The Harmonicon 1833 Part the First by Various

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Title: The Harmonicon
Part the First

Author: Various

Release Date: April 23, 2018 [EBook #57033]

Language: English

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Transcriber’s Notes

This e-text is based on ‘The Harmonicon, Part the First,’ from 1833. Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have been
retained, but punctuation and typographical errors have been corrected. Uncommon and outdated spelling has not been
altered.
In the table of contents, the ‘Foreign Musical Reports’ for the towns of Marienburg and Nurenberg have no correlation to
any passages in the text. In some tables, the numbering of items seems to be incorrect. Since the source of error cannot
be determined, the numbering scheme has been retained.
‘Months’ have been printed at the bottom of the pages in the original. These references have been changed into side notes
at the top of the corresponding page for each new month.

THE

HARMONICON.

1833.

PART THE FIRST,

CONTAINING

ESSAYS, CRITICISMS, BIOGRAPHY, FOREIGN REPORTS,

AND

MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, AND

LONGMAN,

PATERNOSTER-ROW.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES.

Duke Street, Lambeth.

PART THE FIRST.

ESSAYS, CRITICISMS, AND MISCELLANIES.

CONTENTS.

I. BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS.

Page

Ayrton, Edmund, Mus. D.
142

Batten, Adrian
117

Blake, William, D.D.
118

Danby, John
186

Dupuis, Thomas S., Mus. D.
142

Garcia, Manuel del P. V.
21

Hayes, William. Mus. D.
141

Herold, Louis J. F.
69

King, Charles, M.B.
118

Kircher, Anastasius
162

Mersenne, Marin
161

Metastasio, (Pietro Trapassi)
93

Paxton, Stephen
186

Righini, Vincenzo
1

Rubini, Gian B.
23

Smith, John Stafford
186

Spofforth, Reginald
186

Stevens, Richard James Samuel
186

Tamburini, Antonio
125

Travers, John
141

Tudway, Thomas
117

Webbe, Samuel
185

Weldon, John
117

Zelter, Carl Friedrich
45

II. MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS, CORRESPONDENCE, NOTICES, &c.

Amateur’s Musical Party, at the Freemasons’ Tavern
97

Ancient Concerts, the Leader of the
172

Anders, M., historical notices relative to the Violin, by
169

Barnett, (Mr.) and the Philharmonic Society
120

Base Voice, on the
100

Beethoven, a theoretical work, by
6

Beethoven’s Opinion of Contemporary Composers
46

Beethoven on Canon
47

Beethoven, Characteristic Traits and Anecdotes of
25

Belgium, on the actual state of music in
191

Bellini’s last Opera
193

Birmingham Musical Festival
63

Burney, (Dr.) Memoirs of, by Mad. D’Arblay
51, 75, 99,

121

Cambridge Commencement
167

Canon, on, by Beethoven
47

Castel-Blaze, (M.) notice of Tamburini, by
125

Cathedral Service and Lord Henley
56

Characteristic Anecdotes and Traits of Beethoven
25

[Pg iii]

Choirs, Ecclesiastical, of Great Britain and Ireland—Armagh—
Canterbury
50

Commemoration of Sir Thomas Gresham
180

Concerts, Memoirs of the Metropolitan
4

Concerts at Oxford, and on the State of Music at both Universities
73

Composers, contemporary, Beethoven’s opinion of
46

Compositions of Handel, on some
29

Critique, a German
146

D’Arblay, (Mad.) Memoirs of Dr. Burney, by

51, 75, 99,

121

Ecclesiastical Choirs of Great Britain and Ireland—Armagh—
Canterbury
50

Fallacies of some Writers on Music
2

Fashionable Music, rules for composing
187

Fétis, (M.) an Official Note to
109

Fortunatus, the new German Opera of
7

German Opera, Fortunatus, a new
7

Glasgow Amateur Society
188

Glee Club, the Manchester Gentlemen’s
30

Glees, on Prizes for
126

Gresham Prize Medal for 1832
29

Gresham, Sir Thomas, Commemoration of
180

Handel, on some compositions of
29

Harmonics of the Violin
143

Hints to Leaders and Conductors
95

Leader of the Ancient Concerts
172

Leaders and Conductors, hints to
95

Lindley’s (Mr. G.) Answer to Mr. Gödbé
4

Liverpool Amateur Society
168

Lord Henley and the Cathedral Service
56

Lyre, on the re-introduction of
124

‘Mad Tom of Bedlam,’ the Song of
58, 74

Maelzel’s new Metronome
96

Manchester Gentlemen’s Glee Club
30

Melody, a treatise on
118

Melody and Harmony, Mr. D. Walker on
145

Memoirs of Dr. Burney, by Mad. D’Arblay
51, 75, 99,

121

Metropolitan Concerts, Memoirs of the
4

Millard, (Mrs.) letter from
72

Millard’s, (Mrs.) Letter, reply of Mr. Purday to
98

Moscheles, (M.) at Leipzig
9

Music, fallacies of some Writers on
2

Music, actual state of, in Belgium
191

Music, state of, in the Provinces
71

Music, state of, at both Universities
73

Music, on Thoughts or Ideas in
188

Music, utility of to Sailors
171

Musical Festival, Worcester
170

Musical Metronomes
192

Musical Party, Amateur’s, at the Freemason’s Tavern
97

Norwich Festival
191

Note, an official, to M. Fétis
109

Obituary—Herold—Nozzari—Deville
30

‘Old English Gentleman,’ song of the
172, 190

Opera Department, state of our Theatres chiefly as relates to the
27

Otto. M., on the Violin
162

Oxford, Concerts at
73, 165

—— Commemoration Concerts
165

[Pg iv]

Philharmonic Society and Mr. Barnett
120

Prize Medal for 1832, the Gresham
29

Prizes for Glees, on
126

Provinces, state of Music in the
71

Purday’s (Mr.) Reply to Mrs. Millard’s Letter
98

—— reply to Mr. H. Phillips
190

Rules for composing Fashionable Music
187

Sailors, utility of Music to
171

State of our Theatres, on the, chiefly as relates to the Opera
Department
27

Swan, song of the
26

Thoughts or Ideas in Music
188

Treatise on Melody, a
118

Voice, on the base
100

Violin, Harmonics of
143

—— M. Otto, on the
162

—— M. Anders’, historical notice of the
169

Walker, (Mr. Donald) on the re-introduction of the lyre
124

—— on Melody and Harmony
145

Worcester Musical Festival
170

Work, a theoretical, by Beethoven
6

III. REVIEW of NEW MUSIC, with Extracts and
Illustrations—New Operas—Sacred Works—
Arrangements for various Instruments—Vocal—
Elementary Books, &c.

10, 31, 59, 85, 101,
127, 148, 173, 194

IV. EXTRACTS from the DIARY of a DILETTANTE,
(in which the prevailing Topics connected with Music are
noticed)

16, 36, 64, 89, 109,

135, 178, 199

V. LONDON CONCERTS.

Ancient, the
79, 106, 131, 152

Benefit, of the Season
155

Madrigal Society
88

Metropolitan, Memoirs of the
4

Philharmonic, the
81, 107, 134, 154

Royal Academy of Music
108

Società Armonica
108

Vocal Society
35, 55, 83

VI. THE DRAMA.

Covent Garden Theatre
20, 43, 67, 92, 115, 160, 183

Drury Lane Theatre
19, 43, 66, 91, 115, 139, 160

English Opera House
43, 115, 184

German Opera
91

King’s Theatre
43, 66, 91, 139, 159, 183, 205

VII. FOREIGN MUSICAL REPORT.

Attenburg
138

Bergamo
42, 65

Berlin
18, 40, 90, 111, 137, 158, 181,

203

Bernburg
138

Bologna
41, 182

Breslau
19, 204

Bremen
158, 204

Brunswick
138

Brussels
182

Carlsruhe
65, 204

Cassel
138

Constantinople
41

Copenhagen
159

Dessau
158

Douay
42

Dresden
40, 112, 158, 181

Dusseldorf
112, 158

Frankfort
112, 138, 158, 182

Greifswald
113

Hamburg
112

Jena
158

Königsberg
19, 182

Leghorn
19

Leipzig
18, 112, 137, 182

Madrid
159

Manheim
112

Meiningen
138

Merseburg
112

Milan
40, 65, 182

Munich
40, 90, 111, 137, 181

Naples
41, 182

New York
113

Novara
41

Paris
19, 42, 65, 90, 183

Pesth
40, 112

Prague
90, 138, 181, 203

Rome
41, 65

Schwaz
113

Strasburg
137, 182

Stuttgart
40

St. Petersburg
159, 182

Toulouse
183

Trieste
113

Turin
41

Utrecht
159

Venice
65, 90

Vienna
18, 39, 90, 111, 136, 158, 180,

202

Warsaw
19

Würtzburg
112

Weimar
112, 138, 182

VIII. OBSERVATIONS on the MUSIC given in each
Number

20, 43, 68, 92, 116,
140, 160, 184, 206

JANUARY, 1833.

THE

HARMONICON.

1833.

MEMOIR OF VINCENZO RIGHINI

[1].

IT has not unfrequently happened that the works of very superior composers have remained a long time unknown,

except in the country where they were produced. We hardly need say that Mozart’s operas never reached London or
Paris till twenty and more years after his death. His chef-d’œuvre, Don Giovanni, was performed for the first time in
England in 1817, no less than thirty years after it was first produced! Handel is now only beginning to be known on the
continent! We do not mean to place the subject of this brief memoir on anything like a footing with either of those great
masters, but he wrote many operas that deserve notice, some of which will, we are persuaded, ere long be thought
worthy of being heard at the King’s Theatre, if being far superior in all respects to five out of every six lately brought out
there, entitles them to be made known to a British audience.

VINCENZO RIGHINI was born at Bologna about the year 1758, where also he laid the foundation of his musical

acquirements, under the direction of the very celebrated, and at that time still vigorous, Padre Martini. After having
completed his vocal studies, he left Bologna about the year 1776 for Prague, where he contracted an engagement as a
singer for the Italian Opera-buffa, under the management of M. Bustelli, which enabled him not only to cultivate his
talents for vocal composition, but also to bring on the stage several operas and scenas, which were performed with
success. And this is one of the many instances on record of Italian Maestri di Capella, previously mere virtuosi,
becoming profound and distinguished musicians and composers, through their connexion with German musical chapels
and orchestras.

After he had passed three years in Prague in so profitable and creditable a manner, he repaired to Vienna, where he

had the good fortune to be chosen, by the Emperor Joseph II., singing-master to the beautiful Princess Elizabeth, of
Würtemberg, and was appointed, at the same time, kapellmeister and composer to the Italian opera.

About the year 1788 he went to Mentz, whither he had been invited by the archbishop and elector, whose service

he entered as kapellmeister. Here again he wrote much for the theatre, and a grand mass for the church. During his stay
in that city the fame of his delicate and pleasing music procured for him the honourable commission from the elector of
Treves, one of the most distinguished musical connoisseurs among the German princes of his time, to set to music the
drama Alcide al Bivio, which was subsequently performed at Coblentz with the success it merited, under his own
direction, in the presence of the court.

Lastly, he was called to Berlin by Frederich Wilhelm II., to write the opera seria, Enea nel Lazio, for the great

opera-house there, which being favourably received by the king, he was appointed, in April, 1793, Master of the Royal
Chapel, in the room of Alessandri, with a salary of 4000 thalers. Here, enjoying the favour of the sovereign, and the
esteem of the public, and proud of his excellent orchestra, he married, in the year 1794, the young and handsome
Madlle. Kneisel, with whom he had become acquainted as the favourite singer of the Frankfort Theatre, at Mentz. As,
at the decease of the king (which took place in 1798) Righini was in the most honourable manner confirmed in his
dignities by the new monarch, and remained, after his return from Hamburg—whither he, during that year, accompanied
Mad. Righini for a short time—permanently fixed at Berlin until the year 1804, when, with the sanction of his court, he
visited Italy in company with the youthful Madlle. Fischer, his pupil. He died at Bologna on the 19th of August, 1812,

[Pg 1]

where he had arrived in the spring, in the hope of being relieved from a disease that had before afflicted him, and of
which he had been once cured by an operation performed by an eminent professor in that place. The second attempt,
however, of the same surgeon, proved fatal.

In his manner of composing Righini was entirely devoid of pretension, and remarkably pleasing; and with regard to

his vocal abilities, every ear was charmed when he sang, with his soft and subdued voice, scenas from his own scores,
accompanied by himself on the piano-forte.

His compositions are, 1. La Vedora Scaltra; Op. Buffa, (his first opera,) at Prague. 2. La Bottega del Caffé; Op.

Buffa, ditto. 3. Don Giovanni, o sia il Convitato di Pietra; Op. Buffa, ditto. 4. Several scenes, duets, &c. for
introduction in serious operas performed there. 5. La Sorpresa amorosa, Cantata à tre voci, with full orchestra,
written at Vienna for three of his pupils. 6. Il natale d’Apollo, a grand Cantata, with full orchestra, ditto. 7. Grand
Serenade, with full orchestra, ditto. 8. L’Incontro inaspettato; Op. Buffa, 1785. 9. Le Demogorgone, o sia il
Filosofo confuso; Op. Buffa, ditto. 10. Several scenas and rondeaus, introduced in various operas produced at the
Vienna theatre. 11. The scena Berenice, Che fai? from Metastasio’s opera, Antigono. 12. The scena Se cerca, se
dice, from Metastasio’s Olimpiade. 13. Armida; Op. Seria; first performed at Aschaffenburg. 14. Alcide al Bivio;
Op. Seria; produced at Coblentz, 1789. 15. A grand solemn mass, performed at the election of the Emperor Joseph II.
16. Enea nel Lazio; Op. Seria; composed for the theatre at Berlin. In this Righini himself sang, and made his first
appearance on the stage of the great Opera-house in January, 1793. 17. Il Trionfo d’Arianne; Op. Seria, 1793. 18.
Atalanta e Meleagro, Festa teatrale che introduce ad un ballo allegorico, performed at the Opera-house at Berlin,
on 15th February, 1797, on the occasion of the marriage of the princess. 19. Armida; Op. Seria; the text remodelled
by Filistri; the music almost entirely re-composed, 1799; published at Leipzig in 1805. 20. Tigrane; Op. Seria; Berlin,
for the Carnival, 1799, 1800; score published 1810. 21. Gierusalemme Liberata; Op. Seria. 1802. 22. Various
detached compositions for the church. 23. Der Zauberwald (La Selva incantata), an opera published at Leipzig.

Besides the above works, Righini’s minor productions, vocal and instrumental, but chiefly the former, are very

numerous. He was a ready man, of most industrious habits, and his taste and judgment, the result of great experience,
could be relied on. Hence he was resorted to when occasion demanded the prompt exertion of a composer’s talent.
But it follows as almost a necessary consequence, that most of what was thus suddenly called for and brought forth,
was calculated for an immediate purpose—not written with any hope that it would add much to his reputation. His fame
he well knew would rest on his operas[2].

[Pg 2]

FALLACIES OF SOME WRITERS ON MUSIC.

To the EDITOR of the HARMONICON.

SIR,

As you have considered my first paper admissible, I beg leave to continue my remarks on what I conceive to be the

fallacies of some writers on music, and proceed with those of Dr. Browne, whose fifth charge against Handel is
contained in the following words:—

‘Choirs (or choruses) sometimes (though seldom) calculated more for the display of the composer’s art, in the

construction of figures and canons, than for a natural expression of the subject.’ The writer, then, is evidently no admirer
of the fugue style; and such choruses as the “Amen” (Messiah), “He led them through the deep” (Israel in Egypt), and
many others, were, to his ears, nothing more than musical exercises!

On the subject of fugue, which obliges the various voices to sing different words at the same time, thereby

producing confusion in the sense, argument for and against has been nearly exhausted by some of the first literary and
musical writers of the present and past age. In the Harmonicon, a few months back, some excellent remarks, I think,
appeared on both sides. Vocal composers, from the time of Palestrina, have all augmented their fame by their fugues,
the variety which such style of writing imparts to the subject often rendering a simple, nay, even a meagre one,
interesting. But it must be allowed that it is highly necessary that he who would enjoy such composition should be
somewhat of an educated musician, or he will never enter into the true meaning and spirit of it.

This, perhaps it may be said, only proves a prejudice, engendered by education and habit. But if so, every subject

on which men have dissented is liable to the same objection. Different advances in civilized life and education are
attended by more or less of such prejudices; and in search of truth a man must be endowed with almost superhuman
powers who can divest himself wholly of the influence of early impressions. As a striking proof of this, it is enough to
state that, up to the present hour, our two universities cannot agree concerning the pronunciation of the Latin A; it is,
therefore, clear that one of these great emporiums of learning must be labouring under a prejudice.

But, to return to the subject immediately before us:—if the objection which obtains so much among literary men

(who are not musicians by education) against fugue writing, viz. “the confusion of words” produced by it, is valid, then
to the same objection many other high classes of composition become equally obnoxious. Madrigals teem with this
alleged error, and superadded to it are the most barbarous faults in accent. All, or nearly all, glees have similar failings to
atone for. If we look at the works of the great continental writers, in their masses and motetts, the same confusion of
words is conspicuous; and what is more to my purpose here, even the duetts of Steffani, Handel, Clari, and Travers,—
and, in our time, of Jackson, Bishop, Neukomm, &c. &c. are equally guilty in this respect. If the authority of names is of
any weight, we have on our side the opinion of the greatest poet England ever produced, Milton, who, in his Paradise
Lost, book 11, speaks not in a very contemptuous manner of the fugue.

The sound

Of instruments that made melodious chime
Was heard, of harp and organ; and who moved
Their stops and chords was seen; his volant touch
Instinct through all proportions, low and high,
Fled and pursued transverse the resonant fugue.

But the truth is—and here I must confess the fact—that composers must be allowed to mix the words, under certain

limitations, in chamber and oratorio music; it is a licence absolutely necessary to musical effect, and equally allowable in
the dramatic composer when he has five or six characters on the stage, all influenced by different feelings, to make them
utter not only various words, but each, at the same moment, his own sentiment of rage, joy, despair, triumph, love, and
revenge. I am no advocate for the mixture of words when it can be avoided, which might often be done, did composers
bestow proper attention on the subject.

I now pass on to the sixth charge against Handel. ‘The choir, in many instances (and the single song in some) not

sudden enough in its intervention, being generally prepared by a correspondent symphony of instrumental music, which
creates expectation and presentiment, destroys surprise, and thus lessens the impression and effect.’

Dr. B. allows that Handel’s defects proceeded ‘not so much from himself, as from the period in which he lived.’

This sixth charge is a remarkable proof of it; for, by observing the compositions of Handel’s contemporaries, we
constantly find the symphony; let the sentiment be ever so sudden or violent, still the everlasting symphony is present, to
‘destroy surprise and lessen effect.’

Haydn’s genius, at a more advanced stage in the practice of music, enabled him to break through the trammels of

these chaperoning symphonies, and, had he been only a vocal writer, would, no doubt, have done more. Beethoven,
too, whose mighty powers of mind were not so fully appreciated in his own time as now, sets another example—in his

[Pg 3]

trio ‘Tremati,’ for instance—of the non-intervention of symphonies. And in the dramatic music of many other modern
writers, a custom so injurious to both stage and musical effect, is generally laid aside. Even instrumental writers are
beginning to feel the tediousness of introductory symphonies. In the beautiful concerto of Mendelssohn, which he played
last season at the Philharmonic, how did he delight his audience by the bold spirit with which he rushed at once into the
principal solo subject, instead of following the old daudling practice of tiring expectation by four or five pages of
tedious, and often irrelevant, symphony![3] I therefore agree with Dr. Brown on this point, so far as his principle goes.
At page 189 is a striking fallacy and extraordinary contradiction of himself by this critical writer. Speaking of
Sternhold’s version of the Psalms, he says, ‘There are few stanzas which do not present expressions to excite the
ridicule of some part of every congregation. This version might well be abolished, as it exposeth one of the noblest parts
of divine service to contempt; especially as there is another version already privileged, which, though not excellent, is,
however, not intolerable. The parochial music seems to need no reform.’ The opinion, that what is only not intolerable
needs no reform, will find but few abettors in the present times. I have thought, ever since my attention was turned to
the subject, that nothing in the whole range of musical performance requires so much reform and improvement as our
parochial Psalmody. There are in London, certainly, instances of its being in a very respectable state, but in the majority
of churches and chapels, no one with a tolerable ear and the slightest devotional feeling can say, that the squalling of
dozens of children, untaught (at least not properly taught), all straining their voices to the utmost, produces anything but
unmodified disgust.

While I am on this subject, I must notice a proceeding which some parishes have adopted—namely, that of greatly

reducing the salaries of their organists,—in some cases within my own knowledge—from 70l. to 40l. per annum! Now
this is Church reform with a vengeance! but the vengeance falls on the already ill-rewarded organist. And here is a
striking proof of the injudicious manner in which we Englishmen set about retrenchment. This is to degrade those who
hold important situations in the church to about the rank of beadles or vergers, and, in the end, will only more effectually
injure the establishment: for so soon as a man of talent feels himself in danger of losing his just remuneration, it is not
likely that he will perform his duties with much zeal.

In Lord Henley’s much-read pamphlet on Church Reform (p. 35, 4th edition) is a passage recommending the entire

abolition of what his lordship is pleased to call ‘such relics of popery as chanting anthems, solos, duets, voluntaries,
&c.’ in our cathedral service, and advising the introduction of a simple mode of Psalmody. Is it not amazing that a man
who is so learned in ecclesiastical law should forget that the Deans and Chapters of all the cathedrals throughout the
United Kingdom hold their appointments on the express condition of performing divine service in the manner now
practiced? Does he mean by a side-wind, by a little law-cunning, to get rid of all deans and chapters?

I could accumulate the fallacious opinions of many writers till I had half filled your Journal, Sir; but for the present

will only add one more, and an extraordinary one it is. In a copy of Sir John Hawkins’ History of Music, in the British
Museum, containing MS. notes in his own hand-writing (vol. v. p. 16), is the following remark:—‘Singing follows so
naturally the smallest degree of proficiency on any instrument, that the learning of both is unnecessary!’

I am, Sir, &c. &c.

HONORIUS.

MR. G. LINLEY’S ANSWER TO MR. GÖDBÉ.

To the EDITOR of the HARMONICON.

Bolton Cottage, Chelsea.

SIR,

Mr. GÖDBÉ, with all the adroitness of a posture-master, pirouettes from point to point, and assumes names and

positions, as though he were accountable neither for words nor actions. I will, as briefly as possible, reply to those parts
of his letter which seem worth my notice.

He asserts.
I answer.

1st. That ‘Under the Walnut-tree’

was
originally
written
for
Mr.

M’Keller, of Glasgow.

It was not.

2nd. That the subject (his Title

states Melody) of my Song is only a
slight modification of his Quartett.

He does not, by his own notation, show one entire Bar of my composition to be

like his. My Song has a totally different Emphasis; and this is a fact not to be
overlooked, Emphasis being, I conceive, in Music, what punctuation is in parts of
speech.

3rd. That Mr. Pelzer positively

declared that there could be no doubt
of my composition having been taken
from his.

Mr. Pelzer denies that ever he made such a statement.

When accidentally appealed to, he admitted there was a slight resemblance, but

expressed his conviction that this was the effect of accident, not design. Mr. J.
Addison and Mr. G. Herbert Rodwell were similarly appealed to by Mr. Gödbé’s
publisher. The former gentleman allowed that parts of the 1st and 4th Bar had some
affinity, while the latter frankly confessed that he saw no resemblance at all between
the two compositions. The passages that do assimilate are common phrases used by
everybody; and I am aware of no patent which secures the right of such passages
exclusively to Mr. Gödbé.

4th. That I proposed stating on my

Song, that his Quartett had been
composed first.

I could not acknowledge a composition that I had never seen—a thing unborn,

that, for aught I knew, had no existence beyond the author’s brain.

5th. That Mr. Duff mentioned to

me the name of a Song written by
him, but never published, called
‘Ladye
Jane,’ before
I wrote one

bearing the same title; and inclines to
the opinion, that he also read to me
another Song, entitled ‘The First
Green Leaf.’

Mr. Duff never made mention to me of having written any such Song as ‘Ladye

Jane’ until after the publication of mine; and declares that he never read to me ‘The
First Green Leaf;’ moreover, that Mr. Gödbé has used Mr. Duff’s name without his
consent or authority, and that, too, after having been assured by Mr. Duff that no
such reading ever took place.

So much for Mr. Samuel Gödbé’s veracity.

Touching the ‘Isle of Beauty,’ and his friends Messrs. Prowse and Purday, Mr. Gödbé does not condescend to

name the ‘identical Song,’ or the ‘Country Music Seller,’ whose coffers were thus likely to overflow from so scrupulous
a regard to the laws of copyright. I leave him, therefore, to the full enjoyment of his two City friends, whose testimony
and opinion might have some weight, did the question hinge on a tureen of turtle, or pitcher of punch. I beseech him to
cultivate the acquaintance of all such good fellows; he might do worse than press their vocal powers in behalf of his
Quartett, where, with a ‘merry Christmas, and a happy new year,’ they might stand a chance of obtaining some praise,
and a few pence. He never will, nor shall I, get fat by controversy; and taking your hint to be brief, I dismiss Mr. Gödbé
and his ‘tangible elements of disputation,’ with a full conviction that he is ever more likely to succeed in finding fault with
the works of others than in improving his own.

As was said of the critic may be said of him,—He has sifted a dunghill to find two cinders that tally, and bestowed a

great deal of pains upon a dirty business.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

GEORGE LINLEY.

[Pg 4]

MEMOIRS OF THE METROPOLITAN CONCERTS.

[Continued from last Volume.]

ALTHOUGH the failure of public support occasioned the abandonment first of the professional concerts, and eventually
rendered it matter of prudence even in Salomon to withdraw from the field, yet the impulse which these establishments
had given to musical taste, both in the profession and amongst amateurs, continued to be felt long after the immediate
cause was no more. The tone of concerts, both public and private, was materially improved, and some of the best
pieces of modern instrumental music were performed in orchestras where nothing beyond the overtures and concerts of
Handel or Corelli had been heard before. The music, which was found on the desk, and formed the amusement of
amateurs, was much superior to any thing which a few years previous had been thought within their reach; they were no
longer contented with the faded productions of a past age, but excited to keep pace with the discoveries and
improvements of the times in which they lived. The City Amateur Concert, called the Harmonic (mentioned in the last of
these articles), arose out of and continued to keep alive this feeling, but it required a more energetic effort and more
comprehensive arrangements to give it full effect.

This effort was at length made by the musical profession in London. In the early part of the year 1813, Messrs.

Corri, J. B. Cramer, and Dance, met at the house of the last-named gentleman, and may be said to have laid at that
meeting the foundation-stone of the PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY. To a subsequent meeting they invited twelve other
professional gentlemen, and it was then determined forthwith to institute a concert for the performance, if not
exclusively, chiefly, of instrumental music, in support of which the parties assembled, not only agreed to give the
gratuitous aid of their united talents, but entered into a subscription to meet incidental expenses. They assumed the
appellation of THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY, and associated to themselves fifteen more of their professional brethren,
thus augmenting their number to thirty, who were to be denominated MEMBERS of the society, and in whom alone the
management of its funds, and the direction of its proceedings and concerns, were to be vested. The thirty original
members of the society were—

MESSRS. ATTWOOD.
MESSRS. GRIFFIN.

AYRTON.

HILL.

C. ASHLEY.

HORSLEY.

ASHE.

W. KNYVETT.

BARTLEMAN.

MORALT.

BERGER.

NEATE.

BISHOP.

NOVELLO.

BLAKE.

POTTER.

CLEMENTI.

SALOMON.

COOKE, ROBERT.
SHERRINGTON.

CORRI.

SHIELD.

J. B. CRAMER.
SIR GEO. SMART.

F. CRAMER.

VIOTTI.

DANCE.

S. WEBBE.

GRAEFF.

YANIEWICZ.

Members of the musical profession were invited to join the society under the title of ASSOCIATES, but without having

a vote, or any other participation, in the affairs or constitution of the establishment, or any privilege or advantage, except
that their subscription was fixed at a lower sum than that of the public in general, and that, when any vacancies might
occur in the list of MEMBERS, they were to be filled up from the ASSOCIATES by ballot. Of this class sixty-one inscribed
their names in the first season. The subscription-list was filled up from the public at large; but in order to be admitted as
a subscriber, it was necessary to be nominated by some member of the society, and as vacancies in the subscription-list
took place, they were filled up in the same way; the number of vacancies being divided among the members, and each
having an equal number of nominations to divide amongst such of his friends as were desirous of attending the
performances of the society. Notwithstanding this restriction, so anxious were the amateurs to avail themselves of this
opportunity of enjoying instrumental music of the first class, that the whole number the room could accommodate was
nearly filled up before the first concert, and previous to the second performance many applications for subscriptions had
been of necessity rejected.

The object and principle of the Philharmonic Society is thus set forth in its second fundamental law. The chief object

‘of the society is the performance, in the best style possible, of the most approved instrumental music, consisting of full
pieces; concertantes for not less than three principal instruments; sestettos, quintettos, quartetts, and trios. No concerto
solo or duet shall ever be performed at any of the society’s concerts; and if the directors shall think it expedient at any
time to introduce vocal music with full orchestral accompaniments, it must be under the above limitations.’ Thus it
appears that the performance of vocal music only entered conditionally into the original plan of the founders of the
Philharmonic; nevertheless, they found it eventually advantageous, if not necessary, to admit some singing; but for

[Pg 5]

several seasons it was strictly confined to the limits laid down by the above quoted law, and the performance of the
singers was for the first two or three seasons gratuitous.

The direction of the concert for the first season was confided to Messrs. AYRTON, BISHOP, CLEMENTI, CORRI, J. B.

CRAMER, F. CRAMER, and DANCE, and its performances commenced on Monday the 13th March, 1813; a day that will
be held memorable in the history of the art. So much talent of the very highest order had never before been assembled
in the same orchestra; virtuosi who could appear elsewhere only as leaders, here took in their turns the subordinate
stations of ripieni violins or tenors; and such masters of their art as F. CRAMER, SALOMON, SHIELD, SPAGNOLETTI,
VACCARI, VIOTTI, YANIEWICZ, &c., were to be seen vying with each other which should contribute most to the general
effect of the performances. The result was such as might have been expected from the combination of such elements:
yet when the orchestra was heard, its power, unity and force seemed to surprise even its projectors themselves; and if
in the course of twenty years the Philharmonic Society has not appeared to improve, it is perhaps because its very first
efforts were in themselves as near perfection as possible.

Every thing connected with this society is so interesting, and so united with the history of the art in England, that we

feel certain it will be gratifying to our readers to peruse the bills of its performances. Those who were present at them
will thank us for reviving the recollection of past pleasures, and those who were not must be interested in seeing from
what sources the directors drew, and what description of music they naturalized, if they did not first introduce, in this
country.

FIRST CONCERT, Monday, March 8th, 1813.

PART I.

Overture, Anacreon
CHERUBINI.

Quartetto, Two Violins, Viola, and Violoncello,
Messrs. F. Cramer, Moralt, Sherrington, and Lindley
MOZART.

Quartetto and Chorus, ‘Nell’ orror,’ Mrs. Moralt,
Messrs. Hawes, P. A. Corri, and Kellner
SACCHINI.

Serenade, Wind Instruments, Messrs. Mahon, Oliver,
Holmes, Tully, and the Petrides
MOZART.

Symphony
BEETHOVEN.

PART II.

Symphony
HAYDN.

Chorus, Mrs. Moralt, Miss Hughes, Messrs. P. A.
Corri, C. Smith, &c. ‘Placido è il mar’
MOZART.

Quintetto, Two Violins, Viola, and Two Violoncellos,
Messrs. Salomon, Cudmore, Sherrington, Lindley, and
C. Ashley
BOCCHERINI.

Chaconne, Jomelli; and March
HAYDN.

Leader, Mr. SALOMON.—Piano-forte, Mr. CLEMENTI.

SECOND CONCERT, Monday, March 15th, 1813.

PART I.

Overture, Zauberflöte
MOZART.

Trio, Miss Hughes, Mrs. Moralt, and Mr. Kellner
SALIERI.

Quartetto, Two Violins, Tenor, and Violoncello, Messrs.
Salomon, Mori, H. Gattie, and Lindley
HAYDN.

Notturno, Wind Instruments, Messrs. Mahon, Oliver,
Griesbach, M. Sharp, Petrides, Holmes, and Tully
MOZART.

Symphony
HAYDN.

PART II.

Symphony
BEETHOVEN.

Sestetto, Miss Hughes, Mrs. Moralt, Miss Bolton,
Messrs. P. A. Corri, C. Smith, and Naldi, ‘Sola, sola’
MOZART.

Concertante, Violin, Tenor, Oboe, and Violoncello
Obligati, Messrs. F. Cramer, Sherrington, Griesbach,
and Lindley
BACH.

Finale, Zaira
WINTER.

Leader, Mr. F. CRAMER.—Piano-forte, Mr. CRAMER.

THIRD CONCERT, Monday, April 19th, 1813.

PART I.

Overture, Les Deux Journées
CHERUBINI.

Septuor, Violin, Tenor, Violoncello, Double Bass,
Horn, Clarinet, and Bassoon, Messrs. Spagnoletti,
Vaccari, Lindley, Hill, Petrides, Cramer, Holmes
BEETHOVEN.

Quartett, Miss Hughes, Messrs. Hawes, Hobbes, and
Kellner, ‘Benedictus’
HAYDN.

Symphony
PLEYEL.

PART II.

Symphony, Jupiter
MOZART.

Quartett, Mrs. Moralt, Messrs. P. A. Corri, Hobbes,
and C. Smith, ‘Dorina mia carina’
SARTI.

Quintett, Two Violins, Two Tenors, and Bass, Messrs.
Vaccari, Watts, Spagnoletti, Mountain, and Lindley
ROMBERG.

Finale, Tamerlane
WINTER.

Leader, Mr. SPAGNOLETTI.—Piano-forte, Mr. CLEMENTI.

FOURTH CONCERT, Monday, May 3d, 1813.

PART I.

Overture, Numa Pompilius
PAER.

Quintett, Two Violins, Two Tenors, and Violoncello,
Messrs. Bridgtower, F. Cramer, Moralt, H. Gattie,
and Lindley
BEETHOVEN.

Terzetto, Mrs. Moralt, Messrs. Braham and Naldi,
‘Che ascoltai’
CHERUBINI.

Quintett, Piano-forte, Violin, Tenor, Violoncello, and
Double Bass, Messrs. Neate, Salomon, Watts,
Lindley, and Hill
DUSSEK.

Symphony
MOZART.

PART II.

Symphony
CLEMENTI.

Terzetto, Mrs. Moralt, Miss Rovedino, and Mr.
Ledesma, ‘Tu mi dividi’
BACH.

Concertante, Violin, Violoncello, Oboe, and Bassoon
Obligati, Messrs. Salomon, Lindley, Griesbach, and
Holmes
HAYDN.

Finale, Anacreon
CHERUBINI.

Leader, Mr. SALOMON.—Piano-forte, Mr. CRAMER.

FIFTH CONCERT, Monday, May 17th, 1813.

PART I.

Overture, Demophoon
CHERUBINI.

Quartett, Mrs. Moralt, Messrs. C. Evans, Ledesma,
and C. Smith, ‘Benedictus’
MOZART.

Quartetto, Two Violins, Tenor, and Violoncello,
Messrs. Viotti, Vaccari, Spagnoletti, and Crouch
VIOTTI.

Overture, Double Orchestra
BACH.

PART II.

Symphony
HAYDN.

Quartett, Mrs. Moralt, Messrs. Ledesma, C. Smith,
and Naldi, ‘Cara da voi’
CHERUBINI.

Quartetto, Two Violins, Tenor, and Violoncello,
Messrs. Spagnoletti, Mori, Vaccari, and Neate
BEETHOVEN.

[Pg 6]