Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 26th November 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1302, Untitled Article

Page 1302
Page 18
18 of 24

On this page

  • Text (6)
  • Transcript

    • 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.

      Untitled Article

      of ihi » song- terminated , ; as * the report » state , this glorious festival , and the guests ? separated at four in the morning-, in " weiheyoll geregter Stimmung ; ¦ which cannot be better- translated than by the chorus of "Willie brewed a peck o * rnaut" : —

      " We ' re no that foil , we ' re no that , But just a drappie in our e ' e , " &c . Your readers perceive by the above specimen that the admiration of Schiller is but little short of adoration . Such being the state of the public mind , imagine the effect of the following cruel cut on the part of the French Univers .- — " Cynical in his ' Robbers , ' heathen in his ' Gods of Greece , ' democratic in certain hymns to liberty , pantheistic everywhere , a fanatical Protestant in his ' Revolt of the Low

      Countries ' and in his « Thirty Years' War ; Paying the Catholic in his ' Mary Stuart and ' Maid of Orleans '—such is Schiller , and such the age which celebrates him . It is true that while Schiller the democrat gained the applause of the men of blood , and the enemies of his country , Schiller the Conservative , lived from the benevolence of the Duke of Weimar . If with all this Schiller was a genius , he was the genius oi confusion or of equivocation , " &C &c .

      It was reported that a new law relating to the Jews in Austria would be issued . This is nowcon ^ tradicted , but an official statement has gone forth that the Israelites will be relieved from all the restrictions laid upon them since 1851 .

      Untitled Article

      Italian Opera , Dkukt-i-aitb . — On Monday there was no performance . On Tuesday a very crowded house applauded to the echo Mddle . Titiens , who , with the demoiselles , "Vaneri arid Borchardt , and Signori Giuglini * Aldighieri , and "Vialetti , gave an admirable performance of the " Huguenots , " and thus brought Mr . Smith ' s season , or series of seasons , to a triumphant , and , we believe we may this time speak with certainty a definitive close .

      - The Promenade Concerts . — - While Mr , E . L . Blanchard puts the finishing touch to the libretto and Mr .. Beverley to the scenery of the Grand Christmas Pantomime , the lessee has prudently availed himself of an offer of a fortnight ' s rent , and this salle opens this evening , for a series of fourteen promenade concerts a id Jullien , ' The scheme is under the direction of an efficient committee , who have engaged Mr . Manns , of the Crystal Palace , as Director , Madame Lemmens Sherrington as prima donna , and Herr " WTeniawski as first violin extraordinary . The prices are , of course , as of old .

      Princess ' s Theatre . —On Wednesday was presented , under the short title of " Gossip , " a fairly successful adaptation , by Messrs . T . Williams and A . Harris , of a French vaudeville , called " Los Femmes Terribles . " The moral of the tale , which it takes a couple of acts to enforce , is , " Avoid Gossip ; " and Mrs . Charles Young and Mr . Byder , with Messrs . Bland , Meadows , and Shore , succeeded fully in impressing the value of silence upon the more critical portion of their hearers . The idea of creating an imbroglio by giving scandalous colour to a husband ' s attentions to his wife , is a smart one . would have fully furnished forth a farce of

      thirty-¦ flv e minutes ; but to prolong , or as the mathematicians say , to " produce " it into a comedy of two hours' long , is giving one almost too much of a good thing . Mrs . Youog as Mrs . Chatter ton , the gossiping , social nuisance so familiar to playgoers , and others , bqth at home and abroad , is iairiy amusing . Messrs . Byder and Blanfd are out of their element ; and Messrs * Meadows and Shore—more especially the lattery-are particularly at home in the narts allotted to them . Mr . Shore ' s performance of

      Horace Cleveland deserves to be singled out from the rest as on artistic morceau . The piece was very favourably received by ' * the general , " will no doubt hold the stage for a longer period than some of tho . more ambitious productions and revivals of the season . The talents of Mies Keoley continue to be the theme of conversation , both in and outside of the theatrical world . Her Nellgf in ' ? ONursey Cluokvreed , " aad Puss , in tho little piece of that name , have stamped her as an actress of mark , and fit to succeed , should time ever demand so regrettable an abdication , to the laurels of her mother .

      Untitled Article

      London Singers in- Dundee .: —A . concert more fraught with interest and instruction could not be produced than that of the past Saturday evening . Madame RudersdoriFs rendering of " She Wore a Wreath of Rosea ^ was one of the finest specimens of expressive singing wo ever listened to . Nor was Miss Palmer ' s singing of " The Threo Fishers " . less exquisite . The style in which she gives the lines ? ' For mon must work , and women must weep , For thoro ' s llttlo to corn , and many to keep , "

      is most eloquent—grandly simple . These two artistes in the songs above mentioned moved many hearts , and tears to the latter were shed by not a few . Mr , Thomas was successful in all he did > he haa a splendid voice , and sings with stylo and finish . Mr . Perron , who had quite recovered his illness , proved himself a first-rate tenor , second to none who has ycfc visited Dundee . Ho has a very fine voioe , and sings most gracefully , and with much , expression , Herr Molique ' s violin playing was , as before , pure in tone , and strictly classical in execution -, and Signor Wandegger ' B accompaniments , were unexceptionable . —Dundee Telegraph , Nov . 19 . Mies Wxnwiam lias lew the Olympic Theatre ,

      One would imagine that this lady would have been loath to quit a house in which , rather late in her career , she had gained all her histrionic reputation —although it must be owned Miss Wyndham is more celebrated for her personal appearance , than her abilities as an actress . It transpires , however , that having failed to induce the management to cast her for a part in a piece to be performed at Court--a part in which she originally appeared , but one which she subsequently relinquished to another

      she threw up her engagement , and her " resignation wa , s accepted . " It was represented to Miss Wyndham that a third party was named for the part , and not by the management ; but the lady couldn ' t believe that , and accordingly insisted upon going . We wonder what her reflections are now that she is gone I That , however , is her business , and mere speculation for the green-room . Managers are often sorely tried in this manner * because favourite actors and actresses will over-estimate their own value and importance . — Entracte .

      The Alhambra , Leicester-square . —The equestrian entertainments here have been varied by the introduction of a real live trained bull , answering to the name of " Juan , " who jumps over hurdles and through hoops , and performs all manner of antics in a way that speaks volumes for the ability of his trainers .

      Untitled Article

      Manning the Navy .- —The mode of manning the navy dates from the days of the Tiidors . As the Great Harry was manned in the fifteenth , so is tlie Royal Albert manned iii the nineteenth century ; with this difference , the former obtained Ikt men more rapidly and more systematically . The crews during the war succeeding the French revolution , not to go farther back , were composed of volunteers ( bounty attracted men eager to desert ) and inir pressed seamen , with a sprinkling of adventurers , to whom the alternative of a prison or a- ship of war was . offered , and of sturdy vagrants obnoxious to parish authorities . At sea they were ironed , started , and flogged arbitrarily . Spiked collars were fastened

      round the necks of the lazy , and pump bolts yrere tied , bit fashion , in the mouths of the fractious . Complaints were answered by abuse , remonstrances by the lash . The test of . the Roman legionaries ' discipline was obtained . The men feared their officers more than the enemy . In harbour the scene was changed . The ship ' s lower decks became then stews filled with the refuse of the sex ; and each seaport contained congeries of grog shops , dancing houses and brothels , where publican , Jew and courtezan conspired to relieve the sailor of his money and his self-respect . Divisions on the upper decks , and Divine service on Sundays , were the weekly tribute paid to order and decorum . The medal had two half naked

      sides . The face of it represented a sailor tied to a grating , with a surgeon near him to note how many lashes his constitution could bear . On one side of him were the officers in full uniform , and the marines drawn up with loaded pieces and fixed bayonets . On the other side his shipmates were confusedly grouped , cowed and quivering . The reverse of the modal represented the sailor , arrayed in nauticu . 1 finery , reeling along a street , supported on either side by a prostitute and preceded by a fiddler . Loyalty and DLbdin ' s songs saved the sailor in those days from utter degradation . Christian England , with national existence at stake , tolerated this state of things , but with that ensured suilor had

      she deplored and denounced it . The been a thinking animal : he must ^ become a reflecting being . Ho must be weaned from habits of debauchery and recklessness , and become a virtuous economical individual . Progressively , from decade to decade , his condition became improved ., ltogular pay , warm clothing , wholesome food , and prospective advantages , seemed calculated . to induce lovo for the service . I 3 ut the calculation proved erroneous . The monastic monotony of life in a lino-of-battle ship remained tho same ; and indications wore not wanting to show that the articles of war were only in abeyance . The feeling in regard of the navy underwent no perceptible change , judging by the entry barometer . \ Ia 1819 ships required from sixty laterin 1859

      to eighty days ' to man . Forty yoars ,, , on the eve of a European strifo , whon no real grievance could bo adduced by the seamen , tho First Lord ot the Admiralty informed tho House of Commons that several ships com missioned slnoo tho proaacllng autumn had required severally from eighty to 1 OO . days to man . During forty years tho navy had known ana deplored tho capricious uncertainty of manning ulups , but tho fact had never before boon officially announced to thooountry . Tho statement amounted to a recognition of tjie want of organisation to man a fleet on an emergency , while , as it was mftao , trained men woro known to bo forthcoming M » week ' s notice on tho other sido of tho Channel , noc only for ships afloat , but for ships cm the stooKfr with men in roaerve for tho casualties of a tjonorfti action . — "Slade .

      Untitled Article

      MTTSIC AND THE DRAMA

      Untitled Article

      1302 THE LEADER . [ Ko . 505 . Nov . 26 , 1859 ;

      Untitled Article

      NEW MUSXC . Wixn the chrysanthemums and the other heralds of Christmas-tide , qonjes the annual . flood of new mueio , Messrs , QbappeU take the Ieo 4 > among the classical nufcWtbew , wifch theta Monday Popular Concert Mfimtyi , of , which jbUe .. first ttttnaber contains' XJuseek ' s

      brilliant sonata in B fiat , as performed at the St . James ' s Hall , by Miss Goddard and Herr Joachim . Their Bijoux Perdus-r ~ t \\ e buried treasures are supposed to have been exhumed from the old composers , and are fitted with judicious variations by Miss Arabella Goddard—is again a most interesting publication . Among pieces of tho fashionable class , those published by Messrs * . Cramer and CoWare prominent in number and and quality . From them we have received several pieces by the facile Rene Favarger . The drawing - room studies of this favourite composer , neither over elaborate nor insolently common-place , have already

      gained a high place in the esteem of accomplished amateurs and conscientious teachers which it is hardly in our power to enhance . His " Fantasia on Flotow ' s Martha , " and that on " Guillaume Tell , " deal brilliantly with the most popular morceaux of those operas . The variations in the former of them upon the . " M'Appari , " and the spinning-wheel quartette , are most ingenious and melodic . From the same firm we have also a sparkling Bolero , " Perle d ' Espagne" in C minor ; a graceful , melodious , and truly dreamy Reverie in B flat , entitled " Bltimen und Thranen ; " and a brilliant " Fantasie Caprice" on Macfarren ' s " Mayday ;" all by Polvdore de Vos .

      Messrs . Cramer ' s contribution of vocal music also demands notice . To begin badly ; their " Dinah , " a ballad from " Adam Bede , " be dismissed as a miserable production . ' " The Open Window " ( words by Longfellow ) , set to music by Walter Maynard , is an easy and agreeable melody of the banjo school , captivating to the young singer , though not to the adept . Qf the " T ' was but a Word , " by the same composer , who , gifted though , he be , must sometimes be allowed to nap , we have little good to say . The words of " Oh tell me , shall my Love be Mine , " written by John Ellison , are imbued with a sweet old feeling , and the composer , Mr . Henry Smart , has aptly wedded a charming strain of the

      Classic German school to the poet ' s lay . A " Cradle Song , " by the same accomplished hand , is pleasing and musically meritorious ^ We have not scrupled to condemn one solitary production of Mr . Linley ; we ought in fairness to allude to his " Hetty , " a romantic ballad , also from " Adam Bede ; " the study of which , with proper regard to accent , "will repay any professional or amateur of taste . Mr . JLinley ' s " Little Sophy , " from " What will he do with it ? " is , again , a charming morceau de salon for voices of the sympathetic order . The " Muriel" ( from John Halifax ) of the same maestro , is a plaintive melody of the same cast as the preceding , and in no respect falls short of his latest style .

      The title of Messrs . Cramer and Co . ' s " Old English Ditties , " speaks for itself . We shall , in future numbers , endeavour to convey to such of our readers as may at present be unacquainted with it , some idea of the fragments whereof this glorious collection is constructed . At present we can only draw their attention to it generally . The Irish melodies have so long ruled the roast that justice demands some attention to those of dear old merry England—as it was . We have in Mr . Oxenford , the poet and word adapter , an infinitely less awkward

      and reckless operator than was , in many instances , the late Mr . Thomas Moore , whose adaptations to some of the Irish melodies will cease— " when credit ' s done where cred i t ' s due "—to be highly thought of by his gentle and simple panegyrists . For the time being , we content ourselves with commending this charming collection , in the confection of which Messrs . G . A . Macfarren and Oxenford have wrought with proper and successful love for the medieval melodists , to the notice of all appreciative amateurs .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 26, 1859, page 1302, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2322/page/18/