The Sun.
London, England, 1825-09-15 00:00:00

YORKSHIRE MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

YORK, TUESDAY, SEPT. 13.

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The Assembly-room, last night, was crowded
to excess. Though the Festival did not strictly commence till
to-day, Company poured into the city last night in great profu-
sion, and the rooms in consequence became so full, that dancing
for a time was quite out of the question. As the evening ad-
.vanced, space was found for a few quadrilles, and some fine
spirited waltzing. Nothing Could be more gay than the com-
pany; and the recent improvements in the Egyptian-hall, by
the removal of the side-seats, and by leaving the colonades
open, have added greatly to the beauty and accommodation of
the '1)o-in.—This morning we had our first grand selection of
sacred music performed in the Cathedral. The company' began
to. assemble about half.past eight o'clock, thbugh the doors
were novopened till half-past ten. The ample framework in
front of the principal entrance soon became crowded with anxi-
ous visitors, numbers of them in full dress ; the weather was
fortunately quite brilliant, and an hour or two's exposure in
the open air vas attended with no inconvenience. At the time
appointed, the doors were thrown open, and the rush was for a
time a little alarming, but fortunately no serious accident hap-
pened, and a very short time served to spread the numbers
which so recently beset the approaches over the great aile and
the side galleries, as well as to fill the west .gallery. The per-
formance did not commence till 12 o'clock, and in the mean
time the principal parts of the Minster set apart for this Fes-
tival was filled' with such an audience as no other county in
England, Middlesex.alone excepted, could produce.
The interval gave time to examine the interior arrangements,
which are the same as in the year 1823, except that a hand.
some antique gallery, passing on each side .of the nave of the
Cathedral, and terminated by the great west gallery, is added.
—The new gallery takes something from the vastness of the
building; but it greatly enlarges the accommodation, and does
in no degree diminis:; the power or the effect of the .music.—
The number of persons present was 4,000. His Grace the
Archbishop of , York, owing to the recent death of his Noble
relative the Earl of Carlisle, did not attend this day; hiti place
was supplied by the Duke of Devohshire. The performers
began to assemble a little time before the opening of the morn-
ing performance, and exhibited the following brilliant list
Madame Caradori, Miss Travis, Miss Goodall, and Miss Ste-
phens, Miss Wilkinson, and Miss Farrar ; Mr. Vaughan, Mr.
,Sapio, Mr. W. Knyvett, Mr. Terrell, an Mr. Braniun, Mr.
Bellamy and Mr. Phillips ; and the grand chorus consisted of
90 -cantos' 70 altos, 90 tenors, and .100 basses. Sir; Greatorex
conducted the instrumental part of the performance, assisted by
Mr. Camidge and Dr. Camidge, and Sir. White and Mr;
Phillip Knapton. Dr. Camidge presided at the organ, and Sir.
Greaterex at the piano-forte. Sir. Crainerled the band, and
Sir..Mori played the first violin. The total number of performers
was 15 principal vocals, 250 instrumentals, acrd 350 chortle singers.
After Handel's grand chorus, from the jubilate composition
for the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, of " Glory be to the Father,"
&c., the oratorio was opened by Mr. Vaughan and Mr. Phil,.
lips, with " Here shall soft charity ripen." At one time it was
intended that Mr. Braham should open the performance ; but
the arrangement afterwards made was in compliance with cer-
tain prejudices in a high quarter against that eminent performer.
" Agnas Dei, qui totlis peccata miserere flair," was
twig inimitably by Miss Travis. Miss Farrar, a native per-
former, after ehe had overcome the nervousness occasioned by l
her youth and inexperience, sang—
"Oh ! had I Jubal's lyre,
"Or Miriam's tuneful voice!"
in a manner that did honour not only to herself, but also to her
tutor, Mr. White, and to her country. Miss Stephens' "Pious
Orgies," as well as the air of "Let the bright Seraphim," and
the two last lines of "If guiltless blood be your intent," en-
raptured the audience. Miss Wilkinson, in the air from Ran-
del's Oratorio.. of Sampson, beginning "Return 0 God of
Hosts!" proved that she had overrated her talents in requir-
ing two hundred guineas fur her services, when Miss Goodall
was satisfied with seventy. Madame Caradori's " Chi
per pieta nil dice " was heard with great delight this
lady is more distinguished by sweetness than by power or
execution."' Haydn's National Hymn, performed for the first
time in this country from -die original score the wonjls
written for the Yorkshire Festival by John Crosse, Esq.,
charmed as well by its novelty as by its nierit, and it
is likely to become a popular National Anthem. The air,
" 0 Liberty. ! thou choicest treasure," sung ty Mr. Sapio
with exquisite taste and powerful execution, called forth a
whisper of general applause, which the sacred edifice itself
could scarcely prevent from bursting finch. The melancholy
strain Of " Total 'eclipse; no son, no moon !" was chanted by
-Brahani in his usual fine style. Miss Goodall manages her
voice well ; but in the air, " He shall be born who the world
shalt redeein,"% there was more to admire in the rapidity of the
execution than in the beauty of the sounds. From the instru-
mental department of this day's performance, we cannot with-
hold our unqualified praise ' • and of the stupendous choruses,
they were all excellent, and some of them perfectly sublime.—
The new concert-room, said to be one of the Most elegant and
.best adapted music-halls in Europe, as well as one of the most
spacious, is to be opened this evening.