CANTATA.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 18, 24 September 1898, Page 5

CANTATA.

On Thursday evening in the Odd- , fellows' Hall the Wesleyan Church Choir, 1 strengthened by friends, gave a rendering of Butterworth and Boot's cantata " Cloud ;-and Sunshine," describing the return of ilia Children of Israel. There was a good attendance, about 300 persons being present. Mr D. Hoare was conductor and Miss Manchester organist. Mrs M'Kenzie and Miss Sinclair (violins) and Mr J. 33. Fox (bass viol) gave effective assistance ' with the accompaniments and incidental music. The large stage was quite filled 'with the singers. The choir of children, 30 strong, occupied raised seats at the back. The rest of the performers, some L4O in number, were ranged in front. It was a mistake not to have the seats of the men and women singers arranged in tiers as those of the children were. The tenors and basses were packed into the wings and behind and on a level with the trebles and altos. The result was that the volume of sound was much lessened. The voices in the back rows of trebles were not given a fair «hance_and the tenors behind these again were seldom heard at all and the same remark applies to the basses, who were out of sight behind the altos. The altos gave a good account of themselves. It is not "too ,much to say that no better contralto " part " has been heard hi Waimate. The choruse* right through were excellently rendered. The ' soloists were Mesdames W. J. Dailey and Shackltton (soprano) E. Dailey and Dowle (contralto) Messrs W. Cottee, A. Baker and H. Marriott (tenor) aud W. Coltinan,

W. Cheverton," v H. G. Wake and J. W. Manchester (bass). All the soloists, with the exception of Mr Baker, are familiar to Waimate audiences. Mr Baker being a tenor singer and a good one is a welcome acquisition to our local musical talent, and it would not have detracted from the performance if he had been given more solo work. It is very much the custom for the papers in the smaller towns in New Zealand to speak only smooth things of amateur performances. This we consider a grave mistake and shall make it our business to note faults where they exist 1 . First then, we think there were too many soloists at Thursday evening's performance, Eleven, where there should be but five of six, breaks the continuity of the theme and gives the appearance of trying to gratify the performers rather than the audience. Then it is not necessary for singers of recitatives to cause a long wait by coming to the front to sing pcr r haps a couple of lines which are merely introductory to the next number. The management did well in supplying the audience with copies of the words of the cantata. Though, as a whole, it was a distinct merit of the performance .both in the solos and concerted items that the words were clearly enunciated, there were some prominent exceptions, and the book of words was a help in such cases. Those performers who have been frequently before the Waimate public may bel«Et -alone, but not so young singers like Mr J. W. Manchester, who had the bulk of the bass solo work. He has a capital voice, and as far as the music is concerned, sings well, but it was impossible to follow his words without the book. Just a little care with his enunciation, and Mr Manchester will run some of our experienced singers very close. To use a stock phrase, where so many did well it is difficult to say who did best, but it is no disparagement to the other singers to say that two items standing out well were Mrs Dowle's solo, "The Evening Moon," and the duet, " The Lord went before them," Bung by Mrs Dowle and Mr Marriott, and also Mrs W. Dailey's solo, " The Reeds of the Shepherds," with flute obligato. The choruses by the children were exceptionally well rendered, and this part of the cantata reflected great credit on their trainer, 'Mr Marriott. "0, the way is long and weary,", in which only the children sang the melody, members of the choir singing the other parts, Wjas most effectively given, and just as weary people might be expected to sing it. Before the last number was given, Mr, H. G. Wake, in a short speech, thanked the audience for their attendance. The cantata is not in itself the best given here, but those who wera not present missed a genuine musical treat.

Mac Toddy — " I say them cabmen are over extortionate chiels. My man had only driven me a mile and 1-llth yards, and wanna content with a shilling, ■so I just took his number, and right glad I am I did, for when I had got to the hotel- Id left it in the cab.' 1 (The Guvnor, Thursday night.