The Portland daily press., 1872-06-29


First District-JOHN II. BURLEIGH 20.
Second District WILLIAM p. FRYE. s..T
Third District-JAlfES G. BLAINE +..
Jubilee Music Not on any Programme.
For those who have neither the time nor
the money to attend the Boston Jubilee it is
fortunate that there is such thing as a
newspaper. For thus they not only catch an
echo from the grand chorus and orchestra,
but are enabled to hear with great distinct
ness BendePs pianissimo passages which are
swallowed up in the immeasurable space of
the great coliseum and elude the strained
ears of his immediate auditors. For our part
we have rarely seen anything better calcula-
ted to excite interest and stimulate the imag-
account of the triumphs of the successive
days. But it is the sense of humor which
finds the most unalloyed satisfaction in the
various reports of the proceedings. Until
now we have always believed that the delic-
ious scene in Peg Wofington, Charles Reade's
one good story, in which the pretentious ego
tism and meaningless phraseology of art criti-
cism are satirized, was merely piece of wild
extravaganza. 1t will be remembered that
poor Triplet, having painted a portrait of Peg
Wellington, is is an agony of apprehension
over the expected visit of the celebrated crit
les, Snarl and Soaper, accompanied by Colley
Cibber and other friends. The good-natured
Mrs. Wellington thereupon cuts hole in the
canvass and substitutes her own head and
face for that of the picture, the accessories
being so arranged by Triplet as to aid the de-
ception. The portentously critical company
are then admitted. They one and all begin
to jeer and fout at it under the leadership of
Snarl. They find it wholly wanting in merit
and especially in truth to nature" The
face wants softness of outline" the lights
and shades and the chiaro scuro, as Mr..
Snarl terms it, were all wrong. 'sThe nose
in NATURE" said Mr.. Snarl, ''intercepting the
light on one side of the face, throws of neces-
sisy shadow under the eye," for ignoring
which canon of art criticism he severely re-
preached Wofington's living face. And SO
they all went merrily on till the picture found
voice that overwhelmed them and drove
them out still maintaining that they were
right on "the unalterable principles of art"
This scene no longer seems overdrawn. The
legions Ofmusical critics who have assembled
at Boston to air their stock of good
phrases to the utter confusion and dis
may of unprofessional readers, have met
with little accident that may be regard
ed by some cynical persons as evidence that
they make merely mechanical, unintelli-
gent use of the fine technical terms of their
fesn-ka-Loytner as a Boston paper obliging-
ly informs us-was down on the programme
for Mozart's magic Flute" When the dis
tinguished lady made her appearance the ten
score critics glanced at their programmes and
muttered 9approvingly, sAh, yes, Mozart's
Magic FluteH' and began as they followed the
"sartiste's" rendering" of this fine 'snum-
ber," to dress up their reflections and emo
tions in appropriate language for transmits
mission by telegraph to their res pective jour-
nails. So they went into agonies of teehn-
cality over Peschka-Leutner's singing of Mo
zart's Magic Flute, taking especial pains to
characterize the ''forid composition in a
hundred profoundly sagacious ways. They
all spoke with enthusiasm of the sexpress-
ion," the eight and shade" the spirit 1.-THE
fire and brilliancy." We were rendered
dumb with awful respect when told of the
grand foritares, the ''unity" (more imposing
than the old philosophical ''un.ties") and
the movement of the ensemble''i Four ire
mendous fellows from New York, represent
ing the four great journals of the metropolis
led all the rest in their expressions of enthu- |
siasm for the Magic Flute. But Pescbka-
Leutner didn't sing anything from the Magic
Flute, the management having soul above
programmes and having substituted Proch's
Air and Variations for Mozart's COMPOST
lion! So say the Peg Wofingtons of the Bos-
ton papers, who now strut out from behind
the canvas and laugh in the faces of their
New York brethren.
This Jealousy existing between New York
lnd Boston is another amusing feature of the
lfalr. 10 one reading the newspapers of
he former city it would appear that crowd
" country people had assembled in a New
England barn to enjoy in characteristic bucol-
c fashion the singing of familiar old 'fpenny-
oyaP' hymns" And this in spite of Strauss
5endel, Abt, Leutner, Goddard, Rudersdorf.
he Guards, Garde Republicaine and all the
est a fst )ss-
But there is a climax of fun i'm the entbu-
lasm of the press reporter to which we have
iready referred. Having used up all his SUI
eriatlves and intensives on the very first day
the festival, he has since exhausted every
esource OF his ingenuity to find words and
hrases IN which to express his appreciation
tne marvels of sound that assail his in
oxlcated senses. And the enthusiasm of the
udience! If this informant is to be credited.
IL that the world has seen hitherto is tame
comparison. The concave having been
ent so often by the shouts of the number
IS thousands who assemble beneath the col +,
cum root, we fear the reason of the report-
VIII give way in the vain effort to find fit :
ng expression for the general climax oftbings
urllg the present week. However, his genius {
alertlie one, and we shall look to see him tel, {
oW In fury of delighted establishment r
xty thousand gentlemen cast their nIno, t
ats upon the stage in lieu of floral tributes. n
oW fifteen thousand ladies rushed simuta. b
eously from all parts of the building, each t
'med with pair of scissors and each de-
rmlned to ravish a lock of Strauss divine
ar or perish in the attempt; how ship !
ty miles out at sea was rocked to and fro .
some unknown force which afterwards
owed to be the agitation of the depths bv
outburst OF applause on account of the
ldience's delight on perceiving the grand
unity and movement of the ensemble, in .
piece performed by the French band.
Portland and Rochester. T