48 ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THE OPERA IN LONDON. 



pointed to this most responsible post, it is easy to foresee that the 

 orchestra would speedily undergo a marked change for the better, 

 and, consequently, the public taste would improve in the same pro- 

 portion. The objection that a German would be incapable of en- 

 tering into the spirit of Italian music, is entirely void of foundation ; 

 he who is able to appreciate Beethoven and Weber may be supposed 

 competent to understand the superficial merits of Rossini and Bel- 

 lini ; of this capability no further proof need be adduced than the 

 manner in which the works of this school are got up in Germany. 



A German would be invaluable in drilling the chorus, the state 

 of which is, at present, a national disgrace; Italians appear to con- 

 sider precision in this department as totally unconnected with the 

 effect of an opera : to give an instance, the choruses in Marino 

 Faliero were, last season, drawled out in a manner which could 

 only have been the result of negligence. The precision and spirit 

 with which the German companies, when in England, gave the 

 most difficult choruses, excited general admiration ; yet the idea 

 never appeared to occur that it would be desirable to introduce this 

 much-needed improvement into our own chorus. In selecting a 

 German conductor, care should undoubtedly be taken to avoid ap- 

 pointing a bigotted adherent of the modern crabbed school of Spohr, 

 Ries, Marschner, &c. No censure is here intended to be passed on 

 these great masters themselves ; it can only attach to those who, 

 with Rinck and many others, have adopted the defects without the 

 beauties of their style. From the observations which I have had 

 an opportunity of making on the characters of the different schools 

 of Germany, I am inclined to think that Vienna and Prague are 

 the most likely to furnish musicians in all respects suited to the 

 office. 



One of the most glaring errors in our establishment remains to 

 be noticed — an error proceeding in some measure from the persons 

 to whose control it has been committed. I allude to the fact that, 

 within the last five years, the performances have, with some few 

 exceptions, such as Don Giovanni and Medea, consisted exclusively 

 of the works of one school ; viz., that of Rossini and his followers. 

 I must now take leave of the reader for a season. In my next 

 paper I will endeavour, by an impartial survey of the merits of 

 these composers, to ascertain how far they are entitled to this 

 exclusive preference over the masters of all other times and coun- 

 tries. 



Y. D. 



( To be continued). 



