The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-10-02
soNTAG,s SECOND CONCERT.

SONTAG'S SECOND CONCERT.
The New York Herald 10 enraptured 1t the
second concert of Sontag. 1t speaks in high
terms Of Eckart, Jael, and the child Paul Ju-
lien, who, though only thirteen years Of age,
10 said to be equal to any violinist in the world
But il goes into raptures when il speaks Of
Sontag. She was dressed in pink satin dress,
highly founced, which became her much more
than the dress she wore on the former occasion.
She sang first, The Soldier tired Of Wars
Alarms" Her next song was the +" Last Rose of
Summer" which she executed without the
slightest shake or ornament, just as the music
is written proof, we think, of her good taste,
for it is one of those little GENE, that require
no setting in fllagree to increase their beauty
or value. The Herald says she sang " it with
ineffabe beauty and pathos, every note breath
ing the sentiment of the song, and the sweet
ness of the flower it describes. There was
gentle tenderness in her tones that touched
every heart. Her sustained diminuendo on the
words nigh and flown was an exquisite
dying away of the voice, which beautifully ex
pressed the idea conveyed in the lines. The
cadence in the last line was sung with gen.
tie RIGHTEOUSNESS that seemed to emanate from
desolate breaking heart. This song proves
how well abe can sing ballads adapted to her
voice.
She was equally happy ia thesnerry Scotch
song "'Twas within mile of Edenbro town."
The Herald says her dramatic delineation
n sba I'll. LII Il.
applauded." The rest Of her songs were from
Italian operas, the works of Rossini and Done
zetti, winding mp with the celebrated Polka
Aria. Here we let the Herald tell its own tale:
The fitting finale to this delightful concert
was the celebrat ted Polka Aria, with variations
from the opera of "Le Ire Nozze," in which
Madam Sontag displayed the extraordinary
perfection OF her voice and her skill as an ar
ttste by executing every variety of diffic ulty-
runs, trills, turns, shakes-through which she
glided as gracefully and with as much preci-
sion as first rate danseuse through the maiZes
OF her performance. Variations, which are
regarded as only fit for the piano or violin.
were accompanied with the same ease as Of
the plainest bar of music.
Such is the wonderful agility Of her organ,
and such Is her perfect command over it-sO
even Is II throughout-that in this respect it re-
sembles an instrument more than the human
voice.
There may be exaggeration in all this
but there can be but little doubt that Sontag
is, in point of fact, one of the greatest vocal
lists, if not the very greatest, now living. Such
was her reputation twenty years ago, while
Malibran was still living, in the very zenith Of
her splendid abilities. Public opinion, at least
musical public opinion, was equally divided
as to their merits. Some preferred the connal-
to of the dark eyed, passionate, magnificent
Spaniard; others the soprano of the fair
skinned, modest and beautiful German. Near
ly of the same age, and enjoying an equal
share OF reputation. it was not wonderful that
they should have become rivals, or that
parfizans should have stimulated rivalry into
enmty. They kept aloof for a long time, but
at last being induned to sing duet together,
each was SO charmed with the performance
the other, that they threw themselves into each
others arms on the stage, and from that time
became warm and devoted friends.
The second house of Madame Sontag was,
if possible, larger than the first, and was more
brilliant and fashionable.