ST PATRICK'S DAY, ASHBURTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIII, Issue 47, 27 March 1896, Page 6

ST PATRICK'S DAY, ASHBURTON.

The attendance xt the annual concert in aid of the Ashburton Convent Schools last night (aays the As?iburto?i Guardian, March 18) was, as usual, the largest Aahburton people have the pleasure of witnessing io the couibb of the year. The Hibernian ijoker was not very far wrong who Raid the attendance at the concert this year would be too large for the new hall or any other hall, for long before the curtain rose the sitting accommodation was all taken up, and the committee-men who acted as ushers had a difficult task to get their patrons crowded in. As the Irißh people make this annual gathering a sort of family outing, the proportion of children present was larger than is the case at ordinary concerts, so tha ( , counting heads, the number in the hall would be larger than would be the case had the place been filled by adnlts only. One gentleman— usually accurate in his figures— counted the benches in the hall, and taking (as all were as full as they could hold) the number of a few of those in front as a basis, figured oot the attendance at 1030. Add to those the crowds Btanding in the aisle, the porch nnd the corridor, and 1200 is not difficult io believe as the probable number present. The attendance must therefore be a record one for any gathering inside built walls in Ashbnrton, and it was representative of every class of the community, as well as of every quarter of the county. Tbe programme was also large— twelve items on eacb part, which became

thirteen by the accidental omission from it of the name of Mr Alextnd«r Jobs, of Winalow, a mandoline player who made his first appearance in AahburtoD, and captivated his bearers most completely The audience was one that came to be amused, and Mr David J. Jones, the musical director who compiled the programme, was careful to suit all tastes, and did bo effectually. Every item was encored, and thus the writer who would essay a detailed notice of the performance would have fifty-two to deal with. This would be too great a tax upon space, so that conaiderible otnpreseion must be exercised. The lady singers were mostly old fuends wbo are already well-known to Ashburton concert goers, and need not be noticed at length, as it would be matter for surprise indeed if Mrs 0. M. Brooke, Miss Henry or Miss Berg were other than delightful when they eang. All were underlined for truly Irish songs, and all were encored vociferously, and kindly responded. The three young ladies who sang in trio last year— Misses Prendergast, Macdonnel, and Bandbrook — sang another pretty piece of harmony on this occasion, " The Rivulet," the arrangement being the work of the conductor, Mr Jones. Mies Sandbrook made her first appearance in boo, and has to be congratulated on her signnl success with " The Arab's farewell," and the heartiness of her enore. We are quite sure that this young lady will be heard of yet in thia musical world as her voice is one of rare quality, has been carefully seen to, as also her vocal training, while the lady's own natural taste is of a high order. The last lady vocalist on the progiamma was Miss K. M, Healy, who also made her first appearance, and delighted the entire Irish heart with her charming sieging of " The wearing of the green." Miss Healy is a valuable addition to our concert platform, and this the audience was not alow to realise. Unfortunately there were no male singers outside the humorous aud character singers, but these were well represented in Messrs David Thomas, T. E. Upton, and and P. A. Keddell (Rakaia). Need it be added that, this department in their hands, the fun was faßt and furious. The instrumental music was contributed by the Orchestral Society, whose "Gems of Ireland " (Sibold) and " The road to Moscow " (Lcntz) were delight-

ful items. Items were given by Mrs Donald McLean, Lagmhor, wbo gave Tbalberg's transcription of " The last rose of Summer " for t_6 piano, and "A wreath of Irish diamonds," in her usual entrancing style; by the Kyle fiddlerß, a team of reol and stratbipey players—comprising Messrs Lambie, Scott and Jamieson (violins), Mr Uter Hoskin (violincello), and Mr H. A. Gates (double bass)— whose lively music made their light-hearted hearers itch to be footing it to their stirring measures ; and by Mr Alexander Joss, mandoline player already mentioned. Toe Kyle fiddlers were warmly welcomed on both appearances. They did not, as used to be the caße when the firet Kyle team made its appearance twelve or fourteen years ago, confine themselves to Scotch dance music, but roamed over tbe jigs and reels of the Emerald Isle as if they had the whole micstrelsy of the CDnntry in their sleeves. Such music as that was of course bound to Bcore, and it did, hugely. Mrs Alexander Joss is a master of the mandoline, and his playing was as much a musical revela'ioo as his appearance was a surprise. He played unaccompanied in tbe first part of the programme a selection of the more pathetic Irish melodies, Tor hii delightful exposition of which he was tremendously applauded, and few performers, amateur or professional, receive such a hearty welcome on their first appearance aa did this sweet player. In the second part he was accompanied on the piano by Mr F. Russell, and showed, in his rendering of " Ariadne," that his ability in music it very far from being of a limited character. Mrs Olaridge and Mr Jones were the accompanists in most cases, but Mr P. Buasell played those to Mr Upton's hunting songs, while Mrs Brooke was indebted to Miss Corbett's sympathetic touch in the accompaniment! which the latter lady supplied to her songs. There is only left to notice now the dancing. Mr Nicholas Fitzgerald's talent as a teacher of step dancing was shown in the clever performances of eight ladi and lasseß— Misses T. Devane. N. Stuart, M. Fitzgerald, and Dineen ; and Masters T. Stuart, W. Fitzgerald, J. Fitzgerald, and D. Fitzgerald. Tbe young people moved with modest grace, but were not lacking in the energy and spirit without whick both Irißh and Scotch dancing is worthless, and the time they kept to the music of the Kyle fiddlers, and their loyalty to tbe reel figures were tbe subject of

general remark. The Lagmhor Highlanders, beaded by the veteran chief, Mr Donald McLean, were of course up to their form, and the iron sinewe of the chief himself show not the least sign of failure, as he dances as nimbly now as he did on his first appearance seventeen 7ears ago on the boards of the old town hall. Mr George Robertson was the piper. " God Save the Queen " was sung at a quarter to twelve to an audience who seemed as if they could have listened to another such programme with unflagging interest. Before tht concert closed Father O'Donnell, in a short speech, tendered the thaoka of the Bisters to the performers for their serrioeß, and to the large audience for their attendance.