The Express.
London, England, 1868-09-07 00:00:00

Al UPS! C.

THE (ITA)UOMTNIt MUSICAL 101.1sTIVA1,.

C.I,OriCE` PER SAT,•!!!, 1. T.

q i c.•lebration, whili is to comntein•e on Tu.s4-
day next, will be the L4..th un.etiog of the
(:,oirto of Ilerefurd, Worcoster, and (ilouee.iter.
A preliminary ruin ax.al was held in L 4111,0.1, ie.
St 6••0rg,,',4 -hall, on Friday morning his._ sa•l
fin +I awl general rehearsal ia to take plae.)
in the cell:Aral) on Monday morning; after %%hi •!,
all will I* in readiness for the commeneein-At of
the festival, which will open ou Tuesday witl.
first of the four morning performances of ant.r..l
mini , to ho given in the cathedral ; to be foll.• Ar,,l
in the evening by the first of the three
ous concerts, to take place in the Shire-hall.

All the arrangemerits inside the cathedral ser :
completed this Vtaturalfay) night, in readini, f.„
the rehearsal on Monday morning. The orele.itra,
instead of being erected, ;as at the last feitir4
(in 1ii6.5) against the w-st window, will Lo
placed before the organ screen, ill
naive, as formerly. heats will be pros 1,1:4
for between two and three thousand visitors, an I
will, according to all present prospects,
occupied, the hale of tickets having, op to
this time, ix:en unusually rapid and extensive,
with Monday's and subsequent demands stall') I,:
espplied.
The cathedral organ not being available for
of this special occasion, owing to its being tsu-4
considerably below the modern concert pitch, so
instrument hes been erected for the ten:tier:my
purpose, possessing the recently-applied aeeer,..
action. This important improvement in
mechanism of the organ is the invention of oar
ingenious countryman Mr. Charles Barker 4%1
is an advance on the same gentleman's elev.:.
trivanoe of the " pneumatic; action."
The orchestra consists of between sixty suj
seventy instrumentalists, comprising most of the
best performers of our opera bands. The tire,
violins are led by Messrs. tlainton and H. Bins,
the second violins by Mr. Willy, the viola: by
Mr. R. Blagrove, the violoncellos by Mr. Collin;,
and the double-basses by Mr. Howell. The wiipt.
band is also headed, in each department, by
artists of high repute and acknowledges' position,
the first flute being Mr. Radcliff ; first oboe, Mr.
Crosier; first clarinet, Mr. Lazarus ; first bassoon.

Mr. Hutchins: first horn. Mr. C. HarpislT first.
trumpet, Mr. T. Harper, £c. ;d1 4:efficiently 4tlp-
ported by the subordinate artists in each division.
The chorus (250 in number;, besidrs the member,
of the " three choirs," comprises choristers tiI,AKA.A.
from the best chorus-singers of Lundou, Bir-
mingham, Bradford, Norwich, Exeter, &c.
I'h-
list of solo singers includes the runes .•
Mdlle. Miens, Mdlle. iiebhart,
Wynne, Madame Sainton-Dolby, Mdlle. Saudr.,, ,
Mdlle. Dresdil, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr, Veen-,
Itigby, Mr. Lewis Thomas, and Mr. SAW,
The performances will be conducted by b-
Wesley, organist of the cathedral of this .•:•,:f
Mr. 0. Townsend Smith, organist of 11Pr.f.,- !
Cathedral, presiding at the organ ; and Mr. D
organist of Worcester Cathedral, at the piauo.
The city is now filling fast, and Mon.l,:y w.:'
doubtless bring a large accession of fost:r.
visitors. Should the weather continue eq.: t; • .
that of the past week, the clearest sky sill 4: •
brightest sunshine will add a genial
the ether attractions of the occasion.

DRAMA.