SEVENTH PHILHARMONIC CONCERT.

THE present season seems destined to set in splendour. The clouds which have obscured the lustre of its progress appear to have been but transient, and to have disclosed a brighter and purer region of the musical atmosphere. The record of the last concert exhibits a clear, unsullied page, without spot or blemish. It rea- lized the plan and objects of the Society. The judgment of the Directors was not surrendered to the cravings, real or imaginary, of certain fashionables. Our ears were neither wounded by tor- tures inflicted on MOZART, nor tickled with the empty prettinesses of ROSSINI, nor wearied with the repetition of threadbare songs ; but were delighted, all through, both with the music and the man- ner of its performance. We have often said that it was vain to expect a performance of German music from the present race of Italian singers. If PUZZI, LALANDE, SANTINI, and RUBINI, are engaged, we know what must follow,—PACINI, MERCADANTE, BELLINI, are sure to be the composers ; or if, by some unfortu- nate mischance, MOZART, BEETHOVEN, or SPOHR should be in- voked, it only makes the matter worse : the two things are incom- patible. In the scheme of Monday night, the proper means, it will be seen, were employed for the accomplishment of the proper end,

and the result was—complete success.

ACT r. Sinfonla in C minor... Spohr. Trio, Miss IL CAWSE, Mr. HortivcAsTLE, and Mr E. TAv Loa, " Ad te levavi" Cheruhini.

Fantasic Caracteristique, pour le Pianoforte, sur

un Air Indienne d'Oberon, Mr. HUMMEL Hummel. Recitativo e Quartetto, Miss INVERARITY, Miss H

CAWSE, Mr. HORNCASTLE, and Mr. E. TAYLOR,

col Coro, " Alziam gli evviva," (Euryanthe) C m. von Weber. Overture, Anacreon . Cherubini.

ACT II.

Sinfonia, No. V. Haydn. Scena, Miss INVERARITY, "Non ml dir," (IL Don Giovanni). llozart. Fantasia, Violin, Mr. BLAGROVE ..,ysedcr. Quartet, Miss IxviinAarry, Miss H. CA WOE, Mr. HORN:CASTLE, and Mr. E. TAYLOR, "Over the dark blue waters" (Oberon) C if von Weber. Overture, Fidelio Beethoven. Leader, Mr. MORI—Conductor, Sir GEORGE SMART.

SPOHR'S Sinfonia in C minor has completed his reputation as a composer. In the different branches of the musical art, the points of highest elevation are the sinfonia, the opera, and the oratorio ; and few indeed are the composers who have attained it. The records of the Philharmonic Society will show how very small is the number of sinfonias that live. They exhibit a per- petual alternation between HAYDN, MOZART, and BEETHOVEN; and there has been no resource, except that of descending in the scale of excellence. There are pleasing sinfonias of other com- posers, but none that are destined to immortality. That which we had the pleasure of hearing for the first time on Monday night, may rank amang the very first. The concluding movement is full

of playful fancy, dexterous and unlooked-for employment of the subject, alternately passing "From grave to gay, from lively to severe,"

and ending in a climax of grandeur. We believe this noble com- position has had more than one rehearsal. The band were com- pletely up in it, and developed every point with masterly precision and skill.

Of HUMMEL'S pianoforte-playing our opinion has frequently been expressed; and we have, in particular, had occasion to speak of this Fantasia, which, however clever, was not the piece we should have selected for performance at the Philharmonic. We are happy that the disputed points which prevented his playing at these concerts last year have been adjusted, and that so eminent an artist has appeared in an orchestra so able to appreciate his great talents, and give effect to his compositions. HAYDN'S Fifth Sinfonia, the shortest and one of the most beau- tiful of the set, was a delightful performance. How finished is LINDLEY'S execution of the trio !

Young BLAGROVE played his Fantasia with very considerable

power of execution and brilliancy of tone. We suppose MAY- SEDER is the only solo-writer for the violin who is now tolerated. We would gladly compound for a little variety, even were per- formers obliged to go back to VIOTTI and the writers of his school. It was kind and it was right in the Directors thus to distinguish a lad of genuine talent and excellent character.

Of the performance of the Overtures to Fidelio and Anacreon it is not necessary to speak. Often as we have heard each of them, they have each such intrinsic beauty, though of very different kinds, that we are disposed to commend, rather than quarrel with their repetition.

Here our commendations frequently end ; but we are happy, in this instance, to go on in the samelaudatory spirit even Co the end. The first Trio is the "Et incarnatus est" of CHERUBINI'S Mass for three voices, adapted to other words. Though simple, unadorned, and short, it is replete with vocal elegance and delightful instrumen- tation. It was placed in hands both able and willing to do it full justice, and received a well-merited encore. The Quartet from Eury- anthe was a novelty—the first of the season. Every thing taken from this opera is a permanent addition to our stock of good music ; and the only wonder is, that a scene of such beauty, and destined to such general admiration, should have been so long neglected. It comprises the reception of Lysiart at the castle of Adolar, by Eury- anthe, and the joyous welcome with which she honours the friend and messenger of her sovcreign. The principal parts in the intro- ductory movement were sustained with excellent taste and great effect by Miss INVERARITY and Mr. E. TAYLOR; and the brilliant execution of the lady in the beautiful solo which commences the quartet, breaking away, at intervals, from the accompanying voices, deserved the applause bestowed upon it. Her singing the exquisite aria from Don Giovanni was marked by a decided appre- ciation of its various excellencies, and a complete mastery over its difficulties. It was (to us) her debt in the music of MOZART; and very few artists, native or foreign, after the experience of years, have given us altogether so satisfactory a performance of his ma- gical strains. Miss INVERARITY will not take this as an exhorta- tion to idleness, but rather to perseverance. If we mistake not, there is a degree of enthusiasm in her character, which, under proper guidance, will lead her to achieve the highest triumphs of her art, and will urge her to those exertions by which alone they can be secured.

The success of this concert decides the opinion we ventured to give in noticing the preceding one. It was this—" We exceed- ingly doubt the existence of a wish on the part of the subscribers to banish the vocal music of Monier, WEBER, and SPOHR, for the mere purpose of listening to any individual singer who is nightly to be heard in his or her proper sphere, the Italian Opera." The only nights of the season when the vocal music has received two encores, were that on which the Last Judgment was performed and the night of which we are now speaking. Can it, then, admit of a question, what class and character of music is most accept- able to the subscribers ? As to the Directors, we know where their predilections must tend. We conclude with repeating the sentiment we have before expressed,—a sentiment of which, how- ever slowly, they will assuredly in time recognize the policy and the truth,—" Choose for your auditors as you would choose for yourselves, and you will be right."