PAGANINI.
PAGA.NINI'S concert, announced as his last at the Opera-house, was on Wednesday evening. From this manner of announce- ment, it is to be inferred that- he means to give other concerts else- - - where. On this occasion, the crowd was-immense ; the public curiosity to hear this unrivalled performer is evidently by no means
exhausted. For our own part, if our wonder has been abated by a repetition of his performances, our pleasure, we think, has been augmented. Wonder is a very transitory feeling; and did PAGA- NINI at all depend upon his power of achieving unattainable, and even unimaginable difficulties, his attraction, with all but the gaping crowd who are delighted with rope-dancing, would soon be at an end. We confess we witnessed with great-composure the feats which at first so much astounded us ; and felt that playing an air with the bow, and accompanying it pizzicato, might still have re- mained impossible, without any detriment to the cause of good music.
At the same time, we cannot agree with those who call such things tricks. A trick, in instrumental performance, is a thing apparently difficult, but really easy if the way of executing it were known. But PAGANINCS difficulties are real, and no more tricks than the rapid flights of MoscHeees on the pianoforte. His amazing use of the harmonic sounds, so as to produce by their means the most rapid succession of notes, double stops, and shakes, has been gained by profound researches into the proper- ties of the finger-board, united to the utmost mat ual dexterity. Something similar, but in a far less degree, is exhibited by Da&- Gomm'', who is much indebted for his wonderful execution on his gigantic instrument to his great knowledge of the harmonic sounds. By means of his discoveries of this nature, PAGANINI has enlarged immensely the powers of the violin ; and we have no doubt, his example will induce others to work as much as pos- sible this mine of beautiful effects. We conceive, too, that our greatest violin-performers might take a lesson from PA GANINCS management of the bow. And, in regard to his performances on a single string, though it matters not whether a piece be played on one string or,on four, provided it be equally well played either way, yet PAGANINI could not have acquired his marvellous skill in this respect without gaining additional means of giving expression to his exquisite conceptions. PAGANINI'S glory lies in the strength of his feeling, the richness of his fancy, and the purity of his taste. His concertos are charming ;—large and simple in their proportions, clear in their design, enchantingly melodious, and at the same time grand and striking in their harmonic effects. In his allegros (though per- fectly original), he reminds us of VIOTTI ; but his adagios hardly require words to possess the still higher attributes of the vocal strains of PERGOLESE or CIMAROS A. Of his performance, notwithstanding all its wonders, the great and enduring charm is its expression. His wonders may soon become familiar, but the riches of his musical language are ihexhaustible ; and the oftener that language is heard, and the better it is understood, the more deeply will it affect the imagination and the feelings of every one who "hail music in his soul."
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