Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-10

Pasinini.-It has been long time since We
have heard any thing of this celebrated musician,
and we concluded he had probably retired from
publc life to en- Joy those domestic felic'ties which
are too frequently interrupted by the calls Of
,,hl;c d.tv. But we we're mistaken; he is still
the lion of the day, and continues to extort, BY
the display Of his matchless talent, the most ex-
travagant praise from John Bull, although accom-.
panied occasionally by little grumb'ng He
recently gave four Concerts at Covent Garden
Theatre. London. The following Is an account
Of the opening Concert:
-. TIE nj, and galleries we're filed at once,
aud ,,,e hess circle made very handsome dis
NAV, but in the rest Of the boxes the company
a., ,cs,terngy. We want words 10 convey what
we felt and feel regarding Paginin's perform
aores. They seem little short of miraculous;
and A century or two ago they would have been
thousbt absolutely preternatural, TO the risk o!
the Door gentleman being sent to play to his pa
tr,n Pluto in the shades. As it is. he appears 10
play like devil; or rather, jndalns from his
looks, to be one lie played as his internal Majesty
may be supposed 10 have performed, alter he had
taken number Of lessons from the beast-bewltch-
ing Orpheus. We never saw any body more re-
semhle Leyasseur as the F,end Father ut Robert
Of Normandy; aud there is good reason to be-
lieve that Pasinini was the original IRON which
he dressed his hair and cOuntenance. We could
string together good many sentences about the
SignOr's command of his instrument, freedom OF
his bow, the immense rapidity and iorce 0! h!'
execution, the refined delicacv OF his uppe;
notes, and the rich energy Of his lower tones.
but as they would convey little or no information
that is new, we shall refrain. The only piece Of
description we ever read OF his performances that
even remotely approached the reality, was IN the
now no more Taller, when 1t was conducted ny
Leigh Hunt
We saw indeed. another attempt of the same
kind IN a Monthly Magazine, but with all the
authors disposition and exertions TO say some.
thing striking, there was want OF the iounda
tion of truth and business to reconcile US to the
outrageoasness of criticism. In case OF THIS
kind, none but musicians can decide properly on
the extreme difficulty Of what was accomplished.
although perhaps on that very account they art
the worst Judges of the general effect OF the per.
for,nance. Nothing can be more grievous than
the reflection, that die when he will, his taste
and skill must die with him. We never heard
ANYTHING the least in the world like il until Pa
ganini came to this country: he saakes music ap.
proach as near to language as 1t Is possible to
make it. and gives his instrument degree anda
variety Of expression Of which few or none be-
Iieved it capable. Nevertheless we are very
willing to admit that there must be certain
trickery. which some may term quackery, 10
his performance, and we own. too, that no man
would wear such a head Of hair as he daily er.
hibits unless he was anxious to attract attention,
in a way, to say the least Ut 1t, unworthy ot his
art and his attainments.
On his first appearance there was disposition
in part OF the house TO hiss him; and poor Sir
George Smart, who left the piano.forte to usher
IN the Signor. seemed to fancy tina! the sy mptoms
of hostility we're meant for him, whereas no man.
for any thing he did, could deserve less either OF
disapproba;ion or applause. The opposition was
soon overcome. and John Bull acknowledged the
truth of Churchhill's axiom that - Genius is OF
no country" He then gave an allegro maesfoSo
concerto, which he has before performed. and
which we could hear. we know not how often,
without being tired Of it: this was delightful bu'
not wonderful. His second effort (if effort that
can be called which was accomplished with so
much easel was both wonderful aud delightfui;
it was the sonata on the prayer in Petrol E,
miia. performed on the fourth string only, with
which he produced more effect, aud with less
apparent ditncnlty, man those OF the orchestra
who accompanied him upon all four strings. The
most astonishing exhibition was, perhaps, the
Dance of the Witches of Benevento; but Thu
was, to the last degree, fantastic and capricous,
and when Paganini retired, he was universally
called for. and he returned and bowed at the
stage door; the audience was not, however, to BE-
put off, they insisted upon an encore, but instead
of repeating the Dance Of the Witches, he treat
ed hem with new display, which was abundant,
Iy satisfactory, although brief, since il some
thing more than he had bargained to give.