[Boston—Monday, 15 June 1874]

Monday. Perabo fulfilled a promise made to us last week by coming at nine o’clock in the morning to play to us. It really seemed too bad to have but one pair of people listening to such a treat. He brought Rubinstein’s “Lenore” to play but he would not begin with that—so first we had Beethoven’s Opus 10—Sonata—movement No 3. slow—with its glimpse into heaven as Perabo said his teacher used to say. This was quiet, solemn, impressive—then came a quartette for stringed instruments by Schubert as arranged for Thomas’s orchestra—a wonderful thing—then Beethoven’s Opus 106 which Rubinstein called his greatest work and then finally the “Lenore”, most extraordinary in its descriptive power. There are few things in music so vividly descriptive as that—it is indeed a wonder. The gallop, the passing over bridges, the rising of the ghosts it is vivid to the point of terror. Afterward in speaking of Beethoven, “J” extravagantly said “I don’t believe the angels can do better than that.” Perabo replied “The angels have not yet been heard from!” He is a man of sad temperament & keen intellect.

Later in the day we went to Manchester. Talked and thought and examined cottages. Came up with Mr. Cabot the architect, a good man, whose kindness and interest pleased me well. Good Leza had a nice tea ready for our hungry bodies when we returned.


National Endowment for the Humanities - Logo

Editorial work on The Brownings’ Correspondence is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This website was last updated on 3-29-2024.

Copyright © 2024 Wedgestone Press. All rights reserved.

Back To Top