The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-26

Alas, for Boston!
II is with regret and even pain that we
hear the musical culture and critical musi-
cal taste Of Boston brought into doubt. Our
eyes have long been turned toward Beacon
Hill as the Olympus on which the muse of
music most loved ia dwell. and where she
gathered her skirts about her with the most
severe and classic grace.
For many years the iavorite theme of con-
versatiOn in that chosen abode of intellect
and aesthetic taste has been music There
are mon and women in Boston who can so
fine down their opinions and criticisms Of
music that the mundane eye cannot see the
point even with The most powerful intel
lectual microscope. What they don't know
about music IS not worth knowing, and If
any daring person presumed to add to their
knowledge he retired from the task humil-
lated and crc9tialcn. III an inhabtant of
barbarian Gaul had gone to Athens and IS
saycd to teach the people about sculpture,
architecture, dialectcs, poetry, the drama,
and politics, he would have been voted by the
Athcnians a mailman, or foolish, as they re-
garded st. PAUL when he had the efrontcry
to nvclgh against their religion and to
teach them a better, from Mars Hill. Nor
would they have been far wrong, for they
We're II wonderful people and led the world
in learning, taste, and refinement. though
st. PAUL was right in holding their religion
in light esteem. Athens was rather place
To 90 10 IN order to learn. than one for a
barbarian to enter az teacher.
Now Boston feels itself to be the modern
Athens, and its cultivation the quntcssence
Chief among its pre-eninent merits is its
musical superiority, Ia its own esteem.
Therefore. when the manager Of that re-
markablc and highly gifted pianist, Nine.
EsslpoFF. boldly told a reporter while des-
canting ON the taste for music OF our lead
ing cities that Boston's -uperlativc taste in
/ that delightful art was all sham, the city
OF the three hills could scarcely get its
/ breath lor horror and di-may.
II seems that Nine. EssrPorF. when
first she visited Boston, fell upon an unfor-
tunate time, and had only slim audiences.
| But when next she performed there, in aus
/ picious weather, she played 90 almost empty
/ houses while the whole country outside of
Boston was rcsounding with her amplv-de-
served praises. For in many respects Nine.
/ E,,ipoFF Is one of the most eXtraordi-
nary anil artistic piano players to whom
Wo hlvc ever had the privilege Of list
eun, ga this country, though all the great
est pnni-i-, from IliALBErG To the cru-iy
NoN III Low, have performed here Yet Bos-
tom stayed at home when she favored that
city with display Of her remarkable tai
ont- and surprising technical skill.
Why was this! Why was so great an op-
pnrtunity missed 10y our crudtc and critical
i, .t0n friends. Was it hecpuse hor man
ascr had siipmatized Boston musical cul-
turc as a sham? O., lie on Boston. to thus
treat lady and an eminent artist She
W.T. not responsible for the opinions ~ her
agent, and may have herself thought that
/ Boston 'Accllcd all other cities of the habit
able globe in its capacity to Judge OF her
performances unrrungly and finally She
may have ldmcutel that her artistic crown
lacked the one jewel which Boston alone
could set il it,, to sparkle with Il SURPRISING
lu~tre.
Mr.. WILLIAM LLoYD GARRISON has
rightly felt chagIined that nm artist Of such
"rhouomenM powor7' was 50 shabby
treated in the modern Athens, and hc has
written Mae. EssIrorF Il letter. which
mul6s him as the gentleman AMI just man
lr U.s. hl 'l' Sl@iiS lll MS loWn7lh'1l, 80
n"Ileci,ul Of their opportunities and 80
lacking in Musical discrimination. Mr..
GARRISON find, it "dinlult to conjecture"
the reasons fer Bo-ton'7 bad manners and
stupidity, and pays a high compliment to
Nine E,suolI's sAilland department, say
ins That her treatment in Boston " Is simply
di-crcditlble to tine musical pretcnsions' Of
that city. We do not know what are Mr.,
GArmsnS's general qualifications IA n critic
OF music, bil In rrcl grilug Nine. EssuorF
u.s. phenomenal pianist he shows It sound
iudsM,ut Boston went wild over tine play
ing Of ADELAIDE TORI, hut Nine. EssmorF,
90 holtrr performer, tailed to satisfy them.
1lu-, ala-, We must brush away our ilu-
-iDl-, and luo,, elsewhere than to Boston Tor
the M .sl musical tribunal