The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-04-28
THE CoNcERr MONDAY MONT.

EDITORS NEWS: 1haye never seen the stage
SO attractive as it was Monday night, except
on alternate Wednesday evenings when it was
stacked with the chairs whereon the goodly
audience Monday night took solid comfort, and
the hall before. was cleared for dancing. Il
came near saying, was cleared for the trip
ping Of the eight fantastic toe" but restrain
ed myself not wishing even to have the appear
anee Of making for some Of the sensitive club
members unpleasant feelings. 1t does one good
to have home talent before onc-to see home
faees-to hear home voices. There is a COM
pletenes OF enjoyment and fuIlness OF satisfac-
ton in It that at other entertainments we fail
TO feel. That which belongs TO us-is ours
our own; and Is with us-part Of us-is bet
ter to US than Christina Nilsson two thousand
miles away. Sensible people, in the main,
realize this fact, and the large and responsive
audience present shows in what favor the ef-
fort Monday night was held.
Now, L do not know anything about music,
nor do pretend TO. II say Anything any
one does not Ike, hope that one will attrib-
ute it TO my ignorance, not my i'll Will. As
yet my sensibility preponderates over my rea-
son; though in time, after more Of those
delightful "9nions,'' hope it will be other
wise. l only know, now, when ap pleased,
and am not competent to decide whether my
pleasure and agreeable sensations are derived
from that which is good, bad or Indifferent.
From this ''stand point,s though not wo-
mans, shall speak.
In the first place, I might as well say, once
and for all, thai the choruses were good; and
it would have been just as well If not better,
had there been larger number on the pro-
gramme. The last, Joy, JOY, Freedom To-
dav In hasf
perhaps, / am lead to say SO because it ards the
1ast, and therefore freshest in my mind, and
was given with force and nicely.
The song by the "Haymakers' was, in some
respects, fair, IT could have been better. Lit.
tie affectations or peculiarities in performers
before the public are very noticeable, and
sometimes partly disgusting. Men and We
men must DO what they have to do honestly,
earnestly, and without too strong q conscious
ness of their own ability, If they would win
and keep the appreciation Of their audience.
liked show Good is He the Giyer'' myself.
That is, was not strongly disposed to find
fault with it. But am so weak as to admit
Ito say nothing of the weakness of the prin-
ciple-that my opinion was somewhat changed
by remarks about me, and my judgment, per-
haps, warped from the right. Still, how could
but be little shaken in my beliefs, when
the lady Immediately in front of me said, not
thinking she would be overheard, ''It was
enough TO kill CATS This, L presume, is an
expression the significance of which am ig-
norant, my store Of knowledge, musically,
being small,
"Back to Our Mountains" was decidedly
poor. 1t was sung without spirit feeling or
earnestness. The same is true of the "Sea
Rover" Indeed, failed to see the use Of Mr..
Battey, unless it consisted in wheeling the pi-
ano from one place to another. Certainly his
voice is not good, AS far as taste, Judgement
and accuracy are concerned, he may be per-
feet; but a singer TO charm, please or interest
he most certainly is not. He may have had
cold that night. Shall hope ne hadg
The instrumental music was, guess, good;
the duet being especially so.
The voice of the singer of the bird Song''
was very sweet and full, and of good compass,
though it lacked somewhat Of clearness. EX-
cepting this huskiness in the Throat, her voice,
think, is the best and richest Of the three
lady solo singers. This lady certainly deserv-
ed an encore, if any did, and an audience
should be careful to bestow equal applause
upon those who equally deserve it. L would
add, however, that the only encore came most
Iy from . corner prejudiced in the performers
favor, and the audience, In the main, was dis
posed to be fair,
''If Thou Couldst Know" was emphaticaIly
the song of the evening. The singer lacks
power, but she sings with grace, animation
and expression.
The last solo singer gaveS'rm Merry lin
gara' well, but did not at times control her
voice perfectly, it flying OF now and then on a
tangent.
The stage vas tastefully arranged. Father
and mother Washington looked out hepignant-
ly on their Kansas children. 1t was an enjoy
able evening. Let us have more music and
more sociability generally. JUSTICE.