Memoir of Madame Jenny Lind-Goldschmidt: Her Early Art-life and Dramatic Career, 1820-1851, Volume 2J. Murray, 1891 |
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admiration already Amalia appearance artist audience Augustus Hare beautiful Berlin brilliant Bunn Cadenza career character charm concert dear dearest delight Der Freischütz dramatic engagement England English enthusiasm excitement expression feel felt Figlia del Reg Figlia del Reggimento genius gift gimento give given Grote happy hear heard heart Herr honour interest Italian Jenny Lind Kaulbach L'Elisir d'amore La Sonnambula Lablache letter libretto Lind sang Lind's London Lübeck Lucia Lucia di Lammermoor Lumley Madame Goldschmidt Madame Wichmann Majesty Majesty's Theatre Masnadieri Mdlle Mendelssohn Meyerbeer Mozart Munich never night Norma Norwich once Opera Oratorio orchestra Otto Goldschmidt perfect performance present Puritani Queen Roberto il Diavolo Royal scene season sing singer song Sonnambula soul stage Stockholm success sung Sweden Swedish tell triumph Vielka Vienna voice whole wonderful words writes wrote
Popular passages
Page 440 - Sorrow is hard to bear, and doubt is slow to clear, Each sufferer says his say, his scheme of the weal and woe: But God has a few of us whom he whispers in the ear; The rest may reason and welcome: 'tis we musicians know.
Page 143 - It was allowed that never was opera stronger cast. I have seen it performed at different periods in other countries, and well too, but no more to compare with its original performance than light is to darkness. All the original performers had the advantage of the instruction of the composer, who transfused into their minds his inspired meaning. I never shall forget his little animated countenance, when lighted up with the glowing rays of genius; it is as impossible to describe it, as it would be...
Page 434 - Oh, Madame Goldschmidt, how is it that you ever came to abandon the stage at the very height of your success?" "When, every day," was the quiet answer, "it made me think less of this (laying a finger on the Bible) and nothing at all of that (pointing to the sunset), what else could I do?
Page 170 - But now you must conceive a character corresponding to all this, and transpiring through a thousand traits of humility, gentleness, thoughtfulness, wisdom, piety ; the manners of a princess — as I have written to Donkin — with the simplicity of a child and the goodness of an angel. She is very much plainer and more homely than you would suppose from her countenance as you see it when animated in public ; but her smile at all times is only equalled by Pusey's. She came on Tuesday night and is...
Page 205 - She does not show herself in the ordinary light, but in the magic rays of an aurora borealis. Her singing is infallibly pure and true ; but, above all, I admire her piano passages, the charm of which is indescribable.
Page 72 - The delicious quality of the performance—the rich, gushing notes, were something entirely new and fresh. The auditors did not know what to make of it. They had heard singers over and over again; but there — that wondrous thing! — a new sensation was actually created.
Page 298 - ... but that, before you sound the note, the larynx must be properly prepared in the position in which the forthcoming sound lies, whether high or low. The result of this is a firm attack ; and, as soon as you have sounded one note, you must spring so nimbly on all those above — or below it — that no rift can be detected between the sounds ; and, in this way, the completion of the phrase is accomplished without a break. For instance, the notes must so hang together that they make one whole ;...
Page 350 - It has passed over my soul like a beneficent storm which has broken down all the hard shell of my being, and has set free many green plants to find their way to the dear sun ? So that, now I am always clothed in green like the fairest hope ! And I see quite clearly how infinitely much there is for me to do with my life ; and I have only one prayer, that I may yet live long, and that, in the evening of my life, I may be able to show a pure soul to God. "I am going quietly back to Sweden for next winter,...
Page 98 - It was all piano, and clear and sweet, and like the sighing of a zephyr; yet all heard. Who could describe those long notes, drawn out till they quite melt away; that shake which becomes softer and softer; those very piano- and flute-like notes, and those round, fresh tones that are so youthful.
Page 442 - God had so plainly written within me what I had to study: my ideal was, and is, so high, that I could find no mortal who could in the least degree satisfy my demands. Therefore I sing after no one's method —only, as far as I am able, after that of the birds; for their Master was the only One who came up to my demands for truth, clearness, and expression