Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-07
An Auolsta Teacher Abroad --Letter No. ].

I sight when we all sat down again.
With q cheerful cOuntenance our
| German came back many times to ten
us we must stand up. although he knew
very well that we would set down again
when he was out of sight. At last when
the Requiem commenced. we We're all
| seated and the orange and the green
| were irrcvocably mixed. Even though
the church was uncomfortably cold We
| were compensated for that fluctuatins
hour of hope and fear by the harmony
| Of that master composition and above
all we listened to Kraus who came
| fl ON Berlin for that occasion.
| Brahms Requiem had been given
| partly in recognition of the day for in
| germany that year it was Decoration
| day 1t seemed strange to US to have
it in the middle of November when the
| ground is frozen The night before we
mad met a representative of every
| family in the city carrying home large
| wreaths of artificial flowers to be
carried out in the cemetery Sunday.
morning.
| In the city the cemetery or as
| i. is more practically called GottesackcI
| is not cheerful place for the mounds
are several feet high without any TUT
and they are heavily laden with artiH-
| cial flowers and conventional designs
not at all pleasing to the eye. In the
| country however the mounds are lower
+ and grass grown and simple inscrip-
| tons as Auf Wiedersehen give a feeling
| of peace and rest.
A subject closely allied to the opera
| is the drama. Many play did we
| listen to but l am afraid the classical
| German was lost upon us. Way up i'll
| the balcony as we were. it was lmroS-
sible 10 distinguish hardly a word I'M
less we had a copy of the play before
Us. Yet if we had the words in front
| OF Us and tried to follow them We
would lose track of the actors and
hopclessly lose our place in our books
| if We but lifted our eyes second. We
| could appreciate good acting, though.
| and no crowds were ever handled bet
| ter on any stage than on the German
i one There was never q dull moment
| when there was Il large gathering. In
stead of standing like puppets as they
| So often do iii our own theatres. they
group themselves naturally and live
| the paris. We never saw Il finer piece
of acting than Wallcnstcn's Lager.
We could also appreciate the Ger
| man hunor as it appeared on the stage.
1t was always evident. At on" COM
| cdy that we attended, nothing
amused the audience more than the
| following: A big fat soldier entered the
! room. two soldiers present Immediate
| ~ offered him chair at the same i'll
Stant, then both withdraw the chairs
simultaneously with the result that the
fat man unexpectedly sat on the floor
with thud. whercat tho audience
| laughed so heartily that it was u
| pleasure t. hear it.
ArtiStcally the Germans are weak as
| compared with their music and drama,
but We can overlook much when listen
! ing to their wonderful harmonieS, even
| though IL Tannhauscr makes his APP
pcarancc with shock of bright red
| lair Il flowing crimson mantle and q
\ wreath of pink roses too small for the
| head. wearing il 50 that it is pcrchcd
| most of the time over one ear. When
we rcar that same Tannhauscr begin to
sing all else but the music is forgot
| ten. ami we understand why Ger
many is the foremost musical country
| in tao world.
! MABEL FRANCES KNIGHT.
1.-THE ought letter will re on Mamma
and Il German Christmas.