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| 2. The First Season & the Early Years |
On 26th Sept. 1866, the Derby Mercury reported:
| "The first practice of this Society, under the able conductorship of Mr. Adlington, took place on Friday [21st. September, 1866] in the Bag Lane (now East St.) School Room...The result of this first trial of strength was highly satisfactory, and the clear, fresh quality of the voices, together with the aptitude shown...in reading the by no means easy music of Judas Maccabaeus gives promise of a successful future." |
Following this auspicious start, an arrangement was made to hold weekly practices in the Old Assembly Rooms, Full Street. By this time the society had about 120 members.
On 1st. February, 1867 the choir gave an “open rehearsal” of Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabaeus at the Corn Exchange (see picture right). “Admission: Reserved seats 3s. Second seats 2s. Gallery and back seats 1s. Promenade 6d.”
At the last rehearsal the night before the first performance, the members presented the conductor with a silver mounted baton and a full score of the oratorio.
A second “open rehearsal”, this time of Haydn’s Creation was given on 3rd. May, 1867 to round off the first season’s activities. This was an even greater success. In the interim, the choir had recruited many more members and the orchestra included, in addition to local players, “several members of Mr. Charles Halle’s celebrated band”. A total of 230 singers and players took part.
The Mercury of 8th. May, 1867 records this an “unqualified triumph”. After remarking that Derby could no longer be called an unmusical town, it goes on: “not only was the largest hall in the town [the Corn Exchange] crowded to excess but we are informed that
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Corn Exchange, Derby
Looking down Albion Street towards the entrance to the
Victorian Market Hall. The large white building with the green dome is the Corn Exchange building.
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scores were turned away from the doors for whom the managers were unable to find room.”
By 1869, some of the novelty of the Choral Union had worn off: reports of less than capacity audiences appear and the reviews in the press become more critical and less full of flowery adulation.
The criticisms were however a good sign in that they showed that for the first time musical standards were being used to judge performances. Thus the regularity of the choir’s public appearances was becoming accepted as normal. |
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