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public exercise of the art, and the rise of concert singers in general, may have a place here.

Those who do not examine very scrupulously the constitution of the public concerts in London, are apt to suppose, that nothing is so easy as for talent to open to itself an avenue to the favor of a metropolitan audience, and through that medium to the kingdom at large. Far from it; there is nothing more difficult. Till this season there were only two established concerts of repute in London. The concert of Antient Music is in the hands of directors, who not only must be well satisfied of the claims of any candidate for a place in their orches tra, but they also, with a commendable spirit of justice, look to the past services of their singers, and it seldom happens that individuals are displaced, who continue to maintain a fair professional reputation. MR. BARTLEMAN has, therefore, with the exception of periods of indisposition, constantly retained the lead as the bass singer there. Of the vocal concerts at Hanover-square, he is a proprietor. The oratorios, therefore, are the only places left open to the competition of new performers, and even here there are circumstances which might well forbid a singer's appearance. There are also, it is true, the benefit concerts, but it will naturally follow, that the partics are anxious to obtain the assistance of those of most repute. Thus the rights of prescription throw so many impediments between a young singer and the public, that many years must pass away before an opportunity is afforded him of becoming extensively known. Add to these circumstances, that bass voices are seldom, we may say never, calculated to make those instant and striking impressions that belong to voices capable of great force and display of execution. They have rarely any thing of such a character assigned to them. It is no wonder, then, if a singer of this description creeps more slowly into estimation than those of any other class. In the instance before us there are also other drawbacks. MR. BARTLEMAN and MR. BELLAMY were from their childhood constantly before a London audience. MR. LACY is still young; he was educated at Bath, under RAUZZINI. He came out in London before his singing had received that superior richness and polish it has now obtained; during the short time he has been before the public, he has been intermediately employed at provincial meetings, and lastly he has passed a considerable period in his studies in Italy. We lament to add, that at the very moment when his talents are matured, and when

'his country has begun to be gratified by his powers, and might be greatly benefited by his example, the state of his health has determined him to try a warmer climate; and, probably, before this sheet meets the public eye, he, with MRS. LACY, by far the most able of our native female singers and instructors, will be on their Voyage to Calcutta.

MR. LACY is endowed by nature with organs of great strength and delicacy. His voice is rich and full toned, particulurly in the lower notes. His natural compass is from E to F, or about 16 notes. His ear is so remarkably accurate, and the muscles of his throat so formed by practice, that they are rarely even affected by the indisposition under which he so continually labours. If he can sing at all, he sings in tune. In point of INTONATION, he therefore equals, if he does not exceed, every other singer we ever remember to have heard. But what affords a more certain proof of his quickness in discriminating sounds, as well as of the facility with which he can use and apply the powers of his voice, is the faculty of imitation which we happen to know he can exercise with extraordinay accuracy in respect to similitude, and with great variety of purpose both in singing and speaking. Nor is it a less remarkable proof of good taste and sound judgment, as well as versatility and resource, that his singing is pure and original. In it there is not the faintest trace of the manner of any other performer, except that natural resemblance, if we may so call it, which appertains to singers who have been trained upon the principles of one school, and who belong, as it were, to the same musical family. Thus the same principles of voicing, and even of gracing, may be perceived to be common to MR. BRAHAM and MR. LACY, as derived from their master, RAUZZINI ; but nothing that can be called imitation, can be traced in his style. Direct imitation, in our mind, always indicates the want of the natural and wholesome strength that attend poverty of conception and a barren genius. "The man that follows must always go behind" is a homely truism, but it is precisely to our point. MR. LACY, on the contrary, acts upon his own conceptions; and as circumstances have enabled us to acquaint ourselves with his method of procedure, we can state, of our own knowledge, that he first well considers the intentions of the composer-the scope of the capabilities of the song, and weighs them in conjunction with his own particular powers of expression. When he has matured his own notions, he is

never backward to compare them with the judgment of others, but is anxious to correct his outline and his execution, by the most careful consideration of such objections as are offered to him, or by the observation of any changes or refinements introduced to his notice by others. We do not esteem his imagination to be so fervid as that of MR. BARTLEMAN, nor his expression, in particular instances, so strong-but as a whole it is more pure, chaste, and polished, more enriched by the study and understanding of the different acceptations of different national schools, and consequently more diversified and universal. In framing these disquisitions upon the professional acquirements of great singers, we find ourselves irresistibly drawn into repetitions and samenesses, and even must thus make an apology; and in order to preclude the supposition that we blunder into tauto logy, we must refer to our article in our second number for a coin. ciding remark to that which we now make. MR. LACY has compared ideas of expression, purely English, with those of enlightened foreigners; and though he sings English like an Englishman, his style, in respect of conception, is (as we esteem it) purified and elevated by his more intimate study and acquaintance with the modes of expression in use among other nations. He is not deficient in what we are tempted to call the poetry of his art, but his fancy is guarded and fenced round by chastity of design, not less than by the caution which a very nice and difficult taste, with respect to execution, always places upon his aims at effect. His singing of the older masters, of HANDEL, ARNE, PERGOLESI, &C. (PURCELL we never heard him attempt,) is fine, marked and vigorous, but always sober, and never turgid or theatrical. Such we conceive to be the true portraiture of MR. LACY's singing, so far as it evinces his apprehension of the intentions of the poet and the composer.

In point of TONE, we consider that MR. LACY exceeds every bass. singer we ever heard. We have already spoken so much at length upon this head in our character of MR. BARTLEMAN, that little re. mains. We must even be guilty of repetition, even when we say that MR. LACY's tone is strictly Italian, formed according to the method of the teachers of that country, and that it never varies from the top to the bottom of his voice in quality. But this is not the only design, We have seen, that in this respect, namely, uniform voicing, Mr., BARTLEMAN Complies with the condition of the general problem for the formation of tone, MR, LACY, however, conforms in all the

other particulars we have so largely described above. His tone is pure, sweet, rich, and, for a bass, it is very brilliant. It is susceptible of every sort of various expression, without departure from the original principle of its production; it is capable of allowing the singer to blendsthe most perfect articulation of words either with its largest volume or its most attenuated reduction; and, finally, none of these principles are disturbed by the most rapid execution. In glees it forms a sound and delightful foundation. Almost every individual auditor indulges himself in imagining the possible effects of tone, and this excursive property of the fancy rather than the judgment, is encouraged and fed by the recollection of the effects produced by all sorts of singers. Thus, withont reflection, we are apt to linger for the brightness and ductility of a soprano, or for the force of a tenor, even while we are listening to the grave round and full tones of a bass-and it is not without an effort that these illusive and impossible desires are banished. With an exception for this ideal extravaganza, which we believe is not peculiar to ourselves, (for who does not build castles in the air?) we may safely say, that MR. LACY's tone has always satisfied us, whether in English or Italian music-whether in HANDEL, ARNE, GUGLIELMI, HAYDN, or MOZART-in the solemn magnificence of "Shall I in Mamre's fertile plains," in the more fervent description of "Now Heaven in fullest glory shone," through the elegant and fanciful playfulness of "Vedete la vedete," or the powerful though mixed expression of "Non piu andrai," down to the direct levity of " S'inclinassi prender moglie," of ROSSINI, (a thing by no means easy of execution by the way) or the broader comedy of "Se fiato in corpo avete." These several compositions, which are essentially contrasted each to the other in syle, afford a diversity neither less nor lower than the seve ral various gradations in MR. BARTLEMAN's select performances; and it is no derogation to that eminent singer to say, that MR. LACY is in none of these second to that eminent singer, even in his most successful performances.

One of the main though almost inseparable ingredients in the portion of satisfaction which this gentleman's singing affords, is his articulate and beautiful pronunciation, more particularly of the Italian tongue. Here he gives legitimate employment to his discrimination and to his imitative powers, which must have contributed vastly to facilitate his acquisition of all the niceties of Italian Orthoopy.

We must fairly avow, that nothing has done so much towards liberalizing our honest English predilections, as hearing the Italian singing of MR and MRS. LACY. An Englishman has much to unlearn as well as to learn before he can be completely gratified by Italian singing. At the Opera his prejudices are not unfrequently strengthened and confirmed by the theatrical vehemence with which the features of every thing are enlarged. It is not, we must repeat, until we have become tolerably familiar with the points in which the Italian differs from the English expression of sentiment and passion, that we are so reconciled to new impressions, as to be able to allow admission to a just sense of the beauties of Italian execution. The songs and duets of MR. and MRS. LACY are certainly freed from all the redundancies of the Italian stage, while the sweetness, congruity, finish and delicacy of ornament, peculiar to the Italian school, are preserved in their pristine excellence. Hence, the parts at first most obnoxious, (the frequent use of Portamento for instance, to which English ears are least accustomed and learn to bear the latest) are softened down, and we are gradually led to delight in the smooth lubricity, luxuriant elegance, and voluptuous tenderness, which court our senses into intense and delicious satisfaction. Nothing can be more marked and more distinct than the elementary parts of MR. LACY's singing English and Italían, yet each is chastened and refined by the other. We have now and then observed a tendency to the introduction of vowels between consonants in his English, after the manner of the Italians; as "for I am in a trouble" instead of "for I am in trouble," such a lapsus is, however, very rare indeed, and it is the only error we ever observed in his enunciation. But what constitutes the highest order of this department, his general cast of expression is truly superior, is greatly various, and even when most forcible, preserves a purity and subdued temper, which shews his understanding of his art to be at once vigorous and sensible, and that he blends the tact of a gentleman with the enthusiasm of the musician. This distinction is ob servable through all his deportment in an orchestra.

In science MR. LACY is generally informed. He is a superior player upon the pianoforte and thoroughly understands accompani

* So considerable were MR. LACY's attainments thought by the Italians, that he was offered engagements at the Operas of Florence and Milan. Since bis return, he has also declined an engagemeut at the King's Theatre.

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