St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-05-06
Les TZiglncS.

NICE, FRANCE, April 6, 1881.
In the early part of the winter, the
walls of Nice were covered with enOr-
nous colorcd bills bearing the above
their meaning, but every one was eager
to know. The Tsigdns were they
men or beasts They must be savage in
either case. A few days later Les Tzi-
games were advertised as il company of
wonderful musicians coming from Hun
gary, whose execution of their wild ma
tional airs was marvellous and unsur-
passable. Nice is the paradise of true
musicians, but if there is one thing
which it cannot endure, it is mediocre
ty. These wild Hungarians do they
know what they are about in Drawing Il
Nice audience! They came their first
appearance was i'll an entr'dcte at the
Theatre Francais. The house was
packed from pit to roof in anticipation
of this sensational novelty. The ma
jolity came from curiosity, but there
were cORnOisSeUrS and critics there who
came to hear and Judge. A musical
friend who was present came to me
the next morning, full of enthusiasm,
saying that the Tzigans had captured
the town, and that nothing equal to
them had ever before been heard at
Nice.
For two months or more that troop
of musicians was in request mt the the
atrcs, at concerts, at sOirGes, and no
great entertainment was given in the
fashionable world without calling ON
the Tzigans to give it additional Gclat.
will not undertake to describe their
peculiarities, which are indeed wonder
full, but will transcribe from French
publication an account of similar
troop which held performance in their
own country.
The scene is laid in the chateau of IA
Roumanian nObleman. The celebrated
pianist List was present and took IL
prominent part in the entertainment.
In the translation have endeavOred to
retain as far as possible the style of the
writer abating none of its cXtrava-
gancc and grandiloquencc- it seems
to fall in well with the oddity of the
scene and actors. The wild musicians
were altogether out of the ordinary,
and as tn List, he is charmingly the
atric, and, in spite of his three score
years and ten, is never SO glorious as
when striking an attitude.
LES TZIGANES.
"This was company of wandering
musicians from Jassy, in MOldavia, and
their chiefs name was BarbO LaOutar.
They all wore large double-b breasted
tunics held together by belt-sheep-
skin caps, called cdatchiOulG, and san
dals Their long hair fell upon the
shoulders; their chief, BarbO, was al
most an old man his gray beard, di-
vided into two points, came down to
the breast and under the cdutchiOuId,
which covered his forehead, his eyes
sparkled with intelligence and viva
city.
In entering the hall they all bowed
low and with dignitied compOsure. Cups
of champagne were then offered them.
Alexandra then made a sign. BarbO
raised his finger, and the wild symphO-
ny burst forth i'll the large hall, which
resounded with echoes.
The Instruments of the Tzigans are
composed of the violin, the flute of Pan
and the cObsd, Il corded instrument fol
accompaniment something between 4
guitar and IA tambourine.
They had played the national march
and when it was finished, the Seiqneurs
full of enthusiasm, threw gold piece,
into the glass of the chief saying: Bar
f bO Laoutar, drink, master, drink AnC
the old bard drank the gold and tn,
wine at the same time, being careful t,
retain in his mouth the golden money
which he afterwards withdrew, kissing
each piece fervently. Listen, Barbo,
= said Nicholas Stoudza, play for us nov
the Tia mi dicei''
Barbo bowed in silence, and the mu
sic began. tn mi dicei ma data is
l slow melody in minor, melancholy an,
almost savage, which these Bohemian
! rendered with a strangeness peculiar t,
a their mode of execution. The two Tzi
E gans who were to accompany them wit
the voice, while touching with tn
' points of the fingers the cords of thei
cOb-ds. sang the %ords of the romano
! so well known in Roumania, whic