19 SEPTEMBER 1846, Page 19

HEREFORD FESTIVAL.

Tim Hereford Musical Festival rook place last week. Some time ago we noticed the preliminary arrangements for this meeting; which were very judicious, and have produced a satisfactory result. The numerical strength of the choral and instrumental bodies was not above one-fourth of that of the Birmingham host; but the performers were very select and efficient. The comparative smallness of the band made it compact and easily conducted; and hence some very arduous compositions, particularly Spohr's fall of Babylon, went off with a degree of precision and clearness which surprised everybody. Nothing new was brought forward; but the selection of music, for the evening concerts especially, exhibited a purer taste than usually prevails in the management of musical festivals, Among the pieces per- formed at these concerts were, a large portion of Weber's Oberon, Mee, delssohn's Midsummer's Night's Dream and Walpuryis Night, Beethoven's Symphony in C minor, and (a rare treat now-a-clays) one of Mozart's de- licious Pianoforte Concertos, admirably played by Mr. J. L. Hatton. The singers, who were all English, gave us a good many things which are not heard every day; and the concerts were not mere rechauffees of the cold meats of the London season. The performances were all fully attended; and the receipts are stated to have been ample.