CHORAL CONCERT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 176, 18 August 1909, Page 3

CHORAL CONCERT.

A SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION. The first concert of the New Plymouth Choral Society took place in St. Mary's Hall last night, and proved a veritable musical treat. Despite the cold and boisterous weather, there was a large audience, and the programme from be ginning to end was enthusiastically received, many afterwards expressing their pleasure and surprise at th e good results of the society's work in its few short months' existence. Mr. Francis Cornwall is to be highly congratulated upon the society's success, and jit is hoped that last night's concert is only the first of many we shall hear from this splendid musical combination. Tha orchestra, which included the oldest-anJ most reliable instrumentalists of the town, worked well in the choral numbers in which it was assisting, and also rendered some splendid selections, having on one occasion to repeat the Hem.

The overture, " Desdcmona," was play<.d by the orchestra in a finished manner, going with great vim and precision. There was a noticeable absence of roughness. The first choral number was Ciro Pinsuti's beautiful serenade, "Moonlight and Music." This was well treated. Its delicate phrasing and counter-phrasing and tone blending showed the result of much practise, and it was at once seen that Mr. Cornwall had his choir well under control. Unfortunately Miss O. Ituckman, who was to have sung, had developed a severe cold and could not take her solo. Miss Loeseh showed that she had .a very nice mezzo-soprano voice by her singing of " The Flight of Ages," and with proper training should become a good vocalist. "A Morning Hymn" was a dainty duet supported by a ciiorus of ladies. The duet, with the'exception of a tendency to cut too short some of the notes finishing the phrases, was well sung by Misses Taylor and Leatham, the latter showing a nice contralto voice of which we should have liked to hear more. Mr. John Haslam sang in fine style "Because." He is quite a popular vocalist, and is possessed of those true emotional qualities which help to make good singers. In response to an emphatic recall he sang "Two Eyes of Grey," with good effect. Next came that charming work of Schumann's, "Gipsy Life." This was splendidly rendered by the society and orchestra, and was treated with lightness and precision, the crescendos and diminuendos being excellent. The solos and duets were well sung by Misses Loeseh, Buckman and Leatham, and Messrs. McEwen and Haslam. The "Sizilictta" (Franz von Blon) was nicely played by the orchestra, and evidently caught the popular taste, for it had to be repeated. "Softly fall the Shades of Evening," for the choir only, was perhaps the finest rendered number on the programme. The blending of the voices, and the tone-balancing, with its delicate light and shade, were splendid, and showed the choir to great advantage. If the society had given nothing else, this number was quite a treat in itself. Miss Taylor sang nicely Stephen Adams' " Roses." She has a nice mezzo-soprano voice, but has a tendency to lilod it, thus affecting her articulation. Miss Taylor had to respond to a decided encore. The catch, "To Our Musial Club," was well sung by the male members of the club, and for an encore was given "A Little Farm Well Tilled," which was even better. Mr. Xixon sang well Mascheronj's " Till Death." He has a light tenor voice of pleasing quality, and had to respond to an encore. The obligatos to these songs were well played by Mr. H. Salt. The last choral and orchestral item, and one that was very popular, was the chorus "The Song of the Vikings" (Faning). This work is Of a heavy—we might almost say operatic—style, and came as a striking contrast to the more delicate tone studies. It was re-demanded. The inarch " Pukekura" was a composition by the conductor of the society, and was bright and catchy, and showed Mr. Cornwall to be a composer of some ability. The piece wa3 well arranged for the orchestra and was capitally played. The success of the concert was in no small measure due to the artistic and sympathetic manner in which the accompaniments were played by Mr. Bruce Lewis.