The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-27 00:00:00

Pansies Fugitives, for pisnUftWe and violon-
cello
Mr. Charles Haut and Signor Haiti.
Song, "The Wanderer." Schubert.
Mr. Bentley.
Trio, in C minor, for pianoforte, violin, and
vitsiericelle Mendeissohn.
MM. Charles Halle, WllhelmJ, and Piatti.
Herr Welhalmj was heard for the first time in this country
at Mr. Alfred Mellon's recent series of concerts ; and again
at the Crystal Palace a few weeks since, when his per-
formance of a concerto of Paganini was one of the most
finished speeimens of brilliant violin playing that have
been heard for a long time. His tone is full and powerful.
yet sweet and expressive, while his command of the bow
and the finger-board is that of a thoroughly trained artist
who has mastered all the difficulties of his instrument.
If occasionally, probably from over anxiety, his expression
bordered on slight exaggeration, in other instances his
reading was admirable especially in that mar-
vellous mysteriot s passage in the first move-
ment of the Ottet (in the second part, lead-
ing up to the resumption of the principal theme), an
effect worthy of Beethoven, although the work of a boy of
fifteen. There are several even earlier works of Mendels-
aohn's which have a permanent value, notwithstanding the
juvenility of their composer ; but there is none before the
Ottet which so forcibly establishes its author's claim to be
considered the most marvellously precocious genius the art
has ever produced. Mozart was a prodigy as a boy pianist
and composer, but he produced nothing until his early
manhood comparable to the works of Mendelssohn's youth.
According to Rietz's Catalogue, the Overture to the
Midsummer Night s Dream was composed in 1626, when
Mendelssohn was seventeen—at which age he also pro-
duced his exquisite Quintet in A. In the Ottet we trace
the results of that earnest study of the works of
Bach which formed so solid a basis for the style which
Mendelssohn soon developed into one of individuallflnn
the scherzo of the Ottet this is particularly observable, in
occasional reflections of one of Bach's grand organ fugues
(in the same key, G minor), treated, however, with that
originality and those modern surroundings which remove
all impression of plagiarism. This movement, more espe.
cialiy in the earlier portion, was one of the finest per-
formances of Herr Wilhelmj, who gave it with a brilliancy
and rhythmical point that were admirable. In the last
movement is some marvellous free fugal writing intro-
ducing the short phrase from Handers " Hallelujah" chorus
(doubtless an accidental coincidence), at the words, " And
he shall reign for ever "—but here again the treatment is so
entirely fresh and original that the identity of some
five notes only is no more a plagiarism than in literature
would be the use of as many consecutive words in the
same order in which they have appeared elsewhere. The
whole Ottet would be an extraordinary work fur grandeur
of conception and continuous power of development irre-
spective of the age of the composer, but when that is
taken into account it is one of those marvels of which art
scarcely offers an analogous instance.] Herr Wilhelmj
gave the melodious " Romance" of Beethoven (excellently
accompanied by the conductor, Mr. Benedict) in the style of
the best vocal expression ; and in the Trio of Mendelssohn
proved that he is accustomed to the highest style of cham-
ber music as well as to brilliant concerto playing. Mr.
Halle, who appeared for the first time for the present
season, gave the Sonata of Beethoven with his usual
finished neatness of mechanism, and with rather
more than his customary energy. In the slow movement
his expression was occasionally a little affected, indulging
somewhat too much in " tempo rubato," and making too
great use of the sersiino pedal. The last movement being
wore free from these peculiarities—was all the more in
accordance with our notion of a true reading of the author.
In the Trio, Mr. Halle again displayed a power of accent
which we have sometimes felt the want of in his perform-
ances. The charming little pieces of Heller and Ernst
(originally written, however, for violin and pianoforte)
were admirably played by both the artists concerned.
Schubert's exquisite song (one out of some four or five
hundred which he has left, not all equally good, perhaps,
but few unworthy of association with it) was
sung as few living baritones besides Mr. Santley can sing
it, and won a deserved encore. Signor Piatti's song
also won an encore—doubtless owing to the singer ;
Posaildy Shelley's beautiful words may have bad some
influence, scarcely the music. Signor Piatti probably has
no equal, certainly he has no superior, as a violoncellist—
but we cannot yet say the same of his powers ns a com-
poser. Mr. Sullivan's song is of a somewhat better order,
although not possessing much to distinguish it from the
thousand and one ballads of the day.
At the next concert Herr Wilhelmj is again to appear,
and with Mr. Charles Halle and Signor Piatti will play
(for the first time here) Schumann's Trio in D minor.