BALLAD RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2286, 21 October 1914, Page 8

BALLAD RECITAL

BY MR. WALTER KIRBY. ■ Mr. Walter Kirby, the gifted lyric tenor, wliose cultured vocalism -lias gained him many admirers in Wellington during the past few weeks, gave a .highly'successful ballad recital at the Concert; Chamber last evening. As a - singer, -of ballads—romantic and poetic Mr. Kirby takes high rank, 4 for not (lily does 'he show good taste 'in the selection of his songs and the arrangement of his programmes, but he invests the lines with all tho poetic feeling in which the.v were conceived. He provided a rare feast of -song for lastevening's - audience. The programme opened seriously with the aria "if With All Your Hearts/' that placidly serene number from Mendelssohn's '.'Elijah," which he sang with studied care, and reverence. In the first bracket of songs Mr.-.Kirby introduced his audienco to a very talented composer in Alex Von Fielitz, who is gifted with a very potent dramatic sense, very ably expressed in ''The Dying Child and "Roaming Alone by the Seaside Dreary." The bracket also included Basil Harwood's setting "There is a Lady Sweet, and 1 Kind," "A Study in' Symbols- (Bond), and as, ail encore the emotional prologue t-o "I Pagliacci" (Leoncavallo). His chief-effort, however, was the romance, "Celeste Aida," the superb lovesong of ■ Rhadames in Verdi s great opera "Aida." .This solo was written for a dramatic tenor of the Italian school, but Mr. Kirby displayed his versatility in giving an arresting interpretation of the romance, importing

into it a fine measure of passion. His encore was the eighteenth century "The I<'air'y Boy" (Samuel Lover), an extremely beautiful song. In the second half, Mr. Ivilby sang "Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal (Quilter), "Obstination" (FontenaHles),. "Mother Machree," the'gay "La Donna, e Mobile" (from Verdi's "Itigolotto"), "Wo'll Know, We'll Understand." "Mother o' Mine 1 ' (Tours),. "Elegio" (Massenet), "Hosanna" (Granier), and, once more, "The Bells of Shaudon" (Moore). After sucii a Hood of ballads the audience still demanded more, and Mr. Kirby responded with the quaint crooning Irish song "Old' Bridget," perfectly intoned. The visiting tenor was' assisted by Miss Eileen. Driscoll, who sang very creditably Mallinson's difficult song "i Blood-red Ring Hung Round the Moon." and the "Blackbird" and "Owl" selections from Cyril Scott's aviary of song. Signor A. P. Truda, the talented flautist, played'Terschok's "Fantasia," and received a merited recall. Mrs. E. H. Queree accompanied artistically.