The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-01-31 00:00:00

TAB INSTITUTION SOME.

To the Editor.

Sin,—! am rejoiced to tee by a letter inserted in the
Wernotah. Jowmal of Friday last that there is a gentle-
man signing himself " One of the Public" who will
undertake to write musical critiques for the press; and
according to the old saying "one volunteer is worth
two press men," amiss he comes forward without any
party feeling, prejudice, or spleen, as an exponent of
the public visas, and writes fairly and honestly whet
he himself feels to be an accurate exposition of his
knowledge, founded upon artistic experience his
appearance ought to be hailed with delight. I can
therefore understand why he has adopted the rather
anuaual course of criticising • concert given for the
benefit of the institution mainly by amateurs. The
task must have been painful in the extreme; but then
a high sense of moral duty drove all before it—the
desire to benefit music was paramount to any other eon-
idderation. Hence it was that our unknown friend took
upon hirwelf to pees what might have been thought,
under ordinary circumstances, a severe and ill-natured
stricture upon the performers. I cannot help suspecting
that the writer is the possessor of a highly cultivated voice,
and that he was unfortunately overlooked in making
out the programme. This should not have been the
case, and the omission is greatly to be regretted. His
extraordinary powers of discovering minute defects in
others, would be sure to prevent his running into the
same errors himself. Again, will he take charge of the
singing classes he proposes, so that the town may
benefit by his superior mode of training? Taking his
remarks ter attni, he says the choruses were weak and
meagre in the extreme, but would have been improved
by several pianoforte accompaniments, and a few voices
of the Mrs. Sainton Dolby character; but he does not
say where the latter are to be found, nor does he con-
sider that the weak harmonium referred to in his letter
(but which was really a powerful one by Alexandre)
aided by the pianofortes would have still further
drowned the choruses. He admits considerable talent
and purity of tone amongst the solo vocalists, but
regrets that they were deficient in that "indescribable
grace and finish proper to trained singers." But was it
reasonable to expect this from amateurs? I believe I
am correct in stating that the only gentleman singer,
who had undergone a regular course of training under
the guidance of oar talented townsman, Mr. Rooks,
was Mr. Laver, and whose graceful, even if peculiar,
rendering of the celebrated "Di Pescatore" by
Donezetti, which called forth the moat enthniastia and
universal plaudits of anything during the evening, was
styled "a ludicrous performance," and pitted against
the duett, "Flow,on thou shining river," and with which
It had nothing in common. The enunciation of the
principal solo singers likewise comes under " One of
the Public's" notlee. He could not hear the words of
the songs even when aided by • book. Here, I am
afraid, he hu not been provided with a sufficient reason
for bin criticism. Does it not occur to our friend that a
few hearing-trumpets of a cheap kind might hive been
sold with the books, and then even such critics as himself
might be able to ascertain all about "Who shall
be fairest," and feel quite confident upon the point
without falling foul of the singers. It is a well-known
fact, and cannot altogether have escaped the notice of
our friend, that in a densely packed room with 700
people, even with the reverberatory qualities of the
/3eantifu/ Assembly Boons referred to, it is difficult in
all situations to catch every word of a singer,eren should
be or she posse-s the grace and finish all were so deficient
in. Possibly the reverberations might have been too ,
great, and the echo on some future occasion might be
advantageously deadened by carpets on the floor
cushions on the seats, and tapestry on the walls; but I
leave these considerations to the,astute judgment of
"One of the Public." The allnsion to Mr. Brows is
unfortunate. "One of the Public" concludes his letter
by asking, "Why does not Mr. Brown give more of his
business management to the institution?' "Why is it
always in debt r "Why does it leave to others the
task of getting up anything which is acceptable to the
public?" I have not the pleasure of Mr. Brown's
acquaintance, but have heard enough to know that he
has but recently been connected with the institution,
and one of his first acts was to take a leading part in •
movement which has resulted in getting it out of debt.—
I am, Sir, yours truly.
ANOTHER OF THE PUBLIC.
January 24, 1866.