The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-05-03 00:00:00

DEATH OF SIR MICHAEL COSTA.

Sir Michael Costa died at his residence, 13, Sea
field-villas, West Brighton, on Tuesday evening.
Sir Michael gradually grew weaker after his seizure
with apoplexy on Saturday last, and from which he
never rallied. The Morning Post, in an obituary
notice, says : Sir Michael Costa, son of the late
Chevalier Pascal Costa was not, as has so frequently
erroneously been stated, an Italian by birth, but a
subject of the Swiss Confederation—the usually
accepted belief in Naples as his birthplace being no
doubt founded on the fact that it was in that city
of the sunny south that he received his early
musical education. He was born at Geneva on
February 4, 1810. Early displaying a strong taste
for music, he was placed by his parents
under an efficient master, under whose ad-
vice his parents determined, though he was yet quite
a boy, to place him in the Royal Conservatoire at
Naples, then under the direction of Zingarelli. Sub-
sequently becoming the pupil of Professor Giacomo
Tritto, he made such rapid progress that at 18 he was
not only the pianoforte accompanist at the Teatro
San Carlo, Naples, but had also written a cantata and
three operas. In 1829 the young musician came to
this country, and assisted in the musical festival held
in October to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the
Birmingham General Hospital. He subsequently ob-
tained an engagement at the King's Theatre in the
Haymarket, and in 1832 succeeded Spagnoletti there
as conductor of the Italian Opera. He was then but
22 years of age, and presented the unique spectacle of
a leader of an orchestra who was little more than a lad
wielding the baton over some of the oldest and best
instrumentalists in this country. He, indeed, was the
first to introduce a baton into the Opera House, for
his predecessor, who had been first violin, conducted
with his bow. For thirteen years he filled that
position, and during that time witnessed the prime of
some of the greatest artists who ever trod the
operatic boards Nor was he himself idle, for in the
early days of his leadership he produced three
ballets, all of which met with a good amount of
success. . . As conductor of the Philharmonic
Society, which at the time he joined had already
existed thirty-three years, he acquired a reputation
no less grbat as a director of classical orchestral
performances than that which he had gained as
leader at the opera, while with the new house in
Covent Garden his name will ever be identified
as the first, and possibly the greatest, conductor
who has wielded the baton within its walls. The
house was opened in 1847, and in that add the imme-
diately succeeding years there were produced, under
Mr. Costa's direction, those magnificently mounted
operas of Meyerbeer, all of which were placed upon
the stage with completeness quite unParalleled. His
success as a conductor of lassical orchestral music, as
evidenced in his leadei ip of the Philharmonic
Sooiety induced the directors of the Sacred Harmonic
Society to prevail upon him to accept the conductor-
ship of that society. This was in 1848, and from that
date doim to the time of his enforced retirement from
active work he had been cOnstant in his endeavours to
elevate the performance of sacred music in England,
The unapproathable performance of oratorios at
Exeter Hall produced an effect far beyond the imme-
diate audiences, and their example ad a gratifying re-
sult in the improvement of Ichoral societies through the
country. From this society sprang the triennial Crystal.
Palace Handel Festivals, and it was at the Syden-
ham palace, when Sir Michael Costa was leading his
thousands of executants, that one could rightly appre-
ciate his vast powers as a conductor. At the same
time, the Birmingham Musical Festival, where fifty
years ago he made his first bow to an English audience,
has benefited by his leadership, and still more by his
skill as a composer, for it was at Birmingham that his
tN'it) great oratorios, " Eli " and " Naaman," were first
presented in public. "Eli" was brought out in 1855,
and " Naaman " in 1864. Their success, wherever
performed, has been iMfailing, and it would be difficult
to name a choral society in the kingdom that has not
porformed them. An49ng other of Sir Michael's
compositions may be mentioned the "March,"
specially written for 01,0 installation of the Prince of
Wales as Grand Master Of the Freemasons, of 'which
distinguished body he was himself a member,
being a Past Grand Organist to the craft. That
Sir Michael enjoyed universal admiration and respect
it is superfluous to say, and to this feeling substantial
expression was given by the body of noblemen and
gentlemen presided over by Lord Willoughby do
Broke, who presented him with a massive piece of
plate as a testimonial of esteem and admiration. As a
fitting reward, too, for his services in the cause of
music, her Majesty conferred upon him the honour of
knighthood in April, 1869. The following month the
King of Wurtemberg conferred upon the conductor-
composer the Royal Order of Frederick as a mark
of admiration be entertain' .or the oratorio of
"Eli," which had been per_rmed under the com-
poser's direction at Stuttgart in November, 1868. He
was also a Knight of the Turkish Order of the
Medjidie, and
,a Commander (Third Class) of the
Order of the Crown of Italy, and also possessed the
Cross of the Prussian Order of the Red Eagle and
the Order of the Golden Lion of the House of Nassau,
both of the Third Class. •

;:,