The Press. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 16, 1895. MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9238, 16 October 1895, Page 4

The Press. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 16, 1895. MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

The long-talked-of project of a Musical Festival in Christchurch promises at length to take practical shape and become accomplished fact. Mr. Thos. Garrard has formulated the main outlines of a scheme and placed his proposal before the members and subscribers of the Musical Union and the musical public generally. Upon

their verdict the whole question depends. If the scheme is taken up with enthusiasm and the enthusiasm nnis expression in sovereigns, success is assured. If anyone can " run " a festival here it is Mr. Gabraf.d ; he has had his finger, so to speak, upon the musical pulse of the community for years; he knows exactly to "what quarters to look for talk and criticism and depreciation; he knows equally -well where to turn for hearty support and ready dollars. His enthusiasm in the cause of music is limited only by his strong business instincts and practical experience. If the replies to the circulars sent out, inviting an expression of opinion, ba found sufficiently favourable to induce the promoters to proceed, the success is a certainty. Mr. Garrard and tha Committee of the Musical Union, who have already pledged their cordial j support, may be safely trusted, once they decide on action, to act with such judgment, capacity and zeal as will put failure out of the question. j The proposal, in brief, is this— That a Musical Festival be held in September or October, 1896; that there shall be five concerts, four choral and one orchestral; that the services of the best vocalists in the colonies be obtained, so far as funds will permit, and that outside instrumentalists be engaged to increase the orchestra to Festival strength. The financial details given in the circular show that the practical difficulties of the question have been carefully considered. The present subscribers to the Musical Union, who number 250, will bo asked to forego the five concerts, with three tickets for each, which constitute the ordinary season, in lieu of one ordinary concert at the end of the year, and ten tickets for the festival concerts, that is to say, they will receive in all thirteen concert tickets for the season instead of fifteen. On the other hand they are asked to subscribe 303 instead of a guinea. Most of them, we doubt not, will agree that this is a fair and liberal proposal, and that nine shillings extra expenditure is a cheap price to pay for such a musical carnival as we are promised. The promoters' estimate of 200 subscribers on these terms —representing an attendance of 400 at each concert, and a revenue of £300— we believe to be well within the mark. In addition it is proposed to issue season tickets for five concerts at 17s 6d, 12s 6d, and 7s 6d for the three classes of seats ; and on an estimate of 200 of each class this will produce £375. Thus, assuming an average attendance jof 1000 persons, the festival should | realise £675. The seating capacity of the hall is close on 1500 ; we may expect a large influx of country visitors during the festival; and it is fair to predict a "boom in music." We are quite of opinion therefore that the estimate of income is far from being rosecoloured. Christchurch has proved this year that, hard times or no, it has got enough to --boom" an Industrial Exhibition beyond the most sanguine hope of success. And if an Exhibition this year why not a Festival next ? We believe the scheme will answer admirably. We could have wished, it is true, that the project at the outset was the joint work of all the musical organisationsin Christchurch, and not of the Union alone. But it was the failure of all attempt's at combined efforts that frustrated the scheme some four years ago ; and if we wait for unanimity among musicians a musical festival will be as vaguely distant as the millennium. But although all the societies as such may not at the outset take part in the scheme, we have no doubt that all our best musicians and vocalists will individually lend it their heartiest support. If there is one item we are inclined to question in the estimated expenditure, it is the £50 set down for outside instrumentalists. This will not go very far. We should say that at least as much money must be spent on increasing the orchestra as on importing soloists. Efficient players in the orchestra can doubtless be secured for a much smaller fee than good soloists, but we want many of them before it can fairly be said the orchestra has been brought up to a " festival strength."

As to the details of the scheme these can doubtless be settled without difficulty at a later stage. We are not in love with the idea of holding the Festival in the Opera House; but if report speaks truly as to the financial results of the Industrial Exhibition, it is just possible Christchurch may boast an Industrial Hall before another year is passed, and no better way could be found of inaugurating it than by the Musical Festival. The prices suggested for the season are not, of course, what are usually called --popular.'' Nothing over a shilling is popular now-a-days. And such a festival should be something more than a musical treat for musical connoisseurs; it should have an educative effect also on public taste, and to that end should be more accessible to people of smaller means. We quite see, however, that, with tho limited accommodation at our disposal and the large expenditure, lower prices are out of the question, but the difficulty can, and we believe will be, met by repeating one, or perhaps two, of the concerts on the intermediate nights at " prices for the million." On this question perhaps the replies to the circulars may have something to say. We shall await with interest, too, the result of the plebiscite invited on the list of works proposed to be performed. It should prove an interesting indication of the taste of the community in matters musical. But the most practical and valuable test is the financial one: how many will subscribe the 30s for the season? and how many will help to make up the guarantee of £300 asked for'? We sincerely hope the response may be a3 cordial and generous as the project deserves; and that the Musical Festival of '96 may be the beginning of a series of triennial, br, at least, quinquennial, festivals that will make Christchurch the musical metropolis of the colony.