Nature and Art, October 1, 18GG.] 
MUSIC ABROAD, 
159 
natives of Java and Sumatra, and inhabiting the 
same rich, dense mountain forests. The essential 
characters of all the species are similar, the chief 
difference being in the size of their flowers, which 
are all smaller than those of Rafflesia Arnoldi, so 
that this flower still holds its place as being the 
lai’gest in the vegetable world. Plants of Rafflesia 
Patma have been introduced into some of the 
Continental botanic gardens, where they have 
flowered more than once ; but the latest discovered 
species is Rafflesia Roclmsseni, named after J. V. 
Rochussen, Governor-General of Java at the time 
of its discovery, in 1850. This discovery was made 
by MM. Teysman and Binnendijk, two Dutch 
botanists, who safely transmitted living plants, 
together with the Cissus serrulatus, upon which 
they grow, to the botanic garden at Leyden. 
A singular feature in all the species of Rafflesia 
is, that the flowers develop themselves at a time 
when the nourishing plant is devoid of leaves. It 
was from this fact that Sir T. S. Raffles and Dr. 
Arnold, before they discovered that the flower was 
a parasite, described it as being without leaves. 
The Rafflesias have no economic use, though in 
Java the natives consider them to have styptic and 
astringent properties. Their great interest lies 
alone in the singular habit and form of their 
enormous flowers. 
MUSIC ABROAD. 
I JRAU MUSICA, as the Germans style the 
Muse of whom Bach and Handel, Mozart, 
Mendelssohn and Meyerbeer were high-priests, has 
had great cause to complain of the influence 
exerted by political events, during the last two 
months, upon her faithful votaries — the Viennese. 
Her shrines and temples, or, in other words, the 
theatres and concert-rooms, have been almost de- 
serted. But who could listen to operas and 
symphonies when, every minute, the notes of the 
orchestra and the voices of the singers might be 
interrupted by the cannon of the blue-coated and 
helmeted Prussian hosts, attempting to force their 
entrance into Vienna 1 In fact, considering the 
precarious posture of affairs for some weeks, it is 
a matter of surprise that a single place of amuse- 
ment could be kept open in the capital of the 
Hapsburgs. But the Viennese are a light-hearted 
race, and their spirits seem to recover from any 
temporary shock in the same wonderful manner 
that the Austrian monarchy itself has risen, on 
several occasions, apparently as vigorous as ever, 
after having received what most people have con- 
sidered its death-blow. The attractions of singers 
and instrumentalists have revived, and money- 
takers no longer sit with heaps of cheques, ready 
to bo exchanged for guldens or greasy Government 
notes, but with no public to complete the desired 
transaction. Yet there is nothing worth mention- 
ing in the way of novelty to entice the public. 
L’Africaine is still being performed at the Imperial 
Opera-house, and, what is more, still draws. A 
slight alteration in the musical bill of fare has been 
rendered possible by the return of Herr Beck, after 
a four-months’ leave of absence; for “imperial” 
singers are granted leave of absence just as though 
they were soldiers in the imperial armies. In 
former days, “imperial,” “royal,” “grand-ducal,” 
and “ ducal ” artists — that is, artists enlisted, no, 
engaged, as members of the companies at what 
are called the Court Theatres ( Hof theater ) in 
Germany — enjoyed, also, the privilege of being- 
placed under arrest and sent to the blackhole for 
any dereliction of duty ; but, at the present date, 
j discipline in matters theatrical is not carried quite 
so far. Herr Beck is an immense favourite in 
Vienna, and created a great sensation by his im- 
personation of Nelusko in L’Africaine. Indeed, 
the great majority of the Viennese insist that he 
is the best Nelusko that has yet appeared, and as 
they have never had an opportunity of seeing and 
hearing any other, they are, of course, exceedingly 
competent judges. Herr Beck will re-appear first in 
Herr Richard Wagner’s Fliegender Hollander, and 
then in Don Juan. By the way, the mention of 
the former opera reminds us that another work, 
Rienzi, by the same composer, is to be produced on 
the Empress’s birthday, the 19 th November, in 
grand style, and under the direction of the com- 
poser- himself. “ Guando una puerta se cierra, 
ciento se abren ,” says the Spanish proverb. No 
sooner does it seem probable that, in consequence 
of the state of affairs, his Majesty of Bavaria may 
not be able to extend to the “Music of the Future” 
the welcome he intended, as announced in the July 
Number of Nature and Art, than we find the 
said “Music” rising into favour at Vienna. How- 
ever, there is one comfort. Were every day in the 
year an empress’s birthday, and were one of Herr 
Wagner’s operas performed on each birthday, his 
music would never be more than what it is at pre- 
sent : a proof of the absurdities into which an un- 
doubtedly clever man may be led by some pet 
theory of his own. If Herr Wagner is right, then 
all the great masters are wrong ; as some quiet 
gentleman, who is to be found in every lunatic 
asylum, and who tells you that it is not he but the 
world who is mad, the victim of a terrible mistake. 
The recent public examination of the pupils 
studying at the Conservatory of Music was 
highly successful, and bore irrefutable testimony to 
the excellence of the system pursued at the estab- 
lishment. The members of the pianoforte -classes, 
conducted by Professors Ramesch and Schmitt, 
especially distinguished 'themselves. Even the 
youngest proved that they had been taught some- 
thing more than mere mechanical correctness and 
dexterity, and that one of the objects to which 
