Reminiscences of Michael Kelly

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

12-13

text excerpt

Our time for departure, however, arrived; and Mrs. Crouch, her maid, and I, left York at five o'clock in the morning for Newcastle, and got to Durham to a late dinner : while it was preparing, I amused myself by looking about me, and in the hall of the inn I saw a large bill posted, announcing the performances of the Newcastle festival ; reading which, with great attention, I perceived a man, whom I recognised as Mr. Hobler, the chorus singer, who sang at the Abbey, the King's Concert, and the Academy of Ancient Music. The bill announced an uncommon number of choruses, and I remarked upon the fact to the chorister.

" Why," said I, familiarly, concluding, that as I knew Hobler, Hobler must know me, "You will have warm work, my master, with all these choruses."

" Not I," said the singer; " the more choruses there are, the better I am pleased ; I never tire of them."

" Why," said I, " that is strange, too, considering how much you have had of them in your time."

"Not at all, I assure you," said Hobler ; "I have for many years regularly attended the ancient concerts and music meetings, I have never had too much of Handel's choruses yet."

"Egad," said I, "you are quite a fanatico per la musicà. And pray, now, to which of Handel's choruses do you give the preference?"

"Why, my dear Mr. Kelly," said Hobler, I cannot decide ; but I candidly tell you what Cicero said, when he was asked which of the orations of Demosthenes he liked the best, he answered the longest ; so say I of Handel's choruses."

"Bravo," said I ; " you are quite a learned Theban."

"Not much of that either," said he ; "but I am never disinclined to avow an opinion of what pleases me."

excerpt from 'Reminiscences of Michael Kelly' pp. 12-13 (300 words)

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1435782599159