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The Spike: or, Victoria College Review, June 1910

Glee Club

page 65

Glee Club

"Music that brings sweet sleep down from the blissful skies."

Tennyson

Glee club

The persistent efforts of the Glee Club during the session of 1909 were brought to a successful issue at the annual concert held on October 23rd; and although our conductor, Mr. S. J. Anderson, and his deputy, Mr. G. Reid, throughout the session were, owing to a scarcity of tenors, seriously hampered in their endeavours to produce that smoothness and balance so necessary to successful choral work, nevertheless, the manner in which the club's efforts were received by the audience—which filled the concert hall of the gymnasium-left no doubt in the minds of the conductor and the members that their labours had been amply rewarded. Our thanks are due to those ladies and gentlemen—non-members—who by their assistance gave pleasing variety to the programme, and added much to the quality of the performance as whole. A special word of praise is due to our hon. painist, Miss Clachan, who attended the weekly practices with unfailing regularity, and cheerfully performed the necessary but monotonous duties. The dance which followed the concert was an unqualified success.

On November 22 the Club concluded an enjoyable and successful year's work with a trip to the Porirua Asylum. To the members of the Club the outing, though marred to some extent by the depressing influences of the institution, was, on the whole, very enjoyable. The trip, however, was undertaken not with the object of giving pleasure to the members of the Glee Club, but for the purpose of cheering both the officers and inmates of the institution. It was reported that our performance was the means of seriously page 66 retarding the progress of those inmates who had the misfortune to hear us, but we place little credence in the reports of these misinformed and biased individuals.

At the commencement of the present year Dame Fortune met us with a frowning face. Our conductor, owing to the prospect of frequent absences from town, was obliged to relinquish the onerous duty of wielding the baton; moreover, several old members were compelled to sever their connection with the club. But the Fickle Jade relented, and now she smiles upon us. Mr. E. F. B. Waters has taken up the duties of conductor, and the Club congratulates itself upon its good fortune in obtaining the services of so able to man. The membership list also, which at the commencement of the term showed many regrettable gaps, is now almost full, and the chorus at last possesses a full complement of tenors.

In arranging for this year's work the Club has made a new departure, which, if it succeeds and is adopted by future committees, will necessitate the adoption of a new title by the Club. Hitherto the music attempted by the Club has consisted solely of glees; but long latent ambitions have at last been realised, and the Club has undertaken to produce a cantata at its next annual concert. The work chosen is C. H. Lloyd's well-known cantata, "Hero and Leander." Weekly practices are in full swing, and the work progressing satisfactorily. "I am very pleased with the progress you are making." said our conductor recently—and he smiled—the first time for weeks. During that period he had passed through a variety of emotions: mild surprise, veiled dissatisfaction, open dissatisfaction, and expressed disgust were the serial order during the initial practices. Entreaty and sarcasm proving of no avail, he at last descended to abuse. This produced the desired effect; now he smiles, as before recorded, and success is already in sight.

Patrons of high-class music will, after the feast of music provided by a recent visit of Williamson's Grand Opera Company, be looking for something new to please their aesthetic souls. We recommend them to keep in view the Glee Club's annual concert, which takes place at the end of the second term.