The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-10-11 00:00:00

PART II

Chorus. "The rnltions are now the Lord's."
Recit., Miss Birch, " And Pail came to Vie congregation."
Duet, Mr. Brabant and Mr. 11. Philiips, Paul and Barnabas)
" Now an, We ambassadors."
Chorus,- ",How lovely are the messengers." •
Recit., Mrs. Wood, " So they, being tilled with the Holy
Ghost."
Air, " I will sing of thv great mercies."
Recit., Mr. Bennett, " But when the Jews."

Chorus, " Thus saith the Lord."
Recit., Mr. Bennett, " And they laid wait fur Paul."
Chorus, Is this he? and
Quaitett, Mrs. W. Kny'vett, Mrs. A. Shaw,—Messrs. Ben-
nett and E. Taylor, " Oh thou the true and only light."
Recit., Mr. Bennett, " But Paul and Barnabas spake freely."
Recit., (Paul) Mr. IL Phillips, " Ye were chosen first to
have the word of the Lord." •
Duet, Mr. Bnnett and Mr. H. Phillips, " For so bath the
Lord commanded."
Recit., Madame Caradori Allan, "And there was a man at
Lystra."
Chorus, "The Gods themselves."
Res it.; Birch, "And they called Bernal," Jupiter."
Chorus, ' 0 be gracious."
Recit., Mr. Bennett, " Now when the Apostles."
Recit., Mr. H. Phillipv," Oh wherefore do ye these things."
Air, Mr. " know ye not that ye are his temple."
Solo and Chorus, " But our God a1.),1(..th. in heaven."
Recit., Miss Birch, "Then the multitudes were stirred up."
Chorus, "'This is Jehovah's Temple."
Recit., Miss Birch, "And they all nersecuted Paul."
Cavitina, Mr. &ahem, Violoncello Obligato, Mr. Lindley,
" Be thou faithful unto death."

ltecit , Mrs. W. Knyvett, "And Paul sent and called the
Elders."

Recit., (Paul) Mr. 11. Phillips, •• Ye know how, at all sea-
sons."

Recit., Mrs. W. Knyvett, "And they all wept sore, and
prayed."
Chorus, " Far be it from thy path and,thee."
The Solo parts by Mts. W. Knyvett, Mrs. A. Shaw, Messrs.
Bennett and E. Taylor,
Recit., (Paul) Mr. 11. Phillips, "What mean ye thus to
we
Recit., Mr. Bennett, " And when he had thus spoken.".
Chorus, " See what love the Father bath beat owed on us."
Recit., Mrs. Wood, "And tho' he be offered."
Chorus, " And not only unto him."

The oratorio of " St. Paul" is the first great work of Felix
Mendelssohn Bertholdy, a celebrated Gorman composer. The
subject is the life of the great apostle, from the martyrdom of
St. Stephen (and Paul's persecution of the christians) to 'his
miraculous conversion. 'rids closes the first part. His mission
to the jews and gentiles—his persecutions—and his final de_
parture from his congregation at Ephesus, on what we know
will eventuate in his death, form the second portion of this ora-

Orin.
The composer, with much tact, has availed himself of the ad-
vantages which are afforded by the use of the choruses. He fully
employs them, and with considerable effect. He also, model-
ling his musical epic upon the drama of Greece, introduces (but
! less frequently, of course,) the choruses. Upon the chief choral
of the first pat t, is based the overture—a fine composition, in
which the organ, with its solemn depths of sound, prepares the
mind for the pathetic sublimity of the opening part, in which is
represented the martyrdom of Stephen. The free use of the
trombones is an advantage here, which adds to the soul-sub"
doing effects of the overture, as a whole.
The recitative, "And
,the many that believed," (given by
Mrs. Kny vett with good voice, but witolly without. expression,)
introduces the false witnesses. and, immediately after, the cho-
rus of the people and of the Hebrews accuse Stephen of blas-
phemy. These two.ehohises contrast, beautifully, the defence
of Stephen ("Men, Brethren, and Fathers,") sung by Britham,
with less inflections of voice than he is wont to use, and pre •
raced by the recitative. "And all that sat," which was given in
a very careless and indifferent manner by Madame Caradori.
In the defence, Stephen exhorts the multitude, bewails the des-
tiny of Jerusalem. and upbraids the people with having caused
the glory of the Holy city to be dimmed. The chorus clamour
I for his removal: Stephen gives evidence of his faith in the
beautiful solo. " Lo, I see the heavens opened,'- to which Bra-
' ham did nothing like justice, and a Magnificent air, Jerusa-
lem. Jerusalem, thou that killest prophets," follows., as a lament.
Madame Caradori executed this, and we wished, again and
again, that-it had been entrusted to Mrs. Wood or Ms's. A.
Shaw. It is capable of the most pathetic expression, but Ma-
; dame Caradori marred this effect, by the same careless execu-
i tion which rendered her previous recitative almost ineffective.
' A recitative announces the martyrdom of Stephen. and a fine
chorus, from the people, calls out, with awful and thrilling ef-
fect, "Stone him to death." A soft choral, "'['o thee, 0 Lord,
I yield my spirit," succeeds, and is followed by a recitative, in-
t,troducing Saul, the persecutor. This was sung by Mrs. Wood,
with a feeling and expression which contrasted very favourably
with a ',whelk coldness of Madame Carado i. A fine burst,
by Mr. H. Phillips; " Consume them all,'' exhibits the unre-
lenting persecution of Saul, and what may be called the intro-
! duction, concludes with a sweet arioso, "But the Lord is mind-
ful of his own." •
The CoNyEesioN is the next in this oratorio. It represents
Saul travelling to Damascus, and, on his way, hearing the voice
I from heaven. '['his part is skilfully managed. The recitative,
"And he heard a voice saying unto him"—the soprani and
alti, with wind instruments' accompaniment, gave the words from
heaven, "Saul! Saul! why persecutest thou me ?" Again, the
recitative proceeds, and again ice have the answer from on high,
"I am Jesus of Nazareth"—another branch of the recitative,
and the chorus continues, " Arise, and go auto the city." Such is
the vision, and there is nothing finer in the whole range of musi-
cal- effects. It is above the power of description. -
The vision is followed by a chorus in C major, beginning with
the drums. and erectility jellied by the other instruments, higher
, and higher, until the utmost swell of the voice bursts out into
" Arise! shine! for thv light comes"—a call worthy of the fu-
ture mission of the ;:treat convert. A choral, et equal-power. fol-
Itys this magnificent chorus,'- Sleepers awake," (and this is the
choral on which the overture is mainly based. ) in which the trout-
bones give a peal. like a thunder-peat. Then the trombones are
. s
le. b.?t near the close oft he choral t hey again are heard, and
he o
ehestra the lioir join them in one delightful and
sublime unison or ha or on v. Nothing can be liner than this
choral.
Paul's pc nitene
solo, (by air. Phillips.)— oh ! Got!,
e and conversion are announced in a beautiful
have mercy noon me." and
another, " I praise thee, 0 Lord. my God." The chorus answers
this anthem of pssise iu a sirs in of consolation, "The Lord he le
God,'.' full of promi,e of forgiveness.
the baptism or I' and his restoration to sight follow, and
'
the
first part wind.- ee with another chorus full of christian con-
fidence.
A'eriumphent fieure,!"The nations are now the Lord's,"
eemmences the second part. A recitative announces the call of
rs in
chorus, n"k:he titred
1 °
did l
ot tche
: ss
justice
Patti and Barnabas, and they declare themselves (Mr. Phillips
,naenandnal-e e ll!il )5,rf..,(,13 isThr rainhsaet.x aria Mrs. w 4) 1 w
n N bea
,
This is. " will sing of thy great mercies," and
to it. Now arises the jealousy of the Jews. awl the multitude
shout "'Thus saith the Lord, lam the Lord.'" Paul is pur-
sued, and a chorus, dramatic in its effect, asks " Is this he,
who in Jerusalem," &e. and angrily ends with " Force hint
Away." A choral quartett, by Mrs. W. Kt-let/ea, Mrs. A. Shaw,
Mr." Bennett. and Mr. Taylor, pray for the enlightenment of
those who blindly roam in darkness. The only vocalist who
did full justice to this was Mrs. A. Shaw. Paul now-speaks to
the heathens, and the recitative, by Mr. Phillips, made it
strikingly effective. Paul works a miracle, and the gentiles
worship him and Barnabas, as Gods. The Apostles undeceive
them in another recitative, (by Phillips), and the chorus tells
them, " Know ye that ye are his temple." The Jews and gen-
les grow excited against the apostles. A fine aria (by Bra-
-= am, with violoncello obligato by Lindley) is the reply to the
demand, " Stone them !" Paul then; " bound in spirit," an-
nounces his approaching departure for Jerusalem to meet cer-
tain death —his congregation entreat him not to leave them--
he blesses them, comforts them, and departs. The oratorio ends
with a fine choral burst of faith and praise.
The above is necessarily a rapid sketch of this oratorio: but
a correct one. We must remark, in conclusion, that Braham
appeared to little advantage, and Mr. E. Tavlor had little to do.
Miss Birch had a good deal of recitative, but did not make it
very effective. Mrs. Knyvett sung with mote care than con-
fidence—she evident•y was nervously afraid of the new oratorio.
Mr Phillips seemed wrapped tip in the success of the perform-
ance, and did his beet to contribute to it. Equally attentive
and 'interested did Mrs. Wood appear, and her superiority in
voice, execution, and expression, cast Madame Caradori into
absolute nothingness. Madame Caradori had little to do, and
that little she did carelessly. Site was the eont;ea/. and Mrs.
Wood the actual, Prima Deena of the festival. Her fine voice
anti brilliant execution has scarcely ever during the festival
been fully shown, except, perhaps, on Thursday evening's
concert, when she roused herself to considerable exertion. She
evidently apneas languid and which would super-induce
hat wart of energy and apparent carelessness. Her inatten-
• •
tion this morning was reraarkaeet one-balf the time she was.
forcing Mrs. Knyvett to chat with her, and they diversified this
by the pleasing amusement of comparing the size of their re-
spective hands, and examining the teiture of their cambric
handkerchiefs! This, during the performance of a sacred!!
oratorio, was'" too bad."
We must rind up with drawing particular attention to the
great ability of Mrs. A. Shaw. With her powerful and flexible
,voice, her youth, and her knowledge of the art, (acquired by a
residence in Itale,),she is decidedly one of the most promising
singers of the present day.
The performance of " St. Paul " concluded at three
o'clock.