THE EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2532, 20 May 1882, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

Thanks to the attraction of the musical contest provided by the committee appointed by the citizens to render the Exhibition popular, there was again a large attendance last night of the public. The competition was, os ?lso was the singing, of a mixed character, there being entries for schools, tenors, soprani, ooutralti, baritones and bassi, and olarionotte music. The utterly unsuitable character of the room for musical performances was once more, if it were needed, most markedly displayed, despite the erection of a sounding board. The judges were Messrs Simms, Macfarlane, N, G. Barnett and Walton, and they selected perhaps the most unsuitable place in the whole building from which to judge the music Not alono did they place themselves almost behind the sounding board, which, to say the least of it, was somewhat peculiar, but in order to enable them to judge most accurately of the various vocal efforts, they were seated just at the end of the grand piano used, so that the vibration of the strings could be heard to the best advantage, and also on a level with both avenues, enabling them to be favored with an obligato of trampling feet and all the other noises in the Exhibition. To what extent these advantages will conduce to a careful and miisioianliko judgment of such compositions as Handel’s “ Angels ever bright and fair ” or Mendelssohn’s “O, rest in the Lord,” is beyond ordinary comprehension. For tho school prize only one entered, that from Tai Tapu, of which twentynine scholars wore present. They sang three numbers by Ourwon, “Tho lullaby,” "There is beauty everywhere, 1 ’ and “By and bye,” in a manner reflecting great credit on their instructor. Miss Thompson led off tho soprano solos with Handel's “Angels over bright and fair,” which was sung fairly well, though entirely unauited to tho building, the beautiful piano effects being entirely lost. By a most peculiar arrangement of tho judges, each competitor had to sing the two solos allotted following each other. The result was, that in every instance the vocalists, who were tried to the utmost, instead of having a rest between what, as regarded each, was a trying ordeal, had to sing again immediately. Miss Thompson’s second solo was Ootsford Dick’s 11 Olivia,” a ballad founded oa the “Vicar of Wakefield,” which was fairly sung Miss Kitchin followed with Miss Lindsay’s sacred song “Too late,” which was well rendered, and tho second solo of the same lady was “ Home they brought her warrior dead." The contralti were next called on, and Mrs O. M. Gray sang “ O rest in tho Lord” with much artistic finish and expression, thouho its effect was almost entirely lost through tgh abominably bad acoustic properties of the room. Tho same lady sang Oowcn’s “It was a dream” very nicely indeed. The tenor solos as a whole were exceedingly weak. Mr Carder sang “The infant’s prayer” by Novello, and a song by Arditi “ They ask me why I love her” fairly well, but tho other competitors do not call for any special mention. The performances of the baritones and basses were by far the best of tho whole vocal efforts. Mr Huxtable, who possesses a fine voice of great power and cultivation, sang “Honor and Arms ” and the fine old song, by Shields, “ The Wolf,” very nicely indeed. Mr Hammond, who sang Rossini’s “ Pro Peccatis,” in English and Tito Mattei’s “ Oh, oh, hear the wild winds blow,” would have been more successful had ho sung out more. Evidently he has been used to sing in a room possessing ordinarily good acoustic properties, but in the wild expanse of the concert hall of tho Exhibition he was a little at sea. Mr J. H. Edmonds’ heavy voice was heard to great advantage in ‘•Arm, arm, ye brave” and the “Boy of Truth,” a dramatic song. The clarionet contest rested between Signori Enrico Sorge and P. De Baines. Signor Sorge chose a selection of national airs, and though rendering the piece fairly, he was much deficient in tone on the higher notes. Signor Da Bonis played a composition of his own, the rendering of which was also somewhat faulty in tone here and there. The piano accompaniments to the songs and instrumental selections were played by Signor Sorge and Messrs R. T. Searell and Woolfe. As a whole, regarded from a musical point of view, the competition was decidedly disappointing, not so much from the failure of the contestants to render tho various pieces as the entire unsuitableness of the room for such a contest. This has been remarked upon before, and last night showed, if possible, mme than ever the marked defects of the concert hall, despite tho addition of the sounding board for musical performances. At the close of the performance Mr Walton thanked the audience for their attention, but did not, as in the case of the brass band contest, where the judgment ought to have been fa? more difficult to pronounce, announce who were the selected ones for the prizes. The awards of the judges were as follows: — Soprani, Ist,) Miss Thompson ; contralti, Ist prize, Mrs C. M. Gray ; tenori, Ist, Mr D’Elmaine ; bassi, Ist, Mr Huxtable with Mr Edmonds recommended for extra award. The clarinet prize fell to Signor Sorgo, Signor De Bonis receiving commendation.