The Week's Music...

New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 934, 5 July 1957, Page 8

The Week's Music...

by

SEBASTIAN

Ns NE of the most exciting of local musical events for a long time was heard last week, when Verdi’s Requiem Mass was broadcast from Wellington (YC link), The music itself is exciting, of course, with its dramatic methods of interpreting religious words, and its almost operatic possibilities in the eniotive field, with continually changing moods and colours; but the performance was exciting, too, for it» brought together the best in the country in orchestra, choir and soloists, all of whom have exacting parts to tax their musicianship and stamina. The Christchurch Harmonic Society and the National Orchestra combined their tones to perfection, especially in the massive effects that Verdi loved so much, and in which much of the power of this work rests. The soloists were well chosen for their roles, as was shown by their blend jn quartet sections no less than their complete individuality in their solos. The visiting English tenor Richard Lewis was outstanding, not only in his beautifully sung solo work, but in combination with the others, who most commendably made the necessary effort ‘to match his work. -The soprano was Vincente Major, whose brilliant upper Tegister and intensity of feeling carried

the most difficult parts by storm rather than by technique, while her most worthwhile singing was in the final section, the Libera Me. Mona Ross, recently back from overseas, was in very good voice in the mezzo part, while Laszlo Rogatsy produced his most impressive bass and invested his reading with a satisfying dignity of delivery. This large musical machinery was controlled with nice judgment by James Robertsen, who always seems more assured when he is faced with a difficult piece and multiple forces; and the result in this case was fine music finely performed. Richard Lewis has also been heard with the National Orchestra strings (YC link), singing Britten’s imaginative cycle Les Illuminations, a set of fantastic descriptive pieces, very highly coloured and charming. In this his voice sounded in its right setting, and he summoned up all his finesse to make the pungent points of the musical pictures. Particularly telling was the quiet number "Being Beauteous," with its play of light tones; and the whole was pointed by the strings with a positively Gallic accuracy. It’s rare in any country to hear a concert tenor of Mr Lewis’s quality, and if we can hear less familiar works of this calibre as well, we should be duly grateful for his visit.