Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-10


Centuries more, you will know that in Ammo
Domini 1853, we dream'd Of your Times.
"NATH. AMEs."
anecdotes and Remarks on Music.-The fol
lowing are curious facts, relative to the powers Of
the human ear. The atmosphere is the grand
medium by which sound is conveyed, though re-
cent discoveries prove that other bodies conduct
it with greater expedition, as in the instance Of
vibrating tuning fork, to the stem Of which is
attached packthread string; on the other end
being wrapt round the finger, and placed in the
chamber Of the ear, the sound will be audibly
conveyed to the distance Of two hundred yards,
though not perceptible TO any bystander. Min
ers, in buring for coal, can tell by the sounds
what substance they are penetrating; and re-
cent discovery is that of applying listening-tube
10 the breast to detect the motions OF the heart.
The quickness which some persons. possess in
distinguishing the smaller sounds Is very remar-
kable A friend of the writer has declared he
could readily perceive the motion Of flea, when
on his nightcap, by the sound emitted by the
machinery Of his leaping powers. However, ex'
3traordinarv this may appear, we lind similar
statement is given in the ingenious works upon
insects, by Kirby and Spence, who say, We
kno,c of no other insect, the tread of which is
accompanied by sound, except indeed the lea,
whose steps lady assured US she always hears
when it passes over her nisht-cap, and that it
cacks as If it was walking in patternsH ifw
can suppose the ear to be alive to such delicate
vibrations, certainly there is nothing in the way
of sound So difficult for it to achieve.
Of the great superiority Of Cremona violins,
Mr.. Gardner in his late work on the Music of
Nature, Observes
To those who are conversant with the power
o! musical instruments, the following observa-
tons will be fully understood. The yiolins
made at Cremona about the year 1860 are supe-
rior IN tone to any of later date-age seeming
leaving nothing but their pure tone. II mo.
dern violin is played BY the side of one of these
instruments, it will appear much the louder of
the two. but on receding 100 PAGES, when com.
pared with the .An,iti, it will he scarcely heard.
The following on vocal performers, is worthy
of attention:
The cultivation of the female voice has confer.
red upon the musical art charm never contem-
plated by our early composers; and OF late II has
been carried to such perfection as nearly to sur.
pass every instrument in its powers OF execution
and expression. Two hundred years ago, solo
for either instrument or voice was unknown; but
such is the love of exhibition at the present day,
that it is found expedent to impose fine OF hive
guneas upon any one performing solo, either
in the Antient or Philharmonic Concerts. But,
AZ DIR. Burncy observes. instead OF the sum be-
ing forfeited, five hundred had been offered to
the individual who could perform such iete at
that time. fewer candidates would have entered
the lists, than it the like sum had been offered
for flyiup from Salisbury steepIe over Old Sarum
without balloon. For the last one hundred
and thirty wears we have scarcely produced more
than half dozen singers of tirs:-rate emnence;
while Italy has been pouring into this country
crowd of vocalsts.
Grassina was the first female Singer who ap-
peared on.theItaian theatre with contralvo voice
that part having been previously sustained by
men Her tones. though purely feminine, we're
so new that they were received with distrust; and
some time ELAPSED before the audience were re-
conciled to voice which was thought greatly
too low for a woman Her compass dad not ex-
coed ten notes, from in the bass to C in the
treble: but such was their rich and mellow quail
ty, that they formed new species OF delight IN
the vocal art. Her pathos and feeling became
the more evdenteShen conttasted with the coid
and futy tones OF Ellington. She was beautiful
and graceful: and her acting was superior to all
those who had preceded her. From the intro
duction of Grassiua, we may date one OF the
greatest improvements in opera, that OF the duefto
for female voices, in which Rossini has shown
such exquisite and Incompatible taste.
When Capt. Montague was cruising on brlgh-
ton, Madame Catalina was invited, with other
ladies, to a brilliant fete on board his frigate.-.
The Capt went in his launch on shore, manned
BY more than twenty men, to escort the fair
freight on board and as the boat was cutting
through the waves, Madame Catalina without
any previous notice, commenced the air of 'Rue
britannia Had voice from the great deep
spoken, the effect could not have been more in.
stantaneous and sublime The sailors. not
Knowing whom they were rowing. we're so aston
ished and even enchanted into inactivity, that
with one accord they rested upon their oars
vile tears trembled in the eyes Of many Of them.
You see. Madame said the Captain. the effect
this iavourite air has upon these brave men,
when sung by the finest voice in the world.
have been in many victorious battles. but never