The New York herald., 1845-03-08

uiHcIiuS IN n0mtne but not IN nc, as Tie concerts
dw Conserratoire in Paris, or those IN Leip-
zig, known as Gecandhaus Concer!s-was not
only highly meritorious, but q grand one. Every
musician sees with regret the downward tendency
OF this sublime art, in spite OF lis eternal progress
sion-the ascendancy of the quantity over the
quality-of the material over the spiritual. And
this regret is not based the universal iprmity of
mankind-o prasing things that were to the preju-
dice OF those that are-on the mental disease of
precipitating the present from the station assigned
to it by mmovable laws between the past and
future. No, this regret is founded on facts, on ex-
peyience, conviction, on truth, on ncontroyerti-
BILE truth, which is, without hesitation, admitted by
those who fabricate the poison and those who drink
it by the composers of and listeners to bad music.
It is really painful to see how many bad and mid
ding composers, (nearly synonymes in music, }
monopollze present attention, leaving the good
ones to the past and to-posterity. MendeIssohn
and Spohr against wilderness of Donizeitis and
Adams Shakspear says ga wilderness of mo ys. ;,
Every body of course does justice to the genius Of
Meyerbeer, of Rossini, and of many others.
But genius Is not greatness Genius does not form
one of the columns Of the temple OF Fame-it
never can raise Its pretenslOns beyond niche in
one OF its many corridors. Genus is dress of
snowy velvet, subject TO wear and tear; greatness
Is as strong and durable as a coat ef irOn-eafe
against worms and rust. r
The principal reason OF the decadency of music
lies less in the composers themselves than in the
public, which listens and finds delght-yes, delight
1t cannot be denied that were there no bad conipo-
sltions, there could NOT exist depraved musical
taste but through listening to all the nonsense
which shapes itself into notes, bad money seeking
ragement, for which they chow their gratitude by
spelling, without redemption, the taste of their
patrons. The main fault rests, therefore, with the
public but this does not lessen the heavy RESPONSE
those pseitd0.ndestrt.
To counteract the baleful influence of note-fac-
tory work, 10 instruct the public, by teaching it to
10! love good music mus and to TO- deespise the bad, was
to put 1t into practice is its duty. With regard to
that duty it would appear from the behavior of the
that something is rotten In the state
asdy with which o tine
Is avoided. In Germany, France, and England,
these societies act quite differently. In the Con-
serUatoirf Of Paris, for instance, the members OF
to their exclusive use-in Vienna the best Sperr.
Site are placed to their disposal. Nor are they
treated with less courtesy in London, where the
directors have pretty high opinion Of themselves,
although they do not designate themselves by the
somewhat pompous name Of government" This
narrow minded conduct is the more reprehensible
the first article OF the bylaws OF the constltu
tion broadly says "a limited number Of tickets
may be issued by the Government, to be used as
courtesy towards individuals deserving attention"
Is the press-perhaps not-entitled to attention ?
The truth is, that the society really have reason
to dread the hydra, ycept PRESS tor they DO not do
their duty, or better, they do 1t mot wisely but
too WELL" They do NOT only introduce classic
music to stimulate the love of the beautiful, but
they are at the same time very careful to teach the
subscribers practically to despise trash, by regularly
dishing it up.
.ook horo an fb;s pcf,ro ond nm this
The counterfeit pressntmentof two brothers a.
Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed
And batten on this moor 2"
What they give with one hand they take away
with the other, and they forget that bad music like
vice In general possesses very aluring forms; that
1t Is easily understood, whereas the classic style,
requires an undivided attention, and a third OF
fourth hearing. Now New York audience are
not the beau ideal Of musical discrimination, and
they act according to what they think common
muso aud % ssyerai Tines Ea
not understand" And of course Donizetti received
last Saturday round Of applause, and Beethoven a
murmured appreciation the n,arche fMnebre gentle
IDENTITY something rotten in the state of Denmark,
and 1t really looks, as ii the society would care
more about their selEaggrandizement and Of Sc.
curing to the members en- nassc, a position to
ally, than about the promotion of instrumental mu-
SIC, as said in the constitution
And then tho ridiculous wording of the pro.
gramme those laundering anecdotes printed on its
the Eroica, is a combination Of French revolu-
tonary airs. "A kingdom for a French air in the
finale! We learn. moreover, that on hearing that
Napoleon had been created (by whom y Emperor,
years after. Another falsehood and this you call to
instruct the public He tore down the dedication
to Napoleon, and published it not many days after
under its present title :-nomia croca, per estog-
III ~
even speak OF minor delnquencies, as for instance,
the giving French name to Marschner's German
Vampyr, and German one to Sterndale Benefits
English overture. Something is certainly wrong
in the management of this society, and we trust
our remarks will lead to reform.
MEssRs. LIVINGSTON, WELLS, AND PoMERoY's
NEW EXPRESS OFFIcE.-Those enterprising, for
wardlng and express agents, opened their new Of
flee in Wall street on Tuesday last, on which oc-
cason the members of the press and several respect
able merchants Of the city, visited and examined
the premises. The arrangements made for carrying
on the extensive business of the firm, are most ex-
cellent. Every means appearto have been adopted
for the convenience Of the public, the despatch of
business, and the security of property entrusted to
their charge, at the same time, in such manner,
as to defy the pryng sight of the curious or those Of
evil intent.
Behind the counter, which extends the whole
length Of the room, and jutting beyond it about a
foot, is private enclosure, some feet wide, and
36 feet long, painted like the counter, with top
OF black walnut-labelled on the side "Eutrv
Clerks" and .'Assorting Clerks" This enclosure
is OF great value to the systematic and safe man.
agement of the business. Within it, all the out.
ward expresses are made up and the inward ones
received, examined, and prepared for delivery. 1t
is so entirely excluded from observation, that no
one can see what is going on within it-neither the
public, nor any one connected with the Office, ex-
cept those whose business it is to attend to this de-
partment; consideration which experience has
shown to be OF the utmost importance, as il pre-
vents improper persons from seeing which trunks
going from The Office are valuable. Within this en-
closure is set Of closets six in number. in each
OF which is alternately placed bed and wardrobe,
tor the use OF those who occupy the Office at night
Three persons remain in the office at night, and it
ls an invarlabc rule Of the Office, that one Of them
shall always be upon watch, and be relieved by the
others at regular and stated hours in this apart.
ment, a sufficient number of salamander safes are
placed at the bedside OF those who sleep in the Of
ice Vhe vpo nf huiI