THE PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS.

WE hoped, that in noticing the first Concert of the season, we should have been able to state that the Concert-room had been restored to something like its former comfort and splendour. The alterations are all for the better, but there are still too many rem- nants of M. LAPORTE'S filth and finery. The elevated seats are removed,-and a handsome entrance now supersedes those two side- doors, so worthy to adorn an alehouse. A lower tier of boxes is added, and the room altogether looks better than it did. But the unwashed floor, the shabby seats, the canvassed walls, and the dirty orchestra, remain in stain quo. We believe the fact to be, that the assignees of Cu AMBERS'S estate promised certain altera- tions and repairs"; that they never redeemed their promise, but threw the expense of them upon Mr. MASON; who contented him- self with a moderate, and not a radical reform. We state the facts thus, in order to propitiate the Anti-Reforming subscribers to the Concerts.

All this we could pardon, were the concert itself what it ought tobe. We go to this room for the gratification of one sense; and if it be fully gratified, we will compound (though there is no reason why we should) for the annoyance of two others : but, to expe- rience both annoyance and disappointment, is rather too much. The Band is every thing that can be desired—(we were happy to find, as F. CRAMER occupied his usual situation at the first Con- cert, that all differences between him and the Society had been adjusted): there is the ability to do any thing; and the mortifying result is such a vocal selection as the following scheme exhibits-

Sinfonia. No. 1 ACT I.

Mozart.

Scene, Mrs. W00% " Sento mancarmi Mayer.

Concerto, Pianoforte, Mr. J. FIELD, of St. Petersburg .Field. Duetto, Mrs.WOOD and Signor Wilms," Sei giis sposa"

(La Donna del Logo.) Rossrni. Overture, Beherrseher der Gemter 0 M. von Weber.

ACT II. Sinfonia, No. 4

Aria, Signor MARIAM, " Eccomi a voi" Beethoren.

Donizetti.

Concerto, Violin. M. BOUVIER Bohrer.

Cavatina, Signor WINTE11," Clievidi! amid," (Zelvdra) Rossini.

Overture, Les Abenecrages

CA Leader, Mr. F. CRAMER—Conductor, Mr. CRADIER7 bini.

With the exception of Mrs. Woon's song,—which was in itself but second-rate, though finely sung by her,—what have we here but a collection of trash?—things meagre and paltry in them- selves, imperfectly performed? WINTER'S song from Zelmira is, in fact, a scene between Antenore, Leucippo, and Chorus ; the part which belongs to the former was alone sung ; and thus, what little effect there is in the original, was destroyed. The same re- mark will apply to MARIAN' s song from L' Esule di Roma. Now, supposing these two songs to be as good as the finest airs of Mo- Z ART, is the Philharmonic Concert the proper arena for these mu- tilated and make-shift exhibitions? Is justice done either to the author or the audience by such a display ? But how comes such stuff to find a place in the scheme? Can it be the selection, the deliberate choice of the Directors? Can we imagine that they could command sufficient gravity of face to propose to each other the performance of such pieces as these? Those who know the men, know this to be impossible. It follows, then, that they must have surrendered their judgment into the hands of the singers. We see the precious result of this complaisance. Again and again we have- warned them of the folly of this course: we have re- minded them that their audience require something better than the hack pieces of the modern Italian Opera, especially if imper- fectly performed. If they had any previous doubts on this point, the freezing reception of the three last vocal pieces must have removed tam. Last season was a barren one, and its effects are felt on the subscription-list of this. If the caprice or ig- norance of singers, or the vain and hopeless endeavour to propitiate the musical fashionables, be allowed to induce a de- parture from the fundamental principle and object of the So- ciety, its days are numbered and its doom is sealed. WINTER and. MARIANI are Neapolitans; with Neapolitans, DONIZETTI, BELLINI, PACINI, and ROSSINI, are the models of vocal composi- tion; and we have no doubt that MOZART, SPOHR, and WEBER are as much unknown to them as HANDEL or BACH. Taking this to be the fact, our alternative is—the former composers with them, or the latter without them. Hopeless is the endeavour "to gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles :" if you will have these singers, you must be content with the trash of Monday night. But where is the necessity for this? WI N'TER is an excellent singer of his school, though even there he is BRAH AM'S inferior; but with the latter, music of every school is within your grasp. The very finest song of the last season was his "Ah perfida." With BRA- HAM, PHILLIPS, Mr. and Mrs. KNYVETT, Madame STOCKHAUSEN, Mrs. WOOD, Mrs. BISHOP, and a few others, the range of vocal music is endless—all the great masters are at command : but with such as WINTER and MARIAN', you are chained to one school, and that the most worthless.

The instrumental selection was perfect. What an exquisite picture is the Sinfonia of MOZART !—there is melody for the un- learned, learning for the profound, an aggregate of excellence for all. The Allegros of MOZART and HADYN are, sometimes, too much hurried in our bands ; CRAMER led this Sinfonia, as we believe, in the true time. Thirty years have elapsed since FIELD left us for Petersburg: he has returned with powers unimpaired, and with taste uncorrupted. His playing is of the true pianoforte school, the school of CLEMENT!; not an exhibition of unmeaning tricks, but of execution directed to its proper and legitimate object. He played his old favourite Concerto, the Op. 3 in E flat ; and its delightful pastorale was the only encore of the evening. BOHRER'S Concerto was a specimen of very brilliant execution, in the style of the French Conservatoire.