BATH MUSIC RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 6, 8 January 1930, Page 15

BATH MUSIC RECORD

:i 'THB GREATEST,' COMPOSER"

Two and a quarter centuries of music in) Bath were'celebrated at the end of October last in England, at the opening of-a festival of music in the historic Pump Eoom. There, since 1704, when Beau Nash founded his orchestra, all that is best in music has been played throughout; the intervening years.

'""It is a record, writes: the London -s'Daily Telegraph," of which Bath and England can be proud; as Dame Ethel Smyth said in a congratulatory speech. It was really the. day of Elizabeth Linley, the/celebrated singer, who was known as "The Maid of Bath."

•■• Dame Ethel Smyth unveiled a tablet ■to'her. memory at her. home in Old Orchard street, and afterwards spoke of t& Linley family."" Elizabeth became the wife of Eichard Brinsley Sheridan, and her family was one 6f musicians.

"The father was conductor of ' the Pump Eoom Orchestra," said Dame Ethel Smyth, "and another son, William, was a composer. The younger Bachs were inclined to jeer at the great Bach and call him 'Old Pigtail,' but they have been forgotten, and Johann Sebastian Bach remains, to my mind, tho greatest composer who ever lived."

■ The- charm of Elizabeth Linley was strikingly brought home to the visitors by the exhibition of a painting of her by Gainsborough. The picturo is the property of a Bath resident, and has rarely, if ever, been seen in public before.,

With the musical festival had been organised a week's exhibition of old musical instruments and manuscripts. The' Pump Boonv was completely, 'redecorated in eighteenth century style.