N.E. TALLEY MUSICAL SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 7367, 12 November 1887, Page 2

N.E. TALLEY MUSICAL SOCIETY.

The residents of the North east Valley evidently intend to encourage the efforts of those who have been instrumental in establish* ing a musical society in the Borough. With such unpropitious weather, it must have been gratifying to the Society’s members to see so large a number present last evening to witness their first public appearance, which, under more favorable circumstances, would assuredly have received mor« patronage from outside their immediate neighborhood. The Sobioty have a membership of about forty, amongst whom there a number of familiar faces, whilst there aro others who, although unfamiliar to us, gave oral demonstration that their musical education has not been without attention. Altogether, it may be said that Mr E. Towsey (whose long connection with musical 'circles must certainly qualify him for the position ot conductor) has good mbttle to work upon-, which time Will doubtless prove. Last night’s programme furnished tik glees, so that ample opportunity was afforded of judging the combined capabilities of the Vocalists, especially so on account of their being Selections with which musical people generally have anme aetjuaim tane’e. They were—“ Awake, yT'.olian Lyre,” “flood Night, Beloved,” “On Yonder Rock,” “Ye Spotted Shakes,” “Who will o’er the Downs,” and “War Song of the Druids.” The first of these is anything but a simple chorus, and we were therefore not sui prised to s'ce the Society show in their rendering of it a certairt amount of weakness add unsteadiness: of the second, however, which is less difficult, it was apparent that it was quite within the Society’s grasp; while of the remainder (partiou’aily “Ye Spotted Snakes”) it may be said that they did credit to a society the existence of which dates only about four months back. With the cxccp ion of the common corapla ntof a scarcity of base, the parts are well bah need. Of the intermediate items, there were two pleasing trios, “Ti Prego ” and “0 Memory. ’ Both were perhaps equally well rendered, but the former, doubtless on account of its being more in accord with the sympathies of the audience, should, judging from the applause which followed, have been repeated. These trios were entrusted respectively to Mrs Ivemy, Miss HayCs, and Mr W. Bowden ; andMro M‘Donald, Miss Derbyshire, and Mr Cray. Mosdames Ivemy and M’Donald belong to the unfamiliar faces which we have alluded to, and both have soprano voices of sufficient culture to justify their being brought to the front; Misses Hayes and Derbyshire possess good alto voices, the , former perhaps for choice ; and Messrs W. Bowden and Cray ate familiar tenors, and it is therefore sufficient to say that their assistance helped to make the trio a success. Miss Goudie and Miss! King made their debut, we believe, last evening as soloists, but we would prefer to hear their efforts free from nervousness hi fore venturing a decided opinion as to their relative merits. The president of the Society (Mr S. Myers) is also a working member, and, having a powerful voice, combined with taste in its use, it was not surprising when be received an enthusiastic encore tor his song “Queen of the Eartli ”; while Mr T. Henderson, who produces a good volume of sound with little apparent exertion, had to repeat a couple of verses of “Davy Jones.” Mr J. Bowden rendered hia music correctly in the song “On the Rolling Waves,” and a singing-lesson duet by Mrs Ivimcy and Mrs Gaylor gained an encore. Piano selections were given by Miss Derbyshire and Mr Towsey. The latter also sang one of Blumenthal’s songs “Across the far blue hills, Marie." He was obviously suffering severely from chest affection, but nevertheless his rendering was an appreciative one. “Hark, to the rolling drum,’’for male voices, was a fair effort. We wish the Society every success.