Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Great Triennial Handel Festival. Crystal Palace, June, 1865.
them the right to take the lead . Their ability to organise aud carry out extensive musical arrangements , gave them that power which has resulted so beneficially . It was a rare concurrence of such favourable circumstances which rendered the Crystal Palace Handel Commemoration of 1859 so pre-eminently remarkable . It is the zealous continuauee of these
conjoint labours and advantages , which guarantees success to the coming Triennial Festival . It has taken three Festivals to complete the great orchestra at the Crystal Palace , with its vast roof , twice the diameter of the dome of St . Paul ' s . The number of executants is therefore defined . They will fall but little short of 4000 .
, Numbers like these at first so little impress the mind , that comparisons become requisite . It may , therefore , be stated that the performers at the 1865 Festival will exceed in number those gathered together for the last York Musical Festival , the Westminster Abbey Festival of 1834 , the Leeds , Bradford ,
Gloucester , "Worcester , Hereford , Norwich , and Birmingham Musical Festivals , all combined . The requirements , and the great outlay of such undertakings as the Crystal Palace Handel Festivals , render it requisite that , like the Provincial Festivals , an interval of three years should elapse between each
celebration . No annual effort could result in adequate success . That success has attended them , may be gathered from the fact that they have been attended by 194 , 800 persons , and that the recei pts arising directly from them have amounted to £ 83 , 465 9 s . 9 d .
As regards the Oratorios to be performed at the Triennial Handel Festival there can be but little choice . The Festivals present to the public that which the public desires—the most imposing representation of Handel ' s master-works which the improving practice of choral music within the preceding three years renders attainable . " Messiah , " therefore , for its religious associations , as well as the deep hold it has on the musical feelings of all , appropriately takes the lead , on the Monday .
For its unapproachable grandeur , and its peculiar power of displaying vast choral strength , and for that grand cyclopean idea of dividing its massive choruses into double choir , only capable of full realisation in the immense orchestra of the Crystal Palace , " Israel in Egypt" stands pre-eminent . This colossus of oratoriosiu the'Colosseum of orchestrasbecomes
, , the great speciality of a Handel Festival . As the enthusiasm of the army of performers becomes excited by each day ' s labour of love , the intricacies of "Israel in Egypt" are mastered with ease . What audiences were accustomed to regard with little interest , under this gigantic interpretation , reveals
itself as the climax of all that is grand and imposing in choral art . It is the only possible conclusion to a Handel Festival . It will , therefore , be performed on the last day—Friday . The middle day ( Wednesday ) will , as on the two last occasions , be devoted to a selection from Handel ' s
other works . This , while comprising as much novelt y as is consistent with the general desire to hear certain established favourite pieces once in three years , will also possess the speciality of seeking to present Handel to public attention in some of his most varied aspects . The warm encomiums bestowed upon the Wednesday of the last Festival , will stimulate to in-
Great Triennial Handel Festival. Crystal Palace, June, 1865.
creased exertions to render this day again a favourite with all who appreciate the universality of Handel ' s genius . The day fixed , June 28 th , being the anniversary of her Majesty's coronation , the performance with ' include Handel's great Coronation Anthem , " Zadok , the Priest . " Portions of " Saul" will also probably form part of the selection .
As on former occasions , the Festival will be held on alternate days , viz .: — MONDAY , 26 TH JUNE . WEDNESDAY , 28 TH JUNE . FRIDAY , 30 TH JUNE . The Great Full Rehearsal will take place on the 23 rd June , being the Friday preceding , in p lace of the Saturday , as heretofore .
Masonic Notes And Queries.
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .
MOKE naHT . Who is it that is so often quoted as wishing for "more light ? " —A READEE — [ A great genius and brother Freemason , one of the modern philosophers and poets of Germany—Goethe . In his biography , as narrated by Mr . Lewes , his death—which
happened on the 22 nd of March , 1 S 32—is thus described : — " It was now observed that his thoughts began to wander incoherently . ' See , ' he exclaimed , ' the lovely woman's head , with black curls , in splendid colours—a dark background ! ' Presently he saw a piece of paper on the floor , aud asked them how
they could leave Schiller's letters so carelessly lying about . Then he slept softly , and , on awakening , asked for the sketches ho had just seen in his dream . In silent anguish they awaited the close , now so surely apj ^ roaching . His speech was becoming less and less distinct . The last words audible were "More light !"
HINTS E 0 B I / EARNEKS . How is it possible for me to commit the ceremonies and lectures to memory , vthen I cannot even remember what I read yesterday?—A DISMAYED BKOTHEB . —[ By first liking what you intend to learn ; secondly , by learning a little at a time , and
learning' that little thoroughly ; and , thirdly , by making it a rule to understand every portion of what you learn . You put us in mind of Coleridge , -who divided readers into four classes , thus : —I . Sponges , who absorb all they read , and return it nearly in the same stateonly a little dirtied . II . Sand-glasses
, , who retain nothing , and are content to get through a book for the sake of getting through the time . III . Strain-bags , who retain merely the dregs of what they read . IV . Mogul diamonds , equally rare and valuable , who profit by what they read , and enable others to profit bit also . The ancient Jews bad a
y very similar set of descriptions . An early Hebraist says : —Among those who hear the wise four species may be distinguished : the sponge , the funnel , the filter , and the sieve . The sponge swallows up everything ; the funnel allows that to escape at one end which it receives at tbe other ; the filter allows the
liquor to escape , and retains merely the dregs ; the sieve rejects the chaff and retains nothing but the wheat . Take heart of grace , he not dismayed , but applying the above illustrations to your case , and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Great Triennial Handel Festival. Crystal Palace, June, 1865.
them the right to take the lead . Their ability to organise aud carry out extensive musical arrangements , gave them that power which has resulted so beneficially . It was a rare concurrence of such favourable circumstances which rendered the Crystal Palace Handel Commemoration of 1859 so pre-eminently remarkable . It is the zealous continuauee of these
conjoint labours and advantages , which guarantees success to the coming Triennial Festival . It has taken three Festivals to complete the great orchestra at the Crystal Palace , with its vast roof , twice the diameter of the dome of St . Paul ' s . The number of executants is therefore defined . They will fall but little short of 4000 .
, Numbers like these at first so little impress the mind , that comparisons become requisite . It may , therefore , be stated that the performers at the 1865 Festival will exceed in number those gathered together for the last York Musical Festival , the Westminster Abbey Festival of 1834 , the Leeds , Bradford ,
Gloucester , "Worcester , Hereford , Norwich , and Birmingham Musical Festivals , all combined . The requirements , and the great outlay of such undertakings as the Crystal Palace Handel Festivals , render it requisite that , like the Provincial Festivals , an interval of three years should elapse between each
celebration . No annual effort could result in adequate success . That success has attended them , may be gathered from the fact that they have been attended by 194 , 800 persons , and that the recei pts arising directly from them have amounted to £ 83 , 465 9 s . 9 d .
As regards the Oratorios to be performed at the Triennial Handel Festival there can be but little choice . The Festivals present to the public that which the public desires—the most imposing representation of Handel ' s master-works which the improving practice of choral music within the preceding three years renders attainable . " Messiah , " therefore , for its religious associations , as well as the deep hold it has on the musical feelings of all , appropriately takes the lead , on the Monday .
For its unapproachable grandeur , and its peculiar power of displaying vast choral strength , and for that grand cyclopean idea of dividing its massive choruses into double choir , only capable of full realisation in the immense orchestra of the Crystal Palace , " Israel in Egypt" stands pre-eminent . This colossus of oratoriosiu the'Colosseum of orchestrasbecomes
, , the great speciality of a Handel Festival . As the enthusiasm of the army of performers becomes excited by each day ' s labour of love , the intricacies of "Israel in Egypt" are mastered with ease . What audiences were accustomed to regard with little interest , under this gigantic interpretation , reveals
itself as the climax of all that is grand and imposing in choral art . It is the only possible conclusion to a Handel Festival . It will , therefore , be performed on the last day—Friday . The middle day ( Wednesday ) will , as on the two last occasions , be devoted to a selection from Handel ' s
other works . This , while comprising as much novelt y as is consistent with the general desire to hear certain established favourite pieces once in three years , will also possess the speciality of seeking to present Handel to public attention in some of his most varied aspects . The warm encomiums bestowed upon the Wednesday of the last Festival , will stimulate to in-
Great Triennial Handel Festival. Crystal Palace, June, 1865.
creased exertions to render this day again a favourite with all who appreciate the universality of Handel ' s genius . The day fixed , June 28 th , being the anniversary of her Majesty's coronation , the performance with ' include Handel's great Coronation Anthem , " Zadok , the Priest . " Portions of " Saul" will also probably form part of the selection .
As on former occasions , the Festival will be held on alternate days , viz .: — MONDAY , 26 TH JUNE . WEDNESDAY , 28 TH JUNE . FRIDAY , 30 TH JUNE . The Great Full Rehearsal will take place on the 23 rd June , being the Friday preceding , in p lace of the Saturday , as heretofore .
Masonic Notes And Queries.
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .
MOKE naHT . Who is it that is so often quoted as wishing for "more light ? " —A READEE — [ A great genius and brother Freemason , one of the modern philosophers and poets of Germany—Goethe . In his biography , as narrated by Mr . Lewes , his death—which
happened on the 22 nd of March , 1 S 32—is thus described : — " It was now observed that his thoughts began to wander incoherently . ' See , ' he exclaimed , ' the lovely woman's head , with black curls , in splendid colours—a dark background ! ' Presently he saw a piece of paper on the floor , aud asked them how
they could leave Schiller's letters so carelessly lying about . Then he slept softly , and , on awakening , asked for the sketches ho had just seen in his dream . In silent anguish they awaited the close , now so surely apj ^ roaching . His speech was becoming less and less distinct . The last words audible were "More light !"
HINTS E 0 B I / EARNEKS . How is it possible for me to commit the ceremonies and lectures to memory , vthen I cannot even remember what I read yesterday?—A DISMAYED BKOTHEB . —[ By first liking what you intend to learn ; secondly , by learning a little at a time , and
learning' that little thoroughly ; and , thirdly , by making it a rule to understand every portion of what you learn . You put us in mind of Coleridge , -who divided readers into four classes , thus : —I . Sponges , who absorb all they read , and return it nearly in the same stateonly a little dirtied . II . Sand-glasses
, , who retain nothing , and are content to get through a book for the sake of getting through the time . III . Strain-bags , who retain merely the dregs of what they read . IV . Mogul diamonds , equally rare and valuable , who profit by what they read , and enable others to profit bit also . The ancient Jews bad a
y very similar set of descriptions . An early Hebraist says : —Among those who hear the wise four species may be distinguished : the sponge , the funnel , the filter , and the sieve . The sponge swallows up everything ; the funnel allows that to escape at one end which it receives at tbe other ; the filter allows the
liquor to escape , and retains merely the dregs ; the sieve rejects the chaff and retains nothing but the wheat . Take heart of grace , he not dismayed , but applying the above illustrations to your case , and