MR. BEALE'S CONCERT.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1501, 2 December 1874, Page 2

MR. BEALE'S CONCERT.

The taste for good music musthe declining in Auckland when a concert of such merit as that of last night only succeeds in attracting half an audience. Mr. Beale had prepared a first - class programme, and it was gone through spiritedly and correctly by the performers, both instrumental and vocal, who were mainly membeis of the Choral Society, of which Mr. Beale is the new conductor. The concert was given by the Society as a complimentary benefit, to Mr. Beale, and it would therefore have looked better if the friends of the singers had turned out in something like the numbers in which they attend their regular concerts. Mr Beale himself took the arduous task ol conducting, and acquitted himself with conspicuous success. If any preference can be given, the instrumental portion of the entertainment was of a higher order of merit than the vocal, which in cases was rather of a robust than refined nature. The chorus was well practised, and sang well together. As worthy, of special mention, we may select the two overtures " Zampa," and "LMana in Algieri;" Miss Leafs song, ''Thou art so near, and yet so far ; tne performance of the Beale family on Ist and 2nd violins, two tenors, two vioUncellos, and piano, the double quartette, "The Sea hath its Pearls," the quartette for two violins, viola, and violincello, "Eaydns Hymn to the Emperor ;" and the march ana chorus from "Tanhauser." Miss Leaf was encored, and gave in response " Evangeline. This young lady was in splendid voice, ana we are glad to notice that in point of expression she has very much improved. A W who sang " Home they brought her warrar dead," made a favourable debut asasoloij In answer to an enccrs she gave a m ballad. What was intended to ha™,J the feature of the concert, viz,, J3 Anvil Chorus," was a comparjj failure owing to tbe absence of thei exF* effects—the anvil and the guns. TheJS* were not missed, but the omission of them feature from which the chorus takes its a*£ was, to put it mildly, eccentric. Asawnj Mr. Beale's concert was an excellent one,** those who were not there missed a*» We are informed by Mr Goodall that ■» cause of the guns not beiHg fired as nounced, was insufficient priming. appears that an attempt was made to them by the conductor, but the electric <*> tact only caused a flash in the pan. 'the guns been set off in the ordinary W the priming would have been sufficient.