St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-07
AT THE THEATERs.

A representative st. Paul audience, gener-
GUS in numbers. gathered at the Grand opera
house last night to hear again John Philip
Sousa and his wonderful band not to forget
several exceptionally capable so1oists.
lnere was no empty seat in the house,
when the popular leader appeared from the
wings and took up his baton for the opening
number.
He bowed gracefully to the raised gloved
hands Of the ladies, and nodded to the men.
and as his own small white glove began the
familiar wave back and forth in the direc-
ton of his splendid band there was a settling
OF shoulders and dropping Of heads as If in
assurance of an expected treat. The stirring
Tannhauser overture was acceptable as the
opening number and received conscientious
and elegant treatment.
Marches followed, not one, but two and
three, either Sousa's own or something Sc.
lected with discretion. When Mr. Sousa and
his superb band of players attempt LISTS
hungarian Rhapsody it seems almost
Wanton to turn the tide Of a full brass band
onto the delicate fneries of the delicious
number, but the work of his musicians is so
admirable that nothing more than the gro
tesque was reached, and the sacrilege slipped
away unobserved. The leader himself fairly
carries along his men, who play with ex-
IRENE finish and exquisite delicacy He ia
SUI generis, and fully attested his ability as
leader by the attainment of more artistic
and refined concert effects than are consid-
ered within the possibilities of a military
band. Particularly attractive are his
marches and descriptive work. and the rep
utation his waltzes brought to Strauss. Sousa
mas fairly won by his marches, especially
given by his own men with an energy and
precision not ALWAYS heard
was, perhaps, the most pretentious selection
on the card of numbers, and was played
withal in so musicianly a manner as to raise
some doubt as to whether a string orchestra
could pour forth the nuances with better or
more telling effect. Arthur Pryor, an I'M
usually clever trombonist, made quite a hit
When here before. and again electrified his
auditors by the wonderful effects he produced
from the dlfhcult instrument. He played it
as IL 1t were cornet, and his runs and in
tervals were wonderfully done. He was en-
cored several times and played after a COM
posltlon or his own, There Is Only One Girl
in the World for Me- and ''Au Revoir."
MISS Myrta French, young singer with a
so-t voice OF considerable volume, has many
admirers in st. Paul. who thinks she sings
wei, and she does. Her selections were NEST
happy, and instead of constituting Chaser
of the bill, as singer usually does in a brass
band concert, she was one of the prominent
features. She sang first Luckstones Delight
VASE, and to a well-merited encore she gave
a dainty ballad, with soft band accompani-
ment. Miss Currie Duke was the violinist
Sne certainly possesses more than ordinary
feeling and technique, and her playing of
Sarasat's "Zguers Weisen" was artistic in
the extreme. For second number she gave
the "CZibulka" selection
Perhaps one Of the neatest musical COM
mentarfes written is the suite for the band.
written by the leader himself. He calls it
Three Quotations." and then proceeds to
quote in his most original style Frequent
calls were made on the musicians for additional
numbers, and the original programme was
more than doubled with the most generous
consent of Mr.. Sousa, whose repertoire is quite
as unlimited as his amiability is invulnerable.
His new king Cotton march created a
sensation for the last part of the programme
and the comedy was furnished with the con-
Guiding number called 1.-The Band Came
Back" when, reversing the usual order of
things. one lone player begins the fun, and is
Joined by solos, duos, trios and quartettes
deity arranged, and furnishing on the whole
most amusing melange of music which,
when all the performers finally on the
stage, breaks into one of Sousa's marches, and
at his appearance his men rise and play 1.-The
Star-Spangled Banner"
During the evening the favorite marches
Liberty Bell" washington Post" High
School Cadets and a number of other popular
selections of the present day were given by
the band, and enthusiastically received. The
band left last night after the concert for the
West.
Tonight the performance of "a Night Off,
will be presented at the Grand The sale of
seats has been large, and there is every indica-
ton that the theater will be crowded by
fashionable audience. The performance will
undoubtedly be clever as any performance
ever given in the Twin Cities by amateurs
The spectacular production of palmer Cox's
Brownies, running at the Metropolitan opera
house this week. is of the most attractive
spectacles that has ever been produced in this
city. The stage effects, including the scenery,
costumes and lights, combine in making a
magnificent spectacle. 1t is positively one of
the best that has been presented at the Metro
politan this season. There are but three more
chances to see 1.-The Brownies" tonight to-
morrow matinee and night. The sale is very
large for the three matinee performances, and
large houses are expected.