The New York herald., 1844-12-20


ment.
The production OF Ole Bulls "Niagara" in
New York, is the commencement of new era in
the history of the fine arts and public taste in the
New World. Heretofore, although we have had
all the natural advantages on our side, yet our
musical excitements have all been reflected upon
US from Europe; and SO completely has taste in
this country been fetered by this sense of nferi-
ority, that we have not dared even to express an
opinion until we knew that Of Europe. Now, how
ever, we have begun a new lite. We are to orr
ginatc, while the Old World admires.
The state of the public mind in this city, at the
present moment is novel, strange and curious, be-
yond any thing even witnessed on this side Of the
Atlantic. The excitement in regard to the new
piece If Ole Bull is intense and universal. Those
who did not hear it have caught the infection from
those who did; and the only questions now discuss
ed, in all circles, are" Wasit failure z" "Was
it a triumph?'' At the tea table and in the draw
ing room, fashion and scandal give place to there
vital questions the politicians have forgotten
whether the annexation Of Texas is a whig or
democratic measure-the fnanciers in Wall street
neglect to note the variations" Of the fancies
and talk Of the soundness Of no "notes but those
Of Ole Bull
The hold which this young man has obtained
upon the hearts of the people, is truly wonderful.
Hisnam seems to bear spell. People of all classes
OF every degree-the young, the ole, the educated,
the ignorant-runa after him. as if frantic, and hang
breathless upon every sound that falls from his bow.
The rush Of waters over the great Horseshoe
Fall can best illustrate the tumultuous torrent OF
living beings that poured itself into the Opera
House on Wednesday evening. The doors were
advertised to be opened at seven but shortly after
six, groups OF gentlemen and ladies began to COL
lect on the walk in front of the house, and car
riages in scores soon came dashing up. and depo-
sitting their precious freight to swell the crowd
The air was keen and bitter beyond anything be-
fore experienced during the present season,yet the
lively expectation, the intense anxiety to once
more stand in the presence of the great Norwe-
gian magician, seemed to keep every body warm;
and the joke, the repartee and the sprghty sally OF
wit, were exchanged, apparently, with as much
ease and nonchalence in the ante-room on court
day. BY the time the doors were open, some five
hundred people had collected, and the rush through
the narrow entrances was tremendous. Several OF
the ladies were very much alarmed, and one or two
even considerably injured by the pressure of fifty
or sixty gentlemen without ladies, who pressed in
from the side lobby doors, and uncerimoniously
At length, however, all effected an entrance, and
the seats in the first tier were insantaneously fl.
led The crowd kept pouring in, until every seat,
aisle and avenue, above and below, were com.
plctely blocked up. Nothing except a political
meeting, just before election, ever equalled the
crush and excitement of the scene.
1t would seem fitting that nothing short of a hu.
man phenomenon--such as Ole Bull undoubtedly
write down the sublime harmonies OF natures
grand and eternal chaunt, which she pours forth at
Niagara IN the majesty oi her might. We have
not even to-day room or leisure to speak in detail
tHs koIA ksn,,u L.
necessarily have been nothing but ludicrous fail
ure. 1t will require more than one, or two, or half
dozen hearings, to enable any one to form COM
pstent judgment upon this effort Of Ole Bull-an
effort which he himself undoubtedly considers as
his greatest and most inspired.
The argument of the piece is palpable, and is
what we limited yesterday. At first we hear the
eternal, tremulous, massive bass, which is ever
falls, and which, to the informed ear, arranges
itself like the primitive colors in prism, into all
the fundamental chords and harmonies, and seems
to be, as it were, the tonic of the music Of crea-
ton. Gradually, and in almost imperceptbe sue
cession, fall in the other voices of the scene-the
growing and roaring OF forest beasts, the gurgng
and dashlng OF the upper waters as they leap mad
ly from their dizzy height into the whlrlpool-the
winds signing and moaning through the trees, and
singing their everlasting anthem to the thunder.
bass OF the cataract-the sharp, gay warbng OF
birds that ll the branches and, higher still. as the
great oratorle progresses, fitting dream,ke over
TIC InluSLcu Lldeb vi bUuuu, are ucdIu the VOICES
of spirits, as if dropped from the blue heaven
above, and haunting the soul,
Like the faint, exquisite music OF dreamn
The chords now, one by one, break of, the mu-
sic fades and f1utters, while the trembling bass
still goes on like the ceaseless roar Of the torrent
Of other emotions and recollections, and at last
concentrates into the wild and thrilling heart-me-
lody Of Long time ago." which is repeated and
reiterated in every. variety Of beauty and sweet
al.
to itself, and the wand Of the magician ceases to
wave. Such is an imperfect sketch of" Niagara"
The scene at the fall Of the curtain was one OF
the strangest character ever witnessed in a
plelion in every part; and the great master, at
every entrance and exit, was loudly applauded, al
though the nieces had all been played before, and
were familiar to every one But the !" Niagara
which was evidently the great object of curiosity
and anxiety with the attentive, patient and densey
packed audience-when it ,Uas at last heard, was
received with the deepest and most profound 81
lence! The music ceased almost without any one
see ming to know it, Ole Bull bowed very politely
and quietly, as IT he were placing his partner in
quadrille, and walked of the stage with perfect
GOODNESS. The audience stared at the stage, and
then at each other; the ladies adjusted their coaks
and hoods, took up their niuffs and squeezed them
selves into the thronged aisles Every body ap-
peared stupified and overwhelmed, aud every body
Inquired, with the eyes, Of his companion or his
nelghbor, "What does it mean? what has hap
p6NeQ 10 uS dllt Lie WHOlc duOlcuce mus passed
out in the most profound silence, and left the house
without the slightest demonstration of pleasure or
displeasure, or even any indication of conscious.
ness that any body had been trying to please them
and momentally spreading and becoming fiercer
and more bitter-"Was it a failure?'' "Was il q
triumph!' All classes of society are inevitably
drawn into the contest, and at the next concert Of
Ole Bull we may expect the most curious and ex-
citing scenes. The old French Clique here
cordially hate Ole Bull for his exterrninatine
triumphs over their great champions, Veuxtemps
and Artot, and they will gladly seize hold Of the
present lnexpicable confusion in the public mind,
and try TO turn it to his disadvantage. At first,
many will disbelieve, who will hereafter be hear
ty ashamed of their infideity; for the "Niagara''
is undoubtedly a work OF even more than genius
il is inspiration. Nothing can put it down or over
waters OF Niagara from their sublime catastrophe,
as to keep back this triumphant effort of the great
genius OF the North. We have taken peculiar