The Press. — London, England, 1855-05-19 00:00:00

MAY 19, 1855. arch and graceful vivacity which has always distin- guished her. Her voice, too, has suffered less than might have been expected from the hand of time; and she executes her embellishments and fioriture, though with more effort than formerly, as brilliantly as ever. The performance in other respects was tolerable—as good as could be expected from a com pany got together for a temporary purpose. The tenor, Mr. Bowler (who, it was announced, bad undertaken his part at a short notice), appeared lately at Drury Lane in the Etoile du Nord. His vocal powers are not great; but he looks well, and acts with considerable ease and spirit. Mr. Leffler, as Rebolledo, the chief of the soiners, was very good indeed. The orchestra and chorus stand much in need of additional strength. The house was full, and Mme. Thillon's reception was most cordial. There is no doubt that her farewell performances will be highly successful. PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.—The programme of the fifth concert, on Monday evening, was as follows . Stilton's in E fiat Mozart Aria, " Agitato," Signor Belletti (I Fuoruaciti) Paer Concerto in E minor, pianoforte, Mr. C. Halle Chopin Aria, " Martern slier arten," Mlle. Jenny Ney (Die Entfuhrung sue dem Serail) Mozart Overture, " Tannbaiieer" Wagner Sinfonia Pastorale Beethoven Bomanza, " Roberto! odu den ich Bebe," Mlle Jenny Hey (Robert le Diable) Meyerbeer Barcarole, " Suns poppa del info brit," Signor Belletti (La Prigione di Edinburgo) Ricci Overture, " Preciosa" Weber Conductor—Herr Richard Wagner. Mozart's symphony in E flat, one of his most charming orchestral compositions, remarkable for the sweetness of its melodies, was exceedingly well played, though the andante was taken too slow, and the consequence was that it did not make the same impression as usual. The magnificent pastoral symphony was performed in a manner which did the highest honour both to the conductor and the band. The various effects of this inimitable work were clearly and beautifully brought out. But the object of the greatest curiosity was the overture of Wagner's celebrated opera, Tannhaaser—a work respecting which public opinion in Germany is carried to oppo site extremes. This was the first time it has been performed in this country in such a manner as to enable any judgment to be formed of its merits, and it is impossible to give a decided opinion upon one bearing. It certainly possesses great originality, but an impression is left upon the mind of a want of melody and form. The accompaniments are so in tricate and so full of instrumental difficulties, that in spite of the unusual care which had been bestowed upon the rehearsals, and the explanation of its design given in the programme, the effect was not satisfac tory. There are things in it, however, which must at once strike the hearer as beautiful, particularly the soft and solemn strain of wind instruments with which it opens, intending to represent the hymn of a procession of pilgrims ; and the whole piece certainly shows a great command over the resources of instru mentation. Mr Halle's performance of Chopin's concerto was exquisite. Its enormous difficulties were mastered with a lightness, refinement, and deli cacy of execution unequalled. Tha piece itself is full of that romantic expression for which Chopin's music is distinguished. The vocal music was throughout successful. Mlle. Ney fully supported her reputation as one of the greatest singers in Europe. Her voice, in power and beauty, is almost unrivalled, and she possesses, in the highest degree, intelligence, feeling, and execution. Both she and Belletti were received with the greatest applause by a very full audience, who appeared highly gratified with the performances. ROYAL ACADEMY OF Music.—The third concert of this season, for the exhibition of the students, took place at the Academy, in Tenterden-street, on Tues day morning. It consisted of Acis and Galatea, fol lowed by a selection of miscellaneous music. Handel's serenata was exceedingly well performed—the prin cipal singers, chorus, and orchestra being all com posed of pupils of the academy. The performance was conducted by Mr. Lucas. Miss Spiller distin guished herself by her singing of the air, " Hush, ye pretty warbling choir." Mr. Allen did great justice to the fine melodies, "Where shall I seek the charming fair?" and " Love in her eyes sits playing ;" and Mr. Bolton sustained the part of Polyphemus very effectively. Among the miscellaneous music there were two pianoforte pieces—the adagio and rondo from Moscheles' concerto in G minor, played by Miss Cazaly, and the andante and rondo from Bee thoven's concerto in C minor, played by Mr. J. F. Goodman. Both these young performers Re quited themselves admirably, and gave promise of very high excellence. Master Isaac played on the violin a caprice of Vieuxtemps in a manner very sur prising for his age. He had a fulness of tone, a certainty of hand in the highest positions, a freedom of bow, and a grace and smoothness, which did honour to himself and his instructor, who (we believe) is M. Sainton. The duet, " Crudel perche," from the Nozze de Figaro was very nicely sung by Miss Wilkinson and Mr. Cr . Dolby. The whole per formance was highly successful. THE PRESS. THE MUSICAL PROFESSORSHIP. (From a Correspondent.) THE recent disposition of the musical professorship of Oxford, vacant by the death of Sir H. Bishop, has caused much excitement and indignation in musical circles. It appears that the absolute elective power for the disposal of this office (an honorary one, the emoluments amounting to thirteen pounds a year, of which three are expressly set aside by the founder of the office for fuldlestrings) is vested in two proctors of the university—doubtless, most worthy gentlemen, but very ill fitted, we imagine, for the exercise of discerning judgment in a comparison of musical abi lities. A gentleman occupying a deservedly high station among our &straw musical professors, Mr. Charles Horsley, discovering that candidates are admitted for this post of honour, writes a letter of application to the two proctors, stating that he wishes to become a candidate for the dignity, and informing them that his testimonials (from Sir George Smart, Cipriani Potter, Jules Benedict, &c.) will shortly follow, with a formal application for the office. To this letter no answer is returned. The testimonials are sent; and Mr. Horsley discovers that the post was filled up the day before his testimonials could have been received. Other gentlemen of musical eminence (men equal to Mr. Horsley in talent and reputation), who were anxious to compete for this honorary distinction, were treated in the same man ner, the authorities thus excluding real musical men, for whose honour the professorship was originally created, and by members of which the office has been filled, without one exception, for two hundred and thirty-five years, from all chance of obtaining the distinction, and conferring it on the Rev. Sir Frede rick G. Ouseley, Bart., a gentleman of large fortune, and simply a musical amateur. This gentleman holds some religious appointment in the university, which might cause him to present the painful con trast of preaching a sermon to the members of the university in the morning, and leading, baton in hand, some light secular music at the University Concert-room in the evening. The whole transaction has the appearance of a job. Had Handel, Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven been competitors, they would have shared the fate of Mr. Horsley and his fellow sufferers. The proctors are not supposed to be judges of musical excellence. Sir Frederick was a rich fellow of Jesus, and so one of the very few ho nours open to the musical profession has been awarded to him in disregard of every principle which should have regulated the bestowal of the prize. Etc glrama. OLYMPIC THEATRE. A NEW comedy in three acts, from the pen of Mr. Tom Taylor, was produced at this theatre on Mon day evening with decided success. StiU Waters Run Deep is founded on a novel by Charles De Bernard, entitled " Le Gendre," but the play, with the ex ception perhaps of one scene, is as thoroughly English in character and situation as it is in place and costume. The " still " element is embodied in a quiet Lancashire merchant, Mr. John Mildmay (Mr. Alfred Wigan), whose married happiness, at the commencement of the play, is suffering the na tural consequences of the permanent residence of his wife's aunt, Mrs. Sternhold (Mrs. Melfort), a lady of vigorous understanding, voluble tongue, and deter mined volition. Poor John Mildmay is voted a fool by his amiable relative, who, as she possesses an un bounded influence over her niece Mrs. Mildmay (Miss Maskell), a mere girl, and her brother Mr. Potter (Mr. Emery), a mere nonentity, lus brought them over, with little difficulty, to her own agreeable view of her nephew's character. Mildmay is in con sequence reduced to the position of " Mrs. Mildmay's husband," and forced to relinquish the government of his own house in favour of Mrs. Sternhold, to avoid a seriou-; family quarrel into which he does not care to enter. He quietly resigns his post, therefore, and devotes, his leisure, for consolation, to kitchen gardening in general, and the cultivation of celery in particular : but the mischief does not end here. Captain Hawksley (Mr. G. Vining), a romantic ad venturer, has succeeded in gaining an influence, in virtue of his beard, a military reputation, and a long residence in Spain, over the susceptible hearts of Mrs. Sternhold and Mrs. Mildmay, who, of course, institute comparisons between the prosaic John ind the poetic Captain by no means complimentary to the former. The Captain employs his power over the aunt for the purpose of selling shares in a com • pany of which he is the manager; and, by her agency, obtains a considerable sum from her weak and wealthy brother, through whom, again, he hopes to involve John Mildmay pretty deeply in the " Great Galvanic. " With Mrs. Mildmay, how ever, he is playing a more serious game ; and the prospect of Mildmay's absence at Manchester on business emboldens him to propose a midnight in trusion into her boudoir. With this end in view he 481 has possessed himself of the garden key, removed the bolt of the drawing-room door which opens into the garden, and very kindly presented his own house-dog to Mr. John Mildmay. All these interest ing details he communicates to the astounded wife, who, suddenly conscious of the danger of her posi • non, entreats her unsuspecting husband to postpone his absence for a few days; but without effect. An escape, however, is at hand : the proposals of Hawksley have been overheard by Mrs. Sternhold, roused by the suspicions of Mr. Potter that there is " something between " the Captain and Mrs. Mildmay. She insists on the absence of Mrs. Mildmay (who, woman like, hesitates on the very verge of ruin), and herself receives the honorable and amorous Hawksley. A " scene" of course follows. Infuriated by the discovery that she has been fooled by his false professions of attachment, she denounces him in no very measured terms, and threatens to expose his villany to Mildmay. Unhappily the Captain possesses several of her letters, and these he, on his side, threatens to publish should she per severe in her determination. Mrs. Sternhold, in her turn, is saved by a listener. Mildmay, whose visit to Manchester has been unexpectedly postponed, returns in time to discover unobserved the real state of affairs ; and it begins to be apparent, at the end of the first act, that it is he who is destined to avenge his own wrongs and those of his relations. In the second act Mild may, after stubbornly refusing to undertake the responsibility of fighting the battles of his wife's aunt, and atter accepting, with his usual equanimity, the storm of sarcasms which his conduct calls forth, proceeds to the offices of the " Great Galvanic" ; and here commences the best scene in the play. Hawksley, mistaking the object of his visit, details, in an admirably-written harangue, the objects and prospects of the company. Mild may, after patiently listening to the Captain's plans, and quietly correcting one or two errors of fact and principle into which Hawksley's false esti mate of his companion has betrayed him, completely astounds the Captain by abruptly informing him that he has no desire whatever to become a pur chaser of " Galvanic" scrip; that he has come to sell, at par, the shares which Potter has been per suaded to purchase, and to obtain possession of Mrs. Sternhold's letters. Hawksley, of course, treats both propositions as simply amusing ; but is ulti mately induced to listen to reason by the discovery that Mildmay is the junior partner of a house on which the Captain has committed an extensive forgery; that he is recognised by Mildewy as the clerk on whom suspicion had originally fallen ; and that Mildmay has obtained possession of the forged bill, to the presentation of which by Hawksley he was one of the witnesses. The restoration of this evidence of the Captain's slight " deviation" of course procures the return of the letters and the purchase of the shares; and Mildmay, after half throttling him in self-defence, leaves him threatening a public insult at their next meeting. In the last act, our " deep" friend, by restoring Mrs. Sternhold's letters, easily obtains her promise to relinquish the command of the family in his favour, and she cheerfully recognises his claims to respect and affection. A reconciliation with his wife is soon effected, and honest John Mildmay at last enjoys, in the just appreciation of his family, the well-merited reward of his courage, patience, and shrewdness. The rest of the act is nearly superfluous. The Captain, taking advantage of Mildmay's invitation, first insults him, then refuses his challenge, and, having fully established his own claim to the cha racter of a coward as well as a rascal, is marched off, handcuffed, on a second charge of forgery, by a disguised detective. The characters of Mildrnay and Hawksley are carefully elaborated by the author, and the portions of dialogue respectively assigned to them most thoroughly appropriate. Mr. Wigan's performance of the sturdy, shrewd, blunt north countryman is in its way a masterpiece, and well worthy the most careful study, as a perfectly finished impersonation. As an instance of his artistic attention to detail, we may notice (slight matter though it be) the beauty and appropriateness of the attitude in which he watches Hawksley from the back of the scene, at the beginning of the first act. There is an indolent, scorn of his contemptible rival, and a suppressed power, an earnest of future triumph about it, which struck us as peculiarly fine. The way, too, in which his me 4ancholy resignation to the false opinion of his family is hinted, in his air and the tones of his voice, is quite characteristic of this admirable actor, and worthy of all praise. Mr. Vining filled very effec tively the part of Hawksley in the business scene : his dress was the perfection of loud, tawdry " swell "- ism, but in the love-scenes his manner and bearing lacked ease and flexibility; he was far too dry and hard. Miss Maskell made the wife interesting, but Mrs. Melfort, from the adoption of an almost in audible stage whisper, rendered the great scene with Hawksley almost ineffective ' • in the other parts she VMS tolerably successful. Mr. Emery's utterance and make-up were perfect, but he seemed a little too ~~