WELLINGTON CHORAL SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 681, 4 December 1909, Page 5

WELLINGTON CHORAL SOCIETY.

,*THE; -MESSIAH."

.Handel's; : .great'.' Christmas oratorio' "The 'rws.i Is -T- ■ p . Dr l f l ? rl i cd tytho Wellington Choral Society at the Town Hall last evening K^v^firf I '^ l^8 attendance of tho pubicine weather hag not .been very: kind, to the society in, the. past, and previous concerts have suffered more .orMess from its perversity,' ■But last evening the auspices were all that could- be: desired, and..in many respects < the concert,was -one. ofj:the; most successful-yet. given by ; tha. society. . Handel's'. "Messiah". noeds.no introduction.-.., It is tho most populal of all the olassic oratonos. For a Handel oratono, it is extraordinarily versatile-it 'was the-supreme oi! a mighty, genius. -On the occasion under: notice, the .oratorio-was per-. ; tormed without the orchestra. Mr. Maughnn Barnett.ithe society's conductor, handed over tho baton to Mr. Horace Hunt, and presided at tho grand- organ;:. Whatever- may havo been the' reason; for dispensing with the orchestra, and conceding readily that the ohoirwas efficient, the; organ under, export discipline, and Mr. Hunt s control of the chorus' work irreproachable, the fact':remains -that there was: an indefinable sense of flatness about the perform-ance-entirely. due to the': absence of the orchestra. The rich and generous, colouring, of orchestral: musio is so: essentially 1 characteristio that tho utmost skill of any organist,-playing upon an instrument of 'the : mosti: ample resouroes, can offer no satisfactory substitute. As to the; chorus work, it is a pleasuro to eay that Mr.: Barnett's choir has seldom been heard to greater, advantage.' It was-stronger numerically, and the parts wore balanced to 'a nicety. The tenors -were particularly, good. At times the choral musio wiis' rather: overwhelmed by .thoorgon; this was: conspicuously tie case in the final. numbers, "Worthy is the Lamb" and the "Amen"- Chorus. '■;■ Mt. Hunt ■ conduoted with - excellent judgment—unostentatiously, with a quiet decision and skilful "leads" whioh inspired confidence:ii his choir.. - : '■/■'■ lie principals were Mrs.- Arthur Mead (soprano], Mrs. Buckeridge. (contralto),'' Mr: E..--J. Hill (tenor); and Mr: Alexander Millar (bass).: .Mr*' Mead has',but recently made her debut on the Wellington concert platform, and has' already achieved, some distinction as an accomplished singer/ .Her work as prinoipal' soprano in. "The -Messiah" -was evening wins indeed excellent Li the fine 1 aria; v "Rejoice Greatly," she acquitted herself admirably, and her singing of '.'Come Unto Mo'-and "I Know that. My Redeemer Liveth" was no less pleasing. ;-.. .•-:.'":,.' y.';" v.'\' '■■' Mra Buckeridge hi to '■ be warmly complimented on her . work: as; "principal contralto;;. Possessed of- a-., charming voico, full ■■•■.' .'and:'.'-', rich, and■:.- : uscf■'■'■' .with more than' passing intelligence, she gave to her arias an interpretation which afforded complete satisfaction. Distinctly her best number was the, beautiful aria; '"He was Despised and Rejected of Men." Altogether, the society was fortunate in-the selection of its lady principals. '- •■'(-''. > : - ,-' :".■'■'. '....•.'. '■'' -. Mr. E.'J.'Hill, as;principal-tenor, sang his recitatives and with .characteristic confidence and correctness. -,His best effort was in the aria "But thou didst not leave His soul in hell," and the preceding recitatives. Mr. Alexander Millar, principal,bass, comes ': from Christchurch with some reputation as an' oratorio singer.- Ho ; was disappointing. His vnico was unovon in quality, his phrasing a little unintelligent, and oertain affectations, 'as, for : exair/10, dropping an', octavo, hero and there, would mightily displease, Handel' were ho to hear them. In a general way, his numbors wore successfully sung, but they lacked anima- :'.-.. ':! ■ ;■'-.., '- ,'.-■',•;' .:■ ■■ ■', '-' The society will,repeat the "Messiah" iii the Drill.Hall, Lower. Hutt,. on'. Tuesday evening. The principals engaged for. this concert will bo the same. Mr. J. Maughan Barnett will conduct this performance, with Mr. Horace Hunt at the grand piano,- and Mr.' Laurence Watkinß at the organ. The box plan .is now open at Johnson's, Lower Hutt. A chotus of about 150 voices are. going out from Wellington •by special train.. .-'.■': ;;:-'■' ■'■■'-"- •;'•- Vy:;,.." ; ' When buying Eucalyptus look for the Dingo on the label. That is: a guarantee that you , are gotting the best, •■"•'. Is. per .-bottle overy--whore.—Advt. y:.'....-.'J ;• •.!..:■•' ;• "DINGO" is its naino—the Eucalyptus which cures inflnonza, cqnglis and colds, cuts, bruises ' sore throat,-;diarrhoea.':'•ls. per, bottle ,every- : where.—Advt. . ■■'';';;;,. '■'•.■'•■'■"■■■ .y j ;'::\.'.' ■ Q.' B. and C—The quickest,- beat,! and cheap, eat method of ■;.'. sending, .Christmas-; and New Year Mementos Ito friends across the sea is through tho: New.Kealand Express Co., Ltd. ill jiwoals paoked in coses and wnt direct by QS»i 68 Ciiataa House Qua?. 012&.