THE "MESSIAH" AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9130, 11 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE "MESSIAH" AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

The ninth triennial Handel festival, which opened at the Crystal Palace on June '25 with a performance of the "Messiah,'' was was an unqualified success. Nearly 23,000 persons passed the turnstiles, and. apart from a magnificent musical performance, the central transept of the palace, with so many thousands of ladies in dainty summer costumes, and the vast orchestra, crowded with a band and chorus which can never be found elsewhere, was a sight at once gay and imposing, bright and impressive. When the "Messiah" was performed in Westminster Abbey on the occasion of the centenary celebration in 1784, it- was performed with what was then considered" a " prodigious orchestra," although it numbered only 0'25 performers. On this ■occasion the orchestra alone numbered nbout 500 performers,, and there were over 3000 in the chorus, which, compared with former years, showed an improved balance of voices. But it is well known that the choir for the present festival has been ■completely recast, that, worn-out voices have been ruthlessly weeded out, and fresh fingers have been introduced after due examination by a committee of experts. In the result we have 782 sopranos, 79 altos, 077 tenors, and 778 basses, the wholebarring a slight but unavoidable numerical inferiority in the tenors —as well balanced as possible, the mighty force of •3016 singers forming not only the largest, but also by far the finest choir that has ever sung at a Handel Festival. THE FIRST BOOMING ?.'OTCS OK " THE DEAD MARCH i:> SATE." There were several impressive moments jn the performance. One was when, just as the clock indicated the hour of two, Mr. Manns stepped into his place, and bowed two or three times to the applauding multitude ; instantly his baton was in the air, and, as everybody in the palace rose to their feet, the first booming notes of " The Dead March in Said" sounded forth from the orchestra, reminding one first of the close of a long tragedy in Germany, and then of the composer of the music, jrho once stood where Mr. Manns now ,tands. Between each of those well-known .xinereal notes the silence in the vast auditorium was so marked as to be almost painful. Another impressive part of the performance was when the audience was again standing and listening to a rendering of the " Hallelujah Chorus," such as can only be beard at these festivals. We have already referred to the excellence of the chorus. Here it was heard to perfection. The basses and tenors were particularly striking ; but in this massive chorus every part seemed to respond to the baton of the conductor with an automatic precision. Another success achieved by the chorus was in " For unto us a child is born," where all the leads were attacked in the most spirited style. The solo work was undertaken by Madame Albani, Madame Patey, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Santley ; and there could not have been a better quartette for the work. The two ladies, who wore " half-mourning" costumes, almost surpassed themselves. Madame Albani sang *' I know that my Redeemer liveth"— especially in the pianissimo passages—in such a manner as to call forth rapturous applause. She sang the pastoral recitative of " Rejoice greatly" still better ; and in "Come unto Me" there was a charm which needs no further comment. .Madame Patey's pathetic rendering of "He was despised" was her greatest success. The greatest triumph, however, was Santley's delivery of " Why do the nations." When he finished, there arose from the audience . and choir a perfect, storm of applause.