Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-01-31
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FRIDAY MORNING. JAN. 81. 1877!
Local
Stanton as a Musical City.

Staunton as Musical City.
THE RECEPTION OF THE MENDELSSOHN
QUINTETTE-AN APPRRCIATIvE AUDI
ENCE-THE CHARACTER AND MERITS
OF THE PERFORMANCE.
&C., AC., sc.
Staunton was up for examination last
Thursday night as to whether she would
take rank as a musical city and she passed
it with not only success but eclat. The
appreciation Of the performance of the
SMendelssohn Quintet" may be put down
as a high test of the musical education
of an audience, and our people were ex-
ceedingly happy in the evidence of it.
From the ii me Mr. Henning played the
few opening bars of the familiar overture
to William Tell, to the close OF the pro-
gramme there was an attention and inter-
est manifested by the audience such as has
never been seen here before. Those who
had heard this overture played by large
orchestras have heard it rendered with
more effect, but certainly never in better
style.
Nothing could exceed the delicacy and
beauty of tone of Mr.. Hennin's yiolincello.
This instrument is frequently looked upon
as of little consequence in an orchestra, but
the performance last week showed that it
is one of the grandest solo instruments in
the hands of an artist. This was particu-
larry noticeable in the violincello solo,
which seemed to us very difficult, but not
SO to Mr.. II. His playing can only be de-
scribed as mastery in execution, in tone,
and as a finished performance in every par
ticular.
Mr.. Listeman played as solo switches
Dance" by Paganini, In all the proceed
ing pieces Mr.. l.. had exhibited great skill
on his instrument, but few perhaps were
prepared, or ever expected to hear such
wonderful feats Of execution on the violin.
This piece is one of the most difficult ever
written for violin and there are but few
players who will attempt it, and it is there
fore all the more praiseworthy that the
Club gave us the best of every class of mu-
sic. Mr.. Listeman is of slender physique
and evidently nervous temperament and
altogether such person as romance
writer's would present to u.s. as an artist,
for the love of art. He will clutch his bow
and dash it across the strings at one time
and then again move it so slowly, as if
dallying in gentle caress with them; but
in every case with the same magical effect
upon the audience. Mr.. l.. got over the
immense difficulties of this piece without
seen in those persons who make up by
trickery what is lacking in them in skill.
He is all artist and shows this in his whole
demeanor. That he was heartily applau-
ded and bad to play again was but natural,
for nobody could help applauding such a
performance, There may be other violin
lists greater in classical music, but as a
solo player Mr. Listeman can safely be
placed in the front rank
Mr.. Heindl was no less great on the
flute. With many flute players the con-
sideraJion seems to be to bring out strong
tone and often to the detriment of the
musical quality of it. But here we had
again an honest artist. His instr ument
gave the same tender mellow tone, wheth-
er played in solo or other pieces. We think
he divided the honors with Mr.. Listeman,
in the appreciation of the audience. Judg-
ing from the applause they received. There
was one thing we never heard before, that
is, melody and variations played at the
40 fr1to uot hn did IT.
In the solo OF Mr.. Heindl we had all the.
requisites of an artist displayed, the splen
did tone, the wonderful execution, and
what is by no means an unimportant point
in wind Instruments proper manage
ment of breath. The latter was shown
conspicuously by his shake on one note for
such a length of time, that it would have
required many others to breathe three or
four times
Mr.. Ryan gave us a clarinette solo and
with the same charming effect as cid the
others. This instrument does not admit
Of rapid execution, but it's chief beauty is
IN it's tone. This is neither more nor less
than screech in the hands of most play
ers; but not so in this case. Mr.. r. played
composition of his own and in both ca
pacities, as performer and composer, he
deserved the applause he received.
Besides these solos and the overture Of
William Tell, the programme contained a
characteristic piece by Schuman and the
Swedish Wedding March" by Soederman,
both of which are small compositions, but
in rendering of them it was shown the
other night, that artist can bring beauties
out of compositions comparatively insig-
| nificant, which would remain hidden for
ever to less gifted persons.
But the chief piece on the programme
was portion Of a quartette by Schubert.
| We, have all known him as one OF the
greatest song writers Of this century, by
his ''Serenade," fave Maria," etc., and
this quartette shows him equally great as
composer of instrumental music. 1t is
/ the same genial, good-humored Schubert
in whatever you hear him. This quar-
tette is particularly like Schubert, so
simple and yet so convincing and over
towering 1t seems like reading one CT
Webster's great orations, where one need
not look in the dictionary for single
word; they are SO plain, and yet in the
arrangement of them the greatness of the
| man shines forth.
Mrs Knowles was the only singer the
CLUB had with them. She has a mezzo-
oprano voice of much power. great purity
and remarkable equality. and she sustain
ed her part very well.
OF all the members of the Club we may
say that what they did was done without
affectation or any sort of trickery by
which to catch applause. They eyidentl,