the inhabitants to a ten-shilling "grand soiree" in the large room of the Lamb Lnn (West Collins Street). Considering the population and tastes of the time, there yvas a tolerable attendance, but the value given was of the most meagre kind. T h e valetudinarian piano, disordered in some of its strings, was amply compensated, at least in sound, by a Mr. Tickel, yvho plied a key bugle yvith m u c h animation. O n the evening ofthe 18th May, 1840, the same Tickel organized a concert entertainment at the same place, of which the following brief and unmincing notice was printed in a neyvspaper the following d a y : — " T h e room was crowded to witness one of the most disgusting exhibitions of tomfoolery seen for some time." ' Another concert is announced to have taken place soon after this, at the auction room of M r . William Barrett, norlh-yvest corner of Queen and Little Collins Streets. It is reported to have been got up by Messrs. Mills, Eburn, and an amateur. Mills' performance is described as very fair "though marred by Cockneyisms." T h e amateur "showed singing of m u c h promise but he broke doyvn in two Scotch songs;" the accompaniment was bad, but Eburn " damned the yvhole thing by his vanity or vulgarity." A s afinale," the attendance yvas not very numerous nor respectable."
THE FIRST CHARITABLE CONCERT.
Contemporaneous with the white settlement, there were musical amateurs in Melbourne, and at times they assisted at what were little more than tap-room entertainments, generally consisting of a wild chorus of songs, fiddling, and flute playing, aided by a hoarse, spasmodic piano. T h e advent of the Gautrots (popularly pronounced Go-trot) yvas hailed with satisfaction,forMonsieur and M a d a m e were not devoid of artistic ability, though from some cause or other they never attained that degree of success yvhich they deserved. In 1841, efforts yvere m a d e to found some kind of a hospital. T h e amateur portion ofthe community had been strengthened by some two or three attorneys of musical proclivities, and it was suggested to organize a concert in aid of the Hospital Fund. Gautrot gave his gratuitous assistance, and the folloyving announcement, the first ofthe kind issued in the colony, was circulated :— AMATEUR CONCERT (For benevolent purposes) to be held on W E D N E S D A Y EVENING, T H E 3KU FEBRUARY, 1841, AT THE C A L E D O N I A N H O T E L , L O N S D A L E STREET.
Stewards—William Meek, Esq., George Cavenagh, Esq., Jno. Roach, Esq.
Leader—Monsieur Gautrot.
FIRST PART.
Overture.—" II Nozzi di Figaro"—Mozart. Song.—"The Blighted Flower "—Balfe. Glee.—" The Wreath "—Mazzinghi. Quartette.—" Introduzione "—Sola. Song.—Air from the " Siege of Corinth " (Madame Gautrot)—Rossini. Solo—Violin.—" Air vairee " (Monsieur Gautrot)—Kreutzer. Glee.—" Life's a Bumper "—Webb. Song.—" All is lost now " (" Sonnambula ")—Bellini. Septette.—" Air Russe" (with variations for all the instruments, composed and dedicated to the Melbourne Amateur Society by Monsieur Gautrot)—Gautrot. SECOND
PART.
Quadrilles.—(Full Orchestra)—Muzard. Song.-" The Outlaw " (with full accompaniments)—Loder. Glee.—" The Chough and Crow "—Bishop. Duet—Piano and Violin.—" Mose en Egito "—Hertz and Lafont. ^ o n g . _ » Black Eyed Susan " (Madame Gautrot)—Dibdin. Quartette.—" Mi Vedrai " Bellini.' Duet.—" Semiramide "—Rossini. Glee.—" Hail Smiling Morn "—Spofforth. Finale.—" God Save the Queen "—Verse and Chorus—Phillips. Single tickets of admission, 15s. each ; Family single ticket, 12s. 6d. ; to be had of either ofthe Stewards, or at Messrs. Kerr and Holmes' Stationery Warehouse, Collins Street. Tickets not transferable. Doors open at Half-past Seven, and the Concert to commence at Eight o'clock precisely.
