The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-26
BROOKLYN LETTER.
A Milestone in tho Progress Of Amer
fcan Phelps New Choral
Symphpny---s'Fhe Enanei pat,on"
!--Ehe -SeuI pIor Macdonald ON the
Rs>tru m--se ~ ers and Contagious

fhe Enanei pats0n'
.--The -SeuI pIor Macdonald ON sh,
Rs>trum--SeWer ers and Contagisnl
Diseases.
Special Correspondence OF the Star.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Feb. %, 1880.
/ was passing through Fulton street
near st. James Place, one crisp starlight
night about a month ago, when ! caught
a glimpse of the figure of man fitting
; by in the shadow of the row of buildings
on my left. While | had been gazing ii
admiration on the magnificent panorama
of planets iand stars overhead, his eyes
were downcast, and he might as vel
have been taken for one plunged in deer
melancholy as for one immersed in sweet
meditation pronounced his name, and
he whirled around in that undecided
way that one has when he is not quite
positive whether he is the victim of hal
lucination or the object of remark. Tie
was a person of medium height, spare
figure and sharp features, with o face
adorned with slight flowing side-whiskers
On his head was black-slouched hat
We shook hands.
"When is the new symphony to ap.
pearl" | asked.
"I had intended to give it in Feb
ruary, but could NOT find a satisfac-
tory night in that month when the Acad-
envy of Music was disengaged, so have
deferred its presentation to March I'd"
We exchanged some further words of a
like nature and parted.
The gentleman was MI. e. @. Phelps,
composer of the "Hiawatha Symphony"
and the symphony to which reference
was made was "Fhe Emancipation"
| have not at hand the details Of Mr..
Phelps career, but know that he began
life amid very ordinary circumstances
| believe in New England-and that the
rudiments of musical education were
picked up by lamp,light, after shop hours.
His achievements are therefore CORE
spondingly praiseworthy, and it is cred
it to his heart as well as to his
judgment that he has given them a ma
tionai and distinctiyely American turn.
| have profound faith in the ability of
! this country to produce ANYTHING from a
Damascus blade to noble painting,
statue or symphony; indeed, I believe
the prospects Of an art strongly and char
actoristically American are boundless
and sure of fulfllment. Possibilities
with US are fast becoming realities, and
one has but to trace backward the ''foot-
prints on the sands" of single century,
to anticipate the story that, in the cen
tury to come, is to dazzle the world.
Music has, however, fingered behind her
sister arts in the march of progress,
not that American ears are not atune
to sweet melodies, and the heart suscep-
tible of inspiration in sound, but that, as
people, we have not hitherto found
time to develop melodies into harmonies,
and translate the thousand voices Of ma
ture into grand compositions. First it
was to fell the forest and build the log
cabin; then to induce the Virgin soil to
Weld fo0d; then to lessen the labor Of
tiiling.tle soil by inventing machinery;
then to use all the varied products Of ma
ture, then to replace the log-cabin with a
moresubstautial, tasteful and comfortable
structure; then to afford the mind the
means OF acquiring knowledge in news
papers and books; then to adorn homes
with objects pleasing to the eye and the
senses generally; then to decorate the
exteriors OF buildings; then to beautify
public places with works of art, an era
upon which we are only just entering.
But musici in its highest forms of expres-
sion could long be dispensed with, and
that this is fact, that appreciation,
mach less the creation of great compost
tions, was thing Of slow growth, is at
tested by the difficulty the opera expe.
riences in gaining permanent footing
even in prodigal New York, and the
slowness with which symphony concerts
fought their way into public favor. But
operl and symphony have been children
Of foreign birth, notwithstanding spas
nodic attempts now and then by a
few Americans to produce works
worthy of the name, for the best pro.
duced have been but ephemeral, living
their little day without eclat and dying
an easy death. II is the hope of Mr.
Phelps to remedy these National short
comings, or at least to lay the foundation
for future achievements.
do not claim for Mr.. Phelps equa
rank with Beethoven and Mozart. They
had advantages in eiucation and atmos
phere that no American can expect tc
have; but do not hesitate to hazard tht
opinion that his "Hiawatha Symphony
is work of honor and dignity, and thu
it ushered in new era in the history O
American music. Theodore Thoma
praised 1t, and his orchestra played it
which of itself is enodsh to stamp TIN
composition with the imprint OF worth
Now Mr.. Phelps is about TO come befor
the public again, after the lapse of two
years. His theme have init
mated in giving the title. In sent
ment the symphony is properly divisibl'
into two parts, slavery and freedom
though technically it appears III 81,
movements, viz:
|. Adagio non troppo. The long nigh
If t,ondagp. cries Of the oppressed.