and equipment, the meetings of the Three Choirs enjoy an
incontestable advantage in regard to the conditions and contrast between the abiding loveliness of Italy and the surroundings under and in which the performances take "relentless and domineering onward force" of the ancient place. The necessary arrangements for seating the audience, Romans who overran and possessed it. Nothing could exceed choir, and orchestra unfortunately, but inevitably, inflict a the brilliancy of the opening section, with its vivid suggestions good deal of disfigurement on the interior of Gloucester of glowing colour, exuberant energy, and immense speed. Cathedral, but the glory and massive dignity of the great There is, in the view of the present writer, however, something columns and arches remain. Such surroundings, while they curiously one-aided in the musical characterisation of the spirit reinforce and glorify the effect of great or good music, only of ancient Rome. Rome to Sir Edward Elgar is not the Rome serve by the silent contrast of their own ancient nobility to of Virgil's " Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento," expose what is pretentious, grandiose, or trivial. From the point nor of Claudian's " Discite vesanae Romam non temnere of view of sheer acoustics, Gloucester may not perhaps deserve gentes,"—not, that is, the power which stood for law and the quaint encomium of Titiens, who told Samuel Sebastian order, but a sort of barbarous steam-roller, typified by a Wesley that he had " the best concert hall in Europe," but it succession of strident discords, smashing and crushing down certainly can have few superiors; and not only voices, but instru- opposition by sheer brute force. In the confined compass ments, seem to take on a beauty denied to them in less august of the Shire Hall, a small but extremely resonant building, the surroundings. But where modern Festival performances effect of this musical Pandemonium was painfully stimulating ; are concerned, one cannot rely exclusively on the magic of and just as the late Mr. James Lowther preferred to listen
associations, the aura of a great fane, the glorifying effect of to the Nationalist orator from the Terrace of the House of
long-drawn aisles. Here, as elsewhere, " efficiency " is the Commons, one felt that for the moment the non-paying great desideratum,—in chorus, orchestra, and, above all, in crowd in the street outside were best placed for the enjoy- conductor. Gloucester has been very fortunate in the last ment of the modern orchestration. There are times—and twenty years in a succession of capable, energetic, and accom- this was one of them—when distance lends enchantment plished organists, and Mr. A. H. Brewer, the present occupant to the ear. Similar emotions were aroused by the new
of the post, emerged from his second triennial ordeal with ex- orchestral fantasia, Scenes from the Ballet, by Mr. W. H.
ceptional distinction. Quiet decision, intelligence, and sympathy Reed, who throughout the week played at the first desk of are the features of his conducting ; but this is not all. As one the first violins. Mr. Reed also seems impressed by the need of his colleagues enviously observed, "it isn't that he never of " Mediterranising " our music, and it is an agreeable change
loses his head, but he never loses his temper." As matters from the oppressive strenuousness of some of the younger stand, Festival conductors must overwork their forces, and to school to find a writer deliberately aiming at the diffusion of
do this without straining the voices of the chorus or trying cheerfulness. Mr. Reed makes the mistake—to borrow the temper of the band is a task that passes the wit of man. Rubinstein's criticism of the moderns—of "painting with all That Mr. Brewer, with his admirable equanimity, came so the colours in his palette," and has not yet realised that light
near achieving the impossible explains and justifies the en- music needs a light touch. If he will only take " leviore comiums so generally lavished on him at the end of the plectro" for his motto when next he essays a similar theme, week. The orchestra, led by that evergreen enthusiast, Mr. his contribution to the gaiety of nations will be welcomed Burnett, and including many of our best and most ex- without reserve, for he has a genuine gift for tune-coining and perienced instrumentalists, showed an endurance and courage an excellent knowledge of orchestral effect. The unaccom- truly Japanese in its quality. The choir, again, did sur- panied Motet by Mr. Lee Williams, Mr. Brewer's predecessor prisingly well. Occasionally one missed the intrepidity of as organist of Gloucester, composed for the Festival and con- attack, the self-sacrificing energy, of the Yorkshire singers ; ducted by the composer in the Cathedral on Tuesday evening, and in volume of tone the altos left something to be desired. is a thoroughly well-made, unaffected, and genial setting of But in the new works, notably Sir Hubert Parry's cantata, and, one of the finest of Jeremy Taylor's Festival Hymns.
above all, in the very exacting and difficult music of The On Wednesday morning Sir Hubert Parry's short oratorio, Apostles, they sang with remarkable accuracy, intelligence, described as a " Sinfonia Sacra," entitled The Love that and delicacy. Casteth out Fear, was given for the first time in the A Festival programme must always partake of the nature of Cathedral. The aim of the text, admirably written and a compromise. Consideration must be shown for the majority compiled by the composer, is to define wherein consists the of the audience, who prefer to hear works with which they are right attitude of God's faithful servants towards their already familiar, while the rights of the enlightened minority Maker. How far the greatest, the most richly endowed, cannot be overlooked. In the framing of the Gloucester the most highly favoured of men fall short of this ideal is programme due regard was paid to these contending claims, illustrated by the records of Moses, of David, of St. Peter. and the scheme showed a judicious mixture of old and new, of The book adopts by turns the narrative and dramatic classical and romantic, of native and foreign, of established forms, while a chorus is employed somewhat in the manner reputations and aspiring talent. Handel was represented by of the chorus of a Greek play. It is a lofty argument, The Messiah and a miscellaneous programme, Mendelssohn by happily reinforced by the consistent dignity of the music. Elijah and the Hymn of Praise; Bach was unfortunately an The extremely liberal views which now prevail in regard to absentee, and Beethoven's genius was hardly adequately the character of works suitable for performance in our illustrated by the performance in the Cathedral of his high- Cathedrals at Festivals occasionally lead to results discon- spirited Symphony in F; but, on the other hand, full justice was certing to those who hold that earnestness of aim is not in done to Brahma by the choice of the great Dee/aches Requiem, itself, or invariably, a passport to performance in a conse- the swan-song of German classical music on its choral side. crated building. Here, at least, no conflict of opinion could Of the novelties, by far the widest interest was excited by Sir possibly arise. The temper of the music is wholly attuned Edward Elgar's remarkable oratorio, The Apostles—now for to the spirit of the words, ornament is reduced to a minimum, the first time included in' the programme of a Gloucester and dramatic effect never degenerates into theatricality. We Festival—which drew an even larger attendance than either have, in fine, a singularly impressive, yet modern, specimen of Elijah or The Messiah. It would be interesting to know what genuine oratorio, as opposed to the hybrid genre of cryto-opera was the exact impression produced on the old guard of pro- which threatens to take its place. New works are not always vincial Festival-goers by this intensely modern work, at once heard to the greatest advantage at a first performance, but so sincere in its aim, so devout in its spirit, so complex in Sir Hubert Parry's oratorio was given in a manner above its appeal to the intellect and emotions, so elaborate, and even reproach by all concerned, the singing of the " mystic choir " sophisticated, in its ornament, so daringly anachronistic in being especially noteworthy for its delicacy and restraint. its psychology. Sir Edward Eiger was also represented by Mies Muriel Foster and Mr. Plunket Greene were entirely the "Prelude and Angel's Farewell" from Gerontius, and his sympathetic interpreters of the principal - solos, and the new concert overture, "In the South," which was performed in effective singing of a small part for soprano by Madame
the Shire Hall on Wednesday evening. Here Sir Edward Eiger
MUSIC. has acted on Nietzsche's precept, Il faut Meeliterraniser /a musigue, with brilliant, and even startling, results. The com-
landscape and Italian skies ; and second, to emphasise the Sobrino deserves to be specially mentioned, because leading soloists are not always ready to contribute to the excellence of an ensemble by accepting minor roles. Mr. Granville Bantock's Rhapsody for chorus and orchestra, " The Time Spirit," also performed on the same morning, is a formid- ably scored and sonorous setting of a picturesque unrhymed poem in praise of the strenuous life. Mr. Bantock wields the resources of the modern orchestra with assurance and skill, and is decidedly successful in diffusing an atmo- sphere in keeping with the spirit of the poem. In the crucial task of coining themes, however, his invention falls below the level of his workmanship. Still, if one misses the quality of sustained inspiration, it is impossible not to respect the mastery of orchestral resource with which Mr. Bantock has illustrated the animating idea of his text,— per aspera ad astra. Of Brahms's Requiem, which concluded an unduly protracted programme, it is not necessary to say more than that, although the choir were manifestly fatigued by their exertions, the rendering was not unworthy of the work. In view of the extravagant salvoes of panegyric which it is becoming the fashion to discharge at modern musicians, to praise a composer is rapidly becoming a dubious compliment. Let us be content, therefore, with saying that those who are old-fashioned enotigh to regard the Requiem as the noblest piece of modern sacred music enjoyed the performance, and were confirmed in their heresy.
In this imperfect summary of a very successful and interesting meeting we have perforce confined our attention to novelties, and even here the record is incomplete, as the writer was unable to attend the concert on Thursday evening, when Mr. Brewer's oratorio, of which report speaks highly, occupied the first part of the programme. If the Festival failed to reveal any new composer or singer of conspicuous talent, it proved at least that, amongst the younger artists, we have in Miss Muriel Foster a contralto with temperament, and in Mr. Coates a tenor with brains—both welcome rarities. Of the once familiar and famous oratorio quartet, Madame Albani was the sole representative, though Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Santley are still happily with us. It would be too much to say that Madame Albani's powers are unimpaired ; none the less, she showed that fervour and that breadth of style for which one looks in vain in any of the soprano singers of
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