During his term at Rochester, J.L. Hopkins directed some very successful subscription concerts there from year to year. Many of the most celebrated vocalists sang on these occasions, and always some representative names appeared in the programme. The last concert of the season was generally made specially attractive by the engagement of Sims Reeves, Madame Dolby and other well-known artists. [...] A curious side-light on the musical culture of concert audiences at that time, even at fairly high-class music-makings as these were, is afforded in the fact that the programmes were always enlivened by what was called a 'buffo song.' At Rochester these were generally contributed by two vocalists who were, I believe, Cathedral choristers, Messrs. George Buckland and James Howe. The former, I think, came from St Paul's. At a concert given on January 24, 1855, Howe was down for an 'Historical Extravaganza', as it was called. The words have not survived, but I append the author's synopsis [...] "Ye affecting historie of Guido Fawkes" with ye fulle, true, and particular account of ye Gunpowder Plot: contaynynge divers matters thereanent never made publycke. Buckland's tour de force was a song entitled, if my memory serves me, 'Miss Roseleaf's Evening Party.' [...] A song by 'Miss Martha Mumbles' which always brought down the house, had for its title 'Thou art gone from my gaze like a beautiful dream'. It was a well-known ballad of the time. He would sing it in a high falsetto. [...] I am afraid the audience really liked these songs better than they did the more refined numbers in the programme. And I certainly did! << less