The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-29 00:00:00

MUSIC

HARMONIC UNION.
This society commenced its second season last
triss;sg st Exeter ball, by a Federman** of the Messiah.
The Ileraioaic Union was formed last year, with a wider
scope than the other great choral societies which here their
perfurwitaore u Easter ball, its object being to 'alma
scalar as well as sacred issasie. is a prospectus of the

arrangements, it is announced that several great works of
both glasses, seem of them new, will be produced in the
course of the seam. Among the oratorios promised are
Haydn's Cron:ion, Mendelsenbn's Elijah, and a new Ger
man oratorio, called (Arid tilie Messenge► o/ Nan,
composed by M. Emil Naumann, pupil of Mendels-
aoho, and chapsl•master to the King of Nissan—
s young composer, Si yet unknown is England, but already
highly distinguished is Germany. Among the secular cur
Wes are Mendelssiohn's Walreirgis Night, Beethoven's
Raves of Athens, Handers Alexander's Feast, Aeis and
Galatea, and Macfsrren's Lenora. All these pieces are
more or less known to the public ; but the production of
Acts and Galatea will be rendered remarkable by the cir-
mullion that it will be given with Mozart's additional
anompaniments ; the only cony of them extant, h►ving
bean discovered by Mr. Benedict dining his recent visit to
Germany. This is a discovery which must be of immense
interest to the whole musical world. Mr. Benedict con-
tinues to be the conductor, and Mr. W. Rea, a young musi-
cian of ability, is the organist.
At the performance of the Messiah last evening, the
instrumental band and chorus consisted of five hundred per.
formers, a numerical strength amply sufficient (and more than
sufficient) for every purpose. We have often expressed our
opinion that the enormous "multitudes crowded tato the
orchestras of the two ucred Harmonic 3ucieties-700 in the
one nod 800 in the other—do harm instead of good. The
announcement of such numbers is a mere ed captanduni
device to astonish the public by giving an idea of stupen-
dous power. But such unwieldy masses are oaly produc-
tive of weakness, and half the numbers would have much
more real strength. Last night the choruses in the Messiah
were very well sung on the whole ; though there was fre-
quently a deficiency of firmness and ,iplemb in tahing up
the points of imitation and fugue. In place of the tint note
of the phrase being struck by every voice at the same in-
stant, some nix* were often heard coming in after the
others, as it the singers, not confident in themselves, were
bang the note from their neighbours. This is the ordinary
butt of imperfectly trained choristers; and, where they
are thus cougregated in hundreds, many of them must be
imperfectly trained. But Mr. Benedict is an admirable
disciplinarian, and, we doubt not, will succeed in diminish-
ing the number of his " awkward squad."
A great disappointment was caused by the non•sppeam
mice of Madame Viardot Garcia, to whom the finest airs in
the oratorio were &reigned. Unfortunately she had been
attacked (as a medical certificate stated) by a severe cough
and huntress, w►ich rendered her quite incapable of sing-
ing Miss Birch and Miss Lucille' consented, at a very
short notice, to sing the music which bad been allotted to
Madame Viardot. The tenor part was sung by Mr. Ben-
ace, and the bus by Mr. Weise. They acquitted them-
selves respectably, and Mr. Weise more than respectably.
He sang the two great airs, " The people that walked is
darkness," and " Why do the nations," with a quality and
power of voice, an energy, and a purity of style which we
have very seldom heard excelled. Mr. Weiss is certainly
at the head of our English bass.
The hill was full, and the audience were loud and not
very discriminating in their apples's. We very much
prefer the silent attention with which it is now customary
to listen to the Messiah.

AND CLERICAL.

CnIfBILIDGE, Nov. 28.—There will be an exami-
nation of candidates for the Craven Scholarship upon this
foundation, eocanieneing on Monday, the 30th of January,
18.54. The electors are, the Viee•Chancellor, the five

Regius Professors, and the Public Orator.
Tun Frravnt.t.tare blunt w.—The nomination of two
persons for the oaks of eurator of the pictures at the Fits-
willies Museum will take place in the Senate-house on
Wednesday, Nor. 30th. The election will be at a congre-
gation on Thursday the Ist of December, and the hours of
polling from 10 to 11, a.m., and from 3 to 4 p.m.
Anatuc.—The Lord Almoner's Professor of Arabic will
continue his lectures as Persian on the Tuesdays, Wednes-
days, and Thursdays of the Lent term, at Trinity College,
commencing Tuesday, Feb. 7. Subjects: Anwari soheili,
and Pend Numb of Fetid Addin Attar; grammar and
tlertiliti. The lectures are gratuitous.