PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS.
WE gladly welcome the Philharmonic Society into its new abode. It is an exchange of darkness for light, of filth for neatness, of tawdry finery for elegance and good taste, of rudeness and inat- tention for civility and regularity. The former were the charac- teristics of the Opera Concert-room; the latter are those of the Hanover Square Rooms under their new proprietor, Mr. MARTIN.. The orchestra is displayed in its full dimensions for these concerts; and it presents, when filled by the Philharmonic band, a sight which it is worth paying something even to e:aze at. It is an in- teresting spectacle to contemplate such an array of instrumental talent, here, and here only, assembled to do homage to the genius of MOZART and of HA.YDN. The arrangement of the orchestra has been altered and improved. Looking at it from the room, the first violins and violas fill the whole of the left wing, the wind in- struments are ranged in the centre (directly behind the principal violins), while the second violins occupy the right wing. The in- struments which work together, as the wind instruments usually do, are thus formed into a compact group ; and the result is a greater precision and unity of effect. We observed few new faces. in the band ; among the principals, none.
The following was the scheme for the FIRST CONCERT, MONDAY; FEBRUARY 25.
ACT I.
Sinfonia in E flat MOZART. Aria, Mr. PHILLIPS, "LOSCia amor" HANDEL.
Concerto, Clarinet, Mr. WILLMAN SPOHR. Aria, Signor DONZELLI, " Pria cite spunti" (11Mairi- rnonio Segreto) CIMAROSA. Overture, Oberon C. M. VON WEBER.
ACT II.
Sinfonia, No. XI Timm/. Aria, Mrs. Woo. 'Alt cite i giurni" (Der Alckymist) SPOHR. Quintetto. two Violins, two Violas, and Violoncello, Messrs. Moat, WATTS, MORALT, SEYMOUR, and LINDLEY BEETHOVEN. Duetto, Mrs. WOOD and Mr. Pun.mrs, "Come frenar" (La Gann Ladra) ROSSINI. Overture, Demophoon VOGEL.
Leader, Mr. ScAouor.Ern. Conductor, Mr CRAMER.
MOZART'S splendid Sinfonia in E fiat was performed in a style which left us nothing to desire; and, we think, must have satis- fied the most fastidious critic. WILLMAN'S Clarinet Concerto was new to us. Like all SPOHR'S writing, it is full of masterly combinations, but it is not a composition (the Andante excepted) calculated to tickle the ears of an audience. Its selection for per- formance was no less creditable to WILLMAN'S good taste, than its execution to his skill as a player. Oberon went off magnificently. It was right to play one of HAYDN'S Twelve Sinfonias, on this oc- casion especially, in their birth-place: for here their immortal author produced and his friend SALOMON led them; and to their existence may be traced that love of instrumental music which finally issued in the establishment of the Philharmonic Society. We would willingly hold up our hands for one of the twelve every night. BEETHOVEN'S Quintet was very finely played, but (we must confess the honest truth) half an hour is too long a time for five instruments to fix our attention, even though the compo- sition be BEETHOVEN'S.
There is something ridiculous in our beginning the present season with precisely the same division of praise and blame which invariably attached to the concerts of last year. We had hoped it would have been otherwise, and we glanced our eye over the scheme with a feeling of bitter disappointment. For what does the Vocal selection comprise ?—A worn-out song of HANDEL, which, though exceedingly well sung, is the resource of every bass-singer in every town in the kingdom, and palling to the ears even of the Ancients ; a similar Opera-house and Concert- room hack of CIMAROSA. ; and a duet infinitely more worthless than either of the other pieceb, equally threadbare, and as ill- adapted as possible for one at least of the singers. What, in the name of common sense, can have prompted the Directors to expose PHILLIPS in a duet of Rossi Nis, while there are many duets which are within his power, and accordant with his style? why sport with the character of a singer by such a display as this? If Ressim's name is to find a place in these bills,— which (having possession of the Opera-house) it ought not,—why not reserve it for the arrival of TAMBURINI, ZUCHELLI, or .other Italian artists, and not inflict such a thoroughly Anglicised version of it upon us as we had on Monday night? It may have been meant as a joke—if so, it is a very sorry one. Mrs. WOOD'S song was the only vocal piece towards which our attention was agreeably excited : it is a lovely melody, and she sang the air with excellent taste. Will no kind friend, whenever she ventures on a new Italian song, expound to her its meaning? In the reci- tative, she delivered this passage with all the endearing tenderness. of a fond innamorata- " Quest° core, tradito, abbandonato, Arde ognor contro II silo nemico odiato ! "
We regret such a commencement ,of these concerts. It argues an absence of plan, of forethought, of research. We had hope& that some one of the forthcoming pieces would have: been ready : but perhaps the time has been too short, and we are quite willing to wait three months for a first-rate work, rather than have a. second or third1rate one in as many weeks. But there was no need of resorting to the leavings of the Ancient Concert and the Opera-house,
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