The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-07

music as an amateur and may therefore be deemed
entitled to the privilege Of forming conclusion for
myself.
The Messiah as Think the greatest of Hsadel's
sublime conceptions, is the oratori0 best known So
the general public, and my remarks will, therefore,
apply chiefly to that work. Judas Maccs3le as"
on Wednesday was on the whole. much after
the same hshion, aud did not therefore alter the
opinion formed from the frat performance To
day lose the Israel In Egypt" In consequence Of
professional engagements, aud am much disposed
to think tht this oratoio will go the best, first be
it is almost entirely made up of choruses and
second because the arts'es will have had more ex-
perience, and acquired more confidence in them
selves.
went to the Crystal Palace on Monday pre- pared
to be gratlfed in no ordinary degree to enjoy an
enjoyment to come and to pass away once and
forever thing never 10 return but in dreams,
but to be stored in my mind for recital to my
children, or, mayhsp, my child ems children. had
been led to imagine from accounts of the rehearsas
from which, by the by, carefully held myself aloOi
that my pleasure might be enhances by anticipation
that there was something absolutely gorgeous ia
store for me, and that should have opportunity
Of reveling in delight; and came away dsap
pointed. believe thai such attempts az these 70
give music as we never heard music before, lst
fail unit we have an edifce acOustically adapted
for the purpose, ana until we can organize chorus
from amongst ourselves without having recourse 70
the provinces. for hold that the Handel Fe ,tivsl
failed from these two causes. The Crystal Palace
is not adapted for vocal music. 1t was not designed
or built for such purpose; and am prepared to
say decidedly that many OF the chOruses OF the Mes
siah would have went much better in the open a,r,
after the manner of the Germans, than they did In
the Crystal Palace We cannot forget That last
year, when the directors arranged with Mr. Gye for
the Friday Opera concerts, 1t was found necessary
to erect screen to con6ne sound within reason
able limit, and that 1t has subsequently been
deemed Impossible by competent judges to make
the Palace a music hall. But the second
reason give for the failure of the experiment was
the more powerful one. The choruses were made
up from the Exeter Hall Amateurs excellent and
well trained singers), the choristers from the va
rious cathedraIs in the Provinces and the choral
societies, especially those in the north of Engane
These nen met together for the first time two or
three days before the performance came of. and
sang the music under immense Disadvantages,
once at Exeter Hall and once (on the Saturday, at
the Palace. On rehearsing it was evident, l am
informed that Mr.. Costa had got together body OF
men taught In widely different schools and accus
toned to sing Handel after peculiar fashions. Men
are not easily driven from their pecrliarties of
style. The men of the north sing Handel's choruses
with an JUNCTION only found in the northern districts
There is sort of Rembrandtsh c0lOring about their
reDderings not found at Exeter Hail. and therefore
the delicate refine nents of Mr.. Costas style were
somewhat puZzlng to this portion Of his forces. In
the west of England again, the men have trad
tional method, with its peculiarites OF course
given to them by their fathers, Of which they are
highly conservative. To be brief the country
men have been in the habit of singing Handels
choruses naturally, de,laimisg the words rather
than celebrating artissically the music. Not so at
Exeter Hall, where chorus singing IL scientifically
and nicely cultivated. Thus you will see that the
choruses being made up of Combination of neon
gruties, singers taught their art in schools widely at
variance in matters Of taste, it impossible for
Mr. Costa, with all his ackno wedged skill as a con-
ductor, to bring such materials into thorough unity
of action in the short time allotted him for the pur
pose. Hence it was that trebles were tmid, tenors
nervous and bases wavering; aud for the reasons
Oivov hat al ko man M fail
until we have edce capable Of holding orchestra
and audience, built with due regard to the princ
pies OF acoustics, and until We can have body Of
chorus singers trained together in one school, under
one teacher.
In the performance of the Messiah" the INSULT
cheney Of the rehearsal painfully evident in many
of the choruses, more particularly in "And He shall
the last Of which is rather "catching.5 The great
"Hallelujah' chorus was perhaps the best of any,
and the "Amen' was not far behind it in point Of
grandeur effect. or the solos little can be said.
Even Mr.. Sims Reeves, Mr.. Weiss and Herr Formes
failed TO give satisfaction in the beautiful pieces
allotted TO them. 1t was only in those songs Of
simple construction that the soloiss could make an
impression, and thus II was that Madame Clara No
vello was greatest in .. / Know that My Reieemer
Liveth," and Mr.. Sims Reeves in Comfort Ye Ny
People" The alta was too vast, and the contrast TO
the ear straining after one voice after being ava
keped by two thousand, was not pleasant. The
Handel festival then assures Us of one thing, and
grandeur Of effect. viz: proper building and pro-
per training, neither of which it had. Training
piecemeal is thus proved failure. But fear
have exceeded my limits, and therefore will leave
some other matters for the next mail.
Our Paris Correspondents.
PARIS, June is, 1857
A Stroll in the Cemetery Of Montmorfre-Negiecf
ofhs Tombs-R "Reminiscences Of Annirersaries-
Anscdote Of U'eiiington - Grslef's ArrivaI n
MafseH Officer Posting Up on the French System
-Ramblts of Yankee T'rareiiers-Sunday Sights
and Anustmenfs-Greaf Art Exhibition.
Twas yesterday holding communion with fine
Old octoqenarian-- one on whom time with placid
hand had laid bis pressure-on the abortive ten.
dency Of all anniversaries The subject was in fact
suggested by the sight Of innumerable monuments,
as we strolled through the cypress groves Of Mont
msrtre, fast crumblng into decay, evidently in con-
sequence Of the failure Of those pious visits which,
doubtless were once so puucfually and faithfully