THE NORWICH FESTIVAL.

THE Norwich Festival is the finest exhibition of its kind that Eng- land can boast : and it would puzzle us to tell how this happens. Placed in a corner of the kingdom—dirty, crooked, old-fashioned Norwich, is never heard of or known to exist, except when dragged into infamous notoriety by its corrupt electors, or held up to more honourable notice for its unrivalled Triennial Festival. We be- lieve theili electors and chorus-singers are kept there in a constant state of Mining; each class being always ready for a contest or a music meeting.

The return of the Norwich Festival is subject to the decision of the Governors of its noble Infirmary ; and this, in the early part of the present year, had been unfavourable to its repetition : at a sub sequent meeting this determination was reversed,—owing prin cipally to the active exertions of some spirited amateurs ; and the note of preparation was sounded. And while, on the one hand, the managers were determined that in no respect should the high reputation of the meeting suffer, so, on the other, they frankly placed before all the principal professors, vocal and instrumental, whom they had been accustomed to engage, the peculiar circum stances under which the undertaking was hazarded. The follow- ing is an extract from their circular- " You will regret to learn that a very strong opposition was manifested to the decision of the -Board, and that there are strong indications of hostility in quarters where we used to meet with cordial support. Thus situated, and con- sidering the general stagnation of trade, the decline of our city's manufactures, and the depressed situation of the agriculturists, the Committee have little hope of any surplus receipt which may benefit the Hospital. But they are unwilling that a meeting which has, deservedly, attained the highest musical celebrity, should be allowed to sink without an effort : and this effort the lovers of music in this city and county are willing to make ; trusting that, in the circumstances

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in which the Festival s now undertaken, it will not be regarded as an unrea- sonable proposal that some reduction should take place in the terms which the vocal and instrumental performers have been accustomed to receive here, espe- cially when the large number of London professors usually engaged (which at the last Festival was nearly seventy) is taken into account."

The reduction proposed to the principal wind instruments, as appears by a letter from one of them in the last Harmonicon, was one fifth—or five guineas from twenty-five. To this reduction they all refused to accede • and the Norwich Festival has been held Without NIC HOLSONWILLM AN, MACKINTOSH, PLATT, or H mums.- All the principal stringed instruments were at their posts : in the list of Violins, we observed F. CRAMER, MOUNTAIN, C. REEVE, THOMAS, DAY, BLAGROVE, SEYMOUR, VENUA, W. CRAMER, WATKINS, LODER, and ABBOTT; ViOlaS—WAGSTAFF, PIGOTT, DAVIS, CALKIN, PERRY, and STANSBURYL Violoncellos—LIND- LEY, CROUCH, BONNER, LUCAS, BROOKS, BINFIELD, and PHIL- LIPS; and Double Basses--DRAGONETTI, C. SMART, FLOWER, T. TAYLOR, CUBITT, and HUMBLE. The principal wind instru- ments were sustained by CARD, MALSCH, WILLIAMS, TUCKWELL, DENMAN, TULLY, DANIELL, C. TULLY, DISTIN, and home We have gone into this detail in consequence of some foolish re- ports and more foolish paragraphs which have found their way into certain newspapers and other journals. It is no concern of ours whe- ther the persons first applied to did right or wrong in refusing the engagements offered to them ; our duty is simply to state the facts which led to their absence. These we have been at some pains to ascertain ; and all who take any interest in the lair may now judge for themselves between the parties. We venture to think, that the angry paragraphs we allude to might as well have been spared: but as the parties have thought fit to bring the subject into discussion, we have, once for all, detailed the

facts ; and willingly dismiss it, for one of more interest and im- portance. The total strength of the Band was 375; and it was thus di-

Violins 40 Principal Singers 10 Violas 16 Trebles '76 Violoncellos 10 Altos 45 Double Basses 10 Tenors 60 Flutes 6 Basses 65 Oboes 4

256 Clarinets 6

Bassoons 6

Horns 6

Trumpets 4

'Trombones 6

Serpents 2

Drums 2

Ozgan 1

119

The relative strength of the Instrumental Band was very well adjusted ; that of the Vocal not so well-4-the Basses should have numbered 70, and the Altos 50. Of the former voice we never yet heard a redundancy ; and whenever the due proportions of an orchestra are not preserved, its combined effect is in so far im- paired. The ample dimensions of the hall in which the Festival is held are best attested by the fact that this immense Band is not at all too large for it. The choral effects are magnificent, but not overpowering : there is abundant space for the sound to expand itself in the lofty aisles and magnificent dimensions of this noble building.* The orchestra is constructed with consummate skill : the conductor sees and is seen by every performer ; and hence, his troops, if (as in this case) well disciplined, are controlled or impelled with perfect ease and certainty : and the elevation of each successive platform is sufficient to exhibit its occupants to the full view of the audience, while each of them has room for action. These points are the more worthy of notice, as they are often neglected, and the power of a band thereby partially weak- ened. At Gloucester, for instance, a herd of chorus-singers was placed on a platform like sheep in a fold : at York, the Basses and Tenors were placed up the side-aisles, completely out of view of the audience ; and the relative proportions of the voices, which seemed correct enough on paper, were thus in reality destroyed. The selection at this Festival was of the same lofty character as the former Norwich meetings have always discovered. Others have been content to follow, but this has always aspired to lead : for there is scarcely a single festival in the kingdom which has not drawn part of its resources hence,—a fact of itself sufficient to establish its claim to supremacy.

The first morning's scheme comprised SPOIIR'S Last Judgment, with a miscellaneous act. This unrivalled composition was now per- formed entire for the first time; and, of course, its effect immensely increased. There are some works which will not bear mutilation, and we are now satisfied that SPURR'S Last Judgment is one of them. Like the Messiah, the Dettingen Te Deum, or MOZART'S Requiem, it is a work so finely conceived, so admirably fitted together, and every movement is so dependent for its abet upon what precedes and follows it, that to take out any part, is to remove a column from a Grecian temple or a statue from a niche. And the climax is complete : each portion exceeds in interest that which went before it; the combined influences of melody and harmony become stronger and stronger, and the excitement is progressively increased to the end. The parts omitted in all former performances were, the Sinfonia, which begins the Second Act, the scene "Thus saith the Lord," and the Chorus "If with your whole hearts." The Second Act is, in fact, one complete scene, admitting neither of pause, break, nor omission; and is beyond all doubt one of the most ori- ginal and powerful emanations of genius that any age or country has produced : and we make no reservation or exception in naming the performance of this oratorio, by such a band, as the strongest musical excitement we ever received.

The selection of this morning consisted chiefly of songs ; we presume, to makeup for the absence of them from SPHOR'S Ora- torio. Of these, some were wholly ineffective, from different causes, and had better have been omitted. The " Benedictus," from MO- ZART'S Thirteenth Mass, sung by Miss BRUCE; and a "Sancta Maria," by NOVELL°, sung by MALIBRAN. HORNCASTLE intro- duced a delightful air of HANDEL—" God my king ;" we know not

'whence derived, but in the author's happiest style.

We have often remonstrated against the folly of repeating the Messiah at every festival in the kingdom ; a practice which has been justified by an affected respect fur the talents of its author, but which, in fact, has resulted from the inertness of singers and conductors. They cling to this oratorio, because it exempts them from the toil of learning something new, and the bore of a re- hearsal. A true reverence for HANDEL would be manifested in the effort to produce all his great works in succession, and not in the eternal repetition of the same, like a tune on a barrel-organ. At this Festival, the Messiah was, for the first time, omitted ; and the consequence was, that we never had more enjoyment of its great author's works. The absence of this oratorio from the scheme left room for his other compositions. The selection from Israel in Egypt (the most stupendous monument of his genius) was very ample, embracing almost every double chorus in the oratorio. As a display of simple grandeur, nothing could be more perfect than the performance of these choruses at Norwich. The two choirs were accurately balanced, and each was sufficiently powerful to • • St. Ancirew's Hall is 134 feet long, 70 feet wide, and 63 feet high. vided—

give them the desired effect. Into this selection a fine animating Tenor Song was judiciously introduced, in order to break the mo-

notony of a continued succession of choruses, HANDEL'S, no

doubt it was, from internal evidence; but again We are unable to name the work whence it was taken. Last, and not least in the sum of enjoyment which we derived from this source, was IVIALIBRAN's delightful performance of " Farewell, ye limpid springs." Whether from ignorance or design, this extraordinary creature's talents, on similar occasions, have been wasted on such songs as " 0 ! bad I Jubal's lyre," and "Praise the Lord,"—songs void of expression, and therefore, to such a singer, unprofitable as unsuited. MALIBRAN sung this air in admirable taste ; seeking her effects solely from expression, and throwing her whole soul into the character she was sustaining. We have not heard its

power so finely developed, since the days of BILLINGTON. Miss STEPHENS and Mrs. KrfyvErr sing the first movement delightfully

all that belongs to submissive resignation they can express; but of the eye kindling with religious fervour, the look withdrawn from

earth and fixed on heaven, the burst of enthusiasm which bespeaks the martyr, they have no conception. In MALIBRAN'S execution of the song, each part was perfect; every feeling was developed ; she felt, looked, and sung like the devoted and heroic daughter of Jephtha.

Instead of the Messiah, HAYDN'S Creation was performed, en- tire and unmutilated, on the Wednesday morning. Here again,

mere indolence had occasioned the constant repetition of the First Act, and the total neglect of the Second and Third. Not that they are inferior to the first, but trouble was saved ; a much more important consideration than the permanent interest of a festival, or the wishes and wants of those who came to hear it : arid, for this reason, years have now elapsed since the greatest monument

of HAYDN'S genius has been presented to the public. The Crea- tion, therefore, to the disgrace of those who affect to cater for the public, is a new work to the present generation. Oh, how fresh,

how melodious, how captivating is every portion of it! It was

here that HAYDN first brought all his instrumental resources to bear upon a vocal work, and instructed future composers by such a combination of voices and instruments as none of his successors has surpassed. We observed, with satisfaction, that the text of NEUKOMM'S edition was adopted; which has removed, in a great degree, the only drawback to the enjoyment of this oratorio, by purging the original English version of the gross and insufferable nonsense by which it was disfigured, and which, to the disgrace of English singers, has been in constant use to this day. We never knew the real grandeur and beauty of this work until now ; for it was eminently suited to the talents of the principal singers. MALIBRAN and DE MERIC, who would have failed in the Messiah, were here on familiar ground; the school of Germany is DE MERIC'S by birth, and MALIBRAN'S by adoption. HORNCASTLE'S performance of "In native worth" was eminently successful, and the bass songs and concerted, pieces were well sustained by PHILLIPS and E. TAYLOR. All this heightened the general effect, and left no weak point in the performance : but the novelty was the Band. The Creation never was, never could have been thus performed in England. Having been passed over at all the York Festivals, no orchestra approaching in number that of Nor- wich was ever engaged in its display; and such a demonstration of its power and beauty it would have rewarded any lover of music to have travelled across the kingdom to hear. Of the Friday's morning performance, the date of our publica- tion forbids us to speak ; and our notice of F. SCHNEIDER'S Deluge must be derived from its rehearsal on the Monday : but a rehearsal in which every performer was present, and not whis- pering on carelessly hurrying through his part, will enable us to speak with confidence as to the character of the work and the style of its performance. Nothing could exhibit the advanced state of musical knowledge more than the correctness and certainty with which every singer and player appeared to go through this oratorio at the very first trial: Every thing evinced the diligence, the accuracy, and the forethought necessary to the completion of such an undertaking.

The story of the Deluge, as we have before remarked, is emi- nently favourable to the display of musical skill and. science. It opens with an Introduction in E flat minor, of the most solemn character ; leading into the first Solo, for a Bass voice, in which the denunciation of the Almighty's judgment is given. A Chorus of Angels follows, without instruments, descriptive of the fear and reverence with which they listen to the doom of Man. The winds are then heard to roar, and the storm to rise ; while the same voice describes the breaking up the fountains of the great deep. The waters roll on with increased fury; the strife and raging of the elements wax louder and louder ; and a Chorus of Fallen Angels exults over the destruction of the world. A beautiful Quartet from the Angels, lamenting the desolation of "earth's smiling face," succeeds and the heavenly choir begin the next Chorus by a hymn of intercession for guilty Man ; while the cries of the sinking, and the exulting shouts of the Fallen Angels, heard first at intervals, at length combine. It will be seen that this (which, at the rehearsal in London, we erroneously imagined to be a double chorus) requires three distinct choirs. The first, which is highly devotional in character, and full of melody, is accompanied by the mind instruments only, and sustained by the principal singers; while the other choirs give to it and to each other a powerful and striking contrast. The first portion of the work is thus managed with consummate skill; for though full of gloom and horror, it is never dull or monotonous. A beautiful strain of melody then breaks upon the ear, and the voices of the family of Noah come floating over the waters, rejoicing in their deliverance ; followed by a Quintet, in which the motivo of the princiral Soprano is delightfully conspicuous, introducing the chorus " All j u st, all wise Creator." Here the author has brought his well-known talent as a choral fuguist into full play. Each subject is bold, striking, and vocal; and they are combined and wrought up in a style worthy his high reputation. It is one of those Choruses which goes on exciting both singers and hearers to the very end, and in which learning is the appropriate hand- maid of genius. The Terzetto, " O'er the mighty waters," is a lovely composition,—quite in the school of HAYDN; and, of course, marked by vocal beauty and skilful instrumentation. Another Terzetto, for female voices, describes the appearing of the "Bow in the heavens :" to which succeeds a triple Chorus of Angels. The Treble Song, "On the dwellings of thy children," presents the novel feature of t n accompaniment by three Violoncellos. It was sung with a true feeling of its character and sentiment by MALIBRAN, and sweetly played by LINDLEY, CROUCH, and BON- NER. The concluding Chorus, "Proclaim his pardoning love," again displays the author's power in this style of composition, and forms a magnificent termination to this masterly work. We have already spoken of the performance in general terms, and space will not allow us to enter into detail. Let it suffice that the piece was judiciously cast, and admirably performed. The translation is by Mr. E. TAYLOR; and perhaps its best praise is to say that it discovers none of the marks of a translation: the measure of the English poetry evidently is that of the original, and the accent and emphasis are nowhere faulty. The Oratorio itself is most skil- fully laid out; the parts standing in strong contrast to each other, and the dramatic interest increasing to the end. It has not the bold originality of SPHOR'S Last Judgment, nor does it sound and explore so frequently the hidden depths of harmony. SCHNEIDER is of the school of HAYDN—rich in accompaniment, elegant in melody, skilful in combination : SPHOR is of no school—" none but himself can be his parallel:" but the Deluge is a work emi- nently entitled to sustain the proud elevation of the German school, and the best thanks of the musical world are due to those who have introduced it into this country.

On the Evening Concerts we must be brief, although they pre- sent many points worthy of notice. One advantage, and a most powerful one it is, which results from giving every performance in the same room, is the presence of the Chorus in the orchestra. This gave us the Finale to Fidelio ; the 'Calm of the sea ;" the Hunting and Drinking Choruses from the Seasons ; " Serbati, 0 Dei custodi," from Tito; " Alziarn gli ev viva," from Euryanthe ; and several other choruses of great beauty. Concert-bills are usually the records of the singers' tastes, whether good or bad: being chiefly compiled at their dictation. MALIBRAN exhibited great variety of talent, mixed with some folly and caprice. Her choice and her execution of the scena in Der Freiselditz were evi- dences of good taste and great vocal power ; but it was the only concert song in which she discovered either, her others being chosen from PACINI, MERCADANTE, and HORN. DE MERIC'S selection told us the style she loved, and the correct and faithful performance of her songs indicated her German training : she sung "Adelaide," " Parto, ma tu ben mio," and "Su Griselda." Miss BRUCE sung "Dove sono;' very respectably; but she was overweighted in the scena from Azor and Zemira. The Sinfonias and Overtures were judiciously chosen, and admirably played. BEETHOVEN in C minor was just the instrumental piece for such an orchestra; its large dimensions and magnificent combinations were fully developed by the mighty power of the band. The Sep- tett° of NEUKOMM was finely performed by the principal wind- instrument players; and DENMAN and DISTIN- signalized them- selves by their Concertos on the Bassoon and Trumpet. DE BERIOT'S masterly playing was estimated by the audience as it deserved, and received, justly, the greatest share of applause. The success of the Norwich Festival has equalled the expecta- tions of its supporters, but has not been commensurate with its deserts. In addition to other causes which have operated against it, there is one of which we had no previous conception. It seems that in this city every thing is converted into a party affair. There are two factions constantly striving who shall outdo each other in the paltry strife for, local supremacy ; and whatever originates with one party, is sure of opposition from the other. Hence, we were told that hundreds attended the performances because they were supported by the Tories; and that scores of self-denying Whigs re- frained from an enjoyment they would have delighted to partici- pate in, from the same cause. This is, indeed, extracting poison instead of honey from the flower. And this wretched feeling, fit only for the rascally electors of this corrupt place, appeared to have extended itself into the aristocracy of the county. The WODEHOUSES and their friends were present; but the COKES, ANSONS, and KEPPELS (the Member for the County excepted), were absent._ These are facts we could hardly have believed, but for "the sensible and true avouch of our own eyes."

To those who planned, supported, and carried through this Fes- tival, gratitude is eminently due. If we had desired to give any foreign artist a favourable impression of the taste of the English public, and the power and precision of an English band, we would have placed him on Wednesday morning in St. Andrew's Hall— have bidden him listen to the performance of the Last Judgment, and remark the breathless attention with which it was heard, and the extraordinary sensation which certain portions of it produced. We have scarcely ever witnessed a similar effect on an audience by any dramatic exhibition, as by the Chorus "Destroyed is Ba- bylon," and the following Quartet. We have only to add our earnest hope, that a meeting which has done so much for good music, and which has operated so powerfully and beneficially on the public taste, may continue and prosper as it deserves. The extinction of the Norwich Festival would be felt as a national loss.