Last night in the Rathmines Parochial Hall a cantata entitled "The Wreck of the Hesperus," by Mr W H Pellissier, was produced under the conductorship of the composer.
The cantata was received with tokens of considerable favour by a crowded audience, and its merits may, perhaps, entitle it to be heard with pleasure by a larger public.
The cantata is the work of a young composer, who in this composition and in other instances has shown much promise. "The Wreck of the Hesperus," grounded on Longfellow's well-known ballad of the same name, is a decidedly attractive piece of scoring, though that opinion is grounded on a performance which was not conducted under the most auspicious circumstances.
Despite some drawbacks incidental to a chorus and orchestra of small dimensions, haste of preparation and other matters, it was not difficult for the average member of last night's audience to distinguish great merit in the cantata.
The Irish Times, June 28th, 1931.