Mexborough and Swinton Times – Saturday 21 May 1904
Denaby Main Orchestral Society
Concluding Season Concert
The Denaby Main Orchestral Society, whose attainments in the local musical world have repeatedly won the commendation of music lovers, gave their concluding concert of the season last night in the Large Hall, Denaby Main, and, as usual, scored a distinct success. The audience was numerically small, probably accounted for by the counter-attraction of a delightfully fine evening, but, if small, it was intelligently appreciative, as was evidenced by the discriminating applause.
Of course, Mr. Moses Soar conducted with his ever-growing and developing ability, Mr. Ben Wilson efficiently led the band, and Mr. W. H. Wilson again proved himself an accompanist of the first water. As to the orchestra, composed of about 35 performers, those characteristics so essential to the success of a combination of instruments were exhibited in a highly pleasing degree. Right through a wealth of music and the contrasting nature of the varied renditions, the sympathy of beautiful harmony found expression in the artistic interpretation of works written by eminent past and present masters—Mendelssohn, Rossini, Myddleton, Nicholson, and Coverley. Well balanced, whether in the piano or fortissimo passages, the orchestra certainly did well.
The society also had the assistance of a clever quartet—two instrumentalists and two vocalists—the selection of Miss Soar as the soprano singer giving much satisfaction. Mr. W. Burrows, of Sheffield, no stranger to a Denaby audience, again displayed his fine quality tenor voice, whilst Mr. M. Taylor, from the same city, exhibited superb technique and bow work in a series of ’cello solos. Mr. E. Trout, the solo cornet, likewise doing well.
In a word the concert, while not ambitious, was certainly successful, and the past season was finished in a style that made many think with regret of the months that must elapse before the society again takes up what, by the intervention of summer, may be termed “The broken melody.”
The opening number was Rossini’s overture, “William Tell,” the effective string work in the earlier passages throwing into bold relief the augmenting of the brass instruments. This was followed by an extremely expressive rendering by Mr. Burrows, of Sullivan’s pathetic sea song, “The sailor’s grave,” but well as he was applauded, the next item, Mr. Trout’s cornet-playing in Nicholson’s “Hurricane Polka,” found greater favour, repetition being demanded and given.
The musical sketches, “Bagatelle” and “Melody” (Coverley) were extremely pretty, and the sweetness of the next number, Gounod’s beautiful song, “Ave Maria,” was charmingly illustrated by both voice and instrument, Miss Soar’s singing, and the lovely ’cello preface and obligato by Mr. Taylor, falling pleasantly on the ear. The beauties of Irish music were exemplified by the orchestra in “The Shamrock,” a selection of “Emerald Isle” melodies by Myddleton, whose powers as a descriptive writer were further shown in the opening item of the second part, his well-known American sketch, “Down South.” From Ireland to America is nowadays a popular passage, and it must be stated the orchestra gave these renderings of Myddleton’s characteristic styles.
Other numbers programmed were: Song, “Kathleen Mavourneen” (Crouch), Miss Soar; solo, ’cello, “L’Esperanza” (Selby), Mr. Taylor; musical sketches, “Recreation at the Monastery,” and “The Windmill” (Coverley); orchestra, song, “When the world is fair” (Cowen), Mr. Burrows; selection, “Son and Stranger” (Mendelssohn), the Orchestra.
The composition of the orchestra was as follows:—1st violins: Messrs. B. Wilson, Fisher, Chambers, Stockbridge, Miss Soar; 2nd violins: Messrs. J. Mawson, R. Wilson, Turner, Plestowe, Bunting, Miss Freeman; violas: Messrs. Witty, Hepworth; ’cellos: Messrs. T. Wilde, Johnson; contra bass: Messrs. Roberts, Smith; flute: Messrs. J. W. Witty, J. Soar; oboe: Mr. T. Soar; clarionettes: Messrs. Chambers, Hepworth, Hartley, Thompson; bassoon: Mr. A. Brown; horns: Messrs. Tolini, Hoyle; cornets: Messrs. E. Trout, W. Goodwin; bass trombones: Messrs. Wood, Dawson; tenor trombone: Mr. Wright; euphonium: Mr. Dawson.