The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-18 00:00:00

Hen' Ernst's Coming Concert,

On Monday evening, the 30th of May—that is to say,
upon next Monday week—there will be given at the
St. James's Hall a concert of unusual attractiveness.
It will be one of the Monday Popular Concerts—
justly so called—but it will be one in many respects
very exceptional. It will, in a word, be ERNST'S.
It will be the concert of Herr Ernst, the most ac-
complished and the most rarely-gifted of living
violinists. Not, alas'. that the great artist will
then himself be once more enabled to make
his appearance, violin and bow in hand, in
front of the orchestra—ho being still unhappily
precluded from giving that crowning attraction to
his own concert, to this concert associated with hie
distinguished name. Bat—if his own wonderful
tones, his own magical touch, his own well-remem-
bered wiz rdry over his instrument, cannot be
listened to on this occasion—his last imaginings
rill at least there be given expression to, by
congenial artists, among others by his eminent
pupil, Herr Joachim. Of the sentiments of profound
regard and of affectionate admiration inspired to-
wards himself by Herr Ernst, and that too among
those the most capable of appreciating, at once,
the value of his friendship and the fascination of hie
genius, the public had signal evidence afforded
to them last year through the charming de-
dicatory lines prefixed to " Caxtoniana," In
corroboration of what was there so exquisitely ex-
pressed in the few but elcquent words of Sir
Edward Bulwer Lytton, we find in a recent
number of the Musical World the following Extract
from a Private Letter, headed " Joseph Joachim to
Heinrich Ernst :"—" Dear and Honoured Friend,"
says the younger Violinist, the gifted Pupil to the
yet more gifted " However sorry I am that
after you arebe:ii r'nansitnegto get better, your patience
should be again subjected to so hard a trial, the
confidence expressed by your medical man affords
me consolation. I certainly had hoped, from the
accounts my brother now and then gave me of you
that, on the occasion, soardently desired on my part,
of our meeting again, this spring, I should have once
more enjoyed the pleasure of hearing the magnifi-
cent tones of your violin ! Providence, however,
decrees otherwise. lam not destined, dear Master,
to hear you, and thus to me, thanks to your confi-
dence, is entrusted the noble task of making the
musical world of London acquainted with your
newest creation. I need scarcely say with what
deep love I shall devote myself to the service of
your Muse. Command me as you will, and let me
soon know on what day your concert can take
place. I am exceedingly anxious to see your
' Etudes,' though I am really afraid of your finger-
ing [a foot-note in the 3fusical World here adds,
" ' Grippe,' ' Grips,' Grasps'—in allusion, we pre-
sume, to the uncommon grasp of Herr Ernst's left '
hand"] but, whatever conies from your pen,
I will, at all events, practice, even
though I may net succeed in doing it
justice." This charming communication is dated
" Hanover, April 13th"—and signed '' your
truly devoted friend, Joseph Joachim." Added to
what has thus been so touchingly and gracefully
said by Herr Joachim, let us yet further remark in
regard to the feeling inspired towards himself
among his brother-artists by Herr Ernst—that
Signor Sivori will return to England from
Paris expressly to take part in the coming
Entertainment ! And that our great English
Tenor, Mr. Sims Reeves, with an "esprit" worthy of
himself and of the man to whom he thus offered
this graceful tribute of his artistic sympathy, volun-
teered to Herr 'Ernst his eager co-operation.
Altogether among the distinguished artistes whose
names are already down in the programme for Herr
Ernst's Concert, on Monday evening, the 30th inst.,
we observe, in regard to the pianoforte, the names
of Madame Arabella Goddard and Mr. Charles
Halle, and in regard to the violin, those of Herr
Joachim and Signor Sivori. The vocalists including
Madlle. Bettelheim, Mr. Santley, and Mr. Sims
liaeves—with M. Jules Benedict as the Conductor.
The chief attraction of all during the evening will
be, however, the fact, that a New Quartett and
other compositions, by Herr Ernst himself, will
Ithen and there, for the first time, be performed!