Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-09
THE POWER OF Music.

It is no doubt true that Memphis has more
musical talent than any other southern city.
The amateur opera company, composed Of
our best citizens, which recently visited Nash
vile and Little Rock, were pronounced equal
to companies of national reputation. 1t GER
tainly reflected honor upon the musical talent
of Memphis. Every concert given in this
city is largely attended. Nothing is talked
of but the opera which is to come off in
this city during the week, and nearly every
seat has already been engaged. 1t will, no
doubt, be festival of sweet sounds; a ban
quet for the ear and heart. The music in
the various churches of Memphis has been
highly complimented. Mrs. Sullivan, nee
Miss Jennie Magevney, used to delight the
congregation of st. Peters church with her
sweet, charming voice. Her pure heart was
full of melody She made the world happy
with her song, and she is now singing in
heaven. The heart of Miss Kate Harmon
seems surcharged with music. Her soul is
an ocean of symphony, and whenever she
opens her lips there flows river of song.
Miss Jennie Jones always stirs the soul with
her strange and wonderful powers. Her voice
is mellihuous, exquisite and charming.
Mrs. Chapsky, long the favorite of the musical
public, only sings occasionally. The neg
lected harp gets out of tune, but no disuse
can impair the voice of Mrs. Czapsky. Often
has it touched the chords of human sympa-
thy. Never did human being have voice
more sweet and melodious. Two years ago
Mrs. Lamb, nee Miss Hattie Collins, made
her appearance before the Memphis musical
public like Tom Moore's strange, beautiful
song-bird, which after slowing its bright
plumage and charming with its song, flew to
chimes unknown. Her voice is as shrill as
the lark's and clear as the nightingale's.
Often has it blended in the vast roar of har
mony, and it is to be hoped that it will in the
future be conspicuous amid the musical talent
of Memphis. Some one has said, 'Let me
write the songs of the country, and l care
not who make its laws" This was high
tribute to the powers of music and to that
love of it which exists In Memphis. 1t is an
elevated morality which cultivates a taste for
music. It is a popular belief, founded upon
a profound knowledge of human character,
that the pure devotee of music, however En-
ring and eccentric, cannot be innately corrupt,
cruel or malicious. There is no art or excel
lence In all the range of mans enjoyment
that so lifts up the soul above sordid mean
ness, that so abstracts it from the pollutions
of time, that so prepares If for exalted
achievement and the sacrifice of self. The
anthems of angels and the choir of saints are
favorite themes for the pulpit. The music
of the spheres"
Forever singing. as they shine,
The hand that made US is divine"
is enc of the grandest ideas of poetic inspira-
ton. 1t involves the thought of the soul
taking position upon some Empyrean hight,
endowed with boundless vision and the hear
ing to catch every distant note from far-off
spheres, surveying the grand panorama of
the planetary system, without an intervening
cloud to mar the sight, and listening to the
sublime music of the rushing planets as they |
sweep on with the speed of light in their or
pits, blushing and blazing with the borrowed |
radiance of the great central body, and pro- |
claiming in awful diapason the glory OF their |
Creator. Such is the natural idea of the har- |
nony and concord of the universe, while the |
region of the wicked is always associated in
he mind with horrld discord, shrieks of woe,
walls and lamentations. The power of music
mas been frequently illustrated by the effect
Of the Mdrseillaise over the soldiers of
France, raising their minds to point of en-
.husiasm which abneRates self and merges
heir being into one hour of glorious action
INTO the daring charge and the sublime death.
The inferior animals pay their homage
o its destinations in proportion as they ap-
,eared to man in sagacity and exalted in
tinct. The horse is taught to march and
lance to its beats, and seems influenced by
Is power to higher energy, combined with
more tractable spirit. Even the serpent is
harmed by its rapturous strains, and mice,
With all their habtual caution and STEALTH
less, creep out of their burrows to catch its
passages. But its highest hon.
ge is that which is extorted from the most
e6ned form of intellectual composition in
he moulding Of poetic thoughts to It's meas
res and harmonles, and In the important
art which its exercises bear In all religious
and observances. When poets
lily themselves with its glorious harmonies,
nd religion clothes its most impressive teach
ngs and ITS praise to God in its chants and
we need no longer argue in favor
f the universally of its appreciation and
he divine power which it exerts over all
moods and sentiments of the SOUL
The man that hath no music in his soul,
And Is not moved with the concord OF sweet sounds
Is fit for treason, stratagem and spoils."
LEMOYNE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
In the past few years no question of social
cience has excited more earnest discussion
r elected more careful thought than that of