CHORAL SOCIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 211, 5 September 1900, Page 2

CHORAL SOCIETY.

"JUDAS MACCABAEUS.'

The Auckland Choral Society gave their fourth performance of the season at the Choral Hall last evening, and, as usual, the concert attracted a large attendance of the subscribers.

The Maccabean oratorio was well chosen as a "draw," for the generality of lovers of this form of music. It in solos and choruses, widely known and admired, while its story, passing from despair to exultation, and from defeat to victory, presents many varieties of effect, and is never wearisome. This brilliant and dramatic oratorio was composed in 32 days, between July 9 and August 11, 1746, upon the Commission of Frederic, Prince of Wales, to celebrate the return of the Duke of Cumberland from Scotland after the decisive victory of Culloden, April 16, 1746. It was first performed at Covent Garden in April, 1747, and was repeated six times that year. Handel himself conducted it thirty-eight times with ever growing popularity, to which the Jews contributed greatly, as it glorified an epjsode in their national history. Mr Paque, L.A.M., who conducted with care and judgment, had at his disposal a chorus of some 140 voices, an orchestra of 50 instrumentalists, and Mr R. L. Hunt at the organ, and as principal vocalists he was aided by Madam Chambers (soprano), Miss May Harper (mezzo-soprano), Mr J. Ferriday (tenor), and Mr J. W. Ryan (bass). With such a body of executants a complete interpretation of this great tone poem was looked forward to, and in some cases this expectation was fulfilled. The performance proved enough at any rate to make an impression on the audience, especially in the more famous of the concerted numbers. So far as the reading of the choruses went, we have a deal of praise to- bestow. Ail through anyone could tell, without, being a musician, that good and conscientious work had been done at the practices. The "attack was sure, certain and true in tone, seldom an ineffective lead, only in some of the intricate places known best by those who had to prepare the work.

The first success -was made in the sorrowful chorus, "Mourn, Ye Afflicted Children," wherein pathetic expression ■was infused; specially effective was the pianissimo ping-ing of the solemn strains at the end of the number. Chorus No. 8 would have been more true to the text ■had the prayerful opening pages been delivered more devotional and .sung' piano instead of mezzo forte; then, the closing fugal subject, "And Grant a Leader Bold," would have shone out mere forcibly and dramatically than it did. However, but for this, the chorus received a capital rendering. In "Disdainful of Danger" the basses were not slow in showing that they enjoyed their semiquaver scale passages, for they sang them lustily with a fine body of tone, which made a telling effect against. the part singing of the tenors and contraltos, who also did -well, specially commendable i being the performance of the contraltos. ■ They emitted a rich quality of sound and I sans with energy and dramatic force. I The greatest choral piece in the work. "Fall'n Is The Foe." for some reason was omitted. This was a mistake, for it spoiled in a measuro the continuity of the theme, for its music celebrates the return of Judas from the victories over Apollonias and "Set'ori. Its instrumental prelude pictures the scene of battle which leads directly, into the triumphant declaration, "Fall's is tho Foe," which is ever recurring with constantly increasing energy, finally leading-.to a brilliant fugue on the words "Where Warlike Judas." It was a disappointment to many having it cut out, for it is'one of the mo.sl vigorous and impressive choruses Handel has ever j written. In • the joyous paean, "Tune I Tour Harps," the basses and tenors? wero heard to advantage. They delivered their quaver passages in thirds with clearness and accuracy, while another noticeable feature was the singing of the sustained tied notes by the former. The contHaltos were disappointing in their singing ot the syncopated bars on' the words "Tune Your Harps," their attack being feeble and without accent. The first and second sopranos gave a good account of themselves in their passages of thirds, and sang with care their other portion, the first sopranos being specialty good in the sustained intervals of the upper register, with the one exception of the dotted minim head note in the closing page, which was a little untrue and screamy'in quality. The chorus of expressive despondency, "Ah! Wretched Israel," would have been more satisfactory had the sopranos immediately attacked their notes instead of slurring up to them. This -was most noticeable in their head lead on the words "Fall'n Hqw Low," while the whole tfody of executants sang the wor,d "desponding" throughout the number with an accent on the first three letters, making it sound "dcs-ponding," instead of "de-sponding." How they could continue so long so doing.seemed strange, for Handel nearly in every case makes the second syllable, "spond," come on the accented note of the bar. The exultant march chorus sung by the Israelitish maidens and youths, "See the Conquering Hero Comes," which is familiar to everyone by its common use on all occasions' from the composer's time to this,' received an excellent rendering. (By the way, this chorus did not originally belong to "Judas Maccabaeus," but 'to "Joshua," in which oratorio it is addressed to Othniel when he returns from the capture of Debir. Handel often made changes of that kind, but this was a permanent one, for the well-known theme is now unalterably set in 'the oratorio in which he replaced it.) The opening trio of it was creditably sung by- Mesdames Chambers, Eady.and Miss Harper. In the duet chorus-, of virgins, f "See the Godlike," in one Instance the prlmo sopranos were a little too previous in their lead, which marred the whole effect. The fourpart harmony portion was rendered with telling^ force, and won for the executants , unstinted praiso at its -conclusion. A •careful interpretation of the exultant "Hallelujah" terminated the chorus singing.

Thei-major portion* of the solo work fell tq Madam Chambers, who delivered her music with judgment and as though she had given her .part careful consideration. The aria, "Ah! Wretched Israel," was delivered with much feeling and/expression. The opening orchestral prelude was fittingly ■ performed of "Wise Men Flattering," while the number suited the singer's style admirably; consequently she did. herself and her theme the utmost credit, notwithstanding the fact that she had throughout the ,aria to 'sing against an annoying sound caused ._bw one of the .organ pneumatics sticking. £&Ie also appeared successfully in "Pious Orgies," and in the fine aria, * "From Mighty Kings," besides singing very expressively, with Miss May Harper the duets "Hall Judea" and "O Lovely Peace."' '•■

Mr Ferriday gave a good account of himself in the tenor arias. ."So'Will'd My Father"' was rendered in a: successful way. '.'Sound An Alarm" was quite- satisfying, a fact emphasised by long and loud applause. His reading of "No Unhallowed Desire"' was, l on, the 'whole, praiseworthy, with the exception of a little uneveness in the semiquaver, runs.

In the bass solo, "Arm, 'Arm, Ye Brave," Mr ,J.W. Ryan found the bravura style of the.'muslc a>little beyond him, so was unable to do- himself or the music quite the justice needed. However, in the spirited aria, "The Eord'Wprketh Wonders," he did well, overcoming its many intricacies of execution in, a very creditable . manner, .which secured for him. a deserved recall and much applause.

The orchestra did not do so well as usual;'their playing would have gained by more' rehearsals, vThe opening - overture was fairly successfully performed t . The strings in many parts were not together, while the intonation was not always reliable. In one of their preludes, namely, "Pious Orgies," there/was a decided want of unanimity; in fact, all through It appeared as if the orchestra had had very little practice. Mons de Willimoff acted as chef d'attaque. '. Dudley Buck's' "Light of Asia" to to be put into immediate rehearsal. ' . |