PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS.

THE Philharmonic season began on Monday. No changes of conse- quence have taken place in the orchestra, except the vacancy occa- sioned by SPAGNOLETTI'S death ; whose place as one of the leaders, we believe, has not been supplied ; and the substitution (we presume a temporary one) of CARD for NICHOLSON. The Directors of the pre- s.nit year, are Sir G. SMART, Messrs. F. CRAMER, T. COOKE, .MORI, DANCE, NEATE,, and WILLMAN. The SCLIS011 opened with the follow- ing scheme.

ACT I. SPOHR.

New Characteristic Sinfonia (first time of pedal-mauve) Aria, Madame STOCHHAUMEN, 'Non midir "(1(DenGieranni) MOZART.

Concerto, Pianoforte (Nu. 5), Mr. CRAM ER .... 1(itoszs,ixsTit, and the last movement Cantata, Mr. lin.% Its M." Napoleon's Midnight Itel.low" The Chevalier NEUX01111. Overture," The Isles of Fingal." F. M ENDS I.SS0/1 N BARTUOLDY.

ACT 11.

Sinfonia. Op.;

MOZART.

MOM, "Gloria in excelsis" W. HORSLEY, Mus. Bac, Oxon.

Concerto Violin, Mr. Iti.sonovE MOLIQUE. Duetto, Madame SrocKliArstlY and Mr. BRAHAII, " Fra gli amplessi " (Cosi jan (site) MOZART. Overture, Eymont Itt. ETHOVEN.

Leader, Mr. F. URA M ER—Comluetor. Sir GEORGE SUART.

The principal feature of the performance was SPOIIR'S new Sinfonia. On the merits of this composition we anticipate, at present, consider- able diversity of opinion, partly arising from the novelty of its charac- ter, and partly from the inability of many who heard, to understand it. Its basis is an ode by PFEIFFER, entitled "Die Wiehe der Tune "- literally " The Consecration of Sounds ;" the design of which is to de- pict the influence of musical sounds on man in the different stages of his life, from the cradle to the grave. SPOIIR'S composition is not, like many others, merely an attempt to describe the visible things of nature by musical imitation, but is the result of the feelings engendered in the mind of a musician by the perusal of this poem. In using the term "musician," we do not mean here to designate a mechanical dealer in crotchets and quavers, a laborious piles- up of passages or seeker after ideas, but a man of kindred genius in another art to the poet—one in whose mind the beauty and power of verse finds a ready,

an involuntary response in musical composition. It is for this reason, among others, that we welcome this Dew effort of SP01111.5 mind. We desire to see the ancient union which subsisted between the poet and the musician reaccomplished ; we wish them to be regarded, as they nre, twin sisters, "lovely when separated—more lovely when united." We have endeavoured to show how this composition must be estimated, and by what standard it must be measured. The auditor or the player whose attention is confined to what he hears, without calling imagina- tion to his aid, and endeavouring to follow out the train of thought which engendered those sounds, and who does not receive impulses of feeling from the music corresponding with those which are kindled by the poetry, is not a fit judge of this Sinfonia. It speaks a language which he does not understand; it touches a string which finds no sym- pathetic- vibration in his heart. We heard exclamations against the absurdity of attempting to express "consolation in grief" by musical .sounds. If the objectors want to know the rule by which this feeling may be created by music, as they would the law by which a fugue or a canon is constructed, they must be content to remain in ignorance. We might as well attempt to lay down a rule for the sculpture of an Apollo Belvidere, the portraiture of a Madonna, the creation of a Hamlet or a Satan. If rules could be supplied for the production of such works as these, then would PHIDIASES, RAFF.AELLES, SI1AKSPEARES, and MIL- TON!! be "as plenty as blackberries." But it may be asked, "were we ourselves able to follow Sl'OHR throughout his composition—did it always .speak an intelligible language to us?" We shall not be guilty of the affectation of an unqualified reply in the affirmative. In order that his bearers might, as far as possible, be enabled to do so, lie has directed that the Ode (consisting of about a hundred lines) on which his Sinfonia is founded, should be placed in their hands. The translation was fur- nished by Mr. E. TAYLOR, and to much of the composition it was a complete and valuable key. Not that a corresponding musical phrase is to be found for every couplet, but the ideas of the poet and the mu- sician were thus found to flow in the same channel, and to have been prompted by the same spirit. The Sintonia first expresses the "deep silence of nature before the reation of sound." " This," say the critics, "is a palpable bull." In words they may be right ; and yet our senses told us that the effort was not only possible, but successful ; and the possibility of conveying the sensation of "deep silence" to the mind by musical sounds had been previously demonstrated by BEETHOVEN ill the commencement of his Afeeresstille. The music then becomes more palpably descriptive ; the first efforts of the birds to tune their voices to melody are heard ming- ling with the sighing of the zephyr, the rustling of the forest, the mur- mur of the brook, followed by the "uproar of the elements." The next movement depicts the influence of sound on infancy and youth ; and its character may be guessed from the following passage in the Ode.

"holy sounds! from heaven descending, Messengers of peace to earth— Oh I remain for ever blending With our sorrow and our mirth. Sound,! which in our tender years Childhood's little pains beguile, Dissipate the infant's tears, Turn his sorrow to a smile I Soothed to rest, ye hover o'er him, Charm his senses as he sleeps; Or like dreams ye pass before him. While her vigils Fancy keeps.

"

Lot in the youthful and joyous throng, With magic power your notes invite, And merrily bounds the foot along Whim the dance 'wakens the drowsy night. Soon from the spirit affliction is banished.

Quickly the traces of grief disappear ; Thoughts that once troubled us all have vanished.

Happiness brightens the face of care."

'This is the most intricate part of the work. The song of the cradle and the yoNthful dance, heard at first separately, are afterwards mingled, and different instruments are not only sustaining different melodies, but in different times. The steadiness of the band was here tasked to its utmost, and the conductor was compelled to rest on his baton amidst a score so complicated by cross bars ; but they mastered the difficulty triumphantly, and fully succeeded in bringing out the author's design.

The music of manhood succeeds, portrayed in its most insphing form.

" But hark ! 'tis the call to the hattle-fteld sourAing, Willi warlike emotion each heart it inspires ; At. the trumpet's loud summons each spirit is hoz:tiding, While honour and valour enkindle their tires. Nu longer he dreams of the fast-coming danger, But welcomes the peril that threatens his lite, Pale fear to his breast is in battle a stranger. ,

hen Victory calls him to join in the strife."

The march, with which this movement opens, is one of the finest specimens of martial music ever penned. It has all the tire and ani- mation of the military style, without a particle of its vulgarity. The succeeding movement, which has no corresponding passage in the poem, is the weakest part of the Sinfonia, besides being needlessly protracted. But it leads to one of more power and breadth than any which preceded it—suggested by these lines. .

" But when the battle-cry at length is ended And sounds of war are silent on the plain,

Your welcome notes it peace w ith glory blended, Conduct him Irons the field to rest again! Then rising on the pinions of devotion,

Ills spirit seeks again the throne of grace,

A nil k indled with an unrest rammed emotion,

this shouts of triumph yield to songs of praise."

We enter the house of prayer with the warrior, and listen to a chorus of instruments, majestic and sublime in the highest degree,—in which, while the stringed instruments are pursuing their lofty fugue, the Am- brosian chant is sustained by the trumpets and trombones. In the whole range of instrumental writing we know of nothing so complete, so powerful, so elevating as this movement, taken in its connexion. The succeeding and concluding one opens with a funeral dirge, of the most solemn and affecting character, during which the " Begilib- nisslied," or grave song of the Lutheran Church is beard. This strain is succeeded by one expressive of tranquil resignation and mous sere- nity, interspersed with those powerful yet appropriate harmonic com- binations with which SPOIIR so well knows how to appeal to the heart. This movement responds to the tone of feeling suggested by the fol- lowing lines.

" When the spirit, faint and broken. Sinks to earthtaimh care oppressed. Sounds of peace! haw oft ye hive spoken

Comfort to the aching breast ! Then ye w 11 isper consolation, likl the sours vain longing cease—

Tears ye give to tribulation, And to the departed peace."

We subjoin the passage which concludes the Ode.

" Holy sounds! are ye bright inspirations, Visions of bliss that to our dreams are given ? Oh, are ye children of you happy dwellings,

The glorious messengers of peace from heaven? 0 stay, sweet magic sounds! nor ever leave Ole, Tell me of vonder world so bright and fair; Oh! if delusie—still, sweet dreams! deceive me With the blest thought that I am with ye there! Loosed from the fetters that on earth still bind me,

Pain shall no more afflict nor passion move. And in oblivion casting all behind me. Oh I let me dwell, blest sounds, with you above "

Our description will but faintly shadow forth the features and cha- racter of this extraordinary composition,—one of the highest flights of musical poetry that imagination has conceived or genius accomplished. Among other censures, we heard one on account of its length ; and we admit that it might he shortened in the movement we have mentioned, not only without injury but with advantage. But though our watch gave it a duration of fifty minutes, we had felt no desire for its termi- nation. It occupies no more time than is necessary to the complete ac- complishment of its author's purpose, which is one of no ordinary in- terest or extent. We will only add our best thanks to the Directors for the zeal they have exhibited in the production of such a composi- tion, and to the band for their masterly execution of it.

Our notice of the remaining pots of the Scheme must be brief. Madame STOCglIAUSEN sung with the most pure and finished expres- sion MOZART'S lovely air ; and CRAMER'S playing evinced his wonted grace and elegance. Mr. BLACROVE, who has been profiting by a year's instruction from SPOHR, showed that lie was worthy to have en- joyed such an advantage. His style is greatly improved, and his per- formance was, throughout, one of finished excellence. He will at once take his station among our best violin players.