The Express.
London, England, 1858-09-02 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL

mow ova owir coalsirowmarr.)
BIRMINGHAM, WIDNUDAT Irsernro.

The concert of last evening was fully and bril-
liantly attended. The first part was a neimiellaneoas
selection, chiefly of pieces from favourite operas I
the second consisted of Handel's charming pastoral
drama, or tierensta as it is called, Acis and Galata.
The concert began with the overture to the Preis-
whits, played by this magnificent orchestra with an
east which I have scarcely ever heard equalled ;
and Rossini's very effective overture to the Sieye of
ChrietA concluded the miscellaneous portion. All
the pieces included in the miscellaneous selection an
baffler to the musical public, bat they were, gene-
rally speaking, well chosen and well performed.
Romini's quaint and original sea song, I Marinari,
MO rang with great effect by Tamberlik and
Ronconi. Madame Caetellan's air from the hack-
neyed Trariato might have been dispensed with ;
but Alboni, in her well-known air from Botly,
;La In semplioe,"created a perfect fume ; and no
, for it was an unparalleled display of
Take, execution, and fire. MademoiselletctCire
Balk made a highly socoessful dsb,d, especially in
Plaines aria, " Il soave e bey contento," which she
sang with remarkable brilliancy and the warmest
applause. Tamberlik'e air (with chorus) "Re del
col " from the PropAite, and Madame Viardot's
Romance from the Anorito, were also worthy of
menial notice.
But the interesting feature of the concert was
Arts and Galatea, a work which has set, of late
years, been so often heard as it deserves to be; •
circumstance probably owing to the slightness of
the original instrumentation, which is unsatis-
factory to errs accustomed to the richness of
the modern orchestra. It was writes.
at an early period of Handel's career, for the mall
private band of the Duke of Chandos, during the
young composer's residence at Cannons, ant was con-
sequently adapted to the limited means at hie dis-
poni. It appears that additions to the more ware
made by Mozart. Asia and Galatea, *1 retro-
mike," stands in the catalogcatalogueof Mesart's weeks
i given by his biograpbms; but t seems tebaeolallen
Into oblivion, and to have been preserved only by
means of two or three manuscript copies deposited in
German libraries. One of these was diamond by
Mr. Benedict some years since, and used by him at
one of the Norwich Festivals under his direction.
The Birmingham committee having contemplated
the prodaction of "leis and Galatea, Mr. Oliver
Mason, one of their number, and orchestral
steward, went to Norwich to hear the per-
romance, with the effect of which he was
not satisfied ; and I may add that I myself,
being present on that OCCIIIIiOO, wag also disappointed.
Mr.
Mozart, came to the conclusion that it ooald set have
been from that great master's pen, sad aired to
write additional accompaniments. The Mk was
gladly accepted ; and Mr. Costa,iha sevies mpas ted
his new soon, resented it to theilit;isis
General Hospital, as a mark of gratitude hr the
kindness which he has always received ben. This
is the score which was made an of last might ; and
unquestionably it immeasurably heightened the
beauty of Handel's charming work. lath original
some, the stringed instruments are only vislinsand
banes, there losing no viola pert. This wind
instruments are only two oboes, and these are added
to the stringed instruments only in these monnients
where the strongest orchestral effects are called :
sometimes, though rarely, there are flutes ce a pic-
colo. When the ekes was performed under Handel's
own direction, there is no doubt that homed* use of
the harpsichord for ailing up and enriching the
harmonies so slightly in dmi- md in writing ; but this
is a thing which could be properly done only by the
composer himself, and few people now-a-days would
have the hardihood to undertake it. Never having
seen the manuscript score ascribed to Newt—
which, indeed, very few people have ever seen
I cannot venture to give any opinion on the question
of its genninenese, which Mr. Costa, from its inter-
nal evidence; though, from our recollectien of its
effect when performed at Norwich, we find it dill-
cult to believe that it is from the pen which wrote
the sdditional accompaniments to the Messiah.
Mr. Costa, as he had previously done in the cosset
the oratorio of Samson, has taken Mozart's seers el
the Messiah as his model. He has added thew/bon%
a part for the violas, so as to complete the
of stringed instruments, a thing deemed in
sable is every modern orchestra. In the overture,
which as it stands in the original, is the outline of a
most graceful and spirited prelude, Mr. Costa, is
addition to Handel's two oboes, has added flutes,
clarinets, and bassoons. In the beautiful opening
chorus, " 0 the pleasure of the plains," there is a
charming quartet of clarinets and bassoons, enriched
by the prolonged, mellow tones of the horns. The
gay dome. " Happy we," which closes the first
pert, sad the opening chorus of the second part,
" Wretched lovers," a mighty effort of the author's
pair, are enriched with all the resources of the
ash= orchestra—flutes, clarinet', oboes, horns,
bunion', trombones, ophicleide, serpent, and drums.
In the airs, Costa has been sparing of his additions ;
but they are made with exquisite delicacy, par-
ticularly in the fine tenor song, " Where shall
I seek my charming fair?" Galatea's air, "As
when the dove lament, her love," and the trio,
" The flocks shall leave the mountains," one of
the meet truly dramatic movements in existence.
In short, Mr. Costa has heightened the beauties of
Handel's work without in the slightest degree inter-
fering with the purity of his designs, sad I trust
that this will be the form in which Attic acid Galatea
will henceforth be performed, on which account I shall
be glad to learn that this score will be given to the
world.

Last night's performance was excellent, and per-
fectly successfal. Sims Reeves was Acis ; Madame
Clara Novelle, °elates ; Bawl, Polyphemas ; aad
Mcastem Smith, Damon. They all sang admirably.
and the principal airs were loudly applauded and
enaired ; Mr. Costa also receiving the applause due
to the taste and skill with which he Las executed his
delicate task.

It has always been remarked at Birmingham that
the first evening concert is so fully attended
as the subsequent ones. Last night 1,031 prisons
were present; and (the rates of adiniesions in the
awnings being lower than is the mornings) the
receipts amounted to 6411. 12s. ; a rum, however,
larger than the amount received on the first evening
in 1F135, which was eon The whole receipts of
yesterday somewhat dosseled three thouand
gnaws, a tolerable haul for aims day.
The oratorio of this morning was Cceta's
moot magnificently performed ; better, indeed, in
my opinion, than when it was first produced hers
three years ego. In two respects this dare per-
formance had a &ebbed dperwrity : the prhiapal
soprano part (the character al Haanah) wee sastaded
by Meddle t.lera Novelle, whom the author, I
believe, had in view who writing the work and
the character of Eli, the aged prophet, was supported
by &Beni, who, in nyjadgment, is more sweerial
se • roger in English oratorio than any toreiguer of
oar day who has essayed this difficult dor& of the
art. The orchestra and chorus, enorewer, have
aweired, by frequent repetitions, a thorough know-
ledge of the music; and nothing could reeisi the
clearness and accurw with which every part of it
was executed. A detailed seeriant of the perked-
ants of a work now so familiar to the mined puha,
would be wane then eaperilesno : and I shall then-
fee only my that, while may part of it was admira-
ble, the renew triumph of the day was whined by
Redone Viardet, whose personation of the add
Sansei ie one of the most enguieibe piece, of art, teeth
dondritis and weal, that I have ever widowed.
The when perisewasse made a inpremien on
the andime. The WOW* ' ef diploma
hi mead mementoes wee kr some time eleerved ;
bet, se the medium loans .ore and owe mita.
it was at hag* shook Trinity disregarded. wed
many et the meet shilling maven ware wee only
min vehemently cheered bet messed, the sells per
West seoridying with the evident wish M the
lie is this monese. Such wee the one with the
limes of the Philistiess, shamed by She.
Reeves with • form and energy
beautiful trio, " not km, the Lord tFy _Ood,"
the subsequest motet, sad the superb " Mardi
the lerres," Sae which Membeisschn he, wrings
nothing superior. At the esselesioa the composer