The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-12 00:00:00

MUSIC AT AMATEUR PERFORMANCES.

A Mnchester correspondent of the Racing Times
and Amateur Dramatic Chronicle writes as follows :
If there be ono infliction more than any other pain-
ful to endure, it is that of music badly executed. Last
week I assisted at a private entertainment given by the
* * * Amateurs. The parts in the pieces—from the
leading character to that of respectable uti:itg— were very
ably rendered, and frequent was the applause bestowed
on the different ariistes. But the gratificatf on thus experi-
enced by the audience was undoubtedly more than cancelled
by the performance of the amateur musicians. According to
the programme Miss had kindly consented " to preside
at the pianoforte," and the affability of this young lady, of
course, dose ryes appreciation. But Miss —'s knowledge
of that instr ument proved exceedingly limited, as the first
four bars of " Home, sweet Home," which constituted the
Overture, had to be recommenced no less than six times
before that most simple and• touching melody could be
gone thrpugh. Nature has, moreover, endowed her with
digits of a somewhat pondero us nature, and the result was
ffj effects which could never have been conceived in the
mind of the composer. Later in the evening, an amateur vio-
linist made his Appearance in the orchestra andendeavoured,
in conjunction with his fair companion, to do his "little
utmost" to please. This utmost, however, was scan ply
on a par with that of the young lady ; for, although his
fiddle posses3ed the required number of strings, on one
alone were the sounds produced, and violin and piano re-
spectively scraped and thumped out what was termed a
selection from Il Trovatore. At this juncture the
state of nerves of the assembled guests may
be easily imagined, but a sti'l greater infliction
had yet to be borne. Daring the third entr'acte, the band
received another addition in the person of a diminutive
cornet-player. If I live to the reported age of Methuselah,
to use one of Mr. Toole's favoarita expressions, "I shall
never forget him ! Never !!" His evolutions to " Tootle,
tootle, tootle, on the cornet" were something astounding,
and his facial expressions, when en deavouring to bring
forth a note which —from want of wind—had lost itself on

is way downwards, were worthy the pencil of a Dore. In
idifferent keys this remarkable " trio" started together in
the air of Not for Joseph ! I use the word started ad-
visedly. Ido not know whether there was any ill feeling
existing among the artistes, neither am I aware that the
first gentleman was jealous of his smaller companion's
reiterated attention to Miss -, and that, conse-
quently, the instruments received the vent of

their injured feelings ; bu, certain it is they ran a
race. Sometimes Fiddle was in advance, sometimes Cor-
net headed by a bar and once Miss --, with great digi-
tal exertion, managed to got the lead ; but only one could
win. Palmam qui meruit ferat f—and I have to record,
with a superhuman effort, and cheeks swollen with fatigue,
Cornet came in victor, and—to the delight of the audience—
the curtain drew up on the last piece of the evening.

Col. D. E. Buel left Southampton yesterday for
Now York, on a flying visit. He will proceed to Austin,
Nevada, and return to London in ninety days, if possible..
If he carries out this intention he will add a chapter to New
America better worth Mr. Hepworth Dixon's attention
than his " Spiritual Wives."

The New York Nation says :—A new party is
announced as having recently been formed in the city. It
is designated as the " I. P. P.," which letters stand for the
words "Independent Progressive Party." The declara-
tion of principles is already made, and it is declared that
only such candidates as can make profession of faith in
them will be supported by the party in the next and future
national elections. Of these principles the chief are as
follows .-1. "A moderate tariff based on the principle of
equalization"—that is, we suppose, a tariff of which the
burdens are imposed justly on the various branches of in-
dustry; 2. "A progressive"—graduated, we suppose—
"income tax, exempting the poor ;" 3. " Conversion of the
Government loans into one debt with low rate of interest ;"
4. "No coercive or prohibitory Sunday laws ;" 5. "A general
obligatory system of education ;" 6. " The establishment of
an Executive to be elected by Congress, and separation of
the political and military authority now vested in that
office ;" 7. "Reconstruction on the base of the measures
inaugurated by Congress." We are informed by a member
of this new organization that it has been formed inside the
North American Turnerbund ; and how important the
Bund is may be judged by certain figures which he gives
us : —The money invested in " Turnerhallen" amounts to
$441,300; and if the debts of the one hundred and eigh-
teen clubs be deducted from this amount, and the value of
their libraries, g 3 muastic apparatus, and other property
added to it, we find that the total wealth of the Bundes-
Vereine is represented by tho respectable sum of $401,761.
Scattered as they are throughout the country, liked by
their fellow-countrymen, of rather more than average in-
telligence, the political influence of the members of , the

"I. P. P." is not to be despised.
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