AMUSEMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 267, 21 March 1911, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

MISS AMY CASTLES. hist at the Theatre Royal a large number of people gathered to hear .Messrs. J. and X. Tait's concert company, headed by Misa Amy Castles —a singer of wide repute. Miss Castles is an eminently personable young lady, who i.s able to make friends with an expectant audience, even before she sin«»s to it. She lias a voice of great range and power. It is wonderfully trained, its modulations are notable, and the technique of the singer is unexceptionable. She essays the most difficult vocal tasks with confidence, and achieves fine results, and now and then she is able to stir her audience deeply. In the aria, "Carra Nome," of Verdi, she exhibited her mastery of technical singing. In simpler themes, sung in the English language (given as encores) her suitable coyness greatly aided the musical effect. The audience revelled in the lighter items. Two of Xcvin's dainty trifles, "At Twilight" and " 'Twas April," were given with feeling, and in these there was ease of production and a marked softness. "If no one ever marI ries me," one of the encore numbers, ; was exceptionally dainty, and was sung I with an archness most appealing. "Love's I Whisper - ' (Willoughby) was another de- ; rightful encore number, and with the ! "Avo Maria," aji obligato for which was ! played magnificently by Herr Ila.ttcnbach, the cantatrice won great favor. Miss Castles, although able to master the technical intricacies of the most opulent items, is still more charming when she adds the allurement of her personality to a simple theme. Miss I Castles sang Tosti's "Good-bye" with in- ! spiration. She more completely abanI donod herself to the idea of the music and the words of this song than In any ! other number. It was a magnificent effort, and certainly the audience was moved, Herr Louis Hattenbach is a true artist. There is so much that is sym--1 pathetic in his playing of the 'cello that it is sad to see him go. He loves to j play, and it is good to hear his 'cello talk, for one cannot doubt tnat this | masterly instrumentalist speaks his heart with the. 'cello's voice. One knows, of course, that Herr Hattenbach must be perfect in bowing and manipulation, and that his technique must be flawless, but ' these qualities alone stir noboy. "Le Cygne" (Saint-Saens) might be played correctly by a thousand players, but Herr Hattenbach makes it pulse with life. The "Scherzo" of Van Goens was ecstatic, because the player was ecstatic, and the audience sighed in deep content when the '> el!o master broke into the gayest of g r dance tunes, wherein were displayed -rirvels of bowing and fingering, but. L.'st of all, marvels of musical understanding and accomplishment. In Chopin's Nocturne (Opus 9, ' No. 2) the 'cellist showed a complete , affinity with the great master's special | mood. It was played with flawless brilliancy, in-sl inet with the deepest feeling, compelling in its perfection. There is no doubt about Herr Hattenbach's att. A gavotte by Squires appealed to i nil. and the Wicganlied (Schubert) was i splendidly played, and a further gavotte i {Martine) was a fine example of cheerT ful and inspiring work. The company is fortunate in its pianist. Mr. William Conway has dash and verve. There is nothing ragged or immature about his method. Ho played the well-known "Rhapsodie Hongroise" (Liszt) with the finest possible effect, the notable feature of all his playing being virility and mastery. As an encore he played "Le Valse Gentile," greatly to the satisfaction of the audience. With Chopin's Polonaise in A Flat, Mr. Conway had material eminently suitable foT expressive effect, and he gave "Butterfly" as an encore, achieving yet another triumph. Mr. A, Camphausen is a baritone, the quality of whose music is unquestionable. Particularly in Wagner's "Star of Eve," from Tamihauser, did lie exhibit the resources of a voice of sound natural quality, used with effective art. "Still in the Night" was finely sung, and in Schubert's "The Erl King" he was greatly at home, and infused into the splendid number a remarkable vitality. Throughout Mr. William Conway played the accompaniments with great sympathy. Altogether, the concert was a notable one in the musical annals of New Plymouth. 1