Several of Gadsby's works were heard at the Crystal Palace, London. Reviewing his overture
Andromeda in 1873
The Musical Times offered the opinion that: :"although this composer is by no means a stranger to the audience here, there can be little doubt that this is the ripest work he has yet given us. The subjects are melodious, the instrumentation is skilful and in keeping with the nature of the theme he has chosen, and the general effect of the work in every respect fully merited the warm applause with which it was greeted." In 1874, the first performance of Gadsby's overture ''The Witch's Frolic'' under the auspices of the
British Orchestral Society was reviewed favourably by the same journal: :"Mr. Gadsby's Overture is fully worthy of a more intimate acquaintance, for it is evidently the composition of an artist who thinks and writes in the true school. The themes are clear and well defined, and the instrumentation appropriate throughout. Mr. Gadsby is steadily winning his way to a high position amongst English composers, and we are glad to find that this Society is holding out the hand of welcome to our most talented native writers."
The Musical Times, reviewing the 1879
Brighton Festival, noted of Gadsby's cantata
The Lord of the Isles that :"Mr. Gadsby, I hardly need say, has long occupied the position of a rising man. In music for the church, as well as for the concert-room, he has won success. Several numbers were encored, and at the close Mr. Gadsby was twice recalled amid general applause. There can be no doubt that the Cantata was a frank success with its first audience." In March 1886 Gadsby secured a prestigious first performance of his orchestral scene
The Forest of Arden under the auspices of the Philharmonic Society, London.
The Musical Times thought that"As the composer tells us he merely desired to "determine the mood" in which the audience should listen to his work, we may at once say that, judged according to his own direction, he may credit himself with a very fair amount of success. We have very little hesitation in awarding a higher amount of praise to the first than to the second movement; but this may be partially traceable to the fact of the conventional nature of "hunting music", which even in its commonest form can scarcely be mistaken. "The Autumn Morning" is graceful and refined throughout, delicately scored, and treated with musicianlike feeling, the second theme, especially, arresting the attention by its tunefulness and sympathy with the subject of the work, and a well written Coda bringing the movement to a highly effective termination. Warm and well deserved applause was awarded to the composer, who conducted, at the conclusion of the work, which in all respects received an excellent rendering."His final large-scale orchestral work, the
Festal Symphony of 1888, was also his last Crystal Palace premiere. A review of the concert in
The Musical Times allowed that: :"The work is of a varied and elaborate character, the last movement in particular being noticeable for a lavish display of orchestral devices. The opening movement is, on a first hearing, the most impressive. But, as we have said at the onset, there is much excellent workmanship and constructive ingenuity displayed in the new work, which met with a very warm feeling from the audience." According to his obituary, published in
The Musical Times, :"Mr. Gadsby, whose interests included sketching and water-colour painting, was a much-esteemed musician, and his loss will be deeply deplored by a large circle of friends and pupils."
Frederick Corder characterised Gadsby as:"a typical Victorian composer, whose works were always well received and never heard a second time." ==Works==