HARMONIC SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 35, 5 November 1917, Page 6

HARMONIC SOCIETY

AN EXCELLENT CONCERT. The Wellington Harmonic Society gave another enjoyable, concert in tho Town Hall Concert Chamber cn .Saturday night. This society, under (lie capable direction of Mr. H. Tcmplo White, lias been doiujf good work, despite adverse conditions created by Uio war, which Lasthinned the male choniH and created othor difficulties for tlio conductor. The chorus oil tho female side is attractively stroDg. It is not very large, but it is admirably balanced, well controlled, and conscientiously trained. The male chorus, relatively weak in point of numbers, contains somo of the most experienced members of the society, and it is adequate in most respects. Tho partsongs that formed the basis of Saturday night's programme showed ihe attainment of a creditably high standard of work all round. Tho opening chorus was the impressive "God in the Thunderstorm" (Schubert), which was followed by the part song ''Eldorado" (Pinsuti). In both these old compositions, the tone and timiDg were entirely pleasing. The madrigal "Matona, Lovely Maid" (Orlando Lassus), tho part-songs "Evening has Lost Her Throne" (Bantoek), "Prom tho Green Heart of Waters" (Coleridgo Taylor), "Evening Scene" (Elgar), and "0 Happy Eyes" (Elgar), and the closing choral ode, "A Song < f the Sea" (Challinor), completed a fairly heavy evening's work for the. chorus, bnt the quality remained high throughout. The soloists of tho evening were Mrs. Pruuk Tunley and Mr. Leonard Barnes. Mrs. Tunley has a soprano voice of good volume, well developed and flexible. Sho tends at times to sing a trifle too much "by tho book," and in some passages requiring sympathetic treatment she was not fully satisfying, but she nevertheless, did well in the pleasant lullaby, '"Flash, My Liitlo Ono" (E. Beoignanf), and was heard to still greater advantage ill the ballad "The Sands o' Dee" (Frederick Clay). She responded to recalls on both occasions. Mr. Barnes has a deep baritone voice of rich' quality, and probably capable of further development. His most important fault is indistinct enunciation, which marred an otherwise effective interpretation of "Tho Erl King" (Schubert). jjalcr ill tho programme Mr. Barnes sang "A. Night in July" (Tschaikowsky) and "With a Heart Bounding Gaily (Massenet). The contrast of the bracketed numbers gave him plenty of scope, and he earned the cordial applause he received. A welcome addition to an already-full programme was made by the Rev. Archibald E. Hunt, who recited "The Highwayman" (Noyes) and "Boots at the Holly Tree Inn" (Charles Dickens). Mr. Hunt is a skilled elocutionist, and he did justice to both the rather melodramatic sentiment of Mr. Noyesii verses and tho mellow lnimouT of Dickens's prose. Tho chorus was under the baton of Mr. n. Temple White. Miss Phyllis Hanify was tho accoinpan-

Ist. Pi lor to the last item, tha conductor, In the absence of the president, announced t'liat in response to numerous requests the socicty Ims decided to give an additional concert, the proceeds of whicTi will be .given to King George's I'lrtid for Sailors, within the next three or four weeks, when the society, will render some of the more popular l items given at recent concerts. The announcement was received with applause.