The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-30 00:00:00

.': - " 4

THE NORWICH MUSICAL FNOTIV,AL

(mow oua ows coasierowDzss.7
NORWICH, NosDAT.

The general assemblage of all the executants,
London and provincial, engaged in this great music
meeting, was held in St. Andrew's-hall this morn-
ing, when a full rehearsal took place—the greater
portion of the time being devoted to the oratorio
of Newnan ; which, although familiar to
the London instrumentalists and choristers
from the performance at the Birmingham
Festival of 1864 (where it was originally
L I:deed) and its repetition last year by the London
Harmonic Society, cannot be supposed to
be so well known to the performers who were not
present on either of those oocasiona. The result of
this morning's rehearsal, however, proves that the
elaborate difficulties of the music have been
gently studied, and the local practice most effi-
mently guided. The chorus appears to be excel-
lent—producing a volume of tone that, at its loudest,
is grand and resonant, without approaching harsh-
I near. The cathedral choir, well known as one of the
_ most efficient in the kingdom, contributes mostvalu-
able help to the choral resources of the festivaL Of
: the orchestra it is sufficient to repeat, that it is almost
entirely composed of the beat London instru-
mentalists, most of them belonging to the Royal
Italian Opera band. The rehearsal of Mr. Costa's
Haarlem was directed by the composer, who will
himself conduct it at the performance on Wednesday
morning. An Anthem by Spohr (never yet per-
formed), which will precede Mr. Costa's oratorio
on Wednesday, and Mr. Benedict's new cantata,
Saint Cecilia, were also rehearsed to-day.
It is impossible to imagine a building better
suited to the purposes of a musical festival than St.
Andrew's-hall, at Norwich. In this respect the
cities of the " three choirs " (Gloucester, Hereford,
. and Worcester) cannot compare with Norwich.
Hence, without entering into the vexed question
of the propriety or impropriety of giving public
performances of oratorios in cathedrals, we may at
once say that, merely on acoustic principles, and
with regard to the greater facility and superior
comfort in the accommodation of a moderately
large audience, there can be no question of the
balance being greatly in favour of such a hall as
that of Norwich over any cathedral, however splen-
did or capacious. A cathedral is so vast, and
abounds in ao many recesses and angles, that musi-
cal bounds must be more or less broken up and
dispersed, an effect that is little felt in the com-
paratively simple English service music, performed
by a choir of moderate numbers. But when a
band and chorus of several hundred performers
are assembled, the volume of sound produces
so much reverberation in a great cathedral, that
music of any complexity or rapidity of movement
reaches the ear of the listener with its outlines
dimmed, in much the same way that objects are
obscured to the eye by the intervention of fog or
mist. Then, it can never be possible to arrange for
the accommodation of an audience so easily or so
pleasantly in a cathedral, with its intervening screen
and the enclosure of the choir. It is true, St.
Andrew's-hall was originally the nave of a grand
church ; but its plain and pure Gothic architecture,
' and the slight and elegant stone columns which
mark off the aisles on each side, cause neither
obstruction or exaggeration to 'musical vibration—
while the architectural style of the building harmo-
nises admirably with 'the serious and solemn tone
of the sacred works which form a large portion of
the festival performances.
A few hours more will find St. Andrew's-hall
lighted up and crowded by an audience assembled
to hear Handers Israel in Egypt, with which the
Norwich Festival is to commence this (Monday)
evening.

THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS or WALE:4.-
2(OIANS, MONDAY EVIININO. —The interest of the visit
of the Prince and Princess of Wales to Norwich appears
likely to be greatly enhanced by the fact that the Duke
of Edinburgh, who left Floors Castle (the se►t of the Duke
of Roxburgh.) on Saturday for Sandringham, will accom-
pany their royal bighnesses and the Queen of Denmark to
ecstasy to-morrow, and come on to Norwich on Wednes-
day. The finishing touch is being given by Lord Stafford
to the preparations for his guests, and to-morrow after-
noon Coeterisy-park will be thrown open to the public,
while in the evening there will be a display of fireworks.
The apartments which will be occupied by the royal visitors
at Coetemy-hall comprise a great portion of the south
front, which commands a fine view of woodland scenery.
The boudoir set apart for the princess oontains some
carved work of great antiquity, and is furnished
very elaborately. Apartments at St. Andrew's-hall have
also been elegantly furnished for the use of the royal
party. The mayor and sheriff of Norwich have
taken steps to provide two silver spades for the
ass of the Prince and Princess when they plant
two trees in Chapel-field on Wednesday afternoon in
oommemomtion of their visit to Norwich. At the east end
of St. Giles's-churchyard a platform has been erected for
the accommodation of the Carrow School children and
also the children of St. Gilee's School. The streets
through which the procession will pass on Wednesday are
being barricaded, and every care will be taken for the
prevention of accidents. The description of tree to be
planted by the Prince and Princess is what is known in
the botanical world as the " Wellingtonia gigantea."
On the Friday evening there is to be a grand pyrotechnic
display in front of the Shire-ball.

CONARCRATION OP A ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP.
—Dr. Chadwick, late Professor of Pastoral Theology in
Eshaw Cain', was on Sunday consecrated in St.
Cuthbert's Chapel, Ushaw, HOME catholic bishop of
lieghem and Newcastle. Dr. Chadwick is now 64 emirs
of age, having been born at Drogheda in 1812. When
only twelve years of age he went to Ushaw, and after un-
dergoing & course of collegiate training, was ordained •
priest in 1837, and remained in the college,
having been elevated further to the dignity of
professor. Some time afterwards he went to Woofer as '
one of a body of diocesan missionaries, but sub-
sequently returned to Ushaw to take the professorial
chair of lloral Philosophy. Thereafter he undertook a
lengthened course of travel on the Continent, and on return-
ing to this country he resided at Stourton for some time
se chaplain to Lord Stourton, and while there received an
appointment to a canonry at Beverley. After being a few
Twin at Stourton he again returned to Ushaw, where he
filled the chair of Pastoral Theology until his election to
the see of Hesitant and Newcastle, vacated by the death of
the late much respected Bishop Hogarth. The duties of
consecrator were undertaken by the Most Rev. Henry E.
Manning, Archbishop of Westminster, there being also
present the Right Rev. Dr. Brown, Bishop of Shrewsbury ;
the Right Rev. Dr. Amherst. Bishop of Northampton ;
the Right Rev. Dr. Grant, Bishop of Southwark ; the
Right Rev. Dr. Turner, Bishop of SeUonl ; the Right
Rev. Dr. Cornthwaite, Bishop of Beverley. The two
latter bishops acted as assistants to the bishop-elect, the I
consecrator being assisted by the Rev. Dr. Grant, Bishop I
of Southwark. The consecration took place in St. Cuth-
bert's Chapel, attached to Ushaw College, four miles
writ of Durham. The sermon sow preached before the
consecration began by the Right Rev. Dr. Amherst, the
text being taken from Psalm cxxv., verse Ist. He con-
fined his remarks at the outset to the exhortation of
trust in God, as the great bulwark of religious safety.
By that trust oa the part of her apostles, saints, and
martyrs, the church surmounted all her difficulties, and by
that she would overcome them in the future. The three
qiudifications which were necessary for • bishop were a
pure heart, a fervent faith, and a clear conscience, and
he preyed for these for his brother to be consecrated.
While lamenting the " dominant heresy " of the Eng-
lish nation, and the increasing spirit of free-thinking and
infidelity, he looked to • faithful course on the part of the
sbephenls of the flock as a means of conquering these
evils. And while in Italy the spirit of rapine and tyranny
was turned against the church he rejoiced that the pastors
were true to their faith. In that fidelity all storms could
Defaced and their faith would triumph. The bishop's ring
bad for a stone a magnificent amethyst, and was presented
by Mr. James Chadwick, brother to the new bishop. The
pectoral cross was • magnificent gold cross set with rubies,
said a present from the professors of the college. The
students with whom Dr. Chadwick has been • favourite
intend to present him with a splendid crosier. We us:dot:-
stand that Dr. Chadwick intends to take up his residence
in Newcastle.—Northern Daily Express.
SURELY CHAPEL POPULAR LECTURES. The
opening lecture was delivered hat evening by the Rev.
Newman Hall, LL.B., on "Lakes end Mountains." Up-
wards of two thousand persons, mostly working men, were
paws'. The proceedings commenced with a short collect,
the oonipsgation joining in the Lord's Prayer, and con-
cluded with the doxology. It was announced that next
Monday the subject would be " The Battle of Heatless."
SOUTH KENSINGTON MIIIIIIIK.—ViIIiLOTE during
the week ending October 27:—sin Monday, Tuesday,
sad Saturday, free from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. 8,764; on
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (admissionGlLL from
10 ans..to 5 p.m., 1,365—t0ta1, 10,129. Average of oor-
wesk in former ram, 10,446. Teta from the
2"P6lPadmill the ureues, 11,11711.01.