The Manchester Guardian Nr. 20692 berichtet auf S. 6 vom gestrigen Erscheinen Michael Ballings im Rathaus. Es kommen die schlechten Probenbedingungen für das Konzert am 28.11.1911 (mit der 9. Symphonie und dem "Te deum") zur Sprache:

"                     HALLÊ CONCERTS.

MR. MICHAEL BALLIUNG AND THE INFLUENCE OF MUSIC.

         THE MUNICIPALITY AND THE ART.

     Mr. Michael Balling, conductor of the Hallé Concerts, had a large audience yesterday in the Lord Mayor's Parlour at the Manchester Town Hall, when he gave an address an the work of the Hallé Concerts Society [... Biographisches ... Historisches (Kunst im öffentlichen Leben) ... Musik als höchste Kunstform ... Organisation der Hallé-Konzerte ... Stadt müsse sich mehr engagieren ... erleicherter Zugang zu Konzerten ...].

   BRINGING MUSIC INTO TOUCH WITH THE PEOPLE.

"[... das Orchester sollte eine städtische Institution werden ... derzeit untragbare Zustände ...]. The members of the Hallé Orchestra are engaged for so many concerts, with one rehearsal for one concert. They ought to be engaged for six months, with a weekly salary, like the scotch Orchestra. The Orchestra has to look out for concert engagements in order to make a living, therefore orchestral extra rehearsals are almost impossible. It does not pay the Orchestra to lose the fee for a concert in order to earn the smaller fee for a rehearsal." Mr. Balling complained that he was not able to get one rehearsal for the chorus and orchestra together at the Free Trade Hall and of the difficulties of rehearsal in the smaller room at disposal. Moreover, it was difficult for the performers in the imperfect lighting to read their notes. How, then, could they expect a good performance of the 9th Symphony of Bruckner? [... weitere Gedanken, Vorschläge etc. ...]."