LAST NIGHT'S CONCERT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3829, 24 October 1883, Page 3

LAST NIGHT'S CONCERT.

Our report of the Musical Society's first concert last week was considered in certain quarters to have been somewhat harsh. It was considered severe because we had ventured to depart from a foolish practice of awarding indiscriminate praise, and to express an opinion on the merits of the performance of each item on the programme. We had not forgotten that the Musical Society has for the avowed object of its existence the cause of education. Not only is its object to teach music to its own members, but to educate the ear of the public, to raise the standard of popular taste from an appreciation of the jingle of " My Grandfather's Clock" to a perception of tho beauty of Ihe conceptions of the great composers. If our apprehension of tlie objects of the Society bo correct we could hardly have been wrong in cur endeavour to show where the performance was faulty. AYe have had at least the satisfaction of receiving tbe thanks of those who do know what 'true criticism means, and who also know how to appraise compliments that are undeserved. Mr Aplin did well to reproduce a concert that, with all its shortcomings, afforded sufficient enjoyment to belli" repetition. By so doing lie gave an opportunity to others besides subscribers to the Society's series of concerts to enjoy an entertainment to which they would otherwise have been excluded. The concert cost much labor to produce in the first instance, aud it was a gracious act on the part of tbe members to consent to extend the circle of their audience.

The programme began with a miscellaneous selection, as at tho Musical Sueicty\s concert, opening with the "Tancredi" overture, which, however, went much more smoothly, being taken a trifle slowei_ iv time, which caused the tones of the various instruments to blend better and produce an enhanced effect. Next came the "Carnivale" by the chorus. Mr Lindsay followed with Pinsuti's "Roll Call,"which ho sang carefully, after which Miss R. Bell sang with great spirit "Sing, Sweet Bird," liy Gaz. This displayed her voice to advantage, and gained an encore, which sho acknowledged but did not respond to. An apology wa.s made for Mr Sheath, who wa.s sull'e'nng from a cold and unable to sing the air from "Lucrozia" put down for him. Miss Large sang AVatson's pretty ballad "Haymaking very pleasingly, and in exceedingly good voice, and in response to an ciitvre gave the ever popular " Culler Herrin'," which, however, she sang v little too slowly. Miss Large wa.s happy in her selection,' but we should be glad if she would now take v step in advance and allow us to hear her in some of the songs of the classical composers, Mendelssohn or Schubert for instance. The next item was "La Serenata," a ballad by Bruga, intelligently .sung by Mr Long (a visitor _to Napier, we presume), who has a very fair voice, but in places he was inclined to be flat, and he somewhatovcrdidthe./w"/''/>'!■"/«. Our remarks are offered for his benefit, and not in complaint. Tho 'cello obligate to this song we should mention wa.s played by Mr Humphreys witli great taste and expression. Tlie best item in the first part was undoubtedly the charming Romanza and Cabaletta (short melody) "Com c bello " and "Si voli il prim'!," front Lucrc/ia Borgia, which was sung splendidly by Mrs Sheath, and very warmly received. The phrasing of the music (a matter too often overlooked) was particularly good, and the extreme difficulties of execution were mastered with caso. The pianoforte _ accompaniment to these pieces, beautifully played by Mr H. G. Spademan, was a treat to listen to. Mr Gilpin then sang "The Bugler" by Pinsuti, with cornet obligate (well played by Mr Garry), and was popularly received, as usual. AYe should like to see Mr Gilpin step out of his groove of conventional songs and take up something of a better stamp. The next song, concluding the first part, wa.s "The Miners," sung by Mr Apliu and chorus, but of this tho least said the better. It had no right to a place iv the programme, being intrinsically worthless. AVc were very pleased that Mr Aplin had the courage to shorten the programme by the omission of two items, but why two of tho best things should have been chosen for this purpose, namely, the quartettes for male voices, and the instrumental trio, which were enjoyed so much at the last concert, wo are at a loss to understand. Surely two out of the seven vocal solos could havo been more easily spared. Mr Aplin conducted the opening overture and also played most of the accompaniments m a careful manner. ' The second part consisted of tho "Layof the Boll," pcrforoncd by the Musical Society, who kindly gave their services for the occasion, under the direction of their conductor, Mr J. G. Browne. Tho performance was, if anything, an improvement. on that of Friday last. The band and chorus went remarkably well together, and the work was evidently better understood and appreciated by the audience on a second hearing. Rcferringto our report, on Friday's performance wo have nothing further to say except again to call attention to the careless arrangements with regard to tho solo voices, and for which tlic conductor alone is entirely responsible.