THE DUNEDIN CHORAL SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 3675, 2 December 1874, Page 3

THE DUNEDIN CHORAL SOCIETY.

To the Editor. ' Slß,—What ails the Dunedin Choral Society ? I fear it is suffering from some constitutional weakness, or, if this is not the secietof its apparent rapid decline, it must have contracted seme serious ailment which has become chronic. The Society has now been in unopposed operation for some three ye sis, and last night placed some thirty-nine performing members on its platform. There were eleven sopranos, two contraltos, eleven tenors, seven bassos, six instrumentalists, the pianist, and the conductor. And this is the remit of the Choral Society’s endeavor to develop and cultivate a tas-to for good music in Ganelin. Wh.it a lame and impotent conclusion to three years’ labors ! Thirtynine pet form- rs brought together to represent the musical talent of Dunedin. Why the Volunteer ■ rtillery Band musters nearly as many. Certainly the Society has contrived to make its concerts a fashionable resort ; and to do the f. w performing members justice, the concerts of the Society are general y very enjoyable. The performance of “The Prodigal Son” last night, considering the very peculiar character of the music, the small number of singers and the weakness of tbe band, was on the whole very good. But I do not consider the Choral Society has done its work by drawing the “elite of Dunedin ” to its concerts, and getting a handful of performing membeis to sing some good music passably well, it should make, it should by this time have made, the society and i's practice and concerts popular. It should have drawn together the musical talent of Dunedin. It should by this time have had four times the performing members that last nij.ht sang, “ The Prodigal Hon.” Why has it not done this ? It is nob that there is no musical talent in tbe city. The Congregational Church musters a pretty fair choir ; it was represented at the < horal Concert last night by its conductor (Mr Little) and one soprano. The First Church has a numerous choir ; so far as I know it sent only a single member to the concert. Knox Church cheir sent three or four ; I don’t know one who was there from the large singing class at St. Andrew’s Church, to say nothing of the choir of St. Joseph’s, which was also. I believe, wholly unrepresented. One hardly ever sees a new face on the platform, hut one is constantly mi-sing old ones. Only fancy the Dunedin Choral Society singing an Oratorio with two contraltos, one lady and one gentleman. .-'.II honor, I say, to those two, who seem to be tbe forlorn hope of the Society ; but why is this thus ? Can any - one tell, or can anyone do better?—suggest a means by which this miserable condition of things can be altered for the better, and the Choral Society be made as popular as it should be ?—I am, &c., Crotchet. Dunedin, December 2,