Printed by GEORGE ANDREW SPOTTISWOODE, of No. 12 James Street, Buckingham Gate, in the Parish of St. Margaret, in the City of Westminster, at No. 5 New-street Square, In the Parish of St. Bride, in the City of London. Published by JOHN BOOSEY, at the Office of BoOSEY & SONS, 28 Holles Street.-Saturday, February 8, 1862. "THE WORTH OF ART APPEARS MOST EMINENT IN MUSIC, SINCE IT REQUIRES NO MATERIAL, NO SUBJECT-MATTER, WHOSE EFFECT MUST BE DEDUCTED: IT IS WHOLLY FORM AND POWER, AND IT RAISES AND ENNOBLES WHATEVER IT EXPRESSES" — Göthe. SUBSCRIPTION-Stamped for Postage-20s. PER ANNUM Payable in advance by Cash or Post-Office Order to BOOSEY & SONS, 28 Holles Street, Cavendish Square, London, W. VOL. 40-No. 7 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1862 M. SAINTON begs to announce that his ANNUAL SOIREES, for the performance of CLASSICAL CHAMBER MUSIC, will take place at his residence, 5 Upper Wimpole Street, on the following dates, at halfpast eight o'clock: Tuesdays, March, 4, 18, April, 1, and Wednesday, April 23. Executants: Messrs. SAINTON, POLLITZER, DOYLE, WEBB, PAQUE and PIATTI. A -pianist of eminence will appear on each occasion. Subscription for the Series, one guinea and a half; for a single soirée, half a guinea, to be had of M. SAINTON at his residence, and of the principal Musicsellers. ADAME SAINTON-DOLBY begs to announce that be held on every Monday and Thursday throughout the season. Particulars can be obtained at Mad. SAINTON-DOLBY's residence, where the meetings take place, 5 Upper Wimpole Street. MLLE. GEORGI will sing "O MIO FERNANDO" COLLARD AND COLLARD'S NEW WEST-END "Q (from La Favorita), and "O BID YOUR FAITHFUL ARIEL FLY" (from the Tempest), on Wednesday, the 19th instant, at the Concert to be given in St. James's Hall, for the Benefit of the INFIRMARY FOR CONSUMPTION, Margaret Street, Cavendish Square. ESTABLISHMENT, 16 Grosvenor Street, Bond Street, where all communications are to be addressed. Pianofortes of all classes for Sale and lire. City Branch, 26 Cheapside, E. C. MISS ELEANOR WARD will play EMILE BERGER'S THE MUSICAL STUDENT'S MANUAL, Combining popular Fantasia, "LES ECHOS DE LONDRES," MR. SMITH) will deliver his Musical Lecture, with Vocal and Instrumental Illustrations, at the Whittington Club, on Thursday Evening, 20th February. Commence at 8 o'clock. Tickets. 5s., 2s. 6d. and Is., may be had of the Secretary at the Club, and Mr. R. W. OLLIVIER, 19 Old Bond Street. HANOVER SQUARE ROOMS (the QUEEN'S CON CERT-ROOMS).-Ladies and Gentlemen who propose using these Rooms for Concerts, Balls, Lectures, Entertainments, Readings, Soirées, Matinées, Fancy Fairs, &c., or holding Religious or other Meetings, are respectfully invited to make early application, as engagements are being rapidly made. Apply at the Rooms, or to ROBERT COCKS & Co., 6 New Burlington Street, W., and 4 Hanover Square. ing of Vocal Music, by THOMAS MURBY, Editor of the "Golden Wreath," "New Tunes to Choice Words," &c. Div I-Relating to Sound, pp. 136, price 2s. Div II.-On Rhythm, to complete the Work, will be published shortly. The Manual" is used as a text-book at the Borough Road, Stockwell and Westminster Training Colleges. "One of the best elementary books for learning music, as a science, that we have yet seen. It is very cheap."-Globe. "The sbject is treated with clearness and ability. The difficulties of almost every page are cleared up as the journey proceeds, and the learner feels himself in company with a fellow-student, who, being slightly in the advance, blandly beckons him on.”— Critic. "New Tunes to Choice Words." Second Edition. 32 Easy, Original, Juvenile four-part Songs, cloth 8vo, 1s. 6d. "So widely known and prized in schools."-Educational Record. Messrs. B SEY & SONS, 28 Holles Street, W.; Messrs. GROOMBRIDGE & SONS, Paternoster Row. Just Published, Price 2s. 6d., "THE SWAN'S MELODY," Sung by Madame LEM MENS-SHERRINGTON and Mlle. PAREA. The Music by GEORGE RUSSELL. "THE SWAN'S MELODY.'-Under this title, Mr. George Russell has just issued a new sweet little song; it is one of his best compositions, not merely locally but universally. The Swan's Melody,' it will be recollected, was sung with great effect at Mr. Russell's last annual concert, by Mlle. Parepa, at the new public hall, on which occasion that charming vocalist was very deservedly applauded for the expressive manner in which she rendered the beautiful little song under notice. It is, in short, a very free and flowing melody, and we have no doubt it will become popular in the drawing-room, as it does not present any difficulties to deter amateurs from performing it. Mr. Russell has achieved great success as a composer; in fact, has become as distinguished in this refined and exquisite department of his art, as he has in that of a performer on the pianoforte. We have pleasure in commending the Swan's Melody' to our readers."-Croydon Paper. Just Published, Price 3s., "ALICE." Transcription facile for the Pianoforte, by BERNHOFF, is now ready, and may be obtained of the Publishers. DUNCAN DAVISON & Co., 244 Regent Street, W. MUSICAL WORLD DETETANON D PE LONDON GENERAL COAL COMPANY (LIMITED). F. W. HAMMOND, GENERAL Best Sunderland Wallsend (thoroughly screened) MANAGER. Good Strong Kitchen Coal (free from dust and slate) OFFICES-373 OXFORD STREET, AND GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY, KING'S CROSS. VANS'S ENGLISH HARMONIUMS for Cottages, made in every possible variety at prices from 6 to 140 guineas. The Manufacturers have to announce the complete success of a New Patent Self-Acting Blowing Machine, the only self-acting blower that has ever succeeded, which may be seen in operation at Holles Street daily. The most distinguished living musicians, including Balfe, Sterndale Bennett, Cipri ani Potter, Best, Henry Smart, &c., have testified to the extraordinary merits of Evans's Harmoniums. See testimonials attached to Illustrated Catalogues of Harmoniums, to be had gratis of the Manufacturers, BOOSEY & CHING, 24 Holles Street, London. EVANS'S ENGLISH MODEL HARMONIUM, with two rows of keys, price 66 guineas in oak case, or 70 guineas in rosewood case, combines every modern improvement. The most beautiful and varied orchestral effects can be produced upon this instrument, which possesses every gradation of tone from the greatest power to the most delicate piano pieces. The English Model Harmonium is managed with that facility which characterises all Evans's Harmoniums, and is equally effective both in the drawing room and church. BOOSEY & CHING, Manufacturers, 24 Holles Street, London, W. ROBERT COCKS and CO.'S POPULAR MUSIC. 325th Edition of Hamilton's "Modern Instructions for Piano," 4.; ditto for Singing, 20th Edition, 5s.; Hamilton's Dictionary of 3,500 Musical Terms, 66th Edition, 1s.; Clarke's "Catechism of Music," 70th Edition, Is.; Oratorios, complete, each 2s.; "Messiah," Is. 4d., 2s., 3s. 6d., 6s. 6d., 15s. and 188.; 178 Glees, &c., 118 Anthems, 373 Chants, 105 Rounds, in Nos., each 2d.; Hopkins and Rimbault on the Organ, 31s. 6d.; Rimbault on the Pianoforte, 36s.; Schoelcher's "Life of Handel," 7s. 6d.; Catalogues of Music of all kinds; Specimen Pages of the Oratorios, Price List of Pianos, with Drawings; List of Violins and other Instruments, at all prices; all gratis and post free. WHAT ARE THE WILD WAVES SAYING? for piano, by BRINLEY RICHARDS. 38. "A magnificent arrangement. Must as a matter of course have a place wherever Glover's duet is known- that is everywhere."-The Freeman. USIC.- Gratis and post free, a CATALOGUE of W. VINCENT WALLACE. For piano, SOUVENIR des INDES ORIENTALES, Melodie, from the Burlington Album, 3s. Blue Bells of Scotland, solo, 3s.; duet, 4s. Ye Banks and Braes, solo, 3s.; duet, 4s. Twilight Romance, 2s. Fading Away, 3. Annie Laurie, 2s. 6d. Rosebud Polka, 2s. 6d. Home, Sweet Home, 3. Robin Adair, 4s. Croyez-moi, 2s. 6d. Twilight Romance, 2s. Catalogue of his most recent works gratis and post free. NEW PIANOFORTES for all Classes, from 181. to 421. 61-octaves. All are warranted. ROBERT COCKS & Co., New Burlington Street, Regent Street, London, W., Music Publishers to her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria and his Imperial Majesty the Emperor Napoleon III. Reviews. “Elaine's Song" —words from TENNYSON'S Idylls of the King; music by WALTER HAY (Duncan Davison & Co.). Though the spirit of the "little song" which Elaine, who "sweetly could make and sing," did make and sing as "The Song of Love and Death," is not, perhaps, exactly reflected here, in other respects we have nothing but praise for Mr. Walter Hay's composition, which-whether we look to its melody, as natural and flowing, or to its accompaniment, as a model of neatness-is, in a strictly musical sense, altogether irreproachable. "Mignon;" "Self-Deception "words from GOETHE, music by ADRIAN (Duncan Davison & Co.). This is the first time we have heard of "Adrian." We presume he is a German. That he is a good musician is apparent in both these songs; but that his modesty is equal to his merit would seem doubtful. Beethoven, as all the world knows, has set the delicious song from WilhemMeister ("Kennst du das Land ?"); and how he has set it need not be told. What Beethoven himself thought of his own music may be gathered from his talk when he first played and sang it to "Bettina." "Is it not beautiful?”— says he. "Yes," says she. "I will play it again," says he. "Do," says she, &c. After this one might have set down Mignon's Song as, by universal consent, sacred to Beethoven. "Adrian," however, not squeamish, has reset it, more or less (more "more" than "less") in the Italian style. What he has written is graceful enough, but it has not a spark of the Gothic fire; and we shall, therefore, continue our allegiance to Beethoven. "Self-Deception " ("Selbst Betrug"), with German and English words (the English version, by the way, done in a kindred spirit by Mr. John Dwight, of Boston), is a volkslied, or people's song. Judged from a musical point of view, it is at least as good as its companion; while as a genuine thing it is altogether preferable. Taking the average of the Proch-Abt-Kücken drawing-room songs, "Self-Deception" may pass muster as one of the best of the class. "Fascination Polka - pour le pianoforte par J. C. BEAUMONT, Professor of Music, Berry Row, near Huddersfield. Copyright (L. Scholefield, Huddersfield.) Why not "Professeur de Musique, Front de Berry, Champs de l'Outre, Copiedroit," to complete the absurdity? The "Fascination Polka" begins thus fascinatingly :- Fascinating, truly! "Te Deum Laudamus"- for solo and chorus, with organ or piano accompaniment - by ARTHUR CRUMP (Robert W. Ollivier). There is abundant good intention in this piece; but here commendation must stop. Mr. Crump should first endeavour to write purely; and when he has mastered that, slacken the reins of his Pegasus by degrees. He might then ride safely on the clouds of his harmonic fancy. "Heath Flower" for the pianoforte by ALFRED BED DOE (J. Norwood, Preston). There is nothing new in this piece, nor any evident reason why it should be styled "Heath Flower," any more than Meerschaum. being difficult, lying well for the hand in every passage. It is, however, brilliant and showy, without "In the Spring;" "The Summer Wind". songs - the verse arranged by HENRY F. CHORLEY (Cramer, Beale & Wood). The first is for a tenor voice, the second for a soprano. Both are unpretending, and neither is without grace, although the termination of each verse of "In the Spring" may fairly be taxed with abruptness. DRESDEN. Herr von Lüttichau, Intendant-General of the Theatre Royal, is suffering from a paralytic stroke. His place is temporarily filled up by Herr Barr. HANOVER.-M. Gounod's Faust has been placed on the stage at the Theatre Royal, with more than ordinary splendour. In the last act As a mark alone, there are five new scenes, painted by Herr Martin. of his approbation of her performance of Gretchen, the King has forwarded Mlle. Ubrich a magnificent bracelet, accompanied by a most flattering letter. A concert has already been given in aid of the funds for the Marschner Monument. BAMBERG.-The Musikverein, consisting of more than 200 members, lately gave a highly successful performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah. WIESBADEN. Ferdinand Hiller's new opera, Die Katakomben, libretto by Herr Moritz Hartmann, is in active rehearsal, and will be produced on the 2nd February. COBURG. A new grand opera, entitled, Die Jungfrau von Orleans, words by Herr August Langert, has just been produced, with success. On the night of the first performance, the young composer was called on several times, and loudly applauded.* REGENSBURG. The numerous admirers of Joseph Haydn will be glad to learn that an account of the old master's life and productions will shortly be published. It is from the pen of Dr. Dominicus Mettenleiter, and will form four volumes. The author has spent twenty years in collecting his materials, with what trouble and sacrifices may easily be imagined. on. MUNICH.-M. Gounod's Faust has been given here, before a crowded house. The subscription-list was entirely suspended. Not only were the singers, but the scene-painter and the machinist repeatedly called The King and Queen, as well as the Princes Adalbert and Theodore were present. At a concert lately given by Herr Peter Marolt, Mad. Sophia Schröder, an old lady eighty-two years old, and a pensioned member of the Theatre Royal, recited an ode by Klopstock, with all the energy and spirit of a young woman. She was loudly applauded. At the second subscription-concert given by Herr Ortner, Court-organist, the great features in the programme were a Symphony, in E flat, by Haydn; and Mendelssohn's " Capriccio brillante," in B minor, for pianoforte and crchestra; the latter played by Professor Schönchen.-During the past year, there were, at the Theatres Royal, altogether, 314 representations; 140 representations of operas, and 32 of ballets. Three operas were entirely new; and five, revivals. The three novelties were: Der Hans ist da, comic opera, by Föry; Orpheus und Eurydice, by Gluck, and Dom Sebastian, by Donizetti. The re "Watch and Pray"-words by W. S. PASSMORE; music yivals were Doctor und Apotheker, by Dittersdorf: Le Chaperon Rouge, by THOMAS THORPE (T. T. Lemare). The accompaniment is too entortille,—“indecassibly interreticulated," as Scaliger might have said. There is margent for improvement, wide as that which surrounds the page itself. by Boieldieu; Marie, by Hérold; Le Maçon, by Auber; and Le Nozze di Figaro, by Mozart. Meyerbeer was represented twelve times; Weber, nine; Gluck and Boieldieu, eight each; Conradi, Donizetti and Flotow, seven each; Mozart, six; and Wagner, five. * Who was the young composer? --Printer's Devil. MUSIC AND THEATRES IN PARIS. (From our own Correspondent.) work it must be that is ushered in by such a prologue! Gounod, Adoniram, the author of the prospectus, the mystic founder of the sea of brass," are they not one? We have masters here some of whom have studied in the great school of the United Statesthe land of blatant charlatanism - masters of the art of puffing! Our papers contain daily models of such managerial manifestoes. But their authors must hide their diminished heads before the "supernatural genius" and the "sea of brass of the Imperial Opera of Paris. That touch of Zadkiel, in his most mysterious predictions, is an entirely new ingredient, and constitutes a grand discovery. I recommend this " argument to the attentive study of our managers, apologising for the inadequate English I have found for the original; but I confess, had I a forty PalgraveSimpson-power of translation, I could not have made my English as obscure as the Frenchman's French. The "getting up" of this great work will be something stupendous, it is said. The casting of the "sea of brass is particularly mentioned. It is to take twenty minutes a-doing. Heaven grant us a safe passage over this mysterious sea! 66 Feb. 13, 1862. THIS missive will reach you on Valentine's day, but it will be neither a declaration of love nor an explosion of spite, such as tyrant custom loads the tired postman with, making him thus commemorate by his sufferings the martyrdom of the good Bishop Valentinus, A.D. 271. The simple and unadorned narrative of current events I have to send you this week, will contrast with the wreath-enclosed lovers, or the garish caricature, which will form the contents of most letters received by the same post. Something of love and romance, however, I shall have to touch on, though of a date far antecedent to the martyrdom of the saint who has so oddly become the patron of lovers. All the world concerned in art-matters is babbling and prattling over the forthcoming production of M. Gounod's much and long-talked of opera La Reine de Saba, the production of which has been put off from St. Valentine's day - when, appropriately enough, the story of the ancient Royal lovers was to have been first told in musical until the 21st of February, which has no particular fitness about it that I can discover with the help of the calendar. It may interest your readers to know the subject of the opera, and I shall therefore here insert a short account of it, translated from a sort of prospectus of the new work recently put forward. I will premise that the foundation of the libretto is a legend narrated in a book of eastern travel, published by the unfortunate Gerard de Nerval. The argument of Gounod's opera runs thus:"The works which earned for Solomon, in the legend called Soliman, the surname of the Wise, are conceived and executed by a mysterious being named Adoniram, who exhibits a profound contempt for all earthly greatness, and especially for the King, whom he treats as the son of a shepherd. The fact is Adoniram is himself descended of a divine race, of the sons of Fire. accents 66 The Queen, yielding to the love-suit urged by Soliman, has promised to marry him, and as a token gives him a ring; but, under the influence of a sinister presentiment, she regrets this engagement upon seeing Adoniram, and while in the presence of this supernatural genius, whose power affrights even the King himself, when, at the desire of the Queen to behold his army of workmen gathered together, Adoniram, by merely tracing with his hand certain signs in the air, collects them in a few moments from every point of the city.* "The power of freemasonry appears here in all its splendour, for, to the chief of the workmen who built the temple of Solomon is ascribed, the foundation of that great moral association which has spread over the entire world. "The Queen has come to be present at the consummation of an immense work-the casting of the sea of brass, which is to crown the glory of the master, or cause him to lose the fruit of his labours. The operation is conducted on the stage, and fails through the treachery of three workmen, to whom Adoniram had refused to disclose the master's pass-word. "Adoniram, crushed by the weight of his misfortune, loses all courage on learning that Soliman loves the Queen; but the latter has seen him so great in his creation t that she discovers he is of royal origin, and makes an avowal of her love, notwithstanding the oath which binds her to the King. "The work of Adoniram has been successfully completed through the assistance of the Djjuns during the night; his glory is restored, but hatred pursues him; the three workmen have detected his secret dealings with the Queen, and inform Soliman, who promises them the password, if they know how to earn it as a reward. Adoniram must die! "The Queen, to recover her token, employs a means which only the Biblical origin of the legend can authoriset: she fills Soliman's cup with an enchanted beverage, and abstracts the ring; but in her flight from Jerusalem she encounters the vengeance of the King; Adoniram, with his expiring breath, utters a last attestation of his love, and expires." With me, I am sure you will admire this insurpassable document. It is positively dazzling with darkness, overwhelming with majestic obscurity. Oracular-portentous-sublime! What a *For the profound obscurity of this paragraph, not the translator but the original author is responsible. A mystic style was probably thought suitable to a mystic subject. + Locus admodum nebulosus. Qu'est-ce? De quoi? Plait-il? quam Egyptiaca! From these mighty loomings in the distance turn we to accomplished facts. Donizetti's I Furioso, or, as the title at length stands, Il Furioso all'isola San Domingo, has been produced at the Italian Opera. As this work is not very well known, a brief statement of the subject will not be out of place, although I detest plots (nobody reads them), and I have already given one which, however, as no one will be expected even to try to understand it, hardly counts. Cardenio (so the madman of the opera is called) is robbed of his young wife by a seducer. He overtakes them in St. Domingo, and just as he is about to despatch them with his dagger, he is seized and bound, and becomes raving mad. Cardenio, however, breakes his chains and takes refuge in the mountains, where he leads a wandering life, alternating between lucid intervals and fits of insanity. In one of his attacks he seeks to drown himself, but is saved by a brother, a sailor, who, being on the spot at the very nick of time, rescues him, and that so deftly, that he does not even wet his pantaloons of immaculate white, or his kid gloves. Carhis repentant wife has repeatedly proposed a joint suicide. This denio does not recover the permanent use of his faculties until handsome offer to die with him quite reconciles him to live with her again and the ex-lunatic plunges into the joy of a second honeymoon under the tropical climate of St. Domingo. If a composer goes to Bedlam for his subject, we are not to expect a very cheerful result. There is, however, a comic negro, played by Signor Zucchini, who somewhat relieves the gloom which surrounds the principal personage assumed by Signor Delle Sedie, with remarkable dramatic power. Any one who desires to plead insanity to an inconvenient charge against him at the Central Criminal Court, would do well to take a trip to Paris, in order to study the part in the magnificent assumption of this artist. The public were agrecably surprised in hearing this opera by the recognition of not a few favourite airs which Donizetti had borrowed from himself to introduce into other works. A new work, by M. Grisar (Albert), is shortly expected at the Opéra Comique. Its title is Le Joaillier de Saint James. But the frequenters of this establishment are less pre-occupied with the promise of this new piece than they are with the success or failure of the negotiations now on foot for the re-engagement of Mad. Carvalho, who is now in Belgium, where she is so prized that astounding terms are offered to her to induce her to remain. What the upshot will be is still a matter of doubt. It is well to be a prima donna smothered in golden showers by rival managers. In the theatrical region, revivals have been chiefly the order of the day. The Odéon, however, has produced two new cne-act pieces, both successful. One is called La Jeunesse de Grammont, Idole, and is a miniature domestic drama, most delicately handled, a little comedy, à la Pompadour; the other is entitled, La Dernière and instinct with true pathos, as indeed might be expected from the fact, that one of the authors, M. Ernest L'Epine, is the author of La Joie fait Peur, known on the English stage under the title of "Sunshine through the Clouds." M. Victor Sejour's drama, founded on modern historical events, Obscuritas spississima et plus- and to be called L'Invasion ou les Volontaires de 1814, is definitively to be produced at La Porte St. Martin. Your readers will remem |