if fame speak true; but, in our day, we venture to say we have not seen the like! Those who beheld his representation of the gay libertine, Don Juan; his all-vivifying elasticity of motion!-his well-wrought insinuations-his profane and boisterous mirth-his never-fading energy even to his last struggles with contending demons! and then turn to that wondrous contrast-the insane father of Agnese-wherein, the haggard countenance-the hollow fixed eye-that seemed not to have smiled for countless years, or to have been raised by any one gleam of comfortthe deep-rooted sorrow that could scarce be seen without a heart-rending sigh-even the long-disregarded attirethe spread hand and bare wrist-all conspiring to perfect the picture so horribly true to nature! those, we conceive, who have witnessed these two representations, will hardly refuse the justness of the encomium we have ventured to bestow on this gentleman. English Singers. Mrs. Salmon and Miss Stephens take the lead in this class. Mrs. Salmon's powers belong to the higher order of vocal composition. She is distinguished for a beautiful clearness and fulness of intonation, and so exquisite a flexibility, as to set her auditors completely at ease in the severest difficulties of execution. The charms of Miss Stephens's exquisite voice and fascinating simplicity are, from her theatrical engagement, fortunately for the public, continually within their power to enjoy. Mrs. Dickons is entitled to a high rank, and Mrs. B. Lacy, Mrs. Vaughan, &c. are always respectable. Miss Byrne, a young lady of considerable vocal powers, has lately taken at Drury Lane Theatre the rival station to that held by Miss Stephens at Covent Garden Theatre. Mr. Braham, notwithstanding his long established popularity, has broken upon the public this season as a new light, and diffused an extraordinary blaze of attraction. Of this gentleman's wonderful powers there can be but one opinion. Not so of the use he makes of them. We have been of opinion that from the time he had made his fortune, that is, some few years ago, he ought to have risked the loss of a little of his popularity for awhile, in order to endeavour at the improvement of the national taste, by subjecting his powers to the discretion of his judgment, instead of letting them loose at all times to attract a few thunders of applause from the gaping multitude. We have not yet witnessed his renewed career, and understand that he has declined a little from the above mal-practice. We will hope therefore that he may still have this laudable design in his contemplation. Mr. Braham has the field pretty much to himself. We have, however, some very respectable subsidiaries in Messrs. Vaughan, Magrath, Duruset, Bartleman, Bellamy, &c. INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS. Piano Forte. We have a most extensive assortment of very brilliant piano forte players at this time, though but few who contrive throughout a performance to convince us that it is to a master of his art we are listening, by that necessary criterion, viz. whether we have found our attention equally alive at the beginning, middle, and end. Our performers of the first rank are Cramer, Kalkbranner, and Ries. We have also Messrs. Neate, Piell, Griffin, Webbe, junior, Novello, Stokes, Potter, Beale, &c. On the Organ. S. Wesley, Jacob, Dr. Crotch, Webbe, junior, Novello, Purkiss, &c. On the Harp. Bochsa, Dizi, P. Meyer, C. Meyer, Nicholson, Miss Sharp, &c. On the Violin. Yaniewicz, Weichsel, Spagnoletti, Femy, Loder, H. Smart, Ware, &c. 280 LOGIER'S SYSTEM OF MUSICAL EDUCATION. On the Violoncello. Lindley, Percival, Powell, Crouch, C. Ashley, Brooks, Ely, &c. On the Flute. Drouet, Ashe, Ireland, C. Nicholson, Saust, &c. Logier's New System of Musical Education. A considerable sensation has been lately produced in the musical world by the introduction of a new system of musical education; the author of which, Mr. Logier, is a native of Germany, though many years resident in Ireland. It is now between two and three years since he first established his system in Dublin; and that it is really an improvement upon former modes of instruction may be securely relied upon by its rapid extension-first throughout Dublin, and into many parts of Ireland, and subse quently into Scotland and England. In the course of that short time, about thirty academies have been established, all of which are now in the most flourishing state of prosperity. It has been at length introduced into the metropolis by Mr. Webbe. jun. whose merit as a musical professor-as also that of his late father-is universally acknowledged. Mr. Logier has now become a resident amongst us, in order to the better promulgation of his system, and has united himself to Mr. Webbe's establishment. To the same establishment has been added lately the celebrated Mr. Kalkbrenner. As a proof of the rapid prevalence of this system in London-many other professors of high respectability have already applied to Mr. Logier to be made acquainted with his plan of communication. The leading features of this system we understand to be an extraordinary facility and readiness in playing the piano forte by the aid of an ingenious machine called a chiroplast, and the aquisition of the theory through so simple a process as to become intelligible and interesting even to children. Apollonicon. It is well known to the least scientific of the public, that there are two distinction of organs, the finger and the barrel. A most superb instrument combining these two distinctions has been built at an immense expence for Lord Kirkwall. As a finger organ, this instrument does not contain any thing new, but the perfection of it is such, as to produce effects which the organ was not before thought capable of. The mechanism of the barrel is very ingenious, containing many movements necessary to give this method of performance the same power as a good organist has over his keys. It is not possible to give an idea of this instrument which it deserves, without the aid of copperplates. The names of the stops used in this organ are Twelfth, Fifteenth. A great improvement in this organ is the circumstance of the barrel being made to operate upon the stops as well as the keys, by which means it performs any full piece of music with the finest effect. The mechanism by which motion is given to the stops is very ingenious. To give the instrument the power of performing long pieces, spiral barrels are introduced. This instrument is now exhibiting to crowded audiences at Messrs. Flight and Robson's manufactory in St. Martin's Lane, whose merit in the invention and construction of it is very great. Concert of Ancient Music. The concert of ancient music (at present more generally known by the appellation of the King's Concert) is a branch that seceded from the Academy of Ancient Music, and is held in the great room, Hanover Square. It generally commences in February, and continues weekly till the end of May. The performances are on a Wednesday. Six directors, chosen from among the nobility, select in turn the pieces for the night, and regulate all its principal concerns. Its leading feature is the utter exclusion of all modern music. The vocal performers are always of the first class, and are liberally paid. The Cecilian Society, For the performance of Sacred Music, is held at Coachmaker's Hall, Noble Street, Cheapside. Since the formation of this Society, in the year 1785, it has had the support of many eminent performers, who have occasionally presented it with many valuable and much admired compositions. The society is supported principally by its own members, about seventy in number, but their subscriptions being inadequate to the expenditure, it has been found necessary to issue monthly and quarterly subscription tickets, which may be had of any of the members of the committee at a very trifling expence. There are usually three grand nights in the year, viz.-on St. Cecilia's Day, Christmas Eve, when the music is generally performed, and one during the first quarter. The society meet every Thursday throughout the year, at eight o'clock in the evening, and continue their performances about two hours. To those who are fond of vocal and instrumental music these performances offer an excellent gratification. Italian Opera, Haymarket. The Opera House, for Italian Operas and French Ballets, may be ranked among the finest buildings in London. The form of the boxes, together with the effect of its ornamental beauties, create a lively impression of grandeur in the mind of the auditors. The fronts of the boxes are painted in compartments, a silver ground, with small gold |