The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-07 00:00:00

MR. HENRY LESLIE'S CONCERT'S.

These excellent entertainments have been re-
sumed since the Easter recess. Last week a choral concert
was given at whicn the refined singing of the choir, in
various madrigals and part-songs, &c., was the chief fe►-
ture, and last night the twelfth concert of the season took
place, presenting the combined attractions of orchestral
and choral performances, and the solo singing of Mdlle.
Kellogg. The programme, while of the most varied
character, was full of substantial interest. The orchestral
pieces were Mendelssohn's genial and poetical "Italian"
symphony, equal in beauty, while thoroughly antithetical
in style to his romantic " Scotch" symphony ; and
Rossini's brilliant and sparkling overture to Guillaume
Tell—both effectively given by the capital orchestra
assembled and conducted by Mr. Leslie.
The choral music included those noble choruses from Men-
delssohn's setting of the CEdipue," Thou coolest here to
the land," and " Ah ! were lon yonder plain ;" and the
" Hymn to Bacchtm," from the same composer's Antigone.
Of Mendelasohn's settings of these Greek tragedies we
have spoken on several recent occasions, and especially
with reference to the excellent performances of the works,
at length, at Mr. Henry Leslie's concerts. The extracts
given last night again produced that profound impression
which music of such elevation and grandeur, so admir-
ably performed as on these occasions, must always have. In
the unaccompanied choral pieces, Mr. Benedict's lively
" Hunting song" and Morley's well-known, quaint, old
madrigal, " Fire, fire," the excellent qualities of the choir
were agairdmanifested as they have before been in the same
music. A special feature in last night's concert was the
choral Fantasia of Beethoven—that original conception in
which an elaborate pianoforte solo is combined, not only with
grand orchestral detailm,but alsowith the unusual added effect
of a chorus, to the text of Kuffner's poem, " Schmeichelnd
hold and lieblich klingen." The majesty and beauty of
this work are fully worthy of the composer of Fitletio,
which preceded it by four years (1805). The fantasia,
with its elaborate and difficult unaccompanied introduc-
tion, was played with much power and earnestness of style
by Mdlle. Mehlig, who also gave, in the second part of the
concert, a brilliant performance of Liszt's somewhat ad
captandunt transcription of the waltz from Oounod's
Faust. The chief vocal solos were Mdlle. Kellogg's ex-
pressive singing of " Betti, beta " (with Mr. G. Collins's
violoncello obbligato), and her brilliant execution of
" Qui la Too* "—performances more than once noticed by
us in their theatrical aspect. Mdlle. Kellogg also gave the
" Nightingale's song" from Victor Masse's opera, Les .Noces
de Jeannette (with flute obbligato by Mr. Rockstro) ; and
the "Soldiers' chorus " from Gounod'm Pause terminated
a most interesting concert.
The last orchestral eoneert of the season and the direc-
tor's benefit is to take plaoo on the 20th hurt., when the
programme will comprise Mendelssohn's " Reformation
Symphony," and a selection from Acts and Galatea, in-
cluding vocal solos by Mdlle. Thiene and Mr. Bentley.

A bill has been introduced by Mr. Serjeant
Barry, Major Gavin, and Mr. Famonde, to extend to Ire-
land the existing law of Great Britain as far as it affects
the presence of military at parliamentary elections.
THE ABYSEILNIAN EXPEDIIIO2II. —By a return
which was published this morning it appears that with
the native troops from the Banal presidency, serving
with the Almmiaias expedities, those me 8 field officers,
9 apt•ias, 20 subalterns, and 9 medical capers,
making • total of 46 Europeans. From the
sense presidency there are 61 native ecenmissioned

°fleas and 2,567 non-eommindosed odious, rank
and Al.. The Bombay native force with the expedition
(or belessing to the sth and Bth regiments, which had sot
embarked whets these returns were made up) emprima
49 lieldolleare. 14 captains, 46 eubaltense, and 96 medical
Mara, making s total of 101 Europeans. The satire form
belonging to the same preaideser includes 156 commie-
alone& Mesa, 395 =Van* 365 norPomlll, sad kin
Ammer; twampotere, mid privates, making a total of
4,5114.

1
El N NEWS.
(THIII DAY.)
THE EAST.
d the following in the Avenir National

The sews from the Magi is anything but satisfactory.
Turkey is not content with fortifying Varna and sending
troops to the confines of Servia and Montenegro; she id
likewise organising a Mussulinan lendwehr. In the frontier
I pnevinces all NUII/1116111154 able to bear arms have received
orders to be prepared to assemble when celled upon.
Their number will amount to about 15,000—a1l horsemen.
These measures will produce a certain effect if the in-
surrection does not break in at several points at the
same moment, but they are also attended with grave
dangers. Once armed and enrolled, will not these ir-
regular soldiers eommit excesses from which even the
regular troop* do not always abstain ? and may not these
maws kindle the explosion which is apprended by all
Europe