THE EXHIBITION.

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 157, 24 November 1896, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

The Exhibition still continues the great public attraction, of an evening at any rate. The building was thronged last night, and locomotion through the annexes was not to be executed at other than a snail's pace with anything like comfort aud regard for the persons of others. Tho Executive had supplied "a long felt. want" in the shape of chairs placed wherever sj)ace permitted, and this was much appreciated. The exhibits came in for much examination and criticism, and opinions expressed on all sides were decidedly' complimentary to the Exhibition and its promoters. Apropos of this, it may be said that a Christchurch resident, who visited the building and its contents on his journey through this port, candidly admitted that in many of its features the Exhibition was superior to that held in the City of the Plains, notably the musical performances,' which had far surpassed anything attempted and achieved there. This is an outside criticism, and correspondingly valuable, especially as it came troin a man of some standing as a musician. We had occasion in our opening article to allude to a want of proper ventilation of the Exhibition Building. The Executive have now remedied this defect, and it is only fair to say that it was always intended to tako the necessary steps in this direction, only that the opening of the Exhibition, twice the extent originally projected, a week earlier than at first arranged, in order to time with the A. and P. Society's show, naturally caused some deficiencies at the outset. The provision for ventilation now is very complete, and especially in the Coucert Hall, where improvement was very much needed. Lieutenant-Colonel Newall has received a letter from the President of the Exhibition Executive (Mr. S. Brown) expressing gratification at the extremely satisfactory manner in which the arrangements on the occasion of the reception of the Governor at the opening ceremony were carried out, and also complimenting the men on their, appearance and efficiency. Messrs. Wrigglesworth & Binns have been licensed by the Executive Committee to take photographs within the Exhibition building. This fact they announce else-, where to exhibitors and all concerned. Visitors will shortly have an opportunity of seeing in the building some glass blowers at work, not only on the usual ianoy kind of goods in connection with that art, but also in its more practical form of the making of bottles, &c. This is sure to be an exhibit of much attraction and interest. In connection with the Maypole and other dances next Thursday evening by tho Convent children, arrangements are being made to add limelight effects, which will considerably enhance the taking character of the proceedings. The whitewashing of the corridors lead-*"*-ing to the refreshment stalls and dressingrooms has now been completed. The cementing of the cycling track over the, tar surface is now being carried out, and the track will be ready for to-morrow's events. A first exhibition of the Kinematograph wjlj take plage on Saturday next in the Hall of Mystery, where there will be seating accommodation for some 400 people. It may be of interest to state that several more pictures have been placed in the Art Gallery. The Post Office authorities have arranged to open an office in the Exhibition for tho sale of stamps and the receipt and delivery of telegrams, letters, &o. The Postal box will be cleared every 20 minutes. To-night's musical programme in the Concert-hall is that of the Wellington Orchestral Society, Mr. J. H. Otto Schwartz conducting. A very choice list of selections will be performed, notably Symphony No. 2 in D (Haydn), Gounod's ballet music from "La Reine de Saba," and the Hungarian Dances, Numbers 5 and 6 (Brahms). The concert is sure to be numerously attended, and early arrivals only may expect to' get seating room. This afternoon there was amusement for children provided in the Hall of Mystery, and the j'oungsters will be similarly catered for this evening. FIRST NATIONAL CONCERT. If the series may be judged by the excel-, lence of last evening's first programme of national music, under the direction of Mr. Robert Parker, then there is a great treat in store for visitors to the Exhibition. Last evening was devoted to English music, dating from the days of Queen Bess to the present time. In the course of Ids brief connecting remarks Mr. Parker emphasised the fact that the best English music was composed in the Elizabethan era, and he was mildly severe on what he was pleased to term the "modern rubbish" to be found for the most part on the shelves of our music shops of to-day. Also, he endeavoured to point the moral that ftritisk singers and instrumentalists would do well to patronise more than they do British songs and pieces, of the quality of those illustrated last night, as there were plenty of them, and they were as good as, if not better than, music " made in Germany" or elsewhere. It was altogether a misstatement to say that the British were not a musical nation. Coming to the programme itself, the opening item was a pianoforte solo by Miss Dugdale, who brilliantly interpreted three pieces of an Old English character by a young modern composer, Edward Gorman. Later in the programme, Miss Dugdale also showed her splendid powers of execution and technique in Sir W. Steradale Bennett's compositions "The Lake," "The Mill-stream," and " The Fountain," her performances giving great pleasure, and being much applauded. A number of part-songs by Mr. Parker's Glee Clnb were charmingly given, these including two madrigals of tho sixteenth century, glees illustrating eighteenth century compositions, such as those of J. Danby and W. Horsley, and works of Sir H. Bishop and Sir J. Barnby, aud Sir Arthur Sullivan's " 0, Hush tbee, my Babie," thus bringing the type down to modern daj's. Of these part-songs, Barnby's " Sweet and Low" was undoubtedly the best item, and its almost perfect rendering was enthusiastically acknowledged by the audience. For the most part the soloists acquitted themselves very well indeed iv their respective songs. Mrs. Burfoot was heard to particular advantage iv "The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington" and Sir A. Sullivan's "Lost Chord," with piano and organ accompaniments by Miss Dugdale and, Mr. Parker respectively. This last item was so much admired that Mr. Parker allowed an encode. If, however, it should be repeated at any future concert, wo would suggest that the combined accompaniment should be a little less pronounced in volume of sound. Madame Carlton rendered T. Jiinley's " 0 Bid your faithful Ariel Fly" very effectively, showing great flexibility of voice aud range, but she was more pleading in Sir H. Bishop's " Tell me, my Heart." In both these songs she was charmiugly accompanied by Miss Grant. Mr. R. B. Williams did not seem to be in such good form as usual. Hi 3 first two items, " Tbe , Anchor's Weighed" and "Tom Bowling" (Dibdin), suffered from want of more robust interpretation ; and in his other two, Sterndale Bennett's <f Forget me Not" aud " Maiden Mine," though he sang them i sweetly, he was apathetic. Mr. J- Murrell was altogether overweighted in Braham's " Death of Nelson," for which Mrs. Murrell played the accompaniment Mr. J. Whittall made a most favour, able impression in " From Rock t« Rock," an extract from one of Sir A. Sullivan's earliest comic operas, " The Contrabanista," and the audience would havo liked to hear more from him. A verse ot the National Anthem, fittingly concluded a concert which whs both a pleasure and an instruction to listen to in its main features.

*" * I^* MM '*'—'*'''' M '''^''"—*** A number of young trout were this tnorniug brought down from the Ma*tcrton hatcheries, and, under supervision of Air, Rutherfurd, of the Acclimatisation Society, placed in the basin of the Exhibition fountain. A suggestion has been made to the effect that, if the doors of the concert room must be opened during a performance of vocal music, it would be as well to stop the machinery in the building for tbe period the concert lasts, as the noise coming through the opened door prevents pen ins in the back of the hall and gallery from hearing the singers. The exhibitor who was selling packets ol tea in the building, in defiance of the Executive's regulations, has agreed, upon the Committee taking a firm stand, to abaudon the practice. The Committee, of course, doe? not desire to compete in any way with the ordinary retail trade of the city, and hence its action in this matter.