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in the principal part; and that when La Reine Topaze is brought out at Her Majesty's Theatre (where it may be expected at the same time as the pantomime) the character of the Topaz Queen will be assigned to Mlle. Parepa.

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What shall we tell our readers about these two operas, of which as we have said so much, and yet so little, we feel really bound to give some further account? To begin with why is "Jeannette" changed into "Georgette." What a name is Georgette for music! Spell it phonetically, or after it from the lips of a Russian, a Turk, or of any foreigner whose alphabet does not correspond with our own; write it, that is to say, "Djordjet," and the mind's ear (through the bodily eye) starts at the harshness of the sound. "Jeannette," on the other hand, is as soft and musical as the Scotch "Janet" (or "Djanet ") derived from it is the contrary.

Who translated Les Noces? We remember some eight or ten years ago a librettist and stage-manager (now a theatre-manager also) who used to walk about the Paris boulevards reciting an English version of M. Victor Massé's pretty opera to his friends, and here and there singing the airs, to the astonishment, if not delight, of the waiters at the Café Cardinal. His friends should have told him, whatever he did, not to alter "Jeannette" into "Georgette."

If we had listened more attentively to the verses recited and the airs sung at the place and in the manner already mentioned, some eight or ten years ago, we should perhaps now be in a position to tell our readers more than we are actually able to communicate to them about the story and music of Les Noces de Jeannette. But repentance, with us at least, always comes too late.

We have heard La Reine Topaze, however, not monologically (so to speak), but in its original dramatic form-not in the open air and without the support of instruments, but in a regular theatre with all the advantages of orchestral accompaniments. "La Reine Topaze" is a distinguished and royal member of that race, tribe or people whom the medieval Latinists called Egyptiani, whom the germans have named Zigeuner, who are known in Spain as Zingari, or Zincali (l'un et l'autre se disent, as the dying grammarian observed), who in Russia

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much despised, in the masculine as Tsigari, and much adored, in the feminine, as Tsigankie, and who in England are familiarly known as gipsies. Topaz the queen sees and knows everything, and turns out at last the last of the Salviatis, a distinguished Venetian family. But, in the meanwhile, what does she not sing? airs that are difficult, ingenious, and sometimes even beautiful. Above all the air of the bee-which is not a series of hideous perversions of a beautiful melody under the pretext of variations, like the Carnaval de Venise sung by the exquisitely singing but misguided Mad. Carvalho, but a really artistic specimen of its kind; a kind, however, which we cannot but say that we admire, which, with a little pressing, we would admit that we despised.

May both M. Victor Massé's operas be successful! But then if they are both successful we shall have some more of them (for he has written Galathée, La Chanteuse, Voilée, La Fiancée du Diable, Les Saisons, &c.), and, to speak candidly, we think two will be quite enough, especially when administered so rapidly one after the other. We wish well to every one, and certainly to Miss Louisa Pyne and Miss Euphrosyne Parepa, but M. Victor Massé is not every one. We do not mean to suggest by this that we have any dislike to M. Victor Massé, for as a man we have no acquaintance

with him and as a composer of ability, taste and refinement, we look upon him with respect; but with Les Noces de Jeannette at Covent Garden, and La Reine Topaze, at Her Majesty's Theatre, we are sadly afraid that we shall have too much of him. DINADAM.

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WHEN an artist, who has long been received by the pubfor ever, he invariably selects for his final effort that performance which has won for him the most genuine applause, and with which his name has been most intimately associated. John Kemble took his farewell of the stage in Coriolanus, certainly one of his grandest, if not his very grandest, impersonations. Miss O'Neill bade adieu in Juliet, Charles Young in Hamlet, Macready in Macbeth-not to instance lesser stars, who, wishing to leave the best possible impression, naturally chose the parts in which their talents were best displayed. Indeed, to pursue any other course would, a priori, seem an act of fatuity. And yet, within the past week, we have had an example of a great artist appearing for the last time bebefore the public, who, not weighing the causes which led to her immense reputation, did not deem it necessary to introduce any one of those performances which had been universally accepted as most complete and most admirable. Mad. Clara Novello's "Farewell Concert" will, doubtless, occur at once to every reader, and many will exclaim with ourselves, "What could have induced Mad. Novello to ignore sacred music in her final appeal to the sympathies of the public? Now that Mad. Novello has quitted the scene for ever, and that her admirers will have to look back to her past triumphs and substitute recollections for realities, with what performances will her name be most immediately linked? Will thoughts of the artist inevitably recall the scena from Oberon, the cavatina from Lucrezia Borgia, the rondo finale from La Sonnambula, or the Jacobite song about "Charlie?" Will not memory the rather conjure up echoes of "I know that my Redeemer liveth," "Rejoice greatly," "Let the bright seraphim," "With verdure clad," "On mighty pens," "Come unto Him," "Hear ye, Israel," &c., &c.-all sacred songs, in short, in which the great singer left an indelible impression, and which none who heard can ever forget. To say that Mad. Clara Novello is one of the most accomplished interpreters of holy song in our own times is to utter a truism; but to state that her sacred singing far transcends her efforts in other branches of the art, may not necessarily be a platitude, since it does not appear to have been generally known to managers, or how account for the extraordinary fact, that not one single piece of sacred music was given at the farewell concert on Wednesday? Surely he who contrived the programme never gave it a moment's thought, and, fortunately, the public were too anxious to "assist" at the farewell performance of the renowned songstress to trouble themselves much about the appositeness of the selection. Clara Novello, nevertheless, should have sung her last in the Messiah or the Creation, those sacred works of the great masters in which she had exhibited her talents and capabilities to the utmost perfection, and in which she had achieved her brightest and most enduring laurels. This is the more to be lamented, since she appeared on Wednesday night positively for the last time, and there is no chance of hearing her again, as she was heard at the Crystal Palace, the directors of which on the occasion of her farewell performance had evidently studied the talent of the singer and the feeling of the public far more cunningly and wisely than the person or persons under whose

management the "Farewell Concert" at St. James's Hall was organised.

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All mnor considerations, however, were absorbed in the regretful thought that Mad. Novello appeared in the concert room for the last time, and that that enchanting voice, of which for purity and beauty of tone no one present could remember the parallel, would never more be heard breathing its silver murmurs in exultant ears, and that the old familiar face had looked and smiled its last upon the assembled thousands. The scene on Wednesday might indeed have been more demonstrative but the uppermost feeling in the minds of many was doubtless sadness, and people are never in the mood to applaud lustily when their sensibilities are deeply moved. Moreover, the audience was almost entirely composed of those in the better ranks of life, and the majority were ladies. Hence the enthusiasm on the entrance and departure of the heroine of the evening was not so uproarious as if a large division of the visitors had belonged to that vociferant class which frequents the pit and galleries of the theatres. The regret, how

ever, was not the less intense because voices were mute

and palms were at rest. That every heart was stirred and its sympathy awakened we do not doubt. The immense mass of spectators seemed to hang breathlessly upon every note that escaped the lips of the singer, and the sudden exclamations of delight and the ill-suppressed plaudits betokened unmistakeably the influence she exercised over her

hearers.

Year by year the lights of song are being removed from our artistic hemisphere, and no stars appear to fill up their places. What loss Malibran was to the lyric stage Mad. Clara Novello will be to the sacred concert-room. Even should her real successor arrive, people will be slow in acknowledging her. It takes a long time to make a firstrate reputation in England. A second Clara Novello must not only possess the extraordinary accomplishments and qualities of her predecessor, but she must be many years before the public, and have done numberless things, independent of singing, to win their favour, before she can be accepted as her substitute. When all these circumstances cohere, then, and then only, will the public be pleased to elevate the new candidate for prima donna honours to the throne of Clara Novello.

Letters to the Editor.

MR. EDWARD LODER.

ANGUISH.

SIR, Some weeks since Mr. J. A. Barnett addressed a few lines to you respecting Mr. Edward Loder's pecuniary difficulties, aring from long suffering, medical expenses, and, I apprehend, a cessation of professional income.

Mr. Barnett's lines were read by me, and I have acted on his suggestions in part, by subscribing for five copies of Edward Loder's twelve songs, published as a bound volume at a guinea, for his especial benefit, by Messrs. Boosey and Duncan Davison. These songs constitute a charming selection, and cannot fail in being most acceptable to vocal amateurs. I shall bring them under the notice of my pupils, and entertain no doubt of being enabled to sell several books of them. I have also given in my name as a weekly subscriber to a fund Mr. Allan Irving is raising on Mr. Loder's behalf. Permit me, Sir, therefore, to suggest to Mr. Barnett and other professors of singing, that they might greatly

benefit Mr. Loder by subscribing for a few copies of the work I have alluded to, and their pupils will thank them for bringing such acceptable compositions under their notice.— I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, A PROFESSOR OF SINGING.

CUNCTATION PERFUNCTORY?

DEAR PETIPACE,-I strongly object to "cunctation" as a more or less (!) word. Define it and I will pay your burial (!!) expenses. -Yours, 20 MILES AWAY (!!!) N.B.-I refer you to our mutual friend, the Bank of England (!!!!) British brandy (!!!!!) at 5.

FLOLL (of the Out Isles). NB.B.-Hay (!!!!!!) still in the ascendant. Bad news for MAPLE (!!!!!!!)

Haven't tasted (!!!!!!!!) a theatre for 8 months.

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A "SUCCESSFUL COMPOSER," YOU'RE WANTED.

DEAR SIR,-I send for your inspection an anonymous letter addressed to me the other day. It may perhaps, be comforting and instructive to your readers as an evidence of the progress of art, and of all the host of little amenities supposed to march in its train. It is to be regretted that the writer has been unkind enough to withhold his name. Otherwise, not only might I have had the chance of repaying personally some of the obligations with which he seems disposed to overwhelm me (the fine of a double postage among the number), but the musical public would have had some satisfactory mode of judging whether or no the town of Scarborough be really, at this moment, blessed by the residence of a "successful composer." At all events, none who read his letter can doubt the high probability that his merit is at least equal to his modesty.

However "successful" my correspondent may be as a composer of music, he is certainly most unfortunate as an inventor of facts. All who know me are pretty well aware that I had ceased to contribute a single line to the Atlas quite ten years before the date of that critical visitation which you here find so mildly deprecated. Thus much as to the matter of the writer;-his manner (manners?) requires, I think, no comment whatever.

Hoping you will accord to this gentleman-whoever he may be have been too diffident to ask, I am, dear Sir, faithfully yours, -that publicity for his sentiments which I fear he himself would

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Nov. 15, 1860.

(Copy of Letter.)

HENRY SMART.

SIR,-Some time ago (in 1854 or 1855) you spoke disrespectfully and very erroneously of a song of mine in the Atlas. Other critics praised it; but you are a crabbed fellow, full of your own conceits, and deserve a cudgel. You are no longer critic of the Atlas, thank Heaven, speak wrongly of any composer's works. You are a vile fellow, and or of any other paper; and I would advise you to beware how you nothing but a croque-note, a mechanical music-wright, yourself.-Your obedient servant, "A SUCCESSFUL COMPOSER."

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ON THE SUPERTONIC AS A PRIMARY BASE.

SIR,-It is anticipating the subject of my future letters to reply fully to your remark appended to my last letter. Nevertheless, that the supertonic is not the primary base of any chord having an immediate relation to the tonic, is evident from the nature and construction of the scale, which contains the sounds of the primary chords of the tonic, dominant, and subdominant only, which may be exhibited thus:

chord D F# A is the major chord of D F A in the secondary derivative chords of the system having the unit sound F (the subdominant of C). Now this D, as stated in my last, does not belong to the key of C (see also MUSICAL WORLD, Jan. 28), it is not the supertonic of that key, but is the 6th of the scale of the subdominant F, the combined chords D F A and FAC form the chord of the added 6th on the subdominant, of which chord there are two varieties in the major key and two in the minor, as will be explained hereafter. That this chord is connected with the subdominant may also be seen in the following example:

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Chord of the Dominant.

Chord of the Tonic.

Chord of the Subdominant. Modulus of the Scale.

The above contains all the sounds of the scale of C major, F is the modulus of the scale, and the nearest positive harmonic base of all those sounds. F C G and D are all the primary sounds in the scale of C, as primary, but D, the supertonic, being the upper sound, cannot be the base of any of the sounds which are below it. The chord formed from the sounds D F A in this scale is imperfect, F and A being too flat in the ratio 80: 81 to form consonant sounds with D. If we add the primary chord of D to the preceding diagram, we should have the sounds of two distinct scales, which would be an inconsistency as the subject under consideration is one scale only. It is certain that D leads to the primary base G, but in the key of C what is required is, not what leads to G but what leads to C, and that is the primary sound G. Neither could the chord of the supertonic be substituted for the subdominant, for then we should have the following sounds which are the scale of G not of C

Chord of the Dominant.

Chord of the Tonic.

Chord of the Subdominant. Modulus of the Scale.

Again, the chord of the dominant in combination with the modulus of the scale decides the key, as shown in one of my previous letters, then if in the first diagram we take away the sounds B D F (G belonging equally to the chords of the tonic and dominant) the remaining sounds which complete the scale are consequently those indicated; these are A CE G, which are resolvable into the two chords A CE and CE G, the chords of the resolution in the major key. In the same manner in the minor scale we have the chords AbCEb and C Eb G, the whole of these four chords are connected with the tonic, all the sounds being consonant with C, and they are the derivative chords of the system having the unit sound C. In like manner with the chords of the dominant and subdominant, so that in the derivative chords of the three systems having the unit sounds F C and G are contained all the chords in connection with those sounds as subdominant, tonic, and dominant. In some of my future letters I purpose showing that every chord in the key of C is undoubtedly, in its simple form, one, or a combination of two, of these chords. However, I may as well point out now the relation of the chord D F# A with the key of C; this key, as shown in my last, is connected with the key of A minor; now if we refer to the system having the primary base A, we have the key of A minor and also its relative key C major, the primary sounds now become derivative sounds, and the derivatives primaries, thus

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Α C#

E

C

E

C# C

E

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E G#

B

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E G

B

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A comparison of the above with the derivative chords of the three systems having the unit sounds F C and G, will show that the

The three primary chords decide the key without the introduction. of the dominant 7th on G. Although the sounds in the 2nd bar are nominally the same as the chord of the dominant 7th on D, yet the real sounds in both varieties of this chord (the added 6th on the subdominant) as represented by the ratios of the true intervals, are very different from those of the chord of the dominant 7th. If the sound C be omitted in the first two bars the chord remains the same, though it might be called a chord of substitution, D FA being substituted for the adjacent chord FA C, the true subdominant; any two adjacent chords being so nearly connected (having two sounds the same in each chord) that one may be used instead of the other, this, of course, does not alter their fundamental basses, thus the subdominant chords D F A and F A C in the key of C major have both F, the subdominant, for their fundamental bass, D in the chord D F A being the sound added, and C the one omitted; the same chords in the key of A minor have D, the subdominant, for their bass, C in the chord F A C being now the added sound, and D the one omitted; this chord, in the key of A minor, would be more correctly called the added 7th on the subdominant. I remain, Sir, yours truly, W. W. PARKINSON.

Cheetham Hill, Manchester, Nov. 16, 1860.

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SIR,-Truly, fiend of the abyss, I follow thy lead in most things musical, in all things epicurean. As thou may'st see in the last paragraph of the leader in the Camelot Chronicle of last Saturday, I did thy behest touching "Best," the Liverpuddlean, wiping the noses of the magnates, misprinted by the d- -d printer, magistrates. (Ha! Ha!) Nevertheless, in regard to Hector Berlioz, I follow thee not, from sheer inability to obflusticate thy polysyllabicality into Anglo-Saxonicanonicals. Likewise, I would know why thou defacest a meritorious print, given to awful but ARTISTIC puffing, with those hideous effigies of Guy's? To this thou wilt respond, "Business." To which I will affably rejoinderate, "Business be blowed!" Enough. This is but to shake thine hand-to say that I am again at Camelot, and hard at work. Whereby, I pray thee, ora pro nobis. Ever thine, SAGRAMORE LE DESIROUS.

[Par mon chef, damp Chevalier, vous estes donques bien loing de ce que vous pensez: car par ceste seule raison que vous aleguez ferois encores que je fusse mort.-PETIPACE.]

The Opera.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE-Martha was produced on Monday, the cast being the same as that on the opening night of last season, when Mr. E. T. Smith inaugurated his management of Her Majesty's Theatre. Why M. Flotow's opera should have been given once only it is impossible to say. Perhaps there is no part in which Signor Giuglini is heard to more advantage than Lionello, the music of which he sings to perfection. Mlle. Titien's piercingly brilliant upper notes are wonderfully telling in the soprano music, which is unusually high throughout. Although the character is beneath her great powers, her performance is most admirable. The Plumkett of Signor Vialetti has much to recommend it, and if the singer could refrain from taking certain liberties with the "beer song," would have more. Mad. Lemaire is one of the most useful of comprimarie, although she writes herself of the soprani-contralto assoluto, which she is not. She sings well, and acts very becomingly, the part of Nancy. We shall not attempt to show cause why, of the Italian performances, Martha has proved more successful than Don Giovanni, the Huguenots, Lucrezia Borgia, or the Trovatore. But so it is; the Italian nights continue to improve with Martha. Meanwhile, Robin Hood has lost little or none of its attraction, even though the indisposition of Mr. Sims Reeves necessitated the substitution of Mr. Swift on Tuesday and Thursday. It would not be fair to speak of Mr. Swift's performance under the circumstances. By and by the new tenor will be enabled to appeal for favour without any fear of comparison. The French opera, La Reine Topaze, translated into the vernacular, is in rehearsal, and Mr. Swift will give the public a taste of his qualities. Mlle. Parepa will sustain the character of the Queen. We may be excused from questioning the policy of making English Opera dependant on foreign composers. That Mr. E. T. Smith's second novelty in English Opera should be French, is neither consolatory nor complimentary to our own musicians; nor does it say much for the manager's expressed determination to uphold native talent.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA.-Native talent must certainly be at a discount. Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. Harrison, like Mr. E. T. Smith, are compelled to rush to the French répertoire for new works. On Monday night a new operetta, The Marriage of Georgette (a version of Les Noces de Jeannette), will be performed, and Miss Louisa Pyne make her first appearance since her recent indisposition. The Night Dancers has been given every night since the first performance.

The Theatres.

HAYMARKET.—The notion of an inoffensive gentleman arriving at a country town and being mistaken for some celebrity of the day, with whose peculiarities he has scarcely anything in common, has formed the basis of several farces supposed to refer with more than usual pungency to the occurrences of actual life. Many months have not elapsed since the Olympic audience laughed at Mr. Robson's assumption of a timid gentleman, who was wrongly supposed to be the " Benicia Boy," and some time previously another gentleman of weak nerves was placed on the St. James's stage, tormented by the general but incorrect belief that he was "Garibaldi's Englishman." Readers with long memories will easily recall a number of similar cases, and last night we had a fresh application of the old notion to a new topic, in a farce called the Lion-slayer. Mr. Gulliver Cumming, a harmless furrier, who has come to a provincial town to purchase lion-skins, is supposed to be the famous Gordon Cumming, arrived to capture a live lion, ecently escaped from a menagerie. His supposed courage at first gains for him a great deal of respect, for which he cannot account, but when the unexpected proximity of the lion causes him to run away much faster than the timidest inhabitant of the town the illusion is dissipated. The character of the "lion-slayer" is by no means worthy of Mr. Compton, but the extravagant jokes of the piece caused a great deal of laughter, which at last was mingled with no small quantity of hissing. Mr. Tom Taylor's comedy, the Babes in the Wood, has been liberally curtailed, and now plays

within the compass of three hours. The gratification of the spectators is thereby much increased, and last night the piece elicited the noisiest approbation of a crowded audience, assembled to patronise the benefit of Mr. Wyld, the treasurer.

ST. JAMES'S. The programme of this house has been entirely changed, Mr. and Mrs. Wigan having revived the older pieces with which their names are associated. Still Waters run Deep was not only one of the most successful works produced during their management of the Olympic Theatre, but it has become almost a classic of the modern stage, and even amateurs regard it with avidity. Mr. A. Wigan, of course, retains his original character of Mildmay, and Mrs. Wigan the part of Mrs. Sternhold, her assumption of which so materially increased the strength of the cast during the first run of the piece. Mr. Emery, being one of the St. James's company, is restored to his original part, Mr. Potter, which is one of the best in his repertory. The revival of M. Jacques also enables Mr. A. Wigan fully to display his wellknown talent for portraying French character.

STRAND. A new farce, based on a very extravagant notion, was produced last night, with the title Did I dream it? Mr. Poppy, a sleepy-headed gentleman, is supposed to dream with such intensity that he cannot rightly distinguish between the facts of his waking life and the fantastic occurrences with which his visions are replete. His dreams, moreover, are of such a nature that they never show the character of his friends in a favourable light, but have all the unflattering quality of the photograph without any of its correctness. Of course a gentleman endowed with such an idiosyncrasy is sure to run into all manner of scrapes. He will charge persons with delinquencies of which they are wholly guiltless, and a confession that he has mistaken a dream for a reality will with difficulty be admitted as a sufficient apology for gross calumny. The scrapes into which Poppy runs are of the most complicated kind, seriously compromising his own happiness and that of every person who unfortunately belongs to the circle of his acquaintance, but as Poppy himself is played in a very amusing manner by Mr. J. Clarke his oddities keep his audience in a constant roar.

PRINCESS'S. The evolutions of a female rifle corps constituted one of the chief attractions in the pantomine produced last year at the Princess's, and a similar success is now aimed at by a "corps de ballet," equipped in the fashion associated with Garibaldi. The dance is introduced in the course of a broad farce called the Garibaldian Excursionists, which brings the evening to a close after the conclusion of Ruy Blas. The applause bestowed on M. Fechter when he first appeared was no transient sign of favour. The more he has acted the more he has increased in favour, and it is a long time since a fresh actor has become the object of so much curiosity and admiration.

OLYMPIC THEATRE.

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It is worthy of observation that every piece brought out at the Olympic, however trifling, is put on the stage with all the earnestness proper to a grave undertaking. No theatre appears less frequently on the record, because at no theatre are more permanent successes attained. That constant change of performance which is to complete style of production and a slovenly manner of execution, is be found at some other establishments, and necessarily results in an inaltogether foreign to the Olympic, were change for the mere sake of change never takes place. Here the minutest nicetics of character and costume are observed in the smallest "lever du rideau;" here the personages on the stage, however few in number, are sure to be effectively grouped, instead of standing in the time-honoured straight line; here the first night of performance is not a dress rehearsal.

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The last novelty at the Olympic, a clever version by Mr. W. Gordon of a charming little French piece, called Le Feu au Couvent, is an illustration of the general principle of management. The subject, like that of La Joie de la Maison, is the conversion of a roué father by an innocent little daughter, and consequently the interest of the piece depends on the actress, whose department is by the French termed ingénuité." Representations of this department are not common on the English stage, for mature talent is not often found in connection with an appearance of thorough juvenility, but the Olympic managers are fortunate enough to have in their company Miss Louisa Keeley, who is exactly suited to these youthful heroines, and who, since her début, at the Princess's last year, has never undertaken a character which she has not rendered effective. Amabel, as she is called, may be added to the list of her great successes, and as there is an eccentric part

for Mr. H. Wigan, and the roué father is exceedingly well played by the rising actor Mr. Robinson, the piece is efficiently sustained in all the leading parts, We should not forget to state that the English title is Home for a Holiday, and that the scene of action is placed in the London of the 18th century, with every regard to appropriate costume.

MONDAY POPULAR CONCERTS.-Had any seer no further back than three years since predicted that on a cold raw foggy November night St. James's Hall would be crowded by an audience attracted solely by a programme of classical chamber music, that seer would have incurred the risk of being considered as labouring under a mild form of lunacy--a far-seer (farceur ?), too-far-seer indeed. The prediction of the seer in question, who saw through the fog in question, of the distant year and month in question, would have been called in question, as the prediction of a simple fanatica 'fanatico per la musica' who should be promptly taken care of by his friends. But had the self-same seer foretold that by the year 1860 a series of concerts, devoted exclusively to a class of music at one time almost entirely unknown, save to amateurs and the wealthy, who could afford high prices at Willis's Rooms, should be not only inaugurated but so firmly established as to be looked upon by the musical public as much in the light of an institution as the Philharmonic, the Sacred Harmonic, or the Opera, that self-same seer would, indeed, have had "no honour in his own country"-nay, worse, might have formed the subject for a commission De lund tico inquirendo' and been ultimately consigned to the tender mercies of a private asylum. The success, nevertheless, artistic and pecuniary, of the Monday Popular Concerts has long been placed beyond a doubt, and their recommencement is hailed by lovers of good music as a welcome boon now that the long winter evenings have fairly, or rather darkly, set in. On Monday last the post of honour was occupied by Mozart, the instrumental pieces being selected entirely from his works and comprising the quintett in A major for clarionet, two violins, viola, and violoncello, respectively held by Messrs Lazarus, Sainton, Ries, Schreurs, and Piatti; the sonata in C minor, for pianoforte alone, played by Mr. Charles Hallé (first time at these concerts); one of two sonatas in E minor, for pianoforte and violin, publicly introduced for the first time in this country, (Mr. Charles Hallé and M. Sainton); and the trio in E flat, for pianoforte, clarionet, and viola. Here, so far as criticism is concerned, "Othello's occupation's gone; for when the music is of such a character as invariably marks the selection at the Monday Popular Concerts, and the executants are worthy of the music assigned them, but one descriptive word suggests itself, even to the critical mind, and that word is "perfection." notice a remarkable feature as distinguishing these from the ordinary run of musical entertainments, where we find the first piece in the programme serves much the same purpose as the "airy nothing" at a French theatre—the lever de rideau,” which prepares us for the solid attraction of the evening. Even at the Opera many seem to regard the overture and opening chorus as so much preliminary noise. The reverse is the case at St. James's Hall, where, as a Rule (with some few "stalled," or uninstalled" exceptions) people are in their places, and eager to devote as much attention to the first as to any succeeding piece. The quintett (given for the fourth time) with which the concert opened, was listened to with intense delight, and the outburst of enthusiastic applause at the end of each movement, showed how thoroughly its manifold beauties were appreciated. The second movement-Larghetto (con sordini)-created a furore. The exquisite clarionet playing of M. Lazarus contributed in no small degree to this result, and frequently as we have had occasion to praise this gentleman's performance, we never heard him to greater advantage, faultless tone and mechanism being combined with taste and feeling beyond reproach. In the pianoforte solo Mr. Charles Hallé displayed his well-known capabilities as & performer of the first rank, deservedly gaining the heartiest plaudits. The duet, in which M. Sainton divided the honours with Mr. Hallé, is peculiar as well as charming; peculiar, as being in two movements only, both in the minor key, and charming from its plaintive and unaffected beauty. We hope this first time of hearing it may not be also the last. The vocal music must be dismissed in a few words-Mad. Lemmens Sherrington repeating Dussek's beautiful canzonet, “Name the

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glad day" (which was introduced at the previous concert), and also her favourite, "Ah, why do we love" (Macfarren); Mr. Santley, "The Bellringer" (Wallace), and "Rough wind that moanest loud" (J. W. Davison), both of which he has frequently sung. The singing in either instance was irreproachable. The pianoforte accompaniments of Mr. Benedict were, as usual, all that could be wished. At the concert of next Monday the instrumental pieces will be selected from Beethoven, and include the fine sonata in E flat Op. 7 for pianoforte, solus (first time)pianist Mr. Hallé. DODINAS.

THE LONDON TONIC SOL-FA CHOIR. (Communicated).—We are glad to be able to inform our musical friends, that a performance of concerted vocal music will be given at St. James's Hall, on Tuesday evening next, November 27, by a new choir bearing the above name, consisting of about 150 voices, trained under the direction of Mr. W. S. Young. The fact that none will sing who have not passed an examination as to ability to read music readily, as well as to execute it skilfully, together with the well-known ability of the conductor, guarantees a first-rate performance. The programme includes music by Handel, Mendelssohn, Becker, Palestrina, Meyerbeer, Auber, &c., &c., and is of so highly popular a character, that we prophecy from our former experience of Tonic Sol-fa Concerts, that this will excel anything that has yet been attempted. The choir intends to assume a permanent character, so as, at any time, to be prepared to demonstrate that the Tonic Sol-fa method is the one by which the art of singing is most readily to be attained. We trust this choir will meet with much success, and have no doubt it will take a high rank among the Metropolitan Choral Associations.

MUSIC HALL, STORE STREET. On Monday evening last, the Rev. Robert Maguire, incumbent of Clerkenwell and hon. chaplain of the 39th Middlesex Volunteers, delivered a lecture in the above Hall on the "Volunteer movement." The hall was densely crowded and the platform was occupied by the volunteers. Lord Radstock, lieutenantcolonel of the West Middlesex, occupied the chair. The musical arrangements were under the direction of Mr. Albert Lowe, who presided at the great organ and pianoforte with his usual ability. At the close of the meeting a poem, written by the Rev. Robert Maguire, called The British Volunteers, was sung to the air of "The British GrenaThe meeting sepadiers," a select choir of ladies taking the solo verse. rated after the usual compliments to the chairman.

Provincial.

MADAME CLARA NOVELLO'S FINAL PERFORMANCES at present constitute the special features of the musical doings in the various towns and cities of the provinces. The "farewell," or farewells,” at Brighton took place on the occasion of the annual concerts of Herr Kühe, the well-known pianist and professor, on Friday evening last and Saturday afternoon, on both of which occasions, we are informed, "the audiences which filled the large room of the town-hall were such as could not fail to transform Mad. Novello's farewell visit into a most profitable speculation."

A correspondent is more diffuse about what took place at Herr Kühe's concert. "As usual," he writes, "Herr Kühe's concerts have proved most attractive. Herr Kühe is proverbial for giving some of the best concerts of the season, and on the present occasion he has in the fullest sense of the term, excelled himself. He always takes care to produce the leading feature of the day for the enjoyment of the habitués of the concert-room, and he could have offered no more powerful attraction than Mad. Clara Novello, whose retirement from professional life is so near. Besides the English Jenny Lind,' Herr Kühe had the assistance of Messrs. Baxter, Cumming, Lawler, Land, and Miss Eyles (Glee and Madrigal Union), and Herr Molique, with whom Herr Kühe played Dussek's sonata in B flat, so much admired when played at the London Monday Popular Concerts. Herr Kühe played also his own fantasia on the 'Shadow Song' from Dinorah, and some variations on 'Kathleen Mavourneen,' which the audience wished to hear again. The concert, which took place the following morning (Saturday), comprised, among other morceaux, a selection from Spohr's oratorio of the Last Judgment, by the Glee and Madrigal Union; Beethoven's sonato in G, for piano and violin, by Herr Kühe and Herr Molique Angels ever bright and fair,' and 'I know that my Redeemer

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