casions afterwards they
formed the bulk of the performers, but as the fame of our Festivals
increased so did the inflow of the foreign element, until at one period
not more than half-a-dozen local names could be found in any programme.
This has been altered to a considerable extent of late years, so much so
that at the last Festival nearly the whole of the chorus of voices was
composed of members of our local Musical Societies, and a fair
sprinkling of the instrumentalists also. A big book would be required
for a full history of the Birmingham Triennial Festivals, descriptive of
their rise and progress, the hundreds of musical novelties introduced,
the many scores of talented artistes who have taken parts, the lords and
ladies who have attended, and the thousand odd notes appertaining to
them all. In the following notes are briefly chronicled the "first
appearances," &c., with the results and other items for reference.

1768, Sept. 7 to 9. The oratorios of "Il Penseroso;" and "Alexander's
Feast" were performed at the Theatre in King Street; Handel's "Te Deum"
and "Jubilate" with the "Messiah," at St. Philip's Church. The principal
singers were Mrs. Pinto, first soprano, and Mr. Charles Norris, tenor;
the orchestra numbered about 70, the conductor being Mr. Capel Bond of
Coventry, with Mr. Pinto as leader of the band. The tickets of admission
were 5s. each, the receipts (with donations) amounting to about L800,
and the profits to L299.

1778, Sept. 2 to 4. The performances this time (and for fifteen
festivals after), were at St. Philip's Church, and at the newly-built
theatre in New Street, the oratorios, &c., including "Judas Maccabaeus,"
the "Messiah," Handel's "Te Deum," "Jubilate," "Acis and Galatea," &c.
Principal performers: Miss Mahon, Miss Salmon, Mr. C. Norris, and
Cervetto, a celebrated violoncellist, the leader of the band being Mr.
William Cramer, a popular violinist. The choir had the assistance of
"the celebrated women chorus singers from Lancashire." The receipts were
again about L800, and the profits L340, which sum was divided between
the Hospital and the building fund for St. Paul's.

1784, Sept. 22 to 24. President: Lord Dudley and Ward. Following after
the celebrated Handel Commemoration the programme was filled almost
solely with selections from Handel's works, the only novelty being the
oratorio of "Goliath," composed by Mr. Atterbury, which according to one
modern musical critic, has never been h