WHEN THE CRITICS DIFFER.

Evening Star, Issue 4312, 21 December 1876, Page 4

WHEN THE CRITICS DIFFER.

To the Editor. Sir, One naturally turns to a star for light, and as from the part it plays in the harmony ef the spheres it ought to know something of music. Might I ask it to tell me what L am to make of the following criticisms in this morning's journals, of an item in the programme of last night's festival in St. Joseph's Church : "Themusic throughout was so well rendered by the choir that it would be invidious to particularise; but we cannot refrain from mentioning Mendelssohn's beautiful aria ' O Rest in the Lord,' given by a younf gentleman who we think is a stranger to Dunedin audiences. We must congratulate him on the successful rendering of the air entrusted to.him, and we think we are but expressing the opinion of those who were present last night when we say that he is possessed of a voice of such flexibility, sweetness, and immense range as has not before been heard in Dunedin."—'Guardian.' The aria, 'O rest in the Lord,' was very poorly given. The gentleman who essayed it sings in a false voice, wanting in cultivation, and his effort can hardly be said to have contributed to the success of the evening—in fact, taking into account the excellence of the other solos, it gave us some surprise."—'Times.' When critics fall out, wher# are we to look for guidance? Perhaps one of the cultured gentleman has become so devoted a disciple of the "music of the future " thV: he is blind to any merit in a translator of the present.—l am, &c, -r. , IxijCIRKIt. Dunedin, November 20.