SHEFFIELD CHOIR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1165, 28 June 1911, Page 5

SHEFFIELD CHOIR.

AN IDEAL REALISED. DR. HARIiISS'S INTERESTING STORY. (By TcJcgrapb.-Speeial Correspondent.! Auckland, .Tune 26. Dr. Clias. Harriss, (ho promoter of the Sheffield Choir tour, or what he prefers to call the Musical Festival of the Empire, is one of the most genial and approachable of men. pud u man inevitably enthused with the scheme. Tnc immensity of conveying '"ft people round tho work: .md attending to their physical needs, housing, l calih. and general happitiejs, and returning them safely back to their families is Napoleonic; but ali this Dr. Harriss and Dr..Coward are doing. This ideal was conceived ten years ago by Dr. Harris;, of Toronto, and lie conuded to a "Star" reporter that ho has tnc supreme happiness of seeing the ideal in its icalisation. Tho Sydney Town Hall proved insufficient in tizo to accommodate the people, so tho morning that, the Choir sailed for New Zealand, they gave an open concert in the Market Place, from the stand erected for the Coronation, when 20.00(1 people attended,

"and that to me," said Dr. Harriss, "is quite the nicest way of doing. I wish we could go without ticket-taking or exchanging of moneys, but unfortunately I have to pay the piper of all this. I have nearly ruined myself, and I don't want to put myself in tho workhouse. I have al-ready-spent a fortune oil it. It was very difficult two years ago to make people realise that this conception of mine was a reality; but I think they aro beginning to realise it now. It is but the commencement of a movement which will, I hope, not only do Canada (as the country of initiaf.ian'i a great deal of good, but also New Zealand, Australia. Great Britain, and the Empire generally." In elaboration, of his point, Dr. Harriss stated that the business man who cared nothing for music patronised the festivals. For the first time in the history of Christendom music became a business factor. That was accomplished through the advertising of tho overseas Dominions by 200 self-appointed agents, who, after having seen their inheritance under tho banner of musical reciprocity, went forth to lecture throughout the Homeland on the wonders they had seen.

The choir, ho stated, would go from this country to Tasmania, thence to Melbourne, .Adelaide, and Perth. The Governor of West Australia had offered to receive tho choir as the guests of the Government for a week, but, unfortunately, the choir could not stay longer than a day in Ferth. Theuee they would co to Durban, and overland to Cane Town. All being well, they honed to sail for England on Sunday, September 10, arriving in London on September 30, after having been away from their homes for six months and two weeks.

"The initiation was made" in Canada (en years ago." went <111 Dr. Ilarriss. "The programme was laid before them, and I am now running the race of my life round the world to get there."

There is some difficulty in keeping the large company together, as the members become attracted by the lands they visit. "A great, number of the company have invested their funds largely in land," said Dr. Harris;. "Mr. Thos. Smith.told me he had invested .£IO,OOO in Canada, and others have invested money in Australia. Several of them say they are not going back Home, so that I'm afraid they are beginning to dribble away, and if they go on like that, I shall find myself without, a choir. I don't blame them, for if they want to get on and prosper, the British peoplo want to find their way to the overseas Dominion."

Speaking of the choir's ability. Dr. Harriss stated that in 1872 Dr. Coward formed the, Sheffield Choir, a musical union which consisted of 800 singers. It was hardly possible to find accommodation on the trains and steamships for 800. so that only a portion of the choir could bo taken 011 the tour. There were 500 applicants for the tour, and from Ihese, after an exacting test, Dr. Coward selected the present 200. "He tells me, and I know of my own musical knowledge, that we have the cream of the singers of Great Britain. All the sopranos, contraltos, tenors, and basses enn do the solo parts in any of the pieces wo give." In conclusion. Dr. Harriss stated tha Ihe singers had been associated with al the great musical works of the day, and some had, in fact, created them, lor in-tance, there was the soloist who saiig Verdi's "Hequiem" when the composer went to London and conducted the first appearance of the piece. . . "The reason the Sheffield Choir is hero is because it is the best'tlint England can give, and because it is the host it is none too good for us in the overseas Dominions. In mv opinion, we are an enlightened people, capable of absorbing the best_ in art that can be produced for us. After ten years' preparation, it is a proud moment for me to be able to say I command the best all. over the world.

ANOTHER GREAT AUDIENCE. ißy Telegraph.—Press Association.! Auckland, Juno 27. There was another tremendous audience to hear the Sheffield Choir to-night, no fewer than 3600 tickets being sold last night's performance was attended bydlo'J p«r=ous, the receipts for the two nights totalling over .£I7OO. For the matinee tomorrow afternoon aud 'tho final coiicprt to-morrow night nearly allths seats have been booked, and it is believed that the Sydney record for receipts will be eclipsed. To-night Dr. Hurriss conducted his own composition "Pan/' And the choir way alio heard in Parry's "Blest Tair of Syrens" and "Sing c to the Lord, which were conducted by Dr. Coward.