The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-03-28 00:00:00

MUSIC AND THE D.RAMA.

THE ORATORIO AT THE PHILHARMONIC.—On Tues-
day night the sublime oratorio of "Elijah" was performed
at the Philharmonic-hall in a style of excellence of which
the musical public of Liverpool has great reason to be
proud. To aver that the performance was of superlative
excellence is unnecessary, and to say that it was in all;
respects worthy of the composition and its author; would
be to assert what the merits of the case would not justify;
but it is perfectly consistent with. truth to declare that,
taken as a whole, the performance was highly creditable
to all concerned in it. The artistes were all native or
resident in Liverpool; and they acquitted themselves in
their respective parts in such a manner as to elicit and
deserve warm commendation. The orchestral and choral
departments were very complete, numbering in all about.
200 performers. The principal vocalists were Miss Stott:
and Mrs. Scarisbi-ick, Mr. Millar and Mr. Armstrong.
Mr. J. Z. Herrmann was conductor, and Mr. G. Hirst
presided at the organ, and Mr. C. J. Toms at the piano-
forte. Of the efficiency and excellence of the orchestral
and choral performances of the same oratorio we recently
had occasion to speak in complimentary terms ; in the
instance now referred to their execution was entitled to
equal praise. It was steady, ready, and, by a happy com-
bination of executive power, the composer's meaning was
rendered with delicacy and truthful excellence. The
splendid chorus; " Blessed are the men who fear him," was
given in 'admirable style ; and, generally speaking, the
choruses were sung with regulated skill and no small
amount of judgment. Of the solo singers it affords us
much pleasure to speak in very favourable terms. Their
hearts were obviously in their work, and if they did not
occasionally electrify their auditors, they did what to a
great extent was equally deserving of praise ; they sung
in a style of sustained excellence and purity the words
and the music set down for them, many of the recitatives
and airs being managed with great artistic skill. To come
to particulars, the magnificent air, "O rest in the Lord,"
was sung with admirable intonation end effect by Mrs.
Scarisbrick. The singing of Miss Stott was also in many
respects deserving of high encomium; as was likewise that
of Messrs. Millar and Armstrong. Before quitting this
Pleasing theme, we must not omit paying a tribute to the
capability and readiness displayed by a young, indeed a
very young lady, who, besides singing in the cho-
ruses, took part in two quartets and a trio. For
one so young, she sung well, and in a manner such
as to give promise of higher attainments.—We ob
serve the same artistes are to give the " Messiah"
of Handel on Tuesday next, the performance, of which
we make no doubt, will be as praiseworthy and interest-- •
ing as the one on which we have just been commenting ;
and in recommending it to the special patronage of the
musical amateurs of Liverpool, we trust we shall not be
set down as unnecessarily presuming, if we remind them
that the best way of securing the creditable performance
of high class musical compositions, is by the encourage-
ment of native and resident talent. It may be desirable,
on numerous occasions, to secure the services of the high-
est genius among the sons and daughters of song; but to
possess indigenous musical, or any other talent, we must
patronise the genius we have resident among us. The
claims of these artists to our patronage are somewhat
akin to family ties. They have a nearer and more intri-
cately woven connexion with our sympathies, than can be
recompensed by mere pecuniary largesse, or estimated by
market value ; they are, as it were, of our own household ;
to them, in a great degree, we owe what little cultivation
in the art we possess ; and to them we are indebted for
many of our best social enjoyments.
AT THE THEATRE ROYAL, the English Opera Com-
pany, concerning whose performances at this house we
spoke last week in favourable terms, continued a round of
the same pieces during the week, which closed on Satur-
day • adding to the previous list the English versions of
"La Sonnambula" and The Barber of Seville." In both
these last-named pieces, their respectivg talents found
ample scope, and their exertions were rewarded by the
plaudits of discerning and highly respectable audiences.
With the performances of the English Operatic Company,
the season, at this theatre, has been brought to a close.
We understand Miss Cushman will reappear at this house.
for two nights only, when she will repeat her favourite
characters of Meg 3ferrilies, in the drama of " Guy Man- •
nering,". and Mrs. Haller, in " The Stranger," on the
evenings of Monday, the 17th, and Tuesday, the 18th of
April next.
AT THE ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE good audiences haVe
been nightly cllected to witness the performances of Miss •
Anderton, whose personation of Evadue, in the play Of
that name, has met with such success as to have caused
its repetition three times during the week. On Tuesday
evening, the same young lady made her first appearance
as Bianca, in 31ilman's play of " Fazio," which character
she repeated on Saturday evening. She is evidently
making her way in .popular favour, and promises to be-
come an actress of popularity. At this house, the favourite
pantomime of " The Butterfly's Ball, and the Grashop-
per's Feast;" has established its attractions, and has been
performed every evening during the past week. The beauty
of its scenery, and its splendour as a spectacle, continue
their influence in attracting numerous spectators.
Ansi,rnt THEATRE.—The performances this evening
will be for the benefit of Mr. M. Hill, whose favour with
the frequenters of this: theatre will, no doubt, ensure-him
a full attendance.

TEE CHOLERA.—Daring the week eleven cases of
cholera' and two deaths occurred at Leeds.

THE Bony of Colonel C.E. Gordon, R.E., who died sud-
denly from disease of the heart, in.a railway carriage, on
the 10th, was, on' Saturday, exhumed from the mausoleum
of Greenwich Hospital, to undergo a second inquest. at
Crewe, in consequence of it having been ascertained that
the deceased officer experienced some strange treatment
from a drunken man, who was in the carriage with him ;
and blame being alleged to be attributable to the railway
officers for permitting such a character to ride in the train.
PROTESTANTISM AT WIND soß.—Mr. Darvill, the Mayor
of Windsor, convinced that he committed a grave error in
suffering himself to be influenced by the misrepresenta-
tions of a Romish priest, has granted the use of the Tfown-
hall for two meetings of the Protestant Reformation So-
ciety, which are to be held to-da:,- and to-morrow. We
understand that the matter was brought under the consi-
deration of Lord Palmerston, who disapproved of the
conduct of the Mayor;

SEIZURE or COMBUSTIBLES.-011 Saturday, the officers
of Customs seized a vessel in the Thames, laden with If;
petre and sulphur, consigned to a
`Russian port. I
understood that the government inend to enforce the
penalties against the shippers.
—The election
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to resume work.
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WHEN THE PURSE IS FULL.

OH ! happy are the hours when the purse is full;
Time passes over flowers when the purse is full ;
Where'er our fancy wends, . .

We are sure to meet with friends,
And there's nothing that offends—when the purse is full !
But weary are the hours when the purse is low;
And few and far the flowers when the purse is low ;
Where'er our footsteps range,
Comes the thrilling breath of change,
And the best of friends look strange when the purse is low !
Morn cometh with a dance when the purse is full ;
There is music in her glance when the purse is lull ;
Life then is something worth,—
There is pleasure upon earth,—
There is beauty, song, and mirth—when the purse is full!

Yet man, we're often told, though his purse be low,
Is himself the truer gold, though his purse be low;
But the saying is not true,
For the blindest yet may view,
Man's friends are of the few—when his purse is low.
CHARLES SWAIN.