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On Monday and Tuesday, the 30th and 31st January, a Musical Chess Tournament was witnessed in the St. James's Hall, King's Lynn. Neither labour nor expenditure was spared in order to render the presentation of the most attractive and creditable character.
In October, 1892, at Oxford, a musical cantata was brought out, the words being written by the Hon. Albinia Broderick, and the music composed by Mr. Howard Talbot, for a tournament, as it was termed, of living chess, which excited a great deal of interest as a novelty.
It was thought that a repetition of the Oxford performance would prove a great attraction in Lynn, and such it certainly turned out to be. The patronage of the Prince and Princess of Wales and other distinguished persons was readily obtained, and a committee of the leading gentlemen of the town was formed to organise and carry out the necessary preparations. Fortunately for the adequate presentation of the spectacle. Mr. Howard Talbot kindly offered to conduct one of the performances, and his assistance in this and other ways was most acceptable.
The first representation took place on Monday afternoon, in the hall, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion. At the back of the platform, which formed the board, was a large view of Windsor Castle from the river; flanking the board on either side, stages were erected for the chorus singers. At Oxford the ladies and gentlemen who represented the chess pieces sang their several parts, but on this occasion the music was rendered by a chorus and by soloists.
At nearly half-past three on Monday, the first procession to enter was that of the lady members of the chorus, in white Greek costumes. They were followed by the Pawns (little girls), red and white, who, after a few pretty evolutions, took up their positions. Their costumes were pretty and graceful, and each carried a long wand. As the "Grand March," to which these entrances had been made, proceeded, the other pieces came upon the scene.
Mr. S. A. Gurney and Mr. G. Cresswell, wearing Volunteer officers' uniforms, officiated as players and directed the moves with their swords. The entrances of the more important pieces were extremely stately and their costumes splendid. The Red King wore a red satin doublet with gold puffings, scarlet mantle trimmed with gold, scarlet hose with gold sleeves, gold coronet and sceptre. The Queen was dressed in a red satin trained dress, trimmed richly with gold, scarlet velvet train hanging from the shoulders, gold coronet and sceptre. The Bishops wore scarlet and gold embroidered surplices, with scarlet satin and gold dalmaticas, scarlet and gold mitres, and gold croziers. The Knights were accoutred in splendid suits of armour, with spears and swords. The eight Pawns wore gold and scarlet tunics, with caps and scarlet feathers. The White side were dressed in a precisely similar style, white satin and silver, silver crowns, sceptres, &c., being substituted for the red colours.
As a preliminary to the game, the cantata opened with a chorus of female voices, followed by a charming gavotte, danced by the Pawns of both sides, which received, as it well deserved, enthusiastic applause from the audience. Then followed two verses for the White and Red pieces respectively. These gave the key-note of the idea Miss Broderick's verses are intended to express, and which the moves of the game bring into greater prominence. The Red King and his associates are the representatives of hatred and strife; the White, of peace and love. Some incidental music and recitative follow, during which the game opens, a specimen of the King's Gambit:—
| white | black | white | black | |
| 1 P—K 4 | 1 P—K 4 | 6 B—Q B 4 | 6 Q—K 2 | |
| 2 P—K B 4 | 2 P × P | 7 B × P ch | 7 K—Q sq | |
| 3 Kt—K B 3 | 3 P—K Kt4 | 8 P—Q 4 | 8 P—Q 3 | |
| 4 P—K R 4 | 4 P—K Kt 5 | 9 Q B × P | ||
| 5 Kt—K 5 | 5 Kt—K B 3 |
Here the chorus again breaks in and the Red Knight sings :—
"Life's a game where two can play,
Worth indeed the playing;
Fool who trembles: Is the day
Made for base delaying?
Fierce the day when conquering tide
Swallows who waits longest;
But the weaklings stand aside,
Victory's to the strongest."
The game proceeds:—
| _9 P × Kt | |
| 10 P × P ch | 10 Q B—Q 2 |
The White Knight, after White's 10th move, sings: "Banish joy and welcome failure," &c., and anticipates that the "best success" will be "to nobly fail." The White Queen pleads for peace and "the happy day when strife shall be no more."
| 11 Castles | 11 Q × B | 15 P—K 5 | 15 Kt—Q R 3 | |
| 12 P × Kt | 12 K B—Q B 4 ch | 16 Kt—K 4 | 16 Q—Q 4 | |
| 13 K—R sq | 13 P—K R 3 | 17 P—K B 7 | 17 R—K B sq | |
| 14 Kt—Q B 3 | 14 P—Q B 3 | 18 Q—K 2 | 18 K B—K 2 |
After move 18 on White's side, the Red King bursts into a joyous song:—
"Comrades, brim a measure
In the bowl of life;
Drink your fill of pleasure
In the bowl of life," &c.
| 19 Q R—Q sq | 19 Q × Q R P | 22 P—K 6 | 22 Q × Kt | |
| 20 P—Q Kt 3 | 20 K—B sq | 23 R × B | 23 Q—Q B 4 | |
| 21 Kt—Q B 3 | 21 Q—R 4 | 24 Q × Kt | 24 P ×Q |
The chorus here (for White pieces) come in with a wailing part-song, "Smile no more, let anguish reign." In the incidental music, however, the White Rooks now intimate the imminence of a reverse of fortune attending the play.
| 25 R—B 7 ch | 25 K—Q sq | 29 B—K Kt 3 | 29 Q—K B 4 | |
| 26 K R—Q sq ch | 26 B—Q 3 | 30 R—Q B 7 ch | 30 K—Q Kt sq | |
| 27 R—Q 7 ch | 27 K—B sq | 31 P—K 7 | 31 Q—Q B 4 | |
| 28 B × B | 28 Q—K R 4 | 32 R—Q 8 ch | 32 R × R | |
| 33 P × R Queens and mate. |
Victory, prematurely claimed for the Red, falls to the White, amid tumultuous orchestral accompaniments, and all the pieces returning to their places, the vanquished kneel to the victors, and the chorus sings (Red pieces):—
"Shades of our fathers, behold us dishonoured;
Hail to thee, Death! thine oblivion we claim!
Death alone left to us, friend of the conquered ones,
Die then as heroes die, staunch to the last."
The White pieces reply:—
"All is not lost—Defeat is not Dishonour;
Shall one lost fight sound Valour's dying knell?
Hand clasping hand, let Friendship's ties enfold us;
Brothers, we hail you, who nobly fought and fell."
While these lines are sung, the White pieces advance a pace or two and take the Red pieces by the hand.
Another choral movement concluded the cantata: the performers executed some graceful evolutions, and finally moved off the stage to a recessional march amid marked demonstrations of approval. The orchestra numbered about twenty-five, and included several skilled musicians, as well as local amateurs. Members of the local musical society provided the chorus. The living pieces were:—Red : Queen, Miss Winifred Gurney ; King, Lancelot Orde ; Bishops, C. H. Ayre and H. A. Leak ; Kingths, E. M. Beloe, jun., and Geoffry Hampson ; Rooks, Miss Aldham and Miss Ayre ; Herald, R. A. Clifton. White : Queen, Mrs. Cresswell ; King, Anselm Gurney ; Bishop, G. W. Page and J. T. Stanton ; Knights, P. T. Chatterton and F. W. Halls ; Rooks, Miss Swatman and Miss Parsons ; Herald, A. W. Williams. The carefully trained chorus had the assistance of Mr. A. H. Cross, organist of Sandringham. The object of the performance was to aid the funds of local charities.
Published in The British Chess Magazine (BCM) for March 1893, 136-137. Considered here as public domain (although legal details may vary depending on your location). Diagrams were not shown in the original.
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