Various

To the EDITOR of the HARMONICON.

Oxford, March 5th, 1833.

SIR,

In the pages of your agreeable and instructive miscellany, I invariably find some information as to the state of music upon the Continent. You inform me what new operas have been produced, which have succeeded, and which failed: you tell me where all the great and first-rate singers are at the time of your writing, and also state what new singers have made their dÉbut, and with what success: in fact, you make me perfectly acquainted with what is going on in the musical world at Rome, Naples, Milan, Vienna, Berlin, &c.; and in addition to all this you occasionally give an account of a concert at Birmingham, York, Liverpool, Manchester, and many other of our own large towns. Now, Sir, I have no doubt that very many of your constant readers will agree with me in saying all this is very amusing, and very acceptable. I have been, however, equally sorry and surprised at not having seen in the Harmonicon any article relating to music connected with our universities, or any account of a concert having been given either at Oxford or Cambridge for these three years past! This appeared to me very odd; surely, thought I, the omission cannot be for want of a correspondent, for at these places it may almost be said that ‘every man is a scribe by trade.’ To what cause then is this lack of intelligence owing? Being a resident at Oxford, I know, of course, what has been, and what is going on, concerning music, both in the university and the city; but being ignorant of what has been doing at Cambridge, I determined (for my own satisfaction, and being a great lover of music) to inquire, and the result of my inquiry (though I blush to record it) is, that there every thing connected with music has been for some years past, and still is, as dull and showing as little motion as the almost stagnate river that washes her college walls. It is really mortifying to think that Music receives less patronage from Granta’s learned and classical sons, than is bestowed on her by the manufacturers and tradesmen of Sheffield and Leeds!

Now, Sir, without meaning to triumph over the students and residents at the sister university, or to boast of our pleasant localities by comparing the verdant and flowery banks of the ‘silver Isis’ with the ‘lazy Cam,’ I am happy to state that it is not quite so bad with us. At Oxford, music, although not in a very flourishing state, yet is not totally neglected, and among those who have ever been most forward to promote its success and prosperity, I must not omit to notice the stewards of the music-room, who have continued regularly to give two concerts every term. It is true, indeed, that the success of the undertaking has not always been adequate to their wishes, or such as might reasonably have been expected from the acknowledged excellence of the performances, and the first rate talent that has been engaged. However, they are not discouraged, but cherishing a love for the art, and a desire to see it prosper in the university, they zealously persevere in the good old custom (established, I believe, by Dr. Hayes) of providing, every term, for the heads of houses and their families, the gownsmen, and the upper class of citizens, three hours of the most innocent enjoyment that any rational being can indulge in; thus gratifying their own passion for music, and at the same time promoting the interests of its professors.

Having said so much, Mr. Editor, I will venture to add an account of the two last concerts given by the before-mentioned stewards on the evenings of Thursday and Friday, the 14th and 15th of February last. The vocal performers originally engaged were Miss Shirreff, of Covent Garden Theatre, Miss C. Lyon, a promising young dÉbutante, and Signor Donzelli. I have said originally engaged, because ‘thereby hangs a tale.’ Report says, and I have no doubt truly, that Signor Donzelli was not only engaged a month previous to the concerts, but that he himself, with the knowledge and consent of Mr. Laporte, fixed on Thursday and Friday, the 14th and 15th of February, and his name was, of course, placarded and announced throughout the county in every possible manner. Now mark, Sir:—on the Tuesday preceding the concerts, or, in other words, about eight-and-forty hours before he was to sing his first song, Signor Donzelli sent a notice that the Opera was to open on the Thursday, and that he could not go to Oxford! All who have had any experience in the getting up of a concert, will easily imagine what trouble and consternation this intelligence occasioned. It appears it was impossible, for many reasons, to put off the concerts. In this dilemma, Mr. T. Welsh (being the master or instructor both of Miss Shirreff and Miss C. Lyon) was applied to, and at this very short notice agreed to go. He did so, and attended a rehearsal with the ladies, on the Thursday morning for the concert in the evening.

Now, Mr. Editor, if you have been surprised at what I have already related, I think you will be still more so when I tell you, that between four and five o’clock the same afternoon, Signor Donzelli (whom the good people at Oxford had been informed by hand-bills a few hours before was prevented from attending) came into the town by one of the coaches, and, after all the bustle and confusion he had occasioned, very coolly declared that the Opera would not open as expected, and that he was come to fulfil his engagement! After this, let us talk no more of the glorious uncertainty of the law, for it is nothing, Sir, compared to the caprice of an Italian opera singer, and a French manager.

The great reputation which Signor Donzelli has acquired in all the principal towns in Italy, as well as Paris and London, must, consequently, render his name attractive whenever and wherever it appears in a provincial concert bill;—and, indeed, so it ought; for, if I have been correctly informed, the sum he demanded for coming to Oxford, clearly proves that if he knows how to sing, he knows equally well how to charge. But the strangest part of this strange story is, that one-third of the sum he received is pocketed by M. Laporte. Can this be true?

Having announced our hero’s unexpected arrival at Oxford, let me now introduce you to him at the music-room. The songs, duets, &c. selected for Signor Donzelli were, of course, Italian; those for our fair countrywomen being in our own language; so that the lovers of English music, and the patrons of native talent, as well as the more fashionable admirers of the Italian school, were equally gratified. The whole of the selection appeared to me to have been made with judgment, and the English and Italian pieces were judiciously intermingled. In the first concert we had two charming Italian duets, ‘Amor, possente nome,’ (Rossini) and ‘Come ti piace imponi,’ (Mozart) both of which were well sung by Miss Shirreff and Signor Donzelli. A pleasing ballad, ‘Light up the gay and festive Hall,’ (Hodson) was chastely given by Miss C. Lyon. In the song ‘Bright flattering days,’ (being English words adapted to the aria ‘Bel l’ Raggio,’ from Rossini’s Semiramide) Miss Shirreff had a fair opportunity of exhibiting her powers, and very much pleased our Oxford audience; and in a ballad, ‘The Arab Maid,’ she displayed the versatility of her talent by accompanying herself on the piano-forte.

This being Signor Donzelli’s first appearance at Oxford, I paid him, whilst he was singing, all the attention that might be naturally expected from an amateur, who was listening to so celebrated a singer for the first time. He is, undoubtedly, a man of great talent, yet if I were sure, Mr. Editor, that you would not censure my temerity, I should say that he lacks judgment in the management of his splendid voice, and that in the two arias ‘Pria che spunti,’ (Cimarosa) and ‘Ah! se forse,’ from Mozart’s Clemenza di Tito, he appeared to me to have forgotten that he was singing in a small concert-room at Oxford, and not on the stage at the King’s Theatre. I was still more confirmed in my opinion when, on the second night, I heard him sing with Miss Shirreff, the lovely duet ‘Ah! perdona,’ and I could not help thinking that compositions like this, where tender elegance is the leading feature, are not so well adapted to his manner, as music of a boisterously impassioned character; and this, to my mind, was clearly exemplified when I heard him later in the evening sing with the same lady the magnificent duet ‘Fuggi! crudele, fuggi!’ from Don Giovanni. In this I thought him great. The cavatina ‘Ah! si per voi giÀ sento,’ (from Rossini’s ‘Otello,’ and which was never, I believe, heard at Oxford before,) he also executed admirably; and sorry I am that I cannot, conscientiously, bestow the same commendation on the aria (a great favourite of mine) ‘Il mio tesoro,’ which I have heard sung with much more feeling and expression than Signor Donzelli imparted to it, though certainly not with so splendid a voice. And here, Sir, I must take leave of the Signor, at least for the present.

Miss C. Lyon had the good sense to introduce Handel’s ‘Hush ye pretty warbling Choir,’ which, I may say, (without meaning to play on the word,) she ‘warbled prettily.’ Miss Shirreff’s ‘Trifler, forbear,’ by Bishop, afforded another proof that we have among us English men who can compose, and English women who can sing.

It would be unjust not to mention that, in the course of the second concert, Mr. T. Welsh introduced Purcell’s ‘Mad Tom,’ which he sung (accompanying himself on the piano-forte) with great effect. The beauties of this composition were not lost upon the audience, and Mr. Welsh’s performance was, very deservedly, much applauded.

I am, Mr. Editor,
Your very obedient servant,
A LOVER OF MUSIC.

P.S.—If Signor Donzelli should receive an application to sing at Oxford again, I would, for his own sake, strongly recommend that, before he accepts it, he will not only finally make up his own mind on the subject, and firmly abide by it, but also ascertain, whether, after being promised leave of absence from the Opera, he may safely rely on M. Laporte’s honourably keeping his word; that is, in case it should so chance that M. Laporte should be the manager of the Italian Opera twelve months hence.