The principal concerts of the week have been those of
the two Phil- harmonic Societies; both very good, but neither of them presenting a single point of new interest. The Cologne chorus-singers bring their performances to a close this evening. They have been well attended and fully as successful as those of last year. They are, indeed, most remark- able, on aceount of the perfection to which these singers have brought what we may call the mechanism of part-singing. Their truth of into- nation, their precision and delicacy, their perfect unity of effect as if they all formed one great instrument, are matchless. But these means are not turned to sufficient account. They consult too much the merely popular taste, singing a great deal of slight and trivial music by modern com- posers, and giving very few specimens of the grand old vocal harmony of their country. What an effect such exquisite singing could give to some of our own old glees and madrigals!
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