tinually occurring, from the fact of there being others in the musical profession of the same name, requests that all communications to him be addressed "Lewis Thomas, 19, Hampshire-terrace, Camden-road Villas, N.W. LURLINE W. V. WALLACE'S NEW GRAND OPERA. Vocal, and also arrangements as solos and duets for the pianoforte. Cramer, Beale, and Co., 201, Regent-street. MR. LEONARD (Bass) accepts engagements for Concerts, "The recent splendid success of the new opera 'Lurline,' together with the reception always accorded to Maritana,' has placed the name of the composer on the highest level of the operatic composers of the day: but it is not only in the line of opera and song that Mr. Wallace excels. As a pianist he is scarcely surpassed, and his original compositions for the pianoforte overflow with genius, and abound with musician-like effects. In arranging an i varying popular melodies for the piane, he is without equal. Besides the creation of new music,' says a weekly contemporary. 'Mr. Wallace has undertaken the delightful taskdelightful to those in whose musical souls are treasured the old melodies, descending like rivulets of fresh water out of the caves of time-of adapting them to the instrument of our day.' It may be as well to inform pianoforte players that Mr. Wallace's latest pianoforte works may be obtained, through any music-seller, of Her Majesty's music publishers (6, New Burlington-street, Regent-street, W.), who are constituted sole publishers of his recent pianoforte works for Great Britain and its dependencies."-Extracted from The Globe of February 22nd. Shortly will be Published, ISS ROBINA BELLINGHAM, Contralto, Pupil of WO EVENING SERVICES IN A MAJOR : Cantate, MISS Mr. Frank Mori, requires an engagement to sing in a choir in or near London Teras moderate. Pupils instructed in singing and pianoforte. Address Miss Robina Bellingham, 18, Wells-street, Calthorpe-street, Gray's Inn-road. MEYERBEER'S DINORAH AND STERNDALE BENNETT'S MAY QUEEN, are sung nightly at the CANTERBURY HALL CONCERTS. Comic vocalists-Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish comedian and mimic), W. J. Critchfleid and E. W. Mackney. Several interesting pictures are added to the Fine Arts Gallery. The suite of Halls have been re-decorated and beautified, and constitute one of the most unique and brilliant sights of the metropolis. "THE HE ARION" (Eight-Part-Choir).-The members of this Society will meet until further notice every Thursday evening, at 8 o'clock, at 13, Berners-street, Oxford-street. Conductor, Mr. ALFRED GILBERT. F. F. REILLY, Hon. Sec. Persons desirous of joining the choir are requested to address the Secretary. A YOUNG MAN, disengaged on Sundays, is open to an engagement to play the Harmonium or Organ, at Church or Chapel, within two miles of the Great Western terminus. Address, W. P., Post Office, Cobourgplace, Bayswater. WANTED, A GOOD TUNER.-For particulars, address, WA M. N., care of Messrs. Boosey and Son. and Deus, Magnificate, and Nunc Dimittis, with Organ Accompaniment. Composed by E. Bunnett, Mus. Bac., Cantab.. Assistant Organist of Norwich Cathedral. Price (to Subscribers) 8s. Subscriber's names will be reccived by the Author, Upper Close, Norwich, and by the Publishers, Messrs. Cocks and Co., New Burlington-street, London, W. BOOSEY AND SONS' NEW CATALOGUES. Boosey aud Sons beg to announce that they have just published a New and General Catalogue of their Publications; also, a New Non-Copyright Catalogue, and a Catalogue of Cheap Editions and Bound Works. These Catalogues, with Profession to see at a glance the discount allowed on all Messrs. Boosey's publications. Holles-street, 20 Jan., 1860. WANTED, immediately, a Pupil in a Musical Establish- Boosey and Sons' new Prospectus of Trade Terms, will enable the Tride and ment, where he will have an opportunity of acquiring a through knowledge of the profession in all its branches. Apply to Herr Winzer, Newcastle, Staffordshire. MPORTANT.-To be disposed of, immediately, a well- MUSICAL DIRECTORY, REGISTER & ALMANAC IMP established Music Practice, including New Organ at good salary, in a Town of upwards of 40,000 inhabitants, and surrounded by large populations. The Advertiser is about to leave the kingdom. Apply, by letter only, to the care of Messrs. Addison and Co., 210, Regent-street, London, W. TO INVESTORS.-CONSOLS CAPITAL STOCK is connection with Government Securities. The Stock is issued by the Consols Insurance Association, 429, Strand, London. Incorporated pursuant to Act of Parliament. Investments bear Five per Cent. per Annum Interest, receivable Monthly, if desired. Full particulars may be obtained on application at the Chief Offices, 429, Strand, London, to THOMAS H. BAYLIS, Managing Director. CHURCH ORGAN FOR SALE. Built by the late Mary's Church, Leicester. For price and particulars, apply to Forster and Andrews, organ-builders, Hull. FOR 1860.-Contents: Almanac with musical data; list of musical societies throughout the kingdom; musical transactions of the past year; names and addresses of professors, music-sellers and instrument makers; and list of music published between the 30th November, 1858, and 30th November, 1859. Price 1s. 6d. ; per post, 1s. 8d. Publishers: Rudall, Rose, Carte and Co., 20, Charing Cross, S. W.; and Keith, Prowse and Co., 48, Cheapside, E. C. FE ERRARI'S WORK ON THE VOICE AND SINGING, price 8s., may be had at his residence, Devonshire-lobge, Portland-road, Portland-place, and at all the principal music-sellers. "Of all the treatises on the cultivation of the voice that have appeared for many years, it is the most sensible, conciso, and useful."-Daily News. "There is more sense in this work than we find in nine out of ten publications of a similar kind."-Athenæum. "Here is a really sensible work."-Musical World. REVIEWS. "By the Waters of Babylon, Anthem from the 137th Psalm" -by William Chater (J. A. Novello).-There is thought, and there is a certain degree of promise, in the above setting of a passage which, by its profound and pathetic expression, must recommend itself to all serious composers who have a turn for religious music. On the other side we find a discrepancy between aim and achievement, which forces us to qualify our words of encouragement with the proviso, that the worthy organist of Coventry has shown himself unequal to the task of setting such a passage in the lofty style he must have proposed to himself on commencing. The almost total absence of well-defined melody has been (unreasonably, we think) excused in certain forms of church music; and we shall therefore refrain from indicting Mr. Chater on this head. In the matter of harmony, nevertheless, we cannot afford to be so charitable; for, in default of tuneful phraseology, what atonement are we to look for unless in the clearness and purity of harmonious progression? Now, Mr. Chater's harmony is by no means unexceptionable, notwithstanding an evident determination on his part to avoid the beaten track, and attain both depth and originality. Take for example: of the new opera-house, which, however, no matter how actively the works are carried on, cannot be ready before the middle of next summer. Previously to the ballet, the opera, Le Devin du Village, words and music by Rousseau, was given. Ought we to praise or blame the fact that the French, side by side with the admirable things with which their operatic repertory has been enriched in the last twenty But no, we can't resist another (positively the last). Again years, still give the very oldest productions imaginable; and then, for example: -3 marcato. We regret to find so much fault, but where art is concerned, there is no alternative but to speak plainly. Mr. Chater, moreover, is too eager a composer to be absolved from criticism. SPOHR'S LETTERS FROM PARIS. (From Alexander Malibran's Louis Spohr. Sein Leben und Wirken. Frankfurt-am-Main. J. D. Sauerland's Verlag. 1860). I. Paris, 18th December, 1820. With beating heart I drove through the barrières of Paris; the thought that I should now have the pleasure of becoming personally acquainted with the artists whose works had inspired me in my very earliest years, excited this lively sensation. I transported myself back in thought to the time of my boyhood, when Cherubini was my idol; for I had, through the French theatre, which then existed at Brunswick, an opportunity of knowing his works sooner even than those of Mozart. I recollected vividly the evenings when Les Deux Journées was given for the first time; how, quite intoxicated with the powerful impression the work had made upon me, I got the score the same evening, sitting up over it the whole night, and how it was principally this opera which gave me the first impulse to composition. I was now about to see its author, and many other men, whose works had exerted the most decisive influence on my education as a composer and a violinist. We were, therefore, scarcely housed, before I made it my first business to call upon several of these artists. I was received in a friendly manner by all, and a friendly intercourse speedily sprang up between myself and several of them. I had been told of Cherubini that, at first, he was reserved, nay, gloomy, with strangers; I did not find him so. He received me, without my having brought any letters of introduction, in the most friendly way, and invited me to repeat my visit as frequently as I chose. On the evening of our arrival, Kreutzer took us to the Grand Opéra, where a ballet, Le Carnaval de Venise, with pleasing, characteristic music by himself, was represented. It is evident that the singers and dancers are accustomed to move about in a larger building; they exaggerate too glaringly for their present locality, which is very limited in comparison with the opera-house they have left. Several grand operas, especially those of Gluck, cannot now be given, since it has not been possible to obtain the necessary space even for the whole orchestra. People are, consequently, looking forward with the greatest eagerness to the completion is it a sign of an advanced and cultivated taste for art, that we see them welcome the oldest operas by Grétry, in all their harmonic poverty and incorrectness, with just the same enthusiasm or even still greater than the master-pieces o Cherubini and Méhul? It does not strike me so. What a time has elapsed since the operas of Hiller, Dittersdorff, and others of that period disappeared from our repertories, although these, in inward musical value, are far, far preferable to most of Grétry's. It is true that, on the other hand, it is very dispiriting that only what is new, however insipid and incorrect, finds currency among ourselves, many admirable older compositions being cast aside and forgotten in consequence. It is, however, to be considered a great point in favour of the Germans' taste for art, that Mozart's operas alone form an exception, and that, for more than thirty years, they have been given uninterruptedly at all German theatres; because it furnishes a proof that the German nation is at last penetrated with the perfection of these unsurpassible masterpieces, and, being convinced of this, will not be led astray, however far the sweet musical poison, that flows so copiously from the other side the Alps, should extend. The orchestra of the Grand-Opéra contains, in comparison with other orchestras, the most celebrated and distinguished artists, but is said to be inferior in ensemble to that of the Italian Opera. I cannot yet give an opinion, as I have, at In Herr Kreutzer's ballet, played present, heard no other. with great precision by the orchestra, I was delighted with an oboe solo, performed in a masterly manner by Herr Vogt. This gentleman has succeeded in imparting to his instrument a perfect equality of toue and intonation throughout the fifth line of the staff, which is something in which nearly all whole compass, from C of the small octave, to F upon the oboists fail. His style is, moreover, full of grace and good taste. A few days since, I was less pleased at the Grand-Opéra than on the first occasion. The opera was Les Mystères d'Isis. The complaints of Mozart's admirers are only too just at the transformation of the magnificent Zauberflöte into this piece of patchwork, which, on its production, was We christened by the French themselves Les Misères d'ici. must feel ashamed that it was Germans who committed this sin against the immortal master. Nothing has remained untouched, except the overture; everything else is jumbled together, changed and mutilated. The opera commences with the concluding chorus of Die Zauberflöte; next follows the march from Titus; and then, first one fragment and then another from other operas of Mozart, and even a bit from a symphony by Haydn. Between all these, there is recitative, of Herr Lachnith's own manufacture. But worse than all is the fact that the adapters have put a serious text to many light, nay, comic parts of Die Zauberflöte, so that the music Thus, for instance, the Papagena here sings the characteristic becomes simply a parody on the words and the situations. air of the Moor "Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden," while the charming trio of the three boys, "Seid uns zum zweiten Mall willkommen," is given by the three ladies. Out of the duet, "Bei Männern welche Liebe fühlen," they have made a trio, etc. But, worst of all they have taken the liberty of making changes in the score, thus, for instance, in the air, "In diesen heiligen Hallen," at the words, "So wandelt er an Freundes Hand," they have altogether omitted the imitative bass : passages, which is here indispensable, not only on account of the harmony, but also, referring to the "wandering," is so characteristic; instead of this, the basses only give now and then the B natural. How flat and bold this passage, so often admired in Germany, thus sounds, you may easily imagine. Furthermore, the adapters have introduced violoncellos and double-basses into the music of the three ladies, where, in Mozart, the third vocal part is only strengthened and supported by the violins, so that the bass lies on three different octaves to these tender treated only in three parts, which is insupportable to a cultivated ear. There are more offences of the same kind. We must do the French the justice to say that, from the very beginning, they decidedly disapproved of this Vandal-like mutilation of a great masterpiece (a mutilation, which, as they are unacquainted with the original, is not known to them in its full extent); but how comes it that, despite of this, the Mystères has remained for eighteen or twenty years quietly in their repertory, when the public here, as I see every day, reigns so despotically in the theatre, and can do whatever it likes? The performance could not satisfy a German, as I am. Even the overture did not go as well as it should have done, when executed by so magnificent a body of distinguished artists. It was taken too quickly, and, towards the end, hurried on still more, so that, at last, the fiddlers could only play semiquavers instead of quavers. The singers of the Grand Opéra, whose great merit may lie, perhaps, in declamatory singing, are but little fitted to render satisfactorily the tender strains of Die Zauberflöte. They sing with a sturdiness which destroys anything like tenderness. The mise-en-scène, as regards scenery, costumes, and dancing, is respectable, but not so splendid as I had expected. Yesterday we went to the Grand-Opéra, for the third time, and saw Clari, a grand ballet in three acts, music by Kreutzer. Little as I like ballets, and little as pantomimic productions strike me as worth the outlay of artistic resources here lavished on them, I cannot deny that the Parisian ballets entertain a person very agreeably, until he is tired by the monotony of mimic movements, and still more by that of the dances. But, even when given as perfectly as it is here, pantomime, on account of the poverty of its signs, which always require a printed explanation, strikes me as being, when compared to declamatory dramatic productions, like a shadowy outline compared to a drawing. However it may be decked out by a golden background and ornamental accessories (as the ballet here is by the magnificence of the scenery and costumes), it merely presents us with outlines, and life is wanting. In the same way I feel inclined to account the drama, when compared to opera, as a drawing compared to a painting. It is through song that the poem, first obtains colour, and the song only is able, when supported by the power of harmony, to express those indescribable emotions of the soul, of which we have simply presentiments, and at which language must content itself with merely hinting. The music of Clari is very successful, and, especially in the second and third act, overpoweringly effective. It very much facilitates, by correct painting of the passions, the task of understanding the story, and contains a treasure of pleasing melodies, which we regret not to see belonging to an opera. Mdlle. Bigottini played the principal part, and gave proofs of having deeply studied action and gesture. That, in very passionate situations, she worked up the expression of her countenance to grimace, may, perhaps, be justly attributed to the fact that, until now, she has always appeared in a large building, where, on account of the distance, great exaggeration was necessary. Perhaps, this only seems to me so, from my being a German, for the applause was never more tumultuous than when (so far as my feelings were concerned) she overstepped the limits of the Beautiful and the Graceful. Before the ballet, they gave Le Rossignol, an opera in one act, on which is founded Weigl's German opera, Nachtingall und Rabe. The music of the French piece is insignificant, and only interested me by Herr Tulou's masterly rendering of a solo for the flute. It is impossible to hear a more beautiful tone than that which Herr Toulou obtains from his instrument. Since I heard him, it no longer strikes me his instrument. Since I heard him, it no longer strikes me as so unsuitable as it did for our poets to compare the harmony of a sweet voice to the tone of the flute. MUSIC AND THEATRES IN PARIS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) PARIS, February 16th. AT last the long-expected and ardently-desired début of Roger singer, the man of taste, the consummate artist, who talks and at the Italian Opera has taken place. Roger, the eminent sings equally well in German, French, English, and Italianwhose flexible voice lends itself so easily to the music of all times and of all schools, and whose twenty years of success have endeared him to the public here-more than ever justified on the 5th of February the golden opinions he has won. He made his first appearance at the Italiens as Edgardo, in Lucia di Lammermoor, Mdlle. Battu being the Lucia; Graziani, Ashton. Angelini also sang. With such a cast, the onera could hardly fail of being a success. Roger exerted himself to the utmost in the finale of the second act, and in the scene of the malediction he rose to the height of the highest efforts of dramatic art. By turns elegant, impassioned, and pathetic, he gave all the most delicate shades in the duet of the second act and in the scene of the tomb. Malle. Marie Battu is certainly charming, but Lucia is, at present, almost too arduous a rôle for her quality of voice. Graziani had but one fault, he throws too much energy into his voice. Roger is to sing next, I believe, in the Traviata, and towards the 15th of March, Tamberlik is expected. The GrandOpéra is still rehearsing the new opera of Prince Poniatowski's, and adheres for the nouce to its usual bill of fare. The OpéraComique, more on the alert, has just brought out the roman minds one of La Vieille (music by M. Fétis), and also still more d'Elvire. The libretto by MM. A. Dumas and De Leuven, restrongly of the Conte de Fées vaudeville by MM. de Leuven and Brunswick, and played in 1845 at the Variétés, and in which the part of the Marquise was performed by Mdlle. Dejazet. The tale, which is a queer melange, runs thus:-The Marquise de Villa Bianca is a young and rich woman, whom a law-suit has brought to Palermo, in which town dwells a young and charming cavalier named Gennaro, who, without ever seeing the Marquise, has refused her hand, and whom, in spite of himself, she intends to marry (a process that in comic operas seems to be the easiest and most likely thing in the world). The Marquise, the better to carry out her designs, disguises herself as an old woman, and in this character is courted by a pompous old podesta, who has an eye to money, and engages a reputed sorceress Silva, to give her love-elixirs. Little by little, Gennaro falls into the meshes of the Marquise; she raises a hornet's nest about him in the shape of insatiable creditors, and he achieves his ruin by losing his last scudi at a grand ball at her house. A last resource remains-it is to marry this gay old dowager, which he accordingly does; but finding his wife never allows him to go beyond the gardengate, he applies to Silva for a narcotic for his wife, meaning, while she is sleeping, to scale the garden-wall. Silva, who is in league with the Marquise, pretends to make a mistake, and gives her an elixir of youth-when suddenly behold the old lady turned into a young and lovely woman of twenty. Of course the husband falls violently in love with her, but she pretends to have lost her memory, and declares he is not her husband. He shows her the dowager's dress, with which she runs lightly to the terrace and throws into the sea; and then sings her best air in the piece, "Suis-je une hirondelle?" Meanwhile the dress has been fished up by some fishermen, and the Podesta, thinking his old flame has been violently killed by her young husband, has him marched off to prison. Silva offers a potion that is to make the Marquise old again, but Gennaro refuses; he will rather die, and leave his wife young and lovely, than, by saving himself, render her old again. This proof of his affection shows the Marquise that her stratagem is crowned with complete success; she, of course, clears up the mystery, and all ends happily. The music is light and pleasing; the best airs are "Suis-je une hirondelle?" of Mdlle. Monrose; the bolero of M. Montaubry, "Si la brise folle, and the romance he sings in the third act, "Restez, jeune et belle," while, to vary the performance, the Galatheé of Victor Massé is to be revived. The rehearsals of M. Octave Feuillet's new drama, Camille, are going on at the Vaudeville, but with this change in the cast, Monsieur Lafont replaces M. Lafontaine. The reason given is, that M. Lafontaine did not choose to attend. at the rehearsals. At the Gymnase Dramatique, a new work is to succeed the Père Prodigue, which, however great may be the writer's talent, has not had the usual success attendant on his works. Neapolitans, knowing that the Scala, at Milan, had engaged Passing thus rapidly from the lyrical to the dramatic theatres, I must tell you that, at the Odéon, Mille. Fitz-James has been performing Phedre. With the remembrance of Rachel and Madame Ristori, it is impossible to feel interested in the acting of Mdlle. Fitz-James; indeed, her forte lies evidently more to melo-drama than to tragedy. Meanwhile, that charming work of George Sand, François le Champi is being played here. The Gymnase, in honour of the the Carnaval has been giving the Bal d'Enfants of MM. Dumauoir and Dennery. The Vaudeville is also giving some of the played pieces of M. A. Dumas. Some very wonderful American tumblers are performing at the Gaîté, in a kind of interlude to the Mendicante: certainly, the art of dislocation, if one may use such a phrase, can hardly be carried farther. The It is decided that the opera, written by Berlioz, entitled Les rehearsals and preparations of the Compère Guillery are being Troyens, is the one with which the Théâtre-Lyrique will re-open the so actively carried on at the Ambigu-Comique, that it is proseason in the new spot the company will occupy. The Théâtre-bably at the end of this week that it will be brought out. I Lyrique will now be in the Place du Chatelet, and will take the must not forget to notice in this summary a little comic opera, title of Theatre Municipal de la Ville de Paris. in one act, called Fanchette, the words and music by M. E. Dejazet. Mdlle. Dejazet herself has also written a little oneact vaudeville, P'tit fi, p'tit mignon. The Carnaval des Revues has been brought out at the BouffesParisiens. The Revue consists of so many tableaux, interspersed with light and sparkling music, recalling the various musical and dramatic events that have taken place in the year, and the way they are parodied on is amusing. All concerts are going on actively. MM. Alard and Franchomme have commenced theirs in the Salon-Royal. In the same salons, a pupil of Liszt, M. Hans de Bulow, gives his concerts, composed of the music of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Richard Wager. The Concerts du Conservatoire, or rather the second concert, which had been put off on account of the sad loss sustained in the person of the leader of the orchestra, M. Girard, has taken place. The choice of a fresh chef is put off till the next season-in the interim M. Tilmant directs. He has taken the baton in a very brilliant manner, and without curtailing a note. Amongst other music, two fragments of a quatuor by Haydn, the air of Joseph by Méhul, the chorus from the oratorio of Solomon by Handel, and the sublime overture to Euryanthe, were amongst the most remarkable performances. The Société des Jeunes Artistes du Conservatoire have given their third concert, and performed a work of Meyerbeer's not known before in Paris, the music from the drama of Struensee, &c. It is getting greatly the fashion here amongst that fashiouable part of society who have but little to do with their time, to unite in each other's saloons about once a week, and get up an unimportant concert, and study the music of the best masters. Among the best of these concerts de salons, those given by the young and charming Madame de H. are the most renommée. At Naples, the theatre of San Carlos continues in a deplorable state; the new manager has a hard task imposed upon him. He said he was going to engage a new tenor-contralto. The There is not so much going on in concerts as when I last wrote. Richard Wagner is going to give another concert, it is said, at which the Emperor and Empress will be present; and there is also some on dit of a German troupe performing, in the in the warmest terms of welcome, the arrival of M and Mad. month of May, the Tännhauser. The papers here are noticing, Sainton: they are, I believe, going to give some performances ere they return to England. Roger, whose engagement at the Italian Opera finishes at the commencement of March, will sing the Seasons of Handel at the Conservatoire, and then leave to fulfil his various engagements in the principal French towns, and also in Belgium. By an ordre ministériel, M. Sauzay has been named professor of the violin at the Conservatoire, in the place of the late M. Girard. The return of Mad. Marie Pleyel is announced here. At Naples, Signor Spinelli, the successor of the Duke of Satriano, does not seem, as yet, to be a great acquisition; in fact the state of the theatre seems deplorable. FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAINE.-A morning concert was given, last theater, but was compelled by il-health to retire for a while. He was week, by Herr Joseph Eppich, who was long a favourite at the Stadtheartily welcomed, on once more being able to resume his professional duties. The concert-room was crammed to suffocation. |