The herald., 1897-01-24
Interesting Features Of Life at
the Belgian Capital
! COMING yIoLINIsT
ID Augustin Maurage, Ysaye's Most
Promising Pupil
How the "Pasteboard Kings" Birthday
WasOCelebrated-The Visit of the
Due D. Orleans-The Exposition.

mas, that Is Christmas for the children
of Belgium, has come and gone. OF
course the 25th will be celebrated, but
only as religious festival In the church.
ss st. Nicholas. on the 9Th, puts in an
appearance at the schools. not IN that
dear, delightful way he does at home.
but as grand, ddgnif1ed bishop, in splen-
did robes. mitre and crozier. accompa-
ned by two equally splendid major do
mos. The day before this visitation
little page, during the absence of the
children, scatters bonbons and gateaux
in the schoolrooms and the surprise and
delight of the little Belgians Is great in
decd "Oh, mon Dieu!" "riens! Tiens!"
'Vraiment!" LIE bon evique!" (the good
bishop are some of the exclamations
as they eagerly pocket the goodies On
the afternoon Of the 9Th the wonderful
bishop appears to distribute the cadeaux
(presents) and deliver lecture All this
ceremony was disappointing and at the
same time amusing to Mttle lone Cali
fornian. Disappointing, becaus things
were not as they were at home, and
amusing from the unfortunate habit the
mitre had of occasionally topping over,
taking, as 1t did, the unitedleiforts OF the
two stately major domos to keep 1t in
place.
WONDERFUL TOYS.
The wonderful mechanism of some of
the toys displayed in the magasins is
interesting to both young and old. In
one window on the Rue Montague de la
Cour there Is perfect representation OF
the fall Of the bastile. On one side are
seen the mob attacking, and to the left
the soldiers, with much trepidation. are
placing the cannon and hurrying to the
defense. Peering out from the narrow
windows OF the bastile are seen the pale
haggard faces of the prisoners. Per-
haps the most realistic thing about this
miniature battle is the intense and va
ried expressions of both mob and SOL
tiiers At last the mob Is triumphant.
and as the famous old bastile falls
green glaze curtain uomes down over
all. In frort of this especial window
may be seen the tail grenadier, with his
great fur cap and clanking sword hung
by his side the ever watchful gend'-
armes, with his long black cape, that re-
minds one of brigand. the quantity
attired Flemish peasant, just arrived
from some of the surrounding COM
munes, the rosy-cheeked latiteriere, or
milkwoman, the elegantly attired prom
enader of the boulevards,- all intensely
absorbed in the Fall of the Bastile.
CHEAP THEATERS.
Brussels offers also many fine attrac-
tiors this season of the year In the way
of concerts, operas, -musicales, etc. and
the prices Of admission are merely NOM
inal. Every Sunday afternoon the Royal
Carabiniers give q concert, consisting
of the choicest classical music in the
great hall of the bourse on the Boule
ward Centrale, and the best chairs are
only one franc eco cents), LIE Promencir
costing but half franc 90 cents). Then
there is the Arhambre, the Alcazar, the
Monnae, and many other equally fine
theaters. where one may. enjoy Shake
speare and Moliere for two ?-ancS (40
cents).
A GREAT CONCERT.
Perhaps the most important social
and musical event of this winter so far
was the opening concert symphonique
given by Ysaye on the 29th of November,
at the Theater de L'Ahambre. In the
selection of his orchestra, am told, he
has spared no pains to secure the best
talent not only of Brussels, but also of
Paris This orchestra consists of about
300 musicians. The leading violinists
are from the Conservatoire here. The
pianist is none other than the noted
Raoul Pugno of the Paris Conservatoire.
The best seats for this opening concert
cost only two francs and 20 ceatimes (65
cents). The audience was equally as
interesting as the orchestra, composing
as 1t did the flower of Brussels society.
Famous artists. well-known journalists
and the highest noblesse were there, to
do homage to the great master. Fore
most among perhaps 200 violinsts was
Augustin Maurage, the pupil and intim-
ate friend of Isaye. His pale, oval face,
framed by long, raven locks, and lit with
the fire of genius, his tall, angular frame
and taperlng fingers bespoke the true
artist. This young man Of % years has
accomplished in four years what usual
ly takes from six to seven years of hard
conservatoire work to do, viz, the crown
ing triumph of carrying off the Prix
Premiere de Conservatoire Royal de Mu-
sique. So pleased is Isaye with the prom
Use of this young violinist that he has
presented him with superb portrait of
himself. and under the portrait are the
words: "fo my friend and pupil, as a
souvenir from E. Isaye." the autograph
being, OF course, in French.
You may judge of the high degree art
and music have attained In Brussels by
the criticism on Isaye in LIE Nationale on
the day following the concert: His
technique, OF course, was unassailable,
but he lacked the verve and sentiment
that should have characterized his rem
dition of the Beethoven. His manner
and pose was that of the bourgeoise"
DESTROYS of further information as to
the truth of these severe remarks, dill
1gent inquiry ELECTED the fact that to be
a great artist in Europe is to be the en-
bodiment OF perfection always; occa-
sional lapses, either from, perhaps. IA
tigue, illness or any other cause, are not
to be tolerated.
No wonder these artists one sees and
meets In the Conservatoire or art CALLER
les are all Of one type, so different from
the healthy, hearty Bruxelloise. Intense
thought, hard study and continual emu
lation drive the color from their faces
and vigor from their bodies Isaye is an
exception. OF an unusually cheerful
temperament and strong constitution.
he has been able to withstand the strain
LEOPOLD'S BIRTHDAY
Another event of great eclat has also
come and gone. On the 18th of Novem-
Der Leopold H., king of the Belgians
celebrated his birthday with great snIen'
dor at the Cathedral of Saint Gudula
A grand TIE Deum was sung by tha
choir. and royalty, accompanied bv ali
the resident foreign ministers and am
bassadors came to the cathedral in
state Pending the arrival of their
majesties a detachment Of the Grenod-
iers du Roi took up position in the inter
Tor of the cathedral. and as each foreign
functionary entered. prolonged drum
heat and military salute was given. Full
court costume was the order of the dav
Perhaps the two most prominent figures
were those Of the papal nuncio to the
court of Belgium, Monsignore Rinaldini.