MUSICAL UNION CONCERT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12828, 12 June 1907, Page 8

MUSICAL UNION CONCERT.

"HINEMOA."

.'..Cantata music seems just now to bo i■ j-..1jl tho ascendant in New Zealand. On ; J .'Friday last a Wellington society pro- .",';■,: duced "Hiawatha," and last night tho *■;'.,. local Musical Union gave their first ; ; subscription concert of tlio new season ■-•; witli Mr Alfred Hill's musical Betting of tho charming legendary poem "Hiiiomoa." Mrs Burns, who sang with a groat deal of effect, added to tonsldor- < ablo dramatic power, 'was heard to y. much advantage in tho music of.Hinemoa. Her opening number, "When tho 1 -.'Tired Winds 11 ro"sleeping, was given with artistic appreciation of tho .- varied character of tho song. Tho refrain in which Hinonioa declares hor love for. Tutanokui" was vei'y finely given. Mrs Burns waa also good in tho ibaHad, "There is Only, tho Laughter," the descriptive music and tho rccitativo portions being sung with a good deal of, .effect. Mrs Burns was also heard to considerable advantage in tho concerted jnusio, especially in the tluet with Tiitauekai, "OvSr the Wave," which . had to bo repeated. Aa a whole, Mrs Burns's performance deserves wnrm eommondation. Mr G. March, as Tutanekai, sang the music well. Ho , was excellent iv tho ballad "Wnko, My ) Tonder, Thrilling Fluto." In tho dra- '•'■ matio solo "Who is tho Slave P" Mr March infused 11 good deal of power ■' into his singing. Tho song was declaimed with much effect. Mr -March also sang excollontly in tho duet "Over tlio Wave." Mr P. Hockley, who sang the Sort of Tiki, had only ono number, a vet with Mrs Burns, but he hardly in- , . fused enough spirit into hia singing of , tho rccitativo which farms the main part of the number. Air S. Hawker made hia debut with tho Union as the '•" ■ Toluingu. His voice is resonant nnd 1 powerful,but his enunciation was somewhat indistinct, nnd he bus a tendency -'. to clip his words and pronounce them wlantically, which spoilt hissinging of tno prologue. The choruses were fairly well sung. Th« first one, "Conies o Chorus," lucked spirit, and in tho chorus of warriors, for male voices, [■ thero was a luck of volume. It was, > however, encored, and on its repetition '. went somewhat better. The most suc-cen-ful choruses were undoubtedly that rtf tho Fairies nnd the final one. though in the latter the marento character of the mil. ic wi.* not. sullieieiitlv accentuated. The orchestra at times played far too forte, notably in their aeeotnpniiimonts to unnic of the solo*, nnd in tho opening the (lute solo lacked decision. The second part was Randf..!.!'. fine .j setting of Lord Tenm-son's crand war ■ psalm "The Revenge." 1,, this the chorus sang very well indeed, all tbe different dramatic phases of the niu.ie ~ being well brought out. The orchestra. too. deserve prai<e for their admirable playing throughout; the tone enl.mri nig "f the different stanzas heim.: very finely given. Dr. Brad-dinw conducted and Mr S. R. White led.