"THE CREATION."

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18014, 5 March 1924, Page 10

"THE CREATION."

♦ — A SPLENDID PERFORMANCE The Durham street Church was crowded to capacity last night, when n combined Methodist choir of 140 voices sang Haydn's oratorio, "The Creation." The performance, bo far as the chorus work was concerned, was remarkably successful, and the combined choirs reached a standard of excellence worthy of the support of soloists of any celebrity. A notable element was a good even balance, and one more notable was the Bareness of the singing. From the opening number until the final chons the same high standard was maintained, and at no stage was there detectable any unprecision or any slackening of effort. Training and discipline, associated with an intelligent appreciation of the requirements of the music, were the factors leading to so successful n performance. The soloists were, by virtue of the outstanding strength and ability of the chorus, somewhat overshadowed. The basso, however, from an unsteady opening rose to the occasion, and although he was not sufficiently basso to encompass adequately the full range, yet within the limits of his strength he sang splohdidly. His principal weakness was in some of the recitatives, but in the full solo work he never failed. The tenor cortainly suffered by comparison with the high quality of the chorus, although his performance was quite good in its way. The soprano sang pleasingly and with dignity and sympathy, but in tho- concerted numbers was Inclined to be too dominant. The trios suffered accordingly, and never at aijy time did the trio work equal in blend and balonce that of the chorus. Briefly, the chorus was too go'od for the soloists, or at least for two of them. Mr \V. J. Spratt. the basso, achieved his leading success in the solo, "Holling in Foaming Billows," the final slow pianissimo movement being given surprisingly well. Other fine bolos sung by him wero "And God Created" and "Now Heaven in Fullest Glory." Miss M. Twose, the soprano, was heard at her best in "With Verdure Clod," but nil her solos were pleasing to hear, notably "On Mighty Pens." Mr H. Blaketey, the tenor, was good in the recitatives, also in the solos "In Native Worth" and "Awako the Harp." Miss Clarice Bell was the organist, and this iady played the incidental mijaic and tho accompaniments with a skill and /strength which q'uite reconciled one to the absence of an orchestra. Mr Ernest Firth, F.R.C.0., who also was responsible for the careful and masterly training of the chorus, conducted most ably. Towards the close of the oratorio, presentation* from the choir were made to the organißt and the conductor.