The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-12-28 00:00:00

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT,

LAST NIGHT.

Handers great Oratorio "The Messiah" was most
brilliantly performed last night at the Philharmonic
Society's Hall before a splendid audience, who,evidently
appreciated the unrivalled treat. When we write of
this grandest of musical compositions having been inter-
preted on that occasion by artistes such as Mr. Sims
Reeves, Mr. W. H. "Weiss, Miss Banks, and Miss Ryles,
with an orchestra anti chorus of 250 performers, con-
ducted by J. Zeugheer Herniann, and accompanied on
the organ by Mr. George Hirst, and by Mr. Thomas
Harper as principal trumpet, we scarcely need to add a
single word of laudation or criticism. Of conrse there
always will be some little eontreteinfis in the fulfilment
of any programme, but taking it all in all we have
no hesitation in pronouncing last night's " Messiah"
one of the finest ever heard here or elsewhere. Gener:
ally the artiBtes named were in Eatiistai VdNei And each
sectindbd the 13thet's efforts Itith a degree of goodwill
iiiid success which went far to make up for every un-
avoidable shortcoming. Although this magnificent
oratorio is •

ao rarity to the musical public of
Liverpool, there is too good reason to believe that many
are igtOrftht of its beauties. It may not be out of
dace, therefore;, to divOt sonic itt its leading
m'e
features. This reeu will, we, hope., be instructive to
those Who babe Yet to„hear, the
,‘‘‘,l4lesOah,",vl3,ile we
trust it wilt serVe„to. refresh agreeably the thetnory of its
penfpaaea legit bight:
itts Oratorio, it is well known, contains, besides the
Overture and Pastoral Symphony for the land, 22 full
Choruses and two short Quartetts ; 16 Airs and 16
Recitatives, of which nine are accompanied.
It is divided into three parts. The Overture is one
of Handel's finest, and grows greater and grander as it
is heard and studied. Simple and majestic in its opening
introduction, its harmonies nei;ertheless fat from
common and exceedingly impOsini, while the allegro
thchement is a fugue strictly and profoundly treated.i The
opening dignified recitatikp ritence iMiires:Sea the bearer
:with tbeAinkreksive character and "sculptured grandeur"
of the composer's recitatives; how truthful, natural, gentle,
and consoling the comfort; how majestic the command
to "prepare the way of the Lord," while the joyous air
to which it leads (No. 3) has a general character of
repose, save where, about the middle, it passes so boldly
into the key of A. Handel's attempt at separate word-
painting may be traced in the passages " the crooked
straight." In the magnificent chorus, No. 4, "And the
glory," there is much grandeur of treatment, the words ,
"For the mouth of the Loid lidOi spoken it" being
tnost impressively declaimed. "We feel;'; say§ a recent
*titer in the Quarterly Rei;iefv, "iii that aWful clibrus,
that these thr.ce Magical notes which announce in claps
of thtinder 'that all fleslt—"ehall eight
better, belong order of eth6ieai beings with wings,
that they .might the sPetitaneous with the sounds, than
to a Milzielable race, merged in clay and chained to earth,
eligh they feel they hardly stand upon it when they
hear them." The pause at the end, and the succeeding
slow Adagio show how the composer brought everything,
even silence, to assist in bringing out the desired effect.
No. 5 introduces a bass recitative, of a very different
character from the last, and leads to an air,which affords
opportunity for a display of vocal excellence of the highest
order. The slow movement is full of melody' while
some very striking modulations occur iii the Vrestissimo.
The charming chords, in G minor, "And he shall
pdrify," though not a strict fugue, is treated in the fugal
etyin, and demands considerable accuracy of execution,
and freedom of voice from the choristers ; the unexpected
effects produced on the words, " That they may offer,"
&c., giving great contrast to the previous portion. A
short recitative then introduces a lovely melody, No. 9
which comes in as a relief to the prtVicnis declamatory
Music, the charming instrumental accompaniments adding
greatly to its effect, while the chorus breaks suddenly in
with the subject in the finest manner, and when this is
closed the concluding sparkling symphony most fitly
prepares us for the marked change of music which then
takes place.
The powerful recitative, No. 10, leads to an air which
involuntarily makes one feel the gloOni Whieh it de-
scribes, amidst which occurs a bright burst on the words,
"Have seen a light," and which are vividly brought out
in the happiest manner. Then follows a chorus, " For
unto us," No. 12, which is a feature of the first part,
and which—sublime as the words are—should be heard
by all who wish fully to realise this. The manner in
which the words, " For UNTO US a child is born," is
introduced, and the leading up of the subject to the grand
united exclamation, " Wonderful," &c., cannot be
adequately, described, but will not fail in rousing
the feelings of the hearers to the highest pitch of
excitement—nor though this is repeated four different
times is the excitement and astonishment lessened
in the least, from the surprising resources of Handers
genius. There is something inconceivably grand
in the first hearing of this chorus, and it is one
of the most valuable legacies to the world which its com-
poser has bequeathed. At the musical festivals in Eng-
land, the audience generally stand during its performance.
This choris terminates the first section of the Oratorio
containing the prophecies of the Old Testament directly
prefiguring the advent of the Messiah. The second
section, narrating the birth of Christ, commences with.
the pastoral symphony, forming an elegant and graceful
repose after the last chorus, seeming, by its flowing tones,
to breathe out, "Peace and good-will to man." Four
short recitations bring us to a chorus, " Glory to God,"
No. 17, which is also generally received by the audience
standing. With what a rich burst of harmony doefi it
startle the ear, while the rapid instrumentation of the
first four bars increase the amazement and wonder ;
"Peace on earth" steals softly along, while the exquisite
effect of short staccato notes leads one tremblingly to
anticipate the next magnificent burst of voices which
seems to ascend higher and higher; again, but in more
assured strains, "Peace on earth" glides along, while
the short expectant chords prepare for the next beautiful
movement, "Good-will towards men," so charmingly
worked out, while the concluding symphony dies away
at the close, as if retiring from the scene.
The third section, comprising the Saviour's ministe-
rial life, commences with a jubilant air (No. 18), which
has long formed a model for all similar compositions.
Its exuberant richness sometimes tempts the singer to a
little self-display, but its spirit is that of pious confi-
dence and religious adoration, which the following reel,
tative continues, and the air, " He shall feed his flock,"
gives expression to these feelings in the most charming
way. Handers originality and melodic genius is no-
where more prominently displayed than in the rendering
of these words, both in the felicitous rythm imparted to
the words, and the elegant phrases to which they are
set. The chorus, "His yoke is easy," is extremely
striking and peculiar, from ,its cleverly conducted move-
ment and harinonisation—light and buoyant in its cha-
racter, it requires particular attention from the singers,
that it may float along, without once descending from
that region of light and joy which it seems to present
to view.,)

. Part 11., opening with a section devoted to the suffer-
ings and death of the Messiah, assumes a grave and
solemn character from the first chorus, "Behold the
Lamb," which, in its commencing phrase, is closely
imitated throughout; its slow time, sustained treble
passages, and general subdued effects, give it an im-
posing and•dignified effect. Then follows the well-
known'air, "He was despised," held in so much esti-
mation by critics. Nothing in music more forcibly
depicts the emotions of grief and pity; the combination
of musical sounds and vocal utterance were never more
impressively united than when here delivered with that
tenderness and feeling of contrition which the air is
intended to convey.
We have next three choruses of surprising grandeur,
Nos. 24, 25, and 26, which may be treated as three
movements of one chorus, so intimately are they con-
nected—the expression of the first being highly
penitential; the second, " And with his stripes," a fugue
of the most strict and severe style, having, however,
more interest for the musician than for a general
audience ; the third, "All we like sheep," however
faulty it may be in seeming to rejoice in "Going
astray," is extremely beautiful, fresh, and melodious,
both in its plain and more florid passages. Handel was
doubtless led astray from the general scope of the
passage by the wish to suggest the crowded
hurried flight of a flock of frightened sheep, and the
desire to give some gladsome relief to his audience from
the previous severe music, in which he has succeeded ;
but, in the most striking passage at the end, he
returns to the former style and preserves the unity of
the piece ; and this passage, energetically given, pro-
duces a greater impression than all the previous portions
of the combined chorus. The short pathetic recitative
(No. 27) is followed by a stern chorus, remarkable for a
distinctness of character from all the others in the
Oratorio. "He trusted in God" opens with a fine
phrase by the bass—as if the men were more hardened
than the other sex ; then taken up by the tenors and
treated as a fugue, while the melody of the phrase,
" Let Him deliver Him," is so characteristic that it at
once brings the ancient Jews to recollection. The very
individuals are brought before us, Tieing in tantalising
strains of reviling, and- uniting at the close with an
intense vehemence, of which the next two recitatives
and air are the natural sequence, touching and pathetic,
as they are, in the highest degree.
The air, "But thou didst," commencing a section of
the work devoted to the resurrection and ascension, is a
delicious melody which will ever charm the hearer;
while the spirited chorus, "Lift up your heads," in its
simple construction and expression, seems to introduce

us to a new atmosphere after the intense feeling of the
previous section. A few words of recitative brings us
to another rejoicing chorus, "Let all the angels," (No.
35) in which the theme is first given in simple harmony
by the full choir. Then follows a fugue on the same
subject, which is repeated again and again by diminu-
tion, and thus forms an accompaniment to itself—while
the full power of the chorus is concentrated at the close,

forming a climax of great beauty;
The somewhat ineffective air (No. 36), and the chorus
" The Lord gave the word," beginning a section nar-
rating tng triumph of the ciespel, are frequently