The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-08 00:00:00

MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

'THE JENNY LIND CONCERTS AT THE
PHILHARMONIC HALL.

AMIE a protracted absence from public life, Jenny Lind has
yielded to the general wish and reappeared as the ornament
and charm of musical -circles. Years have elapsed and -many
events of domestic andof national moment have occurred since
the people of Liverpool had last an opportunity of.gratifying
them `taste by the thrilling strains, and of acknowledging their
gratitude for the delight afforded by the performanees,of this
great vocal artist. Considering the fervour of adoration with
which she was at all times and in all places welcomed on
former occasions, it was no matter for wonder that the pros-
pect of her reappearance in our Pilharmonie Hall was hailed
with intense and enthusiastic satisfaction by the elite of Liver-
pool. Long before Friday, on the evening of which day she
was to take the leading part in Handel's sublime oratorio
" The Messiah," all the tickets for the Hall were eagerly
bought up ; and when the hour for commencing the per-
formances arrived, the noble hall was filled by a brilliant and
fashionable audience.

As the leading artists made their *appearance on the plat-
form they were severally greeted with plaudits of appropriate
welcome, and when Madame Jenny Goldschmidt Liud entered
she was received with the warmest applause, not unmingled,
it might be, with feelings of regret at witnessing an appear-
ance of ill health, or, at all events, a seeming carewornness of
aspect, and, as some in their anxiety believed, -a degree of
physical debility in her general demeanour.
The noble and expressive overture was played ;in 'beautiful
style, and the recitatives and choruses, togetherwith the won-
derful Pastoral Symphony, were all given in a. graceful and
highly satisfactory manner ; but expectation was obviously
fixed on the performance of Madame Goldschmidt, and when
she rose to give the recitative " There were shepherdsabiding
in the Add, all was breathless attention. The first few notes
of this gave indication of a huskiness of intonation, which
marred-to some extent the lowing melody of her rich, clear
voice ; but as she went on, and the careful and expressive read-
ing of her author became more developed, the wonderful power
of the.vocalist and the surpassing charm of the accomplished
artist triumphed over every disadvantage, and completely van-
quished every obstacle to entire success. In the air ." Rejoice
greatly, O, daughter of Zion," her execution was not quite so
felicitous. It appeared more of.an effort, and assumed in some
degree the character of a performance. Coming from au
ordinary singer, it would have been wonderful, but from Jenny
Lind it did not realize expectation. Whatever disappoint-
ment may have been experienced in the case referred to. was
more than compensated for by herelelightful rendering of the
difficult yet enchantingly expressive air, " Come unto him, all
ye that labour and are heavy, laden," and in the words ".and
he will give you rest." In the execution of this air, the
comforting and deeply felt assurance of promised " rest"
was conveyed in a manner which thrilled the innermost
recesses of the heart, impressing the listener with tranquil
hope and joy. In recitative "He was cut off," and the
air "But thou didst not leave," the art of the accomplished
musician and the inspiration of genius were both charmingly
displayed. All of the,pieces named were sung with the most
touching simplicity of feeling and devotional earnestness; but
the great feature of theeevening was the marvellous singing
of Madame Goldschmidt in the sublime air which opens the
third part of the oratorio,'" I know that my Redeemer liveth."
It is difficult, if not impossible, to conceive anything more in-
dicative of purity of thought—more nobly elevating in senti-
ment—or more truly devotional in feeling than were the
,emotions called forth and enebodied in her .rendering of this
piece. She imparted a depth of meaning to the words and
music of this divine composition such as no .other artist, of
.whom we have any knowledge, -can approach. The audience
remained spell-bound while listening to the strains which
seemed more celestial than sublunary; and at its conclusion,
as if awaking from a delightful dream, they gave expression
to their feelings in an irrepressible outburst of applause. The
.concluding air " If God -be for us," was another wonderful
and triumphant combination of art and genius. It was a
finished study of musical art, rendered with a depth of expres-
sion which art alone can never give. The charms (for they
are numerous) of Madame Goldschmidt's singing ..consist
chiefly in her fidelity and her fine perception in the reading of
her author—Jeer delicacy of feeling—and the earnestness of
her expression.
To Miss Heywood, who made her first appearance in Li-
verpool on Friday evening, it is doing but scant justice to say
that she is a,contralto singer of great excellence and much
promise. She is,careful and pleasing in her style, and, on the
whole, made a highly favourable impression. Her rendering
of the splendid air "He was despised and rejeeted of men"
was a success of which any singer might well be proud. It
was full of expressive ,pathos. She was also very effective in
her recitative, "Then shall the eyes of the blind," and in the
air "He shall feed his flock." In addition to her vocal
qualities, which are excellent, Miss Heywood has a pre-
possessing manner, which, from its unobtrusiveness, wins upon
the audience, and secures the approbation which her first
appearance is calculated to ex,cite.
Of Mr. Lockey and Mr. Weiss, whose vocal talents are
well known and appreciated here, it is not necessary to say
more than that they fully sustained the reputation they have
established for themselves.
The performances of the orchestra and chorus were in the
highest degree commendable—they were steady, efficient, and
powerful, without being obtrusive—and the style in which
the oratorio was conducted by M. Jules Benedict was the
theme of just and general commendation.
TIIE MISCELLANEOUS CONCERT, LAST NlGllT.—Madame
Jenny Goldschmidt Lind and the choral and instru-
mental performers, who took part in the " Messiah,"
together with Mr. Joseph Robinson, of Dublin, and with
Mr. Goldschmidt as solo piano-forte player, gave a miscel-
laneous concert in the Philharmonic-hall last night, on
which occasion the hall was even more crowded, and the
audience, if possible, more enthusiastic than on Friday night.
The late hour, bordering so closely as it does on the time of
our publication, prevents the possibility of offering any re-
marks upon it in detail.

A BROKEN HEART.—BREAKING WINDOWS.—Mary Ann
Higginson, a haggard-looking young woman, with sad traces
of sorrow in her whole appearance, was charged at the Police-
court yesterday with breaking five panes of glass and
damaging a venetian blind at the house of Mr. Richard Ross,
No. 8, St. Mary's-place. The complainant stated that the
prisoner came to his house on Saturday evening and demanded
money. On his refusing to give her any, she became very
violent, and inflicted the injury on his property already men-
tioned. The prisoner, in her defence, said that she lived with
the complainant a few years ago as his servant and had a
child by him. Being very destitute, she had gone to his house
on Saturday to ask for a little support, and on his peremptorily
refusing to give her anything, and threatening to drive her
away from the house, she certainly committed what had been
charged against her. Mr. Mansfield said that what she had
stated was no excuse for her conduct, and she must pay 255.,
the amount of damage Elmo, or go to gaol for two months.
She weut to gaol.

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