Mr W. H. Jude

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 40, 20 September 1892, Page 2

Mr W. H. Jude

The Invereargill Tunes says : — Then came the event of the evening — Mr W. H. Jude's selections on the harmonium. The hush that fell upon the audience as he sat down to the instrument showed that they expected something out of the ordinary groove, and was in itself a compliment of no common order. Their expectations were not disappointed — Mr Jude's fantasia on Scotch airs was at once a delight and a revelation. Opening with 11 Auld Robin Gray, " he passed on to 11 Weel may the Keel Row, " and then gave the marching past of a Highland regiment, initiating the bagpipes, fifes, and drums, and the measured tramp of the soldiers in a wonderful realistic manner — this by way of prelude to " The Campbells are coming. " As they listened enthralled to the martial notes growing louder and louder as the troops drew, or were made to draw nearer, the audience would not have been greatly surprised had the kilted warriors strode across the stage — had the Campbells appeared in full blast. But they were not allowed to halt, and the gradual dying away of bagpipes and drums and the fainter tramp of the men was as cleverly done as their introductiou. The whole performance stamped Mr Jude as an instrumentalist of rare ability, and at the close of it he received quite an ovation, the enthusiasm of his bearers finding vent in cheer after cheer.