Mus i c
[NEW WORKS AT THE THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL.]' THE works specially composed for the Three Choirs Festival held at Hereford last week included examples of both secular and sacred styles. The first to be heard was Sir Herbert Brewer's Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis. This was sung at the opening service in the Cathedral. It combines many admirable qualities—notably imagination, simplicity, and fluency—and happily reconciles the festival spirit with unpre- tentious vocal writing, which means that the Canticles can be stmg to this music at a festival and by a village choir with equally good effect.
At the Shirehall concert Sir Walford Davies conducted the first performance of his "Children's Symphony." This is a symphony in miniature "planned for the ears of children, grown-up and otherwise." It bears the impress of the com- poser's genial, enlightened mind. The slow movement is a particularly graceful episode during which we seem to catch Sir Walford musing over his favourite passages in this work and that. The movement called "At Play" lacks the spontaneity of child's play. As a whole the work impressed me as being a translation in terms of music of one of those broadcast talks for which the composer has a special genius. The Symphony, In short, is instructive.
Dr. Granville Bantock's Incidental Music for Macbeth is not new, since we have already heard it during Miss Sybil Thorndike's production of the play last winter ; but this was the first time I had heard it outside the theatre. Its ingenious qualities are enhanced by the transference. The bassoon trio for the Witches' Dance was beautifully played by three members of the London Symphony Orchestra. Hereafter I shall always think of the bassoon as a weird sister.
Vaughan Williams's "Shepherds of the Delectable Moun- tains" was given its first performance without a stage setting. The work established a more intimate relationship with the Cathedral atmosphere than it did on a former occasion with the theatre. We needed no visual presentation in the presence of music so full of wonder, humility, and quiet penetration, and with Mr. Steuart Wilson singing the Pilgrim's music, the mystical mood pervaded to the end.
BASIL MAINE.
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