THE CONCERT.

THE chronicler of the Concert of 1878 has the honour of recording an event which marks an epoch in the history of Marlborough music. The paid Orchestra is a thing of the past, and concert will depend henceforth on sach musical talent as the school may be able to produce.

We do not presume to criticise the wisdom of the change, the reasons for which were doubtless well weighed before it was resolved on; but it is certainly very problematical whether in a school situated in the country, and well provided with gymnasium and facilities for games, any large number will ever be found to devote themselves to instrumental music with sufficient regularity to form a decent orchestra. However that may be, it was easily seen by all who have ever been condemned for their sins to draw up a programme, and know the value of a stirring overture in working the audience up to a proper pitch of enthusiasm, how hard it would be to fill up the gap thus created. Dismal were the forebodings heard on every side. Concert would be "awfully slow," the choir was "awfully feeble," and there would be "an awful smash,"-a consummation which

some people professed to desire on the ground that it would necessitate the reintroduction of the orchestra.

Yet there were some who hoped for better things, remembering another concert not so very long ago, which, though without an orchestra, was a thorough success, and knowing by previous experience Mr. Bambridge's power of pulling a chorus together, and inspiring them with the dash, and perfect confidence in themselves and their conductor, which are so essential to good part singing.

The very sight of the room was reassuring. The walls bright as ever with their Christmas dress of evergreen, the same excellent management of details, and, more than all, the sight of Mr. Bambridge, imperturbable as of yore, all seemed to promise that the concert of 1878 should be in no way inferior to its predecessors: and the promise was well fulfilled.

It was impossible that the orchestra should not be much missed; and-to our mind no less a loss-we were robbed of the string quartett, which at previous concerts has been such an admirable feature of the evening's music. Pesides this, the choir, weak enough at the beginning of the term, had lost, as Christmas came nearer, several voices which could

ill be spared. But unwearying training and good humour on the one side, met by equal readiness to learn on the other, once more found their reward, and choir and conductor alike may be congratulated on a success all the more honourable because it was hardly won.

In one point only the concert cannot be described as a success, and here no blame can rest on Mr. Bambridge or the present choir. One who shared the agonies of the "Capstan Chorus" may be pardoned for suggesting that if the Old Fellows, or at any rate those of them who are not fair readers of music, would give an hour or two to learning their parts beforehand, the sufferings of their audience might be considerably mitigated. One thing which contributed much to their discomfiture was the absence of a prominent second bass, long associated with Marlborough music as boy and master,—an absence all the more regretted because it marked a loss which on a concert night especially must have been only too sadly present in the thoughts of every

one.

The place of the overture at the beginning of each part was filled by two pianoforte duets, and at a few minutes past eight Mr. Bambridge and Mr. J. D. Rogers, O.M., struck the opening chords of the overture to Tannhauser, a piece of writing charming in itself, and suggestive of the similar figures in two very dissimilar works-the Andante in Mozart's G minor symphony, and the Largo of one of Haydn's symphonies in the same key. But whether it was that the music was rather too severe for the majority of the audience, or that they so entered into the spirit of the composer as to be unable to restrain their feeling, certain it is that everyone did not seem to have settled down till the duet was finished, and the choir were summoned to sing the time-honoured "Welcome."

A regularly recurring feature of the music such as this, affords a very fair means of comparing successive choirs. It was therefore with no small satisfaction that we heard all the old familiar points clearly and correctly made, and listened to the last emphatic declamation of a "welcome" to one and all." Nor did the part-song, "Pack, clouds, away" which followed, belie the promise thus held out; for, though it was decidedly difficult, it was perhaps the best of all the choir's performances. The basses, as

must necessarily happen when none of them have their voices properly formed as yet, were slightly overbalanced, but sung most creditably throughout, and in this instance particularly so. Notably some long, hard, runs which fell to their lot were very well and smoothly sung.

The choir now gave way to Mr. Hume, who followed with Blumenthal's "Two Stars." How it was sung it is perhaps scarcely necessary to tell. The most striking feature of the song was the effect of the beautiful pianissimo passages, and the storm of encores which followed left the singer no choice but a second appearance. A round of applause greeted the few notes that preluded "Tom Bowling," and the stillness of the audience showed their full appreciation of the beautiful old song which Mr. Hume has made at Marlborough so peculiarly his own.

A duet and chorus of Spofforth's stood next on the programme. The duet was sung by Peake (tenor) and Orde (contralto) whose voices blended very well, The composition itself was not of a very interesting kind, beginning in a rather chant-like fashion, and giving an impression of constantly pursuing an air, but never quite catching it. But, whatever may be thought about the music, no one would hesitate to praise its execution, the altos especially singing capitally; and the effect of the holding notes sustained by one part while the other three were pursuing one another through a series of intricate runs was admirable.

The two solos which followed, one sung by Eliot, the other by Peake, were both praiseworthy but marred by faults of a diametrically opposite kind. Eliot's song fell rather flat from a want of confidence and vigour, while Peake bade his love. sleep" in the first verse and "die" in the second with a violence which, like "John Peel's view hulloa" would "awaken the dead." The smooth, flowing air of "The Fisher" which Eliot sang in answer to his encore suited him decidedly better. Peake when recalled sang Bishop's "Love has Eyes." His voice should enable him, with plenty of good teaching, to become a good singer. At present we cannot help thinking that songs of the type of Sullivan's "If doughty deeds" would suit him far better than those he had chosen.

A part-song of Hatton's, which, though savouring somewhat of the hymn rhythm so difficult to avoid,