KAIKORAI ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 11605, 19 July 1901, Page 7

KAIKORAI ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY.

A very large audience gathered At tho St John's Ball, Roslyn, lost evening, when ; the above society gave their first concert of the season. Thirty odd members, under the leadership of Mr J. B. M'lntyre, were on the platform, and the manner in which they acquitted themselves reflects credit both unon their musical ability and their training. It was evident to the least critical that much consistent and persistent rehearsing had been gone through, ind neither audience nor artiste had cause to regret this, for although there was a weakness so far as volume was concerned —a fault that can only be remedied by an accession to the number, of performers on certain instruments—tho general presentation of each selection was admirable. Whilst nothing of a merely jingle-jangle nature was played, the pieces were of a light, popular, and melodious order. Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi—the great masters of the Italian school—were each placed under contribution, and the tuneful, inspiriting strains of 'Trovatore,' 'Lucrezia,' and 'Tancredi' were listened to with pleasure. Six pieces in.all were given by the orchestra, and though, perhaps, 'II Trovatore' was the most successful, either from the manner of its rondering or its reception, each selection was thoroughly ap» predated. A trio (cornet, violin, and piano) by Messrs J. Pate'rsbn and G. Beath and Miss A. Thomson was heartily applauded, as was also a flute solo by Mr 11. B. Austing. Mr Farqnhar Young, who was suffering from a slight cold, sang * The gallant Salamander' and ' The mighty deep' in his usual finished style, and Mhs Amy Murphy gave ' L'Estasi' (Arditi) and ' The beating of my own , heart.' Mr Jesse Timson and Mrs Murphy were the accompanists. During the interval Mr D. Dawson (the preside™) gave ft brief sketch of the society since their reorganisation, and hoped that many ..other residents in the district would come forward and subscribe to their funis. Tl'e surplus was devoted to music and instruments, -and these could not be .brained unless they had a steady subscription list. There were sixty-four members at prisen% and the number they were open to. receive was unlimited. It was not their aim co give frivolous music, but such as would reward the time given to its study by the performers, and be worthy of their trouble in coming to listen to. One thing we were pleased to notice was the intimation on tho programme that no encores could be given, and although a small portion of the audience sought to break this wise rule in the case of Mr Young, it was faithfully adhered to. We should like to see a large extension of this resolution. Encores, in most rases are a nuisance, and speaking from a faicly long and wide experience we have litt'V; hesitation in saving that in many instances they are caused by the noisy persisteb'-e of less thSn a third of the audience, an] aiP the outcome of a desire to get double value for money paid. As the late Sims Jlojw« well put it, we might as well ask a tradesman to give us a double quantity cf goods because we were pleased with the first lot' we paid for." Many of the'so-called" e-,-cores are not encores at all, and thi bnn"ness might well be curtailed by the «.i-.*t without any fear of giving offence to the major portion 0 f the audience.