The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-04 00:00:00

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

The third concert for the present season, of the above So-
ciety, took place on Monday night, at the Hanover Square
Rooms. We go to these concerts with a full conviction, that
we shall hear at them compositions that are not to be heard
any where else, but also, from the " means and appliances" of
the institution, that we are ent'tled to hear whatever
is presented to our notice executed in a far better
and more complete manner than it can, by possibility,
he performed any where else We are bound to say, how-
ever, that our expectations are not always gratified. Sin-
fonias and overtures are here performed, allowing for occa-
sional, perhaps unavoidable, blemishes, in a style that we are
warranted in terming magnificent ; but we cannot say the same of
every other species of composition. The singing at faese con-
certs is almost beneath attention. If the Society really cannot
afford to pay the extravagent rate of remuneration demanded
by the sirens of the day, they should give us less of vocal
music, or at least be less ambitious in the, selection. The
singing of Monday night was, by comparison, execrable,
although it occupied a very considerable portion of the pro-
gramme. _ _

The opening piece was Mozart's splendid sinfonia, No. 2, in
D. It was performed throughout in a manner which r'n-
dered it exceedingly difficult for the shrewdest critic to detect
a fault. The crescendos and diminuendos most particularly
were attended to, and effected with such exquisite feel-
ing and finish, that the vast orchestra of the " Philhar-
monic " sounded like a single instrument. It was somewhat
curious to remark, however, considering how repeatedly this
sinfonia has been performed, the astonishment that appeared
to pervade a large portion of the auditory, when the band
commenced the terminating movement. The critics of the
Philharmonic did not seem to be aware that Mozart had
written no minuet and trio ! The next instrumental piece was
what he called a " Concerto Patheti:,ue," by Mr. Alorcheles,
being his own composition. Mr. Moscheles cannot play otherwise
than admirably; but his merit as a composer is a very different
affair. It was, in the opinion not only of ourselves, but of most
of those who heard it, a decided and derogatory failure. It is
very great folly in these " dii minores" to imitate the style of the
really great in naming their works. Because Beethoven had
written a " Sonata Pathetique," Moscheles must also write a
" Concerto Pathetique," in which there is much more of the
bathos than the pathos. This concerto does not rank beyond
a mere exercise, and although it contains many brilliant pas-
sages, admirably played, there is no intrinsic merit, and no-
thing characteristic in it to bear out the assumption of the title
by which the " compiler" has endeavoured to dignify it. The
first part of the concert concluded with Beethoven's Overture
to Coriolan, which was the only piece bearing the impress of
novelty performed in the course of the evening. By the bye
there are several other overtures of Beethoven, which have not
been yet heard at these concerts, and which we would recom-
mend the Directors to rummage out from their hoards ; those to
the Ruins of Athens, and King Stephen, for instance. The pre-
sent is a very spirited and characteristic composition, well worth
the trouble of rehearsal. Some fineworking passages of the basses
had a striking effect ; and the conclusion, in which the instru-
ments gradually sank from forte to piano, and piano to pianissimo,
was exqusitely beautiful. The opening piece of the second
part was a sinfonia of Spohr, No. 3. As a whole it is perhaps
heavy; and there is a want of variety, peculiar to Spohr,
throughout. But the sameness is not of a mediocre character.

It is rich, and abounding with the finest harmonies. But
Spohr is too bounteous in the acquired resources of his art.
He produces nothing simply grand and purely original. His
melodies may be. with scarcely an exception, traced to Mozart,
and those melodies he has modified and re-modified, and upon
the delicate fabric piled up enormous masses of harmony. His
style is that of ponderous and stately gravity, tainted with
mannerism, and distinguished by a want of originality. A
quartetto of Mozart, for two violins, tenor, and violoncello, by
Mori, Watts, Tolbecque, and Lindley, was perhaps more ad-
mired and applauded than any piece performed at this Con-
cert. It was certainly one of the most brilliant of the gems of
the evening. Mori played better than we have heard him
throughout the season—the same may be said of Lindley ;
the other two gentlemen did their duty; and, as a whole,
the effort might be characterised as the chef-d'ceuvre of quartet
playing. The Concert concluded with \Veber's beautiful
overture to the Jubilee. The singers were Miss Woodyatt,
Miss Masson, Mr. Manvers, and Mr. E. Seguin. The best
of the vocal pieces was Haydn's duetto, " Super Vorrei," by
Miss Masson and Mr. Manvers. In the terzetto, played in
the second part, from Figaro, "Esci Onlai," the deficiencies
of the singers were so great as to bring a smile across
many a critical countenance. We missed our old favourite,
Weichsell, whom we expected to see at his post as one
of the leaders, and regret much to hear that he has resigned.
We also regret to learn that the Directors, in filling up the
vacancy occasioned by his resignation, have not come up to
the expectations of the subscribers. They naturally ask,
:vliy have the superior claims of Blagrove been overlooked, and
such a person as Mr. Thos. Cooke been removed to the loader's
desk from that station in which he has so long passed, and
might still pass, unnoticed and unknown.
The next Concert takes place on the 23rd inst.