Edward Taylor an Louis Spohr in Kassel

paid
via France

M^rs James Whittle
Hotel zum Römischen Kaiser
Hesse Cassel
Germany


London March 25„ 1850

My dear and honoured Friend

The news of the accident that you met with occasioned me much anciety, which I rejoin to say was dispelled by a subsequent letter from Kate, and which gave the pleasing intelligence that you had felt no permanent or serious injury from your fall.
My principal reason for writing now is to inform you that I was at the performance of the Last Judgement¹ at Exeter Hall last Friday, and I never heard it so perfectly done. The band is better than when you conducted it. The Violins are more numerous, & inferior players have been exchanged for good ones. Costa, who conducted it, would not allow the Oratorio to be performed until he was quite satisfied. The result was that every singer & player was perfectly acquainted with his business. The hall was crowded & the devote (in some cases breathless) attention was given to the work. Costa scrupulously adhered to the Tempo you had marked and entered into the spirit of the composition completely.² He charged me to convey to you his best regards, & his great admiration of the Oratorio.
I hear so little music now that I have very little musical intelligence to communicate. London swarms with foreign musicians, many of them have doubtless been driven here by the unsettled state of the Continent. The result has been that the price of admission to Concerts has been reduced, and the performance of good Chamber music for instruments has become very frequent.
We have now two Italian Opera Houses, but not an Italian Opera. The musical poverty of that country now stand confessed. Not a single new Italian Opera is announced – but instead translations of German & even French ones. They are now playing Der Freischütz in Italian.³ Faust is announced as intended to be brought and,⁴ but I fear this promise will not be kept.⁵ I wish it may. Pray present my best compliments to Madame Spohr, & believe me, my dear Friend

Yours with the truest esteem
Edw. Taylor