MUSICAL REHEARSALS WANTED.

Ashburton Herald, Volume I, Issue 241, 8 January 1879, Page 2

MUSICAL REHEARSALS WANTED.

To the Editor of the Evening Echo,

Mister, —Give me a little room to tell how much I should have enjoyed the music at the Presbyterian Church entertainment last night if those incorrigible “ stampers ” had not joined in higgledypiggledy with their obtrusive hoofs ! It’s all very well for Lorenzo to tell Jessica—

“Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music creep in our ears : soft stillness and the night become the touches of sweet harmony. We are never merry when we hear sweet music. The reason is, our spirits are attentive : for do but note a wllct and ivan'ton herd, or race, of youthful and unhandled coits, fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud, which is the hot condition of their blood : if they but hear perchance a trumpet sound, or any air of music touch their ears, you shall perceive them make a mutual stand, their savage eyes turned to a modest gaze by the sweet power of music. . . . . Nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage, but music for the time doth change his nature.” Such are the refined ideas about music which Shakespeare put into the mouth of one of his most joyous characters. But, last night, just as the first notes of Mr. Gates’s last spirit-stirring song were giving me promise of rich enjoymentin listening, a rustic Lorenzo and Jessica on the seat behind me began beating time with their hoofs more wildly than calves or colts ; an old man and a boy joined in with their fists on the back of the very form whereon I sat; and half-a-dozen others all round me conspired to. apprise the poor singer of what they thought to be the correct time. What cared they for wretches of no taste who would have preferred the vocal and instrumental music without their “leather and timber ” accompaniment 1 They, forsooth, could not believe in mere singing to a piano without the exquisite discord of their banging and stamping. All the really impressive exhortations, whether from American or Scotchman, “to do to others as you would be done by,” had produced no effect; unless, indeed, the boors who were guilty of the unseemly disturbance considered the harsh rappings of their boots and fists a “ boon,” which they presented gratis to such listeners as might be stupid enough to have been better satisfied with the music as performed on the platform, if they had been able to hear it, but who were doomed to utter disappointment through the persevering rudeness of the noisy, and not even accurate, time-keepers on the floor and seat-backs. When Mr. Gavin was asked to return the thanks of the meeting to some of the contributors to the entertainment, he was in the body of the Hall, and these -very boors shouted for him to display himself on the platform for their delight ! Would it not be a good plan in future to ask all those who want to stamp to appear on the platform, or even to rehearse first with the musicians, in order that the leader might drill them into correct time ?—Yours, etc.,

One “ Moved with the Concord op Sweßt Sounds.” January 7th, 1879.