from his own musical powers, the celebrated composer rises, nevertheless, in some passages of his operatic music, to the pinnacle of the most undeniable and greatest artistic power. Such passages are the creations of real inspiration, and, on looking more nearly, we see, also, by what this inspiration was produced namely, by really poetic situation. Wherever the poet forgets his constrained consideration for the musician; wherever, in his course of dramatic compilation, he involuntarily comes upon a moment, when he can breathe in and again send forth the free, refreshing, human air of life-he suddenly wafts it as a source of inspiration to the musician as well, and the latter, who, after exhausting all the musical riches of his predecessors, cannot give a single gasp more of real invention, is now enabled, all at once, to discover the richest, most noble, and most soul-moving musical expression. I would especially call the reader's attention to several detached passages in the well-known and painful love-scene in the fourth act of the Huguenots, and above all, to the invention of the wonderful and moving melody in G flat major, with which, springing as it does, like a fragrant blossom from a situation that seizes on every fibre of the human heart with delicious pain, only very few, and only the most perfect portions of musical works can be compared. I mention this with the most sincere joy and real enthusiasm, because in this very fact the true constitution of art is displayed so clearly and irrefutably, that we cannot help perceiving, with rapture, that the capability of true artistic creation must fall to the lot even of the most corrupt maker of music immediately he enters the sphere of a necessity stronger than his own selfish caprice, and suddenly effects his own salvation by turning his perverse endeavours into the true path of real art.

But the fact of our being able to notice only detached passages, and not one entire great passage-not, for instance, the whole love scene to which I referred, but only separate moments in it, compels us, above all things, to reflect upon the horrible nature of the madness, that nips in the bud the development of the musician's noblest qualities, and stamps his muse with the insipid smile of a repulsive desire to please, or the distorted simper of an insane rage for command. This madness is the anxiety of the musician to defray, himself and out of his own property, that which neither he nor his property can defray, and in the common production of which he can only participate, when it is presented him from out of the particular property of another. Through this unnatural anxiety, by which the musician wished to satisfy his vanity-namely, to represent his capability in the light of boundless power, he has reduced the said power, which is, in truth, most rich, to the most beggarly poverty, in which Meyerbeer's operatic music now appears to us. In the selfish endeavour to force its narrow forms, as the only valid ones, upon the drama, this operatic music has proved, until it was insupportable, the poverty-stricken, oppressive stiffness and unprofitableness of the forms in question. In the mania for appearing rich and varied, it has sunk, as a musical art, to a state of the most complete mental want, and been compelled to borrow of the most material mechanism. In the egotistical pretence of exhausting dramatic characteristic by mere musical means, it has, lastly, lost all natural power of expression, and degraded itself to the level of the most grotesque buffoonery.

Having, at the commencement, said that the error in the branch of art called opera consisted in the fact that: "A means of expression (music) was made the end, and the end of expression (the drama) the means," we must define the marrow of the delusion, and lastly of the madness, which has represented the system of opera in its most complete unnaturalness, even to rendering it ridiculous, as the fact

That each means of expression wanted of itself to fix the aim of the drama.

MR. TUTTON is alive and well. We have much pleasure in publishing the following communication, which has just reached us:-"A paragraph having appeared in The Times of Tuesday, July 10th, stating my sudden death, I am happy to be able to state that such report is void of foundation. I am, thanks to Providence, in the enjoyment of my usual good health.-J. R. TUTTON (Bandmaster Royal Horseguards Blue).”

METZ.-Meyerbeer's Etoile du Nord has been produced with very great success.

DRAMATIC.

DRURY LANE.-On Wednesday Madame Gassier's benefit and final appearance took place, when one of the most crowded audiences of the season assembled in the theatre. The performances consisted of the Barbiere, in which Madame Gassier sustained the part of Rosina, followed by a concert, to which succeeded the scena, "Ah! non giunge," from La Sonnambula, for Madame Gassier. The whole concluding with a ballet divertissement. Madame Gassier's Rosina being familiar to London, it is unnecessary to describe it. The music, in some respects, is unsuited to her, being written for a mezzo-soprano; but Madame Gassier's execution is so fluent and surprising, her taste so unexceptionable, and her style so thoroughly original, that Rossini himself would not have complained had he listened to her "Una voce." Madame Gassier is an accomplished singer, and the manager of Drury Lane was lucky in discovering in her a star of the first magnitude. Circumstances incline us to believe that Madame Gassier's engagement has proved highly remunerative-successful with the public we know she has been. In the course of the evening on Wednesday Mr. Smith and a committee of gentlemen presented Madame Gassier with a magnificent piece of plate, subscribed for her by her friends and admirers, and her brother and sister artists. Moreover, in the bills of the performance it was announced that "Mr. E. T. Smith had placed his theatre, with the services of the artistes and employés of this establishment, for one night at the disposal of Madame Gassier, as a grateful acknowledgment of the valuable services rendered by that great artiste to the management-services which have been so highly appreciated by the patrons of the Royal Opera." This is prima facie evidence that the management has something to be grateful for Madame Gassier was received with enthusiasm, and obtained a real "ovation" at the end of the opera, and after the finale from La Sonnambula, when she was summoned before the curtain. She was encored unanimously in the lesson-song at the piano in the Barbiere-the arrangement of Strauss's Valse, upon which she has conferred so much celebrity-and "Ah! non giunge," both of which she gave in her most brilliant and fascinating manner.

The concert was supported by Mdlle. Favanti, who sang the Brindisi from Lucrezia Borgia; Mdlle. Sedlatzek, who sang a German lied; Herr Kühe, who played a fantasia on the pianoforte; Mdlle. Eloise d'Herbil, the juvenile Spanish pianist, who executed another; and Messrs. G. and V. Collins, who performed a duo on the violin and violoncello. In the ballet divertissement, Mdlle. Therese, Miss Smith, and M. Friand, were the chief performers.

OLYMPIC.-On Wednesday evening Mr. Robson took his benefit. The house was crowded to the ceiling with a most enthusiastic audience, who, notwithstanding the heat of the weather, were most violent in their applause, and very tenacious in insisting upon having all their encores. Mr. Robson appeared in Plot and Passion and The Yellow Dwarf, displaying, in each, his usual characteristic genius. Between the performances of these two pieces, he sung "The Country Fair," in which he assumed the face, manner, and voice of every bumpkin and lass who figure in the famous old song. As a substitute for an encore, Mr. Robson favoured his friends with a grotesque imitation of the dancing of the Senora Nena. The postures were perfect, and the haughty manner of the proud danseuse was inimitably taken off. Mr. Robson declined the encore which some of his very greedy admirers demanded.

DUBLIN, July 12.-A London vocal troupe appeared on Monday evening, at the Rotunda concerts. It consisted of Miss Messent, Mdme. Amadei, Mr. Augustus Braham, and Mr. Farquharson. The performances, for the most part, created a good impression. In “Tell me, my heart," "What will you do, love," and "Coming through the rye," Miss Messent was encored. Mdme. Amadei was also encored in the "Brindisi," from Lucrezia Borgia, and "The last rose of summer." Mr. Augustus Braham was similarly complimented in "Oft in the stilly night," and "The Bay of Biscay." The room was crowded.

The two symphonies, so different in every respect, are both admirable examples of the genius of the masters. Haydn's, belonging to the set of twelve written for Saloman, is also one of the finest. Perhaps to modern ears the subjects may seem occasionally rococo, after listening to the more exciting symphonies of Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn. But, though Haydn may have wanted depth of expression, not one of the glorious triad who came after him exhibited a greater fluency of ideas, or more variety in their treatment. The symphony was capitally played, and the audience listened with as much interest as if it had been a novelty. Mendelssohn's symphony went still better. A more splendid performance of this work we never heard anywhere, and the audience were enthusiastic at the end of every movement. They would fain have heard them all again. Mr. Alfred Mellon, nevertheless, very properly forbore to comply with a request which would have prolonged a concert already too long.

Mozart's magnificent concerto has been seldom heard lately, and M. Billet deserves great praise for selecting it. While the pianoforte is assigned an important part, which taxes the skill of the performer to the utmost, the orchestral accompaniments are so elaborate as to endow the concerto with a real symphonic form. The performance was entitled to the highest praise, and M. Billet never proved himself a more genial executant of "classical" music. In the first movement he introduced Hummel's printed cadenza, which he played superbly. The loudest demonstrations of approval followed the conclusion of the

concerto.

The overtures were played to perfection. That of Mr. Mellon (in A minor) we have praised more than once, and we think it the best he has written, on the whole. Fra Diavolo is Auber's most brilliant orchestral prelude. It is dramatic, striking and original; the instrumentation is varied and piquant, and it never fails to excite the hearers. Mr. Mellon is wise to introduce into his programme the overtures of the modern school, which have been too much neglected by our societies. The success of La Gazza Ladra, Fra Diavolo and Zanetta, this season, justify him in adhering to the plan. His own overture was unanimously redemanded; but he only came back to the orchestra and bowed to the audience.

M. Sainton's animated Tarentella for the violin was played with the greatest effect and encored.

The vocal music was in excess. Mademoiselle Emilie Krall sang Mendelssohn's fine aria well; but in the song which Taubert wrote for Jenny Lind (although encored), she was less genuinely successful. Mdlle. Corelli gave Mozart's "Addio" with great expression; and the two songs of Signor Bianchi were suited entirely to his voice, a splendid bass, though not exactly a "basso profondo."

Mr. Alfred Mellon has now, we think, established his Orchestral Union on a firm basis; besides which he has gained a reputation, as a first-rate orchestral conductor, which may some day help him to a prominent position.

ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

ON Wednesday evening, the members, associates, and former students, co-operated with the "present pupils," and gave a soirée to their friends and the public at St. Martin's Hall. As this was the first time, we believe, a réunion of this kind had taken place, the programme may be given entire :

PART I.

Overture (Prometheus), Beethoven.-Terzetto con Coro, “ Ecco alfin," W. L. Phillips, Mdme. Weiss, Mdme. Bassano, and Mr. Whitworth.Concerto in F minor, pianoforte, Mr. W. Holmes, W. S. Bennett.Aria, "Se m'abbandoni," Mdme. Bassano, (Nitocri) Mercadante.Solo, "Autumn," "La danse des Fées," Parish Alvars; Harp, Mr. John Thomas.-Aria buffa," Miei rampolli," Mr. Frank Bodda (Cenerentola), Rossini,-Finale to the second act of Don Quixote, Macfarren-prin cipal parts by Mdme. Weiss, Messrs. Allen, Herberte, Whitworth, Wallworth, and Bodda.

PART II.

Overture (MS.) (The Return) Watson. — Duet, "Come, be gay,” Misses H. Taylor and Ransford, (Freischütz) Weber.-Aria, "Parto," Miss Birch (Tito), Mozart.-Clarinet, Mr. F. Godfrey.-Introduction and Rondo Pastorale, violin, Mr. Blagrove, Blagrove. Terzetto, "Troncar suoi di," (Guillaume Tell,) Rossini, Messrs. Herberte, Wallworth and Whitworth.-Aria, Prendi per me," Miss Ransford, De Beriot.-Finale to the second act of The Regicide, Lucas-principal parts by Misses H. Taylor and Ransford, Messrs. Allen, Herberte, and Wallworth.-Conductor, Mr. Lucas.

Not one"present pupil" (unless Mr. Watson be one)" exhibited" in the programme, so that it was really a concert of the members and associates. We had a right to expect, at least, some new compositions, if not new singers and instrumentalists. Nevertheless, as the performance was the first of the kind, and as "age is honourable," a fair excuse may be found for the professors and associates absorbing all the concert to themselves. The features of the programme were the fine concerto of Mr. Sterndale Bennett, admirably executed by Mr. W. H. Holmes; the finale to Don Quixote; and that to The Regicide. The orchestra and chorus were numerous, and composed almost entirely of academicians. Here the "present pupils" had something to do. We understand that a performance on the "combination" principle will be given every year; but, unless the real pupils are to participate, it would be as well to announce it in a different style. We have more to say on the subject, but must leave it till next week.

same

THE MUSICAL UNION.

The last sitting of the eleventh season, on Tuesday, was fully attended, but the programme contained nothing new for comment. It was as follows:

Haydn. Beethoven. Mendelssohn. Mozart.

Quartet. No. 82 in F Duet, in A. Op. 69. Piano and Cello Quartet. E. minor. Op. 44 Air Varié. A major. Pianoforte Executants:-1st violin, M. Sainton; 2nd violin, Mr. Cooper; viola, Mr. Hill; violoncello, Signor Piatti; and pianoforte, Herr Hallé.

The quartets went well under M. Sainton, especially that of Mendelssohn; and the Beethoven duet could hardly have been better played than by M. Hallé and Sig. Piatti. At the end M. Hallé played two of Chopin's studies-in A flat and F minor.

We have some general remarks to offer about the Musical Union, which we must, however, postpone to our next number.

MR. JOHN THOMAS, the popular harpist and composer, gave a morn ing concert at Willis's Rooms, on Saturday, the 7th. He was assisted in the vocal department by Mr. and Madame Weiss, Madame Bassano, Miss Lascelles, Mdlle. Bockholtz Falconi, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Stone, Signor Marras, and Mr. Frank Bodda; and in the instrumental, by Signor Regondi (concertina), and M. Ascher (pianoforte). Mr. Thomas performed, among other things, a new descriptive piece of his own composition, entitled "Winter," Parish Alvars's "Danse des Fées," and a fantasie of his own on Welsh airs. The last was loudly encored. The programme was good of the miscellaneous kind, but was too long. The conductors were Mr. Charles Salaman and Signors Fiori and Campana.

No. 15. "O THOU PALE E. Silas.

ORB THAT SILENT SHINES"-Song

No. 16. "THE VOICE OF THE FOUNTAIN"-Song-E. Silas. No. 17. "VALSE"-Composée par Venzano, et Chantée par Madame Gassier, arrangée pour Piano-forte par Madame Oury.

We have placed Mr. G. B. Allen's contributions at the head of this batch of songs, because, take them for all in all, they are by many degrees the best. No. 1 ("Winds softly sighing "), if not very original, is to be recommended for being written extremely well-irreproachably indeed. The wind, of course, has a harp playing upon it, in the form of an arpeggio, which Mr. Allen has conducted very gracefully. A transition (pages 4 and 5), on the words "Far, far away, &c.," shows that Mr. Allen can modulate boldly without getting into a scrape-not too common a gift, by the way, among dilettanti composers. The words of this canzonet (by "Beatrice Abercrombie ") are pretty.

Mr. Allen has not been quite so successful with Longfellow's ballad of "The arrow and the song" (No. 2). The strong characteristic of this is quaintness; but there is nothing at all quaint in the music, the only quality of which, demanding notice, is correctness. There is a clever point, however (at page 5), where the voice sustains a shake on B, during an harmonic progression in the accompaniment, which is very good, and almost new under the circumstances.

No. 3 ("O, why did the winds seem rejoicing "), with some charming verses (again "Beatrice Abercrombie"), but for one thing-although a bagatelle, somewhat à la Spohr-would be entitled to the epithet of perfect. It is a charming song, as fresh as spring flowers, tune and harmony equally attractive. In this persuasion we are the more astonished, that one with a practical, no less than musical feeling, so evident, should be induced to express the wholly opposite sentiments of the first and last verses by exactly the same music. The first verse conveys a bright picture of happiness, the last as dark a picture of despair-and yet Mr. Allen can only find one way of expressing both; would not the minor key have been here of some service, or at least more appropriate to one of the two verses of which the poem consists? In spite of this anomaly, however, we have placed the song apart, for our own library of vocal music-to which none but gems are admitted. Think of that, Mr. Allen!

No. 4 ("Ever thine ") is a piece of insipid commonplace.

No. 5 ("How proudly they'll hear of this at home") is one of the multitudinous occasional ballads bearing reference to the war, which, when good are impertinent, and when bad are intolerable. Mr. Hatton's ballad is neither good nor bad, but it is nevertheless impertinent.

Nos. 6 and 7 ("Death and the warrior," and "Thou art passing from the lake's green side"), will excite regret that words so full of poetry should have been wedded to such unqualified trash as the music. Poor Mrs. Hemans! How often she forgot she was a poet to fancy herself a musician!

No. 8 ("That sweet song "), words and music by George Linley, is inoffensive twaddle.

No. 9 ("On yonder field of battle"), is another song which may be considered apropos of the Crimea; but it is so very good, and gives such continual evidence of strong musical feeling, that we are inclined to forgive Mr. Benedict for anticipating the work of future poets, historians, and musicians. His composition is a kind of scena, in two parts, major and minor, full of clever harmony, of the graver kind, and expressive

melody. The words are given both in German and English. The song is written for a tenor voice-though rather low for the tenor register, in its published key.

No. 10 ("The Sentinel of the Alma") is another Crimean song. We are sorry to find Mr. Macfarren at the Alma, in company with Mr. Fitzball.

Nos. 11, 12, and 13 ("Woe's me," "Nathalie," and "The ocean dream") have all the merit of not being common-place. They are ballads, but carefully written, and express the sentiment of the words in an intelligible manner. Musically speaking, "The ocean dream" (No. 12), which is very graceful, may be pronounced the best of the three, although the description of Mr. Fitzball lying asleep in his barque and dreaming of "his love," is not suggestive of much originality. In No. 13, Mr. Fitzball, for the 999th time, fears that some fair creature may forget" him when certain "bright hours," with which his muse has been familiar for nearly half-a-century, shall, for the 999th time, have "fled." The words of "Nathalie," by Mr. Mark Lemon, are not of the maudlin school, and, therefore, are more welcome. They describe, with Punch-like vigour, the conduct and fate of a coquette. Nathalie is a coquette.

No. 15, 16. Like all that proceeds from the pen of Mr. Silas, these songs betray a high degree of musical intelligence. Perhaps a little too much anxiety to avoid any approach to the common ways of expression may be evident in both of them; but this is a fault on the right side, and proceeds from a truly artistic feeling. Of the two songs before us, we prefer "The Voice of the Fountain," the melody of which, although broken up, so to speak, into little phrases, is supported by so charmingly fluent and (with Herr Wagner's permission) "characteristic" an accompaniment, that it sounds all of a piece, and is thoroughly pleasing to the ear. Miss Amelia Edwards, too-the poetess-has described "the voice of the fountain" in verses so sparkling, that they could not fail to excite happily the imagination of a true musician. pale orb" (to the fine words of Burns), is a composition of more grave and thoughtful character-less spontaneous certainly, but aiming at a loftier style of expression, and in a great measure reaching it. The opening is beautiful; but the progression, from C minor, through the "flat keys," back to the original (E flat), is, in our opinion, laboured. There is quite enough in this song, however, and still more in the first, to place both apart from the majority of such ephemeral things, and to command the attention of connoisseurs. If Mr. Silas would be more simple he would be more genial; and his music, which well deserves popularity, would have a far better chance of obtaining it.

"O thou

No. 17. As this "Valse" was composed by Strauss, and is arranged by Madame Oury, we cannot see what right Sig. Venzano's name has to figure in the title-page. "Some men have greatness thrust upon them," but even with the aid of Strauss's reputation, Venzano is only known by name. The programmes of the season, and the singing of Madame Gassier, would have drawn a composer from obscurity, if really a composer. The "Valse" is brilliantly arranged in the key in which Madame Gassier sings it-E major-and will prove an effective drawingroom piece. On the title-page there is a good, if not flattering, likeness of Madame Gassier, in Spanish costume.

M. CHARLES HALLE'S PIANOFORTE RECITALS.-The following was the programme at the last of these very successful performances, which took place on Thursday, as usual at M. Hallé's residence in Belgravia :—

Gigue, in A minor, S. Bach; Larghetto and Cantabile, in E flat, from Sonata in E flat, Op. 7, Beethoven; Prelude, Sarabande, Bourrée, and Op. 18, Hummel; Caprice, in A minor, Op. 33, No. 1, Mendelssohn; Grand Sonata, in C, Op. 53, Beethoven; Scene Pastorale, in F, Op. 50, No. 2, Heller; Nocturne, in F minor, Op. 55, Impromptu, in A flat, Op. 29, Grand Polonaise, in A flat, Op. 53, Chopin.

We have only one general remark to make on the promight have been imparted to them had M. Hallé accorded his grammes of the four "Recitals," viz., that a still greater interest subscribers a few more such works (undeservedly neglected) as the sonata in A flat of Dussek, of which he introduced two movements at one of them. The new feature on the present occasion was Stephen Heller's Scène Pastorale, a very original and charming inspiration.

A NEW YANKEE WONDER.-The New York Musical Review announces a dusky phenomenon in the musical horizon-" the black Thalberg," a pianist, aged 16. Of course Barnum will lay hands on him for the museum of 500,000 objects.

A WARNING TO M. VIVIER.

To the Lodger at M

-'s, Regent-street.

FOREIGN MISCELLANEOUS. FLORENCE, 27th June.-(From a Correspondent.)-Miss Arabella Goddard gave a concert yesterday evening with great success in the Sala Musicale dell' Arte. She was assisted by Herr Strauss (violinist), and Signora Gianfrede, Signor Bencich, and Signor Cruciani (vocalists). The Italian papers speak in raptures of her playing, and say that England ought to be proud of possessing an artiste of such distinguished talent.

BERLIN. The season at the Royal Opera-house was brought to a close with M. Auber's Lac des Fées. Owing to the fine weather and the various attractions out of doors, the house was very thinly attended. It will remain closed for a month. The concert given, by the bands of the various regiments, for the benefit of the Fund for Military Musicians, their Wives, and Children, went off, last week, with great

éclat.

STETTIN.-Madlle. Johanna Wagner has appeared in Tannhäuser and I Montecchi e Capuletti with success. A new romantic comic opera, entitled Das Wirthshaus am Kyffhäuser, has been produced, and tolerably well received. The music is by a young composer of the name of Ludwig Hoffmann, chorus-master at the theatre.

HANOVER.-Herr Marschner, Hofcapellmeister, has married Madlle. Janda, to whom he was for some time previously betrothed.

LEIPSIC.-At the re-opening of the theatre, in the beginning of September, Herr A. Riccius, who has, for many years, directed the "Euterpe" concerts, will fulfil the duties of conductor.

GENEVA.-Two concerts are given every week on the Lake. The orchestra, consisting entirely of Germans, is placed in a large barque, which the audience follow about in small boats.

VIENNA. The Italian operatic season was brought to a close on the 30th ult., with selections from the following operas: Rigoletto, Lucrezia Borgia, La Cenerentola, Il Trovatore, and Norma. Malle. Priora, prima ballerina, appeared in a divertissement. The theatre was crowded to suffocation.

66

SOPHIE CRUVELLI.-But Cruvelli-what a superb singer!what a voice!-what softness! what soul! what heartfelt singpassion she sings her grand aria!-and with what sweetness her romance! and how clear and full of real soul, of passion proceeding from the innermost heart! She was overwhelmed with cheers. Wenn diese "Vesper" sich auf der Bühne erhält, so ist Sophie Cruvelli das tägliche Vesper-Brod," welches sie am Leben erhält, welches sie ernährt, Blut and Seele gibt.— The Grand-Opéra is in a frightful state! Cruvelli! Cruvelli ! One swallow does not make a summer, nor does one nightingale make an opera! Cruvelli is the Rachel of the Grand-Opéra, and Rachel is the Cruvelli of the Théâtre-Français. Rachel has Racine and Corneille; Cruvelli has Halévy and Meyerbeer. Corneille and Racine are dead, but Halévy and Meyerbeer are alive-which is a drawback. [Und das ist immer ein Nachtheil.]— (From M. G. Saphir's Parisian Correspondence to The Humorist.)

THE PROPHETE IN PARIS AND LONDON.-In a notice of the late rentrée of Mad. Alboni (with M. Roger) in the Prophète at the Imperial Grand Opera, L'Europe Artiste-or, rather, one of its contributors, M. Montazio-thus admits the superiority in many respects of the London performance:

"Excess of zeal, however, carried at times the execution much further perhaps than they doubtless wished. The conductor will do well for instance to desire the instrumentalist presiding over the big drum and cymbals to remember the recommendation which historians have attributed to the Bishop of Perigord. And, as we are now speaking of M. Girard, we will advise him in a friendly way. We have heard the Prophète several times at the Italian Theatre in London, and we mise-en-scène and the musical execution, more especially of the fourth must frankly confess that in the capital of the ex-perfidious Albion, the act, were much superior to the interpretation given at the AcadémieImpériale of Paris. Instead of confining the military music to the back of the vestibule, just allowing the tip of the nose of the foremost musician to project beyond the side-scenes, Mr. Costa placed them all in front of the stage, in the midst of the people, and this arrangement presented the double advantage of having the two bands in the orchestra and on the stage under the control of the same director, thus avoiding the inconvenience of a divided command, and producing a more grand and majestic effect from the close approximation of the musical masses. Mr. Costa further obtained a most surprising effect by transferring to the bass clarinet, in the triumphal march, the part which in the Paris orchestra is attributed to the trumpet. Lastly, to evoke all our souvenirs, we will add that in London the chorus does not sing the phrase, Parlez! parlez!' which it repeats three times to the mother of Jean de Leyde. It gives this word in a tremulous whisper, as it befits an audience overcome by some terrible expectation, so that the dramatic effect is augmented by this intelligent interpretation of the situation."

M. Montazio might have added that Paris had never enjoyed such admirable impersonations of the character of John of Leyden as those of Mario and Tamberlik.

MDLLE. ELOISE D'HERBIL, the child pianist-who lately appeared at Drury Lane-gave a concert at Willis's Rooms on Thursday evening. Phenomena, it appears, are losing their attraction. Although Mdlie. d'Herbil is only six years the room was only half full, and yet the programme presented a good front, seeing that among the singers were M. and Madarie Gassier-who were announced for the last time in London. Though extraordinary, under the circumstances, the performances of the young pianist created but little sensation. Modern audiences prefer maturity. The day is past when your Master Betty could compete with your John Kemble. Madame Gassier absorbed the attention and was encored in the eternal "Valse," which the oftener it is heard the more it pleases. Signori Pilotti and Campagna presided at the pianoforte.

CHOIR BENEVOLENT FUND.-The anniversary dinner of this charity, established in 1851, for the relief of widows and orphans of organists and lay clerks of cathedral and collegiate churches, was held at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's Street, on Saturday, June 30th, the Right Hon. Lord Ernest Bruce, M.P., Vice-Chamberlain, in the chair. During the evening, a selection of glees, madrigals, etc., were performed by a select and efficient choir, under the direction of Mr. Goss.

STRAND.-On Saturday last Miss Rebecca Isaacs took her benefit, and retired from the management, for a tour in the provinces. The opera was La Sonnambula, and the only novelty of the evening was Mr. Herberte's Elvino. The house was full.

THE MUSICAL WORLD.

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 14TH, 1855.

the Musical World:

John Boosey, Esq., Holles-street.

214, Regent-street, 9th July.

No one

The first part was purely speculative, and no more applied to Messrs. Jullien than to Messrs. Boosey and Sons, Messrs. Cramer, Beale, and Co., or any other of those eminent traders, who, like ravenous wolves-since the late very curious decision of the Peers, which defined copyright to be no right (copy-right, by the way, is not a bad name for such intangible property)-have been mangling and devouring whatever they could lay hold of. The application was general; and the principle of such vague legislation, combined with what, by logical definition, might be regarded as its tendency, was considered metaphorically, in a sort of didactic parable. will dispute the universal right of Englishmen (who are for ever reforming their institutions), to arraign the wisdom. of legislators, or to deny the justice of existing laws which may be thought prejudicial to the interests of the commonwealth. On these grounds, the recent unjust and illdigested verdict of the House of Lords has been called over the coals, not only by ourselves, but by others; and as the prudence or imprudence of enactments is best seen in their results, what stronger arguments could we adduce to support our opinion of the iniquitous nature of the recent interpretation (of a law which has for so many years been allowed to bear a wholly opposite signification) than those derived from events that have since transpired? A short time ago a number of highly respectable tradesmen (Messrs. Jullien, no doubt, among the rest) considered themselves the exclusive and rightful possessors of certain goods and chattels, which they had bought and paid for with their own money, after the accepted rules of commerce, and which they retailed to the public with a view of realising a profit for the maintenance of themselves and their families, for the support of their business establishments, and for the aggrandizement of their names and firms. They had freighted ships with money, and in return brought back cargoes, which cargoes had just begun to create a demand in the market, when a sudden edict from the "Upper Ten" at Westminster declared them to be the property, not of those who had freighted the ships, and whose money had passed into the hands of producers beyond seas, but of any, indifferently, who might be disposed to make free with them! Then commenced a scene which we boldly designate as an indecent scramble, an exhibition of greed and selfishness unexampled in the history of trade. Pell-mell, helter-skelter, the musicsellers rushed indiscriminately into each other's magazines, and pillaged everything they could lay hands on-mercilessly cutting in pieces whatever was too heavy to bear

lacerated by the ravenous fangs of their hitherto peaceable neighbours and fellow guildsmen, until little of it was left property in the small fry of German lieder and “caracterbut "spectral bones and ribs."* Messrs. Wessel's (imaginary) isticke-stücke" for the piano, vanished into nothing like a "chateau in Spain." Messrs. Boosey, like panthers from a bush, pounced upon Messrs. Addison, and carried away, their prey, the mangled body of the Huguenots, Messrs. Cramer, like adventurous flibustieri, spread out before the eyes of the astonished Mr. Lucas, jun. their devastating arms in all directions, and with Briarean force clutched a hundred things at once. Messrs. Cocks pily these were not easy to appropriate without the aid of began to tremble for their ponderous tomes; but hapelephants. Messrs. Leader and Cock laid hold slily of M. slices. Mr. Novello lifted his hands to heaven in dismay, Verdi, and cut up his Troubadour into small and ill-shaped and casting a wistful glance at both his volumes of St. Paul, chanted, in anxious tones of semi-supplication :

when they delivered their unjust and property-killing fiat). ("Glorious," indeed! The Peers must have been "glorious But this ironical appeal to the Lords, as body-corporate of legislative wisdom, was not likely to exercise much effect on the irate and hungry Gentiles, whom a true prophet would have cast out of the Temple. The chaos that ensued can be likened to nothing better than the sacking of a city, by a victorious army, after a protracted and temper-trying siege. Our host of music-selling invaders, who had been so long restrained from plunder, rape, and arson, by walls and towers which crumbled in an hour before the infernal machine of Lord Dundonald Brougham's logic, finding themselves now at liberty, rushed through the breach, or breaches, and stormed the city. He who had most to lose was of course the greatest loser.

farce. General Sir W. Chappell, with a bland smile, seized The after capitulation among the aggressors was a mere the "Songs without Words" of Mendelssohn, and placed other songs with words, by George Linley, at the disposal of Mr. Ewer. "I don't want your songs "-vociferated the petrified kept them. Ainsi de suite. copy-holder. "But I do want yours," said the former; and

And now to leave metaphor-which, nevertheless, has helped us to present a faithful picture of the state of affairs in the music trade immediately following the decision at St. Stephen's-in this very spirit, and with this conviction of our legislators' huge mistake, the leading article ("paragraph "), last week, was written. sustain our argument. It began as follows:We must reproduce it to * Wagner.