The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-05 00:00:00

tive days of the Handel Commemorations in 1857
and 1859; while the arrangements for the accom-
modation of the public, under the superintendence
of the stewards of the Sacred Harmonic Society,
were precisely similar to those which afforded so
much satisfaction on the occasions alluded to. The
weather being highly favourable, an additional
inducement was afforded to the public, and it hardly
exceeds the truth to say that all musical London
was at Sydenham before three o'clock in the after-
noon, the hour advertised for commencement. Mr.
Costa (whose appearance in the orchestra gave the
signal for loud and repeated plaudits) was, as usual,
to the minute at his post. The appearance of the
orchestra was as imposing as at the Handel Festi-
val. A gigantic bust of Mendelssohn, the head en-
circled with laurel wreaths, formed a conspicuous
object in front of the organ; and in the centre of
the pediment was a striking portrait of the great
composer, which its owner, Mr. Beneke, had lent
for the occasion.
The general execution of " Elijah," taking into
consideration the fact that there had been 467 ehear-
sal at the Crystal Palace, was really wonderful.
The mere fact of such a result being possible with
3,000 singers and players speaki enormously for
our musical progress. It must not be forgotten
that "Elijah" is in many respects a far more ela-
borate composition than anysitnilar work by Han-
del, the art of orchestration in Mendelssohn's time
having attained a degree of perfection which when
Handel wrote was not even dreamt of. Thus, while
in Handel's music the great weight of the respon-
sibility rests upon the chorus, in that of Mendel-
ssohn it is fairly divided between the chorus and
the instrumental executants. This alone will
always of necessity militate against the latter when,
as in the present instance, the performers count by
thousand in place of hundreds. What is written
for the orchestra is not less intended to be
distinctly heard, nor less an essential part of the
author's design, than what is written for the choir;
but while vocal parts may be doubled, trebled, even
centupled (the singers being competent), without
deteriorating i'rom their clearness, the more subtle
combinations which constitute the essence of orches-
tral colouring (so predominating an'elernent of ex-
pression in the present stage of the musical art)
cannot be submitted with equal impunity to the like
ordeal, and more especially where the arena is so
unexampled in extent, and so eccentric in its acous-
tic provisions, as that which is furnished by the
central transept of the Crystal Palace. With these
reservations—which may explain to our readers
why the effect produced by the choruses of " Elijah"
was in a great measure inferior to that elicited by
so many choral pieces in " Israel," " Judas Macca-
bwus," and particularly the " Messiah"—we may
proceed briefly to recapitulate the incidents most
worthy of remembrance in yesterday's performance
of Mendelssohn's great work.
The overture and the magnificent chorus to which
it leads (" Help, Lord") were both effective. That
in which the people deprecate the curse was less so
until the arrival of the chorale, " For He, the Lord
God, is a jealous God," where the simplicity of the
accompaniments and the slow, measured pace both
proved advantageous, the intonation of the singers
in the beautiful modulation at the end, their num-
bers considered, being surprisingly firm and true.
The terminatOn of this piece, " His mercies on
thousands fall,*s was just as sublime as at Exeter-
hall or the Birmingham Festival. In the melodious
and delicate " Blessed are themen" the theme was
alternately given with admirable clearness by the
sopranos and tenors, and, though the characteristic
and artistically worked figure for the violoncellos
went for nothing (being scarcely audible), the exe-
cution generally left nothing to be desired. The
grand scene 'comprising Elijah's challenge to
Ahab, and the contest between the adherents of
Baal and the true believers, exhibited many
splendid points. The first chorus opened su-
perbly ; but the second part, " Hear us, Baal,"
being taken too fast, the effect of the ac-
companiment, in which the stringed instruments
are so conspicuous, was entirely nullified. The last
of these picturesque choruses—where Mendelssolni
has even surpassed Handel in contrasting the
Pagan idolatry with the steadfast faith of 4-ehovah's
Worshippers—suffered for a similar reason ; nor
was any improvement in this respect remarked in
" The fire descends from Heaven," where the people
exultingly celebrate the triumph of Elijah. The
final scene of Part I.—the intercession of the Pro-
phet at the prayer of the suffering multitude, the
relaxation of the Divine wrath, and the descent of
the flood, ending triumphantly with " Thanks be
to God," was throng:lout grand and impressive.
On the whole, it must be confessed, the first sec-
tion of the oratorio passed off somewhat tamely.
Not so, however, the second. By this time the
singers seem to have felt their ground and warmed

to their task. The colossal "Be not afraid" was
given to perfection, and even the very difficult
chorus which terminates the scene where Jezebel
exasperates the people against Elijah (" Woe to
him, he shall perish.") was most admirably ren-
dered. "He watching over Israel" (the sequel to
the unaccompanied trio, "Lift thine eyes,"), "He
that shall endure to the end," and—most remark-
able of all—" Behold the Lord God passed by," so
frequently a stumbling block at the best perform-
ances of "Elijah," were without exception irre-
proachable. Success, indeed, followed on success,
from the very beginning of the second part, and
when the glorious " Amen" had been uttered a
general impression appeared to prevail that if the
first part had been as fortunate this would have
been one of the most faultless as it was assuredly
the grandest performance of " Elijah" ever heard.
The solo singers accomplished their tasks with
almost invariable credit. Mademoiselle Parepa in
the principal soprano music (the second soprano
being that intelligent and improving artist Miss
Fanny Rowland), especially in " Hear ye Israel,"
created a highly favourable impression, The con-
tralto music, shared by Madame Sainton and
Miss Palmer, could hardly have fared better;
and the consummate taste and feeling with which
Madame Sainton gave the air, " 0 rest in the
Lord," called forth an encore too genuine and una-
nimous to be disregarded. The only performance
to which such a compliment was allotted was that
of Mr. Sims Reeves, in " Then shall the I ighteous
shine forth"—an example of devotional singing
which for purity of style, fervour of expression,l
and perfection of vocal declamation, has not been
surpassed. The sensation elicited by this truly
artistic display was the more remarkable, inasmuch
as the air in question is the last solo in the ora-
torio. Signor Belletti and Mr. Thomas were the
basses, the recitatives:and airs of the Prophet being
delivered from first to last by the accomplished
Italian with that thorough musical proficiency for
which he is justly noted. Of the concerted pieces
we cannot speak so favourably. The double quar-
tet, " For He shall give his Angels charge," was
hurried too much to be at all intelligible ; nor did
the very popular trio, " Lift thine eyes" (Mademoi-
selle Parepa, Madame Sainton, and Miss Palmer),
produce any marked effect. " Cast thy burden
upon the Lord" by the first two ladies, with
Messrs. Sims Beeves and Thomas), was far better ;
but best of all the solemn and magnificent
" Sanctus" (" Holy, holy") in which Mademoiselle
Parepa was admirable, and the effect of the voices
and instruments unprecedented.
In conclusion, the first performance of" Elijah"
in the Crystal Palace must be regarded as a trial,
the experience derived from which may justify a