The sun., 1884-06-19
THE MUSICAL FESTIVAL.
Minneapolls. ,JGne III

Mr.. Editor:
The great musical event Of the
season has bccn the Thomas festival.
held here during the past week. 1t
was in fact, the greatest musical treat
ever heard in the state. The large
building given by The state to the
University for drilling and other pur-
poses, was used to hnll the many 4
thousands who throngcd TO hear the
greatest singers OF the woila. The
first night was the nest enjoyable;
the weather was delightful and the
crowds -Sf-elegant!y dressed people
found their way into ;,nd out Of the
house imperfect order. The Messiah.
by Handel, was sung l'y the Choral
Society of st. Paul; Nilsson singing
the principal solos. had never
heard her before AMI waited impa-
tiently for her appearance. found
there was as much qualification in
seeing, as in hearing her. She has q
noble presence, ami when singing that
grand solo II know thatmy Redeemer
liveth' she was the pprsonilication OF
majesty. Her defamation is SO fine
that every word She sings is clearly
heard, and its meaning IS expressed in
her tones. The voice is very sweet.
which is not always the case where it
is so highly dramatic. In the case of
Materna, whose voice is much more
| powerful, there WAS u lack OF the
grace and sweetness which Nilsson
possesses.
The audience was very large,
| every seat being filled; and Nils
son was enthusiastically received
and encored. She, o. each occasion,
acknowledged the applause very
| gracefully, and after repeated out
bursts would stand, with her arms
crossed over her breast. bowling very
low; but Notwithstanding all this
apologetic courtesy, which seemed to
say--I love you III, l thank you from
my heart-but l canI.ot repeat, we
had to allow her to pass from our
sight without one additional note.
The next evening we had the Wag-
ner music. The voices of. the German
singers who interpret this music were
colossal, as were their persons. 1t
| seems to me THAI great singers must
have voluminous piiysiQncs. This
trio were fair specimens OF what na-
ture demands for her organs of sound.
Ishould have liked to hear them sing
something in which their voices
would have had prominence and incl.
fody; but the Wagner operas, as far as
l am able to Judge. give the melody,
(if there is amy to the orchestra, and
the voice, that greatest Of ali instra-
ments. has bat subordinate part.
Music which requires Interpretation
and which has no melody that you
can carry home with you, will take q
long time to ropulariZ"; for this
reason, there was not the same enthu
siasm on the second night, and 1.
going out, fatigue and WEAKNESS were
EXPRESSED oNall stiles.
On the third day there WAS q con
cert in the afternoon with one thous
and children in chorus. The per
formance was n.arred and almost 4
panic took place, by thunder storm
which came on suddenly; the flag
staff was struck by lightning, and al
the same instant u roar, as of cannon
bursting within tie i.uildiEg. shocked
the entire a semhiagc; chi'dreI
screamed and tainted. mothers fol
lowed suit, and for while d panic
was threatened. bnt Thomas came Il
the rescue with an enlivening crches
trail performance ef lis superb l.lay
ers that treasured the audi; nee, ant
the children were dismissed in ordel
and safety, with but trllins damage
the loss of a few pairs of shoes Will
out being able to account for how
they left the feet. and few panes o
broken glass. The news Of this frigh
spread and hears fiuttered somewhat
vet one could net stay away tn,
last night, as Nilsson was to sin:
; again.
i / cannot adequately describe to yo'
the crowds outside the building
standing in lines Eve and six deep
held back by the police. gazing on th
equipages filled With SO much fashion
and beauty as they drove up to Til
different entrances. The Coliseum
was more crowded than at any othe
: concert. / understood there wer
l four thousand FIVE hundred seats, an
there was not. an inch of STANDING
room left; there must have been a
least two thousand tickets sold TO
that evening, for which there wer
: no seats; add to this the six hun;lre
singers and over fifty members of th
orchestra, and there must have bee
about seven thousand people in tn
building; those having TO seats push
ing, crowding and noisy, q discomfort
ed element; and a very nervous ele
ment. for those who had been presen
I at tile afternoon concert.
The storm had subsidea but wa
not fully over. The Creation. give
by the Minneapolis Choral. was th
programme for the esfning. Befor
the concert commenced, the electrl
lightssuddenly wentout, but rs it wa
!. yet daylight there was no cause 70
J. fear. The lights appeared againafte
a few minutes AID the concert pro
ceeded until about the middle o
I, Nllsson's solo, "With verdure clad,
| when again the liri.tS went out an,