The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-17 00:00:00

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CRYSTAL PALACE.

Yesterday there maa what was called $ " Festival
Concert" at the Crgstel Paso It dose not appear by
whom It was got up, bat the someaelsrs ware Mr. Brasdiot
and Mr. Minas. This wee a elided SOD yokes, imalidiag
Mr. Benedkt's Vocal Amesdadan, sod ea iseinnintel head
200 wow tusking an aggregate of a the sad pathrisets.
Thoo were, narrower, essay of ear noel madame slaws
and instrumeatalists . among the Weer, Mime Leeks Pgao
Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, Mr. Sine Beeves, Mien Dolby, and
Mire Biabbech ; among the latter, MIN Arabella Goddard,
Mr. Lindsay Slopes, M. Benedict, M. Nolique, and Mr.
Blairom

The programme formed • most excellent bill of fare, trup-
paling the fart had been spread in one of the usual ban-
queting balls--the Hanover-square or Willis's Rooms,
Busier Hall, St. Martin's Hall, or even St. June's Hall;
but much of It, we are bound to say, was thrown away at the
Crystal Pilau. The concert took place in the antra
transept, the performers occupying the greet Handel Fandani
orchestra; and, being as favourably situated for hearing as
the majority of the audience, seated as we were wady in
the middle of the vast area in front of the orchestra, we were
more convinced than ever of the very limited capabilities of
this same central transept as • great concert hall. The
choral muse, generally speaking, was effective it was on the
whole well song, and it struck us as remarkable that the 800
voices were just as resonant and powerful as the 2,000
that we lately heard in the same place--a proof
that, la singing, ea it were in the open air,
a few hundred voices more or less make very
little diffeeenoe. As to the solo singers. Mr. Sims
Reeves wee the only one who could make himself heard, and
that was only when he exerted the whole strength of his
lungs, ea in Foroalr s warlike ditty, " Come if you dare,"
which he shouted as if he bad been actually on the battle-
field. The Instrumental music was still more unfortunate. lt
eo hepteeird that the principal instrument wee the pianoforte
—of all Instruments the least fitted for a seat space. Beth's
femme triple concerto, played on three pianofortes by Miss
Arabella Goddard, Mr. Bseadict, end Mr. Lindsay Mops:,
would, indeed, have keen a high treat in any of our Lon-
don concert-rooms, bat here it was entirely lost. In the
very loudest perigee the notes of the pianofortes were no-
thing but a confused tinkling—in the softer passages they
wars not heard at all. We sew the player. hard at work, while
not • sound reached our ears, and this war evidently the area
with hundreds around us on every side. There was applies%
to be sure—for when does our charming young pianist us
appear before the public without applause P—but It cues
from the immediate neighbourhood of the orchestra ; and
those at • greater distance who joined In it must assuredly
have dons so from good-natured sympathy. In short, we
an compelled be repeat, what we have said all along, that the
central transept of the Crystal Pala, in its present state, la
a bed concert-hall; end, though It may in some respects be •
convenient locality for such • gathering as • greet Handel
Festival, yet it la unfitted for a miscelkneure concert. It
hes, Indeed, one advantage sport from he muskal capabili-
Oak The piece is superb, the grounds are beautiful, and,
even when ungreigated to hear musk, we sit at ease and
breathe • cool, uneitiated atmosphere; so that, with music
or without, • visit to Sydenhein is always a great and a
healthful pleasure.