THE CONCERT.

"DIFFICILE est proprie communia dicere," says Horace; and no one can be more conscious of the difficulty of treating a somewhat trite subject with originality than the musical critic of the Marlburian. As the end of each winter term comes round, concert succeeds concert; and, except for the vexed question of orchestra or no orchestra, or for an exceptional excursion to the more sacred height of Oratorio, one is so like another, that "mutatis nominibus," the tale of any one of them might be the tale of any other. Unless the musical taste and acquirements of the school change very considerably, there is little chance of a more classical programme; while as long as Mr. Bambridge-who, though not exactly "imberbis," at any rate shares with Apollo the gifts of musical skill and perennial youth-has the training of the voices and the wielding of the baton, there is no fear that the singing will fall below a very high level of excellence. This year, thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of the Rev. F. G. Hume and others, the orchestral question was compromised, and a select company of professional violinists opened the concert with an excellent performance of Glück's charming overture to Iphigenia.

PRICE 3d.

Of course it would be absurd to imply that the want of wind instruments was not greatly felt; but, on the other hand, there was a very general feeling that, faute de mieux, the stringed band was well worth the outlay and the trouble which had been bestowed upon it. This overture was followed, as usual, by the "Welcome." This piece, apart from its intrinsic merits, which are by this time tolerably familiar to most of the audience, is always listened to with much interest, because it affords a good test of the quality of the voices of which the choir is composed. We came to the conclusion, that the materials at Mr. Bambridge's disposal were not up to the average standard: there was a want of resonance in the trebles; the tenors, in spite of one or two robust organs, were unusually weak; while the altos -often so excellent-and the basses were not remarkably good or notably feeble. But, setting aside the quality of the voices and the balancing of the parts, the singing throughout the Concert was distinctly above the average standard; the pieces selected required, as a rule, more care and trouble in the learning, and were also better sung. Yet, upon the mass of the audience, or at any rate that part of the audience which has most voice in the distribution of applause, this care and trouble were

to a great extent thrown away; and the plaudits, which followed each part song, were generally full or scanty in inverse proportion to the merits of the composition and the deserts of the choir. Brinley Richards' part-song, "Nobody cares for thee," was a remarkable instance of this. The writing is careful and scholarly beyond what might have been expected of the composer, and the singing was very painstaking and creditable, but it was rewarded with very little applause.

Blumenthal's deservedly well-known song, "My Queen," came next, and was excellently rendered by Mr. Peake. His voice seems not to have kept all the power and ring which used to characterise it, but it has gained greatly in delicacy of style and sweetness of tone. We are very glad to welcome so efficient a recruit to the rather scanty number of Old Marlburian soloists who are kind enough to place their services at Mr. Bambridge's disposal on these occasions. In answer to an enthusiastic encore, Mr. Peake sang the old English ballad, "Love will find out the way." This was, in our judgment, not quite so successful as his first song; for so simple a ballad requires more variety and "go" than he put into it. if it is to be made really effective.

Leslie's part-song, "Lullaby of Life," which came next, was by no means easy, and revealed occasionally with too great plainness the weakness of the inner parts. The difficulty of the music prevented every now and then the strict attention to the conductor's bâton, which the piece demanded of young singers; but the performance improved wonderfully as it went the crescendo on the words, "There shall be new life," was admirable, and the piece deserved at its conclusion far more than the meed of applause which it received.

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This was followed by a pianoforte solo, Schumann's "Arabesque, Op. 18," played by A. Webber. This young virtuoso has great powers of execution for his years, and a firm and decisive touch, and is, at any rate, a far better pianist than any whom the school has seen since the time of J. D. Rogers. rendering of the "Arabesque" was in every point worthy of the encore which greeted him; in response to which he played in very neat style a valse, by Chopin. Another débutant was in waiting, J. B. Carruthers, who, possessing a voice of rich quality and good upper notes, is distinctly above the

average of treble soloists whom we have heard at previous concerts. His song was "Minster Windows," by Pinsuti. In spite of a little pardonable nervousness, he sang in very good taste, and, though his song is not one of Pinsuti's most interesting compositions, won for himself a vociferous encore. The next part-song, a Norwegian Bridal Song, by Kjerulf, had a peculiar freshness and distinctive colouring of its own, and this made it a very pleasant contrast to the other part-songs which, however good in themselves, conformed more or less to the ordinary English type. Its rendering bore traces of honest work, and was a very creditable performance; but, like the previous efforts of the whole choir, it was not nearly as loudly applauded as it deserved. The band of Old Marlburians who next filled the front of the platform, sang "Lille's Rataplan" as well as could be expected of them, considering that the voices themselves were but a "scratch lot," and that the opportunities of practice had been meagre: more praise than that can scarcely be truthfully given them. But as the value of an Old Fellows' chorus is social and historic rather than musical, the concert would lose greatly by the omission of the chorus from the programme, even though it were considerably worse performed than the "Rataplan." Rataplan." The first part was brought to a close by the lively strains of the Brass Band, which performed the "Leopold march and the "Liebeslied" waltz very creditably: the waltz was specially bright and taking.

After an interval all too brief for conversation, the second part began with Caldecott's well-known "Three jovial Huntsmen," set to music by Anderton. The musical illustrations of the story are scarcely as interesting as the pictorial; but the Cantata formed at any rate au amusing novelty, and gave the stringed orchestra an opportunity of proving how valuable their accompaniment was as toning down the inequalities of the choir. The basses did not seem powerful enough sometimes in emphasizing "Look ye there!" but the passages on "the two poor wandering lunatics" and on "we've powler't up an' down a bit" were very effective and well rendered. However, the meritorious exertions of the choir received little applause. The step from the ridiculous to the sublime was rapidly taken by the sudden change from the "Three jovial Huntsmen to "The Better Land." Mrs. Hemans' well

known lines have been set to music by Cowen; but the song is scarcely one of that composer's happiest inspirations. Even as the music was interpreted by the Rev. F. G. Hume, the interest seemed to flag till the third verse; here the music gained force, and the singer did it full justice. The absolutely riotous applause which follows Mr. Hume's songs, the imperious demand that none but "Tom Bowling" shall be the encore song, the more riotous applause that burst forth at its close ;-are not these things adequately described in the chronicles of many previous concerts? A cradle song by Taubert, soft, graceful, and full of careful harmony, followed. The choir were not quite so well in tune as usual in parts of it, but the rendering was, as a whole, decidedly fair. Perhaps the "Cradle Song" had done its work in lulling the audience to sleep; for the applause at its close was absolutely nil. The next item on the programme, "Weber's Concert-Stück," with string accompaniment to Mr. Bambridge as pianist, was in the eyes of genuine musicians the gem of the whole evening's performance. Yet it is too true that the larghetto introduction was found eminently conducive to miscellaneous conversation; so that it is all the more creditable to the performers that they made the allegro so effective as to rivet the attention of the audience completely. In this movement the brilliant execution of Mr. Bambridge was heard to great advantage; and the adagio and presto were equally delightful. Indeed, if the Concert-Stück had been the only piece in the programme in which the stringband appeared, most people would have felt that its presence had been a great addition to the pleasure of the concert. The soloist was of course tumultuously applauded, and, gracefully accepting the inevitable, once again delighted his hearers with the familiar notes of his variations on "Auld Lang Syne." - At length the choir won a noteworthy triumph by their singing of Molloy's "Song of the Triton." The loud. applause was this time somewhat cheaply earned; the weight of the music lay quite on the surface; and the performance was quite as good as the music deserved. The second essay of the Old Fellows, in the chorus from Mendelssohn's Oedipus Coloneus, was a decided improvement on the former; the music was more familiar, as it had been sung only two years before; and the stringed accompaniment added a fullness which the voices alone would have lacked.

The Brass Band, too, played better on their second appearance than at the end of the first part. Their performance of the "A 1 Galop" excelled any previous efforts of the Marlborough brass band, as far as our fallible memories can recall: and "John Peel," which was played as an encore, was equally well received.

The "Carmen" and the National Anthem were sung as usual, and after them, also as usual, a noble song and a pathetic custom rapidly degenerated into an idiotic burlesque; and amid ringing cheers the audience dispersed.

But the notice of the concert of 1881 would be incomplete without a few lines announcing the change of one of the most ancient of Marlborough institutions -concert supper. It does not require a very patriarchal memory to recall the time when concert-supper was the occasion of a few pithy and sensible speeches, some excellent songs, and some really first-rate singing of four-part songs for male voices by Old Marlburians; when festivity was at any rate tempered by reason, and hilarity did not exceed the bounds of common sense. But for the last few years, concertsupper has degenerated from its old character. As

a natural consequence, many Old Marlburians, and more boys in the school (especially if early specials were but a few hours distant) did not care to attend it; and at last the authorities seem to have spared it the lingering agony of dying a natural death by instituting a choir-supper on the previous Saturday. Besides this a most excellent supper was provided in the Common Room for the Old Marlburians. The only drawback to its enjoyment was the scanty attendance, but we are sure that when those who did not come to it, are told by those who were present, what a thoroughly sociable and pleasant entertainment they missed, the liberality of the Bursar will find itself next year appreciated by a much larger number of Old Fellows.

VULPES INTERFECTUS.

Concinuere tubae, venantum et turba fugacem
Consequitur vulpem, vis et odora canum:
Per saltus, per rura fugit, nec iam amplius hostem
Effugere impigra pes levitate potest:
Ergo per portas in tectum aulamque pilarem,
Illic si possit forte latere, fugit.

Nil agit: ipse pilae lusor vocat hosticus hostes;

Nectuntur lado seria, vita neci.

Quaeque modo in ludum madefacta est aula §bovino

Sanguine, vulpino sparsa cruore tepet.

Haud procul arcta † domus, cui mira brevisque supellex,

Ossa et pelliculae, signaque parva Deum :

Illic, ut pueris placeat, pendebit inulta
Horribilis risu Sardonico facies;

Insuper et titulum scribendi doctior addet,
Vivat ut in longos haec nova fama dies :-
Pila aliis inter placeat volitantia letum,
Fama tua est inter deperiisse pilas."

§ Sunt qui existimant sanguinem bovinum plurimum hujusmodi aulae prodesse. Credat Judaeus !

† τὸ μουσεῖον indicat noster.

O..'s.

December 29th, 1881, at the Cathedral, Madras, by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Madras, Captain William Hutt Curzon Wyllie, C.I.E., son of General Sir Wm. Wyllie, G.C.B, to Catherine Georgiana, second daughter of David Carmichael, Esq., Member of Council, Fort St. George.

January 4th, at Saltwood Church, Kent, George Egerton Hodgson, late Captain H.M. 41th Regiment, son of the Rev. T. Douglas Hodgson, Rector of East Woodhay, Hants, to Matilda Anne, eldest daughter of the Rev. J. G. Hodgson, Rector of Saltwood, and Hon. Canon of Canterbury.

January 12th, at Coughton, Warwickshire, Freder ck Hugh Lee, youngest son of J. B. Lee, Esq, of 95, Gloucester Terrace, Hyde Par, and Sonning, Berks, to Florence, third daughter of Charles Andrews, Esq., of Coughton Court, Warwickshire.

DEATH.

January 7th, at Rickmansworth Vicarage, the Rev. William Alleyne Barker, M.A., Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, Chaplain to Her Majesty's Forces, and eldest son of the Rev. A. H Barker, Vicar of Rickmansworth, aged 42.

ARMY.

The Royal Scots (Lothian Regime t)-Captain Arthur Smith has been seconded for service as an Adjutant of Auxiliary Forces.

The Prince of Wales' (North Staffordshire Regiment)Captain Richard Humphry Tyacke, to be Major.

The Prince of Wales' Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)Captain G. Grant-Dalton, seconded for service as an Adjutant of Auxiliary Forces.

The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment) — Lieut.. Col. Norton Knatchbull retires on retired pay with the honorary rank of Colonel.

The Lincolnshire Regiment-Captain Charles Knatchbull, to be Major.

BREVET.

Captain Reginald Clare Hart, V.C., to be Major.

THE Common Room has lost the services of the Rev. S. C. Voules: his place has been permanently taken by A. C. Champneys, Esq., O.M., who is well known to several generations of Marlburians.

MR. UPCOTT has given up his house-mastership. His house (Maltese Cross) has been taken by W. J. Ford, Esq. Mr. Rundall takes Upper School Preparation, and Mr. Leaf discharges the arduous duties of Choir Master.

THE appearance of the Court after dark has been much improved during the holidays by the erection of six new gas lamps, of the same kind as those now used in Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square. The light of each of these lamps is equal to that of 100 candlepower, and we believe that Mr. Sugg, the patentee, claims that they illuminate as well as the Electric Light.

DURING the holidays there appeared in the Field an account of an exciting fox-hunt in this neighbourhood. The fox at last fled through the Masters' garden into C House, and then across to the Racquet Court, where a game was going on. Here it was brought to bay and despatched. The head was then and there presented to Mr. Bull, who happened to be in the court. He has since presented it to the Natural History Society, and it now adorns the Museum walls. A humorous Latin poem on the subject will be found in another column.

HOCKEY has begun with the utmost vigour, the weather having been exceptionally favourable. Only one house, Baker's (Fleur-de-Lys), has persevered with Football this term.

WE have almost given up all hope of skating for the year. There were one or two sharp frosts at night soon after our return, but it now seems as if the winter will end with the same extraordinary mildness which has marked it so far.

OUR readers will remember that last year we published an account of a very successful Old Marlburian dinner at Calcutta. We learn that this year it took place on January 6th, and was an even greater success. Most unluckily the energetic and patriotic promoter J. A. Bourdillon, was suddenly called away by official duties; but as he says, "the dinner was hearty and is now an assured annual success." The following were present: Hon. L. P. Delves Broughton, Major.-Gen. Sir C. Macgregor,

K.C.B., C.I.E., Col. A. Hill, W. Kemble, G. Miller, Capt. G. Haines, F. J. Collinson, H. C. Blaker, M. G. Prothero, H. E. Abbott, H. R. Fagan, P. A. Sandilands, W. M. Clay, J. Scobell Armstrong.

WE commend to our readers' notice Routledge's Sporting Annual for 1881, which contains most interesting accounts of all games and athletic competitions; the remarks on Marlborough Cricket are especially instructive as the unbiassed judgment of an outsider. It may be obtained at Lucy's for the moderate sum of one shilling.

WE beg to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the following contemporaries: Felstedian, Reading School Magazine, Melburnian, Barrovian, Meteor, Haileyburian, Bradfield School Chronicle, Radleian, Derbeian, Cinque Port, Columban, Fettesian, Horae Scholasticae, Berkhamstedian, Lorettonian, Rathmines School News, Wykehamist, Sutton Valence School Magazine, Forest School Magazine, and others.

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Marlburian.

SIR,-In writing to you again on the subject of the Rifle Corps, I expect you to turn on me with Antonio's words, "It wearies me: you say it wearies you: but your columns have done so much for he corps, that I am going to launch another appeal on your ocean. Our numbers at present are only just on the limit that entitles us to two companies, and we really ought to have a margin; and the school is all the more bound to find us recruits, because it was only by con. siderable pressure that we were able to get the Government to grant us last year what they had twice before refused. I assure you, Sir, that I am serious in saying that if our members are not up to the minimum, that is 160 rank and file, we shall have to go back to one company, and we need not expect that we shall be allowed to increase our establishment if there is another review at Windsor.

The

I would add that it is a great convenience to us if recruits will enter early in the term. There will be a field-day about the middle of term, for which recruits who enter at once can qualify, and we may be able to manage a drill at Devizes at the end of this term or the begining of next. successful ppearance of the corps at Windsor ought to make fellows so far jealous of its good name, as to join in large numbers and keep up its reputation. In drill-as in most things-the more the merrier.

Believe me, yours truly,

W. J. FORD,