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The Norwich Festival, as we mentioned last week, was very success- ful. The ancient cathedral city was filled with visitors, not only from the neighbouring district, but .from the metropolis and distant parts of the kingdom ; and the morning performances and evening concerts in St. Andrew's Hall were attended by crowded audiences. The total receipts have been estimated at about 50001., and the expenses at 40001., leaving a surplus of, in round numbers, about 10001. There was a host of prin- cipal singers ; those originally engaged were, Madame Clara Novelle, Mr. Sims Reeves, Madame Borghi-Mauro, Miss Palmer, Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, Mr. 1Vilbye Cooper, Mr. Santley, and Signor Belletti ; and at the eleventh hour by way of increasing the attraction of the evening concerts, Mademoiselle Titiens and Signor Giuglini were added to the number. Such a cluster of Italian stars must have heavily increased the expenditure, but probably made a corresponding addition to the receipts ; for, though those performers (excepting Belletti) sang only their favour- ite moreeaux in vogue at the opera-houses, yet such things are more at- tractive to the multitude than music of a higher order. The chorus (which was excellent) consisted of the members of the Norwich Chora1
Society, with some ten of a' dozen choristere, from London : the instru- mental band was composed almost entirely of metropolitan performers. The total numberrof performers was about four hundred, under the di- rection of Mr. Benedict.
The sacred pieces performed in the mornings, were Spohr's Last Jidg- ment, Handel's Dettingen Te Deum, Haydn's Creation, Molique's new Oratorio, Abraham, and The Messiah. The evening miscellaneous con- certs, amid the usual quantity of commonplaces, presented several in- teresting objects, particularly Bennett's May Queen, a selection from Gliick's Armida, and Benedict's new cantata, Caine. •
Abraham is the only oratorio, produced since Elijah, which is worthy of a place among the master-works of Handel, Haydn, Spohr, and Men- delssohn. The words, compiled from the Bible, relate to the most re- markable incidents in the life of the Patriarch, given partly in the narrative, and partly in the dramatic form, as in Mendelssohn's Elijah and St. Paul. The music is full of beauties ; graceful and expressive airs, striking scenes, and grand choruses, in which the resources of har- mony and counterpoint are exhausted. A masterly clearness and sim- plicity pervades the whole work, which is free from the noise and remplissage so common in modern music. The principal parts were sung by Clara Novello, Mr. Bentley, Mr. Sims Reeves, Signor Belletti, Miss Palmer, and Mrs. Weiss; and the oratorio was received with the honour due to so great and beautiful a work.
De la Motte Fouque's tale of Undine has furnished Mr. Sohn Oxen- ford with the groundwork of a charming little dramatic poem, which Mr. Benedict has clothed in music, combining, in the happiest manner, the fantastic wildness and deep pathos of the subject. The story is simply this : Undine, a water nymph, has left her home and companions on ac- count of her love for Hildebrand, lord of a castle on the banks of the Danube. Bnt Hildebrand proves inconstant, and marries a lady of his own rank, named Bertalda ; whereupon, to avenge this wrong, liuhle- born, Undine's kinsman, summons the spirits of waters, by whose power the river rises' and sweeps away Hildebrand's castle with all its inhabitants, while the gentle Undine is left to bewail her false lover's fate. Benedict's music is full of the spirit of Weber, though without any trace of imitation or mannerism. It was admirably performed by Clara Novello, Miss Palmer, Sims Reeves, and Weiss, and received with en- thusiastic applause.
The selection from Chick's Arm ida , though beautiful in itself, and admirably performed, was less effective than might have been expected. But tho music of this illustrious master is essentionally dramatic, and absolutely demands the stage. We hope that the effect produced by Orfeo a Eurydice at Covent Garden last season, will lead to the produc- tion of some of the other operas of this illustrious musician.
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