Drury-Lane Theatre.
The Times, 1824-01-31T00:00:00

Yesterd;ty being t3 t of January, the ordinary theatrical en.. te*tainments were, as isasual, suspended. AlrE'Bochsa, however, got up a selection of -music, sacred and. profane, at this house, which attracted nearly as numerous an audience as we recollect to have witnessed this seas0z. The-chief vocal-performers were Mrs. Salmon, Mfiis Paton,.s_ Ais Stephens, Mlt Brahnm, and Plr. Bel. lamy. Their coadjators, though known to the town, do not 4ear a very high rank in the musical world. God save the Kitg was, ia the flrst instance, sung witlh very powerful effct; after which a selection from Handers Oratorio of Tlte _Mes,lah was per- formed. Mr. Braham's exezution of " Comforte ye, my people" was beautifully simple and expressivei. 'The tenderness and affection of a kind and affectionate parent lived in every note. dlrs. Salmon's ex- quisite voice, directed by a pure and delicate taste, rendered the de- lightful air, " Rejoice grcatly," more than ussuaay gratifying. Too much praise canrotbe bestowed on Miiss SteAnens for the pious fer- vency by which aher e,ecution of the air," 1 know tbat my Redeemer liveth" waa distinguished. The.grand chorus " la'llelujah" was grandly performed, and justly encored. Between the first and second part of the entertainment, Miss Paton sang the well known airof Di tantipalpiti,from Ross ni's Ope(a, Ji Tayzcredi. This laMy's merit mray be summed up in a word-had Rossini himself been precent, he would have joined in the shout of encore, which resounded in every partofthetheatre. The eecond part consisted of what was termed "The celebrated Oratorio of Tte Day of Judgment, composed for tlfe King of Ptussia, by Fredericl Schneider, Chapel laster to His Mliajesty," being it9 flrst performance (and we sincerelv believe its last) in tbis country. 'Ve know not where this very indiffetentprodubtion hasbeen celebrated: certainly the audience last night showed no disposition even to tolerate it. -Mr. Schneider has not a geniuis capable of grappling with such a momentous theme as the " day of judgment." The long-buried nations emancipated from the thraldem of death, and advancing witlh fearful trepidation to the awful judgment seat-the pious vet humble hope of the good -the reckless despair of the wicked, self-accused, and self-convicted -the Hosannas of the angelic choir-the weePing, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, of the cendemned-such a iubject is fit ornly to be treated- by a poet like Mlilton, and a composer like Handel ! The poet and composer? in -the present instance, are pretty nearly balanced: if to be inspired vwere criminal, they might both plead ." not guilty" with a safe conscience. Mr. Schneider, espedcally in his chorusses; appears to lhave taken'Handel for his model; and certainly a better model he could not have chosen. But his effort- remind ene of the frog in the fable, who would fain persuade himn. <.-1 t.^-t h. -.^1A US : _ _A A _ 'k- A_ q'I - - . A__ J .s Handel's chorisses did not mnerely consist in noise: they are all suited to the occasion, aind thouqh they burst on us like tbunsder, they roll away almost imperceptibly, without losing a particle of their dignity.-vithout ceasing to enchain eur attention. One ofthe great Iaults of ilMr. Schneider's chorusses is the painfuil abruptness with which thev terminate: they break off without any preparation wbatever2 the composer appears to want discri. mination- quality of first-tate importance in the musical art. His chorus of ajngels and of demons have no distinctive character. Leave out the words, and the music given Io the demons might be chantel by the angeLs, and vice vcr.W. His solos are elaborate; but they contain scarcely a passage tle melotdy of which woould affect the heart, or imprint it on the me- mory. The best air is- that of." Hark ! the trumpet's voice," which was finely sung by Braham. The symphony is bold and original. The concluding quartat, " A throne ic prepared," Is %ery pretty; hut it ivmore suited to en opera than an oratorio. The au. dience expressed great dissatisfattion during the performance. The third part, which wvas miscellaneous, went oftfvery wvell. DRVRY.LAANE THEATRE.