MUSICAL SOCIETY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7562, 29 May 1885, Page 6

MUSICAL SOCIETY.

TO THE EDXTOE. Sib, —The discussion on our Society, provoked by your sub-leader referring to the position of the Auckland Society, will, I trust, be beneficial to us. As outsiders will be led to think we are in a sad state, kindly give me the opportunity of stating a little of our last year’s work and expenditure. The Society gave four' concerts, apart from the annual performance of the “ Messiah,” one of these being a repetition. The works given were—(l) “The Bride of Dunkerron,” and a miscellaneous part; (2) Handel’s “ Theodora(3) “ The Crusaders ” and “ Walpurgis Night.” Is not that a good programme for one year ? The works in hand for the current year are the “Last Judgment,” Schumann’s “New Year’s Song,” the “ Stabat Mater,” “ Lauda Sion,” “ Lorely,” and “ Alexander’s Feast.” •Is not this a good list? Can any Society in Australasia compare with two such programmes ? I think not. Have our performances been poor ones ? I do not think so. I can inform our detractors that the average attendance at practice, of performing members, during the past two years has exceeded fifty. The attendance register will show this. Such a good average indicates whether there is any lack of interest on the part of the performing members. I venture to say that at no time during my membership of the Society (seventeen years) has there been a greater interest shown by performing members than at present. The Society is as sound as its best friends can wish it to be. As regards financial matters, we are sound. We started the 1884 season with a debit of £l3 18s 3d; our subscriptions amounted to £259; at five concerts, all open to the public and at the “Messiah” we had the patronage and presence of his Excellency and suite the proceeds amounted to £53! We purchased a piano for £45, had a platform built specially for us at a cost of £2l, and expended £IOO in the purchase of new music for the 1885 season; and, after all this, we start a new year with a debit balance of £99 only.— I am. See., AETHUE APPLEBY, Hon Sec. and Treasurer. May 28. P.S.—I enclose a copy of last year’s balance-sheet for your perusal. TO THE EDXTOE. Sib, —It is with diffidence that I again approach this subject, seeing how much of your space has been already devoted to it; but the discussion has been so ardently maintained as to show that the topic is one about which people feel vexed, and would fain effect something, so I trust you will allow me to enter your columns again. A good deal of censure has been passed upon members of the Musical Society for not being sufficiently tractable and attentive. Now, the usual experience of men and women is that if they are firmly and courteously managed, if the services of each member are regarded as being worth something, and they are humoured accordingly; if sincere effort is made to draw members together, and individual caprices are discreetly foiled; the residuum of discontented and irreconcileables is so small as to be of no importance. A Choral Society is like a family: if the directing influences are autocratic, strong, gentle and wise, there will be harmony and enthusiasm among the members. But if a Choral Society is to exist for choral purposes, it must not be stationary, still less retrograde, in a growing community. It must, like the Auck-’ land Society, be constantly extending its sphere of usefulness and leavening the masses. If not, there' at- last grows up without—as seems to be the case here—elements which will ultimately coalesce into a rival Society. To run this risk ip to destroy hope of founding a Choral Society which shall dignify Christchurch '2O years hence. Surely in this young and growing people we ought not to sacrifice our future to a selfish sectionalism.? It is the boast of English in the Colonies that they have thrown off English provincialism, and look at subjects from a broader standpoint. When the natural instinct is taking a wider flight shall our musical feelings become more contracted? It is not the natural tendency at present. There can be nothing worthy done now-a-days without ever extending co-operation and sympathy. Our struggles are ever in this direction. The Heptarchy is gone, a separate Scotland and Ireland have gone, the New Zealand Provincial Governments

have gone, and the federation of the British Empire is coming. Thus it must be in smaller things. The question is whether it is worth while devoting our efforts to the focussing and embodiment of music by a public institution as we have done in other matters. We see science concentrated in our Museum, learning in our University, painting in our school of art. In. the embodiment of all the higher manifestations of the mind barring one, we have been ahead of our sister towns. That exception is the art of music.

- Now of all intellectual subjects, orchestral and choral music are ■ just those which can least flourish in isolation. Indeed they are impossible, and so the grandest phases of music are unknown here. Science, languages, painting can to some extent prosper in a number of small schools with separate teachers ; but the higher music never can. Music is curiously sympathetic. It impels and necessitates to co-operation, and developes by contagious enthusiasm. With a strong centre of attraction, the scattered elements will soon be seen to run together, and coalesce into a firm and enduring union. In the recent discussion too much stress has been laid upon, and too many allusions made to, the shortcomings,of individuals. There is no individual fault or “ touchiness,” which can successfully i disturb the stream of a strong musical 1 enthusiasm, strongly organised. “Everybody is wiser than anybody,” and everybody is stronger than anybody. What we want is the persons, to consolidate the materials at hand. If, in consequence of the matter being energetically and widely dealt with, the musical mass moved off on a large scale, like quicksilver, it would very soon attract all smaller particles to itself, and sectionalism would become a venerable relic of the past. The disadvantage we lie under as compared with Auckland,- is the delay which has taken place in doing this. In all other respects Christchurch is more fortunate than Auckland. It has more persons of wealth, more good professionals, more good amateur singers (individual and collective), more private hpuses and churches where the better class of music is to be heard. What it has not shown yet is the impulse in individuals to unite in broad, far-seeing principles to found a Choral Society worthy of the most refined community of the English-speaking race beyond the seas. Twenty years ago, when Auckland was only half the size Christchurch within the belt is now, and when the amount of wealth and musical ability in the community must have been trifling compared with that we are accustomed to in these days, the step was taken by eleven men of every social shade. They were not all musicians, strictly speaking. Several were business men, who barely knew Handel or Mozart but by name, and never heard of Schubert or Spohr. But with that enlightenment which is so' much more common among business men in these Colonies than at,-J Home, they were-ready to make 'pecuniary- sacrifices for an' art which, though they might not fully understand, their children would be thoroughly able to enjoy. The union was a fortunate one, for the divine fire of music sometimes overmasters the judgment of its disciples, and then a musical body is rescued by the dispassionate wisdom of its lay members. What with the pecuniary assistance and the sober wisdom of its founders, that Society has been a success. The Committee has from its formation adopted unto itself 22 new members; who, by retirement, are now reduced to 15. If something like this could be done here, the Christchurch Choral Society would, after a little friction, roll along like a snowball, gathering size at every turn, and) in a couple of years, a kindly contagious enthusiasm would reign where we have now nothing but recriminations and regrets.—l am, &c., PHAEOS;