From rhe "Mobrh-Chixa Day News" or Marcu 8, 1878
From Foochow:—H.M.'s gunboat Moo-hen left Pagoda Anchorage for Tamsui on February 26. Mr. Skatchkot!, Russian—Consul-General' ior China and Japan, arrived in the s. Kwangtung on 'February 25. The Tartar General is expected from the North daily, and will, the "Herald" understands," resume' the charge of the Customs Superintendency. The local Mandarins have been praying for fine weather and a proclamation forbidding the consumption of fish, flesh, or fowl has been extensively posted in the city and suburbs. Should the supplications Of these worthy men be rewarded by even a brief period of sunshine, there will, the "Herald" says, surely be some reason to rejoice. AЁ present it is tempted, to repeat, in the words of england's greatest bard. "The wills above be done but I would fain die a dry death." The Customs cruiser Ling Feng has completed a survey of the rock on which The B. Aymar lately struck. The little river passenger steamship Taiwan is in dock at Pagoda Anchorage. having a new boiler fitted
England and arrived a she! e ago. n, Ihi beer was manufactured in The Taiwan, wil, the "Herald" is informed, continue as heretofore, to run daily between Foochow and Quantow, calling at Pagoda Anchorage.
Tribute, to the extent of almost a full house was paid to the Soloist, Miss Ada Lvoff, at the Municipal Symphony concert on Sunday afternoon. The programme opened with the light-weight, yet—charming Serenade from Charpentier's pressions d'Italie" which was played With the tenderness it demands. In particular, the attack of the colli in unison was most satisfying. Distance lent enchantment. to the well-known voice of Mr. Podushka's viola, which was "off-stage."
Respighi followed in the form of "The Fountains of Rome." This composition, along with the "Pines" and "Festivals," forms a trilogy of symphonic poems motivated by Roman atmosphere. As an essay in musical liquidity, based on a definite programme, the /"Fountains" has few equals. The assessment, however, of Respighi's stature in' musical realms. compels one to pronounce showman' before thinker. As an orchestrator, nevertheless, he displays a remarkable creative gift, which will exist as his final and most important contribution to music. His orchestral demands were well met by the Municipal Orchestra, which gave a well-balanced account of itself, though the composers triangle and cymbal fixation might have been toned down considerably in the more tenuous sections.
In the form of the Concerto, Chopin wanders somewhat out of his depth. for although the solo piano part is of great interest and beauty, the orchestration is perfunctory and weak. It would seem that the conscious endeavour of having to compress an intensely personal and poetical language into a set classical form has resulted in partial failure. In the case of the Chopin Concertos, the genre lives by reason of the completeness and importance: of the piano part. There are a fey re-or-chest rated versions which have not proved successful rightfully. Miss Ada Lvoff, the soloist, has many good points as a pianist. Her playing shows adequate mastery of the technical problems involved, and is at all times clear and understandable, which is a grand quality in these days of sonorous pedal effects, calculated to satisfy the demands of electrically-conditioned ears.
One would at times, however, be inclined to ask for a greater warmth in her tonal colours and contrasts, in addition to a higher pressure in the forcible moments. These shortcomings, though, might well result from the piano, upon {which the most comprehensive epithet"of "munici should be hurled. Miss Lvoff w: recalled several times by an enthusiastic audience.
The concluding Kalinnikov's Firsíg s had a vogue (0/4, period at the turn of the centüfs. But is now rather outmoded. As musie, it is a, simple and yet vigorous work employ number of facile themes-whith subscribe to a certüim. idiomatic convention, thus being instant cognized as essential Character. This proce applied. in like manner. to the music of Sp:
In the performance of the. Symphony. the tempo dragged at first despite the Maestro's unflagging en-orgies. Momentum gained at the end of the first movement was temporarily disseminated in the rather tearful second, but after that the Orchestra girded its loins and soared triumphantly (and—thunderously) through the incomparable swing of the scherzo into the fervid and cyclic findle, to conclude with a remarkably instantaneous thunderd: of applause from a very apprecia: tive house-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.