Ballad Concert: 6th

“The Dolbys give one more concert to-night. On their reappearance later in the season it is to be hoped they may stray a little from the well- beaten meadow-paths of English ballad and glee into the more romantic regions of the best German and Italian opera or concert compositions. Mr. Santley, fine as he is in the calmer music he has sung so far, incalculable quantity of force in him which nothing but a little fiery Italian atmosphere will bring out of him. But his performance in ‘Elijah’ will do much towards it.”

“The distinguishing characteristic of the artists of this company, judging from the concerts we have heard, is their unassuming devotion to their art. There is no effort at self-display, no coquetry with the audience, no stage airs. The purpose seems to have been on the part of all of them not to make music the vehicle of their vanity, but the medium of thought, expression, and beauty—to present it to the audiences, and not themselves and their accomplishments. Mr. Santley, himself an artist of the foremost rank, is so quiet and unassuming in manner that he fails to impress himself at once upon the hearer for what he really is. But, once understood, he commands the respect of the hearer all the more for this very modesty of bearing. What we say of Miss Wynne and Mr. Santley is equally true of their associates.”