NEWCASTLE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN INTRODUCTION By ...

There is surely no need to insist – as I am now almost tired of doing, and as I
am afraid my readers must be getting tired of hearing – upon the necessity of the
establishment of permanent orchestras in Newcastle and other provincial
centres. The artistic value of these organisations cannot be over-estimated and
their formation is one of the signs of healthy progression of the musical art in our
midst. In a recent article, Dr Cummings emphasised the importance of this side
of our artistic development. “The multiplication of orchestras and orchestral
performances”, he said, “has educated the British public to an extent which our
forefathers never dreamed could be possible. Time was when the idea prevailed
that the voice and verse was everything; that music only filled its noblest
functions when the instrumental was restricted to the illustration of the vocal text;
but now many have come to recognise the fact that the highest music is
language not translateble into words nor confined to a programme. The waves of
sound which flow from the orchestra may be presentations of the communing of
the soul of the genius composer with the heaven from which it came and to which
it will return. “ To many of us orchestral music is the highest form in which the art
can be presented to the ear and imagination, and the formation of two new
orchestras in the metropolis of the north is a matter for congratulation. I wish
them both well.’
The press review that followed the concert is no less interesting, and revealing
in its criticism of Newcastle’s attitude towards musical culture.
‘Since the days when the late Sir Charles Halle brought his famous band to the
city and gave annually a series of orchestral concerts Newcastle has occupied an
unworthy place amongst provincial cities so far as this class of musical enterprise
is concerned. In recent years we have been indebted principally to outside aid for
the few orchestral concerts which musicians have been privileged to hear, and
while they have certainly been of superlative excellence, no one will pretend they
have been at all adequate to the needs of so large a community. The very
excellence of those which have been given has only accentuated our orchestral
poverty. Within the past few weeks, however, some interesting developments
have taken place. The formation of the Newcastle Symphony Orchestra has
been announced and yesterday saw the debut at the Tyne Theatre of the
Newcastle Philharmonic Orchestra: and if these organisations are guided by the
right sort of enterprise and supported by the musical community in something like
an adequate manner, an important step will have been taken towards wiping out
the reproach to which Newcastle has been open for a time that has been unduly
and unsatisfactorily prolonged. A first class orchestra cannot, of course, be
formed in a day, for, as George Eliot says; “The seeds of things are small.”’
The reviewer goes on to praise the orchestra but admits the recital was an
occasion for compliments rather than criticism. He expresses some
disappointment at learning that a regular series of concerts is not contemplated
and the raison d’être for the concerts, so far as the musicians were concerned
was to provide the opportunity for them to elevate their taste as members of the
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