Described as an 'odaic cantata,' Galatea Secunda was written for the Duke of Edinburgh's 1867 Australian visit. The title refers to the royal yacht Galatea.
The January 1868 performance did not overly enthuse all the Melbourne critics. While the Age suggested that 'the ring of true metal has been recognised in some of the passages (4 January 1868, p6); the Argus critic went so far as to say: 'The best thing in Mr Summers' cantata is the chorus 'Hail! Hail! Fore, Mizen and Main', but like almost everything else in the work, it is faulty in construction. Mr Summers' repeats his themes almost usque ad nauseam, and appears to be quite indifferent to the effects of a good second subject.... The whole cantata appears like something produced forcedly (so to speak) and to order, and not to be the result of voluntary and deliberate study, creating actual pleasure in the mind of the composer' (4 January 1868, p6).
1868 : Exhibition Hall, Melbourne ; 3 January. Music Dir/Cond. Jospeh Summers ; Prod. Victorian Musical Association. - Cast incl. Mrs Fox, Mr Donaldson, Mrs Amery, Miss Milne.
NB: The entertainment included a rendition of 'Corroboree Chorus' from Charles E. Horsley's cantata, The South Sea Sisters. Summers also shared conducting duties during the evening with J. Siede.
According to the Age, Galatea Secunda had been previously 'submitted to the criticism of the musical public' (4 January 1868, p6). No details of this performance have been located to date.
Jaques comments on the new vocalists who have recently joined the Lyster Opera Troupe and on the troupe's production of Verdi's Ernani. He then reviews the production of W. B. Gill's Which Is Which at the Haymarket Theatre, noting that if 'Mr. Gill will give some attention to farce-writing, and will take local materials to work up, he may both profit himself and amuse the public.'
Jaques also remarks on a musical concert at the Exhibition Hall, at which the principal item in the program was 'Mr. Summers's new cantata, "Galatea Secunda", the words of which have been written by Mr. R. H. H. Horne'; on Grace Egerton's amusments; and on W. M. Akhurst's Tom Tom the Piper's Son, and Mary Mary Quite Contrary ; Or, Harlequin Piggy Wiggy, and the Good Child's History of England at the Theatre Royal.
Jaques comments on the new vocalists who have recently joined the Lyster Opera Troupe and on the troupe's production of Verdi's Ernani. He then reviews the production of W. B. Gill's Which Is Which at the Haymarket Theatre, noting that if 'Mr. Gill will give some attention to farce-writing, and will take local materials to work up, he may both profit himself and amuse the public.'
Jaques also remarks on a musical concert at the Exhibition Hall, at which the principal item in the program was 'Mr. Summers's new cantata, "Galatea Secunda", the words of which have been written by Mr. R. H. H. Horne'; on Grace Egerton's amusments; and on W. M. Akhurst's Tom Tom the Piper's Son, and Mary Mary Quite Contrary ; Or, Harlequin Piggy Wiggy, and the Good Child's History of England at the Theatre Royal.
