Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 22nd May 1852, Edition Country of 2, Page 22, THE AMATEUR GALLERY. fi , Charged with t...

Page 22
Page 22
22 of 24

On this page

  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      ¦ 498 : . ' .. - The ' %$$&$% ,S.;^ J^:J...

      ¦ 498 : . ' .. - the ' %$$ & $% , s . ;^ J ^ : J , :,. -Jd [ -W ^!^ t ¦

      Masametto, And Although Much Must Be Los...

      Masametto , and although much must be lost in removal from the stage , yet how much of beauty , of music there remains . Some regard this as great praise r they say that it proves how thoroughly Meyerbeer has succeeded in his aim , has adapted himself to the needs of the stage . But by this argument I can prove Dumas to be infinitely greater than Shak-8 peare , and Scribe ought to take precedence of Mohere ! Meyerbeer's poverty in melody is concealed by the variety , ingenuity , and massiveness of his orchestral-writing . He keeps attention alive j he is equal to the situation- ; and with fine singers ( whom he sorely tries , because he has so little vocal instinct ) , his operas are always effective . Let

      me whisper no word to the contrary ! But when we come to Halevy , the incipient evil we find grown into a monster . La Juive is a splendid spectacle ; but where is the music ? My admiration of Fidelio will reassure you , if you fancy by music I mean tunes ; the opera there is rather in the orchestra than on the stage ; but what an opera ! Whereas Halevy is ponderous without massiveness , noisy without brio , cumulative without ascending grandeur . There are delicious phrases scattered through this long score , but on the whole I would rather hear a single air or concerted piece from any opera by Rossini you like to name , than all this ambitious writing . If you want spectacle , go and see La Juive . If you want music , you must so elsewhere . .

      Nevertheless , Covent Garden did well to revive La Juive , even as a novelty . It is not an opera to see often ; but it is an opera one is glad to see . ( Observe , to see ! You must hear it many times before becoming reconciled to it ; and this it has in common with great works . On Thursday last I saw it for the second time , attracted there more by the debut of the new tenor , M . Gueymard , than by anything else . He is young , handsome , energetic , with a fine manly voice , delivered almost exclusively from the chest , and producing great effects in the vehement declamatory passages , notably in the finale to the first act , wherein Duprez was so wonderful , and in the trio in the second act . But what I have said of Halevy ' s music applies to Gueymard ' s singing—the primary musical condition is sacrificed to a secondary and purely theatrical effect ; he does not sing well , he declaims well ; he rushes at ' " points" and " effects" in alt ,

      and cares less for melodic expression . In the lobby I heard critics comparing him to Tamberlik , on account of his high , chest « notes ; but Tamberlik is always a , singer , never in the most impassioned altitudes of that incomparable voice do you hear anything approaching a scream . I will not , however , draw invidious comparisons ; nor will I press the point I lightly indicate with respeet to our new tenor . He is a decided acquisitionj and made a great impression . Madame Jullienne sang with astonishing brio and dexterity , screaming , however , more than any composer but Halevy could desire . Formes , too , yielded to his favourite temptation of loudness , and marred very fine singing and acting by -overstepping the line which separates Song from Noise . So that what with Halevy ' s noisy score , Costa's tremendou & orchestra , Gueymard shouting , Formes shouting , and Mdlle . Julienne screaming , you may imagine the tumult and the clang which , assailed our ears during the four hours of La Juive / LA SONNAMBULA . On Thursday Oruvelli played Amina for , if I recollect aright , the first time here ; but as I was doing duty at Covent Garden , I must wait till she plays it again , and then tell you my impression of her performance . By the way , to-night Pepita Oliva , a new Spanish dancer , makes her first appearance . It does not say much for our choregraphic taste ( I hope you appreciate that elegance of phrase !) that we should patiently endure ( not being condemned to it ) , the eternal pirouettes , entrechats , and rondes des jambes of French dancing , and never yet have learned to appreciate the daring and luxurious grace of Spanish dancing . THE , MUSICAL UNION . The third concert was more crowded than before , and the heat was so frea t , that when Spohr's patchwork quintett tormented my soul I departed , urely Mr . Ella is too excellent a manager to allow us to go through the whole summer with crowded rooms , and closed doors and windows P Ladies wore nearly fainting in that hi g hly carbonized atmosphere . I have only a line of emphatic praise to give to Piatti and Halle * for their exquisite performance of Beethoven's noble duet , and an emphatic condemnation of Sivori ' s leading of tho quartett , which , after Joachim ' s playing at the last concert , was more than ever reprehensible . LE COLLIER BE PERLES . Flame and Breath are the same thing : they are both combustion . Tho same , and yet how different ! Rose Chori in Un Changement du Main , and in Le Collier de JPerles is the same Eose Chori , and yet how different . In the one part her talent flames into bright effect , in the other it breathes upon tho mirror which the Drama " holds up to nature , " andwoseo there nothing but passing forms blurred and indistinct . After all , the part is nothing of a part—a mere white muslin ! And as I said before , charming though she is , she is not now fitted for the candid innocence of eighteen : the bloom and perfume of girlhood have vanished , and the sharp featuros of tho French woman begin to appear , not obtrusively , not unpleasantly , bnt unmistalcoably . This in tho Empress of all tho Bussias wo recognise as suitable ; in sweet eighteen it is like a dissonance . Apropos . Last week I parodied a passago in Shakspearo , and , applied it to her as the Empress , saying that in such a part she must " loojc tho innooont serpont but bo tho dagger under it , " One of my correspondents kindly informs mo that tho quotation is not correct . ' * It is iu Macbeth , and runs thus : — Look tho innocont flower And 1 ) 0 the sorpont umlov it . " Really , now ! What it is to havo correspondents I This comedy of Le Collier de Perles is very near being amusing . There are good intentions in it . Tho character of tho Banker , who is cruel that he may not be thought bonhomme , and sophisticates with himself in tho true spirit of comedy , was well presented . That of the rich American who fancied everything was to 1 ) 0 done with money , was also nicely indicated . But the development of those characters , so well sketched , would

      demand more constructive and dramatic skillthan is even hinted nfi , Like many other writers I could name , M . Mayeres has drawn Vv ' racters instead of developinjg them through action ; he has labelled h ° ^ " not animated them . ' ne has

      THE SUBREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS are re-opened for ' the summer season , ^^ * n 6 ' thousands were anxious to see the JBphemian Gyrl , in spite of " its incfeasing attracti ° » who studiously and pointedly Recline to' believe in Bunn , now iovo l flock Surrey wards , to see the wildbeasts- ^ -Gh !•—and the colossal iode ^ l i view of M ! ount Etna- —Ah !—and the fireworks— -Goodness gracious . '— ] the eruption of Etna ancl grand tableau on theJake—Well , I never ! a * ! the flowers , and the feeding of the animals , and this military bands . 1 the endless g iggling , and ogling , and flirting , and . ' tM ' Vmerrinient- iluVh pours its various tide along the walks of those gardens 1 When I thinV of the amount of love-making , and consumption of ginger-beer , the »; " foreign Havahnas , " and pretty black eyes , the fabulous toilette Jsa

      antiquated jokes , which pass before the cahn eyes of those sedate iiong who sit gazing on the holiday folks in supremest indifference , I sav to myself , What a feuilleton a Lion of a literary turn would write On this subject ! . . . For that matter , I am a Lion myself , in some selecfcircles of Camberwell and Newington Butts ! I assure _ you I am thought " good company" in Tooley-street , while in Hackney ram pronounced " a very talented , party . " Ah ! Vivian

      Exhibition Of The Royal Academy. , (Thir...

      EXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY . , ( Third Notice . ) fkith ' s pope and ladt mabtt . Historical painting has almost been . ^ uperseded amongst us by comedy in painting—passion by manners , or ^ jguch traits of nature as manners do not disguise . The great style hasjKank to impotency , and the sole sign of it is struggling to come forth amid : the wild inconsistencies ofyoungmea like Arinitage . If there is tra ^ ej iy to be found in painting you must seek it in the petite comidie , where , it may sometimes intrude even painfiilly . Frith's chief TJicture is of this class : the light , insolent laughter of Ladv

      Mary covers the ghastly despondency of Pope , like a bright lace veil fluttering in a summer wind over a dead body wounded and rotting . Tragedy there still is in life , heaven knows ; but the veil of bienseance hides it , or is supposed to hide : Frith has lifted the veil . The subject indeed , though tragic , is not suited to the high historic treatment , nor , we think , to any form of picture . There is this canon to be observed in painting , that in its utmost licence it ought not to teach . by indirect but by direct means- —hot to teach morals by " painting the ugliness of sin , " but by showing the power , the beauty , or the influence of moral truth . Hogarth ' s satires are an exceptional case . A murder may be painted , but it is to showthepower of human vigour in the slayer ; or the magnanimity of the victim . Mere infirmity is an ill subject to exhibit ;

      and callous levity triumphing over infirmity is twice as uncomely . With a protest against the subject , we must acknowledge that Frith '? picture is on the whole the most complete . The story is clearly conceived , compactly and lucidly expressed . The two have been sitting side by side , and the illustrious abortion has been rash enough to declare a practical passion for the lovely and heedless lady ; whereat , risen from her chair , resting her hand on the table , and slightly leaning back , she is venting an undisguised , insolent , chambermaidish , * but neatly conducted laugh— - spontaneous , but malignant in its overtness . It is all admirably told . Ihe withered debility of Pope , his self-repentant mortification , his biting rage , his impotency to vent his indignation , are as vivid as if you had seen tue affair . The lady , brilliant , fitted to enjoy and to give enjoyment , tree , scarcely inaccessible , yet not for him ; forgetting all his laurels , ^ m sorrows ! The picture is cruel and clear as a diamond ; a jewel of hateiul-¦

      ness . . „ Compare it with the auxiliary group in Raphael's " Triumph of tralatea —the nymph , a rare typo of beautiful womanhood , looking : down witu proud , conscious sovereignty on the potent Triton that crouches to iier--beauty ruling might . If it is hard to compare young Frith with - RapnaeJ , compare this repulse with Stone ' s well known " Last Appeal , where a young girl , keeping herself to herself , looks her sorrow for the anguisJi she inflicts . f « In Frith ' s picture the accessories are well composed and con » uuj finished . The colouring is too white and opaque , but the beauty otwic woman is excellently made out ; and her costume aids the lax lux " ! r freshness of her character . The condition arranges all well round ww subject , the main idea . In that respect the picture is masterly .

      The Amateur Gallery. Fi , Charged With T...

      THE AMATEUR GALLERY . fi , Charged with the contents of a catalogue , the practised sight-seer nu a picture-gallery full of nothing but foregone conclusions . AH 1 ^ cite have one rare advantage over professional artists , in- being able to curiosity . Different people must , wo know , have different reffl ^ S of Heidelberg and impressions of the Jungfrau . The ^ F f £ " $ reminiscences may take hackneyed ancl Straitened forms , but VVv ^

      teiirs , are seldom those of a perfected mannerism . Out ot one n ^ and nine exhibitors at the Amateur Gallery , sixty-two havo * Tfi ° bOurfl year . There are more than three hundred frames , and tlioiign wwin ^ of the amateurs arc modestlygoneralised as " drawings and Bke JJ" jtaliBii obsorvo many works remarkable for care and . finish . Such are in , scenes of Mrs ! Bridgman Simpson , Miss Blnlco , and Mrs . ^ Sf W the Haghe-like interiors by Miss Bcdingfield , and Mrs . HOT *? W There is great skill , too , though not bo olaborately disp layed , in ¦«"• d Yorke ' s birds , flowers , and woodland scenes ; in the Kovercn £ ^* Jilton ' B Bradley ' a zoological extravagancies ; in the portraits j- ^ Miss , m ^\ abeing equal in freedom and delicacy of touch to anything lx \ ,. L flr titled , turo-room of the Royal Academy . After all , we find that , ^ JZ » . If the patrons are made of the same stuff by nature as the l ? J ° g J ; 0 v jll amateurs took pains , they might rival tho best " R . A . ; » ; ^ oure . work , not like hired tradosmen , Jbut for love , they mayequal tne mi A discovory of ours which ought to bo practically useful .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 22, 1852, page 22, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_22051852/page/22/