HIGH STANDARD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 16, 12 October 1937, Page 6

HIGH STANDARD

Hastings Orchestral Society's Concert

FINE VGCAL TALENT

A fitting conclusion to a successful season, the Hastings Orchestral So.ciety presented its final concert for the year in the Hastings Municipal Theatre last evening. There was the same high standard and polish which characterises the work of this society, and added to this last night there was some fine vocal talent, providing a programme with a wide appeal. Mr E. G, Stevenson has been heard in Hastings repeatedly and needs no introduction. He is a singer who enriches his presentations with a depth of feeling in his voice and a "live" personaiity. His facial expression changes to suit the words of his song. By this means he greatly enhances his appeal to the audience and fixes their iuterest, a thing which the singer who comes on with his iace "set" in one expression faiis to do. Mr Stevenson was probably heard at his best last night in that vigorous Irish melody, "Oh, the Days of the Kerry Dancing;" The Napier Male Quartette possessed a pleasing meilowness of tone and their voices blended admirably. They handled the difiicult variations in "Bye, Baby, Bye," with distinct success, their voices at the end blending together and dying away gradually in perfect harmony. Possibly their most popuiar number, however. and certainly the one which best displayed their versatility, was their last item, a clever medley of weli-known first lines run together with amusing results. Several of their numbers were popuiar modern songs, but the mellow voices and rich tones of the quartette imparted to them a special beauty. The orchestral side of the programme was as varied as it was delightful. . The tuneful airs from the musical comedy, "TJie Maid of the Mountains" (which was staged in Hastings earlier this year), were reproduced in a, number of selections. Among the most delightful numbers were the "Three African Dances," where effect is gained by a quiet opening with tom tom and oboe, gradually increasing and finally diminishing to the originai opening phrase. and the "Slavonio Rhapsody," in which again the beauty of the piece Jies in the appeaiing range of sound effects. The programme opened with the overture from the early nineteenth century opera "The Merry Wives of Windsor," a favourite for concert programmes, and concluded with the stirring "Grand March from Tannhauser" generally acknowledged as one of the finest numbers in Wagner's opera. The following programme was presented: Overture, "Merry Wives of Windsor," (Otto Nicolai); song "Moon of my Delight" (From a Persian Gai*den, Liza Lehmann), Mr Stevenson; suite, "Three African Dances" (Montague Ring) ; s')ngs, Napier Male quartette; Miniature suite of four elassics; "Slavonic Rhapsody," Carl Friedmann; song, "A Spirit Flower," Mr Stevenson; selection, "Maid of the Mountains," (Fraser Simpson) ; songs, Napier Quartette ; orchestral, "Grand March from Tannhauser," (Richard Wagner).