The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-09-16

HAMrLroN HOUSE. Sent. l2th. 49,

/ HAMILTON House Correspondence.
Hamilton HOUSE, Sept 18th, 1874.
The relish for musical performances in America
advances apace. When the taste is awake when
the instinct has once been aroused nothing is more
rapid than the growth nothing more Unsuitable than
the appetite for music. 1t is merely sensual graft
fcation, but of all the sensual enjoyme nts il is that
which is nearest akin TO the intellectual its close
alliance to the latter is indicated by the fact that it
is the only sensual appetite that does not pail by
excessive qualification. On the contrary, it rather
"gows with what it feeds on" Sensual as it is,
however, it stands more perhaps than almost any
other taste in need OF cultivation and refinement In
its incipent state, it is generally and vulgar
The unpractised amateur Is not an epicure but
glutton. He loves strong and pungent savors The
ingredients of his dish must be inartiicialy palpa-
Bile. Nothing is yelled, nothing suggestive, nothing
indirect but all must be broad, coarse and strong,
to degree the most offensive TO the refined and
cultivated.
In all countries, even among the cold Anglo
Saxons and plegmatic Germans, the wor.
shippers Of Orpheus are eminently the VIC
tins OF favoritism. The art, more espe-
cialy in its vocal department, is personally
identified with the artist, and the pleasure we de.
rive from the "concord Of sweet sounds" gives
to sort of hero-worshIp directed to those who
produce them. Enthusiasm towards musical ar
lists ls therefore, common tn every people, and the
violence OF It's fire IS greater in proportion TO the
youthfuness Of the art the maturity of refined
tast, and The appreciation Of the severe canons Of
prisins manner Still effects are now and then de-
veIoped which scarcely Ineligible to those in
whom The musical instinct is thus awakened.
Thus In the latter part OF the last century 10
nj Apnp vnt1v at fno rlsn,tA
IN touching aria, tyrantto srare the life of
dear friend, the artist who performed the part OF
the tyran and who should have spurned the suppl.
m
ourselves seen Caradori overpowered by Rubini's
celebrated II milo Tesoro," that she forgot herself
on the stage and joined the audience most ardenty
in their enthusiastic applause by cappng. In this
couatry, where beyond all others on the surface of
this terraqueous globe personal predictions are
pushed to The most extravagant excuses, il may
formers is in no wise less ardent than elsewhere
This homage is of course rendered chiefly to the
best artists whose powers have been submitted to
this public, and It's excess is not measured by the
known standard Of excellence in urope, but by
the standard established by the genius and talent
with which Americans are conversant Hence
arises explosions of public enthusiasm, which to a
cultivated European seem positively grotesqns-
The Americans can scarcely conceive the effect
which the newspaper reports of the reception OF
certain artists here produce in the European CAPT.
tails An Instrumental performer of third or fourth
rate grade comes here, harbingered by praciised
agent, who has direct interest in the success of
his prlncipa-a the machinery Of misrepresenta-
ton and delusion is brought into operation. The
press is. well and Judiciously worked. The
insenslbility of editors every thing except party
politics gives great facility to this operation !;
and they allow the pufs Of every order in
Sheridan's catalogue, penned by this agent, to
sanction of their name. The, principal IN due
time enters after this flourish Of rrumpets.-
The great mass Of the public are already tutored
to expect miracle. An Orpheus has descended
from the heavens to wrap them in an Elysium of
sweet sounds. The great opening night arrives. -
The Tabernacle is clammed to suffocation. The
artist far uls the expectation in being perhaps,
Atlantic. The New Yo,k press takes leave of its
senses, and exhausts all the vocabulary of supera-
tlves in inditing its eulosy This resounds through
the States; and the performer is pronounced The
King of Music the great wizard of the string"
"the sovereign of the bow'-and his panegyrc
is copied into all the journals throughout the States
His course is clear. 1t is one continued triumph.
The public does not merely approve-it adores. It
does not admire-it worships, The European
hearing all this of some artist who perhaps ranked
decent fourth or fifth rate performer, fairly
concludes that Brother Jonathan has fallen into.
paroxysin Of insanity Yet had the same artist
appeared in Europe forty or fifty years ago, he
would have been hailed by similar outbursts of en-.
thusasm II is the duty of an efficient and sound
press to prevent the public from putting itself In
this false position by giving it just views Of the
listing standard of artistical excellence; but, alas !
alas in the present condition of the press what
hope OF this can be entertained.
OF all the artists, vocal or instrumental, not one
really Of the first order has ever crossed the At
lantic. In saying this, we do not forget that Mali
bran, Carador, Damoreux, and Braham, have been
here. Me!ibran, however, when here, had not at
tanned her subsequent excellence. Caradori though
personally favorte neither is nor never was
artist of the first order. Damoreux retired many
years ago from the Academic Royal in conse-
- hos Aan IsntVn pNtpn hnv
able to fill that house. She then devoted several
years to the Opera Comique, smaller theatre,
producing mrsic OF less pretension, and on retiring
tDs she her ,h last r.ms fe, ,S se
artist Of the first order. Braham is miracle for
his age but Brahm ia not the Braham who has
given fame 10 the name OF Braham. 1t Is melan-
choly, considering what he was, to see him CON-
PEELED in his age, to live upon the memory OF the
past If we are asked what mean by artists OF
the first order, we admit that alter what we have
said, the question Is fair one and shall reply 10 It
We answer then that Catalan, Pasta and Grsi are
examples of female singers of the first order: that
Rubin, Lablache, Dupree are, and that Braham
of the first erder that Paganini ,oas and De Be-
not and Sivori are, vlolnsts of the first order that
lindley is a first rate vooncello, and Dragonetti
sovereign of the contra bassO--ihat ThalbeTg and
Lisiz are pre- eminent above all as pIanists. and
that Bochso is the NAPOLEON of the harp. These
and the like form the European standards of musl-
cal excellence, and when those who are allured to
their strains, and whose tastes raised 10 the
level of their excellence, hear of the extravaganl
outbreak Of uproarious applause which has marked
! the reception Of certain artists here, they very
naturally and excusaby exclam" has Brother
| Jonathan taken leave OF his senses r.
AN EUROPEAN TRAVELLER.
| IRISH MrNsTRELsy.-Mr. McMichael gave his
entertainment Of Irish Minstrelsy on Friday eve
ming with great fclat. The audience seemed TO
fully appreciate the peculiar charm of this gen.
tleman's vocal efforts and the very fashionable