The Harmonic Union, as we have already told our readers,
is a new society of amateurs, established for the purpose of giving concerts on a large scale at Exeter Hall, under the direction of Mr. Benedict. Their second concert was performed on Thursday evening. The first having been entirely sacred, the second, to show the catholic nature of their plan, was secular and varied. It consisted chiefly of two great secular cantatas, Beethoven's "Ruins of Athens" and Meudelssohn's " Walpurgis Night ": besides these, there were, a new overture by Mr. Henry Leslie ; Weber's "Concert-Stuck," played on the pianoforte by Mr. Mason, a young Ame- rican performer, the son of Mr. Lowell Mason of Boston, eminent for his labours as a popular instructor ; a solo on the trombone by a Herr Nab- lich; Spohr's fine soprano and tenor duet from Jessonda, "Dearest maiden," sung by Madame Fiorentini and Mr. Benson ; and a little Spanish ballad sung by Fiorentini. When we add to this enumeration of the pieces, that they were, on the whole, exceedingly well performed, we have said enough to give an idea of this concert ; which had no fea- tures of novelty worth noticing save Mr. Leslie's overture and Mr. Mason's pianoforte performance. The overture is an attempt (as successful as such attempts usually are) to describe the scene of Ivanhoe's "judicial combat" with Brian de Boisguilbert in doe fence of Rebecca. We have the solemn religious music which opens the proceedings, the trumpets of the champions as they enter the lists, the plaintive murmurs of the devoted Jewess, the onset, the shock, and the final departure of the martial Templars. All this is intelligible when we know beforehand what is intended ; and this is all that musical descrip- tion can do. Au reste, and setting description aside, the overture is masterly and beautiful composition, full of melodious phrases and pm, ul orchestral effects. Mr. Mason's performance of the Concert-Stiiek,was on the whole exceedingly good, though defective in the firmness-and aplomb which a little more age and experience will give him. A great sensation was excited in the hall by the intelligence of the sudden death of Mr. Harper, the veteran trumpet-player ; who had at- tended the rehearsal in the morning, and was immediately afterwards seized with a fit in which he expired. The Dead March in Saul was performed as a tribute to his memory. Mr. Harper was nearly seventy, and for many years enjoyed the reputation of being the first trumpet- player of his day. He was a worthy and respectable man, and is much regretted.
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