On Monday the Messiah was performed in an excellent manner by the principal singers, at St. Mary’s, though the choruses certainly wanted strength. The church was completely filled, at very high-priced tickets, too. Indeed the terms of admission to all the performances were rather extravagant, and produced a smaller total than if they had been forty, or even fifty, per cent lower. The concert in the evening, at the Senate House, was also well attended, and went off with proportionate spirit and effect. Mad. Malibran’s national airs, sung to her own accompaniment, excited a very lively interest: one of them was loudly encored. Braham, in Attwood’s beautiful cantata, “The Soldier’s Dream,” Phillips in Neükomm’s splendid song, “The Sea,” and Tamburini with Phillips, in “Se fiato in corpo avete,” Cimarosa’s favourite but hacknied duet, seemed to delight every person present. The inimitable Lindley, on his violoncello, and the equally unrivalled De Beriot, on his violin, made the audience fully sensible of their powers. Indeed, everything was good, and received in a manner that proved the cultivated taste of the company.
However, the affair has been a losing one: the guarantee committee have had to pay a balance of 400l. out of their own pockets. The fact is, that the festival was ill-timed. It came when all were exhausted by the breakfasts, dinners, and fêtes, given to the ambulant philosophers; and the prices of tickets were too high. London is now brought so near Cambridge by improved travelling, that the public performances in the metropolis are quite accessible to both gownsmen and townsmen, who will not very willingly pay twelve and fifteen shillings for what, by means of a short, easy journey, may be heard, in certainly a more completely perfect manner, for little more than half the money. Nevertheless, we give every credit to the gentlemen who have sustained the loss, for their boldness and liberality.
LIVERPOOL AMATEUR SOCIETY.
To the EDITOR of the HARMONICON.
Liverpool, July, 1833.
SIR,
As I observe that you take an interest in whatever relates to the cultivation of music, in the country as well as in London, I beg to offer you an account of a Society which has lately been formed, on a small scale, in this town, leaving it to your judgment to accept or reject it as you may deem expedient. I have ventured to send it, because I think the Harmonicon is a valuable record of musical proceedings, and ought to be supported by amateurs, not only for their own sakes, but to assist in the promotion of the science; I shall, therefore, be rejoiced if I can, in the smallest degree, contribute to so desirable an object.
The society which I wish to introduce to your notice is called the Apollo Vocal Concert, and consists of a soprano and contralto, (ladies,) a tenor and two bases, with the able and esteemed conductor of the Liverpool Festival Choral Society as conductor and pianist. Their object in associating is for the purpose of practising the higher kinds of music, with a view to their mutual improvement; for which purpose they meet regularly once a fortnight all the year round; and to ensure a punctual attendance they have bound themselves, by heavy fines, to observe the rules laid down for the government of the society. So far its existence would not have been a subject of public interest, and unworthy of your notice; but the parties concerned, urged by several amateurs, and desirous of laying the foundation, if possible, of some sort of permanent musical institution in the town, determined on giving a set of four public vocal concerts; and the first of these took place on Thursday, June 27th. In order to defray the unavoidable expenses, and to secure the respectability of the meeting, none were admitted but subscribers for the set—each subscriber having a transferable ticket besides his own—the subscription being one guinea for the four concerts. The number of subscribers is limited to one hundred, which number is nearly filled, and includes the names of some of our leading gentry.
You will be surprised, Mr. Editor, to learn, that Liverpool, the second town in the empire, and distinguished, in other respects, by its liberality and splendor, cannot boast a single musical establishment of any description!—a most unaccountable, and, I had almost said, disgraceful, fact—only to be explained, even by those well acquainted with the place, on the supposition that no one likes to commit himself by being one of the first to give his name to a project which may not become fashionable.
It is hoped, however—seeing that most important undertakings have had small beginnings—that some musical institution, creditable to so opulent and important a town, may arise from the Apollo Vocal Concert. Unpretending though it be in itself,—it will at least show that a pleasant and unobjectionable recreation may be obtained at a very trifling individual expense. But a good band might be collected in the town, which by regular practice together would soon become efficient; and there is every encouragement to take such a step, from the example of Manchester, where the best orchestra in this country, out of London, is found at the Gentlemen’s Concert in that town.