The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-26 00:00:00

No. 1,457.] [No. 18, EXHIBITION EXPRESS.]

TliE

EXHIBITION
EXPRESS,

Among the principal exhibitors of musical instru-
ments from Paris are, as might be expected, Erard,
the pianoforte manufacturer; Vuillaume, the violin
maker, and Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the Sax
horns, Sax-trombas, Saxophones, and other wind-
instruments of the same family. Erards pianos are not
remarkable fur the development of ally new principle
so much as for their general perfection and the beauty
of their appearance. Of course little novelty can be
expected in the construction of violins, although as
to their outward beauties few have been produced in
which 40 much attention has been paid to decoration
as in those of M Vuillaume. Some of these, in imi-
tation of Stradivarius, cannot fail to wain general
admiration.

M. Sax is known as the introducer of a new prin-
ciple in the construction of wind instruments. His
invention in the first instance met with the greatest
opposie from the supporters of the long-established
but somewhat unserviceable contrivances which he
was desirous of replacing ; but in the course of time
his instruments were granted a hearing. and judg-
ment was at once pronounced in their favour. Prizes
were 'thulium' by the inventor at several of the
expositions of Paris; the cross of the Legion of
Honour was conferrad on him, and the most distin-
guished musical authorities have furnished him with
certificates, in which the various horns of the Sax
I family were raised for the fineness of their tone, the
extent of their compass, and the facility with which
they could be played.
'the attention of the band-masters of various rest.
wet, was_was

they have gr.; n77ll7OrrecrVinany of them, and
have been introduced in England, not only into our
orrhestras, hut also into the hands of several of our
best regiments—thnose of the Life Guards and horse
Guards, for instancy. We believe that the Messrs.

Distin were among the first to mate known in this
country the merits of the Sax horns.
M. Sax has sent about eight instruments, of womli
and brims, to the liiiposition of London. These con-
sist of trumpets with cylinders, trombones of various
kinds, Sax-trombus, and Sax-horns, with 3,4, and 5
cylinders. Saxophonesof different species, horns with
and without cylinders, cornets with pistons, and
cornets with cylinders, clarionets, and bassoons
Sonic cymbals and drums are also included in M.
Sax's villection, and are remarkable for the magnifi-
fence of their appearance. Amongst the entirely
new instruments will be observed three Sax-horns of

unusual dimensions. The largest of these (measuring
the extent of the tube before it was curved into its
proper shape) is -04 feet long. In its present forin the
length Iron on eend to the ot her is ten feet. The mouth-
pieeemeasures an inehand a half across, and the wide
end or bell is a lbot and a half to two feet wide.
When placed ',omission" (which can ix done with
great ease) it emits a sound like distant thunder;
when played fialississo, its sound is like thunder
immediately over head. (Inc end of this ponderous
instrument is intended to be fixed into the flooring
of the orchestra, while the other extremity will tower
almost above the head of the conductor. The lowest
note produced by this gigantic sax-horn will be found
considerably lower than any note ever heard before,
and it will in fact make a very admirable bass for
an orchestra of 800 or 1,004) musicians. M. Sax
also exhibits a bassoon made of brass instead of
wood, and a bass clariunet (in silver with gold keys)
which gives the low G of the double bars.

NAPLES, APRIL 14.
As the opening of the world's exhibition ap-
proaches, one repeats the question, will Naples be
self-excluded—does she mean to sit in unenviable
solitude, almost the only one amongst the nations of
the earth who will not enter into the grand contest
of industry, nor unite herself by the bands of friend-
ship with the great human family? Unhappily there
is but one answer. The government will not sanc-
tion it in any way, nor will it permit any Neapoli-
tans to go to England. Many persons of distinction
have applied for permission to visit London this year,
but they have been informed by the authorities, that
if they went it was possible that they would not be
permitted to return—a hint too well understood to
admit of any one's incurring the risk ; and, indeed,
it is stated that the highest personage in the realm
recently expressed himself to the same effect. Mean-
time spies will be there—the loathsome reptiles will
be on the traces of those whom political vicissitudes
have driven to London. Let these spies be well
watched—to be forewarned is to be fore-armed.

BERLIN, Arßn. 23.

The visit of the Prince and Princess of to
London, to witness the opening of the Industrial
Exhibition, is regarded with anything but satisfac-
tion by the court party, who desire that their influ-
ence should be decisive even over the movements of
the successor to the throne. The Princess of Prussia
has been in great discredit with this party ever since
the year IN-is, during the latter end of which she
sought the acquaintance and friendship of many of
the leading members of the constitutional party. Ifer
influence over the prince was at one time very great
indeed, and it is asserted that it still remains una-
bated. Th, princess is known to correspond with
many of the friends of liberal government m Germa-
ny, and to be a great partisan of the schemes for a
federal union under the auspices of Prussia. The
prince himself is the avowed antagonist of
the illiberal bigots whose influence is now
all-powerful ; he has taken many occasions to
manifest his opinions ; and as the princess has been
still less reserved in her conduct, the command of
the military district in and around Coblentz was
given to him as a sort of exile from Berlin. Under
these circumstances, their visit to the land of consti-
tutional liberty, a state of government deemed revo-
lutionary by the leaders of the Krell: Zeitanys party,
is not at all calculated to please, more especially as
the fear is entertained that the stories--well told for
Germany—of fearful insurrections that arc to take
place, will prove to be wholly unfounded. The l
ugu-
brious warnings of the Ncer Fork ThruM and other
transatlantic organs are nothing compared to those
which are set afloat here. Ministers are said to have
warned the Queen not to open the Exhibition in
person, because the mass of fugitives in London were
known to be hatching plots of a terrible nature
against royalty of every denomination, nation, and
age. Your readers would laugh heartily if they
were compelled to listen to all the absurd conjectures
whispered about without the slightest foundation.