The Express.
London, England, 1858-09-09 00:00:00

(Stamped id. Additional.) [TWOPENCE.

MUSIC.

LEEDS MUSICAL FESTIVAL.
LEEDS, WEDNESDAY EVENING.

The Festival began this morning. The extraordi-
nary excitement caused by the visit of the Queen
gave way to another excitement not leas extraordi-
nary ; for among the people of Yorkshire the love of
music, especially those branches of it which com-
prehend grand choral harmony, is as strong u
among any other people in the world.
The general rehearsal necessarily took place be-
fore her Majesty's arrival, and occupied the whole
of Monday, under Dr. Bennett's direction. There
wu a full muster of the band and chorus, and nearly
the whole solo vocal performers were present. The
instrumental band wu 95 strong, and included the
whole orchestra of the London Philharmonic So-

eiety, reinforced by several select performers on
different instruments from the principal Yorkshire
towns, Leeds, York, Halifax, Huddersfield, and
Bradford. The chorus, consisting entirely of York-
shire people—the Yorkshire choristers have no
superiors in the world—was thas divided : —Trebles,
63; contraltos (female), 18; alias (male), 43; tenors,
60 ; basses, 60 ; in all 244. The whole orchestral
and choral force thus amounting to 340 ; a small

amount compared to the enormous host at Exeter
Hall, or even the number whom I heard last week
at Birmingham ; but I have often bad occasion to
observe that real musical power is not to be measured
by the strength of numbers, nay, that the very re-
verse is often themes. The Leeds orchestra and chorus
is fully adequate to the grandest effects, in the largest
locality in which music can really be heard ; a fact
abundantly proved by the performance of to-day. The
principal vocal performers are Madame Clara
Novell°, Mrs. Sunderland (a lady of great reputa-
tion throughout the north of England), Madame
Weiss, Miss Helena Walker, Miss Dolby, Miss
Palmer, Miss Crosland, Miss Freeman, Madame
Alboni, and MdUe. Piooolomini ; Mr. Sims Reeves,
Mr. W. Cooper, Mr. Inkersall, Mr. Weiss, Mr.
&alley, Mr. Winn, Mr. Hinohcliffe, Signor
Giuglini, Signor Rossi, and Signor Vialetti. The
solo instrumentalists are Miss Arabella Goddard,
M. Swinton, Mr. H. Blagrove, Mr. Webb, Messrs.
C. and T. Harper, Mr. Williams, Mr. Waetsig, and
Mr. Lucas. The organists are Mr. H. Smart and
Mr. \V. Park ;-and Mr. R. B. Burton is the chorus.
master.

The Oratorio this morning was Elijah:: and of its
performance I really have little more to say than
that it has never been surpassed even at Birming-
ham. The character of the Prophet wu sustained
by Mr. Weiss, to whom this part is now
almost always assigned u to the person
moat competent to do it justice ; and certainly on
this occasion he has fully maintained what I may
call his right to it. I never was mere strack with
the power and quality of his voles, or with his grave
and lofty delivery of Mendelssohn's sublime music.
Madame Clara Novello, as it appeared to me, was in
still better voice than at Birmingham, and did
greater justice to the divine air, " Hear ye, Israel,
which may well be called the gem of the work.
She was exceedingly happy in :the scene of the
miraculous restoration of the widow's son, which'
she sang with exquisite beauty and most touching
expression. Miss Dolby being unfortunately indis-
posed and unable to appear, her place wu ably sup-
plied by Miss Palmer, a young lady who is gradu-
ally becoming one of our finest contralto singers.
Her natural gifts are excellent, and she studies her
art assiduously. She sang the air, " Woe onto
them who forsake them," with its true
expression—the sorrow and compassion of an angel
for the sins of human nature; and in the other
beautiful air, " 0 rest in the Lord," she emulated
Miss Dolby in persuasive sweetness. In the grand

oese when Jezebel denounces the Prophet to the

people, and cotemaads that he shall be slain, Mim
Palmer did not rise to the dramatic force of the eitaa-

tion : but this is no disparagement to her, for neither

. .
does anyone else, except Madame Viardot, who dis-
plays in this scene a dramatic power unique and
unrivalled. The tine solo nonrated pieces—the

quartets and trio—were sweetly and delicately
sung ; and, as to the cbornses,"anything more perfect
than their execution lam unable to imagine. Such
is the a plomb of the singers and the completeness
of their ensemble, that each vocal part mews
uttered by one individual, and the entire choral har-
mony is like a quartet of giants. These Yorkshire
choristers, moreover, have superb voices, both men
and women—full, sweet, and mellow, without a
grain of harshness; and they attack every point of
response and imitation with a precision which shows
how thoroughly they understand the music. Though
(as I have said) their number was small compara-
tively with those of other places, yet I have never
heard immense power more magnificently put forth.
The vast and gorgeous hall was crowded to the
doors. The principal performers, u they entered
the orchestra, were warmly welcomed ; and the con-
ductor, who appeared last, was received with a
thunder of applause which seemed to shake the
walla. The people of Yorkshire are proud—as they
well may be—of Sternal& Bennett, and rejoice to
hail him as their countrymen.

At this evening's oosoert, his pastoral minted',
" The May Queen," is to be produced, the principal
parts ring by Madame Clara Novell°, Miss Dolby,
Sims Reeves, and Weise. It is a lovely thing, and
its encores is certain. Bo indeed is the success of
the FsetivaL The sale of tickets for every perform-
ance is already sufficient to insure this result ; and
the demand is as brisk as ever.

TR; 1111121701 D MUSICAL FESTIVAL.—Hrne
reap, SNIT. 7.—A as ( of the stewards of the late
Hail Festival his Jest bus bell Ins, es audit the
rasp sad sseerois the noollo, Obit tone ad le be ter
assediag the sandystioss of en porde'. Aikoudit, frets
the mass of the attorksos, seesiosed by deaths he
irked coast, hakes, the abuses of Shin. sod °Oar
adverse sbasseteorese dee tisecissey dzollede that of the bet
heeled by gest Ilk., tbb mare lOU lave to be divided
meow tweet:rive Sowards. Os the other bead, dr
recipe is Wolf of the Cirerseses Widow. sad Orpheao
Charity we war by Said, 1001. this the 1100.4111 04 the
Ind trbodal babel, is 1866 fieversi addltiesel esbesip-
doss ires lately bees reeelsd, es add I. the desseloss ad-
howl at J. dison of the oalliskal. The sew sateettpdoos
bele& 1001. free Min Wallinlin, of Tome work, 261.
frees Lord Eatesese, sad 101. oak frost Camas Pools sled
Las. noes auks the parr esbewiptiose up to SOL The
Warts ear dividend at 1101. is yet te Gess, ma. wide ems
father disseicas, h is lisped 1.1011. wilt b. mama. 5141.
was the son canseted !rthe dimity Is 1616.

1101 BALLOT MOVIDLNT.—Th• Women et the
Bar Sorry hire rewind frost " A lirdeei Oder eir
Armory, who whirr Idoreit tire serrearta, the este el
404 far tba um el dr saahty.
LONDON ONNIDAL OMNIBUS COMPANT.-11tO
ladle rhokr the vest soft thet 4, 1868, yrs
lo,sete. tie al.

THE DEAN OP GABLIBLE AND THE BEV.
PBECENTOB LIVINGSTON.

On Tuesday morning the Bishop of Carlisle,
assisted by Dr. Travers Tvrlm, chancellor of the diocese of
Landon, and the Rev. C. J. Burton, chancellor of the diocese
of Cuffsle, as assessors, held a Court in the Chapter-house,
for the purpose of heating an appeal of the Rev. T. G. Li-
vingston, minor canon and precentor, arising out of a dispute
which at the time created much interest in the public mind.
Mr. Edward Jamas, Q.C., and Mr. Lawrie appeared for the
Dean sad Chapter. Mr. Temple, Q.C., represented Mr.
Livingston, the defendant. Seversl questions were discussed
as to the powers of the court and the nature of the evidence
permitted to be offered, and which was very voluminous.
I The nominal point at issue, and which the bishop had to 17,
was the right to prescribe the selection of music to be used
the cathedral service. Mr. Livingston claimed this right
under a clause which gives the precentor the command of
' the minor canons, clerks, and choristers—" Quidquid ille
legend= cut canendum priewripwrit prompts parent de-
I bent." It was for the bishop, as visitor, to decide whether
the general authority of the dean does not override this
limited jurisdiction. The facts are theme draft of a
selection of music for the fifth Sunday in List Irall=
to Mr. Livingston by the organist, containing an
from the " Messiah," to which be entertained objesinne.
He furies/dad the draft to the dean and seams, with
a marginal note objecting to the anthem, but not
suggesting any substitute, and received it back
again' with a memorandum by the dean dissent-
ing from the objection. The precentor next addressed to
the dean a letter asking him to reconsider his judg•
meat, but on the following day, being applied to in the usual
course to furnish the customary bet of the next Sunday.
music, he, not having received any answer from the dean,
wrote and exhibited lists altered in conformity with his own
opinions. Upon this an angry correspondence took place.
The dean prohibited Mr. Livingston from having anything
further to do with the ringing lists, and eventually suspended
him from his office. The disputed anthem was restored to
its place in the bat, the dean's name being appended to it es
an authority, and that of Precentor LivingaWn struck out.
Upon this, Mr. Livingston presented certain charges against
the dean, which he vainly endeavoured to induce the chapter
to reodve. The dean then pronounced formal sentence upon
him, a muse in which he was supported by the canons rest-
dentieryof the cathedral. Against this decision Mr. Livingston
appealed to the visitor. Mr. Temple opened the ease and
stated the facts set out in the appellant's petition, and these,
so far as they went, were not disputed. Mr. James, on
behalf of the Dean and Chapter, contended that the grounds
of Mr. Livingston'a dismissal were not solely those alleged in
the document purporting to dismiss him, and entered into a
long statement, and read many letters endeavouring to show
that the rev. precentor had been wilfully contumacious end
disrespectful to his superiors since his appointment in 1856.
At the conclusion of the learned counsel's speech the court
adjourned until Wednesday, when Mr. James announced
his intention of examining the dean and canons end the or-
ganist. There is a strong biting in Carlisle in reference to
this subject, the cspitaler body having been for some time
past very unpopular with the people of the old cathedral city.