Concert Twelve

The twelfth and final Sydney concert, for the benefit of Mr Clarke, was held on Tuesday, 9 January 1827, in Simeon Lord's Large Room, Macquarie Place, Sydney. It was reportedly 'thinly attended', with The Australian speculating that audiences were fickle, and that concerts had fallen out of 'fashion' though they felt that the 'taste [would] revive in due season'.

Program

First Part

Overture

Charles FLEURY (c. 1800)

La Chasse

Performers: Likely all instrumental performers.

Song

John Wall CALLCOTT (1766-1821)

Friend of the Brave

Performers: John Edwards (bass vocalist); George Sippe (pianoforte)

Glee

Richard WAINWRIGHT (1757-1825)

Life’s a Bumper

Performers: Likely the vocalists.

Song

John BRAHAM (c. 1774-1856)

The Death of Abercrombie

Performers: Unidentified vocalist.

Song

John BRAHAM (c. 1774-1856)

Let us Haste to Kelvin Grove

Performers: Mr Clarke (tenor vocalist); George Sippe (pianoforte)

Second Part

Overture

Simone MAYR (1763-1845)

Adelaide de Guesclino

Performers: Likely all instrumental performers.

Song

James HOOK (1746-1827)

Adieu My Native Land

Performers: Unidentified vocalist.

Glee

“Francis Ireland”, pseudonym of Francis Hutcheson (1721-1780)

How Sleep the Brave?

Performers: Likely the vocalists.

Ballad

Thomas COSTELLOW (1775 – c. 1815)

O Share my Cottage, Dearest Maid

Performers: Mr Clarke (tenor vocalist); George Sippe (pianoforte)

Grand Overture

Composer not identified

Work not identified

Performers: Likely all instrumental performers.

Reviews

'SUBSCRIPTION CONCERT'

The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 11 January 1827, p. 2.

'The most successful efforts of the evening were "Friend of the Brave," a song by Mr. EDWARDS; Braham's beautiful ballad, "Let us haste to Kelvin grove," and the song "O share my Cottage," by Mr. CLARKE, all of which were received with the most rapturous applause, and honoured with an unanimous encore.'

'NEWS'

The Australian , 13 January 1827, p. 3.

'Concert-going was fashionable six months ago - Every body had an ear for music, and was delighted with the charming playing and the charming singing; and the great room here and the greater room there, were all too small. We must have a concert-room built, and public amusements set a going. How mutable are minds-concerts are no longer "the rage" - and any room almost will suffice for "the company."'

'NEWS'

The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 16 January 1827, p. 2.

'Concert going, it has been said, is out of fashion; the people, it is asserted, are tired, or fickle, and what not, but this, we have little hesitation in saying, is not the fact, and some of the late failures may, without much difficulty, be attributed to a cause which would rather serve to mark the correctness of the public taste.... The absence of a female vocalist is the true cause of the apathy; for, who that professes the least pretension to a soul attuned to harmony can endure the continued succession of gruff masculine voices in solos and glees, and glees and solos to the end of the chapter? "Who sings next? Mr. So-and-so? Who next? Mr. Thingumme! Who next? Mr. What-d'-ye-call-em !!'