Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-26
nIUSIC--nI. JULIEN.

w
Imagine musical thunder storm, in which
all the artillery and all the vivid lghtnings of
heaven are comingled imagine also frequent
ulls, when the music of the woods, the songs
of birds, and the murmurins of rvulets may
be heard, and some idea of the performances Of
Juiens matchless band may be formed.
They performed Thursday night before a
company Of twenty FIVE hundred, and last night
before larger and still more delighted com
pany. The city poured out its choicest popula
ton. All who can lay claim to beauty, taste, ell
egance, or distinction, were in attendance.
They came with high expectations left
with those expectations more than realized. One
| man can sometimes discourse most eloquent
| music" but when it is band of sixty-seven per
| formers-when every member of that band is
| eminent in his art--when that bandis Jullien's,
expectation must be high but, however
high, it will not be disappointed. After
several magnificent pieces, such as oyertures,
quadrilles, symphonies, &e., were played to
the delight and admiration Of all present, the
first part concluded with a grand national
quadrile, called "The American, in which
all Of our most stirring patriotic airs were
blended. We cannot better characterize this,
than as musical hurricane. All that is sweet
all that is melting--al that is grand and
sublime-whatever stirs the blood and ex-
cites the feelings to the highest pitch, met and
mingled here. The whole power Of the or
chestra was put into requisition in this magni-
fcent quadrille. Every performer was perfect
in his part. All together gave out an irresist-
able volume of harmonies--a concord Of sweet
sounds, that now soothed-now excited-now
enthused. When yankee Doodle was PLAYED,
the effect was electrical. 1t excited sort of pa
triotic frenzy. All in the theatre rose to their
feet, as if moved by common impulse. When
the final crash came, in which all the instruments
were taxed to their utmost capacity, and pro-
dnced n very tempest-the excitement was in.
tense. Bright eyes shone with unwonted bril-
liancy, cheeks flushed, hearts beat quick. manly
forms shook with handkerchief
waved, and the whole building resounded with
spontaneous and deafening hurrahs. The CON-
pliment was promptly responded to by NJ. Jul
lien and his orchestra, who Immediately struck
up" Hail Columbia" and played it as we never
before heard it performed.
The renowned prima donna, Mile Anna
Zerr, delighted the audience with a grand aria
and brilliant variations, composed by Proch,
and that beautiful ballad " I've been roaming"
composed by c. +. Horn. She was greeted
with great applause, and so charmed the audi
ence that they encored her over and over again.
But one of the most wonderful achievements
Of the evening was the performance, by Signor
Bottesini, Of themes selected from the opera
. La Somnambula," on the contra basso One
would as soon expect good music from an OK
cart, wheat machine, locomotive engine, as
from that huge, unwieldly, and ugly instru.
| ment. But to genius nothing is impossible,
and, TO the amazemRnt Of everybody, Signor
Bottesini drew from the uncouth instrument as
sweet, as exquisite, music as we ever heard.
He has acquired perfect mastery over it. He
runs over its strings as lady would run over
the strings of a delicate guitar. He plays upon
it the most difficult variations.
Herr Koenig with the post horn, and NJ Rel
ebert on the flute, alikeastonished and delighted
everybody. What genius, and what patient and
persevering practice it must require to attain
the perfection Of these two wonderful musicians
We did not imagine, until we heard them,
Thursday night that the horn and the flute
could be so entirely subjugated to the viii and
the power Of man,
NJ Julien as conductor is matchIess-un.
riyaIled, unapproachable He is a very mn.
steal monsrch. With his magical wand he
can evoke from his magnificent orchestra