The Sun.
London, England, 1834-11-05 00:00:00

AMATEUR MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

The densely crowded audience which last night filled
Exeter Hall almost to suffocation, affords convincing evi-
dence of Handers undiminished popularity. Like Shak-
speare, he was gifted with the power of penetrating the
deepest recesses of human feeling ; and like Milton, he lifts
the soul " above this visible diurnal sphere." The amateurs
of the metropolis, in common with their provincial brethren,
are too well versed in the " Messiah" to render it a matter
of serious doubt, that the immense assembly attracted by
its advertisement, could have.been otherwise than gratified
by the performance of yesterday. The band played from
the score of Mozart ; and his additional wind accompani-
ments were efficiently given, if we may except some trifling
inaccuracies (as to time) in which the flutes were indulged.
Can the persons who condemned these additions of Mozart
as " innovations" and " interpolations," be blind, or rather
deaf, to their enchanting effects in " The people that walked
in darkness ;" " 0, thou that tellest ;" " Thou shalt break
them ;" " Surely he bath borne our griefs ;" and " All we like
shin." Mr. Turle, of Westminster Abbey, presided at
the or,7an, and although this instrument will not bear a
comparison with many others in London, we had a much
better opportunity of deciding on its merits than on either
of the previous evenings. This gentleman's extempore
effusions are distinjuished by sound harmonies, solid se-
quences, and the right use of the pedals—an acquirement
indispensably necessary id constitute an accomplished
organist, and the good effects 9f which were plainly dis-
cernable by the weight they gave to the bass of the
orchestra ; and the admirable precisiort with which Mr.
Turle accompanied the choruses naturally instilled confi-
dence into the singers.
Just as the members of the orchestra were engaged in
the usual preliminaries of tuning, one of the Committee
apprized the audience that in consequence of an erroneous
calculation, tickets had been issued and purchased to an
amount exceeding the possibility of accommodation ; that
the outer doors of the hall had been closed, and he en-
treated the company to use their utmost exertions to make
room for individuals who were then waiting in the passages.
By this mistaken apprehension on the part of the Com-
mittee as to the extent of the building, numbers were com-
pelled to stand throughout the performance, and the heat
was most oppressive to all. The position we occupied
induces us to defer a consideration of the solo singing until
we have beard the performance repeated this evening. In
general the chorusses were characterized by such a united
feeling and earnest zeal in the singers, as produced that
volume of sound which in its light and shade alternately asto-
nishes and delights. Handel appears alike easy and natural
in the elaborate canons of the " Amen" chorus, as in the quiet
repose of the Pastoral Symphony. In the pathetic movements
" Behold the Lamb of God," and " Surely he bath borne
our griefs," their effect was unhappily lessened for want
of observing a more subdued tone, which is the more rich
and delicious as it approaches the softest piano. But übi
plura nitent, &c., may fairly be applied to the exertions of
the evening. No one who enters the musical profession is
subjected to the test of an examination, or receives any cer-
tificate of admission. Its members, therefore, not unfre-
quently regard amateurs with a jealous eye ; as the dilet-
tanti performer of to-day, may to-morrow attach himself
to the corps of regular professors. Some gentlemen, too,
find their own example very inconvenient, when imitated,
and, if we may believe them, quite inapplicable to others in
the situation once occupied by themselves. " Their charity,"
confined to themselves, " has improved upon the proverb ;"
and they sneeringly compassionate those who exchange the
duties of the counting-house for even a gratuitous engage-
ment in the concert-room. The result of an experiment
they have earnestly deprecated, may convince the ignorant
and confound the ill-disposed.