The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-28 00:00:00

BRADPORDVIUSIVAL FESTIVAL.

This festival began on Tuesday morning, and its com-
mencement augurs a result so successful as to render
Bradford the permanent seat of one of the greatest pro-
vincial music meetings of England. Like those of Bir-
mingham and Norwich it is to be triennial ; and this
year it emulates the magnitude and importance of the
greatest of them all, the Birmingham Festival itself.
The arrangements are on a scale worthy of the wealthy
and prosperous town where it is held, and their taste and
judgment are implied in the fact that they were com-
mitted to the hands of Mr. Costa.
The total number of performers, including the solo
singers, the chorus, and the instrumental orchestra, is
above three hundred and seventy. The principal vo-
calists are Madame Clara Novello, Madame Weiss, Mrs.
Sunderland, Miss Milner, Miss Sherrington, and Itldlle.
Piccolomini, soprani; MadameViardot, Madame Alboni,
and Miss Fanny Huddart, contralti ; Mr. Simi Reeves,
Mr. Montem Smith, and Herr Reichardt, tenors ; Mr.
Weiss, Herr Formes, Mr. Winn, and Signors Belletti
and Beneventano, basses. In this enumeration we miss
some names—especially that of Miss Dolby—kene-rally
regarded as indispensable on such occasions ; but the
list is a strong one, and sufficient for excellent oratorio
performances as well as miscellaneous concerts. The
instrumental band is 103 strong, with Messrs. Saiuton
and Blagrove as the principal violins. The chorus, num-
bering about 250, is provincial; a thing to be expected
in the land, par excellence, of chorus-singing. There is
hardly a town, hardly even a considerable village in
Yorkshire, that has not its choral society, by whom, and
without any extraneous aid, the sacred works
of the
great wasters are habitually performed in a manner
which gives a stranger no small astonishment. This
Bradford Chorus, consequently, is of admirable
quality ; but yet, though every voice is efficient, t
aggregate is scarcely strong enough to contend with the
immense pOwer of instrumental sound. At the Bir-
mingham Festival of last year the chorus and or-
chestra were admirably balanced ; and there, while the
instruments were of the same strength as at Bradford,
the chorus was stronger by nearly a hundred voices.
The undue preponderance of the instruments over the
voices is a prevailing fault in choral performances, and
we have often pointed it out as occurring at Exeter Hall.
It enfeebles the chorus without adding to the real
strength of the orchestra, thus creating an impression of
weakness rather than of power.
The opening performance on Tuesday morning con-
sisted of Mendelssohn's chef-d'oeuvre, " Elijah," a work
which, like " The Messiah," is now considered de rigueur
at every great festival or music meeting. Indeed,
" Elijah" has taken a hold of the tastes and affections of
the English public almost as strong as that possessed by
"The Messiah " itself. It may be said of Mendelssohn,
as of Handel, that if Germany was the land of his birth,
England is the land of his adoption. After the lapse of
a century Handel is less known in his native country
than he was in ours even in his own day ; and, after
the lapse of another century, the same thing will not im-
probably be the case with Mendelssohn. This perform.
ance was excellent, and worthy of the occasion. The
character of the Prophet was sustained by Mr. Weiss, to
whose merits we have often paid our just tribute of
praise. In loftiness of tone, impressive grandeur of elo-
cution, and vocal power, he is not surpassed (:f, indeed,
he has ever been equalled), by any one who has ever
essayed this arduous part. If, in the principal soprano
part, Clara Novello has been excelled by any one, it
has only been by Jenny Lind, and even this may be
made a question. In the great air, " Hear ye, Israel,"
Madame Novello, in grandeur of conception and ar-
tistic execution, has certainly left every other compe-
titor far behind. Mr. Sims Reeves sang with his usual
success. His two beautiful airs, "If with all your
hearts," and "Then shall the righteous shine forth,"
produced a great impression. The latter was re-de
mended, but Mr. Reeves did not repeat it. The fine
trio for soprani, " Life thine eyes to the mountains,"
sung by Madame Novello, Madame Weiss, and Madame
Viarclut, was, ou being re-demanded, given a second
time. The choruses were sung with true Yorkshire
precision, and their effect was magnificent. There were
nearly two thousand persons present, and. the receipts
are estimated at about 1,0001.
The performance of yesterday morning consisted of
Mr. Costa's new oratorio, "Eli." To-day "The Mes-
siah" is to be performed; and to-morrow morning there
will be a variety of sacred pieces, including the 1031
Psalm set by Mr. Jackson (a provincial composer of
considerable merit), Mendtlssohn's 114th Psalm, and a
selection from Mr. Henry Les lie's I"linmanuel." A
miscellaneous concert tomorrow evening will terminate
the festival.