Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-02-27
From ae Ven orleans pe,sa, Fss: 20.
ThaIburg and Vieuxtemps.

There is nothing probably more sickening |
10 the public as well as discouraging to the |
true artist, than the extravagant and inds- |
eliminate praise lavished by the press general
ly on the miserable fifth-rate shams with whom
this city is periodically infested. AT the risk
Of making enemies by refusing to follow abun-
dant example, we have studiously abstained
from the exclusive use of the superlative, in
order that we might have some terms left in
the vocabulary of praise TO bestow on the ad-
vent of artists who really deserve them. For
once, we feel no hesitation in casting aside our
habitual reserve, and are willing tolgive full
expression to our unfeigned admiration for
the two greatest masters of the two most per-
feet instruments Of modern times who have
come among us, with the n.tg7naafur of unrival-
ed excellence affixed upon them by an admiring
world.
Thalberg and Vieuxtemps, though I'M
doubtediy the most correct and classic per-
formers Of the day. are, perhaps. on this very
account precludtd from becoming universal
ly popular in the United States. They neither
roll their eyes, nor distort their faces, nor
sway their bodies to and fro nor do they in
du,ge in other extravagant demonstrations,
generally accounted acceptable to the million.
They claim TO be nothing more than simple
unpretending gentlemen, who have too high
an opinion of art to prostitute it by resort to
theatrical clap-trap. They act on the princi-
pie that success which can not be obtained by
their artistic merits alone is not worth a
chewing. They have paid the American pub
lie the compliment of regarding it emanci-
pated from the empire of Barnum. and as capa-
BILE of forming an Independent judgment Gifts
own. In New Orleans, where the % divine
art " is Justly looked upon as one of the
household gods, this compliment has been fully
appreciated as is proved, night after night, by
the largest audiences ever assembled In Odd
Fellows Hall.
Several of the law-giving coteies at the
North, inflated with pretensions to superior
critical knowledge, have pronounced Thalberg
to be inferior to Leopold de Meyer, and have
llaced Vieuxtemps at an immense distance
below Ole Bull Because Thalberg sits quiet
y in his seat, without endeavoring to put his
feet on the keys, and without breaking seve-
raj strings every time he plays, many people
suppose that he can not be great artist.
They say that music which requires so little
apparent eXertion in its execution is no music
at all. Thalberg is certainly :, remarkable in
stance of simplicity and calm self-possession;
in this respect he differs materially from his
great and only rival, Franz List. The latter
is Just as remarkable for his digital rapidity
and surprising mechanical execution, the
former is for smoOthness and accuracy Of
style. LisZt never enters concert-room
without attempting to galvanize and fascinate
the audience by his chances and eccentric GEES
lures. He throws himself upon the piano
like raging lion as if to crush it with his
mighty hands, while Thalberg caresses the in
etfIment lovingly, as if to WOO from it its
most secret thoughts. List astOnisht You by
accommodating unheard of difficulties; Thalberg
touches the heart, by the suavity of his exc
cution and allows his individuality to he
eclipsed. for the time being, by the instru-
ment of which he appears to form part. A
celebrated Partisan critic once expressed his
admiration at the performance of Gottschalk
because he had only missed three notes in the
1 course of all evening. What can be said of
the marvellous accuracy of Tnalberg, who
was never known to make in public a single
falls, note?
We have heard many performers rIay on
the piano. Thalberg is the only one who is ca
pable of making that instrument sing. This
phenomenon must be attributed to his intense
feeling and To his velvety touch. In his most
complicated passages, overcharged with Torture
and adorned as it were, with elegant iligree-
work, the original melody always predom-
mates and il well accumulated. Such is his
admirable manner of binding TIE notes togeth-
er aud of holding them, by substituting one
finger for another, that he almost lends to the
piano the only quality it wants, that of swell
/ ing the sound.
But the greatest merit of this remarkable
man does not consist in his manner of execut-
ing. 1t is as "A musical composer and arranger
that he stands pre-eminent. His fantdsiaS and
3 studies will not bear a comparison as musical
productions with the fvg,teS, SoHatIs and con-
certIS of the old classic masters, but they are
Just as superior to the latter in effect. AS the
| modern seven-octave grand piano of Erard is
TO the tOur-octave hurdy- gurdy ctdUeciR OF our
ancestors. Thalberg is emphatically sue
Z cessful musical reformer, and propagandist,
I too, for he has carried with him to almost
every portion of the civilized globe. the latest
and most perfect expression of piano COM
position-hs own unrivaled productions If
space permitted, we would enlarge upon his
4; theory, as propounded in his cart of Singing
Is applied 10 the Piano" Suffice it 10 say,
; that it consists in idealizing the piano by Civ
4 ing il proper expression and by causing is TO
f, resemble as much as possible the human voice
| the most ,rfect of all instruments. Without
! such id 'allZatOn the piano If hardly superior
! 10 the musiCal-boX or TO the hand-organ. In
stead OF the meager accords, monotonous nc
compartments and interminal4e variations
that were fashionable some twenty-five years
! ago, thanks To Thalberg's admirable develop
1 meut of the resources of the piano, it now
4 scarcely falls short of full orchestra with all
| its appliances. His two hands and ten finger.
now accomplish what formerly could scarcely
/ have been done with three times the number
| The only objection TO bis style OF writing il
v
1 may be excused by the eAigency OF the present
J musical taste
J YieuXtemps in many respects tue alter egc
! of Thalberg. is not lcss remarkable than tn,
great pianist for the classical severity. simple
} ity and correctness of his method In an III
! strument where every note has to be found by
| intuition, his faultlesS intonation il almost in
! comprehensive. We never, before, heard {
| yiulinist who did not occasionally play on
] - l,rikr in ta1fs
/ where the slightest and almost imperceptibl,
/ deviation OF the finger is sufficient To produc,
, horrible discord. Never was there such
Z consummate Use of the bow rs that OF Nieux
! temps; il is study to watch the play of Lil
! right arm. His tre8aOLO and stizzioao PASSAGE
! are truly surprising. Like Paganini, his i'm
| mortal prototyp,, he canses his instrument a
| me moment to sigh aud weep in the mos
] Ieart-rendmg manner, while ut the nead mo
| mcnt il convuls,s the audience with laughter
l Who would suppose that horse-hair draw
l across cat-gut was capable of producing suct
( a variety of wonderful effects! VieuXtemp
! never fails To meet with the vociterous APP
! plause of the male portion of the audience
this may be accounted for by their greaIel
, familiarity with an instrument for which mos
! men, ut some period of their lives, have beer
I afflicted with an unhappy attachment, pecu
iarly excruciating To their friends aud neigh
| boys.
OF the other performers il is perhaps BEES
| not TO say too much. Minor luminaries neces
<arily hide their diminished heads when sur
uunded by stars oil the lrst magnitude. Mis-
Annie Kemp sings in simple unafIectet
manner her voice is fresh full co,t,raito hei
ower register being particularly fine. Sh'
tacks. however, that SACRED fire the heav
.nly gilt. without which voice and mnsica
raining are rs nothing. Madame Johannsci
! sings correctly and vocaliz in a creditabl
J manner. AUdsvan has a fair iarytonc voice
lie onght not 10 attempt the bailao style, un
less he eau make more out Of il than h. dit