The herald., 1896-07-25
RUBESPirRRE'S DEATH
A Rare r1usicaI Treat at WestlaSe Park To
morrow

A Rare 1usicaI Treat at Westlake Park To.
morrow
The poet says. Music hath charms
to soothe the savage breast"
Are there any savage breasts in Los
Angeles? Let them go to Westlake
park Sunday afternoon and be soothed.
Never before have the good people OF
Los Angeles, be they savage or other
wise. been promised so rare musical
treat.
George Cam. the popular director Of
the Seventh Regiment Military band,
has prepared program for next sun
day. the like of which has never been
heard at a public band concert in this
city.
The program will contain many gems
of musical composition, but the piece de
resistance will be the overture Robes
pierre This is musical description OF
the closing days of the French reign of
terror" beginning with the death of
Danton, April TO- 1894 and ending with
the execution of Robespierre and his
fellow-l leaders of the revolution.
The piece opens with the faint mur-
murings of the people at the bloody deeds
of Robespierre and his accompllces. The
murmurs increase until they swell to
perfect tumult of rage and indignation.
Then the people rise in their might and
seize the chiefs of the revolution. who
had worked the guillotine till the streets
of Paris were converted into rivers of
blood. The wrath of the populace is not
appeased till these ogres themselves
are led to the scaffold, where la belle
guillotine slices off their heads and their
own blood swells the streams of gore
that incarnadine the citys thorough
fares.
Sir Archibald Alison, in his incompar-
able History of the Reign of Terror, de-
scribes the death of Robespierre as fol-
lows:
When he ascended the scaffold the
eXecutioner tore the bandage from his
face. the lower jaw fell upon his breast
and he uttered a yell which filled every
heart with horror For some minutes
the frightful figure was held up to the
multitude; he was then placed upder the
ak, and the last sounds which reached
his ears were the eXulting shouts, which
were prolonged for some minutes after
his death. . They shed tears for
joy; they embraced each other in trans
to behold the bloody remains of the ty-
rant"
The musical description of this scene is
quite as graphic as that of the polished
historian. The roll of the drum and
the clash of the cymbals portray the
fall of the AK, and the dull sickening
thud" of the severed head is plainly
heard as it rolls down the incline and
drops into the basket. The scene closes
with the shouts of rejoicing and prayers
of the people.
Prof. Cam has drilled the band on this
difficult overture until their interpreta-
tion of it, he says. is well nigh perfect
After repeated rehearsals, he pronounces
the band ready to go before the public.
1t Will be the first rendition of this diff
cult and powerful piece of music in Los
Angeles. and no lover of music should
miss it, especially as it will cost nothing
to hear it, except street car fare to and
from the park
Another charming number on the pro-
gram will be Waldteufers Espana waltz.
1t Will be wonder if this does not start
the people Waltzing across the green
sward of the park.
Prof. Cam during his seven weeks di-
rectorate has brought the Seventh Regi-
ment band up to a high degree of eff
cheney. The people of Los Angeles have
never before had the opportunity of lis
tening to more enjoyable concerts The
band consists of twenty-five pieces. and
1t is Mr. CAMS ambition to increase this
number to thirty. But to bring this
about. or even to keep the band from
decreasing in membership. the people
must show their appreciate by attend
ing the afternoon concerts. As the
street car companies defray the expenses
Of the band, they will not consent to in
creasing the membership unless there
is a corresponding increase in receipts.
Besides the excellent program arrang-
ed for tomorrow afternoon Prof. Cam
has in store several unique surprises in
the way of encores that the public will
heartily appreciate.