Books, Sacred Jider Sunday Schol Bonds The River of Life! Scantatas, Although not the newest, the following have a good reputation, have had a good measure of success, and are, of course, new to those who have never used them. Sparkling Rubies. By ASA HULL. 35 cts. Truly sparkling, crisp, bright and taking songs throughout. Glad Tidings. Which may be performed by the older members of a Sabbath School. Music is not difficult, stories are Bible Stories, and when given in costume, the effect of the spectacle presented is remarkably beautiful. ESTHER Oldest & Youngest The Beautiful Queen. MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL. AVING a book that "they believe in," the publishers have been encour aged to place this beautiful affair prominently before the public; and the -1. It is enriched by contributions of poetry and of music from a large number 2. A list of the International Lessons" for 1874 is given, accompanied by 3. The songs are arranged in Departments, that is, there are Songs for Opening, 4. BY WM. B. BRADBURY. Price 50 Cts. The following Titles of Songs will give some idea of the happy selection of THE FALL OF BABYLON. subjects. By George F. Root. PRICE 50 CENTS. DANIEL, OR The Captivity and Restoration. PRICE 50 CENTS. By Root and Bradbury. The above are not dramatized, but may, if thought best, be casily costumed and accompanied by tableaux. THE Pilgrim Fathers. By George F. Root. Price 50 Cents. Illustrates musically, early "Plymouth' times. OUR SAVIOUR, By W. WILLIAMS. 45 Cts. The Children of Jerusalem. BY J. G. JOHNSON. Music For young singers only. classical, and the story is one of Jewish History. A Catalogue describing the above and about 1,000 other books published by Ditson & Co., sent free on application. Also, all books mailed, postpaid, for retail price. OLIVER DITSON & CO. 277 Washington St., Boston. Dwight's Journal of Music, 'WHOLE NO. 888. A Paper of Art and Literature. BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1875. 20 Superior Music Books. New. For Opening and Closing Schools, 40 cents. VOL. XXXV. No. 2. New Music for May. VOCAL. What does Little Birdie say? 3. Eb to e. American School Music Readers. Twilight Fancy, or Dresden China. 3. D to f. Vols. 1, II and III. 35c., 50 c., 50 c. TERMS.—If mailed or called for, $2.00 per annum; Cheerful Voices. delivered by carriers, $2.50. Payment in advance. Advertisements will be inserted at the following rates: One insertion per line 30 cents. Each subsequent insertion, per line, 20 cents. Cards, 6 lines Nonpareil, (one-half inch of space), per annum, $10.00 in advance. Other spaces in proportion. J. S. SPOONER, PRINTER, 17 PROVINCE ST. Advertisements. USICAL DIRECTOR. A gentleman (German) of Mhighest Musical Culture and considerable experi ence as Conductor, will be disengaged from Sept. 1st. A high salary not the primary object but rather to be associ ated with a society cultivating Classical Music, both Vocal and Instrumental. Address, (with full particulars) Musical Director, care of W. Koabe & Co., Pianoforte Makers, Baltimore. Md. Applications should be made before June as the Professor contemplates visiting Europe early in the 887-9 season. G. W. FOSTER, TEACHER OF VOCAL CULTURE. The Italian Method taught on a new and original plan, by which unusually rapid progress may be made. TERMS.-Private lessons per quarter, $80.00; Class Lessons, 2 pupils each, $40.00; Class Lessons, 4 pupils each, $20.00. Rooms 154 Tremont Street. Boston. For personal interview call Mondays from 11 to 12 A.M. For further particu858-tf lars address, care Mason & Hamlin Organ Co. G. W. DUDLEY, Teacher of Singing and Voice Building. (Dr. H. R. Streeter's Method) Room No. 3, Mason & Hamlin's Building, 154 Tremont St. [797] For Sabbath Schools, 50 cts. River of Life. New Ed. $30 per 100. For High Schools and Academies, Hour of Singing. For Home Entertainment, $1.00 $1.00 or Ab to a. 4. Ab to b. O Pretty Girofla. Duet.. Pa, 'tis the Day. Faure. 40 Molloy. 35 35 4. Eb to b. 3. G to a. 35 35 Piano at Home. 4 hands. $2.50 Deborah. Lyric Opera in 4 acts. By Harrison Music Books for the People. ORIGINAL HYMN TUNES, By #r. K. Olier, the FATHER KEMP'S OLD FOLK'S CONCERT CONTINENTAL HARMONY. $1.50. Ye Olde Folkes Note Bookes are printed at our Shoppe, from whence we send them, Poste-Payde, on ye receipt of ye retaile price, Olde and Yunge love ye Ancient tunes. POPULAR CANTATAS. and more popular every season, are ESTHER, THE BEAU- Millard. No. 1. How beautiful. (Di vaga). Chorus. 4. E to g. 66 2. On Chariot of Fire. (Su carro). "" 3. Now the Hope. (Or la brama). Sextette. 4. Eh to b. Sweet Molly Moreland. 2. Eb to e. Cavatina. 4. Eh to e. Molloy. 30 ea. 40 No. 10. No more. 3. C to g. Boott. White. 60 INSTRUMENTAL. of "Federal St.," and other favorite tuner, contains 100 Just Collections of Instrumental Music. Home Circle. Vol. II. Popular 2 and 4 h'nd pieces. Collections of Vocal Music. Price of each book in Bds, $2.50. Cloth, $3.00. Gilt, $4.00. Boston. Petit Carnival. 6 easy Dances for 4 hands. 3. Eb 2. G. 4. Quickstep. 2. C. 3. 1. Fantasia Elegante. 4. Bucellotte. 60 Grace et Coquetterie. Caprice Etude. 4. Ab Boscowitz. 60 American Method," Pianoforte and Harmony, VOCALIST AND TEACHER OF SINGING. 718-tf] 267 Columbus Avenue, Boston. Address, care of Oliver Ditson & Co. {798 TO ORGANISTS AND CHOIR LEADERS. A GREAT WANT SUPPLIED. JUST PUBLISHED: MASON & HAMLIN DANKS' ANTHEM SERVICES. CABINET ORGANS. nary excellence as to command a wide sale there. ALWAYS awarded highest premiums at Indus trial Expositions, in America as well as Europe. Out of hundreds there have not been six in all where any other organs have been preferred. BEST Declared by Eminent Musicians, in both hemispheres, to be unrivaled. See TESTIMONIAL CIRCULAR, with opinions of more than One Thousand (sent free). INSIST on having a Mason & Hamlin. Do not take any other, Dealers get LARGER COMMISSIONS for selling inferior organs, and for this reason often try very hard to sell something else. with most important improvements ever made. New Solo and Combination Stops. Superb Etagere and other Cases of new designs. NEW STYLES An PIANO-HARP CABINET ORGAN AD quisite combination of these instruments. Organs sold for cash; or EASY PAYMENTS. for monthly or quarterly payments; or rented until rent pays for the organ. and Circulars, with full partioulars, CATALOGUES are free. Address MASON & HAMLIN ORGAN CO., 154 Tremont Street, BOS- EDW. SCHUBERTH & CO. IMPORTERS AND PUBLISHERS OF MUSIC, No. 23 UNION SQUARE, NEW YORK. LYON & HEALY, MUSIC PUBLISHERS, CHICAGO, ILL., A COLLECTION FOR QUARTETTE AND CHORUS CHOIRS. Containing a great variety of ANTHEM settings to all the CANTICLES The book is of the greatest value to Organists and Choirs of the EPISCOPAL CHURCH, as here are found anthems fitted to all occasions of the regular and special service, thus forming a complete STANDARD BOOK OF SERVICES. With the exception of the Gloria Patri's, these fine anthems, with music by the best American and Foreign Composers, and noble words from the sacred scriptures, are also perfectly adapted for use in the services of ALL DENOMINATIONS, (Ten arrangements, by Danks, Caswell, Wholesale and Retail Dealers in Sheet Music, Of Every Description. Our stock of Sheet Music, Music Books, Musical Instruments, etc., is the largest and most complete in the North West. Our connection with Messrs. O. Ditson & Co., enables us to furnish their publications to Western Dealers, at net Boston Prices. In addition to the publications of Messrs. O. Ditson & Co., we keep on hand and furnish l Music and Music Books published in America, together with a choice stock of Foreign Music. [794-3m GLORIA TIBI. No. 1.. 66 2. 66 3. 66 4. 66 5. OFFERTORY SENTENCES.. Phelps. No. 1.. .Danks. 46 Caswell. 66 Bialla. .Best. Danks. .Novello. ...Danks. .Phelps. Ward. .Phelps. ..Phelps. ..Barnby. CHRISTMAS MUSIC. IMPORTERS OF FOREIGN MUSIC, OLIVER DITSON & CO., BOSTON. WHOLE NO. 888. To A Lilac. BY THOMAS W. PARSONS. O Lilac, in whose purple well Of all that morning dew-drops feed, I seem again, with pupil's pace, BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1875. ing more than a place to keep us in. But when The greatest blessing, which could be be- Bound school-ward, running learning's race. beauty; and beauty in its turn disposes to relig Thou, too, recall'st the tender time, At vesper-time Celestial tea Hath no refreshment like to thee, At midnight, when my friends are gone, Thy perfume, like a flageolet That had the sunshine of whole days: For proud am I as proud can be; VOL. XXXV. No. 2. associations were the names of God and Wisdom connected in our memory! What a violation of nature's peace seemed Duty! what an intrusion upon the mind's rights! What rebellion has been nurtured within us by the ugly confinements to which artificial life and education have accustomed us! How insensible and cold it has made us to the expressive features of God's works, always around us, always inviting us to high, refreshing converse! I hold, then, that without a cultivation of the sense of beauty, chiefly to be drunken from the open fountains of nature, there can be no healthy and sound moral development. The man so educated lacks something most essential. He is one-sided, not of a piece with naion. Beauty is the revelation of the soul to the ture; and however correct, however much senses. In all this outward beauty,-these soft master of himself, he will be uninteresting, swells and curves of the landscape, which seem unencouraging,, and uninviting. To the stuto be the earth's smile;-this inexhaustible vadent of ancient history, the warm-hearted, riety of forms and colors and motion, not pro-graceful Greek, all alive to nature, who made miscuous, but woven together in as natural a beauty almost his religion, is a more refreshing harmony as the thoughts in a poem; this mys- object, than the cold, formal Jew. And here terious hieroglyphic of the flowers; this running around us, resist it as we may, our hearts are alphabet of tangled vine and bending grass always drawn towards the open, graceful childstudded with golden points; this all-embracing ren of impulse, in preference to the stiff, insenperspective of distance rounding all together sible patterns of virtue. The latter may be into one rainbow-colored sphere, so perfect that very unexceptionable, but at the same time very unreal. The former, though purposeless and careless they play through life, yet have trusted themselves to nature, and been ravished by her beauty, and nature will not let them become very bad. the senses and the soul roam abroad over it un sated, feeling the presence and perfection of Does not the season, then, does not nature, This should be a part of our religious education. The heart pines and sickens, or grows hard and contracted and unbelieving, when it cannot have beauty. The love of nature ends in the love of God. It is impossible to feel beauty, and not feel that there is a spirit there. The sensualist, the materialist, the worshipper of chance, is cheated of his doubts, the moment this mystery overtakes him in his walks. This surrounding presence of beautiful nature keeps the soul buoyed up forever into its element of freedom, where its action is cheerful, healthful, and unwearied; where duty becomes lovely, and the call to worship, either by prayer or by self-sacrifice, is music to it. He, in whom this sense is open, is put, as it were, in a magnetic communication with a life like his own, which The Religion of Beauty. flows in around him, go where he may. In nature we forget our loneliness. In nature we (From the first number (July, 1840) of "The Dial.") feel the same Spirit, who made it and pervades The devout mind is a lover of nature. Where it, holding us up also. Through the open sense there is beauty it feels at home. It has not of beauty, all we see preaches and prophesies then to shut the windows of the senses, and to us. Without it, when no such sensibility take refuge from the world within its own exists, how hard a task is faith! how hard to thoughts, to find eternal life. Beauty never feel that God is here! how unlovely looks relimits us, never degrades us. We are free spir-ligion! As without the air, the body could its when with nature. The outward scenery not breathe; so without beauty, the heart and of our life, when we feel it to be beautiful, is religious nature seem to want an element to always commensurate with the grandeur of our live in. Beauty is the moral atmosphere. The inward ideal aspiration; it reflects encouraging-close, unseemly school-house, in which our inly the heart's highest, brightest dreams; it does fancy was cramped,-of how much natural not contradict the soul's convictions of a high- faith did it not rob us! In how unlovely a er life; it tells us that we are safe in believing garb did we first see Knowledge and Virtue! the thought which to us seems noblest. If How uninteresting seemed Truth, how unwe have no sense of beauty, the world is noth-friendly looked Instruction; with what mean Consider a few of the practical effects upon the whole character of a growing love of beauty in the young mind. It disposes to order. It gives birth in the mind to an instinct of propriety. It suggests imperceptibly, it inclines gently, but irresistibly, to the fit action, to the word in season. The beauty which we see and feel plants its seeds in us. Gazing with delight on nature, our will imperceptibly becomes attuned to the same harmony. The sense of beauty is attended with a certain reverence; we dare not mar what looks so perfect. This sense, too, has a something like conscience contained in it; we feel bound to do and be ourselves something worthy of the beauty we are permitted to admire. This feeling, while it makes alive and quickens, yet is eminently conservative, in the best sense. He, who has it, is always interested on the side of order, and of all dear and hallowed associations. He, who wants it, is as destructive as a Goth. The presence of beauty, like that of nature, as soon as we feel it at all overcomes us with respect, and a certain sensitive dread of all violence, mischief, or discord. The beautiful ideal piece of architecture bears no mark of wanton penknife. The handsome school-room makes the childreɛ neat. The instinct of obedience, of conciliation, of decorum, reverence, and harmony, flows into the soul with beauty. calm spirit of the landscape takes possession of the humble, yet soul-exalted admirer. harmony compels the jangling chords within himself into smoother modulations. Therefore 64 walk out," like Isaac, at even-tide to meditate," and let nature, with her divine stillness, take possession of thee. She shall give thee back to thyself better, more spiritual, more sensible of thy relationship with all things, and that in wronging any thou but woundest thyself. The Its Another grace of character, which the sense of beauty gives the mind, is freedom-the freedom of fond obedience, not of loose desire. The man, whose eyes and soul are open to the beauty there is around him, seos everywhere encouragement. To him the touch of nature's hand is warm and genial. The air does not seem to pinch him, as it does most narrowminded ones, who can see no good in anything but gain; to whose utilitarian vision most that is natural looks hostile. He is not contracted into himself by cautious fear and suspicion, afraid to let his words flow freely, or his face relax in confidence, or his limbs move gracefully, or his actions come out whole and hearty. He trusts nature; for he has kissed her loveliness; he knows that she smiles encouragement to him. Now think what it is that makes virtue so much shunned. Partly, our depravity, if you please. But partly, also, her numerous ungraceful specimens. For it is the instinctive expectation of all minds, that what is excellent shall also be beautiful, lovely, natural, and free. Most of the piety, we see about us, is more or less the product of restraint and fear. It stands there in spectral contrast with nature. Approve it we may; but we cannot love it. It does not bear the divine stamp; it chills, not converts. The love of nature wakes in us, an life of Jesus did. Again, the love of beauty awakens higher aspirations in us. He, who has felt the beauty of a summer like this, has drunk in an infinite restlessness, a yearning to be perfect, and by obedience free. He can never more rest con tented with what he is. And here is the place, to attempt some account of the true significance of beauty, and of what is its office to the soul. The New College of Music. (From the New York Tribune, April 17.) together; if it could be assured that here from week to week-or why not from day to day?-the masterpieces of music should be executed in perfection under an able director and at a moderate charge to the public, music in America would receive a new impulse. We should have enlightened audiences and ambitious performers, an appreciative reception for deserving works of art, a field for the employment of whatever talent the classes of the Conservatory might develop, a standard for the measurement of humbugs, and the nucleus of a truly musical public. All the rest would be easy. A BRILLIANT The Opera Season in London. Correspondence of the Boston Post. LONDON, APRIL 1, 1875. In Paris everybody who aspires to the designation of "bon ton" considers it an essential point to be present at the first representation of a new opera or play. Especially is this the case when in the early autumn the Grand Opera is reopened for the season. Then you see Parisian toilettes at their best, and Parisian notabilities in greatest number; and nothing, in a social point of view, is more brilliant than the opera house on an opening night. The managers bring out on that occasion the choic est selection from their repertoires and parade their first night is a sort of advertisement of the whole trump cards in the way of artists and artistes. The ensuing season. It decides the fate of a new play, and gives prophecy of what the lyrical season is to be. It is very different in more prosaic London. Majesty's open in the early Spring; but nobody is Everybody is glad when Covent Garden and Her especially anxious to be present on the opening night. Messrs. Gye and Mapleson precede the season by a great flourish of trumpets, with pronunciamentos which take up a column in the Times, and which make the ears tingle with anticipatory harmonies. But they begin their actual work with modesty and moderation. The first night, with chosen for the occasion is not that intended to be them, is by no means a "great night." The opera the sensation of the season; the star prima donna is not called upon to appear; the season reaches its climax by a gradual ascent. Yet the first night, as all nights, is apt to be profitable to the managers, for it is rarely that you will see a vacant seat in Covent Garden, vast as it is, after the performance has begun. The first performance at this house for the present season took place night before last. The opera chosen was Rossini's "William Tell," and in the role of performers there was not a single name ever heard of in England three years ago. Yet there was one of those eminently satisfactory houses which the eye of one interested in observing London preparations of the unknown benefactor who The mysterious hints of the purposes and is getting ready to give us a free college of ideal of moral beauty, of an elevation of char-music in this city leave no doubt that the acter which shall look free and lovely, somescheme is well advanced, and that money in thing that shall take its place naturally and as a matter of course in the centre of nature, as the tion. The endowment, we are assured, is likely abundance will be supplied to put it in operastitute in any part of the world; and if money to be the largest ever given to a musical inalcne could create a great school of art we should feel a reasonable certainty that New York would soon rival Paris and Leipsic as a centre of musical culture. So much depends, however, upon intelligent direction, that we confess we look upon the promised gift with no slight apprehension. It is offered as a blesssing; it may easily be converted into a curse. Instead of advancing art it may encourage charlatanism, debase the popular taste, and make us the laughing stock of the world. So much will either do great good or incalculable harm, money expended on one branch of æsthetics and we devoutly hope the kind-hearted and public-spirited founder will put his money into the hands of trustees or directors who understand art as well as finance, and who realize what it is that our people really need. After all, it may be questioned whether our want of schools as by the ignorance and indifference of the general public. The country is full of singers and pianists who have acquired in one way or another, some at home and some abroad, a good musical education, yet are doing nothing for art, and earning neither wealth nor credit by the exercise of their special gift, merely because they find no market for their best work. Any of our readers could name at this moment twenty or thirty musical perform-society in gala delights to range over. ers in New York alone whose names are forever Beauty always suggests the thought of the perfect. The smallest beautiful object is as infinite as the whole world of stars above us. So we feel it. Everything beautiful is emblematic of something spiritual. Itself limited, its meanings and suggestions are infinite. In it we seem to see all in one. Each beautiful thing, each dew-drop, each leaf, each true work of painter's, poet's, or musician's art, seems an epitome of the creation. Is it not God revealed through the senses? Is not every beautiful thing a divine hint thrown out to us? Does not the soul begin to dream of its own bound-progress in music is retarded so much by the less capacities, when it has felt beauty? Does not immortality then, for the first time, cease to be a name, a doctrine, and become a present experience? When the leaves fall in autumns they turn golden as they drop. The cold wind, tell us of coming winter and death; but they tell it in music. All is significant of decay; but the deep, still, harmonious beauty surpasses all felt in summer or spring before. We look on it, and feel that it cannot die. The Eternal speaks to us from the midst of decay. We feel a melancholy; but it is a sweet, religious melancholy, lifting us in imagination above death-since above the grave of the summer so much real beauty lingers. The beautiful, then, is the spiritual aspect of nature. By cherishing a delicate sensibility to it, we make nature preach us a constant lesson of faith; we find all around an illustration of the life of the spirit. We surround ourselves with a constant cheerful exhortation to duty, We render duty lovely and inviting. We find the soul's deep inexpressible thoughts written around us in the skies, the far blue hills, and swelling waters. But then to this desirable result one stern condition must be observed. If the sense of beauty disposes to purity of heart; so equally purity of heart is all that can keep the sense of beauty open. All influences work mutually. "One hand must wash the other," said the poThe world is loveliest to him, who looks out on it through pure eyes. et. Sweet is the pleasure, Is not true leisure One with true toil? Thou that wouldst taste it, on concert programmes, and whose ability as There was no cramming and jamming crowd such as flocks to Covent Garden on a first night of Patti or Nilsson; the house was just full, and here you have an epitome of every grade of British society, except that which honorable gentlemen in the House of Commons are in the habit of characterizing as the "lower classes." Majesty sits in the satin-draped boxes which you see on the right of the stage, with the royal coat of arms above them. The ing round the semi-circle, which we should call the greater nobility occupy the larger boxes near and opposite. Then, in the lower range of boxes sweepbalcony, are the nobility in general, the wealthier gorged "city-men." What we should call the "pargentry, with here and there a sprinkling of goldquet" and the English the" stalls " are occupied by people in the "best society," here and there a man and woman of title, in some part bachelor club loungers, and dowagers, and other "detached " folks of high life who have not enough of a family to jus tify a box. The " stalls " are comfortable, red-cushioned, single seats, ranged in straight lines across Incidentally we know the new college promises to attempt this, but in the wrong way. The pupils are to give public performances, with the proceeds of which it is supposed the institution can be supported. This is a misthe floor; and “evening dress" is the regulation take from every point of view. The effect which must absolutely and positively be observed would be equally bad upon the pupils, the pub-second and third galleries (the ten shilling, sevenby those who wish to occupy them. Rising to the lic taste, and the exchequer of the college. and-six-pence, and five shilling places), you find But if there could be established in connection eminent but untitled respectability. If Belgravia with the Conservatory a regular annual series and Eaton square are found in the boxes and stalls, of the best classical concerts-and perhaps op- Bloomsbury and Russell square may be said to eratic performances likewise-with the finest swarm in the second and third tiers. There is still orchestra and chorus that could be brought one step, in one sense higher and in another lower, |