Mexborough and Swinton Times April 29, 1927

Conisborough Musical Society
Closing Concert
Distinguished Performances

The Conisborough musical Society gave an excellent concert last night, in the Epworth Hall, Denaby. There was a large and enthusiastic audience. The Society had arranged a most interesting and varied programme of vocal and instrumental solos, part songs, orchestral items and community singing.

Mr Colin Smith, of Sheffield, the celebrated cellist, thoroughly delighted the audience. His selections included introduction and “polonaise brilliante” (Chopin); a beautiful little trio, “Serenade Espagnole” (Glazounov), “ Apres un Reve” (Faure), and “Tarantelle” (Popper); also “dance of the elves” (Popper) and “Mah,” a Swedish air by Lindislad. Mr Smith played like the splendidly equipped artist years.

The audience also thoroughly enjoyed the portion of the programme allotted to them, and under Mr Twelves inspiring leadership, the community singing went with a swing.

The items were:

“John Brown’s Body,” “Billy Boy,” “London’s Burning,” “The Old Folks at Home,” “Shenandoah,” “The Rio Grande,” and “Auld Lang Syne.”

Mr Tom Purves, principal tenor of St Paul’s Cathedral, found the audience very appreciative. He has a beautiful and warmly expressive voice and use it brilliantly. His enunciation was delightfully clear, especially in the famous prologue from “I Pagliacci,” and the great “Hiawatha” solo, “Onaway, Awake Beloved.” His other items were “Linden Lee (Vaughan Williams), “Now sleeps the Crimson Petal,” and “O Mistress Mine” (Quilter).

Mr Smith and Mr Purvis were repeatedly encored.

The choir again added to their excellent reputation, being well balanced, with good quality of tone. They sang two delicious Elgar part songs “The Dance” and “lullaby”; and then other items were “Sleep, gentle lady” (Bishop) and “Drakes Drum.”

The orchestra played an arrangement by Roger Quilter of “The Londonderry Air,” the simplest but most charming of melodies, and it was excellently played.

The society’s conductor an excellent reason to be satisfied with the performance, and with the audiences appreciation of his choir and his own handling of it.

The work of the accompanists, Miss Ivy Smith of Sheffield, and Mr E Dabbs, the society’s own pianist, was a very noticeable feature of the concert.

You Tube Links to Some of the Songs: