7 FEBRUARY 1835, Page 8

VOCAL CONCERTS.

THE second of these concerts, on Monday night, presented the fol- lowing excellent selection.

• i. Anthem, " 0 give thanks" Da. Bores.

2. like, " lIenee all ye vain ■Ielights " WEntn.:.

*3. Song, NIrs. G. Worm, " God my King" AN VEL.

4. Madrigal. " I follow, lo, the fisding" Moat.k.v.

5. Duet." Dearest, let thy footsteps " ,SPOI1R. * G. Motet (Double Choir)" holy. Lord God"... F. NIENDELS5011:1 BA RTHOLDT.

7. Glee, " Return, iest days" J. S. Smurtt.

8. Song, Mr. Hum's. 'f lie mansion of Immo " N1 VIBE. *9. (7horti., " Mount the steep ascent " II A NOEL. ustrumental Qui [dello MOZART.

PART 11.

10. Chorus, " Father, we adore thee " Hasps% • 11. Three part Song. " Ye birds for u hem" ItArrisitiu..

12. Song, Master llowF, " I'll he a fairy" E. TA YLOR.

• 13. Madrigal, " Smile not, fair Amaryllis" Pizzont.

11. Quartetto e Coro, " ethni() s' ouori " iIoz,r.

11 Aria, Mr. BENNET, " Frumiii istante" It oSS1N1.

hi. (1, " Come, see %%hat pleasures " Et.t.tor.

• 17. Chorus. •"l'o the hills awl the vales" Puttctr.L.

That the industry and research of the Directors have suffered no abatement, is sufficiently evidenced by the insertion of seven compo- sitions (those marked with a *) all of which we believe to be novel- ties in a concert-room. These concerts exhibit the true character anti real strength of the English school of vocal composition. It fearlessly challenges comparison with that of any foreign country or age, and vin-

dicates its claim to attention and favour. BOYCE'S Anthem is a noble

specimen of ecclesiastical composition ; commending itself to the feel- ings of every auditor by the simple majesty of its style, and the truth and power with which it embodies the sentiment of the poetry. In these respects, and in all the characteristics of true devotional writing, our best English masters yield the palm to no foreign competitor. If

we turn to another class of vocal composition, their superiority is equally great. WEBBE's " Ode to Melancholy," set to FLETCHER'S

beautiful words, is a masterpiece of its kind; and where shall we find,

for unaccompanied voices, a writer who knew how to infuse the charm of melody into every part of his composition, like BATTISHILL?

Contrast the free and elegant flow of his bass, with the dull, ding-

. dong monotony which pervades the present concerted music of Italy, or the graceful variety of ELLIOT'S Glee with the endless reiteration of the same ideas which runs through the compositions of that school,

and the true art and best purpose of vocal part-writing will be found to have been developed by our countrymen. It is On this ground that the British musician may safely take his stand ; it is here that he feels himself strong : but when he enters the lists with either the instru- mental writers of Germany, or the florid compilers of Italy, he must be content to be worsted in the conflict. It is for this reason that we would recommend the young gentlemen who write vocal music for the British concerts to hear and study the compositions of their country- men : they would find that while they are vainly labouring by the accu-

mulation of noisy instruments to attain grandeur, a writer like BOYCE reaches it by the mere combined effect of voices : they would discover

that while it is possible for an audience to yawn over a song which scrambles through remote keys and staggers under a load of abstruse harmonies, it may be within the power of a writer, by the charm of true inelesly, to rivet and delight his hearers. We need hardly point to Hosiss's beautiful performance of No. 8 as an illustration.

Beside the compositions of our countrymen, those of MENDELSSOHN, SPOUTS, and MOZART stood in pleasing, but not in overbearing con-

trast. Each was worthy the situation it occupied. We were enchanted trast. Each was worthy the situation it occupied. We were enchanted

with MENDELSSOHN'S composition, but BOYCE was not humbled by the comparison. Each was admirable of its kind. The former is the

first vocal evidence we have had in this country of its author's training

and power. We recognize, at once, the disciple of SEBASTIAN BACH ; and in adding that he is a worthy disciple of such a master, we can

award no higher praise. The composition is for eight principal voices, with a chorus in eight parts. It is not the mere exhibition of science which it contains that we admire, great as this is, but the result to which it is rendered tributary. It leaves nothing for art to supply, or for imagination to desire. Except at these concerts, it would be hope- less to attempt the performance of this Motet, so nicely framed and fitted is every joint, and such perfect and polished singing does it re- quire. We hope to have it again before the season expires; for pro- ductions like this, and Semites " Christian's Prayer," leave half their beauties undetected at a first hearing.

The lovely Duet, No. 5 (" Folg' dem Freunde," from Faust) was very sweetly sung by Miss WOODYATT and Mr. PARRY junior ; and we were happy to find that Mr. E. TAYLOR had rendered it available to English singers. Miss WOODYATT is one of the most promising and useful concert-singers we bare, and decidedly the best of our lady

glee-singers. Here, in purity of style, blending voice, and correct in- tonation, she already surpasses all her competitors on this ground. The performance of No. 14 was the renewal of a musical enjoyment, which

has been kept out of our reach for many years. The song of ROSSINI was only endurable after it ; though respectably sung and finely ac- companied. The Madrigals maintained their usual hold on the favour of the au- dience, and were encored, as well as HOBBS'S song and ELLIOT'S glee. The Glees No. 2 and No. 7 were indiffeiently sung, as compared with what we can and ought to hear at these concerts. The instrumental Quintetto, which we do not remember to have heard before, is one of MOZART'S most delightful efforts, and was as. delightfully played, by WILLMAN, T. COOKE, DANDO, MOUNTAIN, and LINDLEY.