The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-05-12

Letter from Boston.
Close Of the Musical Festtoal--tlse Creation and
| the MesSidh-GrOlOM of Boston -ReU M
| 1yng Jr.-the king Of Pain"
BOSTON, May II, 1868.
To the Editor Of The Press:
Saturday afternoon a grand orchestral and
vocal concert was given to a crowded house
Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony was
| performed for the first time in this country 1t
was most admirably rendered. The different
movements are very fine and the music is of a
very pleasing character. Miss Phillips render
| Mozlrts song, ''Voi che sapete," in q very ac-
| ceptable manner as she always does every
thing she undertakes. But the great attrac-
ton on this occasion was Miss Aide Topp who
| has made herself a great favorite in Boston
| When she entered upon the stage she was
| greeted with much enthusiasm. When Bos-
tonians get a notion into their heads they ale
quite apt to stick to it very persistently Tor
short time at least. But Miss Tops playing
is really extraordinary and her musical accom-
plishments justify the enthusiastic reception
| she has met with here. She rendered LISTS
concerto for piano-forte (E fiat major) with
| great skill. Her touch is clear, distinct, her
oN-AN'
ceedingly rapid. Many amateurs place her
ahead of any pianist that has ever visited our
country, and connoisseurs esteem her very
highly and place her in the front rank of play
ers. Perhaps the citizens of Portland will
have the pleasure of hearing her, and then
they can judge for themselves.
Saturday evening Haydn's Creation was
| performed before an immense audience. The
principal vocalists were Madam Parepa Rosa,
Mn. James Whitney, Mr.. j. E. Winck and Mr.
N. w. Whitney. With such an array of mu-
| steal talent it might be expected that justice
| would be done to this great composition The
chorus singers and all the Instrumental
lists were quite up to the mark Unlike Han
dePs Samson the music of this oratorio is
rather descriptive than dramatic. The air
"on mighty pens" was sung by Madame Parepa
Rosa with great effect No living mortal can
do it better If as well. Having perfect con-
ception of the great authors meaning and
possessing voice Of great compass, power
and sweetness, she was able to give every
shade and color to the music which the au-
| thor intended. With little aid from warm
imagination, the listener had no difficulty in
oceIng the eagle c1eaSe die shy III Cne race of
blazing sun, hearing the merry lark welcome
the morn, the cooling dove calling his tender
mate and the nightingale S delgh tful notes re-
sounding from every bush and grove for as yet
'no grief affected her breast, nor to mourn
full tale was tuned her soft, enchanting lay"
What subject for a song and how wonder
fully composed and admirably sung.
The grand and fitting finale to this festival
was HandsfS Messiah which was performed
Sabbath evening, before multitude that
crowded every part of the hall. The princi-
pal yocalists were Madame Parepa-Rosa, AIDE
aide Phillips, George Simpson and M. w.
Whitney. The music of the Messiah is of a
deeply devotional character, and portions Of
it represent the most touching grief and the
sublimest joy. The air Il know that my Re
deemer liveth," sung by Parepa, made deep
impression upon the audience. Miss Phillips
rendered her roles finely, and so did all the
others. AS whole it was a magnificent per-
formanee and will long be remembered by
those who heard it. The public are greatly
endebted to the Boston Handel and Hayden
Society for such rare and rich musical enter
tainment as was given last week land 1 am hap
Ply to be able to say the public Lave nobly sus-
tanned them. Mr.. Loring B. Barnes the secreta-
ry' and other officers of the society, have been
indefatigable in their exertions to make this |
the best musical exhibition ever witnessed in
this country, and they have nobly succeeded |
Musical taste has received new impulse, and |
much has been done in the way of musical ed |
ucaton.
During the last week. the streets of the lily |
have made a lively show. The sidewalks on
the northerly end of Washington street and
others in that vicinity have been crowded so
that il was often quite severe task to elbow
ones way through the masses In the old
part of the town the streets will probably re-
main crooked and narrow another generation. |
The tide of fashion has been for few years |
and now is tending south. Even the dwellers
on fremont street, near the Common, have |
palled up stakes and sought more aristocratic |
ground, and their mansions are turned into |
milliners' shops, dressmakers rooms harness |
makers shops and doctors residences where |
bonDets, dresses, harnesses and pills are |
made and sold. Perhaps Beacon street will |
yet give way and all the aristoc racy remove |
to the southern part of the city and to ''Back |
Bay"
In the vicinity OF the st. James Hotel the |
streets are wide and airy. Two beautiful |
parks are made, one fronting the hotel and |
the other upon the western side of Washing |
ton street. Near by stands Catholic College |
and adjoining it is the church of the ImMacu-
late Conception, massive building of granite.
The grounds about these buildings are beau
tifnliy laid out and ornamented with fount-
aims, trees and graveied walks.
the Catholics are also building a cathedral I
on Washington Street in this section of the
CITY. Its foundations are laid on a grand
scale. When finished it will be a magnif-
cent pile, and must cost millions The
scum part OF the city has nearly all been |
pun up within the last fifteen years and
now contains The fashionable residences
few years ago and all this was waste land.
Whether Boston will grow as fast for tbe
next fifteen years as she has for the MAST f;f
teen is problematical.
Yesterday Rev. Mr.; Tying, the younger,
preached in Park Street church Having
heard much of his independent religious
thought [ had the curiosity to hear him.
l found my way in the morning 10 the church
and "A large congregation was present All
the seats were filled and so were the aisles.
sus, the king of the jews" 1 have not the
space to give even an outline of the
discourse. Speaking of the Cross, he
said no church could monopolize it; all the
churches combined could not do it, for it is
given to the whole world. His sermon was
admirably written and delivered with much
pathos and power. His manner was earnest
his gestures nervous, graceful and appropri-
ate and he often rises to imprisoned elo-
quence. His sermon was severely orthodox
and he gave unrepentant sinners not much 10
hope for in the coming word. He is young
man Of marked ability, and the more the
members Of his church persecute him the
m lTeh!s infiuei c. will increase.
lave not much space left Tor the sights to
be sc en- here. ] noticed one turnout that
much attention. 1t was a team of
Jour splendid gray horses attached to a fine
carriage Tue owner, Or hicer, [ don't know
which, sat on the back seat and his trumne
ter on the forward one. He is driven throuob
the streets and occasionally his trnmneter
blows a blast Th;s gentleman is a doctor
aud styles himself 1.-THE King of Pain" He
IS an odd fish. His form is tall, slender and
straight, his face thin, nose sharp, eyes dark
ana i unken, and his long hair hangs in cur inc
ibiin l over his neck and shoulders What
sin cI process of killing pain and healing the
mari rs, whether by medicine magnetism, mes
than S Il l.. or some other hocus pocus, is more
for "a" cns know. He probably finds fools enough
b.