The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-24 00:00:00

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

The fourth concert of the associated body of musicians, de.
signaled by the above title, took place last night at the
Hanover-square Rooms. The room was full to excess, and
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cert e the Society.,F this season, both
in point of selection and execution. s'y belt we sly this, how-
ever, we allude merely to the opinion of those who are really
competent to estimate the value of musical merit both theoreti
tally and practically, for it is more than probable that to many of
those who patronised the Society from motives of fashion, the
concert of last night was considered, in many respects, a dull
and tedious affair. The whole of the first part was devoted to.
the Grand Choral Sinfonia of Beethoven, Opera 125. This
extraordinary composition was the last and most elaborate, of
not the greatest work of the " mighty master ;" and is so far
in advance of every other musical work, and even, perhaps, of
the age in which we live, that the whole of its beauties have,
not yet been understood and felt. There are parts, howai
ever, which stand out with surpassing force and effect to the
most uncultivated car; the " scherzo," for instance, where the
introduction of an odd rhyth of three bars, forms a singular and
striking peculiarity. The magnificent Adagio in B flat, a key
for which this composer seems to have entertained a strong
predilection, is sufficient of itself to have stamped Beethoven
one of the greatest geniuses of his age and country. In the
commencement, however, of what is called the Finale, before
the introduction of the chorus, we confess the design of the
composer appears to us to be wholly unintelligible. The Re-
citative, played by the violincellos and double-basses, with
occasional fragments of the former part of the allifonia inter-
vening, is obscure in intention and harsh in effect, and eau only
be reconciled to the ear by the singularly strange and surpris-
ing contrast it affords to the lovely movement in D, which it
introduces, the basses commencing the subject in unison.
The working of this motive with the chorus, beggars all de-
scription ; it must be heard, and heard again, before a tithe
of its beauties can be discovered. The subject in six-eight, a
la niarcia , and the progress of the composition to its termina-
tion, still rising and increasing in effect, with inexhaustible
invention, ultimately attains a climax to which there is no par-
ralel either in ancient or modern music.
The length of this sinfonia has been a subject of complaint.
Its entire performance occupies an hour and a quarter. An
act of an Italian opera is longer, and there is more variety in
this one sinfonia than in twenty acts of twenty Italian operas.
As some of our musical readers may not have heard,
or having heard may have forgotten the history of this sub-
lime effort of genius, we may be forgiven for a-slight allusion
to the subject. It was written expressly for the Philharmonic
Society, and was performed soon after its completion at the
Argyle Rooms, in 1825. Will it be credited that the So-
ciety kept a composition so transcendent reposing quietly on
their shelves till last year, 1837, when it was played for the
second time? Either an inexcusable ignorance of the merits
of the composition, or, still worse, a paltry feeling of eco-
nomy, kept it so long from the public, and it has only been
forced upon the attention of the Society recently from its
having been brought forward at what are considered inferior
concerts.
In regard to its performance of last night, upon the
whole it has been heard to go better, which we principally at-
tribute to the conductor on this occasion, Mr. Moscheles,
who did not seem to define the time of the several movements
very clearly, a duty which ought to have been performed with
great strictness and determination, on account of the very fre-
quent and sudden changes. To.Nlr. Loder, the leader of the
band, we arc probably indebted for its going as well as it did;
and we sincerely hope the next time the sinfonia is played, it
will have the benefit of a more experienced and less fidgetty con-
ductor. The chorus was fairly sung, and would have been better
had all parties been actuated by a wish to understand and do
their duty. The boys sang very indifferently, and were gig-
gling and playing tricks with each other throughout.
We do not expect much excellence, in .the vocal way,
at the Philharmonic, and therefore we need merely mention
that the singers were—Mrs. Bishop, Miss M. B. Hawes,
Messrs. Horncastle, Balfe, Brizzi, &c. There were, however,
two instrumental solos, which must be noticed, a concerto for
the violoncello, by Mr. Hausmann, and one for the flute, by
Mr. Heinemeyer, First flute, r s the programme informed us,
to the King of Hanover. Paganini, we think, has much to.-
answer for, in having made coxcombs of all the young violii,
and violoncello players. Mr. Hausmann is, no doubt, a good
performer, and if he would not attempt to do that which is
not worth doing, might pass at least without c:nsure. But his
constant attempts at sliding up to a note, which he never by any
chance contrives to hit in the right place, and his repetition,
ad nauseam, of passages in octaves, invariably out of tune,
were no doubt the causes of that general satisfaction
,which
seemed to accompany the termination of his concerto. The
flute concerto was a remarkably fine performance, particularly
the air of " God save the Emperor," with variations, which
were moat effective. All was clear in execution, and pure in
quality of tone.
The concert closed; somewhat out of the usual course, with
a vocal piece. It was from " William Tell,' an opera little
known in this country. The extraordinary merit of the por-
tion introduced last night, leads us to hope that, ere long, we
may hear more of a work which is considered to be Rossini's
chef (rceuvre.

Hil
The Marchioness of Downshire and the Ladies
giro their second ball and supper, an Friday evening, in Pit

nover-square.
The Duke of Wellington will give a sumptuous ba
quet at Apsley House, on Sunday 6th May, to the Dukes of
Newcastle and Buccleuch, Marquises of Salisbury and Bute,
Lords Lyndhurst, Ellenborough, &c. His Grace is expected
to return to town to-day, from Strathfieldsaye, haying con•
sented to preside, as Master of the Trinity House, at a dinner
at the London Tavern to-morrow.
Sir R. and Lady Bulkeley Philipps gave a dinner
party, on Saturday last, to the Duchess Countess of Suther-
land, the Earl and Countess of Cawdor, and the Ladies
Campbell, Mr. and Lady Gertrude Sloane Stanley, Lord
Duncan, Sir Charles Dalbiac, &c.
Lord and Lady Rolle arrived in town yesterday from
their scat, Bicton Lodge, North Devon.
Lord Howick and the Master of the Mint are ex-
pected to return to town on Wednesday next ; the Noble
Secretary of War from Leamington Spa, and the Right lion.
Gentleman from Stony, near Bridgewater, Somerset.
A matrimonial alliance is talked of in the fashion-
able world between Viscount P n and the Dowager
Countess of C r. Her Ladyship has been a widow
about ten months, and has one unmarried daughter.
A marriage is expected to take place between Vis-
count Galway and Miss Henrietta Milnes, only daughter of
Robert Pemberton Milnes, Esq., of Bawtry Hall.—Doncaster
Gazette.
Lord Sefton's health is improving, and his Lordship
was able to occupy his box at the Opera on Saturday.
Mr. Goldsrnid, one of the official assignees of the
Court of Bankruptcy has resigned.
The Duke of Northumberland has subscribed the
munificent sum of 500/. to the fund for defraying the expenses
of the approaching meeting of the British Association in this
town,—Newcastle Chronicle.
The collection of prize flowers exhibited by the gar-
dener to Mr. Lahoucbarc, of Hamilton, on Saturday, at the
floreultural show, we,: despatched by the society at six p.m.
the same day to Windsor Castle, a 3 a bouquet for her Majesty.
The delightful little villa of Holly Lodge, at High-
gate, is undergoing improvements by the direction of the Duke
of St. Albans. Great alterations arc made in the grounds,
and it is expected the whole will be thrown open to the fashion.
able world this summer.
The parties in the late will cause at the Old Bailey]
I
arc, it is said, about to change places ; the prosecutors bein
about to be prosecuted for a conspiracy.
Lord Suffield arrived at the Clarendon Hotel fro
Newmarket, where his Lordship entertained a party during
the race week. Lord March (son of the Duke of Richmond)
came up to town with the Noble Lord.
Count and Countess Chorinsky, attended by M.
Desrnet, valet to the Austrian Ambassador, and accompanied
by Prince Nicholas Esterhazy, arrived at Chandos House on
Saturday evening, from Vienna, on a visit to Prince Ester-
hazy. The Countess left England with her mother, the
p,iisess Esterhazv, in the winter of 1630, since which period
she has obi visited England.
Prince do Lieven is expected to arrive in England at
the close of next month, in the suite of his Imperial Highness
the Grand Duke Alexander of Russia, who is now at Berlin.
Lord Ward will be introduced to the House of
Lords, and will take the necessary oaths and his seat, previous
to leaving England for the Continent.
Colonel Henry Bontittek, of the Coldstream Guards,
Military Secretary to Major-General Sir Alexander Wood-
ford, Governor of Gibraltar, has ard at Necot's Hotel,
cliff)rd-struet, with despatches from -1,1:s Excellency for Lord
Glcnetg.
The I-Ton. Mrs. Chapple Norton has recovered from
her illness, and, accompanied by her uncle, Mr. Charles Brill-
siey Sheridan, was among the fashionable equestrians in the
Heicent's Pail yesterday afternoon,