15 SEPTEMBER 1860, Page 13

MUSIC.

This is now the festival season. The "Meeting of the Three Choirs" has been held this week at Worcester. This festival, which has been annually held for nearly a century and a half, has the laudable object of assisting the incumbents of poor livings (of which there are many in that part of the country) by a division of the proceeds among them ; an object which will be satisfactorily effected this year, the influx of visitors to the old cathedral town having been very large. The musical per- formances as usual at this festival, have been deficient in the interest derived from novelty. The oratorios performed in the mornings have been a portion of The Creation and of Judas Maceabeus, St. Pau; Elijah, and The Messiah; and the evening concerts have been made up of selec- tions from favourite operas, overtures, and popular songs and ballads. There was, however, a powerful host of vocal performers—Madame Clara Novell°, Madame Rudersdorff, Madame Weiss, Madame Sainton- Dolby, Miss Wells, Miss Parepa, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Dlontem Smith, Mr. Weiss, and Signor Belletti. The instrumental orchestra and chorus were three hundred strong ; and the music, both sacred and secular, was exceedingly well performed, under the direction of Mr. Done, the organ- ist of the cathedral.

The Norwich Festival takes place next week, and the programmes of the performances present several interesting novelties ; in particular, a new Oratorio, Alnytham, by Molique, composed expressly for this Fes- tival; a new cantata, Undine, by Benedict, founded on the beautiful tale by Be la Motto Fouque ; and a selection from The Armida of Gluck. The Creation, The Last Judgment, The Dettingen Te Deans, and Mendelasohn's Psalm "As the Hart pants," will also be performed. The principal vocalists are Madame Clara Novell°, Madame Weiss, Miss Palmer, Madame Borghi-Manio, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Wilbye Cooper, Mn Santley, Mr. Weiss, and Signor Belletti ; and the conductor is Mr. Benedict.