August 16th, 1833. SIR, In making their engagements for the ensuing Musical Festival at Norwich, the Committee have, there can be no doubt, acted, as they think, prudently, and no one has any right to question their fairness, however their policy may be disputed: for the public will know beforehand what performers they are to expect; and those who are usually engaged at those meetings, but whose services are not called for on the present occasion, had the option of accepting or rejecting the reduced terms offered. But, Sir, it must not be supposed that the performers who declined the proposals made were influenced by avaricious motives; they only asked the sum they had before received, and which was hardly enough to cover their expenses, and indemnify them for what they lost by their absence from their regular business in London. For travelling to Norwich and back, living there at such a time, when of course the price of everything is increased, and when half-a-guinea per night is demanded for a bed, and that not of the best kind, the sum of twenty-five guineas surely is not unreasonable; and one-fifth of this struck off, as was proposed, would leave little indeed to the performer for his labours at three long morning, and as many fatiguing evening, concerts, and as some compensation for losses sustained by quitting his pursuits in town, during a whole week. Let the labours of a singer of the first class be compared with those of an instrumental performer of the same rank, and it must be admitted that they bear no proportion. The latter is called upon for ten times the exertion, but his reward is sometimes less than one-tenth of that bestowed on the more fortunate foreign vocalist. The singer, it will be urged, is a commodity more rare than the instrumentalist, and like all rarities bears a higher price. Granted; but is it reasonable that so enormous a disparity should be suffered, as that existing between the sums of three hundred guineas and twenty? The best instrumentalists in Europe are offered one-fifteenth of the amount bestowed on a single singer, while the labour required is about in the inverse ratio. My motive is not to complain, but to place the matter in a true light, and to apologise for those who have declined to accept the terms proposed by the Norwich Committee. I am, Sir, |
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