The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-10-18

Partly to make good my promise, and
partly to try and do something IN re-
turn for the pleasure THE HERALD al
fords me in my far away home, do
this bit of scribbling. You can have no
idea. if YOU haven't had the actual ex'
perience, how welcome a paper from
home is to one far away even the &C
counts of the base ball games are eager
lv devoured. though 1 never went to
see one while there. The fact that Wells
and the rest of theWillards are dear old
associates may have something to do
with it. Well, imagine if l met you,
you would say, "Tell US of the Conser-
vatory," and answer: 1t is very fine
in many respects, not so good in others.
The good features are-many of the
faculty are excellent leaders in their
line. Such men as Mas, Emery, Elson,
Whiting, Whitney, Sherwin, Parker,
Zerrahn, Holt, Faelten, and many
others of the one hundred teachers en-
ployed are first class. Then we have
most excellent course of lectures on
musical history. in which We have the
music of different periods and differ
ent peoples, thoroughly illustrated by
having them sung and commented
upon. Also, the same on voice training
and the anatomy of the voice. One
loot,,-oo ,1-aaI- IN borDoOnu opOfbar
on original composition, where compo-
SitionS are thoroughly analysed and
criticized Then we have a SOiree, or
concert, one evening each week. All
these mental luXuries are free to all
students. 1 send you programme to
give you an idea of the tone of these
SOireeS. Another feature not to be for
gotten is that over five hundred beauti-
full young ladies OF all ages are constant
jewellers in the building. There are
nearly two thousand students IN all, at
tending, they say. This gives a good
chorus. Two chorus classes are formed,
one for church music, the other miscel-
laneOus. "Concone's Mass" and our
old Daughter of Error were the last
things under practice Sherwin and
Whiting are the conductors. All these
things, with a constant din of pianos,
violins, horns, and voices, which one
cannot help listening to at all hours of
the day, gives one almost the idea that
music is the reigningpassion in this life,
or else that the sectarian's heaven of
ceaseless singing is reached. No one is
afraid of practicing here. You hear
ladies as well as men shouting away at
vocal exercises without the least re-
straint, and any one in distress calling
for help, would call in vain; every one
would think it was "VOice exercise.
All these are excellent advantages for
the student, saying nothingofthe symph-
ony concerts and other first class affairs
we are soon TO have in the musical line.
The bad features are a few Indifferent
teachers, whom some of the students
must fall prey to: very many conflict
ing modes of teachings, especially voice
training, (true, it gives variety, but
they cannot be all good; think there
should be more uniformity in an iTfSti-
tuition of this sort; then instrumental
lessons are rather short, as there are
four to share the hour, and notwith-
ing the fact that one may remain and
watch the rest for the hour he gains but
little more than his fifteen minutes, and
the dollar is gone. l naturally compare
every thing more or less with the same
at home. Piano playing is most studied,
then the voice comes next. There are
very many fine pianists among the
students that only few of our profess
sors at home can equal. The voices
have heard as yet are not many grades
in advance of our moderate singers,
what they are is in training, and not in
better natural voices. Tenors are not
quite so scarce as at home, yet most Of
them strain at high notes. Our favor
ties there, wou d be equally so here,
and Salt Lake may we'll be proud of her
many singers, especially of her Mrs.
bruce Pugsley and Mrs. Olsen Thomas.
Then for violinists our own Weihe need
notdoff hat nor yield a bowto any pro.
lessor here, at least, those whom l have
yet heard. There are many good organ
lists here, no better though, perhaps
thar Radcliffe at classic music. Out OF
the school and i'll the churches may be
heard very fine singing; churches vie
withFeach other on this point, and in
deed the attendance is very much de.
pendent on the good singing to be heard
Last Sabbath l attended services at the
Cathedral, where a fine choir OF mixed
voices sang the most grand and impress.
sive music, IN the .tltgue style, lat one enc
Of the building, and a chorus of meI
and boys chanted and sang at the other
the sweet treble and alto of the bows
pleased me greatly, as did, in fact, al
the singing. But must confess failed
TO enjoy the rest of the SNOWY ceremony
TODAY. l attended "Ruggle Stree
Church" noted here forts excellentmu
sic, especially for having the finest male
quartette in New England. 1T was in
deed, almost heavenly. Such purity
and richness OF tone, such bending O.
the voices, and such perfect expression
| never before heard. Then thew had
congregational singing, such as / have
for. years longed TO hear at home. anC
such as believe shall vet hear. The
little L have heard already more thar
confirms me in the belief that while W.
have the means at home TO eoual. OF
even excel, we are far from doing eitbel
In choral music. We must first realiz,
this fact, then wake up with a uniteC
effort to reform and better II Should
wealth IN Boston offer the peonle bettel
music in their worship, than our heart
felt praise in Salt Lake City should tc
the God who has so abundantIv HES
us? Let choral music there he raiaed n
its proper standard, as far above IN,
rest OF Christianity as our glorious God
given gospel is above their man-mad.
crseas, ana our organ, grand as it is
viii fall back into its proper place ;
secondary thing, an accompaninent IL