Welcome Musical & Home Journal from Topeka, Kansas • 24

rtdiuAttfl ranrrM( iw-fiiriia guf1 gMwar.iattrrr A A Continued from Page 5. Supposing that a youth, the of kind and sympathetic parents, who have early discerned in their child the mtetincts of music, has enjoyed since the age of seven or eight years, the advantage of a cathedral education, and taking it for granted that during that period he has been judioiously instructed in the study of the piano-forte, there opens up before him about the time when his voice, as a boy, breaks, and renders him useless as a ainger for some years to come another sphere of exploration, almost more precious than the one he is compelled to leave. This, is the study of instrumental Every intelligent and healthy boy of eight or nine years of age (when I say healthy," I mean well-proportioned and fairly strong), is capable of commencing the stipdy of the violin. I will not attempt to conceal the fact from aspirants, that the violin is, at the most ungenial, irresponsive, and capricious instrument in the whole range of musical resources. The first few months study of this coy and uncertain instrument, are far from pleasing to the lparner and unless the locality he selects for his practice be judiciously remote from the rooms most used by his family, it is far more unpleasant for them.

But to become a fine violinist is to become a person of magnificent attainments, and one must never grudge the weary stages of a journey which at the end lands one on an eminence where enohantment abounds. But unless our student has for his aim the comparative mastery of this most difficult of all instruments, and to become an eminent solo player, which is the work of a life-time, he may, by a very few years of diligent praotioe, guided of course by a competent teaoher, sufficiently conquer the obstinate nature of the instrument, as to draw it not only into submission, but into a fair degree of sympathy. As soon as the evidences of this triumph become manifest, there breaks forth to his view a sphere of exquisite pleasure and intelleotutol improvement combined, For he can now be entrusted with the second violin part of the more simple of the string quartets of the great masters But before venturing so far, he will find a vast field of judioious and interesting study in the antiquated, but masterly compositions for stringed instruments, by Corelli, and others of his period. As soon as our student has arrived at the point of efficiency which I have vaguely sketched, he should lose no time in getting permission to join some orchestra, amateur or professional. I lay it down as a solemn and inflexible rule to be enlarged upon hereafter, that no one can possibly write with a true grasp, for the orchestra, who has not been acoustomed to play in an orchestra for many years.

I shall reserve most of my reasons for this statement. And here I will point out another step accessible to the student, and one which if he choose, will secure for him a comfortable position amongst any band of instrumentalists, whenever and wherever assembled. This is, to transfer his attentions to the viola; any one tolerafcly oempetent on the violin, can master the main difficulties of the viola in a week or two, especially if he have had any experience in reading from different clefs. The viola is a more grateful instrument than the second violin, either in orchestral musio, or in chamber music which includes string compositions, and works for piano-forte and strings, that is to say, sonatas for violin and piano-forte, trios for violin, violonoeKo, and piano-forte, quartets for violin, viola, violoncello, and piano-forte, or piano-forte quintets, with either two violins, or two violas, trios for two violins, and violoncello (such as Corellis, for Bjstfcnce), trios for violin, viola, and violoncello, quartets for two violins, viola and violoncello (the best reoognized form of chamber musio, and the one to which all the great masters have devoted their highest genius), and them quintets, sextets, septets, and even ottets, many of the latter embracing the assistance of one or more wind instruments. In all MUSICAL ANECDOTE.

Our attention having been directed to the following capital story, we gladly repeat it for the benefit of those among our readers to whom it may be unknown An organist of a country church wishing to absent himself from his duties for a few Sundays, obtained as his deputy, a brother organist of no little repute, not only for his musical abilities, but also, it must be confessed, for his vanity. For the first two Sundays all went well, but on the following Sunday, the unfortunate deputy thought fit to display his talent, by prefacing the anthem chosen for the occasion with a prelude of his own composition. The moment of his overthrow, however, was fast approaching, for to his utter dismay and astonishment, the organ, several bars before the conclusion of the anthem, suddenly yielded up its last breath upon an unresolved seventh with a most piteous effect. Fortunately the ohoir was equal to the emergency, and went on with the well-known strains until the end of the anthem was reached. In the meantime, the incensed organist, again and again endeavored to awaken the blower to a sense of his duties, by pulling most vigorously at the signal communicating with the delinquent.

Finding that all his signals were in vain, the unhappy victim rushed to the back of the organ, indignantly demanding to know why the supply of wind had ceased at such a critical moment. His humiliation can, however, be better imagined than described, when he received from the venerable blower the following reply I have blown this here organ for thirty years don't you think I know how many puffs it takes for one of Dr. Blow's anthems And sure enough the mortified and crestfallen organist found that the number of bars that succeeded his overthrow, exactly corresponded with the length of his prelude. TO A NEW BRASS BAND. Oscar W.

Hewett, in the American Art Journal thus pays his respects to a newly organized Brass Band You have now entered upon the most serious undertaking of your lives. It is a solemn thing to put the brazen serpent to your lips. It is no idle act to blast a brass viper or to set a pair of cymbals to butting. True, their is no harm in gnawing upon a trombone, even after one has his cornet, but we repeat that it is a solemn thing to startle the world with sudden brass music. Therefore, brethren, we would enjoin care and painstaking.

Be ye not puffed up, as are wind instruments of winding brass. Temptations bestrew your path. There is always a snare set for the drummer, and no drummer knows whe he may become base. To the cymbal player we would say, Strike, but hear. Yours is a higher calling than that of the punster.

He plays upon words. You play upon cymbals. To him who plays upon the brass boa constrictor with a grasshopper-leg attachment, you are particularly subject to temptation. Your temptation is to keep the piston rod ever in motion. It strengthens with years.

It becomes grim habit with practice, so that men operate it by muscular action merely, after they are dead. An admonitory word to the young man who has chosen the yellow clarionet. Yellow clarionets tend to melancholy sometimes suicide. Either he who plays the yellow clarionet or his nearest neighbor must commit suicide, otherwise the clarionet is not a yellow one, or it is out of order. Yellow clarionets are not compatible with long life.

A man with an iron constitution may possibly live to fifty years on the flute, but a yellow clarionet is as dangerous as the deadly and anaconda-like accordion. To him that handles the stupendous and sententious tuba we mean She brass monster that gapeth and grinneth like a hippopotamus in the river brakes think what a wakeful capacity this instrument has 1 The bellowings of famished thunder are in its brazen bowels, and its expansive mouth uttereth earthquakes. Whisper in her lightly, my boy, and the whole world will be obliged to listen to you Fair fame and success to the Fort Griswold Band Oscar W. Hiwett. these forms of composition, and others too numerous to mention, the musical world abounds with mines of treasure, and the whole glorious realm is open to him who can play decently on the violin or viola.

The kind of orchestral practice which should be sought by a student in his earlier stages of instrumental study, is unquestionably that which is devoted to the practising of Oratorios, more especially those of Handel, and if possible, of the more rare, but unspeakably beautiful works of John Sebastian Bach. In the study of these noble works, the aspirant will continue, though upon an enlarged and superior scale, the salutary cathedral experiences of his youth. As he advances in knowledge, and in skill in the management of his instrument, he may aspire to a seat in an orchestra, where orchestral movements, pure and simple, are practised. He will here become acquainted with the symphonies of the great composers, along with the overtures and other orchestral compositions of genius. I will not, however, enlarge upon this stage of musical study, as we have many minor things to examine and discuss before we attempt to enter into the magic and stupendous realm of the orchestra.

I conclude this chapter by enforcing the vital and unavoidable necessity of studying the construction of four parts, and by advising the reader to pursue the study suggested early in this chapter, as illustrated in the musical quotations. (To be continued.) A MUSICAL BELLS 500 TEARS. The city of Breslau celebrated the 500th anniversary of an occurrence which was memorable in the history of the town, and is known wherever German poetry finds a home. The bell, which hangs in the southern tower of St. Mary Magdalens Church, and is named St.

Marys bell, but is usually known as the poor sinners bell, rang out morning and evening the 17th of July, to remind all who heard it that it was cast that day 500 years ago. Next day (Sunday) the preacher reminded his congregation of the pathetic story which has made it singular among bells, how, when all was ready for casting, the bell founder withdrew for a few moments, leaving a boy in charge of the furnace, warning him not to meddle with the catch that secured the seething metal in the cauldron. But the boy disregarded the caution, and then, terrified on seeing the metal beginning to flow into the mold, called to the bell founder for help. Bushing in, and seeing what he had intended to be his masterpiece ruined, as he thought, angered to madness, he slew the boy ou the spot. When the metal had cooled and the mold was opened, the bell was found to be an exquisite work, perfect in finish, and of marvelous sweetness of tone.

Coming to his senses he recognized his bloody work, and straightway gave himself up to the magistrates. Blood for blood was the law; he was condemned to die, and he went to his doom while his beautiful bell pealed an invitation to all to pray for the poor sinner, whence its name. W. Muller has enshrined the sad story in a ballad of touching simplicity War elnst ein Glockengleszer Zu Breslau In der Stadt. The ages of the leading French composers and orchestral directors are as follows Ambroise Thomas, 76 Marmontel, 70 Gounod; 68 Beyeir, 63 Sal-vayre, 69; Nuitter, 68; Metra, 56 Faure, 66; Le-cocq, 54 Saint Saens, 67 Delibes, 60 Salomon, 48; Johncieres, 47 Audran, 44; Chabrier, 44; Massenet, 44; Tessart, 43; Paladilhe, 42; Widor, 41; Serpette, 40.

At a recent dinner party the subject of eternal life and future punishment came up for a lengthy discussion, in which Mark Twain, who was present, took no part. A lady near him turned suddenly toward him and exclaimed: Why do you not say anything? I want your opinion. Twain replied gravely: Madam, you must excuse me lam silent of necessity I have friends in both places. (22) 4 i I 3 1-3 I I i i i.