In choosing for the principal feature of last evening's concert a work like Tschaikowsky's "Nutcracker suite" the York Orchestra, which is chiefly an amateur, association, showed considerable confidence in its powers. True, the suite is light and playful in character, but there are few things more depressing than a joke that misses fire, and this joke is by no means a simple one. It demands a high degree of virtuosity if complete justice is to be done to these lively miniature movements, and, though it would be gross flattery to style these enterprising amateurs virtuosi, Mr. Noble, their conductor, has certainly the knack of making the very best of his material. One felt that they had been well drilled in their task, and that every ounce of which they were capable was got out of them. The overture was least satisfying, the violins seeming to get into difficulties in some passages that lay rather high, and a general want of finish resulting. In the march, on the other hand, the violins did exceedingly well, the upward rushes which they share between them being neatly played. The "Sugar-plum Fairy" made a distinct hit, largely owing to the dainty part for the Celeste, which was beautifully played on the pianoforte by Miss C. A. Bigge, who, in spite of her sex, might be styled the "handy man" of the orchestra, since she played in turn the kettledrums, the miniature Glockenspiel; in the Chinese dance, and the accompaniments to the songs. The "Sugar-plum" had to be repeated, and was played much better than the first time, the bassoons overcoming their timidity and adding to the quaintness of the movement by coming more into evidence. The Oriental languor of the "Arab Dance" was happily realised, and so was the comicality of the "Chinese, Dance," in which the irrepressible bassoons added greatly to the enjoyment of the situation.

The other orchestral Pieces were more familiar, and included an excellent performance of the gay "Figaro" Overture, and a pleasing one of Schubert's "Rosamunde." Weight of tone and richness of colour were wanting in the brilliant Introduction to the Third Act of "Lohengrin," though it was played with much spirit, and a suite for strings by Purcell suffered from the thinness of tone which is inevitable from all but the most practised string players. More than conventional praise is due to Mr. Noble for having by his enthusiasm and verve made so much out of his orchestra.

The vocalist was the Hon. Norah Dawnay, who sang with refined taste Brahms's "Liebestreu" and that most lovely air "Mein gläubiges Herz," attributed to Bach.