25 FEBRUARY 1837, Page 15

THE VOCAL CONCERTS.

A SELECTION of vocal music in which appear the names of HANDEL, CLAM — MOZART and WEBER— PURCELL, GREEN— WILBYE and WEauE—is in tact an exposition of the riches of the vocal art ; aud such was the concert of Monde), night.

Iv! AR wit na Er. I. Anthem." The Kiug shall rejoice"

2. Glee." Hence all )e vain delights"

OAR!.

s

3. Duetto, Caolando an " ‘Bv1187,017. 4. Song. Mr. my," Fast into the waves " 5. Madrigal." The I.SSIV rinna " 6. Cantata, Miss NI ASSON, " rOM rosy bowers " l'uncyt Lord M oaniwoToN.

N% EDER.

7. Ghs. " bird 01 eve " S. Finale. (Der Frrisrhu)z) 9. Concerto rialiMorte, Mrs. ANDERSON 10. "Gloria in exeelsis" JONET.T.T. NPSEFORTN.

II. Glee, L'SpeD Is Pera" 12. Aria, Mrs. It s stun.. " Vei elm sari e " Moz Aar.

13. Madri!zal." Fair sheplienrs queen" L. MARFNZIO. . 14. Sung Mr. I !DDSs, -.Dr GREENE. Go, rose"

15. Dorn% " Premien, gael nrinietlino" MozsaT.

16. Glee, " Conte hillier sheido•rd sit aima" Smv bugs. 17. Coro." hieto it letru' (Fan/Iwo/du) The weakest, and it was the only weak point in this bill, was No. 10. JOMELLI was among tile earliest of the Italian writers who dis- figured the true church style with opera phrases and accompaniments. It is only where he adhered to it that his ecclesiastical compositions impart any gratification. The fashionable passages of that time are now antiquated: those of PALESTRINA, though a century older, are fresh and grateful as ever. A fragment of JOMELLI is very well, now and then, as a curiosity, but as nothing else.

The Finale to Der Freischuiz—not performed in the usual slovenly way.—formed an animated conclusion to an act full of musical gems : and in the finale to the second act the germ of IlaNDEL's well-known chorus, " Galatea dry thy tears," appeared most palpably. How comes it to pass that the Conductor of the Ancient Concert leaves to his younger brethren of the Vocal the revival of that author's pro- ductions, whom his masters affect to take under their exclusive patronage and protection ?

Another new Madrigal, by Luca MaRENzio, made its appearance; and was welcomed with atecustomed and deserved enthusiasm : but the palm rested, its it commonly does, with the Englishman. JOHN WU.- BYE asserted and vindicated his right to the highest honour.

The Glees, for the most part, were sung in a most finished style.

The improvement in this department of the concerts is most striking,— towing. ni part, to the same voices coming into more frequent union. aukiler result appears us iii the quartet-playing of the BLsokoVE and LUCAS party, and for the same reason. Nos. 7 and 11 were encored. • • ' But the most striking feature of the evening was PURCELL'S glori-

ous Climate. Once in a generation a singer arises able to understand, ,'to feel, and to express all that is treasured up in his three great songs,— " Let the dreadful engines," " Bess of Bedlam," and " From rosy 'towers." No writer has ever demanded so much of his singer as in these compositions. Perilous is the experiment—frequent

the failure ; and therefore great the triumph when success is the result. They are, usually, the envy and the despair of singers; who, for the most part, ewicise a sound discretion in leaving them untouched. No notion can be more idle than that a young lady cam be tout to sing one of thest songs. Just as well you might teach a man tb write like SHAKSPEAllE or to set like CARRICK. The singer of PURCELL must have, in a degree, the mind of PURCELL. Without this affinity of soul, all the drudgery of instruction, and the accumulation of a master's pencil-marks, will be found unavailing. It was this mental as well as physical power that carried BARTLEMAN tliumphantly through every eneseniter of this kind; and in Miss MASSON'S surging the same

spirit was pre derninant. The load under which an ordinary singer would have tottered and suek, she bore erect and with ease. Her per- formance was one of the most perfect exhibitions of the vocal are that we remember to have heard. She wielded the power which the great enchanter had placed in her hands, with unvarying ability and success, and moved the ssmpathies of her auditors at will. More than any former effort, this his stamped Miss Massos's character, and marked

her station as a singer. Will she be allowed to sing this song at the Ancient Concerts? Probably riot; for there Mrs. KNYVETT enacts Mad Bess.

'the concert-bills announced the intention of the Dutchess of KENT to be present at the next concert; and the performance of STOUR'S new Oratorio at the last, on the 16th March.