The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-06 00:00:00

WORCESTER MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

WORCESTER, Tuesday Evening.—The festival opened
this morning under most favourable auspices, but with
one disappointment--the absence from the cathedral of
Miss Dolby, who was set down to take some principal
parts in the Dettingen Te Deum, and anthems. Miss
Dolby has arrived in Worcester, bat unfortunately is ex-
ceedingly unwell, though she hopes to be able to take
her share in to-morrow's oratorio. In her absence, Mr.
Jabez Jones, a local artist of considerable talent, and
formerly of the Worcester Cathedral Choir, undertook
at short notice the music allotted to Miss Dolby, which
he accomplished with considerable ability, though of
course the unavoidable absence of tho lady occasioned
some disappointment to the Worcester public, with
whom Miss Dolby is a great favourite.
Previous to the commencement of morning servile,
Mr. Arnett, of Gloucester Cathedral, played a voluntary
on the organ, which was substituted for the usual Esther
overture, which had become a stock piece at these festi-

vats. The was usedhepreces
forand responses
the Veniti,sponseswere Taanldli,s'sfe;r the
e
Grand Chant
The H
choralav erg a I (a
resident ser-
vice
employed.e
psalms, ao
ffi fine
Worcester)cliant byw theas Rv. W
H.
had a grand effect, the masses of sound in the
Amen," and again in the Gloria Patri, floating along,
the vaulted roof, had a magnificent and overpowering'
effect. The exhortation whiali precedes the Veniti
is praise ye the Lord ; the Lord's name be praised,'
was given with almost dramatic effect, and seemed im-
pressively to evoke adoration. At the same moment
the sun, which had been clouded all the morning, burst
from his vapoury veil, and sent his cheering rays through
the dim and time-stained windows of the sacred
pile. The Te Dezon was the prescriptive one by Han-
del, that composed for the Dettingen victory. Mr.
Jones took the parts allotted in the books to Miss Dolby,
viz., the opening solo in the quartett, "The glorious
company," the difficult trio, "Thou sittest at the right
band," and the beautiful concluding solo, " Lord, in Thee
have I trusted." In all these he acquitted himself with
considerable ability, though (and it is no disparae-emeat
to Mr. Jones to say so), we prefer a contralto, arid espe-
cially in the last solo, which no one knew better how to
sing than Miss Dolby. In the chorus, "To the Cheru-
bim," Baumann's bassoon was, as usual, beautifully
effective. Ilarpur's trumpet obligato was as perfect as
usual, but Mr. W\- eis.s was hardly equal to it. Time
beautiful solo, " When thou tookest upon thee," which
is written in the bass clef, but is usually given t 9
tenor, was nicely rendered by Mr. Lockey, though he
interpolated a shake at the close which was not t) be
found in the score. Handel improved ! A!r. Waite
sung, " Vouchsafe, 0 Lord," and, in his anxiety to be
effect
correct in the reading
, he loses thatpowerful
which Phillips used to give to this beautiful composition.an_.es..
Nevertheless, there was an improvement if t
the Lord"
The anthems were Purcell's sing
(after the third collect), and Blow's 90
• was
and Mr. Thomas,
before the sermon. The latter
r.
Jabez Jones, Mr. Lockey, Mr.
Wrfolsr-m' former to Mrs. Weiss,
of Worcester Cathedral ; and the r
onas.
Both these
Mr. Jones, Mr. Lockey, and M.t.i.4113
‘‘i
confidedbeheid' andto to
clue to Kr. Thomas
anthems are well known ; but