THE LATE MUSICAL SEASON. .
WHEN the period of excitement is over, the dictates of reason may stand a chance of being heard. During the period of the " Musical Scramble," it was in vain to plead the cause of the art. Money was the end, and music the means by which it was to be obtained, no matter how. There was no lack of exertion of a certain sort : every artifice was resorted to—everything that intrigue and cabal could do—. threats, bribes, influence of all kinds, were employed. The low arts of the green-room, the purchased influence of the press, the patronage of rank, all have been unsparingly used to puff, to mammy-re, to cheat, to manage the public. And the success has been considerable. Puff- ing and quacking have had "a nieny month of May." At the com- mencement of the season we gave an anticipated sketch of it ; and the resemblance, now that it is over, is, alas ! too close to the truth. We then asked, " What, in the midst of all this din and scramble will be done for the advancement of the art?" We now ask, What has been done? Let us come to the proof, and take a rapid glance at the ca- reer of our principal musical establishments during the past season. There has been no falling off in the aggregate of musical receipts ; the money expended upon music has amounted to a sum not less, pro- bably larger, than in any former season. We ask, and we wish to lead the public to ask, what they have had for it ?
/ I. The King's Theatre.—We have no recollection of so barren a ; I season, quoad MUSie, as the present. Only two new operas. have been ! I produced, and both have been miserable failures : while tie orchestra, . in point of talent, has ranked below that of either of the Winter i Theatres. MOZART has been nearly laid on the shelf, and we have I
been indebted to the good taste of individual singers for the production
. of the Don Giovanni and the Figaro. Perhaps the managers were • unwilling to expose the poverty and inefficiency of their orchestra. i MOZART is no favourite with the French players, who have supplied . the places of our LINDLEYS, NICHOLSONS, and WILLMANS. We have I borne our willing testimony to the excellence of individual singers ; ' but, looking to the general musical direction of the theatre, the reply,
; to our question," what has been done for the advancement of the art ?"t
• intist- be—nothing. N, i 2. The Winter Theatres.—As to music, the retrospect here is as 4 !dreary and desolate as at the Italian Opera-house. Not a single English 1 1 opera has been produced, nor a single revival attempted. Even of im- ■ i portations we have had but two,— The Mid of Judah and Masaniello ; ( the former a gathering of a few scraps from ROSSINI, and depending solely on Miss PATON for its success ; the latter a meagre dish from) France, flavoured only by the point and power of BRAHAM'S singing. I ",..." 3. The Philharmonic Concerts.—Here we have a bright speckiii our dingy musical horizon; but even this has not been so bright as heretofore. The band has been as gigantic as ever ; the instrumental music, generally speaking, as good; but the vocal department has been slovenly and second-rate. The Directors have, evidently, been careless and indifferent about it : it has shifted for itself—anything would do. This is disgraceful—it is impolitic. Without more energy and activity, the Philharmonic, great as it is, will " fall from its high estate,"—an event which we invoke Apollo to forbid! We have received so many hours of intense delight at these concerts, that we look upon any symp- tom of decline with dismay. Let the Directors mature their plans in time, and not leave any thing to be done at the last moment ; let them only use common industry and care (they have no lack either of good taste, judgment, or experience), and they will not again have to en- counter the censures of their subscribers.
4. The Ancient Concerts.—We have been accused of severity in our remarks on these concerts. The truth is, that those who have early and long attachments connected with them, are unwilling (and the feeling is natural enough) to think them so worthless as they are : not absolutely worthless, but relatively—worthless as compared with what they have been and what they might be. At present, we shall content ourselves with quoting the opinion of a sound and sensible musician, who has for six years, under the signature of Cio, enriched the pages of the Harmonteon by his criticisms.
" ' We feel,' says he, 'a melancholy conviction that this establishment,
deprived, as at present it undoubtedly is, of all regular direction and manage- ment, must fall to the ground. We lay down our pen with little reluctance, for we have long despaired of any remonstrance of ours working the least reformation. Still there is time for some radical change. The subscribers have at length opened their eyes—let the Directors open theirs : let them -depend upon some active, scientific, professional manager, to whom a proper authority shall be delegated, to make and vary the selections. Then will the Concert of Ancient Music lift up its head again, and not till then.' " ' Our opinion is that the doom of the Ancient Concerts is sealed. They may drag on a miserable existence for a year or two, but with their present Directors and their present Conductor, it must be life. in its last and most enfeebled stage. Most assuredly they have done nothing for the advancement of the art.
5. The Benefit Concerts.--These have amply realized our antici- pations. In raisin& instance, that we know of, has the music formed, or even pretended to form, any part of their attraction. The benefited persons scarcely ever thought it worth while to announce their scheme until within two days of its performance ; and even then, if any one of them had the rashness to announce an aria or concerted piece with which the public had not been surfeited, it usually happened that it was changed, without notice or apology ; our prime donne thinking " raggio,".." Ltmgi dal caro ben," and a very few other of the beauties of Rossim and PACINI, a sufficiently ample stock in trade for a London season. It was the persons who were to sing, and not the music to be sung or played, that formed the attraction. This at least was the generally-received opinion ; and very few even of our most eminent professors dared to announce a benefit without the name of Madame MALIBRAN being included in it. There was not one throughout the season in which any thing was done, attempted, or pretended to be done, for the advancement of the art : no research but • into the Court Guide, no contrivance except to circumvent or over- reach a brother professor, no labour but to sell tickets. And this is the "brief abstract and chronicle" of the late musical season! It is both ludicrous and disgraceful as an exhibition of the taste and talent of the metropolis. But while we state this as our opinion, and while we lament to be compelled to give it„ we cannot exonerate from blame some who ought to have endeavoured to lead the public taste into a better direction. Our English professors —singers, players, and composers—all unite in lamenting the little encouragement given to native talent. Ali! gentlemen, the public regards not your sighs and lamentations. " Folded arms and fixed eyes" will excite only contempt. You must awake, and gird iq your loins for the fight. Many of you have sung STAFFORD SMITH'S " on a Summer's Day :" now read it : there is something in it worth your attention, independent of the music.
"As on a summer's day In the greenwood shade I lay, The maid that I lov'd, As her fancy mov'd,
Caine walking forth that way. And as she passed by,
With a scornful glance of her eye, ' What a shame,' quoth she, For a swain it must be Like a lazy loon for to lie. And dost thou nothing heed What Pan our god has decreed, That a prize to-day Shall be giv'n away To the sweetest shepherd's reed ?- Up, up, dull swain, Tune thypipe once again, And makc the garland thine."
What have ybu done this season to gain the prize ? Where have you put in your claim even to contend for it? The public knows nothing of you, hears nothing of you, and—forgets you. But you have no opportunities. Mahe them then. Combine your efforts; lay aside your petty strifes and cabals; bring forth English music with all the freshness of novelty and the charm of perfect execution. Give your- selves a fair chance. Assert your claims to public favour. Win the garland, and wear it.
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