The Press. — London, England, 1857-09-19 00:00:00

and 60 basses. Any extent of eulogium might be exhausted on the energy and enthusiasm of these well-trained choralists, and yet would there be no exaggeration. There was a precision, firmness, and impulsiveness in their attacks beyond all praise. Voices of more delicious quality amongst the women have been rarely heard—so pure in quality, so just in intonation. Sometimes when the higher notes were reached the sensations produced in the audi tories were absolutely thrilling. No applause was bestowed in the morning, but the murmurs of delight, the glances of mutual recognition, were as telling RS if there had been the ordinary demonstra tions of intense gratification. It was yesterday morning that orchestra and chorus won their spurs. The selection was Spohr's cantata, " God, thou art great," Mendelssohn's Lobgesang, and Mozart's Requiem. The cantata has a broad choral opening, with a solo for a soprano (Mrs. Weiss) and a duet for tenor and contralto (Mr. and Mrs. Lockey), of antique operatic mould. There are also three quartetts, of which the last, "Walk ye, walk ye, hundred thousands," was the most striking. It is well-voiced, and was done full justice to by Mrs. Weiss, Mrs. Lockey, Mr. Lockey, and Mr. Weiss. The hymn of Praise was a remarkably fine interpretation. The orchestral introduction was exceedingly well done. The exquisite duet, " I waited for the Lord," so pathetic in its character, so picturesque in treatment, so soothing, and yet so devotional, was deliciously sung by Mme. Novello and Mrs. Weiss ; the choral and instrumental parts were handled with remarkable delicacy. A grand piece of singing was that of Mine. Novello, in the " Night is departing." Mr. Lockey was assigned the air "He counteth all our sorrows," and Mr. Miranda was allotted the difficult air, " The sorrows of death." The latter is a young tenor, who bids fair to take a high position. His musical declama tion is of no ordinary kind. His voice is from the chest, frankly delivered, and with much firmness in the attack of the higher notes. In the Requiem the Earl of Albemarle, who officiated as President in the absence of the lord lieutenant of the county, gave the signal for no less than three encores, and for three quartetts, namely, " Tuba Minim," the " Re cordare," and the " Benedictus," all sung to perfec tion, it is true, by Mme. Novello. Mrs. Lockey, Signor Gardoni, and Signor Belletti ; but toujours perdrix will apply to music as well as to the culinary art, and the festival has assuredly produced a surfeit of game as well as of quartetts. The morning was a short one, . but it was highly interesting, although a long delay took place before the second part began with the Requiem, the managers having found out that the programme was rather too short for Norfolk appetites, quantity rather than quality being the desideratum. The votaries of art must rejoice at such discrimination. On Thursday morning there was no error as to length. With Beethoven's Mount of Olives and Haydn's Seasons, the former " arranged " by Sir George Smart, and the latter " arranged" by Professor Taylor. What these professots "arranged" is not explained in the announcements. It is to be presumed they did not " arrange " the score, and if they invented or set new words, why not state the fact in the Queen's English? The Mount of Olives will be the red-letter day of the festival. It was a glorious rendering of the colossal conception of the mastermind in music. It is not here the place to enter into the question how much is lost in not keeping to the original German words. A literal translation for this country is out of the question, introducing the Saviour. Sir George Smart's "arrangement" is to put the text in the third person ; it is a disciple who narrates on the Mount, and the soprano part is also in the didactic form as an angel. This may be splitting of hairs, but if for "mass" the word "service " he accepted, and tender consciences are satisfied, why then some grand music is saved for art purposes to this country. It will be guessed that Gardoni was not equal to the musical declamation of the opening recitative and air, which is uncomfortably low for the tenor voice, but when the music was in the upper notes of his register be was excellent, especially in the concluding air and in the duo. Mme. Novello was quite up to the mark ; her vocalisation was broad and imposing. and wanted but more distinct articulation to have defied adverse criticism. The choral and orchestral displays were stupendous—no other word can describe tneir massive effect on the ear. The " heaps of granite" the term which will pass muster to describe the masses of sound, aggregated by Beethoven, were hurled with the vigour of giants. If the substratum of Handel be in his vocal parts, that of Beethoven is in the instrumental ones. The march and chorus, the conflicting scunds between the believing disciples and the remorseless soldiers, were enunciated with almost unparalleled vigour, but the climax was atta ned in the gigantic " Hallelujah," with that mysterious undercurrent of orchestration, like the roar of a volcano on the eve of emancipation. The' audience rose at a devotional impulse ; but they would have been compelled by musical inspiration to tilt 11t1 s, rise from their seats, and the " praising of the Lord " with " holy songs of joy," as Beethoven praises in notation, ought to have been heard by the Bishop of Norwich, who has declared that charity must not go hand in hand with music. Are there not sermons in stones ? Was there no homily in that awful " Halle lujah" ? If there were men with disturbed con sciences in St. Andrew's Hall this morning, were not the " sleepers awakened "? There was exaltation for music, if ever music yet had power to awaken the better feelings of man. Has the bishop never met with that beautiful aphorism that "music is inca pable of expressing a bad passion "? The Seasons were given in their entirety ; and at half-past three winter set in, after a most sultry performance. If the fashion in Germany of omitting the words, and of cutting out the recitatives and repeats, had been followed, much more delight and infinitely less fatigue would have been experienced by the enchanted hearers. The work of Haydn is replete with genius ; it contains some of his noblest ideas. In fancy, imagination, and descriptive energy it is unrivalled; and yet the simplicity of the working out is most surprising. Mme. Novello, Mrs. Weiss, Mr. Lockey, and Mr. Weiss nobly sustained the credit and fame of the English school of singing by their admirable exertions. Mrs. Weiss not only sang her own music, but that which was originally given to a Mlle. Leonhardi, of whom mention will be presently made in our reference to the evening concerts. The printed apology issued was that, "in consequence of not feeling satisfied with her acquaint ance with the English language, Mlle. Leonhardi has requested to be released from the parts allotted to her in The Seasons and in The Messiah." Why did she not sing the words in her own Teutonic tongue, or in " choice Italian," must be explained in a future communication. SEPTEMBER 19, 1857. ;t pranta. SURREY THEATRE.—The opera season having terminated, the " dramatic" season of the Surrey has recommenced this week under the able manage- ment of Messrs. Shepherd and Creswick. The staple commodity of the evening is the comedy of A Bird in the Hand, which was one of the most successful pieces last season, but this is followed by a burlesque version of La Traviata proper to the reopening. A store of exciting dramas are in course of preparation for the winter. _ _ ADELPHI.—Mr. T. P. Cooke has appeared upon the stage once more. Without exaggeration, his rein. venescence, as the Times remarks, is one of the most singular events recorded in the history.of the stage. To say that he acts, fights, sings, dances, and, in short, performs his part, whether as" Sweet " William in Shia Eyed Susan, or Long Tom Coffin in The Pilot, with vigour and freshness, and with the most careful attention to detail, scarcely expresses the nature of that acting with which our fathers and grandfathers were conversant. Everyone should go and see this illustrious representative of the British sailor. THE LATE MR. DOUGLAS JERROLD. WE published very recently a circular from Mr. Charles Dickens and Mr. Arthur Smith, announcing the conclusion of the Jerrold performances, and re ferring to " the untrue and preposterous statements " which had obtained circulation, with reference to pro• ptrty asserted to be left by Mr. Jerrold. Mr. Dickens and Mr. Smith then stated that the Jerrold committee, " unless they bad thoroughly known and beyond all doubt assured themselves that their exer tions were needed by the dearest objects of Mr. Jerrold's love, those exertions would never have been heard of." As a comment upon this circular, we subjoin the following letter from Mr. Blanchard Jerrold, the present editor of Lloyd's Newspaper. It has gone the round of the daily press during the last week : My father left property sworn at Doctors' Commons at 1,5001. In addition to this sum, my mother held a policy in her own right on my father's lite, value 1,0001. Other items raise the total sum to 3,000 1. The copy-rights of my father's plays realise an average income of 1001. More, the position of the members of my father's family would have enabled them, had there been need for their exertions, to supply any deficiency the above prope-ty could not cover. It is due to the memory of my father that the public should know that he left a sufficiency for my mother and sister, and that the love of his own kin dred, in any case, would have insured this sufficiency. In explanation of the " Remembrance" performances, I, as representative of my father's family, should state that I declined emphatically to receive anything that should wear the appearance of a charity—such charity being needless. The " Remembrance" performances. I was distinctly assured, would be in honour of my father's memory, and be offered as an addition to his estate. If the public have gathered any idea from the condoet of these performances that they were effurta of charity, I have only to ensure them, on the part of Mr. Douglas Jer rold's family, that the illustrious dead had husbanded enough against the need thereof—even after the loss of 925 thousands, for which, in the chivalry of friendship, he became security. I thank the earnest friends who have conducted these performances for their zeal and kind intentions, bat I decline to permit the English public to remain impressed with the idea that there was need to pass the hat round—however gracefully—in the name of Douglas Jerrold—a name that shall not want my exertions at least to preserve its independence. lont2 Iprket anD (fitg 3nttliigentr. FRIDAY EVENING. THE return of the Bank of England for the week ending the 12th instant shows the following changes compared with that for the week preced ing : Decrease - in Circulation Increase in Public Deposits Decrease in Other Deposits Increase in Securities Decrease in Bullion .... Increase in Rest Increase in Reserve Bullion in Both Departments Circulation, including Bank Post Bills Although the Reserve shows a moderate ic crease, and the unemployed notes now exceed 6,194,0001., this comparison is, upon the whole, not of a very satisfactory character. The demand for money out of doors has added a considerable amount to the Private Securities, while the Private Deposits have again sustained a reduction, part of which is, no doubt, owing to the requirements of the East India Company. The Public Deposits are still growing in anticipation of the October dividends. Next week they will probably exceed 8,000,0001. So that it is clear the Chancellor of the Exchequer need not call upon the Bank for assistance to enable him to meet the demands of the coming quarter day. The reduction in the stock of Bullion is the most un favourable feature in the comparison—the more so as it is probable the next return will show a further decline. _ The demand for money, which was active last week, has been more so in the present, not wholly from commercial pressure connected with prepare. tions for the winter trade, or from operations in the bullion market, but also from a desire on the part of numerous establishments to have large reserves in hand in the event of an adverse change in the market. In other words, an impression has been current in important quarters that money is very likely to be dearer for the remainder of the year. Some persons apprehend a very high rate. These anticipations are founded upon the probability of the Indian disturbances causing considerable derange ment here about November and the early part of December, at a time when our own local engage- ments are always heavy ; and estimates are vaguely made of the amounts that will be withdrawn about that period from employment in the market. It is unnecessary to state anything more than that the loss already caused by our mi4fortunes in India is estimated at ten millions, and that it will daily in crease until we have effectually secured the upper hand of the insurgents. The Indian trade, therefore, can hardly fail to be seriously inconvenienced. Some houses are, in this view, preparing beforehand, and their operations are gradually influencing the supplies. Then, money is becoming dearer on the Continent ; the terms of discount are rising in the principal commercial cities; and a most distrustful feeling is abroad with regard to the money markets of earis and New York. In Paris there has been a serious depreciation in the value of securities in con sequence of the failing credit of the Credit Mobilier; and in New York there has been, and is now, a decided panic, the loss from which to British capi talists is estimated at something like 20,000,0001. That is, it is believed if British holders of American securities were to realise them at present prices, they would sustain a loss to that amount compared with the prices they might have obtained a month or two ago. We know that this depreciation is attributed to an organised conspiracy for the purpose, and that, in consequence of this belief, additional inve-tments to a large amount have been made during the present week in American stocks ; but we fear that the fall is not wholly due to such a cause. The panic could not have lasted, or have been so general, if it had been produced merely by individual combi nation. It must have arisen from the commercial instinct of safe and prudent men, no doubt aggra vated by the disreputable means referred to. How. ever, one thing is certain, that tie state of things in Paris and New York is creating, and is likely to create, considerable pressure here. lf, on account of the fall of securities in both those cities, large capitalists here are buying them up, the money is abstracted from its ordinary employment, and so an increased pressure arises, and it will exist, so long as the depreciation offers temptations to invest. Having regard to these circumstances, to the con ' tingencies arising out of affairs in India, and to the .~,