but I translate from a German version which has appeared Reeves, Mr. Weiss, Mr. Santley, and Sig. Belletti. They will all take in one of the Berlin papers:

"There is not," says the witty and caustic critic, "a more disagreeable, and, at the same time, a more absurd practice than that of encoring a piece in an opera. Can the audience expect more from a piece, when repeated, than when it was sung the first time? We will suppose, for the sake of argument, that such an expectation is realised, although it is evident that it is almost impossible. The pleasure afforded, is no longer the same, and this for two reasons: in the first place, we miss that considerable part of our first impression which resulted from surprise and novelty; and, in the second, those effects which previously appeared to proceed direct from the singer's very soul, will, if perfectly identical on their repetition, strike every one as the result of art alone. Let us now speak of the artist. Carried away by the dramatic situation, he may, at first, forget his own individuality, and fancy himself really William Tell or Raoul. When called upon to repeat his effort, he does so, it is true; but he is virtually then Duprez or Tamberlik, and perfectly well aware he is singing before an audience.

part on the great rehearsal day. Several acoustical experiments have lately been made to test the effect of the new roof thrown over the orchestra. These have been attended with marked success. Single voices and instruments have been heard at the extreme end of the central transept with as much distinctness as in a small concert-room. The increase of power in the tones of the great organ, with its additional thirty-two feet pedal pipes, is astonishing, and justifies the most sanguine anticipations. A large number of applications for tickets have been forwarded during the last few days from the Continent, and from various parts of the country, by persons coming to London for the Agricultural Show, who also intend availing themselves of the opportunity to attend the Festival. On the day of the rehearsal the doors of the Palace will be opened at nine in the morning. The great fountains will be played one hour after the conclusion of the rehearsal. It can be scarcely requisite to remind visitors from the country of the necessity of securing tickets previously to their arrival in town.

LOWER RHINE.*

"Besides, we beg to ask whether we, who call out so lustilyda capo,' THE THIRTY-NINTH MUSICAL FESTIVAL OF THE know how often a great artist exerts the whole power of his soul in one evening. Do we know how frequently, after the conclusion of the performance, he sinks down totally exhausted by the extraordinary wear and tear of his nerves ? An artist often husbands his resources during an entire act for a single piece, or during an entire piece for a single note-a sufficient proof that he is required to make an extraordinary effort, which he should not be called on to repeat; if he is tired, he will evidently not sing as well the second time as the first; while, if gifted with a vigorous constitution, or sufficiently excited and strengthened by the applause, he will try to do better than he has done, and— overshoot the mark."

Oh! ye, who think ye ought always to have the worth of a pound for your trumpery shilling; who imagine that ye may ruin the lungs of a Sims Reeves, or wear the magic fingers of an Arabella Goddard to the bone, for a fifth or sixth of the price you paid for your bouquet, or gave for the Hansom cab that brought you to the concert-room, ponder well on the above lines; turn them over in your greedy, rapacious, and inconsiderate little minds; treasure them up in your higgling hearts, and never, for the future, endeavour to extort more than the fair amount of pleasure to which you are entitled from the first of English tenors or the fair queen of all the enchantresses who ever transformed an instrument of wood and iron into a living thing, discoursing sweet music which reaches the inmost heart of the veriest clod.

June 3, 1862.

J. V. B.

SIG. VERDI, after passing several days in Paris, left on Monday for Turin.

PARIS. — Auber's Masaniello is in rehearsal at the Grand Opera. It is to be revived with great splendour.

MAD. ANNA LAGRANGE. -The death of her husband has induced this popular singer to throw up her engagement at Madrid and return to Paris.

ROBERT DE PICARDIE. At the Apollo Theatre in Rome, Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable is being performed under the title of Robert of Picardy-the "Devil" not being allowed to figure in the bills of the theatres of that Pope-smitten city.

M. FELICIEN DAVID. - The new work of this composer Lalla Rookh (or "Roukh")—though reported as a failure, is still "running" at the Grand Opera in Paris.

JAPANESE EMBASSY.-The principal members of the embassy paid a visit recently to the studio of Mr. Davies, 35 Bruton Street, and were successfully photographed by that gentleman.

HANDEL FESTIVAL.-(Communicated.)—The great full rehearsal at the Crystal Palace, under Mr. Costa, will take place on Saturday, June 21, commencing at eleven o'clock. The choruses in the first part of the rehearsal will comprise those known as single choruses; the second part (which is expected to commence about two o'clock) will consist of double choruses from Deborah, Solomon, and Israel in Egypt. The list of principal vocalists engaged for this Festival is unusually strong, including the names of Mile. Titiens, Mad. Rudersdorff, Mad. Lemmens-Sherrington and Miss Parepa, Mad. Sainton-Dolby, Mr. Sims

FOR the eleventh time since the foundation of our Musical Festivals, Cologne has assembled within its walls the representatives of musical art from the Rhenish provinces, and a host of sympathetic admirers from far and near, for the purpose of celebrating Whitsuntide. Since the revival of the Festival in 1851, the number of those announcing their intention of taking part in the chorus was never so great, but, at the same time, never was the architectural arrangement of the platform in the Gurzenich Saal so grandiose, judicious and magnificent. The mere spectacle of the chorus, more numerous than on any previous occasion, of the orchestra drawn up on the rising stage which occupies the everything else, will produce an imposing and astounding impression. entire breadth of the hall, and of the organ towering at the back above When, however, the full tones of the organ swell forth, to judge from the wonderful results obtained at the rehearsal of the 25th May, with that portion of the instrument already erected, we can assure our readers that such a musical effect will never have been heard in any concertthere will be an orchestra which we may regard as the impersonification room in Germany, or even on the whole continent. Added to this, of progress in instrumental music, so that the performances of this year's Festival will hold the same relation to our Winter Concerts that the heaving ocean holds to the inland lake, or the rustling forest to the quiet grove.

In consequence of such resources, the performance of the oratorio on the first day of the Festival will be remarkable for a brilliancy and especial character hitherto unknown, and will mark an epoch in the history of Rhenish Musical Festivals, already so rich in splendid reminiscences. In addition to all this, it must be borne in mind that scarcely any work of Handel combines what is grandiose with what is pleasing, what is powerfully imposing with what is charmingly graceful, in the same degree as his oratorio of Solomon. The admirer of the noblest kind of vocal music requires, of course, no recommendation of a work by Handel. With regard, however, to the prejudice of many sincere lovers of art, who, while allowing the indisputable beauties of oratorio, object to its peculiar, and, as they say, antiquated and too learned forms, we will merely observe that Solomon is precisely that oratorio of Handel's, which, by the varied character of its strains, makes the greatest concession to elevated popular taste. There is very little action, but, on that account, more music, as music only. In many oratorios, we sometimes get rather tired, it is true, of the oft-repeated battle-songs of the Heathens and the Israelites, as well as of the heroes' airs, &c.; in Solomon, however, Handel gives battle to Philistines of quite a different description, namely against those who are generally insensible to the powers of art, and, by magnificent and charming tone-creations, he enlists them on his side. In no other work does his grand style in the fugued development of the choruses appear more simple and more intelligible than in this one, although it is nearly always written for eight parts, and consequently is of powerful effect, especially in the first three choruses of the First Part, the first chorus of the second, the warlike and the concluding chorus of the third. Then listen, on the other hand, to the gentle charm of the choral strains: "Es nahe der Stätte kein störender Hauch, ihr Nachtigallen wiegt zum Schlummer sie ein," "Wohllaut töne durch den Raum," "Singt der Liebe Leid und Schmerz," &c., the melody of which wafts past us like the mild air of Italy.

The solo airs again are not overloaded with the bravura ornamentation of the time; they are more the characteristically melodious expres*From the Niederrheinische Musikzeitung.

Mr.

leg. Of course, the ladies tittered, as ladies will titter; but all this was nothing to Perry, whose heart and soul were so wholly in his work, that he was blessedly unconscious alike of the cause and the result. Perry's fine chorus, "Give the Lord," from the oratorio The Death of Abel, which was then unpublished, was performed at the first Norwich Triennial Musical Festival, in 1824, the composer himself conducting it; Sir George Smart having, with gentleman-like feeling, resigned him the baton for that purpose. Somewhere about the year 1822, Perry went up to town, having accepted an invitation to undertake the duties of composer and director of the music at the Haymarket Theatre, of which Mr. Morris was then proprietor. Whilst Mr. Perry occupied this post, he composed his celebrated opera, Morning, Noon, and Night, and several others. It was the custom then, as indeed it is now, for the singers to interlard an opera with some of the popular songs of the day. One morning it happened that a parcel of such songs was brought to Mr. Perry, for Mad. Vestris, who was then prima donna, to try over. They ran through one after another till they came to Horns's their comparatively unknown song of "Cherry ripe." This air so pleased the lady that she tried it a second time, and then declared, that "if she obtained an encore in it she would make it popular." Mr. Perry had accordingly to arrange it for a full orchestra for performance the same evening. The result was, that it was rapturously encored, and that the publisher (Power) was enabled to sell some thousands of copies. Hence its popularity even to the present day.

Successful, however, as Perry undoubtedly was in dramatic composition, the theatre was not his natural element. He loved the greatness of the sacred style, and panted to enrol his name with those of the musical benefactors of mankind. Hence the production and publication, so far as his means would allow, of his oratorios The Death of Abel, The Fall of Jerusalem, Belshazzar's Feast, and Hezekiah; as well as some Anthems for particular occasions. He wrote an anthem in D, "Blessed be the Lord thy God," for the accession of Queen Victoria, in 1838; "The Thanksgiving Anthem," composed on the occasion of the birth of the Princess Royal, in 1840; a very spirited work, with a melodious treble solo, which was sung by Mad. Caradori Allan, when this anthem was performed, at the time, by the Sacred Harmonic Society, with an orchestra of five hundred voices and instruments. To these may be added his own anthem, "I will arise," which was written for the London Choir Association. Not satisfied with the production of these original works, Mr. Perry sought to extend the performance of Handel's Oratorios by writing additional accompaniments to The Dettingen Te Deum and Jubilate, Judas Maccabæus, Samson, Israel in Egypt, Jeptha, Deborah, Joshua, Saul, Solomon, Coronation, and Funeral Anthems, Athaliah, Esther, Belshazzar, Acis and Galatea, and the "Overture to the Occasional Oratorio. He also arranged for the organ or pianoforte, a folio edition of Deborah, and had commenced Belshazzar and Joshua, with an intention of completing Dr. Clarke's edition of Handel's works;-"Labours," says Mr. Surman, "which will hand his name down to posterity in black and white, better than any monument of brass or stone." It may not be out of place here to mention the modest manner in which Mr. Perry gave his reasons for writing the "Additional accompaniments." "It was not," he said, "that Handel's works in their intrinsic substance were capable of improvement," but "that the score might be enriched by the employment of such instruments as Handel himself, it is to be supposed, would have used, had they in his time attained their present perfection." A recommendation of these "Accompaniments" was signed by more than twenty distinguished instrumental professors, most of whom are still living.

Yet, valuable as are Perry's contributions to the church and the concert-room, they might have rotted in his closet (like Robinson Crusoe's big boat, which the builder had not strength to push into the water), had he not found a coadjutor after his own heart in his friend, Mr. Surman, of Exeter Hall. This gentleman, animated by a kindred zeal for the cause of sacred music, printed most of Perry's works, doubtless at a considerable outlay of capital, with a view to their performance at Festivals and at the concerts of choral societies. He also exerted himself to bring them out in London, which he did with success. As yet (we cannot write it without a tinge of shame), they are least known, perhaps, in the composer's native city. The Death of Abel was brought out at Weeks' Rooms, in the Haymarket. It was performed with success by the Sacred Harmonic Society on the 19th of March, 1841; and again, on the 17th of May, 1845, the principal vocalists then being Miss Rainforth (a pupil of Perry's), Miss Poole, Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Manvers, Mr. H. Philips, and Herr Staudig!; upon which occasion there were no fewer than six encores. formance of his Fall of Jerusalem, in London, was at the Hanover Square Rooms, where he was assisted by his personal friends; Miss Paton and Mr, Braham being in the number of those who took the

The first per

principal parts. It was next done by the Cecilian Society, and again (being the third time) by the Sacred Harmonic Society. Portions of each of the above Oratorios were introduced with great success at the Worcester Festival in 1842.

Perry was the leader of a party who met in Mr. Armstrong's School Room, in the Borough; and here it was that he used to get his oratorios rehearsed. He also had an offer of the post of leader to the Choral Harmonic Society; but though he required only five shillings per night for his services, so low were the society's funds, that his terms were not accepted. At the formation of the Sacred Harmonic Society in 1832, Mr. Surman, who filled the double post of conductor and librarian, invited Mr. Perry to come and lead, as the prospects of the society were favourable. Perry consented; and the members, about sixty in number, continued to meet for the space of two years, in Gate Street Chapel, Lincoln's Inn Fields. In those days, the difficulties with which amateur bodies had to contend were so great, and the pecuniary risk of getting up oratorios was so serious, that the success of this society was, perhaps, almost without precedent. But it was not destined to be long uninterrupted. Some of the managers of the chapel all at once discovered that it was highly improper for young people to meet together there for the practice of sacred music. As there had been no indecorum or misconduct of which these pious people could complain, or to which they could have been indebted for their illumination, they must (like Miss Pupford's assistant with "the true Parisian accent ") have been somehow or other "inspired." However, they ejected the society from their chapel, and then the practice meetings were held in Henrietta Street Chapel. Here two performances were given with moderate success, but the attendance at the weekly rehearsals was thin, on account of the inconvenience of the locality. The society was at length reduced to so low an ebb, that not one of the members paid any subscription for an entire quarter. It happened upon one wet night, when Mr. Perry made his appearance, with his violin under his arm, and Mr. Surman arrived with a load of music in his bag, that they found only one other member to join them in a rehearsal of Handel's Messiah! Men less determined and less enthusiastic would, at that crisis, have deserted their posts. But, no; they preferred adjourning to a neigh bouring tavern, where they drank "success to the society," and seriously bethought them as to what could now be done. Mr. Perry had three miles to walk to his home, but they would not separate till they had resolved upon endeavouring to get twenty members to put down one guinea each for the purpose of carrying on the society's business, at their own risk, in some more central situation. This was eventually done, or there had been an end of the Sacred Harmonic Society.

Mr. Perry continued to lead from the foundation of the Society in 1832, to 1848-a period of sixteen years, during the whole of which time he was not absent from a single performance, and he missed only one rehearsal. In the year 1848, the conductor's baton was wrested from Mr. Surman and placed in the hand (we regret to say the not unwilling hand) of Mr. Perry. If his acceptance of this new position showed a want of right feeling towards the friend to whom he was indebted for his connection with the society, he had soon ample time for repentance; for, after about half-a-dozen performances, he, too, was in his turn deposed and dismissed. A few of Mr. Perry's friends then tried to support him in some other society, but their efforts were a failure; and from that time, instead of mingling, as heretofore, with amateurs and professors, he seemed rather to avoid than to court their company.

Perry enjoyed considerable reputation both as an organist and as a teacher. No man could be more indefatigable than he was in the discharge of his professional duties. He was organist of Quebec Chapel, where he had an excellent choir under his command, for about twenty years. For the last fifteen years of his life he held the organ at the church in Gray's Inn Lane; and during his possession of both these appointments he was never known to be absent from either church for a single Sunday, till the two last previous to his death. His remains were deposited in the Kensal Green Cemetery, on the 11th of March, in the presence of a few of his old associates, for in the musical world his end was scarcely known. In his vocal compositions Mr. Perry affected neither the pedantry of the German, the frivolity of the French, nor the effeminacy of the Italian school. He was English to the backbone. In writing for the stage he did not always disdain to injure a fine song by giving it a theatrical close. We may instance in the capital scena, Mid hidden rocks that' ambushed lay," and doubtless many other instances could be given. His sacred works, especially his oratorios, are founded upon the model of Handel. In saying this, however, we would by no means imply that he was a slavish imitator. On the contrary, his subjects were entirely his own. But he aimed at Handel's simplicity and breadth of style. He never went out of his way for the sake of introducing what Shield calls "fashionable chords."

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