The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 240, 11 October 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1870.

The San Francisco Mail. — This mail should have arrived in Auckland yesterday, and consequently would be due here to-morrow morning; but, as it has hitherto, with undeviatiDg regularity, been four days late on every occasiou, we may look for its arrival here about Saturday next. The Fire Bells. — According to notice the bells were rung last night at six o'clock, in order to contrast their several tones. The general opinion appears to be that the Bridge-street bell carried off the palm, so far as sweetness of tone was concerned, that the old bell at the enginehouse was best calculated to be heard far and near, and that the one lately arrived was remarkable for its novelty. Nelson Gas Company. — The adjourned meeting was held at the Masonic Hotel last night, when a draft prospectus, which will be published in a few days, was submitted to the meeting. The following gentlemen were elected Provisional Directors ; — Messrs. N. Edwards, E. Buxton, J. K. Dodson, T. Cawthron, and T. Wright. Applications for shares must be sent in on or before 26th instant, and allotments will be made on the Ist of November. Heller's Wonders. — Mr. Heller again last night astonished his crowded audience with magical tricks of a most marvellous and inexplicable nature; aod having done this proceeded to the second part of the entertainment, which was devoted to pianoforte recitals, the player commencing with Dohler's Nocturne in D flat. This work exhibits such changes of light and shade, and such a variety of feeling that mere manipulative power would be of little service, and Mr. Heller's intellectual reading of it at once proved his power to interpret the highest style of music. But in the next piece Mr. Heller fairly took his audience by surprise. His rendering of that grand Wedding March of Mendelssohn's arranged as a Fantasia by Lizst, was something marvellous. In this piece executive ability is the chief requirement. The most ardent admirer of the composition must have been delighted beyond measure by the noble and massive manner in which the opening was given, while in the second movement, if wemay divide the composition into movements, Mr. Heller proved how the original melody could be kept perfectly clear and distinguishable while the most rapid variations were being played. In this part, passages of the most exquisite beauty were interspersed with the composer's grand theme, which was never lost throughout the whole performance, and we could not but envy the power which could with one hand give the full chords of a massive march, while the other was employed in the most brilliant passages of musical tracery. The whole is brought to a grand climax by the original movement being given with full chords for both hands, which are rapidly reiterated in Notturno style, the effect being wonderful, as if there were at least two pianos in full play. The third piece in this part, which was a burlesque on young ladies' pianoforte playing, we could have wished omitted, or at least given first; for, although it was excellently done, aud, we fear, in many instances true to life, we were not in the right frame of mind to receive it, and would have preferred leaving with a purer appreciative remembrance of the former pieces. The third part of the entertainment consisted of the unexplainable "Supernatural Vision." To-night, Mr. Heller's last in Nelson, tbere are to be new tricks, and new music, including Mendelssohn's " Songs without Words," the whole to coclude with a bona fide exhibition of Punch and Judy.