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JESSIE MACLACHLAN.
; AN ENTHUSIASTIC FAKEWELL.
• LAST. CONCERT IN SYDNEY.
JEESENTATJON BY THE HIGHLAND
.-V : SOCIETY. '
(From Monday’s “Sydney Morninir
a': Herald/*)
.■'I'he enthusiasm which pro vailed, at tho
yoWa Hall oil Saturday ovoning on tho
pccaaioii t>f the final concert of tho Jessie
^Taclachlan eories vm li fitting close to a
remarkable oeaaon. The liaH was crowd
ed'iti every part, and out of compliment
to. th<T visiting Scotch artist, tho Sent
ti?]i lyflcs,’ with their pipers, occupied
tho* ozgaif gallery in strong force. Tho
audience included J>ady parley and Miss
Parley, and suite, and Brigadicr-Gcnoral
Gordon. Tho Highland Society of New
££>utn \Yalce waa well represented by ita
.ofjioera and-’ members, and Scotchmen
generally won© in evidence throughout
-fhq haU* clana/ indeed, are nothhig
d. not patriotic, and many ladies wore
thistlo ornament* in their hair and also
tartan favour*.
' Misa Maclachlan ia undoubtedly ono
of-'tho finest balladlste' rrho have ever
visited Australia, and" her singing on
Saturday tight wad electrical in its ef
ffiet on*'the oudiencO. Sbo employed her
beautifully full rich voice with great
iklll and adroitnesa in her varied nuin
Iters. Her appearance on the platform
heralded by tho pipers of tho Scot
tish "Rifles skirling tho "Cock o‘ tho
North/!* and this served at once to ex
elto'tho general enthusiasm. Misa Mnc
rachlan's 6‘pening number was Bethunoo
folk,l song,’ Tho Auld Scotch Sangs,"
If wing with infinite pathos, and
fo/which she’added, in response to un
t6unded*lyjplauso, "Dae Ye Mind Lang,
lirno*' Syno/’' tho humorous passages in
'which wero inimitably given. "Tho
‘ Troo " ’(Ifairne) waa beautifully
■ung, waa in tho bracketed num
ber,'Hundred Pipers/' that tho
inado' her* chief succcab of tho
Evening. Like " Bluo Bonnets Over tho
. Border," this'Bon^’lias proved iminerisc
ry pojiu^ar'wilh all lovers of Scotch bal
lads, as Interpreted by tho visiting'ar
tist,-and on Saturday the audience was
grilled by tho'recital of tho ’patriotic
nuinbw:. In ^he second part of the pro
gramme Misg Maclaohlan charmed lier
, hearer#- with tho evcr-welcbmo " Loch
Lomond,'! ^ho stirring " Bonnie Princo
Charlie/! ani^ the patriotic "Rule Bri
tannia." She was rewarded with a pro
lusion of flowers, and, being loudly ro
otled for her ringing of tho English
item, Miss Maclachlan again came for
ward^ and, clasping tho hands of two of
the; Scottish Baflea, gang “Auld Lang
Syno," which again excited unbounded
enthusiasm.
*xMr: John M'Linden, tho 'cellist, play
ed:rtfoveTal''item*'in excellent style, and
was* Quite1 at ho in© in. "Scots’ Fantasia,"
to WMeh he added Mascagni's well
known intermerxo. Mr. Percy Hbrford,
the- other'‘assisting artist; employed his
fine baas voice with gbod’effcbt in Judea
** Mighty Deep/' and Blumonthfll’s
" Life/' and added "Tho Skipper" as ad
extra item,' Mr/Robert Buchanan prov
M* careful accompahist/'ind^alsb. J)lay
own " Aberfe|dy," and 0 Galop’do
Concert. ;* f *£; ; '■ '■'*
Presentation by the highland
* ? ' . SOClEPY. ■ r*:*
* Daring tho interval Mr. James Tnglis,
ono of-tho ^vice-presidents of tho
land Booiety,, and Mr. Currie’ Elies, "hem.
secretary camo forward, and, on behalf
of tho’* society, presented Mias Maclach- '
lan with a beautifully-got-up album of
Sydney views. ! Mr. Inglis, addressing
the - Scottish soprano, ; said that
MaclncIilAn, whoso visit to tliifl land was
now drawing to a close, was,i:in hi# opin
ion, on« pf 3b« finest interpreters’of the
l*apij;*£ropdeU?/«nd’pafW* of Scotti«h
i»nd ’ »eniitn«Atf who had
ever appeared in Australia. (Applause.)
She had brought back to many of them
iraperishabls memories of their native
land. By her marvellous power of song,
young Australians by the thousand had
learned, perhaps, for the firat time of
that wondrous tie that knits the Scottish
heart to its native land. (Applause.)
Mr. uurrio EUeg then read the address,
which ran hs follows:— *’
11 In asking your acceptance of this
album of views, the Highland Society of ,
New South Wales trusts that it will
servo to remind you of tho land in which ,
you have made many friends, and unto
whoso people you have endeared your
self.1'It falls to" the lot of few to nrouso
the patriotism of tjio exiled Scot, to
awaken memories of our dear Scottish
homes as you have dono by your ex
quisite rendering of our grand uld music.
May you long ' bo' spared to cheer the
hearts of exiles abroad and onr kinsmen
nt homo, and may the day bo hot far
distant wlion you will again cross the
ocean to greet your kin in New South
Wales. Proud have wo been to welcome
you in onr midst, and while now it
comes to us to say * Beannnehd loat,* let
us also add
“ * Better lo'ed ye cannn be, ^
Will ye no come bnck again?"’
Mr. Inglis handed the address to Misfl
Maclachlnn amidst enthusiastic cheering.
Mias Maclachlan, speaking in clear,
even tones, which could bo heard well
down the hall, said:—"From the bottom
of a warm Highland heart, I thank you
for your kindness.. If I have been a
ineft'^enger to bring to you the sweet
strains of Scottish Bong, if I have
brought Scotland a little nearer to you,
if i have reminded you in any way of
the dear old days of long ngo, then I
am repaid a thousand times. In ^ my
whole career I have never been rcceivod
bo graciously, and in bo friendly a man
ner ns by Australian audiences. And we
wandering minstrels, when wo have join
ed our friends in tho old land, will carry
away with us tho warmest recollections
of onr visit to your sunny land. Accept
onr very dcopest thanks, not only for
(his beautiful gift, but for something we
value even higher—a worm place in your
hearts. If we can reviait your country
wc will do so with the greatest pleasure,
and I hope until we TOturn you will keep
a green Bpot in your hearts for your na
tive country and your friend, Jessie Mac
lnchlan. ‘
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