THE LIEDERTAFEL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22371, 7 April 1938, Page 7

THE LIEDERTAFEL

258 TH CONCERT GIVEN PROGRAMME OF PART SONGS The Christchurch gave a programme of part-songs in the Armagh” street Art Gallery last evening. This was one of the usual series of smoke concerts' which this society happily makes into an informal gathering rather than a solemn evening. In the temporary absence of both the regular and deputy conductors, Mr D Clapperton conducted at short notice. Undoubtedly the work of most substance from a musical standpoint was Elgar’s group of part-songs, which included “Yea, Cast Me From Heights of the Mountains,” “Whether I Find Thee,” “After Many a Dusty Mile,” “It Oh to be a Wild Wind,” and “Feasting I Watch.” As is usual when this group is sung, the last-named made the most impression. In this, as in the succeeding part-song, Walford Davies’s setting of Kipling’s “Neighbours,” the choir achieved a good depth of tone. The programme opened ■ with Coleridge-Taylor’s “Viking, Song,” which, to judge from the words “Clank, clank, clank on the anvil,” could well have passed as a blacksmith’s song. Two songs followed of a type which this choir finds much to its taste, and sings really well, “Uncle Rome,” a darkey song, by Sidney Homer, and “Spin, Spin,” a pleasant air, by Hugo Jungst, in the style of “In a Cold Dell,” with which the Comedy Harmonists made us familiar. Others given were “The Three Clocks” by Starke, for which one member provided an excellent wheezy “cuckoo,” “The Blue Danube” in an arrangement by Elsasser, “Ma Little Banjo” by Dichmont, and “Swansea Town,” arranged by Holst. Solos were sung by Mr I. E. Street, who had chosen Schubert’s grand song “My Last Abode”; by Mr R. Allison, who sang first a popular song by Dcnza, “Had You But Known,” and then, with real charm, “Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes”; by Mr Thorpe Cherry, who sang Edward German’s graceful “English Rose,” and Dvorak’s “Songs My' Mother Taught Me”; and by Mr P. Caithness, who sang “The Lute Player” by Allitsen. When, by the way, will singers give us more songs by German, whose vein of melody is pften more attractive than Sullivan’s in many respects?

Mr Arthur Gordon contributed violin solos, Albeniz’s “Tango,” and a movement from Vieuxtemps’ “Concerto in D Minor.” To these, and to the vocal solos and part-songs Mr M. Dixon added accompaniments that were always musical.