SEVENTH PHILHARMONIC CONCERT.
ACT I.
Sinfonia MS. (never performed) .... F. Mendlessohn. Aria, Mr. Rosner, " So reizend hold" (Zauberfilite) Mozart. Coucertante Pianoforte and Harp, Mrs. Anderson and Mr Dizi Ralkhrenner and Dizi.
, Miss Paton, " Misers me " C. M. von Weber.
Sc Overture, Euryanthe C. M. von Weber.
ACT II.
Sinfonia in E flat Mozart. Aria, Madame Wranizkij, " Non pib di fiori" (Corno Has-
setto obligato, Mr. Willman) La Clemenza di Tito Mozart.
Concerto, Violin, Mr. Oury Rreutzer and de Beriot.
Song, Miss Pawn, " If guiltless blood " (Susanna) Handel. Duet, Madame Wranizkij and Mr. Rosner, " Amor ! pos
sente nome !" (Armida) Rossini. Overture, Anacreon Cherubini.
Leader, Mr. F. Cramer—Conductor, Mr. Cramer. THE Sinfonia with which the concert on Monday began is the first composition of its author that has been heard in this country. FELIX MENDLESSOHN-BARTOLDY IS a descendant of the celebrated Jew of that name. His residence is Berlin ; probably the best school for music in Europe. He is a man of rank and fortune, and not only ardently devoted to music, but a genius of no common order. His fame had preceded him ere he arrived in England ; and his principal inducement to visit our shores, was to inform himself of the state of music here, and to cultivate a friendly intercourse with some of our most eminent professors. This his intimate knowledge of our language has enabled him to do ; and the result has been the performance of one of his sinfonias at the Philharmonic. He was introduced to the audience by Mr. CRAMER, and took his stand at the pianoforte as conductor. We have no hesitation in pronouncing this sinfonia a work of a very high order. It is evidently formed upon the model of HAYDN'S compositions of a similar kind, except that it begins at once with the allegro. The opening is powerfully calculated to arrest the attention, which is not suffered to flag for an instant. The adagio is simple, graceful, and melodious in its structure ; and the distribution of the wind instruments is managed with consummate skill. The minuets have more decided originality in their contrivance than any other part of the sinfonia. The concluding movement breaks, in its course, into a bold and striking instrumental fugue; and winds up with great brilliancy. Taken as a whole, Mr. MENDLESSOHN'S sin- fonia surprised and delighted us ; for there is not only native talent of a very high rank, exhibiting, itself in brilliant conceptions and rich fancy, but there is a unity of design, and a skilful adaptation and group- ing of the subjects of his composition, which denote a maturity of musical judgment, and an acquaintance with musical effects, both as to the when and the how, which in a man so young gives promise of the highest excellence. This is especially exemplified in his wind in- strument parts : they are evidently writ ten by a man who is well ac- quainted with the bearings of the different instruments ; and it is but justice to say, that they were admirably played, as indeed was every part and portion of the sinfonia. We had some conversation with Mr. MENDLESSOHN after the rehearsal ; mid, with the modesty which always accompanies real talent, he transferred mite!' of the praise which we, most honestly, gave him, to the band. He had heard, he said, much of the Philharmonic orchestra, but their performance of his sinfonia had surpassed all his expectations : so accurate was their conception of the character of every movement, and so perfect their performance, that, if lie had not known the contrary, he could scarcely have believed that they had not played it before. Need we add, that the performance was listened to by a crowded room with undivided attention, and received with the applause it so justly merited ? The Pianoforte and Harp Concertante was a very dull business. We are always happy to hear Mrs. ANDERSON play, and in general her music is well selected : in the present instance it was very much the reverse. Euryanthe was splendid. It may be affirmed of WEBER, as of SHAKSPRARE,
" within that circle none durst walk but he."
His instrumental music defies imitation. His was a path which he discovered and trod alone, and a mind similarly constructed to his must arise before we hear the counterpart of Earyanthe. Learning and toil will do nothing here.—Mozaar's most delightful Sinfonia. iii E Is was played to our unmixed and unalloyed admiration. How pregnant, how rich to overflowing, with genius and fancy is this exquisite pro- duction !—Mr. OURY'S Concerto discovered considerable improve- ment in every respect. That yOung man will assuredly rank amoug our very first violinists. The singers for the evening were Miss PATON, Madame WRANIZ- KIJ, and Mr. ROSNER. Miss PATON was not very fortunate in the choice of her songs (if she chose them). The first, though WEBER'S, has few of the marks of WEBER'S genius. It is an attempt to accom- modate himself to the Italian school, and hence has no distinctive cha- racter of its own. " If guiltless blood," delightful as it is, was quite out of place. It is no manifestation of respect for HANDEL'S sacred songs to put them into miscellaneous concerts. There is nothing in keeping, nothing in common with them. The collocation of the pieces shows that it must fail. Madame WRANIZKIJ is, at most, a respectable singer. The upper part of her voice is wiry ; and there are a dozen ladies now in London who sing as well or better. What place she came to fill, or what expectations she had in coming to England, we cannot guess. She may, perhaps, have a score engagements in the season. Still less can we conceive what could induce Mr. RosivER to visit England. or, being here, why he should be engaged at the Phil- harmonic. He has an indifferent voice, amt has been badly taught. There was nothing which he had to do that DURUSET would not have done better. His pronunciation of Italian was hideous. It is quite right in the Philharmonic Directors 'to give every encouragement to talent, be it foreign or native ; but to engage a mediocre singer merely because he is a German or an Italian, is not courtesy, but folly. Either there is a system of favouritism in the management of the vocal depart- ment of these concerts, or the Directors are careless what becomes of it. Each alternative is discreditable to them. Why not have had, for instance, with CRAMER at the pianoforte, the " Non toner" of MOZART ? understand that MALIBRAN anti SONTAG are to sing at the last concert. Si far good. But this cannot atone for the mis- management which, as far as vocal music is concerned, has marked the concerts of the present season.
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