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August 20th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIKW
ed courage to reappear, and a dozen deputy-sub-
deputies timidly entered the orchestra. Once
more the gallant Baron led the way through the
score, and the band floundered after him; rehearsal
was dismissed; the call for next day was answered,
and behold twelve under-deputy-sub-deputies,
bow in hand and violin to shoulder. One misan-
thrope, laughing grimly, reappeared, but the
other eleven had given it up like their numerous
predecessors. Happily the score of " I I Rinne-
gato " is of such a nature that it does not matter
whether members of the orchestra are, or are not,
playing what the Baron is pleased to regard as the
correct notes, so if the extra violins got mixed it
was of no consequence.—London Paper.
PECULIARITIES OF A CHURCH CHOIR.
"\7~OU may organize a church choir and think
J_ you have got it down fine, and that every
member of it is pious and full of true goodness,
and in such a moment as you think not you will
find that one or more of them are full of the old
Harry, and it will break out when you least expect
it. There is no more beautiful sight to the stu-
dent of nature than the church choir. To see the
members sitting together, demure, devoted and
pious-looking, you think there is never a thought
enters their minds that is not connected with sing-
ing anthems, but sometimes you get left. There
is one church choir in Milwaukee that is about as
near perfect as a choir can be. It has been organ-
ized for a long time, and never has quarreled, and
the congregation swears by it. When the choir
strikes a devotional attitude it is enough to make
an ordinary Christian think of the angel band
above, only the male singers wear whiskers and
the females wear fashionable clothes.
You would not think that this choir played
tricks on each other during the sermon, but some-
times they do. The choir is furnished with the
numbers of the hymns that are to be sung, by the
minister, and they put a bookmark in the book at
the proper place. One morning they all got up to
sing, when the soprano turned pale, as an ace of
spades dropped out of her hymn book, the alto
nearly fainted when a queen of hearts dropped at
her feet, and the rest of the pack was distributed
around in the other books. They laid it on to the
tenor, but he swore, while the minister was preach-
ing, that he didn't know one card from another.
One morning last summer, after the tenor had
been playing tricks all the spring on the rest of
the choir, the soprano brought a chunk of shoe-
makers' wax to church. The tenor was arrayed,
like Solomon, in all his glory, with white pants
and a Seymour coat. The tenor got up to see who
the girl was who came in with the old lady.- and
while he was up the soprano put the shoemakers'
wax on the chair, and the tenor sat down on it.
They all saw it, and they Avaited for the result. It
was an awful long prayer, and the church was hot.
the tenor was no iceberg himself, and shoemakers'
wax melts at ninety-eight degrees Fahrenheit. The
minister finally got to the amen and read a hymn,
the choir coughed and all rose up. The chair that
the tenor was in stuck to him like a brother, and
came right along and nearly broke his suspenders.
It was the tenor to bat, and as the great organ
struck up he pushed the chair off his person, look-
ed around to see if he had saved his pants, and
began to sing, and the rest of the choir came near
bursting. The tenor Avas called out on three
strikes by the umpire, and the alto had to sail in,
and while she was singing the tenor began to
feel of first base to see what was the matter.
When he got his hand on the shoemakers' warm
wax his heart smote him and he looked daggers at
the soprano, but she put on a pious look and got
her mouth ready to sing " Hold the Fort." Well,
the tenor sat down on a white handkerchief, before
he went home, and he got home without anybody
seeing him, and he has been, as the saying is,
" laying for the soprano ever since, to get even."
It is customary in all first class choirs for the
male singers to furnish candy for the lady singers,
and the other day the tenor Avent to a candy fac-
tory and had a peppermint lozenger made with
about half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper in the
centre of it. On Christmas he took his lozenger to
church, and concluded to get even with the
soprano if he died for it. Candy had been passed
around, and just before the hymn was given out in
which the soprano was to sing a solo, " Nearer my
God to Thee," the Avicked wretch gave her the
loaded lozenge. She put it in her mouth and nib-
bled off the edges, and was rolling it as a sweet
morsel under her tongue, when the organ struck
up, and they all arose. While the choir was skir-
mishing on the first part of the verse and getting
scored up for the solo, she chewed what was left of
the candy and swallowed it. Well, if a democratic
torchlight procession had marched unbidden down
her throat she couldn't have been any more aston-
ished. She leaned over to pick up her handker-
chief and spit the candy out, b ut there Avas enough
pepper left around the salvage of her mouth to
have pickled a peck of chow-chow. It was her
turn to sing, aud she rose and took the book; her
eyes filled with tears, her voice trembled, her face
Avas as red as a spanked lobster, and the way she
sung that old hymn was a caution. With a sweet
tremulo she sung " Nearer my God to Thee," and
the congregation Avas almost melted to tears. As
she stopped, while the organist got in a little
Avork, she turned her head, opened her mouth and
blew out her breath Avith a " woosh " to cool her
mouth. The audience saw her Avipe a tear aAvay,
but did not hear the sound of her voice as she
'"wooshed." She wiped out some of the pepper
with her handkerchief and sang the other A r erses
Avith a good deal of fervor, and choir sat down, all
of the members looking at the soprano. She called
for water. The noble tenor Avent and got it for
her, and after she had drank a couple of quarts,
she Avhispei'ed to him: "Young man, I Avill get
even with you for that peppermint candy if I have
to live a thousand years, and don't you forget it,"
and then they all sat down and looked pious, Avhile
the minister preached a most beautiful sermon on
Faith." We expect that tenor will be bio wed
through the roof some Sunday morning, and the
congregation will Avonder Avhat he is in such a
hurry for.
15
MUSICAL CHAT
AT HOME.
The Philharmonic Club have engaged Mr. Alex-
ander Lambert, a young and unknown pianist, to
play at their concerts next winter. The gentleman
is reported to be an accomplished artist.
Miss Agnes Hallock Avill sing Avith the Melville
English Opera Company next season. Miss Hal-
lock made a success last year in " F u n on the Bris-
tol," though the role was not equal to her musical
powers.
Manager Peck, of Boston, has concluded his ar-
rangements for the first production of Berlioz's
Romeo and Juliet," the dates fixed being Friday
evening, Oct. 14, and Saturday afternoon, Oct. 15.
The orchestra will number between 75 and 80 mu-
sicians, under the direction of Theodore Thomas,
and the chorus will be that formed last season by
Mr. J. B. Sharland. The engagement of Mr. Georg
Henschel to sing the part of Friar Laurence has
been made, and Mr. Julius Jordan will be the
Romeo.
Mrs. Belle Cole, soprano, is at Saratoga, and is
engaged for several concerts to be given this month.
Miss Emma Juch is the first of the operatic ar-
tists to return to this country, having arrived on
Friday, Aug. 5th.
Mr. Adolph Fischer, violoncellist, is expected in
New York early in September, having been already
engaged for a number of concerts.
The managers of the Worcester (Mass.) festival
have engaged Miss Emily Winant, of this city, for
the principal contralto parts in oratorios and con-
certs.
Miss Anna Bock, one of the most industrious and
capable of our young New York pianists, has ar-
ranged for a concert tour in the Uuited States and
Canada.
Miss Zelie de Lussan, after an extended and suc-
cessful concert tour, has gone to Richfield Springs
for the summer, and will resume her professional
duties in the fall.
Miss Clara Pool, of Boston, will sing contralto
parts in several oratorios and concerts during the
coming season.
A Boston paper states that Mr. Mapleson is ne-
gotiating with Mme. Lucca for next season in this
country.
Mr. Joseffy and his cousin, Mr. Boscovitz, are
announced to appear together in piano concerts in
Chicago next season.
Mr. Theodore Toedt, the tenor, is spending a
portion of the summer among the Berkshire hills.
Mr. Harrison Millard has composed and pub-
lished a soiig, entitled '' God Save Our President
From Every Harm." It is called a "national
anthem," and is arranged for voices, reed, and
brass bands, or piano accompaniment.
Maur,ice Dengremont, the boy violinist, is now
in Paris. He will return to this country and play
in concert during the month of October next. He
has selected Spohr's Second Concerto for the first
concert of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Society.
Miss Cora R. Miller, a high sopraup with a broad
dramatic voice, has been engaged by the Men-
delssohn Quintette Club of Boston, for an exten-
sive concert tour through Australia. The com-
pany sail on the 27th inst., from San Francisco,
per steamer Zealandia, and are to be congratulated
on the excellent choice that they made from the
large number of concert and opera singers that
Avere ready to accompany them. Miss Miller, who
withal is a wonderfully handsome woman, Avas
once a pupil of Signor Moderati and lately in ora-
torio of Madame Hall of Boston
RUBINSTEIN AND MENTER.
T^HESE great artists, after being each a distinct
_1_ centre of attraction in London, came togeth-
er at Willis's Rooms in that city recently, when
a Concert d'Invitation Avas given by the agents of
Herr Bechstein, Avhose pianofortes Avere introduced
into England not long ago by Dr. Hans von
BiiloAV. A large number of professors and ama-
teurs attended, and the occasion was made a great
success by unique rivalry and not less singular skill.
A great feature was the association of both
artists in works for tAvo pianos, or for one instru-
ment a quatre mains. To the first class belonged
a Fantasia (Op. 73) by Herr Rubinstein, and to the
second a selection from the same master's "Bal
Costume." Without desiring to prejudice the
Fantasia, it may be said that the " Bal Costume "
carried off the honors. It is a work in tAventy
sections, each descriptiA^e of a pair of characters;
as, for example, " Sauvage et Indienne," " Trou-
badour et Dame." The idea must be pronounced
a happy one, especially for Herr Rubinstein,
Avhom it enabled to display all his skill in charac-
teristic and descriptive music. Selections from
this varied and picturesque Avork will surely be-
come popular, and there Avas but one opinion as to
the charm of those played by the composer and
his fair associate. HOAV they were played ;t is
quite superfluous to tell. Subsequently, Madame
Menter introduced Tausig's arrangement of
Weber's " L'Invitation a, la Valse," Herr Rubin-
stein following with Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 109,
and Schumann's " Carnival," which he gave Avith
astounding effect. So ended one of the most re-
markable reunions of a season destined to take his-
toric rank.
Prof. B F. Leavens, a well-known Hartford
organist for years, died recently of Bright's dis-
ease, having been prostrated so short a time that
few knew he Avas ill. He first went to Hartford in
1863, and has held the position of organist in St.
John's, Trinity, Pearl Street Congregational, and
the Fourth Church, being connected with the lat-
ter at the time of his death. He Avas also musical
director at South Manchester for eight years and a
half. As an instructor he stood high in the esti-
mation of good musicians, and met with excellent
success. He Avas an active Mason, belonging to
several ranks of the fraternity, including the
Knights Templar. He Avas born at Dudley, Mass.,
Oct. 12, 1822, and was buried at Forest Ceme-
tery, Boston. He leaves a wife, two sons, and a
daughter.
The Young Msennerchor, of Philadelphia, have
Mr. J. de Zielinski, of Detroit, is taking his
received the following letter from Hans Balatka, vacation
this year in the distant west. He re-
the leader of the Chicago Saengerfest:
sumes
Ms
professional duties in Detroit, August
CHICAGO, July 30, 1881.
22nd.
To the Young Maennerchor of Philadelphia.
Brahm's Symphony No. 2 was performed by the
GENTLEMEN:—It was my intention, dear friends,
to express my heartfelt thanks for the truly excel- Theodore Thomas Orchestra in Chicago, July 28th,
lent musical assistance rendered by you, which for the first time in that city and second time in
made the success of our great festival so complete. America, and was well received by a critical audi-
I do so now, and my opinion is not that of the ence.
general public but of the musical critics as well.
Monday afternoon, August 1st, Mrs. Albert F.
* * * May the festival, at which you success- Dean, of St. Louis, gave a song recital at Hershey
fully assisted, always remain a pleasant remin- Music Hall, Chicago. Her programme Avas an in-
iscence of your visit to Chicago, and be assured we teresting one, containing choice Avorks o'f Bach,
will ahvays bear the greatest friendship for the Handel, Schubert, Franz, Jenson and others.
Young Msennerchor of Philadelphia.
Mr. H. Clarence Eddy contributed three organ
HANS BALATKA.
numbers.
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