UNKNOWN

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume I, Issue 91, 16 July 1873, Page 3

UNKNOWN

TO TUB BDIXOB.

Sib, —I think your musical critic ia rather too severe in estimating gratuitous performances of amateurs in aid of public institutions. 1 presume, from the style of composition, that your correspondent “ Terpsichore” ia the parent of the last two articles. In the first one, he attributed what applause I received to numerous friends of mine who attended the concert purposely to encourage me, at the same time remarking that it was painful to listen to an amateur’s rendering of a song which Mario and Sims Beeves had ren* dered famous. It must have been painful only to an exquisite critic like " Terpsichore,” for it was clearly not painful to the audmnee, who loudly encored the song. But iu respect to the last performance, I think the remarks throughout are of an extraordinary character, commencing with a depreciatory comparison between that performance and previous brilliant exhibitions, in which, 1 have reason to believe, “ Terpsichore” was a prominent performer; and afterwards, when this learned critic alludes to your bumble servant, he can only describe him os “ one of the people,” meaning, I suppose, one of the common people, to which class “ Terpsichore” does not belong. My impression is that ” Terpsichore,*’ in claiming exemption from the " people ” class, can do so with perfect justice on the ground of stupidity and vulgarity, for, in an after part of the critique, he gives the highest applause to a "gentleman and lady,” whom ho describes as having " sung well.” My opinion is, that ” Terpsichore” should have waited for others to describe him asa "gentle* man,” either by merit of manners, antecedents, or mental acquirements.—l am, Ao.,

Thomas Whittaker.