Mexborough & Swinton Times — Saturday, 14 March 1914
Denaby Orchestral Society
A Popular Fixture Revived
A popular fixture in the Denaby Main Orchestral Society’s concert made a welcome reappearance on Thursday evening, after a lapse of a year. Last winter it was laid aside along with many other normal features of the Denaby social season during the sad aftermath of the Cadeby disaster. The Large Hall was well attended, and a capital and artistically-varied programme was warmly appreciated. The Denaby Orchestra gives satisfaction to this small mining centre, for it is probably the largest orchestra in South Yorkshire outside Sheffield. On Thursday it numbered forty instruments, but there have been concerts at Denaby Main for which fifty instrumentalists have been staged. And this orchestra was originated nearly thirty years ago, with a quartet of a couple of fiddles, a clarionet, and a euphonium. All of that original quartet three still remain in the orchestra, the conductor, Mr. Moses Soar; the clarionet, Mr. W. H. Chambers; and the euphonium, Mr. Alfred Dawson; while the fourth, Mr. Jesse Hill, though disconnected from active service, retains his enthusiasm and continues his support.
The programme of instrumental music was admirably selected. It opened with the sonorous Grand March from “Tannhauser,” and went on to a weird creation of Suppé’s “Pique Dame,” producing some bizarre effects with monotones; while the concluding item of the first half was the overture, “Raymond” (Thomas). In the second half the orchestra supplied exclusively Haydn music, giving five movements of the famous No. 1 Symphony, the adagio and allegro, the andante (which was played with great beauty of expression), minuetto and trio, and the glorious allegro phrasing to finish. The orchestral items were well received, and the orchestra twice responded to encore. Mr. Soar had his musical forces well in hand, and a well-disciplined band gave a very pleasing performance.
The vocalists were Miss Gertie Soar (Mrs. Little), who is one of the most distinguished and talented members of a remarkable musical family, and Mr. G. W. Riley (tenor), of Leeds Parish Church. Miss Soar, who is now in London, and a well-known figure upon southern concert platforms, was formerly a violin in this Denaby Main Orchestra, and is still nominally a member. She has also appeared with success at Denaby Main concerts, and her appearance last night was eagerly looked for and warmly received. She has developed her powers materially since she was last before a South Yorkshire audience, and she succeeded in delighting her many friends with her artistry. She had only one classic item down on the programme, and gave no less than three of Oliver’s dainty piquant human melodies. She sang two summer songs by Zardo, “Sweet Rose” and “Happy Morn,” and responded to an encore with “Pretty Molly Carter,” which was easily her most acceptable effort. In the same vein she gave “The Nightingales of Lincoln’s Inn” and “Greta Green.” Later she provided a delightful rendering of the soprano scene from Weber’s opera, “Der Freischutz,” and completed a most enjoyable programme in association with Mr. Riley, with a rendering of the well-known duet, “A Night in Venice.” This was one of the most popular items of the evening, and as a concession to the audience’s very obvious tendencies the encore piece was “Maying.”
Mr. Riley, a tenor who was making his first appearance in Denaby concerts, captured his audience at once with a beautiful rendering of “For You Alone,” in which he displayed a smooth rich tone and an easy effortless bravura which was compelling. He responded to considerable acclamation with “Youth,” and, later, pleased the audience with a ballad, “My Homeland,” whose rather florid sentiment he dispelled by the beauty of the expression which he gave to it. Again he was called back, and gave another pretty little song, “Lady Mine.” Like Miss Soar, he reserved his classic vein to the second half, and then gave another Weber, “Oh, ’tis a Glorious Sight,” from “Oberon,” which he sang with powerful effect. This evoked an encore piece which was easily his best effort of the evening, Jacobs-Bond’s “A Perfect Day,” all quiet lilting philosophy, sung with gentle restraint, and in perfect taste. Miss Soar and Mr. Riley shared with the orchestra the credit for an altogether charming programme. Miss Mabel Brown, of Mexboro’, accompanied the songs sympathetically and with good taste.