The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-21 00:00:00

MUSIC HALL, SURREY GARDENS.

The inauguration festival terminated on Saturday
with a miszel)aneous concert of great and varied attrac-
tions which brought nearly 3,000 people to the gardens.
The beautiful weather that prevailed throughout the
evening enhanced the liveliness of the scene, and per-
haps more genuine enjoyment was never experienced by
a large mixed crowd. The music ball was filled in every
part, and many hundreds were compelled to listen to
the performances outside. Amid all this, however,
the gr:.ateit decorum prevailed, and it was remarked
by an official, when the assembly was about dis-
persing, that, although so many thousands had passed
so many hours in the gardens daring five consecutive
days, not a single plant had been injured, not a flower
had been plucked from the parterres.
The concert was composed of such a mass of hete
rogeneous materials that a brief general descripticn
must suffice. There were two symphonies in the pro-
grAmme-111 ozart's in E flat and Beethoven's in C
rainor —together with two of Weber's overtures,
" Euryanthe and Jubilee. It was gratifying to find
such attention and such applauio bestowed upon the
orchestral music. The noble symphony of Beethoven
has become to the majority of music-lovers "familiar
as a household word." The instrumental solos were
many and excellent. The most classical of these were
the concert-stuck of Weber, which brilliant and difficnlt
piece was played with admirable effect by Miss Arabella
Goddard (Mr. Lober directing the orchestra), and
elicited the same consideration and applause as the sym-
phonies. The others were a violin fantasia, by Signor
Bazzini ; a solo on the " piano-harmonium," by Madame
Dreyfus ; a violoncello fantasia, by Signor Bottesini,
the most accomplished living master of that unwieldy
and unmanageable instrument, and whose performances
have been among the remarkable features of the mis-
cellaneous concerts.

The " star" of the evening, so far as the vocal music
is concerned, was Alboni, who sang three times, and
each time with increased success. Alboni's first per-
formance was with Madame Clara Novello, in the duet
from " Tancredi,"--" Lasciami non t'ascolto,"—which
the audience redemanded, but the singers with good
taste declined to repeat. Her next was the splendid
semis of Arsace, "In si barbara"—an example of pure
Italian vocalisation alike incomparable for expression
and bsausra. Her third and last was the Tyrolienne
from " Betly" (In questa semplice"), which she never
gave with more heartiness and genuine simplias
of style. This fairly enchanted the audience, and an
encore was insisted on with such unanimity that, in
spite of her better judgment, Alboni c..uld do nothing
else than come forward and sing it again. Madame
Clara Novello, who, besides the duet was put down
for Macfarren's "Captive of Agincourt," delighted the
vast crowd by her magnificent soprano voice, and
maintained her right to be considered the best of
English female singers, dividing the honours of the
evening with the great and popular Italian. Miss Dolby
gained well-merited applause in Balfe's graceful set-
ting of Longfellow's poem, "The green trees whis-
pered," which she sang to perfection. Another furore
was created by the wonderful execution of Madame
Gassier in "Una voce," which she embellished a piacere
and with profusion. In answer to the encore Madame
Gassier indulged her hearers (who were nothing loth)
with the eternal valse of Venzano. To conclude, there
was also a variety of singing by Madame Bilden-
dorff, Herr Rokitansky (who has a fine bass voice),
and others. Among the rest was noted as a perform-
ance of promise Beethoven's "In questa temba •s-
-1 curs," by a young debutante—Miss Kate ftanoe. The
names of the other singers (which is all we can find room
for) were Madlles. Beyer Zerr, Jessie Rolls, and M.
Gassier—the last one of the best barytones now "in the
market." To the chorus were allotted the " Tramp,
tramp, o'er moss and fell," by Bishop ; the madrigal,
" Down in aflowery vale," which was enchored; and "The
Heavens are telling," from the Creation. In addition to
the symphony,lll.Jullien directed his mardcsymplionique
entitled "La Paix," for two orchestras and double choir
(enlivened by an army of harps), which was received with
immense favour. The bulk of the labour, however, fell
upon Mr. Loder and Signor 13ottesini, who displayed
their accustomed ability. Mr. Spark, from Leeds, and
Mr. Townshend Smith, cathedral organist, from Here-
ford, undertook the choral pieces ; so that there were
enough of conductors and to spare.
Thus ended a series of performances the success of
which has far surpassed anticipation. The first
."shil-
iingliUdiol4o is to be admitted this evening.