The oratorio season has begun at Exeter Hall. Last night,
the Sacred Harmonic Society had their first performance ; and, as usual, gave prece- dence to The Messiah. In the manner in which it was got up and exe- cuted, it did not present any remarkable novelty ; the principal singers being nearly the same as heretofore, and the chorus and orchestra of the usual strength. But the effect of the whole was more than usually magnificent; and this we ascribe in a great measure to the recent altera- tions made in the hall, which have marvellously improved its acoustical qualities as well as its appearance. A great addition has been made to its height, and the removal of the unsightly square pil- lars before the gallery has given free scope to the circulation of sound, which is also mellowed by being diffused through a larger atmospheric expanse. The throwing back of the organ has taken away the barrier which severed the two choral masses on each side ; and the additional space given to the orchestra allows the instruments to be placed nearly on a horizontal plane, while the choral voices rise much above them, both laterally and behind. The effect of this is, that the 'voices strike the ear more directly and powerfully, while the instrumental sounds are greatly softened, without losing the richness derived from their numerical strength. We felt, for the first time in this hall, that the voices and instruments were duly proportioned, and that the latter were, what they ought to be, really accompaniments, strengthening, not over- powering, the vocal harmony. It is right, however, to add, that we never heard the choruses and the accompaniments executed with so much care and so much attention to the chiaroscuro of sound. The hall, too, was highly favourable to the solo-singers, whose voices were probably never before heard to so much advantage. They were, Misses Birch and Dolby, and Messrs. Lookey, Whitworth, and White- house. The last, a bass, is a debutaut, of very great promise.
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