The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-26 00:00:00

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MR. F. CIIATTERTON'S CONCERT.—Mr. Chatterton
the eminent harpist, gave his annual concert yesterday
morning in the Hanover-square Rooms. He himself per-
formed several pieces, particularly a grand fantasia, intro-
ducing themes from " Belisario" and " L'Eliair D'Amore,"
in which he displayed an excellent tone and great command
of the instrument. lie aloe accompanied, with great taste,
a Welch melody, sung by Miss Rainforth. This is the use
of the harp which ought to be made by amateur lady per-
formers. With moderate proficiency it is a charming accom-
paniment to vocal music; but it requires the utmost skill to
make it tolerable as a solo instrument. There were likewise •
number of agreeable vocal pieces. Mr. and Mrs. W. H.
Seguin sang Mozart's " Crude! Perche," and Mrs. Seguin
sang Haydn's caneonette, "My mother bids me bind my
hair." Mr. and Mrs. Seguin always choose classical music,
and sing it classically. Miss Sabilla Novelle was successful
in "Caste Diva," and the Misses Williams sang a little duet.
"The wood-birds," very prettily. Mr. John Parry re-
peated with great effect the new scene, " Lelia Rookh,"
written for him by Mr. Albert Smith, and was loudly en.
cored. Madame Jenny Lutzer gave one of Schubert'e Ger-
man songs with the purity of style for which she is distin-
guished ; and favourite pieces were sung by Miss Bairn,Mr. Phillips, S' or Marna and Miss Cubits.
BERLIOZ.—This composer is at present in Russia,
where ho is producing an extraordinary sensation. " Ber-
lioz," says the Gasette Musicale, "hat returned Gent Mos-
oat. to St. Petersburg, always followed by succor and en-
comium.lle immediate re-appeared at the Grand
Theatre, where he conducted the performance of " Romeo
and Juliet" (given entire), and the first two parts of
" Harold." The Theatre was blazing with uniforms and
jewels. The orchestra presented • more formidable body
than at any of the previous concerts, and the performance
was triumphant. There bad been nine rehearsals for the
chorus, and only two for the instrumental band. After the
finale, sung by the three choirs, the theatre shook with accla-
mations, and Berlioz was called for three times in succession.
Count Vielherski, General Lwolff, and Prince Galitein,
these enlightened leaders of dilettantism in Russia, distin-
guished themselves by the ardour of their applause.
The direction of the imperial theatres having demanded a
repetition of this concert, " Romeo and Juliet," and the
second. act of " Faust," were to be performed a few days
afterwards. From St. Petersburg, 13e.1i,z is to go to Berlin.
The king of Prussia has placed the opera-house at his dispo-
sal, of which he will avail himself, in order to get up his
great symphony, " The Damnation of Faust." Every ee-
-1 count we read of Berlioz's continental triumphs, renews the
regret which we have, more than once, expressed, that his
music still continues unknown in England. Critics are
much divided in regard to its merits ; but works which pro-
duce such an impression, not only on his countrymen, but on
the most musical audiences of Germany and Russia, must
be of very singular power. We possess the full
score of his " Mere des Mods," or " Requiem," performed
at the funeral obsequies of General Damremont, who was
killed in Algeria ' • an examination of it has convinced us that
his conceptions of the effects of the orchestral combination are
really gigantic, and that its performance, on a scale of suffi-
cient magnitude. would be grand and imposing in the highest
degree • and, judging, from this, of his other works, we are
warranted to conclude that their effects would be.equally
striking.