The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-04-05
Music.
In all ages, and among all people-savag'

In all ages, and among all people-savage,
halfcivilized, civilized and enlightened-the
charm of music has had its sway over all
other elements that the human mind Is en-
dowed with to CRAFTY and please the human
heart. That Emusic hath charms to soothe
the savage breast" is no less poetic than
an absolute fact-of which we have daily
evidence on our own frontier, where the
Dakota maiden is wooed and won by the
three simple notes Of her lovers uncouth
cedar flute. "Give me the writing Of the
songs Of nation, and care not who make
their laws" is noted apothegm Of phil
osopher of modern times. And so it is
Among all modern nations of the world,
it must be admitted that the Germans have
brought the science of Music to degree OF
perfection, as an institution of the people,
far exceeding any other nation. Italy has
cultivated the science, and has produced some
of the greatest masters and prima donas the
world has ever known !; buta knowledge ofthe
intricacies of the sublime art does not exist
among the masses of Italy as it does in
Germany. The same may be said of France
and as for England, she is, and always has
been, measurably behind any of the highly
civilized continental nations of Europe. But
show us an averagely educated German, of
either sex, who does not understand music,
and we Will show you curiosity almost as
great as genuine mermaid.
AS in all Western cities of the size of St.
Paul, the German element Of our foreign
population largely predominates. 1t is not
surprising, therefore, that out of one or two
thousand of these musical people, there
should be found here material requisite for
forming almost any number of musical So
cieties-the members possessing education
and taste sufficient to render correctly before
public audience the beauties of their great
countrymen, Mozart, Handel, Haydn, Men
delshonn, Weber, &c. One society of this
kind has already been formed, under the
style of the 'Freier Saengerbund of St. Pau"
and on Monday evening the association gave
its first Concert at Market Hall. We pro-
TESS to be not musical critics but we can tell
when anything in the line of music pleases
us; and this is the way, we think, that
music should be judged by all people who
are not themselves musicians. 10 say that
the quartettes, choruses, &C., given by the
young gentlemen of the Saengerbund on this
occasion were simply pleasing, would be
damning with faint praise. 1t is but justice
to state, that most of the pieces were sung
in most excellent style and spirit, and that
we, as we'll as the entire audience present,
were delighted with the performance; altho'
Professor Zanzius, the Director, claims this
first concert as a mere rehearsal. This gen
tleman, and many other members of the
society, sing with taste and cultivation
of voice that would do no disgrace to the
operate stage in any country.
We hope that the Saengerbund will favor
us yet during this dull season of the year
with one or two more concerts, and that
next winter they will be prepared to give at
least series of semi-monthly entertain
ments upon more extended scale. We
guarantee that patronage will not be wanting
to sustain the enterprise.
The entertainment of Monday evening
was concluded by ball, at which the dane
ing and waltzing portion Of the audience
amused themselves till late hour.