The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-27 00:00:00

THE OXFORD CONCERT HALL.

Last night Messrs. Mcrton and Stanley opened their new
concert hall in Oxford-street with great eclat. The pre
miser are those formerly known in the old coaching days as
the Boar and Castle, a few doors from Tottenham-court-
road. The entrance to the new and magnificent hall from
Oxford- street is through a bold Corinthian portico, thence
by a passage, 12 feet wide, 33 feet long, and 16 feet high;
the architectural treatment of which consists in detached
Doric columns supporting the entablature, over which spring
semicircular arches. These divide the entrance into so many
bays, seen in perspective from the street. The floor is laid
with coloured tiles, the pattern following the leading archi-
tectural lines. At the end of the entrance passage is the
grand staircase. The stairs are of stone, with moulded
faces, and start on either side, by which access is given to
the gallery. The Music Hall is a large lofty room, measur-
ing 94 feet in length, 44 feet in width, and 41 feet high.
The width of 44 feet only represents the dimensions between
the columns which support the roof ; beyond these there is
a promenade of 6 feet wide, making the total width 56 feet.
The ceiling is coved on to the walls, and springs from the
top of an ornamental entablature, supported on Corinthian
columns. These.columns aro not placed at an equal dis-
tance from each other, but aro arranged in
pairs, leaving a larger opening between each
pair, thereby affording more seeing room. The lines of the
columns are carried across the ceiling by ribs, the centre
portion of which is enriched by projecting ornaments of
elegant design ; these ribs are further connected together
by large centre flowers fixed in a deep recess. The ceiling
ornaments are generally perforated to allow an easy escape
for the heated air, through which perforations it is admitted
into the roof, and escapes from thence to the open air by
means of louvre boarding fixed on the upperpart of the roof.
To supply the necessary cold air, numerous windows have
been left in the outer walls, by Which means the supply can
be readily regulated. The character we have mentioned
respecting the columns is carried to the gallery points,
which is divided by blocks into large and smaller bays. The
large bays are decorated with relievo ornament, while the
smaller bays have a projecting shield surrounded by laurel
leaves, the whole supported by two small figures. The exe-
cution of these works were intrusted to Messrs. White and
Pulby. The Corinthian columns of the Proscenium appear,
by contrast with the lonic columns, much larger than if
isolated. Ore the right there is a promenade, the whole of
which is visible from the hall. There is also a large sup-
per room. There is a large cut-glass chandelier over the
staircase. In the hall the lighting is effected by means of
twenty-eight elegant crystal stars. This character of
fittings has been carried out throughout the building by
Messrs. Weston and Curel.

The inaugural concert was a complete success, an the
patrons of Mr. Murton were in extacies. The vocal part of
the entertainments was contributed by a host of talent,
amongst whom were Madame Perepa, our own queen of
English balled singers, Miss Poole, Miss Russell, Mr.
Santley, Mr. Swift, Mr. George Genge, and a great num-
ber of other very talented artistes.
Between the first and second parts of the concert Mr.
Morton was called for by the crowded and enthusiastic com-
pany, and on presenting himself, received repeated rounds
of enthusiastic applause, in attestation of his enterprise in
establishing " the Oxford Hall," and expressive of the un-
qualified satisfaction which the entertainments afforded,