SISTINE CHOIR SOLOISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 230, 28 September 1922, Page 7

SISTINE CHOIR SOLOISTS.

. Is tl MAUXIFICEN'T TONE BLENDING. |« Tile N>w Zealand tour of the Sistine ti Choir Soloists L-ommt-Mfed in the Town s< Hall Inst night before one of the most p cnthniiliui.it- assemblage." of music- ,; lovern that lias ever gathered within its ii w»lh>. Much wa«s expected from lllC visitor?, but 1 he performer.-' work ex- { _ eeeded Hvory ideal pictured. Tlio Si-tine j' ( hoir soloists include, live tenors, three I baritones, and two bosses, and Kmilio JJ (asolari, conductor mill pianist. Thi* ,j member* of the i-hoir have distinguished p thvmselve* in Italy, suns at tile Vatican, J; and in grand opera, aiul have just completed a successful season with the Sis- V tine Choir of sixty singers in Australia. " The dinger* have never travelled as far ii« Australia oml tliv Dominion previously. As the combination entered they were warmly ivatod. and the exeru- r tan'ts sanjt to those hnfnre them as t , though they uvro intimate aequaln- ;i turns , *, whilst at the termination of the n scetim-, «olos, and ensemble pieces th" jj artists wen- doubly and triply pneore.l. r , ami after come items wildly cheered. Altogether, the concert was an unusual p musical feast, and thoroughly enjoyed ~ by those present. A notable feature R nhoiit tlie sinpinft of tlie organisation is " the v-nspmblp work: a! times tI)P bari- , tones' and hashes' performances, resem- s I'ied tlie fullness of thp diapasons of a n prand organ, and the tenors that of a t hpautiful (lute quality. Tlip singvM' \, crescendo* and dimiiiuendo-i aroused astonishment, and are worth Roinj,' to hear. There i - much to admire in the ehonlinjr, blending: of the voices, decisive s attacks, release-, feeling for rliythm. <i soul-stirring climax. hui;e. tonal sound '' in lortisttinios. praep of phrasing, and J", gradations of sound of exciting nature, p The vocalist-; po&sess much magnetism, |" and it on to each other. They sing j] as to tin , manner born, and as though i every bar of music was of vital impor- <■ tanoo. A splendid programme of popular jJ; werks was submitted, and ewry item i. admirably performed. Verdi's "Verjjine 1 l>gii Angeli." for duo and chorus, infro- , duced the company. This was given with \ remarkable weal ill of tone. splvndid t ensemble, and wonderful crescendo and jj accelerando effects, whilst, the solos wetv c i:> the capable hands oi Sijmors Paganelh { and Belli. Mai-wenet's "He Ui Lahore ' I followed, and was Minj Ly <:iuseppv j,. .Massofrlia. who has a telling baritone, j ' which he displayed in a tine declamatory Jj performance nf the opening part, and , «ang the subsequent music in a nicely- V eustairvd and exprespive manner. Car- J dillo's "I ore lngrato" wa- rendered with , purity and beautiful tone quality l>y th<-- j lyric tenor. Sijtnor -artl. Siguors Papa- I nelli and Massoglin secured a decided <j st'.coefi in Rossini's j.reat duo from v "The Barbier of Seville." Conifz's "Sal- j I Mttoj- Rosa" whs rendered with remark- i ' ulile pfTect by Signer r'elirp Rclli. who ha? 1 5 it voice of telling juality and power, d under perfn-i control. Leoncavallo's * •\esti la tiiuliliu" ri'ccived a dramatic 1 and graphic delivery iiy Sigllor Adolfo j Knechilli. who used his robuot tenor with , l'rei-dom and ease delightful to follow, j'! IJiUnod's "Sulrlicr.-" Chorus." from I n "Falisl." was jrin-ii with power and fine!" fpp]i:ijr lor movement and rhythm, and i?j; in forte sounded a.- though a lar|£i« choir ji-wsi-i singillfT. Kii*sitii'-< "Prayer" from' l '' •Mines" was delicately handled in the!" minor ke\. and richly ami sonorously!, 1 , sunjj in the cniii'hldinjr major. >i{iiior i ! Constuiitini »a- Ik-ur<i in a eumwful!" reading of AppoliniV "Klreo." Mas-i-aptulV ' a \ "IJriuUins Nonjr" was delivered in a free ,ii and jovial style by Signor Pasinnti and chorus. Signor I'apinplli. who v the po-s- i A sessor of v lieautiful tenor of lyrico . rpirito quality, jjnvp with oxquicito prace j nnd socal purity Klotow's "In Appari'f. Tut 1 Amor." ami sanjr '\ prdi's "l.a Donna ; T i- ?vlol>ile" in irresistiiile fashion, and u'a- i'; heard in an expitrtsive readiiiL , uf! T i:.-.i.nod's -Ax,. Maria." A delightful !u c'vpiling with many of ihv ;:reut masters i jj of music ißrminaterl with Henza's Xea- t politati Chorus '"Kunieilli. Ktitiieula .''•■• which wns rendered with lightness and! gaiety, cliiirminjrly fiii-t itrinvr the fun and i frolic uf the mirthful nni-ic. Si«nor " l'a«olrtri distingiiitlied himself a< con- s diii-tor of the choir and orvhvstra, and!" syinpathetieally played the accompani- j'' inents n<,t orchestrated. Before the entry of the choir and after the interval \ 1 l.iiiwui', -Ballet Egyptian" and .lamfelfs ' '" "Prelude - ' ui-re tastefully [ilayed by the orchestra. Mr. Cyril Tn\v->t»y'i-ondui-ling j and Mr. 11. Baxter acting as leader. 1 '■' To-nijriit another concert will lie piwn i 'j in the came hall, for whi.-h « i pramiue been arranged. j v 11