Notes On Music And The Drama.

NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA .

The programme m detail of the Birmingham Festival is before n s . The works selected for performance have been already mentioned , ancl the names of the singers , whose labours seem to be fairly apportioned to them , on the whole . There is not a solitary piece of music which is not well known . To hear how Mdlle . Tietjens " gets on" in Oratorio , ancl how Mdlle . Patti will succeed in "Let the bright Seraphim , " offers small compensation for the absence of some new or unfamiliar work of importance . It is

vexatious , if it be true , that no Oratorio . by a living writer is worth risking : hut surely there must be sacred and service music worth reviving hy the great masters whose name and fame are taken for granted . Our instrumentalists appear determined to take no holiday this year , since Mr . Mellon announces that his promenade concerts will commence at the Royal Italian Opera House on Monday next .

The five prizes of the Brass Band " Sydenham contest" were awarded as follows -. —First prize to Messrs . Marriner's Band ( of Keighly ); second ditto to the Victoria Amateurs ; third ditto to the 15 th Durham ( also known as the Darlington Band ); fourth ditto to the Albion band ; and the fifth ancl last ditto to the Stanhope Band . A concert given at Scarborough , on the 25 th ult . is worth a worcl among the curiosities of the year . Mr . Sims Reeves was to

have appeared there ; hut on his arrival , it became evident that he could not sing;—on which the management prevailed " on Mrs . Howard Paul to appear in his stead , and give her wonderful impersonation of Mr . Reeves , ancl sing the songs set down for him in the programme . " This is pressing of jest k into earnest service with a vengeance ! AVe hear of a plan at Manchester of iving twenty weekl

g y orchestral and choral concerts in the Free Trade Hall there , directed by M . C . Halle , on the scale of the former remarkable performances under the same conductorship , which excited so much attention . Miss . Adelaide Phillips , an American contralto , of whom report speaks highly , is now , we are told , in Europe , to complete her

studies . Among other watering place pleasures is to be a new operetta , " Les Roses de M . de Malesherbes , " in one act , by M . Jules Beer , nephew to M . Meyerbeer , which is to be produced at Spa . M . Roger ( French journals announce ) is going to Rnssia ; some state on a five years' engagement , at an enormous salary . At the examination of the pupils of the Conservatoire the other day , two are announced as having distinguished themselves greatly—Mdlle .

Cico , a brilliant soprano , and M . Caron , a baritone . A Symphony , by Mynheer AV . E . Thooft , is said to be producing some sensation in Holland . It is entitled " Charles the Fifth , " and would seem to be more of a cantata than a symphony—voices being used throughout , so flu- as we can understand the description .

EPMGIES OP THE DEAD IN AVESTMINSTER . —Amongst other curious customs in the seventeenth century , in connexion with burials , was the practice of carrying effigies of the dead at the funerals of great men . This was constantly practised amongst the Romans ; and , in course of time , such processions became common in England . In passing , it will be as well to notice ' that a waxen image was , in the days of the witches , one of the means by which those unfortunate women were supposed to torment their ' victims .

Of the waxen images which have heen borne in state to funerals , a large collection ivas preserved in AVestminster Hall till quite lately These effigies represented the deceased as nearly as possible , and . were wont to be exposed at the funerals of our princes , and other great personages , in open chariots , with their proper ensigns of royalty appended . —Englishwoman ' s Domestic Magazine . STRENGTH OE THE TIGER . —The strength of the ti is '

ger pro cligious . By a single cuff of his great fore paw he will break the skull of an ox as easily as you or I could smash a gooseberry , and then , taking his . prey by the neck , will straighten his muscles and march off at a half trot with only the hoofs and tail of the defunct animal trailing the ground . An eminent traveller relates that a " buffalo belonging to a peasant in India having got helplessly fixed in a swampits owner went to seek assistance of his neihbours to

, g drag it out . AVhile he was gone , however , a tiger visited the spot , ancl unceremoniously slew and drew the buffalo out of the mire , and had just got it comfortably over his shoulders preparatory to trottinghome , when the herdsman and his friends approached . The buffalo , which weighed more than a thousand pounds , had its skull fractured , and its body nearly emptied of blood . —Wild Sports of the World .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COURT . —The arrangements for the Queen ' s visit to Irelan are now complete . It is authoritively stated that Her Majesty will leave Holyhead on the 22 nd inst ., accompanied by the Prince Consort and four members of the Royal Family . Extensive preparations have been made at the Viceregal Lodge , Dublin , for the reception of the illustrious visitors , and steps have been taken at Killarney to ensure a truly Irish demonstration of welcome . Her Majesty and family still remain at Osborne .

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . —In the HOUSE OE LOEDS on Thursday , August 1 st , the royal assent was given by commission to a number of measures , including the Irremovable Poor BUI—one of the most notable achievements of the session—the Piers and Harbours Bill , ancl the University Elections Bill . A large nnmher of bills were forwarded a stage . On Friday , the Lord Chancellor moved the first reading of a hill for the Reform of the Statute Book , the object of which is to declare what laws have become

obsolete . He introduced the bill that it might be considered during the recess . In consequence of the lateness of the session , Lord Stratheden withdrew his hill for the abolition of the securities system in connection with newspapers . On Monday , the House gave the finishing touch to a considerable number of measures , including the Lace Factories Bill , the Appropriation Bill , the East India Loan Bill , the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act Continuance Bill , ancl the Volunteers Tolls Exemption ( No . 2 ) Bill ,- —•

all of which were read a third time ancl passecl . On the motion of the Earl of Shaftesbury , an address to the Crown was agreed to , praying for an inquiry into "the employment of children and young persons in trades and manufactures not already regulated by law . " On Tuesday , Parliament was prorogued . The Lord Chancellor read the Queen ' s Speech , which commenced by alluding to the satisfactory state of our foreign relations . The affairs of Italy , the lamentable war in America , ancl the withdrawal of the

European troops from Syria , were then referred to in succession . Satisfaction was expressed with the improved condition of India , and the remainder of the speech was devoted to a succinct review of - the legislation of the past session . Prior to the prorogation , Lord Fitzhardinge , better known as Sir Maurice Berkeley , took his seat . He was introduced by Lord Stanley of Alderley ancl Lord Foley . In the HOUSE OP COMMONS on Thursday , Aug . 1 st ., Lord Palmerston stated , in reply to Mr . Danby Griffith , that forced labour was

employed on the works in connection with the French bubble scheme of a canal across the Isthmus of Suez . The noble Lorcl also intimated , in answer to a question from Col . French , that before Parliament rose , he should state the views of the Government with reference to the Galway contract . Another discussion took place on the subject of the armaments of England ancVFrance , Mr . Lindsay urging the Government to enter into some arrangement with the Emperor Napoleon , who , he believed , was desirous of

coining to an understanding with the British Government , with the view of checking the present rivalry between the two countries . Lord Palmerston pointed out several obvious objections to this proposal to bind the two nations over to keep the peace towards each other , adding that in his opinion , "A British Government would long hesitate before it entered into any agreement to limit the amount of force , naval or military , which this country ought to maintain" On FridayMrAyrton called the attention of the

. , . Secretary of AA ar to the petition from G 000 working people , who complained of the employment of sappers and miners in the building of the new barracks at Chelsea . He expressed a strong opinion as to the impropriety of such a proceeding on the part of the Government , Sir G . C . Lewis explained the nature of the circumstances which led to the employment of the men , and then announced that as it was the object of the Government to maintain

a perfectly neutral position in the struggle now taking place in the building trade , the employment of sappers ancl miners would be discontinued from the 1 st of September . On Monday , the only order on the Commons' paper was the consideration of the Lords' amendments to the Industrial Schools ( Scotland ) Bill , which were at once agreed to . In reply to Mr . Cobbett , Sir George Grey stated that it was not intended to appoint a chief inspector of factories in the room of Mr . Horner , hut four

additional sub -inspectors had recently been appointed . The Right Hon . Baronet admitted , in reply to a question from Alderman Copeland , that an inquiry into the expenditure of the Ecclesiastical Commission might be desirable , but he thought that the investigation should not he undertaken during the recess under the direction of the Government , hut should be left to a Committe of the House . On Tuesday , Parliament was closed , nothing of importance taking place pi-ior to that event . GENEEAL HOME INTELLIGENCE . —A slight increase is reported in the rate of mortality in the metropolis during the past week , the number of deaths being 1225 . On the other hand , there were