The Portland daily press., 1868-05-06


To the Editor Of the Press:
To-day the grand musical festival of the
Handel and Haydn society begins in Music
Hall with chorus of six hundred and fifty
voices and an orchestra of one hundred mu-
sicians. 1t promises to be the greatest musical
demonstration ever witnessed on this CONT
nent. If music be stimulart to mental ex-
ertion as it is claimed to be, the citizens Of the
Club" will have their minds most thoroughly
exercised during the week, and we may ex-
pect some startling displays in the moral, re-
ligious, social political world. Said Alfieri:
"Almost all my tragedies were sketched in my
mind either in the act of hearing music, or a
few hours after" Lord Bacon had music
played in the room adjoining his study; and
Milton listened to his organ for his solemn in
spirations Even the celebrated Irish orator,
Curran, always prepared some of his most elo-
quent speeches with his violin in his hand,
and who knows but Thomas Jefferson wrote
his messages, and especially his "Notes on Vir-
ginia" with his fiddle in his hand? He was
quite good violinist for that day, and it may
be, that he drew out of his instrument some
philosophical ideas. Andrew johnson is prob
ably unable to play upon any instrument; at
any rate he shows a shocking disregard of
time and harmony in his political perform
ances. Disraeli speaks of celebrated French
preacher, B ourdaloue or Massllon, who used
to play the fiddle to "screw his mind up to the
pitch, preparatory to his sermon, which, with
in short interval, he was to preach before the
Court" I once knew an aged Catholic priest
in Canada, some twenty miles from Rouse's
Point, who used to fiddle for his flock to dance
on the ground near his church after he had
gone through with the religious services of the
Sabbath. So it seems not unreasonable to ex-
poet some very brilliant poetic efforts from
Longfellow, Holmes and Lowell Immediately
after the finale OF this festival, and perhaps
Hepworth may be inspired by the big organ
and and the grand chorus to write an extraor-
binary sermon. TIL festival is now the topic
of conversation in drawing rooms, in saloons,
in public houses and at the corners of the
streets. In some good degree it atones for the
loss of the Cunard line, causes momentary
forgetfulness of the Portland and Ogdensburg
railroad, and throws impeachment into the
shade. -..... ....
The Handel and Haydn society have done
much to improve the public ear for the divine
art. Portland ought to have similar institu-
ton. There is musical talent enough in the
Forest City for such an organization, and am
quite sure the citizens would encourage and
sustain it. The enterprise ought to be started
at once, and it is strange passing strange
that the Portland singers and musicians do
not set about it. Such an institution would
prosper under proper management and serve
to educate the people up to high standard of
musical taste. 1t would be good school in
which all might learn something to their adj
vantage. Music is grand anti dote for many
social poisons. Neither men, women nor chill
dren plot mischief when listening to good mu-
sic. Let us have then, a musical society in
the Forest City Give Portland such a mu-
steal organization, the pure waters from Sc
bago, and the railroad through the Notch to
the teeming West, and she can play the game
of life alone r.