MESSRS. MACFARREN AND DAVISON'S CHAMBER CONCERTS. THE first concert of
these young musicians took place at the Princess's Concert-room on Friday week, and consisted chiefly of their own com- positions. The performance opened with a new Quintet MS. for Piano- forte, Violin, Tenor, Violoncello, and Double Bass, by G. A. MACFAR- LEN; of which the newest and most characteristic feature in point of combination was the importance given to the last-named instrument, very well played by Mr. CHARLES SEVERN. Of the Quintet itself we cannot vouch more than its thorough classicality ; it abounds rather in counterpoint than in fancy : the pianoforte has too few of those brilliant and figurate passages which usually give it prominence when con- certed with other instruments; the points of interest being mainly en- grossed by the stringed performers. There are delightful passages— as in the elegant harmonizing of the Barcarole, for instance ; but the charm wants continuity, and thus the high flight of instrumental writing is not sustained. Devotion to this branch of art is, however, so chivalrous an object in these days, that honourable trophies may be won even when the highest ambition of the composer is still ungratified; a consideration certainly due to the clever composer of this Quintet. There was also a Pianoforte Trio in C minor, by W. C. MACFARREN; Which contained in the finale a very good imitation of BEETHOVEN. The vocal music, though English in name, partook too much of the character of modern German song-writing to be very interesting. The absence of genuine melody, compensated by an accompaniment full of motion, but of which the best harmonies are generally stolen, may be endured in a popular modern German song, but it is a bad model for an English one.
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