THE SCOTCH CONCERT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1078, 19 October 1883, Page 2

THE SCOTCH CONCERT.

, [By Carlib Doddy.] We twa hae run aboot the braes, And pu’d the gowans fine ; But seas between us wide hae rowed . Since Auld Lang Syne. The Scotchman never becomes a cosmopolitan. He may try to persuade himself that he does, but if he has been born in the “ land o’ cakes ” and felt “his foot upon his native heath,” such self persna sion will ever be self decepti >n, and every skirl of the pipes that does not pierce his ears as it pierces those of a Southron will show him that he is still a. Scotchman at heart. The whole history of his country shows him that love for the land that bears the Scot is the most enduring love in the Scotchman’s bosom. This failing is nowhere made more palpable than in the colonies. In the old country, where the pipes are familiar, and kilts common, a piper or a kilted man would pass without any notice at all, but in the colonies when the pibroch sounds, or the kilted Highlander passes, the Scotchman feels something reminding him of earlier days, and his heart warms whether he will or not. To this feeling, and to this almost alone, may be attributed the success of such gatherings as our local Scotch Concert, It is, as is well known, got uo annually under the auspices of the Caledonian Society, and for the last four years the annual festivity has been an u> qualified success. From a purely musical point of view it would be easy perhaps t-> put a far better programme in order than is usually arranged by the .conductor cf the concert, but then it would be necessary to step beyond the rigid Scottish lines, and when that is once done the Scotch concert would immediately begin to loose its charm. It is a well-known fact that to attend this concert whole families come many miles, strong co tingents rolling up from the mouths and from the sources of the Rakaia and the Rangitata (the rivers that bound the county, from all al ng the base of the Southern Alps, and from all along the seaward boundary. Can the concert in such circumstances by any possibility be a failure? Why, yesterday a procession of buggies, headed by a four-in-hand, drove into town in the afternoon, and deposited quite a crowd of Scotchmen from the Methven and A Lord Forest districts, and it was an interesting study to a man who knows the county to mark the faces in the hall and noie, the districts from whence they hailed. Columns on this subject could be written did space permit, but the concert itself now demands notice. The most noteworthy feature of the 1833 gathering was the almost complete change that had taken place in the per-

foimvs Hitherto local talent has supplied the items, and supplied it well; but though the work of the old singers and dancers is not in any way undervalued or unappreciated, “ changes are lichtEome,” and changes were made. The first item, however, never appears to change, and Piper Tolnre plays his opening “ pibroch ” as he always does, with force and effect. The Scotchmen here always give her Majesty the first place of honor and sing her anthem first This year they gave it with royal honors, the Highlanders saluting with drawn swords. The whole of the kilted men and toys, all the pipers, and all the vocalists were, on the stage, and after the four little lads in tartan who occupied the front row had giv°n the claymore salute with considerable effect the vocalists, led by Miss limes, of Timaru, sang the Queen’s anthem. Then came the first dancing item. This was contributed by the four sons of our lied veteran Highland dancer—Mr J. W, Mcßae—Donald, John, James, and “wee Rhodle. ” The lads danced very gracefully the Highland fling, doing it together in excellent time, and delighting the hearts of those in the audience who were “ fowk frae hame.” The adult dancers then gave a reel, Messrs Murray, Wright, Macgregor, and Macqueen forming the set, and Mr Mcßae taking supervision. Later in the evening Mr Murray, jun., the Dunedin dancer, and Mr Macgregor, from Christchurch, performed “ Seauntreus” and the “ Highland fling,” while Master Donald Mcßae and his brother (Wee Rhodie) gave respectively “ Ghiliie callutn ” and the ‘ Highland fling.” It would be difficult to say which took best with the audience, for vociferous applause followed the performance of each. The pipe music was supplied by Messrs Campbell, Macqueen and Mackay, and seemed to stir up the Scottish blood greatly. Not the least attractive part of the programme was the reel and strathspey playing of tha Kyle violin party. This year the party had been reinforced by the presence amongst them of Mr James Jamieson, of Wakanui, and the Messrs G. and J. Louden and Limbie have to be congratulated on the acquisition they have gained in him. Mr Uter Hoskins of course was there with his baas vial, who male his presence pleasantly felt. Tha lively lilts of this little party of strathspey players made heels and toes itch to trip, and the applause given was of the heartiest. The vocal work fell into the hands of Mrs Branson, and Misses Innes and Allison, and Messrs Branson, Thomas and J. Mcßobie. Mrs Branson sang to a crowdeJ audience for the first time, and the songs she selected were two that never fail to touch a .-coltish heart—“ Auld Robin Gray” and “The Rowan Tree.” She has to be complimented on her success with both efforts and the express! n of soft tenderness which she threw into her singing had its due weight with the audience, who felt, especially in the latter song, the softer strings of their hearts deeply stirred. Miss Innes is a lady who has already made her name in the Timaru district as an exponent of Scottish songs, and her reputation has been well ear ei. She sang the rousing patriotic song, “Here’s a health bonnie Scotland to thee,” and received an encore that could not be denied. Her encore song was “ Wee Jonkydaidles,” a song, the words of which were put together by an Edinburgh printer named Mr James Smith, the “ pawkiest” of pawky Scotchmen. They are descriptive of a cottar mothers talk about her “ wee lassie,” and are full of a strange mixture of pride in the possession of such a little girl, affectionate scolding at her little childish improprieties, yet showing almost every feelmg of a young mother’s heart. Here is a verse—

Wee Jonkydaidles ! Wha’s sae tried as me ? See, the kettles doon at last: Wal’s me for my tea. Oh, it’s angersome atweel. An’ sune’ll mak’ me grey. My verra heart gaes lowp, lowp. Fifty times a day. In the second part she sang “ Af.on water,” and was here successful in placing before the audience an excellent rendering of a song, in the singing of which Scotch ears are difficult indeed to please. In response to an encore, she showed the versatility of her powers by giving a song through which runs a vein of quiet dry humor, jwhich was not without its due effect on the audience, who applauded gleefully at every “point” of the old version of “ Thera grows a tonnie briar bush in oor kaii yaird,” Miss Allison, a young lady from Christchurch, sang “ Theauld Scotch sangs,” and “ Scotland yet,” to both of which she did ample justice, and both were highly appreciated. Mr Branson’s laurels are as green as ever, and his grand rendering of the now declamatory now weirdly wailing music of the “ Macgregor’s gathering ” never seems to pale. He simply acknowledged his encore, as he also did in the second part, whore he sang with his usual force “ Flora Macdonald’s lament,” Mrs Branson and Mr John Larabie rendered very sweetly the duet “O, wert thou in the cauld blast ” —Burns’ words to Mendelsohn’s music. The old Jacobite song “ The hunder pipers ” was given by an effective glee party, Miss Ipnes singing the solo part in good style. The humorous element was not wanting—-Mr David Thomas was in his element in the “Laird o’ Oockpen” and “Jenny’s Bawbee.” Whatever country or colony may claim to be the birthplace of Mr Thomas, Scotchmen who heard him sing last night have no hesitation in claiming him as “ane o’ oorsels,” and the applause they gave him showed they were proud of him. As an encore he read Minister Macknock’s address to his congregation against being “ aye drinking,” and caused much amusement. Mr Mc'Jobie also contributed a humorous song, in character “ Wee Johnnie Clark,” and was applauded. Mrs Branson accompanied the vocalists, with one exception, and performed a moat difficult and arduous task with the most perfect satisfaction. It would be impossible to say how many people were in the hall, certainly not so many as last year, the wet night of course preventing that, but the gross takings of the night’s work was about LOO. A ball was held afterwards, and between 200 and 300 people were present, music being supplied by the Brass Band and by the pipers.