The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-23 00:00:00

MUSIC.

EXETER-HALL.

The performance of Elijah, to which Madame
Lind-Goldschmidt generously gave her services, in aid of
the funds for the erection of • church and for
the enlargement of the industrial institutions in the
Victoria Docks district, took place last evening
with a success which must have satisfied the moat
sanguine expectations of its originators. Mainly owing,
of course, to the intense interest excited by the re•
appearance of the illustrious Jenny Lind before the public,
Exeter-hall was crowded literally to overflowing, and from
the high prices of admission (quite proper on such an occasion)
the sum realised for the benevolent object of the performance
must be very great. Of this object we have already given
some account. Nothing can be more praiseworthy, and we
are sincerely glad that so mesh has been done towards its
accomplishment.

The performance of Mendelssohn's great work was not
unworthy of the occasion. Jenny Lind's appearance in it,
many years ago, left an impression never to be forgotten ;
and it is delightful now to feel that the old im-
pression has been renewed. Every beauty that we
formerly perceived and felt, from exquisite beauty of
voice, the most finished and artistic execution, and
above all, from strength and grandeur of expression,
was last night perceived and felt u vividly as ever.
Madame Goldachinidt has lost nothing that was possessed in
former days by Jenny Lind. Her magnificent voice is un
impaired. It retains all its strength, sweetness, and flexi-
bility—all its purity of tone and truth of intonation ; and
that warmth of manner, that earnestness and fervour,
which so irreelstib!y commanded the sympathies of every
listener, have perhaps even a still greater and more magical
power over the affections than ever. In the great
air, "Hear ye, Israel "—an air the greatness of which
Handel himself has never exceeded, and rarely equalled—
her rapt and enthueiutic utterance of the words of the inspired
Prophet is something quite peculiar to herself—something that
has never been even approached by any other ; something
that every listener feels most strongly, but which no one
can attempt to describe. The same nameless charm per-
vaded in various degrees every part of her last night's
performance. Nothing on the step aver was more pathetic
than the lamentation of the Widow over her dead son, or
more electrifying than the wild cry, " The soul of my son
reviveth !" And yet, though intensely dramatic, it was not
theatrical—it bad nothing of the conventionalitioe of the
stage. Even in the concerted music—the double quartet
and trio—there was a charm in her singing peculiar to her-
self, in the exquisite blending of her beautiful tones with
the other voices, enriching, but never overpowering them.
In short, Jenny Lind's re-appearance realised the highest

expectations that could have heen formed of it.
Mr. Weiss has long since gained golden opinions by his,
performance in this Oratorio. He sustains the character
of the Prophet with dignity and dramatic propriety, and
his vocal execution is that of an excellent artist. Last
night we could have desired occasionally a little more force
and energy, especially in the scene with the prophets of
Baal. Mr. Sims Reeves displayed his usual ability. His
great air, " If with all your hearts," wu very finely sung,
Miss Palmer sustained the contralto part to admiration.
Her air, " Woe unto them "—very simple 1111 to notes, but
very difficult as to expression—was sung with great beauty
and feeling. In the exquisite passage where the Youth is
sent by the Prophet to look towards the see for the ap.
proadiing rain in answer to his prayer, MIS Susannah Cole
sang with remarkable grace, sweetness, and simplicity.

There was an excellent and select instrumental band,
composed of our most eminent performers. The chorus was
nearly as strong in numbers as at the Sacred Harmonic So-
deity's concerts, but was not (and it could hardly have been
expected) in so complete a state of discipline. They mug
with tolerable accuracy, but lacked attention to the nuances
and delicacies of expression. The principal choruses, never-
theless, were effectively rendered. The performance was
under the direction of Yr. Otto Goldschmidt, who wielded
the baton with the skill and firmness of an experienced con-
ductor, and gave the time of every movement with unim-
peachable correctness.

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

ADMIRALTY, OCT. 22.
Inspector-General Dr. C. A. Anderson, appointed to Malta
Hospital.

PORTSMOUTH, Oar. Z.
The Warrior, 40, iron screw frigate, Captain the
Hon. A. Cochrane, C. 8., is not yet complete for her see
trip. It is reported that she win be ready by the close of
the week.

The Mohawk, 4, aerew•vessel, Commander E. H. Howard,
arrived at Spithead ibis morning from the Mediterranean.
She will be paid off, having been upwards of four years in
commission. _ _

Mehra,--The 6, iron screw troop-ship, Commander 8. FL
Henderson, sailed this morning for the Channel Islands, to
be employed in the removal of troops.

WOOLWICH, OM V.
The Osborne, Admiralty steam-yacht, Master
Commander G. Bower, arrived in harbour at 4 o'clock this
afternoon, having on board his Grace the Duke of Somerset,
First Lord of the Admiralty ; Captain Moore, his Mazy;
Rear-Admiral the lion. Sir Frederick W. Grey, H.C.
Rear-Admiral Charles Eden, C. 8., Rear-Admiral &Ma-
son, Captain the Hon. JAMS R.. Drummond, C. 8., and
other members of the Admiralty sad naval officers, who re-
turned this day from Shoeburynese after witnessing a series
of experiments to test the power of rifled ordnance of
various calibre as opposed to the strongest combination of
timber and iron plates. Their lordships, after landing at
the dockyard wharf, immediately proceeded to town,
and the Osborne took up her moorings in the
river. The experiments were continued during Mon-
day and this day in the presence of the Admi-
ralty ; the members of the Ordnance Select Committee, of
whirl Colonel St. George is the president ; Sir W. Arm-
strong. superintendent of the royal gun factories, and other
officers from Woolwich Anneal, with numerous officers of
Royal Artillery from the ga • aof Woolwich, Sheerness,
Shoehuryness The Snag was directed against a target
constructed at the Thames Iron Works, and consisting of
the beet description of iron plates combined with timbe:
the whole being thicker, and promising a greater power of
resistance than the Warrior or any other iron-cased vowel.
Several rounds were end without any perceptible Mingo:
the target, bat ultimately the projectiles discharged
the heavy cos hundred-pounder Armstrong guns, as on
previous occasions fully maintained their efficiency, and
proved that them enormous bolts possess the power of
severely damaging, if not of destroying, any iron-cased vessel
yet constructed.