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Leader (1850-1860), 4th June 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 701, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      mand that such accounts of the affair of Montebello have been dished up . They are likewise permitting the alarm to be propagated by the press , that it is thejpbject of Prussia , with the aid of England , to annex , by indirect process , all the minor states of the Confederation , and that her first move to this end is to obtain the supreme command of all the federal troops , by which she would be rendered virtually the mistress of all Germany , and the princes reduced to a state of vassalage . At any rate , the people would be thereby accustomed to regard Prussia as the head and front of Deutschland . IVow , however welcome this would be to the German people and to England , it must naturally be viewed witir tear and jealousy by all the princes , and more especially by those rivals of Prussia , Austria , Bavaria , Saxony , and Hanover . . . . .

      Last week the good people of the Elbe and Weser were startled by tlie appearance of two or three French gun-boats . It was supposed they had run in to see whether any Austrian vessels were in the ports or about to sail . Some imagine their object was to pick up some knowledge of the coast , and take bearings and soundings . It is said that they could not obtain a pilot from the main land ; all refused to go . This is doubtless a newspnper file ; and they were obliged to put across to Heligoland , where they procured enough . They are still cruising about off the coast . — Business is bad .

      Untitled Article

      ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA , COVENT GAKDEX . The novelty of . the week has been the revival of " Martha , " on Tuesday , with a vast amount of splendour in costume and decoration , and with Lotti Santa as the heroine . All constant readers of our operatic notes must bo pre , tty familiar with Flotow ' s work , of which , as performed by the Pyne and Harrison company , we have given more than one report . Musically speaking , it is now , as ever , trivial ; ad populum it may be styled Very pleasing . The " Last Rose of * Summer "—called in Italian , " Qui sola vergen rosa "—with which it is bolted together from beginning to end , would , in the foands of an infinitely less able prinia donna than Mdlle . Lotti , redeem all faults ; and the " M'Apparai , " Lionely

      ending with his passionate inquiry , " Why his Martha left him , " is a gem whose lustre even . Mario ' s eold failed to tarnish . The "Spinning Quartett , " again , is a charming vwrceau ; and the talented Nan tier made as much as it allows of Nancy Graziani—condemned , it may be , for his contumacy , to enact the miserable part of Plunket— -was not received with the precise kind of welcome one might have supposed in store for so covetted a treasure . He sang well , however , in that very dull lay about beer , which so little smacks of the genuine drinking song , that one fears the composer may have 6 ought inspiration rather in champagne glasses of " Preston Pans , " than in deep pots of "jolly good ale and old . " Her Majesty and the Princess Frederick William honoured Ilerr Flotow by assisting at the representation of his work . lauun 01 ins wojtjk .

      ITALIAN OPERA , DRCRY LANE . The handsome Guarducci has made a success at this opera-bouse as Rosina in Rossini ' s " Barbiere , " proving herself fully up to the high standand promised by her performances as Gilda and LaFavorita In Dunqu' io son , " and " Una voce , " she was delightful ; and in the music-lesson she introduced an air by Mercadantc , " ¦ , s ' estinto , " which was encored with cnthusaism ! At the end of the opera she was loudly called for . The Figaro was ce chcr Badiale . The veteran ' s astonishing vivacity as the Barber we hnive before taken occasion to notice , and we have only to repeat our general approval of hia exceedingly level performance . As the Count Almacioa , Signor Mong ini hardly maintained his laurels ; but Signor Marini , on the other hand , makes an CYtiollent Dr . Bartolo .

      We have heard , and it was by no means surprising , that the draught charter of the Dramatic College , as propared for the autocratic gentlemen who lately insulted Mr . JDodd and common sense , as well as betrayed their trust as stewards of charity , contains clauses very similar indeed to those they so churlishly refused to hear of from their would-be benefactor .

      Untitled Article

      CRYSTAL , PALACE . Hakdel CoiiMEMORATioN-. —The engagement of the host of performers for this great festival has how been completed by the Sacred Harmonic Society . The extent of the orchestra-will be appreciated when it it stated that it will comprise 242 violins and violas , 120 violoncellos and double basses , with about 100 wind and other instruments , which , with 2 , 700 chbralists—all efficient and most carefully selected —will form an aggregate considerably beyond three thousand performers .

      The orchestra itself is 216 feet wide , or double the diameter of the dome of St . Paul ' s Cathedral . It is capable of containing many hundreds more than the numbers above stated ; but as it has been the express object of the managers of the festival todevelope tire tone produced by this gigantic assemblage of musicians under the most favourable conditions , such a liberal allowance of space has been given to each performer , and so many wide avenues intersect and divide each portion of the . chorus , that it has been found absolutely imperative—despite the many thousands of efficient applicants now registered in the books kept by the Sacred Harmonic Societyto limit the performers to the number above stated . The rehearsals of the metropolitan division of the choru 3 , at Exeter Hall , will be brought to a

      conclu-ST . JAMES ' S THEATRE . Among the p . ost-Epsomite diversions of Wednesday was a performance at this theatre for the benefit of Mr . F . B . Chatterton , some time a wellknown official at the Lyceum Theatre . The entertainments consisted of the favorite comedy of" Still Waters , Run Deep , " very ably played by Mrs . Seymour as Mrs . Hector Sternhold , Mr . Leigh Murray as John Mildmay , Mr . Fitzjamas as Hawkesley , and Mr . Barrett as Mr . Potter . To begin backwards , the last named gentleman ' s version of our prosy old friend , is by no means a bad one . Ifc is distinct from the original

      interpretation by Mr . Emery , whose Potter was , if we remember right , fussy , while Mr . Barrett ' s is drivelling . Mr . Fitzjames is perfectly intelligent , but too attentive to his delivery to be smooth or easy . Mrs . Seymour ' s strong-minded lady ( by the way , for that characteristic for which she substitutes the wholly feminine ) , was very pleasing ; and Mr . Murray was entirely at home , without annoying parade of sentimentality , as the , stalwart highminded Mildmay . A ballet succeeded the play ; and an act of " Guatavus III ., " in which the audience to their delight , figured on the scene with the coryphees , wound up the evening ' s entertainment .

      MISS rALMER ' S . CONCERT . Tins accomplished lady gave her first concert on Wednesday evening , at St . Martin ' s Hall . Notwithstanding its being the Derby day , a crowd of fashionable admirers were present , and testified their appreciation of her abilities . Miss Talmer was deservedly encored in Mr . Hullah ' s new song , " The Storm , " and much applauded in Mozart ' s " Addio , " in When I was Young , " by Mr . Chorley , and in the duet from " II Trovatore , " with Mr . Sims Reeves . The programme included the names of Madame Riidcrsdorf , Miss Banks , Miss Bradshaw , Ilerr Molique , Messrs . Harper , Hausser , May cock , Nicholson , and Miss Arabella Gbddard . The concert was perfectly successful . st . James ' s ¦ iiA . tr ..

      Ox Tuesday , the St . James ' s Hall was crowded with amateurs , attracted by the programme of the Musical Union , which comprised quartets by Haydn and Mendelssohn , a pianoforte trio by Beethoven , and solos for this instrument by Chopin and Liszt . In the latter works , which afford room now for the display of the greatest pathos and now the most forcible execution , M . Rutenstem , the Russian pianist , or- ^ as it is , for the . time , fashionable to say— to

      virtuoso , proved his poetic genius and dexterity the loudfy expressed delights of the company . The first violinist in the quartets was Wieniawski , who surprised many of his hearers by displaying a greut deal of the former quality , as well as that extent of the latter for which all have long given him credit . It is almost superfluous to add , that his distinguished coadjutors , Goffrie , Blagrove , and Piatti , contributed duly to the ensemble , and participated in the honours of the evening .

      At the Hanover-square Rooms , also , onTuesday , Hcrr Leopold de Meyer , another " wonder player " on the pianoforte , gave , not a taste , but a banquet of his quality , assisted by Ilerr Reichardt , the German sympathetic tenor , whom wo were glad to hear again , and Madlle . Vaneri , of the Theatre Royal , Drury-lane . The idea given of Leopold de Meyer by the caricatures in plaster and lithography , ii * which the French artists are so happy , and of which foreign musicians arc so proud , is by no means an overstrained one . He has a good deal of the " Piano-tamer " about him ; and as the instruments submitted for experiment are generally stiff-backed ones , one has little opportunity of observing him except in tours de force . He should , however , bo seen and heard by all pianoforte amateurs , aa he is , perhaps , tho arch-representative of a peculiar school .

      Miss Lb Diku announces a soiree municale for Monday noxt , nt the Beethoven-rooms , Harleystrcot , when she will piny a Mozart pianoforte nnd violin sonata with Mr . Dando . A solo spnatft by Haydn , and a March duet by Uaethoven , with Madame do Vauehoran . Miss Palmer and Mr . Thomas are among tho vocalists who will assist . On Wednesday next tho Handel Choral Society , an amateur body , of which wo recently noticod the foundation , announces an evening concert to toKo placo at the Foundling Hospital . Among the features will be found Van Ua-es cantata , " bt . Cooilm s Day , " Mendelsohn ' s " Athalio , " and a par t sohk by Mullor , " May Day . " Mr . Willing , Chapel Master of tho Foundlingconducts .

      , Ww have pleasure in noticing an amiable project for mi Asylum , to bo called the Handel College , for tho orphans of musicians of all classes and countries resident in Great Brltuin . Tho prospectus , signed by Sir J . H . Harrington , a well-known amateur , and M Benedict , after grucofully alluding to tho ostin'otlon conferred upon tho country through its having boon the chosen homo of tho illustrious

      sion on Friday , the 10 th inst . Rehearsals in the provincial towns will be continued up to Friday , the 17 th of June , on which evening as many of the chorus as Exeter Hall will contain will be assembled together for the first time . The full rehearsal of the entire orchestra will , take place at the Crystal Palace , at from half-past ten to eleven o ' clock on the morning of Saturday , the 18 th of June . This rehearsal will be open to the public by tickets at seven shillings and sixpence each , if purchased some time beforehand ; and as the orchestra will be as complete as on the days of the festival , and as the rehearsal will comprise the most effective portions of each day ' s performance , there is no doubt but that the attendance will be very great , particularly by those persons from the country unable to remain in town-for the whole of the festival week .

      Arrangements are now in progress at the Crystal Palace for the . exhibition-of various relics and memorials of Handel , in a court arranged for the purpose . This collection gives promise of great interest . Handel ' s autograph scores of " Messiah . " " Israel in Egypt , " and the " Dettingen Te Deum " ( works to be regarded with the deepest veneration ) , now in the Royal Library , and the portrait of the composer , presented by , Smith ( his amanuensis ) to George III ., now at Buckingham Palace , will be graciously lent for the occasion by her Majesty the Queen , and his Royal Highness the Prince Consort ; the statue of Handel by Roubiliac , his portrait by Denner ( the one most prized by the composer , and kept by him in his own house ) , miniatures ,

      pitchpipe used by Handel at his performances ( interesting as showing the rise in musical pitch in the last century ) , autograph letters , &c , belonging to the Sacred Harmonic Society ; the MS . scores from which lie conducted his oratorios , kindly lent for this occasion by Handel ' s biographer , Mr . Victor Schoalcher ; hia harpsichord , contributed by the Messrs . ESroa . lwood , the eminent pianoforte manufacturers , in whose house , in Great Pultcney-street , when in the occupation of Tschudi , the harpsichord maker—tlie Broadwood of his day—Handel was a frequent visitor ; numerous engraved i ) ortraits of Handel and his principal performers ; early , curious , and recent editions of his works , biographies , &c , will be added to the collection .

      Enough has been stated to show Us interesting nature , and as the Sacred Harmonic Society has issued a notification of their desire to avail themselves of the loan of any other contemporary musical objects—aa intimation which Is sure to bo widely responded to—there can bo no doubt but that the " Handel Court" at the Crystal Palaco will be a source of much gratification to the thousands of admirers of tlie great musician who will be brought together from all parts . Tho wide-spread interest excited has led the directors to apply to the Commander-in-Chiof to give facilities to officers in tho army for attending the Festival ; nnd with pleasure it is announced an official intimation has boon givon that , on application , leave of absence will bo given for the Festival week to such officers as may desire to bo present .

      Stops have also been taken for affording the opportunity for attending tho Festival to members of the provincial press . At the preliminary 1857 fostival innny provincial and other journals wore represented , and an amount of original musical criticism was thereby elicited beyond precodont . Several of the daily country journals published daily tolographie reports of tho Festival , which kept the inhabitants of tho principal towns well informed of its progress . Tho telegraphic arrangementd being made on the present occasion will offer increased facilities over those In 1857 .

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      Theatres , &c ] THE IEADEB . 701

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      Tub following pictures have been purchased by prizoholdcra in tho Art Union of London . From tho Royal Academy— " Morning on the Lago Maggioro , " by 0 . F . Herring , for 170 / . ; " Milton visiting Galileo , " by B . Crowe , for 03 / . From tho Society of British Artists— " The Black Pool on tho Lledr /' by J . P . Pottitt , 75 / . ; " The Rock Quarry , " by I . Tennant , 7 M ; « ' Whitby from Upgaug , " B . Nicmann . 00 / . ; " Tho Nut-gattherers , " K . I . Cobbott , 03 / . From tho British Institution— "Tho Mothor ' s Hope , " I . W . Havnofl , 40 / . From tho Portland Gallery" Farm Yard , " byUIcrring and Rplfe , 45 * . From tho Now W « tor-Colour Society- — " Tho Road through Borrowdalo , " I ) . IT . McKowan , 31 / . 10 s . From tho Old Wator-Colour Society— "A Branch of tho Thames , " AV . W . Gosling , 30 / .

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  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 4, 1859, page 701, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2297/page/17/