Punch (42.1862)

THE BALL.

Harry Bullfincher, who is ever so much better across Country than when he mines in the Merry Dance, (especially after
Supper) has come to grief over a stool during a Polka, and is shouting for some one to “ Catch his Horse /”

COMFORTABLE CONCERTS.

Clapping with both hands and stamping with both feet, Punch
applauds with all his might the very sensible suggestion which is put
forth in the programmes of the Monday Popular Concerts, and which
every concert audience would do wisely to attend to:—

“ NOTICE.—It is respectfully suggested that such persons as are not desirous of
remaining till the end of the performance can leave either before the commencement of
the last instrumental piece, or between any two of the movements, so that those who wish
to hear the wholermay do so without interruption.”

Punch so often has been plagued at a musical performance by people
entering, or leaving, in the middle of a piece, that he is charmed to see
this notice taken of the nuisance, and he trusts ere long to find the rule
most rigidly enforced. There really is a call for legislation in the
matter, if the law be insufficient to protect the British public from
offenders of this sort. A creaky-booted brute who stumps out of a
concert-room while music is proceeding robs those whom he disturbs
of a pleasure they have paid lor, and should by rights be handed, as a
thief, to the police. Such a Gorilla is a monster whom it were gross
flattery to call a selfish beast; and Punch cries bravo ! to all champions
who fight against these monsters, and lend a helping hand to make
their race extinct.

In other points the programmes of the Monday Popular Concerts
are models that all concert-givers would do well to profit by, and fairly
are entitled to the praise of Punch. The music is well chosen, well
varied, well performed; and there is no time wasted (as the case is far
too commonly) by pieces merely introduced to lengthen out the Con-
cert, and attract those who like quantity in the lieu of quality, being
of the latter barely competent to judge. Two hours and a half is the
limit which is rigidly adhered to at these Concerts, and a feast of this
duration is as much as minds in general are able to digest. Better
send away an audience somewhat hungering for more, than stuffed with
such a surfeit as may end in sheer disgust.

Chamber music may not seldom be called “ Bed Chamber music,’
from its power, when ill played, to send listeners to sleep. But there

is no fear of this consequence at any of these Concerts, for the pro
gramme is too short for people to be wearied, and the pieces are so
briskly and so cleverly performed that no one ever feels the least
somniferous effect. The night Punch last attended he saw scores
among the audience sitting with the scores of the music in their hands,
and following the leader all through the performance in a way wliic i
showed them thoroughly awake to all the beauties of the pieces that
were played. In fact, regarded merely as a means of education, such
Concerts should be patronised by fathers of a family; for young ladies
by attending them may cultivate their taste, and learn that there is
better work for a piano than the thumping out of polkas and the
jingling of quadrilles. To hear Halle play Beethoven is a lesson a
young pianist can hardly fail to profit by ; and while such music may
be heard at them, and there is such care to the comfort of the people
who attend them, these Concerts will continue to deserve to be as
Popular as it was doubtless hoped they would be when they were so
named.

Art Treasures of Guildhall.

As touching the Exhibition of 1862 a city paper suggests .“con-
jectures of what the City of London will do—how it will comport itself;
in what way it will utter an opinion, aevelope a fact, or institute an
example.” The City of London will probably develope a fact, or rather
two facts, and at the same time utter an opinion, and institute an
example into the bargain. It will disengage those great facts. Gog and
Magog from the obscurity of Guildhall; it will express the opinion that
they excel anything in the Louvre; and it will send them to the
Exhibition to exemplify British sculpture.

unjennerous objection.

The Statue of Dr. Jenner has been moved from .Trafalgar Square
to Kensington Gardens. Some journals complain of his being moved
about. But surely the inventor of vaccination has the best possible
right to make experiments on various spots

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [February 15, 1862.