JOINT LECTURE, "THE CONCERTO" By J. T. Ankers and D. G. Hilton On Saturday, 18th November, Ankers and Hilton delivered an interesting lecture on the growth of the Concerto. Illustrations were provided by gramophone records played on the School amplifier (operated on this, as on most occasions this year, by J. N. T. Howat). The Science Lecture Theatre was chosen for the meeting and it was comfortably filled by a representative audience drawn from all parts of the School. Anker's task was, in a sense, the more difficult, for he dealt with the earlier composers, Cimaroso, Corelli and J. S. Bach, whose works were unfamiliar to the majority of his audience. But he had obviously prepared his subject so well, and had chosen his illustrations from among such attractive examples of his period, that he had no difficulty in carrying his audience with him. He is to be congratulated on this. Hilton's task was, superficially, the more easy, for in presenting us with well-worn favourites like the Haydn Trumpet Concerto, the Romance from the Mozart D minor Piano Concerto, to say nothing of the finale of the Beethoven Violin Concerto, the Tchaikovski and the Grieg, he was assured of pleasing all his listeners. But with more careful selection of what he had to say, he might have succeeded in illuminating our affection for these masterpieces with some more facts on the occasion or manner of their composition. Howat is to be congratulated on having the right side of the right record unobtrusively ready at the right time, and Hilton on the excellent organisation of the evening's activities.
THE SCIENCE SOCIETY President: E. K. ROBINSON, Esq., B.Sc. Hon. Secretary: J. M. BOOTH.
The system whereby the Committee was chosen has been altered this term, two representatives now being nominated by each House. Five meetings were held this term. The first was held on 23rd September. Mr. Robinson was in the chair and four films were shown. The first was divided into two parts : The first concerned the piledriver and showed how the modern type has replaced the old one, which had many heavy accessories. The new type is petrol driven whilst the old one was driven by steam. The second, entitled "Asdic", showed us how sound waves have been adapted from their original use of searching for submarines to the more peaceful pursuit of detecting shoals of fish. It works on the echo system. The second film was about Sheepdog Trials. It showed us the progress of one dog through all the trial. The next film enabled us to 32
