New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-15
SOIREE OF Ms CHARLES HOPKINS.

Mr Charles HopLus, Il young musical amateur OF
this city who = very much devoted g. the ar, gave
soircc Friday evening, a, Chicksrif gs Rooms, 70
party Of ls:es apd gentlemen. and as tne eutersia-
Ut was cessrei 10 be pnblic make "a the snhect
Of word oc criticism. II introiucri Mr.. Hopkinss,
coupoecr of chsmher music. The ex,cutants woe
himself aid Mr. Moeulauer. be,ie Ni,s Anden sho
ssnc. Ttcrc w,ro several pieces in each Part
M Hoikirs p, roru'ei solo The piano' bnt hs IL
lot strorg onougb an eNecu.art 10 render efrc
lively What he de>igps The agc OF promising
pisnisir is over-nothnc but excellence viii snswcr
Tie value of melodies to which ord Ius,rstiors sro
stt, is enticr, Measured in view by their iots
perdent Quay-that IL. independent Of harmory, and
Consequently their aisptahty TO song, sn to p,palN
song. What is tie vaue of TIE meol,. so Illustrated,
VI coDr,t determine. There is absolutely 10 halfway
IN 4 uelo'y |. has either the memorable divine
.na,k or it is failure. There vety few melods,s
in the world Handel was not good mel,-.i.t. Mo
za-less hs want OF determlnA ~ accent ard dramat:c
passion Haydn wac meodist. ~ were Bet
linz al d Douize'ti. So was Weber Beethoven could
10, construct popnar vocal or condensed passionate
d,clsmsto,y melody. Rossni cln. Apher can write
certain qualities Of melody. Verdi il meloii't.
Wietb,r Mr. Hopkins can write as gooi melody rs
the best Of them .nd reason why he csnnot
tor what has been may be- Immediately under our
view though certain eyes ears csnnot discover 1t
we have already said, We cannot determine ~ thus
verdict cny with the public. Critics 80 Called
as general rule, just know enough to be blind to
rev melody the public who Is pleased, knows not
why is the only judge. Accordingly in regard To tho
melody Of Mr.. Hopkins, popularity viewed, WI say
nothing; yet We may remark that his illustration
of il We found net very remarkable ard the arpeg ios
at the end were overprolonged The duet with piano
and violin was much beter. The 6rst movement was
vague and drcary ths second was III pronounced,
symmetrical with beginning middle and an cod. The
varieg alton Of the motive at the end was excessive.
both instruments considered. When extreme rapid
Ties Are given to the VIOLIN the accompanying instru
ment should be subordinate The ar. of writing sc-
is not 80 uuch what TO put r, but what
to leave ont Hence effective opera~rting Is seldom
or never Judged by critics; they looking fer m-
mcnse iutrcscies and auplitudes, while the composer
il, seeking tor clarified undercurent, to the main idea
A. rule the most interesting accompaniment on paper
il the most merciless and Ineffective Ia practice.
Dead March by Mr. Hopkins, was as goods Ss many
Others OF two ballads, sung nicely by Miss Andcm-
one was nicely written. and received an encore. The
| concluding phrase very good The other ballad
was neither ancient nor new. but hsd those running
passages rot fact enongh for b7lliancy and slow
enough for nsipijy. They wrote so scores Of yoars
back Composers have learned better since. Mu 10
| has advanced.
Wha. NJ. Hopkins needs is to write many qasrtets
for srirged instruments That il the bea gymnastic
cxerci,e for carrying musical weights. Then if he
wishes TO rise to orchestratiop there are abundant
chance- for hearing good ochestras, and some ycsr' 1t
honest toll will do the res if he have the ear for in
s.ruuepa color. A. to oporstic writing, nothing but
the stage it.elf will teach that most difficult Of mu'cal
ants, in comparison with which all else 10 tfiag. Ora
oros, however, which are comparatively easy work,
are before hn. His energy aud enthusiasm are 1dmi'
| rsble, 90 LEI him go ahead"