SUNDAY CONCERTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 4

SUNDAY CONCERTS.

„,'?! r '"~, T ,' lo firs t point to bo noticed about liingfls' letter is the manifest evidence that it lias for its author not an interested citizen, but a jealous ' musician, iho noin-de-plume is ton thin a. veil to conceal the animus that runs through the whole letter. Its charges arc definite; the "Sunday evening orchestra plays for lure throughout Die week, it is nctuhtrd m its Sunday effort bv a desiro for pecuniary gain, and not by the wish to elevate Iho musical taste of the people of Wellington. Tlio wish of the uiminitleo to reserve seats for a certain number' of peoplo is not prompted by tie desiro to cover the expenses, but to make money tor tlio performers. In reply, the Sunday Orchestra, as constituted on Sundays, is not, and never has been, available on a week day; no memwis have ever• received anv remuneration for his or Iter work, and not sufficient monetary payment to cover out-of-pocket expenses for the three vonrs tliev have struggled for existence. 'Tho only desire of tho committee in reqnestin* permission to reserve a small block of seats is to provido for the members of tho otchestra, as a slight recompense for their, voluntary services, seats for their friends. Jiingos letter is-a sad example of tho length professional jealousy will lend men into, and if its authorship was generally known, its influenco would bo null and void. I cannot express my disgust that when tho members of a profession who are all too poorly paid for exhaustive labour, and who give up their Sunday leisure and place their talent at tho disposal of tho citizens in an honest enthusiasm for their art, instead of their generosity earning the gratitude of the people, they receive as their reward the contemptible treatment they have been subject to at the hands of anonymous writers liko "Bingo." I am etc., ORCHESTRA.