The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-11 00:00:00

The Festival of the Three Choirs

Annually at this period, when all the world is
from home and are taking their accustomed autumnal
rest, the " Festival of the Three Choirs" is held at
one of the three cathedral cities of Worcester,
Hereford, and Glocester. The present year's turn
is Worcester's, and is the 143 d meeting of this vene-
rable musical association, which will commence to-
morrow at that city. These are the great provincial
musical events of the year, and people strictly in-
clined to oratorios, and who believe that this class of
sacred music can never be heard to such perfection
as in a building consecrated to religious purposes
usually take these gatherings in their annual holiday.
Worcester is perhaps more fortunate than her sister
cities in attracting strangers of this class on account
of the immediate proximity of that delightful resort
of water-drinkers---Malvern, although Glocester has
its " Queen of "Watering Places" (Cheltenham)
almost in its suburbs. However, be this as it may,
Worcester generally ranks No. 1 in the amount rea-
lised by its festival, Glocester 2cl, and Hereford 3d.
The history and origin of these festivals has been
too frequently sketched to call for repetition here.
Originally (as their title imports) an association of
the three choirs of Worcester, Hereford, and
Glocester Cathedrals, they maintained that character
for many years, but gradually increased their attrac-
tion by the employment of extraneous professional
help, until in late years they became the rivals of
Exeter-hall, but still retaining a character peculiar
to themselves. A few years ago, before the general
introduction of railways, these festivals languished,
and the half-dozen stewards who at that time were
responsible for the pecuniary liabilities were so
heavily taxed that there was great difficulty in in-
ducing gentlemen to undertake the risk. This was
the case 20 years ago, but since then the tide has set
gradually stronger every year in the other direction.
The responsibilities of the stewards have annually
decreased, and for several years there has been a
surplus of profit, besides the amount received in
voluntary donations frequently exceeding £l,OOO.
These donations and the surplus profits, if any, are
applied to the funds of the " Charity for the Relief
of Widows and Orphans of Clergy" of the three as-
sociated dioceses. As to the prespects of this year's
festival they were never, at any time in the history
of these meetings, so favourable. This, it may be
supposed, is a repetition of the old tale so often put
in circulation by the secretaries and managers of
such gatherings, but there is one unerring test which
can be applied by any perion who may be sceptical
on this point, i.e., the marked plans of seats which
on inspection will be found to be so filled up as
scarcely to leave a good vacant place. In fact, it
has already been found necessary to provide addi-
tional accommodation for visitors, so extraordinary
has been the demand for tickets.

The oratorios are given at the Cathedral, and the
secular concerts at the College Hall. The whole of
the noble nave of the Cathedral, with its aisles, is
appropriated to the uses of the festival, the orchestra
being erected at the foot of the great west window.
Hitherto this has been placed at the east end of the
navettgainst the organ screen, but the removal of both
organ and screen has caused the present change, and
the congregation being now placed with their faces
westward, instead of eastward, as heretofore, gives
much additional room in the nave, besides allowing
of supplementary seats in the choir for the surplus
visitors. The choir will, therefore, also be used for
this purpose, the tickets being fixed at 10s. (re-
served). For the principal reserved seats the tickets
are priced at 15s. Of these there are 720. There
are a few reserved aisle seats at 55., and the unre-
served aisle tickets are charged 2s. 6d., or 3s. 6d. on
the last morning. The evening concert tickets are
10s. 6d. ani 3s. 6d. each. There is not a reserved
15s. seat left for the " Messiah," and very few for
the oratorios ; so that, even if the weather continue
as unfavourable as it has been for the last week,
the success of the festivar is in a measure already
secured.

The order of proceeding is as follows :—The fes-
tival may be said to open, as many others conclude
—viz., with a feast. This morning the Mayor of
Worcester, Mr. T. Southall, gives a public break-
fast to the stewards, the bishop, dean, and principal
inhabitants of Worcester and its environs at the
Guildhall, ladies being included, of course, in the
invitations. The first performance of sacred music
commences at noon at the Cathedral. This morn-
ing's selection consists of the " Te Deum," composed
by Handel after the victory of Dettingen, a selec-
tion from Costa's " Naaman," Haydn's oratorio the
" Creation," and Mendelssohn's anthem " Hear my
Prayer." It should be mentioned that there is daily
morning service at the Cathedral at an early hour,
at which the musical portion of the service is given
exclusively by the actual members of " The Three
Choirs," and that at this (Tuesday) morning's ser-
vice the annual sermon will be preached by the Hon.
and Rev. J. W. Leigh. To-morrow (Wednesday)
morning will be devoted exclusively to Mendels-
sohn's " Elijah." On Thursday morning the pro-
gramme is a, lengthy one, comprising Spohr's over-
ture to " The Last Judgment," Beethoven's " Ser-

vice in C," a selection from Handel's " Joshua,"
and Mendelssohn's " Hymn of Praise," a plen-
tiful musical repast for one morning. On
Friday the never-tiring masterpiece of Han-
del—the " Messiah"—will be given. The even-
ing concerts are three in number—viz., to-night
(Tuesday), on Wednesday, and on Thursday even-
ings. There is nothing new introduced either at
these secular concerts or in the sacred music. The
first part of the first secular concert consists of a
selection from Weber's " Euryanthe," including the
air " Flowers of the Valley" (Mdlle. Titiens) and
" Soft airs" (Mr. Sims Reeves). The second part of
this concert is made up of songs and concerted pieces
from various operas. On Wednesday evening we
have another selection—this time from Mozart's
" Clemenza di Zito," followed by a miscellaneous
second part; and the last concert on Thursday night
is made up entirely of miscellaneous pieces, to supply
which the works of Beethoven, Hullah, Schubert,
Meyerbeer, Goss (we take them in the order in
which they appear in the programme), Gounod,
Rode, Maurer, Mendelssohn, Donizetti, Sullivan,
Verdi, Mozart, and Haydn have been ransacked.
This concert brings to a close the musical part of
the festival, but there is a ball on Friday night, un-
der the management of the lay stewards. The list
of stewards this year comprises the names of no
less than 63 noblemen and gentlemen, including the
Bishop of Worcester (President), Earl Coventry,
Earl Beauchamp, Lord Sandys, Right Hon. Sir J.
Pakington, M.P., Hon. and Rev. Canon Fortescue,
Hon. and Rev. J. W. Leigh, Sir E. Blount, Sir W.
Throckmorton, Mr. Grant, M.P., Mr. Holland,
M.P., Mr. Sheriff, M.P., Mr. Vernon, M.P., the
Mayors of Worcester, Evesham, Kidderminster, and
Stratford-upon-Avon. Dr. Williams is the hon.
secretary to the festival, and, as may be supposed,
has just now his hands pretty full. The festival is
under the especial patronage of the Queen.
The principal vocalists are Mdlle. Titiens, Madame
Lemmens-Sherrington, Madame Sainton-Dolby,
Madame Patey-Whytock, Mr., Sims Reeves, Mr.
Cummings, Mr. Santley, and Mr. Lewis Thomas.
Sainton and Blagrove lead the band, Dr. Wesley is
the organist, Mr. G. Townshend Smith takes the
piano, and Mr. Done is, by virtue of his office of
organist of Worcester Cathedral, the conductor.
The railway companies run special trains through-
out the week.

The mortal remains of Mr. Cecil Martyn were
consigned to their last resting-place yesterday at Jirompton
Cemetery, iu the presence of numerous friends. The
funeral cortege consisted of a bears,_,, followed by the
mourners in three mourning coaches, comprising Lieutenant
Cecil E. Martyn, Mr. J. L. Elliot, Mr. William Elliot, Col.
Mountjoy Martyn, Mr. George Payne, and other personal
friends of the deceased.

THE LANCASHIRE INVITATIONS TO THE QUEEN.-
Her Majesty has declined the invitation of the Corporation
of Manchester to inaugurate the Albert memorial in that
city on her journey southward next month. The Queen
fears that the fatigue of the proceedings might be too much
for her. At the same time she hears with pleasure of the
completion of the memorial, and will ever cherish a grate-
ful recollection of the kelings by which its promoters were
.impelled, It is conjectured that the Liverpool invitation
for a similar visit contributed to influence her Majesty's
reply to Manchester, as the Queen might shrink frOm the
exertion of appearing at both places, or from giving offence
by houourina one wore than the other,