Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-18


and playful fancies, but you can hear afar
of the wall the bereft ones for those who
fell in the fight. This is different view
from that of the critics, but it is mine and
only worth that much.
The fascinating opera Of Lohengrin has
been favorably received in America. II is
based on the legend Of Knight appearing
miraeulOusly, drawn on the river by
swan, lust in time to clear the character OF
pure woman by overcoming her detamer
| in open combat before the King. She is to
marry her unknown defender on condition
that She seeks not to find his origin, but
| enemies prevail on her to ask and trouble
ensues, however all ends we'll. The selec-
! lions given were made by Thomas and so
| admirably rendered by chorus, orchestra
4 and solOists, that scenery, costume, etc,
were scarcely missed. From the reports
| of WagneT's titanic eccentricities and such
| of his music as has been given in this
| country, we have got to thinking him sort
! of Hercules in music who feeds on raw
! thunder and smashes few thousand recall
| citrant musicians as an appetizer. Thomas
| is learning us better. We begin to know
that while Wagner is realistic, introducing
/ the sounds of nature into bis music with
| out cOnventiOnalizing them, trusting rather
/ to the size of his compositions to harmon
| ize them, still the Emusic of the future"
| has much in it pleasant and instructive
now, even if it don't always
"Breathe upon bank of viOlets."
Well this is 'First Night" and everybody
| pleased and assured.
| l have not time to speak of the NATL
nees; they were given up to lighter work
| gems from Schubert, Myerbeer, Mendels-
/ I'M nd fl-c
| pOSers, by the orchestra and soloists. The
three matinees were all fully attended, but
| as the music was given strictly by the pro-
| feSsiOnals, with one exception, and more
/ for simple entertainment, | prefer TO speak
| Of the concerts where the chOrus-part Of
| the peOple-made the heaviest and most
difficult music an open book to the thou
/ sands. Il is due, however, to make some
notice of the professionals. Mrs. II. NJ.
/ Smith. an ostentatiOus but accurate and
clear-vOiced singer, was first soprano; Miss
| Abbie Whitney, of Cincinnati, a lady Of
| evident culture, but entertaining in her
| voice and somewhat affected manners, was
| second soprano; Miss Annie Louise Carey,
whom almost everybody knows as one of
| the most beWitching singers, was first con-
| tralto, and carried of the hOnOrs, not so
much from her superior singing as her
wholesome appearance. Annie Louise is
not the
"Yiewless spirit Of lovely sound"
by about $50 lbs. avoirdupOis, but what is
| better, all bachelors will swear she looks
most substantially lovely, and the ladies
/ say she is $50 sweet" She sings richly in
the lower register, with the exception Of an
/ occasional guTgle. Miss Emma Cranch,
the second contralto, has an honest, strong
voice and physique, and can read music
readily.
Mr.. VIM. J. Winch, first tenor, has a
voice that is extremely rare Con high notes;
so rare it's thin), and is self-pOssessed. Hes
from Boston. Mr.. II. a. BischOf, second
tenor, was better, but smiled too much.
Mr.. Franz RemmertZ, the baritone,
looked manly, sang manly and was artistic
and dignifed throughout.
Mr.. w. w. Whitney, the basso profundO,
was the greatest artist, in every sense Of the
word, present. He has 2 noble voice,
noble presence, and hOnOred whatever he
undertook to render.
The second night" wednesday, was
devoted to MerdeIssOhns OratOriO 'sElijah,"
and l think il is perfectly safe to say this
has never been rendered better in America,
if anywhere. The chorus was prompt,
thorough, perfect, the orchestra Unexcep-
tiOnable and Mr.. Whitney as the Prophet
was grand. The scene, you know, is taken
from lst Kings-l7th to 10th chapters, and
when Elijah mOcks the prophets Of Baal
Mr.. Whitney's expression OF sarcasm was
monumental.
Dudley Buck made the organ speak noblY
and impressvely.
In the paSsage-"And behold the Lord
passed by and a grea. strong wind rent the
mountains and brake in pieces the rocks
before the Lord, but the Lord was not in
the wind; and after the wind an earthquake,
but the Lord was moi in the earthquake;
and after the earthquake a fire, but the
Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire
a still. small voice" the chorus and Orches-
/ ira seemed TO present these natural phe-
| nOmeHa in reality, and held the audience in
breathless obedience 10 their influence.
Third Night" Thursday was the
| browning night. The audience had been
| continually growing larger, more
prompt, attentive, appTeCiatiye aud en-
! thusiastiC. On this night Brah's Magni-
feat in D was 10 be given for the
| first time in America, 20 be followed
| by BeethOveu's 9th Symphony. Long be
| fore $50 the great Hall was crowded, and
available standing, sitting, and almost
hanging, place was occupied by an eager,
patient audience. One man was a little
! furious because lie had to hang on the ban
mister. he was fat man, and instead of
/ making a muss by carrying him out, pro-
| posed TO lay him on the floor and let the
| thinner people sit on him, thus utilizing
/ space and quoting him. 1t was not neces-
sary.
Father Bach, as he is called by musi-
clans, Che had twenty children by two
wives alOne) is regarded as the laW-giYer
Of mugiC-a sort Of musical Blackstone ,
and his MagnifiCat in D Is q condensed
code on the epic, lyric, dramatic and re-
ligiOus STYLES. l would call il principally
religious, perhaps dramatic, too, if | could
hear il in some old cathedral with the &C
| ecssOries Of priests, incense, grained arches,
mass, organ. etc. The audience listened
respectfully, but did not grow enthusiastic
| over the Magnific2t.
As usual between parts the audience had
| a half hour for recreation, which was spent
/ in prOmenading OF taking some refresh
ments in the spacious halls adjoining on
either side the concert hall. This half
| hour done much to prepare one for the sec
| Ond part, which tonight was the choral
symphony Of Beethoven, so called because
| it is the only one Of his having a chorus.
| This was written in his old age, twenty
| years after ne had become entirely deaf,
| aud the world to-day regards it as one Of
! the few standards Of music. What an in
/ finite knowledge he must nave had OF
music Much has been written pro and
con on this symphony. l have read much
| on 1t, but after hearing it, l am constrained
| TO drop all the fine spun theories as to its
/ origin and purpose, and think it simply
case s'wheIe wO Us end music begins" be-
| lieviug It only the Cutpouring Of music that
was in the masters mind and heart. That
J it touches the heart and mind of humanity
! is certain from the enthusiastic response Of
| the 5000 people crowded and jammed into
| the all, WHO lost not note through iGat-
/ tention.
Tie fourth and last nights programme
| was another heavy one and 1 thought the
| audience had been pretty nearly exhausted
! the night before, but the crowd and jam
/ seemed almost as great, and the attention
/ better, if possible. Ii Schubert could have
| bsen spiritually preseut it must certainly
/ have afforded him p0sthumOus but great
ffDn IN caa fna IN aSf ar uOr L OF his