MUSIC IN EDINBURGH. Mr. Robert Burnett's vocal recital on the 4th ult. racted a large audience to Freemasons' Hall, and ved an artistic treat of no mean order. Mr. Burnett, ɔ steps out of the beaten path in procuring material for programmes, sang twenty songs, covering the ground n Handel to Richard Strauss, Edward MacDowell and inville Bantock. Of hardly less importance were performances of Miss Mabel Barrons, a young il pianist by whom Mr. Burnett was assisted. In excellent interpretations, Miss Barrons displayed shed technique combined with artistic insight into composers' meanings. Mr. George Short was an able ompanist. ery interesting was the pianoforte recital given in the e Hall on the 12th ult. by Miss Muriel Kerr-Brown, a ng and very talented local pianist, pupil of Mr. Della For two hours she commanded the rapt attention her audience, and was rewarded with frequent ressions of cordial appreciation. re. he only choral music to be recorded is that of Moonie's Ladies' Choir, which sang with great cess in some charming part-songs at the concert of the ng Women's Christian Association on the 4th ult., the Edinburgh Select Choir, conducted by J. W. Cowie, which gave a very enjoyable concert he 11th ult. t a social meeting held in the Synod Hall on the ing of the 10th ult., Mr. T. H. Collinson, Mus. B., much-esteemed organist of St. Mary's Cathedral, presented with a purse of sovereigns and other dsome gifts by the congregation and choir of Cathedral. The Bishop of Edinburgh in making presentation spoke in most eulogistic terms of the iant services rendered to the Cathedral by Mr. inson during his long tenure of the post of organist riod of twenty-five years. iss Helen and Mr. Peter Macgregor gave their al violin and pianoforte recital on the 18th ult., enting as chief novelty César Franck's Duet Sonata major, which had not before been heard here. It beautifully rendered and well received, as indeed all the programme. he first of Professor Niecks's Four Historical Concerts place in the University Music-Class Room on the ult., and took the form of a masterly rendering, by srs. Arthur Dace and Francis Gibson, of original oforte duets, dating from the second half of the century to the present day, interspersed with songs posed by Jensen, artistically rendered by Miss ion Richardson. 1 MUSIC IN GLASGOW. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) r. August Hyllested, the recently-appointed principal essor of pianoforte at the Athenæum School of Music, ea very successful recital on the 3rd ult. Mr. Hyllested, studied under Liszt, has achieved distinction as a solo ist on the Continent and in America, and his initial ormance in this city fully justified his high reputation. programme included somewhat stereotyped pieces by h, Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin and Liszt, and in Chopin numbers Mr. Hyllested was probably at his Mrs. Hyllested's fine singing of songs by Gluck, umann and Brahms added greatly to the evening's yment. A most enjoyable concert was given on the ult. by Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerley nford, assisted by some first-rate instrumental soloists. ddition to many well-known items, the programme uded some vocal novelties, the best of which was W. H. Squire's duet The Harbour Lights.' nder the careful direction of Mr. J. K. Findlay, the ir of St. John's United Free Church performed idel's 'Samson on the 18th ult. Although lacking ewhat in volume of tone, the choruses were sung 1 commendable accuracy and steadiness, and the solo sic received adequate interpretation from the Misses on and Dykes and Messrs. Adams and Bain. A small ng band, ably supplemented by Mr. Thomas Berry at organ, gave the accompaniments very effectively. MUSIC IN GLOUCESTER AND DISTRICT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The first of the series of chamber concerts, under the direction of Miss Rosalind Ellicott and Miss Isabel Hirschfeld, for the present season was held in the Guildhall, Gloucester, on October 29. The artists were: Miss Hirschfeld (pianoforte), Mr. Fredericksen (violin), and Mr. J. E. R. League (violoncello). The programme included a Pianoforte Trio in D by Miss Ellicott, which was well received. Miss Mildred Jones made a good impression with her songs, while Mr. Fredericksen and Miss Hirschfeld played admirably Grieg's Sonata in F for pianoforte and violin. Mr. Riseley's famous Royal Bristol Orpheus Society sustained the whole of the programme at a concert given in Stroud, on October 29, in aid of the funds of the local hospital. A very representative selection of part-songs was given with all the taste and finish for which the Bristol Orpheus has gained a deserved reputation. Mr. Riseley conducted, and the concert was in every respect an artistic success. Mr. Joseph Bennett presided at the annual meeting of the Gloucester Choral Society, and gave a resumé of the provincial festivals. He promised to make himself responsible as President of the Society for the last concert, and also to deliver a lecture (with musical illustrations) on Hector Berlioz on the day of that musician's centenary. Berlioz's Childhood of Christ' has been decided upon for performance at the second of the Society's concerts to be held in December. Mr. Franklin Higgs, in recognition of his forty years' continuous service in the cause of Music in Gloucester, has been made the recipient of many handsome presentations. Mr. Higgs's father was one of the founders of the Gloucester Choral Society, and he himself has been one of its longest and most active supporters. A general meeting of the stewards of next year's Gloucester Musical Festival was held on the 14th ult., over which the Dean of Gloucester presided, when it was decided to perform Dr. Elgar's The Apostles,' and also that Sir Hubert Parry and Mr. A. Herbert Brewer should be requested to write new works for the Festival. The concert of the Cheltenham Philharmonic Society has had to be postponed until January 28, in consequence of the new Town Hall not being ready at an earlier date. The first concert this season of the Cheltenham Musical Festival Society was held in that town on the 17th ult. The first part of Haydn's 'Creation' and Rossini's 'Stabat Mater' were adequately performed. The soloists were Miss Estella Linden, Miss Marguerite Gell, Mr. Philip Newbury, and Mr. Charles Knowles. A capital band was led by Messrs. E. G. Woodward and F. Mann, and Mr. J. A. Matthews conducted. The Tewkesbury Philharmonic Society has decided to give Smart's 'Bride of Dunkerron' at its forthcoming concert. MUSIC IN LIVERPOOL AND DISTRICT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) A melancholy interest attached to the concert of the Orchestral Society which took place on October 24, in that it was the occasion when the late Mr. A. E. Rodewald (whose lamented death is referred to in another column) made his last public appearance as director of the distinguished Society of which he was the founder. The programme included Wagner's Faust' Overture; Dvorák's Symphony in G (Op. 88); the Good Friday Music from Parsifal'; and the Casse Noisette' Suite of Tschaikovsky. Mr. Plunket Greene was the vocalist, and the audience one of the largest and most enthusiastic in the history of the Orchestral Society. I may say that up to the present no information is forthcoming concerning the future direction of the organization, but Dr. Richter is to conduct a Rodewald Memorial Concert in the Philharmonic Hall on the 5th inst. The first Società Armonica concert of the season was given on the 4th ult. in St. George's Hall. Spirited 814 performances of the Overtures to 'The Flying Dutchman,' Tannhäuser,' and 'Die Meistersinger' were given, and the Misses McCullagh and Mr. Frederick Austin vocally contributed to the programme. On the 10th ult. the third of the Philharmonic Society's concerts was given, when the long-anticipated performance of Saint-Saëns's Samson and Delilah' took place, with Miss Muriel Foster, Mr. Ben Davies, Mr. Andrew Black, Mr. David Hughes, Mr. T. J. Jones, Mr. Thomas Barlow, and Mr. Fred Owen as solo vocalists. The chorus on this occasion sang with more than their usual care and precision. Mr. Alfred Ross, one of the most cultivated violinists in this district, played with all his usual skill at St. George's Hall on the 1st ult. The Methodist Choral Union distinguished itself on the 3rd ult. with an exceptionally fine performance of Elijah,' with Madame Sadler-Fogg, Miss Maud Turner, Mr. Charles Saunders, and Mr. Fowler Burton as principals. Mr. John Lawson gave a successful concert in the Small Concert Room, St. George's Hall, on the 3rd ult., when the orchestra, under the concert-giver's able direction played a Larghetto of Elgar, the Overture to 'Figaro,' and that to Marschner's 'Hans Heiling.' Mr. Reginald Goss Custard gave an organ recital on the splendid new instrument in St. Saviour's Church on the 19th ult., and we have had a visit from Kubelik. MUSIC IN MANCHESTER AND DISTRICT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) by which I mean due prominence of those lines which The first two Gentlemen's Concerts have indicated that the committee is at present suffering from too great a Their minds have been sense of responsibility as representing the oldest concert institution in the kingdom. running on the obsolete and the obsolescent, and the concerts have been less interesting than usual. The best features were the Oberon' Overture and the singing of Miss Agnes Nicholls, who gave the beautiful Micaela air with the same success as at Leeds two years ago. The acoustics of the new Midland Hall proved to be deplorable in orchestral and choral music. On the last day of October Mr. Brand Lane gave his first concert of the season with His Elijah the Philharmonic Choir, whose madrigal-singing showed improvement in delicacy and good tone when not singing forte, and a long array of London stars. performance a fortnight later again packed the Free Trade Hall with an imposing mass of humanity. The soloists were Madame Albani, Mr. Santley, Mr. Ben Davies, and a young local singer (pupil of Mr. Lane) named Dora May, who made a fairly successful début as the contralto soloist, showing more self-possession than most novices, and doing generally well, but for a certain middle C. harshness in one part of the register-D to F nearest As yet there has been only one concert of the Brodsky Quartet, but that one, which was held on the 4th ult was interesting both for the masterly rendering of Quartets by Haydn and Schubert, each in D minor, the latter being the most popular of all the Schubert Quartets, with the Death and the Maiden' variations, The Hallé concerts have opened this year with some- and for the first opportunity in Manchester of hearing what unusual insistence on the purely instrumental side Mr. Arthur Friedheim, the new professor of the pianoforte of music. Throughout the first four concerts the human at the Royal Manchester College. In association with voice was never once heard, the only soloists having been Dr. Brodsky and Mr. Fuchs, Mr. Friedheim gave a sound Miss Evelyn Suart, Mr. Kreisler, and Mr. Frederic and level-headed performance of Beethoven's B flat Trio Lamond. It happened, too, that among the orchestral the later one, of course (Op. 97). The same Quartet selections there was nothing of the kind that is popular by Schubert was played again on the following Saturday Symphonie at the first Schiller concert by the Verbrugghen Quartet. with the greater public, except the Pathétique, given at the second concert. Such austere in whose rendering there was plenty of technical Cohn at the pianoforte, Mr. Mr. Isidore indifference to popular tastes did not pass without power, but too much display and not enough repose. an enjoyable unfavourable comment. After the fourth purely instru- With mental concert, which was given under circumstances of Verbrugghen gave at the same concert peculiar depression -on the day of Mr. Rodewald's funeral rendering of the Rondo Brillante ' by Schubert,-formerly -and received by the public with more definite coldness very popular, latterly rather neglected-and Mr. Kenneth than any other Halle concert in recent years, the Carne Ross (baritone) sang effectively in songs by murmurs of discontent became much more generally Alessandro Scarlatti, Elgar, Reynaldo Hahn and others audible. Fortunately, however, at the fifth concert there! The concert ended with a fearful and wonderful Septe: was absolutely nothing with which any serious fault could by Saint-Saëns for pianoforte, trumpet, two violins, viola, of incongruous styles and be found. Elgar's Dream of Gerontius' was given for violoncello and double-bass, which is at least curious as the second time and drew one of the most enormous the most extreme case An interesting pianoforte and and enthusiastic audiences ever seen in the Free Trade incongruous tone-values ever yet offered as a serious corHall. Nor was there any serious disappointment in tribution to musical art. Slightly defective vocal recital was given on the 14th ult., in the course of connection with the performance. attack in the Demon Choruses, and slight loss of which several vocal pieces and one instrumental, by intonation on the part of the semi-chorus in the Graham Peel, were introduced, giving an impression ci latter part-strange to say, not in the early parts, which a young composer with a pretty but as yet small talent. gave so much trouble at Sheffield-were almost the only unsatisfactory points upon which the vigilant adjudicator could seize. Mr. John Coates, Miss Muriel Foster, and Mr. Andrew Black all nobly justified the choice of soloists, and the instrumentalists gave unfailing response to the conductor's indications. The Harold a year ago. The performance by the Preston Choral Society on the 4th ult. of Sullivan's 'Golden Legend' and Elgar's Coronation Ode' was interesting as showing the progress made by the Society under the conductorship The excellent work done by the Southport of Dr. Coward, of Sheffield, appointed rather more than Orchestral Society, conducted by Mr. R. H. Aldridge. was exemplified on the 20th ult., when an orchestra containing about sixty-five per cent. of amateur and thirty-five per cent. of professional talent gave an enjoy able rendering of Dvorák's New World' Symphony, Weber's 'Oberon' Overture, Liszt's Rhapsody. No. 2nearly identical with the No. 12 of the Pianoforte Series -and other pieces, the audience being very large and enthusiastic. Notwithstanding the lack of public enthusiasm, there were a good many points of artistic excellence and great musical interest in the earlier concerts. Symphony was given with extraordinary mellowness and picturesque power at the first, Mr. Speelman once more proving the best possible exponent of the characteristic viola obbligato; at the second the Orchestra gave one of the very best recent examples of their quality in the Leonora, No 2,' and once more did full justice to the virility and fine balance of Dr. Richter's interpretaAt the third, tion in the great Tschaikovsky Symphony. The Guildhall School of Music has instituted an Mr. Kreisler gave a most masterly rendering of the solo part in Brahms's Violin Concerto, his cadenza being by a examination for the diploma of Licentiateship which w All particulars may be long way the best ever heard here, and at the fourth, the be open to all who choose to enter. The first examination E flat Concerto by Liszt was played by Mr. Lamond and will be held in January next. the Orchestra with more repose and more plastic power-obtained on application to the Secretary of the School. ver Ve M: 2 MUSIC IN NEWCASTLE AND DISTRICT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Jensen and Saint-Saëns. The declamatory rendering of songs by Dr. Lierhammer was a splendid addition to a Messrs. Musson and Compton of this city for Emmanuel very attractive programme. The new organ built by Church was opened on the 12th ult. by Mr. Haydon Hare, of Great Yarmouth. Under the auspices of the Newcastle and Gateshead Choral Union, the Queen's Hall Orchestra gave a concert on the 18th ult., at which Tschaikovsky's Symphonie Pathétique' and 'Casse-Noisette' Suite, and Richard Strauss's Don Juan' tone-poem were performance, with Mr. Robert Radford as vocalist, on the The Long Eaton Orchestral Society gave its first performed, the last-mentioned for the first time in Newcastle- 3rd ult. on-Tyne. Kubelik played to a rather small audience, and M. de Pachmann delighted the members of the Chamber Music Society with his matchless renderings of Chopin. Mr. McConnell Wood, a local teacher of singing, has lectured on 'The Songs and Ballads of Schubert and Loewe,' and Mr. N. Kilburn delivered an erudite and interesting paper on The Chamber Works of Brahms, Dvorák and Richard Strauss.' The Middlesbrough Musical Union announces The Creation' and Dvorák's Spectre's Bride' for two of its three forthcoming concerts, and for the other the somewhat novel but commendable idea of a programme chiefly consisting of unaccompanied part-songs and interspersed with performances by the Willy Hess Quartet. MUSIC IN NORWICH AND DISTRICT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The winter musical season in the district was commenced by the annual concert given in aid of the Railway Guards Universal Friendly Society on October 22, which attracted a considerable audience. The vocalists were Mesdames Amy Sherwin and Kirkby Lunn, and Messrs. Charles Saunders and H. Lane Wilson, and Mr. Dettmar Dressel performed some solos on the violin. The Saturday organ recitals and popular concerts organized under the auspices of the Corporation, and produced under the direction of Dr. Bunnett, have been resumed, and while they are contributing greatly to the raising of musical taste in Norwich, they attract audience of not far short of a thousand in number an weekly. A concert was given by the City Police on the 17th ult., which attracted a very large audience. The programme was well selected and above the average of usual 'miscellaneous' concerts. The committee of the Norfolk and Norwich Musical Festival announces two concerts, one on the 3rd inst. and the other in March, under the conductorship of Dr. A. H. Maun. At the first the programme will consist exclusively of a Handel' selection, including excerpts from Acis and Galatea,' 'Judas Maccabæus, Samson,' and other oratorios and operas. At the second concert Brahms's Requiem' will be given. The Norwich Philharmonic Society is also in full rehearsal for its three concerts, at the first of which, to be held in the month of December, Mr. Plunket Greene, Miss Gertrude Peppercorn (pianoforte), Mr. Dettmar Dressel (violin), and Mr. Bertie Withers (violoncello) will appear. MUSIC IN NOTTINGHAM AND DISTRICT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Since the commencement of the season Nottingham has had the opportunity of hearing Kubelik and Madame Clara Butt, as well as Dr. Richter's Orchestra. The lastnamed has some claim to special notice, in that Miss Cantelo was on that occasion (the 6th ult.) heard in the solo part of Schumann's Pianoforte Concerto, a performance which those who heard are not likely to forget. At the same performance the Berlioz Centenary was answerable for the inclusion of the 'Carnaval Romain Overture. On the roth ult. Madame Marie Fromm gave her first concert of the season, when she was supported by M. Max Mossel (violin) and Dr. Theo Lierhammer (vocalist). The concert-giver was heard to advantage in Schumann's 'Carnaval,' in addition to pieces by Henselt, MUSIC IN SHEFFIELD AND DISTRICT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) during the past month. The first is the establishment of Two important musical developments have taken place a representative and influentially-supported Society devoted to the cultivation of chamber music. The Sheffield Chamber Music Society is the outcome of a lovers of chamber music with opportunities for the movement started a few months ago to provide local hearing of the best of that class of music performed by the leading players. The scheme of the season consists of six concerts, and among the instrumental parties engaged are those led by Mr. Kruse, Dr. Brodsky and Mr. Josef Holbrooke. At three of the concerts the programmes will be performed by local musicians. The membership of the Society, numbering 150 music-lovers, was speedily filled up, and the first concert was given on the roth ult. The Kruse Quartet (Messrs. Kruse, Haydn Inwards, Alfred Hobday and Percy Such) gave a fine performance of Brahms's C minor Quartet (Op. 51), and that by Beethoven in B flat (Op. 18, No. 6). Professor Kruse played the Adagio from Spohr's Ninth Violin Concerto, and Mr. Percy Such contributed two movements from Boccherini's Sixth Sonata to the accompaniment of Mr. J. A. Rodgers. The other event alluded to is the acceptance on behalf of the Sheffield University committee of an offer made by Mr. Charles Manners to provide a festival week of highto the University building fund. class opera for bare expenses, the proceeds to be devoted The Moody-Manners Company has been giving a successful series of performances here, and the offer arose in consequence of some suggestions in a local newspaper respecting the company's repertoire during that visit. The proposal is two largest of Mr. Manners' touring companies will be being warmly taken up in the city. The forces of the combined, and Wagnerian operas will figure prominently in the scheme. The month's music has included several excellent performances by suburban choral societies. On the 8th ult., at Heeley, the Society connected with Ann's Road Church gave a creditable rendering of 'Judas Maccabæus,' under Mr. Maurice Tomlinson's direction; and on the following evening the performed The Creation' in a successful manner under Walkley Musical Society Mr. H. Brown. Haydn's popular work was also given on the 22nd ult. at Oxford Street Chapel, Sheffield, conducted by Mr. Joseph Kaye. ་ The Doncaster Musical Society had a full programme for its first concert which took place in the Corn Exchange on the 12th ult. Elgar's King Olaf' and Coleridge-Taylor's Meg Blane afforded the large and well-trained chorus of the Society scope for effective display, and rarely have Mr. T. Brameld's enthusiastic choralists been heard to better advantage than in these two exacting works. The soloists were Miss Helen Jaxon, Mr. Charles Saunders, and Mr. Herbert Brown. The Dream of Gerontius' was performed by the Sheffield Musical Union on the 17th ult. in the Albert Hall with the greatest possible success. prior to the concert, the liveliest interest being manifested Every seat was sold in this the Society's most ambitious venture. The experiment of limiting the orchestra almost entirely to the city's difficult accompaniments creditably. The soloists were resources was tried, and the Sheffield Orchestra played the Miss Muriel Foster, Mr. Charles Saunders and Mr. Joseph Lycett. The first- and last-named sang with great beauty of tone and the correct devotional fervour. Mr. Saunders was indisposed and therefore sang under trying conditions. Everything paled, however, before the superb singing The interest of the first Municipal Orchestra's concert, of Dr. Coward's 350 choristers. The imposing Praise which I mentioned a month ago, was fully sustained at to the Holiest created a never-fading impression, the second concert on the 7th ult., when Mr. William and in the beautiful Be merciful, be gracious and the Wallace appeared to conduct a couple of his compositions, closing scene the choral-singing was a marvel of expression one a cycle of Four Sea-Songs,' ably sung by Mr. Dan and finish. The Demons' Chorus was vividly coloured Billington, but owing not a little of their effectiveness to the and dramatic in the extreme. The Orchestra opened the careful playing of the picturesque orchestral accompaniconcert with a delightful performance of Schubert's ment. The other was a capital piece of musical humour, a Unfinished' Symphony. Dr. Coward conducted, Mr. setting of Bon Gaultier's 'Massacre of the Macpherson' for W. S. Jessop and Mr. J. H. Parkes acting as organist and male-voice choir (that of the Leeds Musical Union) and leader respectively. orchestra. The burlesque character of the music, full of comical and appropriate plagiarisms, is in exact keeping with the amusing verse, and, in spite of a rather spiritless performance, was very effective. Another novelty was a set of three very pretty dances for orchestra, entitled Faerie Suite,' by Mr. Bernard Johnson. Mr. Fricker conducted Schubert's Unfinished' Symphony and other pieces with marked ability, and the concert was exceedingly enjoyable.--On the roth ult., Miss Clara Winder, a young Leeds soprano, gave her first concert, and made a good impression by her agreeable singing.-At the second concert of the Philharmonic and Sub scription series on the 17th ult., Mr. H. J. Wood and the Queen's Hall Orchestra made their first appearance at Leeds, and excited great interest and enthusiasm by their brilliant performance of a programme of which the most important feature was Tschaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. Richard Strauss's Sturmlied' was sung with admirable refinement by the Philharmonic chorus, which did justice to its rhythmic subtleties and nuances of expression. Among the musical doings of the month were an orchestral concert given by the newly-formed violin classes in connection with St. Matthew's Schools, at which a juvenile orchestra, numbering fifty, played Mozart's Symphony in G; a lecture at University College on Henry Purcell' by Dr. Coward, with musical illustrations; a successful festival of Sunday School children at Attercliffe, where some excellent singing was done by a choir of 100 voices under the direction of Mr. L. Chadwick. Notice of the concert announced to be given on November 26 by the re-organized Sheffield Choral Union must be deferred till next month. MUSIC IN YORKSHIRE. LEEDS. So far as the number of concerts affords any criterion, Leeds has shown a remarkable activity during the past month, for I find I have no fewer than ten concertsmost of which deserve at least a brief mention-to record. First of all, the Leeds Musical Union, which cultivates concerted music for male voices, gave a concert on October 26, the programme of which included a glee by Mr. Bernard Johnson, the Society's conductor, a musicianly and melodious setting of Cowley's Awake, my lyre, distinguished by part-writing of more than common excellence. On the following day the first of the Messrs. Haddock's Musical Evenings deserves mention for the very successful production of H. Lane Wilson's charming cycle of Old English melodies entitled Flora's Holiday,' which was sung with piquancy and expression by Miss Evangeline Florence, Miss G. Lonsdale, Messrs. Hast and Denham Price. On October 28 an event of real importance occurred in the admirable performance by the Leeds Philharmonic Society of Parry's War and Peace,' in which the soloists Miss Agnes Nicholls, Madame Kirkby Lunn, Mr. W. Green and Mr. Ivor Foster. For breadth, warmth of feeling, and bigness of style the work seemed to me sympathetically given as it was under the composer's direction to be among his most successful compositions, and made a really deep impression. Sir Hubert also conducted his Symphonic Variations, and Sir Charles Stanford the first Act of Schumann's Genoveva,' which, since the chances of hearing it on the stage are so rare, one cannot but welcome in the were concert-room. BRADFORD. On October 30 the Bradford season may be said to have been begun by the first of the Subscription series of concerts. Dr. Richter conducted a brilliant performance of Berlioz's Harold in Italy,' but the feature of the concert which will linger longest in one's memory was the superb playing of Beethoven's Violin Concerto by OTHER YORKSHIRE TOWNS. In The following evening the English Ladies' Orchestral Society, under Mr. J. S. Liddle, gave a successful concert at Leeds. They included in a generally interesting programme Max Bruch's E flat Symphony (Op. 28) and Parry's genial Lady Radnor's Suite,' which the com- At Halifax the Choral Society gave, on the 13th ult.. poser conducted. -A concert on the 3rd ult. by a newly- with the help of the Hallé Orchestra under Dr. Richter, a formed Ladies' Caledonian Vocal Society deserves a most interesting concert of choral and orchestral music. word of mention. The conductor, Mr. E. P. Stead, Under the former head came Brahms's 'Song of Destiny' has got together a small, but very capable, chorus, and Stanford's 'Revenge,' both sung with great whose only drawback is that it is too distinctively technical refinement and accuracy, if leaving room for Yorkshire to do full justice to the linguistic peculiarities some little criticism on the score of lack of sufficient of Scottish Song.- -On the 4th ult. the Leeds Choral dramatic expression. Schumann's First Symphony Union, under Mr. Alfred Benton, distinguished and Tschaikovsky's delightful Suite for Strings were itself by an exceedingly smart performance of the whole the most important orchestral compositions. of Coleridge-Taylor's Hiawatha trilogy. Miss Agnes Nicholls, Mr. Webster Millar and Mr. Charles Tree were the soloists, and the chorus sang with great point and vigour, albeit Mr. Benton was happier in suggesting brightness than in his treatment of the tender episodes. The Halifax Orchestral Society on the 19th ult. gave a programme including Haydn's Symphony in E flat (No. 3), Weber's Concertstück, and the Francs Juges Overture of Berlioz. Miss Senior was the vocalist, and Mr. H. van Dyk was both solo pianist and conductor, and deserves congratulation on the advance made of late by his orchestra, which is chiefly amateur in its composition. The Wakefield chamber concerts, which are managed by a local amateur, Miss A. C. Clarkson, of Alverthorpe Hall, were resumed on the 11th ult., when the excellent Brodsky Quartet Party played Volkmann's C minor Quartet, and joined Miss Fanny Davies in a brilliant performance of Schumann's popular Pianoforte Quintet. At Harrogate the indefatigable Messrs. Haddock gave, on the 2nd ult., a 'festival,' consisting of a couple of orchestral concerts, conducted by Mr. Edgar Haddock. Mr. Willibald Richter's highly-artistic playing of SaintSaëns's Pianoforte Concerto in G minor and of Liszt's Rhapsody for Pianoforte and Orchestra was one of the happiest features of the event, and another was the artistic singing of Madame Siviter. Raff's 'Leonore' Symphony and Schubert's Unfinished' were played carefully and with expression under Mr. Haddock's energetic beat. Miscellaneous. The annual dinner of the Musical Association was held at the Holborn Restaurant on the roth ult., the President, Sir Hubert Parry, Bart., in the chair. Excellent speeches were made by the President, Sir Alexander Mackenzie (who announced his intention of joining the Association), Sir Frederick Bridge, Dr. W. H. Cummings (who proposed the health of Sir August Manns, to which the new Knight responded in felicitous terms), Mr. Otto Goldschmidt, and Mr. Clifford B. Edgar, Mayor of Richmond and the worthy Treasurer of the Association. The capable artists associated in the musical selections at this Musical Association feast were Miss Phyllis Lett, a Scholar of the Royal College of Music; Mr. John Thomas, the King's Harpist; Mr. W. Silverwood, and Miss Deborah Ries (pianoforte); while the Alexandra Part-Singers, by their acceptable renderings of male-voice part-music, added to the enjoyment of a very pleasant and successful function. On the 7th ult. the choir and orchestra of the Goldsmiths' Institute, New Cross, gave their first concert of the season, when they performed Claudius H. Couldery's cantata Christ's entry into Jerusalem,' and Spohr's oratorio The Last Judgment. Mr. Couldery's work in its then form was performed some years ago at the Royal Academy of Music, but since that time he has practically re-modelled and to some extent re-written his work, so that this was in reality a first performance of the cantata in its present shape. The choruses are all vocal and effective, and the simple chorale forms a large portion of several of these numbers. The orchestral scoring is effective and the solos are melodious and grateful for the vocalists. The principals were Madame Josephine Simon, Miss Florence Bulleid, Mr. James Gawthrop, and Mr. Daniel Price. Mr. C. J. Smith was at the organ and Dr. C. J. Frost, the head of the music section, conducted. At the close of the work Mr. Couldery was called for and received quite an ovation. The Berks, Bucks, and Oxon Competitive Musical Festival, of which Princess Christian is President, is being vigorously promoted. Two meetings in furtherance of its commendable aims have recently been held the first, at Oxford, on the 3rd ult., the second, at Reading, on the 17th ult. At the former meeting Sir Hubert Parry, Professor of Music at the University, presided, and speeches in support of the Festival were delivered by Sir Hubert, Dr. C. H. Lloyd, Mr. W. H. Hadow, and Dr. McNaught. At Reading the chair was taken by Sir Walter Parratt, and among the other speakers were Miss Wakefield, the Rev. Dr. W. Russell, Vice-Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford, and Miss Cecilia Hill, the enthusiastic founder of the Festival and its organizing Honorary Secretary. Miss Cecilia Hill's address is The Cedar House, Salt Hill, Slough. Preliminary examinations for thirteen free open scholarships at the Royal College of Music will be held on January 27, 1904, in various local centres throughout the United Kingdom. The scholarships to be competed for are as follow:-Composition, one; singing, three; pianoforte, one; organ, one; violin, two; violoncello, one; in addition to four scholarships to be competed for among performers on the flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and harp. The scholarships are open to all classes of His Majesty's subjects within the ages stated in the particulars issued to applicants. They entitle the holders to free musical education at the College, and are as a rule tenable for three years. In some cases grants towards maintenance are added. Further information and official forms of entry may be obtained from the Registrar, Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London. Music has played no unimportant part in Mr. Charles Fry's Costume Recitals given last month at the Royalty Theatre. In Julius Cæsar,' for instance, a special and appropriate feature was an ancient song (believed by Mr. Abdy Williams and other experts to be authentic) known as Pindar's 'Pythian Ode,' and composed 474 B.C. This was sung to the accompaniment of a guitar, as most nearly representing a lyre, played by Mr. F. A. Cramer. The incidental music at the Series was played by Messrs. Edward G. Croager and W. F. Croager. The The Dulwich Philharmonic Society opened its eighth season on October 31 at the Crystal Palace by a performance of Sullivan's Martyr of Antioch.' soloists were Miss Lilian Coomber, Miss Bertha Salter, Mr. John Probert, and Mr. Frederick H. Gould. The band and chorus of 320 performers acquitted themselves well, and the general rendering of Sullivan's beautiful cantata was completely satisfactory. It was preceded by a selection from the same composer's incidental music to the Masque in 'The Merchant of Venice.' The organist was Mr. Walter W. Hedgcock, and Mr. Arthur Fagge was at his usual post as conductor. |