TIIE PURCELL CLUB.
THE yearly commemoration of PURCELL was held on Tuesday, at Westminster Abbey ; having been deferred to the present time in con- sequence of the Coronation and the dismantling of the Abbey attendant thereon. The members of the Club mustered in considerable force, the professional numbers assisting in the choir. The pieces selected for performance, were Pcuctit vs 7'e Demo in B flat, his Jubilate in D, his verm! Anthems, " Out of the deep," and " Tby word is a lantern," and his full anthem " 0 God, thou hest cast us out." These pieces contained a rich display of the varied resources of his mighty mind. Church music, before his time, had assumed but one character—that of choral harmony. TALUS, BIRD, and FARRANT had exhibited this style in al its majesty ; and their example had been follow( d by Gin- BONS, 'n whose full anthems it may be said to have reached its higl es- point of elevation. Their example %%us followed by Putteem.—with what ability and sue( e,s let his anthem, " 0 God, thou bast cast us cut"testify: but he saw that such an application of the power of sacred music, although justified by the practice of the churches both of Rome and England, was not fitted to accomplish all the purposes it might attain—that certain portions of the Psalms were more suited to halividual than choral expression ; mid, with the same boldness which characterized his method of writhe; for the stage, he "enlarged the former narrow hounds" of the art. and gave to our cathedral music not only a novel character, but one which no composer of any age or Mee- tly. has equalled. Every devotional sentiment that tile heart can feel or the lips can utter, has been expressed by him with a warmth of feel. jug which has no parallel. To this his bright fancy and powerful imagination impelled him ; und the finest reading would fail to bring out the full meaning of various passages of the Psalms in an equal degree with that which a singer can exhibit by the aid of Putter:Ws music. But his were not the lucky hits of a mere genius, who trusted all to inspiration, and disdained the toil of severe study. PURCELL had studied his art deeply, and science shed her strong and steady light along the eccentric path which lie trod : so deeply, that the most severe style of writing assumed with him freedom and grace. For instance, one of the Frost unembarrassed and melodious movements of his Service in B flat is written in canon. Along that intricate and toilsome path. over which many a composer feels his way cautiously and slowly, PURCELL walks with a firm step and a graceful air. The unconscious auditor feels only the beauty and expression of what is presented to him, unaware of the shackles and incumbranees which impede the free exercise of the composer's thoughts. Puitem makes his appeal to the heart, but he addresses the head also,—displaying that extraordinary combination of profound study and brilliant Lucy which so rarely are found united in the same person. His music is hard to sing: few adventure the bold attempt, fewer still succeed. It demands a mind able to understand as well as
a voice to execute it. These requisites seldom combine. The most
perfect man singer of PURCLLI:6 music at the present day, unquestion- ably, is Hones ; of whose assistance we were deprived on Tuesday. The tenor verses were sung by Mr. BATLEY, one of the deputies of the choir, (for, as usual, only a single principal was present,) and Alessrs. YOUNG and BRADBURY sustained the counter-tenor and bass. All acquitted themselves well. YOUNG'S brilliant alto was beard to peat advantage in the Jubilate. The boys proved the excellence of their training, by the steadiness and good taste with which they acquitted themselves in a task of no common difficulty. Ale TULLE'S accompaniment was that of a master; and his method of introducing each separate anthem evinced a thorough knowledge of the compositions and style of his im- mortal predecessor. The Abbey was crowded with eager and attentive hearers, and to every musician present it must have afforded both profit and delight.
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