Main Performers | Madame Elsa Stralia, Mr. David Ellis - vocals
Female gymnastic dancers |
Orchestra or Band | London Symphony Orchestra |
Choirs | London County Council Evening Institute Students (Choir of 2,000 Voices) |
Set List | 'God Save the Queen' (The National Anthem), 'Te Deum Laudamus, in B', Stanford (Choir), 'The Flag of England', Bridge (Elsa Stralia, Choir), Female gymnastic display of skipping, physical exercises and national dress, 'Pomp and Circumstance', Elgar (London Symphony Orchestra), 'Land of Hope and Glory', Elgar (Elsa Stralia), 'Shepherds Hey', Percy Grainger (London Symphony Orchestra), 'Rule Britannia', Arne (Choir , Audience), 'There's a Long Long Trail', Zo Elliott (David Ellis), 'Men of Harlech' (David Ellis), 'Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory', W Steffe (Choir and Audience), 'Recessional', J B Dykes (Choir and Audience), 'Hallelujah Chorus' from Messiah, Handel (Choir and Audience) |
Performance Notes | "A SKIPPING BALLET EVENING INSTITUTES' CHOIR OF 2,000 The Albert Hall was filled on Saturday night by a large company who came together to join with members of the London County Council Evening Institutes in celebrating the great events of the day... ... The choir showed that the foundations of musical training laid in the L.C.C. schools, which were illustrated by the children's festival last week, are built on by the evening institutes when school days are over. They have produced an excellent and well-disciplined body of singers who are not afraid to undertake difficult music, and though inevitably there was a large preponderance of women's voices over tenors and basses, the balance will no doubt be righted in the years of peace which this celebration was intended to greet... ... The demobilized male, whose most serious peace resolution is never again to suffer the tortures of 'Pip Toc' had the delight of watching charming young women in pretty dresses doing with grace and gusto what he had done as a clumsy drudge in the service of his country. Bending and stretching and 'on the hands down' became a thing of beauty. But the skipping, both ensemble and solo, was one of the most joyously beautiful things imaginable. The infinite variety of the steps involving a perfect technical control of the limbs combined with the rhythmic swing of the ropes surely offeres an opportunity to the musician hitherto unrealized. Why should we not have an English skipping ballet? It is all there except the music, whose place, of course, had to be supplied by the usual jerky tunes played on the piano." (The Times, 30 June 1919) |
Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1919/46) |