ROMAN CATHOLIC CONCERT, CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1433, 8 September 1881, Page 2

ROMAN CATHOLIC CONCERT, CAMBRIDGE.

No entertainment can ever be termed fully successful unless the audience is as numerically good as the constituent parts of the programme are acceptable and well rendered. In both respects therefore it may with certainty be said the concert which was given in the Cambridge Public Hall on Monday evening last to assist in furnishing the new Catholic Presbytery, was a success, the spacious building being filled to excess with a respectable and appreciative audience, and the various musical contributions of the evening being choice and entertaining. Some few weeks ago when the building above referred to was approaching completion, how it was to be suitably furnished became the next consideration, and to provide the necessary funds for this object, a few ladies, Mesdames Madigan, Brennau, McVeigh, H. Kerr, R. Kerr, and Miss M. Doran bethought themselves of having a concert, it being the easiest and least onerous way of raising the necessary funds. To realise the anticipations which they had awakened as to the quality of their programme the committee spared neither pains nor expense in procuring the best obtainable talent both in the district and out of it- And we think that all those who spent last Monday evening — and Tuesday morning — in the Cambridge Public Hall, will agree in saying that a better programme could not well have been devised. Indeed many were the coueratuJations bestowed on Miss Doran, who apparentlj was the sole executive officer of the committee, for the excellent order in which matters eventuated. And it is but proper that such congratulations should be endorsed here. The Rev. Father O'Gara ocoupied the chair ; and M* Bell who> always manifesto a generous readiness in matters of this kind, conducted the musical part of the proceedings. A musical overture with two pianos, clarionei, and har« moniutn, played by MissWation, 'Messrs Bell, Johnson,. ah£ Sfewjttfr, opened "the proceedings. , The , mu,sic was from Mozart's Gloria, Twelfth Mass, and was given in' good' time and harmony. The opting glee by the. company was ijexfc &6tte througli, aria was followed by Miss Swan's" 'rendering 'of that' ch'arminj^'old ' melody, ".Jgiftqaey."- :This contribution was rewarded, by an encore, in respond;- '

, : $& to which Miss Swan sang " Old Ireland, you're my Darling," a song which it is needless to say was warmly recoiveJ. Mr fl. W. Moore's " Maid of Athens" being rendered in brilliant style, was received with much warmth, and was followed by the rendering of " Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep," by Mian Phillips. This lady possesses a powerful voice which she oan utilise to great advantage}; rBonr 8ong r rSoeiving 1 an encore, she repoated.theflast verse. •' I'm , ttiilajf riend-te, you r^iear Tom>" was- ably sang by Mr Trewheellar,and well rendered. Certainly i&ni &i tile most fohahnidfg contribution* of tlie eVenin^ was "The Two Cousins^' a_duet sing* by , Mjsaes, jGrey ,and Martin. As neither of these young ladtes£(as ever appeared in public before, credit is due themfor the.artistio manner in which their duet' was rendered on this 1 occasion, hating mastered their individual parts thoroughly. • Mrs Madlgan then, contributed "Thy Pace," a charming song, which was greeted with in rich and deserving applaufe, having been feelingly rendered and with excellent 1 effect. ' Mr Jjtsrgs, a well known Cambridge amateur, did full justice to " Man^o'-War's-Man," a capital song and well adapted to hit voice. In response to an encore he sang " We Meet Again," which was also weU received. Succeeding this was an injifctfgK mental duet on the harmonium nfcjttT piano by Mona. Cfclon, and it,^jJ!£a masterpiece of music .capitally executed, and equally well received. Miss Finch's Rong, " A Dream I ' Within a Dream," came next on the programme — an item which charmtedthe audience, theapplaude which greeted it being as heart/ as it w»i merited. Mr Edgecumbe, who Wai received -with, much applause, sang " The Village Blacksmith," a capital song, receiving an 1 encore, in response to which he jrave " The Labourer, -which also wa» w-irmly received. Mrs R. Kerr, who sang " I Never Can Forget" with iuch exquisite pathos, has a voice of excellent quality, flexible ■ and capable of greater results, her son# on this occasion eliciting merited applause." u Mf 0. Johnson's song, " I Cannot Stand Mrs Green's Mother," was rendered in that gentleman's mirth- eliciting style, receiving an eiicore, in responding to irhich he re* peated the last verse. After an interval of five minutes, Messrs Keesing (violin) and Bell (piano) came forward and executed a (election from the " Barber of Seville," a brilliant piece of music, well gone through, and which received the approbation it merited. Perhaps the most noticeable feature in the pro* gramme was Mr Moore's " Children 'a Voices," with the invisible chorus. The song and chorus gate evidence of careful training and diligent training, and was loudly .applauded. Miss Swan's »ong, "I'll Remembpr You in My Prayers," was, like her former contributions, given with skilful modulation, and considerable power. This was followed by Mr Moore's "In the Gloaraiug," after which Mrs Brennan sang " Meet Me Once Again." Thin song is admirably adapted j to her voice, which is more than the average quality, and the song being a I favourite it was well received. Mrs Madigan's "Eileen Allannuh" was cerI tainly one of the most enchanting ballads of the evening, and was rapturously received. Mr Edgecumbe's rich baritone voice did ample justice to " The Friar," 1 his favourite *ong, and which became a favourite with the audience also, who accorded an encore. The duefc "Pulaski's Banner" was the next item on the programme, and was carefully executed by Miss Grey and Mr Moore, receiving merited encomiums. Mr Evans song, "Thou art so near and yet so far," was ably rendered and well received. Miss Finch, on making her second appearance, sang with impressive and charming effect " Watching,'' which was ' warmly received. " The Sweet Scented Vine" was Mias Phillips' next contribution, a brilliant little melody, care* fully rendered and warmly acknowledged. The entertaining Mr Johnson brought the musical part of the programme to a close by aingmg his popular comic song "It makes a man look such a fool," eliciting much laughter and applause, repeating the last vecse in. response to an encore. "God Save the Queen" was then sang by the company. Throughout the entertain* ment the various accompaniments were played by Misses Watson, Grey, "Wilson, Mr Bell and' Moiis. Galon, the music of the former being particularly noticeable. Miss Wilson pluyed the accompaniment* to her own compositions. At the conclusion of tho proceedings the rev chairman thanked the audince on behalf of the committee for the liberal manner in which they had responded to the call made upon them. The hall was then cleared for dancing, and about a huntUed couples indulged in the light fantastic toe business until the small hours (4 o'clock) of the morning. Excellent refreshments were provided by the committee, Mr Johnson providing the music.