CLAUS-REKEL CONCERTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 94, 21 April 1874, Page 2

CLAUS-REKEL CONCERTS.

Mdlle. Jenny Claus, with her accomplished coadjutors, made her first appearance last evening, in the Masonic Hall, Trafalgar-street, before an appreciative audience. To speak in terms of ordinary approval of this talented young artiste would be doing her a manifest injustice; it is rarely, indeed, that an opportunity like this will present itself in New Zealand of hearing and witnessing the power and capacity of the violin in the bands of so perfect a master, if the term be admissable in reference to a lady violinist*?. We retain pleasing recollections of visits from other excellent performers on this noble instrument. We are apt to recall the peculiar characteristics of eacb, — tho fire and energy of Poussard, the tender pathos of Heine, the brilliant execution of Stmonsen. In Mdlle. Claus we recognise tbe qualities of all combined in an exquisite degree, fiee, however, from the quips and trickery with which it appears to be tbe custom (perhaps " more honored in the breach than the observance ") of combining with violin solos. The first performance of Mdlle. Claus, was an Air Varie, by Vieutemps, witb wbich we are not unfamiliar, we must pronounce that with the most faultless execution, and a full sufficiency of vigor, „the allimportant element of expression was paramount. In De Beriot's solo, the " Echoes af the Alps," on opportunity was afforded for the display of the fair artistes power in harmonics, . thus producing the softly repeated "echoes" 1 descriptive of the sulject ; this per-

formance was simply wonderful, the articulation clear, Ihe stopping in sirict time, and the tone brilliant though soft and low. " Auld Robin Gray,'' a transcript of the pet former's' own, was played with great delicacy of feeling, and to an enthusiastic encore she responded with Reber's era He song ("La Berceuse"), a delightfully flowing melody, sweetly played and with characteristic simplicity. A fantasia on airs from Trovatore, very cleverly arranged, was not tho least pleasing, as was amply testified the j load plaudits which followed. ! In Mods Rekel we find a graceful accompanist and it is no slight advantage to an artist when principal and accompaniment are in perfect sympathy. Mods. Rekel's piano solos were power- j fully executed bihl well appreciated. j Mdlle. Rekel possesses a pleasing ' soprano voice, and her ballads in English were well articulated, and sung with very pleasiDg effect. Osbooe's Nightingale Song was perhaps not judiciously selected as an opening performance, yet in this difficult song Mdlle. Rekel manifested that she possessed a well-trained and flexible voice. Sigcor Cecchi is a tenor robusto, \ with a voice of immense capacity, and appeared to special advantage the in operatic selections. Fra poco was exceedingly well rendered, and the RomaDz*, Tin Baccio solo, was sung with peculiar grace. We recommend all our readers who are lovers of music not to lose such ao opportunity as may not soon come again of enjoying tbe pepfect pleasure to be derived from music of a high order, discoursed under the rare advantages of high cultivation united with the soul that can conceive, and tho hand that can express.