Faure's Music Gets Another Local Hearing After 86 Years

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924), celebrated French composer and musician, at the piano. His music, believed to have been first performed locally at a concert in Dalton in 1932, is to get another run in July this year in Gunning. Photo Wikipedia Commons

In November 1932 the Gunning Literary Institute Dramatic Company toured a three act comedy, "It Looks Like Rain”, to the citizens of Dalton. Their performance attracted a very favourable review in the Goulburn Penny Post.

Music by the Gunning orchestra under the baton of Mr McNutt also added greatly to the audience's enjoyment. The numbers rendered included “Legion Americana" (Lavelle) "The Palms" (Faure), "Sanctuary of the Heart" (Ketelby) with a vocal solo by Miss Tully and "National Guard's March" (Ryder).

The orchestra comprised Mr J Power and Misses F Southwell and J Rodrom (violins), Mr Gordon (cornet), Mr S A Beer (piano), Miss D Beer (triangle) and Mr J E. Caldwell (drums).

Today’s nearest equivalent to the Gunning Literary Institute is the Gunning Focus Group which, although it does not boast its own orchestra, continues to bring fine, enjoyable music to the district. On Sunday 1 July, Musica da Camera, Canberra’s premier string orchestra, will be presenting their annual Focus Group concert in the Shire Hall at 2pm. Faure will be getting another run, although you won’t be able to hear the hymnal “The Palms” that was performed in 1932. But there is no cause to be disappointed.

Musica da Camera will be directed by Jonathan McFeat in a program of string orchestra music by Faure, Handel, Mendelssohn, Sibelius and Warlock including a piece that he has composed for string orchestra and banjo. The Faure piece will be a special arrangement for string orchestra and guitar of his much loved “Pavane”with the soloist being Canberra guitarist Liam O’Connell.

I don’t know the admission prices in 1932 but the touring performers' box office raised a total of £9. Today's Focus Group tickets are $30, concessions $25 and Gunning Focus Group members $20. Tickets available at the door. Enquiries may be made to Mike Coley on 0415 378 816.

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