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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Societies

Societies.

Mr. Maughan Barnett's Musical Society was founded in August, 1895, by the clever musician and conductor whose name it bears. Thought but a few months old, this Society numbers two hundred and thirty members, and is said to be the largest society in New Zealand. Weekly practices are held on Thursdays at St. John's Schoolroom. Mr. Barnett's Musical Society has given two concerts at the Opera House—Gade's “Comala” and A. F. Hill's “Time's Great Monotone” on the 22nd of October, and the “Messiah” on the 16th of December, 1895—which were most successful. Mr. Alfred P. Hill is a joint conductor with Mr. Barnett, Mrs. T. Holt is the hon. pianist of the Society, and Messrs. J. C. Young and H. Crammond are hon. secretaries, the latter gentleman taking the place of Mr. R. Angus, who was one of the original secretaries.

The Wellington Festival Choral Society. After the successful Musical Festival held in Wellington in 1894, it was felt that an effort should be made to keep together the fine body of voices enrolled in the chorus, and this Society was accordingly formed. Its name was adopted from the precedent obtaining in Birmingham and other places where periodical festivals are held. The Society numbers about 200, mostly trained and experienced chorus singers, and an orchestra has also been formed in connection with it. At the first annual meeting Mr. Robert Parker was unanimously appointed conductor to the Society. This gentleman had previously conducted the Harmonic Society (a body which formed the nucleus of the festival chorus) for several years, during which time it had produced very many standard works. Among these may be prominently named: — Mackenzie's “Rose of Sharon,” Stanford's “The Revenge,” Sullivan's “Martyr of Antioch” and “Golden Legend,” Gade's “Psyche” and “Crusaders,” Mendelssohn's “Elijah,” “St. Paul,” “Walpurgis Night,” “Loreley,” etc.; Cowen's “Sleeping Beauty” and “St. John's Eve,” Parry's “Blest Pair of Sirens,” etc. Several of these were performed for the first time in New Zealand. The Society is at the time of writing (October, 1895) rehearsing Gounod's Faust for concert performance. His Honour Sir James Prendergast is President, and the Bishop of Wellington, Sir Robert Stout, and Mr. W. T. Glasgow are the Vice-Presidents of the Society; Mr. T. H. Ritchey being the honorary Secretary.

Wellington Liedertafel. This excellent male voice choir had its origin in the Orpheus Glee Club, a smaller body of vocalists which for several years met for private enjoyment of part-singing, under the musical direction of Mr. Robert Parker and the presidency of the late, Mr. J. H. Cock. The present Liedertafel was founded on a large scale in 1891, its first secretary being Mr. R. Hamilton, and its honorary conductor, Mr. R. Parker. After a short time the business management was undertaken by Mr. Theo. H. page 439 Ritchey, its presidents being successively Mr. G. B. Tolhurst and Mr. Edward Pearce. The Liedertafel gives four open nights during each season, two being smoke concerts and two ladies' nights. Many standard glees and cantatas for male voices have been performed by the Society, which holds weekly rehearsals in the Oddfellows' Hall. Its active membership is limited to twenty-eight voices in order to secure good quality of voice and balance of tone. A small orchestra is associated with the choir for the performance of such works as require instrumental accompaniment.

Wellington Musical Union. Officers for 1896, Messrs. J. G. Chambers (chairman), F. J. Gooder, T, W. Manifold, C. T. Tatum, G. F. Frew, J. Salkeld, H. Jessup, T. C. Webb and S. G. Hamerton (committee), T. C. Webb (conductor), H. Jessup (librarian) and S. G. Hamerton (hon. secretary and treasurer). This Union was established early in 1895 by Mr. T. C. Webb, the energetic conductor. The members now number seventy, and considerable proficiency has already been attained. The first concert—the Erl King's: Daughter, by Gade — was Riven in the Skating Rink in July, 1895; at the second, which was held in the Exchange Hall on the 6th of February, 1896, the piece selected was “Samson.” Both were musical treats. The members meet every Tuesday evening at St. Mark's Schoolroom for their weekly practice.

Mr. Stanley Gilbert Hamerton, Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, is the youngest son of Mr. R. C. Hamerton, the well-known solicitor. Born in New Plymouth in 1870 and educated at Wellington College, Mr. Hamerton joined the New York Life Office, remaining two years. In 1888 he entered the Public Trustee's Office, where he continued as a clerk for four years. He was then transferred to his present position in the New Zealand Government Insurance Department. Mr. Hamerton comes of a musical family, and has been a bass singer in St. Mark's Choir for many years.

The Wellington Orchestral Society was founded in 1879. Up to this time the amateur orchestral players of the city were associated with the Choral Society, but in this year they formed a separate organisation under the conductorship of Mr. Angelos Forrest, a musician of much ability, who remained only a short time in Wellington. The next professional conductor was Mr. Robert Parker, who held the baton until 1386, when, in consequence of overwork and failing health, he resigned and went on a visit to England, Under his direction many standard orchestral works (including several of the Symphonies of Beethoven and Mozart) were performed for the first time in Wellington, and the society became a powerful factor in the musical education of the community. After a temporary cessation from work it was re-formed in 1889 (shortly after the first New Zealand Musical Festival) under Mr. J. B. Connolly, a local violinist of repute, and after him came Mr. J. Otto Schwartz, an enthusiastic and most capable amateur, to whom instrumental music in Wellington is most largely indebted for talent and labour ungrudgingly bestowed during a long series of years. The present conductor is Mr. A. F. Hill, who has held office since his return from Leipzig in 1802. The Society has always been exceptionally fortunate in the matter of the completeness of its band, instruments which are rarely found in amateur orchestras having been always present in the hands of very competent players. The programmes of the concerts have always been of the highest class, one of the symphonies of Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schunam, or Schubert, usually occupying the central position therein; while modern works of a lighter character by Massenat, Rubinstein, Moszkowski, Cowen, Delibes, and Other representative composers, have also been frequently produced.

Trinity College, London (N.Z. Centre). This well-known musical institution, which was the pioneer in Great Britain of the modern ‘local examination’ system, has an important local centre in New Zealand, its head-quarters being at Wellington. This was established through the instrumentality of Mr. Robert Parker, who, when on a visit to England in 1886, had an interview with the College authorities, and obtained from them the necessary powers for the formation of the New Zealand centre. The services of a very influential committee were enlisted; Sir James Hector, F.R.S., &c. (Chancellor of the New Zealand University), Mr. J. R. Blair (Chairman Wellington Education Board), and Rev. W. J. Habens (Inspector General of Schools) lent the authority of their names for the establishment of the work, and have always shown keen interest in its progress and development. Mr. Robert Parker has from the first acted as honorary local secretary, and under his management local centres have been established throughout the Colony, the number of candidates for examination in musical knowledge having increased from about 70 in 1887, to 500 in 1895. In the latter year an important new departure took place in the sending from England of an examiner for practical music (pianoforte playing, singing, etc.,) the gentleman chosen being a very eminent English musician, Mr. Myles Birket Foster (Fellow of the Royal Academy, and of the Royal College of Organists). The work of the colonial teachers was thus for the first time put to the test of an independent and thoroughly competent examination, and the result has been on the whole very satisfactory for so young a musical country as New Zealand. No less than 160 candidates entered, and of these a fair proportion passed very creditably, the Wellington percentage being slightly higher than, that of the other centres. There can be no doubt that the connection with so reputable an examining body as Trinity College will have immense influence for good in the musical training of the young people of New Zealand.