THIRD CONCERT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 827, 22 November 1929, Page 14

THIRD CONCERT

ROYAL AUCKLAND CHOIR'S PERFORMANCE ENTERTAINING PROGRAMME The Town Hall was well filled bv a : large audience last night when the I Royal Auckland Choir gave its third concert of the season. The singers | mustered in strength and submitted an entertaining programme of varied part songs, chief of which was the “Roman War Song.” from Wagner's early opera Reinzi. which received a convincing and spirited interpretation. The tone of the choir throughout the evening was good, and many fine effects were obtained. The part-sing-ing was occasionally “smudgy,” and the enunciation was not always very clear, while the pitch was unsteady in , some of the unaccompanied work. Dudley Buck was represented by three j songs. “Ever of Thee,” which was ex- I pressively sung; “On the Sea.” which | was one of the choir’s best numbers: j and the weighty “Chorus of Bishops | and Priests.” Though the florid passages in “On I the Sea” were none too neatly done, i the line tone, effective shading and ! bold style, were all points for commendation. The Bishop’s Chorus seemed rather laboured and the enunciation was indifferent. “Far Above the Stars” again displayed pleasing tone, but seemed to need a more poetic treatment. “Who Sails With Drake,” by Candish, went in excellent style, and was conspicuous for good manly tone and rollicking rhythm—altogether a very acceptable item. “The Village Wedding” (de Rille) was a little ragged in places, but went with spirit, as' also did the imitative “Who Trusts in Ladies Fair,” though a little more humour seemed desirable. The singing of De Lille’s descriptive song, “The Tatoo,” was crisp and clear, while the crescendo and dimin- ! uendo was admirably managed. In Cooke's part song, “Freely Blows,” j some fine dramatic singing was heard j from the choir, while contrast was ob- j tained by some smooth solo lines by j Mr. Fogerty and a quartet of voices. “IN MEMORIAM” In memory of the late chairman of the choir, Buck’s “In Memoriam” was expressively sung at the close of the concert. Several encore numbers were effectively given by the choir during the evening. Miss Beryl Smith, the possessor of a fine pure-toned mezzo-contralto voice, was heard in Verdi’s exacting scena, “O Don Fatale” and Bantock’s exhilarating “Feast of Lanterns,” and , added as encores tasteful portrayals of Ring’s “Jtine in Kentucky” and Day’s “Ring, Bells, Ring,” which latter particularly suited her voice. Master Harold Taberner displayed unusual talent and technique in his difficult violin solos “Hejre Kati” and “Rondo des Lutins,” and added three encore numbers in response to insistent and well-merited applause. Mr. Stanley Pritchard*’s pleasingbaritone voice proved acceptable in Bullard’s “The Sword of Ferrara,” a commonplace setting of splendid words, and in Cadman’s tine tragic Indian song, “The Moon Drops Low,” in which, however, the singer and pianist occasionally seemed at variance. Encore numbers included an effective performance of Sanderson’s “O Night, O Life.” Dr. Thomas conducted the choir with care and restraint, Mr. Bell ably accompanied the choral numbers, and Mr. Towsey acted in a similar capacity for the vocal soloists. S.K.P.