200TH PERFORMANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 266, 10 November 1939, Page 3

200 TH PERFORMANCE.

ROYAL AUCKLAND CHOIR. SEVERAL RECALL NUMBERS. In celebration of its 200 th performance, the Royal Auckland Choir presented a particularly tine programme at its third concert of the season in the Town Hall Concert Chamber last evening. There was a sentimental interest attached to the chorus with which the ensemble commenced the programme proper, as this number, "Hark! The Merry Drum,'* was the first item performed by the society when it started its long and honourable career in 1892 as "The Auckland Liedertafel." Works by great composers of the past were pleasingly in evidence in the selections that followed. Beethoven was represented by his "Hallelujah, Power and r Glory," from the "Mount of Olives"; Bach by two tine numbers, "Deck Thyself, My ■ Soul, with Gladness" and "Death, I Do Not J; ear Thee," also, indirectly, in the "Ave Maria," adapted by Gounod from ' the great master's "Prelude in C Major," j in which Miss Sybil Phillipps was a most r effective soloist; Schubert's melodious , music was heard in "The Night is Cloudless and Serene," in which Miss Phillipps was again heard to advantage; an opportunity of hearing Edward Grieg's appealing harmonies was afforded in the perform- . ante of the Norwegian composer's lovely songs, "The Great White Host" (soloist, ' O Leary) and "I Laid Me Down to Slumber." s Examples by modern English composers were supplied by the singing " of two of Stanford's "Songs of the Sea," I "Devon, O Devon" and "The 'Old Superb' ," in the first of which Mr. [ Stewart Harvey's resonant baritone voice . was heard as soloist, also Hammond's descriptive "Lochinvar," and again in Ban--3 lock's fine part song, "Down Among the J Dead Men" and Maunder's "To Arms." In l lighter vein was a plantation song, "Kemo j Kimo." In all of these tlie choir sang with fine t expression and with its accustomed clarity ot diction. Much of the success of the concert may be attributed to the painstaking attention to detail taken by that - 1 sincere musician Air. Harry Woolley, the i choir's most capable conductor, whose ' readings were always in the best of taste. s Ihe assisting performers were Miss Sybil Phillipps and Mr. Stewart Harvey, vocalists, and Miss Zena Hart, harpist. <. Besides singing with the choir, Gounod's n Ave Maria" and "The Night is Cloudless t and Serene, '*• Miss Phillipps sang brilliantly ? ; <Tll . e J e , u " e ' Song" from Gounod's "Faust," e 'Will o the Wisp" (Sptoss) and "Covent Garden," numbers well suited to her light and flexible soprano voice. e ( Mr. Stewart Harvey's singing of the - "Prologue," from Laonreavallo's "Pagli- . acci," ( and "The Lord Chancellor's Nighti niare from "lolanthe," were popular items. He also sang brilliantly Mendelssohn's "I Am a Roamer." 1 Instrumental relief in the programme 7 was provided by the playing of three harp solos, "Berceuse" (Tournier), "Camp Fire" . (Hoberg), and "The Fountain," Miss Hart f giving charming performances upon her beautiful instrument. The large audience was most appreciative ? throughout the evening, and a number of f recall numbers had to be added bv the choir and the individual performers. Mr. Alan Pow was an efficient accompanist.