The Press. — London, England, 1854-05-27 00:00:00

tine arts. EXHIBITIONS of FRENCH AND GERMAN ART. [Second Notice.] This second exhibition of German art has been generally pronounced inferior to that of last year, yet we are by no means sure that it in reality is so, or that any attraction is wanting that the former possessed, excepting novelty. Some of the historical pieces are certainly not inferior : we remember no picture of this class in the former collection that struck us so much as M. Sell's " Defence of a Castle during the Seven Years' War." The sketch (No. 27) and the picture (No. 52) painted from it are both exhibited, and the artist may congratulate him self on the decided superiority of the picture. It has less of breadth perhaps than the sketch, but it has more expression: the contrast between the wounded and sullen prisoners and the ferocious defenders of the fortress is well maintained. Each head has its peculiar and appropriate character, every figure is necessary to tell the story, and none is introduced to till a space or to help out the corn position. The execution is careful ; and, while no detail has been neglected, nothing is intruded un necessarily into notice. No. 19, " A Sketch of the Battle of Grossberen," by the same artist, represents a skirmish which took place in the neighbourhood of Berlin during the patriotic struggle against French domination in the beginning of the present century. The subject is handled with a spirit and a distinct. ness not easy to combine with the hurlyburly of such a scene. No. 1, " Where there is no money there is no law," by M. Siegert. This subject, representing military prepotency in s cabaret, would better illustrate the motto " Our might makes our right." A strong and buff eoated man. atarms of the Sergeant Bothwell stamp, having ate and drank his fill, laughs at the simplicity of the hostess, who presents him his score when he rises to depart. The subject requires no great exercise of the imagination or dramatic skill to represent; but it is happily rendered, and the effect of the picture is broad and good. No. 59, " Fisher man's Return—Scene on the Coast of Normandy," by M. Rudolf Jordan. A clever picture • but there is too much dejection and too little of hope and anxiety on the countenances of the expecting group to preserve dramatic interest; neither is there any thing in the state of the sky to warrant so much distress. No. 12, "A Scene from the Peasants' War," by M. Kneille, is a clever and spirited sketch. No. 28, "Castel Gandolfo," and No. 34, " Lari cica," both by M. Achenbach. The trees and fore ground in both are carefully studied, and every part is well drawn ; but the vegetation is not Italian—the cold and cloudless sky belongs not to that sunny region. We recognise, indeed, the low pitched roofs and swelling cupolas of Italy, the form of Monte Cavo and the Alban Lake, but they are all invested with the climate of Norway. No. 33, "A Wreck," by M. Hiinten. A scene in which the painter is quite at home, and which he has represented with a truth and power rarely surpassed. The thick fog which caused the misfortune is slowly clearing away as the sun begins to assert its power; and the well filled boats are deliberately leaving the wreck, which looms in the hazy distance, and pursuing their way to safety over a calm, dull sea, with a calm, dull sky above them. The nearest boat just catches the rays of the emerging sun, while those beyond are still enveloped in the obscurity of a sea-fog. No. 56, " Forest Trees," by M. Burnier—a fine study, but the rushing brawling torrent does not be long to forest scenery. No. 58, " Norwegian Land scape," by M. Leu. Perhaps rather feeble in effect. The silver birches which are scattered over the middle distance are admirably studied and understood. No. 63, " Moonlight on the Fiords," by M. Lauson. " Moonlights " can hardly ever be agreeable—they are rarely true to nature—the bright light on the water in the middle distance contrasts too strongly perhaps with the murky atmosphere ; but effect, at least, is not wanting. No. 2, " Norwegian Land scapes," by M. Bodom. The landscapes of this clever artist, as well ELS all those of his school which we have had the opportunity of examining, are carefully studied, but are all designed and coloured after one pattern. The artificial and meretricious compositions which the great popularity of Claude introduced over Europe have long ceased to find favour with the public, but those cold green northern landscapes afford no pleasure, leave no agreeable impression, and can only attract by their novelty : this it, is, perhaps, that accounts for the emptiness of the room, and the imputed inferiority to the former collection. THE NEW CHURCH dedicated to St. Mark, which has recently been erected at Tollington-park, one of the districts of Islington, was on Monday consecrated by the Bishop of London. The edifice will afford accommodation for upwards of 1,000 persons, in cluding about 100 free sittings. THE PRESS. Vusit. • , . A ILL 498 ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. VERDI'S Rigoletto was produced on Saturday, and re peated on Tuesday last. It was well rendered by the singers, but the music is so poor and worthless that we cannot afford space to offer any further criticism. On Thursday last an extra night was given, when the Barb iere and the second act of Fidelio drew a house crowded to the ceiling. The effect of the Barbiere was again much injured by the buffoonery of Signor Lablache and Signor Tagliatico. We cannot under stand how actors who have any reverence for their art can indulge in jokes and tricks that are only suited to the comic business of our Christmas pan tomimes. DRURY LANE. THE management has added another branch to their polyglot establishment by the production, with Eng lish words, of Fra Diavolo, sung by Mr. and Mrs. S. Reeves, Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, and Mr. Leffler. The experiment was very successful, and confirms our opinion that an English operatic company, judi ciously managed, would always command sufficient attraction to remunerate a theatrical speculator. Mr. Sims Reeves, though no great favourite of ours, is by far the best tenor at Drury Lane, and it is to be hoped for the sake of that establishment that he will be more frequently employed. On Tuesday last Don Juan was given in German, with a host of new candidates for fame in London. The performance was very indifferent. Mine. Riiderdorf (Donna Anna), M. Pasque (Don Juan), and M. Reichart (Don Otta vio) were wholly unequal to their parts; and Mme. Caradori, Mlle. Biiry, and M. Formes, who sustained respectably the respective parts of Elvina, Zerlina, and Leporello, could not, by their unassisted efforts, carry through such an opera as this. Still, at the fall of the curtain the audience were in a transport of de light—all Covent Garden was poured forth in the shape of nosegays, and a highly comic scene took place, in which the ghost of the Commendatore (Mr. Hamilton Braham) was seen scrambling on the stage gathering up fragments of flowers with an energy worthy of a better cause. It would be well if the management carried their new dress regulations into effect upon her Majesty's servants who take part in the perform ance, as well as upon her Majesty's subjects who pay to witness it. The spectacle of the second flute in a light-coloured shooting-jacket, which might have been seen on Thursday night, is not a sight calcu lated to inspire confidence in the respectability of the company. PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY. THE programme of the sixth concert, on Monday last, was as follows : PART I.—Sinfonia in G minor, Mozart—Aria, Sig. Clanton!, Stradella—Concerto, Violin, Mr. Saiuton, Meudelssohn—Aria, "Dove souo," Madame Clara Novell°, Mozart—Overture (Obe ron), Weber. PART ll.—Sinfonia Eroica, Beethoven—Duet, " Forsake me not," Madame Clara Novello and Signor Gardonl, Spohr—Over- Lure (Der Alchymist), Spohr. Had the directors possessed sufficient moral courage to confine the second part to the Eroica sym phony alone this concert would have been perfect, though, as it was, we could scarcely have desired a better selection or a more satisfactory execution. The said Eroica, notwithstanding that its per formance occupied fifty minutes, was listened to with the deepest interest and most reverential attention ; and Mozart's symphony, whose phrases are as fami liar to us as household words, impressed its hearers, as of yore, with the wonderful fancy and invention of the writer, and with the extraordinary effect which a great master can produce without availing himself of the clarinets or of the usual complement of brass instruments which constitute the heavy ordnance of a musical composer. Mr. Sainton played Mendels sohn's concerto with all that power and energy which are so essentially distinctive of his style. He was loudly and deservedly applauded; but we confess that we have heard this concerto rendered more to our liking. The vocal was, as usual, the least satis factory portion of the programme. Stradella's song, charmingly given by Signor Gardoni, is but a poor affair ; and Mme. Clara Novello sang " Dove sono" in time and tune—nothing more. It is understood that her Majesty will honour the next concert with her presence. NEW PHILHARMONIC. WE have not space to give the programme of this concert, which, for the good taste and credit of the directors, had better be suppressed. We are not dis • posed to dissent from the proposition that one symphony is enough for one evening (all concerts in England being, in our judgment, too long) ; but if the place of the absent symphony be supplied by two overtures, one concerto, and a brace of long vocal pieces, executed by vocalists not the most efficient in the world, the principle contended for is at once violated, and the alleged and much-lauded improvement turns into something quite the reverse. Mendelssohn's symphony in A was the most im portant and best executed feature of the evening, and 11Z14,„:. SATURDAY, gave great delight to the audience. Beethoven's overture, Leonora, was also well rendered, and proved a pleasing contrast to three modern overtures by Horsley, Silas, and Praegen, which, though ex hibiting undoubted talent in the composers, had but little originality of thought to recommend them. The instrumental solos were two in number. M. Prudent played his favourite piece entitled " Chasse " with great precision and effect, and M. Van Gelder made his first bow to a London audience in a solo on the violoncello. He is a very clever player; but has, in common with most of the fo reign professors of this instrument, a thin crude tone, and, in his case, this defect is not coun terbalanced by any great powers of execution or expression. The vocal pieces seemed interminable, no less than five being given. In this department we must award the palm to Mme. Palm, whom we do not remember to have heard before, and who, if s h e lacks other qualities, has at least a good voice to recommend her. MR. ELLA'S MUSICAL UNION. Mn. ELLs's third concert, given on Tuesday last, was very successful. The programme was as fol lows : Quartett, E flat, Mozart.—Quartett (Posth.), No. 0, F minor, Mendelssohn—Sonata, dedicated to Kreutzer, Op. 47, Pianoforte and Violin, Beethoven Fantasia (Favorite), Violoncello, Piaui. Solos, Pianoforte, C. Halle. We never heard M. Ernst play with more effect. Beethoven's sonata, in particular, was given to per fection. The quartette, too, having regard to all circumstances, were exceedingly well rendered. The violoncello solo by Piaui was a poor affair; but it is only justice to say that the subjects of the fantasia, though hackneyed enough in all conscience, were charmingly delivered. int prima. HAYMARKET THEATRE. THE well-deserved success that has attended the production of The Knights of the Round Table at the Haymarket Theatre proves how much more important in the eyes of an audience are the gar nishings of a piece than the piece itself. The plot of the drama is trite, the story is loosely hung toge ther, the characters are old acquaintances, and the incidents violent and improbable. In the course of our theatrical experience we have known some dozens of plays presenting precisely the same super structure, built upon precisely the same basis. There is a heroine stolen in infancy by gipsies, rescued by a benevolent family, and falling in love with the son and heir. There is the heroine's un principled relative, who conceals her existence, and squanders her property. There is the relative's scoundrelly associate who knows all his secrets, and compels him to submit to all sorts of indignities, and become accomplice in all sorts of villany. There are the scoundrelly associate's comrades, who share his plunder, and, in the last act, bungle his best schemes. There is the comic character, immensely honest and enormously simple, who in his simplicity manages to detect and baffle the wiliest intrigues of the wiliest intriguers. Finally, there is punishment for the villains all round, and a mar riage for the heroine. In each and all of the many dramas of this class which we have witnessed nothing but the dimensions presents any variety. From one act to five, from smugglers to nobles, from fustian to cloth of gold, from cockney slang to courtly repartee, from hovels to palaces, the length, the rank, dress, language, and locality of the piece may vary, but its identity remains. All our old friends are there, and they play out the play, beginning, middle, and end in exactly the same fashion. Mr. Planche, however, weaves us the pattern in the most gorgeous tissue. His scenes, with slight ex ception, are laid in gentlemanly mansions. His dresses, even for gentlemen, are all velvet and em broidery apud the fashion-books of 1740. His charac ters are all gentlemen and gentlewomen, real or ficti tious. His Knights of the Round Table, sad rogues as they are, play for the gentlemanly stake of a quar ter of a million. His heroine marries the gentle manly possessor of 40,0001. a year. And even his villain dies by a sword thrust, artistically rendered while giving and receiving the " satisfaction of a gen tleman." His dialogue is not less gentlemanly ; its wit is the wit of the lounger in aristocratic drawing-rooms ; its pathos the sentiment of ladies delicately nurtured on circulating-library novels, such as no man writes so well as Mr. Manche, in whose hands refinement is made to compensate for any lack of keenness and trenchancy. It is, however, by Lthe dexterity of his manipulation that the author has chiefly secured his triumph. The plot may be old, but it is ingeniously presented and ornamented; the incidents may be improbable and inconsequent, but they are depicted l in a lively manner and filled with capital " busine ss, of which the actors concerned take excellent advan tage. The experienced hand is manifest also in another point, namely, the recapitulation of anterior