ROYAL MUSICAL SOCIETY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21148, 26 April 1934, Page 6

ROYAL MUSICAL SOCIETY

* "ELIJAH" With the performance within one week of what are, practically speaking, the first and last works Mendelssohn wrote, the octet for strings at the Laurian Club on Saturday and the oratorio "Elijah" by the Royal Christchurch Musical Society on Tuesday, it has been possible to hear as much of Mendelssohn in that time as is ever possible usually in one year. The presentation of these two very representative works close to each other is enough almost to persuade the concert-goer that Mendelssohn is not one composer but two; that the Mendelssohn of the Midsummer Night's Dream music, the violin concerto, of that tonal seascape "The Hebrides Overture," of the octet and other chamber works, the string quartets for instance, with their rich musical invention, of the many delicate pianoforte works apart from the familiar songs without words, is an entirely different Mendelssohn from that other more official composer, regarded a century ago as second only to Beethoven, who is revealed in his large scale choral works. Only two or three of these still attract attention to-day and although "Elijah," one of the most popular, is a work that in some respects must be met half-way, its dramatic interest, the magnitude of the choruses still make a strong impression. The conductor, Mr W. H. Dixon, on the whole secured a good reading of the score. Broad effects and solid massive tone were given which allowed such stately choruses as "And He Shall Endure for Ever" full power; the wrathful "Yet Doth the Lord See it Not," the three Baal choruses and the long section descriptive of the onrushing storm were well delivered. The "Be Not Afraid" and similar choruses were heartily sung, if at times with a too uniform level of tone, a fault that cropped up elsewhere. There was far too little really soft singing; pianissimos were brought up to a moderate forte and fortes to something very near fortissimo. Some minor alterations were made; the accompanied quartet "Cast Thy Burden upon the Lord" was sung by the choir unaccompanied, the first double quartet was omitted. The orchestra accompanied soloists well; in big choruses, strings were too few to carry against the voices. The overture was a pedestrian performance. Of the prophet Elijah, on whose shoulders the burden of the work chiefly rests, Mr Charles Clarkson made a commanding figure. His reading of the part was sound and satisfactory, not remarkable for subtlety of deep insight but acceptable in its straightforwardness. Interest in this long and difficult role was well held. The main airs "It is Enough," with 'cello obbligato, "Lord God of Abraham," "Is Not His Word Like a Fire" were sung in solid robust style. Mrs D. A. Lawson sang the soprano solos surely and confidently; her voice, attractive in many ways, is admirably adapted to concert work. The air that opens part two, "Hear Ye, Israel," was finely managed and could be heard from the rear of the hall without any difficulty at all and without any suggestion that the singer was exerting herself to do so. Miss Alice Vinsen's contralto voice is of good, acceptable quality, but the singer, in "O Rest in the Lord," for instance, rarely goes deep into the music. Mrs W. Owen sang the small part of a youth with remarkably clear voice, accurate in intonation and agreeable irl quality. Misses N. Billcliff, F. Sim, and D. Cooper tang the trio "Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountains." Mr Robert Samson in the various parts of Ahab, Obadiah and others, entered fully into the character of the music; his voice, improving as the evening proceeded, was very sympathetic and agreeable; his manner of singing is quite unaffected; the music gained by this unobtrusive, style. Before the performance "Land of Hope and Glory" was sung by choir and audience in memory of "the late Sir Edward Elgar.