VOCAL CONCERTS.

THE fourth concert was graced by the presence of their Royal High- nesses the Dutehess of KENT and the Princess. VicToatis. While the mobles of our land, almost with one consent, absent themselves from all Amusements in which the public share, and deny themselves a partici- pation in the highest demonstrations of art (the Philharmonic Concerts, for instance,) if they can only enjoy them in common with the rest of Ac world, it is gratifying to witness the good sense and discernment of './f KENT, in selecting those which are the best calculated

the Dutchess

to increase b er daughter's knowledge and improve her taste in one of the bbe.ral 'arts, and especially to render her familiar with the composi- tions ot t Ale best writers of the English school. The royal visiters e greeted with a cordial welcome, whenever a wherever are nd ix with the people ; but, on this occasion, the salutation was mosv hearty and vociferous than usual. In compliment to them, we presume, ATTOOOD'S last Coronation Anthem was placed at the head of the scheme.

Coronation Anthem, " 0 Lord grant the King" 2. Glee," Mark where the silver Queen"

3, Aria. Miss MASsON. " fare"(thfie) Atit. rrit.oevcos

4 Madrigal, " Cynthia, thy song " CLuest.

Seng, Mr. %%tootles/ and chorus, " Softly rise" Dr. Hosea.

0. Glee, " W hat sing the swept birds" lloast.ze.

7. Aria. Miss RAINFORTH, " Parta, ma to ben tido" rinAlatuTe.zrr:

9. Deseriptive Fantasia

9. " The Christian's Prayer" SEOHR.

10. Aria, Mrs. 1118110P, " MOZART.

11. Glee. " With sighs, sweet rose" CALLCOTT.

12. Ilnot," Love in thine eyes" JkEl E .

Id. Song. Mr. 1151FE " They tell tue" liAiF

WEBEW.

14. NIadrigal, " Down in a flowery vale" 15. Quartette, " Alziant gli es viva " E

16. Glee, ''Co w h

Cairn.' see at pleasures" LL IOT.

17. Chorus, e le, Rome's immortal hero" MOZART.

The performance of the glees is much improved since last year, although it is still unequal. The constant change in the combination of voices necessarily induces this disparity. Some voices have an un- mixable quality : they stand out from their fellows, and prevent that perfect adjustment of tone, which, in glee-singing, is so essential. We felt this in No. 6,—a very choice specimen of its kind, though rarely heard. In all the other glees, particularly in No. 11, the character of the composition was completely brought out. Hawmiss's voice gave to it sweetness where sweetness was required, and strength where strength. The Madrigals were beautifully sung, and deservedly en- cored. In No. 4, the murmur of fifty voices on the unexpected tran- sition from the chord of 1) to that of C, was a most lovely vocal effect.

Miss MassoN's song was, in most respects, u finished performance. Her perfect familiarity with the Italian language gives her an ad- vantage over most of the English singers of the present day, when em- ployed on the music of that country. Her success results from know- ledge, good taste, and strong feeling, all according to the same end. The only blemish in this song was a modernism or two attached to the graceful simplicity of GLUCK. Mrs. 131snoe's seldom-beard air, from Momeuen, was purely and unostentatiously sung. Miss RAINFORTH did not succeed in producing the same electrical effect that her first song excited ; but this is easily accounted for by the different character of the two pieces. In that of MOZART there is a classic dignity, which commands admiration, but not enthusiasm. Precisely this difference was discernible in SCHMEDElee singing them : the one imparted elevation to the mind, the other gave impulse to the imagination. In addition to Miss RAD:FORTH'S splendid voice, there is a degree of energy which, ill most English singers of our time, is rarely discoverable, and which will eminently fit her for the performance of certain songs, which arc now either unsung or dawdled through. The " Christian's Prayer" is one of Sroun's most finished and per- fect productions. The modern Continental writers for the church have aimed to give novelty to their compositions of this class by assimi- lating them to the style of the theatre. Not so SPOHR : his sacred music is a deep-felt expression of all that it is devotional and sublime—

pregnant with thoughts as new and striking as they are appropriate. They fit and express the words with which they are connected, and

they would fit or express no other. Here is no "Kyrie eleison " turned into a jig, nor an "Agnes Dei " which might be used as a quadrille. Great as SPOHR is as an instrumental and a dramatic writer, he is, incomparably, greatest when "his lyre is tuned with heavenly strings." Here be has no living rival. The most extraordinary performance of the evening was BEET- novEN's Descriptive Fantasia. Like many of his compositions, this requires a key to guide us to its right understanding. It seems to us to have been prompted by a perusal of DRYDEN'S Ode to St. Cecilia's Day—a poem well known in Germany. It begins with a succession of chords and arpeggios, which, to the unlearned ear, seem to be struck at random and scattered without rule or plan ; as if " Nature underneath a heap of jarring atoms lay, And could nut heave her head."

These struggle into symmetry and shape ; rudely and feebly at first; but at length

cold and hot, anal moist and dry. In order to their stations leap, And Music's voice obey."

The first effort towards melody is made by the bass instruments ; but the attempt is soon abandoned as hopeless, and is then tried with no better success by the violas ; at length a ray of melody breaks from the gloom, and floats along the surface of a rolling and tempestuous instrumental torrent, which it stills like oil poured on the waves- " speaking so sweetly and so well." This lovely strain is caught up and repeated, "singly or in pairs," by every instrument in turn, varied according to its respective capability. Here it is almost unnecessary to remark, that RF.ETHOVEN has been guided by his own superior knowledge of the character of each instrument, rather than the fanciful and often incorrect one of the poet. Still DRYDEN'S idea is followed out. At length the human voice exerts its power on the same mayo- . Through all the compass of thee notes it ran,

The diapason closing full in Mau,"

The subject is first given, in this form, with an accompanying har- mony of four voices; which then swells into a lofty chorus, gathering strength and animation as it proceeds, while ever and anon the brilliant notes of the pianoforte are heard luxuriating in all the ecstacy of florid accompaniment, and the attention of the auditor is kept in a con- tinued state of excitement and wonder to the end. From the above imperfect analysis of this extraordinary composition, which demands such a combination of vocal power with instrumental skill, the reason of its being reserved for the Vocal Society to produce and perform it with full effect is sufficiently obvious. Mrs. ANDERSON'S part in the performance exhibited complete knowledge of her author, with ample ability to realize his conceptions.