THE inhabitants of the Metropolis, we believe, are not aware of the progress making by music in the provinces. In Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Derbyshire, in particular, there is a diffusion of musical knowledge that almost admits a comparison with that in Germany. Manchester, Liverpool, York, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Halifax, contain numbers of able amateurs, who cultivate the art with enthusiasm, and have wealth and spirit for its encouragement. In those towns, and many smaller ones, are choral societies, similar to such as are found in every part of Germany; several of them of long standing, and all judiciously conducted. They are liberally supported by annual subscriptions; their orchestras are led by, and partly composed of, the ablest professors of the place and neighbourhood, the complement being made up by very efficient amateurs; not wholly gentlemen-amateurs, for a number of them are young men and women belonging to what is now called the operative class, who are encouraged by their employers to cultivate an art which has so favourable an effect on their character and habits. Out of this class are formed, not only the chorus-singers, whose reputation has long since spread all over England, but the solo-singers; and even the habituÉs of the London concerts, with whatever metropolitan disdain they might enter a meeting of one of these societies, would, spite of their prepossessions, be delighted with the knowledge, feeling, and even style, frequently exhibited by these country singers. As to the choruses, they would be constrained to admit that they seldom have the good fortune to hear anything like them in London.

These observations have been suggested by a performance which took place at the end of February, in the church of the little town of Belper, in Derbyshire. The Chevalier Neukomm has been residing for some time with his friend, Mr. John Strutt, of Belper, and occupied in completing the great oratorio which he engaged to write for the Birmingham Festival of this year. M. Neukomm, as is well known, is always ready to exercise his talents in the cause of benevolence, and the performance we now mention was got up under his direction, in aid of the funds for erecting and establishing an infant school in the town of Belper.

Great public interest was excited on this occasion, as it was understood not only that some pieces fresh from the pen of that highly-gifted composer would be executed, but that he himself would perform on the Expressive Organ, an instrument hardly yet known in England; and families were attracted from Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and other distant places. The orchestra, vocal and instrumental, consisted of a select portion of the Derby Choral Society, combined with the choir of Mr. Strutt; and the talented young violin performer, Mr. Mawkes, gave his assistance. The performance produced for the charity the sum of 160l. ‘It is no easy task,’ says the Derby Reporter, ‘to point out any parts of the vocal performances as being more eminently entitled than others to our praise. We cannot avoid, however, noticing some pieces with which we were more particularly delighted; among which were the grand Epinicion, or Song of Triumph, from the oratorio of Saul; the magnificent Hallelujah of the immortal Handel; a quartett of Haydn, “Lo, my Shepherd is divine;” the splendid “Second Advent” of Neukomm; Mozart’s Motet, “O God, when thou appearest;” and four truly sublime and devotional choruses, selected from one of the Chevalier’s compositions, The Hymn of the Night, a work hitherto unknown in this country. This composition was published at Paris several years since in French and German, and has been publicly performed at Copenhagen, in presence of the Royal Family of Denmark, with universal approbation. This circumstance, we believe, has led to the recent translation of the original words into English; and we have no doubt, from the specimens which were yesterday heard of its excellence, that it will eventually become a great favourite with the British public.’ In this opinion of the Derby critic, we are enabled, from an attentive examination of the score of the Hymn of the Night, to express our entire concurrence. The writer concludes with a glowing description of the Chevalier Neukomm’s extemporaneous playing, with which many of our metropolitan readers are acquainted, and to which the Harmonicon has frequently endeavoured to do justice. The instrument employed by him on this occasion (the Expressive Organ) was well calculated for the display of his genius. In size it hardly exceeds a cottage piano-forte; but it has much power as well as delicacy, gives every gradation of piano and forte by a mere pressure of the finger, and produces the effects of almost every species of wind instrument. We are surprised that our fabricans have not yet set about making it.

Mr. Strutt, of Belper, encourages music from a much higher view than that of ministering to his own gratification. He is one of the greatest manufacturers in the kingdom, and his immense establishments give employment and support to a numerous population, to whose comfort and welfare he pays unwearied attention. It is in pursuit of this philosopher-like object that he promotes the cultivation of music among them. At a great sacrifice, both of time and money, he encourages its practice among his male and female operatives, who show a disposition for it; and engages a music-master from Derby, twice or thrice a week, to give them lessons. Among these people he truly finds that music ‘emollit mores, nec sinit esse feros;’ and it is earnestly to be wished that such an example were generally followed in establishments where great numbers of people are employed. Wherever the working classes are taught to prefer the pleasures of intellect, and even of taste, to the gratification of sense, a great and favourable change takes place in their character and manners. They are no longer driven by mere vacuity of mind to the beer-shop; and a pastime which opens their minds to the impressions produced by the strains of Handel and Haydn, combined with the inspired poetry of the Scriptures, becomes something infinitely better than the amusement of an idle hour. Sentiments are awakened which make them love their families and their homes; their wages are not squandered in intemperance, and they become happier as well as better.

H.