_Mr. William D. Berry_ is a finely-cultured tenor, a ready reader of music, and excellent in oratorio performance. Mr. Berry formerly lived in Hamilton, Ont. _Miss Ida Platt_ is a brilliant pianist. _Mr. Elias Perry_ is a young tenor-singer with a very pleasing voice. He is a member of Olivet-Church choir. _Mr. John F. Ransom_, baritone and organist, is a musician of excellent culture, possessing one of the finest male voices in Chicago. He was educated at Columbus, O. Is organist of Olivet Church. _Mr. George W. Mead_ is leading basso of the singing society heretofore mentioned, and of Olivet-Church choir. Mr. Mead renders his music with correct and very pleasing expression. He has been favorably mentioned, in connection with others with whom he has performed, by the papers of Chicago. All of the persons whose names are included in the list just closed read music at sight, and are entitled to be ranked as artists. II. SOME MUSICAL PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH. "Songs from the sunny South-land."--A.K. SPENCE. The colored people of the South are proverbially musical. They might well be called, in that section of the country, a race of troubadours, so great has ever been their devotion to and skill in the delightful art of music. Besides, it is now seen, and generally acknowledged, that in certain of their forms of melodic expression is to be found our only distinctively _American_ music; all other kinds in use being merely the echo, more or less perfect, of music that originated in the Old World. All who have listened to the beautiful melody and harmony of the songs sung by those wonderful minstrels, the "Jubilee Singers," will readily admit that scarcely ever before the coming of the latter had they been so melted, so swayed, so entirely held captive, by a rendering of music; nor will they fail to admit that in these "slave-songs" of the South was to be found a new musical idea, forming, as some are wont to term it, a "_revelation_." And if it were necessary to prove that music is a language by which, in an elevated manner, is expressed our thoughts and emotions, what stronger evidence is needed than that found in this same native music of the South? for surely by its tones of alternate moaning and joyousness--tones always weird, but always full of a ravishing sweetness, and ever replete with the expression of deepest pathos--may be plainly read the story of a race once generally languishing in bondage, yet hoping at times for the coming of freedom. Of the character of this music, and of its effect upon those who hear it, no one speaks more clearly than does Longfellow in the following lines from his poem, "The Slave singing at Midnight:"-- "And the voice of his devotion Filled my soul with strange emotion; For its tones by turns were glad, Sweetly solemn, wildly sad."