Two hundred years ago this month a musical festival took place in Ware, perhaps more famous for its Great Bed than for its musical events. Although this Festival was, in point of numbers, on a very limited scale, compared to those at York, Norwich, Birmingham, etc., leading performers, both vocal and instrumental, were engaged as can be seen in the following review:

PERFORMANCE AT WARE

[From a Correspondent.]

WARE, Sept. 11th, 1826.

We have this month to congratulate our readers upon the institution of a musical festival in Hertfordshire. The first meeting was held at Ware in that county, on the 30^th ult., and was crowned with all the success that the most sanguine hopes of the projectors of it could have anticipated, both as regards the manner in which it went off, and the particular end (a charitable object) it had in view. The committee of management, resolving to make it worthy of the high patronage with which it was honoured, and the attention of the public at large, engaged some of the most distinguished vocalists of the day: viz., Mr. Braham, Miss Stephens, Mr Bellamy, &c., as well as many eminent instrumental performers; Mr. F. Cramer as leader, Messrs. Moralt, R. Ashley, Lindley, W. Lindley, Nicks, Hill, Monzani, jun., Harper, Mariotti, Jenkinson, &c. &c. The band was not large, but it will be seen that it included the élite of the profession. Mr. Luppino, a young man of considerable merit, the organist of Ware church, presided at the organ in a highly-creditable manner. The instrument has just been completed by Bishop, who now yields to none in his art.

The first act of the performance consisted of selections from the Messiah, and opened with “Comfort ye my people,” by Braham, in his usual style of excellence; it will, however, be no disparagement to that great singer to say that in this particular song we rather prefer Vaughan’s style: we know there are many who differ from us, but we speak as we think. His “Deeper and deeper still” was splendid and majestic beyond description; indeed it is impossible to listen to the high-wrought feeling and deep pathos which this recitative is calculated to display, without experiencing the strongest emotions. The solemn energy with which he sang Luther’s Hymn (a striking proof of what can be effected by simple melody), accompanied as it was by Harper – the notes of whose trumpet can scarcely be compared to anything earthly – absolutely electrified the audience, and he was requested to repeat it. We have said more concerning this celebrated singer, because he cannot many years longer continue to delight and astonish us, and the period of his retirement will be a mournful one for the lovers of eloquent music. When he is gone who shall fill the void?

Miss Stephens fully sustained the high character she has long held in the musical world; her “Let the bright Seraphim” was indeed delightful, and, but for the very great exertion it requires she would have been urged to repeat it. Mr. Bellamy acquitted himself with his accustomed skill: he sang “Behold I tell you a mystery” admirably. Lindley, whose execution on the violoncello is unrivalled, indulged us with one of his masterly performances, and had not decorum prohibited such a manifestation of feeling in a church, it would doubtless have received that tribute of applause which it deserved. Mr. F. Cramer opened the second act charmingly, with a grand violin concerto of Handel. We cannot conclude our remarks without saying, that the chorusses [sic] were as perfect and as effective as we ever heard them; a fact, the more creditable to all the parties concerned, inasmuch as they had not the advantage of a previous general rehearsal. May this festival become annual!

The Harmonicon, 1826.

In spite of “May this festival become annual!” expressed above, the second festival was not held for another three years, on 26 August 1829. It was reported after the concert that “the church was not so full as on the first occasion three years ago”, which may account for there being no recurrence of the event.