PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2338, 21 December 1914, Page 8

PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA

PRESENTATION TO MR. HERBERT BLOY. Tlie regard in ivhich Mr. Herbert Bloy is held as conductor of the Wellington Professional Orchestra was demonstrated at- a pleasant little gathering in tho Masonic Hall at which, thcprcsident, the Hon. A. L. Ilerdraan, presided. In the course of a graceful speech, Mr. Herdman referred to the excellent work the orchestra was now doing. Ho did not pretend-to have an accurate knowledge of rniieic, but he had sufficient musical sense to know that the orchestra was' doing real good l work, aaid others more competent to judge than himself had endorsed that opinion. What he would like ,to ask the members of. the orchestra, was: how much of this was due to Mr. Bloy ? Ho thought a very great deal was. due to their conductor, and knew very well that the members were of that opinion. To mark their appreciation of his services. now they had arrived at the end l of the season, In? as the medium of tho orchestra asked Mr. Bloy to accept as a,token of tlieir esteem'for his capacity as a conductor and their regard for him personally,, a very handsome framed photograph, of the members of the orchestra, and in doing so he wished Mr. and Mrs. Blov a, happy Christmas and many happy Mw Years. (Applause.) Sir. Bloy, in reply], sketched the history of the orchestra from, the time he arrived here from Auckland, where he had not been given a chance. They wero then playing indifferent music, but he believed the orchestra to be capable of better ivork if put to the test. They had now arrived at the symphony — ! the highest form of orchestral music—and believed' that they -would be able to play even more difficult symphonies than the one —Schubert's "Unfinished" —which was played at their last concert. Mr. Bloy paid a tribute to Mr. and Mrs. John Prouse M and Messrs. Wm. and Oliver Prouse, whose interest in the orchestra had proved to bo the' turning point to success, to the Messrs. Fuller, who had. placed His Majesty's Theatre at' their disposal, and to the Press. Mr. Bloy' said that during the last year the public had come to suspect that the orchestra was worth hearing, and instead of six "gaining admittance for sixpence, only five in now. Some day, -when the King of Denmark, eame and heard them, the orchestra would be endowed with two or three thousand pounds, and they would all be happy. (Applause and .laughter.) He thanked tho orchestra for the way they had taken him on trusty from the first, for their blind devotion ever .since, and for tho handsome . memento they had presented him with. (Applause.) During tlie evening Miss Castlo, Messrs. Hamilton Hodges, and S. L. Exton sang, Mr. Gilchrist played a violin solo admirably, and Mr. John Vitetta played a harp solo. The gathering, which took place round a supper table, -was ' exceedingly enjoyable throughout. '