MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1617, 7 December 1912, Page 9

MUSIC.

TBy Treble Clbf.l

The Art of Kirkby Uunn. The debt we. owe to Madame Kirkby Lunn—in revealing new-lights on songsinging—can never be adequately liquidated. ' She is unlike any artist that one can recall. She is KirKby Lunn. The likeness is a long way from conveying anything, like a .true one, but, in the spirit in Which she approaches her songs, she more closely resembles Mdlle. Dolores at her best than any.other singer within recollection, and that only in the power she has of-lending a new range of tone colours to her beautiful/voice. There the likeness ends, for.Dolores is. a mezzo-soprano,;and does not possess the vocal power of, Madame ..Limn, although within'her compass"the former 'eines delightfully." • Madame. Lunn never for .a moment desoends from that pedestal'of exalted refinement, which appears to' be inseparable from her art, and (oiie assumes), : her nature. .No .matter what the sentiment of the song may be, -the.general'-interpreta-tion is marked by a lofty outlook and graciousness of. style which'enhances and vivifies her every effort. Her incursions into Br.lhms lms been a pure delight to make, obeisance to that master of lyric'expression. ' She.'rcdlifss everything.that- one 'would-;imagine--possible-an-.her .rradiij'gs of, th<j. songs, of ..Brahms,' Schu-' bert,. hnd: Schumann," leaving- the auditor :With- that .peculiar sense, of satisfaction so-rayely experienced by. those unfortunates possessed of "chronic criticitis." Madame Lunn's appearances on the concert platform in Wellington mark an epoch in the vocal history of the city, and loave one with a neiv'desire—to hear her in oratorio and opera.

Composer's Last Work. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor died without hearing a performance of his violin Concerto, which he finished a few weeks before his death.. This is. what was Written by a London critic after the first performance of. the Concerto at the Queen's Hall on October Bs— The posthumous violin Concerto in G minor was performed at the Queen's Hall promenade 'concert last night, and many -among the listeners must have minglod with their critical impressions of the new work sorrowful regrets-at 'the recent untimely extinction of the gay and gentle spirit.of its composer. Mr. Arthur Catterall played the solo with marked ability. The concerto is in three movements, and does not overstep the confines that limited Coleridge-Taylor's earlier music. His art consisted mainly in the pleasing; and ingenious elaboration of primitive aancepatterns. His music cannot soar, but progresses-modestly with a sort of halfhopping flight. The audante is a pleasing song-like movement, while in the finale the composer's , predilection ■ for frank dance-rhymes has full play.

Singers in a Fog, Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Keimerley Rnmford's part}' had an unpleasant experience at the Alexandra Palace, London, on Saturday, October 12. At the end of their concert, the great contralto and her husband, the popular baritone, with a few friends, entered ..two motorcars and endeavoured to drive off. . In tho dense fog which prevailed at the time one of the cars dashed into a wall, and tho other ran down a flight of stone steps.' Fortunately, no one was hurt, but'tile cars had to bo abandoned, and the.partyreached home by .a series of much-delayed trains at an early hour on Sunday morning. The previous night a taxi-cab in which Sir Henry Wood was driving to Queen's Hall, came into collision, with a wail, and the famous conductor's face and knee were badly, cut by broken glass. Sir Henry returned home, and after receiving medical attention, set out again for Queen's Hall, where he conducted the promenade concert. Patches of plaster on . his face indicate'l'■ to the audience that he had met with- an accident.

In its chronicle of tho concert at 'the. Alexandra Palace, the London "Daily Express" said: "Mine. Clara Butt liad an enthusiastic reception from a, largo audience on Saturday evening. After (riving two encores, in addition to the recitative and air, 'My Heart is Weary' and 'Thrre Score and Ten,' and 'The Women of Inver,' as well as singing: three duets with Mr. Kennorley Euniford,- her' appreciative audience, who had presented her ivith bouquets, would not let her go until.shc sang 'Abide, with..Me,' 'Annie Laurie,' anil 'My Treasure.' Mme. Clara Butt. iviK) was in splendid voice, was assisted ]>v Miss Pontine Hook (her sister) and Mr. Hastings Wilson, and the 'cellist, Mr. W. It. Squire." Notes. Miss Bessie' Slaughter, the talented contralto who has pleased large audiences at tho Theatre Royal this week with her ■charming voice, and personality, will he heard in three neiv numbers on Monday evening and all next week, namely, "Tlio Rosary," "Never Mini tho Weather," and "An Old Romance."

Saint-Saons's opera "Samson and Milair' was sung in oratorio form by the Sydney Philharmonic Kcciety on Novemi.er 28 at tho Town Hall. Briefly describe:'., the performance was excellent, so far as chorus and'orchestra, were concerned, but was weak in principals. The pick of the latter was Mr. Andrew Black as Ihe High Priest, who. is said -by ..the "Sun'.' 10. have been vocally perfect, bjit lacking in subtlety. Mr. Walter Whyto sang the music allotted to Samson, but was quite overweighted,' as was aho Miss Etta Gibson as Delilah. Messrs. Black; and , Whyto will arrive in Wellington on December 11) to sing in "The Messiah" with tho Wellington Royal Choral Societv,. which worl; tlsyy nro also to sing' in Auckland .firior to coming to WeUinstoft.