The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-05-20
second Might Of Traydn,. Crea,lon.


The vocal and instrumental performers of the
Oratorio were greeted last evening by another
large and brilliant audience That the render
ing of this varied and extraordinary music was
fully equal to that of the first night, hundreds
can bear witness. We should be inclined to
pronounce it better were it not so difficult,
as it always is, to distinguish the delicate and
fine shades of difference between performance
es of high order and of decided artistic mer-
it. The singers of our city have ON both occa-
sions shown themselves able to grapple with
any Oratorio and to render it with the spirit
and with the understanding also. We have
heard the Creation performed several times in
Boston and once in New York, and we do not
hesitate to say we have never heard it render
ed in a truer spirit or in better STYLE We
are glad it was so, because our citizens must
feel that their liberal patronage has not been
given to this musical enterprise in vain There
is indeed musical tide here which has been
taken at the flood, and our citizens may be as
sured that our musical talent will not remain
dormant as it unfortunately has in past years.
A new impulse has been given to 1t which will
not cease until permanent musical society is
formed which is destined, we trust and believe,
to become one of our best institutions.
We have before said that in city as large as
ours society is not complete without such mu.
steal organization. Herbert Spencer has well
said that Emusic is the idealized expression of
natural emotions" 1t is SO, and its central and
fundamental essence and the scope of its crea-
ton are for the benefit of humanity. And if we
neglect its cultivation, and treat the gift as if
we despised it, society loses one of its best re-
fning instrumentalities. Now that this enter
prise has been crowned with complete success
we may be permitted to say few words of ex-
PLANTATION. During the progress of this enter
prise we have heard many express their doubts
of its success, especially since it had become
known that Madame Parepa-Rosa would not
be here. And some have gone SO far as to say
that they didn't believe she ever thought of
coming, and the whole thing was humbug,
Sc. These runners have been quite unpleas-
ant to us, and yet we have foreborne to con-
tradict them until now. We usually let such
rumors which generally have their source in
prejudiced minds, pass without notice, we'll
knowing their falsity and that the TRUTH would
ct last show itself clear
1t is true that this enterprise was started at
the particular request of Madame, and there is
not shadow of doubt of her desire and inten-
ton of being here to assist in the performance
of the Creation. We have not space to notice
all the kilograms and letters that passed be-
tween ms and her husband and agent. Nor is
it necessary. Carl Rosa wrote us from Balti-
more that he thought he would be here in Feb
ruary last. Again he thought some time in
March. Parepas being Sick no doubt, upset
many of her plans and appointments Again,
May was the month, and all the time they in
tended to come. The 18th of April Rosa tele-
graphed that he would SIX the time definitely
in one week" We waited two weeks, and he
fixed upon no time. Mr.. Kotsehmar had en-
tered Into the work of conducting the rehears-
ais with his whole heart. Finally, we fixed
upon the 18th and 10Th of May as the time and
engaged the Germania Band at the request OF
Kotzschmar; for he knew too much about his
business to be caught in conducting it without
q reliable orchestra. The Portland Band was
too much occupied to attend rehearsals and
therefore they were out of the question:
We telsgraphed Rosa that we had appointed
the days and also wrote him the reasons-our
engaging the Germanians-could not have
them at any other time, sc. Rosa telegraph
ed back, "We will try" and yet expressed
some doubts. A few days later he telegraphed
"We will como the 18th and 18th of May
And all this in spite of our kilograms and let
tiers informing him of the time and the en-
gagement of the Germania Band We imme-
diately telegraphed bask, "Change your pro-
IL. e.
we received letter from Madame herself, in
which she expressed her regret that she could
not be here, and also her determination to
come here in the course of the season. That
letter closed the correspondence.
Now we beg those who have any suspicious
still lingering in their minds about humbugs
and that sort of thing to discard them at once
and forever. The whole affair has been con-
Quoted in good faith, and thanks to Mr.. Kotzsch-
mar and many others who have fought the
thing through and won a substantial victory.
would be sustained by healthy pubic ssnti-.
ment. Prof Gervinus in his work on Shakes
peare and Haydn speaks of certain charac-
tiers who talk about music and entertain Pc
culiar theories, such as intellectual physicists
anu Aaoon-struok dI1-urSssntcIc, SySte HatiAiHS
philosophers and subtiizing artists and adopts;
rigorous connoisseurs with their onesided ex-
elusiveness; super-fne dilittanti with their
fnical daintiness; thinking heads that cannot
feel; sensitive souls that cannot think and
ticklish-eared voluptuaries who can neither
think nor feel" Now we trust we have none
of such classes among us and that our singers
and instrumentalists will unite and go ahead
in the good work that has such an auspicious
beginning. The evidence is full that our citi-
zens will sustain them.