had been accustomed. This being the final concert, the national anthem, as a matter of course, formed the conclusion, and, equally, as a matter of course, it was sung as indifferently as it usually is upon such occasions, a want of understanding, and absence of proper arrangement, being the almost invariable characteristic. Although the hall was absolutely crowded to the doors, and even standing room was an impossibility, yet the numbers present were only 569, another curious illustration of the (literally) spread of fashion, inasmuch as in 1856 the same room accommodatad 757, while in 1859 only 635 could find room, and should the ladies persist in the same ratio, and continue proportionally to "make broad the hem of their garments," there is every probability that at the festival of 1868 not more than a hundred of the fair sex will be included within its walls.

As anticipated, this morning's performance of the Messiah has attracted an audience doubling the number of either previous attendance. In the nave, reserved seats were improvised in gangways until all passage became impossible; the gallery from base to apex was closely packed; the aisles overflowed to the very doors; and the choir (where by far the finest effect is obtainable, but which is usually deserted) numbered its occupants spreading to the very steps of the altar rails. If Mendelssohn is the composer for musicians, as some assert, there is no denying that Handel is essentially the people's favourite, and it is instructive to notice on the Messiah day the numbers of vehicles pouring in from the country roads bearing the farmers' wives and daughters, to whom, perhaps, other oratorios are unknown even by name, but who have a traditional and sincere regard for this great sacred epic, which induces them regularly to attend its performance at each music meeting. To attempt anything like a detailed criticism of the Messiah would be under any circumstances unnecessary, but in this instance more particularly so, inasmuch as from first to last it was in the highest degree commendable, a fact which is so much the more gratifying to record, as we have been compelled more than once to speak in anything but favourable terms of some of the evening concert displays; indeed, it is singular that there should have been such a vast difference between the morning and evening performance, the one being as uniformly good as the others were generally indifferent.

66

tributed to the present year being of an exceptional character, the
Exhibition drawing from most their spare cash, while the distress
in Lancashire and various other public contributions have helped
to diminish the superfluous resources of the charitably inclined.
Gloucester, however, deserves great credit for having kept up the
honour of the festivals, and not abandoning the meeting for such
paltry excuses as have caused the suspension of Leeds and Bradford
last year and this. That there is distress in the North we are
at once prepared to admit, but it is in the cotton rather than the
woollen districts, and with the former prevails only with the very
classes that the high prices of admission would, under any circum-
stances, preclude from attending; indeed, if the Times is to be
taken as an authority, (and nobody has yet disproved the truth of
their leading article some few weeks since), the cotton lords have
made more money by the famine than by the abundance of that
staple commodity, of which the Americans will find they have for-
feited the monopoly by the time they have concluded their
wretchedly suicidal war. Altogether, then, there is good reason
to be satisfied with the Gloucester Festival of '62 in a financial
point of view, as it will yield at least a thousand pounds to the
charity, while the musical success in the Cathedral has more than
made ample amends for the occasional defects at the evening con-
certs. Meanwhile, it is gratifying to learn that Worcester is up
and doing, the Rev. Robert Surjeant (to whose idefatigable zeal
and energy the surplus of 1860 is due) having already secured
several stewards for their meeting which takes place next year.
The grand ball which terminates the festival proceedings took
place on Friday night, and was kept up with unflagging spirit
to the enlivening strains of Adams' band, until the grey break of
morn gave warning that it was time these gay doings should be at
an end. Tasteful decorations of banners and flags, evergreens,
plants, and flowers of various kinds relieved the generally cold and
comfortless appearance of the Shire-Hall, and a supper provided
on a liberal scale satisfied the cravings of those who found (like
David Copperfield, when Dora drew the pencil line down his nose,
by way of compensation for absence of dinner-it was very nice,
but he could'nt dine off it), that bright eyes, slender waists, neat
ankles, and ample crinolines, after all, are not sufficient to sustain
the loss of " tissue" consequent upon a series of rapid deux temps,
galops, polkas, &c., and that somewhere towards the commence-
is a necessity. The ball-stewards seemed to be quite unaware that
an essential part of their duty consists in seeing that none who
desire to dance shall be unprovided with partners, and it must have
fared but ill with the unhappy stranger who had paid his money
in the fond hope of an introduction to some of the fresh and comely
Gloucestershire beauties, for he might as well have been in Tim-
buctoo, as far as any chance was concerned of his desire being
gratified, the worthy gentlemen in rosettes footing it most assidu-
ously with their friends, and acting upon the motto of "every one
for himself, and God for us all."

At every public meeting it is always the custom to propose a vote of thanks to the president "for his able conduct in the chair," and so at every festival it is customary to conclude with a neatly turned compliment to the secretary. Few, however, think of the enormous amount of work that has to be got through by the gen

Malle. Titiens sang the whole of the principal soprano music, and although frequently brought into comparison with Clarament of the "small hours" a little more substantial refreshment Novello, whose name at these meetings was so long and intimately associated with the principal airs, in no way suffered in the estimation of the good people of Gloucester, who will warmly welcome the Teutonic songstress whenever she re-appears amongst them. The pathos and tenderness with which Mr. Sims Reeves sings Comfort ye," and the vigour and energy with which he declaims "Thou shalt break them," are only equalled by the touching expression of "Thy rebuke," and the subsequent air, and, indeed, the whole chain, commencing with "All they that laugh him to scorn," and concluding with "But thou didst not leave," all of which were given as Mr. Sims Reeves alone can give them. Nor would it be possible to find any artist more thoroughly capable of interpreting the moving air, "He was despised," than Madame Sainton Dolby, who has seldom, if ever, sung with more thoroughly devotional feeling. The little that fell to Madame Laura Baxter was irreproachably given, while Mr. Weiss in "Be-tleman who occupies that onerous post, the correspondence which hold darkness," and "Why do the nations," sustained his name as one of the first of English basses, and Mr. Winn's delivery of "The trumpet shall sound," shared the honours with Mr. Thomas Harper, whose marvellous trumpet obligato rang through the cathedral, creating a wonderful impression. The choruses one and all went well. The Hallelujah, at which all rose, according to the custom that has prevailed ever since its first production, must have roused the most cold-blooded listener. The collections, which have hitherto been below the average, this day showed a far more satisfactory result, amounting to £448 18s. 3d., in which sum was included the stewards' donations, making the gross total of the four days £950 15s. 6d. To this farther donations will doubtless be added, although it is hardly expected that the charity will benefit to the same extent as in 1859, when upwards of £1,150 was the final result of the meeting. Neither will the stewards escape from a further call, although the deficit will be comparatively speaking unimportant. That there should be a necessity to make any demand upon them is to be regretted, but this must be at

begins months before and lasts for months after the meeting, the
advertisements in endless papers, the ramification of huge posters
at half the railway stations in the kingdom, the manifold accounts,
the numberless committee meetings to be attended, the not easily
satisfied applicants for tickets, all, of course, wanting the best
places, the general supervisor over the staff of attendants, the host
of arrangements necessary to be made for the convenience of the
public, and other duties innumerable, but which will suggest them-
selves to those who have had any experience in such matters, when
we say that all these have been performed by Mr. Brown, not only
in such a manner as to call forth no complaint, but to give most
unqualified satisfaction, his urbanity of manner being only equalled
by his energetic business habits, we think that on behalf of the
Press and the public we can do no less than compliment him most
highly in the more than efficient discharge of his multifarious
duties, and hope that for many festivals to come the Gloucester
stewards may enjoy the advantage of his invaluable services.
II. C.

MUSIC IN BERLIN.
(From our own Correspondent.)

were those of the Duke and Orsino, entrusted, respectively, to Herr Robinson and Mlle. De Ahna. Mlle. Antoinui, whose début as a bravura singer I duly chronicled, and as duly criticised, to the best of my ability, has demanded, and received, leave of absence for a considerable period. Her object is to rest her voice, and thus restore its strength. She, herself, considers the latter to be merely temporarily impaired. Plút au ciel qu'il en fût ainsi. In my opinion, the voice is gone altogether; worn out and ruined by an injudicious course of study. However, we shall see, if we live long enough.

A new danseuse has appeared with success, in the person of Mlle. Clovelli, from the Grand Opera, Paris. She is a charming artist, and her good looks are undeniable. The old favourites, Mlle. Marie Taglioni and Herr Charles Müller, have returned to the scene of their former triumphs, and been received as warmly as ever.

The Friedrich-Wilhelm-stadtisches Theater was crammed in every nook and corner the other evening, to witness the first appearance, this season, of Herr Wachtel, as Chapelon, in Le Postillon de Lonjumeau. This gentleman had already created a great sensation in the part last year. The fact is, he really possesses a voice, and that is saying a great deal, when we bear in mind the vocal powers of too many of our tenors at the present day. However people disagree here on other matters, they agree, at any rate, on one point, namely, that Herr Wachtel is one of the finest histronic vocalists on the German stage. On his entrance, he was nearly overwhelmed by a shower of bouquets and flowers, flung from all parts of the house, while the orchestra brayed out a fanfare, or " Tusch," as the Germans call it-an honour which I never knew paid to any other artist. It is rather late in the day to enter into a detailed criticism of his Chapelon. I will, therefore, content myself with observing that it was as attractive as ever; that the singing was perfect, and the acting full of spirit and intelligence; indeed, everything that could be desired. Herr Wachtel was called on-well, I hardly dare tell you how many times in the course of the evening. According to report, he will repeat the character twice or thrice, and then appear in several others. The remaining parts were filled up in the same way as last year. Mlle. Ungur was a charming Madelaine, and Herr Schindler a most diverting Marquis. The orchestra and chorus seconded the principal singers with laudable spirit and precision.

Herr Formes will shortly make his reappearance in Herr Richard
Wagner's Lohengrin.-This is all I have to tell you for the present.
Next week I hope to send a longer communication.-Vale.
it

I AM far from laying claim to anything like infallibility, so boldly arrogated-in common with his Holiness the Pope-by the mysterious gentlemen who advertise in the English papers, and promise any one who will forward them a post-office order, for a greater or less amount, that they will name the winner at the next Spring meeting, St. Leger, or any other race, in fact, whenever or wherever to be run. That these gentlemen make money must be, I should say, highly probable, or else they would not continue, year after year, to insert their advertisements, which, of course, cost them something. If they make money, it must be, I am also inclined to believe, because their correspondents find by experience that they really do name the winner on every occasion, and redeem their pledge. But, then, again; if this is the case, how is it that every one does not back the same horse? How is it that any body ever loses? How is it that hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds change hands in the course of every racing season? How is it that so many high-minded, spirited young gentlemen suddenly levant and appear no more at Tattersall's or in the park; at the opera, at the theatres, at balls, dinner parties, pic-nics, or any other social and festive gathering they were wont to gladden with their conversation, and cheer by the display of their faultless toilets? I ask these questions in a spirit of total ignorance, and innocent enquiry, for, I blush to confess it, I know nothing about the turf. I should be absolutely unable, if called upon, to say in what year Eclipse won the Derby, if, indeed, he ever won the Derby at all, a fact of which I am by no means certain. The only solution I can imagine to the more than Elusinian mystery in which the whole matter is involved; the only supposition which strikes me as at all compatible with veracity on the part of sporting prophets, and pecuniary loss (occasionally) on the part of their patrons, is that the prophets honourably do perform their part of the contract, and really name the winner at each race, but that, in their zeal, and in order to make assurance doubly sure, they name, also, every horse that is entered, a plan not unattended with embarrassment to their correspondents, who do not always feel competent to fix on the winner after all, though the said winner must have been named, since the name of every horse entered was duly and conscientiously mentioned. Thus, the "Prophets," we cannot avoid owning, cannot be wrong. I myself, as I began by observing, am far from laying claim to infallibility, either in the way of prophecy or aught else, yet I, also, now and then, venture on a "tip"-that is in the technical word, I have been informed-and I cannot refrain from indulging in a little honest pride when one of my predictions is fulfilled, although the pride I experience in my own Sept. 15th. powers of vaticination is tempered considerably in the present instance I have just received my number of the MUSICAL WORLD for last by regret that they should be so undeniable. You may remember-week, and perceive that my letter is not inserted, I presume this indeed, you must remember, if you read my letters with aught approach- was on account of the long notice of the Gloucester Festival ing the attention they deserve-that, last week, when speaking of the taking up so much room. The letter was a short one, as this also debut, at the Royal Opera House, of a lady named Mad. Richter, I will be, for there is but little going on, in a musical sense, in Berlin forecast her failure. I am sorry-I am always sorry to chronicle a failure, especially when a lady is concerned-to say that I was right, just now. Please look upon the present communication, therefore, and that my prediction has been verified by the result. As Rezia, in as a postscript to the last, the two together will form a letter of Oberon, and Lucrezia Borgia, in Donizetti's opera of the same name, the ordinary length. Mad. Richter was not more successful than in the previous parts she had sung here. Her vocal and dramatic deficiencies appeared to increase in number at every performance. There is a long and arduous course of study before her, ere she can expect to occupy an important position at any first class theatre. She was particularly weak in the first act of Oberon. Her vocal powers struck me as totally unequal to the grand air of the second act, while her dramatic impersonation of the part was unimpassioned, and her conception of it obscure. She was least unsuccessful in the "F minor cavatina," in the third act. After what I have said, you will easily believe that Mad. Richter did not efface from the minds of the audience the performances of her fair predecessors as the famous, or rather infamous, Duchess of Ferrara. She wanted force, vigour, vocal finish, and, indeed, almost every requisite. In Weber's chef d'oeuvre, Herr Woworsky was especially good as Huon. He gave all the really difficult, and by no means thankful, music-I mean thankful as far as regards the singer-with great judgment, consummate clearness, and excellent effect. His acting and appearance were far from diminishing the favourable impression produced by his singing. Mlle. Mik was highly entertaining as the waiting-woman, Fatima, and infused a vast deal of quiet humour into the part. She is rapidly rising into public favour, and realising the good opinions formed of her. Herr Krause, as Sherasmin, and Herr Krüger, as Oberon, the fairy king, contributed their full share to the dramatic and vocal success of the performance. In Lucrezia Borgia, I cannot conscientiously affirm that Herr Woworsky was as much at home as in Oberon. The music of Gennaro is not particularly well adapted for his voice, and, consequently, exert himself as he may, he is unable to give it the full effect, which, in other hands, or, rather, in another throat, it is capable of producing. The best sustained characters, "all the world to nothing,"

At the Royal Opera-House, a young lady of the name of Mlle. Voggenhuber-Vilma, has made her first curtsey before a Berlin audience, and promises to become a really valuable addition to the company, as far as it is possible to judge from hearing her only once. She is an importation from the Theatre at Pesth. The part she selected for her début, was that of Recha-or Rachel-in Halésy's Juive. She possesses, beyond a doubt, considerable natural noble and sympathetic character, at once enlisting the audience in powers. Her voice is a rich and sonorous mezzo-soprano, of a its favour. In addition to this, it is distinguished by that versatility which enables it to mirror correctly every phase of feeling. Its compass is considerable. Mlle. Voggenhuber-Vilma does not, it is true, always employ her natural gifts in an artistic manner. For instance, she indulges in a very strong tremolo-especially in the recitative-which becomes, in the long run, exceedingly disagreeable. But let me be just, as well as critical; in fact, true criticism is based upon justice, without which, it is not worth a dump, a doit, or a rap. nervousness. The tremolo may have been the result of It is no slight task to face, for the first time, that dazzling row of lights, yclept the "float," with the consciousness, that, behind it, there sits a strange audience, not always too well inclined towards strangers, and having the power to ruin, in a single night, all those fond hopes of success, fame, and wealth, but more especially, with all real artistic natures, of fame, what have buoyed up the poor singer, through all the hardships and ordeals of a provincial career. Again, Voggenhuber-Vilma is rather given to exaggeration. Tameness is bad enough, but rauting is, I think,

worse. This, however, is another fault which may be attributed to nervousness, the fear of doing too little frequently causes an artist to do too much. The best bits in the débutante's performance, were the romance: "Er kommt zerrück," and the charming cantilena, (D flat major) in the trio of the second finale. In addition to her other advantages, by the way, I may mention that Mlle. Voggenhuber-Vilma has youth and personal appearance in her favour. The audience seemed to like her more and more every successive scene, so that, at the fall of the curtain, she had produced an impression on which she has every reason to congratulate herself. Herr Formes, who played Eleazar, was welcomed with long and continuous applause at his entrance. The part is one of the best in his repertory. His voice seemed to have gained fresh strength, sounding remarkably fresh and full. Herr Fricke was especially good as the Cardinal, a part he has made quite his own upon these boards. To Mlle. Marcon, from the Königsberg Theatre, was allotted the character of the Princess Eudora, but as in all probability she will never play or sing it again at the Royal Opera House at Berlin-she neither played nor sang it on the occasion to which I am referring, I beg to observe, parenthetically-I will say no more about it. All I will observe is, that one of the best things Mlle. Marcon could do, would be to study her profession under a competent master, but that the best thing of all would be to abandon singing altogether.

Since writing the above, I have heard La Juive again, as it was substituted for Der Troubadour, in consequence of the indisposition of Mlles. De Ahna and Mik. I still adhere to all I have advanced, concerning Voggenhuber-Vilma, and Mlle. Marcon. For some reason, to me unknown, Herr Ferenzy appeared, instead of Herr Formes, as Eleazar, and made quite, what in modern parlance is styled, a "sensation." During the last few months he has improved wonderfully, both as an actor and a singer. This was triumphantly proved by his impersonation of Eleazar. I cannot say who gives him "lessons on elocution, to fit him for the stage," as the advertisements of a well-known member of the theatrical profession in England have it, but I know that the gentleman whose advice and assistance he has been wise enough to seek in vocal matters, is the Capellmeistor, Herr Dorn, and anyone better qualified to discharge so responsible a task it would be difficult to find. Herr Ferenzy deserves to succeed, for he has not allowed his head to be turned by the flattery of well-meaning, but stupid friends. He had the good sense not to shut his eyes to his own shortcomings. "O, si sic omnes." But it is useless to sigh for impossibilities.

pity that she has not more frequent opportunities of exhibiting that talent. The two Bravos were ably represented by Herren Leinauer and Brenner. According to report, the next characters in which Herr Wachtel will appear, are the bandit-chief, in Fra Diavolo, and Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere.

As you may have gathered from my letters, the operatic performances at Krall's theatre have, this year, enjoyed a far more than average amount of public patronage. This gratifying result has been generally attributed, in a great measure, to the untiring, and well calculated efforts of the director, i. e., chef d'orchestre, Herr Dumont, and of the stage-manager, Herr Othmer. In recognition of the valuable assistance rendered by these two gentlemen, the managers gave them the other evening, a full benefit. The opera was Lortzing's Beide Schützen. The theatre was crowded. By the way, the whole of "Krall's" was lately knocked down, at public auction, to Herr J. Engel, for the sum of 109,000 Thalers, when the enterprising "Music-Director," to-wit, Herr Engel, aforesaid, was warmly congratulated by a large number of his friends, who were present.

The Liederkranz at Riga, in consideration of the great services rendered to the cause of German male school singing, or Mäunergesang vereine, by Herr E. Mücke, have just presented him with a most elaborately written diploma, constituting him an honorary member of the society. The same mark of distinction was simultaneously conferred on Herr Dorn, who was formerly conductor of the Liederkranz. With this scrap of news I beg to conclude my postscript.

SACRED MUSIC IN MAYENCE.*

IT is a well known fact that the majority of Roman Catholic Bishops in Germany wish to banish instrumental music from the church. Unfortunately, they have carried out their resolve almost everywhere, so that, with the exception of Vienna, Munich, Dresden, and Salzburg, few large German cities can boast of a regular orchestra for the performance of sacred music, and, consequently, the rich stores of sacred instrumental compositions bequeathed us by our best masters lie, unplayed, and almost unknown to the rising generation, in the various libraries. Even in Cologne, the ecclesiastical authorities are beginning to close the doors of the cathedral on these chefs d'oeuvre, while, with regard to our golden Mayence, the golden age of sacred music has long since past, and, instead of hearing, under the roof of our magnificent cathedral, the elevating strains of the grand creations due to Mozart, Haydn, Cherubini, &c., we have to put up with the by no means edifying singing of the seminarists. In spite of all this we have, however, or rather we had, an Association for Sacred Music, but that Association in consideration, probably, of the fact, that, in consequence of the for the exclusive cultivation of sacred music, was, a short time since, churches being hermetrically sealed against it, there was no field left rechristened the Cecila Association (for mixed choral singing). It is but rarely that it has an opportunity of stealing into one of the

The following will be the cast of M. Gounod's Faust. Faust, Herr Woworsky; Mephistopleles, Herr Solomon; Gretchen, Mlle. Lucca Valentin, Herr Robinson; Sybel, Mlle. de Ahna; Martha, Mlle. Gey; and Brandor, Herr Bost.-Mlle. Artôl is engaged for three months. She will appear late in the autumn, or, if you prefer it, early in the winter; some time about November, I suppose. She will sing in German, which language she has been studying assiduously, for a considerable period. Herr Taglioni's new ballet: Die Sterne, will be produced about the same time, namely: No-smaller parish churches and performing an instrumental mass. vember, since the talented maître de ballet will profit by his leave of absence, which begins in December, to be off to Milan, and superintend the rehearsals of his Ballanda.

career.

At the Friedrich-Wilhelm-städtisches Theater, Herr Wachtel still continues his successful sway, indeed, say, his triumphant After charming the public by his chapelon in Le Postillon de Longjumeau, he has been delighting them by his impersonation of the hero of Herr von Flotow's Stradella. The part was considered last year, as one particularly adopted to Herr Wachtel, and people are like those "convinced against their will," mentioned by our friend, Hudibras-Butler, or Butler-Hudibras-" Of the same opinion still." The invariably broad cantilena affords the artist an opportunity of displaying the rich and varied treasures of his voice; the frequent high passages are overcome like mere child's play; they are, to use a vulgar expression, "knocked off "with such marvellous facility, that there appears nothing difficult about them; nay, Herr Wachtel would seem to prefer such passages to all others, for it is evident that he purposely sustains, and dwells upon certain notes, over which other tenors pass as gingerly as a cat would over a hot plate. The hymn in the last act was magnificently given, and brought the house down in fine style. Mlle. Ungar was as excellent and graceful as ever, in the part of Leonore. She possesses a talent hors de ligne, for what are here termed Speilopern-play operas, gallicè : opéras-comiques, and it is a great

One of these opportunities of rare occurrence is the birthday of the Emperor of Austria, which is solemnised by high mass in St. Peter's Church. The said opportunity was seized on, this year, by the director of the Cecila Association, Herr Friedrich Lux, to perform a grand instrumental mass, his first essay in this branch of his art. It is a difficult, if not an impossible, task to produce anything absolutely new of the kind, and we cannot designate the work in question as strikingly original. It struck us, however, that while purposely imitating the dignified clearness which distinguishes the incomparable models left us by the great German masters, the composer has, like Cherubini, profited by the richness of modern instrumentation, and the advantage of dramatic expression. The "Kyrie," treated in a strictly contrapuntal style, produced in the hearer an appropriately serious and devout frame of mind, while a feeling of joyful faith and veneration finds vent in the "Gloria " and Credo." The "Et incarnatus est" is most impressively effective. Especially original and full of tenderness is the "Benedictus," for soprano solo, and chorus of female voices, with organ accompaniment, worthily followed up by the "Agnus Dei," and "Dona nobis." The interest, too, is never weakened by wearisome length. On the occasion of the uncovering of the Schiller Monument, on the 18th October next, our Liedertafel, in conjunction with the Damengesangverein, and the Wiesbaden • From the Süddeutsche Musik-zeitung.