THE ROYAL MUSICAL FESTIVAL.
TO THE ED/TOR OF TILE SPECTATOR.
StR—In your excellent article of Sunday last upon the ensuing Musical Festival' in Westminster Abbey, there are two errors. which von will perhaps have no objection to correct. 1st, Mr. J. S. Smolt is mentioned as one of the Organists: this is not 2d1y, There ere eight Organists; viz. Messrs. TUKI.E. A TTWO00, Cao.rcu, NovEI.LO,BISHOP. PoTTER,Arnists, and K NYVE1 T. The latter gentleman is the only one vet en- gaged; and he has secured for himself the Messiah—ONE WHOLE DAY'S performance. Three days remain for the other seven ; and, no doubt, a very pretty scramble may be
I am, Sir.
expected. YOUR CONSTANT READER.
It will be remembered that we distinctly refrained from pledg- ing ourselves to the accuracy of every rumour that we noticed in relation to the Festival. In fact, there is so much pulling and clashing of interests and opinions, that the decision of to-day is revoked by the decree of to-morrow. We believe we are correct in stating, that the first decision of "the Committee" (we know not which) was to add to the Organist of the Abbey, those of St. Poufs and the Chapel Royal ; which arrangement would have in- chrled Mr. J. S. SMITH. We presume, when our correspondent says " there are eight Organists," he means that eight have ap- plied, or been applied to; for lie adds, that " one only is yet en- gaged." If so, the claims of all the rest are undecided, and will probably be settled according to their respective degrees of influ- ence. But we regard it as impossible that some of the men whose names appear in our correspondent's letter can have thrust them- selves into this pitiful scramble ; or that, being dragged into it, they will submit to any other than an equal division of the work. We need not mention names, but some of this number are wholly incapable of placing themselves, or of submitting to be placed, in so humiliating a position. A departure from the plaits and ob- vious course which common sense and propriety pointed out, has led to the disagreeable and inevitable embarrassment in which all parties find themselves placed. It is now quite impossible that the managers can satisfy the just claims of any. The scheme is officially announced to be as follows : we copy from an advertisement in the Morning Chronicle of Thursday, signed " HOWE, Chairman."
Torsoar. JUNE 21.--Haydn's Oratorio, "The Creation," and a Selection from Handers Oratorio, " Judas Maccabens." THURSDAY. JUNI.: 20.—A Selection from the Works of Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Leo, Beethoven, and other Composers; and andel's Oratorio." Israel in Egypt." SATURDAY. JUNE 2;4.—Selection from !Landers Oratorio, " Sampson." and from the works of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Purcell, Pergolesi, Cimarosa, and other eminent Composers. TUESDAY, JULY I.—Handers Sacred Oratorio, "The Messiah," by command of her Majesty.
The advertisement, which we have strictly copied, certainly would lead us to expect the performance of Israel in Egypt with- out curtailment ; but looking to the former part of the sentence, we are almost compelled to conclude that such is not the intention of the Committee. Israel in Egypt consists of thirty pieces, some of considerable length (to say nothing of the songs and recitatives usually introduced from the copy in the King's Library); and if' it is to be preceded by a selection from the works of an indefinite number of composers, we fear that a garbled version of this orato- rio is designed. We earnestly hope that our apprehensions are groundless ; for we have no recollection of such a uniformity of opinion, among all the enlightened part of the profession, as on this point : the first exclamation from all was—" Now we shall hear Israel in Egypt entire!" Deep and universal will be the dis- appointment if this noble production is to be maimed and gar- bled. Shall it be said that an oratorio which Germans would esteem it little less than an act of sacrilege to mutilate, is to be de- faced and maimed in the land of its birth?
The Creation is to be given entire. This we rejoice to hear; and the more so, because such, we have reason to believe, was not the original design. We doubt the propriety of following it by a selection from Judas Maccabwus; an oratorio in which there is a great deal of commonplace writing, which, in order to gratify cer- tain singers, we fear will be selected. The really fine parts of this oratorio are the Choruses, " Mourn, ye alificted children," "Hear us, 0 Lord," " Fallen is the foe," and " We never will bow down :" but we suspect the index rather points to " See the con- quering hero," "Sound an alarm," and " 0 lovely peace." How infinitely better would it be to take the Dettingen Te Deum entire, than any selection from Judas Muccaba'us! How mag- nificent would have been the first burst of voices and instru- ments ! And it would have given to the morning's performance that character of vocal grandeur, which, with all its excellencies, is not the distinguishing feature of Creation. All the graces and the elegancies of the vocal art and of instrumental accompaniment are there, but not the stately dignity and majestic sublimity of the Dellingen Te Daum. The two works (which could not have oc- cupied four hours in performance) would have formed a perfect exhibition of the ancient and the modern style : neither would have been placed in disadvantageous comparison with the other. But any selection from one of ILANDEL's oratorios must of necessity be feeble, when placed after Ilavnx's finest work exhibited entire. Awl, in this case, it is an act of gratuitous bad taste : there is a composition of Hassees. in every respect fitted to extend the morn- ing's performance to its required length, and one which, next to Israel in Egypt, ought to be performed. Most judiciously did Mr. Bans; select it for the first morning of the Commemoration in 1784 : and we submit to the managers, that they cannot do better than follow so excellent a precedent.
Other parts of the scheme will come under notice hereafter ; but to these we invite the attention of the Directors without delay.
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