FAREWELL CONCERT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1667, 6 February 1913, Page 8

FAREWELL CONCERT.

)'.'■ ' ' '. ——-♦— — v v '~. Miss Tholnia Petersen, of Wellington; who is gifted with a promising'contralto voice, and who intends to "puisuo her studies at the Royal Collcgo of .Musio (London) gavo a farewell concert* at the Concert Chamber last evening before o fairly large audience. ', It is coming to be recognised gradually that concerts are' somewhat out of season in mid-summer, when the call of the open is upon the public, and doubtless had the time been more appropriate tho hall would, have been taxed to accommodate patrons, aa, the'programme was a most interesting' one.- This could not well bo-helped, as Miss Petersen has made arrangements to leave for London on Friday next, and time pressed. Miss. Petersen's voice is well placed, and the quality/particularly in .the middle register, is good. Her enunciation is not 60 clear as it might be, and occasionally her notes lose their roundness, and incline to edginess in the higher register. Maturity and experience will teach her, too, how important, a feature is interpretation in 6uch songs as, ! for example, Schumann's "I . Murmur Not," tho reading.of which was almost matter of fact. There are depths of emotion which the singer must at least touch, if not plumb, in such a £ong, to convey tho full meaning of tho poetry. Still, for so young a singer, Miss Petersen does well. Her voice is musical, and thero are indications of tempsrament behind it.,Liddle's "Abide With Mo" was well sung, and tho encore "Shadow March" (Del Riego) was brightly interpreted. An encore for the Schumann song produced' tho quaint "Soothsayer Marguerite." Finally Miss Petersen sang Chaminade's pretty song "Tho ■ Silver Ring," which had to be supplemented with an equally charming ballad "My Violet" (Thompson). Miss Petersen was tho recipient of several handsome floral tributes from her admirers, who will all wish her well in tho wider world across the waters. Tho assisting artists were tho Ornhcus Quartet which is faithful to well-seasoned numbers and sing them with much restraint and charm. "Tho Two Roses" and "Lovely Night" wero two of their best efforts. Mr. J. Culford Bell, tho accomplished elocutionist, recited the first sceno in Act I of "Julius Caesar," and in happy contrast, "Old Man and Jim," an Araorisketch. Mr. Bell got gay in."Proposals," and a clever satire in Biblical language entitled "The lamentations of a Commercial Traveller." Mr. Znr.to Wood gavo several humorous sketches brightly; Messrs. H. S. Fletcher and R. S. Allwright sang pleasingly, i ,li' Keminirton. a cultured pianist, played Rachmaninoff's compelling "Prelude," and a pretty, tone sketch entitled" La Llssonjera" by Madame Chaminode. i.ne accompaniments were played by Miss Remington and Mr. C. L. N. Petersen