THE " MESSIAH ” CONCERT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6497, 23 December 1881, Page 5

THE " MESSIAH ” CONCERT.

At Christ mat w« tiway* look tot th* “ M^akk 1 " The work i» appropriate to to* Mid is part of the repertory of trerf lacjacaJ toffuty. Wherever the custom of performing this oratorio si Christas#* obtain*, everybody wants to join tbs local #ori«ty in the performance, WJa er cry body M quits *ur*> that bo i# faanEar with the music. Hence conductors ha»e more difficulty with the “ Messiah _ than with may other work that fiili to their Jot to hriag out. The popularity of the work, raserlhslr**, is andaiging. The occasion, »• well a* the magmftewmce of themuuo, eppewl# to * Wider range of feeling lino that which fills the ordinary concert halls. For these n«im!4 the “ Messiah ” should never w Judged as we of the ten*# of work* which • mimoal society ha# to present to the publw a» the man* of it* ordinary programme. It would be unfair, for instance, to etopare tot night"* porfornsams* of the “ Messiah with the pmormane* hr the llttdeal goriely to®* months ago of ** Elijah."" If*® disturbing •femeat# are 100 numerous to admit the me of the tame standard of criticSe®. In®®**' ***P«te that performance of ** Elijah »« «P*riw. Bat that, M w* tow indicated, wee, in the ordinary count of th»g*» to be espwttd. Tie eJwna** wen*, m usual with amateur*, *to Itadief ' Boast of th«« awg «a*om*«!y well Jtar- tetosee,

of Qod ” was distinguished for Ikht and shade, good balance of fttwi, wd, what is more rare with amateurs, B®»e * careful reverence of treatment. “ All ?• «*• o«o»P " was crisply and well sung. Sowers “She glory of the Lord/' “ Their mum kii tone out,'* and “ Lift up your beads, AU these were very excellent, the hurt being of especially well finished effect. In* more thankless of the choruses were likewise wary creditably given j but in many places there was a deficiency of force. The lead® were not always taken up by the body of voices, the lingers appearing to have relapsed into the old bad habit of woi'ing upon each other. Bren in the Hallelujah chorus, for example, the sound wee by no means eoßimeutuato with the number of voice*, and the leads appeared to be left by common c» asent to a few. We say appeared because it is possible that the choice of position may have been the unfortunate cause of these deficiencies. ' Closed up in the rams' formed by the stage, seated on benches rising high enough to send many voices into the back of the proscenium, the singers were certainly at a disadvantage. The arrangement of constructing a platform at the other end of the hall, tried on the occasion of tho performance of " Elijah,” was eosuperior, and proved so successful, that we wonder it was not repealed again last night, Of the solo singing, Mis* Taylor’s rendering of ” I know that my Redeemer lirelh ” was, of course, Hie fast example. Miss Taylor was, as usual, in good style, correct and pleasing. Of the amateur solo singer* whose rite it is to fill up the parts that the work may be complete, one never has much to wy. We seed only say that we were glad to see Mr Knox once again to the fore in the musical world, and to Mr Pusehel that he is to be complimented on tho additional strength which his voice ha* gained, He hie likewise made an advance in style, giving as distinctness of enunciation in place of the somewhat confused style which was formerly his chief defect. “ Comfort ye” and M Every valley ” he eang really well. His is a voice which will well repay the assiduous practice which Is necessary to make him a dleUogniihed singer. The other solos were entrusted to the following ladies and gentlemenßejoice greatly," Miss Rowley j “He was despised.” Mre 8. Bshdretj ”0 Thou that teilesV* Mica E, B. Rowley; ”He shall feed his flock” Mies Kelly j " Then shall break them,” Mr Itard. The orchestra was fairly strong, too strong at times when they ought not to have been strong at ail, but on toe whole well drilled and emeteni. The hall waa crowded.