10 MARCH 1838, Page 17

PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS.

THE musical season may now be said to have begun. The groups of wandering minstrels, who, wider the guidance of MORI, BOSCHA, and others, have been scouring the country, are now returned to home Pcarters, in expectation of a bustling arid profitable spring. The first lnlhermonic Concert is the signal for a general assemblage of the principal instrumentalists; none of whom choose to be spared from their places. It is not that as good, sometimes better men might riot be found to fill them, but this is a circumstance which it were impo- litic to reveal ; and therefore, the parties in possession are sure to be it their posts, in order to continue and perpetuate the notion that the Philharmonic Concerts could not go on without them. WEICHSEL has retired from his post as leader; an event which must it not pass with a mere notification. We lose, with regret, the last of family connected with music for nearly a century, the brother of the most accomplished singer that England ever produced, and a performer of high talent and character. We associate the name and the person 01 CHARLES WEICHSEL with the proudest days of the Italian opera; when, one by one, 31OZART'S operas blazed upon the public in all their splendour; when BILLINGTON, GRASSINI, VIGANONI, arid BIIAIIAM displayed the very perfection of the vocal art; and when the King's Theatre was truly classic ground. WsicirsEL, who had accompanied his Sister in her triumphant progress through Italy, and there enjoyed con- Ent and familiar intercourse with PAESIELLO ancdCIMAROSA, returned to England with her in 1801, to witness and to share her further triumphs, The ability with which he filled the important station im- mediately assigned him, was never questioned. Every performer yielded him willing obedience; and at that time the responsibility 5 the leader of the Opera bend was much greater than it is now. He Us now only to receive, he had then to give the time. His successor now is a follower, not a leader—he is merely one of the first violins. To WEICHSEL'S first-rate talents as a player, he added extensive mu- sical knowledge, a refined taste, and the manners of a gentleman. The obedience and discipline of his orchestra was the result of affection and esteem added to respect arid confidence. He was their head, their master, their friend—but never their tyrant. There is not one of their number but has cherished to him cordial and unabated regard through- out his long professional career, and seen with sincere satisfaction its later as well as its former years attended with the enjoyment of ease and comfort. Let such an example have its influence on those who are rising to occupy the station from which he has retired : they can form no better wish, when their turn comes to quit the public stage, than to be and to be spoken of as CHARLES WEICHSEL now is. The place of WEICHSEL is filled by Mr. T. Coma ; of whose talents in every branch of his profession we have so often had occasion to speak, that we need only announce his appointment to a station which he is eminently qualified to fill, and which, we believe, has given general satisfaction to the society and the band. The other changes in the orchestra are few and unimportant. A new arrangement of the band has been made, by bringing the wind instruments more into the centre of the orchestra. The flutes now divide the principal violins, and the oboes and clarinets range behind them ; the whole of the prin- cipal instruments being brought more within the view and control of the conductor, FIRST CONCER1—MONDAY, MARCH 5.

P• a. Sinfonla Eroiew itT

BEITROVIN.

Quartette," MTN:, lit la area Wile," ISIWOP, Mr. Mess. Mr. Pit tra.re.r. and Mr. Sturm: (Gegiehno Tell) Rosman. Concerto (Ms.). Pianoforte, Mrs. Aunatteou (first time of

141171101AM

performance iu London) Reelt. e Sr giorni tool &lice," Mrs Ilistvoe and Signora Placer (her first performance in Lontlou)L'Olim- Ore'rit4tcrle (Evryanthe) C. M. vox

le Sinfonia in C, No. 6 •IIT It. Molkai.

Aria." Pinto ma to ben mio," Siguora ['tarn ; Claiinet Ob- ligati), Mr. WI UR PiN (ha Clemenza di Tito) Second Concertino, Violin, Mr. IlLAIIROVE Ora time of pr.; Mosses.

MATINDIL

per- formance in England) Duet," She bloomen flow'ret," Mr. Hoses and Mr. Pti [Lure (Jersonclo) Proms.

Overture (Foniska)

Leader, Mr. F. Ciibillil—Conductor, Sir GEORGE SWIM. The scheme may be called a safe one; every full instrumental piece having been played and heard so often, and public opinion so long and so fully made up in relation to its merits, that not a word more remains to be said. In compliance with the laws of the Philharmonic Society, each overture and sinfonia was punctually rehearsed by the same per- sons (substantially) and in the same place as it had been rehearsed and performed for twenty successive years with scarcely an intermission. Instead of this, often needless waste of time, or the more egregious and expensive farce of summoning the band to a trial of compositions which are never intended to: be publicly performed—a farce which is perpetuated year by year—better occupation might be found in experi- mentalizing upon sinfonias and overtures by authors of undoubted reputation, which remain undisturbed in the Society's library. AlLsaisr.ssons's Concerto we had heard at the Birmingham Fes. tival ; mid if it failed to produce an impression there, where it was played by the comFoser, it was not likely. in the hands of another performer, to increase iii interest. It ranks below Ids first Concerto in every respect. The andante is melodious arid graceful, but the first and last movements ale not such as we might expect Ginn enie cl.ssonN ; and what strength or variety of colour it possesses being chiefly orchestral, it will find few players and fewer admirers when performed without accompaniment. BL VE AGRO played delightfully. His recent visit to Germany has added a yet higher degree of finish to his graceful and expressive style of performance. The managers of these concerts display the most hapless imbeci- lity or the most pitiful spite in their treatment of the unfortunate singers who under their control. To tour purely and essentially English singers they allot a quartet of ROSSINI ; and to a lady pos- sessing a rich contralto voice, and fresh from the Conservatorio of Milan, they give a soprano song of MOZART, an author as much known there as PURCELL or A ItNE, and no more. The lady is the daughter of Signor PLaccr, who was the contemporary of BELLOC and CRIVELLI, and afterwards of DE BRGNIS and his wife, on the Opera stage. Her voice is rich, full-toned, and sweet, and her qualifications as a singer are of the first order. Every thing, as we have hinted, was done by the Directors in order to deprive her of the power of making a successful impression on her hearers; but in vain. Signora PLACCI succeeded in spite of them. And it augurs well for her general training, its well as fur her own good taste, to be able and willing to make her debut in a song of which she bad no previous knowledge, nor the least acquaintance with its au- thor's style. This lady may be an important and valuable addition to our number of efficient /concert- singers, if her powers be allowed to have proper scope for their development. Her reception was highly flattering. 'f he Duet from Jessonda is quite unsuited for a concert-room ; being rather dramatic dialogue than a duet. Nor had the singers even the chance of being heard above the relentless scraping of the orchestra, against which it requires the voice of LAHLACHE to make head.