETT, W. J. Babcock, pianist, and other resident 
talent. The programme was one of the right kind, 
creditable to all concerned. It included the entire 
42nd Psalm : " As the hart pants," by Mendelssohn ; 
Haydn's aria : " With verdure clad " (sung by Mrs. 
Strickland, with orchestra); Sextet from the "Hu- 
guenots ; " Air : Batti, Batti (sung by Miss HoytJ; 
Inflammatus from Bossini's Stabat Mater ; the over- 
ture to Semiramide ; " Wedding March," &c. Such 
a Society will find music in these pages suited to their 
purpose. ... In San Francisco the first concert of Mr. 
Leach, Mrs. Georgiana Stuart Leach, and Miss 
Anna Griswold, took place in the first week of 

June The Philadelphia Academy of Music has 

been leased by Carl Sentz, with his " Germania 
Orchestra," who will give Promenade Concerts, 
nightly, through the summer. 

Stephenson, the sculptor, has designed a monu- 
ment to the memory of John Howard Payne, the 
author of "Home, Sweet Home," the model of 
which in clay may be seen at his studio. No. 195 
Tremont street. It is an allegorical monument, typ- 
ical of the character and profession of the deceased. 

The London Musical World does not get converted 
to the piano-virtuosity of Rubinstein. Speaking 
of the last Philharmonic Concert, it says : 

The performance of Weber's Concert-Stuckhy Herr 
Rubinstein was just u much a burlesque of 'Wcber 
as Mr. Robson's Shy lock, or Macbeth, of Shaks- 
pere, but without those admirable qualities that place 
the impersonations of Mr. Robson among the achieve- 
ments of genuine art. The burlesque of Herr Ru- 
binstein was in no way amusing; on the contrary, it 
was flat and dull, without a spark of intelligence, with- 
out a single happy touch to relieve its intolerable in- 
sipidity. We remember no instance of such an 
amount of presumption, coupled with such an amount 
of impotence. First, Herr Rubinstein's reading of 
the Concert'StOck was ridiculously exaggerated ; and, 
secondly, his mechanical powers did not enable him 
to realize what he had conceived. " What makes it " 
(said Herr Molique, on another occasion), " that he 
play quick, if he play not fin^ ? " Now, Herr Ru- 
binstein plaved quick — ^uncommonly quick — absurdly 
quick ; but ne " played not fine." C>n the contraiy, 
he missed an abundance of notes, and struck a great 
many wrong ones in the bargain. 

gliisir %hxan)i. 

London. 

RoTAL Italian Opera. — // Barbiere was per- 
formed June 2, with Bosio as Rosina, Mario as Count 
Almaviva, and Ronconi as Figaro. The reports are 
enthusiastic. On Tuesday, // Bcuiiere was repeated ; 
and on Thursday, 'Lucrezia Borgia. Auber's Fra 
Diavolo has been given, with Bosio, Murai, Ronconi, 

Her Majesty's Theatre. The last novelty of 
which we have accounts, was the performance of 
Verdi's Luisa Miller, founded upon Schiller's Kabale 
und LiAe. The cast included MUe. Piccolomini, 
Mme. Alboni, Sig. Giuglini, Benevenbmo, Vialetti, 
and others. The singers are praised, but the music 
itself does not appear to have made a great impres- 
sion. We are moved to copy what the Athenceum 
says : 

In power over the strongest emotions of grief and 
pity, Schiller, as a dramatist, has been surpassed by 
few. The coronation act in ' The Maid of Orleans,' 
the departure of Max, and tlie interview betwixt 
Thekla and the soldier in ' Wallenstein ' have a fas- 
cination without limit in their forc«. To think of 
these passages is to call up a phantom of trouble and 
dread, — to return to them is wilfully to place our- 
selves on the rack. Neveitheless, the certain, direct, 
and naked intensity in their passion is sparingly 
adorned by the graces of a rich poetical fancy; and, 
hence, it may be, that so few of Schiller's tragedies 
oifer genial scope to other arts besides that of literal 
stage presentation. If we compare them with ' Ro- 



meo and Juliet,* ' Othello,' ' Hamlet,' ' Macbeth,'— 
even ' Lear,' with its tremendous distress, — ^their in- 
feriority in suggestion, such as painters and musicians 
love, will be apparent. None in the list is a more 
cruel tormentor than Kabale und lAfiie. Perhaps it 
is for this very reason that Signor Verdi, whose de- 
mon seems to demand drums ere it can be made to 
speak, has selected it for the subject of an opera. To 
ourselves, in its absence of local color and in tlie 
monotonv of its misery, it appears thoroaghly ineli- 
gible. ]l^urther, that which must happen to every 
operatized drama has happened to Kabale und lAtbe, 
also in Luisa Miller. The situations are weakened, 
the passion is diluted : in place of midnight, " black 
as a wolfs mouth," we have a darkness, foggy and 
tearful. The rant does not thunder us down — the 
grief fails to melt us. In this fact, we have another 
plea for poetry as an element in all subjects for the 
musical drama, more important than has been ad- 
mitted. The tragedy is shocking, — the opera was 
lachrymose and tiresome, save when the actors amused 
us, without meaning to do such harm. 

There is little, irom first to last, in the music to 
reconcile us to the composer. Signor Verdi's over- 
ture is a long monologue on a phrase of four bars, 
not half so expressive as the well-known four bars, 
" Sara I'alma," in the trio * Crudasortc,' from Signor 
Rossini's ' Ricciardo,' still less as another four, those 
which open the subject of the stretto to the noblejincde 
in * Mo'ise.' But that Signor Verdi is not abashed 
by any amount of platitude, a following hunting 
chorus, exceeding even tlie " Robber chorus " in his 
*Masnadicri,* shows. As regards the so/o music, 
' Luisa Miller ' contains nothing so good as his Setti- 
mino or " sommo Carlo" in "'Emani,' or h\sjinale 
in * Nabucco,' or his quartet in * Rigoletto,' or his 
"Miserere" in ' II Trovatorc.' The heroine might 
be either Gilda, or Violetta, or Abigaille, for any 
touch that marks her life or her country. A pastoral 
introduction, weak if compared with similar things 
by Donizetti, a waltz-chorus, " Quale tin sorriso^" 
again, courageous in its puerility, are the little efforts 
by aid of which we are to consider ourselves in Ger- 
man v. The want of local color, however, might be 
overlooked (in consideration of the maestro^s school 
and country) were there any compensating beauty of 
melody. Everything that is not trite in the score is 
unpleasant. In the unaccompanied quartet, for in- 
stance " Come celar le smanie,' the unisoned passage 
of seven bars for the four voices, is queer, but un- 
meaning. The close of the same movement, were it 
signed by M. Mcverbeer or M. Haldvy, would be 
called French and affected. Exceedingly disagreea- 
ble, too, is the choral introduction to the second act, 
where rhythm is called in to do duty for air. The songs 
are in the known Verdi patterns, full of fever, empty 
of feeling. The caltaldta for tlie tenor, * L' ara o 1' 
avello,' (for which, by the wa^, Signor Giuglini sub- 
stituted another) id, to our liking, the best m/o in the 
opera. Luisa's cavatina, in the last act, ' La tomba 
^ un letto,' with its threadbare staccato theme, has no 
more of the long sleep of the tomb in it than Mar- 
guerite's 'Ah, si j'^tais coquette,' in ' Les Huguenots.' 
The music of * I due Foscari ' was meagre and dis- 
mal enough ; but the music of ' Luisa Miller,' so far 
as idea is concerned, seems yet more meagre and dis- 
mal. To be just, however, after this wholesale dis- 
praise, we should say, that a disposition may be 
traced on the composer's part to enrich and to vary 
his instnimentation, leading him in many passages to 
eccentricity, in some near invention, and in one or 
two happy effect. 

Philharmonic Society. — The programme of 

the fifth concert was as follows : 

Binfonia in C; Mozart. 

Aria (OalTary), Biadame Novello 

Overture. (MelORina); Mendelaaohn. 

Concertfitilck, Herr Rubinatein; Weber. 

Sinfonia in C minor ; BeethoTen. 

Keclt. and Aria. ''Deh rieni," Had. Novello; Homrt. 

Solos, Pianoforte, Herr Rubinstein. 

Overture, ( A nacreoii ) ; Cherubini. 

Conductor— Proftnor Stemdale Bennett. 

Sacred Harmonic Society. — Mr. Costa's Eli 
was given for the first time this season on Friday 
night week. The Hall was crowded to inconvenience 
Eli was produced at the Birmingham Festival of 
1855, with a success almost unparalleled, and brought 
out the same year by the Sacred Harmonic Society. 
Since then it*has become a stock piece in the reper- 
tory. 

Charles Halle's Recitals. — At the third and 
last, on Thursday afternoon, M. HalM introduced 
another very fine sonata of Olementi (in F. major) 
his execution of which was beyond all praise. The 
last movement, a presto, is amazingly spirited, and 
peculiarly in the composer's marked and individual 
manner.' There. were also Mozart's lovely and pas- 



120 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



BioDAte rondo in A minor and Mendelssohn's ex- 
tremely difficolt Presto ScherxemdOf besides an early 
and a late sonata of Beethoyen, op. 7, in E flat, ancl 
op. 90| in E minor, with the exquisite alUgrelto in E 
major, to which Mendelssohn was so parrial. The 
second of these sonatas was played by M. HalM last 
year at the Dudley Gallery. The nrst is not suffi- 
ciently often. It is perhaps* the most beautiful as it 
is the most laively developed of the early pianoforte 
works of the " immeasurably rich master." Chopin's 
Noeturne in D flat (op. 37, ifo. S^, with two numbers 
from the Promaiadet d*un Solitaire and the Tarantella 
in A flat, capital specimens of M. Stephen Heller, 
completed the programme. These could hardly have 
been performed in a more finished manner. 



iht %tU, 



MWWWWMWMWWWWW«MnM^«A«NAMM^ 



for ]hrfsht*s Joornal of Musle. 

ThA AthcnwwiTn EzhibitioiL 

Till. OIL PICTURBB. (cOXTINUSd). 

It is the familiar experience of critical readers of 
Shakfpeare, that theatrical perM>nations of his great 
characters generally involye the serious mutilation, 
if not the complete sacrifice of their most important 
attributes. Whether in the moral complexity of 
Macbeth, the diabolism of Richard III., or the meta- 
physical subtlety of Hamlet, the impressions of the 
author's conceptions, which are derived from a i-ead- 
ing of the plays, are lavishly outraged in the average, 
and hardly reinforced in the best stage representa- 
tions. 

Nor is it certain that they have been more ade- 
quately interpreted through the medium of pictorial 
illustrations. The fkmous Boydell Gallery, howso- 
ever admirable in some respects, rests its fame upon 
other than Shakspearian merits. Betssch's outlines 
are more conventionai adaptations, than true inspira- 
tions; and John Gilbert throws the power of his 
fertile brain and Uie cunning of his hand into the 
scale of these comedies ; so, that, judging out of these 
I have named, if we would recall the living energies 
of Shakspearo's grandest creations, we must go to 
the magical text, along whose lines troop shapes of 
mighty heroes voicing their cadences to the thoughts 
they bear. 

Among the several arguments against the above 
conclusion offered by this exhibition, is Madox 
Brown's *'King Lear," No. 93, which, although 
not wholly convincing, is certainly a most forcible 
plea. 

Passing over with approval his choice of time and 
incident, as affbrding that point of repose into which 
the tender pathos of the drama could be most im- 
pressively gathered, and before discussing the real 
merit of his conception, I would suggest that it is 
not textnally true; that he has not conceived the 
" fact as it was really likely to have happened, ratlier 
than as it most prettily might liave happened," which 
Mr. Buskin says, the modem Pre-Raphaelite con- 
scientiously endeavours to do, but has warped the 
natural action of the scene to enhance the effect in 
his composition. At the risk of seeming hyper^ 
critical, I will adduce some proof of this. 

Between the order of the Fliysician, and the lines 
Bpoken by Cordelia, which are printed in the cata- 
logue, occurs a passage that seems to have an imme- 
diate verbal and dramatic connection with the one 
quoted as forming the motive to the picture, and to 
indicate its accompanying physical action with con- 
siderable cleameBS. 

Por the purpose of awakening Lear the phy- 
sician orders louder music, when Cordelia, who is 
anxiously awaiting the^ event, that she may assure 
her father of the unabated loyalty of her sifection, 
breaks out in the following invocation : 

Cor. mj dMr flithw! Eattontloo, hang 
Thy BMdldiM on mj Upt; aad l«t this Um 
Repair thOM viels&t hums, that mj two itotors 
Havo la thy rovoroneo mada! 

JCmi. Kind and diarpiiiMtsi! 



When follows : 

Cor. Had you nbt been their flither, 
Theee white flakea, ke. 

as quoted in the catalogue. 

The above passage demands that Cordelia should 
be at her father's bedside ; and in the transition from 
this perfect expression of filial love, to that of sor- 
rowful indignation at tlie unnatural cruelty of her 
sisters, there is nothing which warrants the artist in 
removing her to the foot of the bed, and there mak- 
ing a theatrical "point" of her emotions in attitudi- 
nized affectation. 

There is doubtless abandonment, as there is deep 
tenderness and strong nature in lier grief; but it 
would naturally express itself as she bends over her 
sleeping father, eagerly scanning his face, and tracing 
therein the lines of his mighty passions, and bitter 
sorrows, which, in her infinite compassion, she marks 
as scores against her own happiness. It is only when 
Lear wakes that she steps back, and then bids the 
physician speak to him, fearing perhaps tliat he may 
not welcome her presence, or that its too sudden 
announcement may endanger the quiet to which she 
hopes rest and kind treatment have restored him. 
Thus much for the equivocal ** fidelity to truth " in 
the compoeition of this picture. Mr. Brown violates 
the probable physical action of the scene to secure 
pictorial effect ; and at the expense of that power- 
fully poetic suggestiveness which dwells in natural 
attitudes, and would bo found in the passion-wrecked 
old Lear quietly sleeping beneath the bending form 
and tender watchfulness of his child, Cordelia. 

I have urged this at some length, because here is a 
mis-statement of fact, involving also some denial of 
the poetical capabilities of the subject, incompatible 
with perfect " truth," and a condition of honest pas- 
sivity in the receptive process of gatliering the total 
impression of a scene through the aggregation of 
parts, which necessarily precedes the creative one of 
imaginative reconstruction. 

Independent of this, and other maiked defidencieB, 
this picture is powerfully and rightly impressive. 
The prostration of Lear is physical, rather than 
mental, and Cordelia's mingled love and resentment 
are so subtly expressed as to be recognized only 
through faith, and patient scnitiny; and yet, we 
derive from this work a haunting remembrance of a 
passion which, springing from a hot nature, stirred 
by foul cruelty, o'erleaped nature, and in a single 
stride reached a height of demonic sublimity ; and 
then suddenly drooped, with utter exhaustion, into 
the tender, sad waywardness of grieved, joyless old 
age ; as also of the love of that daughter, whose 
simple truth of speedi won for her a father's cune, 
which she forgave without forgetting, and who lost 
her lifi) in restoring him to power, when she had 
regained his love. 

We find a suggestiveness of this, in the sombre 
tone of color, and the alternating gloom and sunshine 
of the tent, landscape, and sky. We read it in the 
profoundly abstracted face of the fool, who stands 
gazing sadly at the King, and apparently absorbed 
in the painful retrospection of those swift calamities 
which he in his strange, untaught wisdom foresaw, 
but could not avert from the head of his master, and 
in the loutish face of Kent, kindling with adoration 
as he listens to Cordelia's recital of love, as loyal as 
his own, and heightened by a daughter's tenderness ; 
and we hear it issuing as an unearthly symphony 
from the instruments of that motley group of musi- 
cians, accompanied by a low, throbbing undertoiie, 
which interweaves itselt with tlie fiercest chords, sub- 
duing them with ineffable pathos, and lingering at 
the close like the serene flush of twilight. 

Notwithstanding its incompleteness, the power of 
the exhibition culminates in this picture, and it is 
much to be regretted that it has not been detained 
among us. 

(ConeluiSoa next week.) 



DEBCRIPTiyS LIST OP THB 

P«bllah«4l by CK DISmb St €•• 

Vocal, with Fiaao. 

Wapping Old Stairs. Song. S5 

One of the old, elandard BnflMi songs. 

Thy Loving Call. Ballad. Emermm. S5 

A ehunking love eong, quite eai^. 

The Promised Land. Song. Slomtm, 25 

Sweet and pathelte, with qvlU an IftitUaa flow of 
Bfitfody. Rather easy, but In nme degree briUleat. 
Altogether a desbable seog, sneh ee will take bold 
vpon a mofleal eer. 



On we come to the soand of the drum. Song. 

G. H, RtatBtU. 30 
Of bold and nartle] ehiiaeter, wRh the veqr air of 
ttieeamp. 

XnatnunMital. 

The First Kiss. Polka. K Farmer, 50 

An anufoallj pretty Polka, or beitnr, Behottieeh. Jnet 
the thing to plaj lot a danee In the pailor. TIm tMe 
pace is embellWied with a toe Uthopaph. 

Juvenile Sonatina. JJ. Sehudnff. 30 

A Uttt* Inetmetlve work of mneh meili, and withal 
pleasing to the yovng player. The eonpotitions of this 
attthor, moetty written lot lattrmtive pnrpoeei, beer 
a strong iwmblance to the mneh landed ifantlir weeks 
of eleiiing old anthore. Teaebere who strlte to pro- 
mote a eolid tajite in their pnplle shonld avail th«a- 
selvM of theee efforts of their ootoftpocary. 

Kinloch of Kinloch, and I'm o'er young to marry 
yet. Transcribed. Wallace, 80 

This la a tianseription of medlom diSenlty. The 
aln, althongh long known, have nefvr beflkne been put 
into a Ibnn elegant enough to adnit th«a into the 
boodoir of the ndned mneieal aaatenr. Wallace*e 
arrangenent will gain ready admittance fcr tham 
e?nry where. It removes the womoat and hackneyed 
touch whleh melodlae of so raqMelable standing Inva- 
ziably have. 

Lago Maggiore Quadrille. D' Albert, 80 

The 0ve parte of this Quadrille Itoini a bouquet of 
aln borrowed from Italian oompoeen. Thsy aie not 
the aln that every body knowa and every body Is llred 
of, but aomegem8,aeleeted from Paelni'e, Meroadaate^a 
and others' works, which ftirniah spirited and striking 
quadrille musle. Bisy. 

Prise Banner Quickstep. With variations. 

C, Grobe, S5 



Fredonia Mareh. 
Hero's Quickstep. 



M 



«l 



14 



it 



S5 
S5 



Buy armngementa of " Helodlea of the day.'* Ac- 
ceaalble to playen of only little 



BookB. 

Sbmixabt Class Book or'MirBic. — Designed 

for SeminarieB, High Schools, Private Classes, 

&c., containing Elementary Instructions. Vocal 

Exercises, Solfeggios, and a Copious Selection 

of Secular and Sacred Songs, DueU and Trios. 

By £. L. White and T. BisselL 50 

An improved edition of this valualile woik baa been 
iaaued, in which the auggeattons of those well qualified 
to judge of what la wanted In oar Bemlnariea and High 
flohoola have been acted .upon, and the reault la a vol- 
ume of mualo with auitable inatructlona. In eveiy per- 
tlcular adapted to the use of those fbr whom It Is in- 
tended. The Blementary Studiae are simple, and sr- 
xangod with a view to a progreaaive, thorough attain- 
ment of the Art of Vocal Music. The SoUhggioB are 
mostly taken from the beet maatere, end are ananged 
Ibr two or thrae Soprano voieea. The Songa, Duets, and 
Trios axe partly origliml, and pertly aeleeted from the 
beet compoaltiona of the day. The flongi and moot of 
the Dueta have a piano aoeompanlment, and the Trioa 
may be aung by two Bopranoa and a Baaa. The aeleo- 
t&on of worda has been made with much good tsate, 
and tha volume closes with a eho l oeeo U setlonof sseied 




|0iintal 





MIL 



Whole No. 328. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1858. 



Vol. Xm. No. 16. 



(From tlM AtlADile Uontbly.) 

I—Vovember. 

The dead leaves their rich mosAici, 

Of olive and gold and brawn, 
Had lain on the rain-wet pavements, 

Through all the embowered town. 

They were washed by the Antamn tempest, 
They were trod by hnrrying feet, 

And the maids came ont with their besoms 
And swept them into the street, 

To be crushed and lost forever 

'Neath the wheels, in the black mire loet»— 
The Summer's predons darlings, 

She nortnred at snch cost t 

O words tiiat have &Ilen from me t 

golden thoughts and tme 1 
Mnst I see in the leaves a symbol 

Of the &te which awaiteth yoo f 



U— ApriL 

Again has oome the Spring-time, 

With the croeos's golden bloom. 
With the smell of the fresh4amed earth moald. 

And the violet's perfume. 

O gardener I tell me the secret 
Of thy flowers so rare and sweet !— 

— " I have only enriched my garden 
With the black mire from the street." 



TmaaMtd fcr thii JouraftL 

Henri Heine abont Knsio and Kniieians. 

U. THE PIANO-FOBTS VIRTUOSOS. 

Pabis, afu«h 26, IMS. 
The reigning bourgeoiflie have, for their sins, 
not only to stand old claasieal tragedies and trilo- 
gies, which are not claasical ; the heavenly powers 
have bestowed on them a yet more terrible 
artistic pleasure : namely, that Piano-forte, which 
one can nowhere now escape ; you hear it ring 
in every house, in every company, both day and 
night Yes, Piano-forte is the name of that in- 
strument of martyrdom, with which the fine 
society of these days is particularly racked and 
scourged for all its usurpations. If only the 
innocent had not to suffer with the guilty I Thu 
ererlasting piano-thrununing is no more to be 
endured I (Ah! my fair next-door neighbors, 
those young daughters of Albion, are this very 
moment playing a brilliant morceau for two left 
hands.) These hard, tinkling tones, with no 
natural dying away, these heartless whirring 
sounds, this arch-prosaic rattling and picking, 
this forte-piano kills all onr thought and feeling, 
and we become stupid, dull and imbecile. This 
ascendancy of piano-playing, and indeed these 
triumphal processions of piano virtuosos are char- 
acteristic of our times, and proclaim the victory 
of machine-life over the spirit. The technical 
facility, the precision of an autamaton, the identifi- 
cation of self with wood and wire, the sounding 
transfimnation of the man into an instrument, is 
praised and celebrated as the highest Like 
■warms of k)custs come the piano virtuosos erery 
winter to Paris, less to earn money than to make 



themselves here a name, whereby to reap a richer 
harvest in other countries. 

Paris serves them as a sort of bulletin board, 
whereon their glory may be read in colossal 
letters ; for it is the Parisian press that proclaims 
them to the credulous world, and these virtuosos 
show their shrewdest virtuosity in managing the 
journals and the journalists. They know how to 
reach even the most hard of hearing, for men 
are always men, are susceptible to flattery, love 
dearly, too, to play the protector's part; and one 
hand washes the other ; the least clean, however, 
is seldom that of the journalist, and even the 
cheap retailer of praises is at the same time a 
deceived blockhead, who gets half his pay in 
wheedling caresses. People talk of the venality 
of the press ; they are much mistaken. On the 
contrary, the press is usually duped, and this is 
particularly the case with it in regard to cele- 
brated virtuosos. For celebrated are they all; 
that is to say in the puffs which they in person, 
or through a brother, or through their lady 
mother, dSer to be printed. You can scarcely 
believe, how abjectly they beg in the newspaper 
bureaux for the smallest alms of praise, how they 
cringe and how they fkwn. 

When I still stood in great fiivor with the 
Director of the Gazette Musicale — (ah 1 by my 
youthful levity I have joked it away) — I had a 
chance to see with my own eyes, how subject- 
like those fiunous ones lay at his feet and crawled 
and wagged their tails before him, that they 
might be praised a bit in the columns of his 
journal ; and of our highly celebrated virtuosos, 
who, like conquering princess, accept homage in 
all the capitals of Europe, one might well say in 
the manner of Beranger, that the dust of Moritz 
Schlesinger's boots is yet visible upon their laurel 
crowns. One has no idea how these people 
speculate upon our credulity, if one has not seen 
their importunity here on the spot 

In the bureau of the above-named musical 
journal I met once a tattered old man, who an- 
nounced himself as the father of a famous virtu- 
oso, and begged the editors of the journal to print 
a reclame, in which some noble traits out of his 
son's artist life were brought to the knowledge of 
the public. The famous youth, it seems, had 
somewhere in the southern part of France given 
a concert, with colossal success, and with the pro- 
ceeds had supported an old Gothic church that 
threatened to tumble into ruin ; on another occa- 
sion he had played for a widow who had been 
flooded out, or for a seventy-year old school- 
master, who had lost his only cow, and so on. 
After longer conversation with the father of tliat 
benefactor of mankind, the old man quite naively 
confessed, that his distinguished son did not do so 
much for him, as he might do, and that he often 
suffered him to starve a little bit I might advise 
the celebrated person to give a concert some day 
for the dilapidated trowsers of his poor old 
&ther. 

When one has seen this pitiable right, he can- 
not feel indignant at the Swedish students, who 



expressed themselves rather too strongly against 
this nuisance of virtuoso-deification, and prepared 
the well-known ovation ioit the famous Ole Bull 
when he arrived in Upsala. The honored hero 
thought indeed, that t&ey were going to unhar- 
ness his horses, and was reckoning with com- 
posure upon torch-light procession and flowery 
crowns, when he met a most unexpected good 
sound honorary cudgelling, — a real northern su> 
prise. 

The matadors of this present season were 
MM. SivoRi and Drbtschock. The first is 
a fiddler, and as such I place him above the latter, 
the terrible piano-smiter. With the violinist 
virtuosity is not entirely the result of mechanical 
finger facility and mere technics, as with the 
pianist The violin is an instrument which has 
almost human humors, and stands in sympathetic 
rapport with the mood of the player, so to say: 
the least shade of unhappiness, the slightest com- 
motion of the spirit, a mere breath of feeling, 
finds here an immediate echo; and that copies 
from the fact, that the violin, being pressed so 
very closely to our breast, perceives our very 
heart-beat This is only the case, though, with 
artists who actually caiTy in their breast a heart 
that beats, — who have in fiu^t a soul. The emp- 
tier and more heartless the violin-player, the 
more uniform will always be Jiis execution, and 
he can count on the o1jodiciA:c of Ids fiddle, at 
all hours, in all places. But thi^ much-praised 
certainty is afler all but the result of inteUectnal 
limitation, and the greatest masters have been 
they,^whose playing was not seldom dependent 
upon outward and inward influences. I have 
heard no one play better, and also at times no 
one play worse, than PAOiLmNi ; and I may say 
the same thing of Ernst. This latter, Ernst, 
perhaps the greatest violinist of our day, resem- 
bles Paganini in his fliults, as well as in his geni- 
us. Ernst's absence was much lamented here 
this winter. Signor Sivori was a very tame sub- 
stitute, yet we have heard him with great satis- 
faction. Because he was bom in Genoa, and 
perhaps as a child occasionally met Paganini in 
the narrow streets of his native city, where it 
would have been impossible to turn out of his 
way, he has been proclaimed here as his pupiL 
No, Paganini never had a pupil ; could not have 
one; for the best that he knew, that which is 
the highest in Art, can neither be tiiught nor 
learned. 

What is the highest in Art? That which in 
all other manifestations of life also is the highest: 
the self-conscious- freedom of the soul. Not only 
a piece of music, composed in the fullness of that 
self-consciousness, but also the mere delivery of 
the same can be regarded as artistically the high- 
est, if it only breathes over us that wonderful 
breath of infinity, which instantly announces that 
the executant stands on the same free spirit's 
height with the composer, — that he also is a free 
man. Nay, this consciousness of freedom in Art 
reveals itself especially through form, through 
treatment ; in no case through the subject mat- 



122 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ter; on tho contrary we may maintain that 
artists, "who have chosen freedom it"*clf and the 
struirsle for freedom for their subject, are com- 
monly men of limited and fettered soul, arc 
actually not free 



March 2G, 1843. 

As the most remarkable appearances of th<j 
present season I have named MM. SivoRi and 
Dreyschock. The latter has reaped the great- 
est applause, and I may truly record, that public 
opinion has proclaimed him one of the greatest 
piano virtuosos and placed him on a level with 
the most admired. He makes a licllish spectacle. 
You seem to hear not one piani «t, Dreyschock, 
but drei Schock, three score, pianists. As the 
wind on the evening of his concert was south- 
westerly, you might perhaps perceive the power- 
ful tones in Augsburg ; at such a distance their 
effect is certainly agreeable. But here, in the 
department of the Seine, one's tympanum may 
easUy burst when this piano-smiter thunders 
away. Hang thyself, Franz Li.szt, thou art but 
a common wind-god in comparison with this 
thunder-god, who binds the storms together like 
a birchen rod and therewith scourges the sea. 
The older pianists sink more and more into the 
shade, and these poor, out-lived Invalids of fame 
must suffer for it now severely, that they were 
over-estimated in their youth. KALKBREX^'ER 
alone maintains himself a little while. He has 
publicly appeared this winter, in the concert of a. 
lady pupil ; upon his lips still shines that embalm- 
ed smile, which we have lately remarked also on 
one of the £g>'ptian Pharaohs, when his mummy 
was unwound here in the museum 

A contemporary- of Kalkbrenner is Herr Pixis, 
and although he is of a subordinate rank, yet we 
will mi^nfion him here as a curiosity. But is 
Herr Pixis really still living ? He maintains so, 
appealing at the same time to the testimony of 
Herr Sina, the famous watering-place viifitor of 
Boulogne, who must not be confounded with 
Mount Sinai. We will put confidence in this 
brave wave-compeller, although many evil tongues 
assure us, that Herr Pixis never really ex- 
isted. No, the latter is a man, who actually 
lives ; I say a man, although a zoologist would 
give him a more long-tailed name. Herr Pixis 
came to Paris at the time of the invasion, in the 
moment when the Apollo Belvidcre was restored 
to the Romans and had to leave Paris. The 
acquisition of HeiT Pixis must have been some 
compensation to the French. He played piano, 
composed, too, very neatly, and his little musical 
pieces were particularly valued by the bird-sel- 
lers, who teach canary-birds to sing on hand- 
organs. They have only to hum over a compo- 
sition of Herr Pixis once to these little yellow 
creatures, and they catch it on the spot, and 
twitter it over after, till you are delighted and 
every one applauds: Pixissime! Since the old 
Bourbons have left the field, there is no more 
shouting Pixissime; the new singing birds de- 
mand new melodies. By his outward appearance, 
the physical man, Herr Pixis still passes for some- 
what; he has in fact the biggest nose in the 
musical world, and to make this specialty the 
more strikingly noticeable, he oflen shows himself 
in the com]>any of a composer of Romances, who 
has no nose at all, and who on that account has 
recently received the order of the Legion of 
Honor ; for certainly it was not for hb music that 



M. Paxheron was decorated in that fasliion. 
They say, that he is to be named Director of the 
Grand Opera, becau.*5C he is the only man, of 
whom it is not to be feared, that maestro GiACO- 
MO Mkykrdeer will lead him by tlie nose. 

Herr Herz belongs, like Kalkbrenner and 
Pixis, with the mummies ; he shines now only 
through his beautiful Concert Hall ; he died long 
ago, and lately, too, he married. Among the 
resident piani.sts here, who now have most suc- 
cess, are IIalle and Edward Wolf ; but only 
of the latter will we take especial notice, since 
he is also distingui^jhed as a composer. Edward 
Wolf is fruitful and full of verve. Stephen 
Heller is more composer than virtuoso, although 
he is also highb' honored for his piano-playing. 
His musical productions all bear the stamp of a 
distinguished talent, and he belongs alrcady with 
the great masters. He is a true artist, without 
affectation, without extravagance ; romantic feel- 
ing in classical form. Tualberg has been in 
Paris these two montlis, but will give no concert 
himself; he will only play in public in the con- 
cert of one of his friends. This artist distin- 
gui.shes himself to advantage from his pianist 
colleagues by, I might almost say, his musical 
deportment. As in his life, so also in his art 
Thalberg shows an innate tact ; his delivery is so 
gentleman-like, so well-to-do, so respectable, so 
wholly without grimace, so wholly without any 
forced air of genius, so wholly without that bully- 
ing clownishness which ill hides inwaixl timidity. 
Healthy women like him. Sickly ladies are 
not less gracious to him, although be does not 
claim their sympathy by epileptic onslaughts on 
the piano, although he does not speculate upon 
their over-sensitively tender nerves, although he 
neither electrifies nor galvanizes them ; negative, 
but fine peculiarities. There is but one, whom I 
prefer to him, and that is Chopin, who is, how- 
ever, far more a composer than a virtuoso. With 
Chopin I forget entirely the mastery of piano- 
playing, and sink into the sweet abysses of his 
music, into the melancholy loveliness of his no 
less deep than tender creations. Chopin is the 
great, genial tone -poet, who should properly be 
mentioned only in the company of Mozart or 
Beethoven or Rossini. 



Sevival of Bach's Mnsic. 

[From the London Htttiical TTorld.] 

There are certain phases of musical progress which 
wo believe can find a parallel in no other art. The 
Bach mania, which very recently has pervaded all 
classes of the musical comm unity — ^perhaps even 
more in this country than in Germany — is one of 
them. On the 30th of July, 1750, in the 66th year 
of his age, died the very greatest of " absolute musi- 
cians ; " and now more than a century later we ore 
beginninff to estimate properly his worth. 

HeiT Richard Wagner, though perhaps tlie least 
mufiical in temperament of all men who have endeav- 
ored, through the medium of music, to express out- 
wardly what inwardly moved them, has admirably 
marked the distinction between the musician per se, 
and the musician compelled to invite extraneous influ- 
ences, as aids in the cultivation and promulgation of 
his art. The author of the Kunstwerk der Zuk'unfl pro- 
nounces Mozart to be the gi-eatest " absolute musi- 
cian ; " and here, as in many other places, sheik's 
how little he comprehended music in the abstract. 
A thousand forces acted upon the plastic nature of 
Mozart, just as a millon did ujwn the still more plas- 
tic Beethoven. With Bach it was othenvise : music 
was his whole being ; he revealed himself invarinbly 
in music, no matter what he had to say, simple or 
elaborate, trivial or sublime. Even the orchestral 
symphonies of Beethoven cannot be compared to tho 
preludes and fugues of Bach, as exemplifications of 
art wholly independent of other resources than its 
own. The world of imagination and of dreams sug- 



gested endless ideas to Beethoven, to which music 
gave expression. Like Mozart,' ho was not only a 
mnsicinn, but a philosopher, a man of the world, and 
a poet. Not so Buch. Bnch wns a musician, and nothing 
more. Whatever imprcKsions ho may have received 
from the cxhanstlcss phenomena of nature were bu1>- 
scrvjcnt to the art which was his only luu^unge. Had 
it occurred to Bach to write ajjastordJ spuphmti/f how 
diftcrcntly would he have accomplished his task ! 
The sonj; of the nij^htingalc would have formed tho 
principal subject of a fugue, to wliich tlie cry of the 
quail might have made one episode, and the notes of 
the cuckoo another. These pretoral objects would 
have l)ccn submitted without mercy to every device 
of counterpoint ; while some ingeniously contrived 
*' Ktrelto," towards the end, would have brought the 
three voices as close together ns Beethoven has brought 
them in the second movement of his immorttU sym- 
phonv. With Bach, howcvcr,the nightingale, the q nail, 
and the cuckoo would have been mmle to ctherializo 
music — instead of, as in the case of Beethoven, music 
ethcrcali/ing the cuckoo, tho quail, and the nightin- 
gale. Thus Bnch was a musician alwolntcly : for 
beyond music to him there was nothing ; while Beet- 
hoven was a mnsician relatively, since all things in 
nature ministered to his invention, and helped him in 
the development of his art. Beethoven might per- 
haps havo been a great sculptor, or a great painter ; 
but Bach could only have been a mnsician ; and for 
this reason, though profonndcr men than ho havo 
shed glory on Music, Bach was still tho fir^t of rnvsi- 
cians. Idstcn to the G minor Symphony of Mo«art ; 
and then, immediately after, to one of the most finish- 
ed instrumental pieces of Bach — ^for example, the 
violin solo sonata in C, performed with such cxti-aor- 
dinarv effect by Herr Joseph Joachim, at the last 
New iPhilharmonic Concert. Compare the two. The 
exclamation after each, in one respect, will be much 
to the same purport. " What a splendid piece of 
music ! " you will say of one ; and idem of tho other. 
And vet they are as wide apart as the poles. Mozart's 
symphony is a poom in music, of which passion and 
love are the elements. Bach's sonata is simply music 
— ^magnificent music, hut music without ainr relation 
whatever to the out.«ido world, and therefore music 
which can never possibly havo a chance of penetrat- 
ing to the inmost heart of the crowd that constitutes 
nine-tenths of humanity. 

On die 30tli of July, 1750, died the very greatest 
of " absolute musicians ;" and now, on the 19th of 
June, 1858, we are congratulating our readers on the 
progressive taste for his works ! What there is in 
Bach's music to have staved of general appreciation 
for a century, and yet, at the end of that century, to 
put to the blush all those who had failed to appreci- 
ate it, we cannot pretend to say ; but it is quite true 
that the glowing encomiums and unbridled enUiusi- 
asm of the initiated were impotent, as years went by, 
to persuade the moiority of tho transcendent merits 
of the Patriarch of harmony. " Patriareh, as much 
as you please " — ^was tlie prevalent admission ; " but 
spare us the infliction ." Now things have changed ; 
and, what is most consoling. Bach goes " up " \vith- 
out Handel and the rest going " down." Now, 
more than ever, the Leipsic Cantor is hailed " Patri- 
arch ; " while no one wishes to be spared " the inflic- 
tion." 

Tho last six months havo been especially marked 
by a continually growing appreciation of Bach's 
music. The youngest and most gifted of our estab- 
lished pianists, Miss Arabella Goddard, has been 
plaving his fugues, not merely to select circles, but to 
multitudes, and always with success. The Passion of 
St. Matthew, backed "by the influence and true devo- 
tion of Professor Bennett, has obtained its first em- 
phatic recognition in London ; and since then, M. 
HalM, with "suites" and "partitas," Herr Joseph 
Joachim, with solo violin-sonatas, and vocal music at 
Mr. Hnllah's concerts or elsewhere, have, step by 
step, advanced the cause. Decidedly the music of 
John Sebastian Bach is becoming popular — ^which, if 
popularitv be its just due, is not a bit too early, see- 
mg that the composer has been dead nearly one hun- 
dred years and ten.* 

* Bach died eight reart before Handel. The tiro great mu- 
■Icianii never met. aJthough they produced ihtkc worka and 
earned their tame contemporaneously. 

Music IN New Orleans. — A lively correspon- 
dent of the Musical Review, who was in the Crescent 
city previous to the close of the operatic season there, 
writes as follows : 

I attended a Sacred Concert, given in die Catholic 
church, and led by the kindest conductor I ever saw. 
He not only put the chorus through in enthusiastic 
style, but stood beside all the solo singers, and beat 
time for them. As I never saw the like of that liefore, 
I was induced to wish his charity might also prompt 
him to do the singing. Think of such a compliment 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1858. 



123 



to soloist and or^iiniKt, to have the conductor beat 
time in a public conceit ! 

The Frcnch opci*a i« the stand in jr mu.«ical institu- 
tion of tlie phicc. The house itKcIf is coinpnrntivcly 
small, witli scenery which looks like a calico drcss 
washed for the nhioty-uinih time ; and the other np- 
])ointmcnts, as though tliey had become damap^d 
travc)in«^ to the pawnbrokers and back. Prima donna- 
ly, Mad. Colson has been sinping here for ycai-s, and 
is very f^od. Her voice is of a veiled qualitv, and 
her execution indicative of study and care. She has 
the reputation of tiein^ a very estimable laily. Mad. 
Paolo is the second donna, or rather mezzo soprano, 
posscsMug a voice exuberant and of R:ushing fresh- 
ness. She sinji^ Verdi splendidly. T Iw tenor, Del- 
a^nive, is a little fellow, who acts like a woman, and 
has a voice very similar to Ceresa; has Ixjcn (truth- 
fully) "indisposed" for six montlis, and for which 
reason he backs down on the hi;;h tones, and sickens 
into falsetto. There is another " oh-summer-night " 
tenor, with a Dutch tongue, who looks as sweet as 
sugar ; and another ditto, who is a whole team on a 
fortissimo G or A ; but he can't diminish to the lines 
again without a " break," to save his life. The little 
baritone sings entirely oat of the eigar-sido of his 
mouth, and the big one is fiat as a pancake. The 
basso, Mr. Junca, is *' tlie noblest Koman of them 
all." Ho has a pliysique like our always-magniticent 
Badiali, (" to memoiy dear,") and sings nobly. 
Would you believe it? — Cesare Bailiali is unknown 
down here. Frcsumo Uie iXHison is, did not sing 
French, and therefore never appeared here. 



MnsieiaBs and 

CFrom Punch.] 
The following paper wu picked up between St Jame8*« HaII 
and Hanwell, at the height of the late hot weather: — 

I am not mad ! I'm but fanaiico 
Per la mHsica — " De Lunatico 
Inquirendo " no commission 
On my person e'er shall sit ! 
No Forbes Winslow, ConoUy, Sutherland, 
No mad doctor's inquisition 

To the question shall put my wit 
I scorn the science of father and mother-land. 
But the art of Italia, Deutschland aud Gallia, 
How I revel, how I rage, how I wanton in it I 
Bravo, Brava, Bravi, Bravissimo, 
E' Fortissimo, E* Pianissimo ! 
Two Philharmonic Castalias flowing, 
Three Italian Operas going 
Hammer and tongs, 
TromIx)ncs and gongs ! 
Viola, Violin, Violoncello, 
Clarionet shrill and Saxhorn mellow — 
Flautif fagotti, cembcJe sounding, 
Kettle-drums clashing, big drums pounding, 
And confusion worse confounding ! 
Three Travialas in d iff 'rent quarters. 
Three Eigoietti mnrd'ring^their daughters ! ! 
Three Twoatori beheading their brothers. 
By the artful contrivance of three gypsy mothers ! 
Verdi in the Haymarket, Verdi at the Lane, 
Green's in Covent Garden and Verdi again ! 
Was ever a being so music be-ridden. 
Barrel organ be-ground : German-brass-band-bestrid- 
den! 
What with all the Concerts at all the Halls, 
And the Oratorios — Sampsons and Sauls — 
Mozart and Mendelssohn, Haydn and Handel — 

All lights of the Art in every part. 
From the blaze of the Sun to a farthing-candle 1 
And the Classical mating, 
With Clauss's touch satin v. 
That to hear her your heart seems to go pit-a-pat 
in ye — 
And Halle so dignified, pure, and sonorous. 
And Henry Leslie's amateur chorus, 
And Fair Arabella, so melting and mellow. 
That she charms the stem judgment of Autocrat Ella, 
And Rubinstein, — rapid and rattling of fist, 
That one cries out with Hamlet's papa, "Liszt, Oh 
Liszt." 

And Piatti, Di Dio, con faoco, con brio. 
The famed fagottisti, and violinisti, 



Suf)€rlH, SuUiine, Divine Artisti! 
Joachim, Sainton, and Blagrove, and Molique, 
Whose famed Strndlvariusscs, 
Amntis', Guamariusses, 
Can groan like the chol'ra, and scream like the colic, 
And the nspimnts all, 
The great and the small. 
Let loose upon London, to blow, scrape, or sqimll, 
From Prague and from Paris and Berlin and Brus- 
sels, 
With small stocks of brain, bnt immense power of 
mnscles I 

I breakfast off programmes, 

I sup upon scores, 
I vote my friends focgrums. 
And flats, brutes, and bores, 
Because they object to my musical taste. 
And declare that I'm crazy, and ought to be placed 

In the care of the Court 

******** 

Here the dJS. closes in a maze of Musical notation. 



The New Flay at the Howard AthensBiim. 

[From the Courier, Julj 12.] 

" Wit shoots in vain its momentary fires." This 
line of our accommodating quotiition suggests) thoughts 
of that truly brilliant and charming play, which, pro- 
duced at any other time, would have run its full meas- 
ure of success, but which, coming at so unprr>pitious 
a season has only won a fame for the author without 
adding much, we suppose, to his fortune ; that play, 
the first worthv of a lasting record among American 
dramatic productions, " The Queen's Heart." The 
reputation of this comedy was firmly enough estab- 
lished by its first performance, but succeeding repre- 
sentations have added vastly to the favor with which 
it is regarded bv all who have seen it. It was cer- 
tainly universally welcomed at first with the wannest 
expressions of approbation, but as, unfortunately, the 
custom here in Boston is to pour indiscriminate lau- 
dations on everything new, the value of this approval 
was not, after all, of the highest. This very season, 
at this very theatre, we have seen, for instance, a play 
literally stolen fjx>m French authors, and passed otlf 
as original, praised l)eyond all reason, as a great 
American work, and nraised all the more persistently 
after the fraud had been exposed ; we have seen an 
indescribably bad three act play, — ^^vrilten by a tal- 
ented man to be sure, but one lacking the play- 
wright's inspiration, — so bad as to be forever with- 
drawn on the second night, complimented repeatedly 
as if in the author a Yankee Scrilx) had dawned upon 
the world. While this sort of thing lasts, an^ it 
seems likely enough to last a good while, a produc- 
tion of genuine merit has no chance. The hyperbole 
of panegyric having been long ago wasted on worth- 
less things, what is left for those which are worthy ? 
For this reason, we would endeavor to represent more 
particularly the real excellence of this new comedy — 
not forgettmg its faults, for it has them, although few, 
we believe, not easily to bo removed. 

If the subject of " The Queen's Heart " had been 
American, wo presume every one would have been 
better pleased. The scene was undoubtedly laid in 
France, however, on account of advantages in plot 
tliercby to bo derived, fts well as advantages in lively, 
piquant and concise forms of expression. Since the 
author ha<( made his play a French play, he has done 
it well. The language is thoroughly French, in spirit 
and in idiom. The first scene, in which that charm- 
ing letter of Aglae to her mother is read, shows how 
cleverly this is managed. Charles Reado and Charles 
Dickens have done the same thing, and certainly not 
l)etter. By selecting a Parisian plot, too, the author 
is enabled to put his characters upon familiar rela- 
tions with each other, noblemen, artists and all, a 
thing utterly impossible out of Paris, to the discredit 
of the rest of the world, bo it said. And, not the 
least important consideration, the variety of charac- 
ter among the French affords the widest possible field 
for illusti'ation. All these things we suppose were 
taken into account, Ixicause all seem to have been im- 
proved u|X)n in the plny. In these connections, how- 
ever, it has its short-comings. The diction is delight- 
fully French, without doubt, and so delightfully 
French that wo are all the more bonified at the intro- 
duction of vulgar English and American slang in 
various places. The laugh which they bring is dearly 
purchased. AVliat business have " Paphian Lotions, 
and Holloway's Pills, and the Retired Physician," to 
occupy the mind of a French villageoise ? Was there 
ever a Parisian manager who could eject from his 
stately mouth a phrase so low aa the English " draw 



it mild " ?— or a Gallic comedian, however eccentric, 
who could circulate nn old Knickerbocker joke of 
"patent bark-action," &c., or torture his tongue into 
such nn Americanism as ** catawnrnjiouslv into ever- 
lasting smnsh ? " We cannot help rcmin('i ig the au- 
thor that the success of his comedy wii undoubtedly 

c^iU for a fccond edition, and then . 

So far as chnrnctcrs arc concerned, the author has 
certainly given us two which could not have lived in 
any other atmosphere but that of Paris. Count Louis, 
Aglnc, Juditli, M. Role, Rose Jupon — such are native 
to any soil you plca<c. But Madame Mondieu and 
little Arnvir (pity his name could not have been his 
own,) are essentially French*— the former in her 
scheming, Hcrix'nt-like mali'jniry, glosi^ed over with 
conventional vaniish ; the latter in his careless, rol- 
licking gayety, and his hearty good-nature— it is 
hai-dly anything dccjier. And, to digrehh n minute, 
the author has been peculiarly fonunate in the origi- 
nal representatives of these two parts. No special 
characteristic qualitv is needed to play the others ; but 
these depend altogether upon the exact spiritwith which 
they are rendered. Miss Morant by culture, and Mr. 
Owens by nature are precisely fitted to these roles ; 
and the fact that both are in a degree familiar with 
Parisian life gives them additional advantage. The 
characters throughout are well drawn, the only error, 
to our mind, being a want of tenderness and amia- 
bilitv in Miss Aglae, wlio is oftentimes quite as sen- 
tentious and severe as the Schemer herself. Two 
characteristics like these, upon the stage especially, 
should be more directly contrasted than they appear 
to be. 

It seems a little singular that, while adopting a 
French plot, the author should have forsaken the 
JFronch form of dramatic construction, which is un- 
questionably the iKJst. People may rail at the unities, 
as fetters to* diflfusive genius, but the principle of the 
unities is sound, notwithstanding. When the action 
of a play, or at least of an act, is confined to one 
scene, and the. time of representation is identical with 
the supposed time of the events, it is much more easily 
comprehended, and of course much more enjoyed. 
But as this was entirely in opposition to the author's 
plan we must not quarrel with him on this point. It 
is a little unfortunate, nevertheless, that he should 
have attempted to compress so many incidents within 
the limits of three brief acts. We find in the first 
act a lapse of half a day between one scene and the 
next ; and, by the way of opposite extreme, one short 
scene is made to cover the representation of an entire 
plnv. These things are confusing but not, of course, 
nninstifiable. The great length of the first act, how- 
ever, is a serious evil — serious because evon the beauty 
of the dialogue cannot secure the undivided attention 
of the audience for so long a time — and should be 
remedied by unsparing curtailment in representation. 
And now, having exhausted all points of adverse 
criticism (which the general high character of the 
plav compels), let us at last say what we can heartily 
anrt candidly in its warm praise. 

There lia>j never been written by any American a 
comedy with so ingenious, entertaining and satisfac- 
tory a plot — and yet the plot is absolutely nothing 
compared to the language m which it is clothed. The 
lines are always musical in their smootlmees and flow- 
ing grace, and offcen glitter with an epigrammatic 
sparkle that reminds one of the English comedies of 
tlie Restoration — the most pungent and brilliant in 
the world. Take the manner in which Madame Mon- 
dieu's shoulders are personified — " I have known her 
to plav two parts at once, one with each shoulder," — 
what 'could be happier '< Or the badinage of little 
Rose — " if one cannot bully one's lover, I don't see 
the use of keeping one "—this is an irresistible re- 
minder of Congreve's " Way of tlie Worid," in which 
the fine lady says — " one makes lovers as f5ast as one 
please*, and* they live as long as one pleases, and they 
die as soon as one plea.<es ; and then, if one pleases, 
one makes more." All tlirough the three acts there 
is a constant play of wit. It is only when the author 
undertakes a broader humor that he fails. For a 
specimen of the terse sharp sentences with which the 
play abounds, take the interview between St. Cyr and 
Madame Mondieu, at the end of the second act. It 
is admirable. The situation is even more forcible 
than that of the second act of " Still Waters Run 
Deep," which it strongly re.eembles — not sufficiently, 
however, to afford tlie slightest pR^text for a cfaai^ge 
of imitation. 

We have, then, to thank Dr. John W. Palmer for 
the first great American comedy. The success which 
"The Queen's Heart" will everywhere secure will 
probably induce him to continue in the pursuit of 
dramatic fame. We cannot doubt that he will make 
his first effort a stepping-stone to higher achieve- 
ments, and that this experience in writing for the 
stage will enable him to combine with the fullest 
effect the literary ability he has shown himself master 
of, with the complete dramatic effects which here in 



124 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



a few instances are wanting. We shall welcome with 
pleasure anotlier play from his pen. 

Finally, a word of the performance of "The 
Queen's Heart" Altogether it is as good as even 
the author could have desired. Miss Monint's part, 
Madame Epauliue Mondien, is the most important, 
the most difficult, and the most capitally played. 
The Judaa-like assumption of honest affection, the 
deep plottings for the destruction of her victim, and 
the venomous intensity of baffled hatred are all de- 
picted by her with very remarkable fidelity. Mr. 
Owens, as Aravir, is as '* brisk as bottled beer," and 
infbiitely more exhilarating. If he has^ done any- 
thing so' well this season, we cannot at present re- 
member it. His singing of " The little brown man," 
is perfectly unique. Mr. Owens and Miss Morant 
should be induced to accompanv the play as fixtures, 
wherever it is ]K;rformed. The part of Aglae, in 
Miss Thompson's hands, in also the best performance 
of hers that we remember. She is not quite equal to 
the knitting scene, in the second act, which is a hap- 
py idea of the author, and which might be made a 
great deal of. Miss Carr, as Madame Judith, is 
comme 11 faut, and Mrs. Leighton, as Bose Ju]K>n, 
infinitely better than one would have expected in a 
role so much apart from her usual line. Mr. Jor- 
dan's Count Louis is tasteful, elegant and completely 
efibctive — ^he makes the most of the part ; and Mr. 
Norton, as the wily stage manager, is exactly what 
is needed. The representation throughout is worthy 
of the piece. 

From Ky Diary. No. 10. 

Haxtford, Jult 5. — I know not when I have 
been so much gratified by the musical services in 
church as yesterday, in Christ Church in this city. ' 
The choir consists of eight trebles, two altos, two 
tenors and five basses, one of each composing the 
leading quartet. 

Miss Clare Hoyt, of Boston, is the soprano. Her 
voice is clear, powerful, sympathetic and of great 
compass. She is an uncommonly fine reader and 
sings with great taste and expression. Miss H. 
Hodge, the alto, is uncommonly true in her intona- 
tion, her voice is sufficiently powerful, and she is also 
a very fine reader. Mr. Wander, a German, is the 
tenor, and his voice is in all respects worthy of its 
place with Miss Hoyt's, being of great compass, and 
remarkably pure, sweet and beautiful. Mr. Gund- 
lach, also a German, is the bass ; his voice is very 
powerful and fully brilliant and always in perfect 
tune, and easily runs down to £ flat below the 
staff. 

All the memben of this quartet are good musi- 
cians, but Gundlach a very fine one. He plays 
oigan, piano-forte, and half a dozen orchestral in- 
struments, and his knowledge of musical works is 
very extensive. 

Of these the soprano is the only one, who makes 
music a profession. The quartette is so admirable 
that I feed it worthy of these few words. 

The rest of the choir are all people of education 
and cultivated taste, fine readers of music, and lovers 
of only the best. 

With such a force at his command, it is clear that 
a man of taste and musical culture can have no diffi- 
culty in introducing and adequately performing 
mnsic of a much higher order than we often hear in 
our churches. This is the case with this choir, which 
for two years and a half has been under the chai^ 
of Mr. Hrmbt Wilson, the organist. He entered 
npon his duties, fresh from a year's residence abroad, 
during whifh he had become &miliar with the mnsic 
ot the famous ' Dom Chor ' of Berlin, of the Thomas 
School at Leipzig, of the Cathedral at Cologne, and 
the like. Without undertaking to introduce music 
which, however fine for those caUiedrals and churches, 
would be out of place in our Episcopal worship, he 
has labored to make his singers and the congregation 
catch its pure and noble spirit, and by gradually in- 
troducing new pieces of even higher and higher 
character, has proved how comparatively easy it is 
to teach people to love the best and only that. His 
choir now find no difficulty in the beautiful psalms 
and hymns of Mendelssohn, Hauptmann and their 
•chooL 



Much of the mnsic which they sing is composed 
or arranged by Mr. Wilson, and to its beauty, taste 
and high religioua character I can testify. Yester- 
day tliere was but one composition from his pen, a 
" Gloria Patri " in fugue style, which was a sstrik- 
ing to me as it is evidently a favorite of the choir 
and congregation. 

The chanting is faster than I am used to, and not 
quite as satisfactory on that account, though remark- 
ably well done. 

For the psalm be sings invariably some solid 
choral. Yesterday, for instance, in the morning, as 
it was in long metre, it was sung to an arrangement 
of Luther's "£in feste Burg," the first stanza being 
in unison, with a figured accompaniment upon the 
organ, the second stanza in parts, and the doxology 
like the first stanza. In the afternoon the choral was 
one, which he heard sung in Goettingen at a Lutheran 
church, solemn and grand, two of the three stanzas 
being also in unison. 

With the hymns the case is different. To these 
he gives music of quite another character ; for in- 
stance, in the morning, the hymn was sung by the 
choir to an arrangement of " If with all your hearts" 
in ' El^ah ; ' in the afternoon it waa a six-line long 
metre: 

" When gathering elondi aroond I Tiew,*' ke. 

and the music an arrangement of the duet and 
chorus : " I waited for the Lord," recently printed in 
Dwight's Journal. This was sung by six voices 
only, two sopran i, two alti, tenor and bass. I feel 
justified in recording this — taking the music, the 
oi^an accompaniment, the excellence of the voices, 
the deep feeling, the perfect execution, into consid- 
eration — as the finest specimen of hymn-tune singing 
I ever heard. It waa indescribable. Above all else 
was the charm arising from the Uuct that it was no 
exhibition ; there waa no straining for effect — but 
those six voices all sang as if they felt every word, 
and in their tones did but give utterance to the emo- 
tions which they felt, — oh, it was beautiful I 

The progress which Miss Hoyt has made since I 
heard her nearly two years since is remarkable. She 
sang then coldly, but now her clear, ringing voice 
"has tears in it." Why should we be deprived of 
her in Boston ? If she can sing in the Music Hall 
as in the Church, she would take rank among our 
best songstresses. 

Here then, I have at length found that ideal choir 
(almost — for I should like voices enough to sing 
grand choruses) which I have so often hinted at in 
Dwight's Journal. 

The anthem, chant, motet, sentence, hymn, sung 
by a thoroughly trained and cultivated choir, — the 
psalm led off by them in solid choral style for the 
congregation to join in and add the majesty of mul- 
titudinous voices. 

Quietly, making no show, striving consdentionsly, 
and with a lofty standard of taste, Mr. Wilson has 
labored to elevate the music of his church. How 
finely he has succeeded, what noble fruits have re- 
warded him, I have endeavored to record. 

His exertions are not, however, confined to his own 
choir. The description, by Macfarren, of Mendels- 
sohn's " Hymn of Praise," which be found in Dwight's 
Journal of Music, led him to atady that work, and 
the other — " As the hart pants" — which in Novello's 
edition is bound with it. 

Through his exertions other choirs and amateurs 
of Hartford joined his own, and the latter psalm was 
the principal piece given at a concert here last week. 
He collected an orchestra, rehearsed with the singers, 
in short, was the Caleb Factotum of the whole affair, 
and most successful it must have been, if I can de- 
pend upon the opinions expressed to me on all 
sides. 

Now all this shows progress — real progreas, — and 
I record it — not to ' puff' Mr. W. — but to encour- 
age others to emulate him. 




^*mf^0ii0tt*^t0 



nsiral Corrtsponhitte. 

New York, Jult 6. — It is now no news to in- 
form yon that our opera season is over, that the time 
of Italian singing birds is gone, and the voice of that 
operatic turtle, Brignoli, is no more heard in the land. 
The season was short, and disastrous to tliosc pecu- 
niarily interested, while to that part of the public, 
which could stand such preternatural hot weather, it 
was productive ot great enjoyment. Yet it must be 
said that the public did not exhibit such a noble, sala- 
mander-like disregard of heat as to attend in any 
great numbers ; the dead-heads however — thoae 
musical Shadrachs, Meshadis and Abcdncgos, who 
can endure the caloric of any fiery furnace whatever 
— were present in huge forces and white coata, 
and fanned themselves with palm-leaf fans and for- 
titude. 

It was my intention to write yoa an eightcen-pager 
about the new opera " Sappho," but acting upon my 
great golden rule : " Never do to^lay what you can 
put off till to-morrow," I procraatinated until my 
eyes were gladdened by an able description thereof in 
your journal, taken from the columns of the Sundoj/ 
Atlas. This description will satisfy your readers 
better than anything I can give. 

" Sappho " is a really great opera, and why ita 
composer is not more generally known here I cannot 
comprehend. His works — those at leaat that I have 
heard — are replete with luscioaa melody, and re- 
markably excellent instrnmentation. Verdi, Bellini 
and Donizetti, sound thin and water-gmel-ly after 
listening to one of Pacini's operas ; at tlie same time 
I do not see that he bears any marked resemblance to 
Rossini, as some critics aver. His chorus writing is 
>ich and full, and many of the choruses in " Sappho" 
k^mind one of those in Semirauus, while the favorite 
duet for Soprano and Alto in the fonner opera, un- 
doubtedly resemblea the Giomo <f orrore of the latter. 
Yet aa a general thing I cannot see that Pacini's 
music is any more like Bossini's, than Donizetti's, 
Verdi's or Bellini's. The only reason one can think 
so, is because Roesiui and Pacini are both much 
greater composers than the throe otbera mentioaed. 

Last winter I saw Signor Pacini at Florence. The 
Teatro Paliano was crowded to excess to witness the 
first production of an opera new to the Florentine 
public — Elisa Velasco. It was gloriously perfuined 
and most enthosiaatically received. After the grand 
finale of the third act, the house resounded with kwd 
cries for Pacini, and soon the composer appeared, 
led out in triumph by Carlotta Zucchi, the prima 
donna, and Cresci, the baritone. He is a rasher 
elderly man, thin and gentlemanly, and nervous. He 
bowed a few times and walked very awkwardly acroaa 
the stage, treading on the prima donna's dresa and 
the tenor's toes. The whole audience rose to their 
feet as he passed before them, and made the building 
re-echo with their cries of Bravo I Bravissimo I There 
was no speechifying and none expected ; the public 
seemed naturally enough to think that Pacini, the 
musician, had said all he had to say in the mnsic of 
the opera, and for that music-speech he now received 
their heart-felt applause. Their seems to be a difierence 
on this point between the custom here in and Italy. 
Our American public, when they call oat a composer, 
do so not that tfiey may thank him for the pleasure 
he has given them, but they may give him the honor 
of thanking them, for allowing him to try to please. 
This great and mighty public is condescending. It 
appUuds the good composer, and then expecta him 
to come to the foot-lighta and bow, and put his 
hand on his heart, and say that it is the happiest 
moment of his life, and that he only h(^>es and prays 
and asks that the favor extended to him may be a 
propitious augury of the spread of Art in this great 
and glorious country. That is how tliey do in 
America. But in Italy, the composer is called out 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1858. 



125 



to receive a simple, child-like, gratefal ovation. The 
people wish to thank hioii and do not expect that he 
shall thank them. 

The success of " Sappho " will, I think, indace 
other managers to bring ont works of Pacini, and it 
is very likelj he will take in public favor the place 
now occupied by Verdi — for, say what you will, 
Verdi is now the greatest favorite with the opcrar 
going public, from New Orleans or Mexico to Boston 
or Valparaiso. There is no reason why this diange 
in public opinion should not toku ]»1ace. Pacini is a 
greater composer than Verdi, lie has nearly as 
great a flow of melody, while in his chorus writing 
and orchestration he is vastly superior. I hope he 
will live to hear, in his Florentine home, of the suc- 
cess of his works hero, for he certainly deserves tlio 
gratification which honest appreciation always be- 
stows on the musician, llossini at Paris, Pacini at 
Florence — the author of " Tell," and the auUior of 
" Sappho !" they appreciate each other and are warm 
personal friends. The composer who has his home 
upon tlie Seine, has long been admired here, and 
now it is the turn for him who dwells upon the Amo, 
to meet a like appreciation. 

So, with this long sentence, I shall wind up and 

make my bow, like the infant Phenomenon, standing 
on my aead amid a blaze of fire-works. Curtain 



falls. 



Tbovatob. 



Mcnart. 
BoMlni. 



Hartford, Ck>Kir., Jult 9. — The Journal can 
seldom receive a musical echo from this goodly city. 
An occasional concert by a travelling " celebrity," a 
flying visit from a Thalberg or a Formes, mokes up 
the little sum of our musical entertainments ; and 
even these great names cannot fill our small hall ; a 
a few devotees scattered here and there, with many an 
hiatus valde de/Undus, 

But of late a movement has been on foot amongst 
us which promises better things, and I hasten to 
chronicle Hm first efforts of what I trust will be a 
permanent musical oi^ganization. A few professional 
and many amateur musicians united in giving a grand 
choral and orchestral concert, last week, and the re- 
salt was a complete success. Look at the programme : 

Overture to Semiruiiid«, RoutnL 

rorty-Mcond Psalm, (complete,) Uendelaohn. 

Wedding li*rch, " 

Aria, from The Creation, llaydn. 

Bcxtetto, fkom The Huguenota, Meyerbeer 

Aria, from Don Qiovanni, 
Pianofbrte Fantasia on Vvilllam Tell, 
Inflammaiua, from Stabat Mater, 

Here is a varied and excellent bill of fare, showing 
the wise determination of tlie management to ofier 
the public nothing but choice music, trusting to its 
intrinsic excellence to elevate the general taste, and 
to elidt for this young society its due meed of pat- 
ronage. 

The concert was in all respects a success. Though 
the night was the hottest of the season, five hundred 
persons were present to enjoy the treat offered them, 
and to bid the musical laborers " God speed." The 
execution was throughout good, in many parts excel- 
lent. There were evident, of course, some of the 
crudities of a first performance ; but these did not 
mar the general accuracy and beauty of the render- 
tag. To the soloists, in particular, much credit is 
due for the faithful, and in one or two instances, al 
most faultless execution of their parts. 

Mr. Wilson, the oi^ganist of Christ Church, acted 
as Conductor ; and it is chiefly to his zealous eflbrts 
that we owe this gratifying exhibition of Hartford 
musical taato and talent Blany of the orchestra, of 
oourse, were Germans. No musical movement in 
America seenu to succeed without their invaluable 
aid. 

The success of this concert augurs well for the fu- 
ture, and we may hope that the '' Hartford Musical 
Association " is now a permanent organization, and 
that many a series of successful concerts shall testify 
to a growing musical culture amongst us, and to the 
determination of our good people to cordially second 
every such true artistic movemenL 



Three days after the concert was ''Commencement 
Day" of Trinity College. The usual exercises were 
enlivened by much of the same music, g^ven with the 
addition of a fine organ, to the delight and satisfac- 
tion of all. T. C. 



New York, July 13, 1858. — Last evening our 
Academy of Music was re-opened, by Mr. UUman's 
agent, the attraction being Musard with his band. 
The house has been beautifully fitted up, the stage 
and parquctte floored over, while the orehestra is 
accommodated on a raised platform near the centre 
of the building. The place formerly occupied by the 
stage is decorated with exquisite taste, and forms an 
admirable dancing floor. Not that people dance at 
the Musard Concerts' — by no means — we are too 
severely proper, too elegant, too recherche for any- 
thing like tliat. On the contrary we come to a prom- 
enade concert, to sit in solemn rows on the some seats 
we occupied during the operatic season, or to stand 
in immovable groups, near the musicians, holding 
our hats carefully behind our backs, to preserve them 
from undue pressure. A promenade concert in New 
York is onytliing but a promenade concert. A few 
adventurous couples wilt sail solemnly around in eddy- 
ing circles, but at the same time with an unpleasant 
consciousness of being stared at and taken for foreign- 
ers. American ladies will not promenade at our 
promenade concerts. 

This awkwardness on our part (for after all it is 
only awkwardness) will, I fear, militatej against the 
success of tlie Musard concerts. The music itself, 
though excellently performed, does not equal in gen. 
eral attractiveness, that of JuUicn's band ; there are 
not as many performers, and there is also a deficiency 
in queer noises, outlandish instruments, and other 
ad eaptandum effects, with which Jullien attracted the 
multitude — and if the popular Jullien did not suc- 
ceed, we may reasonably entertain fears as to the sue* 
cess of Musard. 

The programme for the opening evening was very 
good, however, and should have attracted a lax^ger 
audience. There was a fine solo performed on the 
ophicleide by a M. Moreau, who drew out the most 
delicious tones from his unwieldv instrument, and the 
overture to Weber's Oberon was as well performed as 
I wish to hear it. If the weather were not so fear- 
fully warm, I think that Musard with his pleasant 
musical entertainments would find at the Academy a 
pleasant and profitable summer engagement. 

At a new concern called the Palace Garden, (be- 
cause there is no palace anywhere about the vicinity^, 
Mr. Baker, late leader of Laura Keene's orchestra, 
is giving promenade concerts, in which he certainly 
" caters for the million," if " novel effects " and 
"popular melodies " and " negro tunes," and "sleigh 
ride polkas with bells and whips " can be called ca- 
tering. To give you some idea of the classical style 
of these concerts I copy for you the last prog^mme 
issued; — you will observe, on a careful perusal 
thereof, that " Mr. Thomas Baker," is not inclined 
to hide his own light under a bushel — but rather will 
set it on a table or hang it up in the front entry, that 
it may give light to all that be in the house : 

PROGRAMME OF A GRAND PROMENADE CONCERT 

Given under the direction of Mr. Thom A.a Baur, late of Lanra 
Keene'e Theatre; fbrmerly leader of Julllen^s renowned band; 
musical director at Niblo's Garden ; leader of the first prome- 
nade concerts ever given in London, at the Lyceum, under 
SIgnor Negri; next under Orsini; then with the celebrated 
MuAard ; and now leader of a chdce orchestra at the most 
magnificent Garden ever opened to the public In America. 
.^BO, A Si^endid Dispiay of Fireworks ^ by Edge, to-night. 

PBOOKAUMB FOR TO-NIQOT. 

1. Overture, *' Le lac des fees ;" Auber. 

2. C?omic Polka, '' Bobbing 'Round;" Baker. 

Composed on the popular songs. 
8. Operatic Quadrille. *' EtoUe du Nord ;" Baker. Arranged 
from melodies in Meyerbeer-s graod opera. " The Star of the 
North." Solos for flute, oboe, blast, comet, trombone, &o. 

4. La Nara^jem (Spanish), '' The Orange Girrs Bong," 
Schochdopole. Sung ny Bladame Gananiga, at the Academy 
of Musk: ; arranged for Palace Garden Concerts by T. Baker. 

5. Ballad, '* The Light of Other Days," Balfo. Prom the 
opera of '* The Siege of Roohelle." 

6. MusJc for the Million ; a medley, embrmdng all kinds of 

Epularairs; Baker. Namely: English song, *' yiUikins and 
I Dinah ;^> Ethiopian ballad, >'MaaBa°s In the Cold, 



Cold Ground." <* Nancy TUl," Italian eaTatlna horn BSgo- 
letto, *' Donna e Mobile," with oadenoes for flute and elaronet ; 
American song, *' Jordan*! a Hard Road to Travel;" Finale, 
" The Sleigh Klde," aooompanied with bells, whipa, &c. 

1. Operatic seleetion,— I Puritani,~BeUini. Arranged by 
Baker. Containing tlie following gems fkom that popular ope- 
ra : Cayatina, '*A te o Cam :" Polaoea, "Son Yeigin Yenosa;" 
Duetto, "BuonI la Tromba," &o. 

2. Schottischo— The LauzaKeene, (by desire,) Baker. 

8. Valso— ''Lore."— Koenig. Ananged by Baker. Duet 
for two comets, wita distant oohos. 

4. National Quadrille— '*The Irish,"-^nlllen. With varia- 
tions for flute, Tiolin, oboe, blast, fre. 

5. Oalop~**The Singing Galop,"— Lunbye. With novel 
eflbcts. 

Conductor, Thomas Baker. 

These promenade concerts comprise the entire mu- 
sical pabulum of the Now York public, at the present 
writing. Tbotatob. 



Jbigjfs |0ttrnal tii Ptisir^ 



BOSTON, JULY 17, 1858. 



Musio IH THIS Numni.— We give something this time for 
the gratification of Jiaiian tastes; that ndiv* little chorus of 
peasants, which forms such a refreshing and half-humorous 
interlude in the Somuunbula ; always to our mind one of the 
pleosantest little wayside bits of Bellini's genius, but less gea- 
erally known, perhaps, than the rest of the SannamMa 
music. 



Cliaracten of the Different Keys. 

Many ingenious attempts have been made to 
characterize the expression of the yarious Keys 
in which music is composed. They are not very 
satisfactory. To be sure, there are some coinci- 
dences among the witnesses. Thei'e is no mis- 
taking the broad noon-day, natural expression of 
the key of C major; the triumphant, martial, 
hallelujah character of D major ; the pastoral 
serenity of F; the sweet, unsatisfied, vague heart- 
yearnings (as in the ** Moonlight Sonata") of 
C sharp minor. But what contradictory reports 
we get of many of the keys ! What very various 
expressions they are all susceptible of, in various 
ways of using them. Here a correspondent sends 
us a curious conceit upon the subject, translated 
from the eccentric German, Scmubart. The 
musician recognizes not a little truth in what he 
says, and finds the whole by no means uninter^ 
esting and quite suggestive. Yet how many of 
his characterizations go against all one's exper- 
ience ! Think, for instance, of his calling A flat 
major the " sepulchral key ! " when in that key 
are written the Adagio of Beethoven's Sonata 
Pathetiquey the Andante and variations of Sonata, 
Op. 26, &c., &c I 

[Christian Frederic Daniel Schubart was bom 
in Suabia in 1 739. A child of very little prom- 
ise, be suddenly developed an unconunon degree 
of musical talent. At Nuremberg, where he was 
at school, his taste for Art found ample food, and 
somewhat later he gave up the study of Theology 
for that of Music. He led, however, so dissolute 
a life at that time, that the habits then formed 
had a ruinous effect upon bis whole career. He 
officiated as organist in various small towns suc- 
cessively, married, and in 1768 was appointed 
director of music at Ludwigsburg, where he also 
delivered lectures on Aesthetics. Here his life 
grew still more unbridled, in consequence of 
which his wife became deranged, and he was 
finally imprisoned for his immoralities. Shortly 
after he was dismissed from his post and exiled, 
on account of a satirical poem on some influential 
person at court, and a parody on the litui^. 
Subsequently, he edited for some time a journal 
entitled German Chronicle, but in consequence of 



126 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



I i 



the liberal opinions expressed therein, was again 
thrown in prison, and remained in confinement 
ten years. Tlirough the intervention ol literary 
friends, be was at last liberated, and appointed 
Director of Music and the Theatre at Stuttgart, 
in 1 787. Here he published a yolume of poems, 
*' Ideas on the Aesthetics of Tone- Art ** (from 
which we imagine the following curious compo- 
sition to be an extract), and several other similar 
works. So far as can be ascertained, he never 
stood remarkably high as a practical musician. 
He died in 1 791. — M. A. R.] 



C major, is entirely pure. Its character is 
that of innocence, simplicity, naivete, child-lan- 
guage. 

A minor; pious w(xnanliness and tenderness of 
character. 

F major ; serenity and repose. 

D minor; melancholy womanliness, breeding 
spleen and vapors. 

B flat major ; cheerful love, clear conscience, 
hope, longings for a better world. 

G minor ; dissatisfaction, annoyance, worrying 
over a frustrated plan, fretful chafing of the bit ; 
in a word, rancor and discontent. 

E flat major; the key of love, of devotion, of 
intimate communion with Grod ; expressing, by 
its triple signature, the Holy Trinity. 

C minor; declaration of love, and at the same 
time, the lament of an unhappy love. All the 
yearning, languishing, sighing of the love-in- 
toxicated soul lies in this key. 

A flat major; the sepulchral key. Death, the 
grave, corruption, judgment, eternity, lie in its 
compass. 

F minor; profound melancholy, funeral lamen- 
tations, the moans of deepest anguish and yearn- 
ings for the grave. 

D flai major; a squinting key, degenerating 
both in joy and sorrow. It can laugh, but not 
smile; it cannot howl, but can at least mimic 
weeping. It is therefore only possible to repre- 
sent very unusual characters and sensations by 
this key. 

Bflat minor; a .lingular fellow, clad mostly in 
the garment of night. He is rather sulky and 
rarely puts on a pleasant face. Mockery towards 
God and the world, dissatisfaction with one's self 
and ever^'thing else, preparation for suicide re- 
sound from this key. 

G flai minor; triumph in difHculties, free 
breathing on surmounted heights, the vibrations 
of a soul which has bravely struggled and finally 
conquered, lie in ever}' application (Applikatur V) 
of this key. 

E flat minor ; sensations of vague terror, of 
the deepest oppression of the soul, of brooding 
despair, of the blackest melancholy, the darkest 
state of the mind. Ever}* dread, every appre- 
hension of the shuddering heart breathes from 
the chord of E flat minor. If ghosts could speak, 
they would speak in this key. 

B major; strongly colored, expressive of wild 
passions, composed of the most glaring colors. 
Anger, rage, jealousy, fur}-, despair, and every 
freezing sensation of the heart lie within its 
realm. 

G sharp minor ; morpseness, a heart heavy to 
suffocation, lamentation, sighing itself out in the 
double sharp; violent struggles, in a word, all 
that costs sorrow and trouble is the coloring of 
this key. 



E major; shouts of joy, laughing pleasure, and 
yet not quite the fullest enjoyment, lie in tliis 
key. 

C sharp minor ; the pains of joy, intimate com- 
munion with God, our best fncnd, or the compan- 
ion of our life ; sighs of the most unsatisfied 
friendship and love lie in the compass of tliis 
key. 

A major; this key contains declarations of in- 
nocent love, contentment with one's situation; 
the hope of meeting again on parting with a 
loved one; youtliful cheerfulness and trust in 
God. 

F sharp minor; a gloomy key ; it tugs at pas- 
sion, like an ill-natured dog at a garment. 
Grumbling and muttering are its language. It 
seems almost as if it felt uncomfortable in its 
situation. Hence it is ever longing for the re- 
pose of A major, or for the triumphant happiness 
of D major. 

D major; the key of triumph, of hallelujahs, 
of war-cries, of shouts of victory. Hence, all 
inviting symphonies, marches, festival songs, and 
jubilant choruses are set in this key. 

B minor is, as it were, the key of quiet wait- 
ing for destiny and resignation to Divine Provi- 
dence ; therefore its lament is so gentle, without 
ever breaking out into offensive gnimbUng or 
whinim;. The application of this key is pretty 
difficult in all instruments; hence we find but 
few pieces which are exclusively written in it. 

G major; eveiything in the style of rural idyls 
or eclogues, every quiet and satisfied passion, all 
tender thanks for sincere friendship and faithful 
love ; in a word, every gentle and peaceful emo- 
tion of the heart can be admirably expressed in 
this key. It is to be regretted that, on account 
of its apparent facility, it is much neglected at 
the present day. Modern writers do not con- 
sider that, in reality, there are no difficult and 
easy keys ; but that these appai*ent difficulties 
and facilities depend alone on the composer. 

E minor; this key speaks of naive, feminine, 
innocent declarations of love ; of complaint with- 
out murmuring ; sighs accompanied by few 
tears ; of hope whose near fulfilment lies in the 
purest bliss, resolving into C major. As it has, 
by nature, but one color, it might be compare<l 
to a young girl, clad in white, with a bow of rose- 
colored ribbon in her bosom. From this key we 
once more return, with inexpressible grace, to 
the fundamental key of C, in which the heart 
and the ear find the most perfect satisfaction. 

Brass! Brass! Brass! 

The "heated term" continues — musically — in 
spite of East winds. Brass bands have it all dieir own 
way. The only concerts are the " Promenade Con- 
certs " in the Music Hall, three evenings in the week, 
at which there is much timidity about promenading, 
although not for want of brass. Brass is the fiery 
dragon left in charge of the whole tone-world, dur- 
ing the summer absenteeism of Apollo and the Muses. 
But he is not content with literally blowing his own 
trumpets ; he finds " the pen is mightier than the" — 
ophiclied ; the Press has tougher lungs than Brass ; 
' so he resorts to literary methods ; he would fain write 
as well as trumpet his importance. We have a score 
of communications from brass bands ; and our read- 
ers will oblige the writers by perusing a few specimens 
thereof. 

1. The first is a counter-blast, by which our cor- 
respondent Mr. " ^<f— " will please consider himself 
blown away ; — ^bnt to return, we trust, with Apollo and 
the Muses: 



Editor Dwigbt'b Joubitai. or Music. 

Sia,— In yonn of the 26th alt., \»^ 104, a corTwpondent 
'*!" of your paper writoa from New Haven, Conn., about the 
betft Band of Bonton, the Geniiania (on tbte point I clnim the 
ToicM ct all miule proftann wbofo Jadgiaent i« not by rival- 
ry binned) In a manner that would appear an If thlf Mr. ^' t " 
intended to deprive that Band of the good will and patronage 
of their friendf in New Ilavcn. Would you thcrelbra have 
the kindnees to inrcrt tho following few remarkf : 

Thl« Mr. " I " Meois to bo all for the " dassiesy" like many 
other Ignoiant pretenders who thus hnpcMe (in thoyronch 
sense) on thoM that are leas pretending. Sec, how ho exposes 
his taste, when he praises a anM« musicale of nmateum. which 
consisted of eight piccos, for or with Piano-forte; vis: three 
for piano oxclu»ively, with moro or less hands; three for piano 
and voice, and two tut piano and violin. And this homopiio- 
nous concert I suppose this gentleman considers elasKical, 
because there is a BaUad by Beethoven, a pfaito arrangement 
of a march by Mendelssohn, and a ditto of a Moreean 1' oeesr 
sion by Weber. In another place the gentleman insinuates 
as if the Band was deficient in novelties, while he shortly 
before designates two of their pieces as Mnsord's newest, 
(neitlier happening to be by Musnrd,} and indocd tho piece 
played instead of the StrodeUa Overture (from Verdi's Nabuco) 
he does not know at all! Ills remarks about J. IHchkr not 
eelipring Koenig, taken as menly silly, deserve no comment. 

When a man tries his best to plesM, other reafwnable people 
will be satMed. But this gentlemaxi was out of tune with 
tlie band ere the concert bcf^n, as is ftirther seen by his 
strictures on the programme generally. 

When, however, the band expccti on audience of six hun- 
dred persons, of which three hundred and fifty are still in 
days of Joyous youth, and two hundred and fifty disposed to 
recall those happy days on a proper occasion, it would be 
folly in making out a concert programme to think of nobody 
but one, two, or even twenty<^ght Beethovennnad hyper- 
critics^ A. T. U. 
not a member of the Oermania or of any other Band. 

2. The next is a blast from tho heart of the old 
commonwealth, showing that some people can do 
cood things as well as others ; only this brass trum- 
pet utters '* an uncertain [German-silver] sound." 

Ma. EsiTom : — Permit me, through the columns of your 
Musical Journal, to say a word or two about music in the 
heart of the old commonwealth. Stopping in Worcester, a 
short time since, I was very much pleased to see the groat ad- 
VMioe in muric within the last fow years, especially band 
music. They have one of the best bands in the State. It Is 
kuown by the name of ^* Visko's Comet Band," who is the 
manufibeturer of Uie Gemaa silver instruments used by them. 
It is said, and generally acknowledged, that his instruments 
are snperiftr to any others now in use. M. Arbuckle, Leader 
and Director, has no superior in that branch. Ue commands 
the love and respect of all. He has the fbculty to impart his 
peculiar and pleasing style to the members of the band, and no 
description of mine would convey a proper idea of thrir per- 
formance, compared with hearing them. Tou would be sur- 
prised to Mse the large audiences they nightly draw when they 
perform upon the balcony of the Lincoln House, or on the 
stand at Hamilton Square, or as they occasionally call at some 
private Ksidence for the benefit of those who cannot conven- 
iently go to more public places to llsteli to their most exceUenI 
music, perfonned with so much skill and taste as to win the 
admiration of all who hear them. A Tbatxuu. 

3. The next is from the skilful and popular ar- 
ranger of tho Brigade Band music in this city, and 
explains in notes tlio great event and triumph of our 
age, (at least in the opinion of all the boys), the in- 
corporation of artillery into the Brass Band, as stu- 
pendously and gloriously illustrated upon Boston 
Common on the morning of our nation's birth-day. 
Now is Music quite prepared to carry any Malakolf 
of "clsssical" and gentle tastes by storm. Wo pub- 
lish it, in spite of our nnmilitary tastes. We are not 
over-fond of guns and drums. The driest, most pe- 
dantic musical canon has far more interest to our ears, 
far more saving grace in it, than all the salvos ever 
fired from warlike cannons' mouths : 

Mm. Editob: — The music bdow, marked where the guns of 
the Light Artillery, (Capt. Nims.) accompanied the bands on 
the Common, July 6th, shows with what unerring preciskm 
the art of firing a salute is brought by practice. The guns 
were dlschaiiged at the iDstnnt marked by the conductor's ba- 
ton, dispelling all doubts held by emiuent military men ss to 
the result ; a triumph in which, it is believed, that for the first 
time a battery, or paA of artiUeiy, kepi perftet tfane with the 
mnsle of the band. Tory respcctftilly, 

B. A. Bua]>iTr, 
Arranger and Conductor of the Muale. 
HAIL COLUMBIA. 



ff Gun. Gun. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1858. 



127 



=1-:f=::l 



Qua. Gun. 



Gun. Uuu. 

^ Gun. Gun. Gun. 



Gun. 

=*:*«h:i; 

Gun. 
FINALE 



laMBi Gun. ^^ 

flfJLE. I Grand Benediction of 6 Guns! l 



Gun. Gun. Gun. Gun. Gun. Gun. 

Finally, wo see by the newspapers, that Mr. Bnr- 
ditt's novel experiment wrought on the imagination 
of the Turkish ambassador, or admiral, visiting our 
city, and that through him he has been commissioned 
to arrange our national airs for the band of the Sul* 
tan. Wo congratulate Mr. B. upon the compliment ; 
but we wish tlie Turk had the monopoly of all the 
brass music. It has been called " Janissary music" 
before now, and that is the proper name for it. Jul- 
licn ought to be grand vizier. 



Muiieal Chit-Chat 

Badides the " Promenade Concerts" mentioned in onr New 
Yoric correepondence, we see announced a three-days^ *' Mam- 
moth Mnsieal FeetiTal/' in Jones's Wood, fbr August 2, 8, and 
4, with '*F£te Champ6trr>," bands, balloons, and what not, un- 
der tlie auspiees of HarstsA and Anschueti In Cindn. 

natl, the sixth and last PlilUiarmonio Concert was higiilj snc- 
cessftil ; Monrt's *^ Jupiter " symphonj was played. . . . Tlie 
Worcester Pailadiym spoalcs rery lilglily of a private Organ 
concert given in tliat city by Mr. Gio|mb S. WHiroia, who is a 
pupO of Mr. MoaoAii, of New York ; this young man, of scarce- 
ly eighteen years, acquitted himself well in an Organ Sonata 
by Mendelssohn, the Fugues in G and F minor by Bach, the 

overtures to **Tell and Oberon," a tn% Fantasia, &c, 

Madame Jenny Lind Ooldschmldt, with her husband and two 
children, (son and daughter,) arrived in London during the 
week ending the nineteenth ultimo, with the intention of re- 
siding in England for some time. The whole fkmily, including 
domestics, haTe taken possession of a neat Tilla, called ''Roe- 
hampton Lodge," situated near to the south side of Barnes 
Common, and about a mile flrom Putney. The house is in a 
retired position, and in the immediate Ticlnity of Putney 
Common and the picturesque village of Boehampton. ..... 

Who has ever thought, says the Aihena>,ym^ of a Zealand fes- 
tival? Yet we see that the dwellers on that quaint and pictu- 
resque country (not half enough, as we have often said, appre- 
ciated and frequented), have been holding their music meeting 
at aerikiee, on the 10th of June, Handel's *' Samson " being 
the entire woriE performed, though the programme also com- 
prised specimens by Moiart, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. 

The Leipsig lUustrite Zeitung^ for June 12, has a portrait, a 
long and glowing biography, and a short piano composition 
(his 84th Opus) of our sunny, happy fkiend, AmsD Jakll. 
. . . LiopoLD Di MsTxa has been concertising with great 
echtt in Cracow, in Warsaw, in St. Petersburgh, fcc, and was 
recently in Hamburg. . . . Tambuuhi, after all, is not en- 
gaged at Drury Lane, and our old ftiend Badiau Is topUty Don 
Juan. . . . Dr. Hahslit is dead — one of the jpatriarchs 
of BngUsh muric, and the composer of many fiunous English 
Glees. . . . Mile. Titjih's congi from Vienna i/ prolonged, 
and she will stay in London. 



J^iite %tis. 



«MtfW**«MMAM*W*tf«MrfW««W 



MM«VM«M«WW«MP«MAMMMMMMMMMAAMAAMMMAAMA#MVWMN«MWWMW%»M* 



For Dwight's Journal of Music. 

The AtheiUBiun EzhibitioxL 

IX. WATRS COLORS. 

For the threefold reason, that the pictures in this 
department rank higher than the oil paintings, in the 
scale of artistic completeness ; that works of such 



magnitude in this material are comparatively new to 
onr Art galleries ; and that there is an intrinsic charm 
pertaining to the qualities of the pigment, they form 
tlie most attractive feature of the exhibition. 

We have been so long aacustomod to think and 
speak of tlie merits of works of Art in water colors, 
with reference to an assumed feebleness in the medium 
itself, as a vehicle for Art expression, tliat the com- 
prehensive cxccllonco of these, and their manifest 
superiority to the oil pictures in artistic and technical 
qualities, is a matter of great surprise, and perhaps a 
too limited credence among us. 

In addition to the power of rendering the aerial 
qualities of skies and distances, which has generally 
been conceded to water colors, with, however, a limi- 
ted appreciation of its due importance, these pictures 
also demonstrate their fitness for expressing all the 
variety and solidity of natural foregrounds. Some 
of them are indeed nearly perfect examples of com- 
pleteness; comprising delicacy of air-tone united 
with solid realizations of foreground, by gradations 
of finely-wrought beauty ; breadth of masses, undis- 
turbed by the utmost clearness of detail ; and a purity 
of light and shadow, which are scarcely to be found 
among the other works of this collection, and which 
should teach us tliat the limitations of water colors 
are those of knowledge and skill in the artist only, 
and that the difibrence between works of Art in oil 
and water colors is rather one of kind, than degree of 
artistic merit. 

Since nearly all the pictures here deserve attention 
beyond the limits of this article, I shall speak rather 
of general characteristics, and make single words 
stand for paragraphs of commendation. 

In Finch's pictures, we find a very pure vein of 
feeling for the imported classicism of English land- 
scape. Renouncing truth of detail, form is shown in 
broadly generalized conditions of stateliness and 
grace, and embody the sentiment of nature in their 
beautiful renderings of air, light and space in refined 
delicacy of tone ; especially in the twilights, which 
perfectly express the diffu.sed and penetrative quality 
of evening light. In the sense of repose and tran- 
quil joy which comes of the central unity of these 
idealized compositions, there is an echo of natural 
beauty which forbids my calling them fSUse. 

Much less rightly true are the landscapes by Aaron 
Penly, who, in his foregrounds, loses the infinite vari- 
ety of natural form and color, without securing its 
breadth and unity. The conventionalism of these 
pictures must have had its origin in indolence or in- 
difference ; although, in spite of it, they are interest- 
ing as scenes, and contain considerable charm of color 
in the distances. The " Convict Returned," No. 18, 
is a very strong, sterling picture by the same, and has 
I believe, found a purchaser hero. 

John Burgess, J. N. D. Egville, and G. P. Boyce, 
furnish spirited illustrations of continental street 
scenes, and Egyptian ruins, lacking the force of real- 
ity, (as perhaps all architectural drawings do ?) bat 
full of pictnresqueness, sculptured grace, or colossal 
grandeur, artistic knowledge, and effective tr^ment 
of color and light. In No. 55 we have a drawing of 
Rouen Cadiedral, by Samuel Rayner, tliat seems di- 
minutive when compared with Turner's illustration 
in the " Rivers of France," within the small compass 
of which are revealed the sublime proportions and 
inexhaustible enrichments of its wonderful facade. 
Yet in the pure blue sky that arches above the summit 
of tins, floating in its cup a sea of sun-lighted, fleecy 
white clouds, that break and fall away to the brink of 
the horizon, and linger there on its edge in hazy, lu- 
minous beauty, there is a charm tliat half recom- 
penses us for the loss of architectural solidity and 
effect. The Convent of St. Amaud, No. 26, by J. S. 
Prout, combines all the good qualities of the other 
architectural drawings, adding thereto a reflection of 
the skill of the elder Prout. 

Not the least attractive works in the collection are 



from the hands of women, (if by preference ladies 1 
tlicy will pardon my choice of woros,) who paint na- 
ture without the remotest hinting at ^minine timidi- 
ties and the characteristic weakness of the sex. No. 
49, by Miss M. L. Oakley, painted from the garden 
bed with the o^n sky for a background, is very firm 
in drawing, vigorous and true in color, and only 
wants a little feminine refinement, to make it a com- 
plete '* Study of Hollyhocks." Mrs. Bari>ara L. 
Smith presents some powerful efifiects in composition, 
somewliat mantni by crudity of color ; Mre. Oliver a 

auiet charm in the grey tones of her " Hargrave on 
le Thames " and the " Obertahnstein," needing 
onlv clearness and distinction of parts in the Welsh 
** Valley of Conway " to render it, like the others, 
agreeable and true. The " Killamey Rocks," No. 
53, by Miss Fanny Steers, is rich in exquisitely broken 
lines and color fascinations, and preserves its parity 
throuffh endless elaborations of washes and stipple, 
emboaving the truth of beauty rather Uian the beauty 
of truth. 

The "View of Funchal, Madeira," No. 62, by 
Mis. Murray, contains the material for a magnificent 
picture, in the brood expanse of grand mountain- 
crests, villa-mottled, sloping valUes, reaching to the 
sea, but the picture is not here. Very nearly good 
throughout, it nowhere reaches the expression of 
life. Mrs. Criddle's sentimental "Celia," No. 64, 
has sufiicient beauty of color to redeem its insipidity 
of subject, as have also the finely wrought draperies 
of Miss G. Farmer's " Mary," to partially excuse the 
mistake in calling her the " Sister of Lazarus," who 
would serve as well for Shylock's daughter, or a well 
dressed match giri. 

To preserve the balance of wronff conception, E. 
H. Corbould plays flippantly with " Faust and Mar- 

Siret in the Garden, answering our demands for 
e subtle, moral antagonism of the scene, with a 
complaisant prettiness in the lovers, and a ninepenny 
mask for Mephistopheles ; yet draping the whole in 
a veil of consummately wrought color, that partially 
conceals its defects and gives it a place among the 
riches of the collection. In "The flight of fair 
Helen," he has a subject better suited to his ornate 
fancy, and which he has treated with ail the facility 
of unerring skill. 

Madox Brown's " Christ washing Peter's feet," is 
so much the less a work of true £rt as it is one of 
palpable and puerile affectation. Almost identical in 
form and posture with Giotto's " Studies of Apostles' 
Heads," which is to be seen in the Dowse Collection, 
the head of Christ is neces^pril^ fictitiously conceived 
in its external relations, and is inferior to Giotto in 
internal expression. The solid sense of satisfaction 
visible in the face of Peter, the vacant stare in the 
countenances of the other apostles, who are inextri- 
cably imbedded in the sea of muddy impurity form- 
ing the baclurround, and withal the painfully mortal 
humility of Christ, combine to render this a work 
which contains neither the power of true knowledge, 
nor the honesty of ignorance. 

Two other contributors have works in each depart- 
ment, both of which exhibit their best efforts in water 
colora. John Brett finds expression for his Swiss 
Alps, No. 193, and evinces some sympathv with na- 
ture, in its cool, yet not ungenial sky, the ffrmness of 
structure, and beauty of modeling in the middle dis- 
tance, and in the glow of sunlight which suffuses the 
central group of trees in the foreground. Altliough 
mainly very prosaic in color, there is a passage of 
light in the group above alluded to, that is certainly 
not surpass^ in any other work of the collection. 

In the " Righi Lake of Lucerne," No. 33, W. Col- 
lingwood Smith combines rare .ffirial lightness in 
effects of sky and mist, with great breadth and solid- 
ity of foreground, cramping the whole with a slight 
conventionalism of feeling, but evincing nevertheless 
a strong mastery of the subtle forces of nature, and 
presenting us with a most attractive picture — very 
unlike his " Castle of Cliillon," in oil colors. 

" The Old Forest of Sherwood," No. 192, by W. 
Bennett, illustrates much of the stalwart roaiesty of 
an open oak wood. With color and form broadly 
and agreeably massed, and treated with a free, bold 
hand, it needs only an occasional heightening, or re- 
fining toucli of color, and some added sinewy force 
in the tree trunks, to generously fulfil the demands of 
troth. 

In a " Marriage Procession in Cairo," No. 28, 
Henry Warren brings us into familiar oorrespondenoe 
with the ntroost perfection of technical art. Answer- 
ing all the conditions ot artistic completeness required 
by the subject, it presents its most potent fascinations 
in the burning light of the Orient which fills the sky, 
and poun through the street widi palpitating intensity, 
playing in chequered shadows witli the network of 
the jo/oustes, sharpening with white strokes the tawny 



128 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



cheeks of the stately, bridal company, and at last 
falls among the rich stuffs of an eastern bazaar, flood- 
ing the scene with inezbaustible modoladons of color 
harmony. 

Taming from this to No. 81, by Geo. Rosenberg, 
we flnd a quiet reach of sheop-cropped herbage, ex- 
tending with scarcely a surfiaee dimple, from tlie fore- 
ground to the horizon of the picture; above this 
vaults a cloudless sky, and between the two are 
grouped the mysteries of '' Stonehengo." Blacken- 
ed, grey stones lying on the scarcely broken green 
sward, or rearing their rude forms beneath tlie un- 
genial light of a cold, blue sky, seem hardly sufficient 
materials for an attractive work of Art. Yet it is 
out of these simple elements that love, right percep- 
tion, and power of expression, have wrought the 
quiet and enduring charm of " Stonehenge." 

The three pictures by P. J. Naftel demand much 
more than I can now say concerning them. Disclos- 
ing acute perceptions of beauty and variety of form 
and hue, both of earth, and sky ; quick sympathies 
with the commonest aspects, or daintiest inspirations 
of nature, they each present a subject for the fiiintest 
disapproval, and the heartiest eulogy. 

Sutdifie's " Karly Spring " combines in a remark- 
able degree the power of sight and touch. At first 
astonished, then charmed, I am finally discontented 
with the incompleteness of this power, that washes 
in skies and distances with the slovenly ease of in- 
difference, and hangs, — glittering with sunlight, — a 
marvellously drawn, fresh, budding twig, against a 
dull, blotched mass of vegetable diebru, and traces 
with consummate delicacy of line and tint, the up- 
springing, tender fern shoots, as they unfold their 
palm-like beauty to the beneficent influence of light 
and air, and imparts a limpid clearness, and spark- 
ling joy to the spring torrent, as it leaps, and toys 
among moss-cushioned rocks, and runs its way over 
a yielding bed of living green. I do not complain 
that this iSf only that it is too nearly aU. 

John Buskin's " Block of Gneiss " for obvious rea- 
sons, challenges elaborate criticism, which, wanting 
space, the requisite knowledge, and therefore inclina- 
tion, I shall not give ; yet will suggest in passing, 
that the opalescent hues of this wonderful block test 
an artist's power of color much less than the simple, 
grey tones of our mountain boulders ; and, that in 
his rendering of the more quiet tints of sky, moun- 
tain distance, and fore-ground trees, there is a lifeless 
crudity that ill accords with the impressions of natural 
beauty which we derive from his grandly wrought 
descriptions, and scarcely warrants the important 
allusion which he makes to this work in Chap. X. of 
the fourth volume of " Modem Painters," where it 
is referred to 'as forming a complete scene, and not 
as a mere study of a rock. Without denying its 
appreciable power and beauty, I will hazard the opin- 
ion that it is one of those equivocal essays : 

" That palter with na In a double lenae; 
That keep the word of pramlM to oar ear 
And break it to our hope." 

Leaving this, I will make a last pause in the quiet 
repose of the " Arisaig Country," so beautifully em- 
bodied in No. 37, by A. T. Wells. Whether in the 
photographic clearness of the distant islands, soften- 
ed in the tender warmth of a cloud-barred sky, that 
is fretted in broken masses of pearl and azure ; the 
dewy freshness of the blooming heath that flushes 
the foreground with rosy loveliness ; or in the patient, 
rightly guided toil that reveals the gushing richness 
and delicate mysteries of color in the weather-stained 
rocks, and sea-washed, shallow bays at ebb-tide, this 
picture overflows with the trath and beauty of namre, 
and is a nearly perfect example of the serene joy of 
painting. 

I have promised a word in review and will add it 
here, premising that, at the expense of logical com- 
pleteness, the water colors shall pass harmless, nor 
be concemed in my present speculations. 



We have been told that the English are a genial 
people, loving nature in open simplicity of heart; 
yet, in looking for the proofs of this among the pro- 
ductions of this professedly first, unsophisticated, and 
veracious Art that England has ever seen, we are 
surprised to find that geniality does not express i^ 
self, and the love to be that which worketh in the 
blindness of fear, rather than that clear«yed love 
which casteth it out. The faith of the New School 
seems cold, and constrained, and, in the name of 
trath to, uncofucioiuly perhaps, excite the worship of 
arbitrary fact. We see, then, evinced a strong grasp- 
ing at the actual, striving without the cheering light 
of intemal tratli, but yet, within the limits of this ex- 
hibition, it is rarolv reached. The inUntion is all 
that is expressed, while, in the representation of the 
subtile qualities of nature, their faith seems souUess, 
and all their labor vain. 

Love of Nature is man's rightful inheritance, and 
howsoever he may for a time disregard it, or circum- 
stances retard its development, whenever it finds ex- 
pression, it will recognize the difierence between fact 
and trath, and commit itself to the worship of that 
which most commands its reverence. 

Devotees in the new faith seem to be forsaking the 
worship of deep, tender skies, tremulous, color-laden 
atmospheres and broad sunshine, and bending them- 
selves to the fraitless labor of making microscopic 
geological, or botanical studies, simply because the 
voice that calls them speaks in the name of trath. 
Admitting it to 6e trae, that the specific beauty of the 
simplest object of God's creation is worthy of our 
love, and is quite beyond our power of adequate Art- 
reproduction ; still, as experience has taught us that 
we may reach equally approximate degrees of trath 
in the representation of the noblest, as the humblest 
elements of natural beauty, the progren which the 
nearly exclusive devotion to little tilings in the new 
Art is said to symbolize, seems somewhat abnor- 
mal. 

With a strong predilection for the motive of Pre- 
Raphaelitism, I must confess to considerable disap- 
pointment in theae practical results. Instead of being 
naivef they are only awkward ; for nnmannered sim- 
plicity they present palpable affectations ; in the 
place of geniality, and the warm glow of natural 
sunlight, we find a painful sense of hopeless solici- 
tude straggling with all manner of uncouthness, 
white lights, and chilling shadows; and instead of 
cutting straight into the heart of trath, they file un- 
ceasingly away at its circumference, dulling the keen 
edge of right perception for coming generations, and 
delaying the day when we shall herald the discovery 
of absolute Art. 

If the trae result of modem Fre-Raphaelitism ap- 
pears in the " Huguenot" let us honor the faith as one 
bom of inspiration. If we are to read it in Madox 
Brown's " Christ," we will wage a war against it 
for its falseness — and affectation — so different are the 
effects of apparently similar causes. 

Judging the faith as here interpreted, it lacks a 
clear expression of idea, and is more likely to mis- 
lead, than rightly lead the humble follower; yet, 
reading its character through tliese manifestations, 
guided by no philosophic insight, and aided by an 
experience which has been neither broad, nor deep, 
it would not be strange if my conclusion should prove 
somewhat superficial. 

Awaiting the issue of time, we may thank our 

English friends for the pleasure and instraction which 

they have afforded us, not omitting the suggestion that, 

when next they proffer their services as teachers of 

the resources of the language of Art, they should 

more fully heed the dignity of their profession, and 

send us only such examples as they delight to own, 

thus doubly honoring themselves and us ; — so shall 
we broaden our vision of what tlie domain of Art 
contains, still reserving the right to choose that which 
best answers our own needs and intuitions. 

Mbsos. 



DBBCRIPTIYB LIST OF THB 

Xi.-A. TEST INdCTJSIO, 
PHblbli«4 b7 €>• DitMB 9l Cm. 

Vocal, with Piano. 

Lovely Flute. Song, with accompaniment of 

Flute and Piano. Funtenau. 80 

Thie long might be properly called a doet betireen 
voiee and flute. The dttloet etmliui of the latter in- 
etromenl blended with a mellow, rieh voice, make 
moel delightftil miwic. Some slciu ie required on the 
part of the flate-jilayer. Amatouri, however, who 
read Forde^s arraiigementi In (he " Anima dell Opera," 
readily, will easily master the flute part. The eong is 
very melodious, and has often, in eoneerts, obtained 
great applause. 

Fare thee well, and if forever. Song. Phdja. 25 

Byron's deeply touching verms wlU ever mnain a 
ftvorite snl]deet with the musician. There prevails a 
melancholy sadness in the prosent eompoe i tion, wliich 
is quite appropriate to tlM words. Easy. 

A lake and a fairy boat Song and Quartet. Wood. 85 
Light and pretty. 

I would that the rose. Duet. Menddiaoikn. 80 



One of Mendelssohn's best two-part songs, with a 
new English Tersion. 

Yon say you're not remembered. Song. Baldwin, 25 
A simple, plaintiTe ballad. 

Oh, let hope for brighter days. Trio. Stratton, 25 

One of the concerted pieces in the Opera of " The 
Baeeaaeer." Short and eOsetive. 

Instrumental. 

Grand Marche Heroique by Gw^, Txanscribed 

by Vot9, 50 

This Is a very ftill and brilliant amogement of 
Onngl's celebrated and widely known " Warrior's Joy 
March." Voss is acknowledged to be unsurpassed in 
this kind of transcriptions. They are always melodi- 
ous, effoctlTe and interesting throughout. He does 
not lose the thread of the whole in meaninglees pass- 
ages, or dull yarlations; nor does he ererlntroduce 
dllBouliies, iriaich are inadequate to the eCEBCt produced. 
His arrangements of ^* Long, long weary cUy," and 
"Then you'll remember me," may be quoted as well 
known examples of the beaoty of his style. The 
present transcription is periiaps even mote brilliant 
than either of these, although not more diOeult. 

Bridal Varsovienne. Bhddey, 25 

Silver Lake Varsovienne. Montgomenj. 25 

Bxoellent music fi>r this ftrorite and ftshlonable 
danee. Both of thftso VareoTiennes have of late been 
the pets with the JSn^inh dancing public. Th^ are 
easy, striking in melody, and expxees the peculiar 
rhythm of the dance pernctly . 

Brightest eyes. Variations. Grtibe, 25 

Eclipse Polka. " " 25 

Basy arrangements of " Melodies of the day.'' Well 
adapted for new beginners. 

Flanxty Kelly. Flute (or Violin) and Piano. 

DrmOer, 25 
Giovinette che fate. " " " •* 25 

God save the Queen. " " " " 25 

Yeiy pleasing and easy for both instnunteits. 

The Reaper's Polka. jy Albert. 35 

A my spirited Polka, evidently doing the most 
eflisotual service in a ball-room. Not dimeiilt. The 
title-page represents a very gracefVil group of youths 
and maidens among the oomstacks. 

Elements of Velocity ; 4 numberi, each. Bayen. 50 

Intended for the first stages of Instruction, where 
the pupil is rather shy of substantial food unless it is 
thoroughly sugared. The author has used these 
studies in his classes, and thoroughly and practically 
tested their usefUlnees. They have nothing in com- 
mon with Caemey's " Studies in Velocity," but might 
be employed Tery properly as preparatory exercises to 
the latter work. 

Books. 

FiBST Steps to Tbobouoh Bass, in Twelve 

familiar dialogues between a Teacher and Pupil. 

By a Teacher of Music. Price, 50 cents. 

This a book of npwards'of one hundred pages, pre- 
senting in a very pleasing manner the pxinciples of 
thofough bass. The author has, by the admirable 
clearness with which he has laid down the rules and 
given the reasons for the various combinations <k har- 
mony, produced a most satisikctory treatise on the 
suliti^t. As a text-book for younger classes, it will be 
found superior to any other prepared for a similar pur- 
pose. The author has met with great success tn his 
application of this method of instruction to pupils of 
ten or twelve years of age, and confidently recom- 
mends it .to teaehen, as an invaluable aid in their 
labors. 




toijj|t's 




mxml 





U$K, 



Whole No. 329. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1858. 



Vol. Xni. No. 17. 



For I>wlght'8 Jooriua of MwIb. 

Song. 

froBi Om Qttnauk of HrarB. 

As the moon's image trembling falls 

On the wild ocean's heaving breast, 

While still and calm through heaven's blue halls 

8h6 moves above tlie waves' nnrest, 

So keepest thon, beloved one, 
So still and calm, thj cootm above. 
While in my trembling heart alone 
Thy wavering image seems to move. 

Thoa 'rt like an opening flower, 
8o good and pure and fair, 
I look on thee, and sadness 
Steals o'er me unaware, 

As though my hands in blessing 
Were Uid upon tliy brow, 
Fraying that Qod might keep thee 
As fair and pure as now. 



S. 



Truulatad fbr this Journal. 

Htnri HaixiA about Kuiio and Knsieians. 

ni. 8PONTINI AND MBYEBBEER. 

PAmn, JuM 12, 1840. 
The Chevalier Spoktiki is just now bombard- 
ing the poor Parisians with letters, hoping at any 
cost to remind the public of bis forgotten person. 
I have a circular before me at this moment, 
which he sends to all the editors, and which no 
one will print, out of regard for souncl human 
understanding and for Spontini's old name. The 
ridiculous borders here on the sublime. This 
painful weakness, which expresses itself, or rather 
frets itself out, in the most baroque style, is quite 
as remarkable for the physician as for the student 
of language. The former sees in it the sad phe- 
nomenon of a vanity, which blazes up in the 
mind with all the greater fnry as the nobler 
foculties bum out in it ; but the latter, the lin- 
guist, sees what a delightful jargon arises when a 
stiff Italian, who while in France has necessarily 
learned a little French, has further cultivated this 
so-called Italian-French during a residence of 
fire-and-twenty yean in Berlin, until the old 
gibberish has become oddly interlarded with 
Sannatian barbarisms. 

The circular is dated February, but was re- 
cently sent here again, because Signor Spontini 
hears that they want to bring out his famous 
work here again ; which is nothing but an acci- 
dent — an accident which he would improve, in 
order to be called here. After scnne pathetic 
declamation against his enemies, he continues : — 
Ei tnrilh justemerU le nottveau piege que je erois 
avoir devin/, et ce qui me fait tin inferieux (f) 
devoir de nCopposer^ me trouvarU abserUf h la re- 
mige en echie de met operas sur le th^ditre de P 
ocadAme rayale de musiquej h moina que je ne 
sots offidellemerU engage' moi-meme par Vadmini^-' 
tration^ sous la garantie da Ministhre de V Inter- 
ieur^ h me rendre h Paris, pour aider de mes 
eonseils createurs les artistes (la tradition de mes 
operas dtant perdue) pour assister aux r^pAitions 
et cantribuer au succhs de la ^VestaU," puisque 



c*est d'elle qu*U ^agiL* This is the only passage 
in these Spontine marshes, where there is firm 
ground ; here the cunning of the fellow stretches 
out its long ears. The man wishes to leave Berlin 
altogether, where he can hold out no longer, 
since the operas of Meyerbeer have been per- 
formed there ; and a year ago he came here for a 
few weeks, and ran about from morning to mid- 
night to all persons of influence, begging them 
to further his re-call to Paris. As most people 
here supposed him long since dead, they were not 
a little terrified by his sudden ghost-like appa- 
rition. There was in fact something to make 
one feel uneasy in the wily agility of these dead 
bones. M. Duponchel, the director of the Grand 
Opera, did not admit him to his presence and 
cried out with terror : ** This intriguing mummy 
may stand off; I have enough to bear already 
from the intrigues of the living I" Yet had 
Moritz Schlesinger, the publisher of Meyerbeer's 
operas — for through this good, honorable soul 
had the Chevalier announced his visit to Dupon- 
chel — volunteered all his trustrinspiring elo- 
quence to place the bearer of his introduction in 
the best light In the choice of this introducing 
medium M. Spontini displayed all his shrewd- 
ness. He showed it also on other occasions ; for 
instance, when he talked about a person, it was 
usually with that person's most intimate friends. 
He told the French writers, that in Berlin he 
had arrested a Grerman writer who had written 
against him. To the French cantatrici he com- 
plained about the Grerman cantatrici, who would 
not accept an engagement at the Berlin opera, 
without a proviso in the contract, that they should 
not sing in any opera of Spontini's ! 

But he is resolved at any rate to come here ; 
he can no longer bear to stay in Berlin, to which 
city, as he says, he has been banished by the 
hatred of his enemies, and where still he is 
allowed no rest So in these days he writes to 
the editor of La Fran^ MtlsicaJe : his enemies 
are not satisfied with driving him across the 
Rhine, across the Weser, across the Elbe ; they 
even wish to drive him further, across the Vis- 
tula, across the NiemenI He finds great re- 
semblance between his own fate and that of 
Napoleon. He fancies himself a genius, against 
whom all the musical powers conspire. Berlin is 
his St Helena, and Rellstab his Hudson Lowe. 
But now his bones must be allowed to return to 
Paris and be solemnly deposited in that musical 
Hotel des Invalides, the Academic Royale de 
Musique. 

The Alpha and Omega of all the Spontini-an 
complaints is Meyerbeer. When the Chevalier 
did me the honor of a visit here in Paris, he was 

• *' And htm la Jut tho now lure wliieh I tUiik I have 
divinod, and whkh mskw it an imperious (?) dntj with me to 
oppose, I being absent, the patting of my opens again npon 
the stage of the Royal Academy of Mnsie, unless I shall be 
oOdally engaged in penon by the administiation, %md*r tki 
guarantjf of tk* Minister qf tkt hUeriorf to come to Paris, to 
aid the artists with my cnattve counsels (the tradition of my 
opens being lost), to assist at the nheanals and to contribute 
to the sueesas of the Fsifalr, siBoe that is the opera in ques* 
tton." 



inexhaustible in stories swollen with gall and 
poison. He cannot deny the fact, that the king 
of Prussia has loaded our great Giacomo with 
marks of honor, and even thinks of entrusting 
him with high offices and dignities ; but he knows 
how to impute the basest motives to this royal 
favor. He ends with believing his own inven- 
tions, and he assured me, with an air of deepest 
conviction, that, one day when he was dining 
witli his Majesty, his Royal Highness confessed 
to him at the table with good-humored frankness, 
that he meant to fasten Meyerbeer in Berlin at 
whatever price, in order to prevent this million- 
aire from spending his fortune in a foreign coun- 
try. And since music, the desire to shine as a 
composer, is a well-known weakness of the rich 
man, he (the king) seeks to turn this weak side 
to account, and lure the glory-seeker by distinc- 
tions. It is melancholy, the king is supposed to 
have added, that a native talent, possessed of 
such great power and almost genius, should have 
to lavish its good, hard Prussian dollars in Italy 
and Paris, to win the fame of a composer — 
" whatever one can have for gold, is also to be 
had with us in Berlin ; in our hot-houses grow 
laurels too for fools, who are willing to pay for 
them ; our journalists, too, are clever and like a 
good breakfast or a good dinner ; our street por- 
ters and our pickle-venders have as hard hands 
for applauding as the Parisian claque — nay, if 
our idlers spent their evenings in the Opera 
house, instead of in the tavern, to applaud the 
Huguenots, they would gain in culture by it — 
the lower classes must be morally and sestheti- 
cally elevated, and the main thing is, that money 
circulate among the people, particulariy in the 
capital.** In such wise, as Spontini assured me, 
did his M^esty express himself, by way of ex- 
cuse, as it were, for sacrificing him, the composer 
of the Vestak, to Meyerbeer. When I remark- 
ed, that it was really very laudable in a prince 
to make such a sacrifice to promote the welfore 
of his capital, Spontini broke in : ** O, you are 
mistaken, the king of Prussia protects bad music 
not on grounds of political economy, but rather 
because he hates musical Art, and knows that 
it must go down through the example and direc- 
tion of a man, who, without any feeling for the 
true and noble, only seeks to fiatter the rude 
multitude." 

I could not help frankly confessing to the 
spiteful Italian, that it was unwise in him to deny 
his rival any merit Rival ! exclaimed he furi- 
ously, and ten times changed color, until at last 
the yellow held the upper-hand again — and then 
composing himself, he asked with a sneering 
grin : ** Are you so sure that Meyerbeer is really 
the composer of the music that is performed 
under his name ? " I was not a little startled by 
this mad-house question, and heard with aston- 
ishment that Meyerbeer had bought of some 
poor musicians in Italy their compositions, and 
prepared operas therefrom, which however had 
follen through, because the rubbish they had 
given was quite too miserable. That afterwards 



130 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



he had got hold of something better from a talent- 
ed abb^ in Venice, ^vhich he embodied in his 
Crociato. That he also possessed the manuscripts 
left by Weber, which he coaxed out of his widow, 
and from which he certainly would draw here- 
after. That Robert le Diahle and the Huguenots 
were for the most part the productions of a 
Frenchman, by the name of Gouin, who was 
heartily glad to get his operas brought out under 
Meyerbeer's name, lest he should lose his place 
as chef de bureau in the post-office, as his super- 
iors would certainly mistrust his administrative 
zeal, if they knew that he was a dreamy com- 
poser ; the Philistines hold practical functions to 
be incompatible with artistic endowments, and 
the post-officer Gouin is prudent enough to be 
silent about his authorship, and leave all the 
worldly fame to his ambitious friend Meyerbeer. 
Hence the intimate connection of the two men, 
whose interests arc complements of one another. 
But a father is still a father, and friend Gouin 
haa the fate of his intellectual children constantly 
at heart ; the details of the performance and the 
success of Robert le Dlable and the Huguenots 
claim his entire attention ; he is present at every 
rehearsal, he is continually talking with the opera 
director, with the singers, the dancers, the che/ 
de claque^ the journalists ; ho runs from morning 
till evening to all the editors' offices to carry 
paragraphs in behalf of the so-called ^leyerbeer 
operas, and his indefatigableness astonishes ever}'- 
bodv. 

^Vhen Spontini communicated this hypothesis 
to me, I confessed that it was not wholly without 
plausibility, and that, although the robust exte- 
rior, the brick-red face, the greasy black hair of 
the aforesaid M. Gouin reminded one more of an 
ox-driver or a flprazier than of a composer, yet 
there was much in his conduct to justify suspicion 
that he might be the author of the Meyerbeer 
opera& He often speaks of Robert le D'laUe or 
the Huguenots as ^* our opera." He lets slip such 
expressions as ; '* We have a rehearsal to-day ** 
— ** we must curtail an aria.** It is singular, too, 
that at no performance of these operas is M. 
Grouin absent, and if an aria di bravura is ap- 
plauded, he forgets himself entirely, and bows in 
all directions, as if he would thank the public. 
I confessed all this to the irate Italian, but yet I 
added that, in spite of my having noticed all this 
with my own eyes, I did not consider ]^I. Gouin 
the author of the Meyerbeer operas ; I cannot 
believe that M. Gouin wrote the Huguenots and 
Robert le DiaUe ; but if it be the case, the artist's 
yanity must surely gain the upper hand at last, 
and yL Gouin will publicly claim the authorship 
of those operas for himself. 

No, replied the Italian with a sinister look, as 
pievcing as a bare stiletto, this Gouin Ignows his 
Meyerbeer too well not to know what means 
stand at his terrible friend's command for putting 
aside any one who is dansrerous to him. He is 
capable, under the pretext that his poor Gouin is 
crazy, of haying him shut up in Charenton for- 
ever, and the poor fellow might be thankful to 
haye got off alive. All who stand in the way of 
this greedy seeker after honor are obliged to 
yield. Where is Weber ? where Bellini ? Hum! 
hum! 

This hum ! hum ! in spite of all its shameless 
malice, was so droll, that I could not help laughing 
as I remarked : " But you, maestro, you are not 
yet crowded out of the way ; neither is Donizet- 



ti, nor Mendelssohn, nor Rossini, nor Halevy." 
" Hum ! hum ! " was the answer, " hum ! hum ! 
Halevy does not trouble his confrere, and the lat- 
ter would willingly enough pay him for just exist- 
ing as an undangerous foil to himself; and of 
Rossini he knows, through his spies, that he com- 
poses not a note more — Rossini's stomach has 
sufTcrcd enough, too, and he never touches a pi- 
ano, lest he excite Meyerbeer's suspicion. Hum ! 
hum ! But thank God ! only our bodies can be 
killed, and not our minds' productions ; these will 
bloom on in eternal freshness, while with death 
this mere musical escutcheon with its immortality 
will come to an end, and his operas will follow 
him into the dumb realm of oblivion ! " 

It was with difficulty I could bridle my indig- 
nation when I heard with what audacious dispar- 
agement the envious Italian spoke of the great 
and honored master, who is the pride of Germany 
and the delight of the East, and who certainly 
must be considered and admired as the true crea- 
tor of Robert le DiaUe and the Huguenots! No, 
no Gouin has composed aught so splendid ! To 
be sure, with all my reverence for high genius, 
there will sometimes arise in me considerable 
doubt as regards the immortality of those master- 
works after the departure of the master ; but in 
my conversation with Spontini I assumed the air 
as if I were convinced of their duration after 
death, and, to annoy the malicious Italian, I made 
a revelation to him in confidence from which he 
could see, with what far-sightedness Meyerbeer 
hafl provided for the thriving of his intellectual 
children beyond the grave. " This providence," 
said I, ** is a psychological proof, that the real 
father is not M. Gouin, but the great Giacomo. 
In fact, he has created an entail as it were in his 
will in favor of his musical brain-children, leaving 
to each a capital, the interest of which is to be 
applied to securing the future of the poor orphans, 
so that after as well as before the departure of 
their father, all the necessary outlays for popu- 
larity, the expenses of finery, the claque^ news- 
paper puffs, &c., may be met. Even on the 
yet unborn little " Prophet " the tender progeni- 
tor is said to have settled the sum of 150,000 
Prussian dollars. Truly, neyeryet came prophet 
into the world with such a fortune ; the carpen- 
ter's son of Bethlehem and the camel-driver of 
Mecca were not so well off. Robert le Diable and 
the Huguenots are said to be less richly endowed ; 
they perhaps can live for some time on their own 
fat, so long as splendid decorations and dainty 
ballet-legs are provided for ; afterwards t}iey will 
need a subsidy. For the Crociato the bequest 
need not be so brilliant; here the father justly 
shows himself a little niggardly, and he com- 
plains that the extravagant young fellow cost 
him too much once in Italy ; he is a spendthrift. 
So much the more magnanimously thoughtful is 
he for his unhappy, fallen-through daughter, 
Emma di Rosburgo; she is to be annually re- 
announced by the press, to receive a new por- 
tion, and appear in an edition de luxe of satin 
velvet ; for crippled changelings the loving heart 
of parents always beats the truest In this way 
are all of Meyerbeer's spiritual children well 
provided for ; their future is insured for all time. 
Hate blinds even the most prudent, and it is no 
wonder, that a passionate fool like Spontini did 
not altogether doubt my words. *' O ! " he ex- 
claimed, ** he is capable of an3rthing ! Unhappy 
times ! Unhappy world ! " 



German Knsic. 

Front *' Truth about Mufllc and Ha.«icUnii," timnplated ftom 
the German, by Sabilla Notoxo, for Novello't Musical 
Timts. 

It IB usual to speak of Gcrronn, French, nnd Italian 
music, nUhou^h u Muuic mav and does exist, equally 
popular in all countries, liut, as the characttr of 
diftcrcnt nations intlacnccs music, as it does evcry- 
tliing else, Tonal Art diisplays, in every land where 
it is cultivated, certain peculiarities, sometimes more, 
sometimes less salient, — sometimes praised as excel- 
lencies, sometimes t)lamcd as defects. 

To German music, which forms the subject of my 
present letter, has been generally ascril>cd superior 
qualities ; bat it also has many deiiciencies, which I 
shall especially mention. Botli the excellencies and 
the defects of German music are fundamentally the 
same as those of German character, and, on this 
account, resemble the excellencies and defects of 
German literature. 

The peculiarities of Gennan character which we 
. may even call excellencies are : Uuiversalitv, which 
seeks to apprehend and compass all ; which endea- 
vours to discover and appropriate to itself the good 
that exists in other nations and in other ages ; which 
con comprehend and sympathize with anomalous 
circumstances, &e., &c. : Profundity , which endeavors 
to penetrate into the Mysterious, and to ascertain the 
nulical cause of all visible and tangible presentments : 
Pn-severance, which untiringly pursues an object, 
and relinquishes it not until completely conquered : 
Seriousness, which, by preference, proposes as its 
Ideal, all that is great, elevating, and significant : 
Ta}dentess, which sympathetically divines the intri- 
cate workings of tfte human soul, bat especially 
yearns after pathetic sweetness, soft emotion, and 
ardent aspiration. 

These characteristic features of the German people 
are traceable in German, music, which is also distin- 
guished by its univtrsaiity. Not only has it employ- 
ed idl existing forms used by other nations, such as 
opero, church music, &c., &c. ; but it has invented 
new forms, such as the quartet, the symphony, — in 
fact, chamber and instrumental music altogether, in 
the present acceptation of the word ; this branch of 
Art has remained, until now, the special property of 
Germany. 

Neither French nor Italian writers have produced 
any quartet, symphony, or, in short (with the excep- 
tion of opcnK)verture6); any inMrumental music 
worthy to be compared with German works of this 
class ; a few scattered essays in this style have occa- 
sionally appeared in France aud Italy, but they 
could obtam no durable success, either in their native 
land or in Germany. 

To German profundity and perseverance in osoex^ 
taining the original nature and possible development 
of Toual Art we are indebted for that wonderful 
science, — ^thematic treatment, which imparts to the 
different forms of instrumental pieces, technical 
solidity, clearness, and intelligibility ; it offers innu- 
merable resources of ever-interesting chan^, by 
which a musical piece, containing but few principal 
themes, acquires manifold charms, and exhibits the 
purest unity combined with extraonlinary variety. 

Of this science, the French and Italians make 
scarcely any use ; they repeat a theme, but almost 
always in its original shape ; altogether, they retain 
existing forms to a remarkable degree, nothwithstand- 
ing their otherwise acknowledged inconstancy and 
versatility. Italians have, as vet, taken no notice of 
German music, and the French have done so but on 
few occasions. Germans, on the contrary, have at- 
tempted the boldest innovations and reforms. Gluck, 
who entirely remodelled opera music, was a German ; 
and, although he worked in and for Paris, yet his 
style did not find any direct imitaton there, although 
the influence of his principles may be traced in later 
French operas. 

The same remarks may apply to the science of 
instrumentation, in which Germans have far sur- 
passed Italians and French ; for, while these latter for 
ever and ever repeat usual and worn-out combina- 
tions, the former for ever seek to discover new and 
unprecedented effects. This science, as also that of 
thematic treatment, has been much advanced in 
France bv Hector Berlioz ; but, in these efforts, he 
has abandoned his native French element ; by incli- 
nation and by study ho is Gennan, and is on excep- 
tion to his countrymen. 

German composers have, in a much higher decree 
than French and Italian writers, rendered musical 
expression, or the language of Tone, cleai-ly and 
distinctly intelligible,— have faithfully represented all 
states or the soul, fix>m gayest sprightliness to deep- 
est melancholy. 

Tenderness finds its most perfect, its most thrilling 
accents in German music. Thus we may justly 
assert that German music strives more earnestly, 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1858. 



131 



more pcrscverin^ly, and more sealously, to nttatn the 
Ideal ot Art, — the harmonious union of Truth and 
Bcaaty ; and has reached nearer its propofied goal 
than nas the music of anr other nation. Germany 
may therefore bo said to possess the iporthiest national 
music. 

Those pccnliaritics, however, of German charac- 
ter, which often are excellencies, and produce excel- 
lencies in German music, occusionnlly lapse into 
defects, which in like manner produce defects in 
German music. Thus, inclination towards univer- 
tality not seldom preponderates in undue proportion 
to executive power, and leads small talent to fritter 
itself away. Not cdl can campass AUf and there- 
fore production is great — ^in quantity, but not in 
quality. 

Profundity leads to hair-splitting and pedantry. 
Germans, who seek to penetrate deep mysteries, 
easily become abstruse, unintelligible, and tedious ; 
they bind tlie wings of Fancy, and do not creaJtt, but 
laboriously concoct their musical works. 

Perseverance degenerates into obstinacy, which 
doggedly and nnrcasoningly retains even obvious 
errors. 

Serioianas will occasionally cause neglect of grace, 
airiness, charm, and spirit ; while tenderness may lead 
to an objectless yearning after — ^wo know not what, 
— ^to a morbid sentimentality, — to vain aspirations 
towards an undefined Ideal. 

All these faults and shortcomings may bo detected 
in German music, and are as essentially its charac- 
teristics as the above-cited excellencies. Foreign 
opinion discerns principally these defects, and sets 
them prominently forth ; having, during centuries, 
recognized them m our national compositions. Ger- 
man pride, on the contrary, will only discern the 
excellencies ; and thus it ensues that, on one hand, 
a determined musical Gennaftofuania prevails, which, 
as all extremes produce antagonism, has elicited an 
opposite feeling, — ^a predilection for exotic musical 
productions. 

. Germanomania will perceive nothing good or wor- 
thy of imitation in the music of other nations ; it 
holds all the weaknesses, deficiencies, errors, and 
eccentricities of Germans as excusable, or even to 
be praiseworthy peculiarities, and, on this account, 
especially cultivates them, employs them pre-eminent- 
ly, and exaggerates their features. Our many charm- 
less symphonies, quartets, overtures, &c., are crying 
witnesses of this Germanomania. 

Its opposite extreme — predilection for foreign 
works — ^merely loves and seeks French and Italian 
music, which is generally more pleasing to the ear, — 
and looks down with contempt on all the great and 
glorious qualities of German music, because it is not 
always gay — because it demands complete and steady 
attention, and ofb-times thrills the soul with profound 
emotion. To this predilection may be attributed the 
prevalence of Italian and French operas on our stage, 
and tlie German propensity to imitate modem Ital- 
ian, and, more especially, the modem French frivo- 
lous operatic style, — to exclusively strive after music 
which may gratify the ear, without any reference 
to trathful delineation of character, sentiment, or 
situation. 

Mid-way between the extremes lies the sure path. 

If we properly encourage our good qualities, — ii 
we pursue the course indicated to us by our greet 
masters in their immortal works, which display all 
the excellencies without tlie defucts of the German elfr^ 
raent, — ^we maj still lay claim to the possession of 
firs^rank music, and we may still further cultivate 
and develop its capabilities. 

It is a great, though an oft-repeated fallacy, to 
assert that French and Italian musicians are incapa- 
ble of composing scientific, contrapuntal combinations, 
or of wnting in polyphone style; Germans first 
learat this art from Italians, who now, however, 
choose to neglect it, as they are essentially practibal, 
and have ascertained that such music no longer pro- 
duces universal effect on the nation, — ^that the public 
no longer admires it. Italian composers give merely 
that which iy demanded by the puolic, or by singtfrs. 
Should a musicuui obey his own humors, and not the 
will of the public for whom he writes, he would be 
ntterljT ruined, for in Italy f)ll listeners are equally 
connoisseurs, although not in our German sense of 
the word; an Italian audience is not divided into 
the two sects of initiated and uninitiated, who exer- 
cise such baneful dominion in Germany. 

The text and music of an Italian opera often enter 
into an alliance of expediency, or are even entirely 
mismatched. 'They are united by force, — they un- 
ceasingly, protest against their bonds, and mutually 
injure eacu other ; if one cry, the other laughs,— if 
she (the text) go one way, A« (the music) rushes off 
in a oontrafy direction ; Imt no one cares for their 

Snarrels. An Italian . composer, in order to be a 
ivino mdatro, is pot expected to furnish either inter- 
esting text, originality, superexcelleat instnunenta- 



tion, charncteristic expression (according to German 
interpretation), or unifonnity ; the only requisites for 
his opera arc-^-melodv and good singers. 

Italian and French operatic poets and operatic 
composers (when speaking of Italians and French, 
,wc never mention other than operatic music) do not, 
like Germans, set up an Ideal, which they endeavor 
to reach ; their highest, t?»eir only lauxjiver is the mib- 
licj — not even the public in general, but the public of 
their time^ their country, their town — ^nay, even the pub- 
lic of thisi or that theatre ; for instance, in Paris, the 
public of the Grand Opera, of the Comic Opera, 
&c., &c. 

Their first question is : " For what public t " and 
according to tne answer received, they write tlieir 
text, or compose their music. For confirmation of 
what I have adduced, compare the scoro of the AlvHte 
de Portici with that of the Maurer, by Auber. The 
first is fully instrumented, because it was composed 
for an opera-house of spacious size ; while the second 
is but sparely instrumented, bccauKe its performance 
was destined to take place in the smaller theatre of 
the Optfra Comique. 

When the fully-instramented operas by Auber and 
Meyerbeer are given in Germany, we blame those 
composers for superabundant instrumentation ; but 
we judge them ttirough the spectacles of German 
universai principles, and forget peculiar circumstances 
and appropriate adaptability, — we judge those operas 
which were calculated for effect in vast space by the 
impression they create in our small thcati'es, of which 
composers certainly took no thought. 

Some injudicious, aping composers, on the con- 
trary, consider full instramentation as progress in 
Art, or, perhaps, as a reigning fashion, because it 
comes from Paris, and imitate this massive constrac- 
tion, even when composing for our small theatres; 
thus, what practical sense commands as perfectly ex- 
pedient in one case, becomes an insupportable defect, 
when blindly emploj'ed in another. 

We cannot doubt that exclusive consideration of 
the public of a day and total oblivion of a higher 
aim occasion many of those blemishes and deficien- 
cies, such as nnfaithfulness of expression and want 
of characteristic appropriateness, which disfigure 
French and Italian works. But it is equally certain 
that the contrary fault, — ^utter contempt for tlic pub- 
lic, and exclusive endeavor after some Ideal, — is 
committed by our modem German opera composers ; 
and this may account for the fact that so many new 
German operas and other works are brought forth, 
which do not obtain any success. 

Goetlie has already said : " Germans are deficient 
in a trae sense of what is suitable in the Arts, — that 
is, they too often neglect what is possible and practi- 
cal, whilst dreaming and aspiring after Ideality.'' 

In order to win this knowledge inculcated by 
Goethe, our young scholars should not entirely con- 
temn n)odem Italians. and French, as some rigorists 
and advocates of Ideality would desire. Art is but 
Art, and can never become reality. Absolute naked 
Troth annihilates Art, which must be permitted to 
show us Trutli under a different aspect from that 
which its bears when proceed jjig directly from Na^ 
ture's hand. In reality, no human being sinys his 
anger or his despair ; therefore, e\'cry song of this 
kind en the stage is an untrath. But, even suppos- 
ing that it were feasible to force some individual to 
really .sing forth his anger or despair, in order that 
such natural expression might be correctly noted, 
and precisely imitated on the stage, this " troth to 
Nature " would only be deserving of ridicule. Ger- 
mans are too disregardful of this fact, and endeavor 
to approximate Art too Closely to . Nature ; while 
Italians and French err too far on the opposite side, 
and pay no regard to Nature. 

This is tlie principal difference between false Ger- 
man and false Italian and French style. German 
music is not sensuously atp^eaUe enough. French and 
Italian music is sensuously agreeaUe merely. He only 
who can combine sensuous gratification with artistic 
truth of expression will afford delight to Germany and 
to all lovers of music, as our great German mas- 
ters, — Mozart, Winter, Weigl, and Weber, — ^liave 
done. 

Above, I have alluded to the similarity between 
German music and German literature. French music 
and - French literature are also similar, for French 
poets write in measures more pleasing to the ear, and 
m forms more symmetrical tnan those of our Ger- 
man authors, who often give utterance to their most 
precious thoughts in formless, unintelligible, and un- 
graceful diction; — they wish to appear learned, axi^ 
consider an easy, lig^t style as frivolous, shallow, 
and unworthy ^eir use. It is precisel the same 
witli musicians. 

One more simile. Our German poetry and onr 
German musk have pursued a like counib, and kept 
even pace, in Klopstock we find strict, artistic 
form; in' Schiller and Goethe, grace and euphony 



united to richness and depth of intellect ; in modems, 
empty vcrRC-tinkling or ]X>dantic verbosity. Thus, 
also, in Bach we find t^cientific, artificially-construct- 
ed music ; in Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, grace 
and euphony united to riciiness and depth of intel- 
lect ; in the modems, empty tinkling or pedantic 
tediousncss. 



TnounLES of a Turkish Music Mabteb.— 
Mrs. Homsby, who has recently published a work 
giving her ** Adventures in and around Staraboul," 
says«that when there she became much interested in 
a young French lady, who, in giving an account of 
the fallen fortunes of her family, also describes a new 
trouble. Mrs. Hornby says : " It seems that her 
young brother, who is remarkably good looking, and 
showed a great talent for music, was sent to Vienna 
in their prosperous days for his education. His piano 
forte playing is thought much of hero, and the Sultan 
having set the fashion of Turkish Udies leaming 
music, ho now pves lessons to the wives and daugh- 
ters of several Pachas on the Bosphorus. He is mar- 
ried, greatly attached to his wife, and has two pretty 
children ; added to this he is a grave, shy young 
man. Well, Diiudu's trouble for her brother is this : 
He goes quietly in the morning to give his lesson. 
Perhaps tlicro are two or three veiled ladies in the 
room into which he is ushered by the attendants. 
'The lesson begins,' says Dhuduin a melancholy 
voice, ' and tlicy are generally rather stupid. The 
men who guard' them soon grow tired of looking on, 
and stroll away. to tlieir pipes. They are hardly out- 
side the door when down goes the yashmak of one of 
th6 ladies. She is very pretty, but very tiresome ; 
my brother is afraid to look at her. What should he 
do* if the Pacha were suddenly ta return, or one of the 
slaves to enter and report this to him ! So he turns his 
head away and tries to induce her to go on with the 
lesson. Would yon believe it,' says Dhudu, still 
more indignantly, * the other day she took hold of his 
chin, and tuming his face to hers, said laughing, 
" Wy don't you look" at me, you pig 1 " What can 
my brother ^o ? The Pacha would never believe that 
it is not his fault. Sometimes one of them will 
creep under his piano-forte, and putting her finger 
into his shoe tickle his foot. Yesterday they slip^ 
two peaches into his pocket, tied up in muslin with 
blue ribbons, clapping their hands and laughing when 
he found it out. You know what those peaches 
mean ? They " niean kisses," ' said Dhudu, coloring, 
' and it made my brother so nervous, for tlie men 
were in the outer room, and might have heard all 
about it. He would bo sorry to have them punished, 
yet they make his life miserable. That pretty one is 
tlie worst of all, she is so daring. I visit at the 
harem, and went with my brother one morning. 
Knowing them so well, I took him in at the garden 
entrance, the way I always go mjrself. We heard 
somebody laugh a loud, merry laugh, and — Oh, what 
a fright I was in — there sh»was, up in a peach tree. 
My brother turned his head away, and walked on 
very fast ; she pelted peaches at him, then got out of 
the'tree, and would have ron after him if I had not 
stopped her.' And here poor Dhudu fairly cried. 
* What can mv brotlier do f ' " 



SoMoni's Barbiere. 

When the celebrated tenor, Gareia, the father of 
Madame Malibran and Madame Viardot, came to 
Paris, and presented to the manager of the ThdAtre- 
Italien the score of // Barbiere di Siviglia, the work 
of his friend, young Rossini, whose name was begin- 
ning to bo known on both sides tlie Alps, he had to 
overcome a redoubtable opposition, principally on the 
paH of the illustrious Paer, then all-powerful in mu- 
sical matters, and who, without undervaluing the 
great talent of the young maestro of Bologna, or 
rather because he perceived too plainly his rising 
talent, wished to shut the door in his new rival's face. 
It was this combat of old Paer against young Art 
which furnished M. Scribe with the well-known sub- 
ject of his Concert a la (Jour, and the character of the 
crafty manager, whose intrigues lon^ obstract and 
imperil tlie success of a d^mtante, destmed, of course 
in the long ran, to triumph over the plots of the 
scheming maitre-de-duipelle. 

Garcia, without being discouraged, disputed the 
ground, inch by inch, with the obstinate and malicious 
author of Agn€»e, and with such success, that the lat- 
ter, beaten back to his last entrenchments, offned to 
be guided in the matter by the decision and wcU- 
provod good taste of Habeneck, who then swayed the 
dictatorial sceptre of the Op^ra. 

Habeneck, a mat musician, and incapable of jeal- 
ousy, received uie score of,// Barbiere. He kept it 
for a long time, went through it, examined it, and, at 
length, gave it back to Garcia, stating tha^ '* without 
doubt, there were some tolerably pretty tilings in the 



132 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



work, bat that a select public, like that of the Italiens, 
at Paris, required openu of greats strenythj that the 
work in question was all verj well as an operetta, 
manufactured in a hurry for a carnival or an Italian 
fair" ((it is true the Barinere was conceived, written, 
and pUved in twenty days), " but that no one could 
think of introducing productions of such slight tex- 
ture to a Parisian audience," etc. 

Paer triumphed, but Garcia, fortunately for Bossi- 
ni, would not be beaten. His eneigetic conviction, 
his devotion to the maeitro, and his ardent desire to 
p\aj before the Parisians the character of Ahnaviva, 
which he had created at Rome, and of which he had 
himself composed the famous serenade, " lo son Lin- 
doro I " triumph^ over every obstacle. Taking ad- 
vantage of the fact that his services wore needed as 
tenor, he would only consent to en^^age on condition 
of singing Rossini's BaHware conjointly with Paisiel- 
lo's. The rest is known. After a little indecision, 
the public evinced an enthusiastic admiration for the 
Bcuviere of Rossini, while that of Paisiello was neg- 
lected. The revolution, so clearly perceived and 
obstinately combatted by Paer, took place in musical 
art, and Rossini reigned, as he does still. 

This anecdote was related, long afterwards, b^ Ha- 
beneck himself, as a striking example ot the fallibility 
and nnoertainty of human judgment. 



'8 Smnmer 

Rossini has iust left the Boulevard des Italiens, and 
the Chauss^ d'Antin, to take possession of his sum- 
mer retreat at Beaus^our, a spot connected with some 
of the most pleasing reminiscences of his life. 

The Ulustrious master resided there at the time 
when Madame R^camier, the Princess de Liowen, 
M. Guixot, and a host of other celebrities made it 
their plaee of meeting. You might have saluted 
Chiteaubriand and Rossini in the same alley. 

The old pavilion, honored by being the birthplace 
of more than one inspiration of the author of Guil- 
lamne Tdl, has made way for a new building, without 
sacrificing anything of the green foliage, which shel- 
texed the residence of the illustrious master. There 
are still the same lilacs in blossom every spring, and, 
within two or three generations, the same linnets and 
the same nightingales, which seek a reft^o and in- 
dulge in a concert there every morning. It is within 
two paces of this old residence, within the same walls, 
and at the entrance of the Bois de Boulogne, that 
Rossini has come to seek the air of other times, the 
breeze wafted from Bellevue and from St. Cloud, 
that is to say, the perfume of the fields, without leav- 
ing Paris or his Boulevards, from which he could not 
tear himself away even exceptionally. 

Thejbavilion of the Princess de Talleyrand, to 
whom Beans^jour belonged nearly half a century a^, 
has flni^ open its doors to him.. From its proximity 
to the oo\b de Bouloj^e, the celebrated composer is 
enabled, every morning, to take his first walk to 
Passy and Auteuil, passing, like a schoolboy, near 
the Artesian well in the plain, that gigantic work 
whose subterranean wonders interest in the ereatest 
degree his inquiring mind. The slightest pulsations 
of this incessant boring process are interrogated by 
him, and his most lively wish is to be one of the first, 
if not absolutely the first, at the marvellous spectacle 
of the water gashing and springing forth, torn by the 
hand of man from the deepest entrails of the earth. 
It ia still the ^at German borer, M. Kind, who, un- 
der the direction and with the assistance of M. Al- 
phand, the chief engineer of the Bois de Boulogne, 
IS urving forward, night and day, the deliverance oi 
the sheet of water, destined soon to spread its hurry- 
ing waves towards Passy, Neuilly, Autreuil, and Bou- 
logne. This gentleman only understands his ultra- 
Rhenish idiom, tlie only one, perhaps, not familiar to 
Rossini. Consequently, the celebrated master ob- 
tains from him the short but expressive replj, " Mal- 
hour " or " Bonhour" according to the exciting oscil- 
lations of the interminable process of boring, which 
promises, however, to be brought to a successful ter- 
mination, like all the great enterprises of the age. 

Although, at the first dawn of day, Rossini strides 
with a firm and light step through the alleys of the 
Bois de Boulogne, ne is only the better disposed every 
evening to take part in the most varied and sparkling 
conversation. His Parisian friends do not desert him ; 
he has an amiable remark for every one, and some- 
thing to say on every thing. During die day he wil- 
lingly sits down to the piano, and extemporizes 
adorable bagatelles. From time to time, " the noble 
game of billiards " — as it used to be called — ^has the 
privilege of engaging his attention. Such days are 
festive days to the neighbor who has the honor of re- 
ceiving him — ^together with Levasseur, Ponchard, 
Mesdames Rossini and Fodor— — and of sometimes 
hearing N^aud's songs, of which Rossini is particu- 
larly fond. A cue of honor, touched by no hand but 
the master's, and surmounted by a crown with gold 



leaves, while opposite it is the bust which inspired the 
chisel of Dantan — such is the coat-of-arms of the 
highly privileged billiard room. The conversation 
never languishes, and the " Swan of Pesaro " is al- 
ways the hero, as a matter of course. 

Such is the way in which Rossini spends his sum- 
mer, loved and venerated by every one, loving all 
around him, and hnppy at having again found France 
and his friends of former times, and at having returned 
to Paris, after which he had sighed for twenty years. 



A Mudoal Betrospeot 

(From th« Philadelphia BaIl«tlD.) 

Looking over an old volume of the Truptirer, for 
our neighbor has attained to a mature age ^or a news- 
paper, and can look back over a career of more than 
a quarter of a century — our attention haa been a^ 
tracted to the notices of the Italian Opera Company, 
then performing in Philadelphia. It was in the win- 
ter and spring of 1833, more than twennr-five years 
ago. There had been but few attempts here at Ital- 
ian opera before this ; indeed the Garcia eompanv, 
that performed here in 1825, and in which poor Mafi- 
bran was the prima donna, was almost the only one 
worthy of much consideration. The company of 
1833 is remembered still bv many veteran opera-goers, 
and there are not a fcw wno still refer to the days of 
Pedrotti, Montresor, and Fornasari, as the " palmy 
days " of Italian music here ; just as the days of Jer- 
ferson. Wood and Warren are talked of as the 
" palmy days " of the drama, and those of the Woods 
as the " palmy days " of English opera. We have 
faith in the steady progress of Art, and 'we have no 
idea that the performances of 1833 were nearly as 
eood as those that we have had in 1857 and 1858. 
^or do we believe that the performances of 1858 are 
nearly as good as we or our successors shall have in 
1868 or 1878. 

But this has nothing to do with our purpose, which 
is simply to note the opera season of 1833 as a bit of 
our musical history. The arrival of the company is 
announced as having occurred on the twenty-first oi 
January, and with them came " the celebrated poet 
Da Ponte. This is the worthy old gentleman who 
was the . contemporary and friend of Mozart, and 
wrote for him the words, now immortal, of Don Gio- 
vanni, The poor fellow died in poverty in New 
York, some years a^. The director of the Compa^ 
ny was Signor Bagioli, who is, or was quite lately, 
still teaching singing in New York. The leader of 
the orchestra was Rapetti. The women of the com- 
pany were Pedrotti, Salvioni and Marozzi ; the men 
were Montresor, Fornasari, Orlandi, Sapignoli, Placi 
and others. The company opened at the Chestnut 
Street Theatre, on the evening of Jan. 23d., the 
prices of tickets being one dollar for the boxes and 
pit and fifty cents for Uie gallery. The opening opera 
was Mercaxlante's EUsa e Claudio, whicn was not a 
new open then ; for Mercadante, although still living 
and still composing at Naples, had begun to write in 
1818, and EUsa e Claudio was first produced in 1821. 
It was a weak imitation of Rossini, with some very 
pretty melodies ; but it has long since been banished 
from the stage. During the season, which continued, 
for four nights in a week, from January 23d till 
Mareh 19th, the only operas produced were Eliaa e 
Claudio, Bellini's // Pirata, and Rossini's Italiana in 
Algeri, CenertntcHa, Otdio, and Mote in Egitto — ^the 
last produced at the Musical Fund Hall as an orato- 
rio. The greatest hit seems to have been made by 
// Pirata, which was comparatively new then, and 
was the first bold attempt to depart from the Ros- 
sini style, that was then so universally imitated. 
The principal singers, Pedrotti, Montscsor and For- 
nasari, are the subjects of much eulogium, and 
doubtless it was all well deserved, for ttieir after fame 
was groat, in Europe as well as in this country. Still 
the profits of the season were not large, for at its 
close the editor says of tlie company : 

" Their visit to this city, although not so successful 
as they anticipated, has not brought the company into 
debt, while it added to the funds of all the members 
who took benefits. Had the money received at benefits 
been deposited in the general fund of the company, 
there would have been several thousand dollars receiv- 
ed beyond expenses. Considering the season, therefore, 
and the attractions of other theatres, we think they 
have no reason to complain of a want of liberality on 
the part of Phibdciphia. If the^ choose to pay their 
principal singers enormous salanes, and to give them 
iree benefits, always tiiking care to render the attrac- 
tions of a benefit night for greater than any other night, 
they cannot expect to enrich the managen and the 
"stars "also. 

Here wo have the complaint, which is still reiterated 
everywhere even now, ot inordinately high salaries for 
the leading artists. It was damaging to the managers 
in the little, dingy, old Chesnnt street Theatre, which 



had only room for some fourteen hundred people. It 
is equally damaging now in the superb Acaacmy of 
Music, where there is room for over three thousand 
people. 

The poverty of the repertoire of the company of 1 833 
must strike every one, especially atf novelty and variety 
are so imperatively demanded at every opera season of 
the present day. During nearly two months only five 
operas were played, and of tlicse none possess the dra- 
matic interest that is necessary to make an opera 
succeed before a modem audience. But the demands 
for novelty have done much for the art of music since 
1833, and the number of successful operas produced 
since then is surprising. Nearly all of Donizetti's 
numerous successful operas were written after 1833. 
Anna BoUna was the only one that had made any sen- 
sation previously. Bellini bad not then written his 
Sonnambula, his Norma or his Puritani. Meyerbeer had 
written his Crociato, but his great works and the only 
ones now performed — Robert, the HuguenotM, the 
ProphOe, and L* EtoiU du Nord — ^were all written sub, 
sequently. Rossini had written his William TeU- 
which was like the birth of a new genius, totally 
distinct from that which produced the Barber, 
Cenerentola^ &c ; but it was monopolized by Paris, and 
its production in America could not have been dreamed 
of. Anber, also was too exclusively French to be 
much thought of then in this country, and the same 
may be said of Halev^, and the other writers for tlie 
Palis stage. The wntcr of the most popular and suc- 
cessful modem operas — Giuseppe Verdi — was in 1838 
only 19 years old and was of course totally unknown 
to the musical world at large. Reflectmg on the 
immense additions that have l^n made since then to 
the stock of operas that please the public, by the few 
composers we have named, one is surprised to hear 
that the season of 1833 should even have been as 
successful as reported. It must be remembered, too, that 
Philadelphia then had only about 180,000 inhabitants, 
or less than one in three of the present population. 
But it must also be remembered that the opera was a 
much greater novelty then than it is now, and that 
short seasons, occurring at intervals oi several years, 
might succeed much better than long seasons, such 
as are undertaken now in Philadelphia and New 
York. 



WilUun Honley. 

(From the Londoa Athcnaenm, June I9.| 

The long life of Mr. Hobslet, one of the patri- 
arehs of Englisli music, and certainly one of the best 
composers this country has ever produced, closed a 
few days since. He was in his eighty-fourth year; 
and for something like three parts ot a century had 
kept a distinguished place among our professors, hav- 
ing only retired from the organ at which he presided 
a very few years since. It would be too mucn to ex- 
pect one trained and occupied as he was to have kept 
pace with a time which successively flung ont varie- 
ties and novelties so great and distinct as Beethoven, 
Signor Rossini, Weber—not to speak of the Liszts 
and Chopins and Thalbergs, who for awhile pushed 
aside the smoother and simpler pianoforte music of 
elder dynasties. But Mr. Horsley's moral worth and 
uprightness would have alwajrs kept him in a place 
of credit amouff his brethren ; if even he had not 
deserved well of old and yoauff among them by writ- 
ing some of the most beautiful part-music in being. 
His glees in every respect merit this epithet. The 
wor£ are mostly chosen with a refinement of uste in 
itself significant ; the melody in them has generally a 
grace and distinctness, and' the harmony is always 
pure, rich, and delicate. It is almost suporflaous to 
name "Bv Celia's Arbor," and " See the Chariot." 
In the stricter forms of composition Mr. Horsley,too, 
was fortunate and free. His vocal canons are excel- 
lent of tiieir kind. It is pleasant to think that com- 
petenoe, respect of friends, and the domestic minis* 
trations of those who without indiscretion may be 
characterized as a remarkable artist-fiunily, made the 
latter days of his life easy and cheerful. 

(rrom Hoort-i BneyeloiMeAa ot Mule.) 

William Hobsley was bom in London, in 1774. 
In his youth he* was remarkably unhealthy, and, 
owing to this circumstance, to family misfortunes, and 
to other causes, his general education was neglected 
and he arrived at Uie age of sixteen before it was 
finally resolved that he should pursue music for a 
profession. At that period he was articled for five 
years to Theodore Smith, who was esteemed to be a 
good piano-forte player, and who claimed to be the first 
who introduced duets for that instrument into England. 
Smith's theoretical knovrled^ was very limited. He 
was, besides, passionate and indolent to an extreme de- 
gree, and entirely neglected the instruction of his 
pupil, who was, at all times, most happy to escape 
from his violence. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1858. 



133 



However, while with Smith, the sabject of our 
present article made Beycral valaable acquaintances, 
who hod a rast influence on his future pursuits. In 
particular, he became very intimate with the three 
DFOthers, Jacob, Joseph, and Isaac Prini;, and from 
them he first imbibed that love for vocal music which 
he ever after cherished. Joseph Pring, havinf; ob- 
tained tlie situation of organist in the cathedral at 
Bangor, removed thither, and his brother Imuic soon 
afterwards went to Oxford, where he died, after hav- 
ing been organiitt at the new college for some time. 
Uorsley's great intimacy, therefore, was chiefly con- 
fined to Jacob Pring, from whose kindness and 
friendship he derived advantages which he has never 
failed to acknowledge. In 1799 he had the misfor- 
tune to lose his estimable friend ; but previousiv he 
had procured an introduction to Dr.'Calcott ; and the 
example of these two excellent musicians, and his 
constant intercourse with them, had determined^ him 
more particularly to the practice of glee writing. 
At this time his ardor for composition was very great 
and every moment which he could spare ftom his oc- 
cupation, as a teacher, was devoted to it. Besides 
glees, he wrote services in five, six, seven, and eight 
parts, " Two Anthems," in twelve real parts, and a 
** Sanctus," for four choirs. Her also employed him- 
self much in tlie construction of canons, and found 
oonsiderable improvement in the exercise of that dif- 
ficult species of writing. In 1798 he suggested to 
his friends. Dr. Callcott and Pring, a plan for die for- 
mation of a society, the object of which sliould be 
the cultivation of English vocal music. The mem- 
bers met for the first time in that year, and, on the 
suggestion of Mr. Wcbbo, took the name of Concen- 
torei Sodaies, The establishment of this society was 
a great advantage to Horalcv. It introduced him to 
an acquaintance with several eminent professors ; and 
as each member was to preside in turn, and furnish 
music for the day, it gave a new stimulus to his exer- 
tions. About the same period, he was introduced by 
Dr. Callcott to the committee of the asylum for 
female orphans, and was accepted by them as assis- 
tant organist of the institution. On this occasion, he 
resigned his situation of oipmist of Ely Chapel, Hol- 
bom, which he had held for some years. He now 
began to employ himself in vocal compositions with 
instrumental accompaniments, and set, among other 
things, "Smollet's Ode to Mirth," "The Caniate 
Domino" and an antliem to words beginning, " When 
Israel came out of Egypt," with which he took his 
bachelor's degree in 1800, at Oxford. His time was 
now much occupied by his pupils ; nevertheless, when 
the vocal concerts were revived, in 1801, he applied 
himself with fresh diligence to composition, and fur- 
nished the managers of those concerts with many 
new works. This he was particularly induced to do, 
not only fit>m his love to the art, but from his great 
intimacv with Harrison and Bartleman ; and, till the 
death o^ the former, ho was the most copious and the 
most successful among the native contributors to their 
undertaking. In 1802 Dr. Callcott resigned his situ- 
ation at the Asylum, and Horsley, having been rec- 
ommended by tlie committee to the guardians at 
large, wtis chosen to succeed the doctor, without any 
opposition. He continued to perform the whole duty 
at the Asylum till 1818 ; when Bclgrave chapel, in 
Halkin Street, Grosvenor Place, being finished, he 
accepted the office of organist in it. For many 
▼ears, a very large portion of his time was occupied 
m giving instruction ; but the remainder he devoted, 
wim unabated assiduity, to the study of his art, and 
to the practice of composition. His published works 
consist of the services, odes, and anthems already 
mentioned ; " Three Symphonies for a full Orches- 
tra," which were several times perfori^ed at the vocal 
concerts ; several trios for violin and violoncello : and 
a great collection of single pieces, consisting of glees, 
canons, songs, dueu, &c. Of these have been pub- 
lished : " Three Collections of Glees, Canons, and 
Madrigals, for three, four, five and six voices"; 
" Six Glees for two Trebles and a Bass " ; "A Col- 
lection of forty Canons, of various species." This 
work tlie author has inscribed to his friend dementi, 
in language which shows his respect and admiration 
for that great master. He was likewise a great con- 
tributor to the " Vocal Harmony," published by 
Clementi & Co. That splendid work contains fifteen 
or sixteen glees, which were purposely composed for 
it by him. To these publications may be added sin- 

fle glees, songs, &c. Horsley occasranally employed 
imself in writing for the piano-forte, chiefly, howev- 
er, with a view to the improvement of the younger 
class of students. His works for that instrument 
consist of " A Set of Easy Lessons, containing Fa- 
miliar Airs." " Six Sonatinas for the Use of his 
Pupils, with the leading fingering carefully marked." 
" Three Sonatas, composed for the Hon. Miss Pon- 
Bonby." " Sonatas, Nos. 1 and 2." These were in- 
tended as part of a series, to be published from time 
to time. He has also printed " An Explanation of 



the Major and Minor Scales," accompanied with 
exercises calculated to improve the hand. 



Free Platoround ros the PsopLB.^Mr. C. 
P. Molly, a young merchant of Liverpool, and a 
partner m tlie house of Melly, Komilly & Co., after 
having beautified that town with numerous wall foun- 
tains, at which thirsty pedestrians may help themselves 
without let or hindrance, has recently fitted up a 
piece of land in the suburbs belonging to the corpora- 
tion, as a free Gymnasium and playground for the 
people. Its opening was numerously attended. The 
following sensible address w^as freely distributed : — 
" Friends, — This playground is intended for your 
enjoyment, and is placed under your care. The poles, 
ropcR, ladders ana chairs will tiear any fair usage. It 
will be for you to protect them from wilful damage. 
The trees will adorn your plavground if they are 
allowed to grow up, and yon will, I am sure, prevent 
them from being destroyed. This playgroun<^ is 
hereby placed in your bands ; let it be used for the 
purposes for which it is obviouslv intended. Let 
good humor and good temper prevail. Let there be 
no quarrelling among yourselves, and allow no stone- 
throwing or fighting among your younger members. 
It rests with you whether Uie first attempt at free 
ont-door amusement in our town be a success or a 
failure. Charles P. Melly." 

The fancy for providing playgrounds appears to be 
extending. Mr. Dickens lately presided at the first 
anniversary festival of the " Playground and General 
Recreation Society." On this occasion a hundred 
persons sat down to an excellent dinner. 

The object of the society is to seek out and provide 
available open spots for playgrounds in populous 
places in wnlch the children of the poorer classes may 
disport themselves in healthful games, instead of 
playing at hide-and-seek m dens and alleys. The 
present movement originated some months ago with 
the Rev. Dr. Laing, to whom all honor is due. 

In proposing the toa-nof the evening, ** Success to 
the Playground and General Recreation Society," 
tlie Chairman drew a racy picture ot his encounters with 
the children playing in the streets on his way from his 
hou^e to the London Tavern. He next descanted 
upon the desirabilitv of providing suitable places of 
recreation for the diildren in question, and wound up 
by saying that, tliongh it was impossible to provide at 
present for all the wants of the metropolis in this re- 
spect, vet that, with respect to two parishes, two 
benevolent ladies had come forward and pledged 
themselves to subscribe £100 each, provided the 
remaining necessary funds could be ootained from 
other sources. It was in fact therefore, with a view 
to a trial of the experiment of these two parishes that 
he appeared before them that evening, and he h€>ped 
to see the experiment fairly tried before long. The 
health of the chairman, and of the ladies, were the two 
concluding toasts. The last toast was proposed by 
the chairman, who vowed and declared he would not 
preside at another dinner unless the ladies also dined, 
an announcement which was received with enthusiastic 
cheers. 

The li.1t of subscriptions during the evening amoun- 
ted to £578 6s. 




ma\ Cornspnhntt. 



nf%i%r\s\MttvymgW'^'ifWW^^t^^^'if^'ii'^^'^firie^^\'t'''''^r'^'x^-^^'''^^^^^'^^^^^^^^^ 



Yankee Doodle. — We find the following in the 
National Intelligencer : 

"The following letter has been received by a 
gentleman of this city from our accomplished secreta- 
ry of legation at Madrid : 

Madrid, June 3, 1858. 

My Dear Sir, — The tune Yankee Doodle, from the 
first of my showing it here, has been acknowledged by 

Cersons acquainted with music to bear a strong resem- 
lonce to the popular airs of Biscay ; and yesterday a 
Iirofessor from the north recognized it as Ming much 
ike the ancient sword dance played on solemn 
occasions by the people of San Sebastian. He says 
the tune vfuies in those provinces, and proposes in a 
couple of months to give me the changes as they are 
to be found in their different t3wns, ttiat the matter 
may be judged of and fairiy understood. Our nation- 
al air certainly has its origin in the music of the free 
Pyrenees ; the first strains are identically those of the 
heroic Danza Esparta, as it was played to me, of brave 
old Biscay. 

Very truly yours, Buckingham Smith." 

•Kossuth informed us that the Hungarians with 
him in this country first heard Yankee Doodle on the 
Mississippi river, when they immediately recognized it 
as one of the old national airs of their nafive land, — 
one played in the dances of that country, — and they 
began immediately to caper and dance as they used to 
in Hungary. It is curious tliat the same air soould be 
found in old Biscay. — Post. 



New York, Jult 20, 1858.— The Mnsard con- 
certs have suddenly ceased. After a week's trial it 
was found impossible to draw paying audiences to the 
Academy of Music, at this time of the year, and the 
enterprise has been abandoned. The Academy will 
now remain closed until September, when Maretzek 
promises a short operatic season, with Gazzaniga, 
Brignoli, Amodio, and Miss Phillipps. Madame and 
Monsieur Gassier are also engaged. The lady I had 
the pleasure of hearing a few months ago at Rome, 
where she is a great favorite. Madame Gassier is a 
lady of oonsiderable personal beauty, looks like an 
Italian, with her dark eyes and hair, is perfectly fa. 
miliar with the stage, sings with sweetness and fiexi- 
bility, and altogether holds a very fair rank among 
European prima donnas. She is favorably known to 
the English as well as the Roman public, and if she 
comes to America will undoubtedly be successful, 
though I do not think she will create a furore or rival 
La Grange or Gazzaniga in the affections of our op- 
era-going public. For light and comic roles, she will 
be a pleasing relief to our heavy tragedy queen, Gaz- 
zaniga. After a short season, Maretzek with his 
company will depart for Cuba, while his place at the 
opera house will be filled by tlie UUman troupe. 
Who will be the members of this forthcoming com- 
pany has not yet transpired, but I learn it is the in- 
tention of the manager to leave the beaten track of 
Italian operas and produce German and French 
works comparatively unknown here. The Huguencis 
will be revived, with Meyerbeer's other operas, and 
Halevy's La Juive is also mentioned. At Niblo's we 
shall have this fall, a French company for the pro- 
duction of light operas and vaudevilles. 

Maretzek and Anschutz are getting up a curious 
musical open air Festival for the inauguration of tlie 
Jones' Wood Park, to take place on the 2d, 3d, and 
4th of August. Two hundred performers will take 
part, and there will be balls, and fireworks, and bal- 
loon ascension, and Turners, and magnificent 
prizes (!), and Sing-Vereins, and probably Lager 
Beer. The admission will be 25 cents, which wil 
include everything except the Lager. 

Our Philharmonic Society holds a rehearsal Satur- 
day evening to test the acoustic qualities of the new 
Music Hall under the Cooper Institute. Should the 
result of the experiment be satisfactory, the room will 
probably be engaged for the regular rehearsals of the 
Society. 

Brignoli and Amodio are at Saratoga, coneertizing 
in the train of Miss Fay, one of the innumerable host 
of " American prima donnas." By the way, talking 
about American singers, I may as well mention that 
Mrs. Cora Wilhorst has been engaged to sing in op- 
era this fall at the Academy. It is said that the 
reports of her not being able to obtain an engagement 
in Europe were false — that she was offered engage- 
ments both at the opera at Paris and elsewhere. Cer- 
tain it is, that I have heard worse singers than she 
occupying prominent position in the lyric world on 
the other side of the water. Trovator. 



Ppiladelphia, July 20, 1858. — Not many miles 
from the city of Philadelphia, ensconced amid the 
noble hills which surround the valley through which 
meanders the placid Lehigh, is found the time-honored 
town of Bethlehem, the mother-congregation of tliat 
zealous and devoted band of Christ's followers, yclept, 
the Moravians, Romantic to a fascinating degree in 
location, rich beyond measure in historical and abo- 
riginal associations, endowed with most excellent 
schools, embracing within its limits a population of 
superior intelligence, Bethlehem has lured hundreds 
of summer touriste from the gay dissipations of Sar- 
atoga, Cape May, and other kindred resorts, aod has, 
in point of fact, especially since the completion of 



134 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the North Pennsylvania Railroad, constituted itself 
the fayorite watering place of the pent-up denizens of 
the Qoaker City. The peculiarities of the Morayian 
Church, its early origin in Bohemia, its fearful strug- 
gles against the persecutions which reigned rampant 
in the middle ages, its final overthrow and subsequent 
renewal, its untiringly faithful and self-<eacrificing 
efforts in the mission cause in all parts of the globe, 
— these are doubtless familiar to all such of your 
worthy readers, as chance to take even a superficial 
interest in general church history; and it is not my 
design to touch upon these prominent features of Mb- 
rovianism. My object is rather to point attention to 
the musical culture of this body of Christians, who 
foster the " divine Art " with all the inherent enthu- 
siasm and assiduity peculiar to die Germans and their 
descendents. Sacred and secular music seem to be 
cultivated with equal seal by them, and all of the 
light, fiippant, modernized style of composition is 
scornfully spurned from both departments. 

Every Moravian church lays a peremptory stress 
upon congregational singing, and the children are 
trained with a view to this from the earliest infancy. 
They are, if [I may use the expression, inoculated 
with the rich harmonies and graceful movements of 
the church chorals, and these settle firmly into their 
systems. Apart from all tliis, however, there is at- 
tacheil to each church a regular choir, trained to the 
execution of difficult sacred music, and brought into 
active requisition upon festival days and solemn occa- 
sions. This body of vocalists usually finds its accom- 
paniment in a fiue orchestra, which, in connection 
with the village organ, very materially heightens the 
general effect, rendering this more imposing and swel- 
ling in anthems of glorification, and per contra, more 
impressively solemn in the requiem over the departed 
or in the holy ceremonies of the Passion Week. 
The choir and orchestra of Bethlehem have been 
very celebrated for well nigh a century past. Years 
ago, when, in the gradual growth of Philadelphia, 
amid the slow development of its internal resources, 
music first assumed a living shape in the formation of 
the Musical Fund Society, and when this now power- 
ful corporation was in its puling infancy, it was very 
customary, upon concert occasions, to borrow from 
Bethlehem the material wherewith to fill up its or- 
clicstra to suitable dimensions. The village musi- 
cians, enthusiastically devoted to the "divine Art," 
practically, theoretically, and aesthetically, were never 
tardy to respond to such invitations ; and although 
Philadelphia in those days of rickety mail stages, 
seemed almost immeasurably far off, and access there- 
to proved really laborious, the names of such staunch 
musicians as the brothers Weiss, the Crists, the Beck- 
els, the Rauchs, and others, almost invariably graced 
the poster-announcements of concerts in the city. 

But I am digressing from my remarks upon the 
sacred music of the Moravians ; I shall enlarge upon 
their cultivation of the secular department in another 
letter. 

The repertoire of every Moravian congregation 
comprises within its limits the works of the greatest 
masters, from Mozart to Spohr, besides numerous con- 
tributions of great merit from the pens of church- 
members, who, with less of retiring humility and 
more of worldliness, might have carved out for them- 
selves prominent niches in thd temple of Fame. — 
There are now in constant tise and practice among this 
small body of Christians, anthems, motettos, &c., 
from the works of their own brethren (such as Beck- 
ler of former times, — ^Bishop Wolle and Rev. Francis 
Hagen of the present day,) which exhibit unmistak- 
bly that deep-searching, mathematically constructed 
cultuSf that intellectual, ideal, aesthetical conception 
of music, which causes the rigorous German school 
of composition to be regarded as the broad founda- 
tion upon which the entire Temple of the Muses 
stands firm. 

The rehearsals of Moravian cboin are very fiuth- 



fhlly and judiciously held at stated times throughout 
the entire year; in fact, so punctually did the indi- 
vidual members attend them at the time when your 
humble cormpondentwas a viola performer amongst 
them, several years since, that neither a drifting snow- 
storm, nor a driving rain deterred the hardy, buxom 
damsel, from donning a pair of boots, if the occasion 
demanded this, and hastening to the old church to 
mingle their voices in preparation for some coming 
festive Sabbath. 

Another feature of the sacred music department, 
among the Moravians, is the trombone choir, which 
announces from the steeple of the village church to 
the quiet inhabitants beneath, the deaths of individual 
members, as these chance to occur ; and which usually 
precedes, with solemn chorals, the funeral cortege, as 
it winds its noiseless way towards the lovely, peaceful 
graveyard, not many paces from the church. This 
so-called trombone cJioir also performs upon other occa-' 
sions, but its services are chiefly brought into requisi- 
tion as above mentioned; in fact, when a death 
occurs, and the rich harmonies of the quartet float 
over the undisturbed village in announcement of the 
melancholy fact, the mechanic lap aside for the mo- 
ment his implements, and feels as though distant 
strains from another world were approaching liim. 
By a systematic arrangement, he is furthermore ena- 
bled to distinguish accurately the sex and progress in 
life of the deceased, by the particular hymn-tune 
which comes to his ears. However, I greatly suspect 
myself to have wearied your patience with this sub- 
ject, by spinning my story unduly. In my next letter, 
I propose to afford to your readers some idea of the 
secular music of Bethlehem, as cultivated by its Phil- 
harmonic Society, its excellent Brass Band, and in its 
individual private fiimilies. Mahrico. 

5 bight's lanrnal d Slnsk 

BOSTON, JULY 34, 1868. 

Music in this Number. — Conclusion of tlie 
" Chorus of Peasants " from Bellini's Sonnambula. 
The plates are borrowed from Messn. Ditson & Co's 
beautiful and cheap vocal and piano score of this 
ever fresh and popular opera. 



The musical gossip, of which we translate this 
week a third specimen from that brilliant and sat- 
irical dog, Henri Heine, is gleaned from his 
various series of letten from Paris, which treat 
of all the topics of their day, political, philosoph- 
ical, artistic, literary, &c, It is gossip merely ; 
yet it contains not a few just and sharp percep- 
tions in the sphere of music and musicians. We 
give them rather as amusing, characteristic ob- 
servations of one of the most original and piquant 
writers of our century', than as musical criticisms 
of much real value. Heine certainly is no mu- 
sical authority ; but Heine's whims and fancies and 
quaint, saucy comments on the musical world, so 
far as he could know it there in Paris, — ^tliough to 
be taken always cum grano — may furnish a few 
hours of pleasant and not entirely worthless sum- 
mer reading. 

We trust none of our readers, who are inter- 
ested on either side of the vexed question of Grer- 
man or Italian music, or who have felt bored and 
sick with the unprofitable vagueness of the con- 
troversy, will fail to read the very candid and ju- 
dicious statement of the excellencies and the 
faults of '* German Music," which we copy on 
another page, We think it contains the essence 
of the matter in a nutshell. Such analysis leads 
to something like definiteness of ideas, as to 



wherein the real difference lies between German 
music in its best sense and the current Italian 
music, which of course means simply Italian 
Opera, of a fashion so exclusively modern as 
scarcely to include Bossini. At the same time it 
shows how much poor Crerman music there is, 
growing out of zeal beyond discretion (and be- 
yond inborn talent) for German ideals ; and how 
much of still poorer music, which is only Grerman 
because manufactured by Germans, but in feebler 
imitation of feeble Italian nuxlels. But this re- 
minds us of a piece of news we have just found 
in a foreign paper, which we hope is not too good 
to be true. Here is the paragraph, which we 
may make a text for more remaric hereafter : 

Hossiifi's Ofrras. — According to the Italian 
papers, the people throughovt the entire peninsnla 
are returning to their ancient love for Rossini's music. 
At Home, the Si^ of Corinth is now the operatic 
rage ; whilst at Florence and Genoa, Guiilaume TtU 
and Jl/ob8 are being performed with the utmost en- 
thusiasm. A few vocalists of the old school alone 
ore wanted to moke Rossini's operas as popular as 
ever. Veitli's music not only wears out the singers, 
but the hearers, while the music of the Swan of Pe- 
saro, like port wine, is rendered more palatable by 
age. One bottle of old Rossini is worm a pipe (if 
Verdi. 

The newspapera all round are complimentary 
to our *^ Diarist " and notice his departure on his 
third visit to Germany, to complete hn Life of 
Beethoven, with cordial interest. This is from 
the Courier: 

Mr. Albxahdbx W. Thateb, a gentleman of most 
cultivated musical taste and large knowledge of musi- 
cal history, sailed lost Wednesdav from New York for 
Germany, irith the intention of Uiere devoting a year 
to the completion of his lives of Beethoven and 
Weber. The Life of Beethoven has long been a 
cherished object of Mr. Thayer's ambition, and for 
many years the greater part of his studies has been 
directed to that end. Mr. Thayer's course has not 
been a path of roses. He has had to encounter obsta- 
cles that would long ago have discouraged any man 
of less entlmsiasm and determination. But we believe 
that this time he leaves our shores happy in the hope 
of concluding his long labor of love. His worx, 
when finished, will be the most valuable record sf 
events of the life and time of tlie great master that has 
ever been produced in any language, and will abso- 
lutely leave no room for improvement in the matten 
of completeness and detail. What literary attractions 
it may possess cannot of course be determined in 
advance, but we do not doubt that it will earnestly 
appeal to every lover of the divine art. We hope 
Mr. Thayer may be as successful in his final researches 
as he deserves to be, and that uninterrupted good 
health — ^which has not alwavs been bis portion — may 
enable him to prosecute his labors without discourage- 
ment or pain. We bid him an affectionate God- 
speed. Mr. Thayer, we may observe, is ver^ well 
known by his writings in Boston, as the " Diarist " of 
Dwighfs Journal of Mu»ic, and somewhat also by his 
"Letters from a Quiet Man," published in this 
paper. 

Here is another from the Worcester PaMadiwn, 
which does justice to our friend's story-telling 
faculty, under his other name as ^ Mr. Brown : " 

A Good Stort. — We would call attention to the 
storv on our first page, copied from D^vight's Journal 
of idueic. It is a model for the story-writen of the 
day ; one of its merits being the peifect concealment of 
the art used in its composition. It is a popular error 
to believe that nothing is easier than to wiite a story 
as this is written. On the contrary nothing is more 
difficult ; involling more concentration of Uiought, 
more studv of the power of language. It is from the 
pen of A. W. Tliayer, Esq., the well-known "Diarist" 
of Dwight's Jowmaly who has recently sailed for Eu- 
rope, to complete in Berlin and Vienna, bis life of 
Beethoven. 

Flotow's Martha has been successfully per- 
formed in the Russian language, at* St. Peters- 
burg ..... Spohr has accepted an invitation 
to be present at the Jubilee of the Prague Con- 
servatory; he has been asked to conduct the 
performance of bis own opera, Jessonda, ..'... 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1858. 



135 



Li8ZT*s plan for establishing a muacal conserva- 
tory on a grand scale in Vienna, it is said, will be 

carried out, under the patronage of a very high 
personage, and only waits the new arrangements 

K>r re-building a portion of the city The 

three hundred and first representation of Der 
FreyscliiltZy which was to have taken place in 
Berlin on the 18th of June, (the anniversary of 
its first performance), in aid of the fund for a 
monument to Weber, was postponed, on account 
of the great heat, until the autumn. 

The London Musical World does not at all 

agree with the Athenceum (copied on page 132), in 

the opinion that the late Mr. Horsley was ^ one 
of the best composers Endand has produced,** 
and thinks he was decidedly an old fogey, who 
never could learn to admire anything after 
Haydn and Mozart and the earlier works of 

Beethoven Franz Abt, the popular 

German song composer, has arrived in London. 

Mme. SzARVADY (Wilhelmina Clauss) 

left London for Paris the last week in June. 

A German Singers' Festival was held in Daven- 
port, Iowa, on the last three days of June. Herr 

RoHR, of Philadelphia, a chance visitor, con- 
ducted, in the unexpected absence of Herr 
Balatka, of Milwaukie. A small orchestra, 
of twenty, played the overtures to Oberon and 
the Huguenots; the various Mdnnerchdre sans 
partrsongs, Mozart's O Isis und Osiris, &c., with 
fine effect ; one of Beethoven's early Trios for 
piano, violin and 'cello was played ; and various 
solos, German and Italian, such as Adelaide, Ah 
non credea. Casta Diva, &c., were sung with much 
acceptance. 

Ferdinand Hiller's new oratorio, Saul, is 

spoken of both by friends and enemies as Wag- 

nerish and Liszt-ian! Richard Wag- 
ner's operas, which since 1849 have been taboo- 
ed in Dresden, have recentlv received permission 
to be pertormed again. Tannhduser will lead 
off, and will derive new interest from the ap- 
pearance of Johanna Wagner, the composer's 

niece, in the part of Elizabeth The 

Handel monument at Halle is approaching its 
completion ; the plaster model, by Professor Ilei- 
del, of Berlin, is already finished. The statue of 
the composer, eight feet hijzh, will, it is said, be 
an ornament to Grerman Sculpture, with such 
beautiful symplicity, such truth and boldness is 
it executed ; it will be placed on a ffranite pedes- 
tal of five feet in height The desk, on which 
Handel leans, has carv^ upon its feet the fissures 
of Orpheus and David ; and the leaf, which bears 
the score of the " Messiah," shows on the outside 
St Cecilia, in wliich the portrait of Jenny Lind 
is recognized. 



Kufioal Review. 

JuvenUe Sonata, for Piano. By Hbnrt Schwino 
(Oliver Ditson & Co.) ; pp. 7. 

Wo are glad to see any disposition among piano 
teachers to &mtliarize their popils with the Sonata 
form, — ^the most pregnant, most complete and inter- 
esting of all the forms of instrumental mnsic, and 
the form in which more fine musical inspirations have 
embodied themselves than in any otlier. Of course 
form and spirit ought to go together; exercises 
should not be dry and empt^ ; there should be the 
soul, the charm or real music in them ; and therefore 
it were well, as soon as practicable, to have the young 
pianist study the easier Sonatas of the great masters 
that have poetry and beauty in them. But there is 
also need of very simple, easy pieces in Sonata fonn 
by way of preparation. We iiave seen a couple by 
Schumann, which are interesting, perhaps not ranch 
too ^i£Scult, but hardly child-like in their spirit. 
Here is one, expressly juvenile, which promises to 
be quite useful. The first movement. Allegro mode' 
raio, develops a cheerful little theme and counter- 
theme in rieht Sonata fashion, and will not interest 
a child the less for its strict unity of idea and treat- 
ment. The other movements are a pretty enough 
little Scherzo and Trio, and a finale in the usual 
Kondo form. The omission of a slow movement, 
by way of contrast and completeness, seems one that 
oneht to be sapplied. 

I'rom the same publishers we have a variety of 
pieces arranged for practice of four, six, eight hands 



upon one and two pianos. For the formation of 
habits of greater nni^ and precision teachers some- 
times like to combine and concentrate their pupils in 
this way ; and for their own satisfaction two or three 
anmtenrs like sometimes to trv the eifect of parts of 
operas, overtures, &c., transcrilied with such full har- 
mony for the piano. We mention here : 

1. Tke Three Amateurs^ a collection of Six Trios 
for three performers on one Piano-Forte. Arranged by 
Carl Czernt, op. 741. The one before us is a 
Fantasia of t\('cnty-eeven pages on airs from Mozart's 
operas, including " Battiy batti" " Non piu andrai," 
airs from the " Magic Flute," Coeifan tutte, ^. We 
have not heard them tried, but Czemy's name is 
good for all arrangements. 

3. Grand Duet for two Pianos, (fonr hands). No. 
3. Coronation Duet {** Qod save the Queen " and 
** Rule Brittania.") By Herz and Lbbarrb. pp. 
1 1 . Wrought up in brilliant concert style, with vari- 
tions. 

3. Overture to Zampa,for eight hands (four per- 
firmern) on two Pianos. Arranged by Lattenbbro. 

4. Of a much easier and simpler sort are a collec- 
tion of foar-hand arrangements of things good, bad, 
and indifferent, but all popular, styled the " Constd- 
lotion." No. 18 is Abt's song : " When the swallows 
homeward fly," arranged as a pianoforte duet by 

MUELLBB. 



London. 

The three Opera Houses go on with the nsual style 
of entertainment. At Her Majestv's it has been 
lAurezia Borgia^ Trovatore, Lutsa Miller^ &c., with 
(by way of variety for a morning performance) 
Paesiello's operetta, ZjU Serua Padrona, so good an 
impression did it make at Benedict's concert. Mile. 
Titjens continues to be the star. 

At the Royal Italian they have had Fra Diavolo, 
TrauiatUf Martha, the Huguenots, and finally Otello, 
in which Tamberlik appeared in his great part of the 
Moor. Grisi was Desdemona, and Ronconi lago. 

At Drury Lane, / Puratini, II Barbiere, and La 
Sonnambula have been peHormed. Mme. Persiani, 
Viardot Garcia, and Sig. Badiali are the attractions. 

Philhabmonic SociBTT. The sixth and last 
concert had the following programme : 

Overtun, " The Ruler of the Spirits ;" Weber. 

Aria, ''Parto." Min Loutn Pjne, cUrinet obllgato, Mr. 
WiUlami (La Clemenia di Tito); Mosart. 

Concerto, riolin iNo. 8, iceDa cantaate), Herr Joaohim ; 
Spohr. 

Duetto, Minei Louln and Suan Pyne, " Come, be gay " 
(I>er FreisohiiU) ; Weber. 

Orerture, *' Leonora;" Beethoren. 



Slofimla in B flat (No. 4) ; BeethoTfu. 
Priire et Baroarole, MiH Loulaa Pjne (L^Etoile du Nord) ; 
Meyerbeer. 
CoDcerto, Tlolln, Herr Joachim ; MeadeUMhn. 
Orerture, ** Tanohiuaer ;" Wagner. 
Conductor— Proftiaor Stemdale Bennett, Mue. Doe. 

New Philharmonic Society. The programme 
ot the fifth and last concert, June 14th, was as fol- 
lows: 

Orerture (Medea) ; Cberuhinl. 

Concerto, No. 6, piano-lbrte, Min Arabella Goddard ; Due- 

■ek. 
Sonata, No. 6, Tiolln, Herr Joachim ; Bach. 
Symphony ^^iea; Beethoven. 

OTertnre (Oberon); Weber. 

Duet, *" SchSnee Hlidchen," Madame RndfTBdwff and Harr 

Reichardt; Spohr. 
Romance in F, Tlolin, Herr Joachim ; Beethoren. 
OTerture (Buy Bias) ; Beethoven. 

Conductor, Dr. Wylde. 

Chasles Halle. After helping, by his classical 
ing, to make the fortune or the Musiod Union, 

. Hall^ has seceded finom that institution and set np 
for himself. The concerts he is now giving at Willis^ 
Rooms are of first-class interest, and attract brilliant 
and fashionable audiences. The proeramme of the 
first (Thursday afternoon, June 17) was as fol- 
lows: 

Trio in B major ; Haydn. 

Solo, violin, Praetudio, Loure and Oavotte in E mM^n ; 8. 
Bach. 

Grand Sonata, piano-forte and violin. In A minor, op. 47, 
dedicated to Kreutaer ; Beethoven. 

Stilcke im Volkstone, piano-finie and violoncello, op. 102, No. 
1, '* Mit Humor," In A minor; No. 2, « Langaam," in F; No. 
4, " Nicht «u raaeh, in D; Schumann. 

Solo, piano-forte, Nocturne in F aharp, op. 16, " Beroenae," 
op. 67 ; Chopin. 

Orand Trio in E flat. op. 70, No. 2 ; Beethoven. 

Ezeeutanta— Piano^forte, M. Charlea HalM; violin, Herr 
Joachim ; violoncello. Signer Platti. 

That of the second ( Thursday evening, June 24) 
was as follows : 



PI 



Quartet, two violins, viola, violoneeUo, In f minor, op. 80 
(Posth.); Mendelmohn. 

Sonata, piano-forte and violoncello, In D, op. 102, No. 2; 
Beethoven. 

Rondeau BilUant, piano-forte and vlotfn, in B. minor, op. 
70; F. Schubert. 

Solo, piano-forte, " Promenadea d'un aolitaire," Noa. 1 and 
4 ; Valaea in C aharp minor and D flat ; Hdler and Cho^n 

Orand Trio, piano, violin, and violoneello, In D, op. 70, No. 
1 ; Beethoven. 

Executanta— Piano-forte, M. Charlea HalM; violina, Herr 
Joachim and Herr Pollltaer: viola, Mr. Webb: viokmoello, 
Signor Piatti. 

At the third and last (July 8) the programme will 
include Mozart's Concerto in E flat, for two piano- 
fortes, performed by Miss Arabella Goddard and M. 
Charles Hall^, with orchestral accompaniments. 

Crystal Palacr. The great musical event of 
the season was fixed for the 2nd instant, to consist 
of a grand demonstration by the Great Handel Festi- 
val Choir, with orchestral and military bands, all 
numbering 2500. The 1400 London amateurs 
have been kept In constant practice and were to 
be reinfomed by deputations from the provinces 
and from the continent. Costa was to conduct, Clara 
Novello and Sims Reeves to sing, and Mr. Brown- 
smith to preside at the great Handel Festival .Organ. 
Here is toe programme : 

Chorale, The Hundredth Paalm. 

Chant, " Venite. exultemna Domino ;^* Tallla. 

Chorua I "SlJ^teSS^w larael" } <^^"^>5 Mendeliiohn 
Chorus, ^' When Hia loud voice." (Jephtha); Handel. 
Chorus, " The Lord ia good." (Eli); Coeta. 
Quartet and Chorua, " Holy, holy, holy," (KlUah) ; Men- 
delaaohn. 
Motet, " Ave verum corpus ;" Moaart. 
Song and Chorua, " PhiUstlnea, hark !" (Eli) ; Coata. 

Chorua, " Oh, the Plcaanre of the Plains," (Acia and Galatea) 
Handel. 

Part-aong, " Farewell to the Foreat ;" Mendelaaohn. 

Chorua, '' To thee,0 Lord ofaU," (Prayer-Moa« in l^tto); 
Bosfiini. 

Trio and Chorua, **8ee the Conquering Hero oomea," (Judas 
MaoeabsBua); Handel. 

Solo and Chorua, *'Calm is the glaa^ ocean," (Idomeneo); 
Moaart. 

Chorua, "Hear,'HoIy Power," (Prayer— Maaanlello); Auber. 

Song and Chorua, " Ood aave the Queen." 

Miss Arabella Goddard. On Saturday after- 
noon Miss Arabella Goddard gave one of her most 
interesting performances of classical piano-forte 
music, and achieved perhaps her greatest success 
before the public. The following was the pro- 
gramme : 

Quartet in E flat, Ibr piano-lbrte, violin, viola and violon- 
cello, op. 63— Miaa Arabella Goddard, Herr Joaeph Joachim, 
Herr GoflHe, and Signor Piatti ; Dusaelc. 

Grand Sonata in A minor, op. 42, flrat time in pubUo>- 
pLano-forte. Miaa Arabella Goddard ; Frana Schubert. 

Variationa on an Original Air, tor tenor and piano-forte — 
Herr Joaeph Joacliim and Miaa Arabella Goddard ; J. Joachim. 



Suite de Plicea, in F ("Suites Anglaiaea," No. 4)— piano- 
forte, Miaa Arabella Goddard; J. S. Bach. 

Grand Sonata in A minor, for piano-forte and violin, op. 47, 
dedicated to BLrautaer ; Miaa Arabdia Goddard and Herr Joaeph 
Joachim; Beethoven. 



Oermany. 

ScHWERiK. The only novelty here has been 
Flotow's operetta, Pianella. There has been great 
operatic activity during the past season, especiaRy in 
the production of G^nan works. Mozart's Figaro 
and Belmont and Constanta have each been given 
twice. Also Oberon twice ; Freyschvtz ; Fideiio twice ; 
Robert de Diable and the Huguenots; Mendelssohn's 
Lordey fraji^ent; Marschnef's Hans Heiling; Flo- 
tow's Mardta twice, Andreas Mglius twice, Pianella 
three times, and Straddla ; Kreutzer's Nachtlager in 
Granada twice ; Wagner^s TannhSuser twice ; and 
Schenk's Dorfbarbier. Of French and Italian com- 
positions we have had Mehul's JosepA ta Egypt twice; 
Auber's Maurer und Schlosser; Herold^s Zampa; 
Halevy's Juive twice ; Rossini's Barbiere, Tell twice, 
Otello ; Bellini's Sonnambula, and Donizetti's Lucre- 
zia Borgia. In all 38 performances of 22 large 
works. 

Aix-la-Chapelle. The Whitsnntide committee 
has just presented Dr. Franz Liszt with a silver 
medallion portrait of himself, as a memento of his 
direction of last year's Whitsuntide concert. The 
artist, to whose chisel we owe the portrait, is Mohr, 
the sculptor, in Cologne, who has really produced a 
master-piece, as far as regards characteristic resem- 
blance, speaking expression, and delicacy of model- 
ling. 

Stuttoardt. Mozart's only buffo opera, Cost 
fan tutte, was revived here in the middle of May, 
after a pause of thirty years. A new and excellent 
libretto had been prepare^ in place of the licentious 
nonsense of the old one. The principal singers were 
Mme. Leisinger, Frl. Mayerhufer, Frl. Marschalk, 
Herren Pischek, Jiiger and SchUttky. The whole 
performance is said to have been worthy of Mozart. 



136 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Fbaitkfort-on-thb-Maxmb. — May 20th. — Tes- 
terdav, the Cacilien-Verein brought its regular meet- 
ings tor practice to a close, with a little extempore 
concert tor its passive members and subscribers, in a 
highlj satisfiACtory manner. The works selected 
were, partly, such as had not been sung for several 
years, and were peifectly new to no inconsiderable 
portion of the younger members. In spite of this, 
the execution of them was very creditable and pleas- 
ing. Only a few of the more diflScult choruses were 
repeated, for the sake of greater finish. We had the 
choruses of Mozart's Requiem^ at least as manjr as 
are undoubtedly his, a grand " Cmcifixus " for eight 
voices, by Lotti, Mendelssohn's wonderfully fervent 
" Ave Maria," Hauptmann's C8ciVt«n-Cbnto/«, so rich 
in harmony, and Mendelssohn's fresh and dramatic- 
ally efl^Uve first WcdpyryiMnada. Such evenings, 
when smaller works, which have not been given for 
a considerable time, are sung at sight, are, leaving 
out of consideration the gratification they afford the 
singers and their audience, of the greatest use, espe- 
ciaUy to the singers, since the latter are exercised in 
singing at sight, and made acquainted with the rich 
stores of classical music possessed by the Verein. 
Unfortunately, they can seldom occur, on account of 
the rehearsals and practice requisite for the grand 
public concerts. The Cacilien-Verein gave in all 
four concerts with a full band for the first time this 
winter. The pecuniary sacrifice involved was by no 
means inconsiderable, and it is reported that, in the 
opinion of the members, the experiment will scarcely 
become a permanent &ct, principally owing to the 
want of accommodation. A cheering prospect of an 
interest being taken in such concerts oy the general 
public is afforded by the hope of the society's build- 
mg a conoertproom of its own. The Mozartstifhing, 
set on foot here by the Liederkranz, at tlie vocal fes- 
tival of 1838, has taken the initiative. It has come 
forward with its funds, amounting to 38,000 florins, 
and founded a new society, called me Mozar^ Verein. 
The sale of the shares has begun during the last few 
days, and been so brisk, that we can no longer entei^ 
tain any doubt as to the realization of the plan. A 
very large plot of ground, conveniently situated op- 
posite the old BUrger- Verein, has been obtained, and 
there is every chance of the new edifice being one 
worthy of our city, and fully adapted for its purpose. 
At the first public concert the JSigk Man of J. 8. 
Bach, which has already been noticed in these col- 
umns, was performed. This was followed, on the 
80th January, by Mendelssohn's 95th Psalm, Mo- 
zart's "Ave'vemm," and Cherubini's /2eoit»«m, for 
mixed voices. The selection was extremely good. 
The psalm, though not one of the composer's greatest 
works, contains some magnificent choruses ; the " Ave 
verum," with its heavenly clearness, and the ^r&nd 
Bequiem, with its moving magnificence and loftiness, 
are too well known for us to say a single word about 
them in a paper destined for persons acquainted with 
serious music. The performance was, in every res- 
pect, admirable. While, in Mozart's prayer, the cho- 
rus of 175 male and female voices, swelled in flowing 
gentleness and died away in the softest strains, it 
rose, especially in the introduction to the ** Dies Irss" 
to overpowering grandeur. Many persons were in- 
clined to blame the employment of the gong in the 
latter piece, but if the employment of this instrument 
can be justified anywhere, it is certainly in this in- 
stance, where it is used once only, at the announce- 
ment of the Last Judgment. 

On the 2nd April (Good Friday) followed, as on 
the preceding year, a performance of J. S. Bach's 
^rand " Fassion-Musik," according to St. Biatthew, 
m the German Keformed Church. The organ again 
supported the chorales and grand choruses. The re* 
citatives, on the other hand, were accompanied by 
the piano, gaining considerably and manifestly in 
quiet effect thereby. The solos were very well cast ; 
Herr Carl,^chneiaer sang the part of the Evangelist 
entirely according to the original version with a de- 
gree of perfection we never heard before. The chorus 
of nearly two hundred persons was supported in the 
Cantusjirmus of the opening, and, also, in the grand 
chorales, by one hundred and fifty pupils, male and 
female, of the Musterschule. This produced an un- 
paralleled effect in a building so well adapted for the 
purpose as the church is. We can joyfully assert 
that, owing to this combination, the performance of 
the Pcuairn was one of the greatest musical treats we 
ever had, and a real consecration of the religious fes- 
tival for very many persons. 

The lost concert, on the 14th May, introduced to 
us Handel's Jephtha, for the first time with a full band. 
This last oratorio of the above master, which is sung 
scarcely anywhere in Germany, was incorporated by 
Messer, as early as 1841, in the repertory of the CH- 
cilien- Verein, but executed only once since, in 1844, 
and on both occasions with a pianoforte accompani- 
ment. We have already severely criticized, in tliese 
columns, Von Mosel's orchestration, which, it can- 



not be denied, is not totally in keeping with the spirit 
of Handel's music. Nor can the violence with which 
choruses from Deborah are introduced in it, and ma- 
terial portions of the work itself omitted, bo at all 
justified. But Herr Messer, who is thoroughly ac- 
quainted with Handel, has chianged and simplified a 
great deal of the instrumentation. He has, also, re- 
stored, with instrumentation of his own, Jephtha's 
aria in G major, in the third part, " Schwebt, ihr 
£n^l," as being one of the finest pieces, and quite 
indispensable for the connection of tnc whole. This 
piece sung in a masterly manner by Herr Carl 
Schneider, produced a profound impression. Both 
on account of its admirable and highly-poeticfll sub- 
ject, which, by its strong contrasts, was excellently 
adapted for the composer, as well as on account of the 
finesnness and great animation of the composition, 
expressing the most varied feelings, from the softest 
ana gentlest to the most elevated, in the wonderful 
recitatives and mighty choruses, we place Jqihtha side 
bv side with Judaa Maccabdut. Samson, and Jtrad in 
JEgyplen. The choms in the lecond ^, " Ver- 
hiiilt, O Herr !" with its four motives, is, perhaps, 
one of the greatest choruses Handel ever wrote. Be- 
sides Herr C. Schneider, and Mad. Nissen-Saloman, 
who, with higUy laudable readiness, undertook, on 
the day of the concert itself, the part of Ipsis, with 
which she was totally unacquainted, in the place of 
Fraiilein Veith, suddenly taken ill, the members of 
the Association sang the other parts exceedingly 
well ; and this performance, also, aespite tlie opprcH- 
sive heat of the densely crowded room, was perfectly 
successful. The Cacilien-Verein now possesses in its 
repertory all the oratorios of Handel known in Ger- 
many, except Balaazar and Diborah. We trust the 
Handel-Gesellschaft will shortly enable the Associa- 
tion to study his other oratorios. The summer vaca- 
tion will now commence ; after that, Bach's WeUt- 
nacfits-Omtoritim will be put in rehearsal. It will be 
performed at Cluristmas, and will, no doubt, take as 
firm root among us as the Matthatu-Pasgion. — Nitd- 
errhanitdke Mtuik-ZeUung, 



Prague. — Programme of the 60th anniversary of 
the Prague Conservatory, to be held from the 7Ui to 
the 10th July, 1858. On the 7th July, at ten o'clock, 

A. M., a solemn high mass and Te tkum, in the St. 
Jacobskirche, in the Altstadt. At six o'clock, p. m., 
a grand concert of the Conservatory in the Standis- 
ches Theater. The concerted pieces will be per- 
formed exclusively by pupils now in the institution, 
and the solos by artists educated there. On the 8th 
July, at seven, p. M., a grand performance in the 
St&ndisches Theater. On the 9th July, at seven, 
p. M., a grand concert of sacred music, in the St&n- 
disches Theater. A. The 100th Psalm, by Handel ; 

B. The Ninth Symphony, with chorus, by L. van 
Beethoven, executed by the pupils of the Conserva- 
torv, the members of the C&allen-Veroin, and of the 
orchestra of the Standisches Theater, assisted by 
several artists and amateun, as well as by such visit- 
ors as may choose to take part in the proceedings. 
On the idth July, a grand oinner, given by the As- 
sociation for tne Advancement of Music, to the 
visitors and persons engaged in the Festival, namely 
— A. Persons specially invited. Conservatories of 
Music, and former pupils at Uie Conservatory at 
Prague. B. All working-members of the Association 
for tne Advancement of Music in Bohemia. C. The 
professors and teachers of the Prague Conservatory, 
b. All musical amateun who may signify their wish 
to be present, and pay ten florins currency for their 
tickets. 



ViENKA. — ^Herr Eckert, who has returned fW>m 
Paris, has engaged Mdlle. Brand, from Brunswick, 
for play-operas, and Mdlle. Pranse, who achieved her 
first success, years ago, at the Imperial Opera, as 
bravura singer. As we hear, Mdlle. Titiens will 
leave the Imperial Opera, having accepted a brilliant 
engagement at Her Majesty's Theatre, London. 
Signor Giuglini, Imperial Austrian chamber-singer, 
is again engaged as nrst tenor at the Imperial Opera, 
for the season of 1861. He will previously proceed 
to America, where he is engaged for seven months, 
at the rate of 16,000 florins a month. Mad. Charton- 
Demenre the graceful representative of Snsanne, has 
been appointed chamber^inger by his Majesty tlie 
Emperor. The Italian operatic company has, at 
present, no less than six Cantante t Cantanti di Came- 
ra di S,M.1.R.A., namely, Mesdames Medori, Bram- 
billa, Charton-Demenr, MM. Bettini, Carion, and 
Bebassini. The well-known Mecsenas of Art, Count 
Dietrichsen, has made Mad. Demcur a valuable pre- 
sent, consisting of two rare autograph MSS. by 
Mozart, an aria of a serious kind, and an arietta to 
aching tooth. 



S^pml ^atitts. 



DBSCRtPTIVB LIST OF THB 

TEST INdCTJSIO, 
PBUI»k«4 by O. DIsmb St C^ 



50 



Vooal. with Piano. 

Highland blossom. Song. W. V, Wallace, 

Tbh b a boaatiAil song in that reflned bnltotion of 
tht Sroteh i^jrle, fcr whfch the Gompoaer is ftmons. 
Th« TilWiMg* has a channing TigneUe in oolon. 

Norah, darling, don't believe them I Ballad. 

Balfe, 25 
A i4mple, rerj touching avpaal of a lover. Balft's 
prolUle pen eomefclmee rone In a highly popular T«dn, 
as in this instance. 

Little Korah. Ballad. E, T, Baldwin. 

A plaintive, dm pie little Bong. 

My homo o'er the deep blue sea. Song and Ch. 

Ddla Dean, 25 
Prettv. with a diomii vt Una ttttci, written in tix- 
eigfath tune, U»e genuine time Ibr all Watei^Sona. 
Recommended to Kwial gatheringa of mnaioal people, 
either in tlie parlor or on board of a i^iaaeure-boat, 
homeward bound, 

Give, give us light. Cho. in " The Buccaneer." 

Stmtton. 25 
Hay be tried with cnceeH by Singing floeletles. 
Will remain efEKtive when iung by a well-balaneed 
Qnartoi. 

Morning wandering. Duet for two equal voices. 

Gttmbert, 25 
This is the second of a scries of eight little Dnets, 
which are written and composed expressly for the 
young folks. Modem German eomposers have writ- 
ten tery fUieitonsly for children. There is nothing 
eommonplaee in Umm melodies. Kaeh song has an 
indiridual eliann of its own, wliich will be readily 
understood and appreciated by mnsiea] people. 

The May Queen. Chorus for 3 female voices. 

Chncone. 90 
Cooeone, ataaeher of singing In FmIb, who lias mada 
his name celebrated by a nnmoer of Toealliiisaod 8ol- 
fegRloa, which are eztenslTely need here as wall as in 
Europe, has arranged a number of concerted piecsa 
for the use of young misses at Seminaries or OoUegas. 
Tbey are mostly for 8 vdeea, and may be sung by one 
or flftr vdees on a part ; some veiy easy, and a fow 
diflcult. All of them are plesdng and of acknowl- 
edged merit. The " May queen " u-one of the most 
simple ones. This Collection will be found truly In- 
valuable by Tsaohers in Ladiss* Schools. Other nnm« 
ben will follow soon. 

Inalmxnental. 

Practical Five-Finger Exercises. Opus 802. 

Ckemy, 75 
Camy designates this work of his an " Indlspenss 
ble Companion to every Pianoforte School." Among 
the various compllatfons of Finger Bxcrelsss which 
are now in use, Ciemy's is certainly one of the best. 
It shows everywhere the Teacher of Test experience 
and the Pianist of sound Judgment. It has long been 
conceded that these technical exercises, dry as they 
are. are absolutely necessary to obtain an even touch 
and that equality <rf Fingers, wUth is so very desirsr 
ble In the execution ci classical music. 
Daily Studies in the major and minor Scales, ibr 
Teacher and Pupil. Opus 107. Book 1. 

/. MomhtUt, 2,50 

Here Is a work of sterling talue, showing in every 
particular the hand of a master. These so-called 
daily Studies embrace *'69 Chaiaeteristie Pieces," 
Duets for Tsacher and Pupil. The peculiarity of 
thcM duets Is, that the part of the pupil condsts of 
nothing but scales, ascending and descending, both 
hands In unison, and of an infinite variety in 
riiy thm. With the part of the teseher a new ele- 
ment is introduced. This part Is so ftdl of melodie 
and liarmonle beauties, of striUng and original ideas, 
tliat It is diflfeult to conceive, how two parts, so ut- 
terly dilforent in everything, should neverthelen be 
firmly linked to each other by the subtile lawsof hai^ 
mony. These duets fbumlsh the means to make even 
the study of the Scales agreeable, interesting and in- 
structive. 



VAlbert, 



n 



Hoop de dooden do Galop. 

English Polka. 

Young Canadian Schottisch. Bnttger, 

Late Dance music, fresh and spirited, and arranged 
for tlie Piano in an easy style. 

Book!. 

Bbrbxouxbb's Method for thb Flutb. 
To which are added Dronet's Twenty-Four 
Studies in all the Keys. Price $2.50. 

This is a course of lessons of real, prutleal ability ; 
one which is prepared, not merely for the otjeotof get- 
Ing up a book, but with the for higher aim of ftirnlidi- 
ing to all who wish toacquirs a good knowledge of the 
use of the Flute a means of doing so in a thoroui^, 
masterly manner. The book has been successfully 
employed by the best teachers in Europe, and to be- 
ginners, as well as to those who, baring some acquain- 
tance with the Flute wish to obtain a better knowledge 
of it, we recommend this Method as one of unusual 
excellence, and one that cannot foil togive them entire 
satisfoctlon. 



30 
25 
25 




MMs 



Mmxml 





MIL 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1858. Vol. XIH. No. 18. 



Whole No. 330. 



Tor Dwight'f Jonmd of Mnaie. 

Song. 

(From theOennMi of Fft. Kdolkk.] 
Thoa'rt like unto a still and starrj night — 
Upon tiiy lifw a tender secret lic<«, 
And in the silent depths of tliy dark ejes, 
I know it well and honor it aright. 

Thoa'rt tike onto a still and Ftarry night — 
My eye is weary of the daylight's glare, 
'And with a stranger's heart I wander there, 
Bewildered by its shifting forms of light. 

Thoa'rt like onto a still and starry night — 
Oh, hold me wrapped in thy encircling arms I 
There can anfold, witliin those sacred calms, 
My heart's pale flowers, that daylight's beams affright. 

S. 

Tmnalated Ibr thb Journal. 

Henri Heine about Mnsie and Mnsioiani. 

IV. Music and thk Arts — Liszt — ^'*L'Amx 
DR Beethoven" — Doehlrr — Vieuxtemps 

AND OTHER BELGIAN VIOLINISTS — MlLE. 

LoBWE — ^^' Adelaide" — Meyerbeer. 

Paeis. April 20, 1841. 
Soon after the July revolution, Painting and 
Sculpture, and indeed Architecture, received a 
joyful impulse ; but their wings were only fastened 
on extemallVf and their forced flight was followed 
by the most pitiable fall. Only the young sister 
Art, Munc, had risen by her own original and na- 
tive force. Has she already reached her highest 
point of light ? Will she long sustain herself 
there ? Or will she quickly fall ? These are 
questions which only a later generation can an- 
swer. It seems, at all events, as if in the annals 
of Art our present age would have to be distin- 
guished as preeminently the age of music. With 
the gradual refinement of the human race the 
arts keep even step. In the earliest period 
Architecture necessarily stood forth alone, glorify- 
ing mere rude unconscious mass, as we see, for 
instance, with the Egyptians. Afterwards we 
see in the Greeks the blooming period of Sculp- 
ture; and this already announces an outward 
control of matter : the soul chiselled a prophetic 
sense in stone. Still the soul found the stone 
much too hard for its need of revealing itself in 
higher and higher expressions, and it chose color, 
mingled light and shade, to represent a glorified 
and twilight world of love and sorrow. Then 
arose the great period of Fainting, which un- 
folded in full splendor at the end of the Middle 
Age. With the development of self-conscious 
life in men, the plastic gift first disappears, and 
finally the sense of color, which is always bound 
to definite form and outline, also goes out ; and 
the heightened spirituality, the abstract power of 
thought, grasps after sounds and tones, in order 
to express a stanunering transcendentalism, which 
perhaps is nothing but the dissolution of the whole 
material world. Music is perhaps the last word 
of Art, as death is the last word of life. 

I have made this short prefatory remark, to 
show why the musical season causes me more 
pain than pleasure. That we are almost drowned 
here in mere music ; that there is hardly a single 



house in Paris in which one may find an ark of 
refuge from this sounding deluge ; that the noble 
tone-art overfloods our whole life, — this, for me, 
is a suspicions sign, and often it affects me with 
an uneasiness which aggravates itself into the 
most morose injustice towards our great virtuosos 
and macstros. Under these circumstances one 
must not expect from me too blithe a song of 
praise for the man about whom such delirious, 
enthusiastic jubilee is kept up here, just now, by 
the fine world, especially the hysterical lady- 
world, and who is, in fact, one of the most re- 
markable representatives of the musical move- 
ment I speak of Franz Liszt, the genial* 
pianist Yes, the genial one is here again, and 
giving concerts, which exert a ohami that borders 
on the fabulous. Beside him, all piano-players 
vanish — with the exception of a single one, of 
CiiopiN, the Raphael of the piano-forte. In 
fact, with this single exception, all the other 
pianists that we have heard in countless concerts 
this year, are mere piano-players ; they shine by 
the facility with which they handle the wire- 
strung wood. With Liszt, on the contrary, you 
think no more of difficulties overcome ; the key- 
board vanishes, and Music is reveleiled. In this 
respect Liszt has made the most wonderful pro- 
gress since we heard him last. With this excel- 
lence there is coupled a repose, whjph we formerly 
missed in him. Then, when he played, for exam- 
ple, a storm on the piano, we saw the lightnings 
quiver over his own face, his limbs shook as before 
the storm-wind, and his long locks dripped as if it 
were with the splashing rain he represented. 
Now, let him play the most violent thunder- 
storm, he rises high above it all himself, like the 
traveller who stands upon the sunmiit of an Alp, 
while it is storming in the valley : the clouds lie 
deep below him, the lightnings writhe like ser- 
pents at his feet, his head uplifts he smilingly into 
the pure ether. 

In spite of his geniality, Liszt meets with an 
opposition here in Paris, which consists of serious 
musicians for the moat part, and which reaches 
the laurel to his rival, the imperial Thalbrro. 
Liszt has already given two concerts, in which, 
contrary to all custom, he has played entirely 
alone, without the aid of other artists. He is 
now preparing a third concert, in aid of the mon- 
ument to Beethoven. This composer must, in 
fact, best suit the taste of a Liszt. For Beet- 
hoven drives spiritualistic Art to that sounding 
agony of the phenomenal world, to that annihila- 
tion of Nature, that fills me with an awe which I 
cannot conceal, altliough my friends shake their 
heads about it To me it is a very significant 
circumstance, that Beethoven, in his last days, 
was deaf, and that the invisible tone-world had 
actually no sonorous reality any longer for him. 
His tones were only reminiscences of a tone, 
ghosts of sounds died away, and his last produc- 
tions bear an unearthly death-mark on their 
brow. 

*The word gmude^ in German, mmxmjvtt of gtnnu^ the id- 
J«ctiT0 reUininf Um miM of the noon.— Xd. 



Less awful than Beethoven's music was, for me, 
the friend of Beethoven, VAmi de Beethoven, as 
he here everywhere announced himself, I think 
even on his visiting cards. A black hop-pole of 
a man, with a terrible white cravat, and the mien 
of one who bids people to funerals. Was this 
friend of Beethoven really his Pylades ? Or was 
he one of those indifferent acquaintances with 
whom a man of genius sometimes is all the more 
fond of associating, the more insignificant they 
are, and the more prosaic their babble, since it 
gives him refreshment after exhausting flights of 
the poetic soul ? At all events, we saw here a 
new way of exploiting genius, and the small pa- 
pers jested not a little over the Ami de Beethoven, 
**How could the great artist tolerate such an 
unquickening, insipid friend!" exclaimed the 
French, who lost all patience over the monoto- 
nous twaddle of that tedious guest They did 
not consider that Beethoven was deaf. 

The number of concert-givers, during the past 
season, has been legion ; and there has been no 
lack of mediocre pianists, who have been praised 
as miracles in the public prints. Most of them 
are young people, who, in their own modest per- 
sons, beg these praises of the press. Self-deifica- 
tions of this sort, the so-called reclames, form 
very entertaining reading. A reclame which re- 
cently appeared in the Gazette Musicale, an- 
nounced from Marseilles, that the celebrated 
DoBHLER had there too captivated all hearts, | 
and particularly through his interesting paleness, 
which, being the consequence of a dangerous 
illness, had claimed the attention of the beau 
monde. The celebrated Dohler has since then 
returned to Paris, and has given several concerts. 
He plays, in fact, finely, neatly, and daintily. 
His delivery is charming, shows an astonishing 
nimbleness of fingers, but betokens neither 
strength nor soul. Ornate feebleness, elegant 
impotence, interesting paleness. 

Among the concerts of this year, which still 
nng in the ears of Art-lovers, belong the matin<^ 
given by the publishers of the two musical jour- 
nals to their subscribers. The France Musicale, 
edited by the brothers Escudier, shone in its con- 
cert through the cooperation of the Italian sing- 
ers and the violinist, Vieuxtemps, who was con- 
sidered one of the lions of the musical season. 
Whether under the shaggy skin of this lion was 
concealed a true king of beasts, or only a poor 
donkey, I am unable to determine. Honestly, I 
can give no credence to the excessive praises that 
have been bestowed on him. It will seem to me 
as if he had not yet climbed to any great height 
on the artistic ladder. Vieuxtemps stands some- 
where about the middle of that ladder, on whose 
summit we once beheld Paganini, and on whose 
last and lowest round stands our excellent Sina, 
the famous watering-place guest of Boulogne, and 
possessor of an autograph of Beethoven. Per- 
haps M. Vieuxtemps stands much nearer to M. 
Sina than to Nicolo PaganinL 

Vieuxtemps is a son of Belgium, and moat of 
the important violinistfl proceed from the Nether- 



138 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



landi. There the fiddle is the national iusti*u- 
mentf cultivated by both great and small, by man 
and woman, fvxxni of old, as we may see by the 
Dutch pictures'. The most distinguished violinist 
of this origin is uncjuestionably 1)k Bkriot, the 
husband of Malibrax. I cannot help imagining 
that tlie soul of his deceased wife wts in his 
violin, and sings. Only EnxsT, the jjoetic Bohe- 
mian, knows how to woo from his instrument such 
melting, bleeding tones of sweet complaint. A 
countrvman of De Beriot is Autot, also a distin- 
guished violinist, but in whose playing one is 
never remindetl of a ."^oul ; a tiim and well-turned 
fellow, whoso delivery is as smooth and shining as 
oil cloth. Haim-VXX, the son of the Brussels 
book pirate, (Trives his father's trade ujwn the 
violin ; he fiddles you neat copies from the most 
excellent ^ iolinists, the te.\t here and there gar- 
nished with supei'iluous original notes, and en- 
larged with brilliant misprints. The brothers 
Fraxco-Mkni>ez, who also have given concerts 
this year, in which thev have shown their talent 
as violin-players, certainly hail from the land of 
drag-boats and Dutch dolls. The same is true of 
Batta, the violoncellist ; he is a Ixjrn Hollander, 
but came at an early age to Paris, whei-e he 
charmed the ladies -by his boyish youthfulness. 
He was a dear child, and wept upon his violin 
like a child. Although he in course of time be- 
came a young man, yet he never can leave off 
the sweet habit of crving. Latelv, when he 
could not appear in public on account of indispo- 
sition, it was a common saying, that through his 
childish weeping on the violoncello, he had finally 
played himself into an actual child's disease, I 
think the measles. But he seems to have quite 
recovere<l, and the newspapers announce that the 
celebrated Batta will next Thursday give a musi- 
cal matinee, which will compensate the public tor 
the long absence of its favorite. 

The last concert, given by M. ^laurice Schles- 
inger to the subscribei'S of his Gazette MusicaUy 
was, as I have said, one of the most brilliant cf 
the season, and of peculiar interest to us Ger- 
mans. Here, too, all our countrymen were as- 
sembled, eager to hear Mile. Loewc, the admired 
singer, who sang the beautiful song of Beethoven, 
Adelaide^ in the German tongue. The Italians 
and M. Vieux temps, who had promised their as- 
sistance, sent in their excuses during the concert, 
to the greatest confusion of the concert-giver, 
who, with his peculiar dignity, stepped before the 
public and explained : that M. Vieuxtemps would 
not play, because he did not consider the place 
and the public suited to him ! The insolence of 
that fiddler deserves the sharpest censure. The 
place of the concert was the Musard hall, in the 
Rue Vivienne, where the Cancan is only danced 
little during the Carnival, but where, all the 
rest of the year, the most respectable music of 
Mozart, Giacomo Meyerbeer, and Beethoven, is 
executed. To Italian singers, to a Signor Rubini, 
or a Signor Lablache, one pardons such humors ; 
*n nightingales we must put up with the preten- 
sion, that they will only sing before a company of 
eagles and gold-pheasants. But Meyerbeer, the 
Flemish sIotk. must not be .so dainty, nor despise 
a company among whom are found the honestest 
sort of oirds, peaco^^ks and guinea hens, and 

amon^ the rest, the most distinguished German 
dunghill cocks. But what was the success of 
Mile. Loewe's debut? I will tell the whole 
truth briefly : she sang admirably, pleased all the 
Germans, and made 9i fiasco with the Frenchmen. 



As to this last misfortune, I might console the 
respected singer with the assurance that it was 
her vcrv excellencies that st^xxl in the way of a 
Fivnch success. In the voice of Mile. Lowe 
there is German soul, a <piict thing, which so far 
has revcale«l its(«lf to but few Frenchmen, and 
finds but gradual admission into France. Had 
Mile. Lowe come some decadts later, she would 
perhaps have found greater recognition. But to 
this day the mass of the people are ever the same. 
The French have esprit and passion, and they 
enjoy both most highly in an umpiiet, stormy, and 
exciting fonn. Such they missed entirely in the 
German singer, who moroover sang to them 
Beethoven's Addaide. This tranquil sighing 
forth of the soul, — these blue-eyed, languishing 
tones of forest solitude, — these linden blossoms 
turned into song, with moonlight oblif/ato^ — this 
dying away in super-earthly longing, — this real 
German song, found no echo in the French 
breast, and was in fact, sneered at as trans-Rhen- 
ish sentimentalitv. 

AlthoMjjh ^Ille. Lowe found no favor here, vet 
all possible meansiwere used to procure her an 
engagement for the Royal Academy of Music. 
Tlie name of Meyerbeer was used more fre- 
quently on this occasion than was perhaps agree- 
able to the honored master. Is it true that Mey- 
erbeer would not sulTer his new opera to be per- 
formed unless they engaged Mile. Lowe ? Has 
Meyerbeer really made the fulfilment of the 
public's wish dependent on so trivial a condition ? 
Is he actually so ovennodest that he imagines the 
success of his new work depends on the more or 
less flexible throat of a prima donna ? 

Tlie numerous worshippers and admirers of this 
admirable master are grieved to see what un- 
speakable pains he takes with evcrj' new produc- 
tion of his genius, to secure its success, and how 
he squanders his best powers upon the most mi- 
nute details of that sort. Ilis delicate and feeble 
physique must sufi*er under it His nerves are 
morbidly excited, and with his chronic difficulties 
he is oflen attacked with the prevailing mild form 
of cholera. The intellectual honey that drops 
from his masterworks of music, to inspire us, costs 
the master himself the most fearful bodily pains. 
When I last had the honor to see him, I was 
frightened at his miserable aspect. Heaven send 
our honored master better health, and may he 
never forget that his life's thread is very thin, 
and the shears of the Parca; all the sharper! 
May he never forget what high interests arc 
bound up in his good care of himself I What 
would become of his fame, should he, the highly- 
honored master, (which may Heaven forbid!) 
suddenly be torn from the theatre of his triumphs 
by death ? Will his family continue it, that fame 
of which all Germany is proud ? The family, to 
be sure, will not lack the material means, but it 
may lack the intellectual. Only the great Gia- 
como himself, who is not only general music- 
director of all the royal Prussian institutions, but 
also chapel-master of the ^leyerbeer prestige, — 
onlv he can direct the monster orchestra of tliis 
same prestige. 

He nods with his head, and all the trombones 
of the great journals resound unlsono ; he winks 
with his eyes, and all the violins of praise fiddle 

as for a wager ; he moves but slightly the left 
nostril, and all the feuilleton flageolets flute forth 
their sweetest, most caressing tones. Then, too, 
there are unheard-of antediluvian wind instru- 
ments, Jericho trumpets, and yet undiscovered 



wind-harps, stringed instruments of the future, 
whose use betokens the most extraordinary gifl 
of instrumentation. Indeed, no composer in so 
high a degree as our Meyerbeer, has understood 
the art of instrumentation, especially the art of 
using all possible men as instruments, the smallest 
as well as the greatest, and, by their cooperation, 
of conjuring forth a hannony of public recogni- 
tion, bordering on the fabulous. That is what no 
other ever understooil. While the best operas of 
JMozart and Rossini fell through at the first per- 
foniiance, and years passed away before they 
were truly ap])reciated, the masterworks of our 
noble Mcyerlxjer find aln»a<ly the most undivided 
favor on their fii*st production, and on the ycry 
next day all the journals furnish the desired arti- 
cles of praise and glorification. Tliis is done by 
the hannonious co-working of instruments; in 
melody, Meyerbeer must yield the palm to the 
two masters above-named ; but he surpasses them 
through instrumentation. Heaven knows that he 
oflen makes use of the meanest instruments ; but 
perhaps by this verv' means he brings out grand 
efre<;ts upon the multitude, who admire him, wor- 
ship him, and even esteem him. Who can prove 
the contrary ? On all sides fly to him the laurel 
crowns. He wears upon his head a whole grove 
of laurels ; he hardly knows how to leave them, 
and he pants under their green burden. He 
ought to buy himself a donkey, that should trot 
behind him, carrying the heavy wreaths. But 
Gouin is jealous, and will not suffer any other to 
accompany him. 

I cannot refrain from mentioning here a ban 
mot, which is ascribed to the musician Ferduyand 
Hiller. When some one asked him what he 
thought of Meyerbeer's- operas, Hiller, with a 
bored and evasive manner, answered : "Oh, let 
us not talk politics 1 " 



Musical Music. 

(From the New York Musical World.) 

The first requisite of music certainly is — that it he 
musical. We hear, ncverthelcbS, much, very much, 
music now-n-days that has not this essential quality. 
In the drawing-room, in the church, in the concert- 
room, m&y be heard very unmusical music. So 
many notes in a measure, so mnny notes ou a psge, 
we are fust being tnnght do not by any means signify 
music — properly so considered. 

And yet, musical music is not so very difilcult to 
define, 'it hns three essential qualities : 'first, melody 
— iresh and pure from t!»c living springs. Second, 
harmony — chaste and refined. Third, rtij'thm — taste- 
ful and varied. The <*omposer of mutiic, then, must, 
perfoiTe, in its truest sense, be tirst a melodist ; sec- 
ond, a hnrmonist; third, a time-ist. Of these neces- 
sary qualificatiojis the first is indispensable — and yet 
how very rare the melodic gift ! The second is more 
a matter of education and training. The third is a 
universal talent, denied to comparatively but few. 

Now, if we investigate what may he termed unma- 
sical music, we shall And lacking chiefly the first two 
of these essential requisites. Fresh, salient melody 
b nowhere to be discovered. Rich->even passable 
harmonies, are equallv lacking, and in their place 
very unchaste and crude harmonies. 

A composition witiiout tresh and definite melody 
is like a poem without a new thought — ^no sparkle in 
it, no life. A composition, again, abounding in such 
positive dissonances as we hear now-a-days, is like a 
dk«h of red pepper, salt, and vinegar, with no as- 
sua^ng oil and no salad to make it go down easy. 

Xow, that a composer is not a natural melodist, is 
hardly his own fault — he cannot help it. Melody is . 
the soul of musical art, and the son! of anything is 
inspired — it is a sparkle of divinity. Not* being a 
melodist, he ought, of course, never to have been a 
composer. But that is his mistake — generally an 
unconscious mistake with all such men. But that he 
is a dii^sonant and impure harmonist is his fault — 
because proper education and proper training of the 
car on^ht to have provided against this. l*he rage 
for dissonances— positive, downright dissonances— is. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1858. 



139 



8trangc to say, the nin^cicHl manin of tho present dny. 
ITic auditory 8eii«) of oomposcrH has liccrmio so 
morlu'd nnd imhcalthy in its appetite for 8])ii'CP, ihiU 
it U all red pepper nnd vinefjnr, und nnthinjr else. 
Listen only to some of the music of othcrwi-c line 
com|)0:<cr*. like T^ohrrt Srhumnnn, nnd the Ptill more 
mmpnnt Wapner — wiiy, tlic men seem M)metinu*8 
d lK<onnnce-rrjizy • 

Now, ft diswoimnec is in itself, » pninful thin^. It 
is only plensnnt after it hns jwssed — ihnt is, when the 
dixeord liccomes a concord. But di-^jionnnec!* to mkIi 
mon fccm per ««<•, in and of themselves })lea8ant. 
They acrumnlnte nnd multiply them ; they dwell on 
theni ; they hrood morhidly on and nmonp ihcm ; no 
sooner happily out of ono than they pop you upon 
another. 

Why do they thi<» ? — ono mipht rc;»«onahly ask. 
We really hclieve, for our own pnrt, hecnuse, not 
liavin;?, to any prent extent, the pift of melody, they 
lahor to make this pood hy arrestinp nnd retnininp 
people's attention with stranj^e and hijtarrc harmo- 
nies. Their licst quality is, that they are pcnewlly 
ingenious tinie-istn. Their rhythms arc often new, 
piquant, nnd nttmctive. They have also fluencv — 
there i.s no lack of notes : wc often wish, hefore they 
get through, that they had much less of them. 

Now, scttinp aside melody, which there is no nse 
in tilkinp aix>ut — if a man liave it not he can never 
pet it — if one would see what can he done with Anr- 
OTMi//, let one listen only to Mojuirt*s oiThcstnition ; 
or even ohsei-ve his hnrmonies in simple pismo-fortc 
mnsio. How charm inply evcrythinp sounds! How 
round, how smooth, how clear ! How entirely satis- 
factory to the ear ; Iiow pmteful to the most sensitive 
musical orpnnization ! If a dissonance come, it 
seems hnt a roimd pchhlc in the licd of the hn»ok ; so 
firly 18 it Introduced that it makes the strenm of mel- 
ody purple only the sweeter. Wc have of en asked 
ourselxfsa why these harmonies sound so well ; and 
ono preat secret, we think, is, that they are so uv-//- 
dinpeTHfl. But this 18 a |)oint which would lead us to 
too ppeat lenpth here to enlarge upon. Musical mu- 
sic, ItowcM-cr, is, par firrdUtv^, the mu^ic of Mozart. 
There n^ver has l)ccn, nnd wo venrure to sny that 
there never will he, any music so nhsolutely nttuttrnt 
as that of thiK wondeiful man. It is n halm for 
wounded ears, after Schumann, Wnpner, nnd all the 

Sainful rest of it, to revel in a small instalment of 
loroirt. Try it, suflferinp musical soul, try it ! 

One reason of our modem unmusical music lies in 
ft melancholy fact, to which we will hriefly advert. 
There is such a thinp oa manufacturod mujsic. Art, 
penerally, in all its deparrmcnt««, as artists sadly 
know, can he, nnd is, manufactured. We will circ a 
case in which the manufacture of music is too often 
induced. 

A composer, for instance, has made a happy hit in 
a imposition which has commanded a larpe sale. 
He soon receives a proposition from a publisher to 
funnsh'him with compositions for the market ; nnd 
he entertains this proposition. Very well — thus fnr 
there is nothinp incompatible with Art, or tlie hiph 
ends and aims of a tnie ailist. An artist must live, 
like any other man ; and the most elevafc<l art is a 
thhnp to be boupht and sold. If the proposition of 
the publisher, therefore, prove but a spur and healthy 
encoumpement to the artist, and he po on composinp 
in his own way, and followinp tlie lient of his own 
genius, the publisher taking all he produces and 
brinping it hefore the public eve — why, this is all le- 
gitimate and ripht. But if tfio artist, on receiving 
the proposition, leave the upper world of Art, where 
his fancy has always freely revelled, and descend to 
the world of trade—or otherwise, if the publisher 
step in between the artist and his genius, if he lay a 
fetter on hiswmp, and say: "Now, I want you to 
compose for me, and not for yourself ; I want wares 
for tlie market — saleable thinps. Give me the thinps 
not that you want, but that I want. Compose popu- 
larly, furnish polkas, maxurkas, negro minstrel sonps 
witn choruses, et cetera ; " — why, then the comiwscr 
forfeits his position as an artist'and be<'omes a music 
manufacturer — awaitinp orders from the music mer- 
chant, who disfioses of his wares. 

No 1 In cnse such a proposition be made to an 
artist, he sliould say to the publisher : " My friend, it 
is very natural for you to wish to put my fimcy in 
hmness, yon holding the reins and driving' it to such 
artistic gold dippinps as seem to promise the prentest 
yield. This is natural in you, uecnuse music with 
you is a business — and I suppose business means 
money ; but music, witli mc, is an art. It is, first of 
all, an art ; second, it is name and fame ; third and 
last, it is money. I cannot in\-ert this view of it, and 
consider it first as money, without invertinp my na- 
ture. When I set about composinp, if I bis true to 
myself and my heaven-imparted pifc, I must fon2:et 
you and trade altogether. I cannot compose with a 
gold dollar in the palm of .my hand, or with its im- 



ape in mv heart. The moment I should trv to do 
this, the winp of my fincy would bo lamed. I could 
not soar. No ; it is very civil of you to make this 
oflxT, but you mistake me. I.^t mc follow the bent 
of mv own w.iywnnl fancies. I will then submit to 
you tijc result ; you can thereupon, if you will, pnss 
iiidL'mcnt ui on it as mcrchandi<c. I. and others 
mTha])s. will h'lve our artistic opinion ; each will 
judpe from his own stand-point, and each will be 
riplit in his way. Take my apparently sjileablc com- 
positions, then.* — ^Imt take the other*, too; for it is 
Ix'st that you sltouM do somethinp for the credit of 
your house as a publisher — <omctliinp for Art, as 
well as for money. Be-ides, publishers cannot al- 
ways tell what will eventunllv prove most protit:ible. 
The liphter fsincy wares which command the quickest 
sole, command also the shortest sale. Thinps of 
slow, conMnuon*! snlo are alw.iys in the end most 
profitable — !ind such productions arc always the most 
meritonons. Think of this. Ix»t me continue to Ikj 
an aitist, while voii rontinue to be a verv excellent 
merchant. The interest of each lies in the perfect 
inflcpnndenrc and anart-nes** of the other." 

This is the way that an nuthor nnd publisher, in 
our view, should tnlk topethcr. But this is not al- 
ways the wftv they do talk. The poor arti«t — Heav- 
en help him ! — the moment he c.itcbes a plimpso of 
pold, or even assnird dailv bread-and-butter— is but 
too williiip to sell bis noble birthright ; to yield to 
nnv commen'ial fetter, and to be arl ropttnidmn to the 
])ublishcr's content ; thereby sacriticinp, in too many 
instances, his independence, his self-respect, and the 
resi>ect of his fcllow-ai-tists. 

It would not he at all a difficult matter to lav edi- 
torial finircr on quite a nnmber of music-manufnctu- 
n*rs in fhi-« country — men who arc ronllv artistically 
compromised, havincr sncrificed their birthriirbt ; who 
are much more wronLnnp themselves, however, than 
they are wroncinp the public or the world of Art. 
But this would be a very obnoxious task. Besides, 
such men themselves know it lietter than any one else 
can infoiTn them of it : thev know it. in some in- 
stances, we donbt not. ?adlv. bitterly better thnn tl»cy 
couhl ever be told — for iroM-enslavcd penius is ahvnvs 
a very humiliated and wretched penius. 



For Dwlght's Journal of Music. 

Music at the N. E. Institation for the Blind. 

Mr. Editor : — On my arrival in Boston I hap- 
}>ened to have a ticket offered to me which would 
admit me, to-day, at the Institution for the Blind. 
Havinp always taken an interest in charitable schools, 
and l)einp somewhat acquainted with tho Institutions 
for the Blind in New York and Philadelphia, I pladly 
accepted the offer. The Imildinp has a fine and ele- 
vated situation in South. Boston. Its beautiful view- 
over Boston and her harlK)r is lost to the inmates, 
but not so the oxypen contained in the winds which 
have free access on every side. A spacious play- 
pround invites the boys to run about, and the larpe 
attic story in the house, with swings and other contri- 
vances, is open to the pirls for pA-mnastic exercises. 
Baths in fresh and salt, cold nnd warm, water, are 
regularly taken, and the physical health of the pupils 
is apparently well cared for. There are neither pub- 
lic examinations nor strict exhibitions at this institu- 
tion. Those who get a " permit '* are free to visit it 
on Thursday, at a set hour, nnd then the teachers 
offer such entertainment as is thought liest. The 
time allowed to visitors is very short (from eleven to 
half past twelve o'clock,) fully taken up, and leaves 
to the guest hardly a minute to put a few questions 
for information to her who shows the company 
around. Very little idea can be got of the method 
and course of teaching, and the progress of single 
scholars cannot l>c observed at nil, even by those who 
should happen to po there on n visit quite often. 
The girls' school-itwm offered, to-day, nothinp new, 
or even as good as can be seen at any of the weekly 
exhibitions nt Philadelphia ; but it is justice to ob- 
serve that scholars are here admitted when quite 
vounp. We saw several pirls who could hnrdlv l>c 
seven or eight yenrs old. Many were npparently 
under twelve, an npc which, in other similar institu- 
tions, is one of the conditions for admittance. We 
were told that considerable attention is piven to plain 
sewing and general housework, two points certainly 
very useful to all, but more so to those of the poorer 



and foreign classes, who, after leaving this house, will 
have to depend on the work of ihcir hands. We 
should have liked to purchase u little bead chair or 
basket, but they were carefully locked up in a show- 
cnse ; nnd when finnlly the case wns opened we found 
ourselves in the mid>t of a stream of human beings, 
who followed their guide to another part of the house. 
Neither Oliver Caswell nor Laura Bridgman could 
be seen. The former left the institution several years 
ago ; the latter has not been here for four months, 
but may be expected back at some future time. On 
our journey to the library we observed telegraph 
wiixjs leading to a bell. On inquiry, we were told 
that this telegraph nppnratus was put up a few months 
ago, but failed to work, and was superseded by a 
large hand-l)cll, the powerful sound of which we had 
oeca.<ion to experience. 

Tho library id connected with two Inrge rooms by 
folding doors, which were thrown open. A violin 
class, numbering fourteen lads, were performing some 
pieces. The first violin part hnd all the melody, 
which wns in a simple way accompanied by the three 
lower parts. The execution, the position of the 
body, and the l>owing, showed that a pood nnd syste- 
matic l)eginning had Ix^en made, which was put to 
practical use as soon as possible. Wo always have 
pitied primar}'-8chool teachers on nccoimt of their 
monotonous task ; but to-day wc ]>itied still more tho 
pentleman who taught this class. The former have at 
least plenty of time, and the ho])e that the work will 
be continued in hipher classes ; while this class of 
players, with but three hours' time a week for instruc- 
tion nnd practice, can have but little hope of great 
advancement. On inquiiy, the teacher told us that 
the more advanced players commencetl taking lessons 
three years ago ; that of a clans of fouitccn boys who 
began eighteen months ago, only four remained to 
play the second violin ; the others had left the insti- 
tution, were dismissed from the class, or were absent 
on account of sickness. Whether under such de- 
pressing cireumstances it would not be better to give 
up all instruction on tho violin entirely, as it is done 
in the New York Institution, is difficult to decide. 
Wc were told that there also exists a brass band, 
numl^ering twenty players, but we did not hear them 
play. 

At a quarter before twelve o'clock we were led to 
the Chapel, which was well filled with visitors. It is 
well ventilated, light, and pleasant. The organ in 
the midst, with two busts of benefactors of the insti- 
tution at the sides, decorate the scholars' platform. 
While wc were snugly seated there, we examined the 
state of our feelings, in order to ascertain among 
which of the ten classes of listeners the editor of tho 
New York Musical World would couut us. We re- 
solved to behave like one of the tenth, if we could. 
During a solemn volimtary, finely played by a young 
lady, on the organ, all the pupils, numbering about 
seventv, took their seats. Then the teacher came 
for^i'nrd, struck a few chords on the grand piano, and 
all tho scholars sang the beautiful four-part song by 
Mendelssohn : "Deep silence reigns," entitled "Morn- 
ing Prayer." This was immediately followed by the 
chorus: "Awake the harp," from Haydn's "Crea- 
tion." Both pieces were rendered without fault, and 
produced a deep cflfect upon the assembly. Four 
pieces were played upon the piano ; two sets of vari- 
ations hv Herz, one duet, and a waltr. Thev were 
all rendered in good time, and with much expression, 
but not without considerable nervous excitement and 
some marked difference in the touch. All the play- 
ers labored h.inl to do well, and seemed to rejoice 
when their task wns done. A little soup, " The Fly 
and the Spider," wns sunp well by a little colored 
girl, who, with her sweet and rich voice, may become 
a fine singer. She seemed to be perfectly self-pos- 
sessed and happy during the singing. Two more 
four-part songs hy Mendelssohn, "Farewell to the 
Forest," and " Take a last Farewell," (Comilat,) 



140 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



were g^ren ; the latter with a great deal of expression 
and feeling, and in excellent time and tune ; while in 
the former the contralto was too prominent and the 
bass too feeble. A vacation song, composed by one 
of the teachers, (Miss Mitchell,) with music by Miss 
Browne, a former pnpil of this institution, was sung 
without accompaniment, with very good effect. The 
"Gloria in exceUia Deo" from one of Haydn's Masses, 
was sung in Latin words. The singers did very well, 
but it would have been better if the teacher had 
played the organ instead of the piano-forte. The 
exercises were concluded and crowned by the last 
chorus of Handel's "Messiah," "Worthy is the 
Lamb that was slain." Well did the full organ, with 
its loudest strains, come in to sound the praise of our 
Redeemer. Well did the countenances of the singers 
brighten as the concluding words, "Forever, Amen," 
were sung. They felt, what they were singing, and 
seemed to be sure that others must feel it also. 
Truly, good influences must be planted in the hearts 
of the pupils by such singing; and hard as the 
teacher's task is, he must feel glad to see such results. 
Such a performance would have been acceptable in 
any concert-room in our land, oven if these pieces 
had been especially prepared for the occasion. We 
lingered in the chapel as long as we could, and suc- 
ceeded in getting some additional information. The 
pupils have a lesson in singing every day. They < 
sing, at present, thirteen choruses by Haydn, Handel, 
Mozart, and Rossini ; thirty-six glees and songs for 
two, three, or four parts ; and forty sacred tunes in 
four parts, for whidi the hymns have been printed in 
raised letters. The farewell song was sung with 
more than common feeling, from the fact that the 
present teacher of music, Mr. Ansorob, leaves the 
institution at the end of this month. Mr. Campwbll 
has been appointed as bis successor, and from his 
long experience in teaching the blind, it is hoped, 
will succeed in carrying on the work so nobly begun 
and continued by his predecessors. 
Botton, July 22, 185B. C. M. 



" Old Hnndred.'* 

In a rustic old church opposite, while we write, a 
company of worshippers are sin^inp^ the old, old 
hvmn, " Be thou, O God, exalted hi^^h." The air is 
old, also ; the immortal " Old Hundred." 

If it be true that Luther composed that tune, and 
if the worship of immortals is carried on the wings 
of angels to heaven, how often has he heard the dec- 
laration : " They are singing * Old Hundred ' now." 

The solemn strain carries us back to the time of 
the Reformers — Luther and his devoted band. He, 
doubtless, was the first to strike the ^rand old chords 
in the public sanctuary of his own Germany. From 
his own stentorian lungs they rolled, vibrating not 
through vaulted cathedral roof, but along a grander 
arch, the eternal heavens. He wrought into each 
note his own sublime faitli, and stamped it with that 
fiiith's immortalit^y. Hence it cannot die ! Neither 
men nor angels will let it pass into oblivion. 

'Can you find a tomb in the land where sealed lips 
lay that have not sung that tune ? If they were 
gray, old men, they had heard or sung " Old Hun 
dred." If they were babes, they smiled as their 
mothers rocked them to sleep singing " Old Hun- 
dred." Sinner and saint have joined with the endless 
congregation, where it has, with and without the 
pealing organ, sounded on sucred air. The dear little 
children looking with wondering eyes on this strange 
world, have lisped it. The sweet young girl whose 
tombstone told of sixteen summers, she whose pure 
and innocent face haunted you with its mild beauty, 
loved " Old Hundred," and as she sang it, closed her 
eyes, and seemed communing with the angels who 
were so soon to claim her. He whose manhood was 
devoted to the service of his God, and who with fil- 
tering steps ascended the pulpit stairs with white 
hand placed over his laboring breast, loved "Old 
Hundred." And though sometimes his lips only 
moved, away down in his heart, so soon to cease its 
throbs, the noly melody was sounding. The dear 
white-headed father, with his tremulous voice ! how 
he loved " Old Hundred." Do you see him now, 
sitting in the venerable arm*chair, his arms crossed 
over the top of his cane, his silvery locks floating off 
from his hollow temples, and a tear, perchance, steal- 
ing down his furrowed cheeks, as the noble strains 



ring out ? Do you hear that thin, quivering, faltering 
sound, now bursting forth, now listened for, almost 
in vain ? If you do not, we do ; and from such lips, 
hallowed bv 'fourscore years in the Master's cause, 
" Old Hundred " sounds indeed a sacred melody. 

You may fill your churches with choirs, with Sab- 
bath prima donnas, whose daring notes emulate the 
steeple, and cost almost as much, but give us the 
spirit-stirring tones of the Lutheran hymn, snng by 
young and old altogether. Martyrs have hallowed 
It ; it has gone up from the dying beds of the saints. 
The old churches, where generation after generation 
has worshipped, and where many scores of the dear 
dead have been carried, and laid before the altar 
where they gave themselves to God, seem to breathe 
of " Old Hundred " trom vestibule to tower top — 
the very air is haunted with its spirit. 

Think, for a moment, of the assembled company 
who have, at different times and in different places, 
joined in the familiar tune ! Throng upon throng — 
the stem, the timid, the gentle, the brave, the heauti- 
ful, their rapt faces all beaming with the inspiration 
of the heavenly sounds ! 

" Old Hundred ! " king of the sacred band of an- 
cient airs. Never shall our ears grow weary of hear- 
ing, or our tongues of singing thee ! — And when we 
get to heaven, who knows but what the first trium- 
phal strain that welcomes us may be — 

" Be thou, God, exalted high ! " 



The Nightingale. 

A German writer has essayed to give ns the nota- 
tion of the song of the nightingale, or rather an imi- 
tation of the f^onnds in words, which, though they 
fail to give an idea of the notes to one who has never 
heard &em, are perfectly traceable by such as know 
the song well, and are correct as to the order of suc- 
cession. Daines Barrington has recorded the names 
by which the English bird-fanciers of the la<«t century 
difltininiishcd every separate note of the song, many 
of them being almost identical in sound with those of 
the German essayist. Most of the names menMoned 
by Barrington are still in u<e among connoisseurs, and 
are very expressive, especially the *' Jug," as applied 
to a note which, in a dear and brilliant tone, repents 
the sound "Djng! djug! djug! djng!" sometimes 
as many as sixty or seventy times, finishing with a 
brilliant* shake or rattle. Then there is the " Sweet 
jug," being a similar note in a more finely-drawn and 
sweeter tone ; then follow the " Bell-pine," the 
" Scroty," the " Rattle," the " Pipe-rattle,'' and the 
" Water-bubble," the last being a delicious note, re- 
sembling the trickling of water through a deep and 
narrow channel in a brook when swollen by a sum- 
mer shower. * The name-s of many other notes are 
recorded ; but 1 do not recollect that the one known 
by the present race of fnncicrs as the " Doane," or 
" Done, is mentioned. It is one of the most charac- 
teristic, and the most entirely unlike anything m the 
song of other birds. It commences in a deep, rich 
contralto tone, long drawn ont, and getting gradually 
fainter : then it is repeated half a tone hi$rher, and 
rises a semitone each repetition, till a brilliant pitch 
of the voice is reached ; when it suddenly quits the 
plaintive adcufio in which the gradual rising was per- 
formed, and bursts into a short brilliant cadence that 
gushes forth like the last notes of a pa<«.«ionate hravttra, 
or like one of those glittering codas of Beethoven that 
terminate suddenly, with a few daring notes, some 
wild and fantastic ackerzo. 

With regard to singing only at night, I can state 
from my own experience that the nightingale sings 
with the greatest power and brilliancy at about nine 
in the morning ; hut so many other' birds are then 
joining; in the woodland concert, that only experienced 
connoisseura stay to distinguish the melody of the 
nightingale from* the general buzz of song, thongh it 
is, in ikct, distinct enough, rising al)ove the accompa- 
nyinir chorus like the notes of a prima donnaj whose 
brilliant and passionate bursts of declamation ring 
out clear and distinct above all accompanying sonnds 
of voice or orchestra. It is not, as Barrington inge- 
niously observes, that part of the charm of the song 
arises from being heard ni night, when all other birds 
are silent, but that then it receives its chief attention 
from those who are ignorant of the fact that the night- 
song of the nightingale is not its only song, and, in 
fact, only a continuation of the one generally com- 
menced shortly before twilight. 

Occasionally, in the warm, still, balmy evenings of 
high summer, the niehtintrale will burst into a new 
song after dark, which, however,, seldom continues 
later than eleven o'clock, thongh on such evenings I 
have heard occasional brief outbursts till after mid- 
night, when, on account of the general stillness, it is 
h<»rd for a considerable distance ; for the volume of 
sound, it has been calculated, fills something more 
than a mile in diameter, or quite as much aa the ha- 



jnan voice. Oar great suif^eon, the celebrated Wil- 
liam Hunter, and more recently Dr. Tnwchel, in his 
essay on the muscles of the throat in singing-birds, 
sought to account for this extraordinary power in so 
small a bird by anatomical investigation, ond found 
that the muscular tissues of the throat were much 
stronger in proportion to ita siae in the nightingale 
than in any other bird. 



On Kuncal FoniL 

Trom " Truth About Miuin and Muakfaiu.,' nwislated from 
the Oerman by 8ABai.A Notcllo. 

** Every ibnii, however beaateoosT hee mme dellKt. yet it 
Mrves aji a lenn, through which we collect the Mcred niye of 
nnlvermi Nature, that they may tamdiate aod quicken the 
heart of man.— iJoKrai. 

I quote the following from Lanbe, who says : " Our 
contempt for Form dcstrovs a number of valuable 
talents. I do not believe tfiat out of Gennnny there 
occur so many literary and artistic suicides as in our 
country. An unhappy conceit cnuseif some of «s to 
consider it unworthy our dignity to act according to 
established customs ; we treat the idea of Form with 
contempt, and consider as almost an iixTignity, what- 
ever may be termed, in the widest sense of the word, 
Urhniraf. It is in vain tliat we are shown, by the 
correspondence between Schiller and Goethe, how 
deeply both these great authors respected the study of 
Fonn. We prai>«o the works of these men, bat wo 
follow not their footsteps. We readily comprehend 
that a wealthy man may yK)8s»«s land, stone. Time, 
wood, meodows, and trees in plenty, and yet 1« wn- 
able to create a castle and park until he have sketched 
out a plan, and proceeds to work with due consWcr- 
ation, — until he cnn command the necessary aids of 
labor, skill, and art. But authors (and composers) 
apparently do not perceive that the possession of rich 
and plentiful material is not sutficicnt to compass 
success. 

Again, we may road, in Eckermann's Aid to 
Pottry, the following : — " Form has been estnblishe* 
by the anceofling exertions of our greatest masters, 
and, therefore, succeeding anthors riiould at one« 
attain perfect knowlwlgc on thi* point. It would he 
a highly rinicnlous fancy of misonderstood origin- 
ality, should each individual desire to grope his 
way in scnrrh of that which already stands clearly 
discovered in full perfection. Form has been trans- 
mitted to us, already improved and developed ; we 
must accept it, and make ourselves mastere of it, — 
eUe it would be vain to talk of stndy or of progress 
in Art ; every man wonld have to recommence onew. 
But Art is long and life is short ; therefore, those 
will do well who squander not their powers in vnne- 
cessary labors," ' 

These truths are ignored and unheeded by our 
modem composers and crftieg, who fancy that prog- 
ress in music may be effected by ehanped forms, in- 
stead of new musical ideas. The result of this opin- 
ion is, a monstrous form, or, rather, want of form ; 
the fact IS, the want of study induces ignorance of 
form ; so, in order to conceal this deficiency, modem 
writers have declared recklessness of form to be a 
sign of genius. These good gentlemen (bot bad mo- 
sicians) do not remember that oor great teacher, 
Goethe, says : " What n»08t justifies ns in maintam- 
ing the necessity of strict rules and stringent laws is, 
that mfn of qentw art tke^rtt to comprehend them, and 
wiUintjly jjietd them implicit obedience. Mediocre talent 
only would desire to substttvte its circnmseribed sin- 
gularity in the place of enlarged and cultivated intel- 
lect, and to conceal its inaofficiency nnder the cloak 
of pretended insHpemble oriyintdity and opcnUneity/* 

In music, or painting by f«we», which rapidly sac* 
ceed each other, and flit across the sense of heating, 
a distinctly recognizable and familiar Form is ab«> 
lately requisite, in order that listenere should, so to 
speak, be placed in a convenient sitaatk>n frost 
whence to plereeive and review the separate compca- 
ents of a whole piece. 

Every Form of Art, however, should possesa three 
annliticai: — aftpropriatenese^ or faithftilness, in order 
ttjat the subject represented may bo duly expressed, 
both in mass and in detail ; comprekenmbiliiy, in order 
that different individual parts should eaxiTy unite 
themselves into a whole, and be recogniaed as gen- 
eric sections ; beauty, in order that each individual 
part may appear in well regulated proportion, and 
agreeable relation to the whole stmcture. 

Voss, with justice, demands that a consummate 
work should contain— beauteous sounds, gncefal 
movement, and harmoniously phrased constmction ; 
these emanations of creotivo genius will faithfully, 
and at the same time agreeably express the inly-felt 
inspiration of a composer. 

The greaterror of our young Art-world is the constant 
effort after a new form, 'When is a form new ? When 
a tonal piece is spun oat to such extent that listenera 
are wearied, and yearn /or its conclorioa 1 When 






BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1858. 



141 



phrases are 8o lenf^thy that their commcDcemcnt is 
forgotten hcfore thcii termination is nccomplished, — 
or are no short that they merely indimto, but do not 
satisfactorily express a meaning ? When the end of 
one phrase and the l)C{;innin^ of another are so 
smeared into each other, that tiicir separate identify 
cannot bo traced i When each bar is completclv 
heterogeneous to its nci^hlwr ? When n piece mod- 
uhites, or blindly wanders through every possible 
key ? When idea is patched to idea, without any 
principal phrase or phnises which should unite all 
components, and give to the whole a distinctive char- 
acter 1 Such and similar peculiarities may be found 
plentifully enough in the works of several modem 
neroes ; bat I have not, as yet, discovered any other 
novelties in their productions. 

** Genius," says Goethe, "accommodates itself 
respectfully even to that which maybe termed con- 
ventional ; for, after all, what else is conventionality 
but the unanimous decision of lending minds, to ac- 
knowledge all which is necessary and inevitable, to be 
best ? " 

If we carefully analyse any really meritorious works, 
we shall clearly discern that, however novel they may 
at tirst appe^tr, each com|)Oiicnt idea, hidividually and 
relatively to the whole, is constructed, connected, 
regulated, and restricted by established laws; and 
tliat only the idetts themselves are original. 

The first eight Symphonies of Beethoven olways 
affoni delight, although they nlLlicnr a similar form ; 
in the same manner as the dance-music by Lanner 
and Stiauss pleases, although its form be well known 
and ever recurring. 

If a piece do not plcnse, its want of success cannot 
lie attributed to the fa<'t of its licing presented in a 
traditional fonn ; hut blame must rest on the ideas 
contained in it, which may not !« faithful, or not 
be IxMiatiful. Such untnie, half-true, or indistinct 
ideas will not ple4ise in any form, — even in the most 
fantastic ; while really original, striking ideas, clothed 
in the simplest and most usual form, will surprise, 
delight, and impress all hearers. On the other hand, 
the most glorious ideas, pi^esentcd in an ungainly form, 
will produce no effect, liecausc either tliey will be un- 
recognizable or utterly impaired. 

I nmnot help believing that all those who arc con- 
stantly occupied in searching after new formsy and in 
attempting to abandon those whi% great masters 
have fashioned into the aptest and most beauteous by 
the lalior of centuries, possess no real creative fancy, 
and seek to conceal their want of original thongfit 
by zealous search after new form. Thev remind me 
of those insignificant authors, who imceasingly clam- 
ored against censorship, and announced to all read- 
ers the wondrou'tly fine ideas they could make public, 
did not the censure (i. e. Form) exist, to cramp their 
efforts. When censorship was abolished, they knew 
not how to write ! ! 

Insignificant ideas, clad in easy, homogeneous form, 
will more readily find favor than better matter in iiad 
attire ; this fact is known to and acted upon by French 
and ItMian composers, who take the greatest pains to 
render Form simple and intelligible, while our writers, 
on the contrary, seem purposely to disfigure Form, 
DiDch to their own injury. 

Of course, by the above observations, I do not 
imply that long-existing musical forms are to be slav- 
ishly retained ; for instance, that, without exception, 
the first part of a symphony must be repeated, &c. 
I merely maintain that the time will never arrive in 
which unconnected, planless, hap-hazard composition 
can be preferable to that which ^is regular, well- 
planned, and duly reconsidered. 

Modems have progressed only in harmonic weav- 
ing, and various use of chords ; they allow of bolder 
combinations of chords in remote keys, hazardous 
modulations, anticipations and suspensions, &c., — 
more rapid passages, peculiar and uncommon rhythms; 
but this same progress was made by former masters 
relatively to their predecessors. This is no " open- 
ing new paths," — no bursting asunder of shackles, — 
but merely a step forward on already well-worn 
tracks. 

New patfis can only be discovered by diverging 
from the acknowledged right road, and such diverg- 
ing from the right road is apt to lead to ar-Kjuag- 
mire! 



Illiterate 

(Vnm the New York Maakal Bevlew.) 

There is such a thing as illiterate music; rade, 
low, vulgar, it is made up of cant phrases, discon- 
nected melodies, usually, not necessarily erroneous 
harmony ; it has a kiiid of " hum-drum " rhythm, 
all of woich are offensive to good taste and refined 
musical sensibilities. It is generally found among 
the ignorant and rude; always among the low 
and vulgar; in groggeries and drinking-shops ; at 



the revels of the lil)ertine and drankard ; in scenes of 
debauchery and beastliness, and in. the haunts of 
licentiousness and vice of every description — it 
pleases and excites the sensualist and debauchee in 
their vile orgies, inflames and intensifies their brutal 
passions, and gives zest to their polluting practices ; 
this seems to be its natural tendcn«*v, aside from col- 
lateral circnmRtanccs and associations. No doubt 
those augment the power of the music ; there is a 
reflex influence, each helps the other ; but the music 
alone, aside from other cirtnimstnnccs, tends to excite 
and inflame the low animal passions, and enkindle 
sensual desires. 

I am aware that some writers make the masic 
merely accessory, and ascribe the entire origin of the 
evil to the idace, circumstances, and surrounding in- 
fluence, asserting that the muiiic only acts upon un- 
holy passions already excited, and is but an accom- 
plice to iniquity already existing. However this may 
be, I think it will be found almost universally, that 
the music used in scenes of debauchery and vice is 
usually constructed in a form or style, which in other 
literature would Ikj considered low, coarse, and vul- 
gar ; and those who maintain that there is no kind 
of music which will originate the low and sensual 
passions, but that, on the contrary, a// music naturally 
tends to refine^ as well as excite the feelings, must, if 
they admit that music under any circumstances min- 
isters to evil, which I presume no one disputes, follow 
out their promises, and take the position that, under 
the same circumstances, a higher order of music 
would produce still more deplorable results by excit- 
ing stronger emotions. 

This pO"iition, however, begs the question, which is 
not whether music, even illiterate music, when allied 
to puie and exalted poetry, and introduced into an 
atmosphere already undulating with refined and holy 
emotion, will not in all ca««es and always intensify the 
feelings already existing ; but, is there not a style of 
music, the tendency of which is to inflame the lower 
and animal passions, and thus exert a baneful influ- 
ence (more or less) wherever it is introduced ? 

The facts in the case show also that their argument 
lies directly across their own path, for if music uni- 
versalh/ in all cases tends to elevate and refine the 
senses, then surely, if it can only be introduced into 
the haunts of vice and dcbaucherj', it would be a di- 
rect, sure, and eflfectnal means of reformation, 
whereas we know that it is introduced into such 
places for the very oppositb end. 

Again, it may be asked, how shall we account for 
the fact, that in all places of excessive sensual indul- 
gence at feasts and carousals, not only among the 
ilfiterato and coarse, those who have never been in 
circles of refinement, but also (as is often the case) 
those among the intelligent and learned, whose tastes 
have been cultivated and refined, indul{^e in baccha- 
nalian revels and sensual excesses ? How is it that 
with such persons a kind of music is almost univer- 
sally heard in their dmnken frolics, partaking of the 
same general characteristics as that which is found in 
the lowest brothels of the confirmed drankard and 
debauchee ? Why is it that they seldom or never 
introduce into their scenes of revelry, the songs and 
ballads which they hear and admire in their sober 
moments, and in their refined and genteel amuse- 
ments? 

Again : How is it that when a solitary individual 
^-one who has had the advantages of education, and 
enjoyed the privileges of elegant and refined society 
— fails into confirmed habits of intemperance anil 
vice, he never carries with him into his scenes of de- 
bauchery those melodies which have been his delight 
in his better days, but invariably takes what he finds 
among his degraded associates? These questions 
refer to those only who have moved in circles where 
traly refined, correct, and educated taste prevails — 
not to those whose views of what is correct have been 
formed by hearing some " professor's " " easy ar- 
rangement" of a few melodies and extracts 'from 
Rossini, Bellini, and others ; nor to those whose taste 
has reached no higher than the thousand and one 
waltzes, polkas, marches, and negro melodies, which 
are weekly thrown out from the presses of this coun- 
try, and cover the land like the frogs in Egypt. 
Again, it has been said, and perhapa universally con- 
ceded, that when hostile armies approach each other 
for battle, the music inspires courage, fills the soul 
with exalted emotions, and impels the soldier to deeds 
of heroic valor. 

Among those in authority, and whose rank in office 
does not require them to be in the midst of the fight, 
or in personal rencountre, and possibly with very few 
who are actively engaged, it may be so ; but if we 
judge by the testimony of those who have given us 
their experience as private soldiers, we shall find, as 
they marched up with a bold front to the cannon's 
month, or rashed on the point of bristling bayonets, 
they were filled with wild, ungovernable fury ; anger, 



malice, revenge, raled without resistance or restraint ; 
the whole man was given up to the most violent and 
revengeful passions, and, to use the language of an 
American soldier, in his description of one of the 
battles in Mexico : " We felt and acted like tlie very 
devils incarnate." 

It ma}'^ l>e a matter of doubt whether or no there is 
a kind of music, the natural tendency of which is to 
excite unholy or sinful passions, that is, without the 
aid of outside influences ; but that there are certain 
musical combinations and movements which are illit- 
erate and low in conception, and which more or less, 
according to circumstances, always address the base 
and animal passions, and are at least of doubtful 
moral tendency, is, I believe, generally acknowledged 
by refined and intelligent muhicians. We may there- 
fore leave the nicer and more diflScult point for future 
discussion, (if need be,) but the fact that there is a 
kind of music which appeals to tlie baser passions, 
and inteni^ifics animal appetites and sensual desires, 
always too strong, ought to awaken an interest in 
this matter, and not allow it to slumber until the 
thing is understood, and the church, the parlor, the 
school and concert room, are purified from its con- 
taminating influence. 

That such music exists in all these departments of 
sacred, domestic, and social life, we have only to turn 
to the various l)ooks of popular music used in the 
church choirs and congregations, by all the various 
denominations in the land ; to the bound and sheet- 
mu<ic on the pianos of the rich, as well as those in 
more moderate circnmstar.ces ; to the school song- 
books, the programmes of concerts and musical ex- 
hibitions, and to the music M-hich (with the exception 
perhaps of two or three large cities) we generally 
near at our social gatherings and public assemblies. 
E.xamine it by the light of science ; test it by the 
standards of the greatest musical geniuses that have 
ever lived, we shall find a major part of it is trash, 
much of it low and vulgar. But (says many a good 
Christian minister and layman) much of the very 
music which science and musical taste and genius 
condemn as wanting in scientific accuracy, and as 
coarse and illiterate, moves us to religious and holy 
aspirations — there is a consciousuess of increased 
holy emotion in hearing and singing it ourselves, and 
we see the same effects produced by it in others. 
How, then, can its influence be othen^'ise than good ? 
And, besides, if some of those compositions which 
science decides are erroneous, low, and vulgar, will 
send the warm heart's blood coursing with increased 
vijTor through the system, your science must acknow- 
ledge " sfie is not true to nature," and seek for further 
developments before she eondemns that to which the 
heart in its most holy emotions responds. 

'Tis true science is founded in nature ; its princi- 

{>Ies and rules are derived from nature ; and she must 
ye trae to her origin. And now suppose the world 
were in total ignorance of any rales or order for har- 
monic combinations and progression. Suppose, also 
we find two youths, of the same age, dispositions 
temperaments, attainments, general appearance, de- 
sires, etc. ; suppose that one listens witn admiration 
and delight to certain successions of musical tones, 
and feels an almost heavenly rapture as he follows 
peculiar harmonic progressions and resolutions ; 
while other combinations and other progressions grate 
upon his ear, jar his nerves, and fill him with agony. 
The other youth listens to all these changes without 
emotion ; he thinks some parts of both are pretty and 
pleasant, and some of each unpleasant and disagree- 
able : he has, however, but little choice. 

Now which of these* two shall decide what is and 
what is not scientific music 1 

Which shall be considered as nature's test for right 
and wrong ? 

Which would be taken for authority in any other 
department of science or taste ? 

It is not, however, by the testimony of a single 
youth of extraonlinaipr musical sensibilities, that the 
beauties of peculiar harmonies and melodies have 
been discovered, while other combinations and pro- 
gressions have been pronounced disagreeable; but 
by hundreds of such, who have listened and ana- 
lyzed, studied and compared, in youth, and up to 
manhood, and through old age — men of large and 
highly-cultivated intellects, of well-balanced minds ; 
men of profound thought and refined sensibilities ; 
men who have commanded the respect and admiration 
of the viorld for ages. This is the testimony of his- 
tory and biography, and is as well authenticated as 
any other biography or history whatever. Tens of 
thousands, in almost every condition of life, and in 
almost every land, taught by their own experience, 
and the writings of others, have attested to the truth 
of the science as it now is ; many of its principles 
have been mathematically demonstrated, and we may 
as well deny the astronomical theory of Sir Isaac 
Newton and his compeers, or Harvey's theory of 



142 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the drcalation of the blood, as to reject the aathority 
of Bach, Albrechtsbei^r, Handel, and a host ot 
others. 

In reply to the fact, that mnny a ^ood Christian 
finds his holy a^pinirtons nKccndin^ with more fervor 
and Ktronuer gniticude while he ftingfs the very tunes 
which science most uncquivocnlly condemnn, I re- 
mark : We are the creatures of association and hnbit, 
and our passions are excited or restrained hy cir- 
cumstances, many of which are not only beyond our 
own control, but have existed beyond the reach of 
oar memories. Our aiisociations with music arc con- 
nected with our childhood; we hnve heard certain 
tunes suns by our fathers nnd mothen*, perhaps by 
our grandfatlier^ and grandmothers ; they are inter- 
woven with the pleasures of youth, are s'trenfrthcned 
by the more substantial joys of domestic life, and the 
still higher emotions of the family altar and the pub- 
lic worship of God ; we have seldom, perhaps never 
heard them except in our moments of cheerfulness or 
solemnity, and always connected with that which was 
pure and pleasant, and usually with poetry of a cor- 
rect moral and somewhat literary character— hence 
the strongest and holiest emotions of the soul are 
associated with them, and hare been tied to them 
from infancy, and when we hear these tunes, or others 
of a similar style and chamcter, all these associations 
cluster around us. Hero is the true reason why so 
many Christi ins, «f iih ta«es more or less cnltivnted 
on other subjects, are satisfied with a style of church 
music, low, illiterate, vulgar — in one word, it is as- 
sociation. 

Memory cannot reach the time they first heard it, 
and always associated it litith divine and spiritual 
hymns ; the spir^ and sentiments of the poetry have 
first moved their thoughts heavenward, aiidVtirred 
their souls to some dejrrce of devorion, and the mnsic 
turned from its natural tendency, by the tliou'^hiS and 
spirit of the hymn, has, to a lirnitcd extent, Increased 
the already excited emotion. The two, however, if 
not antajronistic, travel in diflRerent directions, ond it 
is only by the power of holy aspirations, already ex- 
cited, toother with association, and the time, place, 
and circumst.inrcs, that the stronger is made subser- 
vient to the weaker. 

(To be continaed.) 



gfoig^ fs lottrnal of P nsit. 

BOSTON, JULY 81, 1858. 

Music i!f THIS NuxsBft.— Choms of Pilgrims retuminic tnm 
the Holy Lamd, fron V\'agncr'ri ThnrnkmUer^ unnged for four 

Mrts. 

^•^ ■ 

Festival of the Bofton Public Schooli. 

Wednesday was a great day with the thirteen 
thousand children of the twenty grammar and 
high schools of Boston ; being the sixty-fiflh 
annual exhibition and festival of the medal schol- 
ars. In accordance with a resolution of the 
School Committee, which we have already men- 
tioned, the festive part of the exercises, hitherto 
held in Faneuil Ilall, was this year transformed 
into a Musical Festival at the Boston Music Hall. 
It was a first experiment, tried in the face of not 
a little scepticism, and with but a few weeks* 
time for training the voices and mataring plans. 

To secure unity of effect, a few plain old chorals 
had been practised, in unison, in the same key, 
rate of time, &c., in the different schools ; and 
then twelve hundred voices were selected for the 

Sublic performance, who, as the time approached, 
eld several rehearsals to<?ether in tne Music 
Hall, under the conduct of Mr. Carl Zerrahn 
and Mr. Charles Butler, one of th^ mOsic 
teachers in the schools. These rehearsals, in 
themselves, made a protracted feast, novel and of 
still-increasinn; interest, to the children. 

At four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, there 
was a sight to behold, which no one who beheld 
it ever can forget. Entering the Hall, you saw 
before you a towerins amphitheatre of twelve 
hundred boys and girb, rising rank above rank, 
from the platform of the stage, which had been 
brought forward, to the upper j^allerv. The girls 
in their pure white dresses looked like a field of 
lilies ; and the colored ribbons, blue and pink, 
violet and green, the darker tone of the boys' 
costume, the fresh and bright young faces, piled 



up in such multitudes before yon, every form 
alive with joy and expectation, made a scene as 
unexampled nere as it was beautiful and touch- 
ing. It was some time before one Iw^ran to look 
around him to see what cl^c the Hall contributed 
to this rare feast for the eyes. First, in the open- 
ing at the middle of the stage, l>efore the organ, 
was the bronze Beethoven statue, — in the back- 
ground and in the centre of that maw of young 
life, — ^relieved upon a jjreen ground, with a floral 
lyre over his head, and wreaths of flowers in the 
hand and at the feet of the composer. Tlic 
statue never looked so finely. The fronts of the 
two galleries, which were filled with the me<lal 
scholars, were festooned with the usual national 
bunting — scarlet, blue, and white — which would 
have had too hot and military an aspect, but that 
it was relieved by ovals (purple ground, sur- 
rounded by green civic wreaths,) bearinof the 
names of the different schools and dates of their 
foundation. Above, npon the walls, were shields 
bearing the names of the succesive Mfiyors of the 
city. The niche opposite the stage was draped 
with flags, surmounted by the city seal. S(*rol1s 
and mottoes, showinij the date of the Franklin 
and the City medals, &c., completed the very 
chaste and tastefnl scheme of rich yet simple or- 
namentation, which the live presence of jrnosts, 
parents, and citizens, upon the floor, with children 
in front, and children all around, above, enhanced 
to an ensemble of Wauty and ma«Tnificence that 
made one again think what a blessing to onr rUr 
is that MtL«ic Hall, which lends itself so admirably 
to such uses. 

The exercises commenced with a good solid 
voluntary on the organ, at which ^Ir. J. C. D. 
Parker presided. Then a prayer by the Rev. 
Dr. Blagdex. 

Next came the I^ord's Prayer, chanted in uni- 
son by the twelve hundred childn*n, conducted 
by Mr. Butler. It was a grand, rich, fresh mnsa 
of tone ; all in good tune and time, every syllable 
distinct, and the effect quite imposing. But it 
was all of one nniform degree of loudness ; and 
as this old Gregorian chant is, in itself, monoton- 
ous, consisting of but three notes, it seemed to 
require every art of light and shade to lend va- 
riety. The final Amen, however, was beautifully 
swelled up. 

Af^er the chant came a piece, singularly well 
chosen, call_ed, we understand, a Spanish chant, 
by the Germania Band, which occupied the space 
between the statue and the seats of the committee 
and distinguished guests in the fi'ont of the stage. 
Tlie band had reed instruments as well as bravi, 
and discoursed light and appropriate mnnic at in- 
tervals, with very fine effect. 

Next followed short addresses by the chairman 
ot the festival Committee, Rev. Dr. Chanhler 
RoBBTNs, by Mayor Lix colx, and by Dr. J. Bax- 
ter Upham, who, as the originator of this fine 
experiment, and the one most full of its spirit and 
its policy, was called upon to explain. Happily, 
the reporters of the daily papers have caught for 
us his speech in full, which is too interesting and 
instructive not to be placed here. 

RsuARKS OF Dr. J. B. Uprax. 

A few words may very properly be demanded of 
some of ns, as to the why and wherefore of this new 
fentnre — this innovation, as some may he dii^posed to 
call it, in the ^od old estnbllshed routine of the an 
nual school jubilee. A full explanation would in- 
volve the history of music, as connected with the sys- 
tem of public school instruction, in other coontnes 
and in onr own. But I shall not take op time for 
that any further than barely to allndo to one or two 
facts and dates. 

Passing over this history, then, as connected with 
Germany, where the system orf^rinated, and whence 
it sprea(l into Holland, into Switzcrlaml, and later 
into France, we find it, at a comparatively recent 
date, engaging the attention of educationists in Great 
Britain. Not there, indeed, without serious and 
stronsc and strennous- opposition at firFt ; for our Eng- 
lish lirethren are never too ready to espouse any in- 
nova^'on, however much they may !« convinced of it)* 
ntilfty. So when Mr. Wy<e,a prominent member of 
Parliament, first ventureil to hint in the Hon^e of 
Commons that sinpng should be tanirht in all the 
schools, as in Germany, the sn^Q^stion was received 
with ridicule and with'lan^tcr only. 

The same spirit of opposition afterwards elicited 



from the celehtnted John Hnllnh, who engraved early 
and fon<;ht long and sncccs'sfully as a champion in 
this cause, the qnatnt but forcible remark, "Yen, 
verily, thanks to the anlnon;* InlKirs of tho^o who well 
adilre^soil thcm«elves to ear* cm*H» ns do:if ns numci 
wnlh on the Hn'Me<*t. the priiu*ii>le is now rwojrniwd 
by all the educational societies in the rcnlm." Once 
recofrnixed, it spread rapidly over the country. In 
Scotland, even, in spire of her nntionni prejudices, 
amonjj the followers of the stnrdy old Covenanters, 
who find been wont to shnkc their fl^tn in the fnco of 
all snch pofian pmciiccs it was shortly acknowledged 
as a firtiuff clement in the education of youth. 

And in Ireland, it followed, ii« n mntter of conr«o, 
for In'land i^ the Italy of tlio Rriti^h dominions in 
the North. In her the jrenin^ of mii-*ir and the arts 
ex?*t nafttrtdfif, in prcnter depree of perfcH'tion than in 
either of her more favored sister renlms. The hnrp 
is her rightful emblem. The pntrfot poof, Tom 
Moore, well knew, as he permed thoio lyrics end 
ponjrs which are to Ireland n« honpcfiold word-*, th«t 
he spoke to hearts as rendily re*»pon<»ive to the mcTody 
of hi^ mu«o. ns are the chords of the JEoXum Tyre to 
the wooing of the winds. 

About the same time with this movcmcTTt in Great 
Britain, occurred the introducrfrm of music into onr 
Boston schools. Just twenty-one vear* a*!0. at the 
recommeiwhition of the Bo«fon Acmlemv of Mn«ir, it 
was trif»d as an experiment, in fbnr only of the gram- 
mnr schools, nt first. I need not s »y the trial was «Kr- 
isfiictory.aTid that ever since mtisic has been re»-ojrnr7.ed 
as a part of the Boston system of school imtmr'tinn. 
A little more than n year since, a fierier of orrlers was 
offcTwl in the School Board by tlie pj-e^cnf efficient 
chairman of the Mnsic f^mrmiffee. Dr. Rend, havfnjj 
for their c^jiect to mUe fhi* dcp"rfmcnt to a nenrer 
Icvrl in importance with that of other bmncTiCs of 
stndy. Tlicy were pa«se*l by n Tnrrc mafority. 

It IS the more effectually fo carry oiit the rpmt 
and intention of these orrlers, that the performance of 
choral music w to take so proTrrincnt a part fn the fes- 
tival exercises fo-day; and on this, the l>ecomrncr of 
a«re of the system, so fir a< Boston fs concerned, to 
inauffurate tm advancMl and permanent stop v\ fts 
proirres^ ; for if the nre«ent CNpcriment— and cxneri- 
ment ft must lie called— «hall prove m anv adennate 
degrrce satisfactory, it is om* hope — I s^ieak, at least, 
for myself— I believe, also, for e»'cry memher of the 
Music Committee, and, I trust, the whole School 
Board — ^that, hereafkcr, a cfigdnct and separate exhibi- 
tion of the musical department of tHe schools will he 
annually held, which, from simfl hejrinnfnjrs. shall 
fptiw, nt length, mto an important and permanent in- 
stitmion. 

I have not time to ^ now mto a discnssfon of all 
(ho objects, influences, artd expected results of such 
measure, if adoptefl and carried out. 

I mi«;ht, indeed, enter into a comptitntron, ifnecca- 
sary, to show what proportion of the twenty-fbur 
thoiisami scholars in om* schools may, when the re- 
cently adopted system of a more thoroa^h and ex- 
tended mnsical instruction shall have come fnlly into 
operation, be fitted to take a creditable part m such 
public excrrises. Sufffce it to say now, that, jodpng 
from promises in the fifly or sixty primary and irranN 
mar schools, which, m the distribution of dntres, it 
has fallen to my lot personally to visit and examme, 
the force will ultimately be limited only by the capac- 
ity of a building to contain them. 

I am aware of the popular olijection a^inst this 
and all measures of a similar nature proposed m 
cormection wfth onr schools. They tend, it i« said, to 
preoccupy and engross the minds of the pupils, to the 
exclusion of more practical things. More thmt this, 
it has been asserteil that a high decree of proficfency 
m music is inconsistent wftli an exalted standard of 
scholarslitp. I say this is the conmion snd popular 
objection ; but, lilce many other popular and tra<fi- 
tionary sayinjrs, I believe it to have been too rtsadily 
taken for irrantcd, wirhom dne inqcThT aa to whether 
the assertion be founded in fact. 

In my own school experiences I remember that 
many of those who were skilled in music, nnd largely 
devoted to the practice of it, were also the first in 
rank on the merit roll. And I appeal to the worthy 
and cfRcient Saperintendent of the Boston Schools, 
with whom I had the honor to he associated as a 
classmate in college, as to whether his recollections 
do not tidily with mine in this particular. The distin- 
jruished scholar, the statesman and orator, to whose 
eloquence we hope soon to listen, whose eminent taste 
in music and in art we all acknowledge and admire, 
and ivho himself once plaved a very acceptable trom- 
bone in the Pierian Sodality at Cfamhridce, can an- 
swer for himself and for Harvanl. And the number 
of medal and dinloma^ scholars in these choral ranks 
is a sufficient refutation of the error, as repirds onr 
Boston schools. I take it for granted for the present, 
then, that music is, in itself, a benefit as a stidy. 

The advantages of the plan wliich wo now inangu- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1858. 



143 



rate to the echoolfl theniHclvcs, so elevating and ad- 
vanciii>r the standard of musical instnictuHi, arc, I 
think, self-evident. I need not take up tne time to 
recite them. 

Ijit me Allude, however, to one of its natnral re- 
sults, extrinsic to the school, and in my own mind a 
most intercHtinjT and im))ortant one, which is this ; 
In the course of a few years, a jrcnci-ation will thus 
bo tniincd up to enjira^ acccptnhly in tlie music of 
the church, in the form of con^rc;;ational 6iii;;ing, 
which, when pn>)>erly done, I hold to he the hcHt and 
most impressive form of devotional music. Says the 
irood old Hojrcr Aschani, in wi-itin;:r from Augsbur]^, 
about the middle of the sixteenth centui-y, on this 
point : ** Three or four thousand Bingin<r at a time in 
a church hero, h hut a trifld." I could wish such 
triHes might obtain in the middle of this nineteenth 
century, in our churches. This, indeed, is what we 
have been aimin;:^ at, and attempting, for so many 
j*ear«, in this country, in vain to accomplish — ^not be- 
cause, as iias sometimcc been said, we have no congre- 
gations, nor altogether because our congregations 
amnot sing, but bccau-^e, for lack of previous method- 
ical tmiuijig, they cannot sing together. Kow once 
establish this mo'vcmcnt, and, in a f*"w years, the ris- 
ing generation will have in their heads, in their hearts, 
and u])on their tongues, a rcpeiloire of sacred music, 
alwnys ready, always adaf>tcd to the singing of a 
grcjit congregation,' and such as will never wear out. 
Once establish this meaj$uro as a W/ViVic/ and annual 
iwUiUtiionf and you make the congregational music of 
the church a^ mu<'h the pro))erty of Ma.<(sachuiH*tts 
and ultimately of New England, as it is now, in its 
[»eife<'tion, alniost exclusively that of Holland and 
eenain parts of Germany. 

A word as to the inipres.sion, the legitimate im- 
pression and eflect of the occasion itself, if carried 
out in its integrity, on both participants and hearers. 
The plan, though never to my knowlcd;^ attempted 
here, at least on co large and complete a scale as we 
propose, is not without a precedent abroad. Haydn 
once expressed himself as having l>ecn never more 
afTectCil than by the simple singin<; in unison of the 
four thousand charity childreu, under the dome of St. 
Paul's in I^ndon. This \rns more tlian half a cen- 
tury ago. The good old custom remains there yet, 
and in the same form. Nor is it alone in the great 
and sensitive heart of Haydn, but upon the ma.«8es 
and men of oidinai^ musical susceptibilities as well, 
that such effecti» are produced. 

I shall long remember, indeed I shall never forget 
the impression left on my own mind, on one of these 
occasions, at which it was my good foitune to be 
present, a few years since. And I speak of this ex- 
perience in immediate connection with that of the 
great composer, to illustrate the effect, the similar 
effect, from the same cause on human natures, though 
the very antipodes of each other in all things else. 
There was, on the occasion to which I allude, an 
audience of some fifteen thousand persons, extending 
out into tlie naVes and transepts of Uie church. The 
children, now increased to eight or tea thousand in 
number, were ranged on benches, rising and receding 
in amphitheatrical form, from the floor to near the 
springmg of the arch of the dome. They were, in 
age, about the average of the scholars in our gram- 
mar schools, though far inferior to them in point of 
intellectuality and acquirement. Thev all sang to- 
gether in unison, with the harmony onfy of a power- 
ful organ as a basis, the simple melody of tne old 
Gregorian chants and German chorals mostly, though 
ending, as I well remember, with the sublime Halle- 
lujah Chorus of Handel. 

Now, how much of that eflRect may have been at- 
tributable, in my own case, to the associations of the 
time and place, I will not attempt to decide ; but of 
all my musical experiences, before or sino&^whether 
of the choicest instrumentation or the grandest com- 
binations of choral harmony — ^whether I should men- 
tion the efficient rendering, by six hundred picked 
voices, of the Elijah and Messiah, in this, our own 
Music Hall, a year ago — ^the great choral perform- 
ances on the opening of the Industrial Exhibition in 
Dublin — and in various parts of England — the clash 
and clang of collected scores of military bands in 
Fraace — in the celebration of the high and festal Mass 
in the Cathedral of Cologne — the shoutings of the 
huge congregations in the fine old Lutheran temples 
of worship at Dresden, at I^ipsic, and elscwhere^-or 
in the sple did achievements, vocal and instrumental, 
of those great musical gatherings in the Valley of the 
Khine, in the vintage time; — all, all, I say, have 
failed to leave in my memory an efiect so deep, so 
solemn, so impressive. 

And, if such things can be done in London, they 
can be done here ; if success, such hs this, can he 
acliieved out of materials which make ap that choir 
of charity school children in the cathedral of St. 
Paul ; much more can it be accomplished, in connec- 



tion with our lil)eral and enlightened system of public 
school mstruction, in Boston ; not in these first feeble 
experiments, indeed, but by patent and systematic, 
and well-directed and constant and continual effort. 

But this is only an immeciate and pleasing acces- 
sory of our plan, a gratifying success, indeed, if obtain- 
ed-^nd, in my own mind, a desirable one, if it but 
lead to the addition, in tlie limited calendar of our 
festival days, of another and that so esthetic aud ra- 
tional a jubilee. 

And here again we may be met with the utilitarian 
objection, cui bono f which, by a somewhat liberal 
tnmslation, might justly be interpreted, in tlie New 
Enirland tongue, will it pny ? 

But what, — I would a.«k, in answer to this in- 
quiry, is the end an object of education ? Is it to de- 
velop the intellectual part of our natures only, the 
tcorl'intf faculties merely, to the neglect of the moral 
and physical, — leavingthe emotions and affections to 
nm riot or take care of themselves as best thev mayl 
Would this be rational, would it be philosopfiical in 
this our land and in our dny ? Consider, for a mo- 
ment, the spirit and tendencies of our country and 
the characterics of its people — a toiling, speculating, 
money-getting, fa.«it living, excitable race — wenring 
themselves out with lnl>or or with thought, reckless 
and impatient alwnys. Was there ever a nation more 
requiring the amenities of life, more needing an 
infusion of the ^^sthetie among the harsh and di-^^ord- 
ant elements of their composition ? Story, in his ap- 
propriate ode at the inauguration of our noble statue 
of Beeftioven, well expressed this idea, when he said : 

** Norer bi a Nation finished, nrhile it wnnts the (rrace of Art : 
Un must borrow robes from beauty ; life must rise above the 

mart; 
Here, as yet, in our Republic, in the furrows of our soil, 
Slowlv ^\vs Art's timid bloeeoms, 'neath the heavy foot of 

toil. 
Spurn it not' but spare it— nune it, till it gladdens ail the 

land." 

And this is what, as a nation, we are just beginning 
to do. In the cities along our Atlantic shores, at any 
rate, the galleries of our Athcnronms, the recent meri- 
torions collections of pictures, public and private, the 
growing disposition to ornament with groups of stat- 
uary our squares and public buildings, and our Na- 
tional Capitol, and the increasing beauty of our ar- 
chitecture, are witness to it. 

Snys the poet I have already quoted — 

"Topmost crown of ancient Athens toward the Phtdean 

Parthenon, 
Upon Freedom*! noble forehead, Art. the stany Jewel, Bhooe." 

I would, sir, it might sparkle in the front of this 
Modem Athens as well. 

Now, music, it has l>een well said, is the handmaid 
of painting and sculpture — their gentler sister, more 
refining and humanizing in its influences upon the 
hearts of the people. 

Shall we pau-^, then, or retrograde in this move- 
ment which introduced and recognized it in our 
schools ? I do not believe it. I look rather, in the 
future, though the time is not yet, for the completion 
of the work. Ivy the establishment, in connection with 
our system of^ public school instruction, of a Con- 
servatory of Music, vocal and inttrumfniai^ on a scale 
commensurate with that of kindred institutions abroad. 

The sweet old tune of *' Dundee" was now 

sung by the children, with organ accompaniment, 

Mr. Zerrahn taking the conductor's stand ; and it 

was soon evident what pleasant and complete 

control he had in this short time acquired over his 

young army. The first yerse was sung by the 
girls alone, whose soft, sweet voices had a peouliar 
and religious charm. The second verse by boys, 
whose more metallic timbre made fine contrast ; 
the third by all united, when the sonorous yolume 
was superb. Throughout the whole, there was 
pure, sustained, truly musical tone, and such fine 
effects of loud and soft, crescendo, ^c, as one 
would haye hardly; expected from a mass of chil- 
dren. It was a kind of glorified, transfigured 
canto fermo ; as superior to any church psalmody 
we have ever heard, as that hall to a prosaic coun- 
try meeting house. The problem of producing 
grand and edifying musical effects by combining 
thousands of children's voices in* such yer>' simple 
choral straiits as they can easily be taught to sing 
in common primary and grammar schools, — with 
no injury but with much help to their general 
education — was now already fully solved. 

" Dundee " was followed by a very pertinent 
and happy address from the Hon. k. C. Win- 
THROP, which we have in type for next week. 

There were also addresses by Mr. Philbrick, 
the superintendent of the schools, and by His 
Excellency, Governor Banks, who made some 



capital remarks upon the benefits of singing, as a 
branch of physical culture. 

"Luthei^s Judgment Hymn" was the next 
choral, suns in the same manner with ** Dundee," 
but with tne additional accompaniment of the 
Band, whose trombones and other brass told with 
sublime effect in such a piece. Here was where 
brass performed its true, legitimate function ; here 
it was altogether grand ; and the ensemble of 
voices and mstruments was one of the most sub- 
lime we ever witnessed. We were only troubled 
somewhat by the not very dignified expression of 
those trumpet blasts which followed up each 
strain ; the idea in itself was good, and we believe 
traditional ; but the phrase Iiu^ked right rhvthmi- 
cal form ; it did not seem to grow naturally out 
of the choral movement, but sounded far-fetched 
and intrusive. We might question, too, the wis- 
dom of having children sinn: at such a time to 
such lugubrious and dreadful words. 

The presentation of bouquets by the Mapror to 
the two hundred medal scholars, accompanied by 
music from the band, and followed by a few 
words of wise and tender counsel to the happy 
winners of these honors, by Dr. Bobbins, formed 
the next act of the spectacle. It was a fine 
scene, as the medal-wearers, girls and boys, filed 
through the front seats <^ the first balcony, aiound 
three sides of the ball, ascended the sta^e at the 
foot of the statue, from the rear, to receive their 
floral honors, and with these emerged one by one 
again at the opposite comer, into the balcony. 

The " Old Hundredth Psalm," sung with an 
effect musically and morally sublime and beauti- 
ful, the whole audience joining in the last verse, 
worthily concluded the inspiring festival. 

How little faith we have in true ideas! Who 
was there, even of those well convinced in reason 
of the goodness of the plan, that had at all anticipa- 
ted a success so beautiful and so inspiring ? How 
far the reality transcended the imagination of the 
most sanguine advocates of the idea I We have 
only room lefl now to chronicle the complete suc- 
cess of the first Musical Festival of the Boston 
Public Schools, leaving our reflections on its edu- 
cational and moral aspects to next week. For 
the present, we will only say, that it was in the 
highest degree creditable to the committee, to the 
conductors, teachers, and the schools, and that it 
contains a future in the matter of the blending of 
musical with the intellectual and moral culture of 
our youth. It was precisely the risht kind of a 
school festival. Music, music in large, simple 
choral strains, music by the vast choir of fresh, 
unbroken children's voices, was the most practica- 
ble, most expressive and inspiring utterance of all 
the sentiment of such a day. It was the word 
that summed up all words. It was prayer, and it 
was eloquence, and joy, and hope, and aroiration, 
so that all felt that the only fault was a little too 
much speaking, pertinent and good as all the 
speeches were. But the mind was weary with 
attention and excitement, and the heart mainly 
wanted utterance. The children had just come 
through their trying school examinations; they 
had heard speeches in .abundance; a unitary, 
universal, heavenly language, which refreshes and 
exalts, but does not task the mind by close atten- 
tion to new trains of intellectual statement, was 
the language for that hour ; and we all saw and 
heard how ea^ly and cheaply, by a right and 
simple plan, this large and lovely language can 
be rumished. 

There certainly was very little skill in singing ; 
there was room enough for criticism in detaiu ; 
but the effect, one of the most beautiful effects of 
Music in its grandeur and simplicity, was there. 

glusit Jbrcalr. 

London. 

The Athenceum furnishes the following items : 

This day week Hestrs. Puttick h Slmpeon are ahout to 
briDff to the twrnmer the manie-boolu and MS9. of the late 
Mr. w. Ayrton,— a manical amateur who bad taitee and aseo- 
eiationa connected with other arta than mimic, (being one of 
JE/?a'« set), who fcr lome yean edited the ttcrwumtoim, who 
later wrote on the art in the JEtamr»/r, and whote coIleeUons 
were mlsceUaiieous (to Judg^ from the Catalogneh but com- 
priMd Kime preriooa and peculiar items. Amcibg theae may 
be mentioned a eopions (we almost imagine unique) aasem- 



144 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



blACB of opera-books ; noglDg from Handel's days to our own. 
Tbls should be kept together, In the hope that some day we 
may hare a public musical library, as such thought meriting 
gradual enrichment. 

Another report is curious indeed, being none other than one 
more last appearances of Signor Tambuiini, who, it is said, 
may posaibly Join the opera company at Drury Lane, there to 
sing Don Giovanni. This we hope — in gratitude for much 
pleasure given us by the Teteran in his young and matnrer 
days — ^is not true. Rumor the third (and a good one it is) 
mentions that Mr. HuUah is about to give a concert consiotiog 
of Mr. Uorsley's music. This— respectiTely to both dead and 
liTing— «ught to hare the warmest support ftom every one 
that talks of '< native talent/' 

Mh. Benedict's Concert. — The elaborate and 
excellent programme, eqaally remarkable for quantity 
and quality, which Mr. Benedict issued on the occa- 
sion of his annual concert, attracted an exceedingly 
brilliant audience to Her Majesty's Theatre, on Mon- 
day. A glance at some of the items comprised in 
this long musical cai-te will show that the henejiciaire 
had catered most liberally for his friends. The over- 
ture to the " Gipsey's Warning " appropriately 
opened the first part, and was followed by the familiar 
" Snoni la tromba," from the " Purirani," and the 
cavatina " Languir per una bclla," from " L'Iraliana 
in Algieri/' Miss Louisa Pyne san^ charmingly 
Rode's air ; Madame Ortolan! displayed to advantage 
her peculiar style and accomplishments in the aria 
" Qui la Yoce," and then the great feature of this 
Dortion of the concert followed, Madlle. Titiens, 
Madame Sherrington Lemmens, and Madame Viar- 
dot rendering, in the most effective and delightful 
manner, two unaccompanied trios for female voices, 
written by Mr. Bsncdict, and which, poiiscssing mel- 
odies at once original and artistic, are most gracefully 
and vigorously wrought out. Bach's somewhat curi- 
ous and decidedly interesting concerto for three. piano- 
fortes, with accompaniments added by Mosrhelcs, 
exhibited the remarkable proficiency of' Herr Rubin- 
stein, Mr. Benedict, and Herr Alois Schmitt, a new 
and highly successful candidate for pianoforte honors 
and the son of a well-known Frankfort mu>ician of 
that name. The " Miserere " from the " Trovatore," 
executed in the most brilliant style by Madlle. Ti- 
tiens, Signor Ginglini, and the diorus qf Her Majes- 
ty's Theatre, won an enthusiastic encore, and similar 
honors were paid to Madame Alboni's delicious ren- 
dering of " Non piu mesta." In the performance of 
Maurcr' 4 concertante for six violins, Messrs. Moliqne, 
Joachim, Maurer, Deichmaun, Viotti Collins, and 
Blagrove, sustained their high reputation as execu- 
tants of a composition that must be pronounced ec- 
centric rather than enlivening ; and Herr Pischek 
appeared in costume as Hassan, and sang ascena and 
aria from Benedict's opera, " Der Alte Vom Bergc." 
We have not space to run in detail through the re- 
mainder of the pieces of vocal and instrumental 
interest comprised in the lengthy programme, but wo 
must not omit mention of the great treat afforded hy 
Madlle. Titiens, who sang the grand scena from We- 
ber's " Oberon," " Ozean du Ungeheure," and the 
performance, for the first time in this country, of an 
operetta by Paesiello, " La Serva Padrona," in which 
Madlle. l^iccolomini, and Signori Kossi and Cazo- 
boni appeared. It is a quamt and fanciful little 
work, full of graceful melody, and was interpreted 
with consummate ability by the leading songstress. 
The only disappointment arose from the absence of 
Signor Belletti, who was prevented from attending by 
indisposition. 

The Tonic Sol-Fa Concert. — Three thousand 
five hundred little vocalists, drawn together from sev- 
enty-four schools, of all Christian denominations, and 
without having had the advantage of a single rehear- 
sal in combination, all singing admirably together, 
and heard by an audience of some thirty thousand 
people, formed a delightful scene at the Crystal Pal- 
ace on Wednesday, not easily to be forgotten by 
those who had the good fortune and the good taste to 
be present. The concert was conducted in a very 
spirited manner, ai)d with the smallest possible 
amount of interruption between the several pieces. 
The first encore was won by R. A. Smith's anthem, 
" How beautiful upon the mountain," the second by 
" The Echo," the third by Spofforth's glee, " Hail ! 
smiling mom," and the fourth by the National An- 
them. Among the other pieces which created a great 
sensation, though they were not encored, may be 
mentioned "Old England," "Bells Ringing," 
" Mark the Merry Elves," " The Quail Call," " Auld 
Lang Syne," " fiail Judea, Happy Land," " Wild 
Wood Flowers," and a Pic-nic glee. Ot the concert 
generally we have much pleasure in reporting favora- 
bly. It passed off most successfully, and the cheer 
of'^the children at the close of the National Anthem, 
coupled with an enthusiastic waving of their colored 
banners, was alone worth a journey of ten times the 
distance from London to Sydenham. There was a 
heartiness about it which was perfectly irresistible, 
and it need excite no wonder, therefore, that the Na- 
tional Anthem, iii which the audience joined, was 



repeated. The only wonder is, that it was not re- 
peated half-a-dozen times, for neither children nor 
adults seemed to know when to stop. Miss Stirling 
relieved the vocal portions of the concert by some 
admirable performances upon the Handel Festival 
organ, and we may add, as a matter of interest, that 
the vocal music could be heard without difficulty in 
the Rosar}', and that words, as well as music, could 
be distinctly heard in the vicinity of the central foun- 
tain in the grounds. The performances were most 
ably conducted by Messrs. Sarll and Yonng. Had 
the tenors and basses not been over-weighted by the 
trebles of the children, the effect would luive been 
much greater, but as it was, the entire performance 
was such as to reflect the greatest credit upon the in- 
structoi-s, and give the fullest assurance of the success 
of tlie system. — Sunday Times, June 27. 

Mr. HuLLAH gave an interesting concert of vocal 
and instnimental music, with oi^gan and piano-forte 
accompaniments, on Wednesday evening, which we 
were soiTv did not attract a larger audience. The 
heat, however, was intense enough to render it a 
matter of surprise that there should be any one pres- 
ent. The concert began with the solemn and pathetic 
motet in F minor, " I wrestle and pniy," for two 
choirs — which, in the act of setting down to J. S. 
Bach, Mr. Hullah should have stated had been vari- 
ously attributed to Bach's uncle, Christopher, and to 
Bach's son, Emanuel. All we can say is, whoever 
did write it was a very clever fellow. 'Miss ^Imer 
then sang two sacred songs of Beethoven, which 
showed that Beethoven could at times be dull. Dr. 
Crotch's motet, " Methinks I hear the full celestial 
choir" (Mr. Santlcy and chorus, unaccompanied) 
was remarkably well given ; nevertheless, the com- 
position itself is little better than twaddle. After 
this came Miss Frecth, with Beethoven'8 solo sonata 
in E, Op. 109, the performance of which showed 
that the young lady had greatly over-estimated her 
powers. Mendelssohn's convent motet, " Laudate 
Pueri " (Misses Banks, Fanny Rowland, and Pal- 
mer, with female chorus), and the gloomy but splen- 
did psalm of the same composer, " Why rage fiercely 
the heathen ?" were both included in the first part ; 
and both suffered much from the occasionally, false 
intonation of some of the singers. M. Gounod's 
Christmas song, " Nazareth," for Mr. Santlcy and 
chorus, was capitally executed ; but we have seldom 
listened to anytliin'g less attractive. Mr. Hullah 
conducted, and Mr. Hopkins presided at the organ. 

At the end of the first part we were compelled to 
leave. What was lost may be seen below : 

Madrigal, '^ IMo not, fond man. before thy day;" Ward. 

Duet, '' The Starlings," Miss Fanny Rowland and Miss Pal- 
mer; Hullah. 

German songs. " Auf FlUgeln des Oesanges " and " Dnrch 
den Wald," Madlle. Maria de Villar: Menddssohn. 

Part song, '*Song should breathe of scents and flowers;" 
Hullah. 

Cappriccfo, piano-forte, Miss Preeth ; CItmenti. 

New song, *'The wind is fUr, good bye," Miss Banks; 
Hullah. 

Part song, " '\?here the bee sucks;" Arne and Jackson. 



The rooms (Willis') were crowded to suffocation, 
with members of the aristocracy and fashionable 
world, distinguished professors and well-known con- 
noisseurs. We have rarely seen such an audience 
assembled at a concert — never at a mere chamber 
concert. Nor have we ever witnessed gitjater, more 
sustained, or more richly warranted enthusiasm. 
Every piece in th6 programme had a special interest, 
and every piece was thoroughly appreciated. As wa 
have written a great deal about Dussek and Schubert 
lately, not to mention Bach aud Beethoven, we are 
at a loss for further sentences. Moreover, we can 
find nothing new to say about Miss Goddard's play- 
ing (unless perehance she would, for once in a way, 
lay herself open to criticism, to which she seems per- 
versely disinclined). Under these circumstances we 
must be content to sum up at once in a verdict of 
unqualified approval. The great novelty was the 
niciuresque and very original sonata of Franz Schu- 
bert, whose numerous works will afford our young 
English pianist a new and wealthy mine to explore — 
and especially his six grand solo sonatas, of which 
this one in A minor is the first. The next in im- 
portance was the interesting and thoughtful compo- 
sition of HeiT Joachim, in which the variation form 
is developed in a very elaliorate and ingenious man- 
ner. The quartet of Dussek, a master-piece of grace, 
was also almost as good as a novelty, so rarely is it 
publicly performed. Bach's suite is one of the fresh- 
est and most vigorous from -the Suites Anghises; and 
about the Kreutzer sonata we need say nothing. 
Herr Joachim played superbly, both on the viola, in 
his piece, and on the violin in Beethoven's sonata, 
which was a triumph of skill and expression, on tlie 
part of both^ executants, and created nothing short of 
tL furore. — Mus. World. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OP THE 

PaMiahed hr O. Dltaon Sl Co* 



Vocal, with Piano. 

I'll try my luck again. Ballad. L. Heath. 25 

A fresh little song, serio-comic in style, by a popu- 
lar an thor. The wordH exprevs very happily that tmly 
American spirit of entcrprii^and energy, which knows 
no such word as *' foil " Add to this an easy, pleasing 
melody, with a charming peculiarity In the refmin : 
** 1*11 try my luck again.'* and it is safe to predict a 
great popularity fbr this song. 

Many changes I have seen. Song. H. Russeil. 25 
In Bussell's well-known vigorous style. 

The Chamois Hunter. TI. A. Pond. 25 

A merry hunting song, fall of spirit and life. 

'Tis the moonlight sleeping. Wriyhion. 25 

A mother's last farewell. Wriyhton. 25 

Two beautiful ballads by the eompoiier of ^*The 
dearest spot on earth, to me, is bvme." The first has 
a rery telling accompaniment in Arpeggios. The 
melody of both is simple. 



iDBtrumental. 



Spring Song. 



Menddssciin. 25 



Among thoM forty-two charming Tone-poems which 
Uendelmohn has written under the name of " Sorgs 
without words.'' there are some which have excited a 
much more geneml udniiration than ochers. Pei^aps 
the most distinguished of theise is the Spring Song in 
the Klflh Book. Thalberg seemed to hare concelred a 
particular liking for it. It is the very ideal of grace 
and neatness. The issue of this number, scpantely, 
will be welcomed with pleasure by those who deem the 
whole of a series too heary for their tasks. Other 
prominent numbers will be issued shortly. 

Books. 

Weber's Theory of Mnsical Composition. Treated 
with a view to a Katurally Consecutive Arrange- 
ment of Topics.^ By Godfrey Weber, Doctor 
Honorarius, Knight of the First Class of 
the Hessian Order of Lewis, Honorary Member 
of the Royal Swedish Academy in Stockholm, 
of the HoUandic Union for the Promotion of 
Music, &c. Translated from the third enlarged 
and improved German edition, with Notes. By 
James F. Warner. 2 vols. $4. 

Weber's work is pre-eminently adapted to this coun- 
try. Its admirable clear and simple style, tHkcn in 
connection with the copious detail of its matter, ren- 
ders it, as the auUior himself reiy justly observes, 
peculiarly appropriate to tho!« who haTe but little or 
no present acquaintance with the subject. It is truly 
the book that we need. On the one hand it Is the 
best authority that the world contains ; on the other, 
It is simple and easy to be understood. And welcome 
indeed to our shorn should be a work so well adapted 
as is Weber's to the condition and wants of our conn- 
try * * * The word *' Theory '* seems rather an un- 
fortunate one to be used in this connection. To the 
apprehension of many, it carries the idea of something 
that is fer removed fircMn the practical and useful, and 
that Is attended with no real, substantial advantages; 
while in point of fiict, the term, as employed In the 
present Instance, designates a body of principlee and 
a mass of knowledge which is practical in the highest 
degree, and which sustains very much the same rela- 
tion to musical action, as a helm does to a ship, or a 
Snide to a traveller, or sunbeams to all our operations 
1 the external world. 

Technical Studies, (Technische Studien,) For 
Piano-forte Playing. By Louis Plaidy. Teacher 
in the Conservatory of Music at Leipsic. Trans- 
lated from the German by J. C. D. Parker. $2. 

The author remarks concerning this book :— '^Not- 
withstanding the many schools already written for the 
fiano-forte, I have still felt the want of a work which 
could thoroughly recommend to my scholars as the 
ground work of their technical studios. The large 
works are on the one hand inacre<:sible to msny on 
account of their cost, and on the other contain much 
that is calculated only for beginners, but which would 
be of little use to those for whom this guide is especi- 
ally intended. I have thought that many useful hints 
might be given, which are undoubtedly well known to 
all good teachers, but which I have, thus fer, missed 
in all schools. It Is hoped that this guide may focill- 
tate the studies of artists as well as amateurs, and at 
least contribute something to the cause of solid piano- 
forte playing." 




Wg|t'$ 




uxul 





ViSXt^ 



Whole No. 331. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 19. 



Translated for this Journal. 

Henri Heine abont Mnsio and Musicians. 

V. — Musical Season of 1844 — Berlioz. — 
Mendelssohn — Ferdinand Hiller — Pi- 
anists — Liszt. 

Pabis, April 26, 1844. 

A tout seigneur tout honneur. We begin, to-day, 
with Berlioz, whose first concert opened the 
musical season, and might be regarded as the 
overture thereto. Tlie more or less new pieces 
that were here brought before the public met 
with due applause ; and even the most sluggish 
souls were carried away by the impetus of genius 
that reveals itself in all the creations of the great 
master. Here is a flapping of wings that indi- 
cates no common song-bird ; it is a colossal night- 
ingale, of eagle's size, such as may have existed 
in the primeval world. Yes, the Berlioz music 
has for me something primeval, if not antedilu- 
vian ; it reminds me of fabulous kingdoms 
and of monstrous sins, of high-heaped and tower- 
ing impossibilities ; of Babylon, of the hanging 
gardens of Semiramis, of Nineveh, of the wonder- 
works of Mizraim, such as we see in the pictures 
of the English Martin. Tn fact, if we look round 
for an analogy in the art of Painting, we find re- 
markable resemblance and affinity between Ber- 
lioz and the mad Briton ; the same feeling for 
the monstrous, for the gigantic, for material im- 
measurablcness. In the one, sharp effects of light 
and shadow; in the other, Screaming instrumen- 
tation ; in the one, little melody ; in the other 
little color ; in both, little beauty and not any 
soul. Their works are neither antique nor ro- 
mantic ; they remind you neither of Greece nor 
of the Catholic middle ages ; but they point much 
farther back, to the Assyrian-Babylonian-£gyp- 
lian period of architecture, and to the mere mas- 
siveness that is expressed therein. 

What a regular modern man, on the contrary, 
is our Felix Mendellsohn Bartholdy, our 
highly-honored countryman, whom we mention 
next on account of the Symphony which was 
brought out by him in the concert hall of the 
Conservatoire. We owe this enjoyment to the 
active zeal of his friends and patrons here. Al- 
though this Symphony of Mendelssohn was very 
frostily received in the Conservatoire, yet it de- 
serves the recognition of all true connoisseurs in 
Art It is a work of genuine beauty, one of the 
best of Mendelssohn. But how comes it that 
since the PatUus was presented to the public 
here, no laurel crown will bloom on French soil for 
an artist so deserving and so highly gifled? 
How comes it that here all efforts go to wreck, 
and that the last desperate resource of the Odeon 
theatre, the performance of the chorusses to 
Antigone, was followed by the same lamentable 
result ? Mendelssohn always affords us an occa- 
sion to reflect upon the highest problems of 
aesthetics. Especially arc we always reminded 
in him of the great question : What is the distinc- 
tion between Art and falsehood? We admire 
most in this master his great talent for form, for 
stylisticsj his gift for assimilating what is most ex- 



traordinary, his exquisite invoice, his fine lizard's 
ear, his delicate feelers, and his earnest, I might 
almost say passionate, indifference. If we seek 
in a sister art for an analogous appearance, we 
find it this time in poetry, and its name is Lud- 
wiG TiECK. This master, too, knew always how 
to reproduce what was most excellent, whether 
in writing or in reading aloud ; he understood 
how to produce the na'wjc, and yet he has never 
created anything which subdued the multitude 
and lived on in their hearts. The more gifled 
Mendelssohn would be more likely to succeed in 
creating something lasting, but not on the ground 
where truth and passion are the first require- 
ments, not upon the stage ; so Ludwig Tieck, in 
spite of his most ardent longing, never could 
bring it to a dramatic performance. 

Besides the Mendelssohn symphony, we heard 
with great interest, in the Conservatoire, a sym- 
phony of the blessed Mozart, and a no less tal- 
ented composition by Handel, They were re- 
ceived with great applause. 

Our excellent countryman, Ferdinand Hil- 
ler, enjoys too great an esteem among the intel- 
ligent friends of Art to make it necessary for us, 
great as the names are which we have just named, 
to mention his among the composers whose works 
have found deserved recognition here in the 
Conservatoire. Hiller is more a |hinking than a 
feeling musician, and too great leamedness is 
even made an objection to him. Mind and sci- 
ence may frequently, perhaps, impart a certain 
coldness to the compositions of this docirinairey 
yet they are always graceful, beautiful and charm- 
ing. Of wry-mouthed eccentricity there is here 
no trace ; Hiller has an artistic afiUnity with his 
countr}-man, Wolfgang Goethe. Hiller, too, was 
bom at Frankfort, where, when I last passed 
through, I saw his paternal house. It is called 
" Zum grilnen Frosch" (the Green Frog,) and 
the image of a frog may be seen over the front 
door. But Hiller's compositions never remind 
one of such an unmusical beast, but rather of 
larks, nightingales, and other sorts of singing 
birds of Spring. 

There has been no lack of concert^iving pian- 
ists here this year. The ides of March, espe- 
cially, were notable days in that particular. 
Everything jingles away, and will be heard, if 
only for a show, that one may put on airs as a 
great celebrity beyond the barriers of Paris. 
These artist youths, especially in Germany, know 
how to speculate upon the begged or stolen rags 
of feuilleton praise ; and in the newspaper puffs 
there we may read how the celebrated genius, 
the great Rudolph W., has arrived — the rival 
of Liszt and Thalberg, the piano-forte hero, who 
has excited such a great regard in Paris, and has 
even been praised by the critic Jules Janin. 
Hosanna I Now, one who has chanced to see 
such a poor fly in Paris, and who knows how 
little notice is here taken even of more impor- 
tant personages, finds the credulity of the public 
very entertaining, and the coarse shamelessness 
of the virtuoso very disgusting. But the sin lies 



deeper, namely, in the condition of our daily 
press ; and tliis, again, is only a result of worse 
fatalities. 

I must still come back to the conviction that 
there are but three pianists who deserve a serious 
consideration, namely: Chopin, the gracious 
tone-poet, who unfortunately has been sick, and 
seldom visible this 'winter; then Thaldkro, the 
musical gentleman j who, in fact, would have no 
need to play the piano in order to be greeted 
everywhere as a fine appearance, and who 
actually seems to consider his talent merely as an 
appanage ; and then our Liszt, who, in spite of 
all his perverseness and his sharp corners, still 
remains our dear Liszt, and at this moment has 
again thrown the heau monde of Paris into ex- 
citement Yes, he is here, the great agitator, 
our Franz Liszt, the knight-errant of all possible 
orders, (with the exception of the French Legion 
of Honor, which Louis Phillippe will not grant to 
any virtuoso;) he is here, this Hohenzoller- 
Heckingen state counsellor, this Doctor of Philos- 
ophy and miraculous Doctor of Music, this resur- 
rected rat-catcher of Hamelin, this modem 
Faust, who is always followed by a poodle in the 
figure of Belloni, this ennobled and yet noble 
Franz Liszt ! He is here, the modern Amphion, 
who, with the vibrations of his strings, set stones 
in motion at the building of the Cologne Cathe- 
dral, so that they fitted themselves together like 
the walls of Thebes ! He is here, the modem 
Homer, whom Germany, Hungary, and France, 
the three greatest countries, claim as their child, 
whereas the minstrel of the Iliad was only claimed 
by seven small provincial cities ! He is here, the 
Attila, the scourge of God to all Erard pianos, 
which tremble at tlie first news of his coming, 
and which now again quiver and bleed and whim- 
per under his hand, till it becomes a fair case for 
the society for preventing cruelty to animals! 
He is here, the mad, beauteous, hateful, enigmat- 
ical, fatal, and yet withal the very childlike child 
of his age, the gigantic dwarf, the furious Roland 
with the Hungarian sabre of honor, the genial 
harlequin, whose mad pranks turn our own head 
for us, and to whom, in any case, we render loyal 
service in here publicly reporting the great ,/urorc 
he has been exciting. We candidly confirm the 
fact of his immense succes ; how we interpret 
this fact to our private thinking, and whether we 
accord or refuse our own private approval to the 
admired virtuoso, must be a matter of indiffer- 
ence to him, since our voice is only that of a 
single individual, and our authority in the art of 
music is of no especial significance. 

When I heard formerly of the giddiness, which 
broke out in Germany and especially in Berlin, 
when Liszt showed himself there, I shrugged my 
shoulders and thought : That still and sabbath- 
like Germany will not be slow to improve the 
opportunity of a bit of permitted movement ; it 
will shako its sleep-paralyzed limbs a little, and 
my Abderites upon the Spree will gladly tickle 
themselves into a given enthuaasm, one declaim- 
ing afler the other : " Love, thou ruler of both 



146 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



men and gods ! " Their interest at a spectacle, 
thought I, is in the spectacle itself, in the specta- 
cle for itself, no matter what the occasion thereof 
may be called, whether George Herwegh, Franz 
Liszt, or Fanny Elssler ; if Ilcrwegh is forbid- 
den, they will cleave to Liszt, who cannot harm 
or compromise them. So I- thought, so I ex- 
plained to myself the Liszt-omania, and I took it 
for a sign of the politically un-frce state of things 
beyond the Rhine. But I was mistaken, and 
that I remarked some weeks since in the Italian 
Opera House, where Liszt gave his first concert, 
and indeed before an assemblage which one mi(;ht 
call the flower of Parisian society. At all events 
they were wide-awake Parisians, men quite fa- 
miliar with the highest manifestations of the 
present; men who, for a greater or less period, 
had been contemporaries of the great drama of 
the time ; among them so many invalids to all 
artistic enjoyments, the weariest men of action, 
women equally weary, ailer having danced the 
polka all the winter through, an innumerable 
crowd of preoccupied and blasd minds — that 
surely was no German sentimental, no Berlin 
sensibility-afTecting public, before which Liszt 
played, all alone, or rather accompanied only by 
hia genius. And yet how powerfully, how thril- 
lingly his mere appcai-ance operated I How im- 
petuously all hands clapped applause ! Bouquets 
were thrown, too, at his feet I It was a sublime 
moment, when this triumphator, with a calm soul, 
let the nosegays rain upon him, and at last, smil- 
ing graciously, drew a red camelia from one of 
the bouquets, and stuck it in his breast And 
this he did in the presence of some young soldiers 
who had just come from Africa, where they had 
seen no flowers, but only leaden bullets, rain upon 
themselves, and had adorned their breasts with 
the red camelias of their own hero-blood, without 
attracting much notice either here or there. 
Strange ! thought I, these Parinans, who have 
Been Napoleon, who had to give them battle after 
battle, to fix their attention — ^these men now go 
into jubilations over our Franz Liszt ! And what 
a jubilee! A kind of madness heretofore un- 
heard of in the annals oCJvrore ! 

But what is the ground of this phenomenon ? 
The solution of the question belongs more, per- 
haps, to pathology than to aesthetics. A physi- 
cian, who makes female diseases hia speciality, 
smiled very strangely, and then said all sorts of 
things about magnetism, galvanism, electricity, of 
the contagion there is in a close room, filled with 
innumerable wax-lights and with some hundreds 
of perfumed, perspiring men, of histrionic epi- 
lepsy, of the phenomena of tickling, &c., &c. 
But perhaps the solution of the question does not 
lie so adventurously deep, but on a very prosaic 
sorfnce. It will continually seem to me, that the 
whole witchcraft of it is explained by the fact, 
that no one in the world knows so well how to 
organize hia successes, or rather the mise en seine 
thereof, as our Franz Liszt In this art he is a 
genius, a Philadelphia, a Bosko, nay, a Meyer- 
beer. The most distinguished persons serve him 
as comphesj and his hired enthusiasts are models 
in good dress. The crack of champagne bottles,and 
the fame of lavish generosity, trumpeted through 
the most reliable journals, win recruits in every 
city. Nevertheless, it may be that our Franz 
Liszt was actually by nature much inclined to 
spend, and free from avarice, a shabby yice, 
which cleaves to so many virtuosos, especially to 



the Italians, and which wc find even in the sweet 
and flute-like RuniNi, of whoso niggardliness a 
very funny anecdote in all respects is told. The 
celebrated singer, it sc^ems, had, in connection 
with Franz Liszt, undertaken an artistic tour at 
joint expense, and the profits of the concerts, 
which they were to give in various cities, were to 
be divided. The great pianist, who takes every- 
where about with him the gcYieral-intcndant of 
his celebrity, the before-mentioned Signor Bcl- 
loni, delegated to him on this occasion all the 
business matters. But when Signor Bclloni gave 
in his account after the business was closed up, 
Kubini, with dismay, remarked that among the 
common expenses aldo was set down a considera- 
ble sum for laurel crowns, bouquets, eulogistic 
poems, and other costs of an ovation. The naive 
singer had imagined that these tokens of approval 
had been thrown to him on account of his fine 
voice ; he fell now into a great rage, and swore 
he would not pay for the bouquets, in which, per- 
haps, the costliest camelias were found. Were I 
a musician, this quarrel would afford me the best 
subject for a comic opera. 

But ah ! let us not investigate too curiously 
the homage paid to famous virtuosos. After all, 
the day of their vain celebrity is short, and the 
hour soon strikes when the Titan of music per- 
haps shrivels up to a poor town musician of very 
subordinate stature, who, in his coffee-house, tells 
his fellow guests, and assures them on his honor, 
how once bouquets were hurled at him, with the 
most beautiful camelias, and even how, on one 
occasion, two Hungarian countesses, to get his 
snuff*-box, threw each other down upon the 
ground, and fought till they were bloody ! The 
ephemeral reputation of the virtuoso soon exhales 
and dies away, lonely and trackless as the camel's 
scent upon the desert 



Illiterate Mufio. 

(Troin the New York Hiukal Bertow. j 
(ConelQded.) 

Again it is asked, if the spirit of the poetry con so 
overpower the debasing tendency of the music, and 
make it really add to the good influence of the hymn, 
is there not a real gain in the use of the masic, and if 
so, why break np all these hallowed associations and 
reminiscences? I answer, there is more lost than 
gained. If this should not prove true when applied 
to the aged and middle aged, it is certainly true with 
regard to the children, youth, and voung persons now 
livmg, and to all posterity. And shall we withhold 
from our children and our children's children, the 
vast, ecstatic jovs which they may receive daring a 
whole life-time, in order that the aged may receive a 
limited pleasure during their few remaining days 
here below ? 

The sincere Christian, when first brought to a true 
knowledge of God in Christ, finds that his former 
associations and feelings have all been wrong, and the 
lon^r he has lived in impenitence, the stronger these 
feelmgs and associations have become. At his con- 
version he resolves that they shall be overcome and 
slain: but they will not be; they force themselves 
upon him in his most sacred moments ; unbidden and 
unwelcome, still they come. They may be necessary 
here below, to keep him of an humble and contrite 
spirit, and thus be made to help him in his heavenly 
road ; but suppose, if wholly purified from tbem, he 
could still be humble and penitent for the post, enjoy- 
ing at all times a perfect peace of conscience and the 
fullmssurance of hope, how much more rapidly would 
he advance in hohness I How much joy would he 
gain ! How much sorrow and grief would he avoid I 

So it is with tliese holy and divine h^mns^ which, 
although consecrated to the service of Christ by their 
autliors. have been wedded to base and vulgar tunes 
by the churches. Divest them of the clo^ and hin- 
drances with which they have to contend m their un- 
holy union ; free them from their association with a 
class of tunes fit for nothing, unless it be to help the 
drunkard and debauchee in their way to destruction ; 



and associate Uicm with the mijny hcart-siirring mel- 
odies, with which they are in pci*fec't sympathy, so 
thnt lK>th music and i)Octry will conlially unite their 
influence for good, and tlie devotion or the Church 
will rise until she shall realize in licr own experience, 
tliat ** the hiffhcst exercise of the powers of man is 
the praise of God." (Doctor Alexander.) 

We admit that tunes of an illiterate and vulgar 
cast do excite the passions, and so also do ribald 
rhyme and vulgair verse ; so do mm and whiskey ; 
but this is no reason why these things should l>o ad- 
mitted into the Church, nor fur continuing them when 
they ore in. Heretofore our arjrument has had refur- 
ence to the influence of music alone ; that is, the nat- 
ural tendency of musical tones arranged in a certain 
tune fonn, hut sung (or played) without words, and 
wo think the facts sustain us in the position that 
there is a style of music, which is adapted to low, 
vulgar scenes, and which, aside from all associations, 
has a deleterious effect upon tlie mind and heart, and 
when allied to low and vulvar rhyme, intensifies its 
power for evil, and thus becomes* the handmaid of 
vice. We believe tunes of this description ore found 
in many books of church music, and Uicy are not un- 
frcquently sung by choirs and congregations in the 
sanctuary on the Sabbath, and tlieir influence, to say 
the least, is not good — but musical tones, however 
beautifully and scientificiilly (or otherwise) arranged in 
the form of tunes, or other compositions, cannot of 
themselves suggest particular ideas — ^in other words, 
muftic alone, without words, however perfect the com- 
position and execution, will not suj^gcst the same 
ideas in different minds : if accurately performed and 
with proper expression, it will excite similar enution 
in various persons, but not necessarily the same 
ideas; for this, we must depend upon the words. 
Thus, if two persons listen to the same gentle, tran- 
quil strains, both will feel the same quiet, placid 
emotion, though the thoughts of one arc fixed upon 
the calm, still beauty of a summer sun-set, while the 
mind of the otlier is stretching far away to the serene 
and peaceful circle around die family hearth-stone in 
a distant home. A cheerful strain might intensify the 
anticipated pleasure of a coming party or hall in the 
one, while in the other it might revive the joy experi- 
enced in hearing new-l>om souls tell of Uieir happi- 
ness and peace in their newly-discovered love of 
Christ 

These illustrations show that while music alone can 
excite similar emotions m different individuals, it is 
dependent upon poetry to elicit the particular subject 
of thought 

By the power of association, therefore, these illite- 
rate and vulgar tunes may in a very limited degree 
enhance the pious aspirations of devout Christians ; 
but it is donbnnl, even with their best associations, if 
their effect on the impenitent is not otherwise than 
good when used in the worship of God. 

There is still another class of tunes, which, al- 
though good in themselves and in their j^ace, are vet 
decidedly out of place, and deleterious m their innu- 
ence when used in the house of God, simply in conse- 
quence of their associations — ^I refer now to such 
tunes as Lily Dale; Coming ihrough the Rtfe; Nid, 
Nidf Noddin , and all other secular melodies which 
are associated with certain secular words by a large 
majority of the community. These associations ore 

3uite as strong in the minds of most people as are 
lose of some Christians with the style of music 
heretofore discussed ; and after baring heard these 
and other ballads, airs, etc., where they belong, it is 
impossible to hear them in the church, and not be 
carried directly to the parlor and drawing-room, the 
party and concert. The effects of these associations, 
although unobjectionable in themselves, (because mu- 
sic of this kind is useful as an amusement,) are in 
reality worse; under tl^e circumstances, than those of 
the other class ; those in most instances will exert but 
a negative influence, preventing that high attainment 
in religious emotion which would be obtained by the 
devout worshipper, in the use of good tunes adapted 
to the sentiment of the hymns, and leaving the mmds 
of the careless inactive, or at most engaged in the 
scenes around them ; while these have a direct, posi- 
tive, and almost universal tendency to divert the 
thoughts entirely from heavenly things, and turn them 
wholly into another and (under the circumstances) a 
sinful channel. 

If these things are so, what is the remedy ? I an- 
swer : ministers and others — but particularly ministert 
— must give more attention to the subiect, not in or- 
der to complain and find fiiult with tneir choristers, 
choirs, and tunes, and yet not be able to tell what 
kind of a change they want ; but they must be willing 
to learn ; and if there is no better way, to learn from 
those who, although comparatively ignorant of many 
other things, have yet so studied and pondered upon 
this subject, that they understand not only the powers 
and uses ot musical tones and phrases, as the scholar 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1858. 



147 



andcrstands the powers and ascs of words and sen- 
tences, but also Its relations and adaptation to the 
wants of man as a social, religious, and immortal 
l)cing. They mast be willini; to forego the satisfac- 
tion they rct-cive in tlic use of certain tunes, only be- 
cause they have hcanl tliera from childhood, and asso- 
ciated them with the house of God and revivals ; and 
if knowledge, science, cultivated taste, and experience 
have discovered a more excellent way, they must be 
willing to see it and turn to it, and give their influence 
for it. There are many good men, hoUi ministers 
and laymen, who, from ignorance and heedlessness, 
and some I fear from stubbornness, continue to carry 
their grist to mill in on© end of the bag, with stones 
in the otlier, who ought to know and do hotter. 

Ministers must bo willing to give a little time to the 
study of musical history, and the reading of such 
books as " Latrobc's Music of the Church," " Mas- 
ting's Dissertation on Musical Taste," "Mason's 
Letters," etc They must read the biography of some 
learned musicians, and, whenever they have an op- 
portunity, listen to the music of those who are ac- 
knowledged by all to be masters in the science. 
Surely, so long as music holds such an important po- 
sition in the public worship of God, it is tlio minis- 
ter's duty to nndcrstand it — so far, at least, as not to 
compel it by the selection of inappropriate hymns, 
nor allow it, by the whims and caprices of an impen- 
itent chorister, to become a foul blot on the sacrifices 
of the Sabbath, and an hindrance to the progress and 
success of the gospel. 

Jehovah says, " WTioso oflbreth praise glorifieth 
me," (Psalm 50 : 23,) but He requires a perfect sac- 
rifice and a free-will oflfcring. 

Is not the object well worthy tho labor necessary 
to accomplish it ? T. B. M. 

How People Listen to Maiic. 

(Froin th« N. T. Morical World.) 

Many with their thoughts on something else — ^like 
Napoleon, who used music to amuse his ear, while 
bis mind was busy with ambitious dreams and 
schemes :— just as some people smoke a cigar, while 
writing, to give their body something to do while tlieir 
mind is employed. But music, in such a case, must 
not prove more attractive than a cigar, otherwise the 
design is thwarted, the mind being withdrawn from 
the occnpatioa to the amusement. It was for this 
reason that Napoleon disliked Cherubini ; for that 
gnat master's music had something about it which 
irresistibly attracted the attention, and from which 
ther« was no getting away ; tho Emperor therefore 
preferred the more negative and less strongly-marked 
compositions of Mehul. 

While many persons are thus thinking of some- 
thing that has no connection with the music, others 
are busv with thought actually suggested by the mu- 
sic. VTe doubt not that in many minds a parallel 
course of thought is carried on while listening to 
music — consecutive thought we mean-— such thought 
following the light and shade and constantly-varying 
coloring of the tones. 

Another class of listeners is composed of such as 
have acute musical sensibilities, who float off upon 
musical strains as upon balm^ breezes, which waft 
them to some upper and happier realm. They liavo 
no clear and well-defined thought, like the former 
class just mentioned, but they are indulging in a 
merely sensuous delight ; their tliought, if they have 
any, being vague and rambling. The pleasure of 
such persons is a kind of refined, nervous pleasure, 
music sweeping over their nervous organiisation like 
electricity and producing a species of musical inebri- 
ation. 

Another class embraces those who are more self- 
collected and who distinguish the music much more 
nearly. These persons are chiefly i)lea8ed, however, 
only with pretty melodies when they occur in a com- 
position ; that which intervenes being meaningless 
and listened to only because something enjoyable is 
momently expected. This embraces a very large 
class of persons — such as have an appreciation only 
of tunes ; that is, of a single clearly-expressed melo- 
dy, floating on a thin basis of harmony. This har- 
mony best pleases such persons, when it is most neg- 
ative — not distracting their attention from the tune. 
For this reason Italian music is, and always will be, 
most popular, because it consists so much of a simple 
melody, floating on thin and trivial harmony. 

A fifth class embraces those persons who chiefly 
enjoy music from seeing the manipulation thereof. 
They must see the fingers of the pianii«t, the bowing 
of the violinist, the face and features of the singer. 
Their delight is a mechanical one. If prodi^ous 
difliculties seem to be overcome, their pleasure is by 
to much the more enhanced. If great diflSculties ac- 
tually are oyereome, but the artist be of that superior 
dast of men who conceal even the appearance of dif- 



ficulties from the audience, the delight of such listen- 
ers is proportionably diminished. They bfliaye their 
own eyes in music^thcy have no cultivated each 
wherewith to believe. Olo Bull is an immense genius 
with such persons — Ilenri Vieuxtemps a fifth-rate 
artist. 

A sixth class embraces those who listen to music 
by looking at bonnets, and di-esscs, and faces, and 
looking at beaux and belles ; who talk, and smile, 
and coquette and flirt, just such as one may see by 
scores at any Philharmonic rehearsal or concert — 
those sweet pets of fashion and society, who are as- 
sassinated fifty times an evening with daggen fiercely 
looked at them by indignant musical Orsinis right 
atfd left. 

A seventh class embraces those who listen to music 
with critical cars only. Such are chiefly reporters 
and critics of the public press. They listen (much 
too often) to be displeased, rather than to be pleased. 
A false tone, a sin of musical omission, or commis- 
sion, are instantly " made a note of." If commenda- 
tion be expressed, it must l)e followed by a " but " 
— and the place whore the "but" comes in, is to 
them a very important place. People sometimes eat 
broad for the sake of its accompanying fresh spring- 
butter — critics often commend for the sake of half 
that oleaginous word, the inevitable " but," which is 
to follow thereupon. 

An eightli class consists of those liberal minds who 
take music into their breasts like a gentle dove, who 
willingly suffer it to nestle and coo there, who warm 
it into still fircshor vitality by a kindly reception and 
who are warmed in turn by it : who never Question 
its right to come, or to stay ; who keep it as long as 
they can ond only reluctantly allow it to depart: 
who live long on its recollection afterward, and think 
of it as sweet, departed fragrance. 

A ninth class of listeners comprises those who are 
fond only of such music as is familiar to them. Their 
pleasure is chiefly one of association. They are re- 
minded Uiereby of old sights and scenes ; of friends 
departed ; of their youth ; of days of joy and hilari- 
ty ; of old dreams and old aspirations ; of old loves 
and old flirtations ; of those vague, indefinite feelings 
of youth, which are a kind of roseate atmosphere en- 
veloping eaily life, and which so sadly and so soon 
fades into a leaden hue as we advance in yeai*s — 
something which, at the time, was very subtle and 
intangible, but which, now that it is gone, is inexpres- 
sibly missed and regretted. Sweet songs, and bal- 
lads, seem ever to have had their birth and their home 
in this atmosphere, hence they strongly remind of it 
when beard again — nay, they seem even partially to 
cause it to float once more around tho heart with that 
soft, dreamy haze, which is the morning mist of early 
life. 

A tenth class comprises the few who enjoy music 
to the very fullest possible extent, and to the very 
liottom of their hearts, bectiuse they know mo$i about it. 
They have not only the delicate musical organization 
which secures to them all the merely sensuous delight 
of music, but they combine with this the rare intellec- 
tual pleasure of a perfect understanding and appreci- 
ation of masterly mxusical worhnamhip. They listen 
not only with the ear, but with the intellect. In fact, 
they can listen with either, or with both combined ; 
they can shut their eyes and float off^ upon delicious 
waves of music, until they attain to a heaven of de- 
light—they can lay a fetter on their nerx-cs, and intel- 
lectually (alone) enjoy the rare handiwork of the 
master: or they can combine these two jilcasures 
into one ; the mind being capable of a double action 
— that of intense enjoyment, and a clear perception, 
meantime, of the causes of that enjoyment. If lis- 
tening to a symphony of Beethoven, the ear of such 
persons not only hears, but penetrates the dense tonc- 
mossoH of the orchestra ; it distinguishes each individ- 
ual instrument at will, and hears the pleassant, melodic 
story told by each ; where all instruments are talking 
as in a general musical conversation, it catches the 
agreeable remark made by the humblest paiticipator 
in tho tuneful debate. It follows, moreover, tlie 
course of tiie argument. When the subject (or 
theme) is first broached, that subject is recognized : 
and ony allusion to it afterward is instantly under- 
stood. When a second subject is broached, that also 
is clearly perceived ; its discussion is followed ; ond 
when both subjects are discussed at once (perhaps) 
and are wrought up in a wonderful manner together, 
the intelligent listener wonders which is the greater, 
the intellectual pleasure in the perception of a com- 
poser's fine intent, his musical architecture, his treat- 
ment of ills materials, and his management of instru- 
ments^-or the merely sensuous delight of the delicious 
sounds he evokes. 

Nor think that because such persons know much, 
they must suffer much. If the music is bad, there is 
at least a pleasure in knowing why it is bad. The 
inyestigation of this, even, is some alleviation, and 



turns the mind from dissonance to scientific matters. 
Moreover, there being a marked difference between 
muKic and noise, there is a vast difference in one's 
feelings, whether one listens as to music, or as to 
noise. The intelligent musician, tlicrefore, having 
decided that it is mere noise, and not music, he can 
the more calmly endure it : while the uninformed, 
listening to it still m music, is suffering dreadful dis- 
appointment and discomfort. 

The educated and intelligent musician, moreover, 
is always far more charitable and considerate than 
any one else, knowing the reasons of things and the 
diAiculties of musical attainment : wherefore he gives 
more credit for what really is accomplished, and 
knows how to value a ffood thing well-atfempted. 

The upshot of the whole matter would seem to be, 
then, that enjoyment of music to the very utmost, 
implies musical knowled(jt. Wherefore let us study, 
ana understand music, if wo would marvellously en- 
hance music's pleasures— adding to the delights of 
musical sensuousness musical aeme. 



Hon. E. C. Winthrop's Bemaxks at the Pub- 
Uc School FestiYal, (My 27, 1858.) 

I hardly know, ladies aind gentlemen, what I can 
find to say in the brief moment which I feel at liberty 
to occupy this afternoon, and more especially after so 
much has been so well said already, which will be in 
any degree worthy of such an occasion as the present ; 
or which will not rather seem like a rude and harsh 
interruption of the melodious strains which we are here 
to enjoy. I cannot but feel that a mere unaccompa- 
nied solo from almost any human voice — even were it 
a hundred fold better tuned and better trained than 
my own — must sound flat and feeble when brought 
into such immediate contrast with the clioral haimo- 
nies to which we have just been listening. 

But I coltld not altogether resist the temptation (so 
kindly presented to mo by my valued friend, tho 
Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements), to 
identify myself even so humbly, with this charming 
festival — the first of its kind in our city — and I cannot 
refrain from thankinghim and his associates, now that 
I am here, for counting me worthy to be included 
among those whom they have selected to supply tho 
brief interludes to these delightful performances of the 
children. I am afraid I have no great faculty at firing 
fi minute gun — ^not even so much as I once had in 
playing on that trombone to which my friend has so 
pleasantly alluded* — ^but I am sure I shall have fulfill- 
ed eveiy i"easonable expectation, if I may have aided 
in breaking the fall for this noble choir, as they pass 
along so triumphantly from key to key, from choral 
to choral. 

Seriously my friends among all the numerous 
reforms which liave been wimessed in our community 
of late years, I know of none more signal or more 
felicitous — none with which any one might well be 
more justly proud to associate his name — than that of 
which this occasion is the brilliant and beautiful 
inauguration. I would not disparage or depreciate 
the annual school festivals of the olden time. I have 
not forgotten, I can never foi^t tho delight with 
which, more years ago than I might care to specify in 
precisely this presence, I myself obtained a medal 
toy's ticket to ilic old Fancuil Hall dinner ; nor how 
proudly I filed off^ with my cherished compeers behind 
the chairs of tho Fathers of the city — after the cloth 
was removed — to receive their recognition and bene- 
diction, before they proceeded to their speeches and 
sentiments, and to the discussion of tlieir nuts and 
wine. I rejoice to remember, in passing, that the 
Mayor of that day — though to my boyish eye he was 
even tl^en a venerable person — still lives to adorn tho 
community over which he so worthily presided — still 
walks erect among us to receive the "daily homage of 
our respect and affection. You have all anticipated 
me in pronouncing the name of the elder Quincy. 
But how poor were even the most snmptuous viands 
of those occasions, shorn, as they were, of the best 
gi*acc of every modem festive board — deprived alto- 
gether of the participation or the presence of the 
mothers and daughters of our city, and prepared only 
for the satisfaction of the mere animal appetites ! 
^Vhat " funeral baked meats " they were at ine best, 
when contrasted with the exquisite entertainment for 
eye, car, mind, heart, soul, which we are this day 
enjoying. I have only to regret that the amiable and 
acco'mpTished Minister from Great Britain, whom we 
had all hoped to welcome on this occasion, should 
have Ixjen prevented by engagements at Washington, 
from lending to the occasion, as I am sure he most 
gladly would have done, his genial presence and elo- 
quent words. 

And now, let us hope, my friends, that the inspirm- 
tion of this hour and of this scene will not be lost on 

• 8m Remarks of Dr. XTpham in our test. 



us 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the yoan^ hearts which are throbbing and swelling 
around us. We are too much accnstomed- to speak 
of the ifutare as quite beyond all human control or 
foresight. And it is true that no consultation of ora- 
cles, no casting of hoix>sco{)ps, no invocation of spir- 
its, will unveil to us the mysteries which lie beyond 
this sublunary sphere. But we may not forj^'t that 
the immediate future of our own community is before 
us — visibly, audiblv, bodilv before us — ^in the persons 
of these young children of the Schools. These boys 
I need not say, are tlie men of the future ; and, un- 
der God, the masters of the future. The ever mov- 
ing procession of human life will pass on a few steps, 
and diey will bo on the platforms, and we shall be 
beneath the sod. But to-day we are not merely their 
examples and models, but their masters and mentors ; 
and these schools are the studios, in which, by God's 
help, thev mav be formed and fashioned, and shaped 
as we Will. Yes, ray friends, not by any idle rap- 
pings on senseless tables, but by simply knocking at 
our own honest School room doors, and asking now 
many boys and girls there are within, and what is 
their mental and physical and moral and spiritual 
condition and culture,— we may find a revelation of 
the future, hardly less sure or less exact than if it 
were written in letters of light by the pen of inspira- 
tion. 

I have somewhere seen it recorded of England's 
great hero, the late Duke of Wellington, tliat, on 
some visit to Eton School in his old age, while gaz- 
ing upon diose well remembered scenes of his boy- 
hood, and when allusion had been mode by some of 
his companions to the great exploits of his manhood, 
he exclaimed, ** Yes, yes, it was at Eton that Waterloo 
was won." And not a few of you, ray young friends, 
will one day or other be confessing that the best vic- 
tories of your mature life have been virtually won or 
lost at school. 

There was. indeed, a deep significance in the ar- 
rangement of that old choral trio, which has come 
down to us in the history of the ancient Lacedemo- 
nians — for even the sternness of Sparta did not dis- 
dain the employment of music in their festive cele- 
brations. They are said to have had three choirs, 
corresponding to the three periods of human life. 

The old men beean — 



" Once in battle bold we shone ; '' 

The middle-aged replied — 

** Try na; our vigor la not gone; '' 

But the boys concluded — 

*' The palm remains for us alone.** 

Yes, young children of the schoohi, the palm re- 
mains for you alone. To you, alone, certainly, it 
remains still to strive for it and to win it. By too 
many of your elders it has been won or lost already. 
But for vou, the whole course is clear ; the whole 
competition free and open; and you are invited to 
enter upon it under such auspices, and with such ad- 
vantages, as were never before enjoyed beneath the 
sun. May the inspirations of this occasion go forth 
with you to the 'trial, encouraging and animating you 
to hisher and higher efforts for success, " Excelsior ^ 
ExcHsior" the motto of each one of you. Above 
all, let not the praises of God be the mere lip service 
of an Anniversary Festival, nor the love of your fel- 
low men and of your country — the true harmonies of 
the heart— die away with the fading echoes of a Jubi- 
lee chorus* And while you strive to fulfil every duty 
to your neighbors and yourselves, and to advance the 
best interests of the world in which you live — may 
you ever look forward with humble fiaith and trust, to 
the day, of which you are just about to sing, when 
other palms than those of mere human triumphs may 
he seen in your hands, and when, with a multitude 
which no man can number, you may be permitted to 
mingle in other and nobler songs than any which can 
be fully learned on earth. 



The Country and Mnsicians. 

[Trom La Fnuue Muskale ; traniiUted fbr the London 
Musical Worid.] 

The emigration of artists is complete. In a few 
days more, there will not be one lefl in Paris, except 
M. Auber, who alone braves the heat of the Boule- 
vards and theatres in the dog-days. The Conserva- 
tory gives its bantlings a holiday ; the professors hang 
their lyre at the head of their l)cd, and are ofi^ " O, 
country ! meadows, valleys, mountains, streams, hill- 
sides, and shepherd's pipes, I salute you ! " exclaims, 
with tender emotion, the musician, who during six 
months of cold, has, in vain, courted his rebellions 
fancy, or submitted to listen, at all hours of the day 
and night, to the gamut executed by his pupils. " O 
country 1 with thy chirruping grasshoppers, murmur- 
ing waters, warbling birds, sighing breezes, and an- 
swering echoes — with thy leaves, trees, alleys, shep- 
herds, goats, cows, and eveiything that lives in the 



open air, far from cities and their asphaltic pave- 
ments — once more I salute you ! " 

Will any one believe it ! In the midst of this gen- 
eral exclamation, one voice is silent ; among all the 
generals and soldiers serving in the same army, a 
single captain, or, I should rather pay, field-marshal, 
remains insensible to the beauties of the country. It 
is M. Auber. M. Auber is a child of Paris. Do 
not speak to him of flowers, save such as blossom in 
the Passage de I'Opi^ra ; his verdure, his trees, and 
his palaces, are those which MM. S<^chan, Desplccliin, 
Thierry, Cambon, etc., daub on the canvas scenes of 
the Opdra-Comique. " Why should I travel ? " 
asked M. Auber, one day, " have I not in the theatre 
everything Nature can offer ? From the ocean, with 
its vessels tossed about by the winds, to the cascades 
of Switzerland ; from the palaces of Golconda and 
the Greek and Roman temples, to the simple huts of 
Brittany and Normandy ; from kings and emperors, 
to the angler with his rod ; and from the wildest 
mountains to the mo»t smiling plains, I find every- 
thing at the Op^ra. Besides, there is something I do 
not meet with in your woods, and diat is the little 
frisking feet, the shapes that twist about like spindles 
— ^those pretty childfen of the air, vulgarly called 
danseuses. Then, again, if you could show me, far 
away from here, unknown countries, and incompara- 
ble castles, I should always miss an orchestra and 
voices to lend them animation. I am so accustomed 
to all the whistling, singing, scraping noises of the 
opera, that the country without an orchestral accom- 
paniment would, for me, resemble a churchyard. I 
am shown a mountain lighted up by the rays of the 
sun, with processions of soldiers and peasants ; it is 
very fine ! But when a gigantic ^na/e hurts upon this 
effect of light, it is sublime ! Such is my creed." 
In fact, M. Auber has never he<;n beyond the Bois de 
Boulogne all his life, or, if he has, by chance, wan- 
dered as far as Fontainblean or Compi^gne, he has 
thought, on again beholding the Boulevards, that be 
had returned from a journey of a thousand leagues. 
Such illusions should be respected. Who knows ? 
It is, perhaps, to this antipathy for travelling, and 
this doating fondness of the capital, that M. Auber 
is indebted for the fact of having preserved the fresh- 
ness of his melodic ideas, and the springtime of his 
mind. 

As for M. Meyerbeer, he cares neither for town 
nor country ; he lives for music alone — ^his own, of 
coui-se. He has taken a liking to Spa, and if his 
povereigTi conferred on him the right of hanging or 
decoratmg the editors of La France Musicale, it is 
from Spa that he would date his decrees. It is to 
Spa that the managers of the Op^ra and the Op^r«- 
Comique proceed regularly, at tne very least, once a 
year, on a pilgrimage, to' entreat the learned com- 
poser for a score. 

Like M. Auber, Signor Rossini has a decided pre- 
dilection for the Boulevards. He does not, however, 
object to be under the tall-spreading trees ; as inspi- 
ration comes from God, and God is everywhere, ne 
could, if he pleased, write a chefd^auvre with equal 
facing in a garret, in a gilded saloon, or on a grassy 
bank. He Tias a charming little retreat at Passy, 
where he receives his friends. He is fond of long 
walks, accompanied by light, joyous conversation. 
What astonishes me, is the sympathy of the author 
of Guillaume Tell for street pi^ns ; what astonishes 
me still more, is his ])articularly liking those with 
damaged barrels, playing, in all sorts of ke^rs, die 
overture to La GiuzOf tne airs from II Barhieref or 
any other of the inspirations of his immortal genius. 

Signor Verdi would give all the palaces of the 
world for a cottage and ten feet of green sward. 
When he is compelled to inhabit Paris, Milan, 
Naples, or Venice, to superintend the performance of 
a new opera, there is no getting at him. But spesJc 
to him of Busseto, his dearly beloved village, and he 
will smile agreeably. It is the place which sheltered 
his infancy, and consists of ten houses in the open 
plain, traversed by the high rdad ; a little church, 
ornamented by an organ to which he confided his 
first melodies ; cultivated fields, without shade, and, 
in the distance, thePo with its roaring stream ; such 
is the rural residence of the author of 11 Trcvatore, 
Once at Busseto, Signor Verdi is the most amiable 
man ^n the world ; once there, he forgets music. 
From morning to evening, he follows the little paths 
leading to the cottages of his peasants. He speaks 
to one about his corn, and to another about his vines. 
He is everywhere saluted with profound respect. 
When the first shades of night descend on the earth, 
choristers, echoing each omer, are heard in the im- 
mense plain ; they might be taken for orjyheonists or- 
ganized in companies ; they are the peasants, the 
vinedressers, and harvesters, repeating the airs of 
NabuccOf Emani, I Lombardif Macbeth, I dve Fos- 
cari, II Trovatore, Bigcletto, Luisa Miller^ and / Mas- 
nadieri. They are celebrating, in their fashion, their 



lord and master. Their voices answer each other at 
distances, and produce a delicious concert. Signor 
Verdi is only really happy oh this vast estate, which 
he has acquired by the fruits of his genius. He loves the 
open air, space, and libcity. He would certainly die 
of enntti if he were deprived of his birds, his trees, 
and bis fields. 

M. Hal^vy works incessantly ; be would love the 
beauties of Nature, btt he has not time. He can 
scarcely go and inhale, for a few hours, the fresh 
odor of me roses, at his villa at Marly. Amiable in 
disposition, and always ready for work, he has 
scarcely finished one production before he wants to 
commence another, not perceiving that he is using op 
too quickly his strength, both physical and moral, by 
such intellectiial labor. Mr. HaJ^vy works with the 
same pleasure in town as in die country. He does 
not like solidnde and, if he smiles on the green trees, 
it is because he has around him numerous friends, 
who carry his mind bock to Paris, by talking to him 
of present successes, past failures, and the other com- 
mon topics of the day. Possessed of an excellent 
disposition, particularly impressionable, he larrounds 
himself with flowers. His saloons are a perfect gar- 
den, where the violet and jasmine blossom all the 
year, so that, even 'at the Institute, he can still hncj 
himself at the beantifal villa at Marly. 

Lbon Ebcudiek. 



Mozaxt Judged by M. Lamartine.* 

I. 

A remarkable fiict connected with young Wol%ang 
Mozart (the most prodigious musical oiganiiation 
that ever existed) is that the xndividiial and the man 
constitute, so to speak, in his case, only one bong ; 
music lies with him in the cradle ; when he is tturee 

J rears M he stammers out, on his lather or mother's 
ap, music instead of words ; music plays with him 
on evtary sonoroos instrument as with tke playthings 
of his infitncy ; music writes with his hand sonatas 
for the harpsichord, fugues lor cathedral organs, or 
operas for the theatres of Italy, from his earliest 
youth ; she travels with him froin Milan to Naples, 
from Naples to Venice, from Venice to Vienna, and 
from Vienna to Paris, culling harmony from all these 
various languages, climates, waves and winds, as the 
breeze, sweeping over the earth, steals its sweet oAor, 
to perftime itseu. Music sobs with him at the death- 
bed of his mother, and takes part in her faneral ob- 
sequies ; she participates in his love ; she writes with 
his dying hand his angelic Bequiem, thvs noting dfywB 
biflT first and last sigh ; and she passes away with his 
soul, to join the mestial concert of which his whole 
life here below was simply the prelude. 

The character of Mozart's existence is that be was. 
not a musician, but music incarnate io a mortal oigan- 
ization. 

11. 

Everything in him was serious, bceanse everjrthing 
was sublime ; his piety, the inheritance kit him by 
his fether and rootJier, caused him incessantly to lift 
his thoughts to the Christian's heaven, where he still 
beheld them with the eyes of his faith. A few passa- 
ges from his letters to his sister, who was happ^ at 
Salzburg, having married for love, reveal the pious 
serenity of his mind, which was translated into sacred 
music; lie thought in sounds which filled vaulted 
cathedrals with soul. One of Moiart's mwical 
phrases converted as many hearts as a sermon. God 
M above, and Mozart's genius was constantly ascend- 
ing. Like the French poet, Gilbert, who, when dying, 
celebrated in poetry his own death, Moaart SBng for 
himself eternal peace, on his death bed, with his Re- 
quiem. He died, aged thirty-five, in 1791. The 
worid had no idea of the extent of its loss ; ft reouir- 
ed thirty years for his name to attain that ripe ^iory 
it possesses at the present day. Bot Rossini was 
about to be bom at the very moment Mosurt wa» dy- 
ing, as if Providence intended that the voice and its 
echo should be separated only for a moment in the 
ear of a century. When we say " its echo," we do 
not pretend to degrade Rossini's original genius to 
the level of a mere repercussion of that of Mozart ; 
Rossini is Mozart when happy ; and Mozart, Rossini 
when grave. Tliey are different but equal ; Mozart 
is the pensive melody of the Tyrol and Germany ; 
Rossini is the gaiety and enthusiastic joy of Napl^ ; 
we carry our country in our own breasts. Rossini 
was more at home in the musical drama, and Mozart 
in Ijncal melody, apart from the orchestra and the 
actor. His music was sufficient of itself; he sings 
simply to sing, while Rossini does so to move and 
please us. 

III. 

If we are now asked which of the two khids of 

• Coan Familier de LUt^xatiir*, moto ds Jain ; (tnnslattd 
Ibr thft London Maiical World.) 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1858. 



149 



music we prefer, that which sinjrs alone without 
words, or that which is accompanied by the words of 
the dialog:ue on the stoj^o, we do not hesitate in pre- 
ferrinfr non-dramntic mnsical to theatrical music. It 
is only for the vulgar tliat any art becomes popular 
by an unequal match. What would you think of a 
school for sculpture which should borrow the colors 
of painting to render the divine forms of Phidias 
more like the colored wax-figures before which the 
ignorant multitude of our public squares goes into 
ecstacies ? What would you think of a scliool of 
painting which should use relief in the drawings of 
Kafaelle or Titian, to impart more illusion or depth 
to them ? You would think the two arts were over- 
stepping the limits assigned them by nature, to pro- 
duce more effects, perhaps ; but what effects 1 gross, 
sensual effects, and popular enthusiasm, instead of 
the ecstasy of a chosen and discriminating few. In 
the matter of art, we find sensation in the multitude, 
but judgment in the select few. 

Now this is exactly what that speaker without 
words of the language of the senses, tlie musician, 
does, when he enters into partnership with the dra- 
matic poet, to make his music speak, tremble, cry, 
and bellow, in what is called an opera, on a theme 
given by the poet. He increases Uie material effect 
of his art, but he does so by changing its nature, and 
abdicating its independence ; by mixing up one art 
with anotner, and even sevend others, augmenting its 
effects produced on the senses, but diminishing its 
real magid over the heart. 

We can ver^ well understand that the musician, 
the poet, the smger, the dancer, the dramatic declaim- 
er, the punter, and the statuary, conceived the idea 
of combining with each other in one single group of 
several arts, mixed together on the (ftage, in order to 
produce on the multitude, one sovereign charm : by 
the aid of all these charms united. We, ourselves, 
do not escape the all-powerfiil sensual impression of 
such a combination ; where the poet composes and 
versifies ; where the painter decorates ; where the ar- 
chitect builds ; where the danseuse intoxicates us by 
beauty, movement, and attitudes ; where the de- 
claimer writes ; where the tragic or comi<? personage 
laughs or cries, raves, kills or dies with song ; and 
where, lastly, the orchestra, like the chorus of ancient 
tragedy, accompanies f.nd multiplies a hundred fold 
all die impressions of the drama by those sighs, or 
those thvnders of skilful instrumentation which caress 
or snap each fibre of the bundle of nerves within us. 
But whatever may be the irresistible force of this im- 
pression produced on our nature by such a coalition 
of aits, wnile submitting to it we judge it, and when 
judging it from the really intellectual point of view, 
that IS to sav, from the elevated and true artistic one, 
we cannot help regretting for each of the arts separ 
rately, the coalition or rather promiscuousness, which 
alters the very essence of them. We cannot help 
believing that painting is more beautiful in an iso- 
lated picture by liafaelle, in the solitude of some 
gallery of the Vatican, than on a scene at the Op<^ra ; 
Diat poetry is more divine in a page of Homer, 
Virgil, Dante, or Petrarch, than in tbe vocalization 
of a male or female singer ; that a tragic actor is 
more mighty when reciting simply his part upon his 
platform, between a couple of lamps, without any 
charm but his feeling, his accents, and his gestures, 
than when singing it in the midst of the phantasma- 
goria of scenery, costume, ballet, and orchestra ; 
and that, lastly, the musician is more eloquent 
and more pathetic in the sublime nudity of his 
notes, than in the heterogeneous alliance ot them 
with poetry, drama, declamation, scenery, dancing, 
and tinsel. There is such a thing as adultery between 
one art and another ; the true nature of the arts for- 
bids certain unions, without that nature lowering 
itself, while thinking it is heightened. The ancients 
were aware of the fact; the Greeks, who invented 
everything, did not invent diese unnatural combina- 
tioas. With them, each art was all the more com- 
plete for being isolated, and more itself. 

We do not accuse the later composeni, such as Mo- 
xart, Rossini, and their emulators, of lending them- 
oelves to these forced alliances ; we pity them : de- 
clamation is not made to be sung, or music to be de- 
dairaed. Each has its proper sphere. 

We understand that the crowd can be mistaken, 
and that music does not touch their dull ears, unless 
an immense orchestra makes an immense noise for 
Ckem, unless words interpret the notes, and a tragedy 
translates both words and notes by its gestures, its 
accent, and its physiognomy. But the case is differ- 
ent with men endowed with musical feeling, such as 
these great composers, or those who are worthy of un- 
derstanding them ; what need hare they of this ? Is 
not music a complete language, as expressive, as pro- 
ductive of ideas, of passions and of sentiments, of 
the finite and the Infinite, as the language of words ? 
Is not this language of sounds, by the very vagueness 



and illimitability of its accents, more unlimited in its 
expressions than languages in which the sense is cir- 
cumscribed by the positive value of words, or by syn- 
tax, which obliges each word to assume its fixed 
place in the phrase ? Does not the man who best 
speaks and writes his own language find, every instant, 
tliat there are nice shades, distinctions not to be ex- 
pressed, sensations, thoughts and sentiments, which 
dte away on his lips or under his pen, for the want of 
words suflSciently indefinite to render them? Are 
we not sometimes smothered in love, enthusiasm, and 
prayer, from the impossibility of producing in words 
the impression whicn oppresses us ? Is not a sigh, a 
groan, an inarticulate cry, in such a case, the only 
ejaculation of our ideas and sentiments 1 Is music 
aught else but such a sigh, or groan ; a melodious 
cry which commences on our lips exactly at the point 
when die incapability of expression by words, also, 
commences? Is not a symphony by Beethoven a 
thousand times more dramatic, for the dreamy imag- 
ination of the predestined and impassioned lover of 
music, than all the dramas ever written by a poet to 
servo as a text or a framework for a musical drama 
on the stage ? Has any one ever experienced in any 
theatre a mnsical impression comparable to a relig- 
ious song, executed by the voice or on the oigan, 
alone, and exhaling all around altars or tombs, under 
the arched roof of some cathedral, the melodious 
Hosannah^ the sobbing Stabatf or the supplicant or 
resigned Requiem of Mozart ? Has not a popular 
air, suddenly springing up and striking die traveller's 
ear from a wave in the Bay of Naples, a gorge of the 
Tyrol, one of the Isles of Greece, a Scotch lake, or 
the flute or voice of a shepherd, a fisherman, a young 
girl before her but, caused a thousand times more 
sympathetic cords to vibrate widiin his soul than all 
the operatic orchestras diat ever existed ? And why 
is this? Because words, although explaining the 
music for the vulgar, limit it for the imagination and 
the heart of a man of well-organized mind ; words are 
the Finite, and music is the Infinite. This is its domain. 
Words are a leaden weight, which die musician is 
obliged, on account of die crowd, to attach to his 
notes, to bind them to the earth, and prevent them 
from soaring too high — too far into space. For our 
own part, we prefer detaching die lead from the wings 
of the musician, and allowing ourselves to be carried 
away with him to the third heaven. 

Philadelphia, July 27. — My last letter to your 
interesting Journal contained a few desultory remarks 
upon the sacred music of the Moravians, a theme 
which might be constituted the basis of a series of 
most edifying analytical articles in the hands of some 
literary gentleman of leisure, with more time and 
talent at disposal than those accorded to your corres- 
pondent "Manrico." Thus, too, must my remarks 
upon the secular music of that sect prove cursory 
and brief. 

The Moravians cultivate secular music practically 
and perseveringly ; but although many of their prom- 
inent musicians, deeply skilled in the theoretical, 
ideal, and assthetical phases of the divine art, have 
produced, (as I remarked in my last,) works, which, 
under certain circumstances, would command unqual- 
fied admiration in any part of die world, I am not 
aware that any of these men have ever essayed or 
produced secular effusions of special note. The 
gladsome piety which pervades the ranks of this little 
band of Christians has prompted these religious wor- 
shippers of the Muses to direct their talents exclu- 
sively to the praise and glory of that higher power 
which has blessed them, with gifts so precious. 

The cultivation of secular music in Bethlehem is 
fostered by a Pliilliarmonic Society of many years' 
standing, a brass band, a sextet of saxhorns, and 
by the judicious efforts of excellent teachers in pri- 
vate families, as well as in its very justly celebrated 
female seminary. 

The PhUhamionic Society has, at almost every 
period of its existence, been regarded as the best or- 
ganization of the kind, outside of the three great 
cities of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. It 
finds its support in a regular number of subscribers, 
who, for an annual contribution, receive the enjoy- 
ment of four concerts during the winter season. 
Foimerly a grand daylight concert on Whitsuntide 




was added to the subscribers' quid pro quo. Indeed, 
this Whitmonday entertainment was the concert, par 
excdlence, of the season, as each successive year 
rolled onward; for the exercises almost invariably 
comprised a great oratorio or cantata, well rehearsed, 
and exceedingly well given. The " Creation," the 
"Messiah," die "Seven Sleepers," "Alexander's 
Feast," and other distinguished works, have all been 
frequendy and satisfactorily performed at their Whit- 
suntide y^ev. I shall not foi^t the impression made 
upon my youdiful mind by the annual repetition of 
scenes and exercises so enlightening, so edifying, sot 
refining, and so well calculated to genialize the vari- 
ous social attributes of our human nature. Methinks 
the leader of diat orchestra is even now painted upon 
the retina of my mind's eye, as he stoo^ on the left 
side of the platform, vigorously vidining his way 
through, perchance a symphony of Beethoven, or an 
overture of Boieldieu ; or, halting for an instant, to 
frown at an uncertain viola or a hurried flute. That 
identical chef d'orchestre was most admirably adapted 
to his position. Endowed with brilliant talentii apart 
from his musical accomplishments, which were of a 
very high order, he was universally respected and 
uniformly appealed to as one whose attainments 
amply qualified him to guide a band of well-studied 
and intelligent musicians. The rehearsals of this 
society were faithfully held twice per week, for many 
years. These " practisings " also rest vividly in my 
memory ; how, before die appointed hour, as each 
member dropped in, the older portion were wont to 
gather around' a patriarchal old stove, and pass the 
news of the village from mouth to mouth, while the 
young sprouts ogled the girls in die main body of the 
old Concert Hall ; — ^but I must onward. 

Some few years since, the Philharmonic Society of 
Bethlehem, from various causes, disbanded in toto. 
It has, however, been vigorously revived ; and the 
names of many of its former active and honorary 
members stand side by side with young men who 
now make their first attempts in the renewed orches- 
tra. Its present leader, Mr. Charles F. Beckel, is an 
admirable musician, theoretically and practically, and 
enjoys to a well-merited degree the confidence of his 
confr&es. 

The Bethlehem Brass Band, as at present consti- 
tuted, has attracted much deserved commendation 
wherever it has been heard. Its repertoire consists 
of a most admirable assortment of arrangements for 
various occasions, all of which are executed with a 
precision and general excellence in detail, which 
leaves very lltde to be wished for, and which ensures 
for it more engagements than the individual members 
find time or inclination to accept. The very men 
who now compose this excellent corps, were, some 
years since, known as the Juvenile Band of Bethlehem, 
a clarionet band of the old style, sustained by young 
boys whose leader had numbered scarcely his fifteenth 
summer. 

Another noticeable feature of the secular music of 
the Bethlehem Moravians, is its Sextet of Sax- 
horns. It is an offshoot from the Brass Band above 
mentioned ; and the young gentlemen who comprise 
it really deserve much credit at the hands of a public 
which has time and again been delighted with its per- 
formances. I can scarcely imagine a more delightful 
serenade than this admirable sextet of musidans are 
able to furnish. Their repertoire contains an exten- 
sive selection .of arrangements from German melo- 
dies, oratorios, operas, &c., with occasionally an airy 
Italian cavatina to follow the substantial feast in the 
capacity of a light dessert. 

Finally, Music is taught in all the private families 
of the individual Moravian congregations, with an 
assiduity and watchful perseverance which greatly 
tends to develope the results which we have thus cur- 
sorily endeavored to portray. Children are not forced 
beyond their capacities, into flimsy polkas and flim- 
sier waltzes, but are gently and progressively piloted 



150 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



through the requisite preparatory exercisen, even as 
the careful parent leaas a tottering infant watchfully 
across a rough and uneven patch of ground. 

Much enthusiastic stress is likewise laid upon the 
cultivation of good music in all of tlie Moravian 
hoarding schools. Those at Nazareth, Bethlehem, 
Litiz, and Salem, N. C, possess, in their internal 
economy, the best arrangements for implanting into 
the minds of their pupils a thorough and systematic 
foundation in this heavenly art ; and their public en- 
tertainments and vacation exhibitions are almost in- 
variably graced with compositions of a very high 
onler of merit. The ** Messiah " has been several 
times most admirably ^rivcn at the Bethlehem Semi- 
nary, under the supenntendence of its efficient and 
accomplished Principal, Key. Sylvester WoUe. 

Mansico. 



CiNXiNNATi, July 24. — Our Philharmonic 
Society lately closed the season by their sixth 
concert, which had to be postponed to so late a 
day, the programme embracing Mozart's ** Jupiter 
Symphony.'' The concert was pleasant and 
pretty well attended. 

In looking back upon the musical performances 
of the past season, we have reason to be well 
enough satisfied, considering many unfavorable 
circumstances. I cannot say that much progress 
has been made, but neither could this be expected, 
as our musical Societies had to struggle under 
very adverse circumstances. During the first 
season thev were benefitted by the i^unshine of 
novelty ; tnis having left them, the past second 
season was a hard trial. It showed that there is 
not quite as much interest for good music among 
the public of this city as had been sanguinely as- 
sumed afler the first year's experience ; in addi- 
tion, the bad times took away a large number of 
subscribers, and even the elements seemed to 
conspire against them. " A Philharmonic even- 
ing" came to be looked upon as synonymous 
with duck's weather. There was also, unfortu- 
nately, some ffratinff between our two principal 
Societies, or, I should say, between a few mem- 
bers of them, aud this was also somewhat detri- 
mental to a quiet pursuit of their objects. But, 
in spite of all this, they have persevered, given 
all tneir concerts and rehearsals, and have been 
well united among themselves to the last For 
this they deserve much credit, and, no doubt, the 
experience they have made is very valuable for 
the future. 

From present appearances the prospects for 
our next musical season are very fair ; it is likely 
that there will be more life and earnestness, and 
that the advancement of instrumental and choral 
music among us will be pursued with renewed 
vigor. Large works of the great masters, we 
may hope, will be brought out for the first time 
in this hemisphere ; and the public, when they 
see some inherent strength and steadiness of 
purpose, will, no doubt, show an increased inter- 
est. 



Spbikgfield, Mass., July 31. — Our Musical 
Society, under the direction of Mr. Fitzhugh, has 
thus far been a decided success ; and the advantage 
gained in the heavy chornses, by its union with the 
Northampton artists, has, I am told, suggested the 
farther extension of its field of operations, with a 
view of concentrating the strength of our prond and 
thrifty trio of valley towns, in some of tlie grand cho- 
ruses of the Oratorios, the coming fall and winter, 
" a consummation devontly to be wished." 

I was shown, a few days since, a copy of a beauti- 
ful Salve Iteginay by Hauptmann, a composition emi- 
nently worthy of its author, who is, probably, second 
to none of the masters of music now living ; and to 
whom the sacred mantle of Beethoven, Mozart, and 
Mendelssohn, may be most appropriately transmitted. 
At the same time my attention was called to another 
piece of music, entitled, "Turn thy face from my sins; 
a full anthem for four voices," published in London 
as the composition of a certain stoical person whose 
residence is not exactly fixed, and who answers to 
the name or title of " Doctor." This "Anthem fbr 
four voices " proves to be the same thing, ahnost 



note for note, as the first-mentioned piece by Haupt- 
mann, copied almost entire, with English words, and 
a slight change of key! This is a specimen of 
wholesale plagiarism before which all others must 
pale, and wilt, and fade away. 

In every depaitment of science, and amongst all 
the professions, there may be found a set of dullards 
who are not content to stand or fall on their own 
merits, or to bide their time, till, by industry and per- 
severance they can honestly reach the desired point 
of attainment ; but having more money than brains, 
they supply themselves with the best literary or musi- 
cal works, and select and publbh as their own, not 
only the ideas, but sometimes the phrases, and even 
whole pages of the valuable compositions of others. 
This is particularly true of the musical profession — 
the temptation to pilfer being greater as the chances 
of detection are less. 

Our knight of the ruefnl countenance, whose music 
is not his own, (to use a Paddyism,) must take his 
place in the class above described. He made the 
tour of Europe. He heard and saw abundance of 
rich music. His bead was turned. He took — he 
fell ! The injury was not great, for he had fallen 
before! 

The copying " Doctor " is said to wear with duo 
meekness the questionable honor of playing some 
big-gun-and-trumpet-variations of his own invention, 
to some of Handel's organ themes, at which the un- 
initiated, all green and pliant, 

** WoQld bend in mnte surprina 



And think- 



-my eyes 



I >» 



Now, my dear sir, I have considered this subject, 
not " during an hour of rural idleness, under the 
shade of green trees, and with the melodies of the 
many-voiced sea to lull us into the mood to tranquil 
contemplation," but I have considered it in connec- 
tion with a certain code of laws, one article of which 
says, " Thou shalt not steal," and I have the honor 
to recommend to the learned " Doctor " a prayerful 
consideration of his own selection from the words oi 
the Psalmist, " Turn thy face from my sins." 

Yours truly. Bach. 



BOSTON, AUGUST 7, 1858. 



Music ih this Numbxr. — Chorus, irith Soprano Solo, tram 
Qluck's opera Artnida: " Great Is the glory when laurels we 
gather," kc. 

Music in the Public Schools.—The FestiYaL 

II. 

The Festival of last week, experimental as it was, 
has made its mark. All present were delighted and 
convinced that there is great good in a Festival so 
arranged, and great good in such training ot the chil- 
dren of our schools in simple choral music as makes 
such a Festival possible. In fii-st alluding to the plan 
two months ago, we expressed a confidence that, 
should this experiment succeed, it would be found 
worth repeating, year after year, upon a lai^ger scale, 
and pass into an institution. We think the general 
feeling now regards it as an instimtion ; this single 
trial has been worth a thousand arguments ; the an- 
nual Musical Festival of the Public Schools now 
takes its place with Boston Common, Franklin med- 
als, and the other fixed facts in the calendar of Bos- 
ton bov life. 

No one could listen to that beautiful and touching 
music of twelve hundred fresh, sweet children's 
voices, blended in sublimely simple choral melodies, 
and not feel that music can repay for more attention 
than has yet been given to it in our general scheme 
of education. No one could doubt, that, even if its 
only fruit were annually such a festival, the hour or 
two it claims each week from other studies, would be 
well-accounted fbr. Add to the inspiration of the 



music that of its accompaniments, tlie feast for eye 
and heart and soul, as well as car, — add to the 
assthctic the rare moral gain of so much harmony of 
sense and soul and reason blended — add the experi- 
ence of one such hour of higher, sweeter, heavcnlier 
life, and who will hesitate to own that such a Festival 
is in itself, and simply as a festival, worthy to bo made 
an end and as such to receive its share of special 
training in the school routine ? Whatever that occa- 
sion as a whole was worth, remember Music was the 
soul of it. Around what other principle, as centre, 
could such a feast be organized 1 The bringing of 
twelve hundred voices within range involved all that 
kaleidoscopic beauty of arrangement; mvsic built 
up that wondroos flower-like pyramid of youths and 
maidens, that living type of social harmony and 
heaven on earth ,* music necessitated the selection of 
so beautiful a place ; and music drew to it those flo- 
ral wreaths and ornaments, by an artistic instinct, 
for completeness' sake. It was the right sort of a 
School Festival. For snch an hoar, when thousands 
must take part, when all things most be short and 
nothing wearisome, all things intelligible to all, en- 
joyable by all, eliciting response from all, — all virtn- 
ally giving and receiving — where feasting would be 
scramble and " refreshments " heaviness, and speeches 
bnt a weariness, unheeded in the general confosion,— 
in such an hour Mosic is the one most flt, refreshing, 
all -uniting, intellectual, practical and practicable en- 
tertainment ; the one least liable to fatigue, distroc- 
traction and disorder; the one most suited to the 
spirit of the occasion and most expressive of the 
common feeling ; the very language of what every 
heart wonld have expressed in such an honr, when 
all have had enough of mental stimulus and tension, 
of intellectual statements and distinctions, and seek 
refreshment in a high religious ntterance of joy and 
unitary feeling. Fewer speeches henceforth, is the 
chief hint of improvement furnished by the first ex- 
periment. The children may not enter into tiie con- 
scious philosophy of all this, bnt they are nevertheless 
made happier by it. And theirs Uio is the joy and 
wholesome disdpline not only of the great day itself, 
but equally of all the prcpamtion and rehearsing for 
it, the marshalling into order, the daily accmnulating 
exntement, the surprised, delighted sense of order as 
the work grows to completion, the sense of sharing 
the responsibility of the great whole, the charm of 
watching to its hour of bursting open in fall splendor 
this fine centnry plant in which they all shall shine. 

The marked snccess of this experiment makes it 
self-evident that much more may be made of sndi a 
Festival hereafter. Here we had bnt the simplest 
elements. The very best thing that conld be done, 
and done well and with edifying effect, was here at- 
tempted : — nothing but the singmg, all in unison, of 
a few of the plainest old familiar chorals, which 
doubtless, most of the children only knew by ear and 
sang by rote, with no more training than sufficed them 
to keep in time and tune, to prolong, subdue and swell 
a note at given signal, and to produce something like a 
musical quality of tone, so that, in spite of individual 
imperfections, the entire mass of sound was sweet and 
musical, was tone and not mere noise. A simpler 
thing could not have been attempted, unless it were that 
sillier thing, of which we have had qnite enough of 
late years, and which has brought school mnsic into 
much discredit, of making multitudes of children 
sing in listless or in noisy fashion a few hum-drum, 
jig-like ditties and street songs, that only sound well 
sung by a single or a few voices, that fall short of the 
dignity of such an occasion, and sound ridicnloosly 
senseless and confused when joined in by a thousand 
voices. But now, for once, without carrying the 
children a step beyond the very little culture they al- 
ready had, a really musical effect has been prodnoed, 
and one which was foupd in a very great degree in- 
piring and sublime. This right combining of the 
simplest materials into so genuine an effect of mnsic. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1858. 



151 



Beta the key for future lessons in tlio schools. Here 
was an eridcnoo of sound and sensible beginning, 
though at the very bottom of the scale. Here was 
the foundation shown for everything diat may be 
profitably added in the way of musical instruction 
in the schools. 

The old church Choral, Canto fermo, or Plain 
Cliant, was tlie beginning and foundation of the 
whole dcTelopmcnt of the musical art in modem his- 
tory. The rest has been built up on that. So in the 
musical culture of each rising generation now, the 
singing of the plain Choral is the true ground to 
start from. Tliese Chorals are the world's oldest, 
simplest, most primitive, popular, religious common 
stock of melody,— the broadest, lirmest rock on 
which to build. The training of a large mass to sing 
them well involves the mastery of two important ele- 
ments in all true singing, which in themselves almost 
contain the soul and essence of the art. These are : 
first, the producing and susiaining of a firm, pure, 
musical tone; secondly, the art of graduating the 
force of tones, of softening or intensifying tone, of 
what is fignrately termed light and shade. 

When our thousands of children can do these two 
things, they are on the right road to some musical 
acquirement. This has already formed in them 
something like a right musical sense, an ideal in the 
mind and nerves and ear of music, as distinguished 
from mere rhythmic noise. All other culture may be 
built on this. We shall not inquire how much of the 
theory, of the technical routine and rules of music may 
well be made a general requirement in our schools. 
It is plain that we can go but a moderate way in this. 
All children can be taught to read and sing plain 
melodies, and even parts in easy harmony, from 
notes. This, with tlie choral practice in laige bodies, 
loosens the upper surface of the soil, so that whatever 
seeds of higher faculty for music may lie latent in 
this individual or that, will have a chance to germi- 
nate and seek the sun. Special aptitudes deserve 
special training. But all should learn to bear a part 
in the plain choral unison. So much of music is, 
unless we neglect it, a common gift, designed for 
solid good, to the whole human family. 

And this leads to a most important practical con- 
sideration, urged with convincing force in the re- 
marks of Dr. Upham. Congr^ational singing— 
though we do not believe in narrowing our church 
music down to that alon&— is yet a most important 
part, the most essential part, in fact, of music as an 
element in public worship. What a poor, feeble, in- 
expressive, vulgar thing it is, for the most part, when 
it is attempted now ! How few of any congregation 
can sing even '*01d Hundred " decently well ! But 
in this choral practice of the children, generations 
grow up in the love and practice of the Choral ; the 
entire people are endowed from childhood with a 
never-failing repertoire of grand old tunes, and with 
the art, recalled as easily as instiuct, of joining in 
them with great multitudes of voices, so that, whether 
in the solemn service of the temple, or in great na- 
tional or other festival occasions, whore there is a 
deep and universal sentiment, that sentiment shall 
never lack the means of uttering itBdf sublimely. 

We have yet to speak of certain practical hints 
furnished by this festival, as to the best method of 
teaching singing in the common schools. 



To the Subfcriben of the Chicago Muiical 

Boviow. 

The Messrs. Higgins Brothers have recently dis- 
posed of the Chicago Musical Review to Oliver Ditson 
& Co., of Boston, and its subscribers will hereafter 
be supplied with Dwioht's Jourkal of Music in 
its stead. As by this arrangement all such subscri- 
bers are to receive a quarto in place of an octavo 
musical paper, it is presumed that they cannot be 
otherwise than satisfied. While I regret to part com- 



pany with my readers, I gain, by this release from 
editorial labors, more time to devote to musical con- 
ventions and tlie other professional duties that have 
of late increased so rapidly upon my hands. In the 
meantime let me assure my friends that the North- 
west is still my field of labor ; tliat Chicago continues 
to be my head-quarters, and that, though I relinquish 
to one abler than myself the pleasing duty of fuiv 
nishing them with stated supplies of musical pabu- 
lum, I shall always, as formerly, be happy to hear of 
their prosperity, and subscribe myself, as of old. 

" Yours truly," C. M. Cady. 

Chicago, August 1, 1858. 



Moiioal Chit-Ghat 

The '^Promenade Concerts " are etill kept up, tri-weeMy, at 
the Mnvie Hall, and, if increasing crowds be any evidence, now 
bid flUr to become an institution. We axe certainly glad to see 
a disposition to ei\Joy and to support cheap concerts ; but we 
seriously doubt if the continued heazing of mere brtus bands, 
only relieved by vulgar clap-trap like the ''Old Folks' " sing- 
ing, introduced of late, does really tend to cultivate and refine 
the public taste for music. Indeed, we ftar that it does Just 
the contrary ; that it creates a love for what is coarse and 
meaningless in music, Just as the ** yellow-coTerod " norels 
spoil the taste for pure and wholesome reading. If the people 
are so fond of going to the Music Hall, why cannot bettor 
bands, of reeds and finer instruments, tempering the bray ol 
brass, and suited to more delicate, rolJned effects of music, be 
supported quite as well ? How much better were a band like 
that which played at the School FesUral, last week! Or such 
reed music as the Brigade Band famished, with such marked 
success, at one of their Spring concerts in the same hall ! 
Where is the difllculty? If it costs a few more instruments, 
will not the attraction be thereby increased enough to make it 
pay ! We ought not to regard the idea of cheap people's oon- 
oerts as at all truly realised, until we get so &r as to have not 
only a reed band, but a honhjidt orchestra within reach, eveiy 
pleasant summer evening. What we fear is, that such con- 
stant din of brass will blunt the popular sense, destroying all 
demand for better things. 

The present number of our paper goes, according to arrange- 
ment, to the subscribers of the late Ckieago Musical Review. 
The editor of that paper, whose Card will be found abore, has 
kindly promised to ftimish us, firom time to time, with a me- 
lange of musical matters in the West The great 

musical festiTal in Jones's Wood, New York, is postponed on 
account of the bad weather, to the 9th, 10th, and Uth inst. . 
Is not the passion for brass bands, so universal in these days, 
another symptom of the general sensation ferer ; all of a piece 
with the taste for scarlet uniforms, for murder stories, fright- 
fU accidents, French novels, Verdi-ism, and all Ibrms of flli- 
busterish uneasiness ? .... A season of French Comic Opera, 
at Niblo's, is talked of. ..... . Pabodi has returned to New 

York, hairing had great successes In the West Indies 

Marsius has leased the Tacon Theatre, Havana, for the 
coming season, at SlSiOOO per month. He will first oommenee 
a two months' season of Italian Opera, at Oie New Yoik Acad- 
emy, the 80th inst., with Bfme. Oasshe as prima donna. 
Ullman is said to haTe secured the Piocolomivi for his new sea- 
son in October, and also to have engaged Fobkis, who will 
sing in some operas new in this country. It Is high time. 
QAUAinoA and Buanou hare been presented by the Directcws 
of the Philadelphia Academy with gold medals, in commemo* 
ration of the part they bore in the inauguration of that insU* 
tution. They will remain la the United States next season, 

and will, no doubt, Join either Haretaek or Ullman 

Hiss Abbt Fat, with Slgnors Amudio and Bbigmou, and also 
accompanied by her teacher, Sig. Bbhdblabi, has been creat- 
ing a sensation by her concerts at Saratoga and other fesh- 

ionable watering places lime. Axha Bisaop, now in 

South America, will soon return to us. She is said to be ac- 
companied by *' Sig. Belletti, who sang with Jenny Und." 
This must be a mistake, as Belletti, the singer, is in London, 
"niere was also a clarinet player, Belletti, who accompanied 
Jenny Llnd. . . . Gottschalk was recently at Porto Rico. . . 
RuBDfSTici has left London and returned to Moscow. 




usit ^breab. 



LondoxL 

Hsn Majesty's Theatre. — During the week 
ending July 17, Balfo's Zingara, (" Bohemian Giri "), 
with Alboni, Piccolomini, Giuglini and Belletti ; Lu- 
crezia Bargia ; Lucia ; La Serva Padrona, and a scene 
from Vltaliana, for Signors Belart, Belletti and Via- 
letti. The subscription season closed with Trovaiore 
for a wonder ! The new season, of reduced prices. 



was to open with the Huguenots, followed by Don 
Giovanni, La Traviata, 4rc. 

Miss KESfsLE's Cokceet was one of the choice 
entertainments of the season. Its giver, though still 
hampered by nervousness in no common degree, and 
with a voice that will require incessant watching for 
years to come, has more intelligence, accomplish- 
ments, and promise thim any contemporary of her 
standing — ^her shore in the entertainment being a duet 
with Signor Mario (who was in radiant voice), a 
couple of German Lieder, and two Shakespeare 
songs — the first an exceedingly elegant setting of 
' Orpheus and his Lute,' by Miss Gabriel. Then she 
was assisted by MM. Halle and Joachim (whose 
Tartini solo, * lie Songe de Diable,' was incomparably 
given), by Signor Fiatti, by Madame Viordot in her 
very best voice and spirits, and by Mr. Sontly, who 
sang the well-known buffo duet, ' Senza tanti compli- 
menti,' with the lady in good style. This young 
artist's place may be already defined by the fact that, 
in his first season, besides going the round of English 
orat3rios with great success, he has been associated 
with all the best Italian singers, and kept his ground 
among them steadily, m^estly, improvingly. A 
pleasing Canzonet sung by him— a composition of M. 
Berger to some of Barry Cornwall's words— was the 
other novelty of this agreeable concert. 

The Vocal Association's last concert on Wednesday 
was given with an orchestra, the great work perform- 
ed being Mendelssohn's ' Lobgesane.' The second 
act had one remarkable feature — M. Halle's execution 
of a pianoforte Concerto in e flat, by Mozart, — very 
seldom played, though, to our thinking, a more 
attractive work than the Concertos in d and c 
minor, — and one interesting novelty, Herr Joachim's 
Overture to ' Henry the Fourth.' The last prelude 
bearing such a title that we recollect is the old trum- 
pot-onu-drum piece of business by Signor Martini. 
" Was that overture written in the same languace as 
this ?" — ^was a question that would whimsically break 
across the mind as we listened (laboriously we must 
admit) to the new composition. Herr Joachim's is 
not wfiolly " music of the future," for we desire to 
hear the overture again — ^provided it be more carefully 
performed. It seems to us to contain distinct ideas, 
ingenious combinations, forms too intricately disguis- 
ed where a clear developement would have been more 
welcome, good instrumental effects, and a happy 
close. Without wholly establishing its writer as a 
composer, it is an advance on most of hi$ essays at 
composition with which we have as yet made 
acquaintance. The playing of Herr Joachim is, in 
every sense of the word, too masterly, too real, too 
purely and reverentially musical (without the slight- 
est intimation of charlatanry) for it to be possible for 
him to remain within the circle of fogland if he con- 
tinue to exercise himself as a writer. 

Royal Academy of Music. — Much complaint 
has been called forth by the concert given recently in 
St. James's Hall in aid of the funds of this institu- 
tion. We borrow a description of the concert hrom 
the Sunday Times of June 27. 

The Hall was filled by a most numerous and aristocratic 
audience. Her Majesty, the Prince Consort, the King of the 
Belgians, and a distlnguisbed svite^ occupied a prominent po- 
sition in the hall, but it is to be regretted that the prominent 
position was such as to allow the audience only to see the backs 
of the illustrlotts personages. The programme, though hardly 
of that character that was to be expected from our £ngllsh 
Conserratoire, included seme good names as executantu; but a 
better illustration of what we were doing, in the way of mu- 
sical progress, amongst ourselves it would hare b«en hardly 
too much to hATe anticipated. Amongst the principal female 
artistes thus grouped together were— Hadlle. Tltiens. Madame 
Cl#ra Norello, Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Dolby, Madame Kuders- 
ddrtr, Madame Weiss, Miss Meesent, Miss Palmer, and Madame 
Viardot Garcia ; whilst the male vocalists were Mr. Sims 
Reeves, Signor Giuglini, Mr. Harrison, ITerr Reichardt, Mr. 
Allan Irving, Mr. Weiss, Mr. Allen, Mr. Bodda, and Signor 
Belletti. Here was a force quite strong enough, if properly 
employed, to have really done credit to our national position 
in every respect, but, with infinite pain and humiliation do 
we record that which must have been patent to every one pres- 
ent, that the programme neither showed our native singers nor 
our native compoeen to anything Uhe advantage. The first part 
iivas almost wholly occupied with a selection from a mass by 
the Earl of Westmoreland, which, however creditable to the 
musical taste of the noble amateur, who has dhown much skill 
in previous compositions, was utterly unfitted to an occasion 
of this kind. With the powerfril os)!i»tance of such names, as 
we have abov^enumerated, the mass had certainly the fullest 
vocal justice done to It, but the absence of applause, as much 
out of deference to her Majesty as tributary to the sacred 
character of the music, would not, we apprehend, have been 
superseded by very enthujiiastic exprcMious of rapture had the 
circumstances been otlierwise. The effect was heavy, and left 
behind it no exalting impression. A concertante by Maurer, 
for four violins, by Blesera. Blagrove, Isaac H. Hill, and Wat- 
son, followed, and ably disphiyed the talents of these expert 
violinists, and then Haydn's ^' Spirit Song," beautifully exe- 
cuted by Miss Dolby, enlivened the rather deadened sympa- 
thies of the audience. The first part concluded with the finale 
from Mr. Lucas's opera of '' The Regicide," which is founded 



152 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



on the name subject 9B Ame selected fbrhis " Artaxerxen." 
and which was rendered with the fullest effect by Miss Pyne, 
Madame H'eiss, Mr. Sims Reevos, Mr. Allen, and Mr. WciM. 
The second portion of the programme was opened by the in- 
troduction to Rossini's '' William Tell," the soil parts being 
undertaken by Madame Weiss, Miss Palmer, Ilerr Reichardt, 
Signor Giuglini, Signor Bellutti, and Mr. Bodda, with the im- 

Eortant harp accompaniment being cleverly contributed by 
Ir. Harold Thomas. This was most admirably sung, and 
gare great satisfliction. The other leading features of this 

rortion were Macfiirren-s sparkling recitatiTe and song with 
urden, '* The Queen's Oreeting " (May -day) charmingly ren- 
dered by Miss Pyne, and Mendelssohn's magnificent finale to 
the opera of '' Lorely," in which Mdlle. Titiens gave the so- 
prano solo with exqubite effect. A recitative and romance, 
composed by His Royal Highness the Duke of Saxe Coburg, 
called '* Am filumigen Rain," and sung by Herr Reichardt, 
was received with considerable tkyor. We cannot, however, . 
accept the present concert as a decisive illustration of the 
stage to which musical art has advanced among us, nor of the 
ample resources at the command of the Academy, but we are 
glad to believe, fiiom the numerical strength and fitshionable 
character of the attendance, that the f^nds have been materi- 
ally benefited by the experiment. Mr. Costa was the con- 
ductor, asdsted by Mr. Lucas, conductor of the concerts of 
the Royal Academy. 

There is a rumor that Prof. William Stemdalo 
Bennett hiu formally withdrawn himself from all 
connection with the Royal Academy ; whereupon the 
Aihenceum remarks ; 

This will surprise no one who reflects that he Is the only 
composer of European reputation whom that luckless estab- 
lishment has ever turned out ; and that, therefore^ he had 
no figure nor place in the ** illustrative " concert got up by 
the noble amateur whoee Mass was brought forward. 80 unani- 
mous, indeed, is the fteling of every one with regard to this 
discreditable exhibition, that it will not surprise us— still less 
be any cause for regret — ^if such puny life as lingered in the 
Academy is shaken out of it by Wednesday's concert. Had 
artists as a body more moral courage to resist intimidation in 
the form of cajolery, such things could never happen. While, 
however, it may be feared that tiie present is not the last case 
of the kind by many on which we may have occasion to ani- 
madvert, we shall not ceaae to fight Uie battle in defence of 
their independence, ungracious though the task be. 

Classical Chamber Cokcertb. — The last con- 
cert of Charles Halle, (than whom no one seems to 
command more respect in England as an interpreter 
of classical music), took place July 8, and attracted 
an enormous audience. On this occasion he played 
Mendelssohn's C minor Trio, with Messrs. Sainton 
and Piatti ; a Sonata by Clement! ; Beethoven's So- 
nata for piano and violin, in G, with Sainton, and 
Mozart's Concerto in E fiat, for two pianos, with 
Miss Arabella Goddard and orchestra. A violoncello 
solo, by Piatti, completed the programme. Mmc. 
Szarvady's third Matiudo (June 25) had the fol- 
lowing programme : 

Sonata in G, pianoforte and violin. Madame Sxarvady and 
Herr Molique— Mozart. Suite de pieces. No. 6 — Stemdale Ben- 
nett; Rondo, Les Verutangeuws — F. Couperin (le grand); 
and Lied ohne Worte. VolksUed, pianoforte. Mad. Siarvady — 
Mendelwiohn. Grand trio, in B flat, op. 97, pianoforte, violin, 
and violoncello, Madame Sxarvady, Herr Molique, and Signor 



Piatti — Beethoven. Sonata, in sharp minor, op. 27, piauo- 

I. Bei 
. 0, La T 
Ssarvady — Stephen Heller. 



forte, Madame Szarvady — Beethoven, ^rceuse— Chopin ; Air 
—Pergolese ; and Capriccio, La IViafe, pianoforte, Madame 



Mr. Ella, and his " Musical Union," seems to 
have lost all favor with the critics by taking the 
task of criticism, — in other words, laudation — into 
his own hands. The Athenccum gives a reason for 
abstaining from all report of his concerts, that the 
Director prefaced his prospectus for the past season 
by declaring " that no anonymous critics were admit- 
ted to his conceits," said declaration on the prospec- 
tus being followed up by a string of anonymous lau- 
dations which had appeared during the post ten 
years in the journals. 

Mr. Louis HAKEMANy, who will be remembered 
here in Boston and New York, and who, for some 
years has iKjen living in Italy, gave a concert at Wil- 
lis's Rooms, July 15. The Musical World' says : 

It was a strictly classical affair, the selection com- 
prising Mozart's quartet, in G minor, for pianoforte, 
violin, viola, and violoncello, executed by Messrs. 
Hakemann, Joachim, Webb, and Payne ; Beethoven's 
sonata ffuasi fantasia for pianoforte, in C sharp minor 
op. 27. by Mr. Rakemann; Bach's prelude and fugue 
for violin, by Herr Joseph Joachim ; Mozart's fanta- 
sia for pianoforte " & quatrc Mains," in F minor, per- 
formed by Messrs. Charles Halle and Rakemann ; 
Mendels.sohn*s capriccio for pianoforte, in E, op. 33, 
No. 2, played by Mr. Rakemann ; and Beethoven's 
sonata forviolin and pianoforte, op. 30, No. 1, in A, 
Me.ssr8. Joachim and Rakemann at the instruments. 
With such a programme, it would be strange indeed 
if ttic audience were not a musical one, and the lover 
of classic music thoroughly satisfied. Merely to 
hear Herr Joachim in three pieces so widely separated 



in point of style, treatment, and feeling, was worth a 
journey of twenty miles. It is useless to culogir^ 
the great violinist. About his talents there is no dif- 
ference of opinion. His playing in Mozart's quartet 
almost surpassed itself for grace, tenderness, and ex- 
pression. Of course, Bach's prelude and fugue 
always creates the sensation of the evening when he 
plavs ; but to those who listen with the inward car, 
such a performance as that of Mozart's quartet steals 
quietly to the heart, and leaves an almost ineradicable 
impression. Mr. Rakemann acquitted himself ahlv 
at the piano. Mozait's Fantasia for four hands, Avith 
such a consummate associate as Mr. Charles Halle, 
could not fail to prove a rare treat. In Beethoven's 
Sonata, too, Mr. Rakemann indicated his classic ac- 
quirement DO less than his classic predilection. 

Swedish National Singers. — From tlie T/mdon 
Musical Gaxette, July 1 7. — Sweden — ^who has already 
laid her claim to a position in the art-world by issuing 
Thorwaldsen, OIo Bull, and Jenny Lind — has sent us 
nine of her glee-singers — as odd-looking fish as one 
would meet with in a good many days's march, but 
with a nationality and distinctness of character about 
their songs and singing that has its charm, and that 
will probably render them popular in England for 
some time to come. Here s a description of tlieir 
appearance, taken from the Morning Post : — 

*^ The alto, a Laplander, we believe, looks as if ho had been 
living upon train-oil all his life, whilst his attire displayed a 
curious cross betwixt that of a Chinese tea-gntherer and an 
English butcher. The principal tenor, with tiglit leather inex- 
pressibles, and a huge stiff frill standing erect to the top of his 
head, resembled at once a bold sportsman and a frightened 
vulture. Another gentlenuin. with e very high hat running to 
a peak, and bandages about his legs, looked like a gouty Per- 
sian. Another resembled a half-starved Zouave In undress. 
The rest had the air of doubtful peasants. All were differently 
attired, and presented an appearance more curious than pictu- 
resque." 

This description is true as the needle. The oddity 
is increased by the variety of the costumes, and one 
is puzzled to conjecture why such difference should 
be, and particularly why some should wear their hats 
while they are singing, and others dispense with the 
capital surmount. Perhaps the singing is thereby 
influenced. We have heard of tenor singers whose 
chest notes depended much on the absence or presence 
of shirt studs. Whether the hatted or uuhatted 
Swedes are the best vocalists, we cannot pretend to 
decide, for their unanimity is astonishing ; tlicir cres- 
cendos and diminuendos are managed to perfection, 
sforzandos and other suddennesses with equal adroit- 
ness, and they go as one voice. This being the case, 
and as one voice, or one singer, cannot both wear a 
hat and not wear it at the same moment, we have no 
means of separating these folks according to their re- 
spective merits, at which we are somewhat chagrined, 
for we do not like to be posed in this way. Besides, 
it is so unusual for hattitude to be preserved in the 
presence of in-door comjiany, thnt, ir it is sanctioned 
m such an instance as this on the score of nationality, 
one wonders why, in the name of goodness, they 
should not cUl wear their hats. Verily, 'tis a knotty 
point. 

The roundness of tone of these singers, both in 
loud and soft passages, is very remarkiwle, and sfor- 
zandos are produced with no less care than energy, 
the preservation of quality of tone in the sudden 
forcing of the voice fxjing quite surprising. Their 
united power is extraordinary. It is evidently the 
result of constant practice together, and in this respect 
their performance will be a great " caution " to our 
concert vocalists, too many of whom regard rehear- 
sals as verv unnecessary ceremonies. The composi- 
tions which they introduce are very peculiar, and no 
composer's name is appended. Tney are, in all pro- 
probability thoroughly national airs harmonized, for 
we did not, at our visit on Monday morning ob- 
serve that much constructive skill had been brought 
to bear on* their part-songs. A " Trum-marsch** 
though there is not much imitation of the drum in- 
troduced, is clever, and will, donbtless, become pop- 
ular. A glee, by Bellman, in the refrain of which 
words are dispensed with, and the voices imitate 
horns, with much faithfulness, is also out of the com- 
mon way. This is tlie only work to which a compo- 
ser's name is attached, and possibly it is German. 

We fear the encore nuisance has " obtained " con- 
siderably in Sweden. Her nine representatives do 
not evince the remotest intention of quitting the plot- 
form after the performance of one of their morcmux, 
nor are they particular as to the amount of applause 
awanled. They simply take off their hats — at least, 
such as have them ; it is quite obvious that those who 
have not cannot join in the ceremony — ^replace them, 
and sing something else. This is not right. Madame 
Goldschmidt must invite them all to a national feed 
at Roehampton, and read them, in their native tongue, 
all that has been said against encores in Punch and 
the Musical Gazette. That estimable lady, by the by, 
was present on Monday with her husband and little 
girl. 



DESCItlPTITE LIST OF THE 

TEST :^ffXJSIOi 

PaMlshcd hr O. Ditson Sl Co* 



VooaU with Piano. 

Little Hans. Song or Duct. Curschmnnn, 25 

A quaint little Duet for Tenor or Soprano It is 
more generally performed as a Song, with tlio second 
part in the Inst vcrsv ouiitteil. As a Song it is in Ger- 
many often made u«c of by (7nnrt>rt-Singers. It is one 
of the most beautiful compositions of Cursrhmann, 
and the one that has most tended to make his name 
familiar with the great musical public. 

Farewell (Addio) Trio, for two Sopranos and 
Tenor. Curschmann, 25 

In the style of the well-known saered Trio by the 
same composer. " Protect as throngli the coining 
night," and quite as fine. JThe words, which are a 
short, tender adieu to a belored p(T>K>n, exclude it 
from the church, hut make it doubly acceptable to 
the home-circle. The Tenor part may be taken by a 
Contralto, and in that case must be sung an octave 
lower than written. 

Little Sunbeams. Ballad. Ilenry Farmer. 25 

A light, pretty, little song. llTely and gay, with a 
pretty picture for a title-page. 

The Day I first thee saw, (Le jour oh je te yib,) 
tor Voice, Tiano, and Flute Obligato. 

Furstenau, 25 

A Love Song, In slow-mcosnrod, pathetic strains, ac- 
companied by the airy warblings of the FInte. The 
Flute part is easy of performance. Voice and Piano 
parts are even more so. There are so few compositions 
of this kind, that it is cosy to seleet Uie beat, of whieh 
this Song is one, unquestionably. 

Home, Sweet Home. Transcribed by Othornfi. 25 

Another arrangement of this ever-pleasing Sicilian 
melody, which will be sure to find its admirers. It Is 
comparatively easy, and yet full of fine effects. 



H balen del suo soiriso, (Like a rainbow.) Ro- 

manza in " H Trovatore." Transcribed by 

Odiome. 25 

This is the first transcription of merit that has ap- 
peared in print, of this exquisite song of the Trouba- 
dour in Verdi> Opera. It is beautiftilly done, of but 
moderate difficulty, and should grace the portfolio of 
every Piano player who is fond of transferring the 
gems of song to tlie key-board of his instrument. 



Scene de Bal. Yalso brillante. 



H, Cramer. 40 



A very brilliant and pleasing Walts, in about the 
style and difllculty of Bergmuller's and Marcailbau's 
well-known Parlor Waltses. Like all compositions of 
this author, it is distinguished by Its perfect fitness for 
the instrument it is intended to be performed on. 
Every chord, every passage, in laid out in such a man- 
ner, that the right fingers will quite naturally take 
hold of them. This quality makes the Walts but 
moderately difllcult. 

Books. 

Schneider's Practical Organ School, containing 
all necessary instructions in Fingering, Man- 
agement of Stops, Pedals, &c., with a great va- 
riety of Exercises, Interludes, easy and difficult 
Voluntaries, &c., to which is added a conipleto 
Treatise on Harmony and Thorough Bass. 
Translated and adapted to the wants of young 
organists. 2.00 

The author of the above work maintains a position 
in Europe as a teacher of organ music, the same as 
that held by Bertini, Gsemy. and Huuten as teachers 
of the pianoforte. This method of instruction is not 
excelled by any similar work in all points necessary to 
the acqulrition of a thorough and practical knowledge 
of the class of music of which It treats. The author 
is plain in the elucidation of every particular; and 
has taken special pains to impart, by examples and 
exercises, an acquaintance with what is sometimes 
called ''the organ touch." which diflen from that of 
the piano in its prolongation. 

The Young Folks' Glee Book, consisting of near- 
ly one hundred copyright Songs and Duets 
never before harmonized ; and tlie choicest gems 
from the German and Italian. The whole ar- 
ranged in a familiar style for the use of Singing 
Classes, Glee Clubs, and the Social Circle. By 
Chs. Jarvis. 

Special attention is solicited to the general features 
of this work, as possessing universal attractions. The 
Copyright Songs, Duets, &c., comprise the best pieces 
of the leading publishers, inserted here by permisitton, 
and contained in no other book. Of the gems of Ger- 
man and Italian song, nothing need be mid, as their 
b^uties are universally known and admired; and 
their arrangement and collection in this form cannot 
fftil to be duly appreciated by every lover of a highly- 
refined -and clasKlo style of music. Attention has been 
directed to the choice of words, and they will, in each 
case, be found elevated In sentiment, and adapted to 
the great mass of the people. In a word, the ^^Young 
Folks' Glee Book" is intended to be of a superior class 
in every particular. A glance at its table of contents 
will convince any one that what it was hitended to 
make it, it really is. 




toijjbt's |0ttntal 





U$ti> 



Whole No. 332. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 20. 



The All Hail Hereafter! 

From II. W. Emerson. 

And, henceforth, thorc nluiU bo uo clioliii 

Shvo, uudvmcath the wtv 
The wlrtM §haU mnmmr thro^ the mala 

Sweet iiongii of liberty. 

The conscious utArs necord above, 

The waters wild below. 
And under, thro* the cable wove, 

Uer fiery errands go. 



From the N. T. Courier & Enquirer. 

Bjmn to the Atlantic Cable. 

Bow, Science, bow thy head in awe, 

With lightning chain in hand, 
Be still, as through the ocean's depths, 

Thou blndcst land to land ; 

For thou bast wrought a miracle, 

Next to the Son of God, 
Thou walkost down on sea's dark floor. 

High on its waves He trod ; 

He holils the lightning in the'cloud, 

And thou within the wave, 
And wind and wave, which yield to Him, 

Thou hast had power to brare ; 

Then tremble thou before thyself, 

So near to Ood akin. 
That to thy hand His power comes, 

And seems to dwell therein ; 

And hushed and trambling thank the Lord 

For fuTor on thee shed. 
That thou, through sea with lightning chain, 

Two continonts hast wed. 

Peace hath her victories 
Ko leas renowned than war. 



Transhited for this Journal. 

Henri Heine about Mnsio and Mnsieians. 

VI. — Season of 1844 (continued) — Minor 
Pianists — Musical Marriages — Violin- 
ists — Ernst — Grand Opera — Spontini 
and Meyerbeer again — Grisi and Mario 
— ViARDOT Garcia. 

PiBis, April 26, 1844. 

The tranflition from the lion to the rabbit is 
somewhat abrupt. Yet I must not pass unno- 
ticed those tamer piano-players who have figured 
here this season. We cannot all be great pro- 
phets, and there must be also minor prophets, of 
whom twelve make a dozen. As the greatest 
among the little ones we name here Theodor 
Doehler. His playing is neat, fine, pretty, del- 
icate in feeling, and he has a quite peculiar man- 
ner of stretching out his hand in a horizontal 
level and striking the keys only with the curved 
tips of the fingers. After Doehler, Halle deserves 
special mention among the minor prophets ; he is 
a Habakuk of as modest as true merit I cannot 
avoid here also mentioning Her Schad, who, 
among piano-players, takes perhaps the rank 
which we assign to Jonas among the prophets. 
May no whale swallow him ! 

As a conscientious reporter, who has to give 
account not only of new operas and concerts, 
but also of all other catastrophes of the musical 
world, I must speak also of the many marriages 
that have broken out, or threaten to break out 
therein. I speak of real, life-long, highly respect- 
able marriages, not of the wild dilettante wedlock | 



which dispenses with the mayor in his tricoloi'ed 
scarf and with the blessing of the church. 
Chacun seeks now his Ckacune, Tlic messieurs 
artists dance along on suitors* feet, and warble 
hymeneals. The violin enters into matrimonial 
alliance with the flute ; the horn music will not 
be left out. One of the three most famous pian- 
ists* married rcccntlv the daughter of in all re- 
spects the greatest basslstf of the Italian Opera. 
The lady is beautiful, graceful, and intelligent. 
A few davs since we learned that still another 
distinguished pianist from Warsaw had entered 
the holy state of wedlock ; that he, too, had ven- 
tured out upon that deep sea for which no com- 
pass ever yet has been invented. Go on, bold 
sailor; push from shore. May no storm break 
thy rudder ! And now the report goes, that the 
greatest violinist whom Breslau has sent to Paris, 
is on the point of marrying here ; that this expert 
of the fiddle also has got tired of his quiet bach- 
elorship, and means to try the fearful, unknown 
other side. We live in a heroic period. Just 
now another famous virtuoso has become engaged. 
Like Theseus, he has found a charming Ariadne, 
who will lead him through the labyrinth of this 
life ; she will be at no loss for a clew of yam, 
since she is a seampstress. 

The violinists are in America, and we have 
had the most edifying accounts of the triumphal 
processions of Ole Bull, the Lafayette of the 

_ • 

puff, the reclame hero of two worlds. The man- 
ager of his successes had him arrested in Philar 
delphia, to compel him to pay the costs of his 
ovations. The hero paid, and no one can now 
say that the blond Norman, the geniiil fiddler, 
owes anybody for his fame. Here in Paris, mean- 
while, we have heard SivoRi. Portia would 
say : " God made him, and therefore let him pass 
for a man." Another time, perhaps, lawill over- 
come my disinclination to report upon this fid- 
dling emetic. Alexander Batta, too, has 
given a fine concert this year ;* he still weeps out 
his little child-tears on the great violoncello. On 
this occasion I might also praise Herr Semmel- 
MAN ; he needs it 

Ernst was here. He is more fond of playing 
only at friends' houses. This artist is loved and 
esteemed here. He deserves it He is the true 
successor of Paganini ; he has inherited the magic 
violin, wherewith the Genoese knew how to move 
stones, nay, even blockheads. Paganini, who with 
a light stroke of his bow now led us to the sun- 
niest heights, now let us look down into awful 
depths, possessed, to be sure, a far more demoni- 
acal power ; but his lights and shadows were at 
times too glaring, the contrasts too sharp, and his 
most grandose sounds of nature often had to be 
considei*ed as mistakes in Art Ernst is more 
harmonious, and the soft tints predominate with 
him. Yet he has a partiality for the fantastical, 
and even for the grotesque, if not indeed the 
scurrilous ; and many of his compositions remind 
me always of the legend-comedies of Gozzi, of 
the most adventurous masquerades, of the **Vene- 

* Thalberg. t Lablache. 



tian Carnival." The piece of music which is 
known by this name, and which was seized 
upon in the most shameless way by Sivori, 
is a most charming Cajmccio of Ernst. — 
This lover of the fantastical can also, if he will, 
be purely poetical, and I have lately heard a 
Nocturne by him, which was, as it were, dissolved 
in beauty. One fancied himself transported to 
Italian moonlight, with still cypress alleys, shim- 
mering white statues, and the dreamy plashing of 
fountains. Ernst has, as is well known, taken 
his dismission at Hanover, and is no longer royal 
Hanoverian concert-master. Tliat was no fit 
place for him. He were far more suited to con- 
duct the chamber music at the court of some fairy 
queen, as, for example, that of the Lady Mor- 
gane. Here he would find an audience that 
would understand him best, and among them 
many high and mighty personages, who are as 
appreciative of Art as they are fabulous : for in- 
stance. King Arthur, Dietrich of Bern, Ozier the 
Dane, &c. And what ladies would applaud him 
here ! The blonde Hannoccriennes may certainly 
^jp pretty, but they are mere heath-sheep in com- 
parison with a fairy Melior, with the Lady 
Abonde, with Queen Genoveva, the fair Melusi- 
na, and other famous lady personages, abiding at 
the court of Queen Morgane in Avaluu. At 
this court (and no other) we hope some day to 
meet the admirable artist, for we, too, have the 
promise of an advantageous situation there. 

Mat 1. 

The Academie-Royale-de-Musique, the so-called 
Grand Opera, is found in the Rue Lepelletier, 
about in the middle, and exactly opposite the 
restaurant of Paolo Bix)ggi. Broggi is the name 
of an Italian, who was once Rossini's cook. 
When the latter came, last year, to Paris, he 
visited the trattoria of his former servant, and 
after he had dined there, he stood a long time 
before the door, in deep reflection, gazing at the 
great opera building. A tear came into his eye, 
and when some one asked him why he seemed 
affected with such sadness, the great master an- 
swered, that *' Paolo had served up for him his 
favorite dish of old times, Ravioliy with Parmesan 
cheese, but that he was not in a condition to con- 
sume one half the portion, and even that op- 
pressed him now. He, who had once possessed 
the stomach of an ostrich, could scarcely bear as 
much as a love-sick turtle-dove ! " 

Wc do not undertake to say how far tlie old 
wag mystified his indiscreet inquirer. Let it suf- 
fice to-day, that we advise every friend of music 
to go and eat a mess of Ravioli at Broggi's, and 
then, lingering a moment before the door of the 
restaurant, contemplate the building of the Grand 
Opera. It is not distinguished by any brilliant 
luxury ; it has rather the exterior of a very re- 
spectable stable, and the roof is flat On this 
roof stand eight large statues, which represent 
the Muses. The ninth is wanting, and ah ! that 
ninth is just the Muse of Music. We hear the 
strangest explanations of the absence of this very 



154 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



estimable Muse. Prosaic people say, a tempestu- 
ous wind has hurled it from the roof. Minds 
mor^ poetic, on the other hand, maintain that the 
poor Polyhjinnia threw herself down, in a fit of 
desperation at the miserable singing of Monsieur 
Duprez. That is quite possible; the broken, 
glassy voice of Duprez has grown so discordant, 
that no morta], certainly no Muse, can bear to 
hear it. If it goes on at this rate, all the other 
daughters of Mnemosyne will fling themselves 
down from the roof, and it will soon be dangerous 
passing in the evening through the Rue Lepelle- 
tier. Of the bad music which for some time has 
prevailed here in the Grand Opera, I will not 
speak. Donizetti stil} remains the best, the 
Achilles. You may imagine, therefore, what the 
smaller heroes are. As I hear, too, this Achilles 
has retired to his tent ; he is out of humor, God 
knows why I and he has informed the Direction 
that he will not furnish the five-and-twenty prom- 
ised operas, since he feels disposed to rest What 
twaddle I It a windmill were to say the same, 
we should not laugh more. Either it has wind 
and turns, or it has no wind and stands still. 
But Donizetti has an active backer here, Signor 
Accursi, who always raises wind for him. 

The newest artistic enjoyment which the Acad- 
emy of Music has g^ven us, is the Lazzarone of 
Halevt. This work had a mournful fiite ; it fell 
through with drums and cymbals. As to its 
worth, I refrain from all expression ; I merely 
confirm the report of its terrible end. 

Every time that an opera falls through, or a 
remarkable Jiasco is made in the Academy of 
Music, or at the Buffo Theatre, you will remark 
there a mysterious, meagre figure, with pale 
countenance and coal-black hair — a sort of male 
gypsey granny, whose appearance always indi- 
cates a musical disajvter. The Italians, as soon as 
they see him, hastily stretch out the fore and 
middle finger, and say, That's the Jettatore, But 
the light-minded Frenchmen, who never have a 
superstition, merely shrug their shoulders and call 
that figure Monsieur Spontini. It is, in fact, 
our former general-director of the Berlin Grand 
Opera, the compoeer of Xa Vestale and Fernando 
Cortex, two splendid works, which will long keep 
fresh in the memory of men, and will long be 
admired, while the composer himself atones for all 
the admiration, and is nothing but a faded ghost 
that enviously haunts the world and frets itself 
about the lite of the hving. He can find nothing 
to console him for the fact that he is long since 
dead, and that the sceptre of his power has passed 
into the hands of Meyerbeer. The latter, the 
deceased maintains, has crowded him out of his 
Berlin, the place he always loved so much ; and 
any one who has the padence, out of sympathy 
for past greatness, to fisten to him, may learn, to 
a hair, what countless documents he has collected 
to lay bare the intrigues and conspiracies of 
Meyerbeer. 

The fixed idea of the poor man is Meyerbeer, 
and they tell the most amusing stories of the way 
in which his animosity proves always harmless by 
the admixture of excessive vanity. If any writer 
should complain of Meyerbeer, that he, for in- 
stance, has hot yet composed the poem which he 
sent him years ago, Spontini seizes suddenly the 
wounded poet's hand, exclaiming: ^Tai voire 
affaire, I take up your cause ; I know a means 
by which you may revenge yourself on Meyei^ 
be«r. It IS an infallible means, and it is this : do 



you write a great article about me, and the higher 
you appreciate my merits the more will Meyer- 
beer be vexed." Another time, a French minis- 
ter finds fault with the composer of the Huguenots, 
who, in spite of the urbanity with which he had 
been treated here, had still accepted a servile 
place at Court in Berlin, and our Spontini springs 
up to the minister in great glee, and exclums : 
** nPai voire affaire, you can punish the ungrateful 
fellow in the worst way. You can put a dagger 
into him, and that simply by nominating me 
grand officer in the Legion of Honor." Lately, 
Spontini finds poor Leon Fillet, the unfortunate 
director of the Grand Opera, in a towering pas- 
sion against Meyerbeer, who has just informed 
him, through M. Grouin, that he will not give the 
Prophtte yet, on account of the inferiority of the 
singers. How the eyes of the Italian sparkled 
then ! "J'at voire affaire,** he cried in ecstacy, 
^* I will give you a divine hint, how you may hu- 
miliate the ambitious wretch to death ; have me 
chiselled out life-dzc, set my statue in the foyer 
of the Opera, and this marble block will weigh 
like an Alp upon the heart of Meyerbeer." 
Spontini's state of mind is beginning to be a mat- 
ter of serious anxiety with his friends, particu- 
larly with the family of the rich piano manufac- 
turer, Erard, with whom he is connected through 
his wife. Recently some one found him in the 
upper halls of the Louvre, where the Egyptian 
antiquities are set up. The Ritter Spontini stood 
like a statue, with folded arms, for nearly an hour 
before a great mummy, whose sumptuous gold 
case indicates a king, that could be no less than that 
Amenophes, under whose government the chil- 
dren of Israel left the land of Egypt But at 
last Spontini broke his silence, and spoke as fol- 
lows : ^* Unhappy Pharaoh ! thou art the cause ot 
my misfortune. If thou hadst not suffered the 
children of Israel to go out of the land of Egypt, 
or if thou hadst only drowned them all en masse 
in the Nile, I should not have been crowded out 
of Berlin by Meyerbeer and Mendelssohn, and I 
should still continue to direct there the grand 
opera and the court concerts. Unhappy Pha- 
raoh, weak crocodile king, by thy half measures 
has it com^ to pass that I am now a ruined man ; 
and Moses, and Halevy, and Mendelssohn, and 
Meyerbeer have conquered ! " In this style does 
the wretched man hold forth, and we cannot re- 
fuse him our compassion. 

As regards Meyerbeer, as befi)re said, his 
Prophete is postponed for a long time yet. But 
he himself will not, as the journals recently an- 
nounced, take up his abode fixrever in Berlin. 
He will, as heretofore, spend alternately one half 
ot the year here in Paris, and the other half in 
Berlin, to which he has formally pledged himself. 
His situation reminds one somewhat of Proser^ 
pine, only that the poor maestro finds his hell and 
his hell torments here as well as there. We ex- 
pect him here again this summer, in this beautiful 
lower world, where already several scores of mu- 
sical he and she devils lie in wait for him, to howl 
his ears full. From morning till evening must he 
listen to sini^ers of both sexes, who wish to make 
their d^but here, and all his leisure hours are oc- 
cupied by the albums of travelling English ladies. 

There has been no lack of debutantes at the 
Grand Opera, this winter. A German made his 
debut as Marcel, in Les Huguenots. In Gei^ 
many, perhaps, he was only a big clown, with a 
hrwmning beer voice, and thought therefore he 



might appear as basso here in Paris. The fellow 
screams like a wild ass. Also a lady, whom I 
suspect to be a German, has produced herself 
upon the boards of the Rue LepeUetier. She is 
supposed to be extraordinarily virtuous, and sings 
very false. They do say that not only her song, 
but everything about her — ^her hair, two thirds of 
her teeth, &c., are all false ; that there is nothing 
genuine but her breath, and that compels the 
frivolous French to keep at a respectful distance. 
Our prima d9nna, Mme. Stolz, will not be able 
to sustain herself much longer ; the ground is 
undermined, and although, as a woman, she has 
all the cunning of her sex at her command, she 
will be overcome at last by the great Giacomo 
Machiavelli, who would like to see ViardotpGar- 
cia engaged in her place, to nng the chief rdle in 
the Prophet. Mme. Stolz foresees her finte ; she 
feels that even the partiality which the director 
of the Opera devotes to her, cannot help her in 
the least if the great master of the tone-art plays 
his cards ; and she has resolved, at her own free 
will, to leave Paris, never to return, and end her 
life in foreign lands. ^^Ingrata patria," said she 
recently, ^ ne ossa quidem mea habdfis." In fact, 
for some time she has actually consisted of mere 
skin and bones. 

At the Italiens, in the Opera Baffo» there have 
been quite as brilliant Jiascos, the past winter, as 
in the Grand Opera. There, too, there was 
much complaint about the singers, with this dif- 
ference : that the Italians often would not nng, 
and the poor French song-heroes could not sing. 
Only that precious pair of nightingales, Signor 
Mario and Signwa Grui, were always punctu- 
ally at their post in the Salle Yentadomr, and 
trilled forth the most blooming Spring, while, out- 
side, all was snow and wind, forte-jnano concerts, 
and Chamber of Deputies debates, and pc^a 
madness. Yes, these are charming nightingales, 
and the Italian Opera is the everlasdng singing 
wood, to which I often flee when wintry gloom 
beclouds me, as the frosts of life become intolerar 
ble. There, in the sweet comer of some covered 
box, one is again warmed up most agreeably, and 
does not at least grow bloodless in the cold. 
There the melodious enchantment turns to poesy 
what was but now coarse reality ; pain loses 
itself in flowery arabesques, and soon smiles the 
heart again. What rapture, when Mario sings 
and in the eyes of Grisi the tones of the beloved 
songster mirror themselves as if it were a visible 
echo! What delight, when Grisi sings, and in 
her voice the tender look and blissful smile of 
Mario are melodiously echoed! It is a lovely 
pair, and the Persian poet, who has called the 
nightingale the rose among birds, and the rose, 
again, the nightingale among flowers, "would here 
find himself in a quandary, for both of this pair, 
Mario and Grisi, are distinguished equally for 
beauty and for song. 

Unwillingly, in spite of that charming pair, do 
we miss here at the Buffos, Pauline Viardot, 
or as we prefer to call her, the Garcia. Her 
place is not supplied, and no one can supply it 
This is no nightingale that merely has a genre 
talent, and sobs and trills so exquisitely of 
Spring ; nor is she a rose, either, fcnr she is ugly, 
but of a sort of ugliness which is noble, I floight 
almost say beautiful, and which frequently 
excited the great lion-painter, Lacroix, to en- 
thusiasm ! In fact, the Garcia suggests less the 
civilized beauty and tame grace of our European 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1858. 



155 



home, than the terrible uplendor of an exotic 
wilderness ; and in many moments of her passion- 
ate delivery, especially when she opens her great 
mouth, with its dazzWufr white teeth, too wide, 
and smiles so grimly sweet and gracefully grinning, 
then one feels as if the most monstrous kinds of 
vejictation and of animals of Hindostan or Africa 
must spring into being ; one looks to see gigantic 
palms, all overhung with thousand-flowered lia- 
nas, shoot up; and one would not wonder, if 
suddenly a leopard, or a girafie, or a herd of 
young elephants, should run across the scene. 
We hear, with great satisfaction, that this singer 
is again on her way to Paris. 

Wot Dwisht^s Journal of MimIo. 

The Fatherland. 

From tlM Qerautn ofOmir. 

Across the dark green waters 

With swelling sail we flew, 
A band of joyoas spirits, 

A meny, motley crew ; 

Smch as, perchance, this mornings 

The wind together flings, 
And for and wide, to-morrow, 

Will scatter on its wings. 

One was by birth a Frcnchmnn, 
Came from the Riionc's pfreen strand ; 

Harvests of f^\A and vine-hills 
He called his nati^*c land. 

Far home another boasted 
Far Northland's rocky wall ; 

And Scandinavia's glaciers 
And ocean's crystal hall. 

Where, — a perpetual beacon, 
Vesavias snwkes and shines, 

A third had left his cradle 

O'erhang with blooming vines. 

To Germany's oak forests. 
The Alpine herdsman's track. 

And meadows of the Danube, 
J/y homesick tlxiaghts went back : 

** To all our homes a health, now 1 
Take each his glass in hand 1 

Not all, I trow, have sweethearts. 
Bat all, a Fatherland I " 



And each his brimming beaker 
With flaming glance drank dry ; 

Bat one stood, sea>ward gazing 
With mate and moamfoleye. 

It was a man from Venice, 
Who murmared all alone ; 

" Alas ! my home — my country 1 
Thorn art bnt water and stone ! 

*' Once blazed the sun of Freedom- 
Then lived and spake the stone; 

At dawn, like Memnon's music, 
Was heard its thrilling tone 1 

** Girdling the world with purple, 
The water rolled that dav, 

And flang its gorgeous rainbows 
To heaven in sparkling play. 

" Why art thou quenched forever, 
O glorioas sun ? and tliou. 

Ah, why, my home — my country 1 
But stone and water thou ? " 

Far out to sea in silence 
Long gazing, did he stand, 

And still, untouched, the beaker 
Held sparkling in his hand. 



Then, as a death-libation. 
He gave the sea the wine, 

Like sparkling tears in showers 
I saw the gold drops shine. 



C. T. B. 



Mile. Titlens. 

The London Morning Post has the following re- 
marks concerning Mile. Titiens and tlic present con- 
dition of opera generally : 

It is a preat pity that Mile. Titiens should bo 
obliged to leave us without having performed itoinc 
of tliose g:reat characters bclonpng to the hiph classic 
school of tragic opera, in which she now excels, we 
believe, evcir livinjif sinper. The only part of the 
kind Mile. Titiens has pln^ycd in £n);lan(l is that of 
Donna Anna in U Don Giouannij and it were super- 
fluous to tell our readers how greatly she succeeded 
in it, or how much that really grand imporsonution 
has contributed to the fame s*he now enjoys in this 
country. As the heroine of Beethoven s Fidelio, 
Gluck's Ipkigmia in Tauria, or Weber's Oberon, she 
would have ap])earod to tlie utmost advantage, im- 
proved Uie public taste, and—- os wo think, at least 
—have drown crowded houses. But in the present 
state of affairs managers are not, unhappily, always 
free to cIioom; their own course of action, even thouj^h 
that be the onlv right one ; and the dire necessity of 
conciliating^ a depra^'Od taste, and snccumbinfr to pre- 
judices, violent m proportion to their silliness, will 
account for many of the strange mistakes and short- 
comings which call, nevertheless, for the critic's ani- 
madversion. It may be very true that, where larjje 
commercial interests are at* stake, tlie public critic 
should exercise his vocation with circumspctioii — 
that if a series of articles in which the truth be very 
liarrthly told possess the power of closing up a large 
theatrical establishment, and throwing some hundreds 
of descr\-ing pei-sons " out of bread," as the phn«.sc 
goes, it is better, in one sense at least, that such arti- 
cles should not be published. It is proper, in short, 
to let meroy temper justice, and even to lean to mer- 
cy's side. 'But still, there is a point at which even 
kindness should stop ; and whatever respect may be 
due to the commercial interests of a management 
struggling with great difficulties, such as every man- 
agement in this country must necessarily enconnter, 
tlie critic's flrst and paramount duty is to tlie public 
in relation to the art he professes to criticize, and 
whose taste is wholly dependent upon the works most 
frequently set before them. Musical art is far too 
grand ani important a thing to be dealt lightly with. 
Its influence upon the passions and emotions — its 
power of ennobling and enervating the mind, of ex- 
citing the purest and deepest feelings of the soul, or 
of becoming a merely sensual, frivolous, and con- 
temptible pastime, according to the manner in which 
it is used, nns been known and recognized by all en- 
lightened and refined minds ever since the time of the 
ancient Greeks. Music, in short, like every other 
art which influences man's uaturo, is potent for good 
or evil ; and although it cannot present an unchaste 
image to the eye, or inculcate an immoral principle, 
it mav nevertheless produce something akin to both, 
namely, a state of feeling combining voluptuous lan- 
guor with vulgar enjoyment, whose tendency is to 
debase the mind and render it unsusceptible of great 
thoughts, which, however difTerently they may be ex- 
pressed in various arts, have all the same source. — 
We know of nothing more humiliating to a lover of 
true music tlian to obsen-e the silly delight of some 
people while listening to the vapid strains of motlem 
Italian opera. The blank, idiotic vacuity of their 
countenances, the meaningless wave of the out- 
stretched hands,— do they not faithfully reflect the 
imbecility of the music 1 Nolwdy in his senses, we 
believe, would suppose such results could emanate 
from an intellecmal source. We may very possibly 
be preaching in the Desert ; but still, when season 
after season passes without any sign of improvement 
— when Italian opera-houses are springing up around 
us like mushrooms, and works of the lowest order of 
art fbrm the staple attractions at all of them, it is 
really time to remind the public that there is such a 
thing as fine operatic music in existence— that there 
might Ik5 much more if they would have it so— and 
to endeavor at least to uphold the true standard of 
art, upon which are emblazoned so many immortal 
names, if we cannot succeed in making it popular, as 
it ought to be. No man having any voice in public 
affairs of art should allow such a state of things to 
exist without entering his protest, if it be but occa- 
sionally, against it, for it is something to maintain 
people s belief in an important truth, even if we can- 
not make them love it 

Mile. Titiens, the great tragic queen of the Ger- 
man lyric stage, is about to leave us without having 



been aflbrdcd opportunities lor displaying half her 
genius, which shines most brightly in the works of 
the greatest masters, and the prevalence of modem 
Itiiliunism is the cause. Thus have the above gen- 
eral reflections been forced upon us ; but it should 
Ix; at the same time understood that tliey apply with 
equal force to all our Italian opera-houses, and must 
by no means be limited to tlic establishment immedi- 
ately under notice. Everywhere is Verdi rampant, 
and* everywhere, as a necessai-y consequence, is an 
attempt made to trample the classic standai-d in the 
mud. Mile. Titiens was of course unable to contend 
with snch overwhelming circumstances as those which 
surrounded the commencement of her career in this 
country, and therefore appeared in parts like Leonora 
in // Troratore, and Lucrczia in Lttcrezia Borgia^ re- 
ser\'ing others more worthy of her powers for a fu- 
ture season, when the magic of her genius, then bet- 
ter known and appreciated, may possibly make even 
the habitues of the Italian opera swallow a classic 
dose or two with something like resignation. Of 
Mile. Titiens' efforts in modem Italian opera we pre- 
fer her last, viz., the impersonation of Lucrezia Bor- 
gia. Making due allowance for a certain constraint 
imposed upon her by a strange language,.the peculiar 
requirements of unmitigated Italian music, and the 
knowledge that other singers ' to the manner bora ' 
had already played the same part on the London 
stage with immense success, we cannot 1 nt think the 
gifted German's performance a triumph in its way. 
Physically, she is perfectly well suited to the charac- 
ter.' Her tall, stately, ancl elegont figure— her largo 
eye, flashing command — the full, magnificent voice, 
so capable of expressing all the stormy or pathetic 
accents of lyric tragedy — are most assuredly eonal to 
the requirements of t)onizetti's heroine ; ana it is 
almost Hupcrfluous to add, that an artistic mind which 
could grasp the whole meaning of a part like Mozart's 
Donna Anna, and express that meaning so dearly 
and iKjautifully, is not wanting in power to realize 
such a conception as Lucrezia Borgia. Briefly, then, 
nobody ac(|nninted with the physical and mental 
abilities of Mile. Titiens will doiibt for a moment 
that she is more fitted for the due portrayal of the 
part — ^her personation of which immediately concerns 
us — than any other yonng artist at present upon the 
Anglo-Italian stage. We remark, indeed, in her con- 
ception a grandeur and ideality, and in her execution 
a temperance and smoothness,' which give new value 
to the composer's notes, materially mitigate the tur- 
gid, vainglorious fury of his bom(>ast, and even im- 
part something like 'dignity to his meretricious friv- 
olity. Once, and ouce only, throughout the opera, 
does Mile. Titiens descend from the heights of lyric 
tragedy, and address herself to the cars rather than 
to the minds of her audience ; and this is to show 
what, perhaps, her greatest admirers did not previ- 
ously suspect — namely, that, in addition to her other 
unsurpassable and well-known abilities, she is a com- 
plete mistress of the art of florid vocalization. We 
allude to Mile. Titiens' execution of the cabaletta of 
the air, * Com* 6 IhjHo,' which is remarkable for rapid 
fluency, as it is for decorative fancy and rich bril- 
liancy' of tone. Never before, in our recollection at 
least, was so much effect given to this particularly 
insipid tune. For us, however, the softly-intense and 
exquisitely mellow tones, ' in I inked -sweetness long- 
drawn out,* of her * Com' e licllo ' and ' Ama tua 
madre,* colored as they are by dramatic sentiment of 
the traest kind, have much greater charms. Although 
it is not even in these instances that Mile. Titiens' 
' fiery and original virtue ' can appear in all its na- 
tive force and fulness, or rise to the height of poeti- 
cal rapture, it is enabled to reach it in later scenes of 
the o])era, namely, those which terminate the first 
and second acts, where the heart-rending accents of a 
mother's agony, wrung from the depths of a * divine 
despair' — the stem, haughty, scornful courage, and 
blood-thirsty fierceness of the Borgin — are by turns 
portrayed by the gifted artist with harrowing tmthful- 
ncss. 

Wild Mosio in London. 

From the Athemeum, July 17. 

What a Baliel of muj^ic is this capital ! — ^with Pif- 
ferari from the Abruzzi in the streets — an organ as 
large Jis a sea-side cottage, including an orchestra 
and a marion^te Ixillet, drawn by a hoi-se (a cruel in- 
stniment of torture this ! because heavy to move) 
Highland pipers with their flings at our own comer 
— two rival German hands at our neighbor's — not to 
speak of the mulligatawny-colored individual, in a 
muslin turl)an, who sings' his song (is it a song?) 
while he busily pats the parchment of his tam-tam in 
exact time, as lie lounges along. Then the black 
musicians, genuine and fictitious (principally the lat- 
ter), seem to have taken their places among the insti- 
tutions of the metropolis ; and not merely in the 
Strand or " down East," but in the West End also 



156 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



not alono as attractions to the shades, or Saloon, or 
Cvder Cellar, Imt in the " halls of dazzling li^ht," 
which a Mr. Owen Jones bedecks so as to ^^ivc Picca- 
■ dilly a peep into his own Alhamhra, Mr. Mitchell 
has much to answer for, in having first loosed the 
inky troop of serenadcrs on London. Durin;^ the full 
season the street dclijrhts are drowned bv the roar of 
carrian^s and the rattle of the omnibus ; while /Joiies 
and Banjo, as concert-givers, hardly come to the sur- 
face — thanks to the superior attractiveness of " white 
music," directed by Messrs. Costa and Benedict, Dr. 
Wylde, Prof. Bennett and Mr. Hullah. Now, when 
stagnation is rapidly approaching, and when silence 
out-of-doors and in-4oors would be sweet, this wild 
music breaks out with a spiteful violence. It is 
needless to obser\'e how intrinsically worthless arc 
such exhibitions. They arc frequented for the sake 
of the lamp-black, the woolly wijjs, the g^rimaces, and 
the rattle of the bones ; and this by people who should 
know better. Yet (as was said when the Hutchinson 
family were here) out of the cooking-np of opera-airs 
and caricatures of such faded ballads as load the 
counter of Messrs. Cramer & Co. by the thousand — 
out of the odd tw^ists and chords stuffed into them, 
which these sable folk exhibit, may possibly come in 
later days a set of national melodies as characteristic 
as the tunes of Ireland, Scotland or Wales. Such — 
as we have said a tliousand times — do we inmgine to 
have been the growth, bv degrees, of much, if not all, 
wild music — the primal forms of melody being almost 
as few as primal faery talcs. The nine Swedish Sing- 
era who aix3 now appearing in the smaller St. Janifs's 
IlaU, stand in a aiflferent catcfrory. How far their 
costumes arc genuine in their diHcrence — whimsically 
reminding us as they do of Quakers, firemen, Arme- 
nians, peasants from the Black Forest — we do not 
pretend to declare ; but their sinping is good enough 
of its kind to carry off any wildness or whimsy of 
costume. Their voices arc vcrv tuneful, aiid nicclv 
managed — with a tone of the same quality as gives 
its fascination to Madame Goldschmidt's voice : and 
which thus we may fairly imagine to be gencrically 
national. They sing very well together, and their 
music, though not as characteristic and startling as 
the hill-tunes which the Kaincrs brought us (and with 
them the pathos and solitude of the Alps, into the 
midst of our close, crowded English cities), has a 
charm and a quality of its own ; and if it be made 
up — not altogether in a state of natui-c — it is tveU 
made up. Their performana^s, which arc to us full 
of interest, are diversified by the violin-playing of 
Mdllc. Ilumler. No offence to Madame Parmentier, 
fonnerly Mdlle. Milanollo^no scandal to more than 
one old Italian St. Cecilia — her instrument is one 
which always looks more or less grotesque in female 
hands^but", with the exception of Madame Parmen- 
tier, wo have never seen a woman wield the violin — 
and coax it and make it udk, in a more masterly fash- 
ion than this very young lady, who, we perceive, has 
been taught her craft by M. Alanl, of Paris. 

Boston Mcsic School. — This institution was 
incon)orated in May, 1857, since which time it has 
been m successful operation. 

The plan on which this school is organized fur- 
nishes instruction to pupils in vocad and instrumental 
music, and in musical composition. The study or 
the piano-forte and harmony is enjoined upon each 
pupil, and that of singing, or of any orchestral in- 
strument is optional, either as a primary or a second- 
ary study. The pupil, however, can study only in 
three bnmchcs in one term, ond in each branch two 
lessons a week will 1« given, all of which instruction 
is included under the same price of tuition. 

This is the first institution of the kind organized in 
this country, and it promises to be to America what 
the music schools in Oennany, Paris and Italy arc to 
Europe. The importance and value of such facili- 
ties for instniction as the Iward of managers of this 
school present, cannot be overstated. By a judicious 
arrangement the instniction, which is impaited by 
practical aa well as theoretical teachers, is em]>hatic- 
ally thorough in every department, and is given at a 
verv low price. 

I'he want of such an institution has long l)ccn felt 
in our community, and it cannot lie doubted that the 
efforts of those who have established it, and the pe- 
culiar advantages it ofTen*, will Iks proj)erly appreci- 
ated and encouraged. Pupils of both sexes are ad- 
mitted, and, except in choral practice, their instruction 
will be kept entirely distinct. Pupils can enter the 
school at any stnge of their musical progress, and the 
course of their studies will be arranged by the Board 
of Instniction. A new term will commence on the 
first Monday of October next. — Tnwscrij)t. 



A Large Organ. — The Roman CatholicCFrench) 
Parish Church of Montreal, that large and magnifi- 
cent edifice, the admiration of strangers in the city, 
has recently been supplied with a large organ, pro- 



portionate in size to the vastncss of the liuilding. 
Although not yet completed, the central section has 
lx?en up nnd is now in operation. The builder is 
Samuel W. Warren, of Montreal. He began the 
work in Xovenibcr, 1857. The central section m'us 
completed and performed upon on the 24th of June 
Inst, the anniversary of St. Jean Bnptiste, to the de- 
light nnd satisfaction of a congrcgntion nnmlwring 
over 10,000 persons. The remaining two sections 
are in course of construction, and when fully com- 
pleted the dimensions of this immense organ will be 
fifty feet in height, forty-five feet wide, and twentv 
feet in depth; number of pipes, 4698 (some of which 
weigh 12 cwt.) four sets of manucls; one set of ]X*d- 
als, 2j octaves, with twelve stops ; six large bellows 
(to be worked by water power) and eighty-nine (lifTcr- 
cnt stops. The pneumatic lever is to be applied to 
each of the manucls distinctly, and also distinctly or 
separately to the manuel complete. To the pedal 
oi^n there will be a double set of pneumntic lovers; 
but the most elal)orate use of this power will be found 
in its application to the combination of stops. Here 
we have it exhibited in a compound form to each 
organ individua\]y, and to the whole collectively ; 
where, by one operation, the player is enabled to pro- 
duce a combination of stops upon the instniment al 
once. This movement is effected by a series of knobs, 
about two inches apart, placed irrimediately in front 
and under each set of manuels, occupying a centre 
position, always within reach of one or other of tlic 
performer's thumbs. The registers extend through- 
out the entire compass of the key-board, without any 
exce])tion. Mr. Warren has made an important im- 
provement in the construction of the pedal keys of 
this oi^an, which are concave at the centre, thereby 
obviating the necessity of describing a semi-circle m 
the movement of the foot from side to side, or stretch- 
ing of the leg, heretofore so embarrassing to the per- 
former. The cost of this organ, when fully com- 
pleted, will be S20,000. 

A Piano with Pedal Obligato. 

The following is from a French journal, Le Mai- 
trise : 

If the number of clever organists has always been 
limited, this fact has resulted from the difiiiulty of 
procuring an instniment on which they could prar-, 
tise. Organs arc rarely to be found except in churches- 
where it is difficult to make them ser\'e the pnr 
poses of study. The organist is, therefore, in nioJt 
cases, compelled to practise on a piano, and to this 
he resigns himself so willingly, that a too prevalent 
opinion has, in some measure, made pianist the syno- 
nyme of organist, although between the two instrn- 
ments there is but one point of resemblance, viz., the 
kcy-lK)ard. The touch, the fingering, tlie stylo of 
miisic, are all difiTerent ; and the pedals, which con- 
stitute at once the main difficulty of the organist, are 
wanting in the piano. And yet it is only by long 
practice that the or<;anist can make himself m.istcr of 
his instniment, anu obtain full command of the mag- 
nificent play of thiity-two feet which they alone put 
in action, and which produce the deepest grave tones 
that the ear can perceive. The difficulty of his «udy 
consists chiettv in the peculiar and complicated fing- 
ering required in order to enable the organist to link 
together the sounds pro<Iilccd, even in the most rapid 
passages. An attempt had been made, before the in- 
vention of the piano, to adapt a system of pedals to 
the harpsichord. A similar system has since been 
applied to tlie piano by one of our most skilfnl man- 
ufacturers, who, however, merely borrowed from that 
instrumant its hammers and strings, which were acted 
ujwn by the feet instead of by the hands. This sys- 
tem, wfiich has the advantage of setting free the feft 
hand, adds little to the possil>ilities of the instrument. 
It is the application of the j)^Jalt tirasae of tlic organ 
to the piano. 

A distinguishe*! musician, M. Augnste Wolff, head 
of the house of Pleyel, Wolff, and Co., has recently 
invented a Pednlier forming an instrument indcpencl- 
ent in itself, having its own strings and hammers, 
as well as its own peculiar meclianism. This instru- 
ment is not cumbrous, and innV be conveniently in- 
troduced into the smallest apartments. It is a kind 
of armoire placet! upright against the wall ; the per- 
former seating himself on a bench attached to the 
front of the instrument, which may bo raised or let 
down at pleasure. The pedals are under his feet ; 
and a piano of any kind, upright, square, or grand, 
is placed before him. The height of the P^dalier 
allows its strings to be unusually long and thick; 
while the dimension of the sonnet ing-l)oard, propor- 
tionately large for a key-board of two octaves and 
a-half, impaiis a peculiar richness and power to its 
tones. In the best grand pianos, the last octave, and 
especially the last fifth, is composed of notes lacking 
both tone and clearness. In the P/tlalier of M. 
Augnste Wolff, the last ut is as pure and a£ fall as 



that of the best flnt;^-Btop of 1 6 feet. As in the organ, 
in which a play of eight is always added to a ])Iay of 
16 feet, M. Augnste Wolff, with a view to modify 
the gniTiry of the thick .strings of his instru- 
ment, has united with them finer sttings which pro- 
duce at the same time the orta« next above. 
The prolonged vibration is of remarkable fnliichs. 
This lieautiful inatnimcnt has the advantage of being 
attainable at a moderate price ; therefore it apjicars 
to ns that it will f)efonnd to be widely nsefnl. Hence- 
forth, by its aid, the organist will ?ie enabled to siwdy, 
in his own room, the most complicated orgnn-music ; 
the pianist may familiari/e himself with the nnmcrons 
rhffs-d'eairTT of the great mastcra written with pedal 
of^iffQto ; and composers for the piano trP.} find new 
resources in this instrument, which we believe is des- 
tined to become the com]ikment 'of every grand 
piano." 

Wc hRTc inR]>ccted and tested the PHlfihW, wliieh 
is now on riew in I^ndon. When the makers have 
obtained the full benefit o( Engli>h organi»tic experi- 
ence, and have acted npon the advice giren them, the 
instrument will doubtless he extremely valuable. At 
present the pedals are most inconveniently located. 
Provision sliould be made for their extending at least 
a foot further under the piano^forte. By the arrange- 
ment of the P^niier and its • bench ' (for sining) 
exhibited to ns, the stadent was efl'ectaally di-harred 
from anything aj^oaching a pleasant practice ef 
any pedal fupne. This must be remedied ; notice 
must be served to iw that the remedy hn.* taken place; 
and then wesh:ill lye haf/py to caTl attention to one ef 
the most 8irff{dc yet hnportnnt inrcntions that has for 
some time been jmblnibcd. — /jm, J/if«. Cuz. 

A ITniform Diapason. 

The lif/mifetfr of WciJncsday rontaina a decree of 
the Minister of State inKtitating a cominis.«ion to de- 
vise means oi establi>hing in Fr.incc a uniform ma- 
sical diapason ! The f^eamblc of the decree of the 
French Minister of St»te is as fiilloirs : *' CoB/<idcr- 
ing that tfic elevation, ronstnntly increfc»»ng of the 
diapason fa-escnts inconvcnk'nccs by which masical 
art, musical eoiTi]iosers, artists, and maHcal instni- 
ment makers, have equally s»fl>red ; considering that 
the diftbrcnce which c.vists between diapasons in dif- 
ferent coimtries, in difitrcnt musical estaf>nshn»onts 
and manufactories, is a soun-e of eaiharras^ment in 
genend, nnd of drtticafties hi commcreial relations, a 
commission is instituted," &c. The commi^sion will 
consist, amongst oihew, of two prof, ssors of phTsi< », 
and the following composers' — Aalcr, Berlioz, lial^- 
vy, Meyeri»cer, Bossini, and Ambroisc Thomas. — 
There are, I dare sav, manv who will be rcadv to 
smile at this decree as a frirofons hitcrventton of the 
State ; \m% 1 fancy the present generation in Engfantf 
have ovcTTome the preindiccs of theh- fnthera ag:nnst 
an art so comprehensive in ks stndy amT eflects a» 
music, and the fl'elinir must be now general that the 
English Government might do more than it has tfone 
for the encounigcmcnt of the higher branches of ma- 
sical edncaiion. *' Tonic sol-fas," and other fringing 
establishments fm the voluntarv svstem, arc excelTint 
after their kind, bnt they will never, anashi'sted, create 
an English school of dramatic composition. I be- 
lieve it has been long agitated in nin>ical circles to 
establish a uniform diapason throughont Europe. The 
present is a c^ood opportaoity to revi^'e the idea. 
— Lon, 3/ffi. Gaz. 



The Music Show at Sydenham. 

(from Pnneb,> 



To their Flower Shows aiMl Shower Flows {\hn 
latter word has birth in the iqiray of the Great Fomi- 
tains) the Directoiw of the Crystal Palat-e now arc 
wisely adding MD.«ic Shows. Unthinking minds 
fixwiry that, as mtisic is addressed to the ejir, not to 
the eye, it is somewhat of a Taurism to sav there has 
been a " Show " of it. Bnt a concert lite last Fri- 
day's, with its acre of performei'a, and its square mi>e 
or more of audience, appealed not less to the ocular 
than to the aural sense. A blind man or a deaf on« 
might alike have been delighted with il. Besides, 
whoever cavils at onr calling it a Music Show may 
be silenced by a reference to the official programme. 
The concert is there termed a Choral Demonstration ; 
and Dr. Johnson's synonym for this big word is 
Show. Qfiod nat Demongtraudnm. Argal, PuncA is 
right, OS usual, in his coinage ; and, ns the worda 
struck from his mint invariably pass current, the next 
" Grand Choral Demonstration " will be more simply 
cnlle<l a Music Show, and will not upon that acconnt, 
Punrh bets, prove less attractive. 

Opera-goers arc well used to hear masic in a hot- 
house ; and there therefore was small fear that Sir 
Joseph Paxton'fl greenhouse wonld l)c fonnd too hot 
to hold them. Indeed, grilled as they've been lately, 
with thermometers at midnight standing at 100 d'e- 



i 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1858. 



157 



p-ccs in the coolest shade pro«nr:i1)lc — that is, we 
should sav, in the shade of Aristocracv — wc think 
that the hdtiturs of Covcnt Garden and Hit Miijesty's 
mnat have felt a new scnKation in listA^nin;^ to music 
in a comfoitnhlc tcmpcmturc, and where they couUl 
respire without the exercise of fanning. Moreover, 
in a floral point of view, the prcat grecn-bouso at 
Sydenham sui-passes hoth the Ix)ndon hot-houses. 
The hoquctii in Covcnt Garden are growing more 
and more gigantic every season, but they ain*t 
quite vet come up to the Crystal Talace flower-bask- 
ets ; and tliere is no green in the eves of tlie frequen- 
ters of the Haymarket, so freshly yerdant as the 
leaves of tlte omnge-trces at Sydenham. Compari- 
sons are " odorous ; " hut, even in a nasal point, the 
C. P. has just now undoubtedly the Ix^st of it. 

Wo arc sure the dauntless Lumlcy and the indefat- 
igable Gye do everything they ciin to keep their 
houses in good odor. But fresh air in I/)ndon is not 
BO cosily imported as fresh pine-apples and chenics ; 
and, disguise it as we may with pleasanter perfumery, 
there is just now an all-pervading something in the 
air (an air-dresser might christen it Boqnet de. Zre Ta- 
mhfif or Concentrated Sewer Scent) wliich, follow our 
noses wliere wc may, we can't, in town at least, get 
out of them. 

But how about the mn<ic ? cries some unbiassable 
critic, who has in his wisdom been reserving his opin- 
ion until he ascertain what Mr. Punch's may Iks. We 
regret to disappoint hitn, but our hatred of routine 
will not allow us to indulge in musical criiicisra. 
Critics must, look elsewhere for the cut-nnd-dried 
phrases on which they pin their faith. Mr. Pumrh 
went to the Music Show solely to enjoy himself; and 
he therefore cleared his mind of all idea of Insing 
critical. Mr. PancJi has a notion (it may l>e a mis- 
taken one), that tlic man who, at a concert, listens as 
ft critic, can't have much en.joymcnt in it. The hear- 
in? of the music is a business, not a pleasure to him. 
W^ith his «ar8 stretched to their utmost to detect the 
flaws, he has no aurel power left him to n])pre('iato 
tlic beauties. To write about a concert without men- 
tioning the mn;Hc will certainly lie vai-ving from the 
regular routine ; and, as variety is dianning, Mr. 
Pinch by tliis couree will best keep up his chamcter. 

Nevertheless, as in these days of llampant Puscy- 
isra some sort of auricular confession will douhtless 
be expected of him, J/r. Punch (spe.iking not as pro- 
fessed critic, but a^J orte who has enjoyed it) is " free 
to own " that the Music Show at Sydenham was as 
plca.<ant as the temperature in which he sat and list- 
ened to it. In lioth respects the green-house had the , 
better of tlw hot-hou'*. The varietl bill of fare 
which was presented at the Sydenham feast formed 
an appcticing contrast to the tonjonrs VWdi diet 
with which the British opera-goer lias of late been 
sickened. The morcffiHx of Mozart and Mendelssohn 
and lloaPtlicef (this latter is the musical synonym for 
Handel), which were put Iwfore us last Friday after- 
noon, showed that Mr. Co«<ta, the celebrated chff, was 
as choice in his selection as in his serving up. Every 
dainty flish was fit to he "set l)cfi)re a king;" and 
Kinff Punch is pleased accordingly to intimnrc His 
relish of them, and to state that, long before His au- 
ral feast was finished, tlic taste of TraviaUi was clean 
gone from His mouth. 



glnsital Corrtspnhntt, 



««*«^Mi^«M^^IMMM 



mm^t^t^^t^^^i^t^^0^m*^^^»^t^^^^^^»i^*^^0^0^^^*^t^^^^>^^^^^^^^^^t^^t^^i^^^^»^^^^^^^ 



New YoRJt, Aco 2. — Of course, during the dog 
days, little to say about music. There are niniors of 
ftttHiv oi)eratic movements, Imt little more than you 
hare alreiulvlwcn informed of. Thev say Buigxoli 

W ft • 

has been offered a flattering engagement at the Italian 
Opera in I*aris, and will pixjbably accept it, first 
opening our fall searon in New York. Ma.rbtzek's 
great open air Musical Festival in Jones's Wood, (uf 
which I hope to speak at farther lengtli in my next,) 
has been postponed for a few days, in consequence of 
wet weather, 

I spent last Sunday with a friend in New Haven, 
making my first visit to that delightful city. Every- 
body knows what a lovely place it is ; how neat and 
beautiful are the houses, each isolated in its own little 
court-j-ard, and emiwwered by shrubl^ry ; how beal^ 
tiful the view from East Rock ; how noble the Park, 
omamente<l by tlie three old churches, and flanked by 
the buildings of Yale College ; and above all, how 
magnificent the stately elms, with their interlacing 
foliage, and noblo Gothic naves! Beechor, in his 
" Star Fape»," tbua discoursctli about this noblo 
tree: 



" No other tree is at all comparable to the elm. 
The ash is, when well grown, a fine ti^ee, but clumpy. 
The maple has the same chamcter. The horse ehes- 
luit, the linden, the mulberry, and poplar, are all of 
them plum]), round, fat trees, not to be despised, snre- 
ly, but representing single dendrological ideas. The 
oak is venerable by association, and occasionally a 
specimen is found possessing a kind of grim and 
ragged glory. But the elm, a lone monarch of trees, 
combines in itself the elements of variety, size, 
strength, and grace, such as no other tree known to 
us can at all approach or remotely rival. It is the 
idcfU of trees — the true Absolute Tree! 'Jits main 
tnmk shoots up, not round and smooth, liko an over- 
fattcd lymphatic tree, but channeled and corrugated, 
as if its athletic muscles showed their proportions 
through the bark, like Hcreules' limbs through his 
tunic. Then suddenly the whole idea of growth is 
changed, and multitudes of long, lithe branches radi- 
ate from the crotch of the tree, having the effect of 
straightncss and strength, yet really diverging and 
cui-ving until the outermost portions droop over and 
give to the whole top the most faultless grace. If one 
should at first say that the elm suggested ideas of 
strength and uprightness, on looking acrain he vit)uld 
correct himself, and say that it was majestic, uplifting 
beauty that it chiefly represented. But if he first had 
said that it was graceful and magnificent beauty, on 
a second look he would correct himself, nnd say that 
it was vast and rugged strength that it set forth. 
But at length ho would say neither ; he would say 
both ; he would say that it expressed a beauty of 
majestic strength, and a grandeur of graceful beauty. 
A village shaded thoroughly by grown elms cannot 
but be handsome. Its house's may \ye huts ; its streets 
may lie as diity as New York, and as frigid as Phila- 
delphia ; and yet these inst majestic tabernacles of the 
air would rejlecm it to beauty. These are temples 
indeed ; living temples, neither waxing old nor sliat- 
tcred by time, that cracks and shatters stone, but 
rooting wider with every genenition, and casting a 
vaster round of grateful shadow with eveiy summer. 
]Ve had ratfier uxdk beneath an avenue, of elms than in- 
spert the nnfJest cathedral that art ever accomplished. 
^V^lat is it that brings one into such immediate per- 
sonal and exhilaniting svmpathy with such venerable 
trees ? One instinctively uncovers as he comes Imj- 
ncnth thorn ; he looks np with proud veneration into 
the receding and twilight recesses ; he breathes a 
thanksgiving to God every time his cool foot falls 
along their shadows." 

One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen, 
was the park at New Haven upon the moonlight night 
we were there. The Capitol building stood out clear 
and cold, in its Grecian majesty, while behind it a 
few liglits twinkling amid the foliage betrayed the 
locality of old Yale. The Episcopal church, its grey 
walls covered with ivy, stood near by, silent and 
dark, while the t^vo other churehes were brilliantly 
illuminated, and from their interior the sacred music 
of the choirs swelled out upon the quiet night. Far 
over the foliage of the elms arose, in majestic and 
ghostly whiteness, the noble spire of the Central 
Church, bathed in moonlight, while the lovely walks 
beneath the elms were enlivened by idle wanderers 
who quietly listened to the church music, or softly 
whispered to each other as they strolled along, ever 
and anon stopping to admire the magical effect of 
the moonlight as it crept in, here and there, through 
the interetices of the heavy foliage. I have seen 
moonlight nights in Florence, in Bome, in Venice, 
but nowhere is a moonlight night more exquisitely 
lovely than that Sunday night in the Park of New 
Haven. 

They have some very good church music in New 
Haven, withal. At the Central Church there is a 
fair organ, a skilful player, and a large and tolerably 
well-trained choir; but I was particularly pleased 
with the music in the adjacent Episcopal church. 
An admirable quartet (the contralto of which is de- 
serving of great praise,) is ably seconded by a tasteful 
organist, whose name I did not learn. Of course, 
one cannot jndge of the merits of a performer from 
hearing him at a single sen'ice ; but from what I did 
hear, my only objection to this gentleman's playing is 
a lack of vim. He must be careful that his tasteful, 
elegant style does not become cloying from monot- 
ony. Another remark : Why does a capable organ- 
ist omit the customary final voluntary ? Such an 



omission looks as if it proceeds either from laziness 
or snobbishness. I do not, either, understand why an 
excellent choir like this should allow the deigyman 
to read the Te Deum. This noble canticle loses half 
of its grandeur when divorced from music. Small 
country choirs may bo excused for adding its rendi- 
tion to the duties of the clei-g^'man, but I do not see 
why a competent city dioir should do so. Witli this 
exception, I think the music of this excellent quarfet 
will 'give a great satisfaction to any of our readers 
who may visit the city and feel inclined to attend this 
church. They sang, the morning I was present, the 
beautiful h3rmn: "Rise, my soul, and stretch thy 
wings," with as much taste and effect as I have over 
heard. 

So after dating New York a letter about New 
Haven, I will close before allowing myself an oppor- 
tunity of indulging in further similar Ilibornianisms. 

Trovatob. 



PiTTSFEiLD, Mass., Aug. 5. — ^Last evening, al- 
though it was rainy and unpleasant, a select number 
of ladies and gentlemen attended a soir^ of the 
" Mendelssohn Musical Institute," given at the close 
of their summer term. The pieces performed seemed 
to give general satisfaction. Among thcin were so- 
natas of Beethoven, Mozart, Kuhlau, and Diabelli ; 
songs by Mendelssohn, both with and without words, 
vocal and instrumental. The beautiful song, "Wenn 
die Schuxdben heimwiirts ziihn" by Abt, was very 
correctly nnd sweetly rendered by a modest young 
lady pupil ; and the closing sonata, for four hands, 
by Mozart, was greatly admired, both for its intrinsic 
beauty and for the purity and delicacy of its render- 
ing by the young ladies, the notes seeming to drop 
pearl-like from the fair hands, which appeared not to 
tremble at all ; though it is doubtless as true now as 
ever, that we must not " trust to appearances." But 
in mv mind the utmost satisfaction was felt in know- 
ing that these pieces were not studied for display or 
exhibition ; but they have made a portion of those 
which form the daily study of the pupils, and are se- 
lected from many similar ones which they are capable 
of performing. Those who liave fonnerly been pres- 
ent at these soirdcs, noticed a marked progress in the 
style and execution of the performers, as few remain 
at the M. M. Institute for a less time than a year. 
Although it has been in existence but little more than 
two years, it has received eighty-three pupils, who 
have given fifry-one public soiixfes, which have no 
doubt had a beneficial influence upon all who have 
attended them, in elevating the taste and cultivating 
a love for the truly pure and beautiful in the divine 
art. May this Musical Institute continue thus pros- 
perous ; and in the ascending path they have chosen. 

We bid its founders God speed ! 

CLASSicrs. 



Mariox, Ala., July 20. — Being a constant read- 
er of your Journal, and noticing reports musicale 
from almost all sections of the world, I venture an 
intimation of the existence of Music and musical 
peiformances in this section of cotton and com. 

Native original plantation music, with fiddle and 
banjo accompaniment, has so long assumed the as- 
cendency, that although the old folks will, for the 
sake of the rising generation, don their best habili- 
ments and endure a peifonnance, still, afler going 
through the torture, they will, Anth much pleasure 
solicit some one to " give *em a tune." 

Notwithstanding all this, there has been, and now 
is, much attention given to the musical education of 
young ladies, many of whom can give you a lively 
specimen of showy execution, as the grand test point 
of climacteric excellence — in a piece by SchulhofF, 
Voss, or Wallace, to the extent of one or two compo- 
sitions as a " show oflf" for reserved occasions — but, 
as a test of musical attainments, the scales in simple 
form would suflFer. The object does not seem to bo 



158 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



n 



80 much a musical education as the ability to enter- 
tain a few friends with some lively pollea,* hornpipe, 
oi" ji^i (amonf; whom that species of music is always 
predominant, the faster played the greater the cnedit); 
or some ballad in simple form, in which the vxn-ds 
are the only thing listened to ; so that, to attain an 
enviable popularity, one must either amuse or as- 
tonish. 

During the past year there has been much done in 
the cause of Music in Alnbamn, at the " Judson Fe- 
male Institute," under the direction of '* Pi*ofes*K)r" 
Pond, recently from New York. At the concert 
given during the winter season, and more recently at 
uie two closing concerts of the Institute, the pupils 
gave some creditable specimenf* of vocal and instru- 
mental music that would not have l)ecn umi<«s in your 
city of music. The overture to Tancrnii and ' Fra 
DiavolOf and fantasia from Norma, MaaanieUo, La 
Bayadere, Zampa, Benedict's Gtdop Brillante, Battle 
March from the Projyh^e, &c., were accurately per- 
formed ; the first three upon nine pianos, (!)' with 
three performers at each, (!!) twenty-seven pian- 
ists, (\\\) with a Debain Harmonium, two Timpani, 
and other furniture orchestrate — tlie " Professor" con- 
ducting and performing the duties of Violin Primo 
or a Solo Comet, which ho did most satisfactorily in 
the Fra Diavolo. 

The other pieces, together with a long array of 
minor compositions, were performed upon nine, eight, 
seven, six, five, und four pianos, (!!!!) with two and 
three at each instrument ; all evincing caivful train- 
ing and a sympathetic response to the baton of the 
conductor. Schulhoff"s Impromptu and "Gold Fc\'er 
Galop," together with Czemy's brilliant variations on 
Ije Desir, were well given as solos, though rather at a 
too rapid tempo, as is ant to be the ca^e with novices 
before an audience. We could not help R'grcttin^ 
the absence of a grand piano for the soloists. 

Of the vocal performances we need only refer to 
the progiammcs and the euloini^tic encomiums be- 
stowed upon them, as an evidence of their select 
character and superior performance. We had to re- 
gret the defective acoustic properties of the hall, as 
also the division of the stage for tlie chorus, so Uiat 
instead of the two hundred and thirty performers 
being together, they were nearly equally divided on 
either side, with an open space of one third the width 
between; notwitlistanding which they gave the cho- 
rus of the Fishermen from Musuniti/o,' the Echo Glee 
from Preciosa, the sacred chorusses : " Now elevate 
the sign of Judah," " Lo, He cometh," (with the 

recitative by the Pr ,) the Gloria from Moznrt's 

Twelfth Ma&8, &c., with a fine sfiirit and precision. 
The Glees : " Hark, the curfew," " Hark, Apollo," 
** Chough and Crow," and the three-part songs, 
" While sunbeams," &c., from Cinderella ; the "Phan- 
tom Chorus," from Sonnamhiiln ; " Down among the 
lilies," and the favorite Lntin trio : " liegna Terras," 
and others — the first two as "Chonis Trios " in so- 
prani, the last two as Solo Trios by three well-bal- 
anced soprano voices. Several sterling duets and solos 
served to iustify the conclusion that in Alabama there 
is music that will soon introduce a good taste for a 
class of performances hitherto overlooked. 

" Professor " P., of the Judson, is also training all 
the available male voices in Marion, so that ere long 
he may render some chorusses, glees, &c., in a credi- 
table manner. 

We must not foi^t to mention, in connection with 
the Judson concerts, the pleasure we derived from 
listening to the brilliant performances of the harp and 
guitar scholars. The harp and piano duets and trios, 
for two harps and pianos, as well as the harp solos, 
deserve especial mention, as the harp scholars were 
all novices. 



Philadelphia, Aug. 10. — I find it totally impos- 
sible to pick up a single chip of musical intelligence 
for you, this week. Never have I known a stagna- 
tion so complete. Cobwebs festoon the cornices of 
the Academy ; Concert Hall stands forsaken as an 
old catacomb ; while the Musical Fund Hall has not 
been opened since Satter made his graceful obei- 
sance therein. 

Carl Gaertner, formerly of your city, spoke to 
me, some days since, of arranging a classical Con- 
cert ; but when I gazed into his eyes, with unfeigned 
astonishment, to assure myself of his sanity, he whis- 
tled the whole afiair off as a joke. The man really 

intended it, however, and that at a time when there 
are no classes of society lef^ in Philadelphia, but 
organ grinders, rag pickers, firemen, and music 
dealers I 

When the musical season sets in I will furnish you 
with reports of all concerts and operas which trans- 
pire. Ma>'rico. 




's |0nrnal ai Pnsir. 



BOSTON, AUGUST 14, 1858. 

Our Music Pa§^e8-~An Italian Opera Entire ! 

In making our musical selections we have many 
tastes, many wanta, many capacities to suit. It 
is impossible, of course, to Miit them all; and 
there are some, to eater to which would be quite 
beneath the character, and contrary or foreign to 
the purpose, of a journal which exists mainly in 
the hope of helping to give a higher and truer 
direction to musical pursuits, tastes, and enjoy- 
ments, than we find in the great majority of cases 
where there is some love or talent for sweet 
sounds. Our four weekly pages must at any rate 
be well filled ; the space is too precious to be left 
to weeds, to be covered with trashy polkas, negro 
melodies, fiat, sentimental ditties, or the nine- 
thousand-nine-hundred and ninety-ninth new me- 
chanical variation upon tlie common type of a 
Yankee psalm-tune. We wish to keep within the 
range of what is legitimately music in an artistic 
sense, and feel that we are ministering to earnest 
and sincere music-lovers, and not merely making 
friends with idle, vulgar, and depraved tastes. 

Within this range, however, we would be cath- 
olic, and recognize a lawful, an inevitable diflfer- 
ence of tastes. We do not ask all, all the time, 
to accept only such music, in such forms and by 
such masters, as ice ourselves most love and think 
we have good reason to believe decidedly superior 
to all others. We shall, from time to time, give 
other music, in which we appreciate a goo<l ele- 
ment, although it may have comparatively lost its 
interest for us, and although we may regard th* 
phase of musical culture, which its too fashionable 
prevalence denotes, as not by any means the 
healthiest or highest. We shall give it in defer- 
ence and in justice to tastes diflferent from our 
own, believing that it can do no harm where it is 
not cultivated too exclusively, and that the pleas- 
ure it afibrds is not unmingled with some edifica- 
tion. But we will give no trash, no bum-drum, 
vulgar and " illiterate " music. 

At the same time, we have to confess to another 
limit in our selections, besides that of artistic tone 
and principle ; — a limitation quite external, eco- 
nomical. It were a ruinously costly luxury, — at 
least so long as musical journals are so moderately 
supported by the public — to have so much music 
every week put into type to please the readers ot 
our Journal only ; we must give pages of what 
already serves, or may hereafter serve, more gen- 
eral uses ; and the immense stork of our publish 
ers contains so much that is excellent and suitable, 
that we have plenty of material to draw from, 
although we are excluded from the many fine 
songs and piano pieces which are always engraved 
and not printed from type music. 

Within these limits we have thus far soujrht to 
do at least one really good thing, and to address 
the largest number that perhaps we could address 
bv anv one wav, and that one a good one. We 
have been furnishing a series of choruses, with 
solos, for mixed voices, for men's voices, for female 
voices only, of moderate length, suited for musical 
societies and clubs, — pieces from the best masters, 
many of them but little known among us, and of 
the finest quality, while they include a wide vari- 
ety. We shall continue to do this at intervals, 
amounting to at least half the time. In this way 



each subscriber — who more than probably is also 
a member of some choir or club who love to prac- 
tice the be»t kind of music — will get in the 
course of the year a very rich and rare collection 
of such choral pieces as he will find nowhere 
else, — an invaluable repertoire of the very 
choicest. 

Naturally, necessarily, most c^ these selections 
have been German. But we are quite aware 
that half, or more than half, d[ our readers like 
Italian music better; that is, they think they 
comprehend it better ; it excites them more ; it 
has more melody, they think ; it is less "scientific," 
learned, intellectaal, profound, and more emo- 
tional and to the heart (if sometimes the heart, in 
the spiritual sense, does get confounded with 
the hlood) ; and it has been interpreted to them 
in fire tones and breathed into their throbbing 
veins and nerves by passionate Italian singers, 
amid all the tragical enchantments of the Opera. 
Do not ine, too, recall those young days of freah 
musical enthusi&«m, when Bellini opened a new 
heaven to us ? And shall we ungratefully deny 
that there was a step of musical cultm^ and re- 
finement in that rose-colored experience ? It. is 
only when the thing is run into the ground, and 
becomes hacknied ; only when it pa.'ves into a 
listless, lazy, fashionable excitement ; only when 
it becomes a matter of the blood more than of 
true soul's passion ; only when truth becomes too 
tame, too tranquil, and too homely for our " fast " 
habits, and all is sacrificed to mere effect ; when 
brass lords it over the less forward, more sincere, 
sweet-spoken instruments ; when genial Rossini, 
and melting, love-cntranced, sincere, and sad 
Bellini must give way to Verdi, — that we think 
it plainly the duty c^ every intelligent friend of 
music to hold up the enduring ma^tenvorks and 
models of the art, the inspired creations of the 
Shakspeares, Miltons, Raphaels of the tone- 
world, the works of Bach and Handel, Beethoven 
and Mozart, Schubert and Mendelssohn and 
Chopin and Schumann, Weber and Rossini — 
at least when he was true to himself— to counter- 
act the feverish and shallow influence of the 
modern Italian Opera fashion. 

So much, for the present, for the Italian predi- 
lection. Another class (iC our subscribers, reason- 
ably enough, beset us, saying: W^e cannot sing, 
but we do " play piano" (to use the qaaint Ger- 
man phrase, which drops the article); give ns 
sometimes something for our fingers. 

AVe have considered the matter well, and mean 
to hit these two birds with one stone. We pro- 
pose to give, by instalments, alternating with onr 
classical chorus pieces, an entire Italian Opera, 
arranged, or " reduced," for a pair of hands at 
the piano-forte. We purposely select one of the 
more popular ones, and not a rare one, which 
perhaps the class here aimed at wonld not appre- 
ciate— one answering to their demand, and not 
merely to the same class for whom we are provid- 
ing otherwise. As one which we think among 
the best among the Operas most in vogue, we 
take Lucrezia Borgia, by Donizetti, and we 
give, to-day, the first four pages, which we shall 
continue from time to time, until the Opera is 
complete, with title-page and the et ceteras. 

With this fair division of the field, we shall 
feel a freedom all the more perfect, ever}' time 
the turn comes to bring out treasures new and 
old from what we have learned to esteem the ■ 
choicer sources. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1858. 



159 



Mnsieal Chit-Ghat 

A batch of new BnglUih Operna an to be serred. piping hot 
ftom the oren. at Druvy Lane, next autumn. Bliw Louiaa 
Pyne and Mr. II.trriion (that erer-memorable tenor) hare ao- 
aceptod a " stmngo *' opera from the pen of Balvb, the libretto 
by the poet« of " Rom of Castile." Mr. Fkamk Moai, too, haa 
fbundod a lyrical structnce on an old EnglUh aubject of the 
time of Ilonry VII., »» upon which hopes are founded."— 
Thirdly, Martha has been done into Englinh by Mr. CRAftLia 
JirrRsra. These are counted as so many blocks added to the 
foundations of the National English Opera ! 

The great library left by the late colleetoTf Herr Flsehof, 
of Ylenna, is offered for sale. It contains more than 100,000 
musical works and works on music, besides rery rare mann- 
scriptSf and numerous autographs of Bach, Haydn, Salieri, 
Schubert. Chopin, and other musicians of note. 

The great operatic VestlTal in Jones's Woods, New Tork, 
eommenoed in earnest on Monday. The 3Vf6iM« says ten 
thousand people were present. 

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, or soon after, the mammoth 
orehoMtra gicre a grand concert, which. In spite of the excess 
of brass, the autUence enjoyed amaslngly. Then came walts- 
ing and dancing on the green-sward to the music of scattered 
bands. Astoiilnhing feats in gymnastics direrted attonUon for 
a time, and at length the folks' settled themselves down on the 
grass, under the green trees, in pleasant couTenation, watched 
the boats gliding up and down the East Hirer, or roaming about 
with the little ones At eight o'clock came the fire- 
works. Messrs. Edge did themselTes credit in this display. 
After a number of brilUant minor pieces, a large harp with 
appropriate inscriptions was flrrd. The crowing piece of the 
cTening was a representation of the groat erent which is now 
dasxling the worid. Two steamships were represented paying 
out the cable, and moving slowly toward the telegraph stations 
at each end of the route. Above was the Inscription, in letters 
of Aw, *^ * 

** Blessed be Provldenee, 
The Cable is laid. 

As this piece burst Into sight the crowd doffed their hats 
and hurrahed enthuslastieaUy. 

The Festival was continued on Tuesday and Thursday. 

" Trovator " has promised us a ftill account of it. 

A German newspaper has the following advertisement : "Mu- 
sical real estate purchase! A musical married capitalist wants 
to purchase a farm, on which there is a musical widow, who 
will engage for a certain rent to stay upon the place, and play 
six hours a day on the piano, with the purchaser. Ladles of 
an irreproachable life disposed to reflect upon the proposi- 
tion, are requested to address C K.j paste reatantey Qogolin." 

M. Lamartikb has made the strange discovery that 

MoiABV was an Italian ! In an article in his Journal : "^Entre- 
titns FofniAVrs," from which we gave an extract last week, he 
says *' Oermany claims him [Moxart] as her child. We would 
not snatch this glory from a land which produced Oluck, Beet- 
lioven, and Meyerbeer; but properly Moxart is rather a child 
of the Italian Alps than a son of Qermany. He was born in a 
pretty little German town, which by situation, physiognomy, 
and language, belongs morb to the Tyrol than to Germany." 
Lamartlne seems to be not very well " posted up " in his ge- 
ography, if he thinks that Salsburg Ues in the lUlian Tyrol. 

The Leipslg SignaU mentions a new work, by f . A. Kummb: 
*' Tabular Comparison of all the Instruments used in Orches- 
tras and Bands, both in relation to their compass and the usual 
mode of writing for each. It may be used as an Introduction 
to the art of Instrumentation. Similar tables may bo found, 
to be sure, in other works, but this by Kummer Is by ftr the 
most complete and comprehensive." 

The melodies which Caopiar made to songs and poems, 
brought to him in Paris by his Polish countrymen, have been 
collected by his pupil, M. Fontana, who will publish them as 
the second part of Chopin's posthumous works. They will be 
interesting as being the only vocal music known to have come 
from the pen of that Baffaele of the piano, as Heine called Um. 



The Watoh-Bog roused again. 

Were we a musical composer, and had wo a fjime 
which we wished watched over with an unsleeping, 
jealous vigilance, we should say : So far as respects 
the vigilance, commend us to just such a friend, so 
prompt, so watchful and so constant, as the London 
Musical World has proved itself to Mendelssohn ; 
but it is quite a serious question whether a dog that 
barks too much, barks upon all occasions, and fre- 
quently without occasion, on the slightest shadow of 
a pretext, is not on the whole a greater harm than 
blessing both to friend and foe. 

Our London friend is very jealous for due honor 
done to Mendelssohn ; and that is a music, that a 
fame, for which we all may well be jealods. But he is 
morbidly irritable on the subject ; one cannot hint 
the slightest qualification of Mendelssohn's supreme 
genius, or own to a conviction that there have been 
ever greater men in music, or in any way approach 
the idol, although hat in hand, in the free exercise of 



one's own judgment, without this jealous watcher 
scenting mischief and invidious disparagement. One 
cannot even quote or copy for amusement's sake, for 
the pure curiosity of the thing, or for the sake of let- 
ting every side be heard, any opinion or expression 
not entirely orthodox abont the honored master, with- 
out its being construed into a malign attack. Now 
we profess to be sincere lovers of Mendelssohn's 
music ; we have written much in praise of it and 
copied more ; we have given a larger share of him 
than of any other composer in our musical selections 
for onr readers. But we like to let our readers see 
what thinking minds, of various character and pre- 
possessions, say about him, especially when they say 
it brightly, quaintly and brinj? out strongly, with a 
gcnnine flavor of individuality, certain qualifying 
conflidcrarions which have worth at least as shadows 
to the truth. 

We have been translating, by way of light and pi- 
quant summer reading, some of the queer, satirical, 
partly sincere and partly malignant, things which 
Hefne (who, we took care to say, was not a musical 
anthority), has written abont music and musicians, as 
they interested him in Paris. Onr first selection, in 
which Heine contrasts Rossini's Stalxit Mater with 
Mendelssohn's St. Paul^ rather to the disadvantage 
of the latter, is copied by ^he Worldf under a title 
of its own invention : "A Stone thrown at MendeU»ohn 
from behind a Wall ! ** and accompanied with editorial 
remarks, which doubtless contain some true things 
abont Heine, thongh they hardly recognize sufficiently 
the good side of his nature. These remarks we copy 
here, because they will help the uninitiated to read 
more intelligently, and not attach too much weight to 

Heine's ridicnie of artists whom he did not like. As 
to the Stnbat Mater ^ did we need to say that our opin- 
ion was by no means that of Henri Heine ? 

Among those who. at one time, worshipped variously at the 
shrines of Mendelssohn and Meyerbeer, and afterwwrds turned 
against both, was the poet Heine, a man of wonderftil gifts 
and wonderftil impudence, witty (" xpin'tuel,^^ is better) and 
unprincipled In on equal measure. On some particular occa- 
sion. Heine was snubbed bv one of the Mendelssohns — per^ 
haps by the Impetuous Felix himself, who, though, when a 
young man, geneially discreet enough to avoid making ene- 
mies, could not, in his heart, have esteemed the character of 
Heine, however he may have Admired his genius. Frtnn that 
moment the Jew poet and satirist never lost an opportunity of 
sneering at the Jew murician. As a specimen of Heine's mode 
of attack, we have printed, in another column, the first of a 
series of papers (translated for IhoifhVs Journal of Aftisie), 
under the heail of Heinrieh Hrine on Mvtie and Muiieuaui. 

It will be observed that Rossini li the pretext fn letting 
down Mendelssohn, Jnst as Rossini is invariablv the shield be- 
hind which the most desperate thrusts are made at Meyerbeer. 
Nothing can be more ingenious, nothing more eharmlngiy 
written ; and to those unacquainted with the Stabat MaUrniA. 
8t. Paul, or unable to appreciate the difllraence between them, 
the whole eamy will have an air of gospel truth that admits of 
no denial. One thing, nevertheless, will be missed, and that 
is the *' fiaYr«t^." which Heine rightly considers an essential 
attribute of genins, and of which, by the way, Mendelssohn 
po«w«sed about as large a share as any composer since Monrt 
and Haydn. The sly Rossini, after raiding (if he ever read) 
the comparison between his own Stabat and the oratorio of his 
" North-German " contemporarv, would know, as well as 
Heine himself, to estimate it at its proper worth. 

'' North-Oerman criticism." indfed! We have too much of 
it now, and it is a pitv that HHne did not live long enou?h to 
he snubbed by Dr. Marx. We should then have had some- 
thing ftinny about that very ingenious gentleman, who, Im- 
pelled by the remembrance of a personal pique, with which the 
world has nothing whatever to do (the world caring nothing 
about Dr. Marx), is Incessantly hammering at the pedestal up- 
on which, years since, he helped to raise Mendelssohn, and 
from which he vainly strives to displace him. If Heine had 
known music sufficiently to entertain any genuine opinions on 
the subject, if he had not been compelled to live from hand to 
mouth, if the tone of his musical criticisms had not entirely 
depended upon the pecuniary difficulties which weighed him 
down and led him to prostitute his brilliant pen, he might 
have done good service : he might have cleansed the Augean 
stables of Rerlin musical politics, have routed the sophists, and 
pnt to flight the '^ Zukunfi.^' Against such a man the "North 
German " phllosophasters, who write so much about music 
without understanding it, would have had no more chance 
than the Jesuit " Pms " against the author of Cnnitide. Rut 
it so happened that Heine, who promised better things at the 
outset, desenerated into a man of coteries and circles : and this 
without the excuse of one-eyed enthusiasm, which makes its 
victims detract from the merits of all but their own pet-idols 
(a malady imther to be compassionated than despised ). At first 
the flatterer, then the vltuperator, of Meyerbeer, now the 
friend, now the enemv of Mendelssohn. Heine, fttim a firmly- 
rooted oak, mocking the tempest, was metamorphosed Into a 
weathercock, swayed by every breoie. His susceptibility was 
deeper than his sense of right, his egotism fiir surpassed his 
love of truth. Thus ripe for a new and unworthy mission, he 
abused his splendid tsJents,* and later, when his profligate 
habits had brought with them the inevitable consequences, he 
became a parasite and a borrower, repaying those with wither- 
ing contumely who were tired o constantly obliging him. 

The paper we have transferred fttmi the pages of Mr. Dwight, 
and which we have rechrlatened A Stont thrown ai Mnutd»sok» 



from behind a Watt^ diverting as it is, and sparkling with the. 
brightest fiincles, came from the worst part of Heine's nature. 
It was the oSi*prIng of an ancient spite at Rerlin — ^not a manly 
declaration of opinion on the merits of two musical eomposert 
and two musical works. It could not be the latter, since 
Heine was entirely ignorant of music. It was, therelbre, a de- 
liberate attempt to lower, In the estimation of the world, a 
man not less his superior in sincerity of purpose and nobility 
of mind than in genius. Little hum was done, however, by 
the squib, although it may have caused some of the Berlin 
geese to cackle, and the Jesuits in various parti to stroke their 
chins. Mendelssohn outlived it, Just as St. PmU will outlive 
the Stabat Mater. 

When reading Heine's poetry, and admiring, as we read, the 
wit and Imagination of the poet, his fine perception and liis 
trenchant irony, it is Impossible not to lament that such a 
mind should have been perverted. Banished voluntarily from 
the land of his birth, he only revisits to sneer at It ; and insults 
the Rhine with as much complacency as he ridicules a dish of 
sourkrout and saussges — the same bitterness peeping out ftvm 
the fiilse bonhommie with which he rails at both. He makes 
the venerable stream, on whose banks he had passed his diUd- 
hood, exult In its degradation at the hands of the French, and 
mocks it with frigned exprewions of cons<dation. Not a touch 
of patriotism ever esc.'ipes his pen. But worse than all, this 
hardened cynic, recalling, as with a sudden religious impulse, 
a representation of the Passion, by children, on the shores of 
the Mediterranean, enlists the impressions he commemorates 
with such apparent earnestness, as arguments in support of a 
falsehood. If Heine was no more sincere at Cette, watching 
with interest the Roman Catholic ceremony, than at Paris, 
when he wrote the comparison between Mendelssohn and Ros- 
sini as church composers, he must be pitied. And yet it Is dl- 
ficult to believe that even Heine would put the memory of 
such an hour as that, when the heart within him, throbbed ibr 
once at least with a pure and holy sympathy, to any such uass 
as the alternative would imply. We are therefore constrained 
to believe, that in both instances he was entertaining his read- 
ers at his own expense, and at the sacrifice of truth — ^which, 
for all we know, may be *'fMYrtfl^," but so fkr as onr intelli- 
gence wUl allow us to fiithom it, is impiety. 




nsit Jbreab. 



London. 

Festivals. — The Athenfeum says : We hare now 
before ns programmeM of the Hereh>rd and Birming- 
ham Festivals: the former with full details. At 
Hereford the artists engaged are Mesdames Novello 
and Viardot, Mrs. Weiss, Mrs. Hepworth, Miss Vin- 
ning, Miss Lascelles ; Messrs. Sims Reeves, Montem 
SmiUi, Weiss and Thomas. On the first or " ser- 
vice " morning, the principal features will be Handel's 
Dettingen " Te Denm," a " Jubilate " by Mr. Town- 
send Smith, and an Anthem by the Rev. Sir Frede- 
rick Onseley. The oratorio, on the first day, is to be 
" Elijah " ; on tlie second, a selection from Mendels- 
sohn'^s " Athalia," Signor Rossini's " Stabat," with 
English words, and part of "The Creation"; on 
the third, " The Messiah." Some attempt to improve 
the evening performances seems to have been made, 
by making a main part of each concert consist of a 
selection from an opera ; the three chosen being " La 
Clemenza," " Semiramide," " Lncrezia Borgia." 
The music laid out for the Birmingham Festival has 
already been mentioned ; — we may add, however, to 
former notices, that at the Tuesday's concert will be 
given ** Acis and Galatea/' with additional accompa- 
niments by Signor Costa ; on the Wednesday, Men- 
delssohn's cantata "The Sons of Art"; on the 
Thursday, Signor Costa's serenata, written for the 
late royal wedding. The list of engagements is libe- 
ral, thongh we are not reconciled to the total abnega- 
tion of instrumental 90I0 music — ^believing, for in- 
stance, that a violin concerto^ played by Herr Joachim, 
would be as popular in 1858 as used to be M. De Be- 
riot's ConcertOf with its Hondo a la Russe, without 
which no provincial festival was held complete thirty 
years ago. The singers are to be Mesdames Novello, 
viardot, Alboni, and Castellan. We understand 
• that the last lady will take part in Mr. H. Leslie's 
"Judith," together wirh Madame Viardot, Mr. Sims 
Reeves, and Signor Belietti. Rarely has any Eng^ 
lish work enjoyed the advantage of so strong a cast 
as this. In completion of the list of singers, we must 
name Miss Balfe and Mif^s Dolby, Signori Taml)crlik 
and Ronconi, Messrs. Montem Smith and Weiss. 
The principal works to be executed at Leeds are, 
" Elijah," " The Seasons," " The Messiah," a selec- 
tion from the " Passions-Musik " of Bach, Signor 
Rossini's " Stabat," and Prof Bennett's new May 
Cantata. We perceive, too, that the visit of Her 
Majesty to open the new Hall there has been 
" worked," by way of swelling the subscription to the 
Musical Festival, — as those who take tickets for the 
oratorios will be admitted to see Royalty with all her 
train. This is not well — hardly respectful to Her 
Majesty . — and it implies a confusion of things wit;^ 
some of which music has nothing to do. 

Crystal Palace. — A grand musical festival took 
place July 1 6, under the direction of Mr. Benedict. 
The band included forty first violins, forty second 
violins, twenty-six altos, twenty-eight violoncellos, 
and twenty-eight double basses (with an equal pro- 
portion of wind instruments), and numbered upwards 



160 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



of 200 performers, compriscrl of the <r//V« of the pro- 
fession. Th« clioirs, including; tlie Vocal Assoria- 
tion, nnmbcred 800 vocalists, bein;? a total of 1,000 
performers. Messrs. Benedict and Manns conducted. 
The following was the programme : — 

Pakt I. 

Orerture (A&ManrVtfo), Auber. Mareh and chomii, " Crown 
TO the altars" {Tk* Ruiwi of Athens), BecUioTcn. Alotftt, 
'* Banctufl," Bortniannky. Scena. *' Ocean, thou mighty mon- 
ster," ( Obnon), Miss Stabbarh, Weber. Triple concerto, tor 
three pianoforto^ (with additional orchestral aceompuniments 
bv Moscheles). Miss Arabella GoUJard, Mr. Benedict, and Mr. 
Undsaj Sloper, J. 8. Bach. Air and chorus, *' Come if you 
dare," Mr. Sims Reeves, Purcell. Trio, " Cradle Song." for 
female Toices (unaccompanied), Mis« Louisa Pyne. Mudame 
Lemmens Sherrington, and Miss Dolbv. Benedict. 8onc, 
•' The VUUge Blacksmith," Mr. Weiss; W. H Weiss. Ballad. 
"My pretty Jane" (by desire), Mr. Sims Reeves; Sir Hv. 
Bishop. Hebrew morning hymn, "Let us adore," (JbjvpA); 
Mihul. Le Camaval de Venise, %rith variationa, arranginl for 
the TOiee, Madame Oassier; Benedict. Air, ^'The Skylark." 
Bliss Louisa Pyne; Benedict. Cantata, ''0 sons of art." 
Messrs. Sims Reevee, Wilbye Cooper, Weiss and Deck, and Oho- 
ros; Mendelssohn. 

Between the parts, Mr. Best performed tlie " First 
Movement of Handel's Second Concerto," on Uio 
Festival Organ. 

Part 11. 

Conoertante for Ibur vioUns, with orchestral aocompani- 
menta, Messrs. Molique, Blairrove, Delchmann, and Sainton ; 
Maurer. Song, " The green trees," Miss Dolby; Balfe. Vari- 
ations, "II dolce canto," Miss Louisa Pyne; Rode. Fantnaia, 
*' Home, sweet home," (by desire), pianoforte, Miss Arabella 
Ooddard; Thalberg. Cavatlna, ''Deh vieni non tardar," (L« 
Nozze di .Frgoiv). Madame Weiss; Mozart. Air, with chorus, 
" Possenti Numl," ( Magic Fluu), Horr Deck ; Blozart. Chorus, 
"0, Thou whose power," (Prayer, Mosd in Egitto); Rossini. 
Part-flong. " The blue bella of Scotland." Grand triumphal 
march J Best. 



Li/rique (one announcing the migi-ation tliciicc of 
Mndnme Miolan-Carvalho to the Grand Oit^rn) their 
name is Legion — of new operas by MM. Maillnrt 
and Godcfroid,— M. Gounod's 'Faust' to open the 
season (with Madame Ugaldc for Martjuerite) 
amonff the numlwr ; also of a new faery opera, com- 
pO!?cd by M. Mase<f, with the taking title of • La Foe 
Carabosse.' There seems to be no end of music pro- 
ceeding from the house of M. Du])rcz. who hns al- 
ready made a name nnd founded a family which will 



Spetiaf '^aWtts. 



Paris. 

Jalu 10. — ^It seems evident, from silence on the sub- 
ject, that M. Meyerbeer is not at the Op€ra Comique 
of Paris rehearsing his strange work which has no 
chorus, as was undertaken he should be long ere this. 
Thus no new production is to be expected from him 
during the cm-rent year. This places that declining 
theatre in a " predicament." The last reWval there 
has been " Le Valet de Chambre," with music hv 
Signor Carafa, whose "Aure felice" was, some 
thirty-five years ago, the delight of amateurs, and who 
wa, at the head of a military music-school in Paris, 
till tliat establishment was suppressed by Govern- 
ment. — The Gazette Musicale announces that M. 
Membr^e— hitherto mainly known by his pleasant 
romances, " Page, Ecuyer, et Capitaine " being one — 
has received a commission demanding powers of a 
different quality — ^this being to write choruses to the 
"King CEdipus," of Sophocles— a translation of 
which, by M. Jules Lacroix; is about to be represent- 
ed 9X the ThSaatre Franks. — Athenceum, 

July 17. — There is no end to rumors about 
the three opera-houses in Paris. Wo see talked of, 
for the Grand Oj^ra, absolutely, an arrangement of 
one of the two Greek tragedies with Mendelssohn's 
mu.sic (or is this merely an incorrect edition of the 
promise made for the Theatre Francis 1). * Athaiie ' 
would be a better choice ; not merely because it is 
written with fenuile voices, whereas the otlicrs are for 
a male chorus exclusively, not merely from the inter- 
est of its solo parts, but because (unless we are mis- 
taken) it was composed on French text, and thus the 
difficulties of translation (which at best implies per- 
version) would be avoided. Then " tliey *ay " that 
M. F^icien David has set ' The Last Judgment,' and 
that M. M^ry has succeeded in so modifying the 
libretto as to make the work presentable at the Acad^- 
mie lmp€riale. One might regard such a rumor as a 
piece of stupid irony, did one not recollect the lengths ^ 
to which French irreverence has gone in former 
dramas. Recollecting these things, the tale is suffi- 
ciently curious as belonging to a land where Acade- 
mies give prizes for moral plays, — where Authority 
professes a desire to amuse the people for its good by 
aid of the stage, and at the same time to stand well 
with the powers ecclesiastic, — and where the cenpor- 
ship is somewhat irritable. To return to matters less 
serious, the Grand 0/yira is in a plight anything but 
grand as regards its artists. We hear, however, from 
a source on which reliance can be placed, that Mile. 
Artot is making way with her public, and will, prob- 
ably, appear in M. Gounod's * Sapho,' — perhaps, too, 
in * Les V^pres Sicilicnncs,' her voice having devel- 
oped it^lf in the upper register. Her action too is 
commended as graceful, modest, and intelligent. The 
cry is still for a tenor. Why do they not try M. 
Naudin 1 Signor Rota (who, wo find, invents ballets 
and not composes the music, as we stated, nnd who 
is engaged for next season at Her Majesty's Theatre) 
is about to concoct a Italia at the (jrand Op€ra for 
Madame Rosati. Other journals assert that the he- 
roine of M. Meyerbeer's work promised to the Op€,a 
Comique (and on a Breton story) is to be Madame 
Cabel. As for the talcs which concern the Theatre 



live in the history of Drama by the side of the names 
of Kemblc, Dcvricnt, Garcia. Now we hear that his 
son, M. L<?on Duprez, is about to come foi-ward as a 
composer of operas. — Athenaum, 

Sophie Cnivclli has been a considernMc gainer 
by the will of Ahmed, son and heir of the Egyp- 
tian Vicei-oy ; his death by drowning in the llJile 
has been in all the joumals, and it was ca.sually 
mentioned in those pnpers that a large legacy de- 
volved on the pci-son wlio taught French to the young 
prince when at Paris. A stronger sentiment than 
gratitude of a grammar pupil is now known to have 
dictated the very mngnifiont licquest of the Moor, 
and the lyric queen of song has had, in fact, the op- 
tion of enacting the part of Cleopatra on a real Nile, 
with real pyramids in the background. 

It is contemplated to bring out Mendelssohn's 
(Eilij'us at the Grand Opera, Paiij. An opera by 
Fclicien David is also spoken of. 

Vienna. The Thalia Theater, at Vienna (one of 
the minor establishments of that capital), has been 
producing an opera, " The Orphan," by Herr Stolz. 
The principal musical work to be performed at the 
great concert at Baden, on the 27th of August, is to 
be the " Romeo and Juliet " Symphony of M. Ber- 
lioz. We observe with pleasure tiiat the local socie- 
ties of the smaller towns in Germany are beginning 
to bestir themselves towards the completion of the 
Handel monument, by giving concerts. " Samson " 
is going to be forthwith produced with this intention 
in the picturesque old town of Halberstadt, where 
(by way of furtlier invitation to any autumn tourist 
in want of a halting-place) are churehcs well worth 
seeing, and in one of these is an organ well worth 
hearing, — a town, moreover, on the hem of the Hartz 
country. 

The Italian opera closed with an olla podrida, 
made of fragments from the Barbiere, the Italiana in 
Algeri and the Trovatare. The most conspicuous 
among the artists were Madame Charton-Demenr and 
Signor Dcbassini. The bdy especially distinguished 
herself by her brilliant singing in Rossini's opera. 

Florence. — A new oratorio by Pacini was pro- 
duced on the 20th ult., which is spoken of in enthusi- 
astic terms, called The Destruction of Jerusalem. The 
work is in three parts — ^the Prophecy— -the Delay — 
the Fall. The concourse of artists from all parts of 
Italy was immense, and the applause at many pas- 
sages quite overwhelming. The Grand Duke was 
present at the first performance, and was amongst 
the first to congratulate the veteran composer on his 
work. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 

The other foreign news of the week is (with one 
exception) neither rich nor rare. Among its items 
are a recent peiformance at Basle of an Oratorio 
composed by M. Reiter, ' The New Paradise,' a per- 
formance of^ Sebastian Bach's mass in a (should not 
this be B ?) minor, entire at Stuttgart, where the soli 
parts were taken by Madame Leisinger, Mile. Mar- 
schalk, Herren Rauscher and Schultkv, (of tlie last- 
named gentleman we heard, when at Cologne, as one 
of the best bassi now in Germany), the execution 
lately at the Palazza Vecchio of Florence of an Ora- 
torio, * The Destruction of Jerusalem,' by II Maestro 
Pacini, the approaching publication of a new * Torch 
Dance' (the third) composed by M. Meyerl>eer, for 
the reception of Princess Frederick William of Prus- 
sia — lastly, the proqramme of the coming German 
opera season at the Karnther Thor Theater at Vienna, 
which is queer enough in its aimless, polyglott fash- 
ion. The operas announced are Herr Wagner's 
' Lohengrin,' Mozart's ' Schauspicl Director,' Men- 
delssohn's operetta, known in England as * Son and 
Stranger,' Adam's * Chalet ' and, by way of fire- 
work, l)onne-l>ouche, desert, what not? * La Retne 
Topaze.' The last, however, will prove a lame 
Queen, unless she bo presented by Madame Miolan- 
Carvalho. 

A new tragedy on the subject of Cleopatra has 
just been produced at Naples. The author is Signor 
Bolognese ; " the serpent of old Nile," is personated 
successfully by Madame Sadowski. Hero is another 
proof, were it wanted, of the life existing in Italian 
drama. — London Athenceum, July 17. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF TUB 

Xi -A. T E S T DMITJSIC, 
PaUI«li«<l by O. Dltsoa Sc €•• 

Vocal, with Piano. 

A Mother's Lnst Faivwoll. Scucr. Wrighton. 25 

A boautlful loni?, of touching cljupllcltr. 

Dcr Dcutsrhman's Philosophy. JoJin Schmidt. 25 
The wonN of tliiM Sonj? nru a very wlttv and pjc- 
tpemely ludicroiu prirolv on Markitv's well known 
•'John Brown." The »Iui»lc In oriffinnl. LoTpni of 
the eoDiic Miu^e will flnd (hia a Arat-»(« funny Song. 

Mrs. liOfty and I. Song. Jndson Jlittrhimmn. 25 
Will be rcmcmbcrud by all ▼iidtofs of the Ilutchin- 
K>n Concert*, during the jan^t (touion. The poem >!trik- 
Injrly contm-icts the rplntiro merits of extcniKl nnd in- 
ternnl wealth. The Mudic ta easy, and well thapcd to 
the wordA. 

The Flower Greeting. Trio for three Sopranos. 

Citrschmann. 30 
A charming Trio, ntrictly for three female toIcca of 
equal compaiw, covering the middle reslstcr of the 
Toice. It Ir a highly pleeidng composition, and bears 
. the stomp of artintic finish. Rather ea«y. 

Kittie IxHs. Ballad. 

A rery pretty simple ballad. 



W, Williams. 25 



Mary, oft I think of thee. Song. J. IT. Hewitt. 25 
A fine Melody, which tfirw to the iringermuch scope 
for the display of fl'eling and passion. 

Foi^t Me Not. Song. Stemdale Bennett. 25 

A b4>autifnl sotig.to Rnfrli^h and German wordfi,whom 
peculiarity is the clo«e affinity of its style to Mendel- 
sohn's, without, bowerer, being anything lllce an imi- 
tation. ThoMe who prefer the German way of soniy- 
writing, where the accompaniment claims almost the 
same share of attention with the melody, adding to the 
derelopment of little traits In the text, will flnd this 
Song very much to their liking. Nor is it at all diffl- 
eolt. It is rather playftil in cliaractcr. 

Vocal, with Guitar Aooompaniment. 

I'll pray for thee. Arranged by Weilnnd. 25 

Mary of the Wild Moor. Arranged* by Bemis. 25 
Two well-known Songs in a new aieangemont. 



Henry Atkins. 25 

F. Menzer. 25 

G.Boetttfer. 25 

H. A. Pimd. 25 

25 

25 

25 



it 



« 



tt 



Inatarumental. 

Muscatine Schottifsche. 
Mitibissippi Valley Waltz. 
Agnes Galop. 
Prancing Schottische. 
Chatterbox Waltz. 
Noveltv Waltz. 
Crag Effie Waltz. 

New and good Dance Music for the parior, easy and 
melodious. The compositions of the last named au- 
thor will recommend themselres by the taking delica- 
cy of their well-invented melodies. 

Home, Sweet Home — College Hornpipe — Garry 

Owen — Life let us cherish — St. Patrick's Day, 

and Rustic Reel. All arranged for the Melo- 

deon, by T. Bissell. 25 

A very nseftil eoUeetlon of fiimiliar old tunes. ar> 

ranged In an easy style, particularly well suited for 

Boed Instruments, or for young players on the Piano. 

Airs from La Sonnambula, for four hands. Ar- 
ranged by Beyer. 50 
This is a new number of that fhvorite set of Opera- 
tic Potpourris, as Duets, called "Kevue H6lodique." 
They are of very moderate difflcnlty, and can be ap- 
plied usefully in the course of instruction. The 
above new number contains the choicest bits firom 
Beiiiui's immortal work, La Sonnambula. 

Books. 
Balfe's New Singing Method, without the use of 
Solfeggi. 2.00 

The idea from which thfo work emanated Is a very 
happy one, and will com for the anthor many thanks 
firom perMUR who, although fond of music, and tolera- 
bly well qualifled to make pretty good singen. still 
object to go through that long and tedious course of 
Vocalises and Solfeggios, which solhrbas been thought 
indispensable. Whoever studies according to Balfe's 
directions, will find study swcetand practice agreeable. 
Balfe gives a Sohg for the Practice of each Interval, a 
Bong for the Proctico of Semitones, a Song Ibr the 
Practice of Syncopation, in short, a nice little Ballad 
for everything. It ij impossible to make the path of 
Learning more smooth and more pleasant than this 
popular composer has done. The pupti is supposed to 
be familiar with the rudiments of MumIc. As an addi- 
tion to the course of Instruction in 8<mg8, which ter- 
minates in a highly-omametited and very brilliant 
Bravura Song, a series of exercises are given, all with 
Piano Accompaniment, and not extending over more 
than four psiges, which are intended to serve as a key 
to all difficulties. In a short Prefiwe Mr. Balfe gives a 
great deal of valuable information, concerning the 
training of the voice and kindred subjects, presenting, 
upon the whole, a very rational view of the subject, 
which must commend it»clf to ever) body. This work 
can be used without a teacher. The anthor, however, 
recommends the assistance uf a master, as long as the 
pupil is but a banner. 




toigfrt's 



Irmrital 





u5tr^ 



Whole No. 333. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 21. 



Morning Prayer. 

From the Geniutn of J. F. SicniKsoar. 

O Silence deep and stfangc I 
The earth doth yet in quiet slumlx^r lie, 
No stir of life, snve on yon woodland range 
The tall trees bow as if their Lord passed by. 

Like to one ncw-create, 
I have no memory of grief and care ; 
Of all the things which vexed my sonl of late 
I am ashamed in this calm morning air. 

This world, with all its band 
Of clamorous joys and griefs, shall be to me 
A bridge whereon, my pilgrim-staff in hand, 
I cross the stream of time, O Lord, to Thee. 

Bat if, with venal choice. 
My soul should seek earth's hireling to be. 
Break Thou my harp-strings, be my tuneless voice 
Silent before Thee tlirough Eternity. 

D. 

Tmoilatod for thii Joamal. 

Henri Heine abont Mtuie and Mnsicians. 

VIL — Season of 1844 (continukd) — Opera 
CoMiQUE — Scribe and Aubrr — Monsiqny 
— Jenny Lin d— Rossini's Statue — Doni- 
zetti. 

Farm, Hat 1. 1844. 
While the Academy of Music has so sadly lan- 
guished, and the Italians have dragged through 
their season quite as mournfully, the third lyric 
theatre, the Opera Comique, has risen to its most 
joyous height Here one success has gone be- 
yond another, and the money box has had always 
a good ring. Yes, there has even been more gold 
than laurels reaped, which certainly was no mis- 
fortune for the Direction. The texts of the new 
operas, that have been given, were all of them 
by Scribe, the man who uttered once the great 
saying : '*Gold is a chimera ! " and who yet con- 
tinually runs afler this chimera. He is the man 
of money, of the ringing realism, who never 
mounts into a romantic, barren cloud-world, and 
who clings fast to the terrestrial reality of the 
marriage of reason, of industrial citizenship, and 
of the tantieme. An immense success crowns 
Scribe's new opera, La Sirene^ to which Aubeb 
has written the music. Author and composer are 
entirely suited to each other : they have the finest 
sense for what is interesting ; they know how to 
entertain us agreeably ; they dazzle and ecstatify 
us, indeed, by the brilliant facettes of their wit ; 
they possess a certain filagree talent for putting 
together the most charming trifles, and one for- 
gets in them that there is such a thing as poetry. 
They are a sort of Art-lorettes^ who laugh away 
all the ghost stories of the past from our memory, 
and with their coquettish to}nng8, as with pea- 
cock's fans, brush the buzzing thoughts of the 
future, the invisible flies, away from us. To this 
harmless amorous tribe belongs also Adam, who, 
with his CagliostrOy has reaped likewise very easy 
laurels in the Opera Comique. Adam is an 
amiable, agreeable phenomenon, and his is a tal- 
ent yet capable of great development. Thomas, 
too, deserves an honorable mention ; his operetta 
Mina has had much success. 



But all these triumphs have been surpassed by 
the popularity of " The Deserter," an old opera 
by MoNSiGNY, which the Opera Comique has 
drawn forth from the portfolio of oblivion. Here 
is genuine French music, the liveliest grace, a 
harmless sweetness, a freshness as of the smell of 
wood-flowers, the ti*uth of nature, in short, poetry. 
Yes, the latter is not wanting, but it is a poetry 
without the shudder of infinity, without mysteri- 
ous enchantment, without sadness, without irony, 
without morhidezza — ^I might almost say, an ele- 
gant rustic poetry of health. The opera of Mon- 
signy reminded me at once of his contemporary, 
Greuze, the painter. I saw here bodily, as it 
were, the rural scenes which he had just painted, 
and I seemed to hear the music that belonged to 
them. In listening to that opera it became quite 
clear to me how the plastic and the reciting arts 
of the same period always breathe one and the 
same spirit, and their master-works reveal the 
most intimate aflinity. 

I cannot conclude this report without remark- 
ing that the musical season is not yet ended, and, 
this year, contrary to all custom, sounds on even 
into May. The most important balls and con- 
certs are given at this moment, and the polka 
even rivals the piano. Feet and ears are wear}% 
yet they cannot rest The Spring, wliich this 
time sets in so early, makes ?k fiasco ; green leaves 
and sunshine go unnoticed. Tfie physicians, 
perhaps especially the madhouse doctors, will 
soon gain plenty of business. In this motley 
tumult, in this fever of amusement, in this sing- 
ing, springing whirlpool, lurk death and insanity. 
The hammers of the piano-forte work frightfully 
upon our nerves, and this great vertigo malady, 
the polka, gives us the coup de grace, 

later notice. 

To the preceding communications I append, 
from melancholy humor, the following leaves, 
which belong to the sununer of 1847, and which 
form the last act of my muncal reportership. 
For me, all music has from that time ceased, and 
I little dreamed, when I sketched the sufierings 
of Donizetti, that a similar and far more painful 
visitation was approaching me. The short Art 
notice reads as follows : 

Since Gustavus Adolphus, of glorious memory, 
no Swedish reputation has made so much noise in 
the world, as Jenny Lind. The accounts of 
her which came to us from England, border on 
the incredible. The journals are all ringing with 
trumpet blasts and fanfaras of triumph ; we hear 
nothing but Pindaric h^'mns of praise. A friend 
told me of an English city where all the bells 
were rung upon the entrance of the Swedish 
nightingale ; the bishop who resided there cele- 
brated this event by a remarkable discourse. In 
his Anglican episcopal costume, he ascended the 
pulpit of the cathedral, and greeted the new 
comer as a savior in woman's clothes, as a lady 
redeemer, who had come down from heaven to 
deliver our souls from sin and evil by her song ; 
whereas the other cantatrid were so many female 



devils who would trill us into the jaws of Satan. 
The Italians, Grisi and Persiani, must turn as 
yellow as canary birds with envy and chagrin, 
the while our Jenny, the Swedish nightingale, 
flutters from one triumph to another. I say our 
Jenny, for in reality the Swedish nightingale 
does not represent exclusively the little land of 
Sweden, but she represents the whole Germanic 
stock, that of the Cimbri as well as that of the 
Teutons ; she is also a German just as much as 
her dull and vegetating sisters on the Elbe and 
on the Neckar; she belongs to Germany, as 
Shakspeare, too, according to Franz Horn, be- 
longs to us, and as Spinoza likewise, in his inmost 
nature, can only be a German — and we with 
pride call Jenny Lind our own ! Shout, Ucker- 
mark, for thou also hast a part in this glory ! 
Dance, Massmann, thy fatherland's most joyous 
dances, for our Jenny speaks no Roman gibber- 
ish, but real, Gothic, Scandinavian, most German 
German, and thou may est greet her as a country- 
woman—only thou must wash thyself before thou 
ofTerest her thy German hand. 

Yes, Jenny Lind is a German ; the very name 
Lind makes one think of lindens, those green 
cousins of our German oaks. She has no black 
hair like the Italian prima donnas ; in her blue 
eyes swim northern sentiment and moonlight, and 
in her throat sounds purest maidenhood ! That 
is it ** Maidenhood is in her voice," — so said all 
the *'old spinsters" in London ; all prudish ladies 
and pious gentlemen with upturned eyes repeated 
it ; the still surviving mauvaise queue of Richard- 
son chimed in, and all Great Britain celebrated 
in Jenny Lind the song of maidenhood, the maid- 
enhood of song. We must own, this is the key 
to the incomprehensible riddle of the immense 
enthusiasm which Jenny Lind has found in Eng- 
land, and, between us, has known well how to 
profit by. She only sings, they say, in order that 
she may be able soon to give up worldly singing, 
and, provided with the necessary outfit, marry a 
young protestant clergyman, the pastor Swenske, 
who in the meantime waits for her at home in his 
idyllic parsonage behind Upsala, around the cor- 
ner to the left. It has since been hinted that the 
young pastor Swenske is a myth, and that the 
actual betrothed of the high maiden is an old 
hackhied actor of the Stockholm theatre— but 
this is surely slander. 

The chastity of feeling of this prima donna 
immaculata reveals itself most beautifully in her 
shyness of Paris, the modern Sodom ; this she 
expresses upon all occasions, to the highest edifi- 
cation of all the dames patronesses of morality 
beyond the channel. Jenny has most distinctly 
vowed never to offer her song-virginity for sale 
to the French public on the profane boards of the 
Rue Lepelletier ; she has sternly refused all M. 
Leon Fillet's proportions. "This raw virtue 
startles me," the old Paulet would say. Is there 
any foundation in the story that the nightingale 
of to-day was once in Paris in her earlier years, 
and received musical instruction in the sinful 
Conservatoire here, like other singing birds, which 



162 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



since then have become loose green-finches ? Or 
does Jenny fear that frivolous Parisian criticism, 
which criticizes in a singer not the morals, but 
the voice, and holds the want of school to be the 
greatest sin ? Be that as it may, our Jenny 
comes not here, and will not sing the French out 
of their pool of iniquity. They are fallen irre- 
deemably into eternal condemnation. 

Here in the musical world ot Paris all goes on 
in the old way. In the Academic Royale de 
Musique it is all the while gray, damp-cold win- 
ter, while there is May sunshine and the smell of 
violets without In the vestibule stands, sad and 
sorrowful, the statue of the divine Rossini; he 
is silent. It . is to the honor of M. Leon Pillet 
that he erected a statue to this true genius during 
his life-time. Nothing is funnier than to see the 
grimaces with which jealousy and envy look upon 
it "When Signor Spontini passes by, he always 
stumbles against this stone. Our great maestro 
Meyerbeer is much more prudent, and when he 
goes to the opera, of an evening, he always care- 
fully contrives to steer clear of this stone of stum- 
bling ; he even avoids the sight of it In the 
same way the Jews at Rome, even in their most 
hurried business walks, go always a great way 
round, in order not to pass that fatal triumphal 
arch of Titus, which was erected in commemora- 
tion of the downfall of Jerusalem. The accounts 
of J)oNiZETTi*8 condition are every day more 
melancholy. While his melodies are enlivening 
the world, while he is trilled and warbled every 
where, he sits himself, a fearful image of imbecil- 
ity, in a hospital at Paris. Only on the subject 
of his toilet he for some time showed a childish 
consciousness, and every day they had to dress 
him carefully, in full gala style, his fixxk adorned 
with all his orders ; so he sat motionless, his hat 
in hand, from earliest morn till late in the eve- 
ning. But that, too, has ceased ; he recognizes 
no one any more ; such is the fate of man ! 



Truth abont Music and Musicians. 

Translated from the German by Sabilla Notillo. 

I. 
WHAT MUSIC SHOULD AXD MAT EFFECT. 

" That which mode should declare to qb, is declared by our 
emotions.'* OehUtuchlager. 

It may sound almost ridiculous for me to wk : 
" What should and what may music effect ? " But 
this investigntlon seems occasionally to fall into ob- 
livion ; so much is attributed to the art, and sneh 
wonders are expected from it, that the time has ap- 
parently arrived wlien these questions should be asked 
and answered. 

In our days, fanatics exist, who pretend tliat the 
noble art should he auciliary to Politics, — that it 
should become democratic, after having been until 
now aristocratic. Quixotic critics have already dis- 
covered democratic music in Beethoven's w'orks. 
There is now only wanting a party, who should 
equally condemn aristocratic and democratic music, 
and desire it to be constitutional. ' Indeed, why should 
not some individual arise and say ; " I can compre- 
hend aristocratic and democratic music, but constitu- 
tutional music is a monster ; and only by means of 
absolutistic music can we be saved ! " 

You may shake your head, but positively, in list- 
ening to some of our assembled critical judges, I feci 
as though I were in a madhouse. Wherefore do per- 
sons attend concerts or the theatre ? Wherefore do 
tliey listen to playing and singing, or pUy and sing 
themselves 1 Do they look upon music as labor? — 
as the reading of a scientific work, or a lecture from 
which they may gain information 1 This has never 
been asserted by any sensible man. Music is sought, 
as we may daily learn, as a " refreshment " after the 
day's care aid toil,— -as a pure enjoyment ; and if this 
object be attained, such phrases as " I was pleased," 
or " I was enchanted," are used — and not *" I have 
a^in learnt somethijg/' or ** Kow I have been con- 
vinced." 



Ilcpel once remarked : " I cannot think during^ 
music." And thus it ouj^ht to be ; durini^ music we 
should not thinic, but feel and enjoy. The object of 
music, like every Ait, is thus perfectly consummated ; 
for its effect should, in reality, bo* Ixjncficcnt and 
H<j:reeal)le, — it should produce pleasure and dclif^lit. 
It docs not thcrcfoixj follow that music mujit he al- 
ways cheerful, sweet, and flowing ; the Wolfs jrlcn 
in the FreischiUz — iho musical accompaniment to II 
Commcndatorc's entrance, in Don Giovanni — Caspar, 
and many other villains — also cause dcli];ht in us. 
Know you not thot pleasurable sensation of ullowhi); 
horror to ci*ce]» over the soul, whilst rcadinj; or heur- 
inp ghost-stories, &c., during twilight or the late 
hours of night? Know you not the pleasurable sen- 
sation of watching a wili conflict of storm and rain 
from your window ? Know you not the pleasurable 
sensation of ruminating on past dangers, hours of 
terror, and stirring events ? All these are enjoyments. 
It is also a pleasure to allow certain sentiments, in 
themselves disagreeable, to be awakened, while wo 
possess the certainty that the feeling alone affects us, 
and not the real peril, the sorrow, or suffering con- 
nected with such sentiments : the cert^iinty of safety 
deprives them of all disagrcciiblc, and we comfortably 
imagine ourselves in the situation of a sufferer, with- 
out feeling real pain. This inclination of human na- 
ture manifests itself repeatedly in eager attendance 
at executions, — in the greediness and excitement with 
which descriptions of hoirible accidents and events 
are read ; in a word, it is that yearning desire for 
contrast, that necessity of dark shadow, which is as 
essential to moral as to physical life. WitJiout sin, 
there is no virtue ; without son-ow, no joy ; without 
shade, no light. But an opera, for instance, which 
should only contain Wolfs glens, infernal regions 
peopled by Furies, Caspars and similar gentry, no 
man could endure, — no man could wish to hear, be- 
cause it must affect him disagreeably, and afford no 
delight. 

Accordingly, the musical work which aims at being 
a masterpiece, must afford pleasure and enjoyment : 
this is, and ever will be, the sole object of all Arts, 
including that of Music. Allow me to quote to you 
the opinion of old Montesquieu — a deep thinker, well 
able to judge acutely of a subject ; he says : " Our 
existence is* entirely arbitrary ; we might have been 
created as we arc, or otherwise. But, had we been 
created differently, wo should have felt differently ; 
an organ more or less in our frame would have caused 
other eloquence, other poetry ; a diversified contex- 
ture, of the same organs, again, would have caused 
another poetry : for example, if the constitution of 
our organs had rendered us capable of longer atten- 
tion, all those rules which proportion the treatment 
of a subject to our attention would no longer exist ; 
if we had been rendered capable of greater penetra- 
tion, all those ndes which are founded according to 
the limits of our penetration would equally fall away ; 
in short, all those laws established with consideration 
of our frame being formed in a particular manner, 
would be diflferent if our frame were not thus consti- 
tuted. Had our eyesight been weaker and more con- 
fused, architecture would have required less ornament 
and more uniformity in its components ; had our eye- 
sight been more distinct, and our souls capable* of 
compassing more obiects simultaneously, architecture 
would have required more decoration ; had our ears 
been formed like those of certain, animals, many of 
our musical instruments would havia required mo^iff- 
cation. I well know that the relation borne towanls 
each other by all things, would still exist ; but the re- 
lation they bear towards us Iwing changed, those 
things which in our present state produce a particular 
effect upon us, would then no longer do so ; and as 
the perfection of Art is to present to us all thinys in such 
manner as to afford the most pleasure possible^ it would 
be necessary that Ait should be modified to suit our 
altered capability oi best receiving pleasure." As 
Art should create pleasure and enjovment, intellect is 
not preeminently exercised by it : if mental exertion 
be called into activity in order to obtain artistic pleas- 
ure, it is no longer pure enjoyment. Art must at- 
tract and absorb its votaries, and cannot therefore de- 
mand that they should laboriously examine and ac- 
count for that which delights them. The talented 
Madame de Siiiel says : " We demand sustained at- 
tention when discussing abstract ideas, but emotions 
are involuntary. The enjoyment of Art is not a 
matter of complaisance, of e'ffort, or reflection ; it is 
a matter of enjoyment, and not of reasoning : intellec- 
tual philosophy may claim examination, but poetic 
talent should command enthusiasm." 

Music aflTects Man in three ways : by sound, on 
the ear ; by expression, on the feelings ; and by form 
and thematic elaboration of phrases in instrumental 
music, on the understanding. A musical piece that 
fulflls all these conditions, is perfect, it must and will 
please all hearers, lay and initiated. Mozart's great- 
ness consists herein/ that most of his works unite 



these requisites. Lay men in Art, who arc merely 
lovers of music, recognize but two effects of Art — 
that on the ear, by sound, and that on the feelings, 
by expression ; tlieir enjoyment, therefore, of certain 
ma«ter-pieccs, is less than that of an artiste, who also 
revels in tlie beauty of form and thematic develop- 
ment ; that is, in the manifold transformations, inver- 
sions, and combinations of a musicid phrase. This 
fart accounts for the different degrees of ])leasnre 
experienced by amateurs and connoisseurs, as also for 
the various judgments pronounced on a work. The 
ear-caressing tones of Italian and French produc- 
tions, for instance, with their agreeable form, always 
find favor, even tliopgh wanting in true expression, 
with mere lovers of music ; and as those who have 
love, but not knowledge of music, form a majority in 
the world, it is no wonder that such Italian and mod- 
em-French musical works should make their way 
throughout the whole world, notwithstanding the ob- 
jections and censures cast upon them by scientific 
men, A gi-cat fault, however, one perhaps even 
greater than that of Italian and French musicians, 
who write only for the numerous crowd of ignorance, 
is committed by some of our composers, who con- 
sider agreeable sounds and lovely melodies as worth- 
less, or even contemptible. These writers, at most, 
satisfy the scientiffc jud<2mcnt of musical professors, 
a small minority of the public ; whoso hearts, how- 
ever, remain as unmoved, and whose emotions are as 
nngratificd, as those of the general public, who find 
these compositions entirely wanting in that which 
alone affords universal pleasure — tonal charm and 
sentimental excitement ; thus it naturally follows that 
the public remain cold towards such works, which to 
them are as a book with seven seals. Such compos- 
ers deceive themselves and others, when they assert 
that their works are written for the approbation of a 
few onlv, the scientific. Kverj* man who writes, will, 
if possiblo, please all, or as many as possible. This 
can only be the case, and our present music can only 
improve, when composers overcome their unnatural 
and pretended indifference to the great public mass, 
whicli, after all, must decide the fortune of every pro- 
duction ; and when they will imagine, like the Ital- 
ians and French, that their writings will have for au- 
di mce the whole world ! 

Goethe once said to Eckcrmann, speaking of au- 
thors (which fully applies to composers): ** The 
French are consistent with their general character, 
even in their stvle. They are of a social nature, and 
never forget the public, whom they address; they 
endeavor to be clear, in order to persuade their read- 
ers, and to be ddightful, in order to please them." 

The nature of Man, and his organization, are 
always the same in all ages ; the sources from whence 
he draws pleasure are eternally the same, and the only 
task of Art is to cause them to gush forth. He is an 
artiste, therefore, who uncloses such sources with a 
Moses-staff, or, to speak simply, who knows iMaf 
affords pleasure or displeasure to Man's nature, and 
houp this may be eflfected. The how is revealeid to 
him by innate talent and diligent study ; the what is 
verilv not difficult to recognize, if he will attentively 
and honestly observe what produces on himself and 
many others an agreeable impression, and what causes 
pleasure or the contrary. 

This is the onlv necromancy which has elevated 
great masters to the high rank they hold. Music is 
tlic painting of the soul ; its object is to call forth 
imagination, awaken the feelings of the heart, and 
represent the emotions of the soul. If a composer 
succeed in creating in his hearere that state of mind 
or feeling which he intends to produce, or succeed in 
distinctly and intelligibly depicting such feelings in 
his tonal-painting, then his work is faithful. This 
faithfulness will be recognized by the soul, and ac- 
knowledged by the understanding of listenera. But 
a great artiste will endeavor, beyond this, to invest 
his composition with charm and an agreeable form ; 
if he succeed in this also, then his work will be both 
faithful and beautiful. From this we learn that a per- 
fect work of art must be both true and beautiful ; 
such as are the admired masterpieces, which eternally 
live and eternally please. Thev are, however, rare, 
liecause most musical works fail to reach this perfec- 
tion, being either untrue or but partiv true ; or be- 
cause their form is anything but beautiful ; or because 
they are partly unfiiithful and partly faulty in form ; 
or bscause, as unfortunately often occurs in our day, 
they are untrue or half true, and at the same time, 
• very ugly. Use this very simple analysis on any 
piece which pretends to iJc a work of art, and you 
will never err in the opinion you form respecting it, 
whatever art-fanatics, art-pretenders, art-liars may 
chatter to confuse your judgment. 

And now, one word more. 

Sincere art-enthusiasts, who fall into ecstasies at 
everything which pleases them, and weaklings, who 
are astounded at the eflfects which a composer may 
produce, because they are unable themselves to create 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1858. 



163 



anything of worth ; prato with much unction of the 
dignity, the elevation, even the holiness of Art. I>et 
US, with all our joy in Music, rcm:iin strictly ciindid. 
Whcro lies the <li<niitv of a lluyiln's symphony ? 
What is elevatinjr in Mozart's Fitjuro ! \\'ljerc lies 
the holiness of Caspar's " earthly vnle of tears i " 
I am attached with fcryent giatitudc to our gre^it 
Masters, who so often have nftbrded, and ever newly 
afibrd me such jrreat, such pure delight ; nevertheless, 
I can never, without a smile, hear them dcscrlhed as 
miraculous lieings, inspired seers, imbued with god- 
like frenzy, like Pythia on her tripod, or as souring 
through immeasurable space, plucking ideas from 
amongst the stars. Alas I they were and are men 
like ourselves ; loved good eating and drinkini>:, were 
joyous or angry like other folk, smoked or took snutf, 
and daring lifetime fell into manifold weaknesses and 
follies, &c., &c. With all this, they desired, as musi- 
cians, to compose charming music, which should 
please general listeners ; therefore, they learnt dili- 
gently, exercised themselves unweariedlv, studied 
tiieir predecessors, sought to ascertain wfiy this or 
that work pleased or pleased not, observed mankind, 
made plans and sketches, altered and improved them 
and w^liat tliey had already completed ; tkey explained 
to thetHxelvea what they really intended^ and never retted 
until tJtey could execute witat they intended. 
Thus must you proceed, to rise like them. 



Eifect of Tamberlik's Debnt in Paris. 

We have more candidates for lyrical honors, this 
vear, than have been sec-n in a long while. Tamlter- 
lik's vt dieze keeps them all from sleeping. The 
houses in which singing masters give their lessons — 
the neighborhood of the Conser^'atory — are resonant 
with these abortive cries. Every tenor thinks he has 
bat to scream loud enough to be assured of obtaining 
a place at the Grand Opera, or Italian Opera, and 
five thousand dollars a month pay. M. l<iorcntino 
gives these ambitious "geniuses good advice : " Be 
ouiet, and keep cool. Braying is not good singing. 
The niglitingale gives no ut dieze ^ nor any other note 
de jnitrine that I ever h«ard of; and yet everybody 
agrees tliat it sings pretty well. The peacock goes 
as far as i^ naturilj but good Lord deliver us from 
his music" 

Daring Mademoiselle Rachel's life, Paris teemed 
with tragic actresses whose genius was not under- 
stood, and who were kept back from the beneficent 
foot-lights, which were to ripen their talents into 
genius fur loftier than Rachel's. The place is vacant, 
but they cannot be found. The French Comedy 
would l)e glad to get even a third-rate tragic actress. 
None of these self-called rivals of Rachel are found 
worthy of this humble place. When M'lle. Stoltz 
was the star of the Grand Opera, above sixty women 
applied for her place, and cursed her and her liaison 
with the manager, for preventing them from becom- 
ing famous. She, too, has sunk — not into the grave, 
but into that hell of the lyric and dramatic performer 
— ^infio a decayed actress, and her place has been va- 
cant ever since her retirement. Tony Johannot for 
years had the monopoly of illustrating books in his 
fuinds, and heaven only knows the bitterness with 
which he was attacked, ''for stealing the bread out of 
his poor brethren's mouths." lie died, and until M. 
Gustave Dor^ reached manhood, not an illustrated 
book was published ! At pi^esent, it is M. Tamlierlik 
that oppresses young genius. The managers of thea 
tres have no greater annoyances than these shrivelled 
fruit of the conservatories and singing-masters. — 
There is no getting rid of them, except by kicking 
them out of doors, at the risk of Iteing sued for as- 
sault and battery. When Severini was manager of 
the Italian Opera, a fellow who stood six feet in his 
stockings, called upon him, one morning, and the fol- 
lowing «liak>gue ensued : " Monsieur, I want an en- 
gagement at your theatre." "What sort of an en- 
gagement ?" " First tenor." "Did you ever sing 
anywhere 1" "Never. But I have a splendid voice. 
Yoa can hear me say 'good day' half a mile." "Do 
you speak Italian 1" ''Why, no, I do not ; but, vou 
see, I come from Anvergne, and tliere is a good cleal 
of similarity between the two languages.'" "What 
business were you engaged in before you were stage- 
struck V "I sold cotton goods in a shop of the Rue 
Saint Denis. Are you ready to sign my engage- 
ment 1" " Why, my dear sir, that post happens to oe 
engaged just now, "by a fellow named Rubini, and I 
am pretty well satisfied with him." "That certainly 
is annoying. Well, to do you a favor, I will tempo- 
rarily aeoept the place of second tenor." "Why, a 
fellow named Mario has that." "Say third tenor, 
then." "My dear sir, that place also ts taken by a 
fellow namei M irate." "Then give me a place in 
the chorus." "The cliorus is full." The next day, 
the counter-jumper was bellowing in every cafil 
against the government, for paying "d d foreign- 
ers for keeping native talents down." 



The method adopted by M. Offenbach, the mana- 
ger of the little opera house known as the Bonffes 
Parisiens, is a great deal more satisfuciory, and by it 
he has collected an excellent company. When nn 
applicant comes to him for a place, a dialogue of 
somewhat the following substance takes place be- 
tween them : "What is your name ?" "N. or M." 
"Change that name — it is ridiculous or indecent — tmd 
nsfsnme one that will tell well on the play bill. — 
Wlicpe did vou study." "At the Conscrvaitory" (or 
with Mr. ^uch-a-onc.) "Show me the prizes you 
took at the Consen-atory," (or I will see your j)ro- 
fessor.) "On what stage' have you appeared ?" "At 
Brussels," (or at Madrid, or Geneva.) "Very well. 
I will make enquiries al)out you, and if they are such 
as I hope to receive, we shall soon come to terms. 
But if you have never played anywhere, the best 
thing you can do is to get an engagement at Mar- 
seilles, Strasbourg, or Lyons, and apply for a place 
in Paris when you have' become accustomed to the 
stage. What are your favorite parts ?" "This and 
that." "Can you play them m three days from 
now ?" "Yes." "How many rehearsals *do you 
want ?" "Two." "Very well, you shall have them. 
See the stage manager, and arrange with him, and 
get ready for your first appearance." This custom 
is more agreeable to all the parties concerned, and 
when the candidate fails before the public there is no 
appellate court from which he may crave a reversal 
of the unfavorable verdict ; and the manager is re- 
leased from that time forward forever from the place 
beggar. — Cor. N. Orleans Picayune, 



A "New Improvisatrice in Italy. 

(CorrespondencQ of the Newmrk Dally Advertiser.) 

Florence, Jtdy 3. — National songs, that rouse and 
reinforce a free people, are unknown in Italy; though 
singing is one of its pastimes, not to sav its most se- 
rious employment ; and rhymes are indigenous, like 
maccaroni-^r quibbling in Philadelphia. An Eng- 
lish officer put a question to a Tuscan drummer the 
other day, and was answered in ottaca rimn. Everv 
tinker is quite as cute. It is the popular humor, and 
nothing could be more spontaneous. Sentiment com- 
monly expresses itself in verse, so that one is not snr- 
prisecl to find soft sonneters " ever blooming " and 
" nightly nodding " in the moonlight walks of Italy. 
In tnith' no scene or subject is safe from poetry, not 
even " Cutting a schirrous tumor from a woman's 
breast," its latest operation. It might, perhaps, be 
called an epidemic, since hospitals have been endowed 
for those who labor under the distemper, distinguished 
by such names as common-place madness never con- 
ccived-=-j7rim/);'oca<i', ed intruonati, ^-c. Hence too the 
numerous pastora in partibus, and the herds who bleat 
or bray in the imaginary pastures of Arcadia. This 
allegoric Arcadia, by the wav, is almost the onlv one 
of the famous literary Academies of the " revival " 
which the national taste conser\'es. 

The della Crttsca was long aj^o virtually stifled in 
its own chaff, whilst a thousand Arcadiaa "shep- 
herds" are still abroad, feeding their flocks; their 
solemn meetings are still held at Rome ; the Giomale 
Arcadico continues to publish their stately proceedings 
in pix)se or verse," and Academic " farms " are still 
awarded for tlie best pasturage, like prizes at your 
cattle shows. These title-deeds have enriched many 
a melodious youth — " perchance some mute inglori- 
ous Milton — whose noble rage chill penury hud re- 
pressed," and — it must be confessed— even tJie princely 
Goethe rejoiced in his grant of the " Melpomenian 
Fields, sacred to the Tragic muse ! " It is remarka- 
ble, seeing that its constitution is republican, that no 
Western squatter has ever obtained a footing on its 
domains ; but, wiser than Plato, or even the " model 
Republic," this free and enlightened community fully 
recognizes the " rights of woman." There is no sex 
in mind in Arcady, the blest. 

The popnlar favorite just now is the improvisatrice 
Giannini Milli, a blooming maid of some twenty 
summers, and the Sappho of the Academy. A niece 
of the late Francesco Gianni, who improvised entire 
tragedies with marvellous fluency, and was pensioned 
bv Napoleon, she is, besides being learned in the an- 
cient and modem tongnes, confessedly the most suc- 
cessful of the living declaimers in extemporary verse ; 
and this dance of the poets yields only in popular at- 
traction to the poetry of the dunce. The selectest 
circles crowd her "Academies," ancl jealous cities 
contend for her favor. That Florence mar gain 
nothing by the hospitality which has made ^ler its 
ornament,* Vienna holds out to her the golden crown. 
During a recent visit, she even divided the suffrages 
of Vienna with the queen of the ballet. But her ha- 
bitual presence here, in the midst of these rivalries, 
betrays a preference for the citv of Dante — where her 
public appearances are veritable ovations. 

On these occasions subjects are proposed in writing 



by the audience, and lodged in an nm, when the 
number agreed upon, usually half a dozen or more, 
arc drawn by lot, before her a])pearance. When she 
entein, the mnsic, which fills the intervals of recita- 
tion, censes ; the theme is presented in the midst of 
the general salutations, and then, after a moment's 
pause, her charming voice mns into an easy flow, like 
an endless river, without obstruction — never weary, 
rarely hurried. 

Otie of our countrymen recently proposed Colum- 
bus as a theme of common interest. I recall the first 
quatrain of the response, not so much as a taste of 
her quality, for it is below her average, as a remem- 
liered example of the tendency of the language to 
slide into this languid melody— which even seduced 
the susceptible nature of poor Tasso, but which the 
earlier masters disdained — 

Kccola in preda al Uquldo elcmento, 
Un angiol iiicde pom il rao navii^Uo 
Ei oontempla le vie del flnnamento, 
£ lol dal gienio suo prendo consiglio. 

It is only fair to add tliat this monotony ia occa- 
sionally interrupted by a brisk succession of perens- 
sions and intermissions that quite counterfeit passion, 
and throw the auditors into convulsions. But the 
che/ fVantvre of improvising is the sonnet a t^erso obli' 
goto, in which a particular rhyme is prescribed with the 
theme to puzzle the poet, and this somerset in fetters 
Signorina Milli performs with notable dexterity. Aj 
a tour de force the thing is certainly mar^-ellous — like 
one of Taglioni's pirouettes. 

The dilettanti tell us that la Siqnorina is only sur- 
passed in their Pantheon by her immediate predeces- 
sor, " the most accomplished Teresa Bandettini " — 
the Amarilla Etruf^ca of the Academy — who was 
heard and crowned in the Capitol during the sove- 
reignty of Napoleon — unless it be by the famous 
Leo's court-jester, Quemo, who was a great favorite 
in his day. On lieing presented to the P^mperor at 
Modena, soon after her apotheosis, the lady's name 
was unfortunately prefaced with the word " celebra- 
ted." " And pray, Madam for what are you celebra- 
ted ? " was the characteristic demand. " For the 
goodness of my friends, Sire," she aptly replied. 
" But what have you done ? " pursued tne impatient 
soldier. " I have translated some tragedies. Sire." 
" Comcille, Raci'*e, I suppose ? " " May it please 
your Majesty, I have translated Shakspeare I ** 
'* Pshaw I " sneered out the contemptuous monarch, 
as he turned on his heel — ^reminded, as the Italians 
were consoled to believe, of the hated nation of shop- 
keepers. 

A true Anecdote firom fhe Life of Loxiii 
Van Beethoven. 

(Translated firom the iVeiM Wietur Mtuik-Zeitufig.} 

In the year 1 825, a well-known artist, who was 
also a dilettante in musical composition, published a 
small volume of waltzes. Each was expressly com- 
posed for the occasion by one of the most popular 
and celebrated composers of the day, since nobody 
refused his contribution to the editor, who wished to 
pay a curative tiip to Carlsbad with the proceeds. 
The book met with an extnioi*dinary success and 
rapid sale. Suddenly the editor hit upon the notion 
of soliciting a contribution from the great Louis van 
Beethoven, with whom he had formerly been acquain- 
ted, through his grandfather and father. With the 
noblest and most affectionate readiness, the great 
composer promised compliance with his petitioner's 
wish, and gave him not only a waltz, but (he, the in- 
comparable) a trio into the bargain. He told the 
gentlemen to come for the work, which would be fin- 
ished in about four weeks. As, however, the gentle- 
man fell ill, he was unable to go, and obliged to re- 
nounce BO interesting a visit. Ho b^jged, therefore, 
his mother to fetch the work, and express his thanks. 

But the housekee()er, to whom tlie lady gave her 
name, would not admit her, saying that Iier master 
was again very cracked that day. As, at this mo- 
ment, Beethoven put his head out of the door, she 
pushed the lady into a dark room, with the words : 
" Hide yourself, for there is no speaking to him to- 
day." The lady consequently left yyithout executing 
her commission. 

A day or two afterwards, Beethoven sent the waltz 
to the gentleman's house, with the following note, the 
authenticity of wliiph is beyond a doubt, as die orig- 
inal is now lying before us : 

'^ Dear Sik,— Through the stnpldlty of mj hoiuekeeper. 

Jour mother was sent away, without my being told a word of 
er vialt. 

*' I have aeverdy censured her unbcromlng conduct. In not 

Introducing >our mother into my room ; the boorishness and 

eoanteneu of then people whom I am unfortunate enough to 

have around me, are known to every one. I beg your pardon. 

»« Your most obedient lerrant, 

"Louis VaH BBTBOVBr." 

Poor, feeling man, who, in addition to the colossal 
misfortune (doubly terrible to tuck a composer) of 



164 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



being deprived of the sense of hearing, was com- 
pel!^ to snfTer the tortare, which eat into his very 
soul, of passing among such persons his existence, 
saddened, moreover, by other heart-depressing family 
matters, which were communicated by Beethoven 
himself-— who desired and asked for sympathy — to 
the writer. 



Psalm-times for the Market 

The following is a chapter, one of the most sensi- 
ble, from that quaint little book, full of truths and 
full of prejudices : " Hints concerning Church Music, 
the Utwrgy and kindred subjeiUs. Prepared by James 
M. He WINS. Second Edition. Boston: A Wil- 
liams & Co. 1857." 

The obtrusion of unharmonions and secular poetry 
into the church, is a great hindrance to divine song. 
It is seized upon by ignorant or avaricious men, as a 
pretext for the intr^uction of all sorts of secular 
music. Ab a counterpart to the hymn-books before 
alluded to, we have tune-books without number, made 
up of the most ridiculous adaptations and selections 
from oratorios, operas, sonatas, symphonies, songs, 
&c., all suited to the general ignorance and secularity 
of the times, and to that intemperate rage for novelty 
which everywhere prevails. Musical conventions are 
called in various parts of the country, under the pre- 
tence of improving the public taste, when in fact tney 
are only intended to promote the sale of silly anil 
mischievous music. Now the money-changers were 
driven from the temple long ago, and I submit that 
the music and psalmody of the church is not a legiti- 
mate article ot speculation, and that our country 
fiiends are most egregiously imposed upon. Good 
music never wears out ; whereas the silly and ephe- 
meral trash so much in vogue, perishes with the use 
of it, and a new tune-book is wanted every year, just 
as the makers of them intend. Those who indulge 
in such base practices, flatter tliemselves that it is a 
harmless pursuit, and are wont to say that the people 
want to be " humbugged ; " but I have heard some 
sound musicians say that it will take half a century 
to eradicate the evil consequences. It is a national 
calamity. 

There are banded together in the cities of New 
York and Boston, a set of speculators who trade in 
the songs of Zion. With these fellows all styles are 
good, and that is best to-day which sells best. They 
know well enough in their hearts how limited the 
sphere of devotional song is, but if they acknowle<lge 
the trudi, why, then their occupation is gone. The 
public ought to be cautioned against such mnsical 
pickpockets. In some of their books the most solemn 
woras are often coupled witli the melody of some 
familiar or vulgar comic song, with harmony to 
matdi. Again, we have glees outright ; literal selec- 
tions from operas, &c., all bound up together, and 
covered with the high-sounding and queer names of 
" Halleluiah," " Cithara," " Dulcimer," " Shawm," 
" Lute of Zion," <* The Handel," &c. To give a kind 
of solemnity to such music, tunes of a light charac- 
ter are often closed with a strong ecclesiastical ca- 
dence, which seems like putting heavy armor upon 
an infant. What deformity, what incongruity is all 
this ; and yet it is done (ostensibly) for the church of 
Christ ! So numerous are these catch-penny works, 
that the powera of invention are severely taxed in 
finding names for them. 

»* tf In a picture, Plio, 70a should see 
A handeome woman with a flah'e tail. 
Or a man** h«ad upon a hone's neck. 
Would 70U not laugh, and think the painter mad ! 
Trust me that book is as ridiculous. 
Whose incoherent style, like sick men's dreams, 
Tastes all shapes, and mixes all extremes." 

A like state of things existed for a time in Eng- 
land, probably among the Puritans. Sir Jown Haw- 
kins relates that in country parishes, about the year 
1675, 

*■<• Some poor Ignorant man. whom the poring over RaTvms- 
eroft and Flaylbrd has made to belleTe that he is as able a 
proficient in psalmodr as either of those authors ; such men 
as these assume the title of ringtng^maeters and lovers of di- 
vine muaie, and are the authors of those collections which are 
extant in the world, and are di«tingulshed by the titles of 
** David's Harp New Strung and Tuned," " The Harmony of 
Bion," " The Psalm- Singer's Companion," and others of alike 
kind, to an incredible number." 

Mr. Zeuner, in the preface to one of his books, 
makes the following veiy just remarks : 

^* From the'abuses and absurdities that exist in well-knofwn 
publications, it is not a very dlffleult matter to demonstrate 
that the church is inundated with music of a Mvolous, tri- 
fling, and, may we not add, proAuie chaneter ! " 

He then goes on to notice a great number of pro- 
fane airs, such as " The Brave Swiss Boy," " The 
Harmonious Blacksmith," &c., as well as many 
others, which, he says, are now being performed on 
tiie boards of the American and Engluh theatres ! 



*' Tfrnorance and Inexperience have no right to meddle with 
church muftio, which ought to be the most perfbct in clisnie- 
terand i^tyle. Tt ought always to be free trom unhallowed se- 
•ooiations, and its character, dignity, and mlemnity ough't to 
be constantly guarded. Has the time arrived when sacred 
words are to be aMsociated with secular muric, for common use 
in our cburrhes ? ' My house is a house of prayer.' Ac. 

'' If one happen to hear again in the church what he has 
before beard in a proflme place, he must Indeed doubt wheth- 
er he is in an insane hospital or a place of worship." 

A muxidan can accomplish what the mere amateur, 
from the shop or counting-room, fnils in ; and 
amongst all who have written for the church, in this 
country, the above named gentleman has alone dis- 
played a true knowledge of the requirements and pro- 
priety of Sacred Harmonv. Not that this music is 
altogether what it should Iho, for of this he was well 
aware ; but that he has best adapted himself to the 
flimsy poetry he had to deal with. Although slightly 
tinged with modem German chromatics, yet ho has 
displayed good judgment in altering the niythmical 
forms of church compositions, without destroying 
their grave harmony. By this means he has adapted 
them to the light hymns in use, without fiilling into 
the lullaby style, as' his cotemporaries have done. — 
Some of Mr. Zeuner's " chanting tunes " will serve 
as an illustration. The fact is, that a good strong, 
devotional tune, like "Dundee" or "London," is 
too much for many of the little nursery hymns in 
use ; while, on the other hand, the must sublime and 
instructive poetry is often wholly enervated by being 
coupled with an operatic melody. 

What further progress can be* marie in secularizing 
the songs of the church it is not easy to see, unless 
the British poets and the Italian opera are swallowed 
at a gulp ; and of this there are some symptoms, as 
recent publications intended for the Christian chnrch 
^ve evidence. Some of these musical pretenders 
try to justify themselves by saying that their hooks 
contain a great deal of good music. But what of 
thot ? The multitude, ever ready to sacrifice the un- 
derstanding to tiie gratification of the senses, are sure 
to seize upon the bad. 

Plato complained of the injury done to music bv 
the poets, who *' confounded all things with all ; '' 
and surely no man can be justified in meddling with 
the psalm*ody or ritual of the chureh, unless he has a 
suitable knowledge of music. A tinker might as 
well undertake to build a telescope. 

What a blessing would it be, if all the poetic and 
mnsical trash of our time could be heaped together 
on some lai^ plain, and then touched with a torch, — 

*' Heavens 1 what a pile ! whole ages perish there. 
And one bright blase turns leaning into air." 

But setting aside the quality of the music in ques- 
tion, it is a great sin to multiply it to sudi an indefi- 
nite extent. It creates much confusion. One hun- 
dred and fifty fjood metrical tunes are enough for this 
world, and perhaps there is not a much larger number 
of good ones extant. 

The music and poetry of the church, to be of any 
real value, must become &miliar to the mind.* Now 
in most of the Congregational churches in Boston, 
may be found at least two thousand psalm-tunes, and 
about one thousand hymns. Suppose then, that one- 
half are fit to be used at all, (and this is a most mag- 
nanimous allowance,) and that four of each are used 
every Sunday ; it would require four and a half years 
to sing the former, and two years and a half to dis- 
patch the latter. 

" In 1667, Archbishop Piirker published the first tmnsla- 
tfon, by one and the ssnM>|peTson, of the entire Psalter into 
English metre. It was printed at London by John Daye. with 
the royal pririlege, and appended to it are eight pealm-tunce, 
sufflcing in metre and in character, as was supposed, for every 
psalm.-' 

Adaptations are generally bad, unless done by a 
master. There is a disagreement between the accen- 
tuation of the words and the music. The melody of 
the music must suit the melody of the language. 

Now in the face of this perverted state of things, 
who does not see the necessi^ of music schools in our 
colleges. We have no standard. The Puritans de- 
molished organs,t committed music to the flames, and 
annihilated all musical education ; and, while we 
bow with reverence to the huge virtues of those old 
sons of thunder, we can not fail to see their errors, 
the consequences of which are too obvious. For 
want of collegiate instruction, we have no suitable 
men to manage our public schools, and the children 
are now taught from certain silly school song-books, 
which only tend" to dissipate all true musical feeling 
and taste from the mind, and which thev are asham- 
ed to reflect upon as they grow older. This is a great 
evil. It is not owing to our climate that we have not 

* " One generation shall praise thy works to another." 

t During the Great RebelUon. very few organs escaped the 
ftiry of the Puritans, excepting the sweet-toned instrument at 
Magdalen College, Oxford ; which, it Is said, " Cromwell con- 
trived to steal, and bad it removed to Hampton Court for his 
own entertainment. The rest were for the moet part bztdcen in 
pieeee." 



as good smgers as any nation upon earth, hut it is 
for the want of proper yonthful training. The first 
impressions which are made on the mind are always 
the strongt'st ; hence, instead of pernicious sing-song 
ditties, children should alwnvn be exercised in strong 
clas.<«ical examples, and especially in the church style, 
which they learn with the greatest facility, and to 
their lasting benefit. 

The eye, by the optic nerves, carries impressions 
to the brain. Sounds, also, through the auditory 
nerves, glide up to the brain and lav their messages 
before the mind, the effects of which varv according 
to the character of the objects or harmonics prescm- 
ed.—some exalting the mind uid loftier sentiments, 
while others tend to levity and dissipations of the 
mind. 

Luther says : 

'•The youth ought to be brought op and accustomed to 
this art, for it maketh fine and expert people. A school- 
master ought to have skill In mnsic, otherwims I would not re- 
gard him : neither would we ordain young fellows to the office 
of preaehlng, except they have been well ezetvlsed in the 
school of music.'* 

Here is a sample of that effeminate, whining style 
of metrical psalmody which (to omr shame be it 
spoken,) prevails in a great number of American 
churches. The women praise it, and voung girls 
call it " beautiful." It is a soothing idllaby stylo 
that suits their particular mood,— something akin to 
anise and paregoric for the babies. 









.^ 9 J i 



I •/> i 1/ 

Now, all this may be very well for little girls to 
sing at the piano on a Smiday evening, bat what kinil 
of praise is it to offer to Him who sendeth his light- 
nings to the ends of the earth, and rides upon the 
storm? Is this the way to praiKe God in his sanctu- 
ary " and " in the firmament of his power 1 " Is this 
praising Him " according to his excellent greirt- 
noss ? " Is this " singing forth the honor (ff has name; 
and " making his praise glorious ? " 



tp 



i n 



Signer Eicoo Soeoo. 

Miss Isora Beal was a yonng lady of sixteen, unaf- 
fected, good-hearted, and pretty, 'it roust be con- 
fessed that she was also somewhat empty-headed and 
vain ; bat as these qualities are pecaliar to a very 
large proportion of her sisterhood, they were not p«r- 
ticularlv noticeable. She possessed besides, another 
trait, w)iich used to be tolerated in the yonng, b«t 
which has of late gone quite out of date, along with 
the old-fashioned virtues — she was romantic. 

I know not how to account for this circumstance, 
except by connecting it with the apparently incongru- 
ous fact of her having been educated in a nunnery. 

From these "cloistered walls" the poor child, who 
was an orphan, had just emeiged, to begin her litrie 
career in the world, and to take the head of her old 
bachelor uncle's establishment. 

That worthy gentleman, thoneh shrewd enough in 
his way, had about as much idea of the intemal 
structure of a girl's heart, as I have of tiie procos 
by which flowers are introduced, or made to grow, in 
the middle of those curious glass balls one sees every 
where. (Tormenting little problems that they are — 
they always perplex me as the apples in the pudding 
did poor King Geoige — I must atill be wondering 
how they were got in.) 

Of coarse, Isora had never entered a theatre. She 
was now sixteen years of age, when exposed to his* 
trionic infection, she took the theatric fever i^-ith un- 
common virulence. 

When Signor Bicco Bocco, the famous tenor, first 
broke on Isora's sight in a bandit's costume, (which 
is well known to consist of loose leather boots, a red 
sash garnished with pistols and dagger, and a velvet 
cap with a bobbing black plume,) she fblt that for the 
first time in her life she was in the presence of a hero. 
Her eager eyes were bent upon him, and her heart 
almost stopped beating. 

Signor Uicco Hocco took two steps fbrward, and 
■toppsd with a jerk, and by repeating this manceovre 
several times, advanced to the front of the stage. 

Isora's heart beat quickly again, and a flush of ex- 
citement rose to her chbek. ''He realizes my ideal t" 
she murmured. 

After rather an awkward pause on the part of the 
bandit, during which the orcnestra got through with 
the prelude, he executed a sentimental aria, in a mel- 
ancholy way, with fint one hand and theti the other 
alternately pressed to his heart and sawing the air. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1858. 



165 



Isora henrd the moiirnfol strain with deep emotion. 
"To think he should be unhappy ! " she si^^hcd, ond 
the hrimminj:^ tears were in her eyes. All was reality 
to her, silly child ! 

The whole evening; was one of intcn.^ excitement 
and novel sensations to 1 sora ; and the worst of it 
was that she had not even the safety-valve of a con- 
fidante. Neither sister, mother, nor "dearest friend" 
was at hand ; nnd when the poor lonely child in 
search of sympathy with her emotions during a very 
trying scene, glanced around timidly at her uncle, she 
was shocked to perceive that worthy personage sound 
asleep. She woke him instantly, that he might not 
lose the treat. 

Though the fact I have mentioned would tend to 
prove that die uncle did not enjoy opera-going much, 
for its own sake, he delighted to give pleasure to his 
niece, nor did he see anything amiss or suspicious in 
her vehement entreaties to be taken every night while 
the opera lasted. Ho therefore went and slept, and 
Isora went and felt— or thought she felt, which an- 
swers as well sometimes — herself in love. 

The season was a long one, and things went on till 
the silly little thing, carried away by all sorts of sen- 
timentalities and delusions, was firmly convinced her 
heart was lost beyond recall. 

This topic filled her head so completely, that hav- 
ing, as I nave said, no female confiduiitc, she one 
day, in utter inability to keep such a secret pent up 
any longer, hinted the state of the case to her uncle 
himself. The good man was aghast. Such a con- 
tingency had never presented itself to his imagina- 
tion. 

"In love with Signor Ricco Rocco, indeed ! " he 
exclaimed, half amused and half enraged. 

"Yes, indeed, uncle. So mudi in love — that — that 
I don*t know what to do." 

"In love ! Bali ! Do yon know what will cure 
youl" 

"No, uncle," she replied. 

"An ounce of sense !" said he. And thoroughly 
vexed and annoyed, the uncle left the niece alone to 
ponder on the prescription. 

As to whether this remedy was applied or not, un- 
cle and niece differ. At all events, it was not suc- 
cessful. 

Isora began to "peak and pine." All her merry 
ways, her giriish gaiety, deserted her. She moped — 
gn-w sallow — almost ugly ; a very common effect of 
moping, gentle reader, believe 'me, though novel 
writers never mention it. 

This state of things forced itself on the attention 
of the uncle, who might otherwise have never again 
recvnred to the absurd confesnion of his niece. As it 
was, he vrns constantly reminded of it. 

He missed the life and gaiety which had swept like 
a breeze of spring through his musty old hou.se when 
Isora first entered it. He hated to see a pale, lacka- 
daisical girl poking languidly a1)out, instead of the 
fresh, lively, saucy thing who liad amused him a few 
weeks before. -He was one of the gentlest and kind- 
est of men, but he was a man after all, and therefore 
it is probable Ii«ora might have fretted herself to 
death without oppositron, if she could have done so 
without diminisiiing his comfort or enjoyment ; but 
as the case was, he felt the necessity of eflTort, and he 
bent his vigorous and practical mind to a removal of 
the difficulty. The result of much intense studv and 
deliberation was an invitation to Signor Ricco ftocco 
to dine with him. 

pV Isora was informed of this arrangement, and after 
thanking her unc!c from the very depth of her flutter- 
ing little heart for his great and delicate kindness, ran 
off to elioose betimes the dress in whicli to array her- 
self on the momentous occasion. 

The day and hour came, f Isora began to think 
they never would.) She had been con.sulting her 
mirror all the morning, and was now dressed with 
simple elegance, walking up and down the drawing- 
room with her uncle, awaiting the arrival of her dis- 
tinguished guest. 

In her innocent delight she could not help telling 
her only confidante how handsome and interesting 
she thought the Signor, and her opinion that all the 
world must see his very great resemblanee to die 
noble and chivalric Sir Walter Raleigh. 

To all this the wily uncle said litde or nothing, 
though his shoulders would shrug a little, and a mys- 
tork>us grunt, which puzzled Isora, now and then es- 
caped him. 

A ring at the bdl. Isora dragged her uncle to the 
door to listen, and then back to the fardiest comer of 
the room, as she heard the step of the visitor ap- 
proaching. 

A moment more, and she was in the presence of 
her hero. He was shaking hands with her uncle-— 
her uncle was introducing him to her. Without find- 
ing courage to raise her eyes, she could only blush 
deeply and bow her head before him. 

For the first few moments she desired nothing 



more. It was enough to know herself in the pres- 
ence — ^to know that the cherished object of her girlish 
adoration — her hem — ^her ideal — was near her — ^in 
the same room. But as it is a law of the human 
heart always to make an attained happiness the step 
bv which to mount to another higher yet, Isora in 
time overcame her timidity ; she raised her eyes, and 
saw — a middle-aged gentleman, red-faced and fat. 

It was our heroine's instantaneous conviction that 
an impudent hoax was attempted to be played off on 
her. 

That the elegant lover! the chivalric herol the 
brave soldier, with whose appearance she was so fa- 
miliar from her scat in the doxcs ! No, she could 
not, would not believe it ! It was only through her 
uncle's somewhat ostentatious iteration of the name 
of " Ricco Rocco," that she could in any way connect 
the impostor before her with the princely person she 
had heretofore known under that title. 

The belief that her uncle was attempting to play 
off a trick upon her was confirmed at dinner-time, as 
she observed die guest's half-bred manners and vora- 
cious appetite. It ripened into certainty during a 
conversation she had with him after they had returned 
to the drawing-room. 

Her uncle had been called away for a short time by 
a business visitant, and in the short Me-a-tete during 
his absence the Signor became so confidential as to 
inform Isora, in broken English, that he had probably 
broken more hearts than any man living, and, at the 
present time, nearly twenty young ladies were doomed 
victims to his dangerous attractions. 

Perfectly disgusted with his overweening vanity, 
nnd emban-asscd by a confidence so unsolicited nnd 
undcsircd, Isora was thankful for the reappearance of 
her uncle in time to obviate the necessity of a reply 
which she knew not how to frame. 

Ere long die guest departed, and the uncle imme- 
diately demanded, " Well, Isy, what do you think of 
yonr feignor Ricco Rocco now 1 " 

"Ah, uncle," answered Isora, smiling reproach- 
fully as she patted his cheek with her fan, " do you 
think I don't see through you and yonr plans ? " ' 

The uncle changed countenance visibly, and with 
rather a conscience-stricken look, asked what she 
meant. 

" Why, of course, uncle, I am only a silly girl, and 
not hard to outwit, I dare say , but your trick is 
rather too palpable to impose even upon me. That 
red-faced man Signor Ricco Rocco, indeed ! He was 
more like Daniel Lambert ! " 

The uncle suddenly recovered his spirits. 

" Oh ! that is the view you take of it, my little dar- 
limr, is it 1 " he cried, rubbing his hands gleefully. 
" Then I'm all right, for I can tell you, on my word 
of honor, that our visitor was Signor Ricco Rocco 
himself in propria personaf as sure as I am the best ot 
uncles." 

But Isora was still unconvinced. She could not 
doubt her uncle's word ; but neither could she realise 
any identification of the two widely different individ- 
uals claiming the same name. She had still the im- 
pression that some deception was being practised 
upon her. 

Her uncle, perceiving her doubts, wisely proposed 
another visit to the opera, assuring his niece that 
though she could not discern Signor Ricco Rocco in 
their guest, she would not find it so difficult to trace 
dieir guest in Signor Ricco Rocco. 

To her amazement Isora found this prediction true. 
The next night, in spite of disguise, paint, and stage 
illusions, their fat guest of the previous day stood 
constantly before her. She was cured. 

Some years afterward Isora married a plain, sensi- 
ble man,*with nothing of the hero about nim except 
a noble. loving heart, but whom she managed to love 
devotedly, notwithstanding. 

Her uncle made one of her household, and exer- 
cised a great influence over her ; for it was observable 
that whenever anything did not go as he approved, or 
his niece was about to act in any way he considered 
foolish, he had but to pronounce the mysterious 
words, " Ricco Rocco ! to reduce her to instant 
obedience to his wishes. 



How CERTAIN OpEBAS CAMB TO BE COMPOSED. 

— At the time when Auber, (younger than he is now) 
reigned almost supreme at the Grand Opera, Mile. 

X was the principal danseuse, the bright, pardc- 

ular sun, arouna which moved vocalists, composers, 
critics, &c., &c., as if living in the light of her smiles. 
Auber also was found among her devotees, but the 
charming danseuse, despite his attentions, treated 
him with the most marked coolness. One evening, 
behind the scenes, he became more urgent and press- 
ing than ever for her favor, and she replied : " If 
ever you compose an Opera, in which I JiU thefirti 
rolef 1 shall then begin to consider whether so insig- 
nificant a person as I am may be worthy the love of 



a great composer." Surely this was ** giving the 
sack " in the best possible style. At least so thought 
the lady, for to her it seemed an impossibility that a 
dnntmue could have xht first role in an Opera. But 
nothing seemed impossible to love and Auber. The 
next work pro(luced by him was " A« Dieu et Baya- 

d^e" and Mile. X danced the Bayadere.— 

Whether she afterwards listened to the devoted com- 
poser's vows, we cannot state, but this is certain, 
that he wrote another opera, " La Muette de Portici 
(MataneiUo), in which she appeared as Fenella.— 
N. y. Dispatch, 

An Organic Difficulty.-^A parish in the 
west of England, after much effort ktely purchased a 
self-acting organ, warranted to play twenty tunes, 
and a larger congregation than usual met to inaugu- 
rate it. Tne first psalm had been successfully brought 
to an end, when after a short pause, the organ choose 
to commence psalm-tune number two. In vain the 
oflSciating person endeavored to stop it ; in vain the 
church wardens left their own pews to stifle its noises ; 
still the organ, as though uncontrollably pleased with 
its own execution, kept on with the new air. What 
was to be done ? The service was suspended, in the 
hope that die musical stranger might be content when 
the second tune was played out. Vain expectation ! 
It commenced number three ! and nothing remained 
but to carry the instrument into the churchyard, and 
there to cover it with the vestiy carpet to choke its 
voice, for on and on it went till the numl)er of twenty 
had been played out, much to the edification of the 
less attentive' part of the congregation, who could 
onlv hear half smothered melodies. — London Times, 



^Dsial Correspnbtnft. 



'ijxrU'iJ~iOi~<^f' i f' » t'' w '^i~ i f^r^r'r'M- ii 'Mnn'T i ~ i '* i *^r^ i * i ~ i '~ i n~T " T*^'^ »» ^* »^ -»»»»»*■■* m^^^^^^^-m.^ 



■<MN»M»<M»^*»^ 



New York, August 17. — The chief and indeed 
only musical event of the past few weeks, has been 
the Musical Festival at Jones's Woods. It was ush- 
ered in with much advertising and considerable pom- 
posity, and, as far as I can learn, the rcFu'ts have 
been pecuniarily satisfactory. As a strictly musical 
affair but little can be said about it. Fireworks and 
lager bier preponderated over Mozart and Beethoven, 
and though some of the Sing-vereins competed for a 
silver goblet, yet, as a general thing, our musical so- 
cieties had litde panicipation in the Festival. The 
afternoon concerts were fair, but presented no feature 
of special novelty, and, indeed, did not attract as 
much as the dance music. 

In the evening it was worth something more than 
the twenty-five cents admission to visit Jones's 
Woods. The sylvan grove was illuminated with 
calcium lights, while innumerable stands for the sale 
of lager, fruit, candies, and soda ornamented or en- 
cumbered the grounds. Then there were establish- 
ments where for three cents you could get a ride upon 
one of a company of stump-tailed revolving horses ; 
there were places where you could win a pint of pea- 
nuts by engaging in shooting a pop-gun at a tai^t, 
for a cent a shot, together with divers other contri- 
vances for passing away time and making money. 
Then diere was (and this seemed to be the great cen- 
tre of attraction) a huge platform for dancing, with 
overhanging trees, and calcium lights, and a litde 
moonlight feebly struggling through the foliage. 
The orchestra was excellent, and everybody danced 
with everi'body, and there was much fun, and a vast 
amount of jabbering in Dutch. Indeed it was diffi- 
cult to say whether the Teutonic or Anglo-Saxon ele- 
ment predominated. 

As a heartily enjoyable affair — a mixture of 
mirth, music, moonlight, and lager bier — the Festi- 
val was a decided success. But as a musical event 
it docs not really deserve more than a passing notice. 
Music was quite a subordinate thing. Those that 
came, did so because they wanted to enjoy a pic-nic, 
and though the music was undoubtedly an attraction, 
it was not a much greater one than the fireworks and 
the dancing. 

The musicians also viewed the aflbir in the same 
light, and enjoyed themselves as much as anybody, 
besides making some money out of the affair. Max 
Mabetzek figured bravely as a gipsej Vulcan, 



166 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ponnding one of tho anvils in the " Anvil Chorus " 
with an energy worthy of a Hercules, — a light, 
agrccahle pastime for hot weather. 

I see no glimmering of musical intelligence nntil 
the opera season opens at the end of tiie montli. 
The Harmonic Society have offered to sin;^ tlic cho- 
rus, " Achieved is the glorious work," at the Atlantic 
Cable celebration at the Crystal Palace. They will 
also sing an ode written by Mrs. Ann S. Stephens ; 
who is to set it to music nobody knows. 

Trovator. 



Bbblxh, JuLT 1. — A refreshing contrast to the 
dull and dragging monotony of our Court Theatre, 
and at the same time a reward for the wonderful con- 
tentedness and patience of our public, has liecn found 
in tlie engagement of Frau Bukrde-N£y, Fiaulein 
GuENTHER and Hen* Tichatsciiek. Frl. Giinther, 
for several years a favorite of the Prague public, ap- 
peared for the first time as Elizabeth in Wagner's 
Tannhauser. Her organ — an alto voice, which has 
acquired by practice a considerable portion of the 
soprano scale — has a tender, sympathetic sound, 
which ^"oald gain in power by a more free and open 
forming of the tones. With this she unites distinct 
enunciation, pure intonation, and soul-ful, live expres- 
sion, in which all that remains to be desired is greater 
variety of nuoMXt and transitions. In the first scenes 
she evidently had to contend against her own anxie- 
ty ; for Berlin is her native city, and she had to sat- 
isfy the very high expectations of her many acquain- 
tances here. In the beautiful second act she gained 
more assurance, and she gave, especially, the splendid 
Ario$o, in B major, which by the noble flow and poe- 
sy of its expression far surpasses all the other num- 
bers, in a style to carry every one away. Equally 
successful was she in the prayer of the third act. In 
Verdi's hotly overspiced " Troubadour " she met 
also with tho most favorable reception, and it was a 
cause of general regret, that our blundering manage- 
ment neglected to re-engage a singer of such promise, 
thereby allowing much good to slip through their 
hands. 

Tichatscmek, the Dresden hero tenor, for many 
years the king of German tenors, began his engage- 
ment with Spontini's Cortex, This opera, in pure 
musical worth and symmetry, is inferior to the Vestale 
and Olympia ; but in originality and power for the 
exalted form and for heroic expression it surpasses 
them. We find in it the strongly stamped national 
and individual characteristics, not only of two peo- 
ples, as the representatives of culture and of barba- 
rism, but even of single persons, who in Spontini's 
music always move in their peculiar, sharply distinct 
spheres. This characterization is found already, 
sketched in brief, but well-marked outlines, in tho 
overture, which, like all of Spontini's introductions, 
moves in his most favorite key, D major. Tichat- 
■chek may place himself at the head of all heroic 
tecors. Singing and expression stamp the artist as 
a genuine dramatic representer. If the representa- 
tion of heroic and impassioned moments outweighs 
tender lyrical expression, yet in the first, at least, the 
true, the right are given perfectly. His style of reci- 
tative, in spite of the provincial dialect and the stw- 
eato way of shooting out his words, is masterly, a 
model of distinctness, often wonderful. He so 
dexterously covers up the defects of his voice, which 
has suffered for years and lost its freshness of tone, 
that they are almost wholly overlooked. His playing 
was truly conceived, though frequently too hard and 
violent, faults which may be especially objected to 
Spontini's music. You miss the dignity, which never 
should forsake the Spaniard. This passionate man- 
ner was in fur better keeping with the outbreak scene 
in the second act, the admirable representation of 
which was disturbed by the unfortunate addition 
of the very obligaio trampling of horses* The royal 
Kapelle accompanied, under Taubbrt's direction, 



without artistic discretion and without higher inten- 
tion. 

Frau Bl'erde-Ney wc hcar^l in Nicolai's " Morry 
Wives of Windsor," the operatic text Ix'ing by Mo- 
senthal. How the intelligent Nicolai (too soon re- 
moved!) could choose snrh ineffective material, dni- 
matically, as this disfigured work of Shakspcare, with 
its double subject and its anything but drastic mysti- 
fication of a love-cracked fool and an everv-dav love 

m m 

storj', in which the inclinations of father, mother and 
daughter cr&^ each other, I can only explain from 
the desperation in which he could write : " I am very 
ill-humored and I have a right to be so. It is impos- 
sible for me to find an opera text, or even the material 
for one, although I have at great and for me burden- 
some expense offered a prize for one ; but nothing 
came from it which I could use. It is incredible how 
rusty the inventive fancy of the Germans has be- 
come." As to the music of the otherwise skilfully 
put together text of Mosenthal, the composer himself, 
who has often been charged with presumptuousnoss 
and excessive self-esteem, speaks of it with the great- 
est frankness in a letter to his father, thus : " Mv 
new opera has already given me much pleasure in the 
composing. The artist's happiest honrs are tliose 
spent in crcnting; if I had more invention, more gen- 
ius, I would boldly place myself in the very first 
rank ; for in the writing down, in instrumentation, 
in the application of all the vocal and instrumental 
means I have extraordinary power." And it is, in 
fact, the routine work of composition, which has cre- 
ated charming numbers in this opera, with the aid of 
the composer's accurate acquaintance with the Italian 
manner of singing, which he has sought to unite with 
the German. 

Mme. Ney's part, which poet and composer suffer 
to subside almost entirely after the first act, is not of 
enough importance, musically, to be called her best. 
This the singer seemed to feel herself, or she would 
not have resorted to such outr€ means, whieh she 
could well have dispensed with, having a voice of 
sncli wondciful power and compass. In the first 
ana, and in the trivial piece introduced from Balfe, 
we heard the incredible thing, the I> sharp in alt, pearl 
forth with metallic purity in the emlielli^hmcnts. 
These, with the trill, which ^he employs with taste, 
lend to the uniformity and characteristic coloring of 
her infallibly pure voice a charm, which fits her pecu- 
liarly for German-Italian song ; and only so can we 
explain why her "Frau Fluth " (Mistress Ford) 
should outshine all her other performances. 

Friiulein Trxetsch sang her part of Anne (which 
seems not to have been treated as a favorite by the 
author) with purity, grace, and natural enthusiasm, 
to Iks highly prized. We could wish that Frl. Gbx 
hod a part of these qualities. Herr Krueoer sang 
his episodical romanza in the first duet admirably ; 
the serenade in the second act was less successful. 
Herr Krause (Fluth) and Zsciiiesche (Falstaff) 
deserve thanks for their exciting representation, espe- 
cially in the comic duet. On the contrary, the other 
performers, and especi:illy the fine fairy chorus at 
moon rise, where a single violin, playing probably by 
heart, strayed back into the overture, left much to be 
desired, as did the solo-playing of tlie concert-master 

UlESS. 

Of newly studied operas we must be roost grateful 
to the management for Chembini's Lodoiika. Among 
the three prominent spirits, who, although not French- 
men, followed and developed their artistic career es- 
pecially in France, namely Glnck, Chembini, and 
Meyerbeer, Chembini is perhaps the most subordi- 
nate, yet he is unsurpassed in the well-considered, 
wise calculation and employment of bis means. 
Organically sprung from the school of Glnck, Gr^try, 
and Mehul, when he left his native Italian direction, 
Mozart and Haydn became his models and gave him 
an impulse upon new paths. The Lodaiska, which 
marks a similar turning point in Cherubini's creative 



activity, to that of tho Or/eo in Gluck's, contains 
much of the dramatic beauty of Don Jttan, and cer- 
tain intimate relation!* of the two works may be 
traced even into minute details. In the book of Lo- 
doiskn, with all the weakness of character, the passion 
is to be prized, united with Cherubini's extremely in- 
dividual conception of the romantic. Hence the fre- 
quent gloomy brooding, the intcn.«ely glowing color- 
ing, the grand situations, tho short, quick energy, 
which often startle u«, l>ecnuse we hear seemingly 
fragmentary and abrupt ideas, while all stand in close 
connection and even the accessory details have re- 
ceived most careful treatment. At the same time the 
fundamental character of the melodies is mingled with 
a dash of melancholy softness and a tender, melting 
feeling. Often bright and witty, stil Ihe cannot sup- 
press his earnestness as tho execution of the work 
goes on ; often too he modulates as sharply, as sud- 
denly almost OS Beethoven, but he feels too tenderly 
to dare, like him, to seize the hearer too unexpectedly 
and leave him fioating over an abyss. The perfbr- 
mance was satisfactory in general, although h might 
have gained by clianges in the cast. 

Of our concert perfommnces decidedly the mwt 
interesting was that of the Otdipm TJrmniiMs of Soph- 
ocles, in the Greek hingnnge, with music by H. Bel- 
LEBMANir, performed by pnpils from the first classes 
of the Gymnasinms. The chief merit of the compo- 
ser in this work is the fidditv and discretion with 
which he has reproduced in his music the noble Greek 
rhythms of tho choruse.^, especially tho truthful ex- 
pression of the situations, and of the subject alto- 
gether. In the broad and polyphonoiisly constructed 
overture, in which only the trumpet is urged to a 
shrill height, he prepares ns worthily for the fearful 
fate of Oedipus. Moreover, he ha?s in a Tcry happy 
manner, spread melodramatic music wa a foil under 
the passages which are controlled by fcfXing ; and, 
althongh in many choruses the uncommonly thought- 
laden poetry of Sophocles has proved almost insvper- 
able to music, and opposed great obstacTes to any 
fitrer musical development, still on the other hand, wo 
are most satisfiictorily compensoted by all those passa- 
ges in which feeling reigns; especially successful, 
throngfi this excitement to the feerings offered by the 
text, are the last scenea, for example. The execution 
of the chomses by the heahhy and fhisb voices of die 
scholars, as well as of the orchestral part by members 
of the royal Kapelle, brought this highfy meritorious 
composition generally into clew nnderstandir^. It 
was also a rare pleasure to bear the noble Greek lan- 
guage once UAore in all its eu^ibony and power. 

I- 

5h)ig|fs lonrnal tf Pbsw. 

BOSTON, AUGUST 31, 1858. 



Uonc la TBi» NuJi»E».^The Fraim of Friendfkfp, a Canlal* 
ftor two Tenon Mid Ban, or for two Sopnai and Cantialto. 



The Great Event 

There are events, triumphs of the divine inteHeci 
and energy of man, which suddenly lift communi- 
ties, whole nations, into a higher plane and atmos- 
phere of fb^ling; liberating the grander instmcts, 
which had shrunk within ns to a cowanlly hal^€«- 
sciousness in tbi? low wcnic-a-day and selfish world ; 
renewing Faith ; ennobling the tone of thought and 
general remark, so that the most vulgar newspaper 
discourses in a high, hunMinitary and religions vein, 
and low diplomacy forgets itself in large international 
greetings, (or creeps in with an ill grace only at the 
tail end of a message). Such a glow of higher, 
holier sentiment, such an electric thrill of conscious 
unity and brotherhood with all the races of mankind, 
is now called forth by the completion of the Atlantic 
Cable. That electric chain between two hemispheres. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1858. 



167 



wonderful as it is, is nothing in comparison to this 
more wonderful electric chain which it reveals within 
lis all, brid{;ins^ the gulf between one spirit and an- 
other hj quickening what is spiritual in each. In 
such seasons language fails ; words are but poor and 
lame instruments of thought ; every utterance climbs 
unconsciously towards a lyric form ; prosaic editors 
write poetry. And hero it is that all men feel the 
need of just that freer and more spiritual language, 
the proper univenial tongue of what is infinite and 
highest in the soul's experiences, Music. If there is 
ever a great event which should be celebrated by 
great Music, this is one. 

The celebrations and rejoicings of the past week 
have been general and spontaneous, and to a great 
degree appropriate and inspiring. A more orderly 
and quiet tone, a tone of more sincerity of joy than 
has been usual in our noisy, vulgar, empty so-called 
patriotic jubilees, has pervaded all and lent a 
finer charm. Speaking for Boston alone, it is 
an event worth chronicling, that for the first time the 
wonderful capacities of our paradise of a Common 
for the most beautiful and artistic kind of a fBte of the 
whole population have been illustrated to us. The 
experiment was for the first time tried, on Tuesday 
evening, (suggested to us a few years since, we re- 
member, by the aitist Hammatt Billings,) of for once 
fairly lighting the Common, and letting that pass for 
the whole unsatisfactory fuss of guns and fire-works. 
This idea was to some degree carried out. The nq- 
ble elms which arch tlie malls, all round the Com- 
mon, were hung with Chinese paper-lanterns of all 
colors, which looked like myriads of glow-worms, 
or, as you came nearer, like transparent fruit of gold 
and purple, and blood-red, in gardens of enchant- 
ment. Under these fiiiry-lit green arches the whole 
city could perambulate to the sound of music, and 
really enjoy itself. The fountain played, the water 
sparkled in the moonlight, rockets burst in the dis- 
tance against the misty sky, tlie "big elm" was cov- 
ered, thick as mulberries, with the luminous fruit of 
this feast of lanterns ; and what was seen was but a 
mere suggestion of what might be realized tliere upon 
a grander scale. ' There should be Drummond lights 
upon the hill pouring great floods of light over the 
vast moving crowds, and bringing out the very green- 
ness of the trues ; and thero should be a general illu- 
mination of all the stately residences that surround 
the Common, and there would be a scene of such en- 
chantment, and so universally enjoyable, get-at-able 
by all, that it would once for all establish the true 
method of a united festal demonstration of the whole 
community. The Common is the pride of Boston ; 
the whole people's place, uniting in itself and its sur- 
roundings more of luxury and beauty than princes 
can command. If we mean to show a patriotic feel- 
ing on the nation's birth-day and on other great occa- 
sions, why will not all unite and concentrate their 
efibrts and their decorations upon the Common, light 
up all the houses round it, and make it so attractive 
that it shall draw together the whole people for a 
feast as orderly, as refined, and as artistic, as any for 
which selecter crowds seek theatres and concert halls? 

But we have wandered away from music. Music 
thero was, of course, such as it was, in great 
abundance on that day and evening. Think of the 
thousands of brass bands, that helped, in the whole 
length and breadth of our great country, to proclaim 
the wedding of the hemispheres by the electric cable ! 
This was all well, — as well as hrau could make it. 
But why no higher intervention of the art of Music 
in so high and proud a celebration ? Why no great 
Handel choruses, no symphonies, nor oratorios, nor 
Chorals by great multitudes of voices. One of the 
New York societies offered, we see, very properly, to 
sing Haydn's chorus; "Achieved is the glorious 
work." We should have had — we might yet have 
— a high musical festival in our Music Hall, in which 
that chorus might bear a part ; and also, with equal 



reason, and with more inspiring grandeur, Handel's 
announcement : " Peace on earth, goodwill toman," 
with the Hallelujah and the Amen chorus. Many 
are the odes, and the poetic jubilations called forth 
by the Cable. But there is one, which, although writ- 
ten for the Fourth of July, in the little village of 
Concord, deserves, as it has been well said, to be sung 
everywhere as the ode for this occasion ; it is worth 
all the poetry that has been written about the cable, 
for it contains the inspiration and the higher sense of 
all, and rises to the epstacy of full expression of it in 
verses fit and few. It should be set to music by a 
Handel, and become the ode of liberty and peace 
among all nations. We mean the ode by Emerson : 

t«n(lerly the hauKhtj day 

Fills his blue urn with lire, 
One mom ii in the mighty heaven, 

And one in our deeire. 

The cannon booms from town to town, 

Our pulaeii are not leas, 
The Joy-bells chime their tidings down, 

Which children's voices bless. 

For he that flung the broad bine fold 

O'er mantling land and sea, 
One third part of the sky unrolled 

For the banner of the frre. 

The men are ripe of Saxon kind 

To build an equal State ; 
To take the statute fbom the mind, 

And make of duty flite. 

United states I the ages plead, 
Present and Past, in under-song — 

Go, put your creed into your deed, 
Nor speak with double tongue. 

For sea and land donH understand, 

Nor skies without a flrown 
See rights for which the one hand fights 
By the other cloven down. 

Be Just at home, then raaeh beyond 

Tour charter o'er the aea ; 
And make the broad Atlantic pond 

A fony of the free. 

And. henceforth, there shall be no chain. 

Save, underneath the sea, 
The wires shall murmur thro* the main 

Sweet songs of Liberty. 

The conscious stars accord above, 

The waters wild below. 
And under, thro* the cable wove, 

Ilor fiery errands go. 

For He that worketh high and wise, 

Nor pauses In his plan. 
Will Uke the sun out of the skies 

Ere freedom out of man. 



Mr. Julius Eichbero. — Many of our readers 
will remember the rare pleasure they received last 
Spring, at a Sunday evening Concert of the " Or- 
pheus Glee Club," fi-om the violin playing of a young 
artist, who appeared there for the first and only time 
before us, Mr. Julius Eichbero. The pieces he 
selected upon that occasion, a Chaconne by Bach, and 
a Sonata (" // trillo dd diavoio ") by Tartini, were as 
uncommon for this latitude, as the style of his per- 
formance was solid, chaste, expressive, masterly. 
All about him seemed to bear the stamp of an intel- 
ligent, earnest, high-toned artist. It was our privi- 
lege, a few days since, to make his acquaintance here 
in private, and both to listen to his firm, broad, true 
rendering of more music of the same classical stamp, 
and to converse with him on schools and masters, 
new and old, especially the old, — old as Palestrina 
and Orlando Lasso, for whom he has peculiar love 
and reverence. Mr. £. is a pupil of the elder Fdtis, 

and appears to have caught his spirit of eager and 
reverential exploration in the earlier periods of the 
modem art of music. We have had among us mu- 
sicians of all schools, classical and modem virtuoso, 
but not before one who was a representative of this 
peculiar phase of music. Mr. E. played here 1)eforo 
a few friends one evening, several sonatas by Corelli 
and Tartini, the Chaconne of Bach again, and the 
" Kreutzer Sonata " of Beethoven, all in a masterly 
manner, accompanied by Mr. Trcnkle. His partiali- 



ty, perhaps, to those old Italians is more than many 
here will know how to sympathize with ; it is common 
to set them down as the " old fogies " of the art ; but 
tliat man has a sure hold on our sympathies, in spite 
of any antiquarianism, who can so well appreciate 
and interpret Bach and Beethoven. Such genius is 
of no age. 

Mr. Eichberg has spent a number of years in Ge- 
neva, Switzerland, as a professor of music in an im- 
portant institution. He has a brother established as 
a merchant here in Boston, and for that reason, 
among others, would be glad to settle here, if he 
should find encouragement. He would*be an invalu- 
able accession to our small corps of violinists, both 
in orchestra and chamber music. But ho is a thor- 
ough musician, and a composer of considerable suc- 
cess, as well as a violinist. He is learned in the the- 
orv and historv of music ; and it is one of his ideals 
to form around him a choral society, not large enough 
to compete or interfere at all with our oratorio socie- 
ties, for the special object of studying the music of 
old Italian and Flemish mastcrs.'of Palestrina and 
Orlando, Durante, Marcel lo, and the rest. Here 
would be an opportunity which certainly a few scores 
of earnest musical inquirers in our city would be 
eager to secure. Mr. Eichherg, who is now residing 
in New York, hopes to visit Boston in the autumn 
and perhaps give an evening of the music of his fa- 
vorite masters, at Chickering's rooms. We cannot 
doubt that such an introdnction, in addition to the 
occasion above referred to, will stimulate to an efifec- 
tual desire to secure his residence among us. We 
always need intelligent and high-toned artists. 



Musioal Chit-Chat 

Our young Boston singer. Miss .^bt Fat, whose 
fine voice warbles with such ease tffough the most 
florid and birdlike strains, will give a concert at Na- 
hant, this evening. Signors Brignoli and Amodio, 
too, will sing, and Signor BENDELARi,the teacher of 
Miss Fay, will preside at the piano. Here will be a 
tempting opportunity, both to hear music and enjoy a 
moonlight trip by water, as the Nahant steamer will 

ran back to tne city after the concert The 

citizens of Worcester are to have a concert fix>m Miss 
Maria S. Brainerd, of New York, who is univer- 
sally spoken of as one of our finest native singers. 
Dr. Clare W. Beames, her instractor, will assist. 
The Courier and Enquirer says of her : 

Miss BnUnerd is the happy possessor of a voice to whieh no 
one ean listen without being touched : and she sings whatever 
she undertakes to sing with a sympathetic appreciation and 
expression of its beauties. Iler taste has led her to the study 
of the higher order of cliuwieal music, French romances and 
English ballads, and In these she always charms her hearers 
by the purity of her method, and the simple and touehing 
grace of her style. 

" Trovator's " brief but vivid picture of the great 
Open-Air Musical Festival at New York, is doubtless 
all the notice it deser\'es ; but some of our readers 
mav be interested by a more minute account of one 
of its features, the prize singing, which we borrow 
from tlie Tribune: 

The principal feature of interest yesterday was the singing 
bv four German Sang Yertin* in com petition for a mammoth 
silver goblet, about 20 inches high, of beautiftil design and 
workmanship. Each society sung two nieces, one comic and 
one serious ; whieh. with the performibees of instrumental 
music, formed a grand coneert, commencing about 2 l-2o*elock, 
in the following order : 

A Pest Overture (c<Mnposed for the occasion), played by the 
Band. 

" Castles with High Walls and Battlements," and " When I 
see the Pretty Flowers," sung by the Confluentla, with Theo. 
Thomas as leader. 

" The Electric Telegraph." played by the Band. 

A Hymn ftt>m Zoeller and ABC, sung by the Vlerblatte- 
riges Kleeblatt, or Four>Leaved Shamrock Society, with B. 
Grill as leader. 

>farch and Chorus (Tannhauser), plared by tbe Band. 

*' Under all Trees is Peace," and *' the Peasants* Danoa," 
sung by the Amphlon Society, with C. Proz as leader. 

Grand Pot Pourri, played by the Band, with lias MarvtMk 
as leader. 

" Dost thou hear that Mighty Chorus? " and " Blue Mon- 
day," sung by the Quadrlcinlum Society, with C. Proz as 
leader. 

March, from " La Prophete," played by the Band. 

Grand Chorus, ** This Is the Lord^s Day," sung by the four 
Sang Vereins. with Mr. Thomas as leader. 

*' Wedding March," pUyed by the Band. 
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Maretaek Introducad 
the fbur leaders of the Committee of Prise-award, consisting 
of Mr. Henry C. Watson, of Frank L^slie^s Ittustrated Nnrs- 
paper, Mr. KrUger, Mr. Carl Wolfiwn, of Philadelphia, and Dr. 
ShAtte, with the remark that they were gentlemen well known 
to the musical profession, whoso declRlon in the matter, he 
believed, would be received with satisfaction. Mr. Watson, on 
behalf of the Committee, then addresed the several societies, 
and, after alluding In complimentary terms to their rsspectlve 
performances, stated that they had decided in fkvor of tha 
society under the leadership of Mr. Grill. The announcement 
was responded to with rapturous applause. Mr. Schilling then 
communicated to the German portion of the audience the 
same fitct. The prise goblet was then handed to Mr. Grill, 
who soon filled It with wine, and handed it round among his 
competitors, creating considerable amusement. The andleoca 
was then fkvored with " The Anvil Chorus " fh>m " II Trova- 
tora," whieh was encored and received with great applausa. 



168 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 




Xiitt Jbroab. 



London. 

Hkr Majesty's Theatre. — The regular season 

was brought to a close Satnrdny, July 17, with // 

Trovatore — (small end of the horn !) The National 
Anthem was sung, Miles. Titjcns and Alboni taking 
the solos. The Musical World sums up the season 
thus : 

The season commenced on the 14th of April, and 
concluded on- the 17th of July. When we consider 
that there were several series of performances nf^cr 
the theatre closed last autumn, ana that another "sea- 
son " is immediately to follow (at reduced prices), 
the period allotted to the " subscription " will not be 
found short Formerly the " season " before Easter, 
although included in the subscription, was a mere 
preliminanr, in which subscribers had little or no in- 
terest. " Keduced prices " are now a necessity of 
the times, and will, no doubt, in the end become a 
rule instead of an exception. A guinea for a stall, 
and a half a guinea for a seat in the pit, must restrict 
the privilege of attending performances at the Italian 
Opera to the wealthiest classes. These may support 
the establishment for eight or ten weeks in the sum- 
mer ; but, if the period is to be e^ctended, the tariff 
must be lowered, and the support of the general pub- 
lic solicited. 

The feature of the season just terminated was the 
engagement of Mile. Theresa Tietjens, who, on the 
opening night, as Valentine in the Uuguenots — per- 
formed, for the first time, at Her Majesty's Theatre — 
established her claim to be regarded as a singer and 
an actress of the highest order. This new prima 
donna has created a far greater sensation than any 
other artist in her particular line since Mdlle. Sophie 
Cruvelli. Madlle. Tietjens, in short, gives us some 
hope of a legitimate successor to Ginlietta Grisi in 
lyric tragedy — that is, if tJie " Diva " ever means to 
repose upon her well earned laurels. Madlle. Tiet- 
jens was equally fortunate as Leonora ( Trovatore) , Don- 
na Anna, and Lucrezia. She also appeared as the 
Countess in the Nozze di Figaro^ but with less marked 
success. The acquisition of such a dramatic singer, 
however, is of incalculable consequence to the inter- 
ests of the theatre. 

The onl^ absolute novelty of the season (the i7u- 
guenota bemg so well .known to London audiences) 
was Verdi's Luisa Miller , an opera which had never 
attained any high degree of favor, either in Italy or 
elsewhere. It was necessary, however, that Madlle. 
Piccolomini should have a new part, and she had 
played Luisa in one or two tlieatres on the Continent. 
Moreover, Signor Giuglini was to be well suited in 
the hero, while Alboni had consented to assume the 
most insignificant character in the piece. Luisa Mil- 
ler, nevertheless, was a failure, in spite of the clever 
acting of Madlle. Piccolomini, the excellent singing 
of Signor Giuglini, and the perfect art of Alboni. 

One of the happiest incidents of the season was 
Alboni's resumption of the part of MafTeo Orsini in 
Lucrezia BorqiUf which she had abandoned for seve- 
ral years. The success of the hrindisi was greater 
than ever, and Alboni was compelled to repeat it 
twice every evening. The other operas in which Al- 
boni appeared were the Barbiere (one night onlv ! — 
Signor Belart being the Count, and Signor Belletti, 
Figaro), the Trovatore (Azuccna), ana La Zingara 
(Queen of the Gipsies). 

Signor Giuglini added two new characters to his 
repertory — Raoul in the Huguenots^ and Rodolfo in 
Luisa ^Rller, He lacked the chivalric bearing of the 
Huguenot leader, but sang much of the music with 
remarkable effect. His Rodolfo was a highly finished 
performance. 

As usual, Signor Belletti proved himself one of the 
most useful and industrious members of the establish- 
ment. His histrionic talent was occasionally open to 
criticism, but his singing was always irreproachable. 

Madlle. Ortolani did good service as Marguerite in 
the Huguenots, and Elvira in Don Giovanni ; but as 
Chernbino in the Nozze di Figaro she was hardly so 
successful. Madlle. Spezia, so much extolled last 
season, appeared only once — ^in Verdi's Nino, as Ab- 
igail. Why only once is a myslere de coulisses. 

The extra season, at reduced prices, commenced 
the following Tuesday with the Huguenots, Don Gi- 
ovanni and Jja Trauiata followed. 

Drurt Lake. — The series of Italian Operas 

closed, July 17, with Don Giovanni, in which Mmes. 

Persian!, Rudersdorff and Donatelli, and Signors 
Naudin, Badiali, Rovere, &c. appeared. Our brave 
old baritone, Badiali, is greatly admired. Persian!, 
too, in spite of age and wear, is praised for her artis- 
tic florid execution in Linda. 

RoTAL Italiak Opera. — 'Otello,* an opera 



dubbed as " heavy" by those who find Signor Verdi's 
music " passionate," was revived on Tuesday with so 
much success, as to warrant a fancy that even " the 
world of quality" is coming to its senses, and begin- 
ning to set a right value upon better, worse and worst 
music. — Rarely, however, has * Otello* l)een given so 
finely, since the days when Madame Grixi, Signori 
Tamburini and Ivanoff, Rubini and Lablache were 
grouped on the stage of the old housi' — dnys that 
might seem almost like a dream, were not the Desde- 
mona of the cast still singing, still efficient. Assuredly, 
we never heard Madame Grisi in fuller energy and 
possession of her voice as Desdtmwna, than on Tues- 
day ; and never saw the part-^-formcrly not one of 
her best parts — splayed by her with so much melan- 
choly tenderness and delicacy. Her third act — which 
is very trying, from its absence of any screen or shelter 
for the singer — was remarkable in freshness, finish and 
force. — Signor Taml)erlik is welcome back again 
from America. His roamings seem to have altercd 
his voice little ; perhaps it is less powerful, but tlien 
it is, generally, less tremulous than formerly ; per- 
haps he throws himself more frequently than formerly 
on his topmost notes — being invited so to do by the 
triumphs of his c sharp in Paris. As an artist he 
stands where he stood ; — is sympathetic rather than 
complete — not equal to Otello (the noblest tenor part 
in the Italian repertory) ; nevertheless, makes 
himself acceptable by a certain warmth and earnest- 
ness, without coarseness, which are not to be resisted. 
He was warmly received, and his duett with Jago 
(Signor Ronconi) was re-demanded. Signor Neri 
Baraldi, who always takes pains, was Rodrigo — Signor 
Tagliafico, the Elmiro. On the whole, the concerted 
music — and how delicious it is ! — ^was very well sung. 
But the justice of the world of Fashion to ' Otello ' 
will not bnbe us to connive at its follies — will not 
make us fancy M. von Flotow's * Martha,' produced 
on Thursday' last, other than an insipid opera — a 
work not wise in story, not strong in music. The 
former is too well known to require dissection anew, 
the latter has little vigor or character to bear it up 
through such process. We have no contempt for fan 
painting — none for filagree jewelry, but the one must 
have Coypel's daintiness of touch, and the gold of the 
other must be pure, its traceries, too, new in pattern. 
M. Auber delights us — we have a comer of indulgence 
for Adam — ^because they are "French of Paris," 
whereas M. von Flotow, as a composer, is French 
afler the school of Stratford-atte-Bowe, spurious and 
spiritless in comparison with his originals, without 
redeeming solidity. This character includes his 
' Stradeila' (which, for a time, was the opera through- 
out Germany), his ' L'&meen peine,' and liis ' Martha,' 
with slight instigations. We may return to the opera 
for the purpose of illustration; and because its 
performance at Covent Garden is noticeable for its 
picturesque richness, and for this week we can only 
state that English Fashion appears to have given 
* Martha' a first place in its affections, — that Signor 
Mario sang his aria, * M'appari,' as no one else could 
sing it, — that Madame Bosio's 'Last Rose of 
Summer' might have been warbled bv the " first rose 
of spring" (could the flower take &e nightingale's 
part), so freshly tuneable was it, — ^that Signor Grazi- 
ani, who is Plunketto, an English farmer, was as little 
like any such character as possible, — that Madame 
Didi^e'was piquante as the lady's ladv in attend- 
ance, — and Signor Tagliafico preciously absurd as 
the old courtier, Tristano. — Athenceum, July 3. 

Otello was repeated twice, Fra Diavolo, Martha, 
and // Trowxiore, too, indefinitely. Don Giovanni 
and Zampa were announced. On account of the ab- 
sence of Herr Formes, Ronconi was to play Leporello 
for Uie first time. Mario would make 'his first ap- 
pearance as Don Giovanni ; and Grisi, Bosio, and 
Marai were to take the parts of Donna Anna, Zerli- 
na, and Elvira. 

Paris. 

The engagements entered Into by M. Calzado for 
the approaching season of the Theatre Italian com- 
prise, it is said : M M. Mario (though this is ques- 
tioned,) Tamberlik, Galvani, and Graziani (brother of 
the baritone), tenors ; -Graziani and Corsi, baritones ; 
Zucchini and Angelini, basses ; Mmes. Grisi, Alboni- 
Penco, and Rosa de Ruda, sopranos ; and Mme Nan- 
tier-Didi^e, contralto. A new hdUel pantomime, in 
two acts, called Pctcountala, has been produced at the 
Grand Opera, with great splendor and success. The 
story is from an old Indian drama, by M. Th^ophile 
Gautier ; the music by M. Ernest Reyer, who com- 
posed Selain and Maitre Wolfram ; the principal part 
danced and acted by Mile. Amalia Ferraris, who is 
highly praised. 



Special ItoHres. 

descriptive list op the 
PablUhed by O. Dltaoa Ac C«« 



Vocal: 

Matrimonial Jars. Comic Duet. S. Heath. 25 

A diaiogue between huoband and wife, of very romic 
eflect. The music is light and cprightly. Tlie pi«e« 
may be performed m a Song, without losing any of its 
pointii. Mi the two roorentlng parties nerer Join voIcck. 
The whole is a good-natured fiurce, which will make 
everybody laugh. 

Sweet Remembered Music. Song. S. Glover. 25 

A Song in praise of the charms of old familiar Ba- 
sic. The melody of ''Home, Sweet Home" has been 
ingeniously introduced in the accompaniment. This 
is a very happy Idea, and one which will make this 
Ballad a fkTorite. 

O Think no more of Me. S. Glover. 25 

Another light and pretty Ballad by tha Muna popu- 
lar author. 

O were I but a Moonlight's Ray. 

(Herxenswunsche) KucJcen. 25 
German and English words. A pathetic Lore-Song, 
which is very much admired In Oeimaay. A fine mel- 
ody, only supported by a few chords, leaves every thing 
to the singer. 

Somebody is Waiting for Somebody. Ballad. 

L. V. H. Crosby. 80 
One of Charles Swain^s prettiest Songs — the musio 
caqr and very pleasing. Cannot fiJl of befaig a sueeesa. 

Instrumental. 

The Atlantic Telegraph Schottische. A. Talery. 50 

One of the most spirited and pleasing of the compo- 
sitions of this eminent author. Illustrated in colors 
by Bufford, with a riew of the Niagarn and Agamem- 
non at the moment of parting to lay the cable. A 
representation of the landing at Trinity Day and Ya- 
lentia is also presented, with a lithographed Ike simile 
of the cable, and a view of Windsor Castle and the 
Capitol at Washington : the whole fbrming a very 
pleasing memento of the occasion. 

Ocean Cable March. Handel Pond, 25 

A vety pleasing March, of moderate difflculty, con- 
taining some excellent bits of melody. It will find 
many admirers. 

Valse d' Amitie'. H. A. Pond. 25 

A very graoeAil composition, which will prove high- 
ly acceptable to young players. 

La Sonnambula (Revue Melodique.) Four 
Hands. Bey«r. 1.00 

Another number of this popular set of Duets. As 
operaUc Four-Hand pieces these pot-pourries are nuir 
played in preference to all other arrangements. 

Elements of Velocity. Part Third. Bayers. 50 

It win be agreeable news to the many teachers who 
have selected this work for Introduction into their 
classes, that the third part has been issued, ^hts 
work Is destined to occupy a high podtion among the 
books ibr early instmction. 

Books. 
The Golden Harp. A Collection of Hymns, 
Tunes, and Choruses for the Use of Sabbath 
Schools, Social Gatherings, Pic Nics, and the 
Home Circle. By It. O. Emerson. 25 

The sixth edition at this early day after iU first pub- 
lication, is good evidence of the rapidly attained pop- 
ularity of this book— a popularity based wholly on its 
merits as a Musio Book for Sabbath Schools. It has 
been introduced into many huge schools, and has in 
ereiy case given the fullest satis&ction. This is not 
surprising when a hasty glance at its pages discloses to 
us such a numerous collection of old fkvorites, inter- 
spersed with so many new. pieces tiiat must become 
equal fitvorites with the public as soon as known. In- 
dividuals whose Interests are enlisted In the cause of 
Sabbath Schools cannot do a better deed for the good 
of that cause than by examining this work, calling 
the attention of their friends to it, and introducing it 
into use in their respectiTe localltiea. 




toijglt's 




mxml 





usxt^ 



Whole No. 334. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 22. 



For Dwight^K Journal of Musle. 

Nobody can have seen it 

From th« German of 0. F. Oaom. 
Fast down the staircase swinging. 

With flying feet I past ; 
Quick up the staircase springing, 

He came, and caught me fast ; 
And the stairs arc dark and dim, 
Many a kiss I had from him, — 

And nobody can have seen it. 

Down into the hall demurely — 
The guests were assembled there, 

My cheeks flushed hot, and surely 
My lips did their tale declare. 

I thouglit they looked at me, every one. 

And saw what we together had done, — 
Yet nobody could have seen it 

The garden its sweets displaying 

Beckoned me out of doors ; 
The welcome call obeying, 

I hastened to look at the flowers, — 
There blushed the roses all around, 
There sang the birds with merry sound. 

As if they all had seen it. S. 

"Don GioYanni'* arranged for Sig. Mario. 

The recent performance of Don Giovanni at 
the Royal Italian Opera, London, (July 29 and 
31,) has called out curious comments from the 
critical press. The Musical World says : 

What changes were made by Donzclli, Bra- 
ham, and the rest, we have no means of ascer- 
taining ; but if as many as Signor Alary finds ne- 
cessary for Si^or Mario, it must have been a 
sad thing for Don Giovanni. We feel convinced 
that one hundred per cent* less meddling with 
(and muddling) the music of Mozart, would have 
suited Signor Mario infinitely better. There is 
no reason why the whole of the introducdon 
should not be sung in the same key — whether 
that key be F, the original, or a note higher, in 
which latter case Mad. Grisi would be obused to 
strain a pjoint or two. Anything would be better 
than the introduction "after Signor Alary" — any- 
thing would be better than the transposition of 
the last ten bars in the overture, the rush (or 
rather tumble) back into the right key, after 
"Notte e giorno" has been sung in G — than the 
clambering (or scrambling) a note higher, when 
Signor A&ry is desirous of once more finding 
himself at G (minor) in the trio for basses — than 
these and other such barbarities. Anything 
would be better. A passage or so out of Nino^ 
Luisa Miller, or the Tre Nozze, would be better. 
But then Si^. Alary would not have touched 
£300 — and Sig. Alary would have been worse, 
not better, for that. These are indeed commer- 
cial times. ^ Money can command anything, even 
to the mutilation of a chef-dauvre that has been 
honored and revered for well-nigh three quarters 
of a century. Sig. Alary, however, has acted 
magnanimously in signing his handywork, which 
otherwise might have been attributed to Mr. 
Costa— no, not to Mr. Costa^to Mr. Alfred 
Mellon— no, not to Mr. Alfred Mellon but to Mr. 
Horton, an unoffending gentleman, whose worst 
crime was that of copying out the parts — Sig. 
Alary*s parts — and sticking them into the music 
books for the orchestra. 

^^Transpositions were indispensable." Good — 
but surely not so many. "Alterations were inev- 
itable." Trae— but surety not such alterations 
as those which disfigure the quartet in B flat 



(Act I.) and the trio in A (Act II.). About the 
recitatives there may be conflicting opinions. 
Ours is, that for the most part they have been 
awkwardly accommodated to the voice of Sig. 
Mario, who is oltcn restrained by them where 
fluency is most desirable. 

To leave this part of the subject, however, 
(which we shall ro-<'onsider on a future occasion), 
and to be purely and briefly historical — Don Gio- 
vanni was presented on Thursday (and will be 
repeated to-night) with the following cast : 

Don Giovanni, (first time,) Sig. Mario; Tjeporello, 
(first time,) Sig. Honconi ; Zorlina, Mad. Bosio ; 
Donna Anna, Mad. Grisi ; Donna Elvira, Madlle. 
Mami ; Don Ottavio, Sig. Tambcrlik ; Masetto, Sig. 
Polonini ; Commcndatorc, Sig. Tagllafico. 

The house was crammed to the ceiling — as 
might, indeed, have been anticipated. The ex- 
citement was very great, and augmented as the 
opera went on. ^Therc were six encores : "La ci 
darem" (Bosioand Mario), "Batti, batti" (Bosio), 
the trio of masks (Grisi, Marai, and Bosio), "Deh 
vieni alia finestra" (Mario), "Vedrai carino** 
(Bosio), and " II mio tesoro" (Tamberlik). 

For the present we would rather suspend our 
opinion of the new Don Giovanni and the new 
Leporello, both of whom must pet accustomed to 
their parts before they can do full justice to them- 
selves, to the music, and to the drama ; but we 
are much mistaken if Sig. Mario and Sig. Ron- 
coni do not in the end far more than realize all 
that was expected of them. The other charac- 
ters were unexceptionable. Mad. Bosio sang de- 
liciously, Madlle. Marai very cleverly, and Sig. 
Tamberlik superbly. Sig. ^agKafico sind Sig. 
Polonini should have medals struck in their hon- 
or, as the very acme of perfection in their re- 
spective characters of the Commandant and ISfa- 
setto. Mad. Grisi's Donna Anna, (although, un- 
fortunately, "Or sai chi Tonore** was transposed a 
tone,) could hardly be surpassed in grandeur. 
The orchestra was magnificent (in spite of the 
brass and the cymbals) ; and the chorus every 
thing that could possibly be desired. But why 
not Mozart's score, instead of three trombones at 
the "wings," in the scene of the cemetery ? And 
where was the chorus of demons when Don Gio- 
vanni is dragged away to punishment ? 

To-night will, in a great measure, decide what 
Thursday has left undecided. To-night will eith- 
er fulfil or disappoint expectation. To-night will 
show whether (tnanks to Sig. Mario,) Sig. Alary's 
Don Giovanni is to become a fixture in the reper- 
tory, or to be abandoned as "perfunctory." nut 
of that, the general "getting up" of the opera, 
and several other matters connected with it, more 
— mttch more — ^in our next 

The same paper casts a glance or two around, 
during the performance, to see how its neighbor 
critics look, and pleasantly reports as follows : 

THE "DON GIOVANNI" CONTROVEB8Y. 

We may as well call it so, for controversy it is 
sure to be. All who swear by Her Majesty's 
Theatre will be deeply oflfended at the liberties 
taken with Mozart's text by the sinfl^ers of the 
Royal Italian Opera. A classic fit will seize on 
ever)'body, from Mad. Puzzi to Mr. Fish. And 
so it should be. What we hope from the result 
is. that the indignation hurled against the mur- 
derers of Mozart will have not only the effect of 
purifying Mr. Gye, but that Mr. Lumley himself 
may profit by it — since he also has a murder or 
so to answer for. 

The press has not yet — ^with the exception of 
the Advertiser and the Telegraphy the first of 
which is cautiously, the other furiously "classic" — 
declared itself in fiill. The rigid Post^ however, 



and the bonding Herald have issued short para- 
graphs, which are so strongly oppos^Ml that we 
cite them both, as signs — not of the "Times," but 
of the "Post" and "Herald." 

POST. 

"Last evening the opera of Don Giovanni, with 
Mozart's music altered and arranged by Sig. Alary, 
was performed at the above theatre. 

"The transpositions of key were as under : T^a ci 
darem,' from A to C. 'Or sai chi Tonore,' from D 
to C. 'Fin ch' an dal vino,' from B flat to D. *l>eh 
vieni alia flnestra,' from I) to G (only a fourth) — 'O 
statua gentillissinia,' from £ to G. 1*0 the overture 
two horns, three trombones, and an onhicleide were 
added. To the Jinah to the original first act the 
same instramcnts, invigorated by the (frosse raise and 
cymbals. Where the keys of Don Gioi^nni's music 
were not altered, the note's were. The opera was also 
divided into four acts, another entirely novel arrange- 
ment. To compensate, however, for additions, sev- 
eral pieces, namely, 'Ho capito,' 'Dalla sua pace,' 
and *i^on mi dir,* were omitted. The encorex, not- 
withstanding, were numerous, and the applause 
throughout warm, if not violently enthusiastic." 



HERALD. 



"The production of Doti Giovanni^ with Signor 
Mario in the character of the dauntless libertine, and 
Signor Ronconi in that of his faithful attendant, has 
been long looked fonvard to as an event of unusual 
interest, and its fulfilment, last night, was witnessed 
by the most crowded audience that has been seen 
within tlie walls of the new theatre. For the present 
we can but record the complete success of the per- 
formance. Thof^e who expected to see in Signor 
Mario a Don Giovanni unprecedented ly handsome 
and gallant, and noble in oearing, were not disap- 
pointeid ; and those who anticipated a want of due 
effect in the music, through the changes necessitated 
in order to de-barytoneize the part, were mistaken in 
their provisions. The usual encores occurred in the 
usual places, and the reception of Signor Mario, who 
was called forward between the acts and at the fall of 
the curtain, was most enthusiastic." 

The Post, in the fulness of its classicality, might 
have added "Notte e giomo" (from F to G), and 
the trio for Giovanni, Leporello, and the moribund 
(from F minor to G minor), to the transpositions. 

The Advertiser is, as usual, a model, sui generis. 
Annoyed, as an amateur so keenly alive to the 
gradations of tone would naturally be, the critic, 
nevertheless, resigns himself (afler declaring that 
"the overture «ra» the perfection of instrumenta- 
tion**) to the desecration of Mozart, on the fol- 
lowing philosophic grounds : 

"The first scene, with its *Notto e giomo,* con- 
yincod us, and every subsequent one confirmed the 
conviction, that we must content ourselves with a 
compromise, and give up the music and the bass-ground 
of the concerted pieces, vice an extra-comic reading 
and an exuberance of humor — in voice, manner, and 
gesture — in the representative of Leporello. Those 
not present who have heard Honconi's 'Largo al fac- 
totum,' can imagine 'Notto c giomo,' which ira« its 
counterpart." 

The startling information of "Notte e giomo" 
being a counterpart of "Largo al factotum" is 
succeeded by an equally philosophic apolog}' for 
Signor Mario : 

"Mario's entrance was greeted, despite the incongru- 
ity of the scene with such an interpolation. He played 
admirably in the brief contest, and delivered the lines, 
'Ah ! gia cade il sciagurato,' with a clear ring that, 
for an instant, reconciled us to a tenor Don Juan." 

Remark that neither "incongruity" nor "inter- 
polation" has been hinted at before. The "clear 
ring," however, may reconcile us to that seeming 
inconsequence. Madlle. Marai is praised for her 
singing "to the asides of Mario and Ronconi," 
and the latter for hb "very curious version of 
*Madamina' " — the curiosity of which escaped us, 
since he sang every note of it, and in the right 
key. The following is not less "perfunctory" : 



170 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



*' * Viva la libcrta" wns certainly not alx)vc average, 
and the finale to the act was better histrionicall}' than 
innffically ; that is to sny, more justice was clone to 
Lorenzo da Pontc than to Wolfgang Mozart." 

The truth is that the first finale was never 
more mafrnificently executed ; but the Advertiser 
has cvidentiv been used to the politiwal version of 
"Viva la libertd," in which (for the sake of an 
encore,) the singers vociferate ''Pra3* make your- 
self at home," as if it was a revolutionary poean. 
Sijj. "Tamberlik san<T *Terzi il ciglio* earnestly.'* 
What, may we ask, is "Terzi il ciglio" ? To have 
done, however, here is the summing-up of our 
conscientious and much-perplexed contemporary: 

"We should like to witness, at least once again, 
this version of the greatest opera extant. Our vene- 
ration for Mozart renders ns tenacious of this return 
to a system of dealing with the works of great com- 
posers, which we had hoped had passed away. Wo 
are bound, however, to admit, that, compared with 
the enormities of "adaptation," as it was called, per- 
petrated by Bishop, M. Alarv has held his hana re- 
markably. The Covcnt Ganien Opera has too great 
resources, and Mario and KonconI too high a reputa- 
tion, to necessitate such a mode of dealing with the 
great works of great authors. So much of the opera 
was rendered in a manner to do honor to any stage, 
that it is with regret we record our unfavorable im- 
pression of the effect of this change in the vocal pro- 
portions of the opera, as it came in its perfection from 
the hands of its composer." 

This is, at least, courteous, and for one of such 
fierce classical prejudices, conciliating. 

The Telegraph is savage beyond measure, be- 
sides being wholly forgetful that sad short-com- 
ings have been visited with urbane indulgence — 
not to say downright eulogy* — in another place. 

We shall return next week to the subject, 
which will doubtless supply abundant room for 
comment up to the end ot the season. 

The Athenceum (July 31) does not care to have 
^'claasicality" run itself into the ground, and thus 
remarks in advance of the performance : 

Royal Italian Opera. — The late period of 
the week at which the long-talked-of revival of 
" Don Giovanni " took place, and the remarkable 
interest attaching to it, render inevitable the post- 
ponement of a detailed account of its perfor- 
mance till next week. But a study of its " cast " 
may, meanwhile, be offered as prefatory. It re- 
quired no sibyl to foresee the stir sure to be exci- 
ted by the changes necessary- to render " Don Gi- 
ovanni " possible by the artists engaged in it at 
the Royal Italian Opera ; and Mr. Gye doubtless 
considered beforehand that he must prepare to 
strike a balance betwixt the admiration sure to 
be at the service of Signor Mario as the Don, 
and of the astuteness and comicality of Signor 
Ronconi as Leporello — ^and the groans of the 
classicists affronted and afflicted at the hands ot 
irreverent adaptation laid on Mozart That the 
latter, when over-puritanical, are anything rather 
than classical, we have said often ana again ; 
nothing can be more puerile or ignorant (for in- 
stance) than their crusade against singers' orna- 
ments in music which it was intended that sing- 
ers should ornament. We know, also, that the 
present arrangement of *' Don Giovanni ** is not 
altogether new, as a piece of sacrilege (if such it 
is to be conndered), since Garcia and Signor 
Donzelli and other tenors, whose voices had pow- 
er in their lower register, have already ventured 
it. We may thirdly point out that the one only 
baxso cantante who, for the last quarter of a centu- 
ry', has been acceptable as Don Giovanni was 
Signor Tamburini, — the part rei^uiring the com- 
bination of qualities, natural and acquired, which 
is among the rarest things in 0|>era. Perhaps, 
therefore, until some courtly, chivalresque, hand- 
some, rakish southern, with a bass voice both long 
and light, complete as a musician and as a vocal- 
ist, and lively without coarsenejis as an actor, shall 
arrive — such a performance of Mozart's opera as 
should be given implies a choice of evils. But 
one evil is not, therefore, to be overlooked — espe- 
cially bjr those who protest the loudest against 
Art being trammelled by prudery. Change of 
passage is one thing — change of texture another. 
Not iSl Malibran's wondroui fire and audacity — 



not all the life and passion with which she anima- 
ted the stage, could avert an important loss of 
force and brightness, to the music of " Fidel io," 
when she was the Leonora. The inspiration was 
there — of\en the precise notes — even the modifi- 
cations' were cflected with an ingenuity admirable 
in itself; but the quality of sound required was 
wanting. A preternatural viola leading a quartet 
would not be satisfactory as replacing a mediocre 
violin. So again, in spite of all Signor Ronconi's 
stage genius and ability to make the most of eve- 
ry quarter of a tone of the limited voice with 
which Nature has endowed him, it is impossible 
to avoid feeling how perilously the music of 
" Guillaume Tell " is weakened, and how some of 
its greatest effects are utterly lost when he sings 
the principal part. In " Don Juan," it must be 
felt, that the score rests on two basses beyond 
what is common. Not merely have the Libertine 
and his familiar to keep the scene alive bv their 
action ; but the amount of musical weight and 
responsibility devolving on them wiV be seen at 
a glance by any one who looks no further than 
the opening scene — or at the first finale — or at 
the sestet ** Sola, sola " — or at the cemetery duet. 
In all these (and they are four of the most dra- 
ma^ally and musically important portions of the 
opera), substitution not of notes only, but even of 
one tone for another, must be attenacd with loss. 
We must consider, when we record what hap- 
pened and is happening at Covent Garden,-how 
these difficulties, which there is no evading or 
denying, have been met 



Truth about Mnsio and MnsiciaiiB. 

Tr»nilAt«d from the Oennaa by Sabilla Novillo. 

II. 
ox MODERK OERMAN COMPOSERS IN GENERAL. 

''Notti aTOu des produlti, nova n'aroiu plua ifaiirrr*." 

Db Bauao. 

The culminating point to which creative tonal art 
has, as yet, been carried (I do not say to which it may 
be carried), was attained by Beethoven. This giant 
spirit has been succeeded by no composer who, for 
genius, may be compared to, or preferred above him. 
Should any individual claim such distinction for some 
modem master, you mav confidentiv tax him with 
impudent puffery or blind idolatry. I have detailedly 
proved my assertion in my letters on the most re- 
markable composers who have succeeded Beethoven ; 
and now it only remains for me to speak generally of 
the weaknesses and deficiencies discernible in the 
newest school, and of those which are, to a certain 
degree, its characteristics. 

Most of our modem composers are deficient in 
clear, ascertained, and intimate knowledge respecting the 
cum and resources of their art. 

Eyery musical piece should induce particular senti- 
ments in an audience, and express particular ideas ; 
but everv thought should and must be depicted in a 
certain form, and, indeed, in the form best adapted to 
it Form is the salver, so to speak, upon which 
thought mav be gracefully presented and easily dis- 
cern^. All those things wliich are defective in form 
are unbcauteous, for they contravene the desire of 
human nature for order]^ law, and regularity. He 
who should assert that a musician need not restrain 
himself to given forms, or need not observe any form 
at all, would speak as nonsensically as he who should 
declare monsters to be idealized creatures. 

Unfortunately, in many modem works we miss 
regular and therefore beautiful form, and find, in its 
stead, formlessness — that is, a heap of ideas thrown 
wildly and promiscuously together, without order and 
without meaning. Why is this ? Some know not 
what form should be ; thev have, if I may so express 
myself, no musical logic m their heads. Others, on 
the contrary, consider absence of mle and form to be 
novel (this it is, but it is not good), or to denote ge- 
nius, and to be an opening "to now paths." 

When listening to modulations roaming into every 
possible key, on every possible occasion, I can but 
suppose that he who misemploys these is not aware 
that modulation of key is merely an echo to modula- 
tion of sentiments, and should only represent and re- 
flect back the varying emotions of the human heart. 

Consider Papageno piping his cheerful song, and, 
in juxtaposition, Don Giovanni, when visited by his 
supernatural gue>:t. Examine, in both pieces, the 
harmonic and modulatory treatment, and you will be 
strack by the propriety, the faithfulness, the consist- 
ency of the chords and modulation employed bv Mo- 
zart. Tou will find in Papageno the greatest simpli- 
city—in Don Giovanni, on the contrary, complex 



harmonies and rugged transitions. Examine, in com- 
parison, any work of one of the lauded modem com- 
posers, and you will not require to search long before 
vou find the simplest emotions described by intricate 
harmonics and modulations. 

This ignorance of appropriate musical coloring is 
also displayed in the extravagant use of instrumental 
mnKscs occasionally, as a gcncrul habit, and occasion- 
ally for inappropriate passages. The introduction, in 
equal portions, of coniradirtorv colors, is as great a 
defect as the emplovmcnt of false colors ; a master- 
piece will only result from contrast iikilfnlly adjusted. 

Should a painter place a blooming rose-bush in a 
winter landscape, or should he paint a green sky and 
red water, everyone would be shocked at his igno- 
rance or madnefis ; hut is it not as outrageous for a 
composer (you may hoar tliis and similar ffierfs ofien 
enough, at present.) to accompany the pathetic la- 
mentation of a tender viigin with blasts of trampcts 
and trombones ? Do not think that I exaggerate. 
In Kreutzer's Nachtlager von Granada, for instance, 
the complaint of the maiden for her lost dove is ac- 
companied by trumpets, dmms, and trombones I 

Why do the modems err so constantly in like man- 
ner ? I will answer you by a sentence from Lcssing : 
"^// rales were then confounded, and it was generally 
declared pedantic to dictate unto Genius what it ought 
and what it ought not to do. In short, we were on 
the point of recklessly throwing aside the experience of 
past ages, and of demanding, in nreferencCf tltat each 
man should re-create Art for himseij I '* 

This is perfectly applicable to our music. All wish 
to be free, and consider every mle as a shackle. Not 
only are ancient theories suppressed (against this I 
have nothing to object), but the eternal laws of troth 
and beauty, that alone can satisfy, are rejected, and 
thus ensues, not freedom, but license. 

Perhaps it must be confessed that Hegel's philoso- 
phy, which so long reigned in Germany, has influ- 
enced our German music, at least some composers, 
with regard to manner. For, as many imitators of 
Hegel imagined they had said something very sapient 
and profound when they disguised their insignificant 
thoughts in strange phrases, insulting to Man's un- 
derstanding, so' that no one knew what they meant — 
thus, also, many composers think to elevate them- 
selves above others, by straying from the traditional 
language of Music, and forming gibberish phrases 
from which nobody can glean sense, and which cause 
me to ask : "Musique, quo me veux-tu V 

A crying defect, whicn accounts in great measure 
for the above evil, is the want of earnest and compre- 
hensive study. 

Glance backward to our great masters 1 How 
long, and with what zeal, did Haydn labor through 
the works of Bach, and, especially, through the se- 
vere exercises of Fux's Gradus aa Pamassuml How 
diligently did Mozart pursne the study of counter- 
point in all its divers branches ! And what mastery 
did he thus obtain over the disposition of inner parts ; 
with what ease and charm did he know how to em- 
ploy the most scientiflc combinations belonging to 
our Art ! It is no wonder that he succeeded in what- 
ever he attempted, and had the power of presenting 
each theme in the best and purest form. ''Perfected 
strength alone can give perfect grace." 

On the other hand, assemble living composers, and 
demand from them proofs of their wtill— of their fa- 
cility in the use of contrapuntal art ; demand from 
eacH, for instance, a fugue — a double or triple fugue 
— which cannot be produced without the knowledge 
and practice of canon, and of the different doable 
counterpoints ; — ^you will find that only one in ten 
can wnte a fugue — a double or triple fugue — and 
that will be a bad one ; only one in a hundred will 
accomplish it without fault. 

Such ignorance of technical knowledge and techni- 
cal practice is incompatible with the creation of a 
great musical masterpiece ; we might as reasonably 
expect that a mason's apprentice should build a pal- 
ace, or that a color grinder should paint a Raphael- 
esque Madonna. The result of this want of techni- 
cal knowledge and practice is an infinity of ballads, 
etudes, pot-pourris, fantasias, or whatever else such 
frothy ware may be titled, which overwhelms us in the 
present period. Composers shrink from the grander 
forms of the symphony, the sonata, or the ouartet ; 
for these require consistent treatment and thematic 
development of musical phrases. When these com- 
posers, notwithstanding their deficiencies in science 
and experience, attempt greater works, these must bo 
meaningless, empty productions, that flit like shad- 
ows across the public mind, and disappear for ever. 

The want of earnest study accounts for the super- 
ficicdity which forms a salient feature of the new 
schooL As none are fitted, by severe and constant 
study, to produce lasting works, application is absent; 
thus writers are incapable of devoting themselves 
witii requisite perseverance to one work, and of labor- 
ing unceasingly to obtain the proper and faithful pre- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1858. 



171 



gcntment of their ideas, which should be altered and 
improved until the whole creation be really perfected 
in all its details. 

In the biop^raphics of Mozart, Haydn, and Beetho- 
ven, every f^tudent may read how long thc^ masters 
Fon^ht after a theme — liow lonj* they altered and im- 
proved it, until they judfrcd it worthy of trcntmont. 
That which the ancients sought for during weeks and 
months, the modems demand in an instant, and take 
the first which occurs for the best. 

The grcatc!*t masters in all arts have held suporfi- 
cinlity of study to he a principal cause of the dearth 
of solid works. Not a sinirlc immortal production 
exists which was not completed by arduous industry. 
Schiller says : "For vcars and years a master toils, 
and yet can never satisfy himself;'' and on another 
occasion he even speaks thus : "Genius is industry," 
as, before him, Bunon had said: "Grenius is patience." 
Rellstab adds : "And all those who have endeavored 
by the sturdy exertion of their whole powers, to de- 
velop the artistic capabilities lying dormant within 
them, will appreciate the truth' of these apparently 
strange words." Goethe says : "By continuous re- 
search we may raise the Imperfect to the Perfect." 
Lessing declares: "I am more suspicious of 'first 
thoughts' than were ever De la Casa and old Shandy, 
for even though I hold tliem not for instigations of 
the wicked Enemy, real or allegoric, yet I always 
opine that 'first thoughts' are merely 'first,' and that 
the best bits do not idways swim at the top of a soup. 
My first thoughts are assuredly not a whit better than 
anybody else's first thoughts, and — anybody's 
tkoatjhts need net be printed and pubiished!" Carl 
Maria von Weber speaks thus : " Strenuous industry 
is the magical conjuration which summons to our aid 
the subtle spirits of Imagination. How foolish is it 
to believe that severe study lames the powers of the 
soul !" and thus Lichtenberg : " It has been asserted 
that men have existed who, in penning down an idea 
at once found the best form for its representation. I 
scarcely believe this. The question will always re- 
main, whether the expression might not have been 
improved by re-considering the idea itself ; whether a 
more condensed sentence might not have been prefer- 
able, whether some words were not superfluous, and 
so forth. It is not in human nature to write, for ex- 
ample, like Tacitus, in an off-hand, dice-throwing 
wise, direful purification and polish are as essential 
to propriety, in the presentation of an idea, as of the 
human body." And tlms Borne : "If there be a tal- 
ent, which may be cultivated bv industry, it is that of 
style. No one should immcd!iately write down all 
that pops into his head, and no one should immedi- 
ately print all that he has written down." 

It was reserved for the modem hnrry-jorward school 
to throw overboard these old-fiashioned views, to raise 
up the exact contrary into a rale, and to conceive ra- 
pidity in composition to be a sign of genius, because 
Schiller says (but ironically) : "The gift of genius is 
bestowed in dreams." 6ut — lightly come, lightly 
gone I The evanescent creations of an hour are like 
Uie ephemeral myriads, which buzz and dance for a 
short day, in order — to die ; while the works of our 
masters endure in inexhaustible vitality and eternal 
beauty. 

Besides other evils two extremes disfigure our 
modem music. Firstly, it is too heavy and unmelo- 
dtous. Beethoven, in his latter days, became deaf, 
melancholy, suspicious, and misanthropic; and his 
works, as naturally ensues, are influenced by his 
gloomy imagination and his disturbed equanimity of 
mind : now, as these identical works have been, and 
are extolled by critics, as the most excellent and pro- 
found creations of his gigantic spirit, poor imitators 
fancy that tlieir works will resemble those of Beet- 
hoven, if they, like him, become melancholy, or, at 
any rate, compile melancholy, gloomy, and inexpli- 
cable works. This feeling has prevailed so long that 
the best of the moderns do not dare to raise a cheer- 
ful strmn, or pnhnsh a simply-<'onstructed, naturally 
flowing, and generally intelligible melody, because 
they fear that critics will denounce them as unscien- 
tific and frivolous. 

"Life is serious, let Art* be gay." Manv of our 
modem German composers seem to have forgotten 
that Art must procure enjoyment for mankind ; and 
we may unfortunately class among novel inventions, 
the use of music as a means of filling the soul w^ith 
dark and dismal dreams, and of oppressing the mind 
with Alp-like heaviness. Agreeable melody is con- 
temned, and therefore many modem symphonies con- 
tain not one single inelod'ious phrase to which tlie 
sensations of a listener's breast may respond. 

Besides agreeable melody, some modems contemn 
unsophisticated human feelings, such as peace, pa- 
thetic emotion, &c., and throw themselves exclusively 
into a frenzy of the wildest passions, which ought to 
be seldom displayed, and then, merely as a means of 
contrast. 

In the meanwhile, the public enjoys suireptitiouBly, 



so to speak, that which it really loves. It is to be 
hoped that a prediction which I have somewhere 
read, will soon ne verified : "At length, however, the 
million must discover that, with the exception, per- 
haps, of some populai dsince-tunes, the music written 
for its entertainment consists of nothing but a thick 
fog of tones." 

As every extreme calls forth its opposite, so, many 
of our modem musicians are too inconsiderate and 
frivolous. This is mostly evinced in piano-forte mu- 
sic, under the shape of countless "pot-pourris" from 
new Italian and French airs ; hut all these concoc- 
tions are greedily bought, which clearly proves that 
lovers of music yearn aficr melodv. 

Up to Beethoven's epoch, the language of sound 
became more and more distinct, more defined, and 
therefore more generally intelligible. But Haydn, 
Mozart, and Beethoven, knew clearly what they 
wished to say, and rested not until they found for 
their thoughts the aptest and most intelligible expres- 
sions. Many of the modems do not really know 
what they would say or express in their composi- 
tions ; they are not thoroughly conscious of their aim, 
and therefore clutch, at hazard, among musical 
phrases. Can we then wonder that the public cannot 
tell what such works signify — that it hears them with- 
out enthusiasm, or even prefers not to hear them at 
all 1 When originally-powerful and heart-stirring 
ideas fail, it is the fashion to be striking by force of 
blows, on cymbals, dmms, ond kettle-drums, and to 
impress the ear, if not the hcait. If some of our 
composers had no brass at their command, sadly 
would their music be wanting in effect. 

Another evil is the mania for originality^ which 
causes writers, deficient in all which constitutes true 
originality^ to substitute for it unnatural, harsh modu- 
lations, violent and unconnected phrases, unhcard-ot 
harmonic combinations, and an utter disregard of all 
mlc. But a noble idea makes the deepest impression 
in a natural form ; only worthless ideas need decking 
out, to look like something. 

Evils, again, are the desire of being in print as 
soon as possible, which fumishes the world with 
much unripe stuff ; — and the ease with which tran- 
sitory fame may be obtained by the hot-house process 
of newspaper puffery and party-spirit adulation. 

I will continue this subject iii a future letter. For 
the present, adieu. 



From the New York Tribooe, Aug, 20. 

German Student Celebration in Hew York. 

Love for Alma Mater — the sad longing and yeam- 
ing that attends us throughout our whole life for the 
scene of our first manly joys and triumphs— ris one oi 
the nobler sentiments that is felt by college students 
and graduates of all countries aiid nations alike. 
But efpecialty docs the German student carry this 
feeling to a sentimental pitch. 8o delightful arc his 
rcminiiicCTiccs of the jovial, riotous Burschen Leben, 
that ever afterward he is accustomed to denounce the 
day of his being graduated as the saddest one of his 
life ; and scarcely a single individual of them leaves 
his university for the last time, to enter anew into 
Philister life, without shedding bitter tears. During 
his career as a student, however, there is little evi- 
dence of this feeling which is to sadden and embitter 
his existence; for a more practical, motter-of-fact 

grsonage than the German student is seldom seen, 
e is practical in his dress and accoutrements, his 
friendships and his quarrels, (which latter are made ca- 
pable of scientific adjustment) his scores and his settle- 
ment ; and, above all, he is practical in his pursuit of 
pleasure. "Physiology and statistics," saj's a writer 
on this subject, "are the principal branches to which 
the student directs his attention during the earlier 
years of his' academical life. He confines his exer- 
tions to that portion of the former science which 
treats of the growth of hair on tlie upper lip and 
and chin, while with regard to the latter he devotes 
himself with tlie most intense application to the study 
of the number and accommodations of the different 
places of amusement and houses of entertainment in 
the town where he resides." He is a firm believer in 
the philosophy contained in that famous couplet of 
Martin Luiiicf : 

'' Who loves not Woman. Wine, nor Song, 
HemaiDfl a fool hiji whole life long." 

and equally zealous in the ser^'ice of Venus, Bacchus, 
and Apollo, it would be difficult to say which of the 
three qualifications for wisdom contained in the verse 
occupies the most important place in his affections. 

Whenever the operation may have been performed 
in the flesh, the German is first bom in the spirit 
when he enters a university. Minerva-like, he comes 
in booted and spurred, with a sword dangling by his 
side. It is long, hotvever, before he adopts the olive- 
branch for his symbol. In the mean time there is a 
peculiar life before him, of which we in tliis country 



know very little. An unceasing succession of in- 
trigues and feasts ; friendships formed, and, what is 
better, adhered to ; duels fought, and countless scars 
given and received ; beside a mighty consumption of 
tobacco and lager beer — mark the coarse of life pur- 
sued by the German student, until he unfortunately — 
as ho himself describes it — graduates, and, covered 
with the fig-leaves of a successful earnmen, sees the 
flaming sword of Etemity interposed between him and 
his Paradise. What wonder, then, that in whatever 
path he may direct his course through the world, his 
mind clings' with unfaltering affection to the scene of 
his early pleasures — to the spot whero he embraced, 
for the lost time, his associates, "mossed over" with 
the accumulations of many semesters ? Whether his 
life is marked with happiness or full of care and trials, 
his fondest thoughts are sure to be those connected 
with his Bursch life in the University. 

Accordingly, when it was announced tliat the Uni- 
versity of Jena, whose history is linked with that of 
Klopstock, Fichte, Schlegel, Schiller, and a host of 
lesser lights, intended to celebrate on the 15th, 16th, 
and 17th of this month her three hundredth anniver- 
sary — ^when it was understood that Humboldt and sev- 
eral other octogenarian graduates of the last century 
were to honor the celebration with their presence— 
and particularly when the news arrived that the town 
ralers had decided to present the students with two 
entire brewings of beer, although with praiseworthy- 
economy they refused to add to the gift seidels to drink 
it from — ^thosc of her proud graduates who, whether 
from reasons politicol or ambitious, had taken up 
their abode in this city, determined to have a celebra* 
tion on their own ac(x>unt simultaneously with their 
friends at home. Months ago a committee was ap- 
pointed to take charge of the matter, and finally it 
was decided to have a grand Commerz or Beer Festi- 
val, in which all the parties above-mentioned, except 
a few who went to Europe expressly to attend the 
celebration at home, pledged themselves to partici- 
pate. 

On Tuesday night the festival came off in tlie Con- 
stance Brewery in East Fourth street. The hall in 
the second story of the building was decorated in the 
most elaborate manner, the walls being hung with 
wreaths, in the midst of which oppeared the colors 
and arms or circidi of the various student associations 
of Germany. These were shields^licaring the initial 
letters of each association or Verbindungj traversed 
bv a letter C, representing Circulus, and beneath, the 
letter V, for nvat. Thus the letter W, with a C 
through it, implied Circulus Westphalia vivat. Be- 
tween the shields, of which there were a large num- 
ber, were arranged in rows, the weapons used by the 
students when giving vent to their duelling proclivi- 
ties. In the front of the room wus a large transpa- 
rency, representing a student and a knight— emblem- 
atic of the Burschenschaft aud Chorburschcn — shak- 
ing hands across the coat of arms of the Gennan 
empire. Above was inscribed, *^ Semper ftoreat Jena" 
and beneath, the figures 1558 — 1858. On each side 
of the transparency were inscribed, in alphabetical 
order, the names of all the German universities. At 
one end of the room were engravings of the town of 
Jena and portraits of many of her students. 

So much for the decorations, which were merely 
incidental, and had nothing to do with the ceremonies 
of the evening. In the centra of the room were 
ranged two tables, on each end of which lay two 
broadswords with basket hilts, such as are used in tlie 
duels at Jena. About one hundred ex-students wero 
present to participate in the festival, some of them 
young, the majority middle-aged, and some, again, 
old and silver-haired, but all of them mei-ry and full 
of glee at the prospect of once more enjoying one of 
the favorite festivals of their youth. It was a re-pro- 
duction, on a smaller scale, of exactly the same 
scenes as were taking place at that very moment in 
Jena ; and we doubt whether a more truthful picture 
of at least one phase of German student-life has ever 
been witnessed in this city. Nearly all the persons 
present wore the self-same little, fiat, vari-colored caps 
which they had wom while in the University ; and 
although the dresses wero thoroughly American, and 
evidently selected with a view to the warmth of the 
evening, still a few peculiar costumes were to be seen, 
among which the sliort blue blouse, with two silver 
crossed hammers on the shoulders, wom by some 
mining students from Freiburg, in Saxony, were most 
conspicuous. The appointed hour approaching, they 
all took their seats at the tables, and proceeded to 
make preparations for remaining where they were, by 
laying before them their snuff-boxes, papers of smok- 
ing tobacco, and their cigars, and as the smoke begun 
to rise in clouds above their heads, cries of "Beer !" 
rose wildly in the air, and drew a timid echo from the 
crowd of wondering urchins outside. 

At nine o'clock the band opened the festivities by 
playing a German national air, which had no sooner 
ceased than order was called by the Presiding Com- 



172 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



mittcc, mcmhcrR of which, standinj; nt tho head of 
CAch tabic, struck violenrly upon it with tho swords 
we have mentioned, until the clatter was so p:rcat that 
it was iinposisihle to converse, and order being thus 
comiMsUed, the o|)cninp^ speech was delivered by Dr. 
Rittler, the oldcHt Jena student in the city, a gentle- 
man of venerable gray locks, who has seen thirty- 
seven years slip by him since he retired into Philister 
life. He dwelt at some length upon tho object of the 
celebration, and after thanking tne representatives of 
other UnivcrsitieA and tho strangers for their presence, 
he declared tho festival to lie opened. Rapidly emp- 
tied mugs greeted this announcement, and the band 
struck up the first song : 

" B<>1oTed brethren, welcome here. 
With heart and hand we greet ye.*' 

After each verse the rattling of the swords prevent- 
ed all other interruption, and the company remained 
silent, or fortified themselves with draughts of beer 
for the exertion of singing tho next stanza. 

At the conclusion of the song Dr. C. Schramm was 
announced as the next speaker. He spoke for some 
minutes, drawing a picture of what was then taking 
place at home, leading his hearers from ooo locality 
m Jena to another, describing the festivals in "Para- 
dies," and tho neighboring hamlets, until finally tho 
pent-up feehngs of his listoners could no longer be 
restrained, but burst out in a prolonged shout that 
shook the building. His speech was the longest of 
tho evening, and was followed by a drinking song, 
concluding with tho following pnilosophical senti- 
ment: 

** When our titrength hM left us, 
And Ood of Wine bereft im, 
Then, old Charon, we will follow thee." 

The beer drinking was now at its height, and the 
distracted waiters ran franticly to and ftx> in the vain 
attempt to supply all at once. A vapor like that 
which exhales from the mouth of Erebus filled the 
room, and made a perceptible, almost tangible dark- 
ness. Around the room, in kaleidoscopic groups, the 
old affectionate Burschen caressed each other with 
the fondness of girls, as they went over, in imagina- 
tion, the scenes whicli, rears before, they had sharcd. 
Not the least pleasant feature of tho evening was the 
fact that several recognitions took place between 
friends who had separated forever, as they thought, 
in tho fatherland, but who had all been brought by 
the mysterious dispensations of Providence to the 
New World, where they had lived some time in the 
same city without knowing of each others' presence 
here. The pleasure of such recognitions, made on 
such an occasion, can only be appreciated by those 
fully conversant with the deep sentimental spirit of 
afFoction that pervades tho Teutonic character, and 
which Emerson is pleased to attribute to the Anglo- 
Saxon also, and to all the races which ramify from 
tliat mighty parent stock. 

We must pass hastily over the speech delivered in 
Latin by Professor Fiister, from Vienna, which was 
greeted with appreciative applause, though a company 
of American students would scarcely have nnderstoocl 
a single sentence contained in it — ^as well as over the 
speech in English by Mr. Parker, of this city, and 
tfio eloquent address of Dr. Kothc, which was re- 
ceived with great enthusiasm. A Dr. Bergmann en- 
deavored to get a hearing, but liis words took such a 
political sanguinary hue that he was put down, after 
n combat in words that, had the company been com- 
posed of Americans, would have resulted in a fight 
and ended in the station-house. These wo pass by to 
say a few words concerning the singing of "JD<t 
Landesinter" which concluded the ceremonies. Tho 
company, being seated v/s-a-riA, sang the WdMied, 
or Consecration Song, and at the concluding verse 
the persons standing at the head of tho tables pro- 
ceeded along the sides, placing in each individual's 
left hand a sword, and in the nght a seidel of beer. 
'This sword the person receiving it struck as though 
fencing against that of his opposite neighbor, and at 
tho last line of the stanza, taking off his hat, ran the 
sword through it up to the hilt, and drank off his beer 
to the "welfare of the fatherland." This was repeat- 
ed witli each person in order, and when the swords 
were entirely covered with hats, the ceremony was 
repeated and the hats were returned to their o\vnen>. 
In doing this they were taking oaths of fidelity to 
Germany and the Crermon institutions, especially that 
of Burschendom. 

This concluded the order of ceremonies, and now, 

according to the programme, the "feast ended and 

the pleasure began." The hand of time was on the 

stroKC of one, and our reporter, regardful of the 

maxim, 

" Drink to a certain pitch, and then give o'er, 
Lest tongue and llbet should f tumble drinking more," 

left the gay party growing merrier every instant, and 
lighted by the burning of^City Hall, wended his soli- 
tary way homeward. 



(From Ans's Birmingham Gazelle, July 26th.) 

Mr. lesUe^s " Jndifh." 

This work, which we have reason to expect will be 
a highly interesting feature of our approaching Fes- 
tival, is from thd pen of a young composer, Mr. 
Henry Leslie, who, though educated as an amateur, 
has gained a distinguished position among the mnsi- 
cal artists of the day. His reputation for several 
years has been gradually rising. His oratorio of Im- 
wamul has been rc<;eived as the first fruits of a genius 
destined to high achievements ; and his second work 
of the same class, about to see the light in the Town 
Hnll of Birmingham, will, we doubt not, more than 
fulfil the promise given by the first. 

Having had the opportunity of examining the 
score of this oratorio, we feel ourselves entitled to 
speak with some confidence of its merits and probable 
success. 

In respect to subject, Jvditk has greatly the advnn- 
tf^^e of its predecessor, Immanud^ which, with all its 
musical merit, creates an impression ot heaviness ; 
being too much of the nature of an exposition of ab- 
stract religions truths. Judith is a dramatic poem, 
full of stirring incidents, calculated to excite strong 
interest, and aflfording ample room for musical ex- 
pression and effect. The story of the poem is told 
oy its title ; for who does not know the Jewish hero- 
ine, whose arm, by a single blow, delivered her conn- 
try from the Assyrian yoke ? The subject, strictly 
speaking, can scarcely be termed sacred, as the Apoch- 
rvphal books are not admitted by our Church into 
the canon of Scripture. Yet, though we deny their 
claim to inspiration, we receive them as trustworthy 
portions of Jewish history ; and history contains few 
things grander or more beautiful than the noble 
stand made by the Jewish people, under the Macca- 
bees and their other heroic leaders, against tho gath- 
ering storms which surrounded them on every side, 
and at length swept them from among the nations. 

The poem is by Henry F. Chorley, a gentleman of 
well-known literary ability. In constructing it he has 
adopted the language of the original narrative, inter- 
mixed with appropriate passages from other parts of 
Scripture. 

It is in three parts, or scenes. The first, entitled 
" The Bcleagnei^d City," paints the internal condi- 
tion of Bethulia when Holofemes and the Assyrian 
host sit down before its walls. While the people are 
distracted by fear and disunion, Judith appears among 
them, rebukes them for their want of confidence in 
the Most High, announces her design to attempt their 
deliverance, and departs, followed by the prayers and 
blessings of the priests and people. The second 
part, called " The Camp of tlie Assyrians," describes 
the arrivhl of Judith and her attendant in the camp ; 
her introduction to the Assyrian chief; the blandish- 
ments wherewith sho captivates him ; the banquet to 
which he invites her ; and the orgies in which she 
pretends to join, while she watches for the moment 
when she may strike the blow. In the third part. 
" Night and Daybreak," we have the completion of 
the enterprise, and the deliverance of the city, cele- 
brated by songs of praisfc and thanksgiving. 

We may now point ont a few remarkable passages 
in the music. An instrumental introduction, well 
calculated to awaken attention, is followed by a cho- 
rus of the people of the beleaguered city, in the 
gloomy key of F minor, commencing in a suppressed 
and scarcely audible murmur, indicative of dismay, 
but gradually rising to an expression of firmness 
and resolution. This chorus at once shows the facil- 
ity and clearness with which the composer manages 
large masses of humanity. It leads to a duet for a 
soprano and tenor voice, " Spare thy people, O 
Lord," remarkable for the graceful flow of the solo 
parts, and the soft, subdued harmony of the accom- 
pan\-ing chorus. A brief recitative describes the 
suffering of the besieged people, dying of famine. 
Thy rise in their despair, and clamor violently for 
peace. This scene is graphically represented by a 
succession of brief impetuous chonises of the people 
mingled with the replies of Ozias, the chief of the city, 
who endeavors to calm and encourage the multitnde. 
Suddenly Judith appears among them, aud in a reci- 
tative of great energfy reproves their violence, and ex- 
horts them to trust in tne Almighty. They answer 
in one voice, " Pray for us, for thou art a godly t«o- 
man I " The prayer of Judith, in answer to this ap- 
peal, is an air of great beauty and deep solemnity, 
which, as delivered by Madame Viardot, will be one 
of the most impressive passages in the oratorio. A 
brief chorus of the people concludes the first part. 

The scene now changes to the besieger's cAmp, and 
tho second part opens with a monologue of Holo- 
femes — an air in a pompous and grandio6e style, 
characteristic of the leader of the Assyrian host, and 
admirably calculated to display the powers of a fine 
barytone voice. Judith and her attendant appear in 
the camp, and are snrroanded by the soldiers, whose 



hasty questions, with her brief replies, are treated in 
that terse and dramatic manner of which we find 
such rcniarkuble instances in St. Paul and Elijah. 
The soldiers escort her to the general's tent, and 
while sho is waiting for admission, her attendant, 
Amital, addresses her in words of counsel and en- 
couragement ; a situation which introduces a magnifi- 
cent air by the principal soprano (Judith's part being 
a contralto), " 'The Lord prcserveth all them that love 
Him." It is the bold and open key ot A major, and 
full of brilliant passages demanding a voice of great 
power, compass, and flexibility. They aro then ad- 
mitted into tho presence of Holofemes, and tho inter- 
view assumes the form of a trio between die general 
and tho two females, — a concerted piece equally dra- 
matic and beautiful, in which the characters of the 
different persons are finely discriminated and sus- 
tained. It is elaborated with masterly skill, and con- 
tains several striking effects of modulation, especially 
a transition from tne principal key G, at once to E 
flat. This trio will be one of the most marked fea- 
tures of the oratorio. The finale to this part is a 
remarkable piece of sound-painting. The shoats of 
Holofemes and his joyous company, " Come, drink, 
and be merry with us ! " the gay rhythm of the mu- 
sic, accompanied by the barbaric clang of brazen in- 
struments, suggesting the idea of martial pomp 
mingled with songs and dances — ^while the two Jew- 
ish women, apart from the rest, are heard from time 
to time to utter ominous words to each odier ; all 
these things unite to form a pictnre which brings, as 
it were, the whole scene l)cfore oar eyes. 

In the third part, the sounds of the revel continue 
to be heard, but they are waxing low. The feastera 
are still singing their bacchanalian choras, bat in 
faint and drowsy murmurs, while the two Jewish wo- 
men are repeating to each other the le^^end of Jacl 
and Sii^era, their snpprcssed voices mingling with 
the dying choras. At length Holofemes is left asleep 
upon his conch, with Judith alone in the tent. She 
implores the Divine aid in a short air or cavatina, for 
the composer appears to have wisely judged that this 
situation could not be protracted ; but the air is beau- 
tiful and full of the deepest expression. The deed of 
blood, rendered heroic ny patriotism, is narrated in 
recitative, accompanied by the orchestra in agitated 
chords and modulations. The recitative goes on to 
relate the escape of Judith, and her retnm to the 
gates of Bethulia. Her call, " Open now tho gates ! 
God, even our God, is with as 1 " is a grand piece of 
musical declamation, quite suited to the great perfor- 
mer to whom it is destined. The gates are opened, 
and the heroine enters amid fanfarett of trumpeti. 
She is welcomed by Ozias, the chief of the city, in a 
great and highly-wrought air, full of energy, demand- 
ing a tenor singer of die very highest ormr. Then 
follows a trio for Amital, Judith, and Ozias (soprano, 
contralto, and tenor), which leads without interrnp- 
don to the first great choras, the first three solos bemg 
condnned to the end. It is a strain of joy and thanks- 
giving, in which the composer has put forth all his 
contrapantal strength, we observe that he, like 
Mendelssohn in his latest works, does not adhere to 
the scholastic form of fugue-writing. Hia counter* 
point is free and nnembarassed by those technical 
restraints, while it is strengthened by all the legiti- 
mate resources of art. The different parts are of the 
most skilful and masteriy texture, while the solo 
voices, with which the masses of harmony ore Mend- 
ed, stand out in bold and brilliant relief from the 
choral back-groand. This noble choras, in short, is 
a climax worthy of the great work which it brings to 
a close. 

Tub "Free avtd East." — In whatever condi- 
tion of life a man may be, if he is at all disposed to 
rain himself, he will nod society very well disposed 
to help him. There is, therefore, a ' finish ' for the 
poor as well as the rich. This institotion is generally 
knowh under the tide of the ' Free and Easy.' As 
yon pass down one street yon may perhaps read an 
announcement which runs as follows : — ' There will 
be a Free and Easy at the Cat and Bacrpipea every 
Saturday and Monday evening.' It really is a very 
captivating invitation. I have a great many engage- 
ments of which I should like to shake myself ' free.' 
I have many troubles and anxieties, and it would be 
a delightftil thing to feel ' easy,' if it were only for 
half an hour. Suppose, then, we look in at the ' Cat 
and Bagpipes.' Well, here we are ! Nothing to pay 
— ^walk m. What a horrid smell of bad tobacco 
there is I There is such a smoke that one can scarcely 
see the other end of the room ; and what a yillainons 
odor, composed of the combined fumes of porter and 
gin, beer and brandy 1 Let as sit down for a few 
minutes at this table. ' Waiter, take away these dir^ 
glasses, and brush off these cigar ashes.' There, it 
is a little better now ; only some one has been eating 
nnts, and one can't pat one's feet to the ground with- 
out cracking the broken shells. ' Silence, gendenen. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1858. 



173 



if you plcaso, — the celebrated tenor will now favor 
the company with " Life on the ocean wave." ' Puff 
pnff, ri.«ct the tobacco smoke, kccpinf;: time with the 
notes of the celebrated singer, who resumes his sent 
amidst loud cheers. Then up start a couple of wait- 
ers — ' Your orders, ji^entlemen, give your orders/ 
Presently one come « to our table — * What shall I pet 
for you, sir 1 ' * Nothing, thank you.' * But every 
gentleman is expected to take something, Fir.' * Oh, 
indeed ! we thought the admission was free.' ' So it 
is, but every gentleman (laying emphasis on the lust 
word) is expected to spend a shilling when he comes 
here. Well, as we are disposed to see a little more 
of the Free and Easy, wo are obliged to submit. So 
wo order onr hot with, or our cold without, as the 
case may be. At the next table to us are three or 
fonr very young men. Indeed, one would -have 
called them boys, if we had not been told that no 
boys were admitted. Partly because they wish to 
seem quite at home and used to it, and partly because 
they are afraid of the waiter, and think that whenever 
he looks at tliem they must order something, they 
have already got more than they can carry, and will 
have some difficulty in finding their way home. How- 
ever, silence is called again, because tlie orders are 
only coming in slowly, and the company needs to be 
refreshed with another song. This time it is Mndam 
Sqoallini, from Her Majesty's Theatre and all the 

{>rmcipal concerts in Eurapc. What a condescending 
ady must this be to come away from the presence of 
royalty to amuse the people at the Cat and Bagpipes 
— in yellow gauze and dirty white kid gloves ! How- 
ever, she takes to it kindly, and there is more ap- 
plause. Then the same tiling goes on over again. 
More brandy or gin ia ordered : the lady gives place 
to a gentleman who sings a comic song, wliich every 
now and then contains some allusion which amazingly 
amuses the audience, and the more it borders upon 
indecency the more thcv are amused. But the place 
becomes unbearable. Let us go into the fresh air. 
Look up at those quiet Htars ; see how in their suit- 
lime order and l)eauty they sail across the nightly 
sky. Try to lift up your thoughts to that immortality 
of which they seem to us to he the types, and to the 
sudden contrast between yon stinking hell and these 
glorious heavens ; ask yourself whether any man with 
an immortality before him can ever be tlie better for 
attending a ' Free and Easy. " — From the. Bn\ U. W, 
Parkinaon** Lecture in the Public Uall, Roehdale, Eng. 



BeethoYen*8 Symphony in A. 

This symphony was written when Beethoven was 
in the zenith of his power, and contains within itself 
distinctive marks of his transcendent genius in almost 
every feature tiint can give sublimity and beauty to 
mstrumcntal music. 

It dates al)Out 1813, having been first performed at 
a concert given at Vienna, in December of that year, 
for the benefit of the Austrian and Bavarian soldiers 
wounded at the battle of Hanau. 

The symphony opens with an introduction of great 
grandeur, in whfch the melody, the modulations, and 
the orchestral features successively dispute the inter- 
est with each other. It commences witn one of those 
effects of instrumentation of which Beethoven is in- 
eontostably the creator : the full orchei^tra strikes a 
strong and sharp chord, leaving suspended, during 
the silence which succeeded, a single hautboy that has 
entered, unperceived, in the preceding crash, and 
which goes on to develop a sustained melody. 

It is impossible to conceive a commencement more 
original. Repetitions of the sharp chords ensue, 
again and again ; after each of which, the Irijato 
theme grows, by added parts, till it attains a full har- 
mony, when it gives place to a new feature, namely : 
a series of staccato scale passages in semi-quavers for 
the stringed band, accompanied or interspersed with 
fragments of the melody first heard, and modulating 
by various gradations fnto tlie key of C, where it is 
interrupted by a plaintive, touching theme, simple in 
itself, hut richly harmonized. Tfie stately ttaccato 
passages of scales again march suddenly in, with 
fuller accompaniments than before, and again give 
way to a repetition of the plaintive melody in the key 
of *F, ending, after a prolonged and tantalizing cm- 
Cfnd9 on the tonic chord of this key, on an E, struck 
finiasimo in unison by the whole band. This note, 
subsequently kept very prominent, is first ornamented 
with fragments of the original melody, and then be- 
comes the subject of a yea de timbres between the vio- 
lins and wind instruments, analagous to that in the 
finale in the Sinfonia P^roica. It is tossed about from 
one hand to the other for six bars, changing its as- 
pect every time, until at last, retained by the hautboy 
and flute, it serves to connect the introduction to the 
^JUgro, and becomes the first note of the principal 
theme, of which it gradually defines the rhythmical 
form. We have called particular attention to this 
magnificent introduction, as it is in movements of this 



character that the power of great composers is fre- 
quently most displayed. The one here referred to, 
and the opening larrfo to Mozjirt's piano-forte and 
wind instrument quintet in E fiat, may be instanced 
as standing at the very pinnacle of musical excellence 
— worthy rivals to each other, but altogether nnap- 
pronche«^ by any efforts of le^s gifted minds. 

The theme of the Allegro has often been reproached 
for its ru«tlc naivete and want of dignity. This prob- 
ably would not have been the case, had its author 
written in great letters on his page, as in the pasto- 
rale, "Rondo of Peasants." If there are some critics 
who dislike being pre-informed of the subject treated 
by the muKician, there are others, on the contrary, 
always disposed to receive ungraciously everything 
that is presented to them in a strange dress, unless 
thev are told beforehand the reason of the anomaly. 

l^he phrase in question has a rhythm strongly 
marked, which, passing afterwards into the harmony, 
is reproduced under a multitude of aspects, scarcely 
ceasing its measured march until tlie end — a deter- 
mined employment of rhythmical form which has 
jiever been attempted on such an extensive scale else- 
where ; although in minor pieces — as, for example, 
in Schubert's songs — ^the idea frequently appears. 
This allegro, of which the extensive developments run 
constantly upon the same idea, is treated with such 
incredible skill — the changes of key are so frequent 
and so ingenious — tlie harmonic and other technical 
features so novel and often so bold — that the move- 
ment finishes before the attention and lively emotion 
which it excites in the audience have at all abated. 

An instance of the wonderful manner in which true 
genius can triumph over rule, is furnished by the dar- 
ing resolution, near the end of the first part, of the 
chord A, C sharp, E, and F sharp, upon A, C natu- 
ral, and F natural, and which, thoufrh it is impossi- 
ble to find any satisfactory warrant for it on theoreti- 
cal grounds, offers no unpleasant effect to the ear. 
Probably, however, this is, in a great measure, due to 
the skilful change of instrumental coloring that ac- 
companies the transition. 

The symphony is peculiarly celebrated for its An- 
dante. The priiicipal cause of the profound sensa- 
tions excited by tnis extraordinary movement lies 
also in the rhythm^-a rhythm as simple as that of the 
AlUgro, but of a form perfectly different. It consists 
merely of a dactyl followed by' a spondee, and repeat- 
ed incessantly ; sometimes in several parts, sometimes 
in one only ; sometimes serving as an accompani- 
ment, sometimes concentrating the attention on itself, 
and sometimes forming the subjeft of a fugue. It 
appears first, after two bars of sustained harmony, on 
the low strings of the violas, violoncellos, and double 
basses, nuanced by a piano and pianissimo full of mel- 
ancholy ; thence it passes to the second violins, while 
the vk>Ioncellos and violas sing a pathetic lamentation 
of an inexpressibly touching character. 

The rhythmical phrase, ascending continually from 
one octave to another, arrives at the first violins, 
which pass it, by a crescendo^ to the full force of the 
wind instruments of the orchestra, while the plaintive 
theme still accompanying it, but now given out with 
extreme energy, assumes the character of a convul- 
sive, heart-rending wail. To this succeeds an ether- 
ial melody, pure, simple, sweet, and resigned. 

The basses alone continue their inexorable rhythm 
under this melodious bow in the clouds ; it is, to bor- 
row a citation from the poet, 

" One ftital remembrance, one noRtm that throws 
Ita black shade alike o*er our Joys and our woci.** 

The violins finish by a few pizzicato notes scarcely 
perceptible ; aftlr which, suddenly reviving like the 
fiame of an expiring lamp, the wind instruments 
breathe the same mysterious harmony they com- 
menced with, and — 



ti 



the rest It stlenee. 



» 



It is not improbable that this wonderful, pathetic 
movement may have been intended by Beethoven to 
portray his own feelings under the terrible calamity 
that afiiicted him : the only part of this symphony 
that its unfortunate composer ever heard, was the roll 
of the dmms ! 

The Scherzo modulates in a manner altogether new. 
Its original key is F ; and the first part, instead of 
passing, as is usual, into a key related to this, termi- 
nates in A major. The Scherzo of the pastoral sym- 
phony, also in F, ends somewhat analagously in D 
major, and there are other aflSnities between tne two. 

The trio is one of the most remarkable and origi- 
nal morccaux which ever proceeded from Beethoven's 
pen. At the close of the Scherzo, on a unison passage 
m F, an A, occurring quite naturally, and without 
any appearance of design, is suddenly held by the 
wHole band ; transfixed, congealed, as it were, like 
the sleeping beauty; and is retained through the 
whole of tlie following movement, one hnndrnl and 
thirty bars long, without cessation. After four bars 



of the single note, a lovely melody in D major creeps 
in, the time lieing considerably slackened to give the 
change more effect ; this is repeated with a slight re- 
inforcement, after which a second part is introduced 
leading to a repetition of the first part fortissimo. 
The management of the retained A throughout this 
time is effected with consummate art ; the conyposer 
knew well that so long a retention would be apt, after 
a while, to pall upon the ear, and lose its effect, unless 
the auditor were occasionally reminded anew of the 
presence of the note ; and this is effected by making 
It play on a few neighboring grace notes in the inter- 
vals between the various phrases of the accompany- 
ing melody. Again, tlie note is at first taken ^ for 
some time in octaves by the first and second violins ; 
but in the second part a low A is added on one of the 
horns ; and, oddly enough, this added note does not 
remain steady, but throbs occasionally — winks, as it 
were, every other bar — upon the G sharp below it, 
signalling, as plainly as if it spoke, to the audience, 
"Mark me well." 

After the end of the second part, where a crescendo 
interposes to pass to the forte da capo, this throbbing 
becomes accelerated, and takes a most extraordinary 
form, beating a binary rhythm against the triple time 
of the other parts, and strongly accenting tne acci- 
dental G sharp instead of the essential note itself, as 
if apparentlpr to throw the latter into the shade ; but, 
in reality, with such marvellous skill as to draw atten- 
tion to it more forcibly than ever. 

Meanwhile the other parts make a crescendo by a 
series of bold chords, and the original melody bursts 
out with the full band — the never-ceasing A being 
now thrown with startling effect upon tlie trumpets 
and drums. This extraordinary feature never fails to 
command the astonishment and delight of the audi- 
ence. The theme of the trio, simple as it is, furnishes 
a striking example of a melody whose character mapr 
be entirely changed by the manner in which it is 
taken. When first played, smoothly and softly, it is 
sweet, beautiful, pastoral ; when repeated by the full 
orchestra, it is grand, majestic, sublime. The same 
remark has been justly made of the fine passage* 
"The kingdoms of this worid," in the Hallelujah 
Chorus of the "Messiah." 

The Finale is not less rich than the preceding 
movements in novel features, in piquant modulations 
or in charming fancies. The commencement, a sharp 
chord of E, struck by the strings, answered instanta- 
neously by the wind * instruments, and followed b^ a 
dead pause, appears to be designed to call attention 
to the unusual form of the principal subject, com- 
mencing on the same chord. 

This theme has some relation to that of the Over- 
ture to "Armida ;" but it is in the arrangement of the 
first notes only, and for the eye more than the ear ; 
for, in the execution, nothing can be more unlike than 
the two ideas. The rhythm here again is peculiar, 
consisting of an accentuation of the second beat of the 
bar, so frequent as to form the rule, instead of, as 
commonly, the exception. 

The finale abounds in points worthy the study of 
the musician. One is the graceful and unexpected 
effect produced by the frequent sudden transition from 
the key C sharp minor to that of D major. Another 
is the daring introduction of a B natural, strongly 
accented and doubled upon the chord F shorp. A, a 
sharp, and D sharp, with C sharp as a pedal bass. 

A third is the unwonted close of the first member 
of the movement in C sharp minor instead of in E, 
as rule would prescribe. But the greatest marvel is 
the coda. After the first or preliminary cadence, a 
few chords prepare the way for a most elaborate 
working of the first phrase of the theme, repeated in 
every bar for fifty-six bars togetlier, and accompanied 
by combinations of the most striking originality. — 
After a few introductory imitations, on simple harmo- 
nies, the basses, taking the subject on the^ tipper E, 
commence a long descent, continued first diatonically 
through a twelfth to the low A, where the feature 
changes to a chromatic form ; G sharp and £ are 
taken alternately for a few measures ; tnen G and A 
flat, then G and F sharp, and so on ; the descent 
gradually progressing a semitone every three or four 
bars, till* it reaches E and D sharp, which continue 
for a long' time ; the £ forming a pedal note, em- 
broidered, as it were, by the continuea alternation of 
the semitone below in equal measure. All the while 
the violins keep np an increasing reiteration of the 
subject in various keyn, accompanied in correspond- 
ing harmonies by the wind band, and gradually rising 
itrmpre piu forte on the grand pedal point above named. 
Here the chord of the seventh frequently occurs, so 
that the D notnral of the upper parts finds itself di- 
rectly opposed to the D sharp taken by the basses — a 
daring harmonic experiment ; yet so perfectly calcu- 
lated, that not the slightest discordance results, each 
note performing its own office without interfering in 
the least witfi the other. Half way through the pedal 
point, the violins throw off impatiently the trammels 



174 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



of the figure that had so long bound tliem, and burst 
off into a series of the most brilliant passages ; the 
basses still keep steady for some time to their E, but 
at last can no longer resist sharing in the jubilee of 
the rest of the orchestra ; and the whole comes to a 
conclusion with an overpowering ^dat — an ending 
worthy of such a master-piece of genius, imagination, 
feeling, and technical skill. 

In the present age of musical taste and discern- 
ment, when it is difficult to listen to this symphony 
without a feeling akin to worship of the genius that 
could create such a series of gigantic conceptions, how 
strange does it appear to be reminded, that when it 
was first produced, a man no less great and true than 
Carl Maria Von Weber wrote "that the extravagances 
of genius had reached their non plus nltra^ and that 
the aathor of such a symphony was fully ripe for a 
mad-house ! " And yet we do not think a whit the 
worse of Weber for fiis judgment ; it only proves to 
us how much Beethoven was in advance of bis time. 
— New Philharmonic Analjftical Programme. 



1 1 

) i 



Jfoig^fs lonrnal of glusir. 



BOSTON, AUGUST 38, 1858. 

Music in this Number. — Continuation of 
the Cantata : The Praise of Friendship, by Mo- 
zart. This beautiful composition is a true mu- 
sical inspiration of the social sentiment, and suited 
to many a happy gathering of friends. So far as 
we are informed, it has been until now, like many 
other noble works of Mozart, wholly unknown in 
this country. The first four pages of it got into 
last week's paper prematurely, by mistake, and 
therefore without editorial introduction ; we had 
intended to continue the Lucrezia Borgia arrange- 
ment last week, and commence the Mozart Can- 
tata this week. One more instalment of four 
pages will complete it, when we shall again ad- 
dress our selection to the Italian side of the 
house. 

The Cantata : Praise of Friendship consists of 
a chorus, written for two tenors and bass, but 
practicable for soprani and contralto ; recitatives 
and two arias for tenor (or soprano), and a repe- 
tition of the chorus at the end. The bass part is 
printed in the G cleff, like the others, which will 
make it the more readable for a contralto. We 
have translated the German words as faithfully 
as we could, but it has involved some awkward- 
ness in the recitative portions, which a good reci- 
tativist will know how to tutor to some sort of 
grace. There is nothing which requires more 
taste and judgment than to deliver a long piece 
of recitative expressively. 



Musical Chit-Chat 

We suspend, for the present, our translations fit>m 
Henri Heine's musical notes in Paris, hoping to 
give another course of them at ?ome future time. 
They are a strange mixture of good and bad, but all 
original and bright and readable, and characteristic of 
the man, who did not have such wit and sharp acu- 
men save at the expense of too much acid in his na- 
ture—or rather in his acquired morbid temper, for he 
was a true poet, one of tlie sweet singers from the 
heart, and therefore we are bound to believe him good 
at bottom. The most delicate and sympathetic na- 
tures, those peculiarly strung for finest harmony, are 
just those which in faUe circumstances are most easily 
and cryingly thrown out of tune. Many things 
which we have so far translated we do not like at all, 
so far as opinion and tone of feeling are concerned. 
That melancholy, and we must say cruel picture of 
Spontini in his morbid last days, would be too bad 
without an offset, showing the composer of the Vestale 
on his bright and truest side ; and such an offset we 
intend to give. Then, too, that last, about Jenny 



Lind, was altogether flippant and in a sneering and 
unworthy tone, which made it an net of self-mortifi- 
cation to translate it ; but we thought it best to com- 
plete what we had begun, and let the bright, cold sat- 
irist flash all his colors under a musical sun. As to 
his sins against Mendelssohn, we turn him over to the 
London Musical World. And we take this occasion 
again, for the hundredth time, to remind our readers, 
especially all sensitive musicians — Germans, Italians, 
natives, psalm-book-makers, or what-not — that our 
miscellaneous selections in this paper are not by any 
means confined to views that we in all respects en- 
dorse ; and above all, that whatever wo may copy, 
because it happens to be a bright or clever statement 
of one side of a matter, we have nothing whatsoever 
to do with any personalities, that may chance to lurk 
in it. We publish much that is not intended to ad- 
vise or to direct, but only to inform the reader, leav- 
ing it to his own sense and experience to judge about 
the right and wrong of it. 

The musical drought continues, here in Boston, as 
every where else, except in London, where the deluge 
is beginning to sabside. The concert at Nahant, last 
Saturday evening, given by Miss Fat, filled the 
large hall of the hotel full of delighted listeners, 
judging from the reports that come to us. Mr. Bbn- 
DELARi's " Echo Song," written expressly for his 
pupil, seems to have given especial pleasure. The 
other selections were from the well-known Italian 
operas of the day, in which Signers Brignoli and 
Ahodio bore part acceptably as ever. The Prome- 
nade Concerts at the Music Hall still attract the 
crowd. Mrs. Mozart, die singer, lately from Chi- 
cago, sang on Monday evening. No doubt the brass 
bands play well, and some of their pieces come out 
as well in the bronze form as in any other, but we 
had rather hear them in the open air. And in the 
open air we did hear one the other night, under cir- 
cumstances that made the music highly edifying. 
Wo chanced to be sitting with friends in Jamaica 
Plain, on an airy, rocky height, among the hemlocks, 
under the full moon, when from a neighboring height, 
about half a mile off, came suddenly the sounds of a 
brass band, — a richly-harmonized and animated 
quickstep ; the tones were finely blended and in per- 
fect tune, and sank and swelled upon the air, with 
magical effect. After a pause, in softer tones, came 
the ever delicious Minuet and Trio of Maskers from 
Don Giovanni {that is the music for a band by moon- 
light!); then a galop, or a quickstep, clearly and 
daintily staccatoed ; then Schubert's Lob der TTiranen 
(Praise of Tears), quite feelingly discoursed. What 
more we cannot say, as the inexorable train came to 
bear us back among our native bricks, not altogether 
so romantic as those Roxbury plam-pudding rocks 
by moonlight. It was our Boston Brigade Band that 
made the music, and the people of Jamaica Plain do 
well to secure to themselves a series of such enter- 
tainments for the summer nights. 

We ought tohave " a solemn music " — not in the 
sense of mournful, but of noble, grand, and edifying 
— as a part of our part in all-the-world's Atlantic 
Cable celebration on the first of September. Perhaps 
we shall have, but we do not hear of any marshalling 
of orchestral or choral forces. Brass bands, of 
course, will do tfuir port. But certainly at such a 
time wo ought to be prepared to have the Choral 
Symphony of Beethoven — that great Symphony of 
Joy, which sings of the embrace of all the my- 
riads of mankind ; and we ought to have Haydn's 
Chorus : " Achieved is the glorious work " and 
somo of the great choruses " of Handel," to say 
the least, besides what may be achieved in the open 
air on our illuminated Common. We will not go so 
far as our brethren in England, who doubtless will 
not be content without several courses of whole ora- 
torios ; but something of the grandest that the Art of 
Tones has given us for an inheritance ought surely to 
be brought out with swelling hearts on that day. We 



see that in New York the Harmonic Society are to 
take chaiige of the musical exercises upon that occa- 
sion : will not our Handel and Ilaydu Society do 
likewise ? 

Two of our most valued musicians and pianists, 
Otto Dreskl and J. Trenkle, took passage by 
the Niagara, on Wednesday, for Europe ; and both, 
we regret to say, for the same cause, ill health. It is 
their intention to be gone but three months, spending 
most of their time in Leipsic and other musical cities 
of their Fatherland, and to return to their Boston 
friends and pupils by the first of December. May 
they come full of new life, for we cannot spare such 
as these 1 . . . We have just a line from our friend, 
A. W. T., written August 6th, on board ship, off the 
coast of England, after a month's passage by sailing 
packet. He was well, and our readers will soon hear 
from him in Germany. 

We receive a great many programmes of musical 
exhibitions of seminaries and academies — ^mostly of 
the monster order — ^in which a great parade it made 
of tinkling, trifling pieces played on six or ten pianos 
at once, as if a fly seen through a fbrty-fold magnifier 
were still anything but a,Jlif. It is pleasant to see any 
thing so much in contrast with this ambitious non- 
sense as a programme sent us of the music performed 
at a recent exhibition of the Williston Seminary at 
East Hampton, in this State. These were the pieces : 
Turkish March, from Beethoven's "Rnins of Athens" 
(for Organ) ; Four-part Song, "On the Sea," Men- 
delssohn; Do., ''Student's Song," Menddssohn; Duet, 
"While the Dew," &c., Weigl; Four-part Song, 
"The Nightingale," Menddssohn; Five-part Song, 
"Life's Pleasures," F. HUler; Four-part Song, "May 
Song," Robai Franx ; Allegro from Mendelssohn's 
first oiigan Sonata ; Chorus, "Then round about the 
starry throne," from Handel's "Samson." Mr. E. 8. 
Hoadlet, who is at the head of the musical depart- 
ment at the Seminary, must have the credit of. this. 
We are told tliat the programme docs not vary much 
in character from those of several years past. 

Would not the New York Atlas have done well to 
inform its readers where it got the translation from Hen- 
ri Heine about Meyerbeer, which it was " compelled 
from sheer Uu*k of musical material to scissor " for 
their benefit this week 1 This ex-ecissor-izer, by the 
way, endorses Heine's estimate of Vienxterops, which 
is more than we can do. . . . Mr. J. R. Miixjsr 
proposes, in the course of a week to bring out, in this 
city, the new juvenile Cantata, called " The Haymak- 
ers," composed by George F. Root, in the same 
simple and graceful semi-dramatic style with his very 
popular " Flower Queen." A numerous and well- 
selected choir of fresh young voices are in training 
for it, and it will be given in the Music Hall in a 
manner to charm the eye as well, as ear. ... A new 
work, by Mr. G. W. Stratton, the Manchester 
(N. H.) composer, has been performed four times 
lately in that city, to the general satisfaction. ]t is a 
children's Cantata, called " The Fairy Grotto," and 
consists of songs, duets, and choruses, to the number 
of thirty-five. 

A rather peculiar anecdote is told of Yivier, the 
horn player and friend of Rossini. It is said to be of 
very recent occurrence in Lisbon. Count de Farrabo 
a rich grandee, requested the artist to play at a pri- 
vate soir^ given by the Count, and accompanied his 
request by a rich and valuable present. The next 
day, Vivier inserted the following notice in one of the 
journals : " M. Vivier never accepts presents, how- 
ever beautiful they may be ; his price for playing at a 
private party is 1 ,000 francs . " On the day following, 
in the same journal, appeared this note : " Count de 
Farrabo has sent a check for 1,000 francs to M. Vi- 
vier, the horn player, and would now request the la^ 
ter to trauKfer the present to his servant." It is said 
that M. Vivier's laugh changed to the other side of 
his embouchure. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1858. 



175 



Musieal Eeview. 

Onf Hundred Songf of Scotland. Muaie and Words. Boston. 
0. Dition k. Co. pp. 64. 8to. 

The dry mimical soil, especially where the hot 
Verdi san has parched it, needs perpetual re-moisten- 
ing from fresh springs of melody. The wild people's 
melodies arc always refreithing, and none more so 
than the melodies of Scotland. We are glad to see 
a hundred of the best of them collected here in a 
cheap, convenient, popular form, and presented just 
as thoy are, in their naked original shape, nothing but 
the pnro melodies, without accompaniment or harmo- 
ny, and with the genuine lyric words, mostly from 
Bums, with which they have become indissolubly as- 
sociated. 



Hew Songs by Francis Boott 

We had intended sooner to express our pleasure in 
the receipt of a second number of " Florence/' and 
gladly give place to the following communication : 

will yoa allow an old friend of Hr. Booties t« expren hit 
plcAnire at seeing a eocond number of ''Florence," (a eoUec- 
tion of §kx songs by him,) publlahed and for sale by 0. Diteon. 

Mr. Boott-s ballads are particularly well adapted Ibr parlor 
mneie, the words being always well selected, and married feli- 
citously to the melody, and (rather a rare virtue in English 
songs,) never oflbnding against ta.«te. We wers sorry to find 
the CaraUer song published without the chorus, which is not 
only a dashing and loyal outburst of cavalierism, but, being 
In the stiU /ugatOy is according to the canons of counterpoint. 
At the concert, given not long since, at Cambridge, by the 
Pierian dodallty, this was sung by the fresh, manly voices of 
the stndenU with graat spirit and effect. The ''Three Fishers" 
is very dramatic. 

Miss Cushman, who gives great cffsct to the "Sands of Dee," 
suggested to Mr. Boott to set these remarkable words to music. 
"Winter" is a very lively air, with very lively words by 8. O. 
Qoodrlch. "The Mahogany Tree" is an excellent college song. 

"Flow, firuhly flow," is a beautiful tenor song; the air is 
sweet and harmonious, and the words — by Meredith — very 
musical. 

The "Black Fxlar" is a most effective bass song, the accom- 
paniment bdng rather more elaborate than Mr. Boott^s usu- 
ally are. 

We wish our countryman success, and do not doubt that in 
time, and la spite of the little encouragement given in Ameri- 
ca to native talent, his charming songs will find their way into 
our New England homes, where they must be welcome for their 
sweetness, delkaey, and moderate diflleulty. 



uM Corrtspnhnrt. 

New Yobk, Aug. 23. — By the Arabia, last week, 
came Mons. and Madame Gassier, with a now tenor 
named Pierini, all engaged by UtIaretzek for the 
season that opens on the 30th. Madame Gassier, I 
am sure, will please our public, and I shall be on 
hand on the occasion of her debut. 

The Jones's Wood Festival has dragged its slow 
length along, and at last expired, yesterday, in a 
blaze of glory, with a series of grand Sunday con- 
certs, the programmes of which may not be uninter- 
esting: 

PBOORASfMB OF FIRST CONCERT. 
Commencing at 2 1*2 o -clock. 
Overture, L. van Beethoven. Air— ''SUbat Mater," (Wash- 
ington Band, leader. Mr. Artnars,) Rossini. Chorus— ''The 
Heavens are Telling," (Creation.) Haydn. Air— "Pro Pee- 
eates," (Stebat Mater,) Rossini, Mr. Weinlieh. Chorale— "A 
Firm Rock is our Lord,'' Martin Luther. Grand Polymelos, 
Zulehner. 

PROGRAMME OF SECOND CONCERT. 
Commencing at 4 1-2 o'clock. 
Priest's Miirrh, Monrt. Air, with Chorus, Monirt, Mr. 
Weinlieh and Chorus. Miserere, (8helton*s Band, leader, Mr. 
Graftilla.) Verdi Air, (St. Paul,) Mendelssohn. Chorus, "The 
Lord's Day," Kreutzer, the Singing Societies. "Ualleli^^," 
(the Messiah,) Handel. 

PROGRAMME OF THTR1) CONCERT. 
(}omroencing at 6 1-2 o'clock. 
Priest's March, (Athalla,) Mendelssohn. Chorus— "The 
Chapel," Kreutaer, the Singing Societies. Preghiera. (Mose,) 
Rossini. Chorus— "Good Night," Morschncr, the Singing So- 
cieties. Grand Finale, Zulehoer. 

The daily papers are teeming with the advertise- 
ments of Maretzek's new opera troupe. We arc to 
have German operas given by resident artists, and 
the musical season promises to be brisk. 

Troyator. 




Philadelphia, Aug. 24. — What think you, most 
worthy Journal, — we, too, have hedged in a romantic 
tract of woodland, and have worshipped, simultane- 
ously, Gambrinus and the sacred Nine, beneath the 
foliage-canopy of time-honored oaks and elms. — 
George Hood, formerly an attach^ of the Academy of 
Music, and a tall, gaunt specimen of the genus homo, 
with a luminous pair of optics, having "fared sump- 
tuously every day" at Jones's Woods, New York, 
(whereof pleasingly and ably discoursed your talented 
"Trovator," last week,) imbibed, amid sundry glasses 
of beer, the idea of a F^e Champelre for his own city. 
Alas ! it grieves me to bo compelled to term it a 
Fizzle Champetre, for even so it has proved. 

In essaying to follow in the wake of your Trouba- 
dour, with a description of this sylvan humbug, I beg 
you humbly, 

If, perchance, I llill below 

Your "Trorator" or Cicero ; 

Don't view me with a critic's eye. 

But pass my imperfections by. 

To 'Trice's Woods," then, with me, Mr. Bwight, 

for in that shady grove, hard by the terminus of the 

West Philadelphia Passenger Railway, was your 

humble correspondent, Manrico, in company with 

about two hundred and seventy-five other noodles, 

^Toocf-winked in the most amusing manner. The 

grand entrance to the grounds consisted of a high, 

exceedingly rough board fence, the splinters whereof 

ripped apart crinoline, and (let me whisper this into 

your editorial ear,) in some cases even pierced the 

delicate limbs of the Teutonic maidens who followed 

the handful of Turners to the spot. Poised above 
the enclosure, stood two immense daubs on canvas, 
representing severally the Niagara at Trinity Bay, 
and the Agamemnon at Valentia ditto — splendid spe- 
cimens of that peculiar style of Art which seems to 
he especially fostered in our own America, and which 
furnishes ns with classic heads, rampant roosters and 
sly coons, in our political processions. 

Inside of the grounds, upon two distinct, hastily- 
erected platforms, sat a brace of brass bands, which 
alternately and inhumanly butchered Donizetti and 
Stephen C. Foster, until the very police twitched 
their stars nervously, and seemed disposed to end 
thefse cruelties by the arrest of all the "blowers." 

Suddenly a handful of linen-roundahouted Turners 
entered the wood, with the measured tread of men 
who seemed desirous of displaying their superior dis- 
cipline to an anticipated crow^ of great immensity. 
Spirit of Momus ! When the acrobats gazed over 
the beauteous grove, and in lieu of the masses which 
their own enthusiasm had led them to expect, and 
the mammoth posters had promised, beheld the di- 
minutive gronps fringing the bases of the trees, they 
exchanged glances of unqualified surprise, strokea 
their l)eards facetiously, disbanded, and were soon 
perceived to be zealously worshipping at the shrine 
of Gambrinus. Now, too, did the clerk of the weath- 
er frown upon the undertaking, for, as each hour of 
the afternoon winged its way into the past, the breezes, 
which came wafted through the woodland, became 
more October-like, freshening the ruddy complexions 
of the German damsels, and quickening the motions 
of those who had cast themselves upon the sward for 
an Arcadian lounge — "sub tegmine fagi." Then the 
Turners mounted a platform, and vocalized one of 
their stirring choruses ; but alas ! their wonted pre- 
cision and proverbial enthusiasm paled before the 
general disappointment. Some of the visitors amused 
themselves by firing at tai^t, to the infinite peril of 
those who interestedly looked on, standing in lines 
ten or twelve feet apart from the range of sight, little 
realizing how soon a shot from some Winkle might 
pierce and deface their ph3rsiognomie8. 

A few of the females took to the dancing floors, 
and wooed Terpsichore with as much zeal as their 
lovers and brothers had manifested toward Gambri- 
nus. Graduallv little knots of persons were -to be 
seen leaving the grounds, glancing at the ticket- 
seller with looks, which seemed unmistakeablyto say, 
" I wish I had my quarter back." Your correspond- 
ent, Manrico, and two Southern gentlemen who ac- 
companied him, at this juncture, also vacated the pre- 
mises, admiring the endurance of those who seemed 
disposed to remain longer. The Bills also announ- 
ced a grand pyrotechnic display to come off between 
8 and 10 P. M. A friend at my elbow declares this 
feature to have consisted of three ordinary rockets, 
which served no farther purpose than to light up, mo- 
mentarily, a few leaves, as the sparks whizzed through 
the dense foliage. 



Supper, too, on a grand scale, constituted a promi- 
nent feature in the promises of the posters. Shade 
of Epicurus ! there was nought provided but a few 
leviathan iunks of cold ham, trimmed with what 
mav perchance have been parslej, but what in 
reality seemed more akin to diminutive pieces of green 
ribbon, cut into fantastic shapes. 

To-day, the leading Journals display the following 
in huge type : 

" Immense success of the Fete ChampStre I 

" Price* s woods I 

" Over 10,000 persons present I 

" To he continued far two more days.** 

Yon should have seen my mouth grow wider, when 
I perused the above. 

Decidedlv the most unique and pleasing musical 
feature of tKe whole affair, to me, was a quasi sym- 
phonie naturelle, k la Midsummer Night's Dream, 
which was improvised in the fields adjacent to the 
woods, by multitudinous beetles, grasshoppers, frogs, 
bees, and birds, varied ever and anon by the bray of 
some overworked mule or donkey on the railway 
hard by. I heaved a profound sigh to the memory of 
the illustrious Mendelssohn, and returned to bncks 
and mortar. Makrico. 




nsir ^hasK 



London. 

Her Majesty's Theatre. — The extra season, 
at reduced prices, closed Saturday, August 7. The 
operas of the week were Lucrezia Borgia, II Trova- 
tore. La Zngara (Balfe's " Bohemian Girl **), La 
Fi^ia dd Reggimento, and La TravicUa. The princi- 
pal singers were Miles. Titjens and Piccolomini, Mme. 
Alboni, Signors Giuglini, Belletti, Beneventano, Vi- 
aletti, Bossi, and Aldighieri. The preceding week 
was somewhat better in the quality of musical pabu- 
lum it offered : viz., Don Giovanni, II Barbiere, and 
La Serva Padrona, in addition to the TVovatore. 
Mile. Titjens had left for Vienna ; Piccolomini and 
Giuglini went to Dublin. 

RoTAL Italian Opera. — Don Giovanni, with 
Mario as the Don, and a great cast altogether, was 
the one event of the last week in July. A fuller ao- 
count of it will be found on our first page. Zampa 
was announced for the week following. 

The English Festiyals. 

Birmingham. — The great triennial Festival will 

be held on August 31, September 1, 2, and 3. The 

principal vocalists are Mme. Clara Novello, Mile. 

Victoire Balfe, Mme. Castellan, Mme. Alboni, Miss 

Dolby, Mme. Viardot Garcia ; Signors Tamberlik, 

Ronconi, and Belletti, Messrs. Sims Reeves, Mon- 

tem Smith, and Weiss. Organist, Mr. Stimpson ; 
Conductor, Mr. Costa. The programme for the day 
and evening performances offers about as rich a four 
days' full as one could wish, to wit : 

Tuesday Morning— El^ah ; Mendelssohn. 

Wednesday Morning— Ell; Coeta. 

Thursday Morning— Messiah ; Handel. 

Friday Moming-^udlth, (A New Oratorio), Henry Leslie. 
Landa Sion ; Mendetuohn. Serviee In C ; Beethoven. 

Tuesday Evening — A Mlsodlaneoos Concert, comprising 
Overture (Siege of Corinth); Sowdnl. Acis and Oalatea, 
(With additional Aoeompanimente by Costa) ; Handel. Over- 
ture, (Der rreytehttti); Weber. Selections tnm Operaa, fco. 
Orerture, (Fra Diavolo); Aubor. 

Wednesday Evening— A miscellaneous Concert, comprising 
Symphony, (Jupiter) ; Mosart. Cantata, (To the Sons of Art) ; 
Mendelmc^n. Overture. (GuiUaume Tell) ; Roednl. Selections 
from Operas, ke. Overture, (Zampa); Herold. 

Thursday Evening— -A miscellaneous Concert, comprising 
The Scotch Symphony, (in A minor); Mendelaaohn. Serenata 
(Composed for the occasion of the marrlMe of the Princess 
Royal); Coeta. Overture, (Alchymint); Bpohr. Selections 
ftom operas, fco. Overture, (Euryanthe); Weber. 

Friday Evening— A full dress Ball. 

Leeds. — Here the Festival (in aid of the General 

Infirmary) will be held in the New Town Hall, four 

days, commencing Sept. 7. Principal performers : 

Clara Novello, Mrs. Sunderland, Mme. Weiss, Mme. 

Alboni,'Mlle. Piccolomini, Misses Whitham, Walker, 

Palmer, Freeman and Crof^land ; Messrs. Sims 
Beeves, Inkersall, Cooper, Weiss, Santley, Winn, 
Hinchcliffe; Signors Giuglini, Bossi and Vialetti. 
Solo pianist, Miss Arabella Goddard. Organists, 
Henry Smart and William Spark ; Choral master, 
B. S. Burton ; Conductor, W. Stemdale Bennett 



176 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



1. 



The programme for the week is even richer than that 

for Birmingham ; as follows : 

Tuwday Morning : ElUata— Mendclsmhn. WedneikUy Morn- 
ing : Th« Beuona (Spring and Summer)— Haydn. Organ Per- 
formance. Israel in Egypt (with Organ accompanlmonta by 
Mendelssohn)— Handel. Thursday Morning : Stabat Mater — 
Rossini. Selections from the *' Passion Mnsik '* (According to 
the text of St. Matthew)— J. Sebastian Bach. Organ perform- 
ance. Mount of OliTes (Engedi)— Beethoren. Friiiav Morn- 
ing : Messiah (with Mosart's accompaniments) Handel. 

Tuesday ETenlng — Miscellaneous Concert : Symphony (C 
major)— Moaart. SelectiJons from operas, choral pieces, kc. 
Concerto for Piano-forte (G minor), Miss Arabella Goddard— 
Mendelssohn. Selections trom operas, &e. Orerture (Tem- 
pest)— Hatton. A Pastoral, '* The May Queen," M. 8. (the 
poetry by Henry F. Chorley, Ef>q.)— W. Stemdalc Bennett. 
Solo, VioUn. Selections from operas, frc. Oterture (Jesson- 
da)— Spohr. 

Wednesday Er^ning — A Miscellaneous Concert. OTortnre 
(ZanberfliJte)— Moaart. Selections from operas, kc. Caprice, 
piano-forte, with orchestral accompaniments. Miss Arabella 
Goddard — Bennett. Selections from operas, ftc. Symphony, 
the Scotch (A minor) Mendelssohn. Ororture (en Suite), J. 
Seb. -Bach. Seleetiona from operas, kc. Solo, piano-forte. 
Miss Arabella Goddard- Selections, kc Orerture, (Oberon), 
Weber. 

Thursday Erening— A Miscellaneous Concert. Symphony 
), Beethoren. Selections from operas, fce. Concert 
tUck, piano-forte. Miss Arabella Goddard. Weber. Selections 
from operas, ftc. Orerture (Tsles of Flngal), Mendelsiiohn. 
Orerture (Gulllaume Tell). Roaslnt. Selections from operas, 
fre. Septet, by the Principal Orchestral Performern, Beet- 
horen. Selections, kc. Fantasia, piano-forte. Overture 
(JubUee), Weber. 

HEREPORD.-«The 135th meeting of the three 
choirs (Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester), comes 
off Aug. 24, 25, 26, and 27. 

At the serrice on Tuesday, the following musical pieces will 
be Introduced : Orerture. I^st Judgment, Spohr ; Preces, Re- 
sponses, and Chant La venlte, Tallis : Pnlms, Chant. G. 
Townsend Smith ; Grand Dettingen te Deum, Handel ; Jubi- 
late, G Townsend Smith : Anthem, from Last Judgment, 
Spohr: Psalm XLIT. Mendelssohn; Anthem, "The Lord is 
the true God," Rer. Sir F. A. Ousley^Bart. The sermon will 
be preached by the Rer. Archdeacon waring. On Wednesday 
morning, Mendelssohn's oratorio, Elijah, is to be given : on 
Thursday morning, a selection from Mendelssohn's Athaliah, 
Roaslni's Stabat Mater, and Haydn's oratorio, the Creation. 
On Friday morning, according to Invariable custom, the 
Messiah. 

The erening concert, as heretofore, will be held in the Shire 
Hall. The programme of Tuesday erening, smoog other less 
Important pieces, contains the Jupiter Symphony of Moxart, 
selections from La Clemena dl Tito, and the orerture to Gull- 
laume Tell. 

Wednesday erening, will bring the orertures to Oberon and 
Zampa, and selections from Lucresia Borgia. 

Thursday erening, a selection from Rossini's Semlramide. 
including the orerture, and Beethoren's symphony in C 
minor. 

On Friday night a dress ball at the Shire Hall will bring the 
Testiral to a close. 

The principal roealists comprise Mesdames Clara Norello, 
Weiss, Clare Hep worth, and Viardot; Misses Louisa Vining 
and Laseelles ; Messrs. Sims Reeres, Montem Smith, T. Bam- 
by, Thomas and Weiss; Conductor, Mr. G. Townsend Smith, 
organist of the Cathedral. 



PariB. 

The London AthencBum gleans the following mu- 
sical news of the gay metropolis : 

An Indian 6o2/ef on the subject of Sahmtala^ with 
music by M. Ernest Reyer, has just been produced at 
the Grand Op^ra of Farifi. ' Sapho ' Cwe ara told, 
with reconsiderations of the libretto,) was revived 
there on Monday last. We trust that such revival 
will imply the publication of the music. Meanwhile 
those who have from the first believed in M. Gounod 
as a composer, are justified in asking those who are 
hot and hasty in denial of his ever becoming one, 
what is to be made of such a fact as this ? and in re- 
ferring them to times past, when we ventured from 
history to say — ^in defence of our belief — ^that the first 
failure of ' Fidelio ' on the stage did not imply the 
utter annihilation of Beethoven's first and only opera. 
' Le Moulin dn Roi ' is the title of M. Adrien Boiel- 
dieu's new opera, which has just been given by Bena- 
zet to the frequenters of Baden-Baden, the part of 
the heroine by Madame Miolan-Carvalho. It may 
therefore, we imagine, form one of the novelties of 
the Th^&tre Lyrique during the coming season, 
though the report grows that the lady absolutely in- 
tends to transfer herself to the Grand Op^ra (a dan- 
gerous measure, be the temptation ever so golden), 
taking there with her M. Gounod's ' Faust,' in which 
she will be the Marguerite. The difficulties of " the 
Last Judgment" as the subject of a grand opera 
(which by the way,* it is stated, was originally sug- 
gested by Michael Angelo's Sistine picture) are said 
to have been overcome by converting its story into 
" the Last Days of Herculaneum." The novelty of 
the time at the Op^ra Comique, a theatre in a most 
sickly plight, is a coming (if not come) revival of Gr^ 
try's 'Les M^prises par resemblance/ a work not 
pla3red for these thirty-six years past, and in which 
Madame Cassimir, who took leave of the Op^ra 
Comique some twenty years ago, is to re-appear. 



Those " simmerings " mav be heard which are used 
to prepare the public ear ^or the bubbling, boiling, 
ana final projection of a novelty from M. Meyer- 
beer's enchanted cauldron. It i^ stated that ho has 
not opposed (as he has been credited with doing) the 
production of ' Les Blancs ct les Blcus,' a coming 
work by M. Limnander, until his own work (which is 
analogous in point of sccner}') has been disposed of 
They manage some matters more honorably in France 
than we do here,— for instance stagc-rcmunerntion. 
The extraordinary success of *I/e Nozze' at the 
Thcfatre Lyrique has been duly recorded. Our con- 
temporaries now state that the Society of Dramatic 
Authors has claimed Mozart's rights to profit from 
the performances, and has forwarded the sum accru- 
ing to his surviving son, who is now resident at 
Milan. 



^gennl Itotues. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

TEST :m:xjsio, 

PablUked br O. DIimm U €•• 



Weimar. — The Grand-Ducal Theatre, which 
closed on the first of July, will open on the third of 
October, with Gluck's Alceste, under the direction of 
Liszt. 

Vienna. — The operas announced in the pro- 
gramme of the coming German opera season at the 
Kamthner Thor Theatre are Herr Wagner's Lohen- 
grin ; Mozart's Schauspid Director ; Mendelssohn's 
operetta^ Son and Stranger; Adam's Chalet; and La 
Reine Topaze. 

Zurich. — The Federal Musical F6te, which has 
just taken place here, drew together an immense con- 
course of people. The Choral Society of Strasbnrg 
was received with acclamations, and, as well as the 
Swiss Harmonic Society of Paris, received a first 
class prize. 

Munich. — Musical libraries seem to be in the mar- 
ket. That of Prof. Thibaut of Heidelberg, well known 
to students of the art, has lately been secured by the 
Royal Library at Munich, — a capital which, for Fome 
twenty years past, has had small musical importance 
in Germany. Among other Munich news, however, 
is the death of Pellegrini, a singer attached to the 
theatre for something like half-a-century, and who (if 
we mistake not) was among that memorable company 
brought hither by Mr. Monck Mason, who did so 
much towards making London acquainted with Ger- 
man opera. Lastly, we are apprised that the seven- 
hundredth anniversary of the foundation of the town 
is to be celebrated in the capital of Bavaria in Sep- 
tember, and in part by grand concerts fixed for the 
25th and 29th of that month. This, let us note for 
the guidance of autumn tourists, will fall out a few 
days before the Volksfegt of October (one of the most 
characteristic gatherings to be seen on this side of 
the Alps) falls in. But who will answer for tlie 
tourist, be he fanatico, hearing a note of German 
music on such* an occasion ? We observe that the 
close of the theatre in Dr. Spohr's capital of Cassel 
this year was marked bv performances of M. von 
Flotow's " Stradella " and A. Adam's " Postilion de 
Longjumeau." So much for nationality, past, pres- 
ent, or future I — AthentEum. 



Pesth. — Liszt is engaged to write a religions 
composition in honor of Saint Elizabeth, of Hungary, 
to be executed by the Stephan Society. 



Prague. — The performance of Louis Spohr's Jes- 
tonda at the Jubilee, under the personal and admira- 
bly energetic direction of the talented composer, 
proved in a truly enthusiastic manner how much 
Prague appreciates and honors him. Immediately 
he took his place at his desk, which was adorned 
with laurel, in the midst of the members of the or- 
chestra, all in full dress to do honor to the occasion, 
a thousand welcomes and huzzas broke out in the 
house, which was crowded to suffocation. Every op- 
portunity, however slight, that the performance offer- 
ed, was seized, on with the greatest avidity to express 
the extraordinary S3rmpathy of the audience for this 
father of Germm music. After almost every scene 
Spohr's name was heard. The Selam duet had to be 
repeated, and from that point the enthusiasm in- 
creased. AfVer the second act the composer was 
called forward, and was also obliged to appear at the 
conclusion af the opera, in obedience to a summons 
which lasted several minutes. The ovation reached 
its culminating point when Herr Thom€ advanced 
and placed a wreath of laurels on the domposer's 
head. The opera was given in its entirety, and the 
management is deserving of all praise for having 
done everything to insure a perfect mise-^n-ichu. 



Vocal. 

The Way to Paradise (Lc Chemin du Paradis.) 

Jaques Blumenthal. 25 

A fine Ballad, hy this eminent Pianist, in a kind of 
melo-dnunatic style, which has won for Sijcnor Mario 
most of his laurels in his late concerts. It is finely 
adapted Ibr a meno-soprano Toioe or a high haritone, 
with French and English text. 

0, changed is the Scene round my own Loved 
Home. Cro9by, SO 

A simple little song of mneh beanty, by the author 
of that charming IkTorite, " Minnie Clyde." 

Old Bed Cent. Ballad. AUce Hawthorne. 25 

One of the best efforts of this popular song writer. 

My sister, smiling, passed away. Song. 

T. H. Howe. 25 
This Is a charming little Ballad, which should grace 
the Piano of erery lorer of Song. 

The Spirit Messenger. Song. 

iS. Bemhard Huebner. 25 

Bright are the Stars. Serenade for Four Voices. 

G. W.Stratton. 25 
nighly recommended to quartet clubs. Rather easy . 

My Heart Beats Quick. Aria. "The Buccaneer, 25 
An elaborate Song, in Stratton's new Opera. It is a 
very fine effort, and will be readily appreciated by aQ 
who ere CuniUar with the modem Italian Opera style. 

The Adieu. (L' Addio.) Duet. Donizetti. 25 

Italian and English words. One of the most charm- 
log parlor duets for two female voices that was ever 
written to Italian words. It Is here for the first time 
presented with an English version. Only moderately 
difltenlt. 

Beautiful Moonlight. Duet. S. Ghnwr. 80 

Melodious and easy. This Dnet ranks with Glorer's 
best, and will be as popular as any of them. 

Little Dorrit's Love. Maefarren. 25 

A simple, little Ballad; and winning melody to 
toaching words. 

Initrtunentol. 

Darling Nelly Gray Quickstep. G. B. Ware, 25 

A brilliant and eflTectlTe MiUtary Quickstep, the trio 
of which is founded on tiie melody of the popular 
Song, "Darling Nelly Oray.»' 

Camptown Hornpipe, Silver Moon, My Love is 

but a Lassie yet, Gordon Blue, Long, Long 

Ago, Bowld Soger Boy, arranged in an easy 

manner bv T. BiszeU. 25 

Designed particularly for the Melodeon, but can be 

need as excellent recraatlTe pieces by the young be- 

f^nner on the Piano. 

Booki. 

The Masonic Harp. A Collection of Masonic 
Odes, Hymns, Songs, &c., for the Public and 
Private Ceremonies and Festivals of the Fra- 
ternity. By George W. Chase, K. T., Editor 
of "The Masonic Journal," &c. 60 

The editor of this work has for sereral years been 
engaged in collecting materials Ibr a volume that 
wonld serve as a complete and practical compilatim of 
Music for the Tarious public and prirate ceremonies 
and ftstlTals of the Order, and the result Is here pre- 
sented In a Tery neat and convenient book of one hun- 
dred and sixty duodecimo pages. Erery one who ex- 
amines it will admit that Itis fiu* superior to all previ- 
ous works of the kind. It contains a much larger va- 
riety of Odes and Hymns of a derotlonal charaotcr 
than has heretofore been g^Ten ; while the complete 
"Bfasonic Burial Serrice,^* and a "Burial Serrice for 
the Orders of Knighthood," wHl be found not only 
conTenient for such oeeasions, but to add mueb to the 
Intersst and general c(bct of sueh aarrioas. 




toi||t'5 




onxml 





Whole No. 335. BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1858. Vol. XIII. No. 23. 



Fifty and Fifteen. 

rrom th« Atlantic Monthly. * 

With fpradual gleam the Any waa dawning, 

Some lingering stan were seen, 
When Bwnng the garden gate behind u«, — 

Ho fifty, I fifteen. 

The ]iigh-topped chaise and old gray pony 

Stood waiting in tlie lane : 
Idly my father swayed the whip-lash, 

Lightly ho held the rein. 

The stars went softly back to heaven. 

The night-fogs rolled away, 
And rims of gold and crowns of crimson 

Along the hill-tops lay. 

That mom, the fields, they surely never 

So fair an aspect wore ; 
And never from the purple clover 

Such perfume rose before. 

O'er hills and low romantic vallevi 

• 

And flowery by-roads through, 

I sang my simplest songs, familiar, 

That he might sing them too. 

Our souls lay open to all pleasure, — 

No shadow came between ; 
Two children, busy with their leisure, — 

He fifty, I fifteen. 
* * * • « 

As on my couch, in languor, lonely, 

I weave beguiling rhyme. 
Comes back, with strangely sweet remembrance, 

That far-reraovdd time. 

The slow-paced years have brought sad changes, 

That mom and this between ; 
And now, on earth, my years are fifty, 

And his, in heaven, fifteen. 



Tmialaled Ibr this Journal. 

Spontini in Berlin. 

▲ RElflKXSCBNCB BY A. B. MARX.* 

Some thirty years ago, it was, when the ap- 
proach of the Carnival season was looked forward 
to (in Berlin) with more eager and elated expec- 
tation than it now is. To be sure, the voluptuous 
Carnival atmosphere of Catholic and southern 
lands, the Parisian extravagance, the naive in- 
toxication of the Romans and Neapolitans could 
find no place here ; to us the richly wreathed cup 
of intellectual enjoyment seemed better suited. 
And for this the Opera House opened its wide 
spaces. 

The house itself (we must recall it for the ben- 
efit of our juniors,) was a diflferent thing ; only 
the outer walls are left;. There were none of 
these convenient corridors, these comfortable vel- 
vet seats, these hundreds of kinds of triangles 
and lozenges, medallions, and other sorts of arch- 
pieces, which, with their carved and painted gold 
frames now aflTord covering and curtain to true 
hotel-ffomis for all sorts of winged children, mid- 
dle-aged personages, water phenomena, and ar- 
tists in stout burgher costume. There was none 

• From tho BerUmr Musih-Zntmtg Echo, ICay 16, 1858. 



of the splendor of broad proscenium boxes, with 
their out-gard of freezing goddesses, behind 
which the most festal decoration of the stage re- 
treats into subdued and quiet beauty. Then, 
from the slenderly vaulted proscenium box on 
the right to the other on the left, the galleries, 
with their fine Moorish arches, enclosed the wide 
auditorium, opposite to the equally wide stage, to 
which all eyes turned unobstructed. Curtain 
and ceiling, each in quiet, grand expanse, pre- 
sented a single great picture, the gods of Greece, 
priests oflTcring incense before the altar. That, 
just that alone, was wanted and intended, and 
not this or that indifferently, any way and every 



way. 



Year out, year in, in rich succession, it was the 
creations of Shakspexu-e and Calderon, of Schiller 
and Goethe, that, together with the medley of 
more evanescent pictures, filled the house. Dur- 
ing the Carnival, the Opera had precedence; 
besides Mozart's and Beethoven's, we had the 
compositions of Gluck and Chcrubini, and, more 
favored than all in respect to frequency ot per- 
formance, those of Spontini. These were the 
festival operas par excellence ; in these, especially 
in NurmahcUf Alcidor^ Agnes von Hohenstau/en — 
all peculiarly court operas — ^the court feasts 
opened themselves, as it were, on the side of the 
great public. 

Leader and central point in these stage splen- 
dors, was the Italian, Spontini. When, before 
a house full to overflowing, his fine but not largo 
form, thoroughly courtly, dittingud^ almost stiflf in 
bearing, with the small, high head, the hair most 
carefully laid in waves, the dark green frock 
adorned with a wreath of very small orders (of 
which he made much account), stepped quickly 
and sofUy into the orchestra, the musicians all 
stood motionless, all the bows upon the strings, all 
the mouth-pieces at the lips, waiting for the wink. 
For, however rebelliously disposed many an one 
may secretly have been, then, before unfavorable 
constellations had begun to show their evil ma-- 
chinations from below, then his thoroughly Napo- 
leonic, absolute supremacy stood firm beyond a 
question. When, the instant after stepping upon 
the conductor's platform, his dark eye, flashing 
round from left to right, caught every one's atten- 
tion, and his baton arm rose and stretched itself 
forth, and, resting a moment, seemed to turn to 
steel : then everybody felt that here his will was 
unconditional, and that all the cooperators were 
exclusively his organs, all together formed one 
body, and he its animating principle. We have 
known, during and since his time, finer, freer, 
perhaps more intellectual directorship, but none 
that moulded all at one cast more decidedly. 

What gave this man such a controlling energy ? 
Was it his position, his fame ? Both cooperated, 
but were not the determining influence ; the man 
makes his reputation and gives importance to his 
position. 

The controlling energy of Spontini lay in his 
own personality. It already showed itself in the 
fact that he — strongly in contrait with mott Ger- 



man opera composers — embraced in his mind all 
the moments of the drama, and not merely the 
composition and musical direction ; with a strong 
hand he tightly grasped the reins of the hundred 
co-working forces, and controlled them all. This 
was instantly felt, even by the uninitiated specta- 
tor. In his Olympia, when the marriage of the 
daughter of Alexander is to be solemnized in the 
temple at Ephesus, and the wide room, shimmer- 
ing with gold, is filled with people, with troops of 
warriors and princes, with priests and virgins of 
the temple, and clouds of incense roll up from 
ten flaming altars; — ^when the high priest calls 
"the seeress," (it is Statira, the widow of Alex- 
ander, who believes the betrothed of her daugh- 
ter to be her husband's murderer,) forth ftt)m her 
concealment to the altar ; when the throngs that 
fill the whole space of the temple crowd more 
close together, to leave a narrow passage through, 
and a low mournful song gives utterance and in- 
tensity to expectation, and, unseen, the seeress 
raises her song of lamentation (it was the bell- 
like tones of the high-priestly Milder,) and slowly 
staggers forward till impatiently the priest com- 
mands that the nuptial ceremonies "between 
Olympia and the prince Cassander" proceed, at 
the hated name the widow, in dismay and ¥rith 
imperious rage exclaims, "Cassander I "till the 
terror-shriek ot the whole orchestra, with all its 
trumpets and trombones, dies away like a shadow 
before flames, and now the murmur of the cho- 
ruses in arms increases to an all-bewildering tem- 
pest : then there was not a step made, there was 
not a line in the rich, great picture which was not 
fitted to the others, and to the measures of the 
music, into one unique whole ; — however much 
was contributed by Schinkel, who had re-pro- 
duced the temple, however much by that unsur- 
passed pair of artists, Bader and Mme. Milder, 
and the rest, and by the orchestra, all melted into 
one, like Corinthian brass, it all had its central 
point in the mind of Spontini. 

To be sure, he came from the high school of the 
drama, from Paris. In Italy he had (I have stu- 
died the scores myself,) long before Rossini, prac- 
ticed all the arts of this creator of the new Ital- 
ian opera, — ^what could one ofiTer to Italians with- 
out a country, except sweet oblivion ? In France 
he found a nation, and truly the most stirring and 
most active, and consequently the most fitted for 
the drama, a nation whose own life was all a 
spectacle, a people made for the stage in every 
sense. This nation had long since stamped its 
tragedies in firm, simple, constantly-recurring 
forms, tinseduced by the imaginative breadth, the 
richness in ideas, the spiritual depth of the Ger- 
mans and Britons, — and had thereby laid a fikvor^ 
able groundwork for the opera of LuUi, of Gluck, 
of Spontini ; for the fugitive art of tones requires 
a firm support to save it from going to pieces, or 
from dra^ng lifelessly upon the stage. And 
this theatrical nation was at that time completely 
full of Napoleon ; this late soooessor of the Bo* 
man CsBsart had set his^ stamp beyond dispate 
upon the whole of life. 



178 



D WIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



This decided Spontini's path. Roman imperi- 
alism, stamped iu the form of a Napoleonic revi- 
val on the French ; military and courtly pomp in 
inexhaustible splendor ; heroism, la ghire de la 
grande nation ; rulers and conspiracies and court 
intrigues ; and coupled with the hero, or offered as 
a prize to him, the daupjhtcr of a prince, or other 
lady-love of lofty rank, — we say Vaman'e^ for it 
was not what we Gpimans call love ; it was an 
arranj^emcnt of convenience, tendresse^ and per- 
fumed grace, in contradistinction to the natural, 
spontaneous love of the German or British poet, 
like the grace of a ballet dancer in comparison 
with a Greek Hebe : add to this the representa- 
tion of a high priesthood, and the foil and back- 
ground of an ever-wondering, admiring people ; 
transport the scene occasionally (as the old Ro- 
mans, too, were fond of doing,) into the fabulous 
Orient, and allow the French audience the grati- 
fication of fancying that Frenchmen can see 
themselves and implant themselves everywhere : 
and you have the whole substance of the Spontini 
drama before you ; in this he lived ; it was the 
highest that the age, that his native or his adopted 
country could offer him ; and to this day they 
have reached nothing higher. This was Sponti- 
ni's task, and he took hold of it with fire, with 
eminent ability, with the musical nature of an 
Italian, and with a perlectlj- French Napoleonic 
impetuosity. His marches, his warlike choruses, 
had a world-conquering tread, and became cur- 
rent in all armies, although not world-conquering; 
his ballets sparkled and floated up and down in 
endless coquettish allurements, and in military 
bravadoes, like the Napoleonic court festivals; 
his clergy (of whatsoever religion,) performed 
the sacred rites with all the unction, the ofHcial 
consequence, and the obsequious dignity, which 
the artist had copied from the life around him. 
The hero, the priest, Vamante^ — these were char- 
acters so strongly stamped in the composer's 
mind, that each was unmistakably indicated in 
the first bars of the prelude. But throughout the 
whole — ^in the march, in the sharply measured 
rhythm of the dance, in the biting forzando* of 
the violas, in the scream of the piccolo^ with the 
brass instruments, in the impetuous incessant 
fragments of incidental recitative, everywhere 
you felt the everlasting ^^en avani ! "* of the 
Napoleonic generalship. We Germans — we, who 
had broken the yoke, could bear the echo of it 
for some time longer, while the French had to 
seek rest upon the lazy couch of the operas of the 
restoration. 

(CoD«lasloii next week.) 



For Dwlght** Journal of Mmio. 

Charaoten of the Musical Eeyv. 

New York, Aug. 20, 1858. 

Mr. Editor, — ^In your issue of July 1 7, under 
the head '^Characters of the Different 
Keys," you, to a certain extent, appear to en- 
dorse the *^pectiliar expressive characteristuf* idea,, 
although you limit your own positiveness upon 
the subject to the keys of C major, D major, F, 
(you do not mention whether major or minor, al- 
though I suppose you mean the former,) and C 
sharp minor. 

While, however, you for a brief moment appear 
in the light of a limited partizan, the majority of 
yonr remarks leem to be somewhat statical. 

By the by, in italicizing the word naturaly 
in speaking of the "broad noon-day C majar," 



did you really intend it to be particularly empha- 
sized, or wore you unable to resist the temptalion 
to a sly satire by the perpetration of a pun ? 

But seriously, Mr. Editor, am I to understand 
you to really believe that a major or minor viusi- 
cal scale, whose first or fundamental sound is ex- 
pressed by a character in notation whose name 
may be any one of the seren letters used, be they 
sharp, flat or tmiuyal.h inherently, accoixliug to 
the priiuiple of its construction, cither more 
"martial," *'6erene," "vague," or "noon-day like," 
than another major or minor miisical scale, whose 
first or fundamental sound is formed upon some 
other degree of pitch, and represented by some 
other of the seven sharp^flat ov natural letters? 
If you do, pcrniit mc to say, in very common, but 
none the less expressive language, "/ donU." 

Having, then, by the use of these two little 
words, assumed a position hostile to the doctrine, 
I conceive myself in a measure bound to advance 
something in support of this hostility and un- 
belief 

If, however, the peculiar characteristics sought 
to be established are maintained to be so simply 
m a circumstantial point of view, and not as an 
inherent principle, I am willing to acquiesce ; — that 
is, so far as to admit that, according to the nature 
and circumstances of an animate body, or of an 
artificial instiniment, the production of scales 
formed on certain degrees of pitch, may be better 
adapted for the expression of the various qualities 
mentioned, than if formed upon certain other de- 
grees of pitch ; but, if it be asserted that a scale 
formed upon any given number of vibrations, if 
produced indiscriminately upon ani/ instrument, 
or by any voice, or in any manner, is either more 
martial, vague, serene, &c., &c., than a like scale 
formed upon some other given number of vibra- 
tions, then, I say, I believe that those who so as- 
sert have arrived at their conclusions on a false 
h}'pothesis. 

In commencing, then, an exposition of my own 
views upon this doctrine, I should feel inclined to 
believe that if it be true of any one ley, it must 
be true of all, and not only so of the degrees of 
pitch in acknowledged use, but of all that num- 
berless variety which the concert-pitch standard 
excludes from a place in the named list, but which 
the accidental variation from this standard brings 
into play. Such being the case, the twenty-four 
paragraph exposition of (qualities exhibited by 
Sc HUB ART would havo to be extended over an 
amouut of pages, compared to which the largest 
cyclopedia would be insignificant. 

It appears to me that if the sounds used in any 
particular key exhibit sentimental qualities differ- 
ent from those exhibited in other keys, such 
difference must be in consequence of one or more 
of the following : 

I. That aU, or some of the sounds used in any 
particular key, are different in sentimental 
quality trom those pertaining to some other 
key. 

II. That the succession or connection of the sounds 
used in any particular key, differs in Mn^iWn/cr/ 
quality from the succession or connection of the 
sounds used in another key. 

HL That the pitch register of the sounds used, 
taken as a whole, exhibits a different sentimental 
quality in a particular key than in another. 

IV. That the necessitated jnanner of utterance or 
delivery of the sounds in .one key differs in sen* 
timental effect from that of another. 



The above cnumorat/'on may not cover the 
whole ground, but it appcai-s to mc to be sufTi- 
cient, and I shall next proceed to consider the 
truth or untruth of each proposition in the order 
in which it sstauds, as one of the four appears to 
my mind a consecutive and legitimate inference 
from the principle or doctrine of ^'^ Characters of 
the Dijerent Keys" At the same time, if the 
peculiar character of one key from another is 
supposcil to be the consequent of some other hy- 
pothesis, I shall be e(iually happy to consider it, if 
8omc one m ill snirsest it. 

Firstly, then, as to the truth or untruth of 
sounds — all, or part — being of different sentimen- 
tal quality, in one range of tones or keys, from what 
they arc in another, separately considered. I 
think it will be found that a sound, separately 
considered, has but one specific, unchanging, and 
independent quality, and that is its. pitch, or the 
number of vibrations taking place in a given time. 
It is, of course, im(X>ssible that this independent 
and unchanging quality can be exhibited without 
being connected with some other quality, but the 
other qualities are circumstantial. For in- 
stance, the sound of a certain known number of 
vibrations, called in musical notation A, i 

may be produced fix>m a tune-fork, al^iziirz 
pitch-pipe, a flute, a violin, piano-forte, human 
voice, &c. &c. In each case, according to the 
nature of the material from which the sound is 
piMiduccd, so will it partake of the nature and 
character of that material. A minute description 
of the effect produced in each of tliese cases, 
would necessarily be varied ; and that which 
would be true of the one would not be true of 
the other. Yet they all coincide in one point, 
and that is the pitch, or the number of vibrations. 
Again, the sound spoken of might be continued 
for a longer or shorter period ; it might be given 
abruptly or gradually ; in a mournful or joyous 
manner ; but this would be at the will or caprice 
of the producer, and we could not with any pro- 
priety assert as a characteristic of the sound called 
tzzzz A, that it was a long sound, or a short 
— ^^— sound, or a mournful sound, or a joyous 
sound, or a bell-like sound, or a trumpet-like 
sound, any more than we could assert, indiscrim- 
inately, of the period of time called a "Jay," that 
it is a sunny day. 

[Having filled my sheet, I must defer until a 
future time the remarks I propose to continue on 
the subject, if these are considered interesting.] 

J. J. Clarke. 



Welsh Music. 

The Athenaum runs small risk of being ac- 
cused of undue predilections for Welsh antiq*iari- 
anism, the puerility and obsoleteness of which in 
the forms clung to have again and again afforded 
justifiable matter tor remark. Yet we shall not 
be astonished if touchy minstrels, belonging to the 
Land of Cakes and the Emerald Isle, both resolute 
to assort the supremacy of their national music, 
may feel offence and surprise when we say that 
to our apprehension the airs of the Principality 
are more beautiful than the airs of either Scot- 
land or Ireland. That they have been so thor- 
oughly overlooked as they have been by trained 
composera may be ascribed to the insulation and 
cxclusiveness which the gentry and people of 
Wales seem to court as among the best heritages 
of a long pedigree. Yet " The Queen's Dream," 
and " Ar hyd y Nos," and " Merch Megen," and 
the " Ash " Grove," and twenty more that we 
could name from the elder collections (without 
approaching the wilder, more curious, yet not 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1858. 



179 



loss beautiful specimens in the ooUectiou of ^liss 
M. J. Williains) would furnisli capital and tracts 
ahlo motirl to Jiny opera-maker in these exhausted 
davs, — wlien, a.-* in the case of ^I. Von Flotow*s 
'* Martha," " The Last Rose of Summer " can 
rescue a feeble score from insipidity and ne^jlect. 
The fine and musical lyrics written for some of 
the tunes in question by Mrs. Ilemans have been 
too much forgotten, an»l are worth sujrpestinjj to 
any sinpror in search of a national ballad less worn 
than "lionny Dundee" or •' Kory O'Morc." 
Here, to point the moral of what has been said, 
is a collection of HV/.^A MfJodlei< arranrjfd for 
the llarpy by John Thomas, ( Boosey & Son). 
The name of the editor is jvuarantce for its good- 
ness AS harp music. In No. 1 , " The Ash Grove/' 
we have been used to a diflerent version of the 
second part of the melody. Has Mr. Tljomas 
tamed it ? No. 2, " The Bells of Aberdyfi," is 
a less symmetrical, but still f;rand tune from the 
Abcrpcrjrwm collection. No. 3, " Sweet Rich- 
ard," has a touch in it of the old-fashioned AUe- 
mande. No. 4, " The Rising of the Sun," is an 
ancient harp tunc, with a fine specimen of those 
unisons of whi h the Welsh melodists were as 
little afraid as is SIprnor Venli. No. 5, '* The 
March of the Men of Harlech," is better worth 
takin;r np by any Meyerbeer than the poor Des- 
sauer March, on which the triple militaiy finale 
to ** L'Etwle " is based. No. 7, " Morva Rhud- 
dlan," is a stately melody in a minor key. 
No. 8, " The Allurement of Love," is ele<»ant, 
alluring (as it should be), and still within the 
resndar lx>unds of propriety. No. 9, " The 
Risinu of the Lark," owes its peculiarity to ib* 
rhythm : the first part consisting of six bars ; 
the second, of three four-bar phrases. The form 
of re/rain, too, in it mav be paralleled by more 
modem examples, — for instance, in the air in E 
flat, with variations, bv Mendelssohn. " Of a 
noble race was Shenkin," No. 10, (asain mark 
the nnisons) was one of the few Welsh airs 
which reached Beethoven jit Vienna, — and those 
who look at his arranrrement of it may take a 
lesson from the penetrating intelligence with 
which, in his easy variations, as duet for piano and 
flut<^ or violin, he contrived to draw out and dis- 
tinguish the unisonal feature aforesaid. " ^lerch 
Meiren" No. (11), with its second part alh Ro- 
salia, h another of those melodies of the Princi- 
pality which are the most familiar. Mr. Thomas, 
it must be repeated, though he has shown small 
research (wise, perhaps, in confining himself to 
what is best known), has done his duty well by 
his own instrument, in his preludes and variations. 
Nos. 6 and 2t are fantaxioA on tunes of his own, 
— tunes, too, not ungracious. But, as the rhyme- 
ster said, 

Tho old tunes are the best, — 

and the melodies of Mr. Thomas, however sunvfy 
have neither the elevation, character, nor origi- 
nality of the noble old harp-music of Wales. — 
Lond. AthenfEuniy Aug, 7. 

A Female Violinist. — {From Punch.) — We 
have heard Mdile. Hamlcr. She plays on the violin 
with a most chunttinf? grace. We split a -pair of 
spotless gloves (lavender — 4«. 3rf.) in applauding her. 
It was more than we could do to keep our hands 
quiet ; and yet it is not once in a hundred weeks that 
we do applaud. The temptation occurs so seldom. 
Madlie. Humlcr must send us the address of Iier 
tjantier; for, listening to her we became reckless. 
She made that stupid-looking hit of wood appeal, cry, 
laugh, whis})er, scream, full on its knees, tumble head 
over heels, sing, talk, persuade, charm, convince, 
make love, do everything that man and woman gen- 
erally do, and generally do most indifferently. Mad- 
emoiselle has no need to talk to express her thon<rhts. 
The violin is her conversation. It talks and siii{rs at 
tho same time, your ears all the while beinf^ held, as 
by a loving band, to catch every little touching word. 
She is an instrumental Bosio, warbling just as sweetly 
with her fiddlestick, that seems to have a voice In it. 
We heard Mr. Distin (a groat trumpet in his wa^-) 
loudly apostrophize her as a "female Paganim." 
More than Paganini, she pleases as well as astonishes. 
With her it is not merely ttntrs de force, but tours de 
plaitir, d'ertase, de larmeg, de d^ire^ de ^pti^me Para- 
</i«,-HM) to speak, in a musico-fanatico style. On 
most occasions we would rather walk over several 
muddy crossings to avoid heorinj^ the violin, against 
which oiur excoriated ear cherishes a most hearty 



hatred ; but to hear Mdlle. Iluinlcr, we would wade 
any doy through a Noveml)erish depth of mud to pay 
nurul honni^rc to the eloquent music she has the pow- 
er of cxtrju'iinjj: from that instrument of torture. 



Musical Pitch. — Tho London Athmmim has 
the following remarks upon the Fronch Commission 
on the subject of a uniform dinptuson, lately men- 
tioned in these columns. 

" Flat pcj'sons/' who find ** how to get up " agrcjit 
(lirticulty, will rcrcivc with joy the news of acoiuinis- 
sion of incpuj'y just ordi-rcd by the Minister of 
St.ite in France. The object of this is to moderate 
the excessive aiul increasinj^ sharpness of pitch, and 
to establish an Imperial /a, by wnich all trusty and 
well-helovcd forks are to be made and all loval or- 
che-'tnn tuned. Those appointed to Iiear testimony, 
to report, and to decide, are MM. Pclletier, AuImt, 
HcrlioK, Dcspretz, Doucet, HaWvy, Lissajous, Melli- 
net, Meyerbeer, Monnais, Rossini, and Thomas. 
Far 1)0 it from us to question the practieid efficacy of 
so solemn and official a proceeding as the above; or 
to deny that a disposition to exaggerate and " screw 
up " exists, caused by the concession made to players 
on stringed instruments. But, pondering ns we liave 
done a^iiin and n^iin on this matter of pitch, a cer- 
tain question h:is always remained unanswered, 
which, we submit, has value and curiosity as bearing 
on the subject. How came it to pass, in those days 
when the diapason (as pcr^^ons of a jifai disposition 
perpetually assert) wiis a full tone lower than it is at 
present, that the Ihus part was written a tone — some- 
times, even, a tbirrl — lower than it is in our time ? 
The E below the line — which, now with nine of our 
deepest kisses out of ten, is hardly a note, any more 
than is tho voi(« of the 32-fect Unuluud in on oi'gan^ 
must then have been 1). The long-sustained I> in 
Mozart's " II Serraglio " must then have been a C 
— l)elow the lunjrs, it might be fancied, of any crea- 
ture less doubIc-ba<s than a Russian contraltasso, — and 
that ])rcternatural hnmnn instrument, we h.nve u?ider- 
stood, is only nn ophicleide, havinp: four or live pro- 
f(nmd tones at (onimand — a co openiiinjr menilsci of 
a band trained (^erf-wise) to brin«? out his few notes, 
but in no respect an artist, hardly even a singer. 
Speaking in such depths, at all events, mu.st havo 
l)ecn out of the question. There arc living more 
so^mini (instance Mesdames Goldschmidt, La Grange, 
Gassier, Miolan-Carvalho) who can now rise to the 
E altissimo, presumed to lio the F of our grandmoth- 
ei*s, than iHttust, wi.o venture to plumb the abysses re- 
ferred to, even In their modern rai>ed pitch. Can it 
l>o proved that the vibrations of the same piece of 
metal are immutable ? that no ehanjje is wrought by 
Time in tl\e tuning-fork 1 The question at least is 
worth propounding to the solemn folk who are aljout 
to sit on tho oriliodoxy of " la " in Paris. 



Trath about Music and Musicians. 

Translated from tho German by Sabiua Vovolo. 

IV, 

RULES OF ART.* 

A well-known axiom of Goethe says: "Art 
remains Art for evermore ; he who has not tho- 
roughly studied it, cannot be termed an artist." 
And to Eckermann he once declared : *'We 
should not seek for Nature itself in every great 
artist, but we should learn from him how he con- 
templates, how he arti.stically comprehends and 
represents Nature ; we should try and learn what 
is significant in Nature and in Life." 

Goethe, during his long career, continuously 
souMit after the significant in Nature and in 
Life ; — he assiduously studied Art, and therefore 
compassed such great thinp, in such perfect wise. 
All those who have excelled have acted in like 



manner. 



How Shakspeare pondered on dramatic art, 
may be partly gathered from the instructions to 
players, which he gives in Hamlet. How Gluck 
ruminated the capabilities of Alusic, and consid- 
ered how it might be made most effective, — how 
Mozart and Beethoven weighed almost every bar 
of their compositions, you know, or may learn, 
from my former letters on this subject 

The profound attention bestowed on our Art, 
by the greatest intellects, during the lapse of 
many years, has enabled us to discern the true 
path by which alone the aim of Art may be at- 
tained; and certain rules conspicuously stand 

* No. TIT., on "Modern Oerman Opera Hude." we have al- 
leadj copied. Bee Journal of Muaic, Moj 29, 1868. 



forth, by whi(;h every work must be regulated 
ere it claim the title of masterpiece. 

These Art-maxims must direct an artist in his 
creations, — must influence and determine his 
ideas ; of course, I speak of such Art-maxims as 
are veritable and ascertained, — not of such as 
are false and deceitful, tending merely to lead 
astray. 

Every student who would become worthy of 
his Alt, must, before all else, make himself inti- 
mately acquainted with these correct Art-max- 
ims, lie will onlv meet with them in the works 
of acknowledged great masters, who owned the 
worth of such axioms, practically illustrated them, 
and impressed them with the stamp of genuine 
value. 

The study of master-pieces is, and ever will 
be, the Alpha and Omega of proper artistic cul- 
tivation, — not blind and meclianical stud^, but 
diligent and analytical examination; without 
this mental tcmnowing, a student will imbibe 
from these works much that is unworthy and 
false, together with that which is worthy and 
truthful. 

Our masters were but men, and, therefore, 
imperfect beings; each of them evinced some 
deficiencies, or committed some errors ; each of 
them, in an hour of weakness, produced some- 
thing defective ; almost every one has a certain 
mannerism, or a slight peculiarity, wliich .is not 
always worthy of imitation. 

Spohr, for example, is, in many respects, an 
excellent model for students ; but he is too fond 
of enharmonic modulation, — he employs it too 
constantly, and oflen introduces it when it mili- 
tates against requisite, characteristic simplicity. 
The scholar who should implicitly imitate this 
master, — who, from the fact that enharmonic 
modulations occa.sionally excite unexpected plea- 
sun* and agreeable surprise, should fonn a con- 
clusion, and found for himself an Art-maxim, that 
enharmonic modulation always produces a sur- 
prising and agreeable effect, — would misconceive 
and falsely apply a rule of modulation in itself 
perfectly true and ascertained. 

Surprise, in many cases, is extremely effective ; 
but when a comjx)ser, — in order to produce sur- 
prise by, for instance, an unexpected modulation, 
— introduces, previously to it, unusual transitions, 
he entirely fails in, or but half accomplishes his 
object, because he will have misapplied another 
Art-maxim which inculcates preparation. Should 
he, on the other hand, have properly introduced 
the surprise, so as to effect nis purpose, yet, in 
case the subject he endeavors to describe should 
not demand surprise, he will have fallen into an- 
other error from iprnorance or misapplication of a 
further maxim, which declares (hat every resource 
of Art should be employed in its appropriate place 
when expedient or suitable, and not wantonly 
lavished without end or aim. 

You will not need to seek long before you dis- 
cover many offences against this maxim com- 
mitted by our modern composers ; for we know 
well, that, at the present time, not only are as- 
certained, truthful maxims falsely interpreted, 
but that absolutely false rules are advocated. I 
remind you only of— overweening exuberance in 
instrumentation— of preponderance of instru- 
ments, which drown vocal melody — of neglected 
contrast, &c. 

Unfortunately, ex])erience — that is. Art-his- 
tory — teat^hes us that for every Art a time ar- 
rives when great masters, who acknowledge all 
true Art-maxims, and exemplify them in their 
compositions, are succeeded by those, who, desir- 
ous of creating something new, seek to discover 
new maxims, and, not being able to find true 
oiM*.s, adopt those which ai*c false, and therefore 
unused. 

Thus begins the decline of Art In order not 
to hasten it — in order to defer the fall of Art, and 
to sustain and elevate it— our only plan is, not 
even to gUtnce at the modems, with all their de- 
viations from truthful tenets ; not to seek example 
from them, but from earlier, and even the earliest 
masters. The veracious Art-maxims displayed 
in their works may, it is true, receive a new out- 
ward shape and semblance — they may appear in 



180 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



novel adornment — ^but they will remain intrinsi- 
cally the same, and immutably true. 

For instance, a hundred years before Mozart 
and Beethoven existed, Euphony was different 
from what it was in their time ; it was essentially 
different in the music of the ancient Greeks; 
yet, " Euphony must prevail above ail ehe^** 
remains an eternal law of music. Never will a 
period arrive in which Dissonance of instru- 
mentation can be inculcated as a worthy rule of 
Art. 

Should you detect, as you may often do, in 
modem works, harsh, dissonant instrumentation, 
you may deduce from it, with absolute certainty, 
that its composer has either never been impressed 
with the eternal law of truth and beauty, or that 
he has been incapable of impressing its image on 
his creations. 

Again, never will a period arrive in which mo- 
notony, exuberance, indistinctness, artificiality, 
confusion of simultaneous parts, unfitness, want 
of characteristic individuality, wearisome length- 
iness, dryness, neglected construction, undis- 
cernible sectional division, too creat diversity, 
or remarkable sameness, meaningless modulation, 
&c., &c., should be inculcated as worthy adjuncts 
of Art 

Unbelievable as it may appear, there exist, in 
our days, individuals who afnrm the above-men- 
tioned qualities to be true and excellent ; igno- 
rant critics and shameless partizans enter the lists 
as champions of their supreme merit, while mod- 
em so-called musical geniuses slavishly compose 
their works according to the false dictates of these 
monstrous oracles. 

All these symptoms indicate the decline of 
Art, — they are the gnawing evils which consume 
it ; they must be eradicated ere Music can regain 
its former glory, and arise, like the sun froni out 
thick clouds, pure and bright in all its pristine 
splendor. 



The Music op the Feelings. — " There art two 
degrees of pleasure perceived in music. The first is 
that which tickles the ear only with a chime of notes, 
which, having a sort of abstracted affinity to one 
another, like that of numbers in mere arithmetical 
proportions, but without meaning, that is, withoat 
reference to anything bat the mere sense of hearing, 
communicates a small degree of pleasure. * * * 

" Our modem music is mostly of this unmeaning 
and unafTecting kind. It is seated almost wholly in 
the ear, and hardly ever ^oes farther, bat through 
habit. The other degree m musical entertainment 
strikes deeper into the mind, and, while it carries 
with it all the mere auditory pleasure just mentioned, 
speaks to, and entertains our affections also. It is the 
ODJect of an internal sense, as well as of an external. 
It is heard by lovejby anger, by fear, by courage ; 
or it is felt by the soul, as played on the strings of 
that instmment which is placed nearest to her percep- 
tive powers ; and perhaps ought to be considered as 
a umson or concert, executed at once between a violin 
withoat and another within. Somewhat of this we 
perceive in a few of Corelli's compositions, and in 
more ot Handel's. Bat our musicians affect too 
neat a variety of notes in each tune, and aim not, or 
bnt a very little, at a meaninj!:. Their pieces jingle 
prettily, but seldom speak, as the mach simpler masic 
of the ancients undoubtedly did." * * * Phih'p 
Skdion. 



A remark is to be made on Madame Bosio, which 
the lady's friends might wisely take to heart ere they 
encourage her to pass another winter in the Rassian 
capital. Last season her voice, which hod scarcely 
arrired at its maturity, already reminded as of a 
flower overblown. This year, to condnue the simile, 
one or two leaves have fallen, and more seem " on 
the turn." Neither the compass, the quality, nor 
the power of the organ ate what thev were. Mow far 
rest might restore it cannot be told without trial : 
but farther exercise of a voice so delicate in a climate 
so rude is to be deprecated. Rarely has artist im- 
proved so rapidly as did Madame Bosio during two 
or three seasons. Few have held place of higher re- 
gard in English favor. Never were improving or 
complete singers so rare,— perhaps because never 
was gain so easily won by the unimproveable or the 
incomplete. Bystanders who look forward, withoat 
any stake in the matter, save the pleasure they must 
lose, and the decay which must accrue to art, cannot 
see and hear such things wsthont a word of friendly 
caution. Other of our most favorite singing birdis 



have left Knpland for a while, amonp these, Mcsdamcs 
Viardot, Novello, and Lemmcns Sherrington — the 
first two Indies to return for the Festivals. We arc 
told that Mdlle. Piccolomini has been engaged for 
America by Mr. Bnmnm, and that Madame Viardot 
intends to pass the close of this year in Hungary and 
Austria. 



The Diapason—The French Commiflsion. 

" This high Commission, let us hope," says Le 
J^Unettreif " will not be called on to discuss the main- 
tenance of the present diapason, which is aboat to be 
put on its trial, bnt to come to m>me understanding 
as to the reasonable basis by which it must be repu- 
lated, in order to render the voice its former longevity 
without interfering too much with the existing sono- 
rity of instruments. With regard to the latter point, 
it is to be regretted that some musical instrument 
makers and instnimentalists of merit, as well as sev- 
eral of the oldest members of the lyric stages, such 
as MM. Duprcz and Levasseur, were not called tipon 
to give their opinions on the projected reform. It is 
to he regrettea also, if we may be allowed to revert 
to our idea of a European congress, that the Com- 
mission charged with the task of judging and reform- 
ing the diapason, has not been endowed with a semi- 
national character. Representatives of Germany, 
Italy, and England, such as M. Fdtis for Belgium, 
would have consolidated the work of regeneration by 
generalizing it a little everywhere ; this is a mo^it im- 
portant matter, for our singers, like those of Italy, 
are spread, so to say, over the whole snrface of the 
globe. Now let us take the case of a tenor and bass, 
accustomed to sing in France, ha1f-a-tone lower : 
" Les chevaliers de mapatrie," or " Simon la mort ! " 
On crossing the Rhine or the Straits of Dover, they 
find themselves stniggling with an orchestra which 
employs a system of sonority completely strange to 
them, with a diapason which has become an impossi- 
bility for their voices : Robert can no longer reach 
the height of his "patrie," while Bertram meets 
death half a tone too soon. 

" If we ore well-informed, the Minister of State 
has already directed his attention to this primordial 
difficulty, and it is said he intends communicating of- 
ficially with the musical celebrities of neighboring 
countries. Bnt why should this first step prevent the 
personal attendance in the Diapason Commission of 
M. Mercadante, for instance, as the representative of 
musical Italv, in his capacity of director of the Con- 
servatory o^ Naples ; of M. Benedict, in nearly the 
same character, for England; of MM. Marschner 
and Liszt, as represen*^^ing Germany with our celebra- 
ted master, Meyerbeer; of M. F^tis, alreadv men- 
tioned, for Belgium, and lastly, of General Andrew 
Sahonroff, the successor of M. Gu^d^onoff, who 
would repref^ent the imperial theatres of Russia, as 
General Mellinet does the militanr bands of France 1 
All this is a mere observation which we submit to the 
enlightened solicitude of the Minister of State, who, 
we repeat, has taken with regard to the diapason a 
step for which the whole musical world ought to 
thank him. 

" In fact there is a greater scarcity of vocalists 
with voices in our theatres everv day. It was time 
to put a stop to this state of uiings. It has been 
demonstrated that the diapason of Gluck was nearly 
a tone lower than that of the present day. Oar illus- 
trious maestro, Rossini, told us, a few days since, that 
since 1823, the diapason had been raised half-a-tone, 
so that he himself could not tell in what key his 
works are now executed. 

" It is not long since, in France, the diapason of 
the Salle Feydeaii was believed to be higher than 
that of the Grand-Op^ra, which exerted itself to the 
utmost to surpass its rival. We know that certain 
instruments have a great deal to do with this ambition 
to rise — ^no matter at what sacrifice. The piano, for 
instance, gains greatly in sonority from bemg tuned 
at the highest diapason. What is the general conse- 
quence of this in our saloons ? A great many sing- 
ers refuse to be accompanied on a piano called a 
* piano d* er^ution* while, in other cases, instrumen- 
talists cannot manage with accompanying pianos. 
As we perceive, this is an important question, not 
only of sonority, but, olso, of manufacture, for most 
of our orchestral instruments would have to be recon- 
structed on a new plan. It is for this reason that it 
would be useful to nominate some of our principal 
musical instrument-makers to the Diapason Commis- 
sion. 

" Besides, when we have arrived at a cordial under- 
standing as to the number of vibrations allowed for 
the standard diapason, we must proceed to the manu- 
facture of the diapason itself, and, on this head, we 
express a wish that, like the money struck in the 
name of the State, the diapason, in its modest sphere, 
should be established and manufactured under the 
auspices of the Conservatory. Without this, there 



will bo no unity of vihrations, both on account of had 
metal, and want of finish in the work. lAth to com- 
petition, the same will be trac of the diapason as of 
the mctromctcr ; it will always 1)c faulty. Both of 
these regulating instnimcnts ought to l>c issued offi- 
cially from the Conservatory, if not remain its exclu- 
sive property : they would thus be estahliithed on tlic 
best foundiition, under circumstances which would 
render them most accessible to all. The Conserva- 
tory might find in this plan a perfectly nataral sii6- 
ivni/ion, which would assist in founding new scholar- 
ships, or, at least, in ameliorating its annual income. 
This is another suggc.«tton which we submit to the 
consideration of the Mini$<ter of State, under whose 
direct control our Imperial Conservatory of Musical 
Declnmation stands. 

" We cannot terminate without addressing an hum- 
ble petition to the celebrated composers summoned to 
take part in the Diapason Committee. It depends more 
particularly on them whether the diapason is reduced 
to its starting point, not ov\j materially , hut practically, 
by the manner in which they write their future com- 
positions. Even if the Commission were to lower 
the diapason a tone, nothing would be gained, if our 
composers perpetuated their present mode of writing. 
It is they, perhaps, more than the instmments, who 
have contributed to raise the diapason. If singcn' 
voices are not more seriously considered by the very 
persons who obtain their effects from them ; if our 
lyric musicians cannot, by a greater vocal temper- 
ance, and a deeper study of the capacities of voices, 
insert the new, we mean the old, diapason, the Com- 
mission will have lost its time. This would be a 
most deplorable fact. In the name, therefore, of the 
vocal art, the last vestiges of which threaten to disap- 
pear, we call upon composers to render the certified 
diapason an actual truth." 

Mile. Piccolomini 

Here is what the London Illustrated Times says of 
the young lady, whom UUman has engaged, and who* 
according to her New York trumpet-blowers, is going 
to excite another Jenny Lind furore. It does not 
differ much from the impressions of her, which we 
have from time to time copied from the Atheneeum 
and other sources. But the lady is handsome, spright- 
ly, yonng, impetuous, and all that : and these advan- 
tages, it is presumed, will go farther than artistic 
skill or genius. So sound the trumpets. Heralds ! 

The last ' novelty' of the regular season was the 
' Lucia,' which was plaved for the first time this year 
on Thureday, for Ginglini's benefit. Giuglini's Ed- 
gardo is one of his best parts in a musical sense, bnt 
he scarcelv acts it better than that of Oennaro in 
' Lucrexia, and in a historic point of view Giuglini's 
Gennaro is the worst bnt one we ever saw. The 
tameness of the Edgardo is rendered more apparent 
by the unnatural vivacity of Mile. Piccolomini as 
Lucia. Mile. Piccolomini is even more unlike the 
gentle, sentimental, melancholy heroine of Sir Wal- 
ter Scott than she is to any other of the characters of 
her too numerons r^oerioire. This ' fascinating ' 
young lady, as it is still to some extent the fashion to 
style her, seldom seems to understand the part she is 
playing. Bnt there is certainly this to bo said in her 
fovor, that if she were to attempt to make hcraelf like 
Lucia, she might fail ; whereas, by adopting the easy 
method of making Lucia exactly like Mile. Piccolo- 
mini, she is sure to succeed. 1 his system of bring- 
ing the mountain to Mahomet instead of Mahomet 
to the mountain, is also observable in Mile. Piccolo- 
mini's execution of the music of * Lucia,' and indeed 
in that of nearly all the music she sings. In the air 
of the third act, some of the passages arc too difficult 
for the vocalist. She docs not omit the air, bnt she 
sings ^e air so slowly that half the difficulty of the 
difficult passages disappears. It is tme that the music 
loses somewhat of its effect, but that is the affair of 
the late Donizetti, and not of the singer. 

However, taking Mile. Piccolomini's performance 
altogether, we think wo may say that it exhibits some 
improvement since lost season. Her acting is some- 
what toned down, and the objectionable featnres are 
not quite so salient as formerlv. Miss Ashton had 
certainly no right to be so affectionate as she was 
wont to be (under the auspices of Mile. Piccolomini), 
in the scene with her lover at the end of the first act. 
When young ladies of Miss Ashton's position in so- 
ciety, and above all her temperament, allow them- 
selves a lover at all, they, at least, do not give wa^ 
to their feelings, and throw themselves round his 
neck as Mile. Piccolomini was, and to a certain ex- 
tent is now, in the habit of doing. Signer Giuglini, 
who is a lover of much propriety, feels the awkward- 
ness of his position, ana evidently endeavors by his 
very commendable coldness to keep the young lady 
at a distance, but unfortunately without success. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1858. 



181 



Mile. Piccolomini is seen to most advantop:o in the 
scene with her brother, nnd in the finale to the second 
act. This ndmirnhic tinnic, the most dramatic piece 
of mnsic Donizetti ever wrote, is far better executed, 
as far as the orchestra and chorus are concerned, than 
it was last year, and Mile. Piccolomini still acts with 
considerable enerpy and feeling;. It is, of course, on 
the side of encrjjy that she errs, indeed it may Ikj 
said, (in the llitximian style,) thatenerpy is her weak 
point. She sinps with encrpy, acts with encrpy, 
above all, sobs and nms about with energy, nnd if she 
has to fall, she oven falls with cnerpy. When Ed- 
pardo, pointing to her sipnature, asks whether that 
writing is hern, and afterwards dismisses her with a 
pcstnre of contempt, she poes over like a nine-pin, as 
if her lover had actually knocked her down. Now, 
to knock a younp lady down merely for infidelity, 
and ' that with extennating circumstances,' is tlie sort 
of thinp Sipnor Ginplini, as Edpardo, would never 
think of doing. In ftict, he gives her the slightest 
possible push, and Lucia, by instantly falling, gives it 
all the semblance of a violent blow. Thus she does 
her best to destroy the sympathy which the audience 
ought naturally to feel for the lover, who by his ap- 
parent brutality forfeits all claim to pity. 

^ In the mad scene, Mile. Piccolommi does not exhi- 
bit melancholy madness, but some fantastic kind of 
lunacy, which is doubtless very sad, but not particu- 
larly touching. 

Music axd Drawing. — The writer of " Subur- 
ban Letters " in tlio Worcester PaUadium, is a true 
friend of icsthetic culture. In one of the last letters 
she says : 

" A clerical friend who has a piano in his parlor 
and an easel in his study, says, " I could not give up 
my love for music and painting. I sometimes won- 
der what I should be without it ! " Into his active 
{professional life— a life of mingled pleasure and pain, 
abor and care, these two arts shed beams of happi- 
ness so pure, so full of delight, as to be alone worth 
years of study and self-denying application. His 
ministerial duties are not the less astended to be- 
cause his ears aro open to harmony and his eye to 
color. Never docs it make him less practically useful, 
less able to administer that food which it is his blessed 
privilege to give to mental suflcrcrs. If he goes to- 
night to hear a symphony, to-morrow he will have 
new gentleness and grace by the sick-bed of some old 
and feeble parishioner. If, on Saturday, as he walked 
up the shaded street, the setting sun burst from 
behind a heavy purple cloud and lighted up the tops 
of the trees and hero and there a protruding branch 
with those delicately intermingled hues which the eye 
of the artist can so quickly analyzo^if he sees all this 
on Saturday night, there will be, in Sunday's ser- 
mon, a little extempore paragraph, which coming as 
from inspiration, stands out in bold relief from the 
ground work of tlie discourse, to be a bright star of 
thought to his people during the coming week. We 
would have every child taught something of music 
and of drawing ; and yet, we question whether the 

Imblic-school be the place for their instruction. School- 
ife is too short and its requirements too many to 
admit of proper attention to these branches. Be- 
sides what is learned of these arts should be rightly 
learned, which is not possible unless the teacher 
stands in the first rank of his profession. Better a 
thorough knowledge of the rudiments of either art, 
gained from a competent instructor, than a little su- 
perficial glance over the field. The common-school 
teacher steps from his sphere when he leaves arithme- 
tic and grammar to give a few hasty lessons to fifty 
or sixty pupils who cannot learn from him in a week 
what tney might from a professional teacher in a 
single hour, lliis method of teaching, too generally 
adopted, is one of tlie results of our American way of 
grasping all things but taking firm hold of nothing." 



Mario as Don Juan. 

Mr. Dwight, — ^Is it possible that the lusty, daring, 
reckless, godless Don can, by any consistency wiUi 
nature or art, be represented by the effeminate figure 
and sweetest tenor of Signer Mario ? Form, face, 
figure, voice — are they not those of the sentimental 
and passionate lover, not those of the deliberate and 
heartless seducer, who laughs at sighs, and tears, and 
emotion, and employs them but as the instruments of 
his trade, to gratify the inordinate lust of a powerful 
physical nature 1 The very quality of the tenor 
voice is opposed to the idea of masculine vigor and 
power; the very idea of Don Giovanni is that of su- 
perabundant mascaline vigor and power. The tones 
of the tenor are suggestive of truthfulness, serious 



devotion, and absorbing passion ; Don Giovanni is a 
revelation of the cool heartlessness and infernal mirth 
of Mephistopheles. No doubt the sweetness and ten- 
derness of such a voice as that of Mario may be apt 
instruments of dissimulation and heart-breaking ; but 
that is not the character of the hero, whose fascina- 
tion lay in his manly powers and all-defying impu- 
dence. Shall we expect the "new and improved" 
hero to make us tremble by attempting jollity and 
good-fellowship with the awful ghost of the murdered 
Commandant, and to struggle manfully with flaming 
devils ? Shall we not pity his physical weakness, 
and urge him to make timely retreat, instead of feel- 
ing any satisfactory terror inspired by the triumph of 
supernal vengeance over Satanic effrontery and heav- 
en denying self-indulgence ? Bep. 
Dorchester, Aug. 29. 



Mario and Don GiovannL 

Correspondence of The Manchester Guardian. 

The great success of the past season at the Hoyal 
Italian Opera has been the production of " Don Gio- 
vsnni." The lessee of an opera house has this diffi- 
culty in bringing out a new opera — the greater part 
of the season is wasted in rehearsals. Thus "Don 
Giovanni," which always brings three or four crow- 
ded audiences, and would have filled the theatre for 
twenty nights with the cast at the manager's dispo- 
sal, was not brought out until the fag end of tlie 
season, when many subscribers had already left town. 
Every one knows that the part of Don Giovanni was 
written for a baritone, and that every baritone of 
mark has tried the character and failed, with the 
single exception of Tambiirini, who is said to be 
little likely to re-appear upon the London stage. It 
may be maintained with some show of reason that 
Mozart committed a mistake in giving the love music 
of this part to a baritone, when all tradition and the 
fitness of things point to the S3rmpathetic tones of a 
tenor as most expressive of the tender pa.ssion. Be 
this as it may, Mario is fortified by the example of 
several great tenors in undertaking this arduous 
character. It is also whispered that he is not sorry 
to obtain possession of a part in which little demand 
is made npon him for those high notes which are 
somewhat impaired by time and i^e, while the rich, 
sweet, and full middle and lower notes of his voice 
aro constantly heard with moving effect in the charm- 
ing songs and concerted music of the great compo- 
ser's masterpiece. 

In order to enable a tenor to sing the mnsic of a 
baritone, it is of course necessary that it should be 
transposed. A more delicate, difficult, and unthank- 
ful office could scarcely have been confided to Signor 
Alary, who might have expected that the virtuous 
and simple-minded critic or the "two standards" 
would raise a frightful clamor about the reverence 
due to Mozart — the iniquity of omitting the last 
dozen bars of the overture, and of singing a song well 
in one key which is usually sung ill in another. So 
favorable an opportunity of showing his technical 
knowledge, and at the same time of writing down the 
Royal Italian Opera, was not to be neglected. Luck- 
ily, however, the general public was not so critical, 
and your readers will entirely misconceive the senti- 
ments of the connoisseurs i^, relying upon the critic 
of the " two standards," they should dream of the 
Metropolitan public as outraged and disgusted by the 
transpositions of keys and the change from F to C. 
What they saw wns the finest performance of Don 
Giovanni since the palmiest dajs of Tambnrini. 
Imagine a cast which includes Gnsi as Donna Anna, 
Tambcrlik as her lover, Bosio as Zerlina, Mario as 
the Don, and Bonconi as Leporello ! How hand- 
some Mario looked, and how like a noble Spaniard 
just stepped out of a picture by Velasquez, it is un- 
necessary to say. His costume was perfect. In die 
early scenes he appears upon the stage carrying a 
gold-hcaded cane, which, as Mario is a great histori- 
cal authority upon points of costume and equipment, 
was, we may be sure, worn by the hidalgoes of the 
period in which the scene is supposed to be cast. 
The gentlemanly and unaffected bearing, the consum- 
mate taste and ease with which the music was sung, 
the exquisite phrasing and delivery of " La ci darem " 
and the serenade, have never lieen snipassed, and 
cannot fail to render " Don Giovanni '^ one of the 
most admired parts in the repertory of the great 
tenor. The critics are not far wrong when they say 
that in the scenes with the statue Mario is too much 
occupied in remembering music not familiar to him 
to throw himself with abandon into the tragic and su- 
pernatural horrors of the situation. But the lyrical 
drama affords us more finished and yet enei^ic 



acting than that of Mario in the "Huguenots," 
"Lucrezia," and "II Trovatore," although in the 
first and greatest of these operas he began by giving 
us a stiff and colorless outline, which he has grod- 
nally filled in with flesh and blood. So we may well 
afford to wait until the artiste has had time to devel- 
ope and mature his conceptions of stage effect in his 
new part, being content meanwhile to hear the music 
infinitely better sung, and the character better played 
than by any Don Giovanni at present in possession of 
the stage. 

What shall we say of the other characters in this 
remarkable cast; the Donna Anna of Grisi, with that 
fine outburst of natural feeling, as she throws herself 
upon the body of her murdered father, and the thrill- 
ing pathos with which she afterwards describes the 
scene to her lover 1 What of Tamberlik, who sings 
" II mio tesoro," as no one but Mario ever did sing it, 
and whose highest praise is that Mario can be spared 
without loss to fill the more prominent personage of 
the opera 1 What of the Zerlina of Bosio — ^the re- 
fined, the lady-like, the exquisite Bosio, who sings 
"Batti, batti* and " Vedrai carino" with such en- 
chanting grace, with such freshness of voice and pu- 
rity of style and execution that the critic is dumb, 
holds his breath for fear of losing a note and cannot 
help joining in the murmur of admiration and delight ? 
What of Bosio, indeed, the prettiest Zerlina ever wit- 
nessed, in the prettiest costume, against whom noth- 
ing can be said except that she is naturally too grace- 
ful and lady-like for a peasant girl %• What, lastly, 
of the Leporello of Ronconi, for whom no allowances 
need be made, but who acted and sang the part of 
Leporello on the first night, in a manner which the 
oldest opera-goer had never seen surpassed. With a 
full recollection of the great Lablache, I must affirm 
tliat Ronconi gives us a more true and dramatic, and 
not less amusing, interpretation of the character. His 
terror in the last act has its comic side of cowardice 
and selfishness, but his horror at the fate of his master 
is tragic in its intensity. Lablache, too, often made 
us laugh in the last act, when the great composer was 
lavishing all tlie resources of bis dramatic genius in 
the attempt to inspire us with awe. Ronconi, on the 
contrary, not only makes the terror of Leporello a 
trngicAf element of the catastrophe, but disguises and 
diverts attention from the comparative tameness of 
Mario. In the scene between the statue and Don 
Giovanni he is for a few moments the master of the 
situation and the lending figure on the canvas — a sit- 
uation which he owes to his genius and to the per- 
fection both of his singing and acting. 

Rosa Bonhenr. 

Rosa Ronheur is an indefatigable worker. She 
rises at six o'clock and paints until dusk, when she 
lays aside her blouse, puts on a bonnet and shawl of 
most unfashionable appearance, and takes a turn 
through the neighboring streets alone, or accompanied 
by a favorite dog. Absorbed in her own thoughts, 
and unconscious of everything around her, the first 
conception of a picture is frequently struck out by 
her in these rapid, solitary walks in the twilight. 

Living solely for her art, she has gladly resigned 
the cares of her outward existence to an old and de- 
voted friend, a Mme. Micas, a widow lady, who, with 
her daughter — an artist, whose exquisite groups of 
birds are well known in England, and who has ocen 
for many years Rosa's most intimate companion — re- 
sides witli her, relieving her of every material re- 
sponsibility, and leaving her free to devote herself 
exclusively to her favorite pursuit. Every summer 
the two la^y artists repair to some mountain district 
to sketch. Arrived at the regions inhabited only by 
the chamois, the ladies exchange their feminine habil- 
iments for masculine attire, and spend a couple of 
months in exploring the wildest recesses of the hills, 
courting the acquaintance of their shy and swift-footed 
truants, and harvesting " effects," of storm, rain and 
vapor, as assiduously as those of sunshine. Though 
Rosa is fully alive to tlio beauties of wood and mead- 
ow — as we know from the loveliness she has trans- 
ferred from them to her canvas — mountain scenery is 
her especial delight. Hitherto her explorations had 
been confined to the French chains and the Pyrenees, 
but in the autumn of '56 she visited Scotland and 
made numerous sketches in tlie neighborhood of Glcn- 
fallock, Glcncoe and Ballaculish ; and struck by the 
beauty of the Highland cattle, selected some choice 
specimens of these, which she had sent down to Wex- 
ham Rectory, near Windsor, where she resided, and 
spent two months in making numerous studies, from 
which she has already produced tuvo pictures : " The 
Denizens oi the Mountains," and " Morning in the 
Highlands." The Alps she has not yet visited, 
though constantly intending to do so. Her prefer- 
ence being for the stem, the abrupt, and the majestic, 
instead of the soft, the smiling and the fair, Italy, 
wiUi all its glories, has hitherto attracted her less 



182 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



powerfully than the ruder magnificence of tho Pyre- 
nees and the north. 

Among the mountains the grrcat artist is completely 
in her element ; out of doors from morning till ni«rht, 
lodging in tho humblest and remotest of rondsido 
hotels, or in the huts of wood-cutters, clmrcoiil-bum- 
ers, and chamois hunters, and living contentedly on 
whatever faire can he obtained. Two years ago, lieing 
furnished by families of distinction in tho Bdniais 
and tho Basque provinces with introductions to the 
rare inhabitants of the region, the party pushed their 
adventurous wandeiinp^s to the little station of Pey- 
ron^re, the last inhabited point within the French 
frontier, and thence up the romantic defiles of the 
Valltfe d'Urdos, across the summit of the Pyrenees. 
Thanks to the letters they earned, the travellers were 
ho.«pitably received at each halting-place, and fur- 
nished with a trusty guide for the next march. In 
this way they crossed the monntams, and gained the 
lonely poMoa of Canfan, tho first on tho Spanish side 
of the ridge, where, for six weeks, they saw no living 
souls but the botirriquairos (muleteers) with their 
strings of mules, who would halt for the night at the 
little inn, setting out at the earliest ray of morning 
for their descent on the opposite side of the moun- 
tain. 

The people of the potada lived entirely on curled 
sheep's milk ; the sole article of food the party could 
ohtam on their arrival. At one time, by an early 
fall of snow, they were shut out of all communica- 
tion with the valley. Their threatened starvation was 
averted by the exertions of Mile. Micas, who man- 
aged to procure a quantity of frogs, the hind legs of 
which she enveloped in leaves, and toasted on sticks 
over a fire on the nenrtli. On these frogs they lived 
for two days, when the hostess was induced to at- 
tempt the making of butter from the milk of her 
sheep, and even to allow the conversion of one of 
these animals into mutton for their benefit. Their 
larder thus supplied, and black bread being brought 
for them by tne hourrfqumros, from some village a 
very long way off, the party gave themselves up to the 
pleasure of tlieir wild life, and the business of sketch- 
ing. The arrival of the muleteers, with their em- 
broidered shirts, their pointed hats, velvet jackets, and 
leathern breeches and sandals, was always a welcome 
event. Kosa paid for wine for them, and they, in re- 
turn, performed their national dances for her; after 
which they would throw themselves down for the 
night upon sheepskins before the fire, furnishing sub- 
jects for many picturesque cot-guis. As the posnda 
was a police station, established there as a terror to 
smugglers, the little party felt perfectly safe, notwith- 
standing its loneliness. 

With her Scotch tour Bosa was so much pleased 
that she will probably revisit a district from which she 
has brought awav many agreeable associations, and a 
wonderful little ^kye-terrier. named " Wasp," of the 

Enrest breed, and remarkably intelligent, which she 
olds in great affection, and for whose benefit she has 
learned several English phra<es, to which " Wasp " 
responds with appreciative and en^teful waggings of 
the tail. — The Englishwoman** Journal. 

New York, Aug. 31 . — Last evening, our Acad- 
emy of Music was re-opened by Maretzek, for the 
season, and amid the immense crowd of course was 
the inevitable Trovator. It was only a few months 
ago I had the pleasure of witnessing the debut of 
Madame Gassier at Rome, where she >vas welcomed 
with frenzied enthusiasm ; and lost evening, I had the 
pleasure of witnessing the debut of the same lady in 
the metropolis of the New World, in tho Queen of 
the Western Hemisphere ! (vide Gagg's oration in 
the County House of Buncombe). 

Mme. Gassier appeared smaller th.in she did 
when I first saw her, for two reasons— K)ne that the 
Tcatro Argentina, at Rome, is a very little pigeon 
hole of an opera-house, the stage of which would be 
quite filled up by one ordinary sized person — tho 
other that she has grown slightly more Alboni-like — 
indeed I heard a savage monster who sat next to me, 
say that she was dumpy ! 

She is not very pretty, nor graceful in figure, but 
has fine dark hair, and glorious Spanish eyes. Then 
she acts with intelligence, and at times sings with 
considerable feeling ; yet, I believe her chief forte is 
in her vocal execution, and had we not so recently 
heard tho ininimitable La Grange, we would say 
that Gassier was unrivalled. Her voice is fresh and 



of extensive compass, and she occasionally uses a 
delicate staccato with excellent effect. The role of 
Amina in SonnambulOf chosen for her debut before 
an American audience, is considered one of her very 
finest personations, and her rendition of it last even- 
ing was a very great success. The rondo finale, with 
the brilliant variations introduced by the prima donna 
in the repetition, was received witli the very greatest 
enthusiasm, and the curtain rose again to allow an 
encoro. On the whole Madame Gassier has succeed- 
ed. Though by no means the greatest singer we 
have bad here, as some puffers assert, she is excellent 
in her way, and that way is a very good one. 

Talking about puffing, reminds me, that it is 
claimed for Madame Gassier, that she appears before 
tho public, without any " preliminary puflSng." This 
is to a great extent true, as far as regards the man- 
agement, but there is a certain class of newspaper 
scrawlers who are giving her gratuitous puffing of 
the most disgusting style. For instance, they des- 
cant not upon the prima donna's voice, style or exe- 
cution, but upon her physical appearance. She is 
dashing, they say, has beautiful feet, and will set the 
hearts of all Young New York fluttering, and make 
all the fair ladies desperately jealous. There is a 
great deal of this disgusting twaddle in some of our 
city papers, and does it not strike you as being not 
merely disgusting, but absolutely immoral ? Almost 
every young singer that appears before our public, is 
subjected to such equivocal compliments. For in" 
stance, when Vestvali appeared in male characters, 
some journalists praised her limbs more than her 
singing, and even already the penny-a-liners are her- 
alding Piccolomini in a similar strain. Is not this 
whole style of criticism unfit for a respectable news- 
paper, and community 1 

The tenor who supported Madame Gassier last 
evening, was Mr. Perrino, a gentleman who has 
sung considerably in concerts and oratorios, but had 
never before appeared in opera. Mr. Perring is the 
tenor of the choir of Calvary C%urch, and possesses 
a sweet flexible voice, without great power or com- 
pass. Every allowance should be made for a first 
appearance, and after every allowance having been 
thus made, Mr. Perring should be considered as a 
very plca'^ing concert singer, but as yet hardly capable 
of the position of first tenor in a first class Italian opera 
company. He was very nervous, however, as might 
have been expected, and will undoubtedly do better 
on another occasion. It is but fair to say that his 
efforts were generally applauded, and the press of the 
city, with a few exceptions, give him the'credit of hav- 
ing made a very promising debut. 

Mr. Gassier was welcomed back with the most 
friendly applause. Was it not a pleasing coincidence, 
that the first air he sang to our public, after his return 
from Europe, was the " Vi ravviso, luoghi ameni ? " 

We are to be overflowed and deluged with opera 
this fall. Two English companies, one with Luct 
EscOTT as prima donna, the other with Miss Ankie 
Milker, will shortly commence operations, while we 
shall have an uninterrupted course of Italian opera, 
by various troupes. Besides these, there aro to be 
French and German operas given, of which you 
shall hear further from 

Trovator. 

Brooklyk, N. Y., August 31. — It is now some 
time since our good people began to talk about build- 
ing an Opera House, and so far but little progress 
has been made towards the accomplishment of this 
very desirable and laudable object. No doubt the 
idea of an Opera House in Brooklyn may seem very 
absurd to most of your readers who live in the coun- 
try or in cities remote from us, but to those most in- 
terested and the best capable of judging in the mat- 
ter, the idea is not only a very sensible one, but a 
very feasible one. 

Here, we have a city containing about tho same 



number of inhabitants as the city of Boston, without 
a music Hall capable of holding over 1200 persons, 
without a Theatre or any place of amusement worth 
naming, and consequently entirely dependent upon 
New York for every thing we enjoy in this line. 
I^ast winter wo established a Philharmonic Society 
and a Mercantile Library, both of which were a per- 
fect success in the fullest, largest sense. There is but 
one thing more we need to place us on an equal foot- 
ing with other cities of equal size and importance, 
and that is, a large, coramo<1ions, elegant place of 
public amusement, — a building that shall contain a 
Music Hall capable of seating at least 2500 persons 
— also another auditorium where Operas can bo 
brought out, or that can be used for a first class The- 
atre. 

No practical steps have as yet been taken towards 
the consummation of this object, but something will 
be done the coming fall, and I hopo before long to 
chronicle the beginning. 

In New York an opera season of two months com- 
menced last night at tlic Academy, — the indefatiga- 
ble Max Maretzek as Manager and Conductor. 
As your regular correspondent " Trovator " has pro- 
mised you a complete report of the d^nt of Madame 
Gassier and of the new tenore, Pierini, (who is 
Signior Pierini ?) I will say nothing on that point. 

The programme for the fall business in the way of 
opera and other amusements, is now pretty well de- 
veloped. It is positively announced that Piccolo- 
mini is engaged by Napoleon Ullman at $1,000 per 
month, and all expenses paid. 

The EscoTT Troupe I spoke of sometime since as 
coming here this fall, are announced for a season of 
English Opera at Burton's new Theatre, to com- 
mence next week. Another company is announced 
to give English Opera at Wallack's, to be composed 
of Miss Milker, soprano, Mr. Miranda, tenor. Dr. 
GuiLMBTTE, baritone, and Mr. Kudolphson , basso. 
Two new American operas aro to be produced, so 
that the light of musical " Young America " is to be 
hidden under a bushel no longer. 

The coming of Piccolomini, however, is the 
event that is most wished for and talked about by the 
Potiphars, McFlimscys, and Firkins of upper-tcn- 
dom. " Senora Pepita Grassier may do for the com- 
mon people, but then, you know, she is entirely with- 
out style and decidedly passfe^ so it is hardly worth 
the trouble going to the Academy until Piccolomini 
comes." So discoursed the lovely Arabella Faustina 
Bullion, OS she entertained me this morning with va- 
rious items of fashionable news, and with her opinion 
of the performance of SonnanAuh at the Academy 
last night in particular. 

Bellini.. 

Worcester, Mass., Aug. 26. — Miss Maria S. 
Brainerd, of New York, sang at Mechanics' Hall 
on Tuesday evening, affording us the best concert to 
which our citizens have been invited for several 
months. She was to have been assisted by Signor 
Morino, but as he failed to appear, Mr. Clare W. 
Beames, conductor of the concert, after several vain 
attempts to obtain a substitute, accepted tho kindly 
offered assistance of Arbuckle's orchestral band. 
By the Signor's non-appearance, some of the best 
selections on the programme were of course omitted, 
w^hich naturally occasioned some disappointment on 
the part of the audience — not so large, by the way, 
as it ought to have been, or as it may bo at some 
more favorable season. Miss Brainerd's singing gave 
unqualified satisfaction. She has a soprano voice of 
much compass, power, purity, and sweetness ; and 
while its higher tones aro brilliant and clear, its lower 
ones have a richness seldom found in soprano voices. 
The grand feature of the evening was her singing of 
the aria and scena from Der Freyschuiz—ot which she 
gave an English version — "How near I came to 
slumber." It was a triumph in Art 1 We forgot the 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1858. 



183 



diiricultios of its execution ; wc forgot the singer who 
liad mastered them. Wc hesinl only the music as 
AVeber wrote it. Such moments arc rare in any one's 
life ; hut surely they came to the six or eight hundred 
who listened almost breathlessly to the beautiful aria. 
A bouquet, and an earnest encore from tho hearts and 
hands of the audience, were the fair singer's reward. 
Very sweetly and truthfully were her songs and bal- 
lads given ; and without that tinselry of ornament 
with which many singers seek to "paint the rose." 

Mr. Beames filled very acceptably the post of con- 
ductor and accompanist, and won "golden opinions" 
for his efficiency. Ho has the modesty of merit ; and 
his pupil's attainments arc sufficient evidence of his 
excellence as a teacher. We hope for another con- 
cert from the same performers. a. 



ibigtfs lonrnal d Pusk 



BOSTON, SEPT. 4, 1858. 

Music nr this Numbbe. — Continuation of Mozart-s Can- 
tata : '* The Praise of Friendshipy Owing to a mlscjilcula- 
tlon of its l«ngth, an reduced to the measure of our pages, this 
piece will run over so as to occupy a couple of pagea more next 
week. 

Musical Chit-Ghat 

We hardly know whether it is worth tho while to 
agitate so vague a topic as the alleged characteristic 
feeling or expression of the various keys in music. 
There are hints of moaning in it which continually 
tempt philosophic music-lovers into new pursuit with 
hope to seixe it definitely and finally, but it eludes 
the grasp. Yet what composer will say, oven apart 
from the conveniences of range or compass of the in- 
struments or voices to l)0 employed, that it is a 
matter of entire indifference in what key his song, or 
overture, or symphony, or fantasie shall be composed ? 
What composer likes, even supposing the difficulties 
of execution to remain the same, to have a work 
which he conceived in one key transposed to another ? 
Surely there is something in it. A contributor, on a 
preceding page, takes the bull by the horns with such 
a determined and exhaustive shake, that we are curi- 
ous to see what he will make out. We do not under- 
take to answer his questions, put to us, until he shall 
have got out his whole statement. He is an unbe- 
liever in Mo ; but his four categories, under one or 
more of which he thinks the alleged " characterist- 
ics " must be conceived of, if at all, do seem to us to 
cover the whole ground. Will he be able to dispose 
of them all as easily as he does of the first ? That 
one we readily g^nt him. No one, of course, can 
find A fixed and positive character or expression in 
the notes, taken singly, that compose a scale. If 
there be any characteristic and peculiar expression in 
a given key or scale, it must be by con'espondence. 
Now there is no such thing as correspondence be- 
tween isolated individuAls,' as such ; there is no cor- 
respondence between one tone and one color ; while 
between a series or scale of tones, and the prismatic 
scale, so to say, of colors there m.ay be, and doubt- 
less is some correspondence. It is only the great law 
running through all being, botli tlie world of matter 
and the world of mind. 

A correspondent in another page asks if we can 
conceive of a tenor voice, the fine, sincere, true voice 
of love, as singing effectually in so course a char- 
acter as that of Don Giovanni. We answer there 
are different theories of Mozart's Giovanni. Taking 
Mozart's music for the interpreter, together with the 
whole spirit of the drama, and it will hardly seem 
that there is no love, no fine spiritual element in his 
nature, and constituting the real secret of his mag^ 
netic power, however recklessly he is supposed to 
have abused it. Following this writer's query, we 
have copied another view of the matter from an Eng- 
lish paper. 



By referring to our resume of musical news abroad 
it will be seen that nearly 5,000 children recently 
sang chorals in the Cr}'8tal Palace, London, with 
programme and effect quite similar to what we have 
lately witnessed, on a smaller scale, in Boston. * * 
Our friend the " Diarist," has been wandering 
about in London for a week, hcaiing the Cathe- 
dral music, both Episcopal and Catholic, and we 
shall soon hear from him in Germany. We have 
from him another of the "Brown Papers," which 
will perhaps appear next week. He means to go to 
Ludwigsburg and let us know how the great Organ 
for our Music Hall is getting on. 

A musical convention will be held at Worcester, 
on Tuesday the 28th of September, concluding on 
Friday evening, Oct. 1st, with a Concert. Worcester 
seems to be the place for all great gatherings, whether 
political or moral, and it is fit that music should find 
an important centre there. A large attendance is ex- 
pected. We understand that the exercises are to be 
conducted by Mr. B. F. Bakeb, of this city, and by 
Mr. Edward Hamilton, of Worcester. . . . Mrs. 
Emma A. Wentworth, the favorite vocalist, is re- 
ported as being recently in London, receiving lessons 
from Costa; but she expected to return to Boston 
iibout the middle of S^tember. . . . They have a 
new attraction at the Boston Museum in Miss Shaw, 
a pretty, natural, fresh-voiced singer and actress in 
light and lively operettas. There is a certain charm 
of individuality about her singing, without any very 
high degree of school or execution. 

Twenty-fonr new Etudes for the piano, by Ste- 
phen Heller, are announced as shortly to appear 
in Europe ; they will be hailed with pleasure by all 
lovers of the best piano-forte mu^ic. ... A new 
Symphony, by Lindblad, the admirable Swedish 
composer of songs and operas, was performed a short 
time since in Stockholm, and another composition by 
the same master, entitled "The Dreamer," is ex- 
pected. 

Maretzek's Opera troupe commenced in New 
York with Im Sonnamhula ; see correspondence. This 
was twice played, and followed last evening by Ver- 
di's Rigoletto! It would seem that the attraction is 
supposed to lie in the singera and not in the operas 
themselves. The characters were Sig. Luigi Stef- 
FANi (tenor, first appearance), Duke of Mantua; 
AssoNi (buffo), tho hunchback; Mme. Gassier, 
Gildar; Adelaide Phillipps, Magdalena; Sig. 
Garibaldi (first appearance), Sparafucile; Sig. 
Gasparoni, Count Montenore. • • # Mr. H. 
C. Cooper, the admiral violinist, announces his 
newly formed English Opera Troupe, consisting of 
Miss Anna Wilner, prima donna ; Mrs. G. Hol- 
MAN, seconda donna ; Mr. D. Miranda, " the great 
English tenor," (first appearance in America) ; Mr. 
G. Holman, second tenor; Dr. Charles Gcil- 
mette, baritone ; Mr. F. Rudolphsen, basso ; Mr. 
Cooper, conductor. * ♦ * Of Mme. Gassier's 
New York debut, the Courier and Enquirer says : 

From that joyous outburst the " Come per me 
sereno " of th first act, to the agonizing " Kea non 
son " at the conclnsion of the second act, and thence 
on to the jubilant finale "Ah ! non giunge," she held 
through all the varying tide of feeling the close at- 
tention and genuine admiration of her crowd of hear- 
ers, and again and again drew down enthusiastic ap- 
plause. Her voice is extended in range, rich in feel- 
ing, and of no common flexibility. Her artistic exe- 
cution is often truly surprising ; though she did not 
attempt much at ornament, what she did essay in the 
bravura line she accomplished with perfect ease and 
in admirable taste. Nature has not been so bountiful 
with pliysical gifts to Signora Gassier as to some of 
her contemporaries, and her acting, though always ap- 
propriate and expressive, yet cannot be called of a 
superior order. It is as a vocalist that she challen- 
ges admiration, and no one can withhold it who once 
hears her. It is true that her vocalization is rather of 
the French style — ^neat, facile, and at times florid and 
brilliant ; and is not marked by the largeness, foroe, 
and impassioned vigor that have distinguished some 



of the prima donnas who have visited us. But no 
style can be better adapted than hers to such a charm- 
ing lyric pastoral, in the sentimental line, as La Son- 
nambida. It could not but please. Signw Gassier 
executed the part of the Count with goov effect, but 
Signor Perrino as Elcino was hardly so successful. 
His mezza voce is agreeable, but his higher notes are 
somewhat thin and strained. His acting, too, might 
admit of some improvement. Yet, as a whole, the 
Opera afforded almost unmixed satisfaction from first 
to last, as was attested by the frequent applause and 
repeated calls before the curtain. The spirited exer- 
tions of the orchestra and chorus were deserving of 
praise. 

Mme. CoLSON, the favorite prima donna of the 
New Orleans Opera, Signor Junca, the great basso 
profundo of the same, Mr. Labocetta, the tenor, 
and Mr. & Mrs. Strakosch, are among the passen- 
gers by the North Star from Europe. 

"Who is Madame CoLSONf" asks Harper** 
Weekly, " and who has ever heard her sing ? " Pei> 
haps the New Orleans habitu^ will think the ques- 
tion could only come from the farthest outskirts of 
opera-dom. But Harper well says : 

AVho wants to succumb to an advertisement — and 
above all, a theatncal advertisement? Let us re- 
member Musard and be wise. 

Musard perished (popularly) of aggravated puffing. 
Now, advertising is good — feut only for good wares. 
People think, sometimes, that Bamum succeeded by 
advertising ; but it was by adverti«ng something 
worth the pains and the expense. Suppose Jenny 
Lind had been a poor singer, could any conceivable 
quantity of skilful puffery have helped the matter 
long 1 Think how we were peppered with Musard 
before he appeared I How we were shot at from 
windows — how all the papers flung him in our faces 
— ^how he squeezed under the front door — how he 
came hidden in envelopes — ^how he was placarded on 
dead walls and painted on opera programmes ! Alas, 
and alas ! he is placarded on a dead wall now, in 
good truth! Certainly Musard's action should lie 
ajrainst TJllman, for Ullman's actions lied against 
Musard. He was literally blown up. He died of 
wind and printer*s ink ! 

A London paper gives us an unexpected piece of 
news, to-wit, that Ullman has engaged not only Pic- 
colomini, but Johanna Wagner for this country. 
We fear it is too good news ; since the same sentence 
states that Ullman has engaged the Gassiers, whereas 
we know that Maretze^ has got them. Offere have 
been made, too, it is said, to Mile. Poin?et, of the 
Paris Op<5ra. . . . Thalbero has arrived in Paris. 
There he will pay but a flying visit ; after which he 
will make a tour in Germany, and then " retire " to 
Naples, shutting himself out from the world of 
music, or as a Paris journal has it, " loin des concerts 
ft du piano." He is still engaged in his Art du 
Chant, Vibutemps intends ptissing the winter in 
Paris. 



Paris. 

A mass, the composition of M. Benoist, written 
for soprani, tenors, baritones, and basses, with organ 
and harp, was perfoi-med at the church of Saint Eus- 
tache, in Paris, on the 25th of last month. On the 
same and preceding day a Festival was held at Koche- 
fort. The princi])al works performed were M. Da- 
vid's " Eden." (in which M. Mauhert, an infantry 
soldier, is said to have distinguished himself as The 
Creator), — a grand overture " L'Inspiration," by M. 
Grieve,— the " Hallelujah," from the " Messiah,"— 
Mendelssohn's Symphony in A, — the overture to 
" Guillaume Tell*" — and the finale to the third act of 
" Moise." There has also been a musical congress 
of part-singers and military bands at Dijon. 

Signor Rossini is said to find himself so well at 
Paris, as to have determined on giving up Bologna, 
and establishing himself for the rest of his days at 
Passv, where he is about to erect a mansion. — Athe- 
nauin. 



Germany. 

Among other news from Germany is a rumor of a 
coming opera, by Herr Cornelius, — at present resid- 
ing in Munich,— on a subject from " The Arabian 
Nights," — and the approaching performance at Han- 
over of " Ilka," a Hungarian opera, " the first," add 



184 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the joaraals, " which has passed the frontier." A 
concert of Russian music, comprising sacred compo- 
sitions by Bortnianski, Lamakin md DavidofF, and a 
selection from Glinka's opera " A Life for the Czar," 
is said to have lately maae a sensation at Dresden. 

ViBWKA. — On the 27th June, after having: been 
closed for a long period, the Casino on the Kazlen- 
berg was re-opened. In it is the well-known Mozart- 
Room, which, for many years, was totally neglected, 
but has now been restored. The entrance is remark- 
able for the inscription, " Mozart-Zimmor, 1783" 
( Mozart-Room, 1 783) . The room contains three por- 
traits, namely : Uiose of Mozart, the Emperor Joseph, 
and the Empress Maria Theresa, and a great many 
statuettes, among which are those of Mozart, Handel 
Gluck, Weber, Beethoven, Donizetti, Rubens, Michael 
Angolo, Van Dyck, Rafael, Titian, Giitho, Pilgram, 
etc. The furniture is in the rococo style, probably in 
accordance with the fashipn of 1783. There is a 
small table which Mozart himself is said to have 
used, and on it a Strangers' Book. It is gratifying 
to find on the first page several groups of names, 
some of the writers subscribing themselves expressly 
" admirers of Mozart." 



London. 

RoTAL Italian Opera. — Horold's Zampa is not 
likely to prove an acquisition to the repertory of the 
Royal Italian Opera. Although brought out with 
extreme carefulness and splendor, its success on the 
first night, Thursday, was by no means decided. — 
The solitary encore of the evening was bestowed on 
the overture, aflcr which there was but little applause 
for the music, and there were no recalls. Tne per- 
formance, indeed, can hardly be termed Ajiasco; but 
the opera certainly created no excitement, and the 
genenU impression at the conclusion was one of dis- 
appointment. It was hardly wise to produce Zampa 
directly in the wake of Don Giovanni. Comparisons 
are inevitable, and which of the two operas suffers it 
is needless to insist. Zampa, in fact, is a sort of par- 
ody of Don Jnan, and, like the original, with a stone 
statue for his Nemesis. The subjects of the two op- 
eras are differentlj treated, but the heroes of both are 
reckless and daring, submitted to supernatural influ- 
ences, and brought to perdition by the same means. 
There is no ghost-music in Zampa, since the statue 
does not speak, and the incidental music, when the 
statue appears or makes a motion, is of the pure meio- 
dramatic order. Herold was most happy when at- 
tempting least. His natural flight was that of the 
thrush ; when he endeavors to rise with the lark, or 
soar with the eagle, his pinions droop and he falls to 
the grount. Tne lighter portions of the music of 
Zam/xi are melodious and graceful, and in several in- 
stances original and beautiful. At present, however, 
we must confine such brief remarks as space will al- 
low to the performance — observing, en passant, that 
Zampa is not a new opera, but one which for nearly 
thirty years has been stamped with the approving 
verdict of musical Europe. 

The cast of the dramatis persona was as follows : 

Camilla, MadUe. Parepa; Rite, Mad. IMdide; Zampa, Siff. 
Tamberlik; Alphonao, Sig. Baraldi; Dandolo, Sig. RoneoDl; 
Daniel, Sig. Tagliafico; Chief Corsair, Sig. Plerlnl. 

Madlle. Parepa appeared lost season as Elvira in 
the Puritani, without producing any effect. Her 
second essay on the present occasion was not happier. 
There is nothing to say against her voice, and but 
little against her singing ; but the misfortune is that 
neither leaves any impression. Madlle. Parepa, as 
visitors to the Crystal Palace know, is a very good 
concert-singer; but on the stage she is a non-entity. 
The music of Zampa does not suit Sig. Tamberlik so 
well as that of the groat opera seria of his country, in 
which he is so accomplished a proficient. It is ardu- 
ous and fatiguing, without often being effective. — 
Nevertheless, Sig. Tamberlik, who looked and acted 
the part of the libertine corsair capitally, exhibited 
his accustomed zeal, and in the scetia where he re- 
counts his amours, in the two barcaroles, and in sev- 
eral other instances, his singing was admirable. Sig. 
Neri Baraldi, in Alphoiizo, displayed the same quali- 
ties as Sig. Neri Baraldi in Lorenzo, and Sig. Ncri 
Baraldi in Gennaro. Mod. Nantier-Didide's Rita 
(Camilla's attendant) was perfect. Sig. Taglialico's 
Daniel (Rita's husband and Zampa s confidant,) 
unique, and Sig. lionconi's Dandolo (the bellman), 
incomparable. The comic trio and duet cum trio 
(acts 1 aiid 2,) in which these three artists were en- 
gaged, charmed alike bv the beauty of the music and 
the exquisite humor of the performers. Ronconi's 
assumption of fright in the first scene, when Dandolo 
has encountered 2ampa, was in his raciest manner ; 
and the florid execution of Mad. Didi<$e, in the trio 
above-mentioned, was so excellent as to make as long 
to hear her sing the music of Isabella, in Rossini's 



Italiana. It is our conviction that only half the tal- 
ent possessed bv this lady is recognized by the public. 

The "triumpli" of the evening, as wo have hinted, 
was gained by the band, in the overture, which was 
never more superbly executed. It is not often that 
the orchestra snatches laurels from the vocalists ; hut 
for once, Mr. Costa's pet regiment carried everything 
before it ; and tliis supremacy the instrumcntul jKJr- 
formers seemed desirous of maintaining nil the eve- 
ning, for at times they played so loud (Herold Imving 
supplied them with ampje opportunities^, that, al- 
though the lips of the singers were seen to move, and 
their mouths to open, not a sound they uttered could 
bo distinguished. It should be remembered that 
Zampa was composed for the Opera-Corn iqnc, and 
thnt^ho band of the Opera-Comique is not the baud 
of the Royal Italian Opera. 

The mise-en-seene was complete and splendid ; but 
there was only one new tableau — that of the second 
act, in which Mount Etna rears its smoking crest 
from the other side of the sea-shore. This one, how- 
ever, was "beautiful exceedingly" — ^a host in itself. 
The costumes were all that could be wished ; but the 
incidental ballet might have been both graced and 
improved by the presence of Madlle. Zina Richard. 

On Saturday, uon Giovanni was given for the sec- 
ond, and on Tuesday for the third time. Zampa was 
produced on Thursday. 

To-night, Martha w'ill be repeated, and on Monday 
Don GioiYinni for the last extra performance— a/>ro/ioi» 
of which occasion we shall have some further re- 
marks to offer about the performance of Mozart's 
chtf-iVceuvre at the Royal Italian Opera. — Mus. World, 
Aug. 7. 

Crtbtal Palace. — The second of Mr. Benedict's 
" Festival Concerts " took place on Friday, the 30th 
nit., and attracted an immense concourse. The fol- 
lowing was the programme : — 

Pabt 1.— Overture (Guillaume Tell) ; Rominl. Motet, " Sal- 
vum flkc Regom " ; Dr. Loewe. Aria, " Dore aono," Madame 
WeiM; Mosart. Martin Lather's Hymn. Mr. Sims ReeTen and 
Chonu. Air (The Crown Diamonde). Miae Loulm Pyne; Au- 
ber. Choral Fantaeia, pianoforte, Mi« Arabella Ooddard; 
Beethoven. Ballad, ■' Who shall be fklreet ? " Mr. Simi Reeves ; 
Frank Mori. Quartet, " Aiziam gU evviva " (Euryantbe), 
Madame Rudemdorf, Mim Stobbarh, Mr. Wllbye Cooper, and 
Mr. Weiiw; C. M. von Weber. The Masic to Shakenpeare'i 
Macbeth, solo*, MIm SUbbaeh, Madame WeiM, Mr. Wllbye 
Cooper, and Mr. Weisa ; Matthew Locke. 

Pabt IT.— Triumphal March. (Macbeth); Benedict. Air 
'< Robert, toi que Jaime," Madame Ruderadorff; Meyerbeer* 
Duet, with ehoruii, '* To arm)i," '' Britona strike home.'* Mr* 
Sims Reevea and Mr. Welaa; Purcell. Prayer (Mosi) : Roeslnl. 
Sonff, " Where the bee aucka," Miaa Stabbach ; Ame. Air. 
" Rage thou angry atorm." Mr. Weiaa ; Benedict. Duet on 
Themea ftt>m the Iluguenotii, two planofortea , Miaa Arabella 
Goddard and M. Benedict ; Oaborne. Serenade, " Bleat be the 
home " ; Benedict. Hebrew Morning Hymn ; Mehul. 

The chorus and band, as before, numbered nearly 
one thousand singers and players. 

On Wednesday the children of the Metropolitan 
Charity Schools, to the number of 4,600, assembled 
in the " Handel Festival Orchestra," and gave a per- 
formance sui generis. The following was the pro- 
gramme : 

Part I.— Voluntary on the Organ, Old 100th Psalm ; Martin 
Luther. 113th Paalm, (Anniversary); Ganthany. Chorale, 
(Luther'f Hymn), Trumpet obligato, Mr. Haupt; Luther. 

Part IT.— Voluntary on the Organ, 119th Paalm, ('* London 
New"); Dr. Croft. I04th Paalm, ("Hanover"); Handel or 
Croft. The National Anthem, John Bull. 

The singing was, for the most part, admirable, the 
precision and unanimity of the children being extra- 
ordinary. A note appended to the programme ad- 
vised the audience that " the singing of the children 
was not intended as a musical displav, but rather as 
a performance of simple psalmody. No such ex- 
tenuation, however, was necessary. The voices of 
the youthful choristers sounded clear, fresh, and pow- 
erful. Nothing, in short, could be more agreeable to 
the ear. 

The National Anthem was encored in a tumnit of 
applause, and repeated. The emphatic manner in 
which the lines — 

" Scatter bar enemies 
And make them iUl " 

was given, created an immense effect. Mr. Gkom 
Cooper played " Worthy is the Lamb," and tlie 
" Hallelujah " chorus from the Messiah, on the organ 
magnificently, besides accompanying all the Psalms 
in a masterly manner. On the whole, the concert 
was in the highest degree satisfactoir, the only fault 
found being the extreme brevity of the selection — 
the first time, we believe, such a charge was ever 
brought against a musical entertainment. The suc- 
cess ot this meeting was not inferior to that of the 
meeting of the National Schools, or that of the Tonic 
Sol-fa Association. Such exhibitions are peculiariy 
suited to the Crystal Palace. The number assembled 
on Wednesday amounted to upwards of 27,000. — 
Musical Worli. 



Bpthl Stolitts. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF TIIR 

TEST :m:xjsio, 

Publiaked by O. Dltaon U C: 



Hosrc BT Mail.— Quantities of Muale are now nent by mail, 
the expenw biding only about one rent apiece, while the care 
and rapidity of transportation are remarkable. Thoee at a 
great distance will And the mode of cnnTcyaiice not only a con- 
venience, but a aaving of eipenae in obtaining auppllea. Books 
ean also be aent by ntall, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
Thia applies to any dist.-ince under three thouaand milea ; be- 
yond that, double the above rate*. 



Vocal. 

Oh, thou sweet chceiful bird. Louisa A. Denton. 25 
This is a charming Song In the style of a Walts. It 
la very well suited for a concert piece, aa It is brilliant, 
yet Ita ornaments am of the kind that even the untu- 
tored voice will aueceed In them, with a little pera*- 
verance. The practice of this Song will be a good in- 
troduction to the more florid Italian atyle. 

The May Breeze (Das Mailufteri). Kreipl. 25 

An old Ihvorite from "German land," with t«zt in 
both languagw. 

The Merry Bells. Duet. S. Glover. 40 

Olover'a mualeal ideas seem to flow the f^ceat and 
prettiest when he treats merry aubjeeta. Sverything 
comes easy and graceAil, and cannot fldl to plea««. 
The arrangement is aomewhat out of hia usual Una, 
being for a mexso-eoprano and a tenor voice. 

The Mother's Soft "Good Night." Ballad. 

T. U. Howe. 25 
A nice little Song for the parlor. 

Day Dreams ; or True Love never Dies. 

G. W. FotUr. 25 
Tonching, with a pleasing melody. 

Wishes. (Wunsche.) Franz Aht. 25 

Thia la the firat number of a aeriea of Juvenile Po- 
ems aet to muaie by one of the beat living aong-writeis. 
There la such a eharm In theae little aonga, treating of 
nothing but flowers, btrda, Spring, and Winter, and 
almilar ol^ta, and such a frcahneaa and originality 
in the aimple music added to them, that they are treas- 
ured as rare and precious gema by all who like what is 
genuine and heartfelt in poetry and muaie. They an 
by br too pretty to be left to the young people alone. 
Many who are tired of the sickly tunes and ballads of 
the day, will find in these echoes from the "Spring of 
Life," a well full of the pure and refreahlng water. 
They are earnestly recommended to every lover of 
musle. Brerybody can aing them, and It takes but 
little flngera and Uttle praetiee to aceompaay them on 
the piano. 

InstrumentaL 

The Mormon War. Grand March. Rickseeker. 25 

A pleasing eompoaltion ; rather eaaj. 

Basket Cotillon, Campbells are Comin', Giri I left 

Behind Me, Blue-Eyed Mary, White Cockade, 

and Kinlock of Kinlock, arranged in an easy 

stylo by T. BisseU. 25 

Amateur players on the Melodeon or dcraphlna will 

And thia a superior collection of good tunea, useful as 

Inatruetlve plecoa, pleaaing for recreative leaaona, and 

adapted excellently for reed Inatrnmenta. 

Haimonskinder Quickstep. Burditt. 25 

A Uvely Quiekatep on Melodies firom Balfe'f Opera, 
"Four Children of Aymon," which haa been made fl^ 
miliar to Boaton muaie lovera by the fine performances 
of the Boston Brigade Band. 

Charlton Schottische. G. A. PaU. 

A well-written, pleaaing Sehottiaehe, with ao alabor- 
ate introduction. 



SO 



Booka. 

Mendelssohn's Four-Part Songs. Complete. 
With English and German words. The Eng^ 
lish version by J. C. D. Parker. 1.25 

The same, for Men's Voices only. 75 

This volume containa the whole of theae charming 
eompoaltlona of Mendelaaohn, being forty-three la 
number. Of these, twenty ««lght are for mixed vo ic es 
soprano, alto, tenor, and baw and the remaining fif- 
teen fbr male voioea, two tenora and two baaaes. The 
numeroua glee and quartet eluba throu^out the 
country will rejolee to be In poaseaaion of ao conven- 
ient an edition of some of the best and moat lovalj 
fonr>part pieces ever written. 







UMs 




mxul 





uS ii^ 



Whole No. 336. BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 24. 



For Dwlght'i Journal of Miuic. 

A New Acquaintance. 

(From the Brown Papon.) 

In the Spring a fine young fellow of some 
twenty-five years came into the village to make 
sketches for a popular pictorial journal. He was 
an acquaintance of our music teacher, and she 
sent him to me for information upon certain his- 
torical points connected with the subjects of his 
drawings. I conceived a great liking for him, 
and he has been much in the habit of spending 
his afternoons with me, chatting over his work or 
a cup of coffee and a cigar. He has the true ar- 
tistic spirit, as is clear both from the poetry he 
throws into his drawings, and from the lofly and 
truthful principles which underlie his conversa- 
tion. 

I like him, too, because, trusting his genius, he 
has struggled bravely along, overcoming all ob- 
stacles, and is by degrees achieving success 
through hard labor and unconquerable persever- 
ance. He devoted himself to Art in opposition to 
his father's will, who was willing to afford the 
necessary funds to enable him to go into any busi- 
ness which he would choose, but looked upon 
arUsts as a sort of genteel vagabonds. So he 
has had to work his own way. His name is 
Gary. 

" I rather got the better of father, in the argu- 
ment,'' he sud, when telling me the stor}% '^The 
old gentleman had been urging me to give up 
the crazy plan, as he called it, of abandoning all 
my excellent prospects of an honorable career 
and a competency, for the doubtful chances of a 
poor beggarly limner, and concluded by quoting 
for my benefit, * Children, obey your parents, for 
this is right,' and putting the question to me 
whether my duty to him did not outweigh all that 
I had urged in favor of devoting myself to Art 
•But, father,' said I, * haven't you omitted rather 
an essential part of that passage?' *How so?' 
*Why, I think it was thus, " Children, obey your 
parents in the Lord, for this is right." Now, it 
strikes me, that the Lord would not have given 
me my taste and talent for Art, to be buried in a 
napkin.' The governor laughed, and said, 'Well, 
perhaps you have the argument ; but, my boy, I 
have the bank stock.' 

'*We have always been as affectionate as one 
could wish ; but not a cent fixim him to oil my 
wheels, however hard ihey have run. So I have 
had to get along as I could, without proper in- 
struction. But I begin to see indications in plen- 
ty, that the old gentleman is, on the whole, not a 
little proud of his boy. It will all come right in 
the end, I have no doubt" 

The great object, the longing desire of his 
heart is, and long has been, to visit Europe and 
study in her noble galleries ; and certainly neith- 
er Mrs. Johnson nor myself are likely to cool his 
ardor in thb regard. I have no doubt that he 
will accomplish his wish, nor, if he does, that he 
win make a name. 

The other day I lent him some of my manu- 
scripts — ^^'Signor Masoni," &c. Upon returning 



them, yesterday, he said that there was one short 
episode in his own life, that, he thought, by dress- 
ing up a little, might be quite a story. Unluck- 
ily, however, there seemed to be no grand catas- 
trophe at the end of it 

**Well, then," said I, "we will have some coffee 
under the big elm, and you shall tell me tlie story 
like an oriental professional tale-teller." 

So as we sipped our coffee, and he wrought on 
a sketch in the shade, he told me the story, which 
I note down to-day, leaving the "dressing up" for 
a more convenient season. 

"I suppose you remember nothing of the small 
sign of a couple of wood engravers, not far from 
your ofHce, at the time you were upon that great 
New York newspaper ?" he began. 

"No," I replied. 

"Well, I was one of them ; for, getting discour- 
aged in Boston, I accepted an offer to go on to 
New York, into the office of a capital fellow, who 
was married there, and doing a very good busi- 
ness. Our room stood high in the world, in one 
tfenae — say four flights — and under my window 
was a sort of court — a receptacle for old hogs- 
heads, boxes, and rubbish of all sorts, such as is 
collected by grocers and small traders — an enliv- 
ening picture, and well adapted to arouse and 
strengthen the sense of beautjf in an artist — 
Across this space I looked down a stor}', into the 
back room of a building fronting upon another 
street, where a platoon of girls were employed 
by an extensive wig and hairwork establishment 
There proved, after a few observations, to be 
nothing very attractive to me there, and sitting 
with my back to the window, sometimes for days 
together I did not look out 

"One morning I was busy discussing some topic 
or other with my friend, and as we paced the 
room, we came to the window, and glancing down 
both exclaimed at once, as our eyes fell upon one 
of the most beautiful creatures that I have thus 
far seen in life. She was sitting at the window 
opposite, engaged in hairwork. She was of the 
dark-eyed, dark-haired order of beauty, with the 
very richest of complexions, her features not a 
little like those of the Dresden Murillo Madonna, 
judging from the engraving in your room. 

"At our exclamation she glanced up, and her 
eye lingered a moment upon me with a sort of 
half recognition, as if she thought she ought to 
know me, although I was sure I had never seen 
her before. This was afterwards explained. 

"Up to this time I had been heart-whole, my 
mind having been engrossed by my art, and my 
beau ideal never having appeared to me in the 
flesh. At this moment, as my eye met hers, I 
experienced that of which I had often read with 
a smile as being absurd. The sudden passion of 
Romeo and Juliet was now true to nature. Like 
the gasses in a receiver, all changed and combined 
by an electric shock, so it seemed to me as if, in 
the instant, all my hopes and ambition, all my 
thoughts and feelings, all within me, inteUectual, 
artistic, moral, or aesthetic, was transformed and | 



combined into one all-absorbing, longing, yearn- 
ing, burning love for that beautiful creature. 
Thousands have no doubt felt the same, but I do 
not believe that any one but he who possesses a 
vexy sensitive nature can feel it to that extent 
She at that moment was all the universe to me ! 

" I look back at myself tlien, sometimes, with a 
smile, oflencr with a shudder. When I read of 
the horrible crimes perpetrated by desperate lov- 
ers — men who have not the moral and religious 
principle to guard them in such moments of fi*en- 
zy — ^from my heart I pity theuL Wliy, in that 
one moment, all things in heaven and earth be- 
came of no account to me, in comparison with 
the delight, the joy, the all-surpassing happiness, 
which, as it seemed to me, even the commonest 
acquaintance, just sufficient to admit of formal 
social intercourse, with that girl would have af- 
forded. 

"For some days I could not work. My friend 
joked me upon my sudden transformation from a 
steady laborer, at my desk, into a * lover sighing 
like a furnace.' But I was in no humor for jok- 
ing. Who she was, what she was, whence she 
came— of all this I knew nothing — could think of 
no means of knowing. I knew merely, that 
plaiting hair, at that window, sat day after day, 
a lovelier being than, in my wildest flights of 
fancy, I had ever conceived. 

"At last I could bear it no longer. I had learned 
at school to talk with my fingers. I will try her 
with that, said I. A week, perhaps, had passed. 
I was early at our room, and saw her as she came 
with her work to her usual seat She glanced 
upward, and I bowed. She returned the saluta- 
tion very slightly, but ¥rith that incomprehensible 
look of half recognition in her face. In such a 
state of agitation that I trembled from head to 
foot, I raised my hand and began to spell out a 
question, the absurdity of which makes me laugh 
to think of it : 'Are you capable of loving ? ' 

" She followed the motions with her eye, under- 
stood them, and with a smile spelled in return, 
*Ye8.' 

**From this time our conversations were fre- 
quent I told her who I was, what my business, 
&c., but received no such confidence in return. 
I urged my request for an interview, but four 
weeks passed before she consented. Then, at 
last, she gave me a name and an address, and ap- 
pointed an evening. 

" However ridiculous it may seem — but I was 
very young then, and lonely there in New York, 
and very much in love — ^I had looked upon it as 
a thing of course to become acquainted with her 
and offer her my hand. But now, when I was to 
meet her for the first time, to hear her voice, be 
with her, and talk with her, a reaction took place 
in my feelings. A thousand suggestions of pru- 
dence came rushing into my mind — stories of sy- 
rens and soul-murdering maidens — doubts of her, 
natural enough, perhaps, but why not before? 
She smiled and nodded to me as she left her 
work, both encouraging me and filling me with 
new doubts. After my supper I sat long discuss- 



186 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ing with myself the question : *To go, or not to 
go. At length I started up, with the old saying : 
*Faint heart never won fair lady,* put a loaded 
revolver in my pocket, and soon rang at the door. 
"What folly I had been guilty of! The result of 
the visit was in the highest degree in her favor, 
and thenceforth I was much with her. My wild 
passion assumed a rational form, as I learned to 
know her better, for I found her possessed of fine 
qualities, which caused me to respect as well as 
love her. 

"In due time — or rather undue time — ^for I 
hurried matters, I suppose, 1 offered myself. She 
was violently agitated, turned pale and red, and 
at last, after a long and severe struggle, informed 
me that she was already engaged ! 

"AVhat I said, as soon as tlie shock allowed me 
to speak, I have forgotten ; but she buried her 
beautiful face in her hands, and with tears be- 
sought my forbearance. 

" *0, listen to me,* she said. *You already know 
that I am fram your own part of the country, a 
stranger without friends or acquaintances, labor- 
ing with my hands for my daily bread. Is it 
strange that I should have cherished your friend- 
ship, when I tell you that your extraordinary re- 
semblance to him who has the promise of my 
hand, first led me to answer your communica- 
tions fipom the window ? Those conversations 
with our fingers, begun on my part more for a 
frolic than from any other motive, became a de- 
light as var}'ing the cruel monotony of my daily 
existence. How much more delightful has been 
our acquaintance since we met, I need not say. 
I saw your feeling, and have not had the courage 
to banish you and condemn myself to my former 
loneliness. You have seemed to me like a brother, 
and — mercy upon me — ^have become to me near- 
er than one. Oh, forgive me !* 

"Whether I was the victim of artifice, or not, I 
cannot even now decide ; but I left her with the 
understanding that, could she honorably release 
herself from her engagement, she would be mine. 
I had 80 strong a feeling of honor at that time, 
that when she told me, afterwards, that we must 
part, or, at all events, that she could not meet my 
wishes — and when I read her lover's letter, and 
saw in it his all-absorbing affection, I resisted all 
temptation, and, regardless of consequences, I 
had strength to do to another as I would have 
had him do had our positions been reversed. I 
gave her one burning kiss, bade her 'good bye,* 
and left the house as in a dream. But I awoke 
by degrees to a consciousness of a misery, an 
utter loneliness, a despair, so acute in its agony, 
that I shudder now to think of it The world 
was to me one great blank. Since that time I 
have never spoken to her — have put eyes upon 
her but once.** 

Carey stopped here, turned to his drawing, and 
began to hum an air. 

"Why, man, that is not all your story, is it ? I 
am just getting interested. I want to know how 
you got over it ; whether the girl married Num- 
ber One, and all that,*' said I. 

" The fact is. Brown, in telling the story it does 
not seem to amount to much after all ; and yet it 
was of an immense import to me. As to myself, 
on leaving the house, I was, as I said, in perfect 
despair — ^the world a blank. I could not again 
go to my work. I could not remain in New 
York. Where to go ? What to do with myself ? 
California I Ho, for California! 



"I rushed like a crazy fellow to a relative, bor- 
rowed a few dollars, ran to my lodgings, paid my 
bill, packed up a few clothes, and thence to the 
boat, which I knew was to sail immediately. I 
reached the wharf, and saw her slowly steaming 
down the bay. It would be a week before an- 
other loft. 

"I crept slowly back to my office. I dared not 
look out of the window. I did not, although I 
had no reason to suppose that she would be there, 
having left her at home so recently. I sat down 
again, as in a frightful dream. I was alone, and 
the question went over and over in my mind : 
"And now, whither? whither?'* I could not 
think ; I could only feel. My mind was full of 
her beauty and my despair and the conviction 
that I must fly, as for my life. I sat brooding 
over the coal fire in the grate, and mechanically 
picked up a cigar from the table and a bit of 
newspaper to light it 

" 'Wanted ! Draughtsman, &c., &c., for a 
Western city,* caught my eye. The address was 
in Wall street. Down went the cigar. I caught 
my hat— down Nassau street — into the office — 
and in fifteen minutes I was under bonds for a 
year's service in a great civil engineering estab- 
lishment a thousand miles away. A hurried visit 
home to Boston, for I was too restless to stay any 
where long, and then away for the West, night 
and day, fast as the wings of steam would carry 
me. Pale, thin, haggard, with purgatory in my 
breast, I entered upon my duties. Work, work, 
work — every moment not occupied with labor 
was torture. Happily I was free from, any ten- 
dency to strong drink, and abhorred gambling in 
all its forms — else, in my condition then, I had 
been lost Week passed after week, and no re- 
lief. Would a time ever come — couid it ever 
come, when the wound would even superficially 
heal ? Could I ever again be at peace ? Oh, 
those nights ! Tossing and tumbling upon my 
sleepless bed until I could bear it no longer, my 
imagination calling up all that had passed in New 
York, and presenting me ten thousand foolish 
schemes, not one of which would bear the cool 
reflection of the morning ; then leaping from my 
bed, dressing, and hasting away to the lake shore, 
where I would walk back and forth upon the 
sands until sometimes daylight appeared in the 
East — then back to bed for an hour or two of 
restless sleep, then up and away to my work. 
Night, night, night within me. Oh, will it never 
be day! 

"But I \ras not to be allowed even the poor sat- 
isfaction of being far away, and thus freed from 
the danger of seeing or at least of hearing of her. 
The cholera was daily drawing nearer, and I com- 
forted myself with the thought that I was bound 
to stay where I was, could not fly from the dan- 
ger, and had a secret satisfaction in the thought 
that I should very likely be among the first vic- 
tims, in my disordered state, and so be at rest. 
The horrid pestilence came, but it avoided me. 
Oh, that I could die, was a vain aspiration. 
Men, women, and children, all around me fell — 
young and old, rich and poor, good and bad, the 
drunkard and the abstinent I was with the 
dead and the dying. I took my turn in the tem- 
porary hospitals, as waiter and nurse. I saw 
sights dreadful beyond description — but like a 
shadow, as I had ahnost become, I walked amid 
the pestilence unharmed. Thus some three 
weeks passed away, and the suffering and misery 



I had seen in others had a favorable efl*ect upon 
my own. 

" Now my employer was taken sick. He sent 
for me. To remain there, he said, would be 
certain death. Whether he lived or died he 
could not have the blood of his assistants required 
at his hands. He discharged my bonds, set me 
fi*cc, and ordci*ed me to return home. All busi- 
ness had ceased ; the destroyer's hand was upon 
everything. Work I must have, both for subsist- 
ence and as occupation for my mind; and so, 
hardly had three months elapsed from my depar- 
ture, when I was agiiin in my father*8 house — 
wretched, miserable beyond the imagination of 
any one who has never felt the same in kind if 
not in degree. But I must work. As nothing 
else ofiei*cd, I took a room and began to draw 
portraits, sketch upon wood — ^anything which 
would give me work, work, work. I took pay 
when I could get it — wrought for nothing when I 
could do no better. 

"As I look back now upon those six months, 
from my first sight of her at the window to the 
time when I was again at work in Boston, they 
seem like so many years — long years, too. This 
constant occupation, with the reflection that grief 
was useless; that what was done could not be un- 
done ; that the past could not be recalled ; that 
indeed all was over — began to have its effect 
upon me, in relieving and restoring my peace of 
nund. 

" Now, the desire to see him who was before 
me, and had been preferred before me ; to know 
how he prospered, and to learn something of her, 
began to make me restless and unhappy. I knew 
his name, and that in person we greatly resembled 
each other. But where and how to find him ! 

" In want of subjects, I had painted my own 
woe-begone phiz, and hung it upon the wall. 

" * Hallo,' said a visitor, one day, as he entered 
my room and cast a glance upon the pictures 
about ; * you have been painting Bigelow.' 

" * Do you know him ? ' I asked eagerly, for he 
was that other self whom I so much wished to see. 

" * Know him ! We board together.* 

" * Well,' said I, * that is not his picture — it is 
my own.* 

"'By Jupiter! so it is. But the likeness is 
astonishing. When he comes back to town 111 
bring him up. He is in Worcester county, some- 
where, but is coming down in the morning train 
on Tuesday.* 

" On Tuesday morning I was also in the train. 
I passed through the cars, and at length saw my 
man. Accustomed as I am to study faces, I was 
almost startled to see the remarkable resemblance 
between us. I sat down by him. How I intro- 
duced the conversation I do not recollect ; but I 
surprised him by calling him by name, and after- 
ward confounded him by talking upon his own 
afiairs, until, as he has since said, he thought the 
devil must be in me. I soon saw that she had 
never told him of me, and therefore of my ac- 
quaintance with her nothing was S£ud. Some 
days afterward he came to my room. During the 
interval he had written to her, and told her of 
the strange occurrence in the car, which had 
drawn from her some part of my story — but how 
much of it ? I know not how or why, but as I 
became intimate with Bigelow, and gained his 
confidence, the thought, vague and indistinct, 
arose in my mind, that he too might find himself 
deceived. There was, perhaps, something.in the 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1858. 



187 



tone of her letters, of which he read me passages, 
which gave rise to this suspicion. Well, one eve- 
ning I was walking down Washington street, near 
the theatre, just as the doors opened. Tlie pang 
that passed through and through me, told who 
that beautiful creature was, so elegantly dressed, 
leaning upon the arm of a rather foppishly dressed 
stranger, and just entering the vestibule. I stood 
transfixed. For a moment, all my love, all my 
despair, all my agony, returned. Then I thought 
of Bigelow. I went into the theatre; found 
their seats, and obtained one near them. Of the 
play I heard nothing. I have not the faintest 
conception what it may have been, for all my 
thoughts, during the hour I sat there, were upon 
the sketch of that stranger's features, which I was 
making in my drawing-book. 

** She saw me, and, poor girl, I knew by a hun- 
dred indications that her misery during that hour 
was as great as mine. She dared not allow her 
companion's attention to fix itself upon me, and 
by various means succeeded in preventing him 
from noticing me. When finished, I put it up, to 
her evident relief, and taking one ^ long, lingering 
look' — the last — of that beautiful face, I retired, 
and left her to enjoy, as she might, undisturbed, 
her company and the play. 

'* The first time I saw Bigelow I handed him 
the sketch. * Do you know the man ?' He turned 
pale, and fairly trembled, nor shall I soon forget 
the anguish of his tone as he said, * John Romans ! 
That man will be the death of me.' 

*' In a few words, she, whom we had so loved, 
was poor, was beautiful, was vain, and loved show. 
That she had cherished a sincere affection for 
Bigelow and for myself, I believe ; but a very 
deep one it could not have been. Such as it was 
she sacrificed it, to marry a man, who, as she sup- 
posed, was a man of fortune. In temperament, 
as in looks, Bigelow wonderfully resembles me ; 
and we have both, by degrees, recovered from 
the blow. Doubtless the experience is for our 
good ; but it was a hard — ^hard and cruel lesson 
to learn. Bigelow is engaged to a very lovely 
girl, not at all, though, like the old one ; but still 
he feels, as I confess I do, that it would be a se- 
vere trial to our equanimity to meet Mrs. Ro- 
mans, as her name now is. The last news we 
heard of her was to the effect that her husband, 
so far from being a wealthy man, is but an agent, 
with a moderate salary, and an indulger of ex- 
pensive habits. Poor girl I if this is so, how sadly 
in the end will she be punished for the agony she 
inflicted upon us 1" 

I have not seen Gary for some weeks, at which 
I marvel, until this afternoon, and tlien only for 
a moment I waA at the post-office, when the 
carriage, which runs to the railroad station in the 
next town, drove up to take the mail in, and 
there he was. He hailed me. 

" I have been up to see you," he said, ** and 
was greatly disappointed not to find you at home. 
I have something good to tell you." 

I stepped up to the carriage, and he, leaning 
down, whispered in my ear, " Brown, I am going 
to be married 1 " 

"Ah ha ! " said I, " another grande passion f " 

"No, indeed," he answered; "that was a 
flame — a consuming fire — more the offspring of 
an artist's imagination, than of the heart But 
now, my love is calm, pure, soul-satisfying beyond 
expression. Why, I am just the happiest man 



living, and I want to talk it all over with you. 
My governor is all right now, and is to give me 
the means of spending two, and possibly three, 
years with my wife in Germany and Italy. I 
shall be off in a few weeks, and you must be sure 
and come to the wedding." 

" But you have not told me who the bride elect 
is," I began to say, when a neighbor cried out, 
" Look out, there ! " and another caught me away 
from tlie carriage just in time to save me from 
the wheels. 

I am too feeble to walk much now, so I have 
bought mc a Dobbin. He is a steady old goer, 
and has a remarkable talent for standing. I 
asked the jockey, "Will he stand ? " 

" Stand I " said he, " he'll stand to all «tcrnity." 

Seeing me smile, he corrected himself: " He'll 
stand till all is blue," said he. 

This being satisfactory, J bought him. I have 
a nondescript vehicle also, low-wheeled, and with 
an entrance at the side; and Dobbin and the 
nondescript vehicle form my equipage, and I ride 
out in high state and grandeur. Leaving the 
post-oflice, I turned old Dobbin's head over the 
river, and made a call upon Mrs. Johnson, our 
music teacher. I loosened the check-rein, that 
the animal might crop a mouthful of grass ; and 
strictly enjoining him not to overturn the vehicle, 
to which he replied by a wink of the eye and a 
whisk of his stumpy tail, I went into the house. 

" Well, well, what is to pay now ? " was my 
salutation, for Mrs. Johnson's face was half smiles 
and half tears ; little Phoebe was sobbing. Sister 
Peters looked very grave, and Lizzy Smith, who 
was present, was both smiling and weeping more 
than all together. 

" What under the canopy has happened, or is 
going to happen ?".! continued. "You appear 
to be engaged in a feast of smiling and a flow of 
tears, as somebody does not say. Is this a house 
of mourning or of rejoicing ? Just give me a cine 
and I will join in either ? What is the matter ?" 

" We are going to lose Lizzy," said Mrs. John- 
son. 

" Lose Lizzy I Better blot out sun, moon, and 
stars 1 Lose Lizzy ! No, no ; it isn't so, is it, 
Lizzy ? " 

" I am afraid it is, Mr. Brown," said she, with 
a blush and a smile. 

" The truth is, Mr. Brown," said our music 
teacher, " some one has been purloining that dear 
little heart of hers, and she is to be married." 

" And who is the culprit, the criminal, the — 
the — ^well, there is ho adequate term to express 
it!" 

" You must ask a certain young artist, who has 
crept into our paradise, and stolen our loveliest 
flower. But he will return her again to us in two 
or three years, after she has exhausted the music 
and Art of Germany and Italy. And God grant 
them," added she, solemnly, "all the joys my 
husband and I had, a thousand fold, and keep 
them free fix)m all the clouds which shadowed our 
path." 

" Amen and amen ! " said I. 



Tnntlated for this JonniAl. 

Spontini in Berlin. 

▲ BEMINISCEKCB BT A. B. MABZ. 

(Concluded.) 

Such had SpoxTmi become, and such was he 
entirely. One cannot say that he remained 
true to his mission ; he was absolutely one with 



it, it was his whole life and soul. ' That there ex- 
isted at the same time quite other directions, and 
of a deeper import, was a thing as difficult for 
him to apprehend, as it is (in the bottom of their 
hearts) for all Frenchmen. It was not from van- 
ity, but from the necessity of his point of view, 
that he once said to Richard Wagner : " What 
is there that you would still compose ? Would 
you have Romans? there is my Vestale; Greeks? 
there is my Olympia; Spaniards? there I have 
forestalled you in Cortez ; in the fairy kingdom 
you find my Alcidor; in the Middle Age, Agnes 
von Hohenstaufen" In all this he was as little 
able as any other Frenchman to perceive that he 
was at bottom the same Frenchman under all 
these forms. During our, I may say, intimate 
and confidential relations, I had sent him my 
" Art of Song," in which among some character- 
istic sketches of composers, I had made highly 
appreciative mention of his own Napoleonic 
stamp ; he answered me evasively ; " Why do you 
compare me to Napoleon ? Is it in allusion to 
the disastrous end of that great man ? " So re- 
markably were self-consciousness and self-reliance 
in him blended with suspicion. 

In Paris he enjoyed the favor of Josephine; he 
was commissioned by Napoleon to compose Fer- 
nando Cortez; the Spaniards on entering undef 
a Napoleonic dynasty would be inspired by rec- 
ollections of their old heroic era, a thought soon 
abandoned when they raised themselves to a new 
one. When Josephine had to give place to 
another wife and retire to Malmaison, Spontini 
ventured, contrary to the will of the empe- 
ror, to seek to pay his court to her in faithful de- 
votcdness. Suddenly (so he has told mc re- 
peatedly himself) Napoleon stepped out from a 
side door into the ante-room, where Spontini 
waited alone. Que faites-vous ici f he asked in 
an imperious tone ; Sire, answered Spontini, que 
faites-vous icif Napoleon turned away at this 
allusion to his own inextinguishable feeling. 
Were the story nothing but a fancy of the com- 
poser, it would still be characteristic. 

But now he had come to Berlin, invited and 
received with royal favor, richly endowed, distin- 
guished by other princes and noble families, re- 
ceived with enthusiasm by the public, especially 
in his first works, and even honored in his last, 
Alcidor and Agnes. He stood now in a high po- 
sition, one of important activity, and yet free 
enough for great creations and for the comfortable 
enjoyment of life. He found the position suited 
to himself, and him to it ; he also found fruits (at 
least in the happy first ten years) quite corres- 
ponding with his self-appreciation. Was he con- 
tented and happy ? I scarcely think so. In the 
midst of all his activity and favor he remzdned a 
stranger, and that was felt. 

Above all, one must say it was not his own 
fault. No Frenchman becomes a German, comes 
to feel at home in our language, in our Art ; these 
remain strange to him, and their depth, like their 
excess of wealth, immeasurable. But least of all 
can so strongly stamped a character as Spontini 
come out of himself, as easily as those pliant half 
men, who know how to make their way in and 
through everywhere; even Napoleon never 
could go outside of himself. Probably this 
strangeness was the ever vibrating string, which, 
most of all, disturbed the harmony between the 
artist and the new world into which he had 
stepped. 



188 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



He was celebrated, honored, found enthusiastic 
admirers, often carried away the full house with 
storms of applause ; not a military parade, not a 
concert, not a court ball could take place without 
the melodies of his operas ; — only into domestic 
intimacy he did not penetrate ; there it was evi- 
dent he was a foreigner, a stranger. And quite 
naturally. What was peculiar to himself, the 
seat of his power and greatness, — the broadly 
laid out warlike splendor, the pathetic choruses, 
the scenic declamation of his recitative, was ex- 
cluded by its subject ; his love arias (and what 
associates itself with them) estranged by their 
thoroughly French turn of feeling. As the 
Frenchman has no word for GemUlh (soul), so 
with him tenderness, love, enthusiasm are differ- 
ently shaped and colored, more fine and elegant, 
but at the same time more external and uncon- 
sciously prepared for exhibition ; tenderly breath- 
ing even to weariness, nervously affecting even 
to sickness; but there is no wholesome heart-beat 
of a heart all inspired and quickened by an emo- 
tion ; one may recall in Chopin, Liszt, Berlioz 
(not to think of the cold, prim Auber, who never 
had such aim in view) hosts of examples of that 
national tone of feeling. Spontini, too, imbibed 
it, and it remained the ground-tone with him for 
this side of musical expression. Only in single 
passages did he raise himself (as Liszt has done 
also) far above the national limitation; as in 
the aria: Wiiste von Grauen^ in "Alcidor," 
and especially in a never to be foigotten passage 
in ** Nurmahal." Nurmahal and her lofly spouse 
Dschangir, are present at the feast of roses, upon 
separate thrones, both noble-hearted, mutually in 
love, but now divided by the secret torture of 
jealousy. Between them floats in airy dance the 
young, light-hearted, unobserving court, while 
they, each isolated in the festal whirl, give vent 
to their suffering in half-heard aighs. And still 
wider swells the tide of the dainty dance, shim- 
mering through the whole room ; gradually the 
choruses grow softer, they are mute, the orchestra 
is mute, — upon that primitive sound of infinite 
yearning (the seventh — e, d) lingers and trem- 
bles the last sigh of the loving pair — and then, 
in malicious opposition, storms and crashes in the 
song of joy renewed with the wild outburst of 
the full music. It is just these deeper traits 
which have rcmiuned most unobserved in compar- 
ison with the mere showy masses. 

It has been objected to Spontini, that he was 
no friend and furtherer of German Art I could 
produce various evidence at least of his admira- 
tion for Gluck, whom he praised as his forerun- 
ner, and from whom of course he deviated — as 
an Italian and a Napoleonides. But what re- 
semblance could we expect to find between the 
great German, who could devote himself so pure- 
and in quiet to his Iphigenia, a Spontini, into 
whose life the echoes of the Kevolution and the 
blaze of the imperial time had struck ! In that 
reverence and sympathy he was entirely nai've. 
With right good will, and (considering his direc- 
tion) with noteworthy forbearance, ho added in- 
struments to Armida ; Gluck, he thought, would 
have added them himself, if he had had them in 
his time. He gave me afterwards, in all inno- 
cence, a letter from a high (though not the high- 
est) hand to read^ alluding to the matter with 
this amile : the beryl is indeed a pleasant stone, 
but not to be placed beside diamonds. Spontini, 
with the strangest innocence, enjoyed the mark 



of attention without feeling the sting, or he would 
never have shown the letter. 

Did he understand and love German music as 
we do? What Frenchman or Italian can do 
that? What understanding is evinced by those 
performances of Beethoven's symphonies in the 
Paris Conservatoire, where they interpolated into 
the D major Symphony the A minor Allegretto 
of the Symphony in A major, because it was 
more " interesting " ? Could we expect an deve 
of the Parisian stage to overlook the scenic defi- 
ciency of so many German operas, or the want of 
striking characteristic, for the sake of the finer 
and (with himself not current) richer elaboration 
of the music, and other excellencies strange to 
him, as to all Frenchmen ? Have the German 
mufflcians ever forgotten his weaknesses but for 
the sake of his excellencies ? Why had they 
called in a foreigner, if they wanted wliat was 
German ? Surely, when a young composer of a 
rich and respectable family brought him (accom- 
panied by his very intelligent father) a firstling 
opera, and he seized the young man by the wrist, 
and led him to the window (he lived on the Place 
des Gcns-d'armes) and, pointing to the church 
tower, said : " Mon ami^ U vous faut des idcesy 
grandeSj comme cette coupcle ! ** (hly friend, you 
want ideas, grand, as this cupola!), it did not 
contribute to his favor in the great circle of that 
house. And when, after the FreyschiUz had been 
used, with the consent of the leaders, as a party 
manoeuvre, he resisted the production of Eury^ 
anthe (whose dramatic defects must have been 
more obvious to him than its great beauties), who 
will judge him too severely, considering how hfe 
had the ^eat school of rivalry in all its forms be- 
fore his eyes in Paris, and how he had felt its 
pressure on himself? Are then the German mu- 
sicians so magnanimous and full of help to one 
another, when they have to encounter dangerous 
competitors ? 

All that is past; whatever else he was, he 
surely was a strongly moulded character. His 
departure seem intended to disgrace him, through 
an ostracism wholly foreign to artistic matters, 
sprung from misunderstanding and intrigue ; — 
he could not bow to it and still less change it. 
But it behoves the people of Berlin, who have so 
often surrounded him with jubilations, to hold his 
memory in high respect. 



Violm Husio. 

Different Pieces tdectedjrom the Works o/ihefammis 
Violinist Cotnposers of the Seventeenth' and Eight- 
eenth Centuria ; witK Concertante Parts added to the 
original Text of the Authors^ and arranged for Piano 
and Violin. By E. M. E. Deldevea. Op. 19.— 
Paris, Richaalt ; London, Schott. 

It is long since a book so interesting as this hns 
como before us. It is long since we have seen the 
promise of a prospectus better fulfilled than by M. 
Dcldevez. who here proves himself a conscientious 
student of tlie old masters, taken in hand. Daring 
late years there has risen up into the world the in- 
fn^itnde of disowning our obligations to Italy, as the 
fountain of instrumental Art no less than of vocal 
diarm and contrapuntal science. This collection re- 
minds us how the great violin pIa3rerB of the last cen- 
tury were trained, since the absence of a name, which 
every one might hare expected to meet in such a 
book — ^that of Sebastian Bach — amounts virtually to 
the exception which proves the rule ; and Bach's 
violin music (let it be added) is not so much maf*ic 
for the student to form himself upon, as for the profi- 
cient to conquer. 

The tide of this work will go far to explain the 
amount of editing and amplification permitted to him- 
self by M. Deldevez. Most that he has done seems 
to us well done ; and as strictly permissible as the 
piano-forte part added by Mendelssohn to the Cha- 



conne of Bnch, or (to take a widely different example) 
our own Mr. H. Smart's accompaniments to Hanad's 
Chamber Duets. Since the art of playinjr for a fig- 
ured boKS has, compamtivcly speaking;, fallen into 
desuetude — since tlic science of ornament, formerly 
thonght an essential port of evcrv executant's educa- 
tion, is now disdained by the bald pedantry of mod- 
em formalism — we must allow for the individualities 
— for the too little or too much of those who note 
down the gloMCS and decorations, which every thor- 
oughlv trained musician ought to be able to make for 
himself— and, possibly, never twice alike. With this 
preamble we shall take leave of M. Deldevez, and 
go hastily through his specimens and selections. 

The volume opens, as such a volume should, with 
a Sonata f ICo. 1, Op. 5, by the sweetest, the most 
screne-tcmpcred of mufiicians — Arcangefo CorcUi — 
followed by fragments of his 9th Sonata (the tomb- 
stone Gigue included), and by the 7th Sonata from 
the same series. Rococo this music sounds, no doubt, 
to ears that prefer the freer forms of modem Art, yet 
its exquisite proportion and statciv beauty are no less 
remarkable than the variety of the ideas, if they be 
stripped of their old Italian clothing. Such a mel- 
ody, for instance, as the Sarabanda, in Ko. 7, would 
be fresh in any age of the world's music, — ^must have 
been little short of daring when it was written ; and 
some quarter-of-a-hundred more, equally clear and 
delicious, could be cited from works which are not 
here. We pass the Invena'one by Donporti, the Tri- 
estine amateur Aulic Councillor of the Emperor of 
Austria, for Geminiani's first Sonata, Op. 1, sixteen 
years later in date ( 1 716) than the Corelli specimen, — 
sixteen years more enterprising;, perchance, as repards 
display, — sixteen years weaker, certainly, in point of 
invention. Far.more to our taste (in spite of all the 
trills which onthcnticate its parentage), is Maestro 
Porpora's 11th Sonata — a truly grand solo in the old- 
fashioned style. Next we come to something yet 
more curious, the Aria by Scnaill^, (date 1726). 
This was one of the four-and-twenty fiddlers got to- 
gether by Lnlli for Louis Quatorse (whose number has 
passed into a by-word) — a Frenchman truly in this, 
that his music, though national, might never have 
been, save for foreign influences. The movement is 
tuneable, elegant, and graceful, of the family (though 
even more winning in melody) of the best harpsi- 
chord movements by Couperin. When we reach 
Tartini, however, we have, of course, something no- 
bler and moie definite, as befits one of the royalties 
of the violin. His Ist Sonata^ Op. 2, and the varied 
theme from his 12th Sonata, Op. 1, are among the 
crown-jewels of the collection ; the latter better worth 
taking: up by any violinist in want of a 8olo (and es- 
sentially newer) than the 'Rhapsodie of the moment's 
frcnzv, or the stale theme from * La Traviata,' dressed 
up with sixtT-times-told double-stops and arpeggi. 
Piano-forte pfavers will understand us, if we call it a 
' Harmonious 6facksmith ' for the violin. Locatelli's 
5th Sonata, Op, 6, (1757), is more freakish, but also 
more feeble. We are at issue, too, with the taste of 
M. Deldevez, who in this, as in another excerpt or 
two, goes out of the way to distress the accompanist's 
nerves, bv supporting a 12-8 movement in common 
tempo, 'iTie idea may have been to give an air of 
freedom and tempo ruliato to the «o/o / but put into 
execution by average players, it must work badly. 
The Allegro to the 9th iSbwata, Op. 1, by Somis 
(1722), niiprht have been written ivith the design of 
its being accompanied with full orchestra, bearing, as 
it does, no small resemblance to similar movements 
in the Concertos of Handel. There is more fancy in 
the Sonata, No. 6, Op. 5, by Ledair, the pupil of 
Somis, who died, by an assassin's hand, at Paris, 
1764, and who is referred to by all annalists and lex- 
icographers as an artist havmg largely influenced 
French music. ' La GavotU' and * Le Tambourin ' 
are excellent movements, both of them — interesting, 
as illustrating the inherently rhythmical tendencies 
of all French composers, whose school of music is 
built on the ballet, rather than on the poem. The 
" Tinna Nonna " (Lullaby), of BarbcUa, the Neapoli- 
tan, already transcribed (as the modem phrase is) in 
Bumey's ' History,' is charmingly quaint — a move- 
ment which may pair oflF with the popular * Boman- 
esca" brought into favor byM. A. Batta's violoncello. 

We merely name Mondonvillc, Stamitz, Zimmer- 
mann, Guerini, Cnpis de Camaigo (a Belgian, brother 
to the famous dancer La Camarf2:o) in passing : also 
the Adagio by Nardini (which, to our fancy, M. Del- 
devez has overloaded in his accompaniment). The 
1st Sonata, by Gavinies, is more to our taste, because 
more distinct in its featiures than t^njof the above, 
and because indisputably French. When we arrive 
at Pugnani, Sonata 2, Op. 3 (date, betwixt 1727 and 
1770), we find something like the florid adagio and 
allegro of modem concertos. A Sonata, by Anbert, 
another French violinist— an Allegro aUa Marda, by 
Nofleri— so sUtely as to make us wish for a better 
acquaintance with its writer— an Adagio and queer 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1858. 



189 



Rondo, by Lolli — an Aria, by Martini, lead ns on to 
tlie last, and twcnty-«ixth, composition included in 
the scries— a Sonata, by Viotti. Here we are on die 
ground of to-day ; in the world whore condiment is 
to bo considered, rather than the fare to be dressed — 
where ingenious brilliancy of passnge is brought for- 
ward per se, M the main object of interest, and where 
the humor of the singer is mtroduoed into the instru- 
mental melody. Graceful, delicate, brilliant, and rea- 
sonably well knit as tiiis Sonata is, it is, at the same 
time, so much more flimsy as music, as to mark the 
point at which thought and executive display began 
to part company. This make? the name of Viotti a 
proper point of farewell andyfnis for a collection such 
as tnis by M. Deldevez. — Atfienceum, Aug, 14. 



Verdi-ism on the Decline. 

The reign of Verdi, according to the European 
journals, is about over. No composer ever went up 
so much like a rocket, scintillated and flashed into a 
thousand stars, and afterwards came down into Cim- 
merian darkness, so much like a stick. The world 
fitty years hence will scarcely believe that we, the orig- 
inators of ocean steamers, sub-marine telegraphs, 
builders of big Opera houses, and otherwise ' posted' 
on matters and things in general, should have ever 
endured his excruciating music. There arc periods, 
occurring at long interval, when a sort of disease seizes 
society. It runs five, ten, or fifteen years, when 
a heaftliy reaction takes place, and we come back to 
primitive sanity and common sense first principles. 
Such appears to be the movement which now agitates 
the musical world. Donizetti and Bellini, aye, even 
Rossini, so long shelved in favor of Verdi and Mey- 
erbeer, are at length exhumed and pronounced worthy 
of production and admiration. CertainW this is a 
step in the right direction, and if we go larther back 
still, even to the days of Gluck and Ficcini, we will 
find operas that equal, if not excel, anything of these 
modern times. Wliy not fight over again the battle 
of the Gluckists and Piccinists ? Those who are well 
read in the history of music, know that ori^nal com- 
]^o8ilion has not advanced as rapidly as science with 
Its ocean steamers and ocean telegraphs ; that music 
is the poetry of sound and the revelation of thoughts 
too deep for words; that its origin is coeval with the 
origin of man — perhaps even before man made his 
appearance on this little globe. Nearly a quarter of 
a century ag^, one Mozart wrote " Don Giovanni," at 
which Italians have invariably laughed because he 
was a German, but which, by some hook or crook, 
still preserves its place even on the Italian stage, and 
will, for aught we know, till the end of time. Old 
things are not to be despised, and music is full of 
rich antiquities, which must some day or other see 
the light. An enterprising musical Ledyard, we 
trust, will soon turn up, who will dig away the black 
soil of forgetfulness wnich has so long covered these 
precious remains of ages more gifted in poesy and 
art than our own. 

No sagacious opera manager in America will often 
attempt to place Meyerbeer on the stage. His operas 
are written for rare voices, and witnout such they 
are miserable failures. Basso profundissimos, like 
Formes, can alone sing Marcel in " Les Huguenots," 
and Bertram in "Robert le Diable." Five acts of 
common tragedy are weary enough, but five acts of 
tragic music are enough to set any one crazy. Be- 
sides, it costs (and impresarios well know what we 
mean by this word,) a plum to mount properly one of 
his operas. The orcnestra and chorus must be 
doubled. Scene painters, scene shifters, and supernu- 
meraries innumerable must be called into requisition. 
Af^ all, what is it but a grand spectacle — something 
in the nature of an extraordinary display of fire- 
works, or a capital parade of the Seventh Regiment 1 
Music pla^s second fiddle to tableaux, thinking peo- 
ple are disgusted, children are delighted, and the 
manager is ruined. Bravo I Kick Bossini, Bellini, 
and Donizetti into kingdom come, and lot Meyerbeer 
rmle the roast. 

Mr. Buskin has labored very hard during the last 
ten years, to prove that Turner excelled all the an- 
cients and modems in painting ; and still dogmati- 
cally persists in endeavonng to cram down the wroats 
of the people, at the point of the quill, the idea that 
Raphael was a booby, Michael Angelo an ass, Titian 
a ninny, Murillo a flat, fand Foussm an idiot, in com- 
parison with his beau ideal. The throat of the world 
nas a marvellously small orifice, and Buskin's quill 
has not altogether succeeded in cramming over a 
morsel or two down our contracted gullets. Hifi^h 
art belongs to no century, whether in painting, sculp- 
ture, or music The compositions of the last twenty 
years have sent us back a considerable distance, 
which we can only recover by recurring to first prin- 
ciples, and the sooner we do so the better. Any 
quantity of thievery and knaverj wiU be nnyeiled, 
and much of the supposed originaLity of modem mu- 



sical composers will turn out to be, after all, but pla- 
giarism, a dye darker than Erebus. The music of 
the Present seems to be in a decline. The music of 
the Future we cannot pretend to understand. So, 
the music of the Past is all that is left tis. — New York 
Atlas. 



Boaio in Boston. (1848.) 

(From an article about the Opera Blngvn.) 

And, first, of the " bright, particular star," Signo- 
ra B0810, or " My lady Beaux-ifeux,** as some New 
Yorker wittily and aptly hath it. For, tliose dark, 
speaking eyes, at once innocent and arch, are full of 
soft light and beauty as a gazelle's. The Instrous, 
massive, jet black hair reminds you of Milton's 
"smoothing the raven down of darkness till 
it smiled." The face, small-featured, pure-complex- 
ioned, beaming with intelligence, and changing with 
the quick and subtle play of feeling ; the light and 
slender figure, at once lady-like and fairy-like, grace- 
ful, harmonious, spiritud in every motion ; combine 
with a rare dramatic talent, and a voice fine, pure, 
penetrating, flexible, and of a most vital quality in 
all its tones (it is a high soprano), to make a, prima 
donna such as we Americans have not before neard 
on the stage. The refinement of the woman and the 
verisatiUty of the actress are equalled by the thorough 
yocal scnooling of the artist. Her vocalization is 
faultless, her execution remarkable for ease and fin- 
ish. Her economy of her voice is indeed consum- 
mate ; in itself it seems but a fine, silvery thread of 
melody, yet, without overstraining, it is always ready 
for the most trying passages, and, as if by a spiritual 
reserved energy, it tells in the strongest and most im- 
passioned bursts. Bosio is evidently a musician, 
and not, like many a prima donna, a clever singer by 
rote, with a dramatic turn. You feel entire reliance, 
thercforo, on her artistic acquirement, as well as on 
her judgment and her feeling. All this completes 
and justifies the charm she exercises through certain 
of the higher and transcendent qualities of genius. 
She possescs the rare gift of imagination. You feel 
it in the versatility which enables her, like Madame 
Bishop, to enter into the very spirit and individuality 
of so great a range of characters, impersonating each 
to the life, be it a Zerlina, or a Lady Macbeth, or a 
Lucy of Lammermoor. We first saw and heard her, 
quite unprepared for what we were to witness, in the 
idacbetto of Verdi, and what was onr delight and as- 
tonishment to recognize, in that slight and delicate 
woman, the real spiritual conception of Shakespeare's 
teiTiblo heroine, as we had never done in any more 
masculine actress of the spoken drama ! In her Lu- 
crczia Borgia, it was the same sort of power, rendered 
the more interesting from the contrast of the demoni- 
acally strong and wicked character with the delicately 
strung instrument that represented it. It was a spir- 
itual creation ; it seemed like magnetism ; where the 
flesh seemed weak, the will was superhuman, and 
the visible weakness measured the invisible energy. 
As mere musical art, too, nothing could have b^n 
more complete and harmonious ; it would have satis- 
fied the composer. Again in another sphere of trag- 
edy, — the sentimental and pathetic. — ^nothing on our 
stage has ever equalled her Lucia. Here it was not 
the harmony of contrast, but of identity, between the 
assumed and the real person. The native delicacy 
and slight form of the actress, were just what was 
wanted. The maidenly, sweet, mournful music of 
the character was embodied both to eye and ear. 
Whom it came to the mad scene, which had been a 
failure and a maudlin exhibition with most of the 
operatic Lucias, she rose to a pure height of art and 
genuine pathos. It was beautiful and real; there 
was method, music, in the madness ; the sweet deliri- 
um was without drivelling and over-action. Here 
again yon felt the spiritual element, the trae poetic 
imagination ; it was like enchantment ; it had the 
strange fascination of a fine thing dreamed, but van- 
ishing at the rude touch of most attempts at represen- 
tation. And now, hear her in Mozart's dear little 
little peasant bride, Zerlina 1 Here the innocent, 
arch e^es are set in just the right head, and their tim- 
id, wandering, gazelle-like gaze is jiist in place. It 
would have drawn tears out of Mozart's eyes, to have 
seen and heard so perfect an impersonation of this 
little pet character of his. A nature of the utmost 
refinement, in peasant life and garb ;— just what the 
music of the part indicates it to bo ; just that did Bo< 
sio represent and sing. And how exquisitely sweet 
and true and expressive was her singing of that music 1 
It was the express ideal, the audible soul and vibra- 
tion of the insinuating, pleading Batti, hatti, changed 
to rapture with the success it felt quite sure of, and of 
that purest outpouring of the tranquil ecstasy of love 
in Vedrai Carino. Hear Bosio sine them, and yon 
will know why these two simple melodies are immor- 
tal. And here we recognize in her another test of a 



trae artist. Unlike Italian singers generally, she can 
subordinate herself entirely to uie music, and find her 
highest artistic pride and happiness in the precise in- 
tention and spirit of the composer. Mozart and Mo- 
zart's work, absorbs her, and she is too deeply, con- 
scientiously, and fondly occupied to be striving for 
effect with ornaments and common-place cadenzas, 
as if the prima donna were th^ main thing, and the 
music secondary. — J. S. D. 



The Sense op Beauty. — ^Beauty is an all-perva- 
ding presence. It unfolds in the numberless flowera 
pf the Spring. It waves in the branches of the 
trees and the green blades of grass. It haunts the 
depths of the earth and the sea, and gleams out in 
the hues of the shell and the precious stone. And 
not only these minute objects, but the ocean, the 
mountains, the clouds, the heavens, the stars, the ris- 
ing and setting sun, all overflow with beauty. The 
universe is its temple ; and those men who are alive 
to it, cannot lift their eyes without feeling themselves 
encompassed with it on every side. Now this beauty 
is so precious, the enjoyments it gives are so refined 
and pure, so congenial with onr tenderest and noblest 
feelings, and so akin to worship, that it is painful to 
think of the multitude of men as living in the midst 
of it, and living almost as blind to it, as if, instead of 
this fair earth and glorious sk^, they were tenants of 
a dungeon. An infinite joy is lost to the world by 
the want of culture of this spiritual endowment. 
Suppose that I were to visit a cottage, and to see its 
walls lined with the choicest pictures of Raphael, and 
every spare nook filled with the statues of the most 
excellent workmanship, and that I were to leam that 
neither man, woman, or child ever cast an eye at 
these miracles of art, how should I feel their priva- 
tion ; how should I want to open their eyes, and to 
help them to comprehend and feel the loveliness and 
grandeur which in vain courted their notice ! But 
every husbandman is living in sight of the works of 
a divine artist : and how much would his existence 
be elevated, could he see the glory which shines forth 
in their forms, hues, proportions, and moral expres- 
sion ! I have spoken only of the beauty of nature, 
but bow mucli of this mysterious charm is found in 
the elegant arts, and especially in literature ? The 
best bc^ks have most beautv. The greatest truths 
are wronged if not linked with beauty, and they win 
their way most surely and deeply into the soul when 
arrayed in this their natural and fit attire. Now no 
man receives the trae culture of a man, in whom the 
sensibility to the beautifiil is not cherished ; and I 
know of no condition in life from which it should be 
excluded. Of all luxuries this is the cheapest and 
most at hand ; and it seems to me to be most impor- 
tant to those conditions, where coarse labor tends to 
give a grossness to the mind. From the difiusion of 
the sense of beauty in ancient Greece, and of the 
taste for music in modem Germany, we learn that the 
people at large may partake of renned gratifications, 
which have hitherto been thought to be necessarily 
restricted to a few. — W. E. Channing, 



A New Pbima Donha. — {From the Moniteur.)-^ 
The last competitions both in comic opera and 
grand opera singing, has shown tliat the Imperial 
Conservatoire has trained some beautiful voices; a 
few still crade and hardly free from their native 
roughness ; others sufficiently cultivated to evoke ere 
long the plaudits of our leading theatres. First 
of all, we must congratulate Professor R<fvial, whose 
unprecedented triumph is well earned by his unremit- 
ting labor, indefatigable zeal, and unsurpassed efforts. 
I wo fint prizes, awarded unanimously, a second 
prize, worth as much as a first one, and an accessit, 
equal to a second prize : such are the results of this 
glorious campaign. In the ladies' class, the fint 
prize has been gained by Mademoiselle Angusta 
Thomson, whom the Op^ra is sure to lose no time in 
securing. She has a magnificent soprano voice, of 
excellent tone, great flexibility, purity, and vibration. 
She is said to he of Scottish origin, and has studied 
for twenty-seven successive months in Professor Rd- 
vial's class, to whom the success of this pupil is pre- 
eminently due. Madlle. Thomson sang, in a most 
admirable manner, the grand scena from the Hugue- 
nots, " O beau pays de la Touraine," In the Gentle- 
men's Classes, the flrst prize was awarded to M. Hay- 
et, also Monsieur R<^vair8 pupil, who gave the air of 
" La Fiancee " with great expression. In tlio Female 
Classes, next to Madlle. Thomson, who toto vertice 
supra est, a second prize was divided between Mdlles. 
BreuilM and Litschener." " We underetand," adds 
the North British Daily Mail, "that Mdlle. Thomson 
is the sister of Mr. James Thomson, the well-known 
Glasgow professor of the pianoforte, and that she has 
already been offered a handsome engagement at the 
Grand-Op^ra, Paris." — Lond. Mus. World, 



190 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 




'^— **~* " ''' «» »--"-" _. i - ii - iiii - i ii j i . ii .r i . ri .rL 

New York, Sept. 6.— Stepfani, the new tenor 
imported by Maretzek, has appeared in Rigoletto, with 
the most complete success. He is a noble follow, in 
every respect — with a splendid figure, a fine expres- 
sive face, a rich, robutto voice, and an excellent 
method. In the duet of the second act, in the well- 
known La donna k mobile, and in the quartet of the 
last act, he was honored by enthusiastic encores. He 
is a treasure, indeed, and it is a rich luxury to listen* 
to his full, manly tones, after having so long been 
accustomed to the sweet, effeminate pipings of 
Brignoli. 

The entire opera was well given. Mad. Gassier, 
as Gilda, exhibited more dramatic power than she 
has hitherto shown here. Signor Assoni made a 
passable Kigolctto ; and Miss Fhillipps, in the insig- 
nificant role of Maddalena, was better than any other 
representative of the part that has appeared before a 
New York audience. How much this charming 
young singer improves, and what a treasure she is to 
both public and manager ! 

In a previous letter I mentioned a Sig. Pxerxni, 
as a member of the new opera company, but attri- 
buted to him a tenor instead of a bass voice. This 
mistake the Musical Review of this city notices in the 
patch-work of weak parag^phs which form its lead- 
ing editorial, and like those learned commentators 

that Ttow 

la Homer, more than Homer knew, 

that journal assumes that Trovator had mistaken 
Mr. .Perring for Sig. Pierini, and more than once al- 
ludes, with a sarcasm intended to be wonderfully 
withering, to the supposed blunder. The Review 
further remarks that both the news of the arrival and 
the name of this Signor Pierini, are of Trovator's 
own manufacture, which assertion only proves how 
little the Review knows of the matter ; for a Signor 
Pierini did arrive a few days ago, and sings to-mor- 
row night nt the Academy of Music, taking the role 
of Basilio in Rossini's Barbiere. In mentioning this 
artist, in a previous letter, I fell into the error of at- 
tributing to him a tenor voice, but certainly never 
confounded him with Mr. Perring. So the blighting 
sarcasm and blasting irony of the astute Review Are 
quite thrown away — quite so. 

The new English opera troupe, conducted by Mr. 
H. Cooper, commences operations this evening at 
Wallack's theatre. The operas already announced 
are "Bohemian Giri," " Lucia," " Love Spell," and 
" Sonnambula." The tenor who rejoices in the sin- 
gular name of Mr. Miranda, has been much puffed, 
but it is said that he will justify it. 

Amodio, who, since he has married an American 
wife, has almost settled down into a regular New 
Yorker, is in town, and promenades most indefadga- 
bly up and down Broadway. He is rehearsing with 
Mme. CoLSox, of whose artistic abilities he speaks 
in the highest terms. Labocetta will be the tenor, 
and JuNCA the basso of the troupe, of which Colson 
and I>o W1LHOR8T are to be prime donne, 

Trovator. 

Philadelphia, Sept. 7. — ^Parodi's "Farewell 
Concerts " ! Parbleu I how often already have those 
deceitful words, upon the huge yellow posters, cajoled 
us into the fond hope that the ponderous prima donna 
was about to close her professional career in this city. 
How frequently, at stated inten-als, have the wicked, 
cruel newspapers hypocritically bewailed her depar- 
ture from our shores to fulfil some lucrative engage- 
ment in foreign climes 1 And voila ! when we pic- 
tured her to our mind's eye, vocalizing the Marseil- 
laise for the edification of a cockney audience in Lon- 
don, at that moment we are undeceived by the cruel 
posters, and discover her nearest to us. She may be 
in St. Petersburg, by report, but surely hovering near 
Philadelphia in reality. 



Parodi loves the Quaker City ; she kisses the very 
cobble stones upon its highways ; she smiles enthusi- 
astically upon the orphans of Girard College ; sighs 
pensively within the romantic nooks of Laurel Hill ; 
sings gratuitously for the inmates of the Blind Asy- 
lum ; rates the Academy of Music a ne plus ultra ; 
and vows Chestnut street to be the most magnificent 
thoroughfare in America. 

Eh, hien I Why not ? All capricious Italians an- 
athematize or glorify temporary places of sojourn, in 
proportion with their success therein. Believe me, 
most worthy Journal, I, poor beggar that I am, would 
be thankfully content with but a tithe of the golden 
harvest which she has reaped in this same city of 
broad-rimmed hats and shad-bellied coats. Small 
wonder, then, that Parodi should regard this Utitude 
as the veritable land of Beulah ! 

When, some years since, Parodi left the flickering 
foot-lights of the opera, and, by way of a concert 
repertoire, strung together some half-dozen Italian 
tit-bits, her lucky star at once shone forth with un- 
wonted brilliancy. Fate threw her into contact with 
Maurice SxRAKOScn, a very respectable pianist, 
and an exceedingly shrewd man of business, who 
engaged her for the varied fortunes of itinerant con- 
certizing. The success of the two was positively 
wonderful ! For nine weeks, at tlic rate of four per- 
formances per week, was the Musical Fund crowded 
with the ^ite and fashion of this city. Season upon 
season witnessed the same results. It was their wont 
(oh ! infinite tact !) to be here, invariably, early in the 
fall, and to open the regular musical season at a time 
when the ultra-fashionable world, satiated with water- 
ing place dissipations, gladly patronizes a more re- 
fined and less exciting species of amusement, — and 
when those whose avocations have kept them pent up 
in the scorching city throughout the summer, pine 
for edifying entertainment as well as for cool weather. 
Then, at the time of the falling leaf, tlie troupe was 
accustomed to wend its way toward the sunny South, 
and, after luxuriating amid the warm influences and 
gay pleasures of New Orleans, and other cities, until 
after the ides of March, they would return with the 
early swallows, and tender to us another series of 
concerts prior to the summer solstice. Once, indeed, 
the dear public grew rebellions, and vowed itself un- 
willing to endure any longer the some repertoire, 
limited as it was to " Jerusalem ! thou that killest," 
"Ah ! mon fils," " Qui la voce," and a few other 
cavatinas. What, then, did her manager? Shrewd 
Strakosch ! He appealed to that same patriotic and 
martial American spirit, which ever causes a gaping 
crowd to follow the stirring drum and fife, as the 
popular instruments squeak and rattle forth "Yankee 
Doodle," " Hail to the chief," &c., in the streets. In 
other words, the adroit manager, in lieu of placing 
a drum and fife upon the stage of the classic Musical 
Fund Hall, made use of a brace of Italian lungs, 
and used them to the same purpose. Identical was 
the effect. Crowds rushed to Locust street to hear 
their favorite Prima Donna shout foith "AUons 
enfans /" or " Home of de free ! " in the Marseillaise 
and in our own "Star-Spangled Banner." What 
distinguished these crowds from the gaping boys and 
the regiment of loafers who follow the drum and fife 
in the street, but position in life and a little odd 
jewelry ! 

" Heavens ! " said to me an enthusiastic individual, 
who then held high ofiicial position in the State 
House Row, — " Heavens ! how that woman did fire 
roe up with the last strain of the ' Star-Spangled 
Banner !' I shall take my whole family to-night ! 
Such music inculcates the right feelings, and expands 
one's love of country 1 It makes us better Ameri- 
cans." And so he went on sputtering, prating, and 
belching patriotism until you would have thought 
that his stomach held ten kettle drums and fifty fifes. 

Nor was this man solus in such absurd it}'. Thous- 
ands shouted with him, and paid tlieir dollars with 



blind enthusiasm for the stale Marseillaise and the 
much-worn " Star-Spangled Banner." Lucky Stra- 
kosch ! how fascinatingly he was wont to smile over 
the sea of up-turned faces, as he sat down at the 
grand piano, prior to commencing "Lilly Dale,Trcm- 
olo." Well might he smile; and how natural to 
select that self-same Lilly Dale upon an occasion 
when clap-trap reigned rampant ! And then Mad- 
ame Strakosch, whilom dark-eyed Patti of the 
earlier Italian Opera troupes, even caused the waves 
of applause to surge still higher when, half-demurely, 
half-roguishly, she sang " Comin' thro' the rye," and 
"Within a mile of Edinboro*." But, pardon me all 
this badinage, most worthy Journal ! My business, 
at tXe outset, was to mention that Parodi and her 
troupe are about to open the regular season here, on 
the 14th, to continue five nights. Harrisoh Mil- 
lard is also announced. We shall welcome him 
warmly, if he does not deem it a sine qua non to sing 
"Then you'll remember me." I have not the slightest 
doubt of the full success of the troupe ; and I wish 
them all of it, for, even if I never become unduly 
excited by Parodi's singing, myself, I know them all 
to bo a rather " clayver " sort of people, and indcfati- 
gably enterprising in their endeavors to cater accept- 
ably to the tastes of the public. On <///,— ^at Pa- 
rodi has grown rich ; if so, allow me to say, in con- 
clusion, — ^happy they whose genius lodges in their 
throats ! Mahrico. 



RocKLAWD, Me., Aug. 30. — " The Divine Art " 
is flourishing among us. Within the past three 
years, quite an advance has been made in Rockland, 
musically. As the rush and din of an overdone bus- 
iness has subsided, time has been afforded for more 
genial employments, and the flow of sweet sounds, 
ths attendant of a wise and wholesome leisure, forms 
a very agreeable change to the former state of things. 
The love of music has roused and strengthened, and 
a higher style ot music is becoming popular. The 
Mozart Society, composed of many of our best musi- 
cians, have performed very creditably some of the 
productions of the great masters. There are several 
promising musicians in tne bud among us, whose mu- 
sical capabilities are being developed under the care 
of Geo. D. Smith, teacher of the piano, organ, 
voice, &c. We have voices of fine capacity and of 
good cultivation, and the choir performances of some 
of our churches are worthy of mention. The Rock- 
land Regimental Band, perhaps the finest field band 
in Maine, through their own enterprise, aided by the 
liberality of our citizens, have recently supplied them- 
selves with a full new set of elegant and costly instru- 
ments at an expenditure of near $2,000. Remunera- 
ted by a voluntary and generous subscription, this 
Band has given us a series of out-of-door summer- 
evening concerts, attended by lai^e crowds of both 
sexes. Mr, Smith has afforded to our people several 
choice concerts, vocal and instrumental, of which the 
performers were all his pupils and amateurs. Ho re- 
cently brought out with great success Root's cantatas 
the "Flower Queen" and "Haymakers." Mr. 
Smith is not only a gentleman, but an accomplished 
musician, and a very successful teacher. Music is 
progressing rapidly in Maine, and, as philanthropists, 
we rejoice in it. Lex. 



BOSTON, SEPT. 11, 1858. 



Music in this Nuxber. — 1. Conclusion of the 
Cantata : Praise of Friendship, by Mozabt. This 
beautiful piece, consisting of chorus, recitative and 
arias, should be very useful in little musical clubs and 
circles. We commend it especially to college glee 
clubs, as it was meant originally for male voices (first 
and second tenor i^d bass); although it will answer 
well for female voices. 






BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1858. 



191 



2. A charming little " Song without Words/* for 
the piano-forte, from our friend Alfbed Jaell, who 
sendd it to us m a greeting from the midst of his Eu- 
ropean successes. It is one of Jaell's happiest little 
efforts ; but we do not quite fancy its long caudal 
appendage of a cadenza ; that is where the fingers 
get the better of the brain. 



Uusical Review. 

Among the recent publications by Oliver Ditson & 
Co., are the following : 

Spring of Life : a collection of JuTenile Songi, by FaAni 
Abt, English yenion bj E. Wiebb. 

Judging from the first number, which is called 
" Wixkes," and which is a very bright and taking 
little thing, with a dash of child drollery, Abt has 
hit a true vein in these juvenile songs. It is quaint, 
original and pretty. The subjects of the forthcoming 
ones arc " Snowball," " Postillion," " Spring Morn- 
ing," " Boatman's Song," " The Charmed Violin," 
"The Parrot," &c., &c. Some of The Germans 
make good songs for children ; they seem not to have 
outlived the fresh sense of wonder and drollery. We 
trust these little songs of Abt will prove so popular 
as to indicate a demand for some of the admirable 
ones by Tanbert, which arc at once childlike and artis- 
tic ; that is, they are poetic. 

Germania : New Vocal Oems from eminent Oerman eom- 
IKMen. 

These are short and simple melodies, mostly of a 
sentimental character, judging from the three before 
us, which are: 1. "The May Breezes," by T. 
Kreipl ; 2. " The Tear/* by Gumdert ; 3. " 
were I but a moonlight ray" by Kcecken. These 
are all of the semi-Itnliao order of German melody, 
not particularly original, but tuneful and agreeable. 

Forget me not: being No. 3 of Six Songs, by Wiixiam Sterjt- 
SALB Bbwubtt. 

Refined, delicate, and choice in melody and in ac- 
companiment, as we should expect from the author. 

Tke Flower Greeting: by CnRSCHVAif 5, being No. 6 of Select 
Trioe for Female Yoicee, pp. 7. 

A flowing sustained melody is passed from voice 
to voice, the others accompanying, in the manner of 
many operatic trios. An agreeable and not difficult 
piece for concerted practice, and kept within a mode- 
rate compass. 

Le Chemin du Paradis^ { The Way to Paradite) : a Ballad, 
music by Jacques Blumbnthal. 

This thoroughly French and sentimental ballad, 
here given with French and English words, had an 
immense popularity as sung in France and England 
by Sig. Mario, and is of a class sure to find many 
admirers ; one of those things that admits of being 
sung with great pathos and "effect." We have 
spoken of Italian Germans in music : but here is one 
who, for the time, at least, seems to have been trans- 
lated into a Frenchman. 



Uusical Cniit-Ghat 

The musical drought continues. The Promenade 
Concerts wind up their successful season in the Music 
Hall, with number twenty-five, this evening. Nothing 
looms in the immediate distance but Mr. Burditt's 
monster brass band and cannonade concert, which is 
to take place on the Common on the 1 7th, that being 
the anniversary of Boston and of the erection of the 

Franklin statue We have received from a 

friend, who resides in Florence, a curious memorial 
of EossiNi, in the shape of a sheet of music paper, 
which was sold with a quantity of others at the dis- 
posal of his effects, last year, at auction, he having 
decided to change his domicile to Paris. It was the 
remains of a quantity which an admiring nephew had 
had manufactured expresslyforthe composer, putting 
his portrait upon one side, as a water-mark, and on 
the other an inscription : All* immortale maestro,^. . . 
The New York Atlas made haste to correct its over- 



sight, in neglecting to credit the translation from Heine 
to our columns, even before it could have seen our 
reminder, in which we assure our neighbor tlicre w^as 
no " spleen " at all, nor any slight meant in the allu- 
sion to the " ex-scissor-izer," thanking him at the 
same time for his complimentary recognition of our 
poor labors. 

A letter from Newport to the New York Tribune, 
bearing Fry's initials, has the following : 

We have had several concerts here. The Brigno- 
li, the Amodio, singing of Italian angels and tem^ 
pests in their cors, the eminent pianist. Mad. Gracver 
Johnston, have all been at work. Mndame Gazzaniga, 
whom grief, in opposition to the Falstaffian theory, 
has reduced in size, is also busy here with increased 
success. Alhites, looking genial ns usual, and of 
customnry weight, has been assisting. Miss Abby 
Fay, a Boston young lady, with a voice equal to any 
part in an opera ns regards power, and with much ex- 
ecution, gnve a concert. The Catholic chapel, whose 
prominent pews are essentially diplomatic, has been 
illustrated by the operatic artists. Signor Brignoli 
sang exquisitely the intensest part of the mass — an 
" Agnus Dei " " Lamb of God, who tokest away the 
sins of the world, have mercy on us ! " — last Sunday 
to the delectation, and I tnist spiritual edification of 
a highly intellectual and brilliant auditory. If this 
were the place, I would describe what the moss is, 
viewed as a spiritualistico-a?sthetic symbolism, and 
how the efforts of great artists can setit off. 

Of the sea — of that immortal and infinite principle 
of purity which it enforces ; of the loveliness and 
strength which it affords to its loving disciples ; of 
the sublime beatings of its great heart, throbbing with 
the grandeur of the Creator — a molten world in mo- 
tion — a heaving universe of awful grandeur — let me 
not speak. 

They had just one taste of German Opera in New 
York last week ; but " one swallow does not make a 
summer." Willis says of it : 

The new opera company have opened under favor- 
able auspices at the Metropolitan Music Hall. A 
French opera, translated into German — Boildieu's 
admirable L& Dame Blanche (Die Weise Frau) — was 
given on the opening night. French melody of the 
choicest kind, wedded to a German perfection of de- 
tail and orchestration, renders this one of the most 
attractive of all operas. 

The audience was large and the performance be- 
yond expectation good. The Germans sang music 
that they liked and in their own language — of course, 
therefore, con amore. The heartiness of the perfor- 
mance, indeed, was a little overdone, causing the mu- 
sic sometimes to be a little more boisterous than nec- 
essary. The spoken parts of the |Xjrformance re- 
quired rather more rehearsing. The orchestra was 
very fair, needing a few more violins perhaps. The 
overture was admirably played. The choruses were 
given with admirable precision by a fine body of 
voices. Mr. Pickaneser, the tenor, has a good organ 
which deserved better training than it seems to have 
received. Madame von Berkel sang and acted very 
well. We regret, however, that she forces her voice 
so much. Weinlich is an excellent basso ; he also 
needs some subduing ; in the sextet of the second 
act there was some evidence of this. Herr Graff has 
a voluminous voice and Herr Lehman possesses a 
good tenor, round and steady. Madame Pickaneser, 
by forcing her voice, sang somewhat out of tune. 
These blemishes, however, were slight compared with 
the merits of a firist performance in which occurred 
no serious mistakes, dela vs, or fail ures. Altematingly 
with German opera a French company performs in 
the same place, affording excellent opportunity to the 
New Yorkers to ventilate their knowledge of the 
French language. 

— Since writing the above the new enterprise has 
been abandoned. 

At the quarterly meeting of our School Committee 
this week the semi-annual report of the Committee 
on Music was presented. The Courier gives the fol- 
lowing abstract : 

From it we learn that more than one-half of the teacher* ar« 
capable of instructing thdr pupils in as much of the elements 
of muric bji is required by the rules of the Board : and when 
the number of chanpes which are constantly occurring, by res- 
ignation or otherwise, is taken into account, and the under- 
standing that in all future selections of teachers, their musical 
qnnlification shall be duly considered, the time cannot be flur 
distant when the exceptions already alluded to will cease to 
eziMt. 

But one opinion is expressed by the teachem as to the influ- 
ence of music upon school discipline. Their united testimony 
is to the effect that it could not be dispensed with without a 
corresponding increase of disciplinary regulations, and that it 
exerts a soothing and healthnil influence orer erery grade of 
scholars, fh)m the youngest to the oldest ; orer th« Ticious, as 
OTer thoM wall disposed. 



The Committee have corresponded with instmctors of schools 
in other cities, in order to inform themselT<*j of the success of 
the systems there taught. In reviewing this correspondence, 
the Committee say that one striking fact appears to be promi- 
nent, Tis.. that toner ever music as a branch of common school ed- 
ueation has been fairly tried, popular sentiment, which is after 
all the only basis upon rrhich the superstructure of common 
schools resti, is entirely In Ikvor of it; and although its intro- 
duction, from ignorance or other causes, may have been op- 
posed at first, the experiment once fairly tested, iti strongest 
opponents have become Its warmest friends, and most anxious 
for its permanence. Its importance as a branch of common 
school education seems also to be recogniised in almost dlrec* 
proportion to the degree of attention paid to It among the othi 
studies of the Khool. 

The Committee recommend no change in regard to the prea 
ent course of instruction in our schools. They say that they 
have not been able to find anything in the methods pursued in 
other places, which they think can, with benefit, be engrafted 
on that which has been authorized by thit Board. Indeed, 
they find that in those cities where the greatest result*! are at- 
tained, the lenons of the mu«le teacher are given in the same 
way that is fbllowed here. 

We like to publish every example of the cultiva- 
tion of a higher taste for music in social circles. By 

a right combination of means, with a high aim, and 
a little earnest perseverance, how much may be done 
in almost every village ! A little club of young la- 
dies and gentlemen in Hingham have been in the 
habit of making a concert once a week, atone anoth- 
er's houses, through the summer ; each contributing 
at the piano, or with voice, her or his part to the pro- 
gramme of the evening, which is always regularly 
prepared. The selections are quite miscellaneous, 
but contain always a fair share of the best kind of 
music, such as must tend to mutual improvement. 
Here are tliree of them. 



tt 



July 22. Part I. — 1. Symphony, by Haydn, (ar 
ranged for 4 hands) ; 2. " Invitation to the Waltz 
(piano), Weber; 3. Extract from Lucia di Lammer- 
moor, Donizetti : 4. Extract from La Straniero, Bel- 
lini ; 5. " Spirit Waltz," Beethoven ; 6. " La Source," 
Blumenthal. 

Part II. — 7. Wedding March (4 hands), Mendels- 
sohn ; 8. Mazurka, &c., Goria ; 9. Minuet, Mozart ; 
10. Sonata, op. 26, Beethoven. 

Aufj. 12. Part I. — 1. Overture to Zampa, (4 
hands), Herold ; 2. Marcia Giorosa, F. Hiller ; 3. 
Prayer from Mose, Rossini ; 4. From Don Giot-anni, 
Mozart. 

Part 11.-5. Weber's "La.st Waltz": 6. From 



a 



Daughter of the Regiment ", Donizetti ; 7. Airs de 
Ballet, from Rossini's " William Tell " ; 8. II Desi- 
derio, Cramer; 9. Andante from Sonata, Op. 14, 
No. 2, Beethoven. 

Awj. 26. Part I. — 1. From Belisario (4 hands), 
Donizetti ; 2. Fille du Refjiment, Donizetti ; 3. I/un 
pensiero, from " Sonnambula", Bellini ; 4. Gondola 
Song (without Words), Mendelssohn. 

Part II. — 6. Sonata, Mozart ; 7. Aria from Ma- 
rino Faliero, Donizetti; 8. Brindisi from Lucrezia 
Borgia; 9. Sonata, op. 10, No. 1, Beethoven. 

These selections are nearly all instrumental. To 

make the thing complete there should bo a choir or 
Glee Club also organized in such circles, in which 
Mendelssohn's part-songs, and such longer pieces as 
we have been publishing in this Journal, could be 
studied and performed to the general edification. * 

The New York Mendelssohn Union commenced 
this week their rehearsals for the season with the ora- 
torio " St. Paul." At the Palace Garden, so called, 
they have music every night, under the direction of 
Mr. Thomas Baker,' the great feature for this week, 
now that there seems to be a prospect of a new 
" heated term," being a gigantic " Drum Polka," by 
the Dram Corps of the 71st Regiment. . . . It seems 
there is a Signor Pierini in Maretzek's Italian opera 
troupe, after all, and " Trovator " was so far right, 
and Signor Perring has not parted with his birth- 
right of an Engli.sh name like other foolish tenors ; 
only it is as a basso, and not as a tenor that the said 
Pierini comes. He has appeared this week in the 
serio-comical part of Don Basilio in 11 Barbiere ; 
Mme. Gassier being the Rosina, Sig. Gassier, Fi- 
garo, and Sig. Labocetta, Almaviva. 

Amateurs and artists of the violin will find the wav 
to something good in tlieir line in an article which 
we have copied from the London Athenfrum in another 
column. Organists also will see something to their 
advantage in an announcement which wo clip fiom 
No Velio's Musical Times: 

Handel's Organ Concertos. — Mr. W. T. 
Best, organist of St. George's Hall, Liverpool, has 
advertised his intention of publishing the first set of 
six oi^an Concertos composed bv Handel, adapted as 
solos for that instrument. In this edition the figured 
chords are to be filled up, and the claviers marked, so 
as to indicate practicallv the manner in which the ed- 
itor, after diligent study, has considered that these 
concertos should be performed. 



192 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 




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London. 

Close of the Opera Season. — Both opera 
hoases are closed for awhile, after a season of bustle 
rather than of eminent musical interest. The last 
cheap nights at Her Majesty's Tfteatre showed, by 
their empty benches, that the attraction of Mile. Pic- 
colomini has pajised its jsenith. This must always 
happen when a false popularity has been wrouj^ht up, 
and we imai^ine Mr. Lumley will find it difficult to 
sustain another early campaign at low prices, unless 
he mannas to find some new or real musical attrac- 
tion. Of Mile. Tietjens we spoke last week. Mean- 
while, the Roi/al Italian Opera has kept itself up well 
till the last, in spite of the difficulties belonging to a 
first season, and of the hintus in its company caused 
by the defection of Hen* Formes. On the novelties 
giren at either theatre — ' Lnisa Miller,' ' La Servn 
Padrona,' ' Martha,' and ' Zampa,' — ^there is no need 
to descant anew. It will be enough to record that 
Signer Verdi has made small progress in England's 
good graces this season, — and that our disposition to 
try French opera is on the increase. To sum up, it 
is clear that what is most characteristic as music, or 
else, what is the best performed, wins the day, whether 
at dear or cheap prices of admission. The more 
moderate these can be made no doubt the wiser, but 
that one good performance is better worth frequent- 
ing than half-ardozen bad ones, is a truth of which 
our opera-goers are more sensible than some have 
fancied. 

It is said that an attempt at opera in English may 
possibly be made during the autumn and winter sea- 
son in the now Co vent Garden Theatre. — Atkenaum, 
Aug. 14. 



We are indebted for the following to the Paris cor- 
respondence of the New Orleans Picayune, dated 
July 29. 

Ullmann is hero, keeping his agents (the Franco- 
Italian office) busy ferreting out good voices. Heav- 
en only knows what success he has, for the musical 
market is a present proof of the folly of political econ- 
omists who tell us the supply is invariably equal to 
the demand. There are nnfifled demands here now 
for a whole regiment of tenors, and none are to be 
found in the market. There are more black swans 
here than tenors. Here is the company engaged by 
the Italian opera for the next season : tenors, MM. 
Mario, Tamberlik, Galvani, Graziani (brother of the 
baritone) ; baritones, Graziani, Corsi ; basses, Znc- 
chino, Angelini ; donne, Alboni, Penco, Grisi, Nan- 
tier Didi^e, Rosa de Kuda, de Vienne. The new 
ballet at the Grand Opera, " La Sacountala," proves 
a failure ; people don't go to see ballets for the pur- 
pose of studying Hindoo mythology, and seeing the 
*< Old Hundred^' and the " Dead starch " danced by 
girls in short petticoats. 

The Grand Opera is very busy making preparations 
for the winter. It has secured Mme. Carvalho (Mile. 
Miolan of the Opera Comique) at the rate of 80,000 
francs (SI 6,000) a year, but for how long I cannot 
tell you. I shrewdly suspect, for no long period, as 
the composers and critics say she has not above six 
months of voice left her. Toe Strasburg geese died 
of dropsy, and the opera songstresses who attempt to 
make the human voice rival the violin and the nute, 
die dumb. Great luxuries are to be obtained only at 
great sacrifices. Mdlle. Miolan's voice was too thin 
to fill the Opera Comique ; I cannot conceive what 
she will do with it at the Grand Opera^nless the au- 
dience like homeopathy practiced in music. She will 
make her first appearance at the Grand Opera in M. 
Gounod's new opera, " Faust," she being Margaret. 
They intend bringing out M. Felicicn David's long* 
talked of opera after the New Year's Day ; they 
would bring it out before, but it seems the treasury of 
the opera has just enough money left in it to enable 
the opera to reach the 3 1st December, and it is de- 
sired to avoid a deficit. This new opera is now 
known as "Le Dernier Jour d'Hcrculaneum," bat 
it has a great many aliases, having been known as 
" Le Jugement Dernier," " La Fin da Monde," " Le 
Dernier Jour de Pompeii," and, I believe, the Fin or 
Dernier Jour of something else. 

The Opera Comique is quite fortunate. It has dis- 
covered two new tenors in the Medical School here, 
and anoUier in one of the Brussels Theatres. And 
as the latter (his name is Montaubry) receives 40,000f 
a year, the former thinks it much more profitable to 
pour music into people's ears than medicine down 
people's throats. Dissecting seems to have an excel- 



lent effect on the voice. This theatre has almost in 
its hands a new opera, by M. Meyerbeer, " Le PAtre 
de Comouailles '* ; The Cornish. Shepherd. MM. 
Babier and Cordier wrote the ** book.'' I question 
whether he will reap any advantage from breaking 
with M. Scribe. Tne latter, by the way, is angry 
with him on another score. M. Scribe wrote some 
months ago a Cornish " book " for M. Limmander, 
the composer, and it was alK)ut being given out to the 
artists of the Opera Comique, when M. Meyerbeer 
heard of it, ana by accident came to Paris, and by 
accident dropped into the office of the manager of the 
Opera Comique, where he heard of M. Scrilio's new 
piece. " You will, of course, have no objection to 
Its being played ?" said the manager. " As for dat," 
dryly replied the composer in his broken French, " I 
never gives advice ; out den I forewarns you dat if 
one Cornish piece is played before mine, mine won't 
be played in dis teatre." Of course M. Limmander 
was put aside for the author of " L'Etoile dn Nord." 
M. Duprez, once so celebrated for his lU de poitrine, 
gives every year about the middle of July, a concert 
at Isle Adam, a village north of Paris, of which he 
is the Mayor. It brings in to the poor some 1500f or 
1800f, which proves more than enough for the pur- 
pose to which it is devoted, there being but four pau- 
pers in his village, and they live quite sumptuously 
on the four handred francs a year be gives them by 
his concert. 

At the Op<^ra Comique, Gn^try's comic opera, Les 
M€prises par Ressemblance has oeen revived. This 
cam€die h ariettes^ as it is entitled by the Revue et Ga- 
zette Musicale, was brought out at Fontainebleau, be- 
fore the Court, NovemlHir 7th, 1786, and was intro- 
duced to the Parisian public on the 16th of the same 
month. It was very favorably received. Six years 
later, in 1 792, when public opinion had declared in 
strong terms that the incidents of the libretto were 
not well adapted to music, the Mfpriset par Ressem- 
blance was translated from an opera into a comedy, 
and produced at the Th^tre Montansier, under the 
name of Les Deux Grenadiers ; ou les Quiproqttos. 
This version of the original work held possession of 
the stage for more than tliirty years. The Op<5ra- 
Comique restored the music in 1822, since which 
time it has not been performed in Paris. Its present 
production, if not likely to make the fprtune of the 
theatre, will serve in the character of a novelty, of 
which the Op^rarComique stands in great need just 
now. Although Gr^try was in the zenith of his 
fame and powers when he composed the Mfprises 
parfRessemblanee, that work does not exhibit the same 
grace and facility as his Richard and tlie Tableau 
Parlant. At the Grand Op^ra M. Gounod's Sappho 
has been reproduced, " revised, corrected, and consid- 
erably diminished." The three acts have been con- 
densed into two. The principal parts were sustained 
by Mdlles. Artot, Ribault, Sapin, and M. Aymds. 
We cannot see anything in this to justify the tone of 
triumph assumed by certain critics who regard M. 
Gounod as a genius of the first water. If Sippho in 
its original form had been good, it would never have 
been degraded into a " lever de rideau." — Land. Mus. 
World, 



Zurich. — The London Athenceum says : A friend 
just returned from a midsummer holiday confirms the 
accounts in foreign musical journals of the success 
and interest of the Singing Festival which was held 
at Zurich, on the 17th, 18th, and 19th of hist month. 
The societies from many towns (some as remote as 
Strasburg and Innspruck) made up a chorus of 4,000 
men, and met in a large temporary hall, which, be- 
sides accommodating such a lOrmidable battalion of 
tenors and basses, contained space for an audience of 
12,000 persons. Many of the German kapellmeisters 
were present. Some of the idyllic singing was very 
good. The men of Berne got the first prize, those 
of Basle the second ; but our friend particularizes 
' Les Montagnards,' of Chaux de Fonds, as having 
" pleased the public the most," marking especially in 
the programme before us ' Le Chant des Amis, by 
M. Ambroise Thomas, who, if we are not mistaken, 
is of Alsatian origin. " The popular singing," con- 
tinues he, " was more or less a thorough failure. At 
the combined performance, well directed by Herr 
Heim, an amateur, the most striking piece was a 
Motet, by Bemhard Klein, although the fugue be- 
came very monotonous owing to the absence of other 
than male voices. The order was perfect," concludes 
our friend, " the splendid weather, the decorated 
streets and houses, tne firing of cannons, the ringing 
of bells, all helped to give liveliness to the festival ; 
and when I shall have forj^tten all else, I shall never 
forget the tremendous noise of gaiety in the Hall at 
the supper after the concert — a fortissimo more merry 
and vehement than I had imagined possible.^' 



ff 



Spttial Itolitts. 

DBSCRIPTITB LIST OF THE 

TEST :m:tjsio, 

PablUhed br O. DIsmb ic C«« 



Music bt Mar.. — Quantities of Munle are now wnt by mall, 
th« ezpenM bdng onlj about one cent apffre, while the eare 
and rapidity of transportation are rcmarliable. ThOHe at a 
great dlitanre will And the mode of convey anre not only a con- 
venience, but a aavlng of expenie io obtaining nupplleii. Books 
can alM> be nent by mail, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
This applies to any dittanee under three thousand milee ; be- 
yond that, double the abore ratce. 



Vocal. 
Beneath the Evening's last sweet Smile. 

Franz Schtd)ert. S5. 
One of Schubert** ehoteeet melodiee. A Bong fVill of 
pathos and dramatk ezproMloB, let to a beauttftil U^ 
tie poem of H. Hdne. 

The Dreamer's Song, (I think of thee at mom.) 

Karl Men. 25 
Pretty and touching. 

I am dreaming, darling, dreaming. C.P.Rodifer. S5 



The Betnni of the Tyrolese. 



Malxbran, S5 



In the palmleet days of this diftlngulthed vocalist 
■he penned a few light pleeee, wltti which to respond 
to the nightly '*Da Capoc" of her timnsported audl- 
eneee. They are few, but they are gems. The "Rat- 
aplan," with which Parodi and others have sufBcient- 
ly femillarised us, waa one of these encore i^eees. 
Thie is another: a light, brilliant Tyrollenne, con- 
eluding with a long, echo-like, meoa-voee passage, 
sure to bring down the house. The piece is not dilll- 

CQlt. 

Inatnunental. 

Guipure Waltz. II. A, Pond, 25 

An ea»y and pretty piece fbr study or amuftement. 

Jeannetten Polka. Kacerowshf. 25 

The form of the Polka puts the fency of the com- 
poeer Into such itriet and narrow limitii, tltat it is 
very rare, now-a-days, after Polkas have been written 
for nearly ten years, that anything tnma up which 
has an air of fkeshness about it, and stlU ii nothing 
bnt a Polka, made for people to dance by. This Polka 
has this something about it, this flow of life, and 
sparkling and light wreath of melodies which will 
make It known and popular as an '* orginal Polka 
again.'' The amogement is of medium difltenlty. 

The Dripping Well. A Revery. G<4lmick, dO 

It is related that Oollmick, one night in summer, 
was very much annoyed and irritated by an old well 
in his court-yard, which kept on running and drip- 
ping obstinately, all the time— now ritardando, then 
aeeelerando, now forte, then piano, changing time, 
tempo, and melody with a reetlwinem which was 
quite ezeraclating to the tired pianist. At last, as he 
lay there, and could not help listening and counting 
each drop, as it were, there began a melody to make 
itself heard in this trickling of the water, a quaint, 
eapridoui melody, gentle and strict sometimes, ttien 
starting off at a quick gallop, never ceasing, never 
resting. It went on a long while, and nobody to hear 
it but the restless composer on his couch. Of a sud- 
den it stopped, and with it the well ceased to drip. 
The tone-poet started; he had been chasing that mel- 
ody all the time, with all his senns. It did not escape 
him ; he threw it on paper that very night. This is 
the origin of that charming tone-chase, "Dripping 
WeU," as Qollmiek relates it himself. 



The Classic Glee Book. A collection of standard 

Glees, Madrigals, &c., from the works of Cal- 

cott, Horsley, Webbe, Stafford, Smith, Att- 

wood, Danby, and other celebrated composers, 

ancient and modem. 50 

This compilation has been made firom the works of 
the most eminent eompoeers. The muric has not suf- 
fered flrom the mutilating spirit of this progressive 
age, when every novice reeogniaas in himself the em- 
bodiment of all musical art, and undertakes to polish 
sunbeams and paint lilies. In this collection it is 
pure, unaltered, and such as its composer intended it 
should be ; and will doubtless be duly appreciated by 
admirers of the genial, hearty melodies of Old Bn gland. 




toiglt's 




0ttrital 





ustr* 



WnoLK No. 337. BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 25. 



For Dwlght's Journal of Moale. 

Cecilia. 

DT FAXKT MALORI BATMOVD. 
I. 

Throagh tho long night of time, thy puro lifW-ntoxy 
Btraunii like ttie mooobeain ia its Tirgin glory, 
Fair pearl, eneriiHted in a minoL quaint, 
Sweat maid, or iveetor taint, 

Cedlia! 

XI. 
From dewy hawthorn bower, when moming-blufhea 
Redden the air, aong-Rhalccn odor guahea ; 
So roM thy Ilfe'f hoart>incenae, prayer and fong. 
When Chriatlan Art wai young, 

CecUIa! 

in. 

Singing thy pfona matina. aoftly walking 
Through wooda where wind and loaf, together talking, 
T61d how the bright earth bloomed, and man waa bleaed, 
Hid Bden'i Taniahed reat, 

CeeUia! 

XV. 

With roM-erown shading eyes, ierene and holy, 

Thon wast more ftir, oh, meek maid mclanehtdy. 

Than Raftel, Titian, Dolcl, picture thee, 

Embodied malody, 

Cedlia! 

V. 
As o'er a tomb, the siWry lily slender 
Sheds a soft radiance, a quiet splendor,-- 
So doth thy gentle memory illume 
The cloister's antique gloom, 

Cecilia! 

Pour Letters from Beethoven to Carl Czemy. 

(Communicated from the originals, by F. Lntti.) 

That Carl Czerny, from his boyhood, to the 
26th of March, 1827, a day that excited univer- 
sal and profound mourning, lived on terms of un- 
interrupted friendship with the hero of music, is 
a well-known fact. During this long period, ex- 
tending over about twenty-six years, he received 
a great many letters from him. The earliest of 
these are, unfortunately, all lost; of the later 
ones, Czerny gave away the greater number to 
friends of his who were desirous of pos.sessing a 
specimen of the handwriting of the celebrated 
deceased, and thus, as far as I know, he had only 
nineteen lefL These he preserved as a precious 
treasure. 

Of these nineteen letters, tho following four 
will probably possess a very great interest for the 
musical public, especially for the numerous friends 
of Beetooven and Czerny, for which reason I 
now communicate them. 

The explanations which, for the better under- 
standing of them, I have thought it advisable to 
give, I nad from Czerny *s own lips. 

I. 

"Dear Czerny, — ^I cannot see you to-day, but 
I will come to your house to-morrow, for the pur- 
pose of speaking with you. I blurted out so yes- 
terday; I was yary sorry afterwards, but you 
must forgive an author, who would have preferred 
hearing his work just as he wrote it, however 
beautifully you played it in other respects. 

" I will, however, publicly atone for this, when 
the violoncello sonata is performed. Let me as- 
sure you that I, as an artist, entertain the very 
best feelings towards you, and will always en- 
deavor to prove it. 

" i our true friend, Beethoven." 

Czerny received this letter the day after his 
performing (1812) in Schuppanzigh's band, the 
xJ flat major quintet, with wind instruments, on 
which occasion, out of mere youthful thoughtless- 



ness, he had taken the liberty of introducing sev- 
eral alterations ; of increasing tho difficulties of 
certain passages, of employing the higher octave, 
etc., etc. For this he was, imnie<liately and just- 
ly, reprimanded with great severity, bv Beetho- 
ven, in the presence of Schuppanzigh, Linke,and 
the other performers. 

One alteration only — namely, the taking the 
ascending triplet-passages in the first movement 
in both parts, with both hands in octaves — Beet- 
hoven subsequently approved. 

The violoncello sonata, mentioned in the sec- 
ond paragraph, was tho one in A major. Op. 56, 
which Czerny, in conjunction with Linke, played 
the following week to Beethoven's entire satisfac- 
tion. 

II. 

" My Dear Czemy, — Let me beg of you to 
treat Carl with as much patience as possible ; 
though he mar not, at present, get on as well as 
YOU and I could desire, lie will, otherwise, do still 
less, for (but he must not know this,) his powers 
are too severely taxed by the bad arrangement 
of his lessons. 

" Unfortunately, this cannot be immediately 
altered, therefore, meet him as much as possible 
affectionately, though seriously. Things will then 
go better, under the circumstances, which are 
really unfavorable for Carl. With respect to his 
playing with you, may I beg you, as soon as he 
nas got a proper system of fingering, and keeps 
time, as well as plays the notes tolerably without 
mistake, then first to direct his attention to style, 
and when he has got thus far, not make him leave 
off on account of trifling faults, bnt to point 
them out to him at the end of the piece. Al- 
though I have given few lessons, I always followed 
this method ; it soon forms musicians, and this, 
afler all, is one of the first aims of Art, and is 
less fatiguinnr for master and pupil. 

** In certain passages, such as g a, f g, e f, d e, 
c d, b natural e, etc., I should like him, at times, 
to use all the fingers, as also in the case of d g, 
c e, d f, e g, f a, etc., etc., g e, f e, e c, d b natu- 
ral, etc., in order that d g may be slurred. Cer^ 
tainly d g sounds, as they say, ' pearled,' (played 
with a few fingers,) or resembling a pearl ; but 
people like, now and then, a different kind of or- 
nament More another time. I hope vou will 
receive all this with the love with which t intend 
it to be said and thought I have been, more- 
over, and still remain, your debtor. 

" May mv sincerity serve you, as far as pos- 
sible, as a pledge of ike future payment of the 
same. 

" Your true friend, Beethoven." 

III. 

" My Dear Czemy, — Please give this to your 
parents for my dinner, the other day ; I cannot, 
on any account, accept this for nothing. I do 
not, either, require your lessons for nothing, even 
those already criven shall be reckoned up and 
paid you, only let me beg you to have patience 
for the moment, since I cannot yet ask anything 
from the widow, and I have had and still have 
heavy expenses. For the present, it is so much 
lent The youngster is coming to you to-day, and 
I likewise, shall do so later. 

Your friend, Beethoven." 

Both these letters bear the date of 1815, in 
which Czemy be^an giving lessons to Beetho- 
ven's nephew, Carl. 

Czemy protested, naturally, against receiving 
any payment, not on one, but on several occa- 
sions, so that Beethoven's sensitiveness may have 
been excited ; hence the strange notion, contained 
in letter III., of wishing to pay for a dinner, of 
which, with his nephew, he had partaken at the 



house of Czemy's parents (who then resided in 
the Ilohei-markt, near the Breiter Stein). 

In how many instances Beethoven manifested 
a similar feeling of irritability towards his best 
friends is already sufficiently known. 

That Beethoven's idea, contained in letter 11., 
concerning the propriety of not stopping the pu- 
pil during the le&son, however correct on the 
whole, is liable to very many exceptions, since 
much depends upon the natural capabilities of 
the pupil himself, and that it was not carried out 
by Czern3', are a mere matter of course. 

IV. 

" My Dear Czerny, — ^I have this moment heard 
you are in a position which I really never sus- 
pected. Only have confidence in me, and tell 
me in what way many matters may be rendered 
more favorable for you (without any mean seek- 
ing for patronage on my side). 

** As soon as I can take breath acain, I must 
speak with you. Bo assured that I prize you, 
and am ready to prove this, erery instant, by 
deeds. With true esteem, your friend, 

" Berthovkn." 

In 1818, Czemy was requested by Beethoven, 
in a letter which the former gave, many years 
ago, as a present to Mr. Cocks, the music-pub- 
lisher, of London, to play, at one of his last con- 
certs in the Grosser ]^douten-Saal, the concerto 
in £ flat major, Op. 73. 

Czemy replied, in strict accordance with the 
truth, that, having devoted himself exclusively to 
tuition, as a means of livelihood, and having for 
many vears given more than twelve lessons a day, 
he had been obliged to neglect his own playing 
so much that he could not venture to perform the 
concerto with only a few days' notice (as Beet- 
hoven required). Hereupon, he immediately re- 
ceived the touching proof contained in the pre- 
ceding letter of the interest Beethoven took in 
him. 

He discovered subsequently, moreover, that 
Beethoven had exerted himself to procure him 
some permanent appointment 

Ballet Idteratnre.— H. A. Venna. 

To the frequenters of the Opera from, we can hard- 
ly say when commencing, to some thirty odd yean 
ago, and especially to the admirers of ballet ana bal- 
let music, tho al)bve-named gentleman will yet be 
well remembered. At the period to which we refer, 
Mr. Venua was tho young and able leader of the bal- 
let orchestra. He had studied music under able 
masters. At the Conservatoire he was the pupil of 
the celebrated violin player, Baillot ; was subsequent- 
ly instructed in composition by Peter Winter ; and 
he early became known as a skilful composer, and an 
able and graceful executant. There was a time when 
the " King's Theatre " rarelv produced a ballet the 
music for which was not supplied or arranged by Mr. 
Venua. Among these mav be named, " ^ine,' "La 
Paysanne Suppose," "TLo Prince Troubadour," 
" Le PAtre ct I'Hamadrvade," " La Forfit aux Aven- 
turcs/' but, above all, t)idelot*s Anacreontic ballet, 
"Zephyr Inconstant, pnni et fix€," the sparkling, 
graceful, and expressive music of which, composed 
by Mr. Venua, hnd an European reputation through- 
out theatixM and drawing-rooms, and may still be oe- 
casionally heard in the same ballet, under its name of 
" Flore et Zdphyr." The earlier days to which wo 
now refer were days in which constructors of ballets, 
like Dtdelot, HuUin, Armand Vestris, Deshayes, and 
their light-limbed and imaginative brethren, assumed 
rank as though they were the benefactors of man- 
kind. A glance back at old-fashionkl ballet litera- 
ture shows to us again these pleasantly-arrogant per- 
sonages writing prefaces to their dancing stories and 
dramas, with a grave, earnest profundity worthy of 
volumes on the longitude or essays on the different 
calculus. In most cases these introductory docu- 
ments lor manifestoes are signed after the style of the 
Peerage, — a single name giving force and dignity, as 



194 



D WIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



it were, to the peqjlcxinj? wisrlom and mngnificont 
i\<e and iilmse of words in the preceding prcfiicc. 
How proudly inode>t, so to speak, is the assertion of 
" HL'LLix,"'iu liis wotidcrful preface to the " Sultan 
Geu<5rcux/* that "jaloux de satisfairc hi noldesse, les 
pouscriptcurs, ct Ic puhlic, jc desire sortir du cerclc 
banal oU roulcut les idcvs de Ballet, et produire dcs 
scenes analojjues h I'esprit de la nation." How fine- 
ly di-Jcriminatin;; is this division of aristocracy, puIj- 
scrihers, and the ]>uhlic, of v»ljoni, it is thus 'jrcntly 
liinted, that they do not form a part ! How impres- 
sive the ohscrvation of ilul'.in, tliat ho is ahont to 
tread out of the vulpir circle in which hallet-idcas 
roll, and produce matter "analoiron:^ to tlie national 
spirit 1 " And then, this analo;ry is ilhistnued hy the 
very orij^inal conception of a shcplierdess attrai-tinp; 
the love and winning: the hand of the di-!p:ui<ed son 
of a sultan, who is nncommoidy an;rry, in a /kis dUtc- 
thn, at the news, cuts off the youu'r' couple with a 
shillinjr, in an indignant jms seal, and at last, learning; 
the viitncs of the lady, and convinced of her worthi- 
ness of beinj? elevated near the throne, by the p-acc- 
ful way in which she faints at the foot oif it, joins in 
a toucliins: pas dc trois of reconciliation ; and thus 
exquisitely terminates a scene suppo«ed to be analo- 
gous to the spirit of the British nation, in the year 
1819! 

As writers, there was as much difFerence between 
Hullin and Didelot as there was in their character of 
ballet masters. The former mixes up a vast amount 
of affected modesty with his pretensions ; the latter, 
conscious of ln*s jrrand genius, dai-es to assert it with- 
out reserve, and is not only Iwld cnoui;!j to exhibit 
the caprices of an astoundinjr penius, but also to majr- 
niloqnently justify them. We pass over Didelot's 
allusion, in the preface to his Anacreontic ballet, to 
his invention of an entirely novel aerial "flipht" of 
Zephyr, — but we are compelled to pause, with a cer- 
tain respect, while the incomparable master touches 
on the subject of his hrtvin<r re produced in Iiis new 
piece some " ideas " which lie had employed in a bal- 
let of earlier date. Ho has repeated himself, certain- 
ly, he says, and he hints that he is very condcscend- 
in<» in making any reflections ot all on this subject, — 
*' but," adds the splendid creature, "in repeating my- 
self, I have only resembled men of great talents !n 
more than one class of composition. Besiiles," he 
adds, " would it not be better to fall into this defect 
than to be guilty of plagiarism," (or "que de vivre 
de rapine," as the French text, m regard, more forci- 
bly puts it,) "like so many iii/en'or authors (* talents 
mediocres') who enrich themselves by the productions 
of authors while their own are of no value ? " How 
witberingly this must have l>een felt by the " inferior" 
English ballet masters, whose stolen ideas were put 
into gauze and white tights on the stajres of the 
Olympic and the Sans Pareil ! Decidedly, Didelot 
had, at least, the confidence of genius ; and Angioli- 
ni and Armand Vestris, the one coy and the other 
ardent, when they met in a pantomime of passion in 
a " bois agi-dable et une campagne riante." must have 
felt that they had been sent thither, wings, flowers, 
and all, by an unapproachable master in his art. 

We will only further notice in connection with bal- 
let literature of the old days of the King's Theatre, 
that from the original French and translated pro- 
grammes of what was passing on the stage, not a few 
of the audience took lessons in language. That they 
were exposed to take little by their lessons may be 
seen by an example which presents itself in one page 
on casually opening Fm Doubfe Epreuve — " Recevez 
cette ^eharpe," dit Mathilde, " comme un gage de 
matendresse" " El vous aussi, Joconde, ce medall- 
ion, sous appartient." " Le Bailli s'approche en 
tramblant," — four cnx)rs in three lines. The French 
of Sratford-atte-Bowe could not have been of worse 
quality. 

But whatever the quality of the letter-press, a man 
with memories of the gay and somewhat dissipated 
old times will not be able to turn oA'cr his collection 
of ballet-books without the feeling expressed in the 
half-roystering, half-melancholy song of Captain 
Morris : — 

'There's many a lad I knew, now dead, 
And many a laag grown old ; *' 

and vet a reference to the persons of the drama regis- 
tered at the head of each ballet of from thirty to fifty 
years ago, reminds us, that if the curtain has de- 
scended finally on many of the actors, there are not 
a few still living, and daily to be met with on the 
highways of London and Paris. Wo look over a 
heap of these books, and we see them set down as 
youthful gods and slender nymphs then, who are very 
corpulent old gentlemen and excessively rotund old 
ladies, with swelled legs and a shakiness'of gait. In 
times gone by, these waited to exhibit the graces of 
their forms and the mute eloquence of their panto- 
mime, upon the arm and bow of Frederic Venua. 
What says the rhymester, on opera wonders ? 



''And I have seen a troop of go<lR, 
(Ft n*ally was a si^ht cutrancii*g,) 
All mute and motioulesi', like clods, 
Till Venua's ardut set thorn dancing.'^ 

The years are manv since Mr. Vcmia withdrew 
from the public eye tliat used to greet him at the 
Opera ; but they liavo not been unprofit^dde years 
either to others or to himself. Since lie retired from 
the ballet orchestra he has been actively engaged, 
chii'fly a^ a in*ofcs>or of music, in the county of Berks 
and its vicinity. Occasionally wc have heard of him 
playing in the presence of Her Majcfity, at Windsor, 
ami at all the celebrated mu-^ical festivals his name 
has appeared among the lending executants. His 
])ublic career, as a professor, Mr. Vcnua brought to a 
close on Monday last, by two farewell (morning and 
evening) concerts, given* in the Town Hall, heading. 
This career is worth noticing in connection with our 
subject of ballet literature, l)ccnuse of its great suc- 
cess. Many a renowned professor has made wanton 
shipwreck of his fortunes ; bnt hero we sec a modest 
but able man realizing a fortune by industry and per- 
severance, and rallying nround him, at his leave-tak- 
ing with the ])ublic, a host of patrons, from Boyalty 
downwards, whose names or presence attested their 
estimation of the integrity and worth of the l>^ii(ffici- 
are. On the occasions alluded to, Mr. Balfc con- 
ducted, and the principal members of the tuneful 
choir who are to perform at the approaching festivals 
appeared, and sang or played their best. We do not 
pretend to report these concerts ; but we avail our- 
selves of the opportunity to congratulate the bearer of 
a name which is on the title-pa ;re of so many ballets, 
that his long and modest public career has been 
brought to so gratifying a close, and that health as 
well as fortune and good name are with him in pleas- 
ant companionship. — London Athenctum, Aug. 21. 



(From the Home Journal.) 

The Footprints of Music. 

From tho earliest antiquity to the days of the great king Solo- 
mon. 

BY IDA BERRY. 

The progress of music, to one who was clever, 

Might be a fit topic for rhyme ; 
Its date we can't tell, but have no doubt whatever 

That Tune is as ancient as Time ; 
For the angels rejoiced, at the primal foundation 

Of earth, as the clouds rolled away, 
And showed tlie fair face of the infant creation. 

Lit up by the newly born day ; 
They shouted for joy to behold what was done — 

W^hile, in transport at seeing fair weather, 
The planets commenced a brisk waltz round the sun, 

And the bright morning stars sang together. 

The folks, as we learn, were in Paradise leading 

A mighty harmonious life, 
When the Serpent, while Adam his carrots were 
weeding 

Essayed a duet w^ith his wife : 
This produced some harsh chords, and (of coarse 
witli good reason) 

The blame was laid off upon Eve, 
And having debated the case for a season. 

The lady was ordered to leave ; 
But to part from her, Adam was not such a fool. 

So he gave up his nice situation — 
And hence, we conclude, has arisen the rule 

To let discords prepare modulation. 

As people increased,' it might well be expected 

That ti-ouble and strife would begin, 
And wo find that where music was scorned or neg- 
lected. 

They quarreled and acted like sin ; 
But the singers in harmony still held their way on. 

And one day, to help them along. 
Tubal Cain made a harp for his brother to play on. 

And symphony thus joined with song : 
The oldest of instruments, then, we may say, 

Was the Jew's-harp — though Sawnie supposes 
The bag]iipe was first, and he swears to this day 

" By the piper that played before Moses." 

• 

When wrong and oppression of sundry descriptions 
The Hebrews had suffered, at length 



They got discontented, and left the Egyptians, 

Who after them marched in great strength : 
They passed through the sea, and, intent on pursuing, 

Their foes followed after, we're told ; 
But, before thcv well knew what tlie deuce thev were 
doing, 

Got shockingly wet, and took cold. 
The Israelites then — who at first view had thouglit 

All was lost, and were frightened to sec 'em — 
Beholding the mighty deliverance wrought ; 

Joined in chorus, and sang a To Deum. 

When the Hebrews advanced to lay siege to the city 

Of Jericho, that wits so strong 
That the citizens mocked them, and said 'twas a pity 

They'd have to lie round there so long : 
They'd no powder, nor cannon ; but Joshua, knowing 

The science of sound, gave command 
To make seven trumpets of ram's hoi-ns for blowing, 

And got up a sort of brass band ; 
They marched round the city each day, and full soon 

The pride of the scoffers was bumbled. 
For they played " Yankee Doodle " so much out of 
tune 

That tho walls couldn't stand it, and tumbled. 

The land being won, as tlieir chronicles mention. 

Of plenty and quiet possessed, 
They then to advancing tho arts turned attention, 

And music along with the rest : 
King David the pious liestowed, it is stated. 

On psalmody mnch of his care ; 
While Solomon, M-isest of all men created. 

Wrote love-songs, and sang to the fair. 
And having traced music thus far on its way 

So plainly, 'tis ho])cd none will doubt it, 
We here leave the subject for some other day. 

And for minstrels who know more about it. 



The Cable Day at "Trinity." 

From the N. Y. MurSeal World. 

We were among the probably verj' few persons 
whose steps were tending away from the city on the 
day of the cable-celebration. Wo had seen so many 
grand festivals of various kinds that the quiet charms 
of the countrj' seemed to have far gi-eater attraction. 
But, as we rode down Broadway with our travelling 
satciicl, we gradually caught the enthusiasm of the 
da}' to such an extent, that, before crojssing the ferry 
to the railroad depot, we determined to pcniuade a 
congenial companion, there awaiting as, to remain 
over and witness the show. Succeeding in doing this, 
we left our luggage in charge, re-crossed the fetryf 
and were soon in the whirl of Broadway again, the 
gay banners dancing brightly over our heads, and the 
grand tower of old Trinity looming superbly in view, 
with its English and American colors. 

" No possibility of getting a seat in the church 
after half-past nine," remarked a gentleman to ns ; 
and it was then after ten. Still Ave stopped at the 
church, and saw the imposing procession of clergy- 
men in white surplices. We hurried forward, and 
were fortunately successful in getting close to the end 
of the clerical line. The pressure of the croAvd be- 
hind was almost crushing, but we were among the 
fortunate few who were swayed into the inner vesti- 
bule just before tho order was given by the police to 
shut the doors. We were now, however, almost in 
entire darkness ; but chancing to know the geogra- 
phy of the place, we felt carefullv about for the handle 
of a side-door we know of, whicli wo soon found, and 
urging our companion hastily through the opening, 
we closed the door behind us and commenced ascend- 
ing a narrow, winding staircase. In a moment more 
we had entered the organ -tribune, and the whole 
grand display was suddenly before us. Around ns 
on every side* was the choir, and very near we soon 
espied our wfcll-belovcd Dr. Hodges himself, who 
welcomed us, intrudere as we were, with kindest hos- 
pitality, giving our lady companion an excellent 
seat. " The scene before us was pompous. In front 
of the chancel was a huge, gothic flower-screen, reach- 
ing nearly to the ceiling, surmounted by a cross, be- 
neath which was the inscription, " Glory be to God 
on high " (we wished it had read, " in tlie highest "), 
while behind the screen were the two hundred clergy 
in their surplices, a dense mass of human beings 
crowded every other part of the chureh. 

Dr. Hodges had devolved the subordinate parts of 
tlie musical service upon two ot his fonner pupils, 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858. 



195 



Mr. Wnltcr, of Trinity Clmpcl, and Mr. Hnntinjjton, 
of St. Thoiiuw, in onlcr that they, too, mijjlit have 
Fomo participation in po incnioralile a celehration. 
Mr. Wnltcr (who has imlMlK'd so mmh of tlic orjran 
style of liis lUstinjruislKMl prci-cjitor) was conchulin«? 
the voluntary as we entered. Thereupon an opcninjj 
anthem was sunpf, composed hy Dr. IIod;:cs on the 
occa.<ion of the consecration of Trinity in 1840, to 
the wonl.«?, " the Lord is in his holy temple," &c. 
The Veititf was a familiar one, hy Jones, conceminjr 
which a contemporary .states that it *' was much ad- 
mired i»y llaydn wlien he heard it sun;; hy three 
thousand childi-eu in St. Taul's Cathedral, London." 
Of the Gloria^ the same journal states, " that it com- 
mences with an ancient Jewish chant, supposed to 
have formed part of the Temple ritual ; the main 
points of the miLsic, however, were hy Dr. IIodp;es." 
The Te Dmm wiw also a composition by the Doctor, 
composed shortly after hin appointment as director of 
the music in Trinity pari.<li, and styled " The New 
York Scry ice." l^he concludinjr anthem was by Dr. 
John Clark Whitfield, to the 1.33d Psalm of TsalU^r. 

Tlie vocal performers of the occasion were tho 
nnite<l choirs of Trinity Church and Trinity Chapel, 
with yoluntcers from ** Calvary " and other choirs. 
The solos were sunjy by Miss Gcllie, Mrs. Bourne, 
Mrs. Hulchinjrs, Dr. Guilmctte and Mr. Dcane. The 
ladies sang firmly and expressively, nothinj^ appar- 
ently bcintr attempted but a plain and chaste enuncia- 
tion' of the text. Dr. Guilmetto distincruished him- 
self by a yery forcible and manly delivery of his 
solos. To a very fine voice, Dr. Gnilmettc adds the 
charm of a clear and distinct articulation, fit* from 
all mannerisms and blemishes of pronunciation — such 
as dis;;nise and mar the Enp'Hsh of too many 8inp:ers. 

On this occasion wo had fwsh opiwrtunity of valu- 
ing and wcij^hin^r Dr. Ilodn^es' peculiar handlintr of 
the organ. The Dr.'s stylo has a marked cathedral 
qtiality, possessing that breadth which is absolutely 
essential to effect in a grand, sonorous locality like 
Trinity Clmrch. The Doctor, too, has a certain de- 
cided Vi/>i.w/i/>— he carries a very steady helm, so to 
speak, which equally prevents his being curried away 
by the nataral excitement of a long-continued ser- 
vice, and is a ban'ier to all trivialities and improprie- 
ties consequent upon a little loss of musical equili- 
brium. This is partly habit, yte suppose, and partly 
constitutional. Naturally mercurial men would find 
it difficult to retain sufficient steadiness for cathedral 
effects. Two good points in tho Doctor's playing 
are his very eficctive management of the swell and a 
peculiar art he exhibits in his cadences : the " dying 
fall " of some of his musical conclusions being ex- 
ceedingly appealing. 

At the close of tlie service we obscr^-ed the Doctor 
winding his way through the labyrinth of seats, hold- 
ing in his hand what looked very much like Mother 
Trin's motiey-pouch, from which he dispensed a series 
of gold pieces to the singere — doubtless the good 
Mother's rewards-of-merit to well-deserving choris- 
ters. 

Harriet Hosmer. 

(From the SngliBhwonuin's Journal.) 

Bom at Watertown, in the State ot Massachusetts, 
in the year 1831, Harriet Hosmer is the only sm*viv- 
ing daughter of a physician, who, having lost his wife 
and child by consumption, and fearing a like fate for 
the survivor, gave her horse, dog, gun, and boat, and 
insisted upon an Out-doors* life as indispensable to 
health. A fearless horsewoman, a good shot, an 
adept in rowing, swimming, diving, and skating, 
Harriet Hosmer is a signal instance of what judicious 
physical training will effect in conquering even hered- 
itary taint of constitution. Willingly ns tho active, 
energetic child acquiesced in her father's wishes, she 
contrived, at the same time, to gratify and develop 
her own peculiar tastes ; and many a time and ofV, 
when the worthy doctor may have flattered himself 
that his darling was in active exercise, she might have 
been found in a certain clay-pit, not very far from the 
paternal residence, making* early attempts at model- 
ing horses, dogs, sheep, men, and women, any ob- 
jects, in short, which attracted her attention. Then, 
too, lx>th here, and subsequently at Lenox, she made 
good use of her time by studying natural history, and 
of her gun by securing specimens for herself of tho 
wild creatures of the woods, feathered and furred, 
dissecting some, and with her own hands preparing 
and stuffing others. The walls of the room devoted 
to her special use in the "old honse at home," are 
covered with birds, bats, butterflies, and beetles, 
snakes and toads, while sundry bottles of spirits con- 
tain snhjecta carefully dissected and prepared by 
herself. 

Ingenuity and taste, too, are shown in the use to 
which tho young girl applied the eggs and feathers oi 
the nests and birds she nad pilfered. One inkstand, 
in particular, a yery early production, evinced me- 



chanical genius and artistic taste. Taking the head, 
throat, wings, and side feathers of a blue-bird, an<l 
having blown a hen's e^rfi, she set it on end, forming 
the breast of t'«e bird, as it were, by the oval surface 
of the egg. while, through the open l)cak and extend- 
ed neck, entrance was gained to the cavity of the 
egg containing the ink. 

In fiu't, no one can look around this apartment, oc- 
cupied by the chihl and young girl, without at once 
recognizing the force and individuality of character 
which have since distinguished her. So U"uc is it that 
tlie child is father of the man. 

Full of fun and fmlic, numerous anecdotes are told 
of practical jokes [>erpetratcd to such an excess that 
Dr. Hosmer, satisfied with tho progress towards 
health and strength his child had made, and having 
endaavorcd, without success, to place her under tui- 
tion in daily and weekly schools near home, deter- 
mined to commit her to tho care of Mrs. Sedgwick, 
of T^nox, Massachusetts. Thither the young lady, 
having been expelled from one school, and given over 
as incorrigible at another, was accordingly sent, with 
strict injunctions that health should be u paramount 
consideration, and that the new pupil should have 
liberty to ride and walk, shoot and swim, to her 
hearths content. In wiser or kinder hands the young 
girl could not have been placed. Here, too, she met 
with Mrs. Fanny Kcmble, whoso influence tended to 
strengthen and develop her already decided tastes 
and predilections. To Mrs. Kemble'we have heard 
the young artist gratefully Attribute the encourage- 
ment which decided her to follow sculpture as a pro- 
fession, and to devote herself and her life to the pur- 
suit of Art. 

Justly or unjustly, nn anonymous squib upon Bos- 
ton and Bostonians was, about this time, attributed to 
Miss Hosmer, while a practical joke upon a physician 
of Boston was the immediate cause of her being sent 
away to Lenox. Her health having given her father 
some uneasiness, the gentleman in question, a physi- 
cian in largo practice, Avas called in to attend her. 
The rather uncertain visits of this physician proved a 
source of great annoyance and some real inconven- 
ienixx to his patient, inasmuch as they interfered with 
her rides and drives, shooting and boating excursions. 
Having borne with the inconvenience some time, she 
requested the gentleman, as a great favor, to name 
an hour for his call, that she might make her arrange- 
ments accordingly. The physician agreed, but punc- 
tuality is not always at the command of professional 
men. Matters were as bad as ever. Sometimes the 
twelve o'clock appointment did not come off till three 
o'clock in tho afternoon. One day, in particular. Dr. 
was some hours after the time. A playful quar- 
rel took place between physician and patient, and, as 
he rose to take his leave and offered another appoint- 
ment. Miss Hosmer insisted upon his giving his word 
to keep it. 

" If I am alive," said he, " I will be here," naming 
some time on a certain day. 

" Then if yon are not here," was the reply, " I am 
to conclude tnat you are dead." 

Thus they parted. The day and honr arrived, but 
no doctor made his appearance ! That evening Miss 
Hasmer rode into Boston, and next morning the pa- 
pers announced the decease of Dr. . 

Popular, both in his public and private capacity, 
half Boston and its neighborhood rushed to the phy- 
sician's honse to leave cards and messages of condo- 
lence for the family, and to inquire into the cause of 
the sudden and lamentable event. 

In 1850, being then nineteen years of age, Harriet 
Hosmer left Lenox. Mrs. Sedgwick's judicious treat- 
ment, and the motive and encounigement supplied by 
Mrs. Kemble, had given the right impetus to that ac- 
tivity of mind and body which needed only guiding 
and directing into legitimate channels. She returned 
to her father's house, at Watertown, to pursue her 
Art-studies, and to fit herself for the career she had 
resolved upon following. There was, at this time, a 
cousin of Miss Hosmer studying with her father, be- 
tween whom and herself existed a hearty cnmnraderie. 
Together the two spent many hours in dissecting legs 
and arms, and in making acquaintance with the hu- 
man frame. Dr. Hosmer having erected a small build- 
ing at the bottom of his garden to facilitate these 
studies. Those were days of clo«e study and appli- 
cation. Lessons in drawing and modeling — for which 
our young student had to repair to Boston, a distance 
of seven or eight miles — and anatomical studies with 
her cousin, alternated with the inevitable rides and 
boating, on which her father wisely insisted. 'The 
river Charles runs immediately before the house, and 
on this river Harriet Hosmer* had a boat-house, con- 
taining a safe broad boat, and a fragile poetical-look- 
ing gondola, with silvered prow, the delight of her 
heart and the terror of her less experienced and nn- 
swimming friends. The life of the young girl was, 
at this period, full of earnest purpose and noble am- 
bition, and the untiring energy and perseverance 



which distinguish her now in so remarkable a degiXKi, 
were at this time evidenced and developed. Having 
mo<lelled one or two copies from the anticpie, she next 
tried her hnnd on a portrait bust, and then cut Cano- 
va's bust of Napoleon in marble, working it entirely 
with her own liands, that she might make herself 
mistress of the proce-s. .Her father, seeing her de- 
voted to her snulios, seconded them in every possible 
way, and piT»po<ed to send her to his friend. Dr. Mc- 
Dowell, IVofessor of Anatomy to the St. Louis Col- 
lege, that she might go through a course of regular 
instruction, and be thus thoroughly grounded for the 
branch of art she had chosen. The young artist was 
but too glad to close with tho offer ; and in the au- 
tumn of 1850 wo find her at St. Louis, residing in 
the family of her favorite schoolmate from Lenox, 
winning the hearts of all its meml)ers by her frank, 
joyous nature and steady application, and securing, 
in the head of it, what she heartily and energetically 
calls " the best friend I ever had." 

Her independence of manner and character, joined 
to the fact of her entering the college as a student, 
could not fail to bring down animadversion, and many 
were the tales fabricated and circulated anent tho 
young New Englander, who was said to carry pistols 
in her belt, and to be prepared to take the life of any 
one who interfered with her. It was, perhaps, no dis- 
advantage, under the circumstances, to be protected 
hy such a character. The college stood some way 
from the inhabited part ot the town, and in early 
morning and late evening, going to and fro with the 
other students, it is not impossible that she owed the 
perfect impunity with which she set conventionality 
at defi.incc to the character for courage and skill in 
the use of firearms which attended her. 

Dr. McDowell, charmed with the talent and ear- 
nestness of his pupil, afforded her every facility in his 
power, giving her the freedom of the college at all 
times, and occasionally bestowing upon her a private 
lecture, when she attended to see him prepare dissec- 
tions for the ]niblic oties. Pleasant and encouraging 
it is to find men of ability and eminence so willing to 
help a woman when she is so Avilling to help hei*self. 
The career of this young artist hitherto has l)een 
marked by tlie warm* and generous encouragement of 
first-rate men, from Professor McDowell to John 
Gibson, and pleasant it is to find the affectionate and 
grateful appreciation of such kindness converting the 
temporary tie of master and pupil into the permanent 
one of tried and valued friendship. " I remember 
Professor McDowell," writes Miss Hosmer, "with 
great affection and gratitude, ns being a most thor- 
ough and pntient teacher, as well as at all times a 
good, kind friend." 

Through the winter and spring of 1851, in fact 
during the whole term, Harriet Hosmer prosecuted 
her studies with unremitting zeal and attention, and 
at the close was presented with a " diploma," or as 
we in England should call it, a certificate, testifying 
her anatomical eflliciency. During her stay at St. 
Louis, and as a testimony of her gratitude and re- 
gard. Miss Hosmer cut, from a bust of Professor 
McDowell, by Clevenger, a medallion in marble, life 
size, which is now in tho museum of the college. It 
is, perhaps, worthy of note that Clevenger and Pow- 
ers both studied anatomy under this professor. 

The " diploma" achieved, our young aspirant was 
bent upon seeing New Orleans before returning to 
her New England home. It was a season of the 
year not favorable for such travel, and, from one 
cause or another, she failed in inducing any of her 
friends to accompany her. To will and to do are sy- 
nonymous with some, and so Han-iet Hosmer, having 
set fier mind upon an excursion down the Mississippi 
to the Crescent City, embarked herself one fine room- 
ing on board a steamer bound for New Orleans. The 
river was shallow, tho navigation difficult ; many a 
boat did our adventurous traveller pass high and dry. 
But fortnne, as usual, was with her, and she reached 
her destination in safety. Tho weather was intensely 
warm, but, nothing daunted, our young fi-icnd saw all 
that was to bo seen, returning at night to sleep on 
Iward the steamer as it lay in its place by the levee, 
and at the expiration of a week returning with it to 
St. Ix>uis. Arrived there, instead of rejoining her 
friends, she took boat for the Falls of St. Anthony, on 
the Upper Mississippi, stopping on the way at Du- 
buque to visit a lead mine, into which she descended 
by means of a bucket, and cams very near an acci- 
dent which must inevitably have resulted fatally ; a 
catastrophe which, as no one knew where she was, 
would probably have remained a secret forever. At 
the Falls of ^t. Anthony she went among the In- 
dians, much to their suqirise and amusement, and 
brought away with her a pipe, presented by the chief 
in token of amity. She also achieved the ascent of a 
mountain, never before undertaken by a female, and 
so delighted were the spectators with her courage and 
agility, that thcjr insisted upon knowing her name, 
that the mountam might thenceforth be called after 



196 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



her. In a visit to St. Loais, Inst summer, MIim Hos- 
mer fonnd that her mstic admiron had been as /;ood 
as their word, and " Hosmer's Heip:ht " remains in 
evidence of " the little lady's " ambition and coura^*. 

On her rctnm to St. Louis, where her prolon^^d 
absence had created no little uneaAiness, she remained 
but A short time, and, bidding farewell to her kind 
friends, retraced her steps homeward. 

This was in the summer of 1851. No sooner had 
Harriet Ilosmer reached home than she set to work 
to model an ideal bust of Hcspor, continuing; her an- 
atomical studies with her cousin, and employing her 
intervals of leisure and rest in reading, writing, and 
boating. Now followed a period of earnest work, 
citeered and inspired by those visions of success, of 
purpose fulfilled, of high aims realized, which haunt 
the young and enthusiastic aspirant, and throw a halo 
round the youthful days of genius which lends a color 
to the whole career. As Lowell wisely and poetically 
says : 

** Qnat drMois pfwlude law enda." 

Better to aspire and fail than not aspire at all. Bet- 
ter to know the dream and the fever, and the awak- 
ening, if it must be, than to pass from the cradle to 
the grave on the level plane of content with things as 
they are. There may be aspiration without genius, 
there cannot be genius without aspiration ; and where 
genius is backed by industry and perseverance, the 
aspiration of one period will meet its realization in 
another. 

To go to Rome, to make herself aequflinted with 
all the treasures of art, ancient and modem, to study 
and work as the masters of botti periods had studied 
and worked before her, this was now our youthfnl ar- 
tist's ambition, and all the while she labored, heart 
and soul, at Hesper, the first creation of her genius, 
watching its growth beneath her hand, as a young 
mother watches step by step the progress of her first- 
born ; kneading in with the plastic clay all those 
thousand hopes and fears, which turn by turn charm 
and agitate all who aspire. At length, the clay mod- 
el finished, a block of marble was sought and found, 
and brought home to the shed in the garden, hitherto 
appropriated to dissecting pnrposes, but now fitted up 
as a studio. Here, with tier own small hands, the 
youthful maiden, short of stature, and delicate in 
make, anything but robust in health, with chisel and 
mallet blocked out the bust, and subsequently, with 
rasp and file, finished it to the last degree of manipu- 
lative perfection. Months and months it took, and 
hours and days of quiet toil and patience, but those 
wings of genius, perseverance and industry, were 
hers, and love lent zest to the work. It was late sum- 
mer in 1852 before Hesper was fully completed. 

*' Now," said its author to her Ibther, " I am ready 
to go to Rome." 

''And go you shall, my child, this very autumn/' 
was the reply. 

Anxious as Dr. Hosmer was to facilitate in every 
way the career his daughter had cho?<en, there was yet 
another reason for going to Italy before winter set in. 
Study and nervous anxiety had made tlieir impression 
upon a natnrally delicate constitution, and a short dry 
cough alarmed the worthy doctor for his child's 
health. 

October of 1852 saw father and daughter on their 
way to P^uropo, the St. Louis diploma and daguerre- 
otype of Hesper being carefully stowed away in the 
safest comer of the portmanteau, as evidence of what 
the young artist had already achieved, when, arrived 
at Kome, she shonld seek the instraction of one or 
two masters, whose fame, world-wide, could alone 
satisfy our aspirant's ambition. So eager was her 
desire to reach Rome that a week only was given to 
England, when, joining some friends in Paris, the 
whole party proceeded to Rome, arriving in the 
Eternal City on the evening of November 12, 1852. 

Within two days the daguerreotypes were phiced 
in the hands of Mr. Gibson, as ho sat at breakfast in 
the Cafd Greco, a famous place of resort for artists. 

Now, bo it known as a caution to women not to 
enter lightly upon any career, to throw it up as lightly 
upon the first difficulty which ari^^es, that a prejudice 
existed in Rome against lady artists, from the preten- 
sions with which some had repaired thither, and upon 
which they had succeeded in gaining access to some 
of the best studios and instruction from their masters, 
to throw these valuable opportunities aside at the first 
obstacle that arose. Mr. Gibson had himself, it was 
stated, been thus victimized and annojred, and it was 
represented to Miss Hosmer as doubtful in the ex- 
treme if he would either look at the daguerreotype or 
listen to the proposal of her becoming his pupil. 
However, the daguerreotypes were placed before him, 
and, taking them into his fiands, one presenting a full 
and the other a profile view of the bust, ho sat some 
minutes in silence, looking intently at diem. Encour- 
aged by this, the young sculptor who had undertaken 
to present them proceeded to explain Miss Hosmer's 
intentions and wishes, what she had already done, and 



what she hoped to do. Still Mr. Gibson remained 
silent. Finally, closing the case, 

" Send the young lady to me," said he, " and what- 
ever I know and can teach her she shall learn." 

In less than a week Harriet Hosmer was fairly in- 
stalled in Mr. Gibson's studio, in the upstairs room 
we have already described, and where she still is, 
though rapidly o'ntgrowing the space allotted to her. 
It in diflUcuIt, however, for master and pupil, or, we 
should rather say, for the two friends, to part ; for, 
spite of the difference of years, or perhaps in conse- 
quence of it, a tmly paternal and filial affection has 
sprang up between the two, a source of great happi- 
ness to themselves, and of pleasure and amusement 
to all who know and value them, from the curious 
likeness, yet nnlikencss. which existed from the first 
in Miss Homer to Mr. Gibson, and which daily inter- 
conrse has not tended to lessen. 

The first winter in Rome was passed in modelling 
firom the antique, Mr. Gibson desiring to assure him- 
self of the correctness of Miss Hosmer's eye, and the 
soundness of her knowledge, Hesper evincing the pos- 
session of the imaginative and creative power. 
From the first, Mr. Gibson expressed himself more 
dian satisfied with her power of imitating the round- 
ness and softness of flesh, saying, upon one occasion, 
that he had never seen it surpassed, and not often 
equalled. 

Her first attempt at original design in Rome was a 
bnst of Daphne, quickly succeeded by another of the 
Medusa — the beautiful Medusa— and a lovely thing 
it is, faultless in form, and intense in its expression of 
horror and agony, without trenching on the physically 
painful. 

We have already spoken of the warm friend Miss 
Hosmer made for herself, during her winter at St. 
Louis, in the head of a family at whose house she 
was a guest. This gentleman, as a God-speed to the 
young artist on her journey to Rome, sent her, on the 
eve of departure, an order to a largo amount for the 
first figure she should model, leaving her entirely free 
to select her own time and subject. A statue of 
(Enone was the result, which is now in the house of 
Mr. Crow, at St. Louis and which gave such satisfac- 
tion to its possessor and his fellow-townsmen that an 
order was forwarded to Miss Hosmer for a statue for 
the Public Library at St Louis, on the same liberal 
and considerate terms. Beatrice Cenei, exhibited at 
the Royal Academy last year, and which won so 
many golden opinions from critics and connoisseurs, 
was on its way to St. Louis, in fulfilment of tiiis 
order. 

The summers in Rome are, every one knows, try- 
ing to the natives, and fiill of danger to foreigners. 
Dr. Hosmer having seen his daughter finally settled, 
returned to America, leaving her with strict injunction 
to reek some salubrious spot in the neighboring moun- 
tains for the summer, if indeed she did not go into 
Switzerland or England. Rome, however, was the 
centre of attraction ; and, after the first season, which 
was spent at Sorrento, on the bay of Naples, Miss 
Hosmer could not be prevailed upon to go out of 
sieht and reach of its lordly dome and nobletreasures 
of art. The third summer came, and, listening to 
the advice *of her friends, and in olteclicnce to the 
express wish of her father, she made arrangements 
for a visit to England. The day was settled, tmnks 
were packed, she was on the eve of departure, when 
a letter from America arrived, informing her of heavy 
losses sustained by her father, which must necessitate 
retrenchment in every possible way, a surrender of 
her career in Rome and an immediate return home. 
The news came upon her like a thunderbolt. Stun- 
ned and licwildered, she knew not at the moment 
what to do. An only child, and hitherto indulged in 
every whim and caprice, the position was indeed 
startling and perplexing. The surrender of her art 
career was the only thing which she felt to be impos- 
sible; whatever else might come, that could not, 
should not be. And now came into play that tme 
independence of character which hitherto had shown 
itself mostly in wild freaks and tricks. Instead of 
falling back upon those friends whose means she knew 
would be at her disposal in this emei^ncy, she des- 
patched a messenger for the young sculptor who had 
shown the daciierrootypes to Mr. Gibson, and who, 
himself dependent upon his personal exertions, was, 
she decided, the fittest person to consult with as to 
her own future career. He obeyed the hasty sum- 
mons, and found the joyous, laughing countenance he 
had'always known, pale and changed, as it were, sud- 
denly, from that of a voung girl to a woman full of 
cares and anxieties, lie could scarcely credit the in- 
telligence, but the letter was explicit, the summons 
home peremptory. " Go I will not," was the onl^ 
coherent resolution he found; so the two laid theu* 
heads together. Miss Hosmer was the owner of a 
handsome horse, and an expensive English saddle ; 
diese were doomed at once. The summer in Rome 
itself, during which season living there costs next to 



nothing, was determined upon; and during those 
summer months Miss Hosmer should model somo- 
thing so attractive that it should ensure a speedy or- 
der, and, exercising strict economy, start thenceforth 
on an independent artist career, such as many of those 
around her with less talent and training managed to 
carry on with success. No sooner said than done ; 
the tranks were unpacked, the friends she hud been 
about to accompany depaitcd witliout her, her father's 
reverses were simply and straightforwanllv announced 
and she entered at once on the line of industry and 
economy sho and her friend had struck out. 

The summer passed away, and neither fever nor 
any other form of mischief attacked our young friend. 
She worked hard and modelled a statue of Puck, so 
full of spirit, originality and fun that it was no sooner 
finished and exhibited than orders to put it into mar- 
ble came in. It has since been repeated i^in and 
again, and during the past winter only, throe copies 
have been ordered for England alone ; one for the 
Duke of Hamilton. Thus, fairly started on her own 
ground, Miss Hosmer has met with that success which 
talent, combined with industry and energy, never 
fails to command. 

The winter befbre last, while the Cenci was being 
put into marble, she was engaged in modelfing a 
monument to the memory of a beautiful young Cath- 
olic lady, which is destined for a niche in' the Church 
of San Andreo della Frattce, in the Via Mercede, 
close upon the Piazza di Spagna. A portrait full 
length ngure of the young girl, life size, reclines upon 
a low couch. The attitude is easy and natural, and 
the tranquil sleep of death is admirably rendered in 
contrardistinction to the warm sleep of life in the 
Cenci. 

Miss Hosmer has been engaged, during the winter 
just past, in modelling a fountain, for which she has 
taken the story of Hvlas descending for water, when, 
according to mythology, he is seized upon by the 
water nymphs ami drowned. Hylas forms tlie crown 
of the pyramid, while the nymphs twined round its 
base, with extended ai*ms, seek to drag him down into 
the water below, where dolpltrns are spouting jets 
which interlace each other; a double basin, the upper 
one supported by swans, receives the cascade. 

At the present moment, this talented and enter- 
prising young artist is working upon a half life size 
statue of Zenobia, in preparation for next winter, 
when it is to bo modelled even larger than life, and is 
already bespoken for America. She is also just fin- 
ishing a pendant to Puck, Will-o '-the- Wisp, which is 
wholly indescribable, and is said to be superior even 
to Puck. 



Pro£ Be Morgan on Tuning. 

Our musical readers are aware that when the two 
notes of a simple consonance are a little oat of tune, 
though only to the extent which common tempera- 
ment allows and requires, a beating pulsation is 
heard — a wow-wow-wow-ing kind of performance— 
which keeps itself within decent bounds on the piano- 
forte, but becomes rather an annoying defect on the 
organ. The theory of these beats j as very obscurely 
laid down, though with perfect correctness, by Dr. 
Robert Smith in his Treatise on Harmcnics, has re- 
ceived but little attention. The beats themselves 
have been used in tuning, and they furnish the only 
method known, except the unassisted judgment of the 
ear, for tuning on any given system. The snbjects 
of beats has been recently treatra by Vrof. de Morgan 
in a paper which has Just l)een printed as a part of the 
Cambridge PhUoaopktaU Transactions^ Vol. X., now 
in the press. On the simplification of the theory of 
beats which this paper points out there is no occasion 
to say anything ; but a postscript contains some sug- 
gestions on the subject of tuning, which we think it 
worth while to lay before our readers. All tuners be- 
gin by properly adjusting an octave, or a little more 
than an octave, which contains what are technically 
called the hearings. The rest of the scale is then 
tuned from the bearings. These bearings are obtained 
by taking one standard note from a tuning fork, and 
then tuning fifths upwards and octaves downwards, 
making the fifths a little too flat, as required in the 
system employed, usually that of eqiud tempenxmaU, 
in which all the fifths are made equally fiat. This 
the tuner generally does by the ear ; and if, as he 
comes towards the end of his bearings, he finds that 
he has overflattened or underflattened the earlier fifths 
he has to try back. Every new chord which comes 
into the adjusted part is a new test of the success of 
the process so far. An adroit tuner does this well ; 
and there are some who have not often to fall back. 
That is, there are some who soon please their own 
ears, and others who are much longer about it. But 
there are no tuners who preciselv agree with one 
another, and few, if any, who at all times agree with 
themselves. It is the experience of the organ-build- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858. 



197 



era, with their best tuners, working on diifcrent com- 
partments of the snmc or^an, that though each can 
make his compartment pleasant enongli by itself, the 
compartments arc frequently not fit to work together. 
Prof. J)e Morgan proposes that the bearings should 
consist of one octave, each of whose twelve semitones 
is obtained from a sepamte tuning-fork. But who ia 
to answer for the tuning-forks ? Tho manufacturers 
are to adjust thcni by nuiking tlie consonances beat 
tho number of times per minute which it shall Ik) cal- 
culated from the system of temperament chosen that 
they ought to beat. Supposing tho manufacturer 
to have a good stiindanl set of his own, on any given 
system, it will be casv enough to make copies by uni- 
sons. Nor should the manufacturer object to a pro< 
posal which will, if carried out, make the demand for 
forks just twelve times what it is. The alleged ad- 
Tantagcs of the proposal aro as follows : — ^First, the 
saving of time in obtaining tho bearings ; it is easier 
to get unison with a fork tlian to make the unassisted 
ear give a fifth too flat b> two per cent, of a semitone. 
Secondly, the certainty of attaining tho end proposed : 
for the system to be attained is stereotyped on tho 
forks, independently of the state of the tuner's ear, 
temper, or indigestion. Thirdly, tlio practicability of 
making a true trial of different svstcms of tempera- 
ment ; the tuner's ear being wholly insufficient to dis- 
criminate the minute differences between one system 
and anotlicr. Prof. Do Morgan considers equal 
temperament as an insipid dead flat ; and prefers tho 
variety which exists in passing from key to key under 
varied temperament, lie has given the requisite ta- 
ble of beats in each of four ditfercnt systems. First, 
equal temperament, as commonly used. Secondly, 
gradual change of temperament,' firat upwards and 
then downwards, in passing dominantly through the 
twelve major keys. Thirdly, major thirds every- 
where equally tempered, with the greatest change of 
temperament in passing from key to key, which this 
condition admits of. Fourthly, the same extreme 
variety with tlie minor thirds everywhere equally tem- 
pered. The calculation of beats for a given system 
IS of little difficulty ; but as there are many practical 
musicians to whom, in calculation, great difficulties 
and little difficulties are all one and the same thing, 
we should recommend any organ-builder who seri- 
onsly meditates trying any system of his own, to ask 
Prof. De Morgan to furnish him witli the table of 
beats. — Lorui. Atfienceumf April 17. 



Some Considerations Tonching Organ-Grin- 

ders, 

AVD THB LaWFUL!7E88 AND PROPRIETY OF PUT- 
TINO THEM TO DeATH. 



" S«mper «go auditor tantum ? 

Juv. I. 



NunqoamiM reponam 



• »»— 



The origin of organ-grinders justifies their extinc- 
tion, as does also the doom with which they are 
threatened. This race is derived from Jubal, tho 
sixth in descent from Cain, who was " the father of 
all them that handle the harp and or^n" ; (here note 
the accuracy of description in the word handle.) The 
seed of Cain, who destroyed his own brother, may 
with justice be destroyed in turn. 

Later in history a trace of the race is detected in 
the patriarch's pathetic outcry against tho " instru- 
ments of cruelty " in his sons' tents. In Egypt, and 
in Pharaoh's time, they seem to have been swept 
away. Kgypt was a wisely-governed country. Had 
they existed, that prince might have been spared 
nine of the plagues, since an hour's infliction of this 
one must have softened the rock of his hard heart, 
and forced him to send tho tribes trooping forth to 
the desert, with their minstrels at the head, playing 
Uie rogue's march of the period. In that age, sure- 
ly, organ-grinding was one of the lost arts. There is 
hope, then, that it may again become so strengthened 
by the cheerful prediction, that in the latter days "the 
sound of tho grinders shall wax low." The law per- 
mits the destruction of a nuisance. Organ-grinders 
are a nuisance. It is therefore lawful to kill them. — 
[ Vidf. Judge Shaw's Decision ad Jin. 

i*ttblic policy recinires their extinction. The race 
consists chiefly of Italian refugees, banished for tur- 
bulence from their own country, making a trade of 
revolutions here, and revenging themselves by the 
murder of Music, for their inability to destroy Order. 
It is, therefore, courteous and polite in us, as a na- 
tion, to kill them. 

Humanity pleads for their abolition. They are a 
wretched people, bom out of time, who rear a 
wretched progeny. It is, then, generous and merci- 
ful to themselves to kill them. 

Political economy demands that they should perish. 
They are wholly useless, never doing a hand's turn 
of work, though many a hand's turn of play. It is, 
therefore, prudent for society to kill them. 

Upon tnis foundation of reasoning may be built a 



strong tower of authorities in favor of their extirpa- 
tion. That rigid and moral generation, the Puritans, 
rcgai-ded the organ with horror, as the Devil's box of 
pipes, even when used for sacred services. How 
much moro would they have been moved with holy 
zeal for the destruction of his wandering emissaries, 
who bear the abomination from door to door ! 

Shakespeare makes the pmctical genius of Othello 
speak with contempt of hearing " a brazen can'stick 
turned," in evident allusion to grinding organs. 

It is tnie that Lord Bacon composed a work known 
to scholars as the Noimm Organum, or New Organ. 
But this only proves the hatred of that great and wise 
man for old organs. 

The French style them "orquea de harharie" or 
barbarian organs. To banish them and their barba- 
rian supporters is one of the first duties of a civilized 
people. 

Having settled the lawfulness, humanity and pru- 
dence of ridding the world of organ-grinders, it should 
be considered how this may best be done. 

Not, perhaps, by individual efforts. The remem- 
brance of suffering might darken an act of justice 
into revenge. Nor would it suffice merely for the 
State to put a stop to orgnns, seeing that the addition 
of a stop to those they have alreadv, would but in- 
crease their power of mischief. I'here are wiser 
plans, too, than that of execution upon the scaffold, 
which might create a morbid sympathy. For exam- 
ple, make them the instruments of their own destruc- 
tion, by setting them, in some secluded place, to play 
each other to death. Or they might simply be ex- 
iled to Tunis. 

The pnblic ear is large and patient ; the need of 
this reform once forced into it, a proper plan will not 
Ix! wanting. Then will discord be driven from the 
land, and peace and quietness return ; while the 
grind ing-organ shall decorate museums, and bo won- 
dered at by our descendants as the last and most 
cruel of the in^atruments of torture tliat disgraced an 
age calling itself refined. — N. Y. Eve. Pott. 



The Opera in English. 

The performance of Opera in English, with a 
now company, is an event fitted to excite much 
musical attention. The troupe at Wallack's now 
is composed of Annie Milner, prima donna ; Mr. 
Miranda, tenor; Mr. Guilmette, baritone; Mr. 
Rudolphscn, base. The opera presented on 
Thursday evening, Bellini's Somnambulist^ gave 
prominent employment to the three first-named 
artists. 

Annie Milner has hitherto been known only in 
the concert-room, but during some months she 
has been studying hard for the stage, and now 
we have the fruits. The lady has very great apt- 
itude for the theatre, else she would not have 
achieved so much in so short a time. She is gen- 
erally easy in her action and gesticulation, and a 
little more time will certainly show improvement. 
Her voice is a fresh, beautiful soprano, with great 
facilltv in the upper notes, much flexibility, and 
capabilities for a sustained slow movement equal- 
ly with rapid, florid passages. She is prodigal, 
too, of the trill, so often eschewed for its difficulty 
by artists. In appearance she is intensely Saxon ; 
fair complexion, light hair, and sweet expression. 
She looks Amina, supposing what sometimes hap- 
pens — that the Italian contadina has these light- 
toned characteristics. In all that has been writ- 
ten of Bellini's Sonnamhuta^ we have yet to find 
an adequate analysis of the merit of the declam- 
ation and voice-writing, which in certain respects 
was a new school, and an improvement on all the 
vocal music which preceded it. It has more than 
any of the old music continued elasticity of ex- 
pre^ion. Of course, in deep combination of 
parts, orchestration, and some other requisites, it 
nas few claims to admiration — but its individuali- 
ties of melodic-talk are immense. It would re- 
quire a worse translation than that vouchsafed — 
which we consider, how^evcr, as bad as possible — 
to destroy the eflQcacy of the melodic-phraseolo- 
gy : neither can the mappropriate secondary or- 
chestral motives which Bellini, Italian-like, indul- 
ges in, upset the virtue of his solo declamations, 
nor .yet the stereotyped endings of the pieces. 
Tho music, in a word, carries the singer, and 
hence the auditory, along with it, and hackneved 
as it is, when well done, it rouses the house. l*he 
first act dragged somewhat, and indeed, like the 
second and third, needed more rehearsal. The 
passionate quality of the second act required all 



the efforts of the artists. They were duly appre- 
ciated by the audience, who vehemently called 
the singers before the curtain at the close of the 
bed-chamber scene. In this Annie Milner par- 
ticularly distinguished herself, and moreover stuck 
to the text, which other sopranos do not do, but 
appropriate tho tenor's work. We perceive in 
this the germs of an excellent dramatic artist, if 
duly cultivated. In the finale of the third act 
the donna was equally successful, and excited the 
general enthusiasm of tho auditory. 

The new tenor has happy moments. At first 
his voice began and ended in the roof of his 
mouth. Enlarging the area of vocal freedom, he 
sang afterward in chest-voice, in the second and 
third acts, and was peremptorily encored. Ilis 
voice is sweet ; not loud, but portant He is im- 
passioned, too, and pronounces his words well. 
His intonation is excellent. Heard often, he 
would grow in favor, especially if he would sing 
more equally well. 

The Daritone, Guilmette, is a favorite with the 
public, always singing intelligently, earnestly, and 
effectively. The little he had to do he managed 
to render important. 

We perceive that a fresh opera is advertised 
for every successive evening. This may be a 
good plan, but we doubt it. Under such a des- 
perate regimen the pieces cannot be adeauately 
well done ; and a success achieved in a well-com- 
posed opera may not attach to a second or third- 
rate one of the repertory. We think it might be 
well, therefore, to repeat the Sonnamhuta. It 
would go much better at the repetition, and ought 
to excite additional curiosity afler the decided 
success of Thursday evening. 

Mr. Cooper, the most effective of passionate 
players on the violin, led the orchestra with a 
stick. If occasionally he would drop the latter, 
and take up his violin for a solo bit, it would en- 
hance much the interest. It seems a pity that so 
fine an artist should remain mute throughout the 
entire performance. — N. Y. Tribune, 

Acquisition op an estate by Rossini. — Upon 
the proposition of M. Uaussman, senator and prefect 
of the Seine, and in accordance with the report of M. 
Alpland, enginccr-in-chief of the Bois de Boulogne, 
the Municipal Council of Paris have unanimously 
agreed to the concession made to Kossini by the city 
of Paris, of a plot of wooded ground, situated close to 
the Grille de rassy in the Bois de Boulogne — adjoin- 
ing the Boulevard Beausfejour, including views of 
Auteuil. Meudon, and Bellevue. The price offered 
by the illustrious composer — who at the same time 
declared he had no intention of turning it to specula- 
tion, but meant to fix his summer residence there — 
was accepted without a division. The price offered 
and accepted, it may be stated, was far from incon- 
siderable. The new estate, by its size and^situation, 
is worthy the illustrious guest tlie Bois de Boulogne 
is about to receive. We may add that the city of 
Paris was disposed to make the rent-charge for life 
purely nominal ; but Rossini would not listen to this. 
" I sh'ould not fancy myself at home," he replied ; 
" and moreover I am not sufliciently rich nor suffi- 
ciently poor to accept such a gift." 

usiral C0rrespn]|>ente. 

New York, September 13, 1858. — The opera 
at the Academy of Music has been a decided hit, and 
there was a perfectly enormous house at the first ap- 
pearance of Steppani, the great tenor, in Trovatore. 
Of course he was successful, his powerful, telling 
voice being peculiarly adapted Tor the music of Mau- 
rice 's role ; after the Di qudla pira, at the close of the 
third act, he was thrice called before the curtain. 
The Azucena of Miss Fhillipps was greatly ap- 
plauded, and Madame Gassier made a fair Leonora. 
Bernardi, in Amodio's great part of the Count, was 
almost a failure. " Trovatore " will bo repeated to- 
night, and it is rumored that "William Tell " will bo 
the next opera. 

Steakosch gives us, this week, a short operatic 
season of three nights at Burton's theatre, with 
Madame Colson, Amodio, Brignoli, Labocetta 
and JuNCA — the latter a celebrated basso. The open- 




198 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ing opera is Ln Figlta, to be followed by Traviata. 
Strakosch, with his troupe, which includes also 
Farodi, Mmo. de Wilhorst, Mnd. Johannsen, 
and Miss Anxie Kemp, of this city, will make a 
provincial tour, and return to New York in Novem- 
ber. 

The English Opera Company, at Niblo's, is p;en- 
erally acknowledged bv the press to be the finest 
English tronpe we have had lately, and the tenor 
with the queer name— Mr. Miranda — who had been 
rery absurdly and injudiciously puffed, has turned 
ont'to be a really good singer. He is a young man, 
with a superb voice, and will some day take a first 
rank in the profession. This evening an English 
version of Trovatore will be produced. This other- 
wise satisfactory troupe needs a good contralto. The 
part of the gipscy, in Trovatore, is undertaken by 
Mrs. Holman, a lady with a soprano voice, wholly 
unfitted for the part. 

The Harmonic Society, in accordance with an in- 
vitation from a number of distinguished citizens, gave 
a grand performance, last Friday evening, at the 
Crystal Palace, repeating the music they performed 
at the Atlantic Cable Celebration. The following 
was the official programme : 

PART I. 

1— Orerture, "milinm Tell," RowfnI. 2— Chorun, "Afhlcved 
Is the Olorloun Work." H^ydn. 8— Ode. " The Cable." (words 
by Mn. Ann S. Stephens, expmwly for the Cftble Celebration, 
to the air. "Stir Spanf^Ied Banner.") 4^Porter Song, from 
opera of "Martha." Flotow, by Carl Forme*. 6— Ode, "All 
Hail." (words by Mrs. Stephens, expressly for the Cable Cele- 
bration.) 6— Grand Jlaileli^h Chorns, Handel. 

Between the Parti the Drum Corps of the 71 ^t Refrimcnt will 
(by permission of Col. Voaburgh,) give the " Drum Polka.-' 

PART n. 
1— Overture. Fra Diavolo, Auber. 2 — Hnntingr Chorns, from 
" Seasons," Haydn. 8— Trumpet Song, " Messiah," Handel, 
by Karl Formes. 4— Chorus, "Awake the Harp." fW>m "Crea- 
tion," Havdn. 6— Duet. "The liOrd is a Man of War." from 
" Israel in Egypt," Handel, by Carl Formes and Mr. Nash. 
&— Chorus, " The Heavens are Telling," Haydn. 

In addition to the selections. Formes sang a 
" Hymn of Peace," the words written by John 
Brougham, the actor, and the music composed by 
Clemext White, an English musician who has re- 
cently taken up his residence in this city. Between 
four and five thousand people were present. 

There is every probability that the coming winter 
will be, with us, one of the most musical we have 
had. The Ullman Troupe will undoubtedly be suc- 
cessful, with such singers as Johanna Wagner, 
Mile. PiccoLOMiNX, and others engaged. In addi- 
tion to operatic novelties, the little Napoleon intends 
to produce oratorios, and for that purpose a free sing^ 
ing school has been opened at the Academy, under 
the tuition of Carl Anschutz, an excellent teacher, 
who speaks shocking English and indulges in amus- 
ing fits of irascibility when the raw, green pupils 
sing out of tune. Trovator. 

Hotel Sak Marco, Leghorn, Aug. 13, 1858. — 
******** 

The Doctor gave me permission to attend a con- 
cert which was given at evening, in the Teatro dei 
Floridi, which was almost opposite the hotel. I was 
too much fatigued to remain after the first piece of 
the second part. 

It has a verv handsome interior, and is called one 
of the finest theatres in Italy. There are some five 
rows of boxes — each box a small drawing room by 
itself, partitioned off and handsomely finished. The 
horse-shoe pattern is followed in the shape of the 
house. The front of the boxes is painted in fresco, 
in compartments, the subjects taken from the Iliad, 
and the composition very fine. The ceiling is also 
painted in fresco. Opposite the stage is the royal 
box, two tiers in height, which, last evening, was 
empty ; but the private boxes were filled with the 
beauty and fashion of Livoino — the ladies all in ex- 
quisite toilet. I saw some very beautiful women, 
which would be called so anywhere. Half a^ dozen 
rows of seats in the parterre, next the foot-lights, 
were raised, and the seats sold by number, and here 
i'i was that I sat. The house presented the most 



brilliant sight I ever saw of the kind. The orchestra 
was composed of about one hundred pieces, with a 
very large preponderance of strings, many of the vio- 
linists being from Florence. The overtures were 
played magnificently, as I think you would have ac- 
knowledged. I never l)efore heard so many first-rate 
violins playing in harmony. 

The instrumental solos that I heard were all very 
finely performed — that on the clarionet most particu- 
larly — the performers being all members of the lai^ 
military band here. 

But as to the vocal music, neither the chomses nor 
the solos were at all to my satisfaction, and I thought 
this part of the performances very mediocre indeed, 
although they seemed to please the audience, which 
applauded, noisily, at least. My physician, who 
seems to understand music, fully agrees with my in 
opinion. C. 



Jfoigjfs Iff urn al of Pnsit 

BOSTON, SEPT. 18, 1868. 

Lucrezia Borgia. 

In the music of our present number wc return 
to the piano-forte arrangement of Lucrezia, which 
has been for several weeks interrupted ; and it 
may not be amiss to say a few words of this op- 
era, which is perhaps the most popular and meri- 
torious of all the works of Donizetti. 

It was written for the theatre at Milan, in the 
year 1834, and on ita first production, from a va- 
riety of unfortunate circumstances, seems not to 
have made the most favorable impression; but 
subsequent performances have made it one of the 
favorite operas of the modern stage, so that at 
the present day, after an existence of twenty-four 
years, there is hardly an opera upon the stage 
that proves more attractive to an audience, what- 
ever may be ita degree of cultivation ; and the 
general verdict of the musical public of the civil- 
ized world would probably concur in the judg- 
ment that it is the chef d'osttvre of Donizetti, a 
title to which, from brilliant and effective music, 
and intense dramatic interest, demanding the 
exercise of the highest powers, both in singing 
and in acting, it may fairly lay claim. 

In a former number of our Journal will be 
found a complete list of the works of Donizetti, 
which reach the astonishing number of sixty-four 
operas, composed between the years 1818 and 
1848, the year of his death. It cannot be sur- 
prising, then, that in the works of a mind so won- 
derfully prolific, great inequalities should be dis- 
covered, and great imperfections; but it is not 
a little astonishing that so many of them should 
have retained their hold upon the public mind, so 
as to be still ranked among the most attractive 
and popular operas of the present hour. 

F^tis, in his account of the life and works of 
this composer, remarks that, " Donizetti's abuse 
of his facility, and the negligence that is to be 
noticed in his works, are the result of the position 
in which he was placed during a part of his ca- 
reer, and of the fatal usage of the theatres of Ita- 
ly of not giving to composers such a price for 
their productions as will permit them to labor for 
their reputation and for the cause of Art Dur- 
ing many years, Donizetti, by an engagement 
with Barbaja, the manager of the theatres of 
Naples, was bound to write two serious and two 
comic operas every year, receiving for so great a 
labor a price scarcely sufficient for the very first 
necessaries of life. 



Hence arose the necessity of writing, at the 
same time, for other theatres, and, in order to ac- 
complish so many labors, the necessity of hurry- 
ing his work. Little of the artist could survive 
such a situation. Donizetti has frequently been 
known to instrument the entire score of an opera 
in thirtj/ hours^ a time hardly sufficient for the 
more writing, notwithstanding the abbreviations 
in use in Italy. Nothing really good can result 
from such hasty work, and one must be a«^onishcd 
if mere traces are discovered of indLsputablc tal- 
ent and of the splendor of genius." 

Faculties so overworked, brilliant as they must 
have been, could not but succumb to labors so 
enormous ; and there is nothing in the biography 
of artists sadder than the latter days of Donizetti, 
who passed from grief to melancholy, and from 
melancholy to fatuity, from which at last, death 
was a grateful release. 

His name and principal operas are known and 
welcomed wherever modem music has a place. 
From London to San Francisco and Australia, 
the beautiful melodies that flowed from his facile 
pen have become familiar as household words to 
all who have a voice or an ear. After a quarter 
of a century they have lost little or nothing of 
their first charm, and multitudes will yet listen 
with delight to the results of the painful toils 
that brought the unfortunate Donizetti to an un- 
timely grave that was only too welcome after 
years of despondency, melancholy, and unceasing 
trials. 

Lucrezia Borgia has been often heard in Bos- 
ton, and has been as finely performed by as great 
artists as we have ever had among us, so that 
perhaps no score has been more adequately ren- 
dered upon our stage. From the first perform- 
ance by Tniffi, Benedetti, and Beneventano^ 
through the triumphs of Grisi, and Mario, and 
Bosio, it has invariably attracted the largest au- 
diences, and has become widely known, so that 
very many of our readers will gladly welcome 
the means now presented of recalling the memo- 
ries of the music and of the artists who have 
made it familiar to them. 



Boston Music School. — We would direct the 
attention of persons who desire to receive instruction 
in music to the advertisement of this institution. 
The names of the teachers will be sufficient guaranty 
to all who know their reputation that the instruction 
given, will be, in every department, thorough andsys- 
tepiatic. 

Howard Athen«um. — English Opera. — A 
few lines in the daily papers announce to the opera- 
thirsty public, a season of English opera at the How- 
ard. We have no particnlars from Manager Barrow, 
but rumor says that it is to be the the troupe of which 
Miss Annie Milner is prima donna. 



The Theatres were all opened for the season 
this week, but we are equally in the dark as to dieir 
programmes and purposes. 



Musical Chit-Chat 

The Annual Meeting of the New York Har- 
monic Society was held at their rooms at Dod- 
worth's, on the evening of the 6th instant, when the 
following gentlemen were elected as the board of 
officers for the ensuing year. F. M. Carrington, 
President; J. Warren Brown, H. P. Marshall, Vice- 
Presidents; James H. Aikman, Secretary; A. W. 
Hoffman, Financial Secretary ; Archibald Johnston, 
Treasurer; William Wild, Librarian. Standing 



^^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858. 



199 



Committees ; Tenor — William A. Cummings, 
Clinrlcs Tucker, J. P. liroimcr, W. B. Taylor ; Bass 
— W. 11. Livinfjston, Augustas N. Smith, John H. 
Wood, Geo. C. Stone. 

Annual Reports of the Secretary, Financinl Secre- 
tary and Treasurer were read, showing tlie Society to 
bo in a flourishing condition. Ilandel's p-eatcst cho- 
ral work, the Oratorio " Israel in Eijypt," is in re- 
hearsal, under the direction of their Conductor, Mr. 
G. F. Bristow, and will bo produced during the sea- 
son, together with several other large ciioral works. 

The New York T'nws savs of the new tenor in Mr. 

• 

Cooper's English Opera Troupe, Mr. Miranda : 
" Wo have had no such voice in this city for very 
many ycare. Compared with the ordinary run of 
English tenors, he is as Tambcrlik to the three cent 
paper man. His voice is manly, clear, sympathetic, 
and of unusual power. In this opera he knows how 
to use it to advantage, not only in the solos, but in 
the concerted pieces. His success was unequivocal 
and descr\-ed." This is certainly high praise. Mr. 
Rudolphsen is a very clever vocalist, as those who at- 
tended the farewell series of Gerraania concerts in 
this city will remember. Ho was for a time homist 
in the Boston Theatre orchestra. Of the general 
artists the Times says : " A finer quartet it has not 
been our good fortune to hear for many years. The 
voices are perfectly fresh, of good quality, and in 
some instances of very superior cultivation." 

We arrest the following which we find going the 
rounds among our exchanges : 

Hon. Robert C. Winthrop once spoke of the 
Atlantic Telegraph as the grand ocean harp. Wide- 
swarth thus writes : 

** Oh gnodcft miracle of Timo 

What mighty joj will Rpiing, 
IVhen men of dirrrBc tongue and clime 
Shall IlKten to the heavenly chime 
That sounds the strains of peace sublime 

Upon a nngle string." 

Old Roger, on reading the above, asked the Pro- 
fessor if he knew the key-note upon which tliat string 
was tuned. He allowed that he did not. " Why, it 
is very plain," said the jolly old fellow, " that it must 
be on the lower C." As this joke is about fifteen 
hundred feet deep, all are not expected to fathom it. 

Mme. Tjci Grange and Tmpresmrio UUman in a Paris 
Court. — The Gazette des Trihunaux, of August 22, 
has a memorandum of a suit brought by Mme. Anna 
La Grange against B. Ullman. The parties, as our 
readers are aware, recently sustained the relations of 
artist and director at the Academy of Music, in New 
York. It seems that Mme. La Grange claims to be a 
creditor of Mr. Ullman, and under that claim pro« 
cured an order under which his effects and movea- 
bles at his hotel in Paris were seized. Mr. Ullman 
proposed that the order should be dissolved and the 
matter settled by a court of reference. It was ui^d 
by counsel for defendant that the French courts have 
no power to adjudicate between foreigners upon mat- 
ters which originated in a foreign country ; that Mme. 
La Grange became a foreigner by marrying a Pole, 
of the name of Stankovitch, and that in anv event a 
French court could not decide the case. Therefore 
the order of seizure should be rescinded, and the 
matter sent before the courts where it belongs. The 
referees decided in favor of Mr. Ullman, whose ef- 
fects were consequently released from seizure. 

Burton*s Theatre^ Xeio York. — Mr. Burton has en- 
gaged Strackosch's Italian Opera Company, inclu- 
ding Mad. Colson, Signora Brignoli, Amodio, Ba- 
rili, and M. Junca, for three evenings. To-night will 
be performed Donizetti's opera of •* La Figlia del 
Rcggimcnto "—the Child of the Regiment. 

Art Matters. — ^A correspondent of the Albany 
Morning Times says : Art matters flourish. Very 
few of the landscape painters are at home in their 
studies. They all love the gorgeous foliage of Sep- 



tember and October and keep up their ramblings 
until cold weatlier. Church is at Niagara, sketching 
for a mate to his famous picture, painted from the 
English side. Palmer is still at his cottage on Cayu- 
ga Lake, whore his pleasant summer has been turned 
to sadness, by the sudden death of his youngest child, 
a very interesting boy, nearly two years old. His 
friends will sympathise with his sorrows, as they have 
done with his glorious success as the sculptor of mod- 
em times. 

Boughton has made his first trip to Lake George, 
and is as enthusiastic of its beauties as your humble 
servant. He has made sketches enough for forty pic- 
tures, and many studies of water, rock and tree, 
which show most rapid strides in art. What Martin, 
Gay and Loveridgo are doing with themselves, wo 
know not, but wo expect everytliing good. 

Our citizens will be sorry to know that Mr. Lance- 
lot Thompson (a pupil of Mr. Palmer, of whom we 
have spoken most rapturously, more than once,) is 
going to New York the first of November, at which 
place he will open a studio. Admirers of his exquis- 
ite cameos, who wish to secure the likenesses of dear 
friends, rendered in such a charming manner, should 
not delay in giving him their orders. Success to him 
always ; he has been an ornament to our city and we 
shall miss him very much. 

Italian Opera. — The first appearance in this city 
of Madame Colson was the signal for a large and 
clever auditory. The piece was The Daughter of the 
Regiment, There are certain facial signs which indi- 
cate peculiarities of a stylo of speaking and of sing- 
ing. A very well defined mouth, and clear, elegant 
outline of countenance, are apt to be connected with 
precision of vocal delivery. There is eminently this 
concordance in the prima donna of last evening. 
Her profile is particularly good and distinct, and all 
her vocal efforts arc agreeable thereto. Her voice is 
not a large soprano, nor y^t thin. In quality, it is 
me<lmm ; but the power of the singer in clasping her 
notes and launching them spiritedly give the effect, 
so far as tho ability to make herself heanl is con- 
cerned, of a much more powerful voice. In extent, 
it is a high soprano, ranging up to and above C 
The opera in question is quite as much of a tearful as 
a joyous inspiration, so the singer had adequate op- 
portunities for displaying the sentimental cantabile — 
the passionate adagio. This severe — and Indeed 
final test of tho merit of an artist — was sustained to 
the delectation of the audience, who were redundant 
in their applause. In her method of attacking her 
notes, Madame Colson is a little different from any 

other artist we have had among us. This is partly 
school, but mostly grows out severally of tlio labial, 
dental, and physiological exactness of her organs of 
utterance and her temperament. Pari<iian precision, 
elegance, finesse, characterize her method. So, too, 
the economy of means which she habitually displays. 
We have not hoard the part better done ; and, indeed, 
now considering her ace — for she is young and fresh 
— her undeniably good looks and carriage, saucy and 
elegant by turns, we suppose she has no equal in this 
particular character. Her success with the audience 
was complete, iis she was called out afler each act. 
Her execution of the final air showed great command 
of rapid execution, in marked contrast to the well- 
sustained notes, carefully shaded, of tho slow pieces. 
Iler toilet, which should not be forgotten according to 
the exigence of artistic unities was unexceptionable. 
A pretty woman, well-dressed, and a fine singer, cer- 
tainly constitutes a fair combination to m^e cap- 
tives. — N. y. THbune. 

Cologne. — The fifth Niederrheinisches Sangerfest 
took place at Neuss, on the 8th and 9th instant. 
Everything connected with the material arrangements 
was admirable, not only for a town of about eleven 
or twelve thousand inhabitants, but for any place. 
The appropriate and tasty manner in which the new 
music hall is fitted up, and its position in the town 
gardens, where the visitor finds, in the immediate 
neighborhood ot the building, refreshing shade, broad 



walks and green lawns, at diffei'ent points of which 
were erected eating-rooms, besides wine and beer 
shops, so tiiat all the creature comforts could be satis- 
fied outside the concert-hall — all this reflects great 
credit on the festival committee and the authorities of 
tlie town. 

On the other hand, however, the kernel of tho 
festival, tlio musical portion, was far less admirable 
than the outward shell. As a rule, the greater 
number of the assembled singers — who, by the way, 
scarcely reached tho half of tho thousand announced 
— displayed a lamentable indifference to the artistic 
importance of tho festival. The rehearsal on Sunday 
morning was very scantily attended, while that on 
Monday did not deserve the name, not more than 
twenty or thirty persons Ijcing present ! And yet tho 
place 'fixed on for the festival — that is to say, the 
gardens — was constantly filled with singers, indulg- 
ing in wine, beer, and low songs — nay, some of 
them, horribile dicta^ continued tho latter after their 
own fashion in the open air during tho concert itself 
in the hall ! Under such circumstances, the Nieder- 
rheinische Vocal Association cannot further exist 
without getting rid of such coarse, unartistic elements. 

The directors, Herr F. Hartmann, of Neuss, and 
C. Reinecke, of Barmen, were in despair ; and, 
really, a great deal of resignation was requisite to hold 
the conductor's baton, and exhibit as much persever- 
ance and devotion as they did, and by means of which 
a tolerable performance of the orchestral pieces and at 
least, a supportable one of tho vocal compositions was 
obtained. Tho latter, however, were execnted with 
anything but precision and expression; they were 
rudely and coarsely sung, as was particularly evident 
in the gentler pieces, such as Mozart's „ Ave verum," 
and Kreutzer's " Dir mocht' ich diese Lieder weihen." 
The only concerted piece which produced a favorable 
impression was a wonderful mdet by the old Italian 
composer, A. Lotti. Even in the pieces with orches- 
tral accompaniment, it was evident that the different 
associations had not studied conscientiously ; the 
voices were often uneven, and sometimes began 
Fcparately, besides being nearly always flat, at least in 
proportion to their numbers. It wflis, perhaps, these 
circumstances which prevented Carl lU'inecke's new 
composition — the SchlachiUed by Klonstock ( " Mit 
unscrm Arm ist nichts gethan"), for two, small 
choruses, and full orchestra — from producing tho 
effect it otherwise would have done. This composi- 
tion is very industriously and skilfully treated, and at 
the commencement according to strict canonic style ; 
but that so sevcro a form is suited to a Schlacht/ied 
(battle-song) we feel inclined to deny. Tho work has 
some brilliant points, but, on the whole, is deficient in 
the dash which the spirited words require. 

The orchestra, principally composed of Landen- 
bach's regimental chapel of Cologne, was pretty 
numerous (although we could have wished for more 
violins), and very good. Julius Rietz's overture (in 
A major), conducted by Hartmann, went admirably, 
and that to the Abencerragcs, by Cherubini conducted 
by Reinecke, very well. On the other hand, however, 
tho tempo of the allegro, in Rossini's overture to 
GuHtaume Tell, was too slow. 

The execution of the vocal pieces by the Liederta- 
fdn of Neuss (Hartmann), of Crefeld (Wilhelm, 
whoso song " Wttldlust," is a charming composition), 
and of Aix-la-Chapelle (F. Wcnigmann), was highly 
meritorious and artistic, and made up for much that 
was defective. The several associations were, witli 
justice enthusiastically applauded, especially that of 
Aix-la-Chapelle. The prince von Ilohenzolleni, with 
several members of the court, were present. — Niedcr- 
rheinische Alusik-Zeitung, 

ViEXMA. — The season just concluded has again 
proved that Italian opera has outlived itself. Don 
Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Co.«t fan Tutte^ with 
Rossini's best works, constituted the life and soul of 
the three-monthly attempt. // Trovaiore and Ritjo- 
letto, it is true, were brought out to satisfy the unedu- 
cated and badly educated portion of the public, but it 
was impossible to rummage out anything new in this 
line. Verdi's Aroldo, and Perelli's Clarissa Hnrlune 
were two wretched failures, while Cosi fan Tutte lent 
a freshness and charm to the season. Where, then, 
is the influence of the Italian element, conjured up in 
vain at such an expense. 

Of the 75 operatic performances, 22 wore devoted 
to Verdi (II Trovatore, 1 1 ; Rigoletto, 6 ; Eniani, 3 ; 
Aroldo, 2) ; 20 to Rossini (II Barbiere, 10 ; L:i Con- 
erentoln, 4 ; Mosc, 4; Gli Italiani in Algieri, 2; 16 
to Mozart (Cosi fan Tutte, C ; Figaro, 5 ; Don Gio- 
A-anni, .5); 10 to Bellini CLn Sonnambula, 5 ; Nor- 
ma, 3 ; I Montccchi e Capulctti, 2;) 5 to Donizetti 
(Lncrczia, 4 ; Don Pa^squale, 1) ; 2 to Perelli (Clar- 
issa Harlowe, 2). Ilerren Proch, Esser, and l)e 
Barbicri conducted in turns. A total of seventeen 
operas by six different composers was given during 
tlie season. 



200 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Great hopes are entertained of the German operatic 
season. Eckert's career, althoaji^h it commcnc*cd last 
winter, may be dated from July, 1858. He com- 
mands the good wishes of very many pcrsonf), but 
time alone can prove what he will and ciin do. There 
can be no douot of the ability and intentions of the 
new directors of the Opera-house. The fact of 
Wagner's Tx>hengrin open in jj the season is laudable 
only inasmuch as that tne work is by a German com- 
poser. It is to be hoped that Marsdiner's Hiame 
will follow, at least, althou};h we do not hear much 
al)out it We have yet to learn whether we shall have 
Idomeneo, and Titus, Die Vestalin, Terapler und 
Jiidin, Hans Heiling, Chenibini's Medea, Gluck's 
Armida, Iphigenia, and Orphetu, which for us are 
nearly as good as new. It is impossible to do every- 
thing at once. 

On the 29th July, the distribution of prizes to the 
pupils of the Conservatorv took place in the rooms of 
the Gesdlschaft der Mustk frettnae. It was preceded 
by a concert, opened by Robert Schumann's svm- 

Shony in D, performed.'under the direction of iterr 
oseph Hellmesberger, with as much precision and 
force as could be expected from the youthful orches- 
tra. Among the solo performances of the pupils, wo 
may particularly mention the execution of loendels- 
fohn's violin concerto by Herr Leopold Auer, and of 
the grand air from Norma, by Mile. Gabrielle Krauss. 
Mile. Katharine Bauer, too, in the aria from Fidelio, 
proved she possessed a fine voice, especially in the 
nighor notes, but that a pupil of the Conservatory 
should have already contracted the defect of broadly 
pumping out the lower notes, does not say much for 
the correctness or strictness of the method pursued 
there. 

It is very satisfactory that Gesawf-Vereins for full 
chorus — the Singverein, under the direction of Herr 
Herbcck, and the Sing-Academief under that of Herr 
Stcgmaier — have at last been established again here. 
Neither of those associations has been able to with- 
stand the temptation of giving a public performance 
onl^ a few weeks after its foundation, a proceeding 
which, for two reasons, wo consider premature : 
Firstly, because they have not acquired sufficient cer- 
tainty, although they possess admirable material; 
and, secondly, because such haste satisfies vanity 
more than it forwards the object of institutions of this 
kind, and is only too liable to make people exert 
themselves more for outward show, than for a revival 
of a lively feeling for music and its noblest works. 
The able and excellent critic on sacred music in the 
Wiener Monatschrift speaks af both performances in 
the following terms : 

" The Singverein of our Gesdhehafi der Musik- 
freunde has taken its first step in the way of publicity 
by performing Palestrina's mass, ' I$te Confessor,' 
composed about 1590. The selection is emphatically 
deserving of praise. This mass was a perfect novelty 
for Vienna, and, looked on from the point of view of 
an rosthetic church style, is a perfect gem. In the 

* Et incamatus ' the simple and lofty three-toned web 
soars upward, even to the level of a' certain dramatic 
spirit. Thanks to the zealous exertions and dramatic 
intelligence of Professor Herbeck, the performers — 
although, on account of the short time the association 
has been in existence, somewhat premature — grasped 
with spirit and tolerable certainty this beautiful com- 
position, especially as regards the devout intonation 
of the pure points of feeling and dramatic effect con- 
tained in it. In the ' Gloria ' and first part of the 
' Credo,' however, the chorus — which, tnough foil 
and powerful enough in the higher and lower notes, 
is not sufficiently intense and effective, nay, not nu- 
merous enough in the middle ones — fell into the fault 
unfortunately too common in this case, of merely 
singing the lapidary notes, beneath which, however, a 
profound and glowing feeling mostly slumbers. The 
new portions introduced by Herbeck, Pertinax, and 
Ilauptm.inn, although invariably impregnated with 
the spirit of our own time, and, therefore, not quite 
adapted to the original work, stood out very favora- 
bly, partly on account of their powerful expression, 
and pnrtly on account of their delicate and harmoni- 
ous chfimcter. The former decidedly laudable quali- 
ty belongs to the compositions of Herbeck and Perti- 
nax, and the latter, no less effective one, to Haupt- 
mann's wonderfully feeling * Benedictus.' We regret 
however, its indescribably confused execution, swarin- 
ing with faults of every description. We hope tlie 
association will soon think of this composer's Vocal 
Mft«s. Herr Bibl, jun., distinguished himself as a 
modem organist, in Mendelssohn's style, as much as 
ever, but his scales, which were nearly all chromatico- 
cnharmonic, formed the most glnring contrast to Pal- 
estrina's mass, which is treated in a strictly diatonic 
manner. 

" The Sing-Academie has, also, adopted the motto : 

* Omnia ad ir.ajorcm Dei gloriam,' by selecting the 
performance of a mass as the first sign of its public 
existence. It has been more careful in its programme 



than Herr Herbeck's association. Whether it has 
been more artistic is another question. Following 
our own conviction, if we do not answer this by a 
complete negative, we can only give an affirmative 
conditionally. Friederich Schneider's Vocal Mass, 
like almost everything written by its composer, who, 
in many respects, was a meritorious musician, l>clongs 
to that period between Haydn, Mozart, and Beetho- 
ven, which we may jn«tly designate as a dcplorulile 
one, destitute of godlike inspiration, and foimdcd 
merely u|X)if a sort of mechanical musical under- 
standing, or, at most, on the period of the so-called 
filligree taste. With the exception of the correct 
* Kyrie * and the single ray of dramatico-musical life 
which flashes through the ' Crucifixus,' Schneider's 
mass offers us nothing more than than dry passages 
skillfully copied from the long naturalized masters of 
the South-German church style. We meet too many 
old acquaintances from the time of Haydn and Mo- 
zart, who«e features are only too easily recognizable 
in spite of the borrowed mask. Schneider's work is 
well adapted for singing, like all the creations of his 
models, each of whom was so great in his own way. 
The effect of such music upon a certain class is un- 
failing. The compositions of the Dessau master — 
like those of the illustrious Rohrau * and Salzburg 
minstrels t — ^aro full of the spirit of unadorned nature. 
The mass in question was. most carefully studied in 
its minutest details. With the exception of a few 
blunders, it went admirably. The tempo was gene- 
rally good, and there was a proper distribution of 
light and shade. The voices were fresh and vigorous, 
and ennobled, moreover, by real enthusiasm. Rot- 
ter's additions, composed expressly for the occasion, 
and consisting of an ' AspeiTjes,' ' Graduale,' and 
' Offcrtorinm,' were remarkably effective." — London 
Musical World. 



Special Itofirts. 



• Haydn. 



t Uosart. 



Paris. — Some of the Parisian journals appear 
surprised at the earnestness with which the Ix>ndon 
critics treat die alterations in the music of Don Gio- 
txinni, as performed at Covent Ganlen Theatre. It 
is not unlikely that Mario may try the experiment at 
the "Italiens." Gratuitous representations were 
given at the principal theatres on the occasion of the 
Emperor's FSte, or festival-day, the 15th of August. 
The Fuvorita was performed at the Grand Opera, and 
Fra Diaxyolo and Les Miprises jxir Resaem})lance at the 
Opem-Comique. The new opera, Le Dernier Jour 
d' Herculaneum, by MM. Mdry and Fcflicien David, is 
in active preparation at the Acad^mie-Imperial. 
The principal characters have been entrusted to MM. 
Roger, Bonneh<$e, Obin, Mesdames Borghi-Mamo 
and Gueymard. Mdlle. de Meric, the contralto, (for- 
merly of the Royal Italian Opera,) is engaiiod, and 
will make her cl^but as Azncena in the Trouvere, 
The receipts of the different theatres, concerts, balls, 
and cafd concerts at Paris, for the month of July, 
realized the sum of 7 18,91 If. 25c. 



Hereford Musical Frstital. — The 135th 
meeting of the three Choirs of Hereford, Worcester, 
and Gloucester, was held at Hereford, on Tuesday, 
the 24th day of August, and three following days. 
The pieces performed in the morning on the first day 
consistefl of Handel's Dettingen Te Deum ; a Jubilate 
by Mr. G. Townshend Smith, the Conductor ; Men- 
delssohn's As the Hart pants ; and an anthem, " The 
Lord is the Tnie God, (bass solo and chorus,) com- 
posed by the Rev. F. G. Ouseley, Bart., Precentor of 
the Catnedral. The principal parts were sung by 
Madame Weiss, Mrs. Clare Ilcpwortli, Miss Las- 
celles, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Montem Smith, and Mr. 
Weiss. In the evening, a Miscellaneous Concert 
took place at the Shire Hall, at which, in addition to 
the artistes already named, appeared Madame Clara 
Novello, Madame Vianlot Garcia, Miss Louisa Vin- 
ning, and Mr. Sims Reeves. The programme was 
varied and interesting, comprising in the instrument- 
al parts, Mozart's Jupiter Symphony and the Over- 
ture to Gnillame Tell, (both admirafily played by the 
band, which was led by Mr. H. Blagrove,) and in the 
other parts an excellent selection from Mozart's Cle- 
mmza de Tito, together with a choice assortment of 
Duets and Solos, which were admirably sung. 

Wednesdav morning was devoted entirely to Men- 
delssohn's Jilijah, the principal parts being appor- 
tioned between the whole of the vocalists engaged for 
the Festival. The Oratorio was admirably sung, the 
principal singers and the chorus seeming to vie with 
each other in the struggle for perfection. In tlie 
evening another Miscellaneous Concert took place at 
tlio Shire Hall, which was followed by a ball. 

On Thursday morning the performances at the 
Cathedral comprised a selection from Mendelssohn's 
Athuliah, Rossini's StaUit Matfr, (English version,) 
and the first two parts of the Creation ; and on Fri- 
day morning was performed the Messiah. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

TEST IwffXJSIO, 
Pabllnhcd br 0« Dlt»»a it €•• 



Music by MAa. — QiinntiHofl of Mtmle are now wnt hv mull, 
the ox pen w* boin^ only ulM>tit one rent Rplcrr. wliilo the nura 
and mpidity of tnin«p(irtiitinn are remarkahle. Thnice at a 
grvsit ill»tanre will And the ntode of convevancc not only a con- 
Tcnlence. but a mvins of expoiiM* In obtaining iiipplics. Books 
ran alM> be fient by mnil, at the int4> of one c«nt peroanro. 
Thia appHos to any iTifitAnro under three thoomud uilet ; be- 
yond that, double the above ratea. 



Vocal Muslo* 

Leonora Leigh, Song and Chorus. Henry Tucker. 25 

A very pretty Balled, of a popular rant, whleh will 
be eagerly bouf(ht by all the Mend* of good mlnatrel- 
Sy. The Choruses of the Composer, among whteh 
those of the " Star of the EToninic,'' and Its later, but 
not leas agreeable rompanion, ^* The Star of the Hom- 
ing," stand Ibremoat.haTe always someorigioal thdts, 
which fiivonbly dlstlDgnlsh them ftom a host of 
others. 

Winter Eveif^recns. Stephen Glover. S5 

A very pleasing, light Ballad. 

Through the Eye the Heart does speak. Gumbert. 25 

Ferdinand Gumbert is one of the most popular Ger- 
man Song-writers of the present day. Ills melodies 
are eminently plnasing to the multitude, and many of 
them are real flro-idde gems. The present ballad, of 
which there is another not less celebrated musical vor- 
fton by Frans Abt, ranks with his beat. German and 
English words. 

The Fireman's Child. Song and Choms. 

H. Tucker. 25 
A touching Ballad, with a highly effsetire chorus, 
destined to become very popular. 

Hero in Deepest Sorrows. Song, from "Martha." 

Flotow. 25 
Since this Opera has been brought out in Italian, si* 
multaneously in Paris, London, and Potersbxirgh, and 
has everywhere met with the most astonishing •neeesSi 
a reYssue of its tocoI beauties becomes necessary. This 
fine soprano song is printed here ft>r the first time, 
with the Italian words added. Other numbers will 
immediately follow. 

Instrumental Moaio. 

Le PapiUon d'Or. Moroeau de Salon. 

Lefdmre-Welif. 35 
This groeeAil new composition of the fcshiottablo 
composer, bears Its name, ^^Oolden Butterfly," with 
much propriety. There is a light, airy. fli((hty motion 
throughout the piece, sustaining a rccemblance to the 
moTements of the light-wlnged ereatnro. Moderately 
diflHeult. 

La Traviata Waltz. Jean Weber. 50 

A brilliant Parlor Walts, on fiiTorlte themes, fVom 
Terdi*s popular opera. The title page is adorned by 
a life-like portrait of the fiueinotlng Slgnoim Ploeolo- 
mini, whose name will soon bo forarer linked in this 
country with " La Traviata," as it is already In Eng- 
land. The Walta is sparkling and bright, and has all 
the gems of the opeia. ^^i 

La Belle Waltz. 



> 



M. Aschajffenburg. 25 

Josephine Waltz. " 25 

Easy and pretty Bonce Music. 

Books. 

Johnson's Harmony. Practical Instructions In 
Harmony, upon the Pestalozzian, or Inductive 
System ; teaching Musical Composition and the 
Art of Extemporizing Interludes and Volunta- 
ries. By A. N. Johnson. 1 .00 

This woik is designed for the class of person desig- 
nated in the Unguago of music teachers as " new be- 
ginners." It imparts a knowledge of Harmony, by 
exerrises which the student is to write; or, so to 
speak, by a progreniTe series of problems which the 
student roust soWe. The utmost simplicity of lan- 
guage has been used In the explanaUons, and an at- 
tempt made to guard against misapprehension, even 
on the part of an undisciplined mind. 



Whole No. 338. BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1858. Vol. XHI. No. 26. 



For Dwight's Journal of Mnclo. 

Cottage Song. 

DT JOHN 8. ADAMS. 

We've n cottage clotiicd with roses, 

Near a wood 
Where the siiipng binis of srnnmcr 

Nest and brood ; 
There in early spring the daisies 

Gem tlie sod, 
Looking^ np to heaven above them, 

And to. God. 

Tliere in holy calm we worship 

One above, 
Through liis works that all around us 

Speak his love ; 
Read we there his will in every 

Book and tree, 
While his blessings fall upon us 

Rich and free. 

Beautiful the morning sunlight 

Cometh there, 
Crowning Nature at her early 

Morning prayer ; 
And at evening, when the twilight 

Closcth round. 
Still, devoutly at her worship, 

Is she found. 

We are not alone, for ongela 

Come and go, 
Walking often through our cottage 

To and fro ; 
Promising to guide and guard us 

With their love. 
Till we go to live among them. 

Up above. 

Simple life is ours, we follow 

Nature's way, 
Learning of her truthful lessons 

Day by day ; 
Striving to fulfil our mission, — 

Doing good : 
Living happy in our cottage 

Near the wood. 



L 



Characters of the Unsical Keys. 

New YonK, Sept. 11, 1858. 

Mr. Editor, — There is, after the expenditure of 
a considerable amount of thought upon a difiicult 
subject, a peculiar feeling of satisfaction when the 
result of this mental exertion appears in that 
clear and intelligible form which the art of the 
printer supplies. This feeling I experienced upon 
seeing the first portion of my article duly en- 
sconced in the columns of your " Journal ; " and 
the pleasure was enhanced by the perusal of your 
editorial allusions to it. There is, however, much 
to consider before I can satisfactorily answer the 
significant question, " Will he be able to dispose 
of them all as easily as he does of the first ? " It 
rather startles me to think that, in the enthusiasm 
of a moment, a bull has been seized that may 
presently exhibit, not the proportions of a single 
bull, but of a whole herd, in the shape of musical 
mathematicians, philosophers, enthusiasts, &c., who 



would trample me to death by a ceaseless demand 
for the explanation of sensations and impressions, 
not only that have been actually felt, but also of a 
mighty host, the origin of which may be traced to 
an over-fertile imagination. But, risking all, and 
everything, we will "on to the charge." 

Having, by the fact of addressing my questions 
directly to you, Mr. Editor, invested you with a 
sort of temporary championship of the doctrine, 
I believe that I may consider your concession of 
the first point as rendering further evidence, so 
far as the fact is concerned, unnecessary ; but 
there are one or two considerations in connection 
with it, which I think would not be out of place. 
I believe that the absence of any fixed character 
to a sound, except that of its pitch, is an advan- 
tage, instead of a disadvantage. For, while the 
fixedness of pitch establishes its identity, yet the 
necessity that other qualities be associated with it 
at the time of its production, and these associates 
being circumstantially varied, every sound can 
become the medium of exciting in the mind any 
of the emotions of which that mind is susceptible. 
In this sense a sound may, perhaps, not inappro- 
priately, be compared to water, which, possessing 
no particular color itself, is all the more perfect a 
medium for its exhibition. Neither does the mul- 
tiplicity of its. adaptation deteriorate the quality 
of its representations. Is the reflected fiash of 
the lightning upon the water's surface, less vivid 
or beautiful, because, the next moment, the black 
and threatening clouds which enshroud the face 
of the heavens are equally well depicted ? 

It frequently happens that the same sound, ut- 
tered at the same time, in the same place, and 
under the same circumstances, produces opposite 
emotions in the minds of the hearers, from being 
differently associated. As an example of this, 
suppose that a steamboat bell, which sliould be 
like in pitch, associated qualities, &c., to the bell 
of the unfortunate ** Atlantic," one of the Long 
Island Sound steamboats which was wrecked 
some few years since, and which bell is reported 
to have pealed with every motion of the waves 
after she had struck ; suppose, I say, that one of 
the survivors of the "Atlantic," having a mind 
sensitive to tonical impression, should hear thu 
like bell, would not that identity of pitch and as- 
sociated quality very possibly bring to mind the 
horrors of that scene, and create a corresponding 
painful emotion ? But, to the ordinary listener 
no painful excitement is produced ; and in some, 
if associated with other circumstances, the high- 
est feelings of joy would be produced ! Again, 
there are instances in which the same sound, used 
to give emotions opposite to those which have 
been most generally associated with it, in a great 
measure fails of success from the fact that old as- 
sociations are too strong for the new ones at- 
tempted to be imparted. I felt an instance of 
this kind, myself, quite recently. On the day 
after the Queen's message was received by means 
of the telegraph cable, guns were fired, church 
bells rung, &c. The church bell of St. George's, 
(a church standing next to a building which I was 



in at the time,) did its part towards the general 
joy ! But, although the bell was rung with a 
presto movement, this was not sufficient to do 
away with the " Dearly beloved brethren, the 
Scripture, &c," impression which previous associa- 
tion had given. It seemed as if the bell still 
called the peq)le to church, but the sexton being 
angry at their tardiness, increased his speed with 
the rise in his temper. 

In spite, however, of all attempts to consider a 
sound by itseU, as such, even with regard to its 
fixed quality, in practice it is impossible ; an in- 
voluntary comparison takes place as to its position 
in the average range of tones in general use, and 
most frequently heard ; and it is set down under 
the general terms "high," " rather high," "mid- 
dling," " low," " rather low," &c. But this gen- 
erality would give no fixed character to a single 
word. 

From the foregoing considerations I think we 
may conclude there b no inherent tendency to a 
difference of sentimental quality in any of the 
single tones used in one key from those used in 
another. 

I will now proceed to examine proposition 11., 
whether the succession^ or connection^ of the 
sounds used in one key, exhibits a different senti- 
mental quality from those used in another. 

While, with regard to a single sound, compari- 
son is involuntary and incidental, the very nature 
of succession institutes and compels it ; and by this 
means we arrive at the proportions of the thing 
considered. In regard to a single sound, Telocity 
of vibration is that which gives the fixedness of 
its character, but it is not necessary that any 
other velocity be given, or that its volocity be 
known; the velocity tt^^//* possesses an innate and 
fixed power to fasten just its own peculiar prop- 
erty upon the ear. A succession of sounds, and 
more particularly a succession of musical sounds, 
require one sound to be given^ in order to deter- 
mine what the succession is. To render a suc- 
cession of sounds musical, the sounds in such suc- 
cession must bear a certain proportion to each 
other; and it is necessary to our purpose to 
serve : 

1 — The proportion itself. 

2 — The character that such proportion imparts. 

8 — ^If the proportion be the same in one key as 
another. 

4 — Being the same, if the sentimental or emo- 
tional expression of such production will be dif- 
ferent. 

Firstly, then, with respect to tlie proposition 
itself. It has been found necessary in grad- 
ually ascending (increasing the velocity of vibra- 
tion,) or descending (decreasing the velocity of 
vibration,) from any given sound, that we do so 
by certain fixed proiK>rtionate amounts, in order 
to render the succession such as a musical ear de- 
mands, and is perfectly satisfied with. These 
amounts, in music, are called intervals, and these 
intervals are named according to the position 
they occupy in relation to a given sound. From 
any given sound to its octave (double the num- 



202 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ber of vibrations, if asoendinfj, and haJf that 
amount, if dcscendin;;,) seven intervals or propor- 
tionate amounts of increase or dccretisc are used. 
These seven dcprroc^s are generally called tones 
and semitones, the semitones representing half 
the amount that the tones do. A gradual pro- 
presf-ion of this kind is called a scale or key. 
Simply calculated, the intervals from 1 to 2, 2 to 
3, 4 to t"), 5 to 6, 6 to 7, are equal, while from 3 
to 4, and from 7 to 8, (the octave of one,) the 
interval is but half as much as from 1 to 2. It 
does not affect my argument that this simple cal- 
culation is not strictly correct. The manner in 
irhich this tone and semitone division is produced 
is different on various instruments, but the most 
perfect division can be obtained ' on a string 
stretched upon a violin or violoncello, or, in fact, 
a string stretched upon anything. According to 
a table now before me, a string, the whole of which 
being used, will give, when strained to a certain 
tension, say the sound in musical notation called 
A. 



~m 



Eight-ninths of the string will produce the sec- 
ond sound in a scale formed upon A, called B. 

Four-fiflhs will produce the third sound, called 
C sharp. 

Three-fourths will produce the fourth sound, 
called D. 

Two-thirds will produce the fifth sound, called 
E. 

Three-fifllis will produce the sixth sound, called 
F sharp. 

Eight-fifteenths will produce the seventh sound, 
called 6 sharp. 

One-half will produce the eighth or octave 
Bound, called A. 

It matters not whether this calculation is ex- 
actly correct ; we will suppose it to be so, and 
that the fingers placed upon the string, in this 
proportion, will give a major scale in its purest 
form. On the production of these sounds, the 
ear distinguishes, by means of comparison, the 
peculiar character imparted by the proportion. 
If we proceed from 1 to 2, called, in our exam- 
ple, A and B, we have what is .called a major 
second ; from 2 to 3, (B and C sharp,) likewise a 
major second ; from 3 to 4, (C sharp and D,) a 
minor second, and so on. Let us try the effect 
of moving from 1 to 3, 2 to 4, 3 to 6, &c.; then 
from 1 to 4, 2 to 5, &c., &c.; then 1 to 5, 2 to G, 
&c., &.; then 1 to 6, 2 to 7, &c. ; in short, let us 
examine the effect thoroughly, by all the means 
that changing from one sound to another will 
give. In this way wc may become thoroughly 
acquainted with the nature of a major and minor 
second, a major and minor third, a perfect and 
sharp fourth, a perfect and imperfect fiflh, a ma- 
jor and minor sixth, and a major and minor sev- 
enth. The fixed character of each having been 
practically examined, until it is perfectly remem- 
bered, so that its identity is established in the 
mind, let us ask the question, " Is the peculiarity 
thus exhibited the result of proportion ? " If you 
are doubtful, destroy the proportion, and you will 
destroy the peculiarity, which is the identity of 
the inter\'al. 

AVhen you are satisfied that it is proportion that 
gives the peculiar character of each interval, we 
will give the violin peg a turn, and instead of the 
sound called in musical notation A, we will have 
the one called B fiat, and the first question we 
will ask, is, " Will it now require different propor- 



tions on the string to give this new scale or key, 
from the one just considered ? " 

[Feai'ing to take up too much space, I will 
again pause, and develope further at a future 
time] J. J. Clarke. 



Mozart's Piano-Forte Works. 

The )»ianofortc of Mozart's day had established 
its superiority over all keyed instruments of the 
(luill-anfl-wire tril>c by the roundness and sweet- 
ness of its toiu', the fine gradations of power 
which it yielded to the hand, and its freedom, 
without hanlness or dryness, from all offensive 
vibration. The harpsicord, patronized by Handel 
and Scarlatti, and organ players in general, was 
not without a certain grandeur ; but no one 
could make it sing a melody, or produce upon it 
tho.se melting effects of decrescendo^ or harmoni- 
ous blendings of intervals, to which many of us 
have listened * all ear ' when a J. B. Cramer sat 
at the pianoforte. Touch y)ecame on this instru- 
ment a peculiar art, developing the finest feeling. 
It was distinct from the elastic digital |X)wcr 
which briufis out passages with clearness on the 
harpsichord or organ, and might rather be 
compared to that gentle pressure of the bow, or 
enforcement of the breath, with which the accom- 
plished violin player or singer gives prominence 
to a beautiful idea. The cxj)res8ive m^'stery of a 
fine touch, it is easier for the musician to feel 
than to explain ; the attack and retreat of the fin- 
gers, the holding down of notes their full time, 
and the degree of force with which the keys are 
struck, may all be well accomplished, yet shall wc 
not be gnjatly moved bv any performance in 
which the soul of the artist does not animate his 
finger tips. A little prelude — a careless arpeggio 
of half-a-<lozen chords, serves mostly to reveal 
the qualities of a player, and to announce him 
cither as a musician or a musical mechanic. 

Not only did Mozai*t devote himself to the 
legato style, but Beethoven prized it so highly, 
that while he possessed his sensibility of ear and 
touch, ho never played in any other way ; and it 
was this which made him say m one of his conver- 
sations with Ferdinand Ries, Hhat of all the 
Sianoforte players he had ever heard, he prefered 
. B. Cramer.' This interesting testimony, by 
the way, which is published m Ries' Notizen 
respecting Beethoven, should not have been 
excluded from Moscheles and Schindler's biogra- 
phy of that composer. 

I'owards the middle of the last century every 
house in a certain class of society in Germany 
possessed its pianoforte ; and in the Southern 
districts, Stein of Augsburg was a manufacturer 
of these instruments in great repute. The culti- 
vation of music was at this time merely a means 
of inti'oducing an elegant pleasure at home. It 
gave an occupation to the young, which, as the 
simple, earnest compositions of the day evince, was 
as yet untainted bv the vanitv of display. Music 
pleased for herself* alone. IJut good teaching in 
respect to mechanicism was very rare ; and the 
steps by which a finished artist is raised to perfec- 
tion, from childhood to full maturity, were almost 
undiscovered. Mozart's father was one of the first 
who comprehended the true principles of the 
modern execution — kept the arm in complete 
sjiillness, and moulded tiie hand into that round- 
ed position in which the fingers seem to grow to 
the Keys. Leopold Mozart and his daughter were 
much occupied in tctiching, and, as wc learn oflen 
talked themselves out of breath, in the consci- 
entious discharge of their employment. While 
they were explaining the mysteries of fingering, 
and showing how passages of great apparent 
difficulty could be neatly and elegantly Drought 
under the hand, it was the business of the young 
com]x>ser, even fi-om eight years of age, to form 
and train the soul. 

From this early period the solicitations to 
compose for this or that individual talent, which 
beset him throucrhout life, had their origin. 
Whatever relatea to capacity in his own art, its 
exact degree, its character, and importance, was 
known to him in any individual with whom he 
conversed, as if by intuition. The tone of a voice, 



the air of a countenance, the social vivacity of a 
young person, seem Xo have enabled him to read 
with facility whatever nature had imprinted of 
the musician. The mei*e shape of an exquisitely- 
forme<l hand, without a general rc|)osc and 
harmony of character in the whole human struct- 
ure, would, perhaps not have sali.^lied him ; but 
both together made him more certain of his 
subject than either Gall or S])urzheim could have 
been l)y any investigation of the nuisical bumps 
which enter into the system of phrenology. 

Even in his moments of deej)est ahstraction, 
when j»laying extemjjoraneously, Mozart was able 
to preserve a part of his mind free to notice the 
effect of his music upon others, to inform himself 
how far he might pursue one track of invention, 
or when it was time to strike into a new one. 
He had his own prepossessions in point of taste •, 
and there is no master in whose works we can 
place a finger on a passage, a bar, or even a note, 
and say with greater confidence, * this the compo- 
ser enjoyed.* But though he gently led the way, 
and insinuated his own pi-eferences in melody in 
strains of temler and melanchol.v grace, he 
appears rarely to have approved his own first 
conceptions until he had tried their influence 
upon others. This practice, which he early 
commenced among the visitors who listened to 
him occasionally at his father's house, became so 
strong in him by habit, that he was able at last to 
carry it out in public among the numerous audi- 
ences collected at the theatre, where — 

One touch of natara mAkcii th« whole world kin. 

The dramatic poet and musician are the kings 
who proverbially have Mong arms.' The chier 
element of their being is knowledge of the world 
within and without; they multiply themselves, 
and extend their own identity into all the infinite 
forms and varieties of the human family, and 
strike chords of passion which vibrate by sympa- 
thy through the whole. In Mozart's mystic 
language of inarticulate sounds there may be 
dist'overed a perpetual process of reason, as well 
as of imagination. The precision with which, as 
a minister of pleasure, he adapted the means to 
the end— hitting the mark always, restraining the 
luxuriance of his figincy amidst all its roving 
temptations, and preserving himself just within 
the limits of the object to be accomplished, exhib- 
its the logical composer in an aspect in which he 
is unequalled among musicians. 

Not any writings which Mozart has lefl show 
the man and the musician more interestingly than 
these collected pianoforte compositions. They 
are, for the most part, living witnesses to the 
amiability of his disposition, being mostly free 
gif^s to one and another of his acquaintance of all 
ages and talents ; sometimes evidently costing him 
no more trouble to write than that of moving the 
pen; at others, displaying the exertion of his 
greatest powers in design and construction. To 
one who can enter with full sympathy into the 
day-dreams of the charming artist-family whose 
abode in Salzburg near a. century ago renders 
that locality still a shrine of musical enthusiasm 
and devotion, it is pleasant to travel once more 
into the past on the wings of these compositions. 
Images of happiness and hope will surround us 
while we witness the content of the yet youthful 
father and mother of Mozart in the opening genius 
of their son ; and so we have resolved to write 
our Salzburg * re-visited.' Glancing a little to 
our right as we ascend the broad staircase of their 
dwelling, we discover in the deep vista of a 
wharehoust*, fragrant with the scents of Italian 
edibles and culinarj* merchandize, Mozart's land- 
lord, that immortal drysalter, M. Ila^enauer. 
The ladies, the officers, the ecclesiastics, the 
musicians, who from time to time mount to the 
dritter stock (third floor) to tolk about or hear 
music, thus need not forget in going or coming 
where to renew the exhausted Parmesan or stock 
of maccaroni. But we quit these sensualities and 
enter the apartments of the Mozart family. In a 
room well stored with musical instruments and 
books, and ornamented with prints, busts, and 
flowers, a boy sits at a table composing. That is 
Mozart. A canarybird chirps in a cage at the 
open window ; and a favorite cat, who has estab- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1858. 



203 



lisher] hcrsiilf on tlic tabic near his music-paper, 
looks the picture of domestic quiet and content. 

* Wolfganfr,* exclaims the boy*s sister, * the 
youn;^ countess, my pupil, is just returned from 
Paris. She has been takin^^ lessons o( Schobert, 
and is much improved. You rcmrmber how well 
slio promised, what a nice clear finjjer she had, 
and what a jrraceful frelinjj for melwlv. You 
must w^ritc somethino; for her, cither variations or 
a rondo ; but, whatever it is, I must take it with 
me next week.' 

* Well ; ril think of it. I have just finished 
the processson march for Ilaffner's sister's 
wed(hng, and the new minuets for the ball in the 
evening. This afternoon we drive out to the 
Nonuenberjr, and to-morrow I must practise my 
concerto, to play to the archbishop's Italian friends 
at the palace. What a lazy thing that is,' 
ho adds, contemplating puss. * I wonder when 
I shall find time to enjoy being lazy V ' 

*■ Oh, there will be plenty of time/ interposes 
the father. 

* For what?' 

* For composing the piece which your sister 
wants. And, Wolfgang, you know that M. 
TEveque, who has been, in Italy, and talks to us 
so much about Italian fugues and counterpoint, 
will be sure to stand Ix'side the little countess as 
she phiys ; so let your music be a rondo, in which 
you can bring in the subject in the bass, and make 
some of the passages move in canon. This will 
strenghten the young lady's left hand, and give 
the gentleman an opportunity of displaying his 
science when he speaks of the construction of the 
piece.* 

The scene changes. Tlie Mozarts are in Lon- 
don, in their modest lodgings in Frith-street, Soho. 
A German friend of theirs whose visage beams 
with delight and admiration, congratulates them 
on the pleasure which they gave to the king and 
queen at Windsor, a few nights before. It is the 
queen's music-master, J. C. Ba<;h. 

* His Majesty was delighted with the sonata, 
which he heard played off-hand by two great 
hands and two little hands alternately. It was a 
novelty ; and here in England ' — addressing the 
boy — ' they like nothing so much a«* novelty.* 

' Have they ever heard four hands on the piano- 
forte to<jether f ' asked Wolfgang. 

* Never ; no duets for a keyed instrument have 
yet been published in England. But do you try 
your hand at some, and we will play them together 
to some musical friends, whom I intend shortly to 
collect at mv house.* 

The duets in D and B flat (Nos. 43 and 57 of 
the catalogue thematique. Potter's edition) are 
quickly produced and played. A Berlin profes- 
sor of counterpoint, well versed in Marpurg, 
fidgets a good deal in his chair, and then rises to 
criticise. 

' The adofjlo of that second duet is certainly a 
heavenly melody, M. Bach ; but I observe that, 
in the second line, there are about thirty-three 
consecutive octaves in succession in the middle 
parts.' 

* They accompany the melody very well,* said 
Bach, laughing. 

* But, my dear friend, such counterpoint ' — 

* I was not thinking of counterpoint ; I was 
thinking of pleasing,' interrupted the boy. * The 
second violins and tenors sound very well so in 
an orchestra.* 

' And I notice more octaves still in the andante 
cantabUe of this duet in D,' said the professor. 

* There I meant to imitate the bassoons.* 

* So you turn the pianoforte into an orchestra, 
and place plea.sure above counterpoint ! What 
is to become of music if composers at your time of 
life set up taste and emotion as supreme guides ? 
It must be quickly reduced to a chaotic jargon.* 
The professor was waxing warm. 

* My revered father, John Sebastian,* said M. 
Bach, quietljr, »was wont to compose in what you 
call the stnct style ; and yet he would bre^ a 
rule at any time rather than injure a good melo- 
dy, or spoil a neatly-constructed passage.* 

Mozart's wonderful childhood is passed, and he 
is not a little pleased to see himself wandering 
from Munich to Manheim and Paris in quest of a 
permanent settlement. His pianoforte playing is 



in great reaucst at the houses of musicians whom 
he visits ; tie engages with young people in par- 
tics of pleasure, dances, and excursions, ready at 
any time of day to make the candid confession of 
youth — 

Fall many a lady I have eyed with best regard. 

And so, as Carl Von Weber tells us, that Ger- 
nifin girls much delight in new waltzes and mu- 
sical keepsakes (MSS.), which they pay for by a 
stiueeze of the hand, ^lozart, as a matter of course, 
was obliged to dispense his services and take the 
usual wapes. Sonatas by the dozen, full of ele- 
gant Italian melody, and of the neatest construc- 
tion for finpering, attest what he has given away 
at the solicitation of the fair ; nor could even 
mama l)e denied if her little favourite longed for 
a pretty air with variations. The language of 
refusal was scarcely in the vocabulary of the 
compliant and obliging man. 

Mozart is walking one morning in the English 
garden at Manheim, with a musician belonging to 
the Elector's chapel. * Nothing,' says the compo- 
ser's friend, * ever sui'prised and pleased me more 
than what you did yesterday when we went with 
Ilolzbauer and Cannabich to the pianofbrte ware- 
house to choose the new instrument for the pal- 
ace. To play on five or six instruments in suc- 
cession, on each in a difierent manner, with a 
perspicuous design in every improvisation, — that 
I call the test of masterly invention and readi- 
ness. It is extremely embarrassing, when in 
walking from instrument to instrument, with 
great hearers, one is reduced to show one's pov- 
erty, to repeat oneself, or become quite vapid.' 

The idea of such a situation made the comj)oscr 
smile. * A pecuHar fantasia,' he returns, * is neces- 
sary when one would try a pianoforte. I have 
thought much of this impromtu music, and I sent 
my conception of such a fantasia in notes the 
other day to my sister. It should differ from the 
orchestral fantasia, in which we may blend adagio 
and alleffro^ sweet air, solemn modulalion, and 
various rhythm, within the compass of one pre- 
lude ; and also from that in the bound or organ 
style, which usually ends with a fugue. I intend 
some day to make designs of th^so different fan- 
tasias.' 

Last winter, when we met in London M. Neid- 
thardt, of the Berlin choir, we were well remin- 
ded that Mozart had kept his woixl. The fan- 
tasia in C minor, arranged by him for a large 
militar}' orchestra, forms a splendid piece, and we 
have heard it ourselves in Berlin with much 
pleasure. — Frazer Magazine. 



Congregational Singing. 

From the Chrbti&n Examiner for September. 

The scriptural idea of public worship is that the 
public arc the worshippers. Tlic choir in Solomon's 
temple, though larger than the largest modern con- 
gregation, did not monopolize, but only led, the ser- 
vice. All Israel assembled must lift up the chant 
responsive as the noise of many waters. 

Throughout the Bible, commands to sing praise 
arc addrepscd, not to the select few, but to the many. 
'* Let all the people praise thee, O God, let all the 
people praise thee." " Kings of the earth, nnd all 
people; princes, and all judges of the enrth; both 
young men and maidens, old men and children ; let 
them praise the name of the Ix)rd." 

Yet though this is plainly the true scriptural idea 
of public worship, and though many laudable efibrts 
have been made to realize it, the results thu^* far have 
been far from encouraging. Except in Germany, 
congregational singing hardly exists, save in name. 
Public worehip is merely nominal. Nav, too often in 
our churches it may with tnith be said, the worship 
stops when the musical perfonnancc logins. 

To bring on a true performance by the people of 
the people's work, to make it general, hearty, good 
and enduring, is a vast labor, demanding incredible 
toil, and beset with almost insupci-ablo difficulties. 
If music' were taught in our public schools as thor- 
oughly as reading and ^Tiling, the case would be dif- 
ferent. The same multitude that hesitate not to read 
the h3rmn8 in their hymn-books, could read at sight 
the tunes in their tune-books ; and then choirs might 
use their liberty of selection ad libitum^ without exclu- 
ding the populace. 

Again, if our churches were.built for singing pur- 
poses, the difficulty would not bo so great. It would 
seem to bo a first principle of common sense that a 



public building should Ikj constructed with reference 
to iis special uses. Kvery edifice is the embodiment 
of some idea. When the sacrificial idea becomes 
thus embodied, it gives us a cathedral, with the altar 
spcciidly developed und prominent, and the pulpit 
dwarfish and thrust aside. Kntcrsuch imposing fane 
and everything reminds you that sacrifice, not doc- 
trine, is the grand idea ; that sensuous impression, 
not appeals to reason and conscience, is the arehitcc- 
tural law. 

Hence the extreme Puritan reaction from Roman- 
ism incarnated itself in a church without an altar, 
without sensuous appeals, and with a pulpit as the 
prominent feature, because doctrine, instmction, ap- 
peals to purely spiritual powers of the soul, was the 
enthusiastic purpose. Not only, however, was sensual 
appeal eschewed, and justly, by the Puritan reaction, 
but unfortunately the idea of worship was, if not es- 
chewed, yet undervalued. 

The Puritan loved psalmody indeed, but abhorred 
organs and choirs. 

But such congregational singing, deprived of in- 
strumental aid, and unsustained by the choir of 
trained voices, speedily degenerates into the worst 
description of solo performance, — a solo voice here, 
and a solo voice there, uncultivated, discordant, and 
wholly abominable. Frein this to choirs the reaction 
was inevitable. If we must have solos, duets, quar- 
tets, let them be at least cultivated ones ; and if we 
must have an organ, let it not l>e the nose. 

But as choirs arose, so did the question what to do 
with them. Architecture had provided them neither 
local habitation nor name. If there be a gallery, let 
them go U]) thither. * * * . * ♦ 

Having thus the choir in the worst possible place 
to 1)0 found for it, and the organ so disposed as to 
make the least possible disturbance, let the people 
sing if they can. The people will not attempt it; 
first, because they cannot, and second, because the 
cultivated choir do not wish to have them. So the 
people are dumb, and public worship becomes a Sun- 
dav opera. 

ijut of all causes fatal to popular participation in 
sacred song, the most radical has been the principle 
of sin<;ing the same hymn to different tunes. The 
principle is universal in this country and in England, 
and so unr|uestione<l, that it possesses all the sanction 
of an intuitive truth. A common-metre hymn is 
sung to-day in Mcar, to-morrow in Dundee, the day 
after in St. Martin's, or in any other tunc of that 
metre. 

If the tnith were known, the true philosophical 
secret of German congrep^aiional singing is that in 
Germany a hymn is married to its tune, and is never 
divorced ; so that the tunc, instead of being named 
Akrabbim, Bangor, or China, is named from the first 
line of the hymn that is wedded to it. 

We have only to consider a moment the natural 
result of the opposite principle. The eflfect is, tliat 
tuue-books, being a separate article of merchandise 
from hymn-books, begin to multiply. American 
genius is fecund. The greater the variety the better 
the selection. Every year brings forth new collec- 
tions by the score, ^fiverv choir will cull from the 
pages of from two to half a dozen, until a given 
hymn will hardly chance to Ixj sung twice to the same 
tune in a lifetime. Now under such a system the 
people do not learn the melodies by heart, — melodies 
often unmelodious, ever-changing, evanescent. They 
form no heart attachment then to the tune ; no affec- 
tionate association between a favorite hymn and a 
favorite air. All is perpetually new, cold, and purely 
scientific. And ns association and sympathetic emo- 
tion are the strongest of all popular forces, it follows 
inevitably that the people soon know nothing and care 
nothing for the whole business, except to listen, to bo 
amused, or to criticise. 

On the other hand, the same cause nourishes excln- 
sivcness in the choir. Having unlimited range and 
well-exercised vocal organs, they ore tempted to 
choose new and difficult pieces, to gratify their own 
taste, display their power, and prevent popular intru- 
sion. 

Thus it happens that the wliole scn'ice is corrupted 
and perverted in its inmost spirit and feeling. Wor- 
ship expires. The love of applause becomes para- 
mount. Everything in the existing system tends to 
foster approbativeness. In the concert-ixwm or opera 
we know how human nature is afi^ected. Why must 
not similar causes produce similar effects in a church ? 
The audience in either ease listen to a finished per- 
formance. Can they escape the instinctive tendency 
to criticise ? The 8ingei*s know what the audience 
are thinking about. Can they in turn resist the temp- 
tation to propitiate criticism and elicit approval? 
Both parties, m the church as well as at the opera or 
conceit-room, are thrown into the same relative men- 
tal attitudes, and the temptation is exqisitely adapted 
to develop the result. Tne organist exhibits his skill 



204 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



of fing«r and toe ; the choir display their execntion ; 
the audience are entranced with dclij^ht, and God, 
whom all should adore, is ncarlv foq^tten — forpottcn 
it is to bo feared, more entirely here where directly 
addressed, than in any other part of the services. 
Viewed in tliis light, it cannot be accounted a paradox 
to say that what we call sacred music is too f^encraliy 
the most profane thing in existence. If there is any 
department of practical duty in which the churches 
" are carnal, and walk aa men," it is here. Nor can 
congregational singing possibly thrive while all these 
canaes operate in combined activity. 

To obviate such causes, as before intimated, must 
be a work of time. Yet not the less for that should 
we attempt the enterprise. Let children bo taught to 
read music as early, and with as much necessity, aa 
to read their mother tongue. Let every family be a 
singing-school, and at the home altar lot childi-en 
loam the hymns of Zion. In public schools of every 
grade give music a place as a daily exercise. Ro- 
qniro of all pupils as thorough mastery of the gamut 
as of the multiplication table. Music is practically 
as valuable to men as either grammar or arithmetic. 
It promotes health, cheerfulness, good order, and 

Eiety ; it refines and purifies the disposition. Let it 
e with ours as with Prussian schools, an indispensa- 
ble qualification to the office of teacher, that one both 
sing and play well on some instrument. 

Furthermore, in all churches to bo built hencefor- 
ward, let it be a problem to be solved, how to adapt 
them for uses of praise as well as of instruction. ()n 
this point we have much to learn. A few suggestions 
may be offered towards the true result. But that true 
result, that grand ideal of a house of worship is, we 
fear, known only to the Infinite Architect and Master 
Builder. 

One thing may be laid do\Yn as settled beyond con- 
troversy ; and that is, that the best place for the organ 
is on the ground floor. The principles of acoustics 
make this aa ceruVm as any general rule can be made. 
And as where tlie organ is, there the choir must l)e, 
it follows that the choir seats must not bo in the gal- 
lery, but on the audience floor. 

The question resolves itself to this, then, wherea- 
bouts on the ground floor to place organ and choir so 
as not to mar the symmetry of the interior, and yet 
to give to both preacher and people the best use of 
the voice in their respective parts of the public service 

Having thus mnrshalled the forces, and oi^nized 
the host, it remains to provide them with suitable 
arms. Place in the hands of every man, woman, and 
child a book containing both the hymns and the tune 
which the people are to sing. The choir, of course, 
will possess its own library, for there are compositions 
whicn cannot be executed by the people, and may be 
sung for them by the choir, as at the opening and 
closing of service, during the rite of baptism, or on 
any special occasion. 

But the main staple of worship is that in which the 
people participate, and that is to be found in the peo- 
ple's book. Hero let the people's taste be consulted, 
rather than the taste of choir or leader. Give the 
people such tunes as they lik<^ and do not think, be- 
cause congregational sinj^ng flourishes in Germany, 
where they sing slow-moulded chorals, therefore we 
must sing slow-moulded chorals to make it flourish 
here. The reason why congrcgntional singing flour- 
ished in Germany was, that the words were indissolu- 
bly linked to those chorals. Therefore, so long as 
the hymns lasted, the chorals must last. Moreover, 
there were reasons peculiar to European civilization 
why Protestant chorals should have a tinge of sadness 
not appropriate to our circumstances. Zion has been 
for the most part in captivity in the great European 
Babylon, ana her harps hung on willows. 

Of course we shall sing those grand old chorals, in 
part, because we sometimes feel life to be but Babylon 
and we our^lves captives by the streams. But if 
any imagine we are to be snut up to those severe 
strains, we who liye in freer climes and more millen- 
ial anticipations, they are ycty much mistaken. 
When they can reduce our freo limbs to the suits of 
mail hanging up in their old castles and museums, 
and our free thoughts to the catechisms of Westmin- 
ster and Geneva, equally antiquated and rust-eaten, 
they may expect to imprison our exuberant worship 
in those prison dirges of dynastic middle age, but not 
before. 

Give us, indeed, a few tunes with the mould of kirk 
and cathedral on them, we will not object. But give 
OS also the inspiring melodies of the revival and the 
camp-gronnd. Call them methodistical, pennyroyal, 
nay, even Choctaw, we shall not care. They come 
from the people, the people love them, and the people 
shall have them. 

Moreover, establish the nnchanging law, (a reyolu- 
tion in itself,) that the hymn given is always to be 
snng to the tune acoompan^ng. The people will 
know what to expect. Then it will be or some nse 



for them to try to Irnm. Then they can form associ- 
ations of ideas. Children will love tunes for their 
fathers' sakes,and there will be something permanent 
in our worship from generation to generation. 

Then let the congregation sustain one weekly meet- 
ing for practice. Of course the choir will have the 
best drillino: we can give it. But the people must 
meet. And if there is no other way, give up half a 
day on the Sabbath to the business, and let pastor 
and people take hold with a will, the choir at the 
helm, to learn the high praise of God. 

Finally, we need repentance for sin the matter. If 
the church only could become suddenly conscious of 
her adultery in this thing, — how we have snng to 
man, and not God, how, in the act of addressing his 
majesty, we have tlionght of our own flattery, — she 
would * be in snckcloth and ashes in a moment. For 
surely the indignity we offer Heaven is most gross, 
the insult most keen and cutting. God is real. He 
is the living God. True praise from us gives his 
heart true joy. Insult under the form of praise 
wounds his heart most deeply. And not only does it 
grieve him ; it robs him of one of his choicest instru- 
mentalities for blessing us. He could bless this ser- 
Tice to a degree now unknown through our guilty 
profanation — a degree almost miraculous. In Chris- 
tian souls he could take deep hold on emotions, reveal 
and express such heaycnl y raptures as are now uncon 
ceiye<l. Music, too, might do His sharp sword to 
convince of sin and leoid to himself. When man 
feels himself lost, and trembles nt his own ruin, music 
is the angel yoicc tiiat leads him to Jeans, and souls 
may be bom to God by the songs, as well as by the 
prayers and tears of tne Church. There is a conta- 
gion in those holy raptures, when multitudes full of 
emotion sing with all the soul, by which the rudest 
natures are affected. When the wayes of song rise 
and swell around them, when they float in that sea of 
sound, all instinct and tremulous with emotion, 
docs not then some secret power unlock die fountain 
too long scaled, of their own better nature, and do 
they not experience stmnge, unwonted promptings 1 
And wlien they feel the bondage of sin, and ycam for 
deliverance, why should not the singing of some 
hymn of consecration be to them like the opening ot 
a'door in heaven ? 



Thb Piccoi^mini Fevbr iw DunLiw. — AfVer 
the opera of Lucia^ on Saturday night last, a large 
crowd collected at the Theatre Royal stage entrance, 
where Mademoiselle Piccolomini's'carringe was wnit- 
ing to convey her to the Gresham Hotel. On her i«- 
snsing from the stage door and entering her carriage 
the cheering of the assemblage became most vehe- 
ment and enthusiastic. The fair donna smilingly ac- 
knowledged the compliment paid her. But she was 
hardly seated in the vehicle, when the horses were 
unyoked from the pole in a twinkling ; about a hun- 
dred young gentlemen collected round the carriage, 
and drew it at a rapid pace to the Gresham Hotel, 
followed by an immense crowd, cheering heartily all 
the way. On the carriage being drawn up to the 
hotel door Mademoiselle Piccolomini alighted, amid 
a dense throng of enthusiastic admirers, and renewed 
her expression of thanks for this manifestation of 
popular regard. She retired within the hotel ; hut 
there the cheering recommenced with redoubled 
vigor, by way of conveying the general desire that 
die much adniired donna should present herself at the 
window. She at length came forth upon the balcony 
in front of one of the drawing rooms of the hotel. 
Lights had to be held at each side of her to assure 
the crowd of her identity. The huzzaing, shouting, 
waving of hats, etc., became immense. Again and 
again the fair cantatrice had to gratify her worship- 
pers by coming forth and bowing. She was led forth 
by Signor Giuglini, and had to remain for several 
minutes, while the vast breadth of Sackville Street 
echoed with cheers and vivas. Such a decided mani- 
festation of public admiration and n^rd we do not 
remember to have seen conferred on any of the emi- 
nent actresses and prima donnas who have visited 
Dublin. — Freeman's Journal, 



Malapsopos Staoe iNCiDBirr. — A few members 
of the company usually took a stroll on the Sunday 
forenoons. It was generally the "painter," the "heavj 
man," and myself— when'they retailed stories of their 
wondrous adventures and stage experiences. We 
had only one incident to talk about personal to the 
company, and it was a laughable one. Walls, the 
prompter, who was useful on the stage, happened one 
evening to play the Duke in the tragedy of "Othel- 
lo," having previously given directions to a girl of 
all-work who attended on the wardrobe to bring him 
a gill of the best whisky. Not wishing to go out, as 
the eyening was wet, the girl emplo^ a little boy 
who happened to be standing about to execute the 



commission, and the little fellow (no person being 
present to stop hun), without considering the impro- 
priety of such an act, coolly walked on to the stage, 
and delivered his message — ^thc state of affairs at this 
ridiculous juncture being exactly as follows : The 
senate was assembled, and the speaker was — 

Brabantio. — So did I yours: Good, your grace, 

pardon me. 
Neither my place, nor anght I heard of business, 
Hath raised me from my l>ed ; nor doth this general 

care 
Take hold of me; for my particular grief 
Is of so floodgate and overbearing nature, 
That it engliits and swallows other sorrows. 
And is still itself. 

Duke. — Why, what's the matter ? 

Here the little hoy vxilked on to the staffe, with a pew- 
ter giU-stoup, and thus delirered hitnsei/: " Its jist the 
whttsky, Mr. Walls, and I conldn a get ony at four- 
pence, so yer aw'n the landlord a penny; and he 
says it's time you was paying what's doon i' the 
book." The roars of laughter which followed ore in- 
describable. — Con/esnont of a Strolling Plt^fer. 



u 



LongftUow*! New Yolvme. 

The Courtship of Miles Stand ish, and Other 
Poems," by the author of *' Hiawatha " and " Evan- 
geline," will be published next month, by Ticknor Jb 
Fields. From the smaller poems of this eageriy ex- 
pected volume we are able to give onr rcadcn the fol- 
lowing beauttfid vcrsea. 

CHILDREN. 

Come to me, O ye children ! 

For I bear you at your play, 
And the questions that perplexed me 

Have vanished qaito away. 

Ye open the eastern windows. 

That look toward the sun, 
Wliere thoughts are singing swallows 

And the brcx^ of morning mn. 

In your hearts are the birds and the svnshiBe, 
In your thoughts the brooklet's flow. 

But in mine Is the wind of Antnmn 
And the first fall of the snow. 

Ah ! what would the world be to m 

If the children were no more ? 
We should dread the desert behind vs 

Worse than the dark before. 

What the leaves are to the foiest. 

With light and air for food. 
Ere their sweet and tender juices 

Have been hardened into wood, — 

That to the world are children ; 

Through them it feels the glow 
Of a brighter and sunnier climate 

Than reaches the trunks below. 

Come to me, O ye children ? 

And whisper in my ear 
What the birds and the winds are singing 

In your sunny atmosphere. 

For what are all our contrivings. 
And the wisdom of our books. 

When compared with your caresses. 
And the gladness of your looks ? 

Ye are better than all die ballads 

That ever were sung or said ; 
For ye are living poems. 

And all the rest aro dead. 



Amesxcan Bbautt. — The Newport correspond- 
ent of the Boston Courier, whose initials " G. S. H.'^ 
vouch that he is one of the most competent of judges 
as well as the most graceful of vrriters to treat of 
such a subject, writes thus of the characteristics of 
American female beauty : 

• •«•«•• 

But there was something that outdid them all ; and 
that was a beautiful face I had the pleasure of sitting 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1858. 



205 



Opposite to. I shall not give yon the least intimation 
of the nnme or whereabouts of the owner of this face ; 
suffice it to say that she was a wife and a mother, 
and thus wearin^^ on her brow the perfect crown of 
womanhood. Vain woald it bo for mc to attempt to 
convey to you the chiinn of this countenance by any 
enumeration or inventory of its features — ^by tellin}^ 
you of the rich dark hair, so massive and yet so soft, 
and braided as Haphael would have braided it— of 
the steel gray eyes, spirited and sweet, under such eye 
brows and eye-lashes as would have made any eyes 
handsome — of the clear, pellucid complexion, as deli- 
cate as it is possible to be and not lose the charm of 
health— of tlie pure and sculptured lines of the cheek 
and chin— of a mouth gently grave in repose, but 
easily rippling into the most dazzling smiles. All 
this gives yon no notion of tlic sweetness, the pnrity, 
the refinement, the gentle-heartcdness, the ethereal 
peace, that breathed from this lovely face and throw 
over it a charm not borrowed from form or color. 
And her dress, of simple white muslin, high in the 
throat, with purple ribbons, could not have been im- 
proved if a committee of artists had prescribed it. 

I have been somewhat about the world, my dear C, 
and as you know I have an eye in my head ; and I 
assure you there is nothing on'earth so fine as Amer- 
ican beauty in its rarest and highest type — such as 
was here before me. Its leading and characteri:;tic 
trait is that of extreme refinement ; of fineness in its 
literal and exact sense, as opposed to coarseness. In 
no country so often as in our democratic America 
will vou see faces that look as if they were the perfect 
resuft of many generations of the most select and 
fortunate influences. This peculiar charm is often 
found in such excess, as to become almost a defect ; 
from its so inevitably suggesting fears of evanescence 
and early decay. 

Whv should I not be permitted to rave a little, in 
this aUurd way, npon the subject? Why should 
beauty gather ail its tributes from lovers, poets, and 
boys? Why may not mature age, long tried and 
trained by life, lay an offering on this altar 1 What 
beauty is there like that of the human face ? Milton 
in that pathetic passage in which he sums up the dep- 
rivation of his blindness, puts last, and as the climax 
of his bereavement, his losing sight of the " human 
face dicine: " no lightly-consi<lcrod or chance-gathered 
epithet. Had the light of day again visited those 
dim orbs, can we doubt that their first glance would 
have sought some human face 1 It is one of the com- 
pensations in growing old, or at least ceasing to be 
}'oung, thnt our sensations if less strong are finer ; 
more ethereal if less tumultuous. The serene emo- 
tion which the sight of beauty now awakens within 
mo I would not exchange for tlie more impetuous 
fervors, the coarser thrills, of twenty-five. Certainly 
I never looked upon a new-blown rose with a mora 
passionless ndmimtion than upon this fair young crea- 
ture who bad crossed my path but for a moment, and 
yet thrown upon it a perennial satisfaction ; for if a 
"thing of beauty" be "a joy forever," how much 
more is a being of beauty. 



Dr. Ame. 

ThomaA Augustus Arne, Mus. Doc. was the 
son of a celebrated upholsterer, of King Street, 
Covent Garden, and was bom in the month of 
March, 1710. He had a good school education, 
having been sent to Eton by his father, who in- 
tended him for th« profession of the law. But 
his love of music operated too powerfully, even 
while at Eton, for his own peace or that of his 
companions. By means of a miserable cracked 
common flute he tormented them night and day, 
when not obliged to attend the school ; and, 
when he left Eton, such waa his passion for music, 
that he was frequently known to avail himself of 
the privilege of a servant, by borrowing a livery, 
and going into the upper gallery of the Opera, 
at that time appropriated to domestics. At home 
he had contrived to secrete a spinet in his room, 
upon which, after mbflling the strings with a 
handkerchief, he used to practise in the night, 
while the rest of the family were asleep. 

He was at length compelled to serve a three- 
yeara clerkship to the law ; but, even during this 
servitude, he dedicated every moment of leisure 
he could obtain to the study of music. Besides 
j)racti8ing on the spinet, and studying compo- 
sition by himself, he contrived, during his clerk- 
ship, to acquire some instructions on the violin 
from^ Festing. Upon this instrument he made so 
considerable a progress, that soon after he had 
quitted his legal master, his father accidentally 
calling at a gentleman's house in tlie neighbour- 



hood, was invited up stairs, where there was a 
concert, in which, to his great astonishment, he 
observed his son in the very act of playing the 
first fiddle. Finding him more admired for his 
musical talents than his knowledge of the law, he 
was soon prevailed with to forgive this unruly 
passion, and to let him trv to turn it io some ac- 
count. No sooner was t^e young musician able 
to practice aloud in his father's house, than he 
bewitched the whole family. Having discovered 
that his sister was not only fond of music, but had 
a very sweet-toned and touching voice, he gave 
her such instructions as soon enabled her to sing 
in the opera of Amelia for Lampe; and, finding 
her so well received in that performance, he pre- 
pared a new character for her, by setting to mu- 
sic, though at the time only eighteen years of age, 
Addison's opera of Rommond, This drama waa 
performed for the first time on the 7th of March, 
1733, at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Field, and 
was repeated ten successive nights with great ap- 
plause. Our young musician next tried his 
power at a burlctta, and fixed on Fielding's Tom 
Thumb. This, under the title of the Tragedy of 
7Va(7C(/t>5, having met with great success in 1734, 
he now transformed into the Opera of Operas^ 
and setting it to music, " after the Italian manner," 
had it performed at the New Theatre in the 
Haymarkct. His opera of Comus was played for 
the first time in the year 1 738. Comus is, on the 
whole, a light, airy, original, and pleasing jpro- 
duction, wholly different from the works of rur- 
ccU or Handel, whom many preceding English 
composers had occasionally cither pillaged or imi- 
tated. 

Arne married Miss Cecilia Young, a singer and 
pupil of Geminiani ; and, in 1 744, was engaged 
as composer to the theatre in Drury Lane. 

In 1 762, he furnished Vauxhall, and thence 
the whole kingdom, with such songs as tended 
greatly to improve and polish the national taste. 

The melody of Arne, if analysed, would per- 
haps appear to consist of an a^eeable mixture of 
Italian, English, and Scots. Many of his ballads 
were indeed professed inutations of the Scots 
style ; and, in his other songs, he frequently drop- 
ped into it, perhaps without design. In the sci- 
ence of harmony, though he was chiefly self- 
taught, he betrayed, in nis scores, neither igno- 
rance nor want of study. 

The oratorios he produced were so unfortunate, 
that he was always a loser whenever they were 
performed. And yet it would be unjust to say 
that they did not merit a better fate ; for, though 
the choruses were much inferior to those of Han- 
del, yet the airs were frequently admirable. 
But, besides the great reputation of Handel, with 
whom he had to contend, Ame was never able to 
have his music so well performed. His competi- 
tor had always a more numerous and select band, 
a better organ, which he played himself, and 
better singers. 

None of this ingenious and pleasing composer's 
capital productions had full and unequivocal suc- 
cess except Comus and Artaxerxes, at the dis- 
tance of twenty-four years from each other. 
None of them were, however, condemned or ne- 
glected for want of merit in the music ; but too 
frequently the words as well as the music were 
his own production. 

This composer died of a spasmodic complaint 
on the 5th of March, 1778. Though, upon the 
whole, he had formed a new style of his own, 
yet there did not appear that fertility of ideas, 
that original grandeur of thought, or those re- 
sources upon all occasions, which are discovera- 
ble in the works of his predecessor Purcell, 
both for the church and stage; yet in secular 
music he must be allowed to have surpassed 
him in ease, grace, and variety. This is no in- 
considerable praise, when it is remembered that, 
from the death of Purcell to that of Ame, a 

Seriod of more than fourscore years, no candi- 
ate for musical fame among our countrymen 
had appeared, who was equally admired by the 
nation at large. 

The principal works of Dr. Arne now in 
print are, " Artaxerxes," " Elfrida," " Comus," 
" King Arthur," " Guardian Outwitted," " Ac- 
chilles in Petticoats," "May-Day," "Shake- 



speare's Ode," " Alfred," " Thomas and Sally," 
" Choice of Harlequin," " Syren," and " Vocal 
Grove." 



The Voiceless. 

From the Autocrat of the Breakfh^t Table. Atlantic Monthly 

tor October. 

For that great procession of the unloved, who 
not only wear the crown of thorns, but must hide 
it under the locks of brown or gray, — under the 
snowy cap, under the chilling turban, — ^hide it 
even from themselves, — perhaps never know they 
wear it, though it kills them, — there is no depth 
of tenderness in my nature that Pity has not 
sounded. Somewhere, — somewhere, — love is in 
store for them — the universe must not be allowed 
to fool them so cruelly. AVhat infinite pathos in 
the smaU, half-unconscious artifices by which un- 
attractive young persons seek to recommend 
themselves to the favor of those towards whom 
our dear sisters, the unloved, like tlie rest, are 
impelled by their God-given instincts ! 

Read what the singing-women — one to ten 
thousand of the suffering women — tell us, and 
think of the griefs that die unspoken I Nature is 
in earnest when she makes a woman ; and tliere 
are women enough lying in the next churchyard, 
with very commonplace blue slate-stones at their 
head and feet, for whom it was just as true that 
" all sounds of life assumed one tone of love," as 
for Letitia Landon, of whom Elizabeth Browning 
said it ; but she could give words to her grief, 
and they could not. Will you hear a few stanzas 
of mine ? 

THE YOICELESS. 

Wo count the broken lyres that rest 

Where the sweet wailing singers slumber, — 
But o'er tbcir silent sister's breast 

The wild flowers who will stoop to number? 
A few can touch the magic string, 

And noisy Fame is proud to win them ; — 
Alas for those that never sing, 

But die with all their music in them 1 

Nay, grieve not for the dead alone 

Whose song has told their heart's sad story, — 
Weep for the voiceless, who have known 

The cross without the crown of glory I 
Not where Lencadian breezes sweep 

O'er Sappho's memory-haunted billow. 
But where the glistening night-dews weep 

On nameless sorrow's churchyard pillow. 

hearts that break and give no sign 

Save whitening lip and fading tresses, 
Till Death pours out his cordial wine 

Slow-dropped from Misery's crushing presses — 
If singing breath or echoing cord 

To every hidden pang were given, 
What endfess melodies were poured, 

As sad as earth, as sweet as heaven ! 

mal (lC0rnspnhna. 

DoBERAN, August 14, 1858. — Mr- Dwioht : 
Dear Sir, — Remembering my promise to write you 
about Wagner's Tannbitnser or Lohengrin, should I 
have an opportunity, in the course of my journey in 
Germany, to witness a performance of these famous 
operas, I am happy to inform you of a representation 
of the Tannhiiuser, which took place here last night 
But first I must tell yon something of Doberan, as 
I doubt whether any of the readers of your Journal 
have ever heard of this town. Nevertheless, it is one 
of the most famous watering-places in Germany. 
Belonging to the Grand-dukedom of Mecklenburg- 
Schwerin, (my native country), it is situated near the 
Baltic, and offers the finest conveniences for sea-bath- 
ing. With the beginning of the season the Grand- 
duke takes up his residence here, and widi him comes 
the court-theatre, connected with which is an excel- 
lent opern-company and a fine orchestra. At the 
head of this institution stands F von Flotow, the well 
known composer of Stradella, Martha, etc., the "In- 
tendant," as he is called. The conductor of the ope- 
ra is A. Schmitt, a son of Aloys Schmitt, of Frank- 
fort-on-the-Maine, who, in his time, enjoyed a high 




206 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



reputation as a composer for the pianoforte. Not to 
mention many of the sin^rs or players who deserve 
to bo named as among the ornaments of this institu- 
tion, I will only say that the present Grand-duke of 
Mecklenburg-Schworin, as well as his predecessors, 
have always striren to place both opera and orchestra 
on a footing equal to the best in Germany. Hence, 
I had a right, so far as regarded execution, to expect 
an extraordinary enjoyment, as I went lost night to 
hear the Tannhauser. My cariosity was raised to the 
highest pitch, after the overture (in the performance 
of which I took part myself years ago in Boston) 
was finished, and the action began. How much has 
been written and spoken pro and contra Wagner as a 
reformer of the opera 1 With what pertinacity is the 
warfare between both parties still carried on ! Now, 
my impression of the " Tannhauser " after this single 
performance is, that Wagner has given to the musical 
world a most interesting work in this opera; that 
his course will ever find its advocates among true 
artists ; but that his powers are not, (at least in 
the " Tannhauser") equal to his will. One is more 
interested than affected by his music ; it bears more 
the stamp of a reflective than of a productive genius. 
One is seldom warmed and carried away ; but one 
must continually admire the care, diligence and labor 
which the composer has bestowed on his work. Yet 
there are, especially in the grand finale of the second 
act (the grandest finale of any opera), passages of 
overwhelming eflfect ; as there are also some in which 
the melody rises to an inimitable grace and beauty. 
Generally speaking, however, the opera is poor in 
rounded, smooth melodies, a bad defect in any work, 
the essence of which is based on the human voice. 
In the opinion of many, melody and song are synon- 
ymous, hence singing without melody is something 
like nonsense ; one may bear it for some moments, 
but soon it becomes monotonous and at last intolera- 
ble. This observation, however, I do not apply in 
its full force to the " Tannhauser." I have found 
more melody in it than I had ex])ected from the cant 
of Wagner's opponents, who prononnce him wholly 
devoid of melodic talent. Wagner, say what you 
may, has the highest claims to the regard of all true 
musicians. It is enough — if ho had done nothing 
else — to have roused, with his thunder-voice, the 
present musical generation from the idle, enervated 
state into which it has been beguiled by the dull, 
over-sentimental jingling of the modem Italian opera 
composers. I would give anything to hear Lohen- 
grin, in which his individuality is said to be far more 
decidedly displayed than in the Tannhiiuscr ; but I 
fear I shall have no chance before the first of October, 
when I shall bid farewell to Germany and soil for 
Boston. I intend to be in Berlin these days ; should 
I hear anything worth a place in your Journal, you 
may expect to hear again from your Ad. K. 

Trom a Teacher. 

Fabmiitotow, Conn. — Having noticed on seve- 
ral occasions that you take some interest in what is 
done for musical education in schools, I take the lib- 
erty of sending you several of our programmes. 

In this country, men, as a general thing, do not 
cultivate music; this art is confined to the ladies. 
Hence ladies' schools are of importance for the cul- 
ture of musical taste. Now, as far as my knowledge 
goes, very little is done in these institutions, besides 
drilling the girls to perform some " brilliant " pieces 
and letting them off at occasional soirees. In my 
opinion, tlicse sotn^es ought to be more than merely 
an opportunity to show off the progress the pupils 
have made in playing or to accu^om them to play 
before others. Their principal object should be the 
education of taste, and this is what we endeavor to 
do in our school. 

For this purpose we often perform classical works, 
not only original piano-compositions, but also ar- 
rangements from symphonies, quartets, quintets, &c. 



A good deal of the best orchestral mnsic is arranged 
for two pianos and for eight hands. Thctie arrange- 
ments have a double advantage, a pedagogical and 
an artistic. The original is thus rendered in a very 
complete form ; indeed I prefer a symphony, played 
by four good players, after a careful study, to a care- 
less orchestral performance, — a.s I would prefer a 
good engraving of a picture to an indifferent copy in 
oil. 

For the better understanding and enjoying these 
larger works we have them preceded by the reading 
of an analysis, — for which the earlier volumes of 
vour " Journal " have been of great service ; (I long 
have wished to express to you my admiration of your 
critically correct and poetical analysis of Beethoven's 
Fifth Symphony,) — for more miscellaneous Concerts 
I write programmes with critical and biographical 
notices ; as a specimen I include one of our next 
soirde. 

Part I. — ^Beethoven ; Allegro, 1st Symphony, 8 
hands. Mosenthal ; " I saw thee weep,"Vor Soprano 
with Violin obligato. Chopin ; Nocturne. Schu- 
mann ; Andante con Variazioni, for 2 pianos. Men- 
delssohn; Concerto for Violin, (Mr. Mosenthal). 

Part II. — Mozart; Overture to Magic Flute, 8 
hands. Marschner; Song. Mayer ; Galop mil itaire. 
Proch; The Stranger. Weber; Festive Overture, 
8 hands. 

From time to time we manage to get artists of 
merit to give us concerts ; at which, as our limited 
means do not allow us to have a full orchestra, we 
confine ourselves to chamber-music. And of this 
kind of music I flatter myself that you will not find 
programmes more chaste and unexceptional than 
ours. The artists themselves enjoy playing what 
they consider the most refined, to the exclusion of 
clap-trap pieces, before an uncorruptcd and tliankful 
audience. 

It would be of inestimable service in the cultivation 
of taste to give lectures on the history of music. But 
this is a difficult task, — most of the music teachers 
being foreigners and not sufliciently masters of the 
language, — and most of them being (alas!) too 
ignorant of the subject themselves. It would be a 
great service to the musical community if some able 
person would undertake to write such' a work, to be 
used aa a text book in schools. C. K. 



THE BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL. 

Birmingham, Sept. 2, 1858. — ^I am hero at the 
great Festival, and have heard Elijah performed this 
morning, which, as a whole, was a grand perform- 
ance. I never heard such a chorus in my life. Two 
societies joined for the Festival — ^all young, fresh 
voices. The precision with which they sing, and 
their pianissimo and crescendo, is wondcrfni. They 
practiced for nine months before the Festival, Mr. 
Costa coming several times to witness their progress. 
The societies are under two chorus masters. Mr. 
Weiss was the Elijah. He is a more refined singer 
than Formes, but has not so powerful a voice ; his 
pronunciation is better than that of Formes, but 
there is a certain grandeur in denunciation and invo- 
cation of the latter, which I sadly missed in Weiss. 
As a whole. Formes is my Elijah. I am disappoint- 
ed in Clara Novello, finding her a cold singer with a 
voice very clear, telling, and beautiful, but not touch- 
ing. She might sing forever and not make you shed 
a tear; you cannot understand a word she sings; 
she can sing softly and make fine cadenzas, but she 
has no passion, and never thrills you like Grisi, I 
think that all the solo singera, excepting Miss Dolby, 
are deficient in devout or religious feeling; they 
stand up and sing this holy music and words as they 
would a drinking song, without seeming to care for 
or understand its meaning, but merely to show their 
voices and some fine cadenza or flourish of their own 
adding. Miss Dolby sang " O rest in the Lord," in 
a thrilling manner, making many shed tears, and re- 
ceiving the great compliment of the only encore, ex- 
cepting the great chorus, "Thanks be to God." 
They do not applaud here, but if the President is 
pleased with anything, ho holds up a baton and di- 
rects a repetition. 

In the evening was a miscellaneous concert of 
twelve pieces in the first part, and the whole of Acis 
and Galatea for the second. I was delighted with 
the last part, but was very tired, the music lasting till 
a quarter of twelve. 



The next morning, Wednesday, Eli was performed, 
and a very grand ]x>rforniauue it was, Builetti being 
the Eli. His voice is magnificent, and pronnnciatiou 
Quite perfect, so that I wus intensely gratified. In 
the evening, twenty-four pieces were performed, the 
performance ending at midnight. To-<lay the Mes- 
siah was given. I feci that I have eiijoycil tlii? oni- 
torio as well in Boston. The on-liestm and chonis 
left nothing to desire. Costa took the tempo so fast 
in some pans that the wonls were sacrificed ns well 
as all the pleasure of hearing the music. Bcllctti 
sang the great songs splendidly ; Sims llccvcs' voice 
satisfies in every respect, he only lacks religious fer- 
vor; Mr. Arthiii-son, with his delicate voice, in this 
respect, impresses an nndiencc much more. Mr. 
Reeves takes those A's in " Thou shalt dash them " 
with so little cflTort or desire to make efiect, that, ns 
you listen to the song, you wonder why tenores make 
such a fuss over it. Miss Dolby sang her songs with 
great expression. I shall come home quite satisfied 
with onr native singers and feel that our good Handel 
and Haydn Society is something to be proud of. The 
Hall is very beautiful and the organ magnificent, but 
the seats the poorest I ever sat upon, very narrow and 
very hard. It scats the snme number as our Music 
Hail, but ours is comparatively luxurious, and there 
is no crowding in our Hall. Tfie choniscs are perched 
up nearly to the top of the organ on each side, (as 
wo were once in the Melodeon, only much higher), 
then comes the orchci«ti-a, from side to uide, tlie whole 
width of the Hall, and a space in front for the soloa 
and Costa. A thick gilt front comes nearly to the 
waists of the solo ningcrs when they arc standing. 
The audience stand through five or six choruses of 
the Messiah. 

I go this evening and again to-morrow morning, 
and that closes the Festival. I shall return to Ix)n- 
don in the afternoon. When this reaches you I shall 
be on the ocean, as I sail in the Niagara in one week. 

Adieu. E. A. W. 



Brookltn, Sept. 21. — Our Philharmonic So- 
ciety have issue<l their circular for tlie second season 
of Five concerts instead of four as last season, the 
firat of which is to take place on the 10th of October, 
when the following Orchestral pieces will be per- 
formed : 

"The Four Seasons" Symphony in D Minor, 
Spohr. " Egmont," Overture ; Beethoven. " Ves- 
tale. Overture, Spontini. 

From the sale of tickets so far, and the spirit in 
which the matter is taken up, the second season 
promises to be as great a success as that of last year, 
which is all we can ask. 

To night we are to have another grand Floral 
Promenade Concert, similar to the one I sent you an 
account of which came off the latter part of June 
last. It promises to be a very elegant afliiir, but I 
fear it will not be as well attended as the other aa 
many of our people are still out of town, and those 
who have returned are hardly ready for a grand turn- 
out so early in the season. 

In New York they are nearly taken by storm with 

Opera, both in English and Italian. Two Italian 

opera companies in full blast, one English opera 

company, *' the best ever in the country," (so the 

bills say) and another English company expected in 
October. However, I suppose you arc to have the 
Cooper Troupe this week in Boston, and no doubt 
they will meet with excellent snccess with you, for 
they really deserve it. Mme Pauline Colson, a new 
candidate for public favor, is attracting considerable 
attention and much comment from the press. In 
most cases, the notices I have seen greatly overrate 
her, both as a singer and actress. Mr. Frv of the 
Tribune, in his article on Afme Colson and her per- 
formance of " Maria " in the Child of the Regiment, 
says : " We have not heard the part better done." 
As Mr. Fry is supposed to have seen the best artists 
of the day in this, as well as other leading characters 
of the modem operas given, we may consider th is 
sufficiently high praise to satisfy a new beginner. 
But in my opinion it is simplv absurd. 

The acting and singing of Mme Colson in the part 
of " Maria,'* is no more to be compared with that of 
Mme Sonlag in this part, than the Piano Forte play- 
ing of Strakosch can be compared with that of Thal- 
burg. 

Mme Colson has a splendid voice, sings most de- 
cidedly well, and no one can listen to her without 
great pleasure, but such extravagant criticism can 
only do her harm in the end. '^ 



Bellini. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1858. 



207 



New York, Sept. 21. 1858. — Mr. Cooper's 

English Opera Company has left New York, and 

probably before you receive ♦his, will have appeared 

in vour citv. Thcv did not meet here with the sue- 
CCS8 they deserved, ONvinjr, perhaps, to the strong 
counter attract iont» of tlic two Italian operas of the 
Academy of Music and Burton's ; but they certainly 
dcser\ed rucccps, for they fonned the best English 
opera company we have had here for a long tinr.e. 

The prima donna, Miss Annie Milner, is gifted 
with a rich, powerful voice, hcnutiful features, and a 
commanding presence. Indeed, as fur as personal 
appearance goes, she is one of the finest looking wo- 
men on the stjige. Her histrionic abilities are above 
the averngo, while her attitudes are in many instances 
the very ]icrsonification of grat^c. In tlic Miserere 
scene of Troratore her by-play is a study in itself. 
Those who have seen Madame La Grange on the 
stage will form some idea ot Miss Milner, when I say 
that in grace and elegnnce, the English songstress is 
almost, if not fully equal to the French cantatrice. 
Miss Milner's voice is very clear and telling, the up- 
per notes being powerful, and not at all shrithj. In 
concerted pieces she is extremely effective — more so 
tlian in florid solos, and yet there are many Italian 
prime donne who, with much less claim to merit than 
Miss Milner, have won a more extended reputation. 
Why it is so, I cannot tell, hnt it is certainly the fact, 
that Miss Milner has not received half the attention 
from our public that she deserves. 

Mr. Guilmette, the hasso of the troupe, is too well 
known in Boston, to render it necessary for me to al- 
lude to his merits and his faults — for he has both. 

Mr. Miranda, the new tenor, who, before his arrival 
was most injudiciously puffed, hns a noble voice, a 
good stage presence, and acts with animation and in- 
telligence. Yet ho is far, very far, from being a fin- 
ished artist. He requires great care and study to 
bring his really magniHcent organ fully under his 
control. Even as it is, he is the most effective Eng- 
lish opera tenor we have had here since the palmy 
days of Frazer and the Seguins. 

On the whole, this English company produces ope- 
ras in a rerv satisfactory manner — and had the same 
performers appeared at the Academy of Music under 
Italian names they would have been as much praised 
as, under the circumstances, they were neglected. 

Italian opera promises to flourish here this winter 
like A green bay tree. Before this you have learned 
that Strakosch and Maretzck are now in open compe- 
tition ; the former having brought out Gazzaniga, 
who is a strong attraction. By the way, this lady, 
out of courtesy to Mmo. Colson, will not appear this 
season in her great mle of La Traviata, but will confine 
her representations to Lucrezia, Favorita^ and Trova- 
tore. It is said this is her " final engagement " — but 
of course, nobody pavs the slightest attention to these 
stereotype phrases. \f Gazzaniga, or any other pri- 
ma donna, now here, can get profitable engagements 
in this country, there is do danger of their leaving 
for another. Tbotator. 

Philapelphta, Sept. 21, 1858. — Parodi gave 
tliree concerts here, last week. These were all Fare- 
well Concerts ; bat to-night we are to have another 

Farewell Concert. " Quousque, tandem, Parodi^ abuiere, 
^. ; (vide Cicero's Oration against Catiline.) 

Your correspondent, Manrico, has been deterred 
from attending these entertainments. However, the 
Evening Bulletin, our best musical authority, declares 
them to have Iwen successful and sati.sfactory. It 
places Mr. Junca, the new Basso, in an enviable 
light, but eschews, very pro])erly, the reckless spur-of- 
tlie moment enthusiasm, which has incited some of 
its cotemporaries to rate the man above- Formes. 

Between ourselves, dear Journal, there are some 
melancholy donkeys inditing quasi musical critiques 
for the Press of ]^hiladelphia, who, unable to distin- 
guish a quayer rest from the leg of a beetle, " go 
oflT" into the wildest paroxysms over every new can- 
didate for popular favor, quite ignoring the artists 
who have gone before, and who, practically and theo- 
retically, may have been far in advance of "the singers 
whom they so extravagantly and assiduously extol. 
Millard (Puer formosus !) and his sweet voice seemed 
to please ; Mollenhauer and the violoncello between 
his knees, ditto, in an increased ratio. Miss Kemp 
has fallen short of public expectation, for I fail to find 
her specially noticed in any quarter. Parodi vocal- 
ized, as usual, with much force, but sans execution, 
sansjlexibilite, and sans (jout. 

Satter enjoyed an applause d'estime. We have not 
gone wild oyer your Boston pianist; for he attacks 
his instrument in a wild, cannibalistic, uncertain, im- 
pulsive manner, which displays a great lack of that 
aesthetic, keen perception of 'the beautiful, without 
which no soloist can be truly great. Makbico. 



5foig|fs |0urnal of Unsk 

BOSTON, SEPT. 25, 1858. 



The English Opera. 

The opera troupe under Mr. 11. C. Cooper, 
consisting of Miss Annie Milner, soprano ; Mr. 
Miranda, tenor; Dr. Guilmette, and Mr. 
Kudolphsen, bassi, with Mr. and Mrs. Holman, 
opened on Monday evening, at the Howard 
Athenaeum. English opera, as it is called, or the 
Italian opera in English, which it usually and 
actually is, is such a queer compound of incon- 
gruous things, half serious, more than half bur- 
lescjue, with ingredients variously proportioned of 
everything, from the almost sublime to the quite 
ridiculous, that it is difHcult, almost impossible, to 
write about it seriously and earnestly. 

But, to be serious, the present troupe, in its 
principals, will compare well with any company 
that has in past time undertaken to present us 
with English opera. We doubt whether it is not 
the best we have had. Miss Milner made a 
most favorable impression on the public by her 
performances here in oratorios, last spring, and 
established her reputation among us as one of the 
most pleasing English singers whom we have lis- 
tened to. In this new and untried career of the 
lyric stage, she shows herself worthy of the good 
opinion we then formed of her ; and we can do 
no more than repeat the opinion which we ex- 
pressed of her on the occasion of her last appear- 
ance in this city — that she has a clear and rich 
voice, an artistic style, and an unaffected man- 
ner. She meets and overcomes, like an artist, 
the diflSculties of Bellini's music, which become 
oven more difficult in this stifiT, ungracious, Eng- 
lish dress, than they are in the smoothly-flowing 
Tuscan. She has acquired wonderfully soon a 
fair degree of ease upon the stage ; and while 
wanting in the entire abandon which perhaps is 
necessary to the actress, she invariably appears 
to be a refined and graceful lady. Her spoken 
parts, from their very eamplicity and unlikeness 
to the conventional twang and rant of the stage, 
have to us quite a new and unaccustomed charm. 
If opera singers must speak instead of singing, 
give us the lady-like simplicity of Miss Milner. 
Iler voice impresses us much more favorably than 
when we heard her in the larger Music Hall. It 
is fresh and sweet and true, as few voices are. 
She is blonde in complexion, with a graceful fig- 
ure and sweet expression, so that we need not say 
that she also looked well the fair Amina of La 
Somnambula. 

Mr. Miranda, the tenor, sa an actor, greatly 
resembles most tenors ; while, sa a singer, he pre- 
sents strong claims to public favor, comparing 
well with many Italian tenors. His voice is 
sweet, (save the detestable falsetto,) and he has 
a good dramatic style. On the opening evening 
he appeared to be suffering from hoarseness, and 
apparently did not do himself entire justice. 

Dr. Guilmette sang admirably the music of 
Count Rodolfo. His resonant, clear voice, and 
excellent articulation, commanded much applause 
from the audience. His spoken remarks were 
almost tragic in the solemnity of their delivery ; 
and this naturally leads us to the ridiculous divis- 
ion of our subject — the substitution of spoken 
dialogue in the English version, for the recitative 
of the Italian opera. Accustomed as we now are 
to the conventional recitative of the Italian stage. 



no one can help smiling, at least, ivhen the musi- 
cal thread of the drama is so harshly snapped by 
the intervention of the spoken dialogue ; while 
the judicious grieve at the coarseness of the jests 
with which it is thought proper to season the nat- 
ural insipidity of the conversations. We admit 
that it is all in the libretto, but it were better 
omitted in the performance. Mr. and I^irs. Hol- 
man assumed the characters of Liza and Alessio, 
upon whom the burden of entertaining the audi- 
ence chiefly falls, and the satisfaction which one 
might have taken in them was seriously dimin- 
ished by the nature of the dialogue put into their 
mouths. 

The chorus was small and bad ; the orchestra 
small and many degrees worse than bad, being 
incomparably the worst we ever heard in Boston. 
Mr. Cooper's violin supplied, at a moment's no- 
tice, the awful gaps made by the utter incapacity 
of several players to perform the music of their 
parts. We should like to see Mr. Cooper, with 
violin in hand, throughout the performance, 
though, obviously, the conductor's baton cannot 
for a moment be spared. 

On Tuesday, Balfe's Bohemian Girl was sung 
to a full and enthusiastic house. The first act of 
this performance was irredeemably bad, while the 
many beautiful melodies and concerted pieces of 
the latter part of the opera were so admirably 
rendered by the principal singers, that the delight 
of the audience was freely, loudly, and constantly 
expressed. As a whole, the opera passed off with 
considerable <^clat. 

Mr. BuDOLFSEN made his first appearance 
under that name and in the character of Devils- 
hoof He has been well known as an admirable 

horn player in the Germania society and in our 
orchestras ; as well as a concert-singer under the 
names of Signer Bodolfo and Hen* Rudolph . 
In all he has won good opinions ; his last experi- 
ment is eminently successful, so that we consider 
him quite an acquisition to any English troupe. 

Mrs. HoLMAN gave the Gipsey Queen very 
well indeed. Her voice is a soprano of consid- 
erable power and good execution. Mr. Holman 
also was more pleasing in this opera than as the 
Alessio of the evening before. 

The promised orchestra had not arrived from 
New York, as was expected ; but large posters in 
the theatre assured ttie indulgent audience, and 
(we hope) the suffering conductor and distracted 
singers that it would positively take part in La 
Somnambula, which was announced for repetition 
on Wednesday, and the Bohemian Girl for Thurs- 
day. For Friday Lucia di Lammermoor was an- 
nounced, and next week, we presume, the English 
version of D Trovatore will be presented. On 
Sunday evening, we are told that an oratorio will 
be given in connection with one of our choral so- 
cieties, but what one we are not yet informed. 



i«^ 



Hnsical Chit-Chat 

The Promenade Concerts at the ^lusic 

Hall were brought to a close on Saturday night 

by a union of several of the bands that have 

played during the series,, the concert being given 

for the benefit of the projector and manager of 
these entertainments. We are glad to learn that 
a crowded house rewarded their efforts, and that 
it is proposed to continue these concerts on Sat- 
uixlav evenings, so long as the public shall patron- 
ize them. 

Mrs. Wkntworth. — ^AU our concert-goers will 

gladly welcome one of the best of our sweet singers 

who is expected to return in the Niagara this week, 

from her Enropcan tour. Many of our readers will 
bo pleased with an accoant of the Birmingham Fes- 
tival given in another column, and perhaps may 
guess the writer's name. 



208 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



The Atlantic Telegraph. — If the Hughes 
instrument prove to be the successful medium of com- 
munication for submarine telegraphs, as its inventor 
confidently expects, it may be of interest to the mu- 
sical world to know that Music has her claim to put 
on record, in the perlecting of the great wonder of 
the age, as appears from the following account of the 
construction of the Hughes Instrument The Albany 
Journal thus sketches the principal feature of this new 
invention : 

" The Hughes Instrument is a combination of the 
Morse and House inventions. In the Morse instru- 
ment, two or three pulsations of the electric current 
are required to indicate one letter. In the House in- 
strument, it requires from one to twenty-eight pulsar 
tions. In the Hughes instrument, it requires but a 
single pulsation for each letter. The mechanism by 
which this is accomplished is simple, though the prin 
ciple on which it is based is complex. The type 
wheels at the respective stations revolve to print the 
message, and their revolutions are governed by vibra- 
ting springs. These springs cause them to revolve 
in exactly the same time. There is an acoustic prin- 
ciple involved, viz. : that two springs which give the 
same musical tone, while vibrating, vibrate the same 
number of times per second. The springs are there- 
fore chosen and regulated by sound. This instru- 
ment, it is evident, economizes both time and electric 
power. Its exceeding sensitiveness to the least per- 
ceptible pulsation of the electric cnrrents, adapts it 
especially for long lines and submarine cal)les. It is 
capable of writing forty words a minute, with about 
one-tenth of the battery power of other instruments, 
and sends messages both ways at once ! At least, so 
its inventor claims, and it is to bo tried on the Atlan- 
tic Cable." 

An Electbic Quintet. — A Hungarian, Mr. 
Leon Aumab, has, according to a Brussels paper, 
made a new and curious application of electricity. 
In a public concert at the National Theatre, he played 
by means of electric wires, on five different pianos at 
the same time. The electric battery which worked 
the wires was in an adjacent room. 

New Oxleanb. — The Picayune gives the follow- 
ing details concerning Mr. Boudousqui^'s French op- 
eratic troupe : 

At last dates, he had succeeded in securing the ser- 
vices of M'Ue Lafranque, who last year obtained one 
of the chief prizes at the Paris Conservatoire. She 
will divide the leading roles with M'Ue Paola. She 
is said to have a fine voice, much dramatic expression 
and a handsome person and features. 

Mr. Boudousqui<^'s great card was the engagement, 
signed and sealed, for $1,000 per month, with M'lle 
Cordier, who is also a pupil of tlie Conservatoire, 
and obtained this year its first prize in grand opera. 
Mr. Roqueplan, manager of the Opera Comique at 
Pai-ie, was also desirous of securing her for his thea- 
tre, and insisted on her making an engagement with 
him. As she is a pupil of the government school of 
music, and government there meddles in art as impe- 
riously as in police matters, the Minister of State has 
interfered and ordered M'Ue Cordier to break her en- 
gagement with Mr. Boadousquid, and sing, will ye, 
nill ye, at the Opera Comique. 

It is most probable that M'lle Cordier will come 
here, in defiance of the Minister's orders. She is de- 
scribed as a first rate singer, intelligent, distingu^ef 
pretty, graceful, and full of dramatic enthusiasm. 

Mr. Boudousquid's other new operatic artists are 
Louat, first tenor ; Lucien Bourgeois, leading light 
tenor ; Taste, basso ; M'me Petert Vade, dugazon : 
Mesmer, third light tenor ; and six chorus singcra, 

Audiences and Critics. — The New York ii^/os 
has some sound and sensible remarks touching some 
evil tendencies of good-natured audiences and of 



some evil practices of the musical critics for the daily 
press that are not limited to Now York in tlicir ap- 
plication. 

The greatest evil at present existing in the musical 
world is the tendency of a good-natured audience to 
mistake vigor for artistic excellence and roaring for 
true genius. Now and then it will do, perhaps, to 
applaud a singer who gives an extraordinary note, 
whether above or below the staff. His success, how- 
ever, is either to be attributed to the beneficence of 
nature, who endowed him with superior vocal organs 
than to any exercise of talent. It is not the acciden- 
tal possession of a gift tliat deserves praise, but the 
way that gift is used. A basso may give a very low 
note, lower, perhaps, than any other basso, but unless 
he does it well, and with expression, he cannot claim 
superiority. Throwing double distilled force into a 
musical passage may elicit wonder, but never com- 
mendation. We admit that audiences may be aston- 
ished at such displays, but that is no reason why they 
should applaud ; and yet how common it is to see a 
whole house rise en masse, over an explosive outburst 
of purely physical vigor. The artist who counts on 
success by the use of such means makes a grievous 
mistake. He apes trumpets and trombones, when, 
perhaps, he should imitate the deep and sympathetic 
passion of violins. If this erroneous rule should bo 
carried out, a manager's first inquiry of a new singer 
should be, " Have you got a good pair of lungs ? 
How loud can you bawl ? Can you drown the or- 
chestra? Can you slap your breast terrifically, and 
throw your arms wildly about like a crazy windmill ? 
If you cannot do all this, I cannot engage you. The 
people want this, and the people must have what they 
want, or I shall lose money. I know the people are 
wrong, but that is their business, not mine. They 
pay for it, and, therefore they ought to have it." 

Suppose the popular voice approves of such rea- 
soning, into what degradation would not the artistic 
profession soon fall ? Perhaps Tom Sayers, or the 
Benicia Boy, or Morrissey, can make more noise than 
Formes. Who knows ? Perhaps they have not 
tried. Why not give them a chance, oh, misgnided 
public ! Let us have, by all means, champions of the 
heavy weights and middle weights and light weights 
on the operatic stage. Let the shade of the immortal 
Tom Crib be invoked, and the singer with the great- 
est vigor and the least music in his soul be invested 
with a lyrical belt indicative of his prowess. Let us 
have set-tos with and without gloves. Let the stage 
be made circular, and neatly roped in, and let the 
fashion be introduced of every singer shying his castor 
gracefully into the arena, before he is allowed to utter 
a note. Let bottle-holders bo on hand to revive his 
flagging spirits after a tremendous encore, and if he 
does not come to time, let him be ingloriously ban- 
ished from the Academy of Music. 

Critiques for the daily press are generally written an 
hour or two before the opera is ended, after tlic writer 
has got an idea of the whole by the performance of 
the Jirst act. Imagination and stereotyped phrases 
complete the article, and it is hurried off to the prin- 
ter. If the prima donna should be struck wtth light- 
ning, and fall dead as a dead herring before the close, 
the description of her Jinale aria, and her brilliant 
execution of it, would nevertheless appear the next 
day, after the usual fashion. Now there is not the 
slightest occasion for this intemperate haste in notic- 
ing opera matters in the papers of the next morning. 
Such criticism is aAvrays unreliable, must be necessa- 
rily brief, and, in many cases, may be utterly untrue. 
Most of the leading European journals only notice 
musical matters once a week, and we commend this 
plan to the editors of this city. It is a great tax, 
both physical and mental, on a writer to be '* bobbing 
around " from one theatre to another every evening, 
staying perhaps five minutes in each, in order that he 
may get up an article for the issue of the next morn- 
ing. 



Spetial Itotitfs. 



descriptive list of the 

Xi .A. T E S X I^XJSIO, 
PablUhcd by O* Dilsoii St €•• 



Music bt Mail. — Qaantitim of Music are now nent by mail, 
the expenra bviug only about one cent apiwp, while the care 
and miildity of transpor tuition are remarlcable. Thoeic at a 
great distance will find the mode of eonTcj'nnce not only a ron- 
Tenlenre, but a mitIur of ciiicnse in obtaining nuppliea. Books 
can also be sent by mnil, at the into of one cent per ounce. 
This applies to any dbtnncc under three thousand miles ; be- 
yond that, double the above mtes. 



Vocal Muaio. 
We Parted when the Purplo Vine. Miranda Almy. 25 
The Light of a Loving Eye. 0. B. Brown. 25 

Two pretty parlor Songs, of moderate difficulty. 

Senerade from Hiawatha. Louis SeUe. 30 

This charming episode in Longfellow^slast poem has 
here recdTcd a wcll-fltting musical dress from the 
hands of a composer who has already made himself 
&TorabIy known by a number of minor works. This 
Song of his will do more towards establishing his rep- 
utation than anything written by him before. The 
song is set for a soprano or a high tenor, and to voices 
of that ehancter offers but little difficulty. 

My Mother's Gentle Word. Ballad. WrighUm. 25 

Look Up ! " 25 

Two new Songs by the popular English composer. 

Alice Lee. Song and Chorus. Thomjaon. SO 

Another of Thompeon^s sweet melodies, which count 
already innumerable friends, and axe still gaining new 
ones erery day. 

The Burning Ship, or the Lost at Sea. Descrip- 
tive Ballad. L. W, WheeUr. 30 

A Song for Barltooe, well adapted for Concert use. 
Rather easy. 

I Breatlie Again this Joyful Hour. Duet 

**Buccaneer." 85 

Gentle Nettie Moore, or Little White Cottage. 

Bishop. 25 
Arrangement of a well-known melody for guitar. 

My Heart is Steeled. Song from " The Bucca- 
neer. Straiten. 25 
InBtrumental Muaio. 
My Lodging is on the Cold Ground. Var. Grobe. 50 

A new set of Tariatlons from the pen of this fkvoilte 
composer, on a sterling air. 



Illustrations of " Martha." 



J. Ascher. 70 



This is a cleyer flmtasia on the finest airs of this Op- 
era for adTanced phiyen. Ascher is too well known 
to need any more recommendation. This fltntosia does 
not betray any of the hurry and lack of care which 
are dlscernl[ble in some of the later works of this au- 
thor, but appears well conceired and nicely finished. 
The finale on the chorus. '*IIeaTen may grant par- 
don,'* is the climax of brilliancy. 

Eraser River Gold Mine Schottische. F. Langguih. 25 
Jenny Louise Schottische. M, Aschaffenburg. 25 

Henrietta Schottische. T. Boettger. 25 

Good and msj Dance Music. 

Books. 

Modem School for the Violin. A Thorough and 
Systematic Arrangement of Easy, Progressive 
Studies, adapted to the wants of Schools in ev- 
ery degree oi advancement. Added to which 
is a large selection of Popular Songs, Polkas, 
Waltzes, Donees, Marches, Quicksteps, &c. 
By L. G. Fesscnden. $1.50. 

The author of this work Is a teacher of the Tiolin, 
and giTes this School after a long experience in Its use. 
As exercises and examples, selections are taken flrom 
Sargino, Labitsky, Pleyel, Moriani, Csemy, and oth- 
ers of like celebrity as teachers and eomposera. The 
second part of the book is intended to meet tb» wants 
of those who are desirous of weli^arranged Airs, Quad- 
rilles, Polkas, Waltaes, fro. 




kxM's 




mxviKl 





MIL 



Whole No. 339. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1858. Vol. XIII. No. 27. 



The Diarist Abroad. 

Bkruv, Septkmbkr 1, 1858. 
Here again, at last ! True, in another room, 
for my old landlady lias moved, but I am with 
her, and now write sitting upon the same sofa, at 
the same table, and my eye rests upon the same 
bed, washstaud, bureau, clothes press, and so on, 
as it glances round the chamber, that it did two 
years and a half ago. It seems like a dream, 
that I have been for two years so actively moving 
in the musi(;al world of Boston — and have made 
such a fortune out of it I The time elapsed 
seems more like two weeks than two }'ears and 
over. Perhaps, had I not found the very ship 
which I should have chosen of a thousand — the 
Athena, built in Boston, owned in Bremen, and 
commanded by an old friend of mine — ready to 
sail via London for Bremen, I should not have 
taken such French leave of so many friends, and 
should now feel more fully the length of my visit 
home. 

But the ship was ready, my companion was 
anxious to be ofT, a delay of a day might cost us 
a month — and so, on the 7th of July, at sundown, 
we were already beginning to feel the Atlantic 
swell down by Sandy Hook — which, rougldy or 
gently, mostly the latter, was to rock us for four 
weeks. And what a delightfully lazy, loafing, 
sleepy, good-for-nothing month it was ! No study, 
no writing, hardly any reading ; eating, drinking, 
sleeping, watching the motions of the seamen, the 
ever-changing surface of the water, speculating 
upon a distant sail occasionally, chatting indo- 
lently with the captain, mate, and passengers, and 
so letting day glide on after day, careless, and 
enjoying to the full the " sweet doing nothing." 
What little things became great events! Two 
things I learned, which had escaped me in four 
previous passages across the Atlantic— one, that 
the fish which the sailors call the dolphin, is not 
the dolphin, and that which they call the por- 
poise is ; and, the other, that the " Portuguese 
man-of-war," of which we must have seen thous- 
ands, is not the proprietor of the nautilus sheU 
which one finds so often in the collections of con- 
chology of our friends. The idea of being 
obliged to learn these two things at this time of 
day (or life) is rather mortifying — but it was so. 
The sailors' dolphin I saw caught, and admired 
its beautiful evanescent colors, years ago ; on this 
passage I saw the real dolphin, as the steed of 
Arion — ^the queer-nosed animal of old sculpture 
and painting. 

Our captain. Schilling, is a capital fellow; 
kind-hearted in the highest degree, shrewd as a 
Yankee, full of fun, and always ready to do any 
thing for our pleasure and amusement We had 
several periods of calm. One day when the ship 
lay floating like a swan at rest, he had the boat 
lowered, and took all who desired it for a row out 
upon the great ocean. It gave me a new expe- 
rience. On shipboard, I, for one, never feel the 
loneliness of mid-ocean as it is so often painted 
by poetic passengers. The vessel, if a large one, 
has so many souls on board, is so girt about with 



standing rigging, and spreads such large over- 
shadowing wings — it soon becomes such a home 
for us, and one feels so secure of finding; in her 
all that is necessary for his comfort and well- 
being, that the thought of being so far away from 
land, of floating on the surfa(;c of the water, at 
the mercy of wind and wave, is but a thought — 
it is nothing that you feel. But as we descended 
the ladder into the boat, one after another, and 
were tossed about by waves which, in the ship, 
we could not feel, and then our oarsmen pulled 
us away from the vessel, the horizon being nar- 
rowed to half its breadth, as seen from the vessel, 
and within the limits of vision no object to arrest 
the eye, save the Athena, and she lying there, 
huge, dark, and motionless, but with all sails 
spread, as if ready at any moment to catch the 
breeze and leave us in our solitude — then, per- 
haps, more than ever in my life before, came over 
me what that solitude on the vast bosom of ocean 
is. As we moved away, perhaps a mile or more, 
my thoughts were occupied with this idea. I pic- 
tured to myself Captain Bligh and his crew, from 
the ship Bounty, making their way across the 
South Pacific, but more distinctly the twenty-four 
men in the long-boat of the Lyonnais — for that 
same long-boat had been purchased by our cap- 
tain, and was lying now on the forward house of 
our good Athena. After indulging this mood for 
some time I turned my thoughts^ to the vessel. 
Our captain is proud of her, and well he may be, 
for a more beautiful specimen of naval architec- 
ture one does not often see ; and I was proud of 
her, too, as being a Boston ** notion." Of\en as I 
have seen vessels of all shapes and sizes, out in 
mid ocean, it was a totally different thing, I 
found, to row around one, and see it from all 
points, fit)m a small boat How grandly beauti- 
fiil she loomed up there, our home ! Scattered 
about the surface of the water were the little 
Portuguese men-of-war. We dipped up two or 
three. Look out how you allow their long, 
streaming tentacula to touch your hands, for the 
spot will smart and ache by the hour afterward. 

As Montaigne's beggar said: '*Did you but 
know how lazy we were ! " Now, one thing the 
laziest can do — ^lie can open his eyes — and in the 
want of other studies I took to studying my fel- 
low passengers. Well, there was a good-humored 
Philister (^ a German grocer, from Brooklyn, 
with wife and three children, on his way for the 
second time to pay a visit to Fatherland. The 
man is rich, and his boy — a fine one, of some four- 
teen — is to be educated in one of the best schools. 
The little girl was quite the general favorite. 

Then there was a young Englishman just re- 
turning to London. I liked him, and with rea- 
son — for had he not come directly from the West 
Indies, and did he not give us those exquisite 
pine-apples which he had intended for friends at 
home ? Then there was the still man, who used 
to say, when we were becalmed, "£in schone 
Gegend ! " (a beautiful country,) with an expres- 
sion which spoke a whole article. He proved to 
be a German, going home after ten years, mostly 



spent in our western cities in printing oflTices. 
Ten years— ah, he will find changes ! 

Then there were three boys, of Gorman pa- 
rentage, on their way to Bremen, to enter school 
there— their parents naturally enough thinking 
school "at home" better than in New York. 
Our jolly captoin had infinite fun and frolic with 
these boys, making them climb ropes, practice 
gymnastic exercises, and that sort of thing. If 
old Ocean did not smile sometimes of an evem'ng 
it was not because our " broad grins " and shouts 
of laughter, at "capers cut," were wanting as an 
example. N. B.— A good deal of fun can be got 
out of boys. 

As to " John "—no matter about him. 
There was a tall, slender woman of some thirty- 
five, with a certain ladylike air, and also a certain 
precision in manner and in speech, both in Eng- 
lish and German, which, as in Peter's case, " be- 
wrayed " her. You saw the governess at once 

at least, you thought so. And so it proved. She 
was one of that class which always 'excites my 
sympathy. Necessarj- appendages in certain fam- 
ilies, they hold a position somewhere between the 
kitchen and parlor, with small salary' and few 
joys, victims of stupid children, and owing their 
positions, such as they are, to that very culture 
and those mental endowments which make those 
jxwitions hardly endurable. After years of ser- 
vice, in which she has crossed the Atlantic again 
and again, she now was making her sixth pas- 
sage, taking her small savings with her, in the 
hope of rest with her old mother in the little 
Rhine city of her birth. 

During the passage she told me some queer 
histories. At one time she had charge of a little 
orphan girl, in poor health— heiress to a million 1 
But somehow — nobody knows how such things 
are brought about — the lawyers had fastened the 
chancery clutches upon the property, and there 
were times when this little millionaire and her 
governess actually suffered for the want of suita- 
ble food ! 

Our fraulein governess brought on board at 
New York, one little pet, a beautifiil canary bird, 
who, the first few mornings, awoke us by his mel- 
odies. When about a week out, our unlucky 
steward let the cage fall. The bystanders sprang 
to it, raised it — the bird lay in the bottom, dead ! 
Good bye, little pet of nx years. She knew 
nothing of it The cage was taken below, and 
hung up in its usual place. No one said any 
thing, but left fraulein to find it out for herself 
the next morning. Some time next day I saw 
her, with a sad face, go behind the wheel-house 
alone. The cage disappeared. She spoke not 
of her loss, but some time afterward I accident- 
ally saw, nicely folded in clean, white letter pa- 
per, a little bunch of yellow feathers. The tears 
which the poor governess had shed had fallen 
over the stem of the vessel, and no one was the 
wiser. This little incident seemed to me to be- 
tray long years of loneliness, during which both 
her joys and her sorrows she had learned to bury 
in her own bosom. 



210 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



"With one other passenger I could never be 
free and careless. And this was the reason. 
She was a thorough North German girl, born and 
reared in a small country town, the daughter of 
an old lieutenant, foniierly in the army of Hano- 
ver. I supjwse she was thirty years old, but as 
innocent and as open as a child. Just before the 
Athena sailed from Bromerhaven, on this voyage, 
the lieutenant bi*ought his daughter to the cap- 
tain, with whom he was on intimate teniis of 
friendship, and gave her into his charge, that her 
health mii^ht have the benefit of the sea air to 
New York and back. The other sister remained 
at home. Before we left New York the captain 
had received letters from Bremen — the lieutenant 
was dead ! We had been out but a few days 
when the captain told me the story, and read me 
the letters of the sister to our fraulein Minna. 
They were so hearty, so full of feeling, yet so 
comforting in character, in every respect so touch- 
ing, so throughout breathing the deepest sisterly 
aiTection, and so expressive of love and reverence 
for the father, that I could not hear them without 
tears. "Minna knows nothing of it vet," said 
the captain. " Our friends in New York have 
all thought it best to wait until we reach Bremer- 
haven, before we make known to her her loss. 
Why deprive her of all the benefit of the voyage 
by unnecessarily telling her ? " I thought it the 
right course — ^but from that time onward, as I 
said, I could not talk with her without a feeling 
which imposed a restraint upon me in spite of 
myself. 

Once in conversation something led her to say 
that her father often expressed his belief that he 
should die by ajwplexy. To which she added 
some idea convevinrj the idea that of this she had 
no fear. Ah, thought T, if you but knew that 
your father's presentiment is already fulfilled ! 

On a beautiful Sunday morning, the day before 
we reached Bremerhaven, the captain told her 
all. Quietly and composedly some hours after- 
ward she appeared among us from her stateroom, 
but the marks of a great grief were visible on 
her face, and this grief was for us — even down 
to the boys — a holy thing. The Captain's wife 
had joined us in London, and to her and our kind- 
hearted governess she turned for consolation and 
sympathy, and they were freely given. Upon 
casting anchor in Bremerhaven the boat was 
lowered and she was first cared for. To all but 
her it was a day of gladness, and yet our glad- 
ness was tempered by the feelings with which wo 
answered her " adieu " as the boat left the ship. 

The pleasure of these dreamy, lazy weeks was 
but slightly marred by sea-sickness. Curiously 
enough, in my own case, it was not until the 
twentieth day out that I was overtaken. We 
were then just on the edge of soundings, before 
the opening of the channel. We had had a cold 
disagreeable wet day, caused by the extreme end 
of a south-easterly wind, which must have been 
very strong down in the Bay of Biscay, for the 
next morning, when we came upon deck, we 
found a heavy sea — even the log-book admitted 
this — directly against us, while the clouds had 
all disappeared and a strong northerly wind at 
right angles to the rolling billows — just such a 
wind as the Athena liked best — was driving her 
along finely with but half her sails spread. Then 
and there was a plunging, and, like Paddy's horse, 
an " old kicking up before and rearing up behind/' 
under which, by eventide, I succumbed. No; 



resistance was useless. I believe only our printer- 
man, who favored us several times with his re- 
mark " Schdncn Gcgcnd" — beautiful country — 
found no other fault with the sea than that it hin- 
dered progi-ess. No vessel that we saw on this 
day carried anything like the sail that the Athe- 
na did. One fine ship which we saw away in the 
distance, and for which our captain changed his 
course a point or two, proved to be, when we at 
length, about simdown, came up with her, the 
" Kate Dyer," of Portland, to the no small delight 
of ** John," a Portland boy. 

But what was Kate Dyer to me or I to Kate 
Dyer, just then, suffering a calamity more dire 
than forty Kates ? 

However, during the night the sea went down 
on the one hand and the wind on the other, and 
it took us a week to make the next seven degrees ! 
But they were made, and the last two and a 
half days were but the most delightful of pleasure 
trips. The afternoon of August 3d we ran along 
the south side of the Isle of Wight, the wind fa- 
vorable, the sky clear, and purposely for our 
pleasure the ship was steered close in shore, giv- 
ing us full and fair opportunity to see for ourselves 
how beautiful is Old England. All day, on the 
4th, we were constantly occupied in admiring the 
moving diorama of the coast from Beechy Head 
onward, passing Hastings, Folkstone, Dover, and 
finally, as night set in, casting anchor outside the 
mouth of the Thames. 

We have nothing at home, which can serve as 
a standartl of comparison for the 8ui>erb beauty 
of this part of the English coast, not to speak of 
th3 interest with which history from the time of 
Cscsar clothes it. Nature has done her share in 
building up those grand cliffs, rounding off and 
smoothing into soft outlines the hills which rest 
upon them, and opening here and there little val- 
lies and ravines, or more extended bays and har- 
bors, while cultivation from a period beyond the 
reach of our annals has been continually at work 
and beautifying the rough gem as it left Nature's 
hands. I had seen it all before, three or four 
times, and yet the charm was no less — it was 
greater even than when I first passed along in 
1849. 

On the 6th we were towed slowly up the 
Thames. As on the day before, so on this, our 
attention was never allowed to flag ; here was 
some spot made familiar to us in history or fiction ; 
there a town of which we had read all our lives; 
then some beautiful villa or nobleman's residence, 
surrounded with parks and gardens, groves and 
meadows, making good the reputation of England 
for the depth and beauty of her garment of green ; 
— finally Tilbury fort, seized by the Dutch in the 
shameful times which followed the grand old Pro- 
tector's death; Gravesend, Woolwich, with its 
aci'es and acres of arsenals — then a bend in the 
river and the entrance of the Victoria dock was 
before us. To avoid the trouble and the fuss 
with the English customs officers, which our friend 
the grocer and his family had, for they took a 
steamship here for the continent — we concluded 
to make the ship our home during our stay, — es- 
pecially as we expected to remain but a few da}*8. 
The " few days " became, in fact, two weeks ; 
but though we were thus cut off from being in 
London evenings, we usually were weary enough 
when evening came to be glad to find ourselves 
again in the dock on our good Athena. There 
was little, however, to call us up to London in 



the evening — a few Italian operas were given, it 
is true — but not one of us cared enough for the 
Piccolomini or any of the others to spend six or 
eiffht dollars, which it would have cost us to hear 



them. 



A. W. T. 



For Dwight^B Journal of Marie. 

Falestrina. 

Close at the feet of the Appcnnines, hardly ten 
miles from Rome, lies the old town well known 
by the ancient llomans for its splendid site, Pra3- 
neste, now called Palcstrina. Cool mountain 
winds there chase away the heat in summer, and 
the wowled height protects it in the winter from 
the rouffh blasts of the North. In calm, clear 
weather one can perceive there the last vibrations 
of the morning bells at Rome, the only sign of all 
the stir of " the eternal city " that penetrates to 
this seclusion. Plantations of mulberry trees, 
their branches interwoven with wild grape vines, 
screen the little town as with a wall of leaves and 
blossoms. Thus, as if buried in the memory of 
those distant times when a resplendent genius 
dawned thence on the world, lies Palestrina, the 
birthplace of the great Pierluigi, of the man, 
whom his contemporaries called " il principe delta 
musica.^ May the following skefch contribute 
somewhat to raise the works of this high master 
out of the oblivion, in which the false taste and 
imperfect culture of musicians has too long suf- 
fered them to rest 

Here, in the year 1624, was bom to poor p.v 
rents a son, who received the name Joannes Pe- 
tms Aloi/sius, and who afterwards called himself 
GiovAxxi Pierluigi da Palestrina, by 
which last name he is known in the world of Art 
We have but little and exceedingly uncertain in- 
formation of the circumstances in which his early 
youth was developed. But we must assume that 
a fine feeling for tones and their relations dwelt 
in him from an early age ; for one day when he 
sang as a boy upon the square before the church 
of S. ^laria Magdalena in Rome, the pure expres- 
sion of his song so moved the chapel master * of 
the church, who happened to pass by, that he 
took him under his instruction. 

At the time when Palestrina began his studies, 
the most and best of the composers in Rome were 
of Flemish origin, who held public schools of com- 
position, much frequented, under the protection 
of Roman nobles. The most celebrated among 
them are: G. Arcadelt (died 1560-61); Adrian 
Willaert (died 156S) ; and finally the great 
Claude Goudimel (died 1572 — beheaded in Ly- 
ons on account of Protestantism). This last is 
held by the most reliable historians to have been 
Pierluiffi's teacher. The abstract subtleties of 
the theorists of that time must have seemed dry 
enough to the boy Pierluigi; but, like the boy 
Beethoven, two centuries and a half later, he 
had an iron persistency which never forsook him 
in a study recognized as necessary. 

The incomparable skill with which he moves 
in the deepest forms of Art, speaks for the artist- 
like earnestness that animated him during his 
years of study. 

In the year 1551 he was appointed teacher of 
the boys (magtster puerorum) in the Vatican, and 
he wrote at thb time his first book of Madrigals, 
which won for him the favor of Pope Julius III., 
who bestowed on him the title " Maestro deUa ca- 

• Or, nth«r, ringlDg master; Pakstiinft wu tlM flnt who 
bon the title maestro di cK^pdla. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1858. 



211 



peUa delta hasUica VaiicanaJ* In this capacity he 
published (Romef 1564) four Masses, for four and 
five voices, of which the Mass : Kcce sacerdos 
magnus shows how far he alreaciy soared beyond 
his Flemisli predecessors. 

Tlie reputation which these works brought him 
caused his reception into the rank of the papal 
singers. But when Paul IV. ascended the throne 
he revived an older ordinance, requiring the 
members of the papal chapel to remain unmar- 
ried. Accordingly, Palestrina, wlio had long 
before taken to wife Lucrczia, a Roman lady, 
was dismissed with one montli's salary of six 
Bcudi ($6.50.) Neither the most bitter necessity 
which now came upon him and his numerous 
family,* nor continual bodily sufferings, had 
power to bend the spirit of this great artist We 
sec him as industriously occupied as before, in 
banishing the last traces of Flemish awkwardness 
from his stvle. 

In the year 1561 we see him in the service of 
the principal church, Santa Maria ^laggiorc. 
About this time, too, occurred that memorable 
event which will never be forgotten in the history 
of church music For the better understanding 
thereof, I permit myself a few preliminary re- 
marks here on the state of church music at that 
time. 

In those remote times, when the first rays of 
reviving civilization shed a faint light on man- 
kind, the boundaries between the morally beauti- 
ful and the low, nonsensical, and trivial, were 
less appreciated by the general popular feeling 
than they now are. Even that which is most 
holy and worthy of the deepest veneration, 
seemed to the masses not so glorified, but that 
much that was rude and vulgar crept into the 
acts of worship rendered to the supreme being. 
The Narren or Eseh-Messen (fools' or asses' 
masses) which were celebrated down into the 
fifleenth ceatury,|| the bibFical dramas called 
** Mysteries,"! the innumerable grotesque orna- 
ments,]: which arc still beheld with wonder in the 
most venerable cathedrals, — all this leads us to 
suspect that the moral culture of the people in 
those times was but little or not at all higher than 
that of the rudest periods of antiquity before 
Christ. In the religious music of those centuries, 
too, we meet at every step with a like mixture 
of the pure and the frivolous. In the epoch be- 
fore Palestrina the composers showed their con- 
trapuntal skiH la making profane popular songs 
the ground of their masses, motets, &c. These 
melodies were sung by one voice, while the others 
sounded the sacred texts in the most artificial 
melismas and intertwinings of parts. F^tis has 
preserved a number of such songs for us in his 
fine introduction to his ^^Biographie des Musi- 
eien«, ^.^ The following songs, according to 
Baini, were used by many composers fbr their 
masses : 11 villane geloso ; Uamico o Madama ; 
Adieu, amours; O Venere hella: Des rouges 
nez; j*c. 

* Hto firar soda, the first three of whom deroted themMlTes 
to mujlc, were named Angelo, Rodolfo, SilU, and Igino. 

H FeatlTals, similar to the ancient Saturnalia, which were cel- 
ebrated in the churches eTery year, with the most fearful wUd- 
ncss and indecency, under the sanction of the theologians of 
Borne and of the Sorbonne. 

t Dr. Forkel, in his great hLstorieal work, cites some verses 
out of such a Mystery f which, although put into the mouth of 
God the Father, are deroid of all sense of shame or decency. 

X For Instance, the portal of the minster in Bern, St. Bom- 
bant in Malinos (Belgium), and innumerable other churches of 
those epochs. 



Bitter complaints were uttered in the first 
Council at Trent against this impropriety, and 
the Council resolved (1562) to name a commis- 
sion of eight cardinals, who should adopt the ne- 
cessary measures for the improvement of the 
church music. Tlirough the influence of a mem- 
ber of this body, and a warm admirer of Pales- 
trina, the Cardinal Rudolfo Pio, of Carpi, Pales- 
trina was commissioned to write a mass, in which 
he should have an eye especially to the clearest 
possible significance of the words, leaving out all 
mere note-reckonings, unnecessary verbal repeti- 
tions and simultaneous singing of different texts. 
Penetrated with a high sense of the responsibility 
in which this honorable commission placed him 
towards the musical world of his day, he wrote 
three masses, of which the one called Missa Papce 
Marcelli, and dedicated to Philip II. of Spain 
(1567), would alone have secured his immortality. 
This canonical work, which came out whole at 
one cast, is an eternal model of dear polyphony, 
never reached in its conduct of the voices, never 
surpassed in high psalmodic flight 

On the first performance of this work it was 
declared by pope, cardinals, Rome, and all the 
world, to be the most perfect of all religious com- 
positions. From this time forward Palestrina's 
fame flew through all lands ; the farthest pro- 
vinces of Germany sent him their artists for in- 
struction ; even the Netherlands, seeing perhaps 
in him another scion of their own great school, 
willingly acknowledged his supremacy. Pope 
Pius IV., out of gratitude, appointed him compos- 
itor to his chapel, a title conferred only upon him. 
tConclusion next week.] 

Four Eecovered Pieces by Handel. 

Four pieces of Music bv Father Handel have just 
been fished out of his early and forgotten works and 
nen-ly published. A critic makes the following allu- 
sion to them : 

"Per obbedir" (Recitative) and "Leggi" (aria), 
from Handel's " Almira " (date 1 705), were originally 
written to German words, and have been here fitted 
with Italian text, hv Signer Maggioni. Our Italian 
friends accuse us of being hard on Signor Verdi ; lot 
them compare this specimen of melody from a young 
man — written under an operatically semi-barbarous 
dispensation (for "Almira was composed for Ham- 
burg, ere "II Sassone"wcnt to Italy) — with " Di. 
Provenza,'' or tlie most delicious tune, by the new 
writer, whichever that be. Handel's melody lies 
within a small compass, but is a thoroughly fine one 
— a song to pair oft wiUi the solo from his " Passion 
Musik" (another early essay) mentioned not long 
since. A French pair of movements also by Handel 
" Vous ne sauriez flatter " (Recitative), and " Non, jc 
puis plus souffrir " (air), are, (we are informed by a 
note) originally disconnected — possibly disjointed 
members from the same cantata. These are curious 
ratlier than winning, but are worth studying in one 
point of view. No land, no language, are so inexo- 
rable as those of France — so constant in their require- 
ments on all who, whether native or foreign, contrib- 
ute to the art. There is little of the Handel suavitv 
and grandeur hero : had the song been signed Lnlli 
or Rameau, we should not have questioned its paren- 
tage. But compared with " tho Giant," how docs 
every one else dwindle ! JomcUi holds his own, as a 
smaller man, in the ana from " Attillio," "Benchc 
I'augel " (with what now seem to us its queer passa- 
ges of retnplissage), since tho leading prose is stately, 
and the structure is honest and good. But the air 
and minuet " Fortunate," from the " Artaserso " of 
Hasse, are, as compared with the two songs com- 
mented on, poor and stale as music. They were writ- 
ten, it is true, for a limited mezzo soprano (in no less 
compass than Handel's " Verdi prati," or " Dove 
sei "), but there Is little in them besides the old-fash- 
ionea singer. Handel was both singer and composer, 
yet La Faustina (this very composer Hasse's wife, 
who had sung under Handel's opera-management, 
and does not seem to have been an ill-natured woman) 
complained to Bumey of Handel's cantilena as having 
been often " rude." Thus is groamess rated for " a 
time," but not by Time. Which has now, the best of 
it, Hasse or Handel ? 



Arabella Goddard. 

The Illustrated News of the World (London) 
gives an excellent steel engraved portrait of the 
celebrated English pianistc, Mi.?s Arabella God- 
dard, with the following sketch of her life : 

Miss Arabella Goddard, tho celebrated pianvde, 
in her early and already brilliant career, presents 
a noble and encouraging example of the true 
beauty and dignity of art, earnestly and devo- 
tedly pursued for its own sake. Richly gifled by 
nature with uncommon faculties and graces above 
the ordinary measure, unspoiled by the exuberant 
eulogies of admirers, and undisturbed by the 
jealousies which usually accompany a rising rep- 
ut^^on, this y^ung lady, in her vernal years, has 
ufiaoh^ the y-Cry sununit of a profession crowded 
with colebritios, find, at the present moment, she 
may bd s^rid, without a boast, to take rank with 
easy pre-«minnnce iimoir^ the first performers of 
Europe. As each, she is, to use the language of 
a weekly co^emporary; ** a perfect prodigy of 
deep and various learning." AH forms of com- 
position, the severely classical acid the conven- 
tionally brilliant, are equally withm her power; 
and in all alike the mechanical fiifiicultics are 
conquered with the same ifwte antl flexibility of 
hand ; in all alike her touch is round, rich, and 
sofl, her expression stamped with strength and 
grace, and her reading bright with intelligence. 
She is the more especially to be honored as being 
one of those who have dedicated themselves with 
enthusiasm to rescue the profound conceptions of 
the poet-musician, Beethoven, from the charge of 
being rhapsodical or obscure, and has come before 
the public more frequently than most of her co- 
temporaries with that end in view. 

Arabella Goddard is the younger daughter and 
child of Thomas Goddanl,|Esq.,|of AVelbeck-street, 
Cavendish Square, Ix>naon. She was born at 
St. Servan, a small village not far from St. Malo, 
in Brittany, on the 12th day of January, 1836. 
Though she inherited from her parents no great 
amount of musical talent, still, from her earliest 
years and almost from infancy, she showed an 
extraordinary and almost enthusiastic taste for 
music, which happily was fostered and cherished 
by those by whom she was sunounded in her in- 
fancy and childhood. 

She was little more than four years of age 
when she first appeared in public. This was at a 
concert given for some charitable purpose in her 
native village of St. Servan, when she pljyed a 
fantasia on themes from IMozart's " Don Juan." 
At this time the promise of future celebrity in the 
child was so great that her parents thought it de- 
sirable to remove with her to Paris, where they 
spent several years, during which time their 
daughter was receiving lessons under the celebra- 
ted composer, Kalkbrenner. 

Returning to London soon after the Revolution 
of February, 1848, of which they were passive 
spectatoi-s from their windows in the French cap- 
ital, Mr. and Mrs. Goddard entrusted the cultiva- 
tion of their daughter's musical talents to Mrs. 
Anderson, Her Majesty's pianiste^ and the instruc- 
tress of the Princess Royal. She was only eight 
years of age when she was called upon to per- 
fonn, at Buckingham Palace, before Iter Majesty 
and the Prince Consort, who highly complimented 
her on her exhibition. 

For some tame it was the intention of the pa- 
rents to place their gifled child at the Ro^al 
Academy of Music, with the intention of entermg 
her as a competitor for the King's Scholarship j 
but circumstances compelled them to abandon 
their design, and it was resolved to entrust tho 
finishing of her musical education to Thalber^. 
Under his able tuition she rapidly progressed, 
and in a short time she could play the most difii- 
cult passages at sight ; in addition to which her 
musical memory was most surprising. 

On her first appearance in public, at a matinee 
ef invitation at the residence of her parents, 
Maroh 30th, 1850, Miss Goddard was thus men- 
tioned in the columns of a cotcmporarj- : — " At 
the matinie musicale on Saturday last, we heard 
Miss Goddard, of whom there has been lately 
considerable talk in musical circles. From a pia- 



212 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



nvfte of fourteen yc»irs of ajje the prodigious feats 
of a Liszt or a Pleyel are not to be expected ; 
but if Miss Goddard, with increased strenp:th, 
continues to progress, she will soon rival any liv- 
ing pianiste. She has remarkable facility with 
both hands ; indeed, her mechanism is marvellous 
while her musical sensibility is evidently acute. 
She performs in all schools — the elaborations of 
a Bach fugue, the intricate combinations of 
themes by popular composers, the reveries of 
David in his ^ Desert/ the melodious meditations 
of Mendelssohn, and the inspirations of Beetho- 
ven, are each and all as familiar to her as ^ house- 
hold words."' 

Nor was the above prophecy long unfulfilled. 
In the following Octooer she made her debut at 
the Grand National Concerts, whrn. she played 
the "Elisir" fantasia, and the '«^TaranteJU'^i)f 
her master Thalberg, with maritM 8Ubce.s$» . ^ rom 
that date she appeared frequently in puUlief and 
soon established tiie permanent fame am? popular- 
ity which she has since'ColUinued u>enu)}% by her 
performance of the '^*ltasaniello ' ami ''Don Pas- 
quale" fantasias of If er master THalberg, Pru- 
aent*s " Lucia ** and **T?uritanf" fantasias, &c. 

The first .perlhrmanoeA t)f Miss Goddard at 
those concerts, wllich tusr\^ given at her Majesty's 
Theatre, were chieily confined to works of the 
modern romantic sclicioLt the great characteristics 
of which are wnmiorful mechanism and poetic 
feeling ; but, Itd^ving received the valuable advice 
of Mr. J. W. Davison, she soon became equally 
distinguished as a pianiste in the classic stores of 
high art. 

Miss Goddard subsequently became the pupil 
of Mr. G. A. Macfarren, under whom she studied 
harmony. 

In 1854 Miss Goddard left England with her 
mother for an extensive tour on the Continent, 
during which she visited Paris, Lcipsic — where 
she ptaved at the far-famed Gewandhaus concerts 
— Berlin, Vienna, Florence, and nearly all the 
principal cities of France, Germany, and Italy ; 
giving concerts everywhere, and everywhere, it 
may oe added, achieving the greatest success. 
When she returned to England in May, 1856, her 
friends and admirers (which is but another term for 
the public at large), found not only that she had 
lost nothing by her travels, but that, on the con- 
trary, change of scene, familiarity with persons 
and things hitherto unknown, and contact with 
the most distinguished of foreign professors, had 
proved of the greatest service to her. The truth 
IS, that her voyage was one not merely of pleas- 
ure, but of study and reflection. What she saw 
and heard seemed to supply her with new resour- 
ces for the attainment of that perfection in her 
art which no young aspirant ever souirht with 
greater assiduity. She was not led away by the 
" modem romantic school," which is in such high 
favor abroad, to forget the common sense which 
govenis musical taste in this country. She did 
not abandon for more dazzling and superficial 
subjects the works of those great masters, her 
familiarity with whose productions contributed so 
much to her early reputation. On her first re- 
appearance in public, at the Ilanovcr-square 
rooms, May 16th, in that year, the musical critic 
of the Times thus expressed himself: — " We must 
applaud the judgment which has induced Miss 
Goddard to reject every ad captandum means of 
display, and to rely for effect solely on Mozart, 
Beethoven, and Mendelssohn. Miss Goddard 
never was an ordinary player, and is now less so 
than ever. Tlie two years that have passed since 
she was last heard in England have not so much 
added to her mechanical proficiency as they have 
developed her mental resources. If we may so 
express ourselves, her mind is a more despotic 
nuer of her fingers than before. She now ooth 
thinks and executes like a perfect mistress of her 
art. It was the master wlio spoke to us from 
first to last, not the pianist, who, modest and re- 
tiring, was but too happy to shine by the reflec- 
tion of so great a light In Mendelssohn's Rondo, 
one of the most sparkling and animated emana- 
tions from a genius as impulsive as it Iras inex- 
haustible, Miss Goddard was equally happy, her 
performance being as marvellous for its accuracy 
as it was eminent^ graceful." 



During the last two or three seasons Miss God- 
dard, as the solo instrumentalist, has been the 
great feature in several provincial concerts, and 
more especially at the Philharmonic Concerts in 
liiverpool. The local press of every town that 
she has visited are unanimous in praising her pu- 
rity of style, her power, her evenness of touch, 
her delicacy, and her absence from all affectation 
as contributing to place her in the very foremost 
rank of pianists. 

During the London season of the past and pre- 
sent year, ^liss Goddard gave a sones of soirees 
at her private residence in Well "'tk-street, which 
were attended by nearly all tl).- Jinisical world of 
London, and were uniformly commended for their 
recherche character. Owing to the crowded au- 
diences who attended, she was forced to give her 
last series at Willis's Rooms. She has also re- 
cently performed at the concerts at the Crystal 
Palace, tojjether with Messrs. Jules Benedict and 
Lindsay Sloper, (where she executed Bach's triple 
concerto in a truly superb style), and, indeed, at 
all the large concerts in the metropolis. 

By the pupils to whom she has given instruc- 
tions on the piano in private, she has been uni- 
formly appreciated ; and her simple, unaffected 
manners have gained her a large circle of friends 
in private life. 



The Leed*i HEiuical FestivaL 

The first great musical festival ever held in 
Leeds, England, began on the 8th inst The 
magnificent town hall, in which the performances 
took place, was inaugurated with appropriate 
ceremonies on the 7th, by the Queen in person, 
and in the evening a grand banquet was given 
by the Mayor of Leeds. Besides the Queen, the 
Prince Consort, the Princesses Alice and Helena, 
several members of the household, and the Earl 
of Derby, were present at the inauguration. — 
The royal party proceeded, afler the ceremonies, 
on their way to Balmoral. 

The orchestra numbered 05, and was composed 
of the whole orchestra of the London Philhar- 
monic So(;iety, reinforced by several select per- 
formers from the principal Yorkshire towns. The 
chorus, consisting entirely of Yorkshire people, 
was thus divided : trebles, 65 ; contraltos, (fe- 
male) 16 ; altos, (male^ 43 ; tenors, 60 ; basses, 
60 ; m all, 244. Tlie whole orchestral and choral 
force thus amounted to 340. The leader was Mr. 
Stemdale Bennett, the Cambridge professor of 
music, and a Yorkshireman himselr. He was 
honored by a most enthusiastic reception. 

There were about 1800 present, and the coup 
d'ceil at the commencement of the oratorio, when 
the magnificent hall was completely filled with an 
assemblage of the rank, fasnion, and beauty of 
Leeds, and the surrounding district, was extreme- 
ly imposing. A notice, in the following terms, 
was distributed throughout the hall before the 
performance commenced, and we are happy to 
say the request was strictly complied with : " The 
committee request that no' audible expression of 
applause may interrupt the performance of the 
oratorios or other continuous works ; and that no 
encores may be called at the evening concerts, in 
order that parties residing at a distance may be 
enabled to avail themselves of the arrangements 
made with the several railway companies for spe- 
cial trains at the conclusion of each day's per- 
formance. No person will be permitted to enter 
or leave the room during the performance of 
the piece; and it is earnestly requested that 
the audience will support the stewards in car- 
rying out this important regulation." For once, 
and for the first time, we believe, ** Elijah " 
has been performed without interruption from 
applause or encores, amd we hope that the 
^ood example set by Leeds will not be without 
its effect upon other musical communities. It 
was a delightful treat to be able to listen, from 
beginning to end, without being disturbed every 
now and then by an uproar unsuited to the sacred 
character of the music ; and we are glad that it 
has, at last, been practically demonstrated that a 
silent but hearty attention to this glorious oratorio 
is perfectly possible. This is a grand fact in the 
first musical festival at Leeds. 



On the morning of Wednesday, the first day of 
the festival, Mendelssohn's oratorio of Elijah was 
performed in a yery satisfactory manner. ITie 
London Times says that the people of Leeds were 
in great glee at the success, and divided the palm 
of merit between the architect of the town hall 
and the professor of music. The principal parts 
were performed by Sims Reeves, Clara Novel lo, 
Mr. Weiss, and Miss Palmer. In the evening 
there was an unusually long miscellaneous con- 
cert, which was enjoyed by from 1700 to 1800 
persons. It be^an with Mozart's first symphony 
in C major, which was listened to with much at- 
tention, and applauded as warmly as it would 
have been in London. A miscellaneous selection 
of vocal and instrumental music followed. 

On the next momins, Thursdav, the sacred 
music consisted of Rossini's Stabat Mater, a part 
of Bach's Passions Musik and Beetliovcn's Mount 
of Olives. In the evening the sex^ond miscella- 
neous concert took place, in which Piccolomini, 
Giuglini, and other artists from Her Majesty's 
theatre, were to a.«»ist. On Friday morning, 
Haydn's Seasons and Handel's Israel in Egypt, 
and on Saturday morning the Messiah was to be 
performed. The prospects for the festival were 
very bright at the last accounts, and the Leeds 
General Infirmary would be benefitted corres- 
pondingly. The members of the chorus receive 
great praise for the excellence of their voices, 
and the audiences are said to have been as en- 
thusiastic as in London. 



Dr. Ame's " JnditL" 



We are indebted to a contemporary for a list 
of old Oratorios on this Apochrypnal story, which 
seems — as was mentioned in the Athenaeum not 
lonff since — to be tempting modern composers si- 
multaneously to an nnusual degree. Matthcson, 
we perceive, speaks of a " Judith " written by 
Handel during his Hamburg period. There is a 
" Giuditta," too, by Marcello. Then there was a 
luckless oratorio performed in London in 1740 
(the year of the " Frost Fair " on the Thames), 
by Defesch, an Amsterdam organist, who had re- 
linquished Holland for England. The one we- 
mento of its performance, beyond the tradition of 
its utter failure, is Hogarth's well-known print of 
an oratorio chorus singing these words : 

" The world shall bow to the Asayrtan fhrona." 

There was another " Judith," — we learn from the 
same authority, — written by Handel Smith, but 
which was never produced. That Oratorio to 
which we are now coming, by Dr. Ame, is the 
only work on the story, in England, which may 
be said, as yet, to have kept its ground. It was 
performed at the Lock Chapel, in 1764 — at the 
Gloucester music-meeting in 1766 — and (this 
seems an odd choice) at the Stratford Jubilee in 
1769. The manuscript score of it is in the Brit- 
ish Museum : some slight account of which may 
be interesting. 

The manuscript — ^belonging to Dr. Kitchiner's 
Library — in which there is Bartlcman's signature, 
also a warrant for the great beauty of the work 
copied from Dibden's Life — ^is in three parts. — 
The first two are complete (including an interpo- 
lation said to be in Dr. Arnold's handwriting). 
The third part can hardly have been looked at 
ere it was bound — since we find in the manuscript 
such irrelevant matter as Dr. Ame's well-known 
"Hymn of Eve," — while the final chorus in 
score, on a paper of totally different form, has 
therefore (in true Procrustean fashion) been 
bound in sideways. The names of the singers — 
the principal ones of which are those ox Mrs. 
Bartneleman, Mrs. Baddeley, Miss Brent, Signor 
Tenducci, Mr. Champneys, are prefixed to the 
songs, but so mixed up with the names of other 
more obflcure persons (one " Vernon" among the 
number) and interchanged as to destroy all unity 
of character, and to suggest that they may refer 
to distinct performances of the music. The book 
18 by Isaac Bickerstaff, written in verse — one 
shade better, perhaps, than Dr. Morell's books, 
but without the slightest biblical color. That was 
hardly the fashion of tlie times. The catastrophe 
of the sacrifice of Holofemes seems (we use this 
caution in reference to the dislocation of the man- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBElv 2, 1858. 



213 



uscript of Part III.) to have been evaded — since 
it is dimly commented on by a chorus, which is 
nevertheless one of the severest, most elaborate 
numbers of the work. 

A perusal of the score will raise the reputation 
of Dr. Arne with those who principallv know him 
as £nn^land*s best Shakspearian melodist, or as 
the writer of the showy, yet superficial "Arta- 
xerxes." Such persons will hardly (any more 
than ourselves) have been prepared for the amount 
of constructive science and variety of device which 
"Judith" reveals. The first movement of the 
overture (a con spirito in g 8-4) is well developed ; 
fully scored, and not rococo — the period and the 
place considered. Tlie Oratorio includes some 
good, if not great choruses : an opening one of 
supplication in A minor — a pastorale chorus in o 
major, " When Israel wept," where the same tone 
seems to have been tried as that which was so in- 
comparably used W Handel in his chorus from 
•* Israel," ** But as for his people." The fugue in 
triple tempo D major, whi(rh closes Dr. Ame's first 
act, owes somethmg to Handel's " Fixed in his 
everlasting seat" But those, we think, are al- 
most the only traces of influences, imitation, or 
coincidence from, of, or with — the ^ant, which 
"Judith" contains. What may be called the pro- 
fane third of Dr. Arne's Oratorio — its music de- 
voted to the camp of Holofemes — is, to us, its 
most feeble portion — being treated in a frivolous 
style, «^mi-Arcadian, «emt-operatic. In a case 
like this, we find the greatness of Handel by a 
simple comparison. IIow much lower in tone and 
weaker in situation tlian the scene referred to is 
the greater portion of " Solomon," — yet who can 
undervalue the loveliness without frivolity of his 
" Nightin<;alc Chorus," — the loftiness without pe- 
dantry of his court music with which " Sheba*s 
queen " is regaled ? It is curious to find a com- 
poser strongest in his secular music — as was Dr. 
Arne — weakest in the most secular portion of this 
work, and capable of producing a Holofemes little 
stronger than a Comus, On the other hand, the 
chorus indicative of doom (to which we have ad- 
verted) rises to the height of the words and their 
import ; and is a fine, grave, well-developed move- 
ment, such as we had hardly credited Dr. Arne 
with power to work out Meritorious care, too 
(the state of Art in England a century since con- 
sidered), seems to have l)cen bestowed by him on 
the instrumentation. The strin<rcd quartet is 
written with due solidity, especially in respect to 
its violoj to which more than ordinary interest is 
given. The songs, too, are scored with an inge- 
nious regard to figure and variety ; and without 
that leanness which wearies in the Italian writers, 
the Hasses, the Galuppis, Ciampis, Lampugnanis, 
towards whom, as a school, the Doctor obviously 
inclined. Of the songs themselves a less decided 
judgment can be given : inasmuch as these are 
matters never to l^ disposed of by the eye : but 
to be enjoyed by the ear and answered by the 
heart — music dependent not on the composer 
only, but also largely on his interpreter. The 
airs allotted to Judith contain such antiquated 
passages expressive of courage and heroism as 
were found effective in the mouth of Mandane. 
Abra, her maid, has a bravura with harps nicely 
disposed, and with triplet diversions, such as we 
have long tired of in " The soldier Tired." There 
is nothing very salient for either tenor or bass. 
A " Sleep Song" (by the way, how generally do 
composers succeed in their " Sleep Songs " ! ) al- 
lotted to " Master Brown," promises well : and 
might prove worth disinterring. — Athenceum, 



Thbss Opbras IK New Tork. — The musical 
critic of the Dribunef (Sept. 22), in his own peculiar 
way, says : 

We have had three Opera Companies — ^two in an 
unknown tongue, and one in the familiar Anglo-Sax- 
on. Three operas in our town is enough ; perhaps 
too much, for one at least has decided to quit. Tiie 
English has departed and left the Italians master of 
the field. This seems rather hard, that a nice little 
English opera, with eood singers, should not longer 
prosper. Different this from me days of Mrs. Austin, 
Mrs. Wood and Bfrs. Segnin, when the bouse over- 
flowed, and people listened to their modier tongue set 
to dulcet sounds. Why not now ? It is a vulgar sa- 



perfinery which neglects the vigorous English lan- 
guAjre for ony other, come whence it may. 

The Academy has novelties. The new tenor Stef- 
fan! is such. He has good stuff in him. A manly 
voice — fair action and much vigor. In finish he has 
yet to make projijess ; hut he is young: and enthusias- 
tic, and may achieve all that is desirable. His second 
performance of Edgardo was the most satisfactory, 
and the last scene he ^ave with much intensity of 
feelinp:. A fine scene it is. Moonlight, towers, ro- 
mance, hot blood, despair and death — and all set to 
music. What more could be asked to fill up the cir- 
cle of the luxury of woe, and the yearning after we 
know not what? Mia Lucia I How the broken- 
hearted fellow rings it out ! Grief in the opera is 
popular. To sympathize with its mock woes strung 
in sweets costs no effort. There are no solid agonies, 
no moiuning attire ; no coffin to pay for. Comedy 
in opera is not popular. We may except the scenes 
of two such comic actors as Ronconi and Formes. 
But as an average thing, few care for it. We think 
here the comedy had better be porved up on one dish, 
and the music on another. Madame Gassier is a 
bright little artist. Little birds have big throats. 
She did the scene where she withers under her Edgar- 
do's curse beautifully. A curse can be so much 
more prolonged in music that it becomes perfectly 
blasting?. At least Lucia seemed to think so. Mad- 
ame Gassier keeps up an aviary business with the 
flute in her last solo, where the voice and the instru- 
ment appear to be in friendly rivalry as to which 
shall rise highest and come down PofVcst. She was 
much applauded. Signnr Gassier is one of the best 
artists on the stage. He is always well up to his 
work — ^ncver unrertain; never deficient. Among 
the musical knowing ones especially, he ranks high. 
The Academy thus is richly endowed. 

The opera at Burton's is prospering — not wonder- 
fully bnt moderatelv. The company is Mcsdames 
Ga7.7.anip:a and StrakOsch, (who will appear to-nijrht). 
Mad. Colson, (who will appear on Thursday), Brip- 
noli, Amodio, Barili — ^a strong: party. How it 

{»roves the size and resources of our city, after we 
eave one great company at the Academy,' to find in 
an acting: theatre such another as this. All these 
are celebrities to New York except Mad. Colson, and 
she, as a new ciimer, is making a name fast. Her 
performance of Traviata was received with fervor as 
fireneral as unlooked for. BrignoU and Amodio are 
in fine voice after their summer repose. Brignoli has 
the voice of a lover ; Amodio of a lover too, only 
that he makes love at a lower pitch. Fine organs, all 
of them. A few years since one such voice would 
draw, for a time at least, good houses. We have 
frrown critical and exij]:ent. Mr. Hackett complained 
that when ho told Americans that he had cnpis:ed 
Grisi and Mario, they asked " whom else 1 " What 
is enough in fortune ? What in art ? More than 
we have. Considering that Americans do all in their 
power to break down their own native art and manu- 
facturers, and turn themselves into the bo^arly por- 
ters and pedlers of forei^rn wares, they should be a 
little modest in their claims on what has to come 
from afar. 



For Dwight's Jonmol of Masks. 

The TrialB of Oenins. 

fidsg the ontgushSng lamentation of a Boj who pnetlsM 
tbe Ptono-Forta. 

BT TROVJLTOB. 
I. 

Who is it says I " must not thump " — 
That on her head the notes do bump. 
As though each was of lead, a lump ? 

My Mother. 



IT. 



If 



Who will not have his " lazy boy 
Spend hours o'er that girlish toy. 
Strumming away with senseless joy ? 

My Father. 



IIT. 



Who does " abominate those scales," 
Who, when I practise, always rails, 
And in fault-finding never fails ? 

My Brother. 



IV. 



T. 

Who oft pathetic tears does shed, 

And says " that noise goes through her head," 

And sends her nearly wild to bed. 

And certainly will drive her dead, 

And that she would wish to be led 

Unto the stake (these words she said) 

Rather than thus be distrac-tdd ? 

My Aunt. 

VI. 

Who really wonders, for his pai*t. 
How any but a fool could start 
To study music, — senseless art ! 

My Uncle. 

VII. 

Who all unanimous declare 

My practising the^ will not beur — 

And then at me do grimly stare 1 

My Family. 

VIII. 

Who is that sad unfortunate. 

Who loves that which all others hate, 

Yet fools it is his woful fate, 

And can't that direful love abate, — 

Who moans about his wretched state 

Yet practises at any rate f 

Myself. 




Who knows full well that brother John 
Will, by his drumming, very soon 
Get that piano out of tune 1 

My Sister. 



mal C0rrtsponWntt. 

Philadelphia, Sept. 28. The Handel and 
Haydn Society held its initiatory stated meeting on 
the evening of the 21st inst. Upwards of one hun- 
dred members promptly responded to the call of the 
secretary, and proceeded, with much cordiality and 
amid mutual congratulations, to select a managing 
corps for the ensuing year. The following gentlemen 
were thereupon chosen ; they are a coterie of active 
and responsible business men, in whose hands the 
best interests of this popular organization may^be ex- 
pected to be profitably fostered : 

President — ^D. W. C. Moore. Fice Presidents — 
John I. Heislcr, Gilbert Combs, A. M. Treasurer-— 
A. W. Rand. Secretanf—^os. S. Sparks. Librarian 
--John A. Pelouze. Directors^A, R. Paul, I. C. 
Paynter, Geo. W. Hazelwood, I. G. Umsted, A. G. 
Heston, C B. Barrett, Wm. Chapman, Jr. 

Mr. DeWitt Clinton Moore, President, has held 
his present oflice for several consecutive years— a just 
and appreciative tribute to personal worth, energy of 
purpose, and intellectual merit. His administration 
has constantly evinced that suaviter in modo and ybiti- 
ter in re which constitute the veritable germ of suc- 
cessful management. Mr. Moore is a partner in the 
well-known firm of F. V. Krug & Co., of this city. 
Mr. John I. Heisler, Vice President, and his colleague 
in that office, Gilbert Combs, A. M., are also well 
worthy of the confidence reposed in them. The 
former has for some years enjoyed the enviable repu- 
tion of possessing the richest basso-prqfondo voice in 
the city. Not less worthy are the gentlemen who fill 
the remaining offices of Treasurer, Secretary, Libra- 
rian, and the Board of Directors. Michael H. 
Cross, unquestionably one of the most brilliant .con- 
cert performers in the country, has been almost unan- 
imously chosen Organist for the ensuing year. This 
selection has caused the most unqualified satisfaction 
among the active and honorary members of the Soci- 
ety, and may serve to afford to the outside public an 
earnest of the future endeavors of the association to 
confirm its already well-established reputation. 

I learn that the " Messiah " is to be placed in ac- 
tive rehearsal immediately, with a chorus which, with 
the customary accessories, as the season progresses, 
will probably approximate to the number of two hun- 
dred vocalists. 

The " Seven Sleepen/' Spohr's Letzte Dinge, the 



214 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



"Creation," and several other ^rand oratorios are 
also underlined, as the plaj-bills have it. 

There can be no doubt of the correctness of the 
course hitherto pursued hj the Handel and Haydn 
Society toward developing a correct musical taste in 
our community. Its good fruits have been apparent 
in the marked encouragement and pecuniary reward 
bestowed upon all the concerts of the Society, which 
contained classic works of celebrity, such as the 
" Hymn of Praise," and others. Quito naturally, 
and in common witli other societies, the managers 
have been compelled to interlard such attempts with 
lighter works, balladic and operatic j for among their 
numerous subscribers, as well as among the public, 
there are vast numbers whose limited musical educa- 
tion has not reached the truly appreciative point. — 
Still, thanks to the untiring efforts of our musical so- 
cieties, there is a glorious change, slowly but surely 
developing itself; the announcement of a " Messiah," 
or a " Hymn of Praise," howbeit only a few years 
ago deemed calculated to damn, at the outset, the pe- 
cuniary prospects of the daring entrepreneur, now 
serves to create quite a respectable quota of interest, 
and serves to do considerable service in the matter of 
drawing an audience. 

The Harmonia Sacred Musical Society has adver- 
tised its primary rehearsal for the coming season, for 
Thursday evening, the 30th inst. I shall endeavor 
to attend, for the purpose of taking a note or two for 
your valuable Journal. 

A Mr. Hopkins, son of Bishop Hopkins, of New 
York, gave an organ concert at the West Arch Pres- 
byterian Church, gratuitously, last week. A large 
array of connoisseurs assembled to hear him ; and as 
far as I am able to glean, seemed well pleased with 
his achievements — barring a few mannerisms, and a 
disposition to take the time of his several perform- 
ances somewhat too rapidly. Manrico. 



Jbig^fs |0urnal of Slusk 



BOSTON, OCT. a, 1858. 

New Voluki. — The present imne commenres the Fourttenth 
Yolunu of our Journal of Muaic, and, aa the marical seiuoD ia 
Jaat opening everywhere, we would luggest this as a good time 
for thoAe who desire a weelily organ of musical culture, news, 
and cri deism, to subscribe. All the back numbers of the pres- 
ent jear can be furnished, and also the back Tolumes, bound 
or unbound. 

The selections of printed music in each number of the Jour- 
nal, add much to its value. How much may be seen by a 
glance at the musical contents of the last six months, as fol- 
lows: 

Ubtdkusohh— " Hear My Prayer,'* hymn Ibr Soprano and 
Chorus. 20 pages. 
Duet and Chorus, " I waited Ibr the Lord," 

fifom ** Hymn of Praise." pp. 8. 
" The Forest Birds," and " Serenade." Fonr- 

part Songs, pp. 4. 
From Lawta Sion: 1, Soprano and Chorus; 
2. Quartet, pp. 12. 
MoxABT— ^v« Varum, for Choir, pp. 2. 

" Selections from Don Giovanni, tn Piano, pp. 4. 
" Cantata : " Pnlse of Friendship." (Chorus and So- 
los.) pp. 14. 
8oH€BiiT— Psalm Ibr two Soprano and two Contralto voices : 

*' The Lord ia my shepherd." pp. 10. 
J. S. Bach — ^Two Chorals, pp. 2. 

Buinri — Chorus of Tiltagers, fhm La Sonnambula. pp. 8. 
B. WaqriI'— Chorus of Pilgrims, from Thnnhihuer. (Two Ten- 
ors and two Basses.) pp. 4. 
Olcck — Solo and Chorus, fhnn Annida. pp. 4. 
DoiriXRTX — Lwrezia Borgia. The entire Opera, arranged ibr 
Piano, is in coarse of publication in this Jour- 
nal. 
A. Jabll— Song without Words. (Piano.) pp.2. 



i( 



u 



u 



Hnsic for the Public Library. 

The directors of the Boston Public Library 
hare secured for that institution an excellent nu- 
cleus of a musical department, consisting both of 
valuable scores and of the literature of music. 



One of the last of the good works of the late 
Prof. Dchn, of the Royal Library' in Berlin, was 
to collect for our library twenty-eight large vol- 
umes of manuscript music, in which the best pro- 
ductions of the old Italian masters, Palcstrina, 
Caldara, Allcgri, &c., a.s well as of Orlando Lasso, 
and others of the Flemish school, are largely 
represented. Much of it is music which cannot 
be obtained in print. These volumes are in fact 
designed to form a good substantial nucleus of 
such a complete representative historical exhibi- 
tion of the productions of musical genius, as every 
great public library ought to contain, and as our 
city library, following up these good beginnings, 
doubtless will ere many years contain. We 
await with eager expectation the arrival of this 
precious purchase, which does honor to the large 
and liberal poli(;y of those "who have in charge 
the stocking of our fine new library building. 
For the first time, in this countrj-, docs " Frau 
Musica," as Luther calls her, bid fair to be duly 
represented in a library along with her sister 
]SIuscs. 

Besides these MS. scores, quite a full list — ^two 
or three huudrcd volumes — of books relating: to 
music, histories, biographies, scientific and aisthet- 
ic treatises, &c., some of which are rare and 
costly, has been ordered, and in great part al- 
ready purchased for the library. 

The directors have a right view of the matter. 
What is a library for, if not to aid the student in 
whatsoever department of science, literature, or 
art, by placing within his reach the results of all 
the labors of his predecessors ? It has long since 
been recognized that libraries are bound to do 
this for the student of law, of thcologj', of natural 
history, of mathematics, of mechanics, and why 
not for the student of music quite as well ? 



Trovatopera. 

Our palmy days of Opera are passed. Orinl, and Mario, and 
Bosio, and Badiali, and the large companies in which they 
shone conspicuous, are but remembered splendors. Nothing 
better, nothing half as good, appears to talce their place. The 
hope of one complete and all-sufllcient organization, with its 
three centres in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, with 
ample orchestra and chorus, as well as admirable principals, 
and, above all, with a rich repertoire of the best operas, seems 
as for from realization as it ever did. All the interest and all 
the managerial and artistic energy are frittered away in half a 
dozen little separate, cheap enterprises, which go about with 
hum-drum repertoires, waging an internecine warfkre.— 
These little companies have pretty much Ibr their whole stock 
in tradejnst the three or four articles which they can manu- 
flMture cheapest, and which command a tolerably sure market 
on the strength of some mere fkshion of the day. Opera we 
have not; but we have Drovatore companies, plentiful as 
mosquitoes, and (literally) piping hot. Drovatore is almost the 
only opera ; it stands for all. To that pitch all the opera com- 
panies are screwed up, as if they were so many barrel organs. 
There are Just one or two modulations into closely related keys, 
called Traviatamad RigoUtto^ "with cheap and common rem- 
pli»sage for the intervening or "off" night, by way of relief, or 
foil, of two or three of the most fluntliar and haeknied works of 
Donizetti or Bellini. This is all that is now meant when we 
see an Italian opera announced. At least, this is all that Bos- 
ton gets of it. 

We have had one Trovatore troupe for two weeks, singing in 
English, at the Howard Athena?nm. Three successive nights 
the bill was JVovatore, of which we can say nothing new, ex- 
cept to repeat our wonder at its strange popularity. For, in 
the first place, its horrible baby-burning plot is disgusting and 
absurd,— the more glaringly so when sung in English. In the 
next place, there is not a real, a natural, an interesting char- 
acter in it ; the persons are all puppets, leaving no impression 
beyond the action of the moment; as impersonations of pas- 
sion they are as coarse as the dullest caricatures in the cheap- 
est wood-cuts. Then again, sentiment, anything that can 
be called such, is utterly wanting in the opera, as a whole, with 
only here and there a maudlin reminiscence in a strain or two. 
The music is accordingly ; if there is an ingenious melody, it 
may please, but it docs not speak to you, sing to you, as the 
native and intrinsic music of a sweet soul or cliaracter, as does 



the music of Mozart's Zerllna. It is music everywhere strain- 
ing for effect, and sometimes producing It, externally, superfi- 
cially, but not internally or deeply. It is not pathos, but a 
coarse imitation of its most couventlonal and common forms. 
It lacks all fine and subtle touches. It says more than it 
means or feels. It is not the music of fine natures ; it is not 
reflning or elevating in its tendency. The sphere of life or sen- 
timent into which it strains itself so spasmodically to transport 
you, is fortunately a very unreal one, or it would be a bad one. 
It is therefore not strange that the general iropreraion of the 
Trovatore, as a musical whole, is distracting and unedifying. 
This mujiic larks the sovereign quality of geniality ; it is me- 
chanical ; it relies upon dynamic means, and knows not tlie 
true secret, the true k<»y to open human hearts. Its appeal is 
really to something cl.«e than heart or soul ; to those who i^cck 
excitement, recklefsly, for mere excitement's sake, and not to 
those who lire sincerely and in carnefit. Plot and mufir, all 
together, make up a wearisomely glaring picture of a strangely 
monotonous, burnt-out, brirk-dust hue. No, this is tragedy too 
fierce to bo tragic ; this is psssion too demonstrative to be gen- 
uine; this is music too effective to be gonial or expressive. 
And yet the Trovatore is popular ! 

As to the performance. Miss Ma5BR mannges her clear so- 
prano finely and looks charmingly; Dr. GriLMEm gives a care- 
fully studied, finished rendering of his music, while his voice 
is rich and manly. The tenor, Mr. Mibauda, has considerable 
power and swectcss, but strains his voice In high passages, or 
takes reftage in a puny falsetto. Mr. Rudolphsxn uses well a 
fine bass in his secondary prtrt. and bean (as a contemporary 
says) the principal burden of the chorus, which for the rest Is 
miserable enough. Tlic orrhrstra is better than last week, and 
Mr. Cooper shows admirable powers as a conductor, which are 
cridcntly taxoil to their utmost in holding together so uncer- 
tain an ensemble. 

Next week another Trovatore troupe, under the auspices of 
SxiUKOScn, are to sing at the Boston Theatre, for four nights 
only. They will begin with Trariata and end with Trovatore, 
the alternations being Lu.-rezia Borgia and FiUe ttu Mcgiment. 
Mme. CoLS05, new to ns, admired in New Orleans and New 
York, Is to be the prima donna in the firat and last named 
pieces. Gazsakiga, the charming, does not come, (we would 
give much to hear her once more in the sparkling and genial 
music of VElirir d' amort); instead of her we have the mus- 
cular PaROSI, whose Lucrezia will be bold and masculine 
enough. BmoNOLi, Avonio, &c., will of course be welcomed. 



Musical Chit-Ghat 

The Handel and Hatdn Society onnounoe 
their first rchcnrsal for the season at the Messrs. 
Chickcring's rooms, for to-morrow evening. Here 
is at laxt a hope of some good music. The AIehdels- 
soiiN Quintette Club aro pretty sure to follow ; 
hnt they commence their season with a concert tonr 
in the nortli, and possihly also in the west, before 
they settle down upon their regular series of Cham- 
ber Concerts at homo. All true lovers of good 
music are impatient for them Mr. Ju- 
lias EicuBERG, the accomplished classical ma.sician 
and violinist, of whom we have before spoken, is to 
succeed Mr. Eckiiabd as director of the mnsic at the 
Boston Muscnm. Boston will thereby gain a high- 
toned excellent musician. Of Mr. Eckhnrd's future 
movements we are not informed, but hope that we 
are not to loose him. . . . There is to be a peir- 
formance of the " Creation " at tlie Mnsic Hall to- 
morrow evening by Mr. Cooper's English Opera 
Troupe. ..." Karl Formes' Grand Mam- 
moth Concerts and Oratorios " are announced in Cin- 
cinnati with all tlie eloquence of Ullman. . . The 
Maretzek Opem troupe in New York, have put aside 
burnt babies, Trovatores, &c., this week, and ac- 
tually given ft true work of genius, " William Tell, 
with much dclat. 

Among the paascngers of the ill-fated " Austria 
were several highly respected German musicians, re- 
siding in this country, who were returning from their 
summer visit to their old homes in Vaterland. Mr. 
Theodore Eisfeld, the popular conductor of the 
New York Philharmonic Concerts, about whom there 
was much anxiety, is happily in the list of those who 
were saved and taken on board the French ship Mau- 
rice. Mr. Eisfeld is of a nervous temperament and 
his physical powers for some years have not been 
ovcrstrong, since his severe illness ; it is to be hoped 
that he will have safely borne the exposure and ex- 
citement of this terrible experience. We doubt not 
he will meet with a right warm welcome at the first 



t» 



»t 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1858. 



215 



" Philhnmionic " at which ho makes his appearnncc. 
Mr. Tjiobbecke, a distinguished classical pianist 
of Philadelphia, is, it is feared, among the lost. The 
DuUetin speaks of him as " an cHicicnt and popular 
teacher. Ho was a native of Hanover, and aged 
about forty-five years. Ho came to tliis city fifteen or 
twenty years ago, a poor young man. By great per- 
severance ho liad hecomc most successful in his pro- 
fession. Ho was married to a daughter of J. N. 
Schorr, Ksij., of this city, and they have several 
young children. He went with his family to Europe 
last spring. Ho left them in Germany, when ho 
started to return on the Austria, intending to continue 
at his business another season, and then to retire and 
live on his ample means iu his native land. Mr. 
Thorbccko was very highly esteemed among his ac- 
quintancc and stood high in the musical profession." 

The same journal says : " Mr. G. Kunz, another 
Fhiladolphian, and also a teacher of music, is known 
to have l)cen on board the Austria, although his name 
does not api)car in the foregoing list. He also was a 
native of Germany. Ho resided in West Philadel- 
phia, where ho was held in high estimation." Our 
own townsman, Mr. AnOLPii Kielbloch, had also 
intended to return by the Austria, but his stay has 
been prolonged a few weeks by the providential event 
of taking unto himself a German wife. 

The musical Convention at Worcester, Mass., un- 
der tho direction of Messrs. Hamilton & Baker 
was to close last evening with a concert at Mechanics 
Hall, consisting of Mr. Baker's Cantata : " The 
Burning Ship," (painfully apropos just now), selec- 
tions from " The Sanctus," choruses from tho " Mes- 
siah," " Creation," &c. 

Mario, tho singer, has written to one of his Paris 
friends, complaining of tho dcarness of evorj'thing 
in that capital. Ho says : " I received only $23,000 
for singing at the Italian opera last season, and my 
expenses were $35,000." Poor Mario ! 

(Crowded out last week.) 

The Music qn the Common. — In commemo- 
ration of the foundation of the city, a monster brass 
band Concert was given on the Common, Sept. 17. 
Tho windwanl position which we took, to avoid tlio 
smell of " villainous saltpetre," had an unfortunate 
cflect upon the music, so tliat wo borrow tho account 
of tho Courier; 

" The concert on the Common, Friday afternoon, 
under the direction of Mr. B. A. Burditt, was attend- 
ed by probably as many as twenty thousand people. 
The Brigade, Brass, Gcrmania, and Metropolitan 
Bands, numliering seventy-two performers, furnished 
the music in concert. They occupied a temporary 
platform between tho two hills, tho people occupying 
the sides of tho hills and a largo portion of the tract 
between the hills. The platform was decorated with 
tho American, English, French, and other national 
flags. The programme commenced with Yankee 
Doodle, witli cannon accompaniment, the guns of the 
Light Artillery furnishing the sounds explosive. The 
effect of the guns was novel, rather than harmonious ; 
the cannon is a brass instrument which is yet hardly 
needod in orchestras. We have heard John Phoenix, 
cUicu Squibob, toll of "the soft note of tho pistol," 
but we have never heard any one tell of delicious 
warblings from the brass throat of a cannon. How- 
ever, if tlie audience were pleased, and they appeared 
to be, we shall not complain. Novelty always excite 
interest. Tliousands look up nightly at Donati's 
comet and reflect in awe upon the wonders of the 
hoavens, but tho glorious beauty of sun, moon, and 
stars has never excited them to any such feeling. 
But to recur to the concert. The selections of music 
comprised a variety of national and patriotic airs, 
whidi were frequently applauded by the immense au- 
dience. " God save the Queen " was pUyed twice 
with the assistance ot Capt. Nims's Artillery, and 
" Hail Columbia " was played once." 




ttsit ^braab. 



Berlin. — At a grand entertainment given at the 
Palace in honor of Her Majesty Queen Victoria's 
visit, tho Dom choir performed some of their vocal 
pieces before the Boyal party. M. Do Bulow also 
played several pianoforte solos. 



Vienna. — The Thalia Theater, at Vienna (one of 
the minor establishments of that capital), has been 
producing an opera, The Orphan^ by Herr Stolz. 
The principal musical work performed at tho great 
concert at Baden, on the 27tli of August, was tho 
" Komco and Juliet " Symphony of M. Berlioz. 
We observe with pleasure' that the local societies of 
the smaller towns in Germany are beginning to l>estir 
themselves towards the completion of tho Handel 
monument, by giving concerts. Samson is going to 
be forthwith produced with this intontion in the pictu- 
resque old town of Halberstadt, where (by way of 
further invitation to any autumn tourist in want of a 
halting place) are churches well worth seeing, and in 
one of these is an organ well worth hearing, — a town 
moreover, on the hem of the Hartz country. 



Italy. — The Italian journals announce tho pro- 
duction of two new operas. The most important is 
that of Ferrari — // Matrimonio ptr Concoi^so— the 
powerful rtVcs of which were confided to Madame 
boccabadati, Crivelli, and Zucchini. It docs not ap- 
pear that any great success attended the opera. At 
the San Carlo of Naples, Maestro Miceli produced 
an opera called La Fidanzaia^ also accompanied with 
doubtful success. We continue to look in vain for 
any new composer likely to add any work of real 
merit to the musical library of the Italian lyrical 
drama. Verdi is said to have a couple of new operas 
in his portfolio, but no one knows when they will bo 
produced. 

Leeds Festival. — The third in order of tho 
great English musical festivals of this year com- 
menced on Tuesday, Sept. 7th, in tho new town hall. 
We copy from tho Musical Gazette : 

Tho Great Hall is one of the largest of the kind in 
the kingdom, exceeding in size the Town Hall at 
Birmingham, Exeter Hall, and St. James's Hall, in 
London. Its dimensions are 162 feet by 72 feet, and 
75 feet in height. It has a semicircular ceiling, divi- 
ded into five bays or compartments, by massive ribs, 
which are supported at the sides of the Hall by coup- 
led Corinthian columns and pilastors. It is lighted 
by ten fanlights (stained glass), immediately above 
tliese columns : they are filled with beautifully col- 
oured glass, giving a very brilliant, but yet subdued 
eflcct to the architecture. 

The north end of the Hall is occupied by the or- 
chestra. At the south end is a glass screen, separa- 
ting the Hall from the vestibule, or principal entrance. 
The vestibule is in fact the lower part of tho tower, 
and is upwards of 70 feet in height, and 48 feet 
square. Tho floor is covered with a tessclated pave- 
ment. In the centre is a statue of Her Majesty tho 
Queen, in white marble, which, with its polished 
granite pedestal, stands 18 feet high. 

The performance of Elijah, with which the festival 
opened on Wednesday morning, wns one of the finest 
in every respect, if not the finest, that has taken placo 
in this country. Assuredly such a choir has never 
been assembled, and never have the magnificent and 
varie<l choruses, with which tho work abounds, been 
given with such delicacy or force — according to their 
requirements — to say nothing of the precision with 
which they were sung, and the perfect intonation 
throughout. 

Constantly did we expect to hear tho little unpleas- 
antnesses with which we are regaled when Elijah is 
done at Exeter Hall, — ^the foggy D sharp for the so- 
pninos at tho end of the choral recitative, the ditto 
ditto at the end of the minor portion of the ** earth- 
quake " chorus, for instance, — but no more constant- 
ly did we expect them than we were disappointed ; 
everything was in tune. Then, the gigantic volume 
of tone in the more m.issive of the choruses, the tow- 
ering ferocity of " Woe to him," tho delicacy of 
" He watching over Israel," the buoyancy of " After 
tho fire," the grandeur of tho " Holy, ' holy," and 
" But tho Tx)nl," which last was given* with the most 
unusually grand eflcct ; our goodness ! it uxut a per- 
formance. The principals on this memorable occa- 
sion were Madame Clara Novello, Mrs. Weiss, Miss 
Helena Walker, Miss Palmer, Miss Freeman, Miss 
Crossland, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Wilbve Cooper, 
Mr. Inkersall, Mr. Stantley, Mr. Hinchlif)ie, and Mr. 



Weiss. Miss Dolby was announced, but an apology 
was tendered for her absence on the score of indispo- 
sition, and Miss Palmer undertook to sing tho music 
which had been assigned to her. This promising 
artist acquitted herself extremely well in everything 
but the pan of Jezabel, for which she is not physically 
qualifiea. Miss Palmer's reading thereof was sufli- 
ciently enei^etic and dramatic, hut this only served to 
betray a want of power which renders this peculiar 
music unsuitable to her. In *' Woe unto them that 
forsake Him," Miss Palmer was even'thing that 
could be desired, also in " O rest in the Lord, with 
the exception of an unjustifiable suspension just 
before tho resumption of the melody, or, rather, the 
return to the key of C. The young lady thought to 
produce a little eflTect by hanging on the G at the last 
syllable of the word '• patientlv ; '* — she succeeded, 
but it was an unpleasant one. I'here is scarcely any- 
thing to particularize amongst the other pieces allot- 
ted to the principals. We must, however, record 
that the performance of " Lift thine eyes" by Mad- 
ame Novello, Mrs. Weiss, and Miss Palmer, was 
the best to which we ever listened ; that the quar- 
tet, " O come ev'ry one that thirsteth," was es- 
peciallv well sung by Mrs. Weiss, Miss Palmer, 
Mr. Wilbye Cooper, and Mr. Stantley ; " that Mrs. 
Weiss distinguished herself in tho short recitative, 
** Behold, God hath sent Elijah the prophet ; " that 
Madame Novello has got into a most objectionable 
habit of saying (or singing) Isn/Acl in the grand 
air which opens the second part of the oratorio ; 
and that Miss Helena Walker gave evidence of a 
very pleasing voice and good method in the duet, 
" Zion spreadcth," aU)cit she had tho disadvantage 
of a not overrefined second in Miss Crossland. 

Dr. Bennett's reading of tho work was in nearly 
every respect unexceptionable. The overture was 
hurried a little too much towards tho close, or 
rather the point in which it leads into the chorus, 
" Help, Lord," which, by the way, was also a shade 
too fast ; " He watching over Israel " was also open 
to tho same objection, witli the further disadvantage 
of a railentan^o towards tho close, which should 
never be allowed. The last of tho Baal choruses 
might have been quickened with advantage, as also 
" Is not his word ; " but everything else was what 
tlic most fastidious person would have desired. 

This performance set all doubt at rest as to the 
adaptation of the Hall for musical purposes. The 
sound was beautifully distributed, and the combined 
power of band, chorus, aud or^an (the latter of it- 
self no trifle) was never oppressive, while the sof- 
test passages for any voice or instrument were dis- 
tinctly and equally audible throughout the room. 
The absence of side galleries is a point in favour 
of this distribution, while the improvement, as re- 
gards appearance, is unquestionably great. We say 
inr.provcment, because we believe there is no build- 
ing of the kind in England that docs not lalx)ur 
under this disfigurement. There was a very large 
attendance, and the prospects of tho firet Leeds fes- 
tival were decidedly encouraging. 

The evening concert was yet more fully attended, 
and the display of our favourite plant, the ptdc/tra 
pudla spienaena, which was very poorly represented 
at tho inauguration, was abundant. The first thing 
on the programme was Mozart's symphony in C 
(not the Jupiter), which was admiraGly plnyed, but 
did not meet with a cordial reception. We did not 
quite approve tho choice. To enlist tho attention of 
the audience at a fii*st evening concert, tho E flat 
symphony would have been fur better. Mrs. Weiss 
followed * with the same composer's '• Dove Bono," 
a very chaste and careful performance, — and Mr. 
Santley gave a tolerable version of a weak ditty 
from Rossini's Maomctto. Hie other vocal solos in 
tlio first part were Rode's air with variations (ex- 
quisitely sung by Alboni and encored), "Kobcrt, 
toi quo j'aime " (sung with plentiful and very inef- 
fective departure from the text by Madame Novel- 
lo, tho merit of the performance being left to Mr. 
Nicholson's delicious corno int/tese and Mr. Trust's 
harp), and the grand tenor 8ce}ia from O&eron, sung 
by Mr. Sims Keeves. Miss Dolby was to have 
given a song by Duggan, but she was still obliged 
to keep house, to tiie great disappointment of her 
admirers and the audience generally. Miss Palmer 
and Mr. Santley sang the greater part of a long 
and somewhat tedious duct from Donizetti's Pia 
di Ptolomei remarkably well, and the choir distin- 
guished themseh'cs in Mr. Henry Smart's " Spring" 
part-song and Hatton's "Ah could I with fancy 
stray." Of the fonner we have already remarked 
that it is unpleasantly reminiscent of Mendelssohn, 
though certainly very charming. The latter is rub- 
bish. A man of Hatton's talent ought not to have 
allowed such a morsel to go into print. 

Mendelssohn's first pianoforte Concerto was played 



216 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



by Miss Arabella Goddard in her usual manner; 
that is to say, the first and last movements were 
taken at " high pressure," whereby many a passage 
was rendered indistinctly audible, and the andante 
was played to perfection' in every way. 



BiBxiNOHAM Festiival. — The following account 
is from the Athenantm, Sept. 4 : 

It is not exaggerating to assert that, whatsoerer be 
the musical capacity, fastidiousness, or fatigue of the 
listener — ^let him have run the gauntlet even of sing- 
ing, playing, or hearing — through so tremendous a 
London season as tlie one just over has been, there is 
an over-ruling " spirit and vivacity" (to quote quaint 
Lady Strange) about a Birmingham Festival which is 
to be found nowhere else in England — a complete- 
ness in execution and organization — in the manners as 
well as the music of the meeting — which will compel 
his enjoyment. In certain points of selection we are 
at issue with the managers. They make too little of 
the Birmingham organ, and "too nothing" of solo in- 
strumental music. It would be invidious to point 
out where we fitncy the pruning-knife might have 
been applied to the list of vocal engagements for 
1858, — but this could have been judiciouslv done so 
as to "make play" for Miss Goddard, or kerr Joa- 
chim, M. Halle, or M. Sainton, or Signor Piatti. A 
local audience, we know, is ill to deal with ; but it 
may, and shoidd, be led ; and the Birmingham man- 
agement is strong enough to lead it and sagacious 
enough to do so without vexatious pedantry. Every 
three years, we may remark, in all its musical pro- 
visions, a greater regard for the general excellence 
and interest of the music produced than for the fash- 
ions of the hour, whatever those may be. This year 
it has further shown its liberality, by affording to an 
English composer such an opportunity as English 
composer was never before indulged with. We 
shall be glad, three years hence, — and so, we believe, 
will bo the audience, now trained so highly, — to have 
some retrenchment of ballads and opera-music from 
the concert-schemes, in favour of a nightly Concerto. 
We now proceed to offer a note or two on the per- 
formances of the several days. The first part of 
'Elijah,' brilliantly as it went off, gave occasion for 
comment and caution. It would be a pity should ^e 
perfect ac(|uaintance of every one concerned with 
that magnificent work, — the splendour of such an 
orchestra and chorus as was collected at Birmingham 
(this year more splendid than ever), and the admira- 
ble disciplinal power of the conductor, — ^lead to the 
execution, on every repetition of the oratorio, being 
overdone. Yet something of the sort was the case 
on Tuesday. With a view, possibly, of exceeding 
tlie memorable performance of 1855, the majority of 
the choruses were taken at a tempo so much too rapid, 
aa just that ynuch to deprive them of due effect. A 
superabundance of spirit (which, however, is a fault 
on the right side, our sluggish national taste and tem- 
perament especially considered), may produce results 
resembling rever or levity. There is neither the one 
nor the other in Mendelssohn's music anywhere. The 
performance of the second act was far finer. The 
singers, one and all, did their best ; but Mr. Weiss, 
the Elijahf would be wise were ho to give his voice a 
little rest, if he means it to retain its once fine tone 
for a few years to come. 

In the miscellaneous act of the first evening con- 
cert, among the items claiming remark was. Miss 
Balfe's singing of Pacini's cavatina, "II soave e bel 
contento," as a piece of execution superfluously and 
indiscreetly elaborate. Signor Tamberlik gained 
honours, in the War Hymn from *Le Prophete.* 
Madame Viardot was in her fullest force in the scene 
"O mon Femand," from 'La Favorita.' The Over- 
ture to 'Le Siege de Corinthe' (Signor Rossini's best 
overture) was magnificently played. The cardinal 
attraction of the evening, however, was Handel's de- 
licious Serenata, 'Acis and Galatea.' We have now 
(referring to what was said a fortnight ago) to speak 
in high prais eof Signor Costa's additions to the score. 
Those bv Mozart — it was pertinently observed in the 
book of'^ tlie words — ^are too delicate for a force so 
large as the five hundred players and singers at Bir- 
mington. These by Signor Costa are enriching and 
supporting — ^nowhere intnisive, in nowise contradic- 
tory of the design, but completing it for performance 
on a scale of which its maker never dreamed. We 
should enjov to hoar ' Acis' given, as it may have 
been originally, with a small and sweet chorus,' and a 
player at the pianoforte as able as Handel to fill the 
gi\])s and to cover the nakednesses of tlie score ; but 
Handel (as we said on the occasion of the Sydenham 
Festival) is elastic. His outlines arc so grand, his 
designs are so clear, his colours are so pure, that his 
creations will bear a magnifying as well as a dimin- 
ishing gloss, and ' Acis,' as was proved at Birming- 
ham, is capable of being presented on a grand scale. 



so as to excite great interest. The chonises went 
superbly, and the singers were up to the mark of the 
choruses. In better hands the solos conld not have 
been placed. Mr. Sims Reeves is peculiarly excel- 
lent in " Love sounds the alarm," — no one in our 
memory having sung the tenor In-amims of Handel so 
well as he. Madame Novello gave " Heart, thou scat 
of sofk delight," deliciously, and Signor Bellctti was 
a Pofi/phemuSf at once as agile and bnitnl, but without 
a tinge of coarseness, as it is po*;sihlc to imagine. 
The skill with which this great vocalist gets the ut- 
most out of his voice without ever forcing it, should 
be taken as a lesson by every singer who hears him. 
Mr. Montem Smith, tlie best second tenor of our ac- 
quaintance, was steady and efficient as Damon. 

The repetition of * Eli,' on Wednesday morning, 
was in all respects satisfactory, and confirmed every 
opinion conceived of the genuine qualities of the ora- 
torio, as music alike sterling and characteristic, with- 
out strain or eccentricity. Some portions were better 
wrought out than they were three years ago — among 
them, the Chonis of the Revellers in the Temple. 
The concerted music was excellently ripe and finished. 
Most welcome, too, was the exchange of Herr Formes 
for Signor Bellctti. Though the part of Eli lies too 
low for the Italian artist's voice, he is so consum- 
mately an artist, that not a note nor phrase was over^ 
looked in which there was any possibility of his mak- 
ing a Intimate effect. The execution was as com- 
plete as the conception was dignified. The oratorio 
seemed to please more even than it did on its first 
performance, and this, not only in those simpler por- 
tions which have already become household music, 
but in its more complicated numbers. 

Wednesday's concert was less interesting than its 
predecessor : insomuch as it was more miscellaneous. 
Among the choice things in it were Rossini's Over- 
ture to ' Guillanme Tell,* played incomparably, — 
Madame Viardot's rondo from * L'ltaliana.' This 
lady has been singing throughout the week as she has 
never before sung in England, with a uniform force, 
evenness, and expressive grandeur of style and variety 
of fancy, which during former visits never failed to be 
indicated, hut, sometimes, were but incompletely ex- 
hibited. Miss Balfe, too, sang better than on the 
Tuesday : but execution so profuse as hers demands 
regulation. Among the novelties were Mendelssohn's 
Cantata, ' To the Sons of Art,' for male quartet, 
male chorus, and brass instruments. This we like 
less than mon of his late compositions ; and the 
right effect of it was lost, inasmuch as a chonis of two 
thousand singers is bound together by the brass in- 
Btniments which accompany it, — whereas a chorus of 
two hundred is ont-ltrayeA by them. Mr. Sloper's 
duet * Old Memories,' produced at his Concert, has 
been since scored by him, and proves more effective 
with orchestra than with pianoforte accompaniment. 

We must resen'e, for another week, our notes on 
the remainder of the Festival performances, adding 
merely a miscellaneous remark or two. This year's 
Birmingham Festival will probably prove the most 
productive in point of musical receipts which has till 
now been held in the town. For Thursday's * Mes- 
siah ' every ticket was disposed of by Monday, and 
some days earlier an announcement was put forth 
that owing to the run without precedent on guinea 
admissions to that Oratorio, it was found necessary 
to do away with all the half-guinea, or unreserved 
seats. The audience on such occasions it does the 
heart good to observe. Its sincere enjoyment and ap- 
preciation of twenty-three days* work' by a battered 
man aged fif^-nine, who died some hnndred years 
ago, but whose " name liveth for evermore," have 
something in them ennobling and inspiriting. They 
should act as a spur to every one with a spark of 
poetry in his soul who thinks of his art rather than of 
Its immediate results. — Probably a larger number of 
healthy, intelligent, open faces and well-grown forms 
could be found in no other assemblage. We were 
struck more than ever this year by the comeliness of 
the inhabitants of this coinely midland county — for 
comely is Warwickshire, in spite of the forges, chim- 
neys, and cinder-heaps, which here and tliere blot the 
faur face of Nature by bringing up treasures from its 
depths. We were struck the more with this, it may 
be, because a late Festival experience tempted us to 
comparison. Not long since [Athen. No. 1596] we 
registered the imprcs<:ions during a rapid flight across 
Belgium into the Khineland for tne Whitsuntide 
Festival at Cologne. The Rhinclander would have 
no reason to complain of a route less picturesque and 
characteristic than that one if, after reaching Tendon 
(perhaps by the Thames) he took Windsor, Oxford, 
Compton (with its old house), Warwick and Kcnil- 
worth Castles, on his way to our greatest English 
Festival. He must, however, we fear, find something 
to envy in such a general musical excellence and 
(latterly) earnestness of execution as a Birmingham 
music-meeting affords him. 



Spennl 'Bviuts, 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

X. .A. X B s T :^a:xjsio, 

PaMlahed by O. Ditson Sl C«. 



Music bt Mau..— Qnantitim of Mnnic are now i*nt br mall, 
the expenm bolnff only about one cent npirco. while the rare 
and npiility of trannportaifon are mnarkahle. Thone at a 
irreat diRtanre will find the mode of ronreranre not only a eon- 
Teniencc. but a mrinK of exponce in obtniiilnic Kupplien. Books 
can aim be nent by mall, at the tatc of one cent per ounce. 
Thifl applle* to any dUtance under three thousand mile* ; be- 
yond that, double the abore rates. 



Vooal Muaio. 

Snowball Song. Franz Abt. 25 

The wrond Juvenile nong of the " Spring of Life " 
series, the first of which has deservedly found m many 
admirers. Boys* sport Is treated with quaint drollery, 
like men's serious conflict on the battle-Held. The 
music is thorouRhly martial and highly animated, yet 
simple and child-like. 

Where Hast Thou Gone, my Mother 1 Song. 

L. W. Balhxrd. 25 
A little sentimental ballad, neat and pleasing. 

The Husking of the Com. Song. H. H. Hawleg. 25 

A Plantatioii Song, which has all the appeaimnee of 
genuineness. 

Vooal, with Guitar Aooompaniment. 
Gentle Nettie Moore, or Little White Cottage. 
Arranged by Bishop. 25 

Nellie Gray. Arranged by C. J. Dom. 25 

A Gnltar Arranflrment of the«e two Ibvorite Ballads 
has long been asked for, and will be esgeriy bought 
by many. 

Instnunental Muaio. 

The National Orchestra. A collection of Polkas, 
Quadrilles, Airs, &c., arranged for small or- 
chestras or string bands. In numbers, each 50 

No. 1— Do They Miss Me at Home ? and, Thon art 
Gone from my Gaxe. 

No. 2— Lilly Dale, and Katy Dariln^. 

Amateur chibs, quadrille and other small bands, 
will And this a reiy useful collection. The arrange- 
ment is for flre or rix instruments, including two tIo- 
Ilns, flute, clarionet, comet and bass. A few addi- 
tional parts, If wanted, can easily be added. 

Martha Waltz. (On Melodies from Flotow'a 
Opera.) BwrgmuHer. 50 

It is well known that in serring up the gems of a 
good opera, In the form of an elegant and pleasing 
Walts, highly acceptable to all loTers of tlie brightest 
Jewels among the light literature of the day, Dnrg- 
muller has not his equal. This set of "Martha 
WaltKs" is one of his best. Moderately difllcolt. 

Books. 
A Collection of Cathedral Chantb ; in- 
cluding the Gregorian Tones. Adapted to the 
Canticles and Occasional Services of the Pro- 
testant Episcopal Church. Also, Services for 
the Holy Communion and the Burial of the 
Dead. With an easy Morning Service in F, 
consisting of Te Deum and Benedictus. By 
S. Parkman Tuckerman, Mus. Doc. $2.50 

This valuable work, which has been for some time 
in preparation, Is now ready, and will be found supe- 
rior to anything of the kind heretofore issued. The 
system of Chanting adopted in it. ttiough new to a 
nuOority of our Choirs, has been in daily practice in 
the English Cathedrals for more than a century, and 
its erident superiority to the msny fiiuUy and ol^Jec- 
tionable methods in ui« in this country, will, it is 
hoped, be apparent to the American church. A Aill 
description of this system will be found in the Ex- 
planatory Preface. This work also contains the Can- 
ticles of the EnglUh Prayer Book, thus rend(>ring it 
available In the Canadas and British Provinces of 
North America. 

A separate Book of Words accompanies this Collec- 
tion, thus enabling Choirs to adapt such Chants to 
the Canticles as they prefer, Instead of conforming. In 
all cases, to the selections made by the author. 



DWIGHT 




JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



9 





^tx ai %xt m)i STiterate. 



JOHN S. DWIGHT, EDITOK. 



VOLUME XIV 



BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY OLIVER DITSON AND CO., 277 "WASHINGTON ST. 

1859. 



Repnnt 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 XIII & XIV 



1858-1859 



INDEX. 



Abont Pimot 896 

Abrmmt, Letter fkom Deacon BCaluhiy 408 

AooompMiisti, 890 

A aap-tnp FetdTal, 288 

A Friend's Adyice, with Acknowledgmeiitiy. . . .289 

A Hint to Mr. ZerrAhn, 871 

A New Prima Donna, 189 

A New Valentine. Madame Bariiot, 881 

A New Acquaintance, (Brown Papen) 185 . 

A Plea for the Ravels and for Fun, 896 

A Word from the Profossors, 262 ' 

American Beauty 204 

American Voices, 18 

Angri, Madame d' 45 

An Imperial Pitch Fork, 226 

An Impressire Funeral. Uraw Jmmal 86 

Aptommas, Letter from 221 

Ame, Dr. 205 ; his Judith, 212 

Anwnlt, Mad 366 

Art Matters, 199 

Artist's Receptions, 866 

Artists and Agents, their Relations to the Press,. 222 
AthensBum Exhibition. . . .26, 46, 55, 61, 79, 87, 

92, 120, 127 

Audiences and Critics, 208 

Ave Verum, (of Mozart), i 88 

Awful Announcement, 48 

Babcock's Pictures 286 

Bach's Music, Revival of, 1 22 

Bach, J. S., The Works of, 879 

Balfo's Satanella, 846 

Ballet Literature. M. A. Venua, T .194 

Barbot, Mad 881 

Beauties of the Italian Opera, 46 

Beauty, The Sense of, 189 

Beecher, (U. W.) on Orfcan Plajing, 885 

Beethoven, (Cart van), death of, 68 

Beethoven, L. van, 880 

Moonlight Sonata, (Liszt), 12 ; A true anecdote 
of, 168 ; Svmphony in A., 178 ; Four Letters 
of, 10 Carl C^mv, 194; Additional Reminis- 
scences of, 284 ; Sketch of his lifo, by Macfkr- 
ren, 895, 402, 412; Ninth Symphony, Motives 

and Themes of, 408, 409, 410, 414 

Birmi^am Festival, 112, 175, 206, 216, 224 

Biscaccianti, Mad .851, 858 

Books for the New Tear, 819 

Bosk), Madame 180, 288 ; In Boston, 189 

Boston Public Library, 81 1 

Boston Public SchooU, Festival of, 142, 150 

Brass I brass 1 brassl 126 

Bruce, Miss B. W., 44 

'Buns Festival, Speeches, 861 

Cabel, Mad 288 

Casseres, Louis de, 848 

Chromatic Scale, 228 

Church Music, 102 

College Music .94, 251 

Colson, Mad 199 

Common Music, 127 

CoHCBUTS iH BoaTOir : 

Adelaide Phillips 246 

A Private Concert, 87, 899 

Biscaccianti and Miss May, 858 

Brigade Band 68 

Complimentary Concert to August Fries 54 

Complimentary to Biscaccianti 407 

Complimentary 10 Joseph Trenkle 888 

German Trio, 6,81 

GermaniA Band, 81 

Handel and Haydn Society, 18, 20, 280, 859 

Hiawatha, (Stoepel's), 827 

Mendelssohn Quintette Club. . . .14, 279, 294, 827 
842, 358, 878, 890, 406. 

Bfiss Abbj Fkv, 6 

Mrs. B. A. Wentworth, 14 

Orchestral Unfon 6, 14, 81, 866, 878, 890, 407 

Orpheus Glee Club, 6, 859, 866 

Boot's Haymakers, 899 

St. CsBdlia Society, 14 

Zttirnhn's Philhamionie, . . . 827, 848, 859, 866, 890 



Conteeoce on Singing in Schools, 299 

Congregational Singing, 203 

Cooper,H.C 20,45,207 

CosnBSPOirDBirGB : 

Bangor, (Me), 64, 271 

Berlin 71, 79, 85, 166, 244, 255, 259, 268, 277 

284, 298,304, 807, 824, 866, 867, 871, 880, 887 

897,415. 
Brooklyn,. . .28, 40, 52, 85, 94, 110, 182, 206, 281 

255, 807, 887. 

Chicago, (Ul) 64,876 

Cincinnati, 150, 255, 876, 415 

Doberan 205 

Farmington, (Conn.), 206 

Florence...... 15, 53 

Hartford, ... 125, 246,-261, 284, 803, 807, 847, 875 

405. 

Havana, 841 

Holly Bank, (S. C), 825 

Leghorn, 198 

Louisville, (Ky.) 23 

Marion, (Ala.), 157 

Milan, 58,63 

New Haven, 104 

New Tork,. .7, 8, 15, 22, 29, 40, 84, 124, 125, 183 

157, 165, 175, 182, 190, 197, 207, 221, 231, 237 

246, 255, 278, 288, 294, 807, 819, 332, 840, 847 

859,381,887,897,415. 

Pescia, (Italy), 28 

Philadelphia,. ..28, 89, 53, 63, 71, 79, 94, 188, 149 

158, 175, 190, 207, 218, 230, 237, 261, 270, 284 

307, 826, 838, 841, 859, 415. 

Pittsfleld, (Mass.), 157 

Rockland, (Me.), 190 

Rome 8, 16 

Salem, (Mass.), 387 

Salem, (N. C.) 176 

Springfield, (Mass.), 150 

St. Louis, (Bfo.), 104 

Woroester, 29, 182, 875 

Covent Garden, New Opera House, 76 

Cramer, John, (Athenssum), 58 

Darius, M. (tenors), 7 

Dehn, (S. W.), 61, 70, 84, 259, 268 

Delepierre Children, (Violinists), 78 

DIabelli, (Anton), death of, 63 

Diapason, The French Commission on, 180 

DiABiST Abboad: 

A fbrioli^t in London, 217 

AHoBuaMntto Wobar, 887 

At 8m, 288 

BOTlin, 262, 401 

Inftglnniv OonvtnatieB with John, 881 

Motat UM » Qa«7, 281 

Moles , 8n. 878, 885 

The Torat,. . 
Wbatdoirtn 
WoUtebttttal,. 

Diary, From my, (New Series),. .5, 15, 27, 88, 44,61 
68, 99, 124. 

Don Giovanni arranged fbr Mario, 169 

Don Juan, The Story of, (Brown papers).. .297, 305 

Dr. Fanstus in France 878 

Drama, The, 14, 22, 81 

Eichberg, Julius, 167, 214 

Eisfleld, Theo. 214 ; Letter from, 259 

Encore Nuisance, The. PtencA, 86 

English Opera, (The Cooper troupe), 207 

Escott, Lucy, 890 

Fay, Miss Mary, 842 

Femi, The Sisters, 886 

Festivals, (German), 232 

Field John, 828, 330 

Fine Arts 866 

Florence, A Letter about, 47 

Flotow, Friedrich von 823 

Formes, Carl, ... 18, 20, 45 ; on Leporello, 292 

Four pages of Music, 5 

Frans, Robert, Letter about, 801 

Free Playground for the People 183 

Fry, (W. H.), Lecture in Philadelphia,. .887 ; On 
Hiawatha, 354 ; his Leonora 7, 18, 26 



bj **GlMrio"? 864 



Garcias, The, and Da Ponte, 85 

Gassier, (Mad) 8 

Gassaniga Marietta, 276 

German and Italian Opera, 84 

German Lisst Confedmtion, The. Pmneh, 51 

German music, 180, 184 

German Student Celebration in New Tork, 171 

Glinka, Michael von, and Music in Russia, 115 

Goddard, Bliss Arabella, 211, 232 

Gounod, New Mass by, (Athenssum), 41 

.Quilmette, Dr., 207 

Halevy's New Opera, La Magieiemi€t 51 

Handel and Haydn Society, (43d Annual Meet- 
ing of), 78, 82 

Handel, Character and Genius of, 233, 242, 249, 258 
267 ; Four Recovered Pieces by,. .211 ; Monu- 
ment at Halle, 185; Messiah,— Christmas 

Performance, 817 

Harvard Musical Association, Annual Meeting. .848 
357. 

Harwood, Mrs., 20 

Heated Term, The; 109 

Heine, Henri, about Music and Musicians,... 105, 122 
129. 137, 145, 153, 161. 

Hereford Festival 200 

Horsley, William, ( Athensnim) 132 

Hosmer, Miss Harriet, 195 

Household Book of Poetry, — (Dana's) 295 

How certain operas come to be composed, 165 

How People listen to Mukic, 147 

How the books were secured, 857 

Huguenots, The, in New Orieans, 301 

Huguenots, Tlie, 814,824,829 

Hymn of Praise, (Mendelssohn's) Analysis of,.. 8, 10 

Illiterate Music 141, 146 

Infancy, the Best Age for Singing, 91 

In Memoriam, (John Lange) 293 

Israel in Egrpt, 878, 874, 891 ;...Macfarren's 

Analysis or, 855, 868 

Italian Opera, 222, 230, 801, 809, 826, 394, 413 

Joachun in London, ; 76 

Key Harp, The, 52 

Kinkel, Mad. Johanna, (A. W. T.,) 69 

Lange, John, 298, 295 

Learning to sing, Jenny lind's letterc, 8 

Leeds Festival 175, 212, 214 

Leslie's Jndith, 1 72 

Lucia di Lammermoor, 81 1 

Lncrexia Borgia, 198 

Malapropos Stage Incident, <. 204 

Maretsek, Max 286, 259 

Mario as Don Juan 181 

Mario and Don Giovanni, 181 

Martha, 326 

Marx, A Glance at the present state of Mnsic,.. .249 

Mass Music. — (New Mass by Gounod,) 41 

Mass by Rossini, (Guide Musicale), 100 

May, Miss Juliana, 843, 851, 858 

Mendelssohn, Characteristics of, (Dr. Zopff).,. . . 18 

Mendelssohn Comemoration, 896 

Mendelssohn,. .Asv YorkMus, World., ^, S. W. 84 
Mendelssohn Quintette Club, Nine Tears Work. 77 

Meyerbeer & Rossini 831 

Mini, A new Improvisatrice in Italy, 168 

Mittehrfaeinisches MBslcal Festival, 289 

Mosart apd the Magic Flute, 276 

Monrt m Vienna, 252 

Mosart judged by Lamartine, 148 

Moiart, Monument at Vienna, to, 400 

Mosart's Magic Flute .257, 265, 278 

Mozarfs Nosse di Figaro, 800, 806, 809 

Moiart's Piano Forte Works, 202 

Mrs. Smith and Elisabeth, (Brown Paners), 113 

Mnsard's Monster Concerts in New York,.. 14, 26 
45, 125. 

Music in Boston,. .Review of the Season, 8(> 

— ^ Among the Blind, 68 



IV 



INDEX. 



11 



Masic And Masical Taste in Hnrana 2, 10 

At ihe N. E. Institution for the Blind 139 

Board of Trade, The, 54 

Dealers in Coancil, 86 

In New Orleans, 1 22 

In New York 44 

- In Ru8.<ia, 115 

In the Public Schools, 62 

On the Common 215 

Power of, The 92 

Show at Sydenham, Punch, 156 

Masical Artists, l^alarics of, 303 

Criticism,. .The Huguenots, 329 

— ^— Conrentions, 13 

Festival in New York, 117 

Form, 140 

Keys, Characters of,. 178, 201, 227, 267, 290 

Knick-Knacks,. .S. W., 313 

Legislators, 394 

Libraries, A. TV. T., 287 

M uf«ic, 138 

- Orthodoxy, (from the Grerman of Mad- 

ame Kiiikel, 65, 73, 81, 89, 97 

Pitch 179 

Prejudice, 235 

— — Retrospect, 132 

World, (London,) 21 

Music Abroad : 

Bad«n-Baden, 224 

Berlin, 82, 215,812 

Bonn, 82 

Bonleaax 82 

Brun«wlck, 296 

CoblenU 240 

Cologne, 82, eO, 71 , 102, 199 

DreBden 248, 867 

FloreMoe 100 

Frankfort on the Maine 248 

Germany, 112, 135, 183, 827, 884 

<3otha, 82 

Hamburg 272 

Italy 215 

I.eipzig, 82, 71, 867. 

Lisbon, 367 

Lirerpool, 272 

London 81, 46. 60, 70. 87, 94, 101, 111, 119, 185. 148. 151 

159, 168, 175, 184, 192, 224, 272,296,827, 848, 852, 883, 891 

400,407. 

Lngano 296 

Manchester, (Eng.), 282 

Manchester, 407 

Milan 240,272,867,400 

Munich, 82, 176. 296 

Naplee, 82, 60, 272 

ParlP,. .81, 102, HI. 160, 176, 188. 192, 199, 224, 281,240, 264 

272, 296, 812, 327, 852, 834, 891, 400, 408.' 

Pwith 176 

Prague, 186, 176 

Rio Janeiro, 296 

S-iIzbnrg 897 

Stranburg 247 

St. Petersburg, 32, 240, 400 

SwAden, 112 

Trieste, 296 

Vienna 82, 00, 186, 160, 163, 176, 184, 190, 215. 272, 400 

Weimar, 176, 312 

Zurich, 176, 192 

Music published with this Volume : 

Mendelssohn. — Hear my Prayer,Hb^nningin) Vol. 18No. 1. 
" I Waited for the Lord, No. 6. 

'* Pour-part .Songs, The Forest Birds. Sere- 

nade. No. 8. 
Schubert. — ^Tirenty-tblrd Psalm, No. 9. 
Bach, J. S.— Chorals, No. 11. 
Mendelssohn. — lAuda Slon, No. 18. 
Bellini. — Ia Sonnambula, (Chorus fVom), No. 16. 
Wagner.— Chorus of Pilgrims. '* Tannhailser," No. 18. 
Gluck. — Great is the Glory, (Solo and Chorus). No. 19. 
Donizetti.— Lucrezia Borgia, (Piano-forte Solo), No. 20. 
Moiart. — ^The Praise of Friendship, No. 21. 
Alft«d Jaell. — Song without words. No. 24. 
Schubert. — Miriam's Song of Triumph, (Solo and Cho.) Vol. 
14, No. 8. 

Musical Chit-Chat : 
7, 14, 22, 81. 8S, 48. 55, 68, 69. 78, 87. 95, 108, 111, 118, 127 
151, 159, 167, 174, 188, 191, 198, 207. 214, 228, 231, 289, 247 
254. 268, 271, 279, 287, 295. 808, 811, 819. 827, 835, ;i48, 851 
859, 867, 888, 891, 899, 407, 415. 

Musical KEYrBw : 

Come Into the Garden, Maud. (Breeel), 110 

Mueller's Method, » 6 

New Music 78, 94, 191, 271, 288, 896 

Norello's Publications 6 

One hundred songs of Scotland, 175 

Robert Franz, 6 

Schwlng, JuTenile Sonatas, 185 

Six Songs by Emily 0. Bruce, 110 

Songs by Francis Boott, 175 

The Church and Home, 110 

Tuckennan's Cathedral Chants, 311 

Nationalities in Masic '. .329 

Native American Music, 116 

Ne Plus Ultra, and Plus Ultra 75 



Neukomm, (Sigismnnd), death of, 46, 59 

New Musical In!*trument, The Baryton, 283 

New Orleans Prima Donna,. 282 

New Play at the Howard AthensDum, 123 

New York Academy, A Small flare-up in, 340 

New York Mendelssohn Union, 103 

New York Musical Festival in, 117 

New York, Opera in. 108 

New York Philharmonic Society, 219 

Nlgrhtingnle, The, 140 

Northall, Julia, ' 8 

Ohituary. not Enlopstic, 118 

Ode to the Atlantic Cable. (Emerson,) 167 

Old Books, 335 

Old Hundred 44, 140 

Old Pieces, Grdtry, the Brother of Grenze, 313 

Opera Companies in New York 213 

Opera Company on its travels, 317 

Opera, Engrllsh, 207 

Operu in English 197 

Opera in New Orleans, 236 

Opera, Italian 222, 230,301, 309, 326, 394, 413 

Opera of the Future, 324 

Opera off the Stajrc, ( Strakosch troupe), 237 

Opera Management in Italy, 68 

Opera Singer in a Bad Scrape, 317 

Opera, The 318 

Opening; of New Opera House in London, 82 

Operatic Prospects 235 

Oratorios, The, 13, 20 

Orchestration, 26 

Orpnnic difficulty, 165 

Orpan Grinders, Considerations touching, 197 

Onlibicheff, Death of, 7 

Our Music Padres, An Italian Opera ! 1 58 

Our New Arrangement, 4 

Pacini's Sappho, 108 

Paisiello and his Works, 300 

Palestrina, 210, 219 

Palermo, October Music in, 314 

Patriotic Tunes in Schools 292 

Pedalier, 1 56 

Perabo, (Master Ernst), 102 

Permanent Diapason, 282 

Philister's Reminiscence, The, 9 

Philadelphia Musical Fund Society 108 

Piano with Pedal Obligato, 156 

Piccolomini, 180, 204, 228, 243, 247, 295 

Piccolomini Matinee, 276 

Pierian Sodality and Harvard Glee Club, 103 

Pimboni, (trombonist) 15 

Poetry of the Puritans. "Kingsley," 292 

Private Concert, A, 37 

Psnlm Tunes for the Market, 164 

Public Library. Music for 214 

Publisher Wanted. ( Rev. Habakkuk Lot,.) 393 

Punch and the Organ Grinders, 92 

Poetry : 

A DIrjre. San Franrisco Pna'fie 116 

A Farewell. Chas. Kingsley, 9 

An Andent Song. From the Boston Courier^ 50 

Beethoren. Fanny Malone Raymond, 2SQ 

Breath of Spring. J. S. D 1 

Cecilia. Fanny Malone Raymond, 193 

Children. Longftllow 204 

Cottage Song. J. S. Adams 201 

Dream Land. 97 

Echo, (from the Oennan.) C. T. B., 17 

Fifty and Fifteen. Atlantic, 177 

Iltunlet at the Boston. Atlantic Monthly ^ 84.5 

Hvmn to the Atlantic Cahle, 158 

I hear thT voice, O Spring. Chas. Kingsley, 9 

June Chicago Journal 90 

La Cantntrice. Atiantic Monthly,..^ 57 

Legend of the Cross of St. Francis. TroTator. , 242 

liAgend of the Rose Tree, of Santa Maria. Trovator, 289 

Lines to an Ancient Pitch-Pipe ft'>7 

Morning Praver. (Oennan of ElchendorlT), 161 

MnMc and Musicians. Punrh 128 

Nobody can hare seen it. (German of Gruppe), 169 

Norember— April. Atlantic Monthly^ 121 

Ode. R. W. Kmerson 167 

Ode on the death of Prescott. the Historian, 878 

Out In the Cold. J. S. Adams 887 

Poems at the Bump Festival 858 

Song for New Tear's Eve. Bryant, 821 

Song, (German of Fr. Kugler.), 187 

Song. ,'Gennan of Heine) 129 

Spinning. AdeliUde Anne Procter, 113 

The All Hail Hereafter. Emerson, 158 

The Blacksmith. Fanny Malone Raymond, 821 

The Charge of the Light Kid Brigade, 871 

The Fatherland. (German of Omen), 155 

The Footprints of Music, 194 

The Hidden Spring. Fanny Malone Raymond, 283 



The Orchard, (fttm the Crayon) 113 

The Opening of the Piano. 0. W. Holmes, 869 

The Poet's Work. Alexander Smith, 1 

The Trials of a Genius. (Trovator), 214 

The Voiceless. 0. IV. Holmes, 205 

To the Moon. From Goethe. J. S. B., 65 

To W. J. H., while playing on bb flute. Coleridge, 106 

Queen's Heart, The. (Neir play), 123 

Rakemann, Louis, 152 

Ronconi, 22, 53, 59 

Rosa Bonheur, 181 

Rossini, A new biographj of, 116 

Rossini's Barbiere,. . . .- 131 

Rossini's estate, 197 

Rossini's Stabat Mater, 105 

Rossini's Summer Residence, 132 

Rubinstein, 119 

Ruskin on Education in Art, 280, 288 

Sanctus, The, from the German of Hoffman,. .49, 57 

Sans-Souci. The Theatre in, 251 

Sarette, the founder of the Conservatoire at Paris. 83 

Satter, Gu$tave, 8, 15 

Schubart, C. F. I)., 125 

Schumann, Robt., from Wasilcwsky's Biographj, 25 

The last years of, 43 

— ^— on Mendelssohn, 33, 41 

Musical Life Maxims, 17 

Serva Padrona, La, 31 1 

Signor Ricco Rocco, 164 

Sinjcniar Mental Phenomenon, 76 

Spontini in Berlin, 177, 187 

Statues and Piano Fortes, 307 

Stoepel's Hiawatha 332, 334, 338, 350, 354 

Swedish National Sinj^rs, 152 

Symphony, The best place for, 380 

Tamberlik's debut in Paris., 52, 163 

Thnlberg and Vieuxtcmps, 104 

Thalberp and Vieuxtemps in Toronto, 63 

Thayer, A. W., 118, 134 

The'Black Opera, 107 

The Bobolink, 220 

The Cable day at Trinity, 194 

The Country and Musicians, 148 

The First Piano Forte, 225 

Thp Great Event, 166 

The Tenor 75 

The Voiceless, 205 

The Watch Dog roused again, 1 59 

Titiens, Mad'lle, 111,155 

Tomnschek, 369, 385 

Trcnkle, Joseph, 263, 343, 359, 407 

Troubles of a Turkish Music Master, 131 

Trovatopcra, 214 

Tnith about Music and Musicians, 67, 162, 170 

179, 331. 
Tuning, Prof, de Morgan on, 196 

Uniform Diapason. Punch 156 

Venua, M. A., 194 

Verdi's Aroldo, 8 

Verdi-ism on the Decline, 189 

Violin Music, 188 

Violins and Poems, 108 

Violinist, Female, 179 

Virtuosi of the Piano Forte, The, 100 

Voices, On the wear and tear of, ' 345 

Wajrner, R., Programme to the Ninth Symphony 

of Beethoven, 409 

Wafrner'fi Lohengrin 275, 283,291 

Ward's, Dr. Opera 84 

Welsh Bards, Meeting of, at Llangollen, 227 

Welsh Music, 78 

What docs it mean ? Coleridge, 12 

What is Clrtwical Music 1 262, 286, 354 

Wicniawski, Henri, 323 

Wild Music in Ix)ndon, 1 55 

Wilhorst, Mad. Cora de 239 

William Tell in New York 220 

Winthrop, R. C, Remarks of, at School Festival,. 147 

Yankee Doodle, 133 

Zelter, 337 

Zerlina and her Songs. Onlibicheff', 322 

Zerrahn's Programmes, 387 




Wflbt's 




mxml 





nu. 



Whole No. 340. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1858. 



Vol. XIV. No. 2. 



The BiarlBt Abroad. 

II. — A FORTNIGHT IN LONDON. 

Bbkuk, Ssptembkr 1, 1868. 
'* And how did you amuse yourself in the great 
city ? " 

In a variety of ways, some of which offer mat- 
ter for a few notes. Let me begin with an at- 
tempt at a picture of our two weeJu' home. 

Imagine 80 or 100 acres of water held in place 
by a huge dyke, so that its level is ten or twelve 
feet above the broad fertile meadows, which 
spread away to the north and east like a prairie, 
with here and there a house, a village, roads and 
railways traversing it in all directions, and herds 
of cattle, flocks of sheep, giving them life. Into 
this basin project from the northerly side several 
wharves, at one of which the Athena lies. 

Come up to the mast head with me. In the 
dock comparatively few vessels, perhaps not more 
than seventy-five or a hundred, so that the large 
basin gives one no idea of being hived and stifled 
as would be the case in any of the older docks 
in the city. As we look from our lofly position 
the view is one, which repays us well for coming 
back from the city before nightfall, and we really 
have no desire to leave our cool airy ** home " for 
the close quarters of a city hotel. 

North we have the meadows, bounded in the 
distance by low ridges of pleasant looking hills. 
Eastwardly we have the river winding along to 
the sea. Just where the entrance to our dock 
lies, the river makes a sharp angle. We follow 
it with our eye a mile or two down the stream, 
and there is Woolwich, with its immense arsenals, 
and, just beyond, Gravesend. 

Both towns run up to the top of a ridge of 
hills, beautiful with gardens, groves, and fine res- 
idences. We follow this ridge westerly, and, 
hardly separated from the outskirts of Woolwich, 
the eye rests upon Greenwich Park, below which, 
at another bend of the river, rise the domes of 
Greenwich Hospital. Beyond Greenwich a lovely 
country opens to the eye, rising gradually, until 
at its highest point — can it be more than six or 
seven miles away ? — we see the Crystal Palace 
at Sydenham, brilliantly lighted by the setting 
sun. 

Directly west of us, a mile away, rise the masts 
and chimneys of the dock at'BlackwalL Beyond 
these, forests of masts and wildernesses of houses, 
away, until a never-liiling cloud of smoke limits 
vision. There lies London. Morning and even- 
ing we are where all is still and calm — in the 
day we are drops tossing about in the ocean of 
human life beneath that cloud. 

From our dock and Blackwall we are in com- 
munication with a net of railroads, which lies like 
a huge spider's web all along the east and north 
of the city. We take one of the early trains, or 
we go to the Blackwall dock and take a steam- 
boat, and in half an hour by railroad or an hour 
by boat, are in the heart of London. 

Broadway, blocked by ti*afiic and omnibusses, 
is a sight — here are fifty Broadways ! You know 
how small Boston seems after you have spent 



some time in New York. We rode around, and 
through and across London, by steam, by omni- 
bus, hy boat ; we walked miles upon miles, and 
the city continually grew and extended itself to 
our imaginations. We looked down upon it from 
St. PauVs and from Primrose hill ; and by de- 
grees became able to comprehend its extent ; and 
now New York and Brooklyn are to London, 
what Boston is to them. It impressed me more 
than I expected — my reminiscences of a former 
vifflt had left my imagination below the reality. 
Huge as it is, London has not reached her full 
growth. The architect and builder are adding 
street and square and terrace to street, square 
and terrace. Places that, eight years ago, I re- 
member as open fields with cows and sheep, are 
filled with dwellings. Two great enterprises al- 
ready begun in 1851 — the clearing away of the 
filthy, miserable quarter near Westminster Abbey, 
and a similar operation in the heart of the old 
city — seem to have come to a still-stand. But 
around the city the growth is marvellous. 

But what is all this for a " paper of Art and 
Literature ? " One day — pity but one — we 
intended to make it two or three — we spent at 
Sydenham. There are no words that can be 
used to describe it Are you interested in any 
science or art — go there and study. No, it is 
useless to endeavor to speak of any particular 
attractions, — architectural, sculptural, archsBO- 
logical, historical, botanical, zoological, — and the 
whole list of — cals and — ^logicals. I should like, 
however, to move that room from the Alhambra 
to America — or, would I not, on the whole, 
choose that Pompeiian house ? Either would do. 
There was music from an orchestra, and also 
upon the organ. The orchestra music was of the 
lightest character ; the organist gave the fi>llow- 
ing programme : 

CoroDftUon Anthem ; Haadel. 

" In natlTV worth " ; lUjrdn. 

March from " EU » ; Ootta. 

BelecHoni from " Fi^wbUti »; W«b«. 

Aim Extempore. 

Wedding March,* Mendelnohn. 

A fine performance — organ large, but not strik- 
ingly fine. 

To the National Gallery, two days, where, in 
spite of Ruskin, I enjoyed Claude, and where I 
felt the greatness of Turner in certain of his 
works. I lingered long in the Turner collection ; 
in some of the rooms, not because the pictures 
gave me pleasure, but to see if I could find out 
their great excellence. Those last pictures, with 
their dim outlines, but gorgeous dashes of color, 
aficcted me precisely like the " music of the fu- 
ture.** I neither believe in mere orchestral 
effects, where no theme can be followed, nor in 
dazzling colors, where the draught8man*s share 
in the work is undistinguishal L\ What beautiful 
pictures are some of those by Gainsborough ! 

Of course Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's 
were points of special pilgrimage. Two or three 
times, daily, regular service i^ performed, and in 
both temples we heard it several times. On the 
first and second hearing, naturally enough, we 



felt more its novelty than its legitimate end ; not 
more so, however, than the novelty of the ordi- 
nar}' Episcopal service, when, years ago, I first 
heard it 

Imagine yourself in the Abbey. You have 
been walking round and seeking those monu- 
ments and tablets, which for the American or the 
music-lover have peculiar interest High up on 
the wall of the northern aisle you found a female 
figure in a mourning posture, and read : *' The 
Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, 
by an order of the Great and General Court, 
bearing date February 1, 1 759, caused this monu- 
ment to be erected to the memory of George, 
Lord Viscount Howe,** &c., and your thoughts 
went back to the " Old French War," and the 
march to Ticonderoga. 

Another monument, a sarcophagus, with small 
figures in alio relievo^ representing a flag of truce 
presenting a letter to Washington, carried your 
thoughts to the gloomy days of Arnold's treason, 
for tliis is to the memory of Andr^ ; and you could 
not but contrast this care for the English spy's 
fame, with the neglect with which the memory of 
that young and far nobler martyr, Nathan Hale, 
has been treated on our side. 

Sir Cloudesly de Shovel, in full flowing wig, 
and dressed like a beau of Queen Anne's time, 
recaUed the Spectator's sharp criticism, and you 
lived over again the hours devoted to Addison in 
your younger years. On the opposite side of the 
building you have lingered a few minutes by the 
monuments and tablets of Dr. John Blow, the 
old organist, (and hummed over the Gloria PcUrij 
a canon in four parts, sculptured there) ; 'of Dr. 
Croft, so many of whose hymn tunes and anthems 
you have sung at home; of Dr. Bumey, whose 
History had so often made you weary and lefl you 
unsatisfied ; and of that famous man in his day, 
ot whom you read on yonder column : 

" Here lies Henry Purcell, who left this life, 
and is gone to that blessed place, where only his 
harmony can be exceeded." 

You have lingered before the reclining figure of 
Sir Isaac Newton, and the thin face, worn with 
thought, the strong and expressive head, have 
made you feel in the presence of a god-like intel- 
lectual power. You have glanced at the long 
array of monuments, statues, eflSgies, and tablets, 
to jurists, naval and military commanders, coux^ 
tiers, men and women of mark and of no mark, 
erected here from every conceivable motive — 
have gone through the chapels where so many of 
England's sovereigns lie, Henry IIL, Henry V., 
(his sword, shield, and saddle, those of Agincourt, 
the guide tells you), Edward I. and HI., Queen 
Phillippa — and you remember the story of the 
six citizens of Calais — Richard IL, Henry VH. 
— the Richmond of Richard HI — Elizabeth, and 
and her victim, Mary of Scotland, and so on, to 
the number of thirteen — and are again lingering 
in that divine spot of earth's surface, the Poets' 
Comer. '* Oh rare Ben Jonson," there he is in 
marble high up the wall, and that is the only in- 
cription. There is the pale, intellectnal, but 



mmm 



218 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



sadly touching face of John Milton. Chaucer 
and Spenser are here commemorated ; farther up 
the transept, Diyden's bust stands out most con- 
spicuously. The poets' comer is divided by a 
wall ; those I have mentioned you see as you enter 
the door ; on the other side the wall, lighted by the 
huge stained window, are Shakspeare, with that 
passage from the Tempest, 

*' The cloud capped toircn, the gorgeous paliwoe," ke. ; 

Handel, 

" I know that my Kedeemor Uveth ; " 

Gay, 

** Life Is % Jest, aud all things show it, 
I thought so once, but now I know it ; " 

Goldsmith, over the door, with a long Latin in- 
scription; Addison, Campbell, Southey, Rowe, 
and many, many more. 

And now one of the Vergers, in long black 
gown, comes to you and says that the hour of 
service is near, during which visitors — and 
rightly, too — are not allowed to be rambling 
about the edifice. If we wish to stop during the 
service we can find seats anywhere. 

That part of the floor at the intersection of the 
nave and transepts is railed off with iron gates, 
and fitted up, as are also portions of the transepts, 
with seats; running down some filly into the 
nave, on each side, are the stalls for a choir of 
priests, beyond which is a massive gothic screen 
across the nave, on either side of which rises the 
organ. We take seats within the railing and, 
while watting for the service to begin, our eyes 
wander round the glorious old edifice, now resting 
upon the fine stained window, now peering up 
into the lofty vaultings, now turning down the 
long vista of the nave, or up toward the ancient 
chancel. We feel that Milton needed but to 
come here from Scotland yard, to find that " dim 
religious light " of which he speaks, for we too 
feel its influence ; and altogether, we are in that 
frame of mind, that peculiar state of feeling, 
when we are most open to the poetic phase of the 
religious senUment, if nothing deeper and better. 
Now through the passage under the screen and 
organ comes the choir, which is to intone and 
chant the service, its members, men and boys, 
dressed in white surplices. They come reverently 
in, dividing into two lines, one turning to the 
right, the other to the left, six boys taking their 
places on each side in front, and the men, tenors 
and basses, six or eight in number, stepping into 
the stalls behind them. A moment all bow them- 
selves and cover their faces ; the service books 
are opened, and a man's voice intones, that is, 
reads distinctly and clearly to a certain pitch, the 
opening sentences of the usual Episcopal service. 
It is not loud, yet every syllable is distinctly 
heard, and this recalls to your mind that principle 
of acoustics, which you learned years ago in 
** Pierce on Sound," that a musical tone penetrates 
much farther than a mere noise, though the latter 
be &r the louder ; thus you are led by the sim- 
plest induction to see how the intoning of the 
religious service, as it exists to this day in the 
Catholic church and in the Episcopal Cathedral, 
arose from the necessity of the case ; a beautiful 
but simple means of overcoming the difficulty of 
a single voice making itself audible, through a 
long service, in the vast spaces of a cathedral, 
especially upon festivals, when the worshippers 
should be numbered by thousands. Here, or in St 
Paul's, yon feel how appropriate, how indispensa- 
ble, is this fbnn of worship, and, by contrast, how 



unnecessary, almost ridiculous, to introduce it 
in small parish churches, where words spoken in 
ordinary tones are distinctly heard in every part. 

The order of daily service in the English and 
American Episcopal churches differs in nothing 
material — ours is a little shortened — and the 
performance of the service here in the Abbey 
differs in nothing from ours save that everything, 
— prayer, praise, psalms, responses, — except the 
lessons of the day, which arc read, — are either 
intoned or chanted. 

There is no musical display, whatever — no 
opening for any — except in the TeDeum^ Gloria 
Patri, and the Anthem. After a few hearings, 
you begin to feel the limitations under which the 
English composers have written their services. 
Long passages of monotone, unassisted by the 
organ, broken here and there by chord responses, 
where chords may be used, form the greater part 
of the service ; and, so far, are the only musical 
resources at their command. All this must be 
treated in the simplest manner ; any attempt at 
musical effect, as such, is out of place. Changes 
of key, within a limited range, are allowable and 
necessary, and the art of the composer can only 
be shown in so using them as to add to the solem- 
nity and dignity of the noble old English text of 
the service. More of musical effect may be 
sought in the chants, but here, as we all know, 
there is but little scope for the composer, and in 
one of these regular services they must be writ- 
ten to suit and correspond with the rest When 
the choir and organ burst into the Te Deum, then 
for a moment the composer is freed in great 
measure from his trammeb ; but not until after 
the second lesson, near the close of the service, 
has he an opportunity to avail himself of the full 
resources of his art and science, in so far as this 
is possible with the organ and a choir in which 
boys sing the treble and alto. 

There is a pause in the service. The auditor, 
who has attentively followed it thus far, needs 
something to vary its uniform course, and at this 
point, those who prepared the ritual have wisely 
introduced the Anthem. 

One of the choir rises in liis place and an- 
nounces : ** The anthem for the day is found in the 
book of Job, the 28th chapter, and 20th verse, 
* Whence cometh Wisdom ? "* or wherever it 
may be. 

The chanting did not strike us as good — there 
was too little care taken to chant together — but 
the singing of the anthemis was, in every case, 
fine, and seldom have we — myself and ** John," 
a young organist — more thoroughly enjoyed 
pieces of sacred music than those thus heard. 
After the anthem, a few collects, intoned as before, 
and the responsive Amen in chords, close the ser- 
vice. 

To me there is something very solemn, touch- 
ing and appropriate in this English cathedral 
music, or rather, service, thus heard, and should 
the time ever come that the Episcopalians of 
Boston be moved to erect a church of really no- 
ble dimensions, then and there I should hope to 
find it again. 

We had another and unexpected musical en- 
joyment ; one, too, in very great contrast to that 
of which I have been writing. The following 
notice caught my eye in one of the penny pa- 
pers: 

ST. OEOROB'S CATnEDRAL, SOUTHWARK. NEXT 
SUNDAY (the 16lh inst.), being the FeetiTsl of the As- 
sumption of the messed Tlxgln Mary, there will be SOLEMN 



PONTTVICAL MASS, at eleveu o'clock, A. U Muid«~num- 
mel's Hms to B flat, and Luta's " Tote pvJohra," with taU. 
orchestral aoeonipaniment. 

To tell how we " next Sunday " went up to the 
city, crossed over to Soutliwark, and were misdi- 
rected, over and over again, by policemen and 
others, who seemed utterly in ignorance of the 
existence of St. George's Cathedral, and how we 
heated ourselves to boiling point, and were cooled 
by a shower, but r/u/, finally, from the doorkeeper 
of another Catholic church, get a dii'oction which 
finally brought us to the place in season for the 
service — to tell all this would be a waste of 
time. 

We did not expect much, as the organ loft 
filled with choir and orchestra, and we saw that 
the trebles and altos were boys. We were the 
more pleased, therefore, at hearing Hummel's fine 
mass really finely given, and when the preacher 
announced that on Thursday the funeral services 
of somebody or other would be held in that 
house, and Mozart's Requiem sung, the first 
thought was, I hope the Athena will not get off 
until Friday I 

Happily she did not, and on Thursday we were 
early at the church. I have heard the Requiem 
under a variety of circumstances, as a concert^ 
piece by hundreds of singers, and by small socie- 
ties; as a mere mass for an individual, who 
had died far away ; and now at last as a part 
of the ftineral services, with the cofiin in front of 
the high altar, surrounded with candles, orna- 
mented with crucifixes, and black trimmings and 
drapery hanging about the chancel. The forms 
of the church have long since lost all novelty for 
me, and I find no difficulty — nay, I involuntarily 
for the time being, fall into a mood sympathetic 
with those about me. Hence I sat not as a criti- 
cal auditor, as did a large number of others who 
were there with their copies of the Requiem, 
(Novello's edition) — some of whom quite of- 
fended even me by their careless demeanor — 
but. felt sobered and in a fit fiitune of mind to let 
Mozart speak his repentance, sorrow and awful 
conception of the judgment, right horn his heart 
to mine. 

It is one thing to hear this mudc in our Music 
Hall, with great Italian singers and songstresses, 
and with the Handel and Haydn Society for a 
chorus ; it is a very different thing to hear it as a 
part of the church ritual. It was useless to resist 
it. *^ John " soon had his face hid, and so was 
mine before half a dozen stanzas of the Dies Irae 
were finished. Neither could laugh at the other 
for his red eyes. 

^And yet the choir was not large, the orchestra 
not large, and there were no women singers. 
But the bass soloist sang well, the tenor very 
well — he had a really fine voice, with something 
in it, however, that spoke of Germany — the or- 
chestra played beautifully — and as to that boy 
who sang the soprano solos, he was wonderful 1 
Do you remember my writing from Breslau about 
a boy there, whom I actually took for a fine fe- 
male singer, until I stood where I could see him 
the Sunday after? It is not easy to compare 
singers heard at long intervals — so much depends 
upon the mood you are in, upon the music they 
sing, upon your position in regard to them, upon 
the acoustic qualities of the building, and the like : 
but I made up my mind that of all the number- 
less boys I have heard, in choirs famous, too, the 
world over, the Dom choirs in Berlin and Dres- 
den, cathedral choirs in London and other places, 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1858. 



219 



all included — this stripling is at the head. True 
as the needle to the pole, voice full, clear, and 
strong, flexible to an uncommon degree, he stood 
there singing, easy as if it cost him no effort ; 
and witlial, breathing through every tone was 
that tnnocent eficct, which always characterizes 
the voices of children when they sing. Thus 
sung I had never heanl the Requiem, and an in- 
describable and touching charm was lent to it. 

That was a pleasant visit which we made to 
the establishment of Novello. One of the 
gentlemen took us through it. It has nothing 
pretentious and striking in appearance ; on the 
contrary, the building is in a modest street and 
makes a most unassuming show. It was curious 
to see how, as from a small beginning, the busi- 
ness had gone on extending itself in all directions ; 
keeping pace with it, room had been added to 
room, until at length the small court back of the 
original shop had been roofeil in with glass. But 
below, what a mass of music and what a mass of 
plates ! And what music I how cheap ! espe- 
cially for England. From one of the piles of 
music the gentleman handed me a small, thin oc- 
tavo; it was the entire muac to some great con- 
cert, I forget now what " We sent 2,000 copies 
thither,** said he, " and sold them all ; we should 
have sold more if they could have been sent on 
in season.** The printing is done in another 
building across the street The ofHce is not so 
extended as I expected — but that is no matter, 
so long as it can keep pace with the demands of 
the office of publication. Publishers have long 
been represented by disappointed authors as liv- 
ing upon other men*s brains. Be this as it may, 
the great English public that loves solid and noble 
vocal music, has abundant reason to rise up and 
call the Nevellcs blessed. 

One very pleasant hour I spent with Mrs. 
KiKKBL, whose beautiful story, ** Musical Ortho- 
doxy,** lately appeared in the Journal of Music. 
The professor, her husband, is as ever, busy with 
literature and Art He has recently published a 
play in Germany, ** Nimrod,** which, from what I 
hear of it, must be a work of a good deal of im- 
portance; and had nearly ready a monograph 
upon the original " Mausoleum,** which is among 
the discoveries of Layard. Mrs. Kinkel is busy 
as ever with music, and sunshine, full and free, 
has succeeded the dark days of 1849-51, when 
he sat in prison, wasting his splendid talents in 
spinning wool, and she was moving heaven and 
earth for his release, and ** went mourning all the 
day long.*' Carl Schurz, to whom Kinkel was 
finally indebted for his escape from a confine- 
ment, which would soon have killed him, was re- 
publican candidate for the office of Lieutenant 
Governor of Wisconan last year — pray Heaven 
that he be yet elected ! 

That the Prussian Government has not yet 
forgotten the professor, has been ludicrously 
shown quite recently. An English lady in May 
wished to take her two daughters to Germany, 
and invited one of KinkePs children, a sweet 
little girl of thirteen years, to accompany her. 
A passport must be procured. But the Kinkels 
are not British subjects. Application was there- 
fore made to the Prussian Embassy and refused ! 
Mrs. Kinkel must send to Bonn — her native 
place. The English lady was willing to wait 
The letter went to the burgomaster of Bonn.* 
He could not grant it, he wrote, she must apply 



to the court. Application was then made to the 
principal judge. He referred her to the provin- 
cial government at Cologne. Application was 
mafle there, and she was told she must apply to 
the Minister at Berlin. So a letter was dispatched 
to Berlin, and, at length, from head-quarters, 
came in few words, a refusal. It was not directly 
stated that a little girl of thirteen years would 
endanger the existence of the Prussian monarchy 
— that is left to be inferred ! 



For Dwlght^i Journal of Htuie. 

Palestrina. 

• (Condndod ftom lut weok.) 

The compass of a mere sketch forbids mention 
of all the works produced by Palestrina from this 
period. The number of his compositions, among 
which there is not one that is mediocre or thrown 
off in haste, is astonishing, particularly when we 
consider that they all belong to the highest order 
of music, to the polyphonic style. The Abbatc 
Baini, Palestrina*s most industrious biographer, 
names the following : 9 Books of Motets, for 4, 
5, 6, 7, and 8 voices ; 15 Books of Masses ; 4 
Books of Madrigals ; Several Books of Lamenta- 
tions, Hymns, and Offertories, of which about 
one-third are still unprinted, in the po&^ession of 
the Vatican library. 

On the second of February, 1594, Palestrina 
died of an internal inflanunation, and was buried 
at St. Peter's in the Vatican, before the altar of 
the apostles Simon and Jude. On his tomb 
stood the inscription : 

JOANNRS PeTHUS AlOYSIUS PR-«:NE8TINU8, 

MuBicjB Pbincefs. 

Like most of the composers of his time, Pales- 
trina has written chiefly for the church. His 
compositions are exclusively vocal, always in not 
less than four and not more than eight parts. 
His Misia Papa Marcelli is for ax voices; his 
Stabat Mater ^ for eight The best way of | er- 
fbrming these works is, with at least four voices 
on a part The singers must avoid all overdoing 
of light and shade, ppp*s, Jf*«, gtringendo, ritav' 
dando, jrc, as well as tremulousness of voice. 
Purity of intonation, distinctness in the coming 
in of voices, and a moderate play between piano 
and forte are sufficient for the rendering of these 
works with their fullest efiect All aflccted pa- 
thos, all prominence of single voices, are opposed 
to a right understanding of Palestrina's music. 
All assistance or support from any instrument 
(unless perhaps at the rehearsals) robs this music 
of its effect Knowledge of respiration is indis- 
pensable. I would also advise the director, to 
explain the meaning of the words beforehand to 
those who do not understand the Latin and Ital- 
ian languages. 

In the analysis of Palestrina's works, one must 
always keep in view two points that characterize 
this whole style; these are; 1. Depth and sin- 
cerity of feeling. 2. The reproduction of the 
same in tones. 

In this way we recognize at once, wherein and 
wherefore Palestrina's music became the founder 
of an era. The industrious Netherlanders, those 
pioneers of modem musical art, were the first 
who righdy classified the intervals, practically, if 
not theoretically. They had long since recog- 
nized and made their own what was essential in 
the contrapuntal art From Wilhelm Dufay to 
Arcadelt (1560), that is to say for a century and 



a half, they stand there as furtherers and in- 
crc<'wci's of the technical part of the art of com- 
position. Spiritual comprehension of the text, 
truth in its re-birth in music, were to them as yet 
unknown. They were the robust ploughers of the 
field which he of Pnencste was to fructify. On 
the first appearance of Palestrina tiicy cease to 
form a school and become merged in the great 
Boman school of which he is the founder.* With 
him, for the first time, counterpoint becomes the 
willing servant of higher ideas ; he is the first to 
mistrust the rule, when it places itself between 
him and the idea. Tlie old church tone system, 
by which centmnes were deluded, scarcely resists 
the impulse of his genius in the SiahaL This 
system, in which the Netherlanders built their 
neat cells, the breath of his spirit consigns ahready 
to decay. He is the last and highest step of pure 
vocal music ; afler him the art turns to instru- 
ments, which it fashions to the support and 
strengthening of songs. But the relation of Pal- 
estrina*s music, as its first protectress, to the rise 
of dramatic music, belongs rather to the yet to 
bo written history of this latter. Pale8trina*s 
mission was : to give importance to the individual 
mode of feeling of the composer, to nesthetic com- 
prehension of the text, and perhaps also to melo- 
dy in its special conditions. Tliereby he paved 
the way for the Opera, that most complete of all 
Art manifestations, and with it, for modem music. 

May these lines contribute to a more general 
recognition of the pure greatness of the great 
Roman, and to a more frequent performance of 
his noble works 1 Palestrina, Bach, and 
Beethoven are the members of a strong chain 
that extends through centuries. Only one who 
knows them allj can have a clear idea of their 
collective influence upon Art, or a clear idea of 
Art itself. From the study of Palestrina even 
the friends and '* musicians of the Future ** might 
leara, perhaps, some patience for their long jour- 
ney. Julius Eichbebo. 

New York, Sept., 1858. 

* Orlando Lamxu, the FliMuish contamponry of Palcttrina, 
% crmtor in hia way, cannot be regarded aa the founder of a 
•chool, although his inflnonee on the Gennan school of oigaa- 
lata can eadly be shown. 



H. T. Philhannonio Society. 

[ From the 16th Annual Report. ] 

Notwithstanding the disastrous consequences of 
the commercial crisis, which occurred just at the 
beginning of the season, and in view also *of the 
excellent concerts which were given by the 
manager of the Academy, under the name of 
" Philharmonic Concerts,*' during last winter, we 
have, under the circumstances, met with great 
and unexpected success, for both the rehearsals 
and the concerts of the Society were fuUv attend- 
ed — a fact which proves that the general interest 
felt in our institution, on the part of the sulncri- . 
bing, associate, and professional members is more 
deeply rooted than nas been supposed by many, 
and cannot as easily be undermined as may have 
been hoped by some. Our orchestra has been 
steadily increased from season to season, so that 
now we count from eighty to ninety perfonning 
members ; while at the first concert of we society, 
on December 7, 1842, at the Apollo Saloon, only 
fif^ performers constituted the orchestra. In 
point of ability, we are happy to state that nearly 
all the most prominent resident instrumentalists 
form now a part of the society, thereby insuring 
the production of orchestral eflfects whicn no other 
institution of the city or in the whole United 
States affords. The principal feature of our 
concerts, the performance of symphonies and 
overtures by tne orchestra, has been ftuthfully 
canied out, as will be seen by a reference to the 



f 
— r 



220 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



programmoB of the season. We bave performed 
standard works of the Old Masters, as well as 
those of more modern date, and among the names 
of the composers will be found those of Beetho- 
ven, Weber, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Schumann, 
Hiller, Richard Wagner, Lindpaintner, Nicolai, 
&c., &c. In refjrard to the solo performers, we 
have endeavored to obtain the best talent availa- 
ble, both vocal and instrumental ; but it must be 
borne in mind that we labor in this respect under 
great disadvantages, from the well-known fact 
that celebrated artists, who pass the winter in our 
city, invariably come here under a " previous 
engagement with some operatic manager, by 
which they are debarred from appearing at any 
other than the manager's own public performan- 
ces. For instance, during the last season the 
services of Messrs. Yieuxtemps, Thalberjj, and 
Formes were promised, but could never be 
obtained when an opportunity for making good 
the promise presented itself. It is the intention of 
the Board of Directors not to spare any efforts 
during the coming season, to fill out the pro- 
grammes with as interesting vocal and instrumen- 
tal solos and concerted pieces as it may be possible 
for them to procure. 

The number of subscribing members during the 
past season were 1490, who are classified as 
follows; 1254 associate members, 24 subscribers, 
and 212 professional members — a higher number 
than at any previous season, with the exception of 
the last but one. The dividend declared this 
year is $80 for each performing member, a 
remuneration not very considerable for attend- 
ance at four concerts, sixteen public, and eight 
private rehearsals, and eight business meetings. 

For some time past, a wish has been expressed 
by many members that the society might give 
more than four concerts; in accordance with 
which the Board of Directors, ever desirous to 
please the patrons of the society, have concluded, 
with the consent of the actual members, to give 
during the coming season Jive instead of four 
concerts, with the usual number of rehearsals, 
without increasing the price of subscription. At 
the same time, it has been found necessary to pass 
a regulation to the effect, that henceforth all sub- 
scriptions must be paid in advance. 

A matter of the greatest importance— the 
selection of a suitable hall for our performances 
during the coming season — ^is unhappily at the 
present moment not yet settled, but due notice 
will be given as soon as an arrangement shall 
have been completed. The lessee of the Academy 
having declared, that on no account will he 
allow the Philharmonic Society again to occupy 
the said building, for reasons which the reader 
must deduce for himself, as they are not known to 
us— our choice remains between Cooper's Insti- 
tute, Burton's or Niblo's Theatre, and the City 
Assembly Rooms, one of which places will 
probably be selected until a repilar Music Hall, 
so much needed in our city, shall have been built 

At a meeting of the actual members, held April 
7, 1858, it was decided, in view of the constantly 
increasing labors of the Board of Directors, and 
in consideration of the much wider sphere of 
action of our association at the present time, to 
augment the board by adding four members to 
the present number of seven. The different 
ofiicers will remain the same as heretofore, but 
instead of two Assistant Directors there will be 
nx. 

Finally, we should not leave unnoticed a fact 
which must fill with pride and satirfaction every 
one that feels an interest in the success of our 
society, as an institution to promote the cause 
of art, to create an intelligent appreciation of 
and diffuse a refined taste for the higher class 
of music among the people at large. We refer 
to the establishment of a Philharmonic Society, 
during the last ^'ear, in our neighbbring city 
of Brooklyn, which undoubtedly owed its origin 
to the mother institution of jN'ew York, and 
which has our very b€«t wishes. Similar socie- 
ties have sprang up in many c^ our western cities, 
and have been established after the model, and 
with the tendencies of our own Philharmonic 
Society, All success to them! and may we not 
be found wanting in setting them the example, 



for many years to come, of a high-toned, truly 
artistical institution, ever progressing in the right 
direction. 



"WiUiam TeU" in New Tort 

(From the Coarier k Enquirer.) 

Rossini's masterpiece, Guilawne Tett^ was per- 
formed last eveninj^ at the Academy in presence 
of a large and brilliant audience, llic experience 
of this opera has been a singular one So little 
satisfied was the great composer with its first 
reception in Paris, that he cast aside his pen in 
dudgeon, and resigtcd all inducements to produce 
another work. Thus he who was the champion of 
Italian Opera against the formidable rivalry of 
Weber, whose genius had raised that of modem 
Germany so high, retired from the fifeld before he 
had attained his 40th year, when his invention 
was ripest and his fame in its meridian. For more 
than twenty years Rossini, the most favored son 
of Italy, the " land of song," has stood aloof frcon 
music, and though not ceasing to live has ceased 
to write, leaving that task to others less gifted 
than himself. When GuiUaume Tell first appear- 
ed in Paris, it straightway seized upon the 
admiration of musicians : but did not take well 
with the public at large. A success d'estime was 
all that was accorded to it From the very first 
institution of the Royal Italian Opera in London, 
in 1847, the promised production of Rossini's 
Guilliawne Tell had been anticipated as an event 
of extraordinary interest Here, it was calcula- 
ted, would be an opportunity for displaying the 
choral, instrumental, and spectacular resources of 
the new tlieatre with unrivalled effect After 
lonfir expectation, it was actually brought out, 
with what success may be inferred when we say it 
was played, we believe, but once. Nevertheless 
the ** Swan of Pesaro" has no good reason to be 
angry with the world for any failure in late years 
to apprcciato his chefd^auvre. No one work of 
any great composer — ^hardly excepting Mozart's 
Don Giovanni or Beethoven's Fidelia— has been 
more lavishly praised by musicians; and while 
the adherents of a style which was not Rossini's 
have admitted that in Guillaume Tell he had sur- 
passed the majority of their favorite models, the 
patriotic and exclusive worshippers of Italian 
music hailed it as a triumph of their countryman 
and hero — whereby they indirectly acknowledged 
that their own particular school was not the 
highest It has been urged that Rossini's jealousy 
of the growing renown of Meyerbeer, the success 
of whose Robert le Dialle followed close upon the 
quasi failure of Guillaume Telly was a principal 
reason for his quitting Paris and abandoning nis 
art It is unnecessary to enter into a comparison 
of the respective merits of Guillaume Tell and 
Robert le Diable ; but it will readily be granted 
that the vast superiority of Meyerbeer's libretto 
had a great deal to do with his success, and that 
the dull, and clumsily constructed poem which 
Rossini had managed was no insignificant draw- 
back to his musical effects. Meyerbeer was 
fortunate in having Scribe for a partner. As 
with the play of Schiller^ the dramatic interest of 
the opera of WiUiam Tell is centered in the meet- 
ings of the wronged and courageous Swiss. The 
culminating point is at the end of the second act, 
when the oath is taken and the war-cry raised — 
a scene which is described in the music with 
almost unparalleled magnificence. The third and 
fourth acts are anti-climacteric ; and the incidents 
of the shooting of the apple and the escape of Tell, 
with the after conduct of Geslcr, add nothing to 
the interest, and come too late to be of any use. 
This matter of the structure of the libretto has 
more^ to do with its popularity than is commonly 
imagined. Mozart himself complained of the 
difficulty of getting an effective poem, and writing 
to his father from Paris said, **• The poem is here 
the sole thing which of necessity must be good, 
since the public do not understand music." The 
chief attraction of the early part of the Opera 
was Steffani. In the part of Amoldo he sustained 
himself admirably in the well-known duet of the 
first act with Tell and in the recitative il mio 
giuro that precedes it Nor was he much defi- 
cient in the trio of the second act, the best 



concerted piece of the Opera. But at the 
conclusion of the third act it was announced that 
by reason of indisposition he would be unable to 
appear in the next act which is the final one, and 
in which occurs the piece de resistance in which 
so many singers have failed, the Ut de Poitrine 
[the C in alt] in the grand air Suivez moi, where 
Amoldo incites his countrymen to advance to the 
liberation of Tell and the destruction of the 
tyrant Goslcr. We were sorry not to sec the 
ranjije of Steffani's admirable voice tested in the 
trying passages ot this final act Through the in- 
disposition of Signor Steffani no part c^ the last 
act was given save that portion of the third scene 
in which Tell is saved and Geslcr shot signor' 
Gassier entered fully into the charai'ter of Tell 
and the spirit of Rossini's music, tie was in fine 
voice and gave every satisfaction. The part of 
his son Jemmy was nicely played by Mademoi- 
selle Siedenburg, who besides showed herself 
quite at home in the concerted music — a matter 
of no little consequence. Her vocalization was 
flexible even and agreeable; and she produced 
a decidedly favorable impression. Signora Bertuc- 
ca Maretxek sustainea the inherently feeble 
part of Ma/hilde as creditably as circumstances 
admitted. The picturesque and splendid finale 
to the second act produced its accustomed effect ; 
and the chorus of the inhabitants of Uri : 
Guglielmo sol per te, was well executed and 
acx'ompanied. The ballet by the Ronzani troupe 
was uncommonly good, but might have been 
advantageously curtailed. No operatic repre- 
sentation among us ought to be protracted at 
the very farthest beyond three hours. The 
melodies of the ballet charmed the whole house. 



The Bobolink. 



[From ^ The Btrdi of Che Garden and Orchard," a verj in- 
tereeting article in the October nnmberof the Atlantic MmtUy.] 

There is no singing-hird in New England that en- 
joys the notoriety of the Bohol ink {Icterus agripennis). 
He is like a rare wit in oar social or political circles. 
Everyhody is talking nhoat him and quoting his re- 
marks, and all are delighted with his company. He 
is not without great merits as a songster ; hat he is 
well known and admired, bccan^e he is showy, noisy, 
and flippant, and f^in^ only in the open field, and 
frequently while poised on the wing, so that every- 
body who hears him can see him, and know who is 
the author of the strains that afford him so mach de- 
light. He sings also at hroad noonday, when ever)'- 
body is oat, and is seldom heard f)efore snnrise, 
while other birds are pouring forth their seals in a 
united concert of praise. He waits until the son is 
ap, and when most of the early performers have be- 
come silent, as if determined to secare a good audi- 
ence before exhibiting his powers. 

The Bobolink, or Conqaedle, has unqoestionably 
great talerts^s a musician. In the grand concert of 
Natare it is he who performs the recitative parts, 
which he delivers with the utmost fluency and rapidi- 
ty ; and one must be a careful listener, not to lose 
many of his words. He is plainly the merriest of all 
the feathered creation, almost continually in motion, 
and singing upon the wing, apparently in the great- 
est ecstacy of joy. 

There is not a plaintive strain in his whole per- 
formance. Every sound is as merry as the laugh of 
a young child ; and one cannot listen to him without 
fimcying that he is indulging in some jocose raillery 
of his companions. If we suppose him to be making 
love, we cannot look npon him as very deeply enam- 
ored, but rather as highly delighted with his spouse, 
and overflowing with raptnrous admiration. The 
object of his love is a neatly formed bird, with a mild 
expression of countenance, a modest and amiable de- 
portment, and arrayed in the plainest apparel. It is 
evident that she does not pride herself upon the splen* 
dor of her costume, bat rather on its neatness, and on 
her own feminine graces. She must be entirely with- 
out vanity, unless we suppose that it is gratified by 
observing' the pomp and display which are made by 
her partner, and by listening to his delightful elo- 
quence of song : for if we regard him as an orator, it 
most be allowed that he is nnsarpas^d in flaency 
and rapidity of utterance ; and if we regard him only 
as a musician, he is unrivalled in brilliancy of execu- 
tion. 

Vain are all attempts, on the part of other birds, 
to imitate his truly original style. The Mocking- 
bird gives up the attempt in despair, and refuses to 
sing at all when confined near one in a cage. I 
cannot look upon him as ever in a veiy serious 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1858. 



221 



hamor. Ho 8ccm« to be a lively, jocular little fellow, 
who is always jesting; an<t bantc'rinf;, and when half a 
doKen different individaaU are nportin^ about in the 
Bame orchard, I often iroa^rino that they mi};ht repre- 
sent the persons dramatized in some comic opera. 
These birds never remain stationary upon the Iwnph 
of a tree, sinfrin^^ apparently for their own solitary 
amusement ; but they are ever in company, and pas- 
sing to and fro, often commencing their son^ upon 
the extreme end of the bou<;h of an apple-tree, tiien 
suddenly taking flight, and singing the principal part 
while balancing themselves on the wing. The mer- 
riest part of the day with these birds is the later after- 
noon, during the hour preceding dowfall, and before 
the Robins and Thrushes commence their evening 
hymn. Then, assembled in company, it would seem 
as if they were practising a cotillon upon the wing, 
each one singing to his own movements, as he sallies 
forth and returns, — and nothing can exceed their ap- 
parent merriment. 

The Bobolink usually commences his warbling 
just after sunrise, when the Robin, having sung from 
the earliest dawn, brings his performance to a close. 
Nature seems to have provided that the serious parts 
of her musical entertainment in the morning shall 
first he heard, and that the lively and comic strains 
shall follow them. In the evening this order is re- 
versed ; and after the comedy is concluded. Nature 
lulls us to meditation and re|x>se by the mellow notes 
of the little Vesper-bird, and the pensive and still 
more melodious strains of the solitary Thrushes. 

In pleasant, sunshiny weather, the Bobolink sel- 
dom flies without singing, often hovering on the wing 
over the place where his mate is sitting upon her 
ground-built nest, and pourinc forth his notes with 
great loudness and fluency. The Bobolink is one of 
our social birds, one of those species that follow in 
the footsteps of man, and multiply with the progress 
of agriculture. He is not a frequenter of the woods ; 
he seems to have no taste for solitude. He loves the 
orchard and the mowing-field, and many are the nests 
which are exposed by the scythe of the haymaker, if 
the mowing be done early in* the season. Previously 
to the settlement of America, these birds must have 
been comparatively rare in the New England States, 
and were probably confined to the open prairies and 
savannas in the northwestern territory. 

THE O'LINCON FAMILY. 

A flock of merry singing-birds were sporting in the 

grove; 
Some were warbling cheerily, and some were making 

love: 
There were Bobolincon, Wadolincon, Winterseeble, 

Conquedle, — 
A livelier set was never led by tabor, pipe, or fiddle,^ 
Crying, "Phew, shew, Wadolincon, see, see, Bobo- 

lincon, 
Down among the tickletops, hiding in the bnttercups ! 
I know the saucy chap, I see his shining cap 
Bobbing in the clover there, — see, see, see ! 

Up flies Boholincon, perching on an apple-tree. 
Startled by his rival's song, quickened by his raillery. 
Soon he spies the rogue afloat curvetting in the air. 
And merrily he turns about, and warns him to beware ! 
" 'Tis you that would a-wooing go, down among the 

rushes O ! 
But wait a week, till flowers are cheery, — wait a week, 

and, ere you marry. 
Be sure of a house whercm to tarry ! 
Wadolink, Whiskodink, Tom Denny, wait, wait, 

wait ! " 

Every one's a funny fellow ; every one's a little mel- 
low; 

Follow, follow, follow, follow, o'er the hill and in the 
hollow ! 

Merrily, merrily, there they hie ; now they rise and 
now thev fly ; 

They cross ancf turn, and in and out, and down in the 
middle, and wheel ahout,^ 

With a " Phew, shew, Wadolincon I listen to me, 
Bobolincon 1 — 

Happy's the wooing that's speedily doing, that's 
speedily doing. 

That's merry and over with the bloom of the clover ! 

Bobolincon, Wadolincon, Winterseeble, follow, fol- 
low me ! " 

Oh, what a happy life they lead, over the hill and in 

the mead 1 
How they sing, and how they play ! See, they fly 

away, away ! 
Now they gambol o'er the clearing,— off again, and 

then appearing ; 
Poised aloft on ouivering wing, now they soar, and 

DOW they smg : — 
" We must all "be merry and moving; we must aU be 

happy and loving ; 



For when the midsummer has come, and the grain 

has ripened its car. 
The haymakers scatter our young, and we mourn for 

the rest of the year. 
Then Bobolincon, Wadolincon, Winterseeble, haate, 

haste, away ! " 



» 



Letter from Aptommas. 

London, Aug. 31, 1858. 

To the Editor of the N. Y. Musical World, 

The days of my rambling being now about to close, 
I am reminded or the place of destination — ^the New 
York of pleasant reminiscences. Since I left you, I 
have rusticated and domesticated among friends and 
relatives ; not the most despicable event being that of 
a visit to my native town, in South Wales — ^Bridgend 
^where I had not been for twenty yean. It was with 
no small gratification and emotion, I gazed upon the 
spot upon which I went on all foitn before I learnt 
to walk. The simple, country-tike aspect is disap- 
pearing rapidly before the business-like innovations 
of railway lines and the consequent pouring in of 
strangers, and so much that where the Welsh lan- 
guage, when I was a boy, used to be spoken in the 
streets by the inhabitants, little may now be heard 
but English. 

Did you quote from the Times a notice of a musi- 
cal demonstration at the Sydenham Palace fin August, 
by ^fice thousand children f The music was sacred, 
and it was sung in unison. I never heard anything of 
the kind to surpass it in all my life. The astonishing 
precision with which the intonation was marked, and 
the huge volume of sound produced by so great a 
multitude of voices, together with* the imposing ap- 
pearance of the charity children, dressed in costume, 
were indeed calculated to raise any one, musician or 
otherwise, to the highest pitch of enthusiastic delight 
There must have been, also, fifteen thousand audi- 
tors, which you may suppose could have contributed 
no little to the brilliancy of the occasion. 

I was particularly impressed with the idea of the 
peculiar appropriateness of the voice of boys for so- 
prano parts in sacred music. There is, I think, a 
rich medium to be found in them between the extreme 
voices of male and female adults. This impression 
was considerably strengthened in me by hearing the 
intoned service at St. Paul's Cathedral, the other 
day. I thought the boy's voices perfectly heavenly — 
but must add, that their faces were any tiling but tfiat, 
for they giggled at each other during the whole of the 
performance, as though they were rehearsing for a 
concert! I took the liberty of moralizing a little, 
and came to the philosophical conclusion tliat that 
method of worship , in which so much importance is 
attached to the mere execution of the music (which 
is but the channel) must savor more or less of inde- 
votion. The very exercise of scrupulously observing 
the infiection of the voice in the service (thought I) 
has a tendency to lead one to disregard the sense, or 
important intention, of the words employed. 

Another thing was forcibly evident to my humble 
stock of common sense, viz., their aiwjing in unison 
being so admirably adapted aa a method of rendering 
the sacred words of devotion. The simplicity of re- 
vealed truth seems to me to require a style o^ music 
bearing the same characteristic traits ; and the unity 
of sentiment supposed to exist, suggests the appro- 
priateness of the adoption of the unison. And (with- 
out pretending to say what has not been already 
respected by others) how exceedingly suitable such a 
style of music is to congregational stnging ; to a pro- 
miscuous mass of people, who, however uneducated 
they may be in regard to mYisical accomplishments, 
can join in a plaintive melody in one part. The neg- 
lect of this (don't you think ?) must be attributed to the 
practice of limiting the execution of the music to the 
choir, the people meanwhile (as I have often seen 
them) gazing on^ as if at a place of entertainment. I 
am reminded of an interesting conversation which took 
place between a young man and a choir musician upon 
the subject. The question was asked, if the inhabi- 
tants of the upper world would be content to transfer 
their vocal exercises to others ; or whether they 
would not rather insist upon the prinlege of express- 
ing their devotional feelings with their own individual 
voices 1 

I arrived too late in the season for ordinary con- 
certs. I was present at the Sydenham Palace though 
the other day. when Alboni made her last appearance 
She sang "'ll Segrcto," "Non piu Mesta," and a 
ballad or song by Hatton, (composed expressly for 
her,) with her usual exquisite finish. Her remarka- 
bly full, powerful and fascinatingly sweet voice, easily 
filled the spacious portion ot the gigantic building 
which had been set apart for the concert. . . With re- 
gard to m3rself, the blisters with which the tips of my 
fingers are covered bear abundant testimony to the 



manipulations of my hands on the harp strings. Ev- 
ery one is perfectly infatuated with the American 
melodies I play them. The harp makers thrive well 
in their peculiar craft, and therefore I may suppose 
the instrument is really progressing favorably in Eu- 
rope. My brother, Mr. John Thomas, with others, 
is fully occupied with his minstrelish avocations. 
May r be permitted to say, (though he and I were 
bedfellows in childhood and youth,) that he undoubt- 
edly stands ,fint in his profession in Europe, and I 
conceive it to be owing, not alone to his talent aa a 
harpist and musician, but also to his position as a 
gentleman and a generous, kind hearted man. 

Should it happen to afford you any pleasure to 
know how I am occupied, away from my labors in 
New York, it is somewhat vanegated ; now in the 
sea, bathing, (after which I may walk four or five 
miles by way of getting up an appetite for breakfast), 
or rolling about on the grass with my three little dar- 
ling children, who regani their opportunity as a jubi- 
lee. Should I not go nutting in the woods, I would 
{>roceed to the British Museum for the purpo^ of col- 
ecting materials for the New work, in reading matr 
ter, which I am about to bring out for the harp. 
I remain aa ever. 

Your most sincere friend, 

APTOMXAB. 



Dsital Cornspnhntt. 




M^VMktfNA^I^M«MMMMMMAAMAMMAAAMAAMM^^AMMAAAM^N^«MMMAM*MWW«tfWMMWMW^^WM^ 



New York, Oct. 4. — The past week has been 
one of unusual excitement in our operatic circles, for 
the rival impreaarii^ Strakosch and Mabktzek, 
have indulged in the liveliest competition. Strakosch 
one evening reduced his prices to 50 cents, and Ma- 
retzek immediately followed his example. There- 
upon did Strakosch resume his old prices, and insert 
in his advertisements a cutting remark about the sue 
cess of the opera at a theatre where people could see 
and hear ^ A bit of irony that is calculated to make 
the monstrous human-shaped caryatides of the Acad- 
emy of Music hang down their heads, and blush for 
very shame. 

The chief event of Strakosch's season have been 
the appearance of Mme. Colson, and the farewell of 
Gazzanioa. The former lady has met with a deci- 
ded success, and is already popular. Her rendition 
of Traviata is much admired, especially by artistic 
people, and Maretzek himself confesses that she is 
superior in this role to Gazzaniga, who has hitherto 
been the best Violetta wo have had. Gazzaniga 
made her farewell appearance in Farorita. 

At the Academy of Music " William Tell " has 
been the chief attraction ; but the new tenor, Stef- 
VAKi, has of course had "colds," on one evening 
could not sing at all, and on the other occasions the 
opera was given, was obliged to omit his great air in 
the last act. At the mating on Saturday (when 
over two thousand ladies were present) he sang very 
well indeed ^better than he has hitherto done in this 
opera — but yet did not create any very decided im- 
pression, and, on the whole, is not as good an Amol- 
do as Bolcioni, a very excellent tenor, who sang here 
a few years ago. Steffani is by no means a finished 
artist, and though his bold striking style may attract 
at first, he does not wear as well as that delightfully- 
yoiced, stupid oyster, Brignoli. 

PiccoLOM INI is, according to all accounts, on the 
ocean now, and will probably arrive here on the 10th 
or'llth inst. The Herald almost daily devotes an 
editorial to her advent, and is eyidently desirous of 
creating a fnrore in her favor. She is certainly a be- 
witchingly beautiful creature, and will be popular 
with the mass of opera-goers. 

Mme. do Wilhorst will be here soon, and will 
make her debut in / Puritani, when Junca, the new 
basso, will assist. 

At Burton's, the new English Opera company, with 
Lucy Escott as prima donna, and Mr. Squires as 
tenor, have appeared in an English version of Trova- 
tore, and with moderate success. 

The news of the safety of our esteemed citizen and 
musician, Mr. Theodorb Eisfeld, (who was sup- 
posed to haye been lost on the Austria) has been re- 



222 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ceired with great satiflfactioii by the mnsic&l profes- 
Bion here, bj whom Mr. Eisfeld was juBtlj held in the 
highest estimation. 

The Philharmonic and the Harmonic Societies, 
and the Mendelssohn Union, are all bnsily preparing 
for the winter season, which promises to be the most 
attractire, mnsically considered, of anj we have had 
here. Tsotatob. 



Jfoigl^fs |0Drnal d SJnsit 



BOSTON. OCT. 9, 1868. 

Italian Opera. 

Ant one who looked round upon the brilliant 
auditorium of the Boston Theatre before the cur- 
tain rose on Tuesday night, — upon the decent, 
well-dressed audience, filling every seat not only 
in parquetto and balcony, but up to top-most gal- 
lery and ceiling — upon the general aspect of re- 
finement which 80 distinguishes an opera from a 
common theatre audience, and the expectant, 
cheerful look of the 'familiar faces on all sides, 
that smiled as good as new, (and better), it was 
so long since they had been blended in a scene of 
this kind — must have felt that the reaction so 
long waited for had come ; that the dark days of 
opera and concert managers were over for at 
least a while, and that the public are again in the 
mood of seeking new excitement and delight in 
opera and possibly in other kinds of music. 
Surely Mr. Strakosch and his company have 
no cause to complain of publics this time. They 
have anchored on good fishing ground. The 
whole multitudinous music-loving or would-be 
music-loving shoal snap en masse at the bait, so 
long withdrawn, as if it would swallow at a meal 
the entire substance of this little opportunity of 
just four operas, even if the viands be not of the 
rarest qusdity. So far as the public is concerned 
there has been nothing wanting. It was such a 
house-full as the Boston Theatre has scarcely seen 
since the Grisi and Mario enthusiasm was at its 
height. 

The piece the first night was Signor Verdi's 
Traviata^ or the play " Camille " {La Dame aux 
Camelias) done into music — music for the most 
part weak, unnatural, forced and manneristic, even 
for Verdi ; betraying a lamentable poverty of in- 
vention ; a feeding as it were upon himself, that is 
upon his own past productions, ringing feeble 
changes, in more fits and fragments, upon what 
once were happy moments of his fresher inspira- 
tions, until what was in some sense a felicity be- 
comes a haunting soul-less habit Yet we find it 
more enjoyable than Trovatore, perhaps for the 
very reason that it is an efibrt of far less pretention. 
Sketchy, trifling almost, as the music is for the 
most part, it lends itself not badly to the subject ; 
it has a real human tale to tell (not a plot of un- 
relieved montrosity, like Trovatore), and through 
the tones and movements of good lyric actors it 
contrives to tell it so as to enlist your sympathies. 
Then too it abounds in opportunities for gay and 
festive music, and Verdi's festive ball-room strains 
are generally happy : witness the masquerade in 
the last act of Emani, a like scene in Rigoletto, 
and something of that kind (we recall it vaguely) 
near the beginning of / Lombards. Of striking, 
highly wrought ensemble pieces the Traviala only 
offers one, the finale to the second act, in which 
principals and chorus (a chorus not large, but 



clear-voiced, true and finely blended) conspired 
to excellent effect on this occasion. 

Madame Colson, for several years the reigning 
and admii*ed prima donna of the French Italian 
Opera in New Orleans was the Camille, or Tra- 
viala, Mme. Colson is indeed an artist, both as 
singer and as actress. Song and action seem com- 
pletely one in her. She is unmistakeably French, 
naturally a little awkward in figure and in gait, 
and plain, though attractive and intelligent in 
face. But she has so much animation, so much 
savoir/airey and such a realizing conception of her 
part, that the general impression is one of lady- 
like ease and grace, while her face, always ex- 
pressive, glows with a positive beauty in the 
higher momenta. From the playful, cordial gay- 
ety of the first scene, to the moments of awaken- 
ing higher aspiration and remorse in the experi- 
ence of real love ; from the bitterness of renunci- 
ation of that love to the beautiful abandon (re- 
minding us of Truffi) with which she throws her- 
self into the arms of her lover, too late restored, 
in the duet ; Parigi^ o cara^ and to the rapturous 
wandering of her senses before she dies, it is all a 
beautiful, consistent, feeling impersonation of the 
part. We liked it the better that the progress 
was so gradual, that it was so even, that there 
was nothing overdone, that it won upon us stead- 
ily and slowly, instead of carrying us away by 
moments of spasmodic intensity. It was finer as a 
whole than Gazzaniga's, although the latter rose at 
times to greater heights of passion. As a singer 
Mme. Colson is entirely her superior ; she cannot 
indeed be called a great singer, but she is a very 
highly finished, charming and expressive vocalist ; 
a fine artistic charm pervades her whole perform- 
ance. She makes the music expressive, in its 
least phrase and fibre, even in spite of itself. Her 
voice is not a great one or a very rich one ; but 
it has a remarkably clear, elastic, penetrating 
quality, that always tells ; pungent, but not harsh 
in the higher notes ; with musical body in the low 
tones, that are husky in so many fine sopranos : 
ver}' flexible, and leaping through the widest inter- 
vals with perfect ease and certainty. It is a 
bright, French kind of voice, but by no means 
hard nor unexprcsstve. There is soul in her 
tones. Her execution, whether in simple melody 
or florid vocalization and bravura^ is eminently 
artistic, always true, in pitch and in expression, 
always genuine and without trick. Taken musi- 
cally and grammatically Mme. Colson's Violetta 
was a beautiful artistic whole. Either we were 
mistaken, caught in the rose color mood, or it is a 
kind of excellence that will grow upon a refined 
audience. 

Our old friends, Brignoli and Amodio, were 
warmly welcomed. The handsome tenor comes 
back plump as a fat partridge ; his voice is as 
musical as ever, and passages of his singing were 
extremely beautiful, whereas in others he sang 
sadly ont of tune, or relapsed into the old indif- 
ference. Amodio has lost none of his rotundity, 
and looked the " venerable parent " drolly. His 
baritone is large and generous as ever, and de- 
livered with the same certainty and fervor that 
always made him popular. The chorus was good 
for its small numbers, and the orchestra, embra- 
cing the excellent theatre orchestra entire with 
some additions, was remarkably good. But the 
arrangement of the orchestral parts seemed some- 
times of questionable authenticity, too thin and 
meagre to be Verdi; individual instruments 



standing at such wide intervals apart; at one 
time a single viola, with its quaint little pliraso 
continually repeated, attracting tho chiof atten- 
tion to itself for several minutes. 

Of the second night we have only room to say 
that Lticrecia Borgia also filled the theatre from 
floor to co.iling; tliat Signor Murcrl Junca, 
the basso, is a gigantic, splendid fellow, and gave 
rare weight and majesty to the part of the Duke ; 
that Parodi throughout was more subdued and 
pleasing than we have usually found her. 



English Opera. — ^Mr. Cooper's company, 
before they left, relieved the dreary waste of 
Trovatopera by a passable performance of Doni- 
zetti's sparkling and genial little comic opera, 
" The Elixir of Love," in which the four princi- 
pals sang and acted quite enjoyably. 



Relation of Artifti and their Agents to the 



Our Journal aims on the one hand to stimulate, 
instruct and elevate the public taste for music, 
while on the other hand it offers a portion of its 
columns as an advertising medium to artists, opera 
and concert managers, and others, who seek to 
catch the eye of just that class of persons that are 
supposed to read a musical paper. But it has 
ever been our principle and practice to keep 
these two functions of the journal wholly inde- 
pendent of each other. The tone of our criti- 
cisms must not in any way be governed by our 
advertising patronage. We know neither busi- 
ness nor favor when we write of Art and artists. 
He who buys a column of our advertising space, 
buys that, gets that, and is entitled to nothing 
more. If we write a notice of his opera or con- 
cert, we do it for the public, for the Art, and not 
for him. We have to explain this very obvious 
point of editorial morale so often, that we arc in- 
duced to reprint here what we wrote about it Ave 
years since, at a time when the whole press was 
excited to discussion of the subject by a charge of 
** bribery, blackHooail, Ac.," in connection with the 
Sontag concerts. 

There should be no such thing as favors in the 
dealing between artists and &e press. If we have 
praised a sioger in our editorial columns, let the 
singer take it as no Javw : we wrote in duty to our 
readers, to tho cause of Art, and to oar own convict- 
ions or our own need of expression, and not to confer 
or to return a favor. If tho singer advertises largely 
with us, or sends us free admissions, we consider it 
no favor, but purely a matter of business. The adver- 
tising money pa^ for the advertisement, andjornotking 
else, and no amount of money can buy a flattering 
word in the editorial columns. The value of our 
notices, of our opinions, ceases to be worth a copper 
tlie moment that they are written in the way of per- 
sonal exchange of favors. This is the principle with 
which we started, and so far, God be thanked, we 
have never yet seen cause to swerve from it. It is, to 
be sure, not the most pwftng principle, but it is sure to 
help us in the long run. 

1. There are several ways, or kinds of "favors," 
by which musical agents, &c., are apt to fancy that 
they bind an editor to favorable notice. The most 
considerable and most common is by advertising in his 
paper. Newspapers depend upon their " advertising 
patrons " for their cliief support ; even a small week- 
ly journal, like our own, docs this to some extent* 
The idea is, then : We bring business to you, therefore 
we expect you to commend customers to us ; we pay 
yon so much for advertising our concert, or our new 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1868. 



223 



book, therefore jou must urge your rcadcn to go to 
tho one or buy the other. (At the most, tlio equal 
return would be that the editor himself should buy tho 
ticket or the book, not that he should drum up other 
purchasers.) But is this reasonable? is it right? 
Because yon buy of us does it therefore follow that 
wo can honestly send people to buy of you ? Be- 
cause our wares (onr types, our columns) suit your 
purposes, does It follow that what yon have to sell 
should suit our readers ? By no moans. If you ad- 
Tcrtise with us, it is because you think the simple ad- 
▼crtiscmcnt worth to your business more than you 
pay us for it. The tptid pro quo for what yon pay 
us (vis. our stated, honest price) is the circulation 
which our paper gives your advertisement; that is 
the " value received," and you have no right to look 
to us for any more. We have no right to grant yon 
any more, when by so doing we might idly or insin- 
cerely bias onr readers as to the merit of what you 
advertise. Yet every editor knows how common a 
thing it is for advertisers to expect "a little word or 
two of editorial " in corroboration of the ttatementa 
of the advertisement, just by way of "preparing the 
public mind " for the new book or the new prima 
donna. Perhaps the newspapers themselves, at least 
many of them, are to blame as being partly the cre- 
ators of this expectation. It is the rule with many 
papers to notice only the performances or publicap 
tions of those who advertise with them, thus seeming 
to countenance the inference that their editorial no- 
tice is to be taken as a premium upon advertating 
patronage: in which view of course the notice, or 
the general tenor of the successive notices of the ad- 
vertising party, must be fi&vorable. It certainly is a 
pitiful meanness to take advantage (as many do) of 
an editor's obliging disposition by making his gror 
tuitous notice and commendation of you and your 
product save you the expense of an advertisement; 
wheedling or importuning a paper into doing your 
work at its own expense. But even this meanness, 
from which all papers sometimes suffer, is no justi- 
fication of a practice which couplet advertising with 
the hope of editorial favor. 

3. Complimentary fiee tickets. This is another still 
more delicate matter to handle. There is a strange 
ambiguity and indeflniteness about the position in 
which an editor or critic is placed by the receiving 
of a free ticket to a public performance, and still 
mozo by the almost universal practice, which has 
caused such accommodations to be expected as a 
matter of course. Indeed so common is the pract- 
ice, that it becomes a slight, almost an insult, to be 
overlooked in the distribution of these courtesies. 
The majority of intelligent and respectable concert- 
givers, and their agents doubtless hold and act upon 
the right theory of the matter, although the theory 
may never have been stated. But there are many 
small and silly enough to withhold the card of invi- 
tation from a paper which does not praise them and 
humor them " to the top of their bent " in its criti- 
cisms ; who so far forget the dignity of their calling 
as to try to palm off their cards on editors as due- 
bills payable in " puffs " of them and their perform- 
ances. Contemptible assumption ! Of course every 
e<litor with any self-respect would infinitely rather 
stay at home or pay for his own ticket like his neigh- 
bors ; (probably in most cases he would choose the 
former, ticket or no ticket.) This puny revenge on 
the part of managers for unfavorable criticisms, as 
well as the meanness sometimes shown in the ac- 
commodations for the press at the theatres and con- 
certs, has led some respectable editors to decline such 
"privileges of the press" altogether, and insist on 
paying for their ticket when they care to witness a 
performance. Decidedly we say, let the entire pi-ess 
demand to be placed on the same footing with the 
general public in these matters, if the system of free 
or complimentary tickets really does imply an obli- 
gation on the part of the receivers to publish favor- 



able notices, or any notices at all, of all they go to 
see and hear. Better waive the privilege, than have 
any ambiguity about it. If the editor or critic re- 
ceive notliing, then he is not bound ; then his rela- 
tion to the artist is a sound, legitimate and honor- 
able one. 

But, we apprehend, experience has settled it to be 
tor the general interest or all concerned, botli artists, 
press, and public, that the public reporters or jour- 
nalists, in any or in all spheres whereof it is their 
business to keep the public advised and enlightened, 
should have free, convenient, honorable access to all 
that is publicly going on in such 8i)here8. This, we 
take it, is the true theory and rationale of the free 
ticket system. It is for the interest of artists that edi- 
tors and true connoisseurs, who write about such 
matters, should be at all times free to witness their 
exhibitions, because without the ioumals it is not pos- 
sible to arrest and hold the public attention to such 
things. ' It is for Uie interest of the whole exhibiting 
class collectively and in the long run, that this freedom 
of access bo extended to tho reporting class collectively 
and as a permanent system, and without weighing or 
questioning the benefit in any given instance. In 
other words, the independent, conscientious, and fur- 
minded musicfld critic views the matter thus : If 
Madame Sontag, or Max Maretzek, or Ole Bull, or 
Gottschalk, sends me a ticket to her or his artistic 
entertainment, it must not bind me in this especial 
case to notice favorably, or at all, unless I shall see 
fit ; but it is sent me to increase the probabilities of my 
so seeing fit, and it pledges me (so far as it goes) 
anew to the whole general cause of Art and of my 
readers' interest in Art, which I am already pledged 
to serve, by noticing the works and deeds of artists at 
such seasons and in such measure as I shall feel truly 
moved and able. In accepting the ticket I have en- 
tered into no baigain with tne sender, either to praise 
him or to speak of him at all. The test of my fideli- 
ty to my own proper function in this case is, the 
readiness and enterprise and fairness with which I 
seize upon and improve true texts of Art. But often 
silence is the truest comment ; and often it is impossi- 
ble amid the pressure of many things to speak of all, 
while I cannot properly discharge my duty to any 
unless I have the chance to know of all. By no 
other theory of the critical ofilce is true criticism pos- 
sible. Now is it, or is it not for the interest of artists 
altogether that there should be true and honest criti- 
cism? If it is (as in the long run who can doubt) 
then it must proceed fix)m those who have every con- 
venience to hear and know about not only such per- 
formances as the hearing binds them to praise, but all 
performances from which knowledge of the Art and 
Its standards can be learned. In other words, the 
public only values the criticisms of those well booked 
up. Now will you dostrov all criticism, will you in- 
vite none but favoring cntics to your concerts, and 
thereby destroy all public confidence in newspaper 
notices of Art, because you, luckless virtuoso, may 
chance to get passed over or to fare hardly in the 
scales of criticism ? 

It is evident tlierefore that an editor or critic can- 
not enter a concert room in that unbiased state of 
mind which makes a criticism of any worth, if his ad- 
mission there be construed as a pledge to write in 
any given manner or at all ; and if it & for the gen- 
eral interest that editors have a free admission, then 
It must be with the fullest understandingthat it im- 
plies no pledge in any given instance. The critic's 
duty is firet and foremost to his readers and to Art, 
and then to the artist simply as an artist, and not as 
one who can retain him as an advocate in a pecuniary 
speculation ; tliat is the business of Madame's a^nts 
and not of the editor or critic. We believe this lif 
we have clearly stated our meaning) to be the onlv 
sound theory and basis of the " complimentary ticket 
system. We can conceive of no other understanding 
on which an editor can accept such accommodation 
{as an editor,— of course he is a man too, and a pri- 
vate individual sometimes) and preserve tlie purity 
of the critical function inviolate. At all events let 
it be one thing or the other; awa^ with all this 
ambiguity ; let the free admission of the press be a 
regular, honorable, unexceptional nile and system, 
or let it be abolished altogether. If it is retained, 
let it be wholly in tho light of a facility, a means 
of knowing and of jndging, which it is the interest 
and duty of the public in all ways to extend to the 
public reporters. If it cannot be retained in tliis 
broad and honorable sense, let it be given up, and 
let editors pay like other people, when they want 
to see and near. By eithor of these two systems, 
and by no othor, does the relation of the Tress to 
public perfbrmera become a clear and unequivocal 
one. We cannot doubt, as we have said before, 
that most intelligent and honorable artists and cdi- 
tozs do practically regard the complimentary ticket 



system in this onlv sound and reasonable light It 
is only small and jealous people and pretendera, 
those who really are not artists, who would keep 
criticism at a distance and invite in onl^ diose 
whom they can hold committed to admue and 
praise them. 



Mnsical Chit^Hiat 

At length we have signs of movement in our mu- 
sical waters. We shall no doubt have a lively season 
rich with interest, both for the lovers of Italian opera, 
of Oratorio, and of the higher kinds of instrumental 
music. Mr. Cabl Zbsxahk, our excellent conduc- 
tor, ever ready for good works, will not suffer us to 
languish without refreshing and soul-strengthening 
Symphonies, if any fitith and energy on his part can 
prevent it. His subscription papen will be out in a 
few days for a series of Six Orchestral Concerts in 
the Music Hall, to be given at intervals of three 
weeks, so as to allow ot abundant rehearsal. The 
orchestra to consist of about fifty instruments. The 
programmes to be wholly of the highest order and 
within the strict sense of a " Philharmonic " Concert, 
which undoubtedly will give the most satisfaction 
now that other opportunities of hearing Italian opera 
and lighter music bid fair to be plentiful. His plan 
includes the performance of Beethoven's "Choral 
Symphony " entire, with a chorus selected from the 
fitandel and Haydn Society. Other pieces in contem- 
plation are a new Symphony by Rubinstein, called 
" Ocean/' and, for the opening night, either the 
Number Seven, or the "Pastoral," of Beethoven. 
Surely the music lovers will not fail on their part. 

To-morrow (Sunday) evening the long summer's 
silence of the Music Hall will be broken by fine mu- 
sic. The Handbl akd Hatdk Socibtt have ef- 
fected an arrangement with Mr. Straxosch, whereby 
all the principal singers of the Opera troupe, will 
unite with them in a Sacred Concert, the first 
part of which will be miscellaneous, and the sec- 
ond will consist of Rossini's Stabat Mater, Mme. 
CoLSOK will sing Schubert's Atfe Maria ; Mile. Pa- 
BODX will sing Mendelssohn's "Jerusalem, O thou 
that killest," &c., &c., and these artists, with Mme. 

Strakosch, Sigs. JuNCA, Brionoli, Ajcodio and 
the rest will lend their voices to an effective rendering 
of the Stahat, Mr. Zbrrahn will conduct, and Mr. 
J. C. D. Parker will preside at the organ. A full 
house is a foregone conclusion ; and tiie success of 
this effort (be it remembered) will go far to encourage 
the Society to bring out other and grander works, 
such as Handel's " isnal in Bgypt," during die com- 
ing winter. 

Carl Zbrrahiy has boon appointed music teacher 

in the public Normal School, a natural consequence 

of the admirable manner in which he drilled die 

twelve hundred children for the School Festsval. 

We are happy to learn that he has entered upon the 

duties of the new office with tho same characteristic 
zeal that he displayed on that occasion. . . . We 
have received firom Mr. C. H. Brainard, the publisher, 
a fine and life-like portrait of John Howard Patnb, 
tlie author of " Home, sweet Home." It is litho- 
graphed in tho best style from a daguerreotype taken 
of him just before he left for Europe. Appended to 
the picture is a fac-«imile of tlie author's manuscript 
of the first verse of " Home." 

Tho Now York Philharmonic Society commence 
then: public rehearsals this afternoon at Niblo's Gar- 
den. Gade's Symphony, No. 5, with piano obligate, 
Rossini's " Siege of Corinth " overture, and Spohr's 

Quartet Concerto, op. 131, are the orchestral pieces. 
. . . Messrs. Mason & Thomas's programme for 
their winter Matinlics shows a rare and choice list of 
Quintets, Quartets, Trios, Sonatas, &c. by Schumann, 
Schubert, Beethoven, Mozart, Hardn, idendelssohn, 
a Chaconne bv Bach, an Octet by Schubert, &c., &c. 
There is another English troupe ex))onnding Trovat- 
opera in Now York, of which Mrs. Escott and Mr. 
IlKNRT Squires, the tenor, both Americans, are the 
loading stors. This makes Jive operas which wo shall 
soon have " in our midst," the others being the Ma- 
retzek troupe, the Strakosch troupe, the Cooper 
troupe, and presently, last not least, the Ullmau 
troupe, with Piccolomini, Formes, &c. 



224 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 




nsir %hxn)s. 



Birmingham Festival. — Here is the concluding 
notice from the London Athenceum of Sept. 11. 

Some of the plcasantest si^i^hts to bo seen at a Bir- 
mingham Festival were mentioned a week ago. To 
these, if the chronicle is to he complete, should be 
added the outer audience to "The Messiah" — a dense 
crowd that surrounded the Town Hall, standing pa- 
tiently for three hours (bccruiling the time, however, 
by plain-spoken, but not ill-natured, personalities on 
anyone presumed to be foreign who attempted to 
edge his wav through it), to catch the choruses of the 
Oratorio, which were distinctly audible from the out- 
side ; a few of the patient standers armed with a 
cheap handbook of the music. Could not something 
be done, at the close of these Festivals, to satisfy the 
hungerers and thirsters after Handel belonging to a 
class unable, by reason of their fortunes, to enjoy per- 
formances so costlv ? The answer, we know, is, that 
such concession might be taken advantage of by those 
richer and shabbier riian the persons for whose benefit 
it was planned ; but the idea is worth stating, and to 
entertain it will not embarrass the proceedings of any 
direction. Those who were within the Town Hall 
will long remember how " The Messiah " went this 
year at Birmingham. The third and last concert 
was of the very longest. In Germany, a Symphony 
such as Mendelssohn's in a minor, would have had 
an act to itself. Here, it merelv commenced the con- 
cert — Signor Costa's " Dream ** closing its first por- 
tion. The latter, thongh virtually a piece cToccasion, 
has the permanent value of graceful, unaffected, tune- 
f\il music. A sweet and tranquil nolo for the soprano, 
— a faery chorus, " exceeding delicately writ," (to use 
a phrase of Queen Elizabeth's), — and a charming 
love-song for the tenor {encored) may any of them be- 
come stock pieces. The final chorus, too, has the 
courtly sprightliness befitting a serenade to a royal 
bride, 'though the rhythm is not one of those which 
we like the best. The instrumentation throughout is 
dainty. The principal singers were Madame Novello 
and Mr. Sims Reeves. The rest of the concert was 
made up of music too well known to call for notice 
in detail. 

Friday morning's sacred music consisted of Mr. H. 
Leslie's new Biblical Cantata, Mendelssohn's lovely 
"Lnuda Sion," and Beethoven's Mass in c. Re- 
garding the words of " Judith," which have been aer 
lected from the Apochrypha and Bible, by Mr. Heniy 
F. Chorley, it must suffice to sav that the legend is 
divided into three scenes — the iirst laid in the be- 
leaguered city of Bethulia ; the second in the camp of 
Holofornes; the third ("Night, and Day-break,") 
devoted to the sacrifice of the invading chieftain, and 
the triumphant return of the heroine of Israel. Each 
scene is preluded by an instrumental movement, al- 
most as much developed as the portion of a Sympho- 
ny, the entire performance occupying as much time 
as a long single act of an Oratorio. The Cantata 
contains three or four elaborately developed choruses. 
The principal, or heroine's part, is written for a 
mezzo-soprano voice. Besides songs for the principal 
singers, there are also a lerzeito of considerable extent, 
a duet with chorus, for tenor and soprawo. The three 
instrumental introductions are in as many different 
gtvles — the first, strict — the second (which was re- 
ceived with applause in spite of Festival regulations), 
brilliant and martial— the third, picturesque and deli- 
cate. Thns, the amount of contrast provided for and 
attempted is considerable. The above specification, 
and our statement of the general impression that "Ju- 
dith" will add to, not diminish, Mr. H. Leslie's repu- 
tation as a composer, must, at least for the present, 
stand instead of criticism. 

With regard to the manner in which the Cantata 
was presented at Birmingham, we may speak with 
less restraint. Never, in our experience, has an Eng- 
lish composer's oratorio come forth under chances of 
success approaching those of "Judith." The execu- 
tion was in mo«t respects excellent. The declama- 
tion, finish, and vocal power of Madame Viardot, as 
the heroine, were remarkable, — her prayer in the tent 
of HcJofrrnex conld not, as a display of sublime art, 
be exceeded. The tenor and bass parts could not 
have been in better hands than those of Mr. Sims 
Reeves (Ozias the priest), who was enarred in the ./?- 
nnle to the first parr— and of Signor BcUetti {11010- 
ffmrn). Madame Castellan took pains as soprano. 
"The orchestra and chorus were well prepared. That 
two slips, in two important moments of the Contata, 
took place, and that the general execution of it be- 
came less and less confident as the work went on, 
are to be accounted for by its being in the hands of 
its composer. For a man* under such circumstances 
to conduct an untried composition of his own, from 
fii-st to last, with unfjiltering nerve and unflagging 
energy, must imply one of two things— long expe- 



rience, or want of sensibility. The result in this 
case was, here and there, some loss of power, some 
slight confusion. The Cantata, however, seemed to 
please a large audience, whoso silent attention has 
never been surpassed, and at the cud its composer 
was greeted with much applause. 

The second part of the last morning's perform- 
ances consisted of Mendelssohn's " Lauda Sion " ond 
Beethoven's Mass in c — ^both excellently performed, 
ond bringing the Festival to a glorious conclusion. 
It seems, however, that the expectation of its sur- 
passing former meetings in its gross receipts, which 
was mentioned last week, has proved fallacious.— 
" The times," tlie exhaustion of a late royal visit, 
and the distraction caused by the "celebrity" at 
Leeds, may be given as the reasons for thi6;^-cer- 
tainly no falling off in the musical attnictionB of the 
"music-meeting" for 1858. 

LONDON. — ^English Opera — Miss Louisa Pyne 
and Mr. Harrison have put forth their programme for 
the coming season, at Drury Lane. In this they 
announce a new opera, by Mr. Balfe, a version of 
" Martha," and Mr. Bristow's " Kip Van Winkle," 
as the novelties which it is their intention to pro- 
duce. We have mentioned Mr. Patey as among 
their new engagements. The list includes, more- 
over, Mr. Grattan Kelly and Mr. Terrott, Mdllo. 
Pauline Vaneri : — and promises the return to tlie 
stage of Miss Rainforth. The orchestra is to num- 
ber fifty players, conducted by Mr. Mellon, than 
whom there is no better English conductor; — the 
chorus is to consist of fifty voices. The season is 
to begin on Monday; and the version of M. Flo- 
tow's opera is to come out on the 16th. — Athenceum. 

PARIS. — On dit, the Prince Poniatowski has just 
finished an opera intended for the Acad<5mie Impe- 
rial de Musique et de Danse. Mr. Roger's benefit 
at the Opera was a bumper. Many were attracted 
as much by curiosity as by any other motive. — 
Madame Ugalde sustained the part of Leonora, in 
the Trovatore, for the first time, and as the fair ar- 
tist had undertaken to learn the music in eight 
hours, and as the character was entirely antagonis- 
tic to her powers and talents, her friends and ad- 
mirers were anxious to see how she would get over 
the difficulties. Madlle. Demeric-Lablache appeared 
as Azucena, and obtained the favor of the French 
journals, who descant lavishly on those qualities in 
which the lady was eminently deficient when she 
made her debut at the Royal Italian Opera, Of 
course, Roger is praised to the skies in Manrico, 
while M. Bonneh^e, of course, is magnificent as the 
Count di Luna. Wonderful! capital I where every 
thing musical, if French, is perfect, pure, and tran- 
scendent ! Miss Thompson, the young English vo- 
calist who carried off the first prize at die late exam- 
ination of the Conservatoire, has been engaged for 
the Grand-Op^ra, and will make her d^ut as Mathil- 
de in Guillaume Tdl on the occasion of the rentr^e of 
M. Gueymard on the Ist of Octobei^-that is, if the 
same influence be not exerted against her as waa 
made use of against ^Miss Birch some years ago. — 
Musical World. 

The Ist of September is the opening day of the 
Parisian musical and theatrical season. Of some of 
the novelties produced we may be able to speak 
shortly. Meanwhile, among events which have late- 
ly happened in the French capital, may be mentioned 
the passing appearances of Madame Ugalde and 
Madame Meric-Lablache (the lady known here as 
Mdlle. de Meric) at the Grand Opdra, — the success of 
Mdlle. Artot (M. d'Ortigue, of the Journal des l>€- 
bats, being our warrant) in the revival, with mutila- 
tions, of M. Gounod's 'Sapho.' That opera, by the 
wav, may po.ssibly be shortly tried both in Germany 
and Italy. Among coming events are announced 
the publication (in score) of four Symphonies by 
that pleasing and thoughtful composer, M. Reher, 
and of three grand Pianoforte Trios by M. Litolff. — 
Athenceum. 

Baben-Baden. — A grand concert was given her- 
on the 29th of August, for the benefit of the Hospit- 
als of the town, under the direction of Hector Ber- 
lioz. The orchestra was selected from the talent of 
Baden, Carlsruhc and Strasbourg. Among the no- 
ticeable pieces was the symphony with chorus of M. 
Berlioz, entitled Romeo et' Juiiette-^or, more properly, 
the four first parts of the svmphony — and the over- 
ture to Euryanthe. Herr Litolff performed, with the 
orchestra, the allegro, adagio and scherzo of his fourth 
Symphonie Concertante. 'Vivier executed some new 
morceaux on the horn with irresistible eflTect; and 
Mad. Charton-Demeur added largely to the attrac- 
tions by her singing. In the favourite air from the 
Domino Noir, and the beautiful song from the Nozze 
di Figaro, "Deh vicni, non tardar," more especially, 
she was overwhelmed with plaudits. 



Sperial Itotitts. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

TEST :^J:TJSIO, 

PablUked by O. Ditaon Sc Co. 



Motto by MAn..— QnantIH«« of Mnrfr are now w»nt by mall, 
the expcnM* bcinir only nhont one cent apiore, while the care 
and rnpMlty of tranfs'imrtation nre remarkiible. Tho« at a 
jrreat dintanlre will ftnd tlie mode of oonTeynncc not only a ron- 
venienro. hut a mvinf* of expnniie in obtaining ^uppliefl. Itooki 
ran aUo be «ent by mail, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
Thin appliee to any dintance under throe thoiuand niUes ; be- 
yond that, double the above rate*. 

Vocal Muaio. 

There's not a word thy lipB have breathed. 

L. O. Entenon. 25 
A nice Parlor Song, requiring but little voice and a 
little knowledge of the Piano, to render it well. 

Bella Leo. Song and Chorus. J. B. Beardslee. 25 

A iwMt Ballad of a popular cast. 
The Postillion. Juvenile Song. Franz Alt, 25 

Thifl b another of theee Inoompanble tone-bloa- 
■oms, which the author baa rightly named " Spring of 
life." It it the merry song of a roring PoetiUlon, 
modeled after the Ikr-Mranding, Joyous signal of Us 
flivorite bugle. 

Love Mo when the Morning Cometh. Song. 

S. Lawrence. 25 
Memory's Spells. L. H. Paritk. 25 

I Miss Thee in My Dreams. F. IToofcoe. 25 

Three Twy desirable Parlor Songs. 
Thou Lovely Angel Mine. Song. C. L. Fisher. 25 
ThIfl sweet and passionate little Ballad has long been 
deaerredly popular in Oermany. It U one of the most 
brilliant sparics in the light musical literature of this 
country, and will meet here with unlvenal flivor.— 
English and German words. 
Will You Ever Weep, Love. Karl Merx. 25 

A sad, melancholy litUe tone-poem. There is some- 
thing quite peeuUar about it: the melody contains 
but three notes, like that celebrated strain of the 
ri«neh philosopher and musician Rosseau. 
Instrumental Mnalo. 
Gem of Kentucky Polka. Arranged for 4 peiv 
formers on 2 Pianos. Roode, 100 

A moderately difficult arrangement of a pretty 
Polka for the use and benefit of Seminaries and 
Classes. 
Ransom Guards March. D. A. Winslaw. 25 

Ocean Cable Quickstep. Geo. Bews. 25 

Atlantic Tcleg^raph Grand M'ch and Q'kstep. " 25 
Col. Burbank's Quickstep. /. W. IWnar. 25 

Freeh, vigorous and soul-stirring music. 

Books. 
The Somo Festival : A Compendium of Music 
of every variety ; Psalmody, Songs, Ballads, 
Duets, Trios, Quartets, Glees, Sacred and Op- 
eratic Choruses, suited to the wants of Choirs, 
Singing Classes, Glee Clubs, Musical Conven- 
tions, Chorus Societies, and the Drawing Boom. 
By Virgil C. Taylor. 60 

Mr. Taylor is well known to the musical public by 
several books compiled by hhn and enriched by nume- 
rous compositions of his own. Of these the most 
prominent are the "Sacred Minstrel," "Golden 
Lyre," " Chimes, »» ♦' Celestina," " Choral Anthems " 
and " Concordia." In the present work an eflbrt has 
been made to meet the general wants of all classes, 
but more partlcuhtf ly of musical conventions. 

In the original department, Mr. Taylor contributes 
the Chorus, " Tis Song makes Fresh the Weary," the 
Glee, "Moonlight on the sea," and other pieces. 
" The Song Festival " also contolns selections and ar- 
rangemenU fVom the most approved works, including 
those of HiWDKL, Rossrai, Verdi, Bwedict, Wnot, 
BisHor. and othen, together with a number of beau- 
tiful pieces from Mr. H. D. MuirsOF, author of " The 
Child's Wish," " Revolutionary Tea," and other pop- 
ular Sheet Music publications. The book contains 
thirty-nine Opera and other Choruses, Glees, Quartets, 
Trios, Duets, Songs, and Ballads, nearly any one of 
which If published in sheet form, would coet the price 
of the book. It cannot &il to prove rerj acceptable 
to those for whom it Is prepared. 




toight's 



|0ttntal 0f 




iiStr. 



Whole No. 341. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1858. 



Vol. XIV. No. 3. 



The First Piano-Forte. 

From the French. 

Tlio two lieroc'9 of this little history presw^nt a 
complete contrast. They bejjan, continued, and 
ended their worldly career, luider nearly opposite 
circumstances. One, at fii*st rich, became sud- 
denly poor, through extravagance and dissipation ; 
the other, originally poor, became all at once 
rich, by the force of ingenuity and industry. 
The one gloried in his high-sounding title ; the 
other was proud of being simply an artificer. 
The glittering courtier i*e veiled in the royal 
saloons of Versailles ; the laborious operative 
passed his days in a Parisian workshop. One 
finished his life on the public scaffold, condemned 
in 1 793 by a populace driven to excesses by the 
tyranny of their superiors ; the other peacefully 
expired amidst the blessings of his family and 
friends, his honest industry rewarded by afHn- 
cnce, and honored bv the favor of royalty. Fi- 
nally, the first called himself Armand de Gontant, 
Duke of Lauzun ; the second was Sebastian 
£rard. 

At the epoch when our tale commences, Sebas- 
tian Erard was a poor artisan whom revei*se ot 
fortune had driven from Strasburg, his native 
town, to seek, alone, without money or friends, 
his daily bread in Paris. He was well-educated ; 
in his early youth he had studied drawing, archi- 
tecture, and had devoted some time to scientific 
pursuits. He had dreamt, with the artless enthu- 
siasm of youth, of one day distinguishing himself 
as an artist, a professor, or an architect Con- 
ceive then, of nis disappointment, when, at the 
age of sixteen, he found himself a journe}'man 
maker of harpsichords. Pride and ambition un- 
ceasingly tormented him. In the obscure work- 
shop, where he pursued his monotonous avocation, 
he frequently gave way to a certain degree of 
vexation. But, happily, Seba.stian Erard pos- 
sessed nobler gifts than fall to the lot of most 
persons in his humble grade. Even his melan- 
choly was no misfortune to him, for it made him 
a thinker. His intelligence again turned his 
thoughts to good account, and his ambition made 
him act upon them. The presentiment, that he 
should some day materially better his condition, 
never lefl him ; and, inspired by this hope, he 
seldom complained aloud, but diligently pursued 
his work ; tor well he knew that any advance- 
ment lit should make must be by following the 
very path along which he was now travelling. 
Instead, thorefore, of bolting off the course, as 
ambitious but thoughtless young men are apt to 
do, Erard reflected deeply on the nature of his 
art, and whether it might not be in his power to 
effect some important improvement upon it 
With a critical eye and ear, he at length detec- 
ted the deficiencies of the instrument it was his 
business to make — ill-toned, inharmonious spinets 
and harpsichords, with which the ears of the 
court and the town were content to be chsumed. 
He remarked that, from their imperfect mechan- 
ism, it was impossible they could remain long in 
tune, and that even when their intonation was 
correct, the sounds produced were harsh and wiry. 
These imperfections, which constant use of tne 
instrument prevented some of the best musicians 
from perceiving, became apparent to the inquir- 
ing mmd and apt ear of the young artisan. But 
a remedy for them had yet to be discovered ; and 
for that obiect Erard incessantly plied his inven- 
tion. At length he became acquainted with the 
principle of an improved key-board, introduced 
by Silbermann, a German manufacturer, and 
that engendered in him a new and happy idea, 
the result of which the reader will presently 
learn. 

While Sebastian Erard employed every spare 



moment in working out his new idea theoretically 
— for he had not tlie means of doing so practi- 
cally — ^the other actor in our drama performed a 
very difl'eront part Engaged in the useless em- 
ployments and profilles4 pa.'ttimes of a man of 
fashion, the Duke of La<iznn sought to revive, at 
tlic court of Louis XV^I, the dangerous gallant- 
ries and dissipated manners of the gay but bril- 
liant court of Louis XV. and the regent Nor 
was he ill-calculated to effect, by his own exam- 
ple, so evil an object: he was hand.some, rich, 
and possessed a high flow of spirits, with a good 
share of intellect and wit His conduct was not, 
however, always pleasing to Marie Antoinette, 
the queen ; bul so great a favorite was Lauzun 
with the kin":, that she never ventured to avow 
her dislike othim openly. 

Amongst other things which displeased her 
majesty, was a courtship sometimes carried be- 
yond the bounds of good breeding, which the 
duke had established with the Marchioness de 
Milleroy, a lady whose position as governess to 
the royal children ought to have induced, on her 
part, the most guarded conduct As there was 
nothing positively improper in Lauzun and the 
inan'hioness forming a mutual regard, both took 
umbrage at the little checks which the queen 
thought it her duty on several occasions to give 
them. An opportunity to resent these supposed 
affronts soon occurred, and by a circumstance 
which brought Sebastian Erard most unexpect- 
edly within the pale of court patronage. 

Marie Antoinette, though surrounded by all 
the allurements of the French court, could not 
forget the land of her birth. " The Austrian," 
as she was currently called, would oflen retire to 
the solitude of her chamber, to call up from the 
depths of her memory scenes of childhood and of 
home. She gathered about her a host of objects, 
which served to remind her of Austria. The 
books, pictures, and sculptures, which adorned 
her private apartments, were all from Germany. 
But one article was wanting to make the collec- 
tion complete. The young Queen of France was 
a proficient musician, and loved the melodies of 
her native land ; but how could she give effect to 
them with the inharmonious spinet in her cham- 
ber ? She resolved, therefore, to have a hai-psi- 
chord from Vienna, and soon a magnificent in- 
strument of improved tone and elegant form, 
well worthy of a royal residence, replaced the 
old spinet That it should be displayed to the 
best advantage, the young queen determined to 
give a concert, at which she commanded her in- 
structor and countryman, Gluck, the celebrated 
composer, to assist 

Tlie new harpsichord was constructed by Sil- 
bermann, with his latest improvements, and won 
the admiration of all present Amongst the 
guests were the Duke of Lauzun and the Mar- 
chioness de Milleroy. The praises bestowed upon 
the instrument made the latter envious of its pos- 
sessor, despite the differenre in their position and 
rank ; and she demanded of the Duke de Lauzun 
a harpsichord of e^]ual excellence and external 
beauty to that of the queen. The age of chiv- 
alry had not even then passed away, and the 
lover was bound to obey the wishes of his inten- 
ded, be they ever so extravagant But another 
and perhaps stronger motive prompted him. He 
saw, by complying with this request, a means of 
mortifying her majesty — of, in fact, lessening her 
popularity. He took care on every opportunity 
to point general attention to the readiness with 
which Marie Antoinette preferred the productions 
of her native to those of her adopted country. 
And he undertook to prove, in the present in- 
stance, that this preference was not guided by 
merit **In a short time," he boasted, " I will 
produce an instrument of French manufacture 



superior in tone and in magnificence of appear- 
ance to the vaunted importation of the queen." 
He possessed wealth, ingenuity, and perseverance ; 
his ooast was therefore not an idle one. 

The duke made the tour of all the eminent 
manufactories in Paris, but found no one who had 
enough of courage to undertake the seemingly 
impossible task he proposed ; for all had heard of 
the marvellous harpsichord of Silbermann. Afler 
nearly giving up the pursuit in despair, he deter- 
mined to visit the manufactories of a humbler 
grade. In one of these, a young and intelligent 
journeyman happened to overhear the offer made 
by the duke to his master, by whom it was de- 
clined. He started from his teat, and with a con- 
fident brow, declared he would undertake the 
commission. 

The Duke de Lauzun at first took little notice 
of the young artisan ; but won at length bv his 
earnestness and enthusiasm, consented to listen 
to a detail of the improvementa in the making of 
harpsichords, which, in addition to those of Sil- 
bermann, the new candidate for his patronage 
proposed. With the leave of his employer, Se- 
bastian Erard (for it was he) hastened to his 
Iwlgings for the drawings and notes he had made 
of his new invention. An hour afterwards he 
was closeted with the duke at the residence of 
the latter. His explanations were so satisfactory', 
his plans so manifestly practicable, that Lauzun 
immediately engaged him to make the required 
instrument A workshop was fitted up with an 
expensive collection of tools and materials in the 
duke's house, in which the young artisan employed 
himself early and late. 

His perseverance and industrjr were at length 
crowned with success. When his work was fin- 
ished, that of decoration began. This was the 
first instrument which had a moveable key-board, 
shifted by pedals, to modify its tones at the will 
of the player — ^which had a soft and a loud pedal. 
It was, in short, the fiiist piano-fokte. The 
Duke de Lauzun was delighted, and determined 
that no accessory of ornament should be wanting. 
He caused it to be enclosed in a magnificent case 
of gilded japan- work; the pedals were surmounted 
by a myt;hological group, exquisitely carved, from 
a design by the sculptor Houdon ; whilst the pro- 
fuse gilding was in many places relieved by ex- 
quisite paintings by Boucher, Greuze, and Van- 
loo, the most celebrated artists of the day. Fi- 
nally, this triumph of art and mechanical skill 
was placed in the apartments of the Marchioness 
de Milleroy, who gave a concert, which the Queen 
condescended to attend. 

The admiration lately excited by her majesty's 
new German hai^psichord was now completely 
thrown into the shade by that expressed for the 
instrument of native manufacture. The tones it 
gave out from under the skilful fingers of Piccini, 
the Italian composer, who was the first to play 
upon it, blended exquisitely with the beautiful 
voice of the Princess de Polignac, whom he ac- 
companied. Tlie queen herself was no less en- 
chanted than the rest, and unwittingly hastened 
on that triumph which the malevolence of the 
duke and the marchioness had prompted them to 
anticipate. 

" Pray," inquired the Queen of Lauzun, as she 
broke ujp a group of detractors, of which he was 
the most active and sarcastic, ** to whose skill are 
we indebted for this charminff instrument ? " 

" To that, your majesty, of a Frenchman," re- 

Elied the duke, with as marked an emphasis as 
e durst assume. 
" His name ? " 
" Sebastian Erard." 

" Indeed ! that is a person I neyer heard of be- 
fore," rejoined the queen. 
** Unfortunately, the names of few meritorious 



226 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Frenchneti^ retorted the duke, laying a stress 
upon the latter word, ** are known at the court of 
VersAilles," 

Without noticing this discourteous sneer, Marie 
Antoinette innuired to whoni the piano belonged. 
Lauzun explained that it was maae by his direc- 
tion, and tnat he was the posscsfior. ** You ? " 
repeated the queen, with tlio goo<l-natured arch- 
ness by which she was always ready to conciliate 
the most undeserved ill-will. ** And pray, what 
use can a colonel of hussars make of so elegant, 
so lafly-like an instrument ? " 

The duke replied, with an affectation of senti- 
ment, that music was liis most cherished relief 
from the cares of state and the fatigues of milita- 
ry duty. 

The truth was, Mario was so charmed with the 
instrument, that she longed to become its pos- 
sessor, and demanded upon what terms Lauzun 
would part with it Thb was exactly the result 
he wished : and, with every appearance of sor- 
rowful humility, he assured her majesty it was 
not in his power to part with it. 

" How BO ? ** she asked, a little piqued. " It is 
your own, and " 

" It toca mine yesterday," interrupted the duke, 
" but to-day it has become the property of ." 

** Of whom ? " impatiently inquired the queen. 

^* Of the Marchioness de Milleroy," answered 
Lauzun, with a low bow. 

Where pleasure is the idol, and frivolity the 
pursuit, it takes but a trifling occurrence to create 
a sensation. This was the case on the present 
occasion. The queen, despising this equivocation, 
turned quickly nrom the now triumphant courtier 
and, quitting the saloon abruptly, broke up the 
party. 

Enough, however, had been done to make the 
fortune of Sebastian Erard. Next morning he 
was sent for to Yorsailles, and presented to her 
majesty, who not only ordered from him a new 
piano-torte, but obtained from the king a brevet^ 
or patent, for his ingenious improvements. Once 
honored with court patronage, the young artisan's 
early dreams of amoitlon were speedily realized. 

Meantime a circumstance occurred which exer- 
cised an unfavorable influence over the career of 
the Duke de Lauzun. Extravagance had so im- 
paired his fortune, that his union with the Mar- 
chioness de Milleroy — ^herself by no means rich 
for her station — was deferred till an appointment 
which he expected to receive at the aeath of a 
relation should become vacant. The command of 
the French guards had for a Ions i>eriod been 
Tested in the chiefs of the duke's fomily, and his 
uncle, the Marshal de Biron, hitherto held the 
appointment. The Marshal died, and Lauzun 
believed that, as a matter of course, besides suc- 
ceeding to the title (his uncle left no fortune), he 
would De invested with the vacant and lucrative 
command. To his mortification, however, he was 
disappointed, and through,as he aifterwards learned, 
the influence of Mario Antoinette. From that 
moment he changed his side in politics. The first 
lowerings of the revolutionary storm, which after- 
wards burst with such appalling severity, had al- 
ready clouded the political horizon. lie joined 
the opposition, then neaded by the Orleans fam- 
ily — ^ne wrote pamphlets against the court — he 
wrote epigrams against the queen — ^he satirized 
the nobility. In short, he performed an active 
part towards exasperating tne populace against 
their rulers — towards hastening the deplorable 
crisis, which had so fatal a termination. 

During the progress of that terrible revolution, 
to so insane a piten was popular indignation raised 
against the aristocracy, that to be nobly bom was 
considered a crime punishable with death. The 
king and queen were early victims ; their suppor- 
ters and adherents followed. Lastly, even that 
section of the nobility who in the beginning led 
the popular tumult, were successively led to the 
scaffola. The Duke de Lauzun was one of the 
earliest sacrifices of the popular nobility. He 
ended his career under toe guillotine, leaving 
behind him the record of only one meritorious 
action — and even that was per&rmed by accident 
and out of pique — ^namely, rescuing from unmer- 
ited obscurity the talents and industry of Sebas- 
tian Erard. 



The revolution had no other ill effect upon the 
latter, than that of Interrupting the operations of 
a manufactory which had rapidly grown to be the 
most considerable in Paris. Sebastian Erard, re- 
spected by his fellow-citizens, was intrusted by 
tncm with a rcspon»blc municipal office. In ex- 
ecuting it, a part of his duty lay in restraining, 
as much as po^iblo, tlie wholesale pillage which 
was going on in all the residences of tlie king 
and the nobility. He had occasion to hasti*n 
to Versailles for that purpose, and found that 
most of the apartments had been already ran- 
sacked without mercy, lliose formerly occupied 
by the ^larchioness de Millerov were, on his arri- 
val, undergoing spoliation, ^he "first piano- 
forte " was still there. Rough hands had already 
been laid upon it. His threats and entreaties 
were for a time vain; but when the pillagers 
heanl his name, and tlie story of the instrument, 
they desisted. The piano was unanimously ceded 
to him ; and it is said that his descendants still 
possess several interesting relics of tiir first 

FIAKO-FORTE. 



An Imperial Pitch-fork. 

The Emperor of the French is endeavoring to 
create that kind of organization which would con- 
stitute perfect national unity. Napoleon is the 
motiVo Drain, the French nation tbe body, the 
public oflSces the limbs. In this sense every 
person administering to any function of the entire 
txxly is a public-administrator ; the tradesman is 
a purveyor, as he sometimes politely calls himself 
here ; the theatre is a department, and music b 
the subject of a special commission. For it is no 
doubt m this comprehensive view of his duties 
that the Emperor Napoleon has iust issued a 
commission to ascertain the posabiuty of fixing 
upon a " uniform diapason" or piteh. The com- 
mission, which is admirably formed, includes 
amongst its members Rossini. The object is one 
which has often been desiderated, but has not 
been attained, if even any progress has been made 
towards it. For want of such a fixed standard, 
there is not only a constant confusion between the 
instruments of the same country, but there has 
been a progressive change in the piteh of instru- 
mentsand of vocal composition, within the last 
century especially. Many of the vocal works of 
Ilandel ana his cotemporaries are now difficult to 
sing from, being "too high." The causes of this 
perpetual elevation of the piteh are tolerably well 
Known, though the^* are not absolutely clear. 

One may reside m the tendency of the musical 
scale itself, as it is formed from the bass, to extend 
the intervals upwards ; insomuch that the higher 
notes become " too sharp," and in the process of 
temperament are reduced to bring them into their 
general relations with each other. This confu- 
sion of the scale as it is formed amongst European 
nations — and Heaven defend us from adopting 
the Syriac or Chinese scale — is one amongst the 
millions of examples of that eccentricity in the 
mechanism of nature which forbids human syste- 
matizing. We cannot reduce nature to our nar- 
row idea of " perfection." 

It is, however, probable, that the progression 
of the piteh is principally due to a moral 
cause. The composer desires to make his work 
** brilliant ; " he tnrows it rather high in the scale. 
The performer desires to produce a "brilliant" 
execution, and he tunes nis instrument rather 
sharp. The audacious singer dares the instru- 
mentelist to go as far as he can in that direction ; 
and thus, in the ambition of brilliancy, the singer, 
the instrumentel performer and the composer are 
constantly working upwanls. " Concert piteh " is 
a phrase colloquially employed to mean a piteh 
higher than that which is considered generally 
desirable for instruments in our day. 

To correct this tendency to aberration natural 
standards have been suggested. Instrumental 
tuners will produce their own ** pitehforks " as a 
sufficient standard ; the pitehfork itself, however, 
having progressively advanced, though somewhat 
in the rear of executed music ; and the older 
pitehforks are flatter in tone than the modem. 

The song of birds has sometimes been pointed 
out as a natural standard, but amongst the diffi- 



culties of employing it is that of reducing the note 
sounded by a bird to any part of oar scale. Ciar- 
diner, no doubt, ein]>loys musical notes to imitete 
the natural tone of birds ; but how different would 
these notes sound on Uie pianoforte, or even on 
the most l)cautiful violin, from that sliarp, delicate 
chirp of the bird which eludes s)'stematized re- 
ductions to our larger and more prci-isi'ly divided 
gamut! We must seek Uie standard among our- 
selves. 

Amongst all the nations of the earth, although 
they arc not the most musical, the French, per- 
haps, are the very best to assist us in this partic- 
ular search, especially with the aid ot the great 
master of music, Romini. The oljject would be 
attained if we could fix upon a piece of metal, 
with a given stendanl of purity — not silver, which 
proves to be one of the least sonorous of metuls — 
aud with an ascertained weight and dimensions. 
But, as Sir Robert Peel said, "What is a pound?" 
The standanl of weight and measure itself has va- 
ried, and still varies amonpt us English. " A 
pound " is equivalent to a pint of water, or nearly 
so; but what if a "pint" of water? What is a 
" foot " measure ? The length of a man's foot — 
which varies, without any monstrosity, from nine 
to thirteen inches; as a "barley com "varies 
with every grain in a field of barley. It was the 
French who first systematically based measnre- 
ments upon a natural standard, in deputing 
Humbolt and the companion whom that philoso- 
pher has just lost, Bonpland, to measure a de- 
gree at the equator by a scientific process. Here 
probably is the nearest approach to a natural 
stendard, corrected by large data, that human 
science can attain. Upon that datum the French 
have based their s}'stematic measurement ; they 
are a s}'stematic people, and we see them, more 
hopefully than any otner, engaged in the present 
enterprise. 

The consequences are likely to be important, 
even for the higher branches of music itself; najr, 
even to composition. The same mania for " bril- 
liancy" which has beset the performer has attend- 
ed tlie composer, and it has oeen uncorrected by 
the knowledge of anything like an accurate 
stendard. It is possible that in a country like 
France, a gracious Emperor, strengthened by a 
sufficient reverence for music, might place res- 
traints upon aberrant composers, and keep the 
wilder sort within something like bounds of de- 
cency. The orreat master who is in the jiresent 
commission, although he has been copious in mu- 
sic which unpractised singers account difficult, is 
conspicuous for producing the largest amount of 
effect through each peculiar kind of voice for 
which the music is destined. In this sense, he is 
a composer whose works are easy to sing, though 
powerful and brilliant in their result ; and it is 
Decause there have been few musicians who have 
evinced so keen a sense of the natural scale. A 
permanent imperial commisaon, such as we have 
imagined, to control the excesses of musicians, es^ 
pecially of composers, would prevent a Verdi 
from giving to the world those shouting orations, 
which are very impressive, for the hour, but do 
more than anything to break down voices. He 
has revived the manner of that French ringer and 
teacher, Adrien, whose destructive method of ex- 
aggerated effort is deprecated by the accomplished 
Fetis. 

" The emisrion of the sound never being made 
in a natural manner and the strength of the 
lungs being constantly exerted, the most robust 
voices were unable to resist the fatigue of a labor 
for which the Herculean strength oi Adrien had 
been sufficient-. Thus, for several years, voices 
which were free and of good quality, and which 
had not been procured without much difficulty, 
were destroyed before they were able to leave 
the Royal Court of Music." 

Singers for Verdi's operas should have been 
teught in tliis manner, and they would last, as he 
permits singers to do, for two or three years. ^ 

But a permanent commission of music might 
exercise other useful checks upon abuse. In civil- 
ized countries commerce is the handmaid of mu- 
ric, as it is of most services in general demand ; 
and even in muric commerce cannot refrain from 
its adulterations or suppresrions. We suspect an 



>. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1858. 



227 



instanne of this kind under which the public of 
our own country suiTcrSf althourrli unconscious of 
its piivatious. No insti'umcnt has hitherto been 
found so available for general use as the piano- 
forte ; which has assisted in carrying the finest 
music into every home of the country. It 
has its imperfections, and the principal is the 
incapacity of the machinery to give forth a contin- 
uous sound. To amend tiiis defect has been one 
of the problems of practical music. Various ef- 
forts have been made, and a good many years 
since, the plan invented by a working pianoforte- 
maker appeared to promise success. The man 
had the same name with an eminent Roman com- 
poser, Isouanl ; but we doubt whether there was 
any relationship, or even whether they were from 
the same country. The plan consisted in throw- 
ing a stream of air upon a string after it had been 
once vibrated by the percussion of the hammer. 
Another method of obtaining continuity in keyed 
instruments is exemplified by the "hurdy-gurdy", 
in which the string is vibrated by a circular bow, 
though not with the happiest effects. A very 
simple but ingenious application of the same prin- 
ciple, however, was exhibited in this country a 
few years back. We heard the instrument, 
tliough wc had not an opportimity of seeing the 
mei^hanism. It consistea, we believe, of a sSken 
cylinder, moving not transversly to the string, but 
longitudinally — parallel to the extension of the 
string itself. The effect was exceedingly sweet, 
addinnr to .the brilliancy of the pianoforte the 
plaintive drawn-out sound of the violin, with a 
power of continuity adlibUunij and of crescendo ; 
though it still wants of course that crowning 
beauty of the bow instrument, the power of giving 
accurate intonation to tlie leading notes. — This 

Etrfection of a pianoforte, we believe, was public- 
exhibited onry once, at St Martinis Hall, he- 
re a very small audience ; once again, privately 
before the Queen ; and then, with its inventor 
and exhibitor, a M. Kaufman, it disappeared in- 
to space, and was never heard of again. Had 
eavions pianoforte makers assassinated M. Kauf- 
man, that unpretending, white-haired, elderly 
gentlemain, who was so proud of his invention ? 
The police have never reported sucth a crime, but 
we have before us the obvious fact, that if the in- 
vention had been successful, it would at once 
have thrown out of use all existing pianofortes, 
unless they had been adapted, and would have 
immediately lowered in value by 50 per cent, or 
mor«4 all existing stock, representing no doubt, 
some hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling. 
A permanent commission, such as that of the Em- 
peror Napoleon, would have fixed Kaufman for 
the time, and would have exhausted exneriments 
to ascertain the value of his invention : out could 
not M. Rossini and his colleagues re-discover for 
US the lost Kaufman ? — London Spectator, 



Ghreat Meeting of WelBh Bardi at lian- 

goUen. 

[Trom the Ltvwpool Mereiuy^ of September 22d.] 

This far-famed, romantic, and most ^ beautiful 
of vales " witnessed yesterday a sight that will 
not be easily forgotten by those who had the 
]>leasure of being present. Great numbers ar^ 
rived at Llangollen early by excursion trtuns 
from Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, &c., to 
witness the opening day of the great meeting of 
Welsh bards, Druids, and ovates — a meeting that 
occurs only once in seven years, the last having ta- 
ken place at Rhyddlan Castle, Denbigh, in 1851. 
Of course we cannot undertake to classify the many 
objects of interest in and around this beautiful 
town. 

The Gorsedd dates as far back as the time of 
Pirdain ab Aedd Mawr, about a thousand years 
before the Christian era. The chair of fowis 
was founded by three royal bards in the sixth 
century. 

The eisteddfod dates its origin from the time 
of Owain, at Maxenwledig (Maximus the Empe- 
ror), and it marks the era of British freedom 
from the Roman yoke and the restoration jof the 
supremacy of the British language. Its object is, 
in Uie first place, to promote the study and culti- 
yation of the poetry, music, and general litera- 



ture of the Cymry (Welsh) ; to preser\'e the 
Welsh language ; to encourage native arts and 
manufactures; and to rescue from oblivion the 
national usages of the Principality. In the sec- 
ond place, its object is to promote a spirit of loy- 
alty and patriotism among the people : of mutual 
confidence and inte)*cour8c between the rich and 
poor ; and of social haimony among all classes. 

These literary contests are the national sports 
of the Welsh race ; and a run for the best thou- 
sand lines on Immortality, or the best essay on 
the Celtic literature, is their " Derby" or " St. 
Leger.** Deprive them of these national pas- 
times, and they will cease to have any incentive 
to the love of their fatherland. 

At the present meeting, prizes to the amount 
of £500 are to be awarded to the most successful 
competitors. 

Tne list of patrons comprises nearly every gen- 
tleman in the Principality, as well as the border 
counties. 

Last evening a meeting took place in the mar- 
quee, at which speeches were delivered on sub- 
jects connected with the eisteddfod and the liter- 
ature of the Principality. Several poems were 
recited, patriotic songs sung in the Welsh lan- 

fuage, and national airs were performed on the 
arp by the minstrel of the eisteddfod, Mr. Ellis 
Roberts, harpist to H. R. H. the Prince of Wales. 

The morning was very fine, the sun shining 
forth in all its glory. At half-past ten, the pro- 
cession left the Ponsonby Arms Hotel, for the 
bardic circle, situate about half a mile distant 
The followingwas the order of procession : — The 
band of the Royal Denbigh Rifies, playing " the 
Druids' Mareh ; " the Druids having with them 
tlieir white flag, inscribed on which was the 
word " Holiness," in Welsh. Female on horse- 
back in ancient Welsh costume : the blue flag of 
the bards, with the Welsh word for " Peace ;**'the 
ovates, with great flag, closely followed by the 
bards and Druids ; the committee men and a num- 
ber of other gentlemen filling up the rear. Ar- 
rived at the bardic spot, a circle was formed, and 
the presiding bard, the Rev. J. Williams, rector 
of Llan-y-Mowddy, delivered a brief explanation 
of bardism and the ceremonies of the gorsedd. 
The minstrel of the eisteddfod played on the harp 
" Y Bardd yn ei Awen." Tne gorsedd prayers 
were then said, and after a few other ceremonies, 
the procession returned to the marquee in the 
same order. 

The proceedings throug:hout were enlivened 
by the music of four harpists and the bands of 
the Royal Denbigh Rifles and Denbighshire Cav- 
alr}'. 

Premiums were awarded to the successful can- 
didates — ^for the best poem on the " Transfigura- 
tion," of £10 and medal; "The Traitor;" the 
" Harvest Anthem." For a best orator of any 
nation, in any language, who shall deliver the 
most effective speech on the following subject: — 
" The neglect oy a people of their nationality is 
the certain prelude to tneir debasement and ex- 
tinction ; " nrst prize, silver coronal ; second, sil- 
ver armlet. The best singer. Recitation of Car- 
actacus's speech. Contest between the Royal 
Denbigh Rifles and the Denbighshire Cavalry. 
Best essay on " Mineral Resources" — a prize of 
£25 offered by the young men of Llangoller 
Singing with the harp. " Bardism." 

The proceedinj^ of the day were brought ♦ * 
close by the singing of the Webh Anthem. ^^' 
ring the latter part of the day there was »«wge 
attendance, it heing estimated that ther ^^^^ 
not fewer than 4000 persons present. 

In the evening a concert took place \v^^ mar- 
quee, the conductor beine Mr. John Owen, of 
Chester, assisted by Miss Williams, of ^e Philhar- 
monic, Liverpool : Miss Sophia L. B*^'' *"*i ^^« 
Jarvis, Manchester; and Air. Ellis Roberts, harp- 
ist to his Royal Highness the Prip« of Wales. 

Characters of the Miif<'^ Zffj^. 

(Continued from ptf ^^') 

NkwYoi^i Oct. 11,1858. 
Mk. Editor. — I cannot ^o'^ one moment, en- 
tertain the suppodtion b** that you, and in fact 
every one who is acqua**®^ with the nature of 



the production of a musical succession of sounds 
from a string, will readily answer the question 
with which my last communication closed, by ad- 
mitting that the divisional proportion necessary 
for the production of either a major or a minor 
scale, when the string is tuned to it, is the same 
as that required when tuned to B flat 

AVhat shall we say tlien ? If the identity or pe- 
cyliariiy of an interval or succession in mtisic be 
the consequent of proportion^ is it possible that 
like peculiarity will not be the result of like pro- 
portion? 

The term "like" may, possibly, by some of 
your readers be interpreted differently from the 
construction intended by me. For the purpose 
of defining the kind of "ZtlV-ness I mean let us 
have recourse to an illustration in which the eye 
is the judge instead of the ear, for there are some 
facts that are ekder to be seen than heard, and 
vice versa. 

Let these characters, M, N, O, represent three 
intervals of a scale, say the major 2d, major 9df 
and perfect 4<A, from the tonic or key-note. 

Then let these: n, ir, o, represent three liise 
intervals of some other scale of greater velocity of 
vibration. 

Tlie difference pereeived by the eye, after exam- 
ination, is, that the three last characters are smcdl- 
er as compared with the first three ; but the iden- 
tity , peculiarity y or principle of the two sets is like. 
The impression made upon the eye in both cases 
is of the same three shapes and figures, distin- 
guished from each other by the same differences 
of outline. 'Tis true, an associated quality may 
easily and rapidly be conceived, such, for instance, 
as that " the lai^e set were intended for papa^ 
and the small ones for the baby:" an idea, Uiat 
in this connection may sppear somewhat ludi- 
crous, but by no means iHogical, as shown in the 
reasoning of every day experience. 

It has often stnickme that the comparison: As 
size is to the eye, so is velocity of vibration to the 
ear, is about as g^ as can be made. For in- 
stance, size by %self considered will establish the 
identity of a greater and leas quantity of the same 
material ; so likewise, does the velocity of vibra* 
tion establi*o the identity of the sounds of greater 
and less /elocity. The ear, like the eye, per^ 
ceives tie difference without having recourse to 
arithn^tical figures, or measures. But, either to 
exhiht a geometrical or a musical figure a defined 
pro^rtion of size to srmething given is necessary 
jna geometrical figure, and in a musical figure a 
^efined proportion of velocity to some velocity of 
I vibration given is required. Thus, musical tones 
that are such, separately considered, if delivered 
indiscriminately, and without reference to scale 
will not form a musical figure. So, a figure of ir- 
proportion, simply exhibit different velocities, but 
regular proportion, though in reality a figure, is 
not snfiiciently defined and harmonious to be re- 
cognized and retained in the memory. 

But, to return more closely to the subject of 
our proposition, is it maintained that like propor- 
tion does not, or should not exist between one 
scale and another ; that the mi^or third in one key 
should be less mi^or than in another ; in short, 
that ihe pecuUariiy or inherent property of the in- 
tervals should be lessened in one key, and retain- 
ed in another ? 

It is true, that the greater perfection given in 
former days to certain keys on instruments whose 
tones are fixed, would impart a cireumstantial 



difference ; but such difference would not be suf- 
ficiently universal to assert as a principle that this 
or that particular key possessed this or that par- 
ticular quality ; the difference would be entirely 
at the will and caprice of the tuner who set the 
temperament ! 

Again, this sacrifice of the remote keys (so call- 
ed) has been pretty generally abandoned for the 
more reasonable and beautiful system of equal 
temperament. And why is this ? Is it that the 
interval succession of the keys may be more like 
or urdUce t If, even with the utmost endeavors of 
musical mechanicians a departure from absolute 
purity is rendered circumstantially necessary, it 
is only an evidence that the genius of man has 
not been able to supply an instrument fully capa- 
ble of rendering musical sounds in that stat« of per- 
fection which their nature demands. Even the 
violin, which has four fixed sounds, is incapable of 
rendering a scale in its purity if more than two 
open strings are used. Nay, more, even if a 
scale be produced from one string, the impossibil- 
ity of getting that string exactly equal in all its 
parts, renders the production minutely imperfect. 
Shall we then claim as a principle that the par- 
ticular character given by a particular string to 
the intervals of a particular key is an inherent 
property of the intervals of that key, when at the 
same time there are no two strings precisely 
alike? 

There is a fact, however, with regard to inter- 
vals in the highest state of purity, and that is, 
that, taken in harmonic instead of melodic com- 
bination, the fifth C, 6, in the scale of C is not of 
like proportion with the fiflh D, A. It is not neces- 
sary to discuss in this place this fact, inasmuch as 
this peculiarity will be found in the other keys as 
well as in the one mentioned ; but it is a subject 
that possibly some time or other I may direct my 
attention to. 

I mu9t again take an intermission, hoping that 
such of your readers as haie been any way in- 
terested will not be tired at this protraction of 
the subject, for necessity compeL it. 

t) J. Clarke. 

EftiATA. In the ftbienee of the editor «eye«i awkward mlc- 
printe crept into the second letter of Mr. Ciyrke, published 
Sept . 26. These all occur on the third column or. the first page 
(219); yiz: 2nd paragraph, last line, for " word " n^ '* sound." 
6th paragraph " last line, for '' senre " read '< obarre; " last 
paiagraph, first lino, for ^* propotUioi^ " read " propc^tion." 



Kalkbrenner recommends this fingering : 



For Dwight's Journal of M<eic. 

The Chromatic Scale. 

FOB STUDENTS OF THB FIANO-FOBTE. 

Mr. Editor : Having been frequently asked by 
students of the piano-forte : " What is the proper 
manner of playing the Chromatic Scale ? ** and 
knowing well how doctors disagree upon this 
subject, it has occurred to me that I may do a 
service, through your columns, by translating the 
following paper from the German. In A. £. 
Mueller's ' instruction book. Part II., (Ditson's 
Edition,) also, will be found very valuable Exer- 
cises for the practice of the Chromatic Scale. 

Yours truly, 

F.W.M. 



Up to the present time no one particular fin- 
gering for playing the Chromatic Scale has been 
agreed upon. Teachers commonly adopt some 
standard authority, upon which they base their 
own manner of playing, and difi*er accordingly 
in their instructions. 



5 2. X. 1. 
\. X. X 2. 3. 4. 



R. H. X. 2. z. 2. X. 1. 2. X. 2. 

C ascending to ----- c. 
L. H. X. 2. X. 2. 1. X. 2. X. 2. x. 2. 1. x. 

4. 3. 2. X. 2. X. 2. 1. X. 2. x. 2. x. 

c descending to - - - - C. 

X. X. it X. JL* X. £• X. 1. im X. £. tf. 

He declares it to be impossible to impart the 
same amount of strength to it, with any other 
fingers, because, he says, the thmnb and second 
finger are naturally the strongest. 

With him agree : Hun ten, J. Czemy, Greulich, 
and others. 

J. B. Cramer, as dementi's pupil, fingers the 
chromatic scale, thus : 
R. H. X. 1. 2. 8. X. 1. 2. X. 1. 2. 3. x. 1. 
C ascending to ----- c. 
L. H. 2. 1. X. 2. 1. X. 3. 2. 1. X. 2. 1. X. 

What Kalkbrenner calls the German fingering 
is supported by Chs. Czerny, J, Schmidt, &c. 
R. II. X. 1. X. 1. X. 1. 2. X. 1. X. 1..X. 1. 2. X. 
C ascending to ------ c. 

L. H. 2. 1. X. 1. X. 2. 1. X. 1. X. 1. X. 2. 1. x. 

HummeVs fingering in the right hand ascend- 
ing, and in the left descending, corresponds with 
Kalkbrenner's ; it differs however in the other di- 
rections, as follows : 

R. H. 2. X. 2. X. 2. X. 2. x. 2. 1. x. 2. x. 2. 1. x. 
c descending to -------A. 

L. H. 3. 2. X. 2. X. 2. 1. x. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2. 1. x. 2. x. 
C ascending to ------- ©. 

A. £. Mueller fingers the scale half like Czer- 
ny and half like Cramer. 
X. 1. X. 1. X. 1. 2. X. 1. 2. 3. X. 
C ascending to c. 

Kalkbrenner's fingering appears to me to be of 
particular advantage for beginners, on account of 
the aid it affords towards forming a good position 
of the hand. More advanced players, however, 
should study all the other ways of playing the 
chromatic Scale , the peculiar character of a pas- 
sage may demand a change of manipulation. 

Passages requiring great delicacy, at but a 
moderate degree of velocity, will be rendered 
better by using the first finger (as Czerny does) 
than by using the second. 

Kalkbrenner's mode of fingering affords most 
power. 

Cramer's admits of the greatest degree of 
equality in rapid passages, because it requires less 
frequent passing of the thumb. 

The chromatic scale should be practised, like 
the diatonic, by commencing at every one of the 
twelve keys, and in octaves, thirds, sixths, and 
^'nths, in direct and contrary movement, and of 
corse, through all the shades of piano and forte. 
l^rticular attention should be given to those 
place, ^here the scale turns or closes; there, 
whate>r mode of fingering has been previously 
used, alithe fingers should now be taken in suc- 
cession ; ti for example, in turning ; 
c. sharp d. sharp d. e. 6e. d. M. c. 

*• 1^. 3. 4. 3. 2. 1. X. 

and in closing 

c. sharp c. d..iiapp d. c. 

^' 1- 2. 8. 4. 

or 

e. f. sharp f. g. slw g. 

X. 1. 2. 3. 4. 

A passage Uke thisin Taubert's CampaneUa, 
should be fingered in th following manner: 



a^:g^ 



^^^^' 



t-^.^t^''^- 



8VA.. 




In certain passages the passing of the thumb 
after the fourth finger may be suitable. Au ex- 
ercue of that kind is of great advantage for a 
student 

c. c sh, d. d sh. e. f. f ir^. g. g sh, a. 
X. 1. 2. 3. 4. X. 1. 2. 3. 4. 

e. h^. d. M.. c. b. hh. a. &a. g. 
4. 3. 2. 1. X. 4. 3. 2. 1. X. 

An entirely different fingering becomes neces- 
sary whenever the chromatic scale is to be accom- 
panied in the same hand by chords, as in Chopin's 
Etude, Op. 10, No. 2. 

Though this fingering becomes necessary only 
in cases like those mentioned, it may nevertheless 
be practised, as it is an excellent technical exer- 
cise for the weaker fingers. 

R. H. ^4 3. 4. 2. 3. 4. 3. 4. 3. 4. 2. 3. 

-3 C ascending, 
L. H. ( 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 2, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4. 

R. H. ( 4, 3, 2, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 2, 4, 3, 4. 

< c descending. 
L. H. ( 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 2, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4. 

Pianists frequently use the chromatic scale ir4 a 
similar manner as the diatonic, viz., for var^'ing a 
theme, and even as a principal motive for entire 
compositions. For instance, the Andante by 
Thalberg; Etude by Kullack, or Listz's Galop 
Chromatiqne. Finally, it is not only used for 
passages, but for producing particular effects, as a 
means of tone-coloring. In this manner Listz 
used it in transferring Rossini's Overturo to 
" William Tell " to the piano. 



Mlla Ficcolomini— A Card from Ullman. 

The New York papers arc again brilllAnt with the 
manifestoes of "the indefatigable/' the impresario 
and manager of the Academy of Music. This is to 
prepare the way of his new Queen of Song : 

7b the Editors of the. Trihuntf ^. 

Gents : I have always hod a due sense of the im- 
portance of the newspaper press, both ns a medium 
of publicity and an index of pQt)lic opinion. But 
while the jouiiia1i.sts may at times be ruled by false 
information, and thas draw the public into the paths 
of onror, there exists among a certain c\a»» of them a 
desire to seize with the greatest avidity upon every 
" on dit " or gossip— (part icularly if it affects the rep- 
utation of an artist wlio for the time bcin^ occnptes a 
prominent place) — to satisfy the appetite for personal 
scandal, in which, as they think, the public might 
take delight. For the sake of this they do not hesi- 
tate in giving pain, and do not take into account the 
injury they may inflict upon the feelings of a stranger 
in a foreign land. Such was the case when I brought 
to America the late Madame Sontag, who was so far 
shocked widi an infamous newspaper attack sent to 
her on the day of her arrival, that she was on the 
point of returning to Europe without first having 
appeared Ixifore the American public. 

In view of this state of things, I have not been at 
all surprised to find that some of these persons, who 
are so admirably well informed of the private life and 
personal affairs of artists, have made some wondcrfal 
discoveries in relation to Mile. Piccolomini, now on 
her way to this countir. In these discoveries they 
arc aided bv the brigaae of dead heads, who, for the 
salvation ot the opera, were placed last season on the 
retired list, and wno, knowing that they will have al- 
ways to pay or stay away, open their fires not upon 
me, the manager, but upon the artist on whoso suc- 
cess so much depends. Allow me now to direct your 
attention to several of these agreeable paragraplis, of 
whidi the following is a fair specimen : 



K 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1858. 



229 



" With all the rcpard that Mile. Piccolomini pro- 
fcKsed to have for * the dear Irish/ in her speech she 
made to the Dublin students the other day, when 
they drew her carriage in trinmph throujrh the streets, 
she' does not seem to estimate them so hij;hly as her 
own countrymen ; for, under the same circumstances, 
some years apo, at Turin, she rebuked the outrafsceous 
entliusiasm of the popnlnce, and insisted upon getting 
out of her carriage, saying, tliat she would ' walk 
with them, as friends, hut nothing could induce her to 
make Italians lieasts of burden.' Beasts of burden 
is good. New Yorkers will please make a note of 
the observation." 

I confess I am not at all displeased at the publicity 
thus unintentionally given to an ovation, of which 
Mile. Piccolomini hiw iMien the recipient in her own 
country — in critical Italy — and that, too, in one of 
the most important musical cities. But is it just and 
fair to appeal to Now Yorkers "to make a note of 
observation ! " when it has been extensively published 
in The London Tinips and other English papers, that 
Mile. Piccolomini did attempt to prevent the Dublin 
demonstration, but could not do so for several very 
excellent reasons 1 In the first place, she could not 
leave the carriage, as the rain was falling in torrents ; 
then she could not speak sufficient English to make 
the students undersbind her ; and, more than all, it is 
not so easy — ns Irishmen will agree— to restrain the 
Gown men of Trinity when they once have resolved 
to give vent to their proverbial enthusiasm. 

Descending a stop still lower on the scale, it is 
found that there arc some writers who marry her 
(without previously consulting the interested parties) 
with an English Peer "as distinsruished for his re- 
fined taste in Itnt btnux arts as for his immense posses- 
sions and ancient pedigree," while others gravely 
assert that his (the Peer's) hand has been rejected by 
Mile. Piccolomini, and amply discuss the reasons 
that prompted her to do so. A weekly paper takes 
great pains in proving that she is only a " Princess " 
from her maternal side, and a " mere Countess," 
through her father. Now, Sir, I have vet to learn 
whether it is of any consequence to the pu^ilic whether 
an artist has a pedigree two miles long or not, whether 
she marries a lord or docs not. Madame Sont4ig did 
not come here as the Countess Bossi ; in the same 
manner, Piccolomini comes here as an artist, nnd not 
as a princess, which title she dropped on her first ap- 
pearance in public, of her own free will, and wof, as it 
IS asserted, by command of Cardinal I^ccolomini. 
I, personally, in speaking of her to the public, have 
not made the slightest allusion to her " princely line- 
aee ; " and I tnist the public will not forget that, after 
all, she is a young and enthusiastic girl, who has un- 
doubted claims upon the kindness and good will of 
everybody, including that of the disappointed dead- 
heads, and that she has every right to maintain her 
maiden name as long as she pleases. 

I am the public's most obedient servant, 

R. ULLMAN. 

Academy of Music, Oct. 7, 18.'i8. 



Jfoigljfs |0nrnal ai Pnsk 



BOSTON, OCT. 16, 1858. 

Music iw this Nuuder. — We commence this 
week the publication of an exceedingly beautiful and, 
in parts, highly dramatic Cantata by Frakz Schu- 
bert, called "Miriam's Song of Triumph." It 
will occupy from thirty to forty pages. It is for So- 
prano solo with chorus and piano-forte accompani- 
ment. Nothing could be much more interesting for 
practice in private circles, or more effective for short 
performances of choral societies, great or small. It 
is a eomposition which could hardly fail to delight an 
audience, if well performed. We shall give the re- 
mainder of it in alternation 'with the piano-forte ar- 
rangement of Luerezia Borgia. 



A Friend*8 Advice with Acknowledgments. 

A writer in the Providence Journal^ one of the 
■worshippers at the brazen feet of the colossal 
Verdi — or rather (to borrow his own vi\'id and 
poetic image) one of those who go down on their 
knees when " Trovatore comes galloping on" — 
administers a mild rebuke to us^ which, so very 
funny is it and so flattering to the tastes and pre- 
judices of" the masses," we certainly expected to | 



see widely copied. But since it is not, we give it 
the benefit of what circulation we can ourselves, 
for it is too good to be lost. The writer seems, 
by the heading of bis article, to have gone franti- 
cally inspired at the sight of an uncouth, cabalis- 
tic name that coined itself in a careless moment 
to our mind as indicative of the peculiar stage 
into which Italian Opera appears to us to have 
just now degenerated. But inasmuch as he en- 
dorses and adopts the name, without defining, we 
may venture to continue for some time to use it. 

Trovatopbra. — Somebody will have to hoop 
friend D wight of the Boston Journal of Music or he 
will burst with indignation. It seems that Strakosch 
has had the impertinence to go to Boston and adver- 
tise the performance of four Italian operas, after 
Dwight has been thundering away against Italian op- 
eras in his weekly sheet, and proving, as Shakes- 
peare's clown did of the mustard, that it was nought. 
— Now as Dwight seems to aim at regenerating the 
musical world of Boston, of bringing the vulgar herd 
to the true blue creed of adoration of everything Teu- 
tonic and abhorence of anything Iberian, — as he has 
couched his lance in emulation of La Mancha's 
Knight, and has rushed into the arena so many times 
and borne of the palm, (in his own estimation,) it 
docs seem a little bold and insolent in Strakosch to 
come forv-'ard in this manner with sounding tnimpets. 
Dwight has therefore let off a column of tine print in 
which he berates poor Italian opera most unmerciful- 
ly. Perhaps " the flow of ink might save a Hlood- 
letting," or else he would certainly need an outlet for 
the fever that rages within. Dwight is like a bull 
which always goes frantic at the sight of a red rag. 
Put Trorntore before his eyes, and straightw.ny he 
goes off into a savage tit and makes a terrible on- 
slaught upon the image of Italian opera which ho 
keeps ready to receive the attack, as Qnilp kept the 
old figure head in his yard to be hacked and hewed 
in his belligerent moo^ls. 

It is very strange that the Boston people will n<A 
learn of Mr. Dwight to despise the wretched, empty, 
vapid, meaningless, tame, two-penny stuff which is 
perpetrated under the name of Italian opera ! It is a 
very poor comment on his inductive and instructive 
powers that the Boston folks will go to hear Trova- 
tore and Traviaia, following therein the example of 
London and Paris and Italy. It is, perhaps, pardon- 
able in Mr. Dwight to be a little sour and ill-natured 
and denunciative at finding all his admonitions thus 
disregarded, his theories ignored, his idols forsaken. 
It might be expected that the high priest of Teutonic 
worship would fulminate a little at seeing the hosts of 
heretics which assemble around the Italian altar. 
But alas ! so it is. The Bostonians, it seems, are 
bom to be free-thinkers — that is, thinking for them- 
selves, and will not be whipped into any traces which 
they do not care to draw. Trovatore comes galloping 
on and down go the masses on their knees, while all 
alone on some granite ])oint stands friend Dwight 
with upturned nose and darkling brow, scanning the 
motley herd which scorns his leadership and bends 
before the gallant knight whom he holds in hatred 
and contempt. It is of no use, friend Dwight ! you 
can't write down, frown down, talk down, ridicule 
down' Italian music. In spite of your theories, your 
rules, yout musical mechanics, it is the music which 
plea.«es. You might as well stop that eternal outcry 
at what the world likes, if you do not ; aad, at least, 
spare those who take your journal for its original 
merit, the disgust of having to meet such unfair, un- 
generous, one-sided, ill-natured philippics as that in 
your last Saturday's Journal. 

Apart from the admirable wit of this produc- 
tion, we would call attention 

1. To its magnanimous fairness in holding up 
to laughter something which we are supposed to 
have said, without letting it be seen \chat we have 
said. The reader will appreciate this fairness if 
he will take the pains to turn to our obnoxious 
article of two weeks back, entitled " Trovatop- 
era," where he will be surprised to find that there 
is not one word against Italian music, or Italian 
opera, as such, nor one word of allusion to the 
German. On the contrary the starting point 
and key-note whence the article proceeds is an 
expression of regret that our good days of Italian 
opera seem to have past and yielded to a poorer 
fashion of the day, to smaller enterprises, which 



give us always Trovatore and almost nothing else, 
when we have glorious memories of // Barhiere 
and of TeU, and Don Giovanni and / Puritani, 
and so many works more worthy of our admira- 
tion. Should we complain of such degeneracy if 
we despised the original stock itself? What we 
did animadvert up(fn was, first, the frittering 
away of all the lyric interest between numerous 
small rival operatic enterprises, in the failure of 
all plans to establish Opera upon a permanent, 
broad, imitary basis: and, secondly, and more 
particularly, the low state of musical taste shown 
in the popular and fashionable admiration and 
almost exclusive patronage of such operas as the 
Trovatorty Rigoletto^ and the like. We intimated 
that Italian opera now appears to mean // Tro- 
vatore and nothing else, and that the opera 
troupes might properly be called Trovatore 
troupes. Plainly our witty ** friend " agrees with 
us ; he too regards Italian opera and Trovatore 
as synon}'moiis, since he construes our dislike of 
the latter into treason to the former, and infers 
the treason wholly fVom that dislike in a special 
instance. Read our article and see. 

2. Its high and noble theory of an Art critic's 
duties. We confess we had entertained a differ- 
ent theory; but we must be grateful for new 
light, the more so that the new way, so generous- 
ly pointed out to us, promises to be by far an eas- 
ier way than that we have been travelling. Why 
to be sure, why did we never think of it ? Why 
have we stultified ourselves with the absurd no- 
tion that it was in any way the business of a 
musical journal or of a musical critic to try to 
raise the public taste, to point out the fallacy of 
popular idols, to lead those thirsting after beauty 
and poesy in tones or other forms of Art to 
the pure, genuine springs of inspiration ? Why 
have we waited till this day, till we are laughed 
at by this funny " friend," before we have had 
the wit to recognize that the one proper aim and 
function of a journal of music is simply identical 
with that of the managerial big-letter posters on 
the corners of the streets, and that the heiirht of 
editorial ambition should be to outdo these in the 
sublime art of advertisement ? How much sim- 
pler, how much nobler were it to always praise 
what all are praising, and be loyal to the one ab- 
solute authority in Art, to-wit the popular stan- 
dard, the reigning fashion of the hour ! Surely it 
is " ill-natured " and " ungenerous" to hint that 
that is not the best, which takes the multitude at 
any given time, even if it be something quite the 
opposite of what the multitude admired the year 
before and may agaun admire the next year ! In 
short, there is no other st^indard of what is sound 
and true and beautiful in tnusic, but the success 
of any given work in drawing large, remunerative 
audiences ; and we ought to have known it, and 
ceased referring to the Shakespeares and the Ra- 
phaels of the art, to Mozart, to Beethoven, and to 
Rossini, and the like, when it is a notorious fact 
that audiences prefer Verdi. Yes, let us endeavor 
to forsake our idols, for, lo ! now " Trovatore comes 
galloping on, and down must we all go on our 
knees," reverently accepting the new dispensation 
in which brass reigns paramount, the new gospel 
of " effect " which has so clearly superseded that 
of beauty, feeling and expression. 

3. We must thank our "friend," too, for his 
lesson of independence. Though couched in 
satire, his counsels have the true heroic ring. 
Where shall we get the courage to come up upon 



230 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



his high ground ? It is so much better and braver 
to throw away all reverence for the past; to 
praise and condemn and set up our own judgments, 
as we are pleased, and as we please, in nmsic, as 
in all other things, in spite of Rossini, or Beetho- 
ven, or all the master-spirits of the art combined. 
It is BO American ! so independent, so all-know- 
ing. What is the verdict of the whole world in 
the long run, when weighed against to-day's im- 
pression of a New York or Boston audience ? 
Does not the "Mctamora," " Gladiator" style of 
di*ama draw far better houses than " King Lear " 
or ** Hamlet," and does not this settle it that the 
former is the genuine article, and that there is no 
use in saying any more about it ? 

4. Again, we must admire the writer's clear 
perception and appreciation of our point in find- 
ing fatilt with Trovatore, Ho understands us so 
much better than we understood ourself ! It seems 
we meant to say, — classical pedants and old fo- 
gies as we are, we should have said, that Trovatore 
is an abomination because composed in violation 
of " the rules," of " musical mechanics," and so on. 
Whereas we actually did say : " This music lacks 
the sovereign quality of geniality; it is mechani- 
cal." Our quarrel with it, taking our article lit- 
erally, was, that it lacked real sentiment and pa- 
thos, spontaneous, genial inspiration, naturalness, 
&c. ; that it was forced, mechanical, and straining 
for effect. It seems we wrote the opposite of 
what we meant, for is it not as true as our 
" friend's " showing, that we admire by book and 
rule, and only condemn that which sins against 
the mechanical theory and grammar of the art ! 
When we said that Trovatore wanted sentiment, 
we should have said it wanted learning. How 
fortunate we are to have a '* friend " for an inter- 
preter ! 

But, to be serious, O facetious champion of Tro- 
vatopera, if you would not have us write against 
that opera, if you would not have us offer any va- 
riation from the general humdrum tune of praise, 
why is it that you will not give us now and then 
some other theme to write about ? How shall a 
poor musical editor find any spice of novelty to 
give life to his columns, if there be no music 
known or heard but Trovatore^ and if he cannot 
be allowed even the poor privilege of abusing that ? 
If that really be all, if music henceforth is to be 
reduced to Trovatore^ we will abandon with a 
good grace, and at least thank you ibr your felic- 
itous motto, that sums up once for all the entire 
story of the music of our times : " Trovatore 
comes galloping on, and down go the masses on 
their knees." We shall have use for that, at any 
rate. 



Italian Opera. 

For the second night, the Strakosch Troupe gave 
as, as we have said, Lucrexia Borgia. It was a per^ 
formance, as a whole, nnwortliy of an ftudience that 
overflowed the theatre. Choras and orchestra were 
often careless and at fault, and the ensemble loose 
and shuffling. Sig. Labocetta, the tenor, made but 
an indifferent Gennaro with bis sweetish sentimen- 
tal voice and 8tyl<5 of singing and of acting. Mme. 
Strakosch was a picturesque, bat musically unef- 
fective Orsini ; Iier voice is rich and musical in qual- 
ity, bat wanted powbr. But FabOdi's Lucrezia of- 
fered much to admire ; her intense, conventionally 
tragic manner was less exaggerated than it has been 
sometimes, and there was more of tenderness, besides 
power, iu her tones. Jumca, the giant of a basso, 
has a great voic<), more peculiarly rich in the higher 



tones, which he delivers for the most part with artistic 
skill. Ho looked well as the imposing, terrible Al- 
fonso. 

We had never expected to find such enjoyment in 
the light and pretty military opern, La Fir/iia del Rpg- 
gimento, as we did on Friday night. It was all due to 
Mme. Colsgn's charming impersonation of the hero- 
ine, to her incompanihlc harmony of song and action. 
How could we have thought her movements avkward 
that first night ? it was some accident of the firnt cn- 
trde, a mere first imprcssiou ; for she is really all 
grace and harmony of motion, full of life and melody 
as any bird at sunrise. She is admirably fitted for 
that role ; there was a rare refinement in her render- 
ing of it ; Alboni was, of course, too coarse. Mme. 
Colson nowhere over-did it ; she omitted much of the 
military clnp-trap, and did not strap a drum about 
her to bring down the gallery. Tlie charm of her 
voice, although not rich in quality, still grew upon 
us, it was so pure, so true, so searching, and so flexi- 
ble ; so expressive withal in all parts of its compass ; 
and managed with consummate skill ; a skill, too, 
which never exhil>its itself as such, in a senseless 
bravura way, but always legitimately serves the dra- 
matic intention and unity of the character and of the 
play. Mme. Colson, as a singer, has one fault ; yet 
we could scarcely feel it a fault, for the time being, 
so expressive did she make it ; we mean that tremolo 
upon sustained notes, which is a common affectation, 
but which sometimes in her use of it had almost the 
beauty of a trill. Yet it may easily degenerate into 
a weak habit, when its effect is quite unmusical, tor- 
turing the nerve of hearing, somewhat as the quick 
alternate interception and return of sunshine through 
a lattice fence, as you walk by, tortures the optic 
nerve. 

Sig. Labocetta was the Tonio, and Sig. Barilli 
the old Sergeant, for which part he lacked force and 
spirit. The general performance was of average ex- 
cellence. 



Handel and Haydn Society. 

That was a very interesting performance of Rossi- 
ni's Stabat MaieTf on Sunday evening. The Music 
Hall a/>peared well filled. First came Mercadante's 
overture to the Stabatf quite well played by Mr. Zer- 
rahn's orchestra, and then for a First Part some 
misce/laneous sacred selections by the Italian singers 
of the Strakosch Opera. The first of the " sacred '' 
pieces, was the tenor romanza from the opera, // Giu- 
ramento, sung with considerable expression by Sig. 
Labocetta. AhlnonJiUf was chastely, musically 
rendered by Mme. Strakosch. The charming Col- 
son's voice was hardly suited to Schubert's Ave Ma- 
ria ; the tremulousness was too perceptible, and yet 
there was a fervor and a beauty about it which de- 
served more recognition than it got. Junca's sing- 
ing of Qui sdegno, the great bass song {In diesen htiV- 
gen HaUen) from Mozart's Zaiiberjl&tef was firm, cor- 
rect and hard, without the life that Formes gave it. 
Parodi did her best in a very bold and impressive 
rendering of Mendelssohn's "Jerusalem, thou that 
killest," Ac. Some of her tones rang out superbly, 
and there was no lack of expressive light and shade. 
A repetition was of course cbligaio. 

There is much admirable music in Rossini's Stabat. 
How can the lovers of Italian music run after Verdi 
when they have such music as this ? To be sure the 
music is not always quite in earnest ; it drops away 
from its high theme unconsciously ; its genial, 
careless author has confessed as much. The Cujvs 
aniwam is altogetlier secular and martial, saying one 
thing, while the words mean quite another, — and 
there are other-trivial digressions ; and the Fugue finale 
finds Rossini out of his element, being so confused 
in its structure that it is hard to tell whether it is well 
sung or not. But the opening quartet and chorus, 
Stabat mater dolorosa, is almost sublime ; so is Eia 
mater and the Inflnmmatus ; while the Quando corpus 



is a miracle of beauty and expressiveness. Rarely 
have we heard that unaccompanied quartet sung in 
such good tune, and ^ith such expression as it was 
that nip:ht. And generally we may say of the Itali.in 
part of the peifonnance, that is of all the soIcm, that 
we have hardly before had any set of Italian singers 
do such justice to their parts. They were at least at- 
tentive, and save, perhaps in a single instance, correct. 
Mme. Colson 's voice told splendidly in Et inflam- 
matus. Brig NOLI gave Cujus animam unequally, but 
for the most part expi-cssively, and took that high 
note witli an immense power of tnily musical tone. 
Amodio, to our taste, sang never better than in Pro 
peccatis ; he was more moderate and unexaggeratcd 
than was his wont. Mmes. Parodi and Strakoscu, 
though not particularly well matched, sung Q^is est 
homo finely ; and tlio latter rendered Foe ut portem 
with true feeling and a rich, even beauty of voice. 
We sat too near to judge well of the orchestra and 
cliorus ; but thought the ensemble hardly up to the 
usual standard of the Society. 



PiiiLADELPuiA, October 5. — Madame Col- 
son is coming. Her name, upon blood-red pos- 
ters, graces every brick wall, board fence, and 
old shed in the city. Not in Opera, though, are 
we to sit in judgment over this singing bird of 
the sunny south ; for, with all the glories of our 
much vaunted Acadcmv of Music, and two Thes- 
plan Temples besides, there is not a square mile in 
the city which could at this time bo devoted to the 
Opera. The Opera House is nightly filled with de- 
Iij[rhte<l children of all ages and sexes, who go off into 
side-splitting paroxpms over the vagaries of Fran- 
cois Ravel or the gum-elastic antics of his brother 
Gabriel. Under these circumstances, what will re- 
main to us but to chew the cud of bitter disappoint- 
ment, and to perambulate in a quiet, staid, sober man- 
ner to the Musical Fund Hall, for our musical en- 
tertainments. Ora pro nobiSf wortliy Journal ; verily 
does it seem as though every lingering hope of en- 
grafting the most refined of amusements hero, had 
been flung out of the noble Academy, along with 
Marctzek and Torriani, last spring. 

The untimely demise of Hermann Thorbecke, 
on board the ill-fated Austria, has cast a gloomy 
shadow over musical circles here. He had identified 
himself to a remarkable extent with the development 
of good musical taste in tliis city; his classical soi- 
r^s, given from winter to winter, had afforded un- 
disputed evidence of his enthusiastic longing to ren- 
der the works of the great masters intelligible, and 
therefore appreciated among us. Moreover, Her- 
mann Thorbecke possessed a mild, genial, singularly 
amiable temperament; and ever followed the even 
tenor of his way, without turning aside to meddle in 
the many little internecine wan and petty jealous- 
ies, which alas ! too of^en retard the progress in life of 
others, in various professions. 

Intense application to the study and practise of 
music, as well as to the duties of his calling, had im- 
paired his health very considerably, at various times ; 
indeed his slender physique always seemed but poorly 
calculated to endure the many trials which beset the 
path of a music teacher. Little doubt, however, that 
his fatal trip across the Atlantic had materially invig- 
orated all his faculties. Thori)ecke possessed a keen 
(esthetic perception of the latent resources of the " di- 
vine art," and his admirable, brilliant, and correct 
execution, acquired by a long course of judicious la- 
bor, enabled him to develop these in a manner which 
nourished his enthusiasm, in an increased ratio with 
every step upon the gradus ad PamasBum. In fine, 
connoisseurs have ranked him as among the best res' 
ident classic piano-forte players in this country, and 
his violent death has left a void, socially and profes- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1858. 



231 



sionally, whidi will bo sincorely rcfprcttcd by his le- 
gion of friends. 

Sentz has returned to New York, and is now bus- 
ily engaged in marking out his " Germania'' cam- 
paign for this season. When he does marshal his 
hosts, be it sooner or later, you will feel the fluttering 
of the ladies' hearts, and hear the rustle of silks and 
crinoline, even as far as Boston. Here, the spasms 
of joy, upon an announcement of the initiatory re- 
licarsal, generally set the Musical Fund Hall to rock- 
ing like a cradle. Let Scntz bo canonized ! — for his 
orchestra and he have really contributed vastly to- 
ward a diffusion of healthy taste, and a familiariza- 
tion with the higher walks of musical composition. 
Why I, myself, have beheld a radiant Belle strug- 
gling nobly with the Pilgrim's chorus from Tannhau- 
s«r, after her return from one of the improving Ger~ 
mania rehearsals ; she thought " those pompous chords 
so grand J so imposing, so replete with inspired feeling ! " 
— and verily she had encompassed its movements 
and changes quite correctly when, subsequently, fate 
threw me into her society again. Two years ago, 
that very Miss regarded Dodwortli's very best Polka 
as the ne plus ultra of musical composition. 

Individual cases, analogous to the one just men- 
tioned, unmistakeably endorse the efficacy and utility 
of societies such as the Germania, and cheeringly 
point to the glorious change, which is slowly but very 
certainly developing itself in the musical taste of the 
public at large. Manbico. 

New York, Oct. 12. — Our opera season is over. 
Max Maretiek closed the pcifonnances of his 
troupe with a grand benefit, commencing at 2 o'clock 
Monday afternoon and ending somewhere about mid- 
night The day opera was Linda, with the Gassiers 
and Sbriolia, the new tenor, and in the evening 
Ernani was given, the principal novelty being the 
debut of a new basso, one Signor Nani, in the role 
of Silvo. Besides these two operas, there were 
Spanish songs by the Gassiers, tlie Liberty duet of 
/ Puritani by Signers Gassier and Nani, and a ballet 
by the Ronzani troupe. Altogether the benefit was 
quite a success, both artistically and pecuniarily. 

Signor Sbriglia, the new tenor, has, since his debut 
in Traviata, appeared also in Linda and Lucia. 
Though ho did not create the sensation that Steffani 
did on his first appearance, he is yet a very agreeable 
singer — ^young, handsome and animated: — gifted 
with a sweet, clear voice, he only lacks power to take 
first rank among the goodly fellowship of tenors. 
But this deficiency of power is fatal to his success, 
and the critics only say that he is fit for the concert 
room. 

Steffani must be a most vexatious individual to 
the management. He is constantly indisposed, and 
for the lost few weeks .has only sung occasionally, 
being on those occasions too hoarse to be heard vith 
pleasure. This partially results from our trying 
climate, and partially from the straining to which he 
subjects his voice whenever he does sing. 

Mr. Ullman announces the first appearance of 
P1CCOLO311XI for (about) next Monday evening. 
During the present week, some slight changes will be 
made in the interior arrangements of the Academy of 
Music, calculated to increase the accommodation of 
visitors. 

The LucT EscoTT oi>era troupe has failed to draw 
paying houses, and their performances have been 
prematurely suspended. They produced no novelties, 
it is true, but the artists deserved support, for they 
possessed considerable talent. 

Efforts ore being made to obtain another engage- 
ment for the company, and if unsuccessful, it is ru- 
mored that Mrs. Escott will appear in Italian opera. 
Noting the failure of tliis second English opera scheme 
of the season, one of our dailies, as preliminary to a 
puff of Ficcolomini, makes the following remarks 
the truth of which I leave your readers to decide : 



As Operatic Rkvolotion.— One of the most rpmnrkable 
changes in the tMte of the public, not only metropolitan, but 
provincial an well— is found in the operatic events of the day 
In the early days of the American theatre nothing was ntore 
popular thnn the old Cishioned Epglish operetta of the ''No 
Song no Supper*- or "Love in a Village" order. An actreiw 
who could sing tolerablv and art well was always sure to make 
a sensation, and generally caught a rich husband. Encour- 
aged by the public support which the old fiMhioned operetta 
received, the English composers went to work at something 
wore pretcuUnus. stealing right and left from the repertories of 
the Ititlian and the French comic Opera. Then we had the 
Woods, who were all the rngc. and who made a great deal of 
money. Following them came the Seguins, who were also suc- 
ceesful. Mme. Anna Thlllon, who was more French than Eng- 
lish, was a great public favorite ; but there the record of tri- 
umphs mnst end. The Pine and Harrison company, though 
highly esteemed, failed tn reap any pecuniary reward, and 
within the month two English opera companies have sought for 
the Ikvor of a metropolitan audience, which would not take the 
trouble to go and hear them. Many ingenious persons have 
puzzled their brains in finding excuses or apologies for this 
frigidity on the part of the public, but none of them have hit 
the nail on the hend. It is not that the artists are mediocre, 
or that they injudiciously pit themselves against the Italians in 
English versions of hackneyed operas. It Is simply because 
the taste of the public has changed, and that noboiy cares 
now-a-days for the English Opera when the Italian article can 
be had at the same price. Ten or twelve years ago it was hard 
work to muster an audience for Italian Opera sufficient to fill 
Palmo's old place in Chambers street or tlie Astnr place estab- 
lishment, while we have had two companies giving performan- 
ces at the same time, and filling the Academy and Burton's the- 
atre, either of which houses will accommodate more people 
than the two old places together. The Italian Opera is the 
fiishionable amusement of the day, not only In New Tork, but 
In Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the other provincial 
cities, when they are lucky enough to get it. Among the more 
refined classes it has to some extent supplanted the drama, 
which, if it is not absolutely on the wane, certainly does not 
keep pace with the progress of the country. Fashionable peo- 
ple think It is the thiiig to say they have been to the opera, 
but are not so fond of saying that they have assisted at the act- 
ing of an English play. Where they go everybody follows, so 
one meets everybody at the Opera. It is no doubt a very mel- 
ancholy state of things for some of the old fogies that such a 
state of things should exist ; but there is no resisting, as there 
is no accounting for the mutations of public taste. Just now 
the Italian Opera is ''the thing," and nothing else will do, the 
audiences being popular as weU a« fashionable. 

A Miss Emma Wellis, from Paris, announces a 
concert for Thursday evening, the chief attraction 
being her own performance upon the Orguo Alexan- 
dre. There is nothing else of novelty in musical 
circles to refer to. Trovator. 



Brooklyn, N. Y., Oct. 12. — The musical season 
opens with most encouraging signs, and with every 
indication of our highest hopes and expectations 
being realized. I^et me come at once to particulars, 
and you will see that I have good and substantial 
reasons for the " belief which is in me." 

Our "Philharmonic Society " was inaugurated last 
season with 500 paying subscribers, and we consid- 
ered it in every sense a perfect success from the 
opening to the close. We now, thus early in the 
season, have commenced the Reheai-sals for the 
Second Season with 650 paying subscribers. The 
Orcliestral pieces for the first concert I gave you in 
my last letter. 

The first Rehearsal took place at the Athenseum 
on Wednesday afternoon last, but owing to the non- 
arrival of Mr. ExsFELD, Mr. Noll very acceptably 
filled his place as conductor. 

There is much sympatliy felt both in this city and 
New York, for Mr. Eisfeld. Of course your readers 
are all aware of his being among the passengers of 
the illfated " Austria *\ and that he was picked up 
with others by the Bark " Maurice ", and carried to 
Fayal. But it is feared that Mr. Eisfeld received 
some serious injuries in addition to tliose of exposure 
and the greatest fatigue, which may so impair his 
health as to make it necessary for us to supply his 
place as conductor of our "Philharmonic." No 
doubt his place can be well filled, as we have abun- 
dance of talent among us ; and not a few good con- 
ductors ; but we cannot part with Mr. Eisfeld without 
feeling that we have lost something more than a man 
of high musical culture, a most thorough and efBcient 
musical conductor, ono able and accustomed to fur- 
nish us with instruction and entertainment the highest, 
noblest and purest we are capable of receiving, but 
that we shall also lose in Mr. Eisfeld an accomplished, 
and courteous gentleman. No intelligence that I can 
learn has been received from Mr. Eisfeld, but we hope 
soon to welcome him back among us with restored 
health and renewed energies for his arduous labors 
ainong us the coming winter. 



The " Brooklyn Harmonic Society " give their 
" First concert " for the season on Thursday evening 
of this week. The Programme is as follows : — 

PART I. 

1.— Symphony In B flat. No. 12, Joe. Haydn, a.— Introdac- 
tion and Allegro, b.— Adagio, c. — Minuetto. d. — Presto. 

2.— Quartet from *' Bequiem." '* Tuba mirum '-, Ifootrt. 

8._Weddiog Blareh, ftom " Midsummer Night's dream," 
Mendelssohn. 

PART II. 

The Lay of the Bell, Cantata, And reax Romberg. 

This society has met with great success so far, and 
their season for 1858-9 bids fair to be highly success- 
ful. It is composed of excellent material, and their 
conductor, Mr. Carl Prox, is a fine musician, and 

a person of great energy and perseverance. 

The preliminaries towards the building of a new 
Musical Hall are now going on, and as I wrote you 
some time since, we shall before many davs have a 
Music Hall worthy our beautiful city. ^bllini. 



Musical CMt-Cliat 

Carl Zerrahn has issued his proposals for his 
third anntuil series of Philharmonic Concerts. He 
has modified the plan somewhat since he first stated 
it to us ; but there will be nothing lost, if only the 
public will do their part. Instead of six concerts he 
announces four, and the success of these will surely 
bring a second series. The one practical first thing 
in order, then, is to subscribe to the four Concerts. 
The price for the series will be three dollars, and the 
concerts cannot be commenced unless six hundred 
subscribers are obtained, that number being absolutely 
necessary to cover the expenses of the undertaking. 
The orchestra will number at least fij\}i of the fii*st 
musicians of the city, and the best available solo per- 
formers, vocal and instrumental, will be engaged for 

each concert. The programmes will be composed 
mainly of music of the highest order, with choice se- 
lection.«< from the lighter music of the day, including 
a variety of compositions new to Boston. The con- 
certs will be given in the Boston Music Hall, on Sat- 
urday evenings, at intervals not longer than three 
weeks, and will commence as soon as the subscription 
warrants. 

We would call attention to the card of Mr Zebda- 
helyi, the Hungarian pianist, who is an accom- 
plished artist, a gentleman of fine taste and culture, 
well versed in our language, and whom we can confi- 
dently recommend as an excellent teacher of the 
piano-forte. . . . Mr. Meerbach, also, is one of the 
most experienced, intelligent, and well-read of the 
German musicians and piano-teachers who have taken 

up their abode in Boston. He plays with rare skill 
and taste, is at home in all the best music of the 
masters, and has made the art of teaching an object 
of very careful aod critical study. . . . Mr. H. S. 
Cutler, the excellent organist and director of tlie 
music for some years past at the Church of the Ad- 
vent in this city, has accepted an invitation to become 
the organist at Trinity Church, New York, in place 
of the learned and esteemed Dr. Hodges, whose 
feeble health obliges him to seek retirement. 




CJ* 



ttsit Sbroair. 



Parts. — Madame Marie Cabcl has created a great 
sensation at the Op^ra-Comique by her performance 
of Carlo in Auber's Pari du Viable, revived express- 
ly for her. It is in contemplation to reproduce L^stocq, 
certainly one of Auher's finest works. At the Grand- 
Opera Madame Borghi-Mamo has appeared for the 
first time as Catharina in tlie Rpiue de Cht/pre with 
success. — M. Calzado has is-sued his pro«])ectns for 
the ensuing campaign at the Italicns. The revivals 
and new operas promi-eU are Madtcth, by Verdi ; 
Anna Bolena, 1 jJartiri and I\ol)erto Devcreux, by 
Donizetti ; // (riuramento, by Mercadante, and Zd- 
mira, by Ko^.'sini. The Inst alone will be worth all 
the rest. Madame Fivzznlini has arrived in Pari.s 
from London, and Mr. Vincent Wallace is also in 
the capital of the Beaux-Arts, which was never so 
dull as at present, nor hod less to say for itself. 

'La Harpe d'Or,* an opera by that excellent har- 
pist, M. Godefroid, has been produced at the Theatre 
Lyrique with moderate success. Perhaps the com- 
poser has waited too long for his opportunity, since 
we know that, some ten years since, he was expec- 



232 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ting his chance — havine been enj?aged with apparent 
strictness and real random, bj M. JuUien, to furnish 
Drurpr Lane with an opera every year. — It is now 
certain that M. Carvalho, and Madame Miolan — that 
most accomplished singer, his wife — will not quit the 
Theatre Lyrique. The Lady is to be the Marguerite 
in M. Gounod's * Faust/ wliich is now in i-ehearsal. 
The accounts of M. Michor, a new tenor, who has 
appeared there, are good. He is said to have an " ut 
de poitrine " very nearly as striking as those of IM. 
Duprez and Signor Tambcrlik ; — but this in nowise 
decides his accomplishments as an artist. 

Something more has transpired in regard to the 
opera by Signor Rossini, whicn was promised to the 



Italian Theatre in Paris for the season 1857-8. ' II 
Curioso Accidente/ we now learn from the French 
Correspondent of the Morning Post, resembles its 
luckless predecessor, ' Robert le Bruce,' in being a 
pasticcio made up by Signor Berrettoni, and authen- 
ticated by ** a certificate from Signor Ros.<«ini." It 
was put into rehearsal last season, out not produced, 
in consequence of which Signor Berrettoni has been 
suing M. Calzado, the manager of the Italian Opera 
in Paris, with the hope of obtaining damages for the 
delay. These have not been granted ; but the Tri- 
builal of Commerce ordains that the opera shall be 
represented before the 31st of December, 1859. — Athe- 
rueum. 



Festivals. — During the first days of October there 
is to be held a Festival at Coblentz, in celebration of 
the fiftieth anniversary of the Musical Institute. The 
Oratorio chosen (for on these occasions the Germans 
rarely execute more than one complete work) is to be 
the ' Samson ' of Handel. — Ere this happens, a Festi- 
valof the Middle Rhine will be held at Wiesbaden, at 
which the one Oratorio is to be ' The Creation.' 
There is to be a popular Singing Festival at Inns- 
pruck in the course or next month : — this we should 
imagine well worth loitering or turning aside to par- 
take of. The Continent has few haunts more enjoy- 
able, few people more frank and kindly, than those 
belonging to the Valley of the Inn. — Among the 
" Festivals," or grand concerts, which have taken 
place during the lust few weeks, may bo mentioned 
one at Spa ; — also the annual concourse at Baden- 
Baden, presided over by M. Berlioz, at which some 
of the conductor's music is always performed — this 
year, the earlier portions of his ' komeo and Juliet ' 
Symphony. — Dr. Liszt seems to keep his hold on the 
youth of the Universities, for we observe tliat at the 
three-hundredth anniversary of the foundation of the 
University of Jena a ' Gloria in Excelsis,' from his 
pen, was performed. 

England. 

Manchester. — The tide of music has left London 
and dispersed itself throughout the provinces. One 
of the good things in England is the practice of fre- 
quent exhibitions of flne Oiigan music. The Man- 
chester Examiner thus describes the recent opening of 
the new organ at the Free Trade Hall in that town, 
and the wonderful playing of Mr. Best, the eminent 
organist of St. Greorge's Hall, in Liverpool : 

He was warmly welcomed on his appearance upon 
the orchestra, and commenced his performance with 
a Pastorale, by Bach, at the close introducing one of 
those pedal fugues by the same composer which are 
the great delight of connoisseurs of the organ. This 
Mr. Best played with that matchless perfection for 
which he is celebrated, the pedal passages telling out 
in a manner which proved that tfio builders had pre- 
served a proper balance of power between this portion 
of the organ and the manuals. There was quite suf- 
ficient weight, and the tone was ponderous without 
being overbearing. The overture to the Last Judg- 
ment , by Spohr, we never heard so well played on the 
'organ ;* all the points were capitally brought out, and 
the tremulous effect in the soft passages wns most ef- 
fectively introduced. Mr. Best introduced the clari- 
net stop in the adagio of Mendelssohn's sonata, in C 
minor, and brought in the tubas near the close with 
fine effect. But it was in his own "Air with varia- 
tions " that he displayed to the general audience 
most strikingly his unrivalled powers of execution. 
Tiie variation in which ho plttys rapid passages, as a 
Kolo on the pedals, was interrupted by applause 
which would notberc<*trainedtill the close of the piece. 

The organ has 60 draw stops, of which 52 are 
sounding stops ; several of these arc modelled from 
the inventions of the most cclebnUod orgun-buiUlcrs 
of France and Germany. The hohl-flote, gamba, 
harmonica, and posaune (16 feet) are from the Ger- 
man ; the voix-celcste, voix-humninc, flutc-harmoni- 
que, euphone, &c., from the French. The pedal po- 
saune, euphone, and harmonica are " free" reeds, 
and have hitherto been seldom seen in English or- 



gans. The organ is constnicted on the " simplifica- 
tion system," invented b^ the Abbd Voglcr, of Mann- 
heim, and introduced into this country by Messrs. 
Kirthind and Janlinc. By tliis system Qvcry pipe 
stands directly over the air chaml)cr supplying it 
with wind. I'hero are four wind reservoirs. These 
are supplied with air by six fecderrs, put in motion 
by means of two hydraulic engines. The various or- 
gans have different pressures of wind, and thus the 
desired intonation and tone character of the stops is 
more perfectly obtained. The pipes are scaled in ac- 
cordance with the theory of Professor Topfcr, of 
Weimar, and the instrument is tuned on the " equal 
tcmi^erament " system. 

The evening concert was extremely well attended, 
and the performances were equally successful with 
those of the morning, Mr. Best's selection compris- 
ed one of the organ conccitos by Handel, now in 
course of publication by Mr. Best, in which Mr. 
Best's (Icxterous use of the composition pedals mny 
be noticed ; prelude and fugue in E, by Bach ; air, 
with variations, by Hatton, in which several points of 
the organ were displayed ; and, in answer to an en- 
core, the air, with variations, which Mr. Best played 
so finely in the morning ; and, lastly, Handel's 
splendid chonis, " Fixt in his everlasting seat," in 
which the rolling bass passages played on the pedals 
were remarkably telling. 

Miss Arabella Goddard. — The Musical World 
translates from a German critic, who writes of Lon- 
don concerts in theMusik-Zeitwig of tlie Lower Rhine, 
with an enthusiasm about this young pianist tliat 
fully equals that of any Englishman. He says : 

Dussek's concerto for the piano was even less known 
than Bach's sonata for the violin. We all heard it 
for the first time, and very few of us could ever have 
seen it or played it. It is a genuine concerto of its 
kind, with the first movement broadly designed and 
brilliantly worked out. The slow movement in E flat 
is melodious, though it displays no extraordinary in- 
vention. But the finale — a rondo in G minor, like 
the first movement — is a magnificent piece, composed 
in that characteristic, we may say genial style that 
distinguishes the bravuras of Dussek. The execution 
of this concerto is the reverse of easy ; but Miss God- 
dard is no longer conscious of difficulties on her in- 
strument. She is, moreover an artist in the true sense 
of the word, and the extraordinary success which she 
has recently achieved in England'is not to be ascribed 
to the patriotism of her countrymen. Even the sever- 
est critics among the modem Germans have awarded 
to her the palm among all the lady pianists of the pres- 
ent day, not even excepting Mad. Schumann and 
Mad. Szarvardy-Clauss. 

What is effected by this young lady by dint of in- 
dustry and perseverance, combined with genial intel- 
ligence and technical genius, is really incredible. 

She gave the first series of soirees at her own resi- 
dence ; for the second she selected Willis's Rooms, 
which on each occasion were filled with an audience 
comprising every one who could lay claim to any 
rank in the domain of music. Most justly were these 
soirees termed "classical." Neither the wishes of ti- 
tled ladies, nor the homai^e of worshippers, can lure 
this, in every respect, gifted lady from the true path 
of art ; she never stoops to the mere amusement of 
her hearers. Look over her programmes, and you 
will be astonished when I tell you that all this has 
been mastered by a girl in the bloom of youth. Then 
you will find Hnmmel's grand sonata in D major 
(Op. 106), the last that he composed for the piano 
solo ; Beethoven's sonatas in A major (Op. 101), and 
Bflat major (Op. 106) ; Wolfls's "sonata, Non Plus 
Uftra, in F, and Dussek's sonata, Plus tlhra, in A 
flat (Op. 71), both in one evening; C. M. von We- 
ber's sonata in E minor (Op. 70) ; S. Bach's Fitqa 
scherzando, fugue in A minor, fugue in G major, for 
the " WeH-t^mpered Harpsichord;" Scarlatti's fugue 
in G minor ; Mozart's sonata in E flat and B flat, 
with violin (M. Sainton) ; Mendelssohn's quartets in 
F minor and B minor ; a duet with violoncello and 
the fugue in D major from the " Charakter-sturke" 
for the pianoforte, by the same composer. Add to 
these several others, as, for instance, Beethoven's 
concerto in E flat major, Dussek's concerto already 
mentioned. &o., and you will form some notion of 
Miss Goddard's studies. Those who have heard her 
performance of Beethoven's Op. 106 and Dussek's 
Phts Ultra can declare that there is no flattery in the 
title " Queen of the pianoforte." The tembly long 
and almost impracticable sonata (Op. 106) she first 
played before the public in 185.3, when she was 
scarcely 1 7 years of age, and even then excited ad- 
miration. In the course of the last two seasons she 
has played it three times, and now, in her 22nd year, 
she so completely rules the spirit of ^he masters of all 
schools, that she can evoke it for onr benefit from the 
greatest and most difficult of their works. 



Special '^aixtts. 



DESCRII>TIV£ LIST OF TUB 
Publliilied by O. Ditoon Sc Co. 



Mosic BT Hah.. — QimntUiiv of Jtruxin ore now Mnt by mail, 
the expenw beinj; onJy nbmit one c©nt apitTe, while tlie care 
and miiiility of tmn^porUiion arc riMiiarknhlo. Thowc at a 
great dutance will find the nio<le of coiiyeyitnce not. only a con- 
veniencc. but a KiTliig of expcnfio hi olitiiiiiini; Miipplicfl. Books 
can alfo be wnt by mail, at tiie nite of one cent per outire. 
This Applies to any dij<tnnre under three thoujiaud luiles ; be- 
yond that, double the above rates. 



Vooal, with Piano Acoompaniment. 

Qui sdcgno. (Wlio treads the path.) 

" Magic Flute." 25 
This Is the fJimoiM Air Ibr a Basso profundo, in 
which the most excellent of B ass es, Carl Formes, 
pours out his deepest notes, and which has lately been 
brought back vividly to recollection by Signor Junn 
of the Strakosch Troube. 

Noiige amor. (Oh ! believe). " Nozse di Figaro." 25 

Deh vieni. (Oh, linger not.) " " 80 

Two of the best Songs in this cbamiog, light opesa 
of the genial Mossrt, both for a medium voica, and 
easy, with a tsstefhl English Version by Dr. Wesley. 
The Utter song is printed with the preceding short 
movement; Qicuse alfin il memento, (Yes, at length 
'tis the moment). 

Come, landlords, fill your flowing bowl. S. & ch. 25 
A convivial song of olden times, to the French mel- 
ody of the " Petit Tambour," which used to be nnl- 
veruUy popular at merry makings. 

The lost treasure. Ballad. E, G. Spinning. 25 

simple, yet pleasing, and well calculated to get a 
share of flivor flrom the lovers of song. 

The Comet and the Telegraph. J. Blewitt. 25 

A very Aanny illustration of the doings of the strange 
visitor on the sky. 

A mother's guardian care. Song. Edw, Withe. 25 
A neat, pretty little ballad. 

Instrumental Mosio. 

Songs without words. Alfred JaeR. 25 

This is the same beautiful Nocturue, which ap- 
peared, a ftw weeks ago, in the pages of the " Jour- 
nal," written expressly for It by the much courted and 
flattered pianist. 

Romanza in " Traviata." Transc. by Gcldbeah, 35 

A superb arrangement of that strain, full of sad 

beauty; " Ah, Ibcse e lul ehe Tanima " sung by Tio- 

letto. The teanscrlption is rather difllcult, but will 

repay study. 

La Provenza il mar. For 4 hands. Nordmann. 15 

Ah, foreelui. " " " 25 

Di miei bollenti spiriti. " " " 25 

An excellent and rather simple arrangement of two 
of the Gems of '* Traviata,'* Ibr two perlbrmers. 
These are the first of a series which will comprise all 
the fiunous airs in this opem. 

Books. 

Thb Amateur Organist : A collection of 
Opening and Closing Voluntaries, selected and 
arranged from the works of Handel, Haydn, 
Beethoven, Mozart, Rink, Pleyel, Mendelssohn, 
Von Weber, Andre, Schmidt, Hesse, &c., to- 
gether witli original Compositions by the editor 
The whole prepared with especial reference to 
the wants of beginners, and forming an excel- 
lent course of study for the Organ or Melodeon. 
By John Zundel. 150 

This work is eminently a book for beginners. It Is 
by the author of *' Two Hundred and Fifty Tolunta- 
rles," and was produced in answer to numerous re- 
quests to furnish more and still tmier pieces of that 
class. As its title imports, it hss been the aim of the 
author to present essy and pleasing compositions of a 
desirable length and suitable for organs of the smallest 
as well as the largest class, and even for melodeons. 
One or two pieces of a more Kientiflc character have, 
however, been inserted; and even a fugue will be 
found fh>m Handel, though a very easy one. The few 
voluntaries by Rink here first appear in print in this 
country. 




kiMs |0ttriial 





U51i* 



Whole No. 342. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1858. Vol.XIV.No.4. 



For Dvight's .Tourn»l of Mucic. 

The Hidden Spring. 

Wast heard the olden story, — 
How once a fountain lay 
In the jaiTK^d cliff of a mountain, 
Deep hidden from light away ? 

In vain, with line and beaker, 
They sought to roach or sound 
The source and bed of the fountain ; 
Its waters they never found. 

Unreached, untouched, untasted. 
Flowed on the virgin wave, 
And ne'er, to the lip of longing 
Its liquid treasure gave ; 

Until, on a day in summer, 
A man with the soul of a child. 
Beloved of God ! a poet, 
Sat down by the fissure wild. 

He strung his lute, and his fingers 
Ran swiftly its chords along ; 
His heart, too full for silence, 
Leaped over his lips in song. 

Sang he of joy or sorrow 1 — 
Of sorrow and joy, I ween ; 
For he had loved and suffered ; 
Else had he no poet been. 

He sang of ill, so wrongly, 
So dimly understood ! 
He sang, with prophet rapture. 
Of ample after-good. 

The song was true and human ; 
Great, wondrous, since 'twas so ; 
It scal'd the heights of being, 
And touched with love the low. 

Alive, afire, impassioned 
Widi high imaginings, 
From time and place divided, 
It rose on sovereign wings. 

Her own, in the voice of Music, 
Transfigured Nature heard ; 
The wind, around tlie singer. 
With throbbing pulses stirred ; 

' Hush," sighed the arid grasses ; 
Broad laughed the sun in the sky ; 
The distant trees, enraptured. 
Threw out their arms on high. 

It gave to the stony mountain 
The living heart of a man ,* 
Tlie waves of the hidden fountain 
To flow and to swell began. 

And higher and fuller rising. 
Cool, lucid, liberal, sweet. 
The wealth of their secret treasures 
Poured out at the singer's feet. 

Fannt Malonb Ratmond. 



The Character and Genius of HandeL 

(From ih« Lift, by SclKBleher.) 

Altbough Handel waa bom when his father was 
sixty years old, he was a man of very powerful 
constitution, and of great muscular vigor. His 
contemporaries represent him as being endowed 



with a rare bcautv of countenance. Bumey thus 
dc8cnl)e8 him : " I'he figure of Handol was large, 
and he was somewhat corpulent, and unwieldy in 
his motion ; but his countenance, which I rcmom- 
ber as perfectly as that of any man I saw but 
yesterday, was full of fire and dignity, and such 
as impressed ideas of superiority and genius." 

And in a subsequent paragraph — " llandcrs 
general look was somewhat heavy and sour, but 
when he did smile, it was his sire the sun bursting 
out of a black cloud. There was a sudden flash 
of intelligence, wit, and good humor beaming in 
his countenance, which I hardly ever saw in any 
other.'* 

Nichols, in his Literary Anecdotes, records it as 
an expression of Bumey, that ^ Handel's smile 
was like heaven." Hawkins says : ** He was in 
his person a large and very portly man. Hi^ 
gait, which was very sauntering, was rather un- 
graceful, as it had in it somewhat of that rocking 
motion which distinguishes those whose lees are 
bowed. His features were finely markecl, and 
the general cast of his countenance placid, be- 
speaking dignity attempered with benevolence, 
and every quality of the neart that has a tendency 
to beget confidence and insure esteem.** Thanks 
to the busts ot Roubillac, and to the pictures of 
Thomhill, Hudson, Denner, Kyte, ana Grafoni, 
we may say that we are familiar with the features 
of Handel. It is a fine, noble, and imposing 
countenance, oval in form, of a grave phy8io<nio- 
my, fimr, but at the same time benevolent * Three 
characteristics are remarkable in it: the small- 
ness of the mouth ; the brightness of the e}-es, 
which are very wide open, animated and bold, and 
which betoken a violent and resolute man ; and, 
finally, the short and prominent eyebrows, gene- 
rally a sign peculiar to profound and powerful 
thinkers. Such eyebrows had Bach and Beetho- 
ven. 

Like almost all composers, he was extremely 
witty. In the Anecdotes of Handel we are told 
that '^ his aflfected simplicity gave to any thing 
an exquisite zest" Mattheson says that " he had 
a way of speaking peculiar to himself, by which 
he made the gravest people laugh, without ever 
laughing himself." Dr. Quin, of Dublin, wrote 
to Bumey, in 1 788 : ** Mrs. Vernon was particu- 
larly intimate with him ; and at her house I had 
the pleasure of seeing and conversing with Mr. 
Handel, who, with his other excellences, was pos- 
sessed of a great stock of humor. No man ever 
told a story with more effect But it was requi- 
site for the hearer to have a competent knowledge 
of at least four languages — English, French, Itnl- 
ian, and German, for in his narrative he made 
use of them." ^ All his natural propensity to wit 
and humor," adds Bumey, *^ ana happy manner 
of relating common occurrences in an uncommon 
way, enabled him to throw persons and things 
into very ridiculous attitudes. Had he been as 
great a master of the English language as Swift, 
his bon mots would have been as fi^uent, and 
somewhat of the same quality.*' 

Once at a concert, Dubourg, the excellent vio- 
lin player, having a Coda ad libitum to play, wan- 
dered about in different keys so long tiiat he 
seemed quite bewildered, and to have forgotten 
his original key. Eventually he recollected him- 
self, came to the shake, and concluded ; where- 
upon Handel, with his usual coolness, cried out 
loud enough to be heard by the audience, " You 
are welleome at home, Mr. Dubourg." 

Once he had a discussion with an English 
singer, named Gordon, who reproached him with 
accompanvjng him badly. The dispute grew 
warm (which it was never very long in Smng 
with Handel), and Gordon finished %y saying 
that if lie persisted in accompan^ng him in that 
manner, he would jump upon hisnarpsichord and 



smash it to pieces. " Oh," replied Handel, ** let 
me know wnen you will do that and I will adver- 
tise it ; for I am sure more people will come to 
sec vou jump than to hear you sing." 

AVhen he neanl. the seri3ent for the first time, 
he was very much shocked by the harshness of 
the sound, and cried out, *^ Vat de tevil be dat ?" 
He was told that it was a new instrument, called 
serpent " Oh," he replied, " de ^serbent, aye ; 
but it not be de serbent vat sotuced Eve." I ad- 
mit this anecdote, beeause it is a good one, but, 
at the risk of passingfor a skeptic, I cannot ac- 
cept it absolutely. The serpent was a hundred 
years old when Handel came into the world, and 
it is diflicult to believe that they met for the first 
time in London. 

It is related that, when Handel lost his nght, 
^*his surgeon, Mr. Sharp, having asked him if 
he was able to continue playing the organ in pub- 
lic, for the performance of the oratorios, Handel 
replied in the negative. Sharp recommended 
Stanley as a person whose memory never failed ; 
upon which Handel burst into a loud laugh, and 
said, * Mr. Sharp, have you never read the 
Scriptures ? do you not remember, if the blind 
lead the blind, they will both fall into the 
ditch ? * " Even in their most helpless misery, 
men of wit never deny themselves the consolation 
of a joke. The reader may recall to mind that 
Anaximenes bartered his life against the pleasure 
of indulging in a sarcasm. Having ofi*ended An- 
tigonus, who was blind of one eye, it was reported 
to him that Antigonus had said, ** Let him come 
and excuse himself, and directly he appears before 
my eyes I will pardon him." ** If," replied Anax- 
imenes, ** I must appear before his eyes, he ofifers 
me an impossible pardon." Whereupon Antigo- 
nus condemned him to death. 

Unlike the greater number of wittv men, how- 
ever, Handel never exhibited any ill feeling in 
his jocularity. His sallies were inoflfensive. He 
cut without wounding. ^ He was," says Bumey, 
** impetuous, rough, and peremptory in his man- 
ners and conversation, but totally devoid of ill 
nature or malevolence; indeed, there was an 
original humor and pleasantry in bis most lively 
salues of anger and impatience which, with his 
broken Enghsh, were extremely risible." 

In spite of his disposition for merriment, he 
was very proud and very reserved towards every 
body, the little as well as the great This side m 
his character is illustrated in a remarkable man- 
ner in his MSS., where he generally indicated 
the names of the artists in the margin of the part 
which was confided to them. Upon no occasion 
did he ever fail to put "Mr." or " Sigr." before 
these names. During the ten years that Seno- 
sino and Beard sung for him, and in the tentii 
year just as in the first, he always wrote their 
names " Sigr. Senesino," and ^* Mr. Beard." 

Hawkins pretends that, with the exception of 
music, lie was an ignorant man ; and all WB hack- 
neyed biographers repeat the assertion. J^do not 
believe this. His letters in the French language, 
which remain to this day, prove that he not only 
spoke but wrote that language, although he had 
never been in France. He knew Italian well, 
and although he spoke English with a very 
strong accent, he had studied tlie idiom so as to 
be able to comprehend all the beauties of the 
poets. Such linguistic attainments, which are 
still not very common, were very rare in his time, 
and do not prove that his education had been 
neglected. His father, who, like all German doc- 
tors, was acquainted with Latin, had made him 
study the classics, and it is certain that he read 
Latin. Hawkins himself says—" He was well 
acquainted with Latin." In his MSS. are to be 
found some slight proofs of this. In the Grerman 
Passion, instead or patting ** da capo al s^^no," 



234 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



he wrote " uscjue ad signnm ; " and he never ex- 

fressed the preposition de otherwise than by ex. 
\ 13 not less certain that he worked upon several 
of the poems for hii* oratorios. There is notliing 
very precise ahout the part wliieh he took, but a 
clause in his will Icuves no doubt as to the fact. 
*' I give," says he, " to Mr. Newburg Hiunilton, 
\cho has a.<M.<tefl me in nflj Listing words for some oj 
mj/ compoMfionn." All this does not certainly in- 
dicate an illiterate man; and if it be added, that 
Handel had the kind of mind which derives the 
full benefit of whatever it learns, it is dilficult to 
believe that ho was so uncuUivated as has been 
pretended. But, atUn* all, no gi'eat immrtam'C 
18 to be attached in the questioir. AVhether igno- 
rant or not, he was, neverthelc**, one of the most 
learned composei-s in tlie worUl. 

Tjat which above all di.«iLJnij'nslied Handel as 
a man. was the rare elevation of his mind. We 
do not admire him only for his genius, wc love 
and honor him also for a sense of honor from 
which no critical circumstance could ever cause 
him to swerve. His conscience was s6veref and 
he was always remarkable (to quote an expression 
of St Simon) for " une grand nettetc de mains " 
(the cleanliness of his hands). Every one praises 
his inteorrity, which was equal to his talents. He 
hated the lightest chains, even those which were 
the most gilt. At an age when artists lived in a 
sort of domesticity with the rich and jxiwerful, he 
refused to be the de})cndent of any one, and pre- 
served his dignity with a jealous care. The only 
exception to that rule which can be found in his 
life, was the eighteen months or two years spent 
with Lord Burlington when he arrived in Eng- 
land ; but we must believe that he was tliere as a 
truest, since, in addition to all the operas which 
ne was producing, he enjoyed already a pension 
of £200 a year from Queen Anne,' and £400 
which he received ibr his lessons upon the harpsi- 
chord to the princesses of the royal family. The 
reader will recall to mind that at Hamburg, when 
scarcely twenty years of age, when poor and very 
desirous of visiting Italy, he refused to accompany 
the Duke of Tuscany, who oifered to take him 
with him. 

In order to appreciate here the just value of 
Handel's conduct, we ought not to judge it by it- 
self apart, but relatively to the ideas of his epoch. 
It is scarcely credible at the present day wfiat a 
miserable place even the greatest musicians occu- 
pied in society. Haydn had already produced his 
first four symphonies, when, in 1 759, Friedberg, 
the conductor of the onthcstra for the Prince Es- 
terhazy, employed him to compose one to be 
plaved at Eisenstadt, the residen(;e of the prince. 
" When the day of the performance was arrived, 
the symphony commenced, but in the midst of 
the first allegro, the prince interrupted itt by ask- 
ing who was the author of so fine a thing." 
" Haydn," replied Friedberg, presenting him to 
the prince, who cried — " What ! such mnsic by 
such a nigger !" (Haydn's complexion gave some 
foundation for such an exclamation.^ Well, nig- 
ger, henceforth you aro in my service. What is 
your name ? " " Joseph ifaydn." " Go and 
dress yourself as a chapclmaster. I don't like to 
see you so. You are too little, and your face is 
insignificant. Get a new coat, a curled wig, 
bands, and red heels ; but let them be high, that 
the stature m:iy correspond with your merit. Do 
you understand ? Go, and every thing will be 
given you." Next morning he appeared at the 
levde of his highness, dressed up in the grave cos- 
tume which had been assigned to him. 

Twenty years later, Mozart, the divine Mozart, 
then organist to the Archbishop of Salzburg, was 
sent to eat with servants and cooks of ** his 
prince." He felt all the humiliation of that un- 
worthy treatment, but he thought that he was 
obliged to tolerate it A letter by him \o his 
father leaves no doubt as to the authenticity of the 
fact: 

Vienna, 17 March, 1781. 
f( « « « « I ]JJ^vg ^ delightful apartment 
in the same house in which the archbishop dwells. 
Brunetti and Ceccarelli lodge in another house. 
Che dislimione ! Mjr neighbor, Herr von Kleina- 
mayem, loads me with civilties, and is really a 
Tery chamung penon. Dinner was served at 



half-past eleven in the forenoon, which was for 
me, unfortunately, rather too early; and there 
sat down to it the two valets in attendance, the 
controller, Herr Zetti, the confectioner, two 
cw)k8, Ceccarelli, Brunetti, and my littleness. 
Tlic two valets s;U at the head of the table, and 1 
had the honor to be placed, at least, alwvo the 
cooks. Now, niethought, 1 am again at Salzbourg. 
During dinner there w;is a great deal of r<)ai"si\ 
silly j.'Kikiiig; not with me, however, for I did not 
sj»eak a v.-ord, unless absolutely oblijrod, and then 
it was always witli the greatest seriousness. So, 
when I had finished dinner, I went my wav.** 

Eight days atterwanl, in another letter, Mozart, 
who was excessively hurt, made another reference 
to the cooks: "What you tell me concerning the 
Archbishop's vanity in possessing me may be true 
enough, but what is the use to nic V One does 
not live by this. And then, with what distinction 
am I ti*eat<»d ? M. von Kleinmayern, B(K'necke, 
and the illustrious Count Arco, have a table to 
themselves; now, it would seem some distinction 
if I were at this table — but not with the valets, 
who, besides taking the head of the table, light 
the lustres, open the dooi*s, and attend in ante- 
i-ooms." 

Since Haydn an<l 31ozart were so treated in 
the very flower of their genius, without daring to 
resent it, Handel must liave had a lof>y spirit to 
hold himself as he always did. Tliese are the 
terms with which, in 1 721 , he dedicated to George 
the First his 0|>era of Itadamisto : 

" Si« — The protection which your majesty has 
been graciously pleased to allow both to the art 
of musick in general, and to one of the lowest, 
thougli not the least dutiful of your majesty's ser- 
vants, has emboldened me to present to your 
majesty, with all due humility and respect, this 
my Jirst essay to that design. I have been still 
the more encouraged to this, by the particular ap- 
probation your majesty has been pleased to give 
to the inusick of this Drama^ which, may I be per- 
mitted to say, I value not so much as it is the 
judgement of a great monarch, as one of a most 
refined taste in the art My endeavors to im- 
prove which is the only merit that can be pre- 
tended by me, except that of being with the ut- 
most humility, sir, your majesty's most devoted, 
most obedient, and most faithful subject and ser- 
vant, " George Fiiideric IIandel." 

All this is, doubtless, rather too respectful ; but 
when we remember the revolting baseness with 
which the doi^uments of this kind, whi^'h the 
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries have left us, 
were generally composed, we can not fail to per- 
ceive a certain tone of reserve, which is not to be 
found anywhere else. 

It is to be observed, moreover, that, with the 
exception of Radamlsto^ and contrary to the uni- 
versal custom, he did not dedicate his works to 
any ])Otentate upon the earth. He begged for 
patronage from no one. That respect for himself 
from which he never departed, gives him a special 
position, apart from all, among artists and poets. 
Oven'ouiing every obstacle by an inexhaustible 
energy, caring little for that world which tyran- 
nizes so over the vulgar, he was all his life the 
same child of seven yeai-sold who went to AVeisen- 
felds in spite of the resistance and scolding of his 
father. Being infonned at Aix-la-Chapclle 
(where he was taking the baths) that the King of 
Prussia was coming, and wished to see him, he lefl 
the place a few days before the arrival of the 
disappointed monarch. Twenty years af\er Han- 
del conducted himself thug witli kings, Haydn 
P'-'miitted an Hungarian magnate to say to him, 
"Go and dress yourself like a chapel-master." 

This spirit of independence was one of the 
causes of the animosity which the Englist aris- 
tocracy entertained against him. At that time 
they were so destitute of good sense and intelli- 
gence as not to perceive that all men are equals, 
wheu they do not abase themselves by dishonor- 
able a<;tions, or by the adoption of de^rrading 
profession, and they taxed with insolence the dig- 
nity of the noble artist. During long years he 
showed a bold front to the implacable war which 
.they declared against him. He never surrender- 
ed, and, thanks to his perseverence, he gave his 
enemies time to triumpn over their own preju- 



dices. He had the inrtexibilJity of all great 
minds. lie was a true hero — a moral hero. Even 
the coolness with whi<:h his ina.ster]>ie{cs were re- 
ceived did not discourage him. He was ihe first 
to console his friends tor his del'eats. Burney 
heard him re])ly intrepidly to some one who was 
expressing his regret at seeing tlse house ^o empty : 
" Ncvrc iMoind, de inn^'ic vil sount de ]K'fter." 
Vexation at deu':it, ruin, luinkruptcy, and all the 
sorrows whicli they bring uj^on a man so proud as 
liC wns, (M»ulf| not weigh nim down : he recom- 
menced again and again, and, by dint of activity, 
enerj.ry, genius, and courage, he finished by con- 
quering Fortune. 



1 1 



Additional Beminiscences of BeethoTen. 

(From the N. Y. Musical Review.) 

A Gorman paper. Die (irenzhoten^ has recently 
published some communications on the later yeara 
of Beethoven's life, from the <liary of a lady, 
which we deem so highly interesting that we 
translate them for the benefit of our readers. 
The author of them was at that time a young 
girl, daughter of a Mr. del Ilio, who, in the year 
1H16, was the head of a large school at Menna. 
The observations were written down evidently 
with no thought of their ever being published : 

** As early as the year 1815, during the Vienna 
Congress, we made the acquaintance of Bectlio- 
ven. At that time the private counsellor of the 
King of Prus.sia, ^Ir. Duncker, lived in our 
liousc. Mr. Duncker was vcr}' fond of music, and 
a great admirer of Beethoven. He had written 
a tragedy, Leonore Prol'futka^ for wliich Beetho- 
ven composed a few pieces — a short but mo»t 
beautiful hunting chorus, a romance, and some 
music with an accompaniment for the harmonica, 
in the style of the melodrama. Besides these, the 
poet got Beethoven to scoiti for him his grand 
Funeral March from liis Piano-forte Sonata, Op. 
2G. Sister and I a-sked Mr. Duncker why he 
had not begged for a new march ; but he thought 
a better one could not be composed. All the 
pieces, with exception of the Funeral MarcK are 
still in our possession. We had even the permis- 
sion to publish them, with the name of * Friedrich 
Duncker, but it never came to that. The splen- 
did march, I believe, has been performed once a 
year in a private musical circle in Berlin. The 
tragedy has never been performed. Duncker 
had a great many consultations with Beethoven 
about it. Beethoven was not satisfied with the 
words to the Hunting Chorus; and even afVcr 
they were altered, and altered again, he wanted 
the accent upon the fii*st syllable. 

" AVhen Beethoven was appointed guardian of 
his brother's son, a new life seemed to come upon 
him. He was extremely fond of the boy, tnen 
about nine yeara old, and it 8oeme<l almost tliat 
the latter liad the key to his humor to compose, or 
to be silent. It was in 1815, when he brought 
his beloved Charles to our scliool, which my father 
had conducted since tlie year 1 798. Alreatly at 
that time, it was necessary to be quite close to 
him in onler to be understood bv him. From 
this time we saw liim very ofleii ; and later, when 
my father removed the school to the suburb, 
Landstrass Glacis, he also took lodgings in our 
neighl)orhood ; and the next following winter he 
was almost every night in our family circle. 
However, we could seldom profit by his presence, 
for very oflen he was vexed with the affairs of 
his guardianship, or he was unwell. Then he 
would Kit the whole evening at our family-table, 
apparently lost in thought, occasionally smiling, 
and throwing a word in, at the same time spitting 
constantly in his pocket-handkerchief, and looking 
at it. I could not help thinking, sometimes, that 
he feared to find traces of blood. 

" One night, when he brought us his song, * To 
the Beloved far of!,' words by Jeiteles, and father 
wanted me to accompany my sister, I got rid of 
it with the fright ; for Beethoven told me to get 
up, and accompanied himself. I must say here, 
that to our great surprise, he often struck wronff 
notes ; but then afj^ain, when my sister asked 
whether she was right or not, he said, * It was 
good, but here,' putting his finger upon a note 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1858. 



135 



wluTc the siyrn of a tlo was placed, *you must 
draw over.* lie had missed that. 

" At anothiT time, I n'nieniber, that he jilaycMl 
with us like a <*hiid : and that lie took refiii'ii from 
our attacks behind the (diairs, ctt;. 

'* [ very often wondered that JUuMlnnen care<l 
so nnich tur the 0|)iMions of j>eonle; and once ex- 
claimed, with rejrard to his nepliew : * What will 
people axy \ they will consider nic a tyrant!' 
J>ut this nobxly ec^uld have b<dieved, who batl 
ever seen him tor onee with liis dear bov, who 
was fn'ipiently allowed to elaniber over him, and 
pull hlni almost from his chair. 

" At one time, in sprinjr, lie brought ns violets, 
sayin«^: * I bring you Spring.' lie had been un- 
well for some time ; he had sufl'ewd a good deal 
from colic, and said : * That will be once my end !* 
When I told him that we could put it olF for a 
long time, he answered : MIe iaa poor fellow who 
d(X's not know how to die ; I have known it since 
a boy of firteen yeare. It is true, for my art I 
have as yet done but litllc.* ' Oh ! as for that, 
you can die with ease,' I said, u|)on which he 
nmrmured : * There arc quite different things 
floating before me.' At the Stiinc time, he 
brought us a beautiful composition, * To Hope/ 
from Tiedge's Urmtia, whom he always called 
Ticdsehc, and not in fun, either. Beethoven got 
c;isily vexed, and this is the retU<on why his 
friends often thouf;lit he had something; a«;ainst 
them, even when it was not the case. But he 
was in his manners so dilfercnt, and seemed some- 
times so unfriendly and cold, that one was obliged 
to think so, and to keep away from him. It fre- 

?[uently happened that he did not trust his best 
riends, and really grieved them. Sometimes he 
complained al^o about his pecuniary matters, 
which was his hobby." 



Operatic Prospects. 

(From the Courier.) 

" Of making opera troupes there is no end." 
So wouM Mrs. Browning be very likely to say if 
she lived in America, and witnesvsed the many 
vain and impotent attempt«i to establish here a 
permanent and creditable institution of opera. 
Failures all — some because they ai*e tc)o imbecile 
so deserve success ; others because they are too 
extravagant to accomplish it. Five and forty 
times at least within the recollection of the past 
few years, have the leading operatic managera 
of the land been utterly undone, ruined, swamped 
aad devoted to everlasting disgrace. Five and 
forty times, at least, have bi-oken-hearted para- 
graphs been scattered through the newspapers, 
announcing the fatal fact that Maximilian Alaret- 
zek, B. Ulhnan, Esq., or some equally eminent 
master of the art of humbug has at length retired 
in a disordered mental condition to the seclusion 
of private life and the mortification of sackcloth 
ana ashes. Experience lessens all great evils. 
It is said that eels become in time accustomed to 
the skinning process. Just so must it be with 
operatic managers — and the simile is not a bad 
one, for are not their slippery and stjuirmy qualities 
notorious among men V The skinning, however, 
is usually performed, not upon, but by them. 
Never mind that. Familiarity breeds contempt, 
and so familiar have these worthies become with 
ruin and wretchedness, that the severest blows of 
merciless fortune fail to af!ect them in the least 
Captain Cuttle tells us of his friend and counsel- 
lor. Jack Bunsby, that his education had consisted 
mainly of raps over the head with a belaying pin 
and that custom had so endeared him to that way 

• 

of life, that he found it impossible to forego it in 
his later days. W'hat was originally an affliction 
became in time a choice luxury. As with the 
hard-headed Bunsby, so with the indomitable im- 
presarii. Without successive and repeated fail- 
ures, their lives would now be a burthen to them. 
It is a (fuestion whether they could get comforta- 
bly through a season of unmingled prosperity. 
Two seasons of continued good fortune would un- 
doubtedly reduce them to the lowest depths of 
despair. Three would produce suicide. For 
these reasons we cannot too cordially con^atulate 
^ir. Maretzek on the sublime stroke of ill luck 
that has j ust befallen him. In order to thoroughly 



appreciate the entire length and breadth and 
(lei)th and height of Mr. Mai-etzek's unhappy de- 
liglit, or fortunate misery, we nmst look for an 
instant at the cin'umstances of the case. 

He opened his season in New York, sonic 
weeks ago, at the Academy of Music with a very 
clever company. It is only just to Mr Maretzek 
to say that, although he is a Jen'iny l)iddler of 
the first order, and notwithstanding the fact that 
he wiia never yet known to exhibit any sort of 
integrity excepting in moments of temporal'}' ab- 
erration — he almost always has very capital com- 
])anies. But companies are not everytliing, par- 
ticularly in New York, where the rage for novelty 
is so unappeasable. Mr. Maretzek gave \Q.ry 
little novelty, but contented himself with repro- 
ducing old operas, not in the very finest style, 
according to tall accounts. Presently a rival, in 
the |>erson of i^lr. Strakoseh, came along, and 
commenced a series of ])erformances at Burton's 
Theatre, ilere was an opportunity for excite- 
ment which young New York was not slow to 
avail itself of. The houses at the Academy be- 
gan to decrease. Mr. Maretzek considered the 
expediency of bringing his season to a rapid 
close. Little cared lie, however, for the result of 
his New York skiimish ; his campaign was other- 
wise lai<l out His grand battle was to take place 
in Havana, where the operatic fever rages to 
siurli an extent that business is neglected, and tri- 
umphal arches are erected whenever a steamer 
disgorges a cargo of melody there. But wo to 
the man who carries all his eggs in one basket 
Unhappily for Mr. Maretzek's deep laid plans, a 
reprehensible powder-magazine has just exploded 
in the Cuban capital, and has not in its work of 
devastation spared even the opera house. Ofii- 
cial announcements have been sent to the Max, 
that he must keep himself and his harmonious 
a<«sociates as far away as possible from Havana 
during the next three months. And this on the 
very eve of his departure. 

Now, it is easy to conceive what a delicious 
state of desperat^ioD Mr. Maretzek must be in 
aliout this time. For the — th time he is a lost 
thing. AVhat he will do we have no means of 
knowing; it is probable, however, that he will 
drink a good deal of champagne, for one matter, 
and amuse himself with the sufferings of his cred- 
itors for another. Beyond that, let us not seek 
to penetrate the veil. T^t us rather turn from 
the setting to view the rising sun. 

As Maximilian Maretzek goes out of the Acad- 
emy, Bernard Ullman steps in. Mr. Ullman, 
though he luxuriates in disaster as much as an^' 
other man alive, is nfodest, and willing to experi- 
ence a little success just now, for the sake of va- 
riety and healthful excitement. In point of fact, 
he has rather set his mind upon a temporary diet 
of prosperity. He means to open his season with 
Miss Piccolomini, a little Italian mtiiden, who 
makes up for the insignificance of her bodily pro- 
portions Dv the bulk of her name and her artistic 
weight The manner in which Mr. Ullman ha.s 
heralded her is worthy of his commanding genius. 
Columns of advertisements, with the name of 
Piccolomini ever predominant, have adorned the 
newspapers. Letters to editors, concocted with 
a skill that almost passeth understanding, have 
dazzled the eyes of the musical multitude. Ev- 
erythino: has so cleverly been arranged that it 
will indeed be a matter of deep surprise if Mr. 
Ullman should meet with anything but unlimiti'd 
success. If he should fail, however, he will have 
the unexpected satisfaction ot such sympathetic 
companions as Maretzek, and perhaps one or two 
others. 

Besides his great gun, Piccolomini, Mr. Ullman 
has a large and varied assortment of smaller ar- 
tillen', which he purposes to bring forward at 
judicious periods during the campaign. As a spe- 
cial reser\'ed force, he has Maname Laborde in 
waiting ; and as a forlorn hope, he hints at Joan- 
na Wagner, for next March. Whether that 
March will be an advance or a retreat, who can 
tell ? But there is not much faith to be put in 
Mr. Ullman's announcements concerning distant 
futurity. His similar promises of last year were 
all unfulfilled. But, at any rate, he enters upon 
his work with vigorous energy, and with a stern 



determination to do or die, which cannot but im- 
press all beholders with a pi-ofouiid sense of his 
devoted heroism. 

A less brilliant, but rather more fixed, star of 
operatic hope is Mr. Strakoseh. He is one of the 
most cautious of men. He knows not the hard- 
ships and reversals which have so ofU^i attended 
his rivals. It is even said that Mr. Strakoseh has 
no fondness for financial distress and exhausted 
resources, and that he would look upon bankruptcy 
rather as a calamity than otherwise. It is evident 
that he must possess adifTerent organization from 
those of Messrs. Ullman and Maretzek ; but cver\' 
man to his taste, wc say. If Mr. Strakoseh pre- 
fers shekels in his coffers and a clean cash-book 
to a vacant purse and an anny of creditors, that 
is certainly liis own affair. He, then, fixes his 
mind upon success, and takes no thought of other 
enjoyments. He has secured a tolerable compa- 
ny, with one or two shining lights that are well 
calculated to bewilder by their brilliancy. He 
relies upon their influence to carry thi-ough the 
weaker portions of his troupe. Perhaps they 
will do so. Madame Colsoii would compensate 
for a stage full of sticks. Mr. Strakoseh has also 
engaged Mi-s. AV^ilhoi-st, the pretty and popular 
New York songstress, who is intended to oflset 
the allurements of the Piccolomini. There is in- 
deed a similarity between them. They are both 
young ; both pretty ; both infinitesimal particles 
of humanity ; Doth well born ; both entnusiastic 
and dashing little actresses. Piccolomini is an 
Italian princess, or something of that sort ; and 
AVilhorst is an American lady, which is better. 
The latter will appear this evening in Bellini's 
** Puritans," at Burton's Theatre. Tlie former 
will wait until Wednesday, and make her bow in 
" Traviata." 

Thus stand matters at present How far Bos- 
ton enters into the considerations of the managers 
it is impossible to say. Mr. Ullman expresses a 
horror of Boston, and has more than once de- 
clared his determination never again to come 
here : which is an afflicting fact, considering how 
scrupulously he is in the habit of fulfilling to the 
letter all his pnx'lamations ! Mr. Maretzek is, 
they say, afraid to enter Suffolk county, for rea- 
sons known be.st to gentlemen of the legal profes- 
sion. Mr. Strakoseh has just departed from 
among us, leaving not the best odor behind him. 
The musical magnates seem to regard Boston 
with the most appalling indifference. What shall 
wc do V The best thing we can do is to await 
our destiny, fulfill all the duties of life, respect 
the opinion of society, and read the Courier 
with nevout assiduity; and perhaps, in reward 
for all this well-doing, we may yet be visited by 
an opera troupe worthy of our support and affec- 
tion. 



Musical Prejudice. — The following remarks 
from the London Musical World are instructive. 
Tlic closing paragraph is as true of America as it 
is of England, and we shall do well to regard the 
matter in the same cheerful light. 

The lover of music may congratulate himself 
that prejudice, that darkest foe to true apprecia- 
tion, IS dying a natural death in this country, and 
that the day is not far ofl' when tolent of every 
kind will meet with due acknowledgment Time 
was — and that not yery long since — when young 
England had vei-y ])eculiar notions respecting 
the fine arts, and more particularly music ; when 
Beethoven's later works were considered the ef- 
florescences of a disordered brain, and when it 
was lookdd upon as an act of exceeding conde- 
scension to bestow praise on GuUlaume Tell. 
Some members of the musical profession in Lon- 
don patted Hossini on the head and affirmed that 
his last opera was capital, making of coarse, all 
necessary allowance for want of learning, profun- 
dity^, and sublimity. Before Guillaume Tell was 
written the author of the Barhiere was treated 
most scurvfly ; his very name offended the nos- 
trils of the learned pundits, and when he was in 
Ix)ndon, his presence was avoided hy them as a 
plague. '* It certain musicians of that day," ex- 
claims a writer of authority, " walking along Re- 



236 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



gentrstreet, happened to hear that Rossini was in 
Cramer's shop, they would have crossed to tlie 
other side." It is not many ycara ajro, since we 
ourselves heard the term " disgraceful " appli(*rl 
to the introduction of Rossini's overture to The 
Siege of Corinth at the Old Philharmonic. No 
doubt this feeling against Rossini ori^zinated in 
prejudice. His extraordinary reputation, the rtv 
ception of his works at the Opera, ahnost to the 
exclusion of every other comiwser, the idol wor- 
ship of the aristocracy, the adulation of the public, 
and the infatuation of his admirers, naturally ren- 
dered him disagreeable to a class of men, sensi- 
tive to a fault, whoso works were known to be 
neglected, and whose persons were considered to 
bo overlooked. That the prejudice in this in- 
stance was tinctured with jealousy is more than 
probable. 

The appreciation of the French public diflers 
widely from that of the English. French audiences 
desire to be entertained merely. Let their ears 
be tickled and their hearts touched — voUh tout. 
They go to theatres and concerts simply for amuse- 
ment, and expect neither knowledge nor teaching 
in places of recreation. Hence oratorios, sym- 
phonies, and other large orchestral and elaborate 
works, generally bore them, while such operas as 
Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro and Fidelio, 
as demanding greater attention than " listening 
by the ears,** are cm^iare to their understandings. 
We doubt even if Ouillaume Tell, although per- 
formed so frequently at the Grand-Op^ra pleases 
them entirely. It is too comprehennve and grave 
for those lovers of the brilliant and the dazzling. 
Fashion, however, in this instance, sways the pub- 
lic feeling, and an at^quired love for the composer, 
who, bv devoting the greatest effort of his genius 
to tiiefr national theatre, and by living among 
them so many years, alwost naturalized, or denat- 
uralized, himself, has exercised no little influence 
in recommending the work of the master. For 
the mere Parisian public, La Jmve or La Favorite, 
possesses, we are inclined to believe, as many at- 
tractions as GuUlaume Tell and the Htiguenotn or 
the Prophete more. There is, however, no affec- 
tation in the likinjirs or dislikings of our lively and 
impressionable neighbors ; what they prefer they 
acknowledge, and what is displeasing they do not 
hesitate to repudiate. The public of Paris in- 
cludes to a large extent the professional body. 
The people and the musicians oroathe together, 
consort tc^ether, and think together. TTie ex- 
pression of a public opinion is almost invariably 
that of the artistic confratcniity. 

Now all this is very different in England. Mu- 
sicians and the public, in many instances, as far 
as regards opinions, are separated as wide as the 
poles. Crowds rush to the theatres to hear Ver- 
di*s operas. English musicians will not tolerate 
Jiigoletto, the Traviata, or Trovatore, Rossini's 
Stabai Mafej^ enchants the multitude and is cold- 
ly received by the dilettanti If the public were 
allowed their choice Verdi would reign supreme 
at the Italian houses ; if the followers of the art 
had power to order matters, he would be banish- 
ed ahogether from the country. From this an- 
tagonism of sentiment, however, ^ood arises. 
Frequent discussion and consideration compels 
the amateur to doubt the supremacy of his idol, 
and induces the connoisseur to be more generous 
in his strictures. Better far this clashing of im- 
pressions and judgments, which leads to such im- 
portant results, tiuin that conciliating and hand- 
m-hand indifference, which may tend to unanimi- 
ty and good fellowship, but is hardly constituted 
to further the interests of good music. Better far 
prejudice with a fair prospect in view, than apa- 
thy and toleration m>m which no advantage is 
likely to follow. 

Mr. Baboook*t Piotores. 

To the Editor of the Boston Courier: 

There is new on exhibition at Mr. Everett's, a 
small collection of Mr. Babcock's pictures ; and 
in order that your readers may understand tiie 
possible Talue to them of this simple announce- 
ment, I will briefly state who and what, as an ar- 
tist, Mr. Babcock is. 

Possibly bom and formerly a resident in Bos- 



ton, and a brother to that well-known organi.^t of 
the same name, he is now painting in Paris, 
where he has been at work during the past eight 
OP ten years. 

For special characterization, Mr. Babcock may 
be called a coloriat. Endowed by nature with 
the color instinct, his studies have been chosen 
with a view to it« fullest exercise and develop- 
ment, and in thcj«e works are disj)la.ved some very 
remarkable results. So far remarkable, indeed, 
that XheiT very striking merits as works of color, 
will probably prove to be the greatest obstacle in 
the way of their being generally appreciated. 

In a (community like this, where the pursuit of 
art is yet looked upon as a comparatively trivial 
occupation, it is scarcely to be expected that the 
public taste should be sufficiently enlightened to 
engage in the rendering of critical verdicts upon 
the works of its professors. On the contrary, 
what they have produced, the public has natural- 
ly applauded — in its own self-complacent man- 
ner — and, since (with a few exceptions) it has 
been the misfortune of our painters to practically 
ilhistrate the value of color in art in constantly 
decreasings proportion of knowledge, power, and 
feeling, the popular indifference to color it is easy 
to account for. Because of this, and in spite of 
their deficiencies of drawing and the generally 
uninteresting character of their subjectA, these 
works of Mr. BalKock possess a value which it 
would be difficult to over-estimate. 

Tlieir faults are due to carelessness and the 
classic conventionalisms of the school in which he 
has studied. The one he can easily remedy by 
increased care, and the other is of so little impor- 
tance to my present pui7)ose that it need not be 
dwelt upon. It may be said, however, in defence 
of a selection of such subjects, that they recom- 
mend themselves to artists of Mr. Babcock*8 indi- 
vidualities by thoir strongly negative characteris- 
tics in point of direct human interests, and espe- 
cially by their peculiar aptitude for marked color 
treatment 

It is then in the use of color that Mr. Babcock*s 
ability is chiefly conspicuous. His pictures all 
have the character of happily conceived improvi- 
sations, and bear ample evidence that painting is 
his true vocation. In this use of color, intuitive 
skill takes the place of scientific knowledge, and 
demonstrates its superiority in the genial fresh- 
ness and apparent spontaneity of all his works. ' 

He surrounds the subtlest flesh tints with the 
most powerful contrasts of color in draperies and 
backgrounds, yet always escapes crudeness, be- 
cause he understands the art of producing truly 
harmonious relations betweeit natural opposites. 

What greater pictures than these Mr. Babcock 
paints, or can paint, I have no means of ascer- 
taining, it is enough for the present that their ex- 
cellence is rare and peculiar, in kind and degree ; 
and that they form one of the most important 
collections now among us. They are a benefac- 
tion to the public generally, as protection against 
color-blindness ; and it is to be hoped that they 
may prove to be one also to our artists, to whom 
they are hereby reconmicnded as safe and relia- 
ble stimulants. 



u. 



OrKRA IN New Orleans. — The Picayune, 
of Oct 8, informs us what the opera-goers of that 
very operatic city have in prospect to console 
them for the loss of Mme. Colson and M. Junca. 

Orleans Theatre. — M. Bondousquid left 
Southampton on the 22d ult., and has arrived at 
New York on the Arago, as a despatch just re- 
ceived here announces. He is accompanied by 
five of the new artists he secured in France, who 
are Mile. Cordier, first singer in opera comique ; 
M'Ue Lafranque, first soprano for grand opera ; 
Mr. Beauce, first baritone ; Mr. Vadd, stage man- 
ager, and M*me Vadd, dugazon, or second light 
Bineer. 

M*lle. Cordier is the young singer that the Par^ 
is Opera Comique management endeavored to se- 
cure, even by force of law, but Mr. Boudousquid 
has mana^d to outwit the manager, and the 
French Minister of Interior, who had given posi- 
tive orders for Mile. Cordier to break her en- 



gagement with ^fr. Boudousrpiid, and accept that 
of the OjHira Comique. 

Mr. Bou<]ouflquie's greatest trouble has been to 
get a good baritone, llie news of poor Ranch's 
death reached him in France when all the lead- 
ing artists had mlule their engagements for the 
year. " What is one man's evil is another man's 
good,** and the saying proved true in this instance. 
The Havre theatre had closed its doors suddenly, 
and our manager lost no time in securing its bar- 
itone, M. Beauce. He was hcn» over ten years 
ago, when riuite a young man, and has since ap- 
peared in all the Icadin*; provincial theatres, and 
at the Opera Comique in Paris. He is described 
as being a good singer, and, especially, a yery 
good singer m light and grand opera. 

Of the other newly engaged artists for onr 
French theatre, some lefl Havre on the ship Ba^ 
den on the 6th September; the others on the 
Bamberg, on the 16tn ult. 

M. Vila, second basso, who was with Ranch, on 
the Pennsylvania when she blew up, also returned 
from France on the Arago. 

We understand that M'me. Dolaurens,fonneriy 
dugazon at the Orleans, died at Mandeville a few 
days since of typhoid feyer. M. Mazure, now of 
the dramatic company at the Orleans, is also 
stated to be very sick. 

M'mes. Bourgeois and Paola have spent the the- 
atrical vacation at Mandeville quite agreeably. 

With four leading female singers, Mr. Bondous- 
quid ought cert4iinly to be able to furnish sufficient 
attraction at his favorite theatre this season. We 
trust he may do so, and with satisfactory results 
to himself. 



Maretzek*8 Opera Troape 

IVon th« New Tork Hoilcal World, Oct 10. 

Mr. Mnrctzck's season eamc to a cIorc on Monday 
evening, when the rhrfwnii the recipient of a satit»iiar- 
tory testimonial in the shape of a crowded honse. It 
wns his benefit, and a donble-horrclcd entertainment, 
beginning nt two o'clock in the nftemoon, and ending 
(we take it for irranted that it did end) about mid- 
night. New York owes a prcnt denl to Mr. Marct- 
Kek — a (Treat deal more than it will ever repay, we 
fear. No man has done no much for operatic masic. 
He has pioneered an Art-way to the metropolis of 
America, and more fortunate men and managers en- 
joy the privilc^ of prancing on it. What a very for- 
tunate thing it is that there is always some one to go 
first! 

The management of the past season has been of a 
somewhat somnolent character. All the new operas 
that were promised at the commencement stand over 
sine die. Fonr weeks cflTort jravc us " William Tell," 
and at the last moment the fair Linda, from the val- 
ley of Chamounix, was led up to the footlights for the 
purpoice of iieing bawled at by the prompter. — We do 
not complain. Old operas, provided they are respect- 
ably given, are ever welcome. In a managerial point 
of view more bankable issues might have resnltcd if 
there had been a greater proportion of variety. It is 
nothing to ns. — Let the dead season bnry its mana- 
gers and its losses. 

Mr. Maretzck has rehearsed his Havana repertoire, 
and that is what he aimed at. The members of his 
companv ore ncarlv all here. A word or two of the 
versonn^ will not be an nnbecomin^ way of taking 
leave. Madame Gassier has stood her ground well. 
Without extraordinary powers of anv kind, she has 
proved that her ability is always equal to the emerg- 
ency of the moment. Her best impersonations hare 
been Amina, in the " Somnambula," and Linda, in 
the opera of that name. Where tenderness and grace- 
ful juvenility of style are important, she is admirable. 
Her frech voice lends itself natnrally to these phases. 
It is buoyant and jubilant ; not deep and scarchinfr. 
Voice of'^any kind is heard to advantajre in Verdi's 
music, and "Madame Gassier, being a fair artist, is at 
least respectable. Still it is not in the works of the 
popular composer that she is the most enjoyable. 
Leonora and Violctta have been the least satisfactory 
of her performances. We hear that Mr. Maretsek has 
engaged Mad. Alaimo— a lyric artist of distinction — 
for the heavy modem roles. It is well — for Mad. 
Gassier is deficient in dramatic power. Of Signer 
Gassier, it is nnneceasary to speak. He is alwoys up 
to a high art standard, and has never failed to satisfy 
the audience. Decidedly, the sncoess of the season 
has been won by the tenor, Signor Steffani — of 
whom nothing is known except that his repertoire is 
brief, like Ufe, and his study long, like art. He is one 
of the many tenors that have been picked up by Mr. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1858. 



237 



Mnrotzek. In n few years he will be the master of a 
dozen operas, aiirl then — fust horses and Hftccn huti- 
dred dollars a month ! Signor Stcffimi'i* voit-e is un- 
quastionahly mu|rnii1<^cnt. It is of rcmarkaldc ful- 
ness, even in the lower part where robustos pcnernlly 
pet whisper}'. It rnns np easily to B flat, but be- 
comes npoplcctic ofter that. Althonph Sijnior Stef- 
fani di<l bring out his C, we should Iks sorry to hoar 
him do it more than once or twice a season. The 
note is in his voice naturally enough, hut at present 
Signor Stcffaui is not sufficient of an artist to attack 
it in a way nj^reeable to the listener. He hns much 
to learn. The most accomplished feat now within 
his reach is the mezzo-vocc, which he u^^es with de- 
cided skill and effect. With the wealth of voice 
which Signor Steffiini possesses, combined with an 
obvious talent for stage effect, it will be strange in- 
deed if ho does not attain tlio liighest position. He 
has been heard to advantage in " Uigoletto," " Wil- 
liam Tell," (particularly iii the trio, where the ful- 
ness to which we have referred is very noticeable), 
" Trovatore " and (meiisnrably) " Emani." 

Another tenor, named Sbriglia made his debat in 
the everlasting " Traviata." He has a small-sized, 
sleepy voice, not nnpleasant in quality, but limited in 
quantity. It Iwlongs to the robtisto kind, but can be 
tt<ed in small grazla parts. Signor Sbriglia was 
mildly respectable in " Traviata," and not quite so 
acceptable in " Linda " — where defective phrasing 
exposed the imperfect artist. He is intended, we sup- 
pose, as the second tenor of tlie company, and as such 
is goo<l enough. 

In the way of bassos, Mr. Maretzek may consider 
himself supremely blest. He has two — each of them 
good. Signor Gariboldi made his debut in a very 
unpretentious way enrly in the season, and beyond a 
kindly remark iii these columns, scarcely attracted 
attention. Last week he was furnished with an op- 
portunity in " Linda," and timidly availed himself of 
It. — Signor Gariboldi is a ba^so cantante of the best 
kind. His voice is of delicious quality, of good 
power, and of sufficient extent. All that it needs is 
nse — the secend nature of voices, as of everything 
else. Signor Garil)oldi is said to be but twenty years 
of age. The other basso made his delmt in the try- 
ing role of Silva — trying because so often and so well 
played in this city by Marini (who, by the way, is 
said to be rejuvenated), an artist not only great as a 
singer, but as an actor, in this part. Signor Nani 
(that is the name of Mr. Maretzek's basso) has a true 
profondo voice, and sings faithfully, persistently, and 
curiously out of tune. He was undoubtedly h-ight- 
ened, and this accounts perhaps for an occasional ob- 
liviousness of pitch, but not for numerous vocal vul- 
garities which might have been dispensed with. We 
regret exceedingly that we have had but one oppor- 
tunity of hearing Signor Nani. His manly voice en- 
titles him to much consideration, bat his ^ilva need 
not consume another word. 

This then is Mr. Maretzek's company, and it must 
be confessed it is promising enough, ^outh, natural 
gifts, and art, are fairly blended in it and balanced. 
With such a company we should be content, espec- 
ially when it embraces also the name of Adelaide 
Phillips — a contralto who combines in an extraordi- 
nary degree all the characteristics we have refciTcd 
to. May Max Maretzek and his troupe have a pros, 
perous and pleasant journey to the An tiles ! 

nsiral Cornspnhirrt. 

New York, Oct. 18. — The Strakosch Troupe is 
with us once more, and commenced on Saturday, a 
short season of three nights with Madame Colson in 
TraviaJta. The house was crowded, and the prima 
donna received a perfect ovation. Last evening 
Madame db Wilhorbt appeared to an immense 
audience, singing the role of Elvira in Puritani. Her 
success was decided. She has studied hard and im- 
proved much during her absence in Europe. She ap- 
pe «rs again in the same opera, on Tlmrsday evening. 

Max Maretzek, as you have probably heanl, has 
received an unexpected rebuff from Dame Fortune. 
He had engaged his troupe for Havana, and was all 
ready to start, when news arrived, that owing to a 
recent powder-explosion in Havana, the Tacon Thea- 
tre was in an unsafe state, and the city authorities 
had forbidden it to be occupied by Maretzek or any 
one else. So the valiant Max is left with his com- 
pany upon his hands, and when they will get their 
salaries I don't know, nor do they either. 

Last Saturday the North Star arrived, bringing the 




famous PiccoTX)MiNi, who with a suite often persons 
has taken up her quarters at the Union Place Hotel, 
but a few steps from the Opera House. Her debut 
is appointed for Wednesday, when the Traviata will 
be produced with new scenery, a vastly increased 
chonis, and an interpolated ballet. Signor Step- 
fani, will appear for the first tithe as Alfiredo, 
and Signor Florenza, one of Ullman's new im- 
portations, as Germout. Some alterations have been 
made in the interior of the house, the first drole hav- 
ing been remodelled, the seats removed, and their 
places filled by two rows of private boxes with pas- 
sage way between to facilitate the interchange of 
visits between the acts. The prices of admission 
during the season will be two dollars, one dollar, 
fifty cents and twenty-five cents. 

It is said that Madame Gaz^awfca has been en- 
gaged to sing at the first concert of the Brooklyn 
Philharmonic Society ; everybody had supposed she 
had gone back to Europe, but the erratic ways ot 
musical artists who can fathom ? Mr. Noll, a good 
solid musician, will conduct the performances of this 
Society until Mr. Eisfeld returns from Fayal. 

Trovator. 



Philadelphia, Oct. iD. — The Ravels, whom I 
represented to yon as tenaciously holding the Acade- 
my of music against all operatic comers, have signed 
the terms of a capitulation to Maurice Strakosch, 
to take effect on or about November 1st. So we 
shall hear Colson in opera, after all. The troupe 
cannot fail to be eminently successful, for wo are lan- 
guishing with ennui here in the Quaker City. Miss 
Adelaide Phillipps announces a concert at the 
Musical Fund Hall for to-morrow (Wednesday) eve- 
ning, but fails to inform the " dear public" what, in 
the way of attraction, apart from her own popular 
little self, they are to expect. Not so with a certain 
R. K. Spalding, who occupies an expensive square, 
per diem, in the daily papers, for the announcement 
of a grand concert arranged by himself. This youth, 
" to fame unknown," sports the names of Gdbtav 
Satter, Mme. Johannsen, Maria S. Braikerd, 
W. H. Denett (primo basso), J. F. Taunt (Amer- 
ican tenor), and Prof. Clare W. Beames Cconduc- 
tor) ; and adds the following tempting paragraph ; 
" In order to insure a large attendance, the Manager 
will distribute among the audience several hundred 
valuable presents ; elegant fun, silver tea sets 
chains, bracelets, &c." Between ourselves, worthy 
Journal, I think that the silver ware will serve no 
other purpose than to tarnish the prospects of this 
affair. The gift enteq^risc has been tlirust into the 
ground, here in our midst, if any where ; people are 
shy and wary of aught which appertains to such like 
seeming generosity. A well known music house 
here followed this dodge upon a grand scale, some- 
time since, but failed to reap the golden harvest for 
which the seed was sown. The artists engaged for 
this entertainment are all favorably known to the 
public of this city. WTiy not, then, have placed 
them upon their accredited merits ? Ccrtes, it would 
have been safer for Mr. Spalding to have acquainted 
himself witli the past history of defunct gift enter- 
prises here, before embarking upon the present adven- 
ture. Manrico. 



gbij^fs |0DrnaI d Pnsk 



BOSTON, OCT. as, 1868. 



Mdsic in this RUMBm. OoDtlnuation of the Opeia, Luerexia 
Borgia^ arranged for the piano-ibrte. 



An Opera off the Stage. 

The Strakosch opera troupe, after a final 
dose of Trovatore^ at the theatre, and a couple 
of nights at Providence, (we trust, for our 



" friend's " sake, of the Journal^ that they played 
the Trovatore there,) returned and gave us a sup- 
plementary performance of a novel and peculiar 
character, on Thursday evening (last week) in the 
Music Hall. It was a variation from the " Trovat- 
opera " fashion ot the day, a sort of lenten enter- 
tainment, which the manager perhaps thought 
might be wholesome for us after such rich surfeit, 
— in the shape of the " greatest musical master- 
work ever composed," Mozart's immortal Don 
Giovanniy but Don Giovanni without scenery cos- 
tume, or action, presented, or disfigured in the 
manner that we usually do oratorios. " All on a 
row " in the front of the stage sat the principal 
singers, the men in suits of solemn black, with 
white cravats, the gallant Don himself looking the 
soberest and meekest of the number, and the ro- 
guish Leporello (Sio. Junca) like a burly Meth- 
odist camp meeting parson. Behind them was a 
picked up apology for an orchestra, the usual hand- 
ful of Italian chorus, and a plentiful sprinkling of 
Handel and Haydn Society singers, gathered in 
for the sole end of shouting the dozen bars or so 
of the peasants' ** Liberty " chorus. ]^Ir. Strakosch 
conducted in person. 

Now the idea in itself of giving simply the mu-- 
sic of a famous opera, where the music is intrin- 
sically so full of charm as that of Don Giovanni^ 
was not necessarily by any means a bad one. 
There is muac enough in that masterwork which 
one may be thankful to get in any decent shape, 
whether in extracts or entire, provided the essen- 
tial features of the music are preserved. Can we 
not enjoy a song from it in a parlor or a concert ; 
a quartet or trio, sung or even through a represen- 
tative arrangement for an orchestra, as we have 
sometimes been treated to whole scenes of i t ? And 
for our own part, have we forgotten, shall we ever 
forget, how for years we owed all our knowledge, 
all our love of the Don Giovanni music to a mere 
piano-forte arrangement, now torn and shabby, 
which we cherish out of grateful memory of the 
many sweet, delicious hours we have spent over 
it, getting possessed, as it were, with the soul, the 
essence of the music long beforehand against the 
time when we should hear and see the glories of 
the opera revealed in full upon the stage. Is it 
not pleasant, even after our best memories of Grisi's 
Donna Anna and of Bosio's Zerlina, and the splen- 
did ensemble, to recall parts or the whole of it 
through voice and instrument at home ? Much 
more, then, should it be a real feast for the im- 
agination to hear all the music sung by fine Ital- 
ian voices, skilled and passionate, with a complete 
orchestra to render all those exquisite harmonies 
which it was feast enough in itself to listen to with 
closed eyes when things upon the stage went bad- 
ly ? For the worst performance of this opera was 
always in a great degree redeemed by a good or- 
chestra, so much of the charm of the whole thing 
resides intrinsically in the music. We confess we 
should be very glad in the same way to make ac- 
quaintance with the musical essentials of many 
other noble operas, by Mozart, Gluck and others, 
which there seems little prospect of our ever wit- 
nessing as lyric dramas on the stage. Can we 
not learn and enjoy much of Shakspeare's plays 
by reading them alone, or in social circles with a 
distribution of the characters, or by hearing them 
read by good interpreters like Mrs. Kemble, quite 
as well, and even better than by seeing them as 
often murdered in the theatre ? And why is not 
the same thing practicable in regard to the good 



238 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Operas? Let us at least learn to know and love their 
music, the real vital and imaginative part of them, 
which is the composer's work, if wc cannot com- 
mand fn adequate sta^j^e representation. 

Now this is what the shrewd, inj^enious Strak- 
osch promised us. He had conceived a bright idea ; 
he would open a new path, a new field for man- 
agerial enterprise, a new source of profit by min- 
istering to just this want, by gratifying the public 
c^osity to know about famous lyric works in a 
much more economical way than that of theatres. 
So we were promised by the flaming hand-bills that 
wc should hear, for the first time in this country, 
the entire music of Mozart's master opera, with the 
best Italian artists to sing the music of the several 
characters, with a complete and perfect orchestra, 
a grand choms, with ever}'thing essential to the 
musicj only di^rcsted of dramatic show, that thus 
we might enjoy the music in its purity : — an op- 
portunity which it was supposed would be pecu- 
liarly welcome to those whose squeamish con- 
sciences forbad their entering a play-bouse. The 
promise was good. But the fufilment! Instead 
of Don Giovanni entire, we never knew a work 
of Art so murderously cut up. Not only were 
there the usual omissions of such fine airs as Xon 
mi dir, &c., but much beside was left out which 
every opera troupe has given us, and the whole 
thing was cut sliort in the most senseless and in- 
glorious manner in the very middle of the sublime 
retribution scene of the finale. The orchestra, 
88 we have said, was thin and small and misera- 
ble, some instruments entirely wanting. The 
characters for the most part were filled by quite 
incompetent persons. Tlie conducting was in* 
competent; whole movements being taken in the 
absunlest tempo ; and generally the whole thing 
was slurred and scrambled through with in the 
easiest and cheapest manner. It was but new 
proof of the intrinsic power and beauty of Mo- 
zart's music that much of it was highly relished 
in spite of such maltreatment. 

The orchestra failing, the principal interest of 
course centred in the solo Angers, Mmc. Colson*s 
bird-like voice and fervent grace and finesse of 
execution in the Zerlina songs, and the Zerlina 
music generally, formed the most redeeming fea- 
ture, yet even this was far from faultless ; the 
charming little proma donna was less at home 
than we had hoped in music of this kind. She 
marred the exquisite simplicity of Batli^ batti, and 
Vedrai carina bv far-fetched cadenzas from a 
wholly difl'erent sphere of music — those common- 
places of the operatic foot-lights by which singers 
invite you to forget the composer, the character, 
the music, and to admire Mem. Tlien again there 
was an excess of that tremolo^ which Mme. Colson 
surely does not need to lend expression to her 
native simple charm of voice. Yet she did sing 
charmingly and was obliged to repeat both airs. 
Mile. Parodi had the large and telling voice and 
the declamatory energy, but hardly the refine- 
ment for the noble and inpassioned recitative of 
Donna Anna. In the great song, Or tu sai^ where 
she relates the outrage to her lover, there was 
more of fierceness than of soul's passion in her 
outbursts, and the loud tones became unmusical 
with a tigress-like ferocity, to say nothing of over- 
strained, false intonation. Mme. Stuakosch, as 
Donna Elvira, sung almost always sharp, which 
strikes an east-wind chill through any music. 

Tlie gentleman who took the part of Don Gio- 
vanni himself sang coldly and mechanically, and 



was scarcely heard at all in the con<*ertcd or loud- 
ly accompanied passages, so that it wa<< really 
Hamlet with the part of Hamlet left out. Lepor- 
etto (Sig. Juxca) was much better ; at home in 
his music and effective throughout. Sig. Anionic) 
did the best he could with th«j part of Masetto ; 
and Sig. Labocetta, who wc und(»r?t*\nd has 
been a very superior tenor, and has had experience 
in German theatres, showed that he knew the mu- 
sic of Ottavio well, and sang it without notes; 
voice was wanting, more than feeling and concep- 
tion. 

On the whole the audience who two thirds filled 
the Music Hall, rose from their seats glad that the 
murderous work was over. Tlie general severity 
of criticism on the performance, however, proved 
how deeply the Don Giovanni music is under- 
stood and loved by the great mass of our musical 
public. The thing needs only to be weU done to 
become acceptable. 



A Clap-Trap Festival 

About the most extensive piece of impudence 
that we have seen for some time in this land of 
musical clap-trap and humbug, is a pamphlet of 
thirty mortal pages, containing the order of ar- 
rangements, programmes, list of performers and 
grand getters-up, humbug "Professors," "Judges," 
bogus " Ilonoraries," &c., &c., of what purports 
to be : " The People*s Grand Premium Festival 
of Vocal and Instrumental Music^ to be celebrated 
by 300 performers from the three counties^ Tomp- 
kins^ Seneca, and Schut/ler, of New Yorl', condnc' 
ted by Prof, J. H. Hixtermister, in Six Mag- 
nificent Concerts and three Practical Mtisical lec- 
tures,, Oct. 26, 27 and 28. Important Business 
Meetings^ Prizes, pertinent ^iddresses and a Splen- 
did Dinner in a Colossean Temporary Concert 
Hall, of brilliant decorations, capable of seating 
Thousands, entirely water-tight, ^'c, ^'c. All this 
is to come off at Godwin's Ycrry (North Hector 
Landing), Seneca Lake. Then follows a whole 
page of names of the " Board of Conductors " ; 
the " Board of Judges," to award the prizes, con- 
sisting of three " Profs." at the head of whom is 
one Covert (the associate of Ossian Dodge?). 
Then a " Boaad of Honorary ^lembers " in which 
they have had the impudence to insert without 
authority what names they pleased, as for instance, 
the editor of this Journal, coolly sandwiched in 
between a couple of distinguished psalm-book 
makers ! Then a list of premiums for all sorts of 
original productions, from a sacred chorus to a 
comic song or polka. Then a grand muster-roll 
of all the vocal train-bands, naming every mem- 
ber (" Orpheus Club," " Havana Choir," " Covert 
Choir," " Watkins Quartette," &c., &c.) Then 
the programmes of the " magnificent " concerts, 
where we have Handel's " Hallelujah " and " I 
know that my Redeemer " in immediate alterna- 
tion with " American Ladies' Quickstep," " Mor- 
mon Quickstep," " Sensitive Coon," and other 
wonderful productions of our native composers 
aud professors. And, finally, for the last Concert 
the following grandiloquent announcement: 

William Tell, The Iiiberator of Switserland. 

A GRAND national DRAMA OF MUSIC, 

Wrlttan and amnged for this oecMkm, by Prof. J. H. Hlnter^ 

mister. 

NOTICE. 

In thin Nfitlonftl Drama we deHgn to brlnjc before the public 
mind in graphic style. Tirid coloring and impresslTe musical 
language, the most tngio and thxiUIng historical scenes of a 



miintry and penplr. vhnra h<*ro|r jitmicrVji for LP-xTtv jind 
flnal victory nror ninhitinnn nvA rnipl ii^siirpcn*, enriirlcfi \tn 
nnirc with a hnln of plorv : nn«l l"ilor.| s«iirh n rrprwritation 
csn bnr'llv fiil to r«*rHr<» nn rnthii<>l.i.«'tir wrlromo fnmi onr 
Amorican ritizcnw. an it Jlrpirt* to a jfmit extent, their own hin- 
t''>rv. f h»«lr own vne«, oppn*>«j*ion ami conTiiIfivp Imt •iirrive- 
ful olT'ift to hun>t a fon»ii;'i pr-aili!"!; yokr. \c*. thc«« will find 
in our ino'li'fft. dHiN»rnt4». roin-ip-oiim. iindiinntipir. iwlf-smrii- 
f5rlii«rnn«1 purc-mindi'*! >Villiini T»'I1, fhoir owneli'nr. cvf'li'^r. 
CJoorpc Wti-iiilpffton : nnri in the pvrr rrmtimrmorJibli' nitrhtlv 
rouiicil nt Ornetli. In torrh-Iijr'it Mnw. n Ntrikine nmilo to 
tho'r finiou" TVcliimHo" of Tiirli«p<"'«!crrp : nn<I. fln:«llv the 
Afloption of th«» nnriiMit Swi^n roKtnniri h\ thr p<»rfomirni In 
t'lis dmnm. i" pxiMH"t<>«l to ^i»p tho whole an .nppcamncc at once 
noTcI, anliTiatinR and rhnrnctrri-tir. 

Tlii.^ is followed hy a synopsis of the Drama, 
which ISIr. Punch himself would fintl it hard to 
caricature, it would he like pldinfj refined pold. 
Truly this is melancholy business ; it tells a sad 
tale of musical barbarism, that there can be inter- 
e.«?t enounfh in any part of our country to warrant 
even the printing of so expensive c programme 
of vulgarity and nonsense. 



Diary Abroad. 

3/onf/ay, Aug. 23d, noon. — A broad expanse of wa« 
tor, hnt no long^er limitless to siprht, save to the North. 
The anchor goes down with a heavy plims:c nnr] the 
loud rnttlini; of the chain cnhlc. A hark lies on our 
left, one of the fine now Bremen Btonmships — the 
Hudson — on our ripjht. Across the still, level water 
to the west is the jrrccn line of the emhankmrnt, 
wliich says *' thus far and no further " to the stream 
ami the tides, beyond which, far as telescope can 
reach, nothing rises above the horizon level hnt the 
tops of houses, church spires, nnd trees. In the other 
dircction is a green open spncc — how lonjy ? a mile ? 
— with a row or two of trees, and at the sonthem ex- 
tremity, a lai^ round bnttory belonjjinjr to Hanover. 
— This is within hailing dist'ince, and behind it lie 
the docks of Brcmerhnvcn. A line of masts, rows of 
houses and other buildings l)cyond — and that is all 
there is to see, save the low, level meadows and 
plains extending nway into the bine distance. 

The boat is lowered, but only to carry oar grief- 
stricken sistcr-passenper to friends, wliere she may 
find s}Tnpnthy and love, and whence she may start 
upon that sad journey across these heathy plains to 
the old home — but the father is in the churchyard, 
and his l)ees, whom he so cared for and petted, sip 
honey from the flowers of his gmve. 

The adieus spoken to her, as she leaves ns, by pas- 
senger, seaman and servant boy alike arc spoken soft- 
ly, and &s the boat pushes ofi^ all look down for a few 
moments silently. Wc have been together more than 
six weeks — and we all feel the shadow of her great 
sorrow. Few of us will ever see or hear from her 
asrain. At 3 1-2 P. M., the small steamboat for Bre- 
men comes along side, and we with bag and boppige 
arc now transferrccr from our good Athena's deck to 
that of the boat. Goo<l bye, noble ship ! good bye 
all that is American — the first glance aronnd makes 
me feel at home in Germany once more. A curious 
feeling that — that of bein^; as much at home here, at 
if I were on the Bny State leaving New York for 
Boston. "John" feels himself in a strange land, 
and we, old acquaintances, — our franlein Governess, 
and the man of the " hiibsche Gepend ", and the 
boys, — we all feel drawn together, by a sort of fami- 
ly tie, now that we are surrounded by a hundred 
stmnge faces. The girl who, after eight or ten years 
of absence, has come over with us, as a sort of assis- 
tant to the steward, has found an old acquaintance, 
and cries heartily to learn that her sister is in Bremer- 
haven — and she knew it not. Our Captain is sha- 
king hands all round — everybody of the better class 
of passengers knows Schilling. 

We move rather slowly against stream and tide, 
bnt in process of time the broad Weser is confined 
within embankments, here and there broken by pas- 
sages defended by strong water gates, which lead 
into the small towns and villages, the roofs of 
I which appear beyond the dykes. It is already dark. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1858. 



239 



wljcn wc ve-Ach Urcmcn. There w little bustle and 
confiKion at llie Ininlln^ jjIskc. Wo huvc had to 
point out our ha«;;j::i;rc to a licensed porter, then go 
ashore, enter tho first uiioceupied cnrriaffc, and so, 
t'iroii;;h the still, quiet streets, who^o tall p:s»hlcd 
houses seem to l<M»k down a weleome, wc ride to 
the " Stndt yninkfort ", and hy ten o'clock, arc 
looking down from our windows upon the deserted 
Square. 

Early next inornin«j wc were awaked by music. 
It was a noble Clcnnan choral, splendidly harmonized, 
and played l»y a full band. How deliciously sweet 
the tones of the n^d instruments which formed the 
bulk of the band — obiu'S, flutes, clarinets, bassoons — 
camo up to us thmuirh our open window ! After 
the choral, followed a selection of pieces in various 
styles, and at the close was Mendels=ohn's 'Wedding 
march.* It was a pleasant thinjj thus to bo welcomed 
upon our first morning to Germany. Upon enquii-y, 
we learned that the commander of Bremen's little 
squadron of soldiers had rooms in the hotel, and the 
band had thus unexpectedly celebrated the fourteenth 
annivcrsarj' of his wedding day. 

Like large buildings generally in Germany, our 
Hotel is built ai-onnd three sides of a square, the 
fourth side being filled by a high wall, by a range of 
buildings, or by the side of the next edifice, as the 
case may Ikj ; and this square, or small court is very 
often cultivated as a garden, with vines, shrubs, 
flowers, a few trees and arbors. In the court of our 
hotel, thus cultivated, the band played. How large 
the number of members I do not know, but judge 
from the effect as compared with the effect produced 
by our large bands here in Rcrlin, that it was about 
thirty strong. I am not aware that the Bremen band 
is at all noted ft)r excellence, and yet how exceeding- 
ly precise, in what peifcct time, and in all respects 
how beautiful its performance was, even when thus 
heard early in the morning, when the ear is rested 
and doubly critical, and when no noise in house or 
street disturl>ed the flow of the fmnsic, I fhave no 
woi-ds to describe. Music is the business of these 
men. They are selected from an immense number 
of candidates. They practise daily. They arc sup- 
ported by the State. Is it any wonder then that 
such a band, almost every man of which might ap- 
pear in Boston as a soloist, shouM so surpass any- 
thing that we can show except possibly in some half 
a dozen cases ? It was an old story to mo, who have 
spent so much time in Europe, but upon John it 
worked like magic. It was his first hearing of an 
European band. Could our blowers of bastard brass 
instnimenis — made of German silver, or something 
worse, only once hear such a band, with its pathetic 
oboes, its soft flutes, its shrill piccolos, its manly clari- 
nets and its deep-toned bassoons, « new light would 
shine into their minds. 



Musical GhitrChat 

Mmc Cora dk Wiltiorst, the New York prima 
donna, made her first appearance since her return 
from Europe, under M. Strakosch's auspices, at Bur- 
ton's Theatre, on Monday night. The opera was / 
Puntnnt. Far, of the Trihuup., says of her: 

The part of Elvira demands a capital singer, 
which Mad. de Wilhoi-st proved herself to be. In 
reganl to method, style — school, in a word — she 
ranks with the great Italian artists. In voice she is 
wanting in some qualities. But, so far as nature 
permits her, she docs the best. Her execution is 
clear and bnllijint; her phrasing excellent; her dec- 
lamatory points, especially towards the close of the 
stroiihc, are admirably intelligent. It shows great 
mobility of mind and of voice to display the rare 
penetration of the Italian school of singing which 
this lady exhibits. She is the first soprano from this 
city on the Italian stage who can rank in artistic abil- 
ity with the natives of the singing country. There 
are greater voices in volume, and more comprehensive 
in sympathies, but in skill she takes a prime rank. 

The announcements of the rival opera managers 

ID New York this week are magnificent specimens ; 



they would bear away the prize among monster pro- 
ducts at an agricidtural fair. Ullman puts Picco- 
LoMiNi in the foreground as central figure; her 
debut to be in La Traviata, at the Academy, on 
Wcduesdny (last) evening. The cast cocupriscd also 
Sig. Steffani, Sig. Florknza (first appearance in 
America), "the grand and imposing choinis of one 
humlrfid sinrjcrs, including sixty pupils of the gratui- 
tou-* Singing School of the Academy, which has been 
establijibcd three months and has met with the most 
encouraging success," &c., &c. ; " the Grand Orches- 
tra, the Inrfffst and most per foci ri'rr united for an ope- 
ratic perfonnanre** numl»ering upward of sixty ** Pro- 
fessors," under the jdirection of Signor M^io (his 
first appearance). Then, for the ball scene, the in- 
comparable danseuse, Senorita Soto, with a " corps 
de ImUft of tvenfjf younrj ladies ; the wise en scene on a 
grand scale, &c., &c. Per contra, Mr. Strakorcii, 
in announcing his De Wilitorst, indulges in some 
broad and statesmanlike suggestions. He " would 
point out to the public that experience has proved 
that this country is equal to any emergency," (Mr. S. 
should bo the next K. N. candidate for tho Presi- 
dency), "whether in science or tho mechanic arts ; 
and now it is to be seen (he says) whether we cannot 
cultivate Our Own Prima Donna." See, too, how 
manfully the manager stands up for the exercise of a 
" divine right : " 

Mr. StmkoM>h mlnrtiintly rpfirs to the recent publications, 
in vhirli his late Opera Keft«on has Yy^en rcfernMl to ah a upories 
of M'tiwlcw opponition. It \s not the Intention of Mr. 8tra- 
Vonch to '* oppose " any one ; ho simply eompetos. He han had 
the honor to (fire a serios of performancefl lahich had a bril- 
liant success. He believes that it xrill be the opinion of all 
who are qualified to judce, tha^ he has the best artists, and, 
frenemdy the best ensemble. Further, he does not reooj^nize 
the principle that aa an American citizen he is not entitled to 
pursue the bnsincv to which he has devoted his life, without 
IntrrrupHon from any qunrter, Certainly the divine right to 
perform Italian Opera does not rest in tiie hands of any sinjrle 
person or clique of persons. Mr. Strakosch claims simply that 
he has a riirht to give the Opera, and the public has an equal 
right to come or to st-iv away. Since they hnve chosen tho 
thrmer alternative. Mr. Strakosch considers that his course hss 
been indorsc<l by them. The applause bestowed npon MAD- 
AM R CCtVV)S. who has been pronounced one of the BEST 
ARTISTS OF TIIE AGE, &c., &c. 

Adelaide Phillipps announces a concert in Phil- 
adelphia this week. The Bulletin says, with justice :— 
She is " the lincst of all our American vocalists ; a 
faithful, conscientious, correct and most deserving ar- 
tist, with fine natural gifts, and a most worthy ambi- 
tion to improve them." . . . Mr. Satter, the pian- 
ist, is announced as the prime attraction at a con- 
cert in Philadelphia — that is to sny next to the at- 
traction of " several hundred valuable presents " which 
the manager (Mr. R. Spalding) will give to the andi- 
ence "to injure a full house." And these gifts are 
to derive still further lustre from the singing of Mme. 
JoHANNSEN, Miss Brainerd, and other popular ar- 
tists. 

The subscription to Mr. Zerraiin's scries of 
" Philharmonic (Orchestral) Concerts," has taken a 
good start, aud there is a good prospect that wc shall 
have some fine Symphonies and Overtures this win- 
ter, rendered as well as they can bo by the most se- 
lect and iMJst drilled orchestra of fiftv musicians that 
can l)e got together in Boston. "We shall trust to Mr. 
Zerrahn's tact and taste, too, for good selections of 
lighter music. But to make all sure at once, .«5o that 
i*ehcarsals may commence in season and go on 
in earnest, let no lover of such music who 
has not already subscribed hesitate to put down 
his nnmc at once. . . . The Handel and IIaydn 
Society, under tho energetic impulse of their new 
President, Mr, Thomas E. Ciiickering, and with 
Zerraiin of course for conductor, have commenced 
their winter's rehearsals with " Handors Israel in 
Egypt", which glorious work, half mastered by the 
Society last winter and then dropped to make room 
for other work in connection with Herr formes. &c., 
will we tnist be brought out without fail before the 
season closes ; and tho more times tho better, for 
those mighty choruses will lose no charm by any 
amount of repetition. . . . We do not hear of any 



mectinp* of tho Mendelssohn Choral, or of the Musi- 
cal Education Society ; vet we wonder that those who 
have the gift to enable them take pan in such choral 
bodies should not meet to practise noble Oratorios, 
Cantatas, Masses, &c., for tho pure love of it, and for 
the benefit it must be to their own musical and intel- 
lectual culture, even if they have no encoumgement 
to embark in public concert enterprises. . . . The Ger- 
man " Orpheus Glee Clud " continue as usual 
their meetings on two evenings of each week, for the 
social practice of part-songs, under the diroction of 
Herr Kreissmann ; but they seem indisposed to give 
us another scries of those delightful concerts during 
the coming a^ inter. We tnist, however, that they will 
yet think better of it ; for they who can do so much 
for the cause of Art and refined enjoyment, really owe 
a public debt in the matter, at least so long as the 
public answei-8 their appeals as promptly as it has 
done heretofore. 

Mr. William Saar, a young pianist of New 
York, arrived there last week in tho Haromonia, after 
an absence of four years spent in Germany, during 
which period ho has pursued his musical studies with 
great perseverance under Moschelcs, Kullak, ^iszt, 
Hauptmann, the late Professor Dehn, of the Ferlin 
Royal Library, and others. We understand tliat he 
will soon come out in public with several new compo- 
sitions of his own, when we trust he will show that 
he deserves tlie support of the musical world. 

Of the composition of UlTnian's new opera troupe 
wc learn as follows from the New York Atlas: 

MdMle. Poinsot, a French singer, from tho Poris 
grand opera, Madame Laborde (who by the way is 
not equal to Lagrange or Bosio) ^l^rile. Johanna 
Wagner, of German and London notoriety, (and no 
doubt an artist of merit in ceitain roles), aiid MdMle. 
Ghioni, mczzo-sopnino, from I^ondon, figure among 
tho other donnas, both first and second. Tamaro, 
Ix)rini and Bclart, (tenors), Floreiiza and Aldighieri, 
(baritones) and Karl Formes (basso) complete the 
vocal trou/w, while Soto (who looks as charming as 
ever) with some twenty au.xiliarics, peprcsenis the 
" light fanto-stic " department. Karl Anschutz and 
a Signor Muzio, arc to superintend the orchestration. 

A moody correspondent of the New York Courier 
^' Enquirer makes fun of the learning and originality 
displayed in musical criticisms in the Boston papers. 
The satire is perhaps true enough, but not more so of 
newspaper critics in Boston than of tlio.'»e in New 
York, Philadelphia, and, in fact, all tho cities, great 
and small. Tins is the way he talks : 

But t'jc Boston local journals shine with the most 
peculiar lustre in the departments of musical and 
theatrical criticism. Here they form a School inde- 
pendent of all other schools, (even of Kngli>h gram- 
mar often ;) they have invented new terminologies, in 
which not only new words are employed, but old 
ones with new meanings, known only (if known at 
all) to the discii)les, until it is often* ditlicult lo find 
out what they mean (when they mean anything). 
For example, there is the woi'd " register " — when 
you see that word in some of thcAo-^ton pajjcrs, you 
may bo sure that the musical season has opened. 
That is what it means, as nearly as am be made out. 
Mario brought some registei-s wi:h him when he 
came there, and now the singers all have them. In 
a (paper — a sound Bcpublican paper — w!iij-h came 
last night, it is stated that at a recent concert, 

•' The Genuanin Band plaved with ihcir u.«ual 
beauty and splendor. Mr. C. R. Adams .sang quite 
nicely two common-place ballads. Mr. Adams has a 
voice excellently suited to a smaller hall, where nice 
phrasing and exquisite modulation of the various reg- 
isters mav be felt." 

The registers hero spoken of would seem to belong 
to the hall ; probably some were jiliut and others 
opened by the singer till he got them adjusted, or in 
other words " fixed right," which seems hero to bo 
the meaning of modulated. Or else, " modulation 
of tho various registers " may mean acffpax-ation of 
the vocal organs : Bottom we rememberj in the play, 
could so aggravate his voice that he could roar like a 
nightingale. The sentence is a fine example of the 
Boston school in its use of common scientific words 
in an esoteric or private sense, intelligible only to tho 



240 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



initiated. The general or eroteric mcaninjr of the 
word ** modulation," as uf|cd in music, may be found 
in a work by Dr. Marx of Berlin, on Composition. 
In tbat work is an admirable chapter headed thus : 
" On Opcninjf New Roads ; " a department which 
has been cultivated in thin country with considerable 
success, and which mi^ht be recommended in its 
bi-o:idest senile to the musical critics here spoken of 
— if it were not fur a French saying aliout a candle. 

Ix)!JGFKLL0w*8 ].>ocm, " Iliawatha," has been set 
to music by Emilb Karst, of St. Louis, and was 
lately sun;^ at tlio hall of the Merc-ant ile Library As- 
sociation, in that city, by a troupe comprising a lead- 
ing soprano, contralto, tenor, and baritone. The ac- 
companiment was in part orchestral and in part upon 
the piano. 




nsir ^brnab. 



Farii. 

M. Gounod's new opera, Le Medecin malgrl lui, 
founded on Moliere's comedy, has been performed at 
the Theatre Lyrique. Chorley, of the London Athen- 
aum, " assisted," and reports as follows : 

Mention was made in the Athenmtm a few months 
a$;o of the pianoforte score of M. Gouno I's music to 
Moliere's ' Medecin mal^r^ lui.* That publication in 
no respect suggests an idea of the effect of the opera 
on the stage. We heard it, the other evening, at the 
Thhatre Lyrique with an amount of pleasure hard to 
overstate. It was then heard, too, under the difficul- 
ties of a temperature as oppressively torrid as if the 
heat had broken out to fnlHi the much-talked of pro- 
phecy of I^rd Rosse. No matter what the tliermo- 
mcter told, — no matter how many times Sganarelle 
had beaten Martine, and caressed his bottle, and 7>- 
ofidre had sung his serenade, — no matter that ' Le 
Mbdecin began late in the evening (after * Lcs Nnits 
d'Espagne,' by M. Scmet, a young French composer, 
in his less sterling style, deserving attention), — had 
the above drawbacks been double, M. Gounod's opera 
must have asserted itself as a masterpiece, to be 
ranged among the French musical dramas, which 
have travelled, and will travel, over En rope. Mol- 
iere's comedy turns out excellent as tlie canvas for 
the comfioser, who has made of Sganardle one of 
those brilliant buffo parts into which every new Lab- 
lache or Ronconi tliat may attempt it will be able to 
put some new "pastime and prodigality " of his own. 
The principal soprani, Martine and Jacqiteline, it is 
true, are both souunrtitea ; and there is no part in which 
a pmna donna may make up for her dramatic humor 
by solitary display ; but the occupation of IJeandre is 
precisely such as loving tenors love : his two songs 
are delicious. Still ' Le Medecin * is a French opera, 
one in which (as in Gluck's operas, Cherubini's ' I.<e8 
Deux Joarn^,' and — ^by way of latest example — M. 
Meyerbeer's) the separate pieces, detached and de- 
prived of action, lose flavor and interest. Then, to 
illustrate with another comparison, unlike M. Auber, 
M. Gounod cares nothing for the conventions of exe- 
cution. There is not a note of show-music from be- 
ginning to end, — ^not a bar whieh time and change 
can m:ike sound older than it now sounds, — not a sin- 
gle piece in which we have to forgive untruth for the 
sake of effect. It is vigorous, humorous, pure stage- 
music, having a way of its own, if ever there were 
such a thing. Tlie'instramental writing, by its dex- 
terity, its variety, its fullness, yet its simplicity, will 
satisfy those who (justifiably enough, as times go) 
complain of noise everywhere, — and who cannot abide 
Pyramus and Thiabe making sentimental love with 
throe trombones to back tliem, or lAsetU or Maid 
Marian uHliered on the stage with a thump of the big 
drum. Lastly, there is a retrospective tone through- 
out, an indication of the stately delx>nair humor of 
the times of Le Grand Monarque, thoroughly in keep- 
ing, but never forced into extravagance. To sum up, 
'* Le Mbdecin ' is an admirable specimen of well-man- 
asred mirth in music, — owing nothing to stagc-ai>- 
pointmeuts, for the dresses and scenery are simple 
and not showy, — a little to its executants', since the in- 
telligent persons who act and sing it (and who have 
learned tncir duties thoroughly) are still inerely the 
second Ixjst memlwrs of the troop at the Theatre Lyr- 
{que. M. Miiillet, however, the Sganarelle, must bo 
exceptt>d. It would be hard to amend the mixture 
of stolidity, liveliness, and cunning thrown by him in- 
to every action and gesture. He sings the music, 
too, very efficiently. It is not wonderful that, after 
such encou^^^ment as such a success affords, the 
:oming * Faust,' which (as has been mentioned) is in 
rehearsal, should be expected with great interest. 



The Italian Opera opens with La Traviata on the 
2nd of October. Madame Pcnco is the pruua donmi. 
The theatre has l)ccn newly decorated at a great cost. 
M. Cnlzado, the manager, is reported to have lost 
dOO,OOOf. during his first season, and 100,0U0f. the 
second, whilst his third season was rewarded with 
again. 

Tamberlik, Madame Bosio, M. Cal7.ol.1ri, and 
Mesdames Modori and S()e7.ia have left I'aris this 
we k <^ »wi/<! for St. Pctcrsburgh a^ul M:idrid. 
Madame Stcffanoni has likewise just left for Barce- 
lona, and M. Carrion for S))ain. 

At the Opera Comiqnc Aul>er's opera, Txi port du 
Dialtiff has been revived with consi<lcn»ble success, 
witli the universal favorite, Madame CuIh:!. 

"FunoiNo" AN Opera. — An Italian composer, 
named Berrcttoni, brought an action licfore the Paris 
Tribunal of Commerce against M. Cal74ido, director 
of the Italian Theatre, under these circumstances : — 
Ho stated that in Septem1>er, 18.57, they signed nn 
agreement to the effect that he, Berrettoni, should, in 
a fortnight, remit to M. Cnhado an opera made np 
of morccaux tsken from the various works of Rossini, 
entitled the " Curioso Accidente," with a libretto, 
and that Calzado should pay him 800f. on delivery 
and SOOf. the day af^er the iirst performance. The 
opera was duly delivered, and SOOf. pnid. It was 
put in rehearsal, but never produced ; and the plaintiff 
nad consequently not received the remuneration to 
which he was entitled, and 1>esides had l)een prevented 
fi-om having the opera represented in foreign and 
provincial theatres. He therefore claimed lO.OOOf. 
damages, and that M. Calzado should be made to 
bring out the opera before the 1st of December next, 
under pain of 200f. fine for each day's delay. In 
support of his action he produced a certificate from 
Rossini that the opera in question was, with the ex- 
ception of one cavadna, by him. M. Calzado con- 
tended that h^ncnrred no liability to phiintiff. inas- 
much as no period had been fixed for ttie production 
of the opera, and he prayed that the agreement should 
be declared null and void. The trihnnal decided 
that there was no reason for declaring the agreement 
void ; but that, no period having been fixed for the 
production of the opera, the plaintiff was not enti- 
tled to damages. It nevertheless ordered that the 
opera should bo brought out by Calzado before the 
3 1st of December, 1858. — Mas. Gazette. 

Milan. — At the Scala, they are playing the Due 
Foicari, where Corsi is much applauded. 

St. Pbtersburgh. — The following is a list of the 
company of the Italian Opera for the forthcoming 
season : — sopranos — Mesdames Bosio, liOtti dell a 
Santa, Bernardi, and Dottini ; tenors — Sigs. Tam- 
berlik, Moneini, Calzolari, and Alessandro Bettini ; 
baritones — Signors Ronconi, Debassini and Evenirdi ; 
bnsgi profondi — Signora Marini and Polonini. Mnd- 
ame Ferraris will be premiere dansettse. Amonc the 
new operas to be produced are mentioned La Juive, 
by M. HaMvy, and Simon Doccanegra by Signor 
Verdi. 



^ptcial Uofitts. 



DESCRIITIVE LIST OK THE 

TEST DMCTJSIC, 
Pnbllwhed br O. DilooH U Co* 



CoBLEKTZ. — A second musical festival will take 
place at Coblentz, on the 9th and 1 0th of October, 
to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Musical In- 
stitute, founded in 1808, and supported by the state. 
It was formerly under the direction of Herr Auschtitz, 
but is now under that of Herr Lenz. Handel's <Sam- 
8on is the work selected for the first dav. The cho- 
rus will contain 290 persons fmm CoKlentz alone, 
and this number will be increased to 2.')0, by ama- 
teurs in the surrounding places, especially U^cnwicd. 
The orchestra will consist of 130 instrumentalists. 
Samson will be preceded by Beethoven's symphony 
in C minor. The following is the programme of the 
second concert, on Sunday, the 10th October: — Part 
I. — 1 . Symphony No. 4, in D minor, by Roliert Schu- 
mann ; 2. Tenor air (not yet definitely selected) ; 3. 
Scene from the third act o^Gluek's Orjtheus (Madlle. 
Schreck, from Bonn ; 4. Gesantfscene for the violin, 
by L. Spohr (Herr Otto Von Konigslow, from Col- 
ogne) ; 5. Second finale from Awi Juon, with the 
concludinar movements. Part II. — 6. Four songs, 
by the Kolner Miinnergesang-Verein ; 8. The over- 
ture to Euri/anthe, by C M. von Weber ; 8. Tenor 
air (still undecided) ; 9. Bass air from the Creation ; 
and 10, Mendelssohn's finale to Lordey, 

The solo singers already engnged are Madlle. 
Shreck, named above, for the alto parts; Mndlle. 
Augusta Brenkcn, for the soprano parts ; Herr Ernst 
Koch, of Cologne, forthe tenor part in Samson ; and 
Herr Carl Hill, from Frankfort-on-the-Maine, as bass. 
Mail lie. Derrtz, of Cologne, was also requested to 
lend her services, but was unable to do so in conse- 
quence of previous engagements. The assistance, 
likewise, of a former member of the Institution, now 
one of the finest tenors in Germany, is expected. 



Music dt Mail. — QuanHtitM* of Munle ftre now wnt br mall, 
the exp««nw hcini; onl)' about one rent apiori*. wblle the care 
aiiil mpiditv of tran«itM>rtjition nra rentarknble. Thom at a 
Ki*«it <list<iiirc will finil the nioile of convevnnro not only a ron- 
▼eiiiciice. but a Kiviiifr of etpiMiKo in obt'iininK mipplien. Bookfl 
can al.«o be ■(•nt liv inuil. at the mfe of one rent per ounce. 
Thi« nppUc* to any di«t;inre iindcr three tboai«nd niiics; be- 
yond that, double the abore latcti. 



Vocal, with Piano Acoompaniment. 
Welcome be thou light of heaven. Jifendeissohn. 30 
One of the flne«t of Mendel»ohn*s Tvo-Part 
8ong.<, appearing here for the lint time with an Bng- 
liah Voniion. It is needleM to say anytbinir in pialse 
of It. MondelMohn'H Duetii for LaiUeii' Toieet stand at 
the head of this cUm of muiieal literature . 

Melancholy. (LaMalinconia.) Rom. Campana. 25 
A Boadoir Song of modem Italy, flowing nnoothlj 
and melodiously, without any of tbo<e h^thly -colored 
dramatic paaaagee, with whieh late Italian eomposers 
like tospke their eongs. Hie melody movM in an ex- 
cellent compaw for almost every voice. 

Rose of the mom. Song. Frank Mori. 25 

This Is a capital song for a baritone voice. It is one 
of the bent pleeee on the repertoire of this rising £ng- 
lish linger and compoMsr. 
Sailing on the summer Sea. Ballad. Cherry. 25 
Come with me to Fairy Land. " 35 

Cherry '(I fresh and pleasing strains an always wel- 
come. It were strange, If to much prettlnees shonld 
not meet with unWenal fkror ! Then la no shadow of 
the nentlmental in Cherry's ballads, they are bright, 
f unny, and refreehing. Let any one doubt thin, after 
having heard the last of the two above named iMllads. 

Kiss me and call me your own. L. 0. Emerson. 25 

Words and music of a very popular character. 
The Little Savoyards. Duet. (German and 
English words.) Lagoanire. 25 

A touching f ppoal of two little strayed Saroyard 
boys, to be sheltered while the dreadful inow>etorm 
ngee, in which thsy come near perbbing, with their 
queer inttrnmonts, and the mall stock of " latest 
Oallads " which th^ bring back ttook Paris to their 
mountain home. It is a very effiwtiTe composition, 
prattliy done ; especially the part In a minor key, with 
a nmoto resemblance to the quaint monotononsneei 
of Savoyard lays, U quite charming. 

Inatruinental Musio. 
Snow Polka. E. Szechenyi. 25 

Ionise Polka. W. C. Glynn, 25 

Cheer Boys, cheer. Quickstep. " 25 

liiglit and pntty. 
Practical Five-Finger Exercises ; Op. 802. Czemy. 75 
Caemy himself styles this work of his an " indis- 
pensable Companion to every Pianoforte School." Fin- 
ger Exercises occupy a highly important place In mod- 
em Instruction, and then an a number of compila- 
tions in the market, which offer to supply the want of 
a suitable book for the echolar, to guide Ikimself hj. 
Some of these, like Schmitt's " Pianist's beet Compan- 
ion " an very meritorious. Ciemy, In his Collection, 
bad the advantage of a vast experience In Teaching, 
and of a most excellent system of Instruction, which 
places bis book above all otben of the same kind. 

Books. 
Bochsa's Instructions for thb Harp. — A 
new and Improved Method of Instruction, in 
which the Principles of Fingering and the vari- 
ous means of attaining finished Execution on 
that instrument, are clearly explained and illus- 
trated hy numerous Examples and Exercises 
Composed and Fingered hy M. Chas. Bochsa. 250 
The plan of this method \» entirely new, the author 
hsvlng brought the common harp and the Ilarp with 
double movement Into a comparative point of view. 
and united all their relations — constantly treating 
the latter as a sequel to the former, and clearly prov- 
log that whoever understands the one will in a short 
time be perfoetly acquainted with the other. The gen- 
eiml principles of Angering, unfortunatelj omitted in 
some Instruction books or treated of in a light man- 
ner, are in this work completely developed and iUna- 
tmted bj numerous examples. The various means of 
attaining expression, axe also minutely explained and 
exemplified. 



i* 



Whole No. 343. BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1858. Vol. ^IV. No. 5. 



for Dwiffhr* Journal of Miuio. 

The Legend of the Crost of St Francis. 

BT TROVATOR. 

[The fkmod Uonasterjr of SI. Francb of Aulat la in the Pa- 
pal StatM not fkr ftom Perugia. St. Francia was aecuetomed 
to pray before a oruelflz in a rude cell upon the side of the 
mountain near the eonvent, and after hie death, this cell be- 
eame a hallowed shrine to the deront Catholics. A traditional 
legend relates that the cross was onoe remored to the splendid 
Gothic chnreh of the eonvent, bnt was taken back at night to 
Its original resting place bj the angels, while the monks were 
asleep. Upon this legend the following ballad has been eon- 
•tnioted.] 

On the side of the mountain bare there stands 

An humble and lonely cell. 
Where, sweetly mellowed by distance, you hear 

The soft tone of the convent bell. 

The cell is scooped from tlie solid rock, 

And the floor is damp and cold ; 
A emcifix stands at the farther end 

As it did in the days of old ; 

In the days of old, when that holy saint 

Would come from the convent fair. 
To kneel and pray by the holy cross 

That stands in the cell so bare. 

8t. Francis had long since loft this world, 

But his name was cherished still ; 
And from far and wide the pilgrims would flock 

To the Convent upon the Hill. 

They came from Amo's gentle vale, 
They came from the banks of the Po, 

They came from Rome, where the rushing waves 
Of the golden Tiber flow ; 

They poured from the sunny hills of France, 

From the distant Briton isle ; 
To the shrine ot St. Francis they joyfully toiled 

O'er many a weary mile ; 

And they hastened to visit the lonely cell, 

To pray on the hallowed spot, 
To kneel at the foot of the self-same cross 

That still sUnds in St. Francis' grot. 

Then there came to the convent a Cardinal, 
He was sent by the Pope of Rome ; 

And he hastened to visit St. Francis' cell 
And to pray 'neath its humble dome. 

But when he returned to the convent fair. 

He ctiUltd all the brethren around. 
And he said it was wrong that St. Francis' cross 

Should remain 'neath the damp cold ground. 

" It is not meet," said the Cardinal, 

" That beneath that humble cell 
We should leave to moulder the holy cross 

Of the saint that we loved so well. 

" Let us place the cross on our high altar, 

Where, beneath the Gothic nave. 
It will find a fitter resting place 

Than within that lonely cave." 

And they placed the cross on the High Altar, 

All with holy pomp and state. 
And the censers were swung and the convent belli 
rung. 

While the people around did wait 

And they placed the cross on the High Altar, 
And the monks they chanted a hymn. 



While the organ rolled from its pipes of gold 
Fit music for cherubim. 

And they placed the cross on the High Altar, 

And they said a holy mass, 
While tlie worshipping crowd lespondcd aloud 

Till trembled the painted glass. 

And they placed the cro89 on the High Altar, 

And with care they made it fast, 
And they said it should stay, where they placed it 
that day. 

As long as the church should last. 

Then night came down on the convent and town. 

And each monk retired to rest. 
First saying a prayer with holiest care. 

To the saint that he loved the best. 

* * * * 

But what means that glare that now reddens the air. 

And that comes from the church so old 1 
And what is that light that is streaming so bright, 

Through the windows of gothic mould 1 

And what is that sound that is floating around. 

Yet scarce heard by listening ears ? 
Its heavenly tone bears resemblance alone 

To the harmony of the spheres ! 

That light so bright, on that blessed night. 
Through the gothic windows that shone, 

Is the play of a ray of that endless day 
That encircles the Great White Throne. 

And that music so sweet, that our senses greet. 
As though it were Heaven that sings — 

That music so rare that we hear in the air. 
Is the rustling of angel wings. 

On either side are flung open wide 

The doors, late so firmly barred. 
While angels of light, in their robes of white. 

Before them are keeping guard. 

But why this sight, on the dark midnight 1 

And why are the angels here I 
And why at this hour do they show their power. 

In the church so lonely and drear ? 

They have taken the cross from the High Altar, 
Through the open door they have passed. 

They have borne the cross to St. Francis' cell. 
To the spot that ho loved till the last. 

Then the cell shone as day with a heavenly ray. 

Like the glorious light that poured 
When the angels, they say, rolled the stone away 

From the sepulchre of our Lord. 

They have taken the cross from the High Altar, 

They have placed it once more in the cave. 
And never again shall St. Francis' cross 

Be seen 'neath a Gothic nave. 

* * * * 

When morning came with its ruddy flame. 
The monks they did hie to the church. 

And they saw the loss of St Francis' cross. 
And they quickly made anxious search. 

And they searched with fear and with inward pain. 
And Uiey found it onoe more in the cave. 

But when they returned to the convent again 
Their features were troubled and grave. 

And then unto all spake the Cardinal : 
" Most grievously have we erred. 



And this miracle has been done, that well 
We may bless our mighty Lord — 

" For it teaches us that he hears our cry 

As well 'neath the humble cave. 
As when we kneel by the columns high 

That support the fretted nave. 

" We may make onr prayer on the mountain bare, 

Or beneath the frescoed dome, 
Yet still by our side onr Lord will abide — 

Every place is to Him a home. 

" While we worship hero, we need feel no fear. 

And none while we worship there. 
For wherever we go we may truly know. 

That our Father is everywhere." 
Perugia f Italy f Apnl, 1858. 



The Diarist Abroad. Ho. 4. 

Oct. 26. — ^InWolfenbiittel. Yesterday we came 
from Bremen. At a station where I turned ofiTto 
pay a visit to Minden friends, we parted from the 
last of our Atliena associates our Friiulein Govern- 
ess. It was her last connection with America, 
where she had had so much of both pleasure and 
pain. Her 'wander-years' are over — is it strange 
that tears accompanied her last **good bye?" 
God be with her ! 

In Jianover to-day I inquired afler Joachim, 
hoping to see him, but he is still in England. How 
was it possible that, two years ago, the absurd 
story of his marriage with Bettina's daughter ob- 
tained currency ? Nothing of the kind was ever 
dreamed of by the parties most interested. 

In the afternoon we came hither — (WolfenbUt- 
tel) and the rest of the day and evening was spent 
with Herr Ludwig HoUe, who is doing in Germa- 
ny in piano-forte music, what Novello has done 
in England with vocal. 

We went through his establishment In the main 
building on the square, so modest and retiring as 
not even to bear a sign to call attention to it, 
one flat is occupied by family apartments, his 
counting rooms, and the like. The others are fit- 
ted up, that below for forwarding of packages, 
that above for storage. If at Novello's I had feas- 
ted my eye upon his vast collection of vocal music, 
I had no less a feast in the long ranges of shelves, 
upon which lie heaped the piano-forte works of 
Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Bach, Weber, dem- 
enti, Kramer, and the like. 

Back of the house, on the bank of the little 
stream, which flows through Wolfenbiittel, leav- 
ing a narrow court between, he has erected a new 
building in which all his printing and sterotyping 
is done. Here is the press-room, with half a doz- 
en small power presses at work ; here is another 
press-room with lithographic and engraver's presses 
in motion — ^for Holle has also a lai^ business in 
maps and charts. In another, we saw a dozen 
stereotypcrs at work ; in a fourth the compositors, 
one of whom was setting up ** Der Freyschiitz, " 
another *' Oberon " — ^for a fine stereotyped edit- 
ion of Weber's operas is on the tapis. In other 
rooms we saw all the usual departments of a large 
printing establishment, fully represented, and 



242 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



finally, when we had finished all this, here is one 
more room. IIollc enjoyed my evident surprise — 
for to me it was somethint; new to find this de- 
|)ftrtment of tlie printing; business represented in 
the establishment of a publisher — ^as I went in and 
found myself in a type foundry I 

"I eannot afford to be always buyinjr new type," 
said lie in cffeet, " and I must have it continual- 
ly, or it will be impossible to keep my plates up 
to the standard. I have therefore, to secure the 
fiqal touch of perfection in my editions, put my 
own type foundry in operation, and you can judge 
for yourself of the excellence of the work. " 

Truly the work is excellent, as the new edition 
of his Beethoven Sonatas shows. 

In the course of the afternoon and evening, I 
had opportunity of gratifymg my curiosity most 
fully, in relation to his great undertaking. Great 
undertaking, I say. Hero is a modest, retiring man, 
in a little city, of half a dozen thousand inhabi- 
tants, within from half an hour to six or eight 
hours ride by railroad, of Brunswick, Hanover, 
Bremen, Hambui^, Ijcipzig, Dresden, and Berlin, 
in all of which places you find music-publishing 
houses, some of which are among the most exten- 
sive in the world, who, at his own risk and in face 
of all the opposition of the princes of the music- 
dealers, has undertaken to place the greatest pro- 
ductions of the greatest masters witliin the reach 
of all classes of music lovers. He has been plagued 
and pestered by copyright suits, but has gained his 
cause in every case. He has worked his way 
along quietly but perseveringly — ^has conquered 
the position he holds by leaving his publications to 
speak for themselves. For instance, not a music- 
seller in Berlin would expose one of his volumes 
upon his counter. Veiy well, a few copies of the 
Beethoven and Mozart Sonatas were sent to Sch- 
neider and other booksellers, and they found im- 
mediate sale. People whoalrcady had the greater 
part of those sonatas, i%vr the price, as printed 
upon the covers of the volumes, examined them 
to see that the works were complete and correct, 
found that it would be cheaper to buy the whole 
in this form, than to complete their sets, and pur^ 
chased. One purchaser made others. The edit- 
ion of Beethoven and Mozart gradually went off, 
and Haydn followed. 

The profits were exceedingly small, but it was 
a cash business, and he was able slowly to enlarge 
his sphere of operations. 

By and by his enterprise began to attract the 
attention of musicians and teachers. The inde- 
fatigable Chrysander, exceedingly well fitted for 
the labor, by his long continued studies in old mu- 
sic,with Dehn and others, preparatory to his **Life 
of Handel," became interested in Holle and un- 
dertook the collection and editing from original 
sources the four volumes of Bach. Liszt lent his 
countenance to the enterprise, and when the pub- 
lisher became cUssatisfied with the appearance of 
his first edition of Beethoven's Sonatas, consented 
to edit Beethoven's piano-forte works entire. 

When Holle told me about Liszt, I remarked 
with a -smile, that it was a very good thing for him 
to have Liszt's name on the title pages ; adding 
something, which implied the thought that the 
good pianist would not probably labor very hard 
in hii editorial function. Holle understood me 
and without being offended, went into another 
room and brought me a proof-sheet of one of the 
sonatas for violin an4 piano-forte. My doubt 
needed no Axrtiher answer. First Liszt has gone 



tlirough the sonatas with pen and ink ; then a 
second time carefully, making his corrections, 
which are in some cases of the minutest character, 
with a red pencil ; and finally, a third examina- 
tion has shown still a few crrora, which are note<l 
with a commrm load one. 

He allows of no metronomic marks. Bcctlio- 
vcn himself gave none, anil those w^hich we find 
on various editions are by Mosohcles or some oth- 
er player, and nccensarily give their ideas, not 
Beethoven's. No, says Liszt, leave tempos to the 
player. If he has Beethoven's spirit be will get 
them right ; if not, he cannot be taught. 

Holle wished to include in his edition of Beet- 
hoven, the Symphonies arranged for two and for 
four hands. But by whom ? a grave and trouble- 
some question. By accident he learned that a 
man named F. W. Markull, (I think a music-di- 
rector away out here on the Baltic coast, at Dan- 
zig,) had sent a manuscript to some publisher, 
containing such an arrangement complete. Tlie 
man was not much known, and the publisher for 
sundry reasons was very willing to return the 
manuscript Holle obtained it and sent it to Liszt 
Liszt was delighted with it, and Holle has printed 
it The new edition of the sonatas is not disfigured 
by advertising pages, &s was the first Excellent 
as that was for the price, this is much handsomer. 

Fortunately for Holle, his business was so con- 
ducted that during the cri^s last year he met with 
but two or three trival losses, and now that things 
are upon a better footing, he is gaining the re- 
ward of his enterprise and perseverance. 



The Cliaracter and Genius of HandeL 

(From the Life, by Schoelcher.) 
(Continued.) 

Whatever touched his musical sense excited 
him like the P>'thoness upon her tripod. At the 
conductor's desk he used to warn the chorus by 
calling out ** chorus ;" and the three contempora- 
ry biographers concur in saying that his voice, 
whenihe uttered that word, was **mo^t formidable." 
Miss Hawkins, in her Anecdotes, relates of him a 
circumstance, " which the Dean of Raphoe (Dr. 
Allot,) who remembers him, lives to tell : that 
Handel, being questioned as to his ideas and feel- 
ings when composing the Allelujah chorus, replied 
in his imperfect English, * I did think I did see all 
heaven before me, and the great God himself.' " 

When he was composing, his excitement would 
rise to such a pitch that he would burst into tears : 
" It is said, tnat a friend calling upon the great 
musician when in the act of settmg these pathetic 
words, * He was despised, and rejected of men,' 
found him absolutely robbing." 

**I have heard it related," says Shield, " that 
when Handel's servant used to bring hun his choc- 
olate in the mominfiCt he oflen stood with silent 
astonishment to see his master's tears mixing with 
the ink, as he penned his divine notes." 

The motion of his pen, active as it was, could 
not keep up with the rapidity of his conception. 
His MSS. were written with such impetuosity 
that they are ver}' difHcult to read. The mechan- 
i(*al power of the hand was not sufficient for the 
torrent of ideas which flowed from that volcanic 
brain. Mr. V. Novcllo, the learned publisher, 
who seems to have well studied the MSS. at the 
Fitzwilliam Museum, seeing a page on which the 
sand is still upon the ink at the top as well as at 
the bottom of the page, left in the book the fol- 
lowing observation : " Observe the speed with 
which Handel wrote. The whole of this page is 
spotted with sand, and consequently must have all 
been wet at the same time." 

Doubtless we must attribute to this mental ar- 
dor Handel's singular habit of employing three or 
four languages at a time, in speakmg as well as in 
writing. He was a very impulsive man, and 
neither did nor said the same thing twice in the 



same manner. He had no habits, and was cci^ 
tainly one of the great«»st improvisers that ever 
lived. IIo was improviHng,so to speak, every mo- 
ment of his life. He had three or four dillerent 
styles of handwriting. Sometimes his notes have 
heads so small and tails so thin, that (hey arc more 
like fly-seratches: sometimes their heads arc as 
big as bullets, with tails of terrible thii-kneas. 
His MSS. are quite linguistic curiosities, for they 
contain thousands of memoranda of which no two 
are alike. One day they are in English, the next 
in German, the day following in Italian, and on 
another day in French ; afterwards, in all these 
languages mingled together, as in the last memo- 
randum to Berenice : — " Fine (h'll' opera Beren- 
ice, January 18,17,38, Ausgefiillen ;" and then 
"Gecndiget den January 27, 1787." So that 
" End of the opera " is in Italian, *' To fill in " and 
" Completed " m German, and the dates in Eng- 
lish. In his orchestration, the instruments are 
designated in turn by their Italian, French, and 
English names. Not only do these memoranda 
ofl'er an image of the confusion of tongues, but 
even their place is changed every day ; to the 
right, to the lefl, at the top, and at the bottom of 
the page, sometimes before the date, and some- 
times afYer. They seem like a perpetual defiance 
given to human nature, whose general disposition 
it is to contract fixed habits. 

It is a strange thing that this man, so inflamma- 
ble, so accessible to anger, and the transports of 
inspiration, had nevertheless very moderate tastes. 
He ate largely, but he seems to have had an ex- 
ceptional and unhealthy appetite to satisfy. The 
following anecdote is to be found in that little chron- 
icle which is attributed to every great man's life. 
One day, being obliged to dine at a tavern, he 
oi*dered enough for three, and being impatient at 
the delav, he asked way they did not scr\-e up. 
** We will do so," said the host^ " as soon as the 
company arrives." " Den pring up te tinner 
prestissimo," replied Handel ; "lam de gombany." 
A triple dinner seems a great deal, even for a 
famishing man, and it may be that the fact has 
been magnified for the sakeoi the joke; but it ap- 
pears certain that he deserves the reproach of 
having been a gourmand, and too fond of good 
cheer. This is the vulnerable side upon which 
his adversaries always attack him, and upon which 
none of his friends have attempted to defend him. 
Yet noborly has accused him of gross intemperance 
Burney, it is true, relates the following: story : 
" The late Mr Brown, leader of his majesty's band 
used to t<ill me several stories of Handel's love of 
good cheer, liquid and solid ; as well as of his im- 
patience. Of^the former he gave an instance, 
which was accidentally discovered at his own house 
in Brook-street, where Brown, in the oratorio sea- 
son, among other principal performers, was at din- 
ner. During the repast, Handel oflen cried out, 
* Oh ! I have do taught;* when the company, un- 
willing that, out of civility to them, the public 
should be robbed of any thing so valuable as his 
musical ideas, begged he would retire and write 
them down ; with which request, however, he so 
frequently complied, that, at last, one of the most 
suspicious had tne ill-bred curiosity to peep through 
the key-hole into the adjoining room, where he 
perceived that * dese taughts' were only bestowed 
on a fresh hamper of Burgundy, which, as was af- 
terwards discovered, he had received in a present 
from his friend the late Lord Radnor, while his 
company was regaled with more generous and 
spirited port. " 

To this I do not attach the slightest credit; 
not only because it is ignoble, but because it isdi- 
ametrically opposed to all that has been proved 
as to the liberality of Handel's character; because 
it would be impossible for the master of a house to 
leave the table ever}* minute, under the pretext 
of an idea ; and because it is impossible that a 
guest should follow his host from the table in or- 
der to spy out his proceedings through all the key- 
holes in the hfljie. Handel was so proud a man, 
that he never could have given way to such a sol- 
itary indulgence. What must his domestics have 
thought of him, if they had seen him doing such a 
dirty trick ? The anecdote is, moreover, self-con- 
tradictory, for we know that bon vivants do not 
like to drink alone. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1858. 



243 



Handel alwavs lived a very retired life, and 
never married. Notwithstanding the love which 
he bore toward his mother, and his extremely 
charitable disj)02<ition, I mnst eonfess, not without 
rej^ret, that the sonlimonts of afTection do not ap- 
pear (a? the disi'iples of Gall and Spurzhcim would 
say) to have been very stronpjly developed. Not 
one woman o(rcupiea tlic sniallent place in the long 
career of his lifi*. When he was in Italy, a cer- 
tain lady named Vittoria, fell in love with him, 
and even followed him from Florence to Venice. 
Burney describes Vittoria asa songstivssof talent. 
M. Fetis Cecils her " the Archduchess Vittor- 
ia ; ** but both agree that she was bi^iutifid, and 
that she filled the part of the prima donna in Rod- 
erigo^ liis firat Itiuiau score.* Artist or arch- 
duchess, either title was enough to turn the head 
of a young man twenty-four years old ; but Han- 
del disdained her love. All the English biograph- 
ers say that he was too prudent to accept an at- 
tachment which would have been the ruin of both. 
This is a calumny; for he was never prudent. 
The bold struggles of his life prove that for him. 
His refusal is only explicable on the ground of his 
indifference. I do not urge this in bis praise, but 
I prefer that defect to the other. 

But he had really no other passion than that for 
music. During the earlier part of his residence 
in London, he otlen went to St. Paul's when the 
adernoon service was finished. There, surround- 
ed by some of his admirers, he delighted them by 
playmg on the organ at that cathedral, which he 
preferred to all othere. Night came, an<l then 
they retired to a neighboring tavern, the Queen's 
Arms, where there was a harpsichord, which he 
would play while he smoked his pi()e and drank 
his beer.§ These were all his pleasures. Gradually, 
as he became more absorbed in his compositions 
and by the cares of managership, ho bime off all 
relations with society ; lie refused every invitation 
and only associated with three intimate friends, 
" a painter named Goupy ;t one Hunter, a scar- 
let-<iyer, who pretendeJ a taste for music ; % and 
his pupil and secretary, John Christopher Smith." 
He nad others in the city, but he seemed to think 
that the honor of his acquaintance was a sufficient 
reward for the kindness they expressed for him. 

Hawkins says *' that no impertinent visits, and 
few engagements to parties of pleasure, were suf- 
fered to interrupt the course of his studies. His 
invention ever teeming with new ideas, and his 
impatience to be delivered of them, kept him 
closely employed." Ho seldom left his house, ex- 
cept to go to the theatre or to some picture auc- 
tion. He was a connoisseur of pictures, and pos- 
sessed some valuable ones. His sole amusement 
was to go and sec exhibitions of them. Alas ! his 
blindness deprived him of that pleasure a long 
time before his death. 

(To be ConUnved.) 

* At that period, and eren Uter, it wm not uncommon to 
And prinres and prince^ece fingiug in the pieces which were pro- 
duced at their courts. 

} Ilawkins. 

t It would be curious to know whether there wore two pain- 
ters named Goupy, and whether this one was the caricaturist ; 
for Handel was not tlxi sort of man to tw reconciled to one who 
had so oatngoously ridiculed him. 

X Ilawkins, in relating theiw peculiarities, says that Hunter, 
*^ at a great expense, hiul .H>pies made for him of all the music 
of Handel that he could procure." 



An EngliBh View of Ficcolomini. 

(From the London Musical (Hsette, October 2.) 

On Tuesday last no inconsidcmble crowd of fiwh- 
ionable company was attracted to Sydenham by the 
announcement that Mdlle. Piccolomini would take 
leave of the English public in a ifipccial concert, in 
the programme of which she woald be the chief fig- 
ure. The popularity of this young and certainly 
gifted artist was never more completely attested than 
on this occasion, for London is at tfie present mo- 
ment more than usually bare of occupants, yet was 
there as large an attendance as we have witnessed on 
some of the grand days in the height of the season. 
We shonld bo loth to attribute this popular enthusi- 
asm to the public admirarion of Mdlle. Piccolomini 
as a vocalist, although it was in this cliaracter alone 
that she made her appearance on Tuesday ; we would 
rather express a convicdon that the fiattering tribute 
paid to the young lady by the largeness of the atten- 
dance and the hearty applause of those who attended, 
was in recogniUon'of her tfilent as an actress — a re- 



cognition willingly and generously accorded, thoup:h 
in her Inst English appearance she was not cxliil)i- 
ting in the line for which she is so peculiarly Htlcd. 
Artistically suggesting, Mdlle. Piccolomini shonld 
hove Uikcn leave at Her Majesty's Theatre, her talent 
hcin<; in the histrionic and not in the vocal line ; 
ollicrwisc, there is no place like the Crystal Palace 
for a " dcmoiiHtration," and it was probahly on tlii.s 
p;round that a building in which Mclllc. Piccolomini 
had never htfore. a])pcan»d, should have been selected 
for her last appearance in this country. 

The fair Sicnnjsc is now on her way to America, 
and we wonUl particularly impress upon our transat- 
lantic hrctliren that the dcmonstni lion of Tuesday 
last must not bo taken as evidence of her talent as a 
vocalist, but as a token of reminiscent admiration of 
her i>ower8 as an actress. Any other interpretation 
of Tuesday's enthusiasm would be a libel on the per- 
ceptive capabilities of those present, for Mdlle. Picco- 
lomini cannot be accused of being a good singer. 
Her voice is of a sympathetic character, and she is in- 
variably in tunc, but her defects in singing — inequal- 
ity of tone, and inability as regards vocalizHtion — 
have been more painfully apparent every time we 
have heard her, and this of course more particularly 
in the concert-room, where, though she is abundantly 
animated, she cannot enter uni-escrvcdly into the 
action of the stage. 

Mdlle. Piccolomini is easily "reckoned up." We 
have just given our opinion of her cantatory qnalifi- 
cations, and, with regard to her stajrc tuient, we can 
speak of her Violetta as a most touching specimen of 
the domestic dramatic ; her Norina, as a piece of the 
prettiest coqucttishncss and fascination (though per- 
haps a little too girlish for the sly widow,) and her 
Maria (in fja Fujlia del lieggimenlo) as perfect in its 
way. ller performance in Ijtiisa Miitler was the most 
artistic of all, hut the opera is such a miseruble ]>er- 
petration on the part of Signer Verdi, that we can 
scarcely bear to revert to it. Her personification of 
the Zingara, in the Italian version of Balfe's Doketni' 
an Girlf was commendable, but the part docs not af- 
ford much scope for histrionism ; it is a pretty, quiet, 
girlish part, that could be played by any young lady 
in a case of amateur theatricals,— or, rather operatics 
— in a drawing-room. Lucia was a dangerous opera 
for her to appear in. Jenny Lind palpably failed in 
it, with the advantages of a marvellous voice, and a 
most wondrous facility in making use thereof, and it 
is not a little remarkable that no Lucia comes for- 
ward now-a-dnys. The careful avoidance of the part 
by the p^enerality of prime donne — for the opera is far 
too good to be shelved, — is a little significant. 

Mdlle. Piecolomini's " farewell to England *' has 
been the musical event of the week. Let us return to 
it, and state of what materials the programme was 
composed. The young lady's songs were " Ah 
fors' fe lui," " Vedrai carino, and " Convien partir." 
Mozart's aria was encored — or rather Mdlle. Piccolo- 
mini was encored, since she gave in response to the 
redemand, Balfe's " I dreomt that I dwelt," in Eng- 
lish. Signer Giuglini, the only other vocali.st, ob- 
tained a vociferous encore for Balfe's " Tu m 'ami " 
(" When other lips ") : taking the compliment to 
himself, he replied with " La donna c mobile." Wo 
are exceedingly curious to know how it was that the 
Crystal Palace* band was provided with the orches- 
tral parts of " La donna " and " I dreamt." Surely 
the vocalists were not conceited enongli to take it for 
granted that they should be encored in even one 
piece I 

"Convien partir," the song in which Maria {La 
Fifjlia) takes a heartbroken leave of her military com- 
panions, would have answered very well as a (Jhanaon 
d*adieu on the present occasion, sung as it was with 
great feeling and real significance by tlie young 
prima donna^ but it was followed by tlie jocnnd " Li- 
Diamo"fTom Lai Traviatn (the chorus by Signori 
Aldighieri, Castelli, and Rossi) which sounded very 
much like " au remir." We have no faith in " fare- 
wells " on the part of artists. It is an exceedingly 
diilicult thing to take leave of the public, whedier the 
singing be done for the love of money, or from en- 
thusiasm for the art, and we have had such profuse 
proof of this difficulty on the part of some whose 
fame justified their announcing a " farewell " as an 
attractive piece of business, that we look with eyes of 
the utmost doubt and disbelief on all such advertise- 
ments. Mdlle. Piccolomini sailed on Thursday for 
the United States, so there can be no question as to 
the fact of her having left us, but, though she has a 
wide field in America, and might occupy her time 
and employ her talents to the best advantage for 
years to come, we cannot believe that she has bid 
farewell to England, as stated in the advertisements of 
the Crystal Palace Company, which ought not to tell 
stories, tliough we are convinced they have fibbed in 
this instance. We have heard it said that the young 
lady returns in some six months ; if this be tnie, the 
demonstration of Tuesday last must be looked upon 



as an absimlity. The cheering and kcrcliief-waving 
at the conclusion of the concert, and on the departure 
of Mdlle. Piccoloniini through die building, though 
real and hearty, must have caused her to lau^h in her 
sleeve, when she knew that in so short a time she 
would again be amongst her Enpli.«h admirera, and 
ready to accept an engagement from any one who 
shall' be nish enough to take Her Majesty's Theatre. 
Let us not l>e too hard upon the authoress of this ex- 
citement. It may have been a 6o;*a^V//» leave-taking, 
bnt we would rather believe it to have been a shan, 
for Mdlle. Piccolomini can ill bo spared. FewVr- 
tists have acquired public esteem so rapidly, and few 
have become, after any period of probation, so tho- 
roughly popular. Her position is owing to her pe- 
culiar earnestness of monner, her complete entrance 
into ever}' part which she undertakes (whether she is 
successful in everif part is a different matter), and her 
sympat^ietic quality of voice. The fact of her being 
an inditicrent vocalist, only renders her good quali- 
ties the more conspicuous and remarkable ; and, 
though she is neither a Grisi nor a Bosio, we cannot 
afford to lose her at present. 

Although this was what might have been termed 
an " opera concert," the Crystid l*alace band was 
employed, conducted by Signer Arditi. Mr. Manns 
dir-cctcd Balfe's Sie'je. of Roehelle overture, which was 
the only instrumental piece introduced. 



MUe. PiccolominrB Debut in New York. 

(From the Courier and Enquirer, Oct. 14.) 

It is safe to say that the Academy of Alusic 
never witnessed a scene of such intense excite- 
ment as passed within its crowded and overcrowd- 
ed walls last evening. One can scan-ely imagine 
a more exciting spectacle than the first appear- 
ance of a great artist whose fame has been herald- 
ed, and who is known to have ix)wcr8 of fascination, 
the precise character of which remains yet to be 
experienced. The verj- indefiniteness of the com- 
ing sensation gives it a zest which cannot, in the 
verj' nature of things, attacb to subsequent fa- 
miliarity. With Signora Piccolomini this is 
peculiarly the case. Her name of itself sets the 
imapnation to play. A scion of one of the oldest 
Italian families, which has counted among its mem- 
bers Pope Pius II., of high repute, and Ottini 
Piccolomini, the hero of one of Schiller's 
greatest tragedies, the niece of a living Cardinal, 
figuring as a prima donna in Italian opera before 
American Republicans is in itself a novelty that 
could not fail of exciting the liveliest curiosity ; but 
when to this was joined distinction for beauty and 
for genius, of coui-se we could expect nothing but 
just such a perfect furor of excitement as &und 
expression at the Academy last evening. Great- 
er artists in particular excellencies, doubtless have 
been amongst us. Of couree it will not do to at- 
tribute to Signora Piccolomini the peerless bril- 
liancy of Jenny Lind, or the dramatic intensity 
of Grisi, or the mellow richness of Alboni, or 
the exquisite grace of Sontao, yet it ought not 
to be forgotten that she is as yet but in the begin- 
ning of ner career. And even young as she is, 
she exhibits a remarkable union of high qualities 
as an artist, and in some respects her very youth 
is in her favor. At the very opening of the opera, 
as will be remembered, the curtain rises upon the 
character she asssumcd — Violetta ; and it required 
but a glance at her, as seated on her couch, to see 
in her bright and expressive features and slight 
and graceful form at least one good title to take 
her audience captive ; and as the play opens and 
the banquet begins, there was no disputing 1 er 
riflfht to say, Saro VEbe die versa^ " I will be his 
Hebe." She looked a Hebe indeed. Nor in re- 
gard to the qualities of her voice washer audience 
left long uncertain. Her sparkling carol at the 
end of the drinking song, and her aria, Ah,, fors c 
lui cJiCy full of tender passion and beautifully exe- 
cuted, revealed at once no common vocal powers. 
Her voice may be called a Soprano sfogato — and 
admirably combines sweetness, clearness, and flex- 
bility. She sings with little effort, and every 
tone responds freely and charmingly to ^\i>r\' 
changing impulse of'^fceling. The part of Violetta 
nowhere imposes a very severe test of vocal 
capabilities, out the case and success with which 
she executed that exuberant aria last mentioned, 
both in the pathos of the andante and the vivacity 
of the quick movement, which ranges up to D in 
alt, give rich promise of what we are to hear iu 



244 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



more difficult music. This first act completely es- 
tablished PiccoLOMiNiin the enthusiastic re«;ard8 
of the audience. At its close she was called be- 
fore the curtain no less than three times, and was 
not let oif until she again gave the last gushing 
lines of the arid. The house rung with acclama- 
tions, and the bouquets fell in a shower. But the 
peculiar calls made upon the heroine in La Tri- 
vata are histrionic in character — for, despite the 
popularity of the opera, there is no gainsay that 
its musical merits entitle it to only a second or 
third rank among VerdCs productions. It was in 
the second act that Signora Piccolomini began 
to display her powers as an actress. Here the 
distracting relinquishment of her love before the 
demands and entreaties of Alfred's father takes 

5 lace, and her parting from Alfred; and she ren- 
ered these scenes with remarkable effect. It 
would be hard to imagine any more thrilling ex- 

})res0ion of feeling than the utter anguish of the 
ine with which the parting closes, Amarrie^ AlfrC' 
do quant io t* amo — Addio. The scene, towards 
the close of the act, when VioleUa is insulted and 
held up to shame by the misled Alfred^ in the 
presence of the gay company, will not be forgot- 
ten by any who beheld it. It was not what she 
sang, for the expressionless music is not worth 
heeding, but what she acted — ^the overpowering 
sense of insults, the crushing weight of despair, the 
convulsive clutching of hands, the trembling and 
relaxing of the whole frame — all was in the very 
highest style of dramatic art, worthy, we might al- 
most say, of a Ristori or a Rachel. And the 
triumph she thus earned in the second act, she 
sustained through all the lingering agony of the 
thirrl. The reding of the letter — the tottering 
across the room and contemplation of her changed 
countenance in the mirror— ner sinking exhausted 
into the chair — ^her breathing out the sad aria in 
A minor, Addio ! del passato bet sogni ridenti — her 
listening to the distant Bachanalian chorus, as the 
dying Desdemona in OteUo listens to the chant of 
the gondoliers — her jubilant revulsions of feeling 
on the return c^ Alfred — her shriek to her atten- 
dant to make haste for the physician that she may 
again live — her quick giving way to utter help- 
lessness and hopelessness as we bewails in the duct 
with Alfred the disease and death that cannot be 
escaped-— the bestowing of the last gift, and the 
finally exultant yielding up of the last breath 
were all portrayed with a dramatic fidelity our 
pen cannot descnbe. Her immense audience was 
completely rapt with interest ; and at the close, 
gave vent to their feelings in the stormiest demon- 
stration. The whole evening's performance 
was a complete triumph to her; and we do 
not believe there was a person in the house 
whose anticipations, high as they may have been, 
were not more than realized Piccolomini's 
conception of the heroine is somewhat peculiar ; 
she not only divests what is really a painful char- 
acter of all its repulsive features, but makes it 
positively captivating. This of course exalts the 
artistic efiect, but whether it is not done at the 
expense of the moral influence, may be questioned. 
Signer Steffani sustained the part of Alfred 
with great credit He delivered the concluding 
stanza of the drinking song in broad and vigorous 
style, and the solo uh mio remorso in the second 
act he executed admirably, and well earned the 
encore he received. The baritone Signor Flor- 
BNZA represented Germont with dignity and sen- 
sibility. He did fine justice to the lines Dungue 
in vano trovato at the interview with his son, and 
was encored. 

The Orchestra under the direction of Signor 
Muzio did well, and also the numerous chorus. 
Senorita Soto and the corps de ballet added much 
to the brilliancy of the spectacle. The mise en 
scene was excellent; costumes were new and 
splendid, and scenery and every accessory were 
irreproachable. The entire representation, in all 
of its features, went off with the utmost eclaty and 
Mr. ULMAMKhas reason to congratulate himself 
that be has inaugurated his new campaign with a 
triumph so absolutely complete and unequivocaL 

From ttie TrIbniM. 

We did not hear Mile. Piccolomini in the first act, 
and judge of her from her rendering of the second, 
third and fourth acts. In person she is rather under 



the middle hcip^ht. In carriage she is gmccfal and 
hiffh hred. Her face boasts a pair of dark eyes of 
exceeding vitality and exprcwiion, well-turned fea- 
tures, and rcmnrknhle powers of mohility. Her na- 
ture evidently is quick, ardent nnd enthiisinstic. Her 
voire is wannlv toned and in the lachrvmoAe portions 
of tlie opera, w'hich ahonnd, w fall of the lovelincM of 
trafric sorrow. In quality it is not of the highest rank, 
hnt the electricity of the artist lends it at the climax 
of intensity an expression which is apart and tmlv 
admirnhle. In the three acts which we hoard there is 
no florid mnsic, fo we cannot judge of her ability to 
execute it. In declnmatorv and sustained singing 
passages she is excellent. Aer phrasing leaves noth- 
ing to he deflired. Her enunciation is perfect. With 
a tnie air of high Italian nature, she is prodigal of 
facial expression, answorinf; to the sentiment of the 
moment. As an actress, she is charming. Her play 
of the arms is particularly good. The last scene of 
the broken-hearted, dying consumptive was best at 
the close. The tremulous agony of joy at meeting 
her lover wm exquisitely faithful to nature. The 
impression left on us was not that of a grand, hut a 
beautiful artist — finished and fascinating. The ap- 
plause of the audience was heartiest at the end, when 
Mile. Piccolomini received the honor of a triple call 
before the curtain. Her drcssinj;, we may add, was 
excellent — in the best French taste. 

The tenor, Signor Steffani, except a tendency to a 
certain robustioufiness, which is out of place, contrib- 
uted much to the success of the evening;. 

The new baritone, Signor Florcnza, is a remarkable 
acquisition. Kxcept a disposition to overweep his 
music, he afforded no point for diluted praise. His 
method and style are beautiful. He phrases well to 
a charm. Every word is as distinct as if spoken. 
His voice is really a low tenor, of exceedin;^ purity, 
flexibility and sentimental quality. His solo called 
forth a tnunderinj; encore, and from that moment his 
success was assured. 

From the Tlrae*. 

Without positive owli^hness it is impossible to be 
blind to the fact that Mile. Piccolomini's inflaence 
over the audience is the result more of manner than 
method. She is not an astonishing: vocalist, nor is 
she drifted with a voice of extraordinary power. If 
we try to analyse what it is that gives her preemin- 
ence, we must, at the outset, discard these ordinary 
considerations. Much as her vocal powers have been 
underrated, they are still in no proportion to her im- 
mense histrionic capacity, which embraces so wide a 
range of emotion that it overshadows everything else. 
Her voice is a very charming soprano, soft yet full, 
and of fair compass, though evidently not yet fully 
developed. It is as fresh os voice can be, and as sup- 
ple as youth, without much experience, can make it. 
Under the impulse of emotion it vibratos with feeling,' 
and by indescribable inflection illuminates with elec- 
trical quickness, a train of deep sentiment, even as the 
li^rhtnine illuminates the vale. It is this rare gift 
which distin^iffhes the true from conyentional art, 
and we have seldom seen it manifested more wonder- 
fully than in the case of Mile. Piccolomini. Her 
entire performance is, in fact, a protest a^inst con- 
ventionality, and to this rircnmstance we attribute her 
great success in En/;land. where thin^rs in art as in 
everything else, move in the most steady and antiqua- 
ted grooves. To say that this independence of model 
is mere talent, would be absurd. It is genius of the 
best kind, because creative, and absolutely free from 
the taint of imitation. Blended as it was with all the 
gracious suavity of youth, and the bearing of f^ood 
society, it is not remarkable that Bfflle. Piccolomini 
astonishes as much as she captivates her audiences. 

From the Oovnfar Am State Unit. 

In fact, Mile. Piccolomini, on this first evening, 
was far from producing one of those unanimous, de- 
cisive impressions from which a sort of judgment may 
be formed without apueal. She was applauded, 
called out and stormed with bouquets. But this fla^ 
tery could not close the critic's eves and ears. An 
agreeable voice, but deficient in body and firmness, 
and acting that had at times too much mannerism, 
these were the weaknesses observed in the two fint 
acts. 

In the last, the artist recovered herself, both as to 
the singing and as to the scenic sentiment. But she 
could not entirely efface the first impressions, and in 
fine, the public dispersed with some hesitation as to 
the exact rank to assign the new prima donna. 



Stnsiral Correspnhnte. 



MWWW«MAAMMMMMI 



' ^^^^^^** " * ■^^^^■*«*-*-*-- i - ii - g - - \ - | - i r i r n.-Lru" 



Bkrlin, Sept. 17. — Three weeks to-day m 
Berlin again I Three busy weeks, happily too, just 
at the season when one hears no music, that is to say. 



at this season of most delicious weather, clear, not 
too warm, when fruit of all kinds is ripe, when it is 
the height of enjoyment to be away from the largo 
cities amonjr the hills and mountains of the Harts 
country, Silesia, Saxony, Bohemia, Thnringia, the 
Rhine region, and so on. At this season everybody 
is away and the musicians have their vacation. 
Hence we have had opera only about three times a 
week in the Royal house ;— "Robert the Devil," "Hu- 
guenots," "Don Juan," "Jessonda," "Lac dcs F^s," 
" Wassertrager," and works by Donizetti, and other 
Italians, — and once or twice a week the splendid 
ballets for which Berlin is famous. Out at Kroll's 
tho light French operas, — " Le Domino Noir " for 
instance — are running some three times a week ; at 
the better class of gardens, we find in all, hut about 
three good symphony concerts weekly, which is a 
great falling off. Stem's Singing Society meets every 
Monday evening from 5 to 7, but " eveiybody " being 
away, he has but about 100 voices present. It was 
rather good though, last Monday, to hoar part of 
Mendelssohn's " Lobgesang," Mozart's " Avo Vemm 
Corpus," and other short pieces sung by these hun- 
dred voices ! 

So you see we are cut off from music, because the 
season has not yet begrni. We can hear the Dom 
Chor, however, Sunday mornings, but tliat seems to 
me to have fallen off within three years past, — 
perhaps, however, as winter comes on and the re- 
hearsals for the concerts begin, it will come up again. 
"John," however, thinks, as it is, that that choir 
nngSf and that on the whole there is some mnsic to be 
heard here. Your regular Berlin correspondent "jff^* 
complains sadly of the constant repetitions of old 
works, and the few opportunities one has to hear 
that which is new in the opera house. I can easily 
conceive that to a musician, an old resident of the 
city, this fact is a just cause of complaint ; but there 
are two classes of persons who have exceeding good 
cause to be pleased with the arrangement — tho one, 
all those who are benefitted by having full houses ; 
the other, all persons who, never before having had 
opportunity to hear the great master works of tho 
opera, would, if they could have tho selection, de- 
mand just such a succession of them as they here, es- 
pecially at this season, find. 

As at all events at this time of year the boxes 
of tho fashionable world would be rather emp- 
ty, I consider it as wise on tho part of tho direc- 
tors as it is pleasant for us strangers, that works are 
given which crowd tho other parts of tho house. 
Having neglected to get a ticket for " Don Juan " tho 
other morning, I found such a crush there in the eve- 
ning that I turned away as did a great many others. 
You should have heard " John " talk about it next 
day! 

But, enough of this I 

Certain readers of the Journal — perhaps more 
correctly, divers persons, who promised to be sub- 
scribers and readers — have my promise in return, 
to devote some space in one of my first communica- 
tions to questions in relation to the study ot music 
here, — its expense, tho advantages offered, and the 
Uko. 

If a person has nothing but money-making in view, 
and merely wishes on his return to say : " When I 
was studying in tho Conservatory at Paris or 
Leipzig," or, " when I was pupil of this, that, or tho 
other famous man," I am, unfortunately, not able to 
give him any advice — or if able, not disposed. 
There have iJready been too many humbugs of that 
sort here, and that not alone in music. 

Tho comparative advantages and disadvantages of 
different cities here as places for musical study, de- 
pend, of course, to a certain extent, upon the real 
object which the student has in view. For general 
musical culture, it is as important for the student to 
be where he can hear the most mnsic of all schools 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1858. 



245 



and of all kinds, m it is for tho student of literature 
to bo where he has the best libraries at command and 
the most frequent opportunities of meeting with lit- 
erary men, of hearing them speak in public often- 
est, and so on. If a young man wishes merely to 
study Latin and Greek, ho may, perhaps, find as 
good a teacher in some small " one-horse " college 
out West as anywhere ; but if his ambition is to be- 
come a scholar, in any high sense of the term, how 
much better it will be for him to go at once to Har- 
vard or Yale, admits of no argument. Take a case 
or two. Here is a young man or woman whose ob- 
ject is to become a good and thorough teacher of the 
pianoforto, and possibly of singing. General musical 
culture is important to all, but in this case the ques- 
tion of economy may be paramount. I should advise 
such an one, if not very much advanced in the 
art, to enter one of the music schools of Germany. 
Which one, so far as I can see, is of little importance. 
That at Leipzig, that at Cologne, or either of the 
three here in Berlin would answer the purpose. But 
when one comes three thousand miles to study music, 
one would naturally wish to be where much good 
music is to be heard — a certain sum of money for 
concerts and opera is reckoned among the necessary 
expenses of the visit to Europe. In this regard Ber- 
lin offers double the advantages that any other city 
in Europe can. But then they must be paid for. 
One cannot live in Boston or New York and enjoy 
the privileges of city life so cheaply as he can live 
out in some country town. That is tnie, all the 
world over. Berlin is a great capital of 450,000 in- 
habitants, and it costs more to live here than in a 
small town. But here comes in another question ; is 
it not better to employ a certain amount of money in 
obtaining two yean of study and cultivation here, 
than to spend the same for three years in some small 
place, with half or a quarter of the opportunities for 
improvement? If a musical student's object is to be- 
come a pianoforte virtuoso, and he has already 
reached a certain degree of skill, it is clearly his best 
course to bury himself in the little city of Weimar 
and study with Liszt, — if Liszt will take him. But 
for nine out of ten who come to Europe to study pi- 
anoforte it would be throwing away time and money 
to go to Weimar, just as it would be for a young 
man, whose object is to become a mere civil engineer, 
and who has not gone beyond arithmetic, a little ge- 
ometry, and algebra, to go to Cambridge, Mass., and 
undertake to study privately with Fierce in the high- 
est region of mathematics, or to Paris to study with 
Le Verricr. 

To go back to our young teacher. He has a cer- 
tain amount of money, and the point is to use it to 
the greatest advantage in Europe, in fitting himself to 
be a teacher. 

No one will deny that the number of music teach- 
ers with us, who have really pursued any system in 
their studies, or have made any great progress in 
what may be called " the general knowledge " of 
their profession, is small, — though happily, I grant, 
increasing. Few of these teachers, in case they came 
to Europe, would be foolish enough to think of be- 
coming " great pianists," or virtuosos in any depart- 
ment, and of throwing away their funds in paying 
one to two dollars a lesson to some great finger gym- 
nast. A very few weeks spent among the musical 
people of Leipzig or Berlin would show most of 
them that, for the attainment of any really eminent 
skill, tliey have yet the foundation to lay — the A B 
C to learn. What it seems to me they need is just 
that sort of instruction which they would get in some 
one of the music schools. Especially if a young man 
or woman, who has had only the ordinary advantages 
of our smaller cities or towns, has the object in view 
of becoming fitted to superintend the entire musical 
department in a school, I consider the only wise and 
economical course to be to enter a Conservatorium. 
The advantage of this course, to put it in the most 



general form, is precisely the same as that of going 
to an academy and college, instead of depending 
upon private teachers for a knowledge of science or 
letters. 

Of the te&chers, whom I know, a great majority 
need at least two years of this kind of instruction, 
however great tJicir diligence. 

What particular school to select is, I take it, a mat- 
ter of not very great importance. For an American, 
I should say, considering all the circumstances of the 
case, those at Leipzig and in this city are preferable. 
But whether to select the Leipzig Conservatorium or 
either of the schools here, of which Stem and Kullak 
are respectively at the head, would depend not so 
much upon any great difference of advantages offered 
in the character of the instructors, as upon matters 
outside the school. The course of instruction is 
about the sumo in all. In oil, the pupil has his regu- 
lar lessons in instrumental performance, in counter- 
point and composition, in singing and music gener- 
ally. 

Happening to have a circular of Stem's school 
only before me, I will give an abstract of it, with the 
remark that it will answer pretty well for the others. 
The instractions naturally divide themselves into two 
classes, — theoretical and practical. 

The former class includes, as I see on this circular, 
elementary instruction, harmony, melody, composi- 
tion, (in its several departments of vocal, flgural, fu- 
gual, pianoforte and orchestral), History of Music, 
method of instraction, playing from scores, conduc- 
ting, declamation Cmusical), and the Italian language. 

The second class, 1 . Vocal music ; elementary for 
the voice and articulation ; cultivation of the ear ; 
singing in choras and ensemble ; solo singing, both in 
concert and church music; and dramatic vocaliza- 
tion. 

2. Pianoforte plajring, from the elements up to vir- 
tuosoism ; playing with orchestra, or concerted pieces 
with fewer instruments. 

3. Study and practise of orchestral instraments, 
both for solo, concerted, and full orchestra music. 

It is considered of high importance for every pupil 

— though it is not demanded — to study singing and 
some orchestral instrament, even though the principal 
objects he has in view be merely tho study of the pi- 
anoforte and the theory of music and composition. 
By doing this, he has variety in his studies, and is 
enlarging the sphere of his knowledge without sacri- 
ficing at all his specialities. 

I give the names of the principal teachers : 

Music Director Weitzmann : — Elements, Theory, 
Harmony, History of Music. 

Liihrss, (a rising composer) : — Counterpoint, 
Fugue, Composition. 

Music Director Stem : — Accompaniment, Thor- 
ough-bass, Score Playing, and Directing. 

Hans von Bulow, Hen* Golde, Heir Schwanzer, 
and Herr Wolff : — Pianoforte. 

Stem and Btilow : — Flaying with 4 and 8 hands, 
with Other Instraments and fiom Score. 

Dr. Luigi Bossi : — Italian Language. 

Wagfter, (of the Boyal Opera): — Declamation 
and Dramatic Performance. 

Oertling, and othen of the many excellent musi- 
cians, of whom Berlin possesses such a multitude : 

— the various Orchestral Instraments. 
Schwanzcr, one of our best Organists, teaches 

that instrament. 

Thero is a good deal of practice in choras singing 
with orchestra, under Stem, one of the very best con- 
ductors I ever saw, and who has made himself fiEunous 
for the style in which he has brought out recently, in 
his singing society, Beethoven's " 9th Symphony " 
and great " Mass in D," and Handel's " Israel in 
Egypt." 

Though Baiow is among the very first of the 
younger class of pianists r^ some say he is the first 
in Berlin —my impression is that in Kullak's school 



the piano is on the whole more successfully taught — 
certainly Kullak's organ instractor, Haupt, is the 
greatest player in Germany, now that Johann Schnei- 
der's day is over — and probably — nay, doubtless, 
in the world. 

On the other hand, I am led to think that in the 
vocal department, Stem's school stands best. 

Of course I cannot go into all the particulars. I 
have said so much merely to give some idea of these 
schools, and to justify what is said above, — that it 
makes but little difference in what particular school 
an industrious, observing penon becomes a pupil. 

As to Leipzig and Berlin, the difference between 
the two cities is, that one is a great capital and centre 
of Art, the other a provincial town. In Berlin there 
is always music to be heard ; one leams music, as he 
does the language, by continually hearing it " spok- 
en." But, on the other hand, I suppose it costs more 
to live there. I find a very marked change since I 
left for home in April, 1856. Booms that then were 
rented for five or six thalers a month, cost now from 
seven to ten. 

" But, Sir, why not give us the figures in full ? " 

I'll try. 

Passage from New York to Bremerfaaven, see the 
newspapers for steamships ; but if you will do as I 
have done twice, take passage in a first class Bremen 
sailing ship, you will pay fifty dollars. At the end 
of the passage you will give as "drink money" to the 
steward a dollar or two. Reckon your passage up to 
Bremen on the steamboat as another dollar; half a 
dollar will get you and all your baggage to the hotel, 
and a couple more dollars will pay your hotel bill for 
a day and get yon to the station, or ought to do so. 
Ten dollars is amply sufficient to carry you from 
Bremen to Berlin, where, for the two or three days 
which must elapse before you find rooms, you will be 
at an expense of $1,50 to $2 per day. 

If you can so arrange your plans and come by 
sailing vessel to Bremen or Hamburg, then sail about 
the end of May or the beginning of June, for it is 
very important that you should be here learning the 
language, so that when you begin your music lessons 
you will be able to understand your instractors. 
Hence yon ought to be here in July. Until the mid- 
dle or the end of September you will employ your- 
self in studying German (to which end take with you 
from home a Grammar, Adler's Lexicon, and a read- 
ing book) and in hearing the opera and the garden 
symphony concerts. 

This is a digression. 

Once in Berlin, yon begin to ran about seeking 
rest and finding none — for "rest" read "rooms." 
Then you meet some American, perhaps, at the Ca^^ 
Baviere or the Belvidere, where you get your dinners, 
and tell him your trouble. You have been in this 
street and in that, hither and yon, and the only decent 
rooms you can find they chaige four or five dollan a 
week for. He smiles, and asks if you can speak 
German. No, say you. "Well," he says, "fora room 
that they ask you 12 thalers a month for, they would 
ask a German student 8 — and this for two reasons ; 
the people think that whoever speaks English is a 
goose to be plucked, and, as a general rale, Englisli 
and American students, when they firat come to Ger- 
many, until they have learned and to some extent 
adopted German habits, make a great deal more 
trouble and expense for their landladies. I will give 
yon an hour or two after dinner and we will see what 
we can find." 

N. B. that all this is some two months before the 
beginning of the term, October 1 ; so that it is not 
particularly necessary for yon to be near the music 
school into which you design to enter. 

Do not be in a hurry about getting your pianoforte. 
Take things easy. Go every day to hear an opera, 
or to some symphony concert. Hear all the music 
you possibly can, so as to " get the sharp edge worn 
off," for when you are fairly at work in your school 



246 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



yoa will not have time to follow up concerts so closely 
— bat daring these t\TO months make your daily task 
at least six hoars hard study in the lan{i:uage. Get a 
musical work or two and study it as a German read- 
ing book — not as a mu»cal text book — because 
your first object must be to learn the German musical 
terms and expressions. If you should work in this 
way three months it would be no loss of time. Just 
as soon as you can make yourself understood, and 
can understand others, go and see Stem, Kullnk, and 
Haupt, — better to get some American, who " knows 
the ropes," to go with you, — and have a talk with 
them. Get permission to visit a few classes, if you 
can, and see how you like. 

But I am away off again from the topic of ex- 
penses ! Well then, by the first of October or of 
April, when the terms begin — six terms or three 
years is the regular course for beginners — you are 
settled in your room at from $5 to $10 a month, a^ 
yoa think fit. You have a Grand Pianoforte, for 
which you pay from $2 to $4 per month, according 
to its valae. For the study of the organ you have a 
set of pedals adapted to the piano, costing perhaps as 
much more. 

Your " portion " of coffee and bread and butter, 
&c., need not cost over a thaler or a dollar a week. 
Yoa dine at an eating house, as do probably 25,000 
other persons daily, at an expense of 15 to 20 cents 
of our money. Your tea or regular supper may cost 
yoa from 10 to 30 cents, as you will. Washing is 
about 50 to 75 cents per dozen, according as you 
have many small pieces or not. You must buy your 
own lamp and pay your landlady for the oil yon 
bam. Your room has a great tile stove, which is 
heated with wood twice or three times a day, accord- 
ing to circumstances, costing 10 to 15 cents a day. 

The regular fees at the Music Schools amount to 
about $8 per month of our money. Private instruc- 
tion is to be bad for all prices, from 25 cents to $1,50 
per lesson. The regular first-class concerts, if sub- 
scribed for, cost 20 silver-groschen (50 cents) each. 
Liebig's ordinary series, if you buy several tickets at 
once, cost 7 J cents each ; his higher class concerts ia 
the Sing Akademie, 25 cents. The opera costs 75, 
56, 42, 2ft cents, according to place. Do not bring 
many clothe«, many hodkf, nor much music ; the trans- 
portation costs money, and all you want can be got 
much cheaper here. 

I think of nothing farther to say to that particular 
class of students for whom I am now writing, except 
to ask, whether two or three years here, with all these 
advantages, cannot be enjoyed at a less cost than at- 
tends the spending of five or six months a year, for 
two or three years, in Boston or Now York 1 

If any Subscriber to the Journal of Music has any 
questions to ask through ita columns, I will do my 
best to answer them. -A.. W. T. 



N»w York, Oct. 26. — The great musicaFsensa- 

tion the debut of Piccolomini— has transpired, 

and the excitement is already subsiding. 

Of course there was a crowded house at the Acad- 
emy of Music, and the auditorium, with its additional 
lights and its bewildering array of female beauty, pre- 
sented a really imposing appearance. The audience 
was well disposed to be pleased, and there were a 
number of excellent people who were present pur- 
posely to applaud— at least so I judged from the 
startling exuberance of their enthusiasm, which was 
constantly bursting out in wrong places and did not 
know when to stop. 

They had a very pretty bit of new scenery for the 
opening scene ; the stage was brilliantly illuminated 
with chandeliers, and the chorus were numerous and 
gorgeously dressed. It was quite exciting to look at 
them ; the men wero very gallant to the ladies, and 
the singer with the long legs, I noticed, was very at- 
tontive to the lady with the corkscrew curis, and, dur 
ing the banquet, helped her several times to empty 



plates, and gave her two or three pasteboard gilt gob- 
lets to drink out of; she seemed to be gratified witli 
these attentions. 

After a while Piccolomini sailed in, looking quite 
enchanting in yellow silk with blue trimmings. She 
was received with great applause, and acknowledged 
it very gracefully ; the chorus then gabbled a little, 
and there was heard the popping of corks from cham- 
pagne bottles, (the cliorus had nothing to do with 
these— only the principal perfoiincrs who sat round 
the little table in the centre,) and pretty soon the 
tune for the drinking song came along. Piccolomini 
sang the Brindisi very sweetly and archly, but with- 
out the abandon that Gazzaniga throws into it. The 
following duet, with the tenor, called for no special 
comment, and then the little prima donna was left 
alone on the stage to sing the most brilliant cavatina 
in the opera — ^the finale of the first act. 

To be sure, she did it very sweetly and gracefully, 
with ever so many bewitching gestures and shakes of 
the head — and then she avoided the runs and difficult 
passages so nicely that the alterations after all made 
little difference. She was called before the curtain 
three times, and repeated the cavatina. Everybody 
said aftenvards, that she was a charming creature, 
excepting the critical owls who said she couldn't sing 
the music. 

In the next act she was better, because there was 
more dramatic action, and less florid mnsic ; the du- 
et with her lover's father was a very touching per- 
formance. In the last act she both acted and sang 
well, but did nothing really startling — nothing to call 
for special comment. 

Piccolomini is by no means a great singer — Her 
voice, though somewhat sympathetic, is not powerful, 
and can scarcely be heard in the concerted pieces. Her 
execution is smooth, though not facile ; and a difficult 
chromatic passage she will turn off into something 
else that is easier. Everybody knows that her ^/brte 
lies in her acting, and for this she is certainly deserving 
of praise. It is not in startling bursts of passion that 
she is great — the very delicacy of her physique would 
incapacitate her for excelling in the Miss Heron or 
Gazzaniga line — ^but it is in her really exquisite by- 
play that she is almost unrivalled. Every phrase of 
the libretto, she utters, is accompanied by some sin- 
gularly appropriates gesture or motion, that seems so 
perfectly natural, you at once wonder no other repre- 
sentative of the part has ever made use of it. 
Piccolomini would make an excellent mimic artist, 
and in the part of Fenella, in Masanidio, would be ir- 
resistible, for her features are mobile, expressive as 
well as beautiful. 

Of course she takes, and the house is thronged every 
night. The critics are very just and unanimous in 
their estimate of her abilities. While awarding to the 
young prima donna much praise for her finished 
and touching style of acting, and for her sympathetic 
singing, they all acknowledge that she is not a first- 
class opera sin^r — that is, as musically considered. 
Our audiences have heard so many that are really su- 
perior, that they cannot easily rush into ecstasies over 
a pretty enthusiastic little girl. Mademoiselle Picco- 
mini is certainly delightful to see and hear, but she 
will not be as permanently popular as a finished 
artiste like La Grange. And yet after all, even 
though the newcomer is not a "finished artiste," 
there is something indescribably delightful in listening 
to the voice of a beautiful child of genius, like Picco- 
lomini — ^in seeing her passionate, yet polished ac- 
tion — and wondering how it is that a girl of twenty- 
two, without much voice or remarkable vocal cultiva- 
tion, can for hours enchain the attention, and enlist 
the heartfelt sympathies of thousands of hearers. 

Trovator. 



Hartford, Conw ., Oct. 26.— I wish I could give 
yoa a glowing account of some fine concert which has 
come off in this city, but I cannot. We have been 
free from all such innovations in any shape or color, 
excepting two instances, t. e. ** Campbell's Minstrels" 
and one other ; of which latter I will write briefly. 

The Concerts given a year ago or more by Thal- 
bcrg and his troupe, and tlie one still later by Formes, 
Cooper and others, may be recollected as delightful 



oases in the vast desert of poor entertainments, in the 
way of music, which have been offered us from time 
to time, for two or three years pof^t, from tlie fact that 
they were free from all taint of " trickery " — solid 
ond satisfactory,— every tiling performed being legiti- 
mate and well done— carrying out to the letter " all 
that was on the bills." Ullman in a great talker, but 
he generally docs us he says he will ; but some how 
or other, when Strakcjsch is named as being connec- 
ted with any concert enterprise, there is an involun- 
tary feeling that you are going to be " taken in " in 
other ways than at the door. Two weeks ago our 
city was thrown into a musical excitement by the an- 
nouncement in two or three of our "dailies " of an 
" Opera in Hartford!" which then wont on to tell of 
tlie novelty of such a thing, and how the entire force 
of Strakosch's company wero coming, &c., &c. ! 
Only little Springfield just above us Iiad a real, live 
opera given by the Coopcr-Bfilner troupe; why 
shouldn't we have one by the great Stakosch, Coi^ 
SON & Co's 1 Where was it to be given ? We have 
no hall large enough for such a purpose. What was 
the opera ? The new one called " Trovatory," per- 
haps. How magnificent I " Opera in Hartford ! " 
What an event ! And so we waited for the red bill 
posters to give us information upon all these points. 
The Morniwj Courant^ however, relieved us ; it con- 
tained a manifesto which amounted to this: That 
I, Maurice Strakosch, Prince of Humbug, and pianist 
to the Princes Oldgal, of the Court of Saltpeterebaig, 
will give a grand operatic concert, (a thing never 
before heard of in this out-of-the-way place,) for the 
express purpose of affording an opportunity for 
Madlle. Theresa Parodi to take a last farewell of 
the citizens of Hartford " prior to her departure for 
Euro|)e." "Ye that have tears, &c." Madlle. Pa- 
rodi will l)e kindly assisted by my wife, she that was 
" Little Patti " years and years ago, but now called 
Madame Strakosch for short, and other artists too 
numerous to mention. This operatic concert will he 
given in the " Unitarian CImrch ! " " Opera in Hartp 
ford ! " As the Courant actually had it, the pro- 
gramme will be made up of selections from " J. Para- 
toni " and other operas. The bubble was pricked, 
and tlie great " opera in Hartford " suddenly col- 
lapsed ! 

The concert was good enongh in ita way, but those 
who went to hear " Maurice " play " Yankee Doo- 
dle with variations " went away disappointed, for the 
" Prince " was in New York with Colson, Brignoli, 
Jnnca, &c., arranging for an opera tliere, and had left 
the " small fry " to sing the " Star Spangled Ban- 
ner," and "Jerasalem thou that killest!" in Hart- 
ford. Now isn't that a petfoct specimen of Strakosch 
humbuggery ? This letter is already too long, I will 
tell you more next time. H. 



^toig^ fs Icarnal of U lnsif. 

BOSTON, OCT. 30, 1858. 

Music nv tru Nuvbbr. — ContiniiaUon of '* Mlrlmm's Song 
of Tiiamph," a CSantata for Soprano folo and chorus, bj 

TaAXZ SCBUBCRT. 



Concert of Kiss Adelaide Fhillippi. 

Our young townswoman, — who has been win- 
ning golden opinions in the Opera performances 
in New York, and who would have been upon 
her way to Havana, but for the sudden stop put 
to Maretzck's enterprise by the explosion there, 
— surprised us at very short notice with a concert 
at the Music Hall, last Saturday evening. The 
hall was perhaps half filled with listeners, when 
in justice both to so fine a native artist and to 
our own love of good music, it ought to have 
been overflowing. But the truth is, the public 
excitability in these matters has become so do- 






— 1 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1858. 



247 



bauchcd by the showy humbuj^ advertising arts 
of musical managers and agents that nothing 
which ifl quietly and modestly announced, stand- 
ing purely on its own intrinsic merits, can jwssi- 
bly create enough impression beforehand to ensure 
an audience. The immense expense of the new 
system of getting up and trumpeting a concert — 
which includes not only what is proper to the 
concert itself, but also a very great outlay for the 
** preparing of the public " — makes it too formi- 
dable a venture for any artist or small group of 
artists to attempt to give a quiet, genuine concert 
in the old way, trusting simply to the love of 
music to induce an audience. They cannot af- 
ford these costly arts of humbugging and whip- 
ping in. Accordingly it is no wonder that Ade- 
laide Phillipps, with other excellent artists, 
having the charm of novelty withal, had only half 
a house-full at her concert The real wonder 
was to see so many people. 

Her welcome was a warm one. And the past 
impression of the rare nobleness and richness of 
her voice, and her artistic use of it, found itself 
more than confirmed upon the present hearing. 
We have long regarded Adelaide Phillipps as, all 
things considered, and in spite of the generally 
acknowledged higher charm of a soprano voice, 
that can soar and revel lark-like in the clearer 
heaven and sunshine of sonsc* the most satisfactory 
and valuable in an artistic sense of all our Amer- 
ican aspirants to the name and fame of vocal ar- 
tists. We only wish that such a singer could 
find worthier employment for such powers in mu- 
sic of a more sterling, elevated order than the 
rdles of Azucena, Favorita and the like aflord ; 
or at least, that she might not be quite so exclu- 
sively absorbed in music of that kind, when she 
has the voice and feeling and intelligence to do 
such justice to the noblest music. 

The programme of this evening was made up 
mostly of well-worn selections. Miss Phillipps 
sang some of her old pieces to a charm ; namely, 
Dio clemente^ from Marino Faliero ; Ah! rum 
credea^ and Ah/ non giungcy from the Sonnawlm- 
la; ! mio Fernando (one of her oldest), from 
La Favorita ; and the little ballad of her own : 
" Tears of Love," which is a natural and pretty 
melody, and which she sings, accompanying her- 
self at the piano, with true simplicity and pathos. 
Indeed her ballad-singing is of the very best now 
heard in concerts. Her marked improvement as 
a singer was evident to all. The rich contralto 
voice seemed even to have gained in mellowness 
and fullness, as well as in clear and equal devel- 
opment throughout its compass. She has, in a 
great measure, overcome, what seemed an organic 
difficultv, a certain thickness in her sounds. 
There is more of artistic finish ; more of sus- 
tained purity of tone and finished phrasing; 
more of flexibility — indeed, quite enough for 
any but a high soprano voice — while c^ood taste 
and genuine sentiment restrain her from false or- 
nament, from overstrained effect, and keep her 
within the bounds of chaste, pure style. It is a 
great pleasure to us to listen to the singing of 
Miss Phillipps. 

The vocal interest of the concert was largely 
shared by two new singers. Mr. Henry Squires, 
who is an American, and of whose studies in Italy, 
and praised appearances in opera in Italy and in 
England, we have heretofore kept our readers in- 
formed, has a light, sympathetic tenor of remark- 
able sweetness, best suited to a sentimental ballad 






in a room of moderate size, but with little of the 
robust, or of the penetrating quality wliich con- 
quer in the opera. He looks singularly Italian. 
His style is finished, perhaps to almost an excess of 
tenderness and fineness ; but he has it in him to 
be a very pleasing singer, particularly of the 
serenading: Trovatore order. Of Balfe's sweetish 
melody(superfluous sweets,) to Tennyson's "Come 
into the garden, Maud," he made, we should think, 
as much as could be made, and won an encore. 
Verdi's Ramanza : Quando le ^er«, introduced him 
favorably and showed his true vein. But in the 
" Don Pasquale " duet : Tornami a dir, his voice 
found the best use ; the melody is pleasing, and 
his rendering of it was refined ; only his small 
sweet voice was unequally matched with the large 
tones of Miss Phillipps. 

Sig. Garibaldi showed himself a most spirited^ 
thoroughly alive, dramatic singer. He paced the 
stage, looking stern and gestulating with a sort of 
uncontainable, but not ungraceful energy, and de- 
livered his music, (an andante aria from Verdi's 
Attila^ and the slow air : Infelice^ followed by the 
spirited cavatina, in Emani) with good round, 
solid, ringing tones (baritone, with some satisfac- 
tory deep bass tones,) and a fine declamatory 
style, that were quite refreshing. He really made 
a " hit " with his new audience. 

A ver}' well selected little orchestra, led, vio- 
lin in hand, by Mr. Suck played a concert over- 
ture by Kalliwoda and Reissigcr's " Yelva " over- 
ture — ^both of the most pleasing and ingenious of 
the lighter overtures — and a festive sounding rem- 
iniscence from Wagner's Tannh&user^ arranged 
by Hamm — all very nicely played. It was refresh- 
ing to hear even so much of orchestral music, 
after such long and entire privation. 

Mnsioal Chit-Chat 

The siibscription list for Zerrahn's Orchestral 
Concerts grows apace ; but there are many music- 
lovers yet delinquent ; let them lose no time, but 
do what in them lies to make the thing secure. . • 
The Handel and Haydn Society are practising 
" Israel in Egypt ;" they could not be about bet- 
ter work. . . We have several times of late had 
occasion to remark the rare excellence for a thea- 
tre orchestra of that at the Boston theatre, under 
the direction of Messrs. Comer and Suck It is 
large, for a theatre, select, exceedingly well drill- 
ed, and has a repertoire of overtures and other 
pieces, many of which are of a really clasacal 
character, in addition to the usual waltze?, pot- 
pourris, &c., of which too it is a pleasure to hear 
a moderate allowance, when they are so "nicely 
played. When one can have such fine acting as 

that of Burton in farce,fand young Edwin Booth 
in tragedy, the finest Shakspearian actor we have 
had, by all odds, since his father, with the inter- 
vals of the acts filled up by such nice orchestral 
renderings of Mozart's and Rossini's overtures, 
fragment's of Haydn's Symphonies, vivid remi- 
niscences of such rich operas as *' Tell " and "Sem- 
iramide," what better can he desire for an even- 
ing's entertainment ? 

How is PiccoLOMiNi pronounced ? Which syll- 
able is accented ? It should be spoken without any 
accent ; that is the Italian way ; to dwell with a 
sort of mu»cal fondness equally upon each syllable 
of the long word. Pic-co-lo-mee-ne would be awk- 
ward. P%c-co4om*'i-^i sounds too quick and busi- 
ness-like ; but with luxurious Italian euphony let 
the long word spread itself along, leisurely and 
equably, like oil upon a marble table, slightmg no 
syllable and accenting none. 



Mr. J. P. Groves, the young Boston violinist, 
who won the first prize at the Conservatory in 
Brussels last year, gave a concert in that city 
some months since, in connection with Littolf, 
the famous pianist, of Brunswick, who, on this 
occasion, brought out a number of his own com- 
positions, among others a Concert called " Eroi' 
ca" for violin and orchestra. Of the manner in 
which our young townsman played the violin 
part, we translate what a Grerman critic says : 
" Mr. Groves, an American by birth, overcame 
the great difliculties presented by this composi- 
tion with peculiar skill, and promises, after so fair 
an achievement, a still fairer future. A firm, 
sure conduct of the bow, a full tone, pure intona- 
tion, and a certain noble repose, not passionless, 
but removed from all charlatanism, are excellen- 
cies whirh certainly warrant the finest hopes afler 
this first success. . . . Elise Hensler has been 

singing in Trieste, and the journals compliment her 
in glowing Italian fashion. One of them, speak- 
ing of her farewell performance, says : ** Flowers, 
garlands, sonnets, verses, plaudits, clapping of 
hands, and cries of hrava ! brava ! without end : 
such is an epitome of the benefit taken by the 
sympathetic Hensler, by whom we agun heard 
the Sonnamhida always gracefully inteipreted, 
while it was relished by the public with delight. 
The gentle actress regaled us, moreover, with the 
cavatina from " Rigoletto " : Caro nome che^ il 
mio cory sung with that fine and loveable quality 
of voice, whose notes still trill and gurgle in our 
ears after the lips which modulated them are 
mute. The Signora Hensler has every attraction 
on her side : voice, song, grace, figure, comeliness 
and youth. Who must not prize such gifts united 
in a single individual I " 

Maria Piccolomini, bom at Sienna in 18S5, 
is now only twenty-three years old. and has been 
fully six years before the public, having first ap- 
peared at Florence, in 1852, in Donizetti's opera 
of Lucrezia Borgia. 

Her family rank among the most ancient in 
Tu»?any. Two of them have occupied the Papal 
Chair, (Pius II and Pius III,) and her uncle, a 
vefierable gentleman well known in Rome, for his 
appreciation of the fine arts, and his enthusiasm 
for music, is the well-known Cardinal Piccolomini. 
On the Italian principle of children and grand- 
children participating in the family honors, Maria 
Piccolomini may claim the honary title of princess. 
As a professional singer, she is content with the 
humbler and more appropriate rank of Signora, 
as a private gentle-woman. 

Uy M. H. G., Chftlford, Glouce^stershire, England. 
Tour's with enclosure received. The posta^ on the 
Journal to England, which is prepaid here, is two 
cents on each number. 

ttsir %hxtsn)i, 

Strasburg. — The London Musical World 
translates the following from the Courrier des Bas- 
Rhin :— 

One of those pieces of grood fortune which seem 
denied to the provinces fell to the lot of the per- 
sons who assembled the dav before yesterday in 
the saloons of M. Georges Kastner. Our 1^.ai*ned 
ft'llow-citizen had been kind enough to invite them 
to hear M. Berlioz — who is stopping with him a 
few days — ^rcad the book of an opera in five acts, 
composed for the Acadcmie Imp^riale de Musique, 
and of which he has written both the words and 
the music. It may easily be conceived what an 
interest was felt to hear a work not yet produced 
read by the author himself, a musician and a poet 
at the same time, especially when that author is 
already so celebrated. 

The subject of M. Berlioz's opera is taken from 
classic antiquity, but treated in the modern fash- 
ion, not witnout being adapted, as far as the scen- 
ic development is concerned, to that exceptional 
style to wliich the composer of Romeo et Juliette 




248 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



has devoted himself. This is tantamount to say- 
ing that, under the circumstances, M. Berlioz 
could not have found a better Itbrettist than him- 
self, and that everything will gain from the fact 
that the words and the music of the work^ execu- 
ted in a form and oh a plan scarcely ever select- 
ed up to the present day, have proceeded from the 
same brain. 

^ The book contains a great number of dramatic 
situations, many of which must produce a striking 
eflfect, to judge by that produced at the reading. 
As to the musical situations and the melodic mo- 
tives, the poet has prepared them for the compo- 
ser with quite a paternal weakness, which we 
fondly hope the audience ot the Opdra will sanc- 
tion. They result moreover from tne very nature 
of the subject, taken, as we have said, from pagan 
antiquity, by which lyrical art was so highly hon- 
oured. 

M. Berlioz has given his opera proportions 
which are stran^ly grandiose, and has taken care 
to surround it with all the accessories indispensa- 
ble at the present day for the success of a dramat- 
ic work. Thus the l>ook suggests a brilliant mise- 
ensc^ne, which will call up our Homeric and Vir- 
gilian reminiscences ; change of scene, mythologi- 
cal scenes, and a graceful and picturesque ballet, 
or, in other words, so many elements which will 
soften down the tragic nature of the action, and 
heighten the splendour of the spectacle. We must 
add that the svmphonetic proportions of the score, 
to judge by the outline of tne scenarium, gave 
promise of oeing gigantic. 

The rehearsals of the — I was about to betray 
the title I — will commence, it is said, under the 
especial patronage of His Majesty the Emperor, 
and Pans will soon appreciate the opera of M. 
Berlioz, which is destined, on so many accounts, 
to produce a deep sensation, and of which, thanks 
to the courtesy of M. Kastner, we have had a lit- 
erary foretaste at Strasburg. 

Dresden. — Richard Wagner's Riemi, one of 
his earlier operas, was recently revived. A Ger- 
man critic says : — 

The opera of Riemi differs very much from 
Wagners later efforts, to which, indeed, it forms a 
strong contrast. In Riemi he entered on the path 
of grand French opera, and, with bold youthful 
fire, freed himself in it, to a certain extent, from 
the purely material elements then predominant in 
his nature. Empty phrases, full of tune, bombas- 
tic pathos, and coarse masslike effects, without 
delicacy of coloring, are there in full force. Deep 
heartfelt expression, true character, real feeling, 
and that poetically conceiving, highly coloured 
style, whicn produces so great an enect in his lat- 
er operas, rarely occur. It is true that the com- 
poser of ^ the later operas' is sufficiently evident in 
many peculiarities and affected mannerisms, a 
special notice of which would here lead us too far, 
in many detached motives, in speculative techni- 
cality, and in the attachment to the rhetorically- 
musical element ; but the forms are not yet free 
from the ordinary type, the style is alto^^ethcr a 
mixed one, swaymg from pathos to triviality, and 
Meyerbeer's influence is trequently visible, while 
in Tannhduser and Lohengrin^ Weber is the com- 
poser's romantic model. The sensual tone-paint- 
tng, which, in Tannhdvaery works upon the imagi- 
nation with poetic colouring, degenerates, in Rien- 
zi^ into coarse noise. But, however far the com- 
poser still was, in Riemi, from his deeper intel- 
lectual development and enlightened conception, 
his great talent for dramaticsSly-musical descrip- 
and stage-effect, and his bold and daring mastery 
of technical difficulties, are inisputably manifest 
The masses move with rhythmical certainty, while 
the recitative and ariosos^ in a constant struggle 
with all the wind instruments, possess \'igour and 
dramatic consistence. In the midst of the coarse 
tumult, which causes us to fear we shall soon have to 
stumble over vandal-like ruins in art, a freshly 
daring and fiery power are pleasingly perceptible, 
and every act contains certain pieces, not merely 
short fragments, but long, independent pieces, 
comprising sufficient of what is valuable, uncom- 
mon, and inspiring, to cause us to say — were only 
this first opera of Wagner lying before us — * The 
composer would be successful at some future 



period, if he really dedicated his talent to art' — 
Riemi has been produced at our theatre with 
great splendor, and with new and admirable 
scenery, the view of the Forum Romanum being 
particularly effective. Afler four hours' enjoyment 
of this real musical infliction, the inevitable result 
is a feeling of astonishment at the powers of en- 
durance possessed by the singers and ori'hestra — 
especially by the wind-instrumentalists. The opera 
had been rehearsed with the greatest care under 
the direction of the Capellmeister, Hcrr Krcbs, and 
the entire representation was a successful one; 
every person engaged exerted himself to the ut- 
most The performance of Herr Tichatschek, as 
Rienzi, was admirable for its dash, grand heroic 
style of expression, and the unimpaired freshness, 
powers of endurance, and still unoroken smooth- 
ness of the singer's voice. The highly fatiguing 
and dramatically important part of Adriano was 
sung by Madame Krebs-Michalesi, with excellent 
effect Next to these two artists come Herren 
Mitterwurzer and Conradi, as the chiefs of the 
Orsinis and Colonnas. The applause from an 
overflowing house was very great; Sladame Krel»- 
Michalesi was called on several times, and Herr 
Hchatschck afber each act 



FRAyKFORT-ON-THE-MAiNE. — The last musi- 
cal event of any note in Goethe's birth-place, as 
well as in some other German cities, appears to 
have been the performance of an ambitious com- 
pontion by an Englishman, Mr. Pierson, whom the 
Athenaum and other oracles at home scout as one 
crazy with the " Munc of the Future." Here is 
the impression made upon a writer in the Niederr- 
heinische Musik-Zeitung of Cologne. 

There was an overflowing house on Goethe's 
birthday, to witness the second part of Faust, with 
music by Hugo Pierson. The version chosen was 
the excellent one adapted for the stage by Woll- 
hoim. The performance was highly successful, 
for the representatives of the principal characters, 
and the cnief stage-manager, Herr Vollmer, were 
tumultuousl^ called on several times. 

No theatrical work has been regarded with so 
much suspicion as the second part of FaxisL Even 
afler the great success it had in Hamburg, peo- 
ple in other places still continued to think it was 
unintelligible. Here and there, too, those who 
wield the pen would not confess it had been suc- 
cessful, because they were not the persons who 
had been fortunate enough to produce a good 
stage version. With regard to the music, also, it 
is true, that both critics and public in Hamburg 
pronounced it original, beautiful, and worthy of the 
poem ; but then Pierson is a man who belongs 
neither to the party of the Musicians of the Fu- 
ture, nor to any other. For years past, ever since 
he resigned his office as Professor m Music at the 
University of Edinburg, he has kept aloof from 
taking part publicly in musical matters, and busied 
himself only with composition, to which fact his 
grand oratorio, Jerusalem, his songs and other 
small pieces, as well as the opera he has just com- 
pleted, bear honorable testimony. 

But, however this may be, the second part of 
Faust, according to Wollheim's stage version, and 
with Pierson's music, has triumphed, here in Frank- 
fort, over prejudice and envy. This is a fact which 
can no longer de disputed. 

The music was very well performed, under the 
direction of the excellent Capellmeister, Herr 
George Goltermann. The audience welcomed each 
member with the greatest interest, evinced either 
by devotional silence, as, for instance, in the ca.se 
of the magnificent introductions to the fourth and 
fifth acts, or by loud applause, in which they in- 
dulged afber the chorus: " Heilige Poesie," the 
concluding chorus, the '* Te Deum," etc. 

That portion of the music which is omitted, be- 
cause it is impossible to extend the time of repres- 
entation, which is already very long, in the case 
of this drama, is to be found in the piano-forte 
edition published by Schott's sons in Mayence. 
Hcrr Goltennann has, however, publicly stated 
that he will shortly five the whole of the music at 
a concert This will be a great boon to the nu- 
merous admirers of Pierson's compositions. 



Spetial |t0fins. 

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 



Music bt Mail.— Quantitlni of Mucle are now lent by mall, 
the cxpenMs Miik only about one cent apiece, while the ear* 
and rapidity of tmnvportntion are remarkablo. Thnf« at a 
freiit distance will And the mode of conreyance notonly a con- 
venience, but a WTlng ofcxpeniie In obtilninff nuppliee. Rooks 
can alM be >ient by mail, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
This applies to any distance under three thousand mllos ; bo- 
yond that, double the above rates. 



Vooal, with Piano Acoompaniment. 
Woman's desolation : or. The sober second 
thought. Comic Song. L. I/rath. 25 

Most of the so called Comic Boofs of the day have a 
toach of the oflienslTe, which, however slight it may be, 
■till makes their admission into rcflned society an im- 
ponsiblllty. This song Is an exception. It is truly 
and emphatically comic, and fit and proper in the par> 
lor and at the fireside. 

Mast I bid thee farewell, dear mother. 

Dr. 0, C. Alexander, 25 
A plaintive, easy ballad. 

Lottie Lane. Song & Cho. J. JI. McNaughtan. 25 
This is a song of that chMS, which has been intro- 
daoed in and Ibrms such an attractive featnre in Bthl* 
opian entertainments. Many as there are of these 
songs, created, as It were by the down every day, there 
are but few which attain a permanent distinction, by 
virtue of some indeecribable charm, to which the ear 
of the many is sensible. This song is of the latter 
class, destined to become widely known, and not un- 
likely to take the lead In the rsce. 

" Mine eyes are dim with weeping." Written and 
composed by IT. MtUard. 

This Is a reprint of a very elegant English song, 
published in the Bridal Album, by Cramer, Beale h 
Co., London. The Album was mads up of 10 or IS 
Songs by the leading English eomposen, vis., Balfe, 
Hatton, Wallace, Glover, LInley, Mori, ftc, each con- 
tributing one song. We Ibel well pleased to find that 
the name of our townsman has thnsbcen placed upon 
the list of English song writers, and trust we shall have 
an opportunity of hearing this ballad sung during tbs 
winter by its originator. 

Instrumental Husio. 
Le Carnival de Veniso. Polka. Joseph A»cher. dO 
At last this melody of everlasting popularity has 
given rise to a pretty French Operetta, by the talented 
AmbroYse Thomas. The inde&tlgable Aseher has not 
been slow to work a charming little polka out of the 
novelty, which all piano playen, Ibnd of Aseher^s light 
and graccftil styla, will certainly not be slow te buy. 

Never mind Polka. T, L, Becker, 25 



«< 



25 



One glance Waits. 

Bssy and agreeable. 

Souvenir d'ane Excursion des Artistes. Grand 
Valse brilliante. B. CowrUunder. 50 

The pen of this excellent player and writer has long 
been suflered to rest. It will be much gntlflcation Ibr 
his friends and admiren to see that his vein of inven- 
tion and melody Is as fkesh as ever. In &ct, this is a 
very brilliant and pleasing set of waltsss ibr players 
of medium ability. 
Waltz, in D flat, and Ecossoise. (Posthumous 
Works.) Chopin. 25 

Both in the inimitable style of this great master of 
Chromatics. The walls is a tone-poem, which does 
not bear all its beauty upon the bright surfkce, as its 
companion, the sparkling Ecossaise does ; there is a 
melancholy tale of sadness, with but little Joy Inter- 
vening, told in the duet, which the flngenof the rig^t 
hand are bidden to interpret. 

Books. 
Etiquette op the Ball Room : or the Dan- 
cer's Companion. 25 
As the season of terpsichorean ftstirity approaches, 
the above handbook, glring, in a condensed and conve- 
nient fbrm, the rules of Ball Room Etiquette, will be 
eagerly sought for and prove of great value to all who 
are fortunate enough to possess it. All the minutiss 
relating to the management of public and private balls 
and parties Is given, and a profuse number of Quad- 
rilles, Cotillions, and Fancy Dances, Including the cel- 
ebrated *' Lancer's Quadrille," and several othen, 
equally popular. 




toi0|t'5 




mxul 





Whole No. 344, BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1858. Vol. XIV. No. 6. 



The Character and Oenias of HandeL 

(From the Lifu. by Sch(Klchcr.) 
(Continued.) 

Musical penius is certainly much more fertile 
than literary genius. The very least composers 
have produced a great deal, and all the g^reat 
ones have been exceedingly fruitful. Handel 
was prodigiously so. His works number alto- 
gether one hundred and twenty-two, the greater 
part of them being of large proijortion ; and 
even when we know that he never rested for an 
hour, and that he devoted himself exclusively to 
his art, we ask how it was that a single man 
could supply the material labor which they re- 
quired. Ilis thirty-nine operas are in three acts ; 
his twenty-one oratorios are not more astonishing 
for their extent than for their excellence. One 
feels amazed at that mountain of noble things 
piled up by a single hand, and especially when 
we remember that he was not, like Bach (his 
worthy emulator), a sort of Benedictine monk, 
working in the peaceful seclusion af a cell, with- 
out any difHculties to contend against On the 
contrary, circumstances, his activity of mind, and 
his impetuous character drove him into the cur- 
rent of the world and its affairs. 

What this man was able to do astounds the im- 
agination. Take, for example, what he accom- 
plished during the year 1 7.'i4, when he was direc- 
tor of the Italian Opera : On the 26th of Januar\', 
Ariadne, an opera in three acts; on the 13th of 
March, Pamasso in Festa, taken from Athalia^ 
but containing fifteen original pieces ; on the 
18th of May, a revival of Pastor Fido, entirely 
recast, Terpsichore, a ballet intermixed witli 
songs ; the formation of a new company of sing- 
ers, and the organization of a new theatre ; the 
composition of Ariodanfe, an opera in three acts, 
finisned on the 25 th of October ; the opening of 
a new theatre on the 18th of December; the per- 
formance of Orestes, a pasticcio ; finally, in the 
midst of all this, the publication of the six famous 
concertos for thirteen instruments, called the 
Hautbois Concertos, 

In 1 736 his labors were still more extraordinary. 
Alexanfler*8 Feast, commenced on the 1st of Jan- 
uary and finished on the 1 7th ; Grand Concer- 
tante for nine instruments, on the 25th of January ; 
Atalanta, an opera in three acts, commenced on 
the 3d of April and finished on the 22d ; Wed- 
ding Anthem, with choruses and full orchestra, 
performed on the 27th of April ; Justin, an opera 
m three acts, commenced on the 14th of August, 
and finished on the 7th September; Armenius, 
an opera in three acts, commenced on the 15 th of 
September, and finished on the 3d of October ; 
" Cecilia volgi," a grand cantata, with three reci- 
tatives, three airs, and a duct, on the 22d of No- 
vember ; " Sei del cielo," a small cantata, on the 
22d of November; and, finally, Berenice, an 
opera in three acts, commenced on the 18th of 
December, and finished on the 18th of the follow- 
ing January. 

Another astoni.shing proof of this abundant 
vigor was that which he gave toward the end of 
1737, on his return from the waters of Aix-la- 
Chapelle, while still convalescent from a paralytic 
attack : Commencement of Faramondo on the 
15th of November; end of the first act on the 
28th of ditto : end of the second act on the 4th 
of December; commencement of Funeral An- 
them on the 7th of December ; end of the same 
on the 12th of ditto; rehearsal and performance 
of the same on the 1 7th of ditto ; end of the 
third act of Faramondo on the 24th of ditto; 
commencement of Xerxes on the 26th of ditto. 
The accuracy of these £eu:ts is based upon incon- 
trovertible proofs. 

During ten years, from 1741 to 1751, and when 



he WAS from fifly-six to sixty-six years of age, 
and in the midst of the troubles attendant upon 
two fiulures, llnndcl wrote thirteen oratorios, be- 
sides Semele, Choice of Hercules, Dettingcn Te 
Deum, Deltingen A nlhem, several chamber duets, 
and a great deal of instrumental music ; without 
mentioning his journey to Ireland, which occupied 
nine months, or the time consumed in mounting 
and producing each work, every performance of 
whicn he conducted in person. When we re- 
member what an oratorio is, that Epic of Music, 
can we fail to be astonished at the spectacle of 
an old man who sometimes wrote one, and some- 
times two such works in each year ? It was 
Apollo in the body of Hercules. He composed 
one rffter another, almost without breaking the 
chain of continuity; The Messiah in twenty- 
three days, and Samson in thirty or thirty-five. 
The history of the productions of the human 
mind does not contam a similar example. No 
one ever composed difficult things with such facil- 
ity. 

It is another extraodinary circumstance that 
The Messiah was completed on the 1 2th of Sep- 
tember, and Sarnson taken in hand on the 21st. 
The end of Faramondo is dated on the 24th of 
December, and the first line of Xerxes was writ- 
ten on the 26th. Saul was finished on the 27th 
of September, and Israel commenced on the 1st 
of October. The correspondence between the 
author of the words for Belshazzar and Handel 
proves that he did not always know the whole of 
a poem when ho began to set it to music. Ho 
was gifted with such astonishing powers of con- 
ception, that he had no need to collect his ideas 
beforehand, or to form a plan. He had the fac- 
ulty of penetrating himself instantaneously with 
the most opposite passions and sentiments. He 
did not so much compose as improvise his works. 
And, nevertheless, they are complete, as strong 
as oaks, and as solid as rocks ; they have no signs 
of haste ; they are massive gold. 

Genius acts in many ways. Gluck, who, if he 
had written instrumental music, would have been 
something of Handel's stature, found it necessary 
to collect his ideas before production. His score 
was finished before he had put the first line upon 

f>aper. With the one, thought annihilated space 
ike a race-horse ; with the other, it was distilled 
slowly, like an essence in an alembic. The one 
produced without difiiculty ; music welled forth 
from his brain like water from an abundant 
spring : the other brought forth as our mothers 
do, in srief and pain. **' Gluck has often told 
me," relates Mr. Corenses, " that he began by 

foing mentally over each of his acts; afterward 
c went over the entire piece ; that he always 
composed imagining himself in the centre of the 
pit ; and that nis piece thus combined and his air 
characterized, he regarded the work as finished, 
although he had written nothing ; but that this 
preparation usually cost him an entire year, and 
most frequently a grave illness. * This,* said he, 
' is what a great number of persons csdl making 
canzonets.* " 

Handel was a worker not less indefatigable 
than his genius was inexhaustible. He never 
abused his supernatural faculties. His MSS., 
which were so impetuously written, bear the 
marks of incessant revision. As an example of 
this constant perfecting process, may be cited the 
air, " How beautiful," in The Messiah, which was 
rewritten four times. In many of the scores, and 
especially in Radamisto, corrections made on little 
pieces of paper may be found pasted over the 
passages which had been effaced. In Esther 
there is a recitative, four lines long, which is cor- 
rected in this manner ; and then, the corrected 
version not having satisfied the composer, he has 
made a third. The last version is now attached 



to the original MSS. ; the first is in the Fitzwil- 
liam Museum. So much patience in such an im- 

f)atient man, so much trouble taken with four 
ines of recitative by the man whe produced Is- 
rael in Egjfpt in twenty-four days, speak volumes 
for the laborious industry with which he toiled. 
When he died, scarcely any of his works were as 
he had written them ; all have sustained some 
change, some transformation. He returned to 
them constantly with the acti\'ity of an inexhaus- 
tible fecundity. And yet no man was ever less 
uncertain than he as to the road which he intend- 
ed to follow ; no one had a more decided will or 
definite end ; no one knew more precisely whither 
he was going, what he wished to do, and what he 
did. But in addition to his great love for im- 
provement, having been his own manager for half 
a century, and being consequently obliged to ac- 
commodate himself to one circumstance or another, 
one new singer or another, conducting the score 
every evening, struggling everyday against pow- 
erful enemies, and against the musical ignorance 
of his age, he was compelled to multiply himself, 
to employ all sorts of means to attract attention, 
and satisfy that blind and insatiable passion for 
novelty which was then eyen more morbid than 
it is at the present day. 

In spite of his ardent disposition, he never 
worked capriciously. His was a well-directed 
fire. His compositions followed each other with 
monastic regularity. With the exception of Hy- 
men, which was written between the first and sec- 
ond acts of Saul, I do not recollect that he wrote 
more than one at a time. 

(To be continned.) 



A Glance at the Present State of Kusio. 
By Dr. A B. Marx. 

The first glance we take at the present state 
of musical art, reveals to us a picture of musical 
activity so great and universal as may scarcely 
have existed at any previous period ; excepting, 
perhaps, during those lovely days once shining 
upon Italy and Spain. Then, indeed, the stream 
or holy song gushed from the open doors of every 
church, flowed down from every pilgrim-crested 
eminence ; from every balcony the clang of fest- 
ive trumpets enlivened the banquets of nobles 
and princes, and, in the stillness of the balmy 
night, the trembling chords of mandolines and 
citherns mingled with the voices of tender singers. 
So our own country also resounded, in the days 
of Luther, with his songs of holy warfare. Pow- 
erfully exciting, inspiring, and confirming, they 
swelled from the church choir, and through the 
open doors spread over the crowded market- 
place ; they filled the busy streets with shouts of 
religious enthusiasm, and penetrated to the pri- 
vate family circle, the lonely chamber of the pious 
Christian. 

That which, in those countries and those days, 
arose spontaneously as the inborn medium of ex- 
pression of a people more easily excited, and in- 
nabitinw ar country rich in nature's sweetest 
charms^ or the natural voice of holy xeal, has 
come down to us; not, it is true, as something for- 
eign to our nature — ^for it had been lying dormant 
in the deeply poetic mind of our German nation 
long before it was awakened— but still as some- 
thing acquired, in the form of a gift presented to 
us for our enjoyment, and as an ornament of our 

existence. . i . % 

Thus are our public gardens, our social circles, 
and our festivals, everywhere filled with streams 
of harmony ; bands of music, consisting of numer- 
ous instruments, the number of which is ever in- 
creasing, parade before our military hosts, or 
make the oall-room tremble with the "phrensy of 



250 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



delight." Where is the town, however small, 
which does not attempt to get up, at least, a se- 
ries of winter concerts? How many virtuosi, 
how many qiiartet-societies, how many concerts 
of every kind and description, divert the music- 
loving multitudes of our larger cities I At what 
time were there seen almost everywhere so manv 

■r v 

opera pcrfonnances almost the whole year round V 
What time or country can show anything equal 
to our musical festivals and musical societies? 
Or, lastly, in what age, before the present, has 
music been so universally recognized as an indis- 
pensable branch of education, lx>th in word and 
in deed, and with such sacrifices of time and 
money ? ^ 

For this diffusion of music, the lively interest 
universally taken in its cultivation, in every sphere 
of life accords proportionate means. However 
great the cost of instruction, instruments, printed 
music, &c. every family in the middle as well as 
the higher ranks of society endeavors to obtain 
them. There is no where a lack of teachers ; 
singing is practised in every school ; seminaries, 
universities, and special music schools, continue 
the instruction and lead it to a higher point; 
everywhere academies of slngino^, instrumental 
and gcncrjd musical societies, established for the 
purpose of collective practice or performance, are 
found increasing. Municipal authorities and gov- 
ernments bestow attention upon, and provide 
means for, the perfonnanco of works of art in 
chapels and in cnoirs, or for the musical instruc- 
tion of the people ; our publishers and music-sel- 
lers diffuse the works of all nations and all times 
to an extent and in a form unprecedentedly 
cheap and convenient; even the acquisition of 
good instruments has been considerably facilitated 
by the progress of the mechanical arts. 

Wonderful jx)wer of the art of sound ! To open 
all hearts! engaging the interest and drawing 
contributions even from those who for want of in- 
struction, or from a naturally defective organiza- 
tion, are denied a participation in its pleasures ; 
who willingly make sacrifices for those belonging 
to them, and then step aside, content with the 
feeling of having alToixled to others a pleasure 
which they themselves cannot enjoy ! 

Whence has music this power ? and how does 
it reward our love and sacrifices ? 

It has this power, and is all-powerful over man- 
kind, because it seizes upon every fibre, sensual- 
ly, and spiritually, upon the whole body and soul, 
sensations and ideas. The rudest nature thrills 
under the effect of its powerful strains, and is 
soothed by its sweetness. Its sensual effect is in 
itself irresistibly enchanting ; for the merely sen- 
sual hearer feels that this trembling of the nerves 
penetrates to the inmost depth of the soul, that 
this corporeal delight is purined and sanctified by 
its hidden connexion with the origin of our exist- 
ence. But he who has experienced in his own 
person how music calls forth, and leads at pleas- 
ure, the most tender, powerful, and secret feel- 
ings of the soul, imparting brightness to its myste- 
rious twilight, awakening it to a dreamy con- 
sciousness ; he to whom the deepest perceptions 
and ideas present themselves as spirits diverting 
him from, and raising liim above, the fluctuating 
play of feelings ana emotions; who is in short, 
aware that our existence would be imperfect, did 
not the world of sound supply the deficiency: 
such a one knows that the most intellectual pleas- 
ure of the senses derived from hearing music is 
merely an attraction to its spiritual fountain, from 
which are drawn purity ot feeling, elevation of 
mind, the contemplation of a new apd boundless 
world of ideas, and a new sphere of existence. 

The one is the all-penetratinff, universally pre- 
Tailing power of sounds ; and the other, the prom- 
ise of this art — a more elevated and blissful exist- 
ence, which we, knowing or anticipating, confide 
in, and to which so many of us ana ours are de- 
voted. 

But its nature, like man's own, is twofold ; par- 
taking both of the sensual (material ;) and the 
mental (spiritual,) It has power to raise us from 
a rude and barren state of being, to a higher, 
more susceptible, and spiritual existence ; to soften 
and refine our feelings, to awaken in us ideas of 
pure and perfect humanity ; to exalt us above the 



human sphere to the confines of the Divine, and 
in this mental elevation, fill our hearts with love 
and holy zeal for everything that is pood and no- 
ble. But this self-same power of melody and har- 
mony may also bury the yet unrevealcd iiuhvell- 
ing spirit in the alluring waves of excited sensu- 
ality, obliterating from the soul every noble tcel- 
ing, and every virtuous jwwer, and gradually lead- 
ing it to that thoughtlessness, that want of princi- 
ple and desire for sensual pleasure whit-h dissolves 
or stifles every noble disposition, and in whose 
train ait^ found those strange twins, satiety and 
insatiability, and that teirible condition of the 
mind, utter ihdifference. 

How then does this dangerous but dear art re- 
ward our love and our sacrifices ? 

In art itself all is pure, noble, and good. It is 
the fault of our weaxness, if to us its gifts become 
poison ; if we linger inactively upon the thresliold 
of its sanctuary, or allow its call to die away un- 
heeded, and, instead of joining the company of the 
initiated in its sacred halls, lose ourselves in the 
courts destined for the offal of the sar'rifices. 

Many things have conspired to embitter the 
pure enjoyment and interrupt the pure and hon- 
est cultivation of the art of music in the present 
times. The waves of mighty events are penetra- 
ting into, and acting upon, every form of social 
and spiritual life, while the nations arc still with- 
out a uniting and guiding principle of mental ele- 
vation. Stupendous events and recollections 
have called forth, on the one hand, vehement do- 
sires, and a prevalence of violent and suddenly 
changing impressions; on the other hand, its op- 
posites — inanition, and a deep longing for peace 
and quietness. In both directions, the material, 
a means of violent excitement, or of soothing the 
mind into a pleasurable re}X)8e, has acquired un- 
due preponderance over the spiritual element of 
art, and we sec repeated a spectacle of\en wit- 
nessed before : that, in such moments when the 
tension of the German mind and character, in the 
masses of the people and those who speak to their 
hearts, suffers relaxation, foreign influences, es- 
pecially the frivolity and ready loj]uacity of the 
French, and the enervated sensuality of the Ital- 
ians, wrest the sceptre from native talent. In 
respect to music, it is in the opera especially that 
foreign mediocrity at such times gains its easiest 
victories, and carries every thing before it in its 
rapid march. For, how many different means 
are not resorted to, in these proiluctions, to take 
the hearer by surprise and confound his judgment, 
so that their worthlessness remains concealed be- 
neath the novelty of their effects ! And how can 
the evil influence thus brought to bear upon the 
highest and most commanding point, fail to affect 
in a similar manner, ever}*- other sphere and 
branch of art ? 

Are we compelled, on the one hand, to censure 
the mind-<lebasing materialism of the foreign opera, 
whose tendency in our days is the more irresisti- 
ble, because we are still accustomed, indeed forced, 
on account of the more highly developed political 
and public life of our western neighbours, to look 
to their country as to the balance-wheel of the 
great European clock ; so, on the other hand, we 
acknowledge that tckich is positively good in those 
operas, and which has been too much neglected 
by our writers and composers for the theatres ; 
viz. dramatic, or at least scenic, animation, and 
the progression from mere individual conditions 
to public and more universally intelligible and in- 
teresting relations of life. Only when this posi- 
tive element shall have been more generally per- 
ceived Itnd appreciated by our poets and musi- 
cians, amongst all the poverty, lowness, and er- 
roHB of the roreign opera — then, and not till then, 
will German art, in all other respects so much 
more pure and true, be able to triumph over its 
rivals in the theatre, as certainly and signally as 
it has done everywhere else. 

Till then the foreigner will reign, will be a 
favorite, attract the multitude, and in his way sat- 
isfy it. A flattering tickling, a strained excite- 
ment of the senses, external splendor, coupled 
with internal poverty, superficial desire to please, 
instead of character and depth, a general inclina- 
tion for that which is low, tne degradation of the 
most significant conditions and forms to mere 



means of effect — those are the inseparable conse- 
quences of this dominion. Music, having become 
a mere pastime, is dragged about everywhere ; it 
pursues us into our gardens and dining rooms, 
prevents all spiritual inteivhange, and conscious 
of being only intended to fill up the emptiness of 
a listless sorietv, blunts at the same time the cars 
of the audience and its own powers. Tliis want 
of character and meaning may be observed in 
every branch of art, and the general in<lifference 
is increasing. In j>roportion as our modern com- 
post^rs stray from tlie true nature and genius of 
art in general, and the different artistic forms in 
particular, treating the n.eans as the chief object, 
without rejjanl to dtitif/u, so dm's that perversion, 
which is the death of art, l)econie more pal[)able. 
In proof of this, we find that those seductive for- 
eign operas, even though the authority of their 
origin may dazzle and mislead us Germans, only 
gain their success through the aid of celebrated 
singers who are specially gifted for their coquet- 
tish or forced eflort*, and by ihe employment of 
ovevy possible adjunctive resource of attraction. 
The opixisite fault of negligence in the adapta- 
tion of the means to the end, has often, and not 
without reason, been urged as a reproach against 
us : perhaps our bitter experience is intended to 
teach us In'ttcr. 

Proceeding from this point, another not very 
animating aspect of the present condition of mu- 
sic opens to our view. 

We have svch music^ but rery Vtltte real enjoy- 
ment of it. We make it a means of diversion and 
entertainment, when it might serve to collect our 
ideas and elevate our minds. Thus our fashion- 
able operas for a moment rentier their admirers 
giddy with delight, bnt to dismiss them unsatisfied, 
and to be shortly forgotten by tliem ; so in our 
concerts, whose highest pinnacle of success is that 
most barren of all emotions, astonishment at the 
skill of a virtuoso; so in our public performances 
and musical festivals, which merely serve to fur- 
nish another not very pleasing accompaniment to 
the conversation of the audience ; so m our social 
circles, where unmeaning exercises, or badly ex- 
ecuted novelties of the day, form the staple arti- 
cles of musical entertainment, and which, instead 
of real pleasure, produce more mental distress, 
envy, and ennui, than people are inclined to con- 
fess even to themselves. 

With pleasurable feelings do we quickly with- 
draw the eye from this cheerless side of the pic- 
ture ; the more so, as it is not our object to foi-m 
a conclusive judgment, but only to arouse the ear- 
nest attention of those who take a lively interest 
in the cause of the musical art and the education 
of the people. It would also evince great igno- 
rance of the spirit of our times, did we not, by the 
side of degeneration and weakness, also perceive 
and honor the most cheering and promising ef- 
forts in the right direction ; the faithful adherence 
shown to the works of the ohier masters, trom 
Beethoven, back even to Gluck and Sebastian 
Bach ; the rare, though perhaps temporary, in- 
crease of technical industry of executants, the as- 
siduous efforts of so many students to acquire sci- 
entific proficiency and general information, both 
of which are indispensable to the artist, and were 
certainly by no means so earnestly aimed at in 
times past as they are at present. The only 
drawback to this cheering aspect is the fact, that 
many, whose zealous efforts must be acknowledged 
with praise, still appear to be unconscious of the 
real nature and purpose of all artistic activity ; 
this unconsciousness must be awakened into a 
clear perception before those labors can bear the 
right fruit. As it is, we have the strange anom- 
aly of great depth of thought associated with 
shallowness ; of false and real art held in eq^ual 
estimation, the good and the bad accepted with- 
out distinction under the flattering name of ver- 
satility, and discrimination denounced as for- 
mality. 

Thus, in the traces and germs of the good, as 
well as the bad, great and wide-spread activity is 
everywhere displayed; an activity promising 
much, if directed to the right end, hut which 
still remains unaided by that concentrating and 
guiding consciousness, that quickening spirit which 
I imparts to art the highest of its powers. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1858. 



251 



Thiif* many iioblc-nundi'd and flce])ly thinking 
men have prcfi;jrnro(l to thomsirlvt's, in this whirl- 
pool of confused olTorts and confllctinjj powers, 
tho destruction of an art wliich in tlicir opinion, 
lias riready reached the cuhninatinj; point of its 
plory in Bach, or (thick, or Mozart, or BeeLluiven. 
We, on tlie coutrarv, adiiere firnih' to the con vie- 
tion that art is a necessity of hunum nature, and 
therefore, like it, imperishable ; and that, for the 
same reason also, in a sinrjle nation, music can 
only perish to;:^^thcr with that nation it<«clf; 
thoujrh it may, in common with it, experience re- 
peated moments of dejection or retro^rression. 
Tlic history of music, attentively examined, p^ives 
ample proof of this ; and a worthy conception of 
what our nation ought to be, and what may be 
expected, and will be gained for musical art by 
its rc-elevation, is calculated, even in times of un- 
deniable retrogradation, to inspire with hope Av- 
ery heart beating for something higher than that 
which is perishable. 



College Music. 

(From tho New York Musical World.) 

[Nkw Havik, Conn., Sopt, 29, ISfiS. 
Dba« Sir: 

If you conUl And It in your power to (pvc me any infnnna- 
tJon on the Mt-ite of mu'<ic In Yalo wliilo you were at college, I 
•houltl be Ter^' (;1ad to obtiiin it. 

If >on wouM be po kind alro to Rtito to me any particular! 
you know about the introduction to Yaks of '* GauduamuM igi> 
tur," yoa would mucli oblige me. 

Yours, in 322, 

EcoKMK ScnuTLn. 
E'Jitoro/lhe Musicnl World.] 

The above letter has induced quite a train of recol- 
lection ns to tho nlciUinntdiiys nnd plciisant follows of 
collcy;© years. Wo well rcincinbcr the first visit wc 
received after tho Freshman examination, from the 
an;;w.st President of tlic Beethoven Club. In our 
Freshman verdancy wo had taken a room in one of 
tho pmhlic buildings of tho city, (the fixchanjre) 
from which wo were speedily routed by the college 
authorities, no student being allowed to liave a room 
in any public building or hotel. Bat it was during 
the short time we were quartered there that tho Beet- 
hoven otliciad came to examine into our musical qual- 
ifications to join the college clioir. Of course wo 
were given the usual p-ahnody to sing/ — upon which 
wo passed a much more satisfactory examination, we 
dare say, than certain other metrical text-books m 
languages less fiunilinr— ^concerning which wo had 
suhsequently to undergo rii^orous investigation. 

So kindly were wo received hy the Bcethovcnites 
that at the end of the Frcsiiman year they inducted us 
into the office of President — ^apost we continued to till 
during the three remaining years of the course. 

During that time how many excellent fellows pass- 
ed in musical review ! — both of classes preceding and 
following. We had, in all, a force ot al)OUt thirty 
men. Of these, twenty, perhap*, were singers, and 
the rest composed a ** grand orchestra " — as tho 
concert programmes have it. Max Marctzck would 
pmbjiHly have turned several summerisaults, had he 
neaird our orchestra hut once vigorously tune up. 
Not so much on account of the melodious results, al- 
beit — for the fellows did not make had music — but 
rather the extmordiuary novelty of the acoustical ef- 
fects ; for we had every unique instrument from the 
piccolo fife to the big drum. Of course our music in 
its grand ensemble of voices and instruments was often 
what might be termed rousing; — and whenever we 
put forth our musical energies we kept the attention 
of our auditors from the iKJginning to the end — you 
may ho sure. And. indeed, the attention thus be- 
stowed was often well repaid. Among our singers we 
had several capital voices, tenors particularly, and the 
voices of each and all had that freshness and warmth, 
which no training and no art can supply and which 
go more directly to the popular heart than all the 
sraces and embellishments of more artificial song. 
To be sur^ we had far fewer tenors than basses — this 
being — ^in common with more professional impresa- 
rios — the particular woe of our career as Kapellmeis- 
ter ; but tnen the tenors had to sing all the louder, 
and we scorned being sung down by any number of 
ruder Ba-sscs—having a certain acoustical advantage, 
also, in the more penetrating and pervading tones of 
a higher scale. 

In matters of psalmody, we sang the mnsic just as 
it is usually written for mixed voices ; that is, for 
male and /emale. But the late auspicious era, in 
which the question is so gallantly agitated of admit- 
ting young ladies to colleges, not having as yet 
dawned upon us, onr music was essentially male. Of 
course, the conditions of the music we sang, as to 
progression of parts, etc., were radically changed: 



and some fellows insisted on singing tenor, and this 
part general Iv rinniing higher than the melody itself, 
we hud siu-li niversion of parts, and such consecutive 
octaves, fifths, and forhiddcn horrors of every kiiul, 
that some of our modern Philadelphia Doctors of Mu- 
sic mijxht have heen driven into a lunatic asylum. 
Vet these dissonances were something like certain 
coarser stops in an organ ; which, though diabolical 
in themselves, when di-owncd in on overtopping har- 
moniousness, help jiU up. 

The instrument greatly predominating in our or- 
chestra was the fiute. The tneoiUiUe JiatexmiX^ indeed, 
ever to lie repressed and discouruKcd. Every second 
fellow who wanted to join the choir played a ^wXa. 
We grew indeed to be relentless on tho flute question, 
Having secured several of tho most accomplished up- 
on that pastoral instrument, (like Field and Larned) 
wo turned our backs resolutely on all other piping 
shepherds. 

Stnmgo to say, however, the instrument best 
played of all was the violin. AV'e actually had violin- 
playing, rather than that fiddling naturally (of stu- 
dents) to be expected. There was AVashington and 
Trotter, particularly of tho " Southern memlicrs ", 
and Whitney of the Northern, who drew, really, a 
capital bow. We were also supplied with a viola, 
'cello and double-bass, so that the quartet of tho 
" strings " was complete. Of tho " brasses " wo had 
but a single representative, — a big ophicleidc. This 
piece of ordnance, when projected out of the chapel 
window, called explosively the choir togeiher every 
Saturday noon to rchcnrsal, filling the breasts of the 
" milky mothers of tho herd ", nibbling the grass in 
College street, with alarm. It was our piece de rests- 
Umcv — our great gun, that ophiclcide. Wo based a 
good deal of our musical reputation upon the funda- 
mental notes of that deep-mouthed orator. The 
double-bass was solemnly grand, but the ophicleide 
was fundamentally grander. Tho big drum, too, 
though somewhat martial and operatic, when touched 
hy the professor thei"eof lif/htfy, rumbled deep down 
into the region of the pedal-pipe ton© in an organ, 
and served very much tno same purpose in the gene- 
ral effect. 

Of tho lighter instrumental cohort — the fancy 
pieces — wo had an ornamental supply. Our views 
were liberal as to what was proper in an orchesti'a. 
Wc had now and then a guitar, a trianglo (which, of 
course, was not very nnorehestral,) a piccolo flute, 
etc. Such instruments as were not heard, by reason 
of the general din — like the tinkling guitar — ^were sup- 

{)Oscd to be heard. They looked pretty when tho fel- 
ows played them— and a great many serenaded miss- 
es in town, could testify that, (when beard at all,) 
thev also sounded pretty. 

Our best music was at prayers on Sunday evenings. 
During the day tlie choir was very much dispersed. 
Some of the members had charge of town choirs ; 
others attended churches of a different denomination 
than that worshipping at the chapel. But at prayers 
there was a general gathering. Wo usually practised, 
too, on Saturday, an anthem for Sunday evening. 
The Christinas Nativity anthem was, of all our musi- 
cal attempts, the most successful and popular : partly 
from its traditional associations, and partly from the 
enthusiasm natural to the occasion of its performance 
— Clirisnnas Eve. 

The choir and orchestra, during the period of our 
administration, did themselves most justice, perhaps, 
the year wo were graduated — '41. Hitherto, each 
graduating class had gone to the no inconsiderable 
expense of hiring a New York orchestra to play at 
Centre Church during the commencement exercises. 
(We believe this is still done.) But the choir had so 
augmented in numl)ers, that their music was really 
so much more popular with the students, (and with 
the outside Philistines as well,) than even Max Mar- 
etzck's far more scientific instrumental corps, that we 
determined to save the collepe all expense of com- 
mencement music, and do the melodious thing our- 
selves. Not this alone. We resolved to attempt the 
as yet unheard of enterprise, and give a concert on 
the evening preceding Commencement. All this, to 
be sure, involved not only dailv,but nightly exertions 
on the part of tho zealous President of the club : who 
not only had to arrange — yea, verily, to compose — 
overtures, intemezzos and musical fantasias of various 
kinds for the extraordinary variety of instruments on 
that occasion to be brought forward (for an orehestra 
constituted as was ours being entirely unknown to tho 
classic masters and ancients, no music for our purpose 
was found to bo extant) but wc had to accomplish 
the still more difficult task of getting the fellows to- 
gether to rehearse. Herein lies the true test, of 
course, of an Impresario's genius — the power of get- 
ting musicians to preliminary rehearsals. Students, 
particularly, are in any case frisky enough — but So- 
phomore examinations and Senior preparations, and 
Freshman and Jtmior impediments of eveiy kind ad- 
ded materially to this fiiskiness whenever we talked 



to them about the necessity of rehearsal, and the awful 
musical responsibility we had assumed. We added 
the attraction of watennelons and all the fruits of the 
season as seductive means to secure their attendance 
at rehearsals — indeed, but for the watermelons we are 
afraid our concert and commencement music would 
have fallen through. 

Our rehcar^alK — for the greater privacy — were held 
in tho Ilhetorical chamlwr instead of the chapel : and 
this was the scene of our own private lat)ors upon 
that remarkable instrumental score, which we were 
compelled to prepare for our nondescript orchestra. 
There was along table in the middle of the room, and 
a pianoforte at the head of it. Uiwn this table, dur- 
ing the intervals of rehearsal, were generally left the 
instruments, to do justice to which we were ransack- 
ing our brains of music. When wo sat solitarily at 
one end and thrummed otit upon the piano a SluU- 
ond-Donc March^ or a Freshvuin Fandango^ or some 
such mad-cap invention, the big double-bass, lying 

{)rone on its stomach before us, and the bigger drum 
ooming ponderously in tho distance, and the little 
fiddles, and the guit*irs, and everything that could vi- 
brate, seemed to respond to tho strains and to suggest 
their own music. So that there was not so much real 
difficulty in composing the tunes — ^but tho tiling was to 
get the fellows to play them. 

However, after many tribulations and sleepless 
nights and anxieties, and a fabulous consumption of 
watermelons, all was in readiness. The concert was 
given in a church on Church street, tho pulpit being 
removed for the occasion and a staging tronstructed. 
The number of tickets issued was unlimited and — un- 
fortunately for the accommodations of the church — 
tho sale was unlimited : so that when the evening of 
performance arrived, one-third of the audience had to 
listen from the street — we putting up the windows, and 
the auditors complacently submitting to such unpre- 
cedented concert-arrangements. Between the parts of 
the progi-amme an address on music was delivered by 
the President — ^lie feeling safe from any expressions of 
disapproval on the part of the audience, from the fact 
that precautions had wisely been taken, early in the 
evening, to request the audience to refrain from any 
tokens of satisfaction or dissatisfaction — ^if for no oth- 
er reason, out of regard to tlie character of the place. 

The Bcethovcnites, we believe, still flourish, emi- 
nently at Yalo College — wo should be sorry at all 
events to hear that the music of our old Alma Mater 
had in any degree died out. — Wo trust that the same 
spirit of emulation, the same musical zeal, the same 
jolly good fellowship prevail now as in previous col- 
legiate years. We understand an organ has latterly 
tiken the place of the heterogeneous orchestra once 
assembled : — and yet we can hardly think that cither 
on festive college occasions, or in the more solemn ser- 
vices of churchly worship, more youthful ardor can be 
exhibited on the one hand, or a profounder and sin- 
cerer feeling on the other, than that which character- 
ized the music under the older arrangement. 

1 n reply to the interrogatory of our correspondent, 
wo would say that Gauaeamtis igitur was introduced 
into college' some eight or ten years since. We 
brought it with us, in a book of German student- 
songs, on our return from Europe. In the same 
book was that glorious Integer Vitcc — Horace's ode, 
set to music by Flemming — which was sung at tho 
same time, and wc hope is still sung, in the halls of 
Old Yalo. 



The Theatre in Sans-Souci. 

(From the Berlin Echo.) 

Such is the title of a highly interesting paper 
by Herr L. Schneider, in Jio. 2 of the Neues 
Deutsches Theater-Archiv, from which we select 
the two following very remarkable cabinet orders 
of Frederick the Great. For the reception of 
the Russian Grand Prince, aflerward the Czar 
Paul, at the Prussian Court, in July, 1776, all 
kinds of festivities were projected, and the king 
busied himself with the most trifling details con- 
nected witb them. All sorts of interesting docu- 
ments relating to the dramatic performances to 
be given are still preserved, in the Royal Secret 
Archives. As early as the 20th of June, Herr 
Reichardt, Uie capellmeister^ had to go to Sans- 
Souci, and compose an allegorical prologue to the 
opera of Angelica e Afedora, for Porporino and 
Tosoni, as well as an aria for Mad. Mara. The 
latter's husband, a personal enemy of Reichardt, 
succeeded in p.evailing on her to write and tell 
the king, " She could not sing such music." The 
result was an order to the Baron von Arnim, 
which affords us a glance at the manner in which 
the great king ruled the little kingdom of his the- 
atre at Sans-Souci : 



252 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



" Vou8 poarrez dire h. la chantense Mara en r(5- 

{>onse 2i la lettre, qu'cllc vicnt de m'adrcsser que jo 
a payois poar chanter et non pour dcrir, quo les airs 
<^taient trfes-bion, tes qu'ils dtaicnt ct qu'clle devoit 
s'en accommodcr, sans tant do vorbiage et difiicaltd 
Snr CO etc., etc. 
" ^ Potsdam le 30 de Jain 1776. Frederic." 

(" Yott may tell the sinp^cr Mara, in answer to tho 
letter she has just sent me, that I paid her to sing^ and 
not to write ; that tho aire were rery well, as they 
were, and that she onf^ht to he contented with them 
without so much idle talk and fuss. In consequence, 
etc., etc. 

" Potsdam, the 30th June, 1776.) Frederick." 

Underneath there was a note in the king's own 
handwriting : 

" Elle est pay^ pour chanter ct non pour <fcrire." 
(" She is paid to sing and not to write.") 

At the same time, tho aboye-mentioned indi- 
Yidual, Mara, who was one of the royal private 
band, was sent to Spandau. This reduced the 
Baron von Arnim, who dreaded some hitch in the 
operatic representations to a state of despair. 
His remonstrance on the subject to the king was 
followed by the i*emarkable order, written in Oer- 
man — an exception in theatrical matters — of which 
there are several copies still extant, instead ot 
running thus : " The Mara shall sing," are as 
follows : "The shall sing." 

" My best, and very dear faithful Amim ! I per- 
ceive from your observations of the 4th inst., that 
you are very tender-hearted, and a vory great friend 
of the Mara and her htisband, because you espouse 
their cause so warmly, and speak up for them. I 
must, howovor, tell vou that your tender-heartedness 
is very badly applied in the present instance, and 
that you would act much more sensibly, if you did 
what I order you, and did not accustom yourself to 
argue the matter ; for I will b^ no means suffer this, 
and you must not let such thmgn enter your head. 
The Mara shall sing the air, as I require her to do, 
and not be obstinate, unless she wants to be served 
just like her husband, and he shall stop in prison till 
further orders ; to that he may make up his mind. 
For your part, you must not fancy you are my privy 
coansellor. I did not take you into mv service for 
that, so yon had better busy yourself wit)i rendering 
parition to my orders, if you wish me to continue 
your gracious King. 

"Potsdam, the 5th July, 1776. Frederick." 



Kozart in Yienna. 

(From Fruer's Magadne.) 

Years roll on, and Mozart finds himself settled in 
Vienna, in great reputation, and surrounded by the 
closest ties of kindred — wife and children. At once 
the composer and the performing artist, now im- 
mersed " over head and ears," as he expressed it, in 
composition, and now the centre of all eyes at tho 
theatre, the world has never seen in any musician 
such an instance of various power or of equal promp- 
titude in thought and action. His society was mixed. 
From the boudoir of the empress herself, from the 
sympathetic and elegant intercourse of Haydn, Me- 
tastasio, Gluck, to the revelry of the green-room, and 
its orgies crowned with flowers, every one could ex- 
tract something to please out of our Mozart. Here 
his mercurial temperament, however, wronged him, 
and between too much work and too much pleasure, 
he consumed himself. When illness had restored 

Eredominance to his reasoning and reflecting powere, 
is regrets at being so earlv obliged to leave his art 
were poignant, for he saw mto the extent of his own 
mind, and had begun to view his music as a precious 
casket, deposited with him by Providence, not mere- 
ly for his own advantage, but that of mankind at 
large. For a while, however, the flowers of Mozart's 
composition never grew in greater profufiion, rich 
and rare, than at Vienna. The excitement of an im- 
perial court, its variety of musical men and musical 
tastes, employed his mind incessantly on new models 
in music ; and when shortly after his death a void 
began to be felt, his chief Inends, Prince IJchnows- 
ky. Baron van Swietcn, &c., received Beethoven 
with open arms ; and the . same hospitality and dis- 
tinction which Mozart had enjoyed, passed to his 
successor by right of inheritance. At the same ta- 
bles, in the same carriages, at the same pianofortes, 
among the old companions of Mozart, Beethoven 
may be seen ; and hopes revive in the promising ge- 
nius of the new comer, that tho regeneration of mu- 
sic will not be left incomplete. But we may here re- 
trace some of those influences which set Mozart's in- 
vention in peculiar activity at Vienna. 



Van Swieten, the eccentric physician of Maria 
Theresa, lived here in greater credit on the strength of 
the excellent constitution of that princess tlinn per- 
haps his pills and dranp^hts merited. He was very 
fond of music, nnderstood it scientifically, had an or- 
chestra frequently in his house, and a bettor listener 
to fu(!^ies never sat in self-concentration and dclit;ht 
hv the side of a player. Fugues of Bach and Han- 
del formed after m*a.«8 a regular part of tho Sunday 
morning service at tho Baron's ; Mozart was the per- 
former, and ho took so much interest in this muRi- 
cian's music, that when he played for his own diver- 
sion at home, he scarcely ever touched anything clf^e. 
Still his reverence for tho past did not lend him to 
pedantry, or to lo«c sight of tho advance of his own 
dav in elegant melodious taste. 

We are in the physician's music-room. 

*' This sonata in the stylo of Handel, with its in- 
troduction and fugue," observes Van Swieten to his 
friend, "seems to me a very complete example of 
the individuality of your workmanship. Yon show 
Handel and yourself too. I have set others tho same 
task, who have either produced what was not af all 
like their original, or else a servile copy." 

" The composer who attempts to borrow the pen 
of any great master," returned Mozart, "must first 
possess a well-pronounced, distinct stylo of his own. 
An artistic imitation only pleases by such a resem- 
blance to the composer imitated as 8att<«fies the imag- 
ination that he might himself have written it at an 
advanced stage of existence, Merely to copy a com- 
po.ser's modulations and peculiarities, is to produce 
such a dull imitation as is allied rather to the un- 
pleasant likeness of a wax model, than to the spirited 
representation of a fine portrait." 

" Aud yet the alhmand^ and cmnrante in this son- 
nata," said Van Swieten, " are such exquisite gems, 
that I can scarcely imagine Handel snflRciently re- 
fined in instrumental music to prod nee them. The 
fusion of the old and new is admirably accomplished, 
and makes perfect music. I wish, my dear Mozart, 
that yon may get our German composers out of the 
horse-in-the-mill track which they purene, not only 
in their music, but in the series of tlieir movements, 
where the same alletpro, tho same slow movements, 
&c., follow in eternal procession. Now this is a for- 
mality which should lie broken through. I perceive 
that your pianoforte tastes of opera mnsic, church 
and organ mnsic, the symphony, the qnartet. Tliis 
mode is extremely sugpfestive, and will in time ren- 
der tho pianoforte a perfect microcosm of the great 
world of harmony." 

" It is, as I take it," said the composer, "just the 
business which the present age of music demands. 
The pianoforte must hereafter fill the concert-room, 
the theatre, the church, with accomplished hearers ; 
it must exhibit music in all styles, and in a perpetnal 
variety of forms. It will thus make tho fortune of 
composers when kings have no longer places or pen- 
sions to give them. But there is much to do. Peo- 
ple aro now onlvheginning to see into the significance 
of notes apart from words or a scene on the stacre ; 
yet in instrumental music a few bars mora or less 
make a serious difference to a composition." 

Ferdinand Bies has informed us in his notices on 
Beethoven, as a curious example of the deep specu- 
lations of that master on symmetry and effect in in- 
strumental music, that he one day received in a let- 
ter ftpom Vienna a ronple of dotted crotchets, which 
Beethoven instructed him to insert in a sonata long 
before published, as a new and improved commence- 
ment of the same. He was quite surprised at the ef- 
fect of these two notes. Beethoven certainly worked 
out many of the theories of Mozart with a strong fel- 
low fooling in beauty, yet with a manner entirely his 
own. 

We now follow Van Swieten into a room in tho 
palace where Joseph II. sometime recreated himself 
with musical talk and criticism. The emperor turns 
over the pages of a four-handed fugue on tho desk of 
the pianoforte, with the words, " See, something struck 
out afresh from the mint of Mozart. He wrote this 
to please tho countess Thnn and Metasta«io's niece ; 
tho four hands allow the parts to go smoothly, and 
the bass to come in like the pedals of the great organ 
at St. Stephen's, when A Ibrechtsberger performs a 
voluntarv. The ladies played it last evening ; and 
Clementl, who listened, said that it was an admirable 
composition, but that it wanted an introduction." 

" Mozart thought otherwise," said the physician, 
and would probably reply, * Why should we always 
make the same beginnings ? ' A company who will 
not cease talking thronirh crashing chords, will some- 
times havo their attention piqued by a quiet dhbtU ; 
even a succession of single notes. Your Majesty 
may recollect Mozart's agreeable innovation, in com- 
mencing the overture to Figaro allegro and piano : 
how hushed and full of suspense and interest it ren- 
dered tho house." 



" The musical ideas of Clementi," returned tho 
emperor, " arc, in your opinion, too subservient to 
the formal and conventioual. His admirable playing 
is much cried up by the Italians here, hut even I can 
find that he has not Mozart's incIo<ly." 

"Clementi," replied the physician, "has many 
original qualifications of the musician, but his science 
is not wholly free from drvncss and pedantry. In 
every kind of serious mnsic, melotly, drsign, and 
modulation, must concur to produce pleasure ; and 
certainly it is tho praiso of Germany, in the instru- 
mental art, to have united science with the graces. I 
SCO in this volume of pianoforte duets, three complete 
specimens of fine music under various designs. The 
first in F." 

" Haydn, I remember, called it a symphony in dis- 
guise," said the emperor. 

" It is indeed such fine music, that when it is well 
played, you forget the players. This other in C, be- 
ginning in unison Antif fortissimOf is intended express- 
ly to show two jHsrformers of equal talent in alter- 
nate solos ; tho one in F minor is a mixture of the 
orchestral and inspired oi^ran style. ^ It differs from 
everything else by its author, and is one of the no- 
blest monuments of his ambition and powers." 

" That piece originated," said the emperor, " in 
the large mechanical organ which Count F erec- 
ted in the hall of his country-hoiiso, near Prague. 
The times of playing were regulated by clockwork. 
Tho count was a humorist, and said to the man of 
Silbermann's, who built the organ : " We shan't want 
for clever machinery or good pipes, but where shall 
wo get the music, tnat we may listen to twice a day 
for a month without being tired ? " 

The phvsician smiled, and continued. " I think the 
organ-hnilder found out the right shop. He had hut 
to explain what was wanted, and to say that his cla- 
rionet, his flute, his bassoon stops, would be of ex- 
quisite quality, to inspire the imagination of Mozart. 
So to make his work the more durable, the musician 
selected as his models the two greatest masters of the 
organ, Handel and J. S. Bach. But he has reserved 
a place for himself; the prelude and the po^tlnde, in 
which he has enveloped Handel, are his own, and so 
is the adarjio in that second piece, which breaks the 
figure in two, and prepares so agreeably to introduce 
it a second time with new treatment." 

We now enter Mozart's home. Ho is writing in 
haste, and throwing the sheets of his mnsic on the 
floor to dry. His wife and sister return from abroad, 
and tell hi'm with much pleasure that they have been 
at the Jesuit's church hearing the beautiful sympho- 
nies of Haydn, called the " Seven last words' — ^that 
they have seen Haydn, who condncted the perform- 
ance himself ; that he is coming: to visit them in the 
evening. Mozart expressed his delight. " I know his 
famous new work, and I will please him." At night 
Haydn is seated near his friend, who is at the piano- 
forte. " Now, Haydn, you shall hear one of my * last 
words ; " and he extemporizes an admirable adagio in 
B minor. 

Haydn acknowledges his successful and compli- 
mentary imitation. " If you can make such music 
on a single ' word,' one may well wish that instead 
of ' seven last words/ there had been seventy. But 
for ladies this music may be too solemn and severe. 
There is Mademoiselle Sophie, who will be glad to 
hear something tender and sentimental.' I*1ay the 
clarionet movement yon w^rote for Stadler,' said the 
composer's wife. Haydn wishes to possess this beau- 
tiful piece. ' I think I must write it out for the piano- 
forte, and call it " Miscellaneous Romance." " I 
am afraid that your husband," continued the musi- 
cian, addressing his wife, " will be thought a great 
scrapmonger. 



Jfeig|fs lonrnal flf ^mu 



BOSTON, NOV. O, 1858. 



Music nr tris Nukdcb. — Continofttlon of "Bllriaaa't Song 
of Triumph." a Cantata Ibr Soprano solo and choms, bj 
Tkaxs Schcbkrt. 



The Diarist Abroad. No. 5. 

Berlix, Sept. 20. — Here begiDneth a dis- 
course, the text of which is : ** Are you going to 
write the result of your researches in German or 
in English ? " 

When this question is asked me I smile — smile 
to think anybody can suppose me capable of tho 
folly of thinking four or five years in Germany 
sufficient to enable me to write a book in the Ian- 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1858. 



253 



gaa<;e of the country. Think of this matter a 
moment. 

How many of the first hundred students in any 
literary institution in America that you may 
meet, do you suppose will ever attain eminence 
M writers of their mother tongue ? Leaving for 
the moment entirely out of view the question 
whether they are men of original thoughts and 
ideas, how many of them will attain such a mas- 
tery of the language as to express their ideas 
with precision and elegance. Listen to the first 
fifty sermons, speei'hes or legal arguments that 
come within your reach, with a view simply to the 
style of their authors, and how many of the fifty 
could you find it in your conscience to praise ? 
Why, a high degree of precision and elegance in 
the choice and collocation of words, in the form 
and succession of sentences and paragraphs, so 
as clearly and distinctly to convey the picture or 
idea in the mind of the writer or speaker to that 
of the reader or auditor, is so rarely found, that 
he who has attained it, even if his thoughts be 
not very new or striking, is at once a marked 
man and is in constant demand from the publish- 
ers of periodicals and lyceum committees. And 
yet your hundred students have, from the first 
opening of the infant's ear to sounds, been con- 
stantly hearing the English language spoken, in 
the social circle, from the pulpit, at the bar, in 
the public assembly ; since they learned their let- 
ters have read it in books and newspapers ; have, 
through their whole life, breathed in it as in the 
atmosphere. 

Nay, more ; while still but children, a text-book 
of English Grammar was put in their hands to 
study, and periodical compositions were required 
of them in which the rules of grammar were to 
be reduced to practice. At a later period they 
studied the philosophy of language, directly or in- 
directly, in the lessons of their Latin and Greek 
grammars and reading books ; and to crown the 
whole, as the final foundation for their future suc- 
cess in making their own tongue an instrument 
of power, in their sophomore year (at least in 
Harvard College) they begin a course of study, 
which, starting from the point of the simplest 
grammatical rules, carries them onward with con- 
stant practice in writing, through the canons of 
rhetoric and logic, and is spread over a period of 
two or three years. 

And yet, I ask again, how many of these hun- 
dred students, will, in afler years, prove that they 
have really acquired a mastery over their mother 
tongue? 

" But," you will say, " we have great writers, 
who have never made all these studies," and you 
can name Franklin, and Marshall, Buckingham, 
Greeley, and others. True enough, but think of 
the constant practice they had in writing for 
years and years, and recollect that such men are 
men of a taste, which leads them to the closest 
study of the master writers of their language. 

Now permit me to address my discourse to 
some single individual, leaving the rest to make 
the application to themselves, as far as it does 
apply. 

You, Thompson, live in a country town of four 
or five thousand inhabitants. Some bookseller is 
about to publish a Gazetteer of your state, and a 
letter is sent to one of your citizens, requesting a 
topographical and historical notice of the place. 
How many persons of the thousands within its 
limits do you suppose able to write a satisfactory 



article in reply, viewing it only as a specimen of 
English composition ? A dozen names occur to 
you at once ; perhaps a score ; or even a hundred. 
How is it with the other thousands f Would vou 
undertake it yourself? 

I ? — replies Thompson, no indeed I I make 
no pretensions to be able to write. 

And yet you have been breathing the language 
all your life. But, Thompson, you are musical — 
I address you personally for this reason — you 
play the organ on Sundays, give lessons on the 
pianoforte, are the music-teacher in the academy 
and high school for girls, have half-a-dozen tunes 
in the "Holy Banjo" — Prof. Pipes' last new 
book — have published the "Catnip Waltz" 
(with only one measure too much in the first 
movement, so that it cannot be danced), and are 
editor of the " Juvenile Whistle", a musical text- 
book for schools and academies. But you are not 
satisfied with yourself. You feel that there is 
something in music higher and nobler than all 
this. The months you have occasionally spent in 
Boston in the concert season have made you feel 
that something is yet to be learned before you can 
wield the orchestra and great vocal forces as a 
means of expressing musical ideas. 

Let me tell you a story — no story, only an in- 
cident with a moral. 

A gentleman of a good deal of musical taste, 
and one who has had much to do in the way of 
music in schools, nsked me why I did not write 
some tunes. 

" I cannot write tunes," said I, with some de- 
gree of surprise at the question. 

" Why not ? "When you read a fine piece of 
lyric poetrj' does it not awaken some correspond- 
ing musical idea in your mind ? " 

" Very oflen ; and here is just the difficulty — 
to grasp that musical idea, hold it fast, and write 
it down." Well, in the course of the conversa- 
tion it appeared that his conception of writing 
music and mine were so different that it required 
mutual explanation before each understood the 
other. 

He reads the lyric stanza, a scrap of melody 
comes into his mind, and this he, by degrees, 
draws out into the due length and proportions of 
the stanza. Then with the assistance of Prof 
This or Prof That's work on " Harmony and 
Thoroughbass " — a book to carry in the pocket 
— he draws out some notes which the bass can 
sing, some more for the tenor and the alto. The 
tune is finished. That is, having got a melody, 
the other parts are made according to the " reci- 
pe " — as the apothecaries say. 

My conception of the matter was this : I read 
a stanza of poetry which touches my feelings ; 
with my mind's ear I hear a flow of correspond- 
ing melody and harmony, all as one thing — an 
integral whole. Confining ourselves, for the 
present, to the simple psalm tuue, I feel how the 
four voices of the choir start from some given 
harmonic point, swell and die away, the parts 
now approaching, now diverging from each other, 
here a voice dwelling upon some long note, while 
others throw in some delicate figure of ornament 
or expression, here some powerful discord, an- 
swering to the text, followed by harmony doubly 
delicious, from the previous crash of voices. I 
hear some musical phrase as it is handed from 
one part to another — perhaps now a solo, now a 
duet — in short, the piece of music, as a whole, 
is in my mind. But I have never studied compo- 



sition, so as to be able to grasp this succession 
and combination of tones, and hence it is impossi- 
ble for me to analyze it into its constituent ele- 
ments, and write out their signs or notes. 

This idea was new to him, and I have found 
since, by careful observation, that it is equally 
new to many others ; and yet ever}* musician will 
think it absurd for me to devote so much space to 
so self-evident a thought, as it is to him. 

How is it with you, Thompson ? 

But, as said before, you wish to become a com- 
poser in a higher sense of the term than being a 
mere maker of tunes; you wish to handle the 
grand chorus and orchestra. My idea of writing 
for the orchestra, I will illustrate thus : you know 
the noble old melody by Swan, to the words : 

" Wbj do we mourn departinK fticndH," &o. 

Whenever I think of this melody, and it is 
very'oflen in my mind, I hear in the second part 
(in my mind's ear), a full orchestra accompanying 
it. I hear the wind instruments giving it with 
colossally triumphant power, while the stringed 
band is filling up the grand and massive outline 
with figures, which combine to form in the general 
effect the very intoxication of joy. So strong is 
my admiration for this theme, so invigorating, 
grand, and beautiful the music of which, in my 
fancy, it forms the basis, that, were la young man 
with time and means to study, I would almost 
devote myself to the theory and practise of com- 
position, just to be able sometime to write it out, 
and place it in musical notes upon paper. 

Think, Thompson, what the power to do this 
presupposes. 

1. That the ordinary rules of counterpoint are 
as familiar to me as those of grammar, so that I 
write my music with as little thought of conse- 
cutive fifths, as I have at this moment of nouns 
and verbs. 

2. That I have all the different characters and 
expressions of the various orchestral instruments, 
with their powers, as distinctly before my mind, 
as I have the various cries of the different domes- 
tic animals in a farm yard. 

3. That I have so studied the mechanism and 
modes of handling all these instruments, as to be 
able to write for each in such a manner that the 
performer can understand and reproduce just the 
musical thought, which I intend to allot to his in- 
strument. 

4. That I have made myself so familiar with 
the almost infinite variety of effects which may 
be produced by the different combination of these 
instruments, as to be able when I have once 
grasped my musical thought, to hold it fast and 
coolly think out, on the twenty or more staves of 
my score, just what notes, given to the horns, 
trumpets, flutes, clarinets,' trombones, bassoons, 
oboes, violins, violas and the rest, will result in 
that tide of melody and harmony, which I am 
feeling. And 

5. The most important of all, that I have so 
studied orchestral writing, that I can grasp and 
hold fast my idea. 

Are you equal to this, Thompson ? 

I trow not. 

As I do not believe it posable to get such a 
command of any foreign tongue, as one has of his 
own^ by the study of books, and as in most cases 
it requires long and severe study to be a master 
of his own, so I do not believe it possible to ac- 
quire that command of the orchestra, supposed 
above, from books alone, or, except in some cases 



254 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



of great genius where one has created orchestral 
music from infancy, without long continued and 
laborious study, — and even this will not give it, 
where the genius fails. 

I was reading an evening or two since of Baron 
van Swieten, the patron of Mozart and Beetho- 
ven. He was a man of acknowledged high lit- 
erary taste, and learning, and as such was at the 
head of the Imperial Library at Vienna. As a 
critic of fine and unerring taste his reputation was 
enviable. From infancy he had lived and 
breathed in music. He wrote the text to Haydn's 
Seasons, drawing it from Thompson's poem. 
That text, without grammatical fault, was absurdly 
bad. He wrote eight symphonies, as faultless as 
his poetry — but they were, said Haydn, as stiff 
as himselt. 

If it be almost impossible for an adult to so 
learn the German language, that an attempt to 
write a book in it would not draw a smile from 
every scholar, if to master your own language re- 
quires such study, how much more difRcult must 
it be for you, Thompson, wlio have come to man- 
hood without hearing an orchestra, except occa- 
sionally, when in New York or Boston, to become 
a master of its language ? 

Was it pot Correggio, who, sunk in ecstatic 
thought before a painting, suddenly exclaimed, 
" I too am a painter I " and in his adult years be- 
came one ? 

There may also be Correggio'i in music — but 
not many. 

Mozart was a virtuoso on the violin as well as 
the pianoforte at seven years. Handel, Bach, 
Haydn and Beethoven grew up from early child- 
hood in the midst of music ; all four were for long 
periods members of orchestras. Music they 
learned as they learned their mother tongue, 
and its rules they studied as they studied their 
German and Latin grammars. I know not 
where the Correggio of mnsic can be found in 
history. Now, Thompson, let us pass to the prac- 
tical application. You have made up your mind 
to come to Europe to study music in its higher 
forms, and wish me to give you some hints. I 
can only speak from observation and hearsay — 
I ean give no experience of my own, but can give 
a plenty of experience from men here, whose 
opinions are authority on the subject. All agree 
that in such cases as yours — I have the authority 
of Liszt for one — the student must select a city 
where, through the multitude of concerts, he can 
be constantly hearing orchestral music, oratorios 
and operas. Berlin is of all cities the one. Sec- 
ondly, the student must work upon strict — the 
strictest — counterpoint, until its rules are habits, 
just like grammatical rules in his mother tongue. 
Thirdly, he must study pianoforte or organ — not 
to be a virtuoso — but so as to feel the full effect 
of all sorts of contrapuntal relations. Fourthly, 
he must study the violin or 'cello, until he can 
play in an orchestra, and there make up by hard 
labor and constant observation for the want of 
opportunities in early life to gain that knowledge 
of effects, which can only be drawn from long 
familiarity with them. There is no more a royal 
road to musical than to mathematical learning. 
Y'ou can with comparative ease loam to write 
music by rule — to make music per recipe; but 
such music will strike every musician as being 
stiff as yourself To gain your object will be ex- 
pensive. You must have private instruction from 
men of great learning and large experience, and 



each man must bo paid. For your contrapuntal 
studies and for the organ or pianoforte, Haupt 
is your man. For the violin there are a hundred 
good teachers, but it will be well for you to study 
that instrument with a teacher in one of the mu- 
sic schools, in order to play aflerward in the pri- 
vate orchestra of the school. But there is this 
for your comfort ; such a teacher as would charge 
you three to five dollars per lesson in Boston or 
New York, will cost you from one to two here. 

Take a hint or two. Do not think of astonish- 
ing anybody here by any of the productions, 
which your neighbors at home all compliment as 
being " first-rate music." True, the musicians 
here may be astonished at them, but whether 
that emotion will be exactly complimentary, may 
be a question. Do not bring any very large 
amount of conceit and self-esteem with vou, be- 
cause that is a kind of starch that loses its consis- 
tency in this damp climate. Do not tell Haupt 
what great things you can do, — for wonderful as 
it may seem, he will soon find out without telling. 
Do not go away from him disgusted and dissatis- 
fied, if afler he has examined your grand Te Dc- 
um, (which made such a sensation when sung in 
your singing society, and for which your neigh- 
bors talk of erecting an image to your honor) he 
should say, " very good indeed ", and then give 
you a lesson in two-part counterpoint. Depend 
upon it Haupt knows better than you do — if not, 
whv studv with him? 

» at 

^ly dear Thompson, can I do anything for you ? 



KTusical Ghit-Chat 

We yield about all our editorial space to-day to our 
Correspondence, which is nnusunlly rich, and to our 
'Diarist's' excellent adnce to young wonld-be great 
composers. As it ij«, much of our correspondence 
must lie over. . . . The lovers of classical chnml)er 
music will rejoice to Icnm that the Mendelssohn 
Quintette Club will commence their concerts on the 
18th of this month.) . . . There is no Ixitter prac- 
tice, for the more advanced student of the pinno-forte, 
than that of the sonatas, &c. of Mozart, Beethoven 
and others, composed for piano and violin. Not a 
few lady amateurs in our city, have been in the habit 
of taking * accompaniment lessons * in this way of 
some of our best musicians, who, wliilcaccompanyinp: 
with the violin, initiate the pupil into the beauties and 
the right way of renderinfi: those admirable composi- 
tions. We would commend Mr. Julius Eichbero, 
whose card will be found in our advertising columns, 
as a most competent and gentlemanly person for this 
sen-ice. . . . Mr. Zerdahelyi, wo arc happy to 
learn, has found inducements to remain in Boston as 
a teacher of the piano. . . . Mr. Kielblock's re- 
turn to his pupils is delaye<I, we presume only for a 
few days. He was to have sailed from Bremen by the 
steamer * New York ' on the 9th ult., and we do not 
vet hear of her arrival. 

w 

The ^fEXDELSSony Quintette Club pravc their 
first parlor concert in Cambridge, on Wednesday 
evening, under their new leader, Mr. Schultze, who, 
while lacking in the fire and energy that character- 
ized Mr. Fries, has excellencies of his own, smooth- 
ness of tone and brilliant execution, that please some 
hearers more. There is no more delightful mode of 
passing an occasional evening, for a circle of music- 
loving friends and neighbors, than is afforded by these 
soirdes of this club, and we allude to this one, not for 
the purpose of criticism, but to direct the attention of 
lovers of chamber music in the city and its vicinity, 
at the very beginning of the musical season, to this 
club. It is not a difficult matter to get a subscription 
for a sufficient numl)or of tickets to fill comfortably 
an ordinary parlor, for a few evenings, and thus en- 



joy so great a treat In such a pleasant way. We give 
the programme of the concert allnded to above. 

1. Qiinrtpt In P. No 83, Ilavdn.— 2. Ar!fljrio from the Serosa 
Pvinphonv in D, nrothoveii.— 3. Sorg from the Album. (For 
t^c Ptino ) Arran;{rd by T. Rynn. Soliuniann.— 4. Afliijr»o 
from the Po«thumoun Qiinrtrt in D niii-or, Schiihtrt. — 5. 
Aria from »hc Second Art of Momnneo. Arran^^e.! for Quintet. 
Moatrt.— .5. Quart«t In M Rut. (No. 9. Op. IS.) nrcthovrn.— 
7. Ad^irlo Nottnrno. From Midnummrr Nipht'H Pniim. Men- 
dolsMihn — 8. Aria (Non mi dir). From Don GioT&nnl. Ar- 
ranpfed by T. Ryan. Mozart. 

Wc hear of an amusing incident which recently 
happened to the well-known vocalist, W. R. Demp- 
ster. It appears that Mr. D. arrived at a town in 
Western New York for the purpose of giving a con- 
cert. The landlord of the hotel at wliich he located 
himself became at once cognizant of a genuine prac- 
tical joke in embrj'o ; for another person wus bis 
guest, who gnvo the same name, claimed the same 
profession, and visited tlio town for tie same object. 
There was the name on the register, three days back, 
of Wm. R. Dempster, Vocalist, and at this moment 
the genuine W. R. D. entered his name. The land- 
lonl handed the latter a programme, setting out in 
glowing colors, interspersed with any amount of fine 
point.«, comprising all the exclamatory interrogations 
and quotations nsu:il1y found in a job printing office, 
a " Grnnd Concert ! " This was quite unexpected 
by Mr. D, of course, an<l various questionings, snr- 
misings, and coujecturinjjs arose as to the why, what, 
when and wherefore. Ilnd his shadow travelled on 
in advance and made all these preparations for his 
own cominjj? What an accommodating shadow! 
And had this same obliging shadow written his name 
on the hotel rcconl, gone out that very moment to 
open the hall, try the piano, and — perhaps — take 
the receipts and /ourney on to some other place ? If 
so, he mast he after that shadow. liemarking to the 
landlord that when the apparent owner of the hand 
that wrote " Dempster " first in the book, made his 
appearance, he would like to see him, our friend D. 
directed his attention to the discussion of a work on 
tables, illustrated with many plates. 

The bogus got ear of the new arrival, and came at 
once to the conclusion that, however easy and agree- 
able it might he for him, as W. R. Dempster, to give 
a concert " alone and unattended " it was quite a dif- 
ferent and more diflicnit task to do so with another 
man of the same name and profession, and, in fact, 
claiming to lie the same individual, in town. This 
conclusion acted as a motor power to his personal 
corporation, and dashing down to a stable, he hired a 
horse and took a ride for his health, wliLstling, wc 
presume, as well as he could for the jolting of the 
beast, the favorite air of " The Rogue's March," leav- 
ing the outraged keeper of the hall to turn off the 
gas, close the doors, and pocket the loss. 

The people, at first somewhat excited by the decep- 
tion that had been practiced upon them, were poon 
pacified on learning that the real Dempster was in 
town, and that the failure of the counterfeit would be 
immediately followed by the success of the genuine. 

Mr. Dempster should have introduced into his pro- 
gramme that night Schubert's '* Doppthjanger** a 
song based on the superstition of a man's seeing his 
own "double." 

The friends of Mr. Nathan Richardson, lata 
of the " Musical Exchange," will be jrlad to learn 
by the following, from the Transcript ^ that he is en- 
joying renewed health, and is still active in the 
cau5;c of musical instruction : 

New Method for the Piano. — Mr. Nathan Richard- 
son, the celebrated author of the " Modern School for 
the Piano," still remains in Warren, Mass., a oniet 
little villa^fc in the western part of the State, wiiero 
he is availing himself of the best means for re-estab- 
lishing his health, which is now much improved. He 
is devoting his leisure hours in finishing and perfec- 
ting a new work upon a system which has occupied 
several vears of reflection. We understand it will 
eclipse all his previous efforts, as it is upon an entire- 
ly new and original plan, which will also embrace all 
the essential points in other Instruction Books. The 
title reads thus : " Richardson's New Method for 



I 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1858. 



255 



the rianoforto," bcinp; an improvement upon his 
cclcbmtcrl " Modem School " in a(iaptution, proj^res- 
sion and facility of comprehension, comprising a 
thoroujjh course of inistruction upon a new and pi*ac- 
ticiil plan recently dir«covcred from critical observa- 
tion*;, extended experience and long meditation. 

Mr. Richard'^on h:Ls written one method for the 
Pianoforte, which has been acknowledged by the 
nmst eminent musical judges (a-s Thalberg, and 
othcj-s) to be superior to all previous instruction 
books. It has reached many editions of thousands 
of copies, and is now in use in most of the Ik'si in- 
stituiions in the country. Since the publication of 
that work, he has Ikjcu studying for an improvement, 
antl has enjoyed the advantage of many different 
o;iinions on the progression, cInssiHcation, &c., of dif- 
ferent parts of the work, until at lost he has dis- 
covered the great desideratum, and he now feels con- 
fident that the present method cannot be excelled. 
Wo shall cxfH?ct something from Mr. Kichanlson's 
pen very soon which will stand the severest musical 
criticism. This work, we undcrsfcmd, will be ready 
for the press in a few weeks. The publisher is not 
yet deci<led upon. 

The Publisher, wo understand, is found. Messrs. 

O. Ditson & Co. have taken the work in hand. 






lElHsital Corrtsponbence. 

New York, Nov. 2. — For once wchavc nn Opera 
enterprise, that is a genuine paying success. Mr. 
Ullman's campaign at the Academy of Music has so 
far resulted in a complete triumph, for the enterpri- 
sing little manager. The building has been crow- 
ded night after night, and $3,000 houses are nothing 
strange. 

11 Tromiore has been revived with quite a new 
cast, embracing Piccolomini, Angri, Stefani 
and Frx>RENZA. The little Sicncsc prima donna 
sang the role of I^onora better tlian was expected, 
making some fine points, especially at the end of the 
second act ; yet as a general thing her rendition of 
the role is not up to the mark. Angri was received 
with enthusiasm and sang nobly. Florenza, the new 
baritone, is a real gem. To a high baritone voice, 
reaching into the tenor, he joins an excellent method, 
and exhibits cultivation and taste. lie docs not 
shout, and in this respect forms a pleasing contrast to 
Stefan i. This latter artist greatly marred the suc- 
cess of the opera, by his wretched suiging ; he was 
too hoarse to sing decently up to G, and the audi- 
ence did not hesitate to express their disapprobation 
in a very decided manner. Yet in the final air of the 
3d act, ho temporarily overcame his hoarseness, and 
sang with such force and vigor as to receive a double 
call before the curtain. In the last act the frog in his 
throat again overcame him, and the fickle audience 
greeted his forlorn efforts witli laughter and sibilation. 

Friday night Gazzanioa sings in Litcrezia, and 
the management have in preparation Don Giovanni^ 
with Gazzaniga, Piccolomini, Mdlle. Ghioni (a new 
arrival,) Formes, and Stefani in the principal parts. 

The Fulton arrived this morning from Havre with 
a large batch of musical importations. Among them 
is Mme. Laborde, who was very sick during the 
whole of the voyage, and could not contribute her 
talents, as did the other musicians on board, to en- 
liven the tedium of the trip by impromptu concerts. 
The Fulton, by the way, is one of the most favored 
stearasliips in a musical way, seldom making a voy- 
age without some eminent musicians among her pas- 
sengers. 

Piccolomini, who is a devout catholic, has taken a 
pew in St. Stephen's Church, in 28th Street ; between 
this church and that of St. Francis Xaiver in 1 6th 
street, there exists a kind of musical rivalry. The 
pastor of the former. Rev. Mr. Gumming, is a man 
of excellent musical education, and during a recent 
visit to Europe he obtained a quantity of rare music 
for the use of his choir. Coletti, the basso, form- 
erly of various operatic companies, sings here, and 
Miss ScONCiA, daughter of a well known music 
teacher of onr city, is (or was till recently) the first 



soprano, while the other singers all possess great 
merit. The music sung by this choir is of a varied 
character. Donizetti's operas (especially his Favo- 
rita) are often dissected and pressed into service, and 
the rendition of the various inorceaux would do jus- 
tice to any operatic troupe extant. 

The Chureh of St. Francis Xavier (familiariy 
known as the Jesuits' Church) does not possess such 
a fine ensemMe of singers, but there is one lady — Miss 
Had LET, I believe is her name — who has one of the 
most angelic voices it is possible to hear. There is 
a rich sympathetic pathos in it that I have never 
heard surpassed either on or ofT the stage, and many 
attend the church solely to listen to its exquisite 
melody. Then they have ^Ir. Berge as organist at 
the Jesuits* Church, and such an organist 1 You 
would think, to hear him, that he was two or three 
organists rolled into one, for it seems scarcely possi- 
ble that a single individual could produce such bril- 
liant orehestral cfTccts even out of that prince of in- 
struments, the organ. Mr. Berge is, withont doubt, 
the most cfTective organ player of the florid style, 
that we have in the city. He is also a prolific com- 
poser, writing almost all the music sung by his choir. 
His compositions are of the Italian School, and 
would soon give him an eminent reputation as a com- 
poser, did he not retain them for the exclusive use of 
his own church and choir. As a whole, it is difficult 
to decide as to whether St. Stephen's or the Jesuits 
Church is entitled to the palm for superiority in 
music. They are each crowded every Sunday by 
strangers, — Protestants as well as Catholics, — and 
the music is superior (of its style) to that to be heard 
in almost every church either here or abroad, — for 
few churches of Italy possess such efficient choirs or 
splendid organs as are in these two New York 
Churches. Trovator. 



Brooklyn, N. Y. Oct. 26. — The first concert 
(four "Philharmonic Society" comes off next Satur- 
day evening, and as I shall be absent at that time, I 
must content myself with giving you the best report 
I can in advance. 

The Orchestral pieces which are under rehearsal, I 
have already given you in a former letter. The so- 
loists are to consist of Madame Gazzakioa, Herr 
ScrrRRinBR, comet, and Keifer, clarinet. 

As the programme is not entirely made up at this 
writing, I cannot give you it in full, but what the con- 
cert is to be, in point of character and real excellence, 
is very clearly indicated by this most excellent array 
of talent, and certainly speaks well for the good sense 
and musical taste of the gentlemen who manage these 
matters. 

The fears I expressed in my last in relation to Mr. 

EiSFELD, have only, I am happy to say, proved in 

part well founded. From letters received here by his 

friends we learn that Mr. E. has received no other in- 
jury than a slight attack of the same disease which 
obliged him to give up, altogether, labor of every 
kind some two years ogo, and seek relief in a voyage 
to Europe. I believe the pneumonia or something of 
that nature was the particular disease with which he 
was afflicted ; and the three hours exposure in the 
water after he jumped from the burning "Austria" 
till he was picked up by the boat from the "Maurice," 
together with the quantity of salt water swallowed, 
brought on again such alanning svmptoms of the ohl 
trouble, that on his arrival at t'ayal, Mr. Eisfeld 
deemed it best to follow the advice of his physician 
and remain at Fayal until next Spring. 

Mr. Noll will conduct the concert on Saturday ; 
but for the remainder of the concerts, the society m- 
tend to engage Mr. Beromann, who has also been 
engaged for the concerts of the "New York Philhar- 
monic." 

A public meeting has been held in relation to the 
new Music Hall of which I spoke in my last, and a 
committee of twenty of our most wealthy and enter- 
prising citizens appointed to solicit subscriptions. I 
nope and fully expect soon to be able to say that the 
amount necessary ($125,000) has been raised, and the 
work of building began. 

Belliki. 



Cincinnati, Oct. — Our musical season com- 
menced this month, with three concerts, under the 
auspices of Herr Formes. The music performed on 
these occasions was above the average of those over- 
done operatic selections, perseveringly forced upon 
us by the " stars " of the musical hemisphere — 
Madame So-and-so singing Ca^i Diva (for example), 
because Signora Such-an-one sang it ; and Mdlle. 
Snch-anothcr repeating the dose, because it had been 
administered by her predecessors ; while all our visi- 
tors, from soprano-sfognio down to hd^so-jnofondo, are 
evidently impressed with the conviction that it is a 
matter of necessity to sing as much as they possibly 
can of the contents of those inevitable "concert- 
books,'* whoso appearance is simultaneous with that 
of each new " trou])e " ; every edition bearing a fam- 
ily resemblance, so strong as to be absolutely identi- 
cal with every other. 

Formes was warmly and sympathetically received ; 
the German element in our |x>pulation displaying it- 
self largely among his audiences. We scarcely 
think that his bold phrasing and mellow equality of 
tone were fully understood here ; but the slight disap- 
pointment experienced by some of Herr Formes' 
nearers may lie traceable lothe fact, that he disphiyed 
a tendency, not unfrcqucnt, and painfully perceptible, 
to flatten the tone. The orchestra, under the direc- 
tion of Ansciiutz, was a most welcome element in 
these concerts. Perring sang acceptably, as usual. 
Of the fairer portion of the party we cannot say 
much. 

Of home performances, which are, beyond a doubt, 
of far greater importance as regards the genuine cul- 
tivation and appreciation of music, than any passing 
displays of artistic excellence, we have had but one, 
as yet ; the opening concert of the " Cecilia Society." 
It was highly satisfnctory to all participators, active 
and passive ; evidencing a decided improvement on 
last scnson, particularly in the orchestra, which gave 
convincing proof of the indefatigable perseverance 
that guides its cflforts. The programme was as fol- 
lows : 

Part I. 

1. Overture " Cos! Ian tutte ; Mozart. 2. Chorus of the 
Fairies, from Oberon ; Weber. 3. Aria: "On rong'-i brifcht 
pinions " \ MendolasohnlBartholdy. 4. 1ft Concerto for the 
Violin : De Bcriot. 6. Chonw, " Oh thou th.it tcllcf t good tl- 
din;[:i<," from Messiah; Handel. 6. Solo for the Piano; Liszt. 

Part IT. 
7. Overture No 3.; Kalliwoda. 8. Chorn.'^: "Kyricelcl«on," 
from the Mos^ in C: Bt-ethoren. 9. Aria from Don Giovanni; 
Moiart. 10. Churus : " Ifis and Osiris." from the Magic 
Flute; Mosirt. 11. Caprice In E, for the Piano; Mendel.<i8ohn 
Bartholdy. 12. Chorus : '^ IlaJleiqjah,^' from Metsitth ; Han- 
del. 

The Kalliw^oda overture. No. 3, was rendered with 
verve and animation. In accompaniment, this or- 
chestra has made a considerable advance ; following 
the singers, and not, as is too often the case, strug- 
gling for pre-eminence with a determination worthy 
of a better cause. Of the choniscs. the most effec- 
tive were : " O, Isis and Osiris," from the " Magic 
Flnte " ; well sung, with ensemble and solidity ; 
Beethoven's Ayne, from the Mass in C, and Handel's 
*' Hallelujah " — that master-piece ot religious jubi- 
lation, clear, sti'ong, and sublime as one of the Elgin 
marbles, or a stanza of Dante. Had the singers been 
more unanimous in rendering the degrees of piano 
and forte, the impression made by these choruses 
would have been more favorable. We could have 
wished that the violin solo had been something newer 
than the so often heard first Concerto of Dc Beriot ; 
why cannot our violists present us with less hacknied 
solos, or with some of Beethoven's sonatas, which re- 
ceive less attention than they deserve ? Mendels- 
sohn's Lied, " On wings of Song," was gracefully 
and smoothly sung ; Liszt's pianoforte Cantique 
d* Amour, from the *' Ifarmonin poetiqucget religieuses" 
was executed with a warmth and finish rare among 
amateurs. The aria from " Don Juan " was finely 
conceived and sung ; but we regretted that the hall 
of the Society was not large enough for the full de- 
velopment of so powerful a voice. Mendelssohn's 
Capriccio in E received an interpretation worthy of 
its classic elegance — and this is high praise. 

These concerts cannot be too highly estimated as 
regards the influence they exert upon the musical 
taste of our city ; they present an excellence and va- 
riety in their programmes that has never been equaled 
by any local society ; and good music, rendered even 
with occasional imperfections, does more to further 
the real interests of Art than nil the virtuosity of per- 
formers without conscience, who, displaying their 
own mechanical dexterity in compositions that de- 
grade themselves and the art thev profess to honor, 
corrupt public taste, in place of elevating it towards 
a purer and nobler level. qq. 



256 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Berlin, Sbpt. 26. — It is not easy to describe 
how great 'a loss to mc the death of Prof. Dehn 
proves. In evcr3rthinp relating to musical hiblio- 
praphy, whether historic, theoretic or ajsthetic, I had 
liad to refer to him iinth the certainty tliat the infor- 
mation which he fjavo me was trustworthy. Through 
him, during my former residence here, my attention 
was called to a muhitude of works of whose value, 
in many cases, existence even, I was not aware. 
Happily 1 was wise enough to profit by my inter- 
course with him, and the more from a fear, which I 
then expressed to some of our common friends, that 
his too constant and never tiring application to men- 
tal labor, might soon be followed by serioua conse- 
quences. 

From my window I looked down into his study. 
When I arose in the cool winter mornings he would 
be at his table with his lamps burning ; when I blew 
out my light at night his still burned. My fears have 
proved prophetic. From 'the position which Dehn 
has occupied as a teacher and general musical scholar 
he is worthy of being made more fully known to our 
musical public than he is now. To this end, I beg 
leave to make up a letter from the notices which have 
appeared here of his life and labors, with certain ad- 
ditions from other sources. 

In the latter part of the last century there lived in 
Altona (near Hamburg) a merchant of Jewish de- 
scent, named Israel, who, notwithstanding a great 
many changes of fortune, succeeded at length in es- 
tablishing his business upon as firm a basis as his 
own well-deserved reputation for honor and honesty, 
and in gaining an honorable position among the rich- 
est and wisest merchants of the city. His oldest 
daughter was betrothed to a Hamburg merchant ; on 
the evening before the wedding a young Polish Jew, 
a far-off connection of the Israel family, Solomon 
Dehn by name, appeared with letters from his pa- 
rents beseeching their distant cousiif to give the young 
man employment and aid him to make his way in the 
world. As a connection of the family it was proper 
that ho should be present at the wedding ceremony — 
but his dress ? lu this extremity, a sister of the 
bride equipped him with ruflies in his bosom and up- 
on his wrists, and thus he figured as one of the rcla^ 
tives on the occasion. His education had been sadly 
neglected. To make up for lost time he devoted all 
the means which he could command and all his spare 
time, from the employment which Israel gave him, to 
the purchase of books and to study. In the modem 
languages and in arithmetic he made remarkable 
progress, and no less in business acquirements. Is- 
rael treated him as a son, when of age set him up in 
business as a money broker, soon afterward gave him 
the daughter (of the ruffles) to wife, and not long af- 
terward took him into partnership. A younger 
brother of Solomon in the mean time had come from 
Poland, bad been kindly received by Israel, had been 
educated for a mercantile life and was now also taken 
into the company, which bore the name of " Israel, 
I)ehn & Company." 

The position to which Dehn attained as a man and 
merchant may bo understood by giving the names of 
a few of the men, who, at a later period became his 
Intimate friends and frequent guests at bis table. 
Among them were Bemadotte, (when he was gover- 
nor of Hamburg), Bourrienne, Prince Wittenstein 
afterward Police Minister in Berlin, and the Duke of 
Mecklenbui^, who, during the time that the French 
bad possession of his duchy, was long in Altona, and 
used to send up his name when he breakfasted with 
Dehn, as " John the Landless." 

As Dehn grew wealthy, he gave free course to his 
taste in literature and art, collected a very fine library 
and completely covered the walls of a large room with 
paintings and engravings of high value. In another 
room, especially arranged for music, was a splendid 
Broad wood piano-forte, a violin, viola, and violon- 
cello, and a fine collection of music. In another room 



for ordinary use, and for the practice of the children, 
was a square piano-forte. Dchn's house, very mod- 
est in appearance outwardly, was a house of literature 
and art within. 

The children were three in number, two sons and a 
daughter, of whom the latter was the youngest, and 
Siegfried Wilhelm (whose death calls out tliis letter,) 
the second. He was borti upon the 25th of February, 
1800. Another date is given (Jan. 25th 1799) by a 
writer in the S|)enerficho Zeitung, who professes to 
have had his materials for his article from Dehn him- 
self; but the former, I have been assured by the widow 
and sister-in-law of the professor, is correct. 

Solomon Dehn, having known by experience the 
evils of a youth passed in poverty and ignorance, 
spared no pains or expense in the education of his 
children ; and in this, their moral, intellectual and ar- 
tistic culture were alike regarded. In his later years 
the professor was perhaps almost as remarkable for 
his knowledge of engravings of all schools and eras, 
as in the department more particularly his own. 
For instance, an engraving, which I have often exam- 
ined with ever increasing admiration at his house, one 
of the finest specimens of Bembrandt's skill, came 
into his possession in this manner: — "I was once 
travelling," said he to me, " by ireckachnit on a canal 
in Holland, and stepped into a small grocery to get 
some lump sugar. A woman produced a piece 
wrapped up in an old engraving. I wished but for a 
small piece, but seeing at ajglance the marks of Rem- 
brandt's hand, upon her asking mo how much I 
would have, * Well ' said I, ' what is the entire piece 
worth 1 ' She told me. ' I'll take the whole of it, 
just as it is ! ' What became of the sugar, I do not 
know ; and the picture I sent to Paris, had it careful- 
ly cleaned and mounted, and now I have refused four 
hundred thaleni for it.* " 

The musical teacher engaged by Solomon Dehn for 
his children, was Paul Winnebcrger, first violoncellist 
of the orchestra of the French theatre in Hamburg — 
the same man whose symphony, when he was in the 
service of the Prince of Wallenstein, was to his sur- 
prise performed at sight, by the Orchestra of the Elec- 
tor of Cologne, as related by Junker in his account of 
his visit to Mergentheira. Winneborgcr's object in 
his instructions was not to make virtuosos of the chil- 
dren, but to implant and nurture a true musical taste 
to lay A solid foundation for real musical attain- 
ments. Be-fore the future professor was thirteen 
years old, the three children played trios, the elder 
brother taking the violin, Wilhelm the violoncello, and 
the sister the piano-forte. 

Meantime the father's business was continually ex- 
panding and his name was becoming a powerful one 
upon the Exchange. An anecdote told by Herterich. 
a distinguished painter and intimate friend of Solo- 
mon Dehn, illustrates both the position to which the 
poor Polish Jew boy had attained, and his business 
character. 

Russia wished to negociate a loan at Amsterdam, 

Dehn was made the agent. He made the journey in 

a coach and invited Herterich to accompany him. 

From Altona to the boundary of Holland, Dehn was 

I full of talk and apparently without thought of business ; 

but instantly upon passing the line he threw himself 

into the comer of the carriage and hardly spoke. 

Soon after reaching Amsterdam he sat at his table 

four hours, all his faculties absorbed by his writing. 

Suddenly springing up he exclaimed to his friend, 

" Now I have finished, we can chat again." He had 

finished the report to the Russian government, and 

written it in the French language. Herterich, who 

read it, described it as a masterpiece, and affirmed 
that it was sent off next moming without the altera- 
tion of a w^ord. 

The rest next week. 

A. W. T. 

* I do not feci ahiiolntely r«>rtain that Behn mid b« had re- 
fased 400 tha)en> for this picture, but rery nearly io— at all 
eyentu the Muftcum since hia death has offered that ram 
and been refused. The subject of the enmTlnf if *' Christ 
heaUng the sick "—The picture is about lOraches by 12. 



Special ItffHfts. 



DESCRimVR LIST OP TIIR 

ufiL T E S T DMTJSIO, 
PabliMhod br O. Diison 6c C«. 



Mosic DT MAa. — Quantities of BfuKic are now wnl br mall, 
the cxpon.«o bolnf; only nlK»Mt one rent opicre, while the care 
and m)iiility of tmn«|>ortntinn nre remnrknble. Tlioiic at a 
in'rat di"tnnce will find the nio^le of ronreyanre not only a con- 
Tenienre. but n saviiif; ofrtitcnM* in oht;«iiiiii|; supplier. Books 
can ntsio be M>nt by ninil. at the rnt(> of oni* ront per ounce. 
This npplirs to any di^tniire under tlircc tiiounand miles ; be- 
yond that, double* the above ni (<.•«. 



Vocal, with Piano Aocompaniment. 

Mother dear, good bye. J. ft. Thomas. 25 

Ttiis is a new ballad of this excellent and deservedly 

popular song-writer, which will exercise a strong claim 

upon the Ikror of the lorers of simple, touching (km- 

iy ballads. 

Adestc Fidcles. (Portuguese Evening Hymn). 
Solo and Choras. 25 

A new and groatly improved edition of thb good old 
tune, which has heretofore only belonged to Collec- 
tions, and could not be obtained separately, except in 
an abbreviated form. 
Nearer to thee, my God. S. & Quar. T. Wood. 25 
One of the flnest sacred aongs that ev«r wera adapt- 
ed to music. 
Lizzie just over the way. Ballad. IT. Millard. 25 
A simple, but very graceful aong, which has some- 
thing of that charming quaintness about it. which is m 
much admired in 01over> song of " Kitty Tyrrell." 
Morning wakens on Nevada. Moorish Ballad in 
the opera of " Leonora." W. II. Fry. 30 

This is the first of the author*a own edition of songa 
ftc. in his Opera, with English and Italian words. 
This '* Moorish Ballad " is one of its strongest num- 
bers ; a fine Romania for a soprano voice- 
Vocal Beauties of Verdi's " Aroldo." No. 1. 
And must I then before. {Ed io pure in/aecia,) 
Duet. Soprano and Baritone. 50 

The first of a number of gems from the last, really 
original Opera of the great Maiistro, a duet, in the vein 
of the grand duet In " TrsTiata," 2nd act, between Ti- 
oletta and the Oermon, highly dramatic and ftill of 
fine points, especially for the baritone part^ which if, 
as usual with Verdi, written so high, that it might t>o 
properly undertaken by a tenor voice. 

Instrumental Hualo. 
Tremolo Waltz. Albert W. Berg. 80 

A charming composition, in that style for which the 
Instructive worlu of this author are so highly estima- 
ted among young players. The leading idea has been 
borrowed from Rosellen^s Ikmoua Tremolo-Reverie. 
Sparkling Ilock Galop. H. Sauer. 25 

A brllilant, dashing galop, storming on with that 
reckless impetuosity, for whteh the Storm Galop has 
become the dancer^s Ikvorite galop. Requirea a pretty 
smart player. 

Coaio Quadrille. (Young Fupil's Pieces. No. I.) 

Rimbault. 15 

Sultan's Polka. " " " " 2, 15 

Little pieces for the very first beginners, ivch aa may 

Im given to young pupils, whose ambition prompts 

them to aak the teacher for a " piece " which Is not Id 

their Instruction Book. 

Booka. 
Thf Youko Folks' Glee Book. Consisting 
of nearly one hundred copyright Songs and Du- 
ets never before harmonized ; and the choicest 
gems from the German and Italian. The whole 
arranged in a familiar style for the use of Sing- 
ing Classes, Glee Clubs and the Social Circle. 
By Chs. Jarvis. 1 00 

Special attention Is solicited to the general ftatures 
of this work, aa possessing universal attractions. The 
copyright Songs, Duets, ftc, comprise the best pieeet 
of the leading publishers, inserted here by permission 
and contained in no other book. Of the gems of Ger- 
man and Italian Song, nothing need be said, aa their 
beauties are universally known and admired; and 
their arrangement and collection in this form can not 
flill to be duly appreciated by every lover of a highly 
xefined and classic style of music. Attention has been 
directed to the choice of words, and they will, in each 
case, be found elevated in sentiment and adapted to 
the great mass of the people. In a word, the " Toung 
Polks' Glee Book " is Intended to be of a rapeilor claaa 
in every particubir . A glance at the toble of oontenU 
will convince any one that what it was intended to 
make it, it really Is. 




toig|t'5 



|0tintal 




^MU. 



Whole No. 345. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 18 58. Vol. XIV. No. 7. 



For DwifhtHi Journal of Music. 

Kozart^s "Magic Flute/' 

Berlin, Sept 30, 1858. 
Dear Dwight: Remembering how very intci^ 
csting to me, years ago, any operatic programme 
from a foreign city was ; how it seemed to give 
me a clearer idea of the manner how things were 
done, I translate complete the " Zettel " of last 
evening, leaving it for you to drop it into the 
basket or not, as you see fit. 

BOYAL DRAMA, OPERA-HOUSE. 

Wodix3sdA7, Sept. 29, 1S5S. 

(167th perfbrmance.) 

TlIE MAGIC FLUTE. 

Opera ia 2 putf, by K. Schickajtsdib. 

Miuie, Q. HoiABT. 

Sanwtro Hr. Tricke. 

Tamlno Hr. Krtlgor. 

Queen of Night Vrau KUster. 

Pamina, her daughter .... Traulein Wippem. 

Papageno . . . . , lit. Kranso. 

Monaatatoa, a nfc^ro llr. BoMe. 

Sptgakers (of the Priests) . . . Ilr. Bost, Hr. Ko.<ier. 
Ladies, Frauleiu Carl, Fran Bdtticher, Frl. Baldamus. 

Papagena Fraalein Baur. 

Two men in black armor . . Hr. Lleder, Hr. Friese. 
Genii, Frl. Gey. Frl. t. Meddlhammer, Frau StUrmer. 
Retinue of Priests, Slaves, People. 



Text books, 12 1-2 cts. 



Prognunme, 2 1*2 cts. 



Middle Prices. 

Strangers^ Boxes 91 50. 

1st Rank and its Balcony with Proscenium 

boxes and orchestral seats, 1 00. 

Parquet, Parquet Boxes, and Proscenium, 

2nd Rank 75. 

2nd Rank Boxes 66. 

8d Rank and its Balcony 44. 

Parterre 871-2. 

Amphitheatre, (Gallery) 26. 

Notice. 
Thumday, Sept. 80. 168th Performance. Die (}apuletti und 
Montecchi. Opera in 4 parts, translated from the Italian by 
J. C. Orlubaum. Music by Bellini. Middle Prices. 

Sick. Fraulein Trietsch, Herr Sch'iflSar. 

Beginning 6 1-2 P. M End about 9 1-2. 
Ticket Office will open at 6 1-2 P. M. 

I have no long disquisition to write upon the 
music of the " Magic Flute.** It is enough to say 
that I consider it as possessing more truly beauti- 
ful and popular music, both melodic and harmon- 
ic, than any other opera ever written. Don Juan 
is greater, because there are greater passions in 
it to portray ; but nothing can be more beautiful 
than the constant succession, the heaping up, of 
the loveliest melodies, together with accompani- 
ments and harmonic combinations, which are as 
extraordinary and marvellous to the contrapun- 
tist now, as in 1791. Sometimes when I have 
not read " As you like it," or the " Tempest," or 
the " Winter's Tale," for several months, I repe- 
ruse them with the feeling that I never felt their 
beauty adequately before. So last evening, 
solos, duets, quintets, choruses, overture, accom- 
paniment and all, familiar as all are, — constantly 
to be met with as most of them are in our song- 
books, glee-books, psalm-books in all sorts of 



shapes and with all kinds of texts — seemed al- 
most for the first time to open to me their deli- 
cious perfection. 

Near the close of the opera, as I listened with 
"John" — whose emotions wore written in his 
face — it was the first hearing — both of us in 
that rather rare state, one of perfect satisfac- 
tion with the music — I was startled by something 
peculiarly familiar. Ah, Mozart, I should not 
have thought this of you ! I hope I shall find 
myself mistaken, when I hear it again or get the 
music to examine ; and I shall be so, if it does 
not prove that you, in the ritornello, in this air of 
Monastatos, and in a part of the vocal motives, 
have stolen the idea bodily from the Largo al/ac- 
totuniy in Rossini's *' Barlx*r." 

(Interruption from the reader.) " But, Mr. 
Diarist, Rossini's opera was not written until 23 
years after the Magic Flute ! " 

Is that so, reader ? AVell, then, Mozart is free 
from the imputation of plagiarism in this case. 
But what right had he to compose such prophetic 
music ? He was always doing it. If at the ope- 
ra you are struck with a concerted piece for any 
number of voices up to the sextet, which natu- 
rally springs out of the dramatic situation, in 
which, at the same moment, as many different 
passions are depicted in music upon the stage, as 
there are parts, you will be sure to find something 
almost perfect of the same kind, as a model, in 
one or more of his operas ; if you are struck with 
the effect of a concealed chorus, singing solemn 
music, as in so many modem operas, this bad Mo- 
zart did the same thing again and again, and 
save by Gluck, with almost unparalleled effect ; 
in this very " Magic Flute," you have two men 
come upon the stage and sing an old Lutheran 
choral, while the orchestra works up a fugued 
subject about it. Now, what right had this man 
to forestall Meyerbeer's greatest effects in the 
" Huguenots " and " The Prophet " ? If the man 
had lived twenty years longer, I don't see that 
he would have left a swrAo new musical idea for his 

CD 

successors to have wrought out — his European 
successors ; of course, for when our " free, inde- 
pendent, and enlightened citizens " take to ope- 
ratic writing, we shall beat the world, as we do 
now in architecture, sculpture, painting, land- 
scape gardening, railroad building, steamboat ex- 
ploding, and I know not what all. John Smith 
assures me, that we do lead all Europe in these 
things, and this being so, we shall soon also lead 
the way in opera. Then where will Mozart be 
with his "Don Juan" and "Magic Flute"? 
This brings me back again, from my ride on the 
American Eagle ! 

A vast amount of matter has been printed upon 
the histor}' of the " Magic Flute," but much of it is 
scattered, and has escaped both Holmes and Ou- 
libicheff. Without waiting for the fourth volume 
of Jahn, which, judging from the first three, will 
give us the ' story in full, here are two or three 
matters, which I think will be new to the reader. 

The authorship of the text is almost universally 
attributed to Schickaneder, as it is by the pro- 



gramme given above, by Nissen, and afler him 
by Holmes and Oulibichcff. Yet, many years 
2^ro, I think in an early volume of the London 
Musical Worldy some twenty-five years since, 
there is a notice of the death of a German 
teacher in Dublin, Ireland, who claimed it So 
far as my reading goes, no notice of this has ever 
been taken — not even so much as to question 
the man's veracity. And yet a text is a matter 
of some importance at least — many a one has 
carried good music with it to the shades, and 
some haved saved music in itself hardly good 
enough to be worthy of contempt — and its au- 
thor is worth finding out. 

I translate a short article on this point from 
the Netie Berliner Zeitung^ of June 13, 1849. 

" The real author of the text to the Magic 
Flutcw&s not Schickaneder, but his chorus singer 
Giesecke, who drew up the plan of the action, 
made the division of scenes, and manufactured 
the familiar naive rhymes. This Giesecke — as 
J. Comet relates in his interesting book, " Die 
Oper in Deutschland — a student bom in Bruns- 
wick, and expelled from the University at Halle 
— was author of several magic operas, also of 
the "Magic Flute" (afler Wieland's Lulu*), 
Schickaneder having no other share in it, than 
to alter, cut out, add, and — claim the whole. 
The poor devil of a Giesecke contrived to keep 
soul and body together by singing small parts, 
and in the chorus on Schickaneder's stage in the 
" Freihaus auf dcr Wicden " — the Theater an 
der Wien not yet being bnilt. 

At length he disappeared nobody knew whith- 
er. (During Napoleon's continental embargo 
Giesecke was in Poland indulging his taste for 
natural history and collecting mineralogical spec- 
imens.) 

" In the summcrof 181 8," says Comet, "at Vien- 
na, a nice looking old gentleman, in a blue, swal- 
low-tailed coat, white neckcloth, wearing the rib- 
bon of an order, seated himself one dav at the 
table in an inn, where Ignaz von Seyfried, Kom- 
thcucr, Jul. Laroche, Kiistner, Gned and I met 
daily to dine. The venerable snow-white head, 
his carefully chosen words and phrases, his de- 
meanor in general made a very pleasant impres- 
sion upon us all. It proved to be Gie.9ecke, once 
chorus singer, but now professor in the University 
at Dublin, who had now come directly from Ice- 
land and Lapland to Vienna with a collection of 
specimens of natural history from the animal, 
mineral, and vegetable kingdoms for the Imperial 
Cabinet. Seyfried was the only one among us 
who knew him. The delight of the old man in 
Vienna and at his reception from the Emperor 
Francis — who had presented to him a really 
splendid gold box, sparkling with jewels and 
filled with the newest Kremnitz gold pieces — 
was a sufficient reward for the labors and necessi- 
ties of many years. Here we had opportunity 
to learn many things in the past ; among them, 

* Wieland's Lidu ? I know of no plaj or tale of this title In 
Wieland-s Works. The poem, '* Schack Lolo," has nothing in 
common with the text of the Magic Vluta. Who can tell us ? 



258 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



• 



that in liim we saw the real author of the text to 
the ^fag^c Flute^ (he was a member at that time 
of the persecnted order of the Freemasons) — a 
fact which Seyfried indeed in some sort suspected. 
I relate this from his own assertions, whii^h we 
had no reason whatever to doubt. He made the 
statement to us in connection with my sinjring of 
the eavatina from the "Mirror of Arcadia, "f 
which WAS introduced into Mozart's work. Many 
have supposed that Ilehnbiiok, the prompter, was 
Schickaneder's assistant in the work. Giesecke 
corrected us in this, and moreover stated that, 
nothing; but tlie parts of Papageno and his wife 
belonged to Shickaneder." 

The character of Shikaneder, as shown in his 
treatment of Mozart, is not sudi as to lead any 
unprejudiced ])erson to doubt his readiness to 
claim anythinjj in his power, which could be for 
the benefit of his establishment, or of his own 
reputation. 

Some additionallifrht as well as doubt is thrown 
upon the matter by Treitschke, the poet who, in 
1814, revised the te.\t of Beethoven's " Fidelior 
He states that just as Shikaneder was engaged 
upon the text of the first finale in 1791, the 
Leopoldstadten Theatre announced " The Magic 
Cither, or Casper the Fagottist," prepared by 
Isaclium Perinet (for SO years poet of that thea- 
tre,) from the same Miirchen of Wieland, and in 
the main closely following the original story. 
Just this lamentable occurrence (for Shickeneder) 
proved the salvation of the Marjic Flute ^ for he 
was compelled to change the entire character of 
the opera. For instance, Sarastro, who was to 
have appeared as a monster, took the new charac- 
ter of a Priest of Wisdom. Treitschke does not 
state it, but from other testimony in connection 
with his, I infer that it was now that Papageno 
and Papagena were introduced into the play. 

The splendid success of the " Zauherfloie^ " in- 
duced the manager to prepare a second part un- 
der the title of " The Labyrinth, or the Strife of 
the Elements," and Winter was employed to 
compose the music. It was a failure. 

Oultbicheff can hardly find words to express 
bis disgust and contempt for the text of the 
Magic Flute. It has ibund but two or three de- 
fenders during the sixty-nine years of its existence 
— but one of these was Goethe ! Perhaps defend- 
er is too strong a term to use — ^but here is his ex- 
pression — " Es gehort mehr Bildung dazu, den 
Werth zu erkennen^ als ihn abzuleugnen " — a 
higher intellectual culture is necessary to appre- 
ciate its value, than to deny it. 

This letter from Goethe to Paul Wranizky, 
Schickaneder's Kapellmeister, dated Jan. 26, 
1 796, 1 think will be new to most, if not all the 
readers of the Journal : 

" The immense success of the Magic FlrttCj and 
the difficulty of writing a piece to rival it, has 
awakened the thought of taking it as the funda- 
mental idea of a new piece, both in order to meet 
the public in the line of its taste and to lighten 
the task, both for managers and actors, of pro- 
ducing a new and complicated piece. I have to 
reach my object most directly, by writing a 
Second Part to the Magic Flute ; the cliaracters 
are all well known, the actors practised in them, 
and the author, having the first ]>art before him, 
is enabled to paint the situations and relations of 
the characters in stronger colors without over- 
doing them, and thus give such a work much life 

t Dtr Bpifgti wm Arhadun^ by SiUmwjw. 



and interest. In how ^ I have reached my aim, 
the effect must show. 

" That the piece may at once make its way 
throughout Germany, I have so arranged it, that 
the dresses and scenery of the first Magic Flute^ 
will nearly suffice for the production of the 
sccoml ; still if a manager should see fit to add 
expensive decorations, the effect wouhl be 
greatt*r ? but, at the same time, it is my desire, 
that even in these, the first "Magic Flute" be con- 
stantly kept in mind. J. W. V. Goetiik. 

No one at a performance of the "Magic Flute" 
can help feeling the utter insipidity of the vers4»s, 
the weakness of the plot — hardly worthy the 
name — and the looseness, almost at times incon- 
gruity of the succession of scenes. But great 
things could not be expected from a chorus singer 
in a minor theatre, even though an expelled 
student of Halle, where the grand aim was to 
produce another " taking " Magic Spectacle for 
the delectation of by no means the higher classes 
of society. It is clear, however, that the writer 
had a leading practical idea in his mind, however 
incapable he was of adequately reproducing that 
idea either in plot or poetry ; and this is, the 
triumph of light over darkness — the certainty 
that the earnest, persevering effort of a courage- 
ous, steadfast, unfaltering soul in the pursuit rf 
wisdom, shall not fail of attaining its aim and re- 
ceiving its reward. Mozart perceived the idea, 
felt it, and to the priests' music gave a nobleness 
and grandeur which places it among even his 
grandest conceptions. 

But what is the "Zauberflote," the Magic Flute 
or " La Flute Enchant^e " all about ? asks the 
reader : just as I asked in vain from my child- 
hood on, until I saw and heard it here in Berlin — 
and that too more than once. I have never found 
in any book or periodical any such account of this 
opera as a drama, as enabled me to form any sat- 
isfactory conception of its plot, or to follow its 
story. Although it forms one of the grand stages 
in the historic progress of the operatic drama, all 
who have written upon it, so far as their writings 
have come under my notice, have either taken it 
for granted, that the story was already known to 
their readers — or they did not have any clear 
conception of it themselves. The various editions 
of the opera, which have come under my notice, 
are all printed without the spoken dialogue, and 
without stage directions ; this is also true of the 
text books ; it is then no easy matter to follow 
this opera as a drama. My late friend, "Brown," 
seems to have felt this difficulty, and to have con- 
sidered both the Magic Flute and Don Juan as 
epoch-making works, worthy of a careful study 
not only as musical but as dramatic works ; for 
among his papers both are found written out as 
tales. A pretty poor tale the former proves to 
be, but the poorer it be the brighter shines the 
genius which could compose such music to it ! I 
send it to you for the Journal, if you think proper 
to use it A. W. T. 

[Mr. Brown^t story ihftll haw place next week. Ed. ] 



The Character and Genius of HandeL 

(Fran the Life, by SehoRlcher.) 
(Continued.) 

Grandeur is the distinctive characteristic 
which dominates over all the compositions of 
Handel. Even in the exquisite gracefulness of 
Acts and Galatea there is a latent vigor, a certain 
solemnity of st^, which elevates while it chains 



the mind. Kvery one is struck with thip. So 
true is it, that critics, biographers, friends, and 
enemies all concur in .<:pcaking of him as a "co- 
lossus," a "giant," a " m«nn mountain." His at- 
mosphere is the immensity resplendent with the 
sun. Like Ci>rueille, he lived in the sublime. 
Thus, of all inusi<'ians, no one has l)otter realized 
the dreams of I host* heavenly songs which glorify 
the majesty of Jehovah. No one K't'ore him, 
and no one afU»r him, has ever composed chonjM»s 
comparubie to his, or has known how to employ 
and combine with an eipial power the diflerent 
fbinut of the human voice. When you have 
heard an oratorio t«'n or twelve times, when the 
first transiKirts of admiration have passi'd away, 
when you can more calmly appreciate your emo- 
tions, and taste them all the better for being in 
full possession of yoursi'lt* these choruses develop 
themselves before you like a drama filled with 
interest; you see each group of the different 
registers advancing successively, as bravely as a 
battalion marching to the assault, halt, unfold 
their strength, and at length display their united 
j)Ower in a majestic and wonderful finale. The 
transitions are so ably managed, and the effects 
are of such incre<lible perfection, that you seem 
to hear ten thousand voices, whose harmonious 
clamor is loud enou«;h to reach the skies. In this 
sense, the " Hallelujah " of The Me*siak is an ex- 
plosion of incommensurable beauty. 

AVhere have the Pindaric Odes expressed the 
idea of triumph more brilliantly and more enthu- 
siastically than the chorus in Judas Maccab(pus, 
" See the conquering hero comes V " Tlie battle- 
cry in the same oratorio, ** Sound an alarm,** is 
just such another spark of musical electricity as 
our Marseillaise^ which has made myriads brave, 
and is alone suflicient to immortalize the name of 
Rouget de Tlsle. And Israel in Kqjfpt ! Is 
there an epic poem to surpass that ? With what 
breathless anxiety, with what fervor is the intro- 
ductory chorus of the Hebrews filled, in which 
they describe the sufferings of their hard ser\i- 
tude, and implore the succor of the Lord ! With 
what truthfulness are the convulsions of nature 
painted in the storm of hailstones ! With what 
terrific reality is the thick darkness spread over 
the earth! What heart-rending lamentations 
when the first-born of the £g}'ptians are slain by 
the hand of God ! What a contrast between the 
silent march of the enfranchised Israelites at the 
bottom of the miraculous way, and the crowding 
of the waters together to let them pass ! Words 
cannot depict these superhuman effects of musical 
art. AVhen you enjoy these, you >pi.sh to have 
around you those whom you love, in order that 
they may partake of your delight. 

The works of humanity proceed from each oth- 
er. Strictly speaking, no man is a creator. But 
among men of intellect thei'e are certainly some 
who are more inventive, or rather, who discover 
more than others. Handel is one of these. 
Whatever the kind of composition, he makes it 
his own, and his only. He changes or increases 
it so as to make it quite a new thing. This is 
what is called creating. His oratorios are cast in 
a deeper mould than any one else has ever imag- 
ined. They resemble nothing else that has ever 
been heard before. As a composer of Italian op- 
eras, he had opened for himself a new way even 
in Italy. As a writer of sacred music, likewise, 
he listened to nothing but his own genius, and 
disdained to follow the traces of Gombert, of Pa- 
lestrina, and of Allegri ; nor yet of the English 
composers who had preceded him, Byrde, Gib- 
bons, and Purcell. Ilis Anthems preserve aver)' 
hicrh reliffious sentiment, but thev have an ardor 
and a lyrical beauty previously unknown in that 
species of composition. His predecessors give us 
tlie idea of monks, filled with a grave faith and 
animated by an ethereal fervor, adoring God in 
the depths of their cloisters with a touching unc- 
tion ; but he sets before us active and energetic 
men, singing enthusiastically under the canopy 
of heaven the glories of the Omnipotent 

The author of The Messiah is an epic poet 
above all ; but he exhibits no less superiority in 
treating subjects with which the fire, tiie nobility, 
and the majesty of that style would not so well 
accord. He has even succeeded in matters for 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1858. 



259 



"which one would suppose him to be the least fit- 
ted. Ills overtures nil unifornilv terminate witli 
a eoda in minuet, aeconlini; to the custom of his 
time. Many of these minuet.s are delirious, espe- 
cially ill Tamerlane. Tliat in Ariadne was so 
mueh in rcfjucst, that every fiddler in town and 
country scraped it aUnit ; it was set to wonls, 
which were sunj: in the streets as well as in the 
drawins-room, and nothing; but it wa.s heard for 
six months. The fjavot in the overture of Otho 
nmst have been not less popular, for it was played 
from one end to the other of the three kin^^doms, 
upon every kind of instrument ; as Burney says, 
*' from the organ to the salt-box." 

But wc are indebted to this multifarious jrcnius 
for something moi*e than minuets to be 8\mg in 
the streets. His operas (^judging by what I have 
heard of them upon the piano) prove that, if he 
hatl not written oratorios which have absorbed 
universal admiration, his renown as a composer 
of theatrical music would have been «is great «is 
that of the celebrated Italian masters. They 
have composed nothing more dramatically fine 
than " Tutta raccolta," in Scipio^ and " 'Vrh sos- 
petti," in liodelinda. Ti\e duet in liinnidoy " Al 
trionfo del nostro furor," will bear a comparison 
with ** £sprit dc haine et de rage," in G luck's 
Armiile; and it could not sustain a more formi- 
dable one. lie also produced delicious melodies, 
elegant as those of Cunarosa; lively and s])irited 
as those of G re try; gentle and holy as those of 
Pergolese. "Lascia ch' io pianga," in lihtaUh ; 
" Verdi prati," in Alcina ; ** Ombra earn," in 
Radamisto ; and " Piangeri)," in Gbkiio Osarey 
are moraaux of infinite simplicity of expivssion, 
aud of a tenderness which draws tears from your 
eves ; they equal the perfection of design, the pu- 
rity of Cjrm, and the delicacy of the cantabilesof 
Stradella and Palestrina: they arc consonant 
with all that is chaste, good, and affectionate in 
the human muX. At the same time, he has 
known how to be as graceful as Haydn (that is to 
say, to be the perfection of prace) when he 
wrote the sonp for the nvmphs m Acis and Gal- 
atea. The pictures ot Watteau are not more 
lovely thaa that pastoral, which Ls a gem of fresh- 
ness and prettincss. 

And tliis briniTJ me to another of Handel's 

?uarities, that of being a great pamter of words, 
le reflected always as he composed ; instead of 
giving himself up passively to the demon of in- 
spiration, he subjugated and governed it. His 
notes seem to be the echo of the words. What 
an immense and mournful grief is there in ** He 
was despised" in T/ie Messiah! What heart- 
rending desolation ! No one can listen to it with- 
out sympathy. All who have suffered themselves 
will admit that it is impossible to descend deeper 
into the depths of sorrow. Thus Handel's music 
reveals to us, as far as can be, the very significa- 
tion of that which it interprets. One may say 
that it articulates, so exactly is it fitted to the 
poem, as a well-made coat to the body of its 
wearer. It portrays the thought The oratorio 
of Saitu^ony aoove all, is in this respect almost as 
remarkable as Don Giovanni, the masterpiece ot 
the lyric stage. Each personage in it has its pe- 
culiar character so distinctly designed as to be in- 
telligible even without the words. There has 
appeared in Germany a school which pretends to 
emancipate music, and to reform the art of Bach, 
of Handel, of Mozart, of Beethoven, of Cimarosa, 
of Weber, and of RiMsnni, and to put in its place 
1 know not what Even this school admires in 
Handel the perfect appropriation of his note. One 
of the reformers passes for the author of an article 
on L* Allegro edil Pensierosoj in which it is said : 
'* If music is to be restored to that state of purity 
and depth, when the standard of its worth is 
sought for in the physical truth of its expression ; 
when the words and their significations are the 
touchstone of the composition ; when the melody 
of speech shall be the stipulated foundation of the 
melody sung, there will not be for us northmen, 
for us Germans, in the entire collection of musi- 
cal treasures, any works that should be so highly 
valued and exclusively brought forward, as clas- 
sical specimens of the study of art, inspired with 
fresh youth in the spirit iust mentioned, as the 
works of HandeL" I will quote idso the judg- 



ment of a French amateur upon the subject : — 
" With the greater number of composers one docs 
meet with features intended to adorn the song, 
and which may be suppressed at need ; but with 
Handel the distinctive feature is inherent to the 
song, and is almost always the most conspicuous 
and energetic part of it. It is there that the com- 
poser gives the finishing touch of his pencil, and 
completes the picture, which words alone could 
never have painted. I shall quote, as an exam- 
ple, the two airs of Satan, in the Resurrection. 
Could audacity, rage, and rebellion be better ex- 
pressed ? Sometimes the character of the persona- 
ges is revealed by the accompaniment, as in Giu- 
lio Cesare. Achilla, a kind of military execution- 
er, who is a favorite of Ptolemy, and who has 
brought the head ofPorapey to his master, makes 
a declaration of love to Cornelia. His song is 
grass, doubtless, but it only expresses that "which 
he wishes to say. It is the accompaniment which 
shows what is love in a base and cruel soul. One 
trembles every moment, lest a word or a gesture 
of Cornelia should cowt her life. 

The works of Handel are in fact full of truth 
and of local color. To the people of the I-«ord in 
their prayers, to pagans in their orgies, to shep- 
herds, to pontiffs, to warriors, to the afilicte<l an<l 
to th(^ happy, to mortals and to supernatural be- 
ings, he knows how to render their own peculiar 
lanjrnajre. He has invented voices for theanrrels 
as Weber did for demons ; he has disc^overed the 
true accents of a monster like Polyphemus, as Mo- 
zart did for a statue. Gifled with such qualities, 
he necessarily excels in recitatives ; not less than 
Gluck himself, he knows how to impress upon 
them at the same time a singular strength and 
justness of expression — a penetrating and magis- 
terial tone, which satisfies the mind as well as the 
ears. Tliat in Giulio Cesare^ ** Alma del* gi*an 
Pompeo," and the scene of Bajazet's death in 
Tamerlane^ may be quoted as examples of the no- 
blest style of declamation. Porpora, who was in- 
debted to his recitatives for a part of his reputa- 
tion, could not help praising those of Handel even 
in the midst of the outcry against him in 1 734. 
Shield reports that once having con^atulated 
Haydn on the beauty of the recitatives in his ora- 
torio, II ritomo di Tobia, the latter replied im- 
mediately: " Ah ! * Deej)er and deeper,* in JephthOj 
is fiir beyond that" Shield subsequently adds : 
" While I was examining this wonderful produc- 
tion for extracts, an impressive singer had the 
goodness to rehearse it, during which my mind 
became so agitated by a succession of various emo- 
tions, that I determined to lay the whole of this 
climax and anti-elimax of musical expression be- 
fore the eye of the reader, to prove that the high- 
est praise of it will never amount to an hyperbole." 
I quite agree with Shield in this. 

(ConcloBion niixt week.) 

Max Maretzek. 

The Havana difficulty was not so very alarm- 
ing after all. Mr. Maretzek arranged it in three 
hours by " Shrewsbury clock." He said to the 
Captain General: "Accede to these terms or there 
shall be no opera this season." The Captain Gen- 
eral, cowed by the stern bearing of the impresario 
and trembling for the fate of his beloved opera, 
acceded. There was no red-tape used in the ne- 
gotiation, and the Circumlocution Office of the 
Island of Cuba derived no emoluments therefrom. 
Mr. Maretzek accomplished everything in three 
hours, and returned to the city with a contract in 
his pocket for the other house, (the Tacon still be- 
ing under tlie weather,^ and a privilege to raise 
the prices to double wnat he intended to charge 
if he had not been overtaken by this sad calamity. 
It is thought, by persons whose profession it is to 
interpret the sentiments of others, that Mr. Mar- 
etzek would not object to have a magazine ex- 
plode every year. The company is to sail from 
x^ew York on the 12th ot the present month. 
Thanks to the energy of the manager, the actual 
retention has scarcely exceeded a fortnight 

We have already referred to the members of 
M^. Maretzek*s company. It is a very fine one, 
and will undoubtedly achieve a brilliant success. 
We hear it rumored that the entente cordiale be- 
ing re-established between Messrs. Maretzek and 



Ullman, it is probable that an exchange of artists 
will be made as the season advanc(*s. Formes, it 
is hinted, will essay his fortunes with the Havan- 
ese. Signorina A laimo, a renowned lyric trage- 
dienne, has arrive<l, and will, we presume, take 
her departure under the Maretzek banner on the 
12th. Mrs. James, an American lady, recentlv 
returned from Italy, is another addition to the 
company. Mrs. James is the seconda donna, but 
will, we fancy, speedily achieve a higher position. 
She has a remarkably fine, high soprano voice, a 
good dramatic style, and a methoil that needs 
nothing but practice to make perfect. We are 
glad that Mrs. James has fallen into Mr. Maret- 
zek's hands. He is one of the few men who do 
not hesitate to assist real merit. — New York Mu- 
sical World. 



A Letter from Theodore iSisfeld. 

The following snys the New York Miaical World, 
has been received by a lady of this city, who has 
kindly permitted us to transfer it to our columns : 

Isle Fatal, Azores, Oct. 4, 1858. 

I pive vou some news of my exile. Sinoc my arri- 
val here t have Ikjcu very ill. The terrible shock I 
have received, morally and physicallv, lins ri'clucrd 
mc to such a state of feeblencHs, that 1 hope yon will 
excuse my laconirism and inconpruity. Hopinp alfo 
that I may dispense with a recital of the disaster/— of 
those scenes of de«»palr U'twecn husbands and wives, 
between mothers and children, between brothers and 
sisters, which I witnessed. Oh it is drearlful, and to 
think that out of more than five hundred pcreons on 
boanl, only seventy-elphl arc saved ! 

From tlie moment that the firo was known beyond 
donbt, we saw upon the promenade deck neiiher cap- 
tain nor officeris, nor even sailors, but only the passen- 
gers, and they in the most complete disorder. The 
officers were lill very young, even the first engineer, 
and could not have* had mucli experience, nor a 
knowled^ of their great rwsponsibility. The captain, 
a man about forty years of age, was the first to loso 
his senses and tliro'w himself overboard. "I'hat was a 
good example ! The Francin metallic life-boats were 
burnt, except two, wliich were overcrowded and filled 
with water immediately. 

The cannon were in the lower part of the ship, so 
there was not a (lossibility of discharging one as a 
sign of distress to draw the attention of the vessels 
we could see at a jjreat distance. There were no life- 
preservers, and not even chairs or stools with com- 
])ressed air, which would have served to sustain us 
while on the water, nor namps to put out the fire. I 
stayed on board till the names reached me, and then 
threw m\'self into the sea, where I swam for two 
hours an(! a half with my clothes on, without any sup- 
port. By this lime I had lof<t my strength, and after 
offering a prayer and thinking of my friends, I went 
down. It is supposed that a counter current threw 
me many times to the surface, when at last I was 
picked up by the small-bout insensible and carried on 
board the French bark Maurice, Captain Ernest Rfe- 
naud, one of the bravest and most noblemen it is pos- 
sible to imajrinc. He had me placed in his own ued, 
and after tr}'ing a thousand experiments, they brought 
me back to'life. Durinjr four days I was in a quiet 
state of delirium, after which I was perfectly prostra- 
ted. The 19th of September I was landed at Fayal, 
where I have been very sick, my chest and lunps be- 
inj? veiT much influenced by the quantity of salt wa- 
ter I swallowed and the exposure. I shall probably 
ho forced to pass the winter hero, and do not think it 
likely I shall be able to return to New York before 
April. 

I have received much attention fmm different fam- 
ilies. The military Governor, American consul, and 
the consul from Hamburg, have visited me. One Ger- 
man gentleman who lives here, Mr. A. D'Orcy, has 
treated me so affectionatelv, that he calls three or 
four times a day to see that 1 want for nething. 

Please ask the irentlemen of the Press to pnblish 
this letter, that my pupils may know where I am. 

Theodore Eisfeld. 



Ulnsiral Cornspnhittt. 

Sketch 6f Prof. Dehn, (Continued). 

Berlin, Sept. 26. — In 1811, Matlamo Dehn 
died, and in the train of this first misfortimo 
came, as is so often the case, a series of oth- 
ers. The fatal years 181 2-13 followed^ ond the widely 
extended and diversified business relations of Dehn 



260 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



rendered him a victim to the dreadful ])rcssure of tlio 
times, and he was forced to withdraw from that mer- 
cantile stage upon whicli ho had played so important 
a part. 

An acquaintance, who hap])ened to call upon the 
rained merchant at his house, and who knew noth- 
ing of what had just happened, relates the following : 

As he entered the saloon he found several of the 
principal merchants of Hamburg, Seiler, Iliilsenbeck 
and others, there. Upon 'asking for Dehn, Iliilsen- 
beck said " he is above, but not to be spoken with just 
now. You come at a very unlucky moment — how- 
ever, take a seat." 

The merchants continued their deliberations and 
the result was that if Dehn could make up his mind to 
declare himself insolvent, matters might easily be 
so arranged as to leave him in the end a handsome 
fortune. Seller went up stairs with this proposition 
to his friend, but immediately returned and reported ; 
" Herr Dehn declares that he will sell his last coat bo- 
fore ho will take that step.'' 

In Hamburg the stopping of this great house cre- 
ated a remarkable sensation. Boumenne advanced 
at once a loan of 40,000 marks ; Senator Sornstag 
and others came forward and secured all his paper. 
But debts were to be paid and the merchant was de- 
termined to owe no man anything. The friend above 
mentioned, upon making him another call, found 
him in the kitchen making notes of the necessary ex- 
penses of the family, and was greeted with the words; 
" Yes, my good friend, I must now even look after the 
parsley ! " The old cook, one servant, one saddle- 
horse and a groom for him, only had he retained. 
All the long army of domestics was already dis- 
missed ; horses, coaches, all that belonged to his fine 
equipage were already sold ; his beautiful library, all 
his works of art, save a few exquisite pictures by 
Tischbein, which his son's widow still has in Berlin, 
house lots, and houses, lands, everything in short that 
he could sell, went to the hammer to discharge his 
obligations. 

But what a change for the children I The eldest son 
was put to the study of scientific agriculture, to which he 
devoted his life. Sicffield Wilhclm was taken from 
his school and his music and placed under the care of 
Forest-master von Schenck, somewhere in Holstcin, 
to study the science of the Forester — a science un- 
known in America. The bov had a hard life of it ; 
but it developed him physically, and in spite of the 
tastes which ho had cultivated in his father's house, 
and which here could not be gratified, he learned to 
love the profession. 

A shot received in his foot, npon a grand hunt, 
through the carelessness of a certain Count Pless, 
however, rendered him incapable of ranging the for- 
ests, and sent him to books and literature. 

Meantime Bemadotte, now king of Sweden, re- 
membered his friend Solomon Dehn, appointed him 
Swedish consul in Berlin, and thus secured him not 
only from want, but placed him in an honorable posi- 
tion. Wilhclm went to Eutin, entered the Gymna- 
sium, by untiring industry made up for lost time in 
his studies, and in 1819 was matriculated in the Uni- 
versity of Leipzig, to study jurisprudence, in accor- 
dance with the wish of his father, who hoped to find 
in his son a successor in the diplomatic position to 
which he had himself now attained. Ho studied also 
at Jena and Heidelberg, and, returning to Berlin in 
1824, was appointed to an office in the Swedish Em- 
bassy, giving to his father also much assistance in 
his consulate. During all these years he had never 
neglected music ; had made himself a very fine vio- 
loncellist, and had played often in public concerts. 
In fact, though but an amateur, he had attained an 
excellence to be envied by many an artist by profes- 
sion, lu Leipzig he had for a time studied the theory 
of music with the distinguished oi^ganist, Droebs. 
In Berlin, his acquaintance with Bemhard Klein — a 
name unknown in America, but that of a man, who 



is in the very first rank of modem theorists — did 
much to develop his great genius for the depths of 
the science. 

1829 and 18.30, two more terrible years in commer- 
cial history, came on. In the f»rmer year, Consul 
Dehn, who had retrieved his fortunes, again lost all. 
Happily Bemadotte had not forgotten his old friend. 
He called him to Stockholm, and appointed him to 
the directorship of the Swedish mines, where he 
died Nov. 7, 1837. 

In the latter (1830) the son, who had inherited suf- 
ficient from his mother to place him above want, was 
a victim, and lost everything but his violoncello — an 
Amati — and the pictures of Tischbein, above-men- 
tioned. No longer connected with the Swedish Em- 
bassy nor with the consulate, he was reduced by a 
single stroke, at the age of thirty, to such poverty as 
actually to want candles and fuel, and sometimes for 
three weeks together not to bo able to purchase a 
warm meal. To his juridical studies he could not 
look for aid, and music became his resource. Klein, 
then in the height of his popularity as a teacher, of- 
fered him a helping hand. He took Dehn as a pupil ; 
in eighteen lessons went with him through his course ; 
then gave him a certificate of his ability to instruct, 
and also several of his own pupils. licllstab says : 
" Another offer (by Klein) to furnish him the means 
of an Art-joumcy into Italy, Dehn, from an equally 
noble feeling, declined, determining rather through 
his own efforts to effect it. From that time he devo- 
ted himself to the profession of teaching tlie Theory 
of Music with far-reaching success. A lai^e number 
of pupils assembled about him ; and, as Bemhard 
Klein died a few years after, Dehn became in some 
degree his heir and successor in that profound knowl- 
edge of musical literature and the theory of Form, 
which is not too often now to be met with. With a 
perseverance which can seldom be found, Dehn 
threw himself into these studies, and his fame soon 
became that of a recognized scientific authority in 
music, to whom men came as pupils, who already 
were well known to the public as men of reputation 
as leaders and masters in the practical branches of 
the art. Of the many examples that might be cited 
we select one only. Glinka, the most celebrated of 
Russian composers, chose Dehn as his guide in his 
contrapuntal studies; and so valuable were his in- 
stractions that he retumed to Berlin repeatedly at 
long intervals to review and renew them. This was 
the case during the last winter, when death put an 
end to his zealous studies and labors here in Berlin. 
With a rare kindness the teacher repaid the affection 
of his mature pupil ; he was his nurse in his sickness, 
the mourner at the funeral, the careful custodian of 
whatever he left." 

Hanpt, also a pupil of Klein, yet thought it wbrth 
his while to hear Dehn, at least, in so far as his 
method could offer him anything new. The most 
promising of the generation of composers now com- 
ing upon the stage have studied with him — indeed 
I know of no contrapuntist who can show so many 
such disciples as he. Hugo Ulrich, Martin Blnmner, 
Kullak, Bemard Scholz, are all men, whose names, 
if not now known, will become so yet, even in our 
distant land. 

At home, as well as npon his journeys, such a man 
must soon make his way into the acquaintance and 
gain the respect of the most distinguished men in 
the profession. This was eminently the case with 
him. With Fdtis in Brussels and Kiesewetter in Vi- 
enna he was for years in close correspondence, giving 
them both great assistance in their important publi- 
cations. His writings soon anracted general atten- 
tion, and at length, in March, 1842, by the advice of 
Meyerbeer, he was appointed Librarian of the musi- 
cal department of the Koyal Library. None bul a 
man familiar with libraries, and who by experience 
has learned the value of the rare combination of pro- 
found bibliographical and scientific knowledge can 



properly estimate what Dehn in his new position has 
effected. 

From another notice, I translate the following upon 
this point; — "A happier appointment could not 
easily be mndc, since he was one of the few to whom 
the ancient methods of notation presented no diffi- 
culties. Hence he was able to render available the 
treasures of ancient music preserved in the Library, 
by translating them into modem notation. He also 
edited many cla.ssical works, until then existing only 
in manuscript, thus drawing them from their previous 
oblivion." 

In 1845, upon the resignation of Grcll, he was ap- 
pointed teacher of tho Dom-chor, but cirramstances 
occurred, which led him soon to resign that position. 
In 1842 the " Caxilia " was revived, and he took Got^ 
fried Weber's place as its editor until its close in 
1848. He was also one of the editors of Peters' edi- 
tion of Bach's instramcntal works — which fact pre- 
vented him from taking part in the publications of the 
Bach Society. — Had be been one of the committee of 
that society, that edition would have fbwer pages of er- 
rata to print, and would have been saved the mortifica 
tion of being obliged to reprint two thirds of Bach's 
great Mass in B minor. By command of the king, 
Dehn made journeys for the purpose of collecting 
works for tlio Library. Passing over his jonmies to 
Italy, here arc a few lines relating to similar joumicf 
nearer home, in tho various provinces of the kingdom 
of Prussia. 

" These were very fraitful," says the writer in the 
Spener Zeitung^ " as is proved by the descriptive cat- 
alogue, which for Silesia alone comprises 400 nnm- 
bers. Among them are beautifully preserved Codices 
of the 11th and 12th centuries ; and among the print- 
ed works of the 16th century, the old Flemish songi 
{Souter Ltedeient, in three books) published by Thiel- 
mann-Sousato, and harmonized mostly by James 
Gemcns von Papa, which Dehn translated into mod- 
em notation. The journey into the province of East 
Pmssia in 1854 was alike fraitful, for of the works 
found in Dantzic alone, he made a descriptive catalogue 
of 400 numlKrs. These line results, joined to his 
thorough knowledge of all that the Library contains, 
enabled him to send F^tis snch a mass of materials 
and corrections for his new Biorpraphie de$ JUusiciens, 
M will fill at least two of his volumes." 

Orlando Lasso was Dehn's favorite among the old 
composers, and it was a labor of his life to work out 
a complete biography of Uie old Fleming. To this 
end he made a journey the last summer to Munich, 
and was intending during the present one to have 
gone to Belgium to make his final researches. To 
this end also he had already written in score 
nearly 700 of Lasso's works (!), and just before his 
death he had engaged in their final correction. In 
connection with those of the Provinces, be began a 
grand descriptive catalc^ue of the entire musical col- 
lection in the Boyal Library. This gigantic labor h 
finished so far as to be ready for copying, for the en- 
tire musical literature, and for the works published in 
parts during the 16th century. The finishing of that 
catalogne by the addition of the rest of the printed 
and manuscript works, has been prevented by his sad- 
den death. It wonld be of the highest value to the 
literature of music, if this catalogne conld be com- 
pleted and published by some competent hand.* The 
value of Dehn's labor to Belgian musi<»il literature 
was so highly appreciated by King Leopold, that in 
1853 he presented him with his own band the order 
of the Belgian Lion. 

On the 5th of July, 1849, Dehn was honored with 
the title of Professor of Music by the Government, 
and soon after elected member of the Berlin Academy 
of Art. He never appeared before the public as a 
composer, saying himself that he did not possess cre- 

* I havo been told that the Libnir Io(*i upon this irork of 
Dehn's as Its private property and reAuet to allow it to be cop- 
led and printed. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1858. 



261 



ative talent, and was too proud to publish insignifi- 
cant compositions ; yet a ifyrtV in 16 parts in canon 
style proves his mastery of the laws and rules of strict 
counterpoint. 

Next to the old Italian Fathers of musical theory, 
whom he has quoted so freely as to make his work on 
harmony a yaluablo addition to musical bibliography, 
Dehn honored and revered the memory of Mattheson, 
Marpurg and Kimbergcr. By constantly watching 
for opportunities for the space of thirty years, he had 
succeeded in making a complete collection of the mu- 
sical works of those authors — one of the three or four 
only which exist. 

When I had the pleawre of renewing my acquaint- 
ance with him in 1 854, 1 was authorized by Dr. Ma- 
son to purchase books to a certain amount for his li- 
brary, and Dehn offered this collection, moved prin- 
cipally by the thought that if thus sold it would prob- 
ably be kept entire forever, while otherwise upon his 
death the books might be scattered in all directions, 
and perhaps lost. Dr. Mason purchaHcd them. I 
was at the time surprised at the small amount of the 
bill, but never knew until within the last few weeks, 
that had he been willing to scatter them, he might 
have sold them for a far higher price in this city. 

He was for many years an agent of the British 
Museum, and other libraries of Great Britain and 
other countries, public and private. Thero is now in 
the music room of the Royal Library, a collection of 
old printed music of the 16tli and 17th centuries, oc- 
cupying three or four shelves, which by long and per- 
severing diligence he completed from all sorttf of col- 
lections of odd parts and imperfect copies, and which 
is now awaiting the order of the British Museum. 
The price paid is over S2,200. Among the works 
which he gave to the Library here, and which he has 
copied out in modem notation, and which is hardly 
less valuable for its beauty of execution, than for its 
historic interest, is the oldest opera ever composed. 
The clue to this he obtained from some of the single 
parts — it did not exist in score — which had 'found 
their way to Berlin, and which led him to search old 
cloisters and other possible places for ite preservation 
in Italy. In course of time the work was coniplcte. 
He copied it splendidly in score, and his sister-in-law, 
Fraulein Wedel, a true artist, adorned his score with 
drawings, fac-similes of those which adorned the orig- 
inal parts. The work is throughout in five parts and 
has this title : 

"L'Anti Parnasso, Comedia harmonica d'Horatio 
Yecchi daModena, Novamente posto in luce : con Prio 
Venezia^apresso Angelo Gardano MDLXXXXVII. 
Aggiunta di alcune notizie intomo all' Antipamasso 
proposte dall redattore della presente partituro.'' 

Another of Dehn's specimens of copying, equal to 
the finest specimens of printing, is a copy of the mass 
by Ballabene in forty-eight parts. Dehn sometimes 
described to us the performance of that mass as he 
once heard it in Italy. Imagine a dozen choirs sta- 
tioned at intervals in the lofty narrow gallery, which is 
generally found in Gothic cathedrals, just above the ar- 
ches which separate the nave from the aisles, and sing- 
ing down into the body of the church. Sometimes a 
single choir takes up the theme, and is answered from 
the other end of the edifice ; sometimes one falls in 
after another until the entire space is vooal with the 
swelling flood of all the voices combined. The effect 
was almost superhuman. 

On the 12th of April, 1858, Dehn felt so 
unwell at the Library that he returned home. 
He seated himself in his chair and died with- 
out a pang. On the afternoon of the 1 5th, he was 
followed to his grave in the Sophia churchyard out- 
side the Hamburg gate of Berlin by a large concourse 
of friends and artists. Dr. Jonas delivered an address, 
and a part of the Dom-chor sang " Es ist bestimmt 
in Gottes Rath," "Jesus meine zuversicht", and 
" Wie sie so sanft ruhn." 

The publications of Dehn are not in number prob- 



ably such as to meet the expectations of the reader. 
They are the following : — 

1. Collection of ancient sacred and secular music 
of the 16th and 17th centuries. 12 parU. Berlin. 1837. 

2. Biographical notices of Orlando Lasso from 
the French with notes. Berlin, 1837. 

3. Psalmos VII. paenitentiales modis musicis adap- 
tavit Orl. de Lassus, etc. Berlin 1 838. 

4. Two comic cantatas by J. S. Bach, in score now 
first published. Berlin. 1839. 

5. The work on Harmony. Berlin 1848. 

6. Gustate et Videte (Ps. 33. 9-11.) Motette, 5 
Toc. &c., Orl. de Lassus. Berlin. 1841. 

7. Part of Peter's edition of Bach's instrumental 
works, among them 16 concertos. 

8. 22 Etudes per violoncello d'apres les 40 Etudes 
p. Viol, de Rode, Kreutzer, &c. 

9. Writings in musical periodicals, one of which, 
the Coecilia, he edited. 

He had prepared a new edition of his Harmony, 
was busily engaged upon his complete Life of Lassus, 
had just sent to press a new edition of Marpurg's " Ab- 
handlung von der Fuge," and had other works in dif- 
ferent states of forwardness, when death came and 
closed his labors. A. W. T. 

(CoDclasIon next week.) 

[The Ibllowing wu omitted last week aecidentally. and much 
to our own ■urpriw. We fear the omission has discouraged our 
good ftiend from writing us thia week.— bd.] 

Philadelphia, Nov. 2. — The debut of Mme. 
CoLSON, in Verdi's Traviata, drew together within 
the walls of our magnificent Academy, a very large 
and elegantly attired audience. So far as the fair 
cantatrice was concerned, it was a most undeniable 
success ; and but for the lamentable, out-of-sorts sing- 
ing of the handsome Brigxoli, and the unrehearsed 
bleating of the chorus, would have created an intense 
furore. Thus the audience found itself alternately 
swayed from emotions of glowing enthusiasm over 
the Prima Donna, to the most unamiable undercur- 
rent of feeling against the other delinquent vocalists. 
Brignoli must have perceived this ; for, after encoun- 
tering a very equivalent applause upon his rendition 
of De *miei boUenti spiriti^ he gave evidence of more 
pains-taking, and finally bore his share of the Duo, 
Parigif cara, in a highly creditable manner. 

The vocal ism and acting of Mme. Colson has been 
so ably and correctly reviewed by yourself in the Jour- 
nal of October 9th, that I cannot fail to commend all 
those who desire a perfect idea thereof, to re-peruse 
that critique. Verily, every cadenza, every rouladei 
every intonation, — her personnellef her movements — 
each dramatic point, every wail of sorrow, and gush- 
ing outburst of joy, and pang of remorse, substantiat- 
ed, in my mind, the singular truthfulness of ev- 
ery line and clause of your description. I think that 
mine ears have never listened to a more graceful, as it 
were spontaneously-fiowing, free-from-strain bit of exe- 
cution, than that of the roulade, which leads into the 
Sempre libera ; it seemed to flow from the pretty lips 
of the charming Colson, like the gushing tones of a 
canary ; i. e., with the same natural ease, as though 
it was the result of an innate predisposition to sing, 
rather than the achievement of a studied art. Her 
vocalization is singularly correct throughout, and so 
far as I could perceive, but one false intonation (the 
opening note of a recitativo, in Act I.) stands charged 
to her many excellencies. Correctly, indeed, did the 
Journal rate her '' a very highly finished, charming, 
and expressive vocalist, though not in all points a 
great si'.'.ger." The public viciously based its im- 
promptu lobby criticisms, last night, upon " odious 
comparison ; " and the names of Colson and the diva 
Gazzanioa were invariably breathed together. At 
the " Amodio," a first class restaurant in the neigh- 
borhood of the Academy, where oyster and ale critics 
" most do congregate " between the acts, these con- 
trasting analyses were heard to an amusing extent. 



Said Raik to Letherhed, — " I'll bet you a bottle 
of champagne she's not as good as Gazzaniga. Her 
voice is'nt so gentle-like, her style so forcible, or her 
manner so piquant. " Take your bet ", responded 
little Letherhed, whom I overheard last night, just as 
he was gulping down his homd jaws a mammoth 
chincoleague bivalve, "take your bet, she things 
more like a conthumptif perthon, than GaUianeega ; 
more gwaceful, too, and her voith ith more like a thil- 
verbell." In every part of the caravanserai, knots of two 
or three stood, arguing the two Prima Donnas, placed 
in juxtaposition. Thus, too, in the lobbies and in the 
Foyer of the Opera House, friend button-holed friend 
and the " odious comparisons " went around with the 
speed of thought. Imagine, then, the critical position 
of the debutante ; and rejoice that so deserving an ar- 
tist stood the test of these comparisons thus trinm. 
phantly. 

Amodio sang and played with charming effect. 

The orehestra acquitted itself most execrably ; and 
the random flounderings of that leviathan of the deep 
sea of harmony, the contra-basso, were such as to ex- 
cite the liveliest apprehensions. The same remarks 
apply to the chorus, which, certes, must have been 
negligently abandoned to its fate, on the part of the 
management. The Coro di 2jingare might be likened 
unto the tender bleating of a score of lost lambs, and 
that of the Matadorea seemed even more confused. 
All this, nevertheless, served to bring forth into bold- 
er relief the charming rendition of Violetta, by Mme. 
Colson. Manrtco. 



Hartford, Conk., Nov. 8. — What has become of 

your New York correspondent " 1 ? " Has it 

given up writing for the papers — has it left the coun- 
try — has it " married a wife," or a husband," (pro- 
vided it is not already provided) — or what's the mat- 
ter ? Do let us know ; for we have missed that cab- 
alistic signature of late, and have wondered more why 
it did not make its appearance as usual, than we did 
formerly to know its meaning. " Trovator " is rich 
and racy, and has our warmest thanks for his rich and 

racy correspondence every week, but little " 1 " 

's one of the old marines of " Dwight's ", and has 
faithfully fought by the side of the big " T." (with an 
**A. W."), and the fear that perhaps it has "given ud 
^he ship ", now that she is on the high tide of prosper- 
Hjf has caused all this solicitation in its behalf. I 
trust fhat it will /hinkof fhis, and again fhrowafhrill. 
ing thought or two of thorough thinkings through 
your thriving columns, and accept our /hanks therefor. 

Stephen C. Massett, ("Jeems Pipes") has given 
a concert here with but poor success, so far as the 
" house " went, although it was the best of the kind 
which has ever been given here, I should judge* 
Miss Kate Dean, assisted by Mr. W. H. Cook, as 
Tenor, and Mr. Greo. T. Evans, as pianist, all of New 
York, are to give a concert to-morrow evening in this 
city. They are all highly spoken of by the New York 
papers. I had an opportunity of listening to them 
for a few minutes the other evening at Messrs. Bar- 
ker & Co's Piano-forte rooms, and was delighted with 
Miss Dean's singing. I trust that she will go away 
with a purse as full and rich as is her voice. 

What a funny old fellow was Billings. And still 
it seems to me that could he have had a thorough 
musical education, he must have ranked high as a 
composer. I have been looking over a "singing- 
book " which he published in 1794, under the title of 
of " Continental Harxont — containing a num- 
ber of Anthems, Fugues, and Choruses, in several 
Parts, never before published. Composed by Wil- 
liam Billings. Author of Various Music Books." 
He tells us in the forepart of the book, in a dialogue 
between a master and scholar, that the scale, or gam- 
ut, was "projected," or said to have been, " between 
7 or 800 years ago, by Guido AretinuSy a monk, 
whose name deserves to be recorded in the annals of 
fame, in capitals of gold." He afterwards says that 



262 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



u 



Guido bj some means or other availed himself of 
Kinjf David's Scale, and by making some few altera- 
tions and amendments, or it may be, by climbing a 
few stops higher on a ladder of King David's raising, 
he (in spite of the royal author) has nnjostly taken all 
the glory of the first invention to himself." Guido 
mast have been a very mean man to have done that ! 
See what ridiculous words there are to " An Anthem 
for Thanksgiving." Perhaps they may be useful to 
some modem composer for the approaching festival. 

'* Te dragons whoM contagious bnath, 
Peopis the dark abodes of daath, 
Chanfs your hissings into heavenlj songs. 
And praise your Biaker with your fork-«d tonguss." 

" Fire, hail and snow, wind and storms, beasts and 
cattle, creeping insects, flying fowl, kings and prin- 
ces, men and angels, Jew and Gentile, male and fe- 
male, bond and free, earth and heaven, land and wa- 
ter, young men and maids, old men and babes, praise 
the Lord ; join creation, preservation, and redemp- 
tion join in one ; no exemption nor dissention, one 
invention and intention, reigns through the whole to 
praise the Lord I " — with a dozen ' Hallelujahs ' at 
the end of that. If there is not variety enough for an 
aspiring composer, I don't know where he will find 
it. But what breaths cuuld those ' fellers and gals " 
take in them days ! For instance, when in another 
anthem they come to the words — 

*' Stnngs that a harp of thousand strings 
Should keep in tune so long " — 

the last word is most beautifully and graphically il- 
lustrated by the ' counter ' singing it to seven meas- 
ures, 4-4 time I I doubt whether the ' harp ' would 
' keep in time ' a great while it obliged to perform 
such gyrations as are in the music, now before me, 
many times. But I am becoming prosy. ' In conclu- 
sion,' as the ministers say, I will give you one more 
and stop, — an eloquent dissertation on the Fugue, 
which may be somewhat entertaining to your readers, 
if not improving. It is decidedly rich and ' hifalu- 
tin ! ' Hero goes : — ^ 

" It is an old maxim, and I think a very just one, 
viz: that variety it always pleating, and it is well- 
known that there is more variety in one piece of fug- 
ning music, than in twenty pieces of plain song ; for 
while the tones do most sweetly coincide and agree, 
the words are seemingly engaged in a musical war- 
fare ; and excuse the paradox if I further add, that 
each part seems determined by dint of harmony and 
strength of accent, to drown its competitor in an 
ocean of harmony, and while each part is thus mutu- 
tually striving for mastery, and sweetly contending 
for victory, the audience are most luxuriously enter- 
tained and exceedingly delighted and extremely fluc- 
tuated, sometimes declaring in favor of one part, and 
sometimes another. Now the solemn bass demands 
their attention, now the manly tenor, now the lofiy 
counter, now the volatile treble, — now here, now 
there, now here again. — O enchanting ! ecstatic I 
Push on, push on, ye sons of harmony, and 

** Discharge your deep-mouthed cannon, tall front with dla- 
May you with Maestoso, rush on to Choro-araado, [paaons ; 
And then with Tigoroso, let fly your Dlapentes 
About our nervous system ! " 

There ! I have nothing more to say ! H. 



BOSTON. NOV. 13, 1868. 



Music nr this Nuxbkr. -^ Continuation of the open " Im- 
€nzia Borgiaf^* arranged Ibr Piano-Forte. 



What ii "Glasgical** Hiuiol 

A friend asks us to define the term "Claaacal" 
in music. The term is variously and vaguely 
used. Doubtlcn it first grew into use in music, 
in the same sense and in the same way that it 
had done in literature. The clasncal authors 



were those studied as the models of the art of 
writing, models in sentiment, expression, style 
and use of language, in the schools and colleges. 
Their works became the " classics/' that is to sav 
the text-books in the elates. Originally, and 
still par excellence, the literar}' classics were the 
Greek and Latin authors : — not aU, of course, 
who scribbled in those tonjrups, but those whose 
works by their intrinsic worth outlived the ac- 
cidents and fashions of a day, and won a per- 
manent place among the mental treasures of the 
race. They are classical because they have been 
so long the recognized foundation of all educa- 
tion in language and literature. It followed nat- 
urally that the modem languages began to boast 
each one its "classics." Bacon, Shakspeare, Mil- 
ton, Addison, &c. are our English classics; Luther, 
Lessing, Herder, Goethe, &c. the German ; Dante, 
Petrarch and the rest, are the Italian classics. 

Something of this sense of course is implied in 
the phrase " classical music." Those - composers, 
(as Palestrina, Marcello, &c. among the Italians ; 
Bach, Handel, Mozart, &c. among the Germans) 
whose works have acquired the sanction of the 
whole musical world, for a long time, as models 
in their kind; those compositions which have 
stood and still stand as pillars of the splendid 
temple of harmony that has reared itself within 
the two last centuries, have necessarily become 
the basis of sound musical education, both in the 
technical acquirement of the art, and in the for- 
mation of the taste, the prompting of a high and 
earnest aspiration, the inspiring of ideas beauti- 
ful and true and holy. The real secret of their 
becoming classical, models (like text-books) in 
the classes, lies in their intrinsic excellence, in 
the fact that, however little appreciable by the 
multitude, yet, wherever they have been appre- 
ciated, a high and glorious working of the human 
intellect and soul, a spark of the divine fire, 
cherished and tempered by true study and true 
art, is surely recognized in them, just as in 
Bacon, Shakspeare, Dante, &c. A natural conse- 
quent, too, is the attaching of a certain idea of 
venerableness, or respectability at least of age, 
to works we accounted classical. 

This is but an accidental property. Age alone 
would not have made them classical. Time has 
not preserved them; time is the arch-destroyer; 
they have preserved themselves in spite of time, 
and therefore are they classical. They had the 
true fire in them ; they had life in them ; they 
still live and are as fresh to-day as when they 
first came warm from the composer's brain ; and 
this makes them " classical." 

2. There is mingled (and sometimes too much 
confounded) with this idea, however, the idea of 
certain peculiarities of Form and Structure, as 
essential to classical music. Art is essentially for- 
mative. To create beauty, whether for ear or 
eye, is to embody feelings, thoughts in beautiful 
artistic forms. Some forms are arbitrary, and 
have no essential, obligato, necessary connection 
with the subject matter cast in them : — ^these are 
the poorest forms, and drop away of themselves, 
without waiting to be cast off. Otl^er forms 
grow with the growth of Art, as by an innate 
necessity, a natural and divine law of crystalliza- 
tion, or far higher organization, from within out- 
wards. We cannot but believe that certain forms in 
music, such as the fugue form ; the whole involv- 
ed contrapuntal process of four or more individual 
melodic parts or voices working together as one. 



yet quite distinct; the Sonata or Symphony 
form, that consummate fair epitome of all the 
laws of form in instrumental music, are out- 
growths from this necessity of music's inmost na- 
ture. The creations of the grand old masters 
naturally, necessarily, providentially, divinely, 
and not arbitrarily, nor capriciously, nor accident- 
ally took these forms. Hence it is common to speak 
of " classical music " when we hear Sonatas, or 
works in the Sonata form, as violin Quartets and 
Quintets, SjTnphonies, &c., or fugued choruses, 
like those of Handel, Motets, &c., by Bach; — ^the 
great old Italian masters, and all the great Ger- 
mans down to this day, having found no forms so 
noble and so native to their inspirations. It is 
partly habit, education, schooling; but it is more, 
and primarily, a thing of nature and intrinsic 
law. 

But let us always distinguish mnsic which is 
classical from music which is only cast in classical 
forms. The form alone does not make a work 
classical. A mere form, or body, cannot live 
without a soul. There must be inspiration, ge- 
nius, life in it There must be poetry before 
there should be verse, it took the poetic exalta- 
tion of the soul first to invent rhythm, or rather 
to accept it from the hand of the All-beautiful. 
And just 80, the classical forms in music are so, be- 
cause live musical inspirations first naturally 
found utterance in them. The life is still the 
main thing ; the genius, the inspiration, the im- 
aginative conception, the warning into utterance 
of original experiences and thoughts at beauty : 
this is what makes a composition live, whether it 
be a mere song or a symphony built up in tlie 
grandest mould. 

We shall resume the question ; for it concerns 
us to know, whether the most modem things, 
creations of to-day, in whatsoever forms, may not 
also merit the name ^ classical.* 



A Word from the " Professors." 

[We hope oar rcadeni will be edffled hy ttie IbllowinK lucid 
and eoncira epfotle. Tt will be remembered that a ftw weekt 
since ire noticed one of tiioee muthrooro producti go commoo 
in the lower strata of the mooej-makinf musical activity of 
thi^ fTTSitt country,— an Inflated announcement of a fraod mu- 
sical Festiral, to come off somewhere in the Interior of New 
Yorlc. We noted, not in the most respectftal terms, we own, 
the contents of a pompous pamphlet programme, (80 peges) 
which we had received, with its Umg amj of psalm-book ■ing>* 
ing-masters. comic minstrels, &c., all styled *^ ProlWors," fla 
prises, Judges, and honorary memben, whose rames. from one 
instance whereof we Jtnew^ we reasonably concluded to have 
been inserted without authority from those who aos««r to 
them elsewhera. Hen is a return shot from the mlsoellaneeus 
camp. It speaks for Itself.] 

Covert, N. Y. Nov. 4, 1858. 
J. S. DwiGHT, Esq. Boston. 

Dear Sir. — The heralding sheets of onr hnmhag- 
festival received soch a conrteons attention from yonr 
Journal, (Oct. 23, 1858,) that a neglect or a delay in 
appreciating and repaying the well-designed compli- 
ment would jastly be oensorable, yes unpardonable, 
even in a class of people, termed Barbarians. 

Owing to a strong instinct wo may he clever and 
cayalierly cnongh to adhere in onr reply to the syste- 
matic aiTuigemcnt of year eulogy ; but being unfor- 
tunately possessed of a voracious appetite for inform- 
ation, wo ere in the outset most wickedly tempted to 
feast upon a barbarian episode, which though ex- 
tremely vulgar your well known generosity will ren- 
der relishable to us undoubtedly in a few daj-s 
through instructing us in the art or method of count- 
ing and qualifying nnhatched chickens. That strange 
things may occur in this year of Comets, all our back- 
wood philosophers unanimously concede ; but never- 
theless we confess that they were somewhat startled 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1858. 



263 






L 



at tho mnnrcuvi'cii nnd experiments of a certain Bos- 
ton critic who attempted to employ his argus eye, 
which ho industriously exercised for many years in 
prying into other folks' business, to penetrate an e^^g- 
shell at the present era. And why should not Barba- 
rians, why should not all civilized nations startle at 
such a novel movement, for if it proves successful in 
the one case, why could not tho same faculty be em- 
ployed to penetrate the preat deep, to tell the sorrow- 
ful Atlantic Telegraph Company the locality nnd na^ 
ture of tho defect in the obstinate telcf^raph wire. 
But to our gjent disappointment his faithful labor 
proves a total failure ; for certainly his editorial obser- 
vations in the journal of Oct. 23, do not in the 
least correspond with tlie facts as they now exist and 
appear before us. There he prophesied, glancing at 
an inolTensive embryo, the production of sundry bast- 
ards, such as short-winged clap-traps, long-billed 
impudences, lame humbugs, blind, bogns, featherless 
vulgarities and long-tailed nonsense ; but to our as- 
tonishment, our barbarian scheme brought forth a 
goodly number oi nice, sound, fat snug and jovial fel- 
lows, cheering and pleasing every body — 'tis strange 
how great men will err. But apologizing for our 
lengthy digression, we now humbly propose to return 
to our theme and to introduce the points in argument 
with candor and brevity. 

In the article above referred to, you denounce a 
certain musical enterprise of our section a^ a clap- 
trap festival, on account of the humbug " professors," 
"judges" and " bogus honoraries " connected with it. 
We answer to this bold and frankly that your asser- 
tions and insinuations are pregnant with the basest 
and most contemptible falsehoods, and to vindicate 
our cause, we ask you to name us for instance our 
humbug professors ; we affirm that there has hot been 
a name inscribed in that respective list, but was fairly 
and honorably entitled to that appellation ; they are all 
well known, competent and highly reputed Instruc- 
tors, earning their bread in the sweat of their brow, 
and working with diligence and self-denial for the 
promotion of an art and science ever dear to us ; or is 
it then really possible, that the musical Autocrats of 
Boston swell into such vipers of self-conceit and ab- 
surdity, as to call every professional musician a hum- 
bug professor, who did not possess the good fortune to 
pass through their personal examination, or to receive 
an inaugural address from their pharisaic lips t Nay ! 
we ask you once more candidly for the reasons of 
your terming our professional Musicians " humbug 
professors." In speaking of our judges, you seem to 
stagger over our venerable Bernard Covert (associate 
of Ossian Dodge?) What did you mean with that 
sign of interrogation 1 Excuse our ignorance, for 
wo barbarians are very slow to comprehend ; bnt we 
think that you hinted at a faint probability of his be- 
ing with us at all. Now to this we answer firmly, 
that he favored and enlivened us with his presence 
from beginning to end. Never for once blushing to 
be identified with our musical movement ; on the con- 
trary, smiling upon our complete success, and ardent- 
ly wishing for the speedy repetition of a similar en- 
terprise. This is the sentiment of the composer of 
" Sword of Bnnkerhill," bnt should his condescension 
influence you to cast also his name out as evil, and to 
plunge him in the abyss of barbarism, yon may res* 
assured that he will fare then better, than among 
those frightful, critical ghosts, who with the murmur- 
ings of a death-march besiege the grave-yards of 
Boston. 

In relation to the adjective, " bogus", which you 
attach to our honorary members, we would remark, 
that it applies exactly to one of them, we mean to 
the editor of the Boston Musical Journal ; for when a 
writer of your rank and order totally suspends com- 
mon sense and judgment and succumbs under a per- 
sonal pique, occasioned by a slight, trivial and barba- 
rian oversight in not asking your permission, hat in 
hand, to lend your name to a brave, pioneering, mu- 



sical gct-np, so as to hail upon it fire nnd brimstone as 
the awful rcvenjre of an otK-ndcd vaniiy, we all 
think, that, should in future another circular he issued 
on a similar occasion, it would appear much more 
respectable and attractive minus your name. We 
have since met with musical characters fully equal 
with you in finportance, whose names we have used 
nndcr similar circumstances, and strange to tell, they 
all have approved of it, and wished us a hearty God- 
speed. 

Your would-be spicy comments upon our Pro- 
gramme, are markcn with the same gross injustice 
and absolute want of charitv, that characterized all 
your preceding criticism, in constructing the order 
of exercises for our Festival, we aimed at a well pro- 
portioned mixture of concert ingredients, keeping in 
view rather an ngreable variety, than an indiscreet as- 
sociation of homogeneous things. But your assertion 
that we have " Handel's Hallelujah " and " I know 
that my Redeemer " in immediate alternation with 
" American I-iadies' Quickstep ", " Mormon Quick- 
step " and " Sensitive Coon ", is another bare-faced 
lie ; * our Programme shows no such succession of 
pieces as you alluded to. And, finally, your attacks 
npon the national Drama of William Tell are in 
themselves too insignificant and ridiculous to be no- 
ticed even by a provincial correspondent. Now, in 
regard to the excommunicating Bull, which you in- 
troduced at the close of your article, we must confissfl, 
that you have made yourself obnoxious to everv man 
of common sense, through your warfare mih our 
honest attempt to raitte the standard of music in this 
section ot our countrv. Your disfiguring, misrepre- 
senting language, used against a creditable enterprise, 
has met with a general indignation. Is this the re- 
ward, the encouragement, the stimulus, that self-de- 
nying musicians are to secure, when they combine 
and co-operate to improve the musical taste of the 
public, through a thorough and scientific drilling of 
the voung, watchfully nursing their talents, and sur- 
prising their parents, patrons and friends with the 
first fruits of their genius in a " clap-trap " festival, as 
you will have it. 

You denounce and ridicule us because we offer an 
endless variety to an appreciative audience. How 
many tastes have we to satisfy in an assembly of 
thousands ? Freely we lavished upon them the vocal, 
instrumental, sacred and secular, serious and convivial, 
etc., exciting thus a general interest ; being convinced 
at the same time that the pure and classical muse 
which prevailed in every concert, would prove the last 
and superseding impression with our audience, to en- 
gender nobler and better views of our art and science 
than they formerly entertained. And stand we 
alone in the adoption of such a method 1 Did not 
the same principle actuate the musical out-door festi- 
vals held under the auspices of Messrs. Maretzek and 
Anschntz in Jones's Wood, New Yoik, and the musi- 
cal jnbilees celebrated in the valleys of Switzerland, 
in which we happened to participate. 

But the strongest argnment in our favor is, that 
our " dap-trap festival " hasproved acompletesuccess, 
and that everybody cries for more dap-trap. A hap- 
pier, more harmonious, delijrhtful and more musical 
time has never been spent with young and old, hnm- 
bne professors and bcfgns honoraries, as at Goodwin's 
Ferry from Oct. 22, to Oct. 29, 1858. Long live the 
clap^trap festival ! Now we would say, that we all 
have the highest esteem foryonr paper,* and we conld 
not do very well without it*; its teachings, historical 
and biographical para^iraphs, classical tone, exquisite 
readinir mattei^and miscellaneous musical notices, and 
especially its progressive spirit, render it to everv 
musician an interesting, instructive and indispensahfe 
companion ; but we hardly deem it advisable or prac- 
tical in its able editor to spend a keg of powder, as 
long as there is no real enemy in slight ; and confident 
that you will anive at the same sensible conclusion 
at the first clearing of the fog, in expectation of an 
answer through your columns, we subscribe yours 
respectfully. Sbkbca Barbarus. 

* Here Is Vnri T. of on* of the conerrta: 

P 1. Ain«rlcrs Udiei* QolcYrstra, Stone's Brnm Baod.— 2. 
A'hiertti h Thv 0*nrinn$ Werk. Chnru* fVnin Crmtton. (to the 
honor of the Atlantic Cable.) Bordette Choir. — 8. Draem of 
Enrh^ntment. with ver. (n) PI*no. Ml«» C. E. Woodwnrth. — 
4. i knnw that my Rtfl^nrtfr Urfth. (»') V Solo, from Hnndel. 
MIm M. Opwwman. — 6. Omnd Violin Dnett. (/) Meiwr*. Henrv 
Summen and Chwrlee BUhop. — 6. Musical Hnwband.tA) Vocal 
M>Io, hv requeiit. Mlas Adelaide Bodlre. —7. Mormon Oaard*t 
QnlckKtep. (7) Piano dnett. Mr Squire B. and ML« A. Rolfe. 
--8. BensltlTe Coon, (d) comical glet* , Newfleld Trio. — Ea. 



MoBioal Chit-(riat 

At last a beginning of good music ; ear and inner 
sense have thirsted long. The Mbndelssohn Quin- 
tette Clcb commence xYhAt tenth senmn of Chamber 
Concerts, at Chi^'kering's rooms, next Thu'siay even- 
ing. They will be led by Mr. Sch dltzb, and assisted 



by that able young pianist, Mr. B. J. Lano, who will 
play (for a novelty) a Cappriccio by Stemdale Ben- 
nett, with accompaniment. There will be a good old 
Beethoven Quartet, and a Mozart Quintet, a violin 
solo, and other good things. We hope now soon to 
hear that Mr. Zerrahn's subscription for Orchestral 
Concerts is made up, and that the rehearsals of Beet- 
hoven Symphonies, &c., by the orchestra of fifty, 
have commenced in earnest. But it depends entirely 
on the promptness of the music-loving public, to give 
in their names in season and secure the annual Sym- 
phonic feast. . . . The Orpheus Glee Club held 
one of their delightful little musical ** sociables " at 
their club room, Wednesday evening, which we were 
sorry to be obliged to lose. Why will they not give 
some more public concerts?" . . . The rehearsals 
of the " Israel in Egypt " choruses go on bravely in 
the Handel and Haydn Societt. 

Mr. Trbnkle, our excellent and much esteemed 

pianist has returned from Germany — earlier than be 

intended; for it seems he narrowly escaped the 

strong paternal gripe of Prussian law in Leipcig, 

which raised a question about his passport, and would 
peremptorily have made a soldier of him (such being 
the liability of Prussian emigrants caught back in 
Vaterland again under the age of thirtv). But after 
a two-days' examination, our young fnend escaped 
with a costs and petty fine, on the condition of quit- 
ting Germany in$tanter. What he loses in enjoyment 
of German Art and genial life, he will gain Here at 
least in freedom. We are sorry to state that Mr. 
T's health is not improved ; nevertheless, with care 
and moderate exertion in his calling as a teacher, 
there is goo<l hope of his gradual recovery. Mr. T. 
made our mouth water with his account of the Beet- 
hoven Symphony performance that he heard in 
Leipzig ; ^orchestra on the scale of 18 first and IS 
second violins, 8 double basses, &c., all of them ar- 
tists, led by David ; long practice and complete, hearty 
love of their work ; the most musical of audiences ; 
and surrounding all, inspiring all, a real atmotpkere 
of Art, which is the thing wanting here! . . . 
Otto Drbssel's health, we hear, is much improved. 
He has been most of the time in Frankfort and in 
Leipzig, full of spirits, and composing constantly, 
which such as he ao only when they have the real in- 
spiration. He will probably retnm* to Boston by the 
middle of December. . . . Mr. Kielblock has re- 
turned, in health and spirits, and is ready for his 
pupils. 

The Mendelssohn Union, in New York, give 
their first concert of the season next week, when they 
will perform Mendelssohn's " St. Paul", assisted by 
Mr. C. R. Adams, tenor, of this city, and by Formes 
and other artists of the operatic company. 

We mentioned some time since the prizes offered 

by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, for 

the best productions, on given subjects, in Painting* 

Sculpture, Arehitecture, Music, &c. We see by the 

Monitoit Joscano of Oct. 4, that the triennial " Con- 
corso," or competition, has taken place, and in the 
list of " Premiaii," or prize-winners, it is gratifying 
to read the name of Francis Boott of Boston, as 
having received the " accessit " to the firet prize for 
musical composition (the first having been awarded 
to Prof. Allessnndro Biagi, of Florence). The sub- 
j )ct on which the competitors exercised their skill and 
invention was " The Canticle of Zaccaria : Bf.nedicty$ 
Dbminus D»is Ttrael, for four voices, with accompani- 
ment of full orche6tre." Of course the prestige must 
have been against all foreigners, nnd that an Ameri- 
can should have been adjudged worthy of the second 
place, speaks highly of his production'and of the fair- 
ness of the judges. 

" Trovatorfs " letter is too late for our press this 
week ; but he tells us : " Mr. Ullman is making a 
great deal of money at the opera. He gave a mati- 
ng on Saturday, when, notwithstanding a driving 

rain, the house was crowded in every part, the re- 
ceipts amounting to some $4,000. The entertain- 
ments consisted of La FUle du Bfifiment^ with Picco- 
LOMiNi and Formes, and the last act of Favorita, 
with Gazzanioa and Lorini. Wednesday night 
Don Giovanni was produced with unrivallecf effect, 
PiccoLOMiNi, Gazzanioa, Ghioni, Formes, Gas- 
sier, all appearing." " Trovator " will tell us more 
of this next week. The otiier matter of his present 
letter will keep. 



264 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 




ttsir Sh0a)r. 



■ «»■»■■■■ ...■■■ I I........ ii - » - i - « -»-Mv-^ » -<ww- » -> M» « r. - - I ■ i -- ii - i -rn- i - 



The Pahs correspondent of the Boston Courier 
(Oct. 21), gives the following lively survey of the 
present state of Opera in that metropolis. 

First, then, as to the Itnliene. This used to he the 
resort of the aristocracy of every kind and sort. Un- 
der the Restoration of the Government of July, what- 
ever had a name in French history, whether m polit- 
ics, in the army, in the so-called " world," or in the 
world of high art, all throng^ here ; and if you 
wanted to meet any of those men or women who,' for 
various reasons, have in every capital a world-wide 
celebrity, you were all but sure to meet them at the 
Italiene, In the latter daj's of Louis Phillippe, the 
bitterest enemies met at the Salle Ventadour, and 
those who had abused each other like pickpockets in 
either Chamber in the rooming, voted together in the 
evening ,in support of La Grisi or of Ruhini. Before 
the quartette of the Puritani or the tinale to the sec- 
ond act of LuciOf where could any opposition find 
place? 

These times are gone— forever gone, I fear. What 
is termed societj^ has deserted Us Italiens, and it would 
be hard to sa^ where it goes instead, unless you 
track it to inferior theatres, the great merit whereof 
it is to show up all the world to itself— j/rawrf monde, 
and demi-monde, and all the " worlds " smaller still, 
whereof those who live in or out of them seem to re- 
joice in observing the manners and customs. Now, 
if society had abandoned !es Itaiiens because les Ital- 
iena are so decidedly inferior, I should say society 
was right ; but in that case the mischief would soon 
cure itself. M. Calgado said, that if better singers 
brought him more subscribers, he would soon contrive 
to have the best singers in Europe. But not a bit. 
They had here one of the last really great singers of 
Italian music whom we shall ever hear, la Frezsolini ; 
but they said she was " too thin," or " too old," or 
that her voice was no longer " fresh," or something 
of that sort, and they let her go, instead of religiously 
listening to her very last notes. And when one gets 
angry at their indifference, and when one says to 
them, " But la Frezzolini was one of the fine«t singers 
ever heard," they stare at you, listlessly, and answer, 
" Well, I'm no judge ; I did not like her looks." 
Just now they have got two stalwart, dashing, slash- 
ing artists, la Penco Graziani, (the brother) a tenor, 
and they seem as well satisfied with them as though 
they were really worthy hearing, which they are not. 
The class of people who frequent the Italian opera 
here now, is a totally different one, and the few French 
who go there are the " nouveatix riches" to whom music 
seems seriously to have small charms. The rest of 
the audience is composed of foreigners. 

Then, as to the Grand Opera ; this is altogether a 
mere official business. The Emperor absolutely hates 
music, it is disagreeable to him; the Empress sub- 
mits to, but does not like it; the Court thinks of it as 
something that may or may not be, but that furnishes 
a pretext for showing off fine dresses. The Opera, 
as it is called absolutely, is so entirely a Court and 
household affair that is impossible now for any nom- 
inal director of it to make anything bv his direction. 
He must, in all necessity, lose ; for t)ie boxes sub- 
scribed for by public functionaries (who are in favor) 
may or may not be regularly paid for, (often are not 
so) and he is never allowed to refuse the demand of 
any Court dandy who sends to him for a box or stall 
gratis. At the same time it is, from pure ostentation, 
enjoined upon him to secure the most celebrated sing- 
ers he can find, and give them any price ! What is 
the result? that the opera direction is perpetually hav- 
ing its debts paid bv the State. As to the artists, the 
music sung at the Orand Opera, and the manner of 
singing it, are so prejudicial to the voice, that, spite 
of all advantages many singers now refuse, and 
Mcyci'bcer is delaying any new work because he says 
truly that no singew are forthcoming. Roger— ^ a 
real talent — has been worn out in a few years. 
Gucymard, a splendid voice, has been destroyed ; 
Mmc. Lauters and la Cruvclli resisted, hut one lef^ 
the stage early, and the other is showing signs of fa- 
tigue although not yet five and twenty ; as to Mad- 
ame Borghi-Mamo, the " great gun" of the Opera, 
she is done for. She smgs us out of tunc as all the 
rest do, and her fine voice, by l)eing forever forced out 
of its limiu and what promised to be her fine style, bv 
being forever perverted from its purpose, have IwtFi 
given way. So much for the Opera, where, if the bal- 
let did not come to the rescue, mattcn would soon be 
in a sorry plight. 

But in the two minor lyrical theatres of Paris there 
is talent perhaps incomparafJe. At the Ope a Comique 
we have Faure, of whom it i.s not too much to say 
that at the present moment he is the most perfect 



singer in Europe. This joung man (he is not 28) 
has a voice of such prodigious compass that he can 
sing both GiUuame Tell and Arnold in Rossini's far 
mous opera. It is a voice of almoi^t unequalled rich- 
ness, purity, facility and truth of intonation. But 
added to this — and* the instance is a very rare one — 
he has studied his art with such anlor and persever- 
ance that his style and method arc as fine as ever were 
Cresccntini's, Nozzari's or any of thoj^e heroes of song 
in Italy some seventy years ago. Faure knows this 
well. He is a profound musician, in every sense a 
master, and he will not, for any inducement put his 
career in danger. He has refused all the offers of the 
Opera, and has forced the Opera Comiqne into giving 
him fabulously high terms. Here we come again to 
the public. i)o not suppose that such full houses are 
drawn to the Ojiera Comigw to hear Faure sing. 
No ! they are attracted by the exceeding handsome- 
ness of his looks and splendor of his costumes, or (it 
may be sometimes) by Mme. Cobel's ancles and 
piquant oir when she plays men's part«», for as to her 
vocal attractions, they, too, are ' used up.' 

The other theatre, thot hos every right to a brilliant 
reputation, is the Thmtre Lyrique. This was origin- 
ally established in order that young, obscure compos- 
ers might find a stage on which to bring forth their 
creations ; but the youthful obscure were soon found 
to exercise no influence whatever on the public, and 
M. Carvalho, the director, having married Mile. Mio- 
lan, resolved to plav the young composers' works on 
alternate nights witli the works of the great defunct. 
Accordingly you may see names you never heard, 
and perhaps never will hear, by the side of those of 
Weber and Mozart, and at the Theatre Lyrique only 
have you a chance, in this town, of hearing the cMfs 
d*feuvre of the musical art. I have advised you of 
Faure, — well, by his side I must place Mme. ^liolan. 
This lady is quite without a rival in her sex. Nei- 
ther Sontag, nor Persiani, nor Darooreau, nor any 
earthly woman ever did the impossibilities Mme. Mio- 
lan does, nor did them as she does — as though they 
were the enjoyment of her life. She executes what is 
impossible with a grace that makes it charming, and 
that gives it the appearance of ease. As to the truth 
of her intonation, it is miraculous, and vou feel it to 
be infallible. There is a drawback to all this : Mme. 
Miolan's voice is originally not a pleasing one. It is 
thin ; and, however true and pure, expressionless and 
devoid of natural pathos. But she makes up tor this 
by art of so wonderful a kind, that you forget any 
defect and hang enraptured on her method of phras- 
ing an andante of some classic author. If the French 
eared for music, pilgrimages would be made to hear 
this gifted creature. There is no genuine music lov- 
er who, having once heard her, would not willingly 
go any distance on foot to hear her again. Last 
month the Theatre Lyrique revived anew the Nozie di 
Figaro, and probably the execution was about the 
best heard in our days. Mme. Ugalde's Susanna was 
vulgar ; but Caroline Duprez's Contessawas delight- 
fully elegant and chaste, though her voice is daily di- 
minishing ; and Mme. Miolan's Cherubino was one o 
those gems never to be banished from memory. 

Pahis. — At the Lyrique they have reproduced 
Weber's Preciosa ; and a host of musical novelties 
are promised at this theatre. Madame Grisi will ap- 
pear much earlier at the Itaiiens this season than she 
nas of late years. She is to appear in Verdi's Mac- 
betto. Mr. Harris, stage director of Covent-garden 
Opera, is engaged by M. Calzodo to superintend the 
bringing out of this opera. 

An event w^hich indicates the commencement of 
our winter season has occurred this week. The Th^- 
Utre Italien was opened to the fashionable world un- 
der very attractive arrangements. The manager has 
secured the services of the most famed artists of the 
day, and is laboring to place each opera on the stage 
on an improved system as regards chorus, scenery, 
&c., &c. 

The opera selected for the opening night was La 
Traviata. never a favorite in Paris. There are only 
two events to record in connection with the reproduc* 
tion of this opera, viz., the appearance of Madame 
Penco as the " Traviata," and Graziani, a tenor new 
to a Paris audience. Madame Penco became univer- 
sally acknowledged as one of the first prime donne of 
the Italian stage when she sang at Naples in the Tro- 
ra/ore for some fifty nights in succession. We well 
rememl)er the rare lichness of her soprano voice. 
The same power, the same pleasing quality remains, 
but now used with an artistic knowledge which she 
did not possess at the beginning of her career. In 
Madame Penco we have an example of a singer who 
has not lost her vocal po%vere before she obtained the 
perfection of her art. During the whole opera she 
sung with a purity of tone and distinctness which dis- 
played the large resources of her organ and complete 
confidence in its delivery. Her tremolo is one re- 
markable for a sustained evenness and clearness. 



Spttial |t0fius. 



DKSCRIPTirE LIST OF THE 

TEST IwarXTSIO, 
PaUlahed by O. DitMa tc C: 



Music bt Mail.— QuAntiticv of MiirIc an now went bj mall, 
the expenw Wnjr only about ow cent apfpre. while the car* 
and npidity of transportation an remarkable. Thow at » 
great diiitance will find the mode of conrpvanre notonija ron- 
renlence. but a Mrlnfc of etpenne In obtalninj; imppliea. Booka 
can also be wnt by mail, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
Thia applies to any diatancc under three thouaand milea : be- 
yond that, double the abore rates. 



Vocal, with Piano Acoompanlment. 
Far away where angels dwell. Jacqu. blumenthal, 30 
This Is a free translation of that celebrated concert- 
song of Mario's : •' the ehfmin de pariv1i$,'>^ which haa 
rincebeen placed by many ad{Rtinfetifaihe<l tenor singer 
on hit repertoire. It is a ballad in the French sense of 
the word, or, aa we would have it. a versifled tale, of 
touching Import. The song stands in its original key, 
the key of F. 

Regret. Song. Geo. Linley. 25 

The open window. " 25 

I'm thinking now of thee, Jamie. S. Glover, 25 

Farewell to home. " 25 

The latest songs of these Ikvorite composers, both 
equally distinguished for the grace and winning ele- 
gance of their style. They are much in vogue in Bng- 
land now, and will not be thought of lev Ikvomble In 
this countiy. 

Our Land. Patriotic Song. T. Comer. 50 

This song has all the qualitlee which should make it 

prominent among the patriotic songs, old and new. 

Of Comer's music it is needless to say anything in lee- 

ommendation. It Is, what it always has been, fkvsh, 

vigorous, and to the point. The words are very floe. 

Song of the winds. J. J, Oarke. 25 

Very much in the style of Neukomm's eelebrated 

■ong of the '* Sea " — words and music nioelj wedded. 

Inatrumental Mnaio. 

Etoile dn Soir (Star of Evening) Schottische. 

Ledtie. 25 
Vnkoem Is tirsd of old and womH)ot Sehoktisehet, 
will be pleased to meet with something new and ftesh. 
This Schottische Is recommended. 

Col. Bond's Grand March. E. L. Schreiner. 25 

Esay and pleaslttg. 

Comet Polka. E. Neumann. 35 

A good Polka with a handsome vignette on the title 
page, illustrating the appearance of the late heavenly 
visitor and events connected therewith. 

Cow-bell Polka. J. L. GUhert. 35 

Light and pretty. Dedicated to Morris* minstrels, 
in cognimnce of their denomination of *' Oow-bell- 
oglans." The title page is embellished with a pleaslag 
lithographic view of rural scenes. 

Angelina Polka. Mme. Claude. 25 

Performed at the Museum and dedicated to the 
charming soubrette. Miss Ifaiy Shaw. 

Como Quadrilles. 4 hands. D* Albert. 60 

An eflBctire arrangement of this popular set of 
Quadrilles. 

Books. 

Five Thousand Musical Terms. A complete 
Dictionary of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, 
French, 6ermnn, Spanish, English and such 
other Words, Phrases, Abbreviations and Signs, 
as are found in the works of Auber, Beethoven, 
Bertini, Bergmuller, Csrulli, Cramer, Cwsmy, 
Donizetti, Havdn, Handel, Herz, Hunten, La- 
bitskv. Lists, Meyerbeer, Mendelssohn, Mozart, 
Kinck, Spohr, Thalberg, Warren, Weber, and 
other eminent musical Composers. The whole 
including the celebrated dictionaries of Dr. 
Busby, Czcmy, Grassinean and Hamilton, ar- 
ranged, revised and corrected by John S. 
Adams. To whic'h is added a Treatise on Or- 
gan and Pianoforte Playing by Figures, &c. 50 

The above Musical Dictionary contains twice the 
number of words of any other, and two thousand 
more definitions than Hamilton's. The Musiral World 
says : '* There are many Musical Dictionaries extant, 
some larger, yet with leas number of defined words ; 
some smaller, and containing only what everybody 
knows now.«.days withouta dictionary ; but none that 
we know of, or can now recollect, so convenient in 
sixo, so concise In definition, so thorough in plan and 
•o perftct in execution.'' 



Whole No. 346. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1858. Vol. XIV. No. 8. 



For Dwight'B Journal of Mtuie. 

The Magic Flute. * 

(From the Broiru papers.) 

Once upon a time, in those days when the wor- 
ship of Isis and Osiris prevailed in Kgypt, and 
when beings of a spiritual nature were sometimes 
found under the power of mortal men, there 
dwelt in a delicious valley, among certain moun- 
tains upon the banks of the Nile, which have 
since disappeared from the maps, a man of grand 
and lofty nature, who united in himself the char- 
acters of an earthly prince and high priest of the 
gods. His name was Sarastro. His dwelling 
was a huge edifice, half palace, half temple, one 
of the noblest monuments of the old Eg^-ptian 
sacred architecture. It contained within itself 
courts filled with tropical trees and flowers, 
adorned with fountains and statues of the gods 
— places for study and meditation — and around 
it were wide-spread garden?, extending on the 
one hand to the mountains, on the other to the 
waters of the sacred river — devoted to innocent 
pleasure, to mirth and joy. 

Sarastro was the grand master of the Mysteries 
of Isis, and the great duty of his life, the grand 
aim of his thoughts and acts was to encourage 
virtue, to M all who sought true wisdom for its 
own sake, to watch over and guard them during 
their periods of probation, and finally, to receive 
and consecrate them as members of the holy fra- 
ternity of which he was the head. 

A band of noble and reverend men shared 
with him the mysteries and duties of the temple 
and its worship ; trains of black slaves awaited 
his bidding and performed the menial offices of 
his palace; men servants and women servants, 
followers and dependents of all sorts added to 
the grandeur of his state as temporal prince. 

In the same region of the world, in a castle 
built in the darkest and most gloomy style of 
Egyptian architecture, the entrance to which was 
through a cavern, that yawned beneath its mas- 
sive walb, dwelt a mysterious being — the Queen 
of Night. She was of a haughty, proud, and re- 
vengeful nature, loving darkness rather than 
light ; the opposite in character, as in sex, of Sa- 
rastro. Her dress was black as the thick dark- 
ness, but bright sparkling with stars, and, when 
she appeared to human eyes, vivid lightnings and 
rolling thunders announced her presence. Three 
women, also dressed and veiled in black, were 
her familiar spirits and executed her commands. 
The wedded life of the now widowed Queen had 
been blest by the birth of a single daughter, Pa- 
mina, a lovely and gentle being, whose spiritual 
tendencies were as virtuous as her person was 
charming. To save her from the e^il influences 
which surrounded her, to give her virtues the op- 
portunity of development, and to save her from 
temptation and sin, Sarastro had caused her to be 
taken from her mother and brought to his abode 
of wisdom and peace. 

* For introduction, eonMrniog the origin of Monrt^i opera, 
Ite., lee last number. 



In the Queen's mind grief and revenge strug- 
gled for the mastery — but against the power of 
the great ruler and priest she was helpless. She 
sought in vain to regain her daughter, equally in 
vain to punish Sarastro. 

It happened that while the Queen was in this 
state of mind, nourishing her hatred and revenge- 
ful feelings, a young prince, upon his travels, Ta- 
mino by name, came near her castle. Whether 
through the arts of the Queen of Night or not does 
not appear, though it is probable, the prince be- 
came separated from his followers and, while un- 
armed and defenceless, was attacked by a huge 
serpent He could only fly and call for help, and 
at length, overcome by fatigue and terror, hard 
by the entrance to the Queen's castle, he swooned 
and fell. At this instant the three women, atten- 
dants of the queen, flew from the cave and trans- 
fixed the monster with their silver javelins. The 
three were equally struck by the grace and beauty 
of the youth, and neither one was willing to allow 
another to remain with him while the others re- 
ported the adventure to their mistress. But this 
must be done, and the dispute resulted in th^ir 
going all together, and leaving Tamino still in his 
swoon, from which he was awakened by the en- 
trance of a new character upon the scene. This 
was a jolly, rollicking, prating, cowardly knave, 
ready to lie even when the truth would answer 
his purpose better, by name Papageno, by occu- 
pation a bird-catcher, a huge eater and drinker, 
sadly in love with pretty damsels, and now come, 
with cage on back, to strike bargains with the 
Queen's ladies. 

Placing his cage upon . the ground in front of 
the palace, he announced his presence by repeated 
blasts of his Pan's pipes and a lively song suited 
to his character and occupation, too busy with his 
own aflairs to notice the prince or the dead ser- 
pent. 

Tamino, recalled to himself, at the close of the 
bird-catcher's song drew near, and asked him 
who he was. 

*' Who am I ? " replied the bird-catcher. " Per- 
haps it would be as well for me to ask who you 
maybe?" 

** I am one, whose father rules over many lands, 
mountains and valleys," replied the prince. 

** What ? are there other lands and mountains 
than these ? " said Papageno. 

After some conversation of like import, the 
prince, seeing no other person, pointed to the 
serpent, with the inquiry whether he was indebted 
for his life to him, Papageno. The bird-catcher 
trembled in every limb at the sight, until con- 
vinced that it was dead, when he at once claimed 
the credit of having slain it, by the mere strength 
of his muscular arms. During his description of 
his conflict with the animal, the three women had 
drawn near unperceived, and overheard this false- 
hood, as well as others which he added to it, in 
reply to Tamino's inquiries in relation to them. 
One of them suddenly stepped up* to him, applied 
a heavy padlock to his lips, reducing his entire 



vocabular}' to *'• hm, hm, hm," and sent him about 
his business. 

Being now free from the loquacity of the bird- 
catcher, they addressed themselves to the prince, 
told him of the Queen, their mistress, and of the 
loss she had sustained. Whether in consequence 
of the report which the three women had made 
of the beauty of the stranger, or of a precon- 
ceived plan, does not appear, but the Queen had 
determined to make Tamino the instrument by 
which she should regain Pamina, and at the same 
time be revenged upon Sarastro. In hope of 
awaking in him a passion for her daughter, she 
sent him by the women Pamina's miniature. It 
had the desired effect. His breast was agitated, 
as he looked at it, with feelings until then un- 
known — it kindled a passion as deep and strong 
as it was sudden. 

The impression being made which the Queen 
had hoped, it suddenly became dark, thunders 
rolled, the women fell upon their knees and bowed 
their heads at the entrance of the cave, and their 
mistress, in her star-spangled robe, stood before 
them. 

She addressed herself at once to Tamino, bade 
him fear not, and expressed her confidence that, 
through the aid of such an one as he, the sad 
heart of a mother might be comforted. She told 
him the story of the abduction of her daughter, 
gained his sympathy not only in her sorrow, but 
in her desire of vengeance, and promised him, 
should he succeed in rescuing Pamina, to give 
her to him in marriage. The prince gladly un- 
dertook the adventure and swore to risk all for 
the rescue of the maiden. 

Another burst of thunder, and the Queen had 
vanished. Poor Papageno, who in the meantime 
had tried in vain to release his lips, now came 
back and with piteous gestures and sorrowful 
" hm, hm, hm," besought Tamino to remove the 
padlock. But this was beyond his power. The 
women, however, thinking him sufficiently pun- 
ished for his falsehoods, relieved him, with an 
earnest caution to beware in future of lying. 

To Tamino, now engaged in her service, they 
brought from their mistress an enchanted flute, 
cut from the heart of an oak of a thousand years 
by the father of Pamina, in whose tones was hid- 
den so magical a power, as to protect its bearer 
in all dangers, to change the passions of men, 
make the sad joyous, and fill the envious and 
proud heart with friendship and love. 

To Papageno, who would gladly have retained 
his humble position as a bird-catcher, but who 
was forced into tho service of Tamino by com- 
mand of th^ Queen, they gave a casket, contain- 
ing a set of musical bells, similar in power to the 
Magic Flute. 

Thus equipped for the adventure, it only re- 
maned to learn the way to the castle-temple of 
Sarastro. To the inquiries of the prince the 
three women informed him that three spirits, in 
the likeness of boys, would hover around him to 
guard and guide, whose advice and directions 



266 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



alone he must follow. *' So fare you well I We 
must away. Farewell, to meet some other day." 



Pamina, meantime, might have been happy in 
the peaceful halls of the priest of Isis, but for 
the feelings natural to a daughter, and for the 
audacious passion of an ugly negro, ^louostatos, 
the head of Sarastro's ti*oop of black slaves, who 
took advantage of his position, to treat her as a 
prisoner, and to force his disgusting attentions 
upon her. In the afternoon of that day upon 
which the Queen of Night had gained an ally in 
Prince Tamino, the negro succeeded in forcing 
Pamina into a lonely apartment in the castle, and 
threatened her with death, unless she would con- 
sent to become his bride. But death to her, save 
for her mother's sake, would be happiness, as a 
deliverance from his persecutions. He called his 
slaves to fetter her with chains ; but seeing her 
faint and fall upon the divan, he sent them away, 
and knelt beside her to gaze undisturbed upon 
her charms, and cover her white hand with kisses. 
At this moment, Papageno, who had been sent 
before as a messenger by liis new master to seek 
Pamina, and who through the carelessness of Mo- 
nostatos had gained an entrance into the castle, 
came stealthily into the apartment The figure 
and face of the beautiful Pamina instantly caught 
his eye and filled him with admiration, to which 
his tongue, as usual, gave utterance. The negro 
started up affrighted. Papageno was no less 
frightened by the black face of Monostatos. 
Each took the other for the devil, and, after some 
moments doubt and hesitation, fled in different di- 
rections. Papageno, however, soon conquered 
his fear, reasoning that as there were black birds, 
there nught well be black men, and returned to 
Pamina. Satisfying himself, from a careful com- 
parison of her features with those depicted in the 
miniature, which Tamino had entrusted to his 
care, that the lady was none other than the 
daughter of the Queen of Night, and the beloved 
of his master, he related to her all that had 
passed, and besought her to trust herself to him 
and escape. Pamina hesitated from fear that 
he was not what he pretended, but at length was 
convinced, and they lefl the castle together. 

Tamino, guided by the three boys, advanced 
directly towards the great gates of Sarastro*s cas- 
Ue. Having reached the open space before them, 
they pointed thither and said : " Yonder is the 
way to your object; but only by manly courage 
can you conquer. Hear, then, our final instruc- 
tions ; be steadfast, patient, and silent" 

<*But tell me," said the Prince, "whether I 
shall rescue Pamina ? " 

« This is not for us to make known. Be stead- 
fast, patient, and silent Be a man ! and then, 
though but a youth, like a man shalt thou con- 
quer ! " Thus saying they vanished. 

*< Be steadfast, patient, and silent, " said the 
Prince to himself; " so may I attain unto wisdom 
— let this admonition be forever engraven upon 
my heart" 

And now, as he looked around and measured 
with his eyes the vastness and grandeur of the 
palace-temple before whose gates he stood, he 
was filled with astonishment and wonder. It 
seemed to him a seat worthy of the gods them- 
selves. Everything proved to him that here were 
united persevering industry, high art and the 
wisest adaptation of means to ends; but the 
Queen had impressed him so strongly against Sa- 



rastro, that instead of seeing in the glory and 
magnificence of all before him proofs of his wis- 
dom, goodness and power, he drew the conclusion 
that he, the monster tyrant, must be hated by so 
enlightened a people, who could need but an en- 
ergetic prince for a leader to rise against him and 
destroy him. Encouraged by these reflections, and 
by the thought that none could have nobler and 
purer motives for action than he, he advanced to 
one of the grand portals ; but even before he had 
knocked for admittance, a chorus of unseen 
voices, in awful tones, stayed his farther progress 
by the single word " Retire ! " The same warn- 
ing met him at a second door. Undismayed he 
drew near to a third. Without awaiting his 
knock, it opened, and a venerable priest, clad in 
the pure robes of his office, as one sees to this 
day depicted upon the monuments and in the cat- 
acombs of Egypt, came forth and addressed him 
thus: 

" Whither wilt thou, rash stranger ? What 
seekest thou in this holy place V " 

" That which virtue and love claim for their 



own." 

" Truly words of lofly sense ! But how wilt 
thou find them ? Love and virtue are not thy 
guides, but thoughts of death and vengeance." 

" But vengeance only upon a monster." 

'^ Such an one," said the priest, " thou wilt 
hardly find among us." 

"But Sarastro rules in these valleys!" said 
Tamina 
** Yes, here rules Sarastro." 

" But not in the temple of Wisdom," exclaimed 
the Pi'ince, astonished. 

" Yes, also in the Temple," replied the priest 

" Then it is all pretense and hypocrisy," said 
Tamino, and turned away. 

" Wilt thou then so soon depart ? " 

" Yes, I will go, and enjoy my freedom and 
happiness, nor even enter your temple." 

" Explain thyself further, thou art the victim 
of some deception." 

" Sarastro dwells here, that is sufficient" (^Go- 
ing,) 

" Lovest thou thy life, remain and answer me. 
Thou hatest Sarastro ? " 

" With an eternal hate ! " 

" Give me thy reasons." 

" He is a monster and a tyrant" 

" Hast thou proof of this ? " 

" An unhappy mother, bowed with sorrow and 
anguish, has proved it to me." 

" A woman, then, has turned thy head ? Ah, 
women are weak in action but great in talk ! 
And thou hast trusted one ? Ah, would Saras- 
tro but explain to thee the object he has in 
view ! " 

" His object is but too clear. Did not the rob- 
ber pitilessly tear Pamina from her mother's 
arms?" 

" Yes, what thou sayest is true." 

" Where is she, then ? perhaps already offered 
as a victim ! " 

" It is neither the time, nor is it for me, my 
son, to answer this. My oath and duty bind my 
tongue." 

" When will the veil be removed ? " 

" At the moment when the hand of friendship 
shall lead thee into the holy place to join the im- 
mortal brotherhood." 

Thus saying, the priest turned away, the por- 



tals opened, and he passed from the sight of 
Tamino. 

Tlie prince's bosom was torn with conflicting 
emotions. The demeanor of the priest, the re- 
spect, veneration, and love for Sarastro, which 
every word indieatc<l, failed not in their eflfeet 
upon the youth ; he could but contrast all that he 
saw and heard with the darkness and gloom which 
surrounded the Queen of Night, ami with the 
wild strong passions which she had exhibited. 
The desire for true wisdom, pity for the (Juccn, 
love for the original of the miniature, all agitated 
him, and above all, the desire to know the real 
character of Sarastro. In his spirit all was dark- 
ness and gloom, and an indescribable longing for 
something, he knew not what, had seize<l him. 

" When wilt fchon paw, oh, eTerlasttng n{ght, 
And th«M too ireary «yct behold eolestiml light ? " 

To this cry of the Prince, a choir of invisible 
voices replied in mysterious tones : '* Ere long, or 
nevermore ! " 

Surprised, but rejoiced that his words, involun- 
tarily spoken, had been heard and answered, he 
ventured to ask if Pamina still lived, and the 
same chorus replied, ** Pamina liveth still I " 

The current of his feelings changed, joy for 
Pamina, gratitude to the unseen beings, dawning 
hope — all sought expression, and this could only 
be in music ; and now for the first time he applied 
the flute to his lips and saw proof of its magical 
powers. At its first sweet tones, wild beasts, 
— apes, bears, and the like — came flocking firom 
the neighboring forests, tamed and gentle, ready 
to lie down with the lamb, moving their uncouth 
limbs in harmonious action to the sounds of the 
music. If the flute has this power over the 
beasts of the forest, what if it should farther 
prove a means of communication with Pamina ? 
thought he, ^* Oh ! Pamina, hear me, hear ! " A 
few moments more, and his tones were answered 
by the Pan's pipe of Papageno in the distance. 
Tamino instantly knew the sound, and hurried 
away to find his servant, hoping that he had, at 
least, seen Pamina. Deceived by the echoes he 
took the wrong direction, and was hardly out of 
sight when Papageno and Pamina, who had suc- 
ceeded in eluding their pursuers, and in finding 
their way through the labyrinths of the temple 
and gardens, appeared in front of the castle. 
Now could they but find Tamino ! for there was 
danger every moment that Monostatos and his 
slaves would be upon them. They had heard 
his flute and knew that he could not be far away ; 
and Pamina in her anxiety and terror thought- 
lessly called aloud for him. Papageno hushed 
her at once, and applied himself to his Pan's pipe 
as a better means of announcing their presence 
to Tamino, and one not likely to be suspected by 
Monostatos. The flute at once answered the 
tone, and in the next moment they would all 
have been together and might easily have es- 
caped, but for the unfortunate call of Pamina to 
her lover, which had betrayed them and brought 
at this instant the negro and his whole train of 
slaves upon them. Pamina at once lost all hope, 
and so for the moment did her companion ; but 
he, arrant coward as he was, had sometimes sense 
enough to have his thoughts about him, and, at 
this crisis it suddenly occurred to him that the 
three women had given him the casket of bells as 
a protection. How it could be so, what magic 
power it could have, what were to be the effects 
produced by his playing upon it, of all this he 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1858. 



267 



had not the remotest idea ; but here he was with 
the Ixiloved one of his master, caught by an en- 
raged ne«^ro in the act of flying from the castle, 
and surrounded by such a crowd of slaves as ren- 
dered all resistance hoi>elcss. " Nothing venture 
nothing have," thought he ; he therefore opened 
the casket and begtin to play. The first notes 
arrested every hand and foot ; the fetters dropped 
upon the ground ; every part of the slaves' bodies 
began to move in time to the music, heads, arms, 
legs, feet — it almost took away their breath, and 
they could only express their feelings in bi*okcn 
and interrupted accents, thus — 

tin-klcs 80 sweetly It tin-klcs so 




fine, la la la la la la &c. 

Papageno, perceiving the effect of his music, 
played even more vigorously, until at length they 
scattered or fell on all sides, completely overcome, 
ex.hausted with fatigue. The way was again 
clear, and while the slaves, gradually recovering, 
departed in one direction, the fugitives again set 
out upon the search for Tamino. It was too late. 
Grand and joyous music arose and the words, 
" Long live Sarastro," were but too plainly heard 
resounding from all sides. 

(OoDcloition next iveek.) 



For Dwlght^i Joaraal of Hude. 

Characters of the Keys in Music. 

(Conliniud flrom page 228.) 

New York, Nov., 6, 1858. 

Mb. Editor. — The elections over, and the 
excitement abated, gives an opportunity to pass 
from the consideration of the characters of can- 
didates to that of the Keys in Music. 

I cannot help thinking there is one great simi- 
larity between the alleged characters of political 
aspirants and those of the ^ keys," viz : — that in- 
stead of being inherent and Jixedf they are ctr- 
cumslantial and variable 1 

To resume, however, the regular thread of 
our discourse, it seems to me that if the efforts of 
those who have sought to establish peculiar 
fixed characters in the keys, had been directed 
to an analysb of th« positive and universal ef- 
fect produced by each interval of a key, the re- 
sult of their endeavors might have been benefi- 
cial to the musical world. I do not mean by this, 
that it is possible to ascertain the absolute effect 
in each of the endless variety of minds acted up- 
on, but to demonstrate, for instance, that the ef- 
fect of a major third, under given circumstances, 
is so and so; in the same manner, that notwith- 
standing the individual preferences for this or 
that color, scarlet is admitted to be rather san- 
guinary in its effect, while that of pink is mild, 
delicate, and sofl. Any attempt to produce pink 
effect, by simply reducing, and yet retaining the 
same proportion of each ingredient in the combi- 
nation composing scarlet, would be futile; it 
would bo scarlet still, only in less quantity. 

But, I see I am trespassing upon Proposition 
ni; therefore I will close the present Proposition 
(n,) by giving a general opinion of the char- 
acters of intervals belonging to any key. I would 
class them under three heads and suggest : — 

1. That the intervals known under the name 
of mo/or, produce a sort of joar feeling, as of an aver- 
age amount of life and activity ; and, by circum- 



stantial accessories, this feeling may be raised 
above or depressed below par. 

2. That intervals known under the name of 
minor, produce a depressed or melancholy feeling ; 
but which will be increased or lessened accoi*ding 
to accessory circumstances. 

3. That intervals such as the sharp /ourth, im- 
perfect Jiftli &c., produce a slight shock, awaken 
the attention, &c. 

So beautiful, however, are the arrangements of 
nature, that the really great difference between 
a major and a minor second, or third, sharp and a 
perfect fourth, perfect and an imperfect fifth, is not 
perceived when we proceed in the regular scale 
order. Of the thousands who have heard a scale 
sung, who dreams that two of the seconds of that 
scale are but half-steps as compared with the 
rest ? And if we take an exercise of thirds, and 
proceed thus: 1-3, 2-4, 3-5, &c., who among 
the million would detect the major and the minor ? 
So, also, with respect to fourths, if we com- 
mence 1-4, 2-5, &c. the sharp fourth 4-7 will ap- 
pear as perfect as the rest. 

The same thing may be said of all the intervals ; 
it is only when any one of tliem is brought prom- 
inently forward that its peculiarity is discovered 
and retained. 

With respect to intervals arbitrarily raised or 
lowered, the effect is discordant, for the moment, 
and produces excited curiosity until their object 
is attained. 

Assuming it to be granted, for tlie sake of con- 
tinuing the argument, that the proportions of the 
intervals in one key should be the same as in an- 
other, we will pass on to 

Proposition III. Whether the range of tones 
in any particular key, taken as a whole, differs in 
sentimental quality or effect from that in an- 
other key ? 

We would observe first, that any such dif- 
ference cannot arise from comparison, inas- 
much as the presence or production of any key- 
range of tones excludes all others from the mind 
for the time being. A scale-range of tones is 
complete in itself, and the introduction of any 
other key, except upon certain ascertained prin- 
ciples, is attended with a shock. 

Secondly, we would urge that if the propor- 
tions of the parts or intervals of a scale are like, 
the scale must be like also. 

This is practically admitted from the fiust that 
we find the same melody or musical figure in a 
variety of keys. Are we to understand, then, that 
" Yankee Doodle " in one key would, to say the 
least, have a tendency to serenity ; in another, to 
boisterousness, and so on ? Why not ? If there is 
any inherent principle, surely it would show itself 
in that which is a part and portion of itself. 

Surely, there cannot be any objection to an 
equal test ; and I maintain that, play '* Yankee 
Doodle" in what key you please, its peculiar mel- 
odic and rhythmic character is the same. 

But, while its melodic and rhythmic character 
is the same, and its identity or peculiarity pro^ 
served, there is a difference ; and that difference 
we shall consider. 

The difference is a difference of velocity. 

Before considering the effect that a difference 
ot velocity would produce, let me ask a question. 
Suppose you were seated in a chair before the in- 
struments of some Daguerrean operators, and two 
or more of them took your likeness at different 
distances, at the same moment of time. Would 



the sentimental expression of your face be dif- 
ferent, because the pictures were of different 
size ? Would you in the one appear fierce, and 
in the other, calm and placid ? Certainly not ; 
the same proportion of one feature to another, in 
the one picture as in the other ; and as a conse- 
quent, the same sentimental expression. Yet 
the pictures, though like, would bo different* 
The smaller would be more acute, the larger more 
grave. 

This, then, is the kind of difference that to my 
mind exists between one musical scale and an- 
other. But, as even such a difference cannot but 
have its effect, let us examine whether the al- 
leged characteristics of the keys can be main- 
tained upon it. 

It is necessary, then, to this examination that 
we consider a few facts in connection with the 
production of greater or less velocity of vibration, 
and draw such inferences alone as such facts may 
warrant. J. J. Clarke. 



The Character and Genius of HandeL 

(From the LiliD, by SehoDkher.) 
(Concluded.) 

Another admirable quality in Handel is his per- 
fect clearness. He never exhibits the slightest 
inclination for tricks of art ; and in his most su- 
pernatural conceptions he remains constantly nat- 
ural. To all the qualities of strength he united 
the most exquisite delicacy, and always manifest- 
ed the most supreme good taste. In this, again, 
the enchanting Mozart is the only one who can 
be compared ^th him. He transports and ex- 
alts you, but without siurprising you. Even in 
the most remote regions of the empyrean to which 
he conducts you, the mind never loses its self-pos- 
session. He does not embarrass you by oddities : 
he vibrates every fibre in your beinff, and that 
without disturbing your equanimitv. JEIe has no- 
thing of that school of dreamers which the admi- 
rable Beethoven and Weber have so ennobled. 
The great Beethoven has been sometimes strange j 
but he, never. His music is sublimated reason ; 
and it may even be called reasonable music, if 
the word be used in that true and noble significa- 
tion which it bore ere dry and narrow souls had 
rendered it a word of as much ill omen in the 
arts as it is in politics, merelv to hide their own 
mortal coldness and implacable selfishness. 

In Handel, both the form and the Uioucht are 
pure and simple, firee from all alloy. There is 
scarcely any need of musical education to compre- 
hend it ; it would charm the heart of a sava^ who 
had never heard a note of music before in his life. 
His style is exquisite because it is beautiful and 
true. Father Andr^ (paraphrasing St. Auffus- 
tine) says, " Beauty is the splendor of truth " ; 
and no one has illustrated that proposition better 
than Handel. 

In him we find all the marks whereby to re- 
cognize the culminating powers of his art ; he has 
been universal. Certam composers excel in the 
theatre, others in the church ; this one in the fu- 
gue or the quatuor, that one in the chamber duet 
or the cantata ; but Handel has treated all styles, 
and has excelled in all, whether the subject be 

fay or serious, light or solemn, profane or sacred. 
Le would be the Shakespeare of music if he were 
not the Michael Angelo. Like Bach, Mozart, 
Haydn, and Beethoven, he composed instrumen- 
tal music, which is as beautiful as his vocal music. 
The Suites de Pilces pour le Clavecin and the 
Organ Concertos would be alone sufficient to 
place his name in the first rank. To appreciate 
the value of the Suites de Pieces, it is only neces- 
sary to quote the few words by AL F^tis : " These 
composiaons are of the most beatifiil style, and 
can be compared onlv with pieces of the same 
sort composed by Bacn." This comparison with 
Bach is, m the mouth of Fdtis, an enormous com- 
pliment. Hanf kins had ahready said : " Without 
the hazard of contradiction or tlie necessity of 
an exception, it may be asserted of these compo- 



268 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



sitions that they are the most masterly productions 
of the kind that we know in the world." Burncy, 
speaking of the Organ Concertos^ says : " Public 
players on keyed instruments, as well as private, 
totally subsisted on these concertos for nearly thir- 
ty years." 

The overtures of Handel are extremely short, as 
was then the custom ; they have none of those 
symphonic dimensions which are now given to 
that style of composition. " The mo.st elaborate 
of them never cost him," as Hawkins affirms, 
"more than a morning's labor." Nevertheless, 
some of them include marvellous fugues. The cel- 
ebrated critic, Marpurg, in his Lettres sur la Mu- 
Biqtie, declares that he could never listen without 
emotion to that one in the second overture to Ad- 
metus. The celebrity which the Hautboy Concer- 
tos enjoyed during the last century makes one re- 
gret that Handel lived in a time when concerted 
music bad not taken its full development. 

Men who have been thus admirable in all the 
branches of art are rare. It is to be remarked 
that men like Gluck, Cimarosa, Mehul, and Ros- 
sini have not dared to write for instruments ; they 
lack this gem in their glorious diadems. There, 
in fact, is the rock upon which all those geniuses, 
upon whom Nature nas not lavished all her gifts, 
make shipwreck. Judges say that Leo, Porpora, 
Hasse, and Piccini are quite beneath themselves 
in their instrumental music. They inhabit Olym- 
pus, hut they are only demi-gods. 

In that musical OljTnpus the most divine mas- 
ters have given to Handel the pla(*e of Jupiter 
Tonans. " He is the father of us all," exclamied 
the patriarchal Haydn." "Handel," said the 
dramatic Mozart, " knows better than any one 
of us all what is capable of producing a great ef- 
fect ; when he chooses he can strike like a thun- 
derbolt." The lyrical Beethoven called him " the 
monarch of the musical kingdom. He was the 

freatest composer that ever lived," said he to Mr. 
loscheles. "I would uncover my head, and 
kneel before his tomb." Beethoven was on the 
point of death, when one of his friends sent him, 
as a present, forty volumes by Handel. He or- 
dered that they should be brought into his cham- 
ber, gazed upon them with a reanimated eye, and 
then pointing to them with his finger, he pro- 
nounced these woi'ds, " There is the truth." 

What a magnificent subject for a picture ! Da- 
yid did not select a more inspiring one in the 
" Death of Socrates," to which he has given a 
second immortality. Is is not grand to see these 
noble geniuses standing before each other on the 
threshold of eternity ? Is it not beautiful to see 
the author of the English oratorios arising, as it 
were, from the tomb, to present his works to the 
author of the symphony in D, who greeted him 
with a sublime deatn ? 

Handel was not the less excellent as a per- 
former than as a composer. He played to per- 
fection on the harpsicliord, and a^bove all upon 
the organ, his favorite instrument. As an impro- 
yiscr, there was only Sebastian Bach who could 
be compared with him. Hawkins, who heard 
him, says : " Who shall describe its effects on his 
enraptured auditory? Silence, the truest ap- 

Elause, succeeded the instant that he addressed 
imself to the instrument, and that so profound 
that it checked respiration, and seemed to control 
the functions of nature ; while the magic of his 
touch kept the attention of his hearers awake 
only to those enchanting sounds to wliich it gave 
utterance." 

Handel exercised the same power over his 
hearers from his infancy. At eleven years of 
age he threw all Berlin into an ecstacy ; at twen- 
ty, Hamburg declared his voluntaries of fugues 
and counterpoint to be superior to those of Kuh- 
nau of Leipsic, who had beeen re|Tarded as a 
prodigy. Festing and Dr. Ame, who were pre- 
sent in 1 733 at the ceremony of the Oxford Pub- 
lic Act, when he played a voluntary upon the or- 
gan, told iBurney that " neither themselyes, nor 
any one else of their acquaintance, had ever be- 
fore heard such extempore or such premeditated 
playing on that or any other instrument." His 
execution seized every body with amazement 
from the very first moment. Busb^ I'elates the 
following fact : " One Sunday, havmg attended 



divine worship in a country church, Handel asked 
the organist to permit him to play the people out, 
to which he readily consented. Handel accord- 
ingly sat down to the organ, and began to play in 
such a masterly manner as instantly to attract 
the attention of the whole congregation, who, in- 
stead of vacating their seats as usual, remained 
for a considerable time fixed in silent admiration. 
The organist began to be impatient (perhaps his 
wife was waiting dinner), and at length addressed 
the great performer, tolling him he was convinced 
that lie could not play the people out, and ad- 
vised him to relinquish the attempt, for while he 
played they would never quit the church." 

In like manner, when he was at Venice, he en- 
joyed a curious triumph. Arriving in the middle 
of^the carnival, he was conducted that very eve- 
ning to a masked fete, at which he played upon 
the harpsichord, with his mask upon his face ; on 
hearing which, Domenico Scarlatti, who happened 
to be present, cried out, " 'Tis the devil, or the 
Saxon of whom every one is talking." Scarlatti 
was the first player upon the harpsichord in Ita- 
ly. What took place at Rome between Handel 
and Corelli still more fondbly proves that our 
composer was stronger upon the violin than the 
greatest virtuoso of his time. Mainwaring relates 
that Arcangelo Corelli had great difficulty in 
playing certain very bold passages in Handel's 
overtures, and that the latter, who was unfortu- 
nately very violent, once snatched the violin out 
of his hand and played it himself as it ought to be. 

Every musical faculty was carried in him to 
the highest point. He had an inexhaustible mem- 
ory. Burney heard him, while giving lessons to 
Mrs. Cibber, play a jig from the overture of *Si- 
roe^ which he had composed twenty years before. 
It has been seen that tlie blindness with which he 
was attacked in 1 753 did not prevent him from 
playing an organ concerto at every performance 
up to the termination of his career, and he did 
not always improvise. He sang also marvellously 
well. " At a concert, at the house of Lady Rich, 
he was once prevailed with to sing a slow song, 
which he did in such a manner, that Farinelli, 
who was present, could not be persuaded to sing 
after him." 

But let me remind the young, that however 

Erodigious may be the gifts accorded by nature to 
er elect, they can only be developed and brought 
to their extreme perfection by labor and study. 
Michael An^felo was sometimes a week without 
taking off his clothes. Like him, and like all the 
other kings of art, Handel was very industrious. 
He worked immensely and constantly. Hawkins 
says that " he had a Mivorite Rucker harpsichord, 
every key of which, by incessant practice, was 
hollowed like the bowl of a spoon." He was not 
only one of the most gift«d of musicians, but also 
one of the most learned. All competent critics 
admit that his fugues prove that his knowledge 
was consummate. 

It is a singular circumstance in his life that his 
genius gave him an indirect pai*t in almost all 
the events of his century. His music was re- 
quired to celebrate successively the birth-day of 
Queen Anne, the marriage of the Prince of 
Wales (George the Third's father), that of the 
Princess Royal to the Prince of Orange, the cor- 
onation of George the Second, the burial of 
Queen Caroline (all great events in those days), 
the Peace of Utrecht and that of Aix-la-Chapelle, 
and the yictories of CuUoden and Dettingen. To 
this day there is no great public funeral at which 
the Dead March in Saul is not used for impress- 
ing the mind with the solemnity of the occasion. 

One may be disposed to say that Handel him- 
self was a great conqueror. Thanks to his in- 
defatigable perseverance, to his moral courage, to 
his indomitable will, and to his masterpieces, he 
succeeded, before he died, in dissipating the cab- 
als which had been formed against him, in crush- 
ing folly, and in conquering universal admiration. 
The public was enlightened by the torch which 
he held constantly in his hand ; the impi'cssion 
which he left behind is profound and living. It 
is ineffaceable. There is no other similar exam- 
ple in the history of art, of the influence which 
one man can exercise over an entire people. All 
the music of this country is Handelian, and if the 



English love, seek after, and cultivate, more than 
any other nation. Bach, ^lozart, Haydn, and 
Beethoven, they are indcl»te<l to the author of 
The Mcsdah for it. No man in any country has 
dominated more generally over men's minds in 
his sj)here of action, no com[»08(»r (^ver enjoyed in 
his native land a more unlimited popularity. 




nsial C0rrtsponbtntt. 

Sketch of Prop. Dkhn. — (Concluded.) 

Berlin, Sept. 26. — The limited x^umbcr of Dchn's 
works may easily be accounted for. Men who have 
so marvellous a talent for accumulating knowledge, 
find, above all others, as tlicy advance, " hills o'er hills 
and Alps o'er Alps " rising ever before them. Un- 
less it be in their power to devote themselves to a 
work or series of works for a long time uninterrupted- 
ly, they never feci that they have folly mastered their 
subjects. The time to begin working up their accu- 
mulated materials never comes. 

Dehn too was a librarian, a man who, of a small 
collection, was determined to make one, which should 
be certainly in some parts unrivalled. His attention 
was thus drawn from his own studies and writings to 
a very great extent. 

Agoin, for this daily four hours' attendance at the 
Library, for all the valuable knowledge, all the zeal 
and all the extra labor, which ho brought and freely 
gave to the great end of making the Royal Musical 
Collection complete — for all this he was generously 
rewarded with the title of Professor and — 500 tha- 
lers — $375 per annum ! — a sum not quite sufficient 
to pay his rent and keep his dwelling warm. Hence 
out of the Library there was little time for the work 
to which he would have gladly given all his days 
and nights. He sometimes said to us at the Library ; 
when he saw that we hesitated to trouble him with 
questions and yet needed assistance, " Come to me, 
you will find me a living lexicon, you have only to 
open sudi or such a page and find what yon want ". 
This was indeed so ; but he never said it boasttngly ; 
nor when any were present save those who he 
knew would understand it jocosely, as he meant it. 

I often heard him urged by musical men to waste 
no time ere committing to writing his great stores of 
carious knowledge. One work was particularly men- 
tioned ^ a treatise upon ancient modes of notation. 
Dehn would gladly do this, but — but — there was 
his family to he supported, his catalogues of Bach 
and other divisions of the Library to finish, his new 
edition of his Harmony and his Lassus to be pre- 
pared, and the like — so soon as he could find any 
spare time — then, &c. 

Ledebur, writer of one of the notices of Dehn lying 
before me, says on this point : " It is a great loss to 
tlie musical world that Dehn never placed before the 
public a work containing his method of reading an- 
cient notation. I urged him seueral times to do this, 
but he always answered that he had so |many other 
works in progress as for the present not to be able to 
think of thiP." 

When I first wrought in the Library, eight years 
ago, his abrupt and sometimes impatient " Well, 
what will you have? " as I labored in my imperfect 
German to state my wants and wishes in relation to 
books, sometimes confused and annoyed me. I soon 
learned that it was but his manner arising from the 
pressing nature of his occupation. He thought with 
the rapidity of lightning. Our acquaintance ran 
through some years, and during them all, his kind- 
ness and willingness to aid me were undeviating. The 
quartet and trio parties, with but some half dozen au- 
ditors — at which he played violoncello, his sister-in- 
law, Miss Wedel, a splendid artist and a pupil of his, 
the pianoforte, and other artists, as it happened, the 
other instruments, which were sometimes at his own 
house and sometimes at that of the mother-in-law, 
are among my pleasantest recollections of Berlin. 






BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1858. 



269 



Hero I saw Dchn free fi-om all care and labor, kind, 
good hamorcd, full of anecdote and wit, the life and 
soul of the company. How I was touched the other 
day to loam, that when ill and worn out I left Berlin 
in April, 1856, ho said in a tone indicating real sym- 
pathy, " I shall never see T. agnin ! " — His words 
soon proved true — but not as ho feared. 

Presumptuous ignorance was that which of all 
things he could least endure in any person. His sar- 
casms, which he could not avoid, when a man camo 
to him and talked learnedly about that upon which 
he knew nothing, made him many enemies; but who- 
ever, he saw, was working steadily witli no object 
othor tlian tlie truth — to this man he gave all aid and 
assistance in his power. 

" Now Dehn is gone," said a gentleman to me the 
other day, ''these fellows will have it all their own 
way. So long as he lived there was one whom they 
feared. They felt that he knew." — No names were 
called, nor did I ask whom ho meant by "these 
fellows." 

He seldom made many words, when ho felt called 
upon to come forvr'ard and correct an error. 

In one of Marz's book's a figure in the " Beethoven 
Studien " is adduced to show that very deep knowl- 
edge of the science of counterpoint is not absolutely 
necessary to enable a composer to ascend to the high- 
est place in his art, the fugue in question being pretty 
severely criticized. Dehn in the " Cajcilia," simply re- 
marked, that this fugne was copied from Fux's Gra- 
dus ad Parnassuniy where it has stood for a century 
and a quarter as a famous example of the use of a 
certain chord, to introduce which it was written. 

The collection of books left by the professor is by 
no means so extensive as one might suppose. After 
hia appointment to the Library he ceased to collect 
for himself to any great extent, having everything 
there at his command. There are, however, several 
very valuable works in it, and as a whole it would be 
a great and valuable addition to any collection upon 
our side of the Atlantic. Kiesewetter's works are, I 
believe, complete with ono exception. There is a 
fine copy of Gerbert's " Scriptores Ecclesiastici de Mu- 
»ica ; " a copy of Ffetis, one or two volumes enriched 
with Dehn's notes and corrections ; a number of rare 
old works ; three old Italian works, beautifully copied 
by Dehn at a time when he was too j)Oor to procure 
them in any other manner. 

Among the small collection of objects of interest 
left by Profr Dehn, two .are worthy of particular no- 
tice — a viola and a manuscript. No visitor at the 
professor's can fail to notice conspicuously hung up- 
on the wall of the best room, in a case with a glass 
door, the viola, as remarkable for its size, as for the 
position it occupies among the pictures and otlier or- 
naments of the apartment. The following notice of 
it has been given me from one of his letters : — " Du- 
ring my travels in Silesia, where I spent November 
and Deeember of the year 1845, and examined every- 
thing, I was so fortunate as to find and purchase a 
Viola, which surpasses everyting in the form of good 
instruments, which I have thus far met with. This vio- 
la is one of the eight large instruments, which the 
celebrated Stainer (or Steiner) manufactured for the 
several Electors. These instruments have in part 
been lost, and only a very few, which are still well 
preserved, can be found. This one which I possess is 
wonderful in tone." 

Gen. Lwoff, now Imperial Kapellmeister at St. 
Petersburg, a particular friend of Dchn, was delight- 
ed with it and advised him by all means not to part 
with it for less than £100. Probably even that sum 
could not have bought it, for its owner used to ex- 
press his affection for it by jocosely calling it his 
bride. The instrument, as said above, is much larger 
than other violas, the head is ornamented with fine 
carving, and it is in all respects in fine condition. 

The manuscript was a present to* Prof. Dchn from 
Gen. Lwoff, accompanying his photograph, and mots- 



ly beautifully copied by the general's o>vn hand. The 
title is simply : 

Concerto Grosso, 
and is by Handel. Three copies only exist; the 
original in possession of Lwoff, a copy given by him 
to a society in Dresden, and the one in question, 
which was made in 1857. Since Dehn's death Lwoff 
has written urging Mrs. D. to offer it for sale in Eng. 
land or America, assuring her that it is well worth 
£50. 

Violin 1. LAaannro Apfktuoso. 




Violin 1. 



te^E^ gEiEi^ |E^gEi=| 



W 



&c. 



I Basso. 



§ie 




i±i*it=3=S=^Jfcl-l!:feEf=tr2t=?Et 



V. 1. Allegro. f^ 



&c. 



Hs^^^Ef 



-V»-~fz± 



1 



To mo certainly it is a very interesting circum- 
stance to have a new work by Handel thus come to 
liglit, just at a time when attention is again so loudly 
called to him and his works. 

For the student of Musical History the loss of Pro- 
fessor Dehn is irreparable. He has left us a good 
example — indefatigable in his labors, but, and that 
is better — what he did, he did'^-f//. A. W. T. 



New York, Nov. 15. — At the opera, Don Gio- 
vanni had a successful run of over a week — some- 
thing unusual for our fickle audiences. The work 
was splendidly produced, and Picgoloxini, as Zer- 
lina, has won great and deserved applause ; it is by 
far the best role she has performed in here. The oth- 
er singers, Gazzaniga, Lorini, Formes, and Gas- 
sier, did very well indeed, and especial praise is due 
to Signora Ghioni, a new arrival. She took fhe 
part of Elvira, and raised it at once to prominence, 
introducing the difficult air which is usually omitted. 
Signora Ghioni is the best seconda donna we have had. 

Laborde appeared as Norma at the mating on 
Saturday, and though very successful, it is not prob- 
able that she will create nny furore. We have had in 
Sontag and Lagrange, such superlatively fine bravu- 
ra singers, that it will take a most astonishingly bril- 
liant executant to surprise us. 

Mr. UUmon has certainly the most remarkable 
talent for keeping up an excitement, and though he 
has exhibited great liberality this season in producing 
novelties, yet much of his success is owing to the ex- 
cellent tact he evinces in his managerial system. It 
is not humbug — that is too broad a word, nor docs 
tact rightly express it ; so let me call it managerial 
genius. In the first place there are his advertise- 
ments ! They are certainly the most attractive and 
readable that could possibly be made. They are not 



merely bold announcements of operatic facts, but 
they are delicate missives, that appear to be concoct- 
ed solely for the private use of each individual reader. 
The manager therein appeals to your pride, to your 
liberality, almost to your conscience. He argues and 
reasons with respectful pathos, to prove why you 
should pay double the usual price. He hints at fu- 
ture novelties ; he talks mysteriously of forthcoming 
wonders. Gazzaniga will appear to-night — Picco- 
lomini the next, and then, oh ! unexampled conde- 
scension, the two will appear together. Then Mme . 
Laborde will appear, and Mile. Poinsot will appear, 
and so, between debuts and revivals and novelties, 
the poor opera-goer is kept in a constant whirl of ex- 
citement. Then when the house is crowded at double 
prices, what does the incomprehensible Ullman do, 
but reduce the rates of admission to the old stand- 
ard — and this too, when there was no apparent ne- 
cessity for so doing. 

On the whole, this speaks well for Mr. Ullman's 
liberality, and the little man fully deserves his title of 
the Napoleon of managers. 

We are over-run with prime donne. In the city are 
Gazzaniga, Piccolomini, Laborde, and Poinsot, Ghi- 
oni, and Carioli. At Philadelphia they have Parodi, 
Colson and de Wilhorst, while Gassier has but just 
left us. Mme. d'Angri sailed Saturday for Europe, 
and Miss Phillips has gone to Havana, so there is no 
really good contralto in this city. There is also a de- 
ficiency in tenor. Steffani has lett to join Maretzek. 
Brignoli is jealously guarded by Strakosch, and Ta- 
maro and Lorinni — both second-rate — are all that 
are left to us. 

Mr. Ullman's triumphal season — the most money- 
making ever known in this city — closes soon, but 
not before the production of both Robert U DiaUe, and 
Les Huguenots, in the latter of which, Poinsot will 
appear. The company then go to Boston. 

Concerts are beginning to flourish. Mr. William 
Saar, a young pianist of this city, who has recently 
been studying in Europe, has returned, and given a 
concert with success. He performed selections from 
Bach, Chopin, and Li.«zt. The Philharmonic Soci- 
ety commences its season next Saturday. The Men- 
delssohn Union gives Mendelssohn's /St. Paul, Thurs' 
day evening, and the same night, a new prima don' 
na, by the name of Landi, gives a concert. The un- 
fortunate absence "of Mr. EiSFELD^will oblige us to 
lose his delightful classical soin^es, this season, but 
this deficiency will be partially atoned for, by Mason 
and Thomas' matinees. 

I wish the " Shakespeare Sisterhood," the new 
work by Mrs. T. W. Palmer, were a musical book, 
that I might be allowed the privilege of speaking of 
it at length in your columns. It will consist of a 
series of sketches of Shakespeare's female characters, 
with such reflections as woman, taking a purely wom- 
anly view of the matter, would be apt to make. 
Nothing pedantic,.obtrusive or dry — simply what a 
living woman of intelligence and refinement, thinks 
of the women of Shakespeare. And who can be bet- 
ter qualified to judge of women than a woman 1 

A trobadour is always a wandering, restless crea- 
ture, and I am not exempt from the erratic failing of 
the race. Consequently, I am forever visiting new 
places and making important discoveries. I have, 
however, several haunts that I hover about periodi- 
cally, and after prowling therein for a season wander 
away, seeking what I may devour elsewhere. 

Among these places, I know none more snug and 
attractive than the cosy little office of Mr. Norton, 
the well-known agent for libraries, whose name will 
at once be recognized by all interested in books. It 
is in quite a classic region, directly over Appleton's 
mammoth bookstore, and in a building that is per- 
fectly overrun with publishing offices of every kind, 
and is, probably, the most literary in the city. Mr. 
Norton has a vast number of queer old books — rare 
antique volumes, that will quite drive a bibliomaniac 



270 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



wild with delight. I havo spent many a pleasant mo- 
ment in looking over these qnaint old works, bat few 
hare I examined with greater interest than an illomi- 
nated missal of the 14th century, that now lies before 
me. 

It is a remarkable old work, with a title page of big 
sprawling letters, around which is a neatly ornament- 
ed border, all done (as ia tlie entu^e work) with a pen. 
The second page is still more striking, the letters be- 
ing in red, and curiously ornamented wit!i flowers of 
divers kinds, all traced out with laborious care and 
patient skill. After a number of pages of Latin 
prayers, I find the music — a style of music that 
could not be very intelligible to modem musicians. 
There are but four lines to the staff — there are no 
bars — the notes are all of the same length and char- 
acter, being the now obsolete breve, and the general 
appearance of a page of this music suggests the idea 
of a large number of small black cockroaches, walk- 
ing on the tight rope, or (to the use the happy com- 
parison of a country editor), a parcel of tadpoles try- 
ing to climb a four-barred fence. 

In these rushing times, it is almost painful to re- 
flect on the long, long, days, tliat some mediaeval 
monk has spent in the preparation of this missal. 
To be sure, the holy old fogies had little else to do, 
and that is perhaps the reason they did these things 
80 well. The letters are all printed with pen and ink 
in the Latin character, about the size of two-line pica 
type, and the mistakes or corrections are exceedingly 
rare. In the capital letters, the monkish amanuensis 
expands into an artist, becomes decoratively imagi- 
native and indulges in floral productions of the roost 
remarkable styles, occasionally varying these refresh- 
ing objects with etchings of fat abbots or demure 
monks. This one book has probably occupied the 
spare time of the worthy scribe for 10 or 15 months. 
You see such books, to this day, in use in the Ital- 
ian churches, though they do not always possess the 
venerable age of this specimen. Each of the oflScia- 
ting priests has one, while in the centre of the chancel* 
upon a desk that revolves upon a pivot, is placed a gi- 
gantic monster of the species, beside which the most 
ponderous ledger of the heaviest merchant in Boston 
will shrink to quite a little pocket edition. The let- 
ters in this huge book are suggestive of mercantile 
signs, while the notes are of a size that is appalling 
— the cockroaches have been expanded into dancing 
bears, the tadpoles are metamorphosed into alligators. 

What has become of " 1 ", Let " 1 

" be exhumed ! The welfare of society de- 
mands the resurrection of " 1 " 1 Your in- 
teresting correspondent " H " has but anticipated 
myself, and asked the same question that, I have no 
doubt hundreds of your readers wish to have an- 
swered, when he desired to know the whereabouts of 

our mysterious " 1 ." It is to be hoped that 

a communication from his, or her pen, will shortly il- 
luminate the pages of Dwight's tfoumal, and our 
eyes be once more gladdened with that mystical com- 
bination of quotation marks, dashes and letter, that 

typifies the great unknown, the immortal " «— -." 

Trovator. 



Philadelphia, Not. 11. — The opera is now 
fairly under way, but is not characterized by the suc- 
cess to which so long an interregnum entitles it. On 
Monday night of last week, Mme. Colsox opened 
the ball in Trfiviata ; she is a sweet looking person, 
with cunning ways and a most lovely voice ; she sang 
the brindisi with perfect ease and rendered tlie rapid 
movements, which immediately follow, exquisitely. 
In the second act she exhibited groat pathos, singing 
clearly and with fine execution. In the last act her 
representation of phthisis was painfully accurate. 
She was loudly called for at the fall of the curtain, 
and may be said to have had a very successful debut. 
Brionoli, whose warm reception must have gratified 
him, sang splendidly. It seems hypercriticism to al- 



lude to his acting — our fashionables go to the opera 
more to watch the actions of the singers and to ex- 
amine each other's wearing apparel, than from ony 
real love of music ; if half the money spent upon 
dress were devoted to Art, we should have fine music 
and the best of performers constantly with us ; Amo- 
Dio sang as well as he knew how ; his voice ia a most 
unmanageable one, he roars away drowning soprano 
and tenor, boating his breast and shaking his fi^ts at 
the audience, as if there were necessity for such vio- 
lent demonstrations ; he should be more gentle, and 
his voice would have a better cliance. The chorus 
sang badly and the orchestra played indifferently — 
the brass band, usually on the stage, was non est, and 
the noise was wonderful ; the scenery was extremely 
fine ; the house was not nearly full. 

On Wednesday night we had Lucia, with Mme. 
de WiLHORST, Brignoli, and Amodio. The soprano 
is perhaps the best American artist we have had at 
the Academy, but she certainly is not equal to the 
role of Lucia ; she is extremely petite, and would 
look pretty had she not loaded herself with clothing. 
Her voice is thin but strong, and in some parts, the 
crazy song, for instance, did very well. Brignoli was 
ill at case, but sang finely, particularly the much 
abused death song ; Amodio sang in his usual bois- 
terous manner ; the chorus did better, but the orches- 
tra, though better tempered, cooperated badly ; there 
was a very poor audience owing to the weather. On 
Monday evening, La Figlia del Reggimento, with Mme. 
CoLSON, Labocetta, and Barili. This is tlie stvle 
of music to which Mme. Colson seems adapted, and 
very well she did her part. It was necessary that she 
should, for without her energy and fine singing, the 
whole would have been a failure ; never was woman 
more pooriy supported. Labocetta cannot sing, and 
when he attempts it, stretches out his neck and gasps 
at the throat as if he were choking, he is good in con- 
certed pieces, but should never weary an audience by 
his incapacity ine very other respect. Barili had but a 
poor chance ; he seems to have a good voice, and 
with a chorus properly trained, would do well enough ; 
the music was too rapid for him. The orchestra 
plaj'ed miserably. Every kind of liberty was taken 
with the scoro ; in fact, with the exception of Mme. 
Colson, the less said about the performance the bet^ 
ter. 

On Wednesday night, Ti-ovatore, by Parodi, Stra- 
kosch, Brignoli, Amodio, and Barili. Parodi sang 
very well, but with the greatest indifference of man- 
ner. Strakosch sang nicely and acted well, yet 
seemed out of place. She has not nearly so good a 
voice as Miss Phillipps, who is a great favorite here. 
Brignoli sang admirably and Amodio too noisily and 
very much out of tune. The orchestra did better 
but the chorus was unendurable. The Miserere was 
well done, receiving an encore. Strakosch and Brig- 
noli sang most satisfactorily in the last act. 

A brother of the Mr. Thorbecke, who was lost 
on the " Austria;" is now established here, and bids 
fair to do well. The pupils of the late Mr. Thor 
becke speak of this gentleman in the highest tenns, 
they say he has great general culture and a toucli 
that would please the refined ear of Mr. Bwiglit. 
The pupils of Mr. Hermakic Thorbecke folt for 
him the greatest admiration, not only on account of 
his excellence as an artist and teacher, but for his 
kindly natura and gentlemanly deportment. 

The Germania rehearsals, with Sextz as leader, 
begin next Saturday ; the Musical Fund Hall will 
be well filled with young misses, who can hear much 
better, and allow othen the same privilege, if they 
will talk less during the performances. 

Accidental. 



Philadelphia, Noy. 16, 1858. — Since the ddbut 
of Mme. CoLSOX in Traviata, we have heard this 
highly accomplished artist in La Fille du Regiment, 
and in Flotow's Martha, sung for the first time in 



Italian, in this country, \a»t night. Her Marie in 
La Fille du llrgiment, was an unequal performance, 
displaying at one moment sprightliness and vivacity 
coupled with exquisite vocnlism, and at another in- 
stant betokening the crushed spirits of a lyric actress, 
wlio finds licr condjutors upon the boards inefficient, 
unrehearsed, nay positively incapable. At times she 
would rise to greatness, and display those brilliant 
points in Iicr lyric education, which have constituted 
her the special pet of the New Orleans connoisseurs ; 
she would flash out momentarily, as though she 
deemed it best to essay with her own exertions to 
retrieve the opera from the impending ^/rjiro ; but the 
shocking intonation, hollow voice, and stiff pcrambn- 
tlons acrosslthe stage of the sergeant (Sig. Barili), — 
and the sick-canary stylo of Tonio's (LAnocBTTA's) 
spasmodic attempt at singing, proved too much for tlie 
charming Colson. The Opera proved a melancholy 
Jiasco ; and the 3 or 4000 habitu<^ repaired home- 
ward, with feelings of heartfelt oommiseration for tbo 
immolation of tlie Prima Donna. 

The Italian version of Flotow's admirable " Mar- 
tha," last night, evoked a mognificent audience, and 
proved highly successful. Hero is the cast; Martha, 
(Colson ;) Nancy, (Mme. Strakosch ;) Lionel, (Brig- 
noli ;) Plunkett, (Ettoro Baiili ; was to have been 
Junca;) Tristram, (F. Barili.) They acquitted 
themselves as follows : — 

Mme. Coi.80if. Cliarmingly; vocalising the 
music with singular gaiety, aliandon, and with the 
most affecting tenderness and expression, when inci> 
dent and style of composition demanded. Her *' Last 
Hose of Summer," was given with a pathos, rarely 
equalled by any cnntatrioe we have heard ; and af- 
fected not a few persons to tean^, as did her Cdn- 
vien partir in La FffU du Regiment, Mme. Stra- 
kosch played with but slight effect, and from some 
cause or other, sung falsely in many instances, a de- 
fect which proved the more lamentable because of her 
uniformly correct intonation in other operas. Her 
shake is very smooth and even. 

Brignoli. The handsome tenor vocalised the 
score of Lionel unequally, now holding the audienee 
spell-bound with the tenderness and inexpressible pa- 
thos of his " How so fair " romanza, then worrying 
the nerves of the same persons with his straining at- 
tempts to sing clearly and in tune certain notes of an 
altitude, such as he had never encountered in Verdi, 
and such as would not readily admit of transposition. 
Ah ! Flotow, how rigidly you kept our hero of the 
Ti-ovatore "to the scratch," whenever time was called, 
in spite of the frightful strain upon his voice 1 — >0n 
the whole, however, Brignoli sang deliciously, and 
even took some degree of interest in the acting of his 
role. 

Barili, No 1 : This gentleman's Plunkett, how- 
beit not entirely satisfactory, was so much superior to 
some of his former achievements, as to ensure him 
considerable applause. His voice is long-drawn ; 
his notes waver like a tremulant organ-stop. 

Barili, No. 2. Emptiness personified. 

Mr. Strakosch, last night, very wisely wrested from 

the inefficient grasp of Sig. Nioolai, the conductor's 

baton, and swayed it wfth his own kid gloves. Well 

timed, indeed ! — for, under the Nicolai regime, last 
week, every individual member of the orchestra 
seemed, as in a scnih race, to be striving for a certain 
goal, by a special and private method of his own. 
Strakosch, liowever, mended matters, with all the 
presto ! change !-like saitMr /aire of a magician. 

Mad. de Wilhorst has appeared in two operas, — 
Lttcia and Somnamfmla ; and nss caused the critics to 
mar\'el at her manifest improvement, since her first 
ngpenrance here, at the Thaiberg Concerts. Parodi, 
for her part, has made her rentree npon the lyric 
boards, in the character of Leonora, in Trxfratore, and 
of Norma, in the opera of that name. She still stands 
forth as a great trade actress, but her voice has lost 
so much of its pristine power and freshness, as to 
cause her to use it in the most guarded manner. She 
was greeted with the most enthusiastic rounds of ap- 

Elause, on the part of a public, which- has idolized 
er in the concert room for years. In the fourth act 



li 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1858. 



271 



of the Trovntore, her exhaustion anil fuilin^ of voice 
wore painfully n))parcnt. l*iui)di \a no lonjrcr young. 

Mine. StniKOsc-h's Aziicnm in tlic Troiutore wa« a 
splendiilly natural picture, and also provc«l an ample 
evidence of tlie contMstncss of her school of voculixa- 
tion. She ^tm^ the music with fine dramatic effect, 
and faultless intonation, — and indeed her entire ren- 
dition of the gipsey role pltioe^ her, dcBcrvedly, along 
side of !)• Angri, Miss IMiiilipps, and others of note. 

Nexf Wcdncstlay night, we aro to have a rcjioti- 
tion o( Mm'tJui. On Monday night, Gazzaniga in F(i- 
vorita. What glorious news for the innumerable 
adorers of the diva G I Mambico. 



Banoor, Me. Oct. 30. — The Maine State, and 
the Penobscot Co. Musical Associations jointly held 
a four day's session hero last week, assisted by Mrs. 
J. II. IiONQ, and Messrs. B. F. Baker and S. B. 
Ball of Boston. The united efforts of these well 
organized associations called together a larger and 
a more efficient body of singers than ever before as- 
sembled in the State on a similar occasion. 

The choir, comprising some five hundred voices, 
gave two concerts^n Thursday and Friday eve- 
nings—consisting of selections from the Oratorio of 
the "Creation," "Baker's Church Music," and tlic 
"Opera Chorus Book," to full houses, and the lost 
was literally crowded. 

The choral performances, ns a whole, were quite 
satisfactory, exhibiting many effects which could only 
rosuU from hard and careful drilling. The songs, 
"He was despised," from the "Messiah," " With ver- 
dure clad," from the "Creation," and "Consider the 
lilies," were well sung by members of the associa- 
tion. Mrs. Long sang with her usual effect, and so 
did Mr. Ball. Messrs. liice of Bath, and- Merrill and 
Wilder ot Bangor gave interest to the concerts in 
their several solos. The exercises on this occasion 
were conducted with characteristic propriety, and har- 
mony prevailed among the members. 



Jbigjfs lonrnal of glok 



BOSTON, NOV. aO, 1858. 



Music or this Numn. — ContinaiiUon of the opera " Lm- 
TMzia Borgia^" amnged Ibr Plano-Porto. 



Musical Chit-Ghat 

We suspend for a week the discussion of that vague 
term " Classical Music," to make room for the fresh- 
er matters of our Correspondence. In the utter si- 
lence of all music here in Boston, we can read with 
interest of what is doing elsewhere. ... On Thurs- 
day evening, though, the " classical " vibrations of 
that dear Chickering saloon (not yet abandoned to 
the Philistines for a Court-house,) were once more 
awakened; the Mendelssohw Quintette Club 
opened their tenth season—just too late, however, for 
our press this week ; but we shall not let so good a 
theme escape us. . . . It seems to be the general un- 
derstanding that the Opera is coming soon— perhaps 
before the month is out. What a Thanksgiving this 
will be to many ! Ullman's opera, with Pjccolomi- 
iri ! Of course we are to see and hear the fascinating 
little Countess in her special role of TVaviaia ; ex- 
pectation is on tip-toe till our own senses realize what 
we have heard described with such enthusiasm, how- 
ever poor and trivial a thing we may regai'd the 
music of that Opera. And we shall have La Figlia, 
and the other well-worn things which they have had 
in New - York. But let ns hope that we flhall also 
hear some of the best things, some of the new things. 
Shall we not have Don Giovanni, in the grand style of 
which the New York papers tell ns, with Piccolomini 
for the Zerlina, and Formes, Leporello ; no matter 
about the chorus of two hundred voices — ^we can spare 
that in an opera which has no dioruses except those 
few ban : Viva la Liberia I And shall we not have 



21 Barbiere, the immortal, ever sparkling 1 Then is 
thero not Rol)ert le DiabU, which this company pos- 
sess, and which was never given hero complete? 
Likewise tlie IlutjiumoU. And can we not well sparo 
one of the hacknie<l Verdi things tb gratify our cu- 
riosity about that pleasant little comedy of an old 
Italian master, />i Serva Padronnf by Paisiello? 
With such materials as Ullman has at his com- 
mand, such an army of superior singers, and 
so many operas roady learned, which have not 
yet groAvn hacknicd hero, it certainly is possible to 
have an interesting season for at least a few weeks. 
Wo trust tlie opera will stay just long enough and not 
any longer ; for since the opera, with us, is always a 
spasmodic, all-engrossing fever while it lasts, and ut- 
terly excludes all chance of any other music for the 
time, we must either pray that its heyday may be 
short, or else be content to take Italian Opera in lieu 
of every otiier musical enjoyment, which we are not 
and cannot be at all. . . . And this reminds us of 
our excellent Zerrahn, upon whom we rely for all 
our prospect of orchestral music for this winter. 
We are happy to state that the subscription warrants 
him in going on. It is decided that the four concerts 
will take place, and subscribers are now notified that 
they may find their tickets at the music stores. The 
rehearsals of the orchestra of fifty will commence 
forthwith, and the first concert will be given just as 
soon as the Italian Opera excitement shall subside, 
and leave a quiet field for Beethoven, and Mendel- 
ssohn, and Mozart. The Symphony for the first 
evening will probably be the Pastorale of Beethoven, 
which we have not heard for two years. Thero will 
certainly be a good audience, respectable in numbers, 
and of the most appreciative and earnest ; but tliero 
ought to be one lai^ enough to fill the Mu.sic Hall, 
and show that that Beethoven statue stands for some- 
thing truiyfelt in this community. The subscription 
lists aro still open ; let the enterprising conductor, 
who takes all the risk and pains for our enjoyment 
and improvement, have plentiful and prompt encour- 
agement 1 

The friends and pnpils of Otto Dresel will be 
glad to know that he is much improved in health and 
anxious to return hero to his work, which surely is an 
important one and anxiously awaits him. He will 
sail for Boston in the " Persia " on the 27th inst., and 
hopes to be ready to meet his pnpils by the middle of 
December. Mr. Dresel played recently, in Halle, at 
a concert for his friend Robert Franz, the unri- 
valled song composer, who is kapellmeister there in 
Handel's birth-place. 

JuLLiEN,the great, announces in London his twen- 
tieth and last annual series ^of concerts — " Concerts 
d* Adieu ", previous to his departure on his " Uni- 
versal Musical Tour ", which is to include not only 
Europe, America, Australia and the colonies, hut al- 
so the civilized towns of Asia and Africa 1 In short 
he has on foot a mighty plan to harmonize the World I 
He will set out (these are his words) "accompanied 
by the ^lite of his orchestra and other artists, savants 
and hommes de lettres (!), forming the nucleus of a 
society already constituted under the title of " Soci- 
eth de V Ilarmtmie Universelle" with the object not 
only of diffusing the divine and civilizing art of mu- 
sic, but of promoting, through harmony's powerful 
eloquence, a noble and philanthropic cause." Jul- 
licn turned world-reformer! Meanwhile he gives 
the Londoners a higher class of concerts than he ever 
did before. He has reduced his orchestra to sixty, 
making a virtue of the necessity of taking a smaller 
theatre, because Beethoven considered sixty the right 
number for his symphonies 1 The first parts of the 
concerts are to be purely classical and grand, inclu- 
ding the " Choral Symphony", the Lobeffesang, " Gre- 
gory the First's Canto Fermo and Fuga Fugarum ", 
and what not else with a big name. The bagatelles, 
galops, &c., aro thrown into the second part ; but one 



of the bagatelles contains a bag-full of treason ; it is 
"La Grande Marche des Nations, et Progris des 
Civilisations, composed on the authentic Na- 
tional Hymns of every country and descriptive 
of the convocation and assembly of the XJnivcFsal 
Congress, elected by every reigning monarch, 
every established Government, and every nation 
of the world, united in one peaceful confederation by 
the powers of harmony." By the powers of harmony, 
and of mud too, Jullien is great 1 

Fine Arts. — Truly a wonderful painting, the 
finest ef the kind that we have seen, is Wikterhal- 
ter's " Florinde," now on separate exhibition for a 
few days, at the always attractive store of Williams 
& Everett, 234 Washington St., where you will see 
so many other beautiful things en passant — among 
others. Bowse's perfect crayon portrait of Exeksok, 
pictures by Babcock, &c. " Florinde " stands there, 
the loveliest of a lovely group of maidens, Spanish 
beauties, near a dozen, round a fountain, all so bean- 
tiful that you are held in equilibrium between their 
rival charms. The grouping, drapery, scenery, all 
are exquisite. 



Musical Eeview. 

Among the publieatloiu of the hut few weeks we find the 

IbUowing: 

(By Oliver Dltoon h Oo ) 

Posthumous Works of CHOPlir : Valu in DJIatf ( Op. 70, No. 5,} 

and Eeossaiss. { Op. 72). 

The Walts, a little one of only two pages, is graeefnl, dell- 
eate, ivreet, a Uttle pen«lve, and will repay ■tndy, though not 
one of Chopiu*s most striking prodnctlons — not nearly as 
mnch 80 as the number before published of this UtUe mrim, 
the " Last Mazurka." The] Eeoxvnse^ a tparUlng dance, a 
deux paSj \a ilmple enough m well as pretty in design, but 
demands well-trained hand and fingers. 

Piano-Forte Album : No. 24. Le Cascade, by E. Pauio. No. 

2S. Song without Words^ by A. Jaiu. 

The " Cascade " Is a pretty difflcult pieoe, one of those high- 
ly elabomted conceits of the modern romantic piano-forte mu- 
sic. A peniiTe theme in G flat, dUegrftto medtrato^ first sings 
Itself to a tuM and limpid accompaniment, as if it were one 
musing by a brook-side ; this occupies four pages ; and then 
the theme dlssolros into a spray of deml-eemiquaTers, through 
which the melody again is presently distinctly heard, and 
clothed with changes of tlie continually reiterated iipvkyj fig- 
ure for a doxen pages. Gracefully executed, it must be a pleas- 
ing piece. 

Jaell's'^Song without Words" Is the charming little piece 
which he contributed to the pages of this Journal some weeks 
since, and will serve for a very ploasant reminder of ttie genial 
and brilliant young pianist with his many Mends here. 

Ftxoorite Songs, Duets and TViwi o/ Mosaet. 8. 8. Wesley's 
arrangement. No. 7. Porgi Amor, from Le Noxxe di Fi- 
garo. 

This sweet and tender melody, so tmly Monrtean, has been 
republished often, as it deserves to be ; bnt it will be pleasant 
to have it, so well arranged (from Honrt^s score), and so bean- 
tlAilly engraved, as one of this choice scries of the vocal gems 
of Mosart. To those who possess a voice and any real gift of 
song, we cannot too earnestly commend the study of every 
namber of this admirable collection. It will be drinking flrom 
the purest fountains. 

Germama: new Voeal Gems from eminent German aimposers. 

Five more numbers. One is called '* The Three Studeats,*^ 
by Spina. The German title Is Die dre\ Liibchen. An eflbet- 
Ive sentimental ballad about throe youths, sitting by " the 
noble Rhine" and drinking to the lady-love of each in turn. 
There is an alternation of three kinds of movement ; an Ail». 
gretto, 2-4. a Walts, and an Andante, 4-4, in each stansa. The 
last ends tragically ; as thdr glasses touch the third time, 
ndnrich's bursts In twain, and a " piercing shriek," duly an- 
nounced, of course, by a diminished seventh, accepts this omen 
of his tnte lovers death. Quite a pathetic, German romantlo 
sort of song for a baritone voice. Judged by high standards It 
Is but an ordinary song; it hss musically no origlnali^ ; but 
it owes a certain power to the fhsrination of its subject and Its 
strange alternation of the convivial, the tender, and the tragie. 

" The MaidofJudah,"hj Kciouir, Is already somewhat well 
known as an effective and dramatic minor song, — the Jewish 
maiden^s lamoat at the thought of her country. " l%ou toveiy 
angd mine " {Du filter Engel du .') by FncBiE; " How can I 
leave thee.'*^ Aeh, uAeWs mifgHeh.'), by CaAKis; and '< The 
Youth bg the Brook " (Schiller^s J^gRng am Baehe), by PftocH 
are each good specfanens of Um more popular sort of song-writ- 
ing of the minor tone-poets of Ctonnany. 



272 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



LoKDON. — The various metropolitan choml socie- 
ties are issuing notices of their resumption of ** busi- 
ness," calling in choristers that have erst migrnted 
marinewards, and inviting vocal aspirants to join 
their harmonious (or otherwise, as the case may be) 
ranks. 

Firstly, at Exeter Hall the Sacred Harmonic Soci- 
ety is extending its powerful arms to embrace all the 
efficient assistance which may be offered, and for 
which it may find room. Mr. Hullah is advertising 
his classes for singing at St. Martin's Hall for all tlie 
singing classes. Mr. Leslie is re-marsluilling his 
forces. The London Polvhymnian Choir is issuing 
notes of preparation. The Bach Society is making 
a move. The ^ members of the Vocal Association 
give weeklv evidence in our own columns of an in- 
terest in the society's progress. The Surrey Gar- 
dens Choral Society is proving itself nndismayed by 
the reverses associated with its name. A host oV 
smaller fry, of various kinds and grades of pretension, 
are on the alert ; and last, and far from least, the 
ponderous machinery of the Great Handel Commem- 
oration Festival, though its grand feat is yet " dim in 
the distance," is yielding to the influcnce'of so gene- 
ral a movement, and, though comparatively dormant, 
it is occasionally set in action to snow that it is kept 
bright and in good order. — Mas. Gazette. 

Liverpool. — The conversazione on Tuesday eve- 
ning, in St. George's Hall, was a brilliant and highly 
satisfactory affair. Shortly after eight there were 
about 1,000 persons present, including the elite of the 
town and neighborhood. Tlie performances on the 
grand organ afforded much interest and pleasure. 
During the evening, Mr. W. T. Best plaved the fol- 
lowing compositions : — " The Wedding March," by 
Mendelssohn. Air, with variations, W. T. Best. 
Fugue, J. S. Bach. Fantasia, from the opera of Lets 
HuguenotSf Meyerbeer. Chorus, " The heavens are 
telling." Ilavdn. 

Milan./— Mercadantc's opera Pelagio has been pro- 
duced here, but without much success. In this work, 
which is but little known, many beauties are to be 
found ; but on the whole the music appeared labored, 
and ^e general effect is not satisfactory. The prin- 
cipal artists were Mdlle. Lafont, an excellent prima 
donna newly imported from France ; Signor Sarli, 
tenor; and Signor Orlandi, baritone. The opera 
was well performed. 

Naples. — Mr. Chorley writes to the Athenctum 
(Oct. 23) ; 

Music, however, must be given up in Italy, — ^per- 
haps for many a generation to come. Fancy five 
days in Naples, and literally not a sound to be Heard ! 
nothing in (he theatres ; nothing among the fishermen at 
Sta. Lucia, — ^not a single Tarantella tune twanged out 
of a guitAr by humpbacked man, or blind woman, or 
brown, d.irk-cyed child before the hotels ! — nothing 
save a rather sweet choir-organ, which accompanied 
the plain-song in the Duomo. There was an opera 
given on the sixth night at the Teatro Xtiovo, * Maria 
di Rohan,' bv a third-rate troop. — Matter fresher in 
interest to a Londoner tempted me elsewhere. 

Italy. — A gleaning or two — very famine-bitten, 
it may be feared, are the ears of com ! — may be given 
from the Italian musical joumals, in addition to what 
correspondents send. From tliese we learn that Sig 
nor Peri is to write a Carnival opera for La Scaioy 
Milan, — that the veteran, Signor Pacini, has just been 
producing an oratorio, * 11 Trionfo della Kcligione,' 
at Lucca ; and is about vet another opera, to be called 
' Lidia di Bruxelle.^,' — fastly, that an opera, * II Mat- 
rimonio per Concorso " (which, if a title tells any- 
thing, should be a comic opera), by Signor de Fer- 
rari, has had an immense success at Genoa ; the com- 
poser having been called for twenty times! — Atlte- 
neum. 

Vienna. — On the 7th of this month the uncover- 
ing of a slab, in memory of Franz Schubert, the mu- 
sical composer, took place at the " Himmelpfort- 
grund," one of the suburbs of Vienna. The slab is 
fixed in the house in which Schubert first saw the 
light, and has no other inscription but " Franz Schu- 
bert's Gcburtshaus." On the right of these words a 
lyre, and on the left a laurel wreath, with the date of 
Schubert's birth, " 31st of January, 1797," are to be 
seen. The whole has been planned and executed by 
the Vienna Miinnergesangverein. 

Paris — At the Tlidatrc-Lvrique, while LeNozzedi 
Fiqnro produces the mo^t ipleadid receipts, the off- 
nights always command good houses with Preciosa^ 
the Medeciny and Broskovano. The management is 
carefully preparing Mozart's Don Joan ; Les Oievrons 
de Jeanne, the virgin score of M.Bellini, the nephew of 
the composer of Norma ; La F€e Carabosse, by M. 
Mass^, and Faust, by M. Gounod. It has also revived 
Oberon and Der FreischiitZy and there is some talk of 
Bubmitting Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream 



to the judgment of the Parisinn diUetanti. Mozart's 
Don Juan promises to prove very attractive, as there 
is a report that M. Carvalho has determined on play- 
ing the part of Leporello. AfVer all, this gentleman 
has, for some time pa**!, enjoyed such success as man- 
ager, that he may well rely on Iiis lucky star, and suc- 
ceed even in a part where he will have to contend 
a<rainst the remembrance of the illustrious Lablache. 
The revival of Olteron was received with imauimous 
applau«c. Many pieces were encored ; among them 
were the overture and couplets — " Tra, la, la," 
so delicionsly sung by Mdlle. Girard. A new tenor, 
of the name of Guardi, is to make his d^ut in M. 
Gounod's Faust. M. Carvalho is taking the greatest 
care of this gentleman. If it were possible, he would 
shut him up in a case till the day of his firat peiform- 
anre. 

Hamburg. — At the commencement of last June, a 
number of musicians and amateurs assembled, at the 
invitation of Hcrr Ave-Lallement and Herr Gracde- 
ner, to make arrangements for producing, during the 
sittins: of Convocation in September, Johann Sebas- 
tian Bach's grand Passion, according to St. Matthew, 
to a Hamburg audience for the first time. Only 
]ier8ons acquainted with Hamburg can conceive how 
difficult a task it was to give a performance of Bach's 
great creation, especially at the period just named, 
on account of the njumber of families in the country, 
of the horse-races, boating clubs, the absence of the 
vocal associations, etc. Such were the usual obsta- 
cles in such a case. In that of Hamburg more espe- 
cially, we have to take into account the small ac- 
quaintance of the inhabitants with Bach's works, and, 
consequentlv, the small amount of reverence enter- 
tained by them for his name ; the dislike felt by 
many persons for the Convocation ; the departure of 
the troops, taking with them some excellent instni- 
mentalists to the camp at Nordstemmen ; and, lastly, 
busine.cs, always business, the Exchange, always the 
exchange ! But still there was a starting-point for 
the undertaking; the Bach-Verein, founded, in 1856, 
by Herr von Rod a. Incredible, but true! This very 
association, which had set itself the task of rendering 
the public acquainted with Bach's music— this very 
association held aloof, from the outset, and refused 
to take any part in the proceedmgs ! It based its re- 
fusal on reasons which it summed up, in an official 
notice idsned by its own committee, in the two follow- 
ing sentences : " 1 . The work is too * great ' — ac- 
cording to the experience we have gained — to be 
studied and ' worthily ' performed in the short space 
of three flfionths ; and, 2. The Hamburg Bach Soci- 
ety cannot, as a corporation, co-ordinate with any 
other association, in a performance of any of Bach's 
music." But all this, and a great deal more, did not 
deter him who had undertaken the trouble of getting 
up and directing the work. With evcij rehearsal 
there was an increase in the number, and (for how 
could it be otherwise ? ) in the enthusiasm of those 
who collected to execute the gi*and production. 
Madlle. Jenny Meyer, Herr Sabbath, of Berlin, and 
Herr Schneider, of Frankfort-on-the-Maine,^ most 
readily promised their co-operation as solo singers, 
and when, on the 10th of September, the first of the 
four rehearsals with full band took place, lo and be- 
hold ! the staging erected in the Catherinen-Kirche 
for more than 200 vocalists, and about 70 instrumen- 
talists, was scarcely capable of accommodating those 
present. We may bo allowed to add, in a few words : 
In the whole double chorus of singers and instrumen- 
talists, there was not a single person who was not 
thoroughly penetrated with the lofty seriousness, and 
the elevated dignity of the four chonises, with the re- 
ligious inspiration of the chorales, and with the fanat- 
ical fury of the Jewish choruses, and who did not 
strive, heart and soul, to reproduce the impression 
made on himself. In all ^he audience, which filled 
every nook and comer of the imposing chnrch, there 
was not a single individual who did not listen with 
eacer attention, for three full hours, to the tender or 
mighty strains ; and who did not leave the chureh 
completely satisfied, and with the conscioiLsness that 
something "groat" had passed before his soul. 
What shall we say about solo singers ? All three 
(who are so well-known that they do not require anv 
lencrthened eulogium) performed their difficult task 
with dignity, piety and inspiration, but we may bold- 
ly add that, without such an Evangelist as Herr Carl 
Schneider (formerly of Leipsic, hut now engaged at 
Berlin), or at any rate, without any one approaching 
him in recitation, understanding, and feeling, the ex- 
ecution of the work is almost an impossibility. The 
festival was consecrated musically by the presence of 
the artist who had undertaken the incalculably diffi- 
cult task of reducing the score, by unwearied collat- 
ing, to the form in which it is at present published 
by the German Bach-Verein — ^^-e mean Herr Rietz 
of Leipsic, to whose complaisance and readiness to 
give aldvice, moreover, the directors and committee 
have owned themselves deeply indebted. 



DKSCniimVE LIST OP TUB 

Ij -A. T E S T IMITTSIO, 
PablUlieil br O. DIimoii 8c Co. 



Music dt Mail. — QuantiMm of MuiHc ftr» now vent by mail , 
the exiH>nm) lM*ii)(? only about one cent apiece, while the care 
and nipidity of trnnxportition arc remarkable. ThoM at a 
Ii:re:it diHtniice will find the mode of ronve>anre notonly a con- 
venience, but a Kivinp of vxpenxe in ohtnlning supplies. Book* 
can aloo be Kent by ui.'iil, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
Thin iippIicK to any dist^ince under three (houaaud miles ; be- 
yond that, double the aboTC rates. 



Vocal, with Piano Acoompa&iment. 

Round the comer waiting. Song. Randegger. 25 
A playftil little poem, to which the melody flta 
charmingly. 

Cavatina from " Corrado d'Altamnra." Ricci. 30 
This is the last brilliant movement of a Scena and 
Aria for mecxo-soprano Tolce, which is well known to 
those conTersant with the beauties of the older Italiaa 
writers by the first words : " O eara tu ui Vamgdo.^'* 
An English translation has been added. This piece 
fooms a very agreeable and profitable lesson for some- 
what advanced pupils, more with regard to delivery 
and phrasing, than florid execution. 

The Frost upon the pane. F. Wallerstein. 25 

Thin pleasing 8ong with its wintry snbject is quite 
appropriate at the present moment. It is a nice little 
Impromptu on one of the most liarmleis fiiatnxea of 
the stem destroyer, Winter. 

Dreams of my childhood. S. & Oh. Brockway. 25 
A pretty piece, effectively rendered at the entertain- 
ments of Morris' minstrels. 

The first time we met. S, Glover. 25 

My heart is sad for thee. " 25 

Both will be a wateome gift to the many friends of 
this composer. 

Lillian Lee. Song and Ch. J. H. McNaughton, 25 
Written in the popular style of "Dearest spot on 
earth," "Jeannette and Jcaunot,'"' Minnie Clyde," 
&c. 

InBtrumental Music. 

Prison Duet (Si la stanchczza) in " Trovatore," 
arranged by Adofpk Baumbach. 25 

An arrangement of medium diflleulty, as the tal- 
ented author knows so well how to make. The arrange- 
ment strictly follows the original score of Terdl. 
Those who have visited the Boston Theatre during the 
past two weeks, have had the very same thing served 
up to them, excellently scored for Orchestra, by Co- 
mer's troupe of artists, always amid much applause. 

Ormsby Schottisch. Carl Trautmann. 25 

A well wri.ten, pleasing pleee of dancc-mnslc. 

Ca'wsa (chess) Fantasia. W. 0. Fiske. 25 

A melodious impromptu, with a leading thematie 
phrnsc. reminding one somewhat of the crooked ways 
of the '* Jacks " on the chess board. The pieee is well 
written and calculated to interest as well as please. 

Motif de Bellini, varied for 4 hands. F. Beyer. 30 
This is the last and closing number of a series of six 
four-hand pieces, entitled : ** Les deux Olives," (The 
two pupils). Knowing how often teachers are in want 
of easy duets, wherein the second player finds, like 
the first, a melodious, independent part to perform, 
and not merely a dry accompaniment to a melody, 
played in octaves In the treble, these duets are reoom- 
mended as answering Jnst this description. 

Books. 

FiTE Thousand Musical Terms. A complete 
Dictionary of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, 
French, German, Spanish, English and such 
other Words, Phrases, Abbreviations and Signs, 
as are found in the works of Auber, Beethoven, 
Bertini, Bergmuller, Carulli, Cramer, Czemy, 
Donizetti, Haydn, Handel, Herz, Hunten, La- 
bitsky, Listz, Meyerbeer, Mendelssohn, Mozart, 
Ilinck, Spohr, Thalberg, Warren, Weber, and 
other eminent musical Composers. The whole 
including the celebrated dictionaries of Dr. 
Busby, Czemy, Grassineau and Hamilton, ar-. 
ranged, revised and corrected, by John S 
Adams. To which is added a Treatise on Or- 
gan and Pianoforte Playing by Figures, &c. 60 




toigbt's 




mxul 




(yl\^^^i^\'\ ♦ 



Whole No. 347. BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1858. Vol. XIV. No. 9. 



For Dwieht's Journal of Uusfc. 

The Maggie Flute. 

(Krom tlic Ui-otvn papcnt.) 
(Conchidcd.) 

Pnpagcno shook with fear, nor was he encour- 
a;;o{l by the words of Pamlna, wlio exclaimed 
that there wa^s now no hope, for this announced 
t]\c approach of the chief The clown's first 
thought was to wish himself a mouse or a snail to 
escape observation; his second, what stor}' they 
could devise to avoid Sarastro's wrath. " Noth- 
ing but the truth," said Pamina, be tlie result as 
it might. 

From the opposite sides of the open space 
where they were, now drew near the joyful 
crowd of Sarastro's followers, men and women, 
old and young, grave priests and young of both 
sexes, singing the praises of their noble master. 
Between the long lines in which they arranged 
themselves came the Priest-Prince, drawn in a 
chariot, from which he soon descended — a tall, 
dignified man of majestic presence, on whose 
brow wisdom and goodness sat enthroned. He 
drew near the trembling couple. Pamina threw 
herself at his feet, acknowledged that she had 
endeavored to escape from his power, but urged 
as her justification the persecutions to which she 
bad been subjected by the negro, Monostatos. 

" Arise, my daughter," said Sarastro mildly, 
" I know thy heart, and that thou lovest. I de- 
sire not to force thy inclinations, and yet I cannot 
give thee freedom." 

" But," said Pamina, " the duty I owe my 
mother calls me, for my mother " 

" She is in my power," said Sarastro, " and, 
should I grant your return to her, thy happiness 
were gone forever." 

" But the name of mother sounds sweetly to 
my ear," pursued Pamina, " and she is mine." 

" But, alas ! a haughty, arrogant woman ! " 
returned he, " For thee another heart is in store, 
and thy path of duty and happiness lies in anoth- 
er direction." 

At this moment they were interrupted by the 
entrance of ^lonostatos and bis slaves, bringing 
Tamino as a captive. 

The prince was known to Pamina through the 
descriptions of Papageno alone, but she knew 
him as one who was risking everything, even to 
life itself, for her and her mother ; her heart had 
been touched by his character — now he stood 
before her in all his youthful beauty, a captive — 
perhaps destined to death for her sake, and her 
whole soul yearned toward him in all the strength 
and fire of oriental passion. 

Tamino had known her but through the por- 
trjiit, yet this had led him to risk all ; but now, in 
the face of death, so far as he yet could know — 
for how could Sarastro forgive one whose purpose 
in approaching his castle was to gratify the hate 
of the Queen of Night in his death, and to tear 
from him her who perhaps had been elected to 
share with him his temporal greatness and his 
spiritual power? — now, she stood before him, 
among the long train of followei*s of the great 



Priest and Ruler, resplendent above all in beauty 
— beauty enhanced in his eyes by the danger 
in which she stood there, like himself a captive. 

It was one of those moments, when a siultlen 
feeling overpowers all considerations of time and 
place. Each lived but for the other — and in 
the very presence of Sarastro — within reach of 
his hand, they rushed into each other's arms — 
their first, perhaps their final embrace. A pro- 
found feeling of astonishment at such a liberty 
pervaded all except the calm and noble chief 
Monostatos, doubly enraged with Pamina, rushed 
up, parted them, and falling upon his knees before 
his master, besought judgment upon the prince 
and his servant, and a due reward for his own 
watchfulness and care. 

Sarastro turned to his servants ; " He has de- 
served a reward," said he, " give him " 

" Thy kindness alone makes me rich," broke 
in the negro. 

" Only — seventy-seven blows of the bastinado ! " 
added Sarastro. Then, when the negro had 
been torn away from the princess, whom he had 
so outraged with his absurd passion, he turned to 
two of the chief priests, and commanded them to 
conduct Tamino and Papageno to the temple of 
probation and purification. The priests, throw- 
ing thick veils over the heads of the neophytes, 
led them off, while Sarastro, giving his hand to 
Pamina, led her, through the grand portal, once 
more into the palace. 

The history is silent as to most of the proofs to 
which the character of Tamino and his servant 
were put during their period of probation ; the 
Mysteries of Isis are still mysteries. 

There was a secret inner court to the temple 
in which, upon great occasions, the priests assem- 
bled, forming two long lines upon the sides of a 
triangle, Sarastro's place being upon an elevated 
dais at the point of junction. The history now 
takes us into this court. The priests have marched 
in, from either side, to the sound of solemn music, 
have exchanged silent greetings, and stand each 
in his place, with a long brazen tinimpet before 
him. Sarastro has followed them, and has also 
taken his place upon the dais, the two chief 
priests on either side of him, a little lower. 

The business of the convocation was opened 
by a speech from the chief, in which he explained 
the motives which had induced him to deprive the 
Queen of Night of her daughter, and his intention 
to bestow her upon the new candidate for admis- 
sion into their holy order, Tamino, in case he 
proved worthy. 

It was the custom in these solemn meetings, in 
the discussion of important questions, for the 
priests to make known their concurrence with 
the views of their chief by joining with him in 
a long blast upon the trumpet — which, when 
heard resounding through the halls and courts 
of palace and temple, announced that some 
weighty affair had been decided. So now to the 
question whether they were ready so far to favor 
Tamino, a king's son — in the conviction that he 



had, by his demeanor, thus far, since he had been 
under probation, proved himself worthy — as to 
admit him now to the final trials of his couraffo, 
stoadfastncRs, self-control, truth, and faith, all 
raised the trumpets to their lips, and gave their 
Sissont in loud and' joyful tones. Sarastro then 
addressed himself particularly to the two high 
priests, confiding the new pair to their charge 
and giving them instructions for their guidance 
in preparing them for their future consecration. 

Then, descending from the dais, he raised his 
hands to the gods, while the choir of priests bowed 
reverently, occasionally joining in the invocation, 
and solemnly prayed to Isis and Osiris to grant 
the spirit of virtue and wisdom to the candidates, 
to endue them with patience in calamity, stead- 
fastness and courage in danger, and if death in 
their early years should be the will of the gods, 
that their virtue mxorht be rewarded in a higher 
sphere. 

From this calm and solemn scene our historv 
takes us to a vast and gloomy apartment of the 
temple, where the prince and his 8*^rvant have 
been confined. The high priests, obeying the 
orders of their master, came immediately to re- 
lease the prisoners from their confinement and 
give them again to the warm air and bright sun- 
shine. As the prince had borne his confinement 
with courage aud patience, he was now to be 
subjected to a new trial of his faith in Sarastro's 
wisdom and good will. Tlie priests warned him 
and his servant to beware of the arts of women, 
and let what would happen, to answer them not ; 
and with these warnings led them away to one of 
the beautiful gardens, where they lefk them. 
They were not lor.g alone, for suddenly Tamino, 
looking up from the bank upon which he had 
thrown himself, saw the three women of the 
Queen of Night before him. They besought him 
to fly at once if he held his life dear ; assured 
him tliat his death was already determined upon ; 
reminded him of his promises to their mistress, 
who, they informed him, had made her way into 
the castle in search of Pamina. Tamino heard 
them in silence ; though all his power as master 
was not sufficient to restrain the tongue of Papa- 
geno. All the arts of the women were unavail- 
ing to move the prince. He answered them not, 
tnisted them not. At length the approach of the 
priests put them to flight. 

Meantime, in another garden, which extended 
down to the bank of the river, Pamina, weary 
and exhausted, had thrown herself upon a seat 
and fallen asleep. Monostatos, with all evil pas- 
sions raging in his bosom, entered, determined to 
st«al a kiss from the sleeping girl. His design 
was frustrated by a peal of thunder — the Queen 
of Night was there. Here was the time of trial 
for Pamina. Her mother, unable to take her 
away from Sarastro, now only desired revenge 
upon him. Glowing with hatred and rage, she 
would make Pamina her instrument. She gave 
her a dagger, and in an awfnl oath, swore by the 
gods, that unless Pamina plunged it into the heart 
of Sarastro, she should forever be cast out of the 



274 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



mother's heart With this threat she vauished. 
Monostatos, returning, seized the dagger, and 
gaining no consent to his wishess at length raised 
it to strike Pamina, unconscious, in the violence 
of his passions, that Sarastro had drawn near and 
stood almost at his cllx)\v. As lie drew back his 
hand to strike, it fell into that of his master. 
" My loixl, I am innocent ! " he exclaimed, as lie 
sunk to his master's feet. Sarastro, despising his 
weakness and his falsehood alike, simply waved 
him off, with a look that told him he was foi*ever 
banished from his presence ; and taking Pamina 
again gently by the hand, comforted her with the 
assurance that the probation was over, and that 
the next day, did Tamino conquer, she should be 
made happy with him. He sought not for re- 
venge upon the Queen of Night, would not even 
punish farther his slave, for, said he ; 

*' H«P9, In those saered halls, nT«Dgefiil thoughts an Tain, 
When one from duty Iklls, Lore leads him back again." 

But Tamino's strength was to be put to a still 
harder test The temptation to break his vow 
not to hold intercourse with a woman was to be 
presented in its strongest form. He had stood 
firm against all the influence of evil passions as 
presented by the Queen's women, but now love 
was to tempt him. The scene changes to the 
garden in which we lefl him with Papageno. 
Ko stronger test of the patience and long-suffer- 
ing of the prince could be found, than in compel- 
ling him to bear with the continual prating of his 
•orvant, and his absurd conduct. Patience under 
great calamities is ofttimes easier than under the 
constant annoyance of an absurd and ridiculous 
companion. 

The history here kindly turns aside from the 
prince and gives us divers adventures of Papa- 
geno, particularly one in which he, having made 
himself merry with a hideous old woman, who 
hobbled in on crutches and gave him a goblet of 
water, stands at length aghast at being told by 
her that she is the veritable Papagena, whom the 
gods and Sarastro have destined for him at the 
conclusion of his probation. But we have not 
time and space to follow the servant instead of 
the master, who bears and forbears with exem- 
plary patience; for at this point the three spirits in 
the shape of boys, again appeared, bidding Tamino 
Welcome into the dominions of Sarastro, restoring 
the ffute and casket of bolk, renewing the injunc- 
tion of silence, and closing by calling up from the 
earth a table spread with delicacies, to partake of 
which, in preparation for the final trials, they 
gave full permission. Tamino's mind and heart 
were too busy to allow him to feel physical wants 
— r not so with Papageno, who, in vain inviting 
his master to partake, took his place, and feasted 
to his heart's content The great test, mentioned 
before, of Tamino's steadfastness and faith now 
came. Pamina appeared, seeking her lover. 
Obedient ^ his vow he turned from her, and to 
all her expressions of love, to all her appea/s 
made no reply, though he waved her off with 
feelings of agony no less heart-breaking than her 
own. Still he preserved his faith in Sarastro, 
and broke not his vow. As Pamina retired, the 
two high priests returned to lead the prince and 
his servant away. Tamino obeyed at once, but 
Papageno refused to leave his feast until a noise 
beside him made him turn, and two huge lions 
stood beside him. 

The priests with Sarastro again assembled in 
the dark temple, and their solemn chorus of 



thanksgiving to Isis and Osiris, for the faith and 
steadfastness of Tamino, was hoanl rising and 
falling in manly tones. Tlic chief ordorwl the 
prince and princess to be brought in. Slie had 
lost her faith in Sarastro's prouilso, that wlien the 
new day came, slic should be united to her be- 
loved, and now this want of trust in him was its 
own punishment. Sarastro bade the lovers take 
leave of each other, for the result of the first 
trial vrns known only to the goils. He comforted 
them with the a.ssurance that Tamino could not 
but endure to the end, and that thcv would soon 
meet in joy. The cause of Tamino's apparent 
coldness at the interview in the rrarden was ex- 
plained to Pamina; but her faith was shaken, and 
when her lover was again led from the assembly, 
her reason gave way. 

The history here again turns to the adventures 
of that unlucky varlct, Papageno, and relates 
how he was again attocked by the old woman, 
and partly by threats, partly through tlie work- 
ings of con.vcience, was at last brought to such a 
depth of humiliation, as, with at least a partial 
resignation to liis fate, to give her his hand and 
receive her for his god-promise(l Papagena ; and, 
moreover, that when he had done this work meet 
for repentance, the object of his not very warm 
affection, as may justly be supposed, threw off 
her age with her dark garments, and appeared 
before him, just the neatest, ti-immest, joUiest, 
prettiest, cunningest little maiden, that ever blest 
the heart of solitary servant But, alas for Pa- 
pageno I hardly had he feasted his eyes upon her 
beauty, and drunk in one full draught of blisB, — 
when — presto ! — she is away, and he sinks into 
the earth ! 

Poor Pamina found in her want of faith its 
own punishment She wandered in the gardens 
and grovesy seeking her lost lover, and her disor- 
dered mind, forgetful of the last interview with 
him in presence of Sarastro, and of the assurance 
from the priest that they should meet again, dwelt 
upon that previous meeting when she in vain had 
sought tokens of recognition and love from him. 
The three boys — the genii — hovered about her 
to guard and protect. In this sUte she remem- 
bered the gift of her mother, and the thought of 
ending her sorrows and her life together with the 
dagger arose. Tlie thought took complete pos- 
session of her, and she raised the weapon for the 
fatal blow. Of course the genii prevented her 
design. But the crisis had passed. The sound 
o£ the flute in the distance and the assurance of 
her protectors that, for reasons they were not yet 
allowed to explain, the coldness of Tamino was 
not real, that her love was returned in fullest 
measure, restored her to herself, and she besought 
to be brought at once to him to share his fate, 
whatever it might be. This was granted. 

Meantime, two men, in black armor, had taken 
charge of Tamino to bring him to the last test, 
that of purification by the elements. A lake of 
water and flame spread itself before the portals 
of the mysterious holy of holies of the temple. 
To its banks Tamino was led. In a solemn choral 
song, strange and mystical in melody as in harmo- 
ny, they sung — in much better music than verse, 
" lie, who the dangers of this awftil way shall dan» 
Is purified by fire and water, earth and air. 
Who finds in Virtue's strength ftom fears of death release, 
Rises flrom earth and time to realms of hearenly peace. 
Enlightened he will be, who conquers in this criads, 
And worthy, then, to share the Mysteries of Isis." 



Tamino might still have turned back, but his 
faith was too strong, his coin-ago too serene ; 
others had crossed the lake, was he less virtuous, 
less stoailfast than they V His determination 
wavered not for an instiint; he gave the roni- 
mand: " Open the terrible portals!" At this mo- 
ment, guided by the Genii came Pamina. She 
saw the adventui-e her beloved was to undert,ike. 
She hesitated not, but finn in love and trust biv 
sought pennission to join him. It was granted. 
So, leaning upon his arm, tlioy passc-d through the 
gates, and the dear an<l tranquilly joyous notes 
of the magic flute were heard pien-ing through 
the raging and dashing of flame and bloocl, speak- 
ing the unfaultering courage of him who bore it, 
and stilling for the moment as they passed the 
billows of water ami fire. And so they were seen 
to reach the broad stairs which led up into the 
Temple, to ascend them slowly, to enter the por- 
tals, which flew open to receive them, ami to 
kneel before the altar and Sarastro ; and a chorus 
of triumph and welcome was heard fi-om multitu- 
dious voices, as the portals again closed upon all 
profane eyca. 

The utter inability of Papageno to attain the 
least command over his tongue and himself, and 
his positive refusal to bo initiated into the mys- 
teries, seem, according to the history, to have 
given mattxsr for a sort of wise and very sober 
mirth to the dignitaries of the temple. When he 
recovered from the terror arising from his sudden 
translation, he found himself near the entrance of 
one of the internal courts of the palace. He en- 
tered, but its gloom and darkness, for it was night, 
terrified him, and ho sought to retrace his steps. 
But thunder and firo cut off his retreat ; he rushed 
to the opposite entrance, with no better success. 
Mortal terror and the loss of his Papagena were 
too much for him to bear, and after long com- 
muning with himself and bewailing his unhappy 
fate, rather than die there with cold and hunger, 
he determined upon the last resort of despair. He 
fixed a cord to a tree, with the intent, if no hope 
came before he had counted one, two, three, to 
put an end at once to his life and his sorrows. 
He called npon Papagena in vain. He slowly 
counted the fatal three, and there was no one to 
help him. The three genii, who had watched his 
proceedings, now became visible, and reminded 
him of liis magic bells I These brought the be- 
loved one. His trials were over, and the history 
leaves the new pair as happy as the day is long. 

The eventful night was now nearly over, and 
soon the morning would come. But still there 
was time for a deed of darkness. Through the 
dark passages of the temple Monostatos and the 
three women of the Queen of Night steadily 
made their way towards the grand ball. Amid 
thunders again the Queen appeared. It was her 
last desperate effort, and to inflame the negro 
and secure his aid, she promised him Pamian, 
should they be successful in destroying Sarastro. 
A deep and bodeful sound filled them with terror, 
but their hearts knew no relenting. Hatred and 
revenge were too powerful. Monostatos, who 
knew the customs of the place, at length an- 
nounced that Sarastro and his followers had 
taken their places in the hall. Tin's was the mo- 
ment to fall upon the chiet with fire and sword. 
He was defenceless save in his wisdom and £K>od- 
ness. The hour of sweet revenge for the Queen 
of Night had at length come. Thus far had Sa- 
rastro given her free scope, fliat his own power 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1858. 



275 



aiwl mercy luiglit be more fully revealed. But at 
this moment, at a si.^n from bim, the wall, wbich 
alone divided bim from bis enemies disappeared, 
and tbe brijrbt rays of the glorious morning sun 
dart full upon them. Like obscene birds of 
night, they fled its rays forever, while Taniino 
and Pamina joined hands, and received the bles- 
sing of the Priest-Ruler, amid the joyous and tri- 
umphant chorus of Priests and the grand assem- 
bly, hailing tlic new ]>air with blessings and uttcr^ 
ing praise and thanks to Isis and Osiris, through 
whom they had gained the victory. 



Bichard Wagner'B LohengriiL 

(From the Niodarrhcinincho MuaSk-Zdtung— tranaUtcd fbr tho 
London Musieal World.) 

1. RicnASD Wagxkr endeavors to chnmctcrizo 
the heroes nnd more prominent simntions of his op- 
eratic dmmas by fixed and constantly rccamng mo- 
tives. This endeavor was prcvionsly to be found in 
the operas of C. M. von Wchcr, especially in his Eh- 
ryanthc The system is much more consiittcntly and 
comprclicnsivclv carried oat in Ijohengrin than in 
Tunnlmtisej', There is no objedion to the princijtie, but, 
in thtx instance f likewisef evcryihinfj depends on the wttu 
in which it is exernted. If the latter is delicate, intcl- 
Icctaal and skilfnl, if tho motives arc percept ihlo, 
rocrciv as bright flashes in the hackgronnd, an indis- 
pntablo advantage U gained for tho opera, and tho 
magical unity of this complicated Art-form ; nay, wo 
should not hcsitato long in declaring such a plan to 
bo the soU correct and sufficient one. We must be al- 
lowed to remark, however, that tho manner in whicli 
tho principle is employed in Lohenyrin is an exceed- 
ingly clumsy, and, so to speak, sentcntions one, inas- 
much as, to each li^ure and situation, a placard is, as 
it wore, stuck, which announces, loud and clear, 
" Now I am coming, and here I nm." Should any- 
one, however, think that tho motives which charac- 
terize, or, rather, typify Lohengrin, Elsa, Fried rich 
von Telramnnd, Ortrud', the King, and tho holy 6'ra/, 
aro important of themselves, this is a mere matter of 
taste. Wc do not consider thorn so. They ore cer- 
tainly characteristic, but in the ordinary sense ; that 
is to say, their character is such as abstract understand- 
ing in combination with a slight dcirree of education 
can always produce with little trouble. Their princi- 
pal importance, too, docs not comi.«;t in the inven- 
tion, which, as wo have already said, is not particular- 
ly great, but in the orchestral colorinnr. It is not tho 
nhrascs with which Friedrich von Telramund, the 
Kin^, and the Holy (jm/, annonnco themselves, 
which play the principal part, but the doublc-bnsiscs, 
tho trumpets, and the flutes. Is there any such very 
great art in this, or have wo not rather an'instaiico of 
tho means by which a mind pos.«essinn^ but little fancv 
tries to cflect its purpose 1 Tho manner in which 
Wagner emplovs the principle, leads to insupportable 
monotony and woansomencss, nay, as fur as the 
trumpets aro concerned, to torturing discomfort. By 
the adoption of such a form, however, the demands 
made by an opera upon the composer as a musically 
creative being, are certainly very much modified. In- 
stead of bein)? always new, and displaving his mas- 
tery over tlie fundamental tone and similarity of char- 
acter, the composer simply repeats what has gone 1)0- 
forc, with slight variations, and a completely material 
and increased ^rradation, etc. 

2. Richard Wagner dcspiiics Melody and does not 
care much about her. Tho feeling appears recipro- 
cal, and it is*, perhaps, out of mero spite, that R. 
Wjigner speaks so rudely of the gentle virgin in his 
books. ^Ielody or no melody is a subject about 
which we will not quan-el ; but what we require from 
every work of Art, connected with stringed or wind 
instruments, is well-defined, palpable, nay, we would 
alinostsay, plastically i>erceptil>lc forms, and thoughts 
which flash before us as if tliey proceeded from a dis- 
tant star 1 Wo are sorry to say that scared v tlie 
slightest trace of such forms and thoughts was visible 
to our weak mind, during the fotu* hours Loftengrin 
took^ in repix»entation. In fact, wo will speak our 
opinion honestly and boldly : this psalmmntically-re- 
cited, musically-unmusical declamation wearied us 
indescribably, and yet shall we not be allowed to con- 
fess it 1 Such a protracted applicailon of this princi- 
ple was, certainly, never practised by any composer 
since LuUy (and most undoubedly not in any way 
by Qlnck) before Wagner, and the mere putting such 
music to paper would have produced a very narcotic 
effect on Mozart for instance. Whenever R. Wag- 
nar steps out of tbe phrases which are at everyone's 
command, and only employed by him with more 
prudence than by many others, and endeavors, in 



some decree, to present us with more dclinitc forms, 
wc arc immediately remiinlcd of C. M. von Weber, 
nay, of Mendelssohn and Spohr. In this particular, 
TtmnliSiiser is more original and less poor than Lo- 
heinjrin. The scene of Venns's grotto in the former 
opera is the only comftosition at all comprelicnsive, 
as well as decidedly l»old and successfully carried out, 
winch Wufjncr has yet Iwen able to produce. 

3. Music is nn art free as the birds of the air. It 
possesses no laws, not even of acoustics, which the 
aiiist has to respect. This principle is announ(*cd 
" loud and clear," in Wagner's scores, and his disci- 
pkvs follow him in this particular with wonderful sa- 
gacity. There ore two laws of or^ranic musical con- 
struction which have not the slightest existence for R. 
Wagner : the laws of tho various keys, and of harmo- 
nic combinations. With regard to the flret, some- 
body once observed to us, rather wittily ond a|)pro- 
priately, in reference to Tannhiinser : " The four-and- 
twcnty keys do not aflbrd a good basis for the car." 
Now, let any one, Iwaring this in mind, go through 
LoJimfjrxn or Ttnwhiiuser, and he will find it a rare ex- 
ception when R. Wagner remains for eight, nay, only 
four bars, in the same key. Thus, for instance, the 
herald gurgles out his short recitative before the sa- 
cred Courtis held, in six or seven keys, and on account 
of the unnatural spring taken by the harmony this 
single piece might in future be given to every singer 
for the purpose of testing his powers ; whoever could 
get through it would l>c available at all times, and for 
all the scores of the MuN-ic of the Future for which 
we may yet hope. The notions, however, which 
Waj^ner appears to possess of harmony and the suc- 
cession of chords, etc., must, to judge by the results, 
be actually barbarous ; at any rate, all our oik n auric- 
ular nerves revolt at them. If the reader will only 
turn to page 20 of the pianoforte edition, line 3, and 
realize, " loud and clear," the return from F to A 
major, or, at page 47, in the first four bars l>eforc the 
fight, the harmonical succession : G, B flat and A 
major, then G, E, and D major, and, at page 63, the 
last few bars— especially the .flfth, and, lastly, if he 
will only reflect on the horrible transition from A to 
B flat major at page 62, he will, perhaps, pardon us, 
if despite the celebrated name with which our investi- 
gations aro connected, we exclaim : " This is mere 
bungling, nay, it is filth, the most despicable violation 
of the rules of Art 1 " and if any one should cry out 
and tell us that we ore stupid, because this music 
does not please us, we api^eol to a far more certain 
organ than the brain, and reply ; " You cannot pos- 
sess ears, if you ore fond of revelling in such discord." 

4. " When ideas fail, a word is introduced at the 
right time." Wa^rner employs everlastingly the 
same means. If there were no chromatics, no treni' 
oh of the violins, and no trumpets and trombones, 
Wagner would be obliged to lay down his comman- 
der's staffs, for we have named the principal forces 
with which he fights his battles. C major, C sharp 
major, 1) major, E fiat major, E major, serve to por- 
trav passion, affiight and excitement, and the reader 
will be able to open but few pojcces of the score with- 
out finding a climax of this description. In order to 
express a mysterious feeling on tlie one hand, and, 
on the other, a horrible, demoniacal feeling, was not 
Apollo gracious enongh to allow us to discover the 
tremolo of the violins and basses ? What more do 
we want, since we po'isess this ? The tnimpcts and 
trombones, however, are Wagner's pets, and when- 
ever, by wav of exception, he soars into the realms of 
melody, he is fondest of employing the above instru- 
ments, c^cially the lotter, to support him. O, it is 
something magnificent to have a song of joy (that 
shall, for instance, celebrate a marriage feast) brayed 
forth by a collection of trumpets and trombones. 
Who would deny the result ? Wagner understands 
efifect, we mean clumsy, material, coan<e efifect, as 
well as any one of his j)redeccs«orB. Ho frequently 
approaches closely to Verdi, and is indebted for his 
best tilings to Meyerbeer and Berlioz, from whom he 
takes his treatment of the orchestra, although in some 
particulars he goes beyond them. Exactly like Mey- 
erbeer, Wagner is fond of letting the gentfcsl sounds, 
the " sweet " toying of the violins, and the lisping of 
tlio flutes and 6lx>es, sweep over tlie stage after the 
most overwhelming outbursts of braying noise. We 
first have unmeaning tumult, striving to appear like 
stron^h, then unmeaning cooing, striving to repre- 
sent the tenderest sensotions ,■ in one place, untruth- 
fulness and unnatural ness, and, in another, the grad- 
ations Wagner employs " to carry away " the spec- 
tator with him, heaping up, in order to depict a forci- 
ble situation, the tone-ma«ses, ftx)m im))crceptible be- 
ginnings, OS it were, to colossal proportions ; all this 
is imitated pretty nearly, from the well-knoi«'n chorus 
of the conspirators in IVfe^erbeer's Htigtimots. Wag- 
ner surpasses in oil matenal details his model Meyer- 
beer, the connection with whom he thought he could 
not repudiate more effectually than by abusing him 
to his utmost ; but Meyerbeer is fur superior to him 



in intensity of specifically musical cai)ability ; com- 

f>arcd to Wapier, he is an absolute Cnrsus. It was 
atcly remarked with great jut^ticc, that Wagner re- 
vcri^c^l the natural mode of constituting an orchestra. 
'J'he wind inbtmmcnts, especially the brass ones, oc- 
cu])y ncarlv ahvavf: the first places, while the violins 
are generally employed in the highest passages. If 
people choose to call this kind of music new, the rep- 
utation of a great musical discoverer would belong to 
Richard Wagner, as far as he was really tho first to 
discover all these things ; but he found them, one and 
all, ready to his hand, and merely pushed them to the 
most extreme, most unlovely and most unharmonic' 
lengths. 

But enough of this. We hope we have satisfacto- 
torily explained the reason whv we cannot enlist our- 
selves amoii|r the admirers of t\'aguer's muse. But, 
some one may probably object, if such is the state of 
the case, to what is tno success attriliutable ? Let 
the reader turn over the history of the immediate as 
well as of the more remote Past and call to mind 
what triumphs, by no means transient, it chronicles. 
Success certainly amounts to proof, which czc.ods 
the autliority of any mere individual, however hi.rii 
placed ; but then it is only that success which can lool 
back hundreds, nay, thousands of years, and not tlu i 
success of ten, or twenty, which is ao leodily granted 
to the most preposterous a« to the most woilny thiui^.,. 
Besides, may not a great portion of the present suc- 
cess bo really set down to the unusual nature of Wag- 
ner's operatic subjects, to the enormous scenic splen- 
dor they require, the collossal masses they set in mo- 
tion, to the varied interest connected with Wagner 
personally, as poet, composer, author, agitator, and 
reformer, and to tlie excessively active exertions of a 
party, very devoted to him, and who, by incessant 
announcements, keep the world in excitement and 
suspcnt»e ? — oil things which lie far beyond the actual 
artistic productions. His success, like bis works 
themselves, certainly does prove something for Wag- 
ner ; it proves that we have to do with no insignifi- 
cant person, liut with one distinguished by varied in- 
tcllipence, and endowed with energetic mental pow- 
ers for without these ; such success and such works 
wonhl be impossible. But a man may be still richer 
in gifts of this description and yet knock in vain for 
adihission at the gates within which eternal Art re- 
sides. 

While endeavoring to describe R. Wagner's muse 
generally, we have endeavored to characterize the 
music of Lohengrin, and shall add only a few more 
ob8er\'ations. in a musical point of \iew, the third 
act is the most successful piece of composition. The 
scene between Lohengrin and Elsa, in the bridal 
chamber, contains much that is beautiful, and, now 
and then, is marked by ajneeable touches of warm 
foeliuff. Wagner sometimes manages the choruses — 
and large masses generally — in a very skilful man- 
ner, and fipequcntly imparts to them, even musically, 
a certain antiaue stamp. The first chorus, for in 
stance, in the nr^t act, at Lohengrin's arrival, is ad- 
mirably carried out, and surprisingly effective, while 
the effect of the concluding chonis depends on the or- 
dinary common operatic means, and tliat of the no- 
bles preceding, the bridal procession, endeavors to 
produce an impression, by a coarse imitation of na- 
ture, and excels by a constrained and unnatural treat- 
ment of the voices. But Wagner uses us worst in the 
second act. We hope we shall never hear such a 
braying of tmmpets and trombones again till the 
Day of Judgment, and we confess that, as often as 
the horrible trumpeters, who always announce the 
approach of tbe kine, appeared on the stage, we be- 
fran to tremble in all our limbs, like children, when 
they know there is to be a volley of musketry, or a 
discharge of artillery. 

The opera was received, on the whole, favorably. 
The audience welcomed the first and third acts with 
tolerable warmth, but were somewhat more indifferent 
about the second. A portion of the success may be 
fairly attributed to the perfectly exquisite manner in 
which the opera was produced. The first place be- 
lonf^ to llerr Ander and Madile. Mover, who song 
and played the parts of Lohengrin and £lsa with near- 
ly ideal* perfection. Had we not already long valued 
ticrr Ander as a thiulcing artist, we should be obliged 
to do so now, after this admirable performance. 
Throughout the opera he recollected the part he had 
to represent, and never assumed a tone or indulged 
in a look or gesture, which did not befit the " holy 
knijrht." Madile. Meyer has evidently thrown her 
whole soul into the part of Elsa, and we blame her 
the less as all the advantage falls to our share. She 
was rich in the moot beautiful and most touching 
points. Herrr Beck (Friedrich von Telramund) pos- 
sesses in his wonderful voice such a natural gift, Uttox 
he requires to exert himself but little to captivate us. 
Mad. Hermann Czillag (Ortrud) and Herr Schmid 
(King Heinrich), were, on the whole, deserving of 
praise, although we should not say the latter could 



276 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



be entranced by the nscetic demeanor his part im- 
poses on him. Nor must we forpct Ilcrr Hrahanek, 
who acquitted himself with certainty of the excojd- 
injjly difficult part of the herald. Both the chorus 
nnd orchestra were admirable, and the womlcrful pre- 
cision which distinguished the opera as a whole re- 
flects the greatest credit on Herr Ksser, who, as 
Cnpcllmeisier, directed the pcrfonnance, and Ilcrr 
Eckcrt. Lastly, scene-pa in lei's, co^tumici-s, stajre- 
managers, etc., honestly contributed their .•'hare to- 
wards the success, and we think that the maun<re- 
mcnt need not fear producing; Tannhimser next vear, 
for R. Wagner should be heard. To this he fuus a 
right. C. D. 



A Piccolomini Matinee. 

A coiTCspondent of the Providence Journal writes 
thus from New York : 

The success of the Piccolomini matinee was a sur- 
prise even to Metropolitan opera j^ocre. The darkest, 
murkiest, most suicidal of November days, the chilliest 
of November rains, could not damp the muFicnl ar- 
dor of the public. An hour before the doors were 
opened, Irving Place was blocked up with carriages, 
and the steps of the Academy were swept by dreary, 
dripping velvets and ermines, brocades, poplins, and 
** antiques," among which " skeletons " surreptitiously 
peeped forth, and Bloomere and Balmorals au«la- 
ciously intruded themselves. AVhon the outer doors 
were opened, the crush was fearful. Ladies fainted, 
and frightened children were lifted over the heads of 
the crowd into the lobbies and con-idors. I was for- 
tunate enough to be directly in the wake of Mrs. Pot- 
iphar, whose ample ermines funii-hcd a safe aad con- 
venient ;x)iw^ (Vappui through the most perilou** crisis 
of the pressure. During the performance of Norma, 
in which Mdc. Laborde made her debut, I had almost 
forgotten the Piccolomini. She was to appear in the 
character of " the Domineering Housemaid " in Pae- 
siello's comic operetta ,"i>i &rva Padroua** played 
for the first time in America. A descendant of the 
chivalrous house of Piccolomini, niece to a Cardinal 
of tho Church of Rome, appearing before a New 
York audience in the part of a saucv soubrette ! Tra- 
ly, the world turns round very fast in our day. 

At length the grand opera* of Norma was ended, 
and before wo had time to recover from our druidical 
dreams, the little princess tripped upon the stage, 
looking like a child of fourteen years, in a short pet- 
ticoat looped up with cherry-colored ribbands, which 
showed to great advantage her pretty child-like feet 
and ankles. In five minutes the eyes and hearts of 
" four thousand spectators " were irrevocably capti- 
vated. " Did she pelt them with her kisses, as she 
did the poet of Idlevvild ? " Not oppressively. " Was 
she beautiful ? " No. " Was she a great' artist ? " 
I cannot tell. She was charming in a way so exclu- 
sively her o^vn that it would be quite unavailing to 
talk 'about it. She was so young, so innocent, ' o 
blooming, so confidingly frank and coquettish nnd 
piquant, so winning, so areh, so graceful, that Iier 

1)res€nco was like a beam of moniing light or a 
►reath of morning air. My memoiy of her, should I 
see her a thousand times, will be always " A Matinie" 



Marietta Gazzanig^ 

Madame Gazzaniga Malaspina, the subject of 
our sketch, was l»orn at Voghera, a small town in the 
neighborhoo<l of Pavia, in Lombardy, on the 8th of 
June, 1826. Her father was a lawyer, in ea«5y cir- 
cumstances, and it was comparatively long iKjforc her 
inl)om love of music was developed into a passion for 
the stage. At the early age of six, hoAvcver, Mari- 
etta was distinguished by her voice, and in her six- 
teenth year her talents attracted the attention of Sig- 
nor Amadeo Cetto, a dilettante of Voghera, who 
counselled her parents to add the advantage of com- 
petent instniction to her natural genius. She was 
accordingly placed with Alberto Mazzucato, one of 
tho first Jtalian maestri, and after one year's instruc- 
tion only, her d^mt took place at La Scala, in Milan. 
The part was Sappho, and Marietta's success une- 
quivocal. After several representations of Sappho, 
each of which added to the admiration excited by her 
Jirst performance, she performed in two operas by 
Mazzucato^the " Due Sargenti " and " Luigi V.," 
the latter having been cora))0«ed expresslv for her. 

After a triumphant season at Milan, Miirietta Gaz- 
zaniga played triumphant engagements at Turin, 
Como, and'elsewhere, in the " Capuleiti," " Templa- 
ri," " Nabucco," " Lucrezia," and other operas, ap- 
pearing also in the part of Lucrezia at Varese, in 
Ix)mbardy. At this place her extraordinary genius 
excited to such a degree the admiration of a Avealthy 
nobleman, that he ordered the company of military 
which he maintained at his own expense, to escort 
and serenade the prima donna after her performance. 



During the Carnival of 1844, Marietta Gazzaniga 
peiformod at Lucca, principally in the operas of 
" Linda di Chamounix " and ** Don Pasquale," and 
afterwards appeare<l at Florence, where, after being 
engaged in the performance of the unsuccessful opera 
entitled " Saul," by its composer, Spcranga, she 
played in the " Elisire " and in " II Bravo," in the 
last of which she appeared together with Erminia 
Frezzolini, Poggi, Castellane and Dcbassini. Ficz- 
zoliui was at that period in the height of her fame 
and popularitv, and to venture upon the stage simul- 
taneously witfi one who stood confessedly at tho sum- 
mit of her art, was a bold undertaking, for a youthful 
prima donna ; but she triumphed over the difficulties 
of the situation, and her fame extended with each 
])erformancc. After a brief interval, she appeared 
again at Florence, where she sang in " Giovanna 
d'Arco," and in "Buondelmonte," which was com- 
posed expressly for her by Pacini. In 1844 she sang 
at Leghorn, and was so successful during her engage- 
ment, that it was renewed by the management, nor 
was it until 1845 that she IcfY Tuscany for Venice. 
During the years 1845 and 1846 she sang successive- 
ly in every one of the principal Italian cities. Iler 
repertoire included the large number of forty-two 
operas. Her remarkable career exhibited no single 
fiasco. AVherever she appeared she became at once 
the favorite of the press nnd the idol of tho public. 
The fame of the rising artiste soon extended beyond 
the Italian peninsula, and she was called to Madrid, 
where she became a favorite at once. She .«ang 
during several years at the Spanish capital, and in 
1355 made a lour of the provinces. In 1855 she re- 
turned to Italy, where she gave thirtvK'ight perform- 
ances, of which twenty-six were Verdi's ** Tnniata." 

In February, 18.")7, Madame Gazzaniga made her 
fii-st appearance before an American audience at 
Philadelphia. Her success there was deservedly 
great, and she passed from thence to Boston and New 
York, and after a few additional performances at 
Philadelphia, she sailed for Havana, M-here she per- 
formed during the last winter. The Cubans exceed- 
ed even their brethren of Madrid in the enthusiasm 
which tlioy manifested at her performances. They 
recognized in her impulsive and earnest manner that 
genius which gives lifelike reality to a simulated 
character, and marks tho great from the mediocre 
artist. They appreciated her for what she did, and 
forgot the minor blemishes in the resplendent glory 
of her grand inspirations. They judged her rightly, 
and the tokens of their enthusiasm were solidly grati- 
fying, nnd proved the sincerity of their appreciation. 

Madame Gazzaniga, who will be one of the bright 
particular stars of Max Maretzek's season in Havana, 
is now finishing an honorable and successful engage- 
ment at the Academy of Music. Notwithstanding 
tho extraordinary popularity, the almost idolatrous 
admiration of Piccolomini, Gazzaniga has made her 
genius acknowledged, and has received a brilliant 
ovation in the shape of one of the most crowded nnd 
fnshionablc au<liences of the season, on the occasion 
of her performance of Leonora in "La Favorita." 
She was greeted with extraordinary enthusiasm from 
the moment of her appearance to the close of the 
opera. Her acting in the last act could hardly be 
sui-passed, and the public and the pre.s3 acknowledged 
her glorious talents. Gazzaniga is still young, nnd 
has before her a brilliant career. She has the good 
wishes of all for her prosperity. 

On leaving New York, to the regret of thousands 
of her ndmirei's, Madame Gazzaniga proceeds to 
Charleston, and will sail thence for Havana on the 
first of Decem^er, in the steamship Isabel. The 
operatic performances to take place during the com- 
ing winter in the capital of Cuba promise to excel in 
brilliancy even those which have been presented 
during: the last five years. The contretemps which 
has delayed Maretzek's anival in the Queen of the 
Antilles has added an eagerness, unusual even among 
the music-loving Ilabancros, to witness his coming ; 
and the theatre which he has at length succeeded in 
securing will undoubtedly be found scarcelv of suf- 
ficient size to accommodate his audiences. Opera, in 
fact, is nothing less than a passion during the Ha- 
vana winter, and tho pre.sence of Madame Gazzaniga, 
who is idolatrously worshipped there, will contribute 
not a little towards fanning the already ardent flame. 
— Leslie's Illustrattd i^eicspapcr. 



For Dwight's Journal of Music. 

Mozart and the "Magic Flute/' 

It is well known that innumerable stories are afloat 
concerning the origin of the " Magic Flute," and tho 
relation of its composer, Mozart, to Schickaneder, 
the theatre-manager and text-writer. These stories 
are both true and f^Ise, and the latter can hardly any 
longer be distinguished from the foi'mer. Now the 



Vienna " Monntsrhrift fur T/tcaftr nnd 3/»«//r gives 
an account of tho origin of this opera, which was 
written by acontemporary of Mozart and Schickaned- 
er, and mav therefore Ik; rcfirardcd as authentic. We 
will make some extracts from it. Karly on the morn- 
ing of the 7th of Mairh, 1791, Schickaneder came to 
Mozart, >vho was still in bed, and entreated him to 
assist the tottering Art-temple "aufder Wieden " 
and its debt-laden manager by a new opera ; he 
would prove himself nc t ungrateful. He had written 
the text to a magic opera, from Wieland's Lulu in 
TschimiKtan, and it was nearly fluijjhed. Mozart con- 
sented conditionally, and Schickaneder left him. On 
tho stairs a spark suddenly crossed his brain, and, 
almost breathless, and as quick as his corpulence ad- 
mitted, lie flew from the " Ilauhenstein gasse " to 
tho Wieden suburb, and into the Krpanuer gasse, 
where stood the so-called " Kopaundl " (little capon, 
probably an inn.) Hero lived Madame Gerl, who, 
together with her husband, the Basso Gerl, was in the 
employ of Schickaneder, and was said to exert great 
influence over Mozart. The shrewd Schickaneder 
gained her over to his interest, and already the next 
evening Mozart came to him on the ."tage, and said : 
" Well now, look you that I soon get the book, and I 
will write the oiKim. If we have a mnJhmtrl can't 
help it, for I have never yet composed a magic opera." 
In about a week !Mozart had the text, which he 
rather liked, as it really contains some poetical or 
rather romantic ideas, which, though Schickaneder's 
total want of intellectual culture prevented them from 
being adequately worked up, were still obvious. 
Mozart quickly began his work, which was, however, 
inteiTupted before the end of the month, as tho States 
summoned him to Pmguc, to write the "Clemensn di 
Tito for the coronation festivities. In a few weeks 
the latter was finished, and Mozart retui-ncd to Vi- 
enna, to continue the " Magic Flute." This great 
work he created partly at his residence in the " Rnu- 
hensteingas5e," partly on a little garden hired of 
Schickaneder, in the large middle court of the " Frci- 
haus," and adjoining the theatre. The little half- 
raised pavilion, with chair and table, where Mozart 
composed, can still be seen there to this day. Dur- 
ing the noonday meal, (it was midsummer) which 
Mozart mostly shared there with Schickaneder, they 
diligently worked, laughed, and drank Champagne. 

Under these circumstances the Zaulkrfltite saw the 
light. Mozart had hardly written the firet few num- 
bers, when Joseph Schuster, who was one of Schick- 
aneder's actors, came to tho latter with an unpleasant 
piece of news. He had accidentally been present at 
the rehearsal of the new magic opera in the Leo- 
poldstabt, "Casper, the Fagottist, or tho Magic 
Cither," by Perinet, with music by Wenzel Muller, 
and had acquired the sad certainty that Perinet, like 
Schickaneder, had taken his subject from Wieland's 
Liihi, and that the characters as well as the progress 
of the intrigue, closely resembled those of the " Magic 
Flute." Nothing remained, therefore, but to destroy 
what was already accomplished, and give an entirely 
new tone to the opera. Sarastro, who was originally 
a tyrant, a villain, was transformed into a wise, noble 
priest and friend to humanity ; the Queen of Night, 
who was before a Princess of Love, a tender mother, 
became a monster, an intrigue-monger, an unnatural 
woman. The three ladies, the companions of the 
Queen of Night, the moor, as an allegory of the 
dark workings of villainy, were assigned to her as 
tools, and in this wise something entirely new had 
been created, of which the author himself had before 
no idea. Hence it happened that, on the first ap- 
pearance of the ladies where they are, the deliverers 
of Tamino, they direct him to tho three young boys, 
who are to be his guides, and are consequently in the 
service of tlic Queen, while, as the opera progresses, 
they become followers of Sarastro, and the protectors 
of Tamino and Pamina against the dark plans of the 
Queen of Night. Schickaneder probublj was not 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1858. 



277 



! I 



I I 



suflicicntly nwnro of these inconsiatcncics, and the 
great Mo7.art, in the consciousness of liis ninpicnl 
power, (lid not trouMc liirnsclf mnch al)ont them. 
Many of tlie nunihcrs Moznrt was o]>]ijrcd to alter on 
Scliickaneclcr's demand. Tlio jmrt of Papagcno the 
latter had reserved for himself, and as he w:w unable 
from his small compass, or r.ithcr totad want of voice, 
to sinjj the Papajreno sonpr, ns it was fii"st written, it 
had to he made perfectly simple, and is yet so niclo- 
dioos, 80 charminj^ ! The duet : " With men, who 
love's sweet pain nro fcclin":," Mozart altered three 
times ; Schickaneder Rlwnya paid : " Brother, it is 
very fine, but too learned for me." At last, with his 
hoarse voice, ho hummed something to him, and the 
pood Mozart said, quite patiently : " Well, thou 
shalt have it." It is only to be regretted that Mozart 
destroyed the first two sketches of the duet. Now 
the greater part of the opera was finished. Mozart 
worked untiringly. Siissmayer, Mozarts' pupil, 
helped him to instrument it ; he was closely familiar 
with his master's wishes, and some of the accessories 
of course, after explicit directions from Mozart, arc 
said to be entirely by him. The Priests' chorus : 
" () Isis and Osiris," the Papagcno soups, and the 
second Finale were written on the 12ih of Scptcml>er, 
the Priests' March and the Overture only on the 29th, 
and so late, that the latter was still quite wet wlien 
distributed among the orchestra at the reheai-sal. At 
last, on the 30th of September, 1791, after many re- 
heai-sals, the first representation took place. It was 
singularthat on this occasion the public, probably by 
the many great l)cauties of the music, and the rare 
wealth of the motives, was so astonished, so taken 
aback, that the applause could bear no comparison 
with the subsequent unexampled success of the work. 

At each i-epetition the enthusiasm increased, and this 
master piece of Tone- Art was soon completely under- 
stood and entirely appreciated, so that it was given 
on sixteen successive evenings. The first three times 
Mozart conducted in pereon ; Siissmayer sat next to 
him, and turned the leaves ; llcnnelwrg, director of 
the orchestra at the Wieden Frcihaus Theatre, jjlayed 
tlie bells. As a proof of the modesty of Mozart, we 
may mention the fact that, when, at the close of the 
first representation, the Composer was vehemently 
and continuously called out, ho hid himself in various 
places, in order not to appear, until Siissmayer and 
Schickaneder at last found him, and dragged him 
upon the stage by main force. During the month of 
October, 1791, the opera was given 24 times, and 
brought, in spite of the limited accommodations for 
an audience, and the low prices of admission com- 
mon at that time, the sum of $8,443 florins up to 
Nov. 1st, which seemed almost fabulous. It con- 
tinned to be given very frequently, but the master, 
who, since his journey to Prague, had been often ail- 
ing, and whom unceasing mental exertion (he wrote 
La Clenmiza di Tito, the " Magic Flute," and his 
Rfiquiem almost simultaneously,) was rapidly wearing 
out, enjoyed his triumph only from hearsay. lie al- 
ready left his bed but rarely, but never his room. 
Mozart himself gained but little by the "Magic 
Flute, as Schickaneder paid him badly, and, besides, 
sold the score to many theatres without allowing its 
great creator the smallest share of the profits. If 
any one spoke to Mozart of this wrong, which was all 
the greater, as he had saved Schickaneder from ruin, 
the good, noble man would only soy : " What shall 
I do with him, he is a shabby fellow"; and that 
would end the matter. The day before his death 
he said to his wife, afterwards Fran von Nissen 
(from whose lips the writer of this Inis himself heard 
it : "I should like to hear my Magic FitUe once 
more," and hummed with hardly audible voice: 
" The merry bird catcher I. The late chapelmaster 
Rosen, who sat by his bedside, arose, went to the 
piano and sang the song, which seemed to cheer Mo- 
zart greatly. The next morning he died ; it was on 
the 5th of December, 1791. The funeral took place 



on the 7th of Deccmlwr, in a temble snowstorm. 
The only followers of his remains were chapelmaster 
Rosen, the violoncellist Orsles, of the Royal Orches- 
tra, and Siissmayer. His wife was seriously ill ; 
Schickaneder was not present. 



Hlusiral Corrtspcnknte. 

BERLfx, Oct. — In the beginning of the past three 
months, while it was vacation at the opera-house, the 
interest of that portion of our Art-loving public, who 
were confined to the drought and almost intolerably 
bad air of Berlin, turned to the '* Douff'cs Parisieyis " 
at KroU's little theatre. The sphere in which this 
quaint and interesting troupe of artists are especially 
at home is that of one-act musical farces, which arc 
made up, after the manner of vaudevilles, of droll 
songs, couplets & ensemble pieces ; noteworthy among 
which is the thoroughly melodious and flowing ope- 
retta by OfTcnbach, /</? Marriage aux lunterneSj which 
contains a fund of natural rnemrocnt and humor. 
Unluckily the troupe aspired above this level in two 
works demanding higher dramatic power and higher 
musical culture, namely, Rossini's Bru>irhino and 
Mozart's Jmpromrio. The former piece proved fur 
l)cyond the powers of this trotipe ; and yet on the 
other hand so nonsensical, that it could hardly Iks ex- 
])ccted to succee<l even upon a larger stage. To the 
little ariettas and ensemble-pieces of the Imprcsano of 
Mozart, a text has l)oen put by Batty and Ilalevy, 
which is in open discord with the character of the 
music. Mozart's music is graceful, arch and playful, 
altogether finely formed and of a noble style ; the 
text, on the conti'ary, contains motives and presuppo- 
sitions which degrade the piece to silliness. As to 
the performance, Alozart requires, even in the smal- 
est aria, above all, fresh voices and fine mnsical cul- 
ture; just the.««e two things were lacking in these 
French buffo singers. Mile. Chadert was not ecpial 
to the charm and graceful neatness of the Mozart 
melmlies, and fell into important variaitions and im- 
pure interpolations. On the contrary in La Char- 
mcuse, the players felt themselves at home in their 
own element, and Mile. Geoffuoy, ns Nicctte, both 
by her personal attractiveness, and by her arch, co- 
quettish play, made it easy to believe that all the 
young men of the village conld regard her as a 
charmer. 

In the one-act operetta, " Le 66," Offenbach has 
sought to smuggle a specific German element into the 
French opera ; but the attempt has failed. German 
strains are heard frequently enough in the piece, but 
they are so opposed to the character of the French 
music, that the composer was obliged to Frenchify 
them tlioroughly. Before his Parisian audience this 
may be all veiy well ; but to us Germans, this dis- 
agreement in the character of the music is repugnant. 
A second difficulty waj?, that this German element 
was entirely foreign to the singers, especially in the 
acting and conception of their roles. They gave you 
Frenchmen, but no Tyrolese ; their comedy was at 
times striking and enlivening, but it was comedy of 
the Parisian precinct. The second novelty, Le Fi- 
nancier et le Saviiier, was the most nonsensical thing 
given by this company. The plot of tlie opera moves 
in a sphere, where one no longer has to ask if what is 
given can l>e reconciled wth sound humor under- 
stand! ngly or not. Yet, with all its Utises, poor jokes 
and adventurous situations, it preserves a certain ele- 
gance ; it is often trivial, but it tmderstands how to 
be graceful even in triviality. OflTenbaeh's music, 
with all its carelesness, is melodious and ornate. 

The Royal Opera began, after the summer intermis- 
sion, with the "Barber ", *• I'rophet ", " Robert " and 
" Tannhaiiser", the principal parts in each being ta- 
ken by "stars" {Gdstcn). If Fraiilein Guentukr, 
who was called here to a second round, fell short of 
the mark as Rosina in the " Barber ", she was all the 



more decidedly successful as Fides in the " Pro- 
phet ", and we aro persuaded that her talent, in this 
kind of field — say as Leonora in Tai Favorita, Azu- 
cena in // Trovatore, &c., — will yield abundant fruit. 
Especially refreshing was the intelligence with which 
she gave the mother of the prophet, and her expres- 
sion of the tenderest stirrings of maternal love, which 
gave a peculiar charm to the Arioso of the 2nd, and 
the duets of the 4th and 5th acts, while the voice was 
not sufficient for the bursts of passion. Yet the curse 
and the fiery Aria in A flat major in the last act, 
which she rendered after the best models, received 
mnch applause. The intelligence which we liave 
praised so decidedly in the delivery ot Frl. Guenther, 
was very moderately manifested in the Bertha of Frl. 
Bukhy. So far as her worn voice permitted, she 
sung her part with technical facility, and liero and 
there in passages in the highest register produced a 
sotto r-oc^; of unexpected smoothness. Frl. Wippern 
sung the Alice in Roltert le Diabie with a most youth- 
ful freshness and a lovely charm that will not be for- 
gotten. Robert was represented by Herr Grill, of 
Munich, a heroic tenor, to whom, take him as he now 
is, without gentler polish, we cannot accord any un- 
qualified approbation. Ho might have profited in 
this also by the example of Roger, which in many 
respects he happily followed. In action, to be sure, 
he showed a certain freedom and certainty, and even 
nobleness, without going much beyond the limits of 
the traditional gestures and movements. One Ilerr 
IIuMDSBR, who appeared on the following evening 
as Tannhaiiser, was not allowed to appear again ; by 
his bad singing he compromised essentially the warm 
reception of the excellent Elizabeth of Frl. Giinther. 
Von Flotow's opera " Stradella" acquired unusual 
interest through the farewell of I Icrr Grill in the title- 
role, and the re-appearance of our esteemed Fran 
IlEnuENnuRG. Two, and only two, of all the operas 
of Flotow have acquired a certain capacity of living. 
Ho had the good fortune to have to exercise his rou- 
tine upon two pretty, pir[uant texts ; he brought to 
the task a pleasing talent, considerable taste in the 
arranging of comical and lively situations, as well as 
a sense for ihe piqnantcries of a comic humor which, 
if not always fine, is not offensively broad. Flotow 
had a happy faculty for working up foreign, esj>ccially 
French popular melodies ; and so this work,made up 
of French polka and quadrille motives, sentimental 
phruses and rocket-like cadenzas, is actually pervaded 
by a certain originality, especially for those who let 
themselves be dazzled by the surprising rhythms, up- 
on tlie garnishing of which all his ingenuity is ex- 
pended. The general public and the great majority 
of the press were full of the praises of Herr Grill, and 
we too should have joined in it, if had not been on 
the Royal stage. This same public, this same prcM, 
once fought zealously for R. Hoffmann, now depart- 
ed, but only — to let him drop. Herr Grill's tenor is 
not great in compass, and has no body in the lower 
notes. The tone is seldom quite pure, being almost 
always accompanied by a fatty timlrre; his notes aro 
not attacked with certainty, they form themselves in 
a crescendo fashion ; his intonation often wavera. His 
delivery is on the whole expressive, but frequently 
accompanie<l by too declamatory a manner, which is 
much opposed to the dramatic, and is characteristic 
of second-rate singers. 

Fran KoESTER appeared for the first time again in 
the " Huguenots ", in her splendid part of Valentine. 
She was received with unmixed delight, and showed 
anew how valuable she is in the present ebb of tol- 
erable singers on our stage ; although her voice 
sounded somewhat worn and even excited serious 
apprehensions in the second act, yet she succeeded 
in the duet of the third act, and still more in that of 
the fourth aet, in coming near the height of her ear- 
lier achievements. Herr Formeb in the third act 
was betrayed into a too groat forcing of his voice, fol- 
lowed by a pardonable exhaustion in the last act. 



278 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Fraulcin Baur for the first time played the queen, a 
part which the composer has equipped with all the 
charms of fresh, sensuous galantry and French vivac- 
ity, for which reason it runs out almost exclusively 
into the boldest and most coquettish Jioriture. It 
was rather the aim of the composer here to excite in 
the hearer light, af]^rccal)]e and fi-csh sensations, by 
way of contrast with the part of Valentine ; and for 
this end ho requires a singer quite at home in all the 
finenesses and nuances of a facile, ornamental vocali- 
zation. Such a singer Frl. Baur is not ; the restraint 
with which she first came on, made her intonation 
very uncertain, and she was sadly at odds with the 
orchestra, who must use more discretion. The cho- 
ruses in the third act did not take hold with sufiiclcnt 
energy and freshness. But the soldier's chorus, the 
mocking and the conspiracy chorus were very suc- 
cessful. 

The " Bonffes Parislem ", after several unsuccess- 
ful efforts, partly owing to their selection of the conre- 
est pieces, were succeeded at KroU's theatre by the 
Konigsberg Opera Company of Director Wolters- 
dorf, who gained more and more upon the sympathy 
of our public. Their repertoire consists of musical 
melodramas and farces, and they had the merit of 
seeking out and producing good old pieces, those es 
peeially by Schenk, Dittersdorf, Boieldieu, Fioravanti 
and Faer. Particularly worthy of mention is Ditters- 
dorfs Doctor und Apotheker, a comic opera, occupy" 
ing about the same place in German opera that Kos- 
sini's " Barber ** does in tlie Italian. In spite of their 
superficiality both breathe a genuine nationality, 
which keeps them still alive. The comic characters, 
the doctor and the apothecary, those town-life copies 
of a Capulet and a Montague, — the house-plague of 
the former, Claudia, — the barber, who knows how 
to advise in all cases, and pull the strings of intrigue, 
and whom Figaro would not be ashamed to have for 
a colleague — these all belong to those German types 
which thrive so luxuriantly on German soil, and 
whose counterparts wo meet upon the streets and 
market-places of our little German towns. While 
Kossini's work is a creation of unbridled carnival fun, 
filled from beginning to end with uproarious mirth 
and overflowing humor, in the music of Dittersdorf, 
with all its roguery, an intellectnal element predomi- 
nates. This runs as a groundstonc through the 
whole opera and rings out clearly and intelligibly in 
the first number ; it is a mastcrpice of genre painting, 
of an idyllic character, full of the most genial festive 
evening mood. The Doctor und Apotheker also re- 
sembles the " Barber of Seville " in the fact that it 
surpasses all the later works of its composer in fresh- 
ness and wealth of invention. The execution showed 
that the performers did not feel quite sure in their 
parts. The whole enterprise is as yet too young, and 
in the rapid change of repertoire may justly claim in- 
dulgence. One obstacle was found in the acoustic 
qualities of the otherwise unsurpassed royal hall, 
which is particularly unfavorable for dialogue. 

As for the other musical enjoyments of a Berlin 
summer, in which, strange to say, it has already be- 
gun to rain twelve Sundays in succession, they have 
been almost altogether programmes a la Musard, and 
have offered an abundance of quadrilles, polkas, and 
especially pot-pourris, battle music with fireworks 
and salvos of cannons, &c., better suited to the Zaun- 
gaste (population outside of the gates), than to the 
cultivated concert public. ff. 



New York, Nor. 23. — We have been enjoying a 
very piquant newspaper war between Mr. UUman 
and the editors of tlie French paper, the Courrier des 
Etats UnUf in which the other city journals have 
taken a part — like the boys who stand around a 
couple of juvenile combatants and cheer tliem with 
shouts and bravos, and mysterious phrases of dread 
import, as who should say, ** Go in, lemons I " 

It seems that Mr. Masseras, one of the French ed- 



itors, was on a visit lately to Philadelphia, and met 
some gossiping old friend, who told him that Picco- 
LOMiNi had no right to that name, and was of the 
family of Clcmcntini. Mr. Masscras publishes this 
startling information in his paper; whereupon Mr. 
Ullman publishes an amusing manifesto, wherein he 
takes occasion to stigmatize the editors of the Cour- 
rier as being " Three hungry Frenchmen " — to ac- 
cuse them of ungovernable api)etitc for free tickets — 
and to state the amount of salary paid to their musi- 
cal critic, and charge the said critic, with giving 
sugar and watey soirdes ! 

To this the Frcnchmen respond. They say they 
never demand free tickets — they disclaim the hein- 
ous charge of being peculiarly hungry, and they re- 
publish certain articles, whicli, according to Mr. Ull- 
man, had been written merely to insult Piccolomini. 

Ullman again to the rescne. Ho reiterates his 
charges and is so delighted with the happy phrase, 
" Three hungry Frenchmen," that he repeats it again 
and again, with infinite gusto. It takes. The news- 
papers quote it, and already an up-town stereoscopic 
company have got up a picture, representing three 
foreign-looking men, in an opera-box, with their 
mouths wide open, like so many ravenous little robins 
in a nest, and their hands at work clapping a la 
claque ; and under the picture is the inscription : 

Ye Three Hungry Frenchmen. 

The French editors then become quite grand and 
dignified, and give the lie direct to Ullman. Some 
way or other public opinion begins to side with them, 
and Mr. Ullman to-day publishes a grand farewell 
card, which amounts to nothing. So the affair ends 
in smoke, and the result is that Piccolomini turns out 
to bo really a Piccolomini, and will, on the death of 
a relative, bo also a Clcmentini — her father being 
heir to the estates and title of an individual of tlio 
latter name. 

In the meantime, the opera has been progressing, 
and a succes.sful pasticcio performance has taken place 
in Brooklyn, it being Mr. Ullman 's intention to give 
a weakly performance there during his next season. 
To-morrow night he produces Mozart's " Marriage 
of Figaro," with Piccolomini as Susanna. Then 
she is to appear in Lwrezia, and the season will close 
with the Uurjuenols, in which Poinsot will make her 
debut. 

Mr. Ullman's company is very unequal. With a 
splendid list of prime donne, he is actually without a 
presentable tenor, and has no contralto at all. His 
repertoire is consequently limited, and for the past 
few weeks he has had to depend upon some of the ar- 
tists of Marotzek's troupe — Stepfani, Gassier, 
and Gazzaniqa having been called in to his aid. 
He goes to Boston next week, and if Piccolomini 
should first appear there in Don Giovanni, your fid- 
getty, captions musical writers will be charmed at 
once, and the Cerberus of criticism placated — nay, 
fascinated — by the voice of the syren. (I was going 
to say " lulled to sleep " — tliat would have sounded 
prettier, but if any one could go to sleep while Picco 
lomini is singing Zerlina, he is fit only to be a Turk 
and take opium, and I verily believe that even Mr. 
Pickwick's Fat Boy himself would gloriously triumph 
over his somniferous propensities, could he but be 
present to hear the Datti, hatti.) 

I found it, however, hard work to triumph over my 
somniferous propensities at the Philharmonic Concert 
Saturday evening. The programme, vastly inferior 
to those usually offered, was as follows : 

Part. I. 
Symphony, No. 6. In D minor, Op. 25, (first time), 1. Alle- 
gro con Fuoco ; 2. Andante Sostenuto ; 3. Scherao — Allegro 
MoltoVirace; 4 Finale — Andante con Motoand Allegro Ti- 
vace: Niels W. Oflde. Piano Obligato, Mr. Henrr C. Tlmm. 
Aria, from the opera '* La Clemena di Tito," Hoxart ; " Parto 
parto, ma tu ben mio," Miss Hattie Andcm. Recitative and 
Aria, ftom the opera *^Outtenberg," Fucha; Mr. Philip Mayer. 

Past n. 
Qoartet-Coneerto, Op. 131, (first time); Louis Spohr: Quar- 



t<.'t-Oblipito— Mc!vr». K. Mollcnhnuor, J. Noll, 0. M.-xtaka. and 
F, IVrgner, Llctl, ♦• Ucbonill dii," (" Thou cverywhrrc.") J. 
Lachner; Mr. Philip M.i> or: roriK»-Oblipito-— BIr.C. Branncii. 
FaniaMiffftUck, for C<»mot A piRton, (fin»t iiiovciiient), L. Schn'i- 
bcr: llvrr Louiu Hclircil»rr. Aria from •'Maritan.a," "The 
Harp In the Air." U*. V. Walhro : Mlw lliitrir Andcm. Ovcr- 
tiiro, L'Assodio di Corinto {^'wge of Corinth ), flr.«t time; O. 
Itovini. 

Gado's symphony fontnins a delirious movement — 
the schcr/.o — in which the piano psirt is brilliantly 
prominent. Spohr's fine (iujirtct Hccnis out of jdarc 
in a large building like Nibl<>'.«<. NoImkIv appreciate*! 
it, few listened, and the ni:ijority rhattcrcd. The vo- 
calists of the evening were inferior, though Mr. 
Maykk sang a German Lied ex<|uisitely, and was 
encored. 1{os.<:ini's overture seeme<l to wake up the 
slecjxsrs, and quiet the chatterers, and it was gener- 
ally conceded the conceit was below the mark. 

Item. It has stnick nic, by the way, whether half 
the adverse critit-i.-snis ever written do not come from 
sleepy heads ? How can a being enjoy a 8}'mphony, 
when his head is bobbing like a Chinese mandarin in 
a tea sho]) ? 

The " Mendelssohn Union " gave a fine perform- 
ance the other night, of " St. Paul." Mr. Adams 
(from Boston) was the tenor, and sang with taste and 
expression. The wifj of Carl Ansciiutz, whoso 
name wius given on the bills as Madomc /immkr- 
mann, sang most of the soprano solos well, and Miss 
IIawley did the one piece allotted to her, excellent- 
ly. Mr. GuiLMETTE interpreted tlio bass solos. 
This Society will next produce llossini's " Moses in 
Egypt." TnovATOB. 



B0.STON, Nov. 23. — Mr. Editor: Ovenvhelmed 
with confusion though I am by the loud and clamor- 
ous calls for my " littleness " which have graced your 
la£!t two numl>ers, I yet feel it incnmlnint upon me to 
reply to the kind inquiries of my worthy colleagties. 
After stating that my long silence has been caused 
entirely by lack of material during sevend months of 
" rusticating." I must say that, during a tcmpornry 
visit to your city, I am enjoying musical advantages 
sufiicicnt to compensate amply both for the summer's 
dearth, and for what I lose in New York. At tlio 
house of an amateur friend, music is the order of the 
day, and several times a week, the suite of lofty, spa- 
cious, well-lighted rooms, set apart for the pnrpo.sc, 
resound.-* witli the best of conii>ositions, ably executed 
by both diletantii and professional artists. Then wo 
are frequent vi.^itors of the weekly meetings of the 
Amateur Orchestra, and ihotigh tlie performances are 
not always what might be wisiied for in point of exe- 
cution, they give us an opportunity of hearing many 
new works. Besides all this, private concerts at 
other house!, and those of the Mcndels!=ohn Quintet 
Club, serre to make me acquainted with much of 
your musical tident, and afibrd me occasions of listen- 
ing to music, and just the music tliat I love, to my 
heart's content. I will not, of course, enter into de- 
tails, of which vou can treat so much better than my- 
self, but I must say that I was exceedingly gratified 
with the performance of the Mendelssohn Club, and 
that I never heard Beethoven's B flat Trio more 
beautifullvjplaycd than, at a private concert, by Mes^srs. 
Trenkle, ScnuLTZE and Fries. I had for the first 
time the pleasiuts of hearing the first named gentle- 
man, of whom I have read much in your journal, 
and my expectations were more than fulfilled. There 
is a depth and earnestness, a power and dignity in 
his playing, which I have seldom heard equalled. I 
hope I shall hear him again, and often. 

Having now accounted for myself, and, I hope, 
satisfactorily so, I must tell you how much I was in- 
terested in A. W. T's account of the history of the 
" Magic Flute." Particularly so, as I had for some 
time had in my possession an article on the same sub- 
ject, cut from a German paper a few months ago, 
which gives another side of the story. I have been 
waiting for an opportunity to send it to yon, and do 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1858. 



279 



80 now, certain tlint it will interest some of your read- 
ers. Yoii may not l>c awnro that Mo/.nrt's little Op- 
cn'tta of "the Si*h:nHi»iel-<liroctor" is fomnled on 
the fsamci snlijcrt. I hii«l the jrooil fortnnc to hear it 
in IJcrlin some years ajLjo, arlmiruhiy jiiven, with ft 
Rinjjer named ll:is<e, I hclicve, from Vicima, in the 
C'hanieter of Sehi'-kaneilcr. lie w:ls said to hear a 
ftti-oiifj tvscmhjjincc to the old " Srhaiisiiiel diiTrtor", 
and, haviiip: known him ]M'rsonally, to hnitsite to per- 
fection all his oddities. The very scenes which are 
desi-rilicd in tiie article I send yon, were enacted in 
the operetta — for instance, that relating to the duct 
— hesides m:niy other similar ones, which made ft 
toHt-f'iisnulitc of the most charm inj;:, humorous char- 
acter. 

One thinjr more ; hefoi-e T affix the nnhicky sic^na- 
tnrc whirh has so jirovokcd the sairasm of friend 
pnajjo of words. In the strin;r (iiiartcts, (iiiintels, 
" Trovator," and the cnriositvof all mv friends, I will 
pivc them and myself the satisfaction of explaining 
that this same sijjnatnrc : " — t — ".represents my 
whole name, minus ci;;hteen letters, and this declara- 
tion will tn future, I ho])C, spare mc the indi^i^nity of 
iHjinjj called " little " ' — t — . 



Jtoig^fs lonrnd of Slnsk 

BOSTON, NOV. 127, lRr)R. 



Music ik tnis Numbbk. — ContinuAtion of th« Cantata 
*' Miriam's 8ong of Triumph," by Fiunz ScnuoEaT. 



Mendelssohn Quintette Club. 

With oftpror appetite, after six or seven months' 
privation of what may be Ccillcd the quintessence 
of mn.<;ical enjoyment — that of listening in a 
small room, quietly, with a select company of sin- 
cere lovers, to the violin quartets and quintets of 
Mozart, Beethoven, and the like — did we, with 
hardly a couple of hundreds of others, wend our 
way, on Tluirsday evening, last week, to the 
beautiful saloon of the Messrs. Chicken ng, long 
hallowed by such influences, but, soon alas! to 
be abandoned to more vulgar uses. It was a 
goodly company ; yet we missed quite a number 
of the most familiar faces, that had become insep- 
arably identified in past years with the concerts 
of the Club ; their absence, — doubtless acciden- 
tal and only for an evening, — seemed to chill the 
atmosphere of the room to a degree hanlly coun- 
teracted by the welcome accession of many new 
and earnest listeners. But soon the music made 
all warm and genial and bright again; a few 
magic strains of Beethoven and all ^* the winter 
of our discontent" was summer! 

Music in Boston owes a great debt to the Men- 
delssohn Quintet Club, if only for the one rare 
merit — singularly rare in these degenerate times 
and hereabouts — of having persevered through 
nine continuous winters in giving us the true 
tiling, music that is music, intrinsically beautiful 
and noble, the finest inspirations of the great 
tone-poets, who are such consummate masters of 
their language — a language far more delicate 
and perfect, more of the soul and universal, and 
yet far more difficult, complex and quick to elude 
the grasp of any but true genius, than any lan- 
guage of wonls. In the string Quartets, Quin- 
tets, Trios, Sonatas, &c., — what we call the 
" chamber music " — of Mozart, Beethoven, Men- 
delssohn, Schubert, and other kindred spirits, is 
sealed up much of the finest wine of pure po- 
etic inspiration — the happiest and heavenliest 
thoughts with whicli mortal brain was ever bless- 
ed, and lifted to a kindred sense of the divine. 
Sealed up, we say, because it takes skilful artists, 
of fine culture, to set free these delicate spirits 
locked up and preserved in written cliaracters, 
so that they may become real and alive to us ; 
and because at best they must be sealed to all ex- 



cept the few, the hundreds, perhaps only tens, of 
tluK-^c who have an earnest, cultivated love of mu- 
sic. It is not that to which the thousands rush^ 
that norossarily exerts the deepest influence upon 
the mind and taste of a community. Quality in 
the long rnn goes as far as quantity. A string 
quartet speaks to a hundred or two hearers only ; 
but tlwit hundred is composed of those who lead 
in musical culture, who exert an influence in so- 
ciety around them, who necessarily arc referred 
to in their own cindes more or less as standards 
of true taste, and who set the tone according as 
they take it. IVIoreover the example is copied ; 
the wholesome infection spreads; chamber con- 
certs spring up at various points about the neigh- 
borhood, kindling the true fire in many circles ; 
the charm works, too, in private life, not the less 
really and beneficially, because noiseless and un- 
seen; quartet parties have become a somewhat 
conunon thing in private houses. A real, refined 
love of music, naturally, just in pro]X)rtion as it is 
that, seeks the shade and the protection of the con- 
genial social sphere for its enjoyment. We com- 
plain of the falling off of large and showy public 
concerts here in Boston, which was wont to boast 
so many ; but silently and slowly music, in its 
purest forms, has crept into our private life du- 
ring these past years, and so domesticated itself 
as to have to become quite an essential element 
in the internal cultui*e of .not a few homes, and 
thus prove that in the best sense we are really 
making progress. Is it going too far to suggest 
that to the persistent influence of the Quintet 
Club, not forgetting others, belongs a \CTy large 
share of our thanks for this result 

Of the original members who composed the 
Club nine years ago, two only, Messrs. Ryan 
and WuLF Fries remain ; yet its identity seems 
well preserved, and never was the Club, upon the 
whole, in so good a condition to present a quintet 
or a quartet as at present. It now consists of 
Messrs. William Schultze (successor to Au- 
gust Fries), first violin; Carl Meisel, sec- 
ond violin ; Gustav Krebs, tenor, and occa- 
sionally flute; Thomas Ryan, tenor, and occa- 
sionally clarinet; and Wulf Fries, violoncello. 
The first taste of their quality, on Thursday night, 
was highly encouraging. The opening piece 
was Beethoven's second Quartet, the No. 2 (in G) 
of the six composing Op. 18, and we do not know 
that we have before heard so fine a blending of 
the strings, so pure and musical an ensemble of 
tone,togcther with such clear individuality of parts, 
especially the middle parts, which were often the 
weak point of the quartet The new leader played 
with admirable purity, delicacy, finish, and ex- 
pression, very rarely swerving in the least from 
perfect intonation even in the acutest sounds. 
Tliere was more warmth and spirit in his play- 
ing than we have credited him with before. 

The " Sylvester Song," arranged from Schu- 
mann's ** Album " by Mr. Ryan, made a sweet 
little piece, and was nicely played; only the 
clarinet melody, against the quartet accompani- 
ment, stooil in loo bold relief. We would rather 
hear such things well played on the piano-forte, 
for which they were intended. Mr. B. J. Lang, 
who assists the Club this season, is one of the 
most promising of our young pianists, already at 
home in a pretty large repertoire of difficult clas- 
sical and modern music, and evincing a facifity of 
technical acquisition in which perhaps there lies 
some danger. His selection was unfortunate. 



This " Benediction de Dieu Dans la Solitude" 
from the " Harmonies Poetigues " of Liszt, 
proved but a repetition of all our experience with 
these high sounding titles of Liszt, who doubtless 
has executive, but not creative genius. It was a 
wearisomely elaborate concatenation of difficul- 
ties, wandering on without aim, like an uninspired 
improvisation, spell-bound to keep on and come 
to nothing. We wonder how a man like Liszt 
could have the patience to write down such things. 
That it labored somewhat in the rendering, in 
spite of Mr. Lang's evident command of execu- 
tion, was only to be expected ; if there is any 
charm in such things, it must lie in Liszt's own 
playing of them. 

Part II, consisted of an Andante and Scherzo 
from the Posthurmons Quartet in £, op. 81, by 
Mendelssohn, — a good illustration of his serious 
and his fairy vein ; Roile's ninth Violin Concerto, 
a clear, elegant and spirited composition, capita- 
bly played by ^Ir. Schultze ; and for a delicious 
conclusion, Mozart's Quintet No. 5, in E flat, full 
of all Mozartean qualities, and finely played. 



Musical Ghit-Ghat 

We go to press a day enrlier than usual this week, that the 
printers may ei^y Tbank^giying : — too'early therefore for cer- 
tain correspondence, announcements, &c. . . . Next In order, 
In the musical doings of our own city, comes the annual run of 
Operatic fever, during which, whether it last two'weeks or two 
months, there will be small chance for Symphony, Quartet, 
Omtorio, or any of the more quiet forms of musical enjoyment. 
Our Societies must stand all in abeyance, even before they have 
got well started for the season, which makes the interruption 
especially ill-timed. Our musicians, eren the members of the 
Quintette Club, will Tery likely be absorbed into the Operatio 
orchestra. We are sorry for the loss upon the one hand, but 
hope, since the Italian Opera incoming, that its short reign wil| 
be as brilliant as poKfiible, and such as shall be worthy the al- 
egiance for the time being of true music-lovers aswell as of the 
fiuhlonable and fickle crowd. We trust that Mr. Ulman will 
not giro us Verdi and Doniaetti altogether ; that we shall also 
haTe Don Juan with the liest cast that his grand troupe will 
afford ; that we shall hare Robert and the Huguenot$y at least 
once or twice each ; that the immoxtal " Barber " will not fliil 
us, nor be put off into a Saturday afternoon ; also the iSerra 
Ptuironay for a curiosity for once ; and aboTe all, since the 
fiunous Noxze di Figaro of Moart has come at last so near to 
us as New York, let him not tantalize us with the mere rumor 
of that long delayed gratification ; it were a cruel insult to Bos- 
ton to come here and not give us Mooeart's Figaro I Let ns 
have him right along side of Rossini's Barber, that we may 
mark the features that betray relationship. By last reports, 
the Opera will close in New York on Monday, and open at the 
Bo«^ton Theatre either on the 1st or 6th of December. 

We had great pleasure in listening a few days since to a yery 
superior Organ built by Messrs. E. and G. O. Hook for the 
Unitarian Church at Portsmouth, N. II. In a yeiy cliastcly 
modelled case of black walnut, the gilt pipes seeming almost the 
only and the most appropriate ornament, are embraced a great 
organ of 10 stops, each extending through the whole compass ; 
a swell of 10 stops, through the whole compass ; and a pedal of 
orer two octares, with 8 stops ; — in all, 1283 pipes. The wind 
arrangements and all the mechanism seem to work to a charm. 
The sound of the full organ, in fugues, choruses of Handel, &c. 
is remarkably rich and nobly blended. The diapasons, partic- 
ularly, struck us by their ft'eshness and lustiness of tone, as 
well as roundness and sweetness, — an effect due in a great 
measure, we doubt not, to the fact that the pipe metal (for al- 
most the first time in this country) is composed of a sufllcient- 
ly large proportion of pure tin, after the Qerman method. The 
donor of this organ sets a good example, too long needed, in 
thus expending flreely upon solid, honest excellences, rather 
than upon mere show, Ikncy-stops, &c., in an organ. The solo 
stops are Toiced with all the taste and skill ,for which these 
builders are so justly celebrated. 

The French Opera in New Orleans was to open on the 16th, 
at the Thcntro d' Orlerns, with La Farorita. M. BouduF- 
quic's company is ^thus composed : Tenors — Messrs. Txmault 
and iMgrOrXe, prime ; and Boutgeois, Debriuay and Mctzler, 
»ec-onfU. 

Baritone — Beauro . 

^/«.«/ — Tuste, Vila and Jolly 

Prime Donne — WUe Dordier, (first chantense legvre.) La- 
franque, (soprano); Bourgeois, contralto,) Paola, (soprano,) 
and Uadi (dugazon.) 

Besides twelve female and the same number of male chor 
isters.' 

The Mosart Society, In Worcester Mass, numbering 140 
Toire«, performed Moxart's 12th Haas last week, under the 
direction of £i>wari> llAJiaTOX, Esq. 



280 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



%^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>^^^»^^^^^^i^^^^^^i^^^^^^»^^^^^N^^#^^^M^^*fc^^^^%<»^^#»^^»»^^»»^rfM^^^^^^W»^ 



J'ine %xU, 

Buskin On Education In Art 

A paper read before the Educational Dejuiriment of the 
British Association for the promotion of Social 
Science. 

I will not attempt In this paper, to enter into any 
general consideration of the pos.siblc influence of Art 
on the masses of the people. The in<iiury is one of 
jjreat complexity, involved with that into the uses nnd 
dannrcrs or luxury ; nor have we as yet data enough 
to justify us in conjecturing: how far the practice of 
Art may bo compatible with rude or roe(*.hanical em- 
ployments. But the question, however diflicnlf, lies 
m the same light, as that of the uses of reading or 
writing ; for drawing, so far as it is possible to the 
multitude, is mainly to be considered as a means of 
obtaining and communicating knowledge. Ho, who 
can accurately represent the form of an object, and 
match its color, has unquestionably a power of nota- 
tion and description greater,pn most instances, than 
that of words ; and this science of notation ought to 
be simply regarded as that which is concerned with 
the rcconl of form, jast as arithmetic is concerned 
with the record of number. Of course, abases and 
dangers attend the acquirement of Qvery power. We 
have all of us probably known persons, who, without 
being able to read or write, discharged the importiint 
duties of life, wisely and faithfully ; as we have also, 
without doubt, known others able to read and write, 
whose reading did little good to themselves, and 
whose writing little to any one else. But we do not, 
therefore, doubt the expediency of acquiring those 
arts, neither ought we to doubt the expediency of ac- 
quiring the art of drawing, if wo admit that it may 
indeed become practically useful. Nor should we 
long hesitate in admitting this, if we were not in the 
habit of considering instructions in the arts chiefiv as 
a means of promoting what wo call " taste," a dilet- 
tantism, and other habits of mind, which, in their 
more modem developments in Europe, have certain- 
ly not been advantageous to nations, nor indicative of 
worthiness in them. Nevertheless, tnio taste, or /ho 
instantaneous preference of the noble thing to the ig- 
noble, is a necessary accompaniment of high worthi- 
ness in nations or men ; onlv it is not to be acquired 
by seeking it as our chief object, since the first ques- 
tion, alike for man, and for multitude, is not at all 
what they are to like, but what they are to do ,* and 
fortunately so, since true taste, so far as it depends 
on original instinct, is not equally communicable to 
all men ; and so far as it depends on extended com- 
parison, is unattainable by men employed in narrow 
fields of life. 

We shall not succeed in making a peasant^s opin- 
ion good evidence on the merits of Klgin and Lycian 
marl)les ; nor is it necessary to dictate to him in his 
garden the preference of gillyflower or of rose ; 
vet I believe we may make Art a means of giving him 
helpful and healthful pleasure, and of gaining for him 
serviceable knowledge. Thus, in our simplest codes 
of school instruction, I hope some day to see local 
natural history a.s8ume a principal place, so that our 
peasant children may be taught the nature and uses 
of the herbs that grow in their meadows, and may 
take interest in observing and cherishing, rather than 
in hunting or killing, the harmless animals of their 
country. Supposing it determined that this local nat- 
ural history should be taught, drawing ought to bo 
used to fix 'the attention, and test, while it aided ,the 
memory. " Draw such and such a flower in outline, 
with its bell toward you. Draw its side toward you. 
Paint the spots upon it. Draw a duck's head — her 
foot. Now a robin's — a thnish's — now the spots 
upon the thrush's breast.** These are the kinds of 
tasks which it seems to me should bo set to the young 
peasant student. Surely the occupation would no 
no more bo thought contemptible which was thus sub- 
servient to knowledge and to compassion ; and per- 
haps we should And in process of time, that the Ital- 
ian connection of Art|^vith dilettOj or delight, was both 
consistent with, and even mainlv consequent upon, a 
pure Greek connection of Art with ar^e or virtue. 

It may perhaps be thought that the power of rep- 
resenting in any suflicicnt manner natural objects, 
such as those above instanced, would be of too diffi- 
cult acquirement to be aimed at in elementary instruc- 
tion. But I have had practical proof that it is not so. 
From workmen who had little time to spare, and that 
only afier thev were jaded by the day's labor, I have 
obtained, in the course of three or four months from 
their first taking a pencil in hand, perfectly useful, 
and in many respects, admirable drawings of' natural 
objects. It is, howcAcr, necessary, in order to se^uro 
this result, that the student's aim should lie absolutely 
restricted to the representation of visible fact. All 
more varied or elevated practice must bo deferred 



until the powers of true sight and just rcprcscnlMtion, 
are acquired in simplicity ; nor, in the case of childi*cn 
belonging to tlio lower classes, does it sccni to me 
often ailvisable to aim at nnvthing more. At all 
events, their drawing lesson should be made as ivcrc- 
ative as possible. Undergoing duo discipline of hard 
lalior in other dircctiims, such childi-cn should be 
painlessly initiated into cm ploy mentis calculated for 
the relief of toil. It is of little consciiucncc th.at they 
should know the ])nnciplcs of Art, but of much that 
their attention should bo ])lcasurably excited. In our 
higher public schools, on the contrary, drawing should 
be taught rightly ; that is to say, with due succession 
and security of j)rcliininary Ktcps, it licing here of lit- 
tle consequence whether the student attains great or 
little skill, hut of much that he should ftcrcoive dis- 
stinctly what degrees of skill he has attained, rever- 
ence that which surpasses it, and know the principles 
of right in what he has lieen able to accomplish. 

It is impossible to make every boy an aitist or a 
connoisseur, but quite possible to make him under- 
stand themeaningfof Art in its rudiments,|:ind to make 
him modest enough to forbear expressing, in after 
life, judgments which he has not knowledge enough 
to render just. There is however, at present, this 
great difficulty in the way of such systematic teach- 
ing — that the public do not Ijclieve the ])rinciple8 of 
Art are determinable, and in no wi^c matters of opin- 
ion. They do not believe that good drawing is good, 
and bad drawing bad, whatever any number of per- 
sons mav think or declare to the contrarv — that there 
is a right or best way of laying colors to produce a 
given effect, just as there is a right or a best wav of 
dying cloth of a given color, an»l that Titian and 'Ver- 
onese arc not merely accidentally admirable, but eter- 
nally right. The public, of course, cannot l»e con- 
vinced of this unity and stability of princi]>lo until 
clear assertion of it is made to them by painters whom 
they respect, and the i)rinters whom they respect, ai*e 
generally too modest, and sometimes too proud, to 
make it. I l>elieve the chief reason for their not hav- 
ing yet declared at least the fundamental laws of 
labor, as connected with Art study, is a kind of feeling 
on their part, that " cela in sans dire." Every great 
painter knows so well the necessity of hard and sys- 
tematized work, in order to attain the lower degrees 
of skill, that he naturally supposes if people use no 
diligence in drawing they do not care to acquire the 
power of it, and that the toil involved in wholesome 
study being greater than they would ever be willing 
to give. Feeling, also, as every i-eal painter feels, 
that his own excellence is a gift no less than the re- 
ward of toil, perhaps slightly disliking to confess the 
labor it has cost him to perfect it, and wholly despair- 
ing of doing any good by the confession, he contemp- 
tuously leaves the drawing-master to do the best he 
can in" twelve lessons, and with courteous unkindncss 
permits the young women of England to remain un- 
der the impression tliat they can learn to draw with 
less pains than they can learn to dance. I have had 
practical experience enough, however, to convince me 
that this treatment of the amateur student is unjust. 
Young girls will work with steadiest pei*se vera nee, 
when once they understand the need of labor, and are 
convinced tliat drawing is a kind of language which 
may, for ordinary purposes, be learned as easily as 
French or German, but not more easily, nor on any 
other terms ; this languoge, also, having its grammar 
and its pronunciation, to be conquered or acquired 
only by persistence in irksome cxeixiso — an error in 
a form being as entirely and simply an error as a mis- 
take in a tense, and an ill drawn line os reprehensible 
as a vulgar accent. And I attach great importance 
to the sound education of our younger females in Art, 
thinking that in England the nursery and the draw- 
ing-room are perhaps the most influential of acad- 
emies. 

Wo address ourselves in vain to the education of 
the artist while the demand for his work is uncertain 
and unintelligent ; nor can Art be considered as hav- 
ing any serious influence on a nation while gilded pa- 
pers form the principal splendor of the reception- 
room, and ill-\iTought, though costly, trinkets the 
principal entertainment of the boudoir. It is surely, 
therefore, to be regretted that the Art-education of our 
Government schools is addrcsse<l so definitely to the 
guidance of the artisan, and is therefore so little oc- 
knowledged hitherto by the general public, especially 
by its upper classes. I have not acquaintance enongii 
with the practical working of that system to venture 
any expression of opinion respecting its general ex- 
pediency ; but it is my conviction that, so far as ref- 
erences are involved in it to the designing of patterns 
capable of being produced by machinery', such refer- 
ences must materially diminish its utility considered 
as a general system of instruction. ItVe are still, 
therefore, driven to the same point — the need of nn 
authoritative recommendation of some method of 
study to the public ; a method determined upon by 



the concurrence of some of our best painters, and 
avoweilly sanciioncd by them, so as to leave no nwm 
for hcsibition in its acceptance. Nor need it Ikj 
thought tliat, because the ultimate methods of work 
ein]>loycd by ]>aintors vary acrording to the particular 
cficrts proposod by each, there wouM 1x3 anydilHcnlty 
in olitjiiuing ilu'ir collective tuscnt to a system of clc- 
mcntury precepts. 

(Conciui^ion noxt wr««k.) 



Special B^fHrcs. 



DKSCUIITIVK LIST OK TlIK 

PablUhcd br O. DIImou II Co. 



I I 



Music ht \\\n.. — QnnntitH<)i of MiiRto wro now wnt by mnfl, 
the exp«Mia4> lieiii); only about ono coiit apfcci*, wliilu the r«ru, 
anU m|ii<Uty of tnin^portivtion arc reinnrkiiblc. Thonc At a 
great diMtanro will liiid tho uioile of ronvvynncc notonly a ron- 
roiiicncc. but a MiTiiig of exponsc in obt'iiniuff fin]ipHe.<i. Bonks 
can al90 ho M^nt by mail, at the rate of one rent per ounrc. 
Thin npi>licM to any distance under three thotuttud niiltis ; be- 
youd that, double the abore iHt<ii. 



Vooal, with Piano Accompaniment. 

Catawba Wine. Poetry by Longfellow. Music 
by \V. R. Demfister. 50 

Longfellow hiui glTcn ua the Rparkling. gvnial poem, 
and Dempster has wedded to It a melody asboautifuUy 
musical as the most imaginative fitncy can conceive of. 
Not even a '' Brindisi'' from Verdi's pen. Imbued with 
all the danling brilliancy of this raafftor's genius, can 
vie with the irresii>tible strain of this <' CaUwba-Wino 
Song." W« do not know but this is the first pooUcal 
and musical tribute of America to the ancient deity 
of the Grapes. Nerer, howcTer, has the praise of Bac< 
chus been better sung. 

Castles in the nir. Scotch Song. 25 

One of the quaintest and prettiest little poems writ- 
ten in tlie Scotch dialect. The air is not less pleasing. 
Tiicre hf a genuineness and heartiness in the in."pira- 
tions of the Scotch tuune. which will always attrnrt 
all truly musical minds, the learned as well aa the un- 
learned 

Hope, (L'Es]X!rancc,) with flute obligato. Ual^n/, 25 

This i^ the well known Roomnaa from *' L'telair.*' 
Bright ^tir of Hope, made familiar by the Qermanlans, 
In a new form. via. ; with an ad libitum accompani- 
ment for the Flute. This additional Flute part in- 
creases the charm of the whole materially. It la easy 
of performance. 

Instrumental Music. 

Masterworks for the Violin, with Piano^c- 

companiment. 
I?o le's (o'ebra e I Air with VariationR. 30 

Seventh Air vari^. C. de B^riot. 75 

Lo Camaval de V<^nise, varid. N. Paganini. 75 

All of these pieces are well known to Violin pUyen 
aa stondard pieces of the concert-room, each one rep- 
resenting the highest pertbction of a particular style of 
composition. *' Rode's air " is the easiest of the three 
pieces. It has all the winning smoothness, the tender, 
soft melodies of Haydn's p«riod. Moderate akUl eom- 
bincd with a little musical tact, aufllce to render it 

well. B^rlot's Air, though in form hardly different 
from the one by Uodc, and distinguished likewise for 
Its elegant and highly refined appearance, demands a 
go(id deal more of the player. It is not exactly difll- 
cult, technically speaking, but demands a well-de- 
fined style for its satii«lkctory delirery. Among the 
twolre airs which Biriot has written, this one is the 
faTorito with players and the public. Pagan ini'a 
Carnival, which is the original Oarnim], from which 
those hundreds of Imitntions are derived, which have 
for yenrs been the delight of great and small players, 
is sufficiently known as an unapproaciiable creation 
of genius. This first American edition of the above 
works has been prepared with great care, and will 
compare fitvorably with the foreign editions. Especial 
care has been taken to Insure corrcctnees. 

Books. 

The Amateur Organist. — A collection of 
Opening and Closing Voluntaries, selected and 
arranged from the works of Handel, Ilaydn, 
Beethoven, Mozart, Kink, Pleyel. Mendelssohn, 
Von Wel)er, Andre, Schmidt, Hesse, &c.. to- 
gether with original compositions by the editor. 
The whole prepared with especial reference to 
the wants of^ beginners, and fonning an excel- 
lent courso of study for the Organ or Melo- 
deon. By John Zundel. 1,50 

This work is emiuently a book for beginners. It la 
by the author of " Two'llundred and Fifty Volunta- 
ries," and was produced in annwer to numerous re- 
quests to furnioh more nnd still easier pieces of that 
class. A& ito title imports It has been the aim of the 
author to prc.«cDt easy and pleasing compositions of a 
desirable length, and suitable for organs of the small- 
est, as well as the largciit class, and even for melode- 
ons. One or two more pieces of a scientific character 
have, however, been insertdl ; and even a fugue will 
bo found from Handel, though a very ea.«>y one. The 
few voluntaries by Kink here first appear in print In 
tills country. 




toi||t'5 




0urtial 





U5ii> 



Whole No. 348. 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1858. Vol. XIV. No. 10. 



For Dwight'ii Journal of BIuslo. 

The Diarist Abroad, No. U. 

NOTES AND A QUERY. 

I. In relation to Handel. 
Every person, who cares enough about music 
to have paid some attention to its history, knows 
the difficulty of following Ilandcrs course of study 
and musical experience, so as to form a clear con- 
ception of the manner in which the young 8axon 
organ and fugue student became the giant of his 
age in Dramatic Music. This difficulty is not 
more owing to our want of biographical material 
than to the confusion into which the chronology 
of his early years has fallen. In Dwight's Jour- 
nal of Music, of Nov. 14, 1857, there is an article 
upon a passage in Hawkins' Histoi-}', in which it 
b suggested, and, as 1 still think, rendered very 
probable, that the young composer was in Hano- 
ver and made the acquaintance of StefTani, the 
Kapellmeister there, before the great Italian 
journey of 1707 — 10, and not first upon his re- 
turn from Italy, as is generally accepted. I 
hoped that on this point we should have light 
when Chrysander's book should appear. But the 
first volume of his Biography is out, and he adopts 
the usual date — making Handel's first visit to 
Hanover in 1710. My present notes are not to 
Chr}'8ander*s book, but to the article in Dwight's 
Journal, and are corrections drawn from Chry- 
sander and from other new sources of informa- 
tion. 

" Of these six years," (1697—1703) says the 
writer in Dwight's Journal, "we know abso- 
lutely nothing beyond his having studied with 
Zachau, and given lessons, except what Telc- 
mann has recorded." In addition to this, Chrysan- 
der has discovered " that Handel followed his 
father's wishes for five years after the old doctor's 
death, and entered the new University at Halle 
in 1702, as student of law; and 2d, that the 
" Studiosus Georg Friedrich Hendel," who had 
oflen filled the place of a drunken fellow, Lepo- 
rin, as organist in the Schloss and Dom Church 
at Halle, was appointed to his place for a year 
upon trial, March 13th, 1702. I cannot find 
that Chrysander shows Handel to have served 
afler his year was out, although he shows that 
Handel's successor, Kohlhardt, was appointed 
Sept. 12th. We know that Handel did not fill 
the place up to that date, for on the 9th of June, 
or July, he met Mattheson at the Organ in Ham- 
burg. There is nothing in Chrysander's book, so 
far as I have seen, that disproves the suggestion 
that he spent a month or two in Hanover in the 
Spring of 1 703, where Hawkins alone sends him 
at that date. 

Again, "^ Mainwaring originates the story of 
Handel's having made the acquaintance of Stef- 
fani in Venice." (DwigJiCs Journal.) 

Chrysander seems to take every opportunity of 
expressing his contempt of Hawkins, but gives a 
great deal of weight to Msunwaring, and in this 
matter follows the latter. I do not find, however, 
that he has added any circumstance to strengthen 



the statement which he adopts. As between 
Hawkins and Mainwaring in this matter I prefer 
the former. 

Once more. As to the opera, " Agrippina," 
at Venice, Mattheson and Marpurg date it. Car- 
nival 1710; Burney and Amold,l 709 ; Schoelcher, 
1707; Chrysander, 1708. The writer in Dwight's 
Journal followed an Italian work and made it 
with Mattheson, 1710. Chrysander proves to his 
own satisfaction, from internal evidence, and by 
comparing the opera with the oratorio, "Resur- 
rezione," that the Italian authority is wrong. The 
oratorio was written in 1 708 at Rome ; in the ora- 
torio is much taken from the opera : Ergo, the 
opera was composed first, q. e. d. 

Why not reason that passages in " Agrippina" 
are from the " Resurrezione " ? Chrysander ar- 
gues the matter, but his examples are not convin- 
cing tome. I however give up the date 1710, 
and admit the error in the "Le Glorie della 
Poesia e della Musica," but happily am able to 
bring forward a new witness, who confirms Bur- 
ney in his date of 1709. In 1666, Lione Alocci 
published at Rome a catalogue of printed dra- 
matic works in the Italian language, with the 
title " Drammaturgia." In 1755 this, revised, 
corrected and continued, was agam printed in 
quarto in Venice. It is a strictly bibUographical 
work, in some cases giving the vainous editions of 
a work to a wide extent. For instance, Guarini's 
" II Pastor Fido," occupies over a page, contain- 
ing even a London edition of 1 714. Query — an 
error for 1 71 2 ? for in that year it was produced 
in London with Handel's music. 

Here follow the two notices — ^the first from "Le 
Glorie, &c.," Venice 1730, the other from the 
" Drammaturgia." 

1. Anno 1710. D' Invcmo. Agrippina 441. 
Teatro S. Gio. Grisostomo, 56. Poesia d' In- 
certa Musica di Giorgio, Fed. Hendel. Questo 
Drama, come pure I'Elmiro Re di Corinto, e 
I'Orazio rappresentati piu di venti anni sono, su 
I'istesso Teatro, vantano commune I'origine da 
una Fonte sublime." 

2. " Agrippina. Dramma recitato I'anno, 1 709 
in Venezia, nel Teatro di S. Gio. Grisostomo, — 
in Venezia, appresso Marino Rosetti, 1709, in 
12 — Poosiadi Vincenzio Grimani, Patrizid Venc- 
to, poi Cardinale di Santa Chiesa e Vicer^ di Na- 
poli, — Musica di Georgio Federigo Hendel, Te- 
desco." 

The " Drammaturgia " is better informed than 
" Le Glorie," for it states that the " Ebniro " 
was performed in 1686, at Venice, written by the 
same Grimani, and printed the same year, ^'benche 
non porti il suo name " — (but does not bear his 
name). Music by Carlo Pallavicino. The " Ora- 
zio" it states also as performed and printed in 
1688. " Poesia " by Grimani, " Musica " by Giu- 
seppe Felice Tosi. The entire work is so dis- 
tinguished by accuracy, so far as I can judge by 
comparing its statements with such as I find in 
other sources, that a mistake in a London edition — 
if indeed there be one, which is doubtful— of ''Il 
Re Pastore " is of little importance. Although 



that part of the argument in the article upon 
Handel's visit to Hanover, founded upon " Le 
Glorie," falls, it certainly seems to confirm fully 
Bumey's date of the " Agrippina," 

Be this as it may, Chrysander has not, to my 
mind, shown any reason to doubt that the great 
composer visited the court ot George I in Hano- 
ver, as a young virtuoso, in 1 703, on his way to 
Hamburg. 

H. The Pianoforte. 

Dwight's Journal of Oct 16, brings me a 
thoroughly Frenchy piece of history upon the Jirsi 
Pianoforte I One dislikes to speak soberly upon 
a point so ridiculous — ^but as the story is just of 
the kind to run tjirough five hundred country 
and literary (!) papers, it needs a note or two. 

Erard was bom at Strasbnrg April 5, 1752 — 
one century to a day before the date of the first 
number of Dwight's Journal of Music — and about 
1768, says F^tis, came to Paris. Now let us 
translate from Fdtis, and see how his history com- 
pares with that in question. 

" Sebastian Erard was not yet 25 years of age, 
and yet his reputation was already so well estab- 
lished that whoever wished to have any renuirk^- 
ble piece of mechanism executed, applied to him. 
Ho was esteemed by men of the highest rank. 
One of them introduced him to the Duchess of 
Villeroy, who loved art, protected artists, and who 
above all, had a passionate taste for music. She 
requested Erard to reside with her, and offered 
him an advantageous engagement But he had 
already conceived the idea of a journey to Eng- 
land, and burned with the desire of executing it 
He therefore only consented to remain so long 
with the Duchess as would be necessary to exe- 
cute some projects of that lady, and an apartment 
was granted to him in the Hotel de Villeroy, 
suitable for his work, and where he enjoyed the 
most perfect freedom. In his old age Erard 
found pleasure in paying due honor to the bounty 
of Mad. Villeroy, and in speaking of the grati- 
tude with which she inspired him. 

** It was in the hotel de Villeroy that he con- 
structed his first Piano. This instrument, which 
had been known already in Germany and Eng- 
land for many years, was but little used in France, 
and the small number of Pianos in Paris had been 
imported from Ratisbon, Augsburg or London. 
It was the fashion in the great houses to have one 
of these imported instruments. Mad. de Villeroy 
one day asked Erard if he could construct a piano ? 
His reply was in the affirmative, and quick as 
thought The piano was already in his head. 
Like all his works, liis first piano proved him a 
man of invention and taste. It was heard in the 
Saloon of Mad. do Villeroy by all that Paris at 
that time possessed of amateurs and distinguished 
artists, and produced a lively impression. Many 
of the great lords ui^ently demanded instruments 
of the same kind of him; they were not however 
so prompt in paying for them ; most of them never 
paid." 
Fetis goes on to tell us how Sebastian's brother 



J 



282 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



came also to Paris, and how they moved off to the 
Rue de Bourbon and established a great manu- 
factory, &c. Years afterward Sebastian invented 
an Organ-Piano, with two key-boards, and this so 
delighted Queen Marie Antoinette, that she or- 
dered one. " The voice of the Queen," contin- 
ues F^tis, '* was of small com{>ass, and all her 
music, as she thought, was written too high. Erard 
conceived of the plan of making the koy-boai*d 
movable by means of a pedal, which would carry 
the key down a half tone, a tone, or a tone and a 
half at will, and without trouble on the part of 
the person playing the accompaniment." 

It is clear, that the wiseacre, who wrote the 
story of " The First Pianoforte," supposed that 
this name was derived from the movable key- 
board, which is found in many European grand 
pianofortes, and by means of which a touch of the 
pedal causes the hammer to stiike but one of tlie 
double or triple strings to each note. An arrange- 
ment which probably by far the greater number 
of i*eaders of Dwight's Journal never heard of 
before, although they think they have seen piano- 
fortes! The name Pianoforte was given in 1725-7, 
to the first instrument in which the tones, in- 
stead of being caused by a point of a quill, leather, 
or some other substance, snapping the string, 
were produced by being struck by a hammer, as 
in all our modem instruments. With the ham- 
mer the string may be struck hardly or softly, 
and the tone will correspond ; but the string, as it 
slips off a point, will always vibrate with nearly 
the same intensity, and the player can hardly 
make any difference of forte or piano. 

The invention of the hammer was nearly simul- 
taneous in Germany, France and Italy. Fdtis says 
that Marins, a harpsichord maker, made three 
models of instruments, and presented them to the 
Aeademy of Science as early as 1716. No doubt, 
but they never came to anything. 

In 1720, Bortolo Chistofolo at Florence con- 
ceived the idea of using hammers, and I suppose 
worked it out. 

But the man who really carried out the inven- 
tion into practice, was Christoph Gottlieb Schroter. 
Ue was bom at Hohenstein — I suppose the vil- 
lage in the so-called Saxon Switzerland, which 
many of my readers have visited, — they will re- 
member the huge precipices, the deep lovely 
valley, and the old castle on the opposite side. — 
Aug. 10, 1699. In his seventh year he became a 
nnging boy in a Dresden choir, and finally mem- 
ber of a principal school there. His parents in- 
tended him for the Church, and in 1717 he en- 
tered the University at Leipzig. During this year 
both parents died, and he at once exchanged 
Theology for music. While in the school, he had 
prepared models of the pianoforte — ^i. e. had in- 
vented the hammer, and in 1717 presented them 
to the Dresden Court He was too poor to have 
an instrument manufactured; but Silbermann, 
harpsichord maker at Freiberg in Saxony, took 
up the matter, and about 1726 made the first 
pianoforte. 

So much for the Frenchman's fantasy piece. 
What is the old saying about di*awing upon your 
fancy for facts, and your imagination for argu- 
ments ? I do not remember it exactly. 

in. A Correction. 

In a semi-weekly Tribune which came last 
week, I find extracts from Longfellow's new 
Poem. By the way, I could wish that paper had 



more such book notices and loss of long serial no- 
vels; it is a little hard to pay 14 to 18 cents pos- 
tage upon each number, and so often find one to 
two pages filled with Thackeray and Bulwcr, 
which I can buy ranch cheaper in Tauchnitz's 
editions. I fear Prof. L. has not read Dwight's 
Journal carefully enough ; or he would have seen 
full proof that Luther knew nothing of the Old 
Hundredth psalm tune, which was first adapted to 
Beza's translation some seven years afler Luther's 
death. The name Bcza in the line would be 
equally rhythmical, though perhaps with more of 
truth than poctr}'. 

Query. Alden leaves Plymouth on Standish's 
errand, and his way leads through the forest, 
" where robins and bluebirds are building towns 
in the trees." Do robins and bluebirds build in 
the forest ? I cannot aflinn that they do not — 
but according to my observation, never. 

What says T. H. thereto? What Audubon? 



A Permanent Diapason. 

The following letter from the Paris Con'cspondcnt 
of the New Orleans Picayune , throwu more light than 
we have yet had upon the attempt of the French 
Government to establish a uniform standard of mu- 
sical pitch. 

Paris, Oct. 18, 1858. 

You know the French Government is engaged 
in an attempt to fix in a permanent manner, by 
some standard, the musical diapason. I confess I 
did not exactly know the evil sought to be cured, 
nor the mode likely to be proposed. I have 
sought some information on the subject, and as I 
dare say it is not impossible some ol your readers 
may be nearly as ignorant as I was. I condense, 
in as few lines as possible, all I have gathered re- 
lating to the diapason. 

It seems to be proved that the rise of the dia- 
pason, or musical pitch, is to be imputed solely to 
the manufacturers of musical instruments. They, 
to give more eclat to the flutes, hautbois and clari- 
nets, they manufactured, have clandestinely 
raised the tone. Now, when these instruments 
were introduced into concertos with other instru- 
ments, their masters were obliged to draw the 
" slip " or ** slide " a little, to put them in accord 
with the other instruments. But as this length- 
ening of the tube (especially in flutes) disordered 
the proportions and consequently the precision of 
the instruments, the masters, by decrees, ceased 
to meddle with the slip ; so the strmged instru- 
ments tightened their strincrs a little more than 
was usual, and attained a nigher pitch. Then 
the brass (the bassoon, the second hautbois, &c.,) 
instrument performers, finding themselves unable 
to rise to the dominant note, carried their instru- 
ments to the makers and had them ** cut," that 
is, shortened until they gave the new pitch. In 
this way the diapason was raised in orchestras, 
and it soon affected pianos, which are always 
tuned by steel musical forks, whose prongs were 
filed down until they gave the new pitch. 

There is no question that the pitch has risen 
within the last nundred years, and has risen al- 
most eaually every where, as the musical festivals 
of England and German>'j)rove. How could the 
orchestras of so many different places as are col- 
lected on these occasions be tuned together, were 
there a great dissimilarity between the pitch of 
Birmingham and London, or Liverpool and Dur- 
ham ? The differences of pitch between different 
cities and countries is scarcely sensible, and the 
lai^est orchestras may be " put in tune " if the 
" sup " of the wind instruments, whose pitch 
proves too high, be drawn. The musical or tun- 
ing forks, made in 1799 and 1806, &c., and the 
old organs of some churches show that the pitch 
has risen, for they are all a full tone iower than 
the pitch of the present day. Hence these or- 
gans are commonly called ^* si flat organs," be- 
cause their t/f, being a tone lower tlian the pres- 
ent lU is in unison with the present siflaU These 



organs are less than a hundred years old. As^ the 
pitch has risen a tone in a hundred veai"s, if it 
continues to ristj as it has done it will rise through 
the twelve dcmi-toucs of the gamut in six linn- 
dre<l years, and be a irhole octave higher in 2458. 

The ruin of the finest voices and the brief 
career of singers are not the only jjcrnicious ef- 
fect.s pro<luced by the rise of the pitch. In the 
days of Lulli, that is, at the period of time when 
conij)osers began to write dramatic music and 
operas in France, no singer found it diflicult to 
sing the pails written in the limits then adopted 
for the voice. And, although subsequent coin- 
posera failed to note the rise of th«». diapason and 
to write a little lower (as they should have done,) 
the parts written by llamcau, Monsij^ny, Gi-etry, 
Gluck, Picciui and Sacchini, when the pitch was 
nearly a tone lower than it is now, long remained 
easy to singers, and most of them are so still, ex- 
cept some passages in Monsigny's scores which 
were a little high for that day, and are a great 
deal too high for ours. Spontini, in " La Vestale," 
*' Cortes," "and in " Olympia," wrote tenor's parts 
which singers now-a-days find too low for them to 
sing. Twenty-five years aflerwards, during which 
the pitch had risen rapidly, composei*s increased 
the upper notes for soprani and tenors. Tlien 
shrill, natural nts^ as head and breast voice, and 
shrill tUs slimy (it is true, as a head voice, but old 
composers never used them,) began to appear. 
Tenors were more and more frcfiuently rcijuired 
to give the shrill, natural si, with great force as a 
breast voice, which would have been for the old 
pitch an ut sharp, of which no trace can be found 
in scores of the last century, llie soprani were 
forced to give and sustain shrill uts, and the bass's 
part was loaded with high, natural mi-s. This last 
note, although too often used by the old compo- 
sers as fa sharp, at the period when the low dia- 
pason was in use, was nevertheless much less used 
than it is now as mi natural. Achille, in Gluck's 
** Iphigdnie en Aulide," (one of the highest ten- 
or's parts in all Gluck's scores,) did not go up 
above si natural, which ** was then the note our 
la is, and was consequently a whole tone lower 
than our *i. He placed one single shrill nf in his 
'* Orphde," but tliis note which was the same 
souna as the ul used three times in " Guillaume 
Tell," appears in a slow vocalise' in a head voice, 
so as to DC rather hinted than hallooed, and offers 
neither danger nor fatigue to the singer. One of 
Gluck's great feminine parts contains the sijlat 
given shrilly and sustained with force, (Alceste,) 
which 51 Jlat is equivalent to our la flat, Ko 
composer at present thinks of hesitating to write 
in the prima donna's score the la flat and the la 
natural and the si fat, nay, even the si natural 
and even the uL The highest pitched feminine 
part composed by Gluck is Daphne in " Cythcre 
Assidgde." An air of Daphne, ^^Ahl quel ban- 
heur (T aimer ! '* rises rapidly as hiph as ut, [our 
si fat"] and the whole part bears evident marks of 
having been written for one of those extraordinary 
songstresses, found at every epoch and called 
" light singers," women whose voices possess an 
extraordinary compass in high notes. M'mes. 
Laffrange, Marie Cabel, Miolan-Carvalho, Zerr 
and some others, are contemporar)' artists of this 
class. Now this shrill ut founa in Daphud's part is 
equivalent to our si fat found every where at 
present. M'me. Cabel and M'Ue. Zerr give the 
shrill counter fa ; M'me. Miolan-Carvalho gives 
the counter mi, and M'me. Lagrange gives the 
flute's counter sol. How brief is tho. period of 






time during which voices which attain these 
notes, last ! How many voices break in attemp- 
ting to imitate these songstresses! How many 
tenors have destroyed their voice by breast uts 
and natural sis ! And this rise of the pitch pre- 
vents performers on the horn, and the trumpet, 
and the cornet, from executing notes which form- 
erly were executed by every horn player and 
trumpeter ; as, for instance, the shrill sol of the 
Re trumpet, and the mi of the Fa trumpet (these 
notes together produce la to the ear) ; the shrill 
sol and die shrill ut of the sol horn (the latter not« 
was used by Handel and by GIuck ; it is consid- 
ered now as absolutely impracticable) ; and the 
hicrh ui of the La cornets Hence it has been said : 
*' Now-a-days trumpeters and comists have no 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1858. 



283 



mouth,*' for at every pcrfoniiancc miscarried, 
broken sounds frequently annoy the ear. The 
fault is not with the men, but lies on the change 
of diapason. 

It is ])i'obal)le the Ciovernment will not attempt 
to lower the present pitch, (although such a nie;i.s- 
ure would unquestionably prove a substantial 
benefit to tho whole musical world), since to 
effect such a revolution it would be necessary to 
btiy new wind instruments for all of the theatres 
and for all the bands of the army, to say nothing 
of organs fijr the churches. All the Government 
deems feasible is to a'H.'crtain the present pitch 
and to secure it in a permanent manner. The 
means of doing this are simple enough. The 
instrument of acoustics, found in every laboratory, 
called " siren," enables us to count with mathemat- 
ical precision the number of vibrations a sonorous 
body executes per second. If the la of the 
French Grand Opera be selected for the standard, 
(a la of 898 vibrations per second,^ nothing 
would remain to be done but to place tne pipe of 
an organ giving precisely a to of 898 vibrations 
per second in the greenroom of the orchestra of 
all the theatres and concert rooms. And here- 
after the orchestra will no longer be tuned by the 
liautbois or flute, as is now the rule, but by the la 
organ pipe, and no musician will be allowed to 
carry his instrument away from the theatre ; and 
any piano, wind instrument or organ offered for 
sale, which may be tuned above the oflicial tone 
will be liable to fine ; and, lastly, the Government 
will forbid all composers writing for the Grand, 
Opera, Opera Comiipie, Tlie«'U.re Lyrique and 
Italian Opera, from using the ^notes which have 
destroycjl so many fine voices. You see, nothing 
less than a musical revolution is about to be 
attempted, if not effected in France. 

Gamma. 



A New Orleaxs Prima Donna. ^- We are in- 
formed by letter fmm New York, that Miss Emma 
Oakley Wilkinson, a native of our city, and daughter 
of one of our late and prominent merchants, is to 
make her debut, during the coming year, in New 
York, in Italian opera. She is at present a pupil of 
Signoriiia Spinola, prima donna of the JuUien and 
Die Bull opera troupes. 

Miss Wilkinson was educated here at M'me. Des- 
rayaux* well known ac:idcmy on Burgundy street, 
where she was a favorite pupil of that very capable 
and cxi)ericnccd music master, Mr. Eugene Prdvost, 
leader of the orchestra at the Orleans theatre. We 
have often heard her sinfj at the fiwjucnt musical ex- 
aminations given at M'me. Dcbrayaux*, and her 
sweet and powerful mc/<zo-soprano voice, and culti- 
vatc<l style of singing, even then attracted much at- 
tention. 

We learn that this young lady intends visiting our 
city professionally ere going to Europe, where she 
intends studying in tlic best schools of art. — N. 0. 
Pica^aac. 



Another Opinion on " Lohengrin" in Vienna. 

(From tho Niedcrrheiniacho Husik-Zoitung.) 

In the case of new works, which, in accordance 
with the intention of this author, are meant to 
effect a reformation, and cnilKxly a complete sys- 
tem, to effect which a constant agitation is kept 
up by an active party, as speedy a production of 
them as possible, as, indeed, of cveiy other Art- 
production of any value, is not only an act of 
justice, since an honourable judgment is due to 
every honourable aspiration, but it is, at the same 
time, an act of wisdom, because, through the 
ready production of a work of this description, 
the deceptive nimbus, which surrounds everything 
system actually kept fi*om us, disappears of its 
own accord. In the domain of Art, just as in that 
of religion or politics, persecution assists pretended 
as well as real error, while the freedom of regular 
propagation and undisturbed investigation causes 
everything to appear in its true light. 

Following out this principle, we have advocated, 
when addressing all our musical institutions, the 
production of new works generally, even when wc 
did not agree with the artistic tendencies of their 
composers. The principal consideration will 
always be to act justly towards every vital effort, 
without making any exception on account of the 
special form under which that effort may be 



exhibited. But if this first dutv is fulfilled 
towaitls the composers of the i)rcsent day, wc 
must be allowed tlic greatest freo<loni in Jmh/inf/ 
their efforts, and we must sternly defend those 
health// princlplen, on which even/ work of Art, if it 
deserves the name, must be unconditionallv b«%scd. 

Ivpgarded in this light, the production of 
Wagner's Lohenr/rin, at tlic Imperial Opcrahouse, 
Vienna, strikes us as a very significant and satis- 
fatitory event, not as being a victory achieved by 
the so-called ** Music of the Future," but as a 
fii'st guarantee of, at least, a partial change in the 
system pursued at our Imperial . Operahouse, 
where, it would seem, the repugnance hitherto 
evinced for everything new and unusual has, at 
last, given way to a reasonable mode of looking 
at matters of Art. 

The divided and partially brilliant success of 
the fii'st representation ot Lohengrin, on the 19th 
August, has been unanimously acknowledged by 
all the Viennese critics, competent and not com- 
petent. 

What a welcome 0])portunity for the organs of 
the Weimar-Leipsic pjirty to indulge in a " Te 
Deum laudamus !" Vienna, which has hitherto 
been branded as heretical, will now probably rise 
in value, that is to say, in the estimation of the 
above party, and, by the applause it has bestowed 
on Wagner, have earned the recognition of its 
right to possess a " Future !** All a«ssertions to 
the contrary, adverse criticisms, and objections 
will wisely be passed over in silence by the organs 
of Wagner's party ; the applause bestowed on 
certain passages will be claimed for the whole 
work, and the success of tho whole work will be 
claimed for the " Opera of the Future." 

But we, who, perhaps, look at the matter with 
somewhat harmless partiality, and, at all events, 
are better acquainted with things here than our 
colleagues in Leipsic and Weimar, can only per- 
ceive, if not an intentional deception of the public, 
at least only a gross piece of self-deception. 
That Lohengrin was produced is a proof of the 
artistic feeling of the new management, a feeling 
which, we trust, will be extended not to the 
" Music of the Future" alone, but to every effort 
of real talent of the Present. In the fact of the 
public having readily come forward to welcome 
this pi-aise worthy step, we see a new proof of the 
susceptibility of the Viennesse, and tlieir yearn- 
ing for fresh and better things. With regard, 
lastlv, to the success of Lohegrin, we consider it 
as tlie merite<l recognition oSf* Wagner's talent; 
recognition which he has achieved not through his 
system, but in spite of it, recognition, therefore, 
which is in no wise to be attributed to the new 
operatic system, or to the so-called party of the 
*' Future." We will at once clearly explain our- 
selves on this point. 

(To be continued.) 



Madame Bosio in Russia. 

(From the GuetteRusM de rAoaddmie St. Petersburg, Oct. 

6, 1868.) 

It is truly delijjhtfnl to hear Madame Bosio sing. 
Our incomparatable prima donna appeared last week, 
for tho first time this season, in Verdi's opera of AVr/- 
oletto. The part of Gilda was performed by her with 
that artistic perfection, both vocal and dramatic, so 
highly appreciated hy the exceedingly exacting pub- 
lic of St. retersburg. We will not speak of the man- 
ner in which she was received. The enthusiastic 
shouts of applause of the audience lasted a quarter of 
of an hour. It was a perfect ovation. She sang as 
only Madame Bosio and tho nightingale can sing. 

'[the public seemed inclined to make her rc])eat 
every piece, but was contented with encoring the 
quartet of the last act, where tho poor girl's bitter 
tears and her outraged father's despair are accom- 
panied by the strident laugh of the courtesan, and the 
joyous song of the seducer. 

Madame Bosio mado her second appearance in La 
Traviata, one of tho favorite operas of tho St. Peters- 
burg public. The large theatre was filled to tho roof, 
and there was not the smallest place left unoccupied. 
The performance resembled a perfect artistic festival, 
at which all tho lovers and amateurs of music, in fact, 
the cream of the public, had agreed to meet. 

Madame Bosio appeared, and the shouts and ap- 
plause, after lasting twenty minutes, wore succeeded 
ny a religious silence. The fair singer appeared as 
if she wished to surpass herself. lier silvery voice 



resounded through the houso with indescribable sweet- 
ness. Her adniiniblo notes entered the soul and seized 
hold of the heart. . First wc had tho gay creature, 
sventata, spoilt and mocking, who says, laughingly : 
" La vita c ncl triixjdio." Then, wheu a new senti- 
ment has stolen into her heart, she becomes pensive. 
" Ebtraro in cor scolpito loquer accenti ; saria per mia 
pventura un sero amore i" Yes ! it is that true and 
pure love which ennobles and elevates every woman. 
In vain does she endeavor to subdue this " delirio 
vano." Her efforts are useless ; in vain does she try, 
in the admirable cahaietta, " Sempre lil>era degg'io," 
to recover her self-possession. She must accomplish 
her destiny ; she sacrifices everything to her lover, 
and expires in his arms, exclaiming : " Ah ! io ritor- 
no a vivere !** 

Madame Bosio 's acting and sin^ng are beyond 
praise. She has now no rival in all Europe ; this is 
a fact of which we had no opportunity of convincing 
om-selves last vear, when we visited tlie principal 
theatres on both sides of the Appenines. In Italy, 
tljore was nothing but mediocrity ; one lady is past 
her prime, and the other puffs away like an old clari- 
net. Miolan-Carvalho, JSautier-Didide, and even Pic- 
colomini, who is so celebrated, are but poor singers 
compared with Madame Bosio, who is tho queen of 
contemporary cantatrices. 

Calzolnri is quite worthy of singing with her. The 
performance was a complete success, and every per- 
son present left the theatre with that sort of sweet im- 
pression which men remember for a long period, es- 
pecially if fate coinpells them to quit the capital and 
banishes them to the extremity of some distant prov- 
ince. 

A New Musical Instrument. — Sometimoa^ 
the director of the Conservatoire appointed a commis- 
sion to examine into the merits or a new instrument, 
called the Baryton. The members of the commis- 
sion, MM. Auber, Ilal^vy, Panseron, and Mcifred, ex- 
pressed high satisfaction with the invention, which 
was by M. Lacome du Harvc. The Baryton is an 
instrument of the violin trilie, midway in size and com- 
pass between tho. viola and tho violoncello. Its four 
strings are tuned octaves to the corresponding strings 
of the violin ; and its compass is ttios lower by a 
fourth than the viola, higher by a fifth than the vio- 
loncello. It is held and played like the latter instru- 
ment, so that tlio violoncello performers can easily 
play upon it. Its tone has a special timbre, whicn 
strikes the ear, and is perfectly distinct from that of 
the viola or the violoncello ; and thus (said the re- 
porters) instrumental music has acquired a new organ, 
which, in the quintet and the quartet, will vary the 
effects and add a new speaker to the dialogue of in- 
struments. It is evident, too, from what was said, 
that to the violoncellist it will be an addition to his 
own instrument ; for, from its being struck exactly an 
octave below the violin, it will throw open to the 
player all the beautiful music, written for the piano- 
forte and violin, by Mozart, Beethoven, Weber, and 
other great masters. 

[What has become of this new invention ? — ^Ed.] 

A Paris correspondent of the Transaipt relates the 
following anecdote of Mme. Cabel, of tho Opera 
Comique. It occurred at the little town of Le Mans, 
where she had gone to sing at a charity concert. 
There is no mistake, it seems, about tJiat Cable : 

Shortly after she had alighted at the hotel, she saw 
an elderly gentleman carried into a room adjoining 
that which she occupied, and who had just been 
seized with a violent nervous attack. After she had 
recovered from tho emotion caused by the sight, 
Mme. Cabel turned her thoughts to the object of her 
visit to Ix) Mans, and began practising the pieces 
which she was to sine tho next morning at a publie 
concert. When she had gone over them once or 
twice, some one knocked at her door. It was the 
chambermaid of the hotel, who came to say that her 
singing had produced tlie most singular effect on the 
sick person, and that the medical man began to hope 
that music would produce a cure. Mme. Cabel, on 
hearing this, did not hesitate a moment, and, notwith- 
standing the fatigueof her journey, continued singing 
for a part of the night to alleviate the sufferings of 
the temporary neighlior. Not content with this, on 
her day after, having sung at the concert, she re- 
turned and sang for the sick man five or six times as 
much as she had done before tho public. 



New York, Nov. 29. — The opera season is ap- 
proaching its termination. The production of Mo- 
zart's Nozxe di Figaro was moderately successful, but 
the work has created no sensation. How anybody 



284 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



can place it by the side of Don Giovanni is perfectly 
incredible. It is, however, replete with beautiful, 
flowing melodies, and is pleasing and interesting, if 
only from its qaaintness, and its illastrioas composer. 
Formes has a capital pai't as Figaro, and Piccolom- 
iifi and Ghioni sing a sweet duet that is nightly 
encored — or was for the two nights the opera was 
given. Robert U DiaUe has also been given twice, 
Gazzanioa being really sublime in the last act. Fic- 
colomini will go to Philadelphia this week to sing 
with Strakosch's troupe, and she will return to New 
York in time for her benefit, which takes place Mon- 
day next. M'Ue. Poinsot appears this week in the 
Huguenots. 

Messrs Mason and Thomas commenced last Tues- 
day a series of classical matinees, the chief feature of 
which was Mr. Thomas's fine performance of a 
CfuKonne, by Bach — a very difficult piece, and the pei^ 
formance reflected great credit upon this studious and 
careful young violinist. Mr. Thomas is now consid- 
ered one of the very best violin players in the dty, 
and deserves his reputation. 

The Mendelssohn Union repeat this week their per- 
formance of " St. Paul." The Harmonic Society 
will give us the " Messiah " on Christmas night. 

Arthur Napoleox, a boy of fifteen, is the great- 
est, the most astonishing pianist we have in New York. 
He has ali'eady given one concert, and will give oth- 
ers. His style is more like Gottschalks's than that of 
any other pianist that has been here, and he pinys 
with true feeling as well as surpassing execution. 
We are over-run with pianists — Mason, Napoleon, 
GoLDBECK,and Mesdames Graeveb — Johnson and 
ABEL, (a new arrival) all threaten us with piano-forte 
recitals. 

Taking up a newspaper a short time since, I read 
an item headed " Tragic occurrence in Milan," and 
as it relates to musical people whose talents have 
afforded mo great enjoyment, I make note of it here. 

For the last year or so, the sisters Ferni, two 
young girls, each an accomplished violin iijt, have 
been travelling around the cities of Italy, giving con- 
certs, which were always successful. I had the pleas- 
ure of hearing them at La Pergola, Florence, where 
they performed some of their duets, between the acts 
of the opera, and the enthusiasm they created quite 
eclipsed that aroused by the prima donna of the eve- 
ning. The girls are modest and intellectual in ap- 
pearance — they are blondes, and though attractive 
possess none of tliat traditional beauty of Italian wo- 
men ; they look rather like a couple of English 
young ladies. The speciality of their performance 
is their duet-playing, which I have never heard sur- 
passed, though they also appear as soloists, and their 
popularity is very great all over Italy. It now ap- 
pears that some two years ago '* a young and rich Si- 
cilian fell in love with one of these sisters, and one 
day asked their father whether he would give his 
daughter to a young man possessing an income of 
20,000 fr. a year. Ferni replied that he would do so 
with pleasure, provided the suitor obtained her con- 
sent. The young man went away without saying 
anjTthing further, but a short time ago Ferni received 
a letter from him, asking him whether he was still of 
the same mind. This letter remained unanswered ; 
Ferni repaired to Milan with his two daughters to 
give concerts at La Scala ; but they had not been 
long there when the Sicilian called upon them at the 
Hotel della Bella Venesia, and repeated his suit. 

" Mdlle. Virginia, who was the object of his pas- 
sion, told him frankly that she was resolved not to 
marry. " Is that your fixed resolution ? " asked the 
Sicilian. " It is," replied the young lady ; on which 
the Sicilian rose, cast three letters into Virginia's lap 
and then stabbed himself with a poignard. The con- 
sternation of the Ferni family may be imagined ; 
surgical aid was instantly procured, but there are no 
hopes of saving the young man's life. One of the 
letters, above-mentioned, was addressed to the police 



of Milan, informing it of his intention to commit 
suicide, in order to prevent any suspicion of murder ; 
the second contained his will, leaving half his fortune 
to Virginia, and the other half to one of the public 
institutions 6f Naples ; the third letter was addressed 
to his mother, announcing that he could no longer 
live without her he loved." Should the frantic lover 
survive, it is probable he will after all obtain the lady's 
hand, for few ladies could withstand such a proof of 
disinterested, though rather silly, devotedness. 

Trovatob. 



Priladelputa, Nov. 23. — After three successful 
representations of Martha^ and a grand miscellaneous 
concert for the sanctimoniously straight-laced, at the 
Musical Fund Hall, last week, the town has gone 
Gazzaniga-mad. The ovation which greeted Napo- 
leon Bonaparte at the Tnillerics, upon his return 
from Elba, could scarcely have been more enthusias- 
tic than the reception extcnded,last night, to Gazza- 
nioa, when she made her first obeisance before her 
legion of adorers, since her voluntary exile to the 
small island of Manhattan. The American success 
of this intensely dramatic vocalist has been of Phila- 
delphia creation. Unheralded, unpuffed, and un- 
known, dropped she in upon us two years ago, at the 
completion of our noble Academy; and when her 
name appeared amid the list of daily arrivals at the 
Girard House, — Mad. Gazzantga de Maleapina — the 
city was by no means convulsed to its <'entrc. Then, 
when she had thoroughly recniited from the fatigues 
of a protracted voyage, the first rehearsal took place, 
in the presence of a chosen circle of critics, and on the 
following day the accredited reviewers of the daily 
papers laid before the half-million population their 
first impressions of the new cantatrice. The majority 
of these Doctors spoke guardedly, and disagreed to a 
remarkable extent. Conscious of their inability to 
criticize a new candidate by the just criterions of Art, 
they hesitated and faltered, for fear of compromising 
themselves eventually. Only two of the journals 
wrote unhesitatingly, and claimed for her in advance 
the position as a dramatic singer which she now 
holds ; I allude to the Evening Bulletin ^ and if I err 
not, the Pennsylvanianf which at that time comprised 
in its editorial corps a highly accomplished musician, 
Mr. Albert G. Emerick. Soon thereafter followed 
the grand opening night, — the inauguration of the 
Academy for operatic purposes. 

Circumstances, it cannot be denied, of the most pro- 
pitious nature surrounded the debut of Gazzaniga in 
this country. Like Spurgeon, the famous divine, 
whose talents were first placed strikingly before the 
English public by dint of his privilege to preach at 
the newly built and just opened Exeter Hall, in ad- 
vance of all other public speakers, so Gazznniga at 
the Philadelphia Academy. But for the eclat attend- 
ing the completion of this magnificent temple, and 
the pride which, on its account, swelled the bosom of 
every Philadelphian from that blas^ individual, the 
oldest inhabitant, downward, the peerless G. might 
never have bowed before even a corporal's guard. 
As it was, however, five thousand elegantly attired 
persons waited breathlessly for the rising of the cur- 
tain on that night. The Opera was Verdi's Trova- 
tore, and in it the subject under present notice "came, 
saw, and conquered." She swept the stage with all 
the intensely dramatic energy of a Bachel, and 
sang, well, she sang just sufficiently well to ma- 
noeuvre her sympathetic voice to the enhancing of her 
splendid histrionic abilities. From that time onward, 
Gazzaniga made a footstool of the Philadelphia pub- 
lic. Thousands hung breathlessly upon her slightest 
movements, during the entire brilliant season which 
followed. What though she took the most unwar- 
rantable liberties with the time, metamorphosing pos- 
itive allegro movements into languishing ad libitum 
passages ; what though she transports soaring cava- 
tinas into a lower-world contralto compass; — the 



many headed public for the most part sat in blissful 
ignorance thereof, and those few who did know it, 
cared not a tinker's execration about it, so long as 
they wept with her in Traviuta, or thrilled with hor- 
ror at the flashing of her eyes in Lunrezia. 

In view of all these things, little wonder then that, 
despite the merciless storm of last night, Gazzaniga 
should have excited a tumultuous furore. When, 
after the introductory chorus, and the solo of Orsini, 
the gondola, freighted with the hateful Borgia, slowly 
glided into view, the assembled tliousands greeted 
their adored Prima Donna with a prolonged round of 
applause, which I have rarely heard equalled, and 
which so thrilled the recipient with affecting emo- 
tions, as to suffuse her eyes with tears. Then at the 
end of the first act, when Brignoli led her before 
the curtain, the waves of popular enthusiasm surged 
higher than ever, and hundreds arose from their seats 
to pay homage to her, standing. Boquets of the most 
expensive texture, (and bona Jide, this time) fell in 
showers upon the stage ; sufficient to have filled a 
donkey-cart, and plenty to spare for chorus, orchestra, 
&c. Old men stood up on tottering knees, and 
stamped their canes, until their silvery hairs vibrated 
again : and their wives and daughters stood by them, 
glowing with admiration. Lobby dandies clapped, 
until their kids ripped into dangerous rents, and the 
corns on their feet grew red-hot from stamping in 
pinching patent-leathers. Little Lctherhed, whom I 
introduced to you in a former letter, and who picks 
his teeth between the acts, standing in the parqnette, 
exclaimed near me : " Hey 1 Hey I Gathaneegath's 
the gal for us ! " 

Let me remark in conclusion, that the Opera passed 
off tolerably well. Gazzaniga acted the part of Ln- 
crezia splendidly, but her voice seemed slightly hoarse. 
Brignoli sang well ; Amodio, tolerably ; chorus and 
orchestra, as usual, badly. Manrico. 

Hartford, Conn. Nov. 27. — I have no concert 
to write about this time, excepting the one of the Kate 
Dean tronpe, which was about to be given when I 
last wrote, and which turned out to be a fine success. 
I do not know when I have l)ecn fo much pleased with 
a company of conccrt-givera as I was with them — not 
only in tlicir performances, but in their whole deport- 
ment. They had a most enthusiastic reception here, 
and gained a heap of friends. I trust that should 
they ever visit Boston, for the purpose of giving a 
concert, they may be greeted with a largo audience. 
Somebody told me yesterday that Mrs. E(a)8tcott 
and Squires were to give a concert this week. I 
hope it is so. They were fine singers before they 
went to Italy — they should be far better now that they 
have returned. I am sure they will draw a good 
house if they do come. Thus we hail everything in 
the musical horizon with delight, from this isolated 
spot, — waiting patiently to be transported. 

Oh ye that live in the great pent-up cities of New 
York, Boston and Philadelphia, that breathe the whole 
winter long the delicious atmosphere of fine and class- 
ical music, — that swallow during the season a heap 
of splendid Beethoven Symphonies, stacks of magnifi- 
cent operas — spiced witli Piccolominis, Gazzanigas, 
&c., &c., what think ye of us poor dogs, who are 
content to partake of the musical cnimbs which fall 
from your tables, — hearing now and then a great per- 
former of note(8) — hardly daring to criticize on our 
" own hook," but thinking just what the " New York 
papers " say must be true, — although some one hav- 
ing the audacity, may put out his head and publicly 
state, that " the singer has a fine voice, but it needs 
cultivation !" ( How han-oiving to an artist's feelings. ) 
I say ; what do you think of us — of our few opportu- 
nities of listening to good music 1 Sans oratorios, sang 
operas, 82ns symphonies, sans string-quintets or 
quartets, saw* anything, — a wonder that we have even 
a slight taste for the refined and beautiful in music. 

Munie, music everywhere, 

And not a note to hear. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1858. 



285 



And thcro you sit, Mr. Editor, nnd tell us country 
readers, with the most vexing complacency, in your 
" chit-chat," how you arc on tip-toe Rt Picolomini's 
advent in Boston ; of the splendid operas which are 
to ho given, &c., &c. ! and how Carl Zcrrahn has 
completed his orchestral orrEngemcnt for his series of 
SjTTiphony Concerts ; and then nearly drive us mad 
hy coolly informing us that the " Pastoral 
Stmpiiont " wonld be brought out at the first con- 
cert ! Oh the delightful sensation of being in the 
country ! — " Erwachen hetterer Empjiendnnger bei der 
Ankunft aufdem Lande." Vide the 1st movement : 
All. ma non troppo. 



'P 



fSH^f^l 






Since ^vriting the foregoing, " something has turned 
up," and I hasten to give you the important informa- 
tion that Hartford has been blessed with an opera, — 
not a fuU-fledgetl Academy-of-Music one, but a twen- 
ty-by-nine opera ( somewhere near the dimension of 
the stage at Touro Hall,) given by the Lcct East- 
COTT troupe. To be sure, the " orchestra " was only 
in keeping with the stage, for it consisted of Mr. 
James G. Maeder, who acted as conductor and or- 
chestra combined — playing the accompainments on a 
fine-toned " Hallett and Davis Grand. " Still the 
performance was evidently quite pleasing. All ideas 
of a curtain were dropped; and scene-shifters, prompt- 
ers, call-boys, choruses and chorus ma.<«ter8, &c., were 
entirely done away with, as being totally unnecessary 
in the existing exigencies of the representation. The 
whole thing, excepting the admission, was " free, open 
and above ground." The opera, the first evening, 
was Wallace's " Maritana," produced in full cos- 
tume by Mrs. Estcott, Miss Hey wood, Messrs. 
Squires, Durand and Bowler. Of course it was not 
fully brought out, and might be more appropriately 
called, on the occasion, a "drawing-room opera;" 
but it gave a few of our citizens an idea of what an 
"opera " is, and therefore, did all that it was intend- 
ed to do. 

I was a good deal disappointed in Mrs. Estcott's 
voice, — (why does'nt she spell her name as she used 
to with an " a " in the first syllable ?) — most of her 
tones, in the middle register, being quite husky and 
unpleasant. Her execution, however, was brilliant 
and florid. Miss Heywood has a very rich contralto 
voice, but is an inferior actress. Mr. Henry Squires 
must have had a most shocking bad cold, or ho has 
lost the fine organ he possessed before he went to Italy. 
His performances were unsatisfactory. Of Mr. Bow- 
ler I have nothing to say os regards his singing ; he 
acted creditably. Mr. Durand has a rich barytone 
of great power. He sang magnificently. " Sonnam- 
bula " was given the second evening, and an act or 
two of " Lucrezia Borgia " the thiitl. Poor Mr. 
Maeder put the heroine, Lucrezia into an extremely 
sorrowful plight just after her " dear son " had ex- , 
pired from tlie effects of the " pizen," by losing his 
place and presence of mind just at that critical period, 
and not being able to recover cither of them ; and there 
she stood, with her face deep buried in sorrow and her 
hands, waiting for the "orchestra " to strike up, tliat 
she might sing of her affliction. But the " orchestra" 
could not find the proper key for her to give vent to her 
" pheelinks," not even after the "prompter" had sung 
out from behind the — platform : " E flat minor /" 
Meantine, all that was mortal of her son "Elvino" had 
quietly " departed and went ;" and peeping out from 
her hands, and seeing no chance for " E fiat minor " 
to come to her assistance, Lucrezia precipitately rushed 
from the stage, quickly followed by the disconcerted 
" orchestra 1" You may well imagine the effect up- 
on the audience of such a denouement. 



Upon the whole, we have to tliank Mrs. Estcott 
for giving us so gootl a taste of opera in Hartford, but 
if she visits us again, we would much rather hear her 
in a straight out-and-out concert. 

A now music association, called the " Beethoven 
Society " has lately been organized here, with Prof. 
E. G. Daves, of Trinity College, as President ; Mr. 
James G. Barnett, as conductor ; Mr. George 
Whiting, organist; Mr. F. C. Sternberg, pian- 
ist; and AV. H. D. Callender, Esq., Treasurer. 
I tnist it will be a permanent thing. We have musi- 
cal talent enough, if that's all, to ensure its success. 

H. 



Berlin, Nov. 8. — Dear Dwight, — Among the 
constant attendants at all the best concerts hero 
is a gentleman from Baltimore, who, for the second 
time (the third?) has come over just to spend the 
winter in this city and hear the music. When spring 
comes and the season is over, he steps aboard a 
steamship and returns homo. 

Another is an old friend of yours — who, by the 
way, complains of your long silence — a pioneer in 
the good cause of chamber music and the Music 
Hall in Boston, who is also here, with his family, for 
the music. He tells mo that he can live cheaper in 
the very excellent hotel, where he is, than in his own 
house in Boston. Now why should there not bo fifty 
just such cases from the musical circles of our cities ? 
People come over in crowds every year to Paris, 
Florence, and Rome, to spend the winter in the in- 
dulgence of their peculiar tastes, at a far greater ex- 
pense, if I am correctly informed, than it would be 
for the lover of music to come here and gratify his. 
You sec I go upon the assumption that Berlin is for 
music what Paris is for fashion, and Florence and 
Rome are for painting and sculpture. I will show 
yon that it is so. During the last three weeks — in 
which I have been prevented from writing to you by 
the Boston Library business — the musical season 
has fairly opened, and that, too, most richly. Let me 
take things somewhat in order. 

Opera. — Your regular Berlin correspondent has 
at times complained of want of enterprise on the part 
of the directors, for continually reproducing so many 
of the old operas. This is very natural for a man 
whose home is here, and to whom such works have 
been familiar from childhood. But for us, who have 
never seen any opera adequately put upon the stage, 
even the most flimsy work of the weakest school, 
and whose whole experience is confined to a range of 
some dozen or fourteen, the fact that the Berlin Opera 
gives us standard works of all schools, all produced 
with equal care, even to the smallest details, is just 
that which renders it for an American the most inter- 
esting and valuable operatic institution in the world. 
The directors, it seems to me, are wise in this, as the 
crowd of strangers, which one always sees at the per- 
formance of a standard work, shows. To show how 
catholic the direction is in this regard, and what an 
opportunity it gives us to compare schools and styles, 
see this list of performances during the last few weeks* 

Oct. 5. Sophie Catherina ; Flotow. 
" 7. Zaul)erflote ; Mozart. 

8. Lticrezia Borgia ; Donizetti. 
10. Macbeth, by Taubert; which, I am ♦old, 
contains much really fine music, and is a success, for 
which I am heartily glad, the Kapellmeister's efforts 
hitherto not having been successful with the public. 
I have not heard it. 

" 12. Martha; Flotow. 
" 15. Vestal; Spontini. (Magnificent!) 
" 19. Fig-iro's Marriage ; Mozart. 
" 21. Rolxjit the Devil ; Meyerbeer. 
" 24. Don Juan ; Mozart. 
" 26. Merry Wives of Windsor ; Otto Nicolai. 
" 28. Tell ; Rossini. 
" 29. Belmont and Constanza ; Mozart. 
31. Mcriy Wives of Windsor. 



(( 



ti 



<( 



Nov. 2. Troubadour ; Verdi. 
" 4. Barber of Seville ; Rossini. 
" 5. Tannh&user; Wagner. 
" 7. Masanicllo; Auber. 

How does it strike you ? The trouble is that it is 
a superfluity of richness ; one is bo often in doubt 
whether to go to opera or a concert. Three or four 
times a week, on off nights, a new ballet, " Flick 
and Flock's Adventures," which is having an im- 
mense success, has been given all this time and seems 
likelv to last the winter. 

Out at Kroirs a company from Konigsberg, which 
has a delightful soprano, has for many weeks been 
giving a series of light operas, many of them being 
translations of the favorite works of Auber, Mebul, 
and others of the French school, to full houses. 

Oratorio. — The usual series of three concerts by 
the Singakademie offers Handel's " Joshua," Bach's 
great Mass in B minor, and Haydn's " Seasons." 
The first of these has been given, and caused me great 
delight, both by the excellent chorus singing and by 
the opportunity afforded of enlarging ray acquaint- 
ance with Handel, of whom the work, though not a 
" Samson," or a " Messiah," is worthy. The Society 
has no organ, and as additional parts were not added 
for the orchestra (Liebig's), at times the accompani- 
ments were thin. Handel always made up for tiie 
small extent of the orchestra of his time by playing 
the organ — and where this instrument is not at 
hand there is a necessity of adding modem wind in- 
stniments, or we do not get his full idea. 

Besides the regular scries, the Akademie announce 
an extra concert, at which Bach's " Gottes Zeit is die 
aUerheste Zeit" and Cherubini's Requiem will be sung. 

The Schneider Singing Society has given Mendels- 
sohn's " St. Paul" in the Garrison church, and now 
advertises " The Resurrection of Lazarus," as I am 
told ; the advertisement has not yet appeared in my 
paper. 

I am sorry to sec that Stem advertises as yet no 
oratorios by his singing society, for from no other 
source have we any hope of hearing Beethoven's 
great Moss in D, and Ninth Symphony entire. The 
Society gave on Saturday evening a private concert 
in honor of Mendelssohn, singing the Lohgesang, but 
no ticket was sent me, and none were for sale ; of 
course I did not hoar it. 

The Dom-chor, that extraordinary choir of men 
and boys, announce their series of throe concerts, at 
which one has opportunity of hearing the works of 
the older Italian roasters, Palestrina, Lotti, Allegri 
and the like, — works of which you will soon have 
correct copies in the Public Library — thanks to the 
wisdom of the directors. 

Three or four years since I wrote you much and 
very eulogistically of the fine mixed concerts, ar- 
ranged and conducted by that enterprising man. 
Stern, in which orchestral, vocal, and virtuoso music 
were so admirably mingled. These we shall miss 
this winter, but as a substitute to some degree, a se- 
ries of three, of which two have already been given, 
has been brought to performance by Robert Ra- 
DECKE. The first of these had the following excel- 
lent programme ; 

Overture to Meeressiille, by Mendelssohn. 

Concerto for Pianoforte, Violin, and Violoncello 
with orchestra, Op. 56, by Beethoven. 

Laub played the violin, Gruetzmacher, of Leip- 
zig, the 'cello, Radecke the pianoforte, and Liebig's 
orchestra the accompaniment. Of the work it is suf- 
ficient to say it was by Beethoven. The solo playing 
was of the very first order. I hope hereafter to 
make you bettor acquainted with Laub ond Griitzma- 
chcr ; of Radecke I will say now that he is a young 
man, I should judge not yet thirty ; a Silcsian by 
birth ; received his musical education at Leipzig, pass- 
ing his examination in 1850, and being in 1852-3, for 
one year, at the head of the music of the Leipzig the- 
atre, after which he came and settled here. When I 



286 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



was here three winters since, ho gave with Granwnid, 
a young violinist, a series of concerts of chamber 
music which I did not hear. 

What he is as a musician, the following extraordi- 
nary fact will give an idea. At the Prufung of the 
Conservatorinm of Leipzig, in October, 1850, Ra- 
decke, in one evening, played the solo parts in Schu- 
mann's pianoforte, and Mendelssohn's violin concer- 
tos, and then directed tlie performance of a symphony 
of his own ! Since his residence in Berlin, Kapell- 
meister has produced another by him at the great 
Sinfonie Soirees. There is a probability that you 
will yet know the name of Robert Radecke better. 
Bat I am far away from my concert I 
• The third number on the programme was an air 
by Bach, sung by Herr Sabbath, a noble bass of the 
Dom-chor, with obligato violin, played admirably by 
Lanb — who is indeed one of the great violinists. 
After this followed a virtuoso performance on the 
violoncello with orchestra bv Grutzmacher. I think 
him the finest 'cellist I ever heard. 

The second part of the concert was occupied by a 
cantata — " dramatic poem " — after Ossian, for solo, 
chorus and orchestra, composed by — as a matter of 
course almost — by Cade. The argument, as printed 
in the text book, is as follows : Comala, the daughter 
of Samo, king of Innistorc, so goes the legend, had 
conceived a consuming passion for Fingal, king of 
Morven. Fingal returned her love, and Comala, dis- 
guised as a warrior, followed him in an expedition 
against Caracul, king of Ix>chlin. On the day of the 
battle, Fingal parted from Comala, left her upon the 
mountain behind, whence she could behold the battle, 
and promised in the evening, after the victory, to re- 
turn to her. Comala waited with gloomy foreboding 
the return of Fingal ; the storm arose and swept 
around the mountain, and upon it rode the ghosts of 
former generations, on their way to the battle-field to 
lead the souls of the slain to their new abode ; she 
mistakes the purport of their appearance, and sup- 
poses the battle lost and Fingal slain. The shock is 
too great and she dies. But Fingal had conquered, 
and when evening came, returned amid songs of tri- 
umph from his warriors ; but the victors were met by 
the damsels of Comala singing lamentations over the 
death of the beloved one. In sadness and sorrow the 
king called upon the bards to praise her in their 
songs, and the choruses of the virgins and bards went 
with the soul of the deceased to tlie home of her 
fathers. 

I liked it very much, and should the project ever 
be fulfilled of giving a scries of united orchestral ond 
vocal concerts in Boston, I should expect to hear this. 
There is great opportunity for orchestral painting, 
which Gade has well taken advantage of. The effect 
of the whole is somewhat sad, but one hears it and 
feels the charm of the old Ossian passion, which nt 
some period of our literary lives we have almost all 
passed through. 

Radecke's second concert was given lost Friday 
evening, and was one of very high interest. Three 
numbers were new on the programme to nearly the 
entire audience, and the other as good as new. The 
three were, 1st. The Serenade composed in 1780, for 
2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bass horns, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 
violoncello and contrabass — a delicious work and 
finely played by meml^ers of Liebig's band. 2d. 
"An die feme Geliebfe" a set of six songs which be- 
long together, and are expressive of varied emotion 

— a work full of feeling, and very well sung by Herr 
Schneider, who has lately played in several perfor- 
mances of the opera-house. Clara Schumann 
played the accompaniment. 3d. Symphony No. 2, 
in C, by Schumann — on the whole, the most inter- 
esting symphony I have heard from him — and one 
which many who heard it, call one of the very richest 
works since Beethoven. The other — good as new 

— was Mendelssohn 'sJConcerto in G minor, for piano 
forte and orchestra, the solo played by Clara Schu- 



mann. Quite a delegation of Americans was pres- 
ent and all ogrced as to the perfection of the perfor- 
mance. For my part, her playing on the whole 
gives me more real musical enjoyment than that of 
ony other pianist I have heard. Our friend A, refer- 
red to above, thinks the same, and he, you know, is a 
better judge than I. The enthusiasm with which I 
wrote of her three years ago in your paper, was not 
misplaced. Could you but make it pay her to visit 
Boston ! A. W. T. 



5ferg|fs lonrnal d Pttsk 



BOSTON, T>KC. 4, 1858. 



Music m this Nuxbxr. — Continu&Uou of the Cantata: 
'' Hiri&m's Song of Triumph," by Frakz Schudekt. 



What is '' Classical *' Music? 

n. 

We endeavored a few weeks since (sec Jour- 
nal of Nov. 13) to break ground a little towards 
furnishing an answer to this question. We own 
to having made but little progress. The further 
one proceeds, the clearer it becomes that such a 
question defies definite solution ; that there is an 
essential vagueness in the phrase " Classical 
Music," by which even the most intelligent use of 
it is not entirely unencumbered. Be it under- 
stood, however, that our task is not to show what 
music should and what should not be accounted 
classical ; nor what ougJit to be meant by " Clas- 
sical Music"; but simply to <lofine, if possible, 
what w meant ; to note the various uses of the 
term in common parlance, and tr}' to drag to 
light the notions and distinctions more or less im- 
plied or latent in the various applications of the 
word. 

We hear " classical " music opposed to " light " 
music, as if it were a thing more solid, serious, 
earnest, of deeper import, dealing with giTater 
subjects, stirring deeper feelings, taxing higher 
powers of appreciation, than the mere music of an 
hour's amusement, the waltzes, polkas, variations, 
trifling or weakly sentimental songs, light operas, 
&c. So it is, for the most part, but not invariably ; 
for many operas, which arc light in subject, in 
dramatic contents, arc yet classical by virtue of 
the genius, the imaginative faculty, the exquii$ite 
beauty and consummate mastery of Art evinced 
in them; such, for instance, as the " Marriage of 
Figaro," the " Barber of Seville," and other ;>»«; 
<r esprit by masters so superior that every thing 
they do acquires a certain oflor of this same clas- 
sicality. Ar^d is not the lightest, play fullest 
Scherzo in a Beethoven Symphony as classical as 
any part of it ? 

Again, we hear classical opposed to popular 
music, as if it were something not meant for the 
many, but for the few — for cultivated tastes — for 
" the appreciative" — for those in whose life-plan 
music holds so serious a place that they have 
deemed it worth their while to learn to love what 
there is best in it, and not remain content with 
what is easiest, or what it is the fashion of the 
day to like and be amused with. For the most 
part it is so. And yet much of the most learned, 
complex and artistic music ; — much that does not 
cease to be a study with the earnest music-lover 
and musician while he lives, is also popular, inspi- 
ring and delightful to the masses, when given a 
fair hearing. What shall we say of Handel's 
" Messiah," of the 12th Mass of Mozart, of the 
" Creation " by Haydn, of the opera " Don 



Juan," where it has once got tolerably well 
known, and does not »u(\or in the representation ? 
Nay, even the C minor Symphony, played by a 
noble orchestra, lias held the lai^ost audience 
breathless with delight, exalted above common 
life, above themselves, as certainly as standing 
face to face with the great mountains or Niagara. 
Many a time it needs no learning to appreciate 
the beautiful and grand results of learning. 
What the scholar alone can write, if it be true, 
if there bo life in it, we all of us can feel. And 
so of much of this fine music, which we hear cou- 
pled with the bugbear epithet of " classical " i 
give it a fair chance, offer a fair exposure to its sun- 
shine, and all of us, who have a sense and soul for 
music, whether we understand it learnedly or 
not, arc pretty sure to feel its warmth, and find 
it " meets our case " by rendering back to us a 
portion of our best life, that daily ebbs away 
amid the sands and shoals of miserable routine. 

" Classical" music in the sense of learned, elab- 
orately complex, highly artificial, as opposed to 
simple ; of pedantic, as opposed to natural, spon- 
taneous, captivating ; of music in certain forms, 
cast in certain moulds, or woven into certain tex- 
tures, as the contrapuntal and fugue structure in 
choral or concerted pieces, organ music, &c., and 
the Sonata or Sjinphony form in instrumental com- 
position, as opposed to the free fantasia stylo, so 
common in these days of virtuoso exhibition, 
scarcely recognizing any principle of form ; and 
finally in the sense of old, time-sanctioned, as op- 
posed to modern, has already been con^dered. 
Perhaps if we consider what has made the music 
that is old " still live," what has made the fugues 
and the Sonatas that are so learned and so difli- 
cult, and so beyond the comprehension of the 
many, still the more valued the more truly musi- 
cal one's taste becomes, we shall get at the essen- 
tial meaning and intention of the term *^ classical," 
as used in all of the above senses. Meanwhile, 
before summing up, we venture to recall some 
hints upon this topic written by us a long time 



ago. 



In Music the " classics," the cherished models 
and text-books of the classes, are of comparatively 
modem date. Yet music, like literature, has its 
classics, its established models of form and method 
in the art of composition. It finds them in thase 
brave, inspired old geniuses, in whose hands the 
rude music of nature gradually grew into the 
wonderful forms of the music of Art : the men, 
whose musical creations were a practical unfold- 
ing of the germs of music, according to their in- 
nate divine laws of proportion, combination, 
harmony, into full and perfect forms of Art. In 
them natural music became scientific, learned; 
that is, in their works we find the principles, the 
eternal laws of music best illustrated. It is no 
longer a vague, wild, RK>lian harp-like phenome- 
non, floating about the world in mysterious snatch- 
es of melody ; but its principle of order has been 
found and logically developed ; and now a piece 
of music is a connected discourse, in which a 
melodic theme is unfolded, treated, brought into 
relation with kindred themes, and woven as a 
motive or primitive fibre into a complex organic 
texture. Those who first did this (working of 
course in an ascending series of greater and great- 
er successes, from Orlando Lasso, through 
Palestrina, through Bach and Handel, up to 
Mozart and BeethovenJ of course wrought ear- 
nestly. They had got hold of the genuine thing. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1858. 



287 



Merc fashions, weak aspirations after novelties 
and si>ecioiis effects, had no part, or at least a 
very small part in their lahors. Hence they 
could always be a])pcalcd to as jreniiine : Das ist 
ilas icahre ! ( that is the true thing ! ) said Beet- 
hoven of Handel. And all the moBC motlern 
music, however various in forai and spirit, how- 
ever antic and fantastic in its attempts at novelty, 
even to the Paganinis and De Meyers, rests on 
this classic ground-work of culture. To make 
musicians, the works of the great contrapuntists 
must be studied. Countcrjwint — Punctnm contra 
punctujn, point against point, — is the derivation 
of the word. It describes a composition in several 
parts or voices, note answering to note, each part 
having its distinct individual movement, yet all 
together interwined into a beautiful, complex, 
harmonious whole. Canon and Fugue followed 
by the logical necessity of things; for this very 
logic of nature is itself a fugue ; and the fugue 
principle, variously mo<lified and more or less dis- 
tinct, runs through all nature and all Art. Fuguo 
is the form of free, harmonious motion, type of the 
infinite everywhere in the finite ; set water in 
motion and you have wave chasing wave, which 
is a fugue. These old masters got hold of this 
principle of nature and wrought it out gloriously 
into their works, their fugues and choruses, their 
masses and oratorios, their sonatas and sympho- 
nies. 

Tliose of them who adhered most strictly to the 
principle, and were least drawn off by tempting 
fashions and popularities of the day, naturally be- 
came the classic models for musical students* 
Palestrina, Bach and Handel especially so. 

Now some are narrow and pedantic enough to 
limit the term classical to these, and to think 
nothing sound which wanders far from them. 
They forget that genuine Art must have ttco attri- 
butes ; one is learning, but the other is inspiration, 
genius ; one may be acquired, the other cannot. 
Bach, and Handel, and the later names whom we 
call classical, were all men of genius ; if they 
have all met in certain common principles of Art, 
because all so profoundly true to nature, which is 
one in all its infinite variety, still they have eacl| 
wrought from a decided individuality of genius. 
Mere imitation of their form and manner cannot 
make one classical ; for what makes the models 
themselves classical, is that they imitated no one, 
but sought the real laws of Art, whether in the 
labors of their predecessors and masters, or in 
new experiments of their own. They made 
nature, Art, the soul, God, their master. 

This element of genius admitted, together with 
the perpetual change of circumstances, local and 
historical, and wc see that the term " classical,'* 
to preserve any good and worthy meaning, must 
constantly extend its arms and take in wider and 
wider varieties. It is absurd to limit it to a cer- 
tain number of old masters, and to later copyists 
of them. Thus we approximate by a negative 
process to a clear and sensible use of the term. 



Musical Libraries. 

Dear D wight. — The experience which I had as 
a sort of nnder-libmrian, with the Into Dr. Harris, at 
Cambridge, together with the observations I have 
made in, and what I have learned from various 
sources of the great libraries of Europe — all this has 
impressed me with the conviction that the two great- 
est objects of a public library are : the collection of 
books which arc too costly for private persons to own, 



and the preservation of such as are not worth owning 
by a private person. There are so many, many 
books, which once in half a century for some one 
pci-son have an immcnBC value, and tlirough him for 
the public, but which arc not otherwise worth the 
room they would occupy on tlio shelf, that I consider 
among the best institutions of Utopia — when that 
land shall at last be discovered, that which has for 
its object the preservation of wortldcss books. 
Hence I wisli devoutly to see somewhere preserved 
(in our own line) a complete collection of all the col. 
lections of psalmody,, which, like leaves of autumn, 
are continually falling. 

But more important for us is it, that some public li- 
hrai-y should have a collection of the old classics upon 
tlio thcoiy, history, and practice of music. No pri- 
vate person witli us can well afford to own them, nor 
are there many who would find much inducement to 
nse them — but here and there one will appear whose 
tastes and studies will lead him to make such a use 
of them as shall make them of public advantage. 

As a matter of personal profit all that tends to 
awaken and increase the public interest in music is of 
advantage to the practical musician. The writer up- 
on music creates a demand for the composer and per- 
former ; the latter opens a way for the writer — all 
are equally interested in having a good musical li- 
brary in the city. 

The conductors of the Public Library in Boston 
have made quite a handsome appropriation for the 
basis of a musical collection, but m the multitude of 
branches of learning, literature, and art, which they 
must see to it are represented in this collection, the 
means fails for an extensive expenditure at once. A 
comparatively small sum annually will add the more 
modem music and muvical books to those they al- 
ready have. But unless the rare opportunities can be 
embraced, when old collections happen to come up, 
no money or pains will enable us to acquire the an- 
cient classics. Such I call the Italian and German 
writers — nay, the English also — of the period from 
1475 to 1725. Since 1845 I have examined London 
Antiquarian catalogues for certain works on music iu 
vain. 

Just now there is a collection for sale in this city, 
of which, I am sorry to say, the possessor knows the 
value, and his prices will be for many of the numi>ers 
high. But the great libraries of London, Edinburgh, 
Paris, and several of the German princes want many 
of the books, and will pay immense prices for single 
ones. The opportunity of purchasing many of them 
— old Italian, Latin, and German works, slich as oc- 
casionally are of the highest value to the student, but 
not directly of use to the public — is the first I have 
known since I began to interest myself in this matter. 
Now is there any way in which the musicians of Bos- 
ton can be brought to see that it is for their interest 
in the lon^ run to have such a basis for a musical li- 
brary ? If so, why can they not arrange a concert to 
raise funds for its purchase, and establish an annual 
concert for the increase of the collection ? In Europe 
government collects pictures, statuary, books, every- 
thing that the people can ask as a means of studying 
science, history and Art. In our country almost all 
must be done by the voluntary act of the people. 
Can the musical people be depended upon to do any- 
thing for their Art ? I have good reason to think 
that a handsome offer for the whole would not be re- 
fused. One library only needs the whole. 

Balin, Nov. 9, 1858. A. W. T. 



Musical Chit-Ghat 

A tribute to the memory of tlie late John Lange, 
one of our best musicians, and very highly esteemed 
as a teacher and as a man, who died Not. 8, in this 
city, shall appear in our next. 

Opera 1 The Opera is coming. The groat Ull- 
M\s Troupe, with Piccolomiki, and Labordb 
and Poinset and Guiovi, — with Formes, Bbiq- 
NOLi, Florenza, and otlier tenors, baritones and 
basses, — with an orchestra of from forty to fifty in- 
struments, according to the requirements of the 
piece, — with the same large and well-trained chonis 
as in New York, — with a repertoire including all the 
famous operas there given, — and with most piquant 
fashionable prices, which wc suppose everybody will 
bo fashionable enough to pay, by way of " treating 



resolution " after valiantly confessing poverty and not 
subscribing to cheap orchestral and other concerts ; 
— for all thi9 the manager pledges himself in his 
grand manifesto iu our advertising columns, omitting 
however, some of its gems of eloquence which will 
be found in the diuly newspapers. Next Wednesday 
is the opening night, the first of the " Piccolomini 
nights," when the fascinating little Countess will ap- 
pear in La Traviaia, On Friday we plunge into the 
thick of the business with the grand opera, the " Hu- 
guenots," for the first time in Boston, when the three 
otlier prime donne will appear, with Formes in his 
great part of Marcel. Of course we shall have the 
" Marriage of Figaro " and " Don Giovanni," and 
" Robert le Diable," and more famous tilings as long 
as purses shall hold out. We believe there never has 
been in tliis country such an operatic success as that 
of tliis same company this past month in New York. 
. . . Carl Zerraiin commences his rehearsals this 
week, and we suppose the evening of the first Orches- 
tral Concert will soon be announced. . . . Dropping 
in at the Museum the other evening to see a portion 
of the new and brilliant spectacle of " Sinbad the 
Sailor," we were struck by the originality and beauty 
of much of the music, composed for it hy Mr. Eicii- 
berg, the conductor, who gives some exquisite violin 
solo passages in the course of a moving panorama. 

Carl Mozart, the second and only surviving son 
of the great Mozart, died at Milan, on the SOth of 
October, in his SOth year. He left the bulk of his 
property to a religious society, after distributing val- 
uable mementoes among his friends, and providing al- 
most inunificentlv for the future comfort of a faithful 
servant. For the last forty representations of " The 
Marriage of Figaro " in Paris, he had received the 
sum of 8,000 francs Verdi is at Naples, direct- 
ing in person the rehearsals of his opera, Simon Boc- 

canegra The foreign papers are not yet weary of 

reporting or of manufacturing Rossini anecdotes and 
bonmots ; among the latest this is good enough, 
whether it be true or not. The composer, being ask- 
ed by a friend why he never went to any lyrical 
theatre, gave, amongst other reasons, tlie following : 
" I am embarrassed," said he, " at listening to music 
with Frenchmen ; in Italy or Germany I am sitting 
in tlie pit, and on either side of me is a man shabbily 
dressed, but who feeU the music as I do ; in Paris I 
liave on each side of me a fine gentleman in straw- 
colored gloves, who explains to me all I feel, but who 
feeh notltinff ! All he says is very clever indeed, and 
it is often very true, but it takes the gloss off my own 
impression — if I happen to have any." 

A German paper (the Jlefjensburger Zeitung,) speaks 
in glowing teims of a new musical work by it valued 
contributor to our Journal, Dr. Zopff, of Berlin. 
Wo translate a few sentences : " No recent event in 
the world of Art here has excited such an interest 
among cultivated people, as the performance of tlie 
final scene of Marckcr's Alexandrea, set to music by 
Dr. Zopff. Our largo and beautiful Arnim's Hall 
was filled with a rare audience, composed of honored 
statesmen, artists, and men of science, such as no 
work has brought together since the days of Mendels- 
sohn. There was our venerable Nestor, Humboldt, 
with other learned men, attracted by the antique theme 
and execution of the work ; there, two, were Meyer- 
beer, Grcll, Schneider, and other musical celebrities ; 
the leading members of the 8tage,the diplomatic corps, 
&c., who also listened nearly three horn's with singu- 
lar attention to the work as performed by our best 
court opera singers and players. Great as was the 
impression produced by this work in the concert- 
room, where it was given as a 'Requiem on the death 
of a hero,' with the title, 'Funeral solemnities of 
Alexander the Great,' especially by its large poly- 
phonic features, it is still better suited for scenic repre- 
sentation on tlie stage ; its grand military processions, 
its dramatic fire, its extremely animatea recitative, 
and dreamy southern melodies make Dr. Zopff 's work 
a highly efTective stage piece.' 



tt 



288 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



New MuBic. 

(By RuMell k Tolmftn.) 

Av« Maria^ eompoied by A. Bivdelaei, pp. 5. 

The commoq Latin words of the Catholic prayer to the Vir> 
gin, with English Tersion, arc here sut to music of a cluvte, re- 
ligious character. There is much power and beauty In the 
melody, w|th due abstinence from those choap common-places 
of Italian opera whioh sin^^crs so delight in. After a few sol- 
emn church chords, the words Ave Maria are twice intoned 
slowly in the plain old canto fenno style ; and then the melody 
flows forth naturally upon a woll-contrivcd accompaniment. 
Wo leare it to the singers to compare it with the i4t*c Maria by 
Cherubini and by Robert ITranB. 



The Echo: Waltz for Soprano Voice. A. Buidklau. pp. 9. 

This Is the brilliant piece of concert vocaliiation composed 
by Sig. Bendelari for the remarkably flexible and bird-like 
Yoioe of his pupil, Miss Abbt Fat, a very good likeness of 
whom adorns the title-page. Yet while the aim la rocalization 
the piece being full of echoes, trills, runs, arpeggios, &c, there 
is a little poetic song-thought running through It, — a pretty 
melodic sulijeet, taking the form of a waits, with snggestloni 
of mountain air and distances In the accompaniment. It will 
b« good exercise for bird-like sopranos. 



£hi %xis. 



Biukin On Education In Art 



(Concluded firom last week.) 

The facts of which it is necessary that the 
student should be assured in his early efforts are 
so simple, so few, and so well known to able 
draughtsmen, that, as I have just said, it would be 
rather doubt of the need of stating what seemed 
to them self-evident, than reluctance to speak 
authoritatively on points capable of dispute, that 
would stand in their way of giving form to a code 
of general instruction. To take merely two 
instances : It will perhaps appear hardly credible 
that among amateur students, however far advan- 
ced in more showy accomplishments, there will 
not be found one in a hundred who can make an 
accurate drawing to scale. It is much if they can 
copy anything with appro.ximate fidelity of its 
real size. Now, the inaccuracy of eye which 
prevents a student from drawing to scale is, in 
fact, nothing else than an entire want of appreci- 
ation of proportion, and therefore of composition. 
lie we who alters the relations of dimensions to 
each other in his copy, shows that he does not 
enjoy those relations in the original ; that is to 
say, that all appreciation of noble design ( which 
is based on the most exquisite relations of magni- 
tude) is impossible to him. To give him habits of 
mathematical accuracy in transference of the 
outline of complex form is, therefore, among the 
first, and even among the most important moans 
of educatinj^ his taste. A student who can fix 
with precision the cardinal i)oints of a bird's 
wing extended in any fixed position, and can then 
draw the curves of its individual plumes, without 
measurable error, has advanced further towards a 
power of understanding the design of the great 
masters than he could by reading many volumes 
of criticisms, or passing many months in undisci- 
plined examination of works of art 

Again, it will be found that among amateur 
students there is almost universal deficiency in the 
power of expressing the roundness of a surface. 
They frequently draw with considerable dexteri- 
ty and vigor, but never attain the slightest sense 
of those modulations in form which can only be 
expressed by gradations in shade. They leave 
sharp edges to their blots of color, sharp angles 
in their contours of line, and conceal from them- 
selves their incapacity of completion by redund- 
ance of subject. The assurance to such persons 
that no object could be rightly seen or drawn 
until the draughtsman had acquired the power of 
modulating surface by gradations wrought with 
some pointed instrument (whether pen, pencil, or 
chalk) would at once prevent much vain labor, 
and put an end to many errors of that worst kind 
which not only retard the student, but blind him ; 



which prevent him from cither attaining excel- 
lence himself or understanding it in others. 

It would be easy, did time permit it, to give in- 
stances of other principles which it is c<jually 
essential that the student should know, and certain 
that all ])ainters of omincncc would sanction ; 
while even those respecting which sonic doubt 
may exist in their nnplioation to consumniate prac- 
tice are yet perfectly determinable, so far as tlu^y 
are needed to guide a Ijeginncr. It may, for 
instance, be a question how far local color should 
be treated as an element of c^ iaroscuro in a 
mastsr*s drawing of the human m. But there 
can be no question that it must 1 j so treated in a 
boy's study of a tulip or a trout. A still more 
important point would be gained if authoritative 
testimony of the same kind could be given to the 
merit 'and exclusive sufficiency of any series of 
examples of works of art, such as could at once 
be put within the reach of masters and schools. 
For the modem student labors under heavy dis- 
advantages in what at first sight might appear an 
assistance to him, namely, the number of examples 
of many dilTerent styles which surround him in 
galleries or mu.seums. His mind is disturbed by 
the inconsistencies of various excellence and by 
his own predilections for false beauties in second 
or third-rate works. He is thus prevented from 
observing any one example long enough to under- 
stand its merit, or following any one method long 
enough to obtain facility in its practice. 

It seems, therefore, very desirable that some 
standard of Art should be fixed for all our schools ; 
a standard which it must be remembered, need 
not necessarily be the highest possible, provided 
only it is the rightest possible. It is not to be 
hoped that the student snould imitate works of the 
most exalted merit; but much to be desired that 
he should be guided by those which have the 
fewest faults. Perhaps, therefore, the most ser- 
viceable example whicli could be set before youth 
mischt be found in the studies or drawings rather 
than in the pictures of first-rate masters; and the 
art of photography enables us to put render- 
ings of such studies, which for most practical 
purposes are as good as the originals, on the 
walls of every school in the kingdom. Suppo- 
sing (I merely name these examples of what I 
mean) the standard of manner in Ught-and- 
shade drawing fixed by Leonardo's study, No. 
19 in the collection of photographs lately pub- 
lished from drawings in the Florence gallery ; 
the standard of pen drawing with a wash, fixed 
by Titian's skctcn, No. 30 in the same collection ; 
that of etching, fixed by Rembrandt's spotted 
shell ; and that of point work, with the pure line, 
by Durer's crest with the cock ; every effort of 
the pupil, whatever the instrument in his hand, 
would infallibly tend in a right direction, and the 
perception of the merits of those four works, or of 
any others like them, once attained thoroughly by 
etTorts, however distant or despairinrr, to copy 
portions of them, would lead securely, in due 
time, to the appreciation of other modes of excel- 
lence. I cannot, of course, within the limits of 
this paper, proceed to anv statement of the pres- 
ent requirements of the Englisli operative as re- 
gards Art-education. But I do not regret this, 
for it seems to me very desirable that our 
attention should for the present be concentra- 
ted on the more immediate object of general 
instruction. Whatever the public demand, the 
artist will soon produce, ana the best education 
which the operative can receive is the refusal 
of bad work and acknowledgement of pood. 
There is no want of genius among us ; still less 
of industry. The lea.st that we do is laborious, 
and the worst is wonderful. But there is a 
want among us, deep and wide, of discretion in 
directing toil, and of delight in being led by im- 
agination. In past time, though the masses of the 
nation were less informed than they are now, 
they were for that very reason simpler judges 
and happier gazers ; it must be ours to substitute 
the gracious sjTnpathy of the understanding for 
the bright gratitude of innocence. An artist can 
always paint well for those who are lightly 
plea.sed or wisely displease<l but he cannot paint 
for those who are dull in applause and false in 
condemnation. 



SperiJiI |t0trres. 

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF TlIK 

Xi .A. T E S T X-CTJSIC, 
PAMUhed hr O. DiCMM Sl Co. 



MirsfC BT Mail. — Qiinntftici* nf Mufiic are now w»nt hj mail, 
the exp^^nfe bi*ing only nbout oiip rent a|>{i'<'(', while the caro 
and mi»iij|ty of transportitlon are rcinftrknlilc. Tha-c at a 
Rroat dintanre will find the iiio«le nf coiiTeynnre notmily it ron- 
Tenienoe. but a ivwiii^; of oxpcnitc in obt-ilning flupplicn. nooks 
ran alxo be nont by ni:iil, at the mte of one rent per ounre. 
Th\it npplirff to any dUtjinrc nndor throe thouxaud milue ; be- 
yond that, double tlic above rates. 



Vooal, with Piano Aocompaniment. 

Gnardiiin Angels. Song. Clare ir. Deam^. 25 

A simple, but well flninthed song, which will gala 
much upon nearer acquaintance. 

Trip lightly. Song. Albeii W. Berg. 25 

An easy, off-hand composition, fresh and pleasing. 

Under the Linden. Song. Geo. lAnJey. 25 

The latest of the fiiTorite pisees of this popular au- 
thor. 

My guardian angel. Song. Geo. Felix Benkert. 25 

The first work of this promising young composer af- 
ter returning from his studies in Germany. Easy and 
pleasing. 

Threads of Gold. Song. 3/. W. Balfe. 25 

This little song betrays more care on the part of its 
author than he has been wont to bestow upon his nu- 
merous late productions. It is a very happy effusion, 
both with regard to poetry and music. 

Steadily on wo go. J. P. KnipJit. 25 

Another of Knight^s bright, cheering songs : a rush- 
ing, impetuous mariners* lay, with ware-like, siz- 
cighth rhythm. 

Instrumental Music. 

Fort Washington Schottisch. Imogene Hart. 25 

Julia Polka. L. C. Weld. 25 

L'Eclipsc Polka Mazurka. G. Smt'th. 25 

Bengal Tiger Polka. W. Range. 40 

East Dance Music, of a popular character. 

Marche dcs Amazones. Chcu. Wds. 40 

Les deux amis. Nocturne. " 80 

Reverie sur Tocean. *' 80 

Schottisch dc Salon. " 30 

Popolska Mazurka. " 30 

This series of original compositions by the well 
known, talented author well deserres the attention of 
all piano players of taste and skill. The first piece is 
a pompouN march of great brilliancy, demands a cleyer 
player, but is sure of a fine efliect when played well. 
The Nocturne is a neat, amiable little tale, with the 
melody principally moTing in the middle part. " Rer- 
erie sur V ocean " is the name Tery appropriately giv- 
en to a really charming, dreamy tone-poem, with a 
melody moring along fairy-like upon lightly heafing 
billows, whirh rapid arpeggios in the lelt hand clererly 
imitate. The two last named pieces are comparatively 
easy, and of a lighter cast than the rest. 

Books. 
Zdndel's Melodeon Instbuctoh. — The com- 
plete Melodeon Instructor, in seven parts. 
Part I. Elements of Music. II. Progressive 
Finger Exercises. HI. Airs, Marches, Waltzes, 
Dances, Variations, &c. IV. Favorite Move- 
ments from Operas. V. Voluntaries and In- 
terludes. VI. Selections from Oratorios. VII. 
Modulations. Designed as a thorough instruc- 
tion book for the Melodeon, Seraphinc, Eolican, 
Mclopcan, Organ, or any similar instrument. 
By John Zundel. 2,00 

This work in not only an " Instructor " but in eyery 
sense a '* complete " instructor for the melodcoo and 
instruments of like nature. Its contents may ba 
Judged of by its title page, abore given, fWwn which 
also, an idea may be had of their variety, embracing 
all that can possibly be looked for in the form of In- 
structions, examples and exercifes. It is univenally 
pronouced the most thorough instruction book of the 
kind, and is recommended by Lowell Mason, Emilins 
Girac, Wm. B. Bradbury, and every one who has ex- 
amined it. 




writ's 




omul 





ViSXt^ 



Whole No. 348. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1858. Vol. XIV. No. 11. 



For Dwight^a JonriMl of Munlc. 

The Legend of the Eose Tree of Santa 
Maria degli AngelL 

By TnovATOR. 

The flunous church of Snnta Maria de^li Angeb\ one of the 
moKi macniflcont in Italy, Is nituatod near the ConTont of St. 
Franclii at AMi»i, and covers the spot fomiprly occupied by the 
Uteie hutof the holy mint — the rnde walU of the hut yet ro> 
maining under the dome of the church. St. Francia occupied 
this little hovel at the period of the legend, related in the fol- 
lowing ballad — 

St Francis was kneelinf^ l>efore tho cross 

In lonely and silent pniyer, 
When he heard the sound of a heavenly voice 

Ring sweetly through tlio air. 

St Francis looked up, and a holy light 

Dazzled his saintly eye, 
And ho felt that it was our blessed Lord, 

Who had died on Calvary. 

And he heard a voice that thrilled his soul, 

Tho voice of that blessed Lord ; 
The voice of Him whom the hosts of Ileaven 

For ages have all adored. 

It was not the voice of an angry Judge, 

But tho voice of a Saviour dear, 
And its tones of mercy, its tones of love. 

Banished his rising fear. 

It told him his pious prayers had been heard. 

And, like Solomon of old, 
To him would be granted whatever he asked. 

Were il wisdom or earthly gold. 

St Francis prayed that each pilgrim, who 

From afar this place should win. 
Might by that toilsome pilgrimage 

Be pardoned from every sin. 

His prayer was granted ; the holy saint 

Then turned from his humble homo, 
And joyfully travelled alone and afoot 

On the road that leads to Rome. 

Tho Pope was before the High Altar, 

And the holy mass he read ; 
And St Francis, after the vesper honr. 

Told him what Christ had said. 

" Away ! away ! " said the faithless Pope, 

" I cannot believe this tale." 
St Francis wearily turned from Rome, 

And he travelled o'er hill and dale. 

Till he came again to his humble cell ; 

Then mournfully he sighed 
And, lifting up his voice to heaven. 

To Our Lady dear he cried. 

Then again he kneeled before the cross 

In lonely and silent prayer. 
And again he heard that heavenly voice 

Ring sweetly through the air. 

And he looked, and again a holy light 

Dazzled his saintly eye. 
And again he was near our blessed Lord, 

Who had died on Calvary. 

And again that dear voice spoke, and said 

That a miracle would prove. 
To the world abroad and tho Pope at Rome, 

The strength of a Saviour's love. | 



It said to him that the rose-tree fair. 

That grow by his cottage door. 
Should suddenly bloom at the touch of his hand. 

Though the summer time was o'er. 

And then the voice to sweet music changed 

And slowly it floated away ; 
And the holy light, that had filled the room. 

Withdrew its celestial ray ; 

But it seemed to have left a halo bright 

Round the head of the holy saint ; 
When alone in his cell it was brilliant and clear. 

When away from the cross it was faint. 

Yet many a time when the mass he read, ' "• 

When he preached the holy word, 
That light toas seen^ and the people said: 

'Twos the shadow of Our Lord, 

St Francis stood up from before the Cross, 
And he went to tho rose-tree fair — 

It was only the first month of the year. 
And bitter and cold was tho air. 

And the frost lay glistening bright on the ground, 
And the mountains with snow were white ; 

The rose-tree had lost all its flowers and leaves — 
It was but a piteous sight. 

Then the people gathered around to ask 

What the holy man wanted there. 

He gave them his blessing — he looked towards 
Heaven, 

Then he touched tlie rose-tree fair. 



I would that we all had been there to see 
The miracle wrought in their sight. 

For quickly there bloomed on the withered tree 
Roses, both red and white. 

The roses so red, St Francis said, 

Were tinged with the blood of His dying love ; 
The roses so white were the garments bright 

That we all shall wear in His kingdom above. 

The news soon spread o'er the Christian world, 

To the Pope on his papal chair ; 
And the miracle that St. Francis wrought 

Was quickly known everywhere. 

And pilgrims flocked to St. Francis' shrine. 

As had been ordained by Heaven, 
And as many as made this pilgrimage. 

Were of all their sins forgiven. 

Long ages have past, and the holy saint 

Has gone : — and now joyfully 
He sits at the feet of Our Blessed Lord, 

Who had died on Calvary. 

But the rose-tree lives to this very day. 

And even now, it is said, 
That every year, on this same rose-tree. 

Bloom roses, both white and red. 

And a stately church with its frescoed dome. 

Covers St Francis' shrine, 
And the Pope, in his papal chair at Rome, 

Still honors the saint as divine. 

Thus when we, like St Francis, from earth are 
called. 

Like him may we upward fly. 
And meet at the feet of that blessed Lord, 

Who has died on Calvary. 

Astin, Italy. April 1858. 



The Third *' Mittelrheinisches '* MoBical 

Festival 

(From the Niederrheinisehe Muaik-Zeitung.) 

The concert on the second day (the 27th Sep- 
tember), took place at two o'clock p.m., under tne 
direction of Herr Ilagcn, CapeUmeisier of the 
Ducal theatre at Wiesbaden. It opened with a 
very fine performance of Gluck's overture to 
Iphigenia in AtUis. We cannot, however, 
approve of the choice of the conclusion which R. 
Wa^^ner has appended to it, instead of that by 
Mozart, which is far better adapted for a concert. 
The orchestra, however, proved what it could do 
with a correct tempo. 

The choruses a capellay the choral by Johann 
Eccard : •• Es ist das Heil uns 'kommen her," with 
alterations in the text, and Johann Christoph 
Bach's motet : ** Ich lasse dich nicht," were given, 
it is true, with precision, and without sinking, but 
the execution was far beneath what we are enti- 
tled to expect in such choruses without accom- 
paniments. The notes were intoned rather than 
sung. Due significance was not given to them, so 
that it was seldom we heard the tone properly, or 
swell and die away as it should have done. We 
confess that proper expression of this description, 
and, especially, perfect equality of the same in all 
the voices, is difficult to acheive with only one 
general repetition of a number of different associ- 
ations, and, for this reason, we consider that 
choruses a cnpella are not at all suited for musical 
festivals. They can only be sung after a course 
of persevering study by particular associations, 
which have dedicated themselves exclusively to 
this description of music ; and even then such an 
effect as that produced by the Berlin Dom-Chor 
will be diflicult of attainment 

Herr Dionys Pruckner, of Munich, played 
Beethoven's pianoforte concerto, in £ flat major, 
like an accomplished artist. It was greatly to be 
regretted that the excellently toned grand piano 
he used was not tuned to the pitch of the orches- 
tra. This circumstance naturally weakened very 
much the effect of his playing. The orchestra, 
also, took matters too easily, and was not always 
exact. The kettle-drums completely marred the 
conclusion of the last movement, and the impres- 
sion it produced could not be eflfaced by the 
brilliant manner in which the solo performer gave 
the final cadence. Altogether, Herr Pruckner 
succeeded best in the last movement ; his execu- 
tion of the adagio lefl the audience rather cold, 
while, despite all the punty and certainty of his 
performance, he did not always impart the 
requisite breadth and dignity to the magnificent 
first allegro. Concerning the proper mode of 
executing this concerto we entertain ideas com- 
pletely different to those held by most pianoforte 
virtuosi of modem times, with the exception of 
Franz Liszt, who plays it with a classic repose, 
which in no way excludes heroic expression, but, 
on the contrary, heightens it. At the very intro- 
duction of the first movement we nearly always 
meet with an instance of false conception ; toe 
passages in it are not cadences in the ordinary 
sense of the word ; they are integral component 
parts of the whole movement, as is sufliciently 
proved by their recurrence in the tempo of the 
second part. It is true that the execution of them 
is left by the composer to the performer, but only 
iff so far as the latter conceives and renders them 
in conformity with tho character and spirit of the 
whole movement, and not as the mere means of 
displaying technical skill. 

Mendelssohn's setting of the 1 1 4 th Psalm brought 
the first part of the concert to a cloee. It was 
better executed than any other piece in the whole 
programme. The chorus and orchestra worked 
well together ; the tempo was always correct and 



.1 



290 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



appropriate, and the effect produced by several 
detached passages — such for instance, as, " Was 
war dir, o Meer ;** " Vor dem Ilerrn bcbt« die 
Er(ie ; ** and the repetition of the first theme, " Da 
Israel aus Aegvpten zog" — was grand and magnifi- 
cent The " Hallelujah" at the conclusion would, 
perhaps, have been improved by a little more fire 
and dash in the expression, though not in the 
tetfipo. 

The second part commenced with Franz Schu- 
bert's grand symphony in C major. We cannot 
abstain from saying that the performance was an 
utter failure fromoegiuning to end. We never 
met with such exaggeration of all the tempi The 
grounds on which this fact was justified by a 
zealous friend of, and cooperator in, the festivals, 
who resides in the neighborhood, are too curious 
to be withheld from our readers. ** There is no 
art required," ho said, *' to find fault with the false 
tempi; in the present instance, the conductors 
were perfectly right; the proper tempo should be 
observed with artists and amateurs ; but, if we 
would introduce Art amon^ the people, everything 
must be taken more quickly." Who can success- 
fully resist arguments of this kind ? 

It is impossible to say to what music will be 
reduced, if such a scampering throu«^h the notes 
is received as an artistic execution f The piano- 
forte virtuosi of the last ten years have got to 
answer for a great deal. They were the first to 
take the tempi too quickly, for the purpose of 
displaying their digital skill, and I recollect 
perfectly well that one of the favorite phrases of 
admiration was, '^ And what a mad tempo !" Ay, 
mad, indeed, in the true sense of the word, even 
as regards that contagious principle inherent in 
every kind of folly. French criticism invented 
for it a word, " enlever*' and was delighted if the 
pianist ( another Parisian invention ) rattled a 
piece off the keys in such a manner that nothing 
of it was lefl either in the ear or the heart. Tlie 
mania ^adually seized orchestral conductors, and 
when, in addition to this, literary men and demo- 
crats began, without possessing musical knowledge, 
to take the lead in music, we heard such observa- 
tions as : ** Our age is the age of rapid progress 
— the rate at which our blood rolls is quicker than 
its sluggish pace in the veins of our predecessors 
— we live more quickly !" As a natural result we 
were told that we must completely change walk- 
ing (andante) into running ; gaiety (allerfro) into 
unbridled noise: and quickness (presto) into 
racing. To this we must add contempt for all 
that was old and had been handed down to us, 
ridicule of all traditions, and, therefore, of musical 
tradition ; and, lastly, theory advocating the right 
of the 8vi}jective conception of a classical work by 
the player or conductor. 

In tins manner we have gradually arrived at 
such monstrosities, as the mamier in which Schu- 
bert*8 symphony was executed by Herr Uagen in 
Wiesbaden. We can only repeat what we have 
already said about it. In the very first allegro, 
the warning inscription "ma non troppo" was 
. written in vain on tne finger-post pointing to the 
correct time; the pert strength of the dotted 
crotchet, and, with it, the entire character of the 
movement waa lost, since the grace quaver conld 
never come out with sufficient force. The rapid- 
ity, moreover, which transformed the wonderful 
andante con moto into a regular jig, was really 
revolting to every one who treasured in his heart 
the heavenly melodies of this piece. Similarly, 
the allegro vivace of the scherzo became a presto, 
rendering a staccato of the quaver figures almost 
impossible. The worst treated, however, was the 
trio, in which, moreover, very little attention was 
paid to the expression, the piano being usually 
almost entirely ignored in th^ forte piano, which 
is here so frequently marked. But the ne plus 
ultra of insipia conception was furnished by the 
finale, allegro vivace, that is to say, according to 
the theory invariably followed by the conductor 
of the symphony, " as quickly as possible." It 
seems as if Herr Hagen wished to prove that 
rapidity is, after all, witchcraft. In our opinion, 
music ceases when such mad speed begins. 

After the symphony, the chorus of priests from 
Die ZavherfiUte fortunately restored our musical 
equanimity, while Handers grand " Hallelujah," 



from the Measiah, concluded, in an imix)sing 
manner, and, strange to say, in correct tetnpo, the 
second festival-concert. 

Concerning the proceedings of the third day, 
we append the a^'count furnislied by our esteemed 
Wiesuadon correspondent. 

The festival on the Nerobcrg, one of the most 
charming spots in the lovely country round Wies- 
baden, was something never witnessed here before. 
From two o'clock in the af tornoon, the crowd flock- 
ed towards the hill. Numbers of carriages 
conveyed the fashionable world thither, while the 
other part of the community moved forwanl in 
various manners, on foot, on horseback, or moun- 
ted on donkeys. An inscription on a kind of 
triumphal arch, bade the singers " Welcome under 
roof." It was a people's festival, and, consequent- 
ly, a popular tone predominated. All ranks were 
represented. Even the old master Spohr came. 
Wherever he set his foot, he was greeted by 
triple huzzas. On this occasion he became a 
" man of the people." About seven o'clock, the 
procession of the visitors, with music at their head, 
again reached the town, which was up and stir- 
ring. 

At seven o'clock, the performance of Spontini's 
Vestalin commenced in the theatre. Herr Tich- 
atschck (Licinius) was the only artist who rendered 
the performance a " festival" one. His voice is 
still fresh, strong, and equal ; his style as bold and 
sure as ever ; while his dramatic fire is still the 
same that for years has charmed the public. We 
are all acquainted with his peculiar declamation, 
which we overlook in favour of the genial singer. 
He has gone too far in this, ever to divest himself 
of his custom of dividing syllables, shortening 
notes instead, as Badcr, Mantius, as well as 
Schneider, who was once here, and all great 
tenors have done, of connecting them a little 
more. He pulls and pushes them, and is not fond 
of submitting to the composer. (Subjective con- 
ception !) 

In spite of this artist's fiery performance, the 
public was not particular^' enthusiastic. Whether 
this fact was to be attributed to the increased 
prices of admission, the house decorated ^ in a 
festive manner in honor of the third Middle- 
Rhenish Festival (as the bills announced), or the 
performance of the other articles. Heaven alone 
knows. 

Madlle Lehmann, who played and sang Julia, 
Mdlle. Schonchcn (First Priestess of Vesta), and 
Herr Simon, evidently took pains to prove them- 
selves " talented ; " but the audience bestowed 
some faint applause only on a few of Julia's sighs. 
Herr Lipp (PontifexMaximus) did full justice 
to his part, both as reganled the music and the 
declamation. The constant tremolo, the chuckling 
shakes, and the disagreeable notes in the upper 
register of Madlle. Lehmann'a voice, her unpleas- 
ant screaming, her marble-like face, which is 
always the same, and her running backwards and 
forwards, without any object, on the stage, are 
truths which we will defend against this young 
lady, and of which we are obliged to remind her. 
That, as a native of Denmark, she docs not speak 
better German, could not be urged as a reproach 
against her, were she singing in Rendsburg, Flcns- 
burgh, or Kiel ; but it is not every one here who 
knows she is a foreigner, and, therefore, this de- 
fect produces a disagreeable impression. Mdlle. 
Schonchen does not always sing in tune. She is 
too uncertain, and speaks rather with her hands 
and eyes than sings. To master such a part as 
that confided to her, she is deficient in power. 
Her voice may be well enough for unpretending 
songs, but not for dramatic singing. Herr Simon 
competes with Mdlle. Lelunann in the tremolo. 
He possesses good vocal powers, but he should 
learn to employ them in a more worthy manner. 
This would DC attended by profit and honor both 
to art and Iiimself. The dances, introduced by 
Mdlle. and Herr Opfermann, were, as usual, 
applauded. 

Characters of the Keys in Music. 

(Continued from pi&ge 267.) 

New York, Dec. 7. 
Mr. Editor, — I concluded my last letter by 
proposing to examine a few facts in connection 



with the pro<luction of greater or less velocity of 
vibration, for the purpose of drawing such infer- 
ences as the facts m«ay warrant I will now 
briefly do so. 

If wc take several strings of equal length, but 
of various thickness, and place an cciual strain 
upon them, wc find that, when set in motion, the 
velocity of the vibration of the thinner strings is 
groater than that of the thicker. 

Again, if wc take several strings of equal 
thickness, but of unequal length, and place an 
equal strain upon them, we fin<l the velocity of 
vibration of the shorter greater than that of tlic 
longer. 

The same inference results from both facts, viz : 
that, all things else being equal, in proportion as 
the quantity of matter brought into vibratory 
motion is greater the velocity will be less ; and, 
vice versa, as the amount of matter is less the 
velocity is greater. 

The velocity of the vibration, then, is nothing 
more than tlie effect, perccivetl by the car, of a 
certain amount of matter set in vibratory motion ; 
and its action upon the car is like tlie action of 
size upon the eye or the pressure of weight upon 
the hiamd or any other part of the body. 

Now, as an increase of matter gives an increase 
of weight and size, if the proposition that the 
proportions (or interval ratios) of one scale should 
bo the same as in anotlier, be admitted, which 
would give a like form or figure, we might, per- 
haps not inappropriately, liken the twelve keys 
in use to twelve metal balls, and represent 
C natural by^ a metal ball of 12 pounds. 
C sharp " « " " llj 

D natural " " " "11 

D sharp " " " " lOj 

E natural " " " "10 

F natural " " " " 9J 

F sharp " " " " 9 

G natural" " ** " 8J 

G sharp " " " " 8 

A natural" " " " 7j 

A sharp " " " " 7 

B natural" " " " 6J 

Now let these balls be rolled across a floor 
above our heads, and let the impetus given be 
•uch that their relative velocity shall be as their 
relative weight, and they will exhibit just that 
proportionate difference which,Ito my mind, exists 
in the keys in music. 

If an experiment of this kind were made, al- 
though the only means of perception were by the 
organ of the ear, yet we should, by associate 
knowledge, be able to state the positive form, 
relative size, weight and velocity ; and, possibly, 
that the balb were of metal ! 

In relation to musical sound, the Musical Scale 
is the form, and the Pitch is the size, weight and 
velocity ; and that which it is produced from, the 
material. AVill any one pretend to say that the 
ball of 8 pounds, when rolled as before specified, 
will convey to the ear the impression of greater 
size and weight and less velocity, than the ball of 
twelve pounds ? 

Now, as associate knowledge enabled us to de- 
termine several points beside the one actually 
communicated to the ear, so in musical sound, 
the same idea of weight, &c., is associated ; and 
as the difference between one range of tones and 
another is the result of an actual difference of 
quantity of matter brought into operation, so the 
difference of weight, &c. will be in proportion to 



it 



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BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1858. 



291 



sucli diflcrencc of quantity, all things else being 
equal. 

As the amount of matter brought into play, 
With its size, weight, &o., would, separately con- 
sidered, exhibit no sentimental quality, it only re- 
mains to examine the assot^iate impressions that 
these properties make, and whether the impres- 
sions and properties are in proportion the one to 
the other. If, then, a musical sound of 200 
vibrations to a second of time bo a consequent of 
double the amount of the same material brought 
into action for a sound of 400 vibrations, will not 
whatever associate impixsssion results from the 
ratio 2 : 4, be likewise exhibited in the ratio 3 : 4, 
if we use such an amount of matter as shall pro- 
duce a sound of 300 vibrations ? If the differ- 
ence between one sound and another be the result 
of a difference in the quantity of material used, 
then the effect of such difference must be in pro- 
portion to such difference. 

That which is true of a single sound, is also 
true of a musical scale ; a single sound has asso- 
ciated with it a certain amount of weight, size, 
fonn, material, and velocity of motion; and, 
when compared with another sound, possesses 
these qualities in a greater or lesser degree, ac- 
cording to the sound with which it is compared. 
A musical scale is a certain proportioned series of 
sounds, commencing on some given sound, and 
carries with it, in all its members, greater or less 
weight, &c. than some otlier scale, according as 
the fandamenial sound of that other scale is pro- 
duced from more or less material. 

One very important association, tlicn, of a scale 
formed upon a sound whose velocity is less than in 
some other scale, is, that moi^e weight, size, &c. is 
represented; hence the idea of grandeur, vast- 
ness, &c. presents itself to the mind. 

There is, however, another very important as- 
sociation connected with velocity of vibration. 
AVhen motion is very rapid, we consider there is 
much motion, when it ia slow, we consider there is 
but little. The evidence of life is motion, and 
we judge of the liveliness of a person by the rap- 
idity of his motions. Every person ordinarily 
exhibits a certain amount of motion, according to 
temperament, constitution, &c., and whenever 
more tha« this average amount is exhibited, the 
individual is laboring under some more than ordi- 
nary exciting cause ; when less than average is 
exhibited, ordinary causes fail to produce their 
usual effect, and a tendency to cessation of mo- 
tion, or death, is exhibited ; or the usual velocity 
of motion is lessened by the weight of some men- 
tal or physical impediment Less motion, then, 
in an individual, indicates a pressure upon the 
mind of great importance, and associates the idea 
of large size, weight, &c., or it shows a failing of 
power, and points to cessation, either partial or 
entire ! Greater motion indicates lightness, buoy- 
ancy, &c., and points to an increase of life, power, 
and its enjoyments ! J. J. Clarke. 



a judgment in musical matters, to look for anvthins 

■ .. __ '_ Mf ^ 




Another Opinion on " Lohengrin" in Vienna. 

(From the NiederrheiaiacUe Musik-Zeituog.) 

(Concluded from lut week.) 

Musical Vienna has troubled itself but \t,rj little 
with the factions existing in musical matters, for a 
considerable period, in the North of Germany. The 
Viennese public are not conversant with the 'subjects 
of dispute, and the warfare carried on in consequence 
by the various mnsical papers, and, above all, does 
not think of them, when streaming into the theatre 
to hear a new opera. A Viennese is, on the one 
hand, too uneducated, in many particulars, and, on 
tlie other, too reasonable, and possessed of too sound 



to dc|)rcciatc the success of Jjohcnrjnny wliicli strikes 
us as nil the more sulisfjiclory and nutwrnl, for the 
very reason tliat Wagner has to sharc it only with 
tlic artists who rcj) resented, and the jrentlenian avIio 
directed his work, wliilc wc must decidedly refuse to 
acknowledge, nnd, in doinp^ so, avc think' >vc truly 
render the opinion of the Viennese public — that the 
so-called " Music of the Future " ; the ideas wJiich 
Wa<L:ncr enunciates witli such passionate pathos in his 
^vritings ; the tendency wliicli I lerrlirendel advocates 
so cleverly in his paper, have achieved, with fjohnu 
yrin, that triumph, about which the mcndxirs of AVag- 
ncr's party are so enthusiastic. In reply to this, wc 
shall l)C told : " The puhlic was not, ])erhaps, (piitc 
conscious of what it felt ; hut the applause bestowed 
on Jjofietu/rin involved tlic rceoj^ntiou of those prin- 
ciples which Wapner wishes to introduce into opera." 
To our mind, however, the direct contrary is the case. 
Whatever pcoduccs a satir^factory and elevating ini 
pi-cssion in Wagner's oi>eni is precisely that which is 
not the practical rtxilization of his theories of reform^ 
or that on which he and his adherents lay the greatest 
stress in their arguments — hut that which, in every 
opera of the Past or l*resent, would l>e considered 
good and ttpj)ropriato, dramatically true, aud musi- 
cally beautiful. 

Wagner's talent strikes us as indisputable, but his 
tystan ;as by no means so. Wc invariably perceive 
the greatest development of his talent in the very in- 
stances where he is unfaithful to his own system. 

AVagncr's polemical and reformatory writings are 
distinpfuishedforthcirclevcr ond soaring, although fre- 
quently superabundant and vcrlwse, exposition of the 
defects and excrescences clinpng to modern operas. 
But, from the very out<et, Wagner confounds the 
aJnuie with the ritjht ewploi/tneiU of allowable means, 
and erroneously portrays every abuse as an incurable 
and fundamental evil, and all* that the greatest mas- 
ters have produced in the shape of operas as a failure. 
This is a crying act of injustice, which is an evident 
contradiction to the well-known respect entertained 
by Wagner, as a musician, for these self-same mavSters. 
But his rhetorical mode of exposition olwaj-B becomes 
darker, more unintelligible, and more superabundant, 
whenever he has to set up a picture of the future to 
puidc us, instead of the past, which, according to him 
IS languishing in its last death-struggle. His ideal of 
the true, and only possible opera, is, as fur as we can 
comprehend what he means, either a highly impracti- 
cable Mcp bachcaixls, to times long since past, or an 
intended completion and perfecting of that which has 
been done, in the same style, by tlie masters of the 
Past and of the Present— of that whicii, therefore, in 
both cases, according? to his principle, has already ex- 
isted, without the slifrhtest intention of really re-mod- 
elling it. If opera is indeed to be only a succession 
of recitatives, without a resting point — a mere musical 
intoning of the dramatic dialogue, without any spe- 
cific musical aim and substance — such unhappy ea- 
gerness to exofTKcrate Glnck's strict dicory, and to 
return to the infancy of 0|>cra, can only end in a very 
deplorable result. If this is the case, Wagner is no 
reformer, but the most violent reojctionary in the do- 
mains of Art, who despises the progress made since 
Ramcau and Lnlly, and, most impracticably, would, 
instead of det:clo))&I dramatic iwiw/c, such as we have 
possessed for cightv years, restore the recitative, which, 
if solely and wholly supreme, would constitute the 
essence of monotony. Directly the dramatic action 
And dialogue are regarded as the principal things, as 
the " aim," and the music as the *' means " only, the 
latter runs a risk of beinjj justly discarded as* com- 
pletely useless, nay, as an impracticable adjunct, even 
mtcrrupting the dialogue, and impeding the action. 
Music is effective and agreeable only when it appro- 
priates the meaninj^ of the words, and imparts to 
them a heightened effect, possessing, at the same time, 
dramatic truth and musical substance. If this, however, 
is Wagner's purpose, if his only intention was to re- 
store to opera dramatic truth, in which, from various 
errors, it is occasionally deficient, then he ought to 
have said so ; then, instead of steppinp^ forward as a 
reformer, he ought, as a true disciple of honored and 
great men, to acknowledge that he, in his way, wished 
to effect nothing but what Gluck and Mozart, Cima- 
rosa and Pacsicllo, Mdhul and Boieldicu, Cherubini 
and Spontiui, Beethoven and Weber, Spohr and 
Weigl, Meyerbeer and Lortzing, also tried to effect, 
and which they succeeded more or less in doing. 
The above masters have, each in his own way and in 
proportion to his powers, produced effects that are 
extraordinarily beautiful and great, precisely in musi- 
callj-dramatic characterization, nnd ncrf, in order to be 
characteristically tnie, by descending to absolute rec- 
itative, and banishing the cantilena ; no, they enjoyed 



the privilege of uniting Itcavty and variefg with truth, 
of blending nielodv and dramatic expression, of re- 
taining the form of the aria, the duct, etc., and, at the 
same time, of being so true, that Waj»ncr cannot bo 
more so, although ho sacrifices cverythinjr, even 
b<;anty, to truth. AVhat liecomes, then, imdcr these 
circumstances, and the crushing weight of these facts 
and exoniples, of AVagner's svstcm of the "Opera of 
the Future " ? 

For these reasons nothing has yet been gained 
for the system itself by this success* ot Lohengrin, at 
least not with us in Vienna, where, from the iforce of 
habit, i^e arc, in musical matters, usually accustomed 
to call things by their right names. Wc do not ex- 
octly know how the new ))hilologists on the banks of 
the Pleissc may choose to express themselves, but, 
among us, a melody is still always a melody, and an 
opera an opem, while simple, impressive vor-al music 
which penetrates to the heort, is still always consider- 
ed as the prcatcst triumph a heaven-inspired composer 
can achieve, so old fashioned are our views. Little is 
to be effected by us with phrases concerning the diff- 
erence between the " tone-niclody," and the "word- 
melody," oi the "harmonically-poetical complex," of 
the "architectonic treatment of the subject," of the 
"union of all the arts in one whole work of Art," &c. 
If Wagner succeeds in Vienna, it will ho in spite of 
what he has written about himself nnd what olhei'S 
have written about him. He will owe his suc- 
cess solely to his unusual natural talent, which, al- 
though not free from error, is powerful enough to 
captivate the mind of an impartial auditor, to elevate 
his heart, to fix his attention, nnd, in many 
instances, to satisfy his musical teste. But we 
must receive the composer with unbiassed opinions, 
and the less the public listens to the effusions of party 
papers, and the less the educated amateur troubles 
himself about them, the easier will it be for both to 
pronounce a just decision. 

In the choice of his dramatic subjects, Wagner 
manifests an especial partiality for those of the mid- 
dle ages, the period of myths and legends. In this 
again he is a warm friend of the dusky Past ; his 
dramas are not rooted in the stnigglcs and efforts of 
the Present, or in tlie yearning for a better Future, un- 
less, under their obscure, mysterious surface, we are 
presented with allegories, or unless the "light temple, 
more precious than aught known on earth, and in it a 
vessel of wondrous and blessed power," has a deep 
concealed meaning, which we must not dare to partic- 
ularize more nearly, since " of so sacred a nature is 
the blessing of the Gral, that, conccjilcd, it must es- 
cape a layman's eye." But however this may be, Wag- 
ner's operatic librettos are universally and justly prais- 
ed for richness of matter and dramatic effect. A strain 
of tnie poetry pcr>'adcs even Lohengrin. It is Eury- 
anthe, with greater inspiration, with purer and more 
vigorous expression, but, otlier^'ise, in a tolerably 
similar shape. The cursory and almost incomplete 
manner in which certain points are hinted at — in the re- 
peated endeavors of Telramund and Ortrud to separ- 
ated the lovers, and especially in the bewitching of 
Gottfried, &c., — does not materially injure the attrac- 
tive and moving effect of the whole. Those persons, 
indeed, who ai>ply to the libretto of an opera the 
standard which belongs to the drama olonc, can hard- 
ly be satisfied with the mere outlines of character they 
will find in the work. But we who stand upon the 
so-called " sunnounted point," must Ije content with 
the ojwatic libretto, considered as such, because, from 
a composition of tliis description we expect only out- 
lines, intended not to ix;ccive real life until united with 
music. 

This real life is in Lohengrin something very pidiy, 
and inwardly rich, although not outwardly varied 
enough. No one will call Wagner's music trivial. 
It is per>'aded by snatches of tnith, grandeur, and 
real genuine depth of feeling, which, unfortunately, 
being disfigured by a great many peculiarities pnd 
weaknesses, do not always pix)duco tlie same powerful 
effect. Wagner's scoring is distinguished for origin- 
ality, tJie dazzling charm of unexpected combinations, 
and many detached genial touches ; but, on the other 
hand, it is deficient, at times, in simplicity, nature, 
and correct measure. The introduction, before die 
curtain is raised for the first time, is very original, but 
much too long, and is rendered repulsive to many 
persons bv the long continued high fingering of the 
violins. 'Many, too, of the orchestral introductory and 
after pieces, are spun out a great deal too much, and 
the tremolo on the violins is too frequently employed, 
while the wind instniments are playing tlic melody. 
Lastly, the fnale of the first act, as well as that of the 
second, is, in certain passacres, too noisy, and strikes 
us, here and there, as an eftective but coarse exagger- 
ation of the means at the composer's command, in 
Verdi's style. Very neai-ly the same qualities may 
be proved to exist in the vocal music of Lohengrin. 
Of course we are still speaking of tlie "opera" o\ Lo 



292 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



henfjrin, as an operay that is to say, we are judfrinj? it 
by "the old standard, accordinj* to which wc look up- 
on iH)cal music, musically beautiful, and at the same 
time dramatically effective, as the greatest tiiumph of 
Art. Musical inventive power is, thcretbre, for the 
operatic composer, the first and most indispensable 
quality, as it is for the writer of the smallest son;: and 
of the gi-eatesl instrumental work. To inve*<ti^nte 
how far Wagner is, in this respect, inferior to the old 
masters, would be here a superfluous task. Whether 
he sometimes avoids melody on purpose, or does so 
onlv when his imaginative power comes to a stand- 
still, is difficult to determine. The musical auditor 
will always be loth to l>elieve in such an intentionnl 
renunciation of this most lofty and heavenly gift, and, 
whenever he hears no melody, his first and last idea 
will l)e : "The composer could not think of nnything 
here." These remarks apply partly to Ortrud and 
Telraraund, Iwth of whom are, musically speaking, 
neglected. Wcl)er's principal fault in Eun/anthef 
namely, the disagreeable expression, which deprives 
his Lysiart and his Eglantine of all musical effect, is 
hero, if not surpassed, at least repeated in Wagner's 
peculiar manner. We do not require that the ** out- 
and-out villain " * should always indulge in the most 
dulcet of strains, but we still do not perceive why vil- 
lany should be marked by the composer's condemning 
the criminal to set at naught the rules of rhythm and 
good music. Can the feelings which quiver through 
Ortrud and Telramund in the beginning of the second 
act be portrayed only by dissonances which reduce the 
singer to despair and oflend the ear of the jjublic ? 
Are not melodies of a gloomy character more appro- 
priate for rendering such situations, than a gloomy ah- 
senco of all melody whatever ? The concluding uni- 
sonal passages of this scene are a sufficient proof of the 
con*ectnessofour views, since these few bars, from the 
fact of their forming a definite melody, produce a far 
more powerful effect upon the minds of the audience 
than all the preceding 'detached recitative passages. 
It is for this reason that thechnracter of Elsa stands out 
so brilliantly from the rest. We there find the great- 
est number of complete melodious passages, while 
spread over the part is that enthusiasticallv quick and 
poetically refulgent expression, which Wagner suc- 
ceeded in imparting to his Elizabelh, although in a 
different degree, coiTcsponding to the nature of the 
latter work, an expression which, being, both in a 
in a musical as well as a dramatic point of view, as 
beautiful as it is true, fills the soul of the hearer with 
profound delight, and of itself is a testimony of Wag- 
ner's great ability. Lohengrin himself excites in cer- 
tain passages a similar sentiment of satisfaction, but 
suffers, like almost all the personages in the opera — 
not even excepting Elsa — from the svstematic em- 
ployment of the recitative form, on which Wagner's 
system, if we understand it correctly, is founded. It 
strikes us, however, that only a tolerable dose of sound 
judgnnent is requisite to perceive that when recitative 
is adopted, partly in its most simple, and partly in an 
obligato form, as a permanent standard, and only ex- 
tended, now and tnen, into an'osos, but never into a 
regular air, duet, etc., the impression produced must 
be pre-eminently wearisome. In the drama when sung 
as well as in the drama when spoken, one of the most 
powerful means of heightening the effect is to give a 
scene an unexpected turn by the arrival of a fresh 
personage, or the addition of new motives. If, how- 
ever, this expedient is employed two, three, and four 
times in succession, so that, in the course of the act 
the situation is not definitely brought to a close after 
any one scene, and no interval of natural repose su- 
pervenes, the expedient then becomes a fault, because 
the performers are no longer able to express without 
exaggeration the increased effect, because they are 
disappointed in the just claims they have to the ap- 
plause of the public, applause which is procured for 
them by the definite conclusion of a situation ; because 
such a conclusion of the separate portions of a work 
is one of the first rules of composition in art ; because 
the repetition of this dramatic lever, however effec- 
tive it may be, betrays a partiality for exaggeration 
and an ignorance of the stage ; and because, lastly, 
the spectator and auditor require occasional periods 
of repose, and can only experience the consciousness 
of such a period by the formal rounding-off of a situ- 
ation naturally complete in itself. This requirement 
which is, at least, quite as necessary for a musical at 
for a spoken drama, is mostly unfulfilled in Lohenf/rtTif 
and hence arises the more or less wearisome impress- 
ion produced by the work even on those who feel that, 
while their attention is captivated by the composition 
as a whole, their mind is delighted by detached beau- 
ties. 

These beauties, however, consist precisely in those 
(melodic) portions which Wagner's system possesses 
in common with the opera of the Past, and the inter- 
est felt is paid to the poetical whole, the work of in- 
dividual talent, while all which, in this "Opera of the 
Past," belongs to the "System of the Future," is to 



be reckoned among the defects and weak points of 
both the opera and the system. 

That which turns the scale in matters of Art is true, 
fresh, and original talent, and not the dry, hollow 
theories of arrogant system liunters. What the lat- 
ter spoil, the former make good again, and the sooner 
talent of this kind frees itself from systematic errors 
and a useless hankering after novelty, and returns to 
truly liberal, that is to say, sound and reasonable 
views, the sooner will it clear for itself a sure and hon- 
orable path through tlie Present to the Future ; a Fu- 
ture of merited recognition and undying fame. 

W. M. S. 
• '• Patentirtcr BSMtrkht." 



The Poetry of the FnritanB. 

BT CHARLES KINGSLEY.* 

Was there no poetry in the Puritans, because they 
^Totc no poetry ? Wo do not mean now the unwrit- 
ten tragedy of the battle-psalm and the charge ; but 
simple Idyllic poetry and quiet home dreams, love- 
poetry of the heart and hearth, and the beauties of 
everyday human life. Take the most common-place 
of them. Was Zeal-for-Truth Thorcsby, of Thores- 
by's Kise in Deepening Fen, because his father had 
thought fit to give him an ugly and silly name, the 
less of a noble lad ? Did his name prevent him lieing 
six feet high ? Were his slioulders the less broad for 
it? his cheek the less ruddy for it? lie wore his 
flaxen hair the same length that every one now wears 
theirs, instead of letting it hang half way to his waist 
in essence and curls ; but was he the less a true Vi- 
king's son, bold-hearted as his sea-roving ancestors, 
who won the Danelagh by Canute's side, and settled 
there on Thoresby Rise to grow wheat and lireed 
horses, generation succeeding generation, in the old 
moated grange ? lie carried a Bible in his jack-boots ; 
but did that prevent him, as Oliver rode past him 
with an approving smile on Nasebv field, thinking 
himself a very handsome fellow, with his moustache 
and imperial, and bright red coat, cuirass well pol- 
ished, in spite of many a dint, as he sat his father's 
great black horse as ' gracefully and finnly as any 
long-locked and essenced cavalier in front of him? 
Or did it prevent him thinking too, for a moment, 
with a throb of the heart, that sweet cousin Patience, 
far, far away at home, could she but see him, might 
have the same opinion of him as he had of himself? 
Was he the worse for the thought ? lie was certainly 
not the worse for checking it the next instant, with 
manly shame for letting such " carnal vanities " rise 
in his heart while he was " doing the Lord's work," 
in the teeth of death and hell ; but was there no 
poetry in him five minutes after, as the long rapier 
swung round his head, redder and redder at every 
sweep ? We are befooled by names. Call him Cru- 
sader instead of Roundhead, and he seems at once — 
granting him only sincerity, which he had, and that 
of a right awful kind — as complete a knight errant as 
ever watched and prayed ere putting on his spurs, in 
fantastic Gothic chapel, beneath " storied windows 
richly dight." Was there no poetry in him, either, 
half an hour afterwards, as he lay bleeding across the 
corpse of his gallant horse, waiting for his turn with 
the surgeon, and fumbled for his Bible in his hoot, 
and he tried to tune a psalm, and thought of Cousin 
Patience and his father and his mother? and they 
would hear at least that he had played the man in 
Israel that day, and resisted untoblootl, striying 
against sin and the man of sin ? 

And was there no poetry in him, too, as he came 
wearied along Thoresbydyke, in the quiet autumn eve, 
home to the house of his forefathers, and saw afar off 
the knot of tall poplars rising off the broad misty flat, 
and the great aoele tossing its sheets of silver in the 
dying gasts, and knew that they stood before his 
father's door? Who can tell all the pretty child 
memories which flitted across his brain at that sight, 
and made him forget that he was a wounded crip- 
ple? 

Fair Patience, too, though she was a Puritan, yet 
did not her cheeks flush, her eye grow dim, like any 
other girl's, as she saw afar the' red coat, like a sliding 
spark of fire, coming slowly along the straight fen 
bank, and fled np stairs into her chamber to pray, half 
that it might not be he ? Was there no happy storm 
of human tears and human laughter when lie entered 
the court-yard gate ? Did not the old dog lick his 
Puritan hand as lovingly as if it had been a Cava- 
lier's ? Did not lads and lasses run out shouting ? 
Did not the old yeoman father hug him, weep over 
him at arm's length, and hug him again, as heartily 
as any other John Bull, even though the next mo- 
ment he called all to kneel down and thank Him who 
had sent his boy home again, after bestowing on him 
the grace to bind kings in chains and nobles with 
links of iron, and contend to death for the faith de- 
livered to the saints? 



And did not Zcal-for-Truth look about as wistfully 
for Pationce as any other man would have done, 
longing to see her, yet not during to ask for her ? 
And when she came clown at last, was she less lovely 
in his eves because she came, not flaunting with bare 
bosom, m tawilry finery and paint, but shrouded close 
in coif and pinner, hiding from all the world l»canty 
which was there wiill, but was meant for one alone, 
and that only if God willed, in God's goo<l time? 
And was there no faltering of their voices, no light in 
their eyes, no trembling pressure of their hands, 
which said more, and was more, ay, and more beauti- 
ful in the sight of Him who made them, than all Her- 
rick's. Waller's Sacharrissas, flames, darts, posies, 
love-knots, anagrams, and the rest of the insincere 
cant of the court ? What if Zcal-for-Truth had never 
strung two rhymes together in his life ? Did not his 
heart go for ins])iration to a loftier Helicon, when it 
whispered to itself, " My love, my dove, mv undo- 
filcd is but one," than if he had filled pages with son- 
nets about Yen uses and Cupids, love-sick shepherds 
and aerial nymphs ? 

• Sm «' Sir Walter Rnlcfgh and other MtaecUaiiles," pvb- 
lisbcd bj Ticknor k Fields, Boston. 



Formes ox lkporello. — Some of the New York- 
ers do not like Karl Formes's performance ot Lepor- 
ello in Don Giocanm, which was regarded in Phila- 
delphia as one of his best parts. Formes undertakes 
to teach them what the character is, b^publishing a 
letter, from which the following is an extract : 

"For ten years I have been playing the part of Le- 
porello, and everywhere with nnequivocal success. I 
saw it plaved by the greatest European artists, such 
as Lablache and others. I have been studying as a 
conscientious artist this part, and in conformity with 
the idea of the great composer and to the best con- 
ceived characteri»:tic features of Leporello — immense- 
ly different from those ideas which a sui>crficial critic 
is too apt to adopt. Ivcporcllo is not the sneaking, 
cnifty servant which critics would like to have him 
represented ; he is neither a Tartuffe nor a Mcphisto- 
phclcs — he is, above all, the Spanish servant of his 
master. Had the reporter of the iStaats ZtiUmq, like 
Lablache and myself, tnwclled in Spain and Seville, 
or Vlttoria, and procured for himself a true specimen 
of a Spanish serncfor, he would have the opportunity 
of being enabled to judge a lkporello as he is — a Le- 
porello immensely different from the German valet de 
chambre of a German count or petty prince. 

" I.^porello is the servant of a Spanish grandee, 
treated by him less as a servant, than as his confidant. 
He is ovei-flowing with insolence and wantonness — 
ever fickle ; when in good luck, bold and reckless ; 
when in danger, craven and trembling ; in his conver- 
sation, coarse ; in his movements, partly rude, partly 
polished. Add to this his southern vivacity, which, 
in a German valet de chambre, into whom the critic 
of the Stoats Zeitiing would like to see him transform- 
ed, would no doubt appear unnatural and exaggerated. 
Lastly, Leporello, who certainly is superior to his 
master, is so cunning as to still exaggenite these nat- 
ural qualities in order to deceive his own master with 
regard to his own shrewdness and craftiness. The 
great opera public in Paris, London, and also New 
York, well know how to appreciate this conception of 
character, such as Lablache and myself regard as the 
right one. and in spite of increased prices of admission, 
rewarded us with a numerous attendance and much 
applause. 

Patriotic Tunes in Schools. — A letter-writer 
from Boston, in the New York Conner and Enquirer ^ 
who has been listening to the songs of Young America, 
reports the following. 

Music in the public schools may be an improvement, 
through it would be a pity to allow a child that had an 
ear and voice to spoil ooth at an age when they ought 
to Imj cultivated with great care. The mention of 
music reminds me of an incident which I happened to 
witness this summer. AVhere I was visiting, there 
was, near by, a large primary school, in which the 
children, every Wednesday afternoon, spent an hour 
or two in singing, chiefly patriotic tunes, accompanied 
by spatting hands and stamping. The windows be- 
ing open, we heard " Hail Columbia " regularly about 
four o'clock. One day as I was passing, some twen- 
ty of the boys were out and at play on the meeting- 
house steps near the school house. They were shout- 
ing, singing, riding on the balusters, etc. One little 
fellow, of about eight or nine, was astride one of the 
rails, drumming and singing with all his might. "Firm, 
united let us be, rallying round our liberty tree !" etc. 
In the middle of his song, a smaller boy who was be- 
low him, trying to clamber up, fell off; whereupon 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1858. 



293 



the sin^r interrupted his song with a parenthesis, 
but only for an cxclamntion, thus : "Firm, united let 
ns be, mil — ( G — d — you, don*t you know no better 
than that!) — rallyinpj round our Whertee" etc., the 
parenthesis l)cin{; thrown in boldly, in a ^ood month- 
filling style, as if it were almost a part of the tune. 

I coulil not but moralize on the spectacle, and saj 
to myself, " Have I not beheld a too common speci- 
men of YouNO America. V* 



For Dwlght^a Journal of Moilo. 

In Memoriam. 

Died in this city, Nov. 8th. John Laroi. 

Talents and virtues like those Mr. Lange possessed 
should not pass awny from among us without some 
tribute of grateful recollection. We are sure there 
are many of his pupils who now feel that they owe to 
their faithful master a purity and refinement of musi- 
cal taste, and a love of what is best in Art, which 
were among his own marked characteristics. 

And however their ripened judgment may differ 
from his, they will never forget the impression pro- 
duced by his character. In that most arduous and 
trying occupation of teaching music, his unexampled 
and unfailing patience, his gentle method of correc- 
tion, his rare yet satisfying praise, and the enthusiasm 
which was not concealed by a quiet manner, all com- 
bined to stimulate to industry and to inspire respect 
and attachment. He had, to a remarkable degree, 
two qualities which young people are quick to recog- 
nize and admire — modesty and simplicity. His 
scholars knew that he was never thinking of himself. 
Though he was not much disposed to talk to them 
even about musical matters, the few sentences he did 
utter, gave insight into a most delicate and apprcciar 
tive mind. Holding decided opinions, he was yet cau- 
tious not to censure, or allow his scholars to condemn 
hastily even those works which he could not admire. 
He would sometimes patiently point out the merits 
of a composition of the " new school," with which it 
was impossible for him to sympathize. But the 
greatest pleasure came when a pupil was sufficiently 
advanced to study Beethoven's works with Mr. 
Lange ; to that great Master he gave the most re- 
spectful admiration and the most entire sympathy — 
he called attention to the less prominent beauties, and 
taught one to appreciate his music both with the intel- 
lect and the heart. 

Though we have had among us more distinguished 
and brilliant pianists since Mr. Lange first came to 
Boston, there must be some persons who still remem- 
ber with pleasure the strength and delicacy of his 
touch (which had a clearness, a ring quite peculiar) 
and the exprei^sion of his playing. He was very un- 
willing to appear at concerts, partly from shyness, 
and partly from the labor of preparation which he 
deemed necessary, but his brother artists roceivdd 
from him in more private ways the aid which he re- 
fused on public occasions. 

It is pleasant to recollect that he came back to Bos- 
ton last year because he had more friends here than 
anywhere else. He spent his time rather in composi- 
tion than in teaching, and it is to be wished that his 
publishers would now let us know what he has writ- 
ten. 

His solitary life on earth is ended, and as we add his 
name to the lengthening list ot those whom we shall 
see here no more, there rises before us the vision of 
truth, uprightness, purity, kindness, and above all, 
Fidelity. 

'* How can we wonder when we see him go 
To Join the Dead found (kithful to the end ? " 




um\ Corrtsp0niyente. 

Berlin, Nov. 10. — In his third concert Radecke 
has some idea of producing Mendelssohn's " Lore- 
ly " music. 

For Symphony music the opportunities this winter 
are no fewer than usual. The Royal Orchestra have 



begun their usual series of six, in a hall in the opera 
house, hardly large enough, by my estimate, to hold 
800 auditors. Practically the Germans know nothing 
of ventilation — how much this has to do with the 
enormous number of deaths by apoplexy, I do not 
know, but think it must be one cause of them. Nei- 
ther the opera-house, theatre, nor any one of the con- 
cert halls of the city, would be endured in Boston, 
without some further provision for the renewing of 
the air of the room. The scats on the main floor of 
the small hall of the opera house having been all tak' 
en, nearly all of ns Americans were forced into a nar- 
row gallery, which is nearly up to the ceiling, where 
the heat and foul air were almost insupportable. 
The Germans, however, seemed to take it as a mat- 
ter of course, and when I found my way at last into 
a deep hole of a recess, where there was a 'window, 
and opened it a few inches for a breath, they soon 
called upon me to close it again. One of the papers 
suggests that these concerts be given in the opera-house 
itself. Ah, if they would but do it ! They would 
get many a thaler from the Americans here for their 
widows* and orphans' fund. The principal pieces were 
a queer old symphony by Haydn, and Beethoven's 
first. Taubert led, and how wonderfully he makes 
them play. Liebig, too, with enlarged orchestra, has 
begun his extra series of symphony soirees, now giv- 
en in the Singakademie. House full, performance 
very fine. His, like those of the Royal Orchestra, 
will consist of a series of six and another of three. 

His ordinary concerts are not, as formerly, all given 
out at Hennig's Garden. He plays there Sunday af- 
ternoon, from 4 to 7, Tuesday and Friday afternoons 
at 112 Friedricli St., and Wednesday evenings at 
Sommers' saloon, outside the Potsdam Gate. He 
has increased his orchestra to 40 members, and natu- 
rally has raised his prices — formerly we got six tick- 
ets, and now only five, for 371-2 cents of our money. 
That his orchestra is by no means a contemptible 
one you may judge from the fact that it is employed 
now by all the oratorio societies, where formerly the 
royal orchestra played. 

For chamber music, we have first, the old estab- 
lished Zimmermann Quartet ; secondly, a new one 
consisting of Laub, Radecke, Wuerst and Bruns ; 
thirdly, the cheaper one, of which Oertling is at the 
head : fourthly ; the Trio, Hans von Biilow, Laub 
and Wohlers ; and fifthly, the soirees of chamber 
musio of the brothers Ganz. 

I have not heard the Zimmermann Quartet since 
1856 — then I was struck by the perfect union of 
their playing. I am told that in this respect it sur- 
passes the other, which has not had so much practice, 
but that Laub surpasses Zimmermann as a first violin. 

I^ub has made great progress since I first wrote 
about him three or four years since ; as I never 
heard Joachim in a quartet, I can say with many oth- 
ers, who have heard much more chamber music than 
I, that L. stands ahead of all players in that depart- 
ment of music, which we have heard. It is truly 
exquisite. 

Their series is to consist of four concerts ; at each 
three quartets ; of the twelve, Haydn, Mendelssohn, 
Mozart, Cherubini, Schubert, Veit, furnish one each, 
Beethoven the rest. Ist evening, his Opus 130 ; 2d, 
Opus 95 ; 3d, Opus 132 ; and on the fourth, op. 131, 
18 and 59. There are some quartet concerts for you 
worth having. They are given in a nice little hall in 
the hotel known as the English house, and are at- 
tended by some 150 to 200 persons, — among them 
enough from our side of the water to prove ^at we 
possess some feeling for the best music. 

At the von Biilow Trio, we have old and new ; 
Bach and Beethoven, Liszt and his school. Billow 
is held here to be Liszt's best pupil — as he is his 
son-in-law. He does play wonderfully — only a little 
too apt to cover the bowed instruments with the tones 
of his grand pianoforte. Of him, and Laub, and oth- 



ers of the rising artists hero I hope to ^vrite more at 
length hereafter. 

The Ganz concerts are of a different order ; more 
of the ordinary salon music is given, and the room at 
the English house is crowded in consequence — as is 
the hall in the hotel de Rossie on von Billow's even- 
ings. These are the regular concerts of the season 
as now announced. Those for chamber music will 
probably be doubled in number before the winter is 
over, as the series consist of only three or four per- 
formances each. Besides them others of all sorts 
take place, as among us, so that not an evening passes 
in which the music-lover may not somewhere indulge 
his appetite. 

The regular prices at such performances here are 
— in our money — half a dollar to subscribers, 75 
cents for a single ticket. 

There are hopes that before the winter is past, we 
shall hear Joachim and Clara Schumann together 
again, but nothing decisive is yet known. Speaking 
of Joachim — have I mentioned that the ridiculous 
story of his marring to Giesele von Amim, which 
passed into circulation in the spring of 1856, has no 
foundation whatever? Poor Bettina, since the re- 
newed attack of apoplexy, is lying very low, and 
must soon pass away. What she wrote in her letters 
to Goethe on music should keep her memory alive 
with all lovers of the art. A. W. T. 



Berlin, Nov. 15. — I cannot remember what I 
have written about the Laub-Radeckk Quartet here. 
I hope I have been sufficiently enthusiastic, for really 
their third concert, last week, gave as great delight as 
any one I ever attended in my life. The three quar- 
tets played were, Schubert, Op. 41, A minor — ex- 
quisite beyond description, and, by me, heard for the 
first time; Veit, Op. 15, G minor, also an exceedingly 
interesting and pleasing work, one you must have at 
the Quintette Club; Beetlioven, Op. 132, A minor 

— that wonderful work containing the Hjrmn of 
Thanksgiving of a Convalescent, " in modo Lidico *' 

— one of those Galitzin works, which occupied him so 
much during his last three years. The effect of this 
quartet, heard for the first time and probably not half 
understood, upon me was indescribable, and shall 
pass without any attempt at description. 

Laub has so pleased me by his great execution and 
evident feeling and enjoyment of all this great music 
in which he takes the most prominent part, that I 
have taken pains to procure some particulars of his 
life — and a mere accident has thrown into my hands 
a Prague newspaper, which contains just the outline 
that I need and which I can easily fill up from other 
sources. 

If you will tuhi to the Leipziger Mua. Zdtung, vol. 
47, p. 362, yon will find a notice of the Prague Con- 
servatorium concerts for the winter '44-'5, towards 
the close of which is this passage : 

" The most extraordinary talent, however, which 
these concerts have brought to our notice, we save for 
the close of our article ; — namely, the little violinist, 
Ferdinand Laub, who played the Polonaise by Ernst. 
This boy, now about twelve years of age, is the son 
of a poor musician, from whom he received just the 
absolutely necessary elements of instruction, and by 
whom he was then carried from hotel to hotel as an 
infant prodigy. Some three years since, he gave a 
concert, but hardly anybody took notice of it ; hap- 
pily Prof. Mildner waa struck by his talent and he 
was received into the Conservatorium. Now his tal- 
ents developed astonishingly. No one, who hears 
him now, and sees with what unfailing certainty, ease 
and elegance he overcomes the greatest difficulties, 
with what grandeur of tone and depth of expression 
he produces cantabile passages, can help asking what 
remains for the adult, when the boy is capable of so 
much ? A brilliant future certainly awaits this boy." 

There is a saying, which I have often fotmd in mu- 
sical works, attributed to Mozart or Beethoven, that 



294 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



** the Bohemian is a born mosician " — certainly that 
coantry has produced an immense number of the 
best musicjanf during tlio last two centuries. Laub 
is one of them. 

** Ferdinand Laub/* says the Prague newspaper, 
"was bom on the 19th of January, 1832, in Prague, 
and when but six years of age, played in private con> 
certs. When Ole Bull gave his concerts in Prague, 
in 1841, Laub played variations by Mayseder to him, 
and the Norwegian virtuoso was delighted with his 
playing. In 1 843 the boy entered the higher course in 
the Consenratorium and received a stipend of 80 flo- 
rins, [some S40] . When Hector Berlioz was in Prague 
[1846 ?] the boy played a violin piece by Ernst with 
such expression that the Frenchman tlirew his arms 
around him and invited him to Paris. Archduke 
Stephen made him a present of a real Amati violin ; 
after which the boy, now fourteen years of age, went 
upon a concert tour, playing in Vienna, Salzburg, 
Augsburg, Munich, Stuttgart. He then returned to 
Vienna, where he remained until 1850. The next 
year he gave concerts with great applause in London. 
In the same year Prince Fiirstenberg made him a 
present of a violin worth 1500 florins [over $700]. 
In 1853 be came to Weimar to Liszt, and was ap- 
pointed chamber virtuoso to the court, which position 
he retained two years, and then made another concert 
tour to Cologne, Aix la Chapelle, Frankfort, Heidel- 
beig, Leipzig." 

In the winter 1855-6, he came to Berlin. I remem- 
ber well the impression he made. In spite of tlie 
overwhelming greatness of Joachim's playing, who 
in largeness and grandeur of style stands above all 
others, Laub's extraordinary abilities were at once 
acknowledged, and after playing before the king he 
was appointed chamber virtuoso here, as he had been 
previously at Weimar. Last winter he went to Co- 
penhagen, gave there seventeen concerts, and among 
the marks of attention received there, none is more 
highly valued by him than a presentation copy of one 
of his last books and his portrait, both with auto- 
graphs, from Hans Christian Andersen. Betuming 
from Denmark ho went to Vienna, where Ole Bull 
arranged a banquet in honor of him. 

This winter I have only heard him in quartets ; 
but judging from them, I have no doubt that the gen- 
eral remark here is true that, since 1856, he has made 
"giant progress." He goes soon with Wehle to 
Kussia, to spend six or eight months. Kot having 
heard Joachim in quartet, I can say, conscientiously, 
that Laub surpasses any one I ever heard in that de- 
partment of his art. If it were only possible for him 
to visit Boston ! 

He is a small man and no one could judge from his 
appearance that he is so great an artist. His eyes 
are very full and prominent — he is near-sighted ; his 
forehead not very high nor wide, but very full. 

In 1850 he spent some time in an old castle in Bo- 
hemia — Schloss Nischburg — and one Sunday was 
invited to play a solo at high mass in the village 
church. He told me the story the other day after 
diAner, and I see no impropriety in repeating it. It 
was upon some occasion when the musical talent of 
the place was combined for the production of the ser- 
vice with great village splendor. Laub was told that 
a very pretty girl was to sing the solos. He went to 
the church, played his solo to general satisfaction, 
heard a delicious voice singing hers, but could get no 
sight of the singer, to his great disappointment, as 
the tones of the voice had made sad work in the feel- 
ings of the boy of eighteen as he then was. 

However, after all was over, a rosy-cheeked, dark- 
eyed beauty of sixteen approached him, all blushing 
and beautiful, and placed a wreath of oak leaves and 
wild flowers upon his head I She was the vocal solo- 
ist doing homage to the instrumental. 

" Yes," said Fran Laub, with a smile, " Madame 
So and So " — I forget the name — " told me I must 
do this, and so I went out and collected the leaves 



and wild flowers, and made the wreath all witii my 
own hands. I did not think when I crowned him I 
should ever be his wife ! " A. W. T. 



New York, Dec. 6. — Before the receipt of this, 
you will have Piccolohini in your city, and the 
Hartford folks, headed by your correspondent " II." 
will bo howling with rage and envy at your good luck 
— for in spite of disparaging critics, Piccolomini is a 
trcasure. 

I have a theory tliat the opera is not a purely mus- 
ical entertainment — that l>csidcs hearing the singing 
and orchestration, we go thera to see a pretty prima 
donna, and to look at the dresses of the ladies in the 
audience, and to make witheringly satirical remarks 
upon the foppishness of the young men who dress a 
little nicer than we can aflbrd to do, and to admire 
the effects of the scenery, and to laugh at the awk- 
ardness of the chorus singers — and to get a little post- 
ed up in operatic nfToirs, so as to be able to talk — 
and to do ever so many tilings that are but remotely 
connected with the music that is the ostensible attrac- 
tion. And viewing it in this light, I think that when 
a bewitcliingly beautiful little creature like Piccolo- 
mini, comes and delights us with her actions and her 
touching singing, and her grace and her thousand and 
one prcttinesses — why I think that we can very well 
spare the execution of a Laborde or the intensity of a 
Gazzaniga. To be sure we might get tired of Piccol- 
omini after a while — but then for a few weeks at a time 
she is perfectly enjoyable. 

She sings better than the critics are willing to al- 
low. To be sure, for a difficult chromatic passage or a 
high note she will substitute a pretty toss of her 
head, but yet she is not so wholly destitute of vo- 
cal execution as some people say. The first act of 
Lucrezia Borgia she sings ivell. But unluckily the 
poor little thing has a thin little voice, and all the 
geiiins in the world cannot change it. If she were 
only a little larger and stronger in her physical frame, 
and if she had a powerful voice, she would become to 
posterity a great traditional name, like Pasta and Mal- 
ibran to us. 

Gossips say she has a cherished superstition on the 
shoe topic. When she flrst appeared on the stage she 
wore a certain pair of slippers ; and she preserved 
them, using them the flrst night of her appearance in 
any new place, and then placing them away until she 
again met a new audience. Is not that a pretty, girl- 
ish, silly superstition ? 

She is so good, they say, to her family, and they 
are all so fond of her, as they ought to be. Indeed I 
have noted down in my Owl-Book, (a valuable col- 
lection of axioms deduced from the result of ' my pa- 
triarchal experience) the followingsnge remark : "The 
mutual regard of kinsfolk, though primarily depend- 
ent upon the natural ties of consanguity, is incredibly 
enhanced by the pecuniary opulence of the object of 
such regard, insomuch that they who were in vulgar 
parlance snubbed, while in a state of pecuniary deple- 
tion, are not unfrequently the recipients of lavish af- 
fection, when the cornucopia of fortune may have been 
emptied into their hitherto vacant coffers." So I 
don't wonder that the Piccolomini tribe are devoted to 
Maria Pic. Why, I recall at this moment, another 
striking proof of the truth of my Owl Book extract. 
Stcffancni — of course you remember Stcffunoni, — 
went upon the stage in direct contrariety to the wish- 
es of her family. Her icclination for lyric triumphs 
was too great to be resisted and her severely proper 
relatives disinherited her, and said they never wanted 
to see her again, and did the usual heavy father busi- 
ness of melo-dramas. Balbina StefTanoni, they said, 
was no more a relative of theirs. Balbina, however, 
was not appalled at this domestic excommunication, 
but commenced her operatic career, and gained fame, 
and what is a good deal better, money. After an ex- 
tended tour in North and South America, she return- 
ed to Europe with a fortune. And lo 1 her family 



magnaninously resolved to bury the past, and to re- 
ceive dear Balbina with open arms, and tlicy did so, 
and their love for their only lost Balbina was like that 
of Jonathan for David. Does not this support the 
thcor)' propounded in ray Owl Book ? 

Mr. Piccolomini, and the Dowager Piccolomini, 
and Master Piccolomini, (who will one djiy be Clcm- 
entini) and MiRs Piccolomini, Junior, arc viaiblc every 
night at our Academy. They occujjy a private pi-o- 
sccninm box. Miss l*ic. Junior is a very elegant and 
beautiful girl, and like her si^^tcr possesses musical 
talent. On the nights when Maria IMccolomini her- 
self is not on the stage, she is in the box with Iier 
parents, and seems to lake as liearty an interest in the 
performance as any of the audience, liberally applaud- 
ing the cavatinas of Gnzzaniga and Lubordc. She is 
a charming actress, a lovely woman, and a good do- 
mestic little soul, the best of daughters and sistci-s — 
so everybody tells me that enjoys the acquaintance of 
herself and family. 

Abtiiur Napoleon continues to give weekly con- 
certs here, lie is more than a prodigy. It is won- 
derful to hear this delicate boy playing the most diflTi- 
cult fantasias of Thalbcrg, .with almost as much ef- 
fect as the composer himself. How he has found time in 
his short life to gain such command over the instru- 
ment it is difUcult to tell. His brains have not all 
run to his Angers either, for he is a good linguist and 
better informed on general topics than most boys of 
his age. 

Mr. Robert Goldbeck gave a concert hciti a few- 
nights ago. He is a delicate, flnishcd player, though 
not as astonishing an executant as several we have 
had here of late. Mr. Goldbeck produced a trio of 
his own composition, of more than average merit. 
But I trust that the re-discovered " — t — " will leave 
the provinces and retuni to New York, and assist my 
feeble pen in reporting the classical department of 
music for your Journal. Mr. Goldbeck 's concert was 
one that " — t — " would be more competent than my- 
self, to do justice to. 

The Mendelssohn Union gave a second perform- 
ance of St. Paid Thursday evening. Mile Poixsot 
made her debut Saturday night in the Huguenots with 
great success. She is as flne an artist as Ullman has 
in his company. Trovator. 



Jfoi^fs |0iirnal ©f Stnsk 



BOSTON, DEC. 11, 1858. 



Music vk this Numbsk. — Continuation of the open *^ Im- 
crezia Borgia,^ arraogod for tlie piano-forte. 



Mendelssohn Qnintette Olnb. 

The second Chamber Concert fell upon not the 
luckiest of nights. The weather was in no sense 
inspiring ; what with mizding and freezing, the 
sidewalks were as glass, and with not a few the 
musical appetite was hardly up to venturing upon 
the glissando movement, by which, with many a 
fiasco^ a brave minority of us reached the hall — 
the, soon to be no longer musical. Masonic Temple. 
Yet not a bad audience for such a night, and 
here is what they had for their reward : 

Past I. — 1. Quartet No. 4, in E flat. Allegro— Andante coa 
moto— Minuetto — Finale, Allegro TiTare : Moxart. 2. Air from 
the Lauda Sion, " Caro Cibus," Mrs. E. A. Wentvorth : Men- 
delaohn. 8. Larirhetto and Finale firom the Quintet in G. op. 
171, (flret time) : F. Ries. 

Part IT. — 4. Adagio for Violoncello ; Wulf Fn>« : Rummer. 
6. English Song, "The green trees whispered." Poetry by 
Longfellow: Mrs. E. A. Wentworth. 6. Quintet, No. 2, la B 
flat, op. 87- (Posthumous work.) Allegro Tirace— Allegretto 
Scherzando— Adagio— Finale, AWegro : Mendelssohn. 

A programme without Beethoven I The more 
the pity, seeing that his chamber compositions, as 
well as his Symphonies, are the most interesting 
and inspiring of all instrumental music, and that 
our opportunities at the best are not over-firequent 



BOSTON, SATUEDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1858. 



295 



for wideninfif and deepening our acquaintance 
with them. Yet, on the other liand, a programme 
nobly true to the name borne upon the banner of 
the Club, since it contains that noble Quintet* 
one of the three or four greatest instrumental 
works of Mendelssohn. And what a luxury it is, 
always, to hear Mozart, and just that one espe- 
cially among his Quartets, that perfect one in E 
Jlaty fourth of the set which he inscribed to Haydn 
(composed in 1 784). Do you remember what 
his llussian commentitx)r says about it ? No ? 
Then turn back to volume VI, page 130, of this 
Journal, and read it. Certainly in the Allegro 
and other quick movements, it is grace and spon- 
taneity itself; consummate art, and yet the most 
delicious, genial, natural expression of pure mu- 
sic ; the language of a life freely, blissfully per- 
meating an atmasphere of music, which b world 
enough in itself, and needs not to be translated 
into, nor even to borrow a subject from this world 
of colder thought and speech. And of the divine 
reverie of the Andante con inoto^ OulibichefF has 
certainly not said too much. Wc love the naive 
and childlike ecstasy and beauty of Mozart ; but 
all the more after it should wc have liked the 
depth and earnestness of Beethoven. The quar- 
tet was smoothly and beautifully played, but the 
Andante would have borne a little "more intensity 
of feeling on the part of the leading violin, which 
left nothing else to be desired. 

The movements from Ferdinand Rics, Beet- 
hoven's pupil, were, to say the least, interesting ; 

very dramatic in their structure, with recitative 
and sudden turns and contrasts, and richly col- 
ored ; but we should prefer to hear the entire 
Quintet l)efore saying more. That grand old B 
flat Quintet of Mendelssohn — we say old^ be- 
cause it has ever been a prime favorite in the 
repertoire of the Quintette Club, and indeed, if 
we mistake not, it furnished years ago the corner 
stone to the foundation of the Club, and suggested 
its name — was most admirably played, and lacked 
neither Are nor fineness. How bold and anima- 
ting the theme with which the Allegro opens ! 
and with what breadth and grandeur of effect, 
what never disappointing gi*owth and climax, 
sweeping a world of incidental beauties along 
with its rushing, swellinnr flood, it is wrought up ! 
What a quaint air of old times, as if it were some 
ancient ballad, in the second movement ! And 
the Adagio, profoundly tender and at the same 
time wildly ima^native, — is it not part and par- 
cel of the same inspiration, equally rich, with the 
Adagio of the " Scotch " Symphony ? 

Mrs. Wkntwortii met warm welcome. By 
her tour in Europe, the past summer, she has (to 
say the least) lost nothing either of that silvery 
purity of voice, or of that purity of style, which 
made her admired. On tiie contrary, she has 
gained something in ease and finish. And the air 
from Lauda Sion was one finely suited for the 
exhibition of these qualities ; a strain of chaste, 
ethereal melody. The anonymous setting of 
Longfellow's verses did not particularly impress 
us; it sounded like scores of songs which English 
composers are so fond of setting to Tennyson's 
and Longfellow's poems. Mr. Fries displayed a 
rare mastery in his violoncello solo ; and a still 
finer power in those exquisite ohligato passages 
his instrument has in the Quintet by Men- 
delssohn. 



" The Household Book of Poetry/' 

We hardly know a book — at all events no new book 
— ^which has better claims to enter every home where 
poetry is cherished and our English tongue is spoken, 
than this "Household Book," collected and edited by 
Charles A. Dana, and published by Appleton & 
Co., New York. It will make the most beautiful, 
significant and sterling of all the new Christmas and 
New Year's presents. Truly a splendid volume, 



whether wo regard the outer casket, (an elegant largo 
octavo of near 800 pages), or the imperishable jewels, 
happiest products of the mine of thought and feeling 
and imagination, it contains. The name is singular- 
ly appropriate. What is home widiout poetry 1 What 
house is furnished and complete, which has not all 
those poems, which makc^thcmsclvcs known almost by 
heart, by the truth and tenderness with which they 
sing of all the best experiences of life, as readily at 
hand as any of the luxuries and comforts of the out- 
ward man ? Wo think this is just the book that wo 
all wanted. It is incomparably the best of all the 
specimen collections, or selections of English poetry 
yet published. It is better in its plan. It does not 
offer specimenSf cither of famous poems, or of noted 
poets. Literary history was not the purpose of the 
editor; ho has not aimed to show how every poet 
writes, thereby including with what is good, a vast 
deal that is dull, that exists only in libraries, that does 
not live in the heart and life of to-day, and that 
is only interesting to those possessed of litcraiy cari- 
osity, or engaged in the study and appreciation of 
an author. lie has made a live book, by collecting 

in one volume " whatever is truly beautiful and ad- 
mirable among the minor poems of the English lan- 
guage." This claim, made in his preface, is perhaps 
over-confident. It were hardly possible that any one 
collection, made by whomsoever, should contain all 
the short poems one would like to keep near by him. 
But one who carefully explores these 800 pages will 
he astonished and charmed to find how very few of 
tlie poems which he loves are wanting, and how inva- 
riably excellent are all of the selections in their way. 

The " Household Book," presents a line of poetry 
from Chaucer to our living English and American 
bards. It cmbrnces all those cherished pieces of such 
length as Milton's " Comus," Chaucer's " Flower and 
the I>caf," Bum's " Cotter's Saturday night," Shak- 
spearo's Sonnets (a lil)eral selection), Pope's " Rape 
of the Lock," Wordsworth's " Ode to Immortal- 
ity," Shelley's " Ode to the West Wind," &c., &c., 
together with nearly all of those genuine little lyrics 
of well-known bards which humanity has taken to its 
heart, and a large number of those waifs of song of 
unknown parentage. Of course hosts of injured 
bards, and friends of bards, will complain that they, 
or their favorites, are left out. This was inevitable to 
the plan of such a book, which was not to do justice 
to die poets, but to English poetry, — and to that 
chiefly as it is received and as it lives in human 
hcarfi, really mingling with our vital culture. 

The arrangement of the poems, too, is excellent as 
novel. Instead of a dry historical or personal order, 
they are classed under several rubrics of sentiment or 
sphere of life to which they belong and out of whoso 
inspiration they have sprung. Thus wo have poems 
of Nature, poems of Childhood, of Friendship, of 
Love, of Ambition, of Comedy, of Tragedy and Sor- 
row, of the Imagination, of Sentiment and Beflcction, 
and of Keligion : some authors of course appearing in 
several or all of these and some in onlv one. An 
index of authors, with date and place of birth, &c., 
adds to the convenience and completeness of tho book. 



Miuical ChitrChat 

The musical season here in Boston being suspen- 
ded for a while in favor of the " tulip " exhibition at 
the Boston Theatre, (see manager Ullman's Tues- 
day's manifesto in the daily papers), wo gather our 
material this week chiefly from abroad. The intelli- 
gent music-lover will not be deterred from reading the 
account of the Middle-Ilhine Festival, and tho criti- 
cism from Vienna upon Bichard Wagner's opera, by 
their length or the remoteness of the subjects. Both 
contain musical criticism of value. The remarks in 
the former about the modem trick of playing every- 
thing too fast, are traly to the point, while our read- 
ers will be interested if not altogether pleased with its 
reference to one of our whilomc vocal favorites, Caro- 
line LE:iiMAKy. The criticism upon Wagner 
strikes us as eminently fair and just, recognizing tho 
real talent of tho musician, but pointing out the fal- 
lacy of Jiis system. At all events, its reasonings arc 
worth considering by those who are impatient tor a 

revolution in the forms of mnsic Mr. J. J. Clarke 

continues his discussion of the alleged characteristic 
expression of the Keys in music ; it strikes us that ho 



has got liold of something worth considering, al- 
tliough ho is not altogether clear and fortunate in the 
expression of it; our only criticism would be, that he 
tries tho case entirely in the literal court of mathe- 
matics, when perhaps it does not altogether belong 
there Herr Formes writes well about Leporello. 

.... The tribute, by a lady and a pupil, to the late 
John Lange, is appreciative and discriminating; 
Mr. Lange, it will be remembered, played the piano 
part, and like an artist too, in tne first classical 
Chamber Concerts ever instituted in this city ( under 

the direction of the Harvard Musical Association.) 

Read our " A. W. T.'s three or four last letters from 
Berlin, if yon would know what can be called " a 
musical city." There opera goes on in several places 
every night, yet interferes not in tho least with Sym- 
phonies, Quartets, Oratorios, and regular concerts by 
all sorts of societies. You can have your choice any 
night between several Symphonies, several Chamber 
Concerts, or several Operas, as you can in New 
York or Boston between several theatres or minor 
shows. When will that good time come for any of 
our cities ? When shall wo have Opera as a regular, 
wholesome institution, instead of the consuming fever 
of a few weeks that it now is, fatal to all otlier mu- 
sic, such as one may enjoy quietly ? 

Tho opera-opening at the Boston Theatre was 
changed to Thursday night ; we go to press by that 
time, and cannot therefore say how wo like tlie Pic- 
coLOMiNi. This afloraoon she sings in La FilU de 
Reyiment, and Mme. Labordb, one of the most finish- 
ed of florid vocalists, will follow in the first act of 

Norma If there are no concerts, there is plenty 

of good music to be bought in a more permanent form, 
destined to give the sweetest kind of musical enjoy- 
ment in many a home circle. And in this gift-giving 
season what can be a more appropriate memento to a 
musical friend, than a beautiful edition of some noble 
oratorio or opera ; or a complete set of the Sonatas of 
somo master, like Beethoven or Mozart, or the "Songs 
wiUiout Words" of Mendelssohn; or Thalberg*s 
"Art du chant;" or for tho earnest student, who 
would go to the bottom of what is most artistic in the 
divine art, tho "Well-tempered Clavichord" (48 Pre- 
lude and Fugues) of old Sebastian Bach, all of which 
good things, with many others, Messrs. Ditson & 
Co. have published in the finest style, and will be 
happy to furnish at most reasonable prices. See their 
advertisement of Christmas presents. 

Madame Anna Bishop has arrived in London and 
announces a grand concert in Exeter Hall for the 13th 
of next month. It will be her first appearance for a 
number of years before an English public, and it is 
mid that she is in full possession of her powers. . . . 
Tho Strakobch company performed Von Giovanni 
at the Philadelphia Academy last Mondajr week, with 
Gazzaniga as Donna Anna, Colson as Zerlina, 
Patti-Strakosch as Elvira, Amodio the big in the 
small part of Masetto, and the two Barilis to give a 
faint impression of the Don and Leporello. The sea- 
son closed on Tuesday night with tho "gem acts" of 
FavontOf Puritani, Martha fWnd II Trovatore; the four 
prime donne, Mmcs. Colson, de Wilhorst, Strakosch, 
and Gazzaniga, with the rest of the singers, making 
their adieux. Brigkoli is announced to sing with 

Ullman's troupe in Boston Several new nooks 

of the fine pianoforte Studies of Stephen Heller 
hfL\'€ lately been published in London, under the ab- 
surd publishers' title of "Ecole essentielle dfg Pianistes 
— ^udes profpessives, pour »ervoir d' introduction avx 
ouvragrs des yrnnds maitres. Books 12, 13, 14, and 
1.5, op. 90." To which title — not to tlie of course in- 
teresting compositions — a critic raises two good ob- 
jections ; to wit ; "The Studies of M. Stephen Heller, 
agreeable as they are to practice, by no means form 
an essential school, for pianists ; nor do they contain 
eveiT thing that, properly speaking, can sen'o as * intro- 
duction to the works of the great masters.' It is quite 
enough to insist that they are in themselves charm- 
iii<j, that they rank among the most original contribu- 
tions to the pianoforte which tho present not veiy 
prolific age can boast, &c." 

PiccoLOMiNi. Now that the machinery of eclat 
has been exhausted — writes a New York correspond- 
ent, in regard to this fascinating little cantatrice — you 
may wi.sh to know to what conclusion tho judicious 
have settled down. It is briefly this, — that Pic. is a 
capital nistic coquette and does the saucy, the wheed- 
ling and the hoydenish most cleverly ; that she pouts 
and uses her arms with effect, — but that her rd/c is 
very limited, that her voice lacks power, and that she 
is very like a canary-binl in action, trill, pettish ness 
and prettlnoss — a sweet, taking, shrewd, capricious, 
graceful little woman, but no prima donna assolttta. 



296 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 




nsic Jtroair. 



Papis. At the Grand Opera it is proposed to re- 
vive one of the operas of Gluck — cither Iphigenia in 
Tatiris, or Alceste, or Armida. A new opera by Fe- 
licien David, " The Last Day of Herculaneum," is 
in rehearsal ; it contains a " Hymn to Venus " which 
is said to be very beautiful. 

At the Th^&tre Lyrique a two-act comic opera, 
BroskavanOy by I>ouis Deffbs, has been produced for 
the first time, and with great success. The music is 
said to be " full of grace and freshness, abounding in 
charming melodies, while the instrumentation shows 
the hand of a master." 

All the important singing societies in France are 
to combine in a great festival to be held in Paris, next 
March, 3500 singers have already signified their in- 
tention to take part in it. Prizes are to be dis- 
tributed. 

The rehearsals of Meyerbeer's new opera in three 
acts have already commenced at the Opera Comique. 
The principal characters are entrusted to Mme Cabel, 
M. Faure, and M. St. Foix. — A grand opera by M. 
Lebeau, the author of Esmerelda, will be produced in 
January at the ThdAtre de la Monnaie. It is entitled 
Le Sanglier de» Ardennes ; the libretto, taken from Sir 
Walter Scott, is by the brother of the composer. 

The Emperor has resolved to build a new opera 
house. A year ago, when the pretty Hotel d' Os- 
mond, opposite the Ruede la Paix, was pulled down, 
a report that the new opera house was to be built on 
the site was indignantly denied by authority. Never- 
theless, there was much foundation for the report, and 
the scheme for establishing the new opera there is 
even yet on the tapis. A rival project is, however, 
under consideration for building an opera house on 
the south side of the Place de la Concorde, which 
would harmonize in point of architecture with the 
Ministry of Marine on the the opposite side. Such a 
buiding would spoil the fine view of the river and the 
quays from the place de la Concorde and the Champs 
Elys^es, and would be othenvise an eye-sore, beside 
being an encroachment on a principal public promen- 
ade. Wherever the house may ultimately be, it will, 
I believe, be made to hold a much larger audience 
than the present one. The house in the Rue Lepellc- 
tier will scarcely hold more than 7,000f., and it is pro- 
posed, with a slight ri^te in prices, to bring the niglitly 
receipts up to 1 5,000 f. The architect has an ingenious 
plan for warming the lobbies, so as to prevent ladies 
from taking cold whilst waiting for their carriages ; 
and it is intended to insist upon evening dress for 
gentlemen, at is done, or at least supposed to be done, 
in T>ondon. 

The event of last week at the Italian Opera was the 
reproduction of // Barbiere^ with Mario and Alboni, 
Corsi, Zucchini, and Angelini. Mario i^ congratu- 
lated on the admirable condition of his voice. " Re- 
pose at his villa near Florence has done wonders," 
says a letter from Paris, " if we may judge from his 
admirable singing the other night. All the rare and 
charming qualities of his voice were displayed with 
that natural perception of how to use it, which belongs, 
one often thinks, to the inspiration of the mofficnt 
rather than premeditated study." 

Brunswick. The Maenner-Gesang-Verein, un- 
der the direction of Herr Abt, and aided by the prin- 
cipal singers of the court theatre, gave lately a vocal 
concert, the proceeds of which are to form a fund for 
compensating the composers, whose songs are admit- 
ted into their repertoire. 

Rio Janeiro. All the organs of the Brazilian 
capital speak of the great success of Mme. de La- 
grange. She first excited great enthusiasm by a con- 
cert ; which reached the highest pitch when she sang 
Norma and Rosina in the theatre. Prices rose to more 
than double the usual rates. 

Trieste. — Mr. Lumley'a popular tenor, Giuglini, 
has been creating a furor. Previous to his arrival the 
opera had been twice reduced to the brink of ruin. 
Signor Giu^rlini brousrht back its jrrestige in one ni^rht, 
and gave the direction a new vitality. The public 
have been in raptures with the great tenor's Ed^ardo 
in Lucia, Fernando in La favoritOy Manrico in // 
Trovatore and Arturo in / Purilani. Some of the lo- 
cal journals state that the terms he received are alto- 
gether unprecedented. 



MoNiC'i. — King Maximili.in of Bavaria intends 
to erect a monument to Wolfram von Esclienbach, the 
Minnesanger, and author of the epic poem of Parcical. 
The sculptor, Herr C. Knoll, has Ikmjii intrusted with 
the modelling of the lifc-sizo statue ; and we hear that 
he has nearly finished his task. Leaning with the left 
liand on his sword, the harp in his right, and the Iiolmct 
surrounded by a laurel-wreath, the poet steps forth, as 
it were, to meet us. In hiH noble face, gentleness and 
dignitv, it is said, are happily combined. The Ktatue 
is to /brm the central ornament of a fountain at the 
birth-place of the poet, the little town of Eschcnbach, 
in Franconia. 

LuoANO. — The correspondent of the Coamorama 
Pitlorico writes in enthusiastic terms of a new tenor 
who appeared a short time since at the Lugano 
theatre in a petite opera, entitled // Pipeletytlie music 
by the maestro De Ferrari. After speaking of the 
prima donna, Signora Benvenuti, and the bii^'o, Signor 
Carlo Rocca, in terms by no means eulogistic, the 
writer continues : "But that which al)ove all produced 
the greatest impression and created the greatest aston- 
ishment was the young tenor, Signor Giovanni Ro- 
mano, pupil of Signor Prati. Handsome in person 
and gifted with a powerful and extensive voice, he 
sings with intense feeling and animation, and abso- 
lutely rose superior to the scene. He sang the aria 
in the prison with so much suavity in the adagio and 
so much energy in the cabaletta, as to create a real 
furore.** The writer goes on to state, that Signor Ro- 
mano achieved a triumphant success at the fall of the 
curtain ; that Robeiio iMveretix is to be produced for 
him ; and that the public await with curiosity and 
great interest the first night of the performance. — 
Query? is not Signor Giovanni Romano identical 
with Mr. Cavallani, a promising tenor, some time 
since pupil of the Royal Academy of Music ? — Lon- 
don Musical World. 

London. English Opera, by the Ptne and Har- 
rison troupe, who sing " Maritana," ** Rose of Cas- 
tillo," " Crown Diamonds," &c., is all the music we 
see noticed, except Jullien's grand farewell concerts 
on the eve of his starting off upon his univeraal tour 
to convert the world. His old friend Mr. Punch 
seems to feel badly at parting with the Mons., and 
thus gives utterance to^his " pheelinx : " 
ODE TO M. JULLIEN. 

And muffi you leare us, Jullien? munt w« wander, 
Throngh lifB^s hard pathway tuii«l«M and alona 

Whilst you are gone your magic notes to squander 
Midst saTages in regions little known ? 

Whai shall we have to cheer us when NoTomher 
Oppresses us with fogs and spleen galore, 

Whilst you are plaving tunes we well rememher 
On Thnbuctoo's inhospitable shore ? 

Sure we shall cut most melancholy flgures 
^Vhen in your concert, room in far Penang, 

lair Jetty TreiTt is singing to the niggers 
The songs that once in Drury lane she Huif . 

And will you go as far as Madagascar, 

Anp take the Ttomtore eren there ; 
And will each pigtailed Chinaman and Lascar, 

Ttiink you, for Verdi's Miserere care? 

And do you think the notes of great Beethoren 
Will Ibast the soul of greasy Quashyboo ? 

Take care he doesn't pop you in an oren, 
And make another kind of feast of you. 

Why hare you taken up these strange vagaries 
Of wandering off to foreign parts abroad ; 

Of visiting Aiores and Canaries, 
And leaving us by whom you are adored ? 

If^ we hope, your scheme is only puffing. 
Be warned, dear Mons. your Punch sincerely begs, 

By him who orer-greedy for the stuffing, 
Destroyed the gooee that laid the golden eggs. 

As a specimen of the Jullien concerts we give one 
report from the Mutical Gazette (Nov. 13.) : 

We were almost afraid the Trovatore selection was 
to last forever ; the performances, however, at the Ly- 
ceum have been agreeably varied during the past week 
by a selection from the opera of Der FreiMchiitz, which 
was produced on Monday evening last, and was high- 
ly successful. It is, in truth, very effective, and dis- 
plays considerable judgement in the arrangement of 
the various solos ; and the introduction of the "Hunts- 
man's Chorus," capitally sung by Mr. Land's choir, 
makes an excellent ^nale to it. The selection com- 
mences with the entire overture, and includes Ro- 
dolph's song "Thro' the forest," "Softly sighs," 
Caspar's Drinking Song, the Waltz, and' Hunting 
Chorus. The solos are finely plaved by Messrs. Prat- 
ten (flute), Duhem (comet), and hughes (ophieclide). 
The houses have been well attended throughout the 
week. 

For Monday, Nov. 15, M. Jullien has announced a 
"Mendelssohn night," with Miss Arabella Goddard 
as solo pianist. 



Special Uotitts. 

DKSCRII'TIVE LIST OP TIIK 

Psibiiahcd bv O. DitMM it, Co* 



Mcsic nr MAa. — Quantities of Music are now sent by mall, 
the expend being only nhoiit one cent apiece, while the care 
and rMpidity of tmnoportation nro remarkable. Those at a 
preat distance mtWI flml the mode of ronTeynnco notonlya con- 
Tenience. but a daTing of expense in obtaining nuppliee. Itoolce 
can alflo be wnt by ninil, Kt the mte of one cent per ounce. 
This epplioe to any dirtnnre un<lcr tlireo thousand mile* ; be- 
yond that, double the abore rates. 



Instrumental Musio. 
Skating Polka. 50 

A Rplrited piece of dance-music, easy of perfor- 
mance. The title-page tuu a rignette, executed in col- 
ors, representing a group of skaters in fall ei^ymcnt 
of this delightfnl winter-«port. 
Papagcno Polka. Ludicig Sfamy. 25 

Most of the visitors of the afternoon concertu last 
summer, and many of the last season's guests at New- 
port will recollect this charming Polka on airs In the 
" Magic Flute,'4ntroducing especially those performed 
by Papageno on Bells and Fifes. It will became a great 
fkvorite with piano players. 
Muscatine Light Guards Grand March. Ath'n$. 50 
A pleasing march, with a military frontlspleoe, 
drawn true to lift, and printed in colors. 
Wanderer, by Schubert. Transc. by Franz Liszt. 35 
This is a celebrated arrangement of Schubert's faTO- 
rite song. It is superior to erery other arrangement, 
but, like moet of Lisst*a pieces, it demaoda a smart 
player. 

Souvenir do TAm^riquo. Mazurka. Schulhoff. SO 
A very pretty, coquettish Masurka of medium difB- 
culty in the key of D, SchulhoflTs 18th work, which 
hu hitherto been comparatively unknown in this 
country. 

Vocal, with Piano Aooompaniment. 
SoKOS AND Ballads. W. R. Dempster. 

Dempster holds a distinguished position among the 
iong.composers of America. His claims for the first 
place are eminently paramount to those of all other 
parties. In looking OTer his numerous works one 
cannot fail to notice the delicate taste and refined 
mind which display themselves in the selection of the 
text, which is invariably nuMle firom among the ehoio- 
est poems of modem authors. A composer who is 
inspired by that which is truly beautiftil in poetry de- 
serves our considerations, even if his labors should 
but fbmish a dress of inferior valne to the refined 
gold of the original. But Dempster has done much 
more. It Is well known that it was Dempster's genius 
which has contributed largely to the popularity of 
Tennyson's beautifiil ballad of the " Bfay Queen " : and 
likewise portrayed in tones of striking fidelity the pat- 
ter and clatter of the rain, so ably pictured in Long- 
fellow's characteristic stansas on the " Rainy Day," 
thus carr>'ing out the intentions of the poet. None 
who have ILstened to the song of *' The Blind Boy " 
will ever forget Its touching simplicity and beauty, 
and many a one will recall both melody and sentiment 
of 'Tm alone" and n umerous other of Dempster^s songi 
and ballads. Dempster's compositions are popular, but 
in no degree partake of that odious popularity which 
1^ fostered into quick bloom by the exertions of wan- 
dering minstrels, and brought to an early end by ttie 
doleful screechings of street organs. They are ad- 
dressed to minds of a well cultivated musical taste, 
and deserve unlimited recommendation as the most 
pure and refined traits of American moilcal literature. 
A List of Dempster's Songs will be found elsewhere 
In the present number. 

Books. 
Lablachb's complbtb Method of Sikgino. 
With examples for illustration and progressive 
vocalizing exercises. By Louis Lablache. 
Translated from the French, and improved 
from all former issues, by the addition of new 
Exercises for Sustaining the Voice and an en- 
graving representing all the parts of the mouth 
and throat brought into action in the cultivation 
and development of the human voice. Com- 
plete, 82,50. Abridged, Si ,50. For Bass voice, 3,00 
This is a very clear, philoeophical and comprehen- 
sive analysis of the true method of developing and 
forming the voice.'and rendering it flexible. It begins 
at the beginning, describing the organs of voice, giv- 
log explicit directions how to produce and vary the 
vocal sounds, and how to cultivate the powers till the 
matchlea instrument has attained its ta\l excellence. 




Wjj|t's 




mxmi 





u5ti^ 



Whole No. 350. BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1858. Vol. XIV. No. 12. 



For Dwight** Jonrn&l of Musio. 

The Story of Don Juan. 

(From the Brown Papers.) 

A great many years ago, in those days when 
nobles were looked upon by the common people 
as almost of a higher order of beings, and the no- 
bles looked down upon the common people as 
born to do them service, and created but for their 
amusement and pleasure; when the power of 
Spain was felt all over Europe, and the Spanish 
nobleman was as much at home on the banks of 
the Danube or the Rhine as upon the Tagus or 
Guadalquiver ; when simple cavaliers were as 
wealthy as princes now, and it was a point of 
honor to cultivate themselves mentally in all the 
learning of the time, and physically in all the ex- 
ercises of chivalry and knighthood ; when, how- 
ever, the deepest darkness and bigotry ruled in 
the religious world, and people believed in the 
actual appearance of devils and spirits of hell to 
carry oflT to their doom extraordinary sinners — ^in 
those days lived a Spanish nobleman called Don 
Juan. He was distinguished not more for his 
wealth, and intellectual and physical culture, than 
for his personal beauty, fascination of manners, 
nobleness of mien, and for an undaunted courage, 
which never quailed, let what would oppose him 
in the prosecution of his designs. Morally this 
splendid hero was a monster, the whole aim and 
object of whose existence was to employ all the 
means of fascination with which he was so lavish- 
ly endowed, in the destruction of female inno- 
cence, and in the satisfaction of his depraved and 
lascivious appetites. He had travelled in Italy, 
France, and Germany, as well as throughout his 
native Spain, and wherever he had been he had 
left victims to weep over their folly in trusting 
his smooth words and confiding in his honor. 

In all his travels and intrigues, Don Juan had 
one confidant and inseparable companion, his ser- 
vant, Leporello — a cowardly, cunning, humorous, 
droll knave, who seems to have been bom but to 
serve his master, and who, faithless and a rascal 
to all the world beside, followed the Don like a 
faithful hound, ever ready to do his bidding, and 
executing his commands, when too much courage 
was not involved, with an alacrity that showed 
how congenial such a service was to his depraved 
nature. He was in fact so proud of his master's 
success in destroying female innocence, as to have 
kept a regular register of all whom he had 
ruined — a sort of album in which, as ho himself 
said, were to be found 

Hlgfa-bora dam« and ehambormald, 

ingh and low, and all degrees, 
Country glrla and duehMMi, 
Coantea.«es and marehionceaef, 
Citj nuulama and priDcesseSf 
Srery iIm and OTery ihApe, ote. 

With the previous history of Don Juan we have 
nothing to do farther than was necessary to give 
an idea of his character, and prepare us for the 
close of his dissolute career. It is the circum- 
stances attending this which form the subject of 
our tale, or rather opera. 

In the same city whore D6n Juan dwelt, lived 



a noble lady of severe and dignified beauty, 
whose lofly mind had been cultivated with the 
utmost care, and whose accomplishment in all 
that was womanly rendered her peerless among 
women as was Don Juan among men. Morally 
she was, however, the highest possible contrast to 
him — as reserved and severe in virtue as he was 
abandoned. Her father was commander or gen- 
eral of an order of knighthood, and a man vene- 
rable for his years and virtues. She had been 
wooed and won by Don Ottavio, a rich and noble 
knight, and Donna Anna was now looking for- 
ward impatiently to the day of her marriage, 
when Don Juan in an evil hour cast his lascivious 
eye upon her. The attempt to undermine her 
virtue was one which he instinctively felt would 
be fruitless, and he determined to try some other 
means. Late one evening, taking Leporello with 
him, he made his way secretly into the garden of 
the palace, where, leaving him to watch, he en- 
tered the dwelling of Donna Anna, which was 
distinct from the ofiicial palace, in which at the 
time her father was engaged. He found the 
Donna alone, sitting in the darkness, and thinking 
of her lover. Partially concealing his face in his 
cloak, he drew near her ; she, never dreaming 
that a stranger could find entrance into the gar- 
den, supposed him to be Ottavio. In a few mo- 
ments she was undeceived, and, shocked and out- 
raged by the insult, she seized and held him with 
almost superhuman strength, at the same time 
crying for help. The Don, startled by such an 
unexpected resistance, struggled to free himself 
from her, and make his escape without being 
recognized. Though he by his superior strength 
made his way again into the garden, the necessity 
of keeping his face concealed — a face so well 
known in the city that even he dared not brave 
the consequences, should this insult to Donna 
Anna, her lover, and her family become known — 
prevented him escaping from her grasp. All the 
woman was aroused, and the strength of a man 
imbued her muscles. Her cries in the garden 
were heard in the palace, and her aged father, 
drawing his sword, rushed to her aid. Loosing 
her hold, Donna Anna ran to the room of her 
lover to hasten him to the spot, and take ven- 
geance upon the outrager of their mutual honor. 
This was the moment for Don Juan to escape, 
but for the wrath of the venerable conunander. 
He saw in an instant the danger of his situation. 
If he dropped his cloak to defend himself, he would 
be recognized ; if he tried to escape, still retain- 
ing his disguise, the old man's sword was drawn 
to prevent him; in open conflict the old man 
would be but a child in his hands ; he could with 
the utmost ease defend himself and escape with- 
out injuring him ; but this involved making him- 
self known. He threatened in vain. The Com- 
mander, jealous of his honor, attacked him, and 
Don Juan was at last compelled to drop his cloak 
and draw in defence. • Having shown his face, 
the preservation of his secret involved the neces- 
sity of murder, and his sword in an instant pier- 
ced the old man's heart He fell. His assassin 



waited a moment to be sure that life was extinct, 
placed his hand upon the faintly-beating pulse 
and heart, and finding that he could never be be- 
trayed by that poor old father, made his escape 
from the garden just before Donna Anna and Don 
Ottavio rushed in from the door of the palace — 
she to find her father dead, he to see his beloved 
and betrothed thus suddenly and cruelly over- 
whelmed with sorrow. For a time her grief was 
inconsiderable, and the tenderest expressions of 
love seeking to comfort her seemed but cold and 
cruel. He besought her to hear him, her affian- 
ced, and promised to be father, husband, and all 
to her. After the first emotions had subsided. 
Donna Anna arose from the body upon which she 
had thrown herself, and turning to her lover, 
made him swear never to rest until he had sought 
out the murderer and avenged his victim. There 
was as yet no suspicion that he who had so tragi- 
cally interrupted their happiness, and the polished, 
courtly, noble Don Juan were one and the same 
person. 

Time passed away. The commander was en- 
tombed, and a noble equestrian statue in marble 
was erected to his memory. The efforts of Don 
Ottavio had been unaviuling to discover the mur- 
derer, and a settled sorrow filled the bosom of 
Donna Anna. In the mean time Don Juan and 
his servant had pursued their old way of life, but 
the murder of Don Pedro seem^ to have rendered 
them both at times a little uneasy ; for upon a 
certain occasion, some months after that adven- 
ture, the Don, seeing an expression of uneasiness 
upon the face of Leporello, inquired what it was 
that troubled him t The knave, after much hesi- 
tation, and after extorting a promise from his 
master not to fly into a passion — ^in case Don 
Pedro was not mentioned — finally confessed that 
even he was becoming shocked at the life they 
led, and began to lecture the Don upon his disso- 
lute conduct A significant touch of the sword, 
however, soon put an end to the sermon of Lepo- 
rello, and the sincerity of these, his better feelings, 
was inunediately shown. The conversation took 
place in a by-street, and the master followed up 
his threat by informing the servant that ho had 
another love adventure in view there. This 
changed the whole current of Leporello's feelings, 
and he forgot his lecture in his desire to get the 
lady's name to add to his list 

But the end of Don Juan's career is approach- 
ing. Henceforth his designs upon the innocent 
are baffled. Each new attempt but adds to the 
number of such as seek vengeance upon him. 
But though the number of his enemies increases, 
his shrewdness and daring courage are sufficient 
to render their efforts fruitless. One old Spanish 
history of the Don represents him as having made 
a compact with the evil one, by which he was 
made safe from all human enemies. But this idea 
is hardly necessary in the progress of the story 
and its final catastrophe. The idea, which both ■ 
Da Ponte and Mozart seem to have had, is that 
of wickedness triumphant over all human power, 
but doomed the moment the crime of blood was 



298 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



added to that of ruined innocence. This doom, 
in spite of all uic jesting and comicality which 
follow — in spite of the boundless animal spirits and 
goo<l humor of the Don, we feel impends from the 
moment the commander falls ; though why we 
feel this I know not, unless it be intimated to us in 
the wonderful strains of ^lozart. 

We left the Don and his servant in a by-street, 
whither he had come bent upon adding a now 
victim to Lcporello*s list. Their conversation 
was interrupted by the approach of a woman, 
whom the Don pronounced at once young and 
handsome, and stepping aside they overheard her 
in soliloquy mourning the loss of honor and the 
baseness of her deceiver. Don Juan, struck with 
her appearance, suddenly approached her with 
pretended ofTei's of friendship, when she, turning 
to him, removed her veil, striking him dumb as he 
saw the face of Donna Elvira, a lady whom in a 
distant city he had ruined ; but who, taking a ser- 
vant-girl alone with her, had followed him hither 
in the hope of recovering the love which she fool- 
ishly believed he had once really felt for her. 

To her upbraidings Juan replied in the kindest 
tones, and offered to explain satisfactorily his de- 
sertion, or if she doubted his word he referred her 
to Leporello, whom she might certainly trust. She 
had hardly turned to the servant, when the Don, 
taking advantage of the darkness, hastened away. 
The only explanation Leporello could give her 
was that his master was an abandoned roue\ and 
that as he had served her, so had he served the 
vast number of women of all grades and classes, 
whose names and miniatures he had in the book 
which he produced and showed to her. This in- 
sult stung poor Elvira to madness — her love was 
turned to hate, and she vowed revenge. 

Don Juan, upon leaving her, went out of the 
city to his palace, on his way thither being joined 
again by Leporello. As they approached, they 
found the villagers assembled, making merry and 
dancing before the village inn, which lay not far 
from the gates of the palace, and upon inquiry 
learned that the festival was in honor of the pret- 
ty village maiden, Zerlina, who was to be married 
to a peasant named Masetto. The Don was at 
once struck by the beauty and artless simplicity 
of Zerlina, and determined to make her his vic- 
tim. He at once approached her, asked her 
name, the name of her bridegroom, and offered 
her, as lord of the manor, his protection. To 
clear the way for the success of his scheme, he in- 
vited all to enter his palace and gardens, and or- 
dered Leporello to show them all hspitality, with 
a hint to him not to lose sight for a moment of 
Masetto. With some difBculty the bridegroom 
was forced away from Zerlina, and into the pal- 
ace, leaving the simple girl alone with her des- 
troyer. Don Juan began with flattering speeches, 
assuring her that Masetto was no suitable husband 
for one like her, and succeeded at length, by of- 
ters of his own hand, and promises to make her 
mistress of his chateau, to get her in an evil mo- 
ment to consent to desert her lover, and unite her 
fate to his. 

His triumph, however, was but short Lepo- 
rello had hardly lefl Elvira, after his edifying 
discourse to her upon his master's character, 
when she suddenly, moved either by a return of 
tender feeling or by rage, determined also to go 
out to Don Juan's country residence, and fortu- 
nately for poor Zerlina, she arrived before the 
little inn just at the moment when the simple girl, 



overcome by tlie fascinations of the cavalier, and 
the prospect of exchanging a cottage for a palace, 
gave her consent to follow her Iwtrayer. Elvira 
hastened at once to rescue her. She declared the 
true character of the Don, who in reply could only 
assure Zerlina that she, Elvira, was an insane 
girl in love with him. Elvira, however, prevailed, 
and Zerlina hastened to join IVIfisctto, Elvira fol- 
lowing her to relate what had happened. 

Don Juan had hardlv time to recover himself 
before a now interruption to his schemes, and not 
a vory pleasant one, occurred. 

Tlie ill-success which had attended the efforts 
of Don Ottavio to discover the murderer of Don 
Pedro, had led him and Donna Anna to seek as- 
sistance, and to whom should they apply, if not to 
the noble and brilliant cavalier, Don Juan? 
With this object in view, they went out of the 
city to his palace, and hatl already reached the 
village-green, when in the midst of his efforts to 
cheer his companion, he suddenly beheld the very 
person they sought. Donna Anna instantly ap- 
pealed to him as a knight for his assistance in her 
distress. He perceived that she had no suspicion 
of him as the guilty one, and replied by profuse 
ofTers of service, and went on to ask her the cause 
of her grief and distress. He might perhaps have 
succeeded in his hypocrisy, had not his ill-for- 
tune — which, as he complained, made eVery thing 
that day go wrong— brought a fourth person into 
the interview. This was Donna Elvira, who, as 
Leporello afterward related, came in with Zerlina 
in the midst of the festivity, when some were half- 
intoxicated, and all given up to the influence of 
the hour, and related all that had passed, and ex- 
cited the peasants to vengeance. Leporello had 
waited until she had nearly exhausted herself in 
her denunciations, and then artfully contrived to 
lead her out of the garden-gate, where he shut 
the door and locked it upon her. At this moment 
she came upon the Dou in conversation with his 
visitors, and instantly informed them as to his 
true character. Donna Anna was greatly struck 
with the appearance of the stranger, and could 
hardly believe Don Juan's protestations, that she 
was disordered in her mind. Each word spoken 
by them only bewildered her the more ; but when 
the Don became angry, and forced Elvira away, 
something appeared in his words, the tones of his 
voice, and his manner, which shed a horrible 
light into her mind, and showed her in the person 
of the polished cavalier, him who had attempted 
her own honor, and followed up the insult by the 
murder of her father. As soon as the Don lefl 
them, her horror and detestation of the monster 
found words, and now for the first time she made 
known to her lover his entry into her apartmente, 
the attempt ubon her which led to the murder. 
Some proof beyond the mere conviction of Donna 
Anna, however, was necessary before Don Otta- 
vio could charge the rich and high-bom Don 
Juan with crimes so despicable as well as revolt- 
ing — crimes which touched his honor as a Span- 
ish noble so neariy. The truth of Donna Elvira's 
words seemed now made manifest, and they de- 
termined to seek her out, and devise some plan of 
unmasking the Don, and bringing him to punish- 
ment 

Day was already waning when Leporello came 
out to seek his master. Things had not gone to 
suit him in the chateau, and the old idea of leav- 
ing his service had come up again. He found his 
master in hiorh spirits at his supposed success in 
preventing Elvira from working his ruin, and in 
this frame of mind Leporello's lugubrious account 
of his ti'eatment of the peasant, especially of Ma- 
setto, and of the appearance of Elvira with Zer- 
Hna, was but a subject of laughter for him. The 
thought of so many pi-etty village maidens in his 
palace at that moment somewhat' consoled him for 
the disappointments he had met with during this 
unlucky day, and he determined upon the im- 
pulse of the moment to detain the company until 



night, and put all thoughts of leaving him out of 
Leporello's head, by sending him to prepare for a 
grand supper and ball. 

Savage M'ith jealousy and anger, Masetto had 
lefl the company and gone out into the garden. 
Here poor little Zerlina, now thoroughly repentant 
of her momentary folly, sought him out, and en- 
deavored to win from him a smile of reconcilia- 
tion. At first the young husband would hear no 
excuse, and uj)hraided her with leaving him, a 
man of such consequence, allured by the arts of 
a villain. She begged forgiveness, a^surt**! him 
that the Don had not touchetl her with the tip of 
his finger, and finally entreated him to punixh her 
in any maimer he pleased — beat her, kill her, 
only forgive. Such tender entreaty was too 
much for him, and pca<'e was made. At this mo- 
ment the voice of the Don was heard in the 
garden giving orders to the servants. Zerlina, 
overcome with fear, entreated Masetto to flv with 
her, but he misinterpreting her ngitntion, ordered 
her to remain and meet the Don, whihi he secre- 
ted himself in an arbor. Don Juan, delighted at 
finding Zerlina again, and alone, upon his en- 
trance with a band of peasants, who passed into 
the banquet, called her from a hiding-place which 
she had vainly sought among the trees, and seiz- 
ing her by the hand, drew her towards the arl>or. 
Though baflled by meeting there Masetto, the 
last person he expected to see, he concealed his 
disappointment, and shielded Zerlina by placing 
her hand in that of her lover, and inviting him in 
to dance with the rest. Masetto was easily per- 
suaded. Perhaps he hoped that he and his 
friends might be able to punish the Don for the 
insult he had suffered at his hands ; if so, he was 
mistaken, for Don Juan had assembled several 
persons of rank, and the peasantry found them- 
selves powerless to carry out any such project, if 
indeed they had formed it 

In the mean time, Don Ottavio, Donna Anna, 
and Elvira had determined to be present at the 
banquet, which they could easily do without being 
known, by joining the masks. As they approached 
the chateau, the Don saw them from the window, 
and ordered Leporello to invite them in, little 
dreaming who were concealed behind the domi- 
no9 — an invitation of course willingly accepted, 
notwithstanding the anxiety and forebodings of 
Donna Anna. 

The grand saloon presented a splendid specta- 
cle. Three bands of musicians were stationed in 
the three several divisions of the saloon, each 
playing music appropriate to the movements of 
the different ranks of the guests. In the front 
apartment the nobility and friends of the Don, 
engaged in the stately minuet, in those days the 
mode among the high-born. In the next the 
guests of the rank of citizens moved more live- 
ly in the mazes of the contra-dance ; while, still 
beyond, the peasants whirled, ^intoxicated with 
the fire of the giddy waltz. Coffee, chocolate, 
and sherbet were handed about to the guests of 
distinction, while more fiery liquids were distrib- 
uted among the peasants and the village maidens. 

Don Ottavio and his companions did not join 
the dance ; but sitting apart, they followed with 
jealous eyes every movement of the Don. They 
saw his renewed attentions to Zerlina. Tliey 
noted the efforts of Leporello to draw Masetto 
away from her. Don Juan at length claimed her 
hand in a dance — a request which she could not 
refuse. There was a small apartment opening out 
from the saloon, towards the door of which the 
Don gradually brought his partner in the progress 
of the dance ; and at a moment when Masetto had 
been carried away to a distance by Leporello, and 
when he thought no one was observing, by a 
sudden movement he forced her in, Leporello rush- 
ing thither to stand by his master. But Zerlina 
was no longer a willing victim. Her scream rang 
through the saloon high above the sounds of music 
and the shuffling of feet. All was confusion. The 
guests in the front saloon, save Don Ottavio and 
his companions, knew not what to think. Not so 
Masetto and the peasants. They had been for- 
warned by Elvira, and were prepared with sticks 
and clubs. To seize these and burst open the 
door was the work of a moment. Zerlina was res- 
cued, and Don Juan was forced to confront his 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1858. 



299 



cnraped piiosts. For a moment, ho ondcavored 
t/) turn tlicir suspicions upon Loporello, and drew 
his sword, as if to punisli him for his audacity ; but 
Don Ottavio, to whom now the jiuilt of Juan was 
clear, assured him that this was too sliallow a de- 
vice. Unmnskinflj tlicmsi'lvcs, Don Jujxn saw 
before him those very persons whom of all men he 
had most reason to fear. The jruests of his own 
rank who were prescMit, with the instinct of cjiste, 
drew their swords and prot^rted liim fi*om the 
assaults of the peasants, while Don Ottavio made 
known his crimes and infamy. For a moment, lus 
bold spirit quailed; but recovering; himself, he 
;ravc Leporello a secret charjre. Keepinp: his as- 
sailant,s at bay, and braving the worn and indiir- 
nation which were heaped upon him from all sides, 
he stoorl his gfround until his servant returned and 
secretly conveyed a pair of loaded pistols into his 
master*s hand. Whether Don Ottavio, with the 
aid of the cavaliers then present would have inflict- 
Oi\ deserved punishment on the s]X)t, is not clear. 
If this was the intention, it was defeated by Don 
Juan, who suddenly dropped his sword, and forjret- 
tinnr all the dictates of cnivalry, fired his pistols 
amonjr his puests, and in the consetpient confusion 
rushed through the crowd and escaped. 

[Conclusion i^cxt wvck.] 



Conference on Singing in Schools. 

(From the Ix>ndon Musical Gazette, Oct. SO.) 

The conference, called top^ether by the Tonic 
Sol-fa Association, was very well atten<led, the 
lecture theatre of the Younji Men's Christian As- 
sociation, Aldersjrate street, heinpj crowdetl. Not 
less than six hundred persons could have been 
present, comprisinj^ the teachers of m«nny of the 
traininj» colleges and schools of London and its 
vicinity. 

Mr. Curwen, the president of the association, 
explained the object of the conference to be the 
promotion and diffusion of singing in schools. 
He believed that, however various the methods 
employed, there would be no difference of opin- 
ion as to the importance of the end in view. In 
order to promote free discus.sIon, teachers gene- 
rally had been invite<l, regardless of denomina- 
tional distinction. lie ended by proposing Mr. 
Hickson, whom he called the *' Father of School- 
music in England," as chairman. The motion 
havinir been seconded, and carried by acclamation, 
Mr. W. E. Hickson, of Fairseat, Kent, took the 
chair. 

To facilitate the business of the meeting a se- 
ries of four resolutions had been previously pre- 
pared, and were now submitted to the meeting. 
The first of these, referring to the fitness of vocal 
music to promote the healthy development of the 
organs of^ voice, and to supply a brief recreation 
in the course of school studies, was moved bv Mr. 
White, of Spit&lfields, who observed that he had 
during the last twenty years tried four or five 
systems, and now, in the Tonic Sol-fa, was glad 
to say he had got hold of one which answered his 
purpose. 

Mr. Crarapton, in a very sensible speech, moved 
the second resolution, affirming that an important 
advantaore to be derived from sincrinjj in schools 
was the fixm<T just sentiments on the memory, by 
the combination of good poetry with good music. 
He observed that he was glad the notion was los- 
ing ground that children should sing nothing but 
hymns. He thought there was little danger that 
in avoiding the Scylla of excessive religious sing- 
ing they wouUl fall into the Charybdis of excess- 
ive secular singing. He wished to see a good bal- 
lad literature for boys. They could not always 
be singing moral essays, or such words as " Deep- 
er, deeper, let us delve," the delving being car- 
ried on in the mines of knowledge. (Laughter.) 
Songs for boys, similar to nursery rhymes for in- 
fants, were at present a great desideratum. 

In order to show his idea of a combination of 
good poetry with cood music, Mr. Crampton ex- 
hibitea a small volume of school songs which he 
had published. He was not alone, however, in 
taking advantage of this cheap method of adver- 
tising. 

The third resolution was moved by Mr. Lannf- 
ton, of the Model Schools, Borough-road. It 



rcfciTcd merely to the attainments that (irrespec- 
tive of any particul.ir system) should be recjuired 
from all student** leaving training colleges. 

These three resolutions having been respec- 
tively sccomlcd by Messrs. Curwen, Daintrce (of 
Highbury College), and Murby (of the Normal 
College, l>oronn[h-rofid), were put to the meeting 
and unanimously carried. Our readers will per- 
ceive from the nature of these resolutions that 
little opportunity was given to would-be dispu- 
tants, though ample latitude for speech-makers. 
Thus it was fully half-paiJt nine V>cfore Mr. Til- 
leard (of the Council-o(Hce) proposed the fourth 
resolution, which was the real cpicstiou of the 
evening, being upon the method best calculated 
to produce the desired end. lie observed, that 
in every method that was !*cientificallv truthful 
there must be a re«'ognition of the fundamental 
truth, that all major scales arc forme<l upon the 
same type. Any system which took scale af\cr 
scale and repeated the same course of training 
on each was erroneous, and entirely opposed to 
the Pestalozzian priucij)le, that every successive 
step should be in reality a gcncralizaticm. Mr. Til- 
leard wjis proceeding still further when Mr. Cur- 
wen proposed the adjournment of the meeting 
till that day fortnight. The motion, lx;ing put, 
was carried by a considerable majority, and the 
meeting was about to separate, when Mr. G. \V. 
Martin (conductor of the National School Choral 
Festival) rose and said he could not let that meet- 
ing carry away with them the idea that he had 
been tacitly consenting to what had been said in 
favor of the Tonic Sol-fa svstem. As he could 
not possibly attend the adjourned meeting, he 
wished to say a few words? then. He disapproved 
of the Tonic Sol-fa notation. They must in time 
come to the old notation. (Cries of ** No, no ! ") 
In fact, he understood Mr. Curwen to sav that he 
regarded the new notation as an introduction to 
the old. (Hear, hear ! " from Mr. Curwen.) 
He (Mr. Martin) maintained that the former was 
not so easy as the latter. Syllables were not in- 
tended originally as methods of distinguishing 
sounds, and the adoption of them for that pur|)Ose 
only created confusion. Sounds were represented 
simply by lines and spaces, not by notes. He 
then gave a practical illustration of this, by get- 
ting the audience to sin^ an octave, which he 
pointed out, using one of his hands as a stave. 
He concluded by strongly recommending the old 
notation. 

Afler thanks had been voted to the chairman, 
the <'onf«'rence adjourned. 

We had forgotten to state that between the 
second an<l third resolutions a dozen boys and 
girls (instructed on the Tonic Sol-fa system), as- 
sisted by two or three gentlemen, sang one or two 
pieces for the amusement of the audien<'e. 

The performance, however, was far from being 
good. The Mountain Boys' Song, of which they 
only sang one verse, commenced on F and ended 
on E flat. We are glad to sec that in some of 
their later publications the Tonic Sol-fa Associa- 
tion are rendering tardy justice to Miss Glover, 
of whose svstem tlicirs is but a modification. 



This conference reassembled on Wednesday 
evening, Nov. 3d, at the rooms of the Young 
Men's Christian Association, 1C5 Aldersgatc 
street. The attendance was very similar to that 
on the previous occasion. Mr. Hickson again 
took the chair. Before the discussion was re- 
sumed, a class, consisting of about thirty l)ovs 
and girls, was subjected to tests of sight-singing 
from the tonic sol-fa modulator, in addition to 
which Mr. J. T. Tilleard wrote, on a blackboard, 
an easy tune in B natural, modulating into F 
sharp, which they sang very satisfactorily. The 
chairman then opened the business of the even- 
ing by reminding the conference that the ad- 
journment had taken place upon the discussion of 
the fourth resolution, viz. : 

" That, in the opinion of this conference, all meth- 
ods which aim at usefulness in schools should possess 
the following qualifications : 

" Thoy should be scientifically truthful. They 
should be progressive : always proceeding from the 
less to the more difficult, — introducing new topics in 
such a manner as to sustain a freshness of interest, — 



and enabling the teacher to tnkc one tnith at a time, 
and to OT^nist his pujnls in ffisronnntf it. The lessons 
and exercises should be in themselves attractive; such 
Rs will, for their own sake, Ikj loved and remcml>eixd 
by a child. Such methods sl.ould also he easy to 
teach, — making small demands upon cither the phys- 
ical powers of the teacher or the invaluable time of 
the schools." 

Mr. Tilleard then renewed the debate by re- 
stating upon what principles, in his opinion, the 
teachinjr of music should be conducted. There 
should be a well-known and recognized temiinol- 
ojrv, and one universal musical lanjjuajic or nota- 
tion ; so that musical persons of the most opposite 
systems might thoroughly understand each other 
on musical subjects. The resolution, having been 
seconded by Mr. Myers, was put to the meeting 
and carried unanimously. Mr. Curwen then 
(having previously stated his intention) moved 
the following series of resolutions : 

" 1. That, in accordance with the opinions just ap- 
proved by the conference, no system of teaching to 
sinp can be a good one which does not accustom its 
pupils to measure intcn'als from the tonic or key-note. 
Hence the fnihirc of Mr. IluUuh's method. 

" 2. That the chief difliculty of carrying out this 
tonic principle arises from the frequency of modula- 
tion, or chanjre of key, in the higher styles of music ; 
that this difficulty appears almost insuperable when 
the pupil of such mcdiods as Mr. Ilately's of Edin- 
burgh, Mr. Jackson's of Bradford, or Rlr. Turner's 
of Ix)ndou (which ai-e all confined to the established 
notation) wislies to sinj^ classic music at fi»"8t sight — 
guch a pupil iicin;: ohli<:ed, then, to leave tonic sol-fa- 
ing and have recourse to what may 1k5 called chro- 
matic sol-faing. That the tonic sol-fa system of in- 
terpreting the keys (in this kind of music), and ex- 
pressing them in a new notation, is to be regarrlcd, 
at i>rescnt, only as an experiment ; but that this diffi- 
culty of the tonic method is confined to the higher 
style of music, and need not give any anxiety to tho 
school teacher. 

*• 3. That, as in all good teaching the sifm should 
be rej^'arded as entii-ely suliordinntc to that which it 
signifies (the object of the instructor being to teach 
the thing itself, and only suhordinately the marks or 
names by which it is known), it is not * teacher-like ' 
to object to the methods of Kii;icli, Natoq), Wald- 
mann, Midler, Schadc, Aul)erlin, Gall, Byrcc, Jcu do 
Bcmeval, Chcvd, or Miss Glover, that they have em- 

{)loycd some new notation (of figures, symbols, or 
ettcrs) in order to attract the exclusive attention of 
their pupils to the great principle of key relationship 
in their early lessons on iutenals : if it can be shown 
that the pupils do Icam the thing music more truth- 
fully or more quickly, or obtain nnisic at a very much 
cheaper rate, and therefore more ubundantly, by the 
help of these new notations than without them. 
This conference, however, recommends that those 
school teachers who adopt new notations for this pur- 
pose should not neglect to introduce the pupils of 
their higher claspcs to that notation of music which 
is now established in general use throughout the 
world." 

After expressing an opinion, founded on his 
own per.sonal observation, that the advocates of 
the old principle of sol-faing were becoming 
less numerous ever>' dav, Mr. Curwen observed 
that Mr. Hullah's system did not flourish in 
schools. There, generally, it assumed the shape 
of certain unused sheets, in ccrt«\in dusty cuj)- 
boards. In his (Mr. Curwen's) resolutions, refer- 
ence was made to the methods of Mr. Turner, 
Mr. Hately, and Mr. Jackson. Tliese gentlemen, 
though they sol-faed from the key-note, seemed 
afraid to leave the old notation, anil consequently, 
in (dassical music, became involved in great diffi- 
culties. To give an idea of these, be would state 
that in Israel in Efji/pt, which cont^nined 1,752 
bars of music, there were about 230 changes of 
key, or, on an average, one change to 7J bars. 
The average in Bach's Motet, No. 5, was one 
change to every 7 bars. Was there any musician 
in the world who could read off such modulations 
at first sight ? (Cries of ** Yes."') Well, suppose 
there were a hundred, that would not answer his 
purpose — he must have thousands upon thousands 
— he wanted the people to siii^>><He regretted 
that Mr. Martin, at tlieir former mating, spoke 
of the tonic sol-fa as his (Mr. Curwen's) inven- 
tion. It was entirely due to the genius and en- 
ergy of Miss Glover. (Cheers.) Mr. Martin had 
stated that they taught by ear alone. He (Mr. 



300 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Curwcn) contended that no man could bo taught 
to sing in the first instance except through liis 
ears; after which, signs of some kind -would be 
indispensable. He allowed, with Mr. Martin, 
that syllables would not teach dilTcrences of 
sound, but when the pupil became acquainted 
with these diiferences, syllables were of use in 
naming them. He had tried many plans before 
he adopted the present one. It was the only one 
that answered. It was like loosing the tongue of 
a dumb man. In speaking of the old notation 
he stated that it could be acquired in a day by 
any one acquainted with the tonic soMa system. 
In addition to these advantages, cheapness should 
not bo forgotten. The nineteen numbers of Mr. 
^Iartin*8 " Two-a-Penny Part-songs" cost Is. 7rf., 
but in the tonic sol-fa notation, 4^. would cover 
the expense, and ** Eight-a-Penny Part-songs ** 
would oecome the title. The publisher would 
enjoy the same profit, and the purchasers four 
times as much music. 

Mr. Goodchild having seconded the resolations, 
Mr. G. W. Martin rose to reply to Mr. Curwen. 
He stated that the advocates of the tonic sol-fa 
system seemed to take great credit for the teach- 
ing of key-relationship, as tliough it were pecu- 
ilar to their system, wnereas it was generally al- 
lowed to be the foundation of all f!:qod teaching. 
He agreed with Mr. Curwen that this relationship 
should be cultivated, and also that the first note 
of the scale was the principal one ; but he would 
maintain that the new s}'stem8 of notation intro- 
duced into this and other countries had decidedly 
a dangerous tendency. They were calculated to 
destroy that universality of musical language, 
which was so desirable. The difference in the 
cost of music became insignificant when placed 
side by side with communitjr of langua^. Mr. 
Martin concluded by com[)aring most elaborately 
and scientifically the merits of the old and new 
notations, showing the former to be greatly supe- 
rior when properly taught In doing this he 
made consiaerable use of a blackboard and the 
voices of his audience. 

Mr. Crampton considered that the key was not 
established by note but by the accompanying har- 
mony of that note. He thought the tonic sol-fa 
system was a good introduction to harmony, but 
when harmony camor in, that system could not be 
too quicklv abandoned. 

Mr. Roberts thought the tonic sol-fa notation 
had not been treated fairly. They should look 
at the results. After three lessons a boy with an 
ordinary ear could make out a simple tune by 
himself. 



Faisiello and His Works. 

QxovAKNi Paisiello, son of Frnn^ois and of 
Grasazio Fogiale, was bom at Tarcnto in the year 
1741. His father was a veterinary surgeon, particu- 
larly distinguished in his art ; ana the reputation he 
had acquired, not only in the province of Lacra, but 
in the whole kingdom, procured him the honor of be- 
ing employed by the King of Naples, Charles III., 
during the war of Volletri. His father determined, as 
soon as his son had attained his fifth year, that ho 
should study till he was thirteen, with the Jesuits, who 
had a college at Tarento ; and as it was the custom 
of these fathers to have the service to the virgin sung 
in all their festivals, they remarked, when their young 
pupil sang the hours of matins, that ho had a fine con- 
tralto voice and an excellent car. Upon this ohner- 
vation, the Chevalier D. Girolamo Corducci, of the 
same city, and who superintended the music for the 
holy week in the church of the Capuchins, endeavored 
to make young Paisicllo sing some pieces from mem- 
ory. The boy, who was then under thirteen years of 
age, acquitted himself in such a manner, that it might 
have been imagined he had studied music for a length 
of time. This was in March, 1754. The Chevalier 
Cudncci, perceiving the promising genius of Paisiello, 
advised his father to sena him to Naples, in order that 
he might study music, and, for this purpose, instanthr 
to place him with some good chapel-master ; but his 

1>arents would not consent to this, for, beinj; their on- 
y son, they coidd not resolve to part with him. The 
reiterated entreaties of the chevalier began at last to 

Srevail, and they promised to give an answer, after 
aving reflected more maturely. In short, after some 
time had elapsed, they determined on sending him to 
Naples ; his departure was fixed for the month of May 
following, and in the meantime he employed all his 
time in learning the first elements of music, under an 



ecclesiastic, a secular priest, named Carlo Resta, ot 
Tarcnto, an excellent tenor, who played very well on 
the arch-lute, an instrument which Paisicllo made use 
of during the two or three months allotted to him for 
acquiring the first instructions. Ho afterwards sot out 
for Naples with his father, and in June, 1754, wofi re- 
ceived into the conscrvatorio of St. Onofrio, where he 
had the happiness of finding, as a master, the cele- 
brated Durante. It was under him that he studied, 
and at the end of five years became first master among 
the pupils of the conservatorio. During the next four 
years ho composed there some masses, psalms, motets, 
oratorios, and a comic interlude, whicii was pciform- 
ed in the same institution. This interlude procured 
hhn tlio advantage of being employed to compose, in 
1763, an opera for the theatre at Bologna. 

Here begins the first epoch of his works. 

At the theatre of the Marsigli, at Bologna, appear- 
ed "La PupiUa," "1 FranceiibnlUinti," "II Mondo a 
Jiovacio ,*" at Modena, "La Madama Umorista ;" at 
Parma, "Le Virtuose Ridicole/' "11 Sagno d'Abano;" 
at Venice, "// Ciarlontj" "Le Pe$catrtce;" at Rome, 
"II Marchese Ttdipano;" &c., &c. 

On the 28th of July, 1766, Paisiello departed for 
Russia, and entered the service of Catharine II., with 
an appointment of four thousand rubles. As music 
master to the grand duchess, he had the further sum 
of nine hundred rubles ; and his country house, which 
was allowed him during five or six months in the year, 
procured him two thousand rubles. With these and 
some other advantages, he had an annual income of 
nine thousand rubles. 

Second Epoch. — ^I^aisiello remained in Russia nine 
years, durinc which time he composed "Im Serva 
Padrona," *'I I Alatrimonio Inaipettato," "11 BarUere 
di Siviglia" " I FiUaofi Imaginari," " La FitUa 
Amante" &c., &c. 

Third Epoch. — At Vienna he wrote for the Em- 
peror Joseph II. the opera of "// lie Teodoro" and 
twelve concerted symphonies. From thence he re- 
turned to Naples. On his arrival in this city, Ferdi- 
nand IV. took him into his service, in quality of mas- 
ter of the chapd, with a salary of twelve hundred 
ducats. He tnen directly composed bis opera "An- 
tigono" at Rome, " L*Amore Ingenioto" "La Mol- 
inara;'* at Naples, "La Grotta di Trofonio," " Le 
Gore Generoae/' " L' CHympiade," " 11 Pirro." This 
work was the first, of the serious kind, in which in- 
troductions and finales were employed. It also con- 
tains a scene where the principal person, executing a 
monologue, is surprised oy soldiers, who arrive at the 
sound of a military march, and which agrees with the 
song of the actor ; a scene which has served as a mod- 
el to many composers. 

The French revolution having extended to Naples 
in 1789, the government assumed the republican form. 
The court abandoning Naples and returning into Sic- 
ily, the nUers of the state named Paisiello composer 
to the nation. But the Bourbon family, being rees- 
tablished, made it a crime in him to have accepted 
this employment, and for some time his appointments 
were suspended. At laf^t, after two years had elapsed, 
he was restored to his situation. He was afterwards 
demanded at Paris by the First Consul of France, 
Napoleon Bonaparte ; when Fertlinand, King of Na- 
ples, gave him a despatch, with an order to go to Paris, 
and place himself at the disposal of the first consul. 
Alquicr, the minister of France, resident at Naples, 
pressed him on the occasion to declare his intentions 
respecting the fees and the treatment he desired. 
Pai!<icIlo replied, that the honor of serving the first 
consul he considered as a snflicicnt recompense. On 
arriving at Paris, he was provided with a furnished 
apartment, and one of the coui-t carriages ; he was 
assigned a salary of twelve thousand francs, and a 
present of eighteen thousand francs for the expenses 
of his stay, besides those of his journey. He was of- 
fered at Paris several employments ; such as those of 
director of the Imperial Academy and of the Conser- 
vatorio; he refused them all, and contented himself 
with that of director of the chapel, which he filled with 
excellent artists. He composed for this chapel six- 
teen sacred services, consisting of masses, motets, 
provers, &c., and besides these he set tho opera of 
" Proaerpine^'* for the Academy of Music, and a 
" Grana Mass" for two choirs, a " Te Deum" and 
prayers for the coronation of the emperor. Finding 
that the climate of Paris did not agree with his wife, 
he quitted the city, after residing in it two years and 
a half, and returned to Italy ; he still, however, con- 
tinued to send every year to Napoleon a sacred com- 
position for the anniversary of nis birth, the 15th of 
August. A year after his departure, the emperor 
proposed to him to return to Paris, but the bad state 
of his health prevented him from accepting the invita* 
tion. The Bourbon family being obliged to quit Na- 



ples, King Joscj»h Nnnolcon confirmed to him the 
place of master of the rhapcl, of composer and dircc 
tor of the music of his chaml)cr andbf his chapel, with 
an ap]>ointment of one thousand ci^rht hundred du- 
cats. Ho wrote for this chapel twenty-four services, 
consisting of masses, motets, and prayers. At the 
same time, Napoleon sent him the cross' of tlie legion 
of honor, whicli Joseph himself presented to him, 
with an additional pension of one thousand francs. 

Besides the offices already spoken of, Paisiello was 
chapel-master of the cathcdml of Naples, for which he 
composed several services alia Ptdeatrina ; he was al- 
so chapcl-mastcr to tho mnnicipalty. He likewise 
comiMsed for different religious houses, now destroy- 
ed, a great numlier of ofhccs ; such as three masses 
for two choirs, two massses for five voices, alia Paies- 
trinat with an accompaniment for the violoncello and 
tenor, and a Christus ; and besides these, three cant- 
atas for a single voice, for amateurs ; four nottiunos 
for two voices ; six concertos for the pianoforte writ- 
ten expressly for the infanta. Princess of Parma, af- 
terwards Queen of Spain, wife of Charles IV. 

Paisiello died at Naples, in the year 1816, aged sev- 
enty-six. That city rendered him funeral honors, in 
causing to be executed a mass for the dead, found 
among his papers. The same evening his "Nina" was 
performed at the opera, when the King of Naples and 
the whole court attended. 

Among the numerous works of which we have pv- 
en the list, there are many which have had general 
success, and which have been often performed in the 
principal theatres of Kurope. The following arc 
among the most favorite of his comic operas : " fyi 
Frescantana" " Ijc Due Contfsse" " II he Teodoro^ 
" 11 Beirftiere di Siviglia" " // Fttrbo mal accorto, 
" D'Anchise Companone/* " Le Medesia mggiraticej 
"I Zinpari in lura," "Dal linta U Tww," "I/Ingan- 
no lelicf** IJArabo Cortese** "UAmor contrastato" 
"II Taiid}\trro Nottumo" " Ija Paxza per Amoref 
"L*lnnocente Fortunata" "11 Matrimonio InaspetMo^ 
"La Serva Padrona," "I Fitosoji Imaginari/* " Le 
Gate Gcneroae" and "Ija Grotta iii Trofonio" Amon;; 
the serious operas : "7>i Disfatta di Dnrio,** "VElf- 
rida," "II PvTO*' "Im Nitieti/' "IJAntigono," "Lu- 
cinda Hi Armidoro;* "VOiifrnpiade," "II Demetna," 
^* rAndrrmnca," "La Fedm," " Caione in Utica," 
aad "/ Giuochid' Agrijfento." Among the works for 
the church : "La Passiono." the mass for two choirs, 
the "Te Deum" the motets and funeml symphonies. 



If 



ft 



*f 



ft 



tt 



HLoebxVb " Nozze di Figaro." 

From Holmes's Lift of HoHrt. 

The all-engrossing subject of Mozart's thoughts 
during the spring of tne year (1786) was "Le 
Nozzc di Figaro," an opera likewise undertaken 
at the suggestion of the Emperor Joseph. This 
work, which has maintained its place on the stage 
and in the drawing-room for nearly sixty years in 
continuation, is justly considered, for its extraor- 
dinary wealth of melody, tho variety of its style, 
and the perfection of its concerted music, as one 
of the most wonderful trophies of human skill. 

The libretto, adopted by Da Ponte from the well- 
known comedy of^ Beaumarchais, seems to have 
satisfied Mozart, and the subject to have possessed 
unusual charms for him, if we may iudgc by tho 
rate at which he worked. The whole opera was 
written in the course of April. The marvelous 
finale of the second act, consisting of six grand 
pieces, occupied him for two nights and a day, 
during which he wrote without intermission. In 
the course of the second night he was seized with 
an illness which compelled him to stop ; but thehe 
remained a few pages only of the last piece to 
instrument. 

Salieri and Eighini being at this time ready 
with operas, were both competitors with Mozart 
for preference ; and the contest between tho 
composers was so warm that the emperor was 
obliged to interpose and he decided for " Figaro." 
Some eagerness of rivalry seems to have been 
pardonable on an occasion which is rendered 
memorable by the unequalled talent of the angers, 
and the extraordinary congress of composers 
assembled at Vienna. Rarely, if ever, bas^ it 
happened to a musician to submit his composition 
to such an ordeal as Mozart did '* Figaro ;" and 
few have been the instances in dramatic annals in 
which men of such renown as Haydn, Mozart, 
Gluck, Paisiello, Storace, Salieri, Righini, Anfossi, 
&c., have been collected under one roof to witness 
tho first performance of an opera, as it is no im- 



k 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1858. 



301 



probable snrmiso that they were on this occasion. 
What the lyric drama gained by this opera in 
clcji^anco of melody, in mo<lels of love songs in 
rich concerted music, and varied finales, is the 
question at present, and that we are well able to 
determine. While all the popular melodies of the 
comic operas coeval with " Figaro" Ttunes which 
were regularly transferred from the theatre to the 
street musicians) arc lost, not a note of that com- 
position has faded ; and when reproduced, it still 
finds as many enthusiastic admirers as a comedy of 
Shakespeare. The combination of playfulness 
and grace which predominates in it imparts to 
" Fijjaro," according to some critics, a more decid- 
ed Mozartean character than any other of his 
works. Every one may certainly find in it some- 
thing to please. The musician, for instance, 
listens with delight to the bass of the first duet, or 
to the admirable instrumentation of the son;; in 
which the page is trying on the cap. What 
wealth of oeauty in places comparatively unno- 
ticed! Those who like to combine delightful 
music with a laugh may find both in the duet in 
which Susanna describes the behavior of the 
count when her bridegroom is gone on his travels. 
The deprecatory interjections of poor Figaro, 
*' Susanna pian, pian !" call up the most pleasant 
recollections. It were endless to pursue this opera 
through all its materials for pleasure. 

The favorite piece of the composer was the 
sestetto : Jticonosci in questo amplesso, 

Kelly, who claims to have sung " Crudel 
perchb " with the composer, just as it had fallen 
fresh from the pen, gives a lively account of the 
first rehearsal. Alluding to this occasion, he 
observes : " I remember Mozart was on the stage 
with his crimson pelisse and gold-laced cocked hat, 
giving the time of the music to the orchestra. 
Figaro's song : * Non pid andrai, farfallone amor- 
oso,' Benucci gave with the greatest animation 
and power of voice. I was standing close to 
Mozart, who, sotto voce, was repeating * Bravo ! 
bravo I Benucci ; ' and when Benucci came to the 
fine passage : * Cherubino, alia vittoria, alia gloria 
militar,' which he gave out with stentorian lungs, 
the effect was electricity itself, for the whole of 
the performers on the stage, and those in the 
orchestra, as if actuated by one feeling of delight, 
vociferated, * Bravo I bravo ! maestro ; viva ! 
grande Mozart !' Those in the orchestra I thought, 
would never have ceased applauding, by beating 
the bows of the violins against the music desks. 
The little man acknowledged, by repeated obei- 
sances, his thanks for the distinguished mark of 
enthusiastic applause bestowed uj>on him." What 
a transition tnis, from the midnight solitudes in 
which, animated by a great idea, he could not rest 
till he had delivered himself of it ! Had it been 
the acclamation of a crowded house at a perform- 
ance, instead of a spirited scene at a rehearsal, it 
might have been better ; still, it was the voice of 
truth, which he seldom heard save in his own 
music. 



** The Hogaenots" in New OrleaiiB- 

One ot the best opemtic critics of New York, where 
they think they know "what's what" in these matton, 
says that ** no sagacious opera manager in America 
will often attemj^t to place Meyerbeer on the stage. 
His operas are written for rare voices, and without 
such tney are miserable failures. Bnssos profundisni- 
mos, like Formes, can alone sing Marcel in 'Les Hu- 
gemots/ and Bertram in 'Robert le Diablc.' Be- 
sides, it cotts (and impresarios well know what we 
mean by this wonl) a plam to mount properly one of 
his operas. The orchestra and chorus must be doub- 
led. Scene painters, scene shifters, and supernumer- 
aries innumeraljle must he called into requisition." 

This is tme enough of opera management in those 
cities where the opera is only an occasional affair, and 
not, as it is with us, in New Orleans, a fixed institu- 
tion. Here, all the requisites described bv the critic 
we quote are to be found, every season. "V^e have the 
"basso profundissimos," to sing the Marceis and the 
Bertrams, tenor! robustissimi to sing the Roberts and 
the Raouis, soprani altissimi to sing the Margu€riteSf 
the Valentines and the TsaheUes, and all the rest. As 
to the question of "cost" in the getting up, it is not a 
troublesome one at the Orleans, for these operas have 
been handsomely "mounted" on our stage for many 
vears, being regular stock pieces of the theatre. We 
nave no need to "double" the orchestra, for it is al- 



ways sufBcicntly largo, numerous and capable. And 
so IS the chonis. To enjoy Meyerbeer, he should bo 
seen and heard as he is presented at our French thea- 
tre, under French management, by French artists, and 
in the French language. Picayune, Nov, 30. 

Orleans Theatre. — A full house — including but 
few ladies, however — greeted the first performance, 
Inst evening, at the above theatre, of Meyerbeer's chef 
d*f€uvre^ " The Huguenots." It is a test-piece at all 
times for tenor, prima donna and basso, and the sev- 
erity of the trial was the greatest, as it included also 
the first appearance of a new prima donna, M'lle La- 
franque, and the real debut of the new basFo, Mr. 
Taste. With some slight hitches here and there in 
the piece — ^to l>e expected in a first performance, un- 
der the circumstances — the opera was excellently giv- 
en. The choruses nnd grand concerted pieces, in par- 
ticular, evinced manifest improvement — the "Rata- 
plan" and "Foniard Benediction" being particularly 
well done. 

M'lle Cordicr's Marguerite was a delightful person- 
ation, in looks, graceful acting and brilliant vocaliza- 
tion. Her appearance at the opening of the second 
act was the very picture of youth and gaiety, and one 
might well imagine the fascinating effect on the 
young Huguenot noble, Raoul, of so charming 
an appiration of coquettish beauty, in all the splen- 
dor of royal costume. The **Ak ! si f^ais coquette !** 
was given with bird-like lightness and a gushing rich- 
ness of pearly notes tbat fairly enraptured the audi- 
ence. 

M'me. Yad^'s Page was a pleasing and successful 
personation. 

Delagrave, early in the evening, showed evident 
signs of hoarseness and weakness, but in the impas- 
'sioned fourth act he rose to all his former strength, 
and sang with a mingled power and syropatlietic ex- 
pression that surprised the audience. 

It is unfair to judge a performer on his first appear- 
ance, where it is evident ho labors under the paralyz. 
ing influences usually attendant on such an appearance. 
We will merely say that Mr. Taste has a full, clear, 
flexible basso voice, well cultivated, whose volume 
could not be judged of— although now and then the 
singer gave proof of sufiicient capability of expression 
and dramatic power. He will undoubtedly improve 
on a better acquaintance. 

The prominent feature of the evening was the com- 
plete and unexpected success of M'lle. Lafranque. As 
she quietly came down the stage, in the second act, 
she was received with chilling coldness. Her poraon- 
al appearance is somewhat against her ; she is thin, 
and has a pale, sickly look, and her dress at first was 
disadvantageous. Her uncourtcous reception was 
soon changed into astonished admiration, when her 
clear, full, powerful voice was heard, and in the grand 
scenes between her and Marcel and Raoul, in the third 
and fourth acts, the frail form and pallid countenance 
of the performer showed themselves imbued with that 
glow and energy which seize uponthe listener and bind 
him fast to everv note and look and gesture of the 
singer. M'lle. jLafranque forgets the andicnco, and 
gives herself up to the spirit of her part, exaggerating 
nothing, however, and casting over her presentation, 
in its most passionate moments, the charms of femi- 
nine grace and delicacy. Picayune, Dec, 2. 



Letter about Eobert Franz. 

A con-espondent of the New York Musical World, 
fresh home from Germany, writes : 

As BoBERT Franz's name as a composer ranges 
now among the highest in Germany, and his compo- 
sitions having received already in Boston a hearty 
welcome, your readers will receive, perhaps with in- 
terest, a few extracts from my journal in relation to 
that excellent man. 

Robert Franz is the son of a " Hallore," a tribe of 
Wondish origin, who, centuries ago, owned the Salt 
Springs at Halle, and work them to this day. Pecu- 
liar dress, customs, and certain privileges distinguish 
them from the German race. He must be about 40 
yeara old, but loves the society of young men of tal- 
ent and spirit, and although odd to the last degree in 
mien and manner, he is highlv esteemed and warmly 
loved by the refined and intelligent portions of Halle. 
His tall, loose limbs find it difficult to follow his head, 
which is always in advance of the perpendicular line, 
and which bears, to counterbalance this abnormal po- 
sition, a high stove-pipe hat of unbrushed texture, far 
back on the neck. He lisps most unmusically, sings 
with contorted features and a strange Shanghai-voice, 
and is equally famous in discussing the merits of a 
musical performance and a glass of genuine Bavarian 
beer of the " Aulmbach " derfomination ; and yet, 
within the rough shell reigns a soul of poetry and a 
highly culturea mind. As director or the " Sing 
Academie," he is noted for his good-natured rough- 



ness ; when ladies complain of it he tells them in a 
cool manner : "Ladieth, I thscold your voiceth, not 
you." 

After the appearance of opus 8, he sat at the piano, 
Julius Schaffer, now Music Director at Schwerin, 
my brother Theodore, and several other friends 
around him, singing to them yn\\i that remarkable 
voice, his glorious song, " Die Gewittemacht** which 
combines tlie raging of the storm with tlie wild pas- 
sion of an unhappy love, disFolving the one into a 
gentle rain, the otner in tranquil izing tears. When 
ho came to this point he turned around and ex- 
claimed in an undertone, unconscious of the ludic- 
rous prosaic effect : "Hear je I how it dripsth ! " 

In conclusion of this already too-long letter, a few 
words in regard to the above mentioned Julius Schaf- 
fer. It was my good fortune to be invited to a pri- 
vate musical matinee at Halle,where he played, among 
other pices, some numbers from his opus 1 , Fantasia 
Stiicke, which I would heartily recommend, together 
with opus 3 and 4, to all pianists who have heart, 
ears, eyes and hands for the " music of the future." 



Jfoig^fs |0nrnal d Pnsk 



BOSTON, DEC. 18, 1858. 

Italian Opera. 

We have had a week of it, and on the whole a 
rich one. From Thursday evening of last week, 
there have been six performances in seven days, 
in the course of which the most sceptical person 
must have been satisfied of the rare resources of 
Mr. Ullman's large and splendid company. 
In amount, variety and average excellence of 
personal talent ; in wealth of accessories, in com- 
plelK^ness of orchestra and chorus, and in the va- 
riety and interest of its repertoire, it certainly 
surpasses any troupe that we have had before. 

The opening night was, of course, Mile. Picco- 
lomeni'b, — that bewitching natural little charm- 
er having been all along put forward, in the plan 
of the campaign, as the manager's best card, the 
one sure to win. She has been most extrava- 
gantly praised, no doubt, in advertisements and 
libretto prefaces ; grouped with the great stars, as 
Grisi, Sontag, Bosio, and even Malibran and 
Jenny Lind ! pronounced not only a charming 
little singer and actress, but the lyric genius of 
the age, — simply because the general public is 
always ready enough to mistake a pleasing talent 
for genius ; and by all the arts of reclame has she 
been magnified in a way that would be quite 
fatal to her successful debut in any intelligent 
community, were it not that she decidedly Aos ccr- 
tiun charms of her own, not necessarily of the 
highest kind, in rare perfection. Take her for 
just what she is, she is a remarkably fine specimen 
of that. It is simply absurd to name her with 
the great prima donnas — at least now ; but she 
may be, she is, for all that, a charming singer and 
a delightful actress in her way. This every one 
acknowledged at her debut in La Traviata. 
Criticism was disarmed. Criticism could but 
smile at the idea of having anything to do there ; 
to pull out its nice scales, with a grave face, were 
a joke. For anything so simply childlike, so 
naive, fresh, spontaneous, so pretty and fascina- 
ting in its way ; anything done with such entire 
unreserve and passionate love of the occupation, 
one sees very seldom in these days of ours. It is 
perhaps rash to guage the depth of nature of an 
artist and predict all her possibilities, from one 
performance or one season of performances ; but 
we cannot help suspecting that, were the nature 
greater, were the talent of a deeper, rarer kind, 
something more akin to genius and imagination. 



302 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



there would ^perhaps be less completene«s of ex- 
pressioDf less of the charm of unreserve, and far 
less of that " infinite assurance ** — charming as it 
was, and never overstepping bounds of modesty 
and grace, we cheerfully admit — by which this 
piccolo of a prima donna, setting her own stand- 
ard, in spite of all our memories and results of 
critical reflection, renewed with us the triumph 
she has enjoyed everywhere. 

We cannot enter the lists with the glib writers 
who have turned over the whole vocabulary of 
delicate phrases and fancies to describe Picolomi- 
ni ; we should surely be beaten if we attempted it. 
Her description has been for a month in all the 
newspapers, and we need not to alter or to add to 

The charm is in the first place that of youth — 
an incalculable advantage, adding many ciphers 
to the right side of any unit of positive talent. 
Then that sunshiny vivacity and good nature, 
animating the petite prettiness and plumptitude 
of person, so delighted to act itself out, so fond of 
the full sunshine of applauding publics, rushing to 
the foot-lights by a childlike attraction, singing 
and gesticulating right into you, acting personal- 
ly to every one of her audience : — all genuine as 
possible so far as it goes. Then a delightful voice, 
remarkably sweet and musical, clear and pure and 
liquid, highly sympathetic, lending itself to each 
emotion that she would portray, so truly that she 
even cries in music ; but withal a small, fme 
voice, limited in compass, limited in power, which 
obviously precludes anything like lyrical gran- 
deur ; and yet one wonders that the little voice 
makes itself heard and felt so palpably, even more 
than he does at its sweetness and its flexibibility 
Then she is a good singer ; she has the art of 
using her voice in a much higher degree than 
critics told us. She sings always true, with grace 
of style and just expression ; with plenty of exe- 
cution for all the best purposes, although wisely 
avoiding diflicult bravura passages, as in this very 
Traviaia, which we confess we do not consider 
any loss, so long as what she does give is consis- 
tent, graceful and complete. Were it an air of 
Mozart, we should be sticklers for a literal fidelity 
to text. 

Then she is a born actress — at least within a 
certain native range of character ; and if she 
has not genius, she has talent, a plentiful deal of 
what is called smartness ; a good head ; quickness 
of perception, at least of the external kind, ready 
power of imitation, extending (as we shall see) 
even to a clever rendering of intense and some- 
what complex tragic parts — added to all which a 
very resolute little will of her own, an unfail- 
ing zest in all that interests and actuates her, and 
an intensity in such passion as she knows, — an in- 
tensity at any rate in her prime key-note passion, 
that for representing passions — so that her facul- 
ties are ever strung for action, and it is no wonder 
that she captivates an audience. But she is an 
artist ; there is a rare haiTOony of song and action 
in her, as in Mme. Colson, though her concep- 
tions ai*e by no means of so high and so refined a 
stamp. 

Of her impersonation of Violetta, the Traviata, 
we must say that it showed amazing cleverness, 
although by no means the best that we have seen 
and heard. In the first scene she takes the char- 
acter into her own element ; she makes it playful, 
arch, coquettish ; plays at love, in an extremely 
pretty, sprightly, but yet rather common-place 
way ; pert, and smart, and much at home in cer- 



tain pretty tricks, the common-places of a co- 
quette, — tossing the little head, flirting the little 
handkerchief, and all the little et ceteras that 
common audiences delight in, — singing it, too, 
most charmingly ; — ^but evidencing no depth, no 
such intrinsic superiority of nature to the false 
sphere in which she moves, as to at all justify the 
subsequent development of real love and the high 
moral interest of the last scenes. Yet we could 
only wonder at her cleverness, her really expres- 
sive singing and action throughout all that serious 
sequel. 

Our old friend Brigxoli, with his delicious 
tenor, sang the lover's music touchingly, with 
more of earnestness than usual. The part of Gcr- 
mont Pcre was sustained by Sig. Florknza (his 
first appearance here) who has a rich and power- 
ful baritone, and sings like a superior artist ; but 
his gesticulation and his make-up were grotesque. 
Among the secondary characters were Ilerr 
MuELT.LER (as Phvsician), Ilerr Quint (or Sig. 
QuiNTo), and various other Germans as well as 
Italians, who, with the remarkably fine chorus 
(more numerous, euphonious and well-trained 
than we have ever had before) made up a capi- 
tal vocal ensemble. The orchestra was by far the 
best we ever had in opera; numbering about 
fifty instruments, and comprising our best local 
talent with additions from New York. There 
was a noble body of strings ; the reed instruments 
blended with uncommon beauty, and the brass 
(a generous allowance) was well subdued. Sig. 
^luzio, the conductor, showed a quiet, sure, in- 
telligent mastery of the whole combination. With 
such an orchestra we had hoped to discover more 
of musical idea and substance in the Trariata^ 
than we had done before. But the music still 
seemed empty, scarcely justifying such an or- 
chestra. 



On Friday evening another large and brilliant 
audience were assembled eajjer for *' the Hujiue- 
nots." But Mile. Poinset was ill, and at the 
eleventh hour the play was changed to Donizet- 
ti's Figlia del Regrjimento^ with more of the picolo 
to console our disappointed hopes of the colossal. 
The announcement was taken in good part, when 
it was found that Mile. Piccolomini, with char- 
acteristic kindness had come to the rescue of the 
manager in this dilemma, and, better still, that the 
great basso of the world, Carl Formes, had 
consented to appear for once in so subordinate a 
role as that of the old sergeant. The first sight of 
Formes, with a few ringing notes of his voice, and 
his brisk military salute, electrified the house. It 
was clear in an instant that the man was tho- 
roughly alive, that Formes was in the most com- 
plete sense there. He acted the old soldier to the 
life, and put life and spirits into all about him. 
The music of the part is not much, but he gave 
that little admirably, and was perfect in all the 
recitative and musical declamation, and in such 
concerted pieces as that rapid trio in the last 
scene, which is a very palpable and clever imita- 
tion of Rossini's Zitti^ zitti, piano. It was incom- 
parably the best Sulpizio we ever had upon our 
stage. And then the Figlia herself, pert, playful, 
smart, vivacious, joyous little Piccolomini, now 
all alive before you in her own proper character. 
What a witch of a child she seemed I so full of 
dashinnf confidence and talent. How running 
over with sunshiny good nature and frankness ! 
How she glories in the regiment, in the general 



sympathy, and above all in that of the audience, 
rushing to the foot-lights with a child's delight, 
innocently charmed with the scjnsc of her own 
ixjwer in occupying general attention ! The gay 
and brilliant melodies were nicely sung,'and alto- 
gether it was a unique and charming piece of musi- 
cal comedy, dashed with some true touches of 
sentiment. The spoiled child's roguery with the 
old pedant aunt in the music lesson was the 
cleverest and truest part of it. 

For Tonio we had a new tenor, Sig. Tamaro, 
physically of the same type with Labocetta, but 
young, with a much fresher voice, sweet and 
telling, and fair execution. The part suited him 
well. The chorus of soldiei-s was capital. Alto- 
gether, it was the best performance we have yet 
had of this sparkling opera. 



On Saturday afternoon La Figlia was repeated, 
followed by the first act of Norman in which Mme. 
Labokde astonished cverylxxly by the marvel- 
lous perfection of her rendering of Casta diva. 



Monday evening. Another disappointment. 
For Piccolomini in Lucia, and in the little comic 
opera, La Serva Padrona^ by Paisiello, was su Insti- 
tuted Lurrezia Borgia — probably for reasons be- 
vond the mana^'crV control. Tliere were marked 
signs of discontent, whieh soon yielded before the 
rich music of that favorite ojx^ra, illustrated by 
such an orchestra and chorus ; with the curiosity 
to witness how her little ladyship would make 
out, leaving her native element of the coquettish 
soubrette, to assume the tragic, proud airs of the 
Bo^a, and with the certainty of something 
splendid and commanding in the duke Alfonso of 
Ilerr Formes. The Lucrezia of Piccolomini 
was certainly, in its way, an astonishing triumph. 

You could not forget the child all the while, 
butvou wondered to see how admirablvthe child 
caught and reflected in that limpid mirror of her 
imitative nature, in miniature, most of the tradi- 
tional points and features of that part as por- 
trayed by the great prima donnas. Some points, 
too, were original and striking — arts of effect, 
cleverly conceived and executed, but not to be 
accounted flashes of imaginative treatment. 
Such was the wicked glow of triumph on her 
face with which she met the Duke, as she covered 
the escape of her son. But there was an inten- 
sity and a variety of passionate expression in her 
whole impersonation, voice finely corresponding, 
especially in the great Trio scene, by which she 
grew immensely in the faith of her audience in 
her lyric possibilities. Formes was majestic, 
grandly declamatory-, but perhaps hardly enough 
.polished in his impersonation of the Duke. Both 
were superbly dressed. Brionoli sang well as 
Gennaro. Mme. GniONi made but a tame, 
phlegmatic Orsini, with a mezzo soprano voice, 
which she used indifferently well. 



On Tuesday evening dio Boston Theatre was 
crowded with a brilliant and cultivated audience. 
Meyerbeer's colossal opera, "The Huguenots," came 
this time without fail, and more than answered every 
expectation. For though it was the first hearing of 
the " Huguenots " in Boston, few were unfamiliar with 
the Mcyerbeer-ian characteristics, and we had heard 
Meyerbeer discussed and his position among great 
composers long since settled, as being that of a musi- 
cian of most energetic talent, a wonderful master of 
effects and mighty combinations, one who crowds 
more Uionght and study, more audacious novelty into 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1858. 



303 



a work, than would suffice for twenty of tho current 
Italian o])cras ; but yet not gifted with spontaneous 
inspiration, not in the liij^h imafjinativc sense a great 
creative genius; as opposite as possible in that re- 
spect to Mozart, Wc])or or Rossini ; astonishing, but 
not in the long run edifying like the Bccthovcns, the 
Shakspeares of the art ; the dazzling and overruling 
master of the moment, but not a living influence in 
the soul forever. Such is the conclusion which tho 
world has reached regarding Meyerbeer, and it would 
be absurd now so apply critical tests to such a mas- 
ter-piece of its kind as " Tho Huguenots," as if it 
were an Art phenomenon just newly risen on the 
world. It was an immense thing to construct ; it is 
an immense task to perform it, and it is no small task 
to hear it through, albeit with unqualified delight. 
Abridged as it was that evening, it occupied four 
hours, — four hours fraught with the most dazzling 
and bewildering combinations of every thing to tax 
ear and eye and apprehension and anticipation to the 
utmost. Tho Buceess was complete. Musically and 
dramatically, we think most persons found more to 
interest them in " The Huguenots " than they had 
dared to hope. It was a splendid subject for a lyric 
drama, and Meyerbeer in his peculiar way had made 
the most of it. 

Nothing hero was ever put upon tho stage with so 
much splendor. It was all on a magnificent scale, 
for any theatre this side of Paris. The principal 
roles were mostly in good hands, forming a great 
concentration of variety of talent. The orchestra was 
very largo, and under the control of Hcrr Conductor 
ANSCIIY7TZ, brought out the rich and gorgeous instru- 
mcntAtion with fine effect. Only the harp was want- 
ing. Tho choruses, both male and female, Catho- 
lic and Protestant, noble and gipsey, religious and 
bacchanalian and warlike, came out in in fresh clear 
colors. The ballet of bathing damsels, with but a 
dainty bit of Soto's grace, was unexceptionable; 
and the military band upon the stage made spirit-stir- 
ring music. But where to begin, and when to leave 
off ! It were folly to attempt here to go deeply into 
80 vast a subject. Suffice it to recall mere hints. 

The first act gave us the banquet in the castle of 
Count de Nevers (Coletti,) with tho smart and ting- 
ling "orgy" chorus ; the tenor romance in which the 
Protestant hero of the piece, Kaoul (Tamaro,) relates 
his love adventure ; the grand old Lutheran choral, as 
rolled forth in the stentorian tones of Marcel, the old 
Huguenot soldier, who is something like a positive 
creation in the way of character, and lifted np to sat- 
isfying grandeur the masterly impersonation of 
Formes ; the Huguenot battle song, Piff-Paff, sung 
by the same, as no other man probably can sing it ; 
and the salutatory flourish of the page, Urbain, in 
which part, M*me. Ghioni appeared to better advan- 
tage than in Lucrezia. The dresses of this feasting 
conclave of French nobles were superb, and so was 
the scene. 

Act second introduced to us M'me. Laborde, in 
the character of the Queen, Margaret of Valois, sur- 
rounded by her ladies, in the gardens of Turaine. 
Her music, a series of rhapsodical bird-flights of song 
— ^not melodies, for the most part, but exquisitely 
florid pa.9sages — tells of the joy of living, the sweet 
sense of life, in such peaceful scenes, and deprecates 
the religious rancor of the times. Never, with the ex- 
ception of Jenny Lind, and perhaps some of the best 
moments of Lagrange, have we listened to such per- 
fect singing of high florid music. M'me. I^aborde's 
voice was sweet and fresh and liquid, compared with 
our recollections of her visit here some years ago, 
and her execution is the finished perfection of all ease 
and grace ; in sustained crescendo tones, the voice 
would seem to grow as if renewed and fed from hid- 
den fountains. Her look and manner, too, were charm- 
ing, and entirely suited to the part. These bird warb- 
lings were beautifully relieved by snatches of female 
chorus. Then came the duets with Baoul, and her 



exquisitely tripping staccato in the lines commencing 
Ah! si yetais coquette. Coquette she is not at all, 
kind noMc soul ; not, however, for the want of plenty 
of vivacity. 

Act Thirdis a mar%'ellons combination of contrasts. 
Quaint, grotesque, suggestive of the middle-ages* 
Victor Hugo-like is all this music. The scene is an 
out-door festival ia the Pr^s aux clercs. Choruses of 
catholic students ; chonises of women ; the loud ring- 
ing RatapUm of the Huguenot soldiers ; then a solemn 
catholic marriage procession, women chanting in 
thirds, a wild antique, primitive religious strain in no 
settled key, fluctuating lictween major and minor like 
a strain heard in the fitful pauses of the wind ; then 
with this tho loud Rataplan again ; then gipsey songs ; 
then the curfew bells and watchman's call, and all 
soimds die out to a murmur in the orchestra as night 
breeds over the deserted streets. Then comes the 
anxious scene between Marcel and Valentine (M'lle. 
Poinsot), and the duel, and general quarrel, and the 
sudden entrance by torchlight of the Queen and cor- 
tege on horseback, with an illuminated barge, bearing 
a band of music in tho background, &c., &c. All is 
now ominous of the coming danger. 

Act Fourth. The catholic leaders lay out the dark 
plan of the night's work (the massacre of St. Bar 
tholomcw's night). Valentine and Raoul, who have 
overheard it, have a duet scene, intensely exciting of 
course, in which the clear, powerful and eminently 
dramatic quality of M'lle. Poinsot's soprano made 
itself felt beyond a question. She made a fine im- 
pression by her powers as a tragic singer, which grew 
upon the audience through this and the last act. 

Sig. Tamaro sang with earnestness, and as much 
power as his light style of tenor would permit. The 
part requires a great tenor. But we are forget- 
ting the great feature of this fourth act, — the one 
musical effect in the whole opera which rises to some- 
thing like the sublime, and that is where the priests 
enter to take the oath of the conspirators and bless 
the poniards. This is appallingly wild and grand. 
Parts of the music heieabouts, especially where St. 
Bris (Florenza) leads off with so much fire, 
are essentially in the same spirit with many of Ver- 
di's characteristic finales ; one could not but suspect 
that the Italian found much of his inspiration in this 
German. ( Charge us, then, no longer with disliking 
Verdi on the ground of his music being Italian !) 

The fifth and last act is the massacre, of which we 
have no room to speak. On Monday we shall have 
the " Huguenots " again, after which it will be more 
reasonable to judge of it. After a first hearing one 
can only wonder, and begin but slowly to collect his 
thoughts. 



^•^ 



Musical Ghit-Ghat 

The Hakdkl a?«i> Hatdit Socinr, taking adritntAge of the 
preftenre of the Italian Opera, will giTe a concert in the Munie 
IXall to-Diorrow (Sunday) evening, aeristed by the principal ar- 
tlstB of Mr. UUman'B troupe. The Society will sing gome line 
choruses from " Israel in Egypt," *' Solomon/' the " Crea- 
tion,-' and '' Elijah " ; and fltmous oratorio solos will be sung 
in Englijih by Laborde, Poixskt, Piccolomivi, Formes and the 
rest. On the following Sunday, the same artisU will aid the 
Society in their annual Christmas performance of the *' Mes- 
siah." 

The Opera Company gave on Wednesday evening a concert 
in the theatre; last night (for the first time in Boston) MO' 
Kxti'* Nozze di Figaro! This afternoon Piccolomini will sing 
in Luria and in La Srrva Padrona or the Servant Mistre.*>s. 
Monday night, a repetition of the Hu{;uenots. And in imme- 
diate prospect beyond rise up Robert le Diable^ 11 Bnrbiert di 
Sevigtiay and Don Giovanni on a grand scale. Certainly with 
all his queer ways, musical Boston is largely indebted just now 
to Mr. Ullman. Who else ha4i had the courage or the manage- 
rial genius to giTe nx theM grand operas, thus realizing 
to us hopes that have been long deferred. The addition to 
our repertoire in half a month of Robert, the Huguenots, '* Fi- 
gRP»'« Marriage ", and Serva Padrona, and with such artie(«, 
such an orchestra and all, 1b a raro windfall in these dry 
places. 



Tns Salaries of Musfcal Artists. — The 
Fi'ench papers give some curious statistics in regard 
to the salaries paid to great musical artii^ts. We learn 
that Milibran received in London, for every perform- 
ance at Drury I^anc, $750. I^blache, for singing 
twice, S750, and for a single lesson to Queen Victoria, 
$200. At a soir(^e in London, Grisi received $1,200. 
Pagnnini charged $400 a lesson, liummel left a for- 
tune of $75,000, and twenty six diamond rings, thirty- 
four snufF boxes and one hundred and fourteen 
watches, which had been presented to him at various 
times. 

In modern days musicians are quite as extravagant- 
ly paid : Alhoni and Mario get $400 every night thev 
sing ; Tamberlik every time he sings a certain high 
note demands $500. Madame Gazzaniga was paid 
$500 a night recently in Philadelphia. Ilerz and 
Thalberg each made* about 60,000 in this country. 
Lagrange, at Rio Janeiro, is now receiving a princely 
salary ; and Hccolomini costs her manager over $5,- 
000 a month. 

At the Italian Opera in Paris, for the present sea- 
son, M. Calzando, the manager, pays as follows : To 
Tamberlik, for seventeen representations, $8,000 ; 
Alboni, $2,200 for seven representations ; Mario, 15,- 
000 for a season of five months ; Grisi, $5,000 for two 
months ; Madame Penco, $14,000 for the season ; tho 
Graziani Brothers, $15,400; Corsi, a baritone, $4,000; 
Galvani, $3,600 ; Nantier Didi^e, $4,000 ; Zecchini, 
$3,500 ; Mdlle. de Rnda, $3,400. The chorus and 
orchestra cost for the season $1 7,600. 






Hartford, Conx., Dec. 13 — Mrs. Estcott, 
assisted by Messrs. Durand and Estcott, and 
Max Mayo, of this city, gave a concert here, last 
Tuesday evening, which was quite fully attended, 
considering the unplea.«;ant state of the weather. Ev- 
erything went off finely ---Mrs. Estcott singing with 
her usual spirit — and executing some most diflScult 
passages with brilliancy and ease. Mr. Durand sang 
in the same magnificent manner which I spoke of in 
my last. Max Mayo played Thalberg's difiScnlt fan- 
tasia on the " Huguenots " wi)h splendid effect ; and 
made his audience feel proud that they possessed such 
a performer. The " Estcott Troupe " were induced 
to come to this country in a most unfortunate time — 
just when Piccolomini was captivating the New York- 
ers; — what company in the world, I should like to 
know, could compete with the fascinating little 
witch ? Mr. Burton brought them over here, and 
when he foimd, after a few performances in New 
York, that he would make a "losing thing" of 
it, closed np his theatre and threw up his engage- 
ment, leaving them sans amis in the opera-going 
world. Mr. Burton may have greater reasons, and 
be justified in doing as he did, but it seems a little 
too bad that the misfortune should come upon Mrs. 
Estcott and her troupe, because a manager unwit- 
tingly makes a fanx pas. I understand that she has 
sued Mr. Burton for oreach of contract, and will un- 
doubtedly receive full justice from the hands of the 
court. 

The "Beethoven Society" is in full blast, and 
hard at work on Dr. Lowe's (pronounced Leroy, I 
suppose) oratorio of the " Seven Sleepers." Step- 
ping into Messrs. Barker & Co.'s mu^ic rooms the 
other evening, 1 found two gentlemen performing 
Schubert's delightful svmphonyin C.for four hands. 
Didn't it bring up delicious associations of the old 
" Geu-andhans Concerts " in Leipsic, — when Kelly 
and Pratt (peace to his ashes) and Clapp and one 
or two others of us used to sit together facing that 
long row of Deutsche Damen, and see Julius 
liifETZ conduct that superb body of musicians through 
the different movements of the above-mentioned 
symphony, as well as those ncver-to-beforgotlen 
tone-poems and pictures of Beethoven and of Men- 
delssohn ? Tliere was wont to sit white-haired Mosch- 
ELES, with his down-dropped and protruding un- 
der lip, and who knew Beethoven personally, — 
couldn't we watch the expression of his face' and 
learn to know where all the great points lay in those 
immortal works ? And there, too, sat dear old 
Hauptmann, with his quiet manner and good, pleas- 
ant countenance, — didn't we feel that ^« knew by 
heart all the intricacies of counterpoint which were 
being thrown before us, by his wonderful knowledge 
of harmony 1 



304 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



And then, sometimes, there would be Ferdinand 
IIiLLER, and RuBENSTBiWy and DRETScno^K, and 
Clara Schumann, and JoAcniM, and Arabella 
GoDDARD, appearing as soloists 1 What a glorious 
atmosphere was that to bo in 1 And where Rietz 
stood, with Dayid immediately before him leading 
the violins, once moved the beloved form of Men- 
delssohn ! Happy reminiscences are all these ; but 
I must leave them for the present, and write you 
more anon. H. 

Berlin, Nov. 22. — Part of the music of the last 
eight days I have heard. Fonr symphony concerts I 
have missed ! What should We say to tliis at homo ? 
The grand one by the Royal Orchestra was of the 
number, and I remained at home because I did not 
dare risk the intolerable heat and want of ventilation 
in the gallery of the opera-house concert room ; 
Liebig's extra concert in the Sing-Akademie was 
another, because on that evening the Laub-Radecke 
Quartet called several of us in that direction. Two 
of Liebig's usual concerts, because of the smoking 
on Friday and of the crowd on Wednesday evening. 

What I have attended during this time were : 

1. Opera. Gluck's "Orpheus and Eurydice." I 
have nothing new to add to my account of it three 
years since. I was just as much struck now as then 
with the wonderful beauty of the opening chorus, 
where the Greek men and women surrounding the 
tomb of Eurydico lament the loss of the beautiful 
one and call upon her shade to hear them if it be in 
her power, with the voice of Orpheus occasionally 
heard through the current of tones, calling in the 
saddest accents simply her name. Indeed through the 
whole I was as much struck as before with the won- 
derful adaptation of the music to the dramatic situa- 
tion and to the gradual changes of feeling from sor- 
row to despair, fix^m hope to the fullness of bliss 
when the lost one is finally restored. Now, as then, 
my appreciation of Gluck's art rises to astonishment 
at the manner in which he has made the pleading 
tones of Orpheus, when he descends into Tartarus, 
gradually overcome the opposition of the subterrane- 
an powers, and by the force of his singing open a 
way through that dark region to the Elysium beyond. 
The myth is, that by the force ot music he conquered. 
The task of Gluck was to write such music that we 
can feel the result a probable one " and this the com- 
poser has done ! And magnificent Johanna Wagner I 
As I listened the question came up, why not bring 
this out in Boston as it was first brought out hero, 
in oratorio style? How divinely would Adelaide 
Phillipps sing the Orpheus ! How deliciously Mrs. 
Long or Mrs. Horwood the Eurydice 1 The part of 
Amor is unimportant comparatively. And if the 
Handel and Haydn Society would give one or two 
Saturday evenings to it, what a body of voices for 
the few but noble choruses ! Let it be translated into 
English, and let the programmes give hints of the ac- 
tion. The Sing-Akademie produced it in this way 
here first and that led to its revival, nay, to its per- 
manent place, upon the stage of the grand opera. 
Excepting from an air or two our Boston musical 
public knows nothing of Gluck. Could not an audi- 
ence of two thousand be found who would gladly 
hear it twice or three times each year ? I cannot but 
think, if Adelaide Phillipps could have such an 
opportunity, that she at last would be duly apprecia- 
ted. She would have no opportunity here for mere 
vocal gymnastics, unless she abused the music, but 
would have, what is better, one to show the very 
depths of tenderness and the higher passions. The 
way she sung last year in the "Messiah" proves to me 
that she could feel and then sing Gluck. 

2. The Laub-Radecke Quartet — the lost of the 
four, of which, as I wrote before, three of Beet- 
hoven's works constituted the programme. To us 
Americans the execution was wonderful, and I find 
tlie impression was general that this quartet is supe- 



rior to the other great one. Of Laub and Radccke I 
have wTittcn you. The viola is played by Richard 
WuERST, of whom I only know that he is a music- 
teacher and composer here — and of so much talent 
that I once heard a symphony — Friihling's (Spring) 
symphony? — of his played at a Royal Orchestra 
soin^. He has hardly yet reached middle life. 

The violoncellist is Dr. BRUN8,-an amateur, one of 
the officers in the Royal Library, to whom I was in- 
debted three years since for much politeness when 
studying the history of our Calvin istic psalmody. 

I mentioned Wehle in my last. As his pianoforte 
compositions are becoming so well known in Ameri- 
ca, it may interest many readers of the Journal if I 
translate the notice of him, which is also in the 
Prague paper — in an article upon the fiftieth anni- 
versary of the Conservatorium. 

Karl Wehle was bom March 17, 1825, studied mu- 
sic with J. Prosch, but afterwards entered upon a 
mercantile life. In 1848, being in London, he bo- 
came acquainted with ThaU)crg, by whose advice he 
came back to Germany and entered upon a regular 
course of musical study at Leipzig. He studied com- 
position with Richter, pianoforte with Moscheles until 
1850, when he went to Berlin to perfect himself as a 
pianist under Kullak. Since then he has travelled, 
giving concerts, in France, Spain, England and North 
Germany. His pianoforte compositions have already 
reached Op. 46, and are very popular. His " Marche 
Cossaque " is known everywhere. He makes Paris 
his home, and is now, as I said above, on the point 
of going with Laub to Russia. I have not heard him 
play. 

3. Tuesday afternoon Liebig's concert, at which 
an Overture, by C. C. Converse (a young Ameri- 
can) was played. It is in fact a " pupil " work and 
no criterion to judge of his powers in this department 
of music. It was well received and repeated upon 
Friday — when I could not hear it as it was a " smo- 
king '' day — one of those days when the smoke is 
carried out in carta after the concerts — I suppose — 
for else I cannot conceive how the building is cleared. 

As to the overture, I prefer to give the opinion of 
one of the first musicians in the city to my own — 
with which, however, I agree fully. It exhibits mu- 
sical talent, especially a natural turn for melody, but 
a want of command of orchestration, and a lack o 
fundamental contrapuntal study, both of which 
branches of the art he is now pursuing under Haupt. 

The young German composers can often, with a 
tithe of the melodic power here shown, produce a 
more efiective orchestral work, simply from the fact 
that they have been hearing this kind of music all 
their lives and have learned to use the orchestra as 
they have learned their mother tongue. Still, under 
all disadvantages, we were not ashamed of this 
American work. 

Latterly, at most of Liebig's concerts, some one 
new piece has been played, and in nearly all, if not 
in every case, has been received with mingled ap- 
plause and hisses. In this case, from my point of 
observation, the applause was predominant. No au- 
dience, of which the majority has been educated by 
years of acquaintance with the great masters of or- 
chestral writing, will be satisfied with a succession of 
tone pictures any more tlian a really literary audience 
will applaud a speaker who can merely string to- 
gether eloquent passages. In both cases there would 
be a subject — a theme — and this must be wrought 
out with logical sequence. In music this can only be 
attained by conquering the groundwork of harmony 
— canon and fugue. Moreover, this implies some- 
thing more than the ability to make canons and 
fugues merely by rule — the spirit of the Sonata 
form must be thus made our own. It is the spirit of 
logic — not alone syllogistic rules — which the pro- 
found reasoner must acquire. I see nothing to pre- 
vent Mr. C, under such a man as Haupt, from mak- 
ing this spirit his own. A. W. T. 



3pml Itotites. 

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF TUB 

TEST ^yCTJSIO, 
PHblialied br O. DIimh 8t C«. 



MosTC BT Mar. — Qti.anUtk!ii of Mu5ie are now Mnt by mail, 
th« expcnm.bclni^ only about one cent apieee, while the care 
and rapidity of trannportaUon are rpinarkable. Thoao at a 
ffreat distance will And the mode of conTeynnco not only a ron- 
renfence, but a raying of expense In obtiinlng Rupplice. Books 
can also be sent by mail, at the rate of one cent per ounce, 
nils npplicfl to any distance under throe thousand miles ; be' 
yond that, double the abore rates. 



Vocal, with Fiano Aooompaniment. 

Evelecn Lamore. Words by Mrs. Hall. Music 

by FT. 72. Dempster, 50 

A new song of this fkvorite eoanposar, which par- 
takofl in no nanW degree of all the excellencies which 
were enumerated in the last number as belonging to 
Mr. Dempster's productions. 

O ask not my heart if I love thee. L. H, Pari$h. 25 
A light, pleasing " bagateUe." 

Maggie of Nantucket. J. B, Packard, 25 

No, I cannot foiget thee. J. R. Pheipt. 25 

Two parlor-ballads Ibr young singen. 

True love never dies. E. H, IJinu. 25 

A ballad In that style which Is generally termed 
" taking " — a graceful and sometimes pathetic melody 
to touching words. 

Bonnie Bessie Lee. Scotch Song. J. T. CVtiren. 25 

A pretty little ballad with those cunning peculiari- 
ties in melody and riiythm which constitute one of 
the greatest musical charms of Scotch songs. 

The green trees whispered low and mild. Poetry 
by Longfellow. Music by J, BlocJdof, 30 

The subdued, hushed tone of the poem has been ex- 
pressed remarkably well in the muslo. There are Ibw 
among Longfellow's poems so eminently fit Ibr musical 
treatment. Blockley has made the most of it and his 
version cannot but gire the greatest satlsfketion. 

Jenny Bell. Song and Chorus. T, U, Howe. 25 

Sally come up, or The Niggers' holiday. Blachnty, 25 

Echoes firom the recesses of Ethiopian minstrrtsy ; 
the first sentimental, the second comic; bothderer 
productions In their line. 

Ever of thee. Arr. with Guitar accomp. Bishop. 25 

Will be tery welcome toamatenr guitar players, and 
an easy arrangement of this charming song, which is 
tut getting popular. 

Instrumental Moalo. 

The Erlking, So. by Schubert, ar. by Franz LisTt, 85 

Schubert's most celebrated ballad. In a superlar 
pianoforte arrangement, which, notwithstanding its 
difficulty, will be eagerly bought and practised by ev- 
ery player of some ability, as it depicts the thrilling 
passages of the song with intense dramatic effect. 

Dearest Spot. Quickstep. W. C, Glynn. 25 

A lively quickstep. Introducing the melody of the 
fiiTorite song : ** The dearest spot on earth to me is 
home, sweet home." 

Books. 

Bertini's Self-Teachiko CxTEcniRM of Mu- 
sic, for the Pianoforte, together with Ample Ex- 
planations of the Science as applicable to every 
Musical Instrument. 25 

This is a new and popular hand-book by the author 
of the celebrated Method of Piano Instruction. It is 
romprchensire In its style, attractlTe, and adapted to 
the capacity of the great mass of learners. An exam- 
ination of its pages will conTince any one of Its re- 
markable excellence, and Its use will soon prove it to 
bo an indispensable both to teachers and scholars. 




toijlt's 




nxul 





u5ii* 



Whole No. 351. BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1858. Vol. XIV. No. 13. 



For Dwlght'i Journftl of Miule. 

The Story of Don Juan. 

(Vrom tha Brown Papers.) 
(Concluded ftom laat week.) 

The scene has again changed to the city. 

Some time lias elapsed, and the Don is again 
pursuing his love-adventures. Whatever impres- 
sion the scenes at his chateau had made upon 
him, it had now worn ofT. Impunity had made 
him still more reckless and daring. Soofiing at 
the warnings which Don Ottavio had given him 
of impending ruin, he had come into the city now 
to push an intrigue with the very girl whom El- 
vira had brought with her as an attendant. It is 
the last night of his career, but, as if in defiance 
ol fate and of all warnings of danger, it is a 
night in which the character of the Don (Exhibits 
itself as never before. As he and LeporeUo ap- 
proached the house in which £lvira had taken up 
her abode, she was sitting at the window chiding 
her too fond heart for its pleadings in favor of 
him who had inflicted the greatest of all injuries 
upon her, and followed up his cruel desertion by 
insults no less biting. So far from being repelled 
from his design by finding the mistress where he 
sought the maid, Juan, ever fertile in expedients, 
saw at once a means of turning her presence to 
his advantage. He took Leporello aside, and ex- 
changed hat and cloak with him — a disguise 
sufficient in the darkness for his purpose. Ap- 
proaching the window with his servant, in a voice 
of deepest sorrow and repentance he confessed 
his evil treatment of her, and besought her par- 
don. She, still brooding over her desire for re- 
venge, hesitated long ; but the fond memories he 
recalled, the deep sorrow each tone of his voice 
breathed, at length overcame her: she yielded to 
his entreaty to come down and meet him again as 
her lover, her husband. In the tumult of her 
emotions, it was easy in the darkness for Lepo- 
rello to play his master*s part undiscovered. All 
her fond and foolish love returned. All that she 
could ask, her feigned lover promised. But the 
Don grew impatient Suddenly rushing upon 
them with his drawn sword, she fled, taking Lep- 
orello with her to the inner court of the house. 
The coast being clear, the Don, after a hearty 
laugh at the success of his scheme, took his guitar, 
and sang a serenade to Elvira's fair companion ; 
but though he heard some one at the window, his 
ill-fortune again defeated his wishes. 

But we must turn to Masetta 

After the grand attempt upon 2ierlina at the 
banquet, a settled determination to be revenged 
seized hioL He found no difficulty in arming a 
band of his fellow-villagers, and had followed the 
Don upon that evening into the city to carry out 
his determination. They passed through the si- 
lent streets one after another in vain, until the 
patience of his friends began to wane. They had 
not the same spur to urge them on. Masetto, 
armed with a musket and a pair of pistols, was full 
of confidence, and urged his friends to persevere 
a little longer; they would soon find him. It 



was their approach in the next street which had 
driven the Don from Elvira's window. Masetto 
heard his foot-fall. " Who goes there f " No 
answer. " Speak, or we fire I" 

Again a dilemma for Don Juan. As usual, his 
presence of mind did not forsake him. Ho rec- 
ognized the voice of Masetto, and saved himself 
in the darkness by feigning to be he whose 
clothes he wore. He sympathized in all that 
Masetto could say against the Don ; he had be- 
come weary of the service of that bold, bad man, 
and nothing could give him a more sincere pleas- 
ure than to assist in bringing him to punishment. 
The Don was at that moment in company with a 
young lady, and they might easily surprise him 
by dividing into two bands, one passing down the 
street on either hand. He and Masetto would 
wait there. The advice seemed good, and the 
two were soon left alone. 

'*But you would not kill the Don, Masetto? 
Would it not be enough to break his bones or 
wound him severely ? " 

*' No, no ; I will kill him. I will h^w him into 
a thousand pieces." 

" But are you well armed ? " 

" Yes ; here is my musket, and here a psur of 
pistols." 

Under pretense of wishing to examine the 
arms, [the Don got possession of them, and, the 
street being clear, beat the poor fool until he left 
him half senseless upon the grbund, and escaped. 
Zerlina had followed her betrothed to the city, 
and, hearing him crying for help, came to his as- 
sistance. She had warned him not to " try con- 
clusions " with the Don, and her anxious, loving 
little heart had foretold her that nothing but ill- 
luck could follow his mad attempt upon a cavalier. 
As this history is represented upon the stage, the 
scene in which Zerlina comforts her unlucky Ma- 
setto is one of the most delicate episodes that can 
be imagined. 

In the mean time, Leporello, by saying little 
himself and listening much to Elvira, had suc- 
ceeded in keeping up his assumed character so as 
to excite no suspicion on her part. But as the 
hours passed away, he became anxious to depart. 
The difficulty in the darkness was to find the 
door, with its thick hanging curtains, by which 
he had entered. But what added to his fear of 
detection and to his anxiety was the gleam of 
torches apparently approaching the house. El- 
vira's entreaties to him not to leave her were now 
of no avail. He rushed from door to door, and 
at length came to that which led to the street 
A moment too late ; for the curtains divided, and 
by the light of torches borne by their attendants, 
lo! Don Ottavio and Donna Anna appeared, 
while Leporello, baffled in his attempt to escape, 
rushed for refuge through the nearest door, fol- 
lowed by Elvira. 

Don Ottavio and his betrothed had come to 
consult with Elvira upon their great and common 
object, the punishment of Don Juan. All goes 
well ; and before seeking out the apartments of 
Elvira, he stops to console and encourage his 



companion by this assurance, and to persuade her 
to look hopefully into the future, to believe that 
her father's spirit would grieve to hear her longer 
sigh. 

The moment seemed favorable to both Lepo- 
rello and Elvira to escape into the street — he, to 
avoid detection and find his master : she, because 
her feelings had undergone such a change that 
she wished to avoid Ottavio and Anna, and follow 
the fortunes of her restored Juan. But a new 
impediment! Hardly has Leporello once more 
reached the curtains, when they are again thrown 
open, and Masetto and Zerlina come in, eager to 
join in whatever plan may be devised to secure 
the grand object The utter astonishment of all 
present as the glare of the torches shows them 
the well-known dress of their enemy, is not to be 
described. Nor was their astonishment lessened 
to see the Don muffle his face in his cloak, and at 
their threats of vengeance fall upon his knees, 
while Elvira, the outraged, the deserted, the in- 
sulted, threw herself upon him to shield him 
from their swords, and besought mercy for her 
husband ! 

" Is it Donna Elvira that asks this ? No, no ; 
the murderer must die ! " 

Trembling like an aspen leaf, pale with fear, 
Leporello threw off his master's hat and cloak, 
and showed them his cowardly, roguish face, and 
besought their compassion. Outraged and in- 
sulted anew, so rudely awakened from her new 
dream of love and happiness, poor Elvira stood 
for a moment confounded, and then a cry for ven- 
geance burst from her breaking heart A cow- 
ardly knave like Leporello was beneath the dig- 
nity of Don Ottaviq's sword^ and he found no 
great difficulty in eluding the feeble arm of Ma- 
setto and making his escape. When the others 
had somewhat recovered from their astonishment 
at this new proof of the audacity ot Don Juan 
and his servant, Don Ottavio turned to Elvira, 
assured her of his conviction that he had discov- 
ered the murderer of Don Pedro, adding that if 
she would still remain in the house fi>r a short 
time, he would have recourse to the officers of 
justice, and she should see her betrayer punished. 
Before leaving on this mission, after the rest had 
retired within the house, he burst into an apostro- 
phe to his absent mistress, (the well-known // mio 
tesoro,) which for true and perfect expression of 
the most heart-felt affection and love was proba- 
bly never equalled. 

Meantime, Don Juan and Leporello have met 
once more. At no great distance from the qcenes 
of these last adventures, probably just outride the 
city-gate, as is usual in Europe, and on the way 
to Don Juan's country chateau, lay the church- 
yard in which Donna Anna had had the monu- 
ment and statue raised to her father's memory. 

The Don, after his rencontre with Masetto, had 
spent some time, if his own word is to be trusted, 
in adventures more successful than that with El- 
vira's maid. He met one young girl, he said, who 
mistook him for Leporello at first, but soon reoog- 
ninng him, began screaming for help, which 



306 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



forced him to hurry away, and clamber over the 
church-yard walls for refuge, as Leporello himself 
had done. All this, and more to the same pur- 
pose, the Don related in great glee while assuui- 
in<» his own cloak a2:ain. His adventure with the 
lady-love of Lejiorelio was not so much to the 
taste of that higlily respectable personage. 

" And you tell mo this so coolly ? ** said he. 

" AVhv'not ? " 

** Suppose she had been my wife ? ** 

" All the better," said the Don, laughing vio- 
lently. 

His laugh was interrupted by a solemn voice 
chanting in measured tones, while a burst of aw- 
ful music came resounding from the tombs : 
" This mirth will end beforo the morning dawns! '^ 

The Don, not awed in the least by what he 
heard, and supposing that some one was attempt- 
ing to play with his fears, demanded : " AVho 
goes there ? " 

Again that awful voice from the statue : 
" BlAfphemcr bold ! let the dead in peace repose ? " 

Don Juan, true to his character as one who 
feared neither man nor God, looked up with per- 
fect indifference, and, seeing whose statue it was, 
ordered Leporello to read the inscription. The 
servant, though half-<lead with fright, still feared 
his master more, and, approaching, read : 

" For him, whose impious hand cut short my life, 
Vengeance surely waits." 

The Don heard this with the coolest contempt, 
and, as if to testify this in the most ridiculous 
manner possible, ordered Leporello to approach 
the monument and invite the statue to supper. 
The fear the poor slave exhibited was but fun for 
his master, who amused himself for a time in at- 
tempting to force him to deliver the invitation. 
Leporello finally ventured to approach ; but see- 
ing the statue nod his head, he retreated to his 
master in a very paroxysm of fear. The Don, 
becoming interested in the matter, and wishing 
to know if in fact there was any foundation for 
Leporello's assertions, approached himself, and 
addressed him thus : 

" Speak, if you can speak ; will you join me at 
supper ? " To which the marble head distinctly 
replied : " Yes I " 

For an instant, he himself seemed somewhat 
staggered ; but his usual hardihood was not lightly 
to be disturbed, and, afler a moment's musing, he 
exclaimed to his servant, as he left the place : 
" An odd a<lventure this, the old man coming to 
supper ! Well, let us go and make ready to re- 
ceive him." The next moment all was forgotten. 

Don Ottavio, having returned from his mission, 
assured Donna Anna of the certainty of Don 
Juan's punishment, though he little knew that that 
punishment was to be inflicted by no mortal hand. 
But a strange feeling, a sort of presentiment of 
some unheard-of event, seemed to have taken 
possession of Donna Anna. She confessed her 
deep and abiding love for him, but still was una- 
ble, as yet, to forget her father and seek happi- 
ness and consolation in the arms of a husband ; 
and though he pressed her to reward his long 
service and constancy of affection on the morrow, 
when, at the farthest, the murder of her father 
would be avenged, she still persisted in deferring 
their marriage to some future time. 

Don Juan, in the highest spirits, having entire- 
ly forgotten the adventure in the church-yard 
and the guest he had bidden to supper, reached 
his chateau with Leporello without farther ad- 



venture. The tabic was spread, his band of mu- 
sicians were in their places, and to the sound of 
nnijilc he turned, with an ap]>ctite whetted by 
long fasting, to the weli-si)rc'ad board. AV'inc 
llowod and champagne sparkled. " As I spend 
my money fively," said he, •* I am determined to 
enjoy myself." Amusing himself with the music 
and the drolleries of Leporello, praising his cook 
and his wines, and doing them full justice, the 
Don sat at his own board, the very picture of 
careless epicurianism, if not of innocent happiness, 
when a woman, without a note of warning, threw 
herself at his feet. It was Elvira. As the nidit 
passed away, and the day approached in which, 
as she knew from Don Ottavio, the career of her 
once so beloved Juan would be rudely cut short 
by the officers of justice, something of her old 
love returned, and, forgetting all her recent de- 
sire of revenge, she had at length given way to 
the tumult of her feelings, and rushed out, 
tlirough the night and darkness, to urge upon 
him repentance. She no longer asked aught of 
him for hei-self ; she thought not of herself, but 
oh ! she begged of him to repent. The Don, true 
to himself, made of all this but a new subject for 
mirth. lie invited her to sup with him, told her 
that, if she persisted in kneeling, he would have 
to fall upon his knees too ; and when she finally, 
again stung by his treatment, closed her remons- 
trances by a denunciation, he raised another 
glass, filled to the brim, and quaffed it as a toast 
to woman. He had hardly drained his glass, 
when a shriek from Elvira, who had reached the 
door on her way out, rang tlirough the saloon, 
and she was seen flying in terror across the hall 
to another door, which led from the house. Don 
Juan, surprised by her shriek of horror, sent his ser- 
vant to the door. Leporello returned immediately, 
pale and trembling, scarcely able to inform his 
master that his marble guest was there, and 
knocking for admittance. Juan, unable to be- 
lieve him, and equally unable to force Leporello 
again to the door, seized the light, and, unmoved 
as ever, went thither himself. The marble Don 
Pedro was there. As he looked upon the white, 
stony face of him whom he had murdered, and 
heard his footsteps echoing through the hall, he 
was for a few minutes unmanned. He dropped 
his light, and staggered, like a drunken man, 
back into the saloon, the marble guest following 
with his heavy tread. Don Juan's confusion, how- 
ever, lasted but a moment ; he recovered himself, 
and when the statue alluded to the invitation he 
had received, he replied in his usual daring tones 
that, though he had not supposed he should in 
fact have such a guest, he would do the best to 
entertain him, and turning to Leporello, who had 
in his fear crawled beneath the table, ordered 
him to set the table anew. The statue replied 
that mortal food was not for such as he, that he 
had accepted the invitation, not to eat, but to 
warn him that his hour was come, and to entreat 
him to repentance, and, as he had accepted Don 
Juan's invitation, to ask if he, in return, had 
courage to accept one from him. Don Juan re- 
turned that he had courage for any thing, and 
would accept The statue extended his hand, 
and demanded the hand of the Don as a pledge. 

Recklessly the hand was clasped. An icy chill 
ran through the body of Don Juan, freezing 
the very blood in his veins ; he writhed in his 
agony, but that icy hand still held him fast Alone 
in his mortal horror — ^for all his musicians and at- 



tcndants had fled — and unable to withdraw his 
hnnd from the deadly gr.nsp of the marble guest, 
still the impious audacity of the Don was uncon- 
quered. The awful voice of the statue urged him 
to repentance in vain. The statue repeated his 
exhortation : " Repent, perfidious !" 
" Dotard, never!" 

** *Tis past ! thy hope has passed for ever ! " 
And with these words he loosed his grasp from 
the hand of the Don, and disappeared. Don 
Juan, in the darkness and gloom, felt that indeed 
his hour had come. A mortal terror seized him, 
and a trembling *^ which caused all his bones to 
shake." It seemed to him that his very brain was 
on fire. He cowered as in mortal ajronv, and 
covered his eyes with liis hands. As he raised 
his head again, he saw gathering about him, and 
illuming the night with hideous glare of unearth- 
ly torches, ti*oops of demons and spirits of the 
abyss. They surrounded him, seizing him with 
their burning talons, and, as the earth opened 
beneath his feet, drew him down, his agonizing 
cry hardly piercing the fearful chorus in which 
they thraatened him with tortures and sufierings 
below, far, far beyond even those of that fearful 
hour. 

It was hardly yet day when the various partiesi 
so justly incensed against Don Juan, again en- 
tered his chateau — Don Ottavio and Donna 
Anna, Donna Elvira, and Iklasetto, with his Zer- 
lina. We must imagine the officers spoken of by 
Ottavio remaining without, while they enter to 
meet and upbraid the master of the house. They 
sought him in vain. From Leporello, who still 
trembled at the awful scene of his master's fate 
they learned what had taken place, and saw that 
the Don had found his punishment at the hand of 
him he had murdered, and whose shadowy form 
Uiey had seen flitting by them in the gray twi- 
light of dawn. The great work was accomplished, 
though by no human hands. Don Ottavio now 
spoke with confidence of his long and faithful af- 
fection, and again besought the long- wished re- 
ward. The lofly Anna, feeling that now the 
manes of her father were appeased, and that she 
could again enjoy the bliss of loving, gave him 
her word at the end of the year of mourning to 
bestow upon him her hand. 

Elvira, without hope on earth, declared her in- 
tention of taking the veil, while Zerlina and Ma- 
setto, happy that no longer any cause of jealoasy 
remained, and that their persecutor was suflering 
a just recompense at last, left the company of 
the high-born cavalier and lady for a quiet little 
meal together. What became of Leporello does 
not appear, though in his last words he expresses 
his solemn determination to be a pattern of god- 
liness. 

Non. — ^The story of Don Joan as I hare giren It will, per- 
haps, by a few readers, be found not exactly to conftmn to the 
librettos of the opera as they may hare seen It giten. Indeed, 
on one or two points, it dilfors tnm the plot as discussed by 
Oulibichef. My authority has been a text which the Russian 
writer never saw. a text which Da Ponte, the original author 

of Moart's libretto, himself prepared. This text alone, of all 
the Tarlous copies of the opera, aud the dlflereut text-books 
which I hsTe seen, has made the progress of the plot and the 
connection of the yarious scenes clear. As all is now clear to 
myself, I hope to bare made it so also to the reader. 



Mozart*8 '* Figaro "-^e Lnpresuon it made 

here. 

(From the Atlas and Bee. Dec. 18.) 

" Le Nozzc di Figaro " was performed for the first 
time in this city in Italian lost evening. The house 
was completely filled, and the nadience was decidedly 
the most fashionable we have seen thus far. No 
stronger contrast could well be imagined than that 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1858. 



307 



between " The lla2:uenot>j " anil tliis (IcHjrlitful 
opera. In the one you juliuire the skill i!i const nit- 
tion ; in t!ie other you n<lniirc ihc work without 
thou;:^ht of analysis. MeyerUcer pumps lal>oii(U'«ly 
for his meloflios ; in Mo/.:irt's nunie they j,'u-<!i forth 
as from livini; RT>rinr^. jNIovorhccr shows vou a 
mosaic of exquisite pattern, and you wonder at tlie art 
disphiyed in its form and color. Moxnrt presents 
you with a livitiir flower, dewy and frnfjrant, and you 
do not think of it except as a creation beyond tlic 
rcneh of art. 

Kqu:\lly strikint; is the contrast l)etwccn this dear 
ohi fashiont^l iiiu-ie of Mo/art and the ncrvc-.shakinjy, 
fiercely beautiful strains of more modern times. In 
Vcrdi^s music, for instance, you seem to eomc into 
contact with people whose susceptibilities arc intense, 
who take exaggerated views of life, and wlio totally 
lack the sense and the idea of repose. They love 
and they hiitc with a sujwrhuman ferocity ; tlicy arc 
jealous, and thoy take ven^rcatice like fiends. A crim- 
son coloring:, as of an aurora borealis upon snow, 
hovers over every scene. Tlic orchestra sympathizes 
in this excited mood ; the violins w^ail, the trom- 
bones roar, the drums l)eat sullenly, until the hearer 
comes into such relations with this fascinatinj^ but 
uunatitral mood that he accepts the conditions as ac- 
tual and proper, and is borne on as upon a torrent to 
the end. 

Mozait, on the other hand, with all his divine 
genius, is the most kmlthj of composers. Thou;;h he 
aspires to the clouds, he has always a firm foothold 
upon the earth. In listening to an opera like " I/C 
Nozzc di Figaro," (throwing aside all attempts to 
follow its intricate and dissolute plot,) one could 
fancy himself in the country on some morning in 
June, wlieu "every clod feels a stir of might " and 
"climbs to a soul in grass and flowers;" — when 
brooks leap down the hill-sides, and birds fill the air 
with melody, — when the soul finds itself face to face 
with naturo and, filled with an inward sense of the 
Divine, acknowledges the perfect beaaty which the 
Maker of all pronounced "good." 

Wo shall attempt in vain to convey our impression 
of this music to those who h:ive not felt it. Evcrv 
movement is brim-full of melody ; still one feels that 
it cost Mozart nothing to create these airs ; they sang 
themselves in his brain. Atid on the stage every- 
thing sings ; the prime donne have nothing but delic- 
ious strains to rehearse ; and as they sing, (lutes and 
hautboys warble back to them ; ponderous bass 
voices move in graceful measures, while the instru- 
ments crown them w^ith delicate fciitoons of flowers ; 
choruses sing, and every heart answers as though 
called to dance by pastoral pipes at a rural festival. 

(From tlic Tmiwript. ) 

From Meyerl>eer to Mozart — "Les Huguenots" to 
*• Le Nozze di Figiro " — was a long reach. Frotn 
massivenesR, grandeur and pageantry to gay romance 
and quiet domesticity — from ambitious intellectuality 
of music to the warm ontgu>h of an inspired muse — 
and from fitful, gusty and sullen complications of har- 
mony into the happy and picturcjsque sunlight of mel- 
ody. 

The audience, the largest of the season — a gentiinc 
compliment to true genius — revelled in the change, 
and bestowed their appreciation and commendation 
in all sorts of demonstrative forms. The opera is 
humorous not so much in its situations as in the in- 
vestment of character, and iu its lack of incident re- 
quires performers thoroughly charged with the spirit 
of comedy to animate it with what is modernly known 
as stage vitality. The music is of the most felicitous 
kind, bright, buoyant and graceful, — full of exquisite 
conceits, imaginative and fanciful. 

The instrumentation is Mosartean to a fault, and 
has that winning tenderness, that kaleidoscopal vari- 
ety of hue that make his musical pictures so uncloy- 
ing and onwearisome to the ear. The unity of song 
and story, the comedy that o\'crflows in air and mel- 
ody, and the subtle coloring of intrigue and passion 
that charge its musical dialogue, arc master strokes 
of a man of genius, infusing his happiest mood into a 
work. 

The opera received the closest attention, and was 
followed throughout with hearty and mirthful appre- 
ciation. 



while the more modem work is wholly dcstitnte of 
such cnchantmg 8tr;Tins as are continually springing 
up in the former. Mo/.ari's opera touches the heart ; 
Meyerbeer's excites and dnzzles the imagination. 

'i'he poj-formance last night was not good enough. 
The music is not essentiiilly comic, and the aj'tiuy; 
should for lliis reason be especially animated, to sup- 
ply the deficiency. The story is im gny a a carnival ; 
the performance, some parts of it at least, was as sol- 
emn as if proceedings wcrc to terminate in a funeral 
instead of a marriage. Mr. Formes was the particu- 
lar star of the evening, but we have seen liiiu do bet- 
ter on many occasions. We cannot admire Picco- 
lomini's acting, as Susaima ; her singing was much 
the best she has oftcrcd. Ghioni was passionless and 
proper. FJorenza much the same. Madame Berkel 
wjis prettier than any picture, and sung the best she 
could. The other characters mav be dismissed with- 
out particular mention. 

The audience was magnificent in numbers and ap- 
pearance. The enthusiasm was not overwhelming, 
and most of the npjdause was bestowed in recogni- 
tion of the exceeding beauty of the music, rather than 
in compliment to the j>erformers. Mr. Fonncs re- 
ceived and deserved the greater share of the apjdanse. 
}Iis " Non piu andrai " was encored, and he repeated 
it with German words, a game not worth the candle. 

" Figaro's Marriage " is not entirely unfamiliar to 
the public of Boston. An English version, introduc- 
ing much of the music, wjis often played at the Tre- 
mont Theatre, and it was in the chamcter of the 
Countess Almaviva, wo believe, that Miss Charlotte 
Cushman made her first aj)peaiunce upon the stage. 
We hope to hear it often. It is a work that will not 
die. Seventy years have passed since its composi- 
tion, leaving its beauties untouched by time, bloom- 



(From the Courier.) 
Mr. Ullman showers his riches in embarrassing 
profusion. Close upon Meyerbeer's " Huguenots " 
— a splendid novelty — comes Mozart's "Figaro's 
Marriage," as a calm succeeds a storm. Both operas 
are among the greatest of their kind, but Meyerbeer's 
ponderous masses of sound and intricate harmonies 
ore in such direct contrast with the silvery melodies 
and flowing grace of Mozart's muse, that comparisons 
can hardly hQ instituted. Vigorous dramatic eflTect, 
now so popular, is wanting in " Figaro's Marriage," 



mg as ever. 



(From the Saturday Evening Exp^cs.^.) 

"L^ Noztf. di Figaro" was the feast for Friday even- 
ing, and a feast it was. The gems of the Opera are well 
known to every one who can boast of even a moderate 
acquaintance with, and love of the sterling classic 
music of the past, and when they were, as on last night, 
set in the composer's own setting — for the cast was ad- 
mirably adapted to give a correct interpretation of the 
real meaning of the score — backed up by an orches- 
tral accompaniment, which instead of concealing them, 
only added to their brilliancy, it is difficult to see the 
point of the New York Albion's criticism that "all the 
slow movements are enjoyable, and scarcely show age. 
But the ripe ones are unmistakably antiquated ; any- 
thing quicker than an anddate is dull. We say this 
with a full recollection of the concerted pieces, which 
abound in the opera, and which, in their day, were 
considered the perfection of rapid brilliancy. Any- 
thing duller that these pieces we do not now desire to 
hear." It was curious to note the difference of effect 
between this and the Huguenots' in exhausting the 
strength and attention in following the plot and listen- 
ing to the music. It was but little shorter than the 
latter in point of time occupied in its performance, 
but while on Tuesday evening the feeling when the 
curtain finally fell, was one of excessive fatigue of 
body, brain and eye, last night none of these was ob- 
served and one could easily realize what is reported 
of its performance at Prague on its first being there 
brought out, that the excitement and emotion of the 
band in accompanying this work was such, that there 
was not a man among them who would not have cheer- 
fully recommenced and played the whole through 
again. There was a deeply satisfied feeling evident 
in the andienco, both as to the music and the peiform- 
ance, and in many instances this broke out into hearty 
and persistent calls for repetition which were often ac- 
ceded to, but at other times respectfully but firmly de- 
clined. Could this opera be performed here frequent- 
ly enough to make it entirely familiar we think it 
would rank second to no other as a favorite. But 
from the great number and peculiar character of the 
principal parts, we can only hope to enjoy its delicious 
harmonies under the management of such bold and ex- 
periencctl impresarios as Mr. Uilman. Had he given 
us no other novelty than this, wc should have been 
deeply in his debt. 



Statues and Piano-fortes- 

A Philadclphian, describing his visit to Boston, in 
the Evening Bulletin , of Dec. 16, pays the following 
tribute to institutions whereof wc are proud : 

Apropos of statues, as the subject is agitating of a 
statue of Washington, to be placed in Independence 
Square, in your city, I would suggest to, and advise, 
any Comniittec who may eventually be delegated to 
procure such a statute, to sec a model of an Eques- 
trian Statue by Tiios. Ball, Esq., of Boston. For 



boldness and originality of conception, and detail of 
exquisite finish, he is ju'-tly ranked among tlse first 
living sculptors. A gem of his art is a bust of the late 
Mr. Jonas Ciiickkuino, a beaniifnl work, and said 
to be a most perfect likeness. This reminds me of 
another ]»rominent building — the Piano-Forte Manu- 
factory of Chickering & Sons — the successoi-s of him 
1 have ju<t mentioned — locate<l on Trcmont street. 
It is, midonbtcdly, the largest bnildinj; in the United 
States, excepting the National Cajiilol and Patent Of- 
fice, at Washington, and, without question, the larg- 
est, by more than one half, and the most perfect and 
complete establishment, devoted exclusively to the 
manufacture of pianos, in the icorld. 1 had the y)leas- 
ure of being introduced to Mr. T. E. Chickering, the 
senior member of the firm, who most kindly furnished 
me every facility for inspecting every part of this 
vast concern, and the gratification which I experienced 
from the visit must be my apology for inflicting on you 
a short <letail. The premises coniprii?e an entire square 
of 20f»,000 feet, or five acres. The plan of the build- 
ing forms a hollow-square. The principal front is on 
Tremont street, 245 feet by 52 deep, besides a projection 
in the centre for the base of an octagnonal tower, 21 
feet in diameter, reaching an altitude of 110 feet. The 
north front, on Northampton street, 262 feet by 50 
feet, and the south front, on Camden street, 250 feet 
by 50 feet, all five stories high on the fronts, and six 
from the hollow-square. The west side of the square 
is formed by an engine and boiler house, and wings 
two stories high. All the stories arc 1 1 feet in the 
clear. So much for the building. To attempt to de- 
scrilx? the whole routine of manufacture would take 
too much time and too much of your paper, but more 
perfect arrangements and conveniences for making 
Piano Fortes cannot bo imagined. It is no wonder 
that they are said to make the most peifcct work — the 
wonder would be for them to make a j)Oor instrument, 
with their immen.^e facilities. 

The gentlemen who accompanied me through the 
works, informed me that evertfthimf pertaining to a 
piano is made under this one roof, excepting the strings, 
which are made expressly for them. That tlieir pianos 
are so uniformly good, is accounted for (in res^ject to 
their not being affected by any climate) by the fact 
that Messrs. C. & Sons t/ikc great pains to use none 
but the best and most thoroughly seasoned lumber, a 
stock of which is kept on hand, never falling below 
SI 5,000 in value, and is seasoned by being "stuck" 
up one year in the open air, one year under cover, and 
six months in a drying-room, with a temperature of 
OS*" Faht., before it" is used. I had always heard that 
the "Chickering" Piano was thp best, and now that I 
had an opportunity of judging to some extent of the 
fotmdation for such common reports, and at the same 
time afford myself much gratification in sight-seeing, 
I took particiilar pains to see every i)art of the man- 
ufacture ; and it must be seen to fee appreciated. I 
can only compare it to a huge machine, perfect and 
systematic, and necessarily producing perfect work. 
' A great secret of their success is, I am credibly in- 
formed, that the Chickerings are ;)rarf/ra/ mechanics ; 
each one to-day, lx»ing a./?/vff doss workman, capable 
of constructing a piano from first to last. Having this 
actual, practical knowledge and skill, and untiring 
energy, it is clear to understand how they maintain 
so high a reputation, and why their instruments have 
so wide a popularity. The 'character and extent of 
their works cjin be pretty accurately judged, when I 
inform you that they are fini>hing fifty Pianos week- 
ly, employing over four hundred ^)s.' dasfi workmen,' 
and orders pouring in from their agents in all parts of 
North and South America. They have already 
made al)Out 21 ,000. Truly, they have a name, — one 
in which the whole country onglit to, as the Boston- 
ians do, feel a just pride. 




Msital Cornspnkntf. 



Neav York, Dec. 13. — On my return to New 
York, I find that I have missed much that was worth 
hearing. Among other things, the " St. Paul " was 
given twice by the Mendelssohn Union. If I am 
not mistaken, this great work has never been brought 
out here before, and its first performance attracted so 
crowded an audience, that a repetition was deemed 
necessary. Never having heard it entire, 1 cannot 
judge of its merits in comparison to " Elijah." Of 
pianists " there is no end " this season. Golddeck, 
the diligent and energetic, is upon the tapis again, 
with new compositions, the fruit of the past summer, 
which manifest a steady improvement. At a concert 
given last Thursday, he brought out a second Trio, 
and several smaller compositions. But as he never, 



like many other artists, confines himself to his own 
works, he also gave ns a sonata of Beethoven and 
some Nocturnes and the Bertie of Chopin, which 
he rendered with his usual excellence. Madame 
Graeter-Johxsoit, too, appeared before the public 
on Friday. She b decidedly one of the finest female 
pianists (if not the finest) that we have ever had here, 
and every one must bo glad that the concert last 
week was only the first of a series. She was assisted 
by Miss Annie Kemp, whose contralto, of very unu- 
sual timbre, we heard last winter several times, and a 
Mr. Hudson, of whom the Evening Poet says (and I 
can imagine no better criticism), that he had " a still, 
small voice." A Madame Abel made her d^ut du- 
ring my absence, who is very highly spoken of, and 
of whom I hope to give you a favorable account 
soon. Another debutant has been Master Arthur 
Napoleon, a small lad not yet in his teens, whose 
performance is said to be quite wonderful. 

We have much good music in prospect. The next 
Philharmonic, with the Seventh Symphony and 
overtures by Schubert and Weber, promises very fair. 
Eisfeld'b Soir^ we shall sorely miss, nor can 
anything take their place, but Mason & Beromann's 
Quartet concerts will be all the more welcome from 
bemg the only ones of the kind. Mr. Bergmann has 
commenced a series of Sunday evening concerts ; .the 
Harmonic Society sing the " Messiah " on Christmas 
as usual ; and for the 28th we are promised the ** Cre- 
ation," by the Liederkranz. This glorious work is 
so rarely given here, that it ought to attract a large 
audience, particnUrly as it is given for a benevolent 
object, i. e., the German Ladies' Society for the Re- 
lief of Widows and Orphans. The Mt. Vernon As- 
sociation end this week and begin the next with a 
grand " three days' festival," a combination of dra- 
matic, musical, plastic, and terpsichorean perfor- 
mances, at the Academy of Music. The first night 
is devoted to drama, opera, and tableau, the second 
to a "bed pari" and the third to a classical concert. 
The two first will probably be very exclusive and 
fashionable, the prices of admission being very high, 
to the last the tickets will be but 25 cents, and if any 
body has a desire to bo crushed, I advise them to go 

there. 

The Journal of lust week has just come to hand, 
and I am delighted to find " Trovator " so apprecia- 
tive of my merits. Seriously, his remarks upon me 
hitherto have been rather flippant, to say the least, 
and I am glad to recognize a more kindly spirit in 
these last ones. I hope we shall " assist " each other 
admirably for a long time to come. — t — 



Philadelphia, Dec. 13, — Prior to the departure 
of the Italian Opeia Troupe from our Academy, it 
was deemed expedient by the manager to appease the 
clamorous outcries of the public for novelty, by a pro- 
duction of Don Giovanni. I do not design, at this 
late day, to recount to you its reception by the masses 
assembled. The fact is, I desire to be philanthropic 
and charitable ; nor would I harrow the feelings of a 
connoisseur like yourself, or of your hosts of intelli- 
gent readers, by the painful spectacle of a chef 
d'cmure entrusted to, for the most part, third-rate 
artists. I might however mention en passant , that the 
Zerlina of Mme. Colson illumined, with one solitary 
ray of brilliancy, the gloomy ^<mco ; and drew off the 
mind with a sense of refi^hing relief, from the insip- 
idity, and awkwardness of the Don, and the melan- 
choly vacuity of the Leporello. Let it pans, unno- 
ticed and forgotten, — this wretched rendition of the 
world-renowned Giovanni. 

The Rev. T. Starr King, of your city, delivered 
some evenings since, the initiatory lecture of a course, 
which has been arranged by the Harmonia Sacred 
Music Society. Clrcnmstances precluded the possi- 
bility of my attendance, but a feeling of deep regret 
seemed to pervade those who were present, that the 
lecturer's reputation, his subject ("Music") and the 



additional attraction of well-rendered choruses, should 
have failed to draw a remunerative audience. It can 
solely be accounted for by the fact that the intellectu- 
al circles of our city have been flooded with lectures, 
thus far, this winter, nor is the end of them yet, for 
the columns of the daily papers teem constantly with 
" special notices " of this sort of entertainment, by 
all the lecturers of the land, — from Henry Ward 
Beecher down to " Geo Munday," an eccentric Phil- 
adelphia notability, who labors gratuitously for the 
mental culture of the rising generation here, with the 
nearest flre-plug to serve as a rostrum. Seriously, — 
the efforts of the Harmonia to present to the com- 
munity a series of edifying and interesting enter- 
tainments, deserve more coiuideration at the hands 
of the public, than has thus far been accorded to 
them 

The Handel and Haydn Society is engaged upon 
the rehearsals necessary to a production of the "Mes- 
siah,"during the coming Christmas holidays. It is 
designed to offer this celebrated work with a chorus 
of unusual numerical strength, and with the effic- 
ient services of the Germania .Orchestra besides. 
The managers have, furthermore, determined to 
transfer their scene of operations from the Handel 
and Haydn Hall, (a location somewhere in the re- 
gion of the North pole) to the more central Musical 
Fund Hall; a politic move, which will materially 
serve to accommodate the majority of our connois- 
seurs, and to ensure to the Society, besides, the space 
to seat, comfortably, a larger crowd of persons. Miss 
Henrietta Shaw, and Mrs Reed are to sustain the 
solos. Both of these ladies have won for themselves 
a proud reputation with the snbscriben of this popu- 
lar Society, and are even now assiduously and 'ambi- 
tiously rehearsing their respective parte. Miss 
Shaw's voice presenta many of the properties which 
characterized the organ of that sweet songstress of 
Albion, Louisa Pyne. It is unusually clear, sympa- 
thetic and flexible. — 

" When is Piccolominx coming to Philadel- 
phia 1 " — seems an oft repeated query in this latitude. 
Quien aabe f Some weeks ago, the polite circles of 
this city were temporarily agitated by a newspaper 
item seemingly emanating from the " little Napo- 
leon himself, and which, af^er soundly scoring the 
Directors of our Academy for attempting to impose 
upon the poor Director of the Piccolomini troupe in- 
tolerable rente per week, closed somewhat after the 
following formula : — 

" Nevertheless Mile. P. finds it impossible to fore- 
go the pleasure of singing before a Philadelphia pub- 
lic. Therefore the Director has pleasure to announce, 
that he has secured the Musical Fund Hall for two 
nighte, and that he purposes to erect therein a tempo- 
rary stage and scenery for operatic purposes ; in 
order to evince his great desire to afford the music- 
loving people of this city an opportunity of hearing 
this celebrated vocalist, in spite of the annoyances to 
which he has been subjected." The fiutter of deris- 
ion which ensued upon the publication of this mor- 
ceau, subsided a few days thereafter, when the para- 
graph was withdrawn from the paper in which it had 
appeared. Opera at the Musical Fund Hall ! Capi- 
tal joke that I The temporary stage would scarcely 
have been sufliciently wide to have admitted a puppet 
exhibition of the " Devil and Dr. Faustns," or the 
** Children in the wood " over whom a bevy of phi- 
lanthropic robins strewed the leaves of the forest. 
Nevertheless, 'twas a clever dodge, — this Musical 
Fund Hall operatic campaign in protpectv. It sci 
folks to talking, — to speculating, — to wondering, — 
in truth it has added its quota in advance, to the suc- 
cess, which will scarcely fail to attend " la petite Com- 
teue," when eventually she shall gracefully sweep 
the ample stage of our noble Opera House. 

Manrico. 



select, and all seemed to relish the entertainment 
very much. The programme was as follows : 

Part I.— Sjnpbooy, ^*PMtoxmle": BMthoTvn. Aria, 
*'Soni7 righs tho voice of Krening," Lucy bcott: Weber. 
Grand Concerto, Pianoforte, F minor, Largfaetto, Allegro Agi- 
tato. Mr. Wm. Haaon: A. Heoeelt. II mlo Talaer, Lucy E»> 
eott: Yennno. 

Part II. —Overture, " Midsummer Nightie Dream " : Men- 
delaeohn. Grand Galop Fantaitiqne, Pianoforte: compoeed 
and perfbrmod by Mr. Wm. Mneon. ** Ah ! Fone € lul," Loey 
SMOtt : Verdi. Orerture, " Enryaathe " : Weber. 

The Symphony was executed admirably, and if 
we except a litlle unsteadiness and wavering in the 
Andante movement, there was nothing mora to be 
desired. 

Mrs. EscoTT is not up to the present standard as 
a first class vocidist, by any means. The aria *' Softly 
sighs the voice of evening " does not give a correct 
idea of what she really did sing. It was nothing as 
unpretending as this simple title would seem to indi- 
cate, for it was nothing less than a whole aoena — the 
one so often sung from Der FrejjftchutZf including the 
recitative and two airs. But Mrs. Escott did not ap- 
pear to advantage, for she attempted more than she 
is capable of doing. Something more within her ca- 
pacity would have left a better impression on the au- 
dience. 

Mr. Mason played, as he always does, to the satis- 
faction of everybody. His second piece was honored 

with an encore, when he gave us his " Silver Sprtnfft" 
which appeared to me more worthy of a place in the 
programme than the " Grand Galope Fantastiqoe," 
which seemed to contain more diflicoltics than beau- 
ties. But the audience seemed to relish it very much. 
Mr. Beromann fills Mr. Eisfeld's place most ac- 
ceptably, which is saying quite enough for any one. 

Brlliiti. 



Brooklyn, N. Y., Dec. 14. — The second concert 
of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Society came off last 
Saturday night. The audience was both large and 



Hartford, Coirir. Dec. SO. — The Germans of 
this city have given a Concert, for the benefit of the 
German-English Schools, at Touro Hall, which was 
well filled, from the aim as well as the attraction of 
the music. The chorus was made up of sixty men's 
voices, grand piano-forte accompaniment, and Max 
Mato as Conductor, — giving us a good specimen of 
a lai^ German " Metnner-Chor." The " Chorus of 
Freedom " and the " Pilgrims' Chorus," from Tann- 
hamer, wera very effective, — as well as the well-sung 
Sextet from tho "Huguenots." Mr. Zweiooart 
performed a quaint little Solo on the " Zither," a Bo- 
hemian instrument, which, with Piano accompani- 
ment, was quite pleasing. Max Mayo delighted the 
audience with a brilliant series of variations by 
Henri Herz, and was encored, — so was nearly every 
thing on the programme — a selfish and avaricious 
custom that is becoming more and more noticeable in 
our concerts, and which is truly an outrage upon (be 
good-will of the performers. Complimente and ap- 
preciative demonstrations are well enough, and as 
they should be ; but this everlasting clapping, stamp- 
ing, &rcm>-ing and 6ratti-ing, in order to get all you 
can out of an artist, or artiste, so that you may be 
sure of obtaining your " money's worth," is an ap- 
proximation to a nuisance ; and I trust that some in- 
dependent troupe will have courage enough to adopt 
it as a rule, not to repeat any portion of their pro- 
gramme, and thereby take one step towards abolish- 
ing this foolish and detestable practice. This making 
a puppet of every performer, and obliging them to 
trot out and repeat any and everything on a pro- 
gramme at the caprice and beck of a promiscuous 
audience, is a down-right imposition ; however much 
the singer or player may feel fiattered by any such 
long-continued applause. Almost all of our con- 
certo are spoiled in this manner — our ean becoming 
surfeited long before the close, and the best selections, 
which are generally reserved for the end, are well- 
nigh lost upon the minds of the hearers. So much 
for so much. Of the other features of the concert I 
cannot write, as I was obliged to leave before it was 
ended. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1858. 



309 



Miu Katb Dban and 6bo. Cookb, an expected 
here next week, and we are anticipating a fine treat. 

Something which yon quoted aboat the lisping of 
RoBBRT Fbakz, reminda me of the fact, which may 
be unknown to yon, that Mendblssohn also lisped. 
Wbnsbl, a teacher in the Conservatory at Leipsic, 
nsed to imitate him in his manner and speech, as 
when he came into the room at the " Unterhaltung" 
which was highly interesting. Plaidt told us once 
how Mendelssohn, at a rehearsal for a GewcmdhauM 
concert, was nnable to play, thfx>ngh nerronsnesss, a 
certain difficult passage on the piano-forte, in a Con- 
certo, with Orchestral accompaniment, and how, 
after several attempts, he relinquished it, and went 
home and practised only the tcaUt during the after- 
noon, — without once looking at the unlucky mea- 
sure, — and at the performance in the evening, 
played it through with perfect ease. I was so fortu- 
nate as to receive ftom Plaidt a portion of the 
original manuscript of one of the '* Songs without 
Words," •— Book Third — No. 4, — and it is a great 
source of pleasure to compare . it with that pub- 
lished, — so delicately jotted down, — just as it 
came from the composer's brain, — now a half note 
carelessly erased, and four eighth notes substituted in 
its place, — now a dotted quarter and an eighth 
marked out, and equalled by a half note — the BOtU- 
nuto characters — the peculiar shaped cleft — the three 
hastily written sharps, — how interesting are all these, 
— for there has rested Mendelssohn's own hand, and 
thereupon his eyes have gaxed, — why should n't the 
little scrap be considered valuable and deeply inters 
esting * It certainly is to me — nearly priceless ! 

In Springfield they are to have the "Messiah" 
brought out on Wednesday evening of this week. E. 
J. FiTZHUOH is the conductor. The bass solos are 
to be sung by Mr. Whithbt, of Boston. In North- 
ampton, I understand, they are soon to have the 
opera of Trovatore produced by native artists. The 
whole of the music has been arranged by a highly 
talented musical amatenr of that place, and it will 
undoubtedly be a success. Gborob Kixosuct, the 
oi^ganist and composer, is now a resident of North- 
ampton. You will thus see that the inland towns are 
not all asleep in the cause of musical advancement, 
although they may labor under poor advantages. 

H. 



Bbsuk, Not. 22. — Last evening the Singalnd- 
emie repeated the performance which I recorded in 
November ]855:^"(?o<tet Zeit itt dig edkrbaU 
Zeii,** a funeral cantata by Bach, and Cherubini^s 
Requiem, Two of the choruses in the former were 
magnificent — indeed I am beginning to work my 
way into Bach's style in the rest of the work, and a 
feeling of that man's greatness is rising within me. 
Still, in spite of the influences in favor of Bach here, 
which operate upon us all, I can not yet — and doubt 
if ever — forswear my allegiance to the majesty of 
Handel. 

The Requiem of Cherubini is certainly a most mag- 
nificent masterpiece. When a great work by one of 
the great composers is for the first time presented to 
any musical community, it is an epoch in the artistic 
history of that public — as in the case of the " Mes- 
siah," the"Creation," "Elijah," the fifth Symphony of 
Beethoven, Rossini's "Moses," and the like, in Boston. 
I assure yon, the first performance of this Requiem 
would be such an epoch. The work is entirely cho- 
ral ; and such wonderful choruses I I wrote yon be- 
fore that Mozart's Requiem makes one cry ; Cherubi- 
ni's makes you tremble. In London, Mozart's, — ^here, 
last night, Cherubini's, had upon me their old effect 

Yonr readers may like to know something about 
the author of the articles in yonr Journal upon Men- 
delssohn and Weber, which called out the ire of the 
London Mfuaioal WoHd. 

Ubbvann ZoFnr is still a comparatively young 
man, having been bom in 1826 at Grossglogan, in 



Silesia; studied at the Gymnasia of Qlogan and 
Breslau and at the Universities of Breslan and Ber- 
lin, devoting himself upon coming of age to the sci- 
ence of agriculture, and finally becoming steward of a 
landed property in the Silesian mountains. While 
there he formed such an orchestra as he could out of 
village musicians and school teachers, and without 
knowing anything of the science of music, used to 
compose fi>r it. In his 24th year he produced some 
of those compositions in Glogau, and the result was 
such that he was advised to really study music in 
earnest. For this purpose he came to Berlin in 1849 
and became a pupil of Marx, who after a few years 
study, made him his assistant in teaching the theory 
of music. After having established two or three 
small choral meetings in successive jrears, the idea 
occurred to him of establishing a school for the study 
of operatic music, and his present Opem-Akademie 
was the result; being founded Nov. 18, 1854. It ap- 
pears to be quite a flourishing school now, employing 
some half a dozen teachers, and having its head- 
quarters in a fine, spacious house, quite centnlly sit- 
uated. 

He has composed a good deal,— I have heard noth- 
ing from his works and can therefore give no opinion 
upon them. His chief works are : 

" Aetrea " a poem for declamation in 60 Sonnets, 
with " liturgie " music, choruses and melodrama by 
Zopfi*, performed in Berlin and Stettin, with piano- 
forte, in Konigsburg and Hamburg with orchestra. 

"Mofuxmmedf" opera. Some numbers sung in Berlin 
in concerts, the whole given under Liszt in Weimar, 
as Concert Music to a part of the "Alexandrea" of 
Dr. M&rcker — fhe closing scenes under the title of 
"Funeral Solemnities of Alexander the Great." 
This was performed a few months since at a concert 
in Amim's Saloon, to which Humboldt, Meyerbeer, 
and many other literary, civil and musical dignitaries 
accepted invitations. As I said, I have heard none 
of ZopflTs music — which by the way is not confined 
at all to these more ambitious attempts — and you 
know I am not given to reporting hearsay. — 

A sad piece of news comes to me from London — 
Mrs. KiNKEL is dead I She with whom I had so 
pleasant an interview a few months since. From a 
letter in the National Zeitung of this city I draw 
the following particulars for you, in case you have not 
noticed the event. 

Mrs. Kinkel had suffered for some time from bron- 
chitis, catarrh, ftc. and on Monday, the 16th, called a 
ph3rsician, who visited her in her chamber in the third 
story, considered her illness as of small importance, 
advised her to keep her bed for the day and take some 
mild prescription. Immediately after the doctor, 
came Prof. K. to rejoice her with some good news in 
relation to his business prospects. The servant girl, 
too, came in with a cup of chocolate. All agree that 
she was in the very best spirits. The Doctor left, the 
professor went to his engagements, the servant girl 
went down stairs. 

Ten minutes afterwards the girl came into the room 
again — Mrs. K. was not to be seen — the window 
was open — the girl looked down into the area, her 
mistress lay upon its pavement ! As they raised her 
she was breathing her last. 

An explanation of this is easy. Two years ago on 
this very day she was, in company, attacked by 
cramps in the region of the heart, her life being then 
saved no doubt by the accidental presence of a physi- 
cian, as one of the guests. 

Now, as the post-mortem examination showed a 

very great enlai^ment of the right ventricle of the 

heart, it is dear that a sudden attack drove her to the 

window, which she threw up, for air, and as it was 

but about two fbet from the floor, as she swooned, she 

lost her balance, and fell out. The coroner's jury of 

course rendered a verdict of accidental death. 

Few women have passed through more sorrow and 
anxiety than she. Tnank God that the last few years 
in London have been happy ones 1 



The news comes from Vienna to day that Casl 
HoLZ, a member of tue Schuppanzigh Quartet during 
Beethoven's last three years, and one of his intimate 
companions for about two years of that time — often 
employed by the great composer in his money trans- 
actions, died on the 9th inst., aged 60 years. So they 
go one after another— the men whom of all men I 
wish to know. Alois Fnchs, the great collector of 
portraits and autographs of musicians, told me in 
1861, that if I would only stay in Vienna he would do 
all that was in his power to aid me in my work, but I 
had no Mecaenas, and must back to America. He is 
dead. He offered to make me known to Hols. Now 
Holz is also gone. Who will be left in the Spring 
when I get there ! Holz it seems has left a note-book 
full of important musical records, but they have, it is 
fbared, too much of a short hand character to be deci- 
pberable. 

Qriife is the great oculist of Europe. I heard in 
the house of one of the oldest and most ftunous of the 
professors of the Berlin University, the other day, a 
musical anecdote of him. A lady told it there, who 
had gone with another, to be with her during a terri- 
ble operation, no less than the taking out of an eye, 
and the removal of a hard substance, which had fixed 
itself behind the eye. Chloroform was administered, 
and Griife proceeded with perfect coolness and unruf- 
fied calmness to his operation, which proved worse 
and far more dangerous than was apprehended — the 
object being to save the sight of the other organ. At 
length it was over, and the bandage applied. The 
oculist excused himself and left the room, immedi- 
ately after which the lady, who told the incident, 
heard the tones of a magnificent pianoforte nobly 
played. This lasted a few minutes and the Doctor 
returned. He apologized ; he had performed one of 
the most difficult and fearful tasks that belong to his 
profession, and it had become absolutely necessary to 
calm his nerves by music I A. W. T. 

Jliiigjfs lonrnal of Slnsk 

BOSTON, DEO. 25, 1868. 

Mnno nr tru Nomia. — Coatlniiatloii of the Gftntata: 
" Mirlun's Song of THumph," Ibr Sopimno Solo and Chonu, 
hj FaARi BoRUBsar. 



Italian Opera. 

We have idiother rich week to record. The 
first performance of the '* Huguenots " was wise- 
ly followed by a rest of two nights. One of them, 
however, (Wednesday of last week) was occupied 
by a miscellaneous Concert in the Theatre, in 
which the principal artists of the troupe exhibited 
their powers to the immense delight of the audi- 
ence in various popular show pieces ; but of which 
two features chiefly claim a passing mention here. 
Firsts the production, and in fine style, of an un- 
familiar overture of Beethoven, to *King Stephen*, 
by the orchestra placed on the stage, — a work 
with the true fire in it, but little heeded save by 
the few. Second, the inordinate indulgence of 
the audience in the " encore swindle ", almost 
every vocal piece having been redemandcd. — On 
Friday evening, Mr. Ullman gratified a hope 
long, long deferred, in suffering a Boston audi- 
ence to witness Mozart's comic opera : 

LB NOZZE BI FIGARO. 

Our "Athens'* could scarcely pass muster as 
a musical city so long as it remained a stranger 
to this world-famous operc It was almost like 
living in ignorance of one of the best plays of 
Shakspeare : — an ignorance, in this case, con- 
verted into bliss for some two thousand people — 
the lai^est and most cultivated audience of the 



310 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



seaaon — on Friday evening. It was perl 
well that we were forced to wait until this mas- 
ter-work of genius could be put before us with 
such completeness and fidelity. Its floating frag- 
ments of immortal melody, which have mingled 
themselves in all our lives more or less from 
childhood, could now be brought together in their 
original connection, in a live and perfect whole, 
that would not disappoint. 

For our public it was one of the best of lessons 
to have two such works as the Huguenots and the 
Nozze di Figaro make their impressions on us in 
immediate succession. No two works could be 
in greater contrast: it was the most imposing 
type of the extreme modem tendency in music — 
the music of effect^ — brought side by side with 
one of the perfect instances of the pure spontane- 
ous process of creative genius, in an opera which 
for three quarters of a century has held its place 
'as " clasncal " for just that reason. It was the 
comparison of a gorgeous, grotesque, bewildering 
and exciting romance of a Victor Hugo or a Eu- 
gene Sue with anything as quiet, sweet and gen- 
uine as " As you like it" The advantages of the 
modem work are all external, on the outside, ex- 
trinsic, properly speaking, to pure musical inspira- 
tion ; advantages of form and treatment, due to 
improved means and mechanism, rather than to 
vital quantity and quality of music ; the advan- 
tage of imposing combinations, new orchestral 
coloring, the dran»atic employment of masses on 
the stage, great stage effects, rare studied con- 
trasts, — and above all, dramatic intensity of well 
chosen subject and ingeniously elaborated plot. 
Meyerbeer^s y&<;t combinations are built upon a 
minimum of melody. Musical thoughts, as such, 
do not seem to come unbidden with him. He has 
no unfailing fount of inspiration to draw from. 
He is blessed with few real melodies. His poetic 
or dramatic theme, when he has chosen it and re- 
flected on it and filled his mind with it, does not 
take possession of him in such an intrinsically mu- 
sical way as to become fused in his imaginative 
consciousness, and so transmuted into a spontane- 
ous perfect flow of tones. On the contrary, 
armed with all technical skill and knowledge in 
the art, with a tenacious, comprehensive brain, he 
studies out appropriate and striking settings of 
each situation and each least phrase of his text ; 
he does this with consummate judgment, only al- 
ways with prime reference to efiect upon a pub- 
lic ; determined first of all that it shall strike ; 
for he is not that willing, consecrated votary to 
truth for truth's Bake, that he can be content to 
hide a talent where only the divining rod of 
sympathetic understanding in a few shall own its 
presence. He will run no such risk. He will 
make less gold go farther. So he constructs us 
an immense romantic melodrama, in the literal 
sense of that word, a grand historical picture in 
music, splendidly illustrating all the scientific and 
material resources of Our modem music, impres- 
sing us with a sense of power, startling us with 
contrasts, taxing our every faculty of attention, 
interesting us intensely for at least once, but 
wearying heart and brain, and making us feel that, 
after all, a violence has been done to the living 
peace and freshness of our souls, that we have 
been subjected to a rude tumultuous stimulus a[b 
extra, but have not tasted that divine refreshment, 
have not breathed that life-giving atmosphere of 
is called repose in Art. 
Now Mozart consciously attempts far less, but 



Mozart is unspeakably more, higher and finer 
than all that For Mozart was a man of geni- 
us, one who wrought wholly by the spontaneous 
processes of genius. Melodies, fresh, beautiful, 
divine, such as are of no age, but in all ages 
speaking like a native language to all hearts, were 
his almost without the seeking, — so beautiful, 
that what he thought to utter in tones came bark 
to him a hundred times more beautiful and more 
significant than he had meant it : — ever the true 
poet's experience ; and such surpnses to oneself, 
probably, are just the only real poetry, and have 
the only right to go forth to the world as poems. 
The same, in the highest sense, with music. 

The " Marriage of Figaro ** is quite as genu- 
ine and Mozartean, but not as great a work as 
Don Giovanni It is a lighter and an earlier ef- 
fort — if such a felicitous creation can be called 
an effort He had a lighter, nay an altogether 
poorer subject to deal with ; one which lacked 
the supernatural and the tragic element afforded 
by the story upon which that crowning master- 
ship of his complete musicianship was founded. 
What a plot indeed, for a nature so sincere as 
Mozart! Out of Beaumarchais' sceptical and 
sneering comedy, then all the rage, and even ac- 
quiring a certain consequence among the political 
signs of the times before the French Revolution, 
from its smart satire on the unbelief and untruth 
of the whole social fabric, — a plot of miserable 
intrigues and tricks, in which every one of thn 
eight or ten characters is intrigin'ng against every 
other almost ; a mesh of complicated love rela- 
tions, in which each lover forfeits any interest 
you once begin to take in him, by showing him- 
self insincere, jealous and at the same time false : — 
from such a picture of the prose side of life. Da 
Ponte made him the libretto. What was there 
in all this for one like Mozart ? The characters, 
at least the principal ones, cannot interest us. 
They are in fact our old friends of the " Barber 
of Seville." The Count is Almaviva, and the 
Countess is Bosina, and Figaro, now on the eve 
of marriage, intrigues upon his own account to 
baffle the designs of the false Count upon his own 
pretty, bright Susanna, my lady's maid and con- 
fidant Bossini, afterwards, brought just the 
right genius to the treatment of the first stage of 
this story. His music, so sparkling and facile, 
full of original and never failing melody, a music 
almost witty, delicious to hear, but never much in 
earnest, genial, but external, is in the very spirit 
of such comedy. Moreover, the libretto of the 
*' Barber " is broad farce, lending itself more read- 
ily to comic music ; whereas " Figaro's Marriage " 
is genteel comedy abounding in the wit of con- 
versation, hardly admitting of translation into 
anything so much sincerer and deeper as a Mo- 
zart's music must be. But therefore, and in spite 
of this, let us admire the genius of our dear Mo- 
zart all the more: — that he could transmute 
such a plot into so exquisite a musical midsum- 
mer's day. 

He treats the subject in his own way, as he only 
could, by the necessity of his genius, which is 
perfect freedom. He is child enough, and has 
enough genial zest of humor, to make the ex- 
quisite comedy of the thing nng itself out to very 
ecstacy, while, at the same time, Shakspeare-like, 
he is continually getting very much in earnest, 
and idealizing these sportive amours of a day in 
melodies that spring from the sincerest depths 
and soar up to the heavenliest heights of real 



love. Indeed it seems as if we felt in such an 
opera of Mozart just the highest mission and 
symbolic sense of music : — the snggostion, throngh 
whatever low and common not-work of i*olations, 
of an ideal, pure, harmonic Il/e : his music lifting 
every character to an unwonted wnccrity ; touch- 
ing each emotion with a glow of holier aspiration ; 
making these poor intrigues and alliances to typi- 
fy a social whole of pure spontaneous spiritual in- 
terchange, entirely pure and free and vital, — a 
blessed after-world of innocence and love. 

Look now at the characters and at their sonsi;. 
Susanna, the fascinating, cunning, roguish, pretty 
lady*s nmid, would not, were she the liveliest of 
comediennes, act her part so humorousl}- that the 
music would not lend a finer touch of delicacy and 
sparkle to it ; her rapid recitatives are the ideal 
perfection of natural language; they are what 
talk might be with perfect organs in a perfect 
medium — '^fits of easy transmission" as the 
electricians say. Tlien she is such a good sympa- 
thetic creature — so the music makes her — so 
kindly amused with little Cherubino's confessions. 
But Susanna really loves Figaro, and when on 
the eve of their union, after baffling the Count's 
designs, she sings Deh vieni, non fardar^ can you 
conceive of any melody of love more heart^felt, 
pure and heavenly ? I^Ille. Piccolomini sang 
this with much fervor and beauty, while in the 
general presentation of the part, with all its arch- 
ness, she was charming — thoroughly alive in all 
the action, (sometimes too much so) wearing the 
rhythmical chains of the music with most natural 
ease and gnwe. Her recitative was particularly 
neat and delicate ; her small voice always musi- 
cal and telling. 

The Countess — (how changed from our Rosi- 
na, who is just what Rossini's music makes her, 
sparkling and charmins, but external, without 
passion,) — is the one serious person of the play, 
though not above intrigue, and hardly interesting 
as the play-wright makes her. But what depth 
of longing tenderness, of sadness chased by 
gleams of golden hope, those lovely airs of hers 
revenal : Porgi^ amor, and Do\>e sono ! Are there 
diviner melodies, unless you seek them also in 
Mozart ? Alme. Ghioni appeared to better ad- 
vantage in this part, although wanting in action 
and of marble coldness of features. She sang the 
music conscientiously, and with fair voice and 
expression, being greatly applauded in Dove sono. 
Her voice blended beautifully with Susanna's in 
the duet S\d aria, where she dictates the note, — 
a duet of such natural and unalloyed simplicity 
of melody, that the whole audience were en- 
trancerl. 

Let us thank Bcaumarchais for giving Mozart 
a character so after his own heart, as the page 
Cherubino. What a charming part indeed ! and 
Mme. Berkel had just the pretty figure for it, 
and enacted the bewitching boy to a charm. Her 
voice is thin, but her artistic conceptions were 
all good, and she sang with unction. He is a 
boy of some thirteen years, in whose breast the 
first vague stirrings of the master passion are 
just beginning to l>e felt, filling him with delic- 
ious and alarmed surprise. He finds every beau- 
tiful woman having a mysterious attraction for 
him, poor rogue ; and the little songs he writes 
and sings to Susanna and his mistress : Non so 
piu cosa son, and Voi che sapete, arc his confes- 
sions, as serious and touching as they are delight- 
fully comical. Oulibichefi' sees in Cherubino 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1858. 



311 



Don Giovanni in the bud. By the music of the 
two operas this is quite transparent. Nay, we 
may go further and sny, Cherubino is Mozart. 
But this thought we have no room to develop. 

Figaro, now major-domo of the Count, has in 
Mozart's treatment a finer and more intellectual 
kind of humor than Rossini's barber. Besides, 
he has an earnest side ; he loves Susanna, and it 
is with an honest glow that he boasts his wits a 
match for those of the Count. IIow finely Mo- 
zart's mu^ie fits both sides of him ! Tliat dainty, 
cunning strain : Se vuol baliare, &c., is the melo- 
dic motive of the character. The song Non piu 
andrai is the prototype of Rossini's Largo al Fac- 
iotum^ and not reached by that Formes sang 
and actecl it to perfection, as indeed he did the 
whole part. Figaro also has a very earnest air 
in the last act, where he suspects Susanna ; and 
where there is real passion Mozart, like a boun- 
teous creator, is no respecter of persons, but gives 
him his best to sing, the servant now being as 
much man and having as much use for music 
as his lord. 

Count Almaviva, baritone, the central person- 
age in all this, stands for the dissolute vices of the 
great, exposed and satirized. But Mozart will 
not let a momentary, superficial passion end with 
that ; it goes hard with him to give up the game ; 
he finds that he is seriously in love with Susanna ; 
the duet: " Cnuiel perM is one of the most 
touching and impassioned love-strains *, he is bet- 
ter than he would be in it, for love and music are 
divine when they are real. And in his soliloquy 
before the wedding, where he vents his chagrin 
at being thus outwitted by Figaro, Mozart has 
given him a grand aria, with splendid orchestral 
accompaniment, altogether in his most noble and 
dramatic style. Sig. Florenza sang his music 
well, with a rich and manly voice ; and looked 
the Count well, in his quiet attitudes, ^ut in the 
intense parts is given to strange crouching pos- 
tures and grimaces. 

Of the minor characters we can only say that 
the small part of Don Basilio, (the only tenor in 
the opera, strange to say,) was well done by Mr. 
Perrino, so far as singing goes ; and that Signora 
MoRRA, as Marcellina, Ilerr Mueller as the 

gardener, and Herr as Dr. Bartolo were 

quite a(*ceptable. 

But the charm lay in the opera as a whole. 
Its concerted pieces are as fine as its songs; espe- 
cially that septet finale of the second act. Mo- 
zart's finales are quiet and unpretending as com- 
pared with those of Meyerbeer or Verdi ; but 
whereas these latter are most artificially imposing, 
a tenor and soprano shouting in unison, while 
other voices put in mere phrases of accompani- 
ment, properly belonging to bassoon or contra- 
basso or what not in the orchestra, in Mozart's fi- 
nales each voice sings in character, phrases which 
seemed as positively dictated by the personal as 
by the contrapuntal complication. The chorus, 
it is true, he uses un ambitiously ; it is a chorus ot 
peasants, and they sing peasants' music, natural 
and simple festive strains. How quaintly beauti- 
ful that dance music ! But it is all one continu- 
ous and living whole ; a world of heavenly mu- 
sic ; and it all floats charmingly upon a summer 
sea of instrumentation, which is so full and deli- 
cious that one is tantalized by thd desire to listen 
to the orchestra alone. Ever at the right mo- 
ment, each turn of thought, or feeling, or situation 
is met at once, as if by heavenly accident, by ju.«if 



the fittest instrumental phrase that mortal brain 
could possibly invent. Tlie orchestral accompa- 
niments afford such felicitous and sympathetic 
background, that it is as if the whole world took 
the color of our own passing thoughts and moods. 
The performance of the " Marriage of Figaro" 
in Boston must have made its mark, and will be 
productive of great good. It was "experiencing" 
music, as some say of religion. 



Lucia di Lammerhoor. 
La Serva Padroka. 

The Saturday afternoon performance offered these 
two pieces to a crowded house. Donizetti's hack^YeQ 
opera was passably rendered, with PiccoLOMiiir, 
Brioxoli and Florenza in the principal parts. 

Fnesiello's little comic o[)crctta gave the very best 
play to Piccolomini's especial talent. She looked 
more prettily, and sang and acted more bewitchingly 
and funnily as the scn-ant-mistrcss, than in any part 
before. Sig. Maggiorotti, a veteran, of the genu- 
ine buffo stamp, was all that was needed as the old 
master. The vixenish, quarrelling duet introduced 
from Auber's *' Mason and Locksmith," given by Pic- 
colomini and Mme. Morra, was extremely comical. 
The music, old and quaint, and very simple, is feally 
genial and charming ; reminding one of Mozart, so 
far as Mozart wrote in the fashion of his time — this 
was composed while Mozart was a boy — but infinite- 
ly less rich in thought or treatment. 

On Monday night we had a repetition of" The Hn* 
guenots ; " on Tuesday a fine performance of ^ossi- 
sini's " Barber," chiefly remarkable for Laborde's 
iniroitnble and faultless warbling, for the smooth Je- 
suitical perfection of Formes's Don Basilio, and for 
the thoroughly expert, though of course rather passim 
rendering of Figaro by the veteran Maooiorotti, 
who has been said, with what truth we know not, to 
have been the original Barber ; and on Wednesday, 
" Le Nozze " again : thus affording new chance to 
compare Meyerbeer and Co. with Mozart, and to 
make another interesting comparison of Moznrt and 
Rossini, to which we must return hereafter, since our 
space is now exhausted. 

The further announcements wore : for Thursday, 
TrotKitore ; Friday, Robert le Diable ; this afternoon 
and evening two cheap Christmas performances, to- 
wit, TVaviaia and Norma; and on Monday, Hchert 
again, which opera, given as this troupe can give it, 
must be another new ei^ent for Boston. 

Next week, being the last week of the Opera, will 
probably also give us Don Giovanni on a magnificent 
scale. 



New Music. 

Cathedbal Crabts, See., by S. Pakxmaw TooxntMAH, Mo*. 
Doe. Boston : Oliver Dltfon & Co. 

Dr. Tuckermau Is well known for hU hearty and induatrion* 
deTotton to the Bngltoh Church lehool of moalc, which hue led 
blm to spend some seven yean of his Ufo In England, where 
he made himself perftctly at home in the mnsie of the princi- 
pal cathedrals, and retnraed ftilly master of its secret. He 
gives us here a collection of the most approved chants used tn 
the Protestant Spiscopal service :-> a copious supply, both 
double and single chante, for each of the several Canticles, as 
well as the ocoadonal services. He has collected them mainly 
from the sterling old English writers, with scrupulous fidelity 
to the originals ; but hsa also enriched the collection by many 
of the best contributions of living Bnglish masters in this line 
and by a modest number of his own productions, which in se- 
vere beauty of harmony, and apt expressiveness of style for 
each oooarion seem worthy of their place among the others. 
The Gregorian Tones, too, are included ; but we could wish 
that the author in his otherwise instructive Prefhce, had told 
the uninitiated why then " Tones " appear In modem keys 
and harmony. 

The chants are followed by the Burial and Communion Ser- 
vice; and by an easy Morning Service in F ( r« D«um and Ben- 
tdietiu)^ by Dr. Tuckermau. which we think must take Its 
place among the &vorite pieces of this kind in choirs. The 
book is beautinilly printed, In large, clear characters, with 
ample space, and all admirably arranged for use. The direc- 



tions for chanting are clear and practical, and the accented 
syllable in the reciting portion of each chant is always plainly 
marked. We have seen no collection of this kind of church 
music so complete ; none more scrupulously choice. And this 
we know to be the conviction of some of our best organists and 
profemors, who are versed in this peculiar school of music, and 
who know the wants of the Episcopal choirs &r better than 
ourselves. We may mention the names of the venerable Dr. 
Hodges, of Trinity Church, New Tork, and of Hr. Willcoz, or- 
ganist of St. Paul's church, in this city. 



MuBioal GMt-Ghat 

This is Christmas Day, and of course the emo- 
tions and reflections of the inspiring season seek 
their highest musical expression in " Handel's " su- 
blinfB ©i^itorio, " The Messiah." Of course we look 
to ou^eW Hakdel and Haydn Society for that ; 
Ad ndt Iti \)un, for, although the Boston Music Hall 
i3*aftrangely preoccupied for other ends than music, 
the Sitcioty na]<o found the Boston Theatre open to 
them, arid as xHo^ end sanctifies the place, they will 
there to-mpcrow (Sunflay) evening perform the 
"Messiah," wjth th^ufusxpected and most valoahle 
assistance u/^ov Bostoik prfrsa donna, Mme. Elisa. 
Biscacciant^, Y'hd has l«en in town some weeks 
recruiting from the velLr and tear of her triumphant 
career in Italy, St. l^tjrshurgh, &c. She is a great 
favorite here, and one of thp first sopranos of the 
day ; all will rejoice that^ber health is sufficiently re- 
stored to enable her to sing. The other solos will be 
sustained by Miss Emma Hbywood, the new con- 
tralto of the Opera troupe ; Mrs. Harwood, whose 
fine voice it will be pleasant to hear again ; Mr. 
Fesring, ' tenor, and Dr. Guilmettb, basso. 
The choruses will of course receive justice from the 
well-trained forces of tlie Society ; and all, with a 
grand orchestra, will be under the sure, intelligent 
direction of Carl Zerrahk. 

Otto Drebel did not return, as expected, in the 
Persia a fortnight since ; word came tliat the state of 
his health made it quite probable that he might re- 
main in Grermany all winter, much to the disappoint- 
ment of his many friends and pupils and all lovers of 
choice music here. But there is now better news : he 
had concluded to sail for Boston in the steamer of the 
11th inst, which is already due. 

It gives us joy to announce the purchase of a very 
valuable collection of works on Music for our noble 
Boston Public Library. It consists in large part of 
very rare and costly works upon the theory and his- 
tory of Music, of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, 
in Italian, German, French and Latin, most of them 
in splendid folios and quartos, — works difficult to 
find in Europe, of many of which not a copy proba- 
ably exists in this country. It was the private library 
of an Austrian officer and amateur, recently deceased, 
who had had for many years an intelligent passion for 
collecting such works. This library was ofiTered at 
auction in Berlin. At the suggestion of our friend 
A. W. Thayer, now residing in that city, and 
through the liberality of Joshua Bates, Esq., to 
whose munificence our Library is already so largely 
indebted, and who at once saw the importance of se- 
curing such a nucleus for our musical collection as 
might never ofifcr itself again, these books, some 300 
in all, have been secured for Boston, at a cost of 

about $750.00. We have received a catalogue of the 
books, to which we shall refer more fully. These, 
ndded to the collection of musical literature and MS. 
Italian and French scores, made up for us by the late 
Prof. Dehn of the Berlin Boyal Library, will lay a 
solid foundtion for a complete musical library, for the 
first time in this country — one to which all musical 
students can have access. 

In Worcester, Mass., the Mozart Society, conduct- 
ed by Edward Hamilton, cave their second con- 
cert on the 1 7th, performing iFomberg's " Transient 
and Eternal," Avith selections from Mendelssohn, 
Mozart and Rossini .... Haydn's " Seven Words on 

the Cross" is to be produced in Philadelphia 

There is a rumor that the charming artist, M'me. 
CoLSON, is to succeed Piccolomini in the Opera here, 
and sing Zerlina next week. 



312 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Mnsic, both operatic and orcheatral, seems to be 
flonrishing in New Orleans. We have the program- 
me of the first concert of the " Classic Mosie Society " 
(Dec. 8J comprising just fire pieces, all of the true 
sort, to-wit: Part I. Orerture to Don Giovanni ; 
Haydn's 8th Symphony, in B minor ; Weber's oyer- 
ture to Euryanthe. Part 11. BeethoTen's Sinfodnia 
Eroioa ; Spohr's overture to Jtaatmda. The leader is 
Mr. G. CoLLTONOx. Of Opera at the Orleans 
Theatre, the Picayvtne (Dee. 12) says : 

Mile Lafranque, the new prima donna, grand 
opera, has sung in Meyerbeers ever popular ** Hu- 
guenots," and is pronounced by all good judges an 
artist of high rank. Mons. Louault grows in the es- 
timation of the public, and M'Ue Cordier is fatljrjis- 
tablished in the place vacated bv Colson. Heh reps- 
tition of the ** Dame Blanche,'' and her ^J^trgifieriU 
in the " Huguenots," gave great Batisfa<*titMi ft> excel- 
lent and discriminating audiences. Th^.'f ' Ambatfs^ 
drice" of Anber, and the *' Juive^' nf Hal^yy^ar] 
the next revivals in contemplation, Goofier ap(t>dMia^ 
in the first, and Lafranque in theJvt 



uriSP 




nsit 



%hfjn)i 



Paris. — II Trovatort and Lttcr^ia Borgia have 
been performed at the ItlUiAO \)pera within the last 
fortnight The first, wTMi Griki, Alboni, Mario, and 
Graziani ; the latter, with Gnsi, Nantier-Didi^, BiCa- 
rio, Graziani, Corsi, and Zncchmi. It is reported 
that Madame Peneo was to have taken the r6U of 
Leonora in 11 Ttovatort, but that Grisi insisted on 
appearing in the part, much to the chagrin of the 
manager. Mario has been singing splendidly. Nan- 
tier-Didi^ was very efiective in Laertzia, and alto- 
gether the opera was well rendered. 

Verdi's Macbelto was to have been produced this 
season, but the expense was found to be too great. — lb. 

The Paris correspondent of the New Orleans Pica- 
yune relates: 

The Opera Comique theatre is heels over head 
with " Les Chercheun d'Or," M. Meyerbeer's new 
piece : manager, stars, orchestra, company, chorus, 
are all half crasy, for M. Meyerbeer is a very disa^ 
greeable companion during die rehearsals of any 
work. He does not pass by a single fault, and his 
" begin again " is heard so soften, and his German 
patience is so different from French restiveness, he 
drives everybody about the theatre half mad before 
the curtain rises on the first performance. He has 
Fanre, Sainte Foy and Mme. Biarie Cabel at his 
rooms at 6 o'clock every morning, when they re- 
hearse their parts, M. Meyerbeer himself being seated 
at the piano. M. Meyerbeer insisted, when he en- 
tered into a contract with the Opera Comique, that 
the rehearsal of his piece should not interfere with 
the rehearsal of other pieces, which "noble " request 
was of course granted, or rather the manager prom- 
ised to grant it. But Faure has a leading part in 
another piece, and of course he can't rehearse twice a 
day ana play three times a day ; so the rehearsal of 
that opera is suspended. Sainte Foy has a part in a 
second piece, and he has no stronger constitution 
than Faure, so the second opera's rehearsals are 
abandoned. And who could with reason expect 
more from Mme. Marie Cabel .than from the men, so 
the opera in which she is to play a part is suspended. 
" Mons. Meyerbeer's carriage stops the way," you 
see, wiih a vengeance, while the composer is crying 
as loud (bnt not imperatively — there is a distinction 
and a diflbrence) as he can to his coachman to go on. 

Little has leaked out respecting the new opera. 
The " book " is by MM. Michel Carrtf and Barhier. 
There are but four performers, and the piece reckoned 
on as likely to produce the greatest effect is a ques- 
tion, the parts to be borne by the actors above men- 
tioned and a bow whom M. Meyerbeer has not yet dis- 
covered ; none of the bass singers at the Opera Comi- 
que suit him. It is said to contain more music than 
" L'Etoile du Nord." The performance of this Corn- 
wall or Brittany piece indefinitely postpones " Les 
Blens et les Blancs," an opera by A. Limnander, the 
"hook" bv M. Scribe. The playgoers sav that 
anybody, backed bv M. Scril)e, may be indefinitely 
postponed without fear, as he is certain of success. I 
think M. Scribe would not find great favor just now 
with a new piece, in the eyes of a portion of the pub- 
lic. He has been too succes-sfnl with " Lea Trots 
Manpim** to bo readily forgiven. M. Meyerbeer 
proposed to M. Limnander that he, the former, should 
keep his score in pocket for another year that the 
latter might bring his opera out, but B2[. Limnander 



replied : " I am not only a composer, but I am, and 
before all, an artist, and it seems to me of much 
more importance to art that an opera of M. Meyer- 
beer should be played than an opera of M. Limnan- 
der ; " and so rernsed to allow the former to wait. 

The London Athenaeum says : The amount of 
musical rumour in this week's 'Gazette Mueicale is so 
great and so miscellaneous that we can only avail 
ourselves of it with ^lender comment, and scanty at- 
tempt at classification. First, as concerns France : 
Many will be sorry to be told of the death of M. Her- 
mann-Lfon, the capital dramatic baritone (and a 
painter, too, as well as a singer), whose performances 
m ' Les Mousquetaires,' of M. HaMvy, and in M. 
Meyerbeer's ' L Etoile,' are among the good recollec- 
tions of late years belonging to the Opira Comique.-^ 
7)i9 Sainte Ctcile Mass, mis year performed at the 
^^buVeh of Saint Eustache according to custom, on 
ufi 22nd, was no French work, bnt a mass by We- 
"beif — M. Remusat (the capitid fiute-player) is making 
.tip a French comic opera company for England, the 
names of the artists engaged for which may be en- 
couraging, but are not much known, even in Paris. — 
Something better may be augured from the announce- 
ment of a choral festival, to be held in Paris next 
year, to which already seventy-five societies have 
** adhered," thus making up the number of perform- 
ers to seven thousand, or tnereabouts. Let us hope 
that such a mountain of voice will not content itself 
with mmae music to sing. — Choral life, it appears 
certain, is growing up everywhere in France. We 
now read of a society numberinp^ one hundred and 
sixty singers having been formed m no larger a place 
than B^ziers. — Italian matters in Paris become in- 
creasingly dismal or comical, as the mood of the 
speculator may find them. 'B Giuramento,' of Sig- 
nor Mercadante, has been tried this week ; — a tearing 
drama, as regards story, none other than a travesty 
of M. Victor Hugo's ' Angelo,' — ^without the aid of 
an artist capable of acting tiie least in anv one of its 
four pfincipal parts. The comicality is, that after all 
manner of talk and trial of newer tenors, M. B^lart is 
again at the Italian Opera. Having always thought 
him an artist well ^irorth watching, we are glad to 
see another proof that, without noise or false parade, 
the day of one possessing so many excellent quali- 
ties as he must return. — Quoting from another jou]> 
nal for the moment, in regard to Italian matters, let 
us advert to a haidv paragraph, somewhat hitting in 
the face every precise advertisement of ** Her Afajet- 

ty's Theatre to let," which declares that Signor , 

" the known theatrical agent," is travelling in Italy 
to make engagements for Her Majeatjfe Theatre. 
When will Italy take any pains to inouire. what and 
whom, and whire to trust? That the entire ma- 
chinery of these transactions grinds the second, third, 
and fourth-rate musicians, is our reason lor harping 
on a familiar string. — Further, the Gazette MiteioaTe 
tells us that M. Riibinstein has been appointed Direc* 
tor of Music at the Court of Russia — the ** right man 
in hi^ right place," we conceive, — ^that a new orato- 
rio by Herr Vogt, ' The Resurrection of Laiarus,' 
has been eiven at a charitable concert in Berlin, — 
and that Herr Emil Naumann's ' Judith,' an opera 
in three acts, was produced at the theatre in Dresden 
on the 5th of this month — with applause. 

It is with regret that we must continue the bad ac- 
counts of Herr Ernst's health, which affords littie 
hopes of his being able to resume his career as a 
player, for the present at least. 

Berlix.— To-day (Sunday) is the " Todten-Fest," 
festivfd for the dead), and Cherubini's glorious Re- 
quiem in C is to be given to night in the " Akadem-' 
ie." I attended last evening the full rehearsal, and 
if I may judge from that, there will be a splendid 
performance of a splendid work. There has been a 
visible decrease in the number of concerts during the 
last week. Those which have been given retain that 
characteristic which is the boast of every true Berlin- 
ei^viz., " elassicality." To demonstrate this I 
snbioiu the programmes of two concerts :-^ 

Overture, Antigone. Arie aus der Passions-musik ; 
S. Bacli. Sinfonie (B major) Haydn. Die Dorf- 
rousikanten (" The village Musicans," by desire) 
Mozart. Overture, Anacreon ; Cherubini. Sinfonie 
(C maior) Beethoven. 

Sinfonie (D major); Mozart. Overture, Faust ; 
Spohr. Overture, Ali Baba ; Cherubini. Sinfonie, 
(B major) ; Beethoven. 

The following operas have been given in the past 
week : — Tannhkueer ; Orpheus ( Gluck ) — Wagner 
splendid as Orpheus ; Die "SiMnngen (Dom) ; Wil- 
helm Tell.^Mus. GazeUe, Nov. 27. 

Wbimak. — An opera by M. Sobolinski, a pupil of 
Lisst, entitled Comala, is about to bo performed nere, 
and is to be followed by an opera, entitled the Bar^ 
ber of Bagdad, by M. Cornelius, another pupil of the 
great pianist. — lb. 



Spetial Itotirts. 

DE8CBIPTIVB LIST OF THB 

PablUhe4 bv O. PIsmm Sl C«. 



Moiio BT Mm.— Qoaatitfat of Motle an now wnt bj nafl, 
tlM expeom bdng only sboni one eant apisee, whilt tbe cnrt 
and nipldltyof tamnsportatlon an nuMrittbto. ThoM at a 
gnat dUtanoo will find the mode of eonveyanee not only s con- 
vealenee, bat a nvlng of expenee In obteinlng snppUei. Books 
enn alto be aent bj nudl, at tbe nte of one eent per ounee. 
This applies to any distance under tbree thoosand mDes ; be- 
yond that, double the aboTe ntee. 



25 



30 



S5 



25 



Vocal, with Piano Aooompanimant. 

Oh, lovely Tonraine (O vago suol dclla Turanna) 

From Meyerbeer's " Huguenots." 
'Tis lore's almighty power. (A queata Toce sola) 
From Meyerbeer's " Huguenots." 

Theee an the two pearly eongi of the ftlr Meifoow 
Ite ds Yaloic in the leoond act of the " IlagnenolB,'* 
which the inimitable rendition of Madame Leborde 
hes Tlrldly Impnewd upon the minds of delighted 
heenn as being fine spedmene of the gneeAil and 
florid in opentie mnde. 

Porter Song. (Canaone del Porter.) From 

Flotow's " Martha." 
The Huntress' Song, (H too Btral nel lander. 
From Flotow's " Martha." 

Two old aeqnaintaneee in a new edition, with Italian 
worde added. The fliet one ie that fcmons Bees Wong 
in piaiee of Bngland^s genoine Porter>Beer, in nhieh 
Fonnes*s powerftil roioe will tell wondrontly next 
week ; the teeond ie that pntty, eoqnettidi song of 
Lady Heniet'e mercy companion, eedly remembered 
from among the maqy ear-eaptlTatiag stnins of the 
Opera. 

The Moorish Minstrel. Der Zigeanerknabe im 

Norden.) Reiuigen. 25 

When Aurora paints the Sea. (Moigengruss). 

Proeh. 25 
Blue Eyes. (Blan Aeuglein sind gefihrlich. 

Gumbert. 35 
Songs of popnlar Oennan anthon. The flnt cue 
has long been a fbTorite eong and nndeigone all kinds 
of arrangementa from the Cnmen, the Bfyera, fte. of 
the day. The last two an comparatiTely new. 
Proch'a " When Aurora" in the opinion of many anr- 
paaMS hia celebmted ** Alpine horn " in channof mel- 
ody. Oumbert's eong haa a half comic tnm. It ia, 
like moet of thia author^s aonge, eminently pleaalng. 
All thrae aonga an easy and within the range of ordl- 



One smile from thee. If. W. Baife. 24 

The beating of my own heart. Mac/arren. SO 

The lateet Imea of these popnlar Bngliah eong-wii- 
ten : ballads Ibr the parlor. 
Our own sweet thoughts. Words by J. 8. 
Adams. Adapted to the " Air du Simplon." 25 
This beantifU air from the Swiaa monntalna, whidi 
haa obtained wide dnnlatlon, haa glTcn riae to two 
atanma, which fit it to a cham. 
Jane O. Malley. So. and Cho. L. V, H. Crosby. 25 
An easy and cflbctlTe amig, arranged from the well- 
known quartet of this author, " She aleepa in the vml- 
ley.»» 

Booka. 

Ckavbs'8 Celbbbatbd Studibs. With new 
Fingering and Explanatory Notes, by Jnliua 
Knorr. Book 1, $2. Book 2, $2. Complete, 
$3,50. 

These studies tn the piano haT* been mon ezten- 
alTely uaed than any other collection, afanply beeanae 
they Impart the beet preparation fbr the worka of the 
claarieal compooen. A thorough acquaintance with 
them, therefbn, beeomn a matter of neeeaalty Ibr all 
who would devote themaelTea, eapedaUy in a pmeticat 
manner, to the art of mnalo. At the eameat aolioita- 
tion of many frienda, Jnliua Knorr haa anperintended 
thia editton of Cmmer*8 Studios. Xach of the Twenty- 
one stndlss of the flnt book has been proridod with 
brief remarlu upon musical etoeutkm and mechani c al 
points. The flagering alao haa been nTlaed and the 
mualeal phnaing of the single atndiea much mon eor- 
raetly indicated than it was in flwmer editloaa pnb- 
liahed by Cramer himself. In theae and many other 
points, thia copy will be Ibnnd anperior to all others. 



)^ 



Whole No. 352. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1859. Vol. XIV. No. 14. 



For DwlKlit*! Journal of Mu8lc. 

Musical Knick-Xnacks. 
By S. AV. 

RonERT SciiUMANXf gcnial and rapid as he 
was in composing, and in writing about music, 
was, besides being very much distrait and con- 
fused, as helpless in practical and ordinary things, 
as a new-born babe. It was a remarkable trait 
of his character, that he could sit for. hours, with 
his best friends, looking at them and smiling, 
drinking and smoking, brooding perhaps over 
some new composition, but without ever uttering 
a word, and if questioned, would start up, as if 
from a waking dream, and answer in monosylla- 
bles, and then fall to thinking again, or would at 
once begin a fiery and enthusiastic speech and 
suddenly break off, as if struck dumb, relapsing 
into moody silence. 

This was especially the case during the latter 
part of his life ; it was quite embarrassing for 
strangers that were introduced to him, not ac- 
quainted with his manners, and would have been 
still more so, if his amiable wife had not often 
come to their aid. 

Speaking of " the divine Clara," as Schu- 
mann always called her when writing about her 
in the " Neue Zeitschrift JUr Musik" then edited 
and publish(;d by him and his friends (now by 
Dr. Franz Brendel), reminds me of the peculiar 
way in which he acted, when he married her, or 
rather, when she married him, as I am told by 
one of the witnesses present on the occasion. 

But, before entering farther on the subject, I 
must beg pardon of the readers of this Journal, 
for my disorderly way of throwing matters about : 
stating only, that I do not intend to make even a 
sketch of his life or characteristics, (this may be 
read in Wasilewski's Biography of Schumann), 
but only to relate facts, which they may perhaps 
not find there or anywhere, just as they come to 
my memory. 

Clara's father, old Wieck, was very greedy of 
money, and, in his later years, became an old 
miser, so that, when the young couple, Clara and 
Robert S., who were desperately in love with 
each other, sued for his leave to marry, he refused 
it, dryly stating, to the consternation of Robert, 
that his daughter had cost him pains enough as a 
father and teacher during the early part of her 
piano-forte studies ; so that now that she was a 
celebrated artiste, he wished to reap the golden 
harvest of his and her exertions ; and should he 
(Schumann) wish to marr}' Clara, it would be 
necessary to make him an indemnification for the 
losses he should sustain by his daughter's not 
earning any more for him. " And," he added, 
afler S. had left, much concerned, turning to his 
daughter : ** You belong to me, and shall not 
marry that composing fool, who will get crazy 
one of Uiese days." From that day, he watohed 
his daughter, as an old dragon would his heaped 
up treasures, so that the lovers seldom had a 
chance to see each other. 

To help the despairing Robert, for whose 
health and reason his friends were apprehensive, 



tlioy concluded that he must elope with her ; for 
S.,with that peculiar helplessness of his, sat silent 
and mootly all day long, relieving himself only by 
quaflTing immense quantities of beer, but entirely 
unable to act in person for his love and future 
happiness. 

This resolution being proposed to him, Schu- 
mann answered in his slow, long-drawn way, 
" yes, yes ! Oh Clara ! — but — how shall I — 
Does old Wieck consent ? " — " No, but you must 
do it without him, if you wish to poscss Clara." 
** O, the divine Clara ! I should do anything to 

call her my own, but there's the old miser 

Ask Clara, she knows best what to do, she always 
knows better than I do— O my dear Clara I " 

The friends saw again that they had to act for 
him, so they communicated their intention to 
Clara secretly, who was well contented to escape 
from the tyranny of her father and join him 
whom she loved. Accordingly all the prepara- 
tions were made by the friends of the lovers ; a 
dwelling was hired, and furnished by them, ser- 
vants were engaged, a license was obtained, the 
necessary documents drawn up, and a priest noti- 
fied; now only the day was waited for when 
old Wieck would be called out on pressing busi- 
ness matters, and be obliged to leave his treasure 
for a few hours alone. Notice would then be 
given by Clara instantly to Schumann's friends, 
and matters brought to a conclusion. At length 
that day arrived. All went well, in so far that 
old Wieck had not the least suspicion of what was 
contemplated, and Clara informing the friends, 
they in their turn again instantly informed Schu- 
mann, who trembling with excitement at the 
news, stood there as usual, without doing any- 
thing, when, after the necessary dressing prelimi- 
naries, he was seized by his friends and led off in 
secret triumph to the house of the perhaps not 
less excited bride. Then he indeed verified what 
I mentioned above of his remarkable awkward- 
ness and taciturnity; for in the room there he 
stood, as if glued to the spot, facing his beloved 
and beautiful bride, his eyes fixed on hers, his 
countenance full of bliss, but motionless and silent, 
twisting his hat between his fingers, and coloring 
up to the very ends of the hair on his head, wast- 
ing the precious time by nothing, as a loving 
couple in an opera, who, alter hs^ving concluded 
to escape from the old tyrant, remun standing 
on the stage, instead of making the best of their 
time by running away, and sing half a dozen 
duets about happiness and heavenly bliss, begin- 
ning with the sentimental Andante, then pro- 
ceeding to the Allegro ; and when near the end 
of the Presto, and about to put the ten times re- 
peated " Let us fly " in execution, then comes 
the stem father, unseen, and collaring the start- 
led bridegroom, the bride fainting (of course) says 
" quod noriy** and then — then — our thoughts go 
astray, and the readerfindshimself inthe midst of 
an opera scene, instead of one of real life. We 
left Schumann standing, and I suppose he would 
still stand there, if the coachman, waiting below, 
had not cracked his whip impatiently, and Clara, 



less reserved than women generally are on such 
occasions, and more conscious than her intended 
that time is sometimes worth even more than 
money, had not taken hold of Robert's hand, and 
stowing him safely in the coach and seating her- 
self beside him, given orders to the driver ; and 
off they went to the church, the friends following. 

AVe now leave them united forever and safely 
installed in their new home, never forgetting the 
kind friends, who had done so much to set mat- 
ters aright; only stating further, and much to the 
satisfaction of the readers, we believe, who always 
side with the lovers, that when old Wieck dis- 
covered, how the bird had flown, and how he had 
been deceived, he naturally flew into a pasdon, 
and afterwards brought a mean law-suit against 
S. for seducing his daughter to get her fortune I 
In this he was defeated, and had the chagrin of 
having to pay the costs of his law-suit instead of 
recovering damages. But here our narrative dif- 
fer from the regular romantic ; for the old man 
never pardoned his Clara, and even rejoiced at 
her later misfortunes. She, however, was fully 
compensated for the tenderness of a father, by the 
constant love of her husband and the sympathy 
of the public, which she still posesses in a rare 
degree. 

More about Schumann and others in our next 



Old Pieces.— Gretry the Brother of Oreiize. 

(From L' Artiste de Paris.) 

AAHiat life sparkles and flashes from the whole 
of Gr^tr}''s little composition, Les Mtprises par 
Ressemllance ! This was one of the earliest op- 
eras he wrote. He attached but little value to it. 
In his agi'eeable m^noirs he mentions merely in 
an incidental manner this slight work, which is 
one of the most charming he ever composed. 
System has not obtained sole possession of it ; 
the writer does not strive to impart impression to 
everything; as yet the philosophy, theory, and 
suggestions of Urimm, the speeches of Diderot, 
and the axioms of Mercier, have not bewilder- 
ingly penetrated the head and heart of the man 
who comes from Li6ge, and surrenders himself 
freely to his instinct He does not yet arrange 
his inspirations, so as to frame them in s^'stem ; 
he does not proceed with the pre-formed notions 
of a doctor; he advances without anxiously 
smoothing the folds of his robe. On all sides, the 
melody bursts forth, flowing on and developing 
itself like a living mountain spring, with a oash, 
copiousness and grace which enchants us. 
Scarcely has the first note resounded, ere passion 
is perceptible and forces its way through. With- 
out any great amount of preparation, every touch 
is true ; without scientific guidance, without me- 
chanical skill, without laborious effort, our hero 
brings his work into the world ; he draws rather 
than paints, but how lovely are his touches and 
how true his accent ! 

I was sitting at the Op^ra-Comique, near one 
of our most genial and learned muacians, and 
we chatted together. 

** I wish," I said to him, " all our modem com- 
posers would come here and listen to Gr^try. 
The worthy man has none of their merit, but he 
possesses a pft, one solitary quality, in which 
nearly all of them are deficient — ^namely, inspi- 
ration. Clever, learned, polished, mighty in re- 
sources, and fruitful in expedients, they would be 
perfect, if they were not deficient in this one 
point" 



314 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



" They make up for it by their ekill." 

" Now-a-days, we do everything by calculation 
and artistic trickery. Machiavel nas become our 
master ; we are no longer simple in anything, and 
we darkly imprint a profound policy on all the 
arts. Boldness, calculation, and the genius of 
mastering ourselves, appear to us the end of great- 
ness. Inspiration strikes us as childish, naiiiet(( 
as folly, and feeling as madness. The exact 
contrary was the case with the eighteenth centu- 
ry, which evei^'where sought out feeling, pushing 
it to the greatest lengths, abusing it^ and straining 
to express it with love, and sometimes with fury 
and madness. Look at our admirable Grdtr}' ! 
How entirely he belongs to the eighteenth centu- 
ry \ how beautiful is this ample composition, and 
how expressive ! " 

" Be it so ! " replied my friend. " But how 
ridiculous is the libretto ! x ou have a soldier of 
the Guard, giddy, virtuous, in love with every 
woman at the first glance, sentimental, elegiac, 
and a sturdy drinker. There is no more trutn in 
this than in Watteaa or even Greuze, whose ro- 
seate flesh tints, and roguish girls belong to the 
same style of thinking. What composer of the 
present day would set such a subject to music ? 
O, those charming country manners! and that 
bailiif ! and that tender father ! and the voice of 
relationship and the cir of the heart ! " 

*' Bo not speak too ill of the eighteenth century. 
Any one would be inclined to think that you be- 
lon^d to those useless and too virtuous guardians 
of the harem, who speak ill of love. What saves 
the honor of the art of the eighteenth century is, 
that it is sincere in its tendencies, hopes, and 
dreams. It believes in shepherd-life; it adorns 
nature with so much lace, embroidery, shirt-frills, 
and fans, that the whole affair is ridiculous. But 
so is the human race ; Gluck was true, and so 
was Diderot. Both of them, I confess, exa^igera- 
ted nature : but their efforts were real, their ten- 
dencies, high and glowing, were sincere." 

" You affirm, also, then, that the theatre is the 
expression of society ? " 

^' Not at all ! not for the world ! The drama 
does not express what the society of any a^e or 
country does and carries out, but that which it 
dreams itself; not exactly that which it feels, but 
that for which it yearns; not that which it 
endeavors to be, but that which it would like to 
be. Look at the serious and elevated reason of 
Molibre's *' artists ; ** at the glowing devotion of 
Calderon's " lovers ; ** at Corneille's argumenta- 
tive and speculating heroes. Never has humanity 
expressly and penectly realized those models. 
But, in proportion as men's souls strove to achieve 
a new idea, the theatre was renewed, in order to 
ofler them, as it were, a slight shadow, a distant 
picture of this same much desired ideal, to their 
eternal deception. Hence, that which is called 
local coloring is an absurdity; the drama has 
never any coloring but that of its own age ; it 
does not express society, but the dream of society, 
and it improves nothing. On the contrary, it 
encourages the faults which it portrays. Let us 
strike out of our papers, my dear sir, such fine 
. principles as : 

*^ * The theatre is the improver of our morals ; 

** * The most important thing in the drama is 
Jnyention ; 

** *■ The drama is the expression of society, &c.' 

" Oh I what fables ! and, as our forerathers 
sfdd, what elevated trifles! Our libraries are 
filled with them ; people speak and write in ac- 
cordance with them; autnors commentate on 
them ; twenty provincial academies take them as 
the subjects for their prize compositions, and the 
competitors descant upon them. And yet there 
is not one of these maxims which is not a lie I " 

^ You speak like a book," observed the compo- 
ser, interrupting me. ** Yet what use is all this 
to me ? Does it render Gr^trv's music less prim- 
itive and elementary ? less without color, breadth, 
and power, and less agreeable kind of music for 
the wineshop ? " 

**M. Limnander's music, I confess, contrasts 
especially with Gr^try's. Dash and color distin- 
giush !N£ Limnander ; fine orchestration, intelli- 

?mce, and knowledge, with less care than power, 
on are instantly struck with his orchestral supe- 



riority, if you compare it with the meagre instru- 
mentation with which the melodies or the old 
Liege composer ai'c furnished. How little brass 
in Grctry's works; scarcely more than a few 
flutes, with the violins and the oboes ! But the 
essential principle of music is, most decidedly, 
possessed by Gr<^t ry in a greater degree than by 
the most brilliant and most luarned of modern 
composers. He possesses all the feeling, accent, 
and passion." 

" lie belongs to the time of Jean-Jacc]ucs, and 
Greuze, from which, thank goodness, we are now 
very far." 

" It is true that wc are no longer the same. 
Since the epoch in question France has oflen 
changed her soul, enthusiasm, and convulsions! 
How many chemical exi>criments wei*e tried with 
the French material ! In how many difl'ercnt 
forms was the national paste kneaded ! What a 
workshop is this society of ours, so oflen dissolved 
and again put together ! How much the Micro- 
megas at the head of these changes lau^h ! Tlmt 
which astonishes us, and causes us to laugh with 
pity — this virtuous giddiness, this popular senti- 
mentality, this emphatic verbal stamp, this pasto- 
ral frivolity, and all the amorous stories ot such 
brusque banality, rising to heroism — how it de- 
lighted, nay, entrancccf the youth of its time." 

*' You mean the blockheads." 

** No ; the masses ; the persons easily moved ; 
the sheep. In all times, those who rejoice in a 
small stock of original ideas, sink, at the com- 
mencement of youth, into the stream of the ideas 
then general. They suck in the color of the 
fashion ; they allow themselves to be completely 
soaked in it, and adopt the idea of the day. They 
live on it; they remain sunk in it, and carry it to 
the greatest length. About thirty or forty, when 
a woman or a shop, the toga or an embroidered 
coat changes them, they suddenly become wise, 
wash out the lively tints, cover tne brilliant ver- 
million or ultra-marine with sober gray, and fall 
back stupidly into the every-day world, into the 



compact crowd. 



Philarete Charles." 



October Musio in Palermo. 

(From the London Athenaeum.) 

Knowing already that the modem Papistical 
abominations in Art are the most flagrant in those 
Roman Catholic countries which were once the 
most artistic, I had still something to learn in 
Palermo during the Sabbath High Mass in the 
Casa Professa, There, at the exposition of the 
sacrament, the player on the organ, which is a 
fair one, absolutely broke out into the Bolero 
from the " Vdpres Siciliennes," by way of sym- 
phony. The dismissal, again, might have ended 
some service in St Hubert's Cmipel, by appro- 
priately '* playing out " a monarch bound for the 
chase, — for it was an opera movement, alia cac- 
cia: with comet flourishes, echoes, and those 
other devices, the freshness of which has been 
seemingly exhausted by M^hul, Weber, and Sig- 
nor Rossini. The vocal music, modern cavcuinas 
to devout words, was sung by a low tenor voice, 
so tuneable and manly as to make one regret the 
uses to which it was put — There was high mass, 
with orchestra, one day in the church of Santa 
OrsoUit which was gaily decked out with span- 
gled gauze draperies, I presume in her honor, — 
nnce the altar, above which hangs a dignified 
and spirited picture of our countrywoman's mar- 
tyrdom, by // Monrealese, wore the usual gala 
dress of blazing candles. — Parts of the music 
were not wholly bad, — in particular the "Kyrie" 
and a subsequent terzetto for three male voices, in 
the florid and flowing Italian style. Worse exe- 
cution could not be conceived. 

The regimental bands in Palermo are in no 
respect remarkable. — Certain fancies respecting 
the hybrid parentage of national melodies so oflen 
put forth in the Athenosvm were amusingly cor- 
roborated in the only exhibition of street-music I 
heard during a fortnight, on the terrace above 
the Marina. This consfsted of a guitar and vio- 
loncello played in a style of true independence, 
after the fashion of the t^ of Florae in * Little 
Dorrit,' — without stop, let, hindrance, or care 
whether the chords were right or wrong. The 



version thus pi-oduced of * Parig^, o cara,' from 
* La Traviata/ was onginal enough; — but who 
could have cxjicctcd the next tune V — our shuf- 
fling, bustling, English hornpipe, * The Soldier's 
Joy,* which has hardly been neard beyond the 

f)urlieus of Wapping or Portsmouth Point for the 
ast forty yeai-s. Ilerc and there some changes 
of the classical dance-text had crept in. What a 
whimsical reply to ears which had been every- 
where askinf; for the swtve old * Sicilian Mari- 
ner's Hymn I ' Neither when they sit stitching 
waistcoats, or tying up nosegays, in the streets, — 
nor when they row forth to fish, or to shoot larks 
in the bay, — do the people of Palermo sing. — 
A fiir-oft clansman to Mr. Albert Smith enter- 
tained his public of Tritons and custom-house of- 
ficers every afternoon in the open air close to the 
Porta Felice ; but he never varied his fun or in- 
struction by " tuning up " a stave. 

An amateur concert, given for charity, at which 
I was one evening present, in the Sola Pretoria, 
a grand old municipal chamber, — with tablets of 
inscription on the walls, a frieze which had been 
once painted, and a roof with decorated thick-set 
beams in the old Venetian taste, — was princi- 
pally curious as illustrating manners: how dificr- 
ent from the meetings which Mr. H. Leslie di- 
rects at home it would be hard to overstate ! — 
His violins would have shragged their shoulders, 
— his oboes have lifted their eyebrows, and his 
flutes turned up their noses, — at the band which 
I nevertheless conceive to have been professional. 



— - yet more at the so-called symphony, by Signor 

' r. But, 
set-ofl', there was a lively and lovely Duchessa, 



Bertini, chosen for said band 



to play, 
id loveU 



as a 



singing a duet by Signor Verdi, and leading a 
Jinale from * Beatrice di Tenda,' with a soprano 
voice so intense in quality and so extensive in 
compass as to make one regret that its owner was 
not professional ; — since, with training, so much 
voice and expression must have won their posses- 
sor crowns, sonnets, thousands, and lovers by the 

score. Fancy her Ladyship the , — any 

English Lady of quality, — singing an o])era 
scene, with as much evident delight as gracious 
courtesy, to a twenty-penny paying andience at 
St Martin's Hall, — for such was the audience at 
the Sola Pretoria ! I have heard and seen vocal 
performances in every respect worse excite rap- 
turous applause at tier Afajesty's Theatre, and 
praised by critics who profess to understand and 
to commiserate the destruction and downfall of 
music in Italy. C. 



The Hngaenots. 

TO THE EDITOS OF THE BOSTOX COUSIBS : 

As a lover of music, I wish to say something in re- 
lation to the recent performances of the "Haguenots" 
at the Boston Theatre. I have intentionally waited 
till after the second evening, to see if my first impres- 
sions might not be modified, and as I find them only 
confirmed, I beg of you, who are always willing, 
whether in art or politics, to give the minority a 
chance, to allow me to have my say about an operatic 

Eerformance, which is, I think, strangely overrated 
ere. 

To judge from the announcements of Mr. Ullman, 
and from the criticisms of the press, one would imag- 
ine diat we had had in Boston a first-rate representa- 
tion of a first-rate work. The public mind has been 
kept on the qui vivo by pompous proclamations of 
the splendor and peifoction, with which this great 
work was to be presented to our astonished eyes and 
ears. Such announcements and such appeals do 
much to mislead tlie public, and to vitiate the taste of 
our community, as yet comparatively ignorant in 
matters of art. I am snre that in no other country 
in the world can be found anything of the kind so 
vulgar, so exaggerated, so deceitful as the advertised 
statements of Mr. Ullman in our public prints. And 
the worst feature of it all is, that the tiling evidently 
pays, and that the manager finds his account in it. 
Odr people are misled and are humbugged by these 

Euffs, (first introduced by this same Mr. Ullman in 
is management for Mme. Sontag,) which would be 
simply ludicrous, if they were not so injurious, and so 
disci-editable to us who tolerate them. I think the 
harm done to the as yet incipient taste and knowl- 
edge of our public by this Mr. Ullman is far greater 
than would at first sight appear ; and it postpones 
farther and farther that day, which I trust will yet 
come, when wo shall exercise our own judgment in 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1859. 



315 



matters of ait» 8ltall valao thinpr^t not nnmca, and 
shall no lon^r pin our fiiith on the sleeve of a clmm- 
Ifttan opera-man ULCcr, nor swallow any dose of huni- 
bu<r that he may cnoosc to cram down our throats. 

The Hun:nenot8 was ori{j:tnnllyg:iven in 1836 at the 
Grand Opera in Paris. It was written for a collec- 
tion of singers that it would he in vain to look for at 
the present day. The whole orchestral and choral 
force of that immense establishment was (constantly 
at work upon it under the composer's direction for 
many months before its production. And it is otily 
in l*arls now that the IIu<]^enots can be really seen. 
The principal roles are not Ailed as they have been, 
but tlie scenic efTects, the traditions of the tempi, the 
orchestral and choral force, and all the mechanical 
and spectacular portions remain nnchangcd. Indi- 
vidual artists may be found elsewhere, who give 
greater eclat to their particular parts, but the ensem- 
ble, the whole united effect as seen in Paris is never 
equalled out of it, for Uie Grand Opera of Paris is a 
thing by itself. 

Allowing for this, allowing for the fact that wo 
were obliged to see a translation, and not the origi- 
nal piece, and that our theatre is not in itself com- 
parable to that at Paris, wo had a right to expect 
from the statements of Mr. Ullman that we should 
see this piece as well given as it is in any city in the 
world. 

" GU Ugonotti " is not " Jjm Huguenots." In 
translation, the dramatic fire and vivacity of the orig- 
inal is lost, and the music suffers by bemg stretched 
here and squeezed there to fit anotner set of words. 
But, even if this were not so, what a polyglot affair 
it was — a work written in French, sung in Italian by 
a Heterogeneous mixCure of Germans, French and 
Italians. Unity of effect is not atuiinable with that 
sort of eclocticisra. Meycrbeer*s operas, aliovc those 
of any other composer, depend for tlicir proper effect 
upon the perfection of the pciformanoc. We may 
hear tlie " bonnarabula " indifferently sung, and yet 
derive pleasure from the melodies alone — from the 
matter given, apart from the manner of giving. But 
in Meyerbeer's music, which is the very perfection of 
art and science, mere melody is of slight conse- 

?nenco — is but a small portion of the great whole. 
t is ia the treatment of nis themes, in the elaborate 
orchestration and minute working out of every part, 
that all his genius is exhibited. His music is pre-em- 
inently difficult and complicated in structure, and it 
is perhaps against his fame that to bring out the beau- 
ties of liis works so much depends on the character of 
their performance. Every composer, however, has 
his manner, and Meyerbeer, who is certainly perfect 
in his, never allows his works to bo given in Paris, 
unless ho is entirely satisfied with every artist con- 
cerned. The result is that there only can ho be prop- 
erty heard, and justly judged, although I have heard 
in London and Vienna very splendid performances 
of his opera, surpassing in the solo parts the Grand 
Opera, as it is just now, but always lacking that pe- 
culiar and indescribable perfection, which I have al- 
ready alluded to, and which I am sure any frequen- 
ter of die French opera will recognize and admit. I 
can fancy that poor Meverhccr must have shuddered 
at some moments on Tuesday of lost week, when 
what was called the Huguem>t8 was first made audi- 
ble to Boston ears. Above all other composen^, he is 
remarkable for his coloring, by which I mean his 
orchestral treatment of his vocal themes. No man, 
excepting perhaps Berlioz, (and he is an eccentric 
visionary) has ever so completely mastered all the 
resources of modem instrumentation. His scores, 
compared to those of Donizetti or Bellini, are like 
analytical mechanics to the first elements of algebra, 
and whereas in the Sonnambula and Lucrczia the 
vocal melodies are the substance of the work, in Les 
Huguenots or L'Etoilo du Nord, the orchestration 
and choral writing are the principal point.<« to be ob- 
served. ' The former works would be enjoyable to a 
piano accompaniment, for of color' they have little or 
none— all is outline ; in the latter the vocal airs alone 
would be comparatively uninteresting, for the color- 
ing is here the great feature. Imagine Titian's As- 
sumption of the Virgin without its color, and yon 
have an idea of Les Huguenots without its orchestral 
score. I have been particular in this explanation of 
my meaning, for I have not seen hero any sufficient 
allusion to this feature of Meyerbeer's music, and I 
think it is a thing which should be kuown and under- 
stood. 

In estimating, then, the value of this representa- 
tion of the Hngnenots, let us first look at the orches- 
tra. Its great fault was a lack of light and shade of 
sentiment. The brass blarted incessantly. The band 
on the stage was about half the time Mfore or after 
the orchestra, and the scenic illusion was not height- 
ened by the apparition of the black hat of the leader 
trying to get sight of Mr. Anschutz's baton, in the 
fifth act, when the band is in the wings. The finale 



of Act 3d lost in effoct from tliis lack of unity. I 
suspect tliat the proper instmmcnt to accompany the 
romance of Kaoul m Act 1st was wanting, for the 
sound was more like that of a viola than a viole d'- 
amotir, the instrament indicated by the composer, 
and which I hope some of mv readers can remember 
as being exquisitely played liero in Jullien's orches- 
tra, as the accompaniment to this very romance. 
That was an orchestra such as we are little likely to 
SCO again. The -whole scene at the beginning of Act 
2d, the chorus of bathers, and the Aria of the Queen, 
is accompanied by two harps, which give a festal 
character to the rnusic, and here we were treated to 
Mr. Anschutz, iu the shape of a substitute for our 
harps, who laid down his baton, and thrummed on a 
little piano during this scene. This was pretty bad, 
bnt it was worse still in tlie fifth act, at the vision of 
Marcel, that most magnificent burst of religious exal- 
tation, where the loud sweepings of harps are heard 
as the old Huguenot gases in ecstacv to Heaven. 
Here these instruments arc indispcnwble. The com- 
poser scored the piece for them, the effect they pro- 
duce on the listener heightens immensely the beauty 
of the music; and they contrast by their seraphic 
character witli the harsh blatant notes of the brass 
instruments of the assassins. I know from frequent 
hearings that tliey never fail to send the blood to my 
heart, as they sweep forth the accompaniment to that 
glorious trio of the three Huguenot martyrs. And 
here again was the feeble tinkle of Mr. Anschutz*s 
piano. It is a shame that so little respect can be 
shown to the intentions of a great master, that at the 
opera, (the last place where sucli liberties should 1)0 
taken), they should A-enturc on such miserable make- 
shifts as tlicse. In the benediction of the daggers, 
the famous crescendo roll of the drums was neglected 
entirely. The drums, instead of commencing each 
passage at mcczo forte, beat fortissimo throughout, 
and Uiis, with the insufKciency of voices, especially 
the tenors, and the undisci])Iined din of the bra.s8 in- 
struments, caused this piece to fail in its effect, and to 
produce only the impression of a senseless noise. 
This scene was botched, the trumpets played false, 
and a composition which, when properly done, never 
fails to carry away any audience, fell almost dead. 

Mr. Anschutz is to blame for this, ond it is his 
duty, as conductor, to control his band more than he 
does. The band on the stage in act 5th played out 
of tune, though that may have been intentional, as 
tending to produce a proper degree of horror in tlie 
listener at a pack of assassins, who made such a shock- 
ing noise. The prompter was audible much too 
often, and I have noticed tliat this is a circumstance 
which almost never occurs in Europe, simply because 
the audiences there entertain an idea that singers 
must learn the words of tlieir parts as well as the 
notes. In the duo of Valentine and Ilaoul the voice 
of the prompter was occasionally as distinctly 
heard as that of the tenor, an eficct not down in the 
bills, I imagine. The male chorus was fair, weak in 
tenors, but singing its difficult music tolerably ; the 
women were bad — not singing with precision, nor in 
tune, and frequently screaming. They wera too few 
in number, and too loud in voice, producing the effect 
that three or four violins would, wlio should under- 
take by scratching with all their might to equal the 
sound of a large l^dy of strings. I pi'osumo that the 
dresses of the women in act 3d were some that were 
copied from the " original drawings " Mr. Ullman 
tells us about. But proper dressing is what an audi- 
ence very seldom seo, and therefbre do not much 
miss. 

As regards the scenic effects, I have little to say. 
There were quite a number of horses and some red 
light at the end, and the finale of Act 3d was effective, 
though enough of the stage was not shown. To com- 
pare for one moment the scenic illusions at the Bos- 
ton Thcatro with those of a first class European thear 
tre, would be absurd, but on the whole the sconery 
was good enough, the onlj fault I find is in the pa- 
rade that is made about it. Those who may have 
seen this opera in Paris know that tliere the horrible 
reality of the final scene, with its vast expanse of 
staged dark, the stars shining, the river, the old Lou- 
vre, and the band of. assassins roaming about, and 
crowding on the bridge, needs no such threepenny ad- 
ditions as a blaze of red-fire in the wings. 

As regards the ballet at the Boston Theatre, the 
performance would gain in interest if it were omitted 
altogether. 

Before I speak of the principal singers I wish to 
call attention to the finale of Act 2d, and to ask any 
person with ears and without prejudice, if I am not 
correct in saying that, beginning with the oath, it was 
one heap of confusion and discord — the design of the 
composer nowhere clearly apparent — a seeming 
struggle between all concerned to scream and roar a 
4pn mieux mieux, neither together in time, nor alike in 
pitch. 



The Huguenots contains three parts of first-rate im- 
portance — Valentine, Raoul, and Marcel; and it 
muHt not 1)0 forgotten that each of tlic representa- 
tives of these parts must be able (o act as well as 
sing. It is a just boast of the French that a vocal 
puppet, even were he so delicious a puppet os Ku- 
bini, stands no chance on their great lyric stage. But 
especially in this ])iece much of the interest does and 
must centre on the acting qualities of the artists. Ko 
finer situation exists in the whole range of the lyric 
drama than the duo between Valentine and Raoul, 
at the end of act 4. On the one hand, a young and 
chaste woman avowing a long-hoarded but now 
guilty love for a man whom, by the sacrifice of her 
own honor, she would fain keep from a struggle 
which she knows must bo fatal eitlier to her father or 
her lover. On the other, the strife of love, raised in 
one moment from despair to ecstacy, with honor, 
duty and religion. This scene alone, so profoundly 
affecting, if adequately placed before us, justifies and 
demands the most passionate intensity in its two 
characters. But I need not dramatically analyze this 
piece. Merely as a play, it is worth bushels' of the 
general run of opera libretti. 

Mile. Poinsot, since her debut in 1851, has held 
and held honorably a certain position at the Grand 
Opera in Paris. Always a useful and pains-taking, 
never a great singer, slie has appeared successfully in 
parts not exacting mudi power or dramatic force. As 
Alice in " Robert le Diable," as Agnes in ** La 
Nonne Sanglante,'' I have seen her frequently with 
pleasure. But any habitn<^ of the opera in Paris 
would laugh at the idea of her attempting Valentine. 
She may have played it there, but I think not ; and, 
if she has, it wasouly one of the numerous make- 
shifts that that theatre has been obliged of late to 
have recourse to, in the dearth of first-class singers. 
Mile. Cruvelli is the only woman of late years whom 
the public of Paris have been content to see in this 
part. Her splendid energy and genius and her fine 
voice made her a not unworthy representative of a 
role created by the matchless I'alcon. Mme. Me- 
dori, a singer of great excellence and reputation, at- 
tempted it in Paris and played it once, 1 never saw 
a more decided expression of condemnation — a fiat- 
ter failure. Her engagement was subsequently can- 
celled. Tet Medori was in all senses a giisater singer 
than Poinsot. Both these ladies, however, had the 
misfortune to create a somewhat ridiculous impres- 
sion in the fourtli act — Mile. Poinsot by a badly 
contrived and very obvious hoop, and by falling ab- 
surdly at the end of the act. Mme. Medori in the 
same thrilling passage displayed a most uncompro- 
mising piur of pantalettes, with two good stout ank- 
les. Tnis was in Paris too much for an audience al- 
ready disap]x>intcd and a little savage, and a burst of 
derisive laughter ended Mme.'s debuts iu that city. I 
ought to add, in justice to Mile. Poinf^ot, that on her 
second appearance she modified matters considerably. 
Poor Medori, if I recollect rightly, never had Hie 
chance. 

Mile. Poinsot has had the advantage of being a pu- 
pil of Duprez, than whom no man more completely 
understood or mastered the exigencies of his art. But 
we have all seen, in the case of Mile. Parodi, thot the 
best of masters and the greatest care will not make a 
singer. This latter lady was the favorite pupil of 
Madame Pasta, who, with Ronconi (the teacher), 
took unwearied pains with her, but surely no more 
thoroughly bad or false singing has ever Seen heard 
here than that which Mile. Parodi infiictcd on us this 
fall. Of Mile. Poinsot it is pleasant to say that she 
was well dressed, acted appropriately, was always in 
earnest, and in fact did her best. But the part is be- 
yond her powers. She was ill at ease in the Italian, 
and her voice does not possess the power and sonori- 
ty necessary to rightly giving the passionate declama- 
tory music of her role. She was best in the duo of 
Act 3d, with Marcel. This piece was the nearest to 
being well done of any in the opera. Formes was 
quite false at the beginning of it, but both the artists, 
on the whole, sang and acted well. The last move- 
ment made apparent Mile. Poinsot's defects, and the 
thinness of her voice in its upper notes ; the high do, 
so long sustained, with the descending scale, was 
beyond her ability. Madame Lagrange was better 
here, and, vocally speaking, better throughout. Poin- 
sot has the ^oo^ drantfttic traditions of the French 
stage. Her singing is in its style characteristic of the 
Grand Opera. Her defects are those of nature, and, 
as far as she goes, she goes rightly ; the only difficul- 
ty is, she cannot go far enougii for the part of Valen- 
tine. If she sings Alice here, we shall see her in a 
part more suited to her capacities, and one in which I 
nope she will not be placed in a false position by 
having to sing and act with such a nullity as Signor 
Tamaro. 

Herr Formes' acting is good, though sometimes ex- 
aggerated, and he is apt to forget that he ia in the 



316 



DWIOHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



drama but a body-servant of a nobleman, and to 
make himself too prominent. I doiil)t, for instance, 
the propriety of his asaistinp the Queen of Navarro 
to mount and dismount from her horse when his nias" 
ter is present. Tliid may be thou<rht a 8mall mntter 
— it is so — but it in by fidelity to detail that propriety 
of ensemble is attained. As rc|;ards Formes' sink- 
ing, his method is a bad one, and his intonation ofVcn 
very faulty. I need not enlar^je upon the latter de- 
fect — it must bo obvious to all who heiu* him, and I 
suppose that most of my iead(.'rs have noticed the vi- 
cious trick of drawlinj;" his voice tlirough intervals, 
especially wide ones, instead of attacking his notes 
with certainty and vigor. This artist is not what he 
was, bat he never was a finished and accomplished 
singer. In his best days his reputation rested on his 
volume of voice and dramatic force — ^as a vocalist he 
cannot be mentioned in the same day with Lablache 
or bis own countryman, Staudigl, the best Marcel 
that any German artist has ever given, Ills costume 
was good, and he looked the character. I cannot 
like or praise his singing, which I think is less artistic 
now than when he first came to this country. Ho is 
an artist not to be mentioned without respect, for with 
all his faults, he is a man of talent and eminently an 
effective actor. 

Of Signor Tamaro, the Raonl of the evening, I 
hardlv know what to say. That any man could vol- 
untanly place himself m so false a position, either 
from excess of vanity or excess of ignorance, I find 
it hard to believe. 1 must in chanty suppose that 
Mr. Ullman has to answer for the pitiable spectacle 
that Signor Tamaro made of himself in the Hugue- 
nots. Of his acting the less said the better. It was 
simply ridiculous. Instead of the young Huguenot 
nobleman, with his high, chivalrous bearing, we be- 
held an amiable-looking little man, who being rather 
short (and his lady-love very tnll) made matters bet- 
ter by a curious trick of crouching nltout the stage, 
and by ap^Msaring in the 4th act for all the world like 
a demented Fuss in Boots. As regards grace and 
propriety of action, it is perhaps an even thing be- 
tween him and Signor Coletti. With respect to sing- 
ing, it is hard to say whether he or Signora Ghioni 
was the worst. Ho has, however, in this opera, one 
advantage over the lady — that ho is a tenor, though 
a very poor one, while she is no contralto at all. He 
sang his first romance too slow, and omitted the last 
half, with its deliciously meandering accompaniment, 
changing also the cadence, which is a beautiful one. 
The nrst movement of his duo with Marguerite was 
too slow and the rest too fast, the mufiic, too, being al- 
tered to fit his small voice. In fact this duo was made 
rather a nolo for soprano with tenor accompaniment. 
In the fifth act, in ttie vision of Marcel, he could not 
take his B flat with Poinsot. The role of Raoul is 
miles beyond his powers, whether as actor or singer. 
Its finest pa<(sages were evaded or omitted altogether. 
The tone of his voice when beyond la flat is intolera- 
ble in forte passages, and such are of constant occur- 
rence in this opera. At the onth in Act 2d, ho did 
his share to spoil the piece by singing entirely out of 
tune. Formes was no better here. The glorious 
septuor of tho duet, " De dritti jmfi\** which should 
be dashed off with so much fire and manliness, was 
feebly acted, still more feebly stmg. This morceau, 
one of the very finest in the opera, missed fire entirely, 
owing to the positively shameful manner in which it 
was sung, or rather not sung. AVhat was done was 
travestied, and much was omitted, owing to the pov- 
erty of means of the executants. 

Let any look at the music of this piece, and see for 
themselves — let them look at the phrase, " Bonne 
ep^c et bon courage " (I quote from tho French par- 
tition,) and see, for with Tamaro they have not heard, 
what music the tenor has to sing — superb in the heroic 
knightly courage every note breathes forth, and then 
let them imagine it sung by a glorious chest tenor, 
such a man as Duprez was, and as Tamberlik is, and 
conceive of the effect it then would have. We may 
not expect Tamberlik, perhaps, but so utter, so irre- 
deemable a piece of incompetency as Signor Tamaro 
is too much of an imposition on a public deluded by 
Mr. Ullman's brilliant proclamations. I might en- 
large on Tamaro's appearance in the duo with Val- 
entine, but of what use. Let any ono take the piano 
partition, look at the music, even if they have never 
neard it, see to what words it is fitted, what an oppor- 
tunity is given to a tenor to carrv his whole audience 
with him, and then remember Tamaro, and I am 
sure they will not tliink anything I have said unde- 
served or harsh. 

Of Signor Florenza (San Bris) I do not care to 
say mucn. His dressing was unexceptionable, but 
he wants dignity and stage presence, and his appear- 
ance and action are g^tesque and exaggeratea. In 
the fourth act his was not the fury of aCatholic no- 
bleman of Franco bent upon a deed of crime to which 
his faith compels him, and which liis religion conse- 



cmtcs in his eyes. He is a singer gifled with a large 
voice, not uui)lcasant in quality, hut very deficient in 
cultivation, lacking stylo, method, and sentiment. 

To express the latter emotion he invariably hawln, wit- 
ness his singing of Di Procenza in " La Praviata "), 
thousfh this may be from his having had no proper 
mu.<icul education, and being unable to modulate his 
voice. It is the vice of modem Italian singing, (by 
modem I mean within the last fifteen years), that niiy 
one with plenty of voice and an car |or music jumps 
at once upon the stage, without a tenth part of tlie 
training which was formerly deemed indispensable. 
That good Italian school of singing, of which Hon- 
cont and Alboni are two such brilliant examples, is 
now almost obsolete. It is, perhaps, too late to mend 
the matter — tho evil seems past cure. And, much 
as I like Verdi's music for its many good qualities, I 
could wish it all unwritten, if, in losing that, wo 
could have again those days, when it was thought 
necessary to Icam how to sing l>eforo appearing on 
the lyric stage. The present style, or no style, is ru- 
inous to the voice, to the pnbfic tasto, and fills the 
opera-houses with a set of wretched bawlers, who give 
us only the poorer Italian operas, from inability to 
sing the best. This article is already much longer 
than I intended, or I should like to endeavor to trace 
the connection which I think exists between Rossi- 
ni's florid operas, those of his second manner, so 
called, and the present decadence of art in Italy. I 
have heard in this city a young girl hardly twenty, 
who, gifted originally with a fine, powerful voice, was 
already unable to sing in tune in mezza voce, was 
obliged to scream, in fact, to force her voice up to 
the pitch, and this from the radically false mouem 
method in which she hud been instmctcd. In the 
Italian theatres — tlie very buildings which have re- 
bounded with the acclamations of listeners to Pasta, 
Malihran, Bubini, Ivanofi*, Tamburini, Lablache, and 
the rest of those great artists now passed away, that 
same Italian people go night after night, and applaud 
singci-8 that would not have been tolerated thirty 
years ago. I except the San Carlos at Naples. 

When I was in Italy that was the last stronghold of 
good singing. Everywhere else mediocrity or positive 
inferiority canied the day. To a lover of music the 
days of true excellence and appreciative criticism 
seem to have gone by in Italy, and thence, by tho 
great influence of the Peninsula in matters of inuHic, 
to be parsing away in Europe generally. The French 
dramatic stage still remains the only stage, but the 
golden age of opera is passed even there. The 
causes of this are numerous. It would bo an interest- 
ing inquiry to investigate them ; but in this connec- 
tion I will only say that this change is perhaps partly 
to bo attributed to just such works as the " Hugue- 
nots," and the rest of Meyerbeer's spectacular operas. 
The increasing hixe of the misc en scene, and the at- 
tractions of a ballet, canse tho most dreary and sterile 
productions to pass of! after a fashion. Every year 
more money is expended and less good music is pro- 
duced. " La Magic!enne " of Halevy, composer of 
" La Jnive," and the cleverest of the imitators of 
Mc'^erbeer, is an instance of this. Nearly 70,000 
francs were expended in the getting-np, in theatrical 
jihrase the " mounting " of this piece ; but it is five 
acts of wearisome artificial music, ambitious in at- 
tempt, and almost entirely barren of melody. I 
judge of it only from a piano arrangement, and know 
not what cftects Halevy may have produced in his 
band, but there appears to be' nothing new, and little 
that is good. Wnen such works as " Le Comte Ory" 
and '* Guillaume Tell " were written for that theatre, 
not a miarter part was expended in their production 
but either one of these operas is worth all that has 
licen done in Paris during tlie last ten yean. These 
five act spectacles, which Meyerbeer introduced, and 
which Rossini, foreseeing their mischief, from tho 
first condemned, have injured art more than can bo 
readily e*Jtimatcd. Tho Huguenots is a work of ge- 
nius, and will live. But the followers of Mcyerljcer 
have not his genius, and, the false form once having 
been adopted, every year less and less good mus^ic is 
written, and ballets, scenery, horses, processions, ma- 
chinery, and all sorts of things, except the one fund- 
amental thing, tho mu.sic, are more and more relied 
upon for the success of a piece. A simple, natural 
story, with graceful, fluent, tuneable music is a by- 
gone afiTair, and to it have succeeded grand spectacles 
in five acts, with new and noisy instruments, superb 
scenic eflTccts, ballet girls, devils, nuns, monks, saints, 
trap-doors, ships, and even in one case. Heaven and 
Hell, with their awful mysteries, the whole forming 
an escort, under cover of which chaotic and tuneless 
music gains with a blas^ public a transient and spuri- 
ous fame. 

I have said much more than I meant to about this 
subject, which has little to do with the matter in 
hand, but the actual condition and prospects of opera 
are things to be considered and deplored bj all who 



care for mnsicand its best intereKta. And let me add 
hero that those who were fortnnate enough to hear 
Ronconi, have heard ono complete and splendid artist, 
a prr/crt singer, as well as an actor of gcnins, in com- 
parison with whom Mr. Ullman's whole troupe are as 
pebbles to a diamond. 

To return to the Huguenots. Mmc. Laborde waa 
certainly one thing which few of tho rest were — cor- 
rect — and this is no small praise. She is a facile, 
brilliant singer of Jioriinre, with a somewhat hard and 
worn voice, and one which was never Mympalhetic. 
Very few French female voices are. Her merits are 
rather negative than po.«<iiivc, but, such as they are, 
are not to l)c overlooked. She almost always singa 
in tunc, and has a good, precise, clean and eminently 
French manner of singing. She was not very regal 
as tho Queen of Valois, but the role is not an impor- 
tant one, and was certainly very well sung. Mme. 
Lal)onlo is an artist who, being entirely mechanical 
and yet quite perfect in her way, provokes the listener, 
who would gladly exchange some of tho dock-like 
accuracy of her singing for a little sentiment. She 
sang the music with strict accuracy, though with 
nothing more ; but, had her corapanioiis done as mucli 
I should have had no fault to find. 

Signora Ghioni, the Page, has a bad mezzo-soprano 
voice, and undertook witli it a contralto part. Ah, 
Mr. Ullman, is that tho way they do in the " first 
opera-houses in Europe." Signora Ghioni is not 
only no contralto, but her voice is unpleasant, she 
does not act at all, and I think I do not exaggerate 
in saying that she never sings six consecutive bare in 
tune. Witli Formes to sing false is the exception, 
with her tho rule. She slurred the aria d'ettfrata of 
tho Page, and omitted the air in the second art, writ- 
ten for Alboni, and which is always given in the Ital- 
ian version of the Huguenots. She marred the effect 
of all tho concerted pieces in which who appeared, 
and notably the finale of Act Ist, in which she has 
the leading phrase. The chorus, too, was not right 
here. In the second act she did her best to destroy 
the effect of the qnatuor of women, between tho two 
movements of the Queen's air ; in tliis qnatuor La- 
horde carried the piece through, the other three all 
singing execrably, while she gave the very diflBcnlt 
music with delightfol facility. 

Coletti, as Nevers, was uncouth, at times almost 
absurd, and his voice was, as usual, quite beyond his 
control. Till? gentleman alwajrs tries to do well, but 
is 80 unfortunate as never to do it. He has been 
about it so many vears now that the case may be 
considered hopeless. Tho other charactcrB call for 
no special comment. The " Rondo Bohemicnne" in 
tho 3d Act, was fortunately omitted. Had it been at- 
tempted, wo should not have been the gainera. 

Mr. Lllman gave this opera much better in New- 
York last spring. He vouchsafed to the metropoli- 
tans ono harp. He had a better chorus, and D'Angri 
as the page, Lagrange as Valentine, Tiberini as Ra- 
oul, Gassier as St. Bris, and Taffanelli as Neven, 
were all better than the representatives of these char- 
acters here. 

I have intentionally avoided technicalities as far as 
possible in this article. Musicians know that Mr. 
Ullman's perfomiance of the Huguenots is a poor 
one, but I have written these remarks for those whe 
love mnsic, but who don't know much about it, a 
large class, and that M'hich pays most for the opera 
when it comes here. I do not wish those people to 
think that they have seen the Ilugnenots. They have 
not. The op'era was much abridged, mutilated, and 
transposed, and all the strictures I have made as to 
tho execution of what was done, I make in good 
faith, from personal knowledge, and with no motive, 
save to protest against injustice done to a great com- 
poser, and deception practised on an indulgent public. 
It is* much easier to praise than to blame, as Messieurs 
les Critiques seem to havo found out. I hope the 
public will not judge Meyerbeer by this performance 
of one of his works. 

I am afraid, Mr. Editor, that all of this sounds 
very ill-natnred, and more severe than anything the 
occasion called for. I assure ron I have said nothing 
but what I honestly think, nothing that will be denied 
by any competent judge. I have been moved to 
write thus, not from any love of harsh criticism, 
even when it seems to me to be fully deserved. Per. 
formances vastly superior to this are given In Enropo 
with merely the announcement of the name of the 
opera and tlho performers. Had Mr. Ullman conten- 
ted himself with this, I should not have thought it 
worth while to enlarge on the deficiencies of eveiy sort 
which marked the performance. ,. . , 

The Huguenots cannot, with our present limited 
means, be really given at the Boston Theatre ; but 
those who are not lucky enough to hear it in Paris 
might derive at once great pleasure and a fair idea of 
the work from such a performance as we might have 
hero. When Mr. Ullman pours out colnmns of puffs 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1859. 



317 



nnd tnlkji of frivinsj this opcrft as it is fjivcn in tho 
lint opcni-hoiisci<i in Kiiropc, he knows tlint he is 
promisinij wlmt lie has no power to perform, and 
what ho hna no honest intention of perfonninjr ; and 
when tho newspai)ers echo liis ahsnrd iionsts, it is a 
proof tliat their nuisieal criiios are either unfit for 
their duties hy reason of their ij^norance, or are want- 
inp: in the honesty which is the first essential of a 
writer for the press. Civis. 

An Opera Singer in a bad Scrape. 

Fmm the Cincinnati Commercinl, 21st. 

Notwithstanding the success, pecuniarily speakinp;, 
of tho Cooper Knplish Opera Troupe in this city, there 
was more than one contre temps to mar tho harmony of 
their on;;a<;ement. In particular Mr. Miranda, the 
tenor, appears to have heen selected hy fate as a butt, 
for fortune to kick at during; his temporary sojourn in 
this vicinity. In the first place, during the travel from 
St. Louis 'he canpfht cold, and was afflicted with a 
hoarseness, tho most serious mishap that could befall 
a first tenor. Then he met with so many friends that 
he became "overcome," and on Friday nip:htwa8 un- 
able to finish the last act of the Trovatoro ; in fact, 
he died before his time. But the most direful mis- 
fortune occurred on Saturday, when having occasion 
to purchase something; in a certain dry floods store, 
he tendered a twenty dollar bill in puymcnt for tlie 
article, and was immediately pounced upon by a pre- 
lyinff officer, who pronounced the bill a counterfeit. 
\VTio will say after this tliat our policemen sleep upon 
their posts ? 

It was in vain that Miranda declared he had come 
honestly by the note ; the officer was an old bird, and 
swore that he fwasn't to be caught by chaff, and the 
consequence was that the firnt tenor of the first En":- 
lish opera troupe in this conntry, was compelled to 
under^ a searchiny^ investigation, when there was 
discovered around hi*? body a belt, from the recess of 
which were rolled forth upwards of three hundred five- 
dollar gold pieces. This difiplay of wealth, so far from 
endorsinrr the reHpectabilily of the unhnppy tenor, was, 
in the eye of the officer, "confirmation Ftronp" and 
nothing would have saved him the ignominy of a so- 
journ in the watch house, but the guarantee of sever- 
al respectable citizens with whom ho had the honor 
of an acquaintance. 

He had received the bill from the manager, between 
whom and himself a feud, unhappily for the harmony 
of the troupe, existed ; and thus, swelling with indig- 
nation, he forthwith swore out a warrant, which was 
placed in the hand of an officer, who in the evening 
proceeded to the theatre to serve and capture the un- 
conscious director, who, with bow in hand, wns direct- 
ing the movements of the gentlemanly musicians. It 
seems that the functionary to whom the warrant was 
entrusted, had mnslc in his soul, and aahe entered the 
theatre, the notes — 

^'Still BO gently o^er m* utMllnir— " 

floated 80 deliciously above, around, and about him, 
that he became unconscious of his errand, as was the 
somnambniist when she made her clandestine enfr^e 
into tlie chamber of the Count. Towards the close 
of the act he rallied, when again the delicious ^n^f/e 
of "Ah, don't mingle," held him back, and before he 
recovered from his musical trance, Mr. Cooper had 
vacated the spot where throughout the evening he had 
wielded his enchanting bow. Happily, however, the 
disagreeable aflfair went no further ; Mr. Cooper sat- 
isfactorily proved that the f.ilse note in question had 
been issued by him without any knowledge as to its 
diaracter, as in fact every note drawn by him is of the 
purest quality, while those of Miranda are invariably 
genuine, except, as in the case of the Trovutore, he 
may chance to be a little "overcome." 



Ajr Opera Coupawt on it8 Travels. — A friend, 
who was a fellow traveller with UU man's company, 
in the steamer Connecticut, a few nights ago, give's, 
in a private letter, the following amusing intelligence : 
" The opera company, numbering something over a 
hundred, kept up a prodigious jabbering on the lioat 
— French, English, (or Imjieesh, rather,) Italian, Ger- 
man, and what not. Formes took two of the ballet 
or chorus women under his special charge, and amus- 
ed them and others all night with stories and imita- 
tions of cats and dogs, and a kind of trumpet solo up- 
on his nose. Others sang — and very finely, too — in 
the hold, having first obtained inspiration from various 
bottles of wine, brandy, &c. Tamaro's state-room 
seemed to be the head quarters for liquor, but although 
many of the Italians and Germans were exhilarated, 
none were disorderly. The prime donne kept apart 
mostly, and Ghioni derived comfort from a lap-dog. 
On the land joamey from Stonington to Boston, the 
chorus people took possession of the best car, and filled 
it with tobacco smoke. It was altogether a funny 
company." — N, Y. Evening Pott. 



5toig|fij lonrnal of gliisit 



BOSTON, JAN. 1, 1869. 



Huaio vs ran NnvBia. -> Conttnnatloa of th« Cantata: 
*' Miriam*! Song of Triumph," for Soprano Solo and Chonu, 
by Frakz Scbobert. 



Eanders " Messiah " — Christmas Perform- 
ance. 

Great was the crowd in the Boston Theatre, 
last Sunday evening, to witness the annual per- 
formance of this great oratorio by the Handel 
AND Haydn Society. Great was the crowd, 
and great — we almost fear too great — the joy 
of the Society at putting money in its treasury, 
instead of losing some, as it has too often done by 
giving concerts. The motive for going to the 
Theatre this time, instead of giving us the Orato- 
rio with the nobler surroundinjn and associations 
of the Music Hall, was the accommodation of the 
Fair held in that hall for the benefit of the Youns: 
Men's Christian Association. This act of accom- 
odation was perhaps well enough for once. And 
we could also sympathize with the satisfaction felt 
by many in this removal of the ban of prejudice 
which shuts up theatres, as if they were unholy 
places, against performances of sacred music; 
while at the same time we would respect, and 
think that the Society ought to respect, the feel- 
ings of those who entertain what may appear to 
us a prejudice in this matter. Beyond this we 
can conceive of no advantages whatever to be 
gained by the removal of our Oratorios, or other 
Concerts of the higher order, from the Music 
Hall to the Theatre ; and we earnestly hope that 
the mere pecuniary success of the experiment in 
this one instance will not tempt the Handel and 
Haydn Society into the "new notion" of getting 
already tired of their admirable Hall, and wishing 
to abandon it for the chance popularity of a thea- 
tre, with all the exciting, feverish, unquiet, and 
on the whole unmusical influences of such a place. 
Should they yield to this temptation, we should 
certainly regard the success of Sunday evening 
as a groat misfortune. 

But was it a success ? Pecuniarily, granted. 
The patronage was great; there was " much pub- 
lic." But was it such a public as this noble kind 
of music can henceforth rely on ? Many went, 
no doubt, who are not theatre-goers, to gratify a 
curiosity to see the theatre under cover of a 
somewhat unworldly occasion. Many more went 
as it were to enjoy an anti-puritanical triumph in 
this new recognition of a place which they think 
has been too long absurdly looked upon as secular 
and unclean. Deduct from that audience these 
two cla.<(scs, and we doubt if we should find even 
the usual number lefl of those who go to hear the 
music for its own sake and be edified by it. 

Then as to the effect of the music : we must 
freely say that we do not remember a perform- 
ance of the " Messiah " for many years, which as 
a whole sounded so dead and dull. The grand 
choral masses of sound lacked vitality. The so- 
prani, on tlie front of the stage, were sharply 
heard, but the tenors and the basses in the rear 
of them seemed to be smothered as if a blanket 
were thrown over them — their sound was swal- 
lowed up by the side spaces and the hanging 
drapery above. This was certainly our own ex- 
perience, and that of others who sat near us, in 



what we should natiurally suppose one of the best 
parts of the house. We are told by some that the 
weight and resonance of sound were much great- 
er to those who had seats above ; and yet as to 
that, impressions, wo find, differed. Nor can we 
make an exception in favor of the effect of the 
solo singers. Their tones, some paper states, 
seemed rounder and fuller than usual, and they 
" seemed to be among us, with us, of us." We 
can only say that it was not so to our ear. We 
have been wont to listen to the same voices with 
more satisfaction ringing through what some are 
pleased to call the " barren spaces " of the Music 
Hall. 

We should not have thought this matter worth 
so many words, had wo not noticed a certain 
chime of jubilation over this Theatre notion in 
the newspapers, which seems to foreshadow, as if 
the writers were all privy to a purpose, the con- 
summation which we dread as fraught with mis- 
chief and nothing but mischief to the cause of 
public music here in Boston. These writers tell 
us that a little carpentering will obviate all the 
disadvantages of the present theatre stage, and 
make it the very perfection of a resounding shell 
for these great harmonies to roll forth from. Ob- 
serve, in nearly all of these newspaper para- 
graphs it is distinctly admitted that the effect of 
the music was bad, that the choruses seemed 
deadened by the side spaces, &c. ; but then all 
this will be perfectly obviated, when the mdes are 
willed in, " as they wiU be." A foregone con- 
clusion, without the least foregoing testimony of 
the senses (so essential in this case), to say the 
least. But even if this could be done, is this suf- 
ficient reason why music should desert the Music 
liall ? Here is a Hall, built at a great expense, 
nobly planned, one of the largest and best halls 
for music in the world, the pride of our city, asso- 
ciated with all the roost inspiring musical memo- 
ries of these last years ; a place eminently fit to 
be the scene and centre of our great musical en- 
joyments, whore Symphonies and Oratorios may 
be listened to amid fit surroundings, in comforta- 
ble seats and good air, with architectural sugges- 
tions chaste and noble and inspiring, with the 
statue of the great master rising above the or^ 
chestra, and the whole soon to be completed by 
the addition of the largest and most perfect Or^ 
gan that modern art, backed by most liberal 
means, can furnish : — and now that we have got it, 
shall it be capriciously set aside ; robbed of the 
support of music, for which chiefly it was built ; 
abandoned to other, mostly alien uses, while Mu- 
sic, which in all forms but the operatic demands 
to be heard in a place of quiet, clean suggestions, 
betakes itself to the more showy, feverish, dis- 
tracting element of theatrical excitements. The 
Tlieatre is good for the drama, with or without 
music ; but for music simply, for music listened to 
and loved for its own sake, every true music- 
lover feels that we need a distinct Hall, a place of 
quieter and calmer influences. We trust the So- 
ciety will think twice about the matter, before 
committing themselves to this foregone conclu- 
sion of the newspapers. 

But to the performance of Sunday evening. 
The chorus force was large, and good justice was 
generally done to the grand choruses. A special 
merit of the performance was the restoring of the 
too often omitted choruses : " And with his 
stripes," and that series of short contrasted 
pieces : " For as by man come death," &c., which 



318 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



are among the finest in the work. Bating some 
blurs, and at times a little confusion in the orches- 
tra, it was a good average performance. Mr. 
Zerrahn's conducting showed renewed and care- 
ful study ; the tempi were more uniformly satis- 
factor3r than usual. Mr. Perring is almost the 
first person for many years who has sung " Com- 
fort ye, my people," to us simplify and without 
ornament His voice was sweet and true, though 
not powerful, and his style chaste and expressive. 
We would we could say as much of the bass solos 
of Mr. GuiLMETTE ; they were marred by cer- 
tain affectations, — unnecessary soundings of very 
low notes, feebly a la Formes. There was little 
to admire either in the voice, style or expression 
of the contralto, from the Opera troupe. Miss 
Hetwood. Mrs. Harwood won the heartiest 
responses of the evening. Her clear, liquid, 
penetrating soprano is always pleasant and ef- 
fective, and her rendering of " There were Shep- 
herds," and ** Come unto him," was very beauti- 
ful. In ** Rejoice greatly " see showed a gain in 
execution, but hardly yet enough for such a song. 
There is still a little of the rough edge to be pol- 
ished off in the upper part of her voice, occasion- 
1}*. Madame Biscaccianti, the special attrac- 
tion of the evening, was really too ill to sing as 
her kind heart prompted her, and as her highly 
cultivated powers would have enabled her had 
she been well. The risk she ran in her anxiety 
not to disappoint her native Boston audience, 
after seven years absence, deserves grateful recog- 
nition. The air "With verdure clad," which 
she sang between the parts of the " Messiah," was 
given with exceeding delicacy and finish, in a 
pare Italian style. " I know that my Redeemer 
liveth " is an air demanding such sustained inspi- 
ration, with such large voice and style, as only the 
very few among great singers have. Not only 
did it lie out of the peculiar province of this art- 
ist, but she by this time suffered from such evi- 
dent physical exhaustion that sympathy forbade 
all criticism. Yet passages were marked by gen- 
uine fervor and much beauty. We trust she will 
yet give us a better opportunity of hearing her. 



The Opera. 

Mr. Ullmax, with his multifarious resources, 
gives us so much in a brief time, so much more 
than any wholesome, hearty, not to say critical, ap- 
petite can digest at once, that we recall these last 
weeks in a perfect bewilderment of lyrical and 
scenical impressions. We hardly know where to 
begin, or on what tempting and suggestive theme 

or point to dare to rest, after we have begun ; 
each when we look at it is crowded out by a hun- 
dred equal claimants for a passing notice. Leav- 
ing the second week, then, as we were obliged to 
leave it in our last, chronicled with a mere men- 
tion, for the present, of the operas it gave us, we 
will try briefly to sum up the week just past. 

" Thursday evening, Dec. 23. After the 
repetition of the " Marriage of Figaro," which 
drew not so large an audience as the first time, 

but still the most delighted audience of any eve- 
ning, the opposite and most modern taste was 
catered for, of course not without large response, 
by Verdi's Trovatore, with little Piccolomini as 
Leonora. AVe were not present. But all agree 
that her fresh, childlike imitative talent, with her 
musical voice, and always tasteful, if not great 
singing, proved themselves equal to such a repre- 
sentation as one would not expect from suc'h a 
playful Child of the Regiment little creature as 
she is, unless he had seen her in Lucrezia and 
Lucia. 



Friday. Robert le DiabUy in Italian, for the 
first time with any approach to lyrical complete- 
ness here in Boston, and falling considerably 
short of such completeness even this time. It had 
only been given here, many years ago, or an apolo- 
gy for it, by an English troupe. There was a larcre 
and at first eager audience, who received it cold- 
ly. The beauty and wildness of the music' of this 
earliest of Meyerbeer's Grand Opera works, its 
greater number of fresh and unique melodies, 
quaint and strange as thoy are, incline us to re- 
gard it as somewhat nearer to a work of genius, 
then his still more elaborate " Huguenots," and 
" Prophet " ; while it is quite as essentially dra- 
matic as either of these works, only with a less 
human and really interesting subject than the 
** Huguenots." It was perhaps unfortunate for 
its impression that so many of its best pieces had 
become hacknied under various forms, in concert 
singing, arrangements, &c., so that their worth 
was scarcely recognized. Moreover the music 
was exceedingly abridged, besides the omission of 
whole scenes essential to clear dramatic under- 
standing. The scenic effects, with the exception 
of the opening scene of knights gathered for the 
tournament, were meagre ; especially the dancing 
of the resurrected nuns in the old abbey, intended 
to fascinate Robert ; even Soto lacked the fasci- 
nating grace; the rest was wholly without 
charm. The part of Robert was sustained by 
Sig. LoRiNi, whese tenor voice antl singing have 
improved nnce he was here. He is at least a 
better tenor than Tamaro, and looked the part 
with some degree of dignity. The great feature 
of the performance was the Bertram of Ilerr 
Formes, who in his whole look and action was 
a fearfully real impersonation of the fiend father. 
Bating his well-known faults of intonation and 
method, he delivered his music grandly, rising to 
a terrible earnestness, as of a being superhuman, 
in the scene where he taxes Alice with having 
overheanl his secret. 

Mile. Poinsot's truly lyrical and sympathetic 
voice still grows upon us. It is such a voice as 
we have scarcely before met in a French woman ; 
beautiful and searching in its high tones, and 
startlingly dramatic in its low ones. She sings 
with taste and feeling, conscientiously in earnest, 
simple, direct, and not overdoing. The pure and 
touching part of Alice did not suffer in her hands. 
The extremely difficult unaccompanied Trio in 
the second act, between Alice, Robert and Ber- 
tran, was remarkably well sung, and lor the most 
part in good tune, in spite of its strange modula- 
tions. Mme. Laborde's part, as the Princess 
Isabella, was reduced to the last act. In spite of 
some hoarseness she sang the florid music with 
her usual exquisite perfection, and sang Robert^ 
tot que faime most admirably, although it properly 
demands a larger and more sympathetic voice, 
like Poiusot's. 

The part of the minstrel is an important tenor 
part, to which Herr Pikaneser was quite inade- 
quate for want of voice. The choruses Avcre 
mostly sung effectively, but the religious music 
from within in the last scene, was sadly out of tune. 
Robert was repeated on Monday evening to a 
much diminished house. Accepting all the other 
defects as necessar)*, we found great interest in 
the music by listening chiefly to th«^ orchestra, in 
which the art of Meyerbeer Is constantly seduc- 
tive or imposing. 

Saturday, — Christmas. An afternoon 
performance of // TrovatorCy as before ; and Nor- 
ma in the evening, with Mme. Laborde as 
Norma, and Mme. Ghioni as Adalgisa. 



Tuesday Eve. Piccolomixi exerted her 
most peculiar charm again in the most captivating 
of her parts, Jm, Serva Padrona. Laborde had 
full opportunity to revel in her sweetest binllike 
mazes .of melofly in La Sonnambuhy with Bric;- 
NOLi singing also sweetly, and acting only when 
it pleased his sovereign laziness. The entertain- 
ment closed with a scene from Donizetti's / Mar- 
tiriy between Piccolomini and Lorini, which we 
were not able to hear. 



Wednesday Eve. The house was crowded 
from parquet to amphitheatre to witness that fa- 
vorite opera of operas Mozart's Don Giocanni! 

It had been announced as to be given on a 
here unprecedented scale of splendor and com- 
pleteness ; and in some particulars it was ; but on 
the whole we have, at least once or twice before, 
had the work performed more satisfactorily. It 
lay not within the powers of this company to do 
such justice to Don Giovanni as they did to Le 
Nozze di Figaro. Before now we have heard a 
better Don, a better Ottavio, a better Donna 
Anna, a better Zerlina, a better Elvira, — ^all the 
parts better in fact, with the exception of the La- 
porello of Herr Formes, which was the most ar- 
tistically complete and droll conception and rend- 
ering of the half insolenf, half cringing, ever ser- 
vicable Spanish valet, by far, that we were ever 
treated to. Musically, too, tliroughout, his was 
the best of all our Leporellos. 

The better Zerlina. we have had, was Bosio. 
In her impersonation the little rustic co(]aette 
showed also a refined, superior nature. Piccolo- 
mini was bewitchingly pretty and funny in her 
way ; but it was too much fun, and her way is 
not the best. Taking her conception of the part, 
she did it to a charm, with a wonderful decree of 
vivacity, as full of life and spring as an Indian 
rubber ball, irresistibly mirth-provoking by her 
coquetries. But she was too mnch the mere 
rustic, merry, commonplace coquette; too con- 
senting, with whatsoever pretty archness of appa- 
rent denial, to the Don's approaches; and as Don 
Juan, too, (Florenza) wooed her in a coarse 
and common stylo, it gave the wrong impression 
to the beautiful duet. La ci darem. It was well 
sung by both ; and the little lady, child of the 
regiment still in a new form, continually overact- 
ing on the funny side, although most charmingly, 
sang Baltiy battiy and Vedrai carina with an ex- 
quisite fineness. Her conception of Zerlina, 
however, lacked the depth and tender sincerity 
of nature so plainly indicated by Mozart's music. 

Mile. Poinsot has the right voice for Donna 
Anna and showed a feelinflf of the nart.^ She 
was not so effective as she might have Deen in the 
wonderful recitative of the first scene, Padre mioy 
iiC. ; but she delivered the great aria: Ortu saiy 
in which she relates the outrage to her lover, — 
omitting, however, some of the fine recitative, 
with much intensity and fire. Of course she 
was not such an Anna as Lagrange, as Gria, or, 
even, in some respects, as Trufn, who gave us 
our first impressions of it on the stage. 

Mme. GniONi looked Elvira better than she 
does most parts, and sang much of her music 
forciblv and well, except when, as was sometimes 
painfully the case, her tone was sharp. She ren- 
dered an important service to the dramatic inte!- 
ligibleness of her part, as well as to the musical 
interest of the work, by restoring, for the fii-st j 
time here, the admirable air at the end of her 
first scene : *• Mi tradi quel fl/f/in, Src.y with its su- 
perb recitative — one of the finest numbers of 
the score. 

Sig. Florenza, as we have hinted, fell into the 
common error of too coarse a conception of Doii 
Juan. Most of his music was sung well, though it 
was absurd to address his guitar serenade to the 
audience from the foot-lights. In the last tremen- 
dous scene, where he defies the supernatural visi- 
tor, his voice rang out proudly, gloriously, and his 
entire acting in that scene was really fine. Herr 
Weinlicii, though a small man, had a telling pon- 
derous bass voice for the statue ; and these two, 
with Formes, in this last scene, as in the first, where 
the Commendatore falls, made an uncommonly | 
distinct, effective trio of basses. Hitherto it has i 
been always hard to make out the figures well in 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1," 1859. 



319 



this doeply shaded tono-picturo. Sip. Lorini 
made a respectable OttAvio, and really sang Jlmio 
steoro in a way that did him great credit. 

The concerted pieces went well on the whole, 
especially the Quartet and that wonderful Sextet. 
But the Trio of mnskei's was much out of tune, 
though somewhat less so in the repetition. The 
orchestra of course was delicious. Kxtra pains 
had been taken to equip the ball scene as it should 
be, and as we never yet have had it, by introdu- 
cing two additional small orchestras in galleries 
on each side of the stage, one to play the rustic 
gnvotte^ and the other the quick landler waltz, 
while the main orchestra keeps up the stately 
^linuet. The stage was flooded, too, with extra 
choristers to shout Viva la liberth ! But for all 
that our ears could perceive, much of this was 
dumb show ; the tliree dance tempi were indicated, 
but scarcely executed to the sense of hearing, so 
that the arrangement really seemed not worth the 
great ado made in the announcement of it in the 
newspapers. The scenic conclusion of the opera 
was simply the usual cheap and childish piece of 
diaUerie. Certainly a less impotent conclusion 
might be contrived. Were the Don simply to go 
down with the statue, it were better. 

With all the imperfections, almost inevitable to 
the performance of so difficult a work, and in spite 
of all comparisons with better artists whom we have 
had before in certain parts, Don Giovanni gaye. in- 
tense delight on Wednesday evening. There was 
plenty of life and interest in it Formes was a 
nost ; and so was little Pic, too, in her own way. 
And the music in itself, the orchestration, was of 
course delicious. Every one grows to be a listener 
more and more to that, till he is filled with it. Our 
only complaint with Formes's Leporello is that he 
made the drollery so broad sometimes, and so pro- 
voked to laughter, that most exquisite traits of in- 
strumentation, as in the HatxtagentHLissima scene, 
were in danger of half escaping observation. 

tlie final annoaneements of the Opera maMii are : Fridaj, 
(laat) erenlDg Flotow*« "Martha," ftnr Labords'i benefit; this 
APnEvooK , Ikm Giovanni, ^IP^Ini which we hope every one will 
hear ; Mondaj erening, the Italian Terrion of the ** Bohonlan 
Olrl" ; and Tueedaj afternoon a third perfbrmaneeof the "Hn- 
gnenota," which will derlre new Interest from the dlecutalon 
that has arisen out of It, and that will end the rich and most 
sqeeessfal season. 



Books for New Year. 

The most splendid gift book of the season, that has Ikllen 
under our eyes, Is the '' Strat/ord GalUry^ or Shakegpetare 8i*- 
terhood^''^ a series of forty-five Ideal portraits of Shakspeare's 
Ftomale Characters, described by Mrs. HKHanoTA Ln PAum, 
and published by Messrs. Appleton fc Co., New York. Exter- 
nally It Is a most elegant royal ootate Tolame. as perlbct In pa- 
per, style and binding as anything that we have seen. The en- 
graTlngs are finely executed fW>m designs, (not new) by some of 
the best English artists. Every one of course has his own ideal 
of how Shakspeare's heroines ought to look, and it Is hardly 
possible that one in twenty of these portraits siiould at all cor- 
respond with such Ideals In the mind. Yet they all have merit, 
and soma of them are quite felicitous. The real value of the 
book lies In the literary part, the thoughts which it contains. 
Mis. Palmer, (who is the wife of the author of the suooessftal 
comedy, " The Queen*s Heart '*) has perfhrmed her task with 
a true woman^s modesty, as well as tact and delicacy ; and has 
shown fine inright and dlserlmination in her description of 
the "sbterhood." She writes with vigor, in a clear, rich style ; 
and occasionally she has evinced a happy talent for the solu- 
tion of diflloulties in the Shaksperlan text, as in her very in- 
genious and natural Interpretation of that old puisle, the phrase 
"runaway's eyes" in Romeo and Juliet. Altogether it is a val- 
uable book Ibr any lover of Shakspeare 

Tloknor fc Fields send us : <* 37k« ZJ/e of Sir Thittip Sidney, 
anonymous, evidently by a lady ; a beautiftil book in eveiy 
sense ; Inspired by a true admiration of so high and beautiful 
a subject ; a Just, instructive, glowing tribute to one of the 
manliest, sweetest noblest characters In history ; a portrait 
of a true Christian genUeman. and a model and encouragement 
to youth's aspirations Ibrages yet to come. 2. "S» Walter 
Raleigh and his times, with other essays," an exceedingly rich 
collection of KmcsuT-s miscellaneous contributions to English 
periodical literature. 8 A new volume of Poems, by Mrs. 
Pakiit Kimblb, which will be welcomed by her hosts of friends 
and admirers. 4. ^^MiUs Standish," with smaller poems, by 
LoMOFXUiOir. It is never too late to say what we think of such 
a poem as <' Miles SUndish." In spite of all the critical dis- 
sections, we are bound to say we like It, and even better than 
"Evangeline ;" we Uke the spirit in which it is conceived, so 



true to the human and poetio side of the old Puritan life, and 
to New England scenery and climate— when was our '' East 
wind " ever so perfectly rendered into poetry ? We like the 
tone of the book, so sweet and deep and genuine. We like its 
style and execution, the perfection of simplicity; a few words 
tell so much, and all that Is told blends into such poetic and 
harmonious completeness. We like its local coloring, fragrance 
as of pines and "Mayflowers," and all the hoppy little emblem- 
atic hints and correspondences. And we like its musical Hex- 
ameter, a rhythm as of full broad ocean waves rolling with 
majestic quiet up the beach— the very rhythm fbr the sulyect. 
It is in truth a poem, and will outlast Plymouth Kock. It is 
easy to take out single sentences and find them simple prose. 
Real poetry can afford to be, loves to be, and real Art learns the 
last thing of all to be, pliUn and rimple. Longfellow Is not a 
great poet ; but he Is a genuine one and does a poet's service to 
his time; fault-finding criticism, we observe, wastes Itself for 
the mo'>t part against Just those qualities which constitute his 
real excellence. 

Phillips, Sampson fc Co. furnish sweet and wholesome nutri- 
ment to the young Imaginative appetite In ** Arabian Day^s En- 
tertainment." being three connected series of some fifteen sto- 
ries, translated from the German, by HxBBniT Puham Cuktis. 
Capital stories, charmingly told. The translation Is spirited, 
felicitous, and Judging flrom internal eridence, it reads as if it 
were faiUiftil. 

But the book, which we can most safely recommend because 
it needs no recommendation. Is the genial " Autoerat of the 
Breakfast TUble." Besides the cheaper edition, with Hoppin's 
clever Illustrations, the publishers have issued one most ele- 
gant and tasteful, upon tinted paper, and without the pic- 
tures, to suit the taste of those who love the wit and wisdom of 
our " Autocrat " enough to prefer, as we do, to have it only 
with his own illustrations in his own vernacular. 



Hiuical Chit-Gliat. 

la spite of its great length, we copy to-day from 
the Courier, a remarkably well thought and well writ- 
ten article, signed " Civis," on the late performance 
of " The Huguenots." We have no knowledge or 
iuspicion of the authorship ; but whoever "Civis" is, 

he writes from knowledge, with good judgment and 
good temper. Such criticism cannot fail to do much 
good among as. Trath, even the severest, ought at 
least iometimet to be told, and this writer tells us not a 
little, mingled to be sure with statements from which 
we might be inclined to differ, had we time. But the 
main point and doctrine of his article is right. He 
examines the performance of lost week from the point 
of view of Meyerbeer, and ofthc Grand Operaof Paris, 
with which he is evidently well acquainted. Perhaps 
he does not make enough allowance in so doing for 
the peculiarity of our position, having to take our 
opera in flying visits, dependent on the unhealthy ex- 
citement of a few weeks for its only chance ot any 
adequate support, whereas in Paris it is a strong es- 
tablished institution. But then we all wish to know 
the truth concerning Meyerbeer and his music, and it 
is well that some one well informed should tell us 
how nearly what we witness here approaches Meyer- 
beer's intentions. Again he does perfectly right to 
compare the promises and manifestos of the man- 
ager with the performance. But while we inwardly 
rejoice at every exposure of mere puffery and hum- 
bug, we can hardly see that it is so peculiarly the 
vice of UUman as it is generally of our whole adver- 
tising system ; and perhaps it is too true that he could 
not give us operas at all, certainly not such operas as 
we have been enjoying, without the aid of all these 
trumpets without which the worthy public seems so 
slow to heed or to believe in anything. Of course 
Mr. Ullman, in employing these means, knows he 
must expect to hear them questioned, and that sober, 
truth-loving persons must and will say what they 
think. In spite of the poor advertising trickery, we 
really are indebted to Ullman forgiving us iuch operas 
as we are having, including #ven the *' Huguenots " 
in such style as we heard and saw it, and for bring- 
ing to us what wo must (with all respect for the con- 
trary opinion of "Civis") regai-d as on the whole the 
strongest opera troupe we ever had. But we have no^ 
room now for several comments which we meant to 
make upon this in the main just and admirable ar- 
ticle. 

Otto Drfsel has got home, safe and much im- 
proved in health, after a rough passage in the Asia. 
He will be ready in a day or two to meet his pupils. 

The " Chelsea Continental Musical Association " 
sing a selection of favorite melodies at the Tremont 
Temple, next Thursday evening, in aid of " The 
Temporary Home for Destitute Children." We 
know but little of their music save that it is famous ; 
but we do know that the cause for which they sing is 
good, and we are told that the Continentals are ever 
reedy at the call of charity and never sing for money. 



Mr. HoBEST St<epel, the composer, of New 
York, is in town, preparing for the production of bis 
muiiic to Longfellow s " Hiawatha, of which men- 
tion has been already made. The critic of the Cou- 
rier, who has exaramed the music, speaks of it in 
high terms, and calls it a most agreeable illustration 
of the poem. " Mr. StoEpel's * Hiawatha ' is a canta- 
ta, divided into fourteen parts, which are to be con- 
nected in the performance by recitations from the 
poem itself. They include airs for mez7X)-6oprano, 
tenor, and bajss voices, choruses, and descriptive or- 
chestral interlndei. The opening piece is the song 
of the Great Spirit, * O my children, my poor child- 
ren,* from the first part of Hiawatha.^ After the 
connecting recitation, a chorus follows, in which the 
birth of Hiawatha is related. From this point, the 
principal events in his life are illustrated — we have 
the cradle song, telling of his infancy ; the building 
of the canoe ; the battles with Mudjekeewis and the 
Pearl-Feather ; the wooing ; the wedding-feast ; the 
blessing of the corn-fields ; Hiawatha's lamentation ; 
the death of Minnehaha. The final chorus describes 
the return of Spring, after * the cold and cruel Win- 
ter.' 

" Mr. Stoepel's work will he performed at the Music 
Hall as soon as the necessary preparations can be 
completed — probably early in January. Tha recita- 
tions will be given by Mrs. Stoepel (Matilda Heron) ; 
the choruses will be sung by the Handel and Haydn 
Society, and the solos hy the best of our vocalists. 
All the orchestral resources of this city, and more, if 
necessary, will be employed." 

The mania for rushing into ])rint with efforts, large 
and small, at musical composition, has become so rife 
among us, that the extensive publishers, to whom, of 
coarse, the greatest number of them are offered, have 
been obliged to issue the following circular in self- 
defense. The information will be valnable to com- 
posers, while it is a curiosity in our musical history. 

RbPLT to iRQOmXS RKLATIVS TO PVUICATIOM OP MUSIO. 

We are in daily receipt of manuscripts which are offered fbr 
our acceptance. But so much new music is now Issued, that 
the Sale of each piece is exceedingly limited, unless it is par- 
ticularly striking or original In its ehsracter. The probability, 
therefbre, of reailsing any proflt flrom the great msjority of 
pieces is out of the question. Not one piece in ten pays the 
cost of getting up ; only one in fifty proves a success. iTnder 
these circumstances, authors must not consider us Illiberal or 
unjust either In declining to publish their works or requiring 
them to purchase a certain number of eopies, to help defray 
the first expense and introduce them to the public. 

To those composers who have pupils, this requlrerileut to 
purchsse copies will not be burdensome, as they can readily 
dispose of them. Others who write for Ikme, will not object to 
tbts, because they have friends to whom their compositlona 
will be a welcome right. 

Our charges for publishing music on private account are : 
$2.00 per page for engraving; $1.60 per lOO sheets for paper; 
and 75 cents per 100 pages for printing. If a full title Is re- 
quired, the expense will vary from $5.00 to $10^, according 
to style and ftnoy . For a half-title, from $2.00 to $8.00. The 
expense of revising the manuscripts, when necessary, and of 
reading and correcting proofs, is included in these charges. 

Authors are advised to retain copies, as In ease of the non- 
acceptance of Manuscripts, we cannot insure their return — the 
number received and the expense of poetsge precluding the 
possibility of doing so. OuvsR Ditsom & Co. 

usual Correspnhnrt. 

New York, Dec. 25. — In some of my previous 
letters I have casually referred to the young pianist, 
Arthur Napoleon. Kecently I have enjoyed man^ 
opportunities of hearing him both in public and pn- 
vate, and have been greatly delightea with his won- 
derful talent. The press here have generally treated 
him rather coolly : though they could not deny his 
remarkable genius, they have not given his efforts the 
notice they deserve. It is rumored that there is a 
clique against him, and that certain newspapers, 
greedy for opera-tickets, are not very exuberant in 
their praise, their lukewarmness being more agreea- 
ble to a certain operatic autocrat. For my part, I 
don't believe there is any truth in this rumor, ror the 
musical critics of the respectable New York journals 
would not allow the protessional jealousies of artists 
to influence their critical opinions. It has been only 
owing to bad weather, and other extraneous circum- 
stances, that we do not have an Arthur Napoleon fu- 
rore. 

Arthur Napoleon came to this country very quietly. 
There was no preliminary puffing, and yet he is ac- 
knowledged by those that have heard him to be truly 
an Art-miracle. He is but fifteen years old, having 
been bom in Oporto, Portugal, in March 1 844. He 
was only four years old when his father, himself a 
good musician, discovering in the child a decided 
aptitude for musical studies, resolved to develop that 
aptitude to the utmost. The result exceeded his 
most sanguine expectations. With less trouble than 
is spent by most children in learning to speak, he 
rapidly acquired t)ie rudiments of musical knowledge 
and performance ; and, at six rears of age, was so 
far advanced as to play with distinguished success be- 




320 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



fore the King and Qaeen of Portuj^il, and also before 
a crowded assembly in tho Theatre de D. Marin, one 
of the largest in Lisbon. In 1853 he visited Paris, 
where his reception was extremely brilliant. He was 
introduced to her Imperial Hif^hncss the Princess Ma- 
thilde, and to tho Emperor. He played at tho most 
fashionable concerts, was caressed by the most distin- 
guished persons, and received cordial praise from the 
most eminent musical critics. H. Herz was so de- 
lighted with the little Nnpoleon*s ])erformancc of tho 
exceedingly difficult llcrz bi-amtrUj that he presented 
him on the spot with a ropy of his "Carnival de 
Venise," a piece which has ever since been among 
the most attractive in the young pianist's repertoire, 
and which, to the astonishment of the composer, he 
executed in public only seven days after it had been 
presented. Arthur Napoleon next came to London, 
where, with the bloom of his Paris triumphs fresh 
upon him, it might have been expected that he would 
at once become an object of general admiration. But 
the London public, so constant and faithful when once 
secured, is, perhaps for that very reason, singularly 
coy, and slow to listen to tho first advances of even 
the most dazzling genius. Arthur, however, although 
still remaining comparatively unknown, had no just 
cause for complaint ; since, in acquiring the friend- 
ship and heartfelt admiration of Mr. Ella, he laid the 
foundation and beheld the prophecy of a wide and 
ever-increasing metropolitan reputation. After play- 
ing at 000 of the Matinees of the Musical Union ; at 
his own concert, which, considering all the cireum- 
stances, might be pronounced an encouraging suc- 
cess; and at some other concerts for which he re- 
ceived engagements, he proceeded to the provinces, 
where he may truly be said to have gathered his first 
British laurels. At Leeds, at Liverpool, and at Man- 
chester, he repeatedly played to crowded and admir- 
ing audiences; and, in the latter town, gained the 
even greater advantage of securing the friendship and 
protection of the eminent pianist, l^lr. Charles Halle, 
of whose family, during his stay there, he came to bo 
regarded as almost one. All this, however, was but 
a prelude to tho enthusiasm created by his perform- 
ances in Ireland. Once over the channel his progress 
was a continued ovation. Audiences flocked to hear 
him — concert-givers competed for his services — 
journalists, and even amateurs stepping out of their 
accustomed privacy, wrote columns in his praise ; 
and, to crown all, his Dublin admirers subscribed for 
apiece of plate, value 100 guineas, which was pre- 
sented, at a public concert, by the Lord Mayor of 
that city, who accompanied the tribute with a eulo- 
gistic address, as honorable to the taste of the speak- 
er as to the genius of the young artist. Almost a 
necessary consequence of these triumphs was that he 
also received private invitations to the Castle, the 
Mansion-house, and the houses of the resident nobil- 
ity and gentry. In 1854 Arthur returned to London, 
where he played with brilliant success at two Matin- 
ees of the Musical Union, and at several of the more 
select morning and evening concerts. In the autumn 
of that year he performed in Brussels, and then pro- 
ceeded to Berlin, having received an engagement for 
thirteen performances in that city. On his journey 
back to England, in the early part of the next year, 
he also played at Ilanovei, Dusscldotf, and Co- 
logne — ill the laiter city performing no less than 
thirteen times in public, although he had only con- 
templated staying there a single day. It was here 
that he received the distinguished honor of being 
elected honorary, member of the celebrated Cologrne 
Choral Union, and of being presented with the medal 
of that admirable association. After his return to 
London, Arthur played at Drury-lane, and on the 
24th and 26th of May at the Crystal Palace, in the 
central transept; the success of the two latter per- 
formances being so decided, that the directors invited 
him to perform at the grand festival of their first hor- 
ticultural f^te, June 2, 1855. 



After having played at the Crystal Palace before 
30,000 people, the young pianist gave a concert in 
London, and was engaged to play at the Hereford 
Festival, whore he met with his usual success. He 
now attracted the attention of Cramer and Beale, the 
well-known musical fii-m, and by them was engaged 
for an extended provincial tour, together with Clara 
Novello, Sivori, Piatti and other artists. In the two 
months, that these gifked musicians travelled tojreihcr, 
they appeared at 37 towns, including tho chief cities 
of Ireland, Scotland and England. The tour con- 
cluded in December 1855, and in January 1856, 
Arthur Napoleon returned to Paris, giving concerts 
there, thence proceeding to tho provincial cities of 
France and to Germany. In May ho was again in 
Ix>ndon ; and three months after he went to Weimar. 
Liszt lived at Weimar, and received the young pian- 
ist most cordially, inviting him to liis house, where 
Arthur played, before the composer, Liszt's " Galop 
Chromatique." Tho elder pianist returned the com- 
pliment by playing for Arthur his variations on the 
" Prophet," at tho same time highly complimenting 
his young rival. In Baden Arthur met with Rossini, 
who testified his regard by writing in young Napole- 
on's album his name and a few staves of music. At 
Berlin, he was piesonted by Meyerbeer to the King 
and Queen of Prussia, and he played twice before tho 
court. He then took an extended tour through Po- 
land and the German principalities, meeting at Leip- 
zig with Moscheles, at whose house he staid. 

In July of 1857, Arthur and his father sailed for 
Brazil. Here his success was enough to turn his 
head. He gave his concerts every night at the opera 
hou«c, to immense audiences, tho orchestra escorting 
him home on the occasion of his benefit, while flowers 
were cast in the streets before him. Then he visited 
Pernambuco, Bahia, Buenos Ayres, and other large 
South American cities, and last May returned to Por- 
tugal where ho met his family again after an absence 
of six years. In a few months he started off again, 
visited Lisbon, embarked for Liverpool, and after a 
farewell concert at St. George's Hall, embarked for 
America in one of the Galway line of steamers. He 
landed at New York, and gave his first concert a few 
weeks ago, at Dodworth's Hall. It was a success, 
artistically viewed. A few more concerts were given, 
but tho the New Year's holidays coming on, it was 
deemed expedient to postpone till next month his fur- 
ther appearance in public. 

What shall I say of this boy as an artist 1 What 
would be too extravagant to prophesy in regard to 
his future ? Here is a boy of fifteen playing the 
most difficult music of Thalberg, Liszt, and others 
with the most unfailing accuracy, the most surprising 
execution, and with a true appreciation of the com- 
posei-s. His own arrangements and compositions 
also betray the real musician, while the tenacity of 
his memory is evinced by his playing his entire re- 
pertoire without the notes. It will not be worth 
while to enter here into any rhapsodic disquisition 
upon his performance. It is simply wonderful. Of 
course he is not yet perfect. He lacks an individual 
style. He has enormous execution, and true poetic 
feeling, yet he is not a destructive player. His 
vouth is nndoubtedlv an element of his success. The 
characteristic music of Gottschalk (whom he has 
never heard play) he does not perform well, except- 
ing as far as execution goes, and he has sense enough 
to know it. Personally he is modest yet aspiring, 
and is fired with musical ambition. After a couple 
of years of concert-giving he hopes to study music sci- 
entifically and become a composer. In other accom- 
plishments besides musical, he is not deficient ; ho talks 
several languages (English perfectly) and is well read 
in French and English literature — He expects to 
come shortlv to Boston, and then vou will be able to 
judge whether he is a real artist, or whether his youth 
and personal partiality have misled me in my esti- 
mate of his merits. Trovator. 



Special |t0firts. 



DKSCUIVTIVB LIST OK TlIK 

3Li -A. T E S T IwIXJSIO, 
PnblUhctl by O. Dii«on Ac C«. 



Mcsrr BT M\it.— Qimiitltion of Mu^ic are now wnt h? iii*II, 
tliecxpcn'<r Ih'Iiir only nbont om> I'oiit nii'uTi*. wli tic the ran 
Hml n«i»l«Uty «f frr»n«e|)ort.itlon nrn r«Mn«rkj»hl«. Thrwi* at a 
irivitt iH»»tJiiir«« v.ill llml flic ino«le nf convi-vrtiirt* not only » POii- 
TtMiirnrc. Iiiit n Xiiviiif; orcxiHMixo in obhifnint; Miipplfm. RooIch 
cnn nlM> lie ^cnt )•> hdiII, nt tlu* mtc of one oont pcrouiirc. 
't\\\* nppHi'D to liny ili.<t:in<-e umlor throe tliourtund iuiIcm; be- 
yonil thnt, doublu the abovo nitcn. 



Vocal, with Piano Acoompaniment. 
La Thaviata, mk snnu l»y Piccoloniini, Oiuglini, 
and all others. New, funnv, and free voi-sion, 
by * n. \Va\]ur. 60 

Thifl is a coinplcto and well connected Potpoani 
ftom thin opera, comprising all tlie fiiTorito airs, to 
a text which if a Tcrjr cIctct parody ou the plot 
of the piece. As the alts in '* TrsTiata " are fa- 
miliar to almost cTerybody, the funny adnptations 
will be {cenemlly appreciated. Tliere is the air of ** Dl 
Provona II mar " set to these words: " But folks can- 
not live on love, thongh young couples often try ; thej 
find it*8 not nutritious, and must give it ap or die." 
and others fit ted Jnst as appropriately. The Potpourri 
will hare a wide circulation and create much merri- 
ment, where it goes. 

GoT> SAVE OUR President. National Song. 
Words by Dellaes Janvier ; music by Benktrt. 25 
Well calculated to become a standard National Song. 

RoMAKCB FROM " Zemfrb axi) Azou " : Roso, 

how enchanting art thou and mild. (Rose wio 

bist du so rcixend.) Sj'(Jir. 25 

A well known song, proverbial for its sweetness, and 

the delight of tho«e who revel in Rpohr's chromatio 

style of conipo«itIon. It is written for meseo soprano 

voice. 

Sailor's Return. (Dcr Schiffer fahrt zuLand.) 

Cursrhmann. 25 

This is one of the earlier works of this charming 
writer, and the first proof of his distinguished talent 
for vocal composition. The imitation of the monoto- 
nous peals of the distant villsge-bells, which isrontin- 
nally hesrd in the accompaniment, is a very happy 
idea, and Ingeniouslj carried out. Poetry and mnsle 
produce a thrilling eOect. 

Jennie*ll be tut Bride. Ballad. F. Wooicot. 25 
A simple pleasing ballad, by the composer of '^ Bell 
Brandon." 

The Moox beiiikd the Hill. "Words and mu- 
sic by T. B. Bishop. 30 
Prottj words and a toking air. which will be carried 
all over tho country by the ballad singers and wander- 
ing troupes of minstrels. 

'Neath the burning Suw op Stria. (Sotto il 
sol di Siria. From " Aroldo," opera by Verdi, 40 
The fiunous tenor Air and Cabaletta in the opera. 

Instrumental Music. 

Air dy WeHgl. Varied. ^F. Bayers. 25 

Composed for the use and benefit of pupils In the 
second quarter of lessons. 

TrOIS AMfSEMESTS BRILLIANTS, frOm " Vo- 

pres Siciliennes. Albert W. Berg. each, 30 

1. Vaisd'Hiver. 

2. Polka Mazurka. 

3. Galop brilliant. 

A feries of instructive pieces, of medium difllculty, 
calculsted to interest as well as advance the scholar, 
prepared with great care and painstaking by this 
widely and favorably known teacher of the pianoforte 
In New York. 

Rippling Rill Varsoviana. Montgomery. 25 

Pleasing and striking music to this Ikshlonable 
dauce. 

Books. 

The Pianist's rest Companion. (Sehmidt's 
Five Finder Fxercises.) A collection of two 
hundred and thirteen Five-finprer Exercises for 
the Pianoforte, intenjled to impart an equal ac- 
tion of the Finpers on that instrument. With 
an intro:luction by J. A. Hamilton. 50 

The pmctice of flve-flnger exercises, or, in other 
words, of pajisages in one fixed position of the hands, 
hns been found so emineutly us^-flil. not only to begin- 
ners, but even to advanced pupils, os a means of form- 
ing a true and graceful position of the hands and arms, 
and equalitvpn the action of the fingers, that such ex- 
ercises are now placed before pupUa by aU r»pectable 
masters throughout Europe. 




toijlt's 




mxml 





Whole No. 353. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1859. Vol. XIV. No. 15. 



A Song for New Year*8 Eve. 

BY WILLIAM CDLLEN DRTANT. 

StAv yet, my fricndg, a momont stay — 

Stay till the good old year, 
So long companion of our wny. 

Shakes hands and leaves us here. 
Oh stay, oh stay, 
One little hour, and then away. 

The year, whose hopes wore high and strong, 

Has now no hopes to wake ; 
Yet one hour more of jest and song 

For his familiar sake. 

Oh stay, oh stay. 
One mirthful hour, and then away. 

The kindly year, his liberal hands 

Have lavished all his store. 
And shall we turn from where he stands. 

Because he gives no more ? 
Oh stay, oh stay, 
One grateful hour, and then away. 

Days brightly came and calmly went. 

While yet he was our guest ; 
How cheerfully the week was spent I 

How sweet the Seventh day's rest I 
Oh stay, oh stay , 
One good hour more, and then away. 

Bear friends weie with us — some who sleep 

Beneath the coffin lid ; 
What pleasant memories we keep 

Of all they said and did ! 
Oh stay, oh stay, 
One tender hour, and then away. 

Even while we sing he smiles his last. 

And leaves our sphere behind — 
The good old year is with the past : 
Oh be the new as kind ! 
Oh stay, oh stay. 
One parting strain, and then away. 

Harper's Magazine, 

For Dwight's Joamal of Musio. 

The BlaoksmitlL 

In the smithy comer, the shadows 

Gloom, undefined and dun ; 
Through one small window shines slantwise 

A yellow beam of the sun. 

Broad and black, the furnace 

Stands by the open door ; 
The glowing coals within it 

Madly crackle and roar I 

The smith stands by the furnace, 

Shoeing a traveller's horse ; 
Bold are his strokes, his strong arm 

Bold in its brawny force I 

Bright his cheek and his glances ; 

White his gleaming teeth ; 
His brow shows brown and bronzM, 

His bronze-brown hair beneath. 

He hammers and sings together ; 
He thinks he sings not loud, — 



But, round the door, the children 
Gather, a listening crowd. 

** Trot, trot safely and swiftly. 

Over highway and heath. 
Up the stony mountain, 

Into the valley bcneatit ; 

" Trot, trot safely and swiftly. 

And bear thy rider home ; 
And when new shoes thou needcst. 
Back to ray smithy eome." 

Fannt Malone Baymokd. 
Cincinnati, Dec. 8, 1858. 



The Diarist Abroad, No. 12. 

Notes. 

1. I see advertised in Dwight's Journal the de- 
lightful old " Portugrucse Hymn " for solo and 
chorus. Why Portuguese Evening Hymn ? Nay, 
why Portuguese Hymn ? " Because," says the 
reader, " it came from Portugal." Not at all. 

If there is a set of Nov€llo*s Musical Times in 
Boston, there will be found in one of the volumes 
— which, I cannot say — that the tune was com- 
posed by an Englishman, and used in the service 
of the chapel of the Portuguese Embassy in 
London. Here it was heard by I^rd — some- 
body — who admired it and introduced it to the 
public. If there is a set of the Times to bo 
found, whoever will march out the paragraph 
and communicate, will do a favor, &c. &c. 

I contend that no country has produced more 
exquisite melodies than Great Britain. See how 
" Robin Adair," introduced by Boieldieu into 
*' La Dame Blanche," and " The Last Bose of 
Summer," used by Flotow in his " Martha," have 
had the universal applause of Europe ! 

2. In th e Journal for November 6, is an ex- 
tract from Frazer^s Magazine upon Mozart 
There are in it a few of those little errors, which, 
once put in circulation, go on almost forever. 
You may kill them over and over again, and in a 
few weeks they are as much alive again as ever. 

For instance : " Van Swieten, the eccentric 
phyrician of Maria Theresa " is spoken of as the 
man of that name, who was such a friend of mu- 
sic and musicians. Not so. The old physician 
died — I do not know when, I judge about a cen- 
tury since. Tlie musical Van Swieten was his 
son. The old man's name was Gerard, — the 
son's Gottfried. The old man was a physician, 
who wrote a shelf full of medical works, which 
were translated into English, two or three gene- 
rations ago ; the young man was a privy counsel- 
lor of the Austrian Empire, Pre«dent of the 
Imperial Library at Vienna, '* Commander of 
the Royal Hungarian order of St Stephens," 
and author of the texts to Haydn's " Creation " 
and ** Seasons," or rather the preparer of them. 
He died in 1803, aged 70 years. 

Again Ries informs us, &c. &c. that Beethoven 
wrote to him in London to " insert a couple of 
dotted crotchets " in a Sonata " long before pub- 
lished." Not at all. Turn to the -' Life of Beet- 



hoven " which ofocs under the name of Moscheles, 
and you will find that Beethoven wrote to Ries 
communicating the metronomic tempos and this 
additional bar at the bco^innintr of the Adasio 




for a Sonata, the plates of which were engraved, 
but which was not to be published until a time, 
afterwards to be specified, in order that the work 
might appear at the same time in London and 
Vienna. 

I hope no reader will be foolish enough to sup- 
pose the conversation given in this Frazer article 
anything but an imaginary one. 

8. Doubtless the Berlin correspondent of the 
Journal writes a very unreadable hand. I fully 
believe it — but how fould his ** b, y," " by" in 
the programme to the Magic Flute [See Journal 
of Music, Nov. IS] be made into a capital G — 
so that the reader learns this fact for the first 
time : " Music, G. Mozart." ? 

In the same article the real author of the li- 
bretto to the Magic Flute gathered his minerals 
in Iceland — not in Poland. Again how was it 
possible that in the attempt to write Joachim 
Perinet, he made of the first name, Isaclium ? 
What a shocking hand he must write, or what 

no matter! He afterwards means to 

write " poetical " and it proves to be " practica]." 
Then in the article on Dehn, ** Sonntag " becomes 
«* Somstag " and " Siegfined " " Sieffield." What 
a hand it must be ! 

4. Nothing new under the sun ! A friend has 
lent me a number or two of the Independent in 
one of which I read that Prof. Haven delivered 
an inaugural discourse at Chicago, subject TTieol- 
ogy — his theme developed in answer to the fol- 
lowing inquiries ; 

1. Is Theology properly a science 1 

2. If so, is it a progressive science ? 

5. AVhat is its rank among sciences ? 

4. What are its practical relations and uses ? 
The other day I bought for a song, " Liber pri- 
mus defensionum Theologise divi doctoris Thome 
de Aquino " &c., printed at Venice in 1483. The 
table of contents gives the following ; 
Questio I. Utrum Theologia sit scientia ? 
*' n. Utrum habitus theologiae sit prac- 

ticus? 
<* HI. Utrum Theologia sit una scientia? 
*' IV. Utrum Deus sit subjectum hujus sci- 
entiae ? 
In 1258, Thomas Aquinas, the Dominican monk, 
was discussing in the University at Paris the 
question ** Whether Theology is a science ? " 
In 1868 — 600 years after — on the shores of 
Lake Michigan, in a continent, whose existence 
was undreamed by Tliomas, a professor of a the- 
ology equally undreamed of by him, enters upon 



322 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



his duties with a dist-oursc, the ([uoftio prima of 
which is word for word the same, save tliat it is 
in a lanjjuajjc then unrccojinizi'd in the k-arned 
world ! If any one will dig out this old abbrevi- 
ated Latin for me I should like to know how the 
two arguments compare. 

5. Hero is the Ailantk- Montlibf for October 
and November — here away olF in Germany ! I 
should like to ask tlic Autocrat if he has seen or 
heanl of the elm at South Natick ? But before 
1 can ask him, it will be the dead of winter and 
ehns will be forgotten. No matter. To show 
that there were such as knew the beauty and 
value of a tree long ago, I make a note. AVhen 
Deacon Bigelow, (father of Sawney B. of Har- 
vard College remembrance) sold the land on the 
north side of the river above the mill at South 
Natick, he reserved a little angular good-for-noth- 
ing patch, that no harm might come to that little 
elm. He died about 1816 — so that now the 
tree must have some forty years of growth added. 
Seen from the bridge, on the other side of the 
river, it is one of the most perfect of beauties — 
for a tree. 



Zerlina and her Songs. 

(from OulibichelTs Analjsls of " Don OloTann! '*) 
1. LA CI DAREM. 

Attention ! here comes a brave and merr}- 
throng of people. In G major, and in six-eight 
time. Hurra for a country wedding ! This is no 
eclogue nor idyll ; it is Masetto accompanied by 
his friends, a ti'oop of peasants, men and women, 
in their Sunday clothes and faces, dancing and 
sin^ng; a very jovial choir, and yet a kind of jo- 
viality which you like to witness as a whole and 
in perapective, like the herds in a landscape. It 
is altogether a people's song, which sounds more 
pleasant in the distance, than when you are near. 
The little duet of the bridal couple is framed with 
eood effect in the noisy unisono of the lutU: Tra 
Tala! tra la la ! 

But in the midst of this (^uite rustic choir is 
found a person, who will sins other tones ere 
long. This is the bride, Zerlinil with whom Mo- 
zart seems to have fallen as much in love, as 
Pygmalion with his statue. Must it not have oc- 
curred to manv of my readers, to have di.scovered 
at some rural festival, amid a group of peasant 
girls, one form to which all the others only served 
as foil and setting ; one of those fonns not ea;)ily 
forgotten, when you have seen it once ? Without 
doubt then every one has said, that here was a 
mistake of fortune, and that this must be a prin- 
cess in disguise. Unquestionablv she must nave 
soul, mind, character and aspirations. Always to 
have to remain a peasant, must be terrible for 
her. Yet one mignt offer a hinrh wager, that a 
closer acquaintance with this idolwould have dis- 
turbed these fair presumptions ; and it is just here 
that Zerlina distinguishes herself fi*om the gene- 
rality of peasant girls, who outwardly resemble 
her. Zerlina is precisely that which you would 
have her to be. She possesses soul, mind and 
much vanitv. AVith a look Giovanni has divined 
all this. iShall such a beauty be suffered to be- 
come the wife of such a country lout ? — How 
can he, the^noble cavalier, permit that ? Do not 
think long, my fair oiie, it is only to change your 
suitor. Giovanni for Masetto, the change seems 
worth accepting. 

Still she wavers, and since the situation is ripe 
for music, here begins the precious duettino. 
Many lovers of music find the allegro of La ci 
darem somewhat trivial, and far from correspond- 
ing to the andante. We too are of their opinion, 
but before we turn the observation into a faults 
finding, we will first see whether the composer 
bad not some good ground for letting a quite or- 
dinary melody follow a song of the first rank. In- 
nocence in conflict with seduction, and in this 
growing ever weaker, is, if not precisely a very 
edifying, at least a very musical image. To make 



it true, the seduction had to be felt in the souls of 
the spectators as soon as it penetrated the soul of 
Zerlina ; the moral dignity of the person surviv- 
ed as long as the words and music expressed re- 
sistance ; but from the moment that Zerlina says 
wuVam (let us go,) she is fallen as low as any one 
of the ladies in Lcporello*s register ; and if her 
name does not swell the list, she mny thnnk eir- 
cumstaiices which are indej)endcnt of hei'self 
Auf/iaWy anf/iavif mio hene^ a restorarle pene (fun* 
innoccnte amor, Jnnocente is good ; the rest too 
is not bad. To give a seductive melody to sui-h 
words, to clothe a comnion-placc situation with 
flattering and pleasing features, — would not this 
have been as much as to make oneself an accom- 
plice in this licentiousness of the principal person, 
and so to say, embellish vice ? Against that Mo- 
ZAKT wisely guarded himself The melody of his 
Allegro expresses nothing but a plebeian intoxi- 
cation ; he shows us the head of a poor peasant 
girl entirely turned at the sight of a handsome 
cavalier, richly decorated with gold and feathers, 
and at the fhonght of fine clothes, jewels, car- 
riages and horses. She sees herself already at 
the ball. Listen to the unciuiet pizzicato^ where 
the modulation inclines to tnc key of the Fourth 
and then comes back to the Tonic, like a skilful 
dancer, gracefully balancing before his lady. 
Rossini would not have done it better, but Mo- 
zart did not stop there. In the midst of a flow- 
ing and most natural melody, which moves upon 
a droning, bag-pipe sort of bass, he has insinuated 
a chromatic passage, the effect of which is as re- 
markable as the design seems deeply considered. 
(Seventh and eighth measures of tne Allegro.) Is 
not this harmonious complication, lasting but a 
moment, a sign by which the musician meant to 
indicate to us all that there is dangerous and cri- 
tical in this situation, leading by a flowery path 
directly to the precipice ? The Allegro of La ci 
daremy then, is unquestionably the weakest piece 
in the opera, and a masterpiece of truth, of trivial 
and very suggestive music, as long as the text is 
onlv frivolous. 

But the unavoidable Elvira snatches the dove 
from the talons of the hawk, and opens the eyes 
of the young peasant to the danger tnat threatens 
her. 



2. Batti, batti. 

Now follows another aria: Batti^ hatti^ hel 
Masetto, (Beat me, beat me, dear Masetto,) 
which is like a concert piece for the orchestra, 
entirely in contrast with the preceding in its 
working up, and quite equal to it in truth of ex- 
pression. You see and hear a woman before her 
judge, who, driven from her last intrenchments, 
her denials and her tears, seeks more to persuade 
than to convince, and more to seduce than to 
persuade. Zerlina's problem was a fine one for 
the musician ; but has he not discharged his duty 
to the same too well ? some rigorous critic will 
inquire. Why this outlay of coquetry and femi- 
nine seductiveness, merely for the sake of a Ma- 
setto, the blockhead of a husband? Venus*s 
girdle scientifically unrolled, to muzzle the mouth 
of a bear I Perhaps master Wolfgang was not 
conscious, that there was in his aria more than it 
would take to turn the head of a Don Juan him- 
self True : but had he not also to seduce his 
audience ? It were best not to complain too 
much of that 

In the first place, we have here an oUigato vio- 
loncello part, which keeps on without the least 
interruption from the begmning to the end. You 
hear this insidious bass, as it twists and winds, as 
it hums and drones, as it extends its treacherous 
circle indefinitely around the poor deluded vic- 
tim. Upon this seductive harmony coo the vio- 
lins like turtle-dove ; the flute mingles its sweet- 
est sighs with its most amorous tiills ; when the 
voice is silent, its confederates and gossips, the 
instruments, speak for it. Observe, f pray you, 
this sequence of four measures, whicn in the 
voice part reproduces the motiv of the aria, varied 
by sixteenths, so that it may fit the outline of the 
riiornel. There are five instruments: the bas- 
soon, which goes with the violoncello in an ohli- 
gaio and continuous part ; the flute, which imi- 



tates it, but in contrary motion ; the horn, which 
has to hohl out on the bass note : and the olx)e, 
which descends the scale in syncopati'd eighths, 
and softens the passing di.-KMmances, which arc as 
quickly resolved as they are felt. Nothing can 
tickle the ear more exquisitely than this passage ; 
as for the vocal melojly, it ex])i*esses pure rustic 
naturalness and opeii-lieartediiess; it is the inno- 
cent little Zerlina, who lavishes upon her dear 
Masetto the tendercst caresses and in the most 
tnjc-hearted tones asks, what she has done so 
wicked, that she must be so hardly treated. As 
a discreet, but very faithful representative of the 
stronger si»x on this occasion, Masetto manifests 
not the least pleasui-e any more in striking ; 
scan'cly can he resist the wish to embrace tlie 
little rogue. Ah! who of us has not been a 
thousand times if once in his life majfctfo and ma- 
setiisnimo (blockhead !) The Allegro announces 
the great triumph of the lady. Pace, pace, O 
x^Ua mia, (Peace, O peace, my life, Un.) From 
this moment, the art and artificiality, which liavc 
been developed in the andante, are superfluous; 
the violoncello gives up its snake-like movement, 
and hastens away in singular downward scales 
and unquiet arpeggios; the orchestra merely ac- 
companies: Zerlina abandons herself to an unre- 
strained joy, and the aria ends with the strokes of 
the bass, which outlast the voice for a few meas- 
ures, and murmur with a distant sneering pianis- 
simo. 



3. Vedrai Carixo. 

Vedrai carino is, like so many pieces of our 
opera, super-dramatic music. When we hear it, 
we forget the text, we forget the person. 'ITiere 
is no longer any Zerlina or Masetto. Something 
infinite, absolute, and verily divine announces it- 
self to the soul. Is it perhaps nothing but love, 
represented under one of the countless modifica- 
tions, by which it is distinguished in each individ- 
ual, according to the laws of his nature and the 
peculiar vicissitudes of his fortune? No; the 
soul feels rather a direct effluence of the principle 
itself, from which all youth, all love, all joy, and 
every vital reproduction flows. The eenius of 
the Spring's metamorphoses, he namely, whom 
the old tfieosophists called £ro«, who disc^mbroiled 
Chaos, who fructified germs and niarried hearts, 
this genius s])eaks to us in this music, as he has so 
often spoken in the murmurings of the brook that 
has escaped its icv prison, in the rustling of the 
young leaves, in tlie melodious songs of the night- 
ingale, in the balmy odors which pervade the elo- 
quent and inspiring stillness or a May night. 
Mozart had listened to and firmly held this 
ground-chord of this universal harmony ; he ar- 
ranged it for a soprano voice with orchestral ac- 
companiment, and made of it the nuptial lur of a 
young bride. Zerlina sings surrounded by the 
shadows of the marriage night, while just about 
to cross the threshold, at which virginity pauses, 
with praver and trembling expecting the confir- 
mation of the holy title of wife. In this place 
the Aria becomes a genuine Scena of Love, the 
source of life and of eternal rejuvenescence for 
all nature ; — of Love, the Spnng-time of souls 
and the most unstinted revelation of the all-good- 
ness of the Creator. It is a marriage song for all 
that loves, con<'eived in the same spirit with the 
" Ode to Joy " by Schiller, allowing for the 
difference of tone and style between a Dithyram- 
bic and an Eclogue. The theme, the ima^c of 
the purest bliss, betrays none the less that inex- 
plicable and seldom justified exaltation, which in 
the fairest, poetic hours of our existence leads us 
to that unknown good, whereof all other goods of 
earth are only shadows and foretastes. A rhythm 
without marked accent ; a harmony without dis- 
sonances; a modulation, which rests in the Tonic 
and forgets itself, as if held fast there by some 
spell; a melody, which cannot separate itself 
from its ineffaceable motiv ; this tranquil rapture, 
this sofl ecstacy, fill out the first half of the air. 
After the pause, hosts of nightingales begin to 
sing in chorus in the orchestra, while the voice 
with exquisite monotony murmurs : Sentilo batterey 
toccami qua. Then the same words are again 
uttered with the expression of passion ; the heart 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1859. 



323 



of the young woman boate stronger and stronj^cr; 
the siglis of the orchestra arc riMloul)le(l, an«l ihc 
last vot'al pliraso, wliicli lM»ai*« tlie impress of cha^sto 
devotion, i<ho\vs ns the wife as she sinks softly upon 
the liosom of her hushand. Mozart secMns to liave 
antieipat4>d the desire of the ear, in that he lets 
the onrhestra repeat tlie whole mofiv and the en- 
chanting final phrases once agiiin. Ho knew 
that the ])iece would be found too short, as it ac- 
tually is the case. 



Henri WieniawskL 



[From th« lllii»trate<l London News.] 

The renowned violinist, Henri Wieniawski, 
whose wonderiul iKJwera of execution arc nightly 
exciting enthusiastic admiration at M. Jullien's 
concerts, and whoso portrait wo publish this 
week, was lx)rn at liublm, in Poland. At tho age 
of eight, having given the most marked evi- 
dence of a musical organization, he was sent, by 
command and at the expense of the Em|)eror 
Nicholas, to commence a course of musi(*al study 
at the Conservatoire of Paris. The violin was 
the instrument to which he devoted himself with 
all the intensity of his energetic nature, and with 
such astonishing eagerness did he devour and 
profit by the lessons of his instructor, the celebra- 
ted Massart, that at the age of eleven he was 
awanled the first prize of the Consorvatoirc — 
the highest distinction which, in the eves of 
Europe, can be conferred on the successful musi- 
cal studenL This brilliant honor, however, was 
attended with as deep a shadow which, in the 
eyes of the earnest and enthusiastic little virtu- 
oso, robbed the triumph of almost all its satisfac- 
tion. By the rules of the Conservatoire, when a 
pupil has attained this final token of the highest 
proficiency in the studies for which it affords such 
unrivalled opportunities, he is dismissed to employ 
the advantages thus gained in the si niggle of life, 
and to commence his career with bis " blushins 
honours thick upon him." Doubtless the reguhv 
tion is framed in the spirit of the fairest justice to 
the existing and future pupils of the institution, 
and operates beneficially in the majority of cases ; 
nor could it be expected that the authors o{ the 
law should foresee that one day the triumphant 
honor which they had placed at the goal of the 
academic curriculum would be grasped by such 
tender hands, and that the almd mnter of Euro- 
pean musical students would ruthlej^^l}* close her 
doors on almost an infant. Such was the inex- 
orable rule, however; and Henri Wieniawski, in 
spite of his passionate tpai*s and poignant regret to 
be so soon deprived of all the means and appli- 
ances of the study ho loved so deeply, had to 
abitlc bv it, and turn awav from the Conserva- 
toire. His obligations to the munificence of the 
Emperor of Russia n'ndered it incumbent that he 
should now wend his way northwanl, and present 
himself at the Imperial Court of St. Petersburg, 
and give his august protector an opportunity of 
judging how well bestowed had been tiis paternal 
care and solicitude on his little Polish* subject. 

At the age of sixteen Wieniawski visited Ber- 
lin, where he found the great violinist Vieux- 
temps reigning supreme, who, on bearing his 
youthful ri va^nronounced the highest encomium on 
his marvellous mastery of all the difficulties of his 
instrument, and foretold that he would one day 
obtain the most brilliant success in the artistic 
world. Never was prophecy so rapidly accomp- 
lished; for ere the little ** Northern Star" had 
left the horizon of Berlin he had during that 
single sea<<on given sixteen concerts, all of which 
were brilliantlv attended ; while the jrrcat Vieux- 
temps only commanded patronage for four. On 
the ofrcasion of his visit to this capital he was pre- 
sented by the King of Prussia with the grand 
medal, ** Des Beaux Arts" — a distinction only 
accoi*ded to the most eminent merit. During a 
subtsenuent ^ tour through Saxony, where he con- 
tinued to win the most signal proofs of admiration, 
he received the decoration of the Ernestine Haus 
Order. Pursuing his triumphant career with un- 
diminished brilliancy through the country of the 
De Beriots, the Vieux temps, the Sivoris, he pro- 
ceeded to Holland, where be gave in succession 
one hundred and forty concerts, and once more 



received from Roval hands a badge of honora- 
ble distinction in the Order of the Couronne de 
Chene, shortly aflerwards exchanged for the com- 
mandersliip of that order. Although so early the 
object of such enthusiastic admiration, and over- 
whelmed ere ho had reached maturity with the 
matt dazzling honors, Wieniawski is remarkable 
in private for his modest and retiring demeanour. 



John Field. 

(From the Echo.) 



John Field is one of those few Englishmen 
whose name is inscribed in ineflaceable characters 
in the archives of Art. He was born in 1782, in 
Dublin, and was a pupil of dementi's. He soon 
took his place among the most distinguished pian- 
ists of his time; and, even up to the present day, 
has never been surpassed for touch and melodi- 
ous tone. He gained his fii*st laurels as a virtuoso 
in Paris and St. Petersbiu^. In 1822, he migra- 
ted to Moscow, where his concerts and lessons 
became very yiopular. From 1831, he travelled 
through England, France, and Italv. He was 
detained in Naples by sickness, until he returned, 
in 1835, with a Russian family, to Russia, and 
died at Moscow, in 1837. A great number of 
concertos and solo pieces for the pianoforte have 
given an imperishable importance to his name. 
But the compositions which have enjoyed the wi- 
dest circulation, are his celebrated nottumos^ 
which have been frequently imitated, but never 
equalled for unsiu'passablc and simple depth of 
feeling. F. Liszt characterizes them as follows, 
in the preface to J. Schubert's admirable edition : 

" Field's nocturnes are yet new by the side of 
much that has grown old; six-and-thirty years 
have elapsed since their first appearance, and a 
balmy freshness, a fragrant odour, is still wafled 
to us from them. Where else should we now find 
such perfect and inimitable naivete f Since Field, 
no one has been able to express himself in that 
language of the heart, which moves us as a ten- 
der, moist glance does ; which cradles to repose, 
like the sofl, equal rocking of a boat, or the 
swinging of a hammock, which is so gentle and 
easy, that we fancy we hear around us the low 
murmuring of dying kisses. 

" No one has ever attained these indefinite har- 
monies of the iEolian harp, these half sighs, float- 
ing away into air, and, gently complaining, mel- 
ted in sweet pain. No one has ever attempted 
this, especially no one of those who heard Field 
himself play, or rather dream out his songs, at 
moments when, abandoning himself entirely to his 
inspiration, he departed from the first plan of the 
piece, as it existed in his imagination, and inven- 
ted, in uninterrupted succession, fresh groups, 
which, like wreaths of flowei*s, he twined around 
his melodies, while he kept continually decorating 
the latter with this rain of nosegays, and yet so 
decked them out, that their languishing ti*emu- 
lousness and charming serpentinings were not 
concealed, but simply covered with a transparent 
veil. AVith what inexhaustible profusion did he 
vary the thought when it occurred ? With what 
unusual felicity did he surround, without disturb- 
ing it, with a net of arabescpies ? " 

(Tobecontlnaed.) 



Friedrich von Flotow. 

[From tbo New York Musical Gwntte, 1855.] 

Friedrich Vox Ft.otow is a nobleman, tlip son 
of a wealthy lord of the manor, in Mecklenburg, 
(North of Germnny.) Tliis somewhat retired part of 
Germany reminds one, in manv of its charncteristics, 
of the olden time ; of a Rtnte of society which belongs 
more to the past than the present. The fertile lands 
are divided into large e>»tatcs, and are in possession of 
some of the oldest families of nobles Gennany posses- 
ses. The life of these proprietors is mostly agricul- 
tural, preserving, in some sort, many of the old pa- 
triarchal rights, customs and feelings. We mention 
this fact because of the anomaly which exists between 
the life and spirit of a man born and educated under 
such influences, and the light, brilliant French music 
of Martha, Indra^ etc. But it is not the firet time 
Germans have proved they can be any thing else but 
German ; and although in music they are least likely 
to forget their own nature and spirit, the history of 



modern opera shows in Meyer uekr nnd Halevt 
two brilliant illustrations of the fact that we have 
mentioned. Flotow, however, spent only his earlier 
youih in the country of renowned cattle and fertile 
j>asture-grounds. He soon cnnc to PRri'*, studying 
music, opera, ballet, and nil sorts of thing's, whicll the 
Freneh metropolis can offer to an apt and diligent 
scholar. 

The musical education of Flotow has been in some 
respect a very curious one. Generally a musician 
tries everything: before he fixes himself upon any pe- 
culiar branch of his art. Not so Flotow. Wc do not 
think that lie ever studied or com|K)8ed anything else 
but a certain class of vocal music ; nay, we do not 
even believe that he composed much even of this be- 
fore ho came to Paris, with ample means to enjoy it ; 
having a certain predilection for music, perhaps also 
the intention to study it, but certainly without any 
great preparation for the career of an opera composer. 

Flotow learned first how to write little romances in 
the French style, then he tried larger forms, until, at 
last, he accomplished the short opera eomiquc. 
Fans has been, in a musical sense, the cradle, 
nursery, and school-room of Flotow; he learned 
there to creep, to walk; to spell, to write, and 
to produce. Being always with French people, 
liearing nothing but the talk of a particular class of 
musicians ; being, besides, young and unfixed in his 
views and principles, one can not, after all, wonder 
that he forgot the solid qualities of his native Meck- 
lenburg, and reflected in hi» music the habits and feel- 
ings of that society in whii h he moved. And as this 
society was a good one, being formed by the circles of 
some first-rate houses; the young nobleman being re- 
ceived with all the honor due to his station ; as, be- 
sides, ho was very apt to perceive the finer qualities of 
French composition, and to adopt them, we can easily 
account for the elegance he disphivs in his better 
works. But Flotow learned not onlv this in Paris ; 
he obtained also a knowledge of tlie stage, of tho 
public, of the artists, and of men in general. Fur- 
thei — and this is the most essential — he obtained a 
perception of his own resources, and especially 
learned not to come too early lK*foro the public. Flo- 
tow has never been guilty of an attempt to write a so- 
cnllcd ^rnnd opera ; he knows the scope of his talents 
nnd abilities, and therefore his whole ambition has 
been concentrated upon the opera comique. Having 
Fo very often seen that stuff prepared which is served 
day by day to the Parisian public ; having assisted in 
all the inci<1ents of a miae en scene; having gone as a 
witness through all the stage.<! of the life of a com- 
poser for that institution, and feeling in himself musi- 
cal resources enouirh to satisfv at least, in this re- 
speet, tho wants of the public, ho risked himself at 
last on the perilous field of an opera composer. His 
first trial, in association with another, was not very 
successful ; then came a little oi)era in one act, which 
had the esteem of the critics, and the applause of the 
elatpie, raising some hopes for a future success. Had 
Flotow continued to walk in the same path ; to com- 
pose onlv for the Opera Comique in Paris, tho de- 
sired full success would not have failed to appear at 
last ; but at that time he made the acquaintance of a 
(icnnan author, wl.o spent a portion of each year in 
Paris, to look out for pieces to tran.slatc and arrange 
for the Gcnnnn stage, and it is this acquaintance 
which changed the course of the composer and had 
the greatest influence upon bin further career. The 
public name of that author is W. Friedrich, of a 
wealthy merchant family in Hamburgh. This man 
has obtained a reputation in Gerinanv for being the 
best translator of Fi-ench pieces, for hi.s great knowl- 
edge of the stage, and the ability to write gentle vers- 
es, especially for opera purposes. Flotow required a 
libretto ; Friedrich proposed one for the German 
stage, based n\yon the pnnciples of the French Opera 
Comi<iuc; Flotow agreed, and both men began to 
work. The first sign of this new partnership was 
the opera Alessmidro StradeUn. It is almost the same 
plot wliich inspired NiKnERMRVKR to make a grand 
opera for the French Academy of Music. If the sing- 
er and composer, Alessanpho Stradella, who 
lived in the last half of the seventeenth century, could 
have heard the music which he has to perform in 
either opera, but especially in that of Flotow, he 
would have been rather surprised. Flotow*s music is 
very thin and somewhat obese, a tort of enlarged 
vaudeville with recitatives, which has had an entire 
success on account of the musical characteristics with 
which the two bandits in the piece are treated. Here 
the talent of the composer, the comical expression, 
was very happily displayed ; and Flotow himself was 
quite right, when he said, after the first performance 
of this opera at Hamburg : *'My bandits have saved 
mo." The next opera was The Sdilors, a more se- 
vere undertaking, and for this very reason unsuccess- 
ful. Flotow was, in consequence of this, rather dis- 
satisfied with his partner ; still he agreed for a third 



324 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



trial together. The resnlt waji The Forester. Again 
no success ; decidedly Mr. Friedrich was not worth 
any thing. Flotow resolrcd upon dissolution of the 
partnership, hut first he would try once more the abil- 
ity of the librettist. Martha yrtii the roMilt of their 
labors, and this time a successful one. Martha gave 
the composer a position and reputation in Germany, 
which his later operas, Itidra and liubizahl, although 
they were very feeble reproductions of his powers, 
could not shake ! The music to Martha is spiritual, 
light, and brilliant, grateful to the ear, the singers, 
and also, as experience has taught us, to the com- 
poser himself. The orchestration is much better than 
in StradeUa, and the instrumentation has some very 
happy and ingenious combinations. The treatment 
of the whole is French ; but there are some pieces, as 
the spinner-quartet and the finale of the first act, 
which are as good as any thing Anber or Adam have 
written for the Opera Comique. The great art to 
finish at the right time, not to weary the public by a 
continuation of sentiment scenes— on the contrary to 
offer a continual interchange of the sentimental and 
the comic: these secrets of success Flotow under- 
stands very well as he proves in this opera. Then 
that otlier important point, the provision of the 
sin/i«rs with good, gratcfiil roles, is also not neglected 
in Martha. Ncmcff and Plunkett are verv acceptable 
parts for male and female buffos, and Martha and 
Lyoml are favorite performances of all the German 
soubrettes and tenors. Martha and Stradelia have 
made their way over almost all tite stages of Ger- 
many, have pleased hundreds of times, and will 
please probably as long as society requires an opera 
to be served as in dramas, nothing but amusement 
and pleasant sensations. The opera of Martha, or 
rather an English version of it, was introduced to 
the American public by Madame Bishop a few years 
since, when an astute critic of one of the daily pajiers 
gravely complimented Signor Bochsa for the bril- 
liant idea he had conceived, of introducing into the 
opera the well-known ballad, *Tis the last rose of 
summer.* As most of our i-eaders are probably well 
aware tliat whatever merit may be attached to the 
brilliancy of this idea is due to the German com- 
poser, we should not now refer to it were it not that 
the same incorrect statement has reappeared in 
print within a few days. 

Ajb far as we can judge from personal appear- 
ance, not having any biography at hand, Mr. Flotow 
is about forty years old, tall, with a dark complex- 
ion, and much smartness in his eyes. He has the 
appearance of a man who carefully observes, and 
knows how to profit by his observation. His man- 
ners are gentlemanly, amiable, and prepossessing, 
just as is his music. You are flattered without be- 
ing aware of it Flotow is, in our opinion, the 
smartest manufacturer of opera music Germany 
possesses at this time. 



The Hngnenots. 

From the Courier, Jan. 4. 

I beg to make a few practical suggestions with re- 
ference to the first communication of your correspon- 
dent " Civis." It was not only written in correct and 
fearless English, in the tone and temper of a gentle- 
man, without technicality, and with knowledge, 
judgment and discretion, but it fortunately came at 
just the time to hit the town between wind and water 
and attract general attention. It was meant to in- 
form us what " The Huguenots " is when properly 
represented; and to demonstrate that neither the 
manifestoes of Mr. Ullman, the criticism of the daily 
press, nor the suppositions of the majority of the au- 
dience, as to the merits of that representation, were 
correct. This information was needed, and it was 
given by one who thoroughly knew what he discus- 
sed, and who referred no more to his experience 
abroad than was necessary to show his means of 
knowledge and his fitness to institute comparisons. 
Besides Uiis, his estimate of the rank of the artiiits of 
Mr. XJllman's company, and of the rank and merits 
of the different schools and works of operatic compo- 
sition, indicated intellectual scope and comprehen- 
siveness. 

In thus expressing my honest opinion of the merits 
of his article, I shaU run little risk of being thought 
captions or pugnacious if I call attention to some 
facts which should he taken in connection with it, 
when we are regarding operas as presented in Boston. 
We must remember, in the first place, what unde- 
served luck we have had for the last fifteen years in 
hearing operas in this city. And we are not a munecdf 
and we are a capriciouB people^ We are not even 
really fond of the drama. For nearly twenty ^ears 
the only place in this city where it has had consistent 
and rewarding support has been the " Boston Mu- 
seum." Booth, the best actor of En^rlish tragedy on 
the stage, played this winter to ** half houses.^' 



The " Tcdesco troupe " played at a great loss at 
low prices in the Howard Athenicum, and nearly 
half the time even that little theatre was only half 
filled. So it was with the second Havana company, 
which " Civis " calls the best we ever had in Boston. 
What inducement did we offer that or any other such 
company to come here again 1 How man3r of onr ca- 

{)ricions and requiring lovers of music in Boston 
leard their admimble rendering of " Macbeth 'i " 

So it has been with troupe after troupe. It would 
he lianl to name an operatic manager in Boston or 
New York who has made money, except Mr. Hackett 
with Grisi and Mario, whose names were advertise- 
ments, and Strakosch, whose "humbug" was not 
so much in his advertisements and his nse of an ac- 
commodating prens as in making a ghastly collection 
of a dozen scarecrow choristers, not many more 
broken-winded instruments, and one or two real ar- 
tists shining like diamonds set in pitch — and then, 
with exquisite and successful effrontery, calling it a 
" grand operatic troupe." If Mr. UUman is now 
successful in New York and Boston, it will be not 
more because he has (every thing considered and witli 
reference to our previous companies,) excellent sing- 
ers and a superior orchestra, but because his adver- 
tisements of a princess, &c. &., have had great infin- 
ence, and that, too, upon many persons who would 
not confess it to others or to themselves. 

This is all bad enough in Mr. Ullman. It reficcts 
still more severely upon ourselves. Onr Bamnms 
and Bonners, our newspapers in their relations to 
pnblifihers, our eminent men in their good-natured 
concession of the use of their names to books they 
havn't read, panaceas they havn't tried, and dinners 
they won't attend, as well as the whole history of 
opera in the United States, prescribe nothing much 
better to an operatic manager who takes such risks 
with such a public and who would succeed. It must 
be confessed, too, with shame, that the tnie lovers of 
music owe it i«ry much to such tricks of manafjement 
that enough un-mttsical people can he brought together to 
enable those who love operas to hear them at all. 

Now, how is it abroad 1 " Civis " can inform you 
better than I can, bnt he certainly can name but few 
of the many great cities of Europe besides Paris, Lon- 
don, St. Petersburg, Vienna, Naples and Milan, where 
" The Hngnenots " is as well or better rendered, on 
the whole, than it has been in Boston, and with these 
exceptions, if it be better given, it is to a musical 
people, giving it their consistent support for some 
thirty nights together, and often in acidition to aid 
from the government, and from subscribers for the 
season. In Boston we grow tired of an opera on its 
second representation, and desert it on the third. 

It is also to be remembered that in all England, 
London only has its opera season. What has Liver- 
pool, with a population about as large as New York, 
known of opera for the last fifteen years ; while a city 
of secondary importance, in a new^ country, and with 
an unmusical people, is blessed with a luck which 
makes us capricious and requiring, instead of thank- 
ful and encouraging. 

I will close these hasty snggcstions with the re- 
mark that I am confident tliat no one will he more 
ready to assent to them in the main than " Civis," 
and with the regret that a few words from him had 
not rendered these unnecessary- Bostow. 




ttsiral Ctrrnsponhntt. 



^AMM^^^*AM^^«^^kA^«MAMMMAMAM^W^#W«^iM^^«MAAMAM^rfNMtfMW^'V^>WW«#«»« 



»> 



n 



"The Opera of the Fntare. 

(From Punch. ) 

Meyerbeer's opera of the A/ricaine seems to be 
" The Opera of the Future," for there appears but 
little chance of its ever being played in our lifetime. 
How many years has it not oeen locked up in the 
great composer's portfolio, undergoing a species of 
African slavery, of which manager after manager has 
tried in vain to find the musical key. However, we 
are sorry to find Meyerbeer lending his great name to 
Messrs. * Wagner, Liszt, and other crotchet-mongers 
of the Music of the Future, in support of their inhar- 
monious fallacies, that have lately been aired in a 
grand pretentious production, called Lohengrin. A 
" grin " seems to bo the end of all their operas, 
though at best it is but a melancholy one, and any- 
thing but flattering to those who provoke it. The 
Viennese are all Lohengrinninq like mad. We wish 
Meyerbeer would put this band of musical fanatics to 
shame by allowing his Africaine to become " An Op- 
era of the Present," instead " of the Future," and so 
prove to these hair-brained gentlemen what good mn- 
sic really is. The best Music of the Future is that 
which has the elements of vitality in every note of it, 
so that there can be no doubt about its living several 
scores of years af^er its production. The specimen 
that we know of this class is Don Giovanni, and onr 
would-be Mozarta cannot do better than take it as a 
model. 



Bbblin, Dec. 13. 1858. — Since Johavna Wag- 
KBU returned from her short starring expedition, we 
have had a series of operas such as it will only " ag- 
gravate " you to read of, since on your side of the 
water, I fear, in our day and generation, they will 
never mount the stage. Not tliat the Wagner sings 
in all, bnt h^r list of parts makes quite a change in 
the list of operas for any given time. We have had 
Spontini's " Vesttde" truly a most admirable work ; 
Cherubini's ever young " Water-Carrier " (Le» demx 
Joum€e§): " TanmhoMer:" Bellini's "RonMK> and 
Juliet," "Magic Flute" again, " Eniyanthe " ; 
" Prophet ;" " Robert the Devil ;" Rosnni's " Tell ;" 
Donizetti's " Elixir ;" Doro's " Niebclnngen ;" Tan- 
bert's " Macbeth," and divers others ; while the com- 
pany at Kroll's keep up their light French and Ger- 
man comic pieces. 

I am very desirous to hear Taubbbt'b new work, 
but was unable on the evening of itt last presenta- 
tion. I hear it spoken very well of. 

Laub has left for Unssia. Before leaving he gave 
a concert in the Singakademie. His programme waa 
in itself a very flue one and gave him opportunity to 
exhibit his powers in various styles. The fint num- 
ber was a violin concerto by R. Woerst — ^tbe viola of 
the Laub Quartet of whom I spoke in a late letter— 
a very pleasing work and one in which the violin and 
orchestra really work out the mnsieal idea symphoni- 
cally. Of course it is not a Beethoven work, bat it is 
a fine addition to the small stock of red concertoa. 
Beethoven's Romance in F, that exquisite thing, waa 
exquisitely played ; and this was followed by a Scherao, 
by Laub himself, which, while truly musical and com- 
ical, was as great a piece of neat execution as I ever 
heard or saw. It was Laub's only piece of mere vir- 
tuoso work, and a great one. At the dose was Bee- 
thoven's Triple Concerto, the same that was played at 
Radecke's concert. Dr. Bnms took the 'oello part 
this time. Can yon not raise a violinist, a 'cellist, 
and a pianist in Boston, and have it at one of Zer- 
rahn's Concerts ? 

A Fiaulein Friedlandeb sang a few pieces — just 
as young candidates for fame sing them in Boston — 
very good pupil work — ^very indeed — full of promise. 

My liking for Laub's playing, of which I hare 
written strongly in previous letters, and my respect 
for him as a musician, were much increased by this 
evening's performances, and I hope that leaving the 
East he will some day be heard in the West. 

The regular serial concerts have gone on. Sym- 
phony Soirees and Quartets and the like, bnt I 
have not heard them all. la&l Saturday night for 
instance I was unable to leave the house, and the 
Dom Chor gave its first performance with a pro- 
gramme made up from Durante, Melchior Franck, 
Corsi, Friedemann Bach, Jomelli, Pretorios, Schiix, 
Thiele, Calvisins — and I most needs be sick ! A 
good representation of America was there however. 
From my friends' descriptions I suppose the choir 
must have been full — say about 45 boya, and men in 
proportion. 

Well, J., how did you like it ? " 
Oh, I've nothing to say — 'twas too good I 
Never heard any thing like it." 

Next day. "Well, P., how did yon like the Dom 
Chor?" 

" Oh, I never heard anything like it — never heard 
anything which gave me any idea that there eould be 
such music." 

By and by Mr. A. oomes in, who has been long in 
Italy, in Rome, Florence, and every where else, also 
in Paris, London, Dresden, wherever they are proud 
of their music. 

" Well, Mr. A., how did you like tiie Dom dior t" 

" I dccbue, I never heard anything like it I " 

What ? not the Pope's choir m the Sextine chapel f 
No, nothing, anywhere 



<f 



(( 



(( 



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BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1859. 



325 



So yon 8C0, D., I begin to think that I have 1o6t 
something by being shnt up three or four dajB just 
now. 

The private concerts have been quite numerous. 
I mroly go to one of them. You and every one, 
whose duty it is to follow up concerts, know how 
wearisome and tedious it becomes to go night after 
night, and write about them. Erk has given a 
couple, one by chorus of men's voices, another by a 
mixed choir — at both of which the staple article was 
popular songs. At another a little cantata by Wuerst 
was sung — which I am told was exceedingly pretty. 
I have seen the pianoforte arrangement of it, and 
thought it so. Divers singers and pianists both male 
and female have added to the number. Now I am 
very busy night and day with literaiy work of all 
kinds. I have too about as much music as I want in 
Symphony, Qunrtct, and Oratorio concerts in addition 
to the opera, which you know is for us, who at home 
abound in concerts, but have no opera, the great 
thing. Taking all this into consideration, I cannot 
afford to give an evening, and half a forenoon, to 
hearing and writing about M. Schulze's or Muller's 
concert, and in addition miss some favorite opera and 
pay as much as the opera would co9t. So unless the 
phenomenon should happen, that Mr. Schulze or 
Muller shoald hear of me and send me a ticket, he 
will never find when he comes hereafter to America 
that I have made him known through the columns of 
a musical paper which circulates more widely than 
any four in Grermany put together. 

RuoEHSTEiif has received an appointment in St. 
Petersbngh, with a fine salary, and Havb Vow Bub- 
low, the first pianist in Berlin, has been appointed 
chamber virtuoso to Prince Frederic William, 
young Vic's husband. 

We have four American musical students here 
now. Converse, studying with Haupt, countei^ 
point and composition. Paine, of Portland, study- 
ing *Jie same with organ in addition, all with Haupt — 
who says his pupil will make a great organist; 
Pease, of Cleveland, studying in Kullak's school — 
working to become a pianist. I have seen him but 
once or twice — never meet him at the best concerts — 
and Pattiboh, of Newark, N. J., just come — study- 
ing counterpoint with Haupt and piano with Hans 
Von Billow. 

To-morrow evening we are to have " Midsummer 
Night's Dream," with all Mendelssohn's music. I 
think I shall be there I 

I will close this rambling letter with an extract 
from one which I received the other day from Paris. 

"Pve attended the opera considerably. If you 
wish to know my opinion, not worth much I admit, 
I can tell you I like better the German. There is 
nothing here that comes up to that in Berlin, that's 
certain. The Grand Opera Francais, in the way of 
scenery, grandeur and display is not equalled any 
where I have been. No pains nor expense are spared 
in producing the most wonderful scenic or stage effect 
and both the music and text are inferior to Berlin. 
Yon would be astonished at the number and costli- 
ness of costumes and beauty of scenery seen there 
even at an onlinary performance. 

" At the Italian opera of course one hears the best 
singers. I was charmed the other night by Alboni 
and Mario. Even there however the orchestra does 
not come up to the one I heard at Berlin. I must 
say I am more and more attached to die German 
opera. What say you 1 " 

When Mr. S. was here some weeks ago and I 
called upon him, he was full of the performance of 
Don Juan, in the Berlin opera house a night or two 
previously. He said to me, he had heard that great 
opera in London, Paris, America — had never missed 
an opportunity in his life to hear it — had often heard 
it with greater Solo singers — but now for the first 
time it had been presented to him in such a manner, 
that it was all one magnificent whole, all clear from 



beginning to end, — that here he had forgotten that 
the characters were singers, he only saw them as real 
persons, acting out the passions and emotions of the 
moment and situation, — no, nothing like this had he 
ever seen. Now Mosart's immortal work exists from 
this time henceforth in his memory as one of the 
great triumphs of human genius — with the Iliad, the 
Venus de Medicis and the Madonna at Dresden. 

I can give but the idea — not his words. It is not 
every one that can come here and view this opera in 
the same light. I have long since forgotten to notice 
when one of our singers, the worse for the wear, — 
for most of them no longer have young, fresh voices, 
sings a little out of tune, or hoarsely or not with ease. 
I notice it no more than I do in a lively conversation 
in which I am interested, occasional lapses of the 
tongue in pronunciation or in grammar. Your 
Boston and New York newspaper critics would give 
yon a weekly letter of a page upon the faults of the 
prime donne and primi — what's the Italian for 
man 1 — i. e. for the first few weeks — then they 
would begin to visit the opera to hear — opera. They 
would go to concerts to hear singers. And a new 
light, a new <2elight would be theirs. This is one en- 
joyment here. A. W. T. 



Berlin, Not. 23, 1858. — Yours is a paper of Art 
and Literature — I can then propose a literary query 
in it. 

Ordering some books for the Boston Library col- 
lection the other day from a Leipzig antiquarian book- 
seller, I could not resist the temptation to add one for 
myself, which the catalogue gave as being " Seven 
parts " of the Latin and Spanish Bible, published by 
order of the Elector of Saxony, 1574. Looking into 
the bibliographical works at hand, I could only find 
that this Bible was printed in ten or twenty parts, in 
1570 — this edition of 1574 I do not find given at all. 
Still, as the price was small, and I have a fondness 
for such things, I ordered these seven parts. 

Judge of my pleasure on receiving the seven little 
fat quartos, some 10 inches by 8, to find the entire 
Bible and Aprocrypha — ^in short the work complete. 

It is a splendid specimen of printing, the Latin and 
German being in parallel columns. The chapters are 
numbered — ^the paragraphs not. Pages not number- 
ed. Published in parts ; in the first volume, each of 
the books of the Pentateuch, having its separate title 
page, on the back of which is a large wood cut of the 
then "most serene" Elector of Saxony — so tliat I 
have five pictures of him in this volume alone. Printed 
at Wittcmberg, by Krafft, 1574, edited by "Paulus 
Crellius, Doctor of the Holy Writings." Adorned — 
decidedly I — with wood cuts — the Deity pulling Eve 
out of Adam's side — Jacob dreaming — Pharaoh ditto, 
&c., &c. 

Bound in solid boards— wooden-3-8 of an inch thick, 
covered with vellum or hogskin — one cover of each 
volume having a full length picture of Luthur im- 
pressed in gold, the other, one of Melancthon — some- 
what tarnished by the lapse of 2 3-4 centuries. 

Query— is this a vanity ? A. W. T. 

For Dwight's Journal of Murio. 
Greeting from a Warmer Clime. 

Dear Journal, — Would you believe it possible, 
that having written thus far, I came to an awful 
pause! for it docs seem very solemn-like to nnher 
one's self into the sanctum of a worthy and learned 
editor I Usually my aspirations are of a very modest 
type, but I had a strong desire to offbr a " New 
Year's greeting " and bid you " God-speed " — and 
tell you honestly how truly I have enjoyed the varied 
and instructive reading you have, from week to week, 
gathered up for those who greet your weekly visit. 

And then, too, when I tell you how sweet and 
fresh is the morning air ; how deliciously the per- 
fume of violets and other sWeet and odorous things 
comes stealing in at the open window by which I am 



writing, it snrely will open your heart 1 Many kind 
and pleasant thoughts come into my soul ; bom of 
these gentle outer influences, thoughts which it will 
hardly do to tell you, lest ; ou should call me prosy, 
good Journal, — but to some of them yon are at 
least indebted for this " pen-and-ink. pk,9tcb," dull as 

An early morning ramble took ma tlytougl^li lovely 
grove of oaks, whose swaying branch/^ bore the 
gentle weight of the " mistletoe's " gnK«fally inter- 
laced tendrils, the dew-bespangled *' pearly berries " 
gleaming bright and beautiful in the morning sun ! — 
a sudden turn of the path led to the comer of an 
elaborately laid-ont flowergarden, the pride and pet 
of its charming owner. Miss -^. Through the slight 
paling came glimpses of the green leaves of crocus 
and jonquil, with here and there a palmetto, or raby- 
bndded holly, and such stores of roses, and violets, 
and clambering honeysuckle, mayhap you never 
dreamed to see, in this, the dying month of the 
"dear old year!" 

But to my " grief," for now I have come back to 
my pleasant window, — breakfast is over, and " corn- 
dodger," and "hoc-cake" have a decided tendency 
to make one prosy ! — 

Not many weeks ago, when visiting at Fairbank, I 
chanced to attend a country church ; and listened to 
a most interesting discourse by the worthy pastor, 
good Elder , it was a cheerful theme, well ar- 
ranged, and delivered with simplicity and eamest- 
ness, — my own feelings were in full accord with»the 
heavenly beauty of the subject, and the spirit of the 
hymn given out at its close, blended sweetly, and har- 
moniously with the preacher's rendering of the Sacred 
text : — My whole sonl was drawn out in sympathy, 
and involuntarily there sprang up in my heart, strains 
of a well-remembered tune learned in " days lang 
syne," in the dear old New England home, one 
always used for this hymn, and just adapted to give 
a spirited rendering of the sweet verses, I expected 
to hear. But oh the lugubrious sounds that met 
my ear ! — Men, women, and children, all joining the 
mournful wail, for I can call it nothing less I — all 
singing the same part, or trying to, — though I think 
there were the " shattered remains " of at least half a 
dozen tunes, in as many different metres, aided and 
abetted, discretionary with the performer, by divers 
demi-semi-quavers arranged most fantastically, to suit 

each his own peculiar temperament. 

At the sermon's close, a deep silence pervaded the 
assembly, — by the introduction of this strange " fan- 
tasy with variations " it was quickly dispelled, indeed 
soine of the " lesser lords of creation " took to their 
heels, and seemed to think no apology necessary for 
this impromptu leaving before the benediction I — 

I must confess I fairlv shuddered 1 — there came a 
sudden revulsion of feeling, and such a keen percep- 
tion of the ludicrous, that it was with difficulty I 
could repress a smile ! 

" These tilings ought not so to be 1 " — and this is 
not an isolated case, — in another church, not far 
from the Fairbank house of worship, I have in the 
singing of one hymn, recognized distinctly 
"Olmntz," "Greenville," "Old Hundred," and 
"Blue eyed Mary," — and that Sabbath after Sab- 
bath, with slight variations, and new introductions. 

I have thought much, and deeply of this matter, 
but how can it be remedied ? — In tne rural districts 
of these distant states, we cannot avail ourselves of 
the musical schools, taught by Professors accom- 
plished in their department. — 

Will it not be possible to educate young men, who 
shall go out as itinerant teachers of vocal music ? 
By efficient arrangements with clon^ymen and teach- 
cre, I have no doubt good positions could be 
scciu^d, where tliey would be well rewarded, pecuni- 
arily, especially if armed with credentials from the 
learned Profs of the art. — 

I offer the suggestion in all due humility, tmsttng 
it may speedily ImuI to discussions and prompt action. 

Farewell, dear Journal, your familiar pages come 
to me like the voice of a friend, I never weary of 
them! — 

A very happy New Year to yon, and many of 
them. " Watsidb." 

Holly Bank, S. C. 
Christmas Holidays, 1858. 



326 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Philadelphia, Jan. 4, 1859. — "AlUihaclbarl 
what a glorious revolution in the popular taHo ! 
What a cheering transition from the times when peo- 
ple jeered the temerity of any Society's Board of Man- 
agers, who dared the production of a cla.«?sic work, 
unto these latter days, when thousands fill up the 
Musical Fund Hall, and, with countenances beaming 
with interest, sit eagerly expectant for the initial note 
of the introduction to an Oratorio like the "Messiah." 
People came in shad-shoals to hear the first attempt 
of our Handel and Haydn Society at a rendition of 
Handel's difficult chffd* mare / they wedged in be- 
tween tlie seats, and stood upon each other's corns in 
the aisles ; and, glory upon glory ! they sat through 
the protracted performance with a rapt attention, 
and a seeming interest, which afforded ample reason 
for emotions of pride in the bosom of the connoisseur. 
On the limited stage, the chorus, numbering nearly 
200 voices, and the Gcrmania orchestra, were most 
judiciously disposed, with the soloists in the centre, — 
the tenors and sopranos to the right, — the altos and 
bassos to the left, — and the instrumentalists, in a 
rai.sed position, behind the vocal corps. Phillip 
RoHR, the general Editor of the German Musical 
Newspaper published in this city, and a musician of 
no little repute here, led the entire performance, with 
much ability, evidencing a marked improvement over 
his former efforts in that capacity, and landing his 
forces upon the finale chord of the Oratorio in perfect 
safety. The chorus consisted entirely of amateurs 
gathered from various avocations of life, — ^ladies and 
gentlemen, who have entered on the practical features 
of their association with a perseverance, enthusiasm, 
and Art-love,which merit the highest encomiums from 
all who cherish a love for the advancement of good 
mui*ic in our midst. 

No confusion of parts marred these progressions 

and movements for a moment, but sopranos, altos, 
tenors, and Ims^os steadily vocalized their individual 
p:irt8 of the score, converging, divcrgin<r, and cross- 
ing one another's paths without disturbing the law.s 
of musical gravitation, or lapsing into confusion. The 
solos, too, were very acceptably given, and must have 
afforded gratilication to all who feel a pride m our 
musical advancement. Those efforts of our own 
bi-eihren and sisters furnish us with the only rclialdc 
index to the exact status of musical culture among the 
American people. Not the ringing plaudits over a fin- 
ished cavatina u{>on tlie Italian style, nor the crowded 
attendance at a Verdi Opera ; these suix'ly do not de- 
cide our pi-ogress, as a people, in the cultivation of 
music half so certainly as the amateur attempts of 
homo societies and the individual members of these, 
in our concert saloons. Upon this occasion the soloists 
had their fauli,s of omission and commission ; but the 
self-constituted arbiters, who castigated them in the 
public prints, should have kindly pointed these our, 
and recommended the way to remedy them in the 
future. 

Mrs. Reet>, the Soprano, acquitted herself with 
much credit throuorhout, evincing a fine appreciation 
of subject, hut at intervals singing somewhat flat, — 
whether owing to the steaming density of the atmo««- 
phere, or an inherent defect, I am not certain. The 
same may apply to Miss. Shaw. Mezzo Soprano, who 
really possesses an exceedingly serviceable and charm- 
ing voice, which with its natural flexibility is suscept- 
able of a high degree of future cultivation. Miss Mc 
Caffrey, alto, vocalized her part with fascinating 
simplicity and freedom from restmint. Her rendition 
of the aria "He was despised and rejected" was clinr- 
acterizcd with a melancholy pathos, which sensibly 
atlcctcd divers persons in the body of the Hall. IleV 
intonation thoroujliout was very correct and pure ; 
and she has won for herself hosts of appreciative ad- 
mirers. 

The tenor part, entrusted to Mr. G. N. Hazel- 
wood, seen.ed to please every one present, with the 
exception of the two nstuto critics, who hod heard 
Sims Reeves vocalize it ! Mr. Hazclwood possesses 
a tenor voice of singular puritv and of large compass ; 
in fact I know not an equal to it, off the stage. Ho 
has much of style and execution still to acquire ; but 
when I reflect that this gentleman has only com- 
menced to cultivate his noble voice judiciously with- 
in the past year or two, my respect for his first public 
essay with the rigidly classical music of Handel, rises 
to admiration ; becatise, howbeit there were many 
minor points which will require time and experience 
to overcome, there was withal that therein wliieh un- 



mistakeably points to a brilliant future. Mr. Aaron 
Taylor, basso, rejoices in a fine rich voice, which he 
has so enthusiastically dedicated to the Italian school, 
that the vocalization of this (Jennan score, so cxact- 
actingly rijrid in time and rhythm, seemed to weary 
it perceptibly towards the close. His execution was 
for the most part correct ; in the trumpet song he won 
for himself a lar^c circle of intelligent admirers. His 
rendition of the bass part throughout clearly betok- 
ened that he had studied the same with much diligence 
and judgment. The orchestra played with varied 
effect, now accompanying the choruses with much 
vigor and exactitude, and anon marring the effect of 
the solos by a blast of superfluous intensity, never in- 
tended bv Handel- Upon the whole, this performance 
of the Messiah was a most satisfactory achievement. 
Turn out the false critics, who ifrnorantly throw 
cold water upon these efforts for individual and pub- 
lic improvement I Manrico. 



Jbigjfs lonrnal of Ptrsk 

BOSTON, JAN, 8, 1850. 



Music in this Ndmbcr. • Continuation of the open '^ Lm- 
ertzia Borgia ^^^ arranged fbr the plano-fort«. 



Last Nights of the Opera. 

On Friday evening of last week another nov- 
elty to Boston ears was oircrc<l in Von Flotow's 
light and prctt}* comic opera of " Martha." All 
were pleased and many were surprised by the 
peculiar perfection of this most readily enjoyable, 
although in no sense great work. "We wish we 
could have more such. Next to the real works ot 
genius, the imperishable ones, like Don Giovanni^ 
Le NozzCf II Barhiere^ Tell, Fidelio, &c., we can 
derive most pleasure from lijrht, genial, natural, 
unpretending little operas like this ; in which 
there is a happy flow of spirits, rendered in an 
easy, genial flow of music, with a pleasant ming- 
ling of characters and incidents. We must con- 
fess we have been agreeably disappointed in this 
opera, affcer the impression for years past derived I 
in concerts from the overture (popular among lov- i 
ers of ** light" music), with its jingling dance 
rhythms and its feebly sentimental born melody. 
This very melody when sung in its right place, 
and worked up into a finale, proved at least ' 
effective. 

The plot is pretty and simple, laid in England 
in Queen's Anne's time. Tlic Lady Henrietta 
(Mme. Laborde), sick of gay court life and per- 
secuting lovers, especially her tedious old tTohn 
Bull of a cousin. Sir Tristam (Mueller), hears 
the mery chorus of servant girls who pass her 
window on their way to the Richmond fair to seek 
employment, and conceives the mad idea of don- 
ning peasants* garb, herself, her lively maid 
Nancy (Mme. Berkf.l), and Sir Tristam, and 
offering themselves for service at the fair, she as- 
suming the name of Martha. There they attract 

the attention of Plunkett, a hearty, bluff old 
fanner, (Fo KM es), and his friend and protege, 
Lionel, (Brigxoli), who engage the handsome 
maids, they assenting at first in Joke, but finding 
by the laws of the fair, expounrled with comical 
gravity by the sherilf (an i^nitation of the never- 
failing notary of Italian buffo operas), that they 
are caught in earnest. They must go home with 
the two farmers ; and the experiences of the fii*st 
evening, prolonged to midmight, the mingling of 
joke and bitter strange reality, the j)uzzle ot the 
farmers at their intractable servants, are the 
tragico-comical material of the second act. The 
birds escape at midnight, but a silken chain still 
binds them to their strange masters. Lionel of 
course turns out to be a nobleman, and loves and 
is beloved by the Lady ; and little Nancy and bluff 
Plunkett strike up also a life bargain on their own 
account, and the whole ends in a brace of happy 
unions, after a quantum snf. of the usual crosses 
of true love. 



Here, certainly, was nice material for the 
French Opt^ra Coniicjue kind of talent of such a 
Miiisical ready-writer as Flotow, who, though Ger- 
man born (see sketch of him in another colimm.) 
seems by musical second nature to be three parts 
Fren«-h to two parts Italian and one part Ger- 
man — the German ingredient, however, appears 
larger when you look particularly at the orches- 
tral treatment. Martha passes for his best work ; 
his later operas are pronounced insipid. Martha, 
to say the least, abounds in healthy music ; that 
is, the general current of the piece is healthy, un- 
afTected, pleasant; but it also has a large sprink- 
ling of those little pathetic melodies, sentimental 
sweetmeats, which are so tempting to the general 
public, so fatal to the freshness of a work for any 
length of time with those who care for genius 
and real Art. For sure effect, for popular success, 
this author shows a fine tact in mingling these two 
elements. To the cultivated ear the chief charm 
of Martha lies in its general felicity of treatment, 
in its smooth, sparkling, natural flow of avercige 
melody, now individual, and now running almost 
unconsciously into pleasing trios and quartets, 
and all relieved and freshened by the prettiest 
orchestral figures, for which his brain seems never 

at a loss in the right place. (Something like this 
one snys, too, about such works as Mozart's Ft- 
(faro, but let us not for an instant confound the 
lesser with the gi'cater — Jules Janin is no 
Shakspeare.) This quality is most observable in 
the fii*st two acts ; the stream gives out percepti- 
bly in the third and fourth, and the attention is 
piqued, instead, by a succession of detached tak- 
ing bit<«, palpable encore pieces, "gems" so called, 
such as the rollicking " Porter" or Beer song, 
which rings out with such unction and eclat in 
the rich, big voice of Formes (how hearty that 
hnor-nh, as he resumes the strain ! ) ; the hunting 
song of ^liss Diana Nancy ; the really very sweet 
and tender aria of the tenor: M*ap/Htri Jutt* 
amor : the finale of the third act, which is chiefly 
a tenor solo on that sentimental horn theme in 
the overture, with accompaniment and resj)onses 
of principals and chorus, worked up to an mipos- 
ing climax for at least a fresh and general audi- 
and above all, the oft-retuming bori-OMcd 



ence 



Irish melofly, " The Groves of Blarney," whicli 
Moore wedded to his " Last Rose of Summer." 
— a happy thought for English audiem-es — and 
which Flotow works up at last into the somewhat 
elaborate ensemble finale of his opera, although 
we, instead of that, were treated to an interjjo- 
lated piece of Mme. Lalwrde's brilliant bnuura 
vocalizing ; — a poor fashion — ^^ false, too, since it 
sacrifices the opera as an artistic whole to the 
private display of the singer. 

For these reasons, and because it was so well 
cast, and so admirably within the scope ot Mr. 
rilman's company, Martha was a complete suc- 
cess. It was certainly a charming entertainment ; 
but many of course were ready to go further, and 
incontinently call it the best opera we have had ! 
The quartet of principals was capital, save that 
the two soprani were somewhat overshaded by 
the greater power of bass and tenor. Yet the 
clear, sweet higher tones of Laborde told ex- 
(piisitely in those nice (juartets. The part of 
Martha is well suited to her vocally, and few 
other singers could go through its florid difficul- 
ties. She acted lady-like as Henrietta, prettily 
as ^lartha, but .somewhat tamely. Her singing 
of the " Last Rose " was beautiful, of coui-se ; 
nor could any of her music have met with finer 
and more tasteful execution. Mme. Berkf.l was 
in truth a charming little Miss Nancy ; full of 
playful grace and naivete, with a sure instinct as 
an actress, with but a thin voice and imperfect 
method (and the music of the part, really contral- 
to, runs too low for her), but so right in all her ar- 
tistic intentions and so aboimding in little felicities 
that we could better spare a better singer. How 
prettily she sang in the opening duet, where she 
sets her merry wits to work to cheer her lady — 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1859. 



327 



a piece confaininjj a remote snp:frestion. but in a 
very small wa\%oftlie duet of the sad and the merry 
maiden in the Frei/schilfz ; and liow eunnin^jly 
the eourtin<T scene in the hust act with Formes ! 

liiiiGXOiJ sanjj the music as if he loved it ; 
never before with such fjood voice and will united. 
Nearly all his solos had to be repeated, especially 
the Quintet finale, which all turns on him, as 
. much as Verdi's Carlo mar/uo chorus on the bari- 
j tone, and which there was much ado, and fine fun 
! unexpected, to pet repeatetl after the curtain had 
fallen, Mmc. Laborde beckoning earnestly to the 
side scenes, and Formes rushinfr out to drum the 
chorus people one by one back from their dres- 
sin<j rooms. Our tenor friend, too, made a poor 
foot at his wheel in the Spinnin<j Quartet, while 
that of Formes flew, as all wheels flv before his 
ready " jjumption ; " all this enhanced the pleasant 
humor of the play, while too much laujrhter per- 
haps drowneil one of the prettiest bits of nuisic in 
it. FoRMKS was as individual and perfect in the 
hearty farmer, as in all his i*6lcs. lie was in p;ood 
voice, too, and sanj; almost unifonnly in tunc. 
AVe have heard nothinji richer and warmer than 
his hijyhcr baritone notes; his basso prof undo 
doubtless lacks the sensuous richness of a La- 
blache. Ilis Plunkett was in sinking and in action, 
a most satisfactory artistic whole. Hcrr Muel- 
ler, always acceptable, was a worthy representa- 
tive of Tristram. 

The ensembles all went smoothly. Choruses, 
male and female, orchestra, and even ballet (just 
competent for these country fair dances), worked 
well tojrether. The finest vein of comic music in 
the work is perhaps the entire finale of the first 
act, the Ricnmond Fair scene, inclndin<r the 
solemn proclamation of the sheriff ; the lively 
answers of the servant girls, one by one, in 
quaint musical phrase, risinor a note in pitch as 
each one's turn comes, recitinjj their domestic ac- 
complishment<« ; their several engajrements by the 
farmers; the entrance of Martha and party, and 
the nice little quartet where they attract the at- 
tention of Lionel and Plunkett, &c., &c., — all as 
fluent and sparklini; as one could wish, although 
without many striking or original musical ideas. 
The quartet, Mezza notte, where the clock strikes 
twelve in the second act, too, is a charming piece of 
music. 

The only regret about this very pleasant per- 
formance of Martha, was that it had not everv- 
body there to hear it. 



The Saturday afternoon performance of Don Gio- 
vanni was a great impi^ovement on the first. We 
could almost say that, on the whole, that was the best 
performance we have had of this great w^ork. Mme. 
GiiiONi was this time in tune, and so made more than 
any of her predecessors of the part of Donna Elvira. 
The noble recitative and aria , Mi tradi, st the end 
of her first scene, was an invaluable addition; it 
served, too, to redeem somewhat the dignity of the 
character, considerably compromised by the way in 
which she had been lending attention to the " Cata- 
logue song " of LcporcUo. It is a difHcnlt and splen- 
did piece, and she sang it quite effectively. Mile. 
PoiNSOT was in better voice for Donna Anna, and 
her dramatic, searching tones told well in the first 
scene. The gi'eat air : Or sai, was sung grandlv : 
but why docs she omit the recitative narration ? T*for 
should Nan mi dir have been omitted in a perform- 
ance of such great promise. The Trio in masks was 
much iHJtter than before, yet far from perfect. Sig. 
LoRiNi does not gain upon us ; he was of^en fiat, 
always lifeless, as Ottavio. That Trio always needs 
to be encored to jjo well ; it requires the voices to get 
attuned and sympathetically warmed together by one 
trial first. 

Charming little Zerlina — Piccolomiki's Zcrlina 
— the funny, all alive, coquettish little peasant, so per- 
fect in its loay, almost converted us for the time being. 
But no — that cannot be the true Zerlina — the Zer- 
lina of Mozart's music — the Zerlina with a soul of 
sweet sincerity in her, with a spark of finer nature 
lodged in ru«tic clay ! To make this clearer we have 
reprinted to-day from an old number a portion of 
OuUbichefTs remarks upon tliis character. Head 
them with the music in your mind, and judge. 

Sig. Florknza gained upon us in his impersona- 
tion of the Don, who has Keen well called a being 
almost impossible to represent with much ideal truth 



upon the stage. The last scene was made very 
imposing by the three noble basses. The statue 
really .wn^ in marble tones; and IjCporello, there as 
everywhere throu<rhout the piece, completely justified 
Ilerr Foiimes's theory of the part. Never on the 
stnge have we heard Formes sing so uniformly well, 
as on that afternoon. His opening song: Notle e 
ffiorno, and his " Catalogue Song" were given with a 
real unction ; the tones were rich and comfortinfr. — 
In the ball scene, this time, we could just catch a 
few thin sounds from one of the side orchestras on 
the stajrc ; hut hs the main orchestra, trusting to 
them, did not attempt to convey the three dance 
tempi, they were virtually lost. We have rarely felt 
in happier sympathy with a whole audience than that 
afternoon. 



On Monday evening, for want of due time for re- 
hearsal of the "Bohemian Girl," or La Zingara^ (no 
great loss), a mixed projyramino was substituted, 
consisting of the fii-st act of Normoy with Laborde ; 
Fm. Fit/Ha del Reggiinento, with PiccoLOMiNi and 
FoBMES, as before ; and the last act of Sonnambula, 
widi Laborde. It was little Pic's benefit, who went 
off, of course, laden with flowers, and with tlie cheers 
of an immense oudiencc. 

Tuesday evening was the farewell of ^Ir. Ullman's 
Company. In spite of the great storm, there was a 
large and brilliant assembly, eager to witness the rep- 
etition of Martha, and in no sense disappointed. 
Thus ended a successful season of twenty-one pro- 
formances in hardly more than three weeks, during 
which were sung fourteen different operas, five of 
which were really new to a Boston audience. But 
we must take anodier opportunity for summing up. 

Musical Chit-Ghat. 

The Opera with its fever season having passed, the 
Concert business recovers its suspended animation. 
First in order comes a novelty, this evening, at the 
Boston Theatre : the first production, namely, of Mr. 
Robert Stospel's elaborate, and we have reason to 
believe highly interesting music — " Romantic Sym- 
phony " he 'calls it — to Longfellow's "Hiawa- 
tha." From the little that we had the privilege of 
hearing of the orchestral rehearsal, without voices, 
w© are y)repared to expect a musical pleasure. The 
work includes songs and choniscs, as well as descrip- 
tive orchestral interludes. The whole connected by 
readings from the poem by that admirable dramotic 
artist, Mrs. Matilda Heron Stcepel. Besides 
this there will be the attraction of Mrs. Harwood's 
soprano, Mr. Millard's tenor, and Mr .Wether- 
bee's bass ; a chorus from the Handel and Haydn 
Society, and an Orchestra ofji/ti/, conducted by the 
composer in person. 

But the real musical season of Boston can hardly 
be said to have begun, until we have had the first 
classical Orchestral Concert; onr readers will rejoice 
to see to-day that Mr. Carl Zerrahn is at last able 
to make definite announcement of his first " Grand 
Philharmonic Concert." It will take place next 
Saturday evening, (Jan. 15th.) in the Boston Music 
Hall, riis orchestra will embrace yi/?_y good perform- 
ers, and he pledges himself to give the very best that 
can be had, and make the concerts excel any of past 
years. The Symphony, for the opening, will be Bee- 
thoven's Pastorale, which we did not hear at all last 
winter. This to be followed by the pleasant Alle- 
gretto from the same master's No. 8 ; the overtures 
to Freyscftutz, Huguenots, ond Martha, and vocal con- 
tributions by the American prima donna, Miss Juli- 
ana May, whose fame has reached us from all quar- 
ters, but whom we have never heard. Miss May is a 
native of Washington city ; she pursued a severe 
course of study in Naples and Florence, aften\'ards 
in Paris ; has had Bordogni and Romani and Duprez 
for her teachers (so we re;id,) as well as the encour 
asing counsels of Rossini, all of whom, as well as 
Meyerbeer; Balfe, and otliers have expressed great 
faith in her powers. 

The Mendelssohn Quintette Club give their 
third Chamber Concert next Friday evening, in Mer- 
cantile Hall, entrance on Summer Street, and not as 
before annonnced, on Hawley Street. They will be 
assisted by a young pianist of this city, Miss Fay, 
(her first' appeai-ance.) who will play Beethoven's 
great B flat Trio, and by Mr. Draper, an Ameri- 
can singer, who has acquired distinction in London. 
A Quintet by Gade, and a Quartet by Mendelssohn 
are in tlie progmmme. 

The article from the Courier, signed "Boston," 
which we copy this week, expresses exactlv what we 
think to be the right view of the " Civis ** criticism 
on the late performance of the " Huguenots ", ond 
what we attempted, with less success, in crowded 
space, to express when we transferred it to our col- 
umns last week. The very sfir that criticism makes 
, is reason all the more for copying it ; such criti- 



cism should be common Members of the '•Har- 
vard Musical Association " will see by a notice in 
our advertising colums, that for them there is " a 

good time coming." Mr. Ulman has undertaken, 

in connection with the present lessee, Mr. Barry, 
the management of the Bo.«ton Theatre for the year 
commencing with next June. He will keep it oi)en 
seven months in the year, under the name " Boston 
Academy of Music," for ojjcras, concerti, and dra- 
matic entertainments, and the cftcct will doubtless he 
to give us much more opera than we have had. I^t 
him now get possession in the same way of the 
Philadelphia Academy, for the only solid basis for 
opera among us lies in the union of the three noble 

Theatres of tlie three cities Mr. S. Masuiy, the 

Photogi-apher, sends us a speaking portrait of our 
" Diarist," Berlin correspondent, " Mr. Brown," or 
what not — that is to say, A. W. Thayer, photo- 
praphcd from the fine cniyon drawing by Bany. 
Hosts of our readers will want to know "Brown " 
face to face, and Ma.eury will be happy to supply 
them with a copv, at his rooms. No, 289 Washington 
street. . . . Martha stock is " up " just now. Messrs. 
DiTSON & Co., have published most of the favorite 
songs, duets, quartets, &c., which they find in great 
demand. 

The great snow storm has kept back the mails until 
our correspondence comes upon us all in a heap from 
all quarters, and too late for use in this week's paper. 
Two letters from New York will have place in onr 
next. ^ 

ginsit §,h0aK 

London. 

(From the Athenaeum, Dee. 4.) 
Concerts of the Week. — M. Jullien's Mendels- 
sohn Nights and Beethoven Nights have been given as 
n8ual,-^Miss Arabella Goddard has appeared at the 
Lyceum more than once as pianist, — and this week 
Aladame Evelina Garcia has been heard there as the 
sinj;er. 

The Amateur Society began its concerts on Monday 
hist. These, wo observe, are to be fewer in number 
than they have been of late years, and during the 
earlier part of the season are to benefit by two rehear- 
sals in place of a single one. New members, too, are 
to be more strictly examined before admission than 
was formerly the case. The obove are both provis- 
ions tending to good ; but with the best that can be 
done we do not anticipate that English instrumental 
amateurs will ever pass beyond a certain point, or ar- 
ri\'o at that completeness when criticism, ceasing to 
be indulgent, begins to compare. The Lady known 
as Angelina is one of the exceptions to this rule, — a 
pianist who could be heard with pleasure in any con- 
cert-room. On Monday she played the steady Alle- 
gro which it has been 'Dr. Bennett's caprice to call 
" a caprice," and two Nottumi, or Lieder, of her own 
— the second one, " A Village Fete," particularly 
graceful. Miss Kemble sang for the first time this 
season, in some points with improvement on her last 
season's singing. 

Of the first concert given by Mr Henry Leslie^s 
choir, on Thursday last, we must speak in some de- 
tail, — not, however, concerning the general execution, 
which was good, neither of the piciuresque elegance 
of Mr. Mocfarrcn's setting of " Orpheus and his lute " 
as a part-song (not devoid of crudity), — nor about 
the new manuscript duet for two pianofortes, by Mr. 
C. E. Stephens ; having to treat rnatter at once more 
troublesome and interesting : on eight-part vocal mo- 
tet, by Sebastian Bach. Every one knows how when 
Sfozart was at Leipsic, he devoured the scries of works 
of which this forms one, with eager delight : declar- 
ing " that from them there was something to he 
learned," — a golden saying, to which evety musician 
will subscribe. For vigor in their leading phrases 
(consistent with variety of ideas), for a display of 
constructive power never at fault, be the texture ever 
so intricate, be the scale ever so large, Bach's motets 
may be called incomparable. But one indispensable 
element of music is imperfectly developed in them. 
They have more form than feeling. To Bach every 
material seems to have been alike — ^he appears to 
have considered a composition to l»ear words, suliject 
to the same laws as one for the keyl)oards of an organ. 
It may have happened that, because his musical ac- 
tivity radiated from that instrument (of all instru- 
ments the least expressive, because the least modified 
by the personalities of its master), his vocal music is 
so generallv soulless. But it may be predicated tliat 
if Mozart found something to learn in these motets, 
— had ho written anght in their form, he would have 
added that " something more "of vocal charm and 
propriety which they lack. There was no incapacity 
to arrive at this in Bach. The stupendous " Cruci- 
Jixus " from his B minor mass, in which are the night- 
in-day, and the agony of Calvary,— if music ever be 



328 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



allowed to bear or to reflect meaning — is an example 
that the defect wa« a habit, not a necessity — with 
him. The motet selected by Mr. H. Leslie, on the 
impracticable text, 

The Spirit htlpeth our liiflnnitl«8. 
is led off by a florid passage of exaltation^ andante 
con tnoto so cheerful, as only to be broajrht into any 
relation witli the words, by a " canting** proceeding 
(as the heralds have it.) This we do not dream that 
Bach was hyper-sabtle enough to contemplate : we 
are certain, however, that no power exists of impres- 
sing it on a chorus, so as to make the singers expres- 
sive. Call it, then, (for sometliing like this is the 
conclusion inevitably arrived at) a aolferjgio in eight 
real purts : — the motet then falls into its place among 
" studios " from which much may be learned. Those 
who are not too deeply ofiended with this tone of re- 
mark to pursue the subject further, are invited for 
themselves to consider the " Allegro non tanto" the 
fugue alia breue, and the Corale with its linal ** Halle- 
lujah ** which succeed to this movement, — with refer- 
ence to the interest attaching itself to a setting of 
words ; — and to weigh our objection that there is no 
tough controversial passage m the Epistles, which 
could not be just as wisely selected, and as pertinently 
treated. The "something to be learned" implies, 
fiirtlier, "what to avoid" in another direction. There 
is no overlooking the existence in the vocal music of 
Sebastian Bach of difliculties for the voice, which are 
not masterly so much as unmusical. To demand 
every executant to do what some exceptional one may 
arrive at, is at onee a despotism and a weakness. 
Every horse is not a Flying Childers. The music 
which distances the average physical means of 
its interpreters (these totally distinct from their intel- 
lectual aspiration), is music of an inferior order. 
The execution, unless accomplished by a party who 
had been hammering away at nothing smaller (or 
greater) for yean — could not be complete ; and was 
not on this occasion. But we understand that Mr. 
Leslie intends to amend it by rehearsal, and to repeat 
the Anthem : and all lovers of enlargement in musi- 
cal appreciation, owe him thanks. 

The Sacred Harmonic Society inaugurated its sea- 
son, as promised, with " The Creation." In this ora- 
torio Mr. George Perren had suddenly to take the 
place of Mr. Sims Reeves, who was disabled by No- 
yember. A comment on the present plight of the 
English toprano world, lately commented on, is to be 
found in its provision for the Christmas performance 
of "The Messiah." For this the committee has en- 
gaged Mrs. Sunderland. Signor Belletti, who appa- 
rently contemplates a winter concert season in Eng- 
land, is the hauo engaged. The choral rehearsals 
have begun with the choruses of Handel's "Bel- 
shnzzar." 

The Vocal Auociati<m is determined to he up and 
doing Uiis season: and announces among other 
works which will be performed, an Ave Maria, for 
Boprano solo and chorus, one of the three (?) pieces 
finished by Mendelssohn for "Lorely," the well- 
known ^no/e being another (we believe there is, also, 
a March) — some new compositions by Herr Otto 
Goldschmidt : and Dr, Bennett's Pattoral " The May 
Queen," — a work, it may be added, coming into large 
request. 

To-day, in commemoration of Mozart's death, the 
concert at Sydenham is to consist of Mozart's music, 
— with Herr Pauer as the pianist, and Mrs. and Mr. 
Weiss, and Mr. Perren as the singers. 

Paris. 

When, a few weeks ago, in running through the 
list of opera promises and possibilities for the winter, 
we alighted at Paris — it should perhaps have been 
said that M. Gounod's new " Faust " is ready to ap- 
pear at the Th^tre Lyrioue, bo soon as the attraction 
of Mozart's " Le Nozze wanes ont. Of this, how- 
ever, there are no present signs. So far from it, the 
seventy-fourth representation of " Le No7ze " there 
was tempting enough to evoke a pleasure railway- 
train from Angers — a town (by express, nine hours 
distant from Paris), on behalf of whose occupants a 
large portion of the seats in the'thcatre were engaged. 
The " Society of Dramatic Authors," we see, has 
been discnssing the justice or injustice of having paid 
" authors' rights " from those performances to the 
son of Mozart, now beyond their reach, but whoso 
last days were brightened by the liberalitv of the 
French. He has left all his portraits, family relics, 
anrl the sum of 7,000 florins to the Mozarteum at 
Salzburg ; by which institution the " Requiem " was 
performed in the Cathedral there on the occasion of 
nis death. 

The dragooning system of protecting a people 
against its own weakness bears oddly in France on 
dramatic representations. We observe of late more 
than one instance of managers, conductors and artists 
being called before the police tribunals, and tined for 



destroying the integrity of the work confided to 
them by omitting a portion of it. Fancy Signor 
Costa neing called up in Bow Street for the ntts in 
" GH Ugonotti " I Fancy Mr. Sims Reeves arraigned 
by tiie representatives of Handel, or Dr. Crysandcr, 
his biographer, because of his perverse determination 
to deny the Handelian closes their indispensable 
shake ! But of tiie curious reports and rumors in the 
French journals there seems to bo no end. This 
week's Gazette Musicaie contains a mysterious hnlf- 
promise of a concert to be given for a charitable pur- 
pose in the Palais d^ Industrie; at which Madame 
Lind-Goldschmidt is to sing in an unpublished quar- 
tet of Weber's, totrether with Madame Vigior (for- 
merly Mile. Cruvelli), Madame Frezzolini, and Mile. 
Artot. 

The Italian Opera in Paris can hardly be flourish- 
ing ; since as a<lditional soprano it has been found 
necessary to en^ge Madame Frezzolini, a lady whose 
voice was next to extinct before she went to America. 
Signor Badiali, too, is enga^d to sing in " Don Gio- 
vanni." Signor Verdi's " Macbeth " in given up for 
the present. 

Dec. 1 1 . The performances of M. R^musat's French 
compan V are announced as about to commence, on 
the 29th, at the St. James's Theatre. The singers 
announced are, Madame Faure, Mdlle. C^ine Math- 
ieu, MM. Foug^re and Emon. 

We repair an omission by stating that the solitary 
scholar, for whose education the Mendelssohn Fund 
collected in England was sufflcient to provide, has 
been transferred from our Royal Academy of Music 
to the Conservatory at Leipsic : a wise measure, as 
the respective Aeademies stand. Some movement is 
now going on, with the purpose of raising a monu- 
ment to the last of the German composers, in London 
as well as in Berlin. 

Since 'Belshazzar' has not been performed for 
many years past in London, and since on its last per- 
formance many of the great eflfects of the oratorio 
could only be guessed at, — so poor was the execu- 
tion, — we avail ourselves of its having been put into 
choral rehearsal by the Sacred Harmonic Society ^ to 
ofi^r a note or two on some of its choruses. These 
struck us doubly as coming in immediate contrast 
with the dry and clever science ot Sebastian Bach, to 
which we had been listening a few hours before. 
Most frequenters of Ancient Concerts know tiie pom- 
pons chorus, " Sing, O ye heavens ; some may recol- 
lect, too, the descriptive openin^r, " Behold, by Per- 
sia's hero made," — in which Handel has seized the 
situation, marched, like a giant, over the grotesque of 
the words, and contrived an introduction, g^and, diti- 
matic, vet alwavs in clear musical form. But the 
more didactic chorus, " By slow deirrees the wrath of 
God," is less known, massive, fine — and, grave 
though it be, never dull. — The brilliant enterprise of 
the opening of the chorus, " See from his post Eu- 
phrates flies," on a florid phrase of great difficulty, is 
noticeable; but the second movement in six parts 
falls off. — Even Handel's self could make nothing of 
such words as, — 

Of thiniv on earth, proud man must own 
Falsehood ia found In man alone, — 

of closincr the description of so momentous a catastro- 
phe ! The hearer must recognize the Pagan joviality 
of the revel chorus, " Ye tutelar gods," — in its effec- 
tive use of unisons recalling " Great Dagon " in 
* Samson.' — The scene of the " Writing on the wall " 
only merits attention as an exception which proves a 
rule. It has been justly said, that Handel was always 
equal to the situation : rising tiie highest when he had 
to describe snch portents as the drying up of the Red 
Sea, or the fall of Jericho's ramparts. In this case, 
tiie terror is weak to excess ; nor can the weakness be 
altogether imputed to the absurdity of the words, 
since " the Giant " himself professed to admire them 
mightily. — On such tone and contrast as the songs 
of ' Beishazzar ' display, we may dwell when the 
Oratorio is performed entire. — A rehearsal is no 
subject for criticism ; but we may express hearty 
pleasure in the noble sound produced by the voices 
assembletl — some fifteen hundred. — and the readi- 
ness with which so large a mass of singers fell into 
shape. — Nntliing of the kind, we dare aver, is to be 
heard out of England at the time present. 

Madame Barbot, the wife of the clever tenor sing^ 
er, has adventured at the Grand Op&a in ' Les Hu- 
gnenots ' with some success. Every lady, it may be 
added, apparently succeeds, but few stay there; — 
and those who do are of small use. 

Gbrmaky. Among other scraps of German news 
we find ti>at ' La Reine Topaze ' and ' Fanchonnette ' 
have been produced at Vienna, — that ' Diane de 
Solange,' the new opera by H. R. H. the Duke of 
Saxe-Coburg, is in rehearsal, — and that a new Mass, 
by that indefiitigable composer Herr Ferdinand Hit- 
ler, has just been produced at Cologne. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

I- -A. T B S T 3i^XJSIO, 
PaMished fcr O. Dlla«a $l C«. 



Music sr Ma a. — Qnantltieii of Muffc axw now *pnt by malli 
theexpenm bcinfr onlj about on« cent apiece, while the care 
and ni))idit.v of trnniiportiition are nmiarliable. Thora at a 
great dlntanrf will find the mode of convevnnoe not only a ron- 
Tenlence. but a parinfr ofeipeniic in obtnlnini* eupplic*. Booica 
can alM> be wnt by tnnii, at the rete of one rent per ounce. 
Thin upplieii to any di«tanc« under three thouiand miles ; be- 
yond that, double' the above ratce. 



Vocal, with Piano Aooompaniment. 

LiOKEL, An 1 VKHAPPY. (PoTero Lionello, from 
" Martha," by Flotow. 25 

• 

This la a charming Cavatina fat a baritone Toice, 
which has only lately been added by the oompoeer to 
Plunkett^g otherwise meagre part. It is easy of exe- 
cution, and one of the choicest bit* la this remarkably 
melodious opera. 

The touno May-Moon. (From Moore's Irish 
Melodies.) As sung by AilU, Piooolomim. ^5 

ThoM who were so Ibrinnate as to hear the charm- 
ing little prima donna In the only concert of the UU- 
man Troupe during their stay in Boeton, wUi recall 
with much pleasure her delkate wazbling of this little, 
simple, yet beautifVil air. 

She wiioBLBEPSuroKMT HEART. T, H. Hinton. 25 
A lov»«ong, gmeeftil and malodloos. 

The Handsome Lover. Comic Song in the 
drama of " Veronique." W. J. Wetmore. 25 

Whippoorwill. " 26 

Simple songs for young singers. 

Do tou really think he did 1 F, WooUxtt. 25 

In the popular author's happieet Tein. 
VU A LAVOHINO ZlNOARELLA. (Gipsey's Soug.) 

Abelli. 25 

A spirited air In six-eighth tine to a qnalntly har- 
monised afDeompanlmeat, altogether origlna] and 
pleasing. 

Booka. 

MoBCHBLEs' Studies, for the further perfecting 
of advanced pianists, consisting of 24 charac- 
teristic pieces in the different major and minor 
keys, with fingering and explanatory remarks 
npon the object of each and the proper manner 
of performing it. Op. 70. First Book. 

Ignacs Afo^heies, 2.50 

These Studies of the celebrated teacher of the piano 
forte are as indispensable to the student who has mas^ 
tered mont of the dlfllcnlUes of this instrument, as 
the fiTe-flnger ezereises were to him at theoutaet. 
They are not so much intended for the mechanical de- 
Telopment of the Angers or the hand, as for the ad- 
vancement of a correct taste, and a proper and well 
marked delivery of each piece, according to its indlTl. 
dual chaimcter. Thew studies of Moscheles have 
nothing in common with those collections of all sorts 
of difficulties, which modem Tfartuosl an In the habit 
of throwing off under the name of " Studies.** They 
were the result of long years' experience, and Ml well 
Justifled, if not enhanced, the then already Bnropean 
reputation of their author. They have Since been In- 
troduced Into all the Oonsoratorles of music in Ger- 
many and stand yet (nnrlTalled by any later attempt) 
at the Tory head of thdr kind. 

Model School por the Pianoforte. Being 
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comprised in a series of about two hundred 
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vorite Songs, Polkas, Waltzes, Marches, ftc. 1.00 

The elementary portion of this work Is well designed 
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prioe ebarged for the whole volume. 




toijit's l^ttrnal 





uSli> 



Whole No. 354. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1859. Vol. XIV. No. ] 6. 



Musical Criticism.— "The Huguenots."— Nar 
tionalities in Music. &c. 

New York, Jan. 3, 1859. 
Editor of DwlghCs Journal of Music : 

Sir, — It is 80 delightful to meet with so excel- 
lent a piece of criticism as that signed " Civis," 
published in last week's Journal, that I cannot re- 
frain from indulging in the expression of the 
pleasure it has given sundry of your most con- 
stant readers in New York. Perhaps most per- 
sons judge of the excellence of criticism by its 
coincidence with their own views, and certainly 
the article in question most faithfully represents 
many of the sentiments of your present corres- 
pondent while listening to the *' Huguenots," as 
recently given in this city. Some, perchance, 
might feel inclined to award a larger share of 
praise to Laborde, and even rather less to Poinsot 
and Formes. Others, too, might differ with " Ci- 
vis" regarding the libretto. George Sand's obser- 
vation that '* she did not care to go to the theatre 
to see Catholics and Protestants cut each other's 
throats, while a Jew made the music," contains 
not only wit but a fine sense oi the true aim of 
public amusements. " The Huguenots " is as 
much a piece of diablerie as " Robert," and really 
seems intended as a burlesque upon Christianity 
in general. As brought out in New York, in- 
stead of producing the idea of the horror of war- 
ring Christians, it merely excited the risible fac- 
ulties of many among the audience. Tliis effect 
may be attributed to the manner of its produc- 
tion, but I am inclined to think there is a radical 
defect, not only in the subject, but also in the 
dramatic treatment of it. There are those, too, 
and they not among least learned and competent 
judges, who are of opinion that Meyerbeer's mu- 
sical effects arc rather addressed to the senses 
than to the heart and mind. 

The sublime and the ridiculous lie so near to- 
gether that even a man of most sensitive and dis- 
criminating intellect would find difficulty in pre- 
senting such a terribly cold-blooded tragedy as 
the Massacre of St. Bartholomew upon the ope- 
ratic stage, without showing how inadequate the 
scenic means are to the representation of the 
ideas probably intended to be suggested. One 
versed in the heart of woman cannot help feeling 
shocked at the eagerness with which the widow of 
the gallant, high-minded Nevers rushes into sec- 
ond bonds ; and we are also not informed of the 
source whence Marcel derives his right to the 
performance of marriage ceremonies; as far as 
the storytells us, he was not even a justice of 
the peace. 

However, I will not weary you with individual 
views upon a subject open to much discussion, 
but will gladly embrace this opportunity of con- 
gratulating you upon your success in having es- 
tablished a really independent and most excellent 
journal of Art Nothing but entire sincerity of 
purpose, and true love for music, could have sur 
tained you through the many impediments you 
must have encountered in the beginning ; and I 



tiust the circulation of your valuable paper is 
sufficiently wide to reward you for the labor you 
have expended upon it, as also for the wear and 
tear of brain and nerves that must attend the 
public contact of every delicately organized mind 
with a half-taught and unartistic world. Our 
people are not naturally very musical, but they 
have ear sufficient, and heart and mind enough 
to learn : the two latter qualities, however, pre- 
dominating, their appreciation of what is great 
and good in the most ethereal of the arts must 
first be educated through the literature of that 
art ; and, by its diffusion, you are nobly aiding in 
the good cause. Sensitiveness to lofty and hid- 
den meanings, love of truth and hatred of humbug 
and affectation, are what you have ever striven 
to inculcate, and all true lovers of music and of 
our own broad land must bid you " God speed." 

We, in America, with the blood of so many 
races coursing through our veins, stand upon 
high ground, whence we can impartially survey 
many nationalities, and select for our own edifica- 
tion and entertainment whatever we may judge 
to be intrinsically best Nevertheless, there is 
danger lest fashion or exclusive cliques in our 
principal cities should succeed in introducing cer- 
tain styles of music to the exclusion of other 
kinds equally good. What can be more absurd 
than parties for or against Italian or German 
music? Genius is universal, and although, of 
course, colored by nationality and individual 
character, must, when genuinely creative, appeal 
to civilized man in every clime. While we enjoy 
the delicious, long-phrased, flowing melodies of 
the Italian, and the more ponderous and intellec- 
tual harmonies of the German, let us not forget 
that there have been Italians equally intellectual 
and harmonic, and that, while a mere dilettante 
like myself would not dare to touch with praise 
or blame the great names of Bach, Handel, 
Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, the more 
modem (jrermans are too oflen profoundly obscure 
or insipidly flat We must also remember that 
all music is not either German or Italian, but 
that there are other nationalities, whose primitive 
melodies, springing from the very heart of the 
people, are among the most beautiful ever created. 
Why have our pretty singing birds almost aban- 
doned the beautiful airs of the Celtic race, the 
ballads of Scotland and Ireland, to devote them- 
selves to apparently more difficult flights of song ? 
Can it be that the love of ostentation and brilliant 
display, which has taken possession of our dwell- 
ings, has also invaded the still youthful realm of 
American Art ? Or is it because it requires less 
real cultivation and command of the vocal organs 
to sing showily a few roulades, than to produce 
the long sustained notes, the light and shade of 
execution, and the clear articulation of words re- 
quired by the ballad ? 

There is also the great Slavonic element in 
music, which has too long been overlooked, an el- 
ment combining flowing melody with the most 
learned and profound harmonies, and adding 
thereto the simplicity, vigor, passion, and dra- 



matic force of a race but recentlv aroused to a 
consciousness of the great part it may be called 
upon to play in the world's future. On the other 
side of the ocean, the political preponderance of 
the German in Slavonic countries has caused 
their beautiful and characteristic people's songs, 
as well as the great elaborated works of the race, 
to be ignored ; but such surely need not be the 
case on this side the Atlantic, and it is the mission 
of independent journals, such as yours, to spread 
among the people the knowledge of all that is 
really good, let it come from where it may. Cho- 
pin and Tomaschek surely deserve to be as widely 
known, as highly esteemed, and as dearly loved 
as any other among the great musical names that 
have caught the world's ear; the first, as the " sub- 
tlest-souled psychologist," and the deepest and ten- 
derest tone-picturer of modern days; and the 
last, as a giant, second only to Beethoven in all 
that rendered Beethoven truly great, and sur- 
passing him in profound science, ever correct 
taste, and a matchless comprehension and mastery 
of form. * 

With many apologies for this lengthy intrusion, 
and sincere wishes for a prosperous and happy 
New Year, I remain. Truly yours. L. D. P. 

*Tblf If Indeed news to vu ! Pray. Mr. Zemhn. Quintette 
Club, or ■omebodj, glTe tu a chance to hear a thing or two by 
Tomaaohek. Aa to Chopin, of course, amon ! — Bn. 



John Field. 

(From the Echo.) 



(Concluded from pafs 828.) 

" If we allow ourselves to be thoroughly imbued 
with the touching softness which is manifest in his 
compositions, just as it swayed his playing, we 
cannot avoid feeling perfectly convinced how 
useless it would be to attempt to copy him, or to 
abandon ourselves to the hope that we might suc- 
cessfully imitate his tender originality, which is 
characterized quite as much by the utmost sim- 
plicity of feeling as by the greatest diversity of 
form and ornament. If thei*e is anything, the 
mystery of which we shall in vain strive to pierce, 
supposing nature has not given it as a distinguish- 
ing mark of our own disposition, it is the grace of 
simplicity and the charm of ingenuousness. We 
may possess these qualities naturally, but we can 
never acquire them. Field was naturally en- 
dowed with them, and, consequently, his compo- 
sitions will always possess a charm, over which 
time has no power ; his forms will never grow 
old, for they correspond exactly with his feelings, 
which do not belong to the domain of what is 
transient and rapidly fleeting, and which arises 
from the influence to which we are most immedi- 
ately exposed, but to those pure emotions of the 
mind which possess an eternal charm for the 
human heart, because the latter always finds them 
unchanged with regard to the beauties of nature, 
and those tender sentiments which steal over it, 
in the spring of life, when the brilliant prism of 
the world of feeling is not yet clouded by the 
shadows of reflection. We mnst not, therefore, 
think of forming ourselves on so wonderful a 
model, for, without especial natural aptitude, we 
cannot achieve such efiects, which can be at- 
tained only when they are not sought It would 
be in vain for us to attempt subjecting the charm 
of their capriciousness to analysis. That capri- 
ciousness springs entirely from a mind like Field's. 

" For Field the invention of what was new 
was a relief from what existed, and Tariety and 



330 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OP MUSIC. 



diversity of form were a nt'ccssily, as is usually 
the ease with all who are overflowinjj witli anv 
particular feeling. But, despite tl»is elegance and 
capricious changeable nes.s, his talent was free 
from all affectation ; on the contrary, his fancy 
was distinguished for primitive simplicity, which 
takes a pleasure in finding an endless number of 
modes ot representing tlie simple and hai)py har- 
mony of a sentiment with which the heart is 
filled. 

" What wc now say, is intended to apply to 
the composer as well as the virtun.<o. AVhen he 
was writing, just as when he was jdaying, Field's 
sole aim was to obUiin a clear insight into his own 
feelings, and it is impossible to fancy a more child- 
like indifference than his towanl the public. 

" AVhen he went to Paris, he contented himself, 
in his concerts, with a table-ibrmed instrument, 
the effect of which was necessarily far inferior to 
that which could have been produced by another 
more suited to the places in which attentive audi- 
ences assembled, and whom he charmed without 
intending or knowing it. The almost complete 
immovability of his hands, and his inexpressive 
look awoke no curiosity. His eve was not fixed 
on that of anyone else, and his playing proceeded 
with clearness and fluency. His hands glided 
over the keys, while the notes grew up beneath 
them like a long track of pearly foam. It re- 
quired no effort to discover that he had not so 
much at heart the satisfaction of any of his audi- 
tors as his own. His calmness l)ordered on apa- 
thy, and nothing could trouble him less than the 
impression he might produce on his audience. 
Neither in his bearing or the rhythm of his play- 
ing was there anything hanl or jarring, to break 
the thread of his melodious dreaming, that spread 
around him a certain something full of precious 
fciscinatioD, which, by means of his melodies, and 
in a low voice, caressingly lisped a confession of 
the sweetest impressions and most charming sur- 
prises of the heart. 

" Far from ever leaving him, this cool scdate- 
ness appeared, on the contrary, to obtain a greater 
and greater mastery over him the older he crew. 
Every noise, every movement became completely 
repulsive to him ; he was fond of silence, and 
when ho spoke he did so softly and slowly. Ev- 
erything Doisterous and noisy was opposed to his 
nature, and avoided by him. His playinnr, which 
was so tasteful and admirable, assumed the char- 
acter of a morbidezzaj the languor of which ap- 
peared to grow more striking every day. 

" In order to avoid the least unnecessary mo- 
tion, he invented for the practice, to which he 
daily devoted several hours to the end of his life, 
a plan that, unfortunately, seems to have fallen 
too much into oblivion at the present day. This 
plan consists in the player's placing a broad gold 
coin on the surface of the hand, and, in order to 
prevent it from falling, avoiding all violent move- 
ment when playing. This trait affords an excel- 
lent estimate of the calmness of his playing and 
his character. During the later years of his life, 
a feeling of complete indifference obtained pos- 
session of him, and ruled all his corporeal habits 
to such an extent, that even stinding up or walk- 
ing became a trouble to him. The light weight 
of a walking-stick was too much for the strength 
of his hand, unused to all kinds of exertion, and, 
if be let it fall while he was out, he remained, 
far want of the amount of energy necessary to 
pick it up himself, standing near it, and waited 
quietly until some one happened to pass that way 
and picked it up for him. 

" Nearly the same was true of his reputation, 
about which he did not trouble himself in the 
least. He cared little about being known far 
and wide, and praised and celebrated by those 
who gave the tone to public opinion. For Iiira, 
Art possessed no gratification save that which he 
found in giving himself up to it. He never trou- 
bled his head as to what place would be assigned 
him, what kind of name would follow him, what 
success his works would achieve, or how long 
they would last. He sang for himself; his own 
pleasure was the only gratification he required 
fi*om hifl art If he wrote anj'thin?, he did so in 
a kind of abstraction. Many of nis works, un- 
fortunately not very numerous, especially his 



Concertos, contain passages full of originality, as- 
tonishing novelty of invention, and indisputable 
harmonic beauty ; when, however, we study 
them, and imbue ourselves more thoroughly with 
their contents, we are tempted to believe that, 
when writing, just as when playing, he consulted 
merely his own fancy, creatinnf without effort, in- 
venting without exertion, elaborating with ease, 
and publishing without any ulterior views. How 
is everything changed now-a-days ! But it is 
precisely to this absence of consideration of the 
cirect that we are indc^bted for the first (so per- 
fect) attempts to f\ ee pianoforte comjMisition from 
the constraint imposed on it by the normal form, 
over which all pieces had to be regularly and 
faithfully stretched, and to endow it with the ex- 
pression of feeling and a worhl of dreamy forms. 
Before his time, a composition was necessarily a 
Sonata, a Ik)ndo, or something of that kind. Fit^ld 
was the first to introduce a class of composition 
which took its origin from none of the existing 
forms, and in which feeling and song held sole 
sway, free from the fetters and shackles of a form 
forcibly imposed on it. He paved the way for all 
subsequent productions, which appeared under 
the name of " Songs without words," ** Impromp- 
tus," " Ballads, &c., and we may trace back to 
him the origin of those pieces intended to find 
utterance in notes for particular emotions and 
intense feelinjj. It was he who discovered this 
new field of action, so favorable to the develop- 
ment of natural qualities, distinguished more for 
tenderness than for lyrical dash. 

*' The name * Nocturne ' is well adapted to 
those pieces which Field took it into his head to 
designate so, for it immediately carries our thoughts 
from the present, to those hours when the soul, 
havin«T escaped all the cares of day, and sunk 
back in itself, soai*s upwards to the regions of the 
starry firmament, where we see it, merry and be- 
pinioned, like the Philomel of the ancients, float- 
ing about over the flowers and perfumes of na- 
ture, whose lover it is. 

" The charm, which constantly attracts back 
again to these pure and simple effusions such per- 
sons as still retain some of their youthful impulses, 
is all the more irresistible now-a-days, the more 
we experience the necessity of recovering from 
the forced and far-fetched outbreaks of more vio- 
lent and confused passions, peculiar to a consid- 
erable portion of the modern school. AVe have 
been fated to see, even under the name of * Noc- 
turne,* efibrts as strange as they were astonishing 
of}ere<l us, instead of the modest and harmless 
tenderness which Field introduced in his compo- 
sitions. One man of genius alone succeeded in 
breathing into this kind of composition the great- 
est flexibility and fervor of which it was capable, 
without losing its sweetness and the vagueness of 
its pretensions. 

" Striking all the chords of elegiac feeling, and 
dveinnr his dreams in the dark tints of mourning 
for which Young found such painfully moving 
expression, Chopin gave us in his * Nocturnes* 
harmony which becomes the source of our most 
inexpressible delights, but at the same time, of 
our most unquiet and passionate emotions. His 
flight is higher, although his passions are more 
deeply wounded, and his sweetness possesses a 
penetratingly painful effect, so little can it conceal 
nis despondency. No one will ever be able to 
surpass, or — what in Art is the same thing — to 
equal tlie perfection of invention and form, which 
distinguish all the pieces he published under the 
name of * Nocturnes.' 

" They are more nearly allied to pain than 
those of Field, and therefore more significant. 
Their darkly gleaming poetry overpowers us 
more, but calms us less, and consequently causes 
us to feel happy at being again able to turn to 
those pearl-shells, which open, far from the 
storms of the monster ocean, on the banks ot 
some stream murmuring under the shade ot 
palm-trees, in an oasis whose joys make us forget 
the desert by which it is surrounded. 

" The charm which I always found in these 
pieces, distinguished by so much melody, and 
such delicate harmony, extends back to the years 
of my youth. Long before I thought I should 
ever meet the author of them, I cradled myself 



for hours in dreams full of many fonns, which 
arose before my intoxicated soul, afler I had boon 
l)luiiged by the music in a sweet stujKir, similar 
to that caused by the agreeable vapor of rose to- 
bacco, replacing, in a narghily fiill of jasmine 
perfume, the sharp and fragrant tombski ; hallu- 
cinations without tever or convulsioii-sand rather 
full of impalpable pictures, gradually fading 
away, and the touching beauty of which changed, 
in a moment of ecstiUic madness, emotion into 
])assion. In these ])ieces are united, in the most 
chainiing manner, all the qualities which ever ex- 
cited men to write or reatl idylls or edogufs. 
How olU*n did I allow my eye and my thoughts 
to float over the name of that Madame lloseii- 
kani])f, to whom the longest and mo.st beautiful 
(the fourth nocturne) of these pieces is dedica- 
ted ; how many confused and pleasing ideas were 
suggested to me by this same name of Kosen- 
kampf, which ha<l been the motive of such a pro- 
foundly feeling, tenderly melancholy, and yet 
happy creation ! Beauty of style is here united 
with grace of sentiment, and there is such softness 
in the ornamentation, so choice a selection in the 
modulations of the thought, that it appears as if 
nothing was noble, choice and blameless enough 
for the composer, when he wrote lines so pure. 

" The first and fifth of these Nocturnes breatlie 
a sentiment of beaming joy. We might almost 
say they are the development of happiness gained 
without effort, and en]oyed with raptures. In 
the second, the tints are darker, like tiiat of light 
losing itself in a shady alley. We arc tempted 
to ass<'rt that, in this song, there predominates 
the painful feeling of absence, which induced 
some one to say : 



t( 



Absence is a world without a sun. 



» 



"The third and sixth are treated more in a pasto- 
ral style : the mild breath of balmy breezes per- 
vades their melodies. In them shines the reflec- 
tion of those changing eolors,with which the fleet- 
ing vapors of morning dye the dew, so that it is, 
in turn, roseate, blue, and then lilac. In the last, 
however, the forms are plainer and the outlines 
more definite ; thus, we j^rceive, when the op- 
pressive heat of day has dispersed the early fog, 
wave-shaped vapory forms which roll like a billow 
with a number of smaller billows, glittering like 
diamonds, in serpent-like folds, over a landscape 
beaming with light and freshness. This brilliant 
clearness is by no means opposed to the title of 
these pieces, nor was it out of mere whim that 
Field called one of his nocturnes, * Midday.* Is 
this not the divam of a man only half awake in 
one of those summer nights without darkness in 
St. Petersburgh, which he so often saw ? Nights 
covered with a pale veil, which conceals nothing 
from the eye, and merely envelopes objects in a 
mist, not thicker than shining dun-colored silvery 
crape. A secret affinity dispels the difi'erence 
between the night shades and the beaming clear- 
ness of day, and we no longer are astonished ; 
for the vagueness of the picture causes us to feel 
that it takes the form it does only in the poet*s 
dreamy fancy, and not in consequence of a model 
really existing. 

" We shall not err in saying that Field's whole 
life, which was as free from the feverish anxiety 
to which the wish of seeing and being seen ur^es 
most men, as it was unscathed by the parching 
fire of violent passions, flowed on in a dreamy 
eisure, lighted up, here and there, by half-tints, 
and an uncertain ckiaro-oscurtf^ and passed away 
almost like a long Nocturne, without the stormy 
lightning, or the tempestuous blast disturbing the 
calm of his peaceable disposition. 

" As dementi's favorite pupil, he learned from 
that great master the secrets of the most beauti- 
ful style of playing of which that epoch could 
boast, and he changed it into a kind of poetry, 
in wiiich he will always be an inimitable model of 
natural grace, melancholy nawete\ and, at the 
same time, simplicity. He is one of those peculiar 
types of the past school, which are met with only 
in certain periods of Art., when the latter has al- 
ready become acquainted with its resources, but 
has not exhausted them to such an extent as to 
be tempted to extend its dominion and develop 
itself more freely, in doing which it has more 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1859. 



331 



than onre wounded its wind's, wbHc endeavoring 
to liberate itself from its fetters. 

*' Fkaxz Liszt." 



) 



< I 
I 



(From NoTclIo'a Mu.«<iral Time*,) 

Truth about Music and Musicians. 

Translattii from the G<TmnK by Snbilla Novdio. 

No. 7. — "Too COMPLICATKD." 
**ITe who EtHvcB to fpve too much, i^vncriUy pivi« too little." 

After tlie performance of a new ninsical |»ro- 
dnrtion, no sentences are more eonimonly heard 
tlian, "We cannot ]irononnce n|)on its merits af- 
ter a single hearing ** — " We mnsl hear it several 
times in onler to understand it" — "It is a piT>- 
fonnd work," and so forth. Iiea<l every criticism 
on an important work by Schumann, or others of 
his class, and I wager yon will meet with the above 
or similar verdict.^. /Vo/wti/ir/ is a favorite wonl 
with shalloir critics, for it sounds well. But slionld 
we ask them what they would signify by musical 
profundity, they must remain in our debt for an 
answer. They consider as ihep all that they can- 
not comprehend ; but the (lee|H*st watei's can be 
clear and translucid as the shallowest rill, while 
every puddle is opaque, and tlKTefore, prest/mp- 
tlrelif^ d(H^p ! Clearness enables us to perceive 
depth; but obscurity prevents us from discovering 
any worthy object hidden beneath its dullness. 
The fffufral eflcct of a musii'al piece must be pro- 
duced imme<liately,*upon its first perfoniiance ; 
although, of course, it is necessary to hear a work 
several times in order to appreciate and analt/ze 
this effect, — to cnaV)lc scientific judges to recog- 
nize, clearly and distinctly, the means by which 
this effect has been produced, and to become in- 
timately acquainted with finished details and elab- 
orate p.T^sages. Kven in th« present day, works 
are produced which at once cause a sensation, — 
which at their first performance find favor with 
the public and with critics, — and which no one 
would think of declaring to be all shallow merely 
on this account. Are not such works, the im- 
pression of which is undoubtedly satisfactory after 
a single performance, preferable to those which 
wc cannot judge to be worthy ? — which requii-e 
that we should point out the ixwsibility that at a 
future period we may succee<l m discovering some 
hidden merit? Would a composer feel content, 
when pubhshinGr a work, and anxious for its suc- 
cess, if the public instead of awarding ready wel- 
come and enthu.siastie applause to hiseflbrts, should 
refer him to the prospect of a future success, — a 
bill at six months' notice, which might, perhaps, 
not even be honored ? Impossible ! Everj- artist 
desires immediale success; every artist hopes that 
his work should elicit the highest possible ai)pTO- 
bation at its first performance. 

Yet, you will say, if this be the case, why are 
works continually written which call forth the 
sentences quoted at the commencement of my let- 
ter ? I have already explained some of the causes, 
and shall mention others at a later opportunity. 
In this letter I shall treat of only one, the most 
important and most general cause, which exerts 
its injurious influence over even richly-gifted com- 
posers, who possess complete mastery over all the 
technlcjil resources of Art. This manner of writ- 
ing is t(jo complicated ; they fall into the error of 
exaggerated and preeminent mlyphony, — of too 
complicated part-writing ; that is, they let too nmntj 
voices (or parts), which are individiially equally 
significant, speak ^^ufiulkwenu.'iijf. In order to re- 
alize vividly the perverseness of such a proceeding, 
imagine the forty men in an orchestra to be 
oratoi'S, not musicians ; speaktuf/, not ])laying, — 
and that each endeavored to utter an individual 
and different idea, or to relate an individual and 
diflicrent story ; — and that all talke<l together, 
now loudly, now whisperingly, and now scream- 
ingly ; — you would understand none of the speak- 
ers, and merely hear a confused mass of words. 
Do not call this exaggeration. You must your- 
self assuredly remember, even in the works of the 
best composers, certain passages throughout which 
the instruments of an orchestra assail the public 
ear and claim its attention simultaneously by dosc- 
Iv-jostled and vociferous phrases, so that you can 
discern nothing but a meaningless "sound and 
fury, signifying nothing." But I will simplify the 



illustration : let only four persons address you 
simultaneously, each telling you something difi'er- 
enl, and then rej)eat to me what you have com- 
pn^liended from this cojivcrsalion. 

I know the argument you may advance in op- 
position to what I have said ; — I know that a good 
eom|K)ser can, in a (piartet, let four parts siuml- 
taneously flow, and give to each an important 
meaning, without tlisturbing the attention of a 
priictised listener or good nuisician, — without be- 
crnning partly or entirely unintelligible. But, in 
this case, the different parts may utter dilferent 
melodies, but they express one identical feeling ; 
at all events, each ])art does not express a totally 
opposite feeling. Such passages do exist, — pas- 
sages even of highest beauty, — in many master- 
pieces ; but they can only be recognized by the 
.scientific or artistic listener; to the general public 
they remain for ever unfathomable mysteries. 
But passages of this nature, even in the most mas- 
terly productions, are some of them incoujprehen- 
sible, even to the ijrofoundt'st nuisician, and are 
merely a Jiabil of music ; therefore they produce 
no effect, or, which is worse, produce an unpleas- 
ant eflect, as must be owned bv every connoisseur 
trho irill honest/// confess the real impression made 
on his soul. Even the greatest masterpieces have 
their defects, because their creatore were but men, 
and not perfect beings: not the less, however, for 
this reason are they to be piized for their invalu- 
able merit. Examine the scores of the Ix-st mas- 
ters, from Ilaydn to Beethoven (excepting the 
last work of the latter) ; seek out the artificially 
constructed polyphone passages, and compare them 
witii those we call homophone, in which only one 
part stands j^rominent, while the rest accompany 
it simply, and you will convince yourself that those 
polyphone passages form a very small minority, 
while the large majority consists of simple, and 
consiHpiently, comprehensible, agreeable, express- 
ive and melodious phrases. Pray i*emark this 
well, for herein lies the secret of those mastei*s, — 
die secret which appears to be entirely lost amongst 
our modern comuosers, — the secret of aflTording 
delight. Homophone, distinct, simple passages 
are the light ; those artificial polyphone passages 
the shade. Art is simple ; while artificiality is in- 
tricate, confused, and complicated. All art, how- 
ever, is diffleult, and artificiality is easy ; in the 
same manner that creation is more difficult than 
concoction. Man can concoct much, but only 
Heaven, or heaven-inspired genius, can create. 
The invention of a beautiful melody is no trifling 
task, — on the contary, it j)resents great difliculties ; 
but any composer, thoroughly acquainted with the 
technicalities of his science, can at any time, even 
when not under the influence of inspiration, — 
even though ungifted with creative fancy, />i// to- 
gether artificial, |)olyphone piu^sages as he might 
work out an arithmetical enigma. But calcula- 
tion is not invention, and concoction is not crea- 
tion. 

The want of eflTect, or disagreeable effect, dis- 
cernible in many works of our modern coinposei*s, 
may be unhesitatingly pronounced to be attribut- 
able to the fact that, in their works, the relative 
number of polyphone (complicated) and homo- 
phone (simple, natural) passages are in exactly 
contrary proportion to those examples afibrded by 
our great masterpieces ; they contain very few or 
no simple, melodious combinations, but consist 
principally or entirely of passages of complicated 
structure, which, by the blind adorers of these 
present musical idols, are loudly proclaimed to be 
deep and admirable in their mystery. We are 
told that we must hear this kind of music often, in 
order to discover its beauty. But these idolaters 
betray their own pcrverMty by some words, and 
unwittingly proncmnce the truth. Every one 
s(»eks for melo<ly in music ; when it is not recog- 
nized upon first hearing a work,. f07?i<V///n7 appears 
to be missing, and we say, **It will be well to seek 
once more, and hear the piece ag.iin, as the miss- 
ing article may be concealed amongst the intrica- 
cies of its structure." The al)ove named idolaters 
also miss something, but they cannot tell what; 
yet still they strive, by their plausible phrases of 
"profundity," &c., &c., to throw sand into the 
eyes of the public, in order that it may not discern 
the deficiencies of their idols. 



Too complicated! this is the fault of such musi- 
cal pro<liicti()n.s; — a fault engendered by feebleness 
or want of creative genius, and by mistakeu no- 
litms of beauty ; foriuisguided composei's actually 
do exist, who hold that only that which is artificial 
and scientific can be original, gcnifd, and true, — 
who look down with c()ntem]>t on simple, intellig- 
ible, and graceful music, — and who are under the 
delusion that they can force the public to admire 
their compositions, — that they can induce it to 
believe that a big, thickly-curled and powdered 
wig is more beautiful than natuicil hair. Prizes 
have been oflcred for the l)est synqjlionv that may 
be composed. I would rather ofler prizes for the 
most exi)ressivc, most simple, and therefore the 
best melody of only sixteen bars, which may be 
created. 



A New Valentine. Meyerbeer and Eossini. 

Correupondence of the Eoj<ton Courier. 

Paris, Dec. 16, 1858. — The winter still drugs on 
its commencement in the laziest po.ssihlc way, and 
seems to nniiomuc itself under the most luguhrious 
nspcct. Not a ball has yet been heard of; not a lead- 
ing solon has vet l)ecn opened ; half the pco])Icof any 
fashion arc nt their country houses still, and at the 
opera and nt the ^'Jtutims'* one sees strange faces 
around. Apropos to the former, there is ju.'it the 
shadow of n hit of news to jrlve : A new prima donna 
has come out as Wdentinc in !Meyerl»ecr*s '*JlIiu/uenofs,'* 
and is for the present worthy not only of notice, hut 
of praise. Miulanic Barl>ct is her name, and it was 
an unknown one until now. She has a very fine 
soprano voice, she is voung and handsome, and 
decidedly an actiTss. Slic has even a certain some- 
thing that really all hut approaches to what uni-cflect- 
in<r persons term "ffan'us;" tliat not one in a million 
ever genuinely possesses, but there is a certain spark 
from the great flame, a certain reflection from the 
real light, that whenever it shines, or burns, pleases 
and satisfies the hehoUler. Now this spark, this 
reflected radiance, Madame Barbot undoubtedly has. 
As a mere vocalist, if she were only that, she would 
not Ik5 Fuftirient; but being what she is — young, 
hand.somo, with a fine voice, and very remarkahlo 
dramatic instincts, she is alto;:cther the l)est Valentine 
that has been seen here for the last dozen years. In 
the duct of the third act, with Marcel, Madame Bar- 
bot sings well, and with truth of intonation, (which is 
a great comfort, after the horrible flat-singing every 
one accustoms you to at the Grand Opera) ; but she 
falls into one odious fault at the close of the beautiful 
phrase by which the female voice opens the andante. 
This phrase should be sung in time ; whereas, since 
that day when Madame Grisi first sang the part of 
Valentinr (taught her no doubt by some Italian pro- 
fessor, who arraupal it a sa mauiere,) it has become the 
fashion to make an indefiniic rest upon the la>t high 
note, and thus absolutely distort the entire rhythmic 
sense of the passage. 

In the fourth act, however, (and this is the impor- 
tnnt ])art,) I can almost unreservedly prais^e Madame 
Barbot. She was i-eally very rcmarkal>lc throughout. 
Iler reading of that inost difficult itassa^c, "Peste! 
rente ! je raime !" was, I think, the most peifect I 
have ever heard, being at once the most passionate 
and the most ix»«:retful. It was womanly in the 
extreme — sorrowful and desperate, tender and chaste. 
Too much credit cannot be given to this young singer 
and actress for her performance of this most trying 
srcne. 

As to swelling the chorus of those who chaunt 
Meyerbeer's eulogies for the majrnificencc of certain 
parts of the "IltifjHcnofs" I am not prepared to do it ; 
but I cannot refrnin from describinj; one curious little 
l)roof of the beantv of the fourth aet that passed under 
my own eyes. The box I was in was immediately 
above the entrance to the pit, where stand the police 
ajjents and a gendarme. ToAvards the end of the 
duet, between Ifaoul and Valnitinp, just in the most 
dramatic portion of it, and where i-eally the music, 
when even tolerably executed only, does carry you 
"out of yourself," I chanced to catch a sight of the 
forenio«t Ser<jnit de la rilte. The man was literally 
wrapt in ecstaey! His hands were clasped, his eyes 
strained to devour the action Iwfore him in its every 
detail, and his whole expression one of an intensity 
of admiration, I do not remember ever to have wit- 
nessed. To touch the heart of a policeman ! This 
is a triumph I do not presume any dramatic author, 
lyrical or otherwise, ever before achieved ; and I 
would advise Meyerbeer, if he ever hears it told, to 
put it down as the one largest leaf of his crovm of bay. 

By the bye, there is, talking of great composers, ft 
very interesting anecdote, for the truth of which lean 
vouch. Some months ago, Rossini i*eceived a visit 
from Meyerbeer, and the latter perceived in his illus- 



332 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



trious friend's room, a portrait of Mozart. Ho looked 
at it, and then said : It is not at all like — it is not the 
right one — we have one at the Mozarteums in Saltz- 
bour^, that is the real one, hut this is quite inferior." 
Rossini looked grieved, and said he really was so. 
"I had rejoiced in that portrait." ho observed, "and 
nsed often to look for a long while at the features, 
and cheat myself into the notion I had seen him.** 

When Meyerbeer took his leave, he did so with a 
promiMO to send Uossini a copy of the picture in the 
Mozarteuins, A few weeks ago he brought the Pho- 
tograph to Paris, and sent it to his colleague in 
Apollo. Rossini's letter, written to Mcyerl:^er to 
thank him tor the present, is a chef (Vctuvre (though 
very short) of fine langnage and fine feeling ; and 
there is something touciiing in this homage rendered 
to the glorious authoiiof Don Juan by the authora of 
the Huguenots and of GuiUame Tdl. When men reach 
the topmost heights of renown, one of the first great 
and tfoung qualities that they generally lose is the 
capacity of admiration; they narrow down mostly 
into an excosiive prc-occupation of what they them- 
selves achieve, and what they do rises up and stands 
between them and their appreciation of the beautiful 
in itself. There is a passage in Cousin's volume on 
"Le Vrai, le Beau, et le Bien," that has always struck 
me aa one of the truest and most elevated sentences 
to be found in any modern writer — it is a recommen- 
dation to admire unsparingly : "To discover and to 
prove that beauty fails in such or such a thing, is an 
ungrateful task," says the great philosopher; "to 
understand when beaut v is anywhere present ; to feel 
and make othei*s feel its presence, is an e.xquisite en- 
joyment, a generous undertaking. Admiration is for 
him who can fed it an honor and a happiness. It is a 
happiness to feel the beautiful, it is an honor to reveal 
it to others. Admiration is the sign of a noble intel- 
lect well served by a noble heart. It is the vital prin- 
ciple of superior criticism, of the criticism that does 
good ; it is as it were the god-like part of what men 
call taste." 

I know of nothing finer in the works of any acsthe- 
tician, ancient or modem ; and no better example of 
this instruction put in practice can be found, it appears 
to me, than in the anecdote I have just related. This 
capacity of admiration preserved at an age when the 
smaller instincts are usually most vivacious, and by 
two men who are anytliing save sentimental, seems to 
me a fact to bo chronicled. 

I must, however, add the following conclusion to 
the story : it was told ns 1 tell it you here, by a per- 
son who had read Rossini's letter to Meyerbeer ; and 
after those present had expressed their satisfaction at 
it — "Yes," remarked M. ♦♦♦♦♦, a man famous here 
for his causticity, but I wish Mozart were alive — the 
admiration would be so much the more meritorious !" 
I do not and will not share the doubt here hinted at, 
but I have no right to withhold the story of its hav- 
ing been expressed, for M. 's mot is repeated 

all over Paris. 



For Dwight'i Journal of Musle. 

Mr. Stopers " Hiawatha " Hiuio. 

The Boston Theatre was not over full on Saturday 
evening, at the first public performance of Mr. Robert 
Stobpel's " Hiawatha." The composer calls this 
work a "Romantic Symphony." It is, properly 
speaking, a Cantata, with added recitations. The 
performance was too long, lasting nearly three hours, 
and, if the recitations of Mrs. Stoepel were omitted 
altogether, the work would gain in compactness and 
unity. The attention of the listener is distracted by 
the frequent jumps from speaking to singing and back 
again ; and, though Mrs. Stoepel read her part with 
less of her usual peculiarities of manner, the musical 
portion, if given by itself, would be less tedious and 
more interesting. 

Mr. Stoepel had the advantage of an excellent or- 
chestra. The delicacy and good taste, with which all 
the instrumental portion was given, were a delightful 
experience to ears irritated by the noisy, coarse play- 
ing of Mr. Ansclmtz's band. The orchestra on Satur- 
day was well constituted, having four contra-bassi, 
and a lar^ body of strings. It is gratifying to find a 
band, composed entirely of Boston musicians, play 
with so much unity, precision, and true artistic feel- 
ing. The chorus, like all our home-made choruses, 
•ang in that business-like, steady, respectable manner, 
which, though it insures correctness, is inconsistent 
with any enthusiasm or hearty sympathy in the sing- 
ers, and thence, of necessity, in the audience. Mr. 



Stocpcl's choral music, being mostly mystical and 
fanciful in design, sufTcrxjd especially from this see- 
saw mechanical stylo of singing. 

Of the three solo singci-s, Mrs. Harwood and Mr. 
Millard both did justice to their parts. Not so Mr. 
Wetiierdee, for lack of voice. Mrs Harwood sang 
with a good taste and refinement that she has not 
lately accustomed us to. She has great natural ad- 
vantages of voice and person, and might be an excel- 
lent singer, if she would always do as well as on Sat- 
urday. Mr. Millard has a pleasant light tenor voice, 
and sings in a good Italian method. He is apt to 
sacrifice the words to the notes, but our mother- 
tongue is so desperately hard to distinctly enunciate 
in singing, that we cannot be very severe with him for 
this peculiarity. As a whole, the performance was a 
very fair one ; and, allowing for the difficulty of 
rightly judging a work of any importance at one 
hearing, a tolerable idea could be gained on Saturday 
of Mr. Stoepol's claims as a composer — so far as this 
production is concerned. 

It seems almost damning him with faint praise to 
say that " Hiawatha " is a composition creditable to 
Mr. Stoepel ; and yet we cannot, in honesty, judging 
only from Saturday's experience, say more. There 
is no bad music in the piece, but neither is there 
much that is especially good, or indeed in any way 
remarkable. It is well orchestrated, the vocal parts 
are \vritten with knowledge of the requirements and 
capacities of the voice, and the whole composition is 
free from crudities or any glaring faults. It is the 
work of a man who understands his business, and 
knows the ttse of his tools. But it seems to be rather 
the result of thought, time and labour, tlian the spon- 
taneous creation of a mind which must make itself 
understood from the presence of ideas demanding ut- 
terance. Not that Mr. Stoepel's melodies are often 
far-fetched or artificial, but that they are common- 
place, being rather correct cantabile phrases, duly ac- 
cented and pointed, than vivid, salient tunes. Tliere 
is a certain monotony in the whole work — the or- 
chestra is always used properly, the parts are full, 
each instrument having its share, but there is never 
anything which seizes the attention of the hearer, 
which compels him to listen — no new effects of so- 
nority— it is all quite right, and according to receipt, 
but it is hardly anything more. And so in the voice 
parts — they are unobjectionable, cleverly written, 
sometimes quite pretty, and that is all. The couplets, 
" Cradle song," very nicely done by Mrs. Harwood, 
are good, genuine, vocal music, such as is agreeable 
to both singer and listener, with a well-written, flow- 
ing accompaniment. The Barcarole of Mr. Millard 
we did not like as well. The rhythm is affected, and 
the composer seems to be striving After an effect of 
careless gayety, which he does not-succeed in obtain- 
ing. The Trio at the end of Part 1st, (as much of it 
as was audible,) the bass part being for the audience 
a mere hypothesis, was well done, and is perhaps as 
good a specimen of Mr. Stoepel's manner as any 
number in the piece. The "Beggar Dance," for 
Orchestra, in Part 2d, excellently played, is a characte 
ristic bit, and though not very new in idea,J]ad a 
certain savage energy in it, resembling in its rhythm 
the melodies of the Arabs. Mr. Millard's couplets, 
"Onaway ! awake, beloved," were deservedly encored. 
They are two stanzas offender, gracefal music, sung 
by Mr. M. with a pathos and expression that did him 
credit. In the " Chorus of Ravens," Mr. Stoepel's 
memory got the better of his invention — it too close- 
ly resembles the " Valse infernale " in Meyerbeer's 
Robert le Diable. The " Harvest Chorus " commen- 
ces and ends with a smooth, well balanced melody, 
nicely harmonized, bat it is disfigured by the intro- 
duction of a trivial waltz tune, the only really incon- 
gruous thing in the whole piece. The " Chorus of 
Ghosts," which follows, is too much spun-out ; there 
is in it however more colour and truth to the senti- 
ment indicated than in any other portion of the work. 



The first part of Minnehaha's death-song, put into the 
form of couplets (a style the composer seems to affect), 
is ugly, the passages being saccad€ and the intervals 
unvocttl ; the ending is a very plaintive and charming 
piece of soprano singing. The finale is the best 
piece in the whole composition — tlie theme is lus- 
cious, ear-haunting and appropriate — well wrought 
out in the voices and orchestra, long-continued, yet 
coherent, and die conclusion is especially original 
and beautiful. 

" Hiawatha " was at least a mrees rf* estime-^ per- 
haps something more — how much more time alone 
can show. Judged as the work of a prnciiscd and 
experienced composer, it merits no great cnloginm ; 
but if it be, as we believe it is, the first composition 
of any magnitude that Mr. Stoepel has produced, it 
does him great credit— more, it is tme, from the 
absence of faults than the presence of merits ; but for 
a young composer it is a work of promise, which we 
trust may be fulfilled. It lacks chiefly what in this 
year of grace, '59, is so hard to find — melodic in- 
vention-^ new musical ideas. Mr. Stoepel has 
shown that he knows perfectly how to write ; let him 
now prove that he can also produce what shall be 
really worth writing. He has mastered the manners- 
let him show that he has in him the matter, without 
which a composer, however finished his style, is less 
an artist than an artizan. C. J. T. 




«««AM^«^««MMM 



ttsital Ctrrresponhnrt. 

I.I... ■-.-.. ..■.■■■---■■ ■ ^ . ^^ .. ^^ . ^ . 

New York, Dec. 31, 1858. — Mr. Goldbeck's 
third concert, on Thursday of last week, was not as 
attractive in any respect, as his former ones. Tlie 
programme was much more common-place, and the 
performances not so good. Mr. Goldbeck gave ns 
chiefly his own compositions, and not the most inter- 
esting of those. A "Fantasia from Trwatore,*' and 
"Improvisations on the "3farseillaise" savor rather 
more of humbug than is worthy of an artist like Mr. 
Goldbeck. Liszt's "Preludes" for two pianos, though 
excellently played by Messrs. Goldbeck and Ma- 
SOK, was as uninteresting as are all the compositions 
of the great pianist. Two Etudes hy Mr. Goldbeck 
were the most pleasing things that he gave us. Be- 
sides all this, we had a solo from Ed. Mollbxhauek, 
and vocal pieces by Misses Axdem and Com stock, 
and Dr. Guilxette. The second named young 
lady is a recent ddbutante ; she has a fine, sympa- 
thetic voice, and pleasing, unassuming manners. I 
would, however, advise her to sing pieces that lie orig- 
inally in the compass of her voice, and not spoil the 
effect of others by transposition, as she did with 
Beethoven's Ah perfido, which was in itself rather 
difl^icult for her. 

On Christmas night, the Harmonic Society gave 
their annual performance of the "Messiah," with I 
am sorry to say, their annual faults. It is painful to 
be unable from year to year to discern the least im- 
provement in the eflTorts of such a society. This 
proves but too plainly how little real Art-love has to 
do with these performances. I refer of course, mere- 
ly to the chorus ; the solo singers always give more 
or less satisfaction, none more so than Miss Brainbrd, 
with her pure, true voice, and her earnest conception 
of what she sings. A refreshmg contrast to the Har- 
monic Society was presented by the "Lciderkrani," 
in their production of "The Creation," on Tuesday 
last. I have rarely if ever heard better chonis sing- 
ing in our city. The precision and spirit with which 
the charming music was rendered, told of earnest 
practice. The only fiiult one could find was in the 
first chorus, where the beginning was not sufficiently 
pianissimo, to give the full eflfect to "And there was 
Light." Of the solos, I regret that I cannot give the 
same good account ; Madame Cavadori, it is true, 
did her part, and more than her part, admirably, inas- 
much as on account of the illness of M'me. ZrxxBR- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1859. 



333 



1 1 



MAKK, sho represented both Gabriel and Eve. Mr. 
Uncns, who 6ang Adam, was also gdbd, bat of the 
other two gentlemen tho least said the better, in view 
of their having volunteered their services for a benev- 
olent object. The orchestra also did tlioir part ex- 
ceedingly well, and on the whole, the very numerons 
audience appeared very well satisfied. 

The New Year was yesterday worthily ushered in 
by one of Mason and Thomas's Mntinbes, which was 
A rich treat. Beethoven's quartet, Op. 17, No. 6, was 
exquisitely played, and was followed by solos from 
Wm. Mason and Theodore Thomas. Mr. Mason 
gave us a Ballade and Etude of his own, which seemed 
to me, at first hearing, to be for above common worth. 
Mr. Thomas played a Taranttlle of Schubert, which 
was extremely interesting both from its novelty and 
its great beauty. It opens with a slow introduction, 
the long-drawn, melodious tones of which were most 
finely rendered by the young violinist. The Tarantelle 
movement is very original, and full of strength and 
vigor, to which the player also did ample justice. The 
fourth and last number of the programme was anoth- 
er novelty, a Trio by Baroiel. 

Who is Bargiel? some may ask. He is a half-brother 
of Clara Sciiumank, and still quite a young man. 
The name brings to us pleasant memories of a stay 
in Berlin, where some dear friends took lessons 
of him, and told me much about him. Also of a 
meeting, some months later, with Betttna and her 
daughters at Weimar, and an afternoon spent with 
them there, where we were joined by Joachim, Hans 
T. Bnclow, and Bargiel, whom the latter introduced, 
and in whom I was surprised to find so young and 
diminutive an individual. It is only since then, I 
think, that he has made his debut as a composer. 
And this is not one of the least of his class, this Trio 
proves. It abounds in originality, has pleasing melo- 
dies, and is very beautifully instrumented. Of course 
one hearing of a work of this kind cannot enable one 
to judge of its merit ; but the impression itself was a 
most favorable one, particularly so as it was very 
finely interpreted by Messrs. Maf^on, Thomas and 
Bergmann. The concert was held in Dodworth's 
Hall, and I am sure many a regretful thought of poor 
EiBFELD mnst have mingled with the sensations 
produced by the music. Many of us miss him sadly 
this winter, but unfortunately there are but few of those 
who did miBS him who are willing to befriends i;i deed 
in both senses. Messrs. Noll, Beyer, and Berguer, 
Mr. Eisfeld's colleagues in the quartet, have issued 
a circular, proposing to continue the qartet soii'^es in 
Mr. Eisfeld's name, with the assistance of a number 
of pianists, and those artists who have offered their 
seavices, and to appropriate the proceeds lor the ben- 
efit of Mr. Eisfeld ; but, will you believe it, the requi- 
site number of subscribers, small at best, could not 
be mustered 1 Is it not a crying shame that a man 
who has devoted himself to the cause of Art so dis- 
interestedly, and for so many years, who is so well 
known and liked, can not find "in time of need, more 
appreciation and gratitude." — t — 



New York, Jan. 11. — Who can complain at the 
present day, of not being able to hear enough good 
music in New York, when, in thirty-six hours (as 
was the case last week) he has the opportunity of lis- 
tening to Le Nozze di Fignro, Don Giovanni , and a 
Philharmonic concert (with its morning rehearsal). 

Of the operas I can tell you nothing new, after 
your own interesting analyses and criticisms. The 
representations were both very happy ones, and it 
was a great treat to me to hear Figaro once more for 
the first time since my visit to Germany. In Don 
Giovanni, (which was given as a matinee), Piccolo- 
MiNi's conception of Zerlina is indeed quite a novel 
one, but her interpretation is so irresistably charming 
and cunning, that one cannot bat be attracted by the 
new character which she creates. 

The Philharmonic concert was one of the finest, if 



not the finest, which has ever taken place in New 
York. The programme had but two faults, it was 
too long, (more from the length of its pieces than 
from their number,) and there was a little too much 
of Mendelssohn. The excellence, however, of what 
there was, would make one forget this. The Sym- 
phony was played with rare perfection, and, even 
new in its great beauty, was hailed with warm ap- 
plause. The Overtures too, were very finely ren- 
dered. That by Schubert is very spirited, but needs 
a nearer acquaintance to be fully appreciated. We- 
ber's " Ruler of the Spirits," wo have heard before ; 
and, though not as attractive as some others by the 
same master, it is always welcome. Madame Johk- 
son-Graetbr was warmly welcomed, having al* 
ready won a high place in the regard of the musi- 
cal public. The playing was what it always is, but 
the composition was not so effective, by any means, 
as other pieces of her repertoire. It was tame and 
heavy, and long, and struck me as hardly worthy of 
its author. Towards the end, too, Mme. Graever 
showed signs of fatigue, which made it still more un- 
interesting. As a composition it was, in every re- 
spect, a striking contrast to the beautiful, melodious, 
soulful violin concerto, the performance of which, by 
Mr. " Bruno Wollenhaupt, was one of the novel- 
ties of the evening. This gentleman is a younger 
brother of the pianist, and composer of the same 
name, in this city. He has been a pupil of Vieux- 
temps, if I am not mistaken, and has just returned 
from several years of study abroad. This was his 
first appearance here, and he has reason to be well 
satisfied with his reception. His bold and spirited, 
and yet deeply expressive playing, his clear, strong 
tone, and the evident enthusiasm which accompanied 
his performance, roused the audience to a degree 
seldom before equalled. He bids fair to occupy a 
prominent position in the musical world of our city, 
and all who are interested in the cause and progress 
of music will join me in heartily wishing him all 
success, and in the hope of hearing him often in 
public. 

Another new feature in Saturday's programme 
was the two choruses. The first is of acknowledged 
beauty, but it loses much in being torn from the ope- 
ra, where the situation adds so much to its impressive- 
ness. For this reason the chorus from Rienzi, which, 
though far inferior in intrinsic value, was noisy, spir- 
ited, and finely harmonized and instrumented, proved 
far more effective, and was encored. The choral 
parts were very well sung, but in the solos there was 
much room for improvement. 

Regular opera-goers are having "a good time," 
now. The new season commences on Thursday 
with Don Giovanni, substituted, (on account of Brig- 
noli's indispos^ition) for La Zingara; on Friday night 
Figaro, for the same reason, was given instead of 
MartJia. Saturday, as I have told you, Don Gioixm- 
ni again as a matinee. N. B. Does it not strike you 
that PoiNSOT, splendidly as her voice suits the part 
of Donna Anna, is wanting in delicacy in the repre- 
sentation of that part ? In the touching scene after 
the death of her father, for instance, not to mention 
other similar instances, she screamed out Uie music, 
with no regard to the situation ; with the recollection 
of the heart-broken, touching pianissimo tones with 
which I have heard others breathe out their lament 
over the corpse, the effect of this was very unpleasant 
tome. 

Last night La Zingara was at last produced — at 
least the papers do not say that it was again post- 
poned — and to-day, for tlie benefit of the St. 
George's Society, there is to be a mating, with 
Martha and La Serva Padrona, and a concert and 
oratorio in the evening, when, besides miscellaneous 
music, the finest parts of the " Creation" will be giv- 
en, the choruses oy the Liedorkranz, and the solos by 
the artists of the opera. Apropos of Martha, I am 
glad to find that you are convened from your dislike 
to it. Of iu kind I have always thought it one of 
the prettiest of litUe operas, both in plot and music. 



New York, Jan. S, 1859. — I find in my Owl 
Book [page 894, parapraph XXIX.] the following 
profound axiom : " He who talks most, balks most," 
which I suppose may be also applied to writing, 
though I have not the direct authority of the Owl 
Book in support of this theory. My object for quot- 
ing the above beautiful axiomatic phrase, is to con- 
fess that I may have talked or written too much. 
Your correspondent " — t — " appears to think that I 
have written flippantly in regard to the mystical 
signature appended to the communications of said 
correspondent ; consequently I would wish to public- 
ly protest against any such misconstruction of my 
words. " — ^t — " is viewed by me with too much 
respect to make me desire to indulge in flippancy to- 
wards the said individual. 

And as I write with my cherished Owl Book by my 
side, my eye falls on another paragraph, and I read : 
"When a vacuity in extraneous objects presents itself 
to the astonished and wondering gaze, when the nsual 
functions of activity in social, moral and physical 
matter, are divested of their identity, and lost in the 
vortex of void, when there in short remains but a 
nonentity of actions to be performed, it is expedient 
that those requirements be fullfilled without an inter- 
vening iota of time, forming a deteriorating chasm." 
This beautiful — I may say eloquent passage may be 
abridged, (as it will be in my juvenile edition of the 
Owl Book), into "When you have nothing to do, do 
it at once," and thus yon will see it has direct refer- 
ence to my musical duties during the past week. 
There has been nothing to do, and with that unflinch- 
ing fortitude, and that prompt alacrity for which I am 
so eminent, I did it. 

To be sure, there were some Gorman demonstra- 
tions. Haydn's " Creation " was given in German 
text by a German musical soeiety, with German solo- 
ists, for the benefit of a German charitable society, 
and before an exclusively German audiencoi Then 
another set of Germans hired the Academy of Music 
one evening, and gave a $2-a-ticket-concert for another 
German benevolent affair. 

Then there was a little hemi-private, demi-pnblic 
concert given by the Sunday School of St. George's 
Church, in aid of a building fund for a missionary 
church to be erected in some part of the city. Mol- 
lenhauer, the violinist, played, and Mr. Georob 
Bristow, the organist of the church, presided at the 
piano. There was some mediocre singing, the chief 
applause of the evening being allotted to Aptomxas 
the harpist, who played a number of his most beauti- 
ful selections. iHe is a member of this church, and a 
personal friend of the pastor, Rev. Dr. Tyng, It 
was a very gratifying concert, and all those who took 
part in the musical performance, gave their services, 
gratuitously. 

Our city churches take more interest in music than 
they used to, and I notice, that the plan of having 
children take part in the musical portion of the exer- 
cises is becoming more general. Quartet choirs are 
falling below par. By the way, Miranda, the tenor 
of Cooper's English Opera Troupe, has been engaged 
to sing at Dr. Macauley's Church in Fifth Avenue. 
Dr. GuiLMETTE, the baritone, too sings there, and 
William A. Kino, formerly of Grace Church, is 
the organist. They have just got a new oiigan, built 
by Robjohn, of this city — who once was famous as 
a balloonist and dabbler in leronantic experiments — 
which possesses some very peculiar features. 

We have some very beautiful churches in this city, 
and some of them are furnished with excellent choirs. 
It is my intention to go prowling about them this 
winter, and I may thus be enabled to furnish yon 
with some particulars in regard to the New York 
churches and their music. Trotator. 



Philadelphia, Jan. 10. — Ullman's characteris- 
tic grandiloquent manifestoes, are even now laining 
with floodlike vehemence upon the public of PhiU- 



334 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



delphia; and ere long will the excitements of a- 
magnificent opera season burst over the polite circles 
of the city, like a mighty freshet which bears away 
erery opposing barrier. Piccolomini, Formes, & 
Co. are announced for Friday night, to appear in the 
" Child of the Regiment ; " and I propose, next 
week to record, in the columns of your Journal, the 
extent of success which they will then have achieved 
here. For my own part, I have heard la petite Comp- 
tesse in New York, and I promise her that position in 
the hearts of opera habituds here, which a pretty face, 
consummate «i»w /aire, fascinating grace, excellent 
identification with character, and dramatic intensity 
invariably acquire for the foot-light cantatrice. The 
Harmonia Sacred Music 'Society presents, in its an- 
nounced concert for to-night, two features which must 
insure an appreciative and remunerative audience. 

1. Miss Hekrietta Sikox, a reputed pupil of the 
gifted La Grange, makes her debut in this city. She 
is represented to be a charming singer, with a singu- 
larly flexible, rich, and s}'mpathetic voice, and a 
truthful method which she has assiduously cultivated 
for several years. Much interest seems to be evinced 
in this first appearance of a young lady, who has re- 
ceived an unqualified endorsement from so distin- 
guished a preceptress. 

2. The second prominent feature of this entertain- 
ment consists in fingers and feet mechanically, and in 
brains intellectually. Mr. Charles Jerome Hop- 
kins, styled " the young American organist," is this 
other predominant feature. We have heard him be- 
fore ; and it seems to mo I then wrote to yon, that his 
execution was correct and brilliant, nis improvisation 
finished, and his knowledge of the instrument perfect, 
but that his impulsive temperament served to mar the 
fine rhythmic effect of the elegant compositions which 
he performed. You shall have a detailed account of 
all these entertainments, operatic and concert, next 
week. Man RICO. 



For Dvlght's Journal of Huslo. 

Mr. StoBpeFs Romantic Sympliony 
"Hiawatha." 

Mr. Editor : — Happening to be in Boston in time 
to have the pleasure of hearing the first production 
of this new work, I am prompted to oflfer you a few 
hasty notes of my impressions. Mr. Robert Stob- 
pel is a clever musician, and the Sinfonia-Cantata 
" Hiawatha " is unquestionably a work of high art, 
challenging regard for much excellence rather in its 
descriptive than in an intrinsically musical aspect. 
Yet in detail much might be improved as regards the 
symmetry and euphony of the toute ensemble. 

It is not for me, only afler a first hearing, to dare 
enter minutely into an explication of my views rela- 
tive to certain passages and counter-passages of this 
meritorious composition. Nor would it be fair to the 
gifted composer were I to analyze and dissect his oflT- 
spring, amidst a people to whom ho is a stranger, 
and whose musical predilections and sympathies lie 
not in the same channel as his ; because I have yet 
to hear it again in order to find out many of its beau- 
ties and to apply dispassionately the touch-stone of 
criticism to its many part^. 

But a slight examination of ''Hiawatha'' without 
entering fully into its various phases would ensure 
the belief that it is destined to enjoy public favor, if 
not as an entire work, at least ])nrtially. 

The opening of the symphony is very suggestive 
of the reading relative to the Peace-pipe in the wilder- 
ness, and the attempt to illustrate the rising smoke, 
although somewhat vague and indefinite, is however 
characteristic. The song of the Great Spirit, which 
was sung rather tamely by Mr. Wetherdee, is a 
sort of aostenuto movement, in which the orchestra does 
more than the singer, and one calculated to show off 
the upper notes of a Baritone, and I think that this 
song demanded a voice of a more vibrant quality than 
Mr. Wetherbee's, for he was inaudible in some parts, 



so great was the predominance of the brass instru- 
ments. Why is it that the modem maestri rely so 
much on brass for certain effects 1 The disciples of 
Meyerbeer must surely forget that the very timlire of 
certain brass instruments tends to destroy the ideal 
aspect they are intended to convey. The "Siiower 
of Stars,'* musically depicted, was both suggestive 
and pretty, and here the. more delicate in.strument8 of 
tho orchestra stood out in fine character. The first 
strictly metrical movement of the work is presented 
in the choms, describing Nokomis's descent to earth, 
&c. In this there is a pretty fnotii*o rendered very 
striking indeed by the orchestral treatment, especially 
the Pizzicato of the violins. Tho "Cradle Song," so 
admirably sung by Mrs. Harwood, is a sweet pro- 
duction, and the orchestral accompaniment obviously 
supplies the idea of a rocking movement, while the 
song itself recalls a lullaby. Some of tiie intermezzos 
here, as elsewhere were lost through the untimely ap- 
plause. She also rendered very efficiently the "Death 
song of Minnehaha," which is indeed a beautiful pro- 
duction. The hautboy initiates the subject with a fine 
minor solo, after which the song begins, sustained by 
an effective accompaniment. Tho phrases are short 
and piquant^ and in this manner, intelligibly appeal- 
ing to tho love of short phrases, innate in learned and 
unlearned, it drew forth a warm encoi-e, which was 
responded to by the Soprano. The "Canoe Build- 
ing Song " and " Chibiabos' Love Song," sung by 
Mr. Millard, are both gems of tenor songs. The 
first is original, peculiar and somewhat quaint. 

The Tenor did not seem decided and confident in 
rendering it. It seems to me that something sosfenuio 
in character invariably presents such voices in a more 
favorable aspect, than these jerking unsteady move- 
ments. In order that a Tenor should feel his posi- 
tion secure, that is, get accustomed to the orchestra's 
weight, and attune his voice properly to its tempera- 
ment, there is nothing so favorable as passages 
which allow him to lean on his voice, or, to speak d la 
Duprez, " poser la I'oix." He sang tho " Onaway ! 
Awake beloved," with more sweetness and eflfect, and 
received an encore. Such a beautiful composition in 
the serenade form must please any one, and, with the 
exception of a slightybuar pas in tho orchestra, it was 
altogether charming. Mr. Millard's voice is sweet 
and round in the middle reffistre, but not powerful, and 
loses color in the upper notes. It seems better adapt- 
ed for subjects bearing light accompaniments, than for 
those which presuppose the efforts of a tenore di forza. 
Thus the voice was in many plnces over-shaded by 
the fortissimo of the orchestra. His pronunciation is 
not very distinct, but he sings in just tune by way of 
compensation, and this latter "covereth a multitude 
of sins." This serenade bids fair to be a general 
favorite, because the air is strikingly beautiful, and the 
phrases are short and therefore easy to catch, on the 
same principle that short sentences arc more intelligi- 
ble and easier of retention than long ones. 

Tho Trio, " Hiawatha's wooing," by Mrs. Har- 
wood, Messrs. Millard and Wetherbee, is a solemn, 
and chaste morrrau. It begins by the Tenor with a 
passage not unlike church music, and the other parts 
work in gradually, until all unite in concert. The 
accompaniments disconrso a prominent melody while 
the voices have long, flowing sounds. As this is the 
only Trio in the work, I wondered at the audience 
not encoring it, not only for this reason, but especially 
because, as a concerted piece, it is really beautiful. 
The Baritone was hardly powerful enough for the 
others. Mr. Stoepel's orchestral treatment of this 
piece, is artistic and tasteful ; and if nothing else be- 
speaks him a maestro, the Trio, with its admirable 
motives and accompaniments, eloquently proclaims 
it. Tho Orchestral description of " The fight with 
Mudjekccwis " and " Tho War song," was effec- 
tive as a martial piece. Tho drums and clashing of 
instruments against each other by contrary motions, 
although somewhat exaggerated, seemed truthful. 



" The Beggar Dance," in which tho Piccolo begins 
the motive, is not unlike a Scotch giffne in character, 
but not in treatment. Thero is an air of wildncss 
pervading this piece, reminding one of tho tnml*mrr 
dance of Curacao, in which the beats, so rhythmical 
and precise, assumes a higher tone, or rather arc the 
chief characteristic of the whole. Like tho " Dansa 
Habanero," the contrary motions arc greater features 
than tho air or harmony. 

The " Raven's chorus," is the most original of 
all — l>old and characteristic, especially where the 
violins usher in two peculiar notes, so suggestive of 
the Raven's cry. Tho Han-est Chorus is a cheerful 
one. Tho air is pretty and striking, and tho second 
section in tho minor especially sweet and novel in 
stnictnrc. 

Perhaps the most successful illustration is that of 

" Winter." Mr. Stocpel here employs his bassoons 

and clarinets with great judgment, and the Double 

Basses ser\'o, with the Kettle Drums, and with tho 

blast of tho brass instruments, to depict the dismal 

aspect of the " year's decay." The Orchestra was 

fnithful in its trusk, and seemed, on the whole, more 
au fait in this than in the other illustrations. 

TIic last piece of the Cantata is tho " Chorus of 
Spring," wliich drew a warm encore. This piece 
was very characteristic of early spring and the song 
of birds, and other beauties "which spring brings 
forth. The flute had some very sweet passages, and 
indeed all the instruments, toircfhcr with the voices, 
united in presenting a very cheerful and jubilant 
louite ensemble. To close a work of this nature, Mr. 
R. could not have adopted a more eflVctive chorus, 
because cb.eerfnl in the first place, and in the second 
place broad and grand, both as regards its nature and 
treatment. The only elaring defect of the evening 
was the mistake of the Sopranos, who ushered in their 
parts eight bars sooner than the time. The Roading 
by Miss Herox was impassioned and dramatic in 
many points, and on the whole seemed quite in ehar- 
arter and not overdone. There were passages in 
which she was scarcely audible, but no one can man- 
age the voice effcotivelv in a sitting posture. Her 
voice is very musical, although somewhat worn. Yet 
the warmth and earnestness of Miss Heron's reading, 
and her close attention to quantities and euphony, 
even with a less distinct enunciation than she pos- 
sesses, would bo acceptable, and would entitle the 
render to great consideration. To the composer and 
conductor, I would add the compliment that his Can- 
tata is a work which a Berlioz, (the last authority on 
Orchestnition) mipht be prond of. It is, however, a 
production capable of sustaininjr a di«!pa<isionate criti- 
cism, such as would in some few instances, not ex- 
actly suit his theory, hut which perhaps might pre- 
sent a balance in which his merits would outweigh 
his few defects. 

Stray Musician in Modern Athens. 



gfoigjfs lonrnal of glnsit 

BOSTON, JAN. 15, 1B50. 



Mr. Robert Stcepel's " Hiawatha." 

The first production of Mr. Stoepel's " Ro- 
mantic Symphony/' as he has seen fit to call his 
music to the salient points of Longfellow's Indian 
poem, did not draw to the Boston Theatre so 
large an audience as we had hoped to see, or as 
the work deserved. But the impression that it 
made was such as to make it imperative that it 
be performed again. There are, of course, dif- 
ferent opinions of its merit, as there must be 
about any musical work of magnitude, when first 
produced before a comparatively unmusical peo- 
ple. To candid expressions of two such, widely 
differing, but honest, we have given place in 
another part of this paper. If the more cool 
and cautious judgment of " C. J. T." be supposed 
the right one, there is even then enough ac- 
knowledged to give " Hiawatha" a high claim to 
a hearing and to satisfy any musical person that 
he could not hear it without interest. The testi- 
mony of the great majority of those who heard 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1859. 



335 



the work is much more wann, in many instances 
amounting to cntluisiasm, and in some cases lo 
the most desperate extravajrancc of praise. 
Newspaper critics not in superlatives, as if tliey 
had discovered a new Sliakspcare. They talk of 
its marking " an era in our musical history" ! ; of 
" his iufwile resources of counterpoint «ind imita- 
tion " (more could not be said of Bach or Han- 
del) ; of " imaginative and creative genius of the 
highest onler " (what is there left to say of Beet- 
hoven or Mozart ?) ; of having " found no instru- 
mental writing finer than this of Mr. Stccpel's," 
and more ad nnusfam. Let us, at least, avoid all 
such extravagance. Better for the artist that 
his work fail to meet due recognition all at once, 
or for a long time, than that it go forth coupled 
from the first with such pretentions. Never was 
any Beethoven or Mendelssohn, in countries 
where they do appreciate such efforts, greeted on 
a first production in such terms. The title to 
such epithets can only be established in the 
course of time. It is simply presumptuous be- 
cause we like a thing, because it gives us pleas- 
ure or surprise, to place it all at once u{)on a 
level with the greatest that has been achieved by 
human genius. For ourselves, in speaking of 
Mr. Stocpel's music, we feel that it would be pre- 
sumption either to call it great^ to hail it as a 
work of high imaginative genius, or to deny that 
it has real claims upon the world's attention. 

What we can sincerely say is, that we listened 
to the whole with great, with unexpected pleas- 
ure. Regarding the performance from no con- 
ventional or absolutely musical point of view, but 
simply as an entertainment sui generis, as a form 
of Art quite novel and peculiar, to-wit, the illus- 
tration of a poem, based on wild Indian life, by 
means of instruments and voices, with the aid of 
recitation, we found it deeply interesting to the 
end. There was a wild, romantic charm about 
it, entirely, at it seemed to us, in keeping with 
the poem. We enjoyed the music quite as much 
as we enjoy the poem. We never could admire 
the ** Song of Hiawatha " so much as some other 
poems of its author. Perhaps our difficulty is 
with Indian subjects altogether. In spite of their 
picturesque life, and their romantic legends, there 
is a certain monotony, a certain faded, superan- 
nuated sort of feeling, that comes over us in read- 
ing of them. This savage, dying out life lacks 
just that germinal vitality out of which poetry, 
and certainly all music springs. Hence we felt 
with " C. J. T." that this music was somewhat 
monotonous, while, at the same time it seemed all 
the ti-uer therein to the poem ; and therefore its 
success or unsuccess could scarcely be a full test 
of the musical creative powers of the composer in 
the truest sense. 

But while it was monotonous it was also inter- 
esting, in many parts beautiful, and not without a 
wild, peculiar charm. Of form and treatment 
there was variety enough ; the monotony consisted 
rather in the absence throughout of what we 
should call imaginative vitality. A man may be 
a fine musician, (as Mr. Stcepel plainly is), and 
have a fine poetic temperament, and yet lack 
that ; it belongs to the great men ; it is an attri- 
bute of that which is the rarest thin^ in this 
world, genius. The only work we know of in 
the same formjs the " Desert " by Felicien David : 
and we must] say that we enjoyed " Hiawatha " 
far more than we did that. " Hiawatha " seemed 
to us to have more meat in it ; more musical ma- 



terial ; more thought ; more wealth of color ; 
more variety. The instrumental portions were 
what ])leased us most. Indeed Mr. Stccpel shows 
himself a master of orchestral combinations ; he 
is at home there, to say the least. 

The opening snatches of instrumental music were 
suggestive of the poetic images, the forest stillness, 
the risking smoke, &c. ; and the " Song of the Great 
Spirit " is a grave, nppropriato melody, with fit or- 
chestral background, delivered with taste, but without 
telling weight of voice hy Mr. Wetherbek. The 
chorus No. 2, has a sweet melodious kind of motive, 
warmly colored hy the insti*uments, but not particu- 
larly striking, although there arc nice effects in the 
orchestra. The suggestion of starlight in high violin 
tones was delicate and pure. The " Cradle Song," 
a simple, tender melody, a little commonplace, was 
beautifully sung by Mrs. IIarwood. The " Canoe 
building song," is a spirited, quaint Barcarole, not, 
perhaps, particularly original in its theme, but set off 

brightly by the orchestra. It was cfTcctivcly sung by 
Mr. Millard, and we wondered that it was not en- 
cored like the other solos. 

The " Fi'jht with Mudjckccwis," was a very im- 

fressivc instrumental piece, beginning with strange 
ndian-likc balancings and approaches, as of first one 
partv and then the other, indicated by short, rude, 
ponncrous ])hrascs, which are worked up with effec- 
tive imitations, till the conflict iKJComes grand and ex- 
citing, and the piece ends with smart, crisp, fiery 
chords, reiterated with all the force of the instruments, 
in a manner that might remind one a little of one of 
Beethoven's fiery overtures, say Coridanm. This 
seemed to us the Inist piece. The " Wooing " Trio, 
is fidl of ingenuity, and doubtless of beauty, which 
was marred in the performance. 

The " Beggar Dance," in its opening " solemn 
measure " is thoroughly Indian, barren of course of 
all but rhythm, and vet worked up to be musically 
interesting ; the jig-like movement into which it led 
sounded a little too familiar ; the Indians must have 
known rum and white men before they danced to such 
tunes. The " Love Song" won great applause, and 
is really a charming serenade. There was something 
choice and delicate, and really poetic, as it struck us, 
in the music of the " Blessing of the Cornfield," — 
something mystical, and yet innocent, as it should be. 
And after this the " Ravens " come in with their 
quaint, eawing, saucy phrases with most effective con- 
trast. The chorus, though, of male voices, wanted 
rehearsal. This is a thing scarcely to be secured here 
to a degree requisite to the fair representation of a 
new work ; and this was one of the many obstacles 
which Mr. S. had had to contend with. TThe " Ilnr- 
vest Chorus " is beautifully natural and simple in its 
motive, and not eommon-place. "Winter" and the 
"Ghosts" is the one scene where the poem rises to sub- 
limity. We thoujrht the orchestral picture very true, 
and the chorus which followed exceedingly impres- 
sive and mournful, commenced by the sopranos on a 
high pitch, admirably prepared by contrast in the low 
and sombre instrumental harmonies. The " Death 
Song " was touching, and the " Keturn of Spring " 
chorus, while it reminded one very stronp:ly of the 
opening of Spohr's " Consecration of Tones " Sym- 
phony, by its bird-imitations, &c., by the way in which 
the leading melody sets out, is yet original, and broad 
and noble. Its fault was only too great length, too 
many returns of the theme. 

The readings by Mrs. Stcepel were finclv con- 
ceived, and sometimes touchingly dramatic, but to 
our tnste, plain, simple reading, without action, would 
be more appropriate, leaving all the colorinj; of the 
poet's idea to the music. There was something very 
pleasant, and which at once commanded respect, in the 
thoroughly sympathetic and earnest manner in which 
the lady entered with her whole heart into the pro- 
duction of her husband's work. And he, too, cininied 
the most respectful nttcntion, hy the modest, gentle- 
manly, firm nnd quiet air with which he pi"csidcd 
over the performance of his own work. He showed 
himself an excellent conductor. So that altogether 
it was a unique, a refined, artistic, intellectual oc- 
casion. 

These arc mere hints of first impressions— cautions, 
as we think they should be. We purposely abstain 
from entering into a critical analysis of the work. 
Our object now is simply to show that "Hiawatha" 
merits to be performed again, many times, and that it 
fairly claims that much more generid and appreciative 
hearing which we are sure it must have when it is re- 
peated. We are glad to learn that it is the compos- 
ers 's intention to produce it here again within a few 
weeks. 



Musical Chit-Ghat 

Need we remind our readers of Carl Zerrahn's 
fii-st Orchestral Concert at the Music Hall this even- 
ing ? This is the occasion which most of all others, 
under our musical circumstances, deserves a fall 
house and the most lil)eral patronages. The really 



important " events in a community not more 

advanced in music than wo are, are not the rarest 

novelties, not the productions of new works, new 

experiments, but whatever tends to the institution, 
permanently, of opportunities of hearing and know- 
ing the acknowledged master-works of musical genius. 
We could better afford never to hear a new play, 
than wo could to go on in ignorance of Shakspeare. 
So in music, we want to make it sure that we shall 
always have the chance to hear the Symphonies of 
BEKTiiovKy, &c. Such chances must depend in 
future on the support we give to enterprises like Mr. 
Zerrahn's. Let every real music-lover go to-night. 
Give the thing a good start. Then we shall get more 
and more of the best sort of music. Read his pro- 
gramme in another column. The "Pastoral Svm- 
phony," the overtures, &c., are surely rich attraction. 
And there will be I)eside6 the opportunity of listening 
for the first time to an American lady who has won 
much fame both in this country and in Europe by her 
vocal powers. A sjKcial train will convey vassettgers 
out to UrooUine after the concert. . . . The MEKDEL- 
BHOHN Quintette Club's concert last night, was 
too late fornotice in this number.. . . The Harvard 
Musical Association hold their annual meeting at 
the Bevcrc House on Monday evening. Menil)er8 
will please notice advertisement, which was accident- 
ally omitted in our last. 



About Old Books. 

Berlin, Dec. 3, 1858. This letter is all about 
old books — mostly queer old good-for-nothing things, 
but on the whole not unpleasant to see if you are fond 
of old specimens of ]>rinting. 

One of the ' hobbies ' of our country newspapers is 
an old book. Someljody happens to get sight of a 
Bible, or a Latin or Greek book, two centuries old, and 
a description of it goes into the next village newspa- 
per, and this is copied far and wide — from the At- 
lantic to the Pacific. Now in general these are only 
cases of the discovery of mares' nests, with very large 

eggs. Still the feeling, which lies at the bottom of 
these articles is one with which I heartily sympathize. 
I have loved an old book from childhood, and remem- 
ber now how I pored over the Life of Prince Eugene 
of Savoy, when but seven or eight years of age — not 
because I care for Eugene, and Malborough, and the 
Emperor, and all those old fellows, so much as be- 
cnuse the book was more than a hundred years old ! 
The idea is among our people that books of three to 
four centuries of age are very rare, and the old 
Thomas Aquinas (about 1470) in Harvard College 
Library is one of the most interesting books there to 
visitors in general. They have an idea also that such 
books are very costly — far beyond the means of pri- 
vate individuals — schools, town libraries, and the 
like. For my own part I believe that every library 
should have one or two really old books, even though 
not a person who uses the collection could read them. 
Such things beget an interest in old literature, they 
bring up a hundred subjects of inquiry — and give in 
some sort a standard of comparison by which to judge 
of literary aniicjuity. Suppose in the library of the 
Normal School at Frnmingham, or the town library at 
Natick, the Aquinas just mentioned was to !h» seen — 
it would soon become a familiar exnmple of ancient 
printing to many, who have never seen anything of 
half its ap:o and probably never will. 

Now, in regard to the expense of obtaining copies 
of old works. Except in a few cases, which are not 
likely to |occur to any of us mere antiquity does not 
give a book any high value ; the great prices paid 
oftentimes for hooks, consisting only of some half a 
dozen leaves, depend upon other circumstances. Let 
me give some examples of books which have met my 
eye while examining catalogues of antiquarian boolt- 
sellers for musical works. The first that I open to is 
a book for sale in this city. Ii consists of only 8 
pnges, small (juarto, six or eight inches square per- 
haps. There is a copy of it in the College Library at 
Cambridge, and in one or two other American libra- 
ries. I think the Cambridge copy cost i^20 — about 
$100. Why should this have such a value ? Because 
it is the letter of Columbus, " de InsuUs nuper inventis,** 
(concerning the Islands lately discovered) printed in 
Latin in 1493 — a few months only after the dis- 
covery. The price of the copy for sole here is $75 of 



336 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



oar money. Now another bookseller here has one of 
Aquinas' works, a great folio rolnmo of a thousand 
pages or more— it was printed before thoy numbered 
the pages — ten years older than the Columbus book 
— 1453 — a fiye-dollar bill would buy it, and more 
too. 

On another catalogue I find a Dutch book — "Bes- 
chreijvinge van Virginia, Nieum Nederiandt, Nieuv 
Engelandtf &c." This has a map and pictures^ 
printed in 1657, — and van der Douck's " Beschri- 
jvinge van Ntum Nederlandt" 2d edition 1656. For 
a perfect copy of the first, $125 have been paid, and 
for the second $100. These are perfect copies — 
what price if any is set to them I do not know. Now 
these books have a historical value, and are very 
rare — especially good handsome copies with the maps 
and pictures perfect. 

On the other hand look at the following list :— Al- 
bertus Magnus, ' Opus de misterio missae * — a great 
folio, printed at Ulm H^ 1473 — within 25 years 
after the invention of printing — and nearly as many 
before the discovery of America by Columbus. Sold 
in England for over $21. Albertus Magnus — De 
landibia B. V. Mariae — printed about 1470 — 
another copy of the same printed at Nurembuig 
about 1472 — both great folios. 

Thomas Aquinas —prima pars Secundoe — Mentz, 
P. Schriffer —1471,— Note this ! The inventors of 
Printing were Gutenberg, Faust and Schaeffer — and 
the first printing office was at Mentz — or Mayeuce. 
Here then is a book from the original printing office. 

Bonaventura, Speculum B. V. Mariae, another 
folio, 1470. Bronnerde, 0pm triviumf &c., &c., an 
old Latin civil law book, I guess, of nearly 600 pages, 
printed at Cologne be/ore 1470. Carcano, * Sermones,' 
&c., a quarto volume about as thick as the last, 
printed at Venice about 1472. 

Cassiodoms, — 'Historiccd tripartitoe ex Socrate* Ac., 
&c., an old Latin translation in XII books — first 
edition 1472. 

Duns Scotus, ' Opus AngUcum* 1474 ; Eusebius 
Pamphilus, Venice, 1473; Gallen, 1475; Gesla Ro- 
manorum, German translation, 1489 ; Saint Gregor, 
Dialogorum, 4 books, about 1472 ; Petrarca Fr. * De 
Contemptu mundi,' about 1572, and " De remedii* utri' 
tuque fortunae ", same date. 

I name these few books as specimens only. Not 
one of them is priced at more than $15 American 
money most at less than $5. What makes such 
books sell at such high prices in America is the diffi- 
culty of collecting them and getting them across the 
ocean on the one hand, and the ignorance of the pur- 
chaser of their real value. Some of the books in this 
list are five hundred miles away — probably most of 
them are sold by this time. If not, and I wished to 
get them, I must apply to some Antiquarian book- 
seller, who is known to those in other cities, give him 
the money|[to send, with his order, for the book. If 
the book is there it is forwarded — in process of time. 
Germans do not hurry matters. If not, in the lapse 
of ages my money comes back again. So here are 
postages and package express charges to be paid. 
Now it will never pay to send a single volume — a 
great thick folio, to America. If, however, thirty or 
forty such are ordered, then by sending them in one 
large box, the expense divided among the purchasers 
is not much. 

When I came home in 1856, 1 had had a long dis- 
cussion with myself whether to bring some twenty 
bibles of which I had a list, no one of which was 
under three hundred years old — some in Latin, some 
in German, some in both, some with pictures and 
some without — and which, when in Boston, would 
have cost me, (original prices, collecting, packing, 
freight, duties, &c.,) on an average about $5 each — 
some half that, others twice that. I presume a hun- 
dred persons said to me afterwards : " Why didn't you 
bring them ? I would gladly give ten dollars for 
such a bible 1 " 



Why I did not bring them is easily answered. To 
go into such a speculation requires time, cajiital, risk 
and labor, which I have not — had not then — at 
command. 

Certain works bearing upon the history of Calvinis- 
tic psalmody have been objects of pursuit to mo for 
five years. In searching catalogues from all parts of 
central Europe in the hope of at length coming upon 
them, (they are books which I have sought in vnin 
for in the great libraries of Berlin, t)resdcn, Leipzig, 
Halle, Goettingen, Hanover, Wolfonhiittel !) I find 
continually such old works as in (iic list above, end 
know how gladly many a friend at home would give 
space in his library to one or two of them as curiosi- 
ties. The difficulty is to get them. The trouble lies 
not in the original cost of the books, but the heav^ 
tolls taken by every bookseller, carrier and agent, 
through whose hand they pass. 

Now noted some fifty volumes — mostly huge great 
folios — a small wheelbarrow load each — all printed 
before the discovery of America by Columbus, within 
a half century of the invention of printing ; of these, 
probably half are still to be obtained, at prices which 
would bear all the expenses of getting them to 
America, and then not come to more then from $5 to 
$10 each — perhaps less. But this could only be, in 
cose a good box full could be sent at once. 

It is curious how the Jew antiquarians of Germany 
feel at once the increased demand for any particular 
class of books. In 1851, I could buy pamphlets — 
the original editions ot sermons and tracts by Luther, 
printed from 1517 to 1547, for 17 to 37 cents of our 
money. Some three or four Americans, seeing mine* 
began to buy. When four years later I wished to 
buy some more, the prices had more than doubled, 
and I thought myself fortunate the other day in get- 
ting the old German copy (1522) of Martin Luther's 
reply to " KOnig Henrichs von Engdland buck" 
Henry VIII'S book, which gained him and Queen 
Victoria too, for that matter, the title of " defender 
of the faith," — together with the tract, published im- 
mediately after Luther's death in 1546, containing a 
minute account of his last hours — fortunate, I say, 
in getting these two ti'acts for many times what they 
would have cost me a few years ago. 

Speaking of Luther tracts — among those I brought 
home in 1856, was one — the only copy I ever saw, 
and which $10 would hardly have bought of me — 
printed immediately after Luther's departure from the 
famous Diet at Worms — containing an account of all 
that he did during his last forty-eight hours in 
Worms, and printed as an antidote to the falsehoods 
spread abroad by the other party. The friend who 
borrowed that, is requested to return it to the editor 
of the Journal of Music for me. 

Thus far there has been no great call for books 
which arc merely curious to us as antiquities, and it 
would be easy for me to fill out orders sent through 
Mr. Dwight to the number of at least forty or fifty 
volumes. I should be glad to do this. Old Bibles 
have become much rarer than they were four years 
ago, and the prices of them, especially those contain- 
ing wood cuts, have risen in a pretty large ratio. In 
one of the catalogues, however, is a very rare Psalter, 
Latin and German, printed at Basle, by M. Furter, 
in 1503 — a small quarto, Avith manuscript notes on 
the margin — for three or four dollars. Is this in the 
fine collection of Bibles on Dana Hill ? 

While looking over a catalogue yesterday which is 
very rich in ante-Columbus books, memory recalled 
the hundreds of delighted faces I have seen bending 
over the old Aquinas in the Cambridge library, and 
the tones of voice in which I have so often heard the 
words so slowly and wonderingly spoken — " 1469 ^ 
before the discovery of America by Columbus ! Oh I 
how old ! ! " And it occurred to me to sit down and 
just talk the matter over a little with my friends — 
the readers of Dwight's Journal ; and here, friends, 
you have the result. A. W. T. 



Special Itotites. 

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

Pabllshed by 0« DIimh Sc Co. 



Music bt Hail.— Quan titles of Music are now sent by mall, 
ths expense being only about one cent apiece, while the eare 
and rapidity of transportation are remarltable. Those aft a 
ffreat distance will find the mode of conveyance not only a ron- 
▼enionre. but a sa?ing of expense in obtaining supplies. Boolu 
can also be sent by mail, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
This applies to any distance under three thousand miles ; be- 
yond that, double the abore rates. 



Vocal, with Piano Acoompanlment. 

From a charmikg, noble Ladt. (Nobil don- 
na e tanto.) " Iluguenots." 25 

This is the famous aria tTentrata of the Page in the 
first act. It is one of the few pieces in this opera, 
which permit of a transfer from the stage. It abon ndi 
in pearly runs and sparkling eadeooes, which are 
thrown out playAilly fh>m the mere exuberance of 
spirits, and are eminently fitting the ehaiacter of the 
whole. 

Let me whisper in thine ear. 3f. W. Balfe. 25 

The jot of loving thee. W, Maynard. 25 

Pleasing and easy parlor songi. 

The green trees whispered low and mild. 
Poetry by Longfellow. M. W. Balfe, 35 

This is quite a success on the part of Balfe, and may 
be classed with the same anthor^s " Come into the gar- 
den, Maud," among the best modem light concert 
songs. Mrs. TTentworth, who sang it at the last soiree 
of the Quintette Club, has thus given an opportunity 
to a very critical audience to pass an unanimous ver- 
dict of satisfaction. 

Instrumental Muiio. 

The New Caledonian Quadrilles. Ar- 
ranged with the original and correct ilp^res. 

J, S. Knight. 30 

This Is an authentic edition of this, at the present 
moment, fitshionable set of Quadrilles. Persons desir- 
ing to procure a copy, should beeareftal to call for the 
New Caledonians, as there are several copies In circu- 
lation which have not the correct figures. 

Golden Stream Varsoyiana. Montgomery. 25 

Midnight Varsoviana. " 25 

Two more of these fkrorite modem parlor-dances by 
Blontgomery, whose Tarsorianas are almost excln- 
sively used in England by orchestras and at the piano. 

LiBiAMo NE lieti calici, from "Traviata." 
Arranged for four hands. R. Nordmann. 50 

Sempre lihera, from " Traviata. 



»i 



11 



50 



Noi SiAMO ZiNGARELLE. (Gipsey Chonis.) 
From " Traviata." R. Nordmann. SO 

Three more of a series cf excellent arrangements of 
the principal beauties of this opera for two perfor- 
mers. 

LuiSA Miller. Valse de Salon. C, D* Albert. 60 

▲ good waits of medium difllculty, embracing all 
the popular airs In this opera, which, during the last 
London season, with Mile. Pircolomlni in the principal 
role has rapidly grown a fkTOrite with the Englisb 
public. 

Books. 
Thp New Musical Alphabet. — Containing 
one hundred Exercises in one position of the 
hands, for juvenile pianists, and intended to pre- 
cede any book of instruction. By C. Chaulieu. 25 

This is intended to prepare children tnm the age of 
fbur years for the study of the piano, and lay a sure 
foundation for their correctly acquiring the mechan- 
ism of playing. Mothers, ctcu those who know but 
little of music, may, with this alphabet and the musi- 
cal catechism, fit their children to take lessons flrom a 
master without loss of time. 




toiglt's l^urital 





uSIt^^ 



Whole No. 355. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1859. Vol. XIV. No. 17. 



"Out in the Cold." 

BT J. 8. ADAMS. 

With blue colil hnnrls, nnd Btockinglcss feet, 
Wnmlcred a child in the chccrlcsR street. 
Children wcro mnny, who, housed and fed, 
Ix)vinfi;ly nestled, dream in;j in bed, 
Ciirolod their joy in a land of bliss 
Without a thought or a care of this. 
They were warm in Humanity's fold. 
Bat this little child was out in tlio cold — 
Oat in the cold. 

Bleak blew the wind thronp^h the chocrlosa sti'eet, 
Dsv;hin;r alonf^ the merciless sleet ; 
All furred and shawled, man, woman and child. 
Hurried alon;^, for the storm grew wild. 
They could not bear the icicle blast 
Winter so rude on their pathway cast. 
Alas, none pitied — no one consoled 
This little wanderer out in the cold — 
Out in the cold. 

She had no father — she, no mother. 
Sister none, and never a brother. 
They had passed on to star-worlds al)ovo. 
She remained here with notliing bat love. 
" Nothing but love " — ah, men did not know 
What wealth of joy that child could bestow. 
So they went by, and worshipped their gold, 
Leaving the little one out in the cold — 
Out in tlie cold. 

Wandered she on till the shades of night 
Veiled her shivering form from sight, 
Then, with her cold hands over her breast. 
She prayed to her Father in heaven for rest. 
When hours had fled, 'neath the world's dark frown, 
Hangcred and chilled she lay herself down — 
Lay down to rest while the wealthy rolled 
In carriages past her ont in the cold — 
Out in the cold. 

Out in the cold, lo, an angel form 
Brought her white rol)cs that were rich and warm. 
Out in the cold, on the sleeping child. 
The sainted face of a mother smiled. 
A sister pressed on her brow a kiss. 
Led her 'mid scenes of heavenly bliss ; 
And angels gathered into their fold, 
That night, the little one out of the cold — 
Out of the cold. 



The Diarifft Abroad, Ko. 13. 

A Monument to Weber. 

Berlin, Dec. 27, 1858. 
Dear Dwight : — Here is a letter from Carl 
Maria vox Weber to Frederic Kind, au- 
thor of the text to " Der Fref/schiUz," the " Wild 

Huntsman.'* 

Berlin^ June 21, 1821.' 
Mv much loved Friend and Cofathcr ! 

We may fire a salvo for victory. The Wild 
Huntsman has hit the centre of the target. It is to 
be hoped that Friend Hell wig,* an eye-witness, has 
already given you a better report tlian I can, whose 
time is completely stolen from me. Besides, I shall 
soon bo able to tell yon all about it in person. The 
second performance last evening went off as splen- 
didly as the first, and the enthusiasm was again equally 



great. For to-morrow, the thirtl pcrformanco, already 
not a ticket is to be had. Nobody remembers having 
seen a new openi so received, and since the " Olim- 
pia," t for which eurrifthing was done, it is really the 
most perfect triumph a man can experience. You 
have no idea how deep an interest pervades the 
whole, and how splendidly playable and singalilo all 
parts are. What would not I have given to have 
had you present ! Many of the scenes wcro far more 
eflective than I expected — for instance, the appear 
ance of the bridesmaids. The overture and that pop- 
ular song I were demanded da cajto. However, I 
would not allow the progress of the action to be im- 
peded. The newspapers will now, no doubt, break 
loose. I hope to enclose the fii*st, of to-day, in this* 
The rest I can as well bring vrith me, as I expect to 
give my concert on Monday the 25th, and on the first 
of July to be again in Dresden. This bad weather 
will probably prevent you from leaving for Toplitz 
before that time, so that I mny sec you in Dresden 
and tell you all, for in trutli such matters cannot be 
described. Besides I am so /u//, that I don't know 
anijthing to write. What thanks I owe you, my dear 
Kind, for this noble poem ! To what a variety of 
expression did you give me opportunity, and witli 
what delight could I pour out my soul upon your 
noble versos so full or deep feeling ! I embrace you 
in imagination with feelings really deeply touched, 
and will bring you one of the beautiful wreaths which 
I owe to your muse and which you must hang up 
with those which you have pre\iously earned in such 
numbers. 

Gabitz,^ Wolf, etc., treat me very kindly. As to 
Hoflinannll I am still curious. People wvsti mo 
against him ; but I will believe the best as long aa I 
can. 

Now a joyful farewell for to-day. I will also write 
a line or two to Sehmedl and Roth. Habeat Sibi, 
God prosper you, and still love — as he most re8pcc^ 
fully loves you infinitely — your Weber. 

So wrote Weber in the joy of his heart, in the 
midst of a musical triumph such as few composers 
have known. Nor did he, during the few years 
he lived aflcr the first performance of the Frey- 
schiUZf ever have the sorrow of hearing that it 
failed of fullest success upon any stage large or 
small where it was produced — and where was it 
not produced ? 

The boys in the streets of German, English 
and American cities sang and whistled its beauti- 
ful melodies. Beethoven, the grandest of all 
then living composers, read the score with ap- 
probation. 

More than thirty-seven years have passed 
away, and the musical public of Germany is at 
last earnestly bent upon erecting a monument at 
Dresden in honor of "Weber. For this object 
^^ Der Freyschiitz** was given in the opera-house 
in Berlin, on the evening of Dec. 22d — the 
house in which it was first given ; moreover, the 
first opera given in the house, which had just 
been rebuilt after the fire in which the decora- 
tions of Hoffmann's Undine were destroyed. 

It was the three hundred and first performance 
of the opera ! and the occasion was made quite a 



* RflglMenr of the Dresden Theatre, 
t " A rosy crown we twine for thee.'* 
i MurIc&I rriUcs, I auppoM. 
H E. T. A. Iloffinann, the author. 



t By SponOni. 



musical festival. T was unluckily kept at home 
by a Job's comforter — not the wife — in my ear, 
and must depend upon others for my account of 
it. 

The house was crowded — it always is when 
this opera is given, except in the high-priced 
fashionable boxes ! 

The evening opened with Weber's "Jubilee 
Overture," followed by a prologue spoken by an 
actor, and which introduced a series of tableaux 
vivants. Tliere were members of " Liitzow's 
wild hunt " — the black Jaegers of Brunswick, 
which recalled the composition of Korner's 
" Lyre and Sword " by Weber. Then the song 
of " Prcciosa," to a picture of gipsey life ; Max 
and Agatha, from " Der Freyschtitz ; Euryanthe 
and Adolar, from Euryanthe ; Oberon protecting 
Iluon and Regia, from the Oberon, These re- 
called to the audience tho principal dramatic 
works of the composer and were received with 
hearty applause. Then the cloud, which hung 
down about the middle of the stage, parted, and 
there stood a bronze statue of Weber, about 
which were grouped all tho tableaux which had 
previously been seen. Each of them had been 
accompanied by soft music from horns, with all 
sorts of turns, modulations and melodic strains, 
characteristic of the master. Amid a perfect 
storm of applause the curtain was riused a second 
time upon the grand final scone. 

Then came the 301st performance of " Der 
FreyschUtz " upon the stage where it had its birth. 
Tho parts, even to the least important, were upon 
this occasion taken by the principal singers. 
Madame Koester was the Agathe ; Mad. Her* 
RENBURG-TuczEK the Annchcn ; Formes — 
brother of Carl F. — the Max; Fricke, the 
Caspar ; Krause, Salomon and Bost, the lesser 
parts. Tho result was, if I may believe the 
newspapers, magnificent — and I can readily be- 
lieve it 

I have a faint, indistinct recollection of seeing 
in my childhood the announcements of **Der 
Freyschutz " in the Boston papers. At a later 
period I saw somewhere a largo volume of play- 
bills from one or more of the Boston theatres, and 
it is my impression that one of them announced 
this opera as a play or melodrama for the 101 at 
time. Moreover, I recollect distinctly being told 
a few years since, tliat an American medical stu- 
dent, being in 1821, or about that time, in Ger- 
many, was so taken with Weber's opera, as to 
purchase the score, obtain the text in full, and 
that from tliis copy the play was arranged to 
suit the capacity of the Boston stage at that time. 
That medical student is a leading physician in 
Boston now — or was not long since. Can he 
not be induced to give us an account of this mat- 
ter? It is a part of Boston musical history 
which should not bo lost. 



Zelter. 

On the 14th Dec. the Sing-Akademie noticed 
the centennial anniversary of Zelter's birth- 
day. Every student of German literature knows 



338 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



biin as the corresjxindent of (Joethe for many a 
lonnj year. Musical people know him ibr his j)©])- 
ular songg, and his four-part pieces for men's 
voices, as the head of the Sing-Akndcmie for 
many years, and as the music tea(!her of Men- 
delssohn. Many of the rea<lers of this Journal 
■will remember how often he writes to Goethe of 
the progress " Felix " is making. To the Berlin 
people, for half a centui^-, down to 1832, he was 
known in a different sphere fully as well as in 
the musical world. He has monuments standing 
to bis honor throughout the city — for he was 
one of the best masons and brick-layers of the 
capitol. 

Carl Friedrich Zelter was bom Dec. 11, 1758. 
His father was a mason and from the first deter- 
mined that his son should follow him in his trade. 
He was wise enough to see that with the growth 
of the city, which the energetic measures of Fred- 
eric 11. — Carlyle's hero — could not fail to result 
in, his son must be more than a mere bricklayer, 
if he would, in after life, hold an honorable place. 
The boy was therefore put into the Joachimthal 
Gymnasium, where he went through the full 
course. Private instructors were also provided 
for him in drawing, mathematics and music. 
Oddly enough, for the latter he had hardly any 
sense for aught better than a march or a dance. 
In his seventeenth year he was put regularly to 
his trade. The next year he suffered a long and 
severe sickness, during which so strong a sense 
for music awoke in him that, upon his recovery, 
his repugnance to his trade was only to be over- 
come by his father by force and by depriving him 
of his music. 

What his father would not allow him to do 
openly, he did secretly. He was wise enough to 
see that his only hope lay in making himself in- 
dependent. He therefore wrought at his trade 
with most persevering diligence, and once a week 
went out to Potsdam, some 24 English miles, to take 
a music lesson of Fasch, then in the service of the 
king. To this view of his case and this mode of 
gratifying his taste, however, he had not come at 
once. Long and severe had been the struggle 
with hb father — a contest which at times embit- 
tered both their lives. But peace was made and, 
when 25 years of age, Zelter was able to enter 
into the guild of the masons, become a *• Master * 
and set up business for himself, to the great joy of 
his father, who spared nothing for his son's wel- 
fare. But now Zelter found himself forced to 
continue his business until he could depend upon 
his musical attainment for subsistence, and as 
time passed on and he became reconciled to his 
position, music gradually became not exactly a 
secondary thing, but something to share his time 
and thoughts, not occupy them exclusively. 

Fasch at length (1 783) made Berlin his home, 
thenceforth spending a few weeks in the year only 
at Potsdam, and devoting himself to severe musi- 
cal study and to his pupils. Reichardt had 
brought from Italy a Mass in 16 parts by Bene- 
voli, which had taken an extraordinary hold upon 
the fancy of Fasch, and led him to attempt a 
similar work and one which should be free from 
certain faults of that by the Italian. An attempt 
to produce his work at Potsdam failed, as the 
singers there knew nothing of chorus singing; 
so did another attempt in Berlin with the opera 
singers. He determined to try it with his pupils, 
though not enough in number to fill the parts in 
the full combined chorus. 



By dogreofltho number of his singoi-s increased. 
Among them was Zelter ifilli his fine bass voice. 
In the summer of 1790, when tlicy mot in a sum- 
mer-house in a garden, near the so-called " Spit- 
telbriicke,'* near the centre of the city, the num- 
ber was seldom more than twelve or sixteen. On 
the 24th of May, 1791, twenty-eight persons met 
at the house of AVidow Voitus, No. 59 Untcr-don- 
Linden — and this day is considered by its mem- 
bers as the birthday of the Berlin Sing-Akademie. 

Fashoh's idea of a IG part composition was 
this : that it should consist of four four-part cho- 
ruses, having a similar relation to each other ; 
that, in the single chorus the four parts have. 
To distinguish his four choirs, he gave them a 
separate color, and Zelter on one occasion — Oct. 
27, 1791, appeared as the only tenor in the blue, 
his voice having, as it appears, changed. 

As Fasch's health failed, Zelter, whom he had 
so long known, and who was so filled with his 
spirit, aided him in conducting the Akademie. 
January 24th, 1 799, the Society celebrated the 
birthday of Frederick II, and numbered 39 so- 
prani, 20 alti, 17 tenors and 18 basses. Sunday, 
Aug. 3, 1800, Fasch died, and from that time to 
his death, Zelter was director of the Sing- Akade- 
mie. I have said so much about Fasch, because, 
in most En<;lish and American references to 
Zelter, he is called the founder of this celebrated 
society, which, as I have shown, he by no means 
was. 

Zelter*8 songs, and especially his comic songs, 
are considered to be amonr; the best that Ger- 
many |x>ssesses. He founded two or three 
" Liedertafel " Singing Societies for men's voices, 
and wrote many of the best things for them to 
sing. His church music is altogether in Fasch's 
style, showing more learning than genius. 

He was an intimate friend of Fichte as well as 
of Goethe, was elected member of the Academy of 
Science, and received the title of Professor fram 
the King. He was twice married, and the father 
of eleven children. He was a rough old fellow, 
extremely witty, and given to all sorts of odd and 
droll remarks. I may perhaps some time collect 
some of the anecdotes which are still told of him. 
Dehn had a store of them. 

The news of Goethe's death quite broke the 
heart of the now old man of 74. On the 15th of 
May, 1832, he died. 

In middle life, after the death of his father, 
Zelter divided his time between his business and 
art, by devoting his mornings to study — espec- 
ially of Bach and Hasse — the middle of the day 
to riding about the city to examine the progress 
his numerous laborers were making, sometimes 
taking hold himself — the evenings to music. 
His last years he gave to literature and Art alone. 
He wrote a good deal in musical and other periodi- 
cals, published a short biography of Fasch, an 
essay on Haydn's compositions, and the like. 

Probably to no one person more than to Zelter 
is Berlin indebted for its present position as being 
the principal seat of music in central — perhaps 
in all Europe. A. W. T. 



Eobert Stoepers Hiawatha. 

(From the Bo0ton Courier, Jan. 13.) 

The musical composer in America does not 
rest upon a bed of roses. Whatever hardships 
he may have to endure elsewhere, his position 
here is even less encouraging. In countries 
where musical education is known among the 
people, he has the satisfactory assurance, to soften 



the many evils he must bear, that he shall be 
fairly judge "(l by his works, that he will \yo promptly 
approeiatvd, and that such clninis to grt'atnej«s as 
he may put forth will be recognized. How dif- 
ferent here ! Our musieal tnslc is not equal to 
the fonnation of an opinion, nor our conndcncc 
to the expression of one. We aecej^t with calm- 
ness the ofleriiigs of the Old World, but shrink 
from the resnonsiliiiily of uttering a judgment for 
oui-selves. Aot only is this true with the public; 
it is even more true with the assumed teaeliers of 
the public. AVhere we should look for helps we 
find too often hindrances to the ])rogress of uaisi- 
cal feelinj; anionjj us. Journalism is not beyond 
reproach. How wide the distcinee Ix'tween what 
it does, and what it might do for Art. Of all 
arts, music is least unknown to us, and what is 
our musieal criticism, with it-s shameful discor- 
dance of opinion, and its reckless ignorance, but 
a scandal and a reproach 7 It is not ecjual to the 
humblest of its duties, yet it l)oldly approaches 
the highest, and rudely defiles with immodest 
touch the finest creations of the human mind. 
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. 

It is against this certainty of misappreciation 
that composers in America have found it, and will 
find it most difficult to stru^le. The toils of 
years, the unrewanled labors, the slights of friends, 
the sneers of foes, the many disappointed yearn- 
ings, could all be comjiensated at the last, by one 
burst of sympathy from the world. Here, unfor- 
tunately, that sympathy can not be expressed. 
Our public fejirs to show a warmth that might be 
deemed imprudent. Our Boston, our New York 
and our Philadelphia must not be compromised. 
Who can calculate the consequences of either of 
those cautious cities ** putting its foot in it " in a 
matter of taste V Of their musical valor, the 
better part is discretion. The composer, what- 
ever his merit, can hope but for little at their 
hands, and that little will generally be vouch- 
safed him by the uncritical and musically unen- 
lightened portion of the community. 

We do not thus introduce the few words we 
have to say of Mr. Stcepel's " Hiawatha" because 
of any special suffering that he has been forced 
to endure. The truth is, that his work was re- 
ceived with a warmth quite unusual, and was 
welcomed with a newspaper approval which 
showed how deep a general impression it had 
made, and which would have been found gratify- 
ing to observe, had anything besides the baldest 
and flattest generalities of praise been uttered. 
Our object is to show the magnitude of the ob- 
stacles that stand in the way of a composer who 
tries to secure a proper public appreciation of his 
label's, and the position of Mr. Stoepel affords us 
as good an illustration as we could desire. Here 
is a voung man who has passed his life from his 
earliest years in the most assiduous study of his 
art. For a long while he has held a position of 

{)rominence in France and England. His works 
lave enjoyed the extremest ]iopularity in those 
countries. Coming to America, ne seizes upon a 
subject for musiczd illustration. Two years he 
occupies in its preparation. The mere physical 
labor of writing his score is a Herculean task 
apart from the composition itself. At length it is 
finished ; it is sumptuously produced, with every 
possible advantage that energy and enterprise 
can secure, in a city which appears to be the fit- 
test place for its production ; and the composer is 
rewarded for his exertions and anxieties by a pe- 
cuniary loss exceeding one thousand dollars, and 
a public expression of adulation which loses its 
force from the fact that it is meanintrless. 

We do not at all know how Mr. Stoepel regards 
the reception of his work, but for ourselves, we 
are not satisfied with it. At the periormance it 
Wis evident that all present were delighted ; but 
many hesitated to express their delight at an un- 
known production by an unknown hand. The 
newspaper writers, at least, recorded the fact of a 
decided triumph. But after that, of what value 
was all their praise ? What idea of the work it- 
self was to be gathered from all that was w^rit- 
ten about it, excepting only one or two really 
carefully appreciative notices ? AVho could j udge 
of the rank, among the world's compositions, to 
which this one was entitled, from the comments 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1859. 



339 



put into print about it ? It is useless to «isk. 
Tlio answer must always.ln?, alike <lis<*re(lit<ilile to 
the manutacturers of niusieal reviews in our eity. 

Wc would, then, uiulertake to pive a more ex- 
act deseri[)tion of Mr. ^ttcpol's eoniposition, than 
it appears to have reteived. A work of so much 
importan(;c should not be passed lijihtly by. That 
it deserves much closer and more careful critical 
attention than we have time or space to bestow 
upon it^ we arc firmly convinced. We shall nev- 
ertheless endeavor to explain in some measure, 
the intentions of the. comj^ser, and how he has 
succeeded in carrvins: them out 

First, a word of the performance. It might 
have been better every way. The orchestra aj>- 
proached the nearest to perfection, but sometimes 
slii)ped into a looseness that interfered with tlxj 
efii'ct of the work. The great success of the 
pnxluction, however, was duo the orchestra, the 
members of which played with true enthusia.sm, 
an enthusiasm that was more directly exhibited 
at the first rehearsal, when they rose and re- 
peatedly cheered the composer. The vocal solos 
were by Mrs. llarwood, Mr. Millard and Mr. 
Wctherbec, The lady sang her *' Cradle Song " 
as well as was possible, and her last tragic air with 
much dramatic elK'ct. Mr. Millard, we arc sure, 
could have done better in all that he attempted, 
although his singing was not without ta,ste and 
spirit ; he did not appear to be animated with 
the real sentiment of the music. Mr, Wether- 
bee's voice was unfavorable to the character of 
the music he had to sing, but his performance was 
expr»!ssivc and din;Dified. The trio w«is altogether 
marred by the mcorroctness with which it was 
sung. Of the choruses it is only possible to say 
that some were less badly given than others. We 
cannot understand the objections urged against 
the readings by Mrs. Stirpel. The great point 
appears to be that she was unheard by those who 
sat at a distance from her. This is without 
doubt true, but it simply proves that her voice is 
not over-powerf\il, ana has nothing to do with the 
readings, which were exquisite. Some of the ef- 
fects she introduced were incomparably beautiful 
and poetic. They added much to the interest of 
tlie entertainment. 

Before speaking of the music of " Hiawatha," 
it is proper to con."*ider what the comjx)scr has 
undertaken to do. The selection of such a work 
as Longfellow's " Hiawatha" for illustration was 
a bold step. Few subjects could present greater 
difficulties. To Jipply descriptive music to the 
Indian legends which Mr. Longfellow has poeti- 
cally idealized is a task to shrink from. The lit- 
tle Indian music that ^c know of, furnishes a 
very slight foundation for the composer to work 
upon. It is vague, rude, destitute of form or ex- 
pression, and significant only of savage wildness. 
To preserve the s])irit of these weird melodies, 
and at the same time to present a musical picture 
full of animation and vigor, Mr. Stoepel did not 
hesitate to attempt. Kvcn here his diflicultics 
did not cease. In the poem, the structure of the 
verse is alwavs the same : the rhvthm does not 
change throughout. In putting music to such 
wordi?, it was, of course, no easy matter to avoid 
repetition of the mer..sures ; but we find that the 
composer hassucceede.d in introducing an entirely 
different rhythmical character in each piece, 
while also expressing with extreme exactness the 
sense of the words themselves. !Mr. Stoepel has 
selected from the poem, those ]K)rtions which di- 
rectly relate to the career of the Indian prophet 
— his advent, his mission, his exploits, his dep<ir- 
ture. The work commences with the appeal of 
the Great Spiiit, and the annunciation of the 
coming of Hiawatha, The story of the prophet's 
birth IS related, and the principal points of his 
life are depicted, to the ena. The only variation 
from the strict unity of the work is at the close, 
where, alter the earthly life of Hiawatha has ter- 
minated, a joyous chorus of the Return of Spring 
is introduced, to brighten the closing scenes. 

The first number of " Hiawatha " is " The 
Peace-Pipe." The violins, muted, and led by the 
violoncellos, are heard in soft and mysterious 
tones, while the flutes, hautboys and clarinets 
break in with bits of pastoral melodies, which are 
more fully developed as the work progresses. As 



the opening bars of introduction sink into silence, 
the (juick ]iizzicatos of the string instruments 
suggest, as it were, the puffing of the great IVace- 
Pipe. The ri.sing of the smoke is mdicated by 
the violins and subsequently by the reed instru- 
ments, rushing upwards in thirds, until, gather- 
ing strength as it as<ends, it *' breaks against the 
heaven " in a vast volume of sound, swavh)«j and 
swelling, wilh the fullest force of the orchestra ; 
an effect majrnificcntlv wrought. The " Son" of 
the Great Spirit" follows, — an imposuig chant, 
mainly accompanied by the softest possible notes 
of the tixjmbones, but at each climax supported 
bv a crash of all the instruments. Towards the 
close, a minute figure is interwoven with the ac- 
companiment by the violins, and carried through 
with increasing eflect to the end. As the voice 
ceases, its last tones arc echoed and repeated by 
certain of the instruments, while the violin figure, 
and the two opening p<istoral phrases are again 
taken up, and exquisitely put together, the whole 
closing with the soflest breathings of the wood in- 
struments, and low sustained notes of the violins. 

The second number is called " The Stars." It 
describes, with orchestral introduction and chorus, 
the fall of Nokomis from the heavens, the betray- 
al of young AVenonah, and the birth of Hiawatha. 
The glittering of the stars is represented by the 
delicate movement of the violins, rapidly rising 
and fallin*; in their highest tones. This idea is 
gra<lually extended to the entire orchestra, and 
finally rests with the reeds, while the violins, in 
swifl chromatic ascents and descents, indicate the 
"falUuff of the star." Soon the flowing har- 
monies resolve themselves into a gentle melody, 
which is brought out with gradual and increasing 
effect, until it is taken by the chorus, who sing 
the wonls of the poem — " Downward through 
the evening twilight," &c. The instrumentation 
of this portion of the work is peculiarly significant. 
We have found nothing richer or more complete 
in its way. A fine efli'ct is produced by the voi- 
ces at the passage, " She was sjwrting with her 
women, swinging in a swing of grape-vines." 
While the sopranos pursue their independent 
melody, the tenors sing another strain, suggesting 
precisely the undulations of the swing. The 
chorus ends with the original theme, and is suc- 
ceeded by an orchestral reminiscence of the starry 
scintillations which have preceded it. This 
number, notwithstanding the extreme beauty of 
its meloilics, and the brilliancy of its instrumenta- 
tion, must perhaps he considered of less musical 
importance than almost any in the work; be- 
cause it shows less than any other the powei-ful 
originality and spirit of the composer. 

The third number is " The Cradle Song." Old 
Nokomis rears the infant Hiawatha, and each 
evening sings to him a little lullaby. This is a 
simple and beautiful melody, for mezzo-soprano 
voice. The accompaniment ingeniously and un- 
mistakably represents the rocking of a cradle, and 
the air itself is peculiarly gentle and soothing in 
character. It is twice relocated, and is succeeded 
by the fourth number — 

' " The Cauoe-building Song." Tliis is the most 
sparkling and dashing piece of the work. The 
melody is full of animation, and the instrumenta- 
tion, which is everywhere of the highest order, is 
here superb. At every point, some little idea of 
the workmanship of the canoe, as described by 
the words, is daintily hinted. Ecich phrase sung 
by the voice is echoed with indescribable eflect. 
Tlic music never fails to represent the spirit of the 
words, whether in the gleeful confidence of Hia- 
watha, or the " sighs of sorrow " with which the 
trees answer his call. We have heard no barca- 
rol so channing as this one. 

The fiah number is " The War Song, and the 
Fight with Mudjekeewis." Here the descriptive 
Indian music is first introduced. Hiawatha, 
learning of his mother's wrongs, journeys to the 
kingdom of the AVest Wind to avenge them, and 
there encounters his father, as told in the story. 
The number opens with an imitation of the tra- 
ditional war-song of the Indians, as it is yet 
heard among them. Three melodic figures are 
employed, one consisting merely of two notes, fal- 
ling in fifths, another ot three notes, embracing 
the minor third, and the other of five notes; with 



these simple materials, varied according to his 
purposes, the composer has wrought out a most 
jwwerlid eflect. The listener might fancy him- 
self within the wild influence of a honle of un- 
tanuMl savages. W^e do not know where to look 
for finer contrapuntal effects, or finer orchestral 
writing than in this piece, which is decidedly the 
best of the Symphony. It is not surpassed in any 
of the works of the recognized masters of the art 
which we have had opjwrtunify of examining. 
As the music progresses, the three figures are 
worked togetlier with effects ever new and exci- 
ting, and at length it bui-sts into the renresenta- 
tion of the Fight with Mudjekeewi.s, which again 
is a masterpiece of instrumentation. By sharp 
syncopations the gasps and struggles of the com- 
batants are depicted, and above all, the war- 
shriek is again and again heaixl, as if each were 
spuri'ing himself to greater eflbrts. The finale is 
equal to the best of known orchestral compo- 
sitions. 

The sixth number is "The Wooing." Hia- 
watha, returning, visits the Arrow-maker, and 
receives Minnehaha as his l^ride. Hiawatha asks 
for the maiden ; her father, not without some 
words of complaint, which are cleverly treated by 
the comj^oser, consents; and the lovers inter- 
change sofl words, and other delicacies of the 
season of youth and beauty. The trio is well put 
together, and is marked throughout by a peculiar 
melodic figure, which is efiectively repeated by 
each voice in turn. The close is quite fairy-like. 

The seventh number is " The Beggar's Dance," 
w^hich, at Hiawatha's wedding, " tlic handsome 
Pau-Puk-Keewis " dances. This composition is 
full of drollery. It commences with '* a slow and 
solemn measure," a quaint and abrupt melody, 
under which another, equally odd, is presently 
worked. These having been fully developed, the 
music changes to a swifter measure, in which the 
lower instruments give constantly the monoto- 
nous shuffling of rapid feet, while others chirp 
forth merry and quaint snatches of melody. The 
close is somewhat Mendelssohn-like in treatment, 
but still preserves a complete originality. As the 
time becomes still swifler, the violoncello is heard 
once or twice uttering a little cry of fatigue, 
which is, however, instantly rej)resscd by the in- 
domitable perseverance of the combined orches- 
tral energies. Just at the close, a wild sweep of 
all the instiiiments in unison expresses the last 
frenzies of the dance, as described in the poem. 

The eighth number is " The Love Song," 
which Chibiabos sings at the marriajrc feast 
This is a ballad, for tenor, the melody of which is 
extremely beautiful, and the refrain so peculiarly 
touching that it lingers in the memory as the 
brightest chann of this work full of charms. 

The ninth number is " The Blessing of the 
Corn Fields," the poet's description of which 
gains a new beauty by the musical illustrations. 
Minnehaha, at midnight, unclothed, draws the 
magic circle of her footsteps around the cornfields, 
to prevent them from blight. As the " War 
Song" is the most powei-ful piece of music in the 
composition, so this is the most serenely beauti- 
ful. It opens with a soft and sad melody, for the 
hautboy, which is taken up by the violoncellos, 
the bassoons, and substniuently other instruments. 
The faint tinkling of the triangle does not vulga- 
rize, but helps the effect of this piece. Changing 
from the minor to the major key, the music as- 
sumes a less serious, but still preserves a thought- 
ful character. Again it falls into a dim mys- 
terious mood, in a passage of delicious little con- 
trapuntal efl'ects, as nearly approaching a fugue 
as the composer has permitted nimself to do, and 
showing how easily he might have filled his work 
with learned writing had he chosen, and had such 
been his puqiose. 

The tenth number is the " Ravens' Chorus." 
The Kavens defy the magic circle of Minnehaha, 
and plot to destroy the fields. In the introduc- 
tion to the chorus, a quite fiercely fantastic piece, 
the " rush of wings and cry of voices," are aptly 
depicted. Here, again, the instrumentation pre- 
sents many novel and striking points. The 
chorus, for male voices, is very cnaracteristic. 
The melody, in one portion, is forcibly sung by 
the first basses, while the tenors and second ba»- 



340 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



SC8 aoccompany, some with lonjitlienefl harmonies, 
others with stiort, slinrp lau^ilis. Tlic coda is 
quite in the style of some o]>eratic finales, the 
only instance in the whole work where anything 
like Italian termination can be found. 

The eleventh number is " The Harvest Cho- 
rus." The fii*st movement is a stream of purest 
melody ; the second, a merry measure, in which 
the tenors have a simple theme, while the sopra- 
nos are chii-ping away in more fanciful strains. 
Tiiis chorus is one of the brightest gems of the 
symphony. 

' The twelfth number is called **Tlje Ghosts: — 
Famine and Fever. The approach of Winter is 
first indicated in the introduction, in which all the 
resources of the oivhestra are employed with ex- 
traordinary skill. The effect surpasses that ot 
any similar descriptive piece we have met with. 
The wailing of the winds, the fierce blasts, the 
cries of despair, are all heard. The chorus is 
most artistically introduced, by a few heavy and 
sombre chords, contrasting powerfully with the 
high notes of the sopi'anos which are immediately 
after sung. The chorus itself — " We are ghosts 
of the departed,** — is the best that the work con- 
tains. The music adds a hundred fold to the 
meaning of the wonls. It is almost sublime. 

The thirteenth number is " The Death Song,'* 
in which Minnehaha's death is told. A plaintive 
melody, by the most plaintive instruments, leads 
to the air, for mezzo-soprano voice. It is very 
dramatic, and finely illustrates the words selected. 
The climax of ]SIinnehalia*s anguish is rendered 
staitling by an unexpected harmonic effect, and 
is succeeded by a soothing melody, in which the 
old Nokomis strives to calm the terror of the 
dying woman — a most happy inspiration. At 
the end, the elegiac tones of the hautboy are 
again heard, and the piece ends mournfully, upon 
the wild chord of the diminished seventh. 

The fourteenth number is the Intro<luctlon and 
Chorus of " The Return of Spring." The fii-st 
efforts of reviving Nature are expressed ; — the 
twittering of the birds, the flowing of the stream, 
the budding of the flowers. The whole introduc- 
tion is a beautiful pastoral, similar in form to that 
in Spohr's " Consecration of Tones,** but only so in 
form. The character of the music is essentially 
different. We seem to find all the elements of 
returning spring struggling together, and at 
lenn^th breaking the icy bands which have rcs- 
tramed them and burstmg forth in a joyful and 
passionate melody of thanksgiving. The chorus 
takes up the theme, and carries it blithely 
through, while the orchestra surrounds the voices 
with musical pictures of the " rivers rushing on- 
ward." The *• flowers springing up o'er all the 
meadows," the " showers of rain, falling warm 
and welcome." This number, beaming with 
melody, and rich in orchestral embellishment, de- 
lightfully ends the comjwsition. 

Mr. StocpeVs "Hiawatha" merits the closest 
attention of amateurs. Nc work of such im|)or- 
tance has ever been originally pro<luced in this 
country. No finer work, of its class, has been 
anywhere produced at any time. It is a perfect 
illustration of its subject. It is easy to imagine 
what the composer might do with a more favora- 
ble subject. lie has in this shown a wealth of 
melody truly surprising; a profound musical 
knowledge, ecmal to any that modern composers 
have displayed ; and a command of instrumenta- 
tion such as we have found in the writings of but 
few masters of the art. His pen must not lie idle. 
That which he has already written — he has in 
manuscript several operas, symphonies, overtures, 
&c.,somc of which have been produced in Europe 
with undoubted success, as the records show — 
should be heanl, and he should be urged to other 
efforts. We sincerely trust that he may meet 
with such encouragement as should be offered to 
every man of true genius. 



A Small and Amusing Flare-up in the Kew 
York Academy of Music. 

Quite a comical affair, not put down in the hills, ns 
the phrase goes, occuri-ed at the concert given at the 
Academy of Music, Tuesday evening, in connection 
with the festival of the St. George Society. The sing- 
ing of the national anthem, " God save the Queen/ 



D< ovofy one knows, is the fcntiu'C of these occasions, 
and jrreat imiuf* is ahvnys t.Mkcn that it shnil he rend- 
ered by tho U'st tnlent. The pro«rrjimmo promised 
Avoll euonjjh. Tlierc wore tlio nnmcs of Picrolomini, 
Caradori juid Formes, for solos, nn<l tho Liclcrkraiiz 
Society was put down for lhf» choriiKCs. When the 
time for the Anthem cnme, there was eviilently n sci-cw 
loo«e somewhere. The Lirclcrkninzworcin their places, 
waitinj: anxiously to hejrin, hnt the principal perform- 
ers were wantinj;. Just ns the audience were hegin- 
to grow impatient, the frood-nntui*ed visage of Formes 
loomed up in tlie distance, back of tho orchestra, and 
the risinir ttimult was stilled. Caradori was with him, 
hut to the astonishment of all Ficcolomini was not 
visihle. For a few moments thev stood as if thrv 
tlioujxht "soniethinjT was coming," when Form'js, 
having: handed Mme. Caradori to a seat, retreated a 
few steps and spoke to the conductor of the orchestra. 
That individual shook his head in a despairing man- 
ner. Formes and Caradori resumed their positions ; 
the signal was civcn, and the anthem was ])rocecdcd 
with, Formes singing tlie second verse. But that was 
not the end of it, for tlie audience were not to l)e put 
off in that manner. Piccolomini was on the pro- 
gramme and Piccolomini they would have. They 
encored until it seemed as though the little chcriihs 
perched around the first circle would fly from their 
restini: places. Finally Dr. Bealcs, President of the 
St. Georffc's Society, appeared, conductine: Piccolo- 
mini. Tho applause grew still more deafenin»r, and 
the lady advancing, stretched out her hand imploring 
ly to the audience, and in a moment they were still. 
Piccolomini exclaimed : " It is not mv fault, it is ^\ot 
my fault!" and Mr. Pemng taking his seat at tho 
piano, proceeded to play tho accomponimcnt, M'llc. 
sincringf the second vei"seof tho anthem. 

What the difficulty was could not he conjectured, hiit 
before the programme had proffressed much further 
the fact was pretty prominently developed that Pic- 
colomini and Fonnes were hardly in tho proper frame 
of mind to perform the parts o^ Adam and AVr in the 
oratorio of " Tho Creation." An air of serio-eomi- 
cality, Avhich detracted considerably from the sublim- 
ity of Ilavdn's conceptions, became ludicrously ap- 
parent. M'lle. Piccolomini, Formes, and Perring as- 
sumed tho characters of Eve^ Adorn and f-V/V/ respect- 
ively, and the oratorio proceeded somewhat afker tho 
folloAvincr manner. 

" Urlol — In rosy mantle appears, by tunes sweet 
awaked, the mominicryoung and fair. From the celes- 
tial vaults, pure harmony descends on ravished earth. 
Behold tho blissful pair, \Ei't tosses her head con- 
tem])tuonsly,] where hand and hand they po [she 
twitches her chair nervously:] their glowing looks ex- 
press what feels the grateful heart. \Evf casts a look 
of ineffable disdain upon Ad<im.\ A louder praise of 
God their lips shall utter soon ; then let our voices 
join united with their song. [In the succeeding ducts 
Adfim*s and Ei'e\^ voieeswcre in better harmonv than 
their feelinjrs. Adam gets out of patience with the 
leader of the orchestm, and that functionarv vents his 
vexation on his suhordinatcs. The exquisite by-play 
accompany inor the following passages may be imagined 
but not descrilMjd :] 

Adam — OmrefVil consort, thw! cnre«Klii(;, 
Softly glide the polden honn. 
Every moment brln?'« new mpture, 
Purest joys o'erflow the heart. 

EvB — Ppou«e iidoped. with thee conrening, 

Pen«onF pnns iinhee'led by ; 

In thy pre^enrr endle^R plensare, 

Tn thy lore UDCc.iHiiig bliM. 

• • • • • 

Adam and Eve — 
Hnt what joy to me tho momlnjr dew. 

The brenth of even, the Mvory fruit, or the fhijrrant bloom ? 
With thee U every joy enharcwl. with thee dell;?hti« ever new; 
Thy voice, thy look iterpetiial love inspires ; thon art all to me. 

Uriel — hnppy pnir, b.ippy ever, 

Tf stlU'content. in humble mtnd, C»o<\'fi sarred 

Mimhto we ohmy, nor more dei^ire to know 

Than he doth crriint 

• • • • • 

So much for tho part of the performances of which 
the public were witnesses. Now for the transactions 
behind the scenes : — 

Saturday, when the arrangements for the concert 
were beinir pcift'cted, Piccolomini expressed a de- 
cided preference for singinq: the second verse of the 
anthem, as it was the only one she had ever per- 
formed, and the only one with which she felt at all 
acquainted. Fonnes seemed very desirous of sing- 
ing the same verse, and at first refused to take any 
other, hut finally waved his preference, as it was un- 
derstood, in favor of Piccolomini. So matters stood 
until Tuesday cveninp, not a hint l^eing thro^vn out 
of there being any possibility of a misundcr^tandin^, 
What was the sin-prise of tlie managers of the festi- 
val when the anthem was sung by Caradori and 
Formes, the latter taking the disputed second verse. 
Some of them, on going behind tho scenes^ found 



Mile. Piccolomini in a very natural state of excite- 
ment at tlie slight which she felt Inul l>een put on her. 
She sjiid Fonnes had insisted on sin«rin;j tlic HM*oud 
verse, and had finally jrone on tlic stajie without hav- 
ng come to any undn-standing with her. Formes 
received pretty severe rebukes from all quarters, and 
refused to li>ten to the ap]>eiil8 which were made to ' 
him to repeat the anthem pvinjr Piccolomini the 
part she desired. Finally that lady turned to Dr. 
Beales tho President of St. (Jcorgc's, and said to him 
that if he wonld escort her upon the stnije, she would 
yet })crform the part assigned her. Tlicn tho dini- 
culty was to iret the orcliesira toj^ether again. No 
leader could be found, and tho different ]>crformers of 
course, refused to go on the stage unless under his 
direction. Mr. Perring was appeale<l to in this emer- 
gency to accompany Mile. Piccolomini with the piano, 
which, of course, he cheerfully did. The rest of tho 
transaction tho public were witncsscB of. — N. Y. 
Times. 




usiral Ccrrespnirentt. 

New York, Jan. 17, 1859. — Was it my blander, 
or that of your printers, which caused the omission 
of the programme in my notice of the Philharmonic 
concert ? I fear / am to blame, for though I rcmcra- 
bcr preparing the printed programme for insertion, I 
have no recollection of inclosing it in my letter, and 
plead guilty in that case, to great carelessness. Let 
me make the best amends in my power, by stating 
now that the Symphony was Beethown's Seventh, 
that M'me. Grakver played a piano Concerto, by 
Mendelssohn, and Mr. Wollenhacpt, that for 
violin, by the same composer ; and that the pieces 
sung by the two German Singing Societies were the 
Prisoner's Giorus from Eidelio, and one from Riemi, 
by Wagner. 

At the Matin<5e last Tuesday, Norma was substi- 
tuted for Martha^ owing to Brignoli's illnesa. Pic- 
colomini, in La Seri-a Padrona, surpassed herself. 
And how charming is the music of this little operetta I 
The concert in the evcnnig was, to all accounts, as 
successful as it was long, and was enlivened by an 
amusing incident. In " God save the Queen," in 
which Piccolomini afid Formes were annonnced to 
sing tho solos, M'me. Caradori appeared instead 
of the former, which change excited vehement de- 
monstrations of displeasure, and noi.sy calls for Pic- 
colomini. That lady finally appeared, much dis- 
turbed, made a few remarks, among which the words : 
"it is not my fault, it is not my fault," were chiefly 
distinguishable, and sang a verse of the song in ques- 
tion, to Mr. Perring '6 piano accompaniment, as tho 
orchestra and chorus had dispersed. Various reasons 
arc given for this state of affairs ; some throw the 
blame on Caradori, some on Formes, and I cannot 
vouch for the truth of any report. With the Ilitgne- 
nols on Wednesday, and Travtaia^ for Piccolomini's 
benefit, on Thursday, the season closed for the pres- 
ent, and our choir of singing birds has flitted to other 
climes, to return, however, at Easter, which occurs 
unusual] V late this vcar. 

On Saturday M'me. Abel gave a matinee at tho 
Spinglcr Institute. I am happy to say that the room 
was crowded, and that all were manifestly delighted 
with tho entertainment. M'me. Adel is indeed, a 
pianist such as it is rarely our good fortune to hear. 
She showed her powcis on this ocea.sion, in every 
variety of style. A Duo with Mr. Mollevhauer, 
by Hcrz and Lafont, a Sonata of Beethoven, part of a 
concerto by Chopin, and SchulhoflTs Cat-niral de 
Venice were certainly as wide apart in character aa 
possible, but they were all rendered equally well in 
their way. !Mme. Abel has a peculiarly liquid touch ; 
she shapes the notes from her fingers like strings of 
pearls. In point of force, she is perhaps not quite 
equal to Mme. Graever-Johnson, and in merely bril- 
liant pieces, does not manifest a greater degree of ex- 
pression than that lady but let her play Chopin or 
Beethoven, and her soul is roused at once, and there 
is a fire, an enthusiasm, and a depth of feeling in her 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1859. 



341 



porformancc, which I have RcMom met with in an 
artist ot the ^iitlc sex. The Sonnta of Beethoven, 
Op. 10, No. 3, in I), with its pas^ionnto rcptlcss Al- 
Icpro, its deeply mournful Lavffo, its pretty, Hnydn-liko 
Minuetto, and sparklin^^ Finale, showed her in her 
best light. It wns only to bo regi*ettcd that an evi- 
dent nervousness caused her to hurry the fii-st two 
movements a little ; I have hoard her play it in pri- 
vate with more laiftser nflfr, and consequently, to more 
thoron/xhsatl.sfaction. The movement from Chophi's 
Concerto was exquisitely rendered, and made the 
listener long to hear her perform it with the orchestral 
accompaniment. It is to ho hoped that she will play 
at one of oar Philharmonic concerts. In answer to 
two encors, Mme. Ahcl played a little piece of Gotts- 
chalk, and one of Chopin's loveliest Mazoarkas, the 
last of Op. 33, the latter exquisitely. 

Mr. MoLLENHAUER and Fiiil. Mater assisted the 
lady pianists. The latter sang a couple of German 
songs, in one of which, a little popular melody, "How 
can I leave thee," his fine voice showed to best ad- 
vantage, and ho was deservedly encored. — t — 



PniLADKLPnTA, Jan. 17. — Yon should have wit- 
nessed the smirk of sclf-sntisfaction w^hich played 
about the diminutive features of Ilcrr Ullman, last 
Friday evening, when the rushing crowds, wedging 
through the elegant threshold of the Academy, afford- 
ed him the pleasurable consciousness that neither 
the two hundred pennies for admission, nor the 
veritable London fog and drizzle outside, had served 
to tarnish or to dampen the prospects of his petite 
comteue, Piccolomihi. When the Marie of the 
evening (the opera was La FiffUa del Refigimento) 
tripped across the l>oards towards the Sergeant 
(Formes), her eyes fell upon a vast and costlily at- 
tired audience, which presented the appearance of an 
immense snow-drifl, of white Opera shawls, studded 
with diamonds, sparkling in the rich, mellow light of 
the pendant bee-hive chandelier, like the crystalline 
ice-points npon the white winter-shroud, when the 
sun stands at meridian. No matter what the reputa- 
tion or the antecedents of a ddtdante^ Philadelphia 
audiences rarely extend an enthusiastic applause in 
advance ; they generally welcome the claimant for 
public favor with a round which signifies — " Glad to 
welcome you here ; now let us see what your attain- 
ments may be ; " and then they lapse into a frigid, 
critical resen.^e, which continues to the end, unless 
the achievements of the artist, either vocally or his- 
trionically, really be such as to warm them into genu- 
ine enthusiasm. Thus has it ever been from the days 
of Jenny Lind unto the present moment ; and artists 
have been known to admit openly their nervous 
dread of a Philadelphia dtimt. Boston possesses this 
feature in common with our city, so far as my own 
observations have served to indicate to me, — whereas 
in New York people cast themselves in all-snri'ender- 
ing homage before the singer, before that individual 
has snng a single note, merely upon the foreign repu- 
tation, which may have rendered the name illustrious. 

Piccolomini shared the same fate here, which has 
astonished and even confused many of her Art-sisters 
before her. Gradually, however, when her matchless 
impersonation of Marie unfolded its fine points apace, 
widi each recurring situation of the plot, people com- 
menced to feel interested when they found art effec- 
tually concealed, and the pretty vivandiere the moving 
spirit which caused the different scenes to pass before 
them like a charming reality. Up to the execution 
of Convien partir^ the crowded assemblage seemed 
pleased more with her piquancy, vivacity, mobility of 
feature and spirit, than with her vocalization of the 
score ; but she threw so much of tender, impassioned 
feeling and expression mto that cavatina, as to touch 
the heart-chords ef each individual, and to elicit a 
tremendous outburst of entlmsiasm after the final 
note. Connoisseurs, who measure the achievements 
of artists by certain established* criterions of Art, cer- 



tainly tailed to discover tiiat requisite amount of 
flexibility, compass, breadth, and that unrestrained 
execution which causes the roulade or the melodic 
strain to flow quasi-spontancously, like the gash- 
ing notes of a feathered songster singing from an in- 
ward bent or instinct ; they found not these sufficient- 
ly patent to entitle Piccolomini to a place beside di- 
vers other highly finished artists ; but the natural 
pathos, tender emotions, and the girlish grief which 
characterized her adieu to the towering moustaches 
around her. and which seemed flooding each note of 
the cavatina in question, forthwith won all hearts to 
her. Formes played the character of the Sergeant 
with his accustomed excellence, introducing some 
new and natural points, which admirably enhanced 
the delineation of the prima donna. 

On Saturday evening, the " Marriage of Figaro " 
drew another superb house, and presented the follow- 
ing cast: Piccolomini, Ghioni, and Berkel; 
Formes, Florenza, Perrino and Weinlich. 
The Opera was remarkably well performed; and 
where tlie old-style music failed to interest the public, 
the inimitable drollery and superb voice of Formes as 
Figaro, the sprightly vivacity and cunning of Picco- 
lomini, the archness of Mme. Berkel as Cherubino, 
the judicious acting and artistic singing of Florenza, 
kept the audience amused, delighted, jolly and atten- 
tive. Formes has never been heard here in better 
voice ; his Nonpiuandrai elicited a tumultuous encore, 
and must have caused the spirit of the immortal 
Wolfgang AmodeuB to flutter in ecstatic joy. 

It would be superfluous to add more in detail con- 
coming the artists of this fine troupe, for your mas- 
terly reviews of the recent Boston Opera season, and 
the early reports from New York of your able 
t* Trovator," have afforded your readers very lucid 
ideas of their performances and personnel. My 
object has been rather to herald the reception of the 
troupe in our midst. That certainly has been all 
which the most sanguine impresario could possibly 
desire ; crowded houses, and an increase of enthu- 
siasm each evening, which must ere long attain to 
fever heat. Tonight, Mdlle Piccolomini is to make 
her first appearance as Violetta, in Verdi's Draviata, 
an opera wherein her every note, position, gesture, 
and expression of countenance, will be measurod and 
criticized by the Gazzanioa standard, on the part 
of a public, which invaiiably seems disposed to judge 
solely by strict comparisons. 

The Concert of the Harmonia Sacred Society, 
last week, presented certain features which should 
have crowded the Concert Hall. As it was, however, 
the audience was not large, — a fact to be traced di- 
rectly to the intense frigidity of tiie weather. Mile. 
Henrietta Simon, made a most successful debut 
upon this occasion. Her musical education has been 
thoroughly comprehensive, and she vocalizes with 
much power, flexibility, purity of intonation and 
freedom from restraint. Her voice is a soprano of 
adequate compass, and is characterized throughout 
by richness, mellowness, purity, and clearness. 
^fme. La Gmnge has been her friend and patron 
saint, — moulding her style decidedly after her own 
admired method by dint of con amore instructions 
and advice to her talented pmteg€. 

Mr. C. Jerome Hopkins, the young American 
Organist, created a marked sensation by his splendid 
execution of Wagner's " Pilgrim Chorus ; " but 
finally slightly marred the impression thus secured, 
by that which purported to be an ''Improvisation on 
familiar Airs," but merely consisted in a murderous 
chopping of the " Last Rose of Summer," et id ge- 
nus omnCf into every conceivable form and shape. 
Hopkins is brimful of talent, and really CAn impro- 
vise in the most edifying manner, as the writer of this 
is able to testify from actual hearing. The choruses 
were admirably rendered, and Mr. M. II. Cross ac- 
companied with his wonted skill and judgement. 

Manbico. 



Cerro, (Havana), Jan. 1. — The second afcono, 
or season, of Maretzek'b opera troupe, came to a 
successful and brilliant close on Thursday evening. 
Dee. 30. The opera given was Sappho, by Paccini, 
which had been brought out on the 2Bth, for the first 
time in Havana. It had a great success. I was 
present both evenings ; on the first evening there was 
a very full house ; on the second, the house was lite- 
rally crammed, not a vacant scat, and gentlemen 
packed in behind the boxes. The parts were dis- 
tributed as follows : — Sappho, Mme. Gazzanioa ; 
Clymene,Mi8B Phillipps ; the High Prie8t,GA88iEK i 
Phaon, Stefan I. The fine baritone air, in the first 
Act, was very well sung by Gassier, whose voice, 
although fine, is, to me, very unsympathetic. The 
second act opens with an exquisite little chorus of 
women, followed by a song of Chymene's, which was 
finely rendered by Miss Phillipps. This is followed 
by a duet between Sappho and Clymene, which 
begins pianissimo. This duet is me, the gem of 
the opera; and it seemed impossible lor it to be 
more finely sung than it was by Mme. Gazzaniga an d 
Miss Phillipps. The romanza for tenor, in the third 
act, was preceded by a clarinet solo, very finely 
played, which was vastly applauded. The romanza 
itself, although well sung, was very coldly received. 
Stcfani is no favorite here. I am told that when he 
first appeared befbro the Havana public, he had a 
very disagreeable habit in concerted pieces, of roai^ 
ing, which roaring, as he is a very powerful, lai^ 
fellow, was not the soft roaring of a " sucking dove " 
and rather drowned the other singers. This habit he 
is overcoming and is now growing into favor, although 
he is still very coldly received and hardly ever ap- 
plauded. Sappho's death-song was accompanied by 
Mme. Maretzek on the harp, Sappho herself keeping 
time on a " voiceless lyre ; " on the first night, on a 
stage lyre, on the second on a very beautiful one, 
presented to her by some one among the audience. 
She was literally showered with bouquets and several 
very beautiful wreaths were presented to her ; also, 
two white doves were thrown to her, one of which 
persisted in fiying to and fro, from one gallery to the 
other, although repeatedly caught by the streamers tied 
to its legs, and thrown to her. The quartet follow- 
ing Sappho's burst of passion, at the discovery of her 
lover's perfidy to her and marriage to Clymene, 
was very finely snng, and the singers were called 
before the curtain three times ; but on the fourth re- 
call, Mme. Gazzuniga appeared alone, when I left the 
theatre until the next act, (as many others also did,) 
for my applause had been quite as much for Miss 
Phillipps as for Mme. Gazzaniga. 

I quite agi'ce with you, my dear Dwight, in your 
opinion expressed a month or two since, and also 
previously, that Miss Phillipps is not appreciated in 
Boston. Here in Havana, she is a great favorite with 
the public, and as I happen to know, this same pub- 
lic is a very fastidious public. For instance, — a 
singer strikes a wrong note — immediately there is 
a buzz and smile all over the theatre, and if tlie 
singer persists in singing incorrectly, ladies and 
gentlemen commence to langh and talk as easily and 
in as loud a tone as if at home. To me, it is a de- 
light to listen to Miss Pliillipps's singing ; to me, her 
rich contralto is a gurgling river of melody, growing 
over more rich and more melodious. I have met her 
once or twice at a friend's, and have heard her sing, 
and her voice is as pleasant in a small room as in a 
theatre, which is seldom the case with so powerful a 
voice: But in my admiration of Miss Phillipps, I 
have wandered from Sappho, which I had very nearly 
done with, only having intended to say, that, as too 
oflen he does, Mr. Maretzek seriously marred the 
beauty of the opera, by the loud roaring of his drums 
and braying of his tnimpets ; .in fact some parts were 
completely drowned by the orchestra. 

Last night I drove into Havana with some firiends 
to the Plaza do Armas, to hear the band play. The 



342 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



first piece performed was the chorus in the second 
act of Sappho, of which I wrote above. The next 
was a march from Emani. On Christmas eve., kind 
friends of mine arranged a party to go to Midnight 
Mass in the church attached to the Jesuit College, 
where the singing is very fine. The night, when we 
started, about half past eleven, was most delicious. 
We had been fearing we should have to give up 
going, on account of the showers, which had been 
very heavy through tiie evening ; but at eleven, the 
moon broke through the clouds, lighting up the wet 
trees and shrubbery with a flood of silver light. Im- 
mediately, yon may be sure, we started, and the 
drive into town was one of the most delightful I have 
ever had ; the trees were wet and glistening in the 
moonlight, (which moonlight, says Hurlbut in his 
Gan Eden, would have driven Shelley crazy) and 
there was a delicious perfume in the air as we drove 
on, such as we have in New England only a few 
days in May and June, when all the trees are in 
blossom and the leaves are just bursting out. A part 
of the way we drove through long double avenues of 
trees meeting above our heads. As we entered the 
walls, all the bells in the city pealed forth midnight. 

We drove rapidly to the church, and Mr. , 



being acquainted with the Fathers, easily procured 
kneeling carpets for our ladies, w.hile we proceeded 
immediately to the choir. The mass performed was 
composed by a French Jesuit priest, named Lambil- 
lotte, who died a few years since. Much of the music 
is beautiful, and it was very finely performed ; tiie 
orchestra was unusually large, some of the musicians 
belonging to the theatre. On the left of the organ 
stood Father DoyagQe, the celebrated Andalnsian 
Castanet player. Strange as it may seem, the effect 
of the Castanet was very pretty indeed, and the good 
Father seemed to enjoy it so much, swaying himself 
from side to side in time to the music. The singing 
in this church is very beautiful. I cannot compare it 
with that of any of tlie other churches, for this is the 
only one I have as yet been into. The tenor on that 
night was marvellously sweet ; Father Line, a rector 
in the church, sang that part. He is renowned here 
in Havana for the beauty of his voice, and oftentimes 
of his own free will he goes into the choir and sings. 
Since I have heard him sing, I wonder not at all at 
his renown ; his voice runs very high, and is " so 
strong and so sweet I " It reminds me somewhat of 
Brignoli's, but while equally sweet is much stronger 
and has more of the robtuto in it. Almost the only 
blot to the beauty of the mass, was the forcing of the 
voice in the Gloria, by the leading soprano, a boy, 
whose singing with that exception was remarkably 
good. We stayed in the choir but a short time, as 
we found that we lost very much of the music up 
there abreast of the organ. Therefore we went down 
round the church, until we were behind the main 
altar. Now, on the right of this main altar, in the 
comer of the church, is a marble altar recently im- 
ported from Italy by Father Leuc ? " He the sweetest 
of all singers, ia this church of lovely singers," and 
presented by him to his church, and dedicated to the 
Heart of Mary. . On the steps of this altar, thanks to 
my friend's influence, we obtained permission to sit ; 
and there we did sit, facing the congregation, until 
Mass was finished, our heads veiled by the $2,000 
worth of lace which decorated the altar. The main 
altar was beautifully dressed with trees and shrubs 
and flowers ; wandering about among the trees were 
the wise men coming to look on the infant Christ, in 
his Mother's arms, both of whom were dressed in 
white, and had a magnificent lace veil thrown over 
them { also, various lady friends coming through the 
trees, dressed in crimson silk fiounced dresses, trim- 
med with black velvet. The vestments of the officia- 
ting priest were very costly ; they were studded with 
jewels and trimmed with heavy embroidery in gold 
thread. One emerald on the middle of his back was 
ai large as a good sued pigeon's egg, and flashed 



over all the church. Immediately in front of the 

altar, were seated the boys at the Jesuit College ; they 

numbered about a hundred, I believe, and were all 

dressed in a uniform. 

T » 



Jfoig^fs lonrnal d Pnsk 



BOSTON, JAN. aa, 1850. 



Musio ur THU NuMDm. — Continuation of the Cantata: 
">Iiriani*s Bong of Triumph," for Soprano Solo and Chonu, 
by 7aiiri Scbobbrt. 



Concerts of the Past Week. 

Mendelssohn Quintette Club. The op- 
eratic Bengal lights and rockets having blazed 
out and become extinguished, we were at last ena- 
bled, and with joy, to hail again the quiet fixed 
stars in our musical heavens. Not the least wel- 
come thereof was the familiar little Floiades-likc 
group, the Quintette Club, who seized the first 
opportunity to shine again on Friday evening, of 
last week. It was the third concert of their sea- 
son. The old consecrated spot, the pleasant room 
at Chickering*s, being now actually surrendered 
to other uses, they were fain to take refuge in the 
Mercantile Hall, in Sunmier Street, which, though 
not so cozy as the old place, proved not bad for 
sound, although it may doubtless be improved by 
closing the recess within which the instruments 
were confined and bringing the stage out into the 
room. There was a goodly audience in spite of 
the worst of nights for getting about Here is 
the programme : 

1. Quintet In X minor, op. 8; Introduction and Allegro; 
Allegretto ; Finale, Adagio and Allegro : Niels Oade. 2. Grand 
Piano Trio In B flat, op. 97; Allegro Hoderato; Seheno; Ada- 
gio; Finale, Allegro; HIm Fay, Menn. Srhultn and Frica: 
8. Adagio for Quintet, arrani^ ttom. the Serenade for Wind 
Instruments; (First time); Honrt. 4. Adagio and Hondo Fi- 
nale, from the Clarinet Quintet in B flat, op. 84 : Weber. 5- 
Flrst Quartet In B flat, op. 12; Introduction and Allegro; 
Cansonetta Allegretto; Andante; Finale, Allegro Timoc : Men- 
delssohn. 

Gade's music, whether for piano, violins, or or- 
chestra, always makes the same impression on us. 
It is always sea-shore music ; it always has a wa- 
tery, cool sound, with a something dreamy, shad- 
owy, lost in the mist of ages, Ossianic. It has many 
of the characteristic turns of Mendelssohn ; re- 
flects him, perhaps unconsciously. It has also a 
peculiar hue of tenderness and romance ; but it 
is pale and bloodless ; it does not seem to live 
now, but only dimly to remember life or to fore- 
shadow it. It gives you but the shadow of pas- 
sion ; it makes you think of Undine, that interest- 
ing kindred creature of the sea, that had no soul. 
In the fttime way this music interests us, and of 
course after a little while fatigues us or lets us 
drop asleep. Put a soul into it and you have — 
Mendelssohn. This Quintet was a graceful, 
pleasing reproduction of these past impressions 
of Gade ; one of the most agreeable of his works ; 
and it was very nicely, delicately played. 

Miss Mart Fay is a very youthful debutante, 
whose extraordinary ease and fluency of execu- 
tion of the most difiUcult piano-forte music, espe- 
cially modern music, has for a year or two past 
been a theme of admiration in the houses of her 
friends. She surely followed unwise counsel in 
selecting such a composition as the B flat Trio of 
Beethoven for her first public performance. It 
was as if a boy of thirteen, some young Cheru- 
bino, perhaps less precocious, should undertake 



to play Ilamlct. Such a work requires far more 
than execution; it requires imagination, soul, 
pa.ssion, deep experience, grasp of mind. Bfiw 
F. has a nice touch. Tlic delicate passages were, 
for the most part, rendered with a clean facility 
— we mean the more melodic solo passages, to- 
gether with the trills, &c. But for the large 
chonl passages she lacked the strength. The 
breadth, the grandeur and the fire of Beethoven 
were wanting. Of course some allowance must 
bo made for embarrassment ; but we have never, 
among the dozen or more who have played that 
Trio here, heard that deep and grand Adagio 
played so tamely. The violin and 'cello partook 
of the same lifclcssncss ; doubtless they were 
compelled to hold back in behalf of the pianist. 
The best rendered portion was the light and airy 
commencement of the Scherzo ; but when it came 
to that dark and groping passage, so peculiarly 
Beethovenish, the tiling was but mechanical. 
The fault was simply in undertaking too much. 
But it was clearly shown that this young lady has 
decided talent, has already acquired a very re- 
markable facility of execution for her age, or 
indeed for any age, and that, with study and ex- 
perience (comprehending genera! culture), she 
may aspire to a high place among pianists. It is 
indeed good to see one like her turn aside some- 
what from the mere brilliancies of Thalbcrg and 
the like, and seek acquaintance with immortal 
works. But such a Trio should, by one so young, 
be only wooed in private, as a model and a source 
of inspiration, and not be selected for the exhibi- 
tion of what one can — and cannot — do in public. 

The Mozart Adagio was a dainty bit of the 
clearest, happiest sort of writing; as to ideas, 
about the average level of Mozart, not striking or 
far-reaching, but beautiful and charming by the 
very necessity of his nature. What a marvellous 
melodist was Weber I Are there any melodies, 
which seem such perfect aud perennial god- 
sends as those in FreyschiUz f We remember in 
our boyhood, in the old Federal St. Theatre, 
during those semi-dramatic, semi-musical pcr- 
fi)rmances of it, to which our " Diarist " alludes 
in another column, to have experienced our first 
really deep and life-determining musical enthu- 
tliere. Could Etliiopian melodies, or 



81 asm 



Norma, or the TrovcUorey have made a deeper im- 
pression then among Boston boys, or have been 
more whistled in the streets, than the " Hunter's 
Chorus," " Plain gold ring," &c. ? So too, in 
this Adagio and Rondo for the Clarinet (how 
Weber loved the Clarinet one needed only the 
FreyschiUz overture to tell him), we have a con- 
tinual flow of the most fresh and fascinating 
melody; vigorous, wholesome melody, with a 
fine rich, fruity flavor, and not mere sentimental 
sweetness long drawn out, long after all the in- 
spiration is exhausted, as in so much of the Italian, 
French and modem German Opera music ! It 
was finely rendered by Mr. Rtan and his ac- 
companists. 

That early Quartet of Mendelssohn was played 
to a charm. Its most striking feature, and most 
readily recalled, is the Canzonetta, a movement 
to which he seems to have been partial, answer- 
ing somewhat to the mysterious narrative strain 
called Romama in modem operas. With Men- 
delssohn it seems to tell an antique story ; some 
quaint old ballad of the people ; a ballad in the 
German vein ; a story as of some knight going 
forth on his adventures through the forest, and 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1859. 



343 



suddenly siirroundt'd by a world of little elves 
and fairies; for his peculiar fairy flutter comes in 
hero, too, after the graver measure has gone on 
awhile. 

It was a delightful evening, and such music 
made its own place, so that the keen regrets for 
the old hall were partially forgotten. 



Philharmonic Concisrts. Last Saturday eve- 
ning our musical world seemed at home again in its 
own place. The Boston Music Hall was decently 
well filled with really music-loving listeners to a Beet- 
hoven Symphony and works which commonly go 
with It. The night was unpro]utious ; so icy, wet 
and slippery as necessarily to keep many, who would 
otherwise have come, at homo. But the twelve or 
thirteen hundred (apparently) who were there, had 
reason to be thankful. 

Mr. Casl Zerraiin is happy this time in the 
composition of his orchestra. Never, save on some 
festival occasion, have wo had brought together in our 
local orchestras so much good material. Here were 
about fifty instruments, all of true temper and effi- 
cient. They wore well balanced, too : seven first vio- 
lins, five double-basses — in all, thirty of the string 
family — with the usual complement of wood and 
brass ; — a capital firet flute, capital bassoons, clari- 
net, oboe, &c., four good horns, and trumpets and 
troml)ones remarkably well civilized for this most 
rampant ago of brass. Several times in the overtures 
the kettle-drum went off with too gunpowder-like ex- 
plosiveness , but with that exception there was but 
little of the unruly element of noise to frighten Mu- 
sic's soul away. 

The " Pastoral Symphony " led off — a concert in 
itself — indeed a whole long summer day. The great 
tone-poet waves his enchanter's wand, and we are 
at once transported out of winter into the heart of 
June. How it begins I A little phrase of melody 
escapes tlio violins, and it is as if a breath of summer 
air came wandering over the long grass, and rustling 
through the leaves, and with a dreamy, rocking mo- 
tion it dies off in the distance ; the native summer 
sense, deep down in the soul, is touched, and all de- 
velops naturally. There was a slight crudcness in 
the instruments at first ; the reeds, &c. not having got 
quite perfectly attempered to each otlier in the outset ; 
but presently all blended and flowed smoothly, and 
we had on tlie whole about the best performance of 
the " Pastorale " that we remember. The slow move- 
ment, " by the Brook-side," was beautifully rendered, 
especial recognition being due to the musing soliloquy 
of the fagotto. The storm episode came out uncom- 
monly distinct and vivid. Yet, viewing it from an 
ideal standard, rather than by comparison with past 
attempts, we should say that the chief merit of this 
rendering lay rather in the vividness and freshness 
with which every line and tint of color was brought 
out, than in that fine and delicate fusion of all parts 
in one ideal whole, which might perhaps be realized 
after many rehearsals in some lucky hour. From the 
frequent and earnest signs of applause, we judged 
that our public has really grown iu its appreciation of 
a fine Symphony. 

The three overtures were well selected, for an 
opening, and for a general audience. The FreyscJiutz 
has been heard more than any other by habitii^Sf but it 
is, as a matter of course, fit that younger listeners 
should not lack an opportunity to know this glo- 
rious overture. Splendidly played, as it was that 
night, it loses nothing of its charm with those who 
may have heard it hundreds of times. The overture 
to " The Huguenots," came out with far more bril- 
liancy and power than in the Theatre, and was most 
effective. The operatic reminiscence made that in- 
teresting ; and there was the same argument for in- 
troducing that to " Martha," which in itself we never 
much admired ; but it recalled much which every one 



who heard tlie opera did admire. The happy, sun- 
shiny little Allegretto, out of Beethoven's eighth 
Sympliony, was played deliciously, and had to be re- 
peated. 

Those who anticipated a very high kind of pleasure 
wero disappointed in the singing of Miss Juliana 
Mat. She has a very clear and very powerful so- 
prano voice ; bright and penetrating high tones, very 
round and solid low tones, as low as A, and lower, 
and a middle register of plentiful volume, though not 
of an altogetlier agreeable quality ; in tnith a large 
voice, and one to cope with the fortissimo of any or- 
chestra. But it lacks the sympathetic quality. Her 
execution shows training and persistent energy of 
will in mastering difficulties, but seems too mechani- 
cal. She sang the Scena and Aria : " Regnava net 
silenziot from Lucia; the air: "Jerusalem," from 
" St. Paul " ; and " La SiciUenne " from Verdi's 
Veprta Siciliennes: — this last a brilliant, taking mel- 
ody, in which her peculiar powers found good play, 
and which she executed with a life and spirit that 
prompted a determined encore. 

The next concert of Mr. Zerrahn will take place 
Saturday evening, Feb. 5, when we believe we are to 
have Mendelssohn's A minor (" Scotch ") Sympho- 
ny revived. 



Musical Chit-GIiat 

Indulging in a humor which we sometimes have of 
entertaining all sides of a question, we have copied 
from the Courier an elaborate article on Mr Stobpel's 
" Hiawatha." This we have done for several reasons. 
First and principally because, with all its enthusiasm, 
which we think somewhat extravagant, it contains an 
excellent description of the musical contents of the 
work, prepared by one who has evidently studied it 
closely and with admiring eagerness ; and because 
we tliought so able an analysis would contribute to 
the better understanding and appreciation of the work 
when it is next performed, which we sincerely hope it 
will be soon. Secondly, because it asserts, and very 
ably and sincerely, too, the utmost claim that is by 
anybody made for Mr. Stospel's composition — a 
claim far higher than we aro prepared to admit, or 
think it possible to be fully satisfied of so suddenly, 
even if it were valid. We have already expressed the 
interest and pleasure we felt in this music, with our 
disssent from superlatives, and we are glad to give 
the other side a hearing. Thirdly, that our readers 
may consider how much reason there is in this 
writer's plea for the extending of peculiar sympathy 
and favor to a composition either on the ground of 
its being in some sense American, or of anxiety to 
recognize and hail at once the genius, or whatever 
merits, of an author. We confess we do not yet feel 
the force of those arguments ; we think that criticism 
ought to be, like genius, of no country and no respect- 
er of persons ; that its fitst duty is not to the pride of 
country, nor to the artist, nor the author, but to Art. 
But we have no room to go into the argument here. 
Meanwhile, what we do urge is, that Mr. Stocpel's 
work should have a second hearing. We trust it will 
be given in the Music Hall, where the effect must be 
better than in the Theatre ; and we trust all who 
heard it before, and all who have read what has been 
said al)out it, coldly or extravagantly, will go and 
give their best attention. We can at least assure 
them, that they will find a great deal to enjoy in it. 

The many friends of Mr. Joseph Trexkle — 
tlian whom no one was ever more esteemed and 
loved here as a gifted artist, as a conscientious teacher, 
and as a gentleman of singulariy pure and beautiful 
character, will grieve to learn that his health is not 
benefited by his trip to Europe, but is on the contrary 
in so critical a state that he is obliged to leave his 
labors and go at once to a milder climate. 

His brother artists mean to offer him, before ho 
goes, a public token of their high regard, in the shape 



of a complimentary concert in the Music Hall, — prob- 
ably next Saturday evening. Mr. Zerrahn, with a 
large orchestra, Mr. Kreissman, with the " Orphe- 
us," Otto Dresbl, Mrs. Harwood, and others, 
will take part in it. A host of music-loving friends 
stand ready on all sides to lend "aid and comfort" to 
this hearty movement of the artists. At the annual 
meeting of the Harvard Musical Association, a few 
evenings since, the mention of the plan called out the 
warmest sympathy, and a committee of gentlemen 
was raised to co-operate with the prime movers in 
whatever way would servo to make it a successful 
and significant occasion. Particulars will be an- 
nounced in a few days in the newspapers. 

A very large company of ladies and gentlemen, a 
goodly representation of the best musical culture of 
our city, were present last Monday morning at a mat- 
inee given in Mr. T. Gilbert's Piano-Forte Rooms, 
by Scfior Louis de Casseres, a pianist, of Span- 
ish-African blood, a native of Jamaica, and a refined, 
intelligent and cultivated gentleman. He brings 
testimonials from the best circles in London and 
Paris, where he spent some time ; and for some years 
he has resided in Halifax, bearing the title of pianist 
to his Excellency, the governor of Nova Scotia. He 
evinced on this occasion great facility of execution in 
the modem piano-forte music, and played especially 
a transcription from " 1 Puriiani" by Prudent with 
much taste and finish ; also a " Dream," and some 
variations upon Scotch airs of his own, which showed 
more tlian the average cleverness in that sort of work. 
His readings of Beethoven and Mendelssohn were 
less satisfactory, but showed earnest study and some 
mastery of classical as well as modern music. Alto- 
gether the occasion was a very pleasant one, and 
Seflor Casseres won the sympathies and the respect 
of his audience. Mr. C. R. Adaks added much by 
his beautiful singing of Adelaide, and of Balfe's 
"Maud "song. 

Mme. BiscACCiANTz, aided by Mrs. Harwood, 

Sig. BiscACciANTi, who is a fine violoncellist, and 

Mr. Lano, the pianist, gave a concert in New Bed- 
ford on Monday evening, which was brilliantly suc- 
cessful. Wednesdav evening she was to sing at 
Worcester, and again at Portland ; and some time 
next week, we are glad to learn, it is her design to 
give a concert in her native Boston. ... A 
splendid opera house is nearly completed in Cincin- 
nati, which is called Pike's Opera House ; and Italian 
Opera is to be inaugurated in that city on the 14th of 
March, by the first of a series of representations 
under the promising auspices of Strakosch. 

KossiNZ, says the Courier de Parity having returned 

to Paris for the winter, gave a grand musical party a 

few nights ago, at which four original pieces of his 

composition were executed. One was a grand scena, 

the Catalani, which was sung by Mile. Mainienville, 
Rossini accompanying on the piano ; a Saltqrelio, 
composed only a few days before, which Rossini him- 
self performed on the piano ; a duo, full of melan- 
choly, . called A Tear, which was executed on the 
piano and violoncello ; and, lastly, a fugue for the 
piano. All these productions excited tlie greatest 
admiration. 



London. 

The last *'event" in the world musical of London 

has been the production of Balfe's new English opera, 

entitled " Satnnella," at the opening of the splendid 

new Covent Garden theatre, under the management 

of Miss Pyne and Mr. Harrison. The book is 

founded on the ballet /> Diabfe Amoureux, which the 
Athenaeum thinks a poor book and a poor subject, 
with its "mixture of German diahfe'ne, Italian co- 
quetry and Eastern sensuality." The same writer 
continues : " Having said thns much with regret, we 
need only add, (seeing that the story is familiar to 
our theatrical readers,) that Miss Louisa Pyne is the 
SataneUa^ or she-devil, who falls in love with the 
somewhat wild. Count Rupert (Mr. Harrison) after 
having been evoked by Arimanes (Mr. Weiss) to 



344 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



inveigle his soul into the toils of dnrknass,— that Miss 
Sasan Pyno is Ste/la, tliat profligate and Iinnghty 
Sicilian lady, to whom Count Rnpnt wjis hetrothcd ; 
and who, in rcvenjio at hcing slighted for Leiia (Miss 
Rebecca Isaacs), RaperVs German peasant foster-sis- 
ter, wins all his property over the dice-box, — that Mr. 
G. Honey is llurtensittSj the pedantic old tutor of 
Count Rupertf—fxmX Mr. St. Albyn, Karl, the simple 
and unsuccessful pca/iant-lovcr of the peasant-hero- 
ins, whose forlomncss in disappointment is as old as 
Opera. It was a real pleasure to meet again Mr. W. 
H. Pa^nc, whose stolid cupidity, in the mute part of 
the Vizier, made/or us the only merriment in the four 
acts. 

"It would be lost labor to analyze Mr. Balfe's tal- 
ent and facility in composition with any hope of their 
undergoing change or improvement. Wherefore ho 
has chosen to hang half-way betwixt the Riccis of 
Italy and the Adams of France (possessing, never 
thcless, the elements of a style of his own), it would 
be bootless now to inquire, — as fi*uitless to specify the 
qualities which must make the bulk of his music 
ephemeral. — Never had English opera composer buch 
chances at all, — and there is hardly one of his works 
without some of those seizing traits or passages, 
which are worth their weight in gold, — ^now that In- 
vention's leaden age is on us. i ct how small has 
been the real result !— It is impossible to overlook 
such facts during a period when some movement is 
being made towards the formation of English Opera, 
—-and when Mr. Balfe's 'annual' seems to be the only 
piece of new stage-music which there is much chance 
of our hearing during any given twelvemonth. 

"This time, as our readers may have gathered, Mr. 
Balfe has been set down to a task more bewildering 
than inspiriting, — has been called on, moreover, (as 
in the ganibling scene of the first act, and others,) to 
enter the lists against a complicator and calculator no 
less accomplished than M. Meyerbeer. Yet we are 
not sure that any of Balfe's previous operas contains 
more distinct indication of what he might have been 
than 'Satanella.' — There are some of his happiest 
thoughts in it, — a few of his happiest things : — these, 
bv the way, not ballads. The mstrumental prelude, 
after which the curtain rises, is good, — the Gold song 
is not, and not the Champagne song in the Devil's 
Tower on the Drockenberg (how German the fancy!) 
— but the melody for Satanella, at the close of the first 
act, with the voices supporting its burden, is tuneful, 
mysterious, and charming,— excellent stage music for 
the situation. In the second act an attempt seems to 
have been made to outdo the laughing trio in * The 
Rose of Castille,' in the laughing omrtet where Count 
Rupert puts on an enchanted hat, W way of unmask- 
ing Stdla't hypocrisy, — and parts of this nave vivacity 
and sparkle. The pirate music does not get beyond 
a pantomime introduction. The ballad for Satanella, 

In fdleiiMf Md heart, go, 
b^ns well ; but is impaired by the torment of cer- 
tain modulations, which are virtually so much evas- 
ion of construction. There are good combinations in 
the second Jinafe, where the bridesmaids' procession 
is darkened by the thunder-cloud announcing the doom 
of the Demon who personates the bride. In act the 
third, — ^utterly objectionable to our thinking as is the 
cudgel, or cain comedy, of the duet alceady alluded 
to, and tremendous as are its words, the music is of 
clover comic quality. The quintet in the slave-mar- 
ket, " O woe I despair I " is excellent of its sort. 
More than one less effective movement has saved a 
worthless act in one of Signor Verdi's operas. Enough 
has been specified to show what we fancy there is to 
admire in *Satanella.' It is significant, too, that what 
we like best (with the solitary exception of the love 
song) are not the displays laid out for prinipal 
soprano, tenor, or l)asso, — but certain pieces and fancies, 
where the musician has forgotten his words, — ceased 
to flatter his singers, thought of the stage, and dashed 
on alone. 

The theatre was full, — the applause, in places, en- 
thusiastic, — the encores were many — the composernud 
singers were called for again and again, — but if *Sat- 
nnella ' keeps the English stage like its composer's 
* Bohemian Girl,' — imd circulates abroad, as has done 
' Les Quatre Fils Aymon,'— wo shall be surprised. 

From the Athennum, Dec. 18, '68. 

Concerts of the Week. — After having made 
a second absence from Encrland of some dozen years' 
duration, Madame Anna Bishop reappeared at kxeter 
Hall, on Monday evening, without the slightest 
change in her ways and means— her appearance and 
her accomplishments — being visible. Her voice is 
ju.n what it was when she sang in 'Loretta' ; effective 
in a few upper notes and toneless in the middle and 
lower part of its register.— her style musician-like, in 
a certain tastefulness and animation, — her execution 
fair, without any remarkable ambition, — her articula- 
tion generally indistinct, though not unrefined ;— to 
sum up, she is an artist attractive for a while, and in I 



certain phrases, but hcani during tlic nm of an eve- 
ning, fatiguing. NevcrthclcsK, supposing her to 
have kept up her practice in sncrcd music, Madnino 
Bishop tniglit bo acceptable in oratorio, just now, 
considering the singular thinness of its sofnano rank, — 
made up as it is of singers without voices, and of 
voices without singing power. For this, however, 
she docs not apj>arcntly intend to try, having since 
her own concert figured nightly in the profjnimme of 
M. Jullien, whose nights of promenade have now 
come to an end. — Signor Belleiti sang nt Madntne 
Bishop's concert ;— of all concert IwsaI Ixjforc our pub- 
lic not merely the most conscientious — but, also the 
best. 

Mr. RansforcTs Concert at the St. Jameses IMI, on 
Tuesdav, was a "monster" entertainment. The Cold- 
stream Band, the veteran Mr. Di-^tin and his trump- 
eters, and Mr. E Chippon the orgnn (which by the 
way, turns ont but a poor instnintent), did duty in 
place of orchestra ; and the singers were many. Had 
we an English opera (not an opera in English) Miss 
Ransford's place would Im) on the stage ; since, be- 
sides singing well, she has that drnmntic air which 
marks a vocation. — If Miss Laura Baxter can be pre- 
vailed on to lay aside that over emphasis and solem- 
nity of^ delivery foolishly thought indispensable to a 
low voice, she may become a valuable addition to our 
contralto singera.— This, by this time, might have 
been headed by Miss Lascelles, in right of her unri- 
valled voice ; but she disdains to work, and must be 
prepared to see less gifted sister singers carry away 
the honors. — Mr. G. l*erren, too, should make more 
progress, for he has voice enough, and to spare, — ^and 
the dearth of tenoi-s is notorious. Mr. Sims Beeves — 
who we hoped had Iwatcn Novemlwr — was singing 
excellently on Tuesday — to be again disabled on the 
following evening. Here, since some stir has been 
made in the matter of late (to which it is needless 
more particularly to allude), let us once for all pro- 
test against the fancy which some one appears to 
nourish, — that, whenever Mr. Sims Beeves is unable 
to sing, it means caprice. That there are some 
voices more liable than others to suffer from weather, 
is a fact obvious to every child ; that there is no 
singer who prepares himself more assiduously to ful- 
fil his public duties than Mr. Sims Beeves^ we ai'e 
satisfied. So long as the art lasts, however, there are 
people who will have a theme for nonsense. — A col- 
umn more would hardly suffico to enumerate the 
other "component items'* of Mr. Bansford's concert. 
Mr. Hullah's concert at St. Martin*s Hall, on 
Wednesday evening, was more than usually interes^ 
ing. In the 'Landa Sion' of Mendelssohn, was Iieard 
a new soprano. Miss Martin ; — a young lady with a 
voice more strong than sweet, but extensive and well 
in tune. Her composure (this totally distinct from 
forwardness) was remarkable. Her occupation, we 
imngine, is marked out by Nature for brilliant display. 
Then "a welcome variety to a choral concert was 
given by the performance ot a Beethoven Symphony 
— the second, in d. Grand works of this kind have a 
proper place, as relieving performances mainly made 
up of vocal music, — and Mr. Hullah improves as a 
conductor of them. Thirdly, came Dr. Bennett's 
'May Queen,' which made a more favorable impres- 
sion in London than at Leeds. There it was some- 
what swallowed up by the pomp of the Festival. 
Here, the soprano air (by Mr. Weiss) were encored, 
likewise the tenor song ; — the last, greatly to the 
credit of W. Wilbye Cooper, who had, at a very 
short notice, to do duty for Mr. Sims Beeves, and 
who, on this occa<(ion may have found the chance, 
which the adage says, arrives once in every man's 
lifetime. His voice, as tenors must go now-a-days, is 
low, and somewhat of the surplice hangs about it ; 
but he sang thoroughly well, and should be encour- 
aged by the recognition of this, to add to his style 
that which is wanting to it — something of lightness 
and flexibility. — Dr. Bennett was called for, and 
loudly cheered at the close of the concert. — On the 
same evening ^n interest was given to the concert of 
Mr. G. Russell, at Croydon, entitling it to notice 
here, — by his producing there some of the vocal and 
insti*umentnl music of that deceased young English 
composer of promise, Mr. E. Bache. 

On Thursday evening Mr. H. Leslie*^ Choir re- 
pented Bach's Motet, and gave a selection of part- 
songs. We are glad to note that the pror/rnmme of 
the evening brought out some of the music of Ferdi- 
nand Bies, who"5e "Rheimcein Lietl," varied, is one of 
the most brilliant pieces of the kind existing ; — and 
who suffered, on the one hand, from his frequent imita- 
tion of Beethoven (whose best pupil he was), and on 
the other from his having written too much "for the 
shops." But there is still too much mn^^ic by Bies 
both for pianoforte and stringed instruments on every 
scale, too good and too individual to perish, and on • 
thing good* and individual which takes our public out 
of the groove of fashion, be it classical or traditional, 
claims welcome. 



Sperial Hofirts. 



DKMCRIfTIVB LIST OF TlIK 

LTEST :m:xjsio, 

PMbllMhc«l by O. DiCBOii K €•• 



Music «T Matl.— Qu.antltici* of Miiric ,ire now w nt by mail, 
the cxp(>ni*u bt'lnp only ubout one rent aiiicrf, wliilo the care 
and mplility of tniiiMfxtrtjition are ninnrknlilo. Thow at a 
grmt ilixtnnoe will fluU the mode of con rev n tire not only a ron- 
Tcnlence. hut a wiTin|$ of cV|H>iiiie in obLtiiiin]; fiii|ii)l(rfi. Book« 
run nXtm lie wnt by ninll, at the rnt4» of one rent piT ounce. 
ThlN aiifilicii to any diiit.-iiire under tbrco tliouxitud luilvi; be- 
yond tiiat, double the aboTc mtifi. 



Vooal. with Piano Acooznpanixnent. 
SiciLi£XNB. (With thanks, kind fricndj^.) From 
" I^ Vcptcs Siciliennca." VtrtU. 40 

This \» perhaps the mont iiparklini; gem tliat ever 
came from Ycnirs pen, having been buried in an opera, 
which has bcon laid Mlde since tlie later operas of fch« 
groat maestro have absorbed public attention. Hiss 
Hay won with tt snch earnest and general applausa 
last Saturday night, that It U to be hoped vocalists 
will not allow it to pass ont of sight again. 

Come and admire. (Vicni a mirar.) Duo for 
Soprano and Tcuor from " Simon Boccanegra." 

Vtrdi. 30 
A capital little duct from Terdi^s " very latest *' op- 
era, bearing in its outline a marited resemblance to the 
Prison Duet in ** Trovatore." It Is very melodious 
and will prove one of the strongest piores In the opera. 
This Is the flrst of a series of the Vocal Beauties from 
this opera which is now In course of preparation. 

Joys that takisii. (Quale nssalto.) Duo for 

Soprano and Tenor, frem " Moses in Egypt." 

Rossini. 30 
A well-Icnown, bcautlfiil duct, which has never be- 
fore been published separate. Tills Is a not ovcr-difll- 
eult specimen of RoH]<ini's florid and ornamental writ- 
log, and will answer very well as an Introduction to 
the more difficult compositions of the old, clasaie Ital- 
Ian school. 

Gaily smiles the EARTn before ve. /. Hart. 25 

I lo'e nab a laddie but ane. Finlay Dun. 25 

Three Fishers went sailing out in the 

West. John Hullah. 30 

This la a new musical version of Kingsley's widely 

known poem, by Hullah, who, as musical conductor, 

and originator|of children's monster concerts, baa woo 

a continental reputation. 

Instrumental Mnslc. 

IIoMB, SWEET Home. Varied. A. Baumhach. 50 
To the musical public of this city Baumbach's ar- 
rangement of this ever beauUnil melody has been 
known for some time. During several concert seasona 
it baa been the author's " piece d« resistance " and 
the eagerness of piano-forte players to procure a eopy 
of a composition, which is sure to delight and ftsd- 
nate everybody has been steadily Increasing. 

Com' e oextil. Sei-enade in " Don Pasquale." 
Transcribed. G. A. Osborne. 30 

An arrangement of medium difficulty, in this wri- 
ter's pleasing and agreeeable style. 

Leoxorb Sciiottisch. F, Dayton. 25 

Twilight Polka. *' 25 

Secret Eleven Waltz. J. S. Drake. 25 

Artists' Schottisch. A. G. Pickens. 25 

Crescent Waltz. C. S. Rondeau. 25 

HcssAR Schottisch. J. H. McXaughton. 25 

Ontario Waltzes. A. Fisker. 25 

A banch of very easy and pleasing dance music for 
the parlor. 

Books. 
Easy and Melodious Studies for Piano- 
forte. By Fran* Petersilea. 1 .00 
A most excellent series of studies. Imparting habits 
of strict time, regular accentuation and rhythm. 
They are written in the legato style, as a supplement 
to ** Study and Amusement," by the same author 
the use of the Metronotne is here introduced in order 
that scholars may obtain correct ideas of the lightness 
and quickness with wliieh murie Is to beexvcutcd, 
tirenty years' experience having convinced the author 
that but few plajen have a true knowledge In this par* 
aicular. 

Books in Press. 

Richardson's New and Improved Method fob 
the Pianofortb. 




toig&t's |0untal 





liStr^ 



Whole No. 356. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1859. Vol. XIV. No. 18. 



From the Atlantic Monthly for Februuy. 

Hamlet at the Boston. 

We sit before the row of evening lamps, 

Each in his chair, 
Forgetful of November dosks and damps, 

And wintry air. 

A little gulf of music interrenes, 

A bridge of sighs, 
Where still the cunning of the curtain screens 

Art's paradise. 

Mj thought transcends those viols' shrill delight. 

The booming bass. 
And towards the regions we shall view to-night 

Makes hurried pace : 

The painted castle, and the unneeded guard 

That ready stand ; 
The harmless Ghost, that walks with helm unbarred 

And beckoning hand : 

And, beautiful as dreams of maidenhood, 

That doubt defy, 
Young Hamlet, with his forehead grief-«ubdued, 

And visioning eye. 

fair dead world, that from thy grave awak'st 

A little while, 
And in our heart strange revolution mak'st 

With thy brief smile I 

O beauties vanished, fair lips magical, 

Heroic braves I 
O mighty hearts, that hold the world in thrall ! 

Come from your graves 1 

The Poet sees you through a mist of tears, — 

Such depths divide 
Him, with the love and passion of his years, 

From you, inside 1 

The Poet's heart attends your buskined feet, 

Tour lofty strains, 
Till earth's rude touch dissolves that madness sweet, 

And life remains : 

Life that is something while the senses heed 

The spirit's call, 
Life that is nothing when our grosser need 

Engulfs it all. 

And thou, young hero of this mimic scene, 

In whose high breast 
A genius greater than thy life hath been 

Strangely comprest I 

Wear'st thou those glories draped about thy soul 

Thou dost present ? 
And art thou by their feeling and control 

Thus eloquent 1 

'Tis with no feigned power thou bind'st our sense, 

Ko shallow art ; 
Sure, lavish Nature gave thee heritanoe 

Of Hamlet's heart 1 

Thou dost control our fancies with a might 

So wild, so fond, 
We quarrel, passed thy circle of delight. 

With things beyond ; 

Returning to the pillows rough with care. 

And vulgar food. 
Sad from the breath of that diviner air. 

That loftier mood. 



And thera we leave thee, in thy misty tent 

Watching alone ; 
While foes about thee gather imminent. 

To us scarce known. 

Oh, when the lights aro quenched, the music hushed, 

The plaudits still. 
Heaven keep the fountain, whence the fair stream 
gushed, 

From choking ill ! 

Let Shakspeare's soul, that wins the world from 
wrong, 

For thee avail, 
But not one holy maxim of his song 

Before thee fail ! 

So, get thee to thy couch as unreproved 

As heroes blest ; 
And all good angels, trusted in and loved. 

Attend thy rest ! 



< ^•m » 



On the Wear and Tear of Voices. 

(Ooiretpondence of tho London Literary Ouette.) 

Paris, 15 th December. 

I told you, in one of my recent letters, that 
there had occurred something latterly at the Con- 
servatoire here, in the Pro&sorial department, 
that called for notice. It is the very smallest 
fact possible, but it is a fact, — just as the rushing 
of all Paris to applaud Beaumarchais' Manage ae 
FigarOj which piece satirized implacably those 
who most applauded it, was also a lact, and a si^ 
nificant one. Of all the things that people m 
general society talk of most and Know least about, 
there is none whereof more is said or leas known 
than vocal music. The old and glorious art of 
** voice-building " is lost. Ohl for a musical 
Ruskin ! How often have I, and the few who, 
like me, care for these things, had occasion to 
send forth that cry ! " Why,^ said Rossini, to a 
friend of mine the other day, " Why should I go 
now to lyricid theatres ? What should I go to 
hear ? Singers who are gone-by now, and whom 
I have heiuxl in their perfection when I was 
young? Or young singers who have not the 
faintest idea even of what a voice is, and who, if 
they have the rudiments of a good one, will have 
destroyed them in a few montns ? " 

Alas! alas! it is but too true. It is worth 
while inquiring the cause of the one perpetual 
want felt in our days of singers who do not ^* go 
off" in an incredibly short time. " How very 
short a time singers last now-a-days I " is a phrase 
one hears for ever repeated, and the thing itself 
is true. A singer no sooner comes out, and is 
made much of, than he or she begins to show 
siffns of a voice when the bloom is fading. Giu- 

funi, who is a young tenor, full of good qualities, 
ears the marks of scratches already upon what I 
would term the enamel of his voice ; Alboni sings 
below the tone constantly, (yet if ever nature 
made a perfect organ, hers was one) ; Bosio has 
inequalities, and her freshness is getting impaired. 
Take the tenors here, too : Rocer is a man in the 
prime of life, yet is almost unbearable from the 
deterioration of his voice ; Gueymard had the 
lungs of an ox, and the sonority of a trumpet, — 
he IS quite young, but the voice is ** used up ; " 
Mario IS only now reaching the age when Ruoini 
first produced his great furor all over Euro|)e ! 
Yet Mario has now little else than defects, with 
here and there a beautiful note saved from the 
wreck I Compared to this, look at the past : Rn- 
bini's ten best years were from forty to fifty ; Pi- 
saroni, at sixty-seven, in private, sings still ; Graa- 
sini, at seventy, had preserved all the truth of her 



intonation ; Catalan!, up to the hour of her death, 
had entire command over her vocal resources. 
The instances arc too numerous to quote of the 
vocalists of old times who preserved their voices 
true and equal to a late age, yet our days have 
none such to show. Why is this ? Singers being 
in incomparably greater demand than they had 
ever usea to be, and the proportion of lyrical 
theatres being as ten or twelve to one of what 
they were eighty years ago, the question is a 
useful one. Why the singers of our day do not 
last ? Because their voices are not formed, and 
they are totally ignorant of what should be done 
to form them. Evoke the shade of Malibran, and 
ask her what she underwent whilst her father, 
Garcia, taught her to form her voice. Summon 
the spirit of Rubini, and bid him enumerate his 
suffenngs under Nozzari. Go back to the palmy 
days of Crescentini . and the immortal conserva- 
toire of Naples, when singers were few (as really 
excellent artists always will be), and it took 
many, many years to make one. 

If Marchesi and Pacchierotti, and Davide (the 
elder), could arise from their graves and speak, 
they would tell you it is no joke to render a voice 
fit for singing, but they would also tell you that 
unless made thus *' fit,*' it will break down at the 
first difficulty, and in an incredibly short space of 
time be a ruin, besides being a terrible ear-sore 
to us, who are condemned to listen to it during 
the gradual process of its breaking down. 

Now-a-days, instead of there being few singers, 
and those being first-rate, Europe, and America 
too, are over-run with men and women, who are 
devoid of even an elementary notion of what their 
own voices are really capable of But not only 
are there now no Masters as there used to be, but 
I am in some doabt, if there were any, whether 
singers would go to them. One common absur- 
dity is to prate about the " natural voice." Hiere 
is no natural voice. Nature gives a vocal enun- 
ciation for the purposes of speaking, ciJling, 
shouting, or screaming out loudly, if in danger ; 
but she does not give a voice ready fashioned to 
the work that is not natural ; she does not give a 
voice ready to execute violin passages, take flying 
leaps from one extremity to the other of its ex- 
tent, or sustain the sonority of one note until it 
dies away like the vibrations of a bell. She does 
not, and never did all this ; and there is no ab- 
surdity beyond that of supposing the existence of 
a ** natural " ready made voice for the purposes 
of singing. Go and fetch the best hack you can 
find in any gentleman's stables, or take even a 
really fine hunter, and without any " training ' 
at all, put him to do the work of " 'Toxophilite ; " 
we all KTxOw what would be the result. Yet this 
is done every day of our lives in the vocal world, 
and untrained vocalists are every day turned 
loose upon the ** stiff" ground of all but impossi- 
ble vocal music, and torn to ^* go in and win " — 
which, of course, they never do. 

The three only singers of this day who bear 
marks of teaching or '* training," are three who 
are past the middle of life ; tnese are Mmmes. 
Grisi, Frezzolini, and Tamberlik. Watch either 
of these three open their mouths, take their 
breath, or emit the sound of their voices, and you 
see at once you have an artist before you. i do 
not mean a musician (Grisi, for one, is not that), I 
mean a vocal artist properly trained. 

Much has been said, I am aware, of the harm 
done to singers by the extraordinary instrumen- 
tal (and not vocal) music they are required to 
sing. There is truth, too, in this ; and Meyer- 
beer, Verdi, and some others have a great deal 
to answer for, no doubt ; but the real cause of the 
mischief lies in the total absence of all due train- 
ing. The singers of old times — who lasted — 
hi^ to sing constantly Mozart's music, and Mo- 



346 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC 



zart, be it said, rarely writes commodiously for 
the voice ; witness Donna Anna^ and Don Juan 
himself, and the various parts of the Zattberflote, 
and the Vitellia of the Clemenzaf and the music of 
Zerlina and of Cherubino — to sing which pro|>- 
erly ten years* practice would hardly be too 
much, they being, strictly speaking, violin, and 
not vocal music. Yet these parts were sung, and 
the singi*rs lasted ; but these singers were duly 
** trained." 

Well, now I am coming to what regards the 
Conservatoire here. Singing is neglected in Italy, 
and thci*e are no longer there any great schools 
for the vocal art But here matters are far worse, 
for there is one. Worse than not being trained 
at all, the very little training singers get here is 
the very worst and most mischievous possible; 
and (except in here and there an instance, as 
with that admirably-gifled vocalist, Faure) the 
subjects who are sent forth from the Conserva- 
toire are about the most pitiable of all ; for the fal- 
sest principles are ^ven them, and the teaching 
they nave nad has, m nine cases out of ten, worn 
them out before they arrive even at their debut. 
One ^at cause of the inferiority of French vo- 
calists m general is the detestable system still ad- 
hered to of the solfege. Anythingso completely 
absurd can hardly be conceived. The first requi- 
site for good singing being a proper emission of 
thA voice, and its clearest possible passage from 
the phonic cavities to the outward air, is it not in- 
sane to persist in closing a door and placing a 
barrier before that passage? Yet this, and 
nothing else, is achieved by the solfkge. Where- 
as the vowel a is the only sound by the emission 
or enunciation whereof the voice can be properly 
formed, the French system condemns sound to 
come forth obstructed by the enunciation of a 
consonant, and forces the unfortunate vocalist to 
filter his voice through the syllables Do, Re^ Afi, 
Foy Soly La, Si, instead of pouring its full stream 
naturally forth, through the medium of its natural 
sluice-gate, tJie vowel a. No consonant is natu- 
ral to the voice ; but neither are the vowels e or t 
or o or u (whichever way pronounced). The 
other vowels and all consonants are to be enun- 
ciated much later when, the instrument being 
made, it learns to put words upon notes. This is 
a subsequent and separate study, C&A. Porpora 
and all the Masters). Well, the first obstacle 
opposed to good vocal teaching in the Conserva- 
toire here is, then, the persistent adoption of the 
solfege. Now, about a fortnight since I chanced 
to see lying on the pianoforte of a lady friend of 
mine, a little modest looking volume, in 8vo., en- 
titled ** Ab^cedaire vocal ; a preparatory method, 
teaching how to emit and pUce the voice, and 
how to vocalize." As I have made the musical 
art the object of good many year's study, I was 
strongly attracted towards the little book, and 
opened it. I was delighted at every line. The 
author, Panofka (a name well-known to all stu- 
dents of the vocal science), in a few words estab- 
lishes the fact of the injury done to the education 
of the voice by the solfege system, and the abso- 
lute necessity of forming previously the sounds 
which are to be made to oear other vowels be- 
sides d, and any consonants. I then and there 
devoured the book, and was rejoiced to find that 
one man, at least, had at last been found to de- 
clare loudly the French system an impossible one, 
when to my unspeakable surprise, what should I 
discover? — that the Conservatoire itself had 
I* authorized " the volume, had ** recommended " 
it, and declared it ** excellent " as **a prepara- 
tion for the «o(/:^^6 .' " 

Now, if ever there was an instance of people 
adopting what is their own condemnation, this is 
one. Tne whole professorial class in this country 
knows only how to teach by use of the solfige ; 
if that be once exploded, where will be the teach- 
ings of these gentlemen, the consequences where- 
of are more deplorably manifest with each suc- 
ceeding da V ? That the volume I speak of is 
super-excellent — of that there can be no doubt ; 
but that the Conservatoire, with its traditions, 
should adopt it, is what I cannot comprehend. 
What I had read however, made me anxious to 
read more of an author so deeply informed upon 
a theme where ignorance is now the universal I 



law. I accordingly procured a large folio volume 
entitled '' L* Art de Chanter" and have with 
genuine delight read it through three times. At 
last, then, a real professor of the vocal art. is to be 
found, reviving all the science of the old Italians, 
continuing their lessons, inventing, too, no little ; 
for there are precepts and practices in this volu- 
minous treatise of M. Panofka'sfor the ** junction 
of the chest and head-registers of the voice," 
which are utterly new, and overcome what some- 
times puzzled the doctors of other days. The 
^'^ Art de Chanter " is a wonderful book, it is the 
work of a Master. The author, I am now as- 
sured, resided several years in Liondon, and gave 
up, it seems, many years to the studies requisite 
for the composition of so valuable an addition to 
the musical literature of this age. One of the 
fn*eate8t theorists now living, one of the lasti^^enu- 
ine authorities upon these matters, Fdtis, has, I 
am told, written something upon the work I speak 
of, and, as might be easily foreseen, has given it 
the meed of praise it merited, but which is doub- 
led by the world-wide fame of the giver. 

I do not 'apologize to your readers for so long a 
letter upon what some may call a " dry " subject, 
for I began by excUuming, ^* Oh ! for a musical 
Ruskin ! " And I ask you whether any one would 
apologize to his readers, if he had suddenly fallen 
upon a yet unknown work ot Ruskin's, and had 
been over-talkative upon it ? This Panofka is a 
sort of Ruskin in the vocal art ; and if I had the 
honor <yf his personal acquaintance, I would try 
and^ excite him to the preaching of a crusade 
against the heathens. Vocal art is becoming ex- 
tinct, and at a time when fashion calls for a larger 
supply of pn^essional vocalists every day. This 
is a false state of things, and one against which, 
whosoever loves music, or makes one of his pleas- 
ures out of the hearing of it, ought to bft his 
voice. That France should persist in her old ab- 
surd system should astonish no one. Le Solfege 
is a species of artistic "protection and prohibi- 
tion." Its overthrow will be as difficult as the 
establishment of Free Trade. 

The Conservatoire is as retrograde as everything 
else here; nevertheless, it has just now adopted 
what is the principle of a reform; and, like the 
society of old welcooung Beaumarchais, has wel- 
comed its opponent. 

Balfe's ''Satanella.** 

Mr. Balfo is proverbial for his indifference to the 
merits or dements of a libretto. To poets he is the 
most obliging and condescending of composers. 
Havinff undergone a severe course of Bonn, he might 
naturally^ be supposed to have qualified himself for 
overlooking any amount of librettorial ineflSciency. 

With all his amount of poetical apathy, neverthe- 
less, it was to be wondered at that he did not shrink 
from the task of setting Saiandla when it was pre- 
sented to him. The new Ubretto, by Messrs. A. 
Harris and E. Falconer — poets of the Rose of Cat- 
title — is said to be taken from the once highly-popn- 




similarity whatever between the two works, beyond 
the incidents of the devil attending on the hero, and 
the latter being implicated with three ladies. In Le 
Diable Boiteux the hero, Cleofas, after encountering 
the three dominos at the Opera ball, gets into a row, 
and, in making his escape from his pursuers, clam- 
bers into an attic studio belonging to a necromancer. 
He overhears some strange noise in the room, and 
fancvin^ it proceeds from the interior of a bottle, 
breaks it, whereupon out jumps Asmodens, who has 
been imprisoned therein for ever so long a time by 
the arts of the magician. Asmodens accompanies 
Cleofas through all his adventures with the three 
ladies, and finally persuades him to choose the most 
deseVving. Here is a plain tale, and, allowing for the 
sopematural element, a perfectly consistent one. In 
SatamUa there is no "concatenation accordingly." 
The primum mobile is not only supernatural, but 
every consequence arising from it is unnatural. 

When the devil is evoked by Rupert, there is no 
logic In his being accompanied by a female fiend, 
why does he come double ? Conil he not transact 
his own business single-handed ? It was a shrewd 
thought of the poets, however, while everything else 
in the opera betrays the purely comic eleincnt, to 
make the arch-fiend, the prince of darkness, the, the — 

" Oh, thoa, whatsTv titla rait th«e, 
Auld Hornia, Satan, Nlok, or Clootie "~ 



the only serious personage in the plot ; a real liide- 
ous Apollyon, ycUinjj^, anathematizing enough to 
fright the soul out of Christian himself Why did 
not the poeU} of the Rose of CartilU transfer to their 
adaptation the fiend Asmodcus, a jolly, harmless, 
good-natured devil, full of fun and frolic, and with no 
more mischief or evil in him than becomes a bom 
enemy of man ? The crowning extravagance of the 
piece is the fact that the arch fiendcss, who is em- 
ployed by the an-h fiend to ensnare the soul of Ru- 
pert, repents at the end, becomes virtuous, and is 
taken up to heaven. It is due, however, to tl)c poets 
of the Rose of Castille, to acknowledge that, although 
the dialogue is strancely diffuse, the versification and 
style in Satandia shows an improvement on their 
first production. 

With such materials, what could Mr. Balfo do ? 
Fortunately, he possesses his own abstract notions of 
the poetical, and docs not too closely examine the 
details. He was, therefore, but little trammelled by 
incongruities, inconsistencies and impossibilities. He 
caught the leading idea, or, in lieu thereof, conceived 
one for himself, and sprinkled his gold-dust over the 
doubtful matter. The muric, indeed, is wortliy of 
the name of Mr. BaMc, although hero and there he 
has found himself unable to grapple with the story or 
its treatment, and has failed to ao his talent complete 
justice. The exceptions to the general excellence, 
nevertheless, are few and far between, and, taking it 
altogether, the opera may be pronounced one of the 
most successful of the composer. 

The opening chorus, '* Donor of this \ord\y fite," 
with dance, is animated and taking, and was adfmtra^ 
bly sung throughout. The first balUd, " Our hearts 
are not our own to give — sung by Miss Rebecca 
Isaacs in the character of Lelia — is after the old- 
fashioned pattern — almost stereotyped by Mr. Balfe 
— in which sentiment, putting on a melodious dress, 
assumes the form most likely to captivate the public. 
The gambling scene, in which Rupert is mined by 
his betrothed, the Princess Stella — a startling inci- 
dent, by the way — is bustling, but lacks variety and 
dramatic colonnng. Moreover, it is strongly remin- 
iscent of the famous play-scene in R^tert le DiabU, 
where Robert loses his whole fortune. The firvt en- 
core was bestowed on the ballad by Karl (Mr. St. 
Albyn), " Oh would she but name the day," which 
is tuneful, and without the slightest pretension. 

The duet following between Arimanes (Mr. Weiss) 
and Satanella (Miss I^ouisa Pvne), may be dismissed 
with the observation that Mr. balfe does not seem to 
shine conspicuously in supernatural music, and, if he 
did, that the scene is hardly capable of being moulded 
to tuneful purposes. Mr. Harrison's first sone, *'The 
glorious vintage of Champagne," is certain to become 
popular, being exceedingly bold and catching, and 
written in the true bacchanalian vein. It was sung 
with immense spirit and energy, and tmanimously en- 
cored. The next song — "The power of Love," sung 
by Satanella to Rupert in a dream — ^is the vem of the 
opera and cannot fail to obtain an equal cel3>rity with 
" When our lips " in the Bohemiam girl, " The Cour 
vent Cell " in the Rose of Castille, or, indeed, with 
the most popular compositions of Mr. Balfe. It is 
eminently graceful and melodious, and, being sung to 
perfection by Miss Louisa Pyne, excited the enthusi- 
asm of the audience to the highest pitch, and was re- 
demanded by the whole house. 

The second act opens with what, we may suppose, 
was intended to be the grand coup of the opera, name- 
ly, a soena of the requisite form and proportions for 
Mjss Louisa Pyne, containing a recitative, and andante 
and o^fe^o movements. As this scena has been with- 
drawn, being too onerous for Miss Pyne, we may 
simplv state, that it indicated Mr. Baffe's thorough 
knowledge of the Italian method of writing for the 
voices, and that the andante was given with great ex- 
pression, and the allegro with almost unsurpassed 
brilliancv. The next ballad for Rupert, "An angel 
form in dreams behold," of the ultra-sentimental kind, 
is characterized by much sweetness and simplicity, 
and was awarded the fourth encore. This will be an- 
other special favorite. The concerted nunrceau In this 
scene, " Behold she's here," in which Satanella dis- 
closes to Rupert a means by which he may discover 
the truth or falsehood of Stella's protestations — name- 
ly, by using his "beaver" handwise or headwise — is 
liighly dramatic and effective, and obtained a success 
similar to the " Ha, ha " scene in the Rose of CastilU 
— ^to which, no doubt, the poets had an eager eye when 
they concocted it. Its extreme length and repetitions, 
however, ivere rather inimical to its thorough appreci- 
ation the first night The scene has since been con- 
siderably abridged, and now goes infinitely smoother 
and better. The next scene openp with a chorus of 
pirates, " Rovers, rulers of the sea," which, though 
pleasing, is somewhat common-place. The solo with 
chorus, which immediately follows, sung by Mr. H. 
Corn, as chief of the pirates : " My brave compan- 
ions," is felicitous both in idea and treatment, and 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1859. 



347 



may be reckoned amonf? the choice things in the 
opera. The balUd with recitative, "Let not the world 
disdaining," another gem for the prima donna y and an 
niidcniablo candidate fur popiihir favor, was given by 
Miss Louisa Pyne, with inimituhlc taste and the most 
refined delicacy. A slow cadence at the end, after 
the manner of that introduced into ** Tiie Convent 
Cell/' was deliciously rendered. A chorus of male 
pe;isants, introductory to the nuptials of Unport and 
Lclia (how that has been brought about the poets do 
not inform us) " Smile, oh, heaven," constituting a 
part 83ng, as it were, is melodious and striking, and 
extremely well written for the voices. The accom- 
paniment, however, is perhaps hardly in keeping with 
a gentle invocation. This was encorcd with acclama- 
mations. The bridesmaids' chorus and dance, " To 
Hymen's love-crowned altar now," is pastoral in 
chanictor, and very pretty, and leads to the finale, 
whicli is worked out with spirit, if not with power. 

Act the third opens with a diablerie scene in the 
hall or cavern of Arimanes, containing an invisible 
chorus, " Upward from the nether world," and duet 
for Arimanes and Satanella, "Tho' the angry bolt has 
sped." As we have said above, Mr. Balfehas not en- 
tire command of his resources, when he is in the world 
of spirits. Give him only terra firmay or a well-built 
brig at sea, and no composer can go to his work with 
greater zeal and determination. This infernal music, 
in fact, should never have been written — never com- 
posed — never allowed to be sung. Miss Louisa Pyne 
and Mr. Weiss did their utmost to render it effective ; 
but the devil himself, and his imp. could do nothing 
for it. From the lower regions to Tunis is but a short 
step. The comic scene in which Hortensius (Mr. 
Grcoiige Honey), Rupert^s tutor, and Carl (Mr. St. 
Albyn,) the old lover of Lelia, are about to cudgel 
each other at live instigation of the pirate, dramatically 
speaking, is better suited for a burlesque than an 
opera, but, musically considered, is exceedingly clever. 
A chorus and dance, "MeiTy Tunis," a merr^ tune 
is, and leads to the best concerted morceau m the 
opera. The bustle and stir of the slave market is 
capitally exemplified and skilfully treated. A quin- 
tet, "Oh, woe ! despair," was so attractive and so 
admirably sung by Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Rebecca 
Isaacs, Mr. Harrison, Mr. St. Albyn, and Mr. Corri, 
as narrowly to escape an encore. The air which 
Satanella smgs, " Sultana Zulema," in order to fas- 
cinate the Vizier, is full of character and simple beauty. 
Still more attractive is the air, ** Would'st thou wm 
me," with tenor accompaniment, with which Satanella 
brings the Vizier to her feet. Both were delightfully 
warbled by Miss Louisa Pyne, who, up to this mo- 
ment, it will l)e acknowledged, had executed consid- 
erably more than a prima donna* s average share of 
the music. Nothing daunted, however, and appar- 
entlv not in the least fatigued, the fiiir artist attacked 
the bravura, with which the act terminates, "Old man, 
thyself deceiving," and brought down the drop scene 
amid a hurricane of applause. 

The fourth act is the weakest. "With the excep- 
tion of a serenade for chorus, " Haste, lovers, haste," 
and a ballad for Rupert — another effusion of senti- 
ment for Mr. Harrison, but extremely taking withal 
— the act is devoted to a long and not particularly in- 
teresting trio, which forcibly recalls tlie last situations 
in Rnhert le DiMe and the ITuffuenotSf in which the 
multiplicity di the incidents is only surpassed by the 
impossibility of tke motives. Sumce it, that Satan- 
ella repents of being a doomed sojourner in Hades, 
and accepts a rosary from Lelia, with which she keeps 
at bay "auld Clootie" and his minions, who come to 
take her home, and is straight wafted up to the skies, 
to the utter discomfiture of the father of all evil. 

A few words must serve to chronicle the success ot 
the opera, which was triamphant from first to last. At 
the end o( the first act. Miss Pyne, Mr. Harrison, and 
Mr. Balfe were recalled. A simitar compliment was 
paid them at the end of tlie third act and the fall of 
the curtain. On the last occasion the enthnaiaam of 
the audience knew no bounds. 




New York, Jan. 18, 1859. — Robert Gtolddegk 
baa jnst started a new system of class teaching, after 
the style of the Conservatoire de Parii. He designs 
having three separate classes, the first of which, shall 
perform the works of such masters as Listz, Chopin, 
&c. He intends to give at the end of every quar- 
ter a concert in which the pupils, assisted by profes- 
sional vocalists, shall take part. A certain tenor 
singer, (well known in Boston,) has taken exception 
to his plan, and blames him for allotting to the mem- 
bers of hifl third and lowest class the accompanying 



of the vocalists — for accompaniment, he says is an 
ait of which not more than a dozen players in New 
York are masters. 

To judge from many specimens of accompanying 
that may be heard at concerts in this city, this remark 
is not far from the truth. I don't mean to say that 
the accompanists always lose their place, or commit 
any decided blunders, but they are generally fearfully 
mechanical and automatic in their performances. I 
have rarely heard a German who could accompany bet- 
ter than a street oi^an. The German musician may 
be very wise, and overflowing with Bach, and gushing 
over with Ghick, and gorged with Beethoven, and 
actually choking with Mendelssohn, but he is gener- 
erally no more able to accompany elegantly, than is 
the elephant to leap gracefully from tree to tree. 

Arthur Napoleon is one of the few good accom- 
panists I have heard. He at once appreciates the 
composers meaning. Hbkrt C. Timm is first class 
— in every respect, a model accompanist, but some- 
times too nonchalant and careless. Theodore Eis- 
FELD is much the same in style. 

Talking about Arthur Napoleon reminds me that 
the little pianist — little only in size and age — gives 
his farewell concert on Friday, previous to starting 
for Albany, Troy, Hartford, and Boston. Last Sun- 
day evening he presided, by invitation of the oi^anist 
of the church, at the organ at Dr. Chapin's, in Broad- 
way, and though the organ is not his instrument, he 
exhibited great skill in his performance. At this 
church they have adopted the system of congregational 
music, the children of the Sunday school taking the 
lead. They are carefully drilled every Saturday, 
leaniing the rudiments of music under the tuition of 
an able teacher. As the congregation is very largo, 
and as they join in freely, the singing of such fine old 
tunes as " Old Hundred," " Dundee," &c., has a 
noble effect. 

In a previous letter I gave an account of the Ferni 
Sisters, the Italian violinists, and told how a rich no- 
bleman wanted to marry one of them, and blew his 
brains out into her lap because she refused. Now this 
was a very pretty, touching story, and bordered on 
tlie horrible ; it therefore irks me to retract and in- 
form you that the report was all a humbug, and that 
the sisters themselves deny its truth, and that the 
cautions and wary " Trovatore " was decidedly sold. 
But what says the Owl Book ? I refer you to Para- 
graph XXXV, page 642. 

However, the Ferni sisters are really in trouble 
now. They have a cherished young sister, who has 
also great musical talent, though she has not appeared 
in public. A few weeks ago, this sister visited Lau- 
sanne, on Lake Geneva, and in alighting from the 
rail-car, dropped a violin box. As she stooped to 
pick it up, the car started, and a wheel passed direct- 
ly over her right arm, of course breaking it, and pre- 
venting the poor girl from pursuing her musical edu- 
cation. 

Dear old Lausanne. What a glorious place it is ! 
Situated near the head of Lake Geneva, amid most 
sublime scenery, with the Alps almost encircling it, 
there are few places surrounded with greater natural 
advantages. 

It is free, republican, lively, and Protestant. There 
is a noble Catnedral overtooking the town, and near 
the Cathedral stands a castle, and a groupe of old 
houses surrotmded by what was once a ditcn, and is 
now a sti'eet. But the city itself stretched far beyond 
tliese limits. A mile to the rear is a mountain peak, 
— a sort of public haunt, whence you can see far off 
into Savoy, and gaze down upon Lausanne, and even 
catch a distant glimpse of Geneva. And then a lit- 
tle walk in another direction will lead you to the home 
of Rousseau, now occupied by an Englishman — and 
for a quarter you can take the little steamboat to 
Villeneuve, and so visit Chillon, and see the dun- 

SK)n where Bonnivard was confined, and walk about 
e 

"Seven pilUra of Gothic mould. 

In ChiUon'e dungeon, d&rk and old," 

where Byron's " Prisoner " passed his dreary life. 
Then, if so disposed, a couple of days journey will 
take yon to the Pass of St. Bernard. But we will go 
no father than Chillon at present. Troyatorb. 



New York, Jan. 25, 1859. — Arthur Napoleon 
gave his farewell concert on Friday night, at Niblo's 
Saloon, but owing to a fearful storm, there were but 
about a hundred there, and the majority of these, Ims- 
longing to that excellent class of people who should 
have inscribed upon their brows the explanatory 
words " Caput Mortuum." 

Of course the concert did not pay, though it was an 
excellent one, and Miss Anna Vail, a brilliant, noi.<y 
singer, with a rich, well cultivated voice, sang some 
opera selections. Miss Cecilia Flores, a young 
lady of this city, who has recently returned from Eu- 
rope, where she studied with Persiani, also took part. 
She sings sweetly, but lacks power. Arthur Na- 
poleon played beautifully, as he always does, especi- 
ally in a new Fantasia written by himself, on themes 
from the Iluguenots, He has given five concerts hero, 
four of which have been accompanied by violent 
storms of rain. Mr. Napoleon p^re says he has de- 
cided to visit New York again during some fearful 
summer drouth, and advertise a concert. It will be 
sure to draw rain if it does not draw an audience. Last 
night Arthur gave a concert in Albany, and is pro- 
ceeding to Hartford and Boston. 

The Mendelssohn Union had a meeting the other 
evening and put it to vote whether they should bring 
out Stcefbl's "Hiawatha" music. Some old fogeys 
said "No ! no '" but the majority were in favor, and 
so the society will go right to work at it. They will 
devote extra evenings to its rehearsals, and want to 
produce it on the 10th of February. I snppose Mrs. 
Stoepel will do the reading. 

Carl Beromann is giving orehostral concerts 
every other Sunday evening, with fair success. This 
is an experiment that has been tried before, and de- 
pends for its success upon our German residents, as 
few of our American citizens will go to a concert on 
Sunday evening. 

There are occasional charity concerts, of mediocre 

mu5ical attractions, but they do not amount to mnch 
— Mr. Aptommas, the best harpist in the country, 
gives a matinee on Jhursday, where he will allow the 
audience to select from his large repertoire. 

Trotatorb. 



Hartford, Conn., Jan. 23. — I wonder why my 
" Dwight " did not eome yesterday ! I hare missed 
it much to-day — the Berlin articles, the New York 
correspondence, &c., which I read with the liveliest 
pleasure. It is with receiving a newspaper regularly 
as it is with one's dinner ; — when you make up your 
mind that you are to have it at a certain time, and it 
is not forthcoming, you are at once disappointed and 
aggravated — apt to say things which yon would not 
say under any other circumstances. So it was with 
myself yesterday, — after going to the Post-office two 
or three times, up to a late hour in the evening, and 
not finding my Dwight,". — nor has it yet made its 
appearance. 

There has been a dearth of concerts for some 
time past — not a solitary instance since I last wrote. 
The only thing which has partaken of the nature of 
a concert was a mtutcale gotten up by one of the 
best, if not the best, of onr lady pianists, assisted by 
Mr. Allbbrt Wobltzb, of New York. I am 
sorry to say that I was nnable to be present. The 
programme was of the first order, the piano-forte se- 
lections being made up from the works of Kontski, 
Heller, Thalberg, Chopin, &c., with one or two com- 
positions by Mr. Woeltzb. The vocal portion was 
composed of one or two selections from " Les Hu- 
guenots," "II Bravo." &c. Mrs. Cljlrb Hott 
Preston, was the principal lady singer — in fact, 
the only one, and her performances were highly spo- 
ken of, as might be expected. Messrs. Wander, 
Maerklein and Gundlach also acquitted them- 
selves finely, as 1 learn from the best judges who 
were present. 

All^the high board fences about town are heralds 
ing the advent of the boy pianist, Arthur Napolbos 



Mta 



348 



DWIGHT'S JOUENAL OF MUSIC. 



— a fine sounding name, and one which looks well in 
print, especially on the big, black posters which stare 
you in the face at every comer. I have a great de- 
sire to hear this prodigy, because I have an idea that 
he is really an artist — not only that, but a tnio mu- 
sician. These prodigies usually spring up like mush- 
rooms, and as suddenly disappear ; their little heads 
burning out, like an over-heated stove, long before 
they arrive at manhood, and that is the end of them. 
I recollect of Budinstein's telling us one night in 
Leipsic how he, ten years before, made his d^it in 
London with ten other prodigies, all equally good 
and astonishing performers on the piano-forte, and of 
that number he knew of only one who had retained 
his fame, and that was Alfred Jabll ! Of course 
he might have consistently added his own name, for 
of all the most wonderful and astonishing players I 
have ever heard, Anton Rubinstein takes the prece- 
dence. He has lately been appointed, I notice, 
"chief-musician" to the Court of St. Petersbuig. 
Arthub Njlpolbok was giving brilliant concerts in 
all the large cities of Europe four years ago, and the 
brilliancy of his career has not seemed to diminish. 
I understand that after his American tour he will re- 
turn to Europe to perfect himself in composition. 
The " Beethoven Society ** are still at work getting 
up the " Seven Sleepers," by Loewe, and will proba- 
bly bring them out, when fully awakened, some time 
this winter. The " clerk of the weather," however, 
ai seemed desermined to throw cold water upon the 
rehearsals for he has tipped his watering-pots bottom 
side upwards on almost every Friday evening, for one 
or two months past, thereby deterring a great num- 
ber of singers from attending, as they would wish. 
Several other matters I had intended to write about, 
but I must desist. H. 



BOSTON, JAN. 29, 1859. 



Musio nr this Nmnn. — Continuation of the Cantata: 
" lUriam*! Song of Triumph," for Soprano Solo and Chonu, 
by FaAHS ScauBsar. 



Annual Meeting of the Haryard Musical 

Association. 

The return of this interesting anniversary was 
welcomed with unusual eagerness on the evening 
of Monday, the 1 7th inst., by all the members 
within haiL Indeed, the memory of the occasion 
in past years had grow-n so pleasant, and the re- 
port thereof so tempting, that no one kept away 
who could by any possibility be present. We 
met, as usual, in the sumptuous parlors of the Re- 
vere House, where there was nothing wanting, 
except fresh flowers (kept back perhaps for 
another festival the next night), to make the 
good cheer and aesthetic sentiment of the sytor 
posium perfect. Considering the filial relation in 
which this Journal stands to the Association, how 
generally read among its members, and how large 
an influence, direct or indirect, those members 
have of late years exercised in the muncal move- 
ment of tlus neighborhood, it becomes us to make 
some record of those delightful hours, although of 
course it is impossible to seize and fix the life and 
sparkle of what was in its nature so impromptu. 
We can only briefly note what was done in the 
way of business, and add some few reminders of 
the supper table, which will be valued by those 
at least who were there, and possibly tantalize a 
fittle those who were not But first, for the in- 
fonnation of the uninitiated, let us briefly state 
what the Harvard Mu&cal Association is, by 
recalling a paragraph from our last year's report 



The H. M. A. grew out of a little musical club of 
undor^duates at Harvard University, called the 
" Picnan Sodality." It was formed in 1 837, on Com- 
mencement day, and was At first a union of actual and 
past " Pierians." The ohjectii wore partly social, 
partly practical. It was hoped that such u union 
would lead to a fuller recognition of Music among the 
branches of a liberal culture in the Univcrsitv ; that 
funds might be raised in course of time for the foun- 
dation of a musical Professorship ; that a Musical 
Library might he collected ; but above all, that the 
mere association of educated men in such a cause 
would tend to rise the general respect for Music, at 
that time not by any means profound or hearty. The 
Professorship is still in the future, though Alma Mater 
has done something, has eroploved a teacher of sing- 
ing in the College walls. The Library has become a 
notable and solid fact, as we shall see. But the chief 
fruits of the union are found in the social impulse 
which it has given to musical culture in the highest 
sense. Confined chiefly in its memberships to grad- 
uates, it has also added to its numbers not a few other 
gentlemen of musical, literary and artistic culture, and 
now combines a weight of character which cannot but 
have influence. By the exertions of its members our 
noble Boston Music Hall became a fact ; in them Uiis 
Journal of Music found its first enouragement ; the 
first Chamber (Quartet) Concerts were given in Bos- 
ton under their auspices ; and constantly suggestions 
spring up at its meetings which lead to public action. 

The hours from 7 to 9 F. M. were devoted to 
business. Reports of the Directors, the Trea- 
surer and the Librarian, showed that the bant- 
ling had reached the age of manhood (twenty- 
one years), sound and vigorous and bidding 
fair to be a useful member of society, and ever 
mindful of his Alma Mater. Several new mem- 
bers were voted in, and the officers of the past 
year were re-elected, to wit : 

President^ H. W. Pickering. 
Vice President^ J. S. Dwight 
Cor, Secretary^ Dr. J. B. Upham. 
Rec, Secretary^ Henry Ware. 
7rca*tir«r, J. P. Putnam. 

IHrecU>n,U large, \ ^/gUnSIr 

A hearty vote of thanks was passed to our 
brother Ware, to whose unwearied care, dis- 
cretion and good taste, the improvement of the 
Library for several years has been particularly 
due. And here we will insert, as a document 
likely to interest the friends of music generally, 
the 

Librarian's Beport 

Since the last meeting of the association, the pro- 
posed arrangement with the Boston Athenaeum, to 
which reference was made in my last Report, has been 
carried into effect, and now at last this Library, which 
for more than twenty years has been passed from hand 
to hand among those who were willing to shelter and 
care for it, exposed to many perils of fire, water and 
thieves, has found a secure resting place and constant 
oversight and care in an alcove of the Athenaeum in 
Beacon street. * • • * The books have been ar- 
ranged as conveniently as possible, in relation to their 
subjects, upon the shelves of the alcove assigned to us 
which in a few years, they will completely fill ; they 
have been catalogued by shelves, and each volume 
properly numbered, so that each has its proper and 
permanent place. A complete card catalogue has al- 
so been prepared, giving the full title and description 
of every volume in the Library, and a copy of the 
printed catalogue has also been renumbered, which 
will be found at the Librarian's desk, and may be 
consulted for the purpose of finding any particular 
work. « • • * * • * 

The removal has also required a considerable out- 
lay for binding, partly for the preservation of the 
books, and partly that their appearance should 
not discredit the general character ot the books upon 
the shelves of the Athenaeum Library. They are now 
in quite good order, but the somewhat hard usage that 
is inevitably given to all volumes of music, will in 
the futme demand a somewhat larger outlay for bind- 



ing, than wo have formerly expended. The works 
of Mendelssohn are still in sheets, and I have not 
thought proper to remove them from my own custody 
until they shall bo as far as their nature permits, well 
bound. A good deal of the imported music, scores, 
operas, &c, comes in paper binding, and comes to 
pieces the first time it is opened, and thus requires 
immediate and careful binding. The entire number 
of bound volumes is now about seven hundred. 

The books are accessible at all times to the mem- 
bere of the Harvard Musical Association, whether 
proprietors of the Athenicnm, or not, under the same 
general regulations as heretofore. They will be re- 
ceived and delivered, and charged by the Athenaeum 
Librarians in a separate book, in the same manner 
with the books of that Library. They are also open 
for' consultation by persons entitled to the privileges 
of the Athencnm, but can be taken out by our own 
members only. It will of course be absolutely nec- 
essary that the rules for the use of books should be 
observed wiA strictness, under the present arrange- 
ment, which is incompatible with the looser system 
that may be permitted when the books are constantly 
mora or less under the eye of an individual ; and all 
members using the books will confer a favor by re- 
placing them carefully in the places where they he- 
long. 

A list of the additions of the last year has been 
printed (see below) and is here for distribution. With 
this and the similar list of last year, our printed cata- 
logue is complete. • • # # • 

In former yean the Library was indebted very 
largely to the donations of individual members for its 
increase, the number of volumes pni chased being a 
very small proportion to those given by individnals. 
Of late yean but very little has been done in this 
way, and I again bring the matter to the attention of 
the Association, as many memben undoubtedly have 
what they could well and gladly spare, to be placed 
upon the shelves. The Library appropriation is ex- 
pended mainly upon such works as are comparatively 
rare or costly, and not in the possession of individ- 
uals. 

We have been indebted for six yean to Mr. Nathan 
Richardson, for the yearly publications of the "Bach- 
gesellschaft," of Leipsic, and we have now assumed 
the subscription which he has given mp and shall fbr 
the future be enrolled among the subscriben to this 
great work. • • • • # # 

In giving up the immediate charge of the Library, 
which has been under my care since 1857, I should 
acknowledge the pleasant intercourae and acquaint- 
ance which I should not probably otherwise have en- 
joyed, with very many memben of our fraternity; 'and 
should congratulate them on the freer access that they 
can now have to our books, and on the good care 
that they will receive in their present resting place, 
where they will doubtless remain till, in some ftitnre 
time, they may possibly be given to the charge of our 
Alma Mater for the benefit of the Harvard Professor 
of Music. 

The following appropriate ResoltUums were 
then ofiTered by Mr. Ware, in relation to the 
death of our much esteemed associate, Fbancis 
Lowell Batcheldeb, of Cambridge : 

Whereas since the last meeting of the Harvard 
Musical Association, the hand of Death has taken 
fh>m us one who had been closely identified with its 
interests and its pleasures ; 

Raolved, That we hold very dear to our hearts the 
memory of FrjlKGXs Lowell Bjltchelber ; that 
we recall with pleasure the recollection of his singu- 
larly pure and lovely Christian life and convenation ; 
that we esteem it a privilege to have known and 
loved one who was in eve^ way so worthy of affec- 
tion and esteem, and that here especially and on this 
Anniversary which brings to mind the pleasant rec- 
ollections of college days and college friends, we 
shall long recall to memorjr the face, the presence, 
and the conversation of him who has gone from 
among us. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1859. 



349 



Resolwd, That we tender to hia fnTnily onr sincere 
sympathy for the irreparable loss that they have sus- 
tained and rejoice with them in the painless recollec- 
tions of his blameless life and character, and that 
these Resolves be transmitted to them and entered 
upon the Records of the Association. 

Before the Kcsolutions were p&sscd, Dr. J. B. 
Upham spoke as follows : 

It is with mach hesitation, Mr. President, after the 
beautiful and touching tribute just rendered to the 
memory of onr departed brotlier, that I rise and at- 
tempt to add a single word. But the relations sus- 
tained between Batchelder and rnvself were such and 
so intimate, while ho was living, that I cannot re- 
frain from givmg some expression to my sorrow at 
his early death. 

As is known to most present, he was, for many 
years, a member of this Association ; and, whether 
in the capacity of private fellowship, or as one of its 
most faithful and efficient officers, he had always its 
best interests at heart. It was here and in this con- 
nection, as, likewise, in his capacity as clerk of the 
Boston Music-Hail Association, where he performed 
his duty most faithfully and assidiously, that my ac- 
quaintance with him began ; an acquaintance always 
coupled with esteem and respect ; which soon ripened 
into friendship and ultimately into intimacy and the 
6tit>ngest attachment. More particularly, during the 
last two years of his life, were we drawn together by 
the bond of sympathy in a common object and topic 
of interest — having relation, I mean, to that noble 
structure — the embodiment both of science and of 
art — the Organ which was his favorite instrument. 

I have now in my possession, a ruler made from 
one of the keys of the old oi^n in Christ Church, 
in Cambridge, where our friend was accustomed to 
worship, and where he often officiated as oi^anist in the 
three or four years preceding his death. This relic 
he gave me on the morning of my departure for Eu- 
rope, a couple of years ago. The instrument from 
which it was taken, was, in itself, a cunosity, and in 
its day a valuable work — some of the incidents of 
whoee history are most interesting and remarkable ; 
it having been built so early as about the year 1760, 
by the famous John Snetzler, of London, robbed in 
the Revolutionary war, by the besieging army under 
Washington, of its six leaden stops (which were then 
put to a more practical use,) and taken down and 
exchanged for the present instrument some dozen or 
fifteen years since — an event (this last) over which 
Batchelder, in his gentle and refined taste, never 
ceased to mourn. I mention this anecdote, Mr. 
President, otherwise irrelevant, perhaps, at the pres- 
ent time, as indicating, in some sort, the appreciative 
and artistic tone which pervaded our friend's nature. 
And this it was, I can add my testimony, which 
characterized his whole life ; a spirit of gentleness, 
and refinement and kindness and goodness of heart ; 
a love for the picturesque and beautiful in Nature, 
and for Art in all its forms, — for Muiic especially. 
Add to this a cultivated mind, a well stored intellect, 
urbanity and affability of manner and of conversa- 
tion, and do we wonder it has been said of him — he 
never had an enemy, he never lost 9l friend t 

Mr. Batchelder was by no means demonstrative of 
his talents or his acquirements. His voice was rarely 
heard in onr meetings, though no one was more con- 
stant and punctual in his attendance. So it was else- 
where, whether in the business, the duties, the rational 
enjoyments of life. He did much, he said little. 
But by a certain something, more easily felt than de- 
scribed, one could not be witu him much without 
acknowledging his excellence and his moral worth. 
And if we could see, as some believe it will be in 
our power one day to see, the shadows imprinted on 
the surrounding objects with which we come into 
proximity in our daily life — both publicly and in 
retirement — daguerreotyped, photographed as it 
were, we should read all around I am sure, in his 
case, the record of a beautiful and blameless life. 



The last time I saw our lamented brother in health 
was on the occasion to which I have alluded. On 
my return home, a few months afterwards, he had 
gone South, to escape the severities of our New En- 
gland spring. After a few months sojourn, he came 
back, and I visited him (in company with my friend, 
Dr. Derby,) at his quiet home in Cambridge. We 
found him cheerful and happy, and full of hopes of 
recovery ; — for his disease, as you all know, was 
that mysterious and insidious, one which so simulates 
health, and steals onward so gradually in its fatal 
march, and is so almost invariably accompanied by 

courage and fortitude, and the persistent hoping 
against hope, that when its end comes, which is death, 
it appears sudden and surprising ; thus, on the occa- 
sion of this visit, with our friend and brother ; he was 
himself, as I have said, buoyant and hopeful ; to us, 
however, his doom even then was plainly written in 
the lineaments of his face. We bade him farewell 
with well assumed cheerfnlness, but with sorrowing 
hearts, feeling, knowing it to be for the last time. 

He went a second time to Florida — like the Ponce 
de Leon, and innumerable multitudes since, in vain 
search after the fountain of life — where, in a couple 
of months, he died — in such manner and with such 
surroundings as, it seems to me, most fitting he should 
die, and as he himself, I believe, could most have de- 
sired ; — in the genial air of Florida, near the coast, 
not without the presence of relatives and sympathi- 
sing friends — ^the winds blowing on him incense from 
the breathing pines inland, and the voice of the sea 
which he so much loved speaking to him from the 
shore — and, floating all around him, the melody with 
which that delicious climate seems laden, in all sea- 
sons, summer and winter, in the day and in the night, 
throughout animal and vegetable life — where, as 
some poet has beautifully expressed it, even 

" The mute Btill air 
Jb mutie ilumbering on her Inifarument." 

Thus he died — died as he had lived, patient and 
uncomplaining to the last ; calm and happy, and peace- 
ful and resigned ; still trusting in God ;* in the exer- 
cise of a Christian faith, and in full hopes of a glori- 
ous immortality. 

At 9 o'clock the folding doors were opened, 
and disclosed a table spread with nectar and am- 
brosia, and adorned with emblematic figures, fit 
to grace a banquet of sons of Apollo — a 
table BO formidably grown in length since last 
year (between forty and fifty guests sitting down), 
that it needed such electric wires of song, speech, 
poetry, and winged wit, as were there in abun- 
dance, to bring us near enough together. Mr. 
President took the head, with distinguished 
guests on either hand, on whom he evidently had 
designs. There was Longfellow, with the poetic, 
genial presence, eloquent as words, and there 
was the " Autocrat," and there was Fields, and 
Prof. S. G. Brown, of Dartmouth, and Hillard, 
and many more choice spirits, a sure warrant that 
the " feast ofxeason " should not fail. The sing- 
ing ** mediums" had concentrated themselves at 
the lower end, near that galvanic battery of 
tones, a Chickering *^ grand," at which brother 
Willcox presided — determined all to make up 
by the warmth of song for such remoteness from 
the sunshine of the Presidential countenance. 
While all yet stood, the old English canon " Non 
Nobis, Domine, was sung. A short hour was spent 
In cheerful discussion of the good things furnished 
by mine host of the Revere. Then a toast to 
" our Association," and the practised eye of 
Mr. President, who also is an Autocrat on such 
occasions, and yet as suave and beaming with 
good fellowship as he is fiiU oftactand ever ready, 
began to glance ominously along both sides of the 
table reading the secrets of the guilty ; but we 
all knew where his lightning would first strike ; 
for had not brother Hillard arrived after all, 
when we were fearing that we should be de- 
prived of that musical eloquence of his which al- 
ways set the ball in motion — a little late, but 



evidently so glad to be with us, that his sponta- 
neous little speech was as inspiring as Cham- 
pagne. Vain, therefore, to arrest its sparkle, to 
give the manner and the life of it ; but this was 
his text. 

Mr. Hillard remarked that he had been unwell dur- 
ing the day, and at one time had determined not to 
come to the meeting ; but he had reconsidered his de- 
termination, and was very glad of it. To find him- 
self among his friends of the Association, to see their 
animated faces, to receive their cordial greetings, had 
had a restorative influence upon him; he had felt 
himself growing better from the moment he came in- 
to the hall. He advised his medical friends present 
to prescribe a visit to the Harvard Musical Associa- 
tion in certain forms of illness. He had attended 
many anniversaries of the Association, and beyond 
all question or controversy he was not so young as 
when he began to attend them. But somehow or 
other, he could not tell how it happened, the mo- 
ment he found himself among his friends of the Har- 
vard Musical Association, his years dropped away, 
and he felt like a boy once more. They must keep a 
fountain of youth somewhere on their prembes. He 
could not make a set speech — he could only speak 

right on, a few words warm from the heart; and he 
was glad that he did not hear that foe to all spontan- 
eous utterance — the scratch of the reporters pen. 
He concluded with an earnest invocation of prosperity 
to the club and happiness to its members. 

Dr. Holmes of course was not the man to shrink 
when our President's eye fell on him. The muse had 
favored him ; she always does. There wa^ a tear 
too in his voice. Music and Harvard carried the 
poet's thoughts back to the old gable-roofed house, 
his Cambridge home, and he sang in verses musical 
and sweet the " Opening of Ae Piano," the new 
dementi brought from London, and how " we 
children ** crowded round the marvellous box, how 
** Mary ** played on it, restoring quiet, and so on. It 
was a strain right from the heart ; and as the voice 
ceased its tremulous music, a shadowy hand — of the 
"Professor" — reached from behind his chair and 
snatched the verses, so that we have them not ; doubt- 
less said Professor will return them some bright 
morning at that " breakfast table " of us all ; but 
those who only read by day will envy us who heard 
by night. So too the Fields, though it was winter 
all without, grew musical as birds and running 
brooks, there in our charmed inner world ; a witty, 
merry strain ran gurgling thence ; but vainly sought 
we to entice the coy and laughing stream into these 
printed and prosaic channels. Wanting those two 
poems, where is the life, the two eyes, of our supper 
portrait 1 

We have no room nor power to tell what ringing 
glees were sung, what sentimental part-songs ; or what 
speeches, grave, enthusiastic, humorous, and happy 
repartees, sprang up spontaneously and made short 
hours till morning, amid that genial company of 
doctors, lawyers, poets, artists, merchants, legislators, 
professors, &c. Some took the shape of practical 
suggestions and led to immediate action. Thus, 
counting up the rich and telling voices that there 
were among us, it was resolved to organize a Maen- 
nerchor or Glee Club within the Association, who 
should keep in tuneful practice for future occasions 
of this kind. Mention being made of the ill health 
and proposed journey to the South of that excellent 
and esteemed young artist, Mr. Trbnkle, and of the 
complimentary concert to bo offered to him by his 
brother artists, the warmest sympathy was expressed 
and a committee of ten gentlemen then and there ap- 
pointed to lend tlie aid of the Association to this 
project of the artists. Upon that committee the choir 
named Messrs. J. S. Dwight, Dr. H. X. Bowditch, 
James Stuigis, £. D. Brigham, Dr. J. B. Upham, 
.'udge J. P. Putnam, Henry Ware, F. H. Undei^ 
wood, George Hews and Eben Dale. 



350 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 






The elegant remarks of Prof. Browke, and other 
good things, some of which did not even find room at 
the table, shall have room in oar next. For the 
present we mast end with showing how the Chair 
led ap the " Judge " and made him plaj npon the 
organ, and how well he played when once npon his 
pedals, 

Tho President then called on the Treasurer of 
the Association, Mr. Putnam, to give some ac- 
count of the new organ now building in Ger- 
many, for the Boston Music Hall, which he had 
seen during the past summer. 

Mr. Putnam said that he arose under grcjat embar- 
rassment, for the President had completely deprived 
him of the opportunity of making tho speech he had 
prepared. For four successive years he had been 
called upon, at these Annual Suppers, to make " a 
few remarks " in response to the sentiment of " Old 
Put." Whether there was anjrthing in his appear- 
ance which reminded the President of that worthy 
gentleman, or whether the President supposed that 
because he bore the name of Putnam ho must neces- 
sarily be one of his descendants he knew not. Ho 
was reminded of the story told of a criminal who had 
been successfully defended by the eloquence of a cele- 
brated lawyer. After the acquittal, his friend said to 
him, " Now tell us, honor bright, did you steal that 
horse 1 " to which the other responded, " Well, I 
always thou^^ht that I did steal it, but since lawyer 
A.'s plea, I begin to think I didnt." 

And so with him, the President had complimented 
him with that same toast so of\en, that he began to 
think, spite of his convictions to the contrary, that 
he was either a son or grandson of that distinguished 
gentleman ; and so he had Ixsen " posting himself up " 
on his family history, and anticipating that he might 
be called npon this evening, in the usual manner, he 
had prepared himself with sundry anecdotes and 
scraps of history which it had been his purpose io in- 
flict upon his hearers. He was prepared to prove 
that Gren. Putnam commanded at Bunker Hill, and 
that he led the choir in his native village, so that he 
had some claims to being remembered in this asso- 
ciation. He reminded his hearers also, that by a 
singular cotncidenee this was the birthday-eve of 
" Old Put," that is, if he had lived until the morrow, 
he would have been just 141 years old. 

He was happy, however, to see that tho President 
ha*l this evening " struck a new vein," and so his 
friends would be relieved for the present at least from 
tbe inflictions he had purposed to put upon them. Ho 
was thankful, for another reason, for the President 
had given him an opportunity to show that he him- 
self had a faur claim to membership in this Musical 
Association. He had always insisted that he had no 
right to be there, except upon tho lucus a non htcendo 
principle ; for though his passion for music was gront, 
ho professed to have no great scientific knowledge of 
the subject ; but now he was called upon to play upon 
the organ. Well, he could say a few words about it, 
and it gave liim great pleasure to say to his friends, 
that during tho past summer, feeling a deep interest 
in that work, and at the request of his friend, Dr. 
Upham, whom wo all recognized as the " head and 
front " of the organ, ho took letters of introduction 
to Dr. Hopkins, the organist of Temple church, Lon- 
don, who had taken a great interest in the building 
of this organ, and also to Mr. Walcker, of Ludwigs- 
burg, in Germany, the builder of the instrument. 
And here he would say en passant, that if any of his 
friends^ should find themselves detained in London, 
over Sunday, they would hear at the Temple Church 
some of the finest church music to be found in that 
city. Upon reaching Ludwigsburg, which is near 
Stuttgard, he foun^ita quiet, retired place, with about 
7000 inhabitants and 4000 soldiers, to keep them in 
order. This did not seem to argue great harmony in 
the place, but he found it was formerly a place of some 



importance, and that the soldiers were rather kept 
there for sake of appearances, than because the inhab- 
tants were particularly revolutionary in their feelings. 
He found Mr. Walcker a highly intelligent German, 
a man of note in the place, and of the highest respect' 
ability, and character, and he could assure the gen- 
tlemen subscribers to the organ fund, that their inter- 
ests in this particular, could not be in tho keeping of 
a more upright and honorable man. Mr. Walcker 

expressed his great delight at seeing him, and Mr. 
P. said that he fully and duly impressed Mr. Walcker 
with a proper idea of Boston, and its citizens, and in 

{articniar with the character of its musical public, 
le informed him that "Boston State House was the 
hub of the social system," an idea which the honest 
Germart, owing probably to some organic defect in 
his mind, did not, at first, seem fully to comprehend, 
but which he, Mr. P. put to him in two or three diff- 
erent ways, so that he finally seemed to yield to the 
proposition, for he begged him to assure his friends 
in Boston, with a grip of the hand which toldf that 
they should have an organ, which, with but possibly 
two exceptions, would be the largest ever built, and 
equal to any of them in quality. Mr. Putnam visited 
the manufactory, in company witli Mr. Walcker, and 
then saw what he would call the " organic remains " 
of the instrument, did not that remark seem to imply 
that it had already been once completed. He would 
rather call them the "disjecta membra,^* (that was 
classical) of the organ ; hero a pipe, there some other 
portions scattered about. He was not " let do^vn " 
into one of the pipes as his friend, Dr. Upham was 
into one of the pipes of the organ at Ulm, as into a 
deep well, but he would warn them that if the noise 
the pipes make, is proportionate to their size, the cit- 
izens of Boston, he feared, would imagine themselves 
living in the midst of a perpetual thunder storm. 

Mr. Walcker had just completed a fine instrument 
for the cathedral of Ludwigsburg, which he had 
generously given to it, and ho, Mr. P. had the pleas- 
ure of listening to it. He had also just finished a 
very superior instrument for the cathedral at Ulm, 
which ho wished much that Mr. P. should see and 
hear, it being one of the finest organs in the world. 
Mr. P. went to Ulm, and passed some time in hear- 
ing, what he described as the finest organ which he 
heard in Europe, and he had the opportunity of hear- 
ing many. He said that he never before fully under- 
stood what that noble instrument was, or felt its true 
inspiration until, at Ulm, he stood beneath the sol- 
emn arches of that grand old cathedral, (one of the 
six finest cathedrals in all Germany) and listened to 
that wonderful organ. He begged to assure gentle- 
men, that if Mr. Walcker furnished us an instrument 
at all comparable to that at Ulm, we should have 
one of which Boston and the country might well be 
proud. Mr. Putnam begged pardon for detaining 
them so long, hut begged to be considered now as 
having somo claims to membership, because he had 
" played upon that organ." 



The "Hiawatha'* Mmic again. 

To the Editor of Dwight's Journal : 

Dear Sir : It is so seldom that I fail to recog- 
nize the justice and fairness of all that appears 
in your editorial columns, that I am sure you will 
permit me to recall your attention to some re- 
marks respecting Mr. Robert Stoepel's ** Iliawa 
tha," which appeared in the Journal of last week, 
and in which I find a departure from the candor 
which I always look for from you. You speak 
handsomely of the work, and give the composer 
much credit ; not so much as I believe he de- 
serves, but enough to prevent mc from making 
any allusion to your crititrism, had it been merely 
upon a question of taste. It is some matters of 
fact which you have not sufficiently considered, 
that I desire to speak about; and even concern- 
ing these I should have remained silent, but for 
your endeavor, while uttering your own opinion, 
to throw discredit upon that of others, who, not 
without care and thought, have placed a higher 
estimate upon Mr. Stoepel's comiwsition than you 
appear inclined to do. 

The remarks to which I refer, are contained in 
the following extract from the Journal^ (3kii, 15.) 

The testimony of tho great majority of those who 



heard die work is much more warm, in many in- 
stances amounting to enthusiasm, and in some rases 
to the most desperate extravagance of praise. News- 
paper critics riot in superlatives, as if they had dis- 
covered a new Shnkspeare. They talk of its mark- 
ing " an era in our musical history" ! ; of " his infi- 
nite resources of counterpoint and imitation" (moro 
could not be said of Bach or Hnndcl) ; of "imagi- 
native and creative genius of the higlicst order" 
(what is there left to say of Beethoven or Mozurt ?) : 
of having " found no instrumental writing finer than 
this of Mr. Stcppel's," and moro ad nausfum. T/Ot 
us, at least, avoid all such extravagance. Better for 
the artist that his work fail to meet due recognition 
all at once, or for a long time, than that it go forth 
coupled from the first with such pretentions. Never 
was any Beethoven or Mendelssohn, in conntriea 
where they do appreciate such efforts, greeted on a 
first production in such terms. The title to such epi- 
thets can only be established in tlie course of time. 

Of the four quotations from notices by *' news- 
paper critics," which you introduce, I have scon 
only one — the last, referring to Mr. Stoepel's in- 
strumentation. I do not doubt, however, that 
they are correct, although the one which I recog- 
nize is not fairly printed in your paper, an itali- 
cism (1) having been introduccd,which needleftily 
intensifies the opinion, with a view, of course, to 
render the contrast between it and your own 
more marked. But assuming the quotations, let 
me ask what there is in them that indicates the 
desperate and nauseating extravagance of which 
you complain ? First, *^ Hiawatha " is s^d to 
mark ** an era in our musical history." Yon will 
hardly deny that of all musical works originally 
produced in this country, Mr. Stoepel's is so in- 
comparably the best that no other can be named 
with it. Hence it is right to assert that when 
such a composition, claiming comparison with 
those of acknowledged European masters, is writ- 
ten and first performed in America, an event 
which has never before occurred, an era(2) in our 
musical history is marked. Second, Mr. Stoepel's 
" infinite resources of counterpoint " arc spoken 
of — (it may be supposed that here, again, the 
word " infinite " is forced beyond its meaning by 
an italicism which the original writer did not em- 
ploy) — to his praise. (3) I can only say that so far 
as this subject demands them, the composer's re- 
sources of counterpoint are without limit In 
** Hiawatha " you will find on examination some 
contrapuntal writing which is perfect in its way ; 
and sufficient to show how much farther the com- 
poser could have gone, had he chosen. By your 
allusion to Bach and Handel, who were masters 
of the fugue and little else besides, it may be sup- 
posed that you reject this claim of contrapuntal 
learning on the part of Mr. Stcepel, because no 
fugues are found in " Hiawatha." Their absence 
is rather to be set down to his credit, since such 
effects would be wholly out of place in a piece of 
this character. I believe it is correct to suppose 
that the declaration of Mr. Stoepel's resources of 
^ counterpoint are intended to apply solely to their 
employment in " Hiawatha," and as such discover 
nothing desperate or nauseating in it. If I 
Uiought they had any reference outside of ** Hi- 
awatha," I too would go beyond the record, and 
convince you that the composer has produced 
fugues as correct and learned as any by the mas- 
ters you have mentioned, by sending you one or 
two for publication. As it is, I would prefer to 
confine myself to the consideration of ** Hiawa- 
tha " only. Third, Mr. Stoepel is said to possess 
"imaginative and creative genius(4) of the highest 
order," which you object to, because more cannot 
be said of Beethoven or Mozart If I under- 
stand the term aright, in this connection, Mozart's 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1859. 



351 



" imaginativo genius" cannot be called of the 
highest order. He was so deficient in imagina- 
tion that his music very often fails to express the 
meaning of the words to which it is applied, and 
sometimes exhibits an entirely opposite spirit; 
which, after all, docs not interfere seriously with 
his claim to to bo considered the greatest compo- 
Bcr of his age, and, in some respects, the greatest 
of all time. Beethoven's " imaginative genius " 
assuredly was of the highest order, but it does 
not appear that either of these composers at- 
tempted to illustrate a subject of such new and 
extreme difficulty as the one which Mr. Stospel 
has chosen, and I very much doubt whether 
either would have succeeded better, in the spe- 
cially characteristic portions of the music. Mr. 
Stoepers means were unprecedcntly limited and 
unpliable; ob6ei:ve what he has effected with 
them. His extraordinary power of idealization, 
and, at the same time, preservation of the true 
spirit, of his theme, is what constitutes his claim 
to imaginative genius of the highest order. The 
assumption of the highest creative genius, I ad- 
mit, in this case, too much. Mr. Stcepel has not 
shown it ; but you will see, as indeed you have 
said, that in this work no proper opportunity is 
afforded for such display. Probably the critic's 
knowledge of other of the composer^s writings 
caused this remark. I am willing to allow, how- 
ever, that here the boundary of prudence was 
overstepped, and that Mr. Stocpcl has not proved 
himself a Beethoven or a Mozart, so far as crea- 
tive genius goes, at the first leap. Fourth, one , 
says he has " found no instrumental writing finer 
than this " — a remark not hastily nor heedlessly 
uttered, but the result of careful examination, 
and comparison of the score, page by page, with 
works of the best orchestral composers. (5) No such 
judgment, thus formed, should be repelled, excep- 
ting after similar investigation, and I do not 
think, Mr. Editor, that, after investigation, you 
would have any wish to repel it. I am firmly 
persuaded of its entire justice. 

In order that I may not be misunderstood in 
what I claim for Mr. Stoepel, let me say briefly 
what opinion I entertain of his work as a whole. 
I certainly do not place it beside the greatest 
compositions of Beethoven, Mozart, or Mendels- 
sohn. At the same time I believe that it marks 
" an era in our muacal history," as above ex- 
. plained; that it shows a musical learning sur- 
passed by no composer of these days ; that it 
indicates the highest imaginative genius, in its 
exquisitely poetic and artistic illustration of a 
peculiarly unmusical subject; that it contains 
specimens of instrumentation equal to any ever 
written ; that most of its melodies are unique 
and beautiful ; and that it is as perfect a por- 
trayal of the subject as could be looked for. Of 
course, it is not all equally excellent, and has its 
weak points. Some passages — a very few — are 
commonplace ; that is to say, the composer has 
made use of forms which are the common prop- 
erty of all composers. But altogether consid- 
ered, it ought to rank as one of the most impor- 
tant musical productions of this time, and must 
stand as the most important ever brought out in 
America. 

You must allow me to say, Mr. Editor, that I 
do not consider your arguments against the pres- 
ent recognition of ^' Hiawatha's" merits at all 
convincing. You intimate that this work should 
rather languish for a long time in obscurity, than 



go forth coupled with the " pretentions " which 
I have endeavored to sustain, because — Bee- 
thoven, Mendelssohn and others were not at first 
appreciated. This, certainly, is the idea that you 
convey — because the greatest composers of the 
world were not at first appreciated, Mr. Stoepel 
should not be ; because they suffered from criti- 
cal coolness during their lives, this gentleman, 
too, must wait for fame until the time when it can 
afford him very little 8atisfaction.(6) The " course 
of time " may be sure in establishing the title to 
eminence, but it is lamentably slow ; and I be- 
lieve that it is the duty of all whose influence can 
quicken its measured progress, and aid the strug- 
gles of aspiring genius, to heartily and sympa- 
thetically extend their encouragement when they 
may with justice do so. To come to particulars, 
I believe it is the duty of every writer on musical 
subjects, to closely examine a work like this of 
Mr. Stoepel, before rendering any opinion upon 
it, and above all, to respect such opinions as are 
ba.sed upon this principle, even when opposing 
them. 

I feel myself justified in thus defending what 
has been said in commendation of " Hiawatha" 
against your gentle sarcasm, because it seems 
throughout your notice, that you have hardly 
viewed the composition from the right standpoint 
You have treated it as a work of less dignity of 
purpose than it really is. (7) A single example will 
explain my meaning. You my, in speaking of 
*^the Beggar's Dance, that "the Indians must 
have known rum and white men before they 
danced to such tunes." Here the misconception 
is palpable. We have nothing to do with tunes 
to which the Indians danced. The composer's 
idea was very far from that of reproducing the 
particular music which accompanied the wild 
dances of the Indians. He meant to give a mu- 
sical picture of the gay scene at Hiawatha's wed- 
ding ; a suggestion of the sports in which for the 
moment Fau-Puk-Keewis was the principal actor. 
The composer's intention was poetic and ideal ; 
the one you attribute to him is vulgar and prosy 
in comparison. 

I had intended to leave out of consideration 
everything that might be esteemed a question of 
taste, and I hesitate to dispute your assertion 
that " Hiawatha " is monotonous, for that reason. 
But after all, it is not exclusively a matter of 
taste. " Hiawatha " is composed of fourteen 
numbers, each one of which is different from the 
other in style, time, and rhythm. How then, can 
it be pronounced monotonous ? (8) Had you said 
dull, I should have doubted, but in silence. 

I need not assure you that my dissent from the 
views you express upon this subject docs not con- 
flict with the respect and esteem I entertain for 
the Journal of Music^ and that my object in en- 
deavoring to sustain my own opinions, and those 
of many others, is only to properly bring before 
the public the claims of a composer in whose 
genius and abilities I feel a deep trust. 

Yours truly, 11. 



Notes ov vat Abotx. 

1. The itaUcism here, m elaewhere, was not Intended to 
" throw discredit " on any one's opinion, but simply to direct 
attention to the unqualified character of the statement which 
we pronoanecd and still pronou nee extravagant. We trust this 
remoTes the only shadow of a ground Ibr charging ui with want 
of ^^eandor." 

2. Many an event In tttls world^s history, the birth of a 
child for instance — has, when looked back upon, been said to 
mark an '' era.'* But it is a mind of rare prophetic insight 



that can oonfldently read the era in the very hour the child 
or the event la bom. The eonaequences of an event must be 
somewhat unfolded before we common mortals can proclaim an 
era. Now we cannot deny, neither oan we afllnn that ^* Hia- 
watha " is " incomparably the beet " work yet produced in 
this country, we not having heard some of the largest claim- 
ants. But even if it were, would that make it an event neces- 
sarily of any very great importance to the world ? Wait and 
see what Influence it will have, and whether It will shape or 
color much tiie musical ftiture of our country : then it will be 
time enough to say It marks an "era." It may be very fine, 
nay, even a work of real genius, and yet &11 fiur short of that. 
Therefore we would forbear (and that was meant to be the moral 
of our article) passing presumptuous Judgments, and we mnat 



still regard thto '< era " talk as verdant, hasty, over-eonfldent, 
extravagant. 

8. These claims no doubt are honest, springing flrom sincere 
enthusiasm : but are they modest ? Who to the man among 
us, unless we had a Mendelssohn or Beethoven, that to eompe' 
tenty on a few hearings, or a reading of a score, to pronounce a 
composer's contrapuntal resources "without Ihnit?" One 
must have exhausted all the possibilities of Art to be able to 
say that S. can do all that Bach or Handel did ! We should 
not dare say that at once of any man, even If he were another 
Bach ; such candidates must wait examination of their peers. 
And he who says that Bach and Handel were " masters of the 
ftigue and nothing dse " (.') would, we seriously fear, be among 
the last to recognise a really great work should it appear among 
us. Again, eorreet writing, of fugues as of other things, is not 
enough to make a Bach, any more than It to to make a Bhaks- 
pcttre. There may be Infinite dtotance, as to genius, charm, 
expression, meaning, &c., between Aigues equally "eorreet." 

4. To question Hosart's " Imaginative genius " because his 
music means more than the trash of words to which he often 
wrote, or to attribute the highest order of such genius to Mr. 
8. because he has been happy in the musical illustration of a 
more difllcnlt poetic subjtot, than Beethoven ever undertook, 
shows, In either ease, a very superficial notion of " imagina- 
tion," "genius," "creative Ikculty," fro. We have no room 
to discuss it. Mosart wanting in Imagination ! Much as we 
were pleased with Mr. Stoepel's music, we find more Imagina- 
tion in one of Zerllna's little songs than in the whole of " Hia- 
watha;" we appeal to mankind. But our critic seems to 
waver in the re-assertion of his own strong statement. 

6. '■'No instrumental writing finer than thto." Were Men- 
delssohn to say that, we should place some trust in the opinion . 
But who of tf.< — nay how many, think you, even of our best 
musicians, are really competent, flrom simply reading score 
with score, to say of a new work, that it to equal to the best 
orchestral writing of the greatest masters ! Tf a thing u so great 
as that, it must take time to find it out, at all events if it be 
something new in kind. 

6. Tou mistake our meaning. We did not say that this 
composer ought not to be recognised at once, because greater 
men than he were not. We only sought to show, by great ex- 
amples, that in the very nature of the case the highest kind of 
genius atnnot be recognised at once, except perhaps by here 
and there an ii^vidual of the rarest Insight. 

7. Ton mtotake us again. We did not mean that Mr. 
Stoepel's purpose was to embody real " live Indton " music In 
his " Beggar's Dance;" but to hint that the quick movement 
thereof sounded to our ears by no means original, and very like, 
almost Identical with some common, fiur from ideal Jig that white 
folks dance to. 

8. A musical work, a play, a poem, anything, may be 
" monotonous," although its form and time should change at 
every step. Still It may leave a monotonous impression on the 
mind. A perpetual succession of new images to no safeguard, 
necessarily, against that; while on the other hand (to come 
back to our friend's pecuUar stumbling block), an organ fugue 
of Bach (!) that changes not in tempo, stops, degree offeree, 
or thematic phrases, from beginning to end of the longest, shal 
sound ever Aresh and new to us. — En. 



Musical Chit-Chat 

Mme. BiscAcciANTi and Miss Juliana Mat, 
give a " Combination Concert " in the Music Hall 
this evening, which certainly combines many ele- 
ments of interest. It will be an opportunity which 
no Bostonian would like to miss of hearing once 
more Boston's most accomplished prima donna, 
after years of triumphs on the operatic stage in Italy, 

France, Russia, South America, &c., while it will 
afford a new chance to apprcciat<y the merits of the 
younger artist more fairly. They will he assisted l>y 
Signer Biscaccianti, violoncellist, Messrs. Lang 
ami Battmbach, pianists, and the Mendelssohn Qnin- 

tctte Club Carl Zebrahn's second Philharmonic 

Concert will take place next Saturday evening, when 
the orchestra will plav Mendelssohn's A minor Svm- 
phony, Beethovens "TLeonora" overture, the Fa'cM- 
tanz of Meyerbeer, &c., and a violin solo will lie per- 
formed by M. CoENEir. Perhaps also the German 
" Orpheus " will contribute some part-songs. 



352 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



We have the programme of the closing soirde, for 
the past year, at Mr. E. B. Oliyer's excellent 
" Mendelssohn Musical Institute " in Pittsfield, Mass. 
This gentleman and his assistants, persevere success- 
fully in the good work of inculcating a taste for truly 
classical music in their many pupils. The perform- 
ances on this occasion were all by the young ladies, 
who are said to have done great credit to themselves 
and their instructors. The pianoforte pieces were a 
Rondo, (4 hands) by Clementi ; Sonata Pathetique, 
Beethoven ; Sonata in F, Mozart ; Adagio (4 hands), 
Thalberg ; Rondo brillanie, S. Heller ; Sonata in D, 
Mozart. The vocal pieces were Schubert's " Elogy 
of Tears " ; Kucken's " Return of Spring," (two- 
part song) ; a song with guitar, " Miller's Maid," by 
Gould ; and two-part song, " The May Bells," Men- 
delssohn. This is in delightful contrast with the 
usual dreary sentimentality and clap-trap of Semi- 
nary musical exhibitions .... They have capital pro- 
grammes of orchestral music at the concerts of the 
" Classic Music Society " in New Orleans, under the 
direction of Mr. G. Collignok. This, for the 
second of the series, Jan. 5th, could hardly be beaten : 
Part 1. Overture to Iphigcnia, Gluck; Concert- 
SiiirJc, Weber ; Andante, Haydn ; Overture to Ruy 
Blot, Mendelssohn; Part 2. Beethoven's Seventh 
Symphony. 




u&U Jhcair. 



London. 

(From the Athennum, Sec. 26, 1858.) 

At the last Musical Soiree of the Eighth Season of 
the Reunion des Arts, M. Wieniawski was the princi- 
pal vocalist. He is associated with M. Jullien in his 
coming " farewell " tour through England, which is 
to precede that triumphant, artistic, philanthropic, 
and scientific promenade round the glooe, — to which 
allusion has been made in the Athenreum. It seems 
unreasonable, to the verge of absurdity, that so little 
chamber-music is possible in London before Valentine's 
Day. M. Sainton is about to take a short flight to 
the Continent, — Herren Molique and Pauer and Mr. 
Sloper are silent, — Signor Piatti and Pezze might 
simply be practising their violoncelU at home, for any 
noise of quartets and trios which reaches our ears. 
In fact, a strange Viennese, or Cremonese, or Pari- 
sian, who had alighted in our capital during the past 
month — so memorable for its darkness, — might have 
been excused had he gone home and printed in his 
book of travels that there wa4 only one solitarv instru- 
mentalist to be found in London after " the House is 
up," — that one being Miss Arabella Goddard. Veri- 
ly, the inconsistencies in musical Art of the English 
are odd. 

The list of operas to be produced during the com- 
ing French season at the St. James Theatre, is ample, 
and runs as follows : — "By Auher: Domino Noir, 
L'Amhassadrice, La Sir^ne, Le Macon, Fra Diavolo, 
Les Diamans de la Conronne, La Part du Diable, 
Hayd^e, Le Philtre. By Herold : Pr^ anx Clercs, 
Marie. By Adam : Le Chalet, Postillion de Long- 
jnmcau. By Ambroise Thomas: Le Songe d'une 
Nuit d'Ettf, Le Caid. By HaMvy : L'Eclair, Les 
Monsquetnires de la Reine. By Boicldieu ; La Dame 
Blanche, Le Petit Chaperon Rouge. &c. By Gr^try : 
Richard Coeur de Lion, Z^miro et Azor." A good 
list is the above ; yet. — though in no respect " fish- 
like," something "ancient." There are little operas 
by composers like M. Rtfber. — (" Les Papillotes," to 
name one), or by M. Mess<f — "Les Noces de Jean- 
nctte," (to instance another), which would be accept- 
able in London, and are especially adapted to a com- 
pany such as the one about to open its acconnts with 
the public on Wednesday. But the management, no 
doubt, speculates on the English love for that which 
is known — not to sav well worn. In anv event, we 
hope that its success ^^nll enable it to fulfil its inten- 
tion, which is stated to be the permanent establish- 
ment of an Op€ra JOomiqite in London. 

At the Crystal Palace Concert, on Saturday last, 
was performed the music of Mendelssohn's 0|>eretta, 
known here as " Son and Stranger," by Mrs. and 
Mr. Weiss, and Mr. Wilbye Cooper as principal 
sinsrers. 

The Drawing-room Opera written by Mr. Palgrave 
Simpson and Signor Biletta, for a company compris- 
ing Mrs. Enderssohn, Mrs. and Mr. Tennant, and 
Mr. Patey, is now, we understand, readv to start ; — 
and, on New Year's Day, will put itself bodily into 
railway-carriages with a van for stage and "proper- 



ties," — and commence its journey from town to town 
in the true old Thespian style. It is the wise inten- 
tion of its members, we learn, to work themselves up 
to the most perfect finish in the provinces before at- 
tempting performance in the Metropolis. 

The journals of the week have announced that Dr. 
Bennett's ' Mav Queen ' is the mufsical work com- 
manded, occording to usage, for the New Ycor's per^ 
formance at Windsor Castle. 

M. R<^musat'8 comic opera company began their 
proceedings on Wednesday evening with ' La Part 
du Diable,' in which the principal character was 
taken bv Madame Faure. 'This lady, who has Fung 
chicflv in the French provinces since her marriage, 
will be best known to the frequentci-s of operas by 
her maiden name as Mdlle Petit^Bri^re : — and in 
that most remembered for the lively wav in which 
she gave the couplets of the camd-boy in M. Auber's 
' Prodigal Son.' 

Madame Viardot is expected in London verv 
shortly. Mr. H. Leslie's Biblical Cantata, ' Judith/ 
will be performed at St. Martinis Hall early in March, 
with herself, Mr. Sims Reeves, and Signor Belletti, 
in the parts sung by them at Birmingham. 

Paris. A new tenor, M. Montaubry, has appeared 
at the Op&a Comique of Paris, in a new opera, " Les 
Trois Nicolos," by M. Chapisson, with considerable 
success, l)oth as actor and singer.- The piece itself 
seems to be a poor one, and is built on incidents, 
which never happened, in the life of Dalayrac, the well 
known French composer. Correspondents in Paris 
state, that it will be premature to expect M. Meyer- 
beer's new opera, with only three characters and no 
chorus, for some months to come. 

The Italian Theatre in Paris. — M. Calzado, 
director of the Italian Theatre, lately brought an ac- 
tion before the Tribunal of Commerce against M. 
Galvani, one of the singers, to have his engagement 
for the season dedaced null and void. His advocate 
represented that Galvani had been engaged at a very 
liberal salary as primo tenore assoluto, but that he had 
made a complete Jjasco in the first part which he 
played — that of Lindoro in the Italiani in Alc/eri, — 
and that he had been pronounced by some newspaper 
critics not to be at all equal to the position he had 
taken ; and the advocate contended that every theatri- 
cal engagement was held to be void when the per- 
former failed to please the public, in proof of which 
he cited various law authorities and precedents. M. 
Galvani, on the other hand, through his advocate, 
stated that M. Calzado had not engaged him until 
af^cr he knew that he (Galvani) had sung with suc- 
cess in Italy, Germany, and Belgium ; that foreign 
journals had spoken highly of his talent, and that it 
was on the express recommendation of no less a 
person than Madame Borghi-Mamo, a competent 
judge of singing, that M. Calzado had engaged him. 
He further said that on the first night he had been 
afflicted with a cold, hut that nevertheless if some 
journals had spoken ill of him, others had spoken 
well. He produced a certificate from Duprez, who is 
now director of the singing school at the Conserva* 
toire, to the effect that he had a veritable tenor voice, 
and he said that M. Calzado's reason for wanting to 
get rid of him was that, in addition to Mario and 
himself, he had engaged two other tenors, Graziani 
and Belard, and did not need four. Galvani there- 
fore prayed that the action might be dismissed, and 
that M. Calzado might be condemned to pav him a 
month's salary, which fell due on the Ist of Novem- 
ber last. M. Calzado's advocate begged that three 
experts might be charged to report on the extent and 
quality of Galvani's voice ; but the tribunal, without 
noticing this request, decided that the engagement of 
a performer can only be put an end to when it shall 
be clearly proved that the public have received him 
with marked disfavour, and that M. Calzado pro- 
duced no such proof with regard to Galvani. It 
therefore rejected his action " for the present," and 
ordered him to pay Galvani 2,.571f., his month's sal- 
ary, due on the 1st of November last. — GaUgnanVs 
Messenger. 

M. Berlioz, in his \mtfeuilleton, speaks so empha- 
tically in praise of Madame Barbot, the new soprano 
who lately appeared at the Grand Op€ra of Paris, — 
that, once again, we will hope her success there to be 
a real success, in spite of the praise in the papers. It 
is certain, at least, that such favour as the lady has 
gained owes nothing to " puflT preliminary." The 
project of re-building the theatre on the site of the 
Hdtel Osmond has been, wisely, abandoned: a lest 
convenient situation (as has been already said) hard- 
ly existing in Paris. Miss Thomson, the young 
English lady whose promise attracted attention at a 
late Concert of the Consermtoire, has made her d^bttt 
at the Grand Op^ra of Paris as Mathilde in ' Guil- 
lanme Tell.' 



Sjetial Sotires. 

DKRCRIPTIVB LIRT OF TIIK 
Pnblisked bj O. DltMB U Co. 



HvHic BT Mail.— Quantitim of Hnsie are now wnt by mall, 
the expenm hoinn only nbout one rent aptec«. while tlie can 
and rapidity of tran^ipot-tAtion are reronrlcable. ThOM at a 
gniii diRtancf will find the mode of convcynnre not only a eon- 
▼enienrc. but a Kivin^ of expense in obtaining RUppliea. Bookt 
ran aim be Mnt by mail, at tlio rate of one rent per ounee. 
Thin applies to any distimre under three thousand milea ; b»- 
yond tliat, double the above rates. 



Vocal, with Flano Accompaniment. 
SoNO OF THE Sea. Poetry by Mrs. N. Thomp- 
son. Music by IF. R. Dempster. 50 
A new aong from Bemptter'a pen, with that melodl- 
oufi flow and spirit, whleh is one of the happy peeu- 
Ilarittes of this popular writer. 

When there's love at home. A Song for 
the Fireside. McNaughton. 25 

A light, prettT ballad. 

Tell me, ye boftlt bbeathiko oalbs. Car- 
adna. L. A. Denton. 30 

Tot meno soprano Tokw, demands fluency of s^I« 
and smoothness of deliTery. It Is well adapted to 
please In small as well as In large circles. 

Haplt tour Losdbuip. (Se vuol ballarc.) 
From Mozart's " Marriage of Figaro." 30 

A graceful air fn three quarter time, sung by Figaro 
In the flntt act of the Opera, and a capital l^t song 
for a baritone voice. 
Willie's on the sea. Song. J. Ford. 25 

An easy song in the sentimental style. 

Who shall be fairest ? Song. Frank Mori. 25 
An eflectire ballad, whleh has proved a drawing 
piece In the author's coooerts in England. 

Like a dream, bright and fair. (M' appari 

tutt'amor.) From Flotow's " Martha." 80 

Lionel's celebrated romansa, In the original key of 

F. Another Terslon : ^* Flow so ftir," fre, mnsio two 

notes lower, (in the key of D,) was published sema 

time ago. 

Inatromental Mtuio. 

Newport Lancer Quadrille. (With Fig's.) 30 
This quadrille will be recognised by the Tidtors of 
Newport last season and the freqnenten of the lata 
state-balls at Philadelphia as a funlllar one. 

March cosaque. Charles Wehle. SO 

This piece, as the Berlin Correspondent of this 
Journal writes In one of his latest eommnnlcatlons, li 
In the hands of almost every piano-player In Qermany. 

LeFlotmelodiqub. Valse ^<^gant8. C.Fradd. 30 
A Tery taking walte of medium dlfllculty. We pre. 
diet a great popularity for this composition. 

Silver Spring. (Silberquell.) Fritz SpindUr. 4fi 
A charming Impromptu In the form of a modem 
study, much less dUBcult than the works of this writer 
usually are. The mnsio fully Justlfles the propriety 
of the title, which promises sllrery strains iBozfaansti- 
ble. 

Ever of thee. Foley Hall's popular song, 
transcribed by Adolph Baumbach. 30 

A nice arrangement of the now well-known air, 
adapted to the wants of the msjorlty of piano-players. 

AouusTA Polka. G. W. Stratum. 25 



Gentle river Waltz. 



It 



25 



Kearsange Mountain Waltz. M. Clarioni. 25 

Annie Laurie Schottisch. W. C. Glynn. 25 

Sons op Malta Quickstep. Barrows. 25 

Light and pretty dance music. 

Books. 

The Golden Wreath. A choice Collection of 

Favorite Melodies, designed for the nse of 

Schools, Seminaries, Select Classes, &c. Also, 

a Complete Course of Elementary Instructions, 

upon the Pestalozzian System, with numerous 

Exercises fov Practice. By L. O. Emerson. 30 

This popular book has now reached Its one hun- 
dredth edition, with a daily increasing sale. In hcU 
for many months past, the demand has with great dlf> 
Acuity been supplied, though seTeral steam presses 
haye been couRtantly at work to meet it. The present 
edition contains a large number of songs that haye 
been issued since the first publication of the book, and 
haye attained a popularity suflldent to call for their 
Insertion in a yolnme which contains all the fayorlte 
melodies of the day. 




toiglt's 



|0ttrital 0f Pusit. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1859. Vol. XIV. No. 19. 



Whole No. 357. 



Poems at the Bums Festival 

Boston, January 25, 1859. 



BY OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES. 

His 1>irt1iday. — Nay wc need not speak 
The name each heart is beating, — 

Each p^listcnin;; eye and flushing check 
In liglit and flame repeating I 

Wc come in one tumnltuons tide, — 

One surge of wild emotion, 
As crowding through the Frith of Clyde 

noils in the Western Ocean ; 

As when yon cloudless, quartered moon 

Hangs o*er each storied river 
The swelling breast of Ayr and Doon 

With sea-green wavelets quiver. 

The century shrivels like a scroll, — 

The past becomes the present, — 
And face to face, and soul to soul. 

Wo greet the monarch-peasant 1 

Wliile Shenstone strained in feeble flights 

With Corvdon and Phillis, — 
While Wolfe was climbing Abraham's heights 

To snatch the Bourbon lilies, 

Who heard the wailing infant's cry, — 

The babe beneath the shieling. 
Whose song to-night, in every sky. 

Will shake earth's starry ceiling. — 

Wliose passion-breathing voice ascends 

And floats like incense o'er ns, 
Whose ringing lay of friendship blends 

With Labor's anvil chorus ! 

We loTC him, not for sweetest song, — 

Though never tone so tender, — 
We love him, even in his wrong, — 

His wasteful self-surrender ; 

We praise him not for gifts divine, — 

His muse was bom of woman, — 
His manhood breathes in every Une, 

Was ever heart more human ? 

We love him, praise him, just for this ; 

In every form and feature. 
Through wealth and want, through woe and bliss, 

He saw his fellow-creature ! 

No soul could sink beneath hia love, — 

Not even angel blasted ; — 
No mortal power could soar above 

The pride that all outlasted 1 

Ay ! Heaven had set one living man 

Beyond the pedant's tether, — 
His virtues, frailties, He may scan, 

Who weighs them all together 1 

I fling my pebble on the cairn 

Of him, though dead, undying. 
Sweet Nature's nurselmg, bonniest bairn, 

Beneath her daisies lying. 

The waning suns, the wasting globe 
Shall spare the minstrel's story, — 

The centuries weave his purple robe. 
The mountain-mist of glory ! 

BY JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. 

I. 
A hundred years ! they're quickly fled. 

With all their joy and sorrow, 
Their dead leaves shed upon the dead. 

Their fresh ones sprung by morrow 1 
And still the patient seasons bring 

Their change of sun and shadow, 
New birds still sing with every Spring, 

New violets spot the meadow. 

II. 
A hundred years ! and nature's powers 
No greater grown nor lessened I 



They gftw no flowere more sweet than ours. 
No fairer new moon's crescent ; — 

If she would treat us poets so. 
Would so from Winter free us. 

And set our slow old sap aflow 
To sprout in fresh ideas ! 

III. 

Alas ! I think, what worth or parts 

Have brought me here competing 
To speak what starts in myriad hearts 

With Bums's memory beating ; 
A theme like this would Bryant choose, 

Longfellow, Holmes, or AVhittier; 
If my poor muse can't All their shoes. 

Pray pardon her and pity her. 

IV. 

As I sat musing what to say 

And bow my verso to number. 
Some elf in play passed by that way 

And sank my lids in slumber ; 
And on mv sleep a vision stole 

Which 1 will put in metre. 
Of Bums' soul at the wicket-hole 

Where sits the good St. Peter. 

V. 

The saint, methonght, had left his post 

That day to Holy Willie, 
Who swore ; " Each ghost that comes shall toast 

In brimstone, will he, nill he ; 
There's none need hope with phrases fine 

Their score to wipe a sin frae ; — 
I'll chalk a sign, ' to save their tryin,' — 

A hand CC7" and Vide infra ! 

VI. 

Alas ! no soil's too cold or dry 

For spiritual small potatoes, 
Scrimped nature's spiy the trade to ply 

Of aiaboli advocatus, 
Who lay bent pins on the penance-stool 

Where Mercy spreads a cushion, 
Who've just one rule for knave or fool. 

It saves so much confusion I 

VII. 

So, when Bums knocked. Will knit his brows. 

His window-gap made scanter. 
And said : " Gro rouse the other house, 

We lodge no Tam O' Shanter ! " 
" We lodge ! " laughed Bums, " now well I see 

Death cannot kill old nature. 
No human flea, but thinks that he 

May speak for his Creator ! 

vm. 

" But Willie, friend, don't turn me forth, 

Auld Clootie needs no ganger. 
And if on earth I had small worth. 

You've let in worse, I'se wager ! 
" Na, nane has knoekit at the yett 

But found me hard as whunstane, 
There's chances yet your bread to get 

Wi Auld Nick, gaugin' brimstane." 

IX. 

Meanwhile the "unco' gnid " had ta'cn 

Their place to watch the process, 
Flattening in vain on many a pane 

Their disembodied noses ; 
Remember, please, 'tis all a dream. 

One can't control the fancies, 
Through sleep that stream with wa3rward gleam 

Like midnight's boreal dances. 

X. 

Old Willie's tone grew sharp's a knife ; 

" In primis, I indite ye 
For makin' strife wi' the water o' life 

And preferin' aqiia vita" 
Then roared a voice with lusty din. 

Like a skipper's when 'tis blowy, 
" If thaVi a sin, Fd ne'er ha' got in. 

As sure as my name's Noah 1 " 

XI. 



tt 



Sly Willie turned another leaf: — 
There's many here have heard ye. 



it 



To the pain and grief o' trae belief, 
Say hard things o' the clergy ! " 

Then rang a clear tone over all : — 
" One plea for him allow me, 

I once heard call from o'er me, ' Saul, 
Why persecutest thou me 1 * " 

XII. 

To the next charge vexed Willie tumed 

And, sighing, wiped his glasses, — 
" I'm much concerned to find ye yearned 

O'er warmly tow'rd the lasses ! " 
But David cried : " Your ledger shut, 

E'en Adam fell by woman. 
And hearts close shut with if and but 

If safe, are not so human 1 " 

XIII. 

Then sudden glory round me broke 

And low melodious suiges. 
Of wings whose stroke to splendor woke 

Creation's farthest verges ; 
A cross stretched, ladder-like, secure 

From earth to heaven's own portal, 
Wlieieby God's poor, with footing sure. 

Climbed up to peace immortal. 

XIV. 

heard a voice serene and low, 

(With my heart I seemed to hear it,) 
Fall soft and slow as snow on snow. 

Like grace of the heavenly spirit; 
As sweet as ever to new bom son 

The croon of new made mother. 
The voice begun, " sore-tempted one ! " 

Then, pausing, sighed, " our brother ! " 

XV. 

" If not a sparrow fall, unless 

The father sees and knows it. 
Think ! recks he less his form express ? 

The soul his own deposite ? 
If only dear to him the strong 

That never trip nor wander, 
Where were the throng whose morning song 

Thrills his blue arches yonder ? 



XVI. 



" Do souls alone clear-«yed, strong-kneed. 

To him trae service render. 
And they who need his hand to lead. 

Find thev his heart untender ? 
Through all your various ranks and fates. 

He opens doors to duty. 
And he that waits there at your gates 

Was servant of His Beauty. 

XVII. 

" The earth must richer sap secrete 

In time, could ye but know it ! 
Must juice concrete with fiercer heat 

Ere she can make her poet ; 
These larger hearts must feel the rolls 

Of stormier waved temptation, 
These star-wide souls between their poles 

Bear zones of tropic passion. 

XAIII. 

"Her cheaper broods in palaces 

She raises under glasses. 
But souls like these, heaven's hostages. 

Spring shelterless as grasses ; 
He loved much 1 that is gospel good, 

Howe'er the text you handle ; 
From common wood the cross was hewed. 

By love tumed priceless sandal. 

XIX. 

" If scant his service at the kirk. 

He paters heard and aves 
From choirs that lurk in hedge and birk 

From blackbird and from mavis ; 
The cowering mouse, poor unroofed thing. 

In him found mercy^s angel. 
The daisy's ring, brought, every spring, 

To him Faith's fresh evangel I 



(( 



Not he the threatening texts who deals 
Is highest 'mong the preachers. 



I 

I 



354 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



But ho who feels the wogb and weals 
Of flll God's wandering ci-eatares ; 

He doth pood work whoso heart can find 
The spirit 'ncath the letter ; 

"Who makes his kind of happier mind, 
Leaves wiser men and better. 



xxi. 



« 



Tlicy make Religion be nhhorrod 

Who round with darkness gulf her, 
And think no word can plca.<«e the Lord 

Unless it smell of sulphur ; 
Dear Poet-heart, that childlike guessed 

The Father's loving-kindness, 
Come now to rest ! thou did'st his best, 

If haply 'twas in blindness ! " 

XXII. 

Then leapt Heaven's portals wide apart. 

And, at their golden thunder, 
With sudden start I woke, mv heart 

Still throbbing full of wonder ; 
" Father," I said, " 'tis known to thee 

How thon th}' saints preparcst. 
But this I see-^Saint Charity 

Is still the first and fairest 1 " 

XXIII. 

Dear Bard and Brother 1 lot who may 

Against thy faults he railing, 
(Though far, I pray, from us be they 

That never knew a failing !) 
One toast I'll give, and that not long, 

Which thou would 'st pledge if present, — 
To him, whose song, in nature strong, 

Makes man of prince and peasant 1" 

BY JOHN G. WHITTIER. 

How sweetly come the holy psalms 

From saints and martyrs down. 
The waving of triumphal palms 

Above the thorny crown ! 
The choral praise, the chanted prayers 

From harps by angels strung. 
The hunted Cameron's mountain airs, 

The hymns that Luther sung ! 

Yet, jarring not the heavenly notes, 

The sounds of earth are heard. 
As through the open minster floats 

The song of breeze and bird 1 
Not less the wonder of the sky 

That daisies bloom below ; 
The brook sings on, though load and high 

The clondy organs blow I 

And, if the tender ear be jarred 

That, haply, hears by turns 
The saintly harp of Olney's bard. 

The pastoral pipe of Bums, 
No discord mars His perfect plan 

Who gave them both a tongue. 
For he who sings the love of man 

The love of God hath sung 1 

To-day bo every fault forgiven 

Of him in whom we joy ; 
We take, with thanks, the gold of heaven 

And leave the earth's alloy. 
Be ours his music as of Spring, 

His sweetness as of flowers. 
The songs the bard himself might sing 

In holier ears than ours. 

Sweet airs of love and home, the hum 

Of household melodies. 
Come singing, as the robins come 

To sing in door-yard trees. 
And, heart to heart, two nations lean 

No rival wreaths to twine, 
But blending, in eternal green, 

The holly and the pine ! 



For Dwight's Journal of Hniio. 

The Diarist Abroad, ITo. 14. 

My idea of what we mean by the term classic? 
Certainly. Simply this. Time was when the 
modern languages were uncultivated, and still in 
a rude, chaotic 8tat«. All literary labors, all state 
papers, all scientific works, all teaching in Uni- 
versities, all was in the Latin language. The 
student then took the pains to learn to speak and 
write Latin correctly and with elegance, which 
he now bestows — or should bestow — upon bis 
mother tongue. Certain books in Latin and 
Greek were universally acknowledged to be mod- 1 



els of elegance in stylo, in depth of thought, in 
lo;,neal cicvclopincnt of i<lca, in rbetorical form. 
Now, I have always 8iii)posed that these, being 
used as text books in the " classes " of the Uni- 
versities (not classes, of coui-sc, in our American 
sense), came to be called " classic " or '^classical." 
As the modern lanojuagcs grew to perfection, 
the works of great thinkers, if also distinguished 
for elegance of style, would naturally, as models 
for young authors, come to be called "classical" 
works in their respective tongues. All such 
terms are apt to be extended in their significance. 
So this t<^rm has been adopted also in Art, and 
we hear of the " classic " models of sculpture, 
painting, architecture, which Greece and Italy 
oflfer to the student of those arts. 

In music the experience of two or three centu- 
ries has proved that certain forms of composition, 
certain modes of vocal writing and instrumenta- 
tion afibrd the most permanent satisfaction. The 
works of the Raphael, the Phidias, the Michael 
Angclo, the Rubens, the Corrcgio of music, who- 
ever they are, are the works which are most per- 
fect, as judged by those rules and principles which 
experience has drawn from the study of millions 
of pieces of music of all forms and kinds. These 
works we offer to the student of music as models 
upon which he is to base his future reputation and 
success. The ephemeral novel of the day finds 
more readers than a volume by Emerson, Haw- 
thorne, Prcscott, or Macau ley, of our time, or 
than any of those volumes of older date, which 
every scholar capable of judging decides to be 
the highest and noblest models for the use of the 
English language. So the last new waltz or 
polka finds a hundred purchasers where a Bach, 
Mozart, or Beethoven Sonata finds one. So too 
a flashy quartet or quintet from some ephemeral 
opera is sung by hundreds while the sextet in 
" Don Juan," which, according to Rossini, is the 
greatest thing of the kind in existence — the 
highest classic therefore — goes begging for sing- 
ers. The best models from which to learn a lan- 
guage are not the most popular books, the best 
models in music not the most popular pieces. 
The works of certain old Italian writers, of Han- 
del, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Gluck, Beethoven, af- 
ford more or less examples in all departments of 
the musical art, in which one finds the hishest 
perfection of form, of elegance of expression, of 
depth of thought, of skilful use of voices and in- 
struments. The bad music of these great men is 
not classical just because they wrote it; their good 
music is, simply because it is good. That which 
is worthy of being studied by the student as a 
means of instruction, may be called classical. 
We are not obliged to write like Bach and Han- 
del, even if we could ; and yet only by making 
such as them our " classics," until we have caught 
their spirit, can we ever reach any great emi- 
nence in musical composition. A. "W. T. 



Mr. Fry on "Hiawatha." 

We copy the following, from the New York 
Tribune, as one of the curiosities of criticism. 

Mr. Robert Stoepel*8 Romantic Sym- 
phony OF Hiawatha. — It is not our usual 
custom to make a notice of any composition ot 
music intended for large masses of performers 
and a public audition before it has been rendered 
in this City. There are reasons, however, why a 
work composed by a resident European or an 
American should receive superior, and even ec- 
centric attention, inasmuch as its character has to 
be made here, and is not established already 



abroad ; and the public, wc arc sure, arc ready- 
to receive not only the crititMsni on sm-h a work 
but the work \LM\\f in a kindly j<pirit, and care 
nothing for names, provide<l they are ])leascd. It 
is only neci'ssiu-y that the coni|)o:«ition of the 
music should be genuine, the quality of the execu- 
tants gcxwl, and the ]H»rsIstenre of the jHirforin- 
ames secured up to the time that the hcarcre arc 
familiarize<l with the work. A new name in the 
circle of the musc^s ought to be wclcomc<l, for the 
public ought to be weary of the endless praises of 
Handel, Haydn and iSfozart; seeing that they 
find the ^fes^t^ah an infernal lx)re, yawn through 
five-sixths of it, arc only aroused by the Hallelu- 
jah Chorus, provide«l thei-c is a colos*«il choir, an<l 
by two or three other portions of the work, and 
one-half of them leave the concert room wearic<l, 
as they did when it was magnificently pci'formcd 
at Tripler Hall, with an extra full vocal depart- 
ment, and the incomparable monster orchestra of 
Jullien; seeing, too, that they yawn through 
four-fifths of Don Juan, where the voice accom- 
panies the orchestra, and not the orchestra the 
voice, and there is no climax of plot, and none of 
impassioned lyrical ecstacy ; seeing, too, that the 
highest achievement of composition, the opera, 
alongside ot which all else is easy, was never es- 
sayed successfully by Haydn, who, like Handel, 
accordingly took to the lower art of oratorio- 
writmg — doing it nobly, however, but still a 
mu« h inferior thing to that of the Shake^tpcarian 
department of music for the stage ; seeing, too, 
that the sense of honor is so s<]uelched in mercan- 
tile rapacity and religious hypocrisy that the 
^^ American Academy of Music " of this City, 
whose charter was drawn up and passed by the 
Legislature for national lyrical jjurposes, for elici- 
ting native com|)06itions, for the end of elevating 
the taste of the people to an understanding of the 
intellectual value of domestic art, and its pecrship 
with literature, and even Congressional sj)cechcs, 
and not of pirating ready-made operas always 
and killing our own works — docs nothing for 
native art, but everything against it. Seeing this 
and much more, we say a new name ought to be 
welcomed. Mr. Stocpcl, accordingly, we mention 
in connection with his work. This musical pro- 
duction has been given in Boston. Of course the 
composer lost money by it — twelve hundred 
dollars — but that is a rule where a nation is 
wanting in duty to itself, as ours always is in 
everything relating to civilization which cannot 
be imported ready-made. Wherever we can 
take anything at second hand, we do it, like a 
herd of snobs. But Mr. Stoepel deserved a bet- 
ter fate, and is about to try again in Boston, and 
also in this City soon, assisted by the Mendels- 
sohn Union. 

We have not heard Hiatcatha, but have read 
the full score. It is thoroughly artistic in the art 
performances, and illustrates modern art, which, 
of course, in many details is in advance of the 
classics — otherwise, why have flutes ten keys in- 
stead of two ; violins a Paganini method instead of 
a Vlotti ; double basses, a Bottesini instead of a 
Dragonetti ; music, ethereal forms instead of me- 
chanical fugues : and so throughout the chapter. 
We mention this incidentally in reference to the 
onlinary braying about the classics. A word of 
criticism on this work : The first thing to look to 
in eyery composition is melodies. Poor melodies, 
like Handel's, may be backed up and sanctified 
by wonls from the Bible, but they are not the leas 
poor ; heard without the words, not even saints 
would listen to them. A melody is to be con- 
sidered utterly dissociated from the words. Its 
rhythm, of course, must be imbedded in and 
shaped to the last azimuth of an accent by the 
wonls, but when cut loose from them it must 
stand superbly alone by its own beauty. Such 
melodies can be set to hand-organs ; and if they 
cannot they are bad melodies. But, they may 
have a certain merit, acting and reacted upon by 
the harmony, and by the virtue of beautiful 
sounds in combination, by the loveliness or hal- 
lowedness of the words, and by the majesty and 
beauty of the singer. A composer, Mendelssohn 
for example, who could not make a salient melody 
for the public, may be very deiightful in other re- 
lations — great finish of detail, nice sense of chro- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1859. 



355 



inatic* or colorlstic qualities in the orchestra, ami 
so topth. TluM'o is but oiui tcstof «;oo(l molodios — 
tlicir jjojmlarity, ultimately established atVer 8uf- 
fu'ient heariiijrs. Some nu'lo<Jios arc more slowly 
taken hold of than others. Some very vuljjar 
ones become nopnlar ; but no melody that is 
renlly j^ooil will fail to please an audienec it' sut- 
ficientlv often rendered. Of the memorable 
c{ualitii'S of Mr. SUM'pel's melodies we can say 
nothin;;, as only time and the ]>nbli(! can decide; 
all we liazanl is that they arc iutclli^ently writ- 
ten, with a bc;rinnin^, middle and end, and lie 
easily under tlu» voii*e. In the matter of accent 
he is correct. In form, where so much license is 
allowed, and none of the frenzy and condensation 
of the stajjo nninired which so multiplies the cora- 
p(jser*8 dilliculties, an<l lessens his chances of suc- 
cess, Mr. Stoe[>el is happy. " The Be*rs*'^j"8 
Dance *' may be cite<l as a happy piece of gro- 
tesipieness and hurry-skurry ; the introduction of 
the barbarous sub-seventh of the IIi(;hland pat- 
tern, particuliirly well founded. The address of 
the Great Spirit, accompanied by trombones, is a 
nice piece of i-ecitation. There is a trio of a very 
naif melody ; and the finale is well worked up. 
The hannonies arc varie<l and appropriate. Mr. 
Stoepel has had the good sense to leave out 
"learninsj" when not needed — his business 
being poetry and not pedantry. A composer 
who would listen for a moment to certain self- 
constituted critics, would be sure to have his 
work <l unncd. We once heard every piece of a 
certain work, which was sulwe<iuently encored, 
condemned by a wouhl-be nuisieal authority — 
they were not " learned." The only difficulty 
was, they were too profound to be understood by 
people who afFert to despise melody, anil do not 
comprehend the higher mysteries ofilramatic har- 
mony. The instrumentation of Mr. Stoepel is 
excellent. He has a clear conception of orches- 
tral divisions: of the art of not overlaying his 
voices: of knowing what he means to express, 
and expressing it. 

We have written somewhat at length, for wo 
believe in much revolution needed for musical 
composition, and much increased decency and 
patriotism on the part of the American public to- 
ward native works of art — not that the Ameri- 
cans care for a composition that stupefies them, no 
matter how venerable a name is attached to it ; 
not that they will not listen gently, kindly, and 
enthusiastically, to a new work by a home-hand ; 
but because they do not insist upon their own 
countrymen, by birth or adoption, having a fair 
chance in their own country ; otherwise the 
American Acailemy of Music " woidd not, like 
K tall bully, lift its head and lie." Art of coui*se 
is progressive, and the best composer is he who 
plagiarizes most from aU who have preceded. 
That alone will constitute his learning, his uni- 
versality, his humanity. When it is found that 
certain forms arc alone graceful, it is the business 
of the composer to use tliem, even if they have 
been used before. When certain chords are ter- 
rible — unless he is going to make a new human 
nature — he must use them. When a certain in- 
strument recalls memories or imajjininsrs of war — 
of the chase — of idyllic life — of sub-mundane 
theologv, of the middle aijes — of chivalric life — 
of Catholicity — of Protestantism, of the sky, the 
trees, the flowers, the winds — the composer is 
bound by his allegiance to Art, not to use the con- 
trary and l)e false in order to be original. As 
antecedents are multiplied upon a limited plat- 
form, of course the sf-ope for originality is Icssi'iied. 
Some arts have come to a dea<l-lock as rt»gards 
ori^rinalitv ; this is not so as re«jards music, thouffh 
the first thinjj that strikes every hearer, in attend- 
ing the performance of a new piece of music, is its 
resemblance to other things. If it did not re- 
semble them, the musical martyrs of the past ages 
would have sacrificed themselves in vain to their 
art. The inevitability of melodic progression ; 
the unyielding laws of harmony ; the properties 
of instrumentation ; the canons of musico-verbal 
accent ; the progressions of ideas and the elocpient 
structure of form, are all common property ; and 
genius is simply the quality which takes these ac- 
cretions and adds something to them delightful 
and memorable. 



ANALYSIS 

OK 

Handera "Israel in Egypt;* 

HY G. A. MACl'AKREN. 
PART I. 

This division of the Oratorio presents, first, the 
snfVerinjrs of th« Isnielites ; then the pln^^ucs wrou;rht 
upon the Kiryplians ; and, finally, the j^rand miracle 
of the Kxodus, and the impix'ssidii this inado upon 
the hclicviiij; people. The nnrraiivc of the inci«lents 
hero cmlKxIicfl is comprisc<l in the first fourteen chap- 
ters of the lK>ok of Exodus ; hut the texts employed 
are taken fmm llic l('r)th and lOGth I'salms, with 
some occasional pn^sa«:e8 from the 78th Psalm, and 
also from the Ijook of Kxodus. 

Tliouj^h the texts here ciioscn constitute a narrative, 
Handel has treated them dramatically, representing 
the events they relate as passing in present action be- 
fore the auditor. 

(1). Reeil. — Now there nrose a new klnpr over Kgypt, which 
knew not JoMpph ; nnd he set over lirnel ti»k-mai)tor!i to nfllict 
them with burthens, &nU they mode tliom MTve with rigour. 

The commencement of a work of such grandeur 
of pnq>oso, such majrnitudc of design, and nuch im- 
portance of character as the present, with so slight a 
means of fixing the attention of an audience as an 
unaccompsmied Recitative, iinprcccded hy any kind 
of instrumental prelude, nnintroduccd hv a sinjjlc 
chonl of the sonorous orchestra to define the termina- 
tion of the vajjuc pcriodof expectancy, and announce 
the presence amon«rst us of the composer, — this un- 
ique commencement is an example in Handel of nire 
confidence, and in itself, if repirded with artistic fcel- 
inir, is more impressive than any of the effects known 
when it was written — perhaps than anyyichlcdhy the 
extended resources of the present much further devel- 
oped state of the art could have been. The text of 
this Recitative, and of the followinj^ chorus, is purely 
introductory to the jfnind ai^ument of the Oratorio, 
and these two pieces may be i-c<rardcd as forminp a 
kind of prolojjue to the work, of which the action 
opens with the succecdinp; Recitative; the object is, 
we may well suppose, to impress the hearer with a 
sense of the sorrows of the people of Israel, — ^to 
make us feel how deep a suffering of theirs induced 
the awful miracles that were wrought for their deliv- 
erance : tlio Recitative simply recounts the circum- 
stances of their condition ; aiming at no expression, 
but prompting us only with the cause of the heavy 
anguish that is depicted in the followinp^ movement. 
Any attempt to pive expression to this plain narrative 
text wonld have l>een an cxtravajjant squandering of 
means, exalting into undue impoitance a simply ex- 
planatory passapre, and so takinpj from the effect of 
the suliscqiicnt apj^ropiatc employment of the artist's 
resources, where the most powerful expression is de- 
manded : thus Handel, confident in his own manner 
of ircatmg it, trusts his subject to the sympathy of 
his audience as their licst preparation to receive it, 
and makes his tenor sinfrer, in whom alwavs he ap- 
pears to have placed his chief reliance, stand foi-ward 
not to excite interest in him<»plf, hut to direct atten- 
tion to the intense interest of what is to follow. 

(2). Chnrvs.—knfi. the ehil<lren of Tfirnel Rtghrd by renxon of 
thebonibi^, and their cry came up unto God. They oppn»ifled 
them with burthen!*, and made them »>ervu with rii^our; and 
their rry came up unto GmI. 

The elal>orate, and, at the same time, pathetically 
expressive character of this piece, at once announces 
the profound eamc^tness of purpose that pervades 
il'.e entire work, which is an equal demonstr.ttion of 
the m.isierlv skill of the technical musician and of 
the passionate feeling of the poetical artist. We 
must distinguish the three elements of which the 
movement is composed, in order to trace them through 
their various and very ingenious comhinations : first, 
the pathos emhodicd in the opening: bars of Alto 
Solo, with the poicrnant and L'ra])hic rendering of the 
word "sinh'd," which constantly occurs with the rep- 
etition of this portion of the text hy the hody of 
voice**; second, the ecclesiastical character conveyed 
in this Canto Fermo, — 






And their cry came up un - to God. 
the theme upon which all the contrapuntal contriv- 
ances of the movement are grounded, and from the 
])eculiar constmction of which, formed as it is accor- 
ding to the Dorian mode of the (Jregorian system, re- 
sults the correspondinjrly peculiar character of har- 
mony that prevails in this Chorus, save only in those 
places where the sighing of the sorrowinjj people is 
embodied in the inai-titicial progressions of our mod- 
em natural harmonic scale ; tliird, the didactic, or, it 



may be, the imitative character contained in this pas- 
sage,— 



•-_-3pi3,iJ_-; 



-0 






They oppress'd them with burtticns, and made them serve, 
which forms Uic chief counterpoint (or independent 
melodic accompaniment) to the Plain Song quoted 
above, and is possibly, it is not quite vain to fancy, 
desijrned to represent the weary rei^tlessness ot the 
Israelites toiling; under the burthens with which their 
taskmasters oppressed them. I have only further to 
remark upon the singularly beautiful and very mod- 
ern progression of harmony upon which the words, 
" And the children of Israel si^h'd," are first set for 
the choral voices, — which forms a striking episode in 
the stately gravity that mostly prevails throughout 
the movement. 

(8). Rfcit. — Then sent He Moms, Iliii TCrraot, and Aarsa 
whom He had cho«cu ; tlie.^ allowed bid sigus among them, 
and wonders in the land of Ham. 

lie turned their waters into blood. 

What has preceded may he considered as more or 
less analogous with the opening Recitative and the 
Overture in Mendelssohn's Klijah: and as the real 
action in that work commences with the first Chorus, 
so it does Iiere with the present Recitative. This pas- 
sagjB, like that at the beginnhig of the Oratorio, being 
plain narnuivc, is, with the same purport, set in the 
unpretending form of unaccompanied Recitative: 
the closing phrase, however, which tells the incident 
of which the effe<'ts are depicted in the next Chorus, 
is distinguished by having to be sung in definite 
rhythm, and it is connected with what is to follow by 
being in the same key ; it conveys an obviously pur- 
posed expression, in 'tlic descent of the melody to the 
final word, of the csjwcial horror that word suggests. 

(4). Chorus. — They loathed to drink of the river. He turn- 
ed their waters into blood. 

Now that the fugal form has passed out of habitual 
use in composition, and is employed rather for the 
purposes of exercise than as the most familiar mould 
for the development of a musical idea, we marvel 
when we find an example of the verv great dramatic 
power involved in it, and can scarcely credit that a 
vivid eml)odiment of a midtitudinoiis emotion should 
Ije comprised in a n>id specimen of technical elabora- 
tion, which, apart from all merit of expression, is to 
be criticized by the severest tests of schoolcraft, and 
found wanting in nothing. Such is the case with the 

f resent Chorus ; it is one of the most strict fugues 
landel produced, and it is one of the most striking 
instances of musical expression extant. I will not 
specialize its many points of inusit ianlv excellence, 
but with reference to its poetical merit f will adduce, 
first, the peculiar presentation of disgust and loathing 
conveyed in the progroasion of singular intervals com- 
posing the Subject, — 




— n 






Ter. Ho turn - ed their wa - - - 
and second, to the wide generality of this sickening 
sensation, convened in the successive entry of the 
several parts of the choir, and in the constant recur- 
rence, always unexpected, always with some fresh 
variety of contrapuntal comj)lcxity, of the especially 
significant Subject. 

The Subject of this Chorus is identical with that of 
the fugue in A minor in the set of Six Fugues for the 
Harpsichord of the same author, and many points in 
the conduct of the composition are similar ; the pres- 
ent piece is, however, little more than half the length 
of the original, and in respect of constntctive merit it 
is as greatly improved as shortened by the condensa- 
tion. We have the right to assume that Handel se- 
lected this Subject for second elaboration because of 
its especial fitness to the words, to their just declama- 
tion, and to the peifect embodiment of their senti- 
ment. 

(6). Ah. —Their land brought forth frogs, yea, even in their 
king's chambers. 

He gave their cattle over to the pestilence ; blotches and 
blains broke forth on man and boast. 

One might suppose, from the evidence of the sin- 
gnlar construction of this very unique wori;, that it 
had been the composer's first thought to present the 
entire series of the Plaffues and the Deliverance in an 
unbroken chain of choml movements, — a grand con- 
ception, worthy the greatness of the subject to be il- 
lustrated ; but, if we give a moment's entertainment 
to such a supposition, it can only be to make ns rove- 



356 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



rence ihe more the profound judj:fnncnt of Ilnndcl, 
that coald induce him to reject so fiiscinntin^ an idea 
when hi6 sensitive appreciation of the susceptibility of 
his text discerned in the words of the present piece an 
inappropriateness to elioral treatment as f^rcat as is 
the peculiar fitness of all the subsequent passnires in 
this division of the Oratorio to the multitudinous 
renderings; of them he has given : with admirable dis- 
crction, then, if ever he conceived such a thought, he 
abandoned it for the purpose of delivering the text in 
so quiet a manner as would embody the sense of the 
entire passage without obtruding the abstract signifi- 
cation of the separate words upon the sense of the 
hearer. The only apparent purpose of illustrating 
the words in this song is the fanciful imitation of the 



Tlo.1. 



I 



YIo. '9. I ^ ' 



leaping of frogs by the skips of the two violin parts 
in alternation, which are imitated occasionally by the 
bass ; these form an accompaniment to the voice at 
the commencement, — but ceasing with the change of 
words, have merely such slight occasional recurrence 
in the sequel as to give unity to the entire compo- 
sition. Beyond this, the simple, unaffected declama- 
tion of the text is the sole means employed to render 
it emphatic. One incident of musical beauty, apart 
from any purpose of expression, is too striking to es- 
cape observation ; I refi;r to the uncx|)ected change 
of key that introduces the words, " Ho gave their 
cattle," which assumes especial prominence because 
of the else unbroken smoothness of transition that 
prevails thronghont. 

The beauty of Mendelssohn's organ-part to this 
song is peculiarly conspicuous ; its sustaining through 
the broken figure of the string instruments, — its sup- 
porting the voice where Handel has left nothing but a 
oass pai:t, — and its relieving this by some charming 
artifices of counterpoint founded on the suggestions 
of the meagre original score, all tend to carry out the 
composer's idea, and they realize for it an aspect of 
beauty which tlie slight skeleton he has left is quite 
inadequate to present. 

(6). Ckonut. — He spuke the irord, and there came all man- 
ner of fliee and Uce in all their qnarten. . 

He spake ; and the loensts came without number, and de- 
voured the fimits of the groimd. 

From hence to the conclusion of the First Part, wo 
have an unbroken succession of Choruses. There 
exists not, I believe, a parallel example of so long 
continuous an employment of the entire means at a 
musician's disposal, — so long continuous a disre- 
gard for popular effect in leaving ungratified the pub- 
lic craving for the personal interest of a Solo singer, 
for the concise rhythm and definite phraseology of a 
Solo composition : the master, manifestly, felt here 
the stupendous greatness of his subject — felt the total 
inadequacy of all conventional means to embody the 
grandeur of his conception ; and, impelled by this 
feeling of a creator, wrote with the single cons'idera- 
sion of the noble work on which he was engaged ; he 
made the constant employment of his entire means, 
from whence a writer who wanted self-reliance might 
have apprehended monotony, yield the effect of cease- 
lessly accumulating power, and ho makes such an ap- 
peal to the emotions of an auditory with any percep- 
tion of the aim of art and its achievement^ as must 
draw them with hiin, forgetful of the habitual exigen- 
cies of an exacting crowd, step by step in the gigan- 
tic course his genius alone coufd plan — his genius 
alone could accomplish. Such an auditory distin- 
guishes the musical character of our time from that 
of the period when Handel wrote ; and though we 
must be at least equally susceptible with his contem- 
poraries of the charms of the lighter forms of musical 
composition, we have acquired what they possessed 
not — the power to revere, to watch with interest, and 
thus finally to appreciate, and even to comprehend 
the development of a design so mighty as the present ; 
and hence the equivocal success tliat marked the 
original production of this Oratorio could not, I be- 
lieve, have attended the first production of such a 
masterpiece before a now existing London public. 

We have to notice in tliis Chorus, the imposing 
annunciation of the divine commandment, the stern 
solemnity of which gives severity and dignity to the 
effect of the whole scene ; the peculiar distribution of 
the voices in all but the declamation of the first 
four word<», which, by their generally acute pitch, by 
their distinctness from the tone of* the instruments, 
and by their change of harmony with each word, give 
singular distinctness to the enunciation of the text, 
and great prominence to the peculiar passages for the 
violins that accompany them ; this constant motion 
of the violins, which suggests to our fancy with a 
graphic reality, at which we marvel the more, the 



more we admit it, the ceaselessly busy vitality of the 
innumerably multitudinous insect existence ; and 
finally, the felicitous reserve of the continuous power 
of the bass instruments until the first entry of the 
words, "And the loensts came without number," 
when the introduction of their grave tones upon this 
ponderous passage, — 




q:^tt?--*il 



»» 



1^1 



suggests the thought of the darkness of the countless 
cloudlike coming of the winged host that veiled the 
face of heaven. 

(7). ChoruM. — He gaye them hallntoncfi ft>r ralix ; Are, min- 
gled with the hall, ran along upon the ground. 

This wonderfully exciting Chorus is one of the 
most remarkable triumphs of extreme simplicity in 
perhaps the whole range of music, — extreme sim- 
plicity, the extreme of power in the hands of him who 
owns the power to wield it, who has that confidence 
in himself which proves his reason for such confi- 
dence — the sense of sublimity. With the simplest 
harmonies, with the simplest modulations, with the 
absence of all form of contrapuntal contrivance, and 
of all complication of vocal and orchestral combina- 
tion, this prodigious inspirati(m produces an effect 
irresistible as it is unique. The idea first suggested 
to us is of the falling of single raindrops, which rapid- 
ly increases in rapidity and volume, until, at the 
entry of the voices, one might suppose the heavens to 
open and pour fordi the torrent of^ Divine anger in a 
single sheet of water ; then, at an unexpected tran 
sition of key, there breaks forth a cry of " Fire ! 
which is answered from side to side of the echoing 
choir, and speaks the terror with which the bewil- 
dered multitude are appalled on witnessing this new 
phenomenon of Omnipotent vengeance ; next, the 
remarkable distinctness with which the words make 
themselves heard in this passage, so conspicuous for 
that peculiar cross accent which modf^m nearers are 
accustomed to associate with the idea of Beethoven : — 

mingled irith the hall, ran a-long np-on the ground. 

and finally, the colossal force of the passage where the 
bass voices and instruments proceed in an uniform 
motion of quavers against the detached chords of the 
rest of the choir, that make us think of an immense 
stream of burning lava, and of the shrieks of the 
amazed masses, who stand as spellbound, gazing on 
the inevitable means of their oivn annihilation. 

(8). Oionts. — He pent a thick darknen over all ihe land, 
even darkncea which might be Iblt. 

This Chorus conjures up the most terrible picture 
in the whole of the mnn-ellous scries, — a picture so 
supernatural, yet so truthful, that it at once identifies 
itself with our liveliest sympathies, and places us in a 
scene with which, but for this medium, it would be 
impossible for us to sympathize. We perceive in our 
imagination the darkness, not as the mere absence of 
light, but as a heavy tangible substance hanging like 
a pall over nature. The supremacy of music above 
the other arts as a medium of expression, is especial- 
ly proved by this wonderful presentation of a vague, 
mysterious awe, such as the prodigious ap|)earanre 
the text describes would excite : language might cata- 
logue the emotions of men thus confronted with the 
wrathful power of Deity under its most fearful aspect, 
the withdrawal of that light which is the constant 
pUdge and token of its benignity, — painting might 
imagine the outward workings of these emotions, as 
they who suffered them were supposed to shrink 
within themselves in abject, hopeless agony, or to 
break frantically forth in the impotent ravings of des- 
peration, — but this music proves that music can 
awaken the emotions in our own hearts, and make us 
feel the feelings it literally presents anew in its repre- 
sentation, so tempered howc%'er, by the medium of 
the ideal through which they are conducted, as to 
color even their terrible sublimity with the prismatic 
hues of beauty. The techTiicaf means Handel em- 
ployed to translate his true inspiration to the world, 
are' those since used with masterlv power by Men- 
delssohn in his Elijah, and in his 6reek tragedies, — 
the form, namely, of Choral Recitative ; and we have 
not only to adniire his perfectly successful anticipa- 
tion of one of the legitimate resourees of the art most 
recently acknowledged in the repertory of the mu- 
sician, but equally to wonder at the extremely mod- 
em harmonic progressions that support this extraor- 
dinary piece of declamation, whicn give to the com- 
position the prophetic character of having fore- 



shadowed to a past generation the utmost to which 
music may over hereafter attain. 

(0). Otont*. — He smote all the first-born of l^pt. the chief 
of all their strength. 

Hero we have a fugue of a very free character, the 
fugal form lieing employed bnt to give the eficct of 
multitndinousncss to the expression, to Mhich, and to 
the grand idea of Almighty power this Chorus moat 
vividly realizes, other elements, nUo, arc combined to 
conduce. It is constructed upon this Subject : — 



He 



amote all the first - bom of K- 



CTPt, the chief . . . 






I — r 






gypt, the chief ... of all their strength, 
which is identical with that of the fugue in A minor 
in the set of Six Harpsichord Fugues, whence the 
composer has also borrowed in a fbrmer Chonu in 
this Oratorio ; and upon this counter-subject, com- 
mencing on tlie third oar of tlie principal theme : — 

the chief or aU their itrengfth. 

which is not precisely the same as that in the harpsi- 
chord fugue ; and these two are worked witli master- 
ly fluency, displaying the powerful effects of Double 
Counterpoint (or tlonnterpoint that may stand in two 
ways, either below or above the Subject), and of the 
most interesting artifice in the development of a 
fugue, the Stretto (or the compression of tlie Subject 
by bringing in the answer at closer and closer periods, 
making the Subject to form a Canon with itself)- 
This theme was, it should seem, selected, because of 
its excellent fitness to the words which it declaims 
with truthful and powerful emphasis ; the conduct of 
the fugue entirely differs from that of the orieinal. A 
most impressive effect is attained in this Chorus by 
the measured marking of the rhythm with massive 
detached chords, given by the chief and the most 
weighty power of the orchestra ; and as much as wo 
are impressed by this, must we admire the excellent 
discretion with which so individual a figure of accom- 
paniment is occasionally discontinued for just so brief 
a period as to prevent its becoming monotonous, and 
to give to it still greater force on its resumption. 
Thus Handel suggests to his hearers the idea of the 
stupendous strokes with which the chief of all the 
Egyptian strength were smitten ; thus he makes us 
comprehend the thought of the overwhelming power 
which crushed all the first-born as with a rod of^iron ; 
and while this Omnipotent might if dealing ita ine- 
vitable blows of destruction, he presents to us, too, 
the image of the multitude, hea%'ing like waters in its 
vastness, oi\ whom tlie death-strokes fall. 

(10). Ckorv$. — But as for Hi« people, Ue led them forth 
like ebeep : He brought them out with vilrer and gold ; there 
was not one feeble penon among their tribes. 

A most marked change of character distinguishes 
this Chorus from all that has preceded it, and illns- 
trates most powerfully the altered sentiment of the 
text. The frank, natural, hearty gladness of the open- 
ing vividly suggests the confident elation with wnich 
the liberated people issue from their bondoge,and this 
expression rises ny reason of its contrast to the repre- 
sentation of their sorrows with which the Overture 
commences, no less than of its opposition to the em- 
bodiment of the terror of the Egyptians suffering un- 
der the plagues. Then, in the* tranquil, peaceful, 
pastoral character of the passage thot follows, we have 
a charming metaphor of the loving tenderness of the 
Good Shepheni guiding his flock with fondest care to 
a refuge of sweet repose. The contrapuntal style, 
which so eminently prevails throughout this worlc, is 
not forsaken even in the present unstudied, unsought, 
fluently-written movement, of which the conception 
appears to have been spontaneous as is tlie expres- 
sion ; a closely-worked fugal development of this 
Subject, 



fe^l^lli 




He brought them ont with sil-ver and gold 

is the next incident in the conduct of the plan ; and, 
after the recapitulation of the earliar tliemes of the 
Chonis, it is resumed with the felicitous device to en- 
hance its interest of a most skilful Stretto. We may 
suppose this to picture the tumultuous gathering of 
the treasure-laden tribes, who throng exultingly from 
all parts of tlie detested land of their servitude. Finally, 
with an effect of power peculiarly Handel's own, tide 
vigorous energy of the enfranchised host is made so 
truly present to our consciousness, that we feel a new 
strength within us excited by the stirring declamation 
of the passage ; the iteration of the wo^s "not one" 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1859. 



357 



is singularly cmphntic, and tho very simple and nat- 
ural chango of key at the repetition of tho phrase is 
so striking^, that no one, however unyerscd in mnsi- 
cal technicalities, can be insensitive to its forcible im- 
pression. 

(To bocontluued.) 

How the Books were Secured. 

A correspondent of the Transcript,— ono whom 
many of oar readers will gladly recognixe, — writes from 
Berlin, the following account of the manner in which 
the library of old musical works was secured (as we 
stated some weeks since) for our Boston Public Li- 
brary. 

I wish to mention an incident which has an interest 
for all Bostonians, and si^zmally for the musical stu- 
dent. I believe I am "within the rules" in relating, 
in this way, what is no longer a secret here, — and I 
will respond for the entire accuracy of the facta. There 
died in Vienna, some time ago, a distinguished Aus- 
trian Greneral, Ilerr Yon Koudclka, who, to his other 
titles to distinction, added that of a refined taste for 
and profound knowledge of music. His zeal for the 
accumulation of musical literature was proverbial, 
and his induRtry unexampled. A sketch of Herr 
Koudelka's life would, I think, greatly interest a 
large class of your readers, and perhaps I may give it 
to them at another time. 

The library thus formed soon became noted in the 
musical world, and when its possessor died, an enter- 
prising book-dealer of this city posted to Vienna, and 
Dy a promptness and perseverance more American 
than German, secured the prize. By the way, this 
spirit of enterprifie, for which our countrymen are so 
eminent, exists in larger measure in Prussia, especi- 
ally in Berlin, than in the other States of Qermany, 
there being good reaftons therefor, and very interest- 
ing ones, on which I hope to entertain you in some 
future letter. Our energetic, discriminating and wide- 
awake "Diarist" — the modest and disinterested 
" Mr. Brown " — get« scent of this rare collection, and 
the fever of desire bums in his veins. Not for him- 
self, but for Boston, does Mr. Brown desire these the 
invaluable books : he sighs when he hears the price, 
and he writhes too, but nnlike the slowef German, he 
does not stop there. A hundred and fifty pounds 
sterling does not grow on every bush, (^lefaire f 
Those books must not be lost to Boston : — Bomeheow 
thev must be had. He conRults friends ; many sym- 
pathize, but nobody can aid. Time flies ; they are 
now advertised to' be sold by public auction. " Oh, 
misery, what can I do ? Spirit of Beethoven advise 
me *" (This last is poetical, and not historical, but 
poetry is sometimes fact, and I am sure this must be 
an instance.) And a spirit, in his extremity, whis- 
pered : "Write to the liberal patron of letters in general, 
and of the Boston Library in special, — and ask him 
if he cannot divert a part of the fund already given 
to the Public Library into this narrow but deep-chan- 
nel." Like all men of genius, Mr. Brown knew the 
physiognomy of an "Inspiration," and did not mis- 
take it for a distemper of the brain. So he gave it 
cordial welcome, sat down and wrote a simple and 
straightforward letter to Mr. Joshua Bates, (which 
one of the firm of Barings characterized, in writing to 
me, as a " clever and excellent letter ") stating tho 
need, the opportunity and the way which had occurred 
to him of securing so desirable a possession for our 
beloved city. The best commentary on the good 
" Diarist's " letter, however, is its fruit. A prompt 
and gracious answer gave permission to draw on Bar- 
ing Brothers & Co., for £150. 

But Mr. Brown has also showed good business tact 
in this transaction, for he insisted on a rejection of all 
duplicates from the catalogue, and thus reduced the 
price to £130. Finding he could drive the price no 
lower, and being really in imminent danger of losing 
the collection, (for he had a competitor, and the auc- 
tion day was approaching) he closed the bargain. 
Aftta- which he "put it" to the conscience of the book- 
seller, whether he was not entitled to a commission. 
This proposition rather startled our dealer, who per- 
haps thought that his customer, like some of our house 
brokers at home, was looking for a commission from 
both vender and vendee ; but it ended in according 
our good friend some four or five pounds sterling, 
pretty hardly earned, as I know; and perhaps even 
some moralists will here think that Mr. Brown was a 
little morbidly conscientious, when I tell them that he 
would not consent to touch these twentv or twenty- 
five dollars, but put that, too, on the credit side of the 
fund. 

I would not deny myself the pleasure of recording 
this fact, so honorable to our nature, though I have 
no authority for making it public ; and I cannot, will 
not doubt, that the zeal and time and labor thus ex- 
pended for our own Boston Public Library will meet 
with some adequate reward. We know a class of 



men who would say — ^"More fool you, for giving away 
five pounds which was your own, and which you 
needed " — and to such it would sound like barren 
sentimentality to say : "I was in some sense an agent, 
though not a paid one, and I chose to keep my hands 
clean of any profit at the expense of my principle." 
But let us hope, the Herald to tho contrary notwith- 
standing, that we have many amongst us who would 
feel and act with the "Diarist." a. 



Annual Heeting of the Haryard Hnsioal 

ABsociation. 

(GoDoInded.) 

We add here a few documents for which we lacked 
room in our last. First a sketch of the happy re- 
marks, made in answer to a call from the Chair, by 
Prof. S. G. Browne, Professor of Rhetoric and 
English Literature at Dartmouth College, who is an 
honorary member of our Association, a true lover of 
the best in music ; and whose stay in the city during 
the delivery of his course of Lowell lectures made his 
company available, as it was peculiarly welcome. 
He spoke as follows : 

" I should hardly venture to respond, however briefly 
to your call, did I not feel bound to acknowledge my 
allegiance to your Fraternity, and to thank you for 
the kindness which has made me one of your number. 
You remember Sir Boyle Boche's equivocal invita- 
tion to an Irish nobleman : ' My Lord, I hope if yoa 
ever come within a mile of my house that you'll stay 
there all night' I am sure that if it is ever my good 
fortune to come again within such distance of your 
annual gathering, I shall find it hard, if not impossi* 
ble to resist the central attraction. 

"But my mind rather turns to the graver aspects of 
the subject before us — to the educational influences 
of the cnltivation of music, — especially its effect on 
the general culture of young men. I am sure we aU 
have had occasion to recognize its healthful influence 
as a general recreation, as affording a stimulus, 
gentle and pleasing, to the sympathies and emotions, 
and serving as a powerful antagonist to the more 
gross and dangerous forms of amusement and dissi- 
pation, to which, for young men away fi'om home 
and a good deal secluded from society, there is some- 
times a strong temptation. Nor can we be unmind- 
ful of the fine intellectual results which may fiow 
from that study and practice of this beautiful art, 
which is daily coming more within the reach of us 
all. I remember that one of the finest scholars and 
most devout of men, one who marehed over the do- 
main of foreign languages with the easy tread of a 
conqueror, and early consecrated himself to toil in 
distant and uninviting fields, for the sake of the good 
of others, once told me that he thought he owed his 
power of pereeiving the delicacies of a foreign speech, 
the nice shades of meaning in words, the aroma 
which exhales from native, idiomatic expressions, 
more to his study of music than to any other means 
of discipline. May I refer too — I must, I cannot 
help it — to another name familiar to you all, of one 
who brought to science all the modesty and severe 
thoroughness of a sincere lover of truth, who ever 
rises before my mind as the image and impersonation 
of whatever is most pure, delicate and refined, m a 
model of a Christian scholar and gentleman. I mean 
the late Dr. Daniel Oliver, to whom music, as I 
know, was not only a delight and a solace, but an art 
to be studied as well as enjoyed. 

" But to obtain these noble results of the study of 
music, at which I have barely hinted, or to obtain 
them in their best forms, is it not necessary that in 
our colleges and universities there should be some 
one to serve as a guide and master ; who by lectures 
and instmctions, by controlling the musical portion 
of tho devotional exercises of the students, and in 
whatever other way might be /ound most convenient, 
should show the noble use of the art and demonstrate 
its value. 

" I beg your pardon for these crude hints which may 
be too grave for the occasion, but I have understood 



this, or something like this, to be one of the objects of 
your association ; and if yon succeed in it with re- 
spect to the noble university so near us, there will be 
others who will rejoice in your success, and join with 
yon in a BenedictuB and Te Deum" 

The next is something which we should have lost, 
were it not that our reporter was more vigilant than 
Mr. President in spying game. It is from a brother 
whose valued company we had missed for several an- 
niversaries, so that Mr. P. very naturally had him 
not upon his list of victims. It oomes to us in this 
shape: 

Mb. Pbxsident. — Pshaw ! I mean EditoRi (I 
might say Ftce, however) — the truth is I have hardly 
yet got my carefully conned speech out of my mind 
— Sir, you and the polite and genial circle in which 
we found ourselves the other night will never know 
what a shot came near being fired into it, unless I 
should save up the charge for the next Anniversary, 
or unless I now rush into print under your auspices. 

I confess. Sir, that, having learned wisdom from 
experience, and knowing that there is no calculating 
whereabouts, at the supper-table, the chairman's light- 
ning may strike, and having, moreover, been placed on 
my guard by the special admonition that no one was 
exempt from the liability to be drawn upon to make 
conti'ibution to the general fund of entertainment, I 
had been prosecuting some researches concerning a 
certain musical instrument once of great importance, 
though now absolute, a specimen of which, one that 
had done good service in the choir of a country town 
not far remote for nearly a century, I had nntil the 
last moment expected to have brought with me for ex- 
hibition, as a curious relic of past time. Indeed, Sir, a 
bolt fell very near me, once or twice ; but I was spared , I 
fear for a worse fate, that of being unprepared on some 
other occasion. Sir, however deferentially wc might 
bow before the eloquence and genius of the orators, 
professors and poets with whom the President was 
surrounded at the other end of the table, I think be- 
tween you and me, (and you won't forget that it was 
Mr. S. that sat between us) we had all the fun to our- 
selves, and if it would not have seemed too mucli like 
turning upon the Autocrat, and the author of Hiawatha, 
who sat directly opposite us,their own weapons, I should 
have embraced tho opportunity, if any had happened 
to offer itself, to discharge certain reficctions upon the 
forgotten instrument, whose name you will observe 
was derived from something which may be said to lie 
at the very foundation of music, somethhig so indis- 
pensable to the musical performer, tliat until provided 
with it, neither choir nor orchestra cx>uld ever take a 
step, nor we, on the occasion in question, however 
skilled in singing, could by any possibility have har- 
moniously sounded the first note of the introductory 
Non nobis. Of course, I need not tell you that it was 
" my friend," tho organist, who dressed up for me in 
presentable fashion these 

Lines to an ancient Pitch-pipe. 

Under the shade of the '* pAtulocw bffe," 
(For BQch Ifl now the approved tranilatlon) 

Tityms did hh hour* enga{^ 

With thora dnlret iioundii thnt might irell swuage 
The gtlefli of that rusticus^s rocatioo. 

Hoif well tn onr memory doth remain, 

With boyhood's aswriations blent, 
The pastoral and pleading refrain. 
'' Begin, my pipe, the Hsenalion strain," — 

Whatever a strain Msenallan meant! — 

Ah! Hwas quite other strains, I ween, 

Than such as solaced old Tityr, — which, 
When thou wert figuring on the scene, 
In New England meetlng-honses have been 
Begun with thee, oh Pipe of Pitch ! 

And metlionght 'twere meet ere Oblivion should wipe 
Thy name out, and lay thy note on the shelf — 

For we in our day take the key, oh Pipe, 

From organs of very different stripe — 
That we should make a brief note of thysdf. 



358 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Th« food old leadar — 1 lee htm liM 

At tho h«ui of hia ohotr, while Inly thuf , 
Bwiy ringer with eus and ^jee 
Intent on the eonnd thou ntterMt, eriee 
Hb dona nobis — the piteh glTe xul 

Now the Trebles their Do roll taU and free; 

The Altoa are Arm on their Sob, and I heari 
When the Tenon haye eettled town on HI, 
The ehotr derontly npUfk Dundee. 

Old Handrod, Coronation, or Hear. 

And how oft, oh Pipe, hare that ehonu-hoet 
Been swallowed np In some fugue's Bed Sea, 
Their Do*s and MPs all sunken and lost, 
And thdr Sol's all hopelessly tempest-tost, 
Till rsst o red to their haven-tone by thee! 

Oh Pipe of PIt«ih! though less known to fkme 
Than the Peace-Pipe, scarce less worthy, for if 

That concord brought, didst not thou the same? 

Uke In elfeet as well as name, 
There was much Tirtue in thy whiff. 

Shakspeare, who saw with a prophet's sight, 

Doubtless thy musle bad in Tiew, 
When he with melodious phrase did write 
Of ** sounds and sweet airs that giTe delight 

And hurt not; " — words of thee how true! 

And I bring thee this for my parting thought; 

Henceforth oh nerer be thou reriled. 
For the pitch which from thee the chorus caught 
Was a pitch with no banefhl Influence fraught, 

One forsTer might touch and not be defiled. 



The third is the list, omitted from the end of the 
librarian's report, of 

Additions to the Library in 1868. 

ScvDo P., Le Cheyalier Sarti. Paris, 1857. pp. 
651. 

(Prenented by B. C. Guild.) 

Dwight's Journal of Music. Vols, xi., xii. 

Bbethoten. Grande Sonate Pathetiqae. 
(Presented by 8. Kneeland, Jr.) 

Nicola IS. Three Sonatas for Piano Forte, with 
accompaniment for violin. 

(Presented by 8. Kneeland, Jr.) 
Orprxus. (German fonr-part songs.) 10 vols. 

Mozart's Stmfhokixs. (Score.) Nos. S, 3, 8, 9, 
10,11,12. • 

Mozart's Stm. Concsetavtb. Op. 104. (Score.) 

Act of Incorporatiok, &c., of Handel and Haydn 

Society. 

(Presented by B. L. Balch.) 

Schubert, Franz. Symphonic (C. Dar) fUr posses 
Orchostcr. Partitur. Leipzig, pp. 322. 8vo. 

Schumann, BoBERT. Symphonie. No. 1. Bdar. 

Op. 38. Partitur. pp. 211. 8vo. Lcipsic. 
— -^ Zweite Symphonie. (No. 2.) Op. 61. 

Partitnr. pp. 232, 8vo. Leipsic. 

Dritto Symphonie. (No. 3.) Fs dur. Op. 



97. Partitnr. pp.211. 8vo. Leipsic. 

Symphonie. No. 4. (D. Moll.) Op. 120. 



Partitnr. pp. 165. 8vo. Leipsic. 

WF.nER, C. M. Ton. Concert-Stuck fiir das Piano 
Forte, mit Boplcitimg dcs Orchester. Op. 97. Par- 
titur. pp. 132. 8vo. r^ipsic. 

Bach. J, S. "WerlvC. No. 7. T^eipsic, 1857. 

" No. 6. (New edition.) 1857. 

Mozart. 10 Qnartctten and Fngo. Partitur. 



Beethoven. Qiiartetten. Vol. 1, 1—6. " 

" " 2,7—11. " 

" " 3,12—17. " 

Trios nnd Quartetten. " 

Mozart. Qnimctten. " 

Brethoten. Qointetton, Scxtott and Scptett. " 

Mozart. Dnettc, Qnintetten and Sextett. " 

n. WARE, Librarian. 



BRRATm nr oua u;n. — In the last of the Resolutions re- 
lating to the death of Francis L. Dacbelder, the word *' pain- 
less " was a misprint torprUeUft. 



StDig^fB lonrnal 0! Slnsit 

BOSTON. FEB. 6, 1859. 

Mcsio nr this Numca. — Continuation of the opera *' Lk- 
erexia Sofyia," arranged for the piiwo-forte. 



Stuttoart. — There is news from Stnttf^art (in 
the Gazette Afusicale) ot an entire success liitcly won 
in the Opera-house of the Suabion capital, by ' Anna 
von Landskron,' the composer of which is Uerr 
Ahert, whom, some few years ago, on Stuttgart an- 
thority, the Athenatum mentioned as a composer from 
whom something was to be expected. 



Concerts. 
Mrndelbsohn Quintette Club. Tho 
fourth chamber concert fell upon another stormy 
Friday (their fatality thus far); which did not 
keep a numerous audience from finding their way 
to the new hall of Messrs. Hallct k Cuniston, 
piano-makers, in Washington Street, to which 
the Club were forced to resort for that night only. 
It was a meeting in " an upper chamber ** — but 
a pleasant one and very good for music of this 
kind. The programme was this : 

Pan I. 

1. Quintet No. 1, In C minor. Allegro— Andanle—lflmietto 
— Finale, Allegro : Mocart. 

2. Redtatlye and Air: "Che lhi« senm Rurldiee,** ih>m 
'^Orphens; Gluek : Hn. J H Long. 

8. Tema con Tarlasionl, from the Nottomo from Quintet, 
op. 85 : Spohr. 

PAat n. 

4. 8oIo for Tloloneello. on an Air of tho Pyrenees from tho 
16th centuiy: Offenbaeh : Wulf Fries. 

6. Songs : " The Violet," Mosart : " Brsath of Spring," B. 
J. Lang Mrs. J. II Long. 

6. Seventh Qnartet, No. 1, in F,)of the Rasomnnfiikyset, op. 
69. Allefrro—Scheno— Adagio and Finale, (Theme Russe,) 
Allegro : Beethoren. 

This programme was rather below the average 
in interest ; but that " Razomoufsky " Quartet of 
Beethoven was inspiring enough, — and would 
be, if we had heard it a hundred times — to com- 
pensate for any other deficiency. It was the best 
played piece of the evening, and was truly edify- 
ing. That first of Mozart's Quintets is not one 
of the most striking in the list The Adagio and 
Allegro are fine ; but the lattor portion -of tho 
work seemed commonplace for ^lozart^ The va- 
riations by Spohr were elegant, but scarcely 
memorable ; — perhaps, however, it was the fault 
of our own sleepiness, or cold in the head (that 
drizzly, miserable night I) that wo do not now, as 
we write, remember them. Mr. Wulf Fries, 
by the lucky accident of mislaying or for*^tting 
some music, offered a welcome substitute for the 
solo set down to him, in the shape of a beautiful 
slow movement from one of Mendelssohn's Sona- 
tas for Violoncello and Piano, in which the 'cello 
part discourses prominently, exhibiting the per- 
former's skill and feeling to much advantage. 

Mrs. LoNO's selections were choice, and she 
seems to have gained in fulness and richness of 
voice, as well as in largeness of style, and general 
ease and finish. We could not feel quite satis- 
fied, however, that Chefarby though one of the 
best of songs, was just the best for her; yet the 
success with the audience was quito decided. 
Mozart's melody to Goethe's little " Veilchen " 
song was pretty and naive; and Mr/ Loxo's set- 
ting of the little " Spring " song which we trans- 
lated from the German in one of our nnmbers of 
last April : 

O'er the garden hear the voices 1 
Birds of passage on their flight ! 

Spring is coming, earth rejoices, 
Grass is springing all the night, &c., 

struck us as very felicitous. Truly a charming 
song and true to the spirit of the lines ; a clear, 
simple, natural melody, if not marked by any 



rare individuality. The figures of the accompani- 
ment, lying 80 natural to the easy play of the 
pianist composer's figures, were quite suggestive. 



Mme. Biscaccianti AND Miss Juliana 
May. — The "Combination Concert" given by 
these singers last Saturday evening, in tho Music 
.Hall, drew a large audience, and was a succow. 
Every piece sung by our accomplished towns- 
woman — weak as she was and nervous after 
long illness — was a signal triumph. Wc all 
knew before that she was one of tlic most highly 
cultivated soprani of tho day, and that she sings 
fhom a real musical passion ; but the cxtraonli- 
nary finish and artistic refinement of her singing 
upon this occasion took us by surprise. Her voice, 
while it has natnrally lost somo of its power, 
makes up for it by the sweetness, purity and re- 
finement of its quality. Marvellously fine it is in 
the highest notes ; and she has the faculty of pro- 
longing a high note for a remarkable length of time 
and with a sweetness, a perfection of creKcenth 
and diminuendo^ a purity of line, that surpasses 
almost anything. But here too her strength was 
her weakness. Wliere all else was so tasteful and 
so perfect we hate to notice one exception in 
point of taste : namely — the perhaps panlonablo 
weakness of d(nng a thing which she could do re- 
markably well, too often. Once or twice in an 
evening that prolonging of a tone was very cfToc- 
tive ; to certain pieces it was suited ; but out of 
place in others ; in Schubert's " Serenade," for 
instance, tho note was held and held beyond all 
reason, until you fbqrot its purpose and could 
think only of the feat of skill. Her most perfect 
effort, to our taste, was in the Romanza from 
" William Tell " (Sombre foret), one of the finest 
melodies in any opera, which she sang in a 
most chaste, expressive, finished style. It was a 
luxury to hear that. 

Tho quaintly tender cavatina from ** Rigolet- 
to " : Caro nome^ ^t., was a consummate piece of 
soprano-tsm ; and hero, in the peculiar conclusion 
of this love soliloquy, where the yearning soul of 
tlie maiden seenui to float away in reverie, the 
long holding of the note had a poetic meaning 
and appropriateness. Schubert's " Serenade " 
was finely sung, with the exception above named. 
Signor Biscacciakti accompanied with the sym- 
pathetic tones of his violoncello. In her last 
effort: Ah non credea^ and Ah non gxunge^ from 
tho Sonnambula^ Mme. B. betrayed fatigue, but 
she put a deal of pathos into the cantabile melody, 
and of brilliant, joyous execution into the rondo. 

Miss May sang Emnni, involami^ which we 
were too late to hear ; " The Last Rose of Sum- 
mer," which she treated mechanically, emptying 
it of tenderness, and marring it with trills which 
seemed undecided on what pitch to settle. These 
be honest truths, and will not discourage the lady 
if she has the soul of music in her, capable of one 
day inspiring and subduing to finer impulses and 
meanings the clear, large, splendid voice which 
certainly she has. As yet mere execution is too 
paramount. Di piacer showed a good deal of 
that, yet crude. The Bolero from Verdi's " Si- 
cilian Vespers" was again her most successful 
effort ; less so the brilliant Non Ju aogno^ from 
the Lombardiy with which she responded to an en- 
core. 

The Piano-forte accompaniments were played 
with skill and tact by Mr. Baumbacr. The 
Mkndelssohn Quintette Club, strengthened 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1859. 



359 



hy a double-bass, contributor the overture to 
Ceiierentola^ and an arranged song from Tann- 
Mmer; and Mr. B. J. Lang, with Messrs. 
SciiULTZK and Fuiks, played finely the Adagio 
from Mcndclflsobn's Trio in D Elinor. But those 
things told rather feebly, of course, in that great 
halL 



. Musical Chit^at 

Carl Zrrraiiw holds out grand attractions to his 
second " Pliillmrmonic Concert " at the Mnsic Hall 
to-night His noWo orchestra will play the "Scotch" 
Symphony, hy Mendelssohn — perhaps his finest work ; 
the glorious " Leonora " Overture, hy Beethoven ; 
that hlaxing piece of hrassy jubilation, the "Torch-light 
Dance," by Meyerbeer ; and the ever popular "Tell " 
overture. The German "Orpheus" Club, under 
Mr. Krrtssxaitn, will sing that beautiful Tsalm by 
Schubert (published some months since in this Jour- 
nal) : " The Lord is my Shepherd," and " She is 
mine," by Hasrtel. Mr. Louis Coehen, an accom- 
plished young violinist from Belgium, will play a solo 
by Spohr, and a Fantasia of his own. Mr. Z. wishes 
it understood that Complimentary tickets, issued for 
the./£rsC concert, will not admit to this. 

Mr. Trrwkle left us lost week on his way to 
Florida, seeking restoration of his health. A thous- 
and gooil wishes accompany him. The Complimen- 
tary Concert, which his brother artists mean to give 
him, 18 now fixed for Saturday evening, Feb. 19th, 
that being the earliest evening when the Music Hall 
is unengaged. No pains will be spared to make it a 
successful concert of the highest order. Zerrahn's 
orchestra, the, "Orpheus," Otto Dresel, Mrs. 
Harwood. and others, will take part. Every artist 

glftdly would, were there but room for all Mr. 

Stobpel'b " Hiawatha " is to be biought out in New 
York, with the aid of the Mendelssohn Union, about 
the 1 2th of February ; after which Mr. S. will return 
to Boston and commence here new rehearsals for its 
second and more perfect performance, probably in 
the Music Hall, which will be much the best place for 
it. 

The Havdel and Haydn Society have reached 
the point of rehearsals with orchestra of Handel's 
" Israel in Egypt ;" and it will soon be publicly per- 
formed — possibly on Sunday after next. This is a 
work which will most certainly re-pay more than a 
single hearing. It would be only next in general es- 
teem to the "Messiah," could it be heard as often. To 
aid the understanding of the listener, we have com- 
menced copying this week, a good descriptive analysis 
of it by Mr. Macfarren, of London, having already 
said our own word about it in this Journal a year 

since (Nov. 1857) The next concert of the Mek- 

DBLSSOHV QuncTETTE Club will take place next 
Friday Evening — we suppose at Mercantile Hall. 

We are glad — and all our readers hereabouts 

will be glad — to learn that the friends of Madame 
BiscACCiANTi intend to give her a complimentary 
Farewell concert prior to her departure for Australia. 
It will probably take place in the course of next week. 
Tlie compliment is certainly most amply due, and 
it will be a hearty one. . . .We learn that Mr. Huoo 
LBoiniARD, one of the most talented and classical of 
the pianists who have resided among us, and one of 
the ablest interpreters of the master compositions, 
young as he is, proposes soon to give a concert. It 
is time he should he heard. 

We spent a delightful evening last week with our 
Teutonic brethren of the " Orpheus " in their own 
" den " — a perfect Jon-hatte, or hall of harmonics, in 
spite of beer and smoke. Grouped around tables 
over all the room, with their glasses and their music 
books before them, Herr Kreissmakn presiding at a 
Grand Piano in the midst of all, there they sat and 
sang, the choicest music, with admirably blended 
voices. The tones seem to spring up all around ^vou ; 
to exhale from the very floor and walls and mingle 



like those wreaths of smoke. They sang a couple of 
beautiful part-songs by Schumann ; another by 
Lisxt, which happily 8ei7.C8 the humor of the " Stu- 
dent's Song " in " Faust ; " a fine Mozart-like finale, 
(Trio and chorus of Soldiers) from Chcrubini's Was- 
tertrager ; and many more fine things. The brothers 
Schraubstaidter Ming solos; and Messrs. Leonhard 
and Dresel played to them. That is the way to have 
good times. 

The Worcester Palladium thus gives vent to its 
enthusiasm after Bibcacciahtx's singing, at a con- 
cert in that city : 

After listening to Biscaccianti's singing it was the 
remark of many, " this brings back old times ! this 
is such singing as we used to hear ! " It was true 
enough, and thus we explain it. After hearing 

I^rimaKlonna after primaJonna sing continually, 
ittle save the " gems " of Venli — than which 
nothing can be more injurious to the best of voices, a 
voice like Biscaccianti's trained in a purer school of 
Italian mu^ic, comes with grateful significance. Then 
she is a true artist. Mark her singing of that ro- 
manza from " Tell" — its artistic shadings, the care- 
ful subduing of every detail to the comjjlete whole. 
Or in her Italian ciivatinas, how impassioned is her 
rendering of them, yet how pure ! True artist that 
she is, she is satisfied "inth no half-way work ; and so 
her Geman lied or English ballad is as true to tbe 
requirements of musical art as her most difficult aria. 

A recent number of the New Orleans Picaifune 
says: 

At the opera we have had a performance of Verdi's 
"Jerusalem," of Aubcr's " Ambassadrice," of Mey- 
erbeer's " Prophete," and of Halevy's " Juive." To- 
morrow evening we are to have the «o much talked of 
new comic opera of Maillard, (whoever he may be,) 
in which M'lle Bourgeois and Messrs. Bourgeois 
and Beauee and M'me Vad^ are to appear. This 

f»iece is said to have been performed at the "Lyrique ' 
n Paris every night for tliree montlis. 



uml Correspnhnce. 



99 




P^MM^^M**^ 



New York, Feb. 1. — The " Mendelssohn 
Union" is an offshoot of tlie " Harmonic Society," 
and threatens to eclipse its predecessor. Mr. G. W. 
MoROAK, the organist of Grace church is the con- 
ductor, and Mr. Beroe, organist of the Roman 
Catholic church of St. Francis Xavier is the pianist. 
The society meets at the Cooper Institute. They 
have this season produced Mendelssohn's St Paul, 
and last week gave us Rossini's Mosea in Egypt. The 
performance took place in the laige room of the 
Cooper Institute, one of the most remarkable concert 
halls in the worid, because it is nothing more nor less 
than a large cellar, the floor tliirty-five feet below the 
level of the street. The interior is painted white, 
and the acoustic capabilities of the establishment are 
good. 

The solos in 3foses were confided to various resident 
singers. Mrs. Crump, the soprano of the Episcopal 
Church of the Incarnation, sang the music of Esther ; 
Miss Hadle Y, of St. Francis Xavier, that of Nicaule ; 
Mr. Miranda, of Dr. Macauley's, that of Osiris ; 
while the other male soloists were Mr. Werneke, of 
St. Francis Xavier, and Dr. Guilmettb. The work 
was very respectably given. Miss Hadley, whose de- 
licious voice I have before spoken of, sang with pathos 
and earnestness, but is lacking in power for a large 
concert hall. There was no orchestra, and Mr. Beige 
accompanied on the piano. He is one of the tew 
really good accompanists we have, and is not sleepy 
in his style of playing. 

The Society now devote two evenings a week to 
the rehearsals of Stcepel's Hiaioaiha music, Mr. 
Stcepel himself conducting. He pays the Society 
one nundred dollars for their services, and expects to 
produce his composition at the Academy of Music, 
on the evening of the 11th of February. Of course, 
an eficient orchestra will assist, and Mrs. Stcepel will 
read the explanatory portions of the noem. After 
Hiawatha has gone to the kingdom or Ponewah, to 
the land of the hereafter, the society will attack 
Costa's Eli, which they have hitherto performed. 

In the meantime, the Harmonic Society is not in- 
active. Thev meet, as they have regularly done every 
week for the last five years, at Dodworth s room, and 



are rehearsing Handel's Israel in Egypt. It is pro- 
posed to give Mr. Bristow, who now acts botn as 
their conductor and pianist, a complimentarv concert, 
when, I understand the first part of Mendelssohn's 
Elijah, together with a variety of miscellaneous musie 
will be performed. Mr. Bristow is a worthy recipi- 
ent of such an honor. He is a solid, hard workine 
musician, the organiKt of St. George's (Dr. Tyng's) 
Chureh, and the composer of that beautiful American 
Opera, Rip Van WinkU. 

Miss DiHOLEY, a good resident vocalist, gives her 
second annual concert this week. 

PiccoLOMiifi is to sing at the Academy of Music, 
at a matinee on the 12th of February, when she will 
appear for the first time here as Norina in Don Pa*' 
qmU. 

Aptommab, the Harpist, gave a successful harp 
matinee the other day, when he played the harp for 
two and a half hours. He is a second David upon 
that instrument. Tsoyatosb. 



PniLADELPnu, Jak. 25. — On Monday night of 
last week, Mile. Piccolomihi died of pulmonary 
consumption, surrounded by an immense audience of 
sympathizing Philadelphians ; but she arose on the 
following morning, in time to be off to Baltimore, 
Washington and Richmond, where she is said to 
have concertized before delighted thousands. The 
Opera habltu^ will readily comprehend how the above 
announcement is to be taken ; of course, facetiously, 
to obviate the necessity of stereotyped phrases such 
as " Verdi's Traviata was performed on last Men- 
day night," — which mode of commencing mn- 
sical correspondence seems as commonplace aa the 
Libiamo itself. Piccolomini played the character of 
the lamentable Violetta with much effect ; bat sung 
some of the music as though her own lungs were half 
consumed ; indeed, in the Sempre libera, she might 
have Jiascoed but for the discretion of Herr Ans- 
chtitz, who checked the orehestn suddenly, and res- 
cued the pretty little eantatrice. 

After the Traviata, came Meyerbeer's Huguenots, 
Verily this change seemed like la3dng aside a flashy 
" yaller-kiver'd " novel and taking up some finished 
and classical work, like Macauley's History of Eng- 
land. 

The impresario evinced much liberality in the pro. 
duction of the varied mises en scene, and accessories ; 
while the cast only lacked a competent tenor to 
render it unexceptionable. Its first representation 
drew an immense audience, — one of the largest ever 
congregated within the walls of the Academy. So, 
too, the third, while the second took place amid a 
storm, which rendered access to the building disa- 
greeable, even in a closely secured cab, and the audi- 
ence was therefore small, but highly appreciative. 
The imposing choruses, consummate orchestral ef- 
fects, and the impressive, religions vein frequently 
pervading the music, produced a sensible effect upon 
the many-headed. So, too, the efforts of the individ- 
ual artists. Formes disarmed criticism by his per- 
fect rendition of the Hu^nienot soldier, for even 
though his intonation at times proved unsteady, his 
portraval of Marcel was so superb as to drive all 
thouglits of carping at such vocal defects, out of 
the heads of the public and the press-writers. Mile . 
Poinsot made a very favorable impresftion, both as 
a vocalist and an actress, — and Laborde threw che 
people into ecstacies by her singular flexibility of 
voice, fine taste, and perfect method of vocalization. 
Much inteitsst pretailed to hear this finished canta- 
trtce, prior to the first night of the Huguenots, — in as 
much as people still bore in vivid remembrance her 
triumphs here, ten or eleven years since, on the 
Ijoards of the old Chesnut Street Theatre. I, for my 
part, can scarcely conceive of a higher point of musi- 
cal education than that to which I^borde has attained. 

We had more of Meyerbeer last night. Pobert le 
DiaUe was given before a splendid audience, but was 
performed in a very careless manner. What with an 
incompetent Robert, (Lorini,) a wretched Haim- 
baut, (PiCKANESER,) and a badly rehearsed choi-us, 
even the superior deportment of Formes, Poinsot, 
and Lalwrde seemed wanting in proper effect. In 
the duo between Bertram and Raimbant, at the com- 
mencement of the second act, Pickanc5(er sang so 
frightfully out of tune as to cause thousands to Fcrew 
up their mouths and knit their brows with just indig- 



nation. 



Manrico. 



360 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Berlin, Jak. 5. — Happy new Year I to you, 
dear Dwight, and to all those of your readers, who, 
in process of time, have come to feel some degree of 
interest in "A. W. T." I hope during the year that 
has just closed that the number of these has mate- 
rially increased, and that when 1860 comes, they will 
be doubled or quadrupled. I promise to do my best 
to this end. During the Christmas and New Year's 
holidays many of tlie places of resort here are of a 
charitable character, one of which is worthy a word 
or two. Very likely I wrote about it long ago, but it 
will bear repetition. 

In one respect the Germans set us an example good 
to follow, if in no other, in matters of Art I refer to 
their combining together — forming a sort of brother- 
hood — aiding each other in life and extending a 
helping hand to the widows and orphans of the de- 
ceased. The Architects hare an association, which 
now has a noble range of rooms, fine library, courses 
of lectures in the winter, and, in fact, all that we can 
think of as being fitted to make them better artists 
snd give them a position in the community. So too 
the painters, and so too the " Tonkuruder" — musi- 
cians. It has long been a subject of sorrow to me 
that there is no association of the musical men of 
Boston — the practical musicians and teachers, that 
is — with a club room and library, where one can see 
all the musical journals and meet with those, who, 
each in his own way, is working in the cause of mu- 
sic. Such an association, besides being of great use 
to every member, would be a severe blow to musical 
quackery, it would tend to elevate the standard of 
musical culture, make men, now almost strangers to 
each other, better acquainted, raise the tone of the 
profession, and give that force to it which can only 
be obtained by combination. 

Once a year the " Association of BerlUi-Arttsts" 
gives an exhibition of transparencies, accompanied by 
the delicious music of the Dom Chor. The exhibi- 
tion, lasting an hour, is given twice each evening, 
Mx>m 5 to 6, and from 7 to 8, for some two weeks ; 
admission, 25 cents of our money. This year the 
pictures are six in number. 

Go with me. We enter the building built by "FnA- 
erick II., I believe partly at the suggestion of Vol- 
taire, called the Knnst, or Art, Academy, and up one 
flight, in a narrow hall, with seats for some three 
hundred persons, we take our places. At the other 
end of the hall is the curtain. At the hour, screens, 
by a single movement, cover all the lights, the curtain 
divides, and the first picture — the " Deity in Glory," 
the vision of Esekiel — after Raphael — appears, and 
a " Gloria in Excelsis," by Durante, streams out to 
us from the room behind the picture. We sit in 
darkness, save from the light which lights up the pic- 
ture and passes through it to us. With the last dying 
tones of the chorus, the curtain noiselessly closes, and 
the lights of the room are uncovered. 

No. 11. The Annunciation, after Rubens, with an 
anthem by Grell, " Gracious and merciful is the 
Lord." 

No. HI. The worship of the kings to the child in 
the manger, also after Rubens, with an " Adoramus 
te, Christe," composed by Bortniansky. 

No. IV. Mary standing with tfie infant Jesus and 
the child John, Joseph in the background, after the 
well known picture of Raphael ; and this gave me a 
better idea of the original than I ever before had. 
The music was an old choral by Eccard, not the less 
interesting to me, as it is given, not much changed, 
in many of our psalm-books. 

No. V. Christ and the two disciples at Emmaus, 
after Rubens ; music, " Lord, now lettest thou thy 
servant depart in peace," by Mendelssohn. 

No. VI. A very fine copy of the celebrated and 
wonderful picture of St. Cecilia, at Florence, by Ru- 
bens. I say of this, as of No. IV., that I never be- 
before had any clear conception of the marvellous 
beauty of that picture. How it is possible to imitate, 



in these transparencies, oil paintings so perfectly, is to 
mo a mystery — but I am not a painter. The music 
is a " Sanctus," by Count Rcdcm. 

Now think a moment of the effect of such an exhi- 
bition. In the course of a few years very many of 
the finest pictures in Europe are made familiar to the 
public, as they could be in no other way, thus culti- 
vating the taste and the eye, and at the same time tlie 
ear is delighted by vocal music of the highest order, 
snng as by no other choir on earth, with the possible 
exception of two or three in Russia. 

As I sat there, I could not but think that it would 
be a grand speculation to take over some forty of the 
singers, and a score or two of the pictures which have 
accumulated upon the Association, and exhibit them 
in Boston and New York. I believe it would pay in 
the end for the city to pay a small sum per head to 
to have all the school children have the advantage 
of the artistic cultnre, which a dozen such pictures 
and the accompanying music would give them. 

As I mentioned the association of Architects above, 
here is a fact which shows to what good uses such an 
association tends. It makes the birthday of the great 
architect Schinkel one of its annual festivals. At 
the approaching one the plans of a new parliament 
house are to be examined, and a prize for the best to 
be awarded. The candidates for this prize must all 
be young men, who have just made their examina- 
tions, and the prize consists of — the best, in my 
opinion, that conld possibly be offered — an annual 
sum sufficient to enable them to travel in Italy and 
other countries for some two or three years. From 
various sources similar prizes are awarded to young 
musicians, painters, and I believe to some others. 
When shall we see anything of the kind in America 1 
Why cannot the dty of Baltimore with its magnifi- 
cent funds from Peabody set the example, and offer 
prizes of say $500 a year for two years to one young 
musician, one sculptor, one painter, and one archi- 
tect? Why not? 

In Stuttgart there appears to be another rising 
young composer. His name is Abebt. Like Laub 
and Moscheles, he is from Bohemia, studied at the 
Conservatorium in Prague, where at the fifty years' 
Jubilee last season, he produced a Jubilee overture, 
and now belongs to the Kapelle of the King of Wur- 
temberg. Three symphonies by him, I believe, have 
been published. Just now he is attracting attention 
by an opera, " ^naa von Landtkron/* his first for the 
theatre — the scene of which is laid in 1273, during 
the time of the party quarrels in Basle. At the re- 
heaisal it was highly applauded by the Stuttgart or- 
chestra, and at the public performance, the audience 
confirmed the decision. 

The name of the " Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde 
in der Oesterreichische Kaiserstadt" — Society of 
the Friends of Music in the Austrian capital — must 
be ^miliar to you. It was for this society, as well as 
for Boston, that Beethoven was to compose Bernard's 
oratorio " Sieg des Kreutzea " — Victory of the Cross. 
This Society is the g^nd dependence now of Vienna 
for classical music. It has a noble library, a fine mu- 
seum of instruments, and the like. A reoent report 
states that it receives from the government SOOO gul- 
den — say $1,500 — firom the Government, and 2,000 
from the dty. These sums, in addition to the 15,000 
gulden bequeathed by Carl Czemy, have put it into 
so fiourishing a condition, that a really fine, large 
new hall is projected. In the conservatory under its 
care there are now 211 pupils, of whom 127 are free 
and 34 pay half fees. Who of us will live to see 
the Handel and Haydn Sodety, the Harvard Musical 
and the Music Hall Assodations acting together for 
the cause of music, and receiving some assistance 
from the city so that we can have a true conservato- 
rium in Boston ? If you want such a man as Laub 
to reside with us, it could be made in this way an ob- 
ject for him to come over. 

It is almost wrong to announce it at the close of a 
letter, but better late than never — the fine collection 



of old works upon music, of which I have written 
Tou in snch pathetic tones, both in private Icttcw and 
Ifbr the Journal, i9»entrcdfar the Btntton PuUic IJbrary. 
Now let die mu.sical profession do somctliing to the 
end of collecting the works of the great composers. 
More on this topic hcrcnfter. 

In m v account of Radcrke's concerts printed in the 
Jouiiiaf of Doc. 4, 1 spoke, it seems, of " the Scro- 
natlo composed in 1784." As in all probability sev- 
eral such works saw the light that year, it may bo 
well for those who save their papers, to note on the 
margin that this particular work was by Mozart. 

A. W. T. 



Spetial %fiiitts. 



DXSCRIPTIYB LIST OF TBB 

O? B S O? ]M["CrSIO, 



Muiio BT Mau..— Quaatitieti of Music are now sent by mail, 
the ezpense being only about one cent apiece, while the eare 
and rapidity of transportation are remarluible. Thoee at a 
great distance will And the mode of conyeyanee not only a eon. 
Tenienoe. but a aaving of eipenee In obtaining rappliei. Books 
ean also be sent by mall, at the rate of one cent per ounee- 
This applies to any distance under three thousand miles ; be- 
yond UMt, double the aboTe rates. 

Vooal. with Piano Aooompaxdment. 

SoKOS AKD Ballads from Balfe's new Opera of 

" SataneUa." 
Thb Powsr of Lots. Soprano. " 30 

Ik silekcb bad hbart. " " SO 

Our heabts abb hot cub own. " " 25 

0, COULD IbUT HIS HBABTBHSLAVB." " 60 

ThB OLOBIOUS TIBTAOB OF CbAHPAONB. 

Tenor. " 25 
No Pbizb cax Fatb on max bbstow. 



it tt 
If « 



SO 
25 



Ah Ahobl fobx. 

ROTBBS, BULBBS OF TBB SBA. Bari. '' 35 

Oh t WOULD 8RB BUT HAXB THE DAT. " " 25 

These are the " gems " in the abore-named Opera, 
which now re-echo thron^out Bngland, whererer 
iBusical people eooTene. Further partieulars may be 
gleaned from the last numbers of this Joumsl, where 
a detsiled account of the first perJbrmanee has been 
glyen. 

AspiBATiOH. (Sehnsucht.) E, B. Oliver, 25 

A Poem by Schiller, well known among Um admi- 
xws of the great German-poet. The oompoasr has 
linked with it a simple, pathetic melody. 

Ixutrmnental Mnaio. 

Kboll's Ballxlabhob WaltkbSi for Four 

hands. Lumbjfe. 50 

A fliTOrite Walts, Introduced first by the Oermani- 
ass, Ibto Tour^iaad arrangement gives most of ttie 
peculiarities of the eomposer*s orchestration, which 
must necessarily be omitted In an arrangsment for one 
player only. 

Pbatbb ih."Mosbb ih Egypt." Transcribed 

by Oabomg. 30 

A fine anrnagsment of medium dilleultj. 

La Fxakkiha. Masurka ^^gante. J. Aacher. 30 

The peat popularity of this author is principally 
owing to the lift and flow, which his dances haye, sslde 
from their often surprising melodious beauty. This 
maiurka ranks with his best elforts. It is dashing, ef- 
feetiTe, ftill of delicious bits of melody, and not orer 
diflicult. 

Sbbbhade militaire. Charles Fradd. 35 

AnattractiTe " Bagatelle," moderately diJBcnlt, and 
differing, In a refreshing manner, ttom the general 
character of such pieces. 

Books. 

Bubomueller's Elemehtart, Thbobbtical 

and Practical Instructor for the Pianoforte. 

WithBngliShaudVrenohTtot. Newly Berissdaad 
Bnlarged Edition, including "Caemy's Letters to 
Toung Ladles on the Art of Playing the Pianoltote. 
Bound In Cloth. 




toi||t's 




uxul d Musir, 



Whole No. 358. BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1859. Vol. XIV. No. 20. 



For Dwight^s Journal of M uale. 

The Diarist Abroad, If o. 15. 
An ibtaginart conversation with "John." 

[John thundering away In the next room upon hli pbaoforto 
and pedals, on an organ Vugxie of Bach.] 

DiarisL — John ! I say, John ! 

John, — Halloo — Wha' ycr-w-a-n-t ? 

D, — Come in here a minute, (enter John.) 

/. — Well, what now? 

2>. — 1 want you to see what the saying means — 
'* Happy as a king." 

/. — Well, you do look tickled. 

D. — Why shouldn't I ? That book-case jam- 
med full of muttcal Lexicons and periodicals, and 
there by the door that great heap of books for the 
Library — and, oh, John, just look at those piles 
on and under the large table I 

J. — Well, who will ever care one copper for 
all these old books ? What eartihly use can they 
be to anybody ? 

D. — If of no other use, they are a sight to 
cure bad eyes — just look at that I 

/. — I can't read it, — yes I can — the title at 
least 

" Arithmetica — (great music book this ! ) Ge- 
ometria et Musiea BoetiL** It is an old thing, isn't 
it? 

D. — Turn to the last page. There, read that 
ni read it for you. '* VeneiUs Impressam Boetii 
opus per Johcmnem et Gregorium de Gregoriis 
fratres^ ifc. ifc, AnnohumancBrestawationis 1492, 
die 18 Augustij Sfc," We shall not go much 
farther back than that, I think, after muncal 
books 1 Now hand me that third book, on the 
third shelf, and we will see what Forkel has to 
say about it Here is a little sketch of his life, 
by which it appears he was a Roman patrician, 
three times Burgomaster (!) at Rome, and one of 
the most important of the ancient writers of music, 
and so on. There are quite a number -of editions, 
especially those of Venice, 1491-1499, and of 
Basle 1546-1570. So you see, this splendid 
specimen of old printing is one of the earliest — 
and of the year of Columbus's discovery. You see 
Forkel gives nearly two pages to the contents of 
the work. 

Now look at this little thin quarto. " Flores 
Mvaiee omnis cantue GregorianL** Look at the 
running titles: De AlpJiabetis, De Monocordo, 
DeModis. DeTonisi. And here at the end is the 
date — Anno m.cccc.lxxx.viii — 1488. Yon 
can see how Gen. Koudelka prized that book by 
its beautitul binding in fragrant Rusria leather 
elegantly lettered, and with the date in big 
figures. Let us see what Forkel says, — What ? 
How is this? Ha, ha, ha, Forkel did not know 
of the book I 

J, — What are those eight great folio volumes 
there, unbound ? 

D. — Open one of them and see. 

/.— (Reads) '' Parqfrasi Sopra ScUmi," Pro- 
cul este profani I 

D, — The next is the title page. 

/. — " Estro poelieo-armonicoj*' jrc, {fc., di 
Benedetto MarceUo, Venezia, M.D.ccc.in. What 



a noble portrait ! These are the splendid Mar- 
cello's psalms, you were talking about the other 
day. 

D. — Yes. Don't they look good ? And see 
what a splendid edition, large paper and all — I 
must have them suitably bound before sending 
them to Boston. When you get so you can write 
like that, you will do. 

Look at those two large, thick quarto volumes. 
That is a book I have been looking out for this 
five years, — and never could find a copy for sale — 
**Attgemeine Geschichte der Musik^** by J. N. 
Forkel. That is the book of which a critic says : 
** Forkel wrote a history of music, a splendid work> 
but ending just as the history of the art becomes 
interesting." The fact is he never finished his 
work. But I assure you I am glad at last to have 
secured a copy for a library at home. There's 
the great history — these three large quartos — 
" Storia deUa Musica " — by padre Martini I 
Some time, when you come to read Bumey, you 
will know more about him. You remember how 
Mozart, when a little boy, went to see him — 
Holmes tells about it This is another book we 
do not find in every antiquarian shop. 

/. — What is this thick, fat small quarto, so 
capitally bound, as if Koudelka had thought it a 
treasure? 

D. — What? That is the ^^ Syntagma mu- 
sicum^** of old Michael Frsetorius — the three 
volumes bound in one — a capital copy — the 
book which, with Eircher's ^^ Musurgia** and 
** Phonurgia " — those folios there — is in a great 
measure the foundation of our knowledge of old 
instruments. Hawkins quotes half of Eircher 
almost You see this was printed at the Wittem- 
berg of Luther in 1615. Proetorius died at Wolf- 
enbiittel, (where we visited Holle) in 1621. It 
is a most valuable book. 

/. — What have you in that pile of little 
scamps — pocket volumes? Are they good for 
any thing ? 

D. — This one is the " Miramtisches FWtUin,** 
or, " GeisiUche ScMfferey " (spiritual sheepfold) 
of Laurence von Schm^fiis, " in which Christus, 
under the name of Daphnis, wakes the soul of 
Clorinda, sunk in the sleep of sin, to a better life 
and leads her in a marvellous manner and way to 
great holiness. Third edition, in which all the 
melodies are set in three parts, with ritomellos," 
and so on. It is not very old. Frankfort, 1711. 
Laurentius was a capuchin monk. 

What the book is you will see by this para- 
graph from the preface. " This fluteling is com- 
posed of SO elegies, each elegy of 20 stanzas, not 
in fact to bo sung, because they are too long ; 
but to please the lovers of music I have given to 
each elegy its own melody, and one fitting to the 
corresponding copperplate, reminding the reader, 
by the way, that in my Clorinda I mean no par- 
ticular individual person, but every soul which is 
converted to God; and by IJaphnis Christ is 
meant" 

This little thing is a musical catechism, 1528, 
by a certain " venerable brother Bonaventura de 



Brixia ; " it is all about the " regula musica^** of 
tones authentic and tones plagal, and so on, in 
Latin and Italian. 

These two little ones are monastic missals, 800 
years old, badly worm-eaten, and quite useless. 
Here is another compendium of music. Venice, 
1518 — not much value perhaps — but curious — 
at all events it belongs in the collechon. But 
here is one I am mightily glad to get — a couple of 
small works bound together, — the ** Musica 
Figuralis " and " Von den Proporiionihus^ by 
Martin Agricola — the friend of Luther — two 
works which Forkel only knew from a mention 
made of them by Gruber. 

Now cast your eye upon the title page of this 
thin folio. 

/. — (Reads) "Dto/opo di Vincentio Galilei 
nohili Fiorentino della musica andca et ddla mod" 
ema. In Fiorema. mdl.xxxi. Well ? 

D. — That, John, is a book by the father of the 
great Galileo. It is a sort of polemical work di- 
rected against Zarlino, whose works you will find 
somewhere in the pile complete, and indeed there 
are two or three editions of part of them. Very 
valuable they are in the early history of modem 
music. 

Here is something I am very glad to get com- 
plete. In the Dehn collection was only one vol- 
ume, which I took at three thalers — a man was 
there at the time who would give five or six for 
it I wish now that he had it, as it becomes a du- 
plicate. It is Gerbert's collection in three vols, 
quarto, of ** Scriptores Ecclesiastid de musica 
sacra^** now rare and worth from 25 to 80 Thalers. 

That will do for this time. If there is any 
body in England collecting as successfully for our 
Library, we shall soon cease to be under the ne- 
cessity of voyaging 3000 miles to find musical 
books. 



Speeches at the Bnms' Festival 

Boston, Jan. 25, 1859. 

SPEECH OF BALPH WALDO EMERSON. 
(To the first toast : The Memory of Burm !) 

Mr. President and Gentlemen — I do not know by 
what untoward accident it has chanced, — and I for- 
bear to inquire, — that, in this accomplished circle, it 
shonld fall to me, the worst Scotchman of all, to re- 
ceive yoar commands, and at the latest hoar, too, to 
respond to the sentiment just offered, and which in- 
deed makes the occasion. But I am told there is no 
appeal, and I must trust to the inspirations of the 
theme to make a fitness which does not otherwise 
exist. 

Yet, sir, I heartily feel the singular claims of the 
occasion. At the first announcement, from I know 
not whence, that the 25th of January was the hundredth 
anniversary of the birtli of Robert Bums, a sadden 
consent warmed the sreat English race, in all its 
kingdoms, colonies and States, all over the world, to 
keep the festival. 

We are here to hold our parliament with love and 
poesy, as men were wont to do in the middle ages. 
Those famous parliaments might or might not hare 
had more statelinesss, and better singers than we, — 
though that is yet to be known — ^but they could not 
have better reason. 

I can only explain this singular unanimity in a race 
which rarely acts together, but rather af^er their watch- 
word, each for himself, — by the fact that Robert 
Bums, the poet of the middle class, represents in the 



362 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



minds of roon to-daj that great uprising of the middle 
doss against the armed and privileged minorities, — 
that nprising which worked politically in the Ameri- 
can atid French Revolutions, and wliicfi, not in gov- 
ernments, so roach at in education and in social order, 
has changed the face of the world. 

In order for this destiny, his birth, breeding and 
fortunes were low. His organic sentiment was absu- 
luto independence, and renting, as it shonid, on a life 
of labor. No man' existed who could loolc down on 
him. They that looked into his eyes saw that they 
might look down the sky as easily. His mase and 
teaching wan common sense, joyful, aggressive, irre- 
sistible. 

Not Latimer, nor Luther, struck more telling blows 
against FalRO Theology than did this brave singer. 
The "Confession of Augsburg," the "Declaration of 
Independence,'' the French "Kightsof Man," and the 
"Marseillaise," are not more weighty documents in 
the history of freedom than the son^ of Bums. His 
satire has lost none of its edge. His musical arrows 
yet sing through the air. 

He is so substantially a reformer, that I find his 
grand plain sense in close chain with ^e greatest mas- 
ters — Rabelais, Shakspeare in comedy, Cervantes, 
Butler and Bums. If I should add another name, I 
find it onlpr in a living countryman of Bums. He is 
an exceptional genius. The people who care nothing 
for literature and poetry care for Bums. It was in- 
different, — they thought who saw him, — whether he 
wrote verse or not ; he could have done anything else 
as well. 

Yet how trae a Poet is he I And the poet, too, of 
poor men, of grey hodden, and the guernsey coat, 
and the blouse, tie has given voice to all the expe- 
riences of common life ; he has endeared the farm- 
houflo and cottage, patches and poverty, beans and 
bariey ; ale, the pclor man's wine ; hardship, the 
fear of debt, the dear society of weans and wife, of 
brothers and sisters, proud of each other, knowing 
so few, and finding amends for want and obscurity in 
books and thought. What a love of nature, and, shall 
I say it? of middle-class nature. Not great, like Goethe, 
in the stars, or like Byron, on the ocean, or Moore, in 
the luxurious East, but in the homely landscape which 
the poor see around them, — bleak leagues of pasture 
and stubble, ice, and sleet, and rain, and snow-choked 
brooks ; birds, hares, field-mice, thistles, and heather, 
which he daily knew. How many "Bonny Doons," 
and "John Anderson my joes," and "Auld lang 
Synes," all around the earth have his verses been ap- 
plied to ! And his love songs still woo and melt the 
youths and maids ; the farm work, the country holi- 
day, the fishing cobble, are still his debtors tonda^. 

And as he was thus the poet of the poor,- anxious, 
cheerful, working humanity, so had he the language 
of low life. He grew up in a rural district, speaking 
a patois unintelligible to all but natives, and he has 
made that Lowland Scotch a Doric dialect of fame. 
It is the only example in history of a language made 
classic by the genius of a single man. But more than 
this. He had that secret of genius to draw from the 
bottom of society the strength of its speech, and as- 
tonish the ears of the polite with these artless words, 
better than art, and filtered of all offence through his 
beauty. It seemed odious to Luther that the devil 
should have all the best tunes ; he would bring them 
into the churches ; and Bums knew how to take from 
airs and gypsies, blacksmiths and drovers, the speech 
of the market and street, and clothe it with melody. 

But I am detaining you too long. The memory of 
Bums, — ^I am afraid, heaven and earth have taken too 
good care of it, to leave us anything to say. The 
west winds are murmiiring it. Open Uic windows be- 
hind yon, and horken for the incoming tide, what the 
waves say of it. The doves perching almost on the 
eaves of the^ stone chapel opposite, may know some- 
thing about it. Every name in broad Scotland keeps 
his fame bright. The memory of Bums,— every 
man's, and boy's, and girl's heaa carries snatches of 
his songs, and can say them by heart, and what is 
strangest of all, never learned them from a book, but 
from month to mouth. The wind whispers them, the 
birds whistle them, the com, barley, and bulmshes 
hoarsely rustle them ; nay, the music-boxes at Geneva 
are framed and toothed to play them ; the hand-organs 
of the Savoyards in all cities repeat them, and the 
chimes of bells ring them in the spires. They are the 
property and the solace of mankind. 



SPEECH OF GEORGE S. HILLARD. 

(To the fifth toast: **Th€ Mimtrela and Mimtrdw, 
of Scotland,") ' 

A few days since I was asked by a friend if I could 
tell him why it was that the birth-day of Bums is so 
generally celebrated, both in England and America, 
and for so long a period had been so. Why is he 
among so many other poets and men selected for 
such pecnliar honors ? The answer to the question 



does not at once suggest itself, but it can be answered. 
It is certainly a remarkable fact that, at this moment 
in all parts of the world, on the Banks of the Clyde, 
the Thames, the Ganges, the St. Lawrence, the Mis- 
sissippi — Scotchmen, Englishmen, and Americans 
aro met together, to do honor to the memory of a 
man who was bom a hundred years ago this day, in 
a clay cottage which his father bad built with his own 
hands, — who made no discoveries in science, or in- 
ventions in art ; who was not a great soldier or a 
great statesman, whose birth was humble and whose 
position through life was obscure, who died young, 
after having written a few poems, chiefly in the Scot^ 
tish dialect. He was a singer, and nothing more. He 
fluttered into the light and warmth of li^ for a brief 
season, warbled a few songs, and then disappeared 
into the grim outer darkness, where no eye could fol- 
low his flight. Why is it that he has taken such hold 
upon the hearts of all who speak with English 
tongues and read the books of England ? Why, 
among other proofs of this, are we here to-night? 

It seems to me that this is due in part to his char- 
acter as a man, and in part to the peculiar qualities of 
his poetry. His character was remarkable for its 
manliness, its sincerity, and its independence. He 
was too bravo for disguises, and too truthful for affec- 
tation. In all his life there is no stain of meanness, 
of treachery, of cowardice, of hypocrisy. If he was 
vehement in his dislikes, and sometimes almost sav- 
age in the expression of them, he was also the most 
faithful of friends. We mark in him one sure indica- 
tion of a noble nature — the warmth and constancy of 
his gratitude. The burden of obligation he wears 
like a jewel and not like a chain. He often yielded 
to temptation ; but his errors are half atoned for and 
wholly forgiven by the frankness with which he con- 
fesses them. He was bom in a very low estate, and 
reared in bitter, soul-cnishing poverty ; and this, too, 
at a time when native worth was less valued, and ad- 
ventitious distinctions wore more regarded than they 
are now. ~ But in spite of this, his life was marked 
by a manly independence, sometimes pushed to a 
fierce and defiant self-assertion. The low-bom peas- 
ant, whose hands were hardened and whose frame 
was bent by toil, stood in the presence of noblemen 
and gentlemen, of wits and scholars, onabashed, 
" pride in his port, defiance in his eye," as firm upon 
his feet, as when he strode behind his plough upon 
the mountain side. He never lowered the flag of 
genius before the flag of rank. Wherever he met a 
man's mind, he laid his own alongside of it, yprd 
arm and yard arm, for a fair fight. He respe<^ed in 
others t^e claims ot essential superiority — the God- 
given patents of nobility — and he exacted from them 
the same deference. In his life he put into action 
the sentiment of his fine song : 

1m tb««, fk>r hoiMBt povwtv. 

That hangs his head, and a* that ! 
The eoward slave, we p«M him by, 

We dure be poor for a* that ! 
For a* that, and a' that, 

Oar toll'* obeeore, and a' that ; 
The rank !■ bat the Kninea*8 iitamp, 

The Bsan's the gowd for a' ttiat. 



All the primal sympathies of the human sonl recog- 
nize the power, the charm, of a character of such 
manly self-reliance, such lofty self-assertion. We 
follow with admiration the moyements of the broad- 
shouldered, swarthy-checked, black-eyed peasant, who 
on all occasions and in all societies sustains himself 
with such simple dignity, who plants himself with 
such assured force on his worth as a man, and whose 
vigorous, untaught genius beats down the feeble 
guards of commonplace cultivation and the thin de- 
fences of social rank. 

There is another winning element in the life of 
Bums, arising from the fact that he generally acted 
from impulse, and that his impulses so often ted him 
right. It is a striking remark of Coleridge's, that 
** motives imply weakness, and the existence of evil 
and temptation. The angelic nature would act from 
impulse alone." We may note another illustration 
of the same trath in the conduct of men and women. 
Women act more from impulse, and men more from 
motives. Thus women may make more mistakes 
than men, but when they do go right their actions 
hove a higher grace, a sweeter flavor. All men, says 
Emerson, love a lover. There is a sympathetic 
charm in the bearing of one who is visil)ly and un- 
mistakably under the guidance of a strong and natu- 
ral emotion. The very follies and extravagances of 
a man thoroughly in love have a sweet and gracious 
aspect, and are never ridiculous. The life of Bums 
glitters with the beauty of fine and cordial impulses. 
They sometimes hurried him into grave errors, but 
as he himself has said, the light that led him astray 
was light from Heaven. Men who act always delib- 
erately and from well-considered motives — who are 
always self-vigilant and self-distrastftd— who never 
make mistakes — who never say or do anything they 
ought not to — may secure esteem, confidence, re- 



spect, but rarely inspire love. That we bestow upon 
characters in which the lichts and shades are more 
strongly contrasted — which sometimes rise above 
and sometimes fall below the level line of pradence — 
in which beautiful actions and heroic sacrifices plead 
for excesses of temperament and the occasional riot 
of unruly blood ; and of these Bums stands forth as 
the perfect type and representative. 

Bnt it is the poetry of Bums, far more than his 
character as a man, that brings us here to-night. He 
was a poet of the first order ; bnt that is not all. 
Among all the poets endowed with a vision and a 
faculty so high as his, we recall no one whoi^e genius 
is of so popular a quality. The lowliness of his 
birth, in some respects a disadvantage, was herein a 
help to him ; for it gSLve him a comprehension of the 
common heart and mind of his countrymen which 
must have been denied to him had he be«n bom in a 
higher sphere. Take, for instance, his immortal 
poem of " The Cotter's Saturday Night." Where 
can we find another poet with an imagination capa- 
ble of so idealixiog the snbject, and yet so familiar 
with its details as to present a picture as true as it is 
beautiful ? The poetry of Bums hiu the heart of 
man just between wind and water; every line and 
every word tells. With the inspired eye o?* genius he 
looked id>road npon the common lifs of Scotland ; 
and there found the themes of poetry — and the high- 
est poetry, too — in scenes, in relations, in objects 
which to the prosaic apprdiension seemed compact 
of hopeless prose. As m works in Florentine mo- 
saic, — in which leaves and flowers are reproduced in 
predons stones — our pleasure is made up in part 
from the beauty of the material used, and in part 
from the familiar character of the forms represented. 
So in reading the poetry of Bums, we are not only 
charmed with the genius it displays, bat thrilled 
with a strange electric delight in seeing the ordinary 
themes of eveiT day life so glorified and transfignred. 
At his touch, the heather bloom becomes an amethyst 
and the holly leaf turns into emerald. Every man 
can comprehend, feel and enjoy the poetry of Bams ; 
for this no other training is needed than the training 
of life. There are no learned allusions, no recondite 
lore, no speculations that transcend the ranee of 
average experience. To have seen the daisy olow 
and heard tne lark sing — to have clasped the hand 
of man and kissed the lips of woman — are prepara- 
tion enough for all that he has written. The senti- 
ments with which the poor man reads him are com- 
pounded, perhaps unconsciously, of admiration and 
gratitude — gratitude to the genius which has poured 
such ideal light around this common earth; which 
has empurpl^ with celestial roses the very turf be- 
neath his feet ; which has opened to him, the child of 
poverty and toil, the fairy worid of imagination ; 
which has held to his lips the sparkling dixir, the 
divine nepenthe, of poetry ; which on its mighty 
wings has soared with him into regions where he 
oould see the waving of angelic robes and hear the 
music of paradise I 

The genius of Bums expressed itself most nator 
rally and easily in that shape which is best adapted 
for popular influence. His songs are his best, his 
most ctiaracteristic poems ; and in all British litera- 
ture he is the first or song-writers. A song, as it is 
the oiriest, the most subtle, the most delicate form in 
which the conceptions ef a poet are embodied, so it 
is the most volatile, the most lightly home, the most 
easily diflnsed. A song has wings but no feet : it 
darts from lip to lip, and from heart to heart. The 
empire of a great epic or didacric poet may be higher, 
but that of a great song-writer is wider. The reason 
of this is that a song is the growth of that part of our 
nature in which all men are alike. A good song may 
be defined to be one man's music and every man's 
experience. 

The themes of the song writer are taken firom th'e 
passions, the emotions, the sentiments of the common 
Heart. They are found blooming by the side of that 
great highway on which humanity travels from the 
cradle to the grave. The mere literary merit of the 
songs of Bums can hardly be overstated, but their 
highest charm comes from their truth. Eveir line ia 
them is vital ; there is none of the cold and glitter- 
ing beauty of frost work ; they spring not from the 
cunning brain, but finom the beating heart. There are 
many songs in the English language — and good 
songs, too ; in which we can plainly see the marks of 
elalK>ration ; the lines of the graving and chasing 
tools. But the songs of Bums are growths and not 
manufactures; as uie fountain gushes from the 
earth ; as the daisy springs from the sod ; so they 
have sung themselves. The metre was bnt the mould 
into which the liquid heart was poured. We cannot 
conceive of a' word in them ever having been any 
other than it is. 

The greater part of the songs of Bnms are lore 
songs : and herein the life of the man is reprodnoed 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1859. 



363 



in hiB Tene. Bams was. always a lover ; his tempe- 
rament was 90 ardent and susceptible that he never 
saw a fine female face without falling; in love with it. 
Love was with him no ra^rstical sentiment, noetherial 
tenderness, no airr rapture ; it was not of that class 
of which some sublimated philosopher says that it is 
bom with the first si^h and dies with the first kiss ; 
but it was a passionate flame which ran like li^jphtning 
thrott^ifh his veins, felt in the heart, felt in the pulse. 
His love poetry is informed with buminf? life ; his 
love songs are the foam-flakes of a heaving sea of 
fire. This element of trath it owes to the fact that it 
was invariably the utterance of emoticms actually felt 
. lie wrote Jidt from general imaginations, but from 
ptirticular impressions. He had ever before him, in 
his mind's eye, some individual face or form ; some 
Jeaa Armor, Mary Morrison, or Jessie Lewars ; to 
inspire hia rouse. His biographers will tell you to 
whom belonged the rosy lips, tae snowy bosoms, the 
golden ringlets, the " twa lovely een of bonnie blue," 
that are immortalixed in his verses. Alas, where are 
they now? The love poetry of Bums is also nearly 
as remarkable for its purity, its tenderness and sweet- 
ness, as for its passionatenesa and truth. He some- 
times offends sj^nst decoram in his poems, but al- 
most never in his songs. 

Bums is thus the laureat of love. He is the best 
interpreter of that universal passion ; that great ma- 
gician under whose sway all men are, or have been, 
or are to be. Henoe one chief ingredient in his 
popularity and power. His love poetry addresses 
the expenences or the recollections of all. Fervid is 
the noonday glow of love ; pensive and sweet are its 
twilight memories. The old man, whose pulse has 
long been cAm, will read with delight the songs of 
Bums, for they recall and renew tJiose delicious days 
when a white frock and a pink sash were all that 
were wanted to make an angel of. But the highest 
charm of Bums's poetry is one which his countirmen 
alone can feel in its full extent, and that is its in- 
tense nationality. Scotland had had before him phi- 
losophers and men of letters of the first class, like 
Robertson, Adam Smith, David Hume, Dugald 
Stewart and Thomas Keid ; novelists like Smollett ; 
poets like Thomson and John Home, but, as Car- 
lyle traly remarked, there was nothing in them that 
was Scottish, nothing that was indigenous. They 
did honor to Scotland, but they did nothing to make 
the peculiar characteristics of Scottish life and man- 
ners known to the world. There had also been 
writers imbued with this national flavor, like Fergu- 
son and Allan Ramsay ; but they wore not first-class 
men. Bums was the first man who, with a genius 
of the highest order, fonnd his inspiration and his 
themes upon the soil of his native land. He was a 
great poet and a national poet too. In his dedica- 
tion of the Edinburgh edition of his poems to the 
noblemen snd gentlemen of die Caledonian hunt, he 
says : " The poetic genius of my countrv found me, 
as the prophetic bard Elijah did Elisha, at the 
plough, and threw her inspiring mantle over me. 
She bade me sing the lo^s, the joys, the rural scenes 
and rnral plensures of my native soil in my native 
tongue." This is said with as much trath as beauty. 
Bums is a thorough Scotchman ; the flavor of the 
soil can be tasted in everything he wrote. He was 
himself perfectly conscious of 2iis feeling ; he knew 
where his strength lay. 

Th« roof h bvr-tKIstlft spziMdliic wide 
Amonf tiM beudcd bear — 
I turned the wecder*cllpt add* 
And ipsKd the eymbol dear. 

The thistle was to him not a weed but a symbol : 
the poet spared what the farmer should have cut 
down. When we add to this that he has sung in 
vigorous and animated verse the praises of a haggis, 
it must be.ailmitted that the force of nationnlity can 
no farther go. We outside barbarians admire the 
poetry of Bums heartily and honestly : we may 
flatter ourselves that we feel all its power end are 
thrilled bv all its music : hut beyond all question we 
are mistaken. There is an inner circle of apprehen- 
sion and comprehension into which we cannot enter, 
into which no one can enter but he who has leamod 
upon a mother's knee that sweet and expressive dia- 
lect which he used with such grace and sudi power. 

Men of Scotland ! countrymen of Bums ! you do 
well to celebrate his memory with song and speech, 
with eyes suffused, and hand clasped in hand. You 
owe him a debt of gratitude which you can never 
repay. Ton are wiser than your fathers. God sent 
them this glorious genius, aha they made him an ex- 
ciseman, with seventv pounds a year, and allowed 
some paltry jack-in-office to tell him that his business 
was to act not to think. Alas 1 the pity of it ! the 
p\tj of it I He has long been where crael indigna- 
tion can no longer lacerate his heart. Tou can only 
pour your vain libations upon his dust. This will 
not profit him, but it will profit yon. Ton have a 



right to thank God in your prayers for the gift of 
Bums. Every Scotchman has a right to hold up his 
head higher from the fact that Bums was his country- 
man. For him every blue-eved lassie that rans about 
your fiowery braes or batnes her feet in the wimp- 
ling bum is a fairer object. For htm every heathery 
hill glows in richer purple : every glen lies steeped in 
softer light : every mountain lake gleams with deeper 
blue. For him the wild rose bums with finer flame, 
and the thom exhales a sweeter breath. His spirit 
hangs like a glory over your land ; your streams are 
vocal with his name : the lyric larlc sings of him 
whose music was sweeter than his own : of him your 
torrents rave : your winds murmur of him. The 
Scotland that he left was not the Scotland that he 
found. By him it was exalted, glorified, idealized ; 
by him it was bathed in light that never shone on 
earth or sea — and until the rocks around your coast 
shall melt in the sun — until your hills shall pass 
away like the vapors that curl and play upon their 
sides, let not his image be banished from your hearts, 
let not his praise be silent on your lips. 



ANALYSIS 

OF 

Handera "Israel in Egypt." 

BT G. ▲. XAOFASRBK. 
PART I. 

(Conttuued.) 

(11). Okanti. a- Egyp^ ^<^as glad when they departed, for the 
ftar ct them llill apon them. 

Whether to prove his contrapuntal powers by 
showing his fluency in the severest scholastic form, — 
whether to exemplify the variety of the fugal style, 
— whether by introducing here a new element to dis- 
tin^uitih the barbarous gladness of the Egyptians in 
their fear from the trasting joy of the Israelites in their 
faith,— whether either or all of these incentives, or any 
other, led Handel to adopt the style employed in this 
Choras, may be surmised, but not determined ; it is 
written according to the Phrygian Mode of the Gre- 
gorian system, and it shows more evidently than any 
course of reasoning could do, by means of its extreme 
harshness and unnatural efi^, the entire inappropri- 
ateness of this obsolete, crade, artificial, and most 
arbitrarv code to any but what may lie classed as pur^ 
poses of(lramatic illustration among the uses of modem 
art. It is a masterl v piece of writing, displaying per- 
fect knowledge of the conventionalities of the school 
upon which it is formed, as perfect command of the 
resources of the same, and an amouut of invention 
such as might scarcely have been supposed compatible 
with the limited means for its exercise ; it is, in truth, 
an equal demonstration of the scholarship and the 
genius of Handel ; and if such a production fail, as 
this does utterly, to elicit beauty and interest from the 
ancient ecclesiastical code, we may, with every defer- 
ence to the motives that hwire impelled some distin- 
guished men to attempt its resuscitation, honestiv 
conclude that, being wholly unsympathetic with rood-, 
emly trained feelings, it is wholly unavailable to 
modem use. The chief Subject of the elaborate fugue 
under consideration, — 




9gH 



B - gypt ^ru glad when they d« - part - ed 
is first answered by inversion (having descending inter- 
vals for ascending, and the contrary), and it is given 
either direct or inverted, according to the exigency of 
the situation and the discretion of the author through- 
out the composition ; when it has been developed at 
considerable length, this Countersubject is intro- 
duced: — 

^ ^-f 



I^^^eI 



For the ftsr ot them ftll up - on them 

which is worked together witli it till the conclusion of 
the fn^e. 

In this and several subsequent movements of the 
same character, the voices are at first accompanied 
with the organ only, the string and brass instruments 
being introduced considerably later to enforce some 
new entry of the Subject, which has the admirable 
effect, not merely of giving prominence to an import- 
ant point, but of giving color and variety to the tone 
of the whole Chorus. 

(12). Dkonu.— He rebuked the Red Sea, and it wm dried up. 
He led them through the deep m through a wildemem : 
But th« watoii orerwhelmed their enemiei, there iru not one 
of them left. 

The three ensuing movements are to be regarded 
as forming one connected piece of music, the incon- 



clusiveness of the first two necessitating the immediate 
commencement of the one next following. The whole 
embodies the grand miracle of the passage of the Bed 
Sea, depicting in its three divisions the several work- 
ings of that prodigious manifestation of Omnipotcpce 
— the utterance of the Divine command, the deliver- 
ance of the faithful tribes, and the destraction of their 
oppressors. 

There is sublime grandeui in the broad solemn 
simplicitv of the brief opening movement. The ex- 
treme bnghtness of the setting of the first phrase for 
the utmost instmmental and vocal power of the or- 
chestra, and the subdued mystery with which the 
second is rendered for the whispering voices wholly 
without accompaniment, wondrouslv suggest the Al- 
mighty power of Almighty will, an<i tlie recoil of na- 
ture at the tremendous edict. 

The second movement, though not a formally con- 
stracted fugue, comprises the most interesting elements 
of this class of writing. Its chief Subject, — 



^mm 



^ 



He 



led them through the deep, He led them 



t 



1^5^^ 



.0^1.^0. 



-*-. 1 



through the deep a* through a wil- 
ls elaborated with great closeness, and combined with 
this singularly well contrasted counterpoint, — 






i 



3^?^&E= 




as through a wU • demen 

SO ingeniously and so imaginatively, as could have 
been done by no one but a consummate master. 
Such are the means tliat under such treatment depict 
the stedfast progress of the tribes, to which implicit 
faith gives dauntless firmness, through the deptos of 
the till then unfathomed waters, and the waves that 
divide before the enfranchised people, and ebb from 
the pathway their opening has formed : through the 
continuous motion of the Counter-point, the meas- 
ured maroh of the Subject, with its long weighty 
notes, presents the passage through the deep, — and in 
our comprehension of the living picture, we should 
not regurd as unworthy of esteem, since Handel 
thought it not unworthy to be used in illustration of 
his subject, the punning quibble upon the word 
" deep," of the long descending intcrwl in the mel- 
odv. 

'The last movement of the series is a terrible ideal- 
ization of the great destraction that succeeded the 
great deliverance. The furious heaving of the exci- 
ted billows fraught with God's wrath, of which they 
are the agents — the shrieks of the warrior host who 
are engulphed in their inevitable vortex, — these are 
the ideas from which the artist formed his marvellous 
conception — these are the images his genius presents 
to his hearers with an appalling tratnfulness 
such as no power of art can transcend. In a previ- 
ous Chorus, the iteration of the words " not one " 
was used as a means to enforce the idea of the total 
absence of physical weakness among the tribes who 
were spiritually strengthened by the conviction that 
they were championed by Heaven and their reliance 
on Divine support : here the same words are again 
and again repeated, but with an effect different as the 
purpose ; in this case the reiteration prompts a thought 
of the swervelessness of Omnipotent purpose, and of 
the fixed necessity for His destroying agencies to ful- 
fil it, — it is decreed that all the pursuing myrmidons 
of Pharaoh shall perish, and every separate wave 
seems instinct wttri a special will to select and to 
overwhelm its victim. This is the tremendons crisis 
to which not the present connected series of move- 
ments only, but the entire chain of Choruses, is the 
gradual and unwavering climax ; I have spoken of 
the distribution of the plan of the work as yielding 
an effect of constantly accumulating power,— of such 
power here is the point of culmination. 

(13). C^onu. — And Jnnel saw that great work that the 
Lord did upon theEgypttane; and the people feared the Lord, 
and belleTed the Lotd and His servant, Hoees. 

Here again wo have two movements continuonslv 
connected — the first being, like the first of the previ- 
ous series, entirelv preludiai. This is one of a class 
of movements of wbicli the present work contains 
several examples, that derive from the extreme ful- 
ness of the harmony, the massive grandeur of its pro- 
gresions, the solemn stateliness of the motion, and 
the peculiarly emphatic enunciation of the words that 
are declaimed with the broadest simplicity by all the 
voices with the same accentuation, a majestic gran- 
deur that has perhaps no parallel. In the present in- 
stance, as in that of " He rebuked," and as in all 
those which are to follow, each harmonic transition 
amazes the hearer, and the effect of the whole con- 
jures np a sense of immensity beyond what any mind 
could conceive without such wonderfully suggestive 



364 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



inHuenca. Thus ire an made to fuel Iha nwo wilh 
which the laraoliui contomgiUtrd tlio miraclci Ihnt 
hud been their menna of delivcninvo, nnd tliiia «-e are 
prepared to onter upon Iho rollowiti); movement in lli« 
devotional epiril it must be understood to emlioily. 

The movement >o introduced is a form of fuguo 
Terf rarel; emplojcd, and uaed hero, veo mny well 
coruectnre, for the ohjuct of ei"")! " ■pe<'ial individ- 
nalilj to this Chorna, and llml individinlitj invested 
with ecclesiaatical associations, since tliis form oT 
fugue ia known but in anrl; oxamplcs of church 
caanterpoint, und so lo convcj an idea ot the doctri- 
nni and even ritual charilctor of the text. This sjie- 
cioi of fugae is disiinsuiitied by the Subject being 
anewcred in the aame icy, in the iBmo notes ni it is 
announced, instead of, as in the more modem forms, 
the answer being in the key of tlio fifth of that of tlie 
Subject, and having snch Btijcht mndillcniion of the 
notes aa ia required by nile lo prevent the otherwise 
too extensive modulation this transpoaition would in- 
duce. The Bnbjecl of the movement under consider- 



m^sm 



a==i= 



mms 



iggg3=p=t5= 



to modemly cnttivated ears extremely strange and 
irrelative, which are common throughont this fiiRiie, 
result from the observance, convoniional in Handel's 
time, of the notv exploded form of the minor seale, 
in which the aacending sixth iraa alurnys miyor, even 
aa a note of harmony. The conduct of the fugue is 
loapended after a close in the tifib of the original key 
and this Episode 



(iSiili 



u& 



<|. llBvg^ the Lord and nil ser ■ vanl M...m^s. 

R>ns|Hcnoas from the singular beanty of iu harmonic 
progressions, brings a recurrence of tlic words of iho 
introductory movement, and the text is now only 

S'vcn in continuous completeness. The working of 
e fugae is then resumed, and the First Part of the 
Oratorio so closea with dignified solemnity, 

Thia diviaion of the Oratorio, deHned as " ^fl>aet' 
Song" upon the original ma nnscript, consista of the 
rejoieing and thanksgiving of the Israelites upon 
their miraclona deliverance. The text is entirely 
taken from the fifteenth chapter ofthe book of Exodua, 
and in this the recurrence of tlio words from the com- 
mencement, when Ktiriam hings with her maidens, has 
suggested to the composer the grand and comprchon- 
eivc design which gives a singular chamcicr of unity 
to ihc complete conception of the whole Pnri, r>r re- 
pealing, as Mozart has since done in bia B/qmem, 
Iho lint Chorus without alteration or addition at the 

An important distinction is to be observed between 
the prevalent expression of this and of the Prst Part 
ofthe Oratorio, consonant with the difference between 
onr emotions while witnessing or participatin(> in an 
action, and while reflecting upon or describing it ; 
thronjthoul the First Part the events depicted ore sup- 
poaed to pass dramatically before us, — whereas, wbcn 
spoken of in the Second Pan, it is as of things past : 
thus, the loathing ofthe blood-cbanged rivers, the liv- 
ing terror at the "fire mingled with the hail," at the 
"darknaas," el the overwhelming "waters," are here 
replaced hvjoyous (raiisporl at ilie deliveranHi, devout 
thnnk.'girjng for this, and a deer, solemn, and hIwats 
ealrn impression of Ibo ircmondoua scenes that have 
been csperionced ; and it ia in embodying such ira- 
porlanl distinction that the highest, the grandest poet- 
ical quality, the truly dramatic genius of thu composer 
is evmced. 

(1(|. rtnnis. — lloMI >ni1 lll< Chliaran of Iirmtl innn Dili 
uSi, for H» b.Ih iriumpbeil dlarioutlji ttaa bam mi hU 



Ilandol hero depicts llio maltitudinons grnndeor of 
the iissembly of all the trilicaorisniel.witli tlicir great 
litiemtor, whom they regard as God'a apcriol agent, 
at their bend, cclebniting their own redemption and 
the majesty of the Almighty power that lis s cITjcled 
it. We are to supposo ninny thoii<<ands of persona 
gathered together on an immense plain, their hearts 
overflowing witli the cnthn-iiiism of joy in tlieir deliv- 
erance and gratilndc to their Deliverer ; and the broad 
expanse of cloudless heaven, the boundless Iiindscnpe, 
and the glowing, genial climntc, all assuring them of 
freedom and of peace. 

The Chorus opens with a short introdurtory move- 
ment, analogous with Itio several others of its cinss in 
the course of the Oratorio I have defined, but distin- 
guished from them nil by the motion of the inslni- 
menta independent of the voices, which appears to he 
employed to snggest (be solemn march of the count- 
lew throng to tlie scene of the high sarriflce. 

The second and all-important movement is a pro- 
digious outbnnt of triumphant exnitation, — rhe many- 
voiced utterance ofa whole people who have experi- 
enced one common dclivenince. and who sbaro one 



thanksgivirg. The poetical pnrpofo of this extraor- 
dinary composition is so manifest in its peifect tiil- 

descripiion are superfluous for those who bear it; of 
the technical means through which this is olTcrtcd, I 
need but qnolo the I'ioin Song that opens the move- 



I will ainj '. ■ ^T nn-to the Lord, 

and reappears n;;ain and again throughout its conduct 



•s the author bos employed.~the song of Ihanl 






for he hfith triumphed glo 



E^^Eg^lHjil 



which is at once answered, after the period of but 
two crotchets, on the fifth below, and is more closely 
elaborated than any other phraie in the morement, — 
10 enable the most unschooled auditor to trace the en- 
lire working of the musical design, since every other 
idea ihronebout is m extremely simple that it is im- 
possible to bear and not fully comprehend it. 
(IS). Dvl.— TH> Lord li m; ititnftli and Eor tOBf. H« il 

This is one of those compmilions common in Han- 
del's day as [rare in ours, for two voices of the same 
compass, tlie cliief eflccts in which arise from the parts 
crossing and ro-crosaing each other in a constant al- 
temntion of imitative passngcs. Its interest depends 
more upon its responsive form than upon its special 
meiodic beauty ; but there is one phrnse, which closes 
the inlroductoty s^phony and repeatedly recurs 
wilh various modihcalion as to the dispoaition ofthe 




individually in the Omiorio, that it gives a peculiar 
coloring and a singular charm to the whole composi- 
tion. "The expression the duet conveys lo me ia of 
meekness and dependence, supported however by sted- 
fast reliance. Here is another example of the partic- 
ular beauty of Mendelssohn's orenn.pirt, which, now 
we know It, Booms so indi$pensible to the complete- 
ness of Hnndsl'a intention, ibnt I cannot suppose 
the possibility of pcrfrirmiiig the Duet without il. 

In the ilaipifical described in tho Preface lo these 
remarks is a Uaet, for two sopranos, commencing 
with the words "El exullnvit," tliat is ibe Bn()ueilion- 
able model from which the one under consideralion 
has been amplified ; bel, though formed of tlie printi- 
pal phrases of this, and resembling il mainly in its 
construction, it contains not the phrase I have quoted. 



ond which is the prominent (calnn in the impreaaion 
the maturer coniposilion leaves on all who hear it ; so 
much cnn an nftertliouglit cflect in the merit of an cn- 
lirc piece. 

l18). (^gnii. — Hf 1> nj Ond, aad T win prrpin Dlia an 

ITiis Ctioriis opens with aiiotbcr of llio^o eminently 
grand introduclory movcmcnli to wliich the dense 
eighl-pnrt harmony of Ibo voi<-ta gives most massive 
otTect ; it embodies profound devotional feeling wilh 
tlie greatest solemnity. 

It is followed by a fugue writlcn manifestly for the 
sake of investing the text wiih alt posiiblo eeclcsiasli- 
eal association, in tho Dorian, or first Mode of llic 
Gregorian system, llie tonni obscurity of which ia anf- 
flciently obvious in Ihe Snlyecl : — 



ililfiisiieigs 



And J 

This is al once answered in canon on iIk fifth above, 
after the period ol but one bar, anticipating the atmost 
resources of the strelto, and immediately announcing 
Ihe extremely elaborate cfaamcier of Ihe ctaopoiilion. 
The Counterauhjecl, — 



^m^mM^m 



introduced after some brief devtlopment of tbe chief 
tlicme, is aUo answered in th 
and. aAer being worked for so 

skillfully combined with the principal Subject. Tlie 
firal division ofthe movement has a definite cadence 
in the key of F, when its complications are relieved 
by this short Episode, — 






which brings a recurrence of so many words of the 
introductory movement as complete the sen lence ofthe 
fragmentary phrase set lo tho Sobjact of the fiigua. 
Afier this, theelabonlionof the Subject and Counter- 
subject are resumed with still greater closeneiu and 
complexity than before, and so Iha movement con- 
cludes. "The fnguB, it will be observed, is conslracted 
in precisely the same form as that which terminates 
the First ^an of Ihe Oratorio ; it is an even more in- 
teresting example than thai of skilful eontrivance, hnt, 
by reason ofthe unharmonic sysiem upon which il is 
bused, it is a far less agreeable piece of music : Ihe 
courae of modulations from ihe Dorian Mode, tending 
lo difinile keys formed upon our modem naluial, 
tonal, harmonic system, makes, howe^'er, the efferi of 
this piece far lets erode and niiantisfiictory ihan that 
of the Choni! " Egypt was glad," and the perfect 
cadence with which it closes gives to it an air of com- 
pleteness that must ever be wanting in a piece wriiien 
upon the still more barbaraua scale employed for that 
Cliorus. 

ini. DhtI — Ths I.OTd li I miin of wmr, lord li Htl Ban*; 
Phinobi chtrlDU ind his b»t hath Hr nsl Into (fat m; hh 

This Duel, an expression of rugged exnltnlion, ia 
written for Ihe pnrpose of vocal display, which pnr 
pose it most sueccssfullv accomplishes. It il very 
far from being the best nicee of music in the Orolorio, 
but it is a famously effective piece of singing, and I 
have noidcalbat [jandel ever intended il for anything 
more. It contains one passage, however, of eminent 
heauiy which fully repaj-s the most exacting lislener 
for having lo hear through the long aeries of vockI 
Uiat precede it ; — 



m^mi^MM 




BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1859. 



865 



in this tho omploymcnt of the harmony of the second 
bnr is so 8in;;ulnrly striking, and so new, that one 
marvels to asyociate it with tho period at which the 
work w&s prod need. Tho passn^ro is repeated a 
fourth higher, and is rendered still more effective by 
the transposition. 

Several of the phrascn in " Tho Tjord is a man of 
war," are taken from a Dnet in C, also for two basses, 
to two words hof^inninfi^ " Quia fecit," in the Afttgni- 
Jicat before cited ; amonj^ others, tlmt which I have 
qnotcd, but, as the harmony that pvcs to this the 
whole of its remarkable interest occurs not in the orif;- 
inal, tlio entire beauty of the passage is there want- 
ing. 

(18.) r%0nu.— The depths have covered tbem, they sank ia- 
to the bottom as a stone. 

Hero we enter upon another chain of choral move- 
ments, not equal in constantly accumulating power 
and ever proportionate effect, but of such various and 
always striking character, whether from its descriptive 
force or from its scholastic elaboration, as ceaselessly 
to rivet the attention and perpetually to renew the in- 
terest of the hearer. 

This opening movement of tho group is one of 
those tone-pictures in which the present work is, above 
every other, successful. It represents the profound 
stillness of the mighty deep, no longer raging in the 
active immensity of its destructive power, but pass- 
ively engulphing as a vast sepulchre tho countless 
victims of its own terrible energy, to hoard them in 
the eternal sleep at the bottom of its never retraced 
abysses. Tho figure of the accompnnimcnt, the 
phraseology of the voices, suggests the thought of an 
ever, ever-descending motion, gradual, solemn, funer- 
eal, and inevitable ; and we think the while of the 
unruffled repose that, on the surface, marks the des- 
truction it covers with such smiling serenity as teaches 
man to regard it as the symltol of peace, forgetting in 
its present loveliness all its terrors past. 

(19). C&orvf .— Thy right hand, Lord, is become f^loriowi In 
power; Thy right hand, O Lord, Isath dashed to pieces the en- 



How wonderful is the contrast between this and the 
foregoing movement, nothing but to hear the two in 
succession can make one comprehend. It bursts forth 
from the dreamy, indefinite, vague termination of the 
last Chorus like a young lion starting out of sleep, 
quick with impulse,' vigorous with power to fulfil it, 
knowing no bound to his desires, feeling no bound to 
his internal means for their fulfilment. What a tri- 
umphant gladness, what a vigorous freshness does it 
embody, and what elasticity of spirit and thirst for 
action does it impart to us who hear it ! There is no 
piece throughout the Oratorio in which the important 
resource of the double choir is employed with such 
peculiarly powerful effect as in this Chorus ; the anti- 
phonal responses resound from side to side like the 
tumultuous cries of joy of a vast multitude who have 
one impulse to their common exultation, and this 
floods the air with waves of sound that flow as from 
a single heart. I quote one passage — 

Thy right hand^O Lordf hath dashed in 




gii:t^£f^^ 



-:f: 



i?E?&c*. 



pie - ces the e - - - - ne-niy. 

to facilitate ths tracing of its ingenious working through 
the complicate imitations with which the several parts 
answer one another : but it is in the prodigious effect 
of the movement as a whole, mora tlian in the minute 
beauty of its detail, that the transcendent excellence 
of this Chorus lies ; feeling of its effect, not knowledge 
of the means of this, can alone enable us to compre- 
hend, alone to appreciate it. 

(20). C%«ntt.— And in the greatnem of Thine excellency Thou 
Iiast overthrown them that rom up agalnut Thee. 

Thou aentest forth Thy wrath, which consumed them as 
Btabble. 

An introduction and fugue constitute the plan of 
this Chorus. The expression passes fi-om the jubila- 
tion of the last piece to profound awe, — ^a true sense 
of Omnipotence, and a feeling that they who now re- 
joice in the consequences of its demonstration are in 
its hands, and may, at the moment, become its sacri- 
fice. This is succeeded by a more gradual transition 
to a religious or at least ecclesiastical regard of the 
burning vehemence of the Divine wrath, which is des- 
cribed with that severity we cannot but associate with 
the strict style of music used for the rendering of the 
passage ; and the strangely ironical declamation of the 
final word at the close ot the Chorus seems to speak 
a menace of the instantaneous annihilation that hangs 
as by a hair over all of us. The harmonic progres- 
•ions of the brief opening are so remarkable, and their 



effect so astounding, that they demand the dosea^ ex- 
amination, requiring only to be made more and more 
familiar to become more and more prodigious in their 
impression : — 



1 
I 



iF—»--r-r-^-<^^—r=^ — p — p-t 



And in the 



great-neas 






of Thine 
1 




I t I r ^ ■■ ■■ '■ 

ex - eel - len - cy Thou hast o - verthrown, 

Thou hast over-thrown them that rose np against Thee 

mmimm 



i^i 






The fugue is an admirable specimen of mastery 
in this school of writing ; it is formed upon this Sub- 
ject: — 

Thou aentest forth Thy wrath which consumed them as stubble 

This is another important appropriation from the 
Magntjirxit that has furnished so much subjec^matter 
for this Oratorio. A Chorus for double choir in that 
work, commencing with the words "Fecit potentiam/' 
opens the same as the movement I have just described, 
tion and the conduct of the fugue for some considerable 
length exactly corresponds with it ; the latter composi- 
is, Iiowever, much extendecl from the original, and the 
conclusion of this, which to an unschooled hearer will 
always be the most impressive passage in it, appears 
in this alone. 

(21). rMofUf.— And with the blast of Thy noetrlls the waters 
were gathered together, the floods stood uprlsht as an heap, 
and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. 

Of all the singularly successful examples of objec- 
tive imitation throughout this remarkable work, which 
is unique in its success in a province many deny to the 
art, and, even in the face of such success, will ever re- 
main questionable ground for the propriety alike with 
the capacity of musical representation,— of all tlie ex- 
amples of suggesting the effects of sight through the 
medium of hearing, none is so conspicuous for the 
peculiarity of its Subject and for the complete fulfil- 
ment of its purpose as the present Chorus. Here, as 
elsewhere in this Second Part, it has been the com- 
poser's design to ponrtray, not a present terror on be- 
nolding the awful suspension of the laws of nature in 
active operation, but tne indelible images the miracu- 
lous exceptions have left upon minds rendered especi- 
ally impressionable by personal anxiety from personal 
participation in the events ; so we must regard the 
Chorus under consideration, not as an expression ot 
active feeling, but as one of a series of passive pic- 
tures. The breathing of Omnipotence is represented 
by the streaming, gradual, accelerated motion of in- 
struments and voices with which the Chorus opens ; 
the accumulntion of the waters, by the close and con- 
stant imitations, in answers at the period of half a bar, 
of this concise theme, 



:k:^risi=:^zz:r:^ 



Tlie wa-ters were ga-thcr^ed to - geth-er. 

which are interrupted by this conspicuously contrasted 
phrase, — 

[r:y-^:-"=t:5:SiiC-l?z:?-^i?-t:iz=ri- 



the Hoods stood np-right, stood upright as an heap, 
suggestive of the sudden paralization in one rigid mass 
of the ever-moving fluid ; the towering, inflexible, im- 
passable wall of waters is depicted by the slow, meas- 
ured, always distinct, monotonotis enunciation, on a 
high note /or whichever of the voices utters it, of the 
eight emphatic syllables, ** the flood* stood up-right a$ 
an heap : opposed to this is thQ representation of ex- 
treme depth by the low note of the bass voices 
accompanied with the resonant tone of the open 
string of all the bow instruments and the deep pedal 
pipe of the organ, with which tho following words are 



first rendered ; the conclusion of the text is however 
too suggestive to prompt to Handel but a single image, 
so he repeats it on a phrase of successively descend- 
ing intervals depicting the gradual sinking to the sea's 
centre, and again to the most wonderful passage in 
tlie whole Oratorio, 




the depths wars con-gcal-cd In the heart of the sea. 

in which the remarkable and peculiarly modem em- 
ployment of the harmony on the G sharp bass is not 
to be noticed alone as a beautiful musical effect, but 
as a singularly felicitous interpretation of the sense 
that is still enforced by the tremulous iteration of 
the notes by the instmments, and the striking repose 
of the two succeeding bars where the voices are left 
with the accompaniment of the basses only, as happi- 
ly illustrates the profound calm to which no storm 
can penetrate of the unfathomed depths of the ocean. 
Tne only contrapuntal Subject in this Chorus, — 
that to the words, "The waters were gathered," — is 
to bo found in a Chorus in the Magnificat I have so 
often cited ; this coincidence woulct be too insignifi- 
cant for notice, but that the many more important ones 
with the same work prove the composer must have 
had it before him for constant reference and extract 
during the composition of this entire Second Part. 

(22). Air. — The enemy said, I will pnrsne, I will overtake, I 
will divide the spoil: my lust shall be satlffled upon them: I 
will draw my iword, my hand shall destroy them. 

This is the only piece in which Pharaoh is referred 
to as in action, and it is, therefore, appropriately dif- 
ferent in character from the other music. It is by no 
means one of the most interesting compositions in the 
Oratorio, but it gives opportunity for animated and 
brilliant vocal display, so, if only as a contrast, it has 
its valuable importance in the plan of the entire work. 
It represents " the enemy " as fierce and impetuous, 
impulsively giving vent to his powerful anger in threata 
insignificant in proportion to their vehemence ; and 
such may well have been tlie impression on the Hebrews 
of the Egyptian tyrant baffled in his purpose to arrest 
their flight. 

(28). Air. — Thon didst blow with Thy wind, the rea covered 
them ; they sank as lead in the mighty waters. 

Most Striking is the opposition of this to the previ- 
ous song as representing the infinite contrast between 
the perfectly calm serenity of Omnipotence which ef- 
fects its greatest wonders in efibrtless tranquillity, 
and the irritated petulance of an incapable mortal 
whose fretful will is important to the accomplishment 
of his own design. Though describing a fearful event, 
the regarding it from this aspect divests it of its ter- 
ron, and the composer beautifully works out the de- 
sign I ascribe to him throughout this Second Part in 
so embodying the text in the piece before us. The 
form of this song was suggested, obviously, by that 
in very common use a generation earlier than tlie time 
of Handel, — the carrying, namely, a Gronnd BaFS 
(or an inflexible melodic phrase for the bnss part which 
is constantly repeated as the support of constantly 
varied harmony bearing a constantly varied cantilena) 
uninterruptedly through an entire composition ; but 
though the composer here practice this exercise of in- 
genuity as a means for all the good effect he can pro 
ducc from it, to avoid the chances of the monotonous- 
ncss that marks many a skilful piece of music so con- 
structed, he occasionally breaks for a brief period the 
continuity of his Ground Bass, and so gives it greater 
interest on its resumption. Every one will be able to 
trace this characteristic theme : — 








to which the mellow resonance of all the tenor in- 
struments in combination gives special individuality 
and prominence, through thediverbified superstructure 
that is built upon it, — and to perceive in its flowing 
motion, in the bright, clear tone of tlie soft wind in- 
struments that accompany it, and in the sustained 
phrases for the soprano voice that surmount the whole, 
a purpose to suggest the placid respiration of Deity 
whose effortless breath created and could annul tlie 



universe. 



((}oneluilon next week ) 



366 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



BOSTON, FEB. IQ, 1850. 

Husio m THIS NnmiE. — Oontlnaatloa of Um open *' Lm- 
crrtm Boi^rMi" amiiKed for the pUmo-forte. 



Concerts. 
FiiiLHARMONic. Cabl Zerhaiin's second 
concert, last Saturday evening, was a great suc- 
cess. The Music Hall was remarkably well 
filled. The orchestra of fifty instruments con- 
firmed the good impression which they made bo- 
fore. Mendelssohn's greatest instrumental work, 
the Symphony in A minor, fraught with recollec- 
tions of nature in Scotland, was rendered, per- 
haps not better than we have had it once or twice 
before, but for the most part satisfactorily and 
clearly, with spirit and with delicacy and in a 
way that brought its beauties and its continuous 
meaning out so as to rivet general attention, and 
excite spontaneous applause at the end of each 
of its four movements. We need not speak of 
them. Surely they form one of the richest and 
most well contrasted and consistent series of tone- 
pictures that the art affords. Tlie Allegro is 
perfect in the working up of its fascinating and 
suggestive subjects; its complication and devel- 
opment are more like nature's growth than art ; 
each change, each modulation, each amplification 
of the figure, each episodical surprise and return 
to the subject, seems to follow of necessity, in the 
very nature of the case ; even that mighty storm 
passage, where the whole body of strings sweep 
like the wind through chromatic scales, swelling 
and dying away, comes in so spontaneously and 
naturally that you could not conceive of its being 
left out. It is a masterpiece of consummate 
treatment, while the ideas, the themes are true 
poetic inspirations. The Scherzo with its bright 
fresh colors, its piquant, saucy theme, and mock- 
ing answers, is always a favorite. Tlie Adagio 
cantabile, in its two contrasted subjects, — the 
profoundly tender, pensive and religious cantabile, 
and the wild, responsive call of the low reed and 
brass sounds — is to our mind the acme, of all 
that we remember, of the peculiar genuine inspi- 
ration of Mendelssohn. The Allegro guerriero 
and Finale are a worthy conclusion. We doubt 
if a Boston audience ever enjoyed this Symphony 
so much before. Whatever blur there was in the 
rendering was chiefly perceptible in the first 
movements. 

Greater still, and deeper, was the pleasure of 
listening once more to Beethoven's Overture to 
** Leonora ** (No. 8, in C). We are tempted to 
say that it touches a deeper chord in us, and 
hence seems to embody a profounder life ex- 
perience, with more poetic imagination, more dra- 
matic fire and central passion, than any other 
overture. Wo never can hear it enough. It 
fills us and enlists all our sympathies, and still ex- 
cites our wonder, stirring the feeling of the infi- 
nite as no work docs, if we except the three or 
four grandest of the Symphonies. And then as 
to mere musical wealth, of ideas, of treatment, of 
marvellous surprises and effects of instrumenta- 
tion, it is as brilliant and effective as any modern 
work. Think of its gloomy back-ground of 
chords suggesting the prison and starvation of 
a noble soul ; its profound tenderness ; the beauty 
and ngnificance|of the leading Allegro theme, full 
of the yearning of heroic love the breathless 



surprise at the sound of the approaching trumpet 
of deliverance ; and then the outburst of joy and 
triumph, ending with that immense crescendo of 
the violins, worked up to grander and gran<lcr 
climax to the end I This is one of the overtures 
which do not grow hacknicd. It was very effec- 
tively played. Why will not Mr. Zcrrahn give 
us some time in one concert the four overtures 
which Beethoven wrote to his opera, one after 
the other, so that we may watch the progress of 
his ideas ? It could not fail to be most interest- 
ing to all who listen earnestly and intelligently 
to music of this class. 

The other orchestral pieces were of the bril- 
liant and popular order ; but of the finest of this 
kind. Meyerbeer's FackeUanz ('* Torch-light 
Dance") is a march, composed for some public 
occasion, built on the same model, essentially, 
with Mendelssohn's ** Wedding March," a smart, 
full-blazing strain of crackling brass harmony, 
pompous and heroic, alternating with softer 
strains, as if the procession were part military, 
part civic. It has some very energetic trombone 
work in it, which the players, red in the face, 
got through with famously. The last piece was 
the inspiring ^ Tell " overture, which is always a 
favorite, though there can be such a thing as 
hearing it too often. 

The " Orpheus Glee Club,"— a delegation of 
some twenty of them — conducted by Mr. 
Kreissmann, sung Schubert's Psalm: *<The 
Ixnxl is my Shepherd," — a composition of pure 
and spiritual beauty, which those who have a cu- 
riosity to know more nearly will find among 
the music printed during the past year in this 
Journal. Otto Drebel played the exquisite 
pianoforte accompaniment, which seemed, how- 
ever, to require a " Grand " in that hall, and it 
was sung with good unity, and light and shade ; 
making allowance for some disturbance of the 
euphonious impression by the straining of tenor 
voices in very high notes. The piece barely es- 
caped an encore, and should be hearri often. 
The pretty serenade, ** She is mine,** by Uaertel, 
was sung with fervor, Messrs. Langrrpeldt, 
Kreissmaxn and the brothers Schraub- 
8TAEDTER, doing justico to the bits of baritone 
and tenor solos. 

In the virtuoso line we had a couple of violin 
solos by Mr. Louis C<enen, from Rotterdam, a 
member of the orchestra. In the Scena Cantata 
by Spohr, a sweet and elegant, but somewhat 
cloying composition, he showed a fine, pure tone, 
and much finish of execution, without great 
power. In the Fantasia on Suoni la tromboy by 
Coenen (his brother) — an absurd theme, it 
strikes us, for the violin — he plungecl more deep- 
ly into the dazzling technicalities and difficulties 
of modern show-playing, and proved himself one 
of the adepts. But the piece itself is unmitigated 
trash, and was unworthy of a place in such a 
programme; besides that it was one solo too 
many. 

Orchestral Union. Last Wednesday the 
" Afternoon Concerts " were revived, — much 
longed for by the gay, sunshiny crowds, for pleas- 
ant memories lend magic to the name. But 
alas! there was no sunshine, and therefore no 
crowd. A few hundreds of people, braving the 
rain, were scattered about the Music Hall, and 
were treated to a fine performance of Beetho- 
ven's Haydn-like first Symphony, by an orchestra 



reduced to aliout one half of that of the Satunlay 
evenings, — but quite an cfTicient one — four 
first violins, four second, two bassos, and so on — 
led of course by Carl Zkrraun. Also a good 
list of lighter pieces : — overture to Fra DiavolOf 
a Mendelssohn Song without Words, Waltzes, 
&c. 



Death of Madame Arnoult. Our musical and 
social world has met with a real loss. Madame Ar- 
noult, one of tlie most excellent teacherB of singing, 
who has ever taught in Boston — a lady highly ac- 
complished and esteemed In a Inrge and cultivated cir- 
cle of friends— enthusiastic and devoted in her art; 
generous of her time and counsel wherever she met 
with a flne natural voioo and talent, widiont the 
means of procuring instniction, — slio, to whom so 
many of our mo«t luoccssful vocalists owe the host 
part of thoir training, was last week rolicved by that 
messenger that coroos to all, o/tcr many long months 
of suffering. The funeral ceremonies took place at 
the Cotholic Cathedral in Franklin Street, attended 
by a crowd of sincere mourners, and were deeply im- 
pressive. The musical service consisted principally 
of the Gregorian Chants, with portions of Mouut's 
Requiem^ in which Mrs. Harwood (one of the pupils 
of the deceased), Mr. Schranbstoedter and Mr. 
Powers snnii: the loading parts. Great sympathy of 
course is flslt for Dr. Arnoult, the aecoraplishcd 
and gentlemanly teacher of the Frendi langnoge, who 
but a few years since was called to mourn a beloved 
and only daughter, and now mourns a wife. 



Fine Arts. 

Our thanks are due to the artist A. B. Dttrand, 
for a copy of a fine steel engraving of his adminhle 
portrait of the poet Bar ant. As a portrait, and as 
a specimen of the cngrnvor's art, it is one of the finest 
ever produced in this country. It was engraved by 
Messrs. Alfred Jones and S. A. Schofp, and 
published under the anspioes of that genial set of 
Ar^lovers and patrons, the " Century Club " in 
New York. In every houJK) where Bryant's muse 
has made a home, this " connterfirit presentment " 
of the poet also should be seen. With the white and 
venerable beard surrounding the whole face, serene 
and delicate and full of sweetness and of strength, 
and with the high symmetric dome of the forehead, 
it is one of the noblest and finest beads in the world's 
gallery of bards and sages. 

Artists' Rbcbption. It was a capital thought 
in some of our leading Boston artists — Gerry, 
Champney, Willard and oUiers — to institute here, as 
the artists hare done so succettsfnlly In New York, 
a series of free and easy social gatherings of artists 
and the friends of Art. We attended the second re- 
ception, at Mercantile Hall, last week, and we know 
of no kind of evening party which could be more en- 
joyable. The hall was beautifully lighted and 
adorned ; a superb chandelier of fresh flowers depend- 
ed from the centre of the ceiling, and other masses 
of flowers were well disposed about the room. The 
latest pictures and sketches of our artists hung upon 
the walls, and offered not a little to admire. Ba ll's 
fine statue, the " FiHhor Boy," was in front of the 
stage ; behind it the large sketch of Lkutzb's Wash- 
ington at Princeton — a powerful design. T. B. 
Read's " Spirit of the Waterfall," and Barry's 
fine crayon drawing of the Autocrat's " School- 
mistress " ; capital heads by Wioht ; landscapes by 
Gat, Cuamfnbt, Bibrstadt, Gbrrt ; nice tilings 
by Obdwat, and many more, lepayed all tlie atten- 
tion one could give them in the crowd. The Men- 
delssohn Quintette Club discoursed pleasant music, 
while the refined crowd of several hundred ladies and 
gentlemen, including many of our fiiirest and our 
most distinguished, aud some guests of note, con- 
versed in groups or cut:ulated through the room. 



If 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1859. 



367 



Leutzb was there, just arriTed from Dusseldorf, 
having declined the offer of the directorship of the 
School there, in his strong desire to haild np a worthy 
school of Art here in his natire country. 

Sach reunions raost ineritahly further the interests 
of Art and artists in our city. They will turn the 
tide of thought and feeling more in that direction, 
and hring out latent sympathies, which lead to prac- 
tical results, in those who love Art and can do 
something for it when they come to know each other 
better. The whole affair was admirably managed, 
and the artists surely have the thanks of all the 
guests when they made happy, and instructed too, 
that evening. 



^•^ 



Hew Moflie. 

Ia lUumr d* T HinndtiU: Ya!$e poHiqtu pour PiamCj bj 
Aueotn Mmhoit. Leiprig: V. Hotedatar. 

"Po«lio iralta" to a proper dotlgiuhtion cnongb ftnr that 
peeultor eton oCeompoalUoDa iniralte rhythm, but mora ex- 
tended and more ft«e In ftmn, of whioh the ao-ealled walteea of 
Chopin are the meet ahinlDg and most exqnidta examples. 
TheyaMas Ikr off aa the moon from waltaaa tobe danced to; aa 
dilBnent aa Mrj daneea from the eonventional and aet more- 
menta of a fluihlonable ball. They are fine poetic iknciea borrow- 
ing the waits rhythm to take an atrial whirl among the atara. 
Poetie in the flneat aenae are thoee of Chopin. Thto poettcally 
named Angnate MIgnon (the nam dtftmrne^ we underateod, of 
a yovng Philadelphlan of mnalcal entbnalaam and talent) haa 
erldently been moved to try a flight of the aame Und, and hence 
he eaUa hia work Ttdu pottiqu*. It ahowa eloae atndy of Ita 
modela, and gennine paaakm to pnrane them, aa one ml|^t be 
dmwn npon the loeby the ftacinatlon, heartily appreciated, of 
a wondrona Skater. It ahowa a eonalderable maatfiry of re- 
•onicea, both of mnalcal atmetore and of the instrument. It 
aboonda* perhapa anper-abounda, with nicely weighed exprea- 
alon marka. After a ftw clever andante meaanrea of widely 
diaperaed chorda, ia B flat minor, the walta acta off AJBegro 
vhfoa, with a motive atrongly anggeadve of Chopin, and 
qnlte gmeeftil in Itaelf and in Ita omamenta. Then the k«y 
ohai4(ea fbr a atrain in octavea, which aeema more labored and 
lem happy. A third attain, (from flat minor to D) to poe- 
aceaed with a reatlcaa trick of modulation at almoat erery 
atep, and doea not pleaae na much ; bnt the atrain in B flat 
m^Jor into which it Iwda to graceftil again, and really haa a flne 
poetto aentlment. Afteranother change (to alx flata) thoee two 
pleeea retam again, and lead back, a littte awkwardly It aeema 
to na, the original waits theme, ending with a graeefbl eaongh 
oadena "U pM prtUo po$tibiU.** Thto and the little B flat 
epieode are the really happy and poetic parte of the woik. Aa 
a whole, the labor of the eflbrt to too apparent, aa to natural In 
any yonng writer without the positive dlrtne gift of genlna. 
There to an mootn of modulation In It, without In every caae 
amthetie reanlt enough to Juatify. It atrlkea na that It would 
have been a better woik If it bad been almpter and leaa am- 
blklona; whUe, without being atrikingly original, Itoontalna 
BOtallttiethat topleaaingand thatiihows talent and a reflned 
fteUng. 

Mnnoal Chit-Ghat 

We omit many things to-day (and we have many 
communications on hand awaiting their turn) to make 
room for the extended analysis of Handel's " Israel 
in Egypt," which sublime work is to be performed 
by the Hxicdbl and Hatdk Socibtt to-morrow 
evening, in the Music Hall. It is announced for 
" once only ; " bat wo are sure it would be a capital 
mistake not to give it several times, for the very rea- 
son that it is perhaps too great a work to make its 
full impression all at once. But let it be heard again 
and again, and it is as sure to be admired and felt, as 
are the mountains of New Hampshire in the long 
run, however much the mists may veil their grandeur 
and their beauties on a tint approach. We have 
copied and have said enough about the grandeur of 
this oratorio, even superior in its choruses to the " Mes- 
siah," and in its descriptive or illustrative music put- 
ting to shame the puny efforts of men of " the Fu- 
ture" now-a-days. Mr. Zerbarw has trained his 
jorces thoronghly ; the orchestra will be strong and 

efficient, and our best solo singers are engaged, giving 
us a union of our two most prominent soprani. Let 
no one stay away this time, and then perhaps the So- 
ciety will give us opportunities to get familiar with 
this gigantic oratorio. 

The Complimentary Concert for Mr. Trbnklb is 
progre ss ing finely. Its luocoss is already ensured.' 



There seems to be a general eagerness among our 
music-loving families to subscribe for tickets, aud the 
musical artists, who give the concert, are prepared to 
make it one of nncommon intcreet. Besides Zbb- 
kahh'8 orchestra, the " Orpheus," and Mrt. Hab- 
wooD, four of our best pianists will unite in the per- 
formance of some pieces upon two pianos, which will 
have effect in the large Music Hall, namely : Messrs. 
Pabkbb, Labo, Lbovhard, and Bbbsbl. The 
Concert will take place next Saturday evening, the 
19th. 

Cabl Zbbbahb'8 third Orchestral concert will 
take place on the 26th. ... Do not forget the 
Wednesday Afternoon Concert at the Music Hall ; 
next time we trust the sun will shine upon a crowd of 
happy listeners ; the orchestra deserve it. . . . Mme. 
BiscACCiANTX has left town for Canada, intending 
to return in about three weeks. The Concert in com- 
pliment to her will have to be postponed accordingly. 
She has been singing to oveflowing and enthusiastic 
audiences in Partland. The Portlanders in fact lay 
claim to her as theirs ; since Uiere the memory of her 
mother is much cherished, and much of the girlhood 
of our prima donna was spent there. . . . Mr. 
Stobpbl's " Hiawatha " is to be brought out in New 
York on Monday evening. . . . Piccolomihi, 
on her way through New York to Albany, Buffalo 
and the West, sings to-night at the Academy of Mu- 
sic in Don Patquale, with Flobbkza, Lobinx and 
Maooiobotti. 

Wx. Stbbnvalb Bbknbtt is composing an orar 
torio for the next Leeds featiral. The Athenaum 
knows of three other oratorios in English now simul- 
taneously in progress. . . . Mr. H. F. Chobi.bt 
has a volume of " Handel Studies " in course of prep- 
aration. 




HSU %hxu)i. 



J- J r - - - .- x)u i - ii j i - ii r i j ii - i r . - i -ir i r i r i - i rr ~ i —.-.---■■■....■«--■■■■ ■ ...»««■». 



MiULV.— The Teatro ddta Scaia at Milan is de- 
scribed as being once again on the very verge of clos- 
ing. A comic opera by Signor Bottesini is about to 
be produced at the Teatro Santa Itodeganda in the same 
city ; but the public there, if newspapers are to be 
trusted, seems disposed to occupy itself with other 
matters than music just at present. 

LisBoir. Letters from Portugal announce the com- 
plete success at Lisbon of Signor Vera's "Adrianna 
Lecouvreur." The principal singers were Madame 
Tedesco, Signor Neri Baraldi and Cresci. The opera 
is also to be given at Florence. A Naples corres- 
pondence announces the coming d^nd of Miss Balfe 
in "Lucia," at the Teatro San Carlo, there. 

Salzbubo. According to the ZeitMekrifl der Mtuih, 
a grand performance of Mozart's Requiem was given 
on the 12th of November, to commemorate the death 
of the last male descendant of the great composer, viz., 
his son, Carl Mozart, who died in Milan on the 31st 
of October. 

Lbxpzio. The son of "Mountain Sylph" Bar- 
nett, has recently distinguished himself at a concert of 
the Conservatoire, by his playing of Beethoven's great 
Sonata Opus, 109. 

We have had recently the following operas at the 
Royal Opera : — Fidelio, Freischiitz, Tannhaiiser, and 
Figaro. 

Dbesdbv. The female members of the theatre 
have been requested not to wear hoops, or "paren- 
theses," as these garments are called in Berlin. The 
request has been made for the sake of " decency and 
morals." All the managers of the larger theatres in 
Germany seem to be disinclined to let their laiy-mem- 
bers appear in "parentheses." 




tisital Corresi^onhitft. 

Beblin, Jan 9. — Of the various firms here en- 
gaged in the business of publishing and selling music, 
but one only has ever given me the slightest aid in 
my vocation as correspondent of a musical periodical. 
To Herr Bahn, now the owner of the establishment 
known as the " Trautwein Book and Music Store," 
fbnnded in 1822, 1 owe thanks for giving me oppor- 
tunities of hearing excellent music, which otherwise^ 
in part, I should have lost. In return, I wish to call 



the attention of the constantly increasing number of 
my countrymen, who come here for musical instruc- 
tion, to him, and invite them at least to vigit his 
place before deciding upon what particular firm to 
fix, of which to purchase the music they need. It ia 
the custom, I find here, as with us, to make certain 
diaooimts to teachers and students. Mr. Bahn as- 
sures me he will do aa well by any who will honor 
him with their patronage, as either of the other music 
dealers, and make the terms of his circulating library 
of music as reasonable. His place of business is in 
the Leipziger street — not so handy for such as live 
north of Unter den Linden, as Schlesinger's or 
Bote & Bock's, bnt quite in the neighborhood oj 
thoee who should take rooms anywhere near to Ka- 
pellmeister Taubert or Hans von Baiow, the pianist 

To some few readers of the Journal of Music, I 
presume the xiame of Trautwein is a familiar one— 
they have seen it upon the fine laige lithograph of 
Beethoven, upon certain of his Sonatas, upon Haydn's 
Quartets arranged in score, to the number of 82, up- 
on some 40 or more of his symphonies arranged 
for 4 hands, upon Taubert's exquisite "Kindertieder,** 
&c. Bir. Bahn is also the publisher for KuUak ; in. 
deed his business is among the first in Berlin, in 
books and music. I am glad that for his politeness 
to me it is in my power to make this slight return, 
and hope that there are some friends, who read this, 
who will hereafter make his acquaintance. Speaking 
of music-stores, afUsr the splendid establishments that 
one sees in our American cities — Ditson's, and Rus- 
sell's, for example — those here seem strikingly small 
and inconvenient. The room into which a purchaser 
enters is hardly more than an office, the stock being 
kept, I hardly know where. I doubt if they keep so 
large a stock on hand as is usual with us. .The busi- 
ness as a whole, is, however, immense ; but I doubt if 
any firm in Germany prints oue-half the number of 
pages of engraved music in a year that Ditson, for 
instance, does. People depend here more both for 
books and music upon drculating libraries; and, 
moreover, the number of purchasers in proportion to 
the number of music-sellers is nothing in comparison 
with the number in our country. 

I had a pleasant hour or twd recently of an even- 
ing hearing some Haydn Quartets. The first violin 
was played by Hans Dehn — soil of the late professor 
— aged 13 years; secoAd violin by Hans Einbeck, 
aged 15 ; the violoncello by yonng Bamewitz, oged 
18 ; the viola by Herr Bamewitz, father of the latter, 
a member of the royal orchestra, and the boys' teach- 
er. A little family party was gathered together on 
the occasion, and I do not know when I have been 
more interested. There was sadness, too ; for the 
first quartet in the house, since the father's decease, 
had more of sorrow than joy, for us who knew and 
loved him. Once or twice the little fellow got out a 
little, but, on the whole, ho went through bravely. 
His sister is a little more than a year older than he, 
and I heard them the other day practising a Mozart 
Sonata for pianofoite and violin together, for a chil- 
dren's party. They are no prodigies, but good ex- 
amples of the manner in which those who really 
study music here go to work. As in their reading, 
writing, arithmetic, and so on, so in their music they 

are conquering its drudgery in childhood, and learn- 
ing, even so young, to enjoj its highest delights. 

Among the yonng musicians whom I knew three 
vears ago here, was Bbbnabd Scholz, a tall, fine 
looking young fellow, from Mainz — Mayenre — or 
Mcntz — as you please. He had come to Berlin to 
finish his musical education by a year or two of the 
strictest study with Dehn. As* he lodged but a door 
or two from me, I had an opportunity to know mneh 
of him, and was invited to a private concert at Kul- 
lak's Institute, where nothing but his compositions 
were performed — sonatas, songs, and other chamber 
' music. His success, I remember, wa^ considered 
very encouraging. Scholz has now a place as mnsie 
director in quaint old Nuremberg, and has jnst pxt>- 
duccd an opera in Munich — " Carlo Rosa " — the 
papers say, with a "favorable result." It is also 
stated that it is to be given at Wiesbaden. 



368 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Last Friday eroning wo had tho third of Ka- 
decke'8 Concerts. It opened with a ycry nice con- 
cert overture by Radocko himself, wliich, according 
to tho blind man who reports for the National Zcitang, 
ended with a passnge as much as to say — there, I 
hare said all I wish, and now I am jolly. It pleased 
the audience — a very critical one. Did I mention 
in a previous letter that I had heard some choral mo. 
sic at a private musical party, by Radecke, which was 
very pleasing indeed ? Yon must keep this young 
man in mind — this Robert Radecke. The second 
performance was a pianoforte concert by Mozart, in C' 
tho solo by Madam Oxfobd, of London. She plays 
nicely, but then in tlie second of tliose concerts we 
had Clara Schumahn! and we cannot help con- 
trasting. 

Then Fraulein Agkes Buert sang the air of the 
Queen of Night in the Magic Flute, and in the atr 
tempt to reach the key of F in altissimo made a 
break of it to the general hilarity of the audience. 
Then came Ludwio Strauss, of Vienna, (one of 
the Strauss fomily ?) and played an adagio and rondo 
by Molique, with a tone and execution, tho like of 
which has this winter been hoard here only from 
Laub. It was a most decided success. He pla^-ed 
the other night at Leipzig ; and Vaughn, an Ameri- 
can miuical student from that place, who is here on a 
visit of a few days, himself a violin player of great 
promise, assures me that the Gewandhaus audience 
accorded him, with one consent, a very high rank. 

For the first time I had, then, an opportunity to 
hear the first finale of Mendelssohn's unfinished ope- 
ra, Lordaf. It equalled my expectations in all points 
but one — why did he score it with such an over- 
whelming flood of sound from the noisy instruments 1 

The second part of tho concert was Schubert's 
symphony in C. It made the same impression it has 
made upon me before — stuff enough for two sym- 
phonies — and, as a whole, a little tedious — rather 
lyrical than symphonic. 

Tannhduser continues to be given occasionally, and 
a few evenings since thero was an orchestra rehearsal 
of Lohengrin^ which has recently met with a sort o 
success in Vienna. 

^ow — news from Bottesini — the appreciation 
of whom as a virtuoso, like that of Bosio as a songs- 
tress — proves that we do not absolutely require an 
European reputation in an artist before we dare ad- 
mire them. Both, you remember, came to us years 
ago unheralded and became favorites. My news is 
that at the Theatre St. Radegonda, in Milan, a new 
comic opera, '* The Night Devil," by Bottesini, has 
been produced and " pleased extraordinarily." 

There is at length, too, another German, who has 
the real vis comica — iho only one since Lortzing. 
His name is Jacob Offenbach, and ho is called a 
" Cologne-er," whether bom there or only a music 
student there, I do not know. He is now music di- 
rector at the " Bouffes Parisiens," in Paris, where he 
has produced a piece now given also in Beriin, under 
the title " The Betrothal under the Lantern," with 
great success. The last news from him is that he has 
given the world another very funny affair, " Orph€e 
aux Enfers." 

For tho present until I can get time to write a pri- 
vate note, let an answer to certain questions be here 
given. 

Mr. Blank plays pianoforte and oi^an and has been 
teacher of both, for years — I suppose, from what 
I foimerly knew of him, that, at Ust, according to 
our American standard, he is a good musician. He 
now wants a period of rest, he feels, too, that he is 
dropping behind the best standard, he has labored 
long and now wants opportunity to enjoy fully that 
which so long has been a profession. He wants to 
give up everything else for a time and only hear and 
practice music. Good ! A wise wish. One year, 
says my friend Blank, I will leave my pupils, throw 
off care, enjoy myself, and do something to make my 



instruction hereafter less like tlio blind leading; tlic 
blind — if — if — tho cxjKnRCS can only bo kept 
within reasonable limits. What if I go to Germany ? 
will it be worth while, knowing nothing of tho lan- 
guage 1 

Now, my friend, one lanpnagc is universal — that 
of music. Should you come to Berlin, you know 
from letters, that this language at an expense of 
three or four dollars a week you can hear in every 
variety of its highest forms, almost daily for montlis 
together. So much you may expect beforehand to 
devote to hearing music. If you will take a German 
story book, or reader, and a German book or two on 
music, and with grammar and dictionary, work with 
some German of your town three or four hours a 
week, reading and translating, yon can in tlireo or 
four months lay such a foundation as would enable 
you to understand Haupt in studying counterpoint, 
or Loschohm, KuUak, Biilow in practising piano- 
forte. Whether you would learn so very much in 
one year, I cannot tell ; but in your case, it would be 
more the reduction of what you already know to avail- 
able order, than beginning anew. But every one 
wants some regular employment for his happiness — 
so that if you gamed nothing else, you would feel 
contented, because employed. I do not see how the 
expenses of teachers and instruments in your case 
could amount to more than $12 or $15 a month. Let 
us say then, you come over in the pleasant season, 
June or July, in a sailing vessel to Bremen — in a 
German vessel, for the sake of the language, and for 
the sake of a month of good, hearty, delightful lazi- 
ness, after years of hard work. Then for $75 you 
leave New York and reach Berlin. A Czemikow's 
or Taepfer's hotels, or the Hotel de Brandenbui^, 
yon will spend a day or two at perhaps $2 per day — 
may be less, while >ou hunt out some American to 
give you an hour or two in finding a room. Go to 
Gov. Wright and you can got the addresses of as 
many of your countrymen as you want. 

There are all sorts of prices for rooms. John and 
I are particularly favored. We are in a two-story 
house, in a tooodyard, right upon the great Friedrich 
St., within six or eight minutes of the opera house, 
on the lower floor. He has the 'large room, and I 
the two smaller. Our bills average at this season oi 
the year, for rent, fuel, light, service, coffee in the 
morning with its etceteras, washing and (is this all?) 
$12 to $15 per month. Dinners we get at the hotels 
or restaurants, at a cost of 15 to 20 cents. SoT.e- 
times we feast — and then go up to 25 or even 30 1 

Really, I do not see why you cannot come here 
and stay a year upon $500, well. It you travel a 
little, that is not included. If music is your object, 
come here and devote yourself to it. For one who 
has music iu his soul, and does not make it a mere 
money-making trade, as so many do, such a year will 
more than pay in the satisfaction and enjoyment he 
will have. I cannot tell you how Haupt's pupils 
respect that man for his learning, and love him for 
his goodness. You, my fnend Blank, are not self- 
conceited. Those, who come here or go to Leipzig 
full of that delicious feeling, usually find, before any 
great length of time, if they are not enclosed in triple 
brass, that they are not phenomena. 

One of the first scientific men in America said last 
year, that he envied me almost for my good fortune 
in being able to coroo over here again. Ho felt the 
absolute need of spending a year or two here in en- 
deavoring to come up to the progress of science. If 
this was so with him, who spent years here formerly, 
and who, one supposes, might keep himself in ad- 
vance by means of the new scientific publications, 
how much more a necessity is it for an artist in any 
sphere to come abroad now and then, and especially 

for a musical man, who never has had opportunity to 
hear great works save in very homeopathic doses, to 
give one year of his life to this one object, even 
uongh he does not study, but only bears music. 

A. W. T. 



DBHCniPTXVB LIST OF TDK 

L T B S T 2^TJSXO, 
PaMlflkedi %r O. Ditaoa 9l C: 



Musrc BT HAii.^-Qimntitlcfi of Mntlo are now iieiit by mail, 
th» ozpenfie b<<«ln|( onlj ftbont one rent aplcro. while the fare 
and mpidity of inuiffportation are ramarkaltle. Thorc at a 
ftent dlntanoe will find the mode of ronTcyanee not only a eon- 
venlence. but a mTlu|r of evpenne In obtaining anppllea. Ilooka 
ean alao be aent by mall, at the ratr of one eent per ounre. 
Thia applica to any dUtance under thraa tbouaand miles ; ba- 
yond tbat, double the above rates. 



Vooal, with Piano Aooompaaiment. 

Good Mobbow. Song. fhxnk Mori. 25 

An etefant parlor iong. 

Mother Bailbt. Song and Cboros. CZoremr. 26 
A raTolutkmary Ttmlnbeenee, done Info alee 
rhymei, and provided with a good, aingable tuna. Tt 
is a pieoe whleh, fkom fhelnterast of Itssa1)|)eet, should 
baeome a houaataold song. 

Ih tub Stabuoht. Dnet Stephen Glover. 40 

A new duet Jbr two teiato voices fttun the pen of 
thli moat popular of duet compoaen, U^t and giaea- 
ftal in character. 

Sns'a Lauohiho at mt Sobbow. (Ahl ride 
del mio pianto.) Duet " Martha." 90 

This la that charming duet between the Lady and 
Lionel in the second act, which every hearer of Uiis 
excellent opera will easily reeall to mind. 

Days gone bt. Song. W. T. Wrighton, 25 

Obb Wish fob Thbb. Song. " 25 

Oh, fob the Bbeezt Shobb. Song. " 25 

Three pretty aongi by this ftTorite author. Tlia 
last with ita monaatery beU-Uke aeecmpanlment will 
become an eapedal fttrorlte. 

LiTTLB Mb. Bikks. Comic Song. H. WaUser, 25 

Rubal Coubtship. " " " 25 

Two gema ft>r loven of the comic by the arrangir 
of that Irresistibly Ainny travesty on " Tmvlala.'' 

Inatnunental Xosio. 

Galop di Bbayuba. Charies Fradd. 90 

Dufiking and brilliant, although by no means 4UA- 
cult. 
CoBO Di ZiHOABB. (Gipsey Chorus) in " Tr*> 
viata," arranged by W. Berger, 25 

An effeetlvB. If not billlieot, arrasfament of a dell- 
eions bit of ehaiaeterlatle melody, wbieh, Oram occu- 
pying an inelgnlflcant place in theopem,hBS not yet 
attained thai popularity whieh it eeems enHtled to. 

PiCCOLOXIKI POLKA. /?lfNB. 20 

Claib db Lune Polka. Zfffer. 25 

EsTBLLA Waltz. P. J. Sehreiner. 25 

Pboyidbnce Light Ibfaxtbt Polka. 

Ahnira E, Moore. 25 

Waltz Quadbillb avd Polka. Amainu. 35 
Texas Polka. C. H. Bondeau. 25 

New and pretty dance muale for the parlor. 

Bigoletto Potpoubbi, for 4 hands. F. Beger. 60 
This la one of that fliTorita eet, called the "Bcvue 
mdodlque." It haa, of course, the ever fteah ** La 
donna e mobile " and the beautiful " Caro noma," ba- 
ildes other pretty airs. The Treble part (primo) la in- 
tended for the pupil, and easy; theSecondo for the 
teacher, and of medium diffleulty. 

PuBE BiccosfE, from " Traviata," arranged for 

four hands. Nordnuinn. SO 

A pleasing arrangement of this plaintive air, In 
strict conformity with the original scwe. 

Books. 

The Beauties of Caledokia; or. Gems of 
Scottish Song; being a i*ollection of more 
than fifty of the most beautiful Scotch Ballads, 
set to music, manv of which have hitherto been 
unpublished in this country ; the whole ar- 
ranged, collected and compiled 'rom the very 
best sources, and latest revisals . f ♦'*€ .rthor s 
w6rks. With a portrait of Robert Bams, 51. 
In cloth, emblematically embossed, 1,50 

All admirers of pure Scotch Song will welcome ttiis 
collection, made with unuaual care and excellent taata 
and dlacrimlnatlon. A New volume of the same daas 
is in preparation. 




toig|t's |0urual d 




uSii^ 



Whole No. 359. BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19,1859. Vol. XIV. No, 21. 



The Profe88or*8 Poem. 

From the Athntie Uonthly, March, 1869. 

And now yon may read these lines, which wore 
written for pjentle ponis who love music, and read in 
ercn tones, and, perhaps, with something like a smile 
npon the reader's lips, at a meeting* where those 
musical friends had frnthcrcd. Whether they were 
written with smiles or not, yoa can guess better after 
you have read them. 

THE OPENING OF THE PLANO. 

In the Uttle southern parlor of the house yon may 
have seen 

With the gmmhfel-roof, and the gable looking west- 
ward to the green, 

At die side toward the sunset, with the window on 
its right, 

Stood the London-made piano I am dreaming of to- 
night. 

Ah me! how I remember the evening when it came 1 
What a cry of eager Toicei, what a gronp of cheeks 

in ftame, 
When the wondrous box was opened that had come 

from over seas, 
With its smell of mastie-vamish and its flashof ivory 

keysl 

Then the children all grew fretful in the restlessness 

of joy, 
For the boy wonld posh his sister, and the sister 

crowd the boy. 
Till the father asked for quiet in his grave paternal 

way. 
But the mother hushed the tumult with the words, 

"Now, Mary, play.' 



ft 



For the dear soul knew that music was a very sov- 
ereign balm ; 

She had sprinkled it over Sorrow and seen its brow 
grow calm, 

Is the days of slender harpsichords with tapping 
tinkling quills. 

Or carolling to her spinet with its thin metallic 
thrills. 

So Mary, the household minstrol, who always loved 

to please. 
Sat down to the new *' Clement!/' and struck the 

glittering keys. 
Hushed were the children's voices, and every eye 

grew dim. 
As, floating from lip and finger, arose the " Vesper 

Hymn. 



tf 



— Catharine, child of a neighbor, curly and rosy-red, 
(Wedded since, and a widow, — something like ten 

years dead,) 
Hearing a gush of music such as none before. 
Steals from her mother's chamber and peeps at the 

open door. 

Just as the "Jubilate " in threaded whisper dies, 
-^ " open it I open it, lady I " the little maiden cries, 
(For she thought 'twas a singing creature caged in a 

box she heard,) 
" Open it i open it, lady 1 and let me see the bird I " 

•At tlw Mmual meeting of the Harvard Moaieal Association. 
8m this Jonrnal of Jtmiuy 29. 



Per Dwighfi Journal Ktf Made. 

Tomascliek. 

Mr. Editor: — As Tomaschek is less widely 
known than he deserves to be, a slight sketch of 
his fife and works may not perhaps prove unac- 
ceptable to the readers of your excellent Journal. 

W. J. Tomaschek wa.s bom in the year 1774, 
at Skutsch, in Bohemia. He was educated for 
the bar, and was about receiving his final degree 
as Doctor of Laws, when Count Buguoy, one of 
the magnates of Bohemia, having accidentally 
heard the young lawyer's music to Biirger's " Leo- 
nora," thought it a pity such abilities should be 
lost to the musical world, and hence offered him 
a place for life in his service as "Composer." 
Tomaschek had thus time to devote himself en- 
tirely to Art, and, bringing the resources of a 
keen and cultivated intellect to bear npon the 
subject, he made the most severe theoretical and 
practical study of music, examining and com- 
paring all known systems, from the earliest to the 
latest, and finally constructing one of his own, 
based upon the laws of nature, so rational, logical, 
simple, and condensed, that no student could 
avoid being struck by its beauty, and its superi- 
ority to all previously taught Unfortunately, it 
was never published. 

Tomaschek lived chiefly in Prague. With the 
O)nservatorio of Music in that city he had no 
official connection, although the judgment of so 
excellent an artist was, of course, often consulted. 
His connection with mumcal associations was 
principally as follows ; he was honorary member 
of the great Society of the Netherlands for the 
promotion of Music; Corresponding member of 
St Ann's Musical Association, in Vienna; and 
honorary member of the great German National 
Association for Musical Art and Science, as also 
of the great musical Associations in Vienna, Ins- 
bruck, Pesth, Ofen, and Lemberg. 

Afler a long, useful, and blameless life, Tomas- 
chek died suddenly, in 1849, of a disease of the 
heart. 

Although exacting and somewhat severe in his 
judgments, and impatient of all pretension and 
shallowness, he was a most delightful companion, 
with whom no man could associate without being 
directed toward all that is truly noble and eleva- 
ting in life and in Art As man and as artist 
he seems equally to have won the admiration of 
those who knew him best He left behind him 
many works, some of which were published dur- 
ing his life, while others remjun in manuscript to 
this day, if indeed they exist at all. The follow- 
ing list of his compoffltions is from memory, and 
by no means complete. 

WoBKS VEVSB Published. 

Two Operas. The first, Seraphine, one of his ear- 
lier works, produced in Prague ; the second, a far 
grander work, never produced. 

Several Symphonies tor full orohestra. 

Several characteristic, dramatic, vocal and orches- 
tral compositions, founded upon portions of Fautt, 
WaUenstdn, Bride of Messina, #t:. 



About seven piano Sonatas. 
Numerous Songs, with orchestral or piano accom- 
paniments. 

Works published, not now to be obtained. 

One Quartet, for piano and stringed instruments. 

One Trio, for piano, violin, and violoncello. 

These works are said to bo models of beauty of 
form and artistic treatment, but they are now out of 
print, and it is even feared that the plates have been 
destroyed. 

Works tublished, still to be obtained. 

A solemn Requiem^ vocal and orchestral. Op. 70. 

A second Requiem, vocal, with accompaniment of 
double basses and violoncellos, Op. 72. 

A solemn Mass, in C major, Op. 81, composed for 
the coronation of the Emperor Ferdinand, when 
crowned in Prague King of Bohemia. 

Another orchestral Mass in E flat, never published 
in score, only in the separate parts. 

Te Deum, for orchestra and chorus. Op. 79. 

The Lord's Prayer, arranged fbr solos and cho- 
rus, with piano accompaniment, and ending in a fine 
fugue. 

Many Songs. Lyrics of Goethe and other poets, 
with two sets of songs in the Bohemian language. 

Two Overtures. One to Seraphine, Op. 36 ; One 
in fugue style, Op. 38. Both are arranged for four 
hands on the piano by Tomaschek himself. 

3 Piano Sonatas. 

3 Dithyrambs. 

4 Books of Rhapsodies. 
7 Books of Eclogues. 

Tre Allegri capricdosi di hrawara. Op. 52. 
Tomaschek was the first who wrote in the four 
forms last mentioned. 



Those desirous of acquiring a knowledge of 
Tomaschek's style and power as a composer, are 
directed especially to his Requiem^ Op. 70, a no- 
ble work, challenging comparison with the two 
most renowned the world has known, that of Che- 
rubini for full orchestra and chorus, in C minor, 
and that of Mozart in D minor. A patient and 
impartial student of the three, considering all 
things, science, melody, adaptation of music to 
words, and religious elevation and comprehension, 
would not, we think, long hesitate to which to 
award the palm. The following are also among 
his most characteristic compositions : — The Missa 
Solennis, Op. 81 ; Nos. 2 and 3 of The AUegri di 
bravura, Op. 52 ; 2 books. Op. 41 and Op. 110, 
of the Rhapsodies; and many, too numerous to 
mention, of his charming Eclogues. 

These works are characterized by clearness 
and freshness, manly vigor and energy, tender- 
ness, passion, and grandeur. However large or 
small the form, each whole is complete in itself. 
There is never a measure or a note too much or 
too little. Nothing can be slighted, for every- 
thing has a meaning. There is no wandering oflf 
into mere passages to fill up a vacuum in thought 
and hence these compositions require for their 
performance and proper appreciation, intelligent 
and conscientious artists. 

So wide a culture as Tomaschek possessed of 
course preserved him from many faults of taate 



870 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



into which others in his day had fallen. We can- 
not avoid, as with Chopm, being continuallj star- 
tled hy the wealth of invention and noveltj ef 
effects which he displays; and the mastery with 
which be moved through the most intricate con- 
trapuntal mazes, remind us of Sebastian Bach's 
wonderful skiQ in the independent and flawing 
treatment of combined parts. (In our day, it is 
the successive rather than the shnuUaneous parts 
which are apt to be somewhat too independent.) 

Tomaschek was eminently a self-conscious ar- 
tist, aware of all he did and why he did it, intel- 
lect and feeling moving together ; and his pro- 
ductions recall to us noble paintings of which we 
find every part dwelt upon with care and love, 
and each minute portion highly finished, although 
of course, with all proper subordination to the 
general effect of the whole. 

This tribute to the memory of a great man has 
been drawn forth by a sense of the justice due to 
departed genius and worth. Let the world, if it 
must, ignore living greatness, but at least, after 
death, let " all these odds be made even," and the 
meed of praise bestowed where it is truly due. 

New York, Feb. 1, 1869. L. D. P. 



ANALYSIS 
ov 

Handera ''Israel in Egypt." 

BT O. A. XAOFAaKVir. 
Fwt II. (Conelodad.) 

(91). C9k0nc».<~Wbo ly like unto The*, O Lord, aaonf A* 
Oodi ? Wbo la like ThM, glorloai in ItoliiMW, Aarfbl in pnlaet, 
doing v^Mkn? 

Tfaon ■tNobadst ont Thj ri^^t band, Um Mrth gwiOlawtd 
then. 

This Choms opens with another, the last, of those 
grand introdnctory movements th&t not only jBrive 
pre-eminent solemnity and emphiuis to the portions 
of the text they declaim, but tend greatly to sifrnalize 
the entire work with the peculiar character of dignity 
and majestic earnestness which I think renders it 
perfectly unique among all the productions of musi> 
cal art. 

The fap:ne, to which the last fonr words alone are 
set, I can but conjecture to embody an ecclesiastical 
regard of the awful manifestation of the might of 
Heaven, rather than a retrospect, through tlio vista 
of human associations, of its horrors, and that it con- 
veys an analogous expression with ^at of the earlier 
Chorus, " Thou sentest forth," of a very analo^ns 
text, and maintaining the supposed design of with- 
holding frofh this Part of the Oratorio all representa- 
tion of the present effect of the tremendons incidents 
that are depicted as.in actual occurrence in th^ First 
Part. The subject— 



The earth swal 



low'd them. 



is immediately combined with the counter-subject 
which commences in the third bar of the chief theme, 




The 



earth swal - 



low'd them. 



An admirable feature in the composition is the con- 
spicuous figure for the violins introduced near the 
close: — 



p^^^l 




&c.r 



which is wholly independent of the vocal progres- 
sions. 

This fuffue is the mdst important, because the most 
unqualifiea, appropriation iVom the oflen-cited Magni- 
Jieat of which it is the final Choms ; the only modifi- 
cation of the original the version before us presents is 
the addition of some notes of ornament in the counter- 
subject, — ^the entire conduct of the plan, to the precise 
number of bars, even the remarkable instramental fig- 
ure at the end, are the same. 

cay. Dm(.— Thou In Thj mntj hatt kd Hirfh TI17 p«opl« 
whieh Thou hMt ndMOMd ; Thoo hut gvUM then la Thj 
iteMigth unto Thy hoUj haUtatlim. 

Let US imagine in this mournful Duet' the contrition 
that alone can propitiate for time to come the mercy 
which has wrought the redemption this entire Part is 



to celehrate,-Hi feeling of unworthiness of what has 
been, which nukes benefits press heavier than chastise- 
ment upon the soul, hut stimulates highest resolves for 
fhture deserving. The second sentence of the text is 
set with a stronger expression of confidence gathered 
from the sense of secarity these words imply. 

I have hero to make a last allusion to the Marfnifi- 
cat^ whence so many of the leodinfi^ ideas of this di- 
vision of Jsrad in Egypt have been derived ; in that 
there is a Duet, also, mr tenor and alto, but in E in- 
slBsd of D minor, which exactly corresponds with tlie 
opening of the Duct before us ; but, breaking off af- 
ter the first ensemble, it is the only instance in which 
the unquestionable original surpasses in merit and in- 
terest as a composition, the subsequent pieee that has 
been modelled npon it. 



(96.) CKiirw.—Thtt people dian hmr and b« alVtid, 
■hall tako hold on them, all the Inhabltuitt of OanMtt liwll 
molt Kwny, hj tho grvatncM of Thy arm, tboy thall b« aa iitlU 
a> a itono UU Tfay poopla pan orer, O Lord, which thou haat 
porohaMd. 

This and the following piece constitute a most im- 
portant episode in the grand theme the composer has 
chosen. The rejoicing and thanksgiving of the pre- 
sent, on account of the glorious wonders of the most 
recent past, are here suKpended for the contemplation 
of the no less jrlorious if less awful wonders of the 
future, that Divine promise has assured to the en- 
franchised people. The happy goal of all their destire 
is but to be gamed by means of the still further mirac- 
ulous intervention of the same Power which has 
brought the Israelites thus far towards it ; and their 
only prospect of the land of promise is through the 
idea of ttie total overthrow of the nation that now 
luxuriates in its rich fertility. Tlie vague apprehen- 
sion of a coming event is a remotely diff< rent feeling 
from the definite recollection of one we have wimessed, 
and the dreamy, mysterious foreboding is the feeling 
the composer here embodies, in opposition to the liv- 
ing consciousness he has realized in the foregoing de- 
velopment of his subject. The movement under 
consideration is in man^ respects the most romarka- 
ble, and, to my own individual appreciation, the most 
beautiful in the Oratorio ; it is by far the longest ; its 
design is the most comprehensive and extensive ; it 
contains a greater number and variety of ideas than 
any other ; its bhraaeology, its harmonic progres- 
sions, its modulations, are throughout conspicnous 
for dieir peculiarly modem character, for their 
peculiarly technical beauty, for their peculiar fitness 
to t he unfolding of the master's great conception ; 
and this conception — » silence is the only veil for 
the utter incfficiencv of words either to desmbe or to 
eulogize it: Handel must have concentrated the ut- 
most power of even his transcendent genius up- 
on this one point, to have surpassed Handel as qe 
has done in its present marvellous manifestation. I 
shall best illustrate tlie purpose and effect of the ex- 
traordinary Chorus by cataloguing, without comment, 
the priudpal elements of which it is formed : the 
long-con nnued, anxious motion of the accompani- 
ment ; the gradual climax of the declamation of the 
opening words ; the singularly graphic expression of 
this phrase, — 




Shall melt a - wav. 

m 

coming as it does after the first emphatic enunciation 
of the words " All the inhabiunts of Canaan," which 
expression is still further heightened by this further 
carrying out of the same idea, — 




3^=g^ 







a - way. 



t 



sage,— 



They shall be as still as a stone. 




'Ill tl? in" haV-i-tants of Ca 

the solemn stillness of the unisonous recitation of the 
low voices upon a monotone of the next following 
words; the multitudinous effect of the complicate 
elaboration of the phrase,^- 



Till iTby people pass o-ver,0 Lord. 

which appears to exhaust all the resources of har- 
mony ; the terrible grandeur of the descending pas- 



with the impressive change of harmony and of key 
on the last note ; and the great energy atuincd by 
the cessation of all motion and imerweaving of the 
parts, and the single enunciation, wherever thev oc- 
cur, of the last four words. Withocn the dazzling 
accessory and brilliancy ef effect which would have 
been wholly irrelevant to the Fitaarien, and would 
have always been felt to be so, this Choms must ever 
make a thrilling and a deep impression on all who 
hear it with attention and with lielief in its excellence, 
of which that hnpression will be the trie metre. It 
is interesting to notice that the entire setting of the 
words " All the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt 
away," is an interpolation (introduced by a sign of 
reference in the M 8.) after the original composition 
of this Choras, and as interesting to ebeerve how in- 
dispensable to the completeness of the whole does 
this remarkable passage now appear. 

(27). iltr.— Thoa ahalt bring them la. and plant them In the 
nonntahi of Thine inheritance, in the pitre. Lord, which 
Thoa hant made fltr Th«e to dwell in, In the maetwury, Loid, 
which Thy hands have eitabUahed. 

Looking now beyond the medium of sorrow and 
desth, through which onlv the promif^ed Isnd is to be 
attained, the chosen people regard Canaan as in their 
possession, and they see in it an abode of peace that 
toil and sadness cannot enter, but where gentle love 
and continuous centent -will make ap the tmnqnil 
sum of life. The composer has rendered this idea 
in a song which is not merely a most artistic contrast 
to the great Choms iraracdfateTy preceding it, hot a 
piece perfectly distinct in character and expression 
from everything in the work, and so most tme to the 
present simation, which is the only one where the 
placid calmness of hope relieves the ever-varying tu- 
mult of exciting emotions that — whether in the wit- 
nessing, or in the retrospect, or in the amicinetion of 
the terrors of Almighty power— constitntes the entire 
matter of the Oratorio. He has rendered this idea in 
a definitely rhythmical, flowing melody, of such Inye- 
liness as no one has ever been better able than Han- 
del to produce, which is the only one the text of /s- 
rnW in Egypt gave him opportunity to write, and 
which draws yet additional beauty fi^m its opposition 
to the gloom and the grandeur that surround it, as 
the rainbow's brightness is in proportion to the dark- 
ness of the cloud in which it is reflected. This, with 
the preceding movement, completes the episode of 
the anticipated approach to and. possession of the 
promised home beyond the wilderness. 

The Air before as affords another example of Men- 
delssohn's fislieitoiis carrring ont of the composer's 
conception, in the heautiful additions of his organ- 
part to the original skeleton score, which are again so 
completely incorporated imo Handel's idea, that this 
mnst henceforth always sppear incompletely expressed 
without them. 

(26).— €honw, ReellatlTe, and Solo. 

CKentt.^The Lord iihall rrign ibr erer. 

Raeit.—fm the hotue of Pharaoh went In with his chariots 
and with hla honwnen tnto the sea. and the Lord Krought 
attain the waten of the aea npon them : bvt the Children of 
line) went on drv land In the midf t of the r«a. 
• Chenrii.— The Lord shall relfm a>r ever and OTor. 

J7«erf.— And Miriam the prophetsiv. the rister of Aaron, 
took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went oat aftrr 
her with timbrelii and with daneen. and Mhrlnm aaswerrd them r 

Sbtc and Glontf.— Sln^ ye to the Lord, tn He hath trl- 
unph^dglorioosly; the hoiasand his ridarhath Be thrown 
into the ssa. 

Now, it should seem, the assembled nation grow 
impatient of any theme that distracts their thoughts, 
while their feeling is unchangeable from the great re- 
joicing they are gathered in thronging thousands to 
celebrate, and their enthusiasm, stimulated anew hy 
the happy prophecy conveyed in the last words, breaks 
forth in an exclamation of rapture that includes the 
past and the present with all time to come in declaring 
the eternity of the reign of the Lord. The unison- 
ous announcement of the first strain of this Plain 
Song — 





The Jjord shall reign for ev - er, and ev • er. 



The Lord shall reign for ev - er, and ev • er. 

sgainst the moving Counterpoint of the bass instru- 
ments, its repetition with die full hsrmony of voices 
and orchestra, and its continuation in the second 
strain with the accelerated motion of the instmments, 
have such broad and simple grandeur, and such con- 
tinually accumulating power, as are not to be sur^ 
passed ; and raise in us a sense of stupendous im- 
mensity that no human production can, m its effects 
upon the imagination, ever more than equal. One 
among the people, or, we may suppose, Moses, God's 
agent in their deliverance, recalls to them the recent 
destruction of Pharaoh, and they hurst forth again -Jk 



mmm 



JL-JML 



see* 



lA'f.'JI ■ Mm 



mtttmtt 



rrr 



2 



HM*. 



Smi 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1859. 



871 



their rxnltincr flonjf of juhilnnt prntitiidc and pmiae. 
The Hi^h Priest's sister, wir]i n fnr-rcaching tniin of 
mairlcns frlowin;; in hcnithftil !)cnnry, n« pure in 
thon^lit, ilAiiceii umiil tho clnnpor of rho joyon« in- 
Btmmcnts tliey Iwnr, to tho from of the enraptured 
multitnde ; to tlio notes of the Phtin Soni; thnt has 
jnst l)e<m ponred otit in an nnanimoira shout of fer^'or 
hy the people, she repeats, as nn exhortation, the 
words that opened this crrcat solemnity, and the peo- 
ple nn^wcr her in tiimultnons echo, phrase hy phrase ; 
and then, their cnpncity of cxHtcincnt wronRht to its 
ntmo«t poHsililo tension, they hrcak into the general 
ehnllitinn of transport with which the errand festival 
of the Exodns commenced, ami they fill the air once 
more with their irrepressible praises of the (clory of 
the everlasting King, whose triumph was not for the 
moment, hut is eternal!- revered, eternally giving 
freah token* to his universal people of the greatness 
their aniversal praise can never e(|aa1. 

Tt waa an original, and, because original, a daring 
artifice to repent this final movement, precisely from 
the beginning of the part, but we nil are nwnro, the 
most no leas tlum the least initiated in mn«ieal tech- 
nicalities, how manifold the interest and the effect of 
a piece of music of any comnlexity of construction 
is incren«ed hy a second henring, and Handel wns as 
aware of this as we are ; and thus knowing that noth- 
ing fresh thnt cowld he written would so powerfully 
imprras his audience ns that repeated which a recent 
hearing had enabled them to comprehend, he took ad- 
vantage of tho opportunity with wliich his text 
prompted him, and employed this artifice, the excel- 
lence of which, for the present purpose at least, is 
fully proved hv its perfect success in exciting the au- 
ditory to the highest and the noblest enthusiastic ex- 
altation, and by filling them with the scn«o of that 
Almighty greatness and power of which this colossal 
work Is at once the celebration and the symbol. 

London, March, 1857, G. A. Macfarkbw. 



From the PblUdalphU Xvailiig Bullotln. 

Tk0 Chmrgt of the Light-Sd Brigade. 

IIT UN I SOX. 

" T am obllsvd to lat Tlf« Handnd 8toekbold«rs In for 
MUiInC *^ — XrOmatCf Wmies. 

Down tho street, up the street, 

'Cross the street, onward. 
Into the 07>eni House 

Rnshed the Five Hundred, 
" Charge 1 " was the leader's cry ; 
** None ! '* was the proud reply ; 
On, on, to hear and see 
Pair Piccolomini, 
Into the Opera House 

Rushed the Five Hundred. 

Dead heads the right of them. 
Dead heads the left of them, 
Dead heads the whole of them, 

Ne'er a head sundered ; 
Stared at with opera glass. 
Manfully in they pass, 
Into the Opera Houra, 
Filling orchestra stalls. 

Marched the Five Hundred. 

Flashed all their heads so bare, 
Flashed all at once in air. 
Under the chandelier ; 
Parquet and upper tier, 

Balcony wondered ; 
Stared then the manager, 
Counted their heads so bare — 
Bald-heads, or heads of hair. 
All of them dead-heads were — 
Counted with greedy glare, 

Said he was plundered ; 
Firm and unmoved they sat. 

Sat the Five Hundred. 

Lorgnettes to right of them, 
Lorgnettes to left of them, 
Lorgnettes behind them, 
Opened and wondered ; 
Stared at by wondering eyes. 
Sat they without surprise. 



Said they had built tlie hoitse, 
Snt then as mute as mouse ; 
Out rnshed the manager, 
All that was left of him — 
Stayed tho Fivo Hundred. 

When can their glory fade 5 
O, the brave stand they made I 

All the house wondered ; 
Honor the stand they made, 
Gallant Light-Kid Brigade, 

Noble Five Hundred 1 

For Dwight'a Joaraal of Mnile. 

A Hint to Mr. Zerrahn. 

My Dear Dwight. — I am a subscriber to Carl 
Zerrahn's concerts. Considering them eminently 
worthy of support, I subscribe on principle, and ap- 
propriate to my own use only a very small portion of 
the tickets I pay for. I imagine therefore that I have 
a perfect right to do a little grumbling if I feel like 
it, and have good reason. I am going to do a little 
now, and let me hope that your well known influence 
in musical circles may accomplish something for ns. 

Why, in the name of all that is reasonable or un- 
nxiaonahle will Mr. Zerrnlin persist, year after year, 
in placing the Symphony first in the onler of per- 
formance? There are forty good reasons why he 
should not, and for tlie life of me I cannot imagine 
one why he should. Such an arrangement is nnmis- 
takably a bad one, both for audience and orchesfri. 
I consider it a mistake for an audience to be plunged 
suddenly into a classic Symphony, without having 
been in some appropriate way, prepared for it. The 
change from out of door life is too abrupt, and lakes 
the andience at disadvantage. It is had enough for 
the early comers, who take their seats leisurely and 
quietly, and who have an opportunity of composing 
themselves to a musical frame of mind ; but what shall 
we say of those unfortunates (and the number is not 
small) who, Ixslated, rush to the hall in hot haste, and 
all breathless and flustered, strive hopelessly to ap- 
preciate a Symphony of Beethoven's before they have 
recovered their wind ? Any one who has ever tried 
this knows that it is positivelj atrocious. Not much 
worse indeed is it for those who unavoidably arrive 
half an hour late, and find themselves served to a most 
excellent course of Bide dishes and vegetables, the 
body and soul of the feast having already l)een dis- 
cussed without them. These simply find themselves 
** choused out " of their share for which they paid in 
advance. 

In writing upon this rery matter in your paper 
sometime ago, I think you called the Symphony the 
" Piece de re<«istance " of the concert-foom feast, and 
said it shonld be approached artistically and served af- 
ter a few lighter courses. Precisely. A Symphony 
is to a concert what Beeuf i la mode or plum pudding 
is to a dinner ; yet what man in his senses would ever 
think of beginning his dinner with plum pudding 9 
Does a poor digestion count nothing ? 

Take the orchestra. As the classic Symphony is the 
best part of a concert, so is it the most difiScult of per- 
formance, and requires the greatest accuracy in time 
and tune. With the most complete orchestras this 
accuracy is rarely acquired at the first start. It takes 
some little time for the performers to compose them- 
selves into that state of perfect ease and self-possession 
which is so necessary to a perfect performance ; some 
little time for the instruments to become well tempered 
to each other. 

It is the same with every tiling else ; any artist, be- 
fore undertaking a scientific performance, wants first 
to " get his hand in ; " the painter always makes a 
few preliminary flourishes. Eminently is this prepar- 
ation necessary where artists are combined as In a laige 
orehestm. 

Nobody pretends to dispute all this ; the thing is 
as clear as the noon-day sun, and yet Carl Zerrahn 
won't see it Can't tomethiog be done about it ? Are 



we always to have the symphonies of Mondelifsohn and 
Beethoven started out of tune ? or supposing, even, 
that the Band commences in perfect tune, can not 
Mr. Zerrahn be made to understand that the tym- 
panums and musical nerves of his audience, made dis- 
cordant by the turmoil and hum of a busy day, re- 
quire tuning just as much as his violins and drums T 
Let Zerrahn load off, then, with some richly har- 
monized and graceful overture, which shall settle both 
audience and orchestra well down to their work, and 
give subscribers who are belated, a little better chance. 
Then we can have the Symphony next, if jou pleaFO, 
and what more appropriate finale can be desired for 
tho Firtt Part f 

As to the afternoon concerts, where the same ar- 
rangement exists, I have nothing to say as I never 
attend them ; but I think if the Symphony were played 
last instead of first, a good many who<line at two and 
half past two o'clock would drop in after dinner and 
hear it. I don't urge this point, however, because the 
freshness and vigor of an audience, — in its prime at 
the end of Part First— is apt to flag a little at the end 
of Part Second. 

Far be it from me to rob Carl Zerrahn of one whit 
of tho credit which is his due. We all know that his 
orchestra is as nearly perfect as can be. It is the very 
excellence of it which causes the blemish which I am 
writing al)ont, to appear so flagrant ; the more so as 
it might bo easily rubbed out. Doublb Bass. 



Jforeip €mtsprii!tm, 

Berlin, Jan. 16. — A bit of a story to begin with. 

In IS.'SS, a good lady of Cincinnati, instead of 
waiting until Christmas or New Year, on the Fourth 
of July made her husband a present of another boy. 
Whether owing to the extraordinary amount of good 
music (!) whicli is always and everywhere to be heard 
on that particular anniversary, or to some other of 
the various causes, which might be studied out, time 
permitting, the history saith not — but the entire 
musical talent of the family centred in the little cele- 
bration of Independence. The family afterward set- 
tled in Cleveland, but upon a visit to Cincinnati, 
which the boy made when somo fourteen years of 
age, he received from a kind friend, of all presents in 
this world — the right one, a violin. Of course 
father and mother did not wish young Independence 
to turn out a fiddler I What parent could ? Still, 
tliey had no objection to his amusing himself that 
way better than loafing with bad boys. He however 
had somehow become impressed with the idea that 
fiddling for amusement waa not enough; that he 
ought to study the violin, which is a very different 
matter. How to accomplish this ? Yes, how f He 
was now fifteen — a little fellow, but with the right 
material in him. His father published one of the 
Cleveland papers, and the carriers could earn $1,50 per 
week. Good I Young Independence, through all one 
long, dreary winter, rose every morning at four 
o'clock, folded his papers, and started off on his 
round through the city, facing old Boreas, who used 
to come sweeping down from the icebeigs of Hud- 
son Bay, across the frozen plains of Upper Canada, 
sharpening his frosty breath by a little extra damp- 
ness as he skimmed the snrface of Lake Erie, and 
then, as if maddened by the sudden resistance to his 
course, which tho high lake shore presented, rushed 
with all fury into the still silent streets of the city, 
and venting his ire upon the few solitary individuals 
he found, — newspaper boys, and milkmen and the 
like. Sometimes the cold old wind amused itself by 
heaping the snow upon the steps and thresholds of 
the houses, and the boy bad to spend the long weary 
morning in brushing it away, door after door, at least 
so far as to admit of his thrusting his paper beaeaih, 
and so be earned his $1,&0 per week. 

This money went immediately to a Germao, who 



^•" 



\ 



372 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



gave him two lessons a week apon the riolin, and for 
the reixiahider some instniction in the Qennan lan- 
gnago. And all this time the boy spent his six 
hours dailj in the public school, without neglecting 
his studies. By the time he was 17 he had proved 
that his taste for the violin was not a mere childish, 
transient passion, but that real devotion, which is 
one at least of the proofs of a true vocatfon. The 
boj too, had made such progress as to play in a con- 
cert with (I suppose) " tremendous applause." 

He was already a victim of the Germany mania ; 
but the means for its cure were wanting. His old 
Cincinnati friend, he of the violin gift, had not for- 
gotten him, and now came forward with a propo- 
sition to send him to Leipzig to David for two years. 
Many were the pros and cons about sending the 
youth 3000 miles away among strangers, fbraigners, 
temptations, and all that. Bat wise counsels pre- 
vailed, and the decision was, to let the instinct of his 
nature determine his profession. 

In New York, where he came to take ship, he visi- 
ted Ole Bull, and played to him, who encouraged 
him afler this manner : " This," pointing to his 
own head, " is all right," and " this," pointing to his 
heart ; " but you play shockingly," and bo on ; and 
jgave him a letter to David. In September, 1855, he 
reached Leipzig, and tfao next month entered the 
Conservatory. 

Of the three vears since, one was lost by a severe 
attack of disease, but the other two have been nobly 
employed. The young man has been with us for a 
few days, and has let us hear him in Sonatas by 
Beethoven and Bach, and in show pieces by De 
Beriot, and Vieuxtemps. Last evening he played at 
Gov. Wright's, our minister, making a very marked 
impression. His tone is supert>, his execution fine, 
but above all is the feeling with which he plays. An 
Adagio by Beethoven was given with exquisite ten- 
derness and at another period in the evening, Vieux- 
temps' Yankee Doodle, be deviled with such comic 
effect that the audience might have sat for a daguerreo- 
type of ' Broad Grins.' 

Moral. 

Howard Vaughan is now just in the position of 
a Cambridge law student, who, having won high 
honors and taken his degree, finds it necessary to go 
into an office for a year or two to get the practical 
knowledge of his profession. So this young violinist, 
having gone through his regular course, needs one 
more year to make up for that which was lost, in 
which to gain that musical experience, to enjoy and 
benefit by those observations of performers, to hear 
and study all styles of music, and to practice himself 
in composition, — which are offered him nowhere on 
such terms and in such profusion as in the German 
cities. He should spend some months in Berlin, 
visit Prague and Vienna ; in short, it would be well 
could he make the grand tour. This is however not 
in his power, and hence at present his great aim is to 
spend a year here studying with Laub, and improv- 
ing the daily opportunities offered of perfecting his 
musical education in tlie highest sense of the term. 
His taste is for the best music — not despising how- 
over that of a more showy character if good of its 
kind. The Impression left upon all his auditors last 
evening, is, that we have in him a young man of very 
high promise ; one who we may reasonably hope 
will prove an American artist, of whom we may yet 
be proud. If my testimony is of any value to him 
in his struggle to gain yet another year of instrumen- 
tal and contrapuntal study in this best of all schools, 
I give it cheerfully, gladly, and of my own motion. 

The events of the week have been Gluck's " Iphi- 
genia in Tauris," and his " Orpheus and Eurydice," 
on Tuesday and Friday ; the " Creation " by Stem's 
Singing Society on Thursday; Billow's Concert of 
Music of the Future, on Friday ; and a Symphony 
Soir^ of the Royal Orchestra on Saturday, — a some- 
what rich suooession of evenings. There was also a 



concert of Salon music by the Brothers Ganz — not 
Garoz as it was printed before — but I foiigot it and 
spent the evening elsewhere. 

The " Creation." I have often enough spoken of 
Herr Sterk, in former letters, as one of the best if not 
the best of directors for a choral society, I have 
ever known, to be under no necessity now of adding 
anything on this topic. The old readers of the Jour- 
nal too, know how much I have praised the perfec- 
tion with which the Society as a body bears its part 
in all grand performances, — indeed, whether upoti 
the whole hs chorus singing is not the most satisfac- 
tory in all respects I ever heard, I am not quite de- 
cided. As I listened to the choruses of the ** Creation " 
the other evening, a great many things occurred to 
me to write, more particularly to certain country 
readers of the Journal. Some of them I remember 
still. 

The persons of both sexes who compose the prin* 
cipal Choral Societies here, the 'Sing Akademie,' 
that of Stem, and several others, are all such as have 
a musical education, which would be thought in 
many cases quite remarkable with us. Most of them 
know something about the common rules of harmony, 
at least so far as enables them to understand the part, 
which their own tenor, soprano, alto or bass, as the 
case may be, has to play in the general effect. The 
music given them to sing is made a matter of study ; 
they expect to find difficult passages, such na will re- 
quire a great many efforts on their part to fully con- 
qaer, and they are ready and willing to work upon 
them. Such a society here is not composed of me- 
dianics, men who support themselves by manual 
labor, but of the upper middle classes of a state of 
society quite unknown in our country. Many mem- 
bers will perhaps be professional musicians, — or if 
not, still persons, who have made music in its higher 
forms a matter of regular study. You may look 
npon the society in question (that of Stem), as com- 
posed of individuals who no longer need a teacher, a 
master, and who do not come together to be taught 
this, that or the other great work. But they wish for 
the pleasure of singing Oratorios — of course there 
must be a large number to do this with effect. The 
principle of the thing is this, that many musical 
people, having a similar desire to study certain grand 
works, club together, and pay a certain definite sum 
for the season to pay expenses, and in particular to 
hire the services of a thoroughly competent director. 
Having hired him they allow him to criticize them to 
any extent; they are no longer individuals, but 
members of a choras,and the end aimed at is that the 
chorus sing well. Now Stem is not merely particu- 
lar that the part go in time and time. The singers 
must pronounce their words alike, must notice 
the minutest points of expression, must sing 
each with the same care in his choral part, that he 
would in a song or solo. All do this gladly — have 
they not employed him to look out for all this ? The 
result is choras singing almost in absolute perfection. 

Now, what is trae here in Berlin is trae also in 
other and smaller German cities. There is every- 
where hero, in towns of 20,000 or more inhabitants, 
among the educated classes — not among the com- 
mon people— quite a number of people, who have 
made music really a study. In Breslau with its 
75,000 population, about a hundred snch persons 
formed a choral society, with the university professor 
of music at their head. But this hundred were 
picked men and women. Frankfort-on-the-Maine 
has its " Cecilia " society, and so all about yon find 
them. 

We can show nothing of the sort in onr country. 
There is no distinct educated class in the sense of the 
term as used for Germany. We must look to men 
and women who labor with their hands for the ma- 
terials from which to form musical societies, and 
with these materials as they may be found in New 
England, I verily believe, as splendid perfbrmances 



nright be in the end attained as any where in the 
world. But to attain this sovnethiBg more is Dece^- 
sary than we have yet had. 

First, I n^ver yet attended a singing school either 
as pupil or visitor, where the instructor went a step 
bevond the mere reading of simple notation. The 
school was taught nothing about mune — ft was only 
taught to sing psalmody, a hw anthems, glees and 
songs. And this for the very good reason that the 
teachers had never fitted tliemselves to go beyond 
this. I see as well as any one, that an attempt to 
teach harmony in a common singmg school would be 
laughable. But surely we may have a generation of 
teachers able to call attention to harmonic effects, to 
the results of different combinations and succesffona 
of chords, able to show their classes what we mean 
by a fugued movement, by plain chant and florid 
song; hi bhort, teachers able to get at least a step 
b^ond the I, 2, 3, and the do^ re, mi. 

Second. Having at Tengtii found a singing teacher 
able to go a step higher than the old ones were able 
to go, we must find a set of pnpfb who ore wiflhig to 
take hold of singing in earnest, are willing to work m 
little in the faith, that an adequate reward will foTtow 
in the new delight which masic will open to them 
hereafter. We have the voices, we have the talents, 
we have the education, among the shoemakers and 
fanners and mechanics of Braintree and Randolph, 
and Holliston and Natick, — everywhere in New 
England — everywhere where the common school 
and the meeting house flourishes. Can these voices, 
these tastes, these talents, not be cultivated? It is 
absurd to suppose this. Let those, who take delight 
in singing, unite, married and single, and have their 
weekly meeting year in and year out, not minding m 
little extra expense, and employ as a. director f ome 
one of the new class of teachers, that is giadaany 
rising, I am happy to say, if what I saw last soramer 
at North Beading gives not false hopes. 

Tliird. In Germany, alRx>At every town of a few 
thousand inhabitants has its official mwic director — 
with us there is nothing of the kind, and the musical 
class must depend upon its own resoorces. Now, no 
small town in Massachusetts, for instance, four to six 
thousand in population, can well give business enongh 
to a music teacher of the right sort to support him. 
What now ? Remedy simple. Suppoee five or six 
towns in easy connection by railroad, fbr example, 
Milford, Holliston, Framingham, Natick, Ashland — 
associate in this manner, to wit — as Justice Bacon 
would say — vis: In each a musical society is 
formed. Each members of both sexes — fbr what cost, 
nothing is apt to be valued the same — depositing in 
advance annually a certain small sum for necessary 
charges; all these societies agree to employ the 
same music teacher and director, and to practice the 
same music ; there being five towns thus associated, 
each takes a different evening for itS meetings, so 
that there shall be no interference. Once or twice a 
year there shall be a general meeting of all the so* 
cieties in each town, by tnms, to have a fisstival per- 
formance of the music thus leamed. 

Now, as Mr. Weller remarked upon a certain oc- 
casion, the " advantages of the plan are hobvious." 
Here is at the very beginning a certain sum secured 
for the services of a director for a year, giving him 
employment five evenings a week. This is at once a 
strong inducement to a man of real muaical culture 
and attainments to settle in one of the towns of the 
association, as he will naturally expect among the 
many persons with whom he is thus brought in con- 
tact, to find more or less who will wish for private 
lessons ; and it might soon be found well for the in- 
terests of the association to pay out of the common 
fund for the special instraction of a few individuals of 
greater talent as solo singers. At all events such aa- 
sociations would soon be strong inducements to 
young men of talent to take particnlar pains in their 
musical studies to fit themselves fbr the place of di- 
rector. 



^^m 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1859. 



373 



I I 

II 

I I 



A<s:Rin, besides the new musical enjoyments opened 
to the societies as a whole, opportunity will be pivcn 
to yonn;; men and women to cultivate their musical 
tastes, and develop their voices. I henrd voices 
Inst Rpring in Nntick, which, if cultivated, would he 
worth $150, to $300 a year to their possessors ; just 
snch voices as are so much son^rht in choirs, hut now 
of no value at all except as means of amusement to 
the sinjvcr him.<«clt. 

AjTiun, I see in such an association a pr^at step 
toward what has so Ion*; been to me an object of 
most earnest desire — tlio elevation of sin^inp in 
the churches to — w»«/c. Instead of spendinn: $50,000 
in building ten little u<rly wooden meetinjr houses, 
each just larjre enoujrh for a family party, I would 
hare two or three lanre noble ones, so that the chil- 
dren as they prow up may have some idea of the 
grandeur of what the Bible ealls the preat cong;ropa- 
tion ! Instead of half supporting ten clergymen, I 
would have a pastor and a teacher, as in the pood 
old Puritan dnvs of Boston in each church. Instead 
of little boxes of whistles in the little meeting houses, 
I would have noble orpans. Instead of hnlf a do7.en 
or a dozen untnnpht sinpers, I would have all the 
musical tnlent of the conprepation in the choir, with 
a capable director. 1 would have the Psalmist's des- 
criptions of the plorions music of the temple reduced 
to experience here as f:ir as possible. And twice or 
thrice in each service, I would have some familiar 
choral sunp in prand unison by choir and conprepa- 
tion, while the orpan rolled out its prand Bach and 
Handelian harmonies. But as I cannot have all I 
could wish, pivo me at least that improvement in 
ta^te and the execution of common mu««ic which the 
musical societies alx>ve proposed could not fail to 
produce, and that too in a very short time. Did it 
ever occur to you what an immense sum of money in 
the apprepate the erection and support of the half 
dozen so-called orthodox societies, which arc alnio.«t 
within astone*8 throw of the State House in Boston, for 
buildinps, prcachinp, music, and all the et ccteras, 
have cost, and still co«t ? 

If the object in bnildinp little churches is to make 
the societies smnll bodies of exclusives — little family 
parties, to which none but ' our set ' are to have ad- 
miAsion. it is well enouph ; for a poor man cannot 
alTord to take a pew in them. The Catholic under- 
stand this matter. They put up prand churches 
where all may come and can afford to come. But 
this is very wide of the mark — 3000 miles away 
from Stem and his sinpinp Society 1 

Well, then, at this Society's peiformance of the 
" Creation," the other eveninp, chonis sinpinp waa 
heard in a deprec of perfection, of which few of my 
country readers can form any adequate idea. But 
perfect as it was, deliphtful as it was, both to the 
sinpers and the hearers, almost if not quite an equal 
excellence mipht he attained at home, by persevering 
effort ; and the course to be persued to attain it, as 
indicated above, is the result of many years of ob- 
servation and reflection upon this very topic. Can 
anybody suppest a better ? If so, please write imme- 
diatelv to the Journal of Music about it. Let us 
have discussion. Let us have the opinions of others. 
Let us know what people think. 

Friends, you who have never pone beyond the 

Fast day or the Thanksgivinp anthem in vocal mu»ic, 

you have no idea of the fcelinps which come rushing 

up from your heart of hearts, as you take part in the 

miphty flood of tones in the " Hallelujah,'' or the 

" For unto ua a child is bom," " Lift up your heads," 

and so forth in Handel's " Messiah." After walking 

three miles and a half to and from the Haidel and 

Haydn Society, once a week in rain and snow, mud 

and water, facing the cold winter winds for three 

months topether — when all was ready, and the 

public performance came, that one evening's sensa- 
tion more than made up for all the toil and study 
and labor which it had previously cost. 

A. W. T. 



"For Dwight*8 Jonrnal of Husic. 

Israel in Egypt 

Mr. Editor. — "Was Handel the most sublime of all 
writers of music for the voice, or has the world been 
mistaken for these past hundred and fifty years 1 
One mipht suppose from the tone of criticism in the 
Boston newspapers upon Israel in Epypt that his fame 
was all a mistake. Even the Courier, whose musical 
notices wo pencrally read with preat pleasure, thinks 
that " any complete work of Hnndel is too srsere an 
infliction for an audience at the present day." That 
due allowance should be made for a difference of 
musical feeling in individuals I am well aware. No 
reasonable person can expect his raptures over any 
particular form of music to be shared by all his musi- 
cal friends. We are differently constituted in this 
respect. The sense of melody is predominant and 
almost exclusive with some. In others the sense of 
harmony is most developed. The rhythmical faculty 
in a cultivated musical nature is led captive by the 
form of fupuo when used by a master. But there 
are great works in every form (classic, if you please) 
which stand out boldly from the mass of ordinary 
composition and vindicate tliemselves to every musi- 
cal nature. To this class, it appears to me, belonp 
the oratorios of Hnndel, and prccrainenty his " Israel 
in Epypt." How one can listen unmoved to such 
sublime description seems to me as strange as an in. 
sensibility to the works of Michael Angclo. But the 
full force of either cannot be felt at once. To the 
casual glance a modem landscape, plitterinp in sun- 
light, and all the cheap effects of gaudy color, may 
be more attractive than a Salvator Bosa. Smooth 
and burnished water may please the eye more than 
the resistless roll of the ocean. Do we not find in 
the latter a type of the mnjestic fugues of Handel. 
His miphty genius is more fully recognized in the 
world at the present time than ever since his works 
appeared. Their popularity in Enpland goes on in- 
creasing every year. Hardly a week passes without 
one or more of his oratorios being performed in Lon- 
don, while in the preat cities of the north of England 
they have formed a taate which has made the chorus 
singing of Birmingham world renowned. In Ger- 
many as well as Enpland Handel is fully recognized 
as one of the very few preat masters. Even now all 
musical Enpland and Germany are astir with prepa- 
rations for festivals in his honor. Shall we in Boston 
pretend lo put him aside as our newspaper critics 
recommend ? Have our Handel and Uaydn Society 
labored in vain for forty years ? X. 



How MeTERBEBR GUAItDS HI8 NeW OpERAS. — 

" Dinorah " is the name of a new comic opera, by 
the illustrious Meyerbeer, shortly to be produced at 
the Opera Comiqu'e. The Parisians, who are incor- 
ripible lauphers at everjthinp, do not hesitate to turn 
into ridicule the weak JMints of the gn;at composer. 
They say : 

During the rehearsals of the "Prophet," Meyer- 
beer had double doors put to the rooms in which' the 
artists studied their parts, and only gave them these 
parts by piecemeal — a scrap at a time. The windows 
and shutters were kept rigorously shut. The watch- 
man on duty had his ears stopped with cotton. The 
director of the theatre himself did not know a note of 
the score. During six months' preparation, the artists 
were not permitted to po out, except accompanied by 
sworn guardians ; and, finally, before piving the artists 
their parts entire, they were assembled on the stnpe, 
at dead of night, and surrounded by red fires, required 
to take an oath, their hands praspinp the blade of 
a tin dagger, not to reveal what they were study- 
ing. 

In the strong room of the Opera Comiqne, there is, 
they say, an iron chest of formidable dimensions. 
This chest has a double lock, with two tremendous 
keys. One of these keys is carried bv Meyerbeer ; 
the other by Roqueplan. director of the Opera. In 
the chest lie's the score of "Dinorah," reposing upon 
a crimson velvet cushion with*pold fringe. Eight 
guards, armed to the teeth, relieving each other at 
intervals, keep watch day and night before the chest, 
with orders to fire upon anybody who refuse to keep 
his distance after being commanded so to do. At 



noon, the company of the theatre is assembled and 
solemnly marched' past the sacred chest, each parti- 
cipant prostrating himself before the relic, as prac- 
ticed in China before the bend of the Celestial Em- 
pire. After this ceremony, there remnin in the spnrt- 
ment only three persons ; Meyerbeer, the manmrer, 
and the sentinel wl-o dies but surrenders not. This 
veteran is onlered to po into a comer of the room, 
with h\* face to the wnll, so thst he mny not witness 
what is to occur. All the preliminsries lieing satis- 
fuctorilv settled, Meverl>eer turns his kev, the mana- 
ger turns his, the pondrous door of the chest opens, 
and the two extracts sn^h portions of the manuscript 
as mny be required. Meyerbeer then gives Boaue- 
plnn a formal receipt : Boqucpbrn pives Meyerbeer 
another ; then the chest is carefully clo«cd, the sen- 
try resumes his post, and the two chiefs carry away 
the paecious bits of mu^ic. which are taught upnde- 
down to the artists, in order eo prevent any possibil- 
ity of thefl or plagiarism. 



Jl\)ig|fs lonrnal of Snsif. 

BOSTON. FKB. 19. 1859. 

Mnsio nf trtr NrMBiR. — Thin week w« ydvA the last fbur of 
thelbrtv pAfpes of ^rubrrt's beantiful and brlUtnnt Cantata: 
" llI1rUiii> Song of Triamph," for Soprano Solo and Choras, 
with pKnofnrte acrompanlinent. as orffrtnallv written. Tt will 
be thrnd a capital piece fbr a nhort oratorio rerforroance, or 
for practice in choral sorietl* and clvbi; and it will have an in- 
tercf t ju«t now an bei*^g another and more modem treatment, 
by a man of genius, of one of the same grand themes Ulns- 
trated In Handera '' Israel In Egypt." 

We wi!<h here to add that we are indebted Ibr the translation 
of the German worda to Hrxrt WAae. Esq., — a foct which wa 
fbrgot to acknowledge, as we should Iiave done, under the title 
of the piece. 



Concerts. 

Mendelssohn Quintette Club. The follow- 
ing was the Programme, as announced, for the fifth 
Chamber Concert, which took place at Mercantile 
Hall, on Friday evening of last week. 

1 Quartet in D. No. 10 : Mosirt. 

2. Piano Trio. In Bflat. Medicated to Mendelnohn: Beiivig 
MeMm. Danm. {^ohaltae and Friaa. 

8. Adagio and Finale from the Qnartet in F. No. 48 : Haydn. 

4. Seleetiona for Piano; Song without word*, in A flat. No. 
6. Book TTI : Mendelssohn. Impromptu, in A flat, op. 29 ; 
Chopin : Mr. Daum. 

6. Quintet In E flat, op. 20 : Beethoven. (Arranged tttm 
the Septet by the author.) 

An accident (the injury of his arm by a fsdl) de- 
prived us of the performance of the new pianist, Mr. 
'Hermann Daum. But relishable substitutes were 
furnished at short notice. Instead of the Trio, the 
Club repeated a couple of movements from that 
" Rasounowsky " Quartet of Beethoven (No. 1, in 
F.) which gave such delight in the preceding concert, 
and which we always count clear gain. For the 
smaller piano pieces we were compensated by the 
fine voice of Mrs. Harwood, who sang to great ac- 
ceptance Handel's " Angels ever bright and fair," 
and Sig. Bendelari's Am jl/ana, (the composer ac- 
companying at the piano), which proved remarkably 
well suited to the voice, and to her voice. 

The Quartet by Mozart is one of the most inter- 
esting of the set, and was well played. A b'ttle of 
Haydn, too, seldom comes amiss. Beethoven's Sep- 
tuor, in the original shape, with wind instalments, &c., 
would really be an attraction ; but arranged as Quin- 
tet for strings alone, beautiful and graceful as it is, it 
had liegun to be, we fancy, a little overfumiliar and 
unstimulating to the musical sense of most habitues 
of chamber concerts. Parts of it, however, gave 
great pleasure. Why can we not hear more of the 
later works of Beethoven ; a large part of the best of 
him is still unknown to our audiences. 

Orchestral Union. The Music Hall presented 
a gay scene at the second Wednesday Afternoon 
Concert. The attendance was numerous, and we 
saw unmistakable delight in many faces throughout 
the exquisite movements of the well-known E flat 



^■1 



374 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Symphony of Mozart, and the fre^h, stirring frecn- 
wood melodies of Weber*B sparklinp: Ovortnre to 
Prtciota ; while tho«e, who found their own conTer- 
sation more intcreiting than the Symphony, took 
freqacntly their turn to listen during the lighter 
items of the Programme. 



Israel in Egypt- 

Tliif FuMime Oratorio of Handel was broa<rht out 
on Sunday evening, by the Hawdel aitd Hatdk 
SociETT, l)cfbre a lavfso audience, but not Inr^ 
enough to save the Society from loss. Tlie chorus 
was powerfb), although the seats were not full. 
Unfortunately there are always some in rach a So- 
ciety who do not take genially to the ]al)or{ous 
study of so great a work, and who will not try to ap- 
preciate it; these drop away from the rehearsals, and 
of course ]o«e the power and the right to participate 
when it comes to a public performance. 

On the whole, the great mountain chains of cho- 
ruses came out more clearly and appreciably thsn we 
had dared to hope. Some parts were roughly trea- 
ted ; now and then one of the four parts timidly 
failed to come in at all in a fugtie passage, leaving it 
to orchestra and organ to sketch out the figure ; and 
there was a failure always to realize anything like a 
pianissmOf where such was needed for the sake of 
contrast. But most of the grand pieces moved su- 
perbly, and were intensely enjoyed by many, if not 
by all. The solos -^ whose very quaintness of an 
old style pivcs them a charm of freshness after the 
harknied sontimontnl sameness of the current opera 
melodies and cavatinns, although it is fashionable, — 
perhaps natural, to call them "ungracious," "arti- 
ficiiil," " antiquate(\," &c., were on the whole remar- 
kably well sung ; especially those by Mrs. Hakwood 
and by Mr.^AnAMS. The duet lietween Mrs. Lowo 
and Mrs. IIarwood, was a very successful achieve- 
ment; and that for two basses: "The Lord is a 
man of war." by Messrs. Powers and Wetiibrdee, 
even stirred up those who called the Oratorio dull. 
The orchestral parts, and Mendelssohn's Organ ac- 
companiments, played by Mr. Parker, lent efficient 
support ; and surely nothing was. or has been want- 
ing, on the part of the zealous and laborious condnc> 
tor, Carl Zerrahn. Yet many persons found the 
Oratorio " monotonous," " heavy," " too learned " 
for their comprehension, &c., &c., — as if the "Mes- 
siah " were not quite as learned. And so what witb 
the f<ear 'of lofiing money, and distrust of the public, 
fully confirmed by the newspaper critics, the Society 
seem quite indisposed to let us hear the " Israel in 
Egypt" times enough to learn to appreciate it and to 
have a right (critics and all) to offer opinions, or 
anything more than diffident impressions, aliont it. 

We need not here repeat our own deep feeling of 
the interest and greotness of this work, which we 
have already explained and justified in full. For the 
present we refrain from all criticism or argument 
(simply referring those who care to take the pains to 
find out what there is worth attention in a work es- 
teemed by all intelligent musicians as one of the 
half-dozen greatest works the art of music has pro- 
duced, to Mr. Macfarren's excellent analysis), and 
ask our readers to content themselves to-day with the 
perusal of the following delectable "criticisms" from 
some of our Boston newspapers. They will at least 
serve to show the great advance which we have 
made, just here and now, upon the artistic taste and 
judgment which has hitherto made the opinion of the 
world. And that their brilliancy may shine out the 
more boldly, we add to them by way of foil the opin- 
ions of certain "old fogies" who wero once sup- 
posed to know something, and to love beauty, na- 
ture, truth, even moro then they loved learning. 
(From the Botton Courier.) 

HandeVs oratorio, " Israel in Egvpt,'*" was on Sun- 
day evening sung by the society. The work belongs 
to a clfM which, olKhoagh vaioable to the musiou 



stndent, is on the whole unsuitable for public pcr- 
fonnance. Pctnched fragments, illustniting the mus- 
ical manner" of the times in which such works were 
written, might be heard with ndvantnge, and often 
with interest ; but the undivided performance of even 
the l)cst of Hnndel's orntorios i?* an infliction too severe 
for an audience of modem tastes to endure. As 
"I<mcl in Ecypt" is not the best of Handel's oratorio*, 
it foMows that it must incvitiil>ly fall with fativuing 
weight upon the ears of listeners, however anxious 
they may be to enioy. The music docs not fnlfil the 
musical want of the public. Generally considered, it 
has neithersentiment, cracc, nor vitality. Of course, 
thero aro certain noble exceptions among Tlandcl's 
works, such as a few sirs in " Snm*on" and " The 
Mejestah," and some choruses in "Solomon," &c. ; 
hut it unfortunately happens that " Israel in Egypt" 
is unusually defieient in tho«e qualities which chnrm 
or roii«e the mnltiiude. It contnins no memorable 
airs, the fi'w that relieve the pondrou* masses of 
*chom«es beine sll in the meaninpless style of ronch 
ronlnde which comTM>«ers in Hnndel's time uniformly 
followed — and the clioni«e« themselves are simply an 
uninterrupted succession of fujrues of the strictest, and 
consequentW the least attractive, character. The 
crrestness of FTnndel's choruses, in their wav, is not to 
lie disputed, but is a (rrcatness like that of the Pyra- 
mid*, which impress us by their colossal magnitude, 
but leave no memories of grace and Ix'auty upon the 
mind. And so, of the fugues of whiHi these choruses 
aro mainly composed, it mny he said that they resem- 
ble the inrri'*a*e passages which penetrate the Pyramids, 
amoni; which the nnskil'ed traveller wearily wanders, 
vainly stmejrline for lijurht, and stumblinir distracted- 
ly through each new OT>ening that presents itself, in 
endless and aeonized eorfusion. For mn«icians, these 
fucnl studies have a distinct value ; but for the masses 
thev are simply wearisome and unprofitable. It is 
diffienlt to find among the va«t number of choruses of 
" Israel in Egypt " more than two or three calmlste*! 
to produce «ny sort of ponular emo'ion ; and these 
owe their effect to the abandonment of the ftiirne. and 
introduction of a stylo of harmony in advance of Han- 
del's ape. Some of the choruses are composed ac- 
cording to the barborons Phrvcrian and Dorian modes 
of the Grefforinn system, and of course affect the ear 
unpleasantly, althonjrh the reason why is pcnerally 
unknown. Wo aro T>ersunded that the performance 
of such works as " Israel in Epypt," entire, adds 
nothing to the development of artistic feelincr in the 
community, and that the labor and expense bcstowe<1 
upon their proparation is a w^isto of means, which 
ouffht to be lamented rather than encoiimccd. The 
public really caro nothinc for them, and refuse to sus- 
stain the enterprise which produces them. Now, 
min'ht not that enterprise be better and mora success- 
fully applied 1 

(From a fhcet'ous gnunbler in the Tiaoseript.) 

Israel ik Eotpt. What could possibly induce 
the Handel and Haydn Society to turn lx>dy catchers 
and snatch this decently interred thinp from its well 
secured repose 1 Has a recent perusal of Chamtwl- 
lion.Bunsen or Lep«ins kindled an antiquarian spirit, 
and on this srore they dcsiro to give their own nofn 
to the public 1 Whynot let these poor old Egyptians 
and Israelites re««t quiet in their sar(*opbagi. instead 
of exhuming their musty remains and foroing us to 
hark from their tombs a doleful cry of their plagnes 
and sorrows 1 Why force them all to become wand- 
ering Jews, to be marcbedfottt and handled in such a 
a way 1 The whole tribe is called on to the stage, 
and their troubles reheartedm bate words, the tetfor of 
whieh is inci^eased to treble force in months unpi-ac- 
ttred in the lucnbrions tones of the defunct Hebrews. 
The miserable Efryptians grope about in the midst of 
files, lice, hailstones and darkness, and we hear of the 
first born, until we are inclined to smite the parents 
themselves to teach them not to whine in such dreary 
tones. We certainly sympathize in one thing, for wo 
are "clad when the' Israelites had departed." They 
go through the deep and the wilderness ; and a deep 
wilderness it is, a howling wilderness, into which the 
poor people get. for the travellers run about every way 
but the right one. 

Among the most particularly oppressive infiuences 
is that produced by the unfortiinate victims who are 
thrust forward singly to bewail their fate. One youth- 
ful Jewess arises, and in a dreary strain as soffgv as 
their own swamps, tells of certaiii frogs which had the 
impertinence to thrust their hig noses into the king's 
bedchamber. Now a hop with such a Jewess must 
have been no small gratification to even an Egyptian 
gallant ; but at such a prolonged croak as those frogs 
emit, even a negro's "har** would stand on end, and 
we long for a brisk ttave wherewith to beat time over 
their stupid heads. 

Two Israelitish matrons tally forth and insist that 
th« " Lord is their strength/' oDd a gamUons pair 



they are. for neither will let the other make the asser- 
tion without instant interruption ; and judping from 
the amount of breath expended on the snmc remark, 
the Lonl must certainly have endowed them tvith 
sircnpth of luufis, at leu<t. Whether tlieir endurance 
would outlive that of their hearers wc cannot say. 

Then two stalwart fellows arise to endeavor to prove 
that the "I^iril is a manof-war." Wc can't say what 
the Hebrew idea of identity was. Wc have heard it 
proved that Jercniinh King was a Mango : — thus — 
Jerry Kinp. Jerkin, (iherkin. Pickled Cucumlicr, 
Mango ! — ^luit how the Hebrews could make a man-of 
tvar resemble Deity is a question Cahcn must settle. 
Nevertheless these two Israelites imagine something, 
for they ntu up and thwn in the mo^^t stupid manner, 
as thou«rh they were in a white eqiiall. Cut whatever 
the weathrr Ite, it is Insyond their fiowf-rst to induce peo- 
ple to see any likeness to the great spirit of beauty in 
such a wont outoldhnlk as they have left tlieir shrxntds 
to halloo in. 

A little nabhi starts up to state that the "enemy 
said he would pursue." Now the enemy must have 
found it tmcommon difficult and not particularly 
amusing, to pursue anything that mn in such a Mt^e, 
as a method of detiverif. If any of Adam*s race tries 
to cross such bars and leap such sftaren. without ac- 
cidental niidet^ at no very /on<j interraU neither, he must 
bo double Kharp and vcry^at footed, if ever he expects 
to resit after it. 

When this little Kabbi disappears on the run, there 
comes forth a lovely Jewess, who rffirms that tl o 
" I^ird did blow with the wind," and a prrttj/ lontf 
blow it was, and a strong one. too. What else but 
the wind the I^rd couhl blow with, she could not 
suggest ; but it is blow up and blow down, and blow 
over and blow on. till the blow becomes so heavy that 
the hearers are themselves inclined to biow out.' It is 
certainly a hrad mhtd, directly in the lady's teeth, and 
may lie a trade, for it crotten more than one /iW, nnd 
then rroAtu-9 the audience. If it should blow on such 
a scn/e often, it wou'd tend, in a mrasure, to make 
people quaver at its crochity turns, and s/take at the 
sound. 

One grand announcement made by the whole tri1»e 
is that "the ponplc shall hear, and l)C afraid." Here 
is a certain fact ! For those who hear these lugubri- 
ous sorrows of fiy-bitten Egyptians and itinerant 
Israelites will surely he mortally afraid to hear ihem 
repeated. Let them rest in peace I Only think of 
reviving those respectable old people to be reminded 
of their extensive use of fine-toothed combs, and the 
digs they gave their cutaneous troubles thousands of 
years ago ! Think of exploringr the post-plioeene de- 
posits of Efrypt, to unearth the buried hatrarhinns 
which disported themselves among the defunct kinfi'i 
gaiters snd immentionables ! Let the ancient worthies 
rest undisturbi'd in their pitch I Seek not to inoculate 
the life of 1859 with the blotches and blains which 
bother the whole medical faculty of.Egypt. who wrote 
s/y/isA prescriptions without pen or pn|ier. J^t ui 
re-inter the exhumed antinuities. Let us occupy our 
qtifres with words of thanksgiving for their departed 
worth I s. 

(Tmm the Atlss and Bee.) 
The Handel and Haydn Society commenced their 
43d season. Inst evening, at the Music Hall, by Hv- 
ing entire Handel's oratorio " Israel in Egypt."' The 
hall was fiiirly filled, but the receipts could not have 
been sufficient to meet the expences. This oratorio 
consists almost entirely of chonisea ; the solos, a few 
in number, ore of an indiflfbrent, unattractive charac- 
ter. Several of the choruses are extremely grand and 
majestic ; for instance, Nos. 7, 18 and 39 in the print- 
ed programme. These will be attractive at all times, 
but we doubt very much if the oratorio will be con- 
sidered of sufficient interest to be again performed. 
It has been shelved long since by the sacred musical 
societies of Europe, and now only a chorus or two is 
ever introduced into the oratorio performances. The 
Handel and Haydn Society probably intended to fol- 
low the examples of the English societies. 

(Prom the Boston Jooras).) 

We must confess that the early hearers of this work 
formed a correct opinion of its merits, nor do wo 
wonder that they were so readilv cloyed with its mo- 
notonous series of choruses. The bare idea of twenty- 
efaht choruses in thirty-nine numbers — eleren of which 
follow in retrular sequence, with no pause for a solo, 
and these of such a character that the voices are con- 
stantly upon a strain — ^is enough to cause ennui ; we 
think that will be admitted. 

The only approach to a solo, that had distinctive 
outlines, was the dtiet (excuse the Hibernicisml be- 
tween M( ssTS. Wotheibce and Powers, entitle d, " The 
Ijord is a man of war," and as it came about midway 
in the programme, the audience received it with unc- 
tion, as a herald of something more brilliant— or at 
least less monotonous— to follow. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1859. 



375 



Tho Society wore wise in nnnonncint; l»iit one por- 
form-incc of tnis work. Where an nmlience with pn- 
ticnco to MC throiish ro much hlatnnt vocnt nm>«ic, or 
InnfT^ for the pcrformnnco of it can be obtained, we 
ore ijnioraiit. 



(From Mrndrlssoiin's Prcfnco to the Score of 
" lArael in K^ypt," as edited by him for the Uandel 
Society in [>ondon.) 

" The Council of tho ITandcl Society having done 
me the honor to request me to edit " Israel in Kpypt," 
an Oratorio which I have aluxtifs viewed as one of the 
greatest and most lasting musical irorks^ I think it my 
firat dnty, to Iny Itcfore the Society tho Score as 
Ilandel wrote it, without introdncin); the least altera- 
tion, and without mixinj; up any remarks or notes of 
my own with tho^se of Handel. In the next place, 
as there is no doubt that he himself introduced many 
things at the performance of his works which were 
not accurately written down, and which even now, 
when his music is performed, are supplied by a rort 
of tradition, according to the fancy of the Conductor 
and the Organist, it becomes my second duty to offer 
an opinion in all such cases ; but I think it of para- 
mount importance that all my remarks should be 
kept strictly separate from the Original Score, and 
that the latter should be given in it) entire purity, in 
order to afford to every one an opportunity of re- 
sorting to Handel himself, and not to obtrude any 
suggestions of mine upon those who may differ from 
me in opinion. 

" The whole of the Score (excepting my Organ 
Part and Pianoforte Arrangemeut, which are dis- 
tinguished by being printed in small notes) is there- 
fore printed according to Handel's manuscript in the 
Queen's Library. I havo neither allowed myself to 
deviate from his authority in describing the move- 
ments in the Score, nor in marking Pianos and 
Forte8,;nor in the figuring of the Bass. 

"... .With these exceptions there is no deviation 
whatever in tho Score from Handers manuscript, 
which I found to be more correct and accurate than 
the printed editions, in spite of the great haste with 
which Handel used to write down his works. 

" As for the Organ part, I have written it down in 
the manner in which I would play it, were I called 
npon to do so at a performance of this Oratorio. 
These works ought of course never to be performed 
without an Organ, as they are done in Germany, 
where additional wind instruments are introduced to 
make up for the defect. In England the Organist 
plays usually ad libitun from the Score, as it seems 
to hsve been the custom in HandeFs time, whether 
he played himself, or merely conducted and had an 
Organist under his control. Now as the task of 
placing the chords in the fittest manner to bring out 
all the points to the greatest advantage, in fact of in- 
troducing, as it were, a new part to compositions 
like Handel's, is of extreme difficulty, I have thought 
it useful to write down an Organ part expressly for 
those who might not prefer to play one of their 
own. ♦ • ♦ # Tho descriptions of movements, 
metronomes, pianos and fortes, Ac., which I would 
introduce had I to conduct the Oratorio, are to be 
found in the Piano-fbrte Arrangemetit. Whoever 
wishes to adopt them, can easily insert them in the 
Original Score, and he who prefers any other is not 
misled so as to take my directions for those which 
Handel wrote himself. 

Felix Meitdblssohx Bartholdt. 

London, Jidy 4, 1844. 

Mozart'b Opikion of Hakdel. 

Mozart regarded Handel as the highest among all 
composers. He was as intimate with the chief com- 
positions of this master, so unsurpassed in his partic- 
ular field, as if he had long been the director of the 
London Academy for the preservation of ancient 
mu^ic. 

When the Abb^ Stadler, after Moxart's death ar- 
ranged his musical manuscripts, he found many proofs 
of his const mt study of Handel's works. 



Mozart said, " Handel knows best what produces 
effect. Where ho wants it, ho strikes like a thunder- 
bolt." 

Mozart's predilection went so far, that ho composed 
a great deal in Handel's manner ; of which, however, 
little has ever been printed. According to Stadler, 
he used nlso subjects from Handel's works in his fam- 
ous Requiem : thus the theme to the Requiem and to 
the Kyrie are taken from him. 

Ue went farther than most of our present amateurs , 
he valued and cherished not only Handel's ChoruseH, 
but many of his Airs and Solos. He says, "Although 
Handel sometimes suffers himself in them to go on in 
the manner of his times, yet they are never without 
menning." 

Kvcn in the Opera of Don Giovanni, Mozart wrote 
an air in Hnndcl's manner, marking it thus in the 
score : this air, however, is always omitted in the per- 
formance. 

Handel's greatest cotemporary, John Sebastian 
Bnch, said of him, "He is the only one, whom I should 
like to see before mv death, ant^ whom I should like 
to lie, if I was not Bach 1" When this was told to 
the greatest composer after him, Mozart, he ex- 
claimed, "Truly, I would say the same, if I could 
have a voice where they are heard.^' 



t> 



(From Sehoelehw's '' life of HftBd*!.*') 

This oratorio is now sung constantly and every- 
where. It is included in Mr. Hullah's rep^oire at 
St. Martin's Hall ; and each time that I ha\-o atten- 
ded its |)orformance there, the one shi'ling pit was 
filled with a compact crowd of persons, among whom 
I have noticed many who were following the score 
with smnll octavo editions. The popularity of such 
a tran«cendant work is an incontrovertible' proof of 
the high point to which musical education has ar- 
rived in Eneland. * # # * 

The lyrical Beethoven cnlled him " the monareh 
of the musical kingdom. He was the gn atest com 
poser that over lived," said he to Mr. Moscholes. 
" I would uncover my head, and kneel before his 
tomb." Beethoven was on the point of denth, when 
one of his friends sent him, as a present, forty vol- 
umes by Handel. 

Ho orden d that they sbonM be brought into his 
chamlier, gazed upon them with a reanimated eve, 
and then pointing to them with his fineer, he pro- 
nounced thcBO words, " There is tho truth." 



Musra IF PvoiPicr. — Wo n««d not mnlnd oar rwMlon of 
th«GompUm«ntu7 Concort to Mr. Tantsu, at (ho Music Hall, 
to-nlirht. There is crnry sssunuMO of a Ml hall, and an ad 
mirable concert. For partlculsrs of programme, ftc, icesd- 

vertininf columns Another Amairooir Cokobst next 

Wedncsdaj MsirnBLssoBH Qnornrrs Club sffftin next 

Friday evening, Hr. AoAifii, tenor, and Mr. Laho, pianist, as- 
Mating ; a Quartet by Schubert. Quintet by Beethoven, Oap- 
rlcclo by Bennett, Soogs by Frans, Itc.,— 'best programme of 
the season. 

ZsaaAHV will have a fine concert fbrbia third (Feb. 28), when 
be will give an the grand old C minor Symphony, the overtures 
to ThnfiAoio^and "Selgeof Corinth." a Polonaise from Meyer- 
beer^s StrvenM* ; rinffing by Mrs. Loso, and a Hoaart Plano- 
ft>rte Concerto, by Mr. Laho. ISarrahn has the Choml Sym- 
phony In preparation ! . . . . Report speaks highly of the rs- 
bearsals, nnder the diractlon of Mr. J. R. Mnxia, of the can- 
tata: *'The Ilaymaken." by 0. F. Root. He has a finely 
trained chorua, and a strong force of Mloists. See Card. 

ftnsiral Corrtsponkntr. 

WoRCESTBR, Feb. 14. — Seldom, if ever, has there 
been in our city such a dearth of music — good or 
otherwise, as wo have experienced this season. A few 
artists have visited us, but tlieir reception was not 
brilliant enoup;h to attract others. From "native 
talent," of which we used to talk much during the 
" hard times ** — musically and financially — of last 
winter, we hear little. The Mozart Society has given 
three of a series of four concerts ; the first two with 
superior programmes and small audiences ; and the 
last with an inferior programme, and an audience 
proportionably large. 

Some notice has already appeared in your columns 
of the successful establishment in this city of an Acad- 
emy of Fine Arts. Within several months, its prin- 
cipals. Misses RonTNSOv and Gardner, have added 
a new department— tho French Institute, where the 
branches usually pursued in academies are taught in 
the English and French languages by native teachers 
of the highest ability. The first public examination 



took place on the 1st inst., and the large audience 
scmbled must have been convinced of the sterling 
worth of the school as tlioy listened to the intelligent 
and prompt recitations of tlie pupils. The remarka- 
bly pure pronunciation of the junior classes in French 

— classes of children between five and twelve yean 

of age, was a matter of general surprise. The school 

made a novel appearance — " more European than 

American," as more than one spectator remarked. 
The young " French Cadets " appeared in their neat 
uniform with tri-i*olor decorations, and the misses wore 
silken sashes of the French national colors. Vocal 
music, under the direction of the teacher, Mr. A. 
bTOCKiNo, added grace to the occasion; and the 
happy pupils, their Tiappier friends, in the midst of 
scenes made bcuutiful by Art — such scenes as Kuskin 
tells us all school-rooms should present, furnished a 
picture worth seeing, and, by your leave, worth record- 
mg. On the evening of the succeeding day, the rooms 
of the combined institutions were opened, and the 
pupils welcomed their friends to the number of a thoa- 
saud or more, to tlie festivities of a social re-nnion. 

A. 

Hartford, Cow., Fxb. 6. — In my last letter I 
spoke of the " comming," as the large posters had it, 
of iho wonderful boy pianist, Arthur Napolkon, 
who was to have given a Concert here on the Thurs- 
day evening following ; but owing to the non-arrival 
of a " Chickering Grand," which was expected from 
Boston, the entei-tainmcnt was postponed until Satur- 
day evening, — but only to disappoint tho artist 
again, from the same cause, and obligo him to per- 
form upon a " Chiekering Square " after all ; for 
which casualty wo may well be thankful, as it gave 
us two opportunities to heur him play, instead of the 
" one only " which was advortised — it l>eing at once 
announced that the concert would be repeated on the 
next Tuesday evening, on which occ&^ion the tardy 
" Grand " would be used. But where is Arthur 
Napoleon ! — *' grand," " square," " upright "—we 
are onxious to see the wonderful prodigy, if not to 
hear him under the be-^t advantages. Shouldn't 
blame him if he didn't make his appearance at all 
before such a thin houKO 1 Ah ! there he comes, with 
a one-sided, nervous gait — pale, delicate countenance 
and slender form — long, dark hair carelessly pnslied 
behind his ears, and black, Spanish eyes, well con- 
trasted by the very paleness of his faco, — now put- 
ting one hand on the edge of the pin no, he Imwi 
briefly and takes his scat. But what nonsense to say 
that that mere boy, scarcely taller than the instrument 
at which he sits, *• equals' Thulb<*iig in all the force 
and delicacy of his playing, — don't believe it ! 
There ! he has commenced. — those religious tunes 
of " Luther's Choral," in a fantasia on the " Hugue- 
nots," composed hy himself. Who ever heaid a 
square piano sound like tliat before in a large hall — 
rich, firm, and distinct ? See 1 with what astonish- 
ing execution he is encireling that glorious old tune 
with a delightful halo of sound — piling up the 6M- 
cultie<( as he advances, like an orator with his theme, 

— and thin is juM where Arthur' Nai)oleon excclj* all 
other piMni-<ts I have ever heard, not excefiting CTara 
S'humann, i. e., he is an orator as well aa an clom- 
tionist, and it is in the combination of these two, and 
only two, important qualities that our great play era 
fail, as you may very well know. 

Onward he pushes, like the great Napoleon, con- 
quering difiifulty after difiiculty, as he takes up the 
different subjects from the opera, and finally closes 
with the bold, opening chom*^ Placer deUa mensa" 
which he works up in a most nhisterlv manner, bring- 
ing forth enthusiastic applause as he leaves the stage. 

I am almost tempted to bum this letter, because I 
feel as though I could not speak of this marvellous 
youth as he deserves. " Trovator " has written of 
him, and I can endorse all that he has said, and a 
great do I more. 

The next piece which he performed, was that diffi- 
cult Polonai:4e of Chopin's, opn*) 51, and which he 
da!«hed off from memory I Any one who has ever 
played it, mny vout h, I thirtk, for the octave difficul- 
ties in the left hand. It was splendidly delivered. 
Then come two most exqnisite worc^aux, bv Pauer, 
" La Cascade " and " La Chase." Who could have 
touched that instrument more delicately and con- 
veyed more expression than did that child of fifteen 1 

I need not go fuither than to add that the concert 
was a magnificent success ; for the feeling came over 
all at its close, that it was the finest pianoforte play- 
ing that bad ever been listened to in Hartford, witK- 
ont any exceptions ; and that must be the venlict 
wherever ho goes. Arthur Nnpolcon was assisted 
by Miss Anna Vaii., and Mile. Cecilia Flores. 
'The former is a fine singer, without saying much for 
the natural sweetness of her voice,— executing her 



376 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



cadenzas, trills, &c., with remarkable eapo and 
pjacc. Of the latter I niiiPt any, that the beauty of 
her face found more admirere than her Ringing; 
which is nothing strange, 1 am sure ! She is of 
Spanish descent, and a young lady of refinement and 
education. 

At the Second Concert, on a " Chickcring Grand," 
young Arthur pinyed, with telling effect, Thall>crg'8 
" Somnnmbula ; " a " Noctumo," by Chopin, Opus 
9 ; Konski's " Carnivnl de Berlin ; his own " Ca- 
price on the Huguenots ; " Thalberg's " Home, 
Sweet Home," and the " Praver from Afwes" The 
house wa« again thinly attended, — which, with a 
severe cold which he had, must hnve ranterially affec- 
ted his playing — as ho afterwards remarked. 

If people read " D wight's Journal," or even any 
other muMcal paper, regularly, thoy would be saved 
from making themselves quite ridiculous by asking 
such questions as — "Is Thalbcrg a sin/jer f '' or 
"Who is Arthur Napoleon ?" — Not knowing 
whether he be a " banjo plnycr," or a " dancer on the 
tight-rope," — and this will explain why the hall was 
not better filled on the two evenings* above named. 

Napoleon has given two concerts in New Haven, 
and is now on his wav South, where he will doubt- 
le<9 be greeted with all the wnrm-hcarted enthusiasm 
for which the Southerners arc proverbial. 

Aside from his Piano-forte precocity, Arthur Na- 
poleon is a remarkable youth — plnying chess quite 
as wonderfully as he does the piano. — reading and 
speaking with ease, the Spanish, French, German 
and English laniruagcs — di^cu^sing various onthors 
in the above dialects — and even writing novels for 
his own amusement, — modest withal, and gaining 
heaps of friends wherever he is, by his most agreeable 
affability and politeness. H. 



Cincinnati, Feb. 5. — Will von allow me to say 
a word by way of correction in reference to a state- 
ment I have seen once or twice in your paper — made 
by some correspondent, I believe, to the effect that a 
younsf lady we hold in high regard in this city, where 
she is well known, Mi«8 Henrietta Simon, of whose 
talents and promise yon speak in deservedly com- 
mendable terms, was a puyiil of Madnmo Lagrange. 
This is certainly a mistake. Miss Simon, who first 
began to appear in the world at this pinre, was not a 
a pupil of Madame Lagrange, and acquired what pro- 
ficiency she possesses quite independently of that dis- 
tineui<hcd lady. She is indebted for those excellent 
qualities yon very justly acknowledge her to possess, 
to altogether another source. 

You mu<t know that we hove out here in the We»r 
a M ister of Mu-ic of rai-e competency and uncom- 
monly fine attainment^. A very sup<^rior mnn in many 
regards ; and a teacher of music of the most accom- 
plished qnalifications. Himself a sineer, — let me sny, 
with a full comprehension of the weight of my words, 
^^qnal within the range of his fine baritone voice, to 
any singer now known on the stage — he knows ex- 
perimentally the chief requisites of a cultivated singer, 
and how to develope the natural capacities, and give 
them force, purity and activity. It is to this man, I 
wish to say, — to Corradi Colliers, whose musical 
abilities are only surpassed by the genuine excellence 
and modestv of his character — Miss Simon is indebted 
first and last, allowing for her fine natural qualities, 
for her present attainments, and her prosjiective prom- 
ise as a vocalist. It is easy to make this clear to any 
questioner, but as Miss Simon herself gratefully ac- 
knowlcdgetf the claims of her real teachers, this sim- 
ple counter-statement hy one who knows whereof he 
affirms, may l»e sufficient. 

I shall send you in a day or two, a sketch of the 

state of munic in this place, with some mention of two 

or three juvenile celebriti.»s — locally speaking — of 

whom vou and the world will vet hear something. For, 
having produced somo world -renowned pioforial artists, 
wii are nor to be behind, we are encouraged to think, in 
musical ones, as I will illutjttnite by and by. Mean- 



while we are to have here a grand opening of a grand 
new Opera Hou<e ; a really fine affair ; scarcely sec- 
ond to the New York Academy, and built by the same 
man, with many improvements on his previous per- 
formance. This elegant hall is to be opened with a civic 
festival on the 22d inst. The Operatic opening, with 
the Strakosch Troupe, is fixed for the 1 7th of March ; 
of the particulars of which event also, I will endeavor 
to take care that you are properly informed. For 
the preliminary festival, dance, or whatever it may 
turn out to be, there is nothing now to be said, but it 
is to be a dashing affair, overflowing with gaiety and 
mirth, music and feasting, the whole to be illuminated 
by some 1200 jets of gas, and enlivened by the wit 
and beauty of the Stiite. Of the Opera, we may hope 
there will be something to say, when it comes, of more 
consequence. Till then farewell. Lepobello. 

Chicago, III., Feb. 10. — We have formed a 
society here, on the plan of the Alaennerckdre, to prac- 
tice part songs with male voices 

The nucleus of our organization was composed of 
a few gentlemen who, having for some time been in 
the habit of meeting and singing at the rooms of our 
present conductor, had formed a strong relish for the 
kind of music which we have since determined svste- 
matically to cultivate. Opportunity seeming to favor, 
we took the first steps toward a permanent institution, 
and very soon found a sufficient number of gentle- 
men ready to take hold of the enterprise in earnest, 
and who became more interested with everv rehearsal. 
We found too, that although the absence of the ladies 
must take away somewhat from the ordinary attrac- 
tions of a sinjring circle, yet the sujrsrestions (not to 
say the reproof*) of our director could be made much 
more explicit and pointed, without danger of woand- 
inc sensitive feelings, which are said io abound where 
sopr.ino voices predominate. We find no practice 
better fitted to eive a perfect ensemMe, and a correct 
intonation than just these songs for male voices. Our 
officers for 1859 are: Pmtdent, Heurt Johnson; 
Sfcretory, J. 8. Cooks ; Treasurer, S. Wadsworth ; 
Conductor, A. "W. Dohn. 



Salbsc, N. C, Jan. 24. — Several months ago 
yon gave us the letter of a correspondent cf yours, 
in one of the South Western States — wherein he 
very amusinely, and, no doubt truthfully, portrayed 
the "musical" taste prevailing in that part of the 
country. That your friend's description is applicable 
to a large portion of the interior of the Southern 
States, my own experience and observation compel 
me to admit : but to show vou that we have occa- 
sional oases in these musical deserts of ours, I en- 
close you the programme of a concert given a few 
weeks asro by the " Musical Society " of this place. 
You will perceive that, with the exception of the first 
piece, the music is purely classical ; yet, notwith- 
standing its high character, it was well appreciated, 
and appeared to be heartily enjoyed by our audience. 
Orerinre, " Crown INunondi : Aubcr. 

Chorus from '• Paul," " Oh, grmi la the d«pth " : M«iufoU- 
Mhn. 

" Hark! Hark! the Lurk! " rour-part Song: Eaecken. 

Solo and Chonu from ** Lauda 81on," '* Siiif of Jadgment ** : 
HendelMohn. 

Parting Song, Male voieci : Mendelsaohn. 

*< Sun Choros," from the '* Seaanns " : Hardn. 

" WaldrSgleln,'* Foux^pari Song " : MendelMohn. 

*' I waited ibr the Lord," From '-Lobgeaang " : Mendelasohn. 

" Farewell! '* Male voices : Mendelasohn. 

Chorus from Man, in C, '' Kjrie " : Beethoven. 

Fimt daj of Spring, "Come balmy Breeaas," Foor-part 
Song: Mendehiaohn. 

Chorus, '* Oreat ia the Lord : '* Moiart. 

Our Society consists of abont 30 vocalists, and an 
orchestra of about 14 instruments. 

With one exception our members are Americans, 
and all but one or two are natives of the place. Our 
village has a population of 1200 or 1400. B. 



S|jttial Itotifts. 

DESCRIPTIYS LIST OP THK 

L T E S T IwdCTJSIO, 
PaMUkedi hj O* Ditaoa »l C«» 



Hcsic IT MAa.— Qoantitic* of Mnstc are now Pert by vail, 
tbr expense bcin^ only shout one rent apiece, while the rare 
and mpliiitv of transportation are remarlwhie. Thore at a 
KTeat distanrr will And the nnode of ronvevenre not only a rnn- 
renienre. bnt a mriMi; of etpenne in nhtniring Huppliee. Book* 
ran alfio be sent by mnil, at the rate of one rent per ourre. 
Thin applies to any dlct^inre un«ler three thouaand milea ; be- 
yond that, doable the above rates. 



Vooal, with Piano Aooompanlmont. 
The old Hearthstone. Song. L. Heath, 25 

A pleading, easy balUd on a snbjert whkh will 
never ihil to call np agree vble recollectlo-is. 

There's somebody waiting for me. C. W, Glover, 25 

A nice parlor song, with a eatchl''g melody, of that 
bright and eheerftil mood, which baa made the an- 
thor*8 <Uttle Oipaey J«na"the pet of all apiightly 
little alngera. 

My heart is sad without theo. E, Folk. 25 

A aong after the German thahioa, tonehlngly plain- 
tive. 

Lost, proscribed, a friendles** pilgrim. (Solo, pro- 
fugo, rejetto.) Duet fi-om Flotow's opera of 

" Martha.'* 23 

Thla ia the much admired, introdnrtory duet be- 
tween Lionel and Plunkett, In the 2d act. in the orixl- 
nal key. Arranged aa a aolo. In a lower key, and with 
a different Rnglinh version, *' Since the time of earlleat 
childhood,'' It haa been tormerly publlahed. 

The Itulcr's Daughter. Sacred Song. Mrs, Dana, 25 

This favorite song of the gifted poeteaa and compo- 
ser is laauad aeparate from the ** Sonthem Harp." 

The Power of Love. Cavatina for mezzo soprano 
from Balfe's opera of " SataneUa," 80 

Tills exqnlMte gem from the " latcat, beat and ma- 
tnrefit opera of Mr. Qalfe." an the T/ondon Timea haa 
It, " win command the admiration of even thane, who 
fhmi their flimili^rity with former happy effrata of the 
composer, are led to expect roneh from a work which 
haa been so extravagantly praiMd." 

Instrumental Xosie. 

Grand Juggernaut March in the Play of " The 

Cataract of the Ganges." T, Comer. 80 

Thi« march will be remembered by the many thou- 
aanda who wltneaard thla nnpreccdentedly awcea a 
ftal spectacle, aa a ehaiacterlstie and pompona pleee of 
martial mnaic. 

Selections from " Martha." Thomas ffyaa. 35 

Introducing the duet, " 9olo. profogo. r^tto "and 
two of the charming chorua alra. The anangemant 
ia within the reach of ordinary players. 

If I were a bird. Rondo. Bock, 25 

An eaay piece fbr flrat beginners, carefriny lingerad. 

Lea Hirondelles. Song by Felicien David. 

Transcribed and varied. Sfreich, 75 

A piece of great brljllancy, which during the last 
London concert i«a«on has created a fkirora and be- 
come an eatabliahed fkvortte. Tt is a compoaitlon Ibr 
amall aa well aa great playen. since its ahowaraoCnua 
and trilla are all within easy reach. 

Booka. 
Czekkt's Studies th Vklocitt. (30 Etudes 
de La Velocity. ) Preceded by nine new intro- 
ductory Exercises, and concluded hy a new 
Study on OctsT.^s, (composed expressly for this 
edition,) for the Pianoforte, with Notes. By J. 
A. H-imilton. New Edition. In Nos. 50 cts. 

Complete, 1 .25 

Theae atndiea are calculated to develop and equaltae 
the fingera, and to Insure the ntmoet brilliancy and 
rapidity of execution. In them the author (mora par- 
ticularly in the nine new ones) wonld be diacemable, 
even If his name were not alllxed to It; hia expreaaiva 
style, fullneaa of harmony, and peculiar akill in adap* 
ting mnrlc to the character of the Inatniment, are dis- 
tinctly marked In every page. 



r 




bight's 




0urttal 





uStr^ 



Whole Na 360. BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26,1859. Vol. XIV. Na 22. 



(From th« Boston Courier.) 

Ode on the death of Prescott* the Huttoriait 

"Ton know T iro At autnini] to my patrimonial acres In Fep- 
pef»II« which have been In oor fiunily ibr two handreA .rcarSf 
to *{t ander the old treen I mt under whana boy.''— {Wia. H. 
Ifilbum's inter^w with Piewott.] 

I. 

It WAS the Spring time mild, 

"When earth to henTen smiled 

With fjtcn IcaTes laved in light and violets bine ; 

The birds with fiongs most cweet. 

Spring dnjs with hast'ning feet. 

So joined their hymn in praises greatly dae ; 

It wais that crescent time of earth 

Wherein high hopes for sacred wox4c have birth. 

n. 

A child, with glance full bright. 

Played in the misty light 

On oM worn acres of th' ancestral dead ; 

The yonng heart of the bey 

Filled with an unknown joy 

As Natare shade and sonnd npon him shed ; 

It was her voice, inspired of God, 

That called him forth to ways of work before antred. 

Ill, 

Long years have fled away, 
It WAS the sammer gay. 

That filled the fie1d.<9 with golden fniit and grain ; 
The elms in sheltering mood 
Aronnd the old bon^e stood, 
O'er tlie flecked earth the slow son drew his train ; 
Still Natare nttered mystic speech 
Through shadowy grove and midday heat and murm'- 
ring beech. 

IV, 

A strong man listening there, 

Amid<it the noontide air, 

Still heard the Mother's voice with yearning heart; 

But the young eyes were dim, 

Veiled was the earth for him. 

And darkness taiis:ht him with her sombre art ; 

The trees their shadows casting down : 

So Nature offered her obedient child a crown. 

V. 

By her, the mother, taught. 
Had he, th* historian, wrought, 
'Till distant nations spoke His name with praise ; 
His was the storied page. 
His was the wisdom sage 

That showed how worth can walk in history's mase ; 
The light of the young sprin?, the voice 
That called him up to unsought ways of God's own 
choice. 

VI 

The ''sacred thirst" for gold. 
The Aztec temples old. 

In lands where Might assailed a nation's Right; 
Pizznro's cohorts strong. 
And Coitez's chartered wrong, 
All writ in history graced with justice bright ; 
The mined nations' anthem'd song. 
That raised to God bringf nearer Freedom's festive 
mora. 

VIL 

The secret ways of kings, 

Of life the hidden springs. 

Whence flowed the strength of Holland girt with seas ; 

The dark Escnrial balls. 



The Inquisition's walls. 

Wherein all hope the faithful prisoner flees ; 

So painting life, where'er he trod, 

That from the fearfnl picture gleamed the face of God. 

VIIL 

It was a winter day. 

On earth the strong snow lay. 

And the hoarse wind amongst the branches rang ; 

The low sun's slanting ray. 

The old house clad in gray, 

The sea, tossed with the breeze, its anthem sung ; 

No work is on the land to-day, 

The flowers lie longing for the advent of fair May. 

IX. 

Within a city room, 
Filled with no sad'ning gloom. 
Lies the wora laborer, Spring still in his heart 
His work has been well done : 
Winter to him has come, 
It brings clear light, so long from him apart ; 
Let the wind shig no song of night 
Midst the old trees that loved htm, song of fiideless 
light 1 

X. 

So the young eyes are clear, 

May-time for him is here, 

In the great year that God appoints for man ; 

So the world's eyes are clear. 

For that his home was here. 

Ere that he entered light no eye can scan : 

So the world holds her mystic way. 

Led by her great sons into light of endless day I 



The Diarist Abroad, Ha 16. 

Notes. 

I. I have rarely read an article with more pleas- 
ure than that of " Civis," copied from the Con- 
ner into Dwighfs Journal of Jan. 1. At last — 
at last — afler half a dozen years of protest 
agunst our Boston public's thinking it has ever 
heard and seen grand opera, one gentleman is 
found, who can speak with knowledge, experience 
and observation, and who fully confirms what I 
have BO long been attesting. The **Huguenots," 
as given here, would not be — could not be satis- 
factory — to one who became acquunted with it 
in Paris, and whose familiarity with the French 
language, with the French stage and French 
music, would naturally give him those feelings of 
preference for opera there, which I have for it in 
German here. Moreover, the principal parts 
are sung here by singers who (mostly) have 
passed the age of fresh voices and sympathetic 
singing. But the public is familiar with their ex- 
cellencies and their defects, — they should be, 
periods varying from 10 to 25 years of service 
can give familiarity — and they excuse the latter 
— they forget them, as we do the peculiarities inpro- 
nanciation of our daily companions. <^ Civis 
would therefore, on these grounds, be much dis- 
satisfied with the '^Huguenots " in Berlin. 

But there is another reason why he would be 
dissatisfied, if the history of the production of the 
opera here in 1842, as I have heard it, be correct. 
" Civis " says " Gli ugonotti" is not " Les Hu- 
guenots." And rightly. " 11 Franco Arciero " is 



not "Der Freyschiitz* — German or French 
opera translated into Italian is no longer the 
same, and demands to some extent a translation — 
so to speak — of the music Now Meyerbeer took 
the entire direction here when the opera was 
studied in 1842, and directed the first three per- 
formances. The text was translated into Ger- 
man, which is the composer^s mother tongue, and 
(as I have understood) he made such changes in 
the music — particularly in the recitatives, as 
fitted it to the new language of the text Such 
changes would grate harshly on the ear of** Civis," 
just as passages of the work as given at Paris, 
would grate upon mine, — he would have the 
French text in mind, I the German. We then 
stand upon the same ** platform " in so far as an 
imperfect representation of the work in an 
Italian dress goes, and hence the great delight 
with which I have read those columns of plain 
truth from his pen. The announcement of Ull- 
man that the Boston public should **8ee this 
work as well given as in any city in the world," 
is simply absurd and ridiculous to anybody, who 
has seen it even in a second-class house in 
Europe. Where is the orchestra to be obtained ? 
Where the chorus of 80, 100, or 125 voices, 
which has been practinng the music perhaps for 
months? Where the unity of performance 
among the leading singers, which a common lan- 
guage and years of singing together in all sorts of 
opera, alone can give? 

In one respect Meyerbeer is Hke Gluck — 
every note from the feeblest singer, from the 
most insignificant instrument, belongs to the 
general effect, as it is to be felt by the auditor in 
front, who is at the same time supposed to be look- 
ing at the scenery, sympathizing with the feel- 
ings of the actor, and a1nK)st taking part in the 
situation. Place the most exquisite bit of stage 
scene painting, which ever left the studio of Cro- 
pius, in a picture gallery, it would but be laughed 
at ; put it upon the stage, and when the curtain 
rises, two thousand spectators burst into loud ap- 
plause. You may say that certain mu^c by 
Meyerbeer has no value. True, if judged from 
the " standpoint" of classical concert music. But 
to say it is not effective and great music in its 
way, until it has been heard accompanied as the 
composer intended by certain scenic and stage 
effects, is to talk of what one knows nothing 
about Scenic muac must be ^ scenically " heard. 

n. I see Arthur Napoleon is coming to 
Boston. He was here and first played in con- 
cert (in Berlin) at Kroll's establishment, Jan. 
81,1855 — four years ago, where he was en- 
gaged for several nights. He was then not quite 
eleven years old. To give an idea of an evening 
at Kroll's, I copy the advertisement on that occa- 
sion. It will show how great a variety of amuse- 
ments — to say nothing of the beer drinking, the 
shooting with spring guns, the bagatelle boards 
(if that is the term), and other things which go on 
in the basement — is offered to the public there. 



378 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



KROLLV BSTABLI8HUBNT. 
WMoMdaj, Jan. a, 1866. In th« King*i HaU. Tint Cod- 
e«rt of Um PiMM'Ibrta tIHuom, Arthur N^KAcon. 



1. Orertnre to Oberon, Wvber. 

2. SonAt* by BetkboTen, p«rlbnn«d bj Arthur Napoleon. 
8. TharingUn popular song, sung hj H«rr PralUnger. 

4. Le FapUlon by Aaohor, and Sonnambulaby Prudent, par- 
formed by Arthur Napoleon. 
6. Sextet from ^* Laeia", iong by membeit of the Opera, 

(KroU'a.) 
6. fkntasia on motlTot from the opera " Moaai," by Thai- 

berg, perfomed by Arthur Napoleon. 
PMvloualy, *« Tho Ait of being BeloTed," a drama with 
■enge, In one aetr ftee^ tranalated from the French by Ferdi- 
nand GTumb^rt. To begin at 6 1-2 o'clock. 

At th« eloeOf grand concert In the Roman HaU. Prieee (In 
American money) 25, 87 1-2 and GO cents. 

On succeeding cyenings he played ^* A7idante 
Rondo Capricieuse" hjMeodeisaohn; Thalberg's 
*^ HuguenotSf** Fantasia; ^* Reverie and GouUes 
tTEauj" hy Ascher ; ^ Fantasia on motives from 
Oberxm," *' Polka-Mazurka," composed by him- 
self; SchulhoflTs " Camevat," " Sonata Pathetic 
ffue,** Beethoven, *♦ NoUiMmo,** Doehler, " Cra- 
comenne," by Wallace and the like. 

I did not hear him ; for very good reasons the 
many splendid concerts of that winter given by 
virtuosos, Vivier, Schulhoff, Arabella Goddard 
among them, were mostly lost to me. From the 
papers however, I fonned a very high opinion of 
the hoy. 

One said : '* After what we had heard of the 
success of this young virtuoso in Lisbon, London, 
Paris, &c., we had a right to expect great things 
of htm. And yet were we in the highest degree 
surprised, to see this gentle child in hizi fascina- 
ting ingenuousness, with his childlike, innocent, 
and again so strangely spiritual expression, ex- 
hibit his artistic powers. His mechanical execu- 
tion, however eminent in all directions, so far as 
his bodily strength admits, soon retired into the 
background before a something higher, which, 
alas, is so often wanting in adults, — the expres- 
sion of an artist-tone, which in one so young is ab- 
solutely toonderfid. Mow many virtuosos have 
we heard play the C sharp minor Sonata of Bee- 
thoven, and how few have known how to equal 
this child in playing the Adagio," and so on. 
Finally thin : ** In a word, nature has surpassed 
herself here, and we have only to wish that this 
blossom be not crushed beneath the deadly mo- 
notony of our nu>dem concert productions, but 
may be developed to a point equal to our great 
and just expectations." 

At that time It was said that the boy was poor, 
and that his object, or that of those who thought 
for htm, was to collect a capital which should 
enable him to devote several years to thorough 
musical study. 

In most cases these "wonder children" are 
never an3rthing more. Travelling and being the 
pets of thousands gets them into habits, such that, 
application to anything but their daily pianoforte 
practice becomes impossible. It is no longer pos- 
sible for them, so used to appearing before the 
multitude, and to the incense of applause, to with- 
draw into private life and work upon dry rules 
and theories. They pretend to study, — get a 
superficial knowledge of composition, and then 
write — write — write — as if the great aim of ex- 
istence now were to cover so many thousand sheets 
of paper within a given time. Rubinstein was to 
the full as great a wonder in childhood as the 
yo mg Napoleon is now ; but all his compositions 
sh • ; the superficial student Unless he learns 
J) experience slowly, what he might have learned 



quickly under a competent teacher, I fear his 
chance for immortality is small. There is no way 
to develope the genius of a Handel, Bach, Haydn, 
Mozart, Beethoven, or even of a Hummel, Men- 
delssohn, Meyerbeer, but by the thorough contra- 
puntal studies made by nil these masters. The 
most one can venture to say of childish or youth- 
ful genius, — in science or in art, is, there is that 
to which it is worth while to give opportunity for 
extraordinarily hard study. Ninety percentum of 
genius consists in unconunon aptness for study — 
the other ten per cent, only, is the imagined 
power of doing things without study. 

Mozart said Iiimself, that one great reason why 
he stood higher than most composes of his day, 
was because he had studied so much more than 
they. Just at the close of life he found some- 
thing that he did not know — namely, in Bach's 
vocal music, and immediately become a student 
again. 

Read musical history, and you will see that no 
one has left long-lived works who did not base 
them upon severe contrapuntal stadics under the 
famous Italian and German masters of the old 
school. Show music daizzlcs, but it gctsont of 
fashion. But tiie most brilliant music, if it has 
the right foundation, — mere dances and virtuoso 
pieces, such as Handel, Bach, Mozart, and so on 
wrote — such as Chopin and Mendelssohn have 
more rccenUy given us, have the elements of life 
in them. 

Rather a long note^ — but where to get time 
for an article f 



For Dwlght'i Journal of lluale. 

Fxunoois Adrian Boieldieit 

(Tranilated ft'om the Qerman.) 

This world-renowned musician, whoso " La Dame 
Blanche** and "Jean de Paris/* need only to bo 
mentioned, to remind us of all that is lovely, fine and 
charming in Art, was bom at Ronen, on the 15th of 
Dec, in 1775. His father was secretary in the cban- 
cerjr of the Archbishop, and he hnnself was erected 
chorister at the Metropolitan church, where he re- 
ceived the first instructions in mnsic ; then be wiis 
placed under the guidance of the organist, Broche, 
an intelligent but severe man, who treated him so 
badly that in despair ho fled from Rouen to Paris. 
It is also said, that, like Haydn for Porpora, he was 
compelled to perform for Broche tho lowest nets of 
servitude. The theatre however, which he was pas- 
sionately fond of, ofTeped him an indemnification for 
all his hardships ; all his small savings he applied to 
procuring as often as possible the enjoyment of ope- 
ratic representations; at times of pecuniary want 
he even resorted to trickery, stealthily entered the 
theatre at early day and concealed himself until tho 
beginning of the performances. It will appear, that 
his highest aim must have been to come himself 
before his townsmen with an opera ; and really there 
was found in Rouen a poet, who, like Boieldieu, was 
tortured by a thirst for publicity, and they jointly 
wrote an opera, the name of which the composer 
himself afterwards forgot, and which was received 
with applause. Nothing now could stay the youth- 
ful composer ; he must go to Paris, the place whore 
all French talents first became accredited. Travel- 
ling on foot he arrived at Paris with thirty francs; 
and his partiture in his pocket, but with many hopes 
in his breast and melodies in his head. 

In the meantime, he had to be content with a con- 
siderable shortcoming of his brilliant expectations ; 
he had not doubted that they would perform his 
opera at the Opera-comique ; notwithstanding the in- 
tercessions of the cantatrices, who found the young 
man to be " tr^ interessant," the direction had no 



idea of giving the work of an unknown mnsictan and 
poet. Until he succeeded in obtaining a text from 
one of the wore known libietttsts, he had to support 
himself by giving instructions and even hy Pinno- 
tnning ; j'ct he never lost coiinige, ond vijjoronsly 
strngj^lcd to advance. 'IHie house Erard, already at 
that time (1 704) ceIchnito<l for its pianos wus the 
rcndczvouK of all artiKts, and Boiddicu was aho in- 
tnxlaced there ; besides that tlie diffi of the house as- 
sisted him by counsel and deed with the greatest 
aminblenesiv, and sought by their inftucnce to aid 
him ; it was of ati essential value to him, to h<; able 
frequently to Ims with tlte >>est mwiciaus of the time, 
ami to drnw information from the productionH and re- 
marks of Gnrar, Kode, McUul, Clicruhiiii, &c. Hcrc- 
toforo htfl Ktudios had by no means Iieen of a deep 
and serions kind ; n tt^lpi'»l)lo execution on tho piano, 
and a kuowledgo of tho most c:iscntial parts of bar 
mony, was all that he had brought to Paris in tliis 
relation ; lie now began to (bcl that he must pene- 
trate deeper into tho mysteries of the art, and that 
much wiis wanting in Iiun to its complete mastery. 
After he had obtained a sort of vogne by several snc- 
ccssfnl romance9,as **Le Menestrtl'* "Otoiquefaime" 
&c., which Tvcre first intmduccd by Carat's inimita- 
ble delivery, Fievce undertook to wrHe a one-act 
opera, " La dot de Sozette/' for Boieldiea, taken 
from his roiaanoe of the samo name. It was given 
in the year 1759 ; and the grace of tlie subject, the 
fresh miiKic, as vrvW as the elegant and spirited ac- 
ting of Mme. iSfimt Aubin, won for the little optsra 
an uncommon buci'e:)». The track was now beaten, 
and in the following year B. wrote ** La FamilU 
Suisse" which likewise was well received, owing to its 
naivetb nnd grace ; then In 1797 " Monthreuil H Jl/er- 
ville" but \vhich met with no success on account <^ 
its disgraceful text ; and in the same year, on the oc- 
casion of the peace of Cauipo-Formio, " L'heureuse 
noureUe.** But it wns the opera " Zoraine et Zulnare'* 
(given in 1798, but coinpoi*ed several years previous- 
ly) in which hJs talent began pecuharily to display 
it«elf,and which first tnily gave surety for that which 
might be e:cpected of him in the future. 

Several instrumental pieces for piano, harp, vio- 
loncello, &c., which he had composed in the mean- 
time, ivere generally admired ; and these were the 
cause of his reception into the consei-vatory among 
the corps of Plano-profisssors. B. was not exactly 
suited to this post, for he was occupied by far too 
much with other things to take any interest in the 
dry piano-mechanism ; nevertheless, his lesions were 
interesting to hiiB pupils by his spirited remarks, and 
criticisms of art and artists. From this time until 
the year 1 802, he composed the Operas : /' Lh Jfe- 
jvrisea EspttgnoUs;' "Bcniowth^;* "Caliphof Bagdad," 
received with such tremendous applause, and which 
it is said in a short space of time received not 
less than seven hundred representations, and the 
charming " Ma tante Aurore" which was severely 
censured by the public at first on account of its vul- 
gar third act, but afterwards, when contracted into 
two acts, pleased greatly. 

In 1802, Boieldieu had the mii^fortuiie to marry 
the celebrated dansense, Clotilde Auguste Mafieuroy, 
better known by her name of Clotilde. This con- 
nection caused him many sad hours, and a call to 
Petersbuig as imperial Kapellmeister came very op- 
portune, whitlier he went in 1803, without his wife. 
He remained in the Russian capital until the tatter 
part of the year 1810, and during this time he wrote, 
besides a great amount of military mnsic, and the 
choruses to Racine's " Athalie " (one of bis beat 
works), — - the operas " Bien de trap, cm le» Deni Pat' 
Venus'* "Lajeunefemmecotht" "Love and mystery," 
" Abdukan," •' Calypso," " Aline, Queen of Gol- 
conde," **Les voitvrts versits*' and " Une tourds 
SotifrrsOe." Bfany of these operas are very lightly 
worked, and Boieldieu himself considered Cahfpeo 
the best of them ; we may mention that tha eompo- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1859. 



379 



ser was very mroly inspired by liis lilntitto, and the 
faate de mienx, which were frequently veiy nnmurti- 
cal, were tninsforincd from vftudovilies into operas ; 
on account of a scarcity of libretti, he had often to 
compose his mn!4ic to those wliich other comi)oscr8 
had insido use of; such was the case with "Aline " 
and " Calypso," both of wliicli had been previously 
set to musio, the former by Burton, the latter by Le- 
siieiir. 

After hifl retnm from Rnssia, ho found the sceptre 
of the Opera-corn iqno in the hands of Nicolo Isimrd ; 
and the first work (in 1812), which he opposed to 
the popularity of the last named, was "Jean de 
Paris ; " this charming creation has lost none of its 
freshness to this day, altliongh it docs not show B. 
to hare been a hero in counterpoint and fuj^e ; in 
fact, he was not a learned masicinn, as he himself 
very readily admits. After "Jean de Paris" came 
the ** Novfaa Signtsur de vHiaffe^** (1813), several 
minor operas written in connection with other 
authors, as " Bayard a Mifsiera " with Cherubini, 
Catel and Nicolo Isonard, *' Le Bernais " with 
Kreutser (1814), then "La file da milage voisin,'' 
Two years hod passed by, and Boieldien did not 
bring an opera on the stage, until, in the year 1818, 
he caused his " Qiaperon ronge ** to be produced, the 
work in which he, as it were, apparently desires to 
prove his right to the membership of the academy, 
into which he had been taken after Mehul's demise. 
His incessant labor, and particnlarily at this opera, 
provoked a serioas disease, and lie felt the want of 
repose. In consequence he retired to a lately ac- 
quired country seat, merely living for his health. 
This time of retirement continued pretty long, only 
intemxpted by his instructions In composition, which 
he as the successor of Mehnl gave at the Oonservsr 
tory, (but now gave at his house on account of the 
condition of his health), by his participation in 
writing the operas "Blanche de Pi-ocence" and 
" Pharatnond,** and by retouching his " Le* voituret 
vere^ee" ; not until the December of 1825 did he 
come out of his retirement again in good earnest, and 
this with his masterpiece, " La Dame Blandte" The 
sncoess of this opera was immense ; the name of its 
composer was in every mouth. His music was to bo 
heard in every parlor, and was the subject of manifold 
arrangements. Boieldieu's lost opera was " Lee 
deux Nuitt" text by Bouilly, but which met with 
little favor, principally on account of the libretto. 
This opera was produced in May 1829, and after 
this time Boieldieu's health began rapidly to decline. 
After the July revolution, pecuniary embarrassments 
were added to this misfortune ; his pensions, which 
had been granted him by the last dynasty, were with- 
held, owing to the new situation of things. Not 
until he was able to enjoy them only for a short time, 
were they again granted to him ; his disease grew 
more critical each day ; and from Bordeaux, which 
place be had reached on a tour to the baths of 
Southern France, he had to be taken home again to 
Jarcy, his country seat, (a previous visit to Italy had 
been of no benefit to him), where, after a few days, he 
expired, on the tenth of October, 1834, in the arms 
of his friends and relations. After the death of his 
first wife, Clotilde, ia 18*26, he again married, a con* 
tatrioe by the name of Mile. Philis. His progeny con- 
sists of one son, who possesses his father's name and 
a good musical talent. H. J. W. 



Dr. Fanstuf in France. 

If "Faust" be too metaphysical in its bearings and 
suggestions, when the suDJect is fully wrought out, 
to be eligible as an acting play, the skeleton of ^e 
legend seems to us to offer difficulties in suU larger 
amount to any one desiring a good theme for music. 
The hero's character, like that of Hamlet^ is too full 
of chameleon-shapes, varieties, indications, to bear 
the expressive clothing of a sister art When 
strippea of these, it is vulgarized. So, too, we 
bold that that most complex^but most brilliant erf* 



existing female creations in drama, Shakspeare's 
Cieopalra, has been made intractable for opera 
by his immortal genius. Again it has been truly 
said, that "irony is impossible in music." Denude 
Mephislopheles of his irony, we have but the old 
opera-stcigcr with horns and a tail. £lscwhci*c 
has been quoted by us Goethe's dicluniy that no 
one lived who was capable of treating the subject 
in music save M. Meyerbeer. The worid has smce 
seen in what tonn M. Meyerbeer conceived him* 
self able to present on the stage the group of 
Maiden, Lover, an<l Demon. It is one thing to 
write voluptuous ballet music to the scenes in the 
ruined cloister of Saint Rosalie ; it is another to 
bring into tangible, visible, auricular prominence, 
the stupendous " Die$ ins" with the desp^r of 
the unwedded mother, and the incitements of the 
Demon at her ear, or the agony of the parting in 
tlie dungeon. These are scenes of emotion, we 
submit, too mighty and complete in themselves for 
Music to grapple with. But when they are with- 
drawn from the poet's tale, merely a dry and com- 
monplace goblin-story is left, xet, like other 
themes, though impossible, seducing, the story of 
"Faust" has been tried often and again. There 
is, first, the music which the Prince Radzivill 
wrote for Goethe's tragedy — music with a Berlin 
reputation : which amounts to little, since the ex- 
cellent and accomplished amateurs of that critical 
city have always oeen able to work themselves up 
into nn enthusiasm (comically combining "hot and 
cold") for certain works, produced under pe- 
culiar conditions, — and have habitually leaned to 
the side of Art and Literature, by the analytic 
comprehension of which they could prove their 
own sagacity. Thus Prince Badziviirs accessories 
to Goethe's noble play have no such universal ex- 
istence as Beethoven's to "Ezmont" or Mendels- 
sohn's to "A Midsummer Night's dream." The 
next illustration, of course (tind Jirat in the list as 
regards our art,) must be cited the "Faust" of Dr. 
Spohr: an opera [rufe A then. No. 1290] remark- 
able for its audacity, — for it was written ere 
Weber's "Der Freischiitz" was dreamed of — yet 
more remarkable for the feebly-correct mannerism 
of its execution — containing two of its composer's 
best single songs, but no good stage music — none 
so comparatively good as that of Dr. S{)ohr's in- 
troduction to "Jessonda"; — an opera, in brief, 
which exists, but does not live. Then there is a 
"Faust" b^r Lindpaintner, which has "died and 
made no sign." We &ncy that the list of Ger- 
man operas might reveal other works on the story, 
as laborious and obscure as the opera of the 
honest Kapellmeister of Stuttgart. As to France, 
— next to Don Juan^ — there has been no "being of 
the mind" (during late years) talked of, with such 
incessant reference to the stage and the romance, 
as Faust ; ever since the shallow yet prescient 
description of the drama by Madame de Stael — 
weighted by her versions of Goethe's sublime 
ssencs of ^^Margaret in church" and "Margaret 
in prison" — attracted Parisian attention to the 
legend. It is only in the nature of things that 
there should have been musical attempts on the 
story; and, accordingly, we have had the Cantata 
by M. Berlioz, who, let his means be what they 
may, is among the most magnificent and poetical 
in his aspirations, of men living. In "Faust," 
too, are some of his best melodies. The Bound 
of the Villagers,— the "Flea Song,"— the 5<?rg- 
na</eof Mephistopheles,— and the elaborate chorus 
and dance of the Sylphs, — have all a flow with- 
out forced singularity which is too seldom pres- 
ent in his ingenious compositions. But that the 
subject required an admixture of what was famil- 
iar, to bring down its mysteries to the level of 
popular musical apprehension,— even M. Berlioz 
(or all living conceders, one of the most niggardly) 
virtually conceded by introducing "The Hun- 
garian March" at the end of toe first act — a 
rhythmical taking tune. On the other hand, his 
music to the frightful ride of Faust and his famil- 
iar, and the gibberish chorus of Pandemonium, are 
witJiin the boundaries of burlesque, — whilst his 
Easter music and his double chorus of soldiers 
and students, however elaborate, fail to be ef- 
fective. 

Meanwhile, it would seem to be an understood 
thing in France, that "Faust" must be "done," 



from time to time, at the theatres, — now, as a 
ballet at the Grand Opdra^ — now, as that vulgar- 
ized melo-drojna, which a year or two since a 
management was mistaken enough to import into 
Oxford Street, — ^more lately still as that spectacle^ 
with its countless number of tableaux — with MM. 
Dumaine and Rouvidre as its heroes, and Mdlle. 
Nelly as Sufphwine (a she-devil grafted on the 
original legend), which has been diawing all 
Paris to the Theatre Port€ St, Martin, Hence it 
is not to be wondered at, that M. Gounod (a 
Fi-ench musician, but not without a turn of Ger^ 
man mysticism) has — partly to meet the national 
taste, partly in compliance with his own instincts 
— been drawn within the magic-circle, and con- 
sented to try his hand where so many predecessors 
have failed. How far this temerity (for temerity 
it is) has been wise, or otherwise, we may attempt 
in course of time to tell. Some such preface to 
the tale as the above is, however, next to indis- 
pensable. 



The Works of Jolm Sebaitian Baeh. 

(From th% Rtvue *t Gaxettt MiakaU,) 

It is now something more than a century tigo that 
H man, with an org^ization and existence which must, 
now-a-days, appear i-ather fabulous, departed this life ; 
that man was named John Sebastian Bach. He was 
endowed with sublime genius, and one of the most 
fertile imaginntrons it is possible to conceive, but, as 
he lived nearly always isolated in little towns, where 
he filled the modest position of organist or school- 
master. Art existed for him only in himself. 

Possessing no aadience, no appetite, and no fortune, 
he worked merely for the pleasure he found in what 
he created, and received no reward for what he did for 
music except that which he derived from the art itself. 
His warm soul and vast brain were able to create, at 
their leisure, immense conAinations swayed bv grand 
ideas, without his worrying himself about their ex- 
ternal effect, and their effect upon any assembly. At 
that time very little music was printed in Germany. 
Nothing of what Bach produced was destined, there- 
fore, to see the light of day ; at least, so he believed. 
Each creation of his genius was put away in a cup- 
board, and, when finished, followed by a fresh one. 
There were, consequently, no restrictions, no consid- 
erations of success, no formulas of fashion. Hence 
tliose nnheard-of instances of daring and invention 
which overflow in his Pasnion on the text of St. Mat- 
thew ; in his Mass in B minor ; in the Psalms ; in 
more than a hundred sacred cantatas, adorned with 
perfectly original instrumentatk>n ; in a prodigious 
quantity of instrumental music of all kinos ; and in 
an immense number of pieces for tlie oigan — ^pieces 
as yet unequalled. Of all that has been menuoned, 
the only things known of John Sebastian Bach, at the 
conclusion ot the eighteenth century, were a few stray 
copies of pieces for the organ and harpsichord. When 
he died in 1750, he was acknowledged to be the great- 
est organist that ever existed, but that was all which 
was known about him. At the commencement of the 
present century, there appeared, at Leipsic and Zurich, 
editions of the works of this great man for the harp- 
sichord, especially of his immortal collection of pre- 
ludes and fugues, entitled Le Clavecin lien tenipiri. 
It was only then that the artists of all Europe began 
to have some slight knowledge of this musical giant, 
but twenty vears more elapsed ere Zelter, Dehn, Men- 
delssohn, Mosevius, and some few other erudite mus- 
icians, discovered at Leipsic and Berlin, in the Royal 
Library, in the Joachirosthal Gymnasium, and in the 
archives of the Royal Academy of Singing, the col- 
ossal works of which I have just spoken. Germany 
was moved ; solemn performances were given of some 
of these works, ana struck with astonishment and 
wonder the audiences summoned to hear them. The 
scores of the Passion and of the Mass in B minor were 
published. Griepenkerl brought out, in eight vol- 
umes, the compositions for the organ ; a new, and 
much more complete edition, in ten volumes, of the 
work for the harpsichord saw the light of day at 
Leipsic. Dehn and Rietscli rescued from the dust of 
the libraries fifteen concertos for one, two, three and 
four harpsichords, with orchestral accompaniments, 
and gave ^em to the world ; twelve other concertos 
for all kinds of instrumental combinations likewise 
issued from the press. But all these constimted 
but a trifling part of the works created by Bach's 
genius. 

At last, several enthusiastic artists and amateurs of 
Leipsic, Berlin, Dresden, Breslau, and Vienna, came 
to tne resolution of publishing a complete edition of 
the works of one of the greatest masters who ever lived 
—one more astonishing than all the rest by the strength 
of Ms creative powers and the modesty of his li^— 



380 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



I! 



and of brinjrinjf it out with a correctness and depree 
of typographical maj^nificence worthy of the subject. 
The enterprise has been continued for eight jears, 
with a zeal and perseverance beyond all praise, and 
with pecuniary sacrifices on the part of all associated 
in the task, for no other purpose than to erect an im- 
perishable monoment to Art. Now, onco allow the 
perpetual copyright claimed for works of art by the 
de^ccndontsof J. S. Bach's twenty children, and such 
publishing enterprises, which cost much more than 
they produce, would become impossible. 

FxTis, Sen. 



For Dwlght't Journal of Matie. 

The Best Place for the Sympliony. —Another 

View. 

Mr. Editor.— I saw yon at last Saturday's con- 
cert and suppose you were as agreeably surprised as 
all of us at the full house. I happened not to look 
at the programme ; but I confess to a much greater 
surprise (of a different kind though) at hearing the 
opening triumphant call of the Fiddio Overture. 
Was the experiment proposed by your correspondent, 
"Double-Bass," in the Saturday's issue of your paper, 
already carried out ? What was my dismay, when I 
saw the grandest symphony Mozart ever wrote at the 
end of the programme. My next idea was to leave 
the hall and wait patiently till 9 o'clock. Dove tonOf 
the Air from *' St. Paul." the two pieces by those 
eight skilful hands, anl "Oberon," however, carried 
the day, or rather evening, much to my discomfiture, 
as I found when the Fugue began. 

Why had the Symphony that evening a harassing, 
tiresome, wearying effect on me 1 Why just the re- 
verse at other times ? How can just this Symphony, 
so splendid and sweet in the first and so grand and 
strong in the last movement, with its climax in the 
last part of the fugue as bracing as the mountain air 
and as sublime as the view among the giants of the 
Alps, with occasional pleasant vistat down into sunlit 
valleys — how can just this Symphony exercise an in- 
fluence of just the reverae character, on one who not 
only is perfectly familiar with it, but is accustomed 
sometimes to spend quite a number of consecutive 
hours in the study and enjoyment of music. The 
answer is very simple ; Because it was offered to 
nerves that had been impressed by preceding musical 
influences, chat were fresh no longer, that wanted 
rest, and, consequently, would not cheerfully yield to 
an excitement, that demands fresh energies. For a 
good symphony requires fresh energies ; the genius 
of a composer soaring aloft into the world of tones 
of his own creating takes us up with himself into the 
blissful realms of rapture, sharpening all our sensa- 
tions and leaving us happier and better beings. 

And therefore the Symphony should be the flrst 
piece on any programme. At the start we are fresh- 
est, we are ready to climb up the paths the composer's 
imagination has prepared for us. But a fiigue and 
a fugue with four subjects, however beautiful 
and natural its flow, walks on steeper paths still, and 
wearied limbs are apt to lag behind. This was pre- 
cisely the sensation I bad the last half hour of Sat- 
urday's concert. 

Individual experience may be at fault ; idiosyncra- 
cies may mislead. Such experience is strengthened, 
however, when it is shared in by many or at best a 
few very competent peraons. You will readily agree 
to call Mr. Zerrahn a very competent person. What 
did he do ? 

There is a repeat mark after the first part of the 
first movement of the Symphony ; there are similar 
marks after the flrst and second parts of the fugue. 
None of these repeat marks were heeded. Had Mr. 
Z. overlooked them in a Symphony placed at the 
head of a concert programme, he would have been 
inexcusable. There is a symmetry in the parts of 
any piece written in Sonata form, which requires abso* 
lutely the firat part to be repeated. And so, except- 
ing the ninth Symphony by Beethoven, it is required 
to be done in all symphonies. In the latter Beet- 



hoven fully preserved the symmetry by the arrange- 
ment of the movement. 

And yet Mr. Z. was right. The Symphony came 
too late ; it would have made the concert too long to 
have performed it as it ought to have been. He knew 
his hearers were weary. But who can afford to lose 
the repetition of melodies as sweet as the two in the 
first movement, or as strong as the four in the fugue, 
in all their skilful intertwining and their graceful 
magnificence 1 

No, Mr. Dwight, it was a mistake, a very great 
mistake, to place a Symphony at tie end of the list. 
May this attempt have taught a lesson ! 

Your correspondent "Double Bass" addresses some 
reasons why a Symphony should not be the first piece, 
and refers to an article by yourself which I confess to 
have entirely forgotten. I/Ct us consider those reas- 
ons in the reverse order of his statemant- 

"It takes some little time for the performers to com- 
pose themselves into that state of ease ... so necessary 
to a perfect performance !" Has Mr. Double Bass 
never been in the room for the performen before the 
concert ? Never heanl the various, multifarious scales, 
chords, chromatic and enharmonic modulations each 
of the fifty instruments is made to give forth so as to 
prepare the nerves and fingers of the performers for the 
performance ? Artists familiar with the work they 
are to perform, hardly need more preparation than 
fifteen minutes employed in the way mentioned above. 
This is the way musicians "get their hand in." 

The greatest master in Symphony writing has done 
something to strengthen Mr. Double Bass's position. 
Beethoven's first, second, fourth and seventh Sympho- 
nies begin with Adagio or Sontenuto movements, and 
the first sixteen measures of the ninth with their dim 
vibrations of fifths and only occasional melodic pre' 
parations for the theme are enough to put us in the 
right frame of mind. The master would doubtless 
have done so in all his symphonies had the themes re. 
quired it. But he has not done so. And in his as in 
our time the Symphony took the lead. 

Symphony — **hoeuf a la mode, or plum pudding." 
W^e emphatically disagree. Every simile limps, is an 
old adage, but this won't go at all. A symphony 
might be compared to a very substantial piece of 
roast-meat, but boeuf a la mode or plum-pudding 
— pshaw ! We protest, there is not the slighest simi- 
larity in the two pleasant occupations of assisting at 
a sumptuous dinner and listening to a concert. Our 
experience warrants us to state, that it never required 
any effort at all to swallow and digest a good dinner. 
It may be exciting, especially where there are libations 
to good and jolly old Bacchus added to the entertain- 
ment. Perhaps Lord Guloseton might be raised to a 
higher level of mental (??) enjoyment by an artistic 
din^. We we are conscious of two utterly different 
levels at which we arrive by the feast of palate and 
that of the ear and the soul. The eating of a dinner 
is said to make us better men ; the listening to good 
music certainly does make us better, and certainly does 
elevate our taste. No, because a Symphony is the "pi^ce 
de resistance" let it be attacked with fresh powers. Ask 
the successful heroes of the battle field. Do they lead 
their tired and heated troops, or the fresh ones, to the 
storming ? If we can have it, let us have the princi- 
pal attack first. 

Getting late to the concert-room is a misfortune. 
We never are late at a ccncert, if we care to be there 
first. It may be different with others. But we pro- 
test, why should people be put into a state of mind, 
not intended by the composer, by the performance of 
an overture before the Symphony, an overture which 
may be a good preparation — but who warrants us the 
selection of a suitable overture in all cases ? 

No, Sir, we require to be perfectly free from all 
mnsical impressions, in order to be in the right frame 
of mind for a gigantic tone-poem, such as a good Sym- 
phony is. 

Late comers are badly off, if they are harried and 



flushed, and ought to be pitied accoi^ingly. But what 
are those poor people to do, who come from the sub- 
urbs, or sometimes ten to fifteen miles away, come 
early, just to hear the liest part of the concert first and, 
find they have to leave just at 9 or 9 1-5 P. M. when 
fihe Symphony began last Saturday ? 

That WHS an unpleasant surprise to more than a 
few, Mr. Dwight, and whoever had the making of 
that programme, he does not dc>>crve our thanks. 

I am not a stickler for old hahita — might be twenty 
years hence. But I do stick to the time-honored cus- 
tom of having the Symphony firat for reasons stated 
above. 

An illustration might be added more suitable than 
the plum-pudding one. Lovera of Art in picture-gal- 
leries are sometimes in the case of finding the picture, 
and that takes the strongest hold on them, after looking 
at other pictures for an hour, or two. Whoever was 
in a similar situation, will remember, that he went 
away at once, to come back next day and to find hit 
way first of all to his favorite picture. 

This is the case with the Symphony. It is the 
chef d'cenvre and we want fresh senses to enjoy it. 
So let us have the Symphony neither second nor third, 
nor last, but firat. O. A. Schiiitt. 

Cambridge, Feb. 21, 1859. 



LuDwio TAH BsETHOVRif . — The following pro- 
phecy concerning this immortal gcnins appeared in 
" Kramer's German Magazine of Music," 1769 : — 

L. V. B., a boy eleven yeara of age, with very 
promising talents. He plays the piano well, and 
with considerable power, reads well from sight, the 
proof of which is that he plays Bach's Clnvirr him 
lemp^r^, which Herr Necfe has lent him. He who 
knows these preludes and fugues will at once per- 
ceive his talent. Herr Neefe has given him also, in 
the intcr>'al from business, some instructions in iho- 
rough-bass. He is now working him on composition, 
and, to encourage him, has allowed him to publish 
his nine rariations on a March. The means to travel 
oueht not to be wanting for thi« yonng genius. He 
will certainly be a second Mozart,* if he goes on as he 
has begun. 




uml (Ltmtspntintt 



^^I0^^i^0^^^tm^^^*^^^^^^*0*m^^^0^0*^0*0*^»0^m0t0^0*0^^^^^0^0^0^^^0t0^f^^^^^i^^^^^ 



Bbklin, Jan. 20. — It is winter and icy. This 
perhaps is the reason that in my last letter, when un- 
der full headway, I tripped and blipped, only bring- 
ing to when 3,000 miles away, among the singing 
schools, and meeting houses, and singing people of 
good old Yankeedom. Well, be it so. 

Having praised Stern and his Choral Society suffi- 
ciently, I may add only that the solos were no better 
executed than we are used to hearing them in Boston, 
As to Freulein Aonbs Bury, who four yeara ago 
used to be advertised as chamber songstre.«8 to Queen 
Victoria, (if I remember rightly,) and who sang the 
principal solos this evening, she seems pretty thor- 
oughly worn out as a singer, and sang shockingly 
flat more than once during the evening. A young 
pupil of Stem, Malvina Strehl, with a clear, penetra- 
ting voice, sang very well. Liebig's orchestra played 
finely. Stem took roost of the tempos slower than 
we are used to. 

Is it not an " Owl Book " that "Trovator" keeps 1 
That number of the Journal in which the fact is an. 
nonnced to an admiring world is lent Ctf mislaid, or 
" something," and I cannot refer to it. In that book 
has he already embalmed this receipt ? " To kill a 
concert, make it the fashion." Time was when the 
New York Philharmonic Society rehearsed and gave 
its performances in a small hall to the few who loved 
grand orchestral music. The time came when it waa 
the fashion to attend. Sometimes I have a sort of 
nightmare, and then I am carried back to the Phil- 
harmonic, after it became the mode, and endure 
again the horrora of that musical pandemonium, in 
which, I remember onoe the noise of the " foob who 
there did congregate" became so intolerable that 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1859. 



381 



goorl-natured Eisfeldt — thank God, he lives ! — was 
obliged to annonnce that it was impossible to |;o on 
with the rehearsal under such circumstances ! When 
this nightmare comes over me, it causes "all mj 
bones to shake/' and the words of Mercutio come in 
place, 

" At which ho starts and wakes, 

And being thuit frighted, ewean a prayer or two, 

And bleeps again " 

Friend Trovator, Ijow is it in these dnvs ? 

Formerly I attended more than one pcrformnnce 
in the hall of the Sing-Akademie, at which the nnm- 
ber of |>crformcr8 was, by count, greater than thut of 
the audience ! But now these concerts are the fash- 
ion, and some poor musical individuals are driven al- 
most crazy. 

Yon mu^t remember that the hall hardly seats 800 
auditors all told, that to accommodate as many as 
possible the benches are pushed as near together as 
people can f^it, that the seats are all nnmliered, and at 
such a performance as that of " the Creation " all 
are taken — because it is the f.ishion. 

I go to hear the mu«ic — hence go early. Stem 
gives some ten minutes extra for people to get their 
places, but at length gives the fsignal, and Haydn's 
" Chaos " — the musical one — begins. It begins 
with an obligato chaos in the audience. About 
twenty persons who, of course, have selected the 
teats most di£Bcult of approach, come in, timeing 
their entrance so as to continue the ru^^tle of silk and 
crinoline as long as possiide. There is that fat wo- 
m^n. She marches along up the central passage, 
stopping at some half a dozen benches as though one 
of the empty seats upon it was hers — of course the 
one at the farther end. The eight or ten persons al- 
ready on each bench, in turn, tarn pale with mingled 
wrath and apprehension, expecting that that mass of 
crinoline is to crowd its way through. It Is but com- 
mon sense to suppose that the feelings of all these 
people correspond precisely to the music, being very 
chaotic indeed. At laF^t she finds the place to enter. 
AH the incumbents of the bench rise, which is pleas- 
ant to the rows of people all the way back of them 
to the door, and the good old lady literally works her 
way through. She comes to the vacant seat, but 
alas, her place proves to be on a side bench, so she 
has the comfort of disturbing about two rows more. 
There come two girls, they walk all the way up to 
the choir, stop and discuss matters, not finding their 
numbers, and go slowly back again to the door to in- 
quire. At this moment the recitative begins, " And 
God said," — " Fifth bench from the front, right," 
— this makes good sense enough, but you find by the 
text book (for which you pay 6 1-4 cents,) that these 
are not the words which Haydn has set to music. 
By the time Uriel in his first air comes to the words 
" disorder yields," that fop who always comes late, 
has just entered with two women, and to the words 
" and order fair prevails " causes eighteen people just 
in front of yon to rise, while ho and the two crinoline, 
press along. One of the latter catches on the comer 
of the scat, and makes it slam on the floor, the poor 
fellow who sits at the end loosens its hold ; crinoline's 
owner utters an audible " Thank you," and as she 
crowds by, the %homs shouts out your own feeliugs 
exactly: "despairing rage," — and you mentally 
ejaculate: Oh, that those crinolines were involved in 
that " rapid fall I " 

And so it goes on — it did on that evening — actu- 
ally two-thirds through the first part. But these were 
not all the results of the oratorio having become the 
fashion. Such whispering — for that mutter, almost 
loud talking — as I have not heard for a long time. 
The talk of the two women who sat next me was 
more provoking than edifying. Not the slightest at- 
tention to the music. They did not come to hear the 
"Creation," they came to say tliey had heard it. 
At the end of the first part I was put to flight — the 
origiDal division of these parts is here preserved— 



and made my way up into the balcony, where on a 
vacant back seat, in the heat, which was stifling, and 
quite out of sight of the stage, I listened in peace. 
But when Raphael declared that " God saw every- 
thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good !" 
the desire was very strong to rise and inform the 
said angel that however tnio that might have been 
4.000 and odd years Mnre, when Adnm and Eve com- 
prised the en 'ire human population of the earth, late 
comers and talkers at concerts now-p-davs form noto- 

m 

rions exceptions. If any power declares thttn " good" 
without the words " for nothing" immediately follow- 
ing, I must beg leave to difTcr. 

The next evening after Stem's concert we had one 
arranged and conducted by Haws von BasLOW, with 
the following extraordinary programme : 

Pakt 1. 

OTertnre to Byron's Corsair : Bwlloi. 

Conrerto for planofbrte and orchestra; op. 18 inO: Beet- 
bOTi'n. 

Air from BenTBouto Cer.ioi; Sung by Trau von MUde: 
Berlioi. 

The Ideal ; Symphonic poem after Schiller : Llsst. 

Pakt II. 

Introduction to Lohergrin : Wagrer. 

Pra'<-er of Rliaabeth, from Tannh'luter; fang by Frau 
HiMe: W«|rner. 

The Love Fnlrv : concert piece for violin with small orchentra 
Bolo; plKTcd by Lndwifr fitmum : .T. Rulf. 

Bonar to Hnff on the water, " Mitten Im Schlmmer," fto. ; by 
Stolberg: ^hnhert. 

Tx>re1r by Heine, for voice with pianoforte; rang by Fran 
Hilda: JA'zi. 

Overture to the " Behmrlchtem : " Berllea. 

Mostly, as you see, " music of the futnre " with a 
venerea nee. 

The first overture 1 liked better than anything else 
I have heard from Berlioz. It was not quite so rap- 
ine as usml. and more like what we of the school of 
Haydn and Mozart call mn«ic. The concerto for pi- 
anoforte is perhaps one of the least interestin? of 
Beethoven's works of the kind — thouTh of course 
beantifnl. Bulow played it mnsrnificently. He is 
undoubted^ the first now of the Berlin pianists. By 
the way I believe I made a mistake about his appoint- 
ment in my letter a few weeks since. He is pianist 
to the Prince of Prussia — now regent— not his son, 
the husband of yonnsr Victoria. 

The air from C^lini was not to me specially ir.ter- 
e«ting — nor, as it appeared, to the audience. But 
Frau Milde is decidedly the finest singer we have had 
here this "winter. Our friend A, who sat near the 
stage, was exceedingly pleased. The voice is not 
perhaps the fines* but she shows the benefits of a 
true cultivation. She sang the Schubert song delight- 
fullv. 

Then came Liszt's Symphonic " Dichtung," poem. 
In the text book — price 2 silver groschen, (.5 cents,) 
— is this note : " This musical composition, exactly 
following Schiller's poem, after the introduction, is 
divided into three principal strophes ; 1. Soaring up- 
ward, (Aufsohwnnp). 2. (Entt&uschnng). 3. Em- 
ployment, (Bescbiiftigung) — the motives of which 
are wTonpht up as they return toward the close into 
an Apotheosis of the past." 

I will call this piece by no hard names — will sim- 
ply say, that, where I have the poem before me as in 
Spohr's "Consecration of Tones" I find no great 
musical enjoyment ; how much less then could I 
draw any satisfaction from musfc, which following 
closely all the ideas of a poem not known to me, at- 
tempts by mere bits of melody and combinations 
of instruments to convey those ideas — or the feeling 
aroused by them — to the auditor. I am so old-fash- 
ioned in my feelings, that where there is no regular 
theme musically wrought out, I soon become weary. 
Hence the show pieces of virtuosos cause mo nothing 
but weariness, as soon as my mere curiosity is satis- 
fied in regard to the men and their execution. 
Hence all picture music, such as Weber's overtures, 
famous as they are, palls upon my taste after a time. 



Of all the overtures constructed on this principle, 
that to Rossini's " Tell " is my favorite. It is a suc- 
cession of lovely "tunes," with no attempt at 
" working up " — the most beautiful of " pot pour- 
ris." Now in the piece in question by Liszt, we 
have not even the tunes, and I could not find myself 
at all at homo in it. Still I had no objection to hear- 
ing it, being williuj; to prove all things. At length 
the piece closed, and an occurrence followed, which I 
foar will have painful consequences for Billow. It 
was this. A few individuals in the hall (scattered 
here and there) applauded. This called out at once 
an almost universal and loud hiss I Biilow,who had 
nearly reached the ba(*k of the stage, turned and hur- 
ried forward and addressed the audience. Some under- 
stood him to say words to this effect : " Such a pro- 
ceeding is not the style here, I beg you to omit it " 
(es unterlassen.) If these were his words, one feels 
inclined to judge him kindly, as the piece was by his 
father-in-law, and as it was well known beforehand 
what sort of music Li.«zt writes. 

But I unden^tood him, as did many others to say 
words to thi$ effect : " Ut8^ing is not the style here, I 
ask the hissers to leave the hall," (den Saal zh ver- 
l&<sen.) I have never seen during the four winters 
of my acquaintance in the musical circles of Berlin, 
an excitement equal to the one which these words 
have called up. At the moment people seemed 
struck dumb, and, in fact, the re.n of the concert 
passed off quiet as concerts usually do here. But 
since tliat evening folks are gradually finding out 
that they have been insulted, and seem ready to pour 
out vials of wrath upon the man's bead. 

A. W. T. 

New York, Feb. U. — We have had a little 
snatch of opera — a season consisting of one night 
and one day performance. On Friday evening Pic- 
GOLOMXNi sang for the first time here, Donizetti's 
pretty little opera, Don Panqide, and in Norina found 
a part eminently suited to her capabilities. Her act- 
ing was charming and spirited, the contrasts of as- 
sumed bashf nlness and boldness being stronglymarked. 
LoRiirx sang pretty well, and Maogiorottx and 
Florenza were just bearable. The orchestra was 
small, and as a whole the opera was given in a very 
inferior manner. I understand it is the intention of 
UUman to give this opera in every city that Piccolo- 
mini visits, and as it requires no more scenic prepara- 
tions than the smallest theatre possesses, and has but 
one chorus, that can be easily omitted, it is the very 
thing for an itinerant concert troupe. No costumes 
are required either, beside those which every lady and 
gentleman wears, and there Is no reason why it 
should not be an acceptable treat to small towns. 
But for a metropolitan opera house like ours, Don 
PasquaU, as given by the present Piccolomini troupe, 
is hardly up to the mark. 

The opera was repeated on Saturday, and the re- 
ceipts for the two performances were $6,500. 

Saturday evening the Philharmonic gave its third 
concert of the present season, the programme includ- 
ing a symphony by Haydn, another by Schumann, 
and the Triumphal March of Ries. Mr. William 
Saar, a young pianist of considerable talent, and 
Miss CouRAN, the first soprano of Uev. Dr. Be- 
thune's Church in Brooklyn, were the soloists. The 
lady is young and has a good, well cultivated voice ; 
she sang with good effect " mio Fernando from Fa- 
vorita, and will prove a very valuable concert singer. 

The Harmonic Society will give next week a com- 
plimentary benefit to their leader, Mr. George Bris- 
Tow. The German Liederkranz, and the Harmonic 
Societies of Williamsburg and Brooklyn will take 
part. The concert will take place ut the Academy ot 
Music and promises to be an attractive one. 

Mr. Stospel's Hiawatha is announced for perfor- 
mance next Monday evening. He paid the Mendels- 
sohn Union one hundred dollars for their assistance, 



■*i< 



382 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



it 



and thejr hare been rehearsing faithfully, but up to a 
few days ago, there had been no orchestral rehearsal. 
They want, also, to get some more tenors, in which 
department the Mendelssohn Union is weak. 

These two projects oblige the societies to postpone 
their reheanals of Isreid in Egypt and EU. 

No other musical items at present. New York is 
dufl, as regards music. There is a rumor that the 

Gipsey's Frolic " opera, written by an amateur, Dr. 
Ward, will be produced at the Academy of Music, 
with Ds WiLHORBT as the heroine ; but it is so far, 
only a rumor. Tkovator. 

New York, Feb. 14. Our musical opportunities 
hare of late been of rather spasmodic occurrence. 
Two or three weeks of almost complete stagnation 
have been succeeded by a flood of concerts, &c., 
dammed into the bounds of five or six davs. The 

w 

beginning was made by Mason & Thomas's third 
Matinee, which took place last Tuesday. The pro* 
gramme was, as usual, excellent, though some of the 
compositions were perhaps not the fairest representa- 
tions of their authors. Schumann's Sonata for piano 
and violin, op. 105, is too complicated to be well 
judged of at a first hearing ; and the Quartet by 
Haydn, in which was played D minor, No. 43, did 
not strike me as being in the happiest style of the 
great master. Possibly this was caused by my 
not being as familiar with it as with some of its 
brethren. An Etude by Kubinstein, played by Mr. 
Mason, seemed immensely difficult and fatiguing, and 
elicited a vehement encore, to which the pianist re* 
plied with a Galop Fanttutique, hardly less difficult, 
of his own. These pieces, from their very nature, 
brought out more spirit than their performer showed 
in his rendering of the Sonata. The concert ended 
with Mendelssohn's beautiful posthumous Quintet in 
B flat, which I had the pleasure of hearing from your 
Quintet Club, last Fall. This, as well as the Quar- 
tet, were exceedingly well played, and in consideration 
of the fact that " all's well that ends well," I think I 
must pronounce the concert, as a whole, to have been 
a satisfactory one. 

On Thursday evening an entertainment of a miscel- 
laneous character was given at the Academy by 
some of "the powers that be," for the benefit of 
"Little Ella," whose fame has probably ere this 
reached your ears. For the benefit of those who are 
not acquainted with this youthful candidate for pub- 
lic &vor, I will state that she is a little one of but 
four summers, the child of a respectable, well educa- 
ted widow, in limited circumstances, who (the child, 
not the mother) has a very remarkable memory and 
talent for elocution. Her mother, being unable to se- 
cure for her the educatioc she would wish, has caused 
her to read and recite in public ; she has been patro- 
nized by npper-tendom, (reading at their houses, 
&c.,) and some members of this potent body, ju- 
dicious enough to see that these public exhibitions 
would in the end be the child's ruin, arranged the 
above mentioned benefit for her, by which they 
hoped to effect the mother's object at once. I re- 
gret that indisposition prevented my attending it, as, 
not having heard the child elsewhere, I cannot give 
you my personal impressions of her. The house was 
crowded from top to bottom, and the proceeds must 
have been very satisfactory ; I am told that the little 
creature's performance was equally so. It must be 
curious to hear CoUins's "Ode to the Passions," 
Chaucer's ** Dream," &c., from such childish lips. 
It would be painful and unpleasant were the little 
maiden not perfectly healthy and robust, and a com- 
plete child in every respect but one — lively, frolick- 
ing, mischieTons, and I hope naughty sometimes, 
whenever her peculiar talent is not brought into 
requisition. Miss Braiitard, and Messrs Masor & 
QoLDRBOK, kindly gave their services for the occa- 
sion, and won their deserved applause. 

At the Philharmonic concert last Saturday, we had 



the rather unusual treat of two Symphonies, and 
two more thoroughly contrasted ones could not have 
been chosen. Thoy were No. 2 in D, by Haydn, 
and op. .120, in D minor, by Schumann. The first, 
BO limpid, clear and lovely, with its simple, childlike 
melodies, flowing along like a peaceful meadow- 
brook ; the second so grand in instrumentation, so 
bold and vigorous in melody, so startling in its har- 
monic modulations and effects. Like a modest vil- 
lage maiden, with simple, rustic manners, but with 
her soul's purity and beauty reflected in the sweet 
serenity of her features, the first stole its way deep 
into the heart; the other, like a heroine, courageous, 
strong, her noble beauty enhanced by the fire of en- 
thusiasm and ambition, which, however, does not 
smother the more tender womanliness in her breast, 
rouses all our admiration and sympathy, and excites 
us into following her footsteps with an ardor and de- 
Totion almost equalling her own. This Symphony 
by Schumann has been played here but once before, 
and though exceedingly diflScult, repays, in its 
final effect, all exertions in practise. It is the finest 
of all the master's work of a like kind, and though 
very complicated, must impress even the uninitiated 
by its vigor and gorgeous coloring. Peculiarly 
beautiful and very original is the Trio of the Scher- 
zo ; one of the most graceful little tilings ever com- 
posed, — it sounds like the fiowing and gurgling of 
water. I regret that my time and space do not ad- 
mit of entering into a more detailed analysis of all the 
parts of this splendid work. The third orchestral 
piece was a Festival Overture by Ries, which was 
not particulaily interesting, and in which the March 
which ended it, with the thin instrumentation and 
tlie drum and fife of a mere military band, did not 
seem to mc to merit in the least the title of " Triom- 
phale," which it bore. The solos were performed 
by Mr. Saar, the pianist, who was known to our 
public as a boy-artist some years ago, but has since 
studied in Europe ; and Miss Couran, a debutante, 
who would have done better to remain in obscurity a 
while longer. She has a very fine voice, but sings 
very false, and needs much more cultivation. Mr. 
Saar played two movements of Chopin's piano-con- 
certo in a creditable, but by no means exciting 
manner ; he has but little force, and not as much 
neatness as he might have. A Nottumo, by Field, 
suited his style better ; while in the Etude by Ru- 
binstein he played with far less vigor than characte- 
rized Mr. Mason's performance oi the same piece. 

1 

Nrw York, Frb. 21 . — I am glad to have an op- 
portunity of giving you some farther account of our 
pleasing young pianist, Madame Abel. She gave 
two concerts last week, one here, and one in Brook- 
lyn. The first, owing to the weather, as well as its 
not having been sufficiently advertised, drew a la- 
mentably small audience, but those who were present 
had their double share of enjoyment. A small, cozy 
room like Chickering's (or Dodworth's, which would 
have been better, as not being so near the street) is 
just the place to hear this lady to advantage. There 
is a delicacy and refinement in her playing which 
seems better suited to a more private performance 
than to a large concert hall. This is, however, mere 
conjecture ; when we have heard her, as I hope we 
shall ere long, with an orchestra, I can judge better 
of her powers in that line. She played, on Tuesday 
evening, one movement of a Trio of Mayseder, with 
Messrs. Mollrnhauer and Beronbr, Chopin's 
Etude in A fiat and Mazurka in B minor, Beethoven's 
Violin and Piano Sonata in F, with Mr. MoUenhaner, 
and Gottschalk's "Last Hope." Besides these, in 
answer to encores, Chopin's waltz in A minor, and 
La danse de$ FeA by Prudent. Of all these the gem 
was the Sonata. The piano part was most exquisitely 
rendered, and no less so was the violin played. In- 
deed, Mr. Mollenhauer showed himself in quite a new 



light. Accustomed to hear him play none but light, 
tricky, unmeaning solos, I should never have supposed 
him capable of entering so ti-uly into the spirit of 
higher music. But I rejoiced to find myself mistak- 
en, and that he sustained Mad. Aliel most ably, so 
that the blending of the two parts was indescribably 
beautiful. The fair pianist's remaining pieces were 
done equal justice to ; she brings out so distinctly tlio 
individuality of every composition, and gives each 
ttyle its full value. The "Last Hope" and the Dante 
des Fe€9 were models of neatness and facility of exe- 
cution. But though this is the case, one cannot doubt 
what music she prefers. Her face, her whole manner 
show it plainly. It is interesting to watch her when 
she is playing a Sonata of Beethoven, for instance ; to 
observe how her whole form becomes more dignified, 
her otherwise almost childlike face more mature, and 
how every trace of a slightly troubled and anxious 
expression which circumstances have imprinted on 
her features, disappears. Some call her playing cold 
— I cannot understand it ; to me it is full of soul and 
feeling . She is not a Clara Schumann, by any means , 
nor has she as much force as some of her sister-artists 
whom we have heard here, but her playing speaks an 
exquisite taste and refinement, and a degree of too- 
manlinett, in fact, that is rarely found in a public per- 
former of her sex. Messrs. Mollenhauer and Berg- 
uer played each a solo on Tuesday evening — the 
latter has only recently commenced to perform in any 
but concerted music, and gives the public reason to 
regret that he has hidden his candle under a bushel so 
long. In his quick passages alone, there is room for 
more softness and smoothness. A Miss Lnnan, a 
very young and evidently timid d^nOante, represented 
the vocal element of this concert. She has an un- 
commonly clear, powerful voice, which still needs, 
however, a great deal of cultivation and polish. I 
understand that she is preparing herself to be a public 
singer, and should therefore advise her not to risk her 
reputation at the outset, by "coming out" before she 
is fitted to do so. 

Madame Abel's concert in Brooklyn was much 
more successful, the Athenssum Hall being well filled, 
in spite of the execrable weather. I hope my col- 
league " Bellini," was present, and will give yon his 
account of it. I don't quite like to trespass on his 
ground, bat as this is probably the only Brooklyn 
concert I shall ever have occasion to mention, I can- 
not refrain from giving you my impressions of it, for 
Mme. Abel's sake. That lady was assisted by 
Messrs. Aptoiiiiab, Matbr, Moixbithaubr, and 
ScHRBiBBR. With Mr. Mollenhauer she played a 
duo of Osborne and de B^riot on themes fi-om "Wil- 
liam Tell," and the Andante and Variations from tlie 
" Kreutzer Sonata," the latter I cannot express to 
yon how beautifully I Chopin's Qrande Polonaise, 
Op. 22, Thalbeig's MaSae, and, as an encore piece, the 
Luda Fantatie of Prudent, completed her share of 
the performance. The Polonaise was exquisitely 
rendered ; in MdUe, however, she showed, for the 
first time, that its style was not exactly adapted to 
her powers. 

The solos of the three instrumentalists were like a 

hundred others which they have played, if I except 

Mr. Schreiber's arrangement of Ae Ave Maria of 
Schubert, which showed his instrument to great ad- 
vantage, and was finely played. Mr. Aptommas, 
after nis last piece, was encored with a vehemence 
that gave me no very favorable idea of the manner of 
a Brooklyn audience. The ladies were beginning to 
fear a serious disturbance, when the clamor was put 
an end to by the announcement that Mr. Aptommas 
had already left the house. Mr. Mayer sang, very 
beautifully, three German songs : " How can I leave 
thee," Shubert's Barcarole, and, last, but not least, 
the exquisite " GtUe Nachi " of Robert Franz. If 
he succeeds in making the songs of this composer 
popular in New York, I, for one, shall be grateml to 
iiim all my life. 

Madame Abel thinks of making a trip to Boston 
ere long, when I hope your pubUc will give her a 
warm reception, and you can judge for yourself as to 
her powers. — t — 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1859. 



383 



Jliiig|fs |0ttriial d Pnsit 



BOSTON, FEB. QO, 1850. 



Music IN THIS NuKBRB. •— ContlnuaUoo of tho open *^ Lu- 
ertzia Borgia^" Hrranged for the piano-forte. 

The Complimentary Concert to Joseph 

Treoikle. 

Seldom, if ever, in our city has so genuine, so 
beautiful and so substantial a tribute been paid 
by artists to a brother artist, as that last Satur- 
day evening, in the Music Ilati, to Mr. Trenkle. 
And our whole musical public seemed most heart- 
ily to share the spirit of the occasion ; all had 
made it a point of duty and of feeling to be 
there — duty to Art, which in that well-planned, 
heartily prepared programme, was to have so 
rich and pure an expression, as well as duty to 
those sympathies and that respect which superior 
character and high artistic prospects, overtaken 
in life's Spring by dangerous disease and suffenng, 
always must inspire. There were about two thou- 
sand persons present — an audience of the most 
cultivated and appreciative, the most agreeable 
to be surrounded with, that Boston could assem- 
ble. It was a true and a successful tribute in all 
respects : — a generous and a beautiful act on the 
part of the performers: — Mr. Zerrahn, with 
his Philharmonic Orchestra — nearly tho whole 
flfly ; Mr. Kreissmann, with his Orpheus Glee 
6lub; Mrs. Harwood, the admired soprano; 
and the four brother pianists, the ablest whom we 
have among us, all cooperating of their own im- 
pulse and with a will, eager to do their best; 
then the number and character of such an audi- 
ence, the rare perfection of the programme, and 
successful execution of its every piece ; then the 
substantial result, the '* material aid and com- 
fort " which it was one, though not the foremost, 
object of this concert to extend to a suffering 
brother. May the news of it, when it reaches 
him in Florida, conspire with the genial influ- 
ences of nature there, to turn the ebbing tide of 
life and restore him strong and glad to Art and 
friends. 

The programme of the concert was so choice, 
so uniformly high in quality, yet novel in some 
respects, and wholly free from dullness, so happy 
in its contrasts, in the way that one thing succeed- 
ed another, each present enjoyment heightened 
and supported by a sense of the best of all, the 
Symphony, to come at the end, that we record it 
here in full : 

Pin I. 

1. Orerturs to " Pldello/* ... BeethoTen. 

5. Air ftom St. Paul : '• Jenualem, thou that kiUest." &e., 

Mendelnohn. 
Sung by Mrs. Ilanrood. 

8. Dao for two Piaoo-fortee (8 haadi) • Mosehelee. 

Aodante coa moto •— Fugue — Fiiutle, Alia SlctUana. 
Ployed by Mtmrt. Parker, Lang, Leonbard and Dretel. 
4. Cbonu firom *' (Bdlpue," - XendelMohn. 

Sang by the Orpbena Olee Club. 

Paet II. 

6. Orertuxe to " Oberon," .... Weber. 

6. Air ttom " flgaro " : " Dot* eono," Moart 

Sung by Mrs. Harwood. 

7. L'InTitatlon a la Yalie, arranged for two Planoe (8 hands) 

Weber. 
Played by Meesre. Parker, Lang, Leonhard and Dreeel. 

8. Four- Part Song, .... Mendelsaohn. 

Song by the OrpheuB Olee Gub. 

0. Grand Symphony (" Jupiter ") In C miOor> - Moart. 
Altegro TlTace— Aodante cantablle — MInuetto — Finale, 
Allegro molto (Fugue with four subjectsi. 



Tlie Orchestral pieces were rendered remarka- 
bly well, especially the exquisite overture to 
Oberon^ which left a more delicately clear and 
pcWcct tone-picture in the mind than ever. Beet- 
hoven's overture, the last of the four he wrote to 
Fidelioy abandoning the themes and motives com- 
mon to the first three, is less familiar to our pub- 
lic than the tliird and greatest of them, that in C, 
commonly called Leonoraj and therefore had the 
charm of freshness, while it lacks nothing of the 
fire or depth or tenderness of Beethoven. The 
Symphony, too, was well played, and generally 
very much enjoyed ; although it suficred some- 
what from its late place in a feast of sounds so 
rich already, and prolonged a great deal by en- 
cores, so that there was some disturbance by persons 
hurrying for cars and omnibuses, and doubtless 
weariness in many who remained. The worst, 
too, was that this enforced a shortening of some 
of the movements by omitting the usual repeti- 
tions. Still in such a concert, where all else had 
tended to refri>sh, to cherish and sustain one's 
musical enthusiasm, it was pleasant to go home 
with the crowning impression of Mozail's great 
Symphony. A friend, in another column, com- 
plains bitterly of this arrangement. He was un- 
fortunate ; we, and some others, counted it a part 

of our good fortune all that evening, that, while 
all was so near perfect, the most pei'fect was to 
come. Yet we would not, as a rule or custom, 
plead by any means, that the Symphony should 
end a concert What with the chance of weari- 
ness in one's self, and with the certainty of weari- 
ness in others, with their uneasiness and hurrying 
out, there is in most concerts too much danger 
that the true impression will be lost or much dis- 
turbed. Nor do we think the best place for the 
Sj^mphony is at the beginning. We fully sympa- 
thize, as to that, with the suggestions of *^ Douole 
Bass." It is too true that neither orchestra nor 
audience ^et musically attempered, nor fall into 
sympathetic true rapport before the chill, as it 
were, has been taken off, by some moments of en- 
ioyment of good music first. There is always a 
best moment in each spell of musical enjoyment, — 
a moment when the "fits of easy transmission" 
and reception are most perfect ; when the sense, 
the brain, the soul is taken at the top-wave of 
ecstacy and clear perception. The same ex- 
perience we have in every mental occupation, in 
periods of reading books, of talking, writing, en- 
joying nature, and all else. The difficulty is, that 
this best moment is not always simultaneous with 
all persons in the company. But, when you con- 
sider the heterogeneous conditions in which minds 
and nerves and senses enter a concert-room; 
when you consider the distraction of talks unfin- 
ished, and of persons entering late, it is evident that 
the best chance of the average best listening state 
for alt is some time afler the beginning. At the 
close of the first part, or at the beginnmg of the 
second part of the concert, we fancy that the 
Symphony would, as a general rule, be better 
played and better heard and felt, than either at 
the beginning or the end. 

Mrs. Harwood's selections were admirable 
and were finely sung, the last with piano accom- 
paniment by Mr. Drbsbl. The Orpheus never 
sang in better tune and voice ; the " CEdipus " 
chorus, with its glorious climax, made a great im- 
pression and was encored. But the characteristic 
and peculiar feature of this concert was the per- 
formance of the pieces for eight hands upon two 
superb Chickering Grand pianos. We usually 
anticipate little but confused noise from such com>> 
binations. But in this case the quality of the 
four artists (Messrs. B. J. Lakg and Otto 
Dresel at one instrument, and H. Leonhard 
and J. C. D. Parker at the other) ; tho perfect 
unity, precision, vigor and delicacy of the execu- 
tion ; tne rich and satisfying bod^ of tone ; the 
intrinsic interest of the compositions; and in 
short, the complete and triumphant success of the 
experiment made it just the nttest kind of tribute 



that could have been offered upon such an occa- 
sion. Nothing could have so feelingly suggested 
the pianist absent, as those four friends and pian- 
ists thus artistically united. The piece by Mo- 
schelcs is full of interest. Weber's " Invitation 
to the Waltz," a perfect resum^ in music of all 
the finest sentiment and poetry of the waltz, was 
absolutely glorified in this superb arrangement, 
(which was made by Mr. Dresel for an occasion 
in which Jenny Lind took part some years since 
in New York.) It was splendidly played and- 
most enthusiastically redcmanded. 

And so passed off an occasion honorable to all 
who took part in it, as well as to the esteemed 
young artist for whom the tribute was intended, 
and which, althouzh with sadness, will be treas- 
ured among the richest musical memories of all 
who were present. 

Musical Chit-Chat 

To-night another grand feast of orchestral music 1 
Zerraiin's third Philharmonic concert, when our 
friend Schmitt will be gratified by hcarinc: the Sym- 
phony played first ; and when we say it is tne C mnior 
Symphony of Beethoven, we know that this hint is 
enough for every music-lover hereabouts. The 
pplendid Tannhauser overture, and Rossini's to the 
"Siege of Cornith," and a brilliant Polonaise by 
Meyerbeer, and a Piano Concerto by Mozart, played by 
so accomplished a pianist as Mr. B. J. Lako, add rich 
attraction, further, to the instrumental portion. For 
singer, Mr. Zeirahn has succeeded in securing Mra. 
Lucy Escott, one of ttie fin^t reputations omong the 
American soprani, who have had training and operatic 
experience abroad, and who, since her return, has not 
yet sunjc in Boston. The good things which Zerrahn, 
and wliicli his noble orchestra have done for us in 
their last concerts, and especially in that for Mr. 
Trcnkle, ought to insui-e a crowded house to-ni|;ht, 
and mnny nights to come. We cannot but believe 
that the musical enthnsiw^m of Boston received a new 
impulse lust Saturday night, which shall redound to- 
night and hereafter to the advantage of Zerrahn's la- 
bors in our cause. 

At the last Wednesday Afternoon concert, the first 
Symphony of Beethoven, which so many did not hear 
that first stormy afternoon, was repeated. lierold's 
Zamjxi overture, reminiscences of^ Wagner,^ an ar- 
rangement from Wallace, a Strauss Waltz, &c., filled 
out tlie programme. Wc hope the orchestra will 
consider the suggestion of "Double Bass" of playing 
the Symphony last in these concerts, so that it may 
not cost real listeners their dinner, and so as to allow 
the butterflies to get their share, and fly away, if they 

wish, before the serious work comes on Mr. 

Miller postpones his pei-formancc of "The Hay- 
makers" from the 2nd to the Oth of March, tliathe may 

do it better The Handel and Haydn Society are 

rehearsing Neukomm's " David " — rather a come- 
down from Handel's sublime song of Miriam !. . . . 
Biscaccianti has had great success in Montreal. 




usir Sf^rffJt^. 



London. 

In England, " St. Paul " was probably never bet- 
ter relished than by the crowd in Exeter Hall yester- 
day week ; — certainly, has never been before so well 
performed. Tho excellence of the orchestra accom- 
paniments must be expressly dwelt upon. The chorus, 
too, which has much ungracious work to do— this 
fact of itself, in onr estimation, marking the wide dif- 
ference betwixt Mendelssohn's first and second ora- 
torio — was, on the whole, good. That heavenly 
funeral strain, " O, happy and blessed arc they " 
(which we commend to such folk as deny the ex- 
istence of genius to its composer) went admirably. 
The solos, too, were excellently delivered. Signer 
Belletti had a cold, and his voice did not always an- 
swer its owner's will ; but his reading of the music 
was, M-hat Signor Belletti's reading always is, great, 
prave and dignified. Madnme RudersdorfT sings 
best in oratorio, and by much the best when the mnsic 
calls on her to sul>dae herself, as she proved yester- 
dny week. The quartet was completed by Mr. Sims 
Reeves, whose voice was in excellent order — and by 
Miss Dolby. Such a tenor and contrafto are not to 
be be foun^ within the limits of the German speech; 
from Konigsberg to Presburg. Most careful had been 
the study of this fine and thoughtful work by all con- 
cerned, — and the performance of it, we repeat, was a 
memorable one. It is to be given, a second time, on 
Friday next. 

" The Creation " was Mr. Hullah's Wednesday 
Oratorio at St. Martinis Hall, given to a very large 




audienco, nnrt in its mHin points well given. In the 
third part, Miss Martin sang for the wcond time in 
pnhlic, and confirmed the pood impression made hy 
ner first appearanrc : also the idea that Nature lias 
doi«tined her for hrilliancy rather thnn expression. Her 
voice, at all events, is a sound and veritahle soprano, 
which seems to answer its owner's call easilv. Mr. 
Thomas and Mr. Santley were the bassos. Mr. Sims 
Reeves was sinking very finely. Are wo never to 
hear him nen'in in '* Jephiha" f The part of //iA/s, 
too, would thorou^lily suit Miss Kcmhle, as it calls 
for a singer young and dmmatic. Mr. Hullnh's next 
perform mcc is to consist of a repetition of Dr. Ben- 
nett's " May Queen/' and Beethoven's " Choral 
Brmphony.'*^ A journal could be filled with reports 
of choral perfomianccs and oratorio^ up and down 
England, — Handel, Haydn, and Mendelssohn furnish- 
ing the profjframmfs, — from which, it is instructive to 
observe, the name of Dr. Spohr has vanished almost 
as completely as if his ** I^st Judgment " had not 
been in gre-it vogue a quarter of a century since, — 
whe^an influential critic coolly tied up " 6t. Paul " 
and Mr. Perrv's " Felshazzar's Feast *' in the same 
article, and, of the two, found the latter the finer mus- 
ical work ! Yesterdny evening, "The ScHsons" was 
to be given in state by the new Choral Society at 
Manchester ; which has the advantage of an estab- 
lished orchestra such as, we are as«ured, has never 
been collected in the provinces. — Athenceum, Jan. 22. 

Mi<s Arabella Goddard ha« left the metropolis for 
a provincial tour of a few weeks ; but before doing .so 
she eave a morning concert on Saturday last, in 
which she provided her usual irresistible attractions 
for lovers of the pure classical style. It was given at 
St. James's Hall, and the audience was Iwth nume- 
rous, and, nt times, enthusiastic ; in fact, considera- 
ble disno<<irion was evinced to demand an encore of a 
part of a Son-ita by Weber, for clarionet and piano- 
forte ; but, of course. Miss Goddard, with her usual 
trood sense, did not respond to the appeal, and the 
concert proceeded. 

The programme included the following : — 

Trio in F m^r (op 66), for pianoforte, violin, and vio- 
loncello: Duaiiek. 

Grand SonAta in C miijor (op. 68), dedlcjited to Count 
W&ldsfetn. for piinoforte solus : Reethoven. 

SoniitJi in £ flat (op. 48), for pianoforte and clarionet : We- 
ber. 

Suite de Pliree In F major ( Suites Angleuses, No. 4), for 
piinoforte solus : J. S. Bach- 

Quartet in C minor (No. 1. op. 1), for pianoforte, vloUn, 
viola, and violoocello : Mendelraohn. 

Miss Goddtird was assisted by Herr Louis Ries 
(violin), Mr. Doyle (tenor), Signor Piatti (violoncel- 
lo), and Mr. Laz'irus (clarionet) — all of whom proved 
themselves worthy assistants of their talented princi- 
pal. The hist especial I v distinguished himself in the 
beautiful Sonata of Weber, which he performed in 
conjunction with Mi.ss Goddiird, a delicious compo- 
sition, full of striking melody, and of which the an- 
dante and rondo are peculiarly fine, and in Weber's 
best style — the former intensely roft and elegant — 
the latter correspondingly brilliant and lively. 

Next to thi-« Sonun, which may be considered as 
the principal foature of the matinee, we must refer to 
the Beethoven Sonata as the most remarkable pei^ 
formiince, not only on account of the intrinsic beauty 
of the composition, bat of the wonderful ease and fa- 
cility with which Miss Goddard dealt with the extra- 
ordinary difficulty of the work, written as it avowedly 
was, for the purpose of exhibiting the great talents 
and brilliant execution of the leading pianists of his 
day. The Rondo in particular — a light and very 
rapid movement, with some remarkably difiicult pas- 
sages — showed off most admirablv the wonderfully 
even and perfect mechanism which Miss Goddard has 
attained upon her instrument. 

The Suite, de piices, by Bach, was also a fine per- 
formance. It is a rather unusual, and disused form 
of composition — six short movements, all in the 
same key, but difTcring in time and subject, in the 
same way as the movements of a sonata — but 
played with less interval and following more con- 
secutively to one another. They all show very 
strikingly Bach's peculiar stylo, especially the Glfpie, 
a scherzissimo movement, which was played in the 
mo«t elegant and graceful style. The quartet and 
trio were not quite equal in interest to the usual se- 
lections made by Miss Goddanl for the stringed in- 
struments. Dnssek, thousrh graceful and smooth, is 
in great dinger of being undercHtimated when placed 
side by side with such a work as the Sonata of Bee- 
thoven, and the Quartet of Mendelssohn, though it 
is extremely interesting as being the "Op. 1 " of 
that great composer, and composed by him when he 
was only 14 years of age, does not very perceptibly 
show the peculiar style which he afterwards impres- 
sed upon every work which issued from his pen. 
Both however were good, and were excellently 



rrTBT 



ss 



played by all the performers. Only one hint, how- 
ever, we would venture to make to Miss Go<ldar»l. 
Does she not still (as wo have l>efore remarked) 
overrun the strings occasionally in her determination 
to keep up the vigour and energy of the quick move- 
ments ? We mention it, not as a decided fault, but 
rather the evidence of a plethora of power in the per- 
former. But, as we have said on a former occasion, 
" she is a great creature," and well merits the suc- 
cess xvhich she has met with, nt this and many pre- 
vious concerts. — Mm. Gazette, Jan. 22. 

From the London Athenseum, Jan 16. 

Paris. — We read of the success, at the Op€ra 
Comigne, of Mdlle. Breuille, — a young singer — in 
M. Anber's ' IjCs Diamans.' Private letters from 
tliose who should know, tell us that Miss Thomson 
keeps her ground at the Grand Op€ra ; no easy mat- 
ter for a novice, and an En jrlisb woman : — the first, 
we believe, of our " perfidious " race who has ever 
sung there. Should she really equal description, 
there is occupation enough and to spare for her, when- 
ever it pleases her to come home. The d^ni of M. 
Lebat, who has been promised as aliont to «»/t-tcnor 
all past tenors, may shortly be expected. The Con- 
certs of the Conxen^ntotre have set in. The first of 
tho«e by the SociA€ des .Teunen Artistes (fir fuller of 
hone and interest to all persons wearv of iteration) 
will have our excellent townsman, Mr. Sninton, as 
solo player. Then, too, will be introduced a new 
Overture by M. F^tis. 'There is a new fonr-act opera 
comine at Marseilles, by M. Morel, the Director of 
the Mu«ical-School there, with the unpresentable 
title of * Jugemcntdn Dieu,' — a less pretending one- 
act novelty, 'La Perle de Fra«»cati * (by whom it is 
not stated), at one of the theatres of Rouen. Every 
rumor of the kind is welcome as tending to weaken 
that centralization, or exclusive dependence on the 
mefronolis, which makes travelling in the provinces 
of France so " stale and unprofitable " to lovers of 
music and drama. 

Gbrmaxt. — ^From the first number of a new, or 
rather enlarged, Viennese! musical and theatrical 
journal. "Reccnsionen nnd Mittheiluncen," promis- 
ing well, we cather a few odds and ends which illus- 
tnitft the present state of taste in Germany — that (rrcat 
land of many lands, once so bounteoas in creation. 
Romethincr is, surelv, to'd in a list of works criven, or 
to be given, at the Vienna onera. " Don Juan " with 
recitatives — "Iphigenia in Tauris" — a treat to be en- 
vied — "Enryanthe," — «o far so arood ; Herr Wagner's 
"Ijobengrin," concerning which there may l>e two 
opinions — and. afVer the above German standard 
works, and this one German novelty, — the *'Mid- 
summer Nieht's dream" of M. Thomas, M. Ila'^w's 
"Jewess," "Martha" Cthc ubinnitons and insipid.) 
" Ma.saniello." and M. Meverbeer's " Huguenots," 
'•Robert," and "L'Etoile." The repertory' of concert- 
mu«ic in the Austrian capital has included choral 
works by Havdn (to whom the Viennese are justifi- 
ably constant ) and the choruses of Mozart to "King 
Thamos," — which, if we mistake not, he afterwards 
arrancred as Motets, known in England. Why, by 
the way. should not the series of them be assembled 
so as to form a sort of whole for some sacred perform- 
ance ? Besides these, there have been revivals of 
sacred mn«ic by the last great Viennese composer, 
Schubert ; who«e "All Sonls* Litanv" is said to have 
made a deep impression. Madame Schumann's con- 
certs at Vienna have been apparently popular. Among 
the part-sineincr Societies of men we find traces of 
songs by Herr Diirmcr. a comnoser, as our readers 
know, loner resident at Edinburgh, and who has only 
just missed taking a place amoncr the best modern 
German composers. "Thus much from the South, in 
which sympathv and memory, rather than life, seem 
to be living. When we tret northward, to Leinsic, in 
the winter concerts of which town there is still enter- 
prise — we read of chnrch-mnsic by Herr Hanptmann 
— of Herr Joachim's admirable violin playine ; of a 
new Cantntn, "Friiblingsbotschaft" ("Spring's Mes- 
sacre,") by Herr Gade. who seems resolute to circum- 
scribe his invention within the smallest posMble limits, 
— Aurora Borcalis, primroses, moorland scenerv ; 
are all good matters of inspiration ; but the artist who 
rests exclusively amoncr such themes mn«t remain (as 
Herr Gade seems to do) vaporous, cold, and pale. 
The great men of old were not content without try- 
ine variety, by way of escaping from the manncri«m 
which inevitablv besets those who are fertile in pro- 
duction. Dr. TJszt has resigned the Directorship of 
the Opera at Weimar. He was prompted to this de- 
cision by the decided Jiasro of a new opera, " Der 
Barhier von Bagdad," composed by one of his punils, 
Herr Peter von Cornelius, and conducted by Dr. Liszt 
himself. The public entirely forgot its customary 
eood breeding, and gave vent to its displeasure by 
I biasing. — London Athenctvm. 

- T -JMJt - >J~ g awM^b 



Sptcial Itotitts. 

DK8CHIPTIVB LIST OF TRK 

L. T E S T 3ibffTJSIO, 
PablUlied liv O. DItMa Sc C«« 



Music bt Mail.— Quantitiett of MuiHe are now wnt by mall, 
the expenM betnfr only stK>ut one cent apleer. while tii« car* 
and rapidity of transportation ant remarkable. Tho^e at a 
inneat distance will And the mode of con rev n nee not only s ron- 
▼enicnre. hut a snving of expense in obtnlring supplies. Books 
ran also be sent by mall, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
This applies to any distance under three thouaand milaa ; be- 
yood that, doable the above rates. 



Vooal, with Piano Aocompanlment. 
Te Deum laudamns and Jubilate Deo. 

E. Howe, Jr. 60 
This will prove a very aecept%ble addition to the 
small number of pleasing, eflhctiTe and moderately 
difflmlt Te Deama, which are now in use. Whether 
it was one of the ** refected ^' or not. we eaanot aaj; 
evidently it is a oompodtioo that Mr. Horn should 
be proad of. 

Children. Words by Longfellow. Music by 

W. R. Demptter. 50 
Bempster'a rrpntatlon Is aneh. that his mnsleal ver- 
sion of LongfeIlow*a charming and feenlal poem will at 
once And hundreda of lipa ready to sing it. and hna- 
dreda of ears willing to listen to It. Tt is, as Demp- 
sterna aongs alwaya are, eminently singable and melo- 
dious, exhibiting a refined taste and nice understand- 
ing of the poet, that will be readily diaeovered and ad- 
mlrad. 

Daybreak. Words by Longfellow. Music by 

3/. W. Bal/e. 25 
Briftht and effective. One of the beat little aooga of 
the Indoatrioua and popular composer 

Fairy Songs I'll sing to thee. E. IT. ffime. 25 

Really something of a gem fHr little singers, gnice- 
ta\ and ap\rkling. Since the ** tfill yon love me then 
as now?" this author has written nothing, whieh 
■eema more Ukdy to obtain the aame popularity. 

Nelly is forever singing. Song. J, II. Kohl. 25 

An easy parlor-eong for medium voicea. 

Life's sunny hours. Bnllad. Joseph CaJIcin. 25 

Much In vogue In England. Sweet music and nice 
words. 

The glorious rintage of Champagne. From 
" Satanella," by M. W. Baffe. 2ft 

A splendid Nong (inr a baritone voice, bold and catch- 
ing, which never fsils to bring down the bouse at tha 
perfbimance of the Opera In London. 

Instrumental Musio. 

Galop from " VIpres Siciliennes." Brilliant 
amusement. ABmi W. Rerg. 30 

Teachers will find this a very acceptnble piece for 
moierately advanced pnpila. Tts bold rfarthm and 
striking melody cannot fril to take at onee hold of the 
frncy of a young player. Tt is worked ont very clev- 
erly and fumiahe^ ample miteritl for paadng Instruc- 
tive remarks and development of velocity. 

Twenty-Four New Studies. Op. 90. Book I. 

Stephm Heller. 1.50 
It has been often asserted, that In the whole im- 
mense range of mnsleal literature. Intended for the 
technical advancement of the young piano player, 
there \* nothing whfeh can compare in artist!eU value 
with Heller's Studies. Each atudy la a tone-poem, 
finished in itself. Tntroducing all the peculiar dlfll- 
enltles In modem piano playing, the author ia never 
dry or dull. Of his former atndiee, many are played 
and appreciated as " Songs without worda " The 
present series comes In point of difllcnity next to the 
easiest, vis. op. 47 It contains even more gems tbao 
that. The first Book la now ready ; the second will 
follow shortly. 

Booka. 

Classical School for the Pianofortb. By 
Charles Czemy. No. 1, from the works of 
Hnydn. No. 2, from the works of Mozart. 
No! 3, from the works of Beethoven. 1.25 

The above is a collection of the most spirited pas- 
sages and sentences fhom the works of the great com- 
posers— « selectton of their happiest musie\l thoughts. 
Etch of the melodies fonna. complete subject, and, 
consequently, an entire. tHough snort piece. Those 
who would study music with profound attention will, 
Id them, become ncquslnted with the genius of the 
great mssfers without being eomptUed to poete ss the 
whole of their voluminous works. 



SS 



E 



II 




toig|t'5 



|0uriial 0f 



(yj 



Pusir. 



Whole No. 361. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1859. 



Vol. XIV. No. 23. 



The Diarist Abroad, No. 17. 
Notes. 

L A friend lends me an " Independent ** or two. 
I find in a commanieation the following : 

" What great events from trivial causes spring ! 
Here is a man journeying on horseback from 
Paris to London. In his saddle-bags are a few 
books, for the traveller is a dear lover of books. 
Ue has pouch and girdle ; inkhom and pen, and 
a Greek Testament are at hand ; as he rides, he 
reads and marks ; as he rests, he reads and marks ; 
thus for many days: and so on that journey, 
chapters and verses to the New Testament were 
devised, by Robert Stephens, scholar and printer, 
in the year of Grace, 1551." 

As to the verses, I suppose this is correct ; as 
to the chapters, let us look into these two Bibles, 
which I have just bought, one German and the 
other Latin. 

** Biblia, Das ist die gantze Ileilige Si'hrifTt, 
Deudsch." Folio, with a large number of wood 
engravings. All divided into chapters — both 
Old and New ^Testaments. Turn to the last 
page: " Gedruckt zu Strassburg bey Wendel 
Rihel und vollendet am ersten Tag des Herbsmo- 
nats, ira Jar MDXXXV." (Printed at Stras- 
burg by Wendel Khel, and completed on the 
first day of the Autumn month, [September,] 
1535. 

** Biblia cum Summariorum apparatu pleno," 
&c. Octavo; a most exquisite specimen of old 
printing, both Testaments fully divided into chap- 
ters. Turn to the last page^ ** Lugduni [Lyons] 
in officina Jacobi Mareschal, anno domini, decimo 
nono supra millesimum.** That is, 1019 — a mis- 
take of 500 years, as is noticed in Baumgarten's 
** Nachrichten.** The true date is 1519. 

A large portion of the communication above 
quoted, and an article referring to it in the suc- 
ceeding number of the " Independent " relates to 
the necessity of using a " paragraph " edition of 
the Bible in order to read understandingly. How 
happens it that the excellent one arranged by 
•* T. W. Coit, D. D., Rector of Christ Church, 
Cambridge,** (Mass.), and printed there in 1834, 
is not mentioned ? From Dr. Coit's preface, I 
quote the following in relation to chapters and 
verses. 

** The division was not made till the middle of 
the ISth century, or about A. D., 1250. An in- 
dividual, bearing a title not very attractive to 
Protestant and republican ears, a cardinal " (in 
a note " Cardinal Hugo de Sancto Cnro **) " was 
the author of this arrangement. The division 
into verses (at least as respects the Old Testa- 
ment) has not m good paternity as even this, 
judging from the estimation prevalent among nu- 
merous Christians. It was introduced into the 
Hebrew Bible by one Athias, a Jew of Amster- 
dam, in his edition of it in 1661 ; many years af- 
ter the oldest college in this new world had been 
ettablished." 

Dr. Coit says in a note, that {liis division had 
existed earlier in English Bibles, but when first 



made he did not know. According to him, re- 
ferring to Henry, Michaelis and Home, Stephens 
was on a journey from Lyons to Paris, not from 
Paris to London, when he divided the New Tes- 
tament so wretchedly into verses. 

n. At the coffee house the other evening, I 
noticed in the London Athenceum, that Lord 
Somebody had been struck with the legal knowl- 
edge of Shakspeare, and has prepared a pamphlet 
on the subject This is spoken of as something 
so wonderful and new ! 

No doubt to Englishmen. Every American 
scholar, however, will tell the Athenceum that the 
idea is an old one, and will point to some articles 
in an American magazine, arguing that the poet 
went up to study law in London, based on this 
very legal knowledge, that Lord Somebody has 
just remarked. But how can the London Athe- 
n<Bum or Lord Somebody, be expected to look 
down so low as to an Amerit^an publication ! 
Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? 
Can any American know anything about Shaks- 
peare, Goethe, Handel, or Beethoven, that has 
escaped the wonderful men of the London Athe- 
ncBumf Can American magazines possess any 
claim to their notice ? 

HI. JoHANN Wenzel Tomaschuk, bom 
April 17, 1774, at Skutsch in Bohemia, lived in 
Prague and died there, April 3, 1849. I find 
him for the first time spoken of ** as a giant, sec- 
ond only to Beethoven, in all that rendered 
Beethoven truly great," &c. His works, among 
which are sonatas, symphonies, concertos, varia- 
tions, masses and other church music, one opera, 
a cantata or two, pianoforte trios and quartets, 
&c., amount to perhaps a hundred in number. 
He was quite a famous teacher in Prague, and his 
autobiography is a pleasant sketch, with its many 
anecdotes of famous men, Beethoven, Woelffe, 
Steibelt, and others. Of his greatness I certainly 
never dreamed. Moscheles once spoke of him 
to me without conveying any such impression, 
and I find it rather singular that, with the excep- 
tion of two or three performances of symphonies 
in Leipzig, long ago, I find no account of any of 
his secular compositions having been played out 
of Prague and Vienna, where apparently they 
are all now forgotten. I know no notices of him 
in the musical journals from 1798 to 1850, which 
lead one to the idea that he was above and be- 
yond the standard of an average good musician. 



IV. A Query. What is the meaning of " ren- 
dition ? *• Mr. D., what does the great new Dic- 
tionary say ? I have been writing for you since 
the second number of the Journal, and have 
never had any occasion to use the word, to my 
knowledge. Perhaps I have missed a great deal 
Please tell me the meaning of it. 

y. <* Oh ! Lo'd a' massy ! " as uncle Sam Law- 
ton used to say, with the emphasis on the last 
word — what will the readers of Dwight's Journal 



say now ? Here, in this number of January 8th, 
is a man asking seriously of an edition of the 
Holy Bible, if it be' ' a ** vanity ! ** What blas- 
phemy ! The criminal acknowledges everything, 
but suggests that what he desired and still desires 
to know from some one better informed on the 
point than he is, is this ; — is that particular edi- 
tion of the Bible a rarity? A. W. T. 



The Eev. Henry Ward Beecher on Organ- 
Playing. 

(From the Independent.) 

The Organ, long expected, has arrived, been 
unpacked, set up, and gloried over. The ^reat 
players of the region round about, or of distant 
celebrity, have had the grand Organ Exhibition ; 
and this magnificent instrument has been put* 
through all its paces, in a manner which has sur- 
prised every one, and, if it had had a conscious 
existence, must have surprised the Organ itself 
most of all. It has piped, fluted, trumpeted, 
brayed, thundered; it has played so loud that 
everybody was deafened, and ho sofl that nobody 
could hear. The pedals played for thunder, the 
flutes languished and coquetted, and the swell 
died away in delicious sunocation, like one sing- 
ing a sweet song under the bed-clothes. Now it 
leads down a stupendous waltz with full bass, 
sounding very much as if, in summer, a thunder- 
storm should play above our heads ** Come, haste 
to the wedding," or " Money-Musk.** Then come 
marches, galops, and hornpipes. An organ play- 
ing hornpipes ought to have elephants for dancers. 

At length a fugue is to show the whole scope 
and power of the instrument, llie theme, like a 
cautious rat, peeps out to see if the coast is clear ; 
and afler a few hesitations, comes forth and be- 
gins to frisk a little, and run up and down to see 
what it can find. It finds just what it did not 
want, a purring tenor lying in ambush and wait- 
ing for a spring, and as the theme comes incau- 
tiously near, the savage cat of a tenor pitches at 
it, misses its hold, and then takes after it with 
terrible earnestness. But it has miscalculated 
the agility of the theme. All that it could do, 
with the most desperate eflort, was to keep the 
theme from running back into its hole again, and 
so they ran up and down, around and around, 
dodging, eluding, whipping in and out of every 
comer and nook, till the whole organ was 
aroused, and the bass began to take part, but un- 
luckily slipped and rolled down stairs, and lay at 
the bottom raving and growling in the most awful 
manner, and nothing could appease it. Some- 
times the theme was caught by one part, and 
dandled for a moment, when, with a snatch, 
another part took it and ran off exultant, until 
unawares the same trick was played on tV, and 
finally, all the parts being greatly exercised in 
mindl began to chase each other promiscuously in 
and out, up and down, now separating and now 
rushing in full tilt together, until everything in 
the orjran lost patience, and all the '* stops " 
were drawn, and, in spite of all that the brave 
organist could do, — who flew about and bobbed 
up and down, feet, hands, head, and all — the 
tune broke up into a real row, and every part 
was clubbing every other one, until at length, pa- 
tience being no loncrer a virtue, the organist with 
two or three terrific crashes put an end to the 
riot, and brought the great Organ back to silence I 

Then came congratulations. The organist 
shook hands with the builder, and the builder 
shook hands with the organist, and both of them 
shook hands with the committee ; and the young 
men who thought it their duty to know something 
about music looked wise, and the young ladies 



liM. 



■ • ^ 



386 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



n\ 



looked wise too, and the minister looked silly, and 
the parishioners generally looked stupid, and all 
agreed that there never was such an or^an — no, 
never ! And the builder assured the committee 
that he had done a little more than the contract 
stipulated ; for he was very anxious to have a 
good organ in that church ! And the wise men of 
the committee talked sinmificantly of what a trea- 
sure they had got The n^xton gave a second 
look at the furnace, lest the church should take it 
into its head now, of all times, to burn up ; and 
he gave' the key an extra twi«t in the lock, lest 
some thief should run off with the organ. 

And now, who shall play the organ ? is the 
question. And in the end. Who has not phnyed 
it ? First, perhaps, a lady who teaches music is 
exalted to the responsibility. Iler taste is cultiva- 
ted, her nerves are fine, her muscles feeble, her 
courage small, and her fear great She touches 
the great organ as if she were a trembling wor- 
shiper, fearing to arouse some terrible deity. All 
the meek stops are used, but none of the terrible 
ones, and the great instrument is made to walk in 
velvet slippers every Sabbath, and after each 
stanza the organ humbly repeats the last strain in 
the tune. The instrument is quite subdued. It 
is the modern exemplification of Ariadne riding 
safely on a tamed leopard. But tew women have 
strength for the mechanical labor. It ou^ht not 
to be so. Women ought to have better nealth, 
more muscle, more power, aud one of the.se days 
doubtless will have. 

Next, an Amateur player is procured, who was 
said to have exquisite taste and finished execu- 
tion. A few pieces for the organ he knew by 
heart, a pretty way of varying a theme, a senti- 
mental feeling, and reasonable correctness in ac- 
companiment 

Next came an Organist, who believed that all 
this small playing, this petty sweetness, was a dis- 
grace to the powers of the instrument. Pie meant 
to lead fortti the long pent-up force, and accord- 
ing he took for his first theme, apparently, the 
Deluge, and the audience had it poured upon 
them in every conceivable form, — wind, rain, 
floods, thunder, lightning, with all the promiscuous 
stops, which are put in all large organs to produce 
a screeching brilliancy, full drawn, to signify uni- 
versal misery and to produce it That man gave 
the church their full money's worth. He flooded 
the house. The voices of the choir were like 
birds chirping in a thunder-storm. He had heard 
that the smgmg of a congregation should be borne 
up upon the music of the organ and as it were 
floated, and he seemed to be aiming, for the most 
part, to provide a full Atlantic ocean for the slen- 
der choir to make its stormy voyages upon. 

A fortunate quarrel disposed of him, and' the 
Organ went back to the tender performer. But 
before long a wonderful man was called, whose 
fame, as he related it, was excessive. He could 
do an^tbinjur — play anything. If one style did not 
suit, just give him a hint, and he would take on 
another. He could give you opera, ecclesiastical 
music, stately symphony of Beethoven, the bril- 
liant fripperips of Verdi, the solemn and simple 
grandeur x>f Handel, or the last waltz, the most 
popular songj (suitably converted for the purpose) 
— anything, in short The church must surely be 
hard to ])lease, if he could not suit them. He 
opened his organ as a peddler opens his tin boxes, 
and displaving all its wares, says. Now, what do 
you want? Here is a little of almost anything ! 

He took his turn. Then came a young'man of 
a true and deep nature, to whom music was simply 
a symbol ot something higher, a language which 
in itself is but little, but a glorious thing when laden 
with the sentiments and thoughts of a great heart 
But be was not a Christian man, and the organ 
was not to him a Christian instrument, but simply 
a grand gothic instrument, to be studied, iust as a 
Protestant would study a cathedral, in the mere 
spirit of architecture, and not at all in sympathy 
with its religious significance or uses. And be- 
fore long he went abroad to perfect himself in his 
musical studies. But not till a most ludicrous 
event befell him. On a Christmas-day a great 
performance was to he given. The church was 
full. All were magically expectant It had been 
given out that something might be expected. 



And surely something was had a little more than 
was expected. For, when every stop was drawn, 
that the opening mi^ht be with a sublime choral 
effect, the down-pressing ofhis hands brought forth 
not only the full expected chord, but aGo a cat, 
that by some strange chance had got into the or- 
firan. She went up over the top as if gunpowder 
had helped her. Down she plunged into the choir, 
to the track around the front bulwark of the gal- 
lery, until opposite the pulpit, when she dashed 
down one of tne supporting columns, made for the 
broad aisle, when a little ooff joined in the aflray, 
and both went down toward the street door at an 
astonishing pace. Our organist, who, on the first 
appearance of this element in his piece, snatched 
back his hands, had forgotten to relax his muscles, 
and was to be seen following the cat with his 
eyes, with his head turned, while his astonished 
hands stood straight out before him rigid as mar- 
ble I 

But in all these vicissitudes, and in all this long 
series of players, good playing has been the acci- 
dent while the thing meant and attempted has 
been in the main, a perversion of music, a oreaking 
of the Sabbath-<lay, and a religious nuisance. The 
only alleviation in the case was, that the general 
ignorance of the proper function of church-music 
saved the Christian congregation from feelmg 
what an outrage they had suffered. But, we 
must try this tropic once more, before we can get 
it fairly finished. ^ 



The Siflteri Ferni 

From tho Vtonoa Blatter filr Mu»ik. Tranal&tod for the Lon- 
don Muidcal World.) 

^* Du hofit wohl Recht; leh llnde nteht dh Spw 
Von einem Q«is(, und AUea Lit Draisur." * 

Reckoning by the enthusiasm which, for some 
time, has been rolling ita gigantic waves through 
the Italian periodical press, concerning this pair 
of violin-playing sisters, which waves have now 
a<1vanced to the banks of the little Vienna stream, 
certainly astonished at such a deluge, we could 
not help, at the very least, picturing to ourselves 
artistic phenomena in whose ten fingers there 
must be more geniality and masterly skill than in 
ten Milanollos put together. 

Afler daring to hiizard the audacious opinion 
that, from what we heard, saw, and experienced 
at the first concert of these voung ladies, in the 
Theatre an der Wien, both tn« Mesdlles. Ferni 
could very well find room in the dreamy There^ 
sa's little finger, we run the risk, probably, of 
being knocked down by the foam-crested billows 
of enthusiasm, which, however, as yet have only 
forced their noisy way as far as the standing 
places in the pit ; but they cannot shake the rock 
of criticism wnich is accustomed to breakers. 

Both in their personal appearance, and in their 
playing, the fair artists possess a great many 
points of attraction. The first is a matter of 
taste, and, therefore, of no account here ; con- 
cerning the latter, we will explain our opinion by 
a few observations. 

Whatever the so-called French school has col- 
lected in the way of affectation, piquancy, over- 
8hai*pness, and glimmering dust to tnrow in peo- 
ple's eyes, and by which it has succeeded in 
thoroughly banishing all truth and nature from 
Art, is exhibited, with exhausting completeness, 
in these two young ladies* playing. In the latter 
is mirrored, with frightful fidelity, artistic Van- 
dalism, clothed in the most modem and refined 
form, such as is now in full bloom on the banks of 
the Seine, and it is not till any one has heard 
Mesdemoiselles Ferni play that he can believe in 
the possibility of a degree of demoralization in the 
conception of Art so great that even a Berlioz 
was not deterred from tne blasphemy of which he 
was guilty towards the score of ^Veber's Frei- 
schiUz, 

The playing of these young ladies, however 
calculated to dazzle the great masses, and even, 
in many particulars, to gain the approval of pro- 
fessionals, must fill the real friend^ of Art witl^ 
deep regret, nay, with pity, because he perceive* 
that a couple of young girls, apparently artisti- 
cally endowed by nature, have oeen subjected to 

*** Tm, you are right without a doubt; I find 
PlMntj of trminfng, but no trMO of mind." 



the most refined system of false education, which 
has not only robbed them of freedom of indi- 
vidual development, as well as independence of 
feeling and sentiment, but deprived theu of the 
remotest consciousness ot such mental qualities. 

Their artistic taskmasters have not allowed 
these young ladies to express the smallest emo- 
tion of their souls as they felt it. With the scis- 
sors of the school they have pitilessly nipped off 
ev^ry blossom, which dared to sprout forth out of 
the impulse of an inward plastic power. Tl^cj 
have succeeded, by force of cnltivation, in chang- 
ing into a smooth-shorn wall of leaves the fresn, 
free forest, with all the variety of its naturally 
sturdy trees, with the magical and mysteriously 
romantic charm of its gloom, with the smiling 
friendliness of its glailcs, with the refreshing jovs 
of its shade, and the vivifying murmurs of its 
little brook. 

From the way of holding the violin and bow 
up to the most brilliant passages, and down again 
to the simplest cantilena^ nay, even to the pro- 
duction of each separate tone, everything in the 
playing of these young ladies is affected by man- 
nerism, the inevitable result of a course of scho- 
lastic subjection, carried out with aa anatomical 
minuteness, which breaks the structure of natu- 
ral sentiment info a thousand pieces, for the pur^ 
pose of producing out of them, according to the 
erroneous architectonic system of this method, a 
brilliantly colored caricature. We never heiur 
a warm and really natural tone ; the pathos is 
hollow ; the sorrow feigned ; the joy false ; the 
bashfulness affected; and the resolution cow- 
ardice. 

This applies especially to Caroline, in whose 
dreamy eye we feel inclined to believe there is a 
world of deep feeling, while, as the event subse- 
quently proved, her glance really expressed 
nothing out complete apathy. Her sister, Vir- 
ginia, on the other band, appears to have lescued 
some fragments of original natural feelins freak 
the conflict with the persons who have killed her 
soul; her strain is fuller, and warmer, although 
the instrument she uses is hnferior in strength and 
melting character of tone to that of her sister. 
Her bearing, which is less constrained, as well as 
the fact that she glides with momentary noncha- 
lance, as well as with greater lightness and flu- 
ency, over many passages, which, from her 
technical skill, she would oe capable of executing 
in a perfectly irreproachable manner, are, tm the 
reflective observer, characteristic signs of the ex- 
istence of undestroyed traces of individuality. 
Virginia's playing can be influenced by her frame 
of mind ; sne may fail to-morrow in what ^e has 
succeeded to-day, while Caroline is infallible, 
and, in consequence of the complete absence of 
animation from her soul, can never change. She 
is the prototype of a carefully regulated piece of 
mechanism, which, with absolute certainty, hits 
the same point a thousand times running. In 
spite of this, we much prefer Virginia's playing 
with all its disregard ot the influence of the mo- 
ment, for it possesses one feature in common with 
mankind, namely chance, while iniallilMlity is 
either above or below humanity. 

A further proof of the artistic pasrivity of these 
briDiant examples of metliodical art-gardenins, is 
furnished by tneir repertory, which would other- 
wise not be intelligible, if we reflected, on the one 
hand, with what an endless variety of artistic 
productions they must have come in contact dur- 
ing the course of their career, and, on the other, 
if we remembered that these young girls are of 
an age which might enable them to judge of the 
value of the pieces in their list But the want of 
freedom in their artistic education, the conse- 
quence of which must be the inability to form an 
opinion in musically csthetical matters, would be 
alone sufficient to explain this phenomenon, even 
without the fact that, as pupils of Beriot and 
Alard, they have been educated merely to hawk 
about .the tin-pot concert wares of those gentle- 
men. We do not, in the slightest degree, blame 
the young ladies for this, since, in consequence of 
the above circumstance, their horizon was neces- 
sarily bounded by the compositions with which 
their masters deigned to present them ; nay, we 
rather think it a piece of negative good fortune 



■*pi 



■»•■ 



. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1859. 



387 



for Art that this is so, for we cannot help shudder- 
ing at the thought : Suppose the notion of laying 
hands on the modest creations of a Beethoven, 
Mendelssohn or Sehumanni were to enter their 
heads 1 

But — we may make our minds easy on this 
score; such a thing will never happen. The 
young ladies will never play anything except 
what their masters have arranged for them atom 
by atom, and indelibly impressed on them ; nay — 
however exaggerated it may seem — we can 
scarcely keep ourselves from assuming that, be- 
jrond Alard and Beriot, they have not the least 
idea what kind of an art music is, and — if more 
nearly questioned on this head — would be capa- 
ble ot returning an answer somewhat resembhng 
tiiat of Berlichingen's little son, of which the - 
worthy Gbts remarked: '* The boy is so learned, 
that he does not know his father^s name.** 

Yet, despite all this, we have no intention of 
blaming the Mesdemoiselles Femi, fbr, as we 
have already said* the^ are, in an artistico-moral 
sense, irresponsible beings. But we certainly do 
intend to pronounce the most decided censure on 
a school, which, shallow in principles and hollow 
at heart, thinks, from its hign-stilted and obscure, 
foggy self-coBceit, to look down upon German 
Art, which, serious and dignified, is enthroned 
high above it on a pedestal of granite. 

The public, ihore properly so-called, pays less 
attention to considerations of this kind, and is, 
therefore, perfectly justified in feeling attracted 
by . the young ladiesr elegance ; excited by their 
uncommon, brilliant, and crisp style of execution, 
lighted up by a variety of brilliant tricks of fence ; 
astonished at their manual skill, overcoming all 
difficulties with ease and certainty ; pleased by 
the purity and comparative force of their tone, 
and, lastly, entranced by the way in which the 
performance of each fair artist blends, even in the 
most trivia] details, with that of the other. We 
ourselves, however, do not know, in truth, 
whether wo more admire the f^igftntic industry 
which must have been required from them both 
for so comprehensive a material victory, and the 
subjection of their individuality, or regard as un- 
intelligible the perseverance with which they 
have gone through the process of mental transub- 
stantintion to the utter sacrifice of their own 
identity. 

But, however any one may think on this head 
— the sisters Fcmi are worth going to hear. 

L. A. Zellneb. 



For Dwlght's Jonnml of Mario. 

Zerralm'f Frogrammet Again. 

My Dear Dwight, — In writing you my first letter 
on this topic, it was partly with a view to discover 
some good reason, if there happened to be any, why 
the Symphony is always placed first on our pro- 
gramme. I have been unable to find one, however, 
in the communication of Mr. Schmxtt, which ap- 
peared in your Journal of last Saturday. I do not 
see indeed, that we differ, substantially. 

The ground I took in my letter was, that the place 
for a Symphony is neither at the beginning nor at the 
end of a Concert, bat that it should stand No. 2 on 
the list ; or, what is pretty much the same thing, at 
the end of Partjirtt; for an Overture and a Symphony 
must be considered nearly, if not quite, enough, for one 
Part Mr. Schmitt wishes it to be played Jirst, in 
order that he may hear it before his energies flag. 
We only differ then as to a matter of ten ot twelve 
minutes in time, which would be required for the per- 
formance of an overture ; and what reasonable man 
would do your correspondent the injustice to suppose 
that his energies are in danger of flagging in ten 
minutes t 

The "poor people who come from the suburbs" 
would have no reason to complsin if my suggestions 
were carried out ; for by placing the Symphony at 
the end of the first Part, Mr. Zerrahn would give to 
those who desire to leave early, an opportunity of 
doing so, and enable them besides to carry away with 
them, fkesh and unalloyed, the impressions created by 
tiie Symphony. A dedded advantage, I think. 



"Mr. Double Bass" hat, many times, "been in tlie 
room for the performers^ before a concert," and has 
always been under the impression that the mysterious 
discords heard there were caused by tuning the in- 
struments, and were not produced solely to enable the 
musicians to "got their hands in." It is true that the 
artists ronnipnlate a little and make all sorts of dia- 
bolical noises, mixed up with chromatic rouhdet from 
the oboes and flutes ; but they don't piay anything 
together. It seems to me there is a marked difference 
between tuning a violin in a private room and play- 
ing upon it afterwards in public. I think it will be 
conceded, that there are few artists, who do not some- 
times experience more or less nervous excitement on 
appearing before an audience ; and it must be conceded 
that, BB a general rule, a player not only gains confi- 
dence, but enters more and more into the spirit of his 
music as his performance progresses. I do not see 
how Mr. Schmitt can got over this. 

Again ; I cannot perceive how this tuning of in- 
struments in a side room is going to help the audience 
at all ; for upon this question touching the propriety 
of tuning up an audience, so to speak, Mr. Schmitt 
must excuse me if I differ from him. It is no doubt 
true that professional musicians, who naturally keep 
their senses always tuned to a "concord of sweet 
sounds," are fully prepared for a Symphony at any 
time, so it does not come too late. But it is quite 
different with a majority of the audience who may 
be supposed to have been "knocking round" all day 
out of doors, or boxed up in counting rooms "down 
town." To these, I tliink your correspondent will 
admit that the ascent to a "gigantic tone-poem" shonid 
be somehow or other graduated. To such as these, 
a fine overture (of course Mr. Zerrahn is not going to 
give us a poor one,) is a positive benefit, while it can- 
not possibly be a disadvantage to anybody. 

At any rate let us have my plan tried before we 

condemn it ; and I heartily agree with Mr. Schmitt 

in considering Mr. Zerrahn a competent person to de~ 

cide this matter, and only hope that his attention may 

be drawn to these communications and that they may 

rdceive his favorable consideration. 

Double Bass. 

P. S. I am sorry your correspondent docs not see 
the force of mv (^astronomical simile. He takes um- 
brage at Bcenf i. la mode, but thinks "roa^t ment" 
might do. Chacun h ton gout, — roast meat let it be, 
so the principle remains the same. 



Ml, Fry's Lectnre in Philadelphia. 

(From the ETBnio^ Bulletin, Feb. 260 

Mr. William H. Fry delivered a lecture on Music, 
last evening, before tfie Harmon i a Society, the audi- 
ence being a good one in point of numbers and intel- 
ligence. The lecmre was extemporaneous, and was 
ot a discursive character. Its length, too, would for- 
bid any attenipt to give even an outline of it. Mr. 
Fry regards Music as the highest and most pervading 
of the arts, and in expressing his worship of it, he be- 
came enthusiastic and often eloauent. Ho described 
and analyzed the diatonic and cnromatic scales, and, 
with Mr. Cross's assistance on the organ, illustrated 
a variety of chords and modnlationfl. Owinjr to want 
of time, he did not attempt a historical sketch of 
Music ; but he mentioned the Chinese acconnts of it, 
antedating all other acconnts, and he introduced spec- 
imens of Chinese and East Indian airs, harmonized 
by himself and sun^ by the chorus of the Harmonia 
Society. As an example of very superior writing 
he introduced Handel's Hallelujah Chorttt, which was 
also well sung. The lecture contained frequent al- 
lusions to the inadequate encourafrcment and protec- 
tion of Art in this country, all of which were expressed 
eamestlv and warmly, and were received with sympa- 
thv by tne audience. There were a great many good 
thinzs in the lecture ; much sound philosophy, but 
much also that was mere rhapsody ; a great deal that 
was original and striking and amusing, but much that 
was simply grotesque. The peroration was a spirited 
and impressive appeal in behalf of American Art. Al- 
though the lecture was more than two hours long, the 
audience did not weary ; for Mr. Fry is never com- 
mon-place or tedious. 

The Boston Courier gives an extract from a private 
letter describing the same performance : 



"The auflience was not large, but good-humored 
and made up of our brightest people, arid the abj^ence 
of the grim, and determined, and defiant, and inves- 
tigating faces of the regular lecture-goers was refresh- 
ing. Fry lounged upon the etajre at 8 o'clock, made 
up in a stranjre and not severely sosthetic manner. 
Dark coat and vest buttoned up to the tliroat, and a 
pair of very loose and lazv-hnng pantaloons — his hands 
encased in immaculate kids. He spumed the pulpit 
— 'stand," — ^they call it — that had been provided for 
his use, and took a clear stage, and no favor, and no 
notes, except some irregular scribblings on an old 
card which ne produced every few minutes from one 
of his waistcoat pockets. For two hourt and a half 
did he talk brilliantly, quaintly, convulsingly, learn- 
edly, buttonholedly, prophetically, half-inspiredly, 
whim.sically, conceitedly, bravely, truly, about every- 
thing — and mime. Now he made us squirm with fun ; 
now he dazzled and lifted us by some unexpected soar 
of eloquence ; now he set us on ecstatic edge with 
some bold, brifrht scoff at snobbishness and stupidity. 
Now he opened our admiring eyes to some rare poetic 
vision. His peroration was a noble appeal for art in 
this country. I believe the people would have sat de- 
lighted till midnight. But after threatening to stop 
half a dozen times, the brilliant fellow switched off, 
and shuffled away as if, for all the world, he had been 
doinjj nothing particularly clever all the while. Black- 
berries in February are not half so scarce as Frv's 
speeches, and not lialf so succulent and piquant. Cet 
him to do it in Boston." 



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Berlin, Jjlv. 26. — I think von Bublow is of 
importance enough, or will be hereafter to excuse me 
for giving a couple of paragraphs from the papers 
here in relation to the affair. 

1. From the Vtas^cJu ZHttmg. (Communicated.) 
" Hans von Billow, on Friday, regaled the Berlin 
public with an Ollapodrida of Music of the Future, 
in the hall of the Sing-Akademie. Among other 
horrors, the concert-giver brought to performance a 
work by Franz Liszt ; " Die Idoale Sinfonische Dich- 
tung nach Schiller," explained by H. von Bulow in 
his programme to this cfiect : that the piece is in three 
divisions, ' Aufschwung, Enttauschung nnd Beschafli- 
gung, die schliessHche Vercinigungdieser Motive eine 
Apotheose Schiller's Bilde.' " The public appears to 
have heard in this mnsical waste only the ' Enttail- 
schung ' and opposed the small clique of applanders 
after the ' Apotheosis ' — which doubtless would have 
made Schiller turn over in his grave — with decided 
hissing. H. von Biilow came before the aodicnce 
like an angry lion, and said, ' Hi-ssing is not the st^le 
here ! I desire the hissers to leave the hall ! ' 

" As to tliis we can assure H. v. Bulow in the 
name of the public ; I. That hitherto it has not been 
the style here to use the Sing-Akademie for the pro- 
duction of musical nonsense ; and, 2, that it has not 
hitherto been the style to order the public, which has 
purchased the right of criticism for a thaler, to leave 
the hall. This much we remember, through a period 
of 40 years, that the hall of the Sing-Akademie has 

never been so dishonored. 

TJnus pro multis." 

The roan of the National Zeitung excuses himself 
in a paragraph, for not having in his notice of the 
Biilow concert given the particulars of the scene. 
Ho says : " Before coming to the topic of the day, we 
must refer to the much talked of occurrence at the 
concert of H. von Biilow on Friday, which is quite 
without precedent in Berlin concert history, and has 
awakened universal disapprobation. Our report of 
this has been deferred until now, because before the 
breaking out of the storm of Liszt, we had withdrawn 
into the most distant comer of the I<ogc, where we 
could not understand the words of the speaker.^ 
The story is then told again with the following re- 
mark appended : " Partly to the coolness, partly to 
the surprise of the public, thus in corpore insulted, 
owes the equally blustering and uncalled fbr Censor 
his thanks, that he, at that very time and place, was 
not driven back Into his proper sphere." 



388 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



if 



I rcmeinl>er, when a hoy, that one of the neij^hhors 
Bucd the Boston and Worcester Railroad Company 
for damages to his water power. Lawyer Mellcn ar- 
gued the case for him, and then, for tJie first time, the 
poor man foand out how excessively he had been in- 
jured. I remember he cried while the neighhoi-s 
laughed. Our public seems, now that three or four 
days have elapsed and the critics have had their say, 
to begin to find that poor Hans von Biilow has com- 
mitted the unpardonable sin. 

But enough — perhaps too much — of this. 

The introduction to * Lohengrin * is a taking, slow 
movement, away up in the upper violin regions, made 
understandable by a couple of pages of programme, 
all about the saci-ed "Gral." This, it appears, was 
the cup used by Jesus at the Lord's Supper, and in 
which, afterwards, his blood and water, when the sol- 
dier pierced his side, was caught — according to 
some old Catholic legend. Haupt, who sat by me, 
said the music sounded to him just like a pupil's ex- 
ercise in three-part counterpoint, and it seemed tome 
much like a reappearance of familiar strains from the 
" Tannhauser." Wo shall hesr it again soon in the 
opera house. 

The violin piece by Raff, plnved by Strauss most 
exquisitely, was but a weak affair — fairy music after 
the Mendelssohn pattern, for the orchestra, and a vi- 
olin solo, of no great musical value. 

I do not know whether vou have ever had Berlioz's 

■ 

Overture to the *' Vchmrichtcm." If not, 1 hope 
your orchestra will not wa«te valuable time in stu riv- 
ing it — unless it be for the fun of the thing. Tlie 
stuff was so al>ominnbly bad, that we got over our 
disgust and liad a hearty laugh — " we," that is, 
nearly all the auditors near mo. One cannot de- 
scribe it — in fact, it is not worth description with its 
drums and clashing of cymbals, and ridiculous trash 
generally. 

Music of the Future enough for this winter ! 

The only claim of such things to the name of com- 
positions seems to be the fact that they really arc 
compounded — a set of heterogeneous hhort musical 
passages strung together on the thread of the intellec- 
tual idea of some poem. But as it is impossible to 
convey intellectual ideas in mere musical tones, so 
the thread of connection is one, which, if you keep 
in mind, causes you to lose the music ; if you keep 
the music you lo^e the thread. If you lose the 
thread the mu^ic all falls apart, and you might as 
well call twenty consecutive pages of the phifosophi/ 
of Martinus Magnus — the Great Tupper — a poem, 
as these disconnected phrases and chords a symphony 
or an overture. Perhaps I do injustice to the Great 
Tupperian Philosophy. I never read it. No judge 
has as yet sentenced me to three years State's prison, 
four days solitary, and a hundred pages of Tupper. 

A. W. T. 

Berlix, Feb. 4. — "Was not my last notice of a 
concert one in which the extravagances of orchestra 
run mad was the theme ? Eight days later (Jan. 22) 
we had one of which the principal pieces belong (at 
least in style) to a period before there was any or- 
chestra — when music was written for voices alone — 
nay, for men's, or men's and boys' voices only. It 
was the second concert of the Dom-chor. The ranks 
were pretty full ; I counted 58 boys, trebles and altos, 
and 31 or 32 men, tenors and basses. 

One or two points, minute but not therefore insig- 
nificant, are worthy of notice. The choir is arranged 
in four slightly curring lines, each line just enough 
raised to sing freely over the heads of that in front, 
and affording every individual a clear view of the 
conductor, who, of course, stands in the centre. The 
result is the highest precision, as every one takes his 
own time directly from the baton, and the greatest 
blending possible of voices. Again no one, not seated 
close to the choir, perceives when and bow the 
pitch is given. There is no sounding of a pitchpipe, 



or pianoforte, no audible tone given by the conductor. 
Each has his own music, makes himself perfectly 
ready, while sitting. Then, at a slight sign all rise 
together and the music "streams" forth. Again, 
the ancient music sung, with its long-drawn tones, 
fl^olian-harp-like melodies and harmonies, gives the 
singer opportunity to pay attention to the character 
of the tone which he is producing, his thoughts not 
being occupied with runs, and trills, and passages. 
Consequently, we have a body of as pure vocal tones 
as the natural powers of the singers will admit of. 
We all know the effect, when a fine organist closes a 
piece, raising finger after finger from the keys from 
the upper octaves downward until at Inst a single 
grand pedal note vibrates through the church. This 
effect, and far more powerful in its workings upon 
the feelings, we have given us by the Dom-chor, the 
deep bass voices being heard, like a pedal note, vi- 
brating through the hall for a moment when all else 
is still. 
But to the programme. 

1 . Ave Refp'nfiy by Vittoria ; — bom in Spain, 1 560, 
kapellmeister to the church of St. Apollinare, at 
Rome, in 1585 ; later, singer in the Pope's chapel ; 
in 1594 called to Munich. His works comprise all 
sorts of music for the Catholic church service, masses, 
psalms, motets, and so on, in from four to twelve 
parts. 

2. Kyrie, for men's voices, by Giovanni Matthco 
Asola ; -^ flourished at Verona, 15C5-1596; wrote 
much and well. 

3. Offertorhim, by Fioroni ; — bom at Paris, 1704 
died as kapellmeister of the cathedral at Milan, in 
1779; one of the greatest church composers of the 
last century. 

4. Oavier Concerto, in Italian style, by Bach, 
played by Hans von Biilow. A pieee for the piano- 
forte solo, with so much beautiful melody that it is 
not necessary to be a " Bacbist " to enjoy it. The 
only criticism that I heard upon Billow's noble per- 
formance of it, was that he took up the last move- 
ment a little too fast, so that the audience was more 
likely to wonder at the perfomier's execution, than 
to fully comprehend the greatness of the music. 

5. " AdorarmiB te, Christe," by Benelli; — a great 
singer, and one of the greatest teachers of sintring of 
recent times. He whs bom at Forii, in the Romag- 
na, Sept. 5, 1771 ; studied with tho'«e two great mas- 
ters, Padres Martini and Mnttei ; 1790 was first tenor 
at Naples ; 1 798 engaged in London ; 1 801 at Dres- 
den ; 1823 came to Berlin as professor of vocal music, 
where he had the greatest success ; 1829 fell into a 
controversy with Sponrini, through certain articles, 
which he had printed in the T^pzig Alhf. Musikah'sche 
Zeitung ; retired to the neighborhood of Dresden, and 
died August 16, 1830. 

6. Choral, the programme says by Eccard, a Ger- 
man composer, born at Miihlhausen, in Thuringia ; 
pupil of Orlando Lasso (Roland de Lattrc); L')99 
kapellmeister in Konigsberg; 1608 ditto in Berlin. 
This choral is, in fact, what is known in our older 
singing books as *' Luther's Judgment Hymn." I 
have seen it in books printed before Eccard was bom ; 
so that he can only have the credit of having harmo 
nized it; as Clande Goudimel did our " old 100." 
If ever I get time to write my " Psalmodic Sketches " 
for the Journal, there will be more said about this 
choral. 

7. Lamentation, (for men's voices^ by Melchior 
Franck ; — born in Silesia in the second half of the 
16th century: 1603 kapellmeister to the Duke of 
Coburg ; died there June I, 1639. 

(The motet here given is from Lamentations CV : 
15-17.) 

8. Adagio and six variations, op. 34, Beethoven ; 
played by Biilow, in his most exquisite style. 

And finally, 

9. Lobqeaang, by Mendelssohn — not the Song of 
Praise Choral Symphony — but a " Glory to God in 
the highest," &c. 



I can say nothing new about such music. I can 
only repeat that no reader, who has never heard the 
like, can form any due conception of it, cither in re- 
gard to the style of the music, the effect of the l»oy 
choir, or the perfection of tho perfornianee. The 
first hearing of a full orchctitra or a grand Handclian 
chorus with two or three hundred singers, is not 
more new to a country lover of music, who has pre- 
viously never gone l>eyond the village Imnd, or choir 
than one of these motets would bo to the mo«t expe- 
rienced singer of our Handel and Haydn Society- 
Why can we not have something of thi.s kind m Bos- 
ton ? I will stake my character for truth on the 
assertion that our city can furnish as good materinls 
for such a choir as Berlin. If it was not for the im- 
possibility of finding men and boys with time, pa- 
tience and per.'<cvcninco to go through the needful 
course of study and practice, we might have such a 
choir. But here is just the trouble ! 

Jan. 2lst, I attended the Zimmermann Quartet con- 
cert. 1, A quanet, by J. J, Koemer, of St. Peters- 
burg, not very great, but very pleading. 2, Quartet 
by Haydn in G, of course delightful. 2, do. op. 
127, Beethoven — quite beyond me, on one hearing. 

At Oehtlino's soirc^, a novelty to me was a 
Quartet by Spohr, in G, in three movements, whieh I 
liked much. I heard aUo, for the second time, one 
by Schubert, in D minor, the opening of the Adagio 
reminding everybody most forcibly of the second 
movement of Beethoven's 7th Symp'ioTiy. If yon 
do not know this work in Boston. I pray you pet it. 

At another concert of a very different order were a 
few things to be noted ; such as, a Festival Overture 
by Hugo ULRirn. of whom I must at some time 
have written. He is one of the risinjr young compo- 
.sers ; I think amonsr the first here. Some yc»r« sinco 
a prize was offered (at Brasscl*?) for a " S-nfonte 
Trionfale," and he crnined it. He has been for two 
or three vears in Milan studvinir ; and the storv is 
that the Royal opera has accepted a new work for the 
stage by him. The overture in question pleaded mc 
much better than it did some of the newspaper re- 
porters. I liked it. There were three pieces de- 
claimed, or rather read by some of the l>e«t of the 
*' Theater personel " of both sexes — not of particu- 
lar interest, however, to us. 

A couple of youn? women from Vienna sang ; 
Franleins Sofia and Kraus, wiirgle-voiccd women 
to the most shocking degree ; neither gave a smooth, 
sustained note from becinning to end. One of them 
sa"g the song by Schubert : yfe>ne Puh isf hm. mftn 
Ilerz ist schm^. I could not imagine from her ap- 
pearance that her peace really wa« destroyed or that 
her heart was very heavv. but I shuddered to think 
how tnie it would be of me, if condemned to hear 
•uch a wiggle- voiced woman often ! 

David, the violinist, Mendels«ohn's friend, was 
here from I^eipzig ; and performed a concerto from 
delightful old Viotti, who, forty or fifty years ago, 
was the great violinist in London. Do you remcmhcr 
in the Handel and Havdn collection : " See the leaves 
around us falling ? " That melody was taken by 
Gardner from one of Viotti's violin pieces. That 
one specimen is sufficient to show what exquisite mu- 
sic he wrote. David also played variations on a Rus- 
sian song. 

But who do you guess played us a piece or two on 
the pianoforte ? None other than fat, jolly, giant-mus* 
cled, multitudinous-fingered Leopold de Mkyer — 
the veritable Leopold — himself, just as he used to he, 
— a little older, of course, hut evidently just a« ready 
as ever to give his certificate of the excellence of any- 
body's pianofortes. 

He played a Souvetiir d* Italie, made the melody 
sing itself almost to sleep, and then waked it op 
again, and everybody else. It was positively delight- 
tul to have something of the sort by way of piquant 
sauce to all the great music, which had been stirring 
up tho depths of the heart, in so many concerts. I 






BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1859. 



386 



like him f»ir better than Thalberj;. He is like Jaell, 
sach a '' jollj cock/' yon cannot suppose ho over had 
a dark day in his life ; and jn his masic, from the ut- 
most delicacy to thunder, you feel that he is enjoyinj^ 
him.«elf, and you enjoy it too. Beinj; called out 
ajniin, he played a little queer. thine, ending: noTrhere 
in pnrticular, and dressing every face in smiles. I 
like him. 

Last ni^ht Kadeckb (raye the first concert of a 
new series. It opened with a concert overture hy 
Rieti of Leipzig ; I liked it better than any other 
works by him. But what mnde the occasion most 
enjoyable to me, was two clioral works by Beethoven : 
the " EletjtKh^ G^samf," op. 118, " Sin ft wit du Itb- 
tnt hatt du vollmdet, ^Tc., and the " MeeresstilU und 
Glaclliche Fakrt." So delicious! Ah, when shall 
we have concert*, with such works on the projrrammes? 
David again played. He gave Mendelssohn's Con- 
ccrto for the violin, and an Andante and Scherzo of 
his own. His greatness as a viulinitt, I think no 
one can deny. Crystal purity of tone, wondrous exe- 
cution ; but he does not touch the heart ; herein Joa- 
chim to me surpasses all. 

The closing piece was Rnbinstein's Symphony, en- 
titled " Ocean." The opening movement reminded 
me of Mendelssohn's "Hebrides" overture. The 
result of the whole only strengthened the impression 
mide by other of his works, that he is in too great 
ha^te to compose. Musical creative talent is certainly 
there ; thoronsrh musical training just as certainly not. 
His works affect one as crude, wnnting in logical 
connection, too much of the picture-music order. 
Pity, a great pity ! 

But many thanks to Radecke for giving it 

A. W. T. 

New York, Fed. 28. — I was interested in read- 
ing in your last number, what the "Diarist" had to 
say about Arthur NxpoLEOif. He is indeed a won- 
derful boy, and one of the few prodigies that stand 
anything like an intimate acqunintanco. Apart from 
musical ability, he is a rarely gifted youth, well read, 
in English, French and German modem literature, a 
good linguist, and an excellent chess-player. Yet 
with all these accomplishments, he possesses an un- 
pretending modesty that is, after all, his greatest 
charm. 

At present Arthur Napoleon is in this city, quite 
ill. The climate is rather severe for one who is ac- 
customed to more southern countries, and Arthur will 
travel south as soon as possible. An amusing caric- 
ature of this little pianist, hss recently been publish- 
ed by Schuberth & Co. It represents him with his 
piano astride of a tclejrraph wire, playing with fingen 
thnt cover several octaves, various selections from 
Li<zt, Thalbenr, Beethoven, &c. The features, though 
of course, exafrgerntcd, are in the msin faithful, and 
the little ronnd velvet coat that Arthur always wears 
at his concerts is accurately represented. In a tele- 
graph station house at the left hand is seen his bn^i- 
ne'ts agent, Mr. Ties working the wires by the usual 
telegraphic operating machine. 

During his recent trip to Albany, Troy. Hartford. 
&c, Arthur kept a little diary, amusing for its laconic 
brevity. Here for instance is an entry: 

Feb. 15th. Came to Troy, a quiet little smoky 
town. Gave a concert. Bnmed my fingers with 
sealinsr wax." As yet Arthur Napoleon has not been 
appreciated as an artist in this country, but he will be. 

Wto have had an amateur operatic periormance, at 
Dodworth's Hall. It was a private affair, and fear- 
fully select. No lady was admitted except in full 
dress, and if a gentleman ventured to appear in any- 
thing short of white kids, he was expelled at once from 
the sacred spot. Newspaper people were entirely too 
plebeian to be invited, and only one of our city paperv 
has a word to say about it, and that favored journal 
describes the performance as "amusing." The opera 
was Donizetti's Lucia, a Miss Tryon singing the 



music of the heroine, and a Mr. Boughton that of 
Edgar. 

The plan of performing Dr. Ward's "Gipsey's 
Frolic" at the Academy of Music by a gang of fash- 
ionable amateurs is abandoned. The composer re- 
fused to allow his opera to be cut down at all, and the 
would-be performers thought it too long. So it is 
probable that Don PaaqftalewxW be snbstitntcd. Miss 
Sceor, a first rate singer will take the principal part, 
if it be ever played by the amateur gansr. She is a 
young lady of excellent musical education and dio- 
tinjruishcd socImI position. Her father is a rich mer- 
chant, and the daughter has sung at charity concerts 
with eflfect. Handsome proposals were recently made 
to her, to sing in a scries of concerts recently given 
here by a first cla«8 solo fiianist, but though the larly 
herself would not have objected vcrj' much, the "stem 
parient" interposed, and Miss Secor is a flower wast- 
ing her sweetness on the desert air — a singer singing 
only to a private circle of fashionable friends. 

Mr. St(Kpel's Hiawatha was given here last week 
with deserved suece«s. The Academy of Music was 
fairly filled, most of our musical profcs«ors being 
present. The able criticisms already published in 
your paper on this work, render any critical notice of 
it in this letter superfluous. The most successful 
piece wa? the Harvest chorus, which was encored. 
Your Boston solo singers did not please our audience 
over much. The cantata is to be repeated this week. 

A complimentary concert to George Bristow is 
to tnke place on the 7th of March, at the Academy of 
Music, 

Brtgnoli, I bear, is so pleased with this country, 
that he has no idea of returning to Europe. He gets 
with Strakosch, $1500 a month, a vast deal more than 
is ever got on the other side of the ocean. He has 
in his possession several hundred love letters sent him 
by infatuated ladies in the various cities he has visited. 
At first he used to answer these, but they came so 
plentifully that he now contents himself with reading 
them, feebly laughing and adding them to his collec- 
tion. When he shows them to a friend he does it 
with quite a Don Junn air, and hums Leporello's song 
"// Cataloffo e qttesto." At Havana he sang better 
than ever here, because the people hissed him a few 
times, and he got a little frightened. 

Amodio waddles about the West with as glorious 
a voice as ever. He is a jovial fellow, and leaves hosts 
of friends in every city he visits. 

TSOTATOSB. 

Brookltv, N. Y., March 1st. — Absence from 
the "City of Churches," for some time, with matters 
of business, have prevented me from giving you any 
items of news of late. 

The second season of our Philharmonic Society has 
been cc>nducted with great success, and the interest re- 
mains unabated. The fourth concert of the season 
comes off on Saturday of this week, a notice of which 
I will send yon next week. 

We are now soon to have a new Music Ha'l, or, 
as some call it, an "Academy of Musie." but this lat- 
ter name is rather too pretentions, as the amount to 
be raised is only $150,000. whieh will be hardly suf- 
ficient to give us a building with the necessary ac- 
cessaries, worthy to be called an "Academy of Music." 

At the last meeting of the Stockholdera, the Com- 
mittee announced that all but about $15,000 of the 
sum required, was either subscribed or pledged, and 
that the Committee had determined that the enter- 
prise should not fail for the want of the necessary means 
to complete it ; and more than that, they were also 
determined that the building and ground should be 
delivered to the stockholders in perfect completeness, 
entirety free ^firom debt. 

Our beautiful city certainly has reason to be proud 
of the enterprise and liberality of his citizens. Within 
a period of two years, the work of supplying the city 
with pure, wholesome water, has been projected, and 



successfully carried out; a Public Library — called 
the " Mercantile Library Association of the city of 
Brooklyn," has been established with an expendi- 
ture of about $15,'' 00, which receives the hearty 
and cordial support which it richly deserves ; a Phil- 
harmonic Society secoiKl to but one in the country, 
is now closing a second, and highly suoressfol season ; 
our lectures are better attende<l than anv. The sav- 
ing of the loquanon« Mrs. Mal:*prop aljout compari- 
sons, comes to mind just in time to prevent, what I 
fear, might have been a serious breach of propriety 
and good manners. 

There was a largely attended Concert given last 
eveninp at Plymouth Church, in aid of two charita- 
ble institutions of our city. Financially, the concert 
was a splendid success ; but as much cannot lie said 
of the programme offered. There were some good 
thing showcver, but the best of nil was the Septet by 
Beethoven, led by Mr. Noll. Such music, boweyer, 
is far more enjoyable in a smaller room, with a se- 
lect and appreciative andience, thoutrh on this occa- 
sion it was well received, and I am sore gave great 
pleasure to many. 

I have been both amused and gratified at your 
treatment of the different criticisms in the Boston 
papers of the late performance of " Israel in Egypt." 
They certainly cannot say yon are wanting in libe- 
rality, or that you fear to let your readers know what 
they have to say ; they must be satii^fied with your 
cotirse in this respect. But it does not seem to me 
that you meet their objections, and adverse criticisms, 
in your usual, and thorough manner. Beethoven 
mi;rht highly esteem, and even venerate the works of 
Handel, without considering them adapted, or suita- 
ble for the masse*. In fact, it seems to me, the opin- 
ions you cite and refer to as sustaining your position, 
can be used more effectively against you. When 
you can educate the penpfe to love, appreciate, and 
enjoy best, that which Beethoven, Mozart and Men- 
delssohn found it necessary to study, and from which 
they derived so much delight in so doing, you will 
not find newspaper critics to deprecate the periorm- 
ance of Israel in Ef/ypt. 

What was profound, and deeply learned in Han- 
del's time, is much more likely to be so considered 
now, than what was then considered elegant or 
beautiful, to be so considered now. 

To discuss this as Ulllv as I would like, would 
make this letter entirely too long. More anon. 

Belliki. 

Salem, Mass., Feb. 24. — I send yon the pro- 
gramme of a very successful concert given in our city 
last evening under the direction of Mr. Fekollosa ; 
because I think that the artist, to whom we are in- 
debted for this and many previous musical favors, 
amply deserves an honorable mention in your col- 
umns. Mr. Fenollosa has become one of the institu- 
tions of Stilem, and one which we could ill spare, for 
no one has ever done more than he for the cultivation 
of music in our community. The soil of Salem is 
poorly adapted for the growth of the true musical 
seed. John Endicott and Roger Conant ploughed 
and enriched it for another sort of crop, and their de- 
scendants have hanl work to supply the deficiency 
which the old culture has caused. Mr. Fenollosa has 
been with m some fifteen or twenty years, digging 
about and pruning and cherishing our weakly tree of 
Art, and he now has the SMtisfnction of seeing it hear 
healthy fruit, and reaps the additional reward of a 
firm place in our esteem as a ma«ician and a gentle- 
man. Besides all that he has done for individual 
pupils, he has made large classes familiar with the 
best masses of Haydn and Mozart. He has also 
shown tlie audiences at his concerts how Rossini 
stands head-and-shoulders above all other modem 
Italian composers, and he has given them a taste of 
deeper and purer draughts than were ever mingled in 
Italy. 



390 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Here is the programme : 

PabtI. 

1. Quartet k ChonUf ftom "Moms In Kg7pt." 

2. Trio, "BMtrice dl Tenda." 
8. Song, "Winged Messenger." 

4. FantMia, "The Siege of Corinth." 

Piano & VtoUn. Lebarre 

6. RedtatlTe k Romana, "Borneo & Juliet." 

6. Dnet, "Barcarole." 

7. CaTatina. "Bemlramlde." 

8. Trio, "The Faded Wreath." 

Part n. 

1. Quartet, from "I Poritanl." 

3. Song. "Kathleen MoTOurneen." 
8. Trio. "The Distant Chimes." 

4. Sonata^Piano & YloUn, op. 12 In D major, 
6. Trio, "OrattrioofEll." 

6. Seena ft Prajer, "Der Freischnts." 

7. Trio, "Donna Caritea." 

8. Quartet, ''Taneredi." 



Rossini. 
BeUini. 



ft DeBerlot. 

ToccaJ. 

KUckcn. 

Rosfini. 

Sterensott. 

Bellini. 

Crouch. 

Olorer 

Beethoren. 

Costa. 

Weber. 

Mercadante. 

Rosdni. 



Partly good, u joa see ; and in part indifferent 
and common-place. For the latter, necessity is the 
apology. You will readily understand that in one of 
our audiences there must be many weak stomachs, 
which require water to be mixed with the wine. The 
babes are growing, however, and if Mr. Fcnollosa 
keeps on in his good work, he will soon be able to 
feed them entirely with the strong meat which is fit 
for men. Even now, we crave a larger modicum of 
Beethoven and Weber. We are grateful for the taste 
which we had last night, but in future concerts our 
stimulated affections will, like Oliver's, ask for more. 
Mr. Fenollosa rarely appears to better advantage than 
in tlie violin part of a Beethoven Sonata. On this 
occasion he was ably seconded at the piano by Mr. 
Breed, whose modest and retiring disposition has 
hitherto been too apt to keep in the shade a rare artis- 
tic taste and sensibility. 

It is hardly fair to notice the amateur performers, 
but the ladies will perhaps pardon yon for mention- 
ing by their initials, Miss A., of Beverly, whose deli- 
cate soprano has become indispensable at our musi- 
cal parties and semi-private concerts, Mrs. S. and two 
Misses S. of Salem, whose varied accomplishments 
do credit to the honored name they bear, and a sec- 
ond Miss A., of Beverly, with a face like a sweet mel- 
ody, and a voice fit for its accompaniment, — all of 
them pupils of Mr. F. 

The audience was attentive and appreciative, and 
by their hearty applause g^^e Mr. F. earnest encour* 
agement to do for them other and still better things. 
Verily ours is becoming a city of harmony, as well 
as of Peace. 



Jtaigfefs |0Mrnd d Slusk 



BOSTON, MARCH 5, 1859. 

JOURNAL OF FEBRUARY 19. Any person haying a copy 
of this paper of February 19, and not desirous of pre- 
serving the same will eonftr a fkvor on the publishers by ftw- 
warding it to tUs ottoe. 

Musio IV THIS Ndmbir. — Continuation of the opera *' Lu- 
ertzia JBorgia^" arranged for the piano-forte. 



Concerts. 

Mendelssohn Quintette Club. -Friday 
evening, Feb. 25, at Mercantile Hall. The pro- 
granune of this sixth Chamber Concert was by 
far the finest of the season ; and so too, in the 
rendering of the various pieces, there was more 
felicity, more life and delicacy than usual. 

PabtI. 

1. Quartet in A minor, Schubert^ 

Moderato— Andante— Minuetto— Finale, Allegro. 

a. Oantate: ''Adelaide," Beethoven. 

C. B. Adams. 

8. Capfkcio In E minm', with Quintet aeoompaniment, llxst. 

time), &• Bennett. 

B. J. Lang. 



Part II. 
4. Andante and Finale Prssto, Tnm the Quartet in R flat, 
op. 12, Mendelmohn. 

6. Song: '< Welcome, ftir wood/* R. Franz. 

C. R. Adams. 
6. First Quintet, in E flat, op. 4, Beethoven.' 

Allegro— Andante— Scherxo— Finale. Allegro tirace. 

Tlie feature of greatest interest, alike from 
novelty and from intrinsic merit, was the Quartet 
by Schubert It is a thoroughly beautiful compo- 
sition ; remarkably clear, complete, concise, sym- 
metrical in form ; ever}' movement happily round- 
ed and just long enough ; and thus uncommonly 
fi-ec from Schubert's usual fault, excessive length 
of treatment, — in his case a mere fault in form, 
in the art of mastering unusually rich materials. 
For it is clear that, since Beethoven, no compo- 
ser's brain has teemed with such a wealth of won- 
derfully strange and exquisite ideas ; nor has 
anv one seemed so haunted and urged on bv ir- 
resistible and restless inspirations. More quiet 
and more smoothly, simply beautiful than usual 
in this Quartet, Schubert still betrays in it that 
peculiar vein of restless individuality, that wild, 
heroic, solemn, summoning, exulting martial 
rhythm, which seems always leading his soul 
away as to some noble strife and victory. Beet- 
hoven's early Quintet, full of life and love and 
zest for all things high and beautiful, one of his 
golden promises, ere he had opened up his deeper 
vein, made a very fit counterpart and balance to 
the Schubert piece, so that one carried fresh and 
exquisite impressions home with him. 

Mr. Stemdale Bennett, whom we have known 
hitherto only by his " Naiades " overture, and by 
some nice songs, German in their style and spirit, 
has long stood as the foremost of the English 
classical composers; — continually reminding you 
of Mendelssohn, yet not an imitator. This Ca- 
priccio is very brilliant and sparklinor In the piano, 
forte part, full of arpeggio, and taxing execution, 
to which Mr. LAxa proved fully equal. It was 
a facile, clear and bright perfonnance. But the 
quintet accompaniments seemed to us empty and 
uninteresting, as if their share in the develop- 
ment of the ideas of the composition was not 
from the birth, but only an afterthought. 

Mr. C. R. Adams is much the most satisfactory 
tenor singer now before us. His] voice, essentially 
musical and sweet in quality, is evenly developed 
and has gained in manly strength ; and if he 
lacked the fire and peculiar fervor for Beethoven's 
Adelaide^ yet he sang it with more taste and pu- 
rity and finish than we have heard for a long 
time. The exhilarating wood song of Franz was 
an excellent selection, and was sung with spirit, 
quickening the audience. 



Carl Zerraun's Third Philharmonic 
Concert. — Saturday Evening, Feb. 26, Boston 
Music Hall. There is a certain inspiration in a 
great storm, an unexpected exhilaration, which 
old concert-goers have known often enough, to 
anticipate it in the performance of a Symphony 
or other great work, when it falls on such a night. 
Thin audience of course ; but then it seems as if 
the very braving of the elements by the musicians 
and the few real music-lovers was rewarded upon 
such occasions by the rare luck of the concert in a 
musical point of view. Such, judging from the 
glowing reports of the most appreciative (although 
the newspaper criticisms are bewilderingly contra- 
dictory of each other) was the experience with the 
glorious old Beethoven Symphony in C minor, as 



played last Saturday, by Zerrahn's orchestra. We 
infer that it scarcely ever went so grandly here in 
Boston. A snqw-storm would not have robbed us 
of that pleasure; but the evil genius, taking the 
form of headache, was too powerful. 

The other orchestral pieces were the overtures 
to Tannhiiuser (which we heartily admire, tciVA- 
out despising "Israel in Egjpt," oh ye one-sided . 
critics, who reject the everlasting youth of genius 
when it meets you in an old dress) and to the 
"Siege of Corinth," by Rossini ; a strange, fantas- 
tical Polonaise by Meyerbeer, from Struensee ; 
and a Piano-forte Concerto in E flat, by Mozart, 
— a delicious piece, played with fluency and spirit, 
(so we judge from a rehearsal) by young Mr. 
Lang, with the addition of a nicelv made elabo- 
rate cadenza, in the place usually left for such 
things, of his own. 

The singer, Mrs. Lucy Estcott, made, 
from all accounts, a highly favorable impression. 
Judging from the rehearsal, in which she hus- 
banded her voice, we should say she had a voice 
of musical and sympathetic quality, not very 
powei-ful, nor altogether fresh ; but . flexible and 
well trained ; and that she sings with fen'or, sings 
as if she loved it. 

Zerrahn's next concert will not take place until 
the 26th, to give time for thorough vocal and 
orchestral rehearsal of the XI nth or " Choral " 
Symphony of Beethoven. That will form a part ; 
the other will be Beethoven's music to Goethe's 
"Egmor.t," with reading of the play. Truly a 
great concert ; worthy of that anniversar}' of the 
composer's death ! 

Orchestral Union. — The last Wednesdav 

m 

Afternoon concert brought with it sunshine, large 
audience, and an uncommonly good selection of 
pieces. Beethoven's lovely Symphony in B flat. 
No. 4, was rendered with great delicacy and 
warmth bv Zerrahn's select orchestra. The Don 
Juan overture went well too ; the richly instru- 
mented duet (arranged) from Rossini's "Tell" 
(we are thankful for a taste from that) not quite 
so smoothly ; but bassoon and clarinet sustained 
the voice parts well. A flashing waltz by GungI, 
and other varieties of that sort, pleased the young 
folks ; but the Symphony got excellent attention 
over the whole house. Encouraging ! 



Accompanists. — In the following communi- 
cation we cannot but recognize a fair refutation 
of our friend " Trovator's " wholesale slander 
against German accompanists. 

Kew York, Mabch 1, 1859. — "Trovator" is 
amiable, good natured, &c. These arc virtues and 
graces. But " Trovator " also conimirs sometimes 
amiaUe blunders. Thus in his letter, Jan. 18, 1859, 
occurs the following, viz : 

To judge from many Fpecimcns of accompanying 
that inny be heard at concerts in this city, this re- 
mark is not far from the ti-uth. I don't mean to say 
that the accompanists always lose their place, or 
commit any decided blunders, but they are generally 
fearfully mechanical and automatic in their perform- 
ances. I have rarely heard a German who coold ac- 
company better than a street organ. The German 
musician may be very wise, and overflowing with 
Bachf and gushing over with Gluck^ and gorged with 
Beethoven, and actually choking with Alendelsaohn, but 
ho is generally no more able to accompany elegantly, 
than is the elephant to leap gracefully from tree to 
tree. 

Abthub Napoleon is one of the few good accom- 
panists I have heard. He at once appreciates the com- 
poser's meaning. Henrt C. Timm is first-cIasD — 
m every respect, a model accompanist, but some- 
times too nonchalant and careless. Thbodorb JSis- 
feld is much the same in style. 



I I 



1 1 



1 1 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1859. 



391 



And what conntry produces pood ac(H)mpanist8 1 
Where shall a man go to obtain the art of accom- 
pnnyin<j1 There is a German now livinjr, Jules 
Benedict. Jenny Lind is a toleraUif gootl singer. 
Will •' Trovator " he kind enough to inquire of 
said singer, whether Mr. B. is a good accompanist. 

We have in New York a Mr. H. C. Timm, who 
has nccompaniod mo<t of the celebrated vocalists 
and stars who have nppenrcd here within the last 
twenty years. Will " Trovator " l>c kind enough 
also to inquire of some of them. 

Bnt it is not fo much with individnalitieB that 
we have to deal, but with the assumption that 
" German ^fHHtcinns rarr-hi accompany htttrr than a 
itr^t orqon.'* History itself i^ a perfect refutation to 
such a premise. 

In " Trovator's " letter, dated Feb. 1, speaking 
of the Mendclssolin Union, occurs also the following : 

I^Ir. Berge accompanied on the piano. He is one 
of the few really good accompanists we have, and is 
not sleep V in his style of playing. 

Now I shall pitch into a German accompanist. 
Have we to leai-n that to thump and crash on a Piano 
the accompaniments of Mendelsjsohn, varying his 
(M's) magnificent piano scorings, so as at times 
entirelv to obliterate the idea of Mendelssohn, is 
good accompanying ? I am ready to testify to this in 
hearing the said Bergc play the accompaniments 
of Mendelssohn's 95th Psalm. Some of the mem- 
bers of the Mendel^5ohn Union do know this per- 
fectly well, and spoke of it with retrrct. " Trovator" 
calls this " rea-ltf (food arcompnnifinff." It is true •' he 
is fi<^ shepy in his sfyJe of phtjfiufj^* but sleep it.-clf 
would be a great relief. Mr. B. has cncrcy and plays 
with enmcstne<«*, but he mu«t confine himself more 
ptrictlv to the text: and alrbon^h doubling and trcb- 
ling the parts micrht bo desirable with a full chorus, 
yet the harmony itself should not be subject to sacri- 
Iccre. There are some German accompanists in New 
York, who can teach " Trovator's " bcnu ideal how 
to accompany. S. L. 



Israel in Eg^t again. 

Our Brooklyn correspondent thinks we failed to 
make out our case in citing the opinions of ^fozart, 
Beethoven, Mendelssohn, &c., against the flippant 
condemnations of Handel and his masterwork by 
some of our newspaper critics. ' He thinks these 
great men mij:hl have admired " Israel," without con- 
sidering it a fit work for " the masses." We thought 
we were careful enough to make it clear, that these 
authorities endorsed not merely the ingenuity, the 
" learning," but the beauty, the sublimity, the poetic 
inspiration, in short the music of the work. Do you 
sup; oso that men like Beethoven and ^^ozart could 
pronounce that a great work of Art, which had no 
other value than its learning ? Do you suppose they 
looked at nothing but the form, the technical struc- 
ture, the scientific part, that could be learned, ac- 
quired ; or that any amount of such learning coubi 
make them indifferent to the absence of inspiring 
genius, of the soul of beauty, of imagination, of ideal 
meaning and divine expression ? Be assured, such 
works as " Israel in Egypt," live by virtue of their 
music and not of their mnthemntics : their poetry and 
not their grammar; their human soul-to-sou 1-speak- 
ing Art, and not their learned complication ; their 
meaning and their beauty and their godlike utterance, 
and not by their dexterous handling of square and 
rule. 

Not fit for " tiie masses " ! No really great thing 
is at first ; all great things are in the long nin, — 
sure to take hoM of the general heart more and more 
as wc grow familiar with them. Israel is admired, is 
vastly popular in England ; and it delights many 
here, whom it repelled or tailed to interest before they 
made a real effort to become acquainted with it. 

Some of the critics, especially in New York, since 
the production there of Mr. Stccpel's " Hiawatha " 



mnsic, finding themselves plcij^cd with it, are so al»- 
surd and childish as to raise an issne between that 
work and "Israel in Egypt"; and to throw out 
wise hints that the to-day's success of the last new 
wonder is to push the works of Bach and Handel, 
ft id pemts omne (would that we had in our day a 
little of the genius of that genus, dry and learned as 
you think them) into merited oblivion. They would 
run native Indian, as it were, against what is to them 
Egyptian darkness ! AVill not the very issue raise a 
laugh in all really musical regions ? Like " Hiar 
watha" as much as you please — we also like it — 
but what in the name of Past or Future has that to 
do with " Israel in Egypt " ! How can the success 
or failure of the one at all affect the other 1 Here is 
Fry, for instance, in the Tribune ; he is speaking of 
" Hiawatha " : 

We consider it a valuable addition to the music of 
the Concert -room, and, the subject beine: picturesque 
and varied, it anrl other such works ought to take the 
place of the obsolete oratorios. One of these, by the 
way, wc characterized as a supreme bore — and we are 
glad to find that the most intelligent of the Boston 
press, no less than four of them, having found the ice 
broken for the fii-st time in rejrard to these Handclian 
pcriwic nuisances, are now for the first time s.iying a 
true fcstbetic wonl in recard to them. The Boston 
Courier is closely loirical : The no>ton Transcript ab- 
solutely witty on the awful infliction of Handel's Is- 
raelites in Egvpt, with it« plaLnies of frogs, lice, and 
other delicious mnterials for mu-ie ; about as lyrical as 
bootjacks and old clothes. This dismal nibhish set to 
twentv odd fngue«. more or less, very skilful, and n« 
lyrical a«! the multiplication table, is the sort of ^tnff 
that the rubricites would render eternal. But we are 
in America, not England ; neither a George III. nor 
an Arehbisbop of Canterbury here can indorse a wbolo 
pile of cru'le mu<ical forms, filled with much of the 
barbarism of the dav, without even a good melodv; 
wintin'jr in essential logical projrross ; and with only 
oera^ionallv a redemptory nassacre to fit it to modern 
ears. Mondel-sohn may edit and may indorse it. and 
a due rrverence for what is va«t is essential to mu*<ic 
a« to politic* or reliL'ion ; but there is a point bevond 
wbi"'h bumnn endurance cannot go. Besiiles. Men- 
delssohn wrote for the En^li^h people, and placated 
duly Chuveh and State. But his knowlcdo-e of effec- 
tive dramatic vocal mu«ic never entitled him to play 
the supreme critic. He never had the force to write 
an opera, and so he took to the easy art of composing 
oratorio" ; oratorios based — shade of Pindar ! — on 
proec extracts from the Bible, which, metrelesa. defy 
association with a sincle melody worth listeninij to. 

On the subject of the choice of words there is no 
criticism, hence the ignorance of taking prose words 
belter skelter from the Bible, and supposing that any- 
thing really fit to be suncr can be evolved tbercfroin. 
The rarlicni Bible oratorio theory is false. It has no 
solid Ivrical facts to sustain it. There are oca^'ion- 
allv gooil pieces — some sublime ; hut the stand-point 
of such work is faNe. If mu«ic be metrical, the words 
must be. and the preat ma«s of the word^ taken bv 
oratorio writers from the BiMe are not crood. So think 
tbe nnblie, who yawn unrler the infliction ; and so 
tbinkfmany of our best musicians, but they have not 
the courage to say so. 

This is mere wayward freak and paradox. No man 
in his senses, surely, expects to be held seriously ac- 
countable for such talk as this. It nmv do a little 
momentarv mischief; it mav flatter the vanitv of a 
few sballow-pated would be amateurs and critics, the 
blind leaders of the blind. But it is answer enough 
to it to say, that it throtighout proceeds upon the 
capital error of confounding form with substance ; it 
judges Art mechanically. This is its argument : 
Because the means, the instruments, the forms of 
nmsic have berome improved .somewhat, therefore 
the old masters necessarily wrote poorer music than 
wc now write. As if genius were not geniiLs in what- 
ever form, or limits it may work. Handel with 
few instruments, within strict forms, wrote what in- 
spires the world to this day. Berlioz, Liszt, and 
others, with enormous orchestras, and free to follow 
every tem])ting method of effect, still fiiil to give us 
music, f«il to produce that which is edifying, that 
which the listening soul can love. Fry, if we mistake 
not, has had like experience in his own practical at- 
tempts at musical aeation. The real criticism on 
his voluminous and rapidly produced scores has been. 



not that they were not learned, not that they over- 
stepped old models and conventions, but that, 
whether with or in spite of their peculiar form, they 
lacked originality, lacked the vital charm of beauty. 
Were Handel writing here in our day, oven on an 
Indian subject, free from the tramels of the fugue, 
and with all instruments at his disposal — writing 
Operas, or Symphonies, or Cantatis, or only songs, 
think you he would fail to breath the breath of genius 
into them, and to diarm with the same means by 
which those who scout him fail ? 



Mnsical Chit-Chat 

There will be no Aflcmoon Concert next Wednes- 
day, the Music Hall being preoccupied. The next 

will take phice Wednesday, March 16th The 

Mendelssohn Quintette Club offers rare attrac- 
tions for next Friday ; among which Beethoven's 
Piano-forte Trio in I), op. 70, famous for its mystical 
"GetJitcr^' Adavio, to be jlaycd by Mr. J. C. D. Pah- 
ker; a Haydn Quanet; and a novelty — of course 
it will be good, being by Schubert — in the shape of a 
Quintet written with two 'cello parts. 

A writer in the Boston Journal speaks very highlv 
of Mr. Root's Operatic Cantata, "The Haymakers," 
which is to be produced on Wednesday night at Tre- 
mont Temple, under the auspices of Mr. J. R. Mil- 
ler. The work is no mere juvenile affair, but one 
of really quite highly pretentions, "needing only the 
addition of orchestral accompaniments to entitle it to 
the name of an opera." There will be a fine choir, 
fine solo-singers, Mr. Lang, as pianist, and the com- 
poser himself as conductor. 

Mozart's Twelfth Mass, in G, has been performed 
in Albany, with great success, by a choir of over one 
hundred voices, and an orchestra of twenty, under the 
direction of Mr. Lloyd. The solo singing by Miss 
Terry and Miss Lillik Brown is highly praised. 

A Burlington, Vt. paper, while in ccstiu-ics nhout 

BiscACciANTrs concert thcix},spcak.sof Mr. Wm. H. 
Dennett, who sang ?ton piu anarai, and other things, 
as "a basso only second to Formes.". . . The classic 
Mu«=ic Society in New Orleans gave this capital pro- 
gramme recently: Overture to "Fingal's Cave," 
Mendelssohn ; Symphony in D, Beethoven ; Over- 
ture to "Leonora" I Beethoven; Aria from "Jerusa- 
lem," Verdi ; Scherzo from Schubert's Symphony ; 
Romanza ; Overture to Fr^yschutz. 

Of Pike's new Opera Hon.so in Cincinnati, a cor- 
respondent of the Philadelphia Journal states, that it 
is built over stores which will pay an annual rental of 
S20,000. The writer adds : 

The interior is very fine, and very much in shape 
ike Button's Theatre, New York, and is, in fact, very 



1 



elegant and spacious ; but here we must stop, as the 
stage is not to bo compared with either Boston, New 
York, or Philadelphia for a moment. The lobbies 
are narrow, being not over five or possibly six feet in 
width. 

There are only three entrances to the house, and 
they are all to the same part, there being no gallery 
or upper tier, as in all the other houses In'foro alluded 
to. These entrances are all on Fourth street. The 
centre or main one is twelve feet wide ; the other two, 
eijrht feet each. These stairs are very steep, (for vou 
must know that this "half-million" house is up stairs, 
and above the bazaars, or stores before mentioned,) 
diflUcnlt of ascent, and, in case of a crowd, would be 
exceedingly disagreeable, not to say dangerous. 



^^t^^^^>^t^*0*^*^^f^^f^^^f^ll^% 



London. 

Sacred Harmonic Sopiett. — The second per- 
formance of St. Paul, on the 28th ult., was attended 
with fully the same success as the previous one, of 
which we had occasion to speak so hii>hly. 'The 
only change in the executants was in the substitution 
of Mrs. Sunderland for Madame Rudcindorff in the 
soprano pa*t. The Yorkshire songstress well stts- 
tniued the reputation which she so justly earned in 
the Messiah, and her general reading of the music 
was marked with a degree of intelligence which 
showed her thorough knowledge of the composer, 
while her fine voice told throujriiout with a very per- 
ceptible effect upon the audience. We would cs- 



i*ate 



S^Z 



3e2 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



pccially mention the air, " Jerusnlom ! Jcnnalem ! " 
and the recitative and air, " I will sinsr of Thy great 
roerciea" (part 2). It was with difficnhy t^at the 
attempted applause was suppressed in complinnce 
with the Exeter Hall regulations which ** taboos " 
any demonstration of the kind. This was equally 
the case in more than one instance with Mr. Sims 
Keeves'A sin^insTi which, despite the hoarseness he 
wa^ evidently labouring under, was magniKcent; 
and it was no wonder that the an:1ienr>o, roused to en- 
thusiasm, broke throus:h conventional etiquette, and 
fj^ave vent to their feelinirs in an unmisrakeable man- 
ner. Signor Bolletti and Miss Dolby, in their respec- 
tive parts, were admirable ; while to Mr. Willbye 
Cooper who sang some of the tenor recitatives, all 
praise must be awarded for his careful and artistic 
rendering of what was set down for him. The chor- 
uses were, if anyUiing, an improvement upon the last 
time. 

Sacrsd Harmonic Society. — The fiftieth anni- 
yersary of Mendelssohn's birth-day, which occurred 
on Thursday — Mendelssohn having been born Fcb- 
ruiry the 3d, 1809 — was celebrated by the Sacred 
Harmonic Society, at Exeter Hall, with a perform- 
ance of Elijnhf under the direction of Mr. Costa. 
The hall waa crowded in every part. The occasion 
offore<l a satisfactory plea for the occassional disr^ard 
of the rule< interdicting applause at these f)crform- 
anre^. And so the conductor seemed to think. A 
coloH<al bu<t of the great composer, modelled by Mr. 
Calder Mirshall, was exhibited on a pedestal in front 
of the orchestra. The ffcneral impression conveyed 
to tho*e who knew the composer w w favorable. At 
all events the bust stood out in eratefnl contn^it to 
the full length statue in the vestibule of the hall, the 
removal c»fwhi"h is desired bv every lover of art, and 
which, were wo iconocla^Jts, we should forthwith 4)reak 
in pieces. Amonsf the principal solo singers were 
M id ime Rud.-rs lorflT, Mi8«es Dolby and Palmer, Mr. 
Sims Reeves, and Signor Belietti. 

London Sacred Harmonic Society. — A per- 
formance of (landers Messiah took place, on Wed- 
n'»fldiy, Januiry 26th, in the Lower Hall, Exeter 
H ill. The principal vocalists were Miss K. Hu<;hes, 
Miss Hce'k (her first appearance), Mrs. Dixon, Mr. 
Dyson (of St. Gf^onje's Ch:ipel, Windsor,) and Mr. 
A. T'lomis. M. Ton>ecque wis the principal violin ; 
and Mr. Pc'ttit, violoncello. The rest of the band and 
chorus consisted <if friends and members of the Soci- 
ety, who dc'»erve credit for jjivin;? a highly re.spe<*ta- 
bl(B p 'rfonnince of the onuorio. The orchestra and 
the nill were both full, nn'l many went away unable 
to gain adiuission. Mr. Surman conducted. 

Paris. — Cormpondence of Jjondnn Afiu. Worlds 
Jan. 22. — The revival of Rossini's S-mimmide bus 
been the only no'iceablc fenture of recent occurrence 
at the It>ilions. Tiiat Grin should hsive abnndoned 
one of her srr »n lest imf)ersonaiions — if not her gnind- 
est— in favor of Ma lame Penco, naturally 8urprise«l 
t'le puSli'*. No reason h «s been a^siffue 1 ; lait it is 
jn«t po««i'de thst Gri-i may hnve objecred to the new 
AVsiir, Si'inor B idia'i, who, though an excellent artist 
Bid a srof) 1 florid <injer, is a-* litt'e Kuited to the Assv- 
rim nsuroer as to t'le Spmish libcrMne of Moz:irt. 
Sv/nram'd", neverihf»le>8, has hnd an immense su"- 
cess, principilly owincr to Al*^oni's reappearance in 
Ar< ice, w'lich seems to have delijrhted bcyonri mcns- 
nre the sii'is-'rihers to the BoiifFes, who, after her a!- 
leied resiffua ion of mile characters, never expected 
to behold the jrreat conrralo a:r«iin in this one of her 
mo<t f pnoiis parts. Surprise, iherefore. heightened 
th ' pie i-ure of hearinrr her ■'inir tho<e delicious ^trains 
with w'lich she fir!*t enra>tured the Ortrs of the Lon- 
don nn'l Parisian andienccs. AMioni, it will he re- 
monib'Tcd, made her fir-st anpenr:inco at the Royal 
Itilian O »era, ns Arsace. in lSt7, and the same sea- 
son mide her d^'tit at the Iraliens in the si'ne psirt. 
Alrhourh nvi'ived on h^rentnince with marked frijr- 
i litv hy the P iri^i m nuMi" — o^ten Jibly to exhibit their 
d'sfruit of Rn-rli'h fivoriM-sm — s'le hid not sun-j a 
dor. Ml barsof rheone'iin?air, "Ecconi in RnSylonia." 
when nhe t'irew t'lo au lionce into a ferment, an»l her 
retention thronghont the entire performance wms h 
perf -ct ovation. Fron that ni-rht Al'»oni •>cc ime one 
of the {rrearost f ivori es thnt ever trod the boirdrt of 
the ftaliens. When she cive wt} her rnitmUo parts, 
cerrain popii'ar oner is h-i'l to he hiid nside ultojjcther, 
amon'x them. <ev -ral of Rossini's finest— Sc/ii/mmiW«, 
and f^i fJonnn dej />rr;o, to wit. 

Ars ice is nndonhtedly the mo«t important part ever 
written for a contralto, and is as undoubtedly Alhoni's 
mo*t con-^ummate achievement. Not only in the florid 
m-i-iic with which the part abounds — nnd whi'-h no 
other livinjsrtiJt csn sins like her — ^lint in t^e grand- 
eur and breadth of nhrHS-ne, so imncrativelvdemonded 
in the fir»t lir and cNewherc, and in thnt freedom nnd 
lar:?enc-4s of style, too fi*equently incompatible with 



bravura singing, without which no artist could attempt 
the part, does Alboni prove herself transcendent. >io 
wonder that such a performace, resigned for years, 
and never again anticipated, should have thrown the 
Parisian public into ecstacies. Such a crowd was not 
remembered at the Italiens as that which congregated 
the first night of Semiramide. Allwni was hailed with 
a peifect tempest of applause on her entrance, and the 
opening recitative of the air, "Ecconii in Babylonia," 
so eloquently breathed and so exquiaitely modulated 
to the very tone of melting pathos, irrei$istibly carried 
away the audience and made them applaud in spite of 
their desire to listen. The two ducts, that with Sem- 
iramide, and that with Assur — as far as Alboni was 
concerned — were both masterpieces of florid and en- 
ergetic vocalization, and were received with mani- 
festations of intense delight. In fine, Alboni 's Araace 
may be accepted as a great fact in the Italian Opera. 
It brings back the most accomplished of modern sing- 
ers in her most consumate part, and it will tend to re- 
store to the stage some of the too-much neglected 
masterpieces of the greatest of modern masters. 

Madame Penco 's Semiramide seems to have pleased 
many, and to have dissntisfied a few. All agree that 
she sang well ; but the tragic grandeur and impetuos- 
ity were wanting. Signor Bclart made his first ap- 
pearance this season — rather late for so popular an 
artist, we opine — is Idrcno, and made quite a hit. 
In Rossini's music, Signor Belart is invariably at 
homo. 

Martha has been revived, with Madame Frej^zolini 
in the part of the heroine, t7/c« Msdllc. St. Urhain, 
nnd the rest of the characters as Ixforc, by Sijrnors 
Mario. Grnziani, and Zucchini, Madame Nantier 
Didide, &c. Maritime Frezzolini is a great improve- 
ment on Mdlle. St. Urbain in Martha. Siie is a more 
brilliant and practised sintrer, and nets with far more 
point and tact. The Irish air, "The Last Rose of 
Summer," most sweetly sung, was enthu-'iastically 
npplniided. Mario was as tine as ever in the part of 
Lionel. Signor Graziani, as usual, found infinite fa- 
vor in the eyes of the audience, and Signor Zucchini 
was more energetic than amusing as the amorous old 
Viscount. 

Feb. 5. — Rossini's Matilda di Shabran has been 
revived at the luiliens, wiih Madame Penco, as 
Matilda; Madame Nantier-])idi<<o, the Page Edo- 
ardo ; Madame Cambardi, the Countess d'Arc ; 
Signor Belnrt, Conradino ; Signor Zucchini, Isidoro ; 
and Signor Corsi, the Doctor. This ndiniraide work 
has been received with great entbu-insin, althon^li 
the remembrance of Bosio and Ronconi was not ef- 
fiice«l by Madame Penco and Si;rnor Zucchini. Sig- 
nor Belart was scarcely equal to the ferocious man- 
hater Corradino, but he sang the florid music with 
wonderful skill, and was greatly Applauded in the 
opening air. Mad.ime Nnntier-Didi^ is admirable 
in Rdo irdo, and Si^rnors Zucchini nnd Corsi are both 
excellent as the poet and the doctor. In consenting; 
to undertake so smill a part as that of the Countess 
d'Arc. Madame Mathilda Cambardi ha< t^ct a good 
eximple to all the artists in the establishment. Al- 
thouvrh of talent deemed ecpial to Elvira in Emmii^ 
this 1 dy does not think it beneath her to accept a 
suhordiiuite character in one of Rossini's operas. 
The d€'nU of Mademoi>«elle S irolai was looked for 
with great curiosity, the lady Ix-iny: n'prescnted as 
possessed of singular personal attractions. The wis- 
dom of the manajrement was not di^phtyed in selec- 
tinir the part of Ix'onora, in the TrornUn-e, for the 
fair Hnnirarian, who, with a great deal of talent, and 
much physical power, is not yet sufficiently accom- 
plished to essay so arduous a chiractcr. Her youth, 
nevertheless, turned the scale in her favor, nnd she 
was received with favor. Mr. E. T. Smith has se- 
cured Madllc. Sarolta for his approachiu); season of 
Italian opera. The Drury Lane manajrer. however, 
mn-it take a bint, and select a part better suited to her 
thnn F/'onora. 

The f. iend8<if M. S linton will be de'ijrhtcd to hear 
that his success in this capitnl has been triumphant. 
He p'aye'l nt the first concert of the .hunex Ait'tfts^ 
and on VVedne-«diy jr «ve a concert, with full orcbe-s- 
tra. at the Salic H»»rz, whii-b was crowded with some 
of the mo<t notaMe amatonrs and connoisseurs in 
Pari*. This eminent violinist p^n'cd, by special de- 
sire, Mende!s"«ohn*scon'erto, which was so eminent'y 
vu'vessful nt the Jennets Arttttt'S. bcidis sevcnil 
works of his own '-ompo-ition — '* Romance." " Ta- 
rentell'i," nnd " Fantasia, on liit/o/ettn.'* Both ns 
executant and eo'nPO>cr M. Sainton was preatly n<l- 
mircd, nnd each of his performances listened to with 
rapt attention, and received with unbounded ap- 
plause. M. Sainton was more than once recalled. 
He was assisted by Sijr. Gardoni and Mwl. Anna 
Bertini, as vocali-'ts. The band was under the di- 
rection of M. Pa^dclonn. M. Sainton, nccordinir to 
the Orpf^m, was *'ihe hinreut pupil of the first class 
of old Habeneck." 



Special 'S^aiUts. 



DE8CRIPTIVB LIST OF THK 

TEST aibffTJSIO, 
PaMUIied by O. DltMS »c C: 



Musto BT Mau..-— QnAnticicfi of Hafifc) ar» now »«rt by mailf 
thr expense being only about one eeoC apiec*. while the care 
and mpiditv of transportation are remarkable. ThoM at a 
IP'eat diatanee will find the mode of eonTcranre not only a con- 
venience, but a mring of etpeniw in obfeUcing supplies. Books 
ean aim be nent by mail, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
This applies to any dlntance nnder three thonaand nflas ; be- 
yond that, double the aboTe. rates. 



Vooal. with Plaao Aooompaaiment. 
In silence, sad heart, go. Cavatina in Balfe's 
opera of "Satanella." 60 

A pathetic and Impw i is i ve stnJo hn the Jbrm of a 
■ong. The Instrumental prelnde to this piece, whkh 
ia printed entire, has been much admired In London. 
Soprano voice. 

Luleanna. Son^ and Chorus. L. V. H. Crosby. 30 
Sung with applavae *t the entertainments of Morris 
Brothers minstrels. 

Come to me, p^entle dreams. W. T. Wrtghtcn. 25 
A sweet song of easy p e r lb nn ance, ibr Toices of little 
compass. 

Sweet Ere of West. Sonfr. S. Glover. 25 

Pretty and taking, like moat of this author's aonga. 

I know not wh j I love thee. C. GvsUive Fitze. 25 
An agreeable park>r4ong. 

O sing to me that gentle song. /. II. Mcykughton. 25 

Farewell. Song. J. F. Dfigyan^ 25 

Norah and Barney. tnntjton Williams. 25 

Three dMidedlj pretty sonpi. the two first of a sen- 
timental, the last of a light and eeml-comleal cast. 

Instrumental Miulo. 

Impromptu. Theodor Hagm. 40 

Allegro agltsto in four-four time. Highly intereat- 
ing. It ie written for a wild aehool of playing rather 
th.an In the modem parlor-ittyle. The anthor le well 
known by a long literary career (as musical critic) 
partly in Europe, connected there with the Lelpric 
MQ<icftI Joarnal ** Slgnale,'* and more recently in thia 
country, connected with both the New York Harlcal 
Reriew and the Philadelphia German musical paper. 
The piece is dedicated to William Maaon. 

L'Andalonse. Omnd Valso brilliante. E. Wolf. 35 
A highir efleetlre piece, a chain, as it were, of the 
most sparkling, taking melodies In waits time. Of 
medium dKBcnlty. 

L'Eclair. Nocturne. Joseph Ascher. 40 

An eKborate transcription of that celebrated Ro- 
mansa from the abore-named opera by nUnry, in 
Aseher's inimitably graceful style. Not diffleult. 

Booka. 

Studtks for thr Pianoforte. For the further 

perfecting of advanced pianists ; consi^tinjr of 

24 chnmcteristic piece-*, in the diflTcrent major 

and minor keys : with finfferinjr, and explnna- 

tory remarks upon the object and manner of 

pcrformiiijr each. By Ijfu : Mo«<-helc8. Op. 

70. New edition, improyed by the author. 

In two books. Book I. 2.50 

This work ha* the merit of being the fVuIt of long 
experierce ard mnch studv. The anthor doee not 
pretend to hare made a work entlreir new; bnt, after 
a deep ntu^fy of the comp<vlMons of the greet makers, 
after bccomi'^g Imbued with their principles, he has 
giTen free course to hia own thoneAit. without fmpoe- 
Ing on it any golle except thekrowledgeof thefnstm- 
ment, whoi^e resources recm to him unlimited lie 
doee not design this work for persons who have only 
acqnire«l a moderate dtitree of power on the piano, 
bnt fbr thnae whose talent Is fhrmed by the prodac- 
tions of the be«t master", and who are mnch at home 
upon the instrument. To profit by these exerrisea, 
therefore. It requlrct not only preTious studies : It re- 
quires, besides, that kind of execution, which results 
from taste and sensibility : fur it la not so much the 
end of the anthor to perfect the meclianism of the 
flpgers. as to address the Imagination of tlie piaDlst, 
and enable him to express the sentiments and pasaloQa 
with all the delicate nvanees that chamcterln them : 
in a word, to gire him all the qualltlea which we are 
accustomed to designate by the coUectWe term, styfe. 



ffm 




toigfit's 



|0ttnial 





usir^ 



Whole No. 362. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1859. 



Vol. XIV. No. 24. 



For Diright*> Journal of Muiic. 

Beethoven. 

Alp in the realm of tone ! to that false soul 
Who seeks to exalt himself, while lauding thee, — 
With vain display of critic mystery 
Obscuring thine oracular thunder-roll, — 
Thy heights sublime in truth no more unfold 
Than windy plains that blow him every way, 
Paths that his feet perplexed lead far astray, 
And crags that blind him with their scornful cold. 
But he who seeks sincere thy sovereign fane. 
Walks with the mountain spirit's majesty ; 
For him, dark clefts their hidden flowers contain ; 
And from some peak divine, he, blest ! may see. 
Beyond the verge of this low sensual plain. 
The spreading wonders of infinity. 

Fannt Malonb Raymond, 



For Dwight^t Journal of Music. 

Bablisher Wanted! 

Letter of Itev. Habakak Lot to the Editor of the Journal of 
Muflio. 

POPTOWK, Feb. 28, 1859. 

Honored and respected Sir : 

I presume that the poetic ability of my towns- 
man, Mr. Anierus Esel, class leader and exhorter, 
as exhibited in the poet's corner of the Poptown 
Illuminator, cannot fail to have attracted your 
notice. You must have been struck by the beauty 
of the versification and the delicacy of sentiment, 
which pervades all his compositions. But above 
all is the vein of true religious feeling, which 
runs through all the productions of his genius. 
You may perhaps remember the piece, which 
went anonymously the round of the country 
newspaper press, and will need no farther tes- 
timonial to Mr. EsePs talent, when I inform you 
that it was from his pen. I refer to the follow- 
ing: 

Summer Clouds. 

Oh summer clouds, why fly ye so t 
Why won't you wait a bit % 
The wind doth rise, away ye go. — 
So earthly pleasures flit 1 

Oh Summer clouds, how bright ye are, 
A-sailing to and fro 1 
You're naught but fog although so fair — 
Our earthly joys, jest so. 

Oh Summer clouds, ye shine an hour 
And then your beauty fades. 
So clouds of sorrow on us lower. 
And sinners go to Hades. 

The schoolmaster objects to the last word, on 
the ground that It should be pronouccd in two 
syllables. But if f, a, d, e, s, spells fades, whj 
should not H, a, d, e, s spell Hades ? Still, if the 
schoolmaster is right, we can make the last line, 

" And sinners flit like shades." 

But to the object of this letter. 

Having had proofs of the great literary ability 
of Mr. Anserus Esel, class leader and exhorter, I 
have availed myself of it to carry out a long 
cherished idea, one which, in the pressure of my 
pastoral duties, and through distrust of my poetic 
abilities, I have been unwilling to undertake 



alone. To explain myself more clearly, it is 
proper to state how the idea originated. 

I was formerly in the habit of devoting many 
of my winter evenings to the business of teaching 
sintj^ing school, — and, as I flatter myself, with no 
little success. I noticed that many of the most 
popular tunes among my pupils, in the "Holy 
Banjo," the " Sacred Jewsharp," the " Religious 
Bagpipes," and other collections, which we used, 
were " arranged from the works of the greatest 
masters ;" and some, which were especial favorites, 
were the profane strains of operas baptized, so to 
speak, with Scripture names and sanctified to the 
use of the church by having sacred words placed 
under them. Having afterward turned my at- 
tention to theological studies, it occurred to me 
that a great service might be done to the church 
by arranging poetry for her use, as the singing 
book makers have done with music. 

At first my idea wenf no farther than thus to 
arrange the sublime thoughts of Milton and 
Young, of Pollok and Tupper; but meeting 
somewhere the admirable remark, variously at- 
tributed to Wesley and Whitfield, that " there 
was no reason why the devil should have all the 
good music," I felt at once that there is just as 
little reason why the devil should have all the 
good poetry. I therefore extended my plan, so 
as to include in our collection of " Hymns, ar- 
ranged, &c." pieces adapted from Shakespeare, 
Beaumont and Fletcher, and other dramatists, 
intending these, particularly, to be sung to tunes 
arranged from operas, and arranging them in 
metre and rhythm accordingly. 

I flatter myself that the combined labors of 
Mr. Esel and myself, during which we have 
spared no pains nor expense, wiil be found upon 
examination to have produced a collection of 
hymns and sacred songs, utterly unrivalled for 
variety, tor good taste, for rhythmical diversity, 
for elegance of expression, for depth of religious 
sentiment, in short, for every quality which should 
distinguish the poetry of the church. 

When we consider that the essence both of 
music and poetry — that which makes words to 
be poetry, and concordant sounds music, in any 
high sense — is the expression of feeling and sen- 
timent, it is clear, that arrangements and adapta- 
tions in both cases stand or fall upon precisely the 
same grounds. Now, as the practice of all sects 
— or nearly all — from the Catholics of Vienna 
and Paris with their operatic Masses, to the hum- 
ble worshippers of the backwoods village or the 
plantation, with their popular melodies — sanc- 
tions the stealing of the devil's music, I contend 
that we are doing God service in stealing alao his 
poetr}'. 

Our first volume is now ready for publication, 
containing 976 hymns and sacred songs. Upon 
consultation with Mr. Esel and the elders of our 
meeting, we concluded, that in the present dearth 
of good hymns and hymnbooks, there would nat- 
urally be a great competition among publishers 
for the honor and profit of publishing this book, 
and that it would be best to give some public no- 



tice of our work and await proposals from various 
leading firms in the large cities. 

After receiving a bare pecuniary remuneration 
for the time, labor, and expenses which we have 
incurred, whatever profits thereafter may accrue 
will be devoted to building up the waste places 
of Zion. I am preparing also a book of tunes to 
go with the hymn-book, consisting entirely of ar- 
rangements. Hence I have thought proper to 
make my first announcement of our collection of 
hymns in the Journal of Music. 

I will only add a single stanza from two or 
three of our poetic arrangements, as specioaens 
of the elegant manner in which Mr. Esel has 
solved tbe problem entrusted to him. 

450. Immortality of thb Soul. 
8 line l. m. 

Arranged ftom Aabuox. 
It must be so — 'tis reasoned well ; 
Else whence this pleasing, fond desire 1 
Or whence this dread of death and hell. 
Which does the trembling soul inspire ? 
Why on herself thus shrinks the soul, 
All startled at destruction dire ? 
Thus Ueaven itself doth us control 
And point us to a somewhat higher 1 

771. This World akd the Other. 
98 and 8s metre. 

Arranged from Gat. 
How happy could I be in either 

Were t'other dear charmer away i 
But while they invite me together, 
I know not which voice to obey. 

Sing Glory, Hallelujah, &c. 

801. Htmn for a Temperance Mbetino. 
88 and 9s metre. 

Arranged fram Goumm. 

The words of the preacher come down 

And show us that drinking is sinful ; 
Nevermore from the sole to the crown 

Of liquor will we have a skinful. 
Hcpenting, we give him our pence. 

And turn from our grog to religion, 
And feel of new joy such a sense, 

As Noah felt seeing his pigeon. 

With a glory, hallelcgah, &c. 

That is, when the pigeon brought the olive leaf 
— which fact is to be stated in a note, at the bot- 
tom of the page, Mr. Esel not succeeding in 
bringing into the line the idea of the said olive 
leaf. 

Although, Mr. Editor, I can but admit that 
the thought of " filthy lucre " has been sometimes 
in my mind during the preparation of this vol- 
ume, and the idea that its sale may possibly ena- 
ble me to swop my old white horse, for Deacon 
Abram's 2.40 sorel colt, yet my principal satisfac- 
tion arises in view of the vast amount of spiritual 
and everlasting good to my fellow mortals, which 
I am destined to eflfect. My feelmgs, at times, 
are too great for utterance, and can only vent 
themselves in the words of the sweet singer of 
Poptown, thus : •— 



394 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



653. Wealth and Goodness. 
CM. 

ArranKcd ftom Qoldamith. 
Dwell not my heart on outward show, 
In goodness go it strong. 
Man wants but little here below. 
Nor wants that little long ! 

In conclusion, Mr. Dwight, should you incline 
to aid us in circulating our book, hy looking over 
the manuscript, and suggesting such alterations 
as may, perhaps, notwithstanding all our care, be 
still advisable, we are willing to make such com- 
pensation as is right and proper. 
With all due respect, your devoted servant, 

Rev. IIabakuk Lot, 
Pastor at Poptown, 



Musical Legislators. 

(From the New Tork Tribune, J»n. 29.) 

There is a very rare quotation from Shakes- 
peare which some of our erudite readers may 
nave chanced to meet once or even twice, and 
which distinctly asserts that music has great 
power in soothing the savage breast, and that it 
13 in fact the sovereignestquciler of passions ever 
invented. This, we admit, has, up to this time, 
been regarded as a fanciful speculation or a pret- 
ty theory, as our Orphic signors, signoras and sig- 
norinas have preferred drawing dollars into the 
treasury of tlie Academy — dollars speedily and 
remorselessly reclaimed — to trying their head, 
throat and chest-notes upon our forests and our 
quarries. But what, in this practical age, is even 
the divine Art of Music — some call it a Science, 
and some call it both Art and Science — worth, 
if we cannot reduce it to plain, positive and in- 
disputable utility V Something of this we have 
already accomplished. There was the screaming, 
yelling, howling, phthisical, demoniacal and albo- 

frethcr dreadful emissions of the Railway Cal- 
lope, which, to the apprehension of dislocation, 
added the actuality ot deafening, and kept us in 
mind of our latter end. There were the brass 
bands which enable our glittering and gorgeous 
warriors to sustain, without any devastating mor- 
tality, that awful Anabasis f)*om Union square to 
the Park, and which are, to our veteran regi- 
ments, what the bag-pipes were to the callow 
Highlanders in the Indian campaigns. There are 
the hand-organs — organs, indeed, of a judicious 
Providence, which, through such instruments, in- 
culcates the beatitudes of patience and long-suf- 
fering. There is the accordeon played by weak- 
minded youth at the open casements on midsum- 
mer nights. There is your neighbor who, late in 
life, has commenced the study of the fiddle, under 
the impression that he had nothing to do but to 
buy a Cremona made last year, a box of stn'ngs, 
two pounds of rosin, the treatises of Spohr, 
Kreutzer, De Beriot and Korlc, in order to make 
himself the cynosure of all concert-rooms and the 
rival of Vieuxtemps and Sivori. There is the 
amorous young gentleman who does Nicholson ian 
variations upon a silver-keyed flute presented to 
him by his grandmamma, and who gives us the 
most wonderful and involuntary double staccato. 
There is the young woman, with the seven-octave 
piano-forte, who is so prettily pp. and so furiously 
ff.^ who alternately feels sofl'lv the keys and then 
fights them, and who plays I'halberg's " Moses " 
quite as well as she plays the first lesson in Bcr- 
tini. There are artists who affect the Jew's 
harp (or jaw's harp, as it should be written), and 
artists who finger disconsolate banjoes, and ar- 
tists who favor us in the stilly night with gems 
from the African Opera, or even from the reso- 
nant haunts of the Italian Academicians, and who 
whistle what they cannot sing. These nuisances, 
like all earthly nuisances, have their uses, and 
from these seeming evils we may still educe good. 
But, it is in that far off and almost fabulous 
land known as " Down East," whence come 
washing machines and the whole century of in- 
ventions, that Music is employed to some purpose 
indeed. There the Legislature has taken up the 
matter in earnest. We learn that the Senators 



and Representatives of the State of Maine now 
assemble in the Capitol, and, before proceeding 
to their graver duties, sing Kicred music to*;etht'r 
for an hour. We notice this latest artistic and 
political novelty, because we do very highly a|)- 
prove its introduction, and consider it a most 
commendable innovation. We have it upon the 
authority of an ancient poet, whose name has es- 
caped us, that there are hone so rare as can com- 
pare with the Sons of Harmony ; and it is not to 
De supposed that, after these melodious recrea- 
tions, when the leader has lefl the chair to Mr. 
Speaker, that, in the most fierj- or in the most 
fussy debate, the tenor will call the basso no 
gentleman, or give the lie to the sofl-voiced ally 
who has just so nobly sustained him in alt, Aflcr 
a strict attention to musical measures, will not 
the patriot be fitted for political mccisurcs ? Will 
he not more accurately understand the v.ilue of 
a crochet ? Or will he, as some may think, be 
more likely to quaver, when in the dilemma of 
the Yeas and Nays ? 

For our own part, we think so well of this mu- 
sical idea, that we should like to have it tested for 
a single session in Washington. Why should not 
Mr. Speaker intone the Ilouso to order ? Why 
should not gentlemen give notice of a resolution 
in a chant, or ask leave to make a motion con 
dolore f Most of the speeches are so bad said 
that they certainly woulu be better sung. Many 
and many a time have we seen, when a fiddle- 
bow in the hands of the presiding officer would 
have been quite as impressive as his hammer. 
Many and many a time, in the House, we have 
felt that the immediate introduction and pleni- 
tudinous play of forty bands of brass, would bring 
a comparative silence like the silence of Sahara. 
Why should not the " Yeas " vote in full chorus ? 
AVhy should not the " Nays " bellow responsively ? 
He would be but a poor captor verhorum who 
should object that we cannot sing through the 
eyes and should not sing through the nose. How 
beautifully might the businesss of the House be 
arranged by Mr. Fry or some other American 
composer who understands both politics and 
music ! How easy would it be to adapt the Italian 
melodies to Jefferson's Manual. First reading, 
largo ; second reading, andante ; third reading, 
prestissimo. First debate, grave ; second debate, 
allegro ma non troppo ; third debate, fugato ; as 
nothing new would be sung, fourth debate, for- 
zando; fiAh debate, a /a m^t/a/rtf ; sixth debate, 
con fuoco rapitlamente sempre crescendo^ and then, 
if members must break each other's heads, there 
would be a fair chance that they would do it ten- 
derly and delicately. The motion for final ad- 
journment might be given in the melody of 
** Home, Sweet Home," and how would the people 
thunder back " Gloria in Excelsis I " 

But one difficulty presents itself. "Who, save 
Meyerbeer, could write music for the President's 
Annual Message ? And how many years would 
it take that unwearied, patient, and most indus- 
trious master to marry Mr. Buchanan's platitudi- 
nous elongations to inrnnortal music ? 



For Dwight's Joamal of Hntie. 

Peeps in Italian Papers. 
No. I. 

Bt Trovator. 

In a country where so much attention is devoted to 
operatic affairs as Italy, operatic newspapers ore a 
necessity, and in all the large cities such journals — 
usually weeklies — are published. Operatic newspa- 
pers, I call them, and such they are — not musical, 
but operatic papers. They are filled with little no- 
tices of what this egregious soprano is doing at Flor- 
ence, and what that incredible tenor is occupied with 
at Rome. From every little city and town of Italy 
they gleam some scrap of operatic intelligence, and 
while they never enter upon learned or even intelli- 
gent criticism, they form an agreeable melange of op- 
eratic items. The expressions are often curiously 
hyperbolical, and the importance with which very in- 
significant bits of information are paraded in their 
columns, is really amusing to those familiar with the 



Ui*go English and American newspapers. At Flo- 
rence several of these musical papers arc published, 
being invariably four-page quartos. At Turin, // 
Trovatore, the prominent scmi-wcckly musical journal 
contains a page of illustrations a la Chamtrarif which 
are not confined to musicid subjects. For instance, 
in a recent number, there is depicted the " stratagem 
that mnst Imj used by the readers of the Tuscan Mon- 
itor, to pcrnsc that journal af^er its contemplated en- 
largement ; the picture rcprcscntn the newspaper 
stretching over a vaist expanse of ground, while scv- 
cnil horsemen arc galloping over it, leaning down and 
reading as they scurry along. This is not a bud hit 
on some of our own " blanket sheets." 

I purpose sending you, scini-occasionariy, hits of 
operatic gossip, from my Italian files, and as almost 
every operatic singer of rcpntution has visited or ex- 
pects to visit this country, their doings may prove of 
interest to some of your readers. And so I would 
at once have you look over my shoulder, through 
American spectacles, at my Italian newspapers. 

There is a tenor with the queer name of Irfr^ — 
Signer IrfwC — who has been singing at Trieste, the 
streets of which arc more like those of London, than 
any city on the continent. His admirei-s have pre- 
sented him with a service of plate, with the inscrip- 
tion : " To the distinguished merit of the valiant tenor 
Ettoro Iffi^, from a few citixens of Trieste, Jansary, 
1859." 

At Catania, Verdi's Simon Boccanegm has met with 
great success. 

It is the custom in Italy to name the theatres after 
some distinguished literary or musical personage. 
There is a new Ristori theatre at Verona and they 
are now building the NIccolini theatre at Scsto, a lit- 
tle Tnscan town. 

At Viccnza, a city of palaces built almost entirely 
by Sansovino, the architect ; a Signora Amalia Fu- 
magalli has created a sensation in Sonnambula. 

At Piaccnza, a little Lombard town, that beantifiil 
creature Vestrali has been singing in Trovatore, 

At Kome, Verdi's Giovanni di ^/luman, Donixetti's 
Elisa Fosco (to the music of Lucrezia) have been 
played at the Apollo theatre with Madame JuUicne 
as prima douna. Beaucarde, a six-footer, and a glo- 
rious tenor, for whom Verdi wrote Trovatore, has ap- 
peared at the Vttlle Theatre in Don Pasqitafe. A 
critic says of Jullienne, that she dchmed in Buondd- 
monte, and thot the tin\bre of her voice is stopendons ; 
that she has extraordinary power and compass, and a 
correct method, of the best school. 

At Naples, Donizetti's Maria Padilla, s work 
quite unknown here, has been played with but mode- 
rate success ; indeed, it seems a precursor of the ob- 
livion to which Donizetti's works will be, in lime, 
consigned, to hear this opera described by Neapolitan 
critics, which cannot longer please, because musical 
taste is changed, and the music of Padilla h not 
suited to our times. The same opera has recently 
failed at Palermo. 

At Nice, that splendid artist, Boccabodati, the 
finest Linda I have ever seen, has been singing with 
acceptance in Don PasqucUe. Boccabodati is a won- 
derful artist and would create a sensation here. 

At Genoa, Donizetti's Don Sebastian is meeting 
success. At its first production there, the first act 
passed in silence ; the second brought applause for the 
prima donna, Lamaire ; while the third, fourth, and 
especially the fifth, secured the success of the piece. 
Farepa, (who sang last season in London,) had ap- 
peared in / Lombardi and Lucia, with Limberti. 
This Limberti is a fine singer. He has a high, sym- 
pathetic tenor voice, and is a good actor. Often 
have I heard his penetrating voice at the opera in 
Florence, and wondered why he was not better known. 
He seems gradually working his way north, and may 
in time, reach Paris, London, and even Boston and 
New York. 

At Brescia — how well I remember it, with its 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1859. 



395 



quiet, sleepy streets, its neat little mnsenm, built 
amid the rains of an old Roninn temple, its grnss 
grown walls, and its pictaro-gallery witli one cabinet 
picture, savti^ely claimed to bo a genuine Raphael — 
at Brescia, Pacini's Saffb is being played. 

At Florence, in the fashionable theatre, La Pergola, 
Mercadantc's Ginmnmito is tlio attraction. At the 
popular Teatro Fcrdinamdo, commonly called the 
Pa^^liano, after its owner, a successful quack doctor, 
// DtiHuert is on the boards. Pacmi's latest opera, 
SdltimbicOf iu which a baritone, Uossi-Ghelli, finds 
great success, has also been produced at La Pergola. 

Prati is a little shabby town, about fifteen miles 
from Florence. Like all cities of Italy it is sur- 
rounded by huge walls, though there is nothing in it 
that is worth walling up. Tho new railroad from 
Leghorn to Florence has obliged the citizens to make 
a huge gap in their wall, and there is something sug- 
gestive, if not poetic, in tho iron horse tlius forcing 
for itself a passage through massive blocks of stone, 
that have stood unharmed for centuries. They have 
a little theatre in this Itttto town ; and a little prima 
donna named Papini-Steller, u singing in Emani, 

Forli is a horribly stupid place, near the centre of 
Italy. Tlie present Pope was once Bishop of Forli, 
and Orsini, tho would-bo assassin of Napoleon III., 
was born there. They have a good opera house in 
Forli, and Donizetti's Linda was the attraction at 
latest dates, a Slgnora Rebussini l>eing prima donna. 
Sonnatid)ula and JScaratnuccia (by Ricci) arc the otiier 
operas of the season. 

At Madrid, Giugltni is singing with Elisa Kennett, 
a beautiful English girl, as the prima donna. I have 
before written to the Journal about this lady. She 
sang last year at Florence, and with a rich voice and 
careful regard to stage rcquircments is winning a 
good reputation. 

Rimini is a glorious old place. Indeed there are 
none of the smaller towns of Italy that surpass it in 
general interest. Once the resort of philosophers 
and authors, the seat of a singularly refined court, it 
was in the fifteenth or sixteenth century the most at- 
tractive city on the south western coast of Italy. To 
be sure it is ratlier a forlorn place now, and the faith- 
less Adriatic, that once washed its very walls, and 
formed a harbor for its fleet, has now retired a dis- 
tance of nearly a mile, leaving a dismal marsh be- 
tween its waters and the city. Yet they are not all 
asleep in Rimini, for the beautiful new opera house, 
bailt in '57, is a proof of unexpected go-ahead-itive- 
ness. Now a Signora with the preposterously long 
name of Ruggero Antoniolo is exciting the good 
folks of Rimini in TrapiatUy an opera, which in Italy 
is usually known by the name of Violetta. 



It 



Sketch of the Life of Beethoven. 

BT 0. ▲. MACFARREN. 

(Oreiitly «xtoQded, bj th« writer (for the London ilfiMi- 
eoi World) from so artical la the Imperial Dictionwry ^f Uni' 
9enal Biofrapkf.) 

Lnowio VAN Bbetiiovew, the illustrious mu- 
sician, was bom at Bonn, 1 7th December, 1770, and 
died at Vienna, 26th March, 1827. 

A groundless rumor for some time prevailed 
thai he was the natural son of the King of Prussia ; 
but, at considerable pains, he proved himself to be 
the lawful child of Joiiann Beethoven, a tenor singer 
in the chapel of the electoral prince in his native 
town, in which establishment his grandfather, after 
whom he was named, and who was also a composer, 
sang bass. For the memory of this latter, although 
he died when the boy was but three years old, Beet- 
hoven, in after life, had a high veneration, and he 
treasured his portrait as a most valuable relic. The 
feeling of the grandson may be accounted for by the 
intemperate habits of his father, who could thus elicit 
no respect ; and his strong sense of reverence having 
no present stimulus, attached him to an ideal, of 
which he eould not recollect the original. 

He had an elder brother, Ludwig Maria, who died 
in his infancy ; and two younger, Casper Anton Carl, 
who became a teacher of the pianoforte, and Nico- 
laus Johann, who followed the trade of a druggist. 

Whatever the professional ability aud personal ir- 



regularities of his father, tho position of this choir 
singer was such as to give Beethoven the advantage, 
enjoyed by all the greatest musicinns, of becoming 
familiar, in his earliest infancy, with music, and re- 
ceiving his firnt impressions from it : his organization 
had thus immediate opportunity for development, 
and ho at once gave tokens of a fstrong natuml dis- 
position for tho art he conspicuously advanced. 

His father, hoping to improve the slender means of 
the family by the display of the child's ability, was 
tho first to undertake his technical training ; but dis- 
sipation rendered him an unfit instructor. The boy's 
studies were, however, assisted by Pfeilfer, an oboe 
player and director of a military band, to whom in 
after years he made the kindest acknowledgement of 
the obligations ho owed him. He evinced so re- 
markable a talent, as to attract the attention of the 
reigning elector, the Archduke Maximilian, at whoso 
ch:uT5e he received lessons of Van der Eider, tho 
court organist, and, at his death, of his successor, 
Ncefe. Beethoven's restless disposition rendered 
steady practice irksome to him ; and his father's im- 
patience at this increased his distaste for application, 
lie, however, projrrcsscd so rapidly, that at eight 
years old ho was alreiuly remarkable for his playing 
of the fugues of Sebastian Bach. 

His three sonatas, written when he was ten vears 
old, prove his eai-ly acquaintance with the principles 
of musical construction, and show a fluency of 
thought, which, though rendered in the idiom of the 
time, is not without indications of originality. These 
interesting productions, as well as some songs and 
piano-forte variations, were printed in 1783. Sierkcl, 
a pianist of some repute in his dnv. on seeing the 
variations, questioned the ability ot their author to 
play them ; whereupon Beethoven not only execu- 
ted his printed piece, but improvised upon the same 
theme, m imitation of the manner of his sceptical 
critic, proving at once his agile finger and his prompt 
invention. This is the earliest anecdote of his mar- 
vellous extem|x>raneons power, whirh afterwards bo- 
came one of the most remarkable mnnifestations of 
his genius, and which he often exercised with still 
more pointed pertinence to the occasion tJian in the 
present instance. 

Coincident with his progress on the pianoforte and 
in composition, was his practice of the violin, which, 
if it led to no notable proficiency, enabled him to 
write most effectively for string instruments through- 
out his career. 

His father's dissolute life seems to have excluded 
the hest domestic influences from his home ; but he 
found a circle of true and genial friends in the farailv 
of Breuning, one of whom, Stephan, his boyhood's 
playmate, remained his attached friend through life, 
watched his last moments, was appointed his execu- 
tor, and died very soon after him. This friendship 
had occasional ruptui-es — one caused by rivalry in a 
youthful love affair ; but it was too fufl of the fond 
associations of their early times to be ever permanent- 
ly broken. For Leonore, Stephan's sister, Beethoven 
also entertained a brotherly affection, and her hus- 
band, Dr. Wegelcr, was one of those to whom ho 
wrote at periods of his residence at Vienna with im- 
plicit confidence. His first connection with this 
family was in the capacity of teacher, the duties of 
which be always discharged with tho utmost repug- 
nance. The whimsical pretexts which, many years 
afterwards, he was wont to make to evade giving his 
lessons to the Archduke Rudolf were prompted by 
the inveterate dislike to teaching which tlius early 
proved itself; ho would often go to the Brcuiiings' 
house with the purpose of attending to his pupils, 
when his resolution would fail him, and he would 
leave some excuse at tho door, deferring his appoint- 
ment till the morrow. The widow Von Breuning 
not only forgave his constant dereliction, but, with 

f>arental kindness, encouraged his companionship of 
ler children, amongst whom he became familiar with 
literature, and so made up for tho scanty education 
he had received at the free school. 

Before the completion of his fifteenth year, the 
elector appointed Beethoven organist of his chapel. 
In this situation he played off one of those practical 
jokes for which, to the last, he had an especial relish, 
m contusing a singer who chanted the Lamentationa 
in Passion Week, by changing the key in the accom- 
paniment during a sustained note of tho voice ; tho 
compromised chanter complained of this trick to the 
elector ; but the young organist had too good a friend 
in his patron from childhood for him to punish this 
offence, further than by an official reprimand, which 
was rather a compliment to his talent than a dis- 
grace of his abuse of it. Tho genial humor, which 
IS one of tho most prominent characteristics of Beet- 
hoven's writing — such as we find expressed in the. 
tcherzo of his pianoforte and violin Sonata in F ; in 
the last movement of his Pianoforte Concerto in 0, 
and of his Solo Sonata in the some key. Op. 79 ; in 



that of his Symphony in F; /ind in many other in- 
stances — showing a love of fun and a cnpacity for 
witticism that has rarely been, and never so luUy, 
embodied in music — is powerfully illustrated by this 
personal trait of the composer, which stopped not at 
practical jesting, but led him to indulge in every 
kind of facetia that presented itself to his vivacious 
fancy. We can well suppose him — whose conversa^ 
tion abounded with bons mota and repartee, who ex- 
ulted in mock-heroic grandiloquence, and who would 
risk a friendship rather than forego a banter — ab- 
solutely laughing aloud as he set down on paper 
some of the movements that have been cited, and 
chuckling over them with an unctuous enjoyment as 
abtiorbing as the glowing rapture in which he re- 
vealed his loftiest inspirations. 

He had at this time another patron besides the elec- 
tor, in Count Waldstein — to whom he subsequently 
dedicated his Sonata in C, Op. 53 — at whose in- 
stance it was that the elector gave him the appoint- 
ment, which, as his talented teacher, Necfe, was still 
in tho full exercise of his powers, and so had no 
need of an assistant, was but the graceful pretext for 
paying him a salary, and so relieving his limited cir- 
cumstances. 

Beethoven wrote the music, of which the count 
had the credit, for a boilet represented by the no- 
bility at the court ; but he wm more than repaid for 
this' act of youthful self-denial, by being, at his pa- 
tron's instigation, sent in 1787 on a mission to Vien- 
na, where he became acquainted with Mozart, and 
indeed received some lessons from him. The great 
musician promptly perceived the indications of ex- 
traordinary power in his younf^ disciple ; but he had 
not the opportunity to benefit him further than by his 
illustrious example, and by the emulation that in- 
duced, in consequence of Beethoven's early return to 
Bonn, occasioned probably by the illness of his 
mother, who died in this year. 

For her he had a fond affection ; and in the grief 
of the moment, which was aggravated by pecuniary 
embarrassment, Franx Rics, the violinist — who, with 
Bernard Kombcrg and himself, was engaged as cham- 
lH?r muijician to the elector — showed him such time- 
ly sympathy as he could never forget : — " Tell vour 
father," said Beethoven, to the son of his old frfend, 
when he brought him at Vienna an introduction from 
tho violinist, " that I remcml)er the death of my 
mother." We may suppose that from their various 
characters, in his intercourse with his parents, be 
made the experience of both affection and contradic- 
tion, which, only, could have implanted the tender- 
ness and the fretful irritability which were afterwards 
as conspicuous in his personality as in his works. 

M. Schindler has a story of Beethoven's writing a 
cantata for performance ' at a breakfast given to 
Haydn, by the members of the Electoral Chapel, on 
this composer's f' return" from England, in 1790. 
The discrepancy between the date and the occasion 
referi-cd to it — (H'^y*^" ^^"^^ to England in 1790) — 
is sufTicieut to invalidate the anecdote ; further than 
this, the biographer naively states that no vestige of 
tho cantata remains, and that Beethoven himself 
knew nothing of the composition or of the occurrence. 

Shortly after tho completion of his twentv-first 
year, through the libcraliiv of the elector, Beethoven 
made his second visit to Vienna, where he found so 
many advantageous opportunities that his return was 
repeatedly deferred, until he decided to make tho 
Austrian capital his pci-manent residence. His fathc;: 
died in this year, and he was now launched in the 
world, with no care but for his art and for his own 
progress in it. Mozart was no more ; but his influ- 
ence was perhaps stronger than when he was person- 
ally present to exert it ; thus the highest class of 
music was in general esteem, and the most aspiring 
genius found ready recognition and cordial encoui> 
agement. 

The Baron von Swictcn — who engaged Mozart 
to instrument the Messiah, and who furnished Haydn 
with the text of the Creufion — had, at this time, fre- 
quent musical performances, in which Beethoven 
constimtly participated ; and the Prince Lichnowsky 
was ever ready to receive him as a gtiest, and to 
create opportunities for the display of those brilliant 
abilities, which it was no little merit in him to appre- 
ciate. Further, the prince settled upon Beethoven 
an annuity of 600 florins, to be continued till he 
should obtain an official appointment ; but this was 
only one among countless services that his tnily noble 
family rendered to tho artist, which Beethoven ac- 
knowledged, in his dedications to him and to his 
brother. Count Moritz, of several of his most impor- 
tant works. The prince proved, indeed, a most 
cordial zeal for the musician, in his tolerance of the 
countless caprices of his client, who bore his favors 
so gracelessly, as often to dine at a tavern rather 
than submit to the restraint of dressing, and of punc- 
tual presence at the prince's table, and to give many 



396 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Other such whimsical tokens of independence. 

Another distinguished patron of Beethoven, during 
his first years at Vienna, was Count Brown, a gentle- 
man of Irish extraction, hut of Russian birth, and a 
functionary of that j^vcmment. To him, and to his 
wife, are aedicated several important works ; among 
others, the pianoforte sonata in B flat. Op. 22. One 
of the acknowledgments the Count made to the com- 
poser for these compliments, which secure an endur- 
ing immortality to his name, was the gift of a valua- 
ble horse. Beethoven, for a short time, took great 
pleasure in this present ; he then neglected it, and 
would have forgotten it entirely, had not his servant, 
who had continually let the horse on hire for his own 
advantage, one day brought him a long bill of ar- 
rears for fodder. 

(To be continued.) 



A Plea for the Ravels and for Phil 

(From the Cincinnati Ouetie.) 

Whoever loves fun, real genuine unmistakeable 
fun — whoever enjoys whatever is grotesque in situa- 
tion and absurd, and illogical and contradictory — 
whoever believes in the necessity and use of nonsense 
— let him not fail to see the Ravels. 

Ever since 1830, or therenbouts, the Ravels — fa- 
thers, brothers, uncles, wives, wives' brothers and 
connexions of one degree or another, have been mak- 
ing the universal Yankee nation Inugh. What im- 
minent dy«pepsia.s have they averted ! What num- 
berless legions of Blue Demons have they put to 
flight ! For there is nothing like a hearty "laugh to 
put these Demons to flight, and keep the gnawing 
wolf of dyspepsia from the vitals. 

As a nation, we don't have fun enough. We say 
fun ; for the Americans have the only satirists living 
{vide North British Review) and that malicious wit, 
which is pointed and barbed, and venomed, we have 
enough of, and to spare. But of that fun which has 
no purpose but gratification, wc have little. Physical 
sport we don't understand. A dozen men can't go 
rowing about the river for the sake of rowing. They 
must have a rival boat to race with, a set of colors to 
win, a siver pitcher to contend for. Look at the ex- 
ercise of our boarding schools ; melancholy young 
women or straight-laced boys, trooping like a funeral 
procession over the dustiest ahd least picturesque road 
in the region, walking a mile and back from "a sense 
of duty !" "There isn't a sadder spectacle this side of 
the chain-gang ! What we need is something that 
shall amuse. We think too hard and too incessantly. 
And we resort to all manner of pernicious stimulants 
to keep our brain constantly vigorous and keen. 

So wc grow d3'speptic and die young, or live inva- 
lids till our life liecomcs a misery to others and our- 
selves. Just that which is wanting is Fcir — that in- 
describable offspring of Humor which we nil recog- 
nize, though we can't name his features. We need — 

'*Sport that wrinkled rare deriden. 
And Laughter holding both hit nidee.-' 

to walk over this broad land and alternate with spec- 
ulation and deep-hrowed thought and restless ambi- 
tion, in the attention of our people. Puritanism, 
Asceticism, are all very well in their way and their 
day, but their way and their day are not forever, and 
everywhere. When the great temporal or spiritual 
interests of men are endangered, it is very well to he 
grave and sedate and deliberate, till the battle is fought 
out. But we roust not forget that the greatest of re- 
formers was one of the jolliest of men, and that his 
opponents say that "all Luther's table-talk was about 
wine and women." Of course that statement is an 
exaggeration. But a caricature fixes a truth, some- 
times, more closely than a didactic and accurate pro- 
position, and though the grim earnestness with which 
some men flght is terrible to the foe, the most dan- 
gerous fighting animal now-a-days is your Zouave, 
who runs up to the cannon with a song in his mouth, 
and is equally ready to play a part in a comedy or 
storm a fort. 

Man is the laughing animal I Some naturalists say 
he is the only laughing animal. Others say that the 
dog alone, of all man's subjects, possesses tliis trait of 
his master. Be that as it may. Man laughs. He 
has muscles which were designed for no other pur- 
pose than laughter. And it is a crime not to use 
every faculty which our Maker has given us. There- 
fore do we appeal in behalf of the much neglected 
risibles. "Laugh and grow fat," says the maxim. 
Laugh and do your duty, say we. 

Physiologists will tefl you that one great evil in 
men and women is the /anlty oxygenation of their 
blood. We breathe too much through our nostrils 
and clenched teeth. The broad, hearty laugh throws 
the mouth open wide, gives the lungs great capacious 
di-aughts of air aud consequent oxygen, and every- 
body who has ever tried it, knows very well that after 
laughing heartily ho feels younger, fresher, brisker, 



and a great deal better fitted to attend to the "serious 
business" of life. 

How refreshing to find the Latin Secretary of Crom- 
well, the writer of that magnificent plea for the nn- 
licensed liberty of printing, where the language is as 
stately as the step of Truth, the author of Paradise 
Tx>st ; — how refreshing, we say, to find him bursting 
forth into this most jolly of supplications: 

"And if I giTc thee honor due. 
BIiBTO, admit me of thy crew." 

Think of it ! John Milton invoking Momns. Think 
of it, careful New Englander, with a mind given to 
the differences between the snbjective and objective, 
idealism and realism. Think of it, hurried western 
man of business, occupied with the prospect of future 
Chicago speculations, in Cairo or Emporium. Think 
of it, most sanctimonions of men, who believest the 
garment of Religion to be the robe of a nun, or the 
vesture of a hermit. Think of it, most delicate and 
refined of women, who findest humor vulgar, and 
never laughest above the faintest smiles ! Here is 
John Milton, .so fair and beautiful that when he slept 
of a sulrr}* afternoon beneath Italian trees, a fair lady 
kissed him, as Hvpatia might have done the Apollo 
Bel videre— John Milton, whose desire to justify the 
ways of God to man gave us the English Epic — .John 
Milton, whose memory was the store-house of all the 
wisdom of the ancients — John Milton, whose words 
were always for liberty, the statesman's thoughts clad 
with the poet's grace, — this John Milton goes down 
on his knees to old Mirth and humbly, apologetically 
— "if I jrive thee honor due"— distrustful, it would ap- 
pear, of his own ability to honor him with the honor 
due so exalted a personage— asks to be admitted to his 
crew. 

We never expect to write the twin speech to Areo- 
pagitica — we are nisty in our Latin, and couldn't 
write dispatches for Cromwell, provided he were alive 
and wanted us to do it — we gave over some time 
all thoucht that our great Poem would have a niche 
in the Temple of Fame, anywhere near that which the 
"Paradise" occupies; but in one particular we will 
follow Milton — nay, rather, we will be his his peer — 
we will honor Mirth ; and we shall be proud to be 
of his "crew." 

To honor Mirth, and return "to our muttons" to- 
gether, let us go back to the Ravels. 

Let us state what, perhaps, is not generally known, 
hereabouts, that Mr. T. Barry, amonc: his great ser- 
vices to the amusement-loving, was the first Ameri- 
can Manager to bring out the Ravels. That appear- 
ance was at the old Park Theatre, of lustrous mem- 
ory, some twenty-five or thirty years ago. 

Let us state further that while the cholera raged in 
New York, the Ravels played, and that when they 
were on the point either of leaving the city or shutting 
the theatre, we forget which, the then Mayor of Goth- 
am and other most respectable citizens came with 
petitions that they would continue playing, and urged 
as a reason that their performances were regarded by 
the physicians as instrumental in checking the spread 
of thoAsiatic scourtre. Could volumes speak more 
for the salubrity of fun, and the ability of the Ravels 
to create it ? 

Since then various fortunes have been encountered 
by the Troupe. There has been changres, marriages, 
di^aths. But here are two of the brothers as young, 
as mirthful, as inimitable as ever, thouirh their united 
ages could not be spanned by a century. 

They have with them an efficient and well-trained 
company. They are themselves, we say, inimitable. 
For they are men of genius, and their long practice 
has made them perfect artisus. Their fun has this 
distin(?uished quality : It is at once so palpable that 
the dullest may see and enjoy it, and so delicate that 
the keenest and sharpest sighted are the best sat- 
sified. 

May their days be a thousand years, and their pui^ 
ses always full ! 



MEKDEL8S0HN CoMMEMORATiox. — What a peo- 
ple we are growing for commemorations ! One year 
of Handel — one month of Bums — one week of Mo- 
zart, — and on Thursday last of Mendelssohn, who 
would then have been aged fifly had he lived : — ten 
years younger than were Gluck and Handel when 
they began to enter on their career of lasting musical 
glory. Yet a dozen years have passed since his mas- 
terpiece, * Elijah,' not merely proved his progress so 
as to silence all English cavillers, but established his 
reputation, as one, to whii-h reference must ever be 
made, as next to that of Handel, when Oratorio is 
spoken of. Never did Fame more immediately re- 
ward desert than in his case. It seems as if it was 
only yesterday that, before going into the Birming- 
ham 'Town Hall to preside in the orchestra on that 
memorable occasion, he said, laughingly, to one 
whom he honored with his regard, " Sticlcyour elawt 
into me ! Don't tell me what you lilx, but what you 



doR*t like " — only yesterday, that after the Oratorio 
was over, he escaped from the noise and the fever of 
triumph (what a triumph it was!) and with that 
whimsical humor of his, which endeared him to 
every one, bv way of calming himself, chose to lake 
what he called "a beautiful country walk in Bir- 
mingham," pacing backwards and forwards, for a 
beat of some four hundred yards, by the side of a 
sunken canal, under the shelter of heaps of coke and 
cinders. Remembrances like these, already cluster- 
ing round one bo lately full of life and spirit, so swcet- 
hcarted and so bright-wiitcd, must make the heatt 
full, Ik* it ever so dead, ever so worn. But bow have 
the ploughshares of time and change passed over 
Mendelssohn's world since ' Elijah ' came to lifiht at 
Birmingham in 1846 ! Of his own immediate " kith 
and kin," as distinct from children, but one is left. 
Of the many singers, again, who took the first parts 
in 'Elijah," Mr. and Mrs. Lockey and Madame 
Bassano are the only ones still before the public, and 
those 6f late sparingly. *' Sic transit ! " — but that 
thought, and gratitude, and reality do not pa^s, the 
celebrations of Thursday were a speaking attestation. 
Fraught as tliey were, to some present, with that re- 
gretful yearning, which overpasses the boundaries of 
the " dark river," there was in them something 
better and more cheering — a new impression of 
England's old device of love and loyalty — " We do 
not forffrt." The French are now wgmning to dis- 
cover Mendelssohn ; the Germans (as was said on 
the occasion of the revival of ' St. Paol ') to be 
ashamed of the ingratitude shown to his memory 
when no more service of bean and brain was to be 
got from him ! Neither Mr. Hnllah's morning or- 
chestral concert, on Thursday, at St. Martin's Mall, 
nor the Sacred Harmonic Society's * Elijah * in the 
evening, claims any minuteness of report. Both went 
well. At the former Herr Paner, whom we hear too 
rarely, performed the Concerto in D minor with great 
fire and brilliancy. At the latter the principal so- 
prano was Madame RudersdorfT, — the bass. Signer 
DeWetti. ^^ London Athena^m, Ptb. 5. 



Abont Pianos. 



One of the embarrassments of house furnishing it 
that of procuring a pianoforte. Unmusical persons, 
particularly, however smoothly they may have ad- 
vanced to a certain point in the details of fnmiture, 
find themselves quite at fault when called upon to 
select this necessary appendage of the modem draw- 
ing-room. They know neither where to select, nor 
how to select. We have lately had an experience of 
this ourselves. But in the course of our investiga- 
tions we gained some little information on tlie sab- 
ject of piano-fortes in general, which simplified the 
matter very much to us, and may prove of service to 
those of onr nnmusical readers, who may chance to 
be subjected to the same embarrassment. 

We find that a piano-forte, after all, is nothing 
more than a horizontal harp. It is, vnrtually, that 
most ancient of instniments laid upon its side, under 
cover, the strings being struck by hammers instead of 
being pulled with the fingers. Any one can see this 
by opening a pianoforte and observing the shape of 
the mechanism. This fact, however, makes it evi- 
dent that the case of the piano can have very little to 
do with the intrinsic merit of an instrument. We 
have ascertained, moreover, that the mechanism of 
itself, in all sound and well-constmcted pianos, must 
cost the manufacturer a certain pretty definite amount. 
This, then, reduces the instrument, bo far as the mech- 
anism is concerned, to an appreciable value. No 
manufacturer can sell it for any price which does not 
cover this essential outlay, without actual loss. 

Satisfied on this point,' therefore, the purchaser may 
be sure that the additional expensiveness of the in- 
strument is caused by the case ; and of this case — 
which is only so much work in rosewood — the pur- 
chaser is as competent a jodge as the mannfactnrer, 
or any decidedly musical person. 

The first requisite in the purchase of a piano, then, 
is to make yourself sure of the interior mechanism ; 
and to this end application should always be made to 
a perfectly responsible and reliable manufacturer — 
one of whom you feel confident that he would put no 
work into an instrument that waa not honest and 
thorough. For there would seem to be mannfactn- 
rers of cheap pianos, here and there, the only merit 
of which is a certain showiness of case, without any 
of the intrinsic qualities of a fine instrument. Such 
productions are called by the trade green pianos, and 
are traps for the unwary. An inferior class of Ger- 
man artisans is generally employed ; they work at 
low wages, with very poor material, the wood being 
quite unseasoned, and, when put together, the instm- 
ment is a good pine box — not much more — covered 
with deceptive veneering and ornament. 

A certain characteristic of a piano, which is not ap- 
preciable by an unmusical person, is the distinctive 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1859. 



397 



qaalitj of tone peculifir to the rarious manufacturers. 
This difference of tone is caused bj a certain treat- 
ment of the mechanism — one manufacturer paying 
special attention to the felt which covers the hammers, 
another to the size of the strings, another to the ar- 
rangement of these strings as to the intervening dis- 
tances, another to the shape of the sounding board. 
One manufacturer will give yon a delicate tone — too 
delicate, perhaps, to wear well. Another will give 
^oa a ^oocl honest tone, which is as durable as the 
instrument it'^elf. But these distinctive qualities of 
tone arc too subtle a thing for any but trained ears to 
detect and decide u])on. And, after all, the difference 
between standard manufacturers in this respect is 
every year lessening — each copying the excellent 
points of the other, and bringing all instruments of the 
best makers to a certain approximation. Some differ- 
ence there will always be ; but however important 
this may seem to professional persons, it is slight to 
the world at large, and ought not seriously to em- 
barrass any ordinary purchaser of a piano-forte, whose 
Dse for the instrument is altogether private and ama- 
teur. 

To purchasers, then, we would say, l>eware of cheap 
pianos, and go only to the standnnci manufacturers. 
Decide what scale of instrument you want; that is, 
whether six and three quarters or seven octaves — for 
this, of course, makes a difference in the price — and 
then be guided by your own eye, and the capacity of 
your purbC, as to elegance and costliness of case. 6ut, 
having decided these points, request the dealer to se- 
lect for you the best toned pinno of that particular 
class you have chosen — a selection which, in all re- 
spectable houses, will honestly be made. — New York 
Evening Post. 




nml CflrrtsponWnre. 



New Yohk, Mahch 8. — Mr. Bristow'b Com- 
plimentary conceit was a success, though the pro- 
gramme was long and somewhat dreary, as you will 
see by its personal : 

Part I. 

1. Overture (William Tell)'. Rossini. 

Harmonic and Philharmonic Societies. 

2. Rec. and aria (O Lord, Thou hast Over- 

thrown Thine Enemies ), and storm chorus, 
(Thanks be to God), from the Oratorio of 

"Elijah." Mendelssohn. 

Miss Coleman, Mr. P. Mayer, Harmonic &c. 

3. Polka Song (Gaily Smiles the Earth Before 

Me), words and music by.Miss Imogene Hart. 
Miss M. S. Brainerd. 

4. Movement from the JuUien Symphony. 

G. F. Bristow. 
Philharmonic Society. 

5. Aria (Sound an Alarm) Handel. 

Mr. D. Miranda. 

6. Grand Duo Concertante for two pianos. 

Robert Schumann. 
Messrs. H. C. Timm and Wm. Mason. 

7. Song (Twilight Hour), from the opem of 

"Rip Van Winkle." Geo. F. Bristow. 

Mrs. H. Westervelt. 

8. Grand double chorus "He gave them Hail- 

stones), from "Israel in Egypt." Handel. 

Part II. 

1. Overture to Shakspeare's "Winter's Tale." 

G. F. Bristow. 

2. Song (Ubcrall Du)— Thou Every whdre.Lachner. 

Mr. Philip Mayer. 
(With horn obligato by Mr. Brannes.) 
8. Grand duo' concertante from Violin and 

piano (Don Pasquale) Goria and Herman. 

Messrs Joseph Burke and Richard Hoffman. 

4. Valse de Milibran De Beriot. 

Madame Caradori. 
&. Grand double chorus and solo (The Horse 
and his Rider), from "Israel in Egypt." 

Handel. 

6. Inflammatus from "Stabat Mater." Rossini. 

Miss M. S. Brainerd and chorus. 

7. Grand fantasia (National Airs) for harp. 

Aptommas. 

8. Hallelujah Handel. 

Mr. Bristow's overture to "A Winter's Tale" waa 
the feature of the entertainment. It is a fine work, 
with some very curious and interesting instrumenta- 
tions, and considerable melody. After its perform- 
ance, the composer was called ont, bowed and de- 
parted. The applause continuing, he came out again 
and began a rather confused speech in which he had 
great difficulty in repeating the word "re-iterate." 
The drift of the address was that he was very much 



obliged to the audience, and if ho had done anything 
to advance the cause ot music he was happy, &c., &c. 
The latter part of the concert was more successful 
than the former, and the encores were frequent. The 
house was very well filled, so that Mr. Bristow must 
have made a very good tiling out of it. There should 
have been, however, more of his own works on the 
programme. 

Mr. Stospel's 7?/oico//ia, after being advertised for 
a repetition was withdrawn, owing, it is said, to the 
professional engagements of Mrs. Stccpel. If re- 
peated, it could, with the prestige of the success at- 
tending its first production, draw an immense audi- 
ence. 

A letter from Arthur Napoleon informs me of 
his success in Norfolk, Va., where he has given a 
couple of concerts. He will prosecute his southward 
journey as far as New Orleans. 

There is little else stirring in the mnsical world. 

Trovator. 

Berlin, Feb. 9. — The other evening I had one 
of the old questions forcibly brought up again, and it 
has been running in my thoughts more or less ever 
since. As the Germans say, " I must give it air." 
The occasion was this : Madame Zimmermann is a 
famous and long experienced teacher of singing, 
down in Wilhelm Strasse, in this city of Berlin. She 
has had a great many pupils, and has them still. 
Once a week they meet (they are girls and young 
women only) at her house, and sing together. That 
capital young rising musician, Radbcke, is conduc- 
tor. A grim friend of mine, not too misanthropic 
however to do a kind act to anybody, made me ac- 
quainted with Madame Zimmermann. and I was in- 
vited to attend some of these music meetings. I went 
last Friday evening. The chorus was smaller than 
usual, as it was not the regular evening of meeting. 

David, the violinist, Bargiel, u young teacher and 
composer, a couple of old gentlemen and myself, 
constituted the audience. Some fifteen young women 
and girls formed the choir. 

The music was Psalm 13, for women's voices. 
Solos, duets, choruses, composed by Radecke. There 
is so little music for female chorus, that he is supply- 
ing the deficiency for Mad. Z.'s pupils. This psalm 
is beautiful. It reminded me a little in style of Schu- 
bert, but is easier to sing. What b wonderful in 
these days, Radecke is not afraid of the Diatonic 
Scale ! The piece was sung charmingly, delight- 
fully. Then a Christmas song for female chorus, also 
charming. Fraulein Friedlander, who sang at Laub's 
concert, gave us * With Verdure clad,' and another 
young lady, a mezzo soprano, gave a beautiful song 
by Radecke. 

David was formerly Radecke's master, and I sup- 
pose we had so much of his music on this account. 
The professor was evidently pleased with these speci- 
mens and proofs of his pupil's progress. 

David then played with Radecke the violin and 
piano-forte Sonata of Beethoven, op. 30, No. 3 ; and 
old Tartini's famous 'Devil's Sonata,' with Joa- 
chim's accompaniment. I said of David's playing 
the other day, tlmt it left me cold; now, it was not so ; 
I could desire nothing better. For the first time 
these sonatas opened to me the depths of feeling, 
jocose, fiery, pathetic, which lie in them, and I sat 
wondering how I could have found David cold ! 
But playing before a large critical audience in Con- 
certos, and in a small cirele in such Sonatas, are 
very different things. 

So much for the occasion. The question is, upon 
instruction in singing. 

All careful observers, who have traveled mnch in 
Europe, and may be supposed able to judge, are be- 
ginning to admit the truth of my statement in the 
Journal of Music six or seven years ago, that America 
affords as fine voices, and as large a proportion of 
them, as any country in the world. That there is aa 



much native talent for music among us, as well as 
talent for painting, sculpture, literature, as any where 
else, is also now admitted. But all who have had 
opportunity to know, agree that no class in our 
country corresponds to the educated classes abroad in 
cultivation of the sense for the beautiful, and in 
artistic development in any direction. 

Farther, it is painfully felt that the attainments 
made by -those who devote themselves to Art, and 
especially to music, are seldom equal to those of cor- 
responding persons in Europe. One grand reason 
for this is obvious enough, viz : that no one in our 
country lives in an atmosphere of Art ; we have no 
galleries of painting and sculpture ; no architecture ; 
no regular opera ; no high-class church music ; and 
except in large cities very few concerts. These 
points have however been so often discussed that we 
only now pass them over. 

Now why is it that we really produce so few sing- 
ers ? Of the many reasons that might bo given, here 
is one : Pupils do not study rightly. Learning to 
sing is learning to use a certain set of muscles, so as 
to produce certain effects ; just as learning the piano- 
forte is cultivating the muscles of the fingers, or 
dancing those of motion. This training of the mus- 
cles forms the foundation ; a similar training of the 
muscles of the throat and mouth is the foundation of 
learning to read well ; for the first thing is proper 
pronunciation. Afterwards comes in that mental 
and aesthetic culture, which enables the singer, the 
pianist, the reader, the actor, the dancer, to make 
what he has learned of his art the medium for the 
expression of feeling and sentiment. Hear Jenny 
Lind, Clara Schumann, Johanna Wagner, Fanny 
Kemble ; see Taglioni or Fanny Ellsler ! 

A century and a half ago women were not allowed 
to appear upon the stage, and female parts were sung 
by the artificial soprani and alti, which the Catholic 
church and Italy alone were degraded enough, 
except Turkey, to produce. These men had nothing 
to live for but eating, drinking and singing. The 
foundation of their musical studies was the magnifi- 
cent music of the church, w^ith its long drawn tones, 
its wondrous harmonies, its extraordinary effects of 
light and shade. The first object was to acquire full 
command of the lungs, so as to expend the breath 
most economically. And this was so important a 
point, that in the height of their fame, when astonish- 
ing audiences night after night by their execution of 
the most difficult passages, their daily practice was 
in singing scales of long drawn notes — rising and 
swelling and dying away, to an inaudible sound. 
Gardner somewhere speaks of a man who was an- 
noyed by the sound of the wind, giving day after day 
these crescendos and decrescendos, but which proved 
to be a great singer's tones, in his vocal exercises. 
Such practice is like the practice of scales by the 
pianist. When Liszt was making his first triumphal 
tours in Europe, he had an octave or two of keys fit- 
ted with stiff springs, and this always traveled with 
him in his carriage, that no time should be lost in the 
constant exercise of his fingers, which he deemed 
necessary. 

Those old castrati began young, when the vocal 
muscles wore tender, and by long and patient exer- 
cise made them not only obedient to their will, but 
made singing a second nature to them. Consequent- 
ly, once perfected, their organs never failed them until 
the general decay of the system through age was felt. 
Think of men singing for thirty or forty years, with 
no loss of power ! To those men Europe was in 
debted for the so-called " Italian school of singing, 
which, according to Rossini, exists no longer. 

But their principles of instruction became the 
common property of Europe ; and any competent 
teacher, whether in London, St. Petersburgh, Berlin, 
Rome, Paris, New York or Boston, will exercise his 
pupil in delivering his voice to the vowel sounds in 



ff 



398 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



all the languages of these respective capitals, in pre- 
cisely the same manner. 

The sounds oA, o, e, i, oo, &c., are the same in all 
languages, though the letters representing them are 
different. Take the a in ' father ' — ah, the tone is 
to be given everywhere the same ; and all good in- 
structors will teach it in tlie same manner. The 
principles of the eld Italian school are then at the 
foundation of all good instruction. Attention has 
been more than once called in the Journal to the fact, 
that many of the greatest singers of the last hundred 
years never had instruction from an Italian, and 
never sung a word of that language until af^er their 
fame was made. Look at these names (if I am 
wrong in any one, pray correct me) Mr. Billington, 
Cecilia Davies, Elarrison, Incledon, Braham, Simms 
Reeves, Formes, Mad. Unger, Sontag, Jenny Lind, 
Duprez, Roger, Sophia Cruvel, Staudigl, Madame 
Ney, Schroeder-Devrient, Johanna Wagner, Mara, 
and many more. These names occupy as large a 
place in the history of music as any names of voca- 
lists to the same number, ending in i and o, and 
coming from South of the Alps. These names do 
not perhaps occupy as large a space in American 
newspapers, and in letters from London and Paris, 
as some others ; but, then, London and Paris are not 
all the world I Now such singers were properly 
taught, this cannot be denied. The Mara was proba- 
bly the greatest of all these female singera ; she had 
German instruction. The point then is to be taught 
well — not to learn of any particular person — be he 
of Spanish origin as Garcia, or of German origin as 
Goetze. 

More to-morrow. A. W. T. 

(From an old friend. ) 

BsRLiK, Fbb. 15. — It is a long while since my 
pen last aimed at you, with music to give it impulse. 
The many good reasons for this long silence, I will 
reserve for another occasion, because I am not in the 
apologetic mood to-night. It is now 7^ p. m., Don 
Giovanni is being sung at the Opera House, 7 minutes 
walk from my room, the weather is good, I am well, 
and not bankrupt ; then why, in Heaven's name, ask 
you, am I not there instead of here ? Thereby hangs 
a tale, which shall be wrought into this pot-pourri, for 
such I design it to be, — a mere breaking of the long 
silence above adverted to. It occurred to me, on my 
way home, just now, that the experience of one day 
in Berlin, to wit, this 15th day of February, 1859, 
might make an entertaining column in the Journal of 
Music ; and the thought having come to me, I thus 
turn it into a deed, partly, no doubt, out of gratitude 
for the pleasure your pages have given me this p. m. 

The day has had quite a thread of Home running 
through it. Awoke with a head-ache at 8 — (an un- 
deserved headache, having taken no " oysters '' late 
last night.) Dressed and went to breakfast, by pre- 
vious appointment, at the house of a fellow-country- 
man. Now, if you are hungry and in good condition 
when you read this, the " Diarist " and his witching 
slanders will rise up before your imagination, and 
suggest Wunt, Ganaerbrust, caviar , onion-salad and 
the other delicacies of the German cuisine. " Mark 
now, hew a plain tale shall put you down ! " Buck- 
wheat cakes, syrup, fried hominy, good white bread, 
without caraway, beefsteak and fried potatoes, cooked 
ham (cold), tea and coffee! This is no dream, 
though I must confess it has often been one, but a 
sweet reality. During the discussion of these dan- 
gerous exotics, a package of the New York Tribune 
is brought in, aU f^sh, not yet opened— dates to the 
29th January. Every body reads out a paragraph ; 
one on the Thorndike will, whose author has achieved 
immortality ; another (two at once) on H. W. Beech- 
er's noble letter, giving fresh assurance, which we 
sometimes need in these days, that manhood has not 
fallen out of the world. An hour spent over break- 
fast and the news from home, and then a walk to the 



post-office — where I find a letter from home, anp 
one from Charles Sumker — from which I will 
quote a sentence, as our friend is not quite a private 
person, and many readers of the Journal hear witli 
interest all that concerns him : 

" Since I left you I had a relapse which loft me, 
for days, a wreck, and mode me for a while despair ; 
but I have followed with the greatest fidelity the pro- 
scribed medical treatment and have led a life of i>er- 
fcct tranquility. The morning begins with dry-cup- 
ping for half an hour ; not pleasant, but afker fre 
quite tolerable ; then moderate, very careful exercise, 
avoiding fatigue ; repose on my sofa or bed 15 hours 
out of the 24 ; pills of bella-donna and capsules of 

Terebenthine. I mention these details because 

wrote me that you had expressed an interost in know- 
ing them. The eminent physicians in Fans and 
those here who have mode themselves acquainted 
with my case, preach caution," — Speaking of Mr. 
Parker's illness, he says, " Thinking of his calamity, 
I hesitate to turn to my own condition, which is now 
brightening, so that I feel perfect assurance of the 
future." 

He concludes thus : ** As the session of Congress 
will be soon over, there will be no public duties to 
claim me till next December, when I hope to be 
ready for any labor." Three cheers I " Meanwhile, 
having given three solid months to my treatment, I 
propose, in a week, to go to Nice, where I shall be a 
few days ; perhaps thence to Rome." 

This was a very hopeful and enlivening letter, by this 
time headache had flown ; read Wilhelmina de Bai- 
reuth's memoirs till half past one ; walked to the 
"Diarist's," whose room merits description, and 
shall have it, some other time. 1 saw his head peer- 
ing over a pile, 4 feet 6 in depth, of " Ancient Musi- 
cal Literature." His pen was travelling, as usual, at 
telegraph speed. I bade him go on, took a volume of 
Dwiffht't Journal, and concluded the Life of Mendels- 
sohn, commenced in a previous visit, but made slow 
work of it, as there was rich food for another sense 
inviting all the while. What was this? Only 
"John," in the next room, a thin door between, 
practising Bach's fugues, Hoydn's " Military " Sym- 
phony, 4 hands, another American aiding. Then, 
all of a sudden, comes a clear, strong chord, and a 
brilliant run on the violin, breaking, or subsiding, 
rather, into one of the variations of the Kreutzer So- 
nata 1 How can a man read Mendelssohn or any- 
body's son, with such distracting sounds assailing his 
ears in the next room ? 

But soon dinner breaks this np, the steady smooth 
sailing of the fugue resumes sway, and I get on a 
little with my story. The Diarist rises, gives a 
fond look round about on his " scattered treasures," 
says he must dine (in a tone as of unreconciled con- 
formity to a custom of very doubtful utility) and 
leaves me in possession ; saying, as he closes the 
door : " There are two " Dwight's " you have not 
seen," (at which the thought arose, " I should like to 
see one D wight ! "), and I am alone with the books 
and stove and von Humboldt's statuette, and manu- 
script sine JinCf and Mr. Brown's spectacles, which I 
incontinently don, as more convenient than my eye- 
glass (I now have on my own and know how you 
will miss his focus !) and thus I go on and finish that 
sad story — sad in its close, but not sad as a career. 
(I am here tempted off my track but will resist.) I 
put bound-Dwight on the shelf again, loose-Dwights 
into my pocket, and start through " John's " room, 
who good-naturedly rises from his pedal-piano, 
through which, a moment ago, he was driving J. S. 
Bach on all fours {his " fours," not Bach's). "Well, 
John, will you go to the Concert 1 " " Thank you, 
no; I must have my organ lesson for to-morrow 
learned." " What's the Symphony this afternoon 1 " 
** Seventh, I am sorry to say " — and a look of inef- 
fable longing crossed his expressive face, — but be- 
hind it is that nnmistakeable background of resola- 



tion, which hclongfl to jrcnius, and which can always 
say: " Get thee behind me, Satan," when the true di- 
vinity beckons forward. So I leave John and go out 
of the gate to the sound of Fugue. 

I wend my way, reflecting on the Art-talent of 
" Yonng America," cross the Wcidcndammcr- 
Briicke, and soon enter with the crowd into the 
" Toii-Hallc." It is J past 3 and the concert com- 
mences at 4, yet it is wiUi diflUculty that I find a scat, 
at a table with two soldiers nnd three other youths ; 
and now I take out my " D wights." Almost the 
first thing my eye meets is the account of the annual 
meeting of the dear old Harvard MuKicnl Association, 
and with very varied emotions did I rend it ; still, the 
chord which was touched most deeply and which 
woidd continue to vibrate aflcr the voices of alt else 
had died away, was that of our great and enduring 
licreavement. Frank Batciieldkr! Whatwould 
the Harvard Musical seem to me without him ! I 
sympatliized with Ware's and Upham's earnest and 
tcaiful words, and wished tliat I, too, might have 
Ixien present, to say only a few wonls, they would 
have been but few, and I may say them heru. Wlio 
has ever passed an hour with that rare young man, 
without feeling that all pursuits, music &s well as 
graver ones, were elevated and dignified by his asso- 
ciation with them ? His gentleness, his refinement, 
his pure tastes, his charming disposition, are justly 
cited and dwelt upon ; but to me, his predominating 
grace, the atmosphere, so to speak, of the man, wus 
tmnsfxirent Integrity. I knew no man, I tnow no 
man, whose presence was in the S'lme degree mag- 
netic. I often had the feeling, when hearing him 
converse on Art, on social life, on domestic calamity, 
and even on the drycst details of professional and 
other business, that no man could confer with him 
without Ixsing somewhat better therefrom. Unobtru- 
sive, ay ! undemonstrative to a remarkable degree, 
yet " a virtue went out from him," wherever he ap- 
peared. It has l)cen most truly said, " He had no 
enemy." Of whom else can we say this? 

That list of " officers " looked so home-like 1 The 
Buckwheats not more so ; (excuse the homely com- 
parison.) Putnam *on the organ' was delicious — 
a perfect ' Ilaupt ' in his way. But I must go on. 
Hark — "sh — sh — &c — &c— .... " — 
Liebig's baton is in the air — " Jewesses — sh — sh — 
I sav ! Kellners, walk ' a tiptoe ' ! teaspoons, bo 
still"; Overture to "Lconore" "No. 1 " — Beetho- 
ven ; To continue the Programme : Senate, F dur, 
Mozart, arranged for Orchestra by Streit. Now look 
out ! Fest oveiture upon two American National Airs, 
(Lieder) by J. B. Andi*^ ; (who is he 1) * Hail Co- 
lumbia ' and ' Yankee Doodle,' of course : and 
very well worketl up, too. To my surprise, a hearty 
encore, some counter hisses, which mean here, as at 
home, nothing more than " No." Renewed claps — 
renewed hisses ; the claps have it, decidedly — but 
Licbig goes on to ' Scherzo from Summer-night's 
Dream, Mendelssohn ; (John, >ou have never heard 
this played as yet — no, never!) Overture, ' Tann- 
hanser ' ; 7th Symph. Beethoven. Entrance 5 sgr. 
(124 cts.) Ends | of 7 ; and I start for the opera ; 
without a ticket however. Don Juan I Arrive at 7, 
just in time ! " What tickets ? " " Only Fremden- 
I^ge and Avan-Scenes," the highest price places. 
Well, here goes — it being Don Jnnn; for I waa'nt 
particularly pleased with its performance the last 
time. " Give me one Avan-Scene ; " why it inst 
exactly empties my pantaloon pocket, but I shall 
want one groschen for a programme ; there is a five 
and a one Thaler in my vest ; let us pay with the 
bills ; price 1 Thaler 10 groschen. Hand goes to vest, 
no bills — changed m v vest to go a little more elegant- 
ly to eat hominy and buckwheats ; .no matter, I can 
go without a programme. I know all the perform- 
ers ; and as for coat money, why I'll wear my coat into 
the opera ; " there, there s just 1 .10 ; " " Nein, Mein- 
herr, bitte; da ist nur 1,7^;" and, sure enough! 
Well, what then ? Can a gentleman pledge his 
watch or his boots or coat for 6^ cents 1 For that 
was exactly my deficit. In tlie oeginning of this 
letter, I say, " I am not bankrupt" this was hardly 
true, was it ? So no matter, I'll go home and write 
my day's experience to Dwight, who'll be gainer in 
every way, for I know the 'Diarist ' is there, John 
too ; now is this not a hotnelike day for a 

BOSTOKIAN ? 

p. S. Getting sleepy, though tlie carriages keep up 
an incessant rattle on the four sides of the great 
Gens d'Armes Platz. The Hoyal Schanspid-Haus 
has long since put out all its lights, but long lines of 
gas-lamps define the flag stones which stripe the 
square in tJl directions. My love to the H. M. A. 
and the B. M. H. A. I was obliged to give Lud- 
wigsburg the go-by, as I had six ladies in tow and 
one boy 1 I don't however despair of inspecting the 
" disjecta membra " of old Put ; that is to sa^, of 
the great Organ. I'm sure that ought to be wntten 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1859. 



399 



with a bi*j O, whether in German or English. I 
heard fine orfn&ns this summer at Fribourg, BaRlo 
and Berne. One word more. When " John " gets 
home there will ho no more desecration of the 
Organ, by operatic tliglits and negro jigs, as at Trc- 
niont Temple ! " Adieu. 



Jfoigjifs loarnal cf Ulusir. 



BOSTON, MARCH 13, 1859. 



JOURNAL OF FKDRUARY 19. Any person having a copy 
of this poper of February 19, and not d«iiroui of pra- 
mrTing the name will confer a favor on the publiihen by for« 
warding it to this ofllce. 



BIusic iir THIS NuMBBK. — In onler to make the opera Lu- 
crezia Borgia (pianoforte arrangement) coniplot« within thin 
present volume of the Journal, we let it occupy our muHle 
pa^es this week and the next, leaving our Classical Choral m- 
lections to awnit their turn a little longer. But we have good 
things of that sort in store. 

Concerts. 

There have been two daring the week past : 
one a pi-ivate concert in Mercantile llall, by invi- 
tation ; the other a very public one. 

The first was one of those choice, delightful 
little sings^ for the pleasure of their friends, by 
the Club of amateurs, under the direction of 
Otto Dresel. They now number about eight 
voices on each part, the soprani and contraiti 
forming a remarkably fresh, clear, refined and 
musical body of sound ; and the whole trained to 
perfect unity and purity of execution. This was 
displayed to great advantage in an elaborate Mo- 
tet by Bach, (No. 5), in which the same Chorale 
reappears some five times with wonderful beauty 
and variety of harmony ; interspersed with cho- 
ruses, a very swift and labyrinthine fugue, and 
quaintly interesting trios and quartets. Such 
music is sure to be loved, af\er some familiarity, 
in spite of its antiquity. How genuine it is! how 
deep and earnest, full of devotion to Art with a 
single, religious aim to the highest ! The expres- 
sion of a great, profound life, that courted no 
publicity, and cultivated none of the modern ar- 
tifices of effecL The other pieces were the So- 
prano solo and Chorus, by Mendelssohn : " Hear 
my prayer,** whose exquisite melody in the last 
part, " O for the wings of a dove " seemed alike 
perfectly adapted to the words and to the voice 
that sang it ; Schubert's " Miriam '* Cantata, 
(both of these last two pieces have been pub- 
lished in this Journal) ; and three or four of the 
beautiful part-songs by Robert Franz. 



The very public occasion was the performance, 
at Tremont Temple, on AVednesday evening, of 
Mr. G. F. Root's Operatic Cantata, " The Hay- 
makers," by a select company of ladies and gen- 
tlemen, organized, and for a long time very care- 
fully trained by Mr. J. R. Miller, whose enter- 
prise in the matter was abundantly rewarded by 
a far greater crowd of would-be auditors than the 
Temple would contain. Not prepared for this, 
we failed to find a seat, and strength held out 
only for the hearing of the first Part 

The affair was very pleasantly and perfectly 
arranged. There was scenery representing a 
hay-field, farm-house, &c. ; the singers were in 
costume and equipped with implements ; and the 
various movements of hay-making operations, 
mowing, spreading, raking, &c., are so rhythmical 
]r» themselves, as to lend themselves admirablv to 
musical purposes. Each Fart illustrates an entire 



day's life : the morning call and devotions, the 
field labors, the nooning, afternoon work, evening 
and rest There is a little thread of private ro- 
mance running through it, a pair of lovers ; also 
a touch of the comic in a " green " youth from 
the city; there are choruses, songs, quartets, 
piano interludes, &c., most of which are simple, 
melodious, pleasing, and suggestive, although 
common-place, and appealing to the sympathies 
(which they got in full measure) of the masses of 
uneducated music-lovers. These were connected 
together by rather a liberal allowance of recita- 
tive, which was not very effective. 

On the whole, taken as it should be, as a com- 
position of no high pretention, but just the work- 
ing out by simple, ea.sy means of a natural and 
pretty thought, it seemed to us singularly perfect 
in its way. What it chiefly lacked was some 
wealth or substance of instrumental accompani- 
ment Tlic mere piano, with the facile little sil- 
ver)- embellishments improvised (apparently) by 
Mr. Lang, soon grew monotonous. There was a 
flute, occeisionally, which was very skilfully and 
gracefully interwoven with a vocal melody ; and 
a guitar in the serenade duet, which was delicate 
and graceful, and most charmingly sung by Mrs. 
Long and Mr. Adams. Miss Whitehouse 
also had some effective melodies, which she sang 
with fine voice and taste. 

The Choruses, by about a hundred voices, were 
sung admirably ; fine ensemble of tone ; remarka- 
bly fine diminuendos and effects of distance (to 
enhance which illusion, cricket chirps, &c., were 
introduced). The mowing scene was quite amu- 
sing, and the melodic movement of the chorus 
went well with the scythes. Very pretty too 
was the chorus of maidens, who in their turn 
crossed the stage, " spreading " with forks ; and 
the union of the two movements was a happy and 
ingenious effect. Prettiest of all, however, was 
the " raking " chorus, with its double hitch in the 
rhythm. In the larger choruses, like the solemn 
one at evening, the Organ furnished background. 

We should have been glad to have heard the 
rest of it, had our aching head and weary limbs 
allowed. Doubtless it will be repeated ; and we 
congratulate Mr. Miller, as well as the author, 
who conducted in person, on so successful an at- 
tempt to introduce, with simple means, a very 
pleasing, popular, and in some sense quite artistic, 
entertainment of a semi-<lramatic musical char- 
acter. It should lead to good things. Perhaps 
it opens a path which one day genius may enter. 



^■^ 



Musical Chit-Chat 

We need not remind our readers of the Farewell 

Complimentary Concert to our townswoman, Mad. 

Elise Biscaccianti, which takes place this evening. 

Her friends are more in number than would fill the 

Music Hall, and all will he eager to join in this trih- 
ute to her distinguished talent, on the eve of her depart- 
ure for Australia and the other remote dependencies 
of the realm of music. Her own exquisite singing 
will be the artistic attraction ; but curiosity will also 
be gratified hy the first hearing of Mr. Dennet, of 
whom as a basso, great things are i-eported. Signer 
BrscAcciANTi, with his violoncello, and the Men- 
delssohn Quintette Club, also, will assist. 

Carl Zerrahk is making ample preparation for 

his fourth and last concert (on the 26th), which will 

1)C all Beethoven, in honor of the anniversary of 

the master's death. It will be such a concert as we 

have not had for years. The Choral Symphony will 
be performed entire ; the choruses by the Handel and 
Haydn Society, and the quartet of soli by Mrs. Har- 
wooD, Miss Twichell, Mr. Adams and Mr. 
Powers. Then, for an interesting novelty to Bos- 



ton ears, will be given all of Beethoven's music to 
the tragedy of "Egmont ;" and Mrs. Barrow has 
been engaged to read the play. Wo trust it will ex- 
cite as much enthusiasm as Mr. Miller's "Hay-Mak- 
ing." The Afternoon Concerts will* be re- 
sumed next Wednesday Mr. Miller means to 

to make hav while the sun shines ; i. e. the Operatic 
Cantata will be repeated several times. 

An admirable book is Bassini'b " Method for tiie 
Baritone," — by far the most common, and therefore 
the most important of male voices, and the most lia- 
ble to go wrong, left without method and without 

master. Sig. Bassini's well-known first work has 
proved itself, we think, the most sensible and practi- 
cal of all the many " methods " for the voice in 
vogue. We believe the same of this for the Baritone, 
and mean to speak more fully of it. It is published 
by Wm. Hall & Son, New York. .. .Messrs. O. 
Ditson & Co. have issued, under the general name of 
" Choral Classics," an edition of the admirable pieces 
for chorus with solo, &c., which have appeared from 
time to time in Divight's Journal of alwn'c. Each 
piece is neatly done up separately; and the whole 
together may be bound into a volume, which will 
form a choice little repertoire for choirs and clubs 
and choral societies. Among them are pieces, of 
from eight to forty pages in length, by Mendelssohn, 
Schubert, Bach, Cluck, Mozart, and the like. 

The Philadelphians have had a goodly variety of 
music lately. Especially a " Grand Symphony 
Concert," under the direction of Carl Sentz (who 
also leads the weekly afternoon " Germania Rehear- 
sals "), at which Schubert's great Symphony in C, 
the " Egmont " overture, Mendelssohn's G minor 
Concerto (pianist, Hcrr Bonnbwitz. who is much 
commended), a cello solo by our old friend Juno- 
nickel, and a Maennerchor chorus, were performed. 
The Handel and Haydn Society, with 200 voices, 
gave a mixed concert, part sacred, part secular, from 
Mozart, Haydn, Auber, Flotow, &c. And Carl 
Gaertner has given two classical chamber Concerts 
in the foyer of the Academy. 

" Would a congregation rise and leave the church 
before the benediction is pronounced ? " 

This rebuke, (says " Stella," in Worcester,) came 
to mind as we saw the unmannerly " stampede " 
made from all parts of our great hall last Tuesday 
evening just as the Mozart Society commenced sing- 
ing the "Rain Chorus " from " Elijah " — the con- 
cluding piece of the evening. Was " the laving of 
the thirsty land " so well depicted that new broad- 
cloth and stiff crinoline feared a drenching ? 

The following, going the rounds, is news, and too 

good to be true : 

Rossini composes more and more, the older he 
grows. He produces with astonishing rapidity, 
songs, choruses, sonatas, trios, quartets, and sym- 
phonies — which are usually perfbrmed at the maes- 
tro's soirees. 

This, too, is news, especially the part italicized : 

We clip it from a Western paper : 

A new method for the piano-forte has just appeared 
in Lcipsic, and calls for special notice, as it is by 
JuLirs Knorr, a citizen of Minnesota or Jotro, (!!) 
the well-known and intelligent teacher and author of 
some of the best instruction books for the piano 
which have been published. 

New Orleans is at last favored by Mr. Ullman, 
who announces the first appearance there of Mile. 
Poinsot, and Mme. Laborde, Carl Formes, the prime 
basso, Signer Florenza, the fine baritone, Mile. 
Berkel, (contralto,) Gustave Sattcr, the eminent pian- 
ist, and Carl Anshntz, the chef-d'orchestre and con- 
ductor, at Odd Fellows' Hall, on Wednesday evening, 
Feb. 2.3. PiccoLOMiNi is to appejir there early in 
March in four operas. 

A project is on foot in that city for building an 
opera house on a large scale, similar to that of 
Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Cincinnati, 
which has long been a desideratum in New Orleans, 
a place always famous for the love of music. 

Brooklyn too, is to have a Music Hall. A meet- 
ing of citizens interested in the project was held last 
week, and the preliminary arrangements were made 
for the erection of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. 
It is proposed to build a hall capable of seating two 
thousand persons. 



400 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



Viva Verdi has bccomo a political cry in Italy. 
This is an ingenious anagram made up of the first 
letters of each word of the sentence, Viva Vittorio 
Emmanude Be d* Italia. live Victor Emanuel King 
of Italy. 




usir Jheair. 



8t. James's Theatre. — Harold's Pr€-aux' 
Clercs was produced on Saturday last, and, every- 
thing taken into account, was not the least satisfac- 
tory performance of the Opcra-Comique. Madame 
Faure, more tlian ever, displayed her remarkable ca- 
pabilities, and exhibited, perhaps in a less degree 
than usual, those faults we have been compelled to 
criticize. The music of the Countess Isabelle suits 
til is lady. Auber's music sparkles more than Ha- 
rold's — not to institute further comparison — and 
greater fluency is demanded for its etfective execu- 
tion. Madame Faur^, at any rate, was so success- 
ful in her part, that it is likely the Pr^-aux-Clerct 
will become one of the favorite operas of the season. 

The Pr€-aux- Clercs, the last work of its composer, 
was written a short time previous to his death, and 
produced at the Op^ra-Comique, in December, 1832. 
Harold died the following month, not having com- 
pleted his forty-second year, and leaving his Ludovic 
to be finished* by M. HaWvy. The Pr^-aux Clercs 
achieved a decided success, and was considered by 
many Harold's chef-d*ceuvre. It is, perhaps, a more 
ec|ual work than Zam^xx, and abounds everywhere 
with genuine melody. 

In addition to the Isabelle of Madame Faurd, we 
may name the Nicette of Mademoiselle Celine Ma- 
thicu, and the Mergy of M. Berger. The lady acted 
with liveliness hut sang out of tune ; the gentleman 
has some intelligence but no voice, and therefore 
cannot be expected to sing. The other performers 
call for little praise. 

Last night Le Caid was repeated, afler which was 
produced the opera of Le Chalet, by Adolphe Adam. 

"But his name livdh for evermore !" is one of the 
most touching phrases of our greatest Protestant 'Re- 
quiem,' — the funeral anthem for Queen Caroline, 
written by Handel. This phrase (the notes of which 
are said to have been transferred from Carissimi,) has 
been brought back to our thoughts by a circular an- 
nouncing the formation of yet another Handel Choral 
Society, at the Foundling Hospital. To this institu- 
tion the greatest master of Music bequeathed — as we 
know — such privilege and preference in the perform- 
ance of 'The Messiah' as the loose legal usages of his 
time enabled him to do. While we do not yet see 
what special place yet another choral society is to fill 
in London — save as illustrating the vast growth of 
musical life in this metropolis — we perceive the grac- 
iousness and the propriety of such a formation at such a 
place, in such a time as this year of Handel com- 
memorations A. D. 1859. 

The next Oratiorio given by our Sacred Harmonic 
Societi/ is to be Handel's 'Solomon.' 

Paris. — {Correspondence of London Musical Worlds 
Feb. 12. — Rossini's "Saturday Evenings" are among 
the most interesting r^-unions of the French capital. 
The illustrious composer throws his doors open to his 
friends one day in the week, when his salons are 
crowded by some of the ^ite of the artistic world. 
Music, of course, constitutes a special feature of these 
soir^rs; but nothing is set down — all is extemporized. 
On Saturday la<t, among others who attended, were 
Grisi and Mario, Mad. Borghi-Mamo, Sig. Badiali, 
and the celebrated Taglioni. Grisi and Mad. Borghi- 
Mamo sang the grand duet from Semiramide, "Ebben 
a tc ferisci ;" Mario the gondolier's song from Oteflo, 
and Grisi the "Song of the Willow" from the same 
opera. The trio for male voices from Guillaume Tell 
was next sung by Mario, Signor Badiali, and an am- 
ateur. Mario seemed inspired, and made many in the 
room shed tears. The trio was universally rcde- 
niandcd. Mad. Borghi-Mamo concluded the perform- 
ances with two Neapolitan chansons arranged by M. 
Bra^ra, the violoncellist. An incident which occurred 
at the end of the soir^p, as the guests were departing, 
is worth relating. Madame Taglioni approached 
Mario, and, af\er complimenting him on his singing, 
soid to him : "I am sure you do not recognize me !" 
— "Ah ! diva !" he answered in a reproachful tone. 
"You sing," exclaimed Terpsichore, "as in your ear- 
liest days ; as for me — I dance no more ! "Yes," 
replied Almaviva, bowing graciously, "but you have 
carried away the Dance along with you." * 1 forgot 
to mention, perhaps, the most interesting morceaux of 
the mu'ical performance — a cantata and a song, writ- 
ten expressly by Rossini for Madame Borghi-Mamo^ 
and sung by that lady. 



At the Grand-Op^ra, Fflicien David's Dtmier Jour 
d* Herculaneum is in active preparation, and will, it is 
anticipated, be produced about the end of the month. 
The delays and disappointments of the Acaddmie Im- 
p<5riale de Musique ct do Danse, however, are notori- 
ous, and the new opera, in all probability, will not be 
ready until the middle of next month. M. Fdlicien 
David's work excites much curiosity, and while many 
auger for it a great success, others remain sceptical, 
entertaining doubts about tlie dramatic capabilities of 
the composer of Le Desert and />» Perlcs du Bri^sil. 

At the Op<?ra-Comique, the rehearsals for Meyer- 
beer's Dinorah engage the whole attention of the man- 
agement. Mad. Crtbel, MM. Faure and Saint-Foy, 
will sustain the principal characters ; Mdlles. Brcuille 
and Bousquet, MM. Warot and Barielle the subordi- 
nates. A new opera by Meyerbeer must needs excite 
intense curiosity and interest, and so the entire Pari- 
sian world is swayed by one feeling of eager desire to 
hear the celebrated composer's forthcoming work. 

The only novelty at the Italiens has been the re- 
production of Prince Poniatowski's opera Don Desid- 
ario, which met with an average succes cT amis. 

Haydn's oratorio. The Creation, was performed on 
Sunday last, at the third matinee of the "Socidtd des 
Concerts. 'The soloists were Mdlle. Donis, dnujrhter 
of the celebrated flautist, MM. Sapin, Bclval, Stock- 
hansen, &c., &c. Mad. Nan tier Didide has accepted 
an engatrement at the Grand Opdra. M. Vivier has 
for awhile relinquished the musical in favor of the 
dramatic art, and brought out a new piece at the 
Gymnase, entitled Un Marriage dans un Chaj^eau, 
which achieved a decided success. The friends of M. 
Vivier, from this little work, prognosticate tor him a 
prosperous career in his new pursuit. 

For the following information we are indebted to 
the Morninq Post : "The errand musical festival, which 
will assemble in the Exhibition Palace of the Champs 
Elvsdes, 7,000 Orpheonists, from all points of France, 
will take place on the 11th, 12th and 13th of March 
next. Eleven choruses will be sung by the united so- 
cieties, viz : the 'Veni Creator' of Beaozzi ; the 'De- 
part des Chasseurs,* by Mendelssohn ; the 'Mystbres 
d'Isis,' by Mozart ; the 'Jour du Seipneur,* the Scpt- 
uor of the 'Huguenots,' by Meyerbeer; the 'Frag- 
ment dn 19bme Pasaume,' by Marcello ; 'Les Cimbres 
et les Teutons,' of Lonis Lacombe ; the 'Gdnies de la 
Terre,' of Samuel David ; the 'Chant des Monta- 
pnards,' of Kucken ; the 'Marche des Orphdons,' of 
Mdlle. Ntcolo ; and the 'Retraito,' of Laurent de 
Rilld. The 'Salut aux Chanteurs de Province,' will 
be executed by the Orphtonists of Paris." The above 
programme, it will be owned, is more showy tlian sub- 
stantial. 

The news from Paris — besides the above proqramme 
and the important "sundries" added this week to M. 
Meyerbeer's approaching opera — have still more prom- 
ise in them. Two new singers, trained by that re- 
markable person, M. Duprez, are mentioned :^-one, 
Mdlle. Monrose, the name dear to all familiar in the 
French comedy, who is to sing at the Op^ra Comique, 
— the other M. Raynal. a baritone, who is to have a 
part, they sav, at the Theatre Lyrique, in M. Gounod's 
'Faust.' At the Grand Of^ra 'The Last Days of 
Herculaneum,' (ori^na1ly,as we know, 'a Last judg- 
ment') is coming out at last, towards the Ides of 
March. 

Milan. — The manager of the Scaln, having re- 
ceived intimation from the authorities of the city, that 
they would hold him accountable for the eflects of 
any disturbance resulting from the enthusiasm excited 
nightlyby the performance of the war chorus, "Guerra, 
gucrra," in Norma, has withdrawn the opera. 

St. Petersburoh. — ^Flotow's Martha has been 
produced at the Imperial Opera with brilliant effecc. 
The principal executants were Mesdames Bosio and 
Meric Lolande, Signors Mongini and Everardi. The 
receipts on the first three nights averaged 3,500 roubles 
(14,000 francs). 

Monument to Mozart at Vienna. — "It is 
now," writes the Bevue et Gazette Musicdle, "sixty 
years since Mozart died, and the monument, which 
should have been erected to his memory, is hardly 
finished. The very place where he was buried is still 
unknown, and, in all probability, the question will 
never be decided. In this emergency, tne following 
expedient is contemplated : — the pedestal to the mon- 
ument is intended to be so large that it will cover the 
different places where the remains of Mozart are sup- 
posed to be deposited. A basement, eight feet hi)2;h, 
in bronze, supports a figure in the same metal, repro- 
senting the muse Polyhymnia in the attitude of afflic- 
tion. The portrait of Mozort is represented on the 
four faces, in bas-relief, with suitable inscriptions. 
The monument has been executed from designs by 
M. Hans Gasser." 



dbbcriptite list of thb 
PaMlshed \j O. Ditaon 9t C: 



Music bt Maa.— Quantlticfi of Music are now Mnt by mall, 
the expenne belnK only about one cent apiece, while the car* 
and rapidity of trannportation are remarkable. Tho«e at a 
great dditancp will find the mode of convey ance not only a con- 
venience, but a naring of eipenne in obtaining Ruppliea. Booica 
can also be sent by mail, at the rate of one cent per ounce. 
This applien to any distance under three thooaand milca ; be- 
yond that, double the above rates. 



Vocal, with Piano Aooompanimant. 

Tally-Ho. W. H. Morris. 25 

A new huntJng fong, with a striking air, and wdl 
defined, bold rhythm. Excellently adapted ftnr a gen- 
tleman's voice. 

Time its veil is weaving. Song. E. Folk, 25 

The voice of God. " 25 

Just as I am. J. B. W. Harding. 25 

Sacred melodies of mueh beauty, and not dHBcult. 

Oh ! canst thou forget. Mrs. S. B, Cooper. 25 

Kind words and kind echoes. F. Shrivall. 25 

Tell us. Fairies. Song. G, W. Stratton. 25 

From Stratton 's operetta, Fairy Orotto. A eatching 
long, which wiU make iU way into public &vor. 

Dearest name. (Caro nome.) From Verdi's 

" Bigoletto." S5 
Cavatina fbr soprano voice, replete with beautiful 
pasftagfii. When sung well, it will keep any au(Uence 
spellbound. This piece will probably maintain its 
place in the repertoire of great singers longer than 
anything else which Signor Verdi has written. It is 
one of the (kvorite songs of Mme. Bi«eaociantl, whieh 
flict in itself Is a sufflcient recommendation. 

Pretty Fay, why away. J. W. Cherry. 25 

Light and graceful. The yonng folks will admir* 
this song. 

Instrmnantal Musio. 

Sylphide. Eomance. Charles Fradel, 25 

The gift of melody is so rarely to be met with amenf 
the modem writers for the piano, that a composer, 
who like Fradel, possesses it in a remarkable degree, 
and knows how to clothe it in an always fresh, and in- 
teresting form, must become a (kvorite. The '* Sylph- 
ide " is an expressive, tender air. In 6-8 time, moving 
xestlessly onward In the midst of a light and airy ac- 
companiment, principally for the right hand. Not 
difflcnlt. 

Amelia Waltzes. H. C. Lwnbye. 50 

This celebrated set of Walties, always the delight 
of dancers, Is here printed entire, fbr the first time. 
As the Introduction and Finale introduce Lindblad-s 
charming melody, " Birds blithe are singing," (one of 
Jenny Lind's fiivorite songs), nothing short of this 
complete copy will prove acceptable to those who de- 
sire to own a pianoforte arrangement of there waltses. 

Pas Espagnol Walta. G. W, Stratton, 25 

An old acquaintance (Cracovienne) in a new and 
foshionable dress. 

Rose Schottisch. E. L, Grebe, 25 



If 



« 



25 
25 

Landleben. 25 
Eupfcr. 25 



Violette Waltz. 

Lily Mazurka. 

Rural Life Galop. 

My heart's delight Polka. 

Good and easy Dance Music. 

Books. 

Rouberg's Violoxcbllo School. A complete 
Theoretical and Practical School for the Vio- 
loncello, with Illustrations. By Bernard Rom- 
berg. 2.50 

This is a standard work by one who is a complete 
master of the instrument. It is reprinted from the 
most recent European copy, and having passed 
through a careful revision in all its parts can be rec- 
ommended as the most thorough and usefiil coune of 
study on the violoncello obtainable. 




toil It's 




0urital 





uSti^ 



Whole No. 363. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1859. 



Vol. XIV. No. 25. 



For Dwlght^s Jourul of HubIc. 

The Diarist Abroad. Ho. 18. 

Berlin, Ffb. 16. — The principle of the 
thing is this : 

The public tacitly agrees, through its acts in ten 
thousand other cases, to reward such as devote 
themselves to its service, the amount of this re- 
ward being in inverse ratio to the value of the 
service. Those who merely amuse receive the 
highest rewards. A Taglioni, or an Ellsler, devo- 
ting all the energies of her immortal soul to the 
cultivation of her legs, rolls in wealth. The man 
of science, whose works mark eras, is happy if 
after long years of study, a yearns labor of his 
brain will produce him as much as a few hours' 
labor of the dancer's legs. 

It i^ a fortunate circumstance for the public, 
that under despotic governments provision is 
made to enable the enthusiast in science, learn- 
ing, art, to pursue his labors free from the danger 
of actual starvation. Thus in many of the great 
universities of Europe, or connected with her 
great museums, libraries and scientific colle<5tions, 
are nominal professorships, almost sinecures, to 
which are attached salaries sufficient at least to 
afford the necessaries of life, and to which are ap- 
pointed men, whose labors and studies are of too 
much value to the world to be lost for the want 
of a little public aid. This is one reason that 
Europe does, after all, possess the real fountains 
of learning. 

So too with Art. The governments, as repre^ 
sentatives of the public, see to it that the really 
great artist, in whatever department, shall live. 

Yet there are fives devoted to some particular 
object, where the love of the labor alone affords 
that perseverance, that untiring industry, that 
courageous wresding with difficulties, without 
which nothing great can be accomplished. Men 
who devote themselves to the history and illustra- 
tion of some particular art, are often of this class. 
The great public cares little for them or the sub- 
jects of their studies; governments can hardly 
make such specialities the objects of their care. 

In these cases the student is forced to turn 
from the community as a whole to that small 
public, which, for various reasons does, or ought to, 
sympathize |rith him in his pursuit, and rely upon 
it for the means of making the results of his years 
of labor public And this is the object of many 
publishing clubs, as they exist in England, of our 
Historical Societies, of the Bach and Handel So- 
cieties in Germany. 

It is the appearance of the first volume of 
the publications of the German Handel Society, 
which has led me into this train of thought. 

The name of Dr. Frederick Chrysakder 
is known to the readers of the Journal already. 

Here is a man in the prime of life, who is one 
of the exceptions in Germany to the general de- 
preciation of Handel. He loves and honors 
that great man's music, as did Mozart, Beethoven, 
Thibaut. While admitting the greatness of 
Bach — feeling it as do few — he will not go 
with the multitude here in placing Bach's great- 



est contemporar}' so far below him. Years ago 
he determined to do what might be in his power 
to make Handel known and duly appreciated 
among his countrymen, and so by degrees this 
has grown to be the work of his life, at least for 
the present First he made himself a thorough 
musician — Doctor of Philosophy though he was 
— able to read and understand scores, equal to 
the task of deciphering the old music of past 
centuries. Supporting himself in part by all sorts 
of literary jobwork, writing tor musical periodi- 
cals, editing musical works, all his spare time and 
money were given to the great work. He leaves 
his family for months together, that Jie may delve 
in the field of the old music preserved in the Li- 
braries of the German cities, that he may hunt 
up every remaining trace of Handel in Halle, 
Hanover, Hamburg. At last he goes to London, 
and there gives his days and nights to the study 
of HandeFs scores. 

Chrysander soon found that no edition of any 
one of the great master's oratorios had been 
printed correctly. Indeed no editor had had the 
advantage of using the conducting scores, as they 
were supposed to be lost until Schoelcher so for- 
tunately heard of and obtained possession of them. 
With the results of his extraordinary knowledge 
of the music of the age immediately preceding 
Handel, to which Dehn had most willingly con- 
tributed from his immense lore, fresh in mind, 
Chrysander set about the wearisome task of pre- 
paring a correct edition of Handel's works. 
Even the editions of the London Handel Society, 
so loudly trumpeted, are very faulty — under the 
circumstances of their preparation, astonishingly 
so. I hvve seen a copy of Arnold's edition of 
the " Hercules," with the new corrections — it is 
sadly marked up. 

Meantime Prof. Gervinus and a few others 
began to feel that Handel was worthy of being 
made known, as he is, in Germany, and that it 
would be a shame if Chrysander's long and zeal- 
ous labors should be lost, or if not lost, that they 
should not be rewarded. There is too little in- 
terest felt in Handel, there are too few who can 
afford to purchase a long series of folio volumes 
of music, to make it for the interest of any pub- 
lisher to undertake such an edition as Chrysander 
is able to prepare. Hence, the origin of the 
Grerman Handel Society. The intention is to 
publish 3 volumes per annum, the subscribess 
paying therefor 10 tiialers, or $7,50. 

This is one of the cases where the labors of 
long years must be lost to the public unless the 
public comes to the support of the undertaking. 
It is a case, too, where a large sale cannot be an- 
ticipated, as few except musicians and musical 
societies, public libraries and institutions, can af- 
ford to find it worth while to purchase such vol- 
umes. 

Thus the question is reduced to this ; here is a 
man, who has done the work ; the results of his 
labors can only be given to tde public through 
the press ; will musical societies and musicians en- 
able him to print ? 



The first volume is before me. There are two 
editions, one in German, one in English. 

" Susanna, an oratorio by George Frederic Handel. 
Printed for the German Handel Society." SI 6 
pages folio in full score, with a pianoforte arrange- 
ment, by Julius Rietz, added. 

Previous attempts to bring out a complete edition 
of Handel's works yielded convincing proof of the 
difficulty of such an enterprise. And though an edi- 
tion emanating from Grermany has its peculiar obsta- 
cles to surmount, yet, at the commencement of our 
labors, many circumstances also happily concur to 
secure to this new edition a greater intrinsic perfec 
tion than can be attributed to any one published be- 
fore. With regard to the sources at our disposal, 
we are placed in a favorable position, as compared 
with our predecessors. Whilst our mott presumptu- 
ous wishes only extended to the inspection of those 
original manuscripts and other subsidiary aids, whose 
existence was already known, and which had been at 
the disposal of the previous English editors, a per* 
fectly new source was unexpectedly opened to us by 
the conducting scores of Handel's works becoming 
known. 

The sources hitherto known, that could be consult- 
ed for a critical edition of Handel's works, were the 
original manuscripts of almost all his works, and the 
beautiful copies of the oratorios taken by Handel's 
amanuensis, John Christopher Smith. Of both these 
collections, which have been for nearly a hundred 
years in the possession of the English Royal family, 
we were most liberally allowed to make the freest use, 
through favor of her gracious majesty the Queen of 
England, and of his Royal Highness the Prince 
Consort. 

The existence was known likewise of the Hande- 
lian manuscripts, which, by some now forgotten cir- 
cumstance, came into the hands of Lord Fitzwilliam, 
and have for years become accessible to the public, as 
forming a part of his rich musical collection in the 
Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge. These had 
however been but little used. They comprise seven 
volumes and contain mostly sketches or occasionally 
inserted movements. They have yielded some fruits 
for all the three issues of our firsc annual publication. 

These sources might have sufficed in case of need 
for the formation of a reliable edition. However, 
Smith's copies, as well as the concert editions, ex- 
hibit mapifold deviations from the original manu- 
scripts — deviations, which in themselves may claim 
to be authentic, but which could not be properly ac- 
counted for from the existing materials. Hence the 
loss of the separate vocal and instrumental parts, 
which were used at Handel's performances, was great- 
ly to be deplored ; and, since such fragments as these 
as had come to light, yielded but little information of 
the loss of the old conducting scores, was still more a 
subject of regret. But they were not lost. When no 
one conceived the possibility of their having been 
preserved by Smith's descendents, they were offered 
for sale by a bookseller at Bristol in the year 18.'S6, 
and thus came into possession of M. Victor Schoel- 
cher, one of the most zealous members and supporters 
of our society, by whom they are as carefully pre- 
served, as they are liberally held open for any scien- 
tific purpose. 

This increase considerably augmented the labor : 
for the conducting scores were found to be full of re- 



402 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



marks, alterntions nnd additions, which wcro often 
only to be sifted by most careful investigation. But 
we may certainly regard it as fortunate, that the pre- 
liminary steps for the great undertaking of the Ger- 
man Handel Society happened to coincide with a 
state of things, which, for the first time, rendered a 
completely satisfactory edition possitile. 

During the construction of the authentic score from 
the above mentioned sources, a multitude of rough 
drafts and varieties of reading, of historical and prac- 
tical remarks, has been gathered together. The pub- 
lication of these however, would have swelled the 
volumes considerably beyond their just limits. 
Another reason for not publishing this matter at 
present, was, that the majority of the members wished 
in the first instance to possess only the music capable 
of performance. The committee of management, 
therefore considered that they were administering the 
still slender funds of the society most wisely by pub- 
lisliing at first only the works themselves. But, in 
order to satisfy those, who wish to penetrate into the 
Master's workshop, into the genesis of his compo- 
sitions, and to be just towards the author himself, we 
are collecting all the information yielded by the 
manuscripts, or otherwise bearing reference to the 
works in question, and hope to publish it occasionally 
in additional volumes, when an increase in the 
number of members shall render this possible. 

Here ends the general preface. I will not 
copy that which relates to the " Susanna "alone. 
The work is beautifully printed, and " John " 
and I, ailer playing and humming it through, 
have both concluded that it is worthy of the 
author of the " Messiah " even. 

Now, dear reader, what can we do in America 
to aid this undertaking ? Have we so much love 
for Handel, any of us, as to subscribe, if only for 
a year or two ? Or, have we influence in any 
society, or in the management of any library, 
which can be brought to bear, not to pay my 
friend Chrysander for his years of labor, but to 
enable him to give us their results ? I always 
boast of the love felt for Handel in our country ; 
of the success of his oratorios ; how Boston people 
in one winter furnished an audience of 1 200 to 
1500, thirteen times, to the performance of" Sam- 
son ** ; and that the last time I heard it in Boston, 
the " Messiah " filled our music ball with more 
than 2000 auditors 1 Can we not prove that we 
love Handel well enough to aid the publication 
of this edition? 

I need not say what a sensation would be made 
here if 500 copies of the " Susanna " should be 
ordered ! 

Please think of it. 



Sketch of the Life of Beethoven. 

BT G. A. MACFARREN. 

(Coatinued from page 395.) 

Settled at Vienna, Beethoven placed himself under 
the tuition of Haydn ; but, on showing some pieces 
the master had revised to Schenk, a creditable com- 
poser, who pointed out errors in them which Haydn 
nad overlooked, he formed the idea, which he never 
relinquished, that he received lessons, but not in- 
struction from him. Under this impression, he re- 
fused Haydn's proposal that he should style himself 
his pupil on the works ho printed. His irritable temper 
was further excited against the venerable symphonist, 
by Haydn's advising him, with worldly prudence, not 
to publish the third of his first set of trios — that in 
C minor — which Beethoven considered, and posteri- 
ty confirms the judgment, the best of the three. It 
is not to be supposed that Haydn, of all men, ignored 
the merit of tfiis composition, but, rather, that he 
deemed this a probable hindrance to its favorable 
reception, and so thought the young author would be 
indiscreet to stake his reputation upon it. Beethoven, 
however, with his constitutional independence, must 
have felt himself offended, as a man, oy the proposal 



of what he may have considercd as a compromise, if 
not wronged, as an artist, bv whut he may have es- 
teemed as the depreciation of' his music. Ac dedica- 
ted to Haydn, liowevcr, the next work he printed, 
and so paid a worthy homogc to the genius of the 
master, without committing himself by unjustifiable 
acknowledgments. Though he had pixjviously pub- 
lished several works, and had written many that have 
never appeared, the trios were the first to which he 
affixed a number ; and we nmy infer from this that 
he chose to date his career as a composer from them. 
Now, and for some time Inter, all he wrote bears 
the impress of his time ; and even when we feel it 
most to be Beethovcnish, this is but because we fail 
to identify in it a marked characteristic of Mozart 
(powerfully evinced in this ma>ter's Pianoforte So- 
nata in C minor), which seems to have especially fas- 
cinated him, and in the development of which may 
he traced much that is generally accounted peculiar 
to our author. In the trio, named al)Ove as his fa- 
vorite, this manner is particularly apparent. 

It mav have been among his causes of dissatisfac- 
tion with Haydn, that this master thought more 
highly of him as a phiyer than as a comfK)scr; and 
so sanctioned an opinion, repugnant to his self-es- 
teem, that was then prevalent. His playing may 
well have raised the enthusiasm of all who hcnrd it ; 
for though wanting in mechanical finish, and even, 
occasionally, in accuracy, it had a charm, from its 
deep expression, from its fiery cnci-py, and fix)m its 
highlv-wrouj.'ht chanicter — from, in fact, the ihor- 
oughfy artistic spirit it embodied, which has never 
been surpassed ; and we have little to wonder that 
the lesa appreciable talent of composition should have 
been at the time partially eclipse<l by one so dazzling. 

Beethoven was glad to take the opportunity of 
Haydn's second visit to England in 1794, for break 
ing connections witji him ; and immediately placed 
himself under Albreclitsberger, with whom he went 
through a course of contrapuntal study. A super- 
ficial observer of his works might nj^ply the compo- 
ser's comment upon his late, also to his present 
master; for though it n]»pears, from his tiiking every 
occasion to intitxluce it, to have been his particular 
ambition to excel in fngal writing, it is in this style 
that he is less successful thnn in any other. His 
counterpoint has an effect of stiftncss and cllbrt, sin- 
gularly opposed to the spontaneous freedom that 
characterizes everything else he wrote ; but this re- 
sults, not from unskilf'ul training and insuflicient 
knowledge ; it is rather because the nature of his ideas 
renders them insusceptible of this kind of treatment ; 
and crudity is the consequence of forcing them into 
uncongenial development. There are, indeed, some 
grand exceptions from this generalization — the last 
movement of the Kroica, above all others — but there 
still exist too many examples to justify the remark. 

In 1796 he first began to suffer from that dreadful 
maladv — the worst evil to which he of all men could 
bo subject — which embittered his life, which influ- 
enced his character, which excluded him from society, 
and which cannot have been without its important 
effect upon his music — the loss of hearing. Space 
will not permit the recital of the many painful inci- 
dents that sprang from this calamity ; but it must be 
noticed that it made him irritable in temper, violent 
in manner, and suspicions to the last degree ; detest- 
ing to play or even to appear in company, and dis- 
trustful of every one, even of tho:ie most zealous in 
his interest. It is needless to trace the course of the 
disease through thirty years, which, baffling the great- 
est medical skill, andproceeding by degrees, ended 
in almost total deafness. Nothing can be more pa- 
thetic than the manner in which Beethoven speaks of 
his affiiction in his letters to Dr. Wegeler, to Bettino 
von Amim, and others ; but it cannot require his 
own words of complaint to make us estimate the mis- 
ery it occasioned him. Let it not be thought profane 
to mention here one whimsical consequence of this 
misfortune. It naturally led Beethoven to seek, in 
the light periodical literature of the day, the resource 
which others find in conversation, and his love of 
drollery fixed his attention upon the perverted expres- 
sions common in facetious writing, which, unaware 
of tlieir peculiaritv, since incapable of testing them in 
social parlance, fie adopted in his ordinary speech, 
and thus his language, abounding in epithets that had 
no reference to the occasion, became extravagant, if 
not unintelligible. 

In 1797, Beethoven made his only artistic tonr, 
visiting Leipzig and Berlin, at which latter city he 
played several times at court, received a handtome 
gift from the king, and wrote his first two violoncello 
sonatas, to perform with the then popular Duport. 
In the Prussian capital he met with Prince Louis 
Ferdinand, the friend and pupil of Dnssek, who 
warmly appreciated the rare merit of the remarkable 
young musician, and thus proved his right to Beet- 
hoven's acknowledgment of his deep feeling for music. 



Shortly afterwaids, in Vienna, a fa^ihionablc countess 
gave an cnicrtainment, to bring this famous difiUante 
and artist together ; when she greatly incensed the 
latter by not ashigning to him a place at the noliility's 
table in the sup])er-room ; for which, however, the 
j)rince made some amcuils hy seating the composer 
on his right, and the countess on his left hand, at a 
dinner of his own ; hut Beethoven had already resen- 
ted the indignity put upon him and his art, and thus 
given the first proof that is ri'cordcd of the republi- 
canism which was his indomitable political principle. 
Strange as it may seem that, surrounded by the ad- 
miring aristocracy of the country, and fostci-ed with 
a truly fraternal' fondness by them, he should have 
nouriNlied such a feeling; his proud indcfK'ndence 
was unswerving, and he wonld have sacrificed the 
highest worldly advantages nither than suifcr this, in 
the slightest degree, to l>e compromi>cd. 

Of all the great musicians that have been, no one 
has shown such a continnal development of his genius 
ah Beethoven, and so grettt was this, that critics have 
classed his works in three separate styles, correspond- 
ing with three periods of his life ; hut although his 
mind was in an incessant state of pro;:ress, and the 
productions of each epoch are manifestly distin- 
guished from those of the other t«o, this distinction 
must Ikj understood to refer to style and not to merit, 
since in his latent years he wrote bagntclles and other 
pieces of the lightest, nay of the most trivial charac- 
ter J whereas in this early time he produ<'cd some of 
his greatest, if not his niost individual masterpieces, 
such as the Sonata in E fiat. Op. 7, the Quintet in 
the same key, and the Sonate Pathetiquc. 

It was now that Beethoven took les»!ons, professed- 
ly in dramatic conif^osition, of Salicri, his connection 
with whom is acknowlcdircd in the dedication of his 
first three violin sonatas. Whatever he nuiy have 
expected, "he received lessons, but not inbtruetion," 
from this fashionable composer of his day ; for the 
grand dramatic power which marks his writing was 
not to Ikj taught him, and the conventionalities of the 
lyric drama are totally absent from bis few theatrical 
works. 

At this time the fjunous qunrtct party, of which 
Schnppanzi^h was the first violin, first met at the 
residence of the Russian ambassador. Count Kasum- 
owsky. For Beethoven to witness iheir remarkable 
pei-formnnccs was for him to be ineited to write for 
them, and he according now produced his Quartet in 
I), wliich was rapidly followed hy the other five pub- 
lished « ith it. (Op. 18. ) He was closely connected with 
this eminently artistic association to tlie end of his life, 
and wrote all his works of that class with a 6|>ecial 
view to their performance ; his transcendant excel- 
lence as a quartet writer is thu-*, in some sort, a con- 
sequence of the excellence of this paiiy ; for though 
he had been urged by Count Appony, in 1796, to 
compose for string instruments, his trios and hJa firet 
quintet were the only result, until he became concern- 
ed in the Rasumowsky meetings. 

His general habit of compo-^ition was to set down 
cverv idea as it occurred to him, and afterwards to 
amalgamate these into complete movements; he 
would even modify a phrase in many different forma 
upon paper, before he was satisfied to incorporate it 
into a work ; and thus he employed his sketch book, 
as Mozart did his memory, making it the crucible in 
which he moulded his creations into maturity. He 
frequently pondered in this manner for very long 
upon a composition, and would sometimes ha\6 
several in progress at onc« ; but, on the contrary, he 
would occasionally produce a work with the prompt- 
ness of improvisation ; and so. when a lady at the 
opera lamented to him the loss of some favorite va- 
riations on the air " Nel cor pih," then being sung, 
he wrote his piece on this theme, and sent it to her 
the following morning- Again, the Horn Sonata, 
which he wrote to play with the celebrated Punto, 
had not a note on paper the day before the perform- 
ance, and both executants had to read from the 
author's manuscript. The same was the case some 
five or six years later with the Violin Sonata, Op. 47, 
composed for Mr. Bridgetower, the English violinist, 
and himself to plav; for he called up his pupil, Rics, 
at four in the morning of the concert, to copv the 
first movement, while he was writing the Andante, 
with variations. - .. . 

In 1 799 he wrote the ballet of Promethexu, of which 
the merit of the overture makes us regret the diffi- 
culty of obtaining the music of the action. One can 
scarcely conjecture in what manner Beethoven, with 
his powerful dramatic feeling and his exalted reve- 
rence for his art, can have met the exigencies of 
ballet music, fulfilling the necessities of the stage, 
and carrying out his own idea of dramatic illustra- 

The so-called first period of his career may be con- 
sidered to close with the symphony in D, which be 
wrote in 1801, and of which he made three entire 



scores before he was satisfied to dismiss it. In rc- 
psinlinjr the productions of this c|>och, wc must notice 
the strikinirly ori<^inal conception of tho Scher«), as 
it appears in the septet and in the symphony in C, a 
pcnn that jrrcaily expanded itself into the maturity 
of after works ; iKJsidcs this, however, the most can- 
did examination of tho com|)ositions in our master's 
so-cnllcd first style, can trace in them little that is in- 
dividual to Itim beyond their excellence, which is, 
however, such as to rank them with the jrrcntest 
thinj^ tiiat hud preceded thorn. We have here a 
powerful ilhi-^rration of the truth that ori;:in:dity con- 
sists, not neces<ary in an exceptional habit of thought, 
but may be pro'jrcs'*ivcly developed from external 
impressions, which, in the case of Beethoven, were 
the seeds that ultimately rif)encd into the mo«toritji- 
nal individuality that has ever appeared in music. 

Beethoven was of ii most inflammable nature, and 
IS reported to have entertained as many ardent pas- 
sions as he met with objects to inspire them. At the 
bc<rinninp^ of the present century, however, he found 
a lady who made a deeper and far more lasting; im- 
pression upon his heart than any of the others ; this 
woa the Countess Giulietta di Guiceiardi, to whom 
ho dedicated tho " Sonata quasi Fantasia," in C 
sharp minor, to whom so late as the summer of 1806 
ho wrote three letters, cxpressinjj all that words can 
reveal of the intense fcelinc: this wouderful creation 
emimdies, and whom, notwithstanding their discre- 
pancy of rank, he, four years afterwards, seriously 
propo<»ed to marry. She it was who, in 1801, lured 
him for a time back into societv, from which the em- 
barra«sment of his deafness had alreadv exiled him : 
who jjave him renewed confidence in himself, and re- 
liance on the world around him ; who was his con- 
stant object of most anxious interest, his constant 
source of bri(;htest inspiration. Tho fastidious M. 
Schindlcr, with a reserve less delicate than unac- 
countable, avowedly suppresses the circumstances of 
this connection, which was perhaps the most impor- 
tant to Beethoven's artistic career of any that he 
formed ; and we have, therefore, little evidence of its 
effect upon his heart and mind, beyond what is re- 
vealed in the impassioned character of his music, of 
which it must always be regarded as the key. M. 
Lenz, with a more genuine reverence for his subject, 
quotes a passage from the conversation hook (that 
Beethoven, on account of his dcafne<*N, used as a me- 
dium of communication with his companions) which 
bears upon this interesting episode. It occurred in 
1823, when the composer, having occasion for refe- 
rence to his score of FidrdiOy had commissioned M. 
Schindler to procure the loan of it from Count Oal- 
Icnberg:, the then director of the imperial theatre, to 
whom the Countess Guiceiardi had been some time 
married. The extremely equivocal French written 
by Beethoven, renders this discourse very obscure ; 
but thus much is evident, that the musician expected 
from his friend's visit to the lady's husband to learn 
some tidings of the object of his old romantic passion. 
What follows may admit of this conjectural interpre- 
tation, namely : that the Countess, perhaps from mo- 
tives of interest, had, after her long intercourse with 
Beethoven, deserted him for an aristocratic alliance, 
and upon her marriage with Gallenberg had spent 
some time in Italy; returning to Vienna, she again 
encountered and once more encouraged her arti*t 
lover, hut she had lost her power over him, or else, 
to avoid its influence, he forobore to renew any con- 
nection with her. His words, indeed, allude dis- 
paragingly to her, and still more so to her husband; 
but they have the character rather of being written to 
ma<:k his feelings than to express them, perhaps even 
to disguise them fix)m himself, and I cannot but infer, 
from the entire passage, that he still retained a deep 
interest in the heroine of the C sharp minor Sonata. 

In 1801, he received Ferdinand Ries as a pupil, 
who was his constant companion for the next few 
years, and was devoted to his interest ever afterwards. 
At this time his brother Carl came to reside at Vi- 
enna, and his intercourse also with his brother Jo- 
hann became much more frequent than it seems to 
have been in previous years. The closer connection 
with his family, to whom he was unalterably attached, 
aided little his personal comfort, less his worldly in- 
terest, and nothing his artistic progress ; but, on tho 
contrary, always embarrassed him with unavailable 
advice, inconsiderate remonstrance and other uncon- 
genial interference, besides a continual drain upon his 
pecuniary resources. 

In 1802 he had a severe illness, that left him in 
one of those fits of deep despondency to which, 
without such additional aggravation, his isolated sit- 
uation rendered him subject. In this state he wrote 
a will bequeathing all his possessions to his brothers, 
and exhorting them to deal tenderly with his mem- 
ory, urging his infirmity in extenuation of the eccen- 
tricities with which they habitually reproached him. 

(To b« eontinued.) 



For Dwlght^s Journal of Mario. 

A Letter from Deacon Malachi Abrams. 

PoPTOWN, March 14, 1859. 
Mr. Dwigiit, 

Respected Sir: — It is my privilege to «it 
under the ministrations of the Rev. Ilabakuk 
Lot, and to endeavor to hold up his hands in 
every poo<l word and work. Mr. Esel has lent 
me the last number of your valuable paper con- 
taining our beloved pastor's letter, and has re- 
quested me, as a pillar in the church, to add the 
weight of my testimony in its favor. 

It seems to me, Mr. Editor, that them hymns 
are cal'lated to sell, and to hasten the day when 
choirs shall be banished from our land, when our 
pews shall be furnished with tune books and the 
great congregation unite in the songs of Zion. 

My daughter Gerusha, Mr. Editor, is a great 
admirer of the Rev. Habakuk Lot. She says she 
hangs on his lips in " wrapt attention mute." I 
caution her against " man worship," but suppose 
that at her age, (she was thirty-five last Novem- 
ber) it's natural to be enthusiastic. She attended 
during one tenn the Poptown Literary and Col- 
legiate Institution, and always takes notes of Mr. 
I-/Ot*s discourses. I copy the following burst of 
elofjuence from his sermon of last Sunday morn- 



ing. 



" My brethren,** he says, " let us anticipate 
the day when from this vast congregation one 
mighty ocean of praise shall arise, surging up- 
ward to the empyrean vault of heaven." 

As our congregation numbers about sixty souls, 
small children included, you can imagine how 
grand will be the effect of so large a chorus when 
we get the new " tune book.*' 

As I was going home from the sewing circle 
the other evening, I found in the road a manu- 
script, containing one of Mr. Esel's new tunes. 
With his permission I send it to you. He wishes 
me to say that in Congregational tunes, all should 
sing the air. He has arranged one of the 
" Devil's favorite pieces," " The Prima Donna 
Waltz," to the beautiful hymn, " Ye Summer 
Clouds," &c. It has been printed in sheets, and 
distributed among the congregation, and is to be 
sung on the next Sunday after a discourse by 
our Pastor on the Sin of Dancing. 

Salerma, C. M. 
With teniemess. 

Oh, Bum - mer clouds, why fly ye so ? Why 







won't you wait a 



hit 



Tho wind doth 



:t 



^gii^iililii 






r^y yo go — So 



eirtiT 



pl«a - sures 



IsllSli^iiililil 



flit, 



flit, flit; So earta - ly plea-sures flit. 

I know but little about music myself, but my 
daughter Gerusha has taken lessons two quarters 
on the Piano of Miss Tinkle, and is considered 
quite a prodigy in Poptown. I copy from her 
note book a criticism on the tunc which I send 
you. 

" Observe," she says, " how wonderfully de- 
scriptive is the music of this hymn. In the first 
line, what a tone of expostulation pervades the 
music, changing in the second into entreaty ; and 



in the third, how admirably is represented the 
rising of the wind, and the disappearance of the 
gauzy clouds floating in the blue ether ! In the 
fourth the repetition of the word " flit," enforces 
the idea of the poet, while in the last line the 
pause on the first .syllable of the word " plea- 
sures," admirably pictures the reluctance with 
which mankind relinquish their grasp of sinful 
delights." 

One word, Mr. Editor, in regard to my sorel 
colt, alluded to by Mr. Lot It the hymn and 
tune book should not take with the public, he 
will not be able to take the colt ; in which case, 
I should like to trade horses with any gentleman 
who may wish to swop, or to purchase a first-rate 
animal, warranted sound and kind. 

Yours with great respect, 

(Deacon) Malachi Abrams. 



For Dwlght's Journal of Mnalo. 

The Motives and Themes of Beetho7en*s 
Ninth Symphony. 

Mr. Editor. — Tho approach of tho 26th of 
March, being the 32d anniversary of Beethoven's 
death, and the intended celebration of the same in a 
manner worthy of the master, by Mr. Zerrahn and 
his orchestra in the fourth Philharmonic Concert, re- 
mind the undersized of his duty to complete the 
analysis of the ninth Symphony. In the VIII vol., 
No. 23, of this paper yon were kind enough to pub- 
lish an analysis of tho first movement, to which I 
would refer for particulars. As it might be conveni- 
ent to have all the motives together, those of the first 
movement are inscribed here. 

•^ 18. Unisono. ta» "^—i ^19. 



2.jr 



'*#- 



.^:3^tj4t:tT!-f!2i-; 



24. Flnufo Imo 
YioUno Imo. 

dolce. 

4. ^^ 






[-»*-»•. ^—•'-» t 

'' Tromhe. Timpani. 
Ohoi • Comi ban*!. 



74. FUuti. FogotU. iJI^I f ' . I I f /■ ■^- fT 

Clarinetti. Uvmn tn Jav ll>.h movamAn^ 



Hymn to J07, 4th movement. 



g Serap.^ Reeds. ^ 







79. BtriTiKS. 
CUr. 



dolce. ^ 



l04Ffts 




^-- -fa 




120 Viol. 1 mo. 






Clar. 
Tiol. 2do. 

express. 



fimlli. 



Flnuti. 







140. Ob. 

CaotAblle. 

1 -V /*|0b. Viol. Imo 

■*Ar • r -\ — _S 



fe^^iifz^Jfel^^l^^ 



.33 



^, 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



11./t1»1. Ma- _^ 







Holto rifUM (^~it« ) ii written m ths Dsaal 
Ibrm of Schcreo io two parts, itiiI ■ Trio, Ukttriae io 
two pirta. Hen ue Iha themu : 



^ i . . I II. t . I 



iiilii^j^^ 






^m 



-T^^^i 






Sir!: 



^ 



I, w. awT doUL 



i to » oiw, cuf ■ Ob. t 



Vis. . T ..I.I. 

j "liiT I IJ j7 J J-.J.. •- .t,'j •: 



Sl^ipinsggi 



ii^p^^iig 



Thia letond movsment i> the Bret attempt at >o1t- 
ing iho probloma ■lalcd in the flrat movement. The 



gloomy and truly awful character of Ihal Coda with 
ttio Inexonible lit theme, endinp:aa it began ihemOTe- 
ment, the preponderance of tad (hemei, aImo>t bor- 
dering on deapair in Tarioua plncca, flnda ita proper 
Biuwer, (meat to the human cbaracter, in ihia wild 

Eight rr mcasarea of introdnction lead to the linl 
part, which from ta 9 — 76 u occupied with No. 13, 
beginning rr, [be instmmenti aaeeeeding each other 
in prooonncing the theme firo limei, every fifth 
meaiare. Farta of the theme and finally the theme 
itaelf are repeated rr. In n TT, No. 14 ia aoonded hy 
the reeda, like a thoughlful roice uf admonition. Tb« 
next motire entering in m 63, marked So. 15, ia 
much aofter than the firat (No. 13). u if the warning 
Toiee of U had quelled in aome degree the atorm. 
Thil No. 15 reminda in lome degree ot 4, prvpaita 
tat 16 atid baa aome affinity to the theme of the 
Hymn to Joy. The exciting flrat meaanre of 13 ia 
met with eterywheie ai accompaniment, or in the 
prindpal parti, and ita aecond meaanre cloaea in Tari- 
OD!i arrangements rr the first part in n 141, An in- 
teilade aimiUr to the iotrodnction leada back 10 the 
repetition of pan firsL After the repetition, m ISI to 
176 lead from pr torr in the manner of the flrat in- 






>ti!1 n 






trealmeot of No. 13. The rtiythm, then of 4 meas- 
area, eight constilating the melody, ii shortened to 3, 
aix making np the melody. As a natural conae- 
qaence the principal rhetorical accents retnm oftener, 
rendering the molody much raorereatless and violont. 
The 1st nt of IS sunds at the beginning of the 
rhythm to in SOS, when it is suddenly removed to the 
Snd ol the three measnrea. In S34 the rhythm of 4 
measurw enters again, almost etery meastire begin- 
ning the theme afresh. In S47 a Dominant 7th 
chord extending orer 4 meaanrea, held out by the 
Btringa pp, aeetna to calm the excitement ; but aller 
eight more measnrea oT anstained chords ermxndo the 
whole orchestra bonis forth in m STl with the theme 
in a still more exciting arrangement full of fierce, de- 
fiant, frantic enjoyment. This i* inteirupled by a 
melody anblima in itaiimplicity, reminding one of the 
Gregorian chanta — another of the same kind with No. 
14, but holier in its cxpmsion. It cooaista of p, r, 
O, o. A, ah, ah, a, eadi tone occapying one meaanre, 
and ia followed after two meaaures of significant rest 
upon bA by three repetitions of No. 14 followed in m 
330by 378by No. 4 — being a repetition of m 93— 14S 
of the firat pan. Jf 379— 387 and Coda 111368—399 
being made up of No. 16 firat meaanre, aa all thepre- 
Indea and inlerladea of this moTement. lead back to a 
repetition of the second part. After it n 400 to 4SS, 
played in the place of in 387—399, introdnce the Trio 

The melodies of the Trio representa more cheerful, 
qaiet joy in strong contrast to the bacchantic character 
of the firat two ports. Melodies IS and IT take the 
largest place in the Trio to n. 549; m. 508 to 54!, 
the closing part, are completely taken op with motives 
from IT. After n. 54! closing vriih these sad tones : 
(S41| a, B, A, a, (S4S) o, Bb, i., O fbllow the first 
and second part r 8—407 ; and then the last Coda, 
bringing in parta of theme 13 and 16 and 17, closea 
this wild moi-ement (in m. 571 ) which although com- 
monly called Scherzo ffia not designated so by the 
miuler. The last meaaures No. 19 {once belore oc- 
curring m 4S4 and 4S5) are almost as cheerless and 
unsatis factory as the close of No. 1, though much 



Adagio molta e tantabilt in ita first, and AtlAinIa 
moderalo in ita second theme, presents ^e next phase 
— a soni earnest in its endeavor to grasp and solve the 
great problems in the life of man. The first theme 
has a devotional character. With Ita repetitions of 
snatches of melody by the reeds and homa, and its 
Coda (from « 18—341 played by the same, it sings 
peace and lonfiing devotion as with angel voices lo 
the trouhiDd i^oiil. This theme ia folloived in the 
same meatare, 34, by the Andante, ^ melody full of 



Adifki Bolla t caolotiiU. 



Vtiri lnB. 






± tri r ar rii=>:fe 



mmm 



dull Bwdtnlc, Tiol. AIM. Ite lolla CUr. 



3igE0f=g| 



psni^iii 







Lde up of motirra from 
. lesds back lo another 



No. 90 and five 



variation of 20 from 98— 190, in which me«f 
vnintno call, No. 99, seems to sammon the aoni from 
its sweet and quiet devotional mood to some more 
energetic action- In m. 123 this call is answered by 
No. 33 like an humble confession of weakness, and 
this succeeded by a fiowing variation of motives from 
No. SO to m 130. In m 130—138 the same feclinga 
are expressed In a similar manner- From 139—146 
the variation ainga it<elf out in more distinct, short 
melodies, followed by the 6lh measure of 
"— repctiilona of the Tth mea-nre- Af- 
ter some rum In n) 147-148, the thankful melody 
34 extends over two measures, and in m 15! the 
movement closes with No. 95, which slronglv reminds 
of molivs S, only that it is here soft and quieting with 
its sweetly drawn out horn accompaniment- With 
the IGth measure of No. 90 cloaea this movement in 
the ISTih measure. It ends sweetly, serenely, and 
leaves the hearer In a mood quite different from the 
end of the firat two movements. None of them aat- 
isfiei the mind, however ; the firat oppreaaes with ita 
gloomy grandeur, a Irngedy in itaelf; the aecond 
leaves a yearning for something better than the fran- 
tic, tumullnoaa whirl of pleasure repmented by it; 
and the third lacka strength to satisfy the longing 
soul in fill! proportion to Its sweetness and grace. 
It requires energetic action to counterbalance ine gi- 
gantic grandeur of the unhappineas expreaaed in the 
" " "" " wc jfiatl find in (he foanh 

will speak next neck. 

G. A. SCBKITT. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1859. 



405 




Berlin, Feb. 10. — I said that pupils do not study 
rightly ; and this I say because I belieye the end, the 
aim of an American in learning to sing should be 
to learn to sing English. It is nonsense to talk about 
any particular school in the mere culture and devel- 
opment of the Tocal tones. The organs of a human 
being, whether bom on the Tiber, the Thames, the 
Spree, the Hudson, or the Charles, are alike. They 
produce tones alike, and, the improvemenf of those 
tones is acquired by precisely the same processes of 
study and practice. But to sing German, Russian, 
Swedish, English, French words, with the rarious 
sounds, guttural, labial, nasal peculiar to each —re- 
quires in each respective case, after the vowels are 
conquered and the voice has become manageable and 
purified of its bad tones — a different course of study. 
And this is what hearing Madame Zimmermann's 
pupils the other evening set me to thinking of. I re- 
member my pleasure once in Goetze's class at Leip- 
zig, in hearing him exercise Pratt, and Wilson and 
others in giving pure vowel sounds, introduced and 
ended with the ruggedest German consonants. I re- 
called to mind, too. Stem of this city, as I heard him 
practicing a class of young women upon some airs of 
Moiart ; how he made them sing scales, and picked 
out the hard words, not satisfied until they could give 
each word distinctly, clearly, without losing the pure 
tone, to which they had attained when singing the 
same notes solfeggio. 

On this evening I noticed how clearly and distinctly 
the girls sang the words of Radecke's psalm, and 
this carried my thoughts to the recent performance of 
the " Creation " by Stem's Singing Society, and I 
remembered how clearly and distinctly all the words, 
recitative, solo, chorus, came out : 

" Db Hlmmel «nah1«n die Bire Ooitas, 

Und idiwr Hind* Werk 

Z«lft an dM ftnoaoMiit. 

Dam komm«nden TAge nft M der Tsf , 

Die Nwht, die ^nchwuid, der fblgenden Nacht," fro. 
(" The hMvens we telllag." he.) 

Now no language, which I have heard sung, offers 
so many obstacles to the singer, it seems to me, as 
the German ; owing to the great number of words 
with guttural sounds. Yet of the list of great sing- 
ers given above, a large number leamed to sing in this 
their native tongue. Who that heard her, does not 
remember the great scena from Der FreifschUtz as 
sung by Sontag, in German, of course — and how 
many rabbed their hands in ectasy, at the beauty of 
such Italian singing ! Now, I ask hnw many singers 
who have made a certain impression upon their first 
appearance in our concert rooms, after a course of 
studying airs from " Sonnambula" ** Emani" " I 
Puritani" and the long list of pupil songs, have re- 
ally made any lasting impression, hare held out 
more than three or four seasons ? They have mostly 
hurried — most haste worst speed — through a cer- 
tain course of exercises, and then by dint of constant 
practise have leamed half a dozen show pieces, with 
which they appear in the concert room and sing ad 
nauteam — constantly reminding the old concert-goers 
of how Lind, Sontag, Alboni, Biscaccianti sang 
them, and making him groan at the difference. Trae, 
they are highly praised by our marvellous critics, but 
generally with a reservation : " magnificent, superb, 
splendid, pretty fair (as the Frenchman had it) for a 
beginner." Well, the young lady has made a hit, 
and Signor This or That gets half a dozen new pu- 
pils on the strength of the show made by our young 
lady. Now she is engaged to sing in oratorio. " Oh 
dear, what a horrid language English is to sing 1 " 
Very trae, perhaps, my lady, but you have never 
leamed to sing it. How can you tell ? " But it is 
so diflisrent from those dear Italian airs — just hear 
me sing one of them 1 " Very diflPerent indeed, my 
lady. In those airs you know nothing of the lan- 



guage, hence yon never felt any necessity of singing 
with expression — that is, with the expression of any 
feeling of your own ; and then too the constant vowel 
sounds reduced what you sang almost to the level of 
a solfeggio exercise. Here the case is different. If 
yon have any feeling at all, you cannot sing " Come 
unto me," "I know that my Redeemer liveth," 
** With verdure clad," and the like, without having it 
aroused and wishing to express it. But you have 
laid no foundation for singing your own language. 
Ton must begin anew in your practice of consonants, 
and work your way alone. The short, hurried course 
of study, which you have made, the great end of 
which was to accomplish half a dozen airs of difficult 
vocalization, has most likely affected the delicate 
muscles of the throat, as all overwork will affect any 
other set of muscles ; and before you have succeeded 
in conquering the difiUculties of singing your own 
language, your voice is giving way under the strain, 
and a new candidate, perhaps half a dozen, have 
crowded you off* the track. Here and there is one, 
who studied singing her own language long before 
she took a foreign tongue. All that she now leams 
she can reduce to practice in her native speech. She 
sings for years and ever better. You, alas ! — . 

But what would you have ? say yon. 

I would have the same system pursued at home 
which has made such great singers in Europe of so 
many who never saw Italy and who never sang Ital- 
ian, until their fame was so great, that they were 
called to sing in that language at Paris, London, nay 
on the stages of Italy itself. 

The great triumph of a singer, as of an orator, is 
in the moving of hearts. The moving of hearts is 
only to be effected by one whose own heart is moved. 
Words, texts, only affect the heart when understood. 
What I would have, then, is the cultivation of our 
fine American voices by the study of music written 
to English texts, just as here, the Sontags, Maras, 
Cravels, Kdkters, Wagners, leam to sing in German. 
If one cultivates his or her vocal powers upon a dif- 
ficult language, there is no fbar that an easy one will 
present any difficulty. 

Whenever a teacher of singing is required in any 
institution, the very first test I would apply in exam- 
ining a candidate for the plaee of instructor, would 
be his reading, both of prose and poetry. He should 
prove that he can pronounce well and enter into the 
spirit of what he reads. Then the question naturally 
follows, whether he understands vocalization and tiie 
art of teaching. Whether he has a voice and can 
sing delightfully himself, is a secondary consideration. 
That has little to do with teaching. As for your 
mere do-re-mi men, with their steps and half-steps, 
and all sorts of nonsense, running through term afler 
term, of a Normal School, for instance, I would ban- 
ish them at once. 

No, give me a man, who, while he can and will 
teach the simple reading of music, is at the same 
time a man of culture, both in music and other things 
— one who can teach the young ladies not only to 
read and sing a simple psalm tune, but can lead them 
on to the glorious music of Handel, and Haydn, and 
Mozart, and Schubert. 

If, on the other hand, I would make the most of 
extraordinary talent, with a view to the concert room, 
I would put its possessor under the care of one, who 
could lay a solid foundation for the future perfor- 
mance of music to English texts. The pupil should 
not be hurried, but should have time to labor and 
practice until the organs had made it their second na- 
ture to sing; and all extraneous omamentation 
should be the last thing. Lot the architect know how 
to plan his building so as to attain grandeur of eflPect 
and nobleness of proportion ; he can add the orna- 
ments at leisure. 

It seems to be quite the fashion to laugh at the 
idea of an English school of singing. Let folks 
laugh. Those who do so only show their ntter igno* 



ranee of musical history, or prove that thej do not 
know what constitutes a school of Art. 

The laws of light and shade and color are fixed 
by nature and immutable. The human form is es- 
sentially the same everywhere. The art of drawing, 
grouping of figures, laying out a landscape on can- 
vass, is essentially the same everywhere, and all 
schools of painting recognize the same fundamental 
rales as correct. The differences in the old Venetian, 
Roman, and Florentine schools of painting, were not 
diflferences which went down into the essentials, as 
everybody knows. Precisely so with schools of sing- 
ing. On the basis which nature herself has laid, the 
German teacher works out a system of instruction 
under which the pupil leams to sing music imbued 
with the German spirit, so pronouncing the words, so 
laying emphasis, accent, cadence as to touch the po- 
etic feelings and sympathies of the audience. Ger- 
man music, like German poetry, has its national pecu- 
liarities. To express these we have a German school 
of singing — but this school does not go, I repeat it, 
back to a difference in the foundations of singing, for 
they are laid by nature. Again, to sing in French for 
Frenchmen, requires a diflferent training of the pupil 
after the voice is once developed. So of English 
singing, so of Italian. 

There is Mr. Jones, for instance. Of bis two 
daughters, the one has a remarkable talent for the 
stage, the other for singing. He determines to have 
one educated for the Boston Theatre, and the other 
for the Boston Music Hall. Is it any more ridiculous 
for him to send the young actress to Paris to leam to 
declaim Racine through the nose, as a preparation for 
her future performance of Ophelia, Desdemona, Mi- 
randa, Rosalind, than to send the singer to a country 
where she will educate her organs to sing only the 
words of a foreign tongue, will leam only foreign em- 
phasis, cadence, and other means of expression? 
The boys in the great English schools formerly 
leamed to spout whole pa^ of Greek and Latin, 
with great effect, but could not read a page of Eng;- 
lish decentiy. 

The idea of an English school of singing to be 
laughed at ? Has the laugher ever read of Beard, 
that grand bass for whom Handel wrote such mighty 
airs ? Has he never heard of that long succession of 
vocalists which filled up the space from Handel's days 
to our time ? Has he heard Braham, Inclcdon, 
Henry Phillips, Mrs. Wood, Anna Bishop, Pyne, 
Hayes, and others whom I might mention, not be- 
cause they are England's great singers, but because 
they have visited America ? Simms Reeves, Miss 
Dolby and others never fear to meet at the great Eng- 
lish Festivals the greatest singers Europe can supply. 
Nor need they. They sing their own language, the 
grand strains of Handel, the music of Mendelssohn, 
cantatas and oratorios in general, in a style that com- 
pares with the best that German, French, and Italian 
artists in their own languages can show. 

The death of young Pratt, a few years since, just 

as he had retumed from his long and zealous studies in 

Leipzig with Goetze, was a gretit loss to us. He 

would have laid at least a foundation — interested as 

he was in our schools, both Normal and public — for 

the development of English singing among us. Who 

can take his place ? Under whose instraction shall 
we see the young women in our Normal schools and 
female academies singing Schubert's, Radecke's, 
Mendelssohn's music for the chorus of women's 
voices 1 

I am sorry to have developed my ideas so cradely 
in this letter. But I actually have not time to make 
it shorter and more to the point. A. W. T. 

Hahtford, Comv., Mabch 14. — No first-class 
concert has been given here since I last wrote, — the 
train of brilliant scintilations which Arthur Napoleon 
left behind being as yet unbroken. We are expect- 
ing, however, a great treat next week in the " first 
appearance " of our "Beetboyeii Socibtt," which 
is to give a grand sacred concert at the Centre 



406 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Chorch on Monday evening, with orchestra, organ, 
&e. I will endeavor to write you about it. 

Beading in a German book, entitled " Grosaea In- 
ttrumentcU Concert" I find the following, which may 
be interesting to some of your readers, in relation to 
Mozart. As to the manner in which he composed, 
it says : 

" When Mozart received the words or text for a 
voice composition he did not set himself at work im- 
mediately, but deferred it for a length of time, revolv- 
ing the sentiment in his mind, in order to excite the 
activity of his /yAantosie. Then he played it over in 
full upon the pianoforte, and afterwards wrote it 
down ; daring which time he never had recourse to 
the instrument ! " 

The Overture to Don Giovanni is a remarkable ex- 
ample of the rapidity of his writing. The opera was 
finished. The singers had already learned their parts ; 
everything was in readiness but the overture. The 
opera was to be performed the day after the morrow, 
and the fall rehearsal was over. The manager, Bon- 
dini, had told Mozart, imperatively, that the oratorio 
must be finished ! ** I will write it this afternoon 1 " 
said the little man ; but instead of that, took a long 
walk 1 His friends were filled with the deepest ap- 
prehensions, and the more anxious they became, the 
more reckless did he appear ! At last, on the even- 
ing of the day before the first performance, after hav- 
ing shaved himself, and imbibed pretty freely of wine 
and punch, (" berattcht von Wein und Punsch") tow- 
ards midnight, in his own room, he began to com- 
pose ; but was so sleepy that he was obliged to lie 
down. Ue told his wife to awake him in an hour ; 
but the dear woman, finding that he slept so soundly, 
allowed him to sleep still another hour before she 
aroused him! In two hours, therefore, she awoke 
him, made him some punch and set it near him, and, 
in order to cheer and keep him awake, told him all 
kinds of funny stories, until the tears ran down his 
cheeks with laughter 1 He continued to write, but 
by every exertion could not refrain from sleepily 
nodding the while. One can well imagine this singu- 
lar circumstance, in the following peculiar point of 
the overture : 




rnm-. 



ai=^ 



In a few hours, this wonderful master-piece was 
finished, and at seven o'clock, A. M-i the copyists 
came, as by appointment, — who labored hard 
through the day to get the parts ready for the even- 
ing's representation. The manuscripts were still wet 
with ink when distributed to the musicians ; and this 
celebrated overture to " Don Juan " was splendidly 
performed, for the first time, without rehearsal, by the 
fine orchestra in Prague 1 

The question, then, naturally arises, from the 
above, whether Mozart premeditated and played 
through the overture upon the ** Clavier " before he 
sat down that memorable night to write it for the dif- 
ferent instruments in score, or whether it was a spon- 
taneous burst of inspiration, jotted down amid his 
successive "noddings" — too powerful in itself for 
even sleep to overcome? For why should he tzy 
upon the piano-forte whatever he composed in his 
mind for the voice in particular, and not that which 
he intended for the orchestra? Perhaps it was to 
*'hnm" over the aria to himself, that he might 
better judge of its effect. 

I have written thus much upon this subject, because 
I was asked the other day — "How did Mozart 
compose f 



#» 



Since writing the foregoing, the concert by the 
*' Beethoven Society " has come off with fine success. 
Of course, there were many things in this first per- 
formance which were hardly up to the Boston stan- 
dard ; but as a general thing the sodety, as well as 
the city of Hartford, may well feel proud in such a 



uccessful d^but. The concert was given in thes 
Centre Church — Dr. Hawes' — and was literally 
crammed — some 1500 being present. The chorus 
was made up of about seventy voices, assisted by a 
nice little orchestra of seventeen instruments under 
the lead of Mr. J. Mahler, the whole conducted by 
Mr. J. G. Barnett, — Mb. G. E. Whiting presi- 
ding at the organ and pinno-forto. That yon may 
judge of the style of music performed, I append the 
following programme : 

PART FiaST. 

1. The Traaident and the Eternal, Romberg. 

2. Hear ye Tnacl — Aria from Rl(jah, Mendelseohn. 

8. By thee with Bliss — from the Oratorio of the Creation, 

Haydn. 

4. Samners Xrenlng Prayer and Choms of Angels, H. Coeta. 

6. The Heavens are Telling — From the Creation, Haydn. 

PART SBOOHO. 

1. Of Stars the Fairest — From the Creation, Haydn. 

3. Hear my Prayer, Mendelssohn. 
8. Ciijus Animam — From the fltabat Mater, Ronslni. 

4. I Lore the Lord — From the Mt. of OliTos, Beethoren. 

5. Inilammatus — From the Stabat Mater, Rossini. 

J have not time to particularize, — for in fnct there 
was nothing, with one or two exceptions, hut whnt I 
might speak well of; nor do I think it would be fair 
to make a close criticism of a first performance — 
where an orchestra has rehearsed hut little with the 
singers, and whcro the performers would natnr«lly 
wear a restraint from a fear of non-suceess. Mrs. 
Strickland sang as usual, with Rweetne«s and ex- 
pression — especially in that tryine Aria from 
" Elijah," — " Hear ye Israel," — which was a good 
deal marred, I am sorry to say, by the harshness of 
the onran. Mr. and Mrs. Huntington acquitted 
themselves with much credit, and Mr. Folet would 
have pleased much better had he sung in a more con- 
nected manner. " Samuel's Evening; Prayer " is a 
beautiful composition, and was rendered with appropri- 
ate simplicity by Mrs. Kislet — who has one of the 
purest contralto voices in the State. The duet, " Of 
Stars the Fairest," was one of the best thin^rs of the 
eveninfr — sung by Mrs. Huntington and Mr. 
Mabrcklbin, — the choms beings highly effective. 
" Hear my prayer," however, was the frem of the 
concert — the soli being deliciously sun^r by Mrs. 
Clarb Hott Preston, full of expression, and one 
of the most satisfactory performances I have ever lis- 
tened to. I hardly dare to speak too hi^rhly of Mrs. 
Preston or Mrs. Strickland, because they are 
" rare birds " of song, and I am afraid that they may 
become known to " outsiders," and be enticed away 
to some larger city. "We have them now, however, 
in our possession, and shall keep them caged as long 
as possible ! H. 



Jfoigjfs lanrnal d Pnsir. 



BOSTON, MARCH 19, 1869. 

HuBio nr tkis Namsa. — We glre this time the eonclnding 
page of the musle. together with title page, and iDtrodnetlon, 
of the opera iMcrezta Borgin, as arranged for the piano-forte. 

In onr next nnmher, which will close the preiient year (and 
Fourteenth Tolnme) of the Jonmai, we shall give no music, 
hut devote the four pages instead to an Index, Title Page, fro., 
of the two Tolumes of the year from April 1, 1868, to April 1, 
1869. 

Choice and interesting selections of music, as heretofore, are 
in preparation for the flist numbers <rf the new volume. 



4 -mt 



Mr. Zerrahn*! Beethoven ITight 

One of the most important and most interest- 
ing events which our musical world has known 
for years* will be the fourth and last Philharmonic 
Concert of next Saturday evening, the thirty- 
second anniversary of the death of Beethoven. 
On that occasion, thanks to the energy of Mr. 
Zerrahn, we shall at last have realized the long 
deferred hope of hearing his great crowning work, 
the " Choral Symphony ", performed entire^ 
as it was eight years ago by the " Germanians," 
only more thoroughly studied, better sung, better 
rendered in every way now then it could be with 
us then. The want so keenly felt in our other- 
wise memorable Beethoven Statue inauguration, 



when this Symphony was played, curtailed of the 
last or choral movement, will now be made up 
and that sin atoned for ; and the statue will be 
there, the finished score in hand — our noble and 
lamented Crawford's noble statue — to add a 
new significance to all we hear and feel. 

Previous to the Symphony, with its sublime 
and universal " Joy " hymn — what cotdd come 
after it ? — Mr. Zcrrahn will give us one of the 
same composer's great works of which only the 
Overture has been heard here before, to-wit, his 
music to Goethe's historical drama, ** Egmont" 
It consists of an overture, the two songs of Clar- 
chen, entr'actes, marches, music accompanying 
Egmont's vision in the last scene, &c. To make 
the intentions of the music clear, Mrs. Barrow 
has consented to read selections from the play. 

Here is a programme worth the while ! Very 
seldom, anywhere, is so much that is exciting and 
inspiring in the highest and best sense compres- 
sed into one artistic festival. In our next number 
we shall bring together what we can to prepare 
the mind for the better appreciation of the I^'inth 
Symphony. Meanwhile, for the benefit clt those 
who study works of this kind, our friend Mr. 
SciiMiTT, of Cambridge, has prepared a techni- 
cal analysis of its various movements, noting the 
themes and motives and their various recurrences, 
of which we give so much as relates to the three 
purely instrumental movements now, reserving 
the remainder for next week. 



Concerts. 

Mbitdelssorn Quintette Club. — The Sev- 
enth Chamber Concert (Friday evening, March 11) 
was distinguished alike by the beauty of the selec- 
tions, and hy the smoothness, the nice ensemble and 
expression with which everything was rendered. 
They were " in luck " with their instruments that 
evening. Here is the bill : 

1. Quartet in A, No. 00, (first time,) Haydn. 

Allegro— Adagio cantabile— Mlnuetto^-Tloale, TiTaee. 

3. Piano Trio, No. 1, in D, op. 70. Beethoren. 

Allegro vivace -Largo Assal— Finale, Preeto. 

8. Tema con Yariasioni, flrom Nocturne for Quintet, op. 86, 

Spohr. 

4. Andante ftom the Fint Clarinet Concerto in C minor. 

Weber. 

5. Grand Quintet in C, op. I68f for two Tiollna, Tlola, and 
two Tloloncelloe, (fint time). Frani Schubert. 

Allegro non troppo— Adagio— Seherxo, Presto— Finale, Alle- 
gretto. ' 

The Haydn Quartet proved itself one of the most 
agreeable and appetizing of that elegant and genial 
master's. It took its right place, as a relish, an indu- 
cer of the receptive mood, at the beginning of the enter- 
tainment. Beethoven's Trio in D — the next in in- 
terest^to that in B flat — was played quite artistically, 
yet a little coldly, by our friend J. C. D. Parker ; 
the chill, however, was taken off with the rising 
inspiration of the second and third movements. 
Is there anything, in this form of music, more 
mystically imaginative, more wierd and spirit- 
ual, than that slow movement, with its pro- 
foundly sad and earnest melody, and its soft va- 
pory accompaniment, like a thin, palpitating vision- 
ary light 1 The greatest novelty, and no less satis- 
faction of the evening, was in the Quintet by Schu- 
bert, in which the second violoncello part was very 
ably sustained by a young amateur, Mr. Burns, of 
Charlestown. After Beethoven, we scarcely know of 
any work of chamber music so original, so imagina- 
tive, so searching to the depths of the listener's soal, 
as this is, especially in its Adagio, and the Trio por- 
tion of the Scherzo. It is all full of rare thoughts, 

set forth with dignity and power ; and the total im- 
pression is one of marvellous beauty. The Club 
will do well to repeat that Quintet. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1859. 



40 



COMrLIMENTARY TOMmE. ElISE BiRCACCI ANTI. | 

The Ticmont Temple was well (illcd Mon<lay cve- 
nin^j (the storm on Saturday having caa^cd a post- 
ponement) by nn apprceiativc and entliu^ia'itic iindi- 
cnce. The eonoeit was one of the finest of iis kind, 
and left an impression which hundreds wish to have 
repeated. Our fair prima donna herself looked fresh 
and lustrous, and pan^ with rare fervor, — of coui-se 
admirahly. All wo could say would bo but a repeti- 
tion, with emphasis, of what we said when she sanjc 
in the Music Hall. Her voice and style are cultivated 
to the last dej;rec ; and fervor, real warmth of na- 
ture, makes np prcally for what of strength is lost by 
a fmil and lonjr sufferinjj physique. It was eminently 
artistic. The Komanza from ** William Tell " was, 
as before, her best piece. " Sweet home," in answer 
to an encore, was sunp from the heart ; but the nim- 
plc chann of the thing suffered from the tawdry orna- 
mentation of the piano accompaniment. For the 
rest, we only heard the sccna from Linda, which she 
rendered exquisitely. 

Mrs. Ix)NO sang Emani, invofami in a finished 
and effective manner ; and Mr. W. H. Dennett, a 
young New Englandcr, who has studied two years in 
Florence and elsewhere, and has very quietly dawned 
upon our concert world now a year after his return, 
displayed in Aon ;>»'tt andrai a really superb bass 
voice, of musical and unctuous quality, and an easy, 
genuine Italian style, with pood expression, over- 
doing nothing. We were sorry not to hear him also 
in the " Porter Song " from Martfia. Ho is refined 
and modest in appearance. 

In the absence of Mr. Lang, Mr. Schultze. with 
Mr. Hacse, the pianist of the evening, treated the 
company to a singular potpourri, (the joint work of 
Vieuxtemps and Wolff) of themes from Don Giovan- 
ni. The thunder tones of the statue : Don Giovanni, 
a cenar tfco, ^., woro a strange theme for a violin 
solo to fttart with ; but themes more human and me- 
lodious followed, and parts of the thing were beauti- 
ful, a.* it was all finely executed. The Mendelssohn 
Quintette Club, strengthened by a donble-bass, and a 
flute, sketched out a pleasant reminiscence of Rossi- 
ni's overture to L'ltaliana in Ahjeri, and some other 
pieces ; and the crowd dispersed with the feeling that 
they liad had a charming and successful concert, and 
with renewed regret that Mme. Biscaccianti's 
voice will be heard here no more, before it has glad- 
dened the cities of the Western and the Southern 
States, South America, Australia, and all those far- 
off places that we read of. Success go with her ! 

OncHESTRAL Union. — Meudclssohn's fourth, or 
" Italian," Symphony came very opportunely, Wed- 
nesday afternoon, after our recent hearing of the 
" Scotch." It is far less striking and profound, — at 
least in its first movement — than that ; but it has a 
fascination of its own. The sunny buoyancy and 
freedom of the first part ; the quaint, pensive, sombre, 
antique air of the Andante, chanted by low reed 
tones ; the exquisite grace of the Minuet and Trio 
(the loveliest part of the whole) ; and the concluding 
S-dtarello, hurried into the more delirious Tarantella, 
afford fine contrasts. An overture by Rreutzer, the 
" Papageno Polka," the romance from " VEclaire" 
for flute and English Horn, (played by Messrs. 
ZoEHLER and Kibas), with other popular tit-bits, 
made out the programme. 



Musical Chit-Chat 

We have just received a letter from our friend 
Trenkle, dated St. Augustine, Florida, March 10, 
written on receipt of the news of that beautiful com- 
plimentary concert. As we know it will interest his 
many friends here, we venture to make the following 
extracts : 

...."I take the liberty of asking vou to return, 
through your Journal, my heaitiest thanks to those 
who so kindly cooperated in the concert given in my 
behalf, and especially to the members and committee 



of the Harvard Musicnl As«o«intion, w'.iosc inflncncc 
in the matter um^t have conlril)uted largely to cn>ure 
success. 

" From what I have heird through your beautiful 
notice in the Journal, and through minute accounts 

from home, the conceit must have been such that I 
cannot help feeling a little, proud that it was given in 
comfiimeHt to me. By this I do not mean to monopo- 
lize the claim of its success ; I well know that the 
same combination of artists and so charming a pro- 
gramme must at any time attract a poo<l hou<e. But 
it is the quality of the audience — the whole arrange- 
ment and atmosphere of the concert — the memory 
of which I always shall cherish wiih pleasure. 

'* Mv stJiy here has thus fur only in part benefitted 
me. I have improved somewhat in strength and 
much in spirits ; yet my chief trouble, asthma, clings 
to me, and it seems to require some clement, not to 
Ikj had here, to rid me of it, though I dare not nttrib 
nte any fault to the climate ; for this is truly beauii- 
ful. and even so exquisite that no tcnns can be exag- 
gerated in describinsr it The air is filled with the 

fragrance of oranjre-blossom^. and the gardens show 
flowers of all kinds in full bloom. The thermometer 
ranjres from 75 to 80 dcg. in the shade ; and the dif- 
ference between morning, noon and night tempera- 
ture, i- seldom more than 3 to 5 degrees. 

"Inviting a« all thin eertaiiily i*, I would wiMing- 
ly exchange and prefer to breatlie our Boston air, if 
there was a possibility for me to live. But sneh as I 
am now. I feel but little encouragement, and in all 
probability shall have to remain till the middle of 
next summer, — part of the time perhaps at Aiken, 
Va., — with how much success the future will tell." 

There will be no Afternoon Concert next Wed- 
nesday, on account of the Hall being occupied by the 

Fair for the Channing Hospital for the Incurable 

The Mendelssohn Quintette Club will repeat that 
Schubert Quintet at their next and la&t concert, next 
Friday evening ; when they will also play Mozart's 
lovely Clarinet Quintet, a Quartet by Mendelssohn, 

&c Messrs. Koot and Miller continue to make 

hay and the sun continues shining. 

We are gliid to sec such signs of musical activity 

in Cambridgeport, as we find here reported in the 

Cambridge Cfironicle of last week : 

Concert op the Cambridge Amateur Or- 
chestra. — A large audience was collected on 
Thui-sdav evening at the concert given in the City 
Hall. I'he programme was admirably selected, 
overture* and lighter instrumental pieces being alter- 
nated with songs, trios, quartets, and cantatas for 
chorus and orchestra. The orchestra played with 
great spirit and precision, and agreeably disappoin- 
ted those of their friends who know the diflieulties 
which attend a successful performance, even by pro- 
fessional pei-formers. The solos and the beautiful 
trio introduced some of our favorite vocalists, and 
gave g'eat satisfaction. The double quartets, by a 
club from Old Cambridge, were warmly applauded ; 
and the chorus showed that we have no little resident 
talent. To answer a question often asked, we would 
state that the " Cambridge Amateur Orchestra " is 
just what its name imports, — a society of amateurs 
who meet weekly for the performance of instrumen- 
tal music. For the purpose of lending variety to a 
concert which they propo.sed to give to their friends, 
all the vocalists who took part, volunteered their aid ; 
and, although from the lateness of the season, there 
was hardly time enough for a sufficient number of re- 
hearsals, the concert was given, and was perfectly 
successful. Our City Clerk, Mr. Jacobs, wielded the 
manaeer's baton with a grace that even Max Maret- 
zek would appreciate. The orchestra purpose giving 
before long a second concert of instrumental music, 
in connection with a similar club from a iieighl)onng 
town, when they will together number some thirty or 
forty performers. 

A new opera (at least out of Germany) was per- 
formed a few weeks since at Chicago, under the di- 
rection of Julius Unoer. It is called "Prince Eu- 
gene, or the Siege of Landau" — a grand romantic 
opera in three acts, by Gustav Schmidt, niusic-direc- 
tor of the Stadt-Thcatre, at Frankfort-on-the-Main. 

The French Commission on the " pitch," or " nor- 
mal diapason," have ended their labors; and their re- 
port, drawn up by M. Halevy, recommends a stand- 
ard one quarter of a tone lower thnn the present con- 
cert pitch. ... A monument to Bellini is soon to 
be erected in Catania, Sicily, his birth-place. . . . 
Gazzaniga has been presented, in Havana, " with a 
silver lyre with golden strings, and with a golden 
crown. These she will use in the role of Sappho." 



M. Tropi.ong. the Presideni of the Senate and 
Chief .Instii-e of Fnmce, has written an elaborate ar- 
ticle on (jliK'k's " Armide " It seems M. Tro|»long'8 
physicians forbade him study, and to amuse his time, 
he studied Gluck's scores. 

PiccoLOMiNi has been charming the Cincinna- 
ti-ans ; from there we trace her shining path through 
Louisville, St. Louis, Memphis, &c., to New Orleans. 

New Orleans seems to be revelling In music. Hero 
is one morning's report from the Picayune, (March 
6): 

The opera and the theatres have been well attended 
during the week, as they should have been, for the at- 
tractions have been of a high oifler. At the Theatre 
d Orleans, we have had a performance, by the regu- 
lar eompanv. of '* I*es Dragons de Villars," " RoUrt 
le l)iable"'(for the benefit of Mr. Taste.) and "La 
Favorite." liesldes these, there have been two per- 
formances of " Les Huguenots," M'lle. Poinsot and 
Carl Formes appearing as I Vi //>»//;/i> and Marcel: and 
one of the " Norma," wiih Laborde as Norma^ M'ine 
Berkel as Adelfjisa, Sig'r Tamaro as Pdlio, and M. 
Dubreil as Oroveso. 

Well ! We are to have a first class opera house. 
It is all settled. It is to be located on the comer of 
Toulouse and Bourlx>n streets. Mr. Boudou<qui^ is 
to be its manager. It is to co'st something like 
$•200,000, and is to be ready to be oj^ened bv the last 
of tlie coming October. Vir. Ullman and ^Ir. Bou- 
dousqnie' have entered into an arrangement which se- 
cures to us thirty nights of Italian Opera in the 
next season. 



Hlustt ^brojrb. 



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^MWVMWWt^^^V^'W^^VW^^^m^^^W^^^^^t^^t^vM'^^vA^^ 



^MM4^V4»«^t#*»^»^««««#N««^MN««*^#«M^MM^i^iMAM^ 



England. 

Manchester. — The Athenceum speaks of a pei^ 
formanco of the " Messiah," given lately to the 
" working classes/' by the gentlemen of the Choral 
Societv. 

M. Halle, — who is aiding so far as the presidence 
and energy of an admirable musician and honorable 
man can do, to make Manchester one of the centres 
of European mu^ic — conducted. The solo singers 
were, Mi-8. Sunderland. Miss Lasccllcs, Mr. Montem 
Smiih, and Signor Belletii. But the audience was 
the thing. To quote from the Manchester Guardian: 
" No fiwcr than 4,200 tickets were subscribed for and 
distributed amongst employes of various classes ; and 
it is believed that alM)ut this number of persons were 
present. The noble hall was crowded in every part 
with an assembla;:e consisting mainly of the working 
classes, and nothing could be more admirable than 
their quiet, orderly deportment during performances 
occupying nearly four hours ! Judging by rlieir ear- 
nest and rapt attention, their quiet and subdued de- 
meanor, their manifest d.^light, bursting forth into 
cnthnsias(ic and uncontrollable plaudits, this great 
exiwriment on the influence of the grandest music, 
ennneiating the loftiest and holiest themes ever an- 
nounced to mortal eye or ear, must l>c regarded as a 
complete and splendid success." Before the perfor- 
mance beean. the Bev. Dr. Hook, of I^ecds. delivered 
the address, in the best taste. We especially approve 
the terms in which he spoke of the concert. His re- 
marks, without any arrogance of condescension, 
were virtually coincident with Dr. Johnson's large- 
minded recognition of some pleasure as the right of 
all persons, however modest l>e their fortunes, when 
the Lexicographer tersely said, " Life i' a pill which 
none of us can swallow without some gilding." In 
another point of view. Dr. Hook's address, as coming 
from an earnest clergyman, is especially to be re- 
meinl)ered. He introduced the performance of '• The 
Messiah" as "an innocent and rational amusement." 
He then gave a few such particulars of Handel's life 
and works as were calculated to interest his audience ; 
and not the least welcome clause i i his discourse was 
one intimating that the evening's popular festival 
at Manchester might, probably, be reproduced at 
I^eds. Other informants confirm the statement in 
the Mnnchesfer Guardian^ that the performance was 
musically first rate. " It was a grand sight," writes 
one, "and would have jslnddened your heart." Bu- 
mor says, that there may be another of these pcrfoi- 
manccs at Manchester ; in fact, that the money for 
such a capital purpose has been offered already. 

LoNDoy. — From the Aihenceum of Feb. 19, we 
take the following items : 

At the Crystal Palace Cnnceti on Saturday, Madam 
Hayes was the singer. We pereeivo that she will 
take the leading soprrmo part in " Solomon," on Fri- 
day next, at Exeter Hall. 

On Monday evening there was a Popular Coicert 



I I 



408 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



of Mendelssohn's Chamber Music, at the St, James's 
Hall, at which the singers were thos^ of the previous 
week. This pleased so much more than such miscel- 
laneous collections of inanity as the pieces of ballad- 
work, chiefly hitherto given at the St. James's Ilall on 
Monday evenings, that on Monday next the selection 
is to lie taken from Mozart's music ; and we hear 
that Handel and Bach are to have their turns. Why 
not an Italian evening, too, — ^with Corelli, Geminiani, 
aud Scarlatti to furnish the instrumental part of the 
treat 1 On Monday, also, was given a concert of the 
Amateur Society ^ at which, among other music, one of 
Mozart's Concertos was performed by that excellent 
amateur pianist, Mr. S. Walcy. 

The programme of Uerr Pauer's Second Soiree at 
Camberweil included a trio, in B flat, by M. Rubin- 
stein. 

The scheme of Mr. HuUah's Wednesday Concert 
was made up of Dr. Bennett's " May Queen " and 
Beethoven's " Choral Symphony." 'The concert at- 
tracted so laige an audience that the English and the 
German work are both announced for repetition, at 
St. Martins* s liall, on the 1st of March. The singers 
were Miss Banks, Miss Martin, Miss Palmer, Messrs. 
Wilbye Cooper and Mr. Santley. Dr. Bennett's 
Cantata suits Miss Banks thoroughly ; and she seems 
to have been studying of late for rennement of artic- 
ulation. Miss Martin, as so young a singer, merits 
no common praise for the steadiness with which she 
went through the tremendous part of the soprano — 
the epithet is no exaggeration — m the '' Choral Sym- 
phony." On the whole, the music went very well. 

Mr. Henry Leslie's programme^ on Thursday even- 
ing, for the Fourth Concert of his choir, included an 
act of music by Bishop. Five of the seven pieces in 
it were the best known of those glees, with choruses, 
which were the nearest approadi permitted him, by 
the unmusical managers of his period, to opera Ji- 
nales. There are some twenty more as good as those 
given, if less familiar ; and among Bishop's glees, 
without accompaniment, are several superior to "The 
Fisherman's Good Night " and " Beam of Light " ; 
to name hut one, his setting: of Joanna Baillie's lyric, 
" Up, quit thy bower." There is no modern English 
music which will displace Bishop's ; none so fresh in 
melody, so clear in style, so legitimate in effect. 
The other part of the concert was made up of pieces 
which have been performed with approval on former 
occasions, varied oy Herr Pauer's pianoforte playing. 

It is now stated that Mr. Smitn is about to* give 
English operas at the close of his Italian season ; 
and that oefore Miss L. Pyne and Mr. Harrison va- 
cate Covert Garden Theatre for the Southerns, the 
" Rip Van Winkle " of Mr. Bristow, an American 
composer, will be produced by them. They should 
be tired themselves, we fancy,'of singing nothing but 
Mr. Balfo's music, since this week, when something 
else than " Satane1la"had to be (riven, the alternative 
has been " The Rose of Oastille," an opera worn 
threadbare months ago. 

For the second concert of the Musical Society, we 
perceive, are announced, as novelties, Herr Gade's 
•* Highland Overture," a concert piece, for pianoforte 
and orchestra, by M. Silas ; and a yocal Scena, by 
Mr. Henry Smart. 

Letters from Berlin announce that the agreeable 
metw-soprano singer, Mdlle. Jenny Meyer, whose 
promise impressed us so favorably at last year's 
Whitsuntide Festival at Cologne, intends to visit 
London, among the other concert-j^iests of 1859. 
The Vienna journals mention the production there of 
Mr. Balfe's " Rose of Castillc," without success. 
The arrival of Herr Joachim in England may be 
shortly expected. 

Paris. 

The musical season was never duller than at present. 
No novelty at the Grand-Op^ra ; none at the Italiens ; 
none at the Optfra-Comique. Meyerbeer's forthcom- 
ing opera, Dinorah, and the grand Festival to be 
given in March, at the Palace of Industry, absorb all 
attention. Mr. Gye, I hear, has secured Dinorah for 
Covent Garden, and it is rumored that Meyerbeer 
will go to London to superintend the rehearsals. It 
is to be hoped that he may be satisfied with the per- 
formance of his new work at the Royal Italian Opera. 
M. Litolflf lately paid a flying visit to Paris, and has 
returned to the country to finish his five-act opera. 
Rossini keeps up his "Saturday evenings " with un- 
flinching courage. The week before last was devoted 
to literature. Last Saturday was entirely musical. 
Not, however, so attractive a soir^e^ as that which 
wa^ graced by the presence of Grisi, Slario, Taglioni, 
and Mad. Borghi-Mamo. A new Russian pianist, 
Madlle. Starck, who, of course, has played before 
Rossini — pa«rr« Rossini! — has announced a con- 
cert to take place at Hcrz's Rooms. The dilmt of 
Madlle. Dorus, to which I alluded last week, has 
been attended with signal success. It took place on 



Sunday last, at the third concert of the Conserva- 
toire, when Haydn's Creation was performed. I have 
already told you Mademoiselle Dorus was the daugh- 
ter of the eminent flautist who bears her name. I 
may now add — which I forgot before — that she is 
the niece and pupil of Madame Dorus-Gras, the cele- 
brated cantiatrtce^ whose name is intimately associated 
with some of the most brilliant passages of the Aca- 
d^mie-Imp^riale de Musiquc et de Danse. The fair 
d/butante was extremely nervous at first ; she was, 
however, so kindly received and so warmly encour- 
a^^, that she soon regained self-possession, and con- 
vmced her hearers that, in endowments and acquire- 
ments, she was no ordinary penon. The voice is a 
pure soprano, of average compass, agreeable in quality, 
and slightly veiled. She phrases well, executes well, 
and her style is simple and pure. Altogether she 
created an unusual sensation, and left the room over- 
whelmed with applause. I may mention en passant, 
that Haydn's Creation had not been performed in 
Paris for fifteen years. — London Musical World, 
Feb. 19. 

The correspondent of the New Orleans Picayune 

furnishes the following items of operatic and dra- 
matic intelligence : 

Our last theatrical year was one of the most profi- 
table recently seen, no less than 13,878,499f. having 
been paid into the theatres' treasuries. We bad 215 
dramatic authors and 50 composers for the pieces 
and operas played — there were only 199 of the 
former and 39 of the latter year before last — and 
there were 237 new operas and pieces played. I 
shall not give you a detailed list of the number 
brought out by each theatre, but I select the principal 
theatres ; the Grand Opera gave us only two new 
productions, an opera, " La Magicienne," and a 
ballet, " Sacontala ; " the Opera Comique gave us 
seven new operas ; the Odeon, nine new pieces ; the 
Theatre Lynqne, the same number ; the Vaudeville, 
ten ; the Varieties, fourteen ; the Gymnase, thirteen. 
I have purposely omitted the French Comedy to 
speak of it particularly. In 1851, it played ninety- 
one pieces in all, of which eleven were new ; in 1852, 
eighty-five, of which eleven were new; in 1857, 
eighty-three pieces, of which five only were new, the 
prodigious success of " La Fiammina '^keeping it in 
possession of the stage for a long while, and exdu- 
ding new pieces. This last year, 1858, we had there 
seventy-eight pieces, nine of*^ which were new. The 
authors most played were Moli^re and M. Scribe. 
The former had eleven pieces played, and they were 
played 129 times; these pieces were " Amphytrion," 
played 5 times; "L'Avare," 11; "Le Bourgeois 
Gentilhomme," 31 ; " Le D^pit Amourenx," 2 ; 
"Don Juan," 22; " Les Femmes Savantes," 1 5 ; 
" Georges Dandin," 2 ; " Le Malade Imaginaire," 
13; "Le Medecin Malgr^ lui,"2;"Le Misan- 
thrope," 8 ; " TartufTe," 18. M. Scribe had nine 
works played 143 times ; these were " Bataille de 
Dames, which was played 12 times; "Betrand et 
Raton," 1 ; " La Calomnie," 7 ; " Une Chaine," 8 ; 
" Les Doigts de F^," 55 ; " Feu Lionel," 80 ;" Os- 
car ou le Mari qui trompe sa femme," 9 ; " Valerie," 
12 ; and " Le Verre d'Eau," 9 times. A good many 
play-wrights have complained of the manager of the 
French Comedy for not giving enough variety! 
What would they have said in 1803 when the French 
Comedy played 122 old pieces and only nine new 
ones, ana among these pieces were thirty-Jive trage- 
dies, a good many degrees below the zero of Addi- 



son's "Cato." 



Prince Poniatowski is to bring out a new opera at 
the Italians' and a five act opera at the Grand Opera 
next season. He acted as president at the distribu" 
tion of prizes at the Sacred Music School recently, 
and in tne course of his speech, said : " There is no 
such thing as German, Italian, French music ; Ros- 
sini says, and he is the greatest authority in musical 
matters, believe me, there are but two sorts of music, 
the good and the bad." I told you in a recent letter 




" Alboni looked like a fireman who had just gotten 
home after a large conflagration and had time enough 
to slip on a dressing gown, but forgot to take his 
helmet off his head. She don't look much like a 
young warrior who has just crushed the Scythians, 
unless, indeed, she crushed them by sitting on their 
army." You know M'me Alboni is an enormous 
woman, and I dare say remember the epigram made 
in America to the effect that Alboni was greasy and 
Grisi all-boney. M'me Tedesco has been engaged at 
the Grand Opera at $12,000 a year. M'lle Sophie 
Cruvelli sang last week at a charity concert at Turin ; 
it was her first appearance in public since her mar- 
riage to Baron Vigier. The letter which has been 
going the rounds of the American newspapers as 
being from M'me de Lagrange turns out to be a hoax. 



Sptfial Jlolires.. 

DBSCSIPTiya LIST OF THS 



Music it Mail.— QuantltlM of Mnsle m now SMit by anall, 
th^ ezpenM b«!iif only abont one eent ftpi«c€. while the cars 
and rtpldlty of tnuinporfation an mnaricablo. ThoM at % 
frwt dhUne* will find th« mod* of eonrejanee not only a eon- 
veni«ne«. bat « aaving of oiponM in obtAlning sappliM. Books 
e&n ftlM> be wnt by mail, at the rate of one eent per ounce. 
Thi« nppliee to any distance under three thooMUid miles ; be- 
yond that, double the aboye lates. 



Vooalf with Ftaao Aooompftniment. 

O ruddier than the cherry, Handd, 80 

Celebrated bass or baritone song ftom (he Berenala: 
leis and Gelalea. 

O yes, I do remember. Song. Frands WoelDOtt, 25 
Basy and pleating. 

O come to me over the Sea. Ballad. 

J. H. McNoLug^dtfti. 95 
A pretty and taking melodyi whiefa vID be weiiyed 
with Atvor by yoaag i 



"Witli Oultar Aooompftniment. 

Minnie Clyde. Song by Crosby. Arranged by 

C. J. Horn, S5 

Gentle Hattie. Song and Cborof by St John. 
Arranged by T. B. Bishop. 25 

The flret of these songs has long been a Ibvorite 
with the pablle, and a OultaiHumngament has often 
been called Ibr. The seeond eoag is Jnst bow begin- 
tting to obtain a wide eirenlatlon. It is one of those 
melodies which will wander of«r the whole eonntiy, 
taken npand eanied onwatd by bands of mlnstnls 



Znatmmantal ICiulo. 

Ever of thee. Beverie Tremolo. Charles Fradd, 95 

▲n arrangement of very moderate dUBcnlty, mostly 
in the (kTorite Tremolo style, and distlnguiihed by the 
nice tatte, which the pabHc now begin to appreciate In 
the works of this composer. 

Persian Polka. Chas. D'AOmi, 30 

Soldiers' Polka. '' 95 

Both of these polkas are eaioylnff an Immense pop- 
ularity in Bngland. Edition after edition is struck of, 
up to the eightieth edition of the Soldien' Polka, but 
still the demand Is steadily incrsaeing. This is good 
newt for the dancing public, with irtiom a new, ptetty 
Folka nerer comei amiss. 

Maud. Yalse chantante. ffenry Laurent. 95 

The principal aire in this pretty walta are boiioire d 
from Balfe^ well known musical Tcnion of Tennyson : 
*' Come Into the garden, Maud." 

Song of our natiye land. Irish melody. Varied 
by W. V. Wallace. 60 

An excellent anangement, which need s no recom- 
mendation. 

Venzano Valse. Lm'gi Venzano. 50 

A brilliaat, sparkling Waits, compooed originally ftr 
the Tolee, and, next to the Ricci Walte, the most cele- 
brated braTura-pieoe of great eongstiemee. Mn. Bi- 
cott has lately perlbrmed It in Zf rrahn^s third Concert. 
The original arrangement with words. Italian and Bug- 
Ush, has also been issued In a new edition by the pub- 
lisher. 

Books. 
Knorr'8 Methodical Guide. For Teadiert 
of Pianoforte Music. Translated from the 
German edition, by G. A. Schmitt. 60 

** Haring published a complete Method of Piano In- 
struction In which ie embraced ereiy cesential requi- 
site for the AfpiTf understanding of the sublect, the 
author iisuce th« present rtdumefor the more especial 
use of IVocAcrt. In it they will And hints that wtU 
amis t them in imparting to their pupils the true artls- 
tie piano touch, which requires perfcot Independence 
of the Joints, not 6nlyof the hand, but of each Hager; 
an independence which cannot be obtained without 
that pneltlon of tbe,hand which I have herein, as well 
as In my rcrision of A. B. MilUer's method, laid down 
as the true one. Jcucs Kvoaa." 




toijbt's 




0untal 





Whole No. 364. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1859. 



Vol. XIV. No. 26. 



Translated Ibr this Journal. 

Eichaxd Wagners's Programme to the Ninth 
Symphony of Beethoven. 

It is a dirlioult matter for nnv one, not intimately 
acqaaintcd with this wonderfully si};:nificnnt work of 
Art, to understand it on the first hcarinj;. Ilcncc it 
may he permitted to offer some aid to that considera- 
ble portion of an audience, who find themselves in 
this predicament; not indeed with a view to impart- 
ing an absolute understanding of Beethoven's master- 
piece — since that can only come from intimate per- 
sonal study and insight — but simply with the hope 
of furnishing some hints illustrative of its artistic ar- 
rangement, which in the great peculiarity and entire- 
ly unimitated novelty of the work might escape the 
observation of the unprepared and easily confused 
hearer. Taking it for granted that it is the essential 
problem of the higher instrumental music, to express 
in torus what cannot be expressed in words, we think we 
can approximate to the solution of an insoluble prob- 
lem by calling in the aid of words of our great poet 
Goethe. These, to be sure, stand in no immediate 
connection with Beethoven's work, and can in no 
wise indicate the meaning of his purely musical crea- 
tion with any thoif>ughness. Yet so nobly do they 
express those higher moods of the human soul which 
lie at the foundation of this Symphony, that in the im- 
possibility of any fuller understanding one may con- 
tent himself with identifying these moods, so that 
he need not go away from a hearing of the music 
without at least some apprehension of its purport. 

First Movbmbkt (Allegro ma non troppo, D 
minor.) — A most sublimely conceived conflict of the 
soul, struggling after joy, against the pressure of that 
hostile power, that stations itself between us and all 
earthly bliss, appears to lie at the foundation of this 
first movement. The great main theme, which at the 
very outset steps forth from a gloomy veil in all the 
nakedness of its terrible might, may perhaps, not al- 
together inappropriately to the sense of the entire 
tone-poem, be translated by the words of Goethe : 
" Entbehren wlljit da ! SoIIiit entbehren ! " 

[This in most of the translations is rendered : " Renonncc ! 
Thou muAt renounce." But the word entbehren does not sig- 
nify *' renounce." The meaning of the phrase is, (for it cannot 
be given in a word), that it is the destiny of man always to 
have wants which cannot be satisfied.] 

Opposed to this powerful enemy we recognize a 
noble spirit of defiance, a manly energy of resistance, 
which to the very middle of the movement rises to an 
open conflict with the adversary, in which we seem 
to see two mighty wrestlers, each of whom leaves off 
invincible. In isolated gleams of light we may dis- 
cern the sweet sad smile of happiness, that seems to 
seek us, for who<e possession we strive, and from 
whose attainment we are withheld by that malicious- 
ly powerful foe, who overshadows us with his noc- 
turnal wings, S3 that even to ourselves the prospect 
of that far off grace is dimmed and we relapse into a 
dark brooding, which has only power to rouse itself 
again to new defiance and resistance, and to new 
wrestlings with the demon who robs us of true joy. 
Thus force, resistance, struggle, longing, hoping, 
almost reaching, again losing, again seeking, again 
battling — such are the elements of restless movement 
in this marvellous piece of music, which droops how- 
ever now and then into that more continuous state of 
utter joylessness, which Goethe (in his "Faust") de- 
notes by the words : 



** But to new horror I awalte each mom 
And I could weep hot tears, to see the sun 
Dawn on another day, whose round forlorn 
Accompliiihes no wish of mine, — not one ; 
Wliich still, with firoward captionsness, impairs 
E'en the presentiment of erery joy, 
\Miile low realities and paltry cares 
The spirit's fond Imaginings destroy. 
And th«n when £tlls again the veil of night, 
Stretcli'd on my couch I l.inguish in despair; 
Appalling dreams my troubled soul affright ; 
No soothing rest Touchsafed me even there," &c. 

At the close of the movement, this dreary, joyless 
mood, growing to gigantic magnitude, seems to em- 
brace the All, as if in grand and awful majesty it 
would fain take possession of this world, which God 
has made — for Jot ! 

Second Movement. (Scherzo molto vivace,) A 
wild delight siezes us at once with the first rhythms 
of this second movement : it is a new world into 
which we enter, in which we are whirled away to gid- 
diness, to loss of reason ; it is as if, urged by despera- 
tion, we fled before it, in ceaseless, restless eflforts 
chasing a new and unknown happiness, since the old 
one, that once sunned us with its distant smile, seems 
to have utterly forsaken us. Goethe expresses this 
impulse, not without significance perhaps for the 
present case, in the following words : 

" The end T «im at is not Jor. 

I crave excitement, agonizing bliss," &e. 

" In depths of sensual pleasure drown'd, 

Let us our fiery passions still ! 
Enwrapped in magic's veil profound, 
Let wondrous charms our senses thrill! 
Plunge we in time's tempestuous flow, 
Stem wo the rolling surge of chance! 
There may altemato weal and woe, 
Success and failure, as they can, 
Mingle and shift in eliangeftil dance ; 
Excitement is the sphere for man ! " 

With the headlong entrance of the middle-subject 
there suddenly opens upon us one of those scenes of 
earthly recreation and indulgence : a certain down- 
right jollity seems expressed in the simple, oft-re- 
peated theme ; it is full of naivete and self-sntisfied 
cheerfulness, and we are temped to think of Goethe's 
description of such homely contentment : 

*' I now must introduce to you 

Before aught else, this jovial crew. 

To show how lightly life may glide away ; 

With them each day's a holiday ; 

With little wit and much content, 

Each on his own small round intent," &c. 

But to recognize such limited enjoyment as the 
goal of our restless chase after satisfaction and the 
noblest joy, is not our destiny : our look upon this 
scene grows clouded ; we turn away and resign our- 
selves anew to that restless impulse, which with the 
goading of despair urges us unceasingly on to seize 
the fortune, which, alasl we are not destined to reach 
so ; for at the close of the movement we are again 
impelled toward that scene of comfortable indulgence, 
which we have already met, and which we this time 
at the first recognition of it repulse from us with im- 
patient haste. 

Third Movement. {Adagio molto e cantabile, in 
B flat major). How differently these tones speak to 
our hearts 1 How pure, how heavenly soothing, they 
melt the defiance, the wild impulse of the soul tor- 
mented by despair, into a tender and melancholy 
feeling 1 It is as if memory awoke-within us, — the 
memqry of an early enjoyed and purest hafkjAae&s : 

"Then would celestial love, with holy kiai, 
Come o'er me in the Sabbath's stilly hour, 



While, ftaught with solemn and mysterious power. 
Chimed the deep-sounding ImII, and prayer was bliss." 

And with this recollection there comes over us 

once more that sweet longing, that is so beautifully 

expressed in the second theme of this movement 

(Andante moderato, D major), and to which we may 

not unfitly apply Goethe's words : 

" A yearning impulse, undefined yet dear, 
Drove me to wander on through wood and field ; 
With heaving breast and many a burning tear, 
I felt with holy joy a world revealed." 

It seems like the longing of love, which again is 
answered, only with more movement and embellish- 
ment of expression, by that hope-promising and 
sweetly tranquilizing first theme, so that on the re- 
turn of the second it seems to us as if love and hope 
embraced, so that they might the more entirely exert 
their gentle power over our tormented soul. It is as 
when Faust speaks, after the Easter bells and chorus 
of angels : 

" Wherefore, ye tones celestial, sweet and strong. 

Come ye a dweller in the dust to seek ? 

Ring ouc your chimes boUerlng crowds among." 

Even so seems the yet quivering heart with soft re- 
sistance to wish to keep them ofi^: but their sweet 
power is greater than our already mitigated defiance ; 
we throw ourselves overpowered into the arms of this 
gracious messenger of purest bliss : 

** still sound on. thou sweet celestial strain, 
Tears now are gushing, — Earth, I'm tbiue again ! " 

Yes, the bleeding heart seems to be getting healed 
and re-invigoratcd, and to l>e manning itself to that 
exalted courage which we think we recognize in the 
almost triumphant passage, towards the end of the 
movement. Still, this elevation is not yet free frora 
the reaction of the storms survived ; but every ap- 
proach of the old pain is instantly met with renewed 
alleviation from that gentle, magic power, before 
which finally, as in the last expiring gleams of light- 
ning, the dispersed storm disappears. 

FounTii Movement. The transition from the 
third to the fourth movement, which l)egins as it 
were with a shrill shriek, may bo pretty well indica- 
ted again by Goethe's words : 

** But ah ! I feel, bowe'er I yearn for rest, 

Content flows now no longer from my breast." 

**■ A wondrous show ! but ah ! a show alone ! 

Where shall 1 grasp thee, Infinite nature, where ? 

Ye breasts, ye fountains of all life, wbereon 

Hang heaven and earth, from which the blighted soul 

Yearneth to draw sweet solace, still ye roll 

Your sweet and fftst'ring tides — where are ye — where ! 

Ye gush, and must I languish in despair ? " 

With this beginning of the last movement, Beet- 
hoven's music assumes decidedly a more speaking 
character. It quits the character, preserved in the 
three first movements, of pure instrumental music, 
which is marked by an infinite and indeterminate ex- 
pression. The progress of the musical invention or 
poem presses to a decision, to a decision such as can 
only be expressed in human speech. Let us admire 
the way in which the master prepares the introduction 
of speech and the human voice, as a necessity to be 
expected, in this thrilling Recitative of the instru- 
mental basses, which, already almost forsaking the 
limits of absolute music, as it were with eloquent, pa- 
tlietic speech approaches the other instruments, 
urging them to a decision, and finally itsdf passes 
over into a song-theme, which sweeps the other in- 
BtwHoents along with it in its simple, solemn, joyous 
current, and so swells to a mighty pitch. This seems 
like the final efifort to e ap p ofle by instrumental music 



410 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



alone a secure, well defined, and never clouded state 
of joy ; but the nntractable element seems incapable 
of this limitation ; it foams up to a roaring sea, sub- 
^ sides again, and stronger than ever presses the wild, 
chaotic shriek of unsatisfied passion upon our ear. 
Then steps forth toward the tumult of the instru- 
ments a human voice, with the clear and sure expres- 
sion of speech, and we know not whether we shall 
most admire the bold suggestion or the great naivete 
of the master, when he lets this voice exclaim to the 
instruments : 

" Friends, no more of these tones ! rather let us 
sing together more pleasant and more joyful strains ! " 

With these words it grows light in the chaos ; a 
definite and sure utterance is gained, in which we, 
l)ome upon the subdued element of the instrumental 
music, may hear now clearly and distinctly expres- 
sed, what to our tormented striving after joy must 
seem enduring, highest bliss. And here commences 
Schiller's 

"HYMN TO JOY. 

*< J07, thoo brlKhteat hMTen-Iit spark, 

Daughter from the ElynUa choir, 
On thj bolj ground we walk, 

Reeling with ecstatic flre. 
Thou canst bind in one again 

All that custom tears apart; 
All mankind are brothers, when 

Wares thj soft wing o'er the heart. 

OBOMJS. 

" Mjriads, Join the fond embrace ! 
>Tls the world's Inspiring kiss ! 
Friends, jon dome of starry bliss 
Is a loTing Father's place. 

" Who the happj lot doth sliare. 

Friend to have, and fHend to be — 

Who a lovely wife holds dear — 
Mingle in our Jubilee ! 

Yea — who calls one soul hi* otm, 
One on all earth's ample round : — 

Who cannot, may steal alone, 

Weeping fhmi our holy ground ! 

cnoRUS. 

" Sympathy with blessings crown 
All that in life's circle are! 
To the stars she leads us, where 
Dwells enthroned the groat Unknown. 

** Joy on erery living thing 

Nature's Iwunty doth bestow, 
Good and bad still welcoming; — 

In her rosy path they go. 
Kisses she to us has given, 

Wine, and Mends in death approved; — • 
Sense the worm has ; — but in heaven 

Stands the som/, of God beloved. 

CHORUS. 

*' Myriads, do ye prostrate fkll ? 
Feel ye the Creator near? 
Seek him In yon starry sphere : 
O'er the stars he gorems all. 

" Joy impels the quick rotation, 

Sure return of night and day ; 
Joy's the main-spring of Creation, 

Keeping erery weeel In play. 
She draws tcom buds the flowerets Ikir, 

Brilliants suns from asure sky, 
Rolls the spheres in trackless air, 

Realms unreached by mortal eye. 

CHOBCS. 

*' As his suns, In Joyftil pUy , 
On their airy circles fly, — 
As the knight to victory, — 
Brothers speed upon your way. 

** From Truth's burning mirror still 

Her sweet smiles th' inquirer greet; 
She, up Ylrtue'e toilsome hill 

Guides the weary pilgrim's fket; 
On Faith's sunny mountrin, wnre. 

Floating tkr, her banners bright; 
Through the rent walls of the grave 

Flits her form in angel light 

CHOKirS. 

"Patient, then, ye myriads live! 
To a better world press on ! 
Seated on his starry throne, 
God the rich reward will give. 



" For the Gods what thanks are meet? 

Like the Gods, then, let us be: 
All the poor and lowly greet 

With the gladsome and the fh>e ; 
Baniiih vengeance from our breast, 

And Ibrglve our deadliest fbe ; 
Bid no anguish mar his rest, 

No cousumiug tear-drops flow. 

cnoaus. 

" Be the world fh>m sin set fhw! 
5c all mutual wrong forgiven ; 
Brothers, in that starry heaven. 
As we Judge our doom shall be. 

** Joy upon the red wine dances ; 

By the magic of the cup 
Rage dissolves In gentle trances. 

Dead despair Is lifted up. 
Brothers, round the nectar flia, 

Mounting to the beaker's edge. 
Toss the foam off to the skies! 

Our Good Spirit here we pledge ! 

CHORUS. 

" Him the seraphs ever praise, 

Ilim the stars that rise and sink. 
Drink to our Good Spirit, driuk! 
High to him our glasses raise ! 

" Spirits firm In hour of woe — 

Help to innocence oppressed — 
Truth alike to fHend or foe — 

Faith unbroken — wrongs redressed — 
Manly pride before the throoe, 

Cost it fortune, cost it blood — 
Wreaths to just desert alone — 

Downfldl to all Falsehood's brood! 

CHORUS. 

" Goser draw the holy ring! 

By the sparkling wine-cup now, 
Swear to keep the solemn vow — 
Swear it by the heavenly King! 

Animated, warlike sounds approach : we fancy that 
we see a troop of youths marching up, whose joyous, 
heroic spirit is expressed in the words : 

" As his suns, In Joyful play. 
On their airy circles fly, — 
As the knight to victory, 
Brothers, speed upon your way." 

This leads to a sort of joyful contest, expressed 
by instruments alone ; we see the youths plunge 
boldly into battle, of which the crown of vicory shall 
be Jot ; and yet again we feel prompted to cite 
words of Goethe : 

" He only merits liberty or life, 
Who dally conquers them." 

The victor)', of which we doubted not, is won ; 
the exertions of strength are rewarded by the smile 
of joy, which breaks forth jubilant in the conscious- 
ness of bliss newly earned by conquest : 
" Joy, thou brightest," &e, 

And now in the high feeling of Joy the expression 
of the universal Love of Man bursts forth from the 
swelling breast ; in sublime inspiration we turn from 
the embrace of the whole human race to the great 
Creator of all things, whose benign presence we de- 
clare with clearest consciousness, yes — whose face 
we in a moment of sublimest transport imagine we 
behold through the blue opening ether : 

" Myriads, Join the fond embrace ! 
Tis the world's inspiring kiss ! 
Friends, yon dome of starry bUss 
Is a loving Father's place." 
" Myriads, do ye prostrate fUl ? 
Feel ye the Creator near ? 
Seek him in yon starry sphere: 
O'er the stars he governs all." 

It is as if now revelation justified us in the beatific 
faith : that et^ery man ims made for Joy. In the most 
powerful conviction we respond to one another : 

'* Myriads, Join the fond embrace ! " 
and: 

*• Joy, thou brightest," ke. 

For in the league or communion of divinely sanc- 
tioned universal human love, we may enjoy the purest 
joy. No longer merely in the thrill of the sublimest 
imagination, bnt in the expression of a directly re- 



vealed, sweetly inspiring truth we may answer tbo 
question : 

" Myriads, do ye prostrate fell ? 
Feel ye the Creator near? " 
with : 

" Seek him in yon starry sphere," ke. 

In the most confiding posscfi>:ion of the hnppincss 

vouchsftfcd, of tlie most child-lit e susceptibility to 

joy rcpilncd, wo now surrender < unlives to Its fnii- 

tion : innocence of heart is restorvd to us, and with 

benediction the soft wing of Joy is spread over us : 

*' Thou cin'st bind in one agnln 
All that custom tears apart; 
All mankind are brothers, when 
Waves thy soft wing o'er the heart. 

To the mild beatitude of Joy succeeds now its ju- 
bilee : — jubilant we clasp the world to our breast ; 
shouting and revelry fill the air like the thunder or 
the cloud, like the roar of the sea, which in everlast- 
ing motion and beneficent agitation quicken and sus- 
tain the earth for the joy of Han, to whom God gave 
it that he might be happy thereupon. 

" ElinRACE, TB MILLIONS ! Is VOX THIB TITB 
KISS OF TUB WHOLE WORLD? BROTHERS, — O'eR 

ton 8tarrt dome must a dear father dwell 
— Jot! Joy, beautiful spark of deitt ! 



»t 



For Dwight's Journal of Mosle. 

The MotiTM and Themes of Beethoven's 
Hinth Symphony. 

(Concluded from last number.) 
THE FOURTH MOVEMENT. 

Tlie last and grandest movemf^nt of this great- 
est work of the master (his Missa solennist Op. 
1 23, in D major, porhaps excepted) consists of 
seven smaller movements. In all except the first 
the human voices unite with the instruments. The 
music is set to thirty-six out of the ninety-six lines 
of Schiller's poem : " An die Freude" (To Joy.) 
The poem consists of eight trochaic stanzas of 
eight lines each, each followed by a chorus of four 
lines. From these words the master chose the 
first stanza with its chorus, the second, the third 
with its chorus, and the chorus to the fourth stanza. 
These seven smaller movements will be designated 
as Parts A B C ^c. 

The seven parts express the emotions caused by 
a series of ideas logicaUy and psychologically fol- 
lowin;' from each other in this connection. 

The opening of the first Part (A.) gives vent 
to the misery of the human soul, which, aiter hav- 
ing proposed the eternal questions of human des- 
tiny, after having passed through all the different 
degrees of passion from sadness to despair (1st 
movement), from gentle emotions to the wildest 
frantic enjoyment (2d movement) ; — afler having 
felt sacred influences of ideal repose and the 
warmer, yearning swellings of the human heart 
(Adagio and Andante), finds itself still without a 
real and lasting consolation. There is one idea 
which contains this consolation, an idea which is 
the polar star of all human aspirations : "Human- 
ity ;'* human happiness, brotherly love to all men. 
This great idea is pronounced in the chastest and 
grandest manner possible by the orchestra and in 
Part B. by the human voices and the orchestra. 
Part C encourages man, in most magnificent num- 
bers, to run his course like a hero on his way to 
victory. Nervous energy pervades the whole 
movement, and the thrilling grand chorus repeats 
the apotheosis of Humanity by an invocation of 
its tutelar deity : Joy. 

In the grandest manner the union of all man- 
kind in a common brotherhood is consecrated in 
Part D. In sacred awe the millions acknowledge 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1859. 



411 



a common Father, dwelling above the stars mys- 
teriouslv. 

Part E is devoted to the celebration of the two 
ideas of I^vc to all men, and thanks to Joy, who 
makes all men brothers. Tlic devotional feeling 
of the nearness of the Creator, almost too big for 
human utterance, changes to a confident belief 
in the "beloved Father above the stars." 

In the next part, F, all the humanistic ideas of 
the preee<ling parts are repeated in a more elated 
and happier mood than before ; the enthusiasm of 
joy ami love, the fervor of the feeling of an uni- 
versal common brotherhood, reaching its crowning 
climax in the 7th and last part of the movement, 
closing as a grand majestic jubilee celebrated by 
all men in the sanctuary of Human Happiness. 

We will now examine the seven parts consecu- 
tively. 

A. In strange contrast to the peaceful close of 
the Third Movement, opens this part, with this 
most expressive dissonance ; A — b flat — d — f — b 
flat jT'. The key-note has not been found yet that 
sets all the noblest chords of the human heart vi- 
brating ; the tunc has not been struck yet that 
irresi:$tibly, in triu* iphant numbers, bids all man- 
kind march on t> .; same path in the same steps. 
The above dissr ir.nce opens a dialogue between 
the reeds and b*«.ss instruments on the one hand, 
and the Contra Bassi and Yioloncelli on the other. 
The first eight measures, expressive of the bitterest 
woe, are answered in a IWcitative by Contrabassi, 
and Yioloncelli, full of irapatiesce, softened down 
to grief at the close, (m 8 — 16.) Exceeding all rec- 
- ognized bounds, the master makes these expressive 
instruments sing omt what until then had been 
entrusted to the human voice alone. More fierce- 
ly (m 1 7 — 25,) on a diminished-seventh chord, the 
reeds and brass instruments repeat their complaint 
and are answered in a strong and manly strain of 
assurance by the Bassi m 24 — 29. Some ray of 
hope, confidence of ultimate success, breathes in 
these tones, which are the introduction to a series 
of tableaux, we might say, that are to pass before 
man, to see perchance if one of them be the golden 
isle of bliss with the spring of life gushing forth in 
its vales elysian. 

First is introduced theme No. 1, in m 30 — 37. 
But the Recit. m 38 — 17, full of disappointed ex- 
pectation, and ending in saddest tones, tells us, 
that no hope has dawned as yet. Quite another 
rejoicing answer do the Bassi return in m 56 — 62, 
to the theme of the second movement, No. 13, 
stated in m 48 — 55, the second half of the theme 
being in a cheerful key, F major. The Recitative, 
however, joyous as it is, expresses a doubt, clasing 
as it does in the form of the musical question. This 
is answered by the first two measures of the relig- 
ious theme, No. 20. The following Recit. seems to 
enter into this mood, it being of a devotional char- 
acter, in m 65 — 72, when it suddenly awakes and 
in tones of angry impatience, (m 72 — 75) re- 
nounces this emotion. Not devotion alone can 
make us happy, it seems to say, but more is wanted. 
An active religion of good warks to all men being 
the leading idea of all the subsequent parts, the 
motive of the Hymn to Joy is now stated. As if 
yet uncertain, it appears over the Dominant 
Seventh instead of the Tonic-Chord, which would 
make the statement too positive. With eager joy 
the Rec. makes answer, (m 81 — 91), consisting of 
the same tones in the main, as the one opening 
Part B, in which the Baritone Solo invites the 
human voices to sing pleasanter tones, more full 



»» 




of joy. And now the right answer is going to be 

pronounced, the gospel of the new covenant, the 

glad tidings of Joy, the apotheosis of "Humanity. 

All* OAsai. (J = 80.) 
2(1. ^ ^ f 

9SI. ^T[olq nc. « DmM. 



107. i:5. 

This chaste, simple melody, not exceeding the 
compass of a fiflh, in the song form, the simplest 
of all musical forms, and expressing as it does the 
highest idea for man as man, is another proof of 
the axiom, that the greatest artist uses the simplest 
means to attain the grandest results. This theme 
is repeated by the strings singly, and then by the 
whole orchestra to m 187, followed up by a Ritor- 
nello to m 207. This retornello in Parts B & C al- 
ways follows the above melody, it being restricted 
then to four measures. 

The instruments have scarcely ended the Ilymn, 
when suddenly returns the first Rec. (m 1 — S) in 
m 208 — 215. Their angry and passionate call is 
answered by the Baritone solo singing the fiflh 
Rec. (m 80—90^ in m 216—236, some matter be- 
ing added in the middle to these words : "O friends, 
not these tones ! But let us strike up pleasanter 
ones and tones more full of joy. 



ft 



B follows without interruption first repeating m 
76 to 80 ; and then the voices sing to melody 
26 the following stanzas. The last four lines of 
each stanza are repeated by the Chorus, and the 
Ritornello comes in at the end of each stanza. 
(The words which are repeated are indicated, by 
this mark | being put before them : 

First stanza : "Joy, beautiful spark of the Gods, 
daughter from Elysium, intoxicated with heaven- 
ly fire, we enter, a Heavenly one, thy sanctuary, 
t Tliy charms unite again, what etiquette had 
sternly separated ; all men become brothers, where 
thy gentle wings are hovering." 

Second stanza : "To whose happy lot it falls to 
be the friend of a friend, who has won for his portion 
a sweet wife, let him join us with rejoicings ; — f yes, 
who only calls a single soul his own on the globe 
of the earth. And he who never has succeeded, let 
him steal weeping out of our union.** 

From m 297 — 330 extends a variation of No. 26, 
inclusive of the Ritornello, which this time is ac- 
companied by the voices in solemn chords repeat- 
ing the last six words of the 

Third Stanza : "All beings drink joy at the 
breasts of Nature ; all men good and bad follow 
her rosy path. | Kisses gave she us and grapes ; 
a friend tried in death ; rapture was given to the 
worm, and the Cherub stands before God." 



C is a magnificent variation of 26 in 6-8 time. 

Allegro assai vivace: Alia Marcia. Tlie words 

in this part are the chorus to the fourth stanza 
of the poem : 

" Joyously, as his suns are flying, through the 

gorgeous plain of heaven, run your course, O 

brothers ! gladly as a hero to victory." 

This last line inspired the master to this varia- 
tion in the rhythm of a march. 



Alio assai vivnco. J s 84. 
27. ^ I ^ t 



i-:tf3I5trtc:::feHE:£rit:p*->*:3:j:t- 



843. Clar. • C«r In B^ 
Fag. e Conti«-]!a.Mt 



2 8. jr - W -Pff: :St -^0 m^bgft ^gr m 



Viol 2do.-=--5-. -rr-f- 



431. t r^r i; 
29. ^^ClweFac. 



I 



ii'iiijif^ 



629. 

This part has three subdivisions. The first ex- 
tends from 711. 331 — 431, including the Ritornello 
from m 423, and is set to the above words, the 
theme being, as stated in No. 27. The second 
subdivision (pt. 431— Wt^) has for its theme 28 
(being a variafi^li of 27 ijr 26) and is purply in- 
strumental ; arid (bW thivd r^umes Na 26 in m 
542—594 to the «iMS of tlie first stanza. The 
first subdivision is 5i^;ia ^y. Tenoi^ ^lo and Ten- 
or! and Ba^si Coro, the last 6il1idi\i^n by the 
full united choir. 

It will be noticed that the rh^^h^n of 9^ \% sim- 
ilar to that of the first measung >f.No \A^ vliile 
that of 28 is similar to that of Ifo. 1^, second, 
thin], and fourth measures. It iS aecovpanied 
by the rhythm of 27. 

The second subdivision presents a very.ct)hipli- 
cated treatment of No. 28, evidently rendering 
the wonls : " Run, O brothers, your course." 
Each of the principal instruments takes up the 
nervous energetic theme No. 28, which is short- 
ened to two measures from m 462 ; afterwards a 
passage in one measure is formed from it. Very 
frequently one instrument will begin the motive 
on the 1st, and the next on the 4th eighth-note of 
the measure, making it intensely excit-ed and ag- 
itated. In itt 511 — 516 a passage derived from it 
leads to the single tone /sharp, which is repeated 
for 8 measures, in various octaves ; and in the re- 
maining 4 measures is repeated in the rhythm of 
27, on the same degree. After those billows of 
stormy harmonies, these 12 measures, containing 
only one tone, act like oil on the troubled waters, 
calming the hearer, and preparing the sweet 
sounds of 29, being the first three tones of No. 
26. Two repetitions of the four measures f sharp 
and of No. 29 close this interlude (m 517 — 542) 
and lead over to the ff Chorus of all the voices 
contrasted by a very bold figural accompani- 
ment of the strings, while reeds and brass play 
the melody in unison with the voices. 

D is devoted to the most solemn expression of 
the most sublime emotions the human heart is ca- 
pable of feeling. In three grand melodies (the 
first of which appears in 30), breathing a spirit sa- 
cred and primordial, the master sings these words : 

Chorus to first stanza : '' Be embraced, ye Mil- 
lions ! this kiss to the whole world ! Brothers, 
above the starry canopy a beloved Father must 
be dwelling." 

Chorus to third stanza : " You fall down. Mil- 
lions ? Dost thou feel the Creator, world ? (A A- 
nesi du^ jrc). Seek him above the starry tent. 
Above the stars he must be dwelling." 

Andante maestoso. ^ =3_72. ^_^ ^ 

30. Tenori t> Bami Coro. 



B« «in - brac-rd 

695. 



412 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



The second melody extends fi-oni w 611 — C26, 
and is of a monitory character, to the words, 
*' Brothers, etc." The third is of a strictly devo- 
tional character, (Atlaglo non troppo ma divoto^) 
to the wonls: " You fall down," extending from 
m 627 to 6j4, closes with mvsterions eijrht meas- 
ures on the chord of the minor ninth, A — c sharp 
— c — ^ — bfe, the bassi vibrating ^4, and the other 
strings the rest pp, similar to the vibrations and 
undulations of liirht. 



E. The text is these words : " Joy, beautiful 
spark of the Gods," &c., sung by one set of 
voices, the other set singing : " Be embraced, ye 
Millions," &c. The melodies arc Nos. 26 and 
30. 

The two other sets of voices accompany with 
two melodies derived from the principal ones and 
sing the same two texts,.^ll goiij* on simultane- 
ously. 

The movement « Alf<egro»^ei:gfco^ three quar- 
ter notes beings rqHial to 84. 'J.tie reeds play the 
melody agaulst z rich ff^wral accompaniment by 
the string 

The iAstiv*s8 of *he ideas and emotions led the 
compo^ei to eniT))oy 4hc counterpoint, in order to 
it<iW the union of.sentiments in the strongest and 
most-animate^ manner. This contrapuntal treat- 
ment exCflwl* from 655—729. From here to 
745 harfMoliies are wanting, all the voices singing 
in yp\3ort with the reeds an<l strings the following 
words . " Dost thou feel the Creator, world ? " 
AVe should have said they are stammering those 
words in abrupt tones, and bold, awe-inspiring 
transitions fNo. 31. J Yet these transitions pro- 
ceed very regularly ('a Sixth followed by a whole 
and a half stcp^. Measures 737 — 741 are the 
same as m 638 — 642 of Part D, where they were 
harmonized. 

EMfi. KMdti and Strinff». 

31. P tr-^pp-r- tr — . . — . 

^:^::J::r.:^..:*-^iij-p|.:;5s-r-cz:#>_:f=[ 



730. Yr \ 



fall down 



Simill. Tenori. 



V. 



Altl. Soprani e Altl. . " 



Soprani e Alt 1. " 

>-lT -c 



Z — '- ' t?^5» 

Tenori a BasM unisoni 8ro Basw. 

From here to the end of Part E to m 762 
sweet and soothing chords and progressions in 
Sixths and Thirds are set to the assuring words : 
"Brothers — above the starry canopy a beloved 
Father must be dwelling." 



F. This part contains all the parts of the poem 
relating to Joy and man's universal brotherhoofl. 
Thus the themes are selected from all those melo- 
dies and motives that have a similar charatrter. 
As if to give a chance to all voices and instru- 
ments to sing the s^me joyful themes in the great- 
est variety of mclwJion** and harmonic changes, 
the greater portion of this part is written in the 
form of the Canon (catch J. The motives are all 
intensified by being shortened, as will be seen 
from the original themes printed underneath. 
No. 36 alone makes an exception, being almost as 
slow as the original. 

AllcsTo ma non tanto. J ^ 120. 
Viol. Imo. ^.^* I ^^^^ 




Viol. 2do. 763. 



M Alto. 

92. 



I 



33. 



TcDori Ba-pL 



767. — *^ ''*«'fc- 



-a ^ -sj .^ _« 



■4 -■ 
-#■ 



( 



m. 26 of No. 21 
34. gopr 

;f ^ 



,, U ■ * < i I ^ ^ I ' ' ' '-«- 



78.3. AlU. 



TPDori.> 



^fe^PJri^l^^ 



No. 16. 




■-fr^J. 



Bassi. * ' / ' f- f- 



BaMl. : I 
No. 17. m. 430. 



Flautl. 

j ; •^ 805. All men become brothers 



All men become brothers 




-sa-- 



S---2- — 



Be em - hrac 
No. 80. ni 602. 
Q A Poco A 'la io. 



ed 






Viol. aio. 




No. 21. m. 27. 
Four measures introduction (S2) bring in No. 
33, both themes alternately extending from m 
763 — 783, where the Canon, No. 34, begins, and 
goes on to m 805, when No. 35 comes in, derived 
from the solemn No. 30. This Is followed bv a 
beautiful close, /joco Adar/ioy in vi 809 — 813, de- 
rived from No. 21 in the same manner as No. 33. 
All these motives are again derivcfl from No. 1, 
measure 19, a very strong motive, which takes a 
very large share in the composition of this sym- 
phony. The canon No. 34, No. 35 and the close, 
this time lengthened by variations, arc repeated 
from m 814 to m 838, where No. 36, derived from 
m 35 of No. 21, closes the part in m 842. 

G. This y»art is introduced by eight measures 
(m 843 — 850) merely repeating the tones a — b 
increasing in tone and time from pp to JFj and 
from poco Allegro to PreMisftimOy and forms the 
Finale of the Symphony. Tha excitement and 
rejoicing reach their highest possible degree. In- 
struments and voices go for the most part unhono. 
Only one new derived motive appears in m 861, 
taken from m 98 and 99 of No. 26. The orches- 
tra begins with a motive derived from No. 30, the 
others being repetitions of those nsed in part 
F. The movement is Prestissimo, a half note 
equal to 132. The voices sing this selection of 
words : 

** Be embraced, ye ISIiliions ! this kiss to the 
whole world. Brothers, above the starrv tent a 
a beloved Father must be dwelling, fee em- 
braced, &c." These last words aje sung in sol- 
emn chords and modulations, although very fast. 
*' Joy, beautiful spark of the Gods, daughter from 
Elysium. Joy, beautifnl spark of the Gods." 



Tho last six words are sung //' in .•;-4 time (the 
risit of ihc iiio\cii;ciit being in ) M.h'.nIomi, (mc 
<piarttM-note being oipial to 60, in in 916—911). 
The voices join tlie inslrunuMits Cwhiih begin m 
843 with the introduetiou^ in m 855, keeyiing 
with thein to m 920. From m 920 the instni- 
nn'nts fini.sh tlje symphony in m 940. They be- 
gin in m 920, with No. 32, the strings jilaying it 
twice in tijc time the reeds play it onee. ' AJK-r 
eijrht mea.«iures of .xhonts of joy the reeds eloj^e 
with three measures of unisono runs antl in m 
939 a motive closes, strongly re.^senibling No. 19, 
only that the four tones a arc kept in the same 
octave. 

Thus ends the triuin])hant, gigantic close ; a 
worthy Finale to the wonderful and grand tone- 
poetry, which makes up this grandest of all Sym- 
phonies. 



The orchestra is grarlually enlarged fmm the 
.simple and oiilinary dimen.<i'ons which it has in 
the first, second, and third movemenrs, excepting 
the Trio to the second. In this Trio, TromUjni, 
Tenore, Alto and Basso arc added, but omitted 
afterward to Part No. 4. In the (ourth move- 
ment ^A^ a Contra- Fagotto is addled, and in B 
two horns to the two already in the orchestra. 
In the March Variation Flauto piccolo, triangle, 
cymbals and big drum arc added. In the solemn 
part D those solemn and grand instnunents, the 
three trombones, appear again : the other instru- 
ments added before being omitted. In F two 
more horns are used with the three tronil>ones, 
and in O, adequate to the overwhelming jov of 
the Finale, the orchestra presents the following 
magnificent dimensions: Violini Imi and 2dr, 
Alto- Viola, VioloncelH, Ba.ssi ; Flauto piccolo, 
Flauti, Oboi, Clarinetti, Fagotti; Corni Imi and 
2di, Trumpets, Troml)oni Tenore Alto and Bas.<o ; 
Kettlc-Drums, Big Drum, Cymbals and Triangle. 

G. A. Scumitt! 

Cambridge^ March 15,1859. 

Sketch of the Life of Beethoven. 

IIY G. A. UACFARREX. 
(Continued from pnge 403.) 

In April, 1803, he prod need the Moimi of 01 f res. 
Thin ornioro, to he riMlitly estimntcd, mu^t not lie 
cla*i-cd with those that hiive been written for Kn;:l«nd, 
which, cmltodyinj: ti totally different KMitimciif, nre 
cast In n< ditlerom « mould, and firodure their crfects 
hy as different nicau'*. In accord. inee with the .'•pint 
of Ills church — for Beethoven, thonvh n fne-ihinkcr, 
was iinhiicd with the fonnnla; in which he had been 
reni-ed and hy which he was fsurronnded — it represents 
the personal ajiony of the Savionr, and in the truth- 
fulness of this representation. In \t< dramatic person- 
ality, lies its clilef merit. Thronj:hout the work we 
have ])roof, as ample ns in ••Adelaide." and in *'Ah, 
pcrlido," of the foelinp: for true vocjil effect which has 
l>con dcnird to the roinpo-^er, and hence we rau*«t ac- 
comit. by otlier canoes than the want of this, for the 
unvocal character of some of hl.'« latter writings. It 
may he allowahlc to speculate, that thc»e causes lay 
in hi< defective heariu;:, which disabled him from test- 
ing the efllet of what he wrote. In .««jrt:esting tliis, 
no concuiTcncc is yielded to the unmusi<ianly supposi- 
tion that Beethoven *H ideas, or his forms of develop- 
ment, owe any of their peculiarity to his phxsical in- 
firmity. Huvinj: acquired the power of thinkin;: music, 
he no lonpcr deficndcd upon his outer sen>e for the 
exercise of this faculty ; and there is no reason to 
conjecture that, had his external orcaiMzation remain- 
ed perfect, his internal capacity could have manifested 
itself in any resj>cct otlierwi>e than it did. The art 
of orchestration, however, whether for voices or in- 
struments, demands constant experience, and the com- 
parison of every effect with its means. A musical 
idea is horn of the imagination and needs not experi- 
ment for a midwife ; hut tlie coloring of this idea, 
though conceived coincidentlv with it, must always 
depend upon habitual familiarity with the rpiality and 
the strenpth of the various characters of lonecom- 
hined to produce it, not to be an abortion of the artist's 
purpose. If this speculation be admitted, it may ser\*o 
to explain some rare failures of instrumentation in 
Beethoven's scores, no less than his unsuitable treat- 
ment of the voice ; and I, for one, am equally confi- 
dent that he would occasionRlly have changed the dis- 
tribution of his parts, had he heard their effect, and 
that he would have left the matter and the construe- 
tion of his movements unaltered had he heard them 
fifty-fold. As examples of tho miscarriage of the 



I ■ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1859. 



413 



mn«^tor'8 intontion in tJio effect of orobeFtml colorinjr, 
tli.it iii-e jjcneniHy familiar, I need but refer to tlio 
])oint of imitation between the brass and tbc wood in- 
struments in tbc miuuHto of tbc Sympbony in F, 
wliere tbe prc|)onrliTancc of tbc former annuls tbc 
respou^^e of tbc bitter ; and a^fain tbc passap^c of demi- 
Kemi4|uaven< for tbe donble-l)as8Cj$ (tlie last varintion 
of tbe tlieme). in tbc Sympliony in C minor, wlicro 
tbc nceompiiniment of tbc entire orebestra renders 
tbi"« insnflieiently supported fijjurc indistinct, if not 
wbolly nnnudiblc. 

IWrnndotte, tben ambassndor at Vienna, susrprested 
to Beetbovcn, in tbc course of 1803. the composition 
of a pnind instrumentnl work in honor of Napoleon. 
His republicnn fcelinp cnn^^bt fire at the proposal, and 
be entered upon tbe \i\>\i with tbc determination to 
projlucc a m:»!«terpiece, that should stand in art, as its 
hero does in history — the sun of a system. lie spent 
tbe preater p'lrt of a year upon tbe composition, and 
wron-rbt in it tbe first prcat manifestation of his in- 
dividmility, fulfilling to the utmost tho highest inten- 
tion be could have formed with repard to it, and con- 
stnictinff in it a monument to his own prcnius that 
can never perish. The noblct and best that bclonjjs 
to mu^ic, chnracterizes this colossal effort ; and if the 
p:reatne««s of Beethoven, as an artist, were to be epit- 
omized in a sinjrle work, this work would represent it 
all. The eomplered score was about to be forwarded 
to the First Consul ; tbe title-papc was hcadc<l "Buon- 
aparte ;" at tbe bottom of the leaf was written "Luipi 
van Bcotbovcn ;** and tbe nutbor was considering the 
form of words tbnt should link these cxtniordinary 
names, whcti ho learned that Napoleon bad assumed 
the crown of the cnipirc. Kuraped at this, ns thonph 
at a per«onnl crievnncc, so entirely bad he identified 
himself with tbc subject, he tore tbe intended litle- 
pncre in pieces, threw tbe mnnuscript of bis outraged 
imnirininps upon tbc pround, and would not for 
mtmy months allow the work to i>e named. It was 
subsc'incntly purchased by Prince Tx)bkowitz, at whoso 
residence it was first performed, and now it was that 
it rccoive<l the title of Sinfouia Eroira, with the super^ 
scription " Per testcg;;;iarc il sovveniro d'un gran 
uomo." 

His next preat work was tbe opera of T.,eonore, 
which was produced in November, 1805, but seven 
days after tbe entry of Napoleon's troops into Vienna. 
Its non-success was tlic natural consequence of the 
political excitement of the time, of the absence from 
tbe city of the principal lovers of music, ineludinp the 
Lichnowskv family, and of tbe theatre bcinp attended 
almost entirely by French ofliecrs. who probably did 
not understand the lanjruape, and certainly could not 
comprehend tbe music ; and it was accordinply, with- 
driwn af\er tlie third performance. The opera had 
been written under entrapoment to the manaperof the 
theatre, who provided Beethoven with a lodpinp dur- 
inp tbe time of its composition, which bcinp, however, 
as distasteful to him as three others bo rented at the 
same time (this matter of residence was one about 
which Beethoven was especially capricious), he wrote 
tbe work at the villape of Het/.endorf, and it was now 
produced with tbe first overture — that published afVer 
ids death, as Op. \^^, and commonly known by the 
name of "Leonore Fidelio." 

Fortunately for art, tbe Enplish theatrical custom 
of rcpardinp oripinal non-success as total failure, pre- 
vailed not in Vienna, and the opera was acconlinply 
reproduced in March, 1806, witli some advantapeous 
modification of the Vihrrfto, when it was well received ; 
but in consequence of disputes between the composer 
and tbe manaper and sinpers, it was apain Isiid aside 
after three reprcsentations ; in the interim, since tbe 
first production, the preat overture in C (known by 
tbe name of "rx?onoro"), as well as the second over- 
ture (Op. 139), which is a sketch for this, had been 
written, and it was with this grand composition that 
the opera was reproduced. 

When Prince Lichnowsky returned to Vienna, one 
of bis first carcH was for Beethoven's opera. Acconl- 
inply, a meetinptook place at his house to di.scusstbe 
remodellinir of the work, when the composer was, with 
extivmc diflliculty, persuaded to omit a duet and a 
trio, in which the love of MaiTelinc for Fidelio, and 
jealousy of Jaquino were exhibited — probably, to re- 
write the sonpsof Pizarro and FIorestan,to insert the 
march — ^and to compose the fourth overture — (that in 
E, known by tbe name of "Fidelio.") The libretlo 
was now reduced from throe into two acts, tho name 
of the opera was cbanped to Fidelio, and in this altered 
form the work was apain reproduced in 1807, to meet 
with that success which has stamped it a classic of tho 
lyrical stape. On this occasion, Mesdames Milder 
and Marconi personated Leonore and Marzelline, and 
MM. Rockel and Mever, Florestan and Pizarro. To 
describe the merits of this master-piece would preatly 
surpass the present limits ; the chief are its all-power- 
ful dramatic character, and the pradual growth of the 
intensity of its expression with the progress of the ac- 



tion. It is rendered difficult of comprehension to a 
pcneral public by tbc minuteness of the expression, 
which necessitates in tbe hearers, not only a knowl- 
edge of the broad sentiment, but of the very words of 
tbe text, each one of which has its meaninp illustrated 
in tbe music. This quality, which induces the very 
perfection of Fidelio as a work of art, has had tbe 
baneful influence, upon recent productions, of sug- 
pestinp a con'upt style, in which the principals of 
composition ar csacrificcd to the pretence of expres- 
sion, and music ceases to be music to bccoine mere 
declamation. Whoever would exalt this style, by re- 
ferring it to the work under consideration, must be 
insensiible to the technical beauties of that work, which 
transcend even the beauty of its expression, and for- 
get that means are essential to an end. 

In 1 806, while be was corresponding with the Count- 
ess Gnicciarfli, Beethoven wrote the Symphony in B 
flat, the epitome of a happy love in the many phases 
of its enthusiasm, finding, in this indulgence of his in- 
nermost feeling a relief from tbe vexations occasioned 
by his opera, by his uncertain health, and even by his 
deafness. 

In the year following tbe final production of Fidelio, 
he wrote successively that glorious manifestation of 
will and power, the Symphony in C minor, and that 
musical idyl which truthfully tells us how deep was 
his love of nature, the Sinfonin Pnstoride. He had al- 
ready, in his overture to "Coriolan," and in each of 
the overtures to his opera, proved tbe power of music, 
independently of words, to embody a definite expres- 
sion, as distinct from the undefined, if not undecided 
sentiment of tbe instrumental works of previous com- 
posers ; and in tho Sinfonia Pastorale^ where the char- 
acter is didactic instead of dramatic, where tbe ex- 
pression is of his own feelings, not of those of the per- 
sons of his story, this power is evinced with equal suc- 
cess. In these two symphonies an important origin- 
ality of form is to be noticed, as conducting to the 
effect of unitv in an extensive in.strument work — tho 
conjunction, namely, of several movements. 

In like manner as the scherzo and tho last move- 
ment are linked together, in the Symphony in C mi- 
nor; and as the scherzo, tbe storm, and the finale, 
grow each out of the precedinp in tbe Sinfom'u Pax- 
torale ; so, in tho grand pianoforte Trio in B fiat, are 
the two last movements joined, and a similar con- 
struction is employed in several other works ; but the 
most remarkable instance of its application is in the 
violin Quartet in C sharp minor, in which the entire 
composition proceeds from first to last without any 
break whatever. Much as may be urged, as to the 
ajsrbetical merit of this an-angemcnt — and the admir- 
able effect of the examples that have been cited is 
powerful evidence in its support — It must be owned 
that nothing less than tbe genius of Beethoven could 
retain the attentive interest of the hearer, without the 
relaxation of a moment's silence, throughout a suc- 
cession of such elaborately developed movements as 
he has thus combined ; the power of bis penius is, 
however, especially manifested in the employment of 
this construction, the result of which is, where he ap- 
plies it, to increase tbe excitement of the music, and 
thus to aupmcnt its interest and to rivet tho hearer's 



attention. 



(To b« continued.) 



For Dwfght^fl Journal of filurio. 

Peeps at Italian Paper;, 

No. II. 



By TROVATOn. 

I find in 7/ Trovatore of Jan. 29, tho following arti- 
cle alwnt Pacini's new Opera, " Saltimhatwo " .• 

** The most fertile and pertiniicious of the Italian oompofers 
of tho prewnt century, is Pacini. Who would thinit that ho 
had commenced to compose contemporaneously with Rossini, 
who for twenty years has lain a^ide the pen. Pacini saw 
without fear himKlf eclipsed by this great sun, and on a par 
with Donixetti, Mercadante and Coccla. Even when the star of 
Bellini suddenly iUumioed Ttaly. drawing all souls by its mel- 
ancholy influence, Pacini did not think himself Tanquished ; 
he only retired a moment to meditate, and soon reappoarad 
with his masterpiece, Sappho^ which, after twenty years, 
beams with so much freehneM and youth! 80 Pacini recom- 
menced his career, where Verdi first began his ; and he has 
thus contended with thom three contemporaneous giaats of 
music, — Rossini, Bellini and Terdl; and if he did not eclipse 
them he was at least a valiant rival. 

" That Pacini has been, of all these composers, the most fer- 
tile, the great number of his operas proves, which flrom the 
time he first gave to Milan, In 1813, his first musical fiirce An- 
netta e Lucindo^ until 1858, when his last work, Linda di 
BmsselU was produced at Bolc^na, num*ber eightff-tight, exclu- 
sive of fburteen never published ; and cantatas, airs, roman- 
las, choruses, and symphonies, that have been heard all over 
Italy. 



" This Saitlmbanro, produced the other night at the Teatro 
Reggio, in Turin, is his third tmm last opera, and was pro- 
duced for the first time last year in Rome, with a brilliant suo- 
ceffl, that led to its speedy reproduction in other cities. 

" It would be ungenerous, to condemn the effort of the Nes- 
tor of Italian maestri^ the unwearied dlMOvcrerof so many 
beautiful melodies, and how much worve when this opera has 
received such spontaneous and unirerfal praise ; and when the 
author was called, at its first production in Turin, Uoenty 
times before the curtain. If any wished to find feuU with the 
music, thoy could not say it was sleepy, but rather over- 
charged with an almost spasmodic vigor. Tet such is tbe 
brilliancy and the power of this work, that It cannot fell to 
meet everywhere an overpowering success.'' 

This is the style of criticism [?] that the Italian 
papers award to a new opera. Now here is a genu- 
ine, thoroughly Italian musical correspondence : 
*^ Oua Mn.Aa CoaaispoRanca. 

** After the unhappy fkilure of VauonuUo^ the unlbrtunate 
opera of YiUanis, after the triumph of Marchislo in Seminnn- 
ide, I awaited with anxiety, this enigmatical Boeean^gra of 
Verdi, about which there are so many conflicting reports. The 
Blilanew have agreed with the Venetians and Florentines, and 
diswnted from the verdict of the Neapolitans. Simone Boeca- 
negra bowed its head the first evening at La Sraln, and did 
not ral.«c it tho next; the fkult of the obscure, flat and miserable 
libretto for the execution was unimpeachable. In my opinion 
this opera of Verdi is replete with many beauties, but laclu 
the much derired theatrical effect. 

I would add, that Bendaai yelled, shrieked and howled, In 
a horrible manner. You will hear him next year in Turin, 
and woe be to those who do not provide themselves with cotton 
to thrust in their ears, Sebastian Ronconi might do if he did not 
shout so. The only one to sustain the unlucky production 
was the egregious tenor, Pancaiii. who in every phrase, nay, 
every note, showed himrolf Insuperably grand. But he was 
not enoufrh, and while .saving himself from shipwreck, he 
could not prevent the others from being submerged. 

Yours, A Cim^D." 

Verdi, last season, was the most popular composer 
of Italy. In the peninsula are 93 theatres opened 
for opera. Vcnli has been this year the most fortu- 
nate, his operas having been repeated in 38 theatres. 
With TroiKttore were inaugurated the openings of the 
theatres of Naples, Trieste, Florence, Venice, Nice, 
Fcrrara, VerccUi, Sassari, Savigliano, Capua, Camp- 
oba.sso and Aversa ; with Traviata^ Messina, Vero- 
na, Pistoja, Legnano, Bimini, Soreto, Osimo, Pergo- 
la and Medica ; with Emani, Palermo, Prato, Cam- 
erino and Saluzzo ; with Lomhardif Genoa, Leghorn, 
and Pisa; with UirjoUdtOy Bergamo and Novara; 
with NabucOy Fabriano and Urbano ; with Attila^ 
Mortara ; with Aroldo, Piacenza ; with Due /Wan, 
Sarteana ; with Luisa Miller ^ Foggia ; with Giovanna 
di Guzman, Rome. Next to Verdi comes Donizetti, 
whose operas opened 15 theatres ; Linda at Forii and 
Empoli ; Pdiuto (\ Martin) at Speleto and Femi ; 
Don Paaquale at Rome ( Valle theatre) ; Don Sebastian 
at Cagliari ; Devereux at Udine and Salerno ; Lucia 
at Volterra ; Lucrezia at Cuneo ; Favnta at Venice ; 
Gemma di Verrji/ at Reggio and Modena ; Parisina 
at Turin ; Maria di Eohan at Gubbio ; Favorita at 
Crema. The operas of Bellini opened only four 
theatres, Beatrice di Tenda at Ancona and Ravenna ; 
Norma at Florence (the little Goldoni theatre) ; Puri- 
tant at Ix)di. Pacini also opens four theatres ; Bon- 
delmonte at Pcsaro ; Saffo at Brescia ; Media at Co- 

senza ; Stella di Napoli at Foligno. Rossini opened 
only three ; Barbiere at Florence (Paglinno theatre) ; 
Cenerenlola at Siena; Ilaliana in Alfjf-ri at Naples. 
Pctrella opened also three theatres. Meyerbeer, two ; 
tbe Hufjuemitii at Turin, and Ri)l)eii at Bologna. All 
the other theatres at Milan, Vicenza, Modena, Bari, 
Lucca, Arezzo, Ccscna, Bagnacnvallo, Ostiglia, Tre- 
viio, Oncglia, Barletta, Caltagirone, Catania, Gir- 
genti, Noto, Reggio di Calabria, Syracuse, Trapani, 
and Lecce opened with operas by Ferrari, Rossi, and 
other loss popular compo.«cr8. 

When a singer does not please the freouenters of 
an Italian theatre, they do not hesitate to let the un- 
lucky artist, whether male or female, know it ; and 
when a singer is hissed off the stage, ho is called pro- 
tettato. Rosa di Vries, (who once sang here with 
Maretzek) was, with the tenor, Stecchi-Bottardi, ;)ro- 
testata lest season, at the theati^ of Palermo. At 
Maraeilles, the opera of Galatea was recently given 
fot the third time, but the tenor, including the sixth 
tenor that had failed in pleasing the people, was hissed 
off the stage. Six tenors were thus protestati at Mar- 
seilles in one season. 



414 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Jfoigjfs loarnal of SKsk 



BOSTON, MARCH 26, 1869. 

Closi or TBI Tocum. — TTIth this number we complete the 
SevetUh fear and Fourteenth Tolume of our Journal or Music. 
Babeeriben will reeelTe with It, In Hem ef Che woal fbor pages 
of motle, a title page and Index Ibr the two Tolnmes of the 
year. 

With our next inne, April 2, we enter upon our FirrxnrTH 
ToujMi, with mofe encouragement and ampler means ef earrj- 
Ing out our purpoeea than we hare erer had before. Gire ua 
a helping hand, good Mendii, aend «a In the names of new 
subscribers, and thus do your part to enable us to make at 
least a Journal worthy of the Art we lore and cultiTate. 



• ^♦^ » 



Mr. Zerralm*8 Beethoven High! 

We close onr joarnalistic jear on an nnspicions 
day, — the anniversary of Beethoven's death, 
which will be made the celebration of his immortal 
life and genius this evening;, by a concert, ia whieh 
two of his greatest works will be performed. For the 
preparatioa of the hearer for the better nnderstimding 
of thoM works we have already published somewhat, 
especially on the ninth Symphony ; perhaps the real 
danger is of saying too mach ; therefore only a few 
words now. 

Tns Music to Egmont. 

Goethe's heroic tragedy was a fit subject for a tyrant- 
hater like Beethoven. It oiTcred him a kindred 
theme with his "Fidelio" and his "Heroic Sym- 
phony." In the " Egmont " mvsic, he illustrates a 
drama whose subject is that reign of terror, which 
Phillip II of Spain, through his stem instrument, the 
duke of Alva^ established in the Netherlands, and the 
fall of a hero " whose blood became the seed of lib- 
erty and freedom from the tyrant's yoke." The 
music consists, with the exception of two little songs 
in theeharming port of Clara, of a series of instrumen- 
tal pieces foreshadowing the events, characters and 
passions ef the several acts, or tinged with the Im- 
pressions of the scenes just passed, — and in tlie last 
instance accompanying the action. 

First we have the overture, in the dark key of F 
minor, so well known in concerts. This is a mar- 
vellous compression into one brief, intense expres- 
sion of all the elements ef the tragedy. Yon feel all 
the gloomy background, the vague apprehensions of 
that reign of terror ; while a ray ef heavenly light, 
of maidenly purity and sweetaess, an intimation of the 
love of Egmont and Clara, crosses and relieves the 
gloom; and the heroic will, the spirit of liberty, 
blazes out in glorious triumph at the end. Of tlie 
following pieces we reprint a description, by the 
" Diarist/' trom an old volume of onr Journal : 

At the close of the overture the curtain rises and 
the music is silent until the scene in which Clara ap- 
pears, and, radiant with happiness and pride in her 
noble lover, sing her soldier song : 

No. I. 

" The war-drum Is rolKng. high soundeth the flfe; 

My lover, all harnessed, rommandeth the strife; 

He holds the lance proudly, he orders the army. 

My heart throbs alond — how kindles my blood ! 

Ah, If as a soldier beside him I stood, 

From hence would I follow with courage and pride, 

WhereTer he led me. Td light by his side ; 

The foemea would xhrink as we ehargrd on the van ; 

heayen ! what pleasure, were I but a man!'' 

The simplicity and beauty of the original is but 
slenderly preserved by him who translated this ex- 
quisite song of Goethe. Still one may form some idea 
of the young girl, who, from her low social position, 
looks upward with love and veneration as to a god. 
Of-all soldier songs that I know, that in the "Daugh- 
ter of the Regiment" included, there is none the music 
of which to me is so full of emotion and simple beauty 
as this. . It is the beauty of the German popular song, 
and must be judged from that standard — a style of 
music as distinct and national as that of the Scotch. 

No. II. This is the short musical introduction to 
Act II. It begins with an Andante, in which Beet- 
hoven paints the grief of the constant Brackenburg 
over his unhappy love for Clara, referring especially 
to the words : "Could I but forget the time when she 
loved me, or seemed to love me ! And — and now ? 
Let me die ! Why do I hesitate V* The Andante 



is followed by an Allegro con brio, in which is painted 
the restlessness of the citizens of Brussels andcr the 
Spanish yoke, and the constantly increasing excite- 
ment among the people. 

No. III. is the introduction to the next act, and 
paints the warnings and presentiments of the Prince 
of Orange, with the replies of the joyous, careless, 
Egmont — their farewell, to which these words are the 
key : 
Jjrmonl. What ! tears, Orange? ■ 
Orange. To weep fbr ene who is lost Is manly. 

No. IV. is the song in which CUra speaks her long- 
ing for the presence of her lover. Clara sings : 

" Cheerfbl and tearftil, unwilling or Mn, 
Longing and mourning in paiwionate prin ; 
Joy to fool keenly, or anguish to pmve. 
Happy alone L^ the heart that can lore." 

No. V. Introduction to Act IV., consisting of 
echo of the love scene between Egmont and Clara ; 
Clara at Eprmont's feet — " So let me die ; the world 
has no joy nfier this !" — mnrch of the soldiers of Alva 
into Brussels, and closing with indications of the feel- 
ings of the citizens, as expressed in the works of Jct- 
tcr : "I felt it bndly the moment the Duke came into 
the city. Since thnt moment it seem;* to me as if the 
heaven was covered with a pall, which hnngs po low 
that one mnst bow himself not to touch it. I snuff 
the odor of an execution morning ; the sun will not 
appear — the mists stink." 

No. VI. Introduction to Act V. Egmont's feel- 
injys when Alva orders him to surrender his sword ; 
the warninjr words of Orange agnin rise in his mem- 
ory ; Clara's emotions upon learning of her beloved's 
arrest ; her aitcmpt to arouse the citizens to his res- 
cue ; and finnlly, lier resignation and determination 
not to outlive him. 

No. VII. Clara's death. " I draw nearer and 
nearer the blessed fields, and the delights of peace from 
that world already breathe upon me. I have con- 
quered ; cnll me not hack again to strife." 

No. VIII. Melodrnma. Egmont sleeps and dreams 
to the sound of what Shskspearc would call " still 
mnsic." He sees his beloved appear in the form of 
Liberty, proclaiming victory to the people ; her hero 
falls, bnt in his blood is the seed of freedom. 

No. IX. is a repetition of the close of the overture, 
the triumph of the people over the power of Spain, 
end the expulsion of Alva. 

the choral 8YMPH0NT. 

This great work needs only that one become some- 
what familiar with it, to be as clear and unmistakable 
in its intentions as any other Symphony. It is a 
thoroughly consistent and organic whole, all things 
throughout tending to one conclusion : Jot, realized 
in universal Human Brotherhood. This musical 
creation is as organic in its structure as a product of 
any of the natural kingdoms ; and therefore such a 
close and literal examination of it as Mr. Schmitt has 
made in this and last week's paper, such an enumera- 
tion of its contents, such a tracing of its themes and 
motives through their various modifications, combina- 
tions and whole working up, must be as instructive 
in its way to any student who will follow it patiently, 
score in hand, as the naturalist's minute and miscro- 
scopic observations on the organism of a bird or fish. 
Even to those who cannot or care not to so study it, 
it will be no little help in hearing the Symphony to 

have its various little motives and marked phrases, 
which continually reappear in it and give it at once 
variety and unity, fixed l)eforehand in their minds. 
You watch any procession, of harmonies as well as of 
men, as it passes by you, with moro interest when 
yon recognize the personages that move in it. 

Were we to raise any question about our friend's 
enumeration of the themes and motives, it would be, 
whether in the First Movement he does not find too 
many themes ? Has it not af^er all, according to the 
usual type of a Symphony Allegro, just two leading 
themes or subjects which we call Msme and ro/m/er-Z/i^me, 
and are not all the others either transformations of 
those, or transition passages leadinn: in and out to 
them, or incidental phrases of subordinate impor- 
tance? 

Tke moral and poetic meaning of the Symphony is 
truly set forth in Richard Wagner's parallels of its 
various movements with passa(2:c8 from Goethe. In 
truth it is the same problem, the great life problem, 
which the poet in his "Faust" and the composer in 
his Symphony attempt to solve. First comes the 
feeling of the emptiness of life, expressed in the very 
opening of the Svmphonv by that strange rustling of 
empty, barren FifVhs {CtuintentjeflSisttT tlie Germans 
call it), and upon this the strong relentless Fate theme 
(No. 1 in S's analysis) is pronounced with startling 



energy ; and the sweet human reed instruments pour 
out their pleading stniin (a little melodic figure that 
seems to be the tune of the "Joy" chorus in embryo) ; 
and sun-gleiims and shadows mingle and chase each 
other, ideal hopes and shadows of despair ; and yet 
the soul's enthu.siasm bums unquenchable in spite of 
Fate ; and the at once pleading and inspired motive 
No. 5, (properly the Countfr-thtrrw.) comes, with its 
light tip-toe tread of double-basses, — a passage very 
BcethoveniKh, which gives you the idea of one treacl- 
ing upon air as if drunk with the possession of 
some j^lorious secret ; and the great storm and 
struggle comes of light and darkness, Joy and Fate, 
stirring up all the depths of harmony in tumultuous 
billows, tlie double-basses stepping wide in intervals 
of octaves or more, and giving breadth and grandeur 
to the picturo ; and the human pleadings and the 
sweet ideals come ngain, and all seems to tend to light 
and serene harmony ; but for the present, for the ac- 
tual conclusion, the inexorable voice, that first rang 
through the void, prevails, and the first movement 
closes with the first thentc a;rain sounded by the 
whole with terrible three-fold emphasis. And is this 
the conclusion 1 The conclusion of the actual, but 
not of the ideal. It is in this first movement thnt one 
feels the plcd;^! and prophecy of something errand, cx- 
trnordinnr", that is yet to come. We know no music 
which seems so prcgnnnt with a future as this, teem- 
ing with more than it has menus to utter, and foreshad- 
owing a solution, such as came to Beethoven in that 
fourth, or Choral movement. It is this first Move- 
ment thnt requires and justifies the last and finds its 
explanation there. 

The Scherzo movement, with its Btrone joyous 
pulse of ceaseless three-four measure, so li«;ht'and 
tripping, yet with such breadth of crowded harmony, 
as if one wild, reckless impulse tingled in every ncr^o 
and fibre of a whole world thus po<<scssed and de- 
monizcd ; — and then its quaint pastoral episode in 
4-4 time, where the bas.soon toys merrily with the 
horn — suggests the vain nttempt to find true joy in 
the whirl of superficial pleasure and excitement. 

Then comes the AtJaffio Cantabile, serene and heav- 
enly, the verv opposite to that wild mood of seni^ual 
joy. How like holy bells in a still ni^ht the notes of 
the first chord fall in one by one upon the ear, lead- 
ing in that sweet, slow, solemn psalm, with echoed 
cadence to each line ! and how tlie strings palpitate 
with blissful agitation, as the time chnn^es and the 
soul is rapt in deeper bliss by the new theme in I) 
thnt enters, — most lovely, warm and comforting of 
melodies ! What musicevcr written is more full of 
deepest feeling I Then with what exquisite delicacy 
and subtlety of fine mellifluous divisions, winding 
and tbrobhinf; in and out, the theme is varied by the 
violins, and by the warmer instruments ! And what 
is there comparable to that pure height of ccstacv, of 
reverie in which the soul is more than ever conscious, 
lost to time but waking in eternity, where, while the 
theme, modulated into a stmng:e key, as it were re- 
frncted through a visionary light, is pursued by the 
wind instruments, the strings now here now there, in 
all parts of the orchestra, emit as it were little electric 
sparks of happiness, in those pizzicatt which only 
seem so promiscuously timed ! Then the slow horn, 
as if inspired with an involuntary eloquence, indulges 
in a florid passn^re quite beyond Us ordinary powcra ! 
Then the wonderfully expressive drooping back, as 
with a sigh of too much bliss, into the old key and 
the old theme ; and still more exquisite refinement 
on the melody by the violins ! And when the con- 
clusion must come, the bold trumpet strain of exhor- 
tation from on high, the voice which seems to sum- 
mon tlie whole soul to highest nction ; then a brief 
relflpso into the celestial melody, and the dream 
gently fades away. 

But it is not enough ; the eolution is not here. 
This we have in the fourth or Choral part. How 
wonderfully the transition from pure instrumental in- 
to vocal music is prepared I First a sort of shriek of 
despair from the orchestra ; then a recitative, that al- 
most speaka, from the double-basses and 'celli, utter- 
ing the soul's question and complaint. A wilder 
shriek (diminished seventh), and more recitative of 
basses. Then the rustling Fifths of the first move- 
ment are sujrgested ; the basses answer : No, it will not 
do ! The Scherzo theme is tried : No, again, with 
more impatience. The heavenly Adagio is touched 
for a few bars ; and the bass soliloquv this time is of 
a subdued and sweeter melancholy, but ending still 
with restless sense of want of satisfaction. Then a 
new light sweetly streaks the dark horizon ; the theme 
of the Joy Chorus is just hinted by the mellow reeds, 
and the basses make eager, hopeful answer: Aye, 
that's the tune I and in a low, quiet voice, these 
basses hum through, as it were, the simple melody of 
the chorus, conceived in the style ot the simplest 
people's tunc ; they repeat it, and the bassoon plays 
around it with a iquaint accompamment, as if ira 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1859. 



415 



now to indiilj^e in any innocent fancy ; tlicn the vio- 
lins come in ; tlien the full force of the orchestra, with 
tnimp<'i9. with the richest harmony, and all manner 
of mcloilic fi;;urativo phi-uflcs, the whole so cxcitinj; 
as to lift one on his feet. It is splendid, it is divine, 
Imt still the utterance is not complete ! The cry of 
despair comes once aprain, and now a human voire 
sini^s : " Friends, no more these mournful strains," 
ic, and the Chorus comes in in full tide to the words 
of Schiller's " Hymn to Joy." IIow this is worked 
up to a suhlimer and suhlimer pitch, reaching its cli- 
max in the i-elijicious strain of long notes, with the 
thrilling]; star-like vihrations of the orchestral accom- 
paniment, at the thoun^ht of " the Father who dwells 
above the stars," and how it all prows more and more 
cxcitinj; to the end, we have no room, if we had 
power, to describe. If |>erformcd as well as we have 
ample reason to expect it will be, it will make its 
mcanin<; felt to every listener. 



Musical Ghit-Ghat. 

W« are happy to learn that Mme. Biscicciiim yields to th« 
general entre.iticn and will before departing give another con- 
cert here, on \7cdne<klay evening next The announcement 

by Seiior Cassbrrs, of a concert at Mercantile Hall next Satur- 
day evening, is irorthy of attention. This gentleman, a native 
of Jamaica, of Spanish-African blood, gave such proof recently, 
in a matine^ at Mr. Gilbert's rooms, both of his ability and 
t\!ito as a pianist, and of a refine'i, gentlemanly, modest tone 
of ohir.ietor. as to win friends at once. The material of his 
concert i^ attractive, and ire wUh him a full house. ...The 
IIaxdbl A2VD lIiTDM SociCTT will publicly revive the once popu- 
l.ir Oratorio of *' D^vid," by Neulcomn, on Sunday evening, 
April 3. . . . We are glad to he.ar that our excellent tenor singer, 
Mr. C. R. Adims, who has no commended himself to Boston 
audiences by his earnest and successful culture of a fine 
natur il gift, and equally by his modest and agmable deport- 
ment, intends to go to Europe for his further musical improve- 
ment, seeking what not only Italy, but Germany and Eng- 
land have to olTcr. There is a movement among the musicians 
to give him a good concert in aid of this laudable design. 

A " School for Organists " — not a book, but a school — is 
certainly a great desideratum in our musical world. Mr. John 
ZuxDBL. organist of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., who 
has returned from Germany, and wlio is one of the most 
learned and accomplished organists in this country, has estab- 
lished such a school (see card), where pupils will receive daily 
lessons on the Organ and in Thorough-Bass, with weekly les- 
sons in the art of tuning and doctoring refractory instruments. 
An excellent idea. . . . Who Is '^ John," our Diarist's and Berlin 
correspondent's " John" ? The Portland Afivntiitr claims 
the honor of him for that city. He is the son of the late well- 
known music-dealer, and John Paixb is his name. lie \» now 
studying In Berlin, working away hard at Bach ; we hope, 
with our correspondent, that " when ' John ' gets home, there 
will be no more desecration of the Organ by operatic flights 
and negro Jigs as at the Tremont Temple." 



glnsital Corrtspnbtntt. 



^«#«««#«^««M^tM^i^l^^«^NA^^«^^«M^I^^>^^k^lM^^kM^i^^N^^MN^tf^r^A«^Krf^^^WNM^iMAMM^A^^I^WW 



^ntf«««M#«rf««^'^i% 



New York. March 19. — One of the most charm- 
ino^ concerts of the reason was Mason & Thomas' 
Matinde last Tuesday. The programme, owing to 
the absence of Mr. Thomas, with Ullman's troupe, 
w^as more miscellaneous than usual, and contained a 
couple of vocal numbers. I subjoin it : 

Sonata in C. minor. Opus 80. No. 2, for Pianoforte and Vio- 
lin; Beethoven: Messrs. Wm. Biason and J. Mosenthal. *'Ah, 
mon flis," T^e Prophete; Meyerbeer: Mrs. J M. Mosart. Va* 
rlations Concertantes, for Violoncello and Piano Forte. Opus 
17; Mendelssohn: Messrs, C. Bergmann and Wm. Mason. 
Andante for two Pianofortes, opus 6; Reinecke : Messrs. J. S. 
Jameson ond Wm. Biason. Elegy of Tears; Schubert: Mrs. 
J. M. Mozart. Quartet In B flat major, opus 47, for Piano, Vi- 
olin, Viola, and Violoncello; Schumann: Messrs. Mason, Mo- 
senthal, Matzka, and Bergmann. 

The Sonata, in which Mr. Mosenthal made his 
d^)ut as a solo player, is, in my opinion, the fine.st of 
its kind, not excepting the Kreutzer Sonata, which is 
so much more celebrated. It was exceedingly well 
rendered. Mr. Mosentbal played his part so beauti- 
fully, with such true feeling and comprehension, that 
all who heard him cannot but hope that he will follo\> 
out the now path he has entered upon. He is a most 
earnest and thorough musician, with the true artist 
feeling, whose great modesty alone prevents him 
from occupying in our musical world as high a place 
as many another who is less worthy of it. As great 



a treat in their way were the lovely variations of 
Mendelssohn, very finely iiiterpreted by Messrs. Ma- 
son & Bergmann ; and no less satisfactory was the 
beautiful quartet of Schumann. How exquisitely 
fr«.sh and vigorous and sparkling it is. In the fourth 
number, the second piano was taken by Mr. Jame- 
son, a son of the lady singer of that name, a very 
young man, hardly more than a boy, with a most pre- 
po<=«sessing exterior and modest, pleasing demeanor. 
He acquitted himself exceedingly well, evinced great 
firmness and power, and, altogether, did ample 
c-cdit to his master. Mr. Mason. The piece which 
they played was so entirely out of the common line, 
that it was difficult to judge of it at once. I hope we 
shall hear it again. 

You will see from the programme that the singer 
of the occasion wos one of your own warblers, who 
has become a bird of passage, and emigrated to our 
clime. A great responsibility has this Mrs. Mozart 
resting upon her, in striving to do justice to the hon- 
ored name she bears. She has a beautiful voice, 
sings well, and is pleasing in her appearance. A 
slight cold seemed to slightly impair her powers on 
Tuesday, but not enough to prevent the audience 
from welcoming her as a valuable addition to our col- 
lection of singing birds. In point of weather, poor 
Eisfeld's mantle seems to have fallen upon this quar- 
tet party this winter ; their concerts arc sure to fall 
upon the worst of the many di.'»agreeablc days we 
have had this winter. This last time, however, the 
au<licnce was not verv much diminished bv this cir- 
cumstancc, and the performers did their best to re- 
ward those who were present for bmving the storm, 
by playing with a spirit which they have never before 
surpassed. 

Next Thursday evening, Mr. C. Jerome Hopkins 
will give a concert at the Church of the Messiah — 
probably for tke purpose of bringing out some of his 
compositions. On Monday after next, Wagner's 
Tannhduser will be given entire at a little German 
theatre in the Bowery ! As to how it is given, I may 
be able to tell you in my next. — t — 



Philadelphia, March, 22. — After a Symphony 
concert by the popular Senz, two cla.ssical soii^es by 
Carl Gaertner, and a superb entertainment by the 
Handel and Havdn Societv, there ensued a dead calm 
in onr latitude ot the sea of harmony, until last night, 
when the so-called New Orleans English Opera 
Troupe opened at the Walnut with Cinderella. More- 
over, W.M. H. Fry has repeated his quaint, rambling 
mnsical lecture, at the Concert Hall. Circumstances 
precluded the possibility of my attendance there, but 
severpl literary friend'?, on whose judgment I am wont 
to repose unlimited confidence, pronounce the effort 
to have combined a vost amount of musical informa- 
tion, strangely leavened with random allusions to ir- 
relevant subjects, e. g. woman's rights, postal reforms, 
tariff, Kansas, etc. The lecture occupied two hours, 
without any signs of weariness on the part of the aud- 
ience, who found themselves alternately edified, and 
entertained by the adroitness wherewith the distin- 
guished critic manatred to interweave so many hetero- 
genous subjects with his theme. 

Two youthful pianists, named Herbert and Har- 
vey, (the latter a violinist besides), announce a grand 
concert for to-morrow night at the Musical Fund Hall. 
They have engaged a charming vocalist, named M'lle. 
Anna Wissler, who several years ago attracted 
marked attention nt che Harmonia concerts, — then 
made a temporary sojourn in Paris, where she placed 
horself in the hands of first class teachers, — and now 
returns to u^ a very finished vocalist. The Evening 
Dtdleiin termed her " one of the best singers we have 
had here for a long time," aflcr her achievements at 



Gaertncr's second soirde. There are rumors here of 
a forthcoming season of Ull manic Italian Opera dur- 
ing the second week of April, but I can trace them to 
no reliable source. On dit, furthermore, that the "lit- 
tle Napoleon" has leased omr Academy from August 
next onward. At present, Mrs. D. P.' Bowers, an 
actress of considerable repute in this latitude, furnish- 
es farce and comedy upon its ample stage, to houses 
which are thinning nightly to such an alarming ex- 
tent that the close of the season has been announced 
next Saturday. Manrico. 

Cincinnati, March 13. — Having seen no report 
from our city in your Journal lately, I will give you 
a short account of the doings of our homo Societies 
this winter. The " Cecilia " Society have given a 
concert once a month, and their excellent leader, Mr. 
Hitter, continues his endeavors to bring out as 
much of the best class of Music as is feasible. The 
chorus is not as large and good as in former years, 
owing partly to a marrying mania amongst its mem- 
bers, but does its best under these aggravating cir- 
cumstances. Parts of the " Messiah," Mendelssohn's 
"Elijah," Gade's " Comala," &c., have been sung 
lately, and probably some one of these works will be 
brought out entire shortly. Mr. Ritter has also com- 
posed recently a sort of cantata, or oratorio, called 
" Pensacola," the words by Mi«« Fanny Raymond, 
based on an Indian story. Parts of it have been 
performed at the last concert of the Society. As I 
was prevented from being present all the evening, I 
must postpone an account of it ; but may say, that it 
has been very favorably reported in our papers. 

The Philharmonic Society have given two concerts 
and two public Rehearsals, this season thus far; the 
programmes embracing the fourtli Symphony of 
Beethoven, the seventh of Haydn, Overtures to 
" Enryanihe," by Weber, several by Auber and Ros- 
sini, and the one to " Tnnnhanser," by Wagner. 
The Orchestra, under the efficient lead of Mr. Barus, 
continues to improve very mach ; and at the last 
concert particularly played remarkably well. The 
" Tannhau'^er " overture was rendered for the first 
time and with great effect, and elicited much interest 
from the audience. 

This week the opera season will commence in our 
splendid new opera house, with Strakosch's troupe. 

X. 



"Mr. Brown's" Den. — Washington's Birth- 
day IN Berlin. 

Berlin, Feb. 23. — Dear Dwigiit. — You may 
take the above for a caption or a date, for it is both. 
" IIe>r Teer ist fort/' is tlve response I just received 
from the little " Italienerinn " as she is now called, 
from my christening, and ns I consider her a part of 
the Diarist's establishment, (don't be alarmed, our 
aesthetic friend has no " responsibilities "!) I suppose 
the little dairy-maid ought to be described. But wo 
will pass her by for the present. " Nehmen tie Platz^ 
hitte" says the pretty nymph — and so I will or have 
— and, awaiting the proprietor's return, will now try 
to fulfil a promise made in a recent letter to you and 
describe the workshop of the old Titan. Am I mis- 
taken in thinking that many of the Journal's readers 
will feel an interest in the " local habitation " of Mr. 
Brown ? — the laboratory where so much of wit, pa- 
thos, sentiment and common sense is wrought into 
shapes of beauty and use for their hearts and minds ? 

We sometimes mistake in judging others by our- 
selves — yet what better standard have we ? For my 
part, it is always of the highest interest to me to 
know how the habitual working place of a favorite 
author or a dear friend looks. Let me be accurate 
and pace the room — 17 x 9 — window at one end, 
door leading into bed-room at the other ; half way of 
the length, a second door, conducting into " John's " 
room, through which the world passes to get at the 



416 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Diarist. John is portly nnd a goodly porter, for his 
open and cordial smile is a fit preparation for the se- 
vere presence of the deity of the inner temple. But 
come, let us go on with the " temple '' itself. In the 
comer next the window is a French secretary, (n<5t 
an amanuensis, my friend, or he surely wonld not l)C 
of that nation, but) of satin-wood. The lid is down 
and discloses contents in most artistic disorder — not 
that chaos which preceded creation, but that which 
co-exists with and helps it on ! Let us glance at the 
contents without handling. Sundry newspapers, 
(please not read this " Sunday "), ])amphlcts, a pack- 
age, which I ffiiess contains tea ; cover of a very old 
book. Cheek by jowl with the secretary, following 
the north wall towards " John's " door, is a low bu- 
reou, contents unknown, top covered with files of 
** D wight's Journal," huge piles of Beethoven and 
Liszt, and Handel's " Susannah ; " a ream of let- 
ter paper, copies of N. Y. Trihnne — handy for use, 
but nothing finical in the arrangements. 

Near tlie centre of the room, but approached to the 
sofa, which is against the wall opposite said bureau, 
is the table — a sofa-table, as we call it in America, 
4^ X 3 feet — of satin-wood, (material discernible on 
digging a hole, by the Artesian principle, in the su- 
perincumbent masses, — literally,) but an inventory 
would carry me too far ; let us, however, pick out a 
few items, " leading articles," so to speak : Inkstand 
— not a practical one, but then we all have our incon- 
sistences — it would kill me in a week, and if this 
letter is very dull, lay it to the inkstand : — imagine 
the Diarist, if yon can, friend Dwight, writing his 
charming letters from an English patent, spring-top, 
travelling inkstand — one of those ingenious things, 
known to most modern travellers, especially ladies, 
so ingeniously contrived not to spring open till fairly 
imbedded in your white kids, handkerchiefs, best 
vests and photographs ! — spectacles, wafer-box, of 
porcelain, representing a miniature couple, in dra- 
matic costume, dancing a minuet ; pin-cushion, 
quills, every variety of book, pamphlet, journal, man- 
uscript and blank paper, &c., &c. The entire con- 
tents of this table suggest to the mind of the imagi- 
native observer, the " bursting up " of a neighboring 
antiquarian establishment, a section of which has 
blown in through the window and thus reached its 
destination ; three chairs, a good sofa — very com- 
fortable looking, — books perching on the arms 
thereof. Beginning now ac the window on the south 
side of the room, the first object, and a conspicuous 
one, is the library proper — shelves from floor to 
ceiling, say 5 feet long and a little more than full, so 
that you see sundry piles on the floor, which look as 
if they had several times tried to climb up, but, find- 
ing no room, had fallen back discouraged and hurt 
themselves too much to have strength for ony very 
picturesque arrangement below. Starting at this base, 
a row of dignified tomes, which cannot be suspected 
of any such unseemly friskiness, " measures its slow 
length" on the floor, un<ler3tho window, till it gains 
the secretary first mentioned. 

At the opposite end of the sofa is a handsome ma- 
hogany clothes-press — (almost tempted, in defiance 
of all niles of propriety, to peep in, merely to see if 
that, too, don't contain books.) There is, however, 
still a sp.ace 2 feet wide between it and the bedroom 
door — let's look and see what is there — vot/onsi 
Upon the honor of a gentleman, a pile of quartos four 
feet high and very ancient ! On the opposite corner 
of the room, a German porcelain stove of a Drown 
color, with a sort of oven therein, in which sundry 
good things arc doubtless sometimes browned. A 
little four-legged table 18 inches square. And now for 
the walls. A bust-chen of von Humboldt in plas- 
ter ; large looking-glass over bureau ; a framed en- 
graving of Leonardo da Vinci's " Heilige Abendmahl" 
and, as a pendant, a sheet, similarly framed, con- 
taining 14 little semi-comic engravings, 7 to the left, 
representing " Les Plaisiis" and 7 to the right, "I^es 



Difsogr^mens of a ** Promenade." On the window 
scat, by way of variety, books. Unoccupied space 
of room, not adapted to crinoline navigation ! Out- 
look — you see the Friedcrich Stras.«e across an area, 
80 feet deep of dimension, stone ready for building, 
and a symmetrical pile of wood. Oh ! I omitted to 
notice two things, under the table a carpet and on 
top of the secretary, hooks I 

Now, in spite of all this detail, as minnte as if I 
were preparing a schedule for an auction sale of 
premises and contents, I feel that 1 have given no 
graphic impression of the " locus in quo " of Mr. 
Brown's thoughts and works. I am sitting with my 
side to the window, at one end of the table, in the 
proprietors's absence ; my paper it»ts upon the back 
of Marx's life of Beethoven, looking, as on a former 
occasion, through the " Diarist's spectacles ; but 
the tableau is not complete nor beautiful, until the 
genhus loci is there, in tliat grey coat, on the centre of 
that sofa inditing "copy for Dwight," and occasion- 
ally looking up with most startling suddenness, as if 
he saw flames proceeding from his bureau. You 
start, too, but it is only ; " By Jove ; I must have 
that old edition of Squampunckius " — glances wildly 
into space, bnt seeing no funds there, relapses, with 
something between a sigh and a gmnt into silence. 
But the Squampunckius has disturbed the current of 
his ideas. He speaks no more aloud, but — (lam 
peeping at him through my fingers) he is scratchmg 
his head and evidently murmuring l>etwixt his teeth 
a non-reconcilement with the order of Providence, 
wondering if any sf^ecial Providence will award him 
a copy of the author aforesaid. Ah ! he is a philos- 
opher. See how transient this scepticism is I His 
brow clears and his eye says : " "Whatever is, is right." 
I^et's try him ! " Brown, what arc you writing about 
at this moment ; just a freak of curiosity I have 1 " 
*' Well, why do you ask? — oh, I was just saying 
something/unny to Dwight." " Well, but what was 
in your mind a minute ago ? " " Oh, nothing, Ex 
mhilo nihil Jit, you know." " Nothing fit to be told, 
you mean ? " " Pshaw I it's Latin ; I thought yon 
understood Latin ! " " Yes, that's always the way 
with you scholars ; you fancy everybody knows eve- 
r>"thing just because yon do." " Why, surely, my 
dear fellow, I heard you one day quote * integer vita, 
scelerisgue purus, ^-c." " Oh yes, to be sure, but that 
was only to let Joe see that I was not to be put down 
bv his 'fas est^ ab hoste doceri* " and I was much en- 
couraged in finding what a hit I had made — for his 
countenance fell decidedly ; it is true, I felt like exul- 
tation when I afterwards discovered that he didn't 
know what his sentence meant any more than I did 
mine — but, it wants ten minutes of dinner, " prandio 
qui abest " — what is it ? why, my vein is too silly for 
a Journal of Music, Art and Literature, so, dear D., 
au re voir ! 

Yesterdav was the 22d February, and WASiirxo- 
Tox's birthday was celebrated on Prussian soil by a 
verv handsome dinner at the American Minister's. 
The venerable Humboldt was present and 78 of our 
countrymen and countrywomen. The occasion 
merits a description, but here and now I have only 
time to sav that Massachusetts canied off the honors 
decidedly, in the person of the " Diarist " — whose 
toast was : " Von Humboldt, the king of science, 
the Intchet of whose shoes common kings are not 
worthy to stoop down and unloose ! " There was no 
end to the applause, and the venerable sage looked 
rfa//y pleased as if he thought it just and the right 
thing to be said. The utmost good feeling prevailed 
between North and South, and Virginia said some 
very cordial and ban Uome things of Massachusetts. 
The dinner was good, elegantly served, the wines va- 
rious and of the best quality ; and the occasion a 
decided success. The most modest speaker, who said 
but a few words, almost inaudible from emotion, 
was the dauntless horse and zebra tamer, Rarey. 

BoSTOXIAlf. 



Spetial |t0tirts. 

DESCRimVK LIST OF THE 

L. T E S T 3nj:tjsic, 

PablUhed br O. Plta^n Sl €•» 



MrsiCBTMAn.. — Qnnntitie* of Manic, are now wnt by mail, 
thr exppiiiie b<>lnK only about one cent apicc«. while the care 
and mpidlty of tranfiportation are remarkable. Tlinra at a 
great distance will find the mode of conTcyance not only a con- 
venience, but a myini; of expense in obtaining »upplic«. Dooka 
can aluo be wnt by mall, at the mto of one cent per ounce. 
ThU applies to any dlntanco under three thooMUid mllce ; be- 
yond Uiat, double the above rates. 



Vocal, with Piano Aooompaniment. 

The gift from over the sea. Ballad. S. Glover. 25 

A aentimental little ions, which would prove an ex- 
eellent addition to a young lady's mncical album. 



The Strawberry girl. 



Uouxird. 35 



This Ifl one of the ballads, which *' Little Cordelia 
Howard,'* the gifted and intereHtlng child, whoe« per- 
sonification of the little Com girl la frenh in the mem- 
ory of many thoonnda. has made fkmous. The title- 
page of thin new edition of the nong is adorned by aa 
excellent llkenees of little Cordelia. 

Heaven may to yon grant pardon. (Ah ! ch« a 

voi pcrdoni Iddio.) Quintet for Soprano, Alto, 

Tenor, and 3 Basses, ftom Flotow's opera of 

Afartka. 40 

Everybody who has heard the opera recollects the 
npiendid Finale of the aeeond act, in which all the 
characters of the play participate, with the tenor as 
dominating part. The melody is io pathetic and Im- 
preuive, that it seems almost impoMiible to forget It. 
This new edition is complete, as Fung now by the Ital- 
ian opera troupes. It is a highly valuable piece for 
the concert-room. 

Gently he passed away. J. W. Turner. 25 

A simple song in the author's sweet style. 

The Song of the shell. A Greek composition. 

W. J, Wetmore. 25 
Pretty and plcosing. 

Izifltrumental Musio. 

The Opera at Home. Traviata. 2 nos., each 

containing 6 of the principal Airs, each 

Albert ir. Berg. 60 

These arrangements of Mr. Berg, as those of a mn- 
riclan, whose (Ur reputation, both as pianist and 
teacher, warranta the nicety and usefulness of the se- 
lections and arrangements, will recommend them- 
selves to the general playing public as the best hand- 
book of the opera out. Each air Is treated independ- 
ently, and may form a separate piece, at the pleasure 
of the performer, or all may be connected by short 
and appropriate interludes. They are net diflknlt. 

La Truite. Song by Schubert. Transcribed by 

S. Heller. 40 

Heller's celebrated arrangement, which needs no 
recommendation. 

Rataplan :March. Fred. Beyer. 25 

Embmcing four of the favorite martial airs in the 
" FiUe du Regiment'' among which is the Ikmous Rat- 
aplan. This makes one of the most pleaslog marches 
that has been arranged for the piano. 

Books. 

Woodbukt'8 Elements of Musical Compo- 
sition. The Elements of Musical Composi- 
tion and Thorough Bass, together with Kules 
for Arranging Music lor full Orchestra and Mil- 
itary Bands. By I. B. Woodbury. 50 

This work was undertaken at the request of several 
teachers and professors of mnsie. Simplicity hM been 
a principal oliject regarded. All technical phrases, not 
rendily understood, have been, where it was powibl:, 
avoided, and the science of MofIc reuden>d so clear and 
plain as to be easily comprehended by^ the student. 



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APR 2 R 1976