CONCERTS.
The two Philharmonic Societies have had concerts this week. The Old Society had their fourth at the Hanover Square Rooms on Monday ; and the New terminated their series of three at the same place on Wednesday. The appearance of Sivori was the special incident of the Old Society's concert. He played Mendelssohn's one violin concerto ; according to some critics weakening the Germanism of its character, but to our feeling clothing it with new beauties, by the Italian grace and smoothness of his style. In a fantasia of. his own, descriptive of the scenes of the Carnival at Madrid, he produced the wonders with which Paganini, his master, used to astonish the world. A Belgian prima donna, Madame Comte Borchardt, from the Royal Opera of Brussels,'" made a successful dant ; singing Reethoveies famous scene " Ah, perfido," and an aria from "Le (,aid" of Ambroise Thomas. At the other concert the only thing particularly noticeable was Mozart's serenade in C minor, performed as he onginally wrote it, by eight wind-instruments.'.. In this form it is almost unknown, though it is familiar to amateurs in the shape of a stringed-instrument quintet ; and it was very interesting to hear it in its primitive shape. At both' concerts, several. of the great orchestral works of Beethoven and Mozart were very finely played.''' At the concert of the Musical Union, on Tuesday, morning, Beethoven's trio in B flat, for piano, violin, and violoncello—the grandest work of this class in existence, and of corresponding difficulty—;was performed by Clara Schumann, Ernst, and Piatti, in a manner Which the public have seldom an opportunity of hearing. Madame Schumann preserves her preeminence among the pianists of the day. Last Season she performed at two of the Philharmonic concerts; this year she has not appeared at one : how much more satisfactory would one of her fine classical pieces have been than the tours de force of Herr Rubinstein? The concert of the Royal Academy of Music, on Tuesday, gave a favourable impression of the progress of the pupils in vocal and instrumental performance ; but there was not a single specimen of their attainments in composition. This defect has been apparent for some time past, and it is a serious one.
The Royal Society of Musicians had their annual performance of 27:4 Messiah on Wednesday evening, at Exeter Hall. The chorus, in addition to the members of the Cathedral choir, and the young ladies of the Royal Academy of Music, consisted of the pupils of Mr. Mullah's upper" school, who were permitted on this occasion to give their assistance. The.!perforinance was conducted, for the first time, by Dr. Stemdale Bennett. This society, of which Handel was one of the original members,' and to which he bequeathed a thousand pounds, has existed since the beginning of last century, and it does a vast deal of good to the musical profession.
The principal benefit concert of the week has been that of Miss Dolby and Mr. Lindsay Sloper, on Wednesday morning, at the Hanover Square Rooms, which wore filled literally to overflowing with fashionable company, these two professors being, deservedly, great favourites.
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