ROYAL MALE CHOIR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26633, 2 December 1947, Page 6

ROYAL MALE CHOIR

SEASONABLE PROGRAMME The Royal Dunedin Male Choir struck a seasonable and representative note with last eVening’s melange of hymns, nautical songs, carols and traditional Caledoniana. A better epitome of December in Dunedin it would be difficult to find. On this context, the two piano trios (Mozart and Mendelssohn) sat a little oddly; one must presume that this touch was not meant to be equally representative. One pseudo-movement of the Mendelssohn, certainly, was labelled “con motto”—a naughty nicety; but of course no satire may have been intended. Miss Rawlinson’s Faure-Samt Saens group was sung with feeling and comprehension and a good deal of finish: I hope to hear more of her. Miss Keen, I suspect, was recovering from a cold; nevertheless, she sang with a clear, purity, which at its nest approached tne crystalline." It was odd and pleasing' to hear German lieder sung with so un-German a technique. The encores of both these singers were most agreeable. Miss Rawlinson chose an old Calypso song which is. said to have intrigued Wagner in its time; it intrigued the audience too. • . Mr Bryan Drake was in good voice and sang well, though I found him a little virile and robust for the elegance of Handel, But he has tone and good control. All the soloists-at this concert were technically good, and Mrs Drake’s accompaniments - a pleasure. Of the two trios (Miss Ethel Wallace, Miss Dorothy Wallace, and Mrs Drake) the Mendelssohn cahie off the better; the Mozart seemed at 'once flaccid and over-dainty. These players have competence. If is impossible to judge them from a performance in the Town Hall, which is. not adapted for chamber music. I should like to hear them in better conditions. But it is an excellent thing to have chamber music in our concert programmes. A little esoteric for some, perhaps, but acquaintance does much; and some musicians will tell you chamber music is the only form of music worth listening to. The choir sang three items well—the best I thought was “Jesus Shall Reign ” and the accompanist did good work throughout the evening. D. R. G.