Books › The Strad; a monthly journal for professionals and amateurs of all stringed instruments played with the bow, 1890 › scan 26
Scan 26
The Strad; a monthly journal for professionals and amateurs of all stringed instruments played with the bow, 1890
26 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1CHATS WITH STUDENTS ON THE VIOLIN.
2By J. T. Carrodus.
3Principal Violin, R.I.O.; Professor of the Violin, Trinity College, Warden of the Guild of Violinists, etc., etc.
5"RECOLLECTIONS OF THE THREE CHOIR FESTIVALS."
7Of the Gloucester and Worcester Festivals I will now speak up to about the year 1864 where I finished my chat on Hereford last month, and feel that if it were not repeating myself unduly I could say for both these towns all I said for Hereford last month with regard to kind hospitality and genial kindness and conviviality. In 1733 there was a notice in the Gloucester journal saying that both vocal and instrumental performers of the best class appeared, the band consisting of French horns, trumpets, hautboys, German flutes and a treble harp, and at Worcester in 1752 the steward of the festival found the additional expenses of preparing and performing the oratorio of "Samson," made it necessary to increase the price of tickets from two shillings and sixpence to three shillings, he promising should there be a surplus to apply it for the benefit of the charity for which the festival appealed.
9In 1748 Handel's "Samson" was first performed at Gloucester, and at Worcester in 1752; and in 1754 was produced Handel's "Judas Maccabeus" in Gloucester, these two works ranking in popularity second only to his "Messiah." At this time the music meetings always closed with a ball, for which up to 1752 admission was gratis, that year (at Worcester) a charge of two shillings and sixpence was made, but this was again abolished in 1758, when the balls are again advertised as "gratis."
11In 1754, in order to attract more people to Gloucester, a race meeting was arranged for the same time as the music meetings, and I also see a notice as far back as 1736 of sporting meetings, corresponding with the musical week. They have been discontinued since 1793. In 1757 there was a third evening concert at Gloucester, where the sublime and popular oratorio of the "Messiah" (Handel) was introduced. When first brought out in 1741, it was received with small favour by the public, but has since been more favourably appreciated than any other of Handel's oratorios; it has never since (as I remarked last month) been omitted from a festival programme. On its performance in Worcester in 1761, it produced a surplus of £100 for the charity!
13At Gloucester, in 1769, much enthusiasm was produced by the playing of Fischer and Crosdill on the hautbois and 'cello. The orchestral expenses that year were £684 6s. 10d. Worcester started a third evening concert in 1770.
15In 1778 the band at Gloucester had the assistance of Cervetto, the 'cello player, who I see spoken of as the matchless Cervetto!
17The festival at Worcester in 1788 was visited by the King, Queen and Royal Family, and the orchestra was supplemented by the King's private band. The sale of tickets was considerably greater this year, but the collections were not very satisfactory considering the numbers present.
19In 1790 at Gloucester the conductor was the organist of the cathedral, Mr. Mutlow, and since that date the music has always been conducted by the holder of that office in each cathedral respectively.
21In 1800 Haydn's "Creation" was produced for the first time at Worcester; being its third performance in England. It proved second only to Handel's in popularity.
23The price of the tickets was raised from time to time to meet the expenditure, and in 1812 in Worcester the prices ranged from two shillings to eleven shillings! The large Shire Hall, Gloucester, was first used for the festival concerts in 1817, where in 1823 one reads of a harp concerto by Bochsa, and violin and 'cello concertos played by Cramer and Lindley, all of which gave great gratification. At Worcester in 1824 Mr. Nicholas Mori first appeared as solo violinist, but I can find no note of what he played. A large gallery was erected this year beyond the altar screen of the Cathedral, price of tickets to which was twenty shillings. At Gloucester (1826) Mozart's accompaniments to the "Messiah" were first made use of and received with much enthusiasm. At Worcester, 1830, our present Queen Victoria was at the festival, she with the Duchess of Kent being at the time visiting Malvern. The cholera was raging at the time of the 1832 Gloucester Festival, and had visited that town in the June, but it was decided it would be safe to hold the meeting in September, so it was not postponed. The attendances suffered however seriously, and but for the liberality of Lord Redesdale who gave £100, the charities would have also suffered seriously.
25De Beriot was engaged as solo violinist at Worcester, 1833, and played at each evening concert, being rapturously received. In 1842 at Worcester it is mentioned that Mr. W. Done (then assistant organist of the cathedral) played a fugue of Bach's on the organ.
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