The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-30 00:00:00

ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS.

The Rev. Joseph Carter, B. D., late Fellow of St. John's
College, in this University, and Rector of Baynton, Yorkshire,
to the Incumbency of the New Church about to be opened at
Frenchay, near Bristol.
The Rev. James Champion Hicks, A. 8., has been licensed
by the Lord Bishop of Gloucester, on the nomination of the
Rev. M. F. T. Stephens, A. M. to the perpetual Curacy of
Rangeworthy, in the county and diocese of Gloucester, vacant
by the resignation of the Rev. George D'Arville.
The Lord Bishop of Exeter has instituted the Rev. Charles
Digby Mackworth Drake to the Rectory of Huntshaw, Devon-
shire, vacant by the death of the Rev. Charles Hiern.

BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

GRAND REHEARSAL IN THE NEW TOWN-

HALL.

Yesterday a grand choral rehearsal took place in the New
Town-hall, on occasion of the opening of the magnificent
organ, which is now nearly completed. The public were ad-
mitted to the galleries at 2s. each, and to the floor of the Hall
at Is. each, and nearly 3,000 persons were present. The
number of singers was about 150, who executed several fine
chorusses with precision and judgment, aided as they were by
the powerful and brilliant tones of the organ, which was pre-
sided over by Mr. Munden. The rehearsal commenced with
the first chorus of " The Messiah," which was followed by the
other chorusses in succession, the first part concluding with
" Lift up your heads." The second part comprised " The
Coronation Anthem," " Zadoc the Priest," together with
several chorusses from Handel's Oratorio of " Israel in Egypt,"
and concluding with the grand Hallelujah Chorus of " The
Messiah."

Many very -competent judges were present, and all concur-
red in opinion that the effect given to the music by the vast
dimensions and just proportions of the building, was unrivalled,
and, perhaps, not to be surpassed. The distinctness with
which the notes fell upon the ear, and the dead silence which
instantaneously followed the pauses incident to the several
pieces, was particularly remarked; not the slightest reverbera-
tion or echo was observable. Several of the chorusses, and
particularly the " Coronation Anthem," were loudly and en-
thusiastically applauded. The temperature of the Hall, not-
withstanding the presence of so large a number of individuals,
and the closeness of the weather, was not in the least unplea-
sant. Although only four of the sixteen entrances to the
building, were open, it was pleasing to observe the ready in-
gress and egress to and from every part of it. In fact, in
seven minutes after the conclusion of the rehearsal, the audi-
ence had all left the Hall. The building is a Grecian Temple 4
of the Corinthian order, erected upon a high rustic base, the
material being Anglesea marble. The length of the Hall is
140 feet ; its height, from the ceiling to the floor, 65 feet.
The portico is supported by eight columns, which with the
twenty-four on the sides gave it a most imposing and mag-
nificent effect. The organ is said to be the largest in the
world, and yet its immense volume of sound never appeared
to be too great for the room, or to drown the voices of
the singers, every tone and every syllable were heard clearly
and distinctly, so admirably is the hall constructed for sound.
The opening of this edifice, the first of its kind ever erected in
this kingdom, and surpassed by very few of the temples of an-
tiquity, has been indeed a great triumph for the architect, Mr.
J. Hansom. But alas I when we consider that it has involved
him and his partner, Mr. E. Welch, in bankruptcy and ruin,
he must have little of the Englishman about him who can look
upon it without being animated with other feelings than those
of adMiration, particularly when it is considered that it is by
far the cheapest building of its magnitude perhaps ever erected.
We ought to observe, that the rehearsal and the opening of the
building at this early period, were decided upon for the pur-
pose of counteracting an absurd report, that the sound of the
Organ would burst the walls, or at any rate bring down the
roof upon the heads of the audience. Now, so far from this
being likely to take place, we have no hesitation in saying,
that if it were possible a moderate clap of thunder might be
discharged in it without doing the building the slightest in-
jury, so far as sound is concerned. The fact is, the walls
would bear fifty times the weight they have to sustain ; and as
for the roof, a most scientific piece of carpentry, it has been
ascertained by actual experiments, that it will support six
times the weight it now carries.—Birmingham Journal.