PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS.

SOME improvement on the last concert might have been foretold without endangering any reputation for foresight. Almost any change must have been for the better. The Directors of this es- tablishment, like his Majesty's Ministers, require the whip and the goad now and then, and a little wholesome castigation is sometimes eminently serviceable to both. It cannot be too often repeated, that the disgrace attendant on a bad concert rests solely with Directors. Their hands are wholly unfettered, even by the silken chains of fashion : their course is a very easy one—let them only choose such music as will really please themselves, and it will certainly please us. The downcast looks of some of the body at the last concert, bespoke their dissatisfaction at what was going on; and the shame they must have felt at being the recog- nized selectors of such a scheme, has probably operated to pro- duce the following one by way of atonement.

SIXTH CONCERT-010:01AT MAY 19.

ACT I.

ACT H.

SinroniA in 1)

SCenn, IhOlaine CARADORI AI.LAN (MS.) "All ritorna eta dell'orn." F. MEN DET,SSOIIN BARTHOLDV.

Coneertante, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet,

and Boni& Bass, MessrA. C. Cootie, WILL- 11•N, MACKINTOtill, PLATT. llAtteEn, and DRAGONETTI Chevalier Nrtmomm. Rona. M. VaUnT. " Languith vieino a quelle," Achille PAER. Overt ore, Anacreon thdravottct. Leader, Mr.Lonra—Cooductor, Mr. T. COOK.

Mr. POTTER'S Sinfonia deserves that we should echo the cordial approbation with which it was reeeived. The opinion we gave of its merits when first performed, is strengthened by another hearing. The author has discovered the secret, that music, to be interesting, must he melodious ; and that an accumulation of all the learning of a Bsett, without this charm diffused over it, is but a display of pedantry. His present Sinfonia adds this charm to the elaboration of his former productions, and hence its success. It well deserves to be known throughout Europe.

The Overture to Faust will not rank among the greatest efforts of SPOHR ; and, measured against that to Der Freischutz, is little less than a failure. Au overture ought to prepare the minds of its auditors for the story of the opera. It is impossible to hear a dozen bars of that to Der Freischutz without feeling that you are removed from every thing corporeal and earthly, and carried into a world of enchantment : the magician's spell is upon us, and

" qui tosto adornbra Notte nnbe ealigine ed orrore,

('he rassembra infernal, che Fli occhii ingombra

Di eecita, eh' empie di tetna il core."

This feeling the Overture to Faust ought to inspire ; but it does not. We listen to a composition in which the genius of the author is, unquestionably, conspicuous; but still it is "of the earth, earthy." In the Opera, SPOHR has evidenced his possession of the enchanter's talisman—he calls "spirits from the vasty deep," and they come : but his power is unheard and unfelt in the Overture. The Vocal musieof this concert was all of the good school. The specimens were not uniformly of the choicest kind, but there was a total absence of trash, and this is all that we ought to expect from the present managers. Perhaps they esteem one song of Wtozsar's as good as another, and therefore deliberately chase out from Le Nozze di Figaro poor Don Bartolo's " La vendetta ;" an air adapted 14 the DE ANnicti of any company, and written expressly to fit the pousers of sada a singer. The Duet" Bella Ninfa," one of SPOHR'S loveliest .efforts, was exceedingly well sung ; with .one exception. Two bars of the last movemen t, the two sin gess

Sinfonin in 0 Minor C. POTTER.

DUCH% MadOnle CARADORT ALLAN and M. VIICOT, " Bella Ninfa," Jessonda SCOUR. Concerto. Pianoforte, Mr. Mosenrr Ts Mosenstss.

Arial, Signor Zuettscm„ "La vendetta." Le .11'orse di Fi- garo MOZART. Overture, roast SPOHR.

BEETHOVEN.

deliberately, maliciously, and barbarously deformed, by doubling the time of every note, where the author did not design, for he did not indicate, even a rallentando. These monkey tricks ought not to be played with such a composition ; and the pure and beautiful style in which all the rest of the duct was executed, rendered such a violation of good taste the more extraordinary and the more conspicuous.

MENDELSSOHN is little known as a vocal writer. A few short airs with pianoforte accompaniment, and three Lutheran hymns, after the style of BACH's Chorales, are all his compositions for voices that have fallen under our notice. His bent seems to be for instrumental writing : he revels in all the combinations and changes of a large orchestra, and loves to ride in the whirlwind and direct the storm of violins and double basses. In this, his premier Cantata, the attention of the audience is not concentrated on the singer; for the accompaniment is so rich, so full, so sin- fonia-like, as to absorb much of the interest of the piece. It will not, for this reason, be popular with singers ; and also for another —it affords no capabilities, as a modern Italian master would say, for the voice,—that is, the singer must produce her effects by the notes of the author, and not by her own. These effects were well brought out by Madame Csasnoar in the first movement, where graceful expression and correct intonation were the requisites; but not in the concluding presto, which demanded greater physical power and inure energy than she has at command. The song was not received with enthusiasm by all its auditors, although cordially welcomed by many : for our concert-hearers seldom venture on applause unless they are assured it may be given with safety. A song of MENDELSSOHN'S was a novelty, cad they had not received their cue.

M. Vaucfs singing confirmed our first opinion of his powers. After the miserable tenor song of the last concert, it was an im- mense stride to attain any thing as good as the air from Achille, which, if it does not reach grandeur of style, is far removed from insipidity.

Mrs. ANDERSON was announced to perform a Concerto of BERT. novssr; but was prevented, by sudden indisposition (in this case, we know such to have been the simple truth), from attending the concert. Mr. MOSCHELES, very kindly, appeared as her substi- tute; and the audience eagerly showed their preference of his ad- mirable Concerto in C to Mr. HERZ'S Quadrille exhibition.

The concert was led by Mr. LODER with his usual precision and attention ; and it would be unjust to conclude our present remarks without noticing his delightful accompaniment of a part of MEN- DELSSOHN'S Cantata.