The Golden Age of Sauchiehall Street: March 1920 – Annual Concert by Miss Boyd Steven’s Choir, in the McLellan Galleries, on Wednesday the 31st
There is an advertisement for the concert, on page ten of The Glasgow Herald, on Wednesday the 31st of March, 1920. A review
is on page five of the Herald, on Thursday the 1st of April.
The choir was assisted by Miss Milly Levine and Mr William Smith. The accompanists were Mr Gilbert Esplin and Miss
Margaret Ritchie, L.R.A.M. (Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music).
The review comments:
“MISS BOYD STEVEN’S CHOIR
Glasgow is fortunate now in having numerous opportunities of hearing part-singing of the highest class. Advance in
the standard of performance has been accompanied by gratifying indications of increased public appreciation.
The notable missionary work done by the Orpheus Choir and the Choral Competition Festival is bearing fruit.
Among the agencies that are helping to elevate public taste in music is Miss Boyd Steven’s choir, who gave their
annual concert last night in the McLellan Galleries. Their programme was well chosen, containing nothing unworthy
of performance and much that gave great pleasure to the large audience. Intelligent singing such as theirs removes any
sense of monotony that might be supposed to arise from the singing of pieces by female voices. The variety of the music
performed made many calls upon the technique of the choir, their ability to phrase expressively and to preserve
trueness of pitch, where the tendency to err is not easily overcome. Brahms, Schumann, Hamish MacCunn, Coleridge
Taylor, Edgar L. Bainton, and Hugh S. Roberton were among the composers drawn upon, and in all the performances
one noted the excellent qualities that are now expected from the choir under the sympathetic direction of Miss Boyd
Stevens. The songs contributed by Miss Milly Levine and Mr William Smith were also much enjoyed. Miss Margaret
Ritchie and Mr Gilbert Esplin played the piano accompaniments.”
George Fairfull-Smith, October 2022.