The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-15 00:00:00

MUSIC.

Novello's Glee Hive, and Musical Times, Bvo. ; Sir H.
Bishop's Glees, No. 1 to 40 ; Handers Oratorios, Corona-
tion and Funeral Anthems, Acis and Galatea, L'Allegro,
&c., Bvo. ; Haidn's Creation, the Seasons, Bvo. ; Spohr's
Calvary, Fall of Babylon, &c. ; Beethoven's Mass in C,
ItequierNasses of Mozart and Cherubini, Bvo. ; Gounod's
Messe Solennelle, Daughters of Jerusalem, Day of
Penitence, Bvo. London : Novello and Co.
The popular musical movement which set in some years
ago, and which is every day giving fresh signs of progress
and extension among all classes, is one on which the lover
of mere recreation, as well as the philanthropist who looks
upon it as a means of diminishing the temptation to less
innocent amusements, may well look with pleasure and
satisfaction. The days when the knowledge necessary
for recreation in the way of part-music was confined to
a few glee singers, and when the perfcrmance of such
music was generally associated with convivial meetings
at which copious offerings ware made at the shrine of the
`‘Jolly God," are well-nigh forgotten. The love of music
and the desire of hearing its best specimens, both vocal
and instruental, in public halls and free from all question-
able associations, as well as the ability to take part in the
execution, of such pieces, have become gradually diffused,
we might almost say, among the million. Wit Less, on the
one hand, our oratorios, our Leslie's and other vocal per-
formances, our Monday Popular, Philharmonic, and Crystal
Palace concerts, and the mass of persons of all classes who
attend them ; and, on the other hand, the large number of
amateurs who are now able to take part in these public
performances, or who associate themselves in private so-
cieties and parties for a like object. If additional proof were
needed of what we have just said, it would be suggested by
the list of works which we have prefixed to these remarks.
For only on the supposition of an enormous number both
of hearers and executants could we account for the pro-

fuse supply of part-music which the Messrs. N ovellO have
here provided, and the cheap rate at which they have

issued it. We can well remember the time when Mr.
Hullah's spirited exertions first gave being and life to the
choral movement, and when he ventured upon the publica-
tion of a series of vocal pieces in a handy form, and at what
was then considered a very moderate price. All honour
to him as the pioneer in the movement. But since then

what an advance ! Thint of from two to throe hundred
separate choral pieces from Handel alone, issued at prices such
as three half-pence and twopence each, followed by simi-
lar selections from Mozart, Beethoven, Spohr, Haydn, and
Mendelssohn, with an apparently endless supply of madri-
gals, glees, and part songs, new and old. The size of these
reprints is a convenient one (large 8vo), and the type, espe-
cially of the later issues, remarkably clear. • The edition
of Sir Henry Bishop's glees may be taken as a favourable
specimen of the style of getting up.
It will be seen that Messrs. Novello's cheap library com-
prises not only popular secular music, and music (like the
oratorio) which way be said to occupy a middle position,
but also Church music, properly so called, consisting of re-
prints of such standard works as Beethoven's Mass in C,
Mozart's Requiem and Litanies, Mendelssohn's Psalms, &c.
To those are added still more modern compositions, the
most remarkable of which are Clounod.'s Mass of St. Cecilia,
and his music for the " Seven Words" and other motetts.
M. Gounod is one of the few men of mark in

the present day who write to any extent for Church
purposes, and we are glad to see his works making their
way in England. His music will be a welcome change
from the beaten track of what is called the English Cathe-
dral School of Greene, Nares, Croft, Aldrich, !cc., and will,
we should think, be no less welcome to Catholic choirs ;
many of them having been too long confined to music of
the Vienna and Salzburg school of the 18th century,
which, beautiful as much of it is, has but little pretension
to ecclesiastical character. The "Messe Solennelle" now
reprinted in its complete form for Catholic choirs, and in
its adapted and abridged form for the words of the Eng-
lish Prayer Book, will be found worthy of introduction,
both as a novelty, and as poSsessing characteristic
merits of its own. We are bound to add that, in order to
secure its due effect, it ought to have an orchestral ac-
companiment, inclusive of the harps indicated in the score.
It has we believe been orchestrally performed in its complete
shape at the church of St. John the Evangelist, Islington,
and in the abridged form at St. Andrew's, Well-street,
where, if it had not the benefit of an orchestra (for the poor
little solitary harp could not count for much) it had at
least the advantage of first-rate singing. The motetts on
the "Seven Words" are, it is well-known, a series of com-
positions for a solemn service on Good Friday, founded
upon the words of our Saviour on the Cross. Haydn's
music for the same occasion is well known and admired,
but it is strictly orchestral ; and as many think that in such
cases purely vocal music is more appropriate, M. Gounod's
setting will doubtless be welcomed. We 'can answer
for the effect being both artistic and religious, and when
Lent next comes round our musical readers will be glad to
remember it. We conclude by heartily thanking Messrs.
Novello for their series of cheap musical Classics, and
commending them to the general patronage of the public.

Ersom TURNPIKES.—The next Derby will be a
red-letter day for tho road, being tho firot aftor tho aboli-
tion of the Kennington and other turnpikes between Lon-
don and Epsom.

THE RINDERPEST IN IRELAND.—DUBLIN, May
14.—The following alarming announcement from a ma-
gistrate has appeared in the Northern Whig:—" The rinder-
pest has broken out in the townland of Drennan, in the
county of Down, about five miles from Lisburn, near
Ballies-mill. I saw four cattle killed by order of Mr.
Ferguson, veterinary surgeon, who came here last night.
A cordon has been drawn round the infected district.
Eight cattle have died, four have been killed, and five
others will be killed by order."
CATTLE POISONING.—On Wednesday last a meet-
ing was held at Leaden noodling, under the presi-
dency of Mr. J. Watlington, to consider some cases of cattle
poisoning which have occurred on the farm of Mr. J. Reeve,
High Roothing, Bury. It appears that since 1859 a great
many cattle on Mr. Reeve's farm have died under circum-
stances which left no doubt in the minds of veterinary sur-
geons that death was caused by vegetable poisons. During
that period 12 horses have also died. Some of them, of
the value of 440 each, died within a month. An interval
elapsed during which there were no deaths among the
horned cattle or horses, and it was hoped that no further
recurrence of these serious losses wold take place ; but
during the last month or six weeks several cows and
heifers have suffered in the same way. It was in conse-
quence of this that the meeting was galled to determine
what measures could be adopted to discover by what means
the cattle had been poisoned. The Rev. F. Shepherd read
letters from veterinary surgeons, dem-lb:l3g the appearance
of the animals after death, and giving it as their opinion
that the horned cattle and horses had dial from the effects
of poison. He said there was an increasing fear lest the
mischief should spread, as it was difficul to discover any
cause why M. Reeve, who was a good master, kind to the
poor, and an excellent neighbour, shouldbe singled out for
special injury. Mr. Wilson (New-hall) said that three of his
horses were similarly affected during last month, but they had
recovered under ordinary treatment. R43olutions of sym-
pathy with Mr. Reeve for the loss of his stock, and for the
appointment of a committee to further investigate the
matter, were passed, and the proceedings terminated. It
is supposed that a man named Young, who committed sui-
cide last week, has beast doing the misckiaf•