The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-31 00:00:00

filuotc.

THE BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL.
moia ova *emu. coaasarovoswr.)

BIRMINGHAM, FRIDAY.
The last morning performance took place this
day, commencing at the usual hour, half-past
eleven—the programme consisting of Gounod's
Mew &lame& in G (St. Cecilia) and Handel's
oratorio, Israel in Egypt—two works very unlike in
style and equally dissimilar in merit.
The Maas was one of the earliest productions that
attracted special notice towards its composer. After
his return from Italy, whither he was sent as the
prize student of the Paris Conservatoire, Gounod
produced various piece:sof church munc,among the
most important of which was the Masa now referred
to ; first performed at the Church of St. Eustache,
Paris, in 1849. It might have been supposed
that with the special opportunities afforded by his
stay of several years in Italy, Gounod would have
been so thoroughly imbued with the grandeur and
sublimity of the old Italian church composers as
to hare gained some reflection of their style, and
applied it in his eccieellettoel writing. In *Owe
,of his church music, however, that we are so,
qusinted with do we find any sign of such a course
of study. The severe and noble simplicity of
Palestrina, and the more highly developed fugal
writing as well as the dignified sublimity of later
Italian. church composers, if he studied them, seem
to have left no impress on the mind of the French
edadent. The Mane to *thichare are now referring
contains much graceful erriting ; frequently ele-
gant, but never even appreitoking the sublime.
' There is the same dreary indefiniteness which
charaderises Faust, the melodic phrases in the
sacred and the secular work presenting a *imilarity
of sty,* that is quite inconsistent with the distinc-
tion which should exist between the music of the
church and that of the stage. Gounod's mind ap-
pears to us to be incapable of that grasp of a go-
verning and predominating train of thought Which
is even more essential in the music of the church
than in that of the theatre, where transitional emo-
tion is frequently the chief characteristic. The
Masa of Gounod, apart from the absence of any
signs df such study of great models as has always
been held essential for the formation of &church com-
poser, is deficient both in elevation and seriousness
of style), and in any such marked character or pre-
dominant beauty as would compefisate for the
absenos,of higher qualities—as, for instance,' in
Itoesini's Stabat Mater, the exquisite grace and
beautyS distinctness and finish of which largely
atone for the absence of profounder qualities. The
opening " Kyrie" of Gounod's Maas, with its
simple, commencing unisonoua phrase, has a tran-
quil grace, with, some good effects of contrast
between the solo voices and chorus ; but the move-
ment is much too prolonged in its purposeless in-
definiteness, and the chief figure of the orchestral
accompaniment, the series of chords in the
stringer! instruments, is reiterated to a tiresome
excess. The " Gloria," usually a movement of
impertaitt development, has the same character of
indefiniteness and want of any distinct . predomi-
natintfirain of thought. Therdevied or making
the chorus murmur, with closed lips, the accom-
panying harmonies to the soprano solo is out of
place in such a situation, and is an imitation of
what has been done with much better effect, and
with more propriety, by Auber in the " Breeze "
song in his Haydee. At the words " Laud-
emus Te "we are led to expect something like
treatment and development of a subject, in which,
however, we are disappointed. The following
solo passages for the three single voices, " Domino
Ifill," having little character in themselves, see
THZ NEW ENVOY FOE SIAM.—Sir John Bowling
haa now received his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary ant off by some fleeceful instrumentation, in which
and Minister Plenipotentiary from the King of Siam to the the oboe is frequently prominent. The " Quoniam"
Courts of Europe, and Mr. Charles Kendall has been ap-
cinte.Seternerotudloinrs !;•rodon.l e
lately leftV ultdreiarsstaun d that
mss „
I is chiefly a reproduction of the previous " Lauda-
cceeded
te with a few added sequences, and an effeo•
before their departure in obtaining a settlement of certain five point d'orgue at the " Cum sancta." The
questions regarding the frontiers of Siam sad Cambodia.— „ credo,„
near
London and China Tekgrapk. early throughout in choral unison,
GAZETTE NOTlcEs.—The Queen has been gra. relies chiefly on its pompous instrumentation for
ciously pleased to appoint Vice• Admiral the Hon. Edward its effects—the vocal writing being commonplace,
Alfred John Harris, CB., now her Majesty's Envoy Ex-
an
traordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Swiss
,the Orchestral accompaniments stilted and in-
d
Confederation, to be her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary I fluted rather than intrinsically important. The
and Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of the Nether-
lands. The Queen has also been graciously pleased to ap- following brief '` Et Incarnatus," a series of chords
point John Lumley, Eaq., to be her Majesty's En. alternated between the solo voices and the chorus,
eye Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the and almost entirely unaccompanied, seems to rely
Swiss
Confederation. The Queen has been pleased to e-
sent the Rev. William Fraser to the church and parish of chiefly for its effect on a quadruple piano
Maryton, in the presbytery of Brechin, and county of For- (p. p. p. p.). Neither the Crueiftrus nor the "Et
fara_vacent by the death of the Rev. William Reid. resurresit " offers any special features. At
THE REPRESENTATION OP WEST GLOUCESTER-
SHIRE—On Thursday night a large meeting of the oleo-
the words "Et ascendit," some passages of
toes of the Mangotsfield district was held at Hill House, the previous " Credo " recur —at the passage "Et
the residence of Mr. H. Cossliam, to take measures for expecto," a good effect being produced by the entry
carrying two liberal members for the Western Division
of the county of Gloucester. Mr. H. COWMAN, presided. of the voices one by one in ascending intervals on
There were from to 200 eleetere present, some of a pedal bass ; a ray of brightness being thrown by
whom voted for the conservative candidate at the late
West Glonceetershire election. the use of the harp over the somewhat common-
Tits POISONED O'Dea is HEREFORDSHIRE.— place writing of the "Et Vitam." The short in-
Yesterday morning the coroner who conducted the inquiry etrummit.l " Offertory" preceding the "Sanctus"
into the death of the agricultural labourer who died from
drinking poisoned cider, was called upon by the ex-mayor , has much tranquil grace and refinement—but here
of Hereford (Mr. John Bosley), and other gentlemen, to I again there is no development or treatment of any
re-open the inquiry. At the close of the inquest these I
gentlemen, whosetyle is no more religions
orations were adverse to that of the ; idea, and the s
medical witnesses (who thought the cider was poisoned than that of the garden scene music in Faust. The
through the "must" being allowed to remain over ~ sancta, itself has a small prettiness of character
the mill), proceeded to the premises of Mrs.
Buriton, and upon examination of the casks, found which would be pleasing in association with some
that white lead had been used between the staves. These I less exalted purpose—the triplet passage* for the
casks were some of a lot (200 or 300), consigned for sale
from a Liverpool or London cooperage lost autumn, and tenor solo, and afterwards for the choral
disposed of by auction in Hereford market. They were voices, being quite beneath the dignity required in
distributed throughout the county, and the fact tbrows lin such a movement. The " 13enedictus,"
some light upon the cramps, spasms, nausea, and paralysis,
that have for some months been disabling a great number I usually a piece of some length and importance, is
of labourers in the county. The coroner has summoned ; here trite to a degree almost without precedent.
the assistance of the farmers of the district and the
medical men of Hereford to assist him in trying to avert I it is merely a short piece of simple harmony for
a wholesale poisoning.
„.„ the solo and choral voices. The " Agnua Dei,"
GREAT WESTERN COLLIERY COMPANY.—The I perhaps the best number in the Maas, is a well-
second ordinary general mooting of shareholders was held
yesterday at the offices, 4, King-street, Cheapside. The sustained piece of melodious vocal part-writing,
report stated that after sundry deductions, and writing off alternating between chorus and solo voices, con-
one-tenth of the preliminary expense', the directors were
enabled to recommend a dividend for the past half- ear treated with some extremely graceful instrumente-
d 4s. per share, free of income tax, making, with the nte- tion in which some charming flowing passages for
rim dividend paid in March last of Os. :td. per share, a
total distribution of between and 7 per cent. per annum the violins are sustained throughout. With this
on the paid-up capital of the company, carrying over a movement the Mass ended, the " Domino salvom"
balance to the next account. On the motion of Mr. lial-
oomb (the chairman), the report was received, and adopted, not being included in the performance. That there
and the above-mentioned dividend declared. The retiring , are many passages of grace and beauty, and frequent
directors were Messrs. Blundell and Halkaworth, who I
reelection. Colonel Bathurst also charm of instrumentation is scarcely be disputed ;
offered themselves for
offered himself as candidatefor • seat at the board. I but there is a want of grandeur and elevation of style
was also stated that one of the directors, Mr. Horatio that is made even more apparent by an occasionally
Day, had died since the last meeting, and it was not °re-
posed to fill up the vacancy. Colonel Bathurst and Ur. excessive use of brass instruments and the inter
posed
Lee were then elected in the pleas of the retiring duction in one or two instances of cymbals. There
directors ; and the retiring auditors, Messrs. Johnstone,
er, Wintle, and Evans, were re-elected. The pro- is also frequently a strong antagonism between the
Coop
mediae" then terminated. pervading sweetness and modern grace of a ne,,ve-
The Inspector of Nuisances to the Holborn meet and its termination by some of there closing
District Board of Works has Liven formal notice in his
cadences of the old church school which have a
district to those having flower pots in their windows to
remove them immediately, otherwise proceedings will be ;crude effect when suddenly used after such ante-
taken to compel their removal. It is right that such flower
pots should be secured for the public safety, and we have cedents. Tho Mass was indeed scarcely worthy of
not only =zed this but pointed out plans for the performance at a Birmingham festival. The solos
pees ; but ths safely of the public does not require their were admirably sung by Wills Nilsson, Mr. Cum-
removal ; and we hope that the district board will with- mid' y'
Mr. Bentley.
draw the order given, end substitute soother, ordering "'""s",
the securing of all window gardening apparatus, so as to After the somewhat feeble prettiness of Gounod's
ensure the public safety.—Builder. Maas, the gigantic grandeur and sublimity and
The Medical Times and Gazette is sorry to hear
that a of ..dcmhud and
h.. admitted into profound learning of Handel's greatest choral work,
the London Hospital. Israel in Egypt, presented a remarkable confine.