HARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 271, 5 August 1918, Page 6

HARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT

That good choral singing is possible, in Wellington is made manitest by the high degree of excellence that characterises tho work of the Wellington Harmonic Society under Mr. H. Temple White. This littlo society, which commenced a few years ago in quite a humble manner, has won its way into an assured position in the' regard of choral musiclovers by the sheer merit of its performances, and it is due to its able conductor that such, a result has been achieved. The ohoir is well balanced, save for tho usual tenor deficiency, both tho soprano and contralto sections being 6trong in attack and good in tone. Tho prograramo which was submitted at tho Concert Chamber on Saturday evening consisted of a well-arranged selection of part songs, for tho most part unaccompanied, and there was not ono that was not doue justice to. For choice, the two Brahms numbers, "In Silent Night" and "Love, Faro Thee Well," wore perhaps the most porfo:t examples of part songs, and part-singing for that matter. Both were-beautifully sung, with dear enunciation, nice modulation, and feeling. An encpre was inevitable, and' again tho latter number was finely sung. Another lovely examplo of tho part song was Pinsuti's "In This Hour of Softened Splendour," and in more vigorous mood that old favourite, "Vagabonds," by Eaton Failing, a hearty, roaring chorus that always goes with rushing swing* Cyril Jenkins's'' "O, Little Snow-flake' (words by E. W. Wilcox) is a poor production. Tho harmonies appear to strain for effect and the number lacks sufficient melody to hold, tho attention. Other part songs were: "Moonlight" (Eaton Faning), "Lullaby, My Sweet • Littlo Baby" (William Byrd), "How Sweet tho Moonlight Sleeps" (Leslie), and "Stars of the Summer Night" (West). The society had tho assistance of a well-balanced male quartet, which sang the now ;nuch hackneyed song, 'Tho Rosary" (Nevin). The quartet sang the nii'iiber quito well, and was rewarded with an encore,'when "Every Rustling Tree" was very well and truly sung. Mr. Hamilton Hodges was not in his best form." His voice seemed tired and foggy, and lie did not do justice to Beethoven's song, "Adelaide," usually a tonor snug and ono-'of the sixty-six songs that tho master wrote which survives. For somo freakish reason Mr. Hodges elected to sing tho 60ng in Italian. The original words wero written hy an Englishman named Matthison. and why they should not be sung in his language is rather difficult to comprehend. Mr. Hodges croonod tho "Romance" from "Rosaniundo" (Schubert) as an encore, and in the second part gavo good expression to a trio of the songs of C. W. Wakefield, tho American ' song-writer—"From the Land of Sky-Bluo Water," "Tho White Dawn is Stealing," and "The Moon Drops Low." In theso songs Mr. Hodgcs's interpretive 6ense was quito sound. His encores were, "When the Dew is Falling" (Schneidor) and "Though You're Miles Away" (Adair). Mr. H. Moschini, the able clarinettist, played Wobor's "Concertino" de : lightfiilly, and responded to an encore with one of Mcndolssohn's "Sonirs Without Words" (No. 5 in E flat). His nuniher in tho second half was Glide's beautiful "Ifollmlc." As an encore, he played Mendelssohn's "Spring Song." Tho accompanists were Mrs. E. H. Qiurce, Miss IC. Henderson, and .Miss C. Bolworthy. The programme announced that tho society for its December concert had decided to sing Ernest Truman's cantata, "The Pied Piper," a very fine musical setting of the old poem by tho city organist of Svdnev, under whose halo l it has been successfully produced.