Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-05-12
The People OF Cincinnati Beside Them.
selves with Excitement-TheM Music
Fever Assumed the Epidemic
Form.
Business Almost Suspended-Ihe City
ThrOnged with VIsltOrs-An I'M
mense Crowd Present at the
First Concert.
Thomas Receives an Ovation and the
Programme In6Orsed by a Storm Of
AppIau5e-The Result-Sketch
Of Artists.

CINCINNATI, May 1.-THE citizens Of
Cincinnati having united to honor the
event Of the week, have been busily en-
gagged during the past two days in dec
Grating, and not only all the business
part OF the city, but many residences
even iu the suburbs, are handsomely
draped in honor Of the festive occasion.
Flags, tri.cOlOred stTeameTs and ever
green's have been used lRyishly, and in
terspersed with musical emblems, mot
toes and portraits OF the great musical
masters. Business has been forced aside
for the time, and music has taken con-
troll of the city. The audience that
greeted the opening of the second bien-
nial May musical festival, was one Of the
most fiattering description. There was
some difficulty in seating the vast null
titude promptly, which caused a delayin
the appearance Of Theo. Thomas, who was
greeted with applause when he mounted
the stand. A hearty acknowledgment
on his part was followed by prompt
commencement Of the evenings enter
taiument, which opened with Brahms
triumphal hymn. This difficult and ex-
acting work of art tested the powers of
the orchestra and chorus to their ut
most, and was very smoothly and effect
lively rendered. The second number
on the programme was BeethOven's sew
enth symphony, which was rendered in
a mastery manner by the immense
orchestra under the leadership Of Mr..
Thomas, and was received with storms
OF applause. This closed the first part
OF the evenings programme.
After the inteTmissiOn, as the Orches-
ira commenced the second part, heavy
storm set in, and the pattering OF the
rain ON the roof caused so much disturb
ance that Mr.. Thomas stopped the or
chestrs, the audience gOod-naturedly
applauding his action. After quite a
lengthy interval, the performance, which
consisted entirely of scenes from LOhe7l-
grin, was resumed. The first part was
rendered in magnificent manner, and
was received with repeated bursts OF sp-
plsuse. During the rendering Of the re-
mainder there were several efforts on the
part of the audience to applaud, but the
peculiar nature Of the music presented
no interval where applause could be in
troduced without seriously interfering
with the performance. The opening of
the festival on the whole was a pro-
nOunced and gratifying success, and was
an assurance to the managers that their
efforts were appreciated and would be
sustained by the music-lOving people of
Cincinnati. Tomorrow afternoon there
will be series Of selections rendered.
The evening concert will consist of the
oraUOriO OF Elijah.
The festival buildings are admirably
adapted to the purposes Of this grand
festival Of song. The hall is Of superb
proportions. Its length is two hundred
and twenty feet, its width one hundred
ana ten feet, and hight seventy-five
feet. Its acoustic properties are fine, as
have been proven by repeated expe-
riments. 1t has a seating capacity Of
five thousand people. Promenade hall,
at the north Of the concert room, and
horticultural hall, at the south, will give
an opportunity Of promenade and re-
freshment during the intermissiOns OF
one half hour, which are promised by
the managers. The means Of entrance
and exit are convenient and complete
ten thousand people can leave the
building in ten minutes.