BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL. 227 



" Israel in Egypt ?" where " Judas Maccabeus ?" where " Debo- 

 rah ?" where " Sampson ?" where " Solomon ?" Slumbering in 

 oblivion, buried under the neglect of ignorance and self-satisfaction. 

 Leo, too, whom Handel himself pronounced the greatest composer 

 of his day, and whose glorious pedal-points stand unrivalled for 

 massive grandeur, must he give place to Neukomm and Haser ? 

 Let us hope that at some future period, distant though it be, we 

 may be permitted to enjoy the tender accords of Hasse in his Betu- 

 lia Liberata, and the pathos of Jomelli in his Requiem and Passione. 

 On turning to the German school, the name of Graun rises up to 

 reproach us for the neglect of his Tod Jesu (Messiah), which in 

 Berlin enjoys a popularity equal to Handel's work on the same sub- 

 ject in England. The solo songs, if given by a performer capable 

 of estimating the mind of the composer, would produce a splendid 

 effect. This work abounds in admirable chorales ; and we 1 esitate 

 not to pronounce the fugue " Christus hat uns Vorbild gelassen" su- 

 perior to any thing which Handel ever wrote in the same style. 

 Greatly would it rejoice us to see this work well-adapted to English 

 words, and to hear it worthily performed by a band like that em- 

 ployed at Birmingham. The 7V Deum of the same author, com- 

 posed at the command of Frederick the Great, is replete with gran- 

 deur and beaut}'. The movement " tu rex gloriae" is remarkable 

 for the bold and sublime employment of double discords ; and the 

 whole composition belongs to a class worthy of being produced at a 

 great festival. With regard to Pergolesi, who excels all other 

 masters, except, perhaj)s, Purcell, in pathetic expression, we should 

 delight to hear his Mass for Five Voices, f which the " Gloria in 

 excelsis" is so well known. We throw it out for the consideration 

 of the directors, whether it might not be possible to give it with the 

 Latin words. We are fully aware that this is delicate ground; but 

 as the fragment already mentioned of this work has always been so 

 performed at the Ancient Concerts under archiepiscopal sanction, 

 we think the experiment might fairly be tried on a larger scale 

 without wounding the conscience of orthodoxy. We are convinced 

 that the mediocre success of many foreign oratorios which have been 

 lately introduced into this country is attributable, in great measure, 

 to the forced character which must ever attend even the most skil- 

 ful adaptations. In the mass above-mentioned, we meet with a fu- 

 gue (immediately preceding the popular " Gloria") to the words 

 " Kyrie Eleeison," and which, for stern solemnity, will scarce find a 

 rival elsewhere. How much more conspicuously will the power 

 and versatility of the composer stand forth, if an opportunity be al- 



VOL. VII., NO. XXII. GO 



