The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-07 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL FESTIVAL.

(Abridged from the Morning Post.)
LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY MORNING.—The first grand
miscellaneous concert took place last night at the Amphi-
theatre, which was extremely well filled, although the place
was not inconveniently crowded. The members of the
band were all present save Dragonetti, who was absent, we
regret to state, from severe indisposition. Ponder, the ophi-
cleide performer, who met with the unfortunate accident
with Pigott, the violinist, on their way to the Manchester
Festival, was sufficiently recovered to resume his post, from
which he can ill be spared. At eight o'clock Sir George
Smart gave the signal, and the band commenced the sym-
phony. The very graceful glee which followed was en-
cored, and if there had been no other merit than the man-
ner of its execution, it would have deserved the compli-
ment. The voices were harmoniously blended, and there
was no unnatural striving after undue pre-eminence on the
part of any individual vocalist. The reception of Caradori
Allan was extremely flattering. Several distinct rounds of
applause were bestowed upon her. Lindley's concerto was
of course especially admired, and his harmonies the theme
of universal admiration. The next piece introduced Mrs.
Wood, whose appearance as hailed with tumultuous
cheering, prolonged for some time. She looked ex-
tremely well, and sang superbly. A more elegant
canzonet than the " Haste, my Nannette" of Travers,
was never written. It is replete with the most grace-
ful phrases, and was charmingly executed by the two
great artistes to whom it was entrusted. Mrs. W. Knyvett,
singing of " Lo, here the gentle lark," has been long appre-
ciated, and Nicholson's inimitable flute obligato equally
famed. Braham's entrance was signalised by much appro-
bation. The Norwegian prodigy was the next in succes-
sion. He came on the stage with his usual timid and
hurried step, but was no sooner recognised than the Liver-
pool dilettanti saluted his ears with a right hearty burst of
welcome. He and Bochsa were engaged, as we have before
stated, in the place of De Beriot, and receive for the two
evening performances the sum of 400 guineas, having given
up several provincial engagements in order to attend this
Festival. The concerto performed by Ole B. Bull is the
polacca guerriera, played at his first concert at the King's
Theatre, and subsequently done by him at the Philharmonic
Society. Since we last heard Ole Bull in town he has
greatly improved in his intonation, and his execution is also,
if possible, more finished. It is difficult to convey an accu-
rate notion of the sensation which he produced. The first
part of the programme terminated with Mrs. Wood's sing-
ing of the finale to Cinderella. The next piece was re-
markable from the construction put upon the words by
some portion of the audience. We subjoin them, to explain
the sensation which was created by Mrs. Wood's singing :
They kneel round the altar, the organ has ceased,
The hands of the lovers are joined by the priest,
That bond which death only can sever again,
Which proves ever after life's blessing or ban. ;
A bridal like this is a sorrowful sight,
See the pals girl is bride to the feeble old knight 1
Again the bells ring, and the moment is come,
For the young heart's worst trial, the last look of home 1
They pass from the village—how eagerly still
She turns, and looks back from the brow of the hill,
She sees the white cottage, the garden she made,
And she thinks of her lover, abandoned, betrayed.
But who with arms folded hath lingered se long,
To watch the procession apart from the throng ?
'Tis He 1 the forsaken, the false one is gone,
He turns to his desolate dwelling alone ;
But happier there than the doom that awaits
The bride who must smile on a being she hates

We may, perhaps, sufficiently illustrate this little episode
in the concert by mentioning that it was said Lord W. Len-
nox was present. Mrs. Wood gave the words with thrilling
effect. The expression of the countenance in the concluding
line could not be mistaken. It -may have been acting, but
it was taken as a natural emanation of feeling. The en-
core was tremendous, and the incident altogether was one
which will not be easily forgotten.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT,—The first sacred performance
took place this night at St. Peter's Church, which at an
early hour was crowded to excess. If there had been
accommodation, twice the number of visitors would have
attended, for the application for tickets was beyond all
calculation. The chorus was principally selected from the
choral societies of the town, Manchester, Sheffield, Bir-
mingham, Preston, Huddersfield, Oldham, Newcastle, York,
and other places in the North. There were 38 cantos, 28
altos, 28 tenors, 38 basses, making a total of 132 voices,
which, with the leading vocalists, band, conductor, &c.,
constituted an entire orchestra of about 220 performers.
The burst consequently upon Attwood's Coronation An-
them, in which the composer has interwoven " Rule Bri-
tannia," was extremely grand and impressive. The choruses
were spiritedly executed, and the great feature of this se-
lection, after these masterly displays, was the finale by Mrs.
Wood. She sang it with electrical power, and it is to be
regretted that it was not called for a second time ; but the
lateness of the hour had fatigued the company, amongst
whom we noticed the principal members of the Derby
family, the Earl of Wilton, Lord Skelmersdale, Lord San-
don, M.P. ; Lord C. Thynne, &c. There is no concert
this evening, on account of the Mayor's dinner to the Com-
mittee of Management. A full rehearsal of Mendelssohn's
Paul takes place to-night at St. Peter's Church.

DUNBAR, SEPT. 30.—Last night or this morning
the sloop Bee, of Berwick, laden with grain, came ashore near
Tyne-water. The sea was very rough, and it is thought she
had struck, and the men had taken to the boat, but owing to
the darkness of the night they had drifted to Belhaven water-
foot, whore the boat upset, and the whole of the crew were
drowned.