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FTER the extraordinary expence we have incurred in communicating to our Readers the earliest accounts of the late cele brity, with representations of the buildings in which it was intended to be performed, we now proceed to inform them of the manner in which it was executed, and the circumftances which attended it. So extraordinary a spectacle, we believe, never before folicited the public notice, nor was ever conducted with fo much propriety on the part of the Managers, or fo much fatisfaction to the numerous spectators. It affords an æra in Mufical Hiftory, and therefore deferves to be faithfully tranfmitted to pofterity.

WEDNESDAY, the 26th of May, this grand feftival began. We cannot in any adequate terms defcribe the grandeur of the fpectacle. Habituated as we are to public exhibitions, and having had the opportunity of beholding whatever has engaged the notice of the metropolis for many years, we may be allowed to speak from comparison ;--on experience, therefore, we say, that fo grand and beautiful a fpectacle, with at the fame time a feast fo rich and perfect, has not been prefented to the public eye within our memory. The coup d'œil infinitely furpaffed that of the trial of the Duchefs of Kingston, in Westminster-Hail and the Jubilee of Garrick, from which the idea of the prefent was taken, though it filled the bosoms of men with equal enthusiasm, fell greatly fhort in the execution. On the EUROP, MAG. May, 1784.

trial of the Duchefs of Kingston there was a heavy grandeur-the robes and the etiquette of rank, aided by the gloom of the Hall, prevented us from enjoying the beauties of variety. Here we had all the youth, beauty, grandeur, and tafte of the nation, unrestrained by the regulations of a Court of Law, and grouped in all the natural and easy appearance of the pile-mle. The Ladies were without diamonds, feathers, or flowers, and thus, in our mind, their charms were embel. lifhed.

-For beauty

Needs not the foreign aid of ornament ; But is, when unadorn'd, adorn'd the most.

We have already given fome account of the picture of the Abbey. The arrangement of the whole was admirable, and did infinite credit to the talents of Mr. Wyatt. His orchestra he constructed so well, that the whole mountain of performers had a full view of the leader, and were as regular as the most compact band. The great aifle under the orcheftra, and the galleries on each hand, were fo contrived, by the gradual elevation, that from every point of view the whole was feen, and the grand box for their Majesties and the Royal Family terminated the profpect.

The company began to affemble at a very early hour. Before ten in the morning the appearance was numerous, and, about half after eleven, the immenfe space was crowded

to overflowing; the number was not short of 4000, the greatest part of which were ladies. By the natural coolness of the Abbey, and the contrivance of the Directors, the place was not fo intolerable for heat as might be imagined from the feafon. Their Ma: jefties arrived about a quarter past twelve o'clock. The King came first into his box, and, on viewing the brilliant fpectacle, he ftarted and ftoc-l for fome moments feemingly in an extafy of aftonishment, an extafy which could only be exceeded by the bounding tranfports of our amiable Queen. The Royal Pair were accompanied by Prince Edward and the Princess Royal, who fat on the King's right, and the Princeffes Augufta, Sophia, and Elizabeth, on the Queen's left hand; they were all in one box, which was most elegantly ornamented.

The Festival then began, and the Coronation Anthem was the first piece, which was felected as a Salutation, and in its performance difplayed the amazing powers of the Band. It would be prefumptive in us to enter into a detail of the performance. It was in fo grand, fo fuperior, and fo exalted a ftile, that it must not be subjected to the rules of pettyfogging criticism. Our readers may imagine better than we can defcribe, the fulness of a band of more than 500 inftruments -They may conceive what must be produced by a combination of all the executive powers in the country, inflamed and actuated by the Mufe of Handel.

What was faid by hyperbole of the eloquence of the Earl of Chatham, might, without a figure, be applied to this; "that it "refembled at times the thunder, and at "times the mufic of the fpheres.". Nor was there, we believe, an individual prefent, who, during the influence of the artillery of the band, when the bursts of the full chorus ftruck the ear, and thook the manfion, was not carried back by analogy to the torrents of the artillery of Heaven, with which, but that very morning, the hemisphere had rung. The prefent is in reality an era in the mufic of Britain; and as,

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while the foul and the genius of mufic has existence, it will be our pride that Handel compofed his works in England, it will not be forgotten that his works have been fo greatly commemorated. His is the mufe for the English character. He writes to the mafculine genius of a free people, and it was only by fuch an execution that the true ma jefty of his compofition could be demonftrated.

Joah Bates, Efq; who was the conductor of the band, and to whofe efforts fo much of the general character and excellence of the entertainment was owing, appeared to be fo agitated and inflamed by the subject during the performance-his mind was fo involved, and his powers fo routed, that his inftrument, though immenfe in its tones, could hardly give utterance to his fentiments. Driven along the torrent fo powerfully, he was perhaps at times too rapid in the movement, but his judgment quickly corrected his feelings; and a band more easily directed, more diftinct in its impreffions, or more perfect in its harmony, we never faw. Such was the first Exhibition in this national feast.

THURSDAY, May 27, the Festival was renewed at the Pantheon, which prefented a most brilliant appearance. The lofty dome was illuminated with 7000 lamps, in com, partments, and terminating at the top of the cupola in a beautiful figure, We have already defcribed the fcite, fashion and furniture of the grand box, erected by Wyatt, for the accommodation of the Royal family. About eight o'clock their Majesties, Prince Edward, the Princess Royal, Princef: Sophia, and Princess Augufta arrived and took their feats-the Prince of Wales came as a private Gentleman, and mixed with the company.

There were between two and three thou fand perfons prefent; the general anxiety was fuch, and the fear of not being prefent at this folemnity made the company so eager, that the prefs at the doors was as great, and

Oboes

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Baffoons

Double Baffoon

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the entrance as vehemently contended for, as it is at the pit and galleries of the theatre on a night of unufual invitation. Stars and Ducheffes difdained not to fet their fhoulders to the crowd, and jostle for admission to this triumph of the art.

The entertainments of this evening differed from thofe of the first day in every thing but its excellence. The mufic in the Abbey was the fublime, this the beautiful of Handel. The one part was full of the grandeur and majefty of the art-the other of the taste and elegance. In this, however, they were alike, that they both called up the great paflions of the foul, and stirred both the turbulent and the tender feelings.

In this night's performance Madame Mara drew forth all the wonders of her voice, and with the moft melodious throat reached the compass even of an inftrument. In the air of "Ah mio cor fchernito fei," the went to D in alt! Pacchierotti was alfo very fine in the beautiful accompanied recitative of " Alma del gran Pompeo," from Julius Cæfar.

The felection of the pieces did infinite credit to the tafte of the Directors; and the execution came up to their warmest expectations. Nothing could exceed the grandeur and effect of the chorus from Ifrael in Egypt, "He gave them hail-ftones for rain-fire, mingled with the hail, ran along upon the ground." The beginning and raging of the ftorm was a noble atchievement of the artthe crash of the inftruments-the refponfes of the double choir-and the immenfe volume and torrent of found, was almost too much for the head or the fenfes to bear-we were elevated into a species of delirium. This is certainly one of the grandeft effects of Handel's mufe, and never, we will venture to say, was it fo greatly executed.

Mr. Bates played the organ with the fame touch as he had in the Abbey, the new in

vention of the ingenious Mr. Green-The band was led by Cramer, and the harmony in all its parts was compleat.

FRIDAY, May 28, was employed in a re hearsal of the Meffiah, at which, fuch was the curiofity of the public, more than 800 perfons were auditors.-The admiffion to this performance was half a guinea, and gave great fatisfaction to those who were prefent at it.

SATURDAY, May 29, the grand masterpiece of Handel (The MESSIAH) was performed at the Abbey; and though to common ears familiarity of founds takes away much from that effect which is produced when they have the charms of novelty, yet on this occafion almost every spectator felt the fenfations which fublimity, pathos, and elegance united, may be expected to give birth to.Their Majefties were attended by five princeffes, and the fplendor and magnificence of the former days were reiterated. It may be afferted, that the power of founds cannot go beyond the effects produced by the concluding chorus of the second part of this admirable compofition, which we think fhould conclude the whole. The air which begins the third part, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," was fung by Madame, Mara in the most exquifite ftile; nor were Cantelo, Bartolini, Abrams, Harrifon, Rein-· hold, Tafca, Corfe, Norris, Champness, Knyvet, in the leaft inferior to their ufual excellence.In this narrative it deferves to be remarked, that no error appeared throughout any of the performances; every perfon was perfect and regular; no mistakes interrupted the general effect; nor did any accident allay the univerfal fatisfaction which was experienced during the whole of this most wonderful exhibition *.

Coronation Anthem.

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