Musical letters from Abroad

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

186-7

text excerpt

At five o’clock was a grand festival of artists, entitled the “Power of Song.” It consisted in a succession of very splendid “tableaux vivants”—accompanied by appropriate music and recitation. A full orchestra, and a large mixed choir of perhaps one hundred and twenty voices, with solo-singers, constituted the musical department for the occasion. The best speakers were employed for the declamation; and the living pictures were under the immediate direction of a committee of the painters of Dusseldorf. The hour arrived, but vain was the attempt to commence. Bacchus had been there, and had obtained such a sway over the sons of Apollo, that music’s voice could not be heard. The orchestra did indeed play, or appeared to play an overture, but not even the loudest passages could be heard, for the vocal shoutings quite overpowered trumpets, trombones, and drums. The speakers, in appropriate costume, came on the stage, but their voices were lost in loud shoutings, and they quickly gave up the contest and retreated. Various attempts were made for nearly an hour to command silence, and obtain a hearing, but in vain. The roar of voices, and the loud “ Hurrah,” overpowered all the efforts of the Mayor, the artists, and the orchestra. Even the presence of the Prince, the patron of the Festival, could not restrain the tremendous cheerings.

excerpt from 'Musical letters from abroad' pp. 186-7 (233 words)

1448709848065:

1448709848065