25 MAY 1850, Page 10

The Plulharmonic concert of Monday last was, in various respects,

one of the most interesting we have ever listened to. The attractive charac- ter of the programme was evinced by the extraordinary demand for ad-

missions. The room, at these concerts, has for some years back been a/- ways full ; but it is scarcely a bull to say, that on this occasion it was a

good deal more than full, for scores of persons found, to their disappoint- moat, a couple of days before, that there was not an admission to be had for love or money.

The vocal music' as too often happens, was bat indifferent ; and though the Philharmonic has always been essentially an instrumental conceit, yet the Directors are much to blame for getting up any portion of the entertainment in a careless and slovenly manner.

The instrumental banquet was equally remarkable for richness and variety. The principal dish was Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony , and

that unique piece of musical painting was exhibited in all its truth and freshness. The other symphony was the fourth of Mozart, in D; a charming work, which has always been admired for its clearness, simpli-

eityand the graceful melody it breathes from beginning to end. • Instead

-of tie overture which usually terminates the first part of the concert, Mozart's great pianoforte concerto in D minor was played by Thalberg.

It has given us much pleasure of late to witness the revival by the greatest performers of the day of Mozart's pianoforte music, which John Cramer used to render so delicious, and which, since his time—as an artist we mean, for we are happy to say he is alive and well—has been so mis- takenly neglected. Mozart is the father of the modern ached of the pianoforte ; which, to this day, derives from him many of its greatest qualities. To hear the most beautiful of Mozart's compositions executed

by the first of living performers, was a rare and exquisite pleasure —a pleasure heightened by observing the great artist's devotion to his author,

his total abstinence from display, and the pure simplicity with which he

gave the text, indulging the suggestions of his own fancy only in the two highly-wrought cadenzas that the composer's own design permitted hint

to introduce. This was, and was felt by the audience to be, the most de•

lightful performance of the evening; and we may add, that no one en- joyed it more keenly than the veteran pianist whose performance of the

same piece had in former times been received in the same room with the same enthusiasm. Thalberg afterwards played one of his own fantasias, —very inferior as music, but a miracle of executive power and brilliancy. Another interesting circumstance was the appearance—the last—of the veteran Robert Lindley, who, with Lucas and Howell, played the old favourite trio of Corelli. The scene was really affecting. The burst of acclamation from the whole audience and orchestra when he presented himself, the air of respectful tenderness with which Costa led him to his seat and adjusted it comfortably for him, the old man's strong but nue demonstrative emotion, and the comparative weakness but still admirable skill with which he awoke the tones of his instrument, were all calculated

to strike deeply many present in whose minds the image of Lindley is associated with the memory of years long since past. The trio of course was encored as of old; and amid general cheers, the matchless violon- cellist slowly retired from the orchestra, leaving a blank in it which will not probably be filled up in our day. Madame Madeleine Nettes, a lady said to have some reputation in Ger- many, sang Mozart's "Porgi amor," itnd Beethoven's "-0 dolee eperanza" from Fidelio, with considerable taste and expression ; but her vocal powers were almost paralyzed by nervous trepidation. Formes, in an. air from Euryatithe, exhibited enough of the kit-titer in re, to which some addition of the suaviter in mode would not have been amiss. He was, as usual, much too loud, and, also as usual, the orchestra tried to be still louder.