The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-10 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

(nom ova ovng coausrozorre.)

BIRMINGHAM, FIIDAT, Sim 0.
The miscellaneous concert of last night was the
most fully attended of the evening performances.
It was, indeed, densely crowded, and such were the
beat and pressure that the hall, before it was over,
gave some idea of the temperature of the Black
Hole of Calcutta. Notwithstanding the excellence
of theentertainment, the audience must hare felt
its couldusion a happy release from suffering. For-
tunately this release, was obtained at an earlier hour
than on the previous evenings, the concert being
of more moderate dimensions. It began with Mr.
Arthur Sullivan's new cantata entitled Kenilworth.
This gsutlernan has gained some credit by his music to
the Tempest, a work of considerable merit, notwith-
standing his temerity in attempting to super-
sede by compositions of his own some of the most
beautiful music of Purcell and Arne.

This new cantata has been written expressly for
the Birmingham festival. Kenilworth is certainly
as advance on the Tempest ; and, considered as the
work of a young composer, it may be regarded as
being at least a highly promising effort. He him-
self conducted the performance; the principal avers,
Madame Lemmens Sherrington, Miss Palmer, Mr.
Cummings, and Mr. Santley, exerted themselves
with praiseworthy zeal and good effect ; and the piece
had a favourable reception. At its conclusion
the applause was loud and general, and Mr. Sul-
livan came forward to make his acknowledgments
to the audience. The "poem is from the pen
of Mr. Cborley. It is a kind of " Masque,"
describing the
_pageants and entertainments
given by the Earl of Leicester to Queen
Elizabeth at Kenilworth. The music begins with
an instrumental prelude professing to paint the
tranquillity of a fine summer night. The sound of
cannon announces the approach of the Queen,
whose arrival is hailed by a chorus of joy and
welcome. Then the "Lady of the Lake" appears, and
sings a song intimating that she has slept beneath
the mater ever siuce the days of King Arthur, but
now wakes to enjoy the golden days of Elizabeth.
The song is followed by another chorus, pro-
claiming the perfections of the maiden queen under
her romantic name of Oriana. She is declared to
be—

Like summer's bounteous noon,
Most radiant to behold ;
Am chaste as yonder moon,
But not ona-balf so cold.

Then there is "a slow dance with a burden ;" and
Arlon sings a song blazing with patriotic loyalty.
The Queen is then supposed to partake of a
dramatic entertainment worthy of her clas-
sical taste ; this entertainment, consisting
of the pretty dialogue between Lorenzo
and Jessica in the last actuf the iferchant of Venire,
beginning " How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon
this bank.- This charming bit of love-talk is
treated as recitative and duet, sung by Mr. Cum-
mings ant Madame Sherrington. Next there is a
"brisk dance" for the Queen's further entertain-
ment ; and the finale is a chorus, invoking a bless-
ing ou her Majesty's slumbers. The words are
quaint and pleasant, but the fault of this masque is
its meagreness. It cannot be said to hare a subject.
There is no incident, no dramatic interest, no
expression of passion or feeling ; nothing,
in abort, to rouse the genius of a musi-
cian ; and Mr. Sullivan's music has suffered
accordingly. The author of the words, in his it reel-
propos, defends himself against au anticipated
charge of anachronism in introducing a scene from
the Merchant of Venice, similar miachrouisms, as
he says, haring been committed by Walter Scott.
There was uo call for this justification, as uo fault
bad been committed ' • but the introduction of
Shakespeare's beautiful dialogue is liable to a dif-
ferent objection. The poet's delicious language is
incapable of musical treatment, and could only
have been spoiled even had the composer been
superior to Mr. Sullivan. As to the music of the
piece, it is at least clever and pretty, if not original.
The song, " I am a ruler on the Sea," sung by Mr.
Bentley, as Arlon, is pleasing, and promises to be
popular ; and the dance-music which precedes the
final chorus is light and graceful, bringing to mind
s sdieno of 3leudelasohn. On the whole, if this
work do not raise the reputation of Mr. Sullivan
as a compose .r, neither will it detract from it
_ _

The remainder of the concert, though of a less
classical character than that of the previous evening,
contained several excellent pieces. Madame Arabella
Goddard played Weber's Concert-Stuck (ea she always
does) superbly ; but an awkward hitch occurred.
The orchestra "got out" in the middle of a difficult
passage, and remained for several bars at cruse-
purposes with the piano. The "Spinning-
wheel quartet " from Martha was nicely sung
by 31111 e. Titian's, Miss Palmer, Mr. Cuminiugs, and
Mr. Santley. Mdlle. Titiens sang the air, " Com' 4
belle," from tnereria Borgia,with immense f ffect ; mid
Mdlle. Patti warbled her favourite waltz, " Di gioja
insolita" with "tremendous " applause. The over-
ture to Guillaume Tell was played with vast Mat ;
and the only other instrumental piece, a Greek
march by Luders, proved successful.
The last morning performance took place to-day.
It consisted of Beethoven's Mount of Wires,
Mozart's Twelfth Mass, Guglielun's Offertoriti ra,
and a selection from Handel's Solomon. All these
pieces are well known, and call for little remark.
In The Mount of °tires the solo performers were
Mdlle. Titiens, Mr. Sims Reeves, and Mr. Bentley,
who did full justice to the beauties of this divine
work. The wonderfully passionate air, " Still 1
see my Lord and Master," was sung by Sims Reeves
as it used to be sung by Brabam when this work first
became known in tins country ; Titiens' air, " Praise
your Redeemer's goodness." was equally remark.
able for power and expression ; and Sautley gave
great dramatic effect to the impetuous character of
Peter. The grand choral fugue, " Worlds of
glory,' was sublime beyond description. Mozart's
Twelfth Mass has gained vast popularity in
this country, while others of the series, much
superior, remain almost unknown. This mass is
calculated to please the public ear ; but iu Ger-
many it is generally deemed unworthy of its illus-
trious author. Gugliehin's lig etori uot is merely
an air, iu the old Italian style, full of florid pas-
sages. and accompanied by • number of similar
passages on the clarinet. It is destitute of re-
ligions grandeur, and its only merit ti s in its
affording the performers room fur an ad captandain
display of execution. The selection from So/omon
included three airs, all sung by Madame Salmon-
Dolby, and several of the finest choruses, including
the finest of them all, "From the Ceredir," a piece
of vocal harmony which Handel himself has never
surpassed. The hall to all appearance was nearly
as much crowded as on the previous days.
The following were present this morning :
The Earl of Lichfield (president), Countess of
Lichfield and party, the Mayor of Birmingham,
Mrs. Holliday and party, Colonel the Hon. Grant-
ham Scott and party, Sir R. Hamilton, Bart., and
party, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and party, Colonel and
Mrs. Boultbee and party, the Rev. F. Gooch, Mr.
John Hardy, M.P., Mrs. Hardy, and party ; Mr.
Adder:ey, 31. P. ; Lord and Lady Leigh and party,
the Hou. and Rev. W. Begot, Sir J. Palciugton,
Bart., 3L P., and party ; Mr. Whitmore, M.P.,
Mrs. Whitmore, and party ; Sir William Gomm
and party, Miss Moucrieff and party, Mr. and Mrs.
A. Corledt and party, Mrs. Dugdale and party,
Mrs. Peels, Lady Dormer and party, Sir W.
Throckfuorton Bart., and party ; the Hou. Mrs.
Howard and party. Lad and Lady Hatberton and
party, General Whichcote and party, the Rev.
Chancellor Law, Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P., and
party ; Mr. H. F. Vernon, M.P. ; the High Sheriff
of Statfordshire and party, fbc.
Up to this point—that is, the end of Friday
morning's performance—the summary is as fol-
lows :—Tuesday, Sept. 6, first day. 2,1251. 2s. 4d. ;
Wednesday, 7, second day, 2,9801. Ifts. 3d. ; Thurs-
day, 8, third day, 4,1481. oa. 11d. ; Friday, 9, fourth
day (morning on 17), 1,775/. 10e. 3d.: total, 11,0271.
9d. There is an increase of 1,2001. over the
festival of 1861, and fur to-night's performance (an
extra) every ticket is sold, and hundreds have gone
away lamenting.
The following were the attendances and receipts
on Thursday evening :—President and vice-presi-
dents' seats at 15e. each, 47, 35/. ss. ; secured
sesta, at 16e. each, 1,427, 1,0701. 58. ; unsecured
sesta at Bs. each, 714, 2851. 12s.—total seats, '