"ACIS AND GALATEA."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 948, 15 October 1910, Page 6

"ACIS AND GALATEA."

'■ A At:' the Town }fiall Vlast Wellington Musical TJnicm, under Mr. Robert Parker, gave, its second subscription concert ~ of . the • season ' before a large audience. The programme Lin-: ' eluded; for : the : first part, Handel's = delightful -serenata, ■ VAcis and 'Galatea," and for tne seoona part-a, miscellaneous: series-of - part isongs, -solos, and orchestral huiiibers;; Some ill-fortune/attend-ed the performance. Bio ' principal soprano, for the serenata. (Miss: Phoebe, Parsons), had become - suddenly indisposed, .and at, very, short-notice: Mrs. F. 'P. Wilson stepped into the> breach and Bayed the situation; " Otherwise:, the first part of the programme would havo had to - be. concelled.; JTheij again, ' the '.'influenza, fiend,"-' as .'Mr. Farker, explained, had -been at work in.th© ranks of the .chorus, and -thinned .them:appreciably. In the face of these discouraging circumstances,: it 'must ;be concedwi that the union displayed considerable' fortitude in-fulfilling its' contract with the public... v :•

Handel's "Acis and Galatea," if the writer remembers '..'correctly, ; has : only once before'been performed in .'Wellington. It is a, charming- idyll, breathing the very spirit of free Nature.,.. Making every / allowance for - the adverse■; circumstances..already, referrea to, it> must bo said that the chorus and' orchestra showed in their work a certain lack of finish, a.-teridency; to . "scamp" the inore involved' passages/which pointed to poor: attendances at rehearsals. -This was particularly noticeable in. the chorus': -"Wretched Lovers,"'.'which was 'a some-' what incoherent effort, and 'also''in the final chorus, "Galatea; dry thy 'TearM' In contrast to ,'these, the'.fine chorus, "Mourn all' ye Muses;"' was: well 'done,' and " heartily applauded. Tho same incoherence' v marked ; the work 1 of the ;'. orchestra in the overture, .throughout; the serenata tho musicians'■'required, to bo carefully nursed,: aiid'. dexterously tided; over awlnvard: places.-But,- as already certain : allowances had, from the 'eir-; cumstances, to be made. '; , 1 .'

Of the soloists, SJrs. F.- P; Wilson, as principal. soprano, had an obviously difficult, task to accomplish. With no previous rehearsal , with tho orchestra, and having' to '' practically. read. ' her' numbers at sight; it is to her. credit that: she- essayed '; the thankless 'task at all. Her:best effort was in the air, "Hush, Ye Pretty Warbling Birds.'' Mr. E. J. Hill, as principal tenor, was' sound and reliable in his work, though a slight tendency to sharpness in tune was, perceptible. His singing of the fine aria, "Love Sounds tfi' • Alarm," was exceedingly good, a finished piece; •of work, deservedly applauded. To Sir. John Prouse, as principal bkritone, fell the honours of the evening. There is no finer and more accomplished 'exponent of the art of. recitative singing in Wellington than • Mr.. Prouse, and, as the monster,' Polyphemus, he gave to the dramatic recitative "I rage—l melt—l burn," introducing the characteristic air, "0 Ruddier than the' Cherry," a most admirable interpretation to his singing of the.air a similar compliment must be paid.' In the seebnd part of the programme were some very fine numbers, and the chorus must bo specially applauded for its unaccompanied part-singing, which was a treat to. listen to. These,numbers included a Mendelssohn: bracket— "Tlie Nightingale" and "Farewell to the - Forest," and Elgar's charming ' 'As Torrents in Summer." Tlie concluding chorus, "Crown with Festal Pomp", (Hant]el) was not,so successful.The orchestral numbers in this part were also good. Of these, special praise is due .to the orchestra .'for its performance of two exquisite melodies of : Grieg's, for strings. . There were also Hubert Parry's "Suite in F, Major," for strings, and an orchestral' minuet of Cowen's. Mrs. F. P. . Wilson contributed a bracket—'"Snowflakes" and "Sweetheart" (Cowen); Mr. E. J ' Hill, the well-known air from Handel "Wliere'or .You Walk";. and Mr! Prouse, Wolfram's: song, "0 Star of Evo" (Wagner), a fine number.

Tho accompaniments wero. played bv Mr. E. 0. Caohemaille.