SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.
The Oratorio season at Exeter Hall began last night. The perform- ances consisted of the beautiful funeral music in Samson, "as a tribute of respect to the memory of the late Duke of Wellington " ; of the reci- tatives and choruses in Mendelssohn's unfinished oratorio Christus ; and of The Last Judgment of Spohr.
During the recess great improvements have been made in the hall. It will be recollected that important alterations were made in the interior two years ago : the ceiling was raised upwards of twelve feet in the cen- tre, and changed from a flat to a curved form ; the heavy square pillars in front of the great gallery were removed ; and the organ was thrown con- siderably back, so that the choristers at the two sides of the orchestra were no longer prevented from hearing each other. The decorations were de- layed until the effect of these alterations was tested; and, this having now been done, the hall has been tastefully ornamented. The ceiling has been painted in compartments, very elegant in design and harmonious in colouring; the walls are of a fawn colour, and the pilasters and cornices are richly embellished. The effect of the whole is exceedingly cheerful, without being at all trivial or gaudy. But the greatest improvements have been made in the organ, at the suggestions of Mr. Costa. The in- strument has been lowered nine feet; and being thus placed more nearly on a level with the chorus, it will give them more support and have a greater effect in sustaining and blending with their voices. Moreover, the organ itself has received so many internal improvements that it may almost be said to be reconstructed. Several entire stops have been added, and the whole instrument has been greatly improved both in power and in quality of tone. The compass is from triple F to G in alt,
a range of 63 keys ; the swell extends from double C to G, 56 keys ; the pedals extend to two octaves and a third. The organ contains 2679 pipes ; and it may now be justly regarded as equal to any in England.
The performances of last night were grand upon the whole, but very imperfect in parts. The music from Samson was exceedingly impressive. The mournful contralto air, "Ye sons of Israel," was exquisitely sung by Miss Martha Williams ; and the solemn chorus, " Glorious hero," was perfectly well given. The "Dead March" is inferior to the celebrated one in Saul, but it formed a necessary part of the selection from Samson. The fragments of Mendelssohn's' Christus were not nearly so well per- formed as at the Birmingham Festival. The chorus-singers, especially the soprani, were not well in tune, and the effect was frequently noisy and confused. The music had been imperfectly rehearsed : it requires much preparatory labour to make such an enormous machine as the band and chorus of Exeter Hall move with accuracy and smoothness. The case was different with Spohr's great chef d'osuvre, The Last Judgment : with it the performers were well acquainted, and they gave it with in- describable power and sublimity.
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