The Times commented, "Four or five years ago if any one had predicted that the Opera-house would be full from floor to ceiling for the performance of an oratorio by an English composer he would probably have been supposed to be out of his mind."
The Times berkomentar, "Empat atau lima tahun sebelumnya bila ada orang yang berani meramalkan gedung opera akan dipenuhi dari lantai hingga langit-langit oleh penonton pertunjukan oratorio dari seorang komponis Inggris, orang itu kemungkinan sudah sinting."