MR SCHACHI’S PUPILS’ CONCERT.

Evening Star, Issue 8612, 4 September 1891, Page 2

MR SCHACHI’S PUPILS’ CONCERT.

At the invitation of Mr G. H. Sobaoht, a large number of persons assembled in the City Hall last evening to listen to the fifth annual concert given by his pupils. Those present could hardly fail to be struck with one thing about the playing of even the very youngest of the performers, and that was the excellent time preserved. Of course In the case of the young ones a certain amount of flat playing was noticeable; but, seeing the nature of the instrument (the violin), and taking into consideration that the notes have all to be made, the wonder would be to find a pupil so highly gifted as to avoid this entirely. However trying to the ear of both listener and performer such playing may be, it is therefore to be conceded that such a thing is inevitable in the ease of juveniles. That advancement has been made during the last yoar was amply shown by the skilful fingering and bo wing of several of the pupils; and one good thing observable was that, although it is good in some instances to be ambitious, Mr Schaoht had not set before the juveniles tasks which they were incapable of overcoming with a prospect of anything like success. In Miss Mary M‘Neill and Miss Bertha Mendelsohn, pupils of a more matured hind, Mr Schacht has two players of whom ho may justly feel proud, and their performance was of more than ordinary merit. Miss Gwenda Williams's playing of a concerto in G by Viotti was also a performance in which more than ordinary ability was displayed. The other violinists were Misses Fanny Fergus, Jessie Brown, Violet Greig, Effie Inglis, Jessie Barr, Masters Cecil Williams, James Allen, Percy Braithwaite (who was more of an exception with regard to being in tune), and Master Claud Williams, The pianoforte duet ‘Jubilee Overture’ (Weber), by Misses Bertha Mendelsohn and Jessie M'Neill, was played well, but the young ladies somewhat failed to understand that a good deal more energy is necessary in a large public hall to ensure anything like brilliancy than that required in the privacy of home. Miss Rachael Marks, who is the possessor of a voice of fairly good quality and power, contributed two songs, in the former of which the trill would, in the meantime, have been better omitted, and the note simply sustained. Not that we mean to imply that the lady’s singing was not of a capable kind—far from it. Mr F. L. Jones sang 'Plymouth Sound’ nicely, but is hardly robust enough in the voice to do full justice to Jude’s composition j and subsequently gave ' The Romany lass.’ A vocal duet by the last-named performers brought the concert, which was certainly of its kind enjoyable, to an end.