THE MADRIGAL SOCIETY.
THE Madrigal Society is a kind of phenomenon. Its motto is " Qualls ab incepto." Time and fashion make no impression upon it. It
knows nothing of such musicians as ROSSINI or MERCADANTE it
regards even HANDEL and BACH as moderns. Talk to a Madrigalian of the Italian school, and he will join with you to extol it ; but he
knows no school of Italy except that of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. Of CIMAROSA or PAESIELLO he never heard ; but he will dissolve in extacies at the names of FERRABOSCO, LUCA MAREN-
ZIO, or GIOVANNI CROCE. The constitution of the society, too, is unique. It is a perfect republic. To be able to sing your part in a madrigal from a single copy at sight, is the test of membership. Lacking this, all other excellencies are unavailing. The President, certainly, is a baronet ; but his patent is of the requisite Madrigalian age, and he earned his preeminence by the soundness of his musical creed and the extent of his musical knowledge. MORLEY and BATE- soN would have been delighted to hail Sir JOHN ROGERS as a brother musician. Without these adjuncts, we really doubt whether the rank, the polished manners, the unabated zeal and liberality of the President united, could have placed him in that situation. Fortunately for the Society, he combines every requisite. But with him every distinction of rank ceases. The City, the West end, the Theatres, the Chapel Royal, the House of Commons, the Stock Exchange, the Abbey, the Court, the,Admiralty, the Common Council, all combine to make up the sum of its members; and they are classed, not by the Court Ca- lendar, but by the Gamut. They take rank according to Clefs. Not " Peers, Baronets, K.G.C.s, M.P.s, Aldermen and Common Coun- cilmen; but " Counters, Tenors, and Basses." Thus you will see a Lord of the Admiralty seated by a Common Councilman, a Vicar of the Chapel Royal by a sturdy Noncon., and the Treasurer of Covent
Garden Theatre next to the learned Editor of Tooke's Diversions of Purley. Nay, time was when GRANVILLE SHARP, the philanthropist, used often to sing from the same book with Mr. NEWMAN, the worthy keeper of Newgate. The fact is, that, when its members enter the room of the Madrigal Society, they live as in another age—the age of GIBBONS and MORLEY and WILBYE, the age of lozenge notes and barless music. It is a company over which the world has no control; and is just what Madrigal Societies must have been in the reign of good Queen Bess, when poets clubbed their rhymes and musicians their harmonies to celebrate in the Triumphs of Oriana," the &lo- ries of their Sovereign. The anniversary of this venerable Society was celebrated at Freema- son's Tavern on Thursday. On this occasion there is always a nu- merous gathering, and the present assemblage was at least equal to that of any similar meeting. There were present the same official per- sons as were accustomed to attend in days of yore. The Organists and Gentlemen of his Majesty's Chapel Royal were there, as they were wont in those golden times when GIBBONS and BLOW were Organists, and MORLEY and HUMPHRIES were Lay Vicars ; and the " Children of the Chapel," as when Masters HENRY PURCELL and JEREMIAH CLARK were of their number. Almost all the professional singers and the first composers of the present time were present. The selection of pieces was excellent, and the performance admirable. The divine anthem of ORLANDO GIBBONS, " Hosanna to the Son of David," sung by more than seventy voices, formed the appropriate commencement of the evening's entertainment. The following madrigals and anthems suc- ceeded ; and the performance of them afforded us more real musical delight than we have received for many a day.
" Sweet Love" WILBYE.
" Phillis, farewell" BATESON. " Come fuggir " L. MARENZIO.
" 0 clap your hands" GREEN.
" Our bonny boots" MORLEY. " Thou art but young " WILBYE. '" Sweet honey-sucking bees" WILBYE. " Roundabout her chariot" E. GIBBONS.
"Sweetheart, arise" WEELEES. " Mills, go take thy pleasure" WEELKES.
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