The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-03 00:00:00

OUR MUSICAL MAGAZINES.

HANOVER SQUARE.—The editor, Mr. Lindsey
.Sloper, has presented to his patrons this mouth a
very-admirable number. It Opens with a brilliant
impromptu by Lefebure Wely, which will meet with
the approval of all true musicians, and the same
complimentary remark will apply to the Serenade
by Henry W. Goodban. The latter, perhaps,
will prove the favourite, on account of the
rich strain of melody which flows through
it. We have also a very expressive song
by Virginia Gabriel, entitled " Echoes ;" which,
while it shows to advantage the taste and style
of the . vocalist, does not tax the voice to that
unucessary extent which now seems to be the rule
in all new ballads. Alberto Raudegger's Stattene
Allegro, Stornello, the English translation by
Campbell Clarke, makes up the number, and cer-
tainly four finer pieces have never been offered to
the public at anything approaching the price of this
attractive magazine.
BOND-STREET.—The new number of this sprightly
and pretty magazine, which appeals more particu-
larly to the general musical public than the one
just mentioned, is of more than ordinary good-
ness. It does not enter the race for public favour as
a rival to the above, but its object is to provide new
compositions for those who have a fair knowledge of
the pianoforte, and all who delight in ballad
music. The April number opens with a very sweet
and melodious ballad by henry Russell, entitled
the " Trysting Tree," a song that would secure
distinction for its author were he much less known
and appreciated than its talented composer. Mr.
Conte elves us another of his admirable quadrilles,
entitled the " Irresistible," and mr. u. uoote, Jun.,
contributes a sparkling gallop, entitled the " Snow-
drift." In addition to the above,. there are two bal-
lads, one by Mr. J.Young,called the " Prison Flower,"
li the other, by Mr. kV. Taylor, " List to the Fairy
Strains," both of which abound in graceful melody.
The promise made by the projectors of the new
magazine at starting, viz., that nothing but that
which was really good should appear within it, has
been up to the present strictly observed, as Bond-
street has already given to the musical public a
choice variety of light and pretty music at a price
quite sufficient to render the new magazine a general
favourite, and at the same time establish it as a
great and permanent success.
EXETER lIALL.--This is another musical magazine
different from each of the foregoing; its object
is to provide sacred music for Sunday evenings,
worthy of being performed by the best musicians.
The great attraction of the present number will
certainly be the splendid arrangement for the
piano, of " Sound the Loud Timbre'," by
the eminent composer W. Kuhe ; it is, indeed,
a brilliant piece, and one that cannot fail to en-
hance the reputation of this most accomplished
musician. The arrangement is marked with all
that grandeur and fullness which so greatly distin-
guish the works of Kuhe, and which has rendered
him one of our very best composers for the piano-
forte, Mr. Benedict enriches the number with a
new and beautiful sacred song, entitled, " He giveth
his beloved sleep," which bears in every note evi-
dence of the master hand ; and Mr. Hopkins con-
tributes a new hymn, " The Lilies of the Field."
Mr. Redhead adds another song, "I think of thee,"
and an effective piece by Rimboult for the harmo-
nium makes up a very attractive number.

Messrs. Hopwood and Crew, of New Bond-
street, have just published another choice addition
to their very attractive catalogue of ballad and
dance music, and amongst the former Mr. Raw-
linson's song, " The Birds await the Day," must
become a general favourite on account of the flow
of pure melody which so greatly distinguishes
it. In the dance music we• have a very brilliant
galop, by Charles Coote, jun., entitled " Jupiter,"
and he has also worked up a collection of lively bal-
lads into a most delightful set of quadrilles, which
he has facetiously named " The Mormons." Mr.
Coote, senior, has interwoven all the gems of the
celebrated band of minstrels at the St. James's
Hall into a very beautiful piece, which he has
most appropriately named " The Christy's Jewel
Waltz," which will doubtless meet with universal
favour on account of the clever manner in which the
different airs have been arranged. It will prove a
very attractive present to lady pianists on account
of its intrinsic merit and the extreme beauty of its
frontispiece,which is quite a:specimen of the perfec-
tion to which the art of chromolithography has been
brought.

Messrs. Metzler, of Great Marlborough-street,
have just issued a new edition of llemy's piano-
forte instructor, which is decidedly one of the best
published, and also a new c3mposition for the piano
entitled 'The Floweret," by Charles Fontaine,
which will certainly find much favour with those
who desire to add to their collection a piano and
music calculated to please a general company.

BELGIAN HORTICULTURAL EN: lIIBITION.---The
grand International Horticultural Exhibition was opened
at Ghent by the King and Queen, who was accompanied
by the Count and Countess of Flanders, on Sunday. The
gold medal of honour offered by the Queen to that foreign
exhibitor whose collection should be most praised by the
judges was awarded to Mr. James Veitch, of Chelsea.
THE CONVICT PRISON AT PORTSHOUTII—Cap-
tain Rose, who has held the Governorship of Portsmouth
since 1855, has retired from that office. Before leaving,
on Wednesday, he had the officers mustered, and bade
them an affectionate farewell. The late governor was
much respected, and will be succeeded by the son of the
late Admiral Sir Robert Stopford, from partmoor.