Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-05-29
Musical Criticism.

A LETTER FROM H. A. zEED, EST, ON THE STRAW
CUTTERS.
To the Editor of the Commercial:
1 happened to be in your city few nights
ago, and attended sort Of Amateur Opera
happened to drop in accidentally, you know
twas called the ''Straw Cutters" or some such
country name.
didn't understand much about it-never did
understand much about music. any how. But
d dn't like that music, nor acting either; othorH
in the audience did, however, so the singers
didn't care FOR me- since they received plenty OF
applause. got in perfect sweat Of agony Qf
you can imagine what that is) because felt 30
sorry for one chap when he didn't stop singing
before he was half through q serenade to u
wheelbarrow, which he seemed to miatake for .
dairy maid. named Kate His name was Spif-
ine believe, and the bills said he was young
man from the city. Tain't necessary to say what
young man from the city goes down into the
country for. when we see him serenading q
wheelbarrow.
The bills said also, that he was unused to ru-
raj affairp" Might think 30 il he saw any resem-
blance between q dairy maid and . BARRON.
Nov I'm from the country myself, and it's my
opinion that he was as much acquainted with ru-
raj affairs as anybody. for he swung the scytbe
and handled the rake like regular !" besides
having good deal 10 say in q singing way about
rural affairs generally. He must have been .
good Hinger-once Did his best this time
reckon, but object to q man with whiskers
singing with uoys voice. IL that's natural with
him, why he won't do for the stage. Now that's
square criticism, and he may as well hear it..
There was lady singer too; must have been
related to spffins, Judging by her
voice, which was-well suppose these
poet writer's would say-like . silver
thread (ain't that pretty good snile y very
lungs. But lungs The Dairy Maid had them
enough l should say, to fill her pail. Her
notes were far above par. Still, l must say to
her in the language OF Spifhrs-"Kate, my pret-
ty dedr-y mAid-a little cultivation is good for air
as well as earth" She failed in the frat verse
OF her song, evidently she had seen and was
thinking of Spifins. The kind audience over
looked her abstraction, and called her second
time to sing.
The Farmer of the play is singer. Spices
havn't spoiled his voice. am told he belongs
to q singing family in your city. The only fault
found with him was that he had too much look
and too little action.
have to suggest to him when he again hires
lot of farm hands dads and lAsses) he should
not permit them to huddle promiscuousy around
him, but keep them at work and forbid their
singing unless they do it in perfect time and
tune.
I'd like to know the name of that gentleman
in black who was standing in the cellar of the
| theatre beside the piano, shaking stick at the
| people so high, high up on the platform, who
| only ''made mouths" at him in return. heard
| he was the leader and had, for eight or ten
weeks, been leading the company up to that per-
/ formance. 1t was a "big job, mister" but he
/ appeared reconciled to the work. He must have
/ been happy when he was at liberty to lay down
/ that stick with which he had been, for two
hours. threatening those people over that high
/ board fence. (By the way, don't you think your
| theatre stage is just q leetLe too highD
almost forgot to mention the lady pianist
| but perhaps there is some one in your office who
| can in better terms than mine, describe the
playing as it merits He would certainly say il
i was faultless. ID. A. ZEED.
WHINING ron. May 28, 1878