MALE VOICE CHOIR

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21319, 12 November 1934, Page 7

MALE VOICE CHOIR

ENJOYABLE PROGRAMME THIRD CONCERT OF SEASON Songs and part-songs sung under the direction of Dr. J. C. Bradshaw, were enjoyed at the concert of the Christchurch Male Voice Choir on Saturday evening. The opening part-song, Vaughan-Williams's arrangement of an old English air, "The Farmer's Boy," made an excellent prelude to-a programme full of interest and variety. Even though Vaughan-Williams may do no more for a folk-song than set it into shape for mixed voices, or, as in Foster's "Old Folks at Home," handle a well-known melody with admirable care, there can be no mistaking the individual quality in all that he touches, and there is no denying, too, that this choir sings his music uncommonly well. In the second of these especially, the fine full tone of the choir was to be admired. Hoist's arrangement of a Hampshire folk-song, "Swansea Town," made a good upstanding song; Samuel Webbe's glee for five voices, "When Winds Breathe Soft," which had the assistance of the Cathedral choristers, allowed for considerable technical achievement. Tschaikowsky's "Nightingale" can always be relied on to bring a repetion of its plaintive strains; well contrasted numbers were Elgar's "Reveille" and Werner's "Song of Harold Harfager." A Manx traditional melody "Berry Dhoe," arranged by Lyon, was a find, and was happily sung twice.

The Cathedral choristers sang their favourite "Eileen Aroon" and an arrangement of Schubert's "To Music," whose noble melody and character it was interesting to hear from boys' voices. The boys also sang a two-part song by Frank Bridge, "Pan's Holiday," but that the twentieth century cannot surpass the earlier seventeenth, for the happy expression of a pastoral mood was shown in the following number, Thomas Morley's madrigal, "Round About a Wood." This was a delight to hear and was exceedingly well sung. A quartet, Messrs R. Taylor, B. K. Bernstein, R. Lake, and W. J. Richards, members of the choir, after a long absence, made a welcome appearance with Horsley's "By Celiu'.s Arbour."

Miss Betty Hilliard's first appearance with the choir was impressive. Her choice of songs was excellent, Tschaikowsky's "Was I not a Blade of Grass in Meadow Green," a fine song in that sorrowful mood that, rightly or wrongly, is usually attributed to Tschaikowsky, Schubert's "Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel," which in 10 years of concert-going may, with luck, be heard twice, and two Scottish folk songs, "O Can ye Sew Cushions," and "The Spinning Wheel," the second of which was a simple, engaging ditty. Miss Hilliard has a smooth contralto voice, uses it well and puts it at the service of the music she is singing. There is musical sense in her work, even though her choice of tempo in the Schubert may not be agreed with. Technically, her singing is most accomplished. Mr Ernest Rogers chose a magnificent song of Parry's to sing, "God Brcaketh the Battle." Parry's music is more known by repute than otherwise, and it was good fortune to hear a song so full of strength and character as this. Mr Rogers called on a virile quality of tone that he does not generally use, and sang this long, and difficult song with vigorous ease. By gentle contrast he added "Ask Me No More" by one, Pedro de Zulueta, whose name sounds Spanish or Portuguese, but whose music did not. Mr W. J. Richards, also a member of the choir, sang a quiet air by Carissimi, "I Triumph," and a likeable song by Frederick Keel, "Trade Winds." Mr Richards has never sung better than in these, and caught the attention of his audience by his finely shaded work. Miss Warren accompanied the soloists and some numbers by the choir with her usual facility.