MUSICAL SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16848, 31 May 1920, Page 2

MUSICAL SOCIETY.

DIAMOND JUBILEE CONCERT.

Unfortunately, the concert tendered in honour of the Musical Society's jubilee, by Mrs Gower Burns, Miss Wocdhouse, and Messrs Petty and Rex Herri-son, at the Choral Hall on Saturday, happened to fall upon the worst night of the year. So it came to paso that only a small audience braved the elements to enjoy the p'eacing programme, which consisted of Liza Le-hmann's two songcycles, "In a Persian Garden" and "A Daisy Chain." Both works owe their introd'.iction here to Sirs Gowcr Bums, and their merits have repeatedly acknowledged. With four such able and well-disciplined singers, an artistic reproduction could be antieipat-' ed. Tho tenor is particularly favoured in

"A Persian Garden." cr.d Mr JtVttp : isti"'-il into it a fine fervour of expression, notably in. "Alas, that Spring Should Vanish, ' and "Moon of :ny Delimit," <-n!y c- ..iK'Hy a basty breath or too sudden exuberance of pressure ap-.caring. Mrs Gowvr uums san ; r with customaiy finish l.'u-: soprano recitative

rnd eonjrs, and her voire ii beauty i<i tho quartet above tho liarmo .:sins trio. The CjUart-et, "They en? the ijijn," f.i.med i' most exhilarating number. Just .when the words, "I i?yself am Heav'n arid Hell," were forcefully rccit«!, all oi a sudden tho artillery and musketry of the skks bombarded tho roof of the hall with cuch fcrociiy that for five minutes wo aat li=toninjr to a- et-orm-l'bapsody unrehej-.-sed and beyond criticism. Miss M"riau \Yocdhause excelled in "I Semetimes Think," with mors variations of toiw and expression than formerly, nnd v.-ith striking on the word?, "Vv'r.w not your how." Still battling with a cold, Mr Rex Harrison wis most imprfssivj with the recitative, "Ah, tho Most," and the solo, "As Then the Tulip."

In the mc.e locsely-joint-d "Daisy Chain," Mrs Go v.-or Burns delightfully "I: No Ono Ever Marries He," and tho action-son:;, "The Swing," both encored, whilst Mr Hex Harrison also had to repeat "Mustard and Cress." ?. simi'nrly enjoyable exem !o of good phrasing and ton-e control, "Keen saJie MiU," preceding it, nca.lyss Erod. Mi-o AVv'xih.?i;'o an-.I Mi- Petty m-i'-c- v!;-- rjyj'. I.i their loso original soli, and the opening quartet, "Foreign Children," was tho-most charmingly periormcd of any. All wcrmest praise is due to Mrs Ocmend Smith for her complete and artistic mastery shov.li in tho piano pa;ts, as in the accompaniments of the two sor.g-cyclcs.