The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-06-14 00:00:00

DORC FIk:STER VnOAL ASSOCIA ITON.

The preliminary session of this ussociation was
bought tq • close on Tuesday evening, by • most WOG..
ful convert In the new Corn Exchange. When the
euciety wee started, the croakers augured all sorts of
difficulties and tei-n:n eollathe within a very limited time,
but three months have mend very agreesbl• by the members,
and, so far am we con Judge, the society proems, reabLyst
1.C.4. In the future, eepecially if it be found pract
resuming next September, to make tee bodies of the nreaciation,
and so npuste the Ire advanced from the more ompetent,
and devote special evenings to each. However, out of the 130
or so all-comers at the beginning of the society, including some
ho could sing, some who were suneptible of training, sal
11011 D, who'e membership was useless, Mr. Boron Smith
succeeded in hanging before the public 0111 Tuesday even-
ing • very creditable chorus. The sopranos and contraltos
hay• had the advanrage of hew asseodeed with several Whey
who arc experienced mundane and they have improved during
the throe months practice to In extent which could ecercely
have been anticipated But the other ran have not the help
of any who are specially skilled, and with men's VOlem there is
naturally more difficulty in rendering them melodioue : the
tensors end butes, t 0,,, are rather limited In number. and It Is to
be hoped that by another season, an our townsfolk who have
any mailed knowledge will Join the tcg.tety. end help balance
the powerful platens of 110111111100. The performs.* ma 'Tues-
day evening wee not a public concert, but was simply even to
afford the subscribers to the nueociation and the friends of the
member, an opportenlty a hearing the progress which had
been made. The society obtained the New Corn Exchange for
the purpose, NW at the upper, d • very Pubsrantlal orchestra
was erected by Mr. Orem/re, with seats tier upon tier for the
singers. We understand that the officers of the amosUtion
have march.s sl the trusses forming the foundation of the
orebertra . that on a future occasion the whole :my be lifted
up at no great that, sad that the Name !ill be available for
others who may be disposed to We it, Here &beet a hundred
of the member, were seated. said the appearance et the fair
vosalisa u-as exceedingly pretty and attractive, the effectivenesss
ef their elegant attire being heightened by theevenlng dram of
the men occupying the upper tiers. Mr. Boyton Smith
occupied the conductor's post in front of the orchestra, and
Mr. A J. Evens was the pi arose a boar itO of a),.were
reserved, and here wc observed most of the faces which are
familm at oinoerle In the town. The perfonuarese opened
with Farrar'''. anthem' Lord for thy tender mercies rake,"
which wes sung with stradines, and a breadth of tone ye, y
gratifying. This W. followed by the first chorus in the Messiah,
"And the Glory the Lord." We hope that another zetuon the
society nem be drungenough and have in Ituranko sufficient
to take open entire oratorio .-say "The Mesdah" " Crestlon,"
which do not prevent great difficulties. The oboe., went eery
wed, yet not without •tinsorousnese end dragging that marred
to NMlse extent the confident and exulting character of the
musk. Considering all things, however, it was a very excel.
lent performance, awl the tenor., who, we beliey e, have been
almost the weakest part at the rehearsal*, sang capitally es •
body althqugh ote-e or lair, there were one or two voice. that
obsioudy require v.oselerably training rather prominently
setriy. A sung d, which surpri.ed and delighted the
•udienth. Mrs. Shaw. of Came, gave "Ti. sing Llid from
lisndel's " SO.111‘s.I1." in s most accompliished manner. She •
rich highly trained ne rano voice, giving II with eau displays
good lute, and singe with amlblence. Nothing could be more
charming than her rendering of this gracefully flowing melody.
and it 1.11/ very heartily eneorad. The chorus next nag Mozart's
" Ave Aerum. 'This is fineunntic, of course but, toour thinking,
tam chromatic in its Oases for performance by any but.
skilled choir. Mr. P. Cross, of Winchester Cathedral, them
gave "The people that walked In darknees" and the pre-
ceding recitative in excelled dyle, and to the gratification
of ell. "Like as the hart," • very pretty quartet
add chorus followed. and w adirdraSly sung. Mrs shays
then gave "Watt her angels" from Ilandel's "Jeptha." This
is • very floe air and !nod trying, hut Mrs. Shaw succeeded in
It beyond our utnnat expectations. and we. vociferously
encored, when she repeated the concluding strain. "Hark
the vesper hymn" followed, by the choir. and though they still
failed to answer promptly to the conductor's beton, the familiar
strains were given with considerable • ffect Mr. Crowe then
song with excellent .eclaination, the grm2d martial air from
J Maocabeis, "Arm, arm, ye brave. The " hllleluJah
shone" from the Mewsiah concluded the first part, sod the choir
were led through it most ably and with much a •ccen. A slight
hitch mused by the trebles keine time In taking upon, of the
sustained phrases •-as alarming, but Mr. Boyle) Smith skilfully
polled them eat of the dfferenia, and the chorus closed
triumphantly. The audience did not stand as Is customary
sshen the "hallelujah chorus" is sung. Some of the old
concert-game were startled at this deputure from the convert-
tional rule, but we are not at all alarmed about it—
there is quite enough conventionalism now left in Dor-
,,beatee. After an interval, the second part was COOl-
- with, The curlew bell" • pretty little part atone that
went capitally. A trio "Queen of the night" was neat sung
by Mra Shaw, Mn. Pavey, an 4 Mn. Crests Mrs. Pave,' las •
race of excellent quality , but she was very nervous, and so
failed to prodece the effect she would otherwise have lone.
If strafe.' part wag," Ah, could Iwlth fancy stray" wsssung unac-
companied, and atm mather faint-hearW opening, went Iv ,
Lai well. Mrs. Shaw then tang beautifully "There sit., bird"
an exquidte composition by Mr. Boyton Smith, and erae loudly
encored, when she very gooduseturedly, ooneklering bow much
she had to sing both in solo and chorus, responded with •
charming ii tie ballad by Hatton, "Her heart wee In her song."
" Forester, mound the cheerful horn" by the choir we, un-
questionably their best performance during the evening. It
was song with a lightness, gradation, and merman gratifying.
The sodium were highly pleas d, and it was re-renands.d
Mr. Cram sang a favourite lithe air, "The bell ringer" very
nicely ; and was followed by the old madrigal "Since fine I
haw your fain." This WY unaccompanied, and was another
entire our scored foe the emaciation. Mrs. thaw then gave
with remarkable effect "The mocking bird" the imitations end
echoes being beautifully rendered. This the long been a aao
d'avueve of our red angers, and ills moat unusual to end an
amateur sing it Do suceeesfully. Mr. Boston Smith's harmonise-
' tion of "nab, trab" was sur g with vivacity and gracefulneas
and plea -urably tickled the ears of the audience. A prett,y
little glee with • Storing melody "Gently touch the warbling
lyre" followed ; it was sung evenly eel sweetly, and elkited
warm applause " The sea rover" 11.11, given by Mr. Cram, with
all the bluff hemliness the subject suggests, and provoked loud
plaudit... A quaintly pletureque °hone. ttoodol. "We are
blind myd we me needy" presented a great rarlatlam in Kyle
from anything previously sting, and it "took" immensely. The
tenors and burs were rather alow in commencing one of their
leads, but otherwise it went capitally ; and on being repeated
on'. dedul would have been so
by general desire, even that little fault was amended. The
Natione Anthem by all present domed the performance. Every-
body Named highly delighted with the concert for very few
!santicipated
er wally shichthat
nl%teed haretheillilli wee "tollaYinintr countett7irtt
coocert,feeling that Indented, eta adulation would not conduce
to the welfare of the &escalation but we are humanely
gratified at the establishment of the society, Its conlinuance,
and anCann, and MTe that every season It may inseam In
interest and Miele to higher musical petition. To Mr. Boron
Smith Doreaster is indebted for what ha. been &Gained and
to Mr. A. J. Evan., who the filled the arduous pt t of accom-
panyist throughout the *them, the thanks of the society are
due. The hon. secretary (Mr. H. W. Hodges) has rendered
eat:eke% service; and the commit:a:l4r whom we have not
heard much) have no doubt ei-ope to ensure the wooer
of the society.

DORSET MINTY SCHOOL
Tbe seventh annual meeting of the Dorset County
School Company (Limited), wee bald at the Gaildhali,
Dorchester, on Thursday afternoon. The Van. Arch-
deacon Sanctuary primaded,and there were present-Toe
Rev. C. W. Bingham, the Rev. Talbot Baker, the Rev.
G. L. Nash, the Re*. Austin-Gourley, the Rev. R.
G. Widen. (Head Matter) Mr. H. B. Middleton, Mr.
0. W. Ferrer, Mr. G. J. Andrews, Dr. Cowdell, Mr.
Norris Roper, and Mr. Monday (Secretary), and Mr.
G. R. Crickmay. (arehiteet).
The minutes of the lad meeting having been read,
approved, and signed,
The CHAIRMAN read the report. The Council pre-
sented • bielanoe sheet, he., about which th.y had to
things to eay—that the items had been very carefully
examined by the auditors and that they had been found
correct. From an accidental cirearnstanee, he had
only just seen them himself and he did not feel equal
to talking about ilium either from knowledge or power
of speecb—(he was ~vidently suffering from a revere
cold and sore throat) but be would ask Mr, Ferrer to
answer any inquiry.
The new buildings, which had been commenced before the
lent annual meeting, arc now nosey completed, end will he
ready f-r the reception of boys at the commencement of the
next half-year. It wee originally intended by the Council to
carry out • porta .n only of the plan aubmitted by the architect.
but after much careful consideration at several meetings called
for the purpme, it was thought desirable to erect a building
linfikient tosincommintate 150 boys,.
Everything co far had been satisfactory in the progress
of the work, and he believed they were very good
buildings. With reference to the payment for them,
that 011414 under tha head "N., Building Pima,»
ko. An iraoarteal atone had been %ado tram kb,
origlard laiotallgo, 15 AOlbm bathgni wolti4 /doom