The Press.
London, England, 1853-09-17 00:00:00

Music.

THE I;II.OI:CF.STEIt MUSICAL Fr.s.ri VAL.
" Festival of the Three Choirs," after having
languished ter some years until the cessation of this
triennial celebration was imminent, has of late revived
in a manner promising at least a restoration of its
pristine importance. 'flue last gatherings at Ilere•
font and Worcester proved that the old tousles' feel-
ing was not dead in thine+ districts. The festivals
went oft in the most satimfaetery manner, partly
through the public spirit of the eirighhouring gentry,
and partly through the increased tame ter gran)
choral and instrumental performances, ilitneted
through the community from the splendid examples
given in London, Birmingham, and elsewhere, tinder
Costa's direct' . This triennial meeting at 'Boucot
ter liar equalled, if not exeisslisl, in success the last
festivals held at llereforil and Worcester. The lead-
ing nobility and gentry of the neighliourhood are to
be found on the list of stewards, and, what is a still
more conclusive evidence of Success, the receipts of
the festival promise, independent of the usual contri-
butions from the stewards, to be adequate to the ex-
penses, an event almost without parallel in tiloticeei-
ter since these festivals first commenced more than a
century and a quarter ago.
The entertainments presented during this festival
afford no scope for criticism with iitiy but local
readers. The great works i•erfenneil, and the artists
engaged in presenting them, lime been those' with
which the London piddle are always familiar. Among
the former have been the E/ijah, whirls grand work,
we are happy to see, is now a sine yud nun at all
great musical gatherings; the brad in Egypt, the
Christus, and the Messiah. Besides these perfor-
mances of sacred mushc there have lwets the usual
miscellaneous concerts, comprising selections from
the hest as well as the most popular secular music.
The artists were Mtne. Clara Novell°, Mae. Cass
tellan, Miss Dolby, Mrs. looker, Mlle. Bellini, and
Mrs. Weiss ; Issekey, Weiss, l'aglioliss, and
Formes. One of the • honoured practices at
these festivals is to entrust the poet of conductor to
the organist of the cathedral in the city whore trim-
'

47G

Mal turn it may be. A mere inconvenient arrange-
ment could scarcely be made, inasmuch as it brings
a prtiVilleial musician, wholly Unt1e4111111.1111,411 with the
management of a large orchestra, 01141 especially of
the superior (41444 of musicians engaged, into
position where he can be of little use, but where he
dray protium+ great eetifusien and embarrassment.
We make no invidious allusion to the gentleman,
Mr. Antott, of fileurester Clitlwdral, to whose lot it
fall to renthiet on this : whatever inemt-
venience the practice may lead to iv *litany partici-
pated in by his contemporaries of Woreester and
Hereford. When so much expense is gone to in
colleeting ve va! and instrumental artists, and when
the musical !adobe respond se liberally to the 414.
11a1& Houle on theta by the stewards, it does seeia
ammialetis that smite thoroughly efficient coliduchir
should not he Ilreught down from London, and that
the risk of failure should be incurred by entrusting
the most important duty etameeted with the festival
to come untrained WM professor. Unless this evil lie
remedied, we may expect that these triennial festivals
will relapse into their more recent torpiir and away.
The m11'44441 of sixty twill", f"ll.+ tour
altos, forty-eighi tenor, and sixty lasses, nut the
orchestra numbered :ton performer. Among the
patrons of the festival were the Blike of Beaufort,
president, Earls Fitzhartlings and Somers, and Lord
Lyttelton, who are the lord lieutenants of the emu.
ties of tilimcester, Ileretianl, aunt Woreester—the
bishops of the three counties—Lord Leigh, the Hon.
Ashley Pensonliy, M.P., Mr. Nigel Kingseete,
Mr. W. I'. Prim, M.l'., and Mr. .1. R. 'Mullings, M.P.,
the Rev. Dr. Evans, Sir .1. 11. Sep tttttt r, the Rev.
Canon Iluteltinseti,
As a whole, the performanees wont elf greatly to
the satisfaction of the visitors, and the &eat attend-
ing the festival may heexpected to act favourably on
the next triennial celebration of the Lind,