The School Orchestra

The concert on Monday, 15th July, was a Two Piano Recital given by Mrs. Baird and Mr. Waine. Their programme included such popular arrangements as " Sheep may safely graze," by J. S. Bach, the romance from " Eine Kleine Nachtmusick," by Mozart, " The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba," by Handel, and Chopin's Waltz in D flat. Arenski's Waltz from the Suite for two pianos was an interesting example of a composition originally written in the twopiano idiom.

At the second concert, on '17th July, the School had a guest artist in Flying Officer Moorsom, who played the A minor Sonata of Handel and also joined Mr. Stevens in a performance of Bach's beautiful Concerto for two violins in D minor.

On 19th July we welcomed yet another artist who has helped the School many times before. This was Mrs. Procter, who played the 'cello in Haydn's Trio in G, the work which contains the famous Gipsy Rondo. The performers in the trio were Mr. Waine (piano), Mr. Stevens (violin) and Mrs. Procter (('cello). The programme included the most famous of all 'cello solos, " Le Cygne," by SaintSiens, and ended with the slow movement and scherzo from Mendelssohn's Trio in D minor.

The final concert (22nd July) was given entirely by members of the School and the Staff. A small male voice choir was called into being to take part in this concert, and gave two groups of part-songs, including " All creatures now are merry minded " (Bennet), " Now is the month of maying " (Morley), and, in a lighter vein, " The Three Chafers " (Truhn), and an arrangement of " On Ilkla Moor."

Mr. Stevens played the viola at this concert, and with Mrs. Stevens at the Piano gave a performance of a Viola Sonata by Grazioli, one of the lesser-known contemporaries of Mozart and Beethoven. Mr. Howat made his debut at St. Peter's as a clarinetist, when he joined Mr. and Mrs. Stevens in Mozart's Trio for clarinet, viola and piano. The remaining items included Brahm's " Edward " Ballad, played by J. D. Swale, and an aria from " Solomon " (Handel), sung by C. Greetham.

Our thanks are due to all those, both inside and outside the School, who contributed to make these concerts successful.

We hope to launch the School Orchestra, which is now being formed, at concert during the first term of 1947.

Two things have helped to get the orchestra under way. First, the generosity of Mr. Edward Long, who has given a considerable sum of money for the purchase of musical instruments. Thanks to him we have increased the number of instruments owned by the 34