Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-10-26

| L HC DtlllIbOlC -NCUc III iSsNliDSS YIN
music recently rendered in the Brown
Memorial Presbyterian Church in that
city by NJ. Alexandra GailmanS, o.
Paris, the master organist of the world.
Tie organ of the church is a noble
Instrument and in the hands Of the
master it seemed to breathe and pulsate
and throb with life.
1t seemed a thing of soul aud
sentiment and motion. IL moaned for
the dead and wept for the living. 1t
clanted masses for The repose Of souls
and had lullabies for the young. There
were victorious anthems for those in
the midst of strife aud its sympathy for
the baitled and beaten poured out in
sweetness in abundance. Now it seem
ed engaged in turmoil of battle; the
artilery's roar, the roll Of the drum,
the shouts of the conquerors and the
walls of the fallen could be heard.
Then came peace. 1t was spring. The
balmy air carried the fragrance of az
pie blooms. The monotone of Il c
bustling bee lulled to slumber: SOFT
and low and mellow came the notes,
now near at hand and now passing
away through the woods and over the
hills until only their memory re-
manned.
Then there was a summer festival.
All was merry. The lads and lassies
sang and danced and kisses were stolen.
Faster went the dance and louder be-
came the songs. Then they sank and
died away while distant muttorings
grew in volume and at last the mani
fold instrument shook in convulsions of
storm. The wind rose and fell and
shrieked and ragged.
1t dashed through the forests, it beat
against the sea, it raced over the plains,
while thunder played the "Anvil Cho
rus on its cyclopean forge. The light
nings ftfully flashed and revealed the
silver rain drops beating on golden
ground The organ walled and shrek
ed. But the tempest died away and
the winds sobbing ceased their strife.
Then there was revel of imps and
enomes and brownies and all the queer
creatures of wood and lane and water.
lantastic carols and odd gyrations and
sLueaky laughs and sudden turns and
il mps and runs were mingled and jun
bed together in ineXtricable confusion,
and just when it seemed they would
never be disentangled all suddenly sep
arated and ran away, and you found
yourself listening to the little old organ
in the old church at the old home of
your boyhood. Its tone was faint and
its compass limited, but there was
all the sweetness of "Home, Sweet
Home" to its quivering notes. You
could see the dear old white-haired
pastor walk up the aisle with solemn
step and slow. You were once again
in the old pew with the old folks at
home.
Then the deacon faded from view
aud grand church wedding took its
place. The rich incense of bride roses
filled the sanctuary. The eager, rest
less guests awaited the entrance of the
bride. Then as the notes became tri-
umphal YOU heard the rustling as
everybody turned to see the sweet. far
bride pass up the aisle. You heard the
minister's solemn words, and then the
music burst forth into ecstacy as the
husband and wife walked arm in arm
forth from the church TO meet the tu-
ture and the world.
But life is not all sunshine, or merry
making or marrying There is much
that is serious and soil mn and sad, and
the organ knew it. 1t sang the song OF
those who failed, the hopelessness Of
despair, the dirge of death. 1t wept
over the strick II first born. 1t sighed
and moaned as one who would not be
conforted. But it spoke of hope, of
a future hereafter, or the sublimity of
an undying faith of the Immortality of
the soul aud the eternity of God. The
heavens might be rolled up as scroll
aud the earth consumed in a blaze, but
the Spirit of Creation lived, now and
forever, time without end.
One of the most interesting features
OF the evening was NJ. Guilmant's i'm
provisation on a theme given at the
time. DR.. George w. Walter, of Wash
ington, d. c., one Of the leading or.
ganists of the country, was to have
furnished the theme, but he was un-
avoidably detained in Washington. In
his absence some one suggested as the
theme Ewing's hymn, Jerusalem, the
Golden" and out of that simple, but
beautiful melody, NJ. Guilmant pre-
ceeded to construct rich and gorgeous
piece of music He first presented the
hymn in its simple state. Then he be-
gan to embroider it with braid of gold
and trim it with silver lace. Then he
decked it out with diamonds and pearls
and rubies and begarlanded it with
roses and lilies and forget-me-nots. He
crowned it with crown of blazing
light, filled its raiment with stars and
left it glorious and splendid as the noon: