The annual Music Meeting, or Festival of St. Cecilia at Salisbury being generally about this time of year... Mr Damon... I sho'd go with him on the 29th of Sept. to the Messiah at Salisbury... accordingly on the 29th went with Mr D. in his chaise early in the morning... & was highly gratified with the performance, which was in the Cathedral, of which I hardly lost a note. At the end however of the 2d. part, many of the audience walking into the body of the church & into the church yard for a little air (it being a very fine morning) Mr D. & I also went there, where meeting Mr Stanley (Member for Southton) Mr D. & he got into conversation, during w'ch they diverg'd so far from the church that I began to be apprehensive of losing some of the third part... As it was we lost all by the concluding symphony of "I know that my Redeemer liveth" w'ch I just recogniz'd as we came in again being the only part of the Messiah that I had then before heard & that only play'd upon the organ, & w'ch I much wish'd to hear sung. The chief performers at this Festival were Sig'r Gustinelli, Mr Norris & Mr Matthews of Oxford principal singers, Mr Melchior & Mr Lates of Oxford 1st. & 2nd. fiddle with whom played Mr Tewksbury, leader of the Salisbury Concerts & Mr Tockett 2d. fiddle there. The organ was played by W.B. Earle Esq & the whole conducted by Dr Stevens organist of Sarum... Of this performance the part that principally remain'd afterw'ds in my mind was the grand Hallelujah of w'ch my head was full for some days afterwards, being much pleas'd with the brilliancy of the fiddle parts contrasted with the solemnity of the vocal & the grandeur of the whole & surprizing [sic] effect of the trumpets & kettle drums, not introduced in the oratorio 'till that chorus & w'ch I had never before heard. Of the performers Mr D. & I were much pleased with Melchiors bowing who took, as he observ'd long strokes, & of the singers we co'd no but observe the modesty of Sig'r Justinelli (so unusual amongst that class of people) who having a scarlet coat on, when first he stood up to sing his face became of much the same colour. Of the choristers the principal was Parry, who soon afterw'ds became so famous as a bass singer. Amongst the other performers I espied my friend McArthur... << less