Mexborough and Swinton Times December 28, 1907
Conisboro’ Musical Society.
Successful Concert
The Conisboro’ Musical Society, after passing through a somewhat critical period last Spring, has rallied, and is n ow bent on establishing itself in a strong musical position. Since last season, though the personnel of the committee still remains much the same, two important changes of officership have taken place, the conductorship now being in the capable hands of Mr. G. A. Nixon, of Mexboro’. Whilst Mr. Dennis Wood has taken up the duties of hon. Secretary.
The opening concert of the season was held on Thursday night, in the Morley Place Board schools, Conisboro’. There was a good attendance, and the society, consisting of 40 voices, made a new departure, confining their efforts on this occasion to unaccompanied part-songs. The members sang really well, and gave distinct promise of providing a more important success when they produce the work they are now practising, next spring. Mr, Nixon had them under complete command, and the harmony in both madrigals and part songs ran smoothly and sweetly, the voices being nicely balanced, with pleasing elasticity of power.
As soloists, Dr. Gardner (bass), of Mexboro’; Mr. Pickering (tenor), of Conisboro’; and Miss Cawley (contralto), of Sheffield, had promised their services, and shortly after the start of the programme Mr. Nixon announced that the society was in a dilemma, owing to the non-arrival of Miss Cawley. To meet the difficulty, Miss Margaret Nixon who met with such instant success on her debut as a contralto vocalist at Denaby earlier in the week, agreed to take Miss Cawley’s place. With the kindly loan of Dr. Gardner’s motor car, Miss Nixon was taken to Mexboro’ to fetch her music. But in the interim Mi a ss Cawley arrived, having through a misunderstanding in the arrangements, been wasting at Mexboro’. However, “All’s well that ends well,” and except for an arrangement of the items the concert did not suffer from the contretemps.
Dr. Gardner in his bass songs encored splendidly, his fine round voice being heard to telling effect. Of course he was encored, and he deserved it. His singing being marked by many admirable characteristics.
Mr. Pickering, a tenor of good range and tone, also did well in his numbers, and received the “hal a l mark” of approval.
Miss Cawley, the last of the soloists to make her appearance, was by no means the least successful. Despite her unenviable experience earlier in the evening, she found compensation in the warmth of the greeting that, awaited her. She sang beautifully, especially in the “Jewel Song” from “Faust,” which was a cultured effort, and well worthy of the recall that followed. Later, in conjunction with Mr. Pickering, she helped towards another dual success in the duet, “Maying.”
Other notable items were the quartet of Messrs. G. A. Nixon. A. Hunt, A. Butler, and E Howarth; the trio, “Memory,” by Mrs. Geo. Clarkson, Miss Stella Clarkson, and Miss Nellie Britton.
The best effort of the Society was undoubtedly “Winds of Night,” a .descriptive part song. Throughout the whole of a praiseworthy programme encores were frequent. Do they know they do they do he do
The items were as follows: — Madrigal. “Whilst youthful sports” (Barnby), the Society; song, “Come into the garden, Maud” (Balfe), Mr. Pickering; song, “Jewel Song,’ (Gounod), encored, Miss Cawley, Sheffield; quartet, “Little Tommy” (Macy), Messrs. G. A. Nixon, A. Hunt, A. Butler, and E. Howarth; song, “The Curfew” (Gould), encore, “Rocked in the cradle of the deep,” Dr. Gardner; duet, ‘Maying,” (Smith), Miss Cawley and Mr. Pickering; trio, “Memory.” Mrs. Geo. Clarkson, Miss Stella Clarkson, and Mils Nellie Britton; madrigal, “Shill we go dance” (Stanford), the Society; song, “Like stars above” (encored), Mr. Pickering; part soft, “There rolls the deep” (Parry); song, “Nina,” (Hobbs), Mr. Pickering; song, “Dream of home” (L. Arditil, Miss Cawley; quartet, “The Catastrophe” (Sprague); song, “The old trombone” (Grain), encore, “My little woman,” Dr. Gardner; song, “She wandered down the mountain side” (F. Clay), Miss Cawley; part song, “Wind of night” (Lahr), the Society.
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