Christmas Music By Combined Choirs: “Bethlehem” Cantata

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 8, 19 December 1947, Page 5

Christmas Music By Combined Choirs: “Bethlehem” Cantata

The Combined Choirs of the Whakatane Presbyterian, Methodist and Anglican Churches, under the baton of Mr F. L. Watson, presented Maunder’s Sacred Cantata “Bethlehem” to a crowded Church on Tuesday evening. The Cantata is pleasingly arranged in three parts. It opens with a littie shepherd boy tending his sheep on the plains of Bethlehem. On the far side of the plain other shepherds can be indistinctly seen, surrounded by their flocks. In the second'part the scene is set by an old well in the desert where one of the Wise Men, Belthasar, is resting with his train. Sounds as of a caravan approaching are heard in the distance, at the head of which two kingly strangers ride. They speak with

Belthasar and on the appearance of the Star, continue with the caravan on their way. The concluding part is before the inn at Bethlehem. The Shepherds and Kings pause in reverent silence as they approach the birth place of the Holy Child. In the stillness of the.night, they seem to hear the Mother singing softly to the Holy Child, a lullaby full of adoration and humility, and of the offering of one’s self to Him who has come to be the Saviour of Mankind.

From start to finish the performance was most pleasing and demonstrated what can be done in a small town when numbers are limited. The soloists, Messrs C. Aitken, G. E. Jones, H. D. Paterson, Dr. A. W. F. Cole, Miss B. Hooper and Mrs S. K. Schofield, faithfully interpreted their parts and the choir ably sup-, ported them with spirited singing. Dr. E. T. Dawson at the organ and Mr R. .Mollgaard at the piano provided the accompaniment which helped to make this piece of work so tuneful. The Rev. H. M. Bell certainly expressed the feeling of the whole congregation when in thanking the Choirmaster, Choir, Soloists and Accompanists, he said: “Be sure and give it again next year.”