The first of the New Philharmonic Concerts, for this season,
was given at St. James's Hall on Monday evening. These were formerly the Con- certs of the New Philharmonic Society; but that Society no longer. exists, and they are now carried on by an individual-Dr. Wylde, by whom the Society was founded. The New Philharmonic Society was set agoing by way of affording a contrast to the antiquated management of the old. It was to produce abundance of novelty, and especially to en- courage the efforts of "native talent." That this plan did not answer was made apparent by the dissolution of the Society: and Dr. Wylde has begun this season by announcing that he will confine himself entirely to works of the great masters. On Monday night, accordingly, one half of the concert consisted of Beethoven's great Choral Symphony ; and the remainder was made up of pieces by Mozart, Mendelssohn, and others, familiar to every amateur. For this the concert was all the more suc- cessful : the publication of the programme filled the room ; and, the per- formances being excellent in every respect, the audience were delighted with their entertainment.
The Re-union des Arts, which, notwithstanding its name, is entirely a musical society, and is held in good repute among our amateurs, had one of its soirees at the Harley Street Rooms on Wednesday, when there was an elegant entertainment of chamber music. Two manuscript composi- tions of Mr. Osborne,-a duo for the piano and violoncello, and a quartet for the piano, violin, viola, and violoncello-in both of which the leading instrument was played by himself, were found to be admirable and re- ceived accordingly. Mr. Depret, a Belgian singer lately arrived in Lon- don, sang the air "Sombre foret " from Guillaume TeX, showing him- self to be a first-rate artist. M. Golfrie, an excellent violinist, played a solo, and several vocal pieces were sung by Mademoiselle Maria de Villar and Miss Armstrong. Mr. Benedict officiated as conductor. The Con- cert-room was crowded to the doors.
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