9 APRIL 1842, Page 15

ANCIENT CONCERTS.

THE Ancient Concerts continue their accustomed career, with, per- haps, a tendency to diverge more widely from their original design. The preponderance on Tuesday night was as six to three in favour of the modern school. The principal feature of the first act was a part of CHERUBIM'S celebrated Requiem ; which we have long known, but heard in England now for the first time. Some persons rank it next to that of MOZART. " Proximus " it may be, " sed longo intervallo." One excellence and one charm of MOZART'S Requiem is its unity of style. His Masses are often light, gaudy, operatic : his Requiem is altogether sacred. You are never whirled in a few bars from the church to the opera-house, but the true character of church-music appears throughout. To this CHERUBINI seldom adheres, and his effects are wrought out by his band.

The concert commenced with HANDEL'S Overture to Alcides, one of his best productions of its kind. The composer's outline was judiciously and ably filled up by Mr. BisHoP—barring the trombones in the first movement. The act concluded with that magnificent chorus, the united effort of DRYDEN and HANDEL each in his loftiest mood, "is from the power of sacred lays." how rare such a union as this but what unspeakable grandeur is its result! Music and poetry may be said to have accomplished their highest purpose in these lines- - So when the last and dreadful hour

This crumbling pageant shall devour. The trumpet shall be heard oil high. The dead shall live—the living the, And Music shall uutune thesky."

The only songs deserving notice were those of Madame CARADORI, "Non mi dir," and PHILLIPS'S "Now heaven in fullest glory shone "; both of which were admirably sung. Miss BIRCH'S "Let the bright Seraphim," with its vulgar double cadence, in which Mr. HARPER and the lady sang, duet-wise, the flourish with which the former preludes Mr. Tocum at Guildhall on Lord Mayor's Day, might have been spared. GEORGE the Third used to call this One of HANDEL'S MAI vulgar songs ; and he was right. The beautiful Solo and Chorus, "/',on sdegnare," from GLUCK'S Elena e Paride, were repeated this year with undiminished effect.

The Archbishop of YORK was the Director for the night, and Mr. Bishop the Conductor. Prince ALBERT was present for a short time ; the Duke of WELLINGTON continued at his post till relieved by the com- mand of his Right Reverend chief.