Part 15 (1/2)
And do not these, that add their claim, Put all your ”sylvan choirs” to shame?
What think ye, feathered ones! of notes So ravis.h.i.+ng-and _not_ from _throats_?
How sweet, and exquisitely _natty_, Those trills ancillary, from _Gattie_!
And list! t' enhance our joy what _can_ do The ”even tenor” of smooth _Dando_.
Then, in the stream of sound to hook us ”Deeper, and deeper still,” comes _Lucas_.
Felicity, with clearest voice, Calls here on Echo to rejoice!
Desire may here, with resting feet, Sit still-nor care to s.h.i.+ft her seat.
-Who-e'er thou art, that long'st to _feel_, Psha! Twitch no more ”the electric eel!”
Nor dream thy languor to dispel By bathos of ”the diving bell!”
If in thy brain one corner yet To dozing dulness be unlet- If 'scape thou would'st from stupor's net, And, like a man just free from debt, Thy load of lumpishness forget- Come! for one hour be Pleasure's pet!
Oh, come, and hear a choice _Quartett_ _Diffused_[60] by this consummate set!
About the time that gave birth to the intentions of this party, Mori-then at the zenith of his powers-finding that his juniors in the profession were taking steps in advance of him[61], and determining upon the maintenance of his position, organized a party in which Messrs.
Watts, Moralt, and Lindley were his coadjutors. Without much prelude, they commenced operations on the growingly attractive Quartett, by giving three ”Cla.s.sical Chamber Concerts” at Willis's Rooms, on the 6th and 20th January, and 3rd February, 1836.
The flood-tide of public favor had now set in. We find no less than four distinct parties of leading professors embarked in serial quartett-performances; with others, occasionally launching on the swelling current, just for a little cruize. ”Chamber Concerts” became the fas.h.i.+on; ”Musical Reunions,” ”Soirees Musicales,” and ”Cla.s.sical Instrumental Concerts,” multiplied almost _ad infinitum_. ”The Beethoven Society” was formed, and a host of others followed suit-their names ”legion”-_all_ under favour of the absorbing interest in the Quartett.
In short, since the season of 1836, these deserving works have become recognized and claimed as Public Property-witness the advertising columns of the diurnal and periodical press, which teem with announcements, in every form of allurement, inviting support.
Of all these a.s.sociated parties, none has attained such distinguished popularity, and secured such unqualified approbation, as that of Messrs.
Blagrove, Gattie, Dando, and Lucas. At an early stage of their career (the 23rd May, 1836), they were invited to perform at the ”Philharmonic,” where they produced a sensation which at once established them on the pinnacle of public favour. From that date up to the 29th April, 1842 (the close of their seventh season), they continued their combined operations, with unabated _eclat_, at the Hanover Square Rooms. About that period, Mr. Blagrove, being desirous of investing his interest in a private undertaking of his own, withdrew from the a.s.sociation. The retirement of Mr. Blagrove did not, however, affect the stability of the ”Quartett Concerts.” The veteran Loder, of Bath, recruited the party, undertaking to perform the _viola_ part; Mr. Dando resumed the princ.i.p.al violin; Messrs. Gattie and Lucas retained their original appointments. Thus remodelled, the party removed its attractions to Crosby Hall, in the City, where, with Mr. Dando at its head, ”The Quartett Concerts” continue to be carried on up to the present day.
It has been less the purpose, in this retrospect, to eulogize individuals, or to make comparisons between parties, than to set forth premises wherefrom we may reasonably conclude that the _modus operandi_ adopted by that party to which we have more particularly pointed attention, must have been the best, if not the only, road to true excellence. The Quartett demands, not only individual efficiency in its execution, but collective agreement in the expression of its parts; the nicest discrimination in delineating its delicacies; and an _ensemble_ animated, as it were, by _one mind_. To produce this unity of parts in one completeness, it is not sufficient that parties should merely play together;-they absolutely must meet for frequent _practice_ together, and (according to the light that is in them) fixing upon the best interpretation of the author's meaning, proceed to its exemplification with simultaneous feeling and decision.
We have it from undoubted authority-and record the fact for the benefit of all aspirants to public applause-that the Quartett-party, which has run the most brilliant and extended course, has devoted to the object which called it into existence the largest amount of industry and energy, in private preparation for its public exhibitions-these qualities being by them considered necessary additions to a well-digested experience, which, as the ground to begin upon, they previously possessed. Instead of rus.h.i.+ng into public the moment they had formed their compact with each other, and trusting to the novelty of their introduction, or relying on a name already inscribed in capitals, indicative of honours achieved in another branch of the art, more dependent on manual dexterity than on mental cultivation-we find these (then young) professors patiently submitting themselves to the drudgery of preparation. There is the best authority for stating that they did not think six or eight rehearsals, previous to the production of a work in public, too much trouble, or time and application thrown away, or even unnecessarily bestowed. The success of their undertakings has been commensurate with the pains which they underwent to secure it. This accounts for their having achieved the vantage-ground in the general compet.i.tion for distinction, while others, of more matured reputation as individual performers, failed to attain the preference which they were equally in quest of, by _apparently_ the same path. How otherwise, it might be asked, could ... But lest some should consider the digression to be growing tedious, let us at once resume the object with which we started, and complete our biographical sketch-leaving the facts and hints that have been incidentally recorded, to the further (private) meditation of such as are more particularly interested in them.
Mr. Dando first appeared as a member of the Philharmonic orchestra, in 1831: since which time he has held an uninterrupted engagement in its front rank of violins. As an orchestral leader, himself, he has had a long and honourable career, as well in the provinces as in London and its suburban offshoots. In the City, he has almost exclusively occupied that post. At the great concerts given by the amateurs at the London Tavern; at those of the ”Cla.s.sical” and ”Choral Harmonists” Societies; also at others brought out on a less extensive scale, at the ”Horn Tavern,” Doctors' Commons, the ”Albion,” and ”London” Tavern, his qualifications have been fully admitted, and the highest credit awarded.
As to his peculiar manner, or style, it may doubtless be averred that, as a pupil, he must have profited largely by the example of his master, Mori; although, finally, his talents have become conspicuous in a very distinct school. Fire and vigour, more than feeling, were the characteristics of style in the one, while the other has become remarkable for the elegance of his expression, and the neatness of his execution-a neatness which is by no means unattended by the amount of vigour occasionally requisite to express the pa.s.sion of an inspired author. In his hands, the violin has oftentimes become almost vocal, and his performance on that most expressive of instruments has been very characteristically described by an accomplished public critic, as ”soul-satisfying in the extreme.”
HENRY C. COOPER, a fine solo-player, indoctrinated by Spagnoletti, holds a distinguished place among our Violinists. In the absence of materials for treating of him _in extenso_, his laurels, green and vigorous as they are, can at present only be recognized-not displayed-in these ministering pages.
EDWARD WILLIAM THOMAS, of Welsh parentage, was born in 1814. His commencement with the Violin was under Mr. W. Thomas, formerly Leader of Covent Garden Theatre. It was said that he was too old to ”do any good”
(being then twelve years of age), but the prediction-like many other such familiar croakings-came happily to nothing.
Leaving Mr. W. Thomas, his young name-sake was placed at the Royal Academy of Music, under Oury, Cramer, Mori, and Spagnoletti; the result of which multiplication of masters was, that he no sooner began to feel the good effects of the endeavours of _one_, than he lost them under the different system pursued by _another_. To remedy this, he became a resident pupil in the house of the kind-hearted Spagnoletti, to whom, as well as to his first master (Thomas), he always evinced a feeling of grateful attachment.
His first appearance, as a Solo-player, was at ”Russian Field's”
Concert, at Her Majesty's Theatre, in 1832, when he played Spohr's Dramatic Concerto: this was also the year of his first engagement (by Mr. Monck Mason) at Her Majesty's Theatre, where he remained until the establishment of the Royal Italian Opera, which he left in 1850, to become the Leader of the Liverpool Philharmonic.
BREAM THOM, a native of Portsmouth, dating his days from 1817, made his first approaches to the Violin at eight years of age, having from infancy evinced a predilection for music, although no other member of his family was that way inclined. He studied hard, and, at seventeen, was appointed Leader of the Orchestra at the Portsmouth Theatre. He appeared, in 1838, at the Hanover Square Concert-Room, in London, and was favourably received. Shortly afterwards (by the advice of Mr. Oury), he went to Paris, and placed himself under Monsieur Robretch, a professor to whom belongs the credit of having had some share in the tuition of De Beriot, and of Artot. Returning to England, he settled eventually at Brighton, where he has for some time officiated as Leader at the Theatre, Amateur Concerts, &c.
CHARLES FREDERICK HALL, five years a member of Her Majesty's Theatre, and the present Musical Director of the Royal Marionette Theatre, London, was born at Norwich, in 1820.