The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-04 00:00:00

MUSIC AND 4.1,DE DRAMA,

Pitmen RxtoNlCSoCietr.--.- On Tuesday evening the seventh
subscription concert of the-season was given by this society
in the Philharmonic-hall. The attendance was fashionable
and numerous, the boxes- being nearly and the stalls 'well
filled, and the galleriescrOWded. The programme presented
the attractions of u•chanting miscellaneous concert, and the
chief performers were-of-2Z high order. Among the novelties
of performance was 'the3fluale to Mendelssohn's unfinished
opera of " Loreley." :The principal vocalists were Madame
Clara Novelle', Miss 'Messent, and Herr Reic'hardta''Sgnor
Sivori, Signor Piatti, and Arthur Napoleon, being' the solo
instrumentalie4s. The concert was opened by the performance
of the magnificent overture to " Fidelio," to Welich the
orchestra did great' justice. The light and Shade and
general expression this masterpiece were brought out 'in
such a manner as 'to' :reflect high credit on the efficiency
and skill, :as well -'as on the good taste Of the instru-
mentalists. et was' deservedly applauded, and, in point of
fact, was the 'musical treat of the evening. This overture
was followed by Nilinfs fine trio "Augiol tli Pace," sung With
great taste and feeling by Madame Clara Novell°, Miss .Mes,
sent, and Herr Veiehardt. The singing 'of this piece was,
faultless ItS to mere execution, although it, in,wconsiderable,
degree, seemed wafting in expression. The finc,vocal organ
of Madame Novelloappeared not to be called into full play in
this piece; .nor was it, indeed, in many of the pieces in which
she appeared-during the evening, if we except` the limited,
hat charming,,partien of Mendelssohn's grand finale Whichfell
to her Aare. &In -this, the extensive range 'of her fine voice
found great scope, and its wondrous flexibility and truth of
intimation were brought intoinvaluable reqniiition. The choler,
also, appeared stimulated to exertion, and thebbold and massive
music was given with great power and beauty. 'Of•Miss Mes-
sent's capabilities as a solo vocalist, theconcert of Tuesday
evennerdanctufferd a very favourableepportmAty of judging.
Her voice.is a contralto of good quality, •which,- so far as we
could judge, -seems better suited to the 'execution of .ballad
music thanto.the performance of the highestulass of musical
compositions, :and in that style Linley's insipid: ballad
*" Laurette" wasby no means calculated 'to displey her powers
to any advantage. As a singer of great `taste and no small
.amount of ;power, Herr Reichardt was .at ,-once pleasing and
effective. He- sings with feeling and fervour, and with great
facility of execution combines a good and musicianifike
rearrnigeorlais author. His deportment is gmtlemanly, -and
his manner engaging; and with such -qualifications it -is:little
matter for 'wonder that he should be a popular -singereand
one whese appearance is at all times welcome in .the-concert-
room, -or on the stage. The strength, 'the novelties,.. in the
wayof petformanee, lay in the instrumentalists, .and they'were
both -numerous and attractive. FirsfeameSignorSivori,Veleaas a
violinist has attached himself to the schoolavbich bas:grown
out of the extraordinary performance? and executive talent of
Paganini, Without attaching sufficient importance to the mere
valuable ,charaoteeistic by which the playing of that_ great
master was pre-eminently distinguished. Dexterity of bowing
and fingering, -a ready management of harmonic passages,
and brilliant execution of difficult combinations, among-such
playing takespreeedence of expression—rapidity of transition
assumes 'the superiority over grace; and the whale is reduced
to the elead4eveluf-skilfully-adapted mechanism. 'ln the-case
of Signor:Sivori,- a certain amount of feeling and artistic
polish iseleverly,rained up with the less :valuable qualities of
the school.; andahe splayed two solos with marked effect and
success---the Selieity with which he contrived to embody
sentiment: along with the mere caprkeoaes of :execution • was
sufficient to-cause regret that he did not think less of difficulty
and more 'of beauty. Nearly similar remarks are applicable
to the vialoneello playing of Signor Ir-seta. It •seemed the
very essenceofi mechanical excellence, but was ,defective in
so far as it produce "little or no emotion. As a precocious
piano-forte player of -marvellous beauty and surprising
dexterity, Arthur Napoleon appeared at this concert to great
advantage. His.espability of conception apparently Tar out-
strips his physical power .of giving that utterance, ,and the
obviously good intentioned the pianist was frequentlyover-
come by the lack-of -animal energy. Still the lively spirit of
the boy and the pleased :ambition of the artist
eknw
-enteore so
forcibly manifested in his. ,p,lqing, and so war
leged by the audience, --as ?to render his exhibition ;bath
pleasing and interesting. As a whole, the concert was, .n
attractive one, and would , without doubt have been move.so
if the programme Isei exhibited a more extensive sprinkling
of genuine English
by the trashy ballad already
ukusic, which was but indifferently repre-
sentedreferred to and the
.madrigal of " Merrily wake nausie J
s measure," by J. Barnett-
Vile violoncello obligate played .by Mr. Lidel to Madame
Novello's beautiful singing • ofe" Patti batti," was in a high
degree creditable to Ins skill as an artist. It exhibited goad
taste as well as great executive power. The general style of
the,,eoncert did great eredit-to the-care and judgment of Mr.
Herrmann, the conductor.
S4QRED HARMONIC SOCIEMT.--After a protracted suspen-
sion of public appearances or.announcements, this society gave
its "inauguration concert" on Friday evening, in St. George's-
hall. be society was assisted by Mrs. Endersohn, Miss
Fanny Kuddart, Mr. Montera Smith, and Mr Thomas, the
latter a deka/ant. Mr. Best presided at the organ, and Mr.
C. D. Hackett conducted in full academic costume. The chorus
consisted of 420 voices, selected, as the:book stated, " from the
full chorus of the society." This baud, however, was strength-
ened and supported by about twenty of the most effective
members of the Philharmonic. There was a :large audience,
and, as the occupants of the body were in full dress, the hall
presented a very animated appearance. Some of the regula-
'lions were very good, namely, the non-admission ofparties into
the hall during the performance of any piece, and the dressing
of ire female choristers in white, distinguishing the fiesta and
seconds by a trimming,of pink and blue, which latter is in ac-
.cordaace with the custoxa of the new Philharmonic of London,
and materially adds to the appearance of the orchestra. Mrs.
Faudersolm sang Handel's ." I know that my Redeemer" •and
" Holy, Holy," beautifully. Miss Huddart was prevented by
a severe cold from doing anything, except in the concerted
music. Mr. Smith gave Haydn's "In Native Worth" so ex-
pressively, that he narrowly escaped an encore. The chorus
did not sing well. The time of every thing was dragged.
This, however, being a first performance, and as time, with
practice, may do very much to remedy existing defects, it is
not necessary to insist further upon the subject.
GRAND CONCERT AT THE THEATRE RoTAL.—On Saturday
evening a grand concert was given in the Theatre Royal, by
Madame Clara Novello, Miss Messent, Herr Reichardt, and
Signors Sivori and Piatti, together with Master Arthur Napo-
leon. In several of its leading features the concert of Satur-
day evening was similar to that given by the same artists on
Tuesday night at the Philharmonic Hall. On Saturday, the
second part of the programme introduced Madame Clara
Novelle to the audience as a singer of Scotch melodies, a class
of performance which it has not been our good fortune to hear
her in for many years. She sang the fine Jacobite lilt, " Cam
ye by Atholl," in beautiful style, and so captivated her audience
by it as to secure a rapturous encore. Miss Messent also sung
the March of the Cameron Men " beautifully and with much
spirit, she was likewise encored in this, but, instead of repeating
it, she gave the simple yet touching and arch ballad of "Cowin'
through the rye," Mr. Laud sang an Irish song, with good
feeling and expression, and was rewarded by loud applause
and a hearty encore. Whatever may be the taste of the
general public on such watters, it was abundantly shown that
the sympathies of the audience assembled in the Theatre-royal,
on Saturday, were distinctly in favour of those songs the
words of which could be understood, and the melodies felt, by
the listeners. Decorous attention and measured applauses
followed the execution of the different instrunleatal and vocal
performances of the pieces by Donizetti, Balfe, and ethers ;
but the approbation reached a point of impetuous enthustaol
when the strains of the Scotch and Irish melodies fell upon
the ear. Is such an indication of feeling unworthy of notice
by those who draw up the plans of our fashionable concerts ?
and would it in any way derogate from the high character of a
concert, given before an English audience, to have now and
thene a sprinkling of our national songs introduced into them ?
Wp
iou, takehumbly opine
of
liberty
it would
seriouslyno urgingina theccordamatternce with
upon that j
the consideration of the parties who make the arrangements.