SACRED CONCERT
“THE NEW JERUSALEM.” AN EXCELLENT PROGRAMME. A sacred concert and a cantata, entitled “The New Jerusalem,” was submitted at the Baptist Church, Hastings, last night by Mr. J. Bewley and a combined choir. The excellence of the programme was quite above the ordinary amateur standard, and in some instances the soloists invaded the professional realm. Mr. Bewley and his singers are to be sincerely congratulated on a performance which was a distinct credit to the Town, and although the church was comfortably filled, the audience would have been overflowing had the public known the merit of the entertainment. M. A. Steele is gifted with a beautiful contralto, a clear delivery, a striking presence, and a temperament which enables her te breathe the spirit of her theme and to convey it effortlessly to tho hearts of her audience. She sang the recitative. “Then Shall the Eyes” and “He Shall Feed His Flock,” from “The Messiah,” with an intensity of devotion and a reverent humility that drew her hearers with her into the Divine inspiration of the great composer. Mrs. J. W. Berridge is also a singer with whom the public would like to be better acquainted from the concert platform. She has a good presence and she possesses a fine mezzo-soprano voice, full of melody and power, with beautiful contralto tones in her lower , register. She sings with much expression, religious fervour and comprehension and her numbers were all artistically interpreted. She sang “Abide with Me” (Liddle) with deep feeling, and in Jude’s beautiful setting of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” associated with Mrs. Compton, the voices blended nicely but Mrs. Berridge rather overbore her partner in the duet. Mrs Evelyn Bariev is an established' favourite in Hastings musical circles and of her nothing need be said beyond the fact that her treatment of the numbers entrusted to her was in every way satisfying and in accord with her reputation as a vocalist. She sang “Come Unto Me” (Messiah) and in the duet with Miss Steele “There is a Blesse' Home,” both sang in admirabk blend and balance. The quartette “Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord" (Elijah) was excellently rendered by Mesdames Compton and Berridge and Messrs. Compton and Berridge. Mr. J. Bewley sang “Comfort Ye” and “Every Valley” (Messiah) and his interpretation of these exacting solos was masterly. His treatment of the different passages was easy and fluent and his expression was both artistic and contenting. Mr. L. Compton’s fine bass, resonant and commanding, was heard to advantage in “Lord God of Abraham” (Elijali) and Mr. J. W. Berridge did justice to the solo “Then Shall the Righteous Shine” (Elijah), although he appeared to be participating in the slight colds common to most people just now. Mr. D. Christie contributed a Romance (Vieuxtemps) on the violin, his interpretation being conscientious and pleasing. The choir, forty strong, sang with spirit and discipline, swinging easily to Mr. Bewley’s baton. They rendered “And the Glory” (Messiah) with ea-rnestness and warmth, as well as the anthem “Everlasting Strength.” THE CANTATA. The second part of the co»ieert consisted of "The New Jerusalem,” a cantata composed by A. Mee Pattison, in which the singers, both soloists and choir, acquitted themselves with the great credit. Miss B. McTJutcheon played the accompaniments with complete sympathy. and an orchestra, under the leadership of Mr. T. Kitchen, gave support to the cantata. At the conclusion the Rev. Keith Ewen thanked the performers, and the proceedings closed with the Benediction.
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Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 1 December 1927, Page 5
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582SACRED CONCERT Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 1 December 1927, Page 5
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