NEWCASTLE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN INTRODUCTION By ...

the fact that the town did not have a suitable concert hall. But by the end of the
decade the town had two purpose built halls, one permanent and one temporary;
the permanent structure designed as an all purpose hall replacing the derelict
and inadequate concert room in the old Town Hall and the temporary
construction; the Festival Hall, was erected in Exhibition Park, and put up at great
expense to last no more than a matter of months.
The one big event of the 1920s was The North East Coast Exhibition, which
took place in 1929. It was not specifically a musical event but as music played
such a large part in the exhibition programme I think it deserves our attention in
more ways than one. Sir Arthur Lambert, Lord Mayor of Newcastle, 1927 –1929,
as chairman of the Exhibition Committee was responsible for organising the
musical events. Sir Arthur said that from the outset he had not the slightest doubt
in his own mind that the most promising attraction for the indoor concerts was a
string orchestra, with military and brass bands to play outside. He called together
a representative committee of experienced musical amateurs, and they agreed
that an orchestra would be essential, if it could be afforded. There was, of
course, a Concert Hall to be built, which needed a big stage, half a dozen anterooms
and seating capacity for 1,400, but it would only be needed for five and a
half months. The problem seems to have been solved on the ‘old boy net’ by
peering backwards. The father of Captain H.G. Amers had been Musical Director
to the Royal Jubilee Exhibition in 1887 and it seemed appropriate, therefore, that
his son should be approached. Amers, junior, who at the time was in Eastbourne
was approached and was able to be released from his engagement with the
Eastbourne Corporation for most of the summer. Consequently he was appointed
Honorary Musical Director. He brought the Eastbourne Municipal Orchestra with
him and as they could play in the orchestral or military style it was unanimously
concluded that this was the ideal arrangement. The suggestion to engage a
permanent band was it seems vigorously opposed at the outset in certain
quarters on the grounds that there was an urgent need for constant freshness
and change of attraction and also because the engagement would mortgage
such a big proportion of the quota of expenditure estimated for music.
The musical arrangements it seems were successful and more than justified
the confidence of the Music Committee. There were no fewer than 54 orchestral
concerts in all and the programmes were arranged with such a perfect flair for
gauging the taste of the public that they flocked nightly in crowds to the Festival
Hall and on many occasions the kiosks were besieged by surging throngs
clamouring for tickets for concerts, which, it is said, were exactly similar in type to
the Queen’s Hall “Proms” in London. Of the 54 concerts some were designated
‘special’ and these included a Symphony Concert (orchestra unspecified)
conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, a concert by Mr McConnell Wood’s Choir,
performances by various other local choirs and massed choirs, the Newcastle
and Gateshead Choral Union doing Berlioz’s ‘Faust’, concert versions of ‘Tom
Jones’ and ‘Merrie England’ by the Tyneside Operatic Societies and a
performance of ‘The Messiah’ given by the Y.M.C.A. Choral Society conducted
93