GLEES AND SOLOS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 771, 18 September 1929, Page 16

GLEES AND SOLOS

WESTMINSTER SINGERS' THIRD PROGRAMME That the campaign conducted by Mr. i Branscombe and his glee singers to inspire an appreciation of the music I of England is having its effect, -was j clearly demonstrated by an enthusi- { astic audience at His ‘Majesty’s last , evening. The "Westminster Glee Sing- { ers will be heard on four more evenings, with a change of programme for each performance. There will also be matinees this afternoon and Saturday. The third programme last evening I opened with a spirited hunting chorus I and, as an encore, an arrangement of j the American favourite, ‘ Dixieland.” "Buna” and “I Know Two Bright Eyes” were chosen by Mr. Donald e id. whose alto voice was most pleasing. Harry Fearn sang a lullaby followed by “When Daisies Pine.” The quartet pleased the audience with “In Absence,” and was called back twice offering as encores ‘‘They Kissed” and ‘‘Ding, Dong Dell.” Later in the programme they sang “Hush-a-bye, Baby,” an extremely modern adaptation of the old lullaby. Accompanying himself on the harp, Mr. Charles O’Connor sang two Irish airs with spirit. Sea chanteys, perhaps the most popular numbers of the evening, were sung by the company with Mr. Albert G. Greene as “chantev man.” Mr. Greene is described as a humorist, and he led the rollicking chanteys with cheerful vigour. A cycle of nautical songs completed the first half of the programme. An old favourite in “Good King Wenceslas” was sung by the combined voices, after which Mr. James Barber offered “Wi* a Hundred Pipers.” The song was well suited to his fine bass voice, as was the encore, ‘‘Mvself When Young.” Mr. Ernest McKinlay’s clear tenor was heard to advantage in the Maori ‘‘Song of the Locust,” with “The Second Minuette,” an absolute gem, as an encore. The programme was concluded with a series of English county folk songs in which Mr. Albert G. Greene was again popular.