The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-03-22 00:00:00

THE LATE "MESSIAH " PERFORMANCE.

To The Motor.
Stn,—ln your esteemed publication of the 4th inst. it is
stated that the band included " toast of the beet amateur
instrumentalats of the town," but thie, I think, must be
a mistake, inalmueli as most, if not the whole of the
amateur instrumentalist' who ire competent to play
orchestral 1111141 C belong to the wo,mouth Orcheetral
Association, not one of whom. I believe, did play, although
certain inembere, including myself. were waked to do so.
Instead. howev" r. of applvinz in the usual way to our
"misty for the required easittance, it was done in a manner
we retail tered celculated ta Of ace in the present, if not to
de.troy our organisation in the future.
This we could scarcely consent to. I was therefore
desired to point this out to the Drat iris's sccretary, and
requested an explanation of the courae adopted as rogaris
the members and to tepid( so the leader. Ni answer was
given to the paints reised, or even an acknowledgment,
but two months later on a ticket of admission to the
concert, market "Complimentary," was sent me.
I need scarcely add that it was impomible under the
circumstance' to make US3 of it. and it was returned to
I the conductor with • communieation, a copy of which I
: beg to enclose for insertion should you think it worth
while. I also enclose a copy of the letter sent to the
secretary in December laat upon the sense subject, from
which it will he seen that there wee ample time to have
made an answer to us in a more satisfactory manner it
there was any desire to do so, and that none whatever
should have been inanifiet.d I feel is much to bs rear-tied,
at the rea,,lt I. ttor say to w den rather than iliminith
an estrancemer.t that .itight cover to have been allowed to
take place.—l aro, your ohedbmt servant.
.1. P. Cou.srr,
Leader of the Weyrnoutti Orchemrel Association.

Weymouth, December 29th, IMO
Dna Sle.—.l beg to mato Arledge receipt ul your letter
In reference to your propose I cone.rt, ind trust I Jule
appreciate the compliment of asking ms to play in the
or:hest:a. S-wine, however. that I am, and have long
been the le,rier of the only orliestra in toe slice, I ehould
b•eiito en til4Polo.l t • regart be invitati.in as a Ilk • f
the festive sea, n. het biro learnt while knorine our
nieuitiers ae sic, to, an at mit h to been male to ill tiCh
them individuilly fr mu the im.l.ority f Voir ieeepted
leader. It in ly not he nut of ol em to at i•;• brittle the
circumstances which called our 0 choral S ...Me into
existence. It I. well known that sand and initr &mental
bo.lies will not blend satisf oror lei 'i irut joit.t practice,
and even when fun to are arm mill for the emp'ortieut of
extraneous professional aid, it is well known th.it sinateor
voial members are disconcerted and disturbed rather mien
as4sted by "scritth binds." Apart from VA., a cii
societies cannot sustain the mast of ouch pridentorial
assistance, and exporience hi. proved Weemouth ti le
no exception to the rule. Whit I cam, to the pl ci I
fount ICI Vocal SOOetY in is it Ai of la ikrittitty, attn.
hilted mainly to this cause, and ao there was no n, etas
who wield or M.M1.1 take t. e maiter in band,! allowed
myself to he pressed into the service, and set about, at
no small cost of time and pain., to organic • ist.d work up
mach • local hoed as would render us independent of
professions) aid aul eispease—in hand, in shore, which we
might, as Weymouth:ans, look upon with a little feeling
of WWI VA our own. TO. fleet thing we did was to get
the Visial Society out of debt, and it w• I generally
adinitt.l that cur mire clement kept it going tor three
seasons, when. however, it was decided to wind it up (and
there were no rail croon& for toil). The intrumentai.ei
were kept tognthir under my leadership es the 'Wry-
mouth Orchestral Assoriattiv," for the trimmer of givinir
concortil for your equitable iostitution.. Of the mer:ts of
our hand I need soy little, Mace their lehouts have been
Invariably apprviiitel ly crowde4 audience', with a maxi
flaxen, to your anti... Having regard, then, to this,
circumstances I cannot hut feel in cowmen with my
colie.,g,e, with whim I have conferra I, that any such
application for &politest*, shiml4 have been addresi•l to
the Orchestral Society.
I am desired tw its mentlrow In iutimits that the woirso
adopted is considered anything hut sat 'factory to thou.
R,lves, coil! shell he real if you will kindly extiain why
in palpable and unproveAsi • alight lass been put upon
Yours, truly,