The Monday Popular Concerts, interrupted by the Easter holidays, have
been resumed. On Monday evening last St. James's Hall was crowded to - the doors, as usual ; though the programme presented nothing which a few years ago would have been thought likely to attract a popular audience. The concert consisted of a quartet for stringed instruments, by Haydn; Beethoven's "Sonata appassionata" for the piano alone, performed by M. Charles Hall ; Mozart's piano- forte quartet in G minor ; and two airs, by Mozart and Mendelssohn, sung by Mr. Reeves. This severe and classical entertainment calcu- lated, it might have been supposed, only for "the select few," was received by a mixed multitude with every demonstration of intelli- gent pleasure. Another phenomenon of a similar kind was observed on Tuesday, at the first concert for this season of the Musical -Union, conducted by Mr. Ella, when the same appreciation of art in its utmost refinement was shown by the most exclusively fashionable audience in London. On this occasion there was no vocal music at all—nothing but long and elaborate concerted pieces for instruments. Yet here, again, the hall was crowded by delighted listeners. If, moreover, we look to the eager multitude who flock to Exeter Hall, night after night, when the oratorios of Handel, Spohr, and Men- delssohn are given, we see that sound and elevated taste in music is diffused through the whole mass of English society. Can any other country in the world say as much?
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