CANTATA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2283, 21 November 1891, Page 3

CANTATA.

The sacred Cantata " Jonah" was rendered by the choir of the Wesleyan Church, Timaru, last Thursday evening in the Wesleyan Church, Temuka. Notwithstanding that the evening was fine, and the charge for admission was moderate, the attendance was only fair, being nothing like what it ought to have been considering the excellence of the treat offered. Before commencing, the Rev. Mr Dellow came to the front and said this was a week of prayer in Methodist Churches throughout the world. They were holding services twice a day in that church during the week, and the cantata then to be rendered, being sacred, would take the place of one of the services. The proceedings would therefore begin with prayer and end with the Benediction. Prayer was then offered up by the rev. gentleman, and the proceedings commenced, under the con- , ductorship of Mr Wood. The chorus , consisted of 22 voices, and the orchestra of 12 instruments, chiefly violins. The soloists in the cantata were Misses Wood and Dale, Mr Needham, and the llev. Mr Dellow, all of whom sang splendidly. The whole piece was rendered delightfully the voices in the choruses blending most harmoniously together, and the audience regarded the performance as one of the best, if not the best, ever heard in Temuka. Regret was felt at about 9 o'clock when the pronouncing of the word " Amen " \ denoted the cantata had concluded. After an interval of five minutes, however, the second part of the progeamme was commenced, and this proved equally as interesting as the first. It opened with a selection from the magnificent music of the Gloria from Haydn's 12th Mass, which was rendered in a manner that ought to satisfy the most fastidious. Mrs Holdgate sang the " Better Land" ; Mr Gilchrist, "In Native Worth " ; Miss Jackson, "The Star of Bethlehem"; Mr John Holdgate, "Ora Pro Nobis"; and Miss Dale, " Oh, Rest in the Lord," and we may safely say that better singing lias seldom been heard in Temuka. We should like to select some, and especially one, for special praise, but this is always an invidious thing to do in criticising amateurs, and consequently we must content ourselves with saying that all acquitted themselves in a manner that- would reflect credit on the best professionals. The whole wound up with the "Magnify" from Belshassar's Feast. The Rev. Mr Dellow pronounced the Benediction, and the proceedings \ came to a close. i i