The Press. — London, England, 1855-09-01 00:00:00

THE PRBBB. 017: in the first it is a compulsory levy ; in the second it is a voluntary one. The book moreover treats upon questions of finance, and in its elaborate tables gives an estimate of taxation in Europe, by which Holland is repre sented as taking precedence of us : The annual contribution paid by each inhabitant in the following different countries, is estimated as follows, counting in French money. In Holland 53 francs 32 centimes, in England 49.82, in France 43 . 5, in Denmark 37.50, in Spain 30111, in Belgium 2'4 . 33, m Germmy 19 . 48, in Russia 14•41. It may be a surprise to some, to see that the Englishman does not occupy the first place. The only political article is the closing one upon the past session, in which, while it is admitted that nothing has been done, the people and the Opposi- tion are blamed for the result, and Fraser contentedly concludes with the hope that Lord John Russell may regain his position, and the Duke of Newcastle be our Prime Minister! Bentley offers an article upon the war; it is candid in its tone, but in dealing with Sweaborg it persists in corroborating the popular blunder, that in the attack wood has proved triumphant against granite. The fact is that the two were never brought into con tact at all. There are several light and amusing papers in the present number, and an excellent review of poor Bellot's Memoirs. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. BOOKS. Historical Sketches of Statesmen who flourished in the Time of George 111. Lord Brougham. Griffin and Co. Report on the Laws and Ordonnances in force in France. Iw. Walter Lewis. G. E. Eyre. The Constitutional History of England. Henry Hallam, LL.D., ikc. Murray. The War in the East, from the Year 1.8453 tilt July, 1855. General George lilapka. Chapman and Hall. The Annotated Edition of the English Poets. Hobert Bell. J. W. Parker and Son. Crystals from Sydenham. Hope and Co. Hagar and Ishmael, and other Poems. J. M. L., Author of " Sandgate." Do. pAxr HLETS. Was Lord Cardigan a Hero at Balaklava ? Field and Co. Infant Baptism and Confirmation. Rivingtons. The Poor made Rich by Faith. Do. Speech of Earl Grey on the 2:dh May. Ward and Co. The War, and the War Ministry. Burton Lee. Hope and Co. Merkland. Parlour Library. Author of "Margaret Maitland." Hodgson. Blackwood's Magazine. Blackwoods. My Novel. Vols. 1 and 2. Railway Library. Routledge, Adrien. Author of " Zingara the Gipsy." Do. J. W - Son. Fraser's Magrzine. . ►►. Parker and S.. Bentley's Miscellany. Bentley. Piclures of Travel. C. G. Leland. Philadelphia: John Weik . The Freemasons. Rontiedge Colburn's New Monthly. Martins of Cro' Martin Dublin University Magazine. VUSiC. Chapman and Do. Orr and Co. THE BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL. (From our own Correspondent.) BrRMINOHAN, Friday. A RECORD of the week's musical doings of the great triennial gathering of 1855 can only be commenced with the second morning's programme, for therein was included the new oratorio by Costa, Eli. Such a congress of celebrities as were collected within the walls of the newly-decorated Town-hall has been rarely witnessed. Amateurs and artists of almost every country were assembled in force, independently of the fashionable company filling the patrons' gal lery, and the masses supplied by the railway trains from the surrounding counties. Could one of the greatest conductors of any age really be a distin guished oratorio composer? This was the first question to be solved. But there was a second one mooted in many quarters—namely, could an Italian enter the lists with the Germans in the writing of an oratorio? When Costa took his place, amidst thun ders of applause from the choral and orchestral forces, it seemed as if professional opinion had already pronounced in his favour; but the public after all had to decide, and the two questions, before the first part of the work had been finished, were an swered in the affirmative. Costa is a distinguished oratorio composer, and an Italian can wkite a sacred work, replete with sublimity, worthy of the most gifted Teutonic writers. And this unequivocal triumph, for such it was, bas apparently the elements of durability. It was impessible to mistake public opinion : there was that indescribable movement in the assemblage which ctnveyed the notion of a fixed attention and a profound interest : the work appeared to be followed step by step, piece by piece, with a keen perception of its prominent be sties, and the Presidential encores were ratified with a relish indi cative of the unanimity of the assemblage. Applause was prohibited, but conventional regulations gave way to irresistible spontaneity of feeling. A rapid summary of the text and music will justify the auditory. The overture opens with an organ prelude in F. The solemn subject strikes the senses at once. In the unaccompanied quartet in the second part, the theme of this prelude is repeated. When the organ has ceased its symphonic announcement, the orchestra, in a movement allegretto fugato in I) minor, shadows forth the future development of the work by the psalm in the subsequent chorale, " How mighty is Thy name." The whole of this introduction is written with a profound sentiment of the sanctity of the scriptural events to be afterwards treated. A key is afforded to the composer's intention. It is felt that he is in eat nest. Eli is already before us in the overture, which suggests the sequel. In the first recitative, Eli, to celebrate the festival of the first-fruits, calls in music's aid, and the people respond in joyful phraseology. After the marked and emphatic solem nity of the opening, the voice of Eli is heard in an air of praise in F, simple and flowing in the melody, and the choral combination broad and simple. Eli then takes a higher tone. He invokes a solemn blessing on the people, who respond with the " Amen," sustained by the organ, in a majestic chant, the whole being wound up with a grand chorus, and a masterly fugue in B flat. Another portion of the Book of Samuel is then entered upon. Hannah's prayer is poured forth in an affecting air in G, " Turn Thee unto me," in three-four time. The undulating movement of the stringed instruments in the accompaniment attracts notice. After Eli grants Hannah's petition, a charmingly canonic chorus in C, " The Lord is good," the vocal parts sustained by the harps, follows. Elkanah's consolation of Hannah is then conveyed in an admirably-voiced duet in A, in two-four time, " Wherefore is thy soul cast down ?" In the next piece, " Tile ungodly revel," in the Temple's precincts, the composer's individuality is completely stamped. Anything more quaint and graphic than the chorus, "For everything there is a season," cannot be con ceived. It is in E minor, in two-four time, and is scored with ingenious fancy and picturesque power. The orchestral working to the succeeding air of Eli, " If Thou shouldst mark," in E flat, is modelled in the most elegant form. The people's homage to the Lord is testified in a colossal chorale in C minor, " How mighty is Thy name," the theme having been already promulgated in the overture. The climax of gran deur is attained in the words, " Great is the Lord." The effect is thrilling, wondrous in its devotional feeling. A noble strain of dignified recitative from the Man of God, " I am come to sacrifice," is com pleted by a chorus, remarkable for the expression of scorn and derision with which the composer has in- vested it. A battle solo and chorus, " Philistines, hark !" is replete with warlike vigour. The utmost resources of military ardour by the trumpets' sound are developed. The contending elements are power• fully contrasted. The passages "in vivid flashes " remind the hearer of Mendelssohn's Walpurgis Night, without any servile imitation being audible. The tenor notes in this exciting air exact no ordinary vigour. After the touching air of Eli, " Hear my prayer," the denunciation of the Man of God as to the death of Eli's sons introduces the duo for two bassos, "L -rd, cause Thy face," scored with surpass ing skill, and voiced with consummate ability. The finale of the first part concludes with the dedication of Samuel in the Temple. A chorale in A minor, " 0 make a joyful noise," precedes an organ prelude, and then Hannah, in a truly Handelian jubilant air in B flat, thanks the Lord. At the presentation . of the child the chorus, in an overwhelming outpouring of glorification, sing " Hosanna in the highest." The composer has wrought the choral display in a fugue of elaborately contrapuntal contrivances, heaping climax upon climax of the most solemn and imposing character. The second part begins with the morning prayer of Samuel in the Temple at Shiloh, " Lord, from my bed," a lovely melody in E flat, for a contralto, the sanctity of the subject being equally as prominent as the profound pathos. Next in rotation is the por traiture of parental counsels, presented through the medium of a trio of extreme tenderness, canonic in treatment, and lovely in its theme. The under current of exhortation is masterly, and the easy flow of the vocal parts indescribably beautiful. Not less extraordinary are the air of Eli and an unaccompanied quartet in F for soprano, contralto, tenor, and bass, the motif of which has been already heard in the organ prelude of the overture. The " March " of the Israelites, is C, has one of those ear-haunting subjects which strike from their simple grandeur. Then ensues a majestic chorus in G minor, " Huld not thy peace," and an excited movement in B flat minor, quite Mendelssohnian in its restless form and instrumentation, which leads to the fowled .choral march, full of character and elevation. After this we have Samuel in the Temple again, at evening I prayer, " This sight I lift my heart," an air in F, of hiliihNlNlMillimm overlooks the distinction he has previously attempted to establish between the architect and builder, and at pages 151-2 he enters into elaborate details to show what exquisite skill has been employed in the proportions of St. Mark's at Venice : The proportioning of the columns and walls of the lower story is so lovely and varied that it would need pages of description before it could be fully understood Hence while one proportion ascends another descends, like parts in music, and yet the pyramidal form is secured for the whole; and, which was another great point of atten tion, none of the shafts of the upper arches stand over those of the lower. According to Mr. Ruskin's theory, all this proportion and beauty resulted from mere builder's work. But, conceding so much, is not the skill which produced such admirable results entitled to be called an art ? And as we have already a title for the sculptor, why should not the building•artiat retain the name, by which he has been known for centuries, of architect? After all the ingenious pleading of Mr. Ruskin, it will be difficult to convince the world that the man who de signs a magnificent building, and upon whom its symmetry and beauty must wholly depend, is not as important a personage as the sculptor wbo decorates it. Ruffles are very well, but we can't dispense with the shirt. An in all Mr. Rnskin's works, there are passages in the " Seven Lamps" of almost unequalled elo quence. In its general scope it is a splendid protest against the utilitarian spirit of the age, which all poetic and imaginative minds will gladly receive. A lIASTY glance is all we have been enabled to thrown over those magazines for September which have reached us. Blackwood opens with a paper upon the social condition of the Russian people, a subject of unusual interest at this moment. The condition of the serfs, and of the landowners, great and small ; the relative state of masters and servants ; the merchants, and the exactions which they suffer at the hands of the authorities; and the system of justice and peculation which prevails thr ughout the land, are touched upon, and much practical informa tion is generally given upon domestic life in Russia. "Zaidee" is continued, the story gaining on us as the plot is unravelled. Tennyson's " Mend "is reviewed, by Professor Aytonn we imagine, and characterised as " namby.pamby," full of strange metaphors and conceits, arid, on the whole, "a great mistake" of the Laureate. The "Imperial Policy of Russia" is a Havy historical pricis, but " Light Literature for the Holidays" is a laughable review of Bell's Life, and a capital criticism upon one of those cant descriptions of a " mill," which is occasionally to be met with in the columns of that paper. Fraser, with great variety of light matter, combines some good papers upon graver subjects. A length ened review of Helps's "Spanish Conquest in America," a sketch of the "History of Sardinia," and a clever paper upon " American Parties, Past and Present," by Mr. Bristed, will be found among its best contri butions. An article upon "Continental Statistics" reviews incidentally a late publication by the Baron de Reden upon the " Military Statistics of Europe" : For the whole of Europe the Baron gives a population of 266,543,199, of which the per-tentage proportions are thus divided : dermany 2718 Russia France 1343 England Turkey in Europe 0142 Spain Other States military foroes and their cost for the above six (the other States being omitted) he gives in the rig elaborate table. It should be mentioned that he of their peace establishments : Per Ceutagi of Popula tion. --- Germany 820,708 I'l3 Aube's rranee Turkey 138,880 1'32 Spain Eugland Whole of 2,731,085 i'o2 Europe General Cost Cost ',Mead Francs. Fs. e. 383,133,739 4G6 89 286,393,038 362 78 508,986,935 800 17 76,212,469 349 52 71,W8,468 718 63 239,391,479 2,144 78 1,561,618,214 571 78 These figures require some explanation. It is not the custom in Germany to keep its whole military force standing during the whole year, a considerable part being called up for exercise in the spring, and dismissed with the short days of autumn; otherwise there could not be such a difference in the cost of a soldier in France and in Germany, there being the conscription-law and economy in both countries. In Russia, also, I believe the reserve forms a part of these 790,00 ti men, which is less costly than the standing army ; the latter, however, being some what over 600,000 in time of peace. But making these allowances, bow immense is the difference in the money cost between England and the Continent! The words " money cost" are used because there is another cost to be e t e c . n into consideration—that which falls on the popula . In Russ it is 1•76 per cent.; in England, only