NEW PLYMOUTH MALE CHOIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1917, Page 4

NEW PLYMOUTH MALE CHOIR.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CONCERT.

In New Plymouth, where, unfortoji. ately.the public has but few opportunities to attend concerts or recitals on a grand scale, a musical treat such as that given by the New Plymouth Male Uioir Society in Everybody's Theatre last night is keenly awaited, and. in spite of a strong counter-attraction the theatre was crowded with an audience that voiced its commendation of each item in a moßt enthusiastic manner. The many weeks of consistent and devoted preparation have retorted in a gteady, progressive improvement even on the society's splendid initial recitals in August last, and as item after item was received with deserved applause, the complete success of the concert became thoroughly assured.

In all, the choir comprises 68 vocalists, of which 13 are first tenors, 12 wcond tenors, 15 first basses, and 13 flecosd basses, the whole being under th» very able conductorßhip of Mr. P. W. G. McLeod. Several new voices have recently been added to the choir, and the blending of the parts throughout was distinctly effective, the words of the part song's being clearrly enunciated, though in some of the items the bass voices rather overbalanced the tenors. The-opening number, "Comrades We Maretf' (J. Stern) was well received. "To,the Stars" j(Kueken) was a pleasing -item; of a quieter style than the first, with a smoothly flowing theme dealt with mainly by the tenors, and accompanied by the well-blended basa parts. "Alexander" (Brewer) stood out in bright contrast to the more serious numbers. The bright song story was told br the lighter voices. Each verse ended by the full choir, the syllables of the word * "Alexander" being e'levcrly played upon and woven into the comedy. A few bare of Mendelssohn's Wedding March are cleverly interwoven in the last verse, with very quaint effect. This number was immensely popular'and was" enthusiastically recalled. The success of Leon Paliard's "Voice of the Torrent" was due largely to the splendid. manner in which the bright florid passages for the first and second basses were interpreted. This number is probably one. of the most difficult tbe choir has attempted, and their handling of this one nu,mber in itself branded their work as decidedly good. The stirring prat song, "Comrades in Arms" (Adolphe Adam), which was so well received at a previous concert given by the choir, was again enthusiastically received. It is a particularly fine marching number, with a wide range, working up to a climax in the final bars, and the choir made the most of its possibilities, the heavier voices maintaining a regular martial rhythm which blended admirably with the robust score of the tenon.

The hymns "Lead Kindly Light" and "Abide With Mo" were treated in novel and effective manner. The air was first softly hummed by the choir, giving the effect of the closed diapason of an organ using reed stops. The first verse, in the case of "Lead Kindly Light," was then sung by Mr. P. Hook'cr, accompanied fcy the subdued humming of the choir with very pleasing effect, the subsequent verses being sung by the choir en masse. Of the two "Abide With Me" WM the more popular, flowing more smoothly with a purer blending of voices and working up to a full crescendo. Messrs P. Hooker, W. G. Reid, K. Day and A. B. Mac Donald achieved a gratifying success in their quartette "In Absence" (Dudley Buck), and in response to an encore they sang a pleasing little comedy song telling of a small boy and a' tia tuck with equal success. The assisting artists, already wellknown to New Plymouth music lovers, were each well received, and each was recalled enthusiastically. The Rev. N. H. Pnpnkiikura, probably the leading tenor of the province, sang Liza Lehman's rightly popular "Ah, the Moon of My Delight," and, for a recall number, "The Song of Waiting." His reappearance on | the second part of the programme in 'Oh, Lovely Night" (Landon Ronald), won him still more admirers, and in response to a double encore he safig "Coming Home" and "My Pretty Jane." The harp soli, "Le Cygne" (Saint Saene), "Ballade" (Hascellgmans), and "Ave Maria" (Gounod), by Mrs. HughesJohnston, with piano accompaniment, and tho more classical "Concerto" (Bach), with violin obligato by Mr. Symes, were also accorded unstinted applause. A dainty encore number, "Pizzicatta" (de Licbes) was ono of tho most delightful numbers of the programme.

Mr. Arnold 0. Sturrock chose as a pianoforte solo Chopin's "Fantaiaie Impromptu," a selection that called for highly finished technique and thorough command of the instrument. Unfortunately tho piano was hardly powerful enough in tone to fill a hall the size of Everybody's, and much of the brilliance of the piece was lost. The audience insisted on a recall number, and Mr, Sturrock responded with Edward McDowell's "Wild Rose," from the Woodland Sketches suite.

Mr R. Whelan took the fancy of his audience by his renderings of "Will o' the Wisp" (.T. W. Cherry) and "I Pear No Foe," and as an encore sang "Colleen Bawn" very successfully. Mr. Sturrock is already well known as a very able and sympathetic accompanist, and he carried out his onerous duties last night in a manner pleasing to both singers and audience. The piano used for the recital was a Hopkinson instrument, kindly lent by Mr. Hoffmann.