MUSIC AT THE CATHEDRAL.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7123, 20 July 1888, Page 5

MUSIC AT THE CATHEDRAL.

" THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA." Sir W. Sterndale Bennett's cantata 'The "Woman of Samaria" was given last night in the Cathedral by the choir. There was a very large attendance, the Cathedral being filled to the utmost so far as the seating and standing accommodation wa s concerned, about nine hundred being present. The composer has set tho narrative of the journey into fcamaria and the inter view of the Saviour with the woman at the well to music most effectively, bringing out in full relief the strongly marked religious character of the subject. The work itself was written for the Birmingham Musical Festival of ISG7, at which it was first performed. The choruses in the work are all selected from Scripture, and are constructed most strongly in a musical sense, the harmonies in some of them being massive, whilst in others the simplest form of chorale is used very effectively. The solos are few in number, and of them the two written for the contralto and tenor are beautiful pieces of musical composition, and stand out in bold relief from the others. The single bass solo affords an opportunity for display of voice, but not to so great an extent as those allotted to the tenor and contralto, and the same may be said of the soprano solo. Ib is peculiar to the cantata that in many of the numbers short detached solos occur for tbe various voices, but taken as a wholo the work may be styled a thoroughly choral one, greater prominence being given to this style than any other in it. Speaking generally of the manner in which the cantata was given, and reserving reference to the individual numbers till later on, it may be said that it was fairly successful. The contralto music as written, cannot be heard to advantage except when it is sung hy a female voice. That of a boy lacks the roundness and fullness of the true contralto wliich is so necessary to give full eifect to the ideas of the compossr. Similarly with the soprano, there was lacking the fullness of a female voice, though, so far as sweetness was concerned, no fault could be found. In the choruses, too, there was at times, a thinness and want of due balance. The choruses are undoubtedly written for a large mass of voices which the choir does not possess. Though these defects were noticeable, still, a very creditable performance was given. Master H. Andrews, who sang the contralto music, was somewhat weak in parts, notably in the opening recitative •'Then cometh* Jesus." The same fault was noticeable in the recitative with the bass " There cometh a woman," the baas voice overpowering the contralto instead of blending. For the reason already given in the beautiful contralto solo "O Lord, Thou hast searched mc out," Master Andrews, though singing carefully, did not bring out to the fullest extent the wonderful religious pathos and fervor of the music with which the composer has clothed the words. The soprano air ' 1 will love Thee, O Lord," was fairly well taken by Master Upton, but he was somewhat husky in the upper notes. Mr Izard sang the only tenor solo in the work " His salvation is nigh" excellently. It suited his voice admirably, and was sung with care, and the number wan decidedly the best of the solos. Mr Cane also deserves credit for the excellent manner in which he gave the bass solo, " Whosoever drinketh of this water." The singer entered most thoroughly into the spirit of the composition and it was a great treat. Of the recitatives it may generally be said that they were somewhat unequal, and in some of them, notably that for contralto and bass, " The woman saith unto him," there was a want of attention to the piano and forte marks in the score. The bass recitative, "Jesus answered and said" was well taken, and the same may be said of that for contralto and " The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way." The unaccompanied quintette by JVtessrs Watkins, Key, A. Miller and Masters Upton and Andrews was nicely sung, the voices blen d ing well together. The opening chorale "Ye Christian People now Kejoice," went rather unsteadily, and the voices did not appear to possess that confidence which was shown in the choruses given later on. The second one, " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel." was well taken though somewhat slowly, and in the forte passages the lighter voices were rather overpowered by the basses. In the softer passages, particularly the chorale at the end of the number, the voices were heard to advantage. The chorus, " For unto Thee,' was was well sung; and "Therefore with Thee" went very brightly. In "Therefore they shall come and sing," though as a whole it went well, there was a wane of attention to tbe diminuendo, forte, and piano marks in the score, which detracted from the full success of the number. The other choruses in the work were well given, especially " Come, O Israel," "Now we Believe" and tbe finale. The chorale, which is a setting of the well kno-Vn hymn " Abide with Mc," went capitally, though it is not nearly so beautiful a composition as that in "Hymns Ancient and Modern." Mr Tendall conducted, and Mr Normington presided at the organ. To the latter great praise must be given for the admirable manner in which he interpreted the instrumental portion of the cantata, a work of some considerable difficulty when it is considered that it was composed for a full orchestra. At the close of the work the Rev. W. Dunkley addressed a few words to those present, asking for a liberal response to the collection, which resulted in the snm of £20 lis sd. The cantata will bo repeated on Wednesday next.