MUSIC IN MAY.
THE London world, as usual in May, seems athirst for music ; though the fever scarcely rages with its accustomed and uninterrupted inten- sity. The morning fits are less frequent ; and the concert-rooms as well as the visiters have a little time to cool. The Benefit Concerts have changed hands, and are now undertaken by a new class of persons, and for a novel purpose. Formerly, only those members of the profession who had obtained a certain standing ventured upon a speculation of this kind. BARTLEMAN, HARRISON, and VAVGHAN, among the singers, the CRAMERS and LINDLEY among the instrumental performers, and Gaga:roans as conductor of the Ancient Concerts, were thus privi- leged. But these men or their successors have now withdrawn from the field, and their places are occupied by persons whose names make their first appearance in public at the head of a benefit concert-bill. The truth is, that what was formerly the consequence of musical fame is now regarded as its cause. " But how ? " some of our uninitiated readers may ask. Let us endeavour to enlighten them. In the first place, to have your name exhibited in large letters on a board outside CRAMER'S shop, is to insure its being seen for a fortnight by every per- son who walks down the west (and, if he is not short-sighted, down the east) side of Regent Street. This is worth something; at least it is thought to be : and if Mr. JENKINS or Miss TOMKINS'S name be printed in letters as large and on a placard of dimensions as ample as Mr. RMKEDICT'S, it is possible that some persons may take Mr. JENKINS or Miss TOMKINS for a musician as celebrated as Mr. BENEDICT. Stranger things have happened, and it is worth the trial. The usual advertise. ments in the papers insure to the aspirant the further notoriety of a week ; but some more striking mode of announcement must be accom- plished. We copy one at random. " On —evening next, the concert of that young and talented vocalist, M—, will be given at the Hanover Square Rooms. The divine cantatrice Madame Darns Gras will sing I`dole de ma vie.' Liszt will also play between the parts a selection from his celebrated Recitals. The other artists will comprise the well- known talents of &c. &c. &c. A full audience may be anticipated."— No doubt ; for when " the young and talented vocalist " has sold as many tickets as she can, (which is usually by solicitation among her friends,) the rest are given away. The morning or evening of the concert arrives: a solitary pianoforte is the substitute for an orchestra ; the printed scheme of the concert often only serving to inform the audience what pieces will not be performed. But next day comes the finishing-stroke, in the "criticism" of the morning papers. "Brilliant and overflowing audience "—" disappointed crowds "—" enchanting vocalist "—" rapturous encore "—and a repetition of the sort of slang in which the announcement was drawn up. This is technically called "working a benefit"; to which our brethren of the broad sheet are not ashamed to lend or rather let out their assistance. Does it answer its intended purpose ? does the scheme pay P—Sometimes perhaps it does in the long run. The receipts of the concert are short of its expenses ; puffs preliminary and posterior are heavy charges ; but the certainty of a short notoriety is thus obtained by those who would have no other chance of acquiring any, and it is for this stake that the game is played. T. this practice, of course, there are honourable exceptions ; but the leaders of the profession have been gradually withdrawing from con- cert-giving, and benefits are now chiefly the speculations of its inferior members. There is always one crack benefit, to which everybody strives to go, because it is understood that everybody will be there. A concert is a good thing, a crowd better, a squeeze best of all. The latter pleasure used to be imparted at Mora's concert ; it is now only to be enjoyed in full perfection at BENEDICT'S. In order to obtain such an enviable distinction, this accomplished artist, who has all the know- ledge of a thorough musician and the enthusiasm of a man of genius, is compelled to sacrifice to the mob ; to crowd into his orchestra every Italian singer of first, second, and third-rate eminence, and to let them have their own way. And it is worthy of remark, that when these gentlemen and Jadies assemble in a concert-room, they rarely select any concerted pieces from the writers who now exclusively occupy the opera- stage. The troth is, that those writers produce nothing of this kind which, off the boards, would be tolerated even by their admirers. The singers are therefore driven back to the hacknied ducts and trios of CIMAROSA and ROSSINI ; and the most fashionable and crowded con- cert of the season presents, as its chief features, these pieces— Duo, " Se fiato in corpo avete " CIMAROSA.
Trio, " Le faccio on inchino " Ditto.
Duo, " Dunque io son " Rossisr.
Duo, " Lasciami, non t'ascalto" Ditto.
Duo, " Parlor, spiegar" Ditto.
The only English composition was JOHN PARRY'S " Country Com- missions"; sung, of course, by JoHN. Its reception reminded us of a passage in the London Journal, written by Dr. ARBUTHNOT—" Our pretended fondness for Italian operas proceeds not from a true relish for good music, but a silly affectation of it. Such a song as this [a po- pular English song of the day] I take to be a touchstone to try British taste upon ; and it has proved effectual to discover our true inclinations, which, however artfully concealed for a while, will one time or other start up and disclose themselves. Asap's story of the cat, who at the petition of her lover was changed into a fine woman, is well known. Notwithstanding the change, on the appearance of a mouse she could not resist the temptation of springing from her husband's arms in pur- suit of it." Such was the effect of PARRY'S song; which the audience pursued with genuine enthusiasm, and devoured with obvious relish. Another concert of the past week, which we notice chiefly because it deviated from the form as at present established, and presented a dif- ferent array of performers, was that of Miss ROECKEL, a niece of Ifuitam. The principal German singers came to the aid of their young countrywoman, and contributed some of the favourite ballads and other vocal pieces of the present day. Such compositions as these, being to the majority of the audience in an unknown tongue, and having but secondary musical merit, are not the suitable ingredients for a London concert. Miss ROECKEL played the first movement of Hum- IffE1:8 Concerto in B minor, and merited the applause of a well-filled room.
After this glance at the benefit-concerts of the month, the conclusion is obvious that they have no influence or bearing on the art, since the due degree of preparation, which ought to precede every public per- formance, is at this season of the year unattainable even by those who may really desire it. In fact, the want of industry in some depart- ments of the art, the want of materials in others, is lamentably con- spicuous this year. The Italian Opera, whose very existence demands ceaseless novelty, has presented nothing but the reiteration of former dulness. It never, within our recollection, produced so little sensation. It is scarcely ever the topic of musical conversation ; and those who frequent it do so rather from habit than the hope of being gratified. The only concerts which have given any sign of activity were those of BLAGROVE and his party ; who, according to their custom, brought us acquainted with some fresh compositions of the great German writers, and those of the Sacred Harmonic Society, who having revived HANDEL'S Jephtha, are next week to perform a selection of Anthems from the time of TALEis to that of SAMUEL WESLEY. Such a display of English cathedral music is peculiarly well-timed.
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