He often used to laugh over one of the early morning concerts, when the choir went up to the rooms of the Crown Princess of Prussia. It was in November, and as the affair was fixed for 7 a.m. the day had scarcely broken when the men crept quietly to their allotted positions, Added to this, it was pouring with rain, and the light was just sufficient to show that the Long Walk was almost under water, but utterly inadequate for anyone to see a note of music. As if in irony of the unpropitious elements, the first piece on the programme was "Hail! Smiling Morn" (Spofforth).