NORWICH MUSICAL FESTIVAL. (BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT)

... The second Concert, given on Wednesday morning, introduced one of the Festival novelties: to wit, Mr. Bottesini's devotional Oratorio "The Garden of Olivet." In arranging the libretto of this work, Mr. Joseph Bennett followed the model which has been handed down from the German "Passion." That is to say, he employed the narrative form; taking the Scriptural story almost verse by verse, and interpolating devotional reflections, either in the form of lyrics or of Biblical texts. The most ardent partisans of the dramatic form will admit that this is a perfectly legitimate species of oratorio, having its own domain and its own special uses. There is a whole class of subjects which cannot be treated in any other way; those especially deal with particularly sacred and solemn things like the Agony in the Garden. The book comprises two parts, respectively entitled "The Agony" and "The Betrayal." In the first we have the narrative, from the opening text, "Then cometh Jesus unto a place called Gethsemane," to the words of Christ as He looks upon the slumbering disciples: "Sleep on now and take your rest." The second part, beginning with the march of the Jews and Romans conducted by Judas, ends at the point where all the disciples forsake their Master, leaving Him in the custody of His foes. The whole story is told in recitative by a contralto voice. In selecting the reflective texts, and writing the lyrics, the librettist sought to introduce as much variety as possible. Thus the chosen passages include words of comfort and words of distress, assurances of devotion, confessions of weakness, and the expression of exceeding joy. As well as meeting, to some extent, the requirements of the subject, this variety gave the composer ample opportunity for the change and relief which modern audiences, craving for excitement, so imperiously exact. Mr. Bottesini's share in the work has been freely criticised on the ground that it is light, trivial, and therefore unbecoming the theme. The imputation appears to me so entirely at variance with the fact with fact that I am at a loss to conceive on what it is based. It might, indeed, arise from such a syllogism as this: All Italian composers produce light and flippant music. Mr. Bottesini is an Italian composer. Therefore, his "Garden of Olivet" is light and flippant. I cannot suppose that any intelligent connoisseur would found a charge upon reasoning so faulty in its major premise, and the accusation brought against the new oratorio is doubtless the outcome of an honest judgment. But where in the work is triviality? Is it in the recitatives and the setting of the Divine words? Mendelssohn himself could not have supplied these with more appropriate music. Is it in the choruses? There is not one of them that, tested by the canon of oratorio, would be found wanting in sobriety and dignity. Is it in the airs? Two of these certainly are bright and cheerful, and one of them comes in at the very climax, when Christ is left alone in the midst of His enemies. But the words are bright and cheerful also, and the fault, if fault there be, lies at the door of the librettist. In the first case, after the Christian Church has identified herself with the Divine Victim, the soprano exhorts in this wise:"Rejoice, beloved, as partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." Can the music to such words be cheerful and joyous enough? In the second case the Christian, in full view of his Lord's abandonment, has faith in Divine goodness and mercy. He sings "The Lord is my light and my salvation." Again there is no place but for the cheerful animation which Bottesini has infused into his strains. Taking the work as a whole, I see nothing that fails to harmonise with the feeling of the text, or that jars with any idea conveyed by the term "devotional." An objection that the music lacks distinctive character would be much nearer the mark. Bottesini delivers himself with eloquence and feeling, but the manner presents nothing new, nor even removed from an ordinary category. The melodies are expressive, often beautiful, and the harmonies are solid without being in any sense formal; but we are never taken away from the model which, in works of the kind, has been followed by composer after composer since Mendelssohn's oratorios saw the light. Bottesini's orchestration is somewhat disappointing. The colours are often laid on with a heavy hand, and the brass is much more freely used than required by the character of the music. Beyond this, in the way of adverse criticism, I am nit disposed to go--the less because I find the Oratorio instinct with a feeling which passes from the work to the hearer. I am speaking, of course, from an individual experience--the proper basis of individual judgment. To me the music is touching and moving; as far as I am concerned, therefore, the supreme object of art is obtained. Others may be unresponsive to it. Let them pronounce accordingly. As the "Garden of Olivet" will shortly be heard in London, notice in detail may be reserved till that occasion, when fuller knowledge will bring its inevitable advantages. The Norwich performance, conducted by the composer in person, was in many respects satisfactory. Improvement could hardly have been made, for example , in the delivery of the solos by Miss Marriott, Miss Wilson, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Santley, all of whom sang as though their sympathies were entirely with the work they had to do. Special mentio should be made of the gentlemen; Mr. Lloyd's rendering of a solo, "Have pity upon me," and Mr. Santley's declamation of the Savior's words being quite hors ligne. The attendance was miserably small, although after the novelty came Dvorak's "Stabat Mater"--a masterpiece known to Norwich amateurs. It is difficult to suggest a reason, unless it be that the chorus, as arbiter of taste in the East Anglian city, exerted their influence against a more favourable result. The choral numbers of the Bohemian master's Hymn suffered from the general inefficiency of its executants, but the orchestra was up to the mark, and the soloists--those named above--gave wonted satisfaction. The Concert on Wednesday...