THE POSPITAL CONCERT.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 25, 25 January 1879, Page 2

THE POSPITAL CONCERT.

The entertain. nem given m aid of the Palmerston Hospital Fund m»s by far the greatest succe.*** of any thing ever attempted before, and drew together the most numerous aud.ence which has been yet seen m the Foresters' Hall. The whole arrangements were uuder the management of Alcgsr*. Aim-get ts and Pirani, and while the former dovoied hi* al tent ions to the decoration of the stage, the" supplying of scenery, and other necessaries which have hit herto been a drawnack ; tbe latter spared no pain* to make the concert oomuicrciull.*. and financially a success. That they succeeded none will found to quest iori, for as the curtain went up, a look ot amazement was visible upon the count enauces of the re-: gular pjiirous ot such amusement, who were not prepared for such a Iran. formation. Die scenery was arranged m a most artislii; manner a most agreeai-le looking background having been substituted for the stock kitchen scenery which lias done duty so long, while to be m keeping with the surroundings, a large num .er of flower pot* wit h hot-hou*»e plant* were arranged m a most atrrtictive and picturesque manner. Die programme opened wiifif i* piano solo, ",The Last Ro.-o of Summer," by Moits. Caion. wnivh Was executed m a most masteily manner, tlie light nes* and rapidity of his touch and the ueauty of the variations,, exciinig general Hdmiration and- demonstrative applause. Beto.e commencing to speak as to the individual merit* of the different items presented, we might take occasion to *"ay a tew words as to the silly custom ot publishing a programme without submitting tne name* oi the person* who take part m it. By such a course the difficulty of writing a notice is materially increased, and tlie only way to avoid sameness and repatitioii m referring to. '" tiie lady who sang t iii*, w or "' the lady who played that," is lo act upon the presumption that as they did noty wish their names to be made public, they wouldbe equally anxious I hat all reference to thciit d.-iould be avoidel — .i desire Wirieh hitherto we ha»e religiout-ly respouted. Ou TliUrsday, however, too manner iv which the various item's on the programme were rendered causes us to depart lro.u our usual custom, as we feel that, iv making some marked mention we are only carrying out the Wishes oi the audience, who showed their appreciation m *o unmisiakeaole a oiaiiner. Toe serio-comic *oug, or more properly speaking, national ballad— •'• Beware how you tread on 'hi* tail," was delivered iv a very spirited manner, altnough we must say we have heard I he same gemleuiau to belter adfauiage before; nut we are inclined to think that the fault lay not ao much with the vocalist a* with the iusirumeiiialist, the voice ot the singer being at times quite lost. Tne pleasing Irish ballad," Kathleen Alivourtieeu," wa* given witn judgment, leering and pathos, admirably stilted i o the plaimive nature of the word*. It was listened to with pleasure, and at -its conclusion the l*dy was, a_ sue deserved to be. loudly applauded. The spirited song— "' Now, my courage," was not given m anything like tbe manner m whicn the singer might have rendered it, locking tire, vigor, and volume. When we s.iv itns^ we do -tot mean to insinuate that it "was by any means a failure. Far lroni it. But knowing the -eapaoihtie* of the gentleman, it i* a mattterdor regret it was,not the siicce ? s it might have beeii, tire, effect being considerably marred by a. nervous twit otiiug .o>- tne body, and a haoit of beating time iii a very marked inaiinur with the nlusic. However, ihe same gentleman made autplo amends for hi* defects later on in -'tiie evening by hi* very effective Tender-. in*» of " Tne i»cuth of iscisoii," which was everything that eoul ' ">tf nesired. Die pretty diu't^ " Friendship," was given m c.ipithil style ny two young ladies, the voices bleu ling 'together moat harmoinou-sly, aud it is to oe regretted that it was the only vocnl duoit oi the evening-, tor we ieol quite sur*i f.atthe audience would have oeeti weil pltfitsed to have seen them again ou the proygramme. Tue comic soug— ' Abyssiutau ij.ld," was most 3ide-*plilViag m its eccentricities, and ult hough the singer is perhaps the b->st known young genilemau m Palmerston— particularly amongst tjie ladle*— so 'well was the enaracier inideup that his identity was as great a riddle to the hair sex" a_.is the Sphynx to arciußjlogists. JLit.ile they thought that wrapped up m the disguise of a disreputable old scouu t'rel was none other than--'— but we rligre***. Trittj patiietic ballad " Icounot. mind my wheel, mother," wu* giveu wu-h v-jre.it i-aalCj mil its effect was 'slightly marred by the i)ervuti*-.' . übs* of t he lady. * St ill it wa* very eo'iviiuang"" eridenee ot w-nut tiie singer could do. The tianjo s-do and characteristic song was uorouriou<ly applauded by tlie U-ods, m whicn even the select portion of ihe audience Joined. Tha, next item, '* Why do sitmiier-i "roses fade?" cenainlv snared witn **_alhieen iVl;»vourn-.*eti " the honor* of the evenI i«|g.iu ti»c vo-al line j. fur altiiougojwa navfc [ heard the *a--ue lady ou many- iKoasiooi?,: t^wver to. 6Uuii- advuaiuge..a* o*«-jCi»ui*ayUv t evei_»ng. Perhaps i tie gre»ii ••*••; tretk- oT t lie:;j te,*/eiung was >» piaiM»'S-.*li_.e^ra;h^^ ||^r?b.^c"kfciioii^;in*t*f^^ <n ""'-<J-i.uK"! f p.jric," \v hiuii wiw exe.-.Mi •**" 1 -.njiiib ai»»ease ' mil finish for wipciv the audieiice wara not | prepared, evidencing that the .pei-torntei- [ A-ai a -ii'lial-cd uLuvo'.'-ift. -*.:• >' : ~^ u..i-ai;'d

-musical treaty and if the appreciative man>>uer m whicli'n was received be any yinij^i^ men it was one' of the most- enjoyable item*on tue programme. Air. ATirgeft* followedwith t lie motto song, * One »torj ia ifooil"---ull tit* otlieir is- told,' '.laYbye; piay being ii'i:e*isut.le, showing that he i# yet at thsT" top or his proiesaion as a Continue. "V?lieirhe.had coriciudeoV the applause was almostdeafeuiiig, and iv response he gave, m mo*t hu_orour_t*_*;- '• The Five-o'clock 'Bus*," which it possible excelled his first effort.and fairly brought down the house. _? hie orought the first part. of^he p**pgwnn^t*7--a close, the second opening "wit h t^UuUJ* fully-executed set of Iri*ih quadriileti ; Thr" modtdil*ic_t-recitatiou' " : The Burial Marejr or Bonnie Dundee," if not fault les* iriit£ v delivery,- vmr certainly d.»erving "of the-highest-commendation." arid' the ,I'iwt t"_t'' tiie recitor, iii answer to an encore, deltTeredf* one ol a very-, different character, is proof q Of the genileman** versaiilityr A ;burl©*qi»r * parody- iTpofi- the- *ong "J Come Home, J?*-., tlier," by _Tr: Mtfrjgett*, followed by .*[ ui usical gem, ," Home,. Sweet Homii,* 5 ' w^fir. trunsposiiiottr specially arranged by J-fonsV Calon, brought the Be*cbiid portion ;^ llSjf--entertainment to a close, and we mu*t **y? that it would have been ' well had it endecfr the programme. Instead", it was followed" by H-; negro farce,- ent if led tT A "G4m-*» -ia. : * ; Pawn Shbj),"v#hich, not withstanding the Vf- • .' . forts of two of those taking part m it, ebuldf/ y not be' saitt to be a success: However-,. th«* : audience could well afford to be forbeJ»rihjj* with any little- deficiency after th*attr~f« tive treat of which fchey'/ha'd "piirtnkeni aricf--'. we feel convinced each one went home """ulljjr ' satisfied*,.that the «*oriMrt:of'THuV»ifcry*<"_the most successful ever giveri'ihXPaYmer** ston. During one of the intervals his Worship, on behalf of t he-Hospital Committee, took occasion to t hunk those , present-for their pa 1 ron age, intimating that, funds for* the inst it utioii . _w_ere_jiueh , needed'/ arid h_r was happy to say that froui the rimnber present there was every likelihood" of. tW sum m hand being larirplv augmented.. .