TIIE MUSICAL FESTIVALS.
Swan time since there appeared in the morning papers a long diplomatic- correspondence (if correspondence it might be called which was almost all on one side) about the conductorship of the Norwich Festival ; in which it was adroitly insinuated that Sir GEORGE SMART had declined the offered situation. It is enough that we now state the fact, that no oar of any kind was made to Sir GEORGE in reference to the Norwich Festival ; which the Committee unanimously decided to place under the conduct of Mr. E. TAYLOR. A much more important piece of musical information is, that SPOHR has accepted the invitation of the Norwich Committee, and that he will conduct his Oratorio Des Heilands Letze Standen. This invitation speaks and sustains the character of the body whence it emanated, and is a sufficient pledge of the spirit with which time Norwich Festival will be carried on. The frequent course with getters-up of festivals is to engage two or three principal singers, at enormous salaries ; and then, in order to give them opportunities for display, to patch together some threadbare fragments under the title of "a grand selection." The object at Norwich has always been the per- forniance of entire works of high celebrity, with the assistance of an orchestra consisting of the best London performers and the most nu- merous choral society that any provincial town can boast. Such, too, is the principle on which the Worcester Festival is con- ducted, under the able supervision of Mr. CLARKE. The principal features of this meeting are already announced—The Creation, Pales- tine, and The Messiah. The Worcester Festival begins on the 10th, and that of Norwich on the 17th September.
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