The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-13 00:00:00

M. JULLIEN'S CONCERTS.

The house last night was crowded to overflow,
the attraction being one of those " morceaux de
circonstance " (as M. Jullien designates them) to
which the public has been annually accustomed at
these popular entertainments. The title of the
present composition is " The Indian Fantasia and
General Havelock's Triumphant March," and, as
may be guessed, its predominant tone is martial.
To meet this exigency M. Jullien's own magnifi-
cent band was fortified by an army of drummers
and fifers from the Grenadier; Coldstream, and the
Scots Fusileer Guards—together with bagpipes,
" toms-toms," and other instruments calculated to
heighten the " local" colouring, and an efficient
chorus. The number of vocal and instrumental per-
formers was thus increased to such an extent that
the orchestra was obliged to be considerably
enlarged to hold them ; and even as it was a
great many of the executants could scarcely
find elbow-room. The whole presented a
most imposing appearance, and when M.
Jullien waved his conductor's stick to begin a
dead silence gave evidence of the general interest
created, and of the expectation that something un-
usually stirring and impressive was about to be
heard. The result surpassed anticipation. Not
only was the piece applauded unanimously at every
occurrence of a pause in the performance, but the
climax gave rise to an excitement beyond bounds.
Independent of the music, however, there were
reasons for the demonstration that ensued, which
would have caused enthusiasm under any circum-
stances.

Passing over the preliminary discourse—which
takes up a page and a half of the printed pro-
gramme, and touches, among other topics, upon
Alexander the Great, the Anglo-Saxon race, the
Koran, and the Juggernaut—we may at once state
that the fantasia (almost as much a spectacle as a
musical display, perplexing the eye in conse-
quence of its indispensable accessories, just as
it astonishes the ear) is distributed into
five parts. The first four are dedicated to
the music, dances, religious ceremonies, &c., of
the Hindoos ; and the variety of subjects sug-
gested have been seized upon and appropriated with
the utmost felicity. Part 1. comprises the " Taza-
ba-Taza"—which those who are acquainted with
the music of the East will recognise as a genuine
tßhreahtimimenaHndymmena—suarteidofsoammearmchi,liwtahreyresintrmaitaish,raatftta"er
Sikh, and Ghoorka soldiers are presumed to be en-
gaged. Part 11. contains the "Timbong-Borong"
striking effect as a theme for variations e sb,
on
u these d wtt
flute,h
(Bird-song), and a dance of Bayader
bpyicmcoel os,srasn.dpvrioaltitne,n7hDiechpwoelrlye executedc
Goollns.
t‘i
In Part 111. we have an air entitled th:
Sahyang," and a -wild tune supposed to boning-
formed oa various instruments, to the accompani-
ment of dancing in the procession of the car of
Juggernaut. Part IV. begins with the "Muezzin,"
the Mahomedan call to prayer, which M. Felicien
David has introduced in his " Desert." M. David
gives this to a voice ; but M. Jullien, with better
judgment, has allotted it to the oboe, and its exe-
cution by M. Lavigne is marvellous, not merely for
fine tone and unerring intonation, but for a power
of sustaining the breath of which we can remember
scarcely au example on so difficult an instrument,
A dance of Dervishes, both savage and grotesque,
ensues ; and the whole terminates with the song of
the " Elephant Driver," and the characteristic
music of the "Snake Charmer," in which the re-
markable talent of M. Lavigne is again displayed.
The fifth and concluding part is a battle piece, illats-
tratidg a series of military incidents and achieve-
ments, the heroes of which are General Havelock
awl his devoted warriors. We have here the
gatherings of divisions, marches, advances, battles,
and skirmishes, enlivened occasionally by the
sounds of the bagpipe and the national war song
of the Highlanders. The "Campbells are coming"
is first heard from a distance, and then, by a cle-
verly managed "crescendo," swells out into an
overpowering " fortissimo" for the entire orchestra.
When the crowningivictory is obtained the band,
with the multitudinous drums and fifes of the regi-
ments mentioned, performed in obstreperous har-
mony a bold and vigorous air called " General
Havelock's Triumphal March," while the chorus
declaim the following verses :
" Sing forth the praise ! "On like a scourge
" Let us proclaim "Seating the foe,
" Havelock's brave deeds "Like Heaven's bolt,
"Conquests and fame ! " swift he doth go
" sound, trumpets, drums I " Fierce to avenge
" Roar, cannons, roar ! " Treason and crime,
"Tell echo's voice " Winning a name
"Cease never more. " Deathless in time.
" On gallant band,
" "FoMi'cy, tho' small,
owgk your star,
" Conquer or fall !
" While nations love
" Valour to name,
" Glory shall sound
"Loudly your fame.

The whole terminates with "Rule Britannia" and
" God save the Queen." The execution throughout
was strikingly good, and the conclusion hailed with
uproarious applause and unanimous cries for a re-
petition of the national airs. Instead of acceding
at once, however—in accordance With his usual cus-
tom—to this patriotic demand, M. Jullien, as soon
as he could extort attention, addressed the audi-
ence something to this effect :—" Ladies and Gen-
tlemen,—As we are honoured this evening by the
presence of Lady Havelock, the wife of the distin-
guished General--that British lion who has so no-
bly hulated down the Bengal tiger—l am sure you
will. all be as delighted as I am to knowshe is among
us." Then, pointing to a box on the first tier, he
said, " There is Lady Havelock !" This announce-
ment was received with such tremendous cheering
that Lady Havelock, who had been quietly lis-
tening to the music, in little expectation of
such an incident, rose from her Beat, and, com-
ing forward to the front of the box with her
two daughters, gracefully saluted the audi-
ence. The acclamations that followed were again
interrupted by M. Jullien, who spoke in a loud
voice, and evidently as excited as if he had been an
Englishman born. "Now, ladies and gentlemen,"
he said, "you shall join with me in three British
cheers. I will give the word, and you shall re-
spond, ensemble P" He did give the word, and
his "Hip, hip, hip, hurrah," thrice reiterated, was
thrice echoed by such a " hurrah " from the united
Voices of the whole assembly as made the walls
"reverberate again." Rarely has a scene of greater
enthusiasm been witnessed.
Lady Havelock remained until the end of the
' performance, and the great majority of the crowd
kept her company. When the last piece—a galop
called the " Lion and Tiger "—was finished, the
audience dispersed slowly, and the scene of " ova-
tion" was chang:,:i from the theatre to the open
street. A dense crowd almost blocked up the
thoroughfare ;
and as Lady Havelock was recog-
nised entering her carriage the cheering w re-
newed with the same vociferous heartiness ass was
at first elicited by M, Jullien's address.