Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-05-01

MeininEer's Concert.
IfanyDne had told rs two years
or even a year ago. that such eon
cert could be given by GAINESVILLE
amateurs as we heard on Tuesday
: last, we should have set down tht
speaker as simply insane. We have
been eognizant in former times Of
amateur music in Nashville when
Miss Mollie Bang afterwards Mrs.
! Craig and the two Miss Martins
were among her f0rin1a donnos, and
considered the Rock City to stand
: number one among musical centers
in the south, but never ID her best
days have heard anything in Nash
vile to surpass the efforts OF Prof.
Meininger and his pupils on Tues
day night; and we claim for the
professor, without hesitation the
character of a public benefactor for
having rendered such things posi-
BILE.
Music in every form was given
and executed with thorough COM
pleteness, and all of it was due to
the inspiration of our indefatigabIe
professor as teacher and conductor.
Choral music, orchestral music,
piano solo, pianos with eight hands,
vocal solos, concerted vocal music,
and every piece a gem. The prin-
cipal vocal solOists were Miss Eddie
POstOn and Miss Mamie Adams,
while Misses Humphries, Wiser and
Williams and Mrs. Phillips joined
with them in some concerted music
of a high order.
The first vocal solo was ROssini's
"UJga Noce," by Miss NJ Adams.
Our young debutante was suffering
terribly from nervousness, but,
though this cause might impair the
expression of the music, she exc
cuted it with an ability which
showed that she had mastered the
almost insuperable difficulties of
that test cGUatind. Let her gain a
little more confidence and she will
leave nothing to be desired in rem
dering it. She executed IA less ex-
acting solo in the second part with
complete success, besides taking her
part in the duet with Miss PostOn,
hereafter to be spoken of.
Miss PostOn executed two very |
difficult solos. Her first piece was |
the exquisite Seelad ''Ah fOrs e tui,"
from Traviatta, with its brilliant
ca6dLLettd, "lSeBlpre Li6eTa." In none
of his works has Verdi expressed so
charmingly the happy contrast be-
tween tender pathos and reckless
abandon than in this admirable
scerd, and in doing so he calls with
an exacting rigor for exceptional
vocal powers in the artist TO inter-
pref his meaning, and as a thorough /
ly accomplished artist did Miss
POstOn respond to the demand. 1t
seems almost incredible that a young
lady in private life, after scarcely IA
years training, should Vocalist with
the freedom and expression which
only perfect training can give. But
the wonder was increased when, as
a contrast with the conflicting pas
sions of Verdi's Scena, our vocalist
rose to the rapt enthusiasm of ROs-
sini's "L!7dmnadt,ts," soaring as the
great composer does in that grand
solo above the turmoil of earthly /
passion.
But the gem of the evening re-
mains yet to be described. This, in
our estimation, was the duo (alsO
from Rossini's 'f,Std6dt Mater sung
by our two young lady vOcalists.
Miss Adams had by this time en-
tirely recovered her confidence and
shaken off her nervous tremOrs the
music, intentionally elaborate and
difficult, being written for such ar
lists as Alboni and Grisi, is rarely
attempted by amateurs. Profess
sional singers even consider this
composition special test, not only
of their vocal powers, but of their
knowledge and skill as musicians.
Our two amateurs, however, en-
cOuntered its difficulties, both of
md inflammation after
another without trip, and brought
it to triumphal close amid thun-
ders of applause.
We have left ourselves no space
for the beautiful concerted pieces
for female voices, one by Rossini,
the other by Prof. Meininger HIM
self, for the welI-drilled chorus and
the orchestral playing. We must,
however, notice the beautiful style
in which a duet in the chorus "Te
Dellm" was sung by Miss PostOn
and Miss Wiser; and finally award
the highest artistic prize to Mrs.
Meininger for her skilful rendition
of an elaborate composition by Raft
for the pianO-fOrte. The other per-
formers receive our commentator
as accomplished amateurs; Mrs. NJ.
commends our homage as finished
artist.
Let us say one thing for our friend
Meininger, and we havedone. The
professor is always anxious lest the
pieces he produces in public may be
too scientific and elaborate for the
taste of the audience, We bid him
be treasured, knowing that at Tues
days concert the best music was
best appreciated, and he need be
under no apprehension of the sort
hereafter, but produce the best music
he can have performed, and we will
answer for the audience.
FIFS Alarm.
On Monday morning last, about