more to the artist than to the ordinary pupil. The teacher ought, therefore, to select something which recognizes the same aim, and yet is light, agreeable, and if not perfectly intelligible to the pupil, yet easily made so; let it be sketches from life, the portraiture of well-defined characters, illustrated in piano music as it has been done in operas. In fine, let our composers cultivate that field in music which, in painting, was so finely traversed by the old Dutch painters, whether it now be called Morceaux de Genre, or something else. Such little tableaux, the names of which indicate at once what the composer means to convey, are the stepping-stone to something still better in the same style, as in the compositions of Stephen Heller, in Paris, and of still deeper significance, those by Robert Schumann, Volckmann, and others. Unfortunately, only very few attempts are made at such compositions, and when made, most of the teachers find it more advantageous to their pockets not to patronize them, but to furnish the usual stock of delightful polkas and schottisches. Thus moves the world of daily musical life, just as it moved fifteen years ago, and we suppose we may finish this article as we then finished one on the same subject:

66 The modern world commits at this moment a solemn act. It dances itself to death. It is a ghost-like dance, which reminds one with awful truth of that which the Willys perform on the graves. Millions of those who are young and tender, full of life and spirit, feel themselves embraced by the arms of civilized Willys. They must dance, dance. Will the dawn of a better morning find them dead or alive.” *

MUSIC IN NEW YORK.

Second Philharmonic Concert. [PROGRAMME.-Symphony, No. 6, "La Pastorale," in F: Beethoven; Concerto for Piano in A minor, op. 54: Schumann-Mr. S. B. Mills. "Festklaenge," Poème Symphonique, first time: Liszt; Grande Fantasie Russe, for Violoncello: A. Kummer—Mr. F. Bergner. Paraphrase de Concert, for Piano, "Rigoletto": Liszt-Mr. S. B. Mills. Overture, "The Jubilee," in E: Weber-Conductor, Mr. Carl Bergmann.]

The Grand Piano used on the occasion was from the factory of Messrs. Steinway & Sons. WE have frequently had occasion to speak about the Pastoral-Symphony, and those of our readers who have followed the course of Beethoven's Life in our paper, will know under what circumstances he composed this lovely picture of country life; how he came to introduce the peculiar songs of certain birds, and what poetical luster also the characteristic features of certain Austrian country dances received under his hands. No doubt, in the Pastorals Beethoven pictured the country as he saw it, and lived in it, and we can imagine how easily those of his contemporaries who only glanced at the outside appearance of a work of art, and could never be reached by its poetical treatment, considered this rendering of scenes with which they were familiar as a profanation of the symphonic art. Fortunately time is a better judge than artists are, and time has done away with all the petty considerations with regard to "musical reproduction of nature," to which this symphony gave existence for a great many years, and we enjoy the rejoicings of the birds and the country people as much as if the controversies about them had never arisen. That the impression was somewhat marred by the wavering execution was unfortunate, although Beethoven's genius shone just as much as ever.

Schumann's Concerto in A minor is the same that Mr. Mills has played twice before, on which occasions we referred in detail to its beauties. Mr. Mills performs this fine symphonic work better than any thing else.

The chief interest for most of the artists present during this second concert, was undoubtedly the performance of Liszt's symphonic poem, แ 'Festklaenge." These "Sounds for a festival occasion" in Weimar were originally preceded by a programme, giving a key to the intentions of the composer, and which consequently facilitates the understanding considerably. It is a pity that this programme was omitted on this occasion, as it would have undoubtedly led to a kinder opinion of the work among that class of musicians who condemn everything they cannot understand, entirely forgetting that only the so-called inspired mediocrity is understood at first hearing by everybody. Liszt's "Festklaenge" thus is * From "Civilisation and Music," by Theo. Hagen, published in Leipzig, 1845.

programme-music, a style which has been cultivated by Haydn, Beethoven, Schumann, and a good many others. The form he adopts is somewhat unusual, but it is nevertheless form, as can be easily ascertained by a careful examination of the score. The conception as well as treatment is bold and interesting; the melodic element poorer than in the Preludes and in the Tasso. Some of the modulations he uses may probably have filled the so-called connoisseurs (and alas! we have a good many of them in our concert-rooms) with horror; we should not wonder if these connoisseurs had detected some awful discords, entirely against the rules of somebody, or rather nobody; but in spite of all this, it remains true, that this music will stir the heart and occupy the mind of an unprejudiced listener, more than if he heard the well formed and awfully correct music of the old Kapellmeisters in Germany, although their reputations may date fifty years back. We must however, say that the orchestral treatment in the "Festklaenge" occasionally gives too much preponderance to the string quartet and to the brass, while the reed instruments are somewhat neglected, thus causing a thin harmony in spite of the noise. The piece was well performed.

TWO LETTERS BY FRANZ SCHUBERT. (From the Biographical Sketch Just Published, "Franz. Schubert," by J. Heinrich von Kreiszle.)

The first of these letters is dated July 18th, 1824, and addressed to his brother Ferdinand. We give the following short extracts from it, being the only musical items in the letter:

*

"I am the so much more surprised about your quartet party, because you could induce Ignaz to join you. But it will be better for you to play other quartets than mine, for there is nothing in them, except that they please you, who are pleased by everything by me. The remembrance of mine, connected with this, is still the best feature in it. "I have composed a grand Sonata and Variations on an original theme, both for 4 hands. The Variations please very much. About the loss of the songs you gave to I console myself, as only some of them seem to me good; for instance, the wanderer's night song, or the absolved, (but not the abducted), 'Oreste,' as you erroneously wrote, which has made me laugh very much. Compliments to my parents, brothers, and friends. A thousand kisses. Write as soon as possible and farewell, very well. With love forever,

Your brother FRANZ."

The second letter is dated Steyer, July 25th, 1825, and addressed to his parents:

'My new songs from Walter Scott's "Lady of the Lake" have been especially successful. There has been also very much surprise about my piety, expressed in a Hymn to the Holy Virgin, which apparently moves everybody, and turns the mind to devotion. I believe this is because I never give myself to devotion, and never compose such hymns or prayers, unless I am overpowered by that feeling, and then it is the right and true devotion. In Steyruck we called upon Countess Weissenwolf, who is a great admirer of my littleness, possesses all my compositions, and who sings pretty well. The songs by Walter Scott made a very favorable impression upon her, so much so, that she hinted a dedication of the music would not be disagreeable to her. I think, however, to manage differently with regard to the publication of these songs, for the usual mode brings so very little profit. As the songs bear upon them the celebrated name of Scott, and consequently will arouse more curiosity, I think the addition of the English text would also make myself more known in England. If something nice could only be done with the publishers, but the State takes good care that the artist remain always the slave of every miserable shopkeeper. With regard to the letter of Mrs. Milder, I am highly pleased with the good reception of 'Saleiko,' although I wish that I had seen the criticism myself, in order to see whether I would not have learnt something by it; for, however. favorable the opinion may be, it may be equally ridiculous if the critic lacks the necessary knowledge, which is not a very rare case. I meet with my compositions everywhere in Upper Austria, especially in the cloisters Florian and Kremsmünster, where I produced with the aid of a good pianist my Variations and Marches for four hands with a favorable result. My new Sonata for Piano

solo, especially pleased. I performed it with great success, and people assured

His Ave Maria. tThey have been dedicated to the Countess. The songstress Milder Hauptman.

MOZART! Such is the brief and compendious title of Mr. Otto Jalin's very long, elaborate, and scrupulously careful work, the fourth and last volume of which is just out; the first having appeared in 1856, more than four years ago. Mr. Jalin was obviously in no hurry to complete his labors, but he has proceeded surely as well as slowly; and so vast is the amount of fact accumulated, so valuable the information acquired, that those who have the courage to read the production from end to end will doubtless be more than satisfied. Of Mozart the composer—a being whom all civilized creatures know, or think they know—there remained perhaps but little to tell; but about Mozart the man it appears that a good deal was left for Mr. Jahn to communicate, and he has told it with a disregard to brevity and concentration quite astonishing even in a German writer. Such a book, the first volume of which is alone longer than Johnson's "Lives of the British Poets," should have been published in the age of the patriarchs; for the present exceedingly curtailed duration of human life, it is far too long. Methuselah might possibly have found it light reading.

Our objection, however, applies only to Mr. Jahn's method of treating his subject; to his extreme prolixity and verbosity; his unhappy fondness for dwelling upon merely subordinate inatters and trifling events, which throw no new light upon the character or genius of his hero, and are therefore of no use to the world; and must not be understood to call in question the importance of the subject itself—to involve any insinuation that Mozart did not deserve the greatest possible amount of attention which enlightened criticism can bestow; for we consider him to have been one of the greatest men that ever lived; and as there is even now a tendency to believe that music is a peculiar faculty, and that a composer may be superlative in his own particular art without possessing generally any intellectual supremacy—an opinion supported by certain literary men who influence the public mind, but which we reject as utterly false and ridiculous-it may perhaps be permitted us to observe, that when we trace in a musical composition the operation of precisely the same principles which would constitute the greatness of a first-class poem, or any other noble work of art, we cannot help recognis ing the same grand qualities of intellect applied to different objects; and if further comparisons be needed, we can add that when we have to note the absence of these great qualities in a small literary work, we naturally conclude that it is decidedly inferior as an intellectual production to the musical composition which does possess them; and thus, for example, we find Mozart's "Jupiter" symphony very much more intellectual than the "Godolphin" of Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, who says, "very stupid people often become very musical; it is a sort of pretension to intellect that suits their capacities. Plutarch says somewhere that the best musical instruments are made from the jaw-bones of asses. Plutarch never made a more sensible observation." And we also consider Handel's "Messiah" to be a very much greater illustration of human genius than the “Biography of the Right Hon. Benjamin Disraeli," in | which music is again treated with contempt, or even the "Coningsby " of this anonymous author's hero. The fact is, that such litterateurs are not in a condition to feel or understand great intellectual achievements of any kind, simply because the smaller cannot contain the greater. If they could comprehend the principles upon which noble works are wrought, they would necessarily recognise them in whatever form they might appear, and write much better than they do, or not at all..

Beside the musical composition, which exhibits with soul-searching power the sublime and beautiful of human feeling, the loftiest and purest ideality, expressed by such scientific means as can only be acquired through the exercise of reason in its highest state of development, surely the modern novel-the mere minute copy of manners, and sometimes very silly manners—or the "brilliant fantasia" upon history, in which the description of dresses, scenery, or social customs constitutes the

chief attraction, dwindles into hopeless insignificance, just as it w before the Iliad, the Laocoon, or the Last Judgment.

We can thus easily understand and sympathise with the enthusi that led Mr. Jahn to write so long a book, and can likewise applaud for leaving nothing untold with respect to the private career of his mortal hero. Some think that it lessens our admiration for a creat artist for the poet "hidden in the light of thought "—to see brought before the world "in his habits as he lived; " to be made quainted with what he said, and wrote, and did, and suffered as a priva citizen. In certain instances it may do so; but we are nevertheles opinion that the humanity which would throw a veil over the errors genius is at best but an amiable weakness, and the fastidiousness th would exclude the knowledge of what are termed "every-day occurrence (how poetical are many of them!) for fear of disturbing some æsthetic impression, is a refinement of selfishness, and an unwholesome squearishness worthy only the Sybarites of sentiment. Even where reves tions of the private life of genius afford more pain than pleasure, it is d the utmost importance that the whole truth, and nothing but the tru should be spoken, that the heart of the divinely-gifted should be laid p pitating before the world, that the secret springs of thought and act: should be unveiled, the causes and influences which can act upon imme tal mind be noted and remembered. But where, as in the case of the beautiful, bright, and loving spirit, Mozart, there is no vice to describe that is not covered by a hundred virtues, no tares to be detected the are not inextricably entangled with the wholesome wheat, it were diËcult indeed to find even the shadow of a reason why any one thing relat ing to him should be kept from the public.

This copious, conscientions, and excellent biography of Mozart, who, combined in his own works the greatest qualities of all previously exist ing schools, and looked far into the future; who commingled the sen 1 suous beauty of Italian melody, the deep expression of German harmony, and the dramatic truth of the so-called French manner; of him who rendered the rigid contrapuntal science of the ancient masters completely subservient to the purposes of poetical thought and emotion; who could sing as spontaneously and sweetly in fugue or canon as in the simplest composition; who, in short, carried musical art to the highest perfec tion, and is the "model master," if ever there was one-this carefully written record of all that Mozart did and suffered-this elaborate philosophical disquisition upon his merits, both as a man and as an artist, is certainly not to be disposed of satisfactorily in one brief notice. Mr. ! Otto Jahn was more than four years writing the work, and a few days must be conceded us for reviewing it. Meanwhile we recommend the biography strongly to the attention of the musical public.-Morning

Post.

Answers to Correspondents.

W. S. T., Youngstown.-" What is the custom of your best teachers of the piano-forte in New York, with respect to the scales and five-finger exercises. Do they require advanced pa pils to practise them every day? if so, what proportion of their time of practice should be given to scales and five-finger exercises? How far should scholars be advanced when the aforesaid practice is not necessary?"

If pupils are really advanced, that is to say, if they have gone carefully and conscien tiously through all the rudiments of their art, then a daily practice of the scales and five finger exercises for about fifteen or twenty minutes will be sufficient. But if they have not proceeded in the above manner, if they play pieces belonging to the fourth period, while they ought to practise those of the second period, then let them play those exercises every day at least for one hour. Those exercises ought never to cease, for they are the root of all

thoroughness in the technics of piano-forte playing. Of course great pianists will not play them every day, but they will rarely fail to take them up a few days previous to their appearance in public. We know of a very distinguished concert player in this city, who can be heard every day practising these very exercises.

Ar the late Fair of the Massachusetts Mechanics' Charitable Association in Boston, Messrs. Mason & Hanlin were awarded the First Premium, a Silver Medal, for their Melodeons and Harmoniums. From the report of the Judges accompanying this award, we make the following extracts: "The instruments exhibited by the firm of Mason and Hamlin, were of remarkably fine workmanship, and the care exercised in voicing the reeds has made them better than those of any other makers, with whose instruments your coinmittee are familiar. The enterprise and ingenuity which have been bestowed on them, and elevated them from the low level, in which in their first inception these instruments were held, cannot be too highly commended and encouraged. Without discussing the question whether one kind of mechanism is more legitimate than another for producing tone in instruments of the organ class, there can be but one opinion of the advance already made in the manufacture of reed organs, and their present superiority over the specimens of former years; and your committen would most cheerfully award to Mason & Hamlin the principal merit in promoting such a desirable result." The Judges were as follows, viz. :-William Reed, Charles J. Capen, J. Baxter Upham, George Derby, Carl Zerrahn, Samuel Jennison, James C. D. Parker.

THE Taunton Mass. Musical Society has recently been organized with a good prospect of success. It supersedes the old Beethoven Society, which has existed several years in that town.

THE Worcester Mass. Mozart Society have performed the Messiah under the direction of Mr. E. II. Frost, of Boston; Mr. B. D. Allen was the pianist, and Mr. G. P. Burt, the leader of the orchestra.

A CONCERT has been given at Southbridge, Mass., in which Misses Broaders and Hunt, and Messrs. Frost and Whitney took part; Mr. Mansfield was the pianist.

In accordance with usual custom, the Sacred Harmonic Society gave a performance of the Messiah at the Academy on Christmas evening.

CARL Formes gave his farewell performance at the Academy on New Year's Evening. Ile is about to return to Europe.

LEE & Walker have published a Musical Almanac, edited by Charles Grobe. It is full of valuable information, and is arranged in a skilful

manner.

EUROPEAN ITEMS.

AT last more light about the life of Franz Schubert! A biographical sketch by Dr. Heinrich von Kreiszle has just been published at Vienna. It is the first work of any extent which is known to have been written about the life of the celebrated composer.

It is understood that Prince George Galitzin intends to resume his concerts early in the new year, having seriously, it is added, embraced the musical profession.-We hear that the original MSS. of Beethoven's late Quartets, dedicated to one of his name, and with regard to the payment for which a brisk controversy took place, shortly after the publication of Herr Schindler's biography, are now in London, in his hands; further, that under his auspices a Russian opera is about to be translated by Mr. Oxenford, with the hope of its being performed on the Englisk stage.

THE German papers inform us, that a Conservatory of Music is to be established in New York. When a few weeks ago we started in this journal the idea of such an institution, we little thought that our German friends across the Atlantic would present us so soon with the thing itself.

LUDWIG RELLSTAB, the well known critic and author of the historical novel, "1812," died at Berlin, 61 years old.

THE proprietors of La Maitrise, a French Periodical devoted to church music, and supported by the contributions of some of the best men of the day, is announcing prizes as under :-300 francs for a Missa Brevios, with organ; half the sum for the second best Mass; 200 francs for the best collection of three pieces suited for use in the church service; half the sum for the second best; 200 francs for the best collection of three pieces for the organ fit to be used in the service, to be easy, and (this sounds strange) with pedals ad libitum; half the sum for the second best, all MSS. to become the property of the journal.

THE prize Cantata by young Paladilhe, whose promise has been mentioned more than once, was the other evening performed at the Grand Opéra of Paris.

"SOME friend in the Far-North can possibly tell us. Last week, mention was made (on the authority of the Gazette Musicale) of a M. Berendt, who has written an opera for Copenhagen. This week, in the same journal, we have read that M. Berens has received an appointment as condutor to the second theatre at Stockholm,-in the right of success gained by three operas in that cap.tal; "Violetta," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and "Lully and Quinault." Should these two be one and the same composer, it would seem as if a new reputation was growing up in the land of Madame Taglioni, Herr Lindblad, Herr Andersen and Madame Goldschmidt. Every one would be glad to hear more of this."

Thus writes the critic of the Athenæum. We are happy to be able to inform him, that M. Berens is a native of Hamburg, son of one of the musical directors there, that he has lived for the last fifteen years in Stockholm, and has written a large number of piano pieces, mostly published by Schubert & Co., in Hamburg.

Our Musical Correspondence.

BLOOMINGTON, ILL.

"Out on the prairie," about two miles from the pleasant town of Bloomington, stands the Normal University of the State of Illinois. It is on a swell of this land ocean, and from its top you may see the white farm houses like rails, and the timber patches like islands, for almost a score of miles in any direction. Strangely impressive is this prairie country to a dweller among hills, but I must not enlarge in this direction, as I write this merely to say a few words about the University and a recent visit I had the pleasure to make there.

The building is of stone and brick, 150 feet long, nearly 100 wide, and proportionately high, with a handsome cupola, and of fine architectural appearance. It has a pleasant door yard of 56 acres, which is to be ornamented with trees, walks, &c., and a nice little farm in proportion adjoining. In size and arrangement of rooms and general appointments for convenience and comfort, it surpasses any thing I have before seen. In the basement are

rooms for recreation and exercise, rooms for the Janitor and his family, rooms for the steam engine and heating apparatus, and for the engineer, &c. On the first floor are reception rooms, dressing rooms (large and commodious), and rooms for the various grades of the Model School. The Model School, by the way, consists of children and youth from the neighborhood, and from abroad, who go there instead of going to a town school, or who wish for school opportunities without pledging themselves to become teachers. This school affords an opportunity to the members of the Normal department to observe and to take part in the practical working of their system of teaching.

On the second floor there is in the center the assembly or study room of the Normal department, capable of containing with ample room, more than 200 desks, and from it, entrance to six recitation rooms adapted to the various departments of their work. On the third floor are the large Hall or Chapel, Society rooms, Cabinet, Museum, and, I believe, the Library. It will be remembered that all these rooms are very spacious, and perfectly appointed, and the whole building heated by steam. Some idea may be had of the magnitude of the enterprise when it is stated that the cost of the building and appointments, exclusive of land, was over one hundred and forty thousand dollars ($140,000). The people at the east must look to their laurels; at this rate Illinois will stride away from them in facilities for education as fast as she has gone ahead in building cities and raising wheat. I was at the Institution for a few days to give some instruction in singing, and teaching singing, and enjoyed it well, although every night found me ready to rest, for Western men, if they don't brush their boots, keep the cobwebs out of their eyes and minds, and he who expects to influence them must know what he has to do, and must be able to do it well. Let no teacher of music (and I may add of any thing else) go to the west to teach because he cannot succeed at home. In my opinion, he will meet with disappointment if he does.

Mr. Hovey, the prime mover in getting up this Institution, and the present Principal, is a man of extraordinary abilities, and the associate professors are all men of high standing in their various departments. I cannot see why the Normal University of the State of Illinois should not in a short time be in the very foremost rank. G. F. R. MILWAUKEE.

DECEMBER 15, 1860.-Last Friday evening the Musical Society of this city gave their 110th concert. The programme was more varied than any I have yet seen; in fact, I think there is danger of their losing sight of the original path laid out by its founders. It opened with Weber's Jubel-overture, followed by Mr. Klien in an air for tenor, Cujus Animam, from Stabat Mater. I cannot say that this selection was very wise. There are certainly better concert pieces in it; besides which his voice was not strong enough for the orchestra. "Vineta," a male chorus, by Abt, was encored, and had to be repeated. A terzetto, from the opera " Joseph," followed, in which Madame Beeker appeared as Joseph, certainly to better advantage than at the last concert, in the "Fairy King." The "Cradle Song," by Schumann, double chorus, for male and female voices, was well received; but a smaller number, better drilled (excuse the word), would have done better: some of the singers were not sufficiently alive to the importance of the delicate shading required to bring out this song in its proper light. After the overture to the "Midsummer Night's Dream," by the orchestra, came an air from "I Puritan," sung by Madame Jacobi who, with such a voice as she has, should sing oftener. The air was encored, as was also the duet from the opera of "Belisario," sung by Messrs. Abel (the director), and Rosenthal. The concert closed with Wagner's "Pilgrim Chorus," from Tannhauser, which did not receive its share of attention, seeing it was the last number on the programme. Yours musically,

BALTIMORE.

FELIX.

DECEMBER 24th, 1860.-The music-loving people of the monumental city have been agreeably surprised by the appearance of the so-called American Italian Opera, which entertained us for a week with a series of operas until now not brought out here. Martha, Sicilian Vespers, Il Giuramento, Rigoletto, Favorita, Moses in Egypt, with the following leading artists, were performed from last Monday to Saturday: Mad. Colson, Adelaide Phillips, Brignoli, Sbriglia, Ferri, Susini, and Coletti, and Signor Muzio as Conductor of the Orchestra.

Though we regret that financially, owing to the pressure upon business, they have not been lucky, they have won laurels, which will be certainly pecuniarily rewarded at their next appearance, which we understand will be some time in March. When we recall to our memory the miserable orches tra (8 musicians and a piano) we had to content ourselves with not long ago,

we cannot but express our thanks for the improvement in that respect, as we had this time a full orchestra of about thirty very good musicians, with a good ensemble playing. As to the singers they are all well known to the public, we, therefore, can only confirm their reputation; they all did well. The sceneries, also, were very satisfactory. There seems to be some life in musical matters. We had some three weeks ago the Oratorio,-"The Seven Last Words of the Saviour on the Cross," by Haydn; but though patronized by an audience of nearly 4,000, it deserved such patronage only in view of its charitable purpose. It was a Concert for the Catholic Orphan Asylum. The ; Orchestra was too weak; the solos were inferior, and we wonder that Signor Gigan could not procure better amateurs for the occasion. The tenor did, however, his task tolerably well, at least his voice is good and strong enough for a large hall like that of the Maryland Institute. The Beethoven Society ! also continue their musical soirées with fine programmes, but we have not been able to attend any of them since the last, of which we gave you an account in our former letter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your devoted ARION.

RUTLAND, VT.

DECEMBER 28, 1860.—It was my privilege to be present at a concert given on the evening of the 17th inst., by the young ladies of North Granville (N. Y.) Ladies' Seminary, under the direction of their efficient teacher, Mr. Geo. A. Mietzke. This flourishing school is now under the management of Mr. Chas. F. Dowd, formerly of Connecticut; a gentleman of high attainments, with much experience in teaching, and pleasant and genial manners. He is assisted by able and experienced teachers in every department. The catalogue just issued seems to indicate that the fine reputation already acquired by this school will be fully maintained, with increasing popularity and usefulness, under its present able management. The concert was given in the large Gymnasium of the Seminary, and opened with the overture to "Fra Diavolo" for four pianos. It was performed by eight young ladies in a highly creditable manner.

It would occupy too much of your space to notice all the pieces on the programme-a copy of which I inclose-but the piano-forte pieces by the Misses Boker, Carleton, Collier, and Williams, are deserving of mention for the accuracy of time and excellent style in which they were given. The duett "The Two Cousins" was well rendered and received hearty applause. The audience seemed much pleased with the singing of Mrs. Mietzke. Her voice is pleasant in quality, with a good degree of force, and with careful cultivation would be really fine. The gem of the evening, in the opinion of your humble correspondent, was the overture to "Zampa" for four pianos and harmonicum. It was rendered in excellent time and style by the young ladies, and was received with delight by the audience. The class has been under the instruction of Mr. Mietzke but a single term, but their performance throughout was highly creditable both to teacher and pupils. Mr. Mietzke is entitled to much credit for his efforts for the introduction of a better style of music. It is a pleasure to examine a programme of a school concert in which such names as Mozart, Mendelssohn, Herold, etc., occur so frequently.

PHILADELPHIA.

JANUARY 1, 1861.-The Foyer of the Academy of Music was a scene of beauty on the 20th inst. It is a charming saloon, tastefully, not gaudily fitted up, a promenade during the entre-actes of the opera, with frescoes here and there, rich cluster chandeliers, clear mirrors reaching down to the waxed floors, and at long intervals of time the rosiest and loveliest of Philadelphia's proverbially lovely faces are reflected therein. On the occasion to which I have reference Messrs. Wolfsohn and Thomas gave their second classical soiree. Successful as the others have been, the last was in every respect a cause for gratulation, and a greater source of gratification, both to the artists and the audience. Let me read you the programme:

PART I. Trio (Op. 97. Bb major)—Beethoven. (a) Allegro moderato; (b) Scherzo—Allegro ; (c) Andante cantabile; (d) Allegro moderato e Presto; Messrs. Wolfsohn, Thomas, Schmitz. PART II. 1. Paraphrase de Concert "Rigoletto," Liszt. Carl Wolfsohn. 2. Morceau caracteristique, Vieuxtemps. Theodore Thomas. 3. Sonate (A major)—Mozart. (a) Allegro molto; (b) Andante; (c) Presto; Messrs. Wolfsohn and Thomas.

PART III. Quintett (Op. 87. Bb major)-Mendelssohn. (a) Allegro vivace; (b) Andante scherzando; (c) Adagio e lento; (d) Finale-Allegro, molto vivace; Messrs. Thomas, Kammerer, Hassler, Mueller, Schmitz.

The trio was truthfully interpreted throughout, and the third movement, Andante cantabile, with its peculiar floating measure (if I may use the term in the connection), the sudden introduction of a staccato passage, and