EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF A DILETTANTE.
[Resumed from [page 109].]
April 28th. One of the greatest prôneurs of Signor Paganini has been the editor of La Revue Musicale; but in his last number, speaking of this artist’s recent performance in Paris, he says, Paganini was not on the present occasion equal to what he has been, and it appeared to us that he was not quite satisfied with himself. Is it not more likely that the fit of enthusiasm, excited by novelty, or by a well got up exhibition, is giving way to dispassionate observation and cool criticism?
May 6th. England is about to possess one of the finest rooms, and the largest and most powerful organ in Europe. What the other qualities of the latter will be, remains to be proved. But the metropolis of the kingdom will not have to boast of these advantages, the credit of them will belong to a provincial town, to Birmingham, where a townhall is nearly finished, the interior of which is 140 feet long, 65 wide, and 65 high. In this is to be placed—chiefly for the use of the musical festivals there to be held for the benefit of the General Hospital—the organ alluded to, the following description of which accompanies a lithographic print of the gigantic instrument now building.
The organ case will be forty feet wide and forty-five feet high. The largest metal diapason pipe is to be five feet three inches in circumference, and thirty-five feet in height. The largest wood diapason pipe will measure in the interior upwards of two hundred cubic feet. In the full organ are to be ten open diapasons, and all the other parts must be in calculated proportion to this. There will be sixty draw-stops, and five sets of keys. To supply so stupendous an instrument with wind will require many sets of bellows, the whole superficial measure of which will exceed three hundred and eighty feet. And to give, if it can be fairly estimated, some further idea of the magnitude of this organ, it may be stated, that its weight will amount to upwards of forty tons.
It was intended to open this grand hall, and still grander organ, in the autumn of the present year; but to prevent any injurious haste in the completion of the building and of the instrument, the grand musical festival, which will prove to the county of Warwick that it possesses one of the most splendid rooms, and the most magnificent organ in the world, is deferred till October, 1834.
8th. In the bill of the Ancient Concert this evening is an odd junction,—‘The Chaconne and Requiem of JOMELLI.’ It should have been Overture only, this including the Chaconne; and neither have any connection whatever with the Requiem, though they make a very good introduction to it. In future, let us hope that the name of a ballet-tune will not be coupled with the Missa pro defunctis; unless it be intended to have a musical as well as graphic Dance of Death.
11th. The Glee Club this day decreed their prize for the best cheerful glee to Mr. Hawes. Last week, Mr. Goss obtained the prize for a serious glee.
—— This day died a singer, not unknown to fame in her day, Mrs. Dickons, who, at nearly the close of the last century, held rather a prominent station as a performer, both on the stage and in the concert-room. This lady manifested a decided talent for music at a very early age, and at eleven years of age, her father, Mr. Poole, placed her under Rauzzini. At thirteen, the Court Journal tells us, she appeared at Vauxhall; but no notice is taken of this in the account given of her in the Dictionary of Musicians, the heads of which were probably furnished by her direction. Afterwards, but at what exact time I am not aware, she was placed under Mr. John Ashley, jun., who instructed her generally in music, and through the interest of his father she was allowed to sing at the Ancient Concerts.
In 1793, she appeared for the first time on the stage, in the character of Ophelia, and afterwards, progressively, had many principal vocal parts assigned to her; for though her style of singing was far from refined, it was correct; and though her voice wanted fulness, and was reedy, yet her intonation was perfect, her knowledge of music gave her a firmness that few possessed, and she could be relied on both for ability and punctuality.
Miss Poole married a Mr. Dickons in 1800, and retired from the stage, finally, as she supposed, but her union did not prove so happy as she had reason to expect, and she returned to her public employment, and was engaged at the King’s Theatre, where she performed as second to Madame Catalani, who, in 1816, engaged her at the Théâtre Italién in Paris, (then on lease to Madame C.) as prima donna, where I heard her in two or three characters. Her success was such as a second-rate singer has a right to expect from a polite audience; she was listened to with much attention, some applause, but not, after her debut, by very numerous auditors. I was present at her first performance, and immediately discovered Madame C.’s design in engaging an English vocalist who could never be her rival. Mrs. D. only made a very few attempts in Paris, then retired. She was subsequently engaged at Venice, also at one or two other cities in Italy; and on her return to England, was engaged by Mr. Harris, at Covent Garden Theatre, where she made her appearance as Rosina, in Rossini’s Barber of Seville, adapted to English words. In 1818, she finally abandoned all public employment, and shortly after was attacked by a cancerous disease, from which she never recovered, though paralysis was the immediate cause of her death. Mrs. Dickons was much respected by the public, for she maintained a most irreproachable character, and was not less beloved by her friends for all those qualities which contribute so largely to social happiness.
14th. The premium of twenty pounds annually given by the noblemen and gentlemen of the Catch-club, for the best glee, was this day awarded to Mr. Walmisley. The candidates were but few, and the prize was decided by a majority of one vote only; Mr. Walmisley’s composition having nineteen in its favour, and Mr. T. Cooke’s eighteen. None are allowed to become candidates for this prize but the professional members of the club, the competition therefore is confined in a narrow sphere; an evil, certainly, but unavoidable, for were there no limit, more glees would be sent in than could by any possibility be tried without an expense both of time and money that no club could support.
20th. The Directors of the Ancient Concert have announced their determination respecting those performances in future; or at least for next season. The plan and conditions are as follow:—
‘That there be Eight Concerts, to take place every alternate Wednesday from the commencement of the season, with the exception of the usual recess during Passion and Easter weeks.
‘That the Subscription be Six Guineas for Subscribers retaining the privilege of attending Rehearsals; Five Guineas for those who do not.
‘That the transfer of tickets between Father and Sons, and between Brothers, also between Mother and Daughters, and between Sisters, be allowed.
‘That the Subscribers retain the same privilege, as during the present season, of recommending for single tickets for the evening.
‘In order to carry on the Concerts on the same scale as heretofore, and with the same vocal and instrumental power and excellence, it is necessary that the number of Subscribers should not be less than 500. The Directors therefore give notice, that if, on the 1st of February, 1834, the Subscribers reported to Messrs. LONSDALE and MILLS, of 140, New Bond Street, do not amount to that number, the Concerts will be discontinued.’
Let us hope that what is here proposed will be successful in upholding an institution on which the preservation of good music in this country no much depends. To the study of the ancient masters the great modern composers confessedly owed their knowledge; these introduced a new style in instrumental music, undoubtedly, and extended the limits of modulation, but the foundation was prepared for them, and no one has established a permanent reputation who has not built on this. In the words, therefore, of Fra Paoli, I pray for its continuation and prosperity:—Esto perpetua!