The Sun.
London, England, 1835-02-10 00:00:00

THE stN, LONDON, ITESDAY, FEI3IItTARY 10, 1845:

SOCIETY OF BRITISH NUSKIANs.

SIX-2-11 CONCERT.

To other proofs which we have formerly noticed, of the
progress of musical literature in this country may be added
the indispittable stipetiority, in the art of coMposition, of the
younger members of the profession, when brought in compe-
tion with their elder brethren. It has been long since observed,
that the skili of ordinary writere chiefly consists in
out of one Vessel into another"—a process which has not been
tieglected by the older writers of the present generation.
By the limited number and; het tee often, depraved quality
of the or
supplies, they have incurred the censure—
" materiem superabat opus." go long-as What Choton very
properly calls " the useless trash" of thorough bass, is consi-
dered to be the us plus ultra of musical learning, and indefi-
nite signs or figures to be the most accurate nomenclature of
those harmonies, which are capable of producing an infinite
variety of effects, from different dispositions of their compo-
nent parts, so long will the disciples and supporters of the
system remain in Egyptian darkness. Mozart, Beet-
hoven, Weber, and Spohr, to such men will have lived in
vain, and their works be deemed in the eyes of their under..
standing more remarkable for length than merit.
The last meeting of the British Society, for this season, was
held yesterday evening at the Hanover-square Rooms. The in.
strumental compositions were a manuscript symphony in B
flat, by T. M. Mudie ; a quartet, by H. Westrop; and solo
for the violin, by Mr. Musgrave. The vocal pieces consisted
of selections from an oratorio by J. M'Murdie, called
Moses ;" from an ode entitled " The Tears of Genius,"
composed by Dr. Carnaby ; from a mass by T. Y. Chubb;
arid from the several operas of Rodwell's " Lord of the Isles,"
Loder's " Nourjahad," and a manuscript opera by C., Lucas.
A cavatina, by J. Blockley, and a glee by W. Hawes, were
also introduced. Mr. Mudie's symphony is not equal to
some of the compositions of his youthful contem-
poraries ; but it affords proof that he possesses too large
a portion of the mem divinor to rest contented with his
present attainments. The many traits of talent which may be
discovered in Mr. Westrop's quartet for two violins, viola, and
cello, would almost disarm criticism, and prevent a just repre-
hension of its numerous and striking blemishes. The natural
fondness of fancy for her offspring forbids our wonder at the
comparatively few who practice " the art of blotting," and
who possess sufficient courage, on reviewing their productions,
to affix an "est de leuda," where justice requires it. In Mr.
Westrop's composition, an. exuberance and wildness of modu-
lation, combined with a wide departure from the ordinary
phrasing, and sectional divisions of the movements, create an
uncertainty, never pleasing, as to the original key. This re-
mark, however, applies only to the first and last movements ;
the second, consisting of a short melody, harmonized after
the manner of Spohr, is excellent; and the elegance of the
minuet and trio, deservedly obtained for it an unani-
mous encore. Mr. Musgrave's solo speaks well for
him as a composer and performer. The air is easy
and natural, yet free from plagiarism ; and its variations
are well sustained, and skilfully instrumentated. Mr. Roche
displayed much taste in singing "The Cavatina," by Block-
ley. Ile has an equal voice, of some volume, much sweetness,
and considerable compass. From his cadenzas and general
style, he has, we presume, selected as his models the perfor-
mers who have graced our Italian stage. The song met with
an encore, as also did the glee, " Oh I where is the flower,"
by Mr. Hawes. Mr. Hill has possibly not been introduced to
the splendid compositions of Farrant, Byrde, Gibbons, and
Purcell ; or he would not surely so have abused the word an-
them, as to have applied it to the composition performed under
his name. But for the solemnity of the words, we could have
thought ourselves listening to the shouting Salamancirines in the
"Mountain Sylph," or the infernal corales of "Robert leDiable."
If Mr. Lucas's M. S. Opera be of equal merit withthe selection
performed at this concert, it will be a desirable acquisition to
the stock of English theatrical music. The finale reminded
us of the exquisite trio in Weber's " Oberon," " For Thee Hath
Beauty Decked Her Bowers." The selection from " Nour-
jahad," shows its author, Mr. E. J. Loder, to possess a
thorough knowledge of instrumental writing, but does not place
his claims to originality on so respectable a footing. The author
of the ode entitled " The Tears of Genius," has happily es-
caped a connexion with the subject and its sorrows; and the
composer, to the extent of the recitative, is, if possible, still
more distantly related to the etherial spirit, whose woes are so
mysteriously deplored. The aria, although bearing no slight
resemblance to the fugitive songs of Arne and Boyce, deserves
commendation. The song from " Moses" may be placed in the
same school. If these writers refrain from imitating Mozart or
Spohr in their solos, we think their- choruses bear still less
affinity to Handel. The subscribers and members of this So-
ciety, for the present season, appear by the printed list to ex-
csed nine hundred individuals. The founders of the association
may well be proud of the meritorious compositions they have
been instrumental in bringitig before the musical public. We
trust their zealous exertions at the ensuing season, will produce
like honourable results, and will meet with an equal extent of
patronage.

THEATRES.

FRENCH PLAYS-LYCEUM AND ENGLISH

OPERA HO USE.
The tragedy of Othello was repeated here last night, and M.
Lemaitre again presented himself before a moderately full au-
dience, in a character purely tragical. Tragedy is decidedly
not M. Lemaitre's forte--in comedy he is fortissimo ; then
why should he neglect a line of the drama in which he is
doubtless richly provided, and in which he has no compeer,
for one hi which he is certainly not pre-eminent, and 'iii
which, as certainly, mediocrity is hardly tolerable? In
Shakspeare's tragedy, from one little germ of intense, undi-
vided love with which the play sets out, the whole of the stu-
pendous events which occupy its subsequent passages are de-
duced, not so much by the powerful hand of the author as by
the impulse of nature itself—nature in its infinity—of which
he was but the inspired delineator. Such is the general
sentiment which pervades our recollection of Shakspeare's
Othello, but this is the very sentiment which is not re-
echoed in the production of M. Dumas. We have a pas-
sionate father from the beginning, who, indigmutt at his
daughter's unworthy choice in the sable Moor, forces her,
under the terrors of a brandished dagger, to sign a paper in
which she renounces her ill-judged choice, and binds her-
self to another. This paper, together with a tiara of dia-
monds, are the evidences of her guilt, which is cast in her
teeth in the course of a long dialogue with Othello before he
commits the deed of butchery, for so it really was, in a scene
almost too horrible for an audience with proper feeling. After
this, instead of the denouement as wrought out by Shakspeare
—a knocking at the door, to rouse the bewildered murderer
from his stupor—we have first a long soliloquy from M. Le-
maitre, and then the appearance of the whole host of the dra-
matis persona, with lights, &c., all in the genteelest time to
inform him (he suppoosed to be in his nuptial bed) that his
supposed rival was no rival at all, and that his wife's father, who
was at first opposed to the match, forgives him and gives him
his blessing. The father then asks, where is his daughter ?
Othello rushes before the curtains of the bed, and screams out
that she is asleep ; the curtains are open, the murder out • the
father weeps; Othello stabs himself; crawls to the bedside,
kisses the hand of his dead wife, and dies. An injudicious
friend in one of the side private boxes here threw a crown of
laurel upon the stage, and then set to with beating one of the
chairs against the floor, and calling for M. Lemaitre to come
to life again. The cry was foolishly, and we think rather im-
pertinently, persisted in by about half-a-dozen conspicuous in-
dividuals, but much to the annoyance of the audience in ge-
neral. At last M. Lemaitre appeared on the scene for the
Baldes Ouvriers (the afterpiece), and bowed; but the laurel
crown remained upon the stage.

dutiful respects to an old Uncle. Miss Mordaunt we thought
peculiarlyfelicitous in giving point to her chatacter ; but the
archness, vivacity, and excessive humour of Mrs. Nesbitt, par-
ticularly in her masquerade of the Officer in the duelling
scene, elicited the mast rapturous applause. We have seldom
seen any thing more effective on the stage at any period than
the talent exhibited by this lady last night.

• AVEL
• .
Mr. Yates brotight ant last night a new one-act burletta,
entitled, How do you Manage? ?ront the pen of Mr. Haynes
ay;y, This little affair, which excited incessant laughter
throughout, was admirably supporic:d
by Mrs. Yates, Mrs.
Honeys Mr. Yates, and Mr. Buckstone..