The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-09
been thus saved and strengthened in


calni, ulSpasSlonate, the lecturer not Tor
getting to pay tribute to the bravery
OF the men encountered by him on the
field of battle.
General Woodford is resident of this
city, occupying plain but roomy and
comfortable frame house surrounded by
several lots of ground, at the corner Of
Washington and Greene avenues. He is
middle-aged, of medium height, square
but scarcely stocky, build, and has 8
arge head crowned with lightish hair, ex
cept where it tends to badness, and al
open and expressive face adorned by side
whiskers. In manners he is affable and
approachable. He greets the visitor
warmly, hands him to the best chair in
his parlor, and converses with him with
perfect freedom. He is representative
man in the Episcopal denomination, and
war correspondent told me to-day that
the regiment, the One Hundred and
Twenty-seventh New York, with which
Woodford went to the front as Lieuten-
ant Colonel, was known as the "Youne
Mems Christian Association Regiment"
Said he: "When we were at West Point,
Va, Woodford's regiment used to have
prayer meeting every night. Woodford
led, and it was delightful to hear the fa-
miliar hymns ringing through the woods
while the candles and torches lit up the
scene in way grandly imposing"
| have before me clipping describing
New York party, at which the guests
assumed the characters of children, none
though all the company were adults
being allowed to be over eight years old
though no limit was set in the other di.
rection. Here, from an intellectual
standpoint, those present had for once in
their lives an opportunity to see them.
selves as others saw them. Absurd and
improbable as such a gathering would
seem, it has in absurdity a parallel in
concert recently given in this city
The absurdity, however, did not extend
beyond the programme. 1t was entitled
a "Bird Concert" and the following
motto adorned the title-page:
"A Bakers dozen Blackbirds baked in pie,
When the PIE was opened the birds began to cry
The PIE will be cut at O'Clock.
To render the affair extremely silly
the artists were grouped under the cap
ton of "ornithological warblers," one
having after her name the title of"Whip.
poor-will;;" another Cuckoo" another
"Bobolink," &c.
The parts the various ''ornithologicaP
warblers were to take were stated in such
extravagant terms as 'The Chough and
Crow to Roost are Gone," "The Whip.
poor-wil, Nightingale, Raven, Night
hawk and Owl will now sing their
opening gee," and "a very rare and ex-
traordinary bird, a brown oriole, Sc
cured in South America and trained in
New York, will perform a solo on the
organ," etc. For originality this is un-
approachable, but what child's play it is
for men and women! Well, this is the
age of extravaganzas, and it is just as
well to be in the fashion even at the sac
rifce of little personal dignity and at
the risk of being considered a little weak
in the upper stories.
The new American Choral Symphony,
"The Emancipation" respecting which
| wrote you two weeks ago, was played
in public before an immense audience at
the Academy of Music last Tuesday eve
ming. The composer, Mr.. E. G. Phelps,
conducted in person, the orchestra being
the same Mr.. Theodore Thomas, of your
city, employs In the Brooklyn and New
York Philharmonic concerts. As a
whole the work was success-that is,
artistically. There are some little things
that Mr.. Phelps will doubtless improve,
but as an American composition it is a
great step in advance of anything ever
before done in this country, while it will
compare favorably with foreign works of
it's class.
1t would be extraordinary to say that
it is perfect, that it ranks with the great
symphonies of the masters; but at the
same time it is a work that will beal
comparison with many of the efforts
of the masters themselves. This is only
the second severe attempt at elaborate
composition Mr.. Phelps has made, bu1
in his "Hiawatha" and "The Emancipa
ton" he has demonstrated his ability tt
compose, and the future is one of the
brightest promise to him. This work
should be brought out in Cincinnati. A,
an American work it should be hailec
with enthusiasm through the length anc
breadth of the land. CRAs.