Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-30

"HntcrMaIfOnaI HARMONY
The London Times of July 16 prints, under
this title, a graphic account of "the English
day" at the coliseum, from which we make the
following extract:
The British band of musicians had marched
into Boston on the very day, almost century
gone, when their couutrymen marched in their
red, brave lines up the slope of Bunker's hill,
REDEEMED by the first conflict that sundered the
English speaking race in twain. This very
hour, the same space between hundreds of Eug-
lish soldiers, who fell on that day, were being
laid in thin red line in a soldiers grave. They
fought and tell in the very uniform worn by
their grandsons now before US. They charged
up those embattled nights in the same tall bear
skin caps. The thoughtful minutes were full of
memories and associations that reached into the
histories OF other nations, and which the scene
brought home to our reflections with the fresh
ness OF yesterdays events. This day, fifty-seven
years ago, the fathers of this relocated band
before us marched away from the field of Water
loo, filling the air of heaven with their loudest
strains OF victory. And here stood now these
sons in the same Stalwart, solid stature, waiting
lul in the tempest Of cheers to pour forth the
mellow music of human brotherhood. Here
were the rival bands of France and Germany to
listen with the great multitude to the British
overture, and TO respond with their best music
each on the day set apart TO its nation.
1t needed but a minute, for mind awake TO
the inspiration of the scene, to bring all these
historical incidents and associations to vivid
focus of view and reflection. Out of the midst
of these in living presence the band leaders
wand gave the signal. As if all those instru-
ments had but one breath, their voices poured
out flood of music so pure. sweet and full.
that even to call it Silyery would suggest me-
tallic accent which would not do it Justice In
deed, to common ears, it would seem impossible
that brass silver, or gold could be trained TO
such music of tongue that the natIlr-
al accent of neither could be recognized in the
highest tides of their symphony AT their ofti-
est reach, bugles, cOrnets clarionetS and all the
other instruments, blended in such soft rotund-
ity of utterance that it sounded almost with
plaintiye cadence And this quality was well
fitted to feast lively imag.hsiOn with pleasant
tancies AS the tall grenadierS stood at the base
of that choral mountain, facing the spell-bound
thousands in its towering heights, they seemed
to be rehearsing the experience of the common
mother country since the day when her eldest
daughter went out TO set up separate home of
her own They seemed to be telling mothers
story to daughter, not proudly, but gently and
tenderly, with a mothers voice, as soft as over
with her first Affection 1t sounded like a story
here and there wet with falling tear. and
tremulous with the movement of SIGH at some
sad memory that mingled with the thought of
intervening years. Then as if the whole cho-
raj had been touched to deepest interest in the
sentiment of the story, they rose suddenly to
their feet to respond to it, Their response
seemed spontaneous and instantaneous ex-
preston OF this feeling Its words appeared to
come to their lips as naturally as the smile to
their eyes at the first outburst of those enwrap-
turing strains. At such a moment not soul
in the great multitude could have thought of
any other responding words that God save the
Queen"
rft,
was the English national anthem sung by so
many human tongues and hearts under one
root. Nowhere under the British sceptre though
the linked continents and islands that own its
sway shall belt the great globe itself, will that
anthem be so sung again. Here, in sight of
BunkeTs hill, and on the very anniversary of
that memorable day in our common history
the granddaughter of George III. received he
grandest choral ovation that ever honored A
human sovereign. Twenty-Five thousand Amer
lean hearts, and nearly as many of their voices
mingled in the uprising flood as the one "voice
of many waters" All the varied and vast in
strumentalities that human skill and renius
could train to musical utterance seemed touched
with spontaneous inspiration. The great organ
played by tiller-rods as long as a steamships
keel, put in the emphasis of its mighty bass
Scores of brass cannon, whose swift KEYS were
touched by electric nerves like the wires of
piano, beat time with the accents of their deep
mountain and out upon the human sea rolled
the ground swell of the anthem. Anon, Gil.
more, the Napoleon of the Jubilee leaned over
on one foot and smote with his wand at this side
and that of the myriad-voiced mountain. like
another Moses at Horeb, and deepening tor
rent OF melody gushed out into the careerinr
flood. At that sublime moment how MANY
thousands wished that Queen Victoria had been
present in person to hear how American tonpucs
and hearts could sing the benediction of that
national hymn!
But the climax of motion had not vet been
reached. Seemingly spontaneous as "God Save
the Queen" had been the response TO the over
ture of the Grenadier band, we all knew that il
was so put down in the programme As natural
and fitting as il was, its expectation essened the
pleasing effect of spontaneous Inspiration. But
what followed was as unexpected as a choral
song from the clouds. Hardly had the ebb and
now OF the British national anthem subsidized
INTO their expiring ripple, when a sudden wave
OF the leaders wand over that thin, red line
brought out "The Star Spangled Banner in ali
the proud glory that the best musical instru
ments in the wide world could give TO it. II
was a Roland for an Oliver in the happest sense
OF brotherhood. II God Save the Queen was
never sung with such concert of heart and voice
as here under Bunkcr's Hill, it was eonolIv
true that "The Star Spangled Banner'' was
never played with such power and effect on the
American continent as it was by the British
grenadier band in response to their national
hymn. No SMILES or illustrations could con-
vey in words an idea Of the scene and sentiment
at that moment. The incident was as sudden
Us lightning, and thrilled the vast audience
like electricity All arose to their feet and
their delight deepened into veritable ecstasy
as the grand strains Of our national song filled
the great building with such glory of music,
twenty thousand handkerchiels were futtering
TO and fro like so many white doves waltzino
on the wing. Deeper, richer and grander rose
the notes Of those incompatible Instruments
which seemed to breathe with Spontaneous in.
spiration, and the very building itself TO palpi.
tate with the human emotion that deepened AT
every note
Never since human hymns were sung did one
follow another with such effect upon listening
thousands. twas the happiest incident of all
the lestal days OF the jubilee. No moment in
the history of the two nations could have made
the incident more lecitous, beautiful and
touching. While the astute discussions of
wordy diplomacy were arraying the two gov-
ernments in ambiguous dispute the two great
peoples embraced each other in these two songs
with sense Of brotherhood they never felt be-
fore. They recognized the "conseauential
claims" Of the old bith and kin, of the old hsto.
ries and memories, their glorious and proud in
heritance, as indivisible as one human life.
This was the sentiment that led and lifted the
tide OF emotion TO its most rapturous height;
and when the last strain died away, murmnring
against its end, the great triumph of the Jubilee
was felt and owned by every soul present. "lhe
English day" was well worth the structure of
the coliseum and all that il had cost Of faith,
hope, genius and effort to convene under lis roof
10000 singers and the best musical instruments
and capacities of the world.
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An affidavit recently filed in the supreme court