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From Historical Hastings
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Concerts and Musical Entertainment

A Grand Concert was given in the St Leonards Assembly Rooms on Saturday, Jan 26th, by Mr. W. H. Acraman and Herr Carl Deichmann to a large and fashionable audience. The other executants were Madame Baur (vocalist), Signor Piatti (violoncellist), and Mr. Harold Thomas (conductor). Amateur Musical Union. In the same rooms, on the 29th of January an entertainment was given by this harmonious body for the benefit of the St. Leonards Mechanics’ Institution. As it embraced a feature of novelty, the following description is an extract from the Hastings News:- “The entertainment was very successfully carried out. It presented the novel feature of an interspersed medley or lecture arranged and recited by Mr. T. Brett, - an attraction which we have never previously noticed in an amateur performance. The reader also introduced an organophonic imitation of musical instruments, which the audience called upon him to repeat. The vocalists were under the direction of Mr. F. Thomson. Each of the part songs and glees was very nicely rendered, and the conductor’s own part-song received an encore. Mr. J. Skinner sang ‘Songs of the Greenwood’ (Robin Hood) in a superior manner, and in both that an(sic) ‘In Dreams I see my mother dear’ (Chrysty’s) he was warmly and deservedly encored. Messrs. W. and H. Walter also each gave solos to the satisfaction of the audience. Altogether the entertainment passed off most satisfactorially(sic).” The St. Leonards Gazette also paragraphed this musical and novel entertainment thus:- “Judging from the fact that seven pieces were encored, the company must have been satisfied with the performance. Our own connection with the affair must excuse us from entering into a criticism of the same, and we therefore confine ourselves to the ‘narrative of events’ in the order of the programme, adding, however, that the Mechanics’ Institution was pecuniarly(sic) benefited.” A Juvenile Concert was given on the 21st of March by the pupils of the Boys British School, under the excellent training of Mr. King, who, in addition to the toils of conductorship, favoured the large assembly with some specimens of his own vocal powers. Many of the choruses were rendered with a precision that could hardly have been looked-for. As an additional feature six young members of the Rifle band played the “Grand Review March”, Mr. Funnell (their leader) and Miss Harman accompanying.

An Amateur Concert. – On the evening of Tuesday, the 2nd of April, in the National Schoolrooms of St. Mary Magdalen, a musical treat was given to the working classes by a party of ten or a dozen ladies and gentlemen of great musical ability. The entertainment was mainly of a vocal character, consisting of solos, duets, part-songs, &c. and intended as a wind-up to the winter series of lectures that had  -