“The Press” In 1864

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30559, 30 September 1964, Page 16

“The Press” In 1864

September 30 MUSIC The visit of Mr Lyster’s Opera Company to Christchurch may be noted as another milestone on the road of advancement of our young community, and it is an event which we welcome as one likely to be of permanent benefit to the place. Amidst the dearth of all Art enjoyments, which is the necessary lot of dwellers in a new country the Canterbury people have from the earliest times endeavored to resuscitate the taste which has of late years developed itself so largely amongst the middle classes of England for music, and especially for concerted music of the highest order. We have had, from a very short time after the landing of the first colonists, one society after another,

by which glees and madrigals, and occasionally choruses have been performed in a more or less creditable manner. Thirteen years ago, at Lyttelton, we remember many a pleasant evening passed in listening to the glees of the old English composers sung in a manner which afforded sufficient gratification to appease a very hypercritical spirit As time went on a band of instrumental performers gradually clustered itself round the leader of the time, until at last, in spite of all the little jealousies and vulgarities which display themselves in every amateur society, we have been able to accomplish the performance of the greatest of Oratorios in a manner which, however much it left to be done, gave great reason to hope that there were the materials and

the spirit to do it. In addition to these efforts, we have, from, time to time, had the advantage of visits from professional performers, both vocal and instrumental, whose performances have tended to keep alive the taste for good music, and to stir , up a spirit of emulation in our own people. This is the great benefit which we hope to gather from the Lyster Company. From all that we have been able to learn from those who have heard them, we have reason to believe that their performances are really very good. W'e do not expect of course to hear anything like the perfection of performance heard in the principal European theatres. But we do anticipate hearing the music correctly and creditably performed.