"ST. PAUL."

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19480, 29 November 1928, Page 13

"ST. PAUL."

ROYAL MUSICAL SOCIETY. At the Municipal Concert Hall last ni £t the Royal Christchurch Mus^l Society under the direction of Mr A. GTSmpson, performed iMe-^ x • "<i\ Paul" Composed some dolsS" the master craftsman whom, the most complex music Es attracted rather than repelled who had drunk deeply from the wells SiK^ToSSS older masters. The vividly choruses are the outstanding feature of ''St Paul," right from the beginning with "The Heathen Furiously Rage. Then- "Stone Him to Death." and "Rise, Rise," so realistically set and the lovely choruses "Happy and Blest and "O Great is the Depth."' Tlie Bach tradition of interposed chorales is also effectively adopted. Agam in the second part the chorus "How Lovely are the Messengers" is wonderfully fine. Nor are arresting anas, fairly distributed between soprano, tenor, and bass, missing there. Upon the performance of the worK, Mr A G. Thompson is to be warmly complimented. The impression remained throughout that he had prepared the choruses with great care and held them, and the orchestra as well, safelv in his hands. For the chronic dearth of men he can hardly be held responsible and that, of course, affected some of the demonstrative choral sections. For great taste and good'' tone-modulations was particularly conspicuous the chorus "Happy and Blest." The orchestra, led by Mrs "Wilson, and well supported at the piano by Mrs J. E. Russell, played tastefully also and with becoming discretion. In a- general way they had acquired a more intimate knowledge and with it more refinement. Madame Winnie Fraser, Mrs Anne Harper, and Messrs J. Hadland and Chas. Clarkson were the soloists elect. Madame Fraser's magnificent voice brought out in matchless beauty the arias, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem,'' and a telling delivery in the numerous recitatives. The contralto part is limited to one recitative and arioso fairly presented by Mrs Anne Harper. "With a pleasing, true, and resonant voice Mr Hadland combines a pronounced musicality, and is absolutely reliable. A certain dragging of the words in recitative should be remedied. For Mr Chas. Clarkson the explosive parts of his formidable part are just the thing. But he sang also with warm feeling in his great aria, "0 God Have Mercy." and in "I Praise Thee, O Lord." On (esthetic grounds applause during the acts has lately been denounced in opera.- Still more offensive it is interrupting the solemnity of the oratorio. The choral societies should follow the example of the Orchestral Society there in the application to symphonic works and request their audiences to abstain likewise. i . The impression will be greatly enhanced when gaps are avoided.