DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12, 25 March 1909, Page 454

DUNEDIN

The Irish national concert in connection with St. Patrick's Day was held this year in the Garrison Hall, Dunedin, on the evening of March 18, the change of date being due to the fact that no suitable hall was available on the proper day. Notwithstanding the change, there was a very large audience, and the concert from every point of view was an unHoubted success. The number of items on the well-selected programme was not unusually large, but when the enthusiastic and undeniable recalls of the audience had been* complied with they had increased to close on double the original list. The Mornington Band, which played outside the hall prior to the commencement

of the proceedings, opened the concert with a selection, of Irish melodies, which was received with well-deserved applause. The band also contributed the opening item, of the second part of the programme, a selection from Verdi's • works, in which it was again highly successful. Mrs. R. A. Power met with a very . enthusiastic reception, her,- programme items being an ' Irish folk song ' and an 'Irish lullaby.' She gave a finished rendering of both numbers, and, as was natural, recalls followed in- both instancesMrs. Orr-Loring's singing of Gounod's 'Aye Maria' was much appreciated, and an enthusiastic recall followed. vLater on in the evening she gave a charming rendering of the bracketed items, "To my first love ' and ' You'd better ask me,' for which she was again encored. Miss G. Meenan contributed a remarkably well-played violin solo, ' Danse,' for which she was warmly encored. Miss Meenan also played an obligato to Mrs. Orr-Loring's ' Aye Maria.' Mr. T. J. Hussey is an old favorite at such concerts, and his appearance was 'the signal for a warm greeting. His programme items were ' The minstrel boy ' and ' The wearin' of the green,' and in both cases he had to respond to emphatic recalls. Mr. J. McGrath was in fine voice, and his singing of ' God save Ireland ' met with the warmest appreciation of the audience, who -insisted on . an encore, to which he responded with ' Off to Philadelphia.' 'Ayour--neen ' was sjing with much taste by Mr. E. Y. Priest, who was also recalled. A most. enjoyable item was the vocal quartet, ' The meeting of^the waters,' by Messrs. A. Binnie, E. Y. Priest, A. L. Alexander, and J. A. Haggitt. St. Joseph's Choir, under the conductorship of Mr. A. Vallis, contributed the ' Spldiers' Chorus ' "(Faust), and ' The dear little shamrock,' in both of which they were highly successful. The accompaniments, which were remarkably well played, were shared by Mrs. J. Woods and Mr. A. Vallis. The concert on the whole was eminently successful, and much of the credit for this result was due to the energetic secretary, Mr. W. P. Rodgers.