THE ANCIENT CONCERTS.
THE destiny of the Ancient Concerts is controlled by the mere caprice o fashion ; and the success or failure of a season or a single concert is wholly unaffected by the music performed. Nevertheless, these concerts have their use ; for they constitute the last link that connects any portion of the aristocracy with the music of England. Their faults are to be traced to their constitution, and their failures are the necessary consequence of their system of management. There is no individual mind to plan or to arrange ; but accident, intrigue, and favouritism, by turns, impel the machine in a right or wrong direction. Prince ALBERT'S concert was one of the evidences of this fact. His natural and deserved partiality for the music of his own country led him to give it a prominent place in his selection. The Queen's notion of music, on the other hand, begins and ends with the modern Italian opera : like CHARLES the Second, she drives her musical subjects and English music universal from her presence, and exhibits a like intolerance of German art. To reconcile these conflicting tastes, Italian words were fitted to German notes ; and Giusi and BUBINI were dragged to the unwelcome task of singing music which they cordially hate, as far as persons may be said to hate that which they have never taken the trouble to know, and with which they are wholly incompetent to deal. From these discordant elements nothing but dissatisfaction, failure, and ill-temper arose.
Lord HOWE'S concert, on Wednesday night, evinced a greater unity of design ; although the correct and classical taste of his conductor, Mr. TunLE, was evidently not suffered to control the entire scheme: neither was the concert one of ancient music. ZINGARELLI, CHERUHINT, and HUMMEL, have no right to be classed with the old masters ; and the variety imparted to the selection by their compositions is one which no musical ear can desire or approve. The contrast is too violent. Nevertheless, the selection contained much that was of great excellence; and the old masters of Italy and England contended for the honours of the field, CL1RI and PERGOLESI against BATESON and PURCELL. A Miserere was performed, said to be by PALESMINA, but we suspect incorrectly. The great Roman was so voluminous a writer, that although our own library does not contain this Miserere, many others may exist which we have not. But in this composition the distinctive marks of PALESTRINA'S style are wanting, and harmonies occur which we have never seen him use. BATEso:s's delightful Madrigal, "Have I found her?" was very correctly sung ; and a later gem of the English school, "Hence, all ye vain delights," also received sufficient justice, and imparted high gratification in its performance ; except where Miss HAwEs took the unwarrantable liberty of singing the beautiful passage "There's nought in this life sweet," a tenth instead of a third below the first treble. The selection from "Spring" only made us regret that the entire season was not performed. This custom of mangling a great work and serving it up piecemeal is a sad impeachment of our national taste. One of HANDEL'S Sonatas for two violins and violoncello was played by LODER, Lisum.zy, and DRAGONETTI. This is the second time in a week that we have had an exhibition of this foolery. The effect of the trios of CoaELLr and HANDEL depends on our hearing the notes which they wrote ; which, according to this modern fashion, we are not permitted to hear. The three parts, instead of being placed near each other, as their authors designed, are scattered to the very extremity of the scale ; and in place of the clear and crisp execution and decided intonation of the violoncello, 'we have the uncertain and ludicrous grumble of the double-bass. The three instruments should converse : but according to this plan, they are all talking apart. But, with all their faults—and they are many—the Ancient Concerts always afford us some gratification. We have at least the felicity of exchanging the wretched monotony of DostrzErri, COPPOLA, and the rest of the fraternity of crotchet-grinders, for music of which melody and harmony constitute essential parts.
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