A Wonderful Painting

The religious and art world are stirred all up by the coming exhibition of Poore's great religious pninting of "The Night of tha Nativity," which has been secured for the art gallery of the Detroit International Exposition, to be held September l?th-27th. Thia large and important picture is the greatest work of an American artist in recent years, not oaly on account of lts high merit as a work of art, but also becaase of its wonderful religious feeling and influenee. The canvas is large, the figures Ufe size, and its perspectiye gives a jtrange impression of immensity to the desert and the sky, in which the miraeulous Star of Bethlebem is the central point. The picture represents th ihepherds around tlieir watchflre in the desert watching and discussing with holy awe THE STAR THAT HERALDS THK BÏRTH OF CHRIST. This star glows with a strange radiance above the western horizon, its mystic light mingling with the paler gleam of the oriental night and the ruddy biaza of the watchfire. All about the flro, and fading gradually uto the outei' darkness, lie the slumbering flocks in picturesque groups. In the right center of tne canvas is the principal group, of three shepherds - ons old, two young - who are discussing the celestial wonder, upon which all attontion is turned, with manifest awe. They lean against a bank as they talk, iu life-like attitudes. On the bank lies a young shepherd, who is eheltcring n feeblo lamb in his mantle, evidently listening to the sago of the party, but too tired and awed to join in the talk. On the lef t of the picture is another group of shepherds who are coiisidenng the mysterioua star with rapt wonder. The artist has given to the atmosphere of the oriental night, with its peculiar light and shade, and to tha attitudes and countenances of the shepherds, a subtile solemnity that grows upon the spectator till the whole strange scène fixes itself in tho memory like the visión of a holy dream. Lovers of musical art are also anticipating A STRANGE SEPTEMBER FEAST during tha great Detroit International Exposition. The managers have engaged Cappa's famous band of the rich and fashionable Seventh Regiment of New York City to give a series of grand eoncerts, daily and nightly during the fair. This band is considered the finest military band in America. Besides this band, Cappa' is under contract to bring with him forty of the most famous soloists upon different instruments to be found upon this continent. Most of theso will be henrd for the first time in the west, though a few are familiar through the great eoncerts of such organizations as those of Gilmore and Thomas. But this is not all. A GRAND IKTERNATIONAL BAND CONVENTIOI is planned, in which the crack bands of the United States and Canada will compete for fame and cash, and the whole will conclude by a combined monster concert, in which all the bands will join, led by Cappa's and the forty stars:. This reminds us that western musical education is a young tree of recent growth. Befcre the War for the Union there was very little popular musical education. The village band used to uonsist of some old veteran who could play the drum that he had carried when a youth in the wars of the Republic, flanked by an equally ancient fifer or two; and the way these old fellows would RATTLE AXDS HRILL THE SOUL OF PATRIOTISM into the village youth on the Fourth of July was a caution to public enemies. If there was not so mueh skill, there was a vim and earnestneiss in the old time music that spoke of Bunker Hill, New Orleans and the Halls of the Montezumas so plainly tbat every schoolboy understood and feit ik After these the old fashioned "singing school" completed the musical educational facilities of the peoplo, exsept in a few favored citiesand towns. The people in those rlays used to sing the famous minstrel melodies of Foster and Christie's minstrels, . including such as "Swanee River," "Old Kentucky Home," "Massa's in the Cold, Cold Ground," "Old Dog Tray," and others whose simple pathos has never been excelled by the familiar airs of 'any country. There were also other old time favorities that everybody murdered by PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EXECÜTION. Then came the War for the Union, and patriotism found voice in music. Military bands were formed all over the country. Composers, fired by the enthusiasm of battle and victory, poured over the nation a rich flood of melody. "Kingdom Coming," "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are Marching," "Rally Round the Flag," "John Brown's Body," "Dixi," and that spirit rousing march that still keeps its hold upon ths popular ear, "Marching Through Georgia," were born of that sturing period. After the war nearly EVERY CITY AND VILLAGE HAD ITS MILITABT BAND or bands. Music had been given an immense impulse. Musical education became popular everywhere. Music stores were opened in all cities, and tha sale of musical instruments grew rapidly. Music is now taught in the public schools throughout most of the west, and the Germán metbod is everywhere adoptad. The lighter forms of opera hve becoms popular. The piano is found in almost every well-to-do home, and there are FEW YOUNG PEOPLE WITHOUT A MUSICAL TRAINING % far in advance of anything enjojed by their parents. Still THE POPULAR TASTE FOR BAND KUSIO predominates with the multitude. The country is full of war veterans, who love to bear the familiar sounds of blaring brass that inspired them when the long blue lines charged through the battle smoke to victory or death, or cheered their weary feet to fresh eudeavor after a long march. And there are few of any class whose nerves are not thrilled and pulses stirred by the sounds of war and triumph, life and aotion, that are the peculiar quality of the music of brass bands, with usonorous metal blowing martial airs. " Henee when one hundred thousand listenei's from the United States and Canada are congregated on the Detroit Exposition grounds to hearken to the strains of A BUNDRJED FINE BANDS COMBINED together, and all playing th glorious airs of "Marching Through Georgia," ''Dixie," and "God Save the Queen, " led by Cappa's forty spleudid stars, the form of enthusiasm they will surely evoke will be a sight to see and remember for years, and the grand volume of the music will be a wonder to hearl The large oanb prizes of $300 to the first, {300 to the second, and $200 to the third, with the association medals and the ohampionships to th winners, ech in its own territory, cannot fail to draw many bands.