VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 235, 29 June 1920, Page 5

VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL RECITAL

Nurse Kathleen Oarven. from England, but more recently of. Christchurch, where she : has undergone vocal tralnins at the hands of Mrs. Arthur Mead, waß heard for the first timo in WelllnEton at the Concert Chamber. last evening. The new sineer Is the possessor ,o£ a full-bodied contralto voice, with a conßiderablo range, an easy, almost effortless production, and facile—for a contralto. Niurse Oarven sines and phvasos artistically and with feefinj, but her excellent singing leavos one wonderinely analytical.' She Bans' Handel's imnresßive "Largo" carefully and tastefully, but that soulful abandon of spirit, which tho number demands, was absent. Her encore number was "Leaves in tho Wind," a charming ballad by, Leoni. Her chosen pleco de resistance was tho fine aria, "O Mlo Fernando,"- from Donizetti's opera> "La Favorita," -which tho singer Intoned gracefully, but almost entirely minus its' dramatio emotionalism. De Konen's "Scotch Lullaby," tenderly sung, was the encore. In the second part 'Nurse Oarven san?, Hullah's "Three Fishers" feelingly, and Harriott Ware's "Boat Bone" with flno delicacy. Perhaps the singer was at her- best in Poncbielli'B "Voce dl Donna," in which she Btruck a flno devotional tone and Bpirlt, but in the llltlsh "Habanera" her restrained attitude was opposed to the nay, coouettiflh spirit of Bizet's famed Carmon. Her stylo was mirth better suited to the sweet Badness of Tom Mooro'B bouu'. "Slio is Far From the Land." Her other contributions wero "Land ol My Heart" (Medley), "Thou Art Llko a Lovelv Flower" (Schumann), "Lul-

laby" (Brahms), and "The Time of Hobob" (Barry). ■ ' Niutbo Oa,rven had tho assistance of Miss Paula Schcrclt (a daughter of Mr. Bcnno SohereU). Miss Sehcrck Ib a facile technician, and plays with nirc vlcour, but acDinlnitly sacrifices purity of tone and delicacy of finish to the 'development of "blp tone" And miouontinnnbly her tone Ir bltr. Nt times thrllliiifly so, but that did not always obscure a certain roudiness, and' blemishes In bowlug and tempo were not absent, as possibly the accompanist could to'Mfy. notably so in Krclsler's blimrro "Tambourin Ohinols," in which tho player wns Inclined to imllon wltluil nt the oxnonno of tho rhythm. She also (lnsh"d al, Wlcnlawskl'B dilftcult "Polonaise" with surprlslne clnn. and were her tone as swcot as her how Is ready tho result would have been more fatisfyine Miss Sehcrck slso plnyed a weird minor "llunirariiui Poll; Pour." a little "Pcapani Banco" (Dlttcrsdorf). a "Valso OanriVo" tWlenlawßlil), and n "Itusnldn Dancu." She was heard to best advantage In :i "lament." hv Hubc. very ably nlpyed. and a "Minuet," beloved of violinists. The bii* tone of the Ftcimvay urni'd was sni>i«wlmt obtrusive >'» some of tin! viollnldt'B "Tomnmiincnlß, hut Hiss Nellie 'I.iywn"d'p wo' -, t nt. th" niipm was gencrall" <r"otl. The Ttnrmnnic Quiirt«t tinnc "0 P»ne»ful Ni;ht," "Simple f?irno"." and "Mary." Anothe- ;-"rital is to he "jvci at '!im' noircrt o'iambc- to-morrow cven'Mf, when KnrEo .vill suit, ntber *\"ii. lmvs. "nivliii , «n stvx" (G'""k). ""''m \v*nndc—•" W-Niborf), and "Me Yoicl" (from "Mlgnon").