The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-11 00:00:00

LONifil 4N, FRIDAY EVENING SEPTE --BER 11, 1863

WORCESTER MITSICAE FESTIVAL,

-4----
I ORCESTER, Sept. 10.

Herr Schachner must be dn,ailt to satisfy if he was not
pleased with the very admirab'e, performance of his orato-
rio in the Cathedral this morning. With regard to the
work itself there is not a word to add to what was published
the day following the produc' i,,n of Israel's Return from
Babylon" at Exeter. If i, e composer is neither a great
master nor a man of Penh's, ha is, at I,ast, a consci-ntious
musician, and doez his best---viii,,!i now al-days can hardly
pb
oscia;
cosf
omnatnhymwho account.nr e without being
have his oratorio brought out at the Worcester Festival, and
morenheirVSychgiitielhedner was lucky to
to get the place of honour assigned him iu preference even to
Handel, still luckier in finding auch z.talous and congenial
interpreters as the band, chorus, and solo singers, under the
superintendence of Mr. Don ,-.1. Rarely has a new work of
pretension enjoyed a fairer chance ; and if, at the end of the
performance, the whole of the vast asse ~bly crowding the
nave and aisles of the Cathedral 4id not rise from their seats
with the firm conviction that they had been listening to a
chef d'oeuvre, it was certainly no fault of the executants.
Probably not a single amateur who had heard the ora-
torio in London, and was to-day equally fortunate at
Worcester, would refuse to athoit that the last attempt was
better than the first, although the first—as may be readily
imagined, with Mr. Alfred Mellon at the head of a splendid
orchestra, a powerful chorus, and four of the most distin •
guiehed singers of the day—offered very few points for cri-
tLism. By this performance, indeed, of "Israel's Return
from Babylon" the Worcester Festival of 1863 deserves to be
remembered. The judgment that led to the selection of such
a work, while the oratorios of t err Ferdinand Hiller and
one or two other living composers of universally recognised
distinction, have never been produced in England, may be
questioned by some people who like to pick a hole where
they can without serious risk; but the pains taken by every
one concerned, from the wielder of the conductor's stick up
to the owner of the double drums, the commendable anxiety
of those in whom the direction of the music meeting is
vested to have full justice done in al! senses to the new work,
and thus, as it were, to justify their choice, call for nothing
less than hearty acknowledgment. The Worcesterian en-
thusiasts, in thus honouring Herr Schachner, have done
honour to themselves, and earned unqualified credit. They
would have made " Israel's Return" pass for a veritable
chef d'oeuvre, had it lain in their power; but failing in that,
they resolved it should sound as like a chef d'oeuvre as the
materials of which it is constructed would allow. One espe-
cial advantage was vouchsafed to the oratorio yesterday.
There were, in all probability,, just as many friends and
partisans of Herr Schachner present as on that former me-
morable occasion when the walls of Exeter Hall reverbe-
rated with vociferous demonstrations of approval ; but the
arena being now a cathedral church, whatever the impres-
sion created, there was no chance of applauding, either in
right or wrong places; and as not a single repetition was
asked for, by those who enjoy the exclusive privilege at
these morning ceremonies, the performance was nowhere
interrupted, so that Herr Schachner's work could be heard
and jadged fairly and impartially as a whole ; and if this
second experience suggested nothing new to say about it the
inference to be drawn is palpable.

" Israel's Return fromßabylon"—the reader may care to
be reminded— is divided into four parts—the Captivity, the
Deliverance, the Reconcilement and Return to Zion, the
Promise and Song of Praise. These headings alone suffice
to explain the plan of the book, which, as there are no inci-
dents, is all that is necessary to remember. They will also
serve for reference in the few observations to be made in
yesterday's performance. The band gave the orchestral pre-
lude --meant doubtless to describe the despondent feelings
of the Israelites under the yoke of their bondage—as finely
as it could possibly be given. Here were pianissimos no
less than fortissimos—pianzssimos, too, the like of which it
would be agreeable to welcome a little more frequently in
London ; and this too without offence to the members of our
London orchestra, seeing that the band engaged by the
conductor of the Worcester Festival is almost entirely se-
lected from their ranks. Perhaps it is easier to play softly
in a church than in a thew re or concert-room. The choruses
in the Captivity—" Go ye conquerors" and " War against
Babylon"—though wholly different in character, were
equally well sung. The first, by the way, is one of several
instances in which Herr Sehachner imparts peculiar indi-
viduality to the celestial bequests—the, words of the divine
admonitions being always set to a single note. 'This note
remains unchanged, and is reiterated upon each successive
syllable, while the harmony is modulated in the accompani-
ments. The expedient was applied by Mendelssohn, in his
comic operetta " Heimkekr," the part of the Mayor being
cast to an amateur who could boast but one available note
in his voice ; but what Mendelssohn aid for a joke Herr
Schachner has imitated with the gravest conceivable inten-
tions. The admonition in the first part (Captivity)—" Go
ye conquerors"—is uttered upon a series of E's; that in
the third (Return to Zion)-_" Whom I have spared from the
sword"—upon a series of G'B ; that in the fourth (Promise)
e.e.“ They shall be my people"—upon a series of C's. The
idea wae, perhaps, by the aid of simplicity, to confer in-
creased solemnity; but the effect is at the best mono•
tenons. The chorus in the Deliverance--" Sound the
loud timbrer—was given with extraordinary spirit ; that
in the Return to Zion—" Go forth to the Mount,'' con-
veying the exultation of the Israelities on their delivery and
their joy at the thoughts of seeing Zion once again—splen-
didle ; the final chorus of the Song of Praise—" Praise to
the Lord," which, like the chorus just named, involves an
example of Herr Schachner's method of conducting a
which"fugueh"e—vai
views
sisa stpoteraeleed_edb byane example of the light in
f
In short, more effec-
tive singing has not been heard at any of the meetings of
the three chairs ; as d, as the music was strange to the
singers, they may be said, without exaggerated eulogy, to
have covered themselves with glory, Nor should the solid
and continuous support they received from the members of
the orchestra be passed os er, inasmuch as to that was in
great part due the highly satisfactory result.
Pal-
mar. solo
Simssingers e
vw:esr,eanMda dmerra.
soiasneltlie
eyT. ieutjeernr%
Missch ahn e Pe
ar
oratorio only stands in need of four "principals," and he
could not possibly have fallen into abler or more willing
So when the
hinds. The three quartets (with chorus)-.-4.
clouds,"
thy(containing s' t
spe-
cimen of "fugue")—the first of which occurs in The Deli-
verance, the second and third in The Return, were incom-
parably given by theee excellent and invariably attentive
singers. Another striking performance was the duet,
" Hark 'tis the breeze of twilight" (Evening Hymn__
written strictly throughout in what is termed "canon on
the octave," the voices answering each other note for note),
sung in the most perfoct style by Mademoiselle Tietjens
and Mr. Sims Reeves ; and again another, the duet for
men's voices --" The Lord has tried His children"—which,
it is scarcely necessary to state, was equally fortunate. The
solos were beyond reproach. Mademoiselle Tietjens, Who
was in magnificent vole?, gave the cavatina, " Come not, 0
Lord," the air (with chorus), "On high resound our songs
with praise," and the soprano recitatives (which are both
incessant and fatiguine) as thoroughly well as the corn.,
pose-, most nervous and exacting about his own music,
could possibly have desired ; Miss Palmer threw genuine
sentiment into the air, "Fallen is the throne, 0 Israel I"
and the arietta, "The Lord bath laid bare His holy arm ;"
Mr. Sentley gave " Awake, rise, and shine" (in which is
observed a setting of the passage, " Behold, darkness shall
cover the earth," materially differing from Handel's "He
sent a thick darkness"), with wonderful energy; and Mr.
Sines Reeves surp. ssed li'mself in the air, "The Lord of
Hosts is with us," aud the solo, " He will bring them again
into His holy place," finer singing than which has not been
heard. Thus every iecitlent of the performance was in
favour of Herr Schachner, and the best wish we could offer
up in his behalf is that he may again have an opportunity
of hearing "Israel's Return from Babylon" thus unim-
peachably performed.
The selection from Handel comprised the overture to
"Esther" (his first oratorio), the chorus "Cherub and
Seraphim," the air " Waft her Angels," with its impres-
sive recitative, " Deeper and deeper still" (Mr. Sims
Reeves) ; the air " Farewell ye limpid streams" (Miss
Palmer), and the chorus " When his loud voice in thunder
spoke," from " Jephtha" (his last) ; the chorus " Awake
the trumpet's lofty sound/. including the solo "Ye men of
Gaza" (Madame Leinmens- Sherrington) ; the air "Total
eclipse" (Mr. Wiibye Cooper), the chorus "0 first created
beam," the air "Return, 0 God of Hosts" (Madame Sain-
ton-Dolby), the chorus "To dust his glory they would
tread," the air "Honour and arms'' (Mr. Weiss), the
double chorus "Fixed in His everlasting neat," the air
" Lot the bright Seraphim" (Mademoiselle Tietjens—trum-
pet Mr. Harper), and the chorus "Let their celestial
concerts," from ffemson," the oratorio which its composer
ranked with the "Messiah" itself, scarcely knowing to
which he would give the preference. Here was an after-
Docive music I The selection, however, was really admir-
able; and thetigh the performance did not terminate till 4
p.m., no cue was induced to complain that there was too
much of it. The numbe, s in the Cathedral were 2,170—
nearly 00 more than yesterday—and yet the collection for
the chari y WAG only £240 9s. Bd. This is accounted for by
a report generally circulate 4 t4et a vast number of
tickets had been bought up in certain quarters, for the
partieniae ,occasion, to be given away; and if the repcirt
be true, the result is 4ct ttonishing, it being notorious
that people who attendperforinwnce gratis are never so
liberal as those who have paid for their admissions.
The last miscellaneous concert in the College Hall this
to-morrow afternoon (for both of
evening, the "Messiah';
leas been sold) ,and the ball in the which every ticket 'Guild-
hall in the evening, will bring this unpreeedentedly success-
ful festive! to Al.l end,

A steady surply of gold to the amount of
£2O,OOOONQ a year has reached us of fate years from Cali-
fornia and Australia.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

LEICESTER RACES.—TituRsDAy.

The Belvoir Stakes, a Sweepstakes of 5 soya each, with 20
added, for hunters that have been hunted with an esta-
blished pack of hounds at least seven days, to be bona
fide the nominator's owil property at the time of entry;
for four-yr-olds and upwards. Three miles, 5 subs.
Mr. .i.'. Hughes's Real Jam, 4 yrs, lOst 121 b (1). Hughes) 1
Mr. J. C. Pickering'i3 Lady Bird, 5 yrs, list 71b

(Mr. T. Price) 2
Capt. Shawe's LitVe Dick aged, 12at (Mr. T. Brown) 3
Mr. T. Hunt's Jacob, 6 yre, 12st (S. Rogers) 0
Betting-2 to 1 agst Real Jani, sto 2 agst Little Dick, 3
to 1 agst Jacob.

The latter made play until the horse went on the wrong
side of a post, when he was pulled np and left Real Jam in
front, whete she continued to the end, and won by six
lengths; two lengths between second and third; Jacob
walked in.

The Leicestershire Handicap of 100 sovs, added to a
Sweepstakes of 10 sovs each, 5 ft, and 3 it declared;
winners extra. One mile and half. 25 subs, 7of whom
declared.

Mr. Lincoln's Tourist, 3 yrs, 7st 51b (H. Taylor) 1
Mr. R. Bignell's The Prophet, 6 yrs, Bst 81b (S. Rogers) 2
Mr. John Osborne's Flytrap, 3 yre, 7st 51b (J. Osborne) 3
Yr. Handley's Ossian, 3 yrs, 7st llb (E. Taylor) 4
Mr. Handley's Cheerful, 3 yrs, Bst 21b
(Mr. G. S. Thompson) 5
Mr. Saxon's Formidable, 3 yrs, bat 61b (J. Grimshaw) 6
Mr. Redliff's Jack o'Newbury, 3 yrs, 6st 131 b (inc. 71b ex)
(Pearson) 7
Betting-7 to 4 agst Formidable, 3to 1 agst Tourist, 5
to 1 agst Flytrap, 8 to 1 agst The Prophet.
After going a quarter of a mile Tourist took the lead
from Formidable, was never afterwards headed, and won by
a length. Flytrap was a bad third ; and the rest came
past the post in straggling order.
The:SkeffiLgton Park Stakes of 10 soya each, 3 ft, with
40 added, for two •yr-olds ; colts, Bst 101 b ; fillies Bst
71b; winners extra, and maiden allowances. T.Y.C.

Half a mile.
Mr. Lincoln's Light, 95t
Mr. Redliff's Cranbury, Bst 131 b ............. (Payne) 2
Mr. W. Bevill's Junius, Bst 516........ (a. Grimshaw) 3
Mr. J. Osborne's Greenland, Bst 131 b ...... (J. Osborne) 4
Lord Fitzwilliam's Ignorance filly, 84 41b (Smith) 5
Betting—Even on Light, 5 to 2 agst Cranbury, 7 to 2
agst Junius, 100 to 15 agst Greenland.

whett to the front and won
-
Cranbury jumped away first, but after going 200 yards
bad third.
resigned in favour of Junius, who hwehldnahcaldearbeleeand
winatiotitnhge
us tproanl g hjtun. i
nAat
at hn ed distancer
yLig
,
he aasl
fl yw byway
wa i lt ehni
ng tthn. e
dJi
sutna inuese, ,
fiwnhi os
hge
da vae way to Cranbury
The County Cup Stakes, by subscription of 10 sovs each,
for three-yr-olds and upwards ; winner to be sold for
300 sovs if demanded, &c. Twice round and a distance.

Bst ........ (Payne) w.o.
with 35 added, fir all
agesr Selling
ngPlate
of o
3 et th, v
5 subs.
ees. Three-quarters of
i other
lo each,
a mile. 5 subs.
The. T; Stevens's
sel
iand V 4
r a yrs,s w
ln
Mr. Newbold's Vulture, aged (£5O), 9st llb (S. Rogers) 1
Mr. Mereton's Telscombs, 2 yrs, (£5O), Est lib (Zauker) 2
Mr. Mellon's Fletton, 3 yrs (£5O), Sat ........ (Reeves) 3

COTTON SUPPLY ASSOCIATION.

At the usual weekly meeting of the Executivo Committee
held on Tuesday, the 81h September, a letter was read from
Salto Republica de la Banda, Oriental South America, for-
warding a sample of cotton grown from Georgian seed,
planted in October, 1862, and which was valued at 21d. per
pound. The plants commenced flowering in January, the
first cotton was picked at the end of February, and had
continued producing up to the middle of July. Each plant
has given on the average nearly a pound of cotton, and
next year double that quantity is expected. The writer
has farms of about 300 acres each, land on easy terms can
be obtained from the Government, and a company with a
capital might successfully and profitably extend the culti-
vation, A sample of cotton from Africa, grown in the
vicinity of Accra, was submitted for examination, and
valued at 19d. per lb., also one from Persia valued as 15d.
per lb. A beautiful specimen of hybrid cotton, grown at
Lucknow, forwarded by the honorary agents of the associa-
tion at Calcutta, together with samples grown in New Cale-
donia from Sea Island and Pernambuco seed, were sub-
mitted for inspection, and valued at 151, 24d., 25d., and
36d. respectively.
Consular despatches, relative to the amount of cotton
likely to be grown in the respective districts this year, were
received from the Foreign-office—viz., from Diarbekir, Mr.
Consul Taylor, dated July 22, reporting that the ravages of
the locusts still continued in the districts around, and
" have completely put a stop to cotton cultivation for the
present year, and that there is not the slightest probability
of any cotton being available for export. No foreign seed
of any description has in the meantime been made use of."
From St. Domingo, Mr. Consul Hood, July 10, stating that
a very large amount of cotton seed has been sown during
this and the preceding year, that the country and
climate are well adapted to the cultivation of cotton,
which grows indigenously, and that a very large supply of
good quality might be obtained if it were not for the scarcity
of labour. As correct an estimate as possible will be for-
warded. From the Acting Consul-General, Mr. J. Y.
Crawford, Havannah, August 4, enclosing a Government
return of cotton cultivated in Cuba, and extracts from the
reports of her Majesty's Vice-Consuls, from which it ap-
pears that the coming crop may be safely estimated at
1,500,0001 b, or 3,000 bales of 5001 b each. It is stated that
the cultivation of cotton in Cuba is decidedly progressing,
in spite of the hostility evinced towards it by the majority
of the sugar planters, and that the encouragement afforded
by the Government, together with the present high prices,
will ensure the continuance of this progress. From Para,
July 25, Mr. Consul Perry, reporting that in the province
of Maranham this year's crop is considered good and ex-
ceeds that of 1862 by some 9,000 bags. This province pro-
duces the.best Brazil cotton, and were it not for the scarcity
of labour very large quantities might be raised ; and should
prices be well supported, the crops:of 1864 will be far greater
than it has been for years. From the provinces of Gram
Para and Amazonas the rate of increase appears to be about
800 arrobas of 321 b each per annum; the scarcity of labour
is the great hindrance. From Lima, July 28, Mr. Consul
Jerningham also reports the probable crop of this year in
Peru to be 30,000 quintals of 100 lb each. From Callao,
July 16, Mr. Consul Robertson, stating that the quantity
of cotton likely to be grown in the province of Ica this
year will be 10,000 quintals, from 2,000 to 3,000 more
than last year. From the Acting-Consul, Mr. Cocks,
Islay, July 23, enclosing a specimen of indigeneous cotton
from the Valley of lambo, Peru, valued at 245. per cwt.,
and stating that the cotton hitherto grown in his district
has been for local use only, but that high prices are stimu-
lating the production with a view to exportation. Peru, in
many parts of the interior, and in all the valleys along the
coast, possesses advantages for the cultivation of cotton
which few other countries enjoy—a suitable climate, the
absence of strong winds, abundance of water, free labour,
&c. Notwithstanding the almost insurmountable indolence
and apathy of the population, many would embark their
capital in this promising enterprise if they could have grants
of land, secure possession, suitable protection, &e. Foreign
assistance in the development of this branch of industry
would be most useful. From Monte Video, July 21, Mr.
Consul Lettsom, reporting that in his district no cotton of
any consequence is likely to be produced this year. The
ravages of the black ants have been most destructive, the
price of laboijr and transport is a serious obstacle, and only
in the neighbourhood of navigable rivers is it likely that
cotton will be grown to any extent. The demand for seed
in Cuba is reported in the consular despatch from Havan-
nah, induced the committee to resolve to send out a quantity
forthwith, to be disposed of to the planters at cost price.