ROYAL CHORAL SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2313, 21 November 1914, Page 9

ROYAL CHORAL SOCIETY

"TALE OF OLD JAPAN" AND "A ■:' PERSIAN GARDEN." ' ..,Jt is two yeara this month since we in Wellington were first privileged -to hear Coleridge Taylor's captivating cantata, "A Tale of Old Japan," and", as everything, intrinsically good in music gams with familiarity, it must be confessed that the work was a deal more thoroughly enjoyed last evening than onits first performance. If for nothing else, a debt of gratitude is owing to the Royal Choral Society for introducing to Wellington so talented a contralto vocalist- as Mrs. Rosewarne, who made a decidedly favourable impression with: all last evening. Gifted with a. fresh, sweet voice, , that has no.harsh notes, ehe colours her vocalism in a manner that reflects a high order of musical intelligence and a natural.aptitude for narrative singing. Airs. Rosewarne showed her power of expressing tender pathos in the solo, ■ Small and Sadly Beseeching," and was heard to advantage in "Three Long ■lears. Madame Emily Briggs, who sang the soprano role here two years ago, was again concerned, and exercised her sound musicianship and a particularly bright, pellucid vo.ice with excellent effect. Mr. James Jago, the Dunedin baritone, who has sung many parts in his time, is- vigorous, Forceful, dramatic, and occasionally rough in tone, with here and there a suggestion of throatiness. Ho was quite at home in the music, and was particularly effective in declaiming the recitatives., lhe tenor was Mr. Jas. Simpson a smger new to Wellington/and one, we venture to.assert, will be very welcome here m tho future- This ie not on account of: hia performance in "A Tale , of Old Japan, , ? for, to be quite frank, Mr. _ Simpson was not at ease m his music. His acquaintance with the , work was faulty and found trouble in picking up Mβ leads from the' orchestra. He halted badly in the 5010,.',' Wait for Samara " lhat Mr. has,, a very.beautiful tenor, voice was"p,ateht"by his performance . in . Liza Lehmann's songejcle, ;'ln a Persian Garden," which preceded "A Tale of Old Japan." In this pretty musical setting to Omar Khayyam's verses it was at once discernible that the visitor had a voice of especially good and even quality, with a silver ring (when singing forte), and a very sweet pianissimo at his command, His solos. "Alas, That Spring Should Vanish With the Rose" and 'VAh, Moon of My Delight," were very charmingly euhg. Mre. Rosewarne was again pleasantly impressive in her , treatment of Liza Lehmann's melodious ■niusio, and nothing wae more artistically sung than her solo, "I Sometimes Think That, Never Blows So .Red." Madame Briggs wae in capital .voice , , and was particularly effective in the difficult solo, "I Sent My Soul Through the Invisible," and in the very coo] and beautiful duet,,"&. Book of Verses Underneath a Bough." ; Mr. Jago was always effective. The quartet was well related tonally, as was evident in the quartets, "Come, Fill the Cup" and "Alae, that Spring-Should Vanish. , ' "In a Persian Garden" was a distinct treat, and the concert as .a whole a delightful one. , ,