PALMER-BEAUMONT CONCERT COMPANY

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXVI, Issue 7661, 18 October 1893, Page 3

PALMER-BEAUMONT CONCERT COMPANY

The Palmer Jtoni- mont Company come to us with no mean reputation, yet though we us'i'i'hi them most, for their merit) we love them host, for old association's sake. Garahdiui was n name to comjuro with in.New Zealaud almost before this pre* sent generation had birth.' Madam Carandini, mother of, Mrs Palmer (nee Rosin'a Oarandini)i ! broucht a company. herein the' 'days' when conch travelling was by no means pleusnut, when roads I were rough and-rivers nnbridsfed, and none but a well-educated bnshmau was really fit' to travel. Yet with her and her company Madame travelledthe land and'gave us such enlightenment and instruction and dolight in matters of music as to make up a debt of obligation which.we perr! haps fully repay. Mrs Palmer may fairly claim to be tho residuary legatee of all

this fame, and for our own fair fame, wo hope' that her greeting, here w, ill bo adequate. Nothing more need, be said; if we discharge our simple obligations the success of the concert will be assured. 'Armes Beaumont is a name more familiar perhaps in Australia than in New' Zealand, and Beaumont was an old and well-beloved friend of William

Saurin Lyster, who first established opera in Australia. Lyster cared very little about small financial matters, but would always in all his shows have everything of tho best. In Beaumont ho j recognized the only pure tenor of the time, and he took I'eaumont therefore as the one man to be always, placed in the forefront of every operatio battle. Business relationship bptween them deedened into; close; friendship, and so a little tragedy occurred, which leftisad results, While out rabbit shooting a mistake occurred—a charge of shot came too near Mr Beaumont's head, and the effect was': that his sight, was partially 'destroyed,' Lyster ii6vor forgave himself for thejucidonti but Beaumont was too:fast .founded in friendship to conceive, much less cherish, any malice. Still it was but a marred life ever after, and though the,.voice remains pure and strong to-dayi as, of.. old, few noople know with'-what pain and difficulty Ames Beaumont maintains his dignity as a man andmakes his way in tho world.

Mr W. T. Barker, who comes with the Palmer-Beaumont Company ns' harpist, will do much perphaps to instruct us why the harp, bocarao tho inatrumonfc all our ancestors loved. Tho piano of lato years has almost driven the harp out of society, but from and after the advont of Mr Barker in Melbourno it was found that a desire for the harp grow, and now in .very, many, drawing«rooms of tho Australian metropolis, tho perfect grace of, the harp is seen beside tho too practical or too cumbersome piano. Mr Barker inherits this Renins from genera* tionsot musical ancestors. Ho "harps" to us as did the bards of old to their paorons, and really instructs us how much a onnning hand can oxtrnct from the simple running strings.-" Now Zealand Graphic."