VOCAL CONCERTS.

Tim members of the Vocal Society have rarely presented a more in- teresting selection of pieces than the following scheme exhibits : but where there is industry to gather and judgment to select, the riches of the vocal art will be found exhaustless. The instrumental player is limited to the music of one age, and almost of one country. The con- tributors to an instrumental concert have all lived within our own time, and belong to the same school ; those even of the age immediately preceding it are known no more. PLEvEL, GYROWETZ, amtd VsNuas, the delight of many yet living auditors, are silent and forgotten; and the composers of performable sinfonias (except now and then one by way of compliment or experiment) are not more than four. But of vocal music there is no lnnit to the variety of style and character— without the admission of mediocrity in either. Take the elements of the scheme before us: for exteeple, here is Jemes Etescrea Glee—who was himself one of its hearers, STAFFORD SMITH'S sixty years, GREENE'S Anthem a century, and the Madrigals two centu- ries and a half old; and all equally good of their kind. The same plea- sure was imparted by the glee of yesterday and the venerable madrigal, and an equally cordial encore was given to each. The erimatic music of the scheme takes u wider range of country, though not extending over more than a century of duration : there is the simple, unpretend- ing chorus of HANDEL's opera—the uncquslled dramatic effects of WEBER—MOZART'S eveisflowing stream of melody—and our Own worthily associated Seonsee and Bistroe. A concert like this is a valuable school for the musical student. Ile sees how the greatest writers in successive ages and different countries have treated a similar

brarcb of art: he discerns, or he may discern, characteristic excel- lences in each, and hence is enabled to acquire and apply sound prin.. ciples of criticism and enlarged views of his art.

I. Full Anthem, "0 clap your hands" Dr. GREENE. 9. Glee," Blest pair of syrens" J....SMITH. 3. Song, Mr. ATKINS, "There the silvered asters" STORACE. 4. Septet and Chorus." Hear, 0 hear" A STORACX.

5. Madrigal," Die not, fond man" Want).

6, Demo." Quid andante" MARCELL°. '7, Glee," Hail, beauteous strahger 1" V; ALNISLEY.

8. Song, Miss Woonvarr, " Hush, ye pretty" liastnEr..

9. Chorus." Sing, 0 ye heavens I" _(3elshazzar) HANDEL. It Quintet, MISER. BLAGROYE, MIDIGRAVE, DANDO,

Lucas, and Ilowzia. ONsLow.

11, The Wager Scene from Eurbanthe 19. Aria, Miss SHIRREFF," Part°, ma Cu ben mio 13. Glee," Come, see K hat pleasures" 14. Quintet, " Blow, gentle gales" (The Stare)

15. Msalrigal, " Lady, your eye" 16. Ballad, Mr. Hoops," Dear father" 17. Glee, "Shall I wasting" 18. Chorus, " Di timpani e tromhe" (Agrppina)

GREENE'S Anthem is one of his most successful efforts in choral harmony : it approaches the stately grandeur of his great predecessor, and its performance worthily maintained the credit of the English school

of ecclesiastical writing. The 3Iadrigals were choice exhibitions of their respective authors' powers. Nothing has ever surpassed the beautiful unfolding of Waan's Madrigal; while WEELKES, whose vein seems to have been sportive and gay, deservedly shared the epplause with his illustrious contemporary. The riches of this school seem, as indeed they are, exhaustless. Scarcely a night passes without the pro- duction of a fresh madrigal.

The principal vocal feature of the evening was the celebrated scene from Enryanthe, for the first time performed to English words, rup. plied by Mr. E. TAYLOR. But for the Vocal Concerts, this un- rivalled opera, its author's great and favourite work, would be as little

known to the concert-room as to the stage. Every year sense new piece from it makes its appearance; but this, as ant exhibition of its

author's powers as a musician, and especially of his extraordinary re- sources as a dramatic writer, may be regarded as the chef trceurre of the opera. It was a treat of the very highest order. MISS SHIRREFF'S song was accompanied by Mr. LAZARUS, a young clarinet-player of no ordinary talent. His tone is pure and sweet, and

his playing evinced powers of expre sion as well as execution. The

instrumental piece was played by the BLAGROVE party; and nothing could be more perfect than the instrumental conversation of the instru- merits. Hoses gratified us with a new ballad tastefully written, skit- fully scored, and charmingly sung. C. M, vox WEBER. Mozalur.

J. I:LT.1aq. BISHOP. WLFITLES.

Mortis. EVAIrs. HANDEL. "