The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-10-07 00:00:00

OCT. 7, IS6.

I invering Shades," (Azor and Zeinira,)
" Recitative and air, Mr. Phillips, "fbe Light 01 other
1-415;' Harp and Cornet a Piston Obt.iga t• .s•• s Chil and
Hilt-per, (Tile Maid of Artois.) t aire.
" Duetto, Madame Caradori Allan and Mrs. Wood; Deli!
coat iNorma, ) Bellini.
" Duet, Harp and 'Violin, M. Bochsa and t.ll. Ole Bull.
Romance, Mrs. Wood, unwilling Bride,' ....Maeiler.
" Duetto. Madame Caradori Allan and Mr. Brabant. La
ci diirem,' (II Dim,Giovanni,) Mozart.
" Air, Mr. Bennett, ' 0 'tis the Melody,'
..Arranged by J. B. Cramer.
"Overture, ` Die Zauberflote,' Ntoz.irt."
• Tbe reader will perceive by the above that the selections were
of an exceedingly popular description. It appears that the
public of Lancashire are fated to be disappeinted by the illness
or eminent musicians. • The indisposition of Braham, in the
morning, prevented him from joining iu the church service ;
and the first whisper that met our ears at the concert was, that
Dragonetti was so ill that his double-bass would be n.anting.
'This rumour was confirmed by the event, fur this accomplished
perferaier failed to make his appearance.
The opening sinfonia of Beethoven was executed with groat
Precision, and elicited several bursts of applauie from the an-
4ience, who, at the conclusion, testified their approbation both
of the performance and of the symphony in a very marked man-
ner, though, as it took full forty minutes in the execution, it was
to long to encore. Bishop's recitative and potacca, " Trifler,
forbear, " was sung by Miss Birch in a manner that does not
calLfor any particular remark.
The pastoral glee, " Oh, by Rivers," was sung very prettily
bY Mrs. Knyvett, Miss Birch, and Mr. Taylor. It met with
an immediate and unanimous encore.
Madame Caradori next made her appearance, to sing the
aria " Ah! quando in Regio Talmo." She was most raptur-
ousely, received, the audience continuing their applause for
several minutes. She gave the air in a style that was scarcely
less to be praised for brilliancy of execution than for powerful
`expressiou ; and the loud plaudits with which she was greeted
et its conclusion showed the estimation in which the audience
held her efforts.: Of Liudley's concerto on the violoncello, it
were almost superfluous to speak. Ile is so well known for his
superb execution and for the rich variety of his tones, and has
so often received the meed of higher approbation than ours,
that to praise him seems impertinent.. -The audience, however,
applauded him to the very echo, and repeated theapplanse con-
tinuously and tumultuously. The veteran was encored when he
bad finished his surprising performance with an unanimity that
showed how general had been the effect which he had prt-anced.
A very keautiful and somewhat elaborately Constructed canzo-
Oet, by Travers, was next given by Mrs. Wood and H.
Ttni lady was received With that great applause to
Which she is entitled by her high merits as a vocalist. The
piece was well sung by both parties, the fate basS`tif
voice tieing precisely (tithe quality to give tine effect to that of
Mrs. Wood. Mr. Philips is in, high estimati,in with the public
of Liverpool, atof he desetvea to be so, forlie is not only a cor-
i-eCt singer; but he possesses in his style a:Considerable degree
of elegance and troefeeling.
The report during the-div was, that Braham's illness was of
a serious nature, and apprehensions were entertained that he
would 'be troahle.-to_singthe eantata of "Mitil Tom." i,n which
lie ttas,been so celebrated. Some anxiety was evinced when
hiCturn arrived, but this was dispelled by his appearance. It
was evident that he was labouring under indisposition, Yet he
went through the piece with surprising. energy, sending forth a
volume of tune which equalled in power that of his best days,
though it was destitute of that richness of quality and fine mo-
dulation,hy which he was formetly distinguished.
The next performance was of such a nature' as to set the
lover of description and of criticism equally at defiance. It
was a concerto on the violin by M. Ole Bull, and a more sur-
prising performance we.never 'listened to. It would be impos-
sible to be too laudatory, vet we are at a loss for language
wherewith to convey to the reader the multifarious tones and
expressions which he elicited from his small instrument. No
emotion seemed too difficult fur him; he alternately touched
the plaintive, the lively, the wild, and the melancholy; now
bringing forth tones of " linked sweetness long drawn out,"
and anon scattering sounds with a swiftness that subdued every
other feeling. utter. astonishment. It is impossible to say
which is more to be admired, his breadth and variety of tone,
sir his wonderful execution. Our present opinion is, that no
violinist has yet appeared who can at all compete with him.
The scena from Cenerentola "Non pin mesta," sung by Mrs.
Wood, concluded the first part.
In part the second the first subject worthy of particular no-
tice was the recitative, " I gaze upon the stranger land," with
the succeeding air, from Balfe's opera "The Maid of .Artois,"
which was admirably given by Phillips. The harp and cornet
ebligato were performed by Messrs. Chipp and Harper. Mr.
Chipp distinguished himself. .The merits of Harper are too
well known tnrequire much to be said respecting them. His
execution of some of the passages created universal admiration
among his auditors. The piece was encored.
Bellini's duetto, from Norma, was sung by Madame Caradori
and Mrs. Wood. Nothing could exceed the splendid effect
which those two accomplished vocalists produced by their per-
fect execution of this charming piece. At its conclusion, a
duetto, (harp and violin,) by M. Bochsa and M. Ole Bull, af-
forded fresh food for admiration. It was a surprising perform-
ance; and the audience seemed to be at -a loss on which per-
thrmer they ought to shower the greatest favour. Both, how-
ever, had reason to be contented. The ballad of the Unwilling
Bride is but a poor affair, though it was enriched by the talent
and fine voice of Mrs. Wood. Mozart's Overture to Die Zau-
bertlete wound- up the entertainments'of the evening, and con-
-eluded a musical entertainment; the principal portions of which
will long live in the memory of the audience.

WEDNESDAY MORNING'S PERFORMANCE.
The weather this morning continued equally favourable and
lieautiful; and the gay and exciting scene was, if possible, more
hustling: The whole breadth of Church-street, opposite St.
Peter's. where the oratorio Was to be performed, was one dense-
ly thronged parade. The ehurch was crowded to excess, and
presented a brilliant display of rank, fashion, and beauty.
Owing to the judicious arrangement of the police force, every
thing like contnsion was avoided. Amongst the company as-
sembled we observed our esteemed representative, Lord Sandon,
and -family, Lord Skelinersdale and family, Lord Charles
Thypne, J:
•Irelanif 'Blackburne, Esq., M.P.,. Mr. Leigh, &c.,
&c., and several members of the corporation. Whilst, in our
public capacity, speaking of the oratories,- we should be guilty
of a dereliction of duty tojthe public, for the great mass of whom,
se far as our circulation extends, we cater, if we refrained from
dicing tho. Mode in which the committee have thought right
to treat that public whom' various- eat-308 'way have prevented
attending these and the other festival performances, through
their representatives; the public press. I'he mere fact of refus-
ing admission to the press, and those courtesies which are
usually extended to them, would be beneath notice; both are
purchasable; but it is of the animus we speak. We hardly
think that that portion of the public who have not been able to
attend, but who have willingly contributed their means towards
the charities which the proceeds of the festival are to forward; or
that part who have gone to aportion only of the festival perform-
ances, need be very grateful to the committee for this attempt
to shut their out from all which they do not pay for and person-
ally attend. Had the festival not been for the promotion of
charity which we shoUld be sorry to injure, (and we believe the
some feeling, influences most of our couteinporarieso we should
some time ago have noticed this carelessness of the public.
Without the assistance which the press has afforded the com-
mittee, in publishing their arrangements and aiding them with
their talents in their labours, what would have availed the corn-.
enittee's exertions, or what would hare beeu the result of the
festival ? It would need no prophet to predict its failure.
But this is ,not -our only charge against the committee—we
have to charge them with a species of back-stairs favour-
itism, which, to say the least of it, is very contemptible.
If they choose to act illiberally towards the non-attending pub-
lic, well and good; let them stick to it. lint this has not been
the case entirely ' there has been a kind of small-beer allotment
portioned out to them The Morning Herald, the Meriting Post,
and the', Liverpool Mail. have been picked out, and have had
seats appropriated to them. We would ask what claim have
either of the two former papers over the local press ? And we
Would ask why' the Lieerpool Mad, pare excellence, should be
picked out frOm the whole of the Liverpool newspapers-,--a
paper not two months old, comparatively unknown, and certain-
ty having no Conceivable distinction above its fellows. But this
underhand work is in perfect keeping. We, however, in spite
of the committee's veto present our readers with a full and, we
trust, accurate critique of the whole of the festival proceedings
since our last, and for which they, at least, are not indebted to
the committee.