MUSICAL FESTIVALS OF THE SEASON.
COMMITTEES, who have the management of these performances, might as well set forth on their placards, that they take place for the benefit of the London singers. It would be honester, and truer, than to pretend that the interests of the County Hospital enter into their calculations. Throughout the country we find that when the accounts of the various Festivals are balanced, the result is pretty much the same ; no overplus is left, and it is thought a happy circumstance if the expense be cleared. We are not among those who believe that the people who run after large bands and choruses are impelled by charity ; but it would be undeniably a good thing if the humane institutions of the country could be bene- fited by music, which draws more money from the pockets of the public than any other entertainment. What we principally fear is, that the lavish expenditure of country gentlemen upon the London singers, will have the effect of checking the increase of musi- cal performances. Fresh cities and towns will be afraid of en- countering the enormous certainty of expense. Will nothing din into the heads of the managers, that after all, it is not the solo singers that draw the audience? The band and chorus are the rarity—the singer may be heard at any opportunity. But we shall see that it is next to impossible for the Committee-man to he less generous with the ticket-money. This is the state of the case. The celebrated Mr. B. being down in the country, previously to a musical festival, dines with Mr. A., merchant and musical ma- nager pro tem. Mr. B. eats a considerable dinner, and takes hock with Mr. A. and party. In the evening he sings " March, march," to the young ladies in the drawing-room. How is it pos- sible to refuse so gentlemanly a man, so urbane a companion, 2501. for four mornings and evenings ? Absurd to hesitate for a moment. In like manner, Miss S. (who is known in the country by the tender diminutive of KITTY) is esteemed at evening parties a lovely girl, a fascinating creature, &c. &c. ; and they give her 2001. for ,the four days. Two hundred pounds of ticket-money is cheerfully given to any young lady singer who will make herself amiable during that space. And at this rate we pay for drop curls and pretty looks. One thing we beg the reader to reflect upon— which is, that the singers receive the pay for singing songs which they have sung any time these ten or twenty years. They do this year nothing more than they did last year, and the year before ; they attempt no new difficulties ; so that what they perform is scarcely more difficult to them than laughing. If we had not grown by degrees familiar with the monstrous inadequacy between the re- muneration and the service, it would appear alike to every one— sheer madness !
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