The Music Society

the bars and even more by the large number of very tall, hawk-eyed men all round the vault !

Before we left we were taken to the Bank's newly-established museum. This contains many interesting exhibits illustrating the early history of the Bank and of English banking in general. Many of the party would have liked to have had much more time to browse through the museum. However, we were taken up on to the roof of the Bank and shown such of the sights of London as were visible through the mist and drizzle, and after tea we went out into the murk to view some of these sights at closer quarters until it was time (almost past time in some cases) to reassemble at King's Cross for the return journey. P.J.B." K.G.C.

The Music Society this term has been greatly influenced by Bizet's "Carmen". The Choral Society has met regularly on Wednesday afternoon to rehearse the Concert Version of "Carmen" for the end of term. At this concert, the disappointment of both the singers and the audience at not having an encore shewed how much everybody had grown to like the Opera. Both the Music Society's Saturday Evening meetings have been taken up by "Carmen". At the first, four members of the Committee, K. Brown, M. G. Hancock, B. Jones, and D. R. Procter outlined the story of each act with many musical illustrations. This meeting undoubtedly helped to the success of the end of term concert. For the second evening, there should have been a Two-piano Recital, but this was impracticable, and instead, a very profitable Choral Society practice was held.

On Sunday, 23rd February, the Halle Orchestra, Conductor George Weldon, played at the Rialto Cinema. As there was no Evensong that day, many of the School were able to go. The programme was very popular, especially Ravel's "Bolero", which greatly impressed everybody.

The Friday Lunch-time Recitals have been held throughout the term. Unfortunately there was only one "live" programme, a Piano Recital by Mr. Waine, which was well attended. Gramophone Recitals have been given by : K. Brown, B. Jones, F. F. Watson, B. Way, L. T. Beaumont, P. R. Leach, D. A. Wilson, and J. R. Jenkinson. Music played has included :-

The planets Suite, St. Paul's Suite—Hotzt. The Sleeping Princess—T chaikovsky. Symphony No. 5—Beethoven. Bolero—Ravel. Danse Macabre—Saint-Saens.

Towards the end of term, as an experiment, a mixed programme of Jazz and Classical music was presented; it is hoped to continue this policy. It is unfortunate that so many people still think of music as divided into two parts, Classical and Jazz. Is it not possible to regard them as one and the same art, namely music? There is an infinite amount of good music in both, admittedly there is also some bad, but there is no reason why they should not live together side by side. All that is needed is a little less snobbery on both sides, and then, perhaps, everybody will enjoy the good of both worlds. K.B.

SCHOOL CONCERT

Friday, 22nd March, 1957, at 6-30 p.m., in Big Hall

The first part of the School Concert consisted entirely of instrumental music. There were a number of orchestral pieces. These seriously lacked variation. The failure of these pieces to inspire me was no fault of the Orchestra, as with the help of a viola and 'cello from the music staff they gave a very spirited display. But in general they lacked volume, even the march from "Scipio" sounded like chamber music, though the excellent acoustics of Big Hall tended to overcome this. The solos were very good, though here again a variation in tone was sadly missed. It was pleasing, however, to see some of the more junior members of the School showing their talents instead of relying entirely on the "old faithfuls". The pieces played were taken from the works of Handel, Bizet, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg and Ravel. After hearing these composers' pieces de resistances, for instance Handel's Messiah, Ravel's Bolero, and Bizet's Carmen, the pieces chosen seemed an anticlimax.

Up to now the Choir had remained dormant, but they came into their own in the second part of the concert with the opening chorus of "Carmen". They started their performance at a very high standard, and one might think the quality would have decreased as time progressed. This was not apparent and they gave the best performance I have heard from a School Choral Society. They really lived the music and so gave a polished and rousing performance. They were joined for the parts of Carmen and Don Jose by Joyce Relton and Arthur Millington, the other solo soprano parts being sung by Moat and his colleagues. An impressive part was the duet in the Letter Song sung between them and Arthur Millington. The performance would not have been complete without singing the Toreador Song which brought the concert to an end on an excellent note. Many people were sorry that the production had to be cut so much. I am convinced that when they hear "Carmen" sung again by amateurs it will have to be very good indeed to supersede this. D.N.B.

1. ORCHESTRA

March from "Scipio"

Programme

PART 1

2. SOLO PIANO (a) Sonata in G Op. 79 2nd Movement—Andante A. Gomersall (b) Rigaudon (from Holberg Suite) I. T. Hunter

3. SOLO CLARINET From Clarinet Quintet (K.581) Larghetto—Minuet W. R. Bytheway

4. SOLO PIANO (a) Nocturne in E flat, Op. 9, No. 2 R. W. Bentley (b) Sonata in F minor, Op. 2, No. 1 1st Movement—Allegro B. Jones

5. ORCHESTRA Adagietto from L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1

6. SOLO PIANO Pavan for a dead Infanta J. R. Anfield

7. SOLO VIOLIN Concerto No. 5 in A (K.216) Adagio—Allegro K. Wilson (R. W. Bentley)

8. ORCHESTRA Swedish Dance Handel

Beethoven

Grieg

Mozart

Chopin

Beethoven

Bizet

Ravel

Mozart

Anon

THE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA:

Violin I: P. W. Howat, K. Wilson (leader). Violin II: J. C. Brisby, A. J. D. Foster, I. T. Parkin, J. L. Pilditch. Viola: Miss M. Wainscoat. 'Cello: Miss E. L. Groves, D. Pfluger. Conductor: Walter Jorysz. PART 2 "C'ARMEN" by Georges Bizet (1838-1875) (Concert version by Maurice Besley)

Joyce Relton (Mezzo-Soprano), Arthur Millington (Tenor)

P. H. Moat, M. W. Foster, E. White, H. L. Sutcliffe (Trebles) THE SCHOOL CHORAL SOCIETY Chorus Pianist: B. Jones

AUGMENTED ORCHESTRA Leader: Walter Jorysz

Conductor: FREDERIC WAINE

THE JAZZ GROUP

A a postscript to the term's music, the Jazz Group, comprising D. Anderson (string bass), P. J. M. Baines (clarinet), P. L. Bellwood (ban jolele), M. G. Hancock (percussion), J. R. Loadman, O.P.

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