VOL. 40-No. 38.

ARTISTS.

MAD. GASSIER (Her first appearance in the Provinces these three years). MLLE. MARIE CRUVELLI (Of the Grand Imperial Opera, Berlin). MR. SWIFT (The popular English Tenor).

S4d. Unstamped. PRICE 15d. Stamped.

T. MARTIN'S HALL, LONG ACRE.-To be Let on Lease or Sóld, these very valuable Premises, consisting of Large and small music halls, admirably adapted for musical, religious, or literary purposes, or for any object requiring large space, together with class-rooms, a good dwelling-house, cellars, and conveniences. For particulars apply p.p. to Messrs. DANGERFIELD and FRASER, Solicitors, 26, Craven Street, Charing Cross.

INSTRUMENTALISTS.

To whom communications should be addressed, 4 Cambridge Place, Regent's Park, N.W. or to Mr. SHEPPARD, 28 Grosvenor Street, W.

PRIZE MEDAL FOR PRATTEN'S PERFECTED

FLUTES, WITH THE OLD SYSTEM OF FINGERING.-BOOSEY & SONS have much pleasure in announcing that these instruments have received the Prize. Medal of the International Exhibition. An Illustrated Catalogue may be obtained upon application to the manufacturers, BOOSEY & SONS, 24, Holles Street, W.

PRIZE MEDAL FOR BOOSEY & SONS' MILITARY

BAND INSTRUMENTS, CORNETS, &c.-BOOSEY & SONS have much pleasure in announcing that these instruments have received the Prize Medal of the International Exhibition. An Illustrated Catalogue may be obtained upon application to the manufacturers, BoosEY & SONS, 24, Holles Street, W.

desirous of obtaining a post as Secretary or Clerk, or in any capacity where business habits, literary ability, good address, and a disposition to make these generally useful, might be required. Good references. Salary moderate. 674 St. Paul's Road, Camden Town.

& PARRY (successors to Wessel &

beg to inform the Profession that they forward Parcels on Sale upon receipt of references in town. Returns to be made at Midsummer and Christmas. Their Catalogues, which contain a great variety of Music calculated for teaching purposes, may be had, post-free, on application.

HUMMEL. Price 2s. full size.

BOOSEY & SONS, Holles Street.

In the Press,

NEW ORGAN MUSIC, BY HENRY SMART,

HANDEL'S CHORUSES,

Specially arranged for the

ORGAN,

With Pedal Obligato, by
SMAR T.

HENRY

London: DUNCAN DAVISON & Co. 244 Regent Street, W.

MR.

New expressly composed for him, "BELOVED ONE NAME THE DAY," at Truro, September 26; Devenport, September 30; at Plymouth, October 1; at Teignmouth, October 2; at Exmouth, October 3.

CONGS OF SCOTLAND.-Hanover Square Rooms.

Mr. KENNEDY, Scottish Vocalist, Edinburgh, will give his first entertainment on the Songs of Scotland on Monday, 22nd September. Commence at 8. Mr. LAND has kindly consented to preside at the Pianoforte.

(Characteristically Illustrated). What Next Quadrilles" (Robin's Last), with cornet accompaniment "The Spirit Rapping Polka," dedicated to all spirit-rappers' mediums "The Llewellyn Waltz," dedicated to Mr. Backwell, B.M. 3rd R.W.M. London: DUNCAN DAVISON & Co., 244 Regent Street, W.

NEV

s. d.

4 0

EW SONGS BY SIGNOR R. PALMERINI. "Out in the Sunshine" (Poetry by J. E. Carpenter) "La Primavera " (Poesia del Signor F. Cacciola)

...

38.

35.

London: DUNCAN DAVISON & Co., 244 Regent Street, W.

ΝΕ

EW SONGS BY W. VINCENT WALLACE."The Song of May" "When thou and I last parted"

...

3s.

...

39.

"These are three morceaux de salon of the most elegant description. Mr. AGUILAR'S Dream Dance' is a graceful and imaginative movement, which would make a charming accompaniment to a dance of sylphs or fairies in a ballet. Mr. Berger has selected as the themes of his fantasia the two most favourite airs, There's truth in woman still,' and' A young and artless maiden,' in Mr. Howard Glover's pretty operetta; working them, by adding a short introduction, and a brilliant coda in tempo di valsa, into a masterly and animated pianoforte piece, in which the vocal melodies are embellished by a rich and varied accompaniment. Mr. Macfarren's Tarantella is of course in the time and measure of this Neapolitan dance, and preserves the rapidity of its breathless whirl. While, however, it is thus conventional in its form, it is new and original in its details. There occurs, in particular, in the midst of it, a deliciously soft and flowing melody, played with the left hand, as if an the violoncello or bassoon, with a light and airy accompaniment in the upper part which contrasts beautifully with the impetuous current of the rest of the movement.' -The Press.

THE AIRS, BALLADS, FANTASIAS, QUADRILLES, WALTZES, &c. IN THE OPERETTA OF

s. d. 4 0 4 6 2 6 2 6 2 6 2 6 2 6 3 0 3 0

"Oh! Glorious Age of Chivalry." Duet. For Soprano and Contralto "The Solemn Words his Lips have spoken." Grand Air. For Soprano "The Love you've slighted still is true." Ballad. Sung by Mlle. JENNY BAUR "Stratagem is Woman's Power." Ballad. Sung by Miss EMMA HEYWOOD... "Love is a gentle Thing." Ballad. Sung by Miss EMMA HEYWOOD "A young and artless Maiden." Romance. Sung by Herr REICHARDT "There's Truth in Woman still." Romance. Sung by Herr REICHARDT ... "The Monks were jolly Boys." Ballad. Sung by Herr FORMES "In my Chateau of Pompernik." Aria Buffa. Sung by Herr FORMES

LLE. ADELINA PATTI'S NEW

New Vocal Music.

SI TU SAVAIS. Romance. Composée par M. W.

BALFE. 35.

BELOVED

ELOVED ONE, NAME THE DAY. Ballad. The Words by JOHN LAMB, Esq. The Music by ALFRED MELLON. 2s. 6d. EMORY.

Song. The Poetry by DESMOND RYAN.

The Music by ALEXander ReicharDT. 35.

MY

Mrs. CRAWFORD. The Music by EDWARD LAND. 38.
London: DUNCAN Davisox and Co.

"The above are a few of the prettiest vocal pieces that have appeared during the past publishing season. They are all by well-known and popular composers, of whose talents they are agreeable specimens. Balfe's French romance is in his hap piest vein. Our countryman has successfully contended with the Parisian composers on their own ground-witness the reception of his fine operas, Les Quatre Fïls Aymon and Le Puits d'Amour, at the Opéra Comique; and in the little song before us he shows how entirely he is at home in the French style. It is tender and passionate, with that infusion of graceful lightness and gaiety which gives the French poetry and music of this class their peculiar charm. Signor Gardoni has sung it in public with delicious effect; but it by no means requires the aid of such a singer to make it charming. Mr. Alfred Mellon's ballad is worthy of that able and eminent musician. The melody is simple and natural, without being trite or commonplace; and the whole composition shows that new and striking effects of modulation and harmony may be produced without setting at defiance (as is too often done) the established principles and rules of art.-Few vocal pieces of the present time have obtained greater popularity than Herr Reichardt's song, "Thou art so near," not only in English, but (by means of its German and French versions) all over the Continent. His new production, Memory,' is of a similar character, and bids fair to have a similar sue-. cess. Mr. Desmond Ryan's verses are elegant, and Reichardt has united them to a melody at once pure, simple, and expressive. Signor Pinsuti's ballad, Hast thou no tear for me?' has been recommended to the attention of the public by the pleasing performance of Mr. Tennant, for whom it was written, and by whom it has been sung at many of the best concerts of the season. Signor Pinsuti, an Italian, has produced an air of Italian grace and beauty, while he has entirely avoided the faults into which foreign composers so often fall in setting English words to music. The melody, not only expresses the sentiment conveyed by the poetry, but does not present a single misplaced emphasis or accent-a most important requisite in vocal music. Mr. Knight's canzonet is melodious, flowing, and extremely well fitted for a mezzo-soprano or contralto voice. There is a flaw in one place which dims the clearness of the harmony. In bar 8, page 2, G flat in the melody is accompanied by E natural in the bass, creating a diminished third (or tenth)-an interval very rarely allowed, and not, we think, in the present case. There is much that is masterly in Mr. Land's romanza, and Mr. Santley, for whom it was composed, has sung it with deserved success. We could have wished it had been a little less elaborate; that the flow of the melody had been less disturbed by extraneous modulation; and that the pianoforte accompaniment had been lighter and less loaded with notes. It is a fine song, nevertheless, and not unworthy of the author's well-merited reputation."-The Press.

NEW AND REVISED EDITION. Price 12s.

THE VOICE AND SINGING (The Formation and Cultivation of the Voice for Singing).

BY

ADOLFO FERRARI.

"The great and deserved success of this work has brought it, in no long time, to a second edition, carefully revised, and enriched with a number of additional exercises, which greatly increase its value."—Illustrated News.

LONDON: DUNCAN DAVISON & Co. 244 Regent Street, W.

Just Published,

MLLE
THE OLD HOUSE BY THE LANDENS." The Poetry by LOLLAD

Sung with the greatest success by Mlle. ADELINI PATTI, for whom it was expressly composed by HOWARD GLOVER,

London: DUNCAN DAVISON & Co. 244 Regent Street, W.

Composed by

3. "Norma," dedicated to Miss Katherine Greenhill

4 0

BRINLEY RICHARDS, sung with such distinguished success at the CARNARVON FESTIVAL, by Mr. LEWIS THOMAS, is published, price 3s. by

DUNCAN DAVISON & Co. 244 Regent Street, W.

6. "Martha," dedicated to Miss Frances Gurney

London: DUNCAN DAVISON & Co. 244 Regent Street, W.

IF the attendance at the first two concerts was not as numerous as it might have been, the third and last compensated for previous shortcomings, and the anything but cheerful looking Shire-Hall was literally crammed to overflowing, numbers who had deferred making up their minds until too late, learning the application of the proverb, that "procrastination," if not "the soul of business," as Lord Dundreary might say, is certainly the "thief of time," and tickets too, as they found on presenting themselves at the sole depôt provided for their sale. And here by the way it may not be out of place to remark the exceeding inconvenience of having only one office for the purchase of tickets. Day after day have we observed, just before the performance, carriages driving up, their occupants struggling for admission into the by no means extensive establishment which enjoys the entire monopoly of the disposal of admissions, an injustice not only to other shopkeepers of the town, but an arrangement productive of delay, discomfort and confusion, as well as detrimental to the interests of the festival, to say nothing of monopolies of all kinds being bad. When the Commissioners of the International Exhibition virtually confined the sale of catalogues to the building, by putting some twenty-five per cent on to the price if purchased elsewhere, the few disposed of soon taught them a lesson of wisdom, and they were glad to rescind their regulation, and permit free trade to an unlimited extent, and so with their tickets, at first restricted, but now to be obtained in all quarters. It can make no difference to the stewards, who only allow a very trifling commission, whether one person or twenty, shall have the percentage; indeed, we should imagine it would be to their advantage to increase the number, inasmuch as it would afford extended publicity, in itself a most desirable recommendation, in addition to the gain to the public, who, instead of being squeezed and hustled in a narrow doorway, having both in exit and entry to stem a conflicting tide, would have their choice, and procure their vouchers without loss of time or temper. Another arrangement also, of an obstructive character, calls for notice, the erection of a V shaped barrier outside the Cathedral, which might be very well if a terrific rush were expected, like that to the gallery of a theatre on a boxing night, but with doors opened an hour and a half before each performance, it surely cannot be necessary to form a "queue" after the fashion of the Parisian Theatres. There may, however, be an occult reason, and that rather with a view to prevent the rapid sortie, than the too sudden ingress of the public, and so, by gently filtering the audience out of the Cathedral, affording that double file of fair and bewitching ladies (whose smiles are more powerful than either sermons or music, to aid the cause of the charity, and whose cool persistence in refusing to see that one has already contributed to the preceding plate, shows such earnest devotion to the cause, and such thorough belief in their own fascinations) an opportunity of personally soliciting each individual, and so allowing none to escape their wiles. If this be the case, whatever inconvenience may be suffered, would of course be borne with equanimity. But to return to our concert. With such an attraction as Mr. Benedict's Undine, it is no wonder that the Gloucestrians flocked in crowds, and exhibited an enthusiasm proportionate to their numbers, and worthy the work they had come to hear. Produced at the Norwich Festival two years since, subsequently performed at St. James' Hall, where its provincial success was at once unanimously confirmed by that most exacting tribunal, a London audience, repeated last year at Hereford, where it was received with no less favour, this charming cantata has taken the position which is justly its due, and which no composition of a similar nature, since Dr. Sterndale Bennett's exquisite May Queen (written for the Leeds festival of 1858), has more honourably earned. There is no test so certain to ascertain the intrinsic goodness of music as its frequent repetition, and we may be sure, if after frequent hearings, it still affords pleasure, that it possesses a sterling worth, beyond the reach of time. Take, for instance, such works as Mendelssohn's Lobgesang or Elijah. What musician is there who does not love to hear them at every opportunity, each time finding fresh beauties, and new sources of admiration, thanking God for the divine art, and only regretting that such a gifted creature should have been called away before his mission was half complete, and thinking sadly over that fragment of Christus,

which promised as far to excel all other oratorios as Elijah had outshone all that had gone before, or any that appear likely to succeed it.

The cast of Undine included two of the original representatives, Mr. Sims Reeves, as Hildebrand, and Mr. Weiss, as Kühleborn; Mlle. Titiens, sustaining the part of Undine, and Mad. Sainton Dolby (as at Hereford), that of Bertalda. The Gloucester audiences, in one respect, somewhat resemble poor Charles Lamb, who, when in his younger days, occupying the useful, but uncongenial post of clerk in a mercantile office, and being reproached by his principal with "really Mr. Lamb, this is too bad, you are late again," replied, stammeringly, "Well, sir, but if I come late, look how early I go away;" and so on this principle, the same people who cannot remain to hear, "Thanks be to God," find it impossible to get in their places time enough to hear the overture and opening chorus of Undine, although the conductor had patiently waited considerably beyond the hour set down for commencement. As a matter of course, all the principal "numbers" met with loud approbation. Undine's elegant and catching song, "Mark the waves that rippling play," the effective terzetto, "Daughter of a wondrous race," the scena commencing with the recitative, "My own Undine," and concluding with the stirring air, "Loud sounds the trumpet "-never more finely declaimed than on this occasion by Mr. Sims Reeves, the solo contralto air, "The Baron's old castle," and the invocation to the gnomes, all coming in for their share of unmistakeable approval, the quartet and finale, bringing to a triumphant conclusion this charming work, which lends additional pleasure each time that it is heard. Of the general execution we may say with truth, that it might have been better. A concert which included sixteen pieces, in addition to a work the length of Undine, can hardly be called short, but we suppose that as these festivals are only triennial, a less extended programme would not meet the desires of their patrons, to say nothing of the exigencies of principal singers, most of whom like to be heard more than once each evening. The overture to Guillaume Tell should be by this time tolerably familiar to the band, considering how frequently it has been played by the majority of them during the last two seasons, to say nothing of its having been for many years a stock piece at every important meeting in the kingdom; yet, strange to say, its execution was very far from perfect; indeed, a so generally coarse and unsteady performance it has not been our lot for some time to hear. A fantasia of his own composition gave Mr. R. S. Pratten an opportunity at once of displaying the fine tone of his perfected flute (to which the Jurors of Class 16 have awarded a prize medal) and the absolute perfection of his own mastery over the instrument. The clear, flexible voice of Mlle. Parepa in Bellini's "Qui la voce," and the sparkling laughing song from Auber's unaccountedly neglected Manon Lescaut, elicited hearty and deserved applause, and it is not surprising that Mlle. Titiens should win an encore for her brilliant version of Arditi's well known "Bacio " waltz. If Signor Bossi had rather more knowledge of his art, and less tendency to buffoonery (which is as distinct from real humour as Mr. Sothern's performance is from that of a "music hall" nigger) his attempts at "Madamina" and "Dunque lo son" might be more satisfactory. After the latter, it was an agreeable relief to hear Madame Laura Baxter in Mr. H. Smart's 66 Estelle," ," which was sung with all the feeling of an artist who thoroughly entered into the spirit and poetry of a composition of which twenty year's existence has not dimmed the lustre. Mr. Weiss, who, at a previous concert, revived one of Balfe's songs from a too seldom heard opera, resuscitated another from an almost forgotten play, The Castle of Andalusia, a melo-drama of the old school, to which we owe that delight of amateur bass singers, (especially in country towns), "The Wolf," as well as Flow, thou regal purple stream," a good example of Dr. Arnold's style of composition, and which enjoyed wonderful popularity in its day, a popularity of which we hardly think the lease will be renewed by the present generation. The unaccompanied "Pater Noster," from Dinorah, very smoothly sung by Mesdames Parepa, Laura Baxter, Mr. Montem Smith, and Mr. Winn, had its effect destroyed by an instrumental conclusion, as unlooked for as it was perplexing, and for which it appears that the orchestra were not altogether responsible, the piece having been re-instrumented by Meyerbeer, and the parts distributed to them differing from those to which they

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