The
latter is as follows: -
First day: Messiah by Handel. - Second day: Mass (in D major) by
Beethoven.
The former as follows: -
First day: Mass by Beethoven (preceded by one of the shorter
works of Handel - or possibly by a Cantata by Bach [?]).
Second day: Schubert's Symphony (in C); one of the larger choral
works of Schumann (say, perhaps, "The Rose's Pilgrimage" - or one
of the Ballades), and, as I should propose, one of the longer
scenes from Berlioz' "Faust," and one or other of my Symphonic
Poems.
You will not expect of me, dear Herr Capellmeister, that I should
go off into a great panegyric about Handel and, if you caught me
doing it, you might stop me immediately with the words of the
ancient Greek who did not want any more praises of Homer - "You
praise him, but who is thinking of blaming him?" The fullness and
glory of this musical majesty is as uncontested as the pleasant,
emulating, easily attainable performance of the "Messiah," a
chef-d'oeuvre, which has been for years the "daily bread," so to
speak, of great and small vocal societies both in England and
Germany.
