The Hereford Musical Festival Author(s): Herbert Thompson Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 62, No. 944 (Oct. 1, 1921), pp. 692-694 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/908507 Accessed: 07-02-2016 17:55 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 130.15.241.167 on Sun, 07 Feb 2016 17:55:29 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 692 THE MUSICAL TIMES-OCTOBER I 1921 Et io che tantooscolto, 'The Apostles,'andthe Violoncello Concerto (of which Cieli come non moro? a reallypoetic reading was given,with Miss Beatrice Ah, la costanza Harrisonas soloist); and thechamber concert, which Di chi henama at Un non sa Hereford forms a unique supplement'to the giorno ended Ne puii mai variarsembianza. Festival, brilliantlyand impressivelywith the PianoforteQuintet. The trio, 'Chi ben ama,' then follows in the form Nor was Sir Edward the who and at the end is the only composer printed by Chrysander, signa- appeared to conduct his own music, for no fewer ture, 'Napoli li I6 di Guignio. 1708. d'Alvito.' than seven others introducedtheir and as What is meant 'd'Alvito' is a decided works, by puzzle. thesewere either new or recent,they are of a more It can hardly mean the name of the author of the and deserve to be dwelt at so far as I there is no Italian general interest, upon words, for, know, poet somewhat greaterlength than the familiarthings. of this name, nor was it Handel's custom to give the Dr. Williamscame and conductedhis names of the authors of the words that he set. Vaughan first, Fantasy forStrings on a Theme by Tallis,which has 'Alvito' is the name of a Portuguese title, but this beforebeen heard at one of theseFestivals. It is a does not help one much in solving the riddle. workin whichold winehas been into new wine- 'd'Alvito' mean that the work was written at put might skinswithout forthe characterof the theme in a district or of the but none disaster, Naples palace name, is well preserved,the stringsbeing handled with can be found in Carletti's 'Topografia' (Naples, and worked to a fine climax of A 'Strada della Vita' occurs in that power up intensity. I776). work, Prof. Walford I)avies' settingof 'Heaven's Gate,' marked in the map just below Capo di Monte, but it fromBlake's is a seriouseffort to realise would be too wild a to that this was 'Jerusalem,' guess suggest the mysticalnature of the textin whichthe poet-seer intended. Possibly some Neapolitan archxeologist draws a of to the find a solution of the picture England veryapplicable may puzzle. present distress. The composer is happier in the optimisticconclusion than in depictingthe desolation caused by the 'terrible devouringsword,' for this failed to make so distinctan and here THE HEREFORD MUSICAL FESTIVAL. impression, the ensembleof solo voice (Miss Margaret Balfour) This has been a critical time for the Three Choirs and orchestrawas less effectivethan in the more Festival, but most of all for Hereford, where, since delicately-handledportions. The work,however, is the last Festival in 19I2, there has been a remarkable of a characterthat can hardlyproduce its fulleffect change among the more prominent of its organizers when given on festival scale; it demands more -a new secretary, a new conductor, a new Bishop, intimatetreatment. Mr. B. J.DI)ale, Mr. E. L. Bainton, and a new I)ean. Happily, neither of the two and Mr. F. Keel all sharedwith Mr. PercyHull the most important officials were inexperienced in the experienceof captivityat Ruhleben,and theirsmust traditions; the hon. secretary, Mr. George Holloway, have been a pleasant reunionat the Festival,when has for many years been (and still is) superintendent each of themcontributed a piece to the programme. of the choir, and Mr. Percy Hull had a long Mr. Dale has hithertobeen known chieflyas a connection with the music of the Cathedral, first as composerof worksof smallercalibre, but his setting choirboy and afterwards as assistant to the late for chorus and orchestraof Christina Rossetti's Dr. Sinclair. None the less, Mr. Hull had an 'Christmas Hymn,' though quite modest in con- arduous and exacting task in conducting his first ception,proved perfectlyeffective in the Cathedral. festival, and although no doubts existed concerning He has striven to suggest the simple, folk-like his musicianship, his experiences at Ruhleben, and his quality of the carol,and has avoided elaboration, subsequent illness, made some fearful of his staying even preserving,at the risk of monotony,the powers. It may at once be said that he achieved an original rhythmthroughout the threestanzas. It is unqualified success; he gained the confidence of eminentlysmooth and gracious music,pastoral and orchestra and choir, he kept his head, and he gave tender in mood, and decidedly attractive. Mr. evidence of a distinctly musical temperament. His Bainton's work was his series of three pieces for temniiwere on the side of vivacity, which afforded orchestra,an Elegy, an Intermezzo,and a Humor- a contrast with those of his predecessor, but his esque, all of which were written at Ruhleben. readings were never exaggerated, and when he They show a complete musicianshipand refined acquires the assurance which comes from experience, taste,and the orchestrais handledwith unobtrusive they should become individual and interesting. but satisfyingeffect. There is no very marked When we come to analyse the programme, the originalityin the ideas, but the ' Bacchanalian curious fact emerges that three-quarters of the Humoresque,'originally intended as an entr'aclcfor time was taken up by three composers-Handel, 'Twelfth Night,' is quite rollickingand vivacious. Mendelssohn, and Elgar. 'Elijah' to begin the The onlyactual noveltieswere also heardat thesame Festival, 'The Messiah' to close it. This is in concert. One was the thirdcycle of 'Pastorals' Dr. accordance with a practically uninterruptedtradition, Brewer has composed, entitled 'Jillian of Berry.' and for it there are two very sound reasons-first, that He has just thelightness of touchnecessary for such these two works maintain their popularity with the work,and I would certainlyecho an opinion I have public on whose support the Festival chieflydepends; seen advanced, that he is the veryman to write a secondly, they materially reduce the work of full comic opera. His music is simple, melodious,and rehearsal, for which, even then, the time is barely flowing,yet it always evades commonplaceby little sufficient. As for Sir Edward Elgar, his world-wide unexpectedtouches, and theorchestra is most deftly fame finds its focus in the Three Choirs Festival, handled. Again he had in Mr. John Coates an and if he owed something to them in his youth, interpreterwho threwhimself heart and soul into the he is now paying back the debt with interest. spiritof the music-whose onlyfault, indeed, was that On this occasion he lightened Mr. Hull's respon- he inclinedto put intohis performancemore 'points' sibility by conducting 'The Dream of Gerontius,' than it would bear, and mightin some places have This content downloaded from 130.15.241.167 on Sun, 07 Feb 2016 17:55:29 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES-OCTOBER I 1921 693 leftthe musicto speak foritself. A strikingcontrast of the boldest and most original choral works that was affordedby Mr. W. H. Reed's brilliantlyclever have been produced for many years past. It has by piece, which he styles 'A Whimsical Fantasy for,now been heard on several occasions, but never under Orchestra,' and entitles 'The Lincoln Imp.' It such favourable conditions. In the spacious Norman professes to illustratethe apocryphalstory of the nave, with its massive grey pillars and ancient history, famouslittle effigy in Lincoln Cathedral,some of the this mystical, archaic-sounding music, which so fits detailsof whichMr. Reed seems to have evolvedfor the quaint text, had its fitting environment. Its the occasion. He supposes the Imp to have been harmonic crudities were toned down, its fragments driven by the wind into the Cathedral, where he of plainsong melody seemed in place, and, though as wreaks his playful malice by jangling the bells, is so often the case we wished the performerswere strummingon the organ, tearing the vestments, and out of sight, the impression made by the work was breaking the candlesticks, till at last his course of felt to be just what the composer intended. Its mischief is stayed by an angel, who turns him into grandiose proportions were justified,and the sense of stone. The music is most graphic, and quite as scale which is, perhaps, the composer's most salient impish as it should be. Mr. Reed is up to every characteristic, was fully realised. The performance possible orchestral device, and all his effectscome off. was an excellent one: possibly some flaws in detail Some periods of repose would be welcome, but it is may have existed, but the general character of the not easy to imagine any that would be in keeping work was admirably brought out. The choir sang Photo by Wilson-P/hillif/s,Hereford.