The 1888 Crystal Palace recordings

The Handel Festivals and the Crystal Palace

The 1888 Festival

The 1888 Ninth Triennial Handel Festival should have been like any other. A few days before it was due to begin, the German Emperor, Friedrich III, died. He was the husband of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Vicky. England took due note of his death, as The Times noted on 26th June:

The sprinkling of mourning toilets worn by many of the ladies did not in any material way detract from the gaiety and impressiveness of a scene which it would be difficult to match in any other country in the world. Whatever may be said by intelligent foreigners and other critical persons of the artistic value of monster performances of this kind, it is quite certain that only a great nation could have supplied such a chorus, such an orchestra, and such an audience. This impression was even heightened when the multitude rose to their feet as one man to listen to the solemn strains of the "Dead March" in Saul, played the beginning of the concert in memory of the German emperor.

As usual, the Monday 25th June concert was Messiah.

Wednesday 27th June was Selection Day. The selections included:

Judas Maccabeus

"So shall the lute and harp" (Mme. Nordica)

"Hush, ye pretty warbling choir" (Mme. Nordica)

"See the conquering hero comes" (Mmes. Nordica and Trebelli, Miss Emily Squire)

"Let the bright seraphim" (Mme. Albani)

Serse

"Ombra mai fù" (Mr M'Grath)

Rinaldo

"Lascia ch'io pianga" (Orchestra)

"Lascia ch'io pianga" (Mme. Trebelli)

Acis and Galatea

"Love in her eyes" (Edward Lloyd)

Samson

"Total eclipse" (Barton M'Guckin)

"Honour and arms" (George Santley)

Esther

"He comes" (Choir)

Samson

"Oh! first created beam" (Choir)

Belshazzar

"Ye tutelar gods"

Alexander Balus

"Calumny" (Choir)

Occasional Oratorio

Overture (Orchestra)

Organ Concerto No 7 in B flat (W. T. Best)

Then Friday 29th June came Israel in Egypt...

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