The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-09 00:00:00

ONE PENN Y

MUSIC.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS.
The recent anniversary festival of this excellent
isistitatien was reported in the Daily News some five
weeks Mac*, sad. we have now to record its annual per• '
faunae* of the Mearkut, chieh took place last night at
St. Jamse's•balL The adherence to this oratorio at each
Jest's concert of the Royal Society of )(indolent is jogai-
ded not only by the supremacy of the work itself as the
subliatest production of its kind, but also a a tribute due
to the compeer, Handel having been one of
the original promotes, of the society, and having
bequeathed it 1.0001. at his death- -in addition
to which, the Meager h has many times, during his life and
afterwards, been performed in aid of the institution, with
large pecuniary reenA • in its favour. With all these asso-
ciations, therefore, the work is pre-eminently that which
should be given at the society's yearly conceit. Of the
antecedents of Ibis inetitatiee, of itsexcellent ormisation
and economical administration, we spoke on the resent
occasion referred to ; as of its distribution, during the
peat year, of upwards of three thousand pounds in the
nustnowannee et widows and orphans, and the relief of
distressed membeia.

Lest night's Federman** of the Messiah was so
similar en its details to other occasions previ-
ously noticed by ua that it is tuinecessair now
t ) enter into minute particulars. The soprano solos were
distributed between Mdlle. Carols, who sang those of the
first part, and Miss Edith Wynne, to whom were assigned
those of the second portion of the oratorio ; Madame
Lemmens-Shertington giving the remaining solo, " I
know that my Redeemer," and the soprano part in the
following quartets. The contralto solos of the first part
were sung by Madame Osborne Williams ; the air, "He
was despised," in she second part, being given by Madame
Bain' ton• Dolby. Mr. Cummings sang all the tenor
solos, and Mr. Lewis Thomas those for the bask
with the exception of " The trumpet shall sound," which
was given by Mr. Winn with Mr. Thermo Harper's obbli-
gato accompaniment. The efficiency of all these artiste is
too well known to need comment on their performances,
but we may record the fact that they gave their gratuitous
services in aid of an institution which has large and in-
creaaing demands en its fools. The orchestra, complete
and efficient in every department, comprised many of our
best instrumentalists ; members of our opera band., and
of the Royal Society of Musicians—the principal violin
being Mr. J. T. Willy, a professor long and highly
Weaned in both capacities. The chorus was bright in
quality of tone, and prompt and efficient in execution;
and when we add that the most distinguished of living
English musicians, Professor Sterndale Bennett, was the
conductor, it is scarcely necessary to say that the per.
torment° was a very fine one.

MR. CHARLES HALLE'S PIANOFORTE RECITALS.
The new series of these interesting performances
commenced yesterday afternoon, at St. James's-hall, as
usual. The present course of concerts (which are to take
place weekly) is to include, besides the solo pianoforte works
of Schubert, those minor pianoforte pieces of Beethoven
which have been too much overlooked in public perfor-
mance. Although, of course, his grand solo sonatas (gym.
phonies, in fact, for the pianoforte) are pre-eminent in
extent and development, most of his smaller pieces bear
the impresses of the same genius that produced the larger
works. The selection from this source introduced at yes-
terday's mohnie, included the beantifnl and important
Andante in F., Op. 35, originally intended by Beethoven
as the slow movement of his great " Wsldatein" Sonata,
Op. 53 ; but afterwards published in a detached shape
also some of those exquisite miniatures, the " Bagatelles"
Nos. 1. 2,3, and 7 from the first set, 0p.33. The remain-
ing instrumental pieces in yesterday's programme were
Schubert's first grand sonata in A minor—the second
impromptu from his Op. 30—and his grand fantasia, Op.
15, the slow movement of which is based on the oom-
ppoarsrr's well-known song, " The Wanderer." Mr. Halle's
iaWtid perfeememee of some at these pietism has before
been commented oa by us in our notices of the Monday
Popular Concerts. Again, yesterday, Mr. Halledisplayed
all those high qualities of a conscientious, earnest, and
skilled artist, which have long since placed him in the
high position he so worthily holds. The instrumental
selection was varied by two Bader, Schubert's " The
mighty tress bend " ("Die junge none. "), and Meyer.
beer's " Fishermaiden ;" both sung with refined expression
by Mir Edith Wynne, and skilfully accompanied by Mr.

The Bishop of Salisbury has now sufficiently re-
oovered from his recent severe illness as to be able to re-
sume his confirmation tour in the Donctehire portion of
his diocese.

Dr. Norman MacLeod, who has just returned
from ladia, left London yesterday morning for Scotland.
An art treasures exhibition, primarily designed
for the benefit of a local educational institution. was
opened at Over Darwen, on Thursday, by the Marquis of
Hartington.
Yesterday a paper was read at the Royal
United Service Institution' Whitehall, by Mr. Hyde
Clarke, on the " Military Advantages of a Daily Mail
Route to India through Turkey and the Persian Chef."
Amonpt those present were the Persian Ambassador
and Sir H. Rawlinson.

ROYAL COLL6OI OF SIIIOZOND OF IRILAND. —The
Carmichael prise@ have just been awarded to Drs. Kapp-
ther and Ash.. There were five competitors.
ROYAL OOLLIIOI OF SUMMONS OF /NOLAND.
The following gentlemen, having undergone the necessary
examinations for the diploma, were admitted members of
the college at a meeting of the Court of Examinee on the
7th inst.., viz.:—Messrs. G. R. Nunn, Lyndhurst, Hants,
and Jacob French, Deptford, students of Guy's Hospital ;
W. H. Drew, Gower-street, Bedford-square, of Univ.!.
sity College ; B. B. Gilland, M.D. Glasgow, and LS A.,
Brentwood, of the Glasgow School ; J. W. Pratt, L.S.A.,
Bradford, Yorkshire, of St. Mary's Hospital, and Ferdi-
nand Beadles, Broadway, Worouutershiro of the
minder Hospital. It appears that out of the 57 candi-
dates examined for the diploma of membership, only five
failed to acquit themselves to the satisfaction of the
court, and were consequently referred to their hospital
studies for six months. The British Medical Journal
states that on the first evening of the examination all the
candidates, 24 in number. passed, when all the college
officials were presented with white kid gloves the follow-
ing morning by Mr. Joubert de la Forte, the senior candi-
date ; and adds that in these day, of transition an old
custom, thus gracefully applied, is worthy of 'Lott*, as
showing the kind and gentlemanly spirit which pervades
the minds of the rising generation of surgeons.
RAILWAY AND OTHER BILLS BEFORE PAILLIANZNT.
—Yesterday, very little business was transacted in the
House of Lords committees. In Lord Rodimidale's com-
mittee the Waterford and Kilkenny Railway Bill
through with amendment'', and awaits being The
Beam Water Bill wad ordered to be reported without
amendments. Mr. Free, one of the examiners, held a
court sad declared the standing orders to have been com-
plied with in the case of the Hythe and Smidgen, Gee Bill
(Lords). In the House of Commons committees the
group of Metropolitan Gas Bills was proceeded with, and
adjourned until Woodsy. In Group B, the pram blo of
the Tynamouth (Borough) Quays and Improvements Bill
was declared proved, and the oomdderation of the clauses
was adjourned until Monday. The North Woolwich and
Silvertown Drainage Bill was withdrawn, and the tenni-
deration of the Bradford Waterworks and Improvement
Bill was fixed for Monday. In Group F, the preambles of
the Birminghim Proof House (No. 1), and the Gan
Barrel Proof Bills were proved and consolidated ;
were ordered to be reportsd. The lichen
Hrtrßill wai proceeded with, and adjourned till
y, and the Salford Hundred and Manchester (City)
Court' of Record Bill wax fixed for Nein*. In Groups
G and H tho llaryport District and Harbour and the
Idaryport Improvement and Harbour Bills wenfurther
prooseded with. The Clyde Navigation and the Glasgow
Court Houses Bills were fixed for Tuesday, and the
Madly Harbour Improvement, the Aberdeen Harbour.
the Dundee Geo (No. ), and the Dundee Ges (Na 2) Bilis
wore poot until Wednsedeg. la Oiro 6, the press-
taeh proved tithe lAverpool Tramways Bill,
clauses were tons through and die bill ordered to be
reported. In Group 7 the preamble of the Caledonian.
Railway was declared to be proved and the bill to be
The Dublin Wleklow, and Wexford Railway
Ertw:edihen
until
with, and adjourned at the rim*
of the commit until Ken* next.
Am OLD HULL—During the time the steam.
dredging machine was at work ia Chatham harbour clear.
* away an ohotrnaMon saw the osieuneo to the third
dook, in which the !resoled tenet-gyp Monarch ia
lag.the meads* ems in contact with the hall of an old
WINK midi It bedeved to have sunk in the river upwards
of a sestnry sines. Atienspee have since been made le
remove the obeinielien by drips at gunpowder, for
whisk pumas divers of the Royal loghtoon have been
&WU and gamod thoe?r beanie tho remora bottom.
gbo e*les ef the hoe, however, had eery 11W.
Whet es the hull romel, ea only a tow of tho Ma-
lmo ham bees blows up, and ails are now being undo
to aim liWeideudionim DNINIPOI bale Beldam
It is dagebr drammturoo Mist the oniol=bollo makes
vend so mar the outlets of am of the &oho does not ap-
pear to have hem ham to say of the timkgard amours,