Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-07-09
NO. 162.
MiseeltaasoMs.
JOHANN STRAUSS AND THE JUBILEE.

Upon this point, the correspondent OF
the New York World writes as follows:
Johann Strauss, the waltz king, person
ally is evidently good fellow. lie talks
only German, but he smiles in all Ian
gnages. Perhaps it is scarcely fair to him
to say that he only talks German, for he
AYERS that he has been for eleven years
trying to speak French Still, however,
he admits that he speaks it badly Lam
guages are not his forte He is small, wiry
anC Intensely nervous. One ignorant OF
both French and German would imagine.
from the rapidity OF his speech and the
superabundance of gestures that he was
talking the iormer-indeed. that he was a
Frenchman He is full of courtesy. and
a brief acquaintance with him will quite
@t.jSiy any one that his extravaganza of
gesture when conducting the performance
IS simply natural and quite inseparabe
from his personality. Last night he 1t
tended sort Of informal reception given
to himself. Rende, and Abt at the rooms
OF the Orpheus Club. During the evening
he presided at the piano. while the club
Ioined in chorus in singing his Blue
Danube waltz. They sang superbly,
and no one present where all were enthu-
| 9'''T'iS " 40 hloEc c&Citcu tudn
he himself. His complexion is quite dark.
His eyes and hair are rs black as possible.
1t is related of him that when he was in
St. Petersburg the fair Russian bellies made
a frightful series OF demands upon him for
locks of his hair. Strauss viewed the
prospect with alarm. All these souvenirs
would leave him bald. Then he had a
brilliant idea.
land. Its shaggy coat was OF precisely
the texture of his hair, and to-day many
4 Russian album is enriched bv the posses.
sion Of a cherished lock of hair from
Strauss dog When he was coming to
this country he could with difficulty be re-
strained, it is said, from bringing along
the dog rs precautionary measure for
similar emergency In conversation
Strauss is constantly smiling. showing
his pearly teeth. pantomiming with hands,
head and body, and is altogether as full oi
action as when upon the stage When
speaking upon the subject Of his impres-
sions Of American energy and the Jubilee
as an exenplitication OF it. he becomes
almost wild with excitement.
They would not believe in Germany, he
says; they could not deem it possible that
so enormous a chorus and orchestra of in
teligent musicians could be gathered to
getner and held for so long time to per-
form such great works as afe rendered at
this Jubilee. In Germany, he explained
to the writer, the people are more econom-
loal and infinitely less venturesome than
the Americans. There thousand dollars
is a large sum. and the mere idea of a
musical festival which would cost three
quarters Of a million would take away the
breath OF Deutschland. They might get
up a crude gathering of musical societies.
from many different places. and for siu-
Gle day have gigantic festival, but even
then it would not approximate this one.
Another thing which astonishes Strauss
even more than the enterprise which has
originated and rendered successful this
Peace Jubilee, and the liberality of the
public in sustaining it, is the fact that in
America. where he has been led to believe
there was little taste for or knowledge OF
music. so great chorus should have been
found of people capable of reading and
correctly executing such compositions as
have made up the vocal portion of the
programmes. Thus far he is also full of
compliments to the orchestra. In
Germany, he says, before he would
dare venture 10 perform one OF his
watt2cs in public, even with a small or
chestra, he would have nine or ten re-
hearsals; but here. even for piece which
must be strange to most if not all of the
performers, a single rehearsal is made to
suffice, and then it is brought out. and
not only merely done, but done well.
Without doubt more rehears might Sc
cure more delicacy of expression, and
approach more closely to absolute perfec-
tlon, but in so vast n volume of sound as
is here evoked, minor defects are lost
sight Of and the general effect seems all
that can be desired. Before he left Ger
many, even when he had made his con
tract to come over. Strauss was more
than half inclined, he admits. to believe
the Jubilee ankee swindle.
| This was the general belief in that
country, and he says that it will need all
| the credit he and The other Germans
now here, possess in tatherland, and all
the power Of language at their command,
TO give any conception to their country
men Of what they have seen in this coun-
try lie will not wait until his return to
make his representation. bat will write
from here letter over his own name TO
the Neue Frei lre>sc. the leading paper
OF Vienna, yarionsIy setting forth, So Tar
As he can, the impression which America
has made upon him.