The vibrant cultural scene in December 1928 saw at least five performances of Handel’s Messiah in Sydney Town Hall, so of course Annette Young wrote one into A Distant Prospect!
The Grand Organ, Sydney Town Hall circa 1928 (State Library of NSW, out of copyright)
The world’s largest all-mechanical pipe organ, and one of only two having the longest pipe, a 64-foot pedal-stop.
Review of Sat 8 Dec 1928 Welsh Society Messiah, Sydney Town Hall – Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 10 Dec 1928.
Review of Sat 22 Dec 1928 Philharmonic Society Messiah, Sydney Town Hall – Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 24 Dec 1928
The first Messiah to raise the roof was by the 600-voice Welsh Choral Society on 8 December, repeating its success the following Saturday to an overflow crowd.
The Royal Sydney Philharmonic Society Messiahs began on Saturday 22 December (with the Sydney Morning Herald reviewer admonishing the ushers for admitting latecomers during the ‘Every Valley’ solo!).
When writing A Distant Prospect, Annette had Lucy’s music teacher decide that Christmas 1928 was also high time for Lucy’s first orchestral outing:
Mrs Epstein handed me some more music. ‘Rehearsals start on Wednesday and there’ll be three performances next week in the Town Hall. We’re sorely in need of an extra cellist. I’ve spoken to your father about it and he’s quite happy for you to do it. Will you?’
As usual, the question was a rhetorical one.
[SPOILER PARAGRAPH REMOVED!]
‘You can share my desk. Phoebe’s playing second violin, Reuben’s playing viola and Roddy’s managed to get himself into the tenors. It should be fun. The Messiah always is. For a musician, Christmas isn’t Christmas without Handel’s Messiah. And there’s an added bonus: you’ll earn some pocket money and a ticket for your father.’
It was pointless telling Mrs Epstein no.
‘Good,’ Mrs Epstein concluded. ‘Now, you’ll need a black dress that will comfortably accommodate your ’cello. Tea length I believe it’s called. I have a spare one that will probably fit you.’
Annette’s meticulous capture of detailed daily life in Sydney between the Wars is proving one of the book’s many attractions to readers, in a strongly character-driven story full of music and art, suffering and joy.
A Distant Prospect is now in Paperback (494 pp), Large Print Hardcover (610 pp), Kindle and Kobo editions!