Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

his voice from him as they would his good name. By such a tude which appears so ungraceful in singers. It is a matter of surprise course, he would do justice to himself and to his profession, that that gentleman, possessing great musical abilities, combined with and confer a benefit on all who can enjoy good music rationally.excellent voices, admirably adapted for the part they take, should COLCHESTER (From a Correspondent). The third popular concert of the new series took place in the Public Hall last evening, and was in every respect successful. The hall was filled, while the utmost order was maintained throughout. The programme was of the usual diversified character, the most noticeable piece being Haydn's Toy Symphony, performed by two violins and a violoncello, with accompaniment of penny whistles, Dutch trumpets and other toy instruments. The symphony, though composed by the great musician expressly for the amusement of children, was very successful last evening in affording amusement to hearers of a larger growth. The duet "What are the wild waves saying?" and the song "I cannot mind my wheel," were cleverly sung, and a selection of instrumental music performed in excellent style.

GLASGOW. The City Hall Concerts maintain their popularity. Change is ostensibly and necessarily the order of the day. From the commencement the Union have seen this, and, consequently, scarcely a night passes without some change, while once a month we have a clean bill of fare. On Saturday last the principal attraction, and for one night only, was Miss Rebecca Isaacs, from Drury Lane and the Italian Opera. We confess. we have listened to her in better voice; nevertheless, her performances were rapturously received by the large audience. Mr. Fraser is decidedly the genteelest comic vocalist, we think, yet brought forward at these entertainments. Mr. D. Lambert, by his performances, did not belie his metropolitan celebrity, while the band of the Royal Sussex Militia kept most excellent time and tune.Glasgow Gazette, Dec. 24th, 1859.

WORCESTER. The performance of the selection of Handel's Mes siah, at the Music Hall, passed off exceedingly well, and added another laurel to the many already won by the indefatigable secretary to the Harmonic Society, the Rev. R. Sarjeant, by whom, and the active members of a committee, all things were arranged. The attendance was very large, there being nearly 700 persons present, the majority of whom were connected with the manufacturing establishments of the city. The performers were local, with the exception of Miss Amelia Hill, of Birmingham, who acquitted herself with great credit. Messrs. Mason and Briggs, of the Cathedral choir, and other gentlemen, aided the managers of the concert with their presence, so that each department was rendered complete. Mr. Jabez Jones ably officiated as conductor.

RYDE (From a Correspondent).-On Christmas Day a new mass, by Dr. Holloway, M.A., of this town, was performed, for the first time, at St. Marie's Catholic Church. The composer himself presided at the organ. Considering that the music is somewhat chromatic and elaborate, the singers deserve much credit for the careful manner in which it was executed. The cornet-playing of Mr. H. Austin was instrumental in no small degree in promoting the success which attended the first performance of a new work of no small difficulty.

BURY CRITICISM.--Accrington Choral Society.-This society gave, for the first time in Accrington, Haydn's grand oratorio, The Creation! on Friday evening, December 23rd, in the Assembly Room of the Pee Institution. The audience, as usual in concerts, was large, being composed of the élite of the town. The principal vocalists were Mrs. Sunderland, Mr. Lockey, and Mr. Weiss; principal instrumentalist, Mr. Carrodus. We have seldom heard Mrs. Sunderland in finer voice. She is an exception to the generality of those designated "stars," for her pronunciation was so distinct and clear-her words so well expressed-that we were not only enabled to admire the beauties of the music, but the sentiment of the poetry. We do not know anything so much overlooked in various oratorios as the clear pronunciation, which, to our ear, is one of the greatest beauties of correct singing. When the pronunciation is associated with musical ability, its effect finds its way both to the head and the heart of the audience. Mrs. Sunderland in this particular is a pleasing exception. Her voice, her gesture, her general intonation in the solo, The marvellous works," appeared to us to be the climax of sublimity. Mr. Lockey, although not possessing that graceful gesture which distinguishes Mrs. Sunderland, yet the correct taste he exhibits, blended with his fine broad tenor, in a great measure compensates for what is wanted in gesture. His rendering of the air "Now vanish before the holy beams," was a gem, and it fully developed his musical abilities. We should be glad if Mr. Weiss would dispense with that stiff atti

[ocr errors]

devote a little more attention to the study of nature, observe the
neglect such an important element as correct gesture. If they would
various abilities and intonations of voice, as expressed in the develop-
ment of the passions, such as grief, anger, and joy, and combine these
natural intonations with correct musical taste, then what a wonderful
effect would be produced upon an audience, to what refinement it
would lead in this particular branch of art, which at the present time
is so much cultivated by all classes. In spite of these drawbacks, it would
be unpardonable were we to say that there was nothing attractive in the
singing of Mr. Weiss. The air, "Now Heaven in fullest glory shone,"
was highly appreciated by the audience, and his powerful bass voice was
fully developed. As regards the chorus singer and instrumentalists,
it would not be right on our part to begin to distinguish-there was
such a just appreciation of the composer's idea, such a unity of action
from all the members, numbering upwards of 160 performers, that we
credit is due to Mr. Barnes, the conductor, whose fine conception of
do not feel inclined to select any one for particular criticism. Great
taste, and just execution, are so well known to the musical world. It
is really pleasing to note the great improvement that has taken place
music. A few years back it was considered a prodigy to hear or see
of late years in reference to the working people's taste for sacred
any working man take part in Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Creation, or
the compositions of Mozart. Not so now.
population numbers 10,000, a choral society may be found, whose
In every town where the
instrumental and vocal performances exhibit a correctness of taste
which, a few years ago, would have been applauded in any aristocratic
This proves that the people are growing more refined in their
taste for the sublime and beautiful.
[We have copied the above from the Bury Guardian, because
it combines with its extreme oddity another welcome proof of
the continued advance of musical taste in this country.-ED.]

saloon.

WINDSOR CASTLE.-The choristers and the following gentlemen of the Chapel Royal, St. George's, viz.: Messrs. Mitchell, Bridgewater, Knowles, Marriott, Dyson, Whiffin, Bransome, Barnby, and Lambert, under the direction of Dr. Elvey, had the honour of singing before Her Majesty, at Windsor Castle, on Saturday, the 24th.

SCHINDLER'S LIFE OF BEETHOVEN.*

(From Dwight's Journal of Music-Boston).

That

OUR readers have, many of them at least we hope, some acquaintance with an English work known as Moscheles' Life of Beethoven, the name of the real author not appearing upon the title-page. author is in fact the above named Anton Schindler, and the body, of the English work is but a translation from the German. Schindler's first edition appeared at Münster, in Westphalia, in 1840; a second with a few additions in the appendix, in 1845; and now in October, 1859, a third, "re-written and with additions."

Schindler has for more than twenty years been one of the "best 'abused" men in Germany. In how far he has deserved the treatment which he has received from Spohr, Mendelssohn, Dorn, and from the partizans of each in the German musical world, it is not our purpose to inquire. He has certainly never hesitated to express his opinion as to the manner in which those great musicians have thought proper to conduct Beethoven's works at festivals, and in terms perhaps more remarkable for plainness than politeness. Musicians in all parts of Germany will warn you against Schindler, as being unworthy of credence-and yet whoever writes upon Beethoven plunders him! From a pretty extensive examination of the musical literature of Germany which can by any possibility throw light upon Schindler's statements, not excepting the controversies, which have appeared between him and others in the Kölner Zeitung, and other non-musical newspapers, we venture to say, that as Wegeler and Ries' Notizen are the grand fountain of our knowledge of the younger years of the great composer, so Schindler's book is the most important work upon his later years. As biographical authorities, the books of Lenz and Mazx are contemptible. This new edition of Schindler's work is a new addition to our knowledge of Beethoven, and contains very much important and interesting matter. And precisely because it is so important and

Biographie von Ludwig van Beethoven, verfasst von ANTON SCHINDLER. Dritte, neu bearbeitete und Vermehrte Auflage. 2 vols. 8vo. Münster, 1860 (59),

interesting, and because we hope it will yet find its way into the world in an English dress, we propose to give our readers the means of correcting certain mistakes into which the author has fallen. Schindler lives near Frankfort-on-the-Maine. He has there revised his work and prepared it for the new edition. But Beethoven lived and died at Vienna, and no one, who has not by long-continued labour collected the scattered authorities in that city, can hope to write of his early life, the period of his great productiveness and activity, without falling into many mistakes. When Schindler speaks from his own observation aud experience, we are rarely, if ever, able to correct him: in all other cases he is as liable to be misinformed as any other, who writes without the foundation of broad and comprehensive research. We repeat: because we think so highly of the importance of Schindler's work, it is that we give the following list of some of the principal errors into which he has fallen.

Vol. I., p. 3. For the spider story, see Disjouval's Arachnologie, or Schilling's Lexicon der Tonkunst, where it will be found it rests upon a mistake, confounding the names Berthaume and Beethoven.

P. 4. Schindler supposes Neefe had left Bonn and settled in Frankfort in 1782. The fact is, that Neefe was there only by leave of absence for a short time. Bonn remained his home until August, 1796-nearly four years after Beethoven had left it for ever. important, as at once clearing up divers mystifications, in which Schindler is here, on pages four and five, involved.

This is

P. 6. Schindler is a year too late in the date of the publication of the Waldstein Sonata, op. 53,-for 1806 read 1805.

P. 10. The Sonatas copied into Bosslers' Blumenlese, Mr. S. thinks are utterly lost. We have reason to think they are the three youthful Sonatas of which we know one copy of the original edition is to be seen in the Royal Library at Berlin, and which have, within a few years, been reprinted, both in that city, and by Holle, in Wolfenbüttel. P. 11. Note. The variations on a March by Dressler, we have reason to believe were written when the author was twelve years old, and that they preceded the Sonatas, notwithstanding on the title-page of the latter we read "by Louis van Beethoven, aged eleven years.' Our reasons for this opinion we reserve for another occasion and place.

P. 44. Beethoven was in Berlin certainly in June 1796. That this was his first and last artistic tour is not correct, if Tomaschek may be trusted, who says expressly that Beethoven gave concerts in Prague in 1798.

P. 50. Mr. S. says, (referring to his catalogue, pp. 56, et seq.,) "It may be taken for a certainty that no one of the works noted farther on was written before the year 1794." To this we simply say here,

" doubted."

P. 54. Mr. S. doubts the anecdote related by Reis, that the Trios, Op. 1, were played in the presence of Haydn, before they were published, on the ground that the great composer left Vienna in 1794, and the Trios appeared while he was still in England, in 1795. Haydn left Vienna, January 19, 1794, and Beethoven advertised his Trios to be printed by subscription, May 15, 1795. This is true, and yet we trust Ries in this case, and that they were already written and played to Haydn before the close of 1793. We have no space here for our

reasons.

PP. 55-58. In regard to the date of publication of at least half the works mentioned on these pages, Mr. S. is a year out of the way.

P. 57. The first performance of the first concert for pianoforte in C, says Mr. S., was in spring, 1800. We know of its having been performed in public twice during the year 1795. It was the second concerto which was given with the septet and first symphony.

P. 78. The ballad, "Prometheus," greatly extended in form by Vigana, with much selected music, instead of and in addition to that of Beethoven, was produced at Milan, May 22, 1813, from whence it went the round of the principal theatres of Italy.

P. 93. As to the Christus am Oelberg (Christ on the Mount of Olives), Ries says expressly, that Beethoven was putting the finishing touches to it upon his arrival in Vienna, in 1800, (in the spring). Schindler intimates that it was not performed until 1803-probably correctand then only once given. We know of three performances of it within the space of a year-from April, 1803 to April, 1804.

P. 95. Mr. S. says, that the" objects of Beethoven's autumnal love was well-known to him," and that she was Marie L. P-r (Pachler). He is nevertheless mistaken. The "autumnal love" dated, as Mr. S. shows upon the same page, at least five years before 1816. We know that Beethoven had a project of marriage in his mind in 1810, from another source-and this must have been with the object of the "autumnal love"-i. e., when he was thirty-nine years of age. "Mark how plain a tale," &c. In 1810, Miss Koschak was sixteen years old, at the age of twenty-two-in 1816 she married Dr. Pachler, and

in 1817 came, for the first time, to Vienna! while Beethoven never was in Gratz, her native place.

P. 97. The date of the letters to Julia Gruiciardi was 1801. Of this we have proof.

P. 99. Mr. S. dates the first performance of the second symphony, and the C minor P. F. Concerto, July, 1804. 1 hey were both given in the spring of 1803. Before that?

P. 101. We understand Mr. Schindler to make Bernadotte ambassador to the Austrian Court in 1804 or 1805. In fact, he reached Vienna in February, 1798, and left April 15 following.

P. 112. "The American ship-captain Bridgetower." What can Mr. Schindler mean? Bridgetower had been a "wonder child" as violinist, and came to Vienna as a virtuoso, and indeed one in the service of the Prince of Wales (George IV.). Rudolph Kreutzer was not in Vienna in 1805, so far as we can learn-had been there seven years before. As to the variations, op. 35, they preceded the Heroic Symphony-they were not "etwas später," (somewhat later).

P. 118. Paer and Beethoven were at work, the one upon his Leonore, the other upon his Fidelio, at the same time—although Paer produced his a year in advance of the other. P. 119. Beethoven's opera was never named Leonore upon the theatre bills-we have seen all that belong to the years 1805-6. Perhaps upon the large street bills, but this we doubt.

P. 126. "So rested the opera again, and again full eight years passed," before it came upon the stage. Not at all; hardly a year of the eight in which it was not given, and in fact several times.

P. 140. "Of the grand works, except the Sonata in F, Op. 55, in this year (1806), none appeared." Our list gives the following:Sonata in F. op. 54.

Trio for two oboes and English horn.
Trio arranged for stringed instruments.
Andante Favori, in F 3-8.

Nos. 1, and 2, and 3, of six gr

and violoncello, op. 60.

sonatas for pianoforte, violin,

No. 1, 2, of three grand Trios, op. 61.

16 variations for pianoforte, violin and violoncello, op. 44.
Sinfornia Eroica.

Quite a difference between us and Mr. Schindler.

P. 141. Four symphonies in one concert! An error, as we think. P. 184. Beethoven was not in Linz in the spring of 1812, and the memory of Count Brunswick (who is the authority), has here failed him and misled Schindler. But the passage is worth translating." According to his account (Brunswick's) written me in 1843, the composition of the Ruins of Athens falls into the first month of the year 1812; at the same time the plans of the two symphonies (7th and 8th), of which the eighth, in F, was wrought out during Beethoven's to his brother Johann, in Linz, in the spring. Thence he journeyed to Teplitz, where the overture to King Stephen was written. After his return, the strengthened master went to work upon the symphony in A, No. 7." Now it is curious to see how many errors can be contained in so few words. 1. Beethoven was not in Linz, in the spring of 1812.

2. Both the Ruins of Athens music, and that of King Stephen, had been composed, sent to Pesth, rehearsed, and made ready for performance on the 9th of February.

3. The eighth symphony was not written out in the spring of 1812, at Linz-as Beethoven was not there!

4. The seventh symphony was not written out after Beethoven's return from Teplitz, having been already finished before May 8, 1812, 5. The overture to King Stephen was not written in Teplitz, 1812, having been performed six months before, and not in Pesth alone. 6. The first notice of the eighth symphony is in a letter of Beethoven, written in the spring of 1813.

PP. 207-212. These six pages of the dates of first performances and publication of works by Beethoven, contain many inaccuracies of more or less importance; the more important ones, however, may be corrected from the foregoing.

Having now reached the period at which Mr. Schindler made the acquaintance of the great master, we have only to thank him for the amount of valuable and iuteresting matter which he gives us in rela tion to Beethoven's later years. One curious mistake, however, we cannot pass over without notice.

In Vol. II., p. 129, is a note from Beethoven to Stephen von Breuning, which was sent with a picture of the composer. 66 Behind this picture, my dear good Steffen," &c. This note Mr. S. dates 1826, and says the picture was the lithograph, by Stieler. In fact, the picture is a miniature on ivory, and was presented to Breuning before 1810.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

DONALD DUNCAN'S

PURE SCOTCH MALT WHISKIES,

ARE CHEAPER, MORE WHOLESOME, AND FAR SUPERIOR TO THE FINEST FRENCH BRANDY.

ROYAL BALMORAL, a very fine, mild, and mellow spirit THE PRINCE'S USQUEBEAUGH, a much admired and delicious spirit

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

15s. per Gallon. 18s. Do.

20s.

Do.

DONALD DUNCAN'S Celebrated Registered DD. Whiskey of extraordinary quality and age Two gallons of either of the above sent to any part, or sample forwarded for 12 postage stamps. Terms cash. 4, Burleigh-street, Strand, W.C.

BACHIANA, Preludes and Fugues, by John Sebastian

Bach (not included in the 48 preludes and fugues), as played at all the classical concerts, in six numbers, each 2s. London: Duncan Davison and Co., 244, Regent-street, W.

THE HARMONIOUS BLACKSMITH. Composed by

Handel for the Pianoforte from his suite de pièces in E major. The only correct edition, as played at all the classical concerts, is published, price 2s., by Duncan Davison and Co., 244, Regent-strect, W.

NEW

EW SACRED SONG, "Awake, little Pilgrim." Composed by Maurice Cobham; the poetry by the Rev. D. T. K. Drummond. Price 2s. 6d.

Awake, little pilgrim, the day is at hand,

The rays of the morning appear on the land;

O, haste with thy burden to life's narrow gate,

Ere the night shadows falling proclaim thee too late.

Knock, little pilgrim, it shall not be vain,

Thy feeble entreaties admittance shall gain;

Thy Saviour is waiting to bid thee God speed,

He turns none away from his door in their need.

London: Duncan Davison and Co., 244, Regent-street, W.

EYERBEER'S Setting of the "Lord's Prayer," for four voices (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), is published, with English and Latin text, in score, 3s., separate vocal parts, 6d. each, by Duncan Davison and Co., 244, Regent-street, W.

SIMS

IMS REEVES'S NEW SONG, "Wert thou mine," Composed by Frank Mori, is published, price 2s. 6d., by Duncan Davison and Co., 244, Regent-street, W.

BRINLEY RICHARDS'S "ETHEL." Romance for

Pianoforte. Price 28. London: Duncan Davison and Co., 244, Regent-street, W. "Mr. Thackery's Ethel Newcombe has inspired the composer with graceful and elegant ideas, in the form of what may be called a romance without words, exceedingly vocal and richly accompanied."-Daily News.

BRINLEY RICHARDS'S "SULIOTE WAR SONG."

Sung by Mr. Santley. Price 3s. London: Duncan Davison and Co., 244, Regent-street, W.

"HARP OF WALES," Sung by Mr. Sims Reeves. Price 2s. 6d. London: Duncan Davison and Co., 244, Regent-street, W.

BRINLEY RICHARDS'S

BRINLEY RICHARDS'S

"BLIND MAN AND

SUMMER." Sung by Miss Palmer. Price 2s. 6d. Davison and Co., 244, Regent-street, W.

London: Duncan

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]

BALFE'S NEW SONGS.

"OH! TAKE ME TO THY HEART AGAIN !”
Poetry by JESSICA RANKIN.
Price 2s.

Oh! take me to thy heart again!
I never more will grieve thee:
All joys are fled and hope is dead
If I indeed must leave thee.
Forgive the wild and angry words
This wayward heart hath spoken;
I did not dream those cherished chords
So lightly could be broken.

Oh! take me to thy heart again.

I think how very sad and lone
This life would be without thee;
For all the joys my heart hath known
Are closely twined around thee,
Oh! teach me to subdue the pride
That wounded thee so blindly;
And be once more the gentle guide
Who smiled on me so kindly.

Then take me to thy heart again.

"I'M NOT IN LOVE, REMEMBER." Poetry by JESSICA RANKIN.

Price 28.

Prithee tell me, gentle air,
Why my heart is full of care,

And why no pleasures charm me?
It is not Love torments me so:

I scorn the wily urchin's bow,
His arrows cannot harm me!

I try to sing-my voice is sad!

I sleep! but theu 'tis just as bad-
Such gloomy things I dream on!
Can you not tell? nor you? nor you?
Oh then I know not what to do
To charm away the demon.

I sometimes think, if "I know who"
Were here, he'd tell me what to do,

To bid the demon slumber!

Could I but hear his voice again,

I'm sure 'twould cheer my heart-but then,

"I'm not in love, remember!"

I'm not in love, remember.

London: Duncan Davison, & Co., 241, Regent-street, W.

EW SONG FOR CHRISTMAS. "THE CHRISTMAS ROSE." By LOVELL PHILLIPS. Beautifully illustrated. Price 2s. 6d.

NEW

"The Christmas Rose! The Christmas Rose!
'Mid wintry frost and snow it blows;
And opes its portals pure and fair,
When winds have swept the gay parterre.
Just like a true and constant friend,
Whose faith no storms of life can bend;
Not the mere friend of summer day,
But firm when joy hath passed away,

This flower is like the joys that shine,
In sorrow's hour and life's decline,

When youth hath passed and pleasure flown,
And sad the spirit sighs alone;

Then marvel not that thus I twine

My thoughts around this gift of thine,

And muse on hopes and joys that last,

And bloom through life's most piercing blast."

"As graceful and vocal a song as we have met with for a long time."-Musical World. London: Duncan Davison, 244, Regent-street, W.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

When I was in my teens,

I loved dear Margaretta,

I know not what it means,

I cannot now forget her.
That vision of the past

My head is ever crazing,
Yet when I saw her last,

I could not speak for gazing.
Queen of rural maids,

My dark-eyed Margaretta,
The heart the mind upbraids,
That struggles to forget her.

My love I know will seem
A wayward, boyish folly;
But, ah; it was a dream

Most sweet, most melancholy.
Were mine the world's domain,

To me 'twere fortune better
To be a boy again,

And dream of Margaretta.
Oh! mem'ry of the past,
Why linger to regret her?
My first love was my last,
And that is Margaretta.

Boosey and Sons, Holles Street.

LAURENT'S MISTLETOE POLKA.

colours. Price 8s. Boosey and Sons, Holles-street.

Illustrated in

LAURENT'S DONNA JULIA VALSE. Illustrated

LA

in colours. Price 4s. Boosey and Sons, Holles-street.

AURENT'S BELOVED STAR WALTZ (companion
to the Maud Valse). Illustrated in colours. Price 4s. Boosey and Sons,
Holles-street.

S

ADAME

MA

treet.

OURY'S CHRISTY'S MINSTRELS'
GRAND GALOP DI BRAVURA. Price 3s. Boosey and Sons, Holles-

THE JUVENILE PIANOFORTE ALBUM. Twelve

Holles-street.

ALFE'S ALBUM FOR 1860, price One Guinea,

BAL

superbly bound and illustrated, containing 14 entirely new Songs, Duets,
&c. Boosey and Sons, Holles-street.

100 DANCES FOR PIANOFORTE, 2s. 6d. Just

ready, BOOSEYS' NATIONAL DANCE-BOOK, containing 100 Reels,
Country Dances, Jigs, Strathspeys, &c., for Pianoforte, large size, 2s. 6d.
Also, just published, Strauss' 25 best Waltzes, 2s. 6d. Boosey and Sons, Holles-

street.

BALF

ALFE'S NELLY GRAY, by BRINLEY RICHARDS.
Just published, price 3s.. Balfe's celebrated Song, Nelly Gray, arranged for
the Pianoforte by Brinley Richards. Order Balfe's. Boosey and Sons, Holles-

street.

THE

SERPENTINE QUADRILLE, by Burckhardt,
splendidly illustrated by Brandard, in colours, with a comical view of
skating on the Serpentine, Hyde-park. Price 3s. This popular quadrille is
founded on the following favourite airs:-

Who shall be fairest ?

Come into the garden, Maud.
Nelly Gray.

Phoebe dearest.

The green trees.

[blocks in formation]

R. HOWARD, Surgeon-Dentist, 52, Fleet-street, has
without springs, wires, or ligatures. They so perfectly resemble the natural
teeth as not to be distinguished from the originals by the closest observer. They will
never change colour or decay, and will be found superior to any teeth ever be fore
used. This method does not require the extraction of roots, or any painful opera-
tion, will support and preserve teeth that are loose, and is guaranteed to restore
articulation and mastication. Decayed teeth stopped and rendered sound and
useful in mastication. 52, Fleet-street. At home from 10 till 5,

EVANS'S ENGLISH HARMONIUMS,

MANUFACTURED BY

BOOSEY AND SONS, HOLLES STREET, LONDON.

In giving a final answer to the calumnious statements of Messrs. CHAPPELL and Co., BOOSEY
and Sons would like to know what right these gentlemen have to constitute themselves their critics,
and to subject them to the expense and trouble of answering a series of malicious libels, which,
were it not for the delay, Messrs. BOOSEY would respond to only in a Court of Justice.

Although confident that the animus of Messrs. CHAPPELL'S attack, and the absurdity of
their statements, will be thoroughly appreciated-still, to avoid all possible misunderstanding,
Messrs. Boosey beg again most distinctly to deny having ever published a testimonial obtained
from the exhibition of an Alexandre Harmonium. Every testimonial which they have published
(with two exceptions,) has been given since the establishment of their own manufactory, and
after the examination of a large stock of instruments. The two exceptional testimonials were
given to Mr. EVANS, when he introduced for the first time his improvements, and which, as already
stated, were added to the skeleton of an Alexandre Harmonium, which he had entirely
reconstructed. If these alterations consisted in filing the reeds, it is quite obvious that
M. ALEXANDRE, or any other maker, could produce equally good instruments as those of Mr. EVANS,
which, hitherto, they have not been able to approach.

The public may not care to know anything about Messrs. Boosey's manufactory, but as
Messrs. CHAPPELL have alluded to it, it is necessary to state that it was opened in January last,
when Messrs. BooSEY'S connection with Mr. EVANS began. Owing to the very great demand for his
Harmoniums, it had to be removed to more extensive premises in October-a fact which will
account for Messrs. CHAPPELL describing it as a few weeks old, and for their animosity in attacking
EVANS'S HARMONIUMS.

As to Herr ENGEL, Messrs. BOOSEY and SONS repeat, what they are prepared to prove,
that he offered them his exclusive services to perform on EVANS's Harmonium at the termination
of his engagement with his present employer, M. ALEXANDRE, in February next; a fact which
they alluded to, not as a compliment to their Harmoniums, but as a proof of the worth of any
opinion of Herr ENGEL, whose impudent assertions, that Messrs. Boosey applied to him for a
testimonial, and admitted to him that Mr. EVANS exhibited an Alexandre Harmonium as his own,
are totally without foundation.

In order to understand the value of the authorities quoted by Messrs. CHAPPELL in support
of their calumnies, it should be known, that not only is Herr ENGEL the salaried agent of M.
ALEXANDRE, but Dr. RIMBAULT (whose name is so much paraded) is regularly in the employ of
Messrs. CHAPPELL, while the English Professors, who, so anxious for the truth, are said to have
examined the French and English Harmoniums side by side, have never once visited Holles Street,
to inspect the instruments of their countryman, and have therefore formed their opinion upon
any specimen of EVANS's Harmoniums which Messrs. CHAPPELL have thought proper to submit to
them.

In conclusion, Messrs. Boosey and Sons beg to state, that feeling perfectly satisfied with
the opinion which the public has already pronounced on EVANS'S Harmoniums (and which is
shared by every independent member of the Musical Profession) it is their intention to avoid
further discussion, treating with silent contempt these attacks, the object of which is so
transparent.

BOOSEY & SONS. 24 and 28, Holles-street.
(MANUFACTORY, WELLS STREET.)

Published by JOHN BOOSEY, of Castlebar-hill, in the parish of Ealing, in the County of Middlesex, at 28, Holles-street.

Printed by WILLIAM SPENCER JOHNSON, "Nassau Steam Press," 60, St. Martin's-lane, in the Parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Saturday, January 7, 1859.

« ElőzőTovább »