The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-11

tins occasion, America having three Italy two and che
restono each, the most striking the Marssiase"
that noblcst Of national reans. tho "Braxiian Hymn"
and tho Turkish Marcn" Tho last me- ntioned work
was received from Europe within week or so Us Mr.
Thomas and II is indeed Of the most taxing speech
OF Oriental music that the American public hai
heard TAe least Interesting Of the series
national melodies was the stupid march called Inilu u
tho chiei' which Is unworthy Of tho OF music
The second piece The programme
wAGsgE's CENTENNIAL iSAucugArlsS MARCH
This noble worl. was interpreted IN style worthy OF
IT, the struggling crowd beneath the music plat
form ceased the their frantic cnaoasors u
break through the barrier Of Centennial police that
guarded the passage way oi tho invited dgnitacs
the FIRST grand OF the march heard Ali
honor to the womcn's Ccntcnnial Union that gave -
America musical work worthy OF lis greatest ami.
vcrsaryl Whatever tho shortcomings, In certain
branches Of musical Of Wagner may be- all frivoiiy
and supcrlciaiiy are banishcd from his efforts; hi
aim a high and serious His works, operate
or purely orchestral must DO judged In their entire
plan and unity lie has no specialtes III original
mciodic inseutivcness continuity OF organic the
matte and contrapuntal development How tho grand
structure OF the Centennial March, which must
take It's place among compositions Of this
kind. IS built up out of the simplest matcrialsl TITO
motives are short and appeal to tho popular
car. When the finale came, with whirlwind OF har
monies aud the torrent o. sound rolled and spread
Itself over the vast space IN which many thousand
listeners were dcnscy packed together, tho effect
was something 10 be remembered for lite. II brought
10 tho memory the words OF the German writer
''When tho mysterious hymn of joy rises from this
deepest depths OF the orchestra darling red beams
fore IL like young sun. rushing upward, aud
nearer to heaven, do icef intoxicated with frcc
fha han
before the almighty power OF spring. The march pull
from beginning end with musical electricity.
II Is grandolsc, without being pedantic Its
surchargcd with electric lie. Even the immense
orchestra that interpreted II to-day seemed insufficient
IN power OF tone to do It full justice. II is march
that VIII live until Americas next Centennial Ate,
the prayer of Bishop Simpson, the
CENTENNIAL HYMN.
words BY tho poet Whittier. aud music by John X.
Paine, gwen. The such would
expect from such great poet but the music was not
equal to tho occasion. II was such hymn AS mgh'
be taken from any ordinary church collcc.
ton, no better and no IL might be acceptable
in one OF the thousand little volumes published
IN this country uLdcr Tho name OF Hymn
Books, but national hymn It weak aud
undressing The sturdy old "Eino Fcstc Burg,
list Gotl,n Of Martin Luther or the ssOld
Hundrcdlh." may look down with disIan upon Mr.
Painc's pucre effort
CENTENNIAL cAxTArA
words by Sidney Ianier ana by Dudley Buck.
the principal choral ard orchestral feature tho
occasion. There about a thousand the chorus
and everything that could be done the
musical success contributed by all the partic-
pants, from the accomplished conductor. Theodore
Thomas, down 10 Ellcr, who played the ngiese
oblgalo in tho bass solo Yet the work did jus
To ion ar no nta nj tha
world present IL places cheap imitation
Of Mendclssohn, and in others very unnatural and
forced. Mr. Myron W. Whitney, the Boston basso
was encored in his solo, probably because II
spendidly rendered by him. because was tho only
solo Of the occasion OF tho Inauguration. A
fortunate choice or IN American composer could not
be made for such an event.
THE HALLELuJAn CHORUS,
from tho "Mcssiah, Tho last musical work per-
formed Everyone the music platform rose while
this glorious work being given. The Hallcujah
Choras, rs Rev. Mr.. Haeis says, stands alone. II
appears to have tho overpowering effect upon
learned and unlearned; 1t Is fc,t aud understood
by all The thought Is absolutely simple; so IL
the expression rwo three phrases grow
Ing out Of each other or, rather, rising ono aiioi
another in reiterated bursts OF glory, piece OF divine
melody in the middle, succeeded by tho last clause Of
the triumphal shout. "And He shall reign forever
which is taken up rapturously by tho flaming chors Of
the mmortals and hurled from side sidc until al
last the energies OF heaven itself spent and the
mighty strain dies away before "tbe Great White
Throne and Him that stitch thereon" Tho composer
thus described his feelings when no penncd this
shout OF inspired praisc:-"I did think did soc nll
hcavcn before me, and the great God Himself" Tho
chorus, orchestra and tho great organ within the Main
Hall joined in this immortal pnan, aud the was
Understandable. The air filed with the grandest Of
musical measures the vast crowd swaycd bcncatt
their influence, and the long, gtcring array Of inter
national dignitares passed down in procession while
tho "Hacluahn chorus was sung. Then there
OF electric placed on the coudu ctor
stand artillery Numbered forth from the adjoining
hills bells rang out In every direction and steam whis-
ties We'd with each other for half hour In deafening
every present The Worlds Fair opened. and
all that music-the noblcst OF arts-coud do toward
making the Inauguration success accomplished
Then the exhausted conductor left tho stand whitney
packed up his solo, Buck back the organ,
and the chorus and orchestra folded their and
cased their instruments and stole silently away.
Rounds Of applause brought the singer to the stand
again. aud forced repetition Of the magnificent effort
Mr. wELsH's RKxARxx
Before tho poets fcrvcnt words had died away Mr.
John Welsh arose aud was received with loud cheers
In a modest. low tone, addressing himself 70 tho
groups around him. without making any effort to reach
the crowd, he said:
Mr. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN or THE UNITED
STATES CENTENNIAL CoNNIssaos-In the presence Of
the government OF the United States and OF the several
distinguished bodies by whom surrounded, and
Ia behalf Of the Centennial Board Of Finance, greet
YOU
In readiness at tho appointed time, have the honor
10 announces to you that, under your supervision and
IN accordance with the plans Fixed aud established by
you erected the buildings belonging TO US, and
have made all the arrangements devolvng necss-
kuT fIrl lac nm nj nj nuf
We hereby formally appropriate Thorn for their
intended occupation and held ourselves ready 70
make all further arrangements that may DO needed
for carrying into full and complete effect all tho
quircmcnis OF the acts OF Congress relating to tho
Exhibition.
For Ike purpose we also appropriate tho buildings
belonging of Pennsylvania and the CITY VI
Philadelphia, erected by their bidding TO wit
Memorial HALL Machinery Hall and horticultural Halt
These and other substantial offerings stand tho
dence oi Their patriotic cooperation To the United
States Of America through Congress, indebted
iurI ncn md which crusxuad our auaccsa-