The Press.
London, England, 1855-03-17 00:00:00

pusit.

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.—The first concert of this
society took place on Monday evening, under the
direction of Herr Wagner, who appeared for the first
time in the place of M. Costa. The following was

the programme
:
PART I.—Sinfonia. No. 7 (Grand), Haydn—Terzetto. *Soave
sia it vento," Mme. Clara Novello, Muse. Weiss, and Mr. Weiss,
Mozart—Dramatic concerto, violin, Herr Ernst, Spohr—Scena,
" Ocean, thou mighty monster" (Oberon), Mme. Clara Novelle,
Weber—Overture, "The Isles of Fingal," Mentielssohn.
PART I I.—Sinfonia Eroica, Beethoven—Duetto, " 0 my
Father" (Der Vampyr), Mme. Weiss and Mr. Weiss, Marschner
—Overture (Zaubertlike), Mozart.

Haydn's symphony and Beethoven's " Eroica" were
very finely executed, butit was evident that the one re-
hearsal with the new conductor had been scarcely
sufficient to insure that complete sympathy which
should exist between the chef and his orchestra; and,
moreover, it is asserted that Herr Wagner conducts
without the score before him, trusting entirely to his
memory. Mozart's terzetto and the scenafrom Oberon
were both sung with decided effect, and Ernst
achieved a great success in his execution of Spohr's
concerto. The room was fully attended, but the
applause partial ; the subscribers were evidently
putting Herr Wagner upon his trial, and would not
hastily decide in his favour: upon the whole, they
appeared scarcely satisfied with the performance.
THE FIRST CONCERT OF MR. STENDALE BENNETT'S
ANNUAL SERIES took place on Tuesday evening, and
the crowd which filled the Hanover-square Rooms
proved that these soirées have lost none of their ori-
ginal attraction. The programme was principally
selected from the works of the great masters—why
not entirely ao we cannot understand. The introduc-
tion of five of Mr. Bennett's own works at concerts
professedly established for the performance of clas •
sical music cannot surely be justified, and their
omission, to judge from the "moving" efiect pro-
duced on the audience (many persons precipitately
retreating after the first capriccio), would not have
diminished very materially the enjoyment of his
hearers. The classical instrumental music consisted
of Hummel's quintet for pianoforte, violin, tenor,
violoncello, and bass (Op. 87) •, Beethoven's sonata
in G minor, for pianoforte and violoncello (Op. 5) ;
Mozart's sonata in B flat, for pianoforte and violin ;
a lesson by Scarlatti, an air with variations by
Handel, and a fugue of Sebastian Bach for the
pianoforte. The first of these works was ably ren-
dered by Mr. Bennett, M. Sainton, Mr. Lando,
Signor Piatti, and Mr. Reynolds; but, though full of
elegance and gracefulness, its great length rendered
it the least successful presentation of the evening.
The two great features of the concert were, without
doubt, the duos of Beethoven and Mozart, played
respectively by Mr. Bennett and Signor Piatti, and
by Mr. Bennett and M. Sainton. Signor Piatti, in
Beethoven's duo, appeared inspired by the music
allotted to him ; his bow was as true as ever, while
his intonation was, if possible, more delicate. In the
second movement, where two subjects strive for
mastery, he was more than the finished executant,
he became the poetic and impassioned artist.
Mozart's delicious sonata was played with consum-
mate taste and expression. The bright and ever
fresh allegro was almost faultlessly executed; but it
was in the andante, that masterpiece of the great
German, that the surpassing excellence of both per-
formers shone forth with the greatest brilliancy. Mo-
zart in this movement describes a love scene : the violin
pleads in pathetic accents, the pianoforte answers
with equal passion, tender remonstrance increasing
in intensity, and at last melting into harmonious
union, completely entrances whilst it delights the
hearer. The allegretto then springs forth playful
and joyous, yet still ever preserving the elegance and
refinement of the first two movements. The vocal
part of the programme comprised Beethoven's
" Lieder-Kreis' " and two songs by Mr. Bennett him-
self, " Indian Love" and " Winter's gone." The
selection of the " Lieder-Kreis" was an instance
of the fascination exercised by a ;peat name
over those who have the arrangement and direction
of concerts (supposed to take place for the amuse-
ment of the public), which often leads them to revive,
under the sanction of that name, works which, but
for their injudicious efforts, would have been con-
signed to a well-merited oblivion. Every great
master has had his moments of weakness, and in
one of these we imagine Beethoven to have com-
posed this medley, which was most injudiciously
selected for Mme. Clara Novelle. Her great talent
would have been far better employed on one of
Mozart's melodious arias, or of Weber's elaborate and
masteriy scenes. The "Lieder.Kreis "is cold, dull, un-
interesting, and tediously long, and the faint applause
accorded to the singer—not to the music—showed
how little the selection was approved by hearers of
cultivated judgment. Yet it was for these that Mr.
Bennett made this choice. With regard to Mr.
Bennett's original compositions, both vocal and
instrumental, we can only characterise them us
thoroughly second rate. The very qualities which
help to make this gentleman one of the first of living