THE VOCAL CONCERTS.
THE fifth concert was on 'Monday : in consequence of _the musical demands on our space this week, we can only notice it briefly. Among the most striking choral pieces, was HANDEL'S noble Anthem, " The king shall rejoice," and the Gloria from HUMMEL'S Second Mass. Of the Glees, Wenee's " Discord, dire sister "—the best in the selection —was finely sung; as was Moassv's beautiful Madrigal, " I follow, lo, the footing." WEELKES'S " Phillis, go take thy pleasure," is in- ferior to many of his compositions ; and was not encored with accus- tomed unanimity. Mrs. BISHOP sung BEETHOVEN'S splendid Cantata, " Barbaro, traditore ; " and, in some parts of it, displayed consummate vocal skill and admirable taste. Miss MASSON essayed a song of BARNETT'S from a published but almost unknown oratorio ; and which, though clever as a piece of instrumentation, is altogether a Muse regarded as a vocal composition. While the attributes of the Creator are recounted by the voice, the attention of the hearer is occu- pied by a string of difficult and certainly not pleasing passages on the horn. This is not the end and purpose of vocal music ; and we advise Miss MASSON never to repeat the experiment. BARNETT is a writer of very considerable talent ; but in this instance be has wholly misem- ployed it. The scene from Maometto, including the Turkish .March— the air "Sorgete, in si bel giorno," with the accompanying chorus, ended the first act. BALFE displayed a thorough command of the style which this spirited air demands, and a power of execution which vanquished all the difficulties which ROSSINI has thrown into this solo, with per- fect ease : but Rossner, however well he may stand the encounter with his Italian contemporaries, cannot bear collision with the great writers ofGermany. The senses which had just feasted on the compositions of BEETHOVEN and Seolin were not in a fit state to enjoy those of Ross spa, and the scene produced very little effect. Why does not BALFE take a hint from the just applause that followed his " Madamina," and give us another song of MOZART ?
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