CHORAL SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 23376, 20 September 1939, Page 2

CHORAL SOCIETY

CONCERT OF DISTINCTION BRILLIANT PRESENTATION OF MOZART WORK The Dunedin Choral Society’s concert last evening was a major success,; ranking among the most conspicuous performances in seasons. The sub-* scribers turned out in force to th* Concert Chamber, being plainly, most in-' terested in the Mozart Requiem Mass.! This magnificent music inspired. th« choir, which in turn inspired the audience with choral singing that was both! immense and exciting. This classic ini sacred music is full or pure melody, bub it is difficult to sing. Mr 'Alfred Walrasley is to be congratulated on his interpretation of it. He was in full control throughput, and he was finely backed by sound soloists and an orchestra that was closely in touch with the choir. The society is fortunate indeed in haying a conductor who takes sueh an. obvious and enthusiastic parti in a presentation such as this that demands employment of the full resource#, of every section. The rest of the programme, which, incidentally, was well arranged, was ■ a pleasant prelude to the Mozart work. The Requiem Mass was composed shortly before Mozart’s death, and in mood is fervent and intense. There are four soloists. They created the mood, and the choir elaborated' on itwith electrifying force. _ The colour contrasts were brilliant in their effect, Mr Walmsley exerting an influence that enabled the singers to change in an. instant from a great burst to almost a whisper. The ladies invariably sing with, confidence, and though there were occasions when the tenors especially were dominated, these lapses did not upset the balance. Only once 'was- there ai blemish in the choral work—during ‘ Demine Jesu,’ there being a few/ cloudy passages. The soloists were Mis* Doris Wilson (soprano), Miss .Alison Tvrie (contralto), Mr Cecil Wallis (tenor), and Mr Russell Laurenson (bass). The solos are not of any length, there being more quartet work,These quartets were most: competently sung. Mr Wallis has not sung with the society before, and it would be interesting to hear him in association, with the choir in Handel oratorio. The - small orchestra knew what was demanded of it and provided a strong and clear background. . . . There was plenty of variation in the rest of the programme, The choir was in form from the start -of it, singing » group of choruses by Handel— 1 Crowij, Him Ruler ’ (from ‘ Lotharius ’), ‘The Foolish Lover Squanders ’ (from ‘Deidamia’), and ‘The Heart That s Contented’ (from ‘Admetus’). .Each had a flowing melodic content. The second number was given a vivid reading. Then there were two folk songs,, each simple and charming. They were an arrangement by Vaughan Williams of 4 The Turtle Dove ’ and ‘ The Shepherd and His Fife ’ (arranged 1 Arnold! Foster). Mr S. W. Wilson was the soloist in the first, song, in winch the men lost the thread of continuity in the middle of it. There was some rather negative music in the song cycle, ‘Wind Flowers,’ ‘by Arthur Somervell, sung by Mrs J. Higgs,_Mrs I. Longworth, Misses Dorothy Mac Kay, Nan Woods, Mathieson, and Doris Beck. There were also some very pleasant songs, such as ‘ Music, When. Soft Voices Die’ and ‘Going to Bed ? (which was repeated twice). Two particularly interesting items were The Shepherdess ’ and ‘ Lacking Samite and Sable,’ which were inscribed to the society by Dr V. E. Galway and Miss Mary Martin respectively. The musia of each song has warmth and colour, and the choir sang both with distinction. Mr Russell Laurenson is a welcome and valuable addition to Dunedin’s concert performers.' He has a, baritone voice that he uses easily, and: expressively, and will always be heard with pleasure. He sang the difficult ‘ Eri Tu,’ by Verdi, and in lighter mood, ‘ Simon the Cellarer.’ Mr Georg* Wilkinson was hi? accompanist and Miss Mavis MacDonald the choir’s accompanist. Her playing is a model of consistency. ■ .