MR. REGINALD BLOW'S RECITAL
A RETURNED NEW ZEALAND VOCALIST. Mr. Reginald G. Blow, L.R.A.M., who has but recently returned to Wellington from Londoii) whero ho lias been studying for the past three years and a half at the Royal Academy of Music, g a v C a vocal recital in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last evening. In addition to obtaining his Licentiate Degree, Mr. Blow was the winner of two medals, and before he left for London was well-known locally as a singer, and was successful in the Dunedin and Napier competitions. Naturally there was interest attached to his re-entry into the musical world of Wellington, and lie met with a warm reception from his friends among the audience.
English composers were well represented oil the programme, which; however, was hardly an ambitious one in its composition, although at the same time it gave opportunities for displaying his ouality as a singer in opera and of ballads., Of operatic works Mr. Blow selected a recitative and aria from "Un Ballo in Masehera" (Verdi)! and from "Esmeralda" (Goring Thomas)'he silng the recitative and aria, "What Would IDo For.My Queen"? Judging by last evening's performance, however, it can hardly be said that Mr. Blow's metier lies in opera for his voice,a- light baritone, is too colourless, too lacking in personality to make any strong appeal in that direction. It rather suffers from a want of steadiness and clearness, but liie enunciation is excellent. His opening number upon the programme was a group of Germau lieder (Schumann), followed by Brown"is's "Prospice," set to music by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. , Mr. Blow gave later in the programme "Through the Ivory Gate" (Parry), and a charm»M s °ng, "I Love the Jocund Dance" (Hinton). It was not from the modern composers, however, that Mr. Blow gave his best, but from the old English composer Purcell, who was ropre- |® by that delightful song, "What Shall I do"? which he sung with the delicacy and appealingness that one so largely associates with this writer. The final number was a bracket of Shakespearean songs (Roger Quilter), "Come Away Death, ' and "0 Mistress Mine," so familiar in "Twelfth Night,' 1 although in a new setting. With these Mr. Blow had to respond to an encore, as was the case with various others of his contributions.
Assisting with the programme were Miss C. Simpson (at the piano), who played Chopin's "Polanaise in A Major, and later played with Miss D. Greenish the finest movement (Allegro Moderate) from the concerto in A minor, Op. 18 (Grieg) for two pianos. In the place of Mr. Frank R. Johnstone, who was unable to attend owing to indisposition, Mr. Culford Bell gave two recitations, "The Highwayman" (Alfred Noyes) and the "Graveyard Scene" from 'Hamlet,'' for both of which he received insistent encores.
In making Mr. Johnstone's apologies for his inability to assist with the concert last evening the Mayor, Mr. J. P. Luke, took the opportunity of welcoming Mr. Blow back to Wellington, and of pointing out the interest which was aroused in _ the achievements of fellowWellingtonians in the arts, whether of music, painting, etc. He wished Mr. Blow success and prosperity in his career—wishes that were evidently eohoed by the audience.
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Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2441, 21 April 1915, Page 9
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541MR. REGINALD BLOW'S RECITAL Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2441, 21 April 1915, Page 9
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