In aid of a fund which appeals to the sympathy of all, having an influential committee of ladies behind it as organisers, as well as the ready help of ladies and gentlemen of known musical talent, the concert on Friday at the Hotel des Colonies on behalf of the Neutral Relief Fund could not be other than a success.
The hall is not exactly designed for concert purposes, but the management of the hotel, who initiated the kindly enterprise, had seen to it that what was lacking in acoustic qualities was more "than made good by the beauty of the decorations and the preparations for the comfort of the large audience which assembled. Behind the platform, the object of the concert was proclaimed in coloured electric lamps "Pour les Dlessés"; festoons of evergreens studded with lights drooped gracefully from the ceiling and adorned the wall; and the spacious entrance corridor was gay with the flags of all nations.
The Town Band opened the programme by a resounding rendering of the overture to "Marion de Lorme"
(Lamotte). Signor Valenza conducted later in the evening he gave valuable help by accompanying Mrs. Lanphier's songs, but the violin solo promised was unfortunately one of several items which had to be crowded out of the long programme. It is always a pleasure to listen to Madame Holter's wonderfully flexible voice, which takes the most exacting passages with seeming case. For her solo' Mme, Holter chose the Séguédille" from "Carmen," and in response to loud applause repeated the second part. Mr. Berner junior bore his share as a sympathetic secompanist. Mr. J. Raaschou, the newly-arrived Consul-General for Denmark, has brought with him a reputation as a violinist, and his first appearance in Shanghai' was looked forward to with much interes The audience were delighted to find that every expectation was justified. Mr, Raaschow plays as one who loves as well as understands his instrument and Boriot's ever popular " Airs de Ballet" could not have had a more finished rendering. The solo was mae the more enjoyable by the perfect accompaniment it received from Mrs. Cochrane. Mrs. Cochrane was again the accompanist to the next number, which was V. Meyor's song, Massonet's. "Pensve d'Automno," charming idyl which Mr. Meyer will not make us tired of hearing. In his encore piece one of Brahms' "Gipsy Songs" the vocalist was a little troubled by the low pitch of the room and the difficulty of getting out his best notes. Madame Holter felt same disadvantage as the vocalist in the trio for voice, violin, and piano, Gounod's "Ave Maria." Mrs. Cochrane and Mr. Rasschou completed the trio which was one of the best numbers of the evening. The first part was concluded by Mrs. Shorrock's rendering of the mournful ballad "Lorraine, Lor-rame, Lorrée" with much emotional feryour.
A longish interval for premenacing preceded the opening of the second part which was considerably curtailed in consequence. M. Oudin gave a spirited recitation of a famous scene from Rostand's drama "Cyrano de Bergerac and then came a really delightful render-
Lanphier, who kindly repeated the second verse. Later on Mrs. Lanphier sang Gounod's song "Quand tu chantes," which was equally acceptable. M. Boutin gave Donizetti's "Romance de lo Fa-; Vorite" with his customary earnestness and Mrs. Shorrock roused the audience to enthusiasm with her coon songs, sung to her own banjo accompaniment. A final selection by the orchestra sent the company away well pleased with their evening's entertainment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.