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Untitled Article
and orphans . They struggled , they remonstrated , but in vain : they were caught in the toils of a net from which there was no escape . They knew that they were completely in the hands of
the Select , for even their engagements were dependent upon them- — they were now aware that the latter had it in their power to allot a single shilling , and no more , as the share of profit from which their wives and children were expected to benefit . They had no alternative , but absolute , unconditional submission—and submit
they did . Enthroned in their new office , and ' decked in a little brief authority , ' humbug and intrigue soon became the order of the day . Without rudder , chart , or compass , they exposed themselves to the derision of all who had derived knowledge from musical education or experience , by the most senseless ana stupid puffs . The band was to consist of 1 , 200 performers , every body was to be engaged , and the Festival was to exceed every similar attempt in history . And while this game was played off with the public , all kinds of mean , underhand arts were employed in the engagement of the band . An individual was appointed to
preside at the organ who was not even an organ-player ; a foreigner was engaged to lead English music , while one of our best English leaders was excluded . The Italian singers from the Opera were engaged , on exorbitant terms , to spoil sacred music in the Abbey ; experienced and meritorious professors were displaced to make room for ignorant and conceited boys ; professional singers of established reputation were rudely thrust out , that pupils of favoured masters might find admission ; while the chorus-singers
and ripieno instrumentalists were treated with insolence , and condemned to submit to the most degrading terms . Among the principal singers at this * unparalleled display of national talent ' occur these names ; who they are , and whence they earned this distinction , the Select Vestry can only tell : —Mrs . Seymour , Miss Chambers , Miss Lloyd , Miss Turner , Miss Wagstaff ; Messrs . Stretton , F . Robinson , W . Robinson , and several others , who , we
guess , must have wondered how they got there , or what gave them any title or claim to principalship . In the engagement of the principal instrumentalists there was little or no choice . The Opera , Philharmonic , Drury-lane , and Covent-garden bands formed the main pillars of the orchestra , and , as far as they were concerned , every thing was safe .
The next step was to make the selections—to choose the music for performance . Had any set of musicians met for such a purpose , with such means at their disposal , their attention would naturally have been directed to the greatest works , in turn , of the greatest masters ; one of each of which would have been g iven . But the managers * plan of proceeding had rendered this impracticable . They had already engaged 23 ladies , 25 gentlemen , ( boys and girls included , ) m principal singers , and something
Untitled Article
586 The Royal Festival Job .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1834, page 586, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2636/page/56/
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