"HIAWATHA"

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21461, 1 May 1935, Page 7

"HIAWATHA"

EOYAL CHEISTGHURCE MUSICAL SOCIETy

LAST NIGHT'S PERFOKUtANCE

A rehearing of Coleridge-Taylor's "Hiawatha," performed last evening in the Civic Theatre by the Boyal Christchurch Musical Society, proves that this work still teems with interest, but it nevertheless makes one aware that this composer's writing already belongs to a past period in musical history, so rapidly has musio advanced. In spite of constant hearing of numerous rhythmic innovations from jazz orchestras,, and in spite of their theft of every new harmonic effect, one is pleased to notice that the rhythms and harmonies of Coleridge Taylor, while not being so arresting as they once were, still possess vitality, charm; and individuality. Quite the best choral singing of the evening occurred in part two, just after the first entry of the two soloists, and this standard was 1 maintained during the whole section where chorus and soloists alternated. The work here, for the first time up till then, was emotionally felt by all. Nowhere else did the chorus and orchestra reach a high standard. Particularly in part one. "The Wedding Feast," the interpretation existed on a time foundation only, and was never actively rhythmic. Even their time was lacking in precision and was sometimes actually inaccurate. Certain enriching ellargandoa marked in the copy would have helped to relieve this evenness had they been observed. All of these things could have been overlooked if part one had not given the impression that it has been too long known to the singers to be any longer emotionally felt. W.ord colouring, too, was rare here, yet Coleridge Taylor's dramatic setting everywhere cries out. for it. The "Oneway" solo was sung by Mr Ernest Rogers with pleasing quality and with a welcome use of rightlyproportioned time-bendings. In part two. "The Death of Minnehaha." Miss Cecily Audibert finely balanced the emotional and the structural elements in ajl her soprano solo numbers. Mr Wilson, the baritone, was less acciu-ate and less happy, but the dangerous orchestral background against which he had to sing, provides ample excuse for any deficiencies. Professor Shelley's opening remarks were an interesting feature, and were creative of 'a rightly receptive atmosphere to the musical setting of Longfellow's Indian legend. But the insertion between parts one and two of three Schumann songs, beautiful though they be, was an interpolation, seeing that it broke the continuity of musical style. In spile of flexible and graded playing by the accompanist, a thin-toned orchestral upright piano provided a wrongly-coloured accompaniment to Miss Cecily Audibert's charmingly sung Schumann lieder. Such singing should wean audiences from empty ballads, and will certainly widen an appreciation of this beautiful class of music. '

It must badly hamper the work of any musical society to have insufficient basses to provide adequate foundation tone, and one hope 3 that the Royal Christchurch Musical Society will be fortunate in adding considerably to its present numbers.