THE BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL.
Tar Managers of this Festival begin their arrangements at the right end, and in the right spirit. The first object with them is the music—the second, the band—tc:e third, the singers. The stupid Directors of the late Abbey Festival began by engaging it crowd of competent and incompetent singers ; and when fairly embarrassed with this gratuitous incumbrance, plunged into another, in order, as they thought, to escane, from the first. The Birmingham people un- derstand their work ; and set about it like men of business and experience. It may be—it must be, that their Committee is only a "Trashes Union ;" never- theless we back them against the "associated Musical Nobles." It is pretty generally known, that, in order to add to the eclat of the forth. coming Festival in that town, the Chevalier NEIJKOMM has been employed to compose an Oratorio. The words are written by Mr. WEER, to whom former Festivals in the same place have been indebted for various judicious at range- ments. The subject is the history of David ; and the principal features, of course, are his combat with Goliah, his interview with Saul, the battle on Mount Gilboa, the death of Saul, and the coronation of David. That these afford considerable scope for musical effect, both vocal and instrumental, is obvimer enough : HANDEL has already exercised his powers on them all. Of the Chevalier NEEKOMM'S Oratorio, we shall not give more than a gene- ral opinion now ; nor should we have hazarded any, if we had not been tempted. The band, the principal singers, and the Landon chorus, were summoned to a rehearsal this morning; which we were invited to attend. But, from so imper- fect an exhibition of the work, it is impossible to form a correct opinion ; and therefore we content ourselves with saying that Danidappears to us to be worthy the author of Moen, Sinai. We can judge of a work from a perusal of the score ; we can judge of it from a perfect performance ; but from an imperfect perfor- mance we cannot judge ; and therefire we neither give a detailed account of the music nor pronounce a decided opinion. The imperfections of this rehearsal at. tidied chiefly to the chorus ; which was weak, imperfect, and incorrect, while the instrumental hand wa, strong and sure. The principal singers did not think it necessary, nor was it to he expected, that at a first rehearsal they should put forth then strength. But the manner in which they as well as the instrumental band acquitted themselves, is an additional proof of the power of an English or- chestra to grapple with the difficulties of a long and complicated work a prima eista. We shall enjoy the pleasure of hearing Darid at Birmingham under every advantage; after which we shall speak at large on its merits.
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