MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1889, 25 October 1913, Page 9

MUSIC.

TBr Treble Clsf.i

An Enterprising Society. The Wellington Royal Choral Society has a reputation for doing things on a more extensivo scale than any other society of the kind in New Zealand. It boasts a committee and secretary with big and progressive ideas, wlio are not afraid to venture some to gain n. lot. Last year they " went the full distance" when they engaged Madamo Kirkby Limn, tho eminent English contralto,, to sing in "The Messiah" in. December. To give the singer fitting support Mr, Andrew Black (baritone), and Mr. AValtor Whyte (tenor) were brought over from Sydney. This year the performance of "Tho Messiah " is to be made notable by the first api>earanco in oratorio in New Zealand of tho brilliant French-Canadian tenor, Mr. Paul Dufault, who may bo termed tho most perfectly equipped vocalist who has beon heard in New Zealand during tho present year. Mr. Dufault is thoroughly well-versed in oratorio and church music, and when in New York is professionally attached to one of the big churches in Brooklyn. He possesses all the reserve, seriousness and strength for oratorio work, and his te-appearance ill Handel's great work will be eagerly awaited. Another attraction will be the first appearance in oratorio since her return from London, of Miss Mina Caldow, who, as thd result of her associations in London and the tuition which she received from a range of the best teachers, shows great improtement both in voiijo and style. So far tho soprano and baritone have not been engaged.

Mr. Christian Hellomann is trying an experiment in " Judas Mtccabaeus." He is training a- choir of about seventy children to sing in the great chorale " Sc-e iliQ Conquering Hero Comes." There is always something Strangely beautiful in the tone of well-trained children's voices. They have a distinct tonc-colour of their own, quite different from tho soprano tone. This indefinable difference andciiarni are realised on hearing good rnusie in an English Cathedral where boys' voices are used either with or without sopranos. It will be a pleasant novelty to hear tho children's choir in ".Judas." I would suggest to the Choral Society that it should keep this going permanently, both for uso in chorus work in -opeftls and oratorios (where possible), and as a recruiting ground for adult voices.

Saint-Saens's Now Work. The oratorio "The Promised Land," wliich Dr. Saint-Saens has. specially completed for the Tlirco Choirs Festival, was produced at Gloucester on September 12. It is (says the "Daily News") a little difficult to understand tho motive which prompted the selection of the oratorio, as the most important novelty of the festival. It is to be feared, however, that tho only value of tho famous composer's latest work is that it will probably make a strong appeal to small choral societies on the lookout for new worlds to conquer. It is n typical example of the kind of sentimental religious oratorio which proved so attractive to the British public of fifty years ago. The first part is concerned with Moses and tho Children of Israel in tho desert, and the Smiting of tho Rock; the second with the Lord's displeasure and the Song of Moses; and the third with the death of Moses and his burial. There is little attempt at characterisation in the musical treatment of the narrativo. The performance was marked by excellent singing by tlio choir and by Miss liuth Vincent-, Miss Phyllis Lett, Mr. John Coates, and Mr. Robert Radford,

Cloucsator Festival. Mr. P. Barrett Cooke, the secretary of tho "Three Choirs" festival held at Gloucester last mouth, presenting his report recently, said that- tlio tickets sold numbered 14,205, as against 13,276 in 191CT. Tlio number of stewards, 211, was a record. Attendances showed that ''Tlio Messiah" and "Elijah" were still sheet-anchors of the festival. It might not bo necessary to draw upon stewards' contribution, and then about £1750 could be handed over to the charity fund. The balance-shoot shows that tho sale of tickets and books of words produced £3500, as compared with £3230 in 1910, the estimated expenditure being £3500, as against £3528.

Last month Dr. Saint-Saens was "commanded" by the Kaiser to conduct tlio hundredth performance of his opera "Snmson and Delilah" at tho Royal Opera House, Berlin. The veteran composor has just completed an oratorio entitled "The Promised Land," which was performed at Gloucester (England) fqr tho first time ou September 12.