ROYAL CHORAL SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1593, 9 November 1912, Page 6

ROYAL CHORAL SOCIETY.

•. ~.'»..., — "A TALE OF OLD JAPAN." . The musical world suffered a distinct loss on September-1, the date on which' Mr. S. Coleridge Taylor died. Ho was, in truth, a skilful. weaver of melody, with a light, delicate, and sensitive touch, an artist who painted the tiring as he saw it, and illumined it; In Wellington we "know;'-, the dead composer chiefly by his, beautiful cantata (in parts), "Hiawatha," a-work in which he showed his. strong sense of colour and character in" music in giving expression to. Longfellow's beautiful' poem, and the memory of that deliciously rhythmical work would serve to keep Jus "memory green. The Royal Choral Society are to be thanked for giving the public of Wellington further cause to know Mr.: Coleridge Taylor by his works by performing for the first:time in Australasia his latest choral work—being a vocal setting of' Alfred Noyes*s pretty poemj "A Tale of Old Japan," a little Japanese love'story, with a tragic finale. Hero again_ Mr. Taylor, with -poetical -insight, has given bold reflection to what is quite a'simple tale of love's labour -lost. With the aid of an orchestration almost Puccinian in its adherence, to' its themal construction, and felicitous- colouring effectively reflecting the mood of-the moment, - Mr. ■ Coleridge Taylor presents a work which will take a high rank among those of its class. At the same-time, tho cantata is circumscribed by the subject, and, perhaps, does not quite (.reach the standard set in "Hiawatha."- A-Japanese flavour, is-given the music right at tho outset by the gossomer thread of quaint'melody from the strings, leading without longthy . introduction to the opening, a baritone solo of: the narrativo. order which, tells of old Yoichi .Tenko, the painter, and his little niece, Kimi. The first full, chorus—a waltz full of sunshiner-tclls of the coming to Tenko's 6chool of Sawara— "Ridta? on o milk x&nte mule, Young and poor and proud waa foioi Lissom as a cheery spray; Fooni«e, peonies, crowned tne day, And he rode the golden way To the school of Tenko." • Kimi grows to love the talented Sawara, and when Tenko tells the youth that he can teach' him no more, and that all the world is at his command, Kimi fearing to lose him declares her love, which Sawara accepts. Sawara goes forth, and becomes great whilst Kimi pines in the purple islands. Old Tenko .listens to the clink of gold and tells Kimi that her Sawara has wed, and with tho iron, in her soul she seeks solitude in a distant island. Then comes Sawara, who is told that Kimi had a hard heart and had fled, so Sawara cheses another 'lovely maid under the silvery willow tree." Then away -he goes to paint the purple islands there, to meet Kimi who pleads for one kiss, then dies of a heart in his arms. On the whole the music was very well sung. The soprano music was in the hands of Madame Emily Briggs, of Wanganui, who has a bright, flexible soprano voice of j musical quality, thinning in tho upper : register, in suclr a large hall. Madame is a musician and her singing was marked by security of knowledge and experience. Her solo, "Stick of Incense in the Flame" was admirably sung, and the difficult solo "Long I have Waited," leading to' an impressively dramatic trio, was very, charmingly expressed. Miss Cora Denhard was most effective in the contralto music, and surprised all present with the strength . and quality of her voice. With experience Miss Denhard will be a most_vnlu-, able acquisition to the extremely limited number of solo vocalists available for this class of work. Mr. Sydney Butler (of Wanganui) who sang the tenor part was rather lieht and colourless to be effective. Mr. Hamilton Hodges was quite effective in'the declamatory passages that fell to hia lot in his own curiously forceful manner. His voice was not heard to such advantage in tho ooncerted music. The orchestra acquitted itself with\ infinite credit. The music is far from'being straightforward and there is a ?ood deal of intricate work for brass, wEich lent character to the music on several important occasions. The cantata was preceded by Franco Leorii's song cycle "Fairy Drenms," in which the solos were entrusted to Miss Muriel .Bennett, Miss Denhard, Mr. E. J. Hill; and Mr. Hodges. Mr. Maughan Barnett conductod with his usual skill and. discretion. The performance, whichattracted a full house, was preceded by Elgar's setting of tho National Anthem.