CHORAL SOCIETY’S CONCERT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5381, 26 June 1878, Page 3

CHORAL SOCIETY’S CONCERT.

Whilst in most other cities of the colony societies of a kindred nature languish for want of support, or rather of that degree of public recognition that imparts life and vigor to their actions, the Wellington Choral Society can claim exemption from such neglect or want of appreciation on the part of the public, and the full attendance at last night’s concert affords ample testimony that such is tho case. Whether it be that the Choral Society of this city is altogether free from those internal bickerings, misunderstandings, and jealousies which tear similar bodies asunder mother places, and that it goes to work with that feeling of esprit de coi'ps which tends to mate it a happy familyi with each and every one of its members doing their best to work harmoniously together to ensure success, wo do not pretend to inquire ; but to whatever cause it is to be attributed, the fact remains that when the Choral Society announces its intention to give a concert, tho only difficulty that presents itself is how to find sufficient accommodation for the number of people who flock to hear it. Had a Patti or a Jenny Lind, in her palmiest days, suddenly alighted in Wellington and fixed on a night for her debut before the public, theru*h for seats could not have been greater than that which ensued when it was publicly advertised that places for last night’s concert could be secured, the result being that long before date no fewer than 600 seats, or thereabouts, were reserved in the stalls and dress circle. Those gentlemen of the committee of management who advocated the throwing open of the pit to the public at the low charge of one shilling, had every reason to congratulate themselves on the fact that that part of the house was, like every other portion of it, filled to overflowing by an audience that could not have been more decorns, orderly, or appreciative throughout the entire performance; and therefore admiss : on to the pit at so low a charge on this occasion, turned out to be an experiment of a highly gratifying kind, and one that must be viewed in a most satisfactory light by those gentlemen who were mainly instrumental in putting it to the test. His Excellency the Governor and suite arrived punctually, and their appearance in the dress-circle, where they were accommodated with seats in the front, was the signal for the orchestra striking up the National Anthem, the large audience standing during the time it was being played. His Excellency prid the society the compliment of remaining during the whole of the time an unusually lengthy programme was being carried out.

The first four items on the programme comprised selections from the “ Creation.’* The recitative, “In rosy mantle,” was very fairly rendered; but there was not much to commend the duet and chorus, “By thee with bliss,** tbe chorus, “ Awake the harp,” or Sir M Costa’s aria, “If thou shouldst mark.” The aria, “I mourn as a dove” (Benedict), was charmingly sung by a young lady amateur, who in well known to those who have been in the habit of attending the popular series of entertainments at the Atheoceum, and she derived considerable advantage from having been accompanied in o most artistic manner on the pianoforte by Mr. Edwards. The performance was encored, and it would have been a pity if the audience had allowed it to pass without paying the young lady and the gentleman who accompanied her this well-deserved compliment. The quartet, “Yea. though I walk” (dull!van), was unquestionably the best quartet of the evening, a fact that must in a great measure be attributed to the first and second sopranos. The aria, “O rest in tbe Lord” (Mendelssohn), was rendered by a lady possessed of a good contralto voice. Tbe performance was somewhat marred, however, on account of the aria being too evenly sung, and consequently devoid of contrast, The lady who played the accompaniment on tbe piano did her part of the task remarkably well, and we recognised in the performer a lady who, in the province of Cauterbory la former years, and for many years in this city, has done more than anyone else to establish a musical taste amongst the people, and to encourage societies that make the cultivation of music their primary object. A decided gem in the first part of the concert was the aria, “Elizabeth’s prayer” (Wagner), sung by a young lady with remarkable taste and expression. This lady has a beautiful soprano voice, not of very extensive power, it is true, but exceedingly sweet and well cultivated ; and why an encore wrb not demanded requires explanation. Mr. Edwards played the accompaniment in this instance al<o. The “Hallelujah” chorus " (from “ The Mount of Olives ”) went with considerable spirit.

It was rather an ambitious announcement to make, that the sacred concert would be followed by Auber's opera of “ Masaniello,” and perhaps the notification was somewhat misleading to some people. It was never intended to present the opera in its entirety, and ic would be a thing next to impossible for an amateur society to have done so. Most of the audience were of course perfectly well aware of this, but there were some who no doubt expected to have placed before them something more than the skeleton of Auber’s composition, and it might, perhaps, have been just as well if the advertisements had stated that selections from “ Masaniello,” and not the opera, would constitute the latter part of the programme. The performing members of the society assembled so strongly as to do full justice to the choruses, there being about sixty on the stage, and the orchestra was likewise of sufficient calibre to play the orchestral accompaniments to the choruses, bnt the evident absence of the band parts precluded them from bringing their instruments into action at all times when their assistance would have been useful, and would have made a decided improvement. As it was, the piano (which was a very fine one, and well tuned besides) was left to do all the work, and oftentimes its strains were scarcely audible. The overture was so well played that the audience were loud in their demonstrations of approval; and the introductory chorus, “All hail the bright auspicious day,’’ was sung with a great deal of precision. The aria “He who had my heart,” and “O, sweet enchanting day,” narrowly escaped an encore. Then followed the recitative and chorus, “ O Holy Power.” The prelude to the “ Fisherman’s Chorus” was capitally played by the orchestra, and so also was the accompaniment to the chorus itself, which was sung exceedingly well. The gentleman who sang “ Behold the morn” seemed to be unused to large audiences, and evinced a nervous desire to hurry through the selection with undue haste. He has often before been heard to sing much better than he did last evening. His want of success on this occasion must have been caused by au unusual attack of nervousness. The duet, “ T’were best to die,” between Masaniello and Pietro, did not commend itself to the audience. The tenor has, no doubt, a very sweet voice, but it lacks range, and is one of those voices that can never be relied on, Listening attentively to it, one bas the constant dread of a collapse, and the next thing to chat result occurred last night, when Masaniello’s final notes, which were higher in the register than the singer was able to sustain, terminated in a kind of screetch. The baritone, however, rescued the dnet from be : ug a pronounced failure. The alia, "My sister dear,” was decidedly well sung; and the duet between Elvira and Alphonso, “ Hope again,” was fairly rendered. The market chorus, “ Come hither all who wish to buy,” was excellent ; and “Behold from rocky headland gazing” (baritone) was deservedly encored. “ The Tarantella” (pianoforte solo) displayed a remarkably fine execution on the part of the lady by whom it was performed, who is possessed not only of a beautiful touch but of extraordinary rapidity as well. An encore could not possibly be withheld, considering the merits of the performance. To this succeeded the chorus, “ O power benign,” and afterwards the cavatina, “Thou only comfort,” which was applauded sufficiently to show that some of the audience appreciated it. The young lady who sang the aria, “We fly to Thee," deserves great praise, and although it was loudly applauded, it ought to have been encored, as it constituted a decided feature in the operatic portion of the entertainment. The quartet, “ I feel my hate reviving,” was moderately well sung; likewise the solo, “ Farewell, my childhood’s home”; and the grand finale, “ All hail the noble victor,” was given with great dash and spirit, the chorus being as good as could be desired, and the orchestral accompaniment capitally played. It should be stated that Mr. Kous Marten discharged the onerous duties of c nductor with evident satisfaction, and Mr. C. Bennington that of leader in a way that could not but be expected from so skilled a musician ; and the grand pianoforte was generally presided at by Mr, Kaymond with hie usual ability. For an amateur performance, the entertainment may be said to have been highly successful; and wo congratulate the society on the manner in which its members acquitted themselves on this occasion, and on tho handsome amonnt which tho proceeds of the concert (Bust have added to their revenue.