The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-03 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

GRAND CONCERT - ROSSINI'S STABAT

MATER.

This theatre was opened last evening for the first
of a series of concerts, "under the direction of a body
of professors, whose object is to perform works of the
highest order, both choral and instrumental." The
principal vocalists engaged are Miss Birch, Miss
Dolby, Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Giubilei and Mr. H. Phillips.
The • band and chorus consist of 140 performers,
with Messrs. C. Lucas and H. Westrop as con-
ductors, Mr. Willy as leader of the band, and
Mr. Green as director of the choruses. The follow-
ing programme of the concert of last evening will
show that in this their first concert the Directors of
these performances have fully redeemed their pledge
of presenting to the public " works of the highest
order, both choral and instrumental."
PART I.—STABAT MATER., Rossini.
_ .

Introduction, Quartett, and Chorus, " Stabat Mater."
Air, " Cujus animam," Mr. Hobbs.
Duet, " Quis est homo ?" Misses Birch and Dolby.
Air, " Pro peccatis' " Mr. Giubilei.
Solo and Chorus, "Vidit suum," Mr. Giubilei.
Quartett, " Sancta Mater," Miss Birch, Miss Dolby,
Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. Guibilei:_ _

Air, " Fac me vere tecum flere," Miss Dolby.
Air, with Chorus, " Inflammatus et accensus,"
Miss Birch. _ _ _

Quartett, " Quando corpus," Miss Birch, Miss
Dolby, Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. Giubilei. Finale, Amen.

PART 11.

Overture, " Ruler of the Spirits."—Weber.
Song, " 0 beauteous Daughter," Mr. Hobbs.—
Beethoven.

Madrigal, full choir, " My Mistress is as fine as
fair" (1610).—Bennett.
Song, " 0 Araby," Miss Dolby (Oberon).—Weber.
Septett, for Flute, Oboe, two Clarionets, Horn, and
two Bassoons, Messrs. Carte, Barrett, Lazarus, Mac-
donald, Platt, Baumann, and C. Keating.—Lucas.
Song and Chorus, " Haste thee," Mr. Phillips.—
Handel.

Song, " Sweet Bird," Miss Birch ; Flute Obligato,
Mr. Carte (II Penseroso).— Handel.
Trio, Miss Birch, Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. Phillips.
Grand March and Chorus, from " The Ruins of
Athens.—Beethoven.

We have before had occasion to speak of the beauties
of that sublime composition, the Stabat Mater of
Rossini. On the present occasion those beauties
were fully developed. The magnificent solo, " Vidit
suum," with the chorale, without instrumental
accompaniment, was given with exquisite taste and
propriety by Guibilci. This solo and chorus was
encored, as was the " Inflammatus et accensus " of
Miss Birch, which was given with great power
and exquisite feeling. The succeeding quartett,
" Quando corpus morietur," the music of which
is most touchingly expressive, was given with
exquisite taste, feeling, and correctness. The effect
of the passage " Paradisi gloriam," was soul-thrilling.
Weber's magnificent overture " Ruler of the Spirits,"
with which the second part commenced, was per-
formed with admirable propriety and correctness,
and was rapturously encored. The oboe solo, par-
ticularly, was given with exquisite taste. Bennett's old
Madrigal, which conjured up to our imagination
visions of Crosby Hall—the olden time, when England
was a music-loving and music-understanding nation,
and when the lords of that splendid old hall assembled
round the composers of those melodious madrigals
which formed the delight of our forefathers in the
days of the good Queen Bess—Bennett's old Ma-
drigal was performed in a style which would have
delighted their ears, and have made them imagine that
they were again living in the days of " a courtier
of the olden time of the Queen's old courtier."
The repetition of the Madrigal was called
for, as was the repetition of Weber's beautiful
song, "Oh ! Araby,' by MisS Dolly. The lovers
of scientific harmony had a rich treat in the septett,
and Handers glorious laughing song and chorus,
" Haste thee, Nymph," came a seasonable relief to the
more serious performances. This was not only sung,
but acted by H. Phillips in excellent style. He
seemed the very personification of
" Sport that wrinkled care derides,

And Laughter holding both his sides."
He was rapturously applauded, and loudly encored. It
is a curious circumstance that in this concert, while
the serious and sacred portion was the compo-
sition of Rossini, the only buffo song in-
troduced should be by Handel: This shows
the universality of genius, and how little those who
would fain have it " cribbed, cabined, and confined "
within the narrow limits of their own powers, are
capable of understanding its nature or appreciating its
works. Nevertheless, it is a curious coincidence that,
in this concert the composer of the Barbiere should
have furnished the serious portion, and the composer
of the Messiah the comic ; that the humour of Handel
should relieve the gravity of Rossini. The triumph
of the evening was certainly the song " Sweet bird,"
by Miss Birch, with the flute obligato by Mr. Carte.
Her tones, like those of the sweet bird of which she
sang, were indeed " most musical," and beautifully
melodious also was the accompaniment of Mr. Carte.
We have never heard this most beautiful specimen of
" music married to immortal verse" more beautifully
given than it was last evening. We observe that
during the course of these concerts we are to have
Beethoven's "Mount of Olives," and Spohr's "Fall
of Babylon ;" the latter oratorio to be produced under
the direction of Professor Taylor. We hail the un-
dertaking as a proof of the progress of the restora-
tion of musical taste in England, and as a means of
forwarding that progress. Ten years since a series of
popular concerts of such high order would not have
been dreamt of. Music such as that of last evening
was then confined to the Ancient Concerts and the
Philharmonic. Such, however, is not the case at pre-
sent. Music, like painting and literature, is po-
pularising itself, and as painting and literature
have succeeded, so will music succeed. Mu-
sical professors are beginning to find out the
secret, that the public is the best patron. The Di-
rectors of these concerts are sowing the good seed
which will hereafter bear fruit. Honour to them for
their exertions, and success to the praiseworthy un-
dertaking.

THE TARTAN TRADE IN PAlSLEY.—Business, par-
ticularly in the shawl department, continues as flat
as ever; but in the absence of demand for the usual
manufactures of the town, many of the makers have
been turning their attention to tartans in all their
varieties of patterns and articlea of dress. As the
market stands, and with business in its usual state,
we might look forward for a pretty brisk run in a
small way for a month or two to come ; but as it is,
with trade in such a depressed and hopeless condition,
and from tartans being almost exclusively a winter
wear, the makers are afraid to enter into the busi-
ness to any great extent, or to commit themselves by
the extensive purchase of the raw material necessary
for that purpose, which, perhaps, in two months
hence, would not be obtained for the finished goods.
Glasgow Argus.
INVERNESS FARMERS' SOCIETY.—The autumn meet-
ing of this Society took place on Friday last. The
cattle and grain brought forward were of very superior
quality.
The competition for the former was held in
the Academy Park, and for the latter at the Caledo-
nian Hotel. The judges were—Mr. Trotter, Red-
castle, and Mr. Murray, Mains of Kilcoy. Mr. Mac-
ewen, Riverford, and Mr. Macgregor, Inverladern,
acted as judges of Highland stock-.—Ross-shire Ad-
vertiser.

On Monday a valuable casket of jewels was stolen
from the auction rooms of Messrs. Debenham and
Storr, King-street, Covent-Garden, containing thirty-
three brilliants, an Indian gold chain, bracelet of
twenty-nine stones, and a variety of diamonds and
articles of gold manufacture, amounting to 130/. A
reward of 50/. has been offered for the recovery of
the property, and a further reward of 251. on con-
viction of he parties committing the felony.
The effect of the new tariff, hitherto but partially
felt in the metropolis, is beginning to become more
and more manifest as importation increases. There
have been several large arrivals of American hams,
bacon, and pork, during the past week. The hams
and bacon are well cured, and of tolerably good fla-
vour ; the former is retailed at 5d., and the latter at
4d. or 4d. per lb. The American pork will not do
for the English market ; it is intolerably salt, and
wastes so much in the boiling that the article would
be dear at any price. Prime bacon and pork of home
produce will always find purchasers, but there is no
doubt but that a fall of one-third in the price of salt
provisions will be the ultimate result of the tariff when
in full operation.—Edinburgh Advertiser.
ILSON, THE STEEPLE CLIMBER.—We have more
than once referred to the fearless intrepidityof this in-
dividual in mounting and repairing steeples or the
high stalks of public works, and to the tradesman-like
manner with which he finishes his perilous operations.
He has of late been employed on some of the loftiest
stalks in the city, and now devotes himself to stalk
climbing as a profession. The fellow thinks no more
of climbing a height of 200 feet than of swallowing
his breakfast.— Glasgow Are&
DANDYPRATTS.—BiShOp Fleetwood, in his Chroni7
con Preciosum, treating of small pieces of money
coined by our kings of old, says that there were little
pieces coined by Henry VII., called Dandypratts,
which he supposes were little and contemptible things,
because, he says, that word has since been used to
signify small and 'worthless people. Can this be the
origin of the term dandy, applied a few years ago., to
the class of persons who dress• in the excess of the
fashion, and who have been, in succession called beaux,
bucks, dandies, exquisite; swells, &c.? •
SELF- MUTILA.TION. A most extraordinary act of
self-mutilation was yesterday committed by a deserter
from the 18th Grenadier Guards, named Edward
Pincher, now a prisoner in the city gaol, by sawing
off the first joint of the, thumb of his right hand with
a piece of iron hoop notched, and sharpened into a saw.
Pincher is •a fine strapping fellow, about thirty-s.x
years of age. He is a native of Canon Froome.—
Worcester Herald: