Mexborough and Swinton Times, February 27, 1909
Conisboro’ Musical Society.
Performance of “The Ancient Mariner.”
The Conisboro’ Musical. Society gave an enjoyable evening concert in the Church Sunday School at Conisboro’ on Monday night, the event drawing a good house. “The Ancient Mariner” (T. Mee Pattison) was rendered as the first part of the programme, which was filled out with a number of miscellaneous items. The concert was a very enjoyable one throughout. “The Ancient Mariner” was capitally rendered, whilst there were one or two very good things amongst the miscellaneous items.
Seeing that “The Ancient Mariner” has already been given several times in Conisboro’ and Denaby, it seems rather a pity that the Conisboro’ Musical Society have not taken up some other work. Already this season there have been two performances of “The Ancient Mariner” at Denaby, and it is somewhat a matter for regret that some less familiar work was not introduced to the supporters of the Conisboro’ Musical Society on Monday night. However, the Society are certainly to be congratulated upon the way in which the piece was presented. The blending of the four parts in a well-balanced chorus left nothing to be desired. If we were to particularise we should say that the best things amongst the choruses were “The coming wind did roar,” the soprano chorus, Sleep, it is a gentle thing,” and the finale, “What loud uproar.” The soprano solos were quite safe in the bands of Mrs. Miner, who was in excellent voice, whilst Mr J. Senior amply justified the Society’s action in entrusting the contralto solos to her. Mr. W. Popple, the bass soloist, was quite at the top of his form on Monday night, and his items were amongst the best on the programme. Mr. A. Butler, who like Mr. Popple comes from Mexboro’, has a pleasing tenor voice. One of the best efforts was the duet by Mrs. Kilner and Mrs. senior, “Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship.”
The miscellaneous programme was a particularly good one. The chorus provided a couple of part songs, “Moonlight” (Faning), and “A Slumber Song” (Lohr). Of these the latter was probably the better of the two, the blending of the voices being magnificent. Mr. W. Popple was down for two items, each of which brought an enthusiastic demand for an encore.
His singing of “Glorious Devon” (Ed. German) received the hearty applause that it well deserved, whilst in “Simon the Gellarer,” which he gave as an encore, he was equally successful. He was again heard to advantage in “Bois Epais” (Lully), and the encore which followed it Mrs. J. Senior gave a capital rendering of the Scotch song, “My Ain Folk,” whilst her duet with Mrs. Kilner, “Maying,” was another good item. Mr. Butler sang “An Evening Song” (Blumenthal), which was enthusiastically greeted and he responded with “Mary of Argyle” as an encore.
For the chorus numbers, Mr. Rowe ably officiated as conductor. Mr. W. Gee at the piano, carried out the somewhat heavy duties of accompanist most efficiently, and was responsible to no small extent for the success of the concert.