EXETER HALL.
THE society meetings for choral practice and performance in Exeter Hall have opened a new page in the ample volume of choral harmony. The "Music for the People " which they produce, has different degrees of value, but it is all, by comparison, good,—unlike, in this respect, the "Music for the Aristocracy." Such an association, though novel in our times, is not without a precedent. In the very year which brought Hamm, to England, a society was formed, under the direction of Dr. PEPUSCH, Dr. GREENE, Mr. GALLTARD, and Mr. BERNARD GATES, bearing the title of "the Academy of Ancient Music," for "the study and practice of vocal and instrumental harmony ;" and their library contained one of the richest and most perfect collections of vocal music that ever existed in this country. An address, published by one of its members about the half centenary of its existence, says—" When it is known that Italy, Germany, Flanders, UM' England, have each very largely contributed to the Academy's collection of music, very little dread will remain of that satiety and indifference which at- tend the hearing of music calculated only for the present hour, and not designed fir I osterity. So large, ini:eed, is the number of' compo- sitions it contains, that the youngest person now living would vainly hope to hear them all." The writer truly adds—" A society founded on principles like these can hardly fail of proving an exhaustless fund of instruction and entertainment. Here the student will find the means of forming his style after the most perfect models. There the timid and modest perffirmer will acquire knowledge, and with knowledge confi- dence. Here the ingenuous youth, v. ho prefers the innocent pleasures of music to riot and intemperance, may taste that enjoyment which draws no repentance after it ; and hither may those repair, to whom the studies or labours of a day must necessarily endear the elegant delights of a musical evening." The records of this valuable and useful Society (now in the hands of few persoss) exhibit a succession of per- formances which for variety and beauty have no parallel in our musical annals. The volume of musical science and genius was then always open to the soelent. That volume is now, practically, shut ; and the Consequence is, that the knowledge which results, and which alone can result front the study of those great writers, who, in Italy alone, for three centuries continued to adorn their art, is almost inaccessible. Hence the prevalent musical ignorance of our country. We have niattts regarded the Exeter hall Society as a powerful instrument lit the diffusion of a knowledge of compositions whose essential attribute is choral grandeur. It is a machine more mighty than has 1,i'llerto been worked in the Metropolis—which, grown up all at once in giant strength, and having crushed the ludicrous and feeble abortions osee known by the name of " Lent Oratorios," is casting be- hind it the puny efforts of the "Ancient Concert" orchestra. It has done much goad ; it will do much more. We give its members thanks for what they have effected—thanks, also, for nit! ell pleasure received. We wish them all possible success ; and to this end and Mr this reason, shall unscrupulously point out the defects of their management. It is clear that their zeal is sometimes " without knowledge." They have revived much of ilasbEr. which a proper regard to his fame ought to have suffered to remain in tualktitrbed repose ; aml instead of regarding him as one only of many, he has hitherto been regarded as the only choral writer in existence worthy of notice. Against this exclusive preference— this needless, George-the-Third-like singleness of idea—we have several * It may be necessary to caution some of our rattlers against confounding this society with the "Concerts of Ancient Music"—once rightly, but now moat absurdly so called, times protested ; and it appears, by the performance of this week, not in vain. Some of the most eminent English composers have been allowed to lift up their voices in Exeter Hall. The design was excel- lent, but the plan was faulty. Here again we see the want of some mind able to direct and control the mighty machine. Ignorant of the impelling power, we can judge only by the result ; from which it is quite clear that no such men as PEruscH and GREENE concocted the selection of last night. A person about to make a selection of cathedra music, if possessed of the feeling of an artist, would give his work unity of design combined with variety of style. He would so group and dispose his materials that they would form an epitome of the pro. gross of this branch of the art. He would select the most excellent
from each style and period, and instruct as well as amuse us by (Es. playing the distinguishing features of' each. He would show us first whence we derived the choral harmony of our cathedrals : he would
begin with PALESTRINA, and, taking up our church music in the time of his contemporaries, TALUS and BYRD, he would go on with FARRANY and GIBBONS to the time of PURCELL. Here he would linger ; since no single composition of that unrivalled genius would give an adequate idea of the vast and comprehensive grasp of his mind. BLow and CROFT would succeed; then GREENE; afterwards BOYCE ; and finally Barrisnims Full anthems would be relieved with verse anthems, for one, two, three, or more voices ; anthems of praise by anthems of prayer and penitence : in short, the variety of style and character which
the stores of our cathedral music unfold in such abundance, would have
made a performance so arranged and disposed, interesting to all classes of hearers. Instead of this arrangement, there is—not a different one, but none—absolutely none. The anthems are taken at random; and although for the most part of unquestioned excellence, seem to be scat- tered up and down the selection by chance, while the unity of design which ought to have appeared in such a scheme is altogether aban- doned. A ballad by MEnuL, a Latin bravura by MOZART, "Angels ever bright and fair," " Holy, holy," and such sort of wares, are thrust in between Dr. TYE and GIBBONS. A selection of detached pieces must of necessity want the interest of an entire work, but interest of another kind should be imparted to it : above all, "a thing of shreds and patches" should not be carelessly tacked together and ostenta- tiously- paraded. Some regard to propriety—to consistency—above all, some feeling of the artist, should pervade the selection.
So much by way of general prelude. The performance realized the anticipations which a glance at the scheme led its to form ; although it scarcely realized the title of the bill, in which the Anthems appeared as the prominent feature, as they were, doubtless, the chief attraction. Of these, the best were also the best performed. The band, considering that they were engaged in a duty to them altogether novel, acquitted themselves most creditably ; especially in PALESTRINA'S " We have heard with our ears," GIBBONS'S " Hosanna to the Son of David," and PURCELL'S " 0 give thanks." The time of the former was taken rather too fast ; but the majestic tread—the colossal step of the old Roman— was sufficiently apparent. PURCELL'S supremacy was felt and acknow- ledged by the audience : his was, indeed, the only piece that excited any enthusiasm in the immense crowd which last night assembled in Exeter Hall. There was no pretty tune to tickle their ears, no remem- brance of former pleasure to guide, and no well-known authority in favour of this particular anthem to justify the burst of applause with which its termination was hailed, accompanied with a general call for its repetition. It was homage unbought and unbidden, spon- taneous and universal, at the shrine of genius. We heard, for the first time in our lives, the realization of what PURCELL in this magnificent composition intended. Instead of the magic response which is given by our cathedral choirs, where verse and chorus are usually sustained by an equal number of voices—that is, four each—the reply was made by a hundred times the number. CREYCH- TON'S charming anthem, " I will arise," failed altogether ; and so must every composition of the same character, under the same circum- stances. The truth is, that so large a number of voices cannot be kept in tune by the sole accompaniment of the organ, unless it be more pre- dominantly heard than is consistent with the performance of full anthems of a supplicatory or penitential character. Supplications are not shouted ; but the accompaniment necessary to sustain the pitch of such an army of voices necessarily begets shouting. Hence, such anthems as CaoF'r's " God is gone tip," GREENE 'S " 0 give thanks," or " I will sing of thy power," are better adapted for Exeter Hall than full anthems of which the texture is essentially delicate. The deep and broad lines of PALESTRINA were admirably marked, but the finer ones of CuEvon TON and FA [IRA NT were blotted and blurred.
The policy of inserting pieces intended to be accompanied by an or- chestra, where the instruments are wanting or where the organ is the substitute', was conspicuously apparent. All that could be clone under the circumstances, Mr. Titabii did; but it is injustice to composer, singer, player, and hearers, thus to treat them. If' there were no other reason for confining the selection to cathedral music—that is, to muse written for organ accompaniment—this would be sufficient. We only regretted that the members of the Westminster Choir who were present had not mot e employment for their talents in this direction. The few verses in the Anthems were sung by Masters COWARD and STEVENS,
Youso, and I.Erre.Ea.
The crowds who attended this performance, and the success of the experiment thus far, will induce its repetition ; and the managers, see- ing where they have failed, will apply the proper remedy. The pub- lic have now, thanks be to them fir it, for the first time heard what cathedral music is. If the managers know how to follow up the blow they have struck, they will accomplish a yet more permanent and ge- neral good. One step to the restoration of our plundered and beggarly cathedral choirs is the public display of' the musical riches of the Eng- lish Church. The Exeter Hall people—of' whoitt the majority, we un- derstand, are Dissenters—have read an important lesson to the public as well as to Deans and Chapters. They have said—" Behold the ca- thedral music of your Church !—not its miserable shadow, but its gi- gantic substance." Let this lesson he, as we hope it will, frequently repeated, and the public will soon find out that they are robbed of an enjoyment, as well as the Choirs (if their numbers, and the members who remain of their funds.
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