Overture. (Alceste.) GLUCK.
Song, ‘Let the bright seraphim.’ Chorus, ‘Let their celestial.’ (Samson.) HANDEL.
Sestetto, ‘Dove son.’ (Cosi fan Tutte.) MOZART.
Duetto, ‘Dove scorre.’ MOZART.
Quartet ‘Agnus Dei.’ Chorus, ‘Dona nobis.’ MOZART.
Song, ‘Misera! dove son?’ MOZART.
Madrigal (double choir), ‘When all alone.’ CONVERSI.
Song. ‘Alles still tiefe.’ KEISER, 1694.
Chorus, ‘Father, we adore thee.’ (Judah.) HAYDN.

With this concert the season concluded, and in a manner which we should suppose must have determined almost every subscriber to continue his name on the list for the ensuing year. So good a selection, so much variety and novelty, never appeared on the books of the Ancient Concerts. Madame Pasta’s deeply expressive style of singing ‘Parto’ was felt by the whole room, but her shakes, or attempts to shake, nearly neutralized all the good effect she produced. Spofforth’s very beautiful glee,—one of those specimens of the English school which will descend to posterity, and never lose its power to charm,—was, upon the whole, delicately sung, though somewhat too quick. Mr. Bennet in ‘Total eclipse!’ did himself the greatest credit; he sang it most chastely, and afforded the best proofs of having studied the words as well as music of this exceedingly pathetic song, one of the chefs-d’œuvre of the great master. The beautiful quartet from Gluck’s Orfeo was new to these concerts. It is reasonably a matter of wonder that it never before had been rescued from neglect. We would willingly have spared the ‘Musica di Ballo,’ which, though essential on the stage, is quite unnecessary in the concert-room. Not less excellent than the quartet, though of a different character, is the aria from a drama written on the same subject, and composed by Haydn—‘Il pensier stà negli oggetto,’ a gentle, lovely air in E, sung by Mr. Parry, jun., with great judgment and effect. This, we believe, has never till now been publicly performed in England![68] We have heard Madame Pasta, in the scena from Gluck’s opera, with feelings of pleasure less mingled with regret than on the present occasion. She seems exhausted by constantly singing. The two spring months in London fatigue a fashionable performer more than a whole year in cities peopled by reasonable folks. The Te Deum of Leo, though nearly a century old, is another novelty, not only to the Ancient Concerts, but to this and, we suspect, every other country: it is one of the grandest works of this great composer: and some trombone parts which were, with great good sense, added to it on the present occasion, increase to a very considerable degree the sublimity of its effect. To Lord Burghersh, we are told, the subscribers are indebted for so much that is new to them; and we are much mistaken if the musical world generally will not have to thank that accomplished nobleman for having saved this valuable institution from the dissolution that was impending.

The overture to Alceste is decidedly a work of genius. Was it ever before performed in London, except forty years ago at the Opera-House? In the sestetto from Cosi fan Tutte the performers were by no means at ease; they wanted what they ought to have been compelled to undergo, a couple of hours’ private study together, with the piano-forte only, before they even rehearsed it with the band.

‘Dove scorre’ has never been a great favourite with us, though undoubtedly an elegant composition. It was extremely well executed by Messrs. Bennet and Phillips. The ‘Agnus Dei,’ from a not very generally known mass, is a beautiful quartet. The scena, ‘Misera! dove son?’ and following aria, is from Mozart’s Operngesaenge, and, like most of the pieces in that collection, did not call forth much of the composer’s strength; Mrs. Bishop, however, did it every justice in her power. The almost bewitching madrigal of Girolamo Conversi, first published at Venice, in 1575, was encored!—a great effort for this wonderfully self-controlled audience. Keiser has recently been made generally known through the medium of our work, and a very passionate and charming air by him, admirably sung by Madame Devrient, added to the attraction of this fine concert,—a concert which has most effectually assisted in retrieving the character that had been rather damaged by a few former seasons, and has left a most favourable impression on all who were present at this last of the fifty-eighth series.

PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS.

SEVENTH CONCERT, MONDAY, MAY 27, 1833.

ACT I.

Sinfonia in C. BEETHOVEN.
Aria, Signor Tamburini, ‘O, colpo impensato!’ (La Gazza Ladra.) ROSSINI.
New MS. concerto in F, M. Hummel. HUMMEL.
Duetto, Madame Pasta e Signor Tamburini, ‘Se la vita.’ (Semiramide.) ROSSINI.
Fantasia Drammatica (MS.) composed expressly for the Philharmonic Society, and first time of performance. THE CHEVALIER NEUKOMM.

ACT II.

New MS. Sinfonia in G minor, composed expressly for the Philharmonic Society, and first time of performance. C. ROTTER.
Aria, Madame Pasta, ‘Bel raggio.’ (Semiramide.) ROSSINI.
Duetto, violoncello e contra basso, Messrs. Lindley and Dragonetti. CORELLI.
Aria, Madame Puzzi, ‘Se amore soltanto.’ Corno, obligato Signor Puzzi. MAYER ANDROSSINI.
Overture. (Anacreon.) CHERUBINI.

Leader, Mr. Mori.—Conductor, Mr. C. Potter.