ENTERTAINMENTS. WELLINGTON MUSICAL UNION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 149, 23 December 1908, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS. WELLINGTON MUS ICAL UNION.

"THE MESSIAH." For the second time this month tho Wellington public have had the opportunity of hearing the sublimest of oratoiios, and the large audience in the Town Hall last night, when the piece was produced by the Wellington Musical Union under the conductorship of Mr. Robert Parker, proved that the privilege was appreciated. In one respect this great composition seems to stand apart. To many it makes a unique appeal as being only in a secondary sense a work of art. It 'presents itself to them as it did to the First George, who, when for the first time he heard the "Hallelujah" chorus, was impelled to ris6 to his feet, the whole audience following his example. To such it scorns to be primarily an act of worship and the applause of the audience an impel tinence — as, indeed, it may be almost regarded from the artistic aspect alone. Last night, for example, it broke in and destioyed the effect of nearly all the passages where a solo is followed by a chorus coutinuing and confirming the theme. It may be remarked generally that there has not often been so satisfactory a performance of "The Messiah" in this city. There was fine appreciation of the spirit of the theme on the part of vocalists and instDumentalists ulike ; there vas admirable co-ordination ; the organist, notably, most artistically supplementing; the orchestration where it was weak while avoiding any disproportionate display of the powers of his instrument : the response to' the conductor's baton was confident and unhesitating, alike in attack and in sudden pause. There was one disproportion, however, and the larger and moi-e efficient the orchestrn and chorus the more noticeable it becomeS — the subordination of the solos, which form so essential a feature, to the choruses. It is unavoidable, and reflects no d : --credit on the singers. These great solo* were written for voices of the first rark, not only in quality,' but power. It is one thing for a soloist to do justice to them in a drawingroom or iroderale-sized hall, but quite different when the single voice has to compete in a great hall with a large chorus and orchestra. In this respect two important solos in particular were at a disadvantage — the first tenor recitative and the contialto, "0 Thou that Tellest." In each of these proclamation has to be made, anil the appropriate declamatory power was lacking ; while, on the other hand, in the splendid outbursts in the. choruses "For Unto Us*' and "Hallelujah" the effects were admirably given. But unless a city such as this has local singers with vocal powers equal to those of the great star artists, this disproportion must always be looked for. And in such solos as "He Shall Feed His Flock" and "I know that My Redeemer Liveth" exceptional power of voice is not called for. j The solo parts were taken by Miss Phoebe Parsons, A.R.C.M. (soprano), , Mrs. D. Basham (contralto), Mr. E. J. Hill (tenor), and Mr. J. W. Callagh.\n, of Aberdeen (baritone). Miss Parsons excelled in tho recitative "There were Shepherds" md tho passages following j in ,s'Como Unto Him," and "I knowthat My Redeemer Liveth" ; and Mrs. Basham's interpretation of "He Shall Feed His Flock" and "He was Despised' were marked by feeling and expression. Mi*. Hill has an all-round apprecistion of tho music, in which lie is "letter perfect," and his reading is nlvvavs vigorous and conscientious. Mr. Callaghan has a good baritone voice, and creditably sustained the ; very difficult bass solos, but with a certain lack of ease and deficiency of expression that practice will doubtless overcome. | The orchestra, which both in the* symphonies and accompaniments, ably sustained its part, was under tde leadership of Here Max Hoppe, and ?lr. Laurence Watkins, Mus. Baa, presrlfd at the organ.