Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-26
Chamber Music.
HOW IT Is RENDERED.

About a century ago Vienna was a center OF
musical power, its instrumental music sur
passed that of Paris and London The master.
Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were at work
there and their genius elevated many a lesser
talent into higher sphere and melted them tC
fruitful activity. Performers were numerous
and excellent, including princes. nObles citi.
Zens and accomplished ladies. The line between
amateurs and professionals almost disappeared
fOr music. and music of the highest standard had
permeated society. Princes supported Orches-
traS, held musical reunions In their salons
where musician and amateur met and were
joined in the performance by their entertainers
In their more humble quarters the musicians
assembled, and here, too, the prince met the
fiddler and felt fiattered to be allowed to take
his seat at the desk beside him. There was one
"cOurt-cOuncillOr and Observation-Disclosures who
had among the clerks of his bureau not one who
was not amusician. and some of them musicians
of great distinction. Observation-Disclosures
will please take the hint Some day, may be-
| we shall have the Interior department furnish
the music at the inaugural and the State de-
partment that for the reception of the future
Rochambeaus and Steubens. the respective hon.
CRADLES; the Secretaries welding the baton with
their chief clerks at the timpani)
The masters had early been convinced that an
important sphere for music was the social circle.
Their OratOriOs operas and symphonies which
at that time electrified the world, were of too
struments and in more simple style, and to do
this was evidently labor of love with them.
Everything appertaining to the private life OF
the court and the princes was designated by the
prefix Hammer" lchamber) as belonging to
the household" This music. at first having
been written for the private social performances
at court. was therefore designated as Examiner
musk, translated chamber music. As we have
done away with courts We might call it, retain
ing the intrinsic meaning of the foreign word.
hon hSl1
trIOs. quartets. &c, for different combinations
OF Instruments contains some of the most happy
expressions OF musical thought, and in it we find
many master piece. The execution of it is the
goal the amateur should strive to attain. If it
does not require the dexterity of the yirtuOso it
requires more intelligence, the excellence of the
performance depending chiefly on the tasteful
and intelligent rendition of the sentiments ex-
pressed.
In the United States the household music is
being largely cultivated. and we have had public
performances of it by Thomas in New York
the MendelssOhn Quintet Club, in Boston. and
others. Here in Washington it has flOurished i'm
the privacy OF many "a home circle. Some twenty
years ago teacher of music here and devoted
musician implanted in his young pupils the love
OF this music. They have grown up and with
them their music, and many an enjoyable quar-
tet may to-day be heard at their homes, thanks
to Carusi, the teacher of their childhood. The
announcement is now made that we are to have
mere this winter a series OF chamber music
concerts The names of the perfOrmers-Ber-
nays, GloetZner. Hoffman,, Sherman and
SZemelenyi-Ought to do justice to the music
offered Their first program will contain gems
of Beethoven. Schubert and Schumann.
How to Utilize the Rock Creek Valley.
To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
A sale OF fine stock by the authorities of
Druid Hill Park at Baltimore, suggests the
desirabity of furnishing the Department of
Agriculture with additional space to extend its
usefulness By cOndemning few hundred
acres of the Rock Creek valley, room for exper-
imentS in trees, farm crops. stock, landscape
gardening. &c, would be had, and intellgently
and prOfitably utilized by our progressive and
brOad-minded Commissioner. That the control
of the water shed of the Rock Creek valley and
the establishment Of the long-desired National
Park would be secured, would not the less COM
mend the project. For the ornamental or not
strictly agricultural work. the labor of the
various penal or reforrIatOry institutions could
be utilized with benefit to the inmates and
profit to the government, and this force might
be largely reinforced from the vagabOnds and
the '.jedges. kunnels and maahs' who gather
in such numbers here. If this class of labor is
Objectionable. the boards of charity could doubt
less furnish able-bOdied laborers for whom ap-
preparations or contributions are made each
winter. The necessary territory could be pro-
cured by condemnation at less cost than is
proposed to be paid to extend the Capitol
grounds one square. j. T.