, 1872-12-20

fe9pone1pllty OF the sH1ndlers 1or IEe cT1me tney
attempted.
The Musical Festival which will Occur at Cin-
cinnati during the first week Of May, 1873, under
the direction OF Theodore Thomas, ia one Of
which the singing societies Of Chicago should
make a special note. The Committee Of that
Festival have sent out blanks to the various
societies Of the West, asking for the names Of
the properly authorized officers, and the number
Of singing members which can be present, on
return Of which sufficient number OF copies Of
the music to be sung will be sent without
charge. Thus far, no returns have been
made from Chicago, which is matter
Of regret The Festival, under the
leadership OF 80 conscientious conductor as
Theodore Thomas, cannot fail to be one Of the
g1andest musical affairs which has ever been
given in this country, and to aid in
the great work Of elevating the standard
OF music which has always boen the main ambi-
ton OF hIr. Thomas. Among the works to be
given on this occasion are Handels &c Dettingen
TIE Deum," three motets and an tsAve Verum' Of
Mozart, Beetho7en's Ninth Symphony, schu-
bert's Twenty third Psalm, and choruses OF schu-
mann, Wagner, and othors. Music Of this class
needs long and careful rehearsal, and, if any
OF our Chicago singers intend going,
they should notify the Committee
at once, so that they can secure
the music and commence study: The
circular Of invitation which has been issued
states: "In places whero the proper material
is at hand for society, hut no organization ex-
ists, this should be attended to Immediately !;
taking care to admit none who cannot read cor
rectly at sight ordinary church music, and Who
will next agree to attend faithfully al the
1ehearsa1s Of the society. The society should
number at least fifteen, and the parts should be-
proportioned about az follows Seven sopranos,
six altos, five tenors, six bassos." The Festival
will consist Of six performances, beginning On
Tuesday, the 9Th, and ending On Friday, the 9Th
day of May while Saturday, the 10th, will ba
devoted to grand open air concert.
Rev. DR.. Burt in letter to the New York
Evangelist, dated Nov. 9, gives cheering &C.
count OF the improvements and the progress OF
liberal ideas in Rome. The change that has
come over the Pontifcal States ia frat noticed
On entering them by an entire abolition OF the
passport system No superciious official de-
mands your passport, neither does he search
for and condscate pistols, OF Bibles, it one hap
pens to have them in his luggage. Once in the
city, improvements in the streets and buildings
are noticed everywhere, and, az compared with
the dead past, thrift and enterprise meet one On
every side. Either by the order Of the Govern
ment, Or from the fact that people find profit
able employment, mendicancy, heretofore 90
annoying and go disgusting, has nearly diaap-
peared from the streets.
But the most marked, and perhapg the most
wonderful, evidence Of genuine progressis found
in the newspaper press Of the ''Eternal City"
DR.. Burt ssys1
Rome now enjoys free press. Under the old rsqinz&
journalism here amounted to nothing. The press
bGeathed the spirit Of the Vatican, and gave but the
briefest resume Of general Within the Last
years there has been lu1uciant growth Of newBpa-
pers representing every principal ahade Of opinion in
sheet called La Voce della Yeita and radical sheet
equally intense called II capttaie @ Between these
Of the sentiments OF the Of the people
-one of them printed in French. Most Of your
readers hare heard Of the weekly paper, LEspera71e
started last winter, chiefly With the view Of recording
movement. This Still exists, and hope will be sus-
talned in future although there to be little open
progress Of the Old Catholics to record in Italy.
Hsh, The enterprizing seiss Times beginning to be
well known in America, now publishes a three-fold
daily edition,-one in Geneva, cnotheF in
Rome, and :, another in Nice. Then We have
American and Scotchman, besides the 1Gb<r edited
by George Macksy. The last to sheets have not yet
attained to gigantic p1oporhons-por probably to an
immense circulation. Yet they spicy itde papers
may in time advance to greater consideration. Last
winter journal published here in the interest Of
evangelical enterprise This, believe, Is to be 1a.
V17ed and continued the coming season.