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August 26, 1854.] THE LEADER. 813
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/ft* I Ci 1 <V!l4j£ ^Ujj3 -^
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GOSSIP. J;ourkaxists must write even in ...
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41 \ i Ti}iV(iUo- Rauhel jroturn to tlio...
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Madame Plessy returns to the Theatbb Fra...
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Seventeen thousand pounds is the sum to ...
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St. Jabies s Theatbe is announced to be ...
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MUSICAL PUBLICATIONS.* . Music, which in...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
August 26, 1854.] The Leader. 813
August 26 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 813
/Ft* I Ci 1 ≪V!L4j£ ^Ujj3 -^
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Gossip. J;Ourkaxists Must Write Even In ...
GOSSIP . J ; ourkaxists must write even in the dog-days , when the theatres are sliut and there is nothing new even from the ' theatre of war . ' Dramatic critics Eire more fortunate in their vocation . They have an easytime enough , of it just now . We hope Vivian may hear this growl in his far solitude of the Hartz mountains .. As for our confreres in Paris , they seem to pass their holidays delightfully . Tbeophile Gautier , it is true , and Paul Meurice have heea conscientiously assisting at the classical German drama at Munich ; and their reports are so lively , so brilliant , so refined , we ^ almost forget how they must have heen "bored . They appear , however , to have enjoyed some compensation in the exquisite performances of Madlle . Seebach as Margaret in Faust and . as Clara in Egrriont . fSpeakingr of this young lady ' s acting in the latter tragedy , Theophile Gautier writes : "If the character of Claire was moulded by Goethe with
all the suppleness of life , it must be confessed that Mademoiselle Seebacb plays it in so natural a . manner that the word acting is improper to express such a perfect identification . Mademoiselle Seebach is Claire herself , and makes us forget that yesterday she was Marguerite , She literally lives the part , if we may be pardoned a Latinism which alone , expresses . our sensa--tio ' ns at a pe ^ rtoiancesoj true , so frank , so unembarrassed by the slightest consciousness of the aucLiehce . You may fancy yourself present at a scene of real life . " Paul IVieuitfee writes t " Mademoiselle Seebach was the Margtierite , the Claire , the Louise ( inthe play of Kabalewid' Ziebe ) . What gjceater praise can w : e bestow ? J ^ Vith what agonised terror she writh es at the foot of the altar of the Virgin , poor dove upon whom all the tempests and | lightnmgsL of heaven have fallen ! ^ ith what curiosity and childish coaxing tenderness she claps her Lands as she skips round Egmont , dressed
in his splendid ducal mantle , poor little bird , scared and dazzled by all these jewels and precious gewgaws ! How she sufTers and bleeds at heart under the grhxqf that pitiless PVwrwi , when the wretch forces her to write the letter which dishonours her in } ier lover ' s eyes . Htow she draws berself up , calm , dignified , and proud , in the scene where the great lady tries to intimidate and to insult the humhle ^ cbild of the people ! ' No actress , not one , could be found at Paris to rival Mademoiselle Seebacli in these simple and tbuehing characters . * ' Again he writes : " Mademoiselle Helen Faucit , who appeared at Paris with Macready some , years since , is the only actress who can furnish a point of comparison with Mademoiselle Seebach . Only , Mademoiselle Seebach is as ( German as Mademoiselle Faucit is English : but in both there is the same grace and the same charm . "
By the way , Paul Meurice speaks very disparagingly of the Crystal Palace at Munich , arid of the German iSxpqsition . "In the first place the palace itself is far from beautiful ; yet it is an imitation of that fairy architecture in glass , at once light and majestic , of which England furnished the prototype for all future exhibitions . But this dirty yellow baraque at Munich lias contrived to be equally heavy and mean . " Talking of our Parisian brethren , M . de Fiennes , of the Sieclc , whohas been passing bis critic ' s holiday in the Pyrenees , sets an example to all critics on their travels , which we trust Vivian will follow if he have the opportunity . The scene is a picnic in the mountains . " We had scarcely begun to eat when a cavalcade composed of fifteen persons appeared ori the crest of the mountain . The men raised an exclamation of distress when they found a party in possession of the * best box . ' They had nothing better to do than to pitch their camp at
about a couple of gunshots from our position . And then a scene of the mostperfect courtesy was performed , of which I must give you a few details . A guide enme to tell us that our neighbours , who were English , had no salt , ana begged us to give them what wo could spare . ' They want salt , ' we cried , * and English too I Ah ! we will realise the Anglo-French alliance ; here is ours . Pray tell them that we are dreadfully hungry , and short of bread . ' Back came the guide with a loaf from the English . We sent a ham : the English replied with a notable portion of lerrinc de Nerac , truffled to the crust . We rejoined by the despatch of a basket of beautiful Toulouse peaches : the English again by a bottle of Malvoisie . We gave up , perhaps with a little regret , a halt" bottle of liqueur de < : 7 iartr <> u $ e : they returned a magnificent nougat . At last wo decided upon despatching the best dressed and most elegant of our party to exchange compliments with our neighbours . Monsieur le Baron M D- , a man of charming manners and
tact was appointed our envoy . He advanced : but at the same moment an Englishman came forward half-way . The two ambassadors saluted one another , shook hands cordially , and exchanged mutual compliments in cither language . "At length wo got on our horses and prepared to say adieu ; llicy had already reuchedthe top of the mountain and were waving hats and handkerchiefs arid , crying hurrah ! I need scarcely say how warmly we returned the cheers . Who were they , these henrty neighbours of ours ' ? I don ' t tajow to this moment ; they wore descending to Venaso | ue , we were ascending to la Picade ; we hnvo never mot since , but I am desired to assure them in this place , and it is a duty I discharge with pleasure , that they are de la mcilleure compagnie possible . Is not this a noble employment for tuurists , to cement the alliance of the two nations by mutual offices of kindness and civility ? for it must not bo forgotten that the present nllianco ( rslo jnupctua . ' ) is essentially nu alliance of the nations .
41 \ I Ti}Iv(Iuo- Rauhel Jroturn To Tlio...
41 \ i Ti } iV ( iUo- Rauhel jroturn to tlio Tlu'iUrc Francais ? tlint is n quo » tion tuo lady'herself aconm unnblo or unwilling in the iulnosH of hur novorei « n caprice to doojdo . Three weeks ogo it was understood in Paris Hint ulio h : nl resolved to return ' for good and all to the national stugn . Now wo now ottabulouii ' oilers from America , of an inclination to pass the winter nt Brussels , ana to appear at the Grand Thontro in tl . at ; ininialuro 1 'ari . s , all whoso notabilities nro imploring tho traqddimno to mnkc it tho i-itv ol Ilt pieuilcction ; there is ovon a whiepor of taking u London thoutro Vor tho ponormanco of French tweedy ?
For the sake of Art we should regret to find Madlle . Rachel deserting the Theatre Francais—her proper realm ; while it is difficult to be so unselfish as to dissuade her from the thought of London . But , in justice to Madlle . Rachel herself , we may respectfully submit two conditions indispensable to success in London , commercially . 1 . French classical tragedy will not do alone ; we are not Racinian enough to be able to subsist even on Phedre We are a public of realists , and we want life , and therefore the modern drama . 2 . M . Raphael Felix will not do for leading tragedian . With these reserves tie great artist may depend on all the old enthusiasm whenever she descends upon her English worshippers .
Madame Plessy Returns To The Theatbb Fra...
Madame Plessy returns to the Theatbb Francais , and Mademoiselle Luther is engaged by the new management of the Vacjdevujde . Bouffe , the admirable comedian , has , we are glad to hear , completely recovered his health and strength , and is quite ready for an engagement .
Seventeen Thousand Pounds Is The Sum To ...
Seventeen thousand pounds is the sum to be paid to Madame Grisi and Signor Mario for a six mouths' engagement in the United States . For this very trifling consideration , which is exclusive of the payment of all expencesof every description , they will sing three nights a week , in whatever operas they choose . Mr . Hackett , the American actor , represents the speculation , and half the sum bas been paid in advance .
St. Jabies S Theatbe Is Announced To Be ...
St . Jabies s Theatbe is announced to be opened about the end p £ September for dramatic performances , under the management of Mrs . Seymour . The enterprise is reported , to be well sustained ; and the announcement of a new drama by MessraJ Tom Taylor and Charles Reside looks like an earnest of success . We hear that Miss Glyn is among tie leading engage ments , and that the performances are to be limited , to drame : with no aftefpiece . The common mistake of all managers is to give too Much to begin too early and end too late . The consequence of this surfeiting system is , that a late-dining and indifferent generation of playgoers leave the theatre sulfeily resolving not to go again . Mr . Wigan ve ^ y wisely infringed upon this system , and the result has been equally satisfactory , we believe , to management and public . E . P .
Musical Publications.* . Music, Which In...
MUSICAL PUBLICATIONS . * . Music , which in its original sense embraced the whole circle of the civilising arts , and was in its more restricted sense a principal element in the education of the Gymnasia of Athens , seems to be regaining its authority as a teacher and a humani-ser of the multitude , and not merely as a refined recreation of select society . Among those who have laboured most devotedly and successfully to democratise the study of the best music the first names that naturally occur to us are those of Novello and John ' Hut-lab . For ten years past , before the era of cheap publications , Mr . Novello had begun , to ^ publish the masterpieces of the great composers at a very moderate price , edited and produced with perfect care , and with typographical excellence . Mr . John Hullali has for the last fourteen , years laboured to place the cultivation of part-singing within the reach of the humblest classes , and with what success let St . Martin ' s Haxj . testify . It must have been a noble recompense to fllr . Uullali to find himself solicited to deliver a lecture at the
recent Educational Exhibition in . favour of" Music as an Element of Education . " And very good use did Mr . Hullnh make of this opportunity ; in a few words he temperately and fairly demonstrated how pure a discipline , and how salutary , was a study discountenanced by some for its purely ornamental character , and by others for its excessive demands on the time and attention of the student . He was not wanting in illustrious examples of men " who have loved or cultivated music , and these , too , persons of the most opposite and various fortune , temper , or manner of life , " and all characterised by the energy of their minds . Let us not be ungrateful to M Jullien , who has never failed to introduce into . his programmes selections from the highest masters , and every year has found the audiences more disposed and more able to enjoy and appreciate the severer delicacies of a banquet garnished , it is true , with sparkling reminiscences of the ballroom , and often with the most fantastic extravaganzas . In no country—not even in Germany—is the highest class of music more systematically cultivated than in England : Handel , llaydn , Weber , Mendelsohn composed for English orchestras and English audiences .
We have not it is true , the advantages of a Conservatoire , and our Royal Academy is an obscure affair ; but nowhere will you meet with a more critical and discriminating musical public than in London , though the nrtistic feeling is often wanting , and perhaps tho musical ear less tender and less sensitive than that of the Continental nations . We have here on our table half-a-doaen musical works , indicating at once tho activity and the high direction of the art in this country . We have an elaborate treatise on musical composition by the learned Gorman theorist Rohnor , "in association with an English gentleman . " This is ii complete exposition of tho theory of music , as a science . All tho learning in the world cannot make a composer ; but all the genius in the world , without learning , is equally fruitless . This work of Rohncr's is ft key to nil the mysteries of those hnrrnonie combinations which to the uninitiated sound like the negligence of inspiration , while to the student they rovcal the most perfect symmetry of form and structure . 3 \ 1 k . Noviax-o ' s " Library for the diffusion of Musical Knowledge" has recently boon enriched by Cherubim ' s admirable " Treatisu on Counterpoint !» inl Fugue , 'translated by Mrs . Cowdon Clarko expressly ibr Ibid edition . "The young composer , " writes Cherubini in his Introduction , " who shall rarcfulfy follow the inntruotioiia contained in ( Iiih ( ri-ntis ? , one" having ? Music as an h'hmwiU of Juhwud ' on . l » y . folui llulliili . London , . 1 . \ V . Vnrktr and Son . — . 1 J ' nu'tivui Traud ' nuon Mimioul (' utnj / om ' tioii , in T / irca I ' di'tn . liy tloorgo Williolni INilmcr . London : Longmans . ' — C / u-nthiiii ' n (' onnU-r / iiiiitl am / Fitt / ue . London : J . A . Nowllo— . ] Trcritiiic an C / ioir ami Chorus Sini / int / ,. Ity 1 ' - >'• luii . t . Trnntdutod ( with tho | 'crniii > r . » yu of tlio tmtlior ) by tho liev . TIiohkih Mi-lnuiiv , M . A . London : J . A . Novollo . — . Xoi \/ r <>' x Anoli / ti . i o / ' I ' ixvl Kiiulinwiitd lit / Quvativu » ml Answer—Jlandvl ' a Japt / iu—) lumhl \ i I > clvi \ i / t . — ' . Uor . ( irCa Hcqtticnt . Kdltod by ^ !^ H'oi ^ t Novvllo , London : J . A . Movillo
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 26, 1854, page 21, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26081854/page/21/
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