MUSICAL UNION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2597, 20 October 1915, Page 3

MUSICAL UNION

i-THE REVENGE-' AND "JOAN! OF ARC "

Prompted by the distant reverberations of the greatest conflict of this or any other, age, tho Wellington Musical Union performed vocal deals of war at the Town Hall last evening for tho edification of an audience which' could havo been larger without straining the capacity of the hall, 'l'ho programme consisted of Sir Charles V. Stanford's chorale, "The Revenge," Gaul' 6 "Joan of Arc," and a Weber "Concerto" for tho pianoforte, and very delectable fare it proved for tho most part. "Tho Revengo" is one of tho finest poems that Tennyson wrote in a robust mood, and will probably live when many of his other verses are forgotten. It i 9 a battle-piece without boast, simply and beautifully told, recounting ever so graphically a great sea fight lost and won—a piece, oue should say, to inspiro a composer to the highest flights of musical imagery. It cannot conscientiously be 6aid- to have affected Sir Charles Stanford that way. His music—and he has written much that is good, bad, and indifferent—does not fit the noble theme. The sense of the dramatic is absent; there is a lack of spontaneity, of the faculty *of "painting the picture" in its true colours. Hore and there were nice little bitsoorf r passive choral writing, but the general tendency was towards hymnal dullness, and a want of climax —the music led one nowherp in particular. Nor was' the society happy in its performance. The attack was ragged and timid, and the declamatory passages, given to the tenors, were never realised. The whole of the orchestral work was marred by the inclusion of an American organ, the drone of .which l deprived the orchestra of whatever tone it may have been capable of producing. . • On the other hand) Gauls Joan of Arc" is a cantata of singular life and beauty, instinct with the spirit of one of the most' remarkable incidents in history, and intrinsically of worth as music. Its performance was just as much to the credit of the society as "The Revenge" was tx> its detriment. Both the chorus and the orchestra reflected, the inspiration' of the music, and such was the good impression created that it will be a pity if the work, is not repeated on some future occasion.' "Joan of Arc" commences with a bright May-time chorus of youths and maidens, sung in the fields of lair Dcmremy.. Philip, a youth, sings of his love for the Maid, but she, amidst the laughter and play, hears the voices that call her to I'Tance's aid, solo and i;chorus verses alternating in a. delightful manner. Martial music, with some fine work for the 'brass section, p'reTSces the second phase leading up to Joan's offer of service:, and the willingness of Robert de Bandricourt to aid her. ,The latter is given a stirring patriotic song. Then follows the journey to Orleans, the sleep by the roadside, a song at morn by Joan recalling memories of her simple home. An ecstatic chorus indicates Joan's welcome to the beleaguered city, followed by a battle chorus, and tfTo, culminating with ,a clamant, chorus of victory. A peal of bells and the, organ's solemn chant transfer one to Reims Cathedral, where a beautiful "Ave Maria" is sung to celebrate the - triumph of French. arni6. Tlien follows a pretty intermezzo, in yhich the change from joy to •" sorrow is indicated ~' by dissonant changes in the chimes. Tiie scene at Compiegne, where' Joan is wounded and taken prisoner, is reflected in a tragic chorus, and. finally at Rouen, the Maid oSla on impassioned farewell to her beloved Prance through which the "voices" recur, and, last of all. comes the Alaytime chorus of the first scene, with a sorrowful (ihange to mark the absence of the revered maid. The. Society was fortunate in its cast. Madam Wieleart, of Auckland, who' has a rich vibrant soprano, sang the music with a fine appreciation of its value. It was a rare pleasure to hear her sing, "A liing—a Simple Ring," and in the interchanges with "tlie voiced" ; her fine clear-cut' vocalism lent vitality to the sceue and food to the imagination. Madam Wieleart rose to dramatic eminence, top, in jthe trio beginning "Lead Ye on the and sang the farewell music with a fervour quite admirable. The fact that she sang the whole of her music without a score should contain a lesson to some soloists, j who are usually glued to the printed music. Mr. Charles Clarkson 6ang the music allotted to Robert de Bandricourt with vigour, and acquitted himself splendidly in the fine patriotic song, "Who Would Not Fight for Freedom?" Mr. Frank Charlton was also heard _to advantage in the music of Joan de Novelonpont, which includes an attractive trio, with 6olos for each voice. Mr. H. F. Green (of Masterton) was tonally insecure in the.tenor role (Philip), and appeared to be suffering fTom cold. Whilst the orchestra could not be said to be the finished product it might be, its work in "Joan of Arc" was highly commendable. It was also fairly efficient in the Weber "Concerto in I l ' Minor," played with facility and elan by Miss Phyllis Hanify. In response to an imperative recall the pianiste played Rachmaninoff's "Prelude" most artistically. Mr. Herbert Claughton,. the. Society's conductor, well -deserves praise for the manner in which ho conducted, and the hard work he must have done in preparing the performance. "Joan of Arc" is something to his credit.

A secret of the florist is that a flower plucked in the morning continues fresh twice as long as one plucked later in the day, when the 6un shines' on. it.