The Express.
London, England, 1855-06-30 00:00:00

MUSIC.

ME CHARLES BILSHAM'S CONCERT.—Mr. Charles
Brahma, after five or six years spelt is Italy, in the study
and practice of his art, has given the pubis on opportunity
of j odgiou of the result of his labours, by means of his con-
cert at the Hanover...guars Rooms yesterday mornisig. We
should have been glad that he had not confined his speci-
mens so mash to the ultra-modern school. Of the four
pieces :444, were Verdi's, and one was Doni.
:ours. How far, therefore, he has enlarged hie artistic at-
tainments remains to be gradually diseotered by future
performances. However, be has evidently been very suc-
cessful in the cultivation of his voice ; originally a tenor of
fine natural quality, it is now greatly improved in power,
•IPPOINSIS. and equality of tone throughout its whole com-
ps. as has acquired, moreover, a clear elocution, and a
peel deal of the Italian smoothness and finish of style. lie
=ln shirt, some indifferent music exceedingly well ;
Ws Is all that his choice of pieces has enabled us to say
at present. He was assisted by M. and Madame Gassier,
Mlle. Krill, Signor Bianchi, M. Pique, the violoncellist,
and Herr Huh', the pianist. The concert was attended by
a large and highly fashionable audience.
iiANOVEIL•SQUARE Rooms.—That very clever ja-
venile pianist, Master Arthur Napoleon, gave • concert
1 here last evening, when his various performances proved
that be is steadily
progressing
both in mechanical power
and refinement of expression. He has • neat and rapid
finger, and Is evidently full of musical feeling, and no
doubt will take • high position as a pianist when • few
years shall have matured his power'. It is to be hoped
that those who have the charge of this talented bev will not
overtask him by too frequent exhibition as • prodigy, hut
will be comsat to wait for that more pennaneat SUM AS
which can scarcely fail to attend the riper years of one
who, as • child, is certainly gifted with no ordinary musical

ART-CONTRIBUTIONS IN AID OF THE
PATRIOTIC FUND, BURLINGTON HOUSE,
PICCADILLY.

The efforts that this patriotic association are mak-
ing, although great, neecuarily fall short of the emergency
—so great is the latter. Fresh cues of distress are daily pre.
seating themselves to the attention of U. Commissioner. of
the Patriotic Fluid, who, owing to the overwhelming calls
from families of private soldiers, are compelled to look to
Burlington-house for relief to the widows and orphans of offi-
cers who are shedding their blood so freely in the Crimea.
We have the beat authority for stating that there are at this
moment seven cases of a most painful nature before the com-
mittee, two of which have occurred since the news of the
conflict before*. " Redan."

One of the cases is a widow with six little children, left
unprovided for. Under these distreesing circumstances,visit
to Burlington house are doubly profitable—agreeable and
instructive to the visitor, and beneficial indeed to those on
whose behalf the exhibition and sale of works have bee•
evablisLed. The works of art, even those of least artistic
pretension, will possess a moral and undying charm in the
eyes of the purchasers as mementos of timely relief
afforded in quoted where national support was impera-
tively called for. The association is •ow making an effort
to recover the heavy and unforeseen loss they have sus-
tained through the failure of their bankers, Messrs. Straban ,
Paul and Co. The public will, we melee no doubt, second
these efforts. On Saturday list there was • large
concourse of visit^re at Burlington-house, and we were
glad to observe that the company was of • mixed and
general chsratter—such as it should be on sn occasion
of such vital and general interest. The Pyrecesn Band of
Voca:iats performed gratuitously for an hour in the gardens
to a large and attentive audience. To-day the splendid
band of the Royal Artillery will perform from 3 to 6, also
giving their services freely in aid of the fund. We have
heard with some surprise that it is contemplated to clan the
exhibition at the end of "the season." In our opinion, this—
one of the very few agreeable features of the war—should last
long u the war it.elf, and be considered, with the Patrio-
tic Fund, a war feature. We would recommend, in conside-
ration of the good which this association is achieving, that
government should grant a continued use of Burlington-
house for its operations; and— in' order to give • stimulus
to its efforts—that the prices of works contributed should be
adapted: to the means of the million.