1914-02-11a

“Late in the year 1904, the Elgar choir was organized with Bruce A. Carey as its conductor, and early in the following year, it gave its first concert. It presented a program of part songs, motets and choral ballads, and in such a manner as to captivate all who appreciated good choral work, because never before had the people of this city heard a local chorus sing like that.”

          Hamilton Herald.      February 11, 1914.

          For its 10^th anniversary, Hamilton’s Elgar Choir, under the direction of Bruce Carey, performed Handel’s Messiah at the Grand Opera, on February 10, 1914.

          Although the Elgar started at a very high level of excellence, it had done nothing but improve over the first ten years of its existence :

          “The Elgar choir became Hamilton’s premier choral organization and what enabled it to go to Toronto and impress people who know what it is to hear the best in the art of choral expression. Since their first concert, Mr. Carey and Elgar choir have marched from victory to victory”¹

               ¹ Handel’s Messiah Magnificently Sung : Elgar Choir Under Bruce A. Care’s Direction Sang This Great Work in Superb Manner at Grand Last Night”

          Hamilton Herald. February 11, 1914

          The early programs sung by the Elgar choir usually consisted singing miscellaneous numbers but gradually the choir broadened its scope, until by 1914, it was prepared to take on what many regarded as the greatest of all choral compositions, Handel’s Messiah.

          The music critic with the Hamilton Herald vividly presented to the newspaper readers what he saw and heard at the much-anticipated Elgar choir concert:

          “Messiah was presented last night at the Grand Opera house before an audience comprised of the social and musical elite of Hamilton, and it is safe to say that that audience was surprised and delighted.

          “To the majority it was a revelation. The Messiah as a work is fairly well known to most persons who are found of music, but as far as Hamilton is concerned, it was a new Messiah that most of them heard last night, and a more impressive, more glorious Messiah.

“To this grand musical picture of the Christ, through prophecy and revelation, Mr. Carey bent his mind. It was a finished study of a sublime subject, and it was fully appreciated, as was indicated by the spontaneous applause that greeted the rendition of the magnificent and expressive choruses.”¹

The choir, numbering 128 singers, was accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Two Toronto newspapers sent music critics to the Grand Opera House, and both reviews were very complimentary.

The Toronto World review read, in part:

“Tonight’s performance served to emphasize the high standard set by Bruce A. Carey, the conductor, and to enhance the reputation of the choir as an upholder of their conductor’s ideals in delicacy of execution and sterling qualities of tone, precision and taste.

“With a choir of 128 voices, the same volume of tone cannot, of course, be produced as by double the number, but similar merits of purity of tone, unforced and artistic crescendos, and exquisite pianissimos, distinguish the Elgar choir performances. This was fully borne out by tonight’s singing.”¹

The Toronto Globe review, read, in part :

“Musical Hamilton was generally interested tonight in the musical event of the season, the production of Handel’s Messiah, by the Elgar choir, assisted by the Toronto Symphony orchestra.

“From a strictly musical point of view, the performance was eminently satisfying. The chorus of one hundred and twenty-eight voices sang with a beautiful quality of tone, whether in sections of the mass, their attacks and intonation were certain, and their shading delicate and well-graduated.

“But they were severely handicapped by having to sing at the back of the stage, a locale that smothered sonority, obliterated oratorical emphasis, destroyed vigor of attack, and reduced everything to a level of placidity.

“There were many visitors from Toronto present and their opinions, openly expressed, was that the sooner Hamilton gets a proper music hall the better it will be in the interests of her choral societies”¹

 For those who witnessed the performance of Handel’s Messiah by the Elgar choir on a cold February evening in 1914, the chill was eased by the warmth of their experience in the auditorium of the Grand Opera House.